Chapter Text
It all started around a year ago.
In-ho could perfectly remember the day all his old memories came back. He saw a photo of particularly gruesome death that happened in a playground, multiple people were murdered. When he went home to dive deeper into the case, did he remember his other life.
Those weird death games he was in control of, losing everyone he loved and how he died. It was long and painful, he could remember struggling for breath as he bled out but he didn't fight it but rather embraced it.
From what he could remember, it seemed like he committed suicide by hanging and slitting his wrists. Not a good way to die but one that was probably deserved. His past self most likely wanted to be reunited with Gi-hun again.
His poor sweet Gi-hun.
If he had done what he said or gave up his morals and dropped the baby, he would've been still alive and they could've been together. However, In-ho did admire that even in the end, Gi-hun proved him wrong. There were good people left in the world, they aren't all completely rotten.
After delivering Ga-yeong's present, was when he committed suicide in his holiday home in America. His past self probably couldn't handle the fact that he was wrong or that he hoped to be reunited with Gi-hun in the next life. How pathetic.
At least in this life, he didn't dive as low as his previous self. In-ho was younger (in his mid twenties), wiser and more stronger both physically and mentally. In this life, he was a private detective that only handled special cases. His job wasn't any different from his previous one but he had more free time to do whatever he wanted.
Which was mainly stalking the man, who promised In-ho that in another life, he would be entirely his.
Gi-hun was around the same age as him and, from what he observed, didn't have any recollection of his past life. That was probably for the best considering how he was right now.
Most likely for his selflessness, he was rewarded a much better life than the previous. Gi-hun was a bit more wealthier (of course not as rich as he previously was) and lived a comfortable life. And as a bonus, he was an absolute sweetheart. Like the old Gi-hun, he adored animals especially cats so he owned a lovely cat cafe.
It was quite popular with tourists and all sorts of people, who want to have a bite whilst being in the presence of cats. In-ho went in all the time to stalk his love and he had to say it was almost adorable. He was almost angry at Gi-hun for forgetting him because all their interactions had been brief.
Gi-hun didn't realise his dark intentions In-ho had in store for him. It was cute how innocent this version of Gi-hun was to the world. He thought everything was sunshine and rainbows while in reality it wasn't.
But unfortunately today wasn't the day, In-ho would break Gi-hun. He was currently working on a case but after all that was finished (hopefully not long) he would take Gi-hun away to In-ho's other house. Not even Jun-ho or his step mother knew he had one. It was just a place he would keep the love of his life before he broke him and then they would marry and live happily ever after.
A red car pulled up outside cafe, the time was half eight in the morning, his heart skipped a beat as he recognised who it belonged to. Gi-hun pulled up at all sorts times but always before nine and always after seven, that way he could clean up, feed the cats and do all sorts of stuff before opening at ten.
From where he was, In-ho could see that Gi-hun was dressed in a loose strawberry themed sweater, his usual cat apron and jeans with strawberries sewed on them. His little Strawberry looked so cute, perhaps he would look good in red hair this time around with it being longer and more fluffy.
Like Gi-hun usually does, he went to the back car seat to grab the fattest cat In-ho had ever laid his eyes on. He remembered when he first saw that cat, he almost felt bad for it but seeing how Gi-hun's eyes light up was quite cute. His love always insisted that it was just her fur or that she was big boned.
The cat was a beautiful calico called Bingsu, that was practically a daughter to Gi-hun (luckily in this life he had yet to get married to that bitch or have his ungrateful daughter that rather forget about her heroic father). No doubt that kitty lived a good life, was probably pampered like a princess at home.
He watched from behind the tree as his love kissed the cat on top of the head a few times before entering his cafe to greet the other cats staying there. In-ho decided that that was enough watching and to go home before Jun-ho woke up.
His house wasn't that far away, just a twenty minute drive away. Jun-ho was, of course, following his footsteps again to become a police officer and to save money for his future was staying in In-ho's house. Despite having a lot of money, he lived in a middle class area, which he moved into a few months ago.
Mainly because it was closer to his work (not that he had to go in that often, one of the perks of being a private detective), to Jun-ho's university and most importantly Gi-hun's cafe. It wasn't anything fancy, three bedrooms (one was used for his office), a bathroom, a conjoined dining room and kitchen and a medium sized living room.
While it was nothing compared to his old home, it was still pretty nice and the neighbour's didn't bother anyone. Practically perfect for stalking but not for keeping a prisoner there.
In-ho quietly opened the door, he smiled a bit when he heard Jun-ho still snoring. He quickly took off his shoes and closed the door and locked it. Now it was time for breakfast for the two of them. In-ho briefly wondered what his little Strawberry ate this morning.
He quickly pulled out his phone, typing in the password before clicking on security. Not for his house of course but for Gi-hun's. He installed them a few weeks after they first met (nothing special, In-ho was just behind him at the grocery store when he was paying), to give him some sort of peace that he would be safe outside his presence.
In-ho rewinded the footage a little until he saw his precious darling wake up. He did his usual routine of getting his clothing ready for the day, playing at bit with Bingsu before having breakfast. It wasn't anything special today, just some tea and some toast. Though, he did notice how little he was eating though.
Was he ok?
Was he struggling financially?
Was he purposely starving himself?
His little Strawberry always ate quite a bit at breakfast, which is why he was slightly less muscular in this life than the previous. In-ho watched the footage for a while, Gi-hun was talking to the cat about something as they both slowly ate their breakfast. A few minutes later, his lamb stood up, popped the plates and cat cup in the sink before heading off into the shower.
In-ho decided to stop watching there.
After all, he didn't want to see his darling nude because it was give him an erection, he would rather not deal with. Either way, In-ho was always watching to make sure Gi-hun was safe no matter what.
The cameras weren't creepy, they had good intentions of giving In-ho a way to make sure his dove stayed his forever.
Thankfully his job as a detective came in handy to getting rid of bodies and erasing files of victims that dared to do something to Gi-hun. No matter if it was an accident or not, nobody hurts his little Strawberry or even tries to date him. That was a lesson Sang-woo learned the hard way, to think he thought he had some chance with his innocent baby doll.
In-ho smiled at the thought of what he did to Sang-woo as he turned on the kettle before grabbing the oil. Just like in his previous life, he was still a prick and the offer to take revenge for Gi-hun was tempting. Anyone that hurt him in this or his previous life were automatically of his hit list.
It didn't take long to find them either or eliminate them.
When breakfast was finally complete, Jun-ho came down the stairs looking tired still. It was obvious he forced himself out of bed, mainly due to the fact that he always tired to make himself at least somewhat presentable before eating.
"Good morning." In-ho spoke, taking a sip at his black coffee eyeing his brother.
"Morning." Came the response, he sounded like shit.
Jun-ho immediately grabbed his coffee, taking a large gulp of it before putting it down on the table. Without saying another word, he tucked into his breakfast. It wasn't anything fancy just bacon, mushrooms and some eggs.
In-ho slowly started to eat his breakfast, thinking how he was going to spend the day in his little dove's cafe until closing time and then following him home to make sure he was safe. That was his usual routine anyway, unless it was a Sunday, where he closed his business early and did all sorts of things.
"Is that all you're having hyung?"
Compared to Jun-ho, he had a much more smaller amount, barely enough to keep him satisfied for a few hours.
If Gi-hun was going to starve so was he.
"Not that hungry to be honest, besides I'll probably get something while working."
He hoped that would settle his brother's concern and that they would spend the rest of their breakfast in silence. However, a smirk came up on Jun-ho's face.
"You mean you're gonna spend all day in that cat cafe?"
In-ho was stunned for a minute, how did he know?
Does he know about the stalking?
"You know?"
Jun-ho let out a laugh before stuffing his face with some mushrooms.
"You're not that hard to miss, you always dress in all black and that place is like a pastel rainbow. Plus you're always in the same corner."
Observant little bastard.
"They do good coffee. It's better than any other cafe so might as well go there than a place I don't like."
It was a shitty cover up, Jun-ho didn't need to know the real reason he went there, but one that his brother wouldn't question. In-ho didn't want Jun-ho to ever meet Gi-hun because then it would be much harder to kidnap him when the time was right.
Besides, if their life was anything like the previous then both Jun-ho and Gi-hun would be practically besties. And if In-ho had to go on the run, he would try and find him to make him answer.
It was best to keep them apart.
Until the time was right to introduce them.
"Mhm true."
Thankfully Jun-ho decided to leave it at that and started to take mouthfuls of his breakfast. He had an exam in two days so he probably wanted to be early in order to revise with some friends. That probably meant he would be out late, which was fucking fantastic.
In-ho could spend more time with his little Strawberry and making sure he was alright and no one bothered him.
He finished the last of his breakfast and drank his coffee in one gulp. Unlike Gi-hun, who preferred sweet stuff, In-ho liked bitter tasting food. They were opposites but that was fine.
Gi-hun was bright, In-ho was dark.
Gi-hun was chatty, In-ho was distant.
Gi-hun was prey, In-ho was a predator.
Soon he would devour his little Strawberry. Savouring him, loving him, protecting him.
Nobody could love Gi-hun like In-ho did. It was almost sick how much he loved him. In-ho just had to be patient, that way he could get what he wanted.
After cleaning up and saying goodbye to Jun-ho, his day could finally begin.
It was currently three in the afternoon, his little Strawberry seemed to be rushed off his feet with orders, making sure he doesn't step on any cats and people looking to adopt some kittens. In-ho was currently sat in his usual corner with black coffee and some honey cookies whilst working on his laptop.
A ginger tabby called Flowers was currently sleeping on his lap and every so often, he stroked her fur. She always seemed to like him a lot because as soon as he entered the cafe, she was always waiting by his corner. It was strange how something so sweet would want to be around someone like him.
Gi-hun's cat was currently in her butterfly themed cat tower, licking herself. God, that thing was fat. A lot of the customers seemed to like Bingsu though, perhaps because of her cuteness. If his heart wasn't dark, he would have to agree. The cat had gorgeous blue eyes, a lovely fur coat and a pink heart shaped nose.
He eyed Gi-hun out of the corner of his eyes, he was talking to a customer. Probably taking their order. Nothing that screamed concern or his intervention was needed. In-ho went back to working on his case, analysing the crime scene. Not a pretty one.
However, it would be an easy case because of one simple thing. The gang that cause this always took an eye when they've done killing. The police were on the verge of finding them so In-ho had no reason to interfere. After that was done, he can go on with his original plans to kidnap and marry Gi-hun.
The bell chimed above the door, somebody recognisable came in. Sang-woo's mother.
She always stopped in for a cup of tea, a biscuit or cake and to chat with Gi-hun. It was mainly about his mother, who was sick at the moment and in hospital. In-ho sometimes listened to their conversations, which were usually about random things when it wasn't about Gi-hun's mum.
"Mrs Cho! Sit down I'll be with you in a minute. Do you want your usual?" He sounded so adorable in that excited voice.
Sang-woo's mother smiled and nodded her head before going to sit down. Right near In-ho. Perfect, now he wouldn't have to move spaces every time Gi-hun had a conversation with her. Upon seeing her, Bingsu jumped off her cat tower and snuggled up next to the elderly lady.
She giggled a little whilst running her hand through the calico's fur. Not long after Gi-hun returned with a steaming cup of tea and some carrot cake shaped like a bunny. In-ho pulled up a long email and pretended to read it, that way no one would get suspicious.
"How is Bingsu's weight loss journey going? Is she managing it alright " She asked, stroking the cat's head.
Gi-hun whistle lowly before replying.
"It's been slow but we're slowly getting there. She's lost a pound already so that's a start. I'm also on a diet as well in order to make sure she's not doing this alone."
That explains why he ate less food this morning.
"That's wonderful, I'm proud of her, one pound gone in the space of a month, that's no easy feat!"
Gi-hun giggled proudly.
"I think I'm having more trouble with her diet if I'm being honest. Can't resist the urge to give her treats whenever I can but I've managed."
Mrs Cho took a sip of her tea before they went into a comfortable silence.
"How is your mom? I heard Mal-soon collapsed whilst having her dinner."
The air shifted to a sad and uncomfortable one. Like in the last life, Gi-hun truly loved his mother and was a much more better son as well. Seeing his upset face made In-ho gut churn.
It hurt to see him upset.
"If I'm being honest, she's getting worst. I'm doing everything I can but it never seems to be enough. The doctors said that she might not live that long."
Gi-hun gently grabbed his cat and hugged Bingsu tightly, hoping it would give him some comfort. It did a little as a small smile came onto his face.
"Oh I'm really sorry to hear that." She said, drinking more of his tea and having a bite of her cake.
"Don't be, it's fine. I'm thinking of taking some time off work though. I want her to at least have some fun during the time she has left. I don't want her to die miserable in a hospital bed."
In-ho's ears perked up at that.
If his little Strawberry was to take some time off of work then his plan would be put into motion a lot more quicker. No one would question Gi-hun's disappearance because they would assume that he was out with his mother having fun.
That would be a perfect opportunity to steal Gi-hun away. However, it also meant he had to be patient and wait until the time is right.
"Gi-hun can I ask you a question?" Mrs Cho's voice went a bit low, like she was afraid and upset.
Bingsu had gotten tired and was now resting on Gi-hun's chest whilst he held her close. His little Strawberry seemed to have noticed how serious she was and nodded.
"Yeah, of course, what is it?" Came the reply.
"Have you seen or spoken to Sang-woo recently? He hasn't contacted me in months and every time I try to reach out, I go to voicemail."
In-ho resisted the urge to laugh, taking a bite of his biscuit before washing it down with some coffee, in a small show of victory. Sang-woo was long dead, died around the same time he remembered his past life.
The prick should of never of touched what was completely his.
His remains were cut up to look like slabs of meat, while the parts like his head, feet and hands were fed to pigs because that's where he belonged. When he and Gi-hun have their first date together, he was planning on feeding him Sang-woo. That way he could see how shitty he tasted and that In-ho was superior in every way possible.
Sang-woo was quite easy to kill, seeing as he was already on the run for fraud (seems like in this life, he made the same mistakes, perhaps as a punishment for killing Sae-byeok). So many people were out for his blood and if he was found out to be dead, it would be easy to shift the blame as technically, In-ho never knew him.
His little Strawberry seemed to pause at her question. It seemed he missed Sang-woo as well.
"I... I haven't no." He paused, looking everywhere but her.
"I tried messaging him as well but I figured that he didn't want me in his life anymore so I stopped trying around about three months ago."
"Oh... I see. Thank you for telling me."
Gi-hun, the absolute sweetheart, tried to reassure her by putting a hand over her's and a huge smile on his face.
"I'm sure he's fine! Probably on a business trip or something. Maybe he got a new number and forgot to give it to us."
Mrs Cho smiled but looking uncertain, like she knew something was wrong but decided not to focus on it.
"Yeah. Yeah, you're probably right. Though if he doesn't contact me soon then I might file a missing person's report. Can you ask around and see if anyone's seen him?"
Without thinking, Gi-hun nodded.
"Of course, I'll call Jung-bae tonight and see if he's seen him around. I'll ask my employees to keep an eye out as well."
Mrs Cho bowed her head in order to give thanks.
"Thank you Gi-hun, now I won't take up anymore of your precious time. Could you pack up the rest of the cake for me? I'll have it later." She said, standing up ready to leaving whilst drinking the rest of her tea.
"Yes, of course, give me a minute."
His little Strawberry put Bingsu in her cat tower seeing as she had completely fallen asleep before taking the plate and cup away. After a few minutes, they both said goodbye to each other.
In-ho felt somewhat satisfied with that conversation. Though, it sucked that he was still moping about Sang-woo. That was no matter because soon, Gi-hun will forget all about that bastard.
That brought a cruel smile on his face as he stroked Flowers back.
Gi-hun was now closing his business, his chubby cat was in his arms. In-ho sat in his car for a while, parked across the road from his little Strawberry. Now it was time to make sure he got home safe.
He put Bingsu in the back of his car, clearly petting her for a few seconds before closing it and hopping in the front seat. In-ho put his car in drive and soon started to follow him right to his house.
Gi-hun lived quite modestly despite the fact he could afford a nice home to live in. No, instead he lived in an apartment complex, which to be fair was quite nice. It was also easy to find which one he occupied, number 456.
Sometimes it felt like this life was taunting him a bit with all the references. Like a never ending torture. At least in this life, Gi-hun was happier, like a sunflower. His home wasn't that far from his cafe, just a ten minute drive but a half an hour walk.
He wished Gi-hun would just recognise him. To acknowledge his existence. But the heavens seem to reward Gi-hun, making sure he had zero recognition of his previous life.
Heck, he couldn't even remember Dae-ho, who was a part time barista while he studied business or Jun-hee, who was enrolled in community college. But they were all good friends or acquaintances to him. In fact, all the important people in his life seemed to be there but not In-ho.
It felt like a punch in the gut and a proper insult that he barely acknowledged him. In-ho had been a loyal customer, he had always been there for him ever since he found out about his past memories. Not only that, he took time out of his day to make sure nothing in the world could harm him.
In-ho would do whatever it takes to protect him.
He loved him so fucking much it was unreal.
Gi-hun finally arrived home, pulling up in his usual spot before exiting the car. In-ho watched from a distance as he got his cat out of the car. His heart melted as he could practically hear what his little Strawberry was saying to Bingsu.
Sometimes he envied that cat, wishing he was there instead of the dang thing.
His heart ached when Gi-hun was no longer in view. The fact that his little Strawberry couldn't remember who he was, was the worst thing imaginable. Why were they always so different? While he didn't mind the differences sometimes, it always seemed that no matter what life they were in, they would forever be two separate people with different views.
Why couldn't they be the same and have their much deserved happy ending? In-ho deserved a happy ending because he was denied that in his previous life.
Perhaps it was the God's punishing him for what he did to others.
What he did to Gi-hun.
What he was going to do him in this life.
It was unnecessarily cruel for him to be put through. What had he done wrong in his other life, excluding the last, did he do to deserve this torture?
It doesn't matter though.
In-ho wanted Gi-hun to at least remember his promise he made. The soju date and the promise in the bathroom after they kissed for the first time that in another life, Gi-hun would be his, mind, body and soul.
He would take what Gi-hun owed him eventually but it wouldn't be today.
"You'll be mine soon enough. Don't worry my little Strawberry, everything will be fine."