The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 190

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 190. Intrusion (2)

“What?”
“How could someone of that caliber…”
The shock ran so deep that words failed to form properly.
She even muttered aloud, questioning whether this was a dream or reality.
‘Why is she so surprised?’
“Unbelievable. Seriously. An executive shows this much personal interest in a junior employee? And they’re direct family, no less. What on earth could you have possibly done to earn such familiar treatment? I thought I was watching a romance drama.”
Seol Jihoo’s breath caught.
‘An executive?’
He’d heard it would be someone around the level of a team lead.
Something had gone badly wrong—very badly wrong.
Seol Jihoo barely swallowed the words rising in his throat: ‘An executive? Direct family?’
“Surprising. Do you know this person too?”
“Know them? Our research institute works in pharmaceuticals. If you don’t know Executive Yoon Seohee, you’re a spy.”
“!”
Though he’d braced himself beforehand,
the moment he heard the name Yoon Seohee, he nearly gasped aloud.
“Hard to believe even seeing it with my own eyes.”
That was what Seol Jihoo wanted to say.
When Seol Woo-seok gestured, he finally sat down.
Seol Woo-seok shook his head slowly, then suddenly fixed his gaze on the coffee Seol Jihoo had ordered.
He picked it up carefully and fiddled with it for a moment, then made a small noise of consideration, put the straw to his lips, and took a long sip.
“In any case, I’m relieved.”
“Hmm?”
“If it’s the Yoon Seohee line, it’s solid. I’m not part of Shin Young myself, so I don’t know much, but still—you’ve managed to grasp a pretty strong connection.”
Seol Jihoo’s mouth fell open slightly.
“You believe me?”
“…I have no choice but to believe you.”
Seol Woo-seok glanced in the direction Yoon Seohee had disappeared, then spoke.
Regardless of what had actually happened, Seol Jihoo decided to take the optimistic view.
Yoon Seohee’s appearance seemed to have given his brother firm confidence about joining Shin Young, at least.
“Yeah… I have no choice but to believe it…”
Then silence fell between them.
After a lengthy pause, Seol Woo-seok, who had been opening and closing his mouth several times, spoke quietly.
“Can I be honest?”
Seol Jihoo, sensing bitter truths ahead, gave a silent nod.
“Our family is getting by without major problems right now.”
Seol Woo-seok, still toying with the cup, continued in a low but distinct voice.
“We’ve had hard times, sure, but we all pull together and manage. Things have actually become more stable than before.”
“…”
“But you’re still my blood brother. Mother worries about you from time to time.”
To the family, Seol Jihoo was the bringer of misfortune.
Once that misfortune was absent, they found some measure of happiness.
That’s how it sounded to Seol Jihoo’s ears.
“I think I understand how Jin-hee feels. The household is peaceful without you, but the moment you arrive, chaos and disorder follow.”
It was a truth he couldn’t deny.
He’d seen and experienced it firsthand, and he was the one responsible.
“But that’s from my family’s perspective. From your point of view… yes. Seeing you today, I’m starting to think maybe you had every right to feel hurt back then. You gathered your courage to come find us, and…”
“No, no. Brother.”
Seol Jihoo started to speak, but closed his mouth when Seol Woo-seok raised his hand.
“Of course, you’re not entirely blameless either. You know Father’s temperament better than anyone.”
“…I do.”
“Do you remember what Father said that day?”
Seol Jihoo’s expression turned bitter.
How could he forget?
[You ungrateful bastard. Is money the answer to everything? What’s done is done. You just throw money at it and disappear? That’s the solution?]
“He’s a fiery man by nature. But I understood completely why Father was so angry. Now that I’ve seen things with my own eyes, I can understand your position too. Back then, there was nothing certain about the situation.”
“…….”
“No matter how charitably I try to interpret it, I can’t call that respectful. Even if you were busy, surely you could’ve found time for a single call, right?”
“…….”
“Or do you think we should have been clinging to you desperately, reaching out to you like we used to?”
Seol Jihoo shook his head.
Every word Seol Woo-seok spoke was painfully right.
So right there was no room for excuse.
It was he who had gone seeking forgiveness; whether that forgiveness was granted depended on his family’s choice.
The way he’d approached it then was anything but an apology.
The guest could never become the host.
How must his family have seen him, throwing money at them without proper explanation, the way Father had pointed out…
He’d realized it far too late.
Had he mistaken silence for acceptance of his remorse?
Seol Woo-seok, clicking his tongue softly, set down the empty plastic cup.
“Let’s do this, then.”
He exhaled a long breath and continued.
“I’ll take the money you gave us. I still have some debts left to pay, and I’ll use it for that. Whatever’s left, I’ll deposit into Mother and Father’s account or a family savings account.”
“…Okay.”
At least that was something to be grateful for, Seol Jihoo thought.
“And.”
Seol Woo-seok wasn’t finished.
The sound of him swallowing hard came through.
“If you want, I’ll try to convince Father too.”
Seol Jihoo’s eyes flew open.
Seol Woo-seok pressed on, clearly struggling to speak with composure, with steadiness.
“Don’t get the wrong idea. With Seon-hwa and Mother, maybe—but with Father and Jin-hee, I’m not confident. Still, I can at least try to explain things to them….”
Why was he suffering so much?
Seol Woo-seok couldn’t bring himself to finish; instead, he gnawed at his lower lip.
The faint crinkle of the plastic cup collapsing mingled with the thin sound of his teeth grinding.
In the heavy air that felt like his organs were shrinking, Seol Jihoo couldn’t open his mouth either.
“Everyone around me says the same thing.”
Seol Woo-seok’s voice resumed.
“That I’m an idiot. Been betrayed dozens of times already. How many more times do I have to be deceived before I wake up?”
