3 – Chapter 3 Part 2

After a short vacation, Hae-won returned to Seoul and attended a crossover performance.

He didn’t contact Park Jong-hoon separately.

Sitting in a secluded seat, he watched the woman playing the violin in his place.

Even upon hearing it again, he couldn’t help but feel a lingering trace of regret. Not every good piece needed to be played by him. Sometimes, just listening was enough. Hae-won wasn’t the type to dwell on the past.

Memento mori.

3]

Everyone dies eventually. There was no reason to cling to this life as if it were immortal or to harbor lingering attachments. That was what Hae-won had learned and come to understand after bidding farewell to his mother.

Woo-jin also had to make up for the time he’d missed at work. Hae-won, too, became busy as his orchestra was tasked with the opening performance of the Jeju International Wind Music Festival.

Hae-won’s position had changed. He was no longer at the end of the second violins. He had been promoted from the second violins to the first violins. A seonbae ten years older than Hae-won was demoted to the second violins. It was a signal for him to quit. Though embarrassed, he didn’t leave the orchestra.

For the Jeju International Wind Music Festival, they were scheduled to perform a violin concerto as a solo by the concertmaster of the first violins and three symphonies with the orchestra, and there was also a string quartet chamber music performance that required separate practice.

On top of that, Hae-won was attending a driving school to get his driver’s license without Woo-jin’s knowledge, so he also left the officetel early in the morning, reducing the time he used to laze around in bed after Woo-jin left for work.

“When did you say?”

“The week after next.”

“For how many days?”

“A week.”

The Jeju International Wind Music Festival was a major event among domestic music festivals. Hae-won had to go to Jeju Island, and before that, he wanted to get his license, pick Woo-jin up, and drive a new car.

“That’s still far off.”

“That’s why I decided to practice early every morning. I heard many skilled orchestras from Europe are coming.”

“Are you doing chamber music too?”

“You saw the string quartet before. At President Kim Jeong-geun’s villa. Of course, Senior Choi won’t be able to come because Hyung put him in jail. That part-time job was really lucrative back then.”

The daily pay was four million won. That’s more than my monthly savings. Hae-won muttered to himself.

Woo-jin watched Hae-won, who was getting up and busily preparing alongside him, with a puzzled gaze. Hae-won feigned ignorance.

If he had the sheet music, he could handle most pieces on the spot, and since they were professionals, a couple of run-throughs would suffice. The reason he had to leave the officetel early every morning was because he had to go to driving school.

“I’ll drop you off at the concert hall.”

“It’s fine. I can take a taxi.”

Woo-jin’s eyebrows raised slightly as he sipped his coffee. Hae-won snatched the coffee from his hand and gulped it down.

“Ah, it’s hot.”

Hae-won frowned as he slurped the hot liquid, spilling it down his chin. Woo-jin quickly wiped the corners of Hae-won’s mouth with a tissue. His touch was as if he were treating a clumsy Hae-won like a child.

“Even cold water can upset your stomach if you drink it too quickly. Take it slow.”

“I’m running late.”

“There’s no need to rush. Take it slow. You might get hurt.”

“…….”

Even though Hae-won was intentionally hiding his driving practice to surprise him, and Woo-jin had no way of knowing, his tone sounded as if he knew everything. Hae-won gave him a puzzled look and left the officetel before Woo-jin.

As soon as Hae-won got his license, he contacted his father. When he suggested having lunch together after a long time, his father asked in a sullen, subdued voice what he wanted. Hae-won looked down at his father’s black card and said,

“A car.”

―A car?

“An automobile.”

―I thought you didn’t drive? You said you didn’t like having a chauffeur either.

“I’ll buy it with the card.”

―Get something sturdy. Look into it carefully. Do you need anything else?

“No. I’ll hang up.”

―Hey, you.

Hae-won didn’t respond and ended the call.

Should he be grateful that his father, who didn’t hesitate and played his role in times like these? But the bigger problem was that he, already thirty years old, felt no qualms about buying a car with his father’s card, yet he had no savings because he spent everything he earned.

Woo-jin had said he’d buy him a car once he got his license, but to surprise him with obtaining the license, driving a fancy car and cutting him off would be more dramatic than just showing him the license.

Hae-won bought the same car as Woo-jin. It was immediately available, only differing in color. Though it had undergone a facelift and its exterior had changed somewhat, it was a car that felt comfortable, which he liked.

Without Woo-jin knowing, he diligently completed his road training and even received praise from the instructor for driving smoothly despite being a beginner.

Beginner driver Hae-won headed to the Central District Prosecutors’ Office in his new car.

He hesitated while checking the navigation, made left turns, and even took wrong turns where he should have turned right, but he arrived at the Central District Prosecutors’ Office more easily than expected.

He’d heard driving was easier than riding a bicycle, and now he regretted why he hadn’t done it sooner and endured. It was more convenient than a taxi. Given his personality, he didn’t hesitate or struggle with merging, so his driving improved quickly.

However, parking was still clumsy. Not wanting to scratch the new car, he was overly cautious and unintentionally took up two parking spots, parking crookedly.

He called Woo-jin.

―Yes.

“It’s me.”

―Ah, okay. Are you off work?

Perhaps he’d answered without checking who was calling, as his stiff voice softened upon confirming it was Hae-won. Hae-won’s lips curved into a smile.

“I’m off. What about you, Hyung?”

―I’m still here. It might be a bit late.

“Busy? Overtime? On duty?”

―No, not on duty. Just a bit behind on work.

“What’s going on? The old man’s work is all piled up. Must’ve been busy playing with me.”

―Have dinner first.

A sound of moving, getting up from a chair and shifting somewhere, came through the phone.

“I thought we could leave together.”

―Then, can you wait a bit? I think I’ll be done in about an hour. I’ll pick you up at the concert hall.

“No need. I’m at the prosecutors’ office right now.”

―You’re here?

“I’ll wait. Call me when you’re done.”

He seemed to hesitate, letting out a short sigh. Then, the busy noise of gathering his jacket and briefcase could be heard.

―I’ll come now. Where are you?

“The parking lot.”

―Wait five minutes.

The call ended.

Hae-won turned off the engine. Sitting in the car parked in the dimly lit parking lot, he glanced back and forth at the staircases. Before long, Woo-jin appeared from the right staircase.

He pushed through the thick glass door and entered the parking lot. He looked around, searching for him. Hae-won’s face, watching him, was heightened with excitement and anticipation.

Hae-won started the engine and carefully pressed the accelerator.

As he drove up beside Woo-jin, who was walking toward his own car with his phone in hand, Woo-jin heard the car and stepped aside.

Hae-won drove at the same pace as him and rolled down the window. Woo-jin, paying no attention to the car passing by, was looking down at his phone.

“Excuse me, sir.”

Woo-jin abruptly stopped walking. Hae-won quickly hit the brakes. The distance between the car and him was close. Woo-jin turned his head toward the sound. Hae-won and Woo-jin’s eyes met. Even though Woo-jin showed no surprise at all, Hae-won chuckled to himself.

“What?”

“I got my license because I hate taking taxis. Want a ride in my car?”

“Ha…….”

Recalling Hae-won’s suspicious behavior of getting up at dawn and leaving for work earlier than him, Woo-jin let out a dry sigh as if he’d finally gained deep insight.

A car trying to exit the parking lot honked briefly behind Hae-won. Flustered like a true beginner, Hae-won urged Woo-jin to get in, making a fuss.

“Did you do the training?”

“Twenty hours.”

“When on earth?”

“Cutting back on sleep. Hurry up and get in. The person behind is saying something.”

Woo-jin, with a still dubious expression, reluctantly got into Hae-won’s car. It was the same model as his, only differing in color. As soon as he got in, Woo-jin fastened his seatbelt.

“Want to go see the night view?”

“First, move the car.”

As soon as Woo-jin finished speaking, the waiting car behind them honked irritably. Hae-won glanced at the rearview mirror and pressed the accelerator.

The car jerked forward instead of moving smoothly. Startled, Hae-won slammed on the brakes. The screeching sound of tires echoed through the parking lot. Woo-jin and Hae-won’s bodies swayed simultaneously.

“Stay calm. No one’s chasing you to kill you.”

Hae-won broke into a cold sweat for no reason. Woo-jin’s low voice calmed the flustered Hae-won. He slowly backed out. After exiting the parking lot, he pulled over tightly to the roadside and turned on the hazard lights.

He searched for the Bugak Skyline where Woo-jin had once taken him. It was a place known for its splendid night view.

“That place might be tough for a beginner.”

“The instructor said I drive well.”

“It’s a repeated uphill and downhill, and it’s dangerous at night. Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Where else?”

“How about the Han River.”

That was also a place Woo-jin frequented with him. The secluded area under the bridge was a perfect spot for a secret rendezvous in the car.

Hae-won glanced back at Woo-jin, who made a wolf-like sound, and chuckled.

An experienced person sitting in a car driven by a beginner would normally nag relentlessly, but Woo-jin remained quiet whether Hae-won wandered or retraced his path.

Hae-won glanced at the road ahead and the navigation, stealing glances at Woo-jin even in his distracted state. Woo-jin was working, spreading out documents as Hae-won had hoped.

He’d gotten his license partly to prevent the busy Woo-jin from complaining, but it felt a bit unfair that Woo-jin, sitting in the car he was driving for the first time, didn’t even offer praise or say “well done” and just worked.

Hae-won truly felt like a chauffeur. His restless, bustling mind quieted down to avoid disturbing Woo-jin’s work, naturally settling into calmness.

Before he knew it, Hae-won focused solely on driving.

Parking the car under the Han River Bridge and shifting into park, he let out an involuntary sigh.

“So, you were getting your license instead of practicing with the orchestra. I wondered what you were up to.”

“Surprised?”

“I was. I never expected you to show up with a car.”

He replied without taking his eyes off the documents. His response was indifferent and nonchalant. When Hae-won just stared silently, Woo-jin noticed the quietness and looked up.

“……How boring. If I knew you’d react this boringly, I wouldn’t have gotten the license.”

“What were you expecting?”

“A Woo-jin Hyung who’s utterly surprised, praising our Hae-won for being admirable and great.”

“Should a thirty-year-old man getting his driver’s license really be praised?”

He muttered indifferently without even looking at Hae-won.

“You once said you’d get me a nice car. I hate taking taxis.”

“If you worked hard for something and achieved results, you should simply be happy. Don’t make such worldly remarks.”

“What’s with that stuffy talk? Don’t say such stuffy things. You really sound like a stuffy old man.”

He took his eyes off the documents he was looking at and gave a displeased look.

At first, he’d brushed off being called stuffy, but after hearing something somewhere, he’d frown deeply whenever called stuffy. It seemed being called stuffy really bothered him.

“Stuffy mister. Stuffy grandpa.”

“Want to mess around?”

“At least pretend to be surprised. Even if you don’t feel it, just mimic it.”

“Wow.”

“…….”

He just said, “Wow.” When Hae-won glared, Woo-jin’s lips curved into an elegant line. Soon, he placed the documents he was holding on the dashboard. Unbuckling his seatbelt, he placed his hand over Hae-won’s, which was still tightly gripping the steering wheel, and pulled it down as if to say he could relax now.

“I thought you were raised so preciously that besides playing, someone had to wash, dress, and raise you to become human. It’s unexpected. I thought you couldn’t do this kind of labor at all.”

“Labor? Driving is labor?”

“It’s one of the professions, so it’s clearly labor. Well done. I’ll give you a praise sticker.”

“……How many?”

“Ten.”

“Give me a hundred and five.”

Hae-won whispered as he approached Woo-jin, who was pinching and turning his cheek, without any resistance. Woo-jin nodded in agreement. He gently bit Hae-won’s lips. The unique scent of a new car mixed with his body fragrance.

Woo-jin knew the structure of this car better than anyone. Hae-won’s seatback reclined. Hae-won’s eyes widened in surprise. Woo-jin, having pushed the seat back to create space, leaned his upper body completely toward the driver’s seat.

He should have been used to facing him in this position, but the angle of lying down and looking up at him always felt awkward and strange. His chest heaved.

Hae-won parted his lips and embraced Woo-jin’s neck and back. His hand, stroking the firm lower back, clutched Woo-jin’s shirt in a pitiful manner.

∞ ∞ ∞

“So, when did you say you’re coming?”

“I said next Tuesday.”

Normally, Hae-won would see Woo-jin off when he left, asking when he’d be back, making a bored face at the predictable wait, and holding onto his collar, not letting go, saying what if I miss you? But this time, the roles were reversed, and Woo-jin was holding onto Hae-won, who had little time left before his flight.

“By next week, the construction will be finished.”

“When I get back, I’ll throw away what needs to be thrown away and organize my own stuff.”

“I’ll just move everything as it is now. You say you’ll organize, but how long are you going to drag it out?”

“There’s a lot to throw away, so I need to sort it once. I’m going.”

Woo-jin just stood there, persistently staring at Hae-won’s lips. Holding the carry-on in one hand, Hae-won stood at the front door and let out a small sigh at him, who was staring intently only at his lips.

“Aren’t you getting ready for work?”

“There’s still plenty of time. Why are you leaving so early in the morning?”

“They said the only flights available for group bookings were early ones.”

“Go separately.”

“Can’t. I got promoted and decided not to be late from now on.”

“Aren’t you going to become the associate concertmaster?”

“Maybe. Associate Concertmaster Moon Hae-won of the First Violins. Oh, that sounds cool. Our manager is going to get busy because of me, right?”

Hae-won laughed as he called his own name impressively.

With his fair face and plump lips, who would believe Hae-won was already thirty? If you put him in a school uniform and insisted he was a teenager, he’d likely pass for that age.

Stroking his exceptionally youthful and clear skin, Woo-jin pinched Hae-won’s cheek. He wasn’t physically blocking him from leaving, but with gestures, body language, and a gaze that melted people’s hearts, Woo-jin held onto Hae-won and didn’t let go.

Hae-won thought he was no pushover when it came to shaking people up, but Woo-jin’s push-and-pull felt like a genius artistic expression.

Restlessly, Hae-won glanced at the clock on the wall.

“Don’t go.”

“I just got promoted. Will I get fired right away?”

“They can’t fire people recklessly there. Their internal regulations are like that.”

“You even know that?”

“I gave some advice when they were setting the art foundation’s internal regulations.”

“There’s nowhere you don’t have a hand in, is there?”

“So, you won’t get fired easily. Unless it’s for an enormous disciplinary reason.”

So, don’t go, Woo-jin’s arm wrapped around Hae-won’s waist and pulled him close. Hae-won hesitated and took a step closer. They were close enough for their lower bodies to touch. As the physical distance between him and Woo-jin completely disappeared, he wanted to let go of the thread of reason he was holding onto.

“You said you hate clinginess, but you’re being clingy while not letting me do it.”

“I’ll take you.”

“Where to, Jeju Airport?”

“No need to leave this early. Everyone will be rushing and wasting three or four hours at the accommodation sorting things out. You can go after that’s done.”

“I’ll really be late. I have to go.”

Now let go, Hae-won twisted his body once, which was held by him.

The more he did, the clearer the gaze fixed only on his lips became, and the arm wrapped around his back tightened with strong force, squeezing Hae-won even more.

“I’m going to miss my flight like this.”

“Say you missed it by a hair’s breadth.”

“If you miss me that much, come visit Jeju for a bit.”

“I’m busy.”

“……My work is trivial, and your work is the most important thing in the world.”

Woo-jin, who had been tilting his head to kiss, slowly pulled back. A stern coldness had settled on Hae-won’s face.

“That’s not what I meant.”

“It’s okay if I’m late, if I don’t go, if I skip. But not you. Your work is official duty. It’s important. You just want my time sacrificed, right?”

“Why are you twisting it like that? I’m the one who likes your playing more than anyone.”

As Hae-won spoke in a rather strong tone, Woo-jin released the arm wrapped around his waist and stood still. Hae-won broke free from him and opened the front door.

“Hae-won-ah.”

As if hurt, don’t go like that, Woo-jin grabbed his wrist. It wasn’t to stop him from going but to ask him to look back and smile. Hae-won, halfway out the door, turned back toward him.

“You’re squeezing too hard. So let go quickly. I’m really leaving.”

“……”

Since he showed no intention of letting go, Hae-won, who had been acting deliberately cold, smiled as brightly as sunlight and said it was all a lie, kissed the cheek of the flustered Woo-jin standing there, and hurriedly closed the door.

Woo-jin frowned as he stared at the gray door where Hae-won had disappeared, then turned away.

“It didn’t work.”

∞ ∞ ∞

When the long-overdue repayment of public funds was prominently featured in the media, public opinion began to rise that President Kim Jeong-geun’s seven-year prison sentence was too harsh. While there were negative opinions questioning whether they were negotiating the sentence with money at this point, public opinion was generally favorable toward Kim Jeong-geun. Woo-jin placed the newspaper with the favorable tone in front of Kim Jeong-geun.

“This won’t make the Supreme Court rule in my favor. How much is this anyway? Such a waste….”

Kim Jeong-geun, who firmly believed what wasn’t his was his, grimaced as if it pained him.

Though he had been confined in a detention center for months, his complexion was better than before. It was due to his regular lifestyle.

He woke up at set times, ate moderate meals, never missed exercise time to move his body, and spent the remaining time leisurely watching TV or playing indoor golf in a separately allocated space, claiming he was meeting with his lawyer.

“We have to reduce it to at least one year. I’ll pressure the Supreme Court somehow.”

“Prosecutor Hyun, you’ve had a hard time because of me. I heard. They say you can’t take on cases?”

“Important cases are all being transferred to other teams. It’s not that I’m completely unassigned.”

“I should have listened to you back then….”

Kim Jeong-geun said painfully. If he had listened to Woo-jin back then, he wouldn’t have provoked Park Hyung-soo or fought with the prosecution. Now, looking back, only deep regret remained.

“I heard that bastard Jeong-woo has been released.”

“I was just about to bring that up…, I’m sorry, but it’s difficult for me to be involved in group affairs any longer. At this rate, I’ll have to submit my resignation. Without consulting you in advance, I’ve brought Executive Director Kim Jeong-woo to the planning headquarters.”

“Why that bastard of all people? Don’t you know what kind of guy he is? He’s the kind of bastard who won’t give me a single penny even if I get out, that heartless, tearless bastard.”

“I hold all of the Chairman’s shares, so that won’t happen. We can’t entrust the survival of Han-gyeong Group to just anyone.”

“……”

Though it wouldn’t collapse so easily, in Kim Jeong-geun’s absence, Han-gyeong could become prey to foreign capital. The only one capable of preventing that was his half-brother, Kim Jeong-woo. After all, the rest were just outsiders who would transfer elsewhere if they left.

Woo-jin was making judgments considering the company even while being cornered himself. If he had been mindful of Kim Jeong-geun’s feelings, he couldn’t have done such a thing. For Woo-jin, principles and practicality were more important than Kim Jeong-geun. Ironically, that was why Kim Jeong-geun had no choice but to trust Woo-jin.

“So-young seems to have adjusted now, and my wife said she’ll be coming to Korea soon. For some event happening in Jeju, I think. Han-gyeong Foundation is one of the sponsors.”

“……Ah, yes.”

He replied in a dry voice. He had to consider the possibility of Hae-won and Seo Okhwa meeting in Jeju. Woo-jin fiddled with his phone.

After finishing the visit with Kim Jeong-geun and leaving the detention center’s visitation room, Woo-jin contacted the agent he had placed on Hae-won.

“Did you arrive safely in Jeju?”

—Yes, they’re rehearsing now.

“I just sent a photo of Han-gyeong Group’s Seo Okhwa via text. Since she’s one of the sponsors, she’ll likely attend this event. Please prevent her from making contact with Moon Hae-won.”

—Understood.

“Thank you for your hard work.”

Even if they met, it wouldn’t affect the work, but he didn’t want to create unnecessary trouble.

After ending the call, Woo-jin slowly began to walk.

Following an employee through a maze-like passage, Woo-jin arrived at a secret room, took off his shoes, and went inside. The Chief of Staff, who had arrived earlier and was waiting for him, turned his head from looking out the window.

“Hello.”

“Have a seat. The meal will be brought right away.”

The Chief of Staff said. The employee standing outside the door replied and closed the door. Woo-jin took off his jacket, hung it on a long hanger, and sat across from him.

“Sorry to keep you waiting so long.”

“Just give it to me.”

“……”

Letting out a low breath as if urging him, Woo-jin took documents from his bag and handