The Second Coming of Gluttony - Chapter 95

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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 95. You did well, Jihoo.

After a brief explanation, Seol Jihoo could not hide his confusion.
“To Shin Young?”
In summary, he’d been told something along the lines of ‘Why go to another company at all? Bring him to Shin Young’—and by a woman named Yoon Seohui, an executive at Shin Young Pharmaceuticals no less.
“So… in the end, I’d be joining Shin Young?”
“Not exactly.”
Kim Hanna’s ponytail swayed as she stirred her samgyetang with her chopsticks.
“Remember what I told you before? Anyone with Recruitment Authority has the duty to provide a stable Access Environment.”
“Right.”
“Just think of it that way. Nothing more, nothing less. Besides, you were planning to go to the place I originally recommended anyway—she just saw you getting snatched up and stepped in herself. It’s not necessarily bad. Actually, it’s good news.”
In other words, Shin Young had volunteered on her own, when no one asked her to. So there was no pretext to coerce Seol Jihoo into anything. That’s how he interpreted it.
“Right. On the surface, there’s no problem, but…”
Kim Hanna suddenly clenched her chopsticks like she was snapping them, and
“I feel disgusted,” she said.
She bared her teeth, her face contorted with rage.
“Damn woman. What? Am I being too greedy, Miss Hanna? She’s making a complete mess out of everything. Why does she have to put her hands on what’s mine? I’m the one who received the Golden Seal and signed the contract. She’s acting like garbage. That bitch.”
Her low voice sounded less like anger or resentment and more like venomous cursing. Her pride had clearly been wounded deeply.
“Anyway, nominally there’s no issue. Still, stay sharp. This is one point of contact that’s been created, after all.”
“Can’t I just not go to Shin Young? I can say I refused and that’s that.”
“There’s no reason not to go.”
“There’s such a thing as personal choice.”
“True. But if you do that, people at Shin Young might start looking at you unfavorably. And I’d be dragged into the mess too, obvious as day.”
“But why?”
He started to ask “Why would that happen?” but swallowed the words instead. Seol Jihoo lifted a spoon of broth, his expression growing slightly deflated.
“No matter how much I think about it, I don’t understand…”
“Understand what?”
“Did I… really do something that wrong?”
Kim Hanna’s eyes widened. Seol Jihoo went on, twirling his spoon.
“Whether here or there—why are people so eager to get at me? I only saved them because I wanted to save them. There was no other agenda. True, I did as I pleased, but that doesn’t mean I hurt anyone either.”
“……….”
“I can barely take care of myself—”
“That’s just how it is.”
Kim Hanna cut him off gently, watching him with pity.
“The world isn’t as simple or straightforward as you think. Want me to make you a promise?”
“A promise?”
Seol Jihoo repeated the question. Kim Hanna hesitated for a long moment before finally speaking with resolve.
“Mark my words. People will curse you even if you sit still. The more famous you become, the more people will hate you. Some will even despise you. And that’s not all—plenty will try to exploit you however they can. Even though you’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Why? I don’t understand why.”
Seol Jihoo looked bewildered, lost in confusion.
“Because you’re standing out.”
Kim Hanna spoke with a bitter smile.
“That’s just how the world works.”
She continued in a low murmur.
“It’s not just there. Even here, if you look around a little, the place is full of things that make no sense. Senseless murders. Perpetrators don’t give a damn what the victim wants.”
“……….”
“Look at celebrities too. Some really do deserve the criticism for their mistakes, but there are countless others who suffer unfairly. Why do trolls curse them? Simple. They’re in a bad mood. They want attention. They’re bored. They don’t like how someone looks. They want to stir the pot. They’re jealous. The reasons are endless.”
Seol Jihoo was at a loss for words. He still doesn’t understand. Yet he can’t think of any proper rebuttal.
“…Don’t worry too much about it.”
Seeing his dejected expression, Kim Hanna spoke in a soothing tone.
“Who am I? Your guardian. I won’t let you take any damage from this, so put your mind at ease.”
The fact that Kim Hanna was saying this suggested she did have some countermeasure up her sleeve.
Seol Jihoo felt torn—and also a little guilty. It bothered him that Kim Hanna was running around like this because of the mess he’d made.
After a brief silence, Kim Hanna spoke again.
“Anyway, let’s drop that subject. Let’s talk about you.”
“About me?”
“I thought you were just messing around. But somehow you pulled it off perfectly.”