‘How many more times must I be deceived….’
Wordless.
With nothing to say, Seol Jihoo gazed down at the table in silence.
“But the reason I’m telling you this, the reason I’m seeing you today and saying all this….”
Seol Woo-seok’s voice grew quieter and quieter.
“…is because I know you were a good person.”
It suddenly became clear.
“Before the gambling, you were a younger brother I was proud of—the kind you could show to anyone without shame.”
“…….”
“You remember, don’t you? After our aunt and uncle passed away in that accident… when I was nothing but selfish, thinking only of myself. And when Jin-hee was still young, still finding his footing. You—at that age—you took the lead in looking after Seon-hwa and Seung-hye, you told me and Jin-hee not to mind what people said, reassured us, asked us to help, and you made our parents smile….”
Seol Woo-seok paused mid-sentence and closed his eyes tightly.
Seol Jihoo did the same.
Yes, there had been such a time.
In the chaos and pain of that sudden loss, everyone had drawn together again, centered on Seol Jihoo’s brightness.
“Sure, you were a bit of a troublemaker… but you were truly, genuinely a good kid.”
Seol Woo-seok offered a weak smile that didn’t match his cold expression.
“Every time I remember those days… I really do, I want to believe you, thinking that this time will be the last….”
And then he suddenly bowed his head deeply.
“…Jihoo.”
“…….”
“My brother.”
“…Yes.”
At being called again, Seol Jihoo managed barely to respond.
“If you deceive and betray our family again….”
Seol Woo-seok, his words coming in halting bursts,
“…then I don’t think I’ll be able to hold on anymore.”
At last, he laid bare what was in his heart.
Only then did Seol Jihoo realize what Seol Woo-seok was truly afraid of.
Part of it was the unexpected confession itself, but seeing his brother’s voice tremble so violently left Seol Jihoo’s face deeply stricken.
“Brother. I really—”
Seol Jihoo had meant to say, ‘I don’t know how to say this. I’m sorry. I’ll apologize unconditionally—’ when he suddenly stopped.
He saw that Seol Woo-seok was clenching his teeth.
He’d come prepared to take a flood of curses.
If that had happened, he would have borne it gladly.
Unable even to guess what his brother truly felt, Seol Jihoo found himself at a loss, unsure where to stand.
“Is it… all right to hope?”
“No.”
So he changed course.
“Don’t hope.”
“What?”
Seol Woo-seok’s eyes widened in shock.
“And you don’t need to convince me, either.”
“What do you mean?”
As Seol Woo-seok’s voice rose, Seol Jihoo spoke calmly.
“I’m saying I have no right to accept even that kind of hope right now.”
The present relationship between Seol Jihoo and his family could be defined clearly.
Perpetrator and victim.
But the law does not say that simply because a perpetrator reforms and sincerely repents and apologizes, the victim must unconditionally accept the apology and forgive.
Seol Jihoo had demonstrated his reform—quitting gambling, repaying every borrowed debt—but that did not erase the wounds he had inflicted in the past.
Seol Jihoo spoke with a composed face.
“There’s a passage in the Bible that says this.”
“The Bible?”
“Treat others the way you want to be treated. Matthew 7:12.”
“What’s this sudden—”
“When I was consumed by gambling, I already received more than enough treatment from my family. More than overflowing.”
His father, his mother, his brother, his sister, Seon-hwa, Seung-hye.
Six people united in their efforts to save him, yet Seol Jihoo himself was the one who ultimately pushed their hands away.
“But if I ask for another chance or ask to be trusted again… that would be shameless.”
“Then what are you saying you’ll do?”
Seol Woo-seok asked, his tone softening slightly.
“It’s simple.”
Seol Jihoo answered without hesitation.
“Now it’s my turn to treat my family.”
“Treat?”
“Yes. Treat.”
If the family desired it, Seol Jihoo would apologize a hundred times over.
Even if it took more than ten years, he would never stop asking for forgiveness.
In whatever way, until their hearts were at peace.
“So what you’re saying is—”
Seol Woo-seok spoke up.
“If you don’t expect anything, there’s nothing to be disappointed about.”
“That’s right.”
“Either way, you’ll continue to treat us with kindness, and whether we accept that treatment or not—we’ll decide that.”
“Exactly.”
“What if we never accept it?”
Seol Woo-seok asked sharply.
“Even then.”
What if they refused to accept the apology itself?
That too was simple.
He would simply never appear before them again, as they wished.
That would be the maximum kindness he could offer within his means, and Seol Jihoo did not want the family’s divisions to shatter the peace either.
He would set everything down and wait for the family’s judgment.
This was the answer Seol Jihoo had reached, grounded in the Golden Law.
So Seol Jihoo answered in a calm, unwavering voice.
“I will never resent my family. I rejected the chance myself. And the treatment I receive now is my own fault.”
Seol Woo-seok stared blankly at his brother, exhaling a long breath.
The word “treat” felt somehow strange to him.
But.
“…Are you being sincere?”
He wasn’t so foolish as to miss what Seol Woo-seok meant.
“Do you really think that way?”
Seol Jihoo nodded quietly.
Seol Woo-seok, who had been studying him with skepticism, spoke in a voice grown slightly hoarse.
“All right. I understand.”
His face had eased somewhat.
“If that’s how you feel, I won’t force you to change your mind.”
“Thank you.”
“So when are you planning to take me out to dinner?”
There was now a note of playfulness in his voice.
“Once I’ve paid off my debts.”
Seol Jihoo offered a faint smile.
“I think that’s the minimum requirement.”
Seol Woo-seok, nodding, let out a small chuckle.
“Take you out to dinner, he says.”
He laughed softly again, almost to himself.
Then he set down the crumpled Plastic Cup and suddenly extended his hand.
“Come on, do your best.”
Seol Jihoo, looking slightly taken aback, carefully placed his palm against his brother’s.
He hadn’t realized—his brother’s hand, held after so long, was warm.
The two brothers gripped each other firmly for a long moment.

After parting from his brother.
On his way home, Seol Jihoo called Kim Hanna.
He wanted to thank her, and there were questions he needed answered.
But the ringing went on and on, and no matter how long he waited, she never picked up.
He didn’t think Kim Hanna was avoiding him.
It seemed more likely that Yoon Seohee had barged in on her own.
The outcome hadn’t been bad, but he still couldn’t shake his curiosity about why she’d appeared so suddenly.
‘I’ll figure it out eventually.’
If nothing else, he’d learn in time.
Seol Jihoo, muttering to himself, shook his head.
After what he’d just been through, he didn’t want to overcomplicate things.
His body was drained and his legs unsteady, yet something felt profoundly different from before.
A lightness, perhaps—that’s what he’d call it.
Buzz-buzz!
His Mobile Phone suddenly rang.
Thinking it was Kim Hanna, he quickly lit up the screen—but it was a message from his brother.
A reminder to be careful going home, and to take care of himself while working.
Seol Jihoo clenched and unclenched his right fist, then smiled and replied.
He paused for a moment, tilting his chin upward.
The evening sky blazed crimson at its peak, and gazing at it, his heart felt suddenly capacious.
‘Today…’
I didn’t run away.
I made my position clear, as far as I was able.
That alone was enough to make today’s meeting feel like it hadn’t gone wrong.
It wasn’t even difficult.
So why did I circle around it for so long?
A moment later.
Seol Jihoo walked forward with renewed vigor, the cool breeze brushing against him.
Now.
Now he finally felt like he’d returned to Earth.

After settling things with his family, Seol Jihoo threw himself into work.
His only worry was that he couldn’t reach Kim Hanna.
But she’d said she was busy, and there was a chance she’d entered Paradise, so he decided to wait for now.
Beyond that, he had countless things to consider about his current condition, and he needed to think through his direction for growth.
That said, he didn’t just shut himself in his room scribbling in notebooks.
Whenever she needed a change of mood, she’d go out and wander, or buy things to bring to Paradise.
One day she even stopped by a department store to purchase gifts for the people she’d meet there.
She’d heard that several people had gone through hardship to save her life, and it didn’t sit right with her to simply brush it all aside with a single thank you.
Still, when boredom crept in, she’d play around with Pi Sora.

[Is this Seol Jihoo’s phone? If so, could you send a reply?]

Now that she thought about it, she’d completely forgotten to text back.
Seol Jihoo, who had started to type ‘Who is this?’ thought it sounded stale and composed a new message instead.

[Soo-jung?]
[?]
[It is you, Soo-jung. Soo-jung. Brother. Finally you’re texting me?]
[I’m not that Soo-jung. I think I sent this message by mistake. Sorry.]

After that, Pi Sora didn’t send any more messages.
Seol Jihoo left several messages, but she gave no response whatsoever.
‘So that’s how she’s going to play it.’
The corners of Seol Jihoo’s mouth lifted.

[Event! Please create a three-character nickname for someone with the surname Pi! We’ll send the person with the coolest alias to a fabulous vacation spot! Ex) Pi-Bronze, Pi-Clam, Pi-Cockle, Pi Sora, Pi-Colo, Pi-Ex….]
[????]

‘That’ll do it.’
A reply came immediately.

[Who are you? Is that you?]
[No. I’m Chubby.]
[Chubby? What kind of nonsense is that. Are you Seol Jihoo or not?]
[No. I’m Chubby.]
[Chubby, whatever, damn it. It’s you, isn’t it.]
[You got me. Actually, my surname is Jagi and my given name is Jang. My name is Jagi-jang.]

Buzz buzz buzz buzz!
The mobile phone vibrated violently.
But knowing exactly what tone of voice would come through if she answered, she calmly hit the decline button.

[What is this? Are you insane? Are you texting while spooning out soju? Or did your brain go haywire? You’re not a two-year-old brat, and here you are being completely childish….]

When she refused to pick up again, a long message thick with curses came flying in.
Seol Jihoo didn’t even read it all before her fingers moved.

[Oh my. That’s quite the string of curses you’ve got there. That’s a bit much. I almost got my feelings hurt.]
[Hurt or not, do whatever you want. What’s “a bit much”? You’re the one who started fooling around with my name!]
[Pi! Dummy!]

Buzz buzz buzz buzz!
The mobile phone rang out fiercely once more.
Seol Jihoo hit decline again, then composed a message while chuckling to herself.

[I’m heading back tomorrow.]
[Damn it, answer the phone you bastard—]

“Pffft—hehehehe—!”
After laughing for a while with a sound like a pressure cooker bubbling, Seol Jihoo tossed the mobile phone aside and pulled the blanket over herself.
With the phone’s vibrations as a lullaby, she drifted off to sleep.
The joy of having annoyed Pi Sora meant she didn’t wake once—she slept soundly straight through.
And then night gave way to morning.
It was the day she would return to Paradise.

(Continued in the next chapter)

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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