Kim Hanna cleared the table completely and placed a large, ornate basket on it. Inside the basket, decorated beautifully with flowers and ribbons, two bottles of wine were visible. The labels looked expensive at first glance, immediately catching the eye.
“Wow. What is this? It looks really expensive.”
“Dom Pérignon. Rosé vintage 2004. It’s not that expensive. About five hundred thousand won a bottle.”
“Dom… what?”
“Never mind. Just use this.”
Kim Hanna held out a ballpoint pen and some simple but lovely letter paper. When Seol Jihoo merely stared at them, she spoke as if exasperated.
“Don’t you know what today is?”
“It’s not my birthday. Oh, is it yours?”
“No. My birthday is August first.”
“Then… congratulations on getting the job?”
“Are you insane?”
Kim Hanna tilted her chin up, half-closing her eyes as she laughed softly.
“So… you really do want to reconcile with your family?”
Seol Jihoo kept tilting his head in confusion. His father, mother, older brother, younger sister… none of them had birthdays in May.
“It’s your parents’ wedding anniversary. Their wedding anniversary!”
“Really?”
Seol Jihoo’s eyes widened.
“How would you know what I don’t know?”
“Look. I investigated you for half a year. Anyway, how could you not even know your parents’ wedding anniversary… never mind. Let’s not go there. What was I expecting from a gambler in the first place.”
Kim Hanna shook her head and tossed the pen and letter paper to him. Though he caught them reflexively, Seol Jihoo clearly looked uncomfortable. Setting aside what he should even write.
‘Do I really have to go?’
Suddenly the memory of his last visit home flashed through his mind.
[Stop talking nonsense. Do you think I’m falling for this more than once?]
[Horse racing? Or sports betting?]
Even though considerable time had passed, whenever he thought of that day, his chest felt pierced by a blade—sharp, aching, suffocating. And terrifying.
“What are you doing? Write it. Go ahead, write it all out carefully.”
“Well, you see…”
Seol Jihoo forced a smile and broached the subject carefully.
“Could I send this by mail instead? Or use a courier service?”
Kim Hanna glared at him with fierce eyes. Caught, Seol Jihoo hurried to explain.
“Think about it. It’s such a nice day. If I show up, the mood will just turn sour, right? It’d be pointless.”
“Hey.”
Kim Hanna narrowed one eye and folded her arms.
“Use your head. You’re already a piece of trash in their eyes. If you were a parent, what would you think of a son who disappears without a word and then suddenly sends something like this? Oh, how wonderful—he’s made some money and now he wants to take care of us. How thoughtful. Is that what you think?”
At her scathing tone, Seol Jihoo merely smacked his lips.
“To your family, you’re still a gambler. Don’t you want to shed that image?”
……
“Answer me.”
“…I want to.”
Seol Jihoo managed to answer. Kim Hanna gestured toward the basket with a flick of her chin.
“Then take this and tell them in person. Go visit them and ask forgiveness. Isn’t that what it means to be a son?”
Seol Jihoo said nothing, merely wetting his lips with his tongue.
“It’s funny. Do you even know how long scars stay etched in someone’s heart? Even dozens of apologies might not be enough… so what? Mail? Courier?”
Kim Hanna scoffed dismissively.
“And let’s be honest about this. You’re right that it’d be pointless if you went. Sure, the mood would obviously sour if you showed up. You’re right about that. But that’s not why you don’t want to go, is it? You don’t want to because you know how they’ll treat you. You’re trying to avoid it.”
Faced with this brutal, merciless truth, Seol Jihoo felt his mind spinning.
“That’s not it.”
“You really are a bad one. You wound them and then don’t want to face criticism? How can someone like you even exist?”
“Hey.”
“What? Don’t want to hear it? Fine, I’ll stop. Suit yourself. They’re your family, not mine.”
“…Okay. I said okay.”
In the end, a defeated Seol Jihoo took up the pen. Watching him pick up the letter paper, Kim Hanna let out a dismissive snort.
“Find meaning in the act of going itself. And write each letter carefully, deliberately. Time won’t heal the wounds of the heart. Neither will medicine. Only sincerity will.”
“I said I’d do it…”
Seol Jihoo thrust out his lower lip, but he gradually began moving the pen across the paper. Watching him furrow his brow and labor over the words, Kim Hanna allowed herself a small smile.

Kim Hanna’s preparation had been more thorough than expected. Not only matters related to the company, but also how to answer if questions arose about where the money came from. She’d even brought a formal suit, though she wouldn’t say where she’d gotten it.
The problem wasn’t that the suit was shabby—it was more that the collar of the dress shirt was stretched out, and the jacket reeked of staleness. To put it plainly, he looked like a salaried worker drowning in overtime. Apparently, he needed to look like someone working hard.
‘Do I really have to go this far?’
Such thoughts crossed his mind, but Seol Jihoo made his way home at the appointed time.
The dusky street was dyed crimson by the light spilling from the sky.
It must have been around half past eight. He’d deliberately avoided dinner time. Given his parents’ nature, they wouldn’t simply let a day like this pass. Yet he’d reasoned it was better to visit them later in the evening than to upset them before the meal.
‘Heart. Easy now.’
The more familiar buildings came into view, the harder his heart hammered. Even though he’d been through this once before, fear washed over him in waves. Despite knowing deep down how this would unfold, an inexplicable hope kept lifting its head.
‘Don’t hope. Don’t hope.’
He repeated the words like an incantation, and at last reached his destination. He opened the gate carefully and climbed the stairs. His confident pace faltered and came to a halt before the door.
A briefcase in one hand, a basket in the other, he stared endlessly at the firmly closed door. His racing heart didn’t calm—if anything, it grew more violent, and he worried it might burst clean through his ribs.
“Sigh…”
Seol Jihoo pressed his palm against his chest, glaring at the door as if it had wronged him, before finally pressing the bell. The shrill chime rang out like an execution order, making his knees weak. Just as an ache bloomed in his lower belly, rising to a crescendo—
……
The doorbell’s sound ended without conclusion. No one answered. He pressed again just to be sure, but heard no footsteps, no voice. The door showed no sign of opening.
‘Did they all go out?’
Bad timing, he thought. On a day like this, they’d probably gone out to eat. The realization left Seol Jihoo feeling oddly deflated, yet strangely relieved.
‘What should I do?’
Wait? Or leave?
After hesitating for several minutes, he set the basket down before the door. Carefully tucking the letter he’d written among the flowers, he turned to go—
“Ha ha…”
“So…”
Cheerful voices drifted toward him from a distance, growing closer.
“I was worried you weren’t coming.”
“I’m sorry. Something came up suddenly…”
The voices drew nearer,
“Is it all resolved?”
“Yes. Thankfully…”
And suddenly arrived at the gate.
“Oh.”
By the time he’d collected himself, they’d already passed through the entrance. Seol Jihoo found himself frantically searching for a place to hide—though of course, none existed.
“Huh? Why is the gate…”
“Brother. Did you leave the door open?”
“No, I closed it.”
“Wait. Is someone here?”
Just as Seol Jihoo turned to head downstairs, he collided directly with them. The moment six pairs of eyes fell upon the young man, their warm conversation stopped dead.
It was Seol Jin-hee who spoke first.
“What? What’s he doing here?”
Sharp words. Seol Jihoo was equally stunned. Of all the things he’d feared, this wasn’t it. His father, his mother, his brother, his sister—and not just them, but Yu Seon-hwa and Yu Seung-hye were there too. They must have all gone out to eat together and were just returning.
Standing frozen under their stares, the stocky, copper-skinned man of middle age opened his mouth slightly.
“You.”
But it was brief. His gentle face hardened instantly, and his lips sealed shut.
“…Ahem!”
He shot Seol Jihoo a fierce glare and strode past him up the stairs, paying him no further attention, not even a glance. He ignored the basket as well, entering the door code with heavy steps.
“Son?”
Just as Seol Jihoo felt himself turning to stone, a longed-for voice reached his ears. His mother stood looking up at him with a bewildered expression.
“M-Mom.”
“Oh. Oh my precious youngest…”
As she climbed the stairs toward him, reaching out to take his hand, his father—who had just opened the door—suddenly roared,
“What are you all doing!? Don’t come in!”
His mother’s face crumpled in shock.
“Why are you doing this again?”
“Why? Why don’t you ask that bastard!”
As he turned back as if ready to strike, his mother hurried between them.
“No. The boy came to see us.”
“So what if he came!?”
“Husband. Jihoo’s been standing there watching your face the whole time. How can you pretend not to see him? Doesn’t it break your heart?”
A harsh snort followed, as if he had no patience left.
“You’re the problem. How many times have you been deceived and trusted him? Don’t you get it? This bastard isn’t human. He’s a breach of filial duty—a breach of filial duty. He’s worse than an animal. Why would you even look at him?”
The atmosphere had turned vicious. The shouting was so loud that Yu Seung-hye cowered behind her sister, while Seol Jin-hee watched with an expression of dark amusement. Though their reactions differed, there was one unmistakable message in their unkind eyes: ‘Why did you come?’
This was exactly why he hadn’t wanted to come.
Seol Jihoo squeezed his eyes shut amid the contemptuous glares and harsh reproaches. His father and mother were still quarreling.
“He’s stopped gambling and works diligently now.”
“Who believes that? So what, a ban request? As if Seorak Land is the only gambling den? Please. It’s obvious.”
“Stop it! He’s already paid back all the money. Today’s a special day and he even bought gifts. At least listen to what he has to say, slowly.
“Money? Money? Fine, well said.”
Bang! The door flew open violently. In moments, heavy footsteps thundered back down the hallway, and something struck him hard across the face.
“Ugh!”
As Seol Jihoo’s eyes snapped open, he saw an envelope tumbling to the floor, cash spilling out in a cascade.
“You worthless little bastard!”
His father pointed at him accusingly, voice shaking with rage.
“Is that it? You hand over some money and think you can play the dutiful son again?”
“Father, I—”
“Shut your mouth! Don’t you dare call me that. I never had a son like you!”
His mother flinched at the thunderous shout. Seol Jihoo, however, remained composed as he opened his mouth to speak.
“Father, I’m sorry about what happened then.”
“I don’t want to hear it!”
His father roared as if the very words disgusted him. Even after shouting himself hoarse, his breathing remained ragged, his fury unspent.
“I told you clearly. Don’t you ever create another situation that calls for excuses or apologies.”
At the growling tone, Seol Jihoo finally fell silent.
“You disrespectful wretch. Is throwing money at me supposed to settle this? So you’ve decided everything’s fine? Just dump the cash and call it even with not a word of explanation? Huh?”
“Father—”
“I told you to shut up. Open your mouth one more time and I’ll tear your lips clean off.”
“Honey!”
“Get out of my sight! I can’t stand looking at you!”
With a furious gesture, his father spun around and disappeared inside. His mother hurried after him, trying desperately to restrain him. As fresh shouting erupted from within the house, Seol Jihoo felt a crushing wave of guilt clenching his throat.
He must have been enjoying himself.
He should never have come.
Heavy silence settled over everything.
Seol Woo-seok, who had been standing apart, scratched the back of his head. He gazed at his younger brother—standing like a stone monument—with a tender sort of pity, then spoke.
“Were you working?”
“Huh? Oh, yes.”
Seol Jihoo nodded, his expression dazed. It might have been imagination, but his voice seemed slightly softer.
“You should have come earlier. I just got back from that place you like.”
“Bongpyeongyang?”
“That’s right. You love the cold noodles there.”
“If I’d come earlier, I probably wouldn’t have had time to eat anyway.”
“True.”
Seol Woo-seok smiled bitterly.
Seol Jihoo swallowed hard. When was the last time he’d had a conversation like this with his brother? He didn’t know where to put himself.
Seol Woo-seok glanced at the basket in his hands and spoke.
“Are you busy today? Were you planning to drop this off and leave right away?”
“I was waiting for you.”
“Then come inside.”
Seol Woo-seok raised the black envelope he was holding.
“Have some dessert before you go. Ice cream.”
Seol Jihoo blinked. For a moment, he doubted his own ears.
“Are you sure?”
“That’s why I came to talk to you, isn’t it?”
“You’re being ridiculous.”
Just then, a sharp voice cut between them.
“Come inside where?”
Seol Jin-hee sauntered forward with a mocking expression.
“Jin-hee.”
“You, get out of the way. Hey, you really have no sense of the room, do you?”
She raised her index finger and jabbed it hard into Seol Jihoo’s chest. The force of it made him flinch.
“You came once before, remember? Haven’t you figured it out yet? After something like that, you should never come back. The best thing I can do for people who were once my family is to disappear. Don’t you think that way too? Huh?”
Poke, poke! She jabbed his chest repeatedly, and Seol Jihoo grimaced as he instinctively took a step backward.
“Look. You’ve paid back the money, so please just vanish. Don’t you see how you’ve ruined the mood? We’re perfectly happy without you. Why do you have to come here and cause all this trouble?”
It was undeniable. Even now, his parents’ raised voices echoed from inside the house.
“So disappear. Don’t you dare crawl back in here again trying to worm your way back. Just go. And don’t you ever show your face in front of us again. You understand? Do you?”
“Nngh!”
Bang! She drove her finger hard into his solar plexus, forcing the air from him. Seol Jihoo doubled over with a gasp.
“Seol Jin-hee.”
Unable to stand it any longer, Seol Woo-seok stepped forward, but Seol Jihoo reached out his hand.
“It’s—it’s fine.”
He rubbed his chest and forced a smile.
“I should get going now.”
“Don’t just leave today. Leave for good. Please.”
Leaving Seol Jin-hee’s relentless barbs in his wake, Seol Jihoo moved with an unsteady gait. If he stayed, it would come to blows between his brother and sister. It seemed best to disappear.
Just before descending the stairs, his eyes met Yu Seon-hwa’s. She stood bewildered, her gaze complicated—caught between pity and distress. Shame kept Seol Jihoo from meeting her eyes, and he stumbled down the steps. That was when it happened.
“Hey!”
At Seol Jin-hee’s shout, he half-turned,
“Take this with you.”
A basket came flying through the air.
Crash!
The basket struck the corner of the staircase with a tremendous clatter. Liquid spilled from a shattered bottle, soaking the letter paper, and flowers scattered wildly in all directions. Seol Woo-seok’s face crumpled in anguish.
“Seol Jin-hee!”
“What!”
“How could you go this far!”
“You’re the one—!”
The siblings erupted into argument. Seol Jihoo gazed numbly at the spreading liquid, then lowered himself slowly into a crouch. He gathered the flowers, picking up the broken shards. Tap-tap-tap-tap. Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and someone sat across from him.
“Don’t pick up the pieces by hand. It’s dangerous.”
She swept the shards together with one hand as she spoke. The woman brushing her long hair back was Yu Seon-hwa.
“…Seon-hwa.”
“Wait. I’ll get the vacuum.”
“Seon-hwa.”
Yu Seon-hwa froze. Blood dripped from the shard clenched in the young man’s fist, cutting into his palm. As the crimson spread gradually, trembling visibly, she gasped.
“Go inside. I’ll handle it.”
Seol Jihoo muttered quietly.
“No. You’re bleeding.”
“It’s fine. You can go inside.”
“What am I supposed to do…”
“I’m asking you. Please, just go inside.”
At Seol Jihoo’s composed voice, Yu Seon-hwa looked at him with sorrowful eyes. He clenched his teeth.
Shortly after.
Having placed all the flowers and bottle fragments into the basket and steadied himself, Seol Jihoo staggered out through the gate as if drunk on medicine.
His head hung low.

As time passed, dusk deepened into darkness, and the street grew dim.
Beneath a streetlight illuminating the avenue.
Kim Hanna, who had been gazing up at the night sky while leaning against a car, lowered her eyes at the sound of approaching footsteps. Seeing the young man walking toward her with a basket in hand, she smiled faintly. She waited for him to draw near before speaking.
“Walking around staring at the ground like that—aren’t you afraid you’ll bump into something?”
He stopped. A small intake of breath escaped him.
“…Were you waiting?”
Surprisingly, his voice seemed steady enough.
“Just in case. Thought I’d drop by. Didn’t know if you’d gotten distracted somewhere else, but I see the basket, so you did go and come back.”
“Why are you monitoring me like this? I’m not some criminal.”
“Criminal? Guardian. I’m your guardian.”
Kim Hanna spoke with a slow smile.
“How was it?”
“You can see for yourself.”
“Right. Do you still think it was pointless?”
He didn’t answer immediately. She waited in silence.
After roughly five minutes had passed, he finally spoke.
“I’ve… lived like garbage, haven’t I.”
“In the past.”
“I made so many mistakes. Too many to forgive in once or twice. It’s only natural that this is happening.”
“What. Don’t be like that.”
He sighed.
“You’re right.”
Then suddenly.
“Yes… it is natural.”
His voice wavered slightly.
“I did wrong.”
His shoulders trembled.
“I… I know….”
Kim Hanna, who had been watching quietly, stepped back from the wall and walked forward slowly. She bent at the waist, drawing near, and tilted her head up to look at the man’s downturned face.
Plip. Plip.
Tears streaming from his eyes, already soaking his cheeks, ran down his face.
Watching the hot tears fall in drops, she smiled softly.
“It’s all right.”
Kim Hanna held Seol Jihoo, who was crying quietly, and patted his back.
“You did well. Jihoo.”

(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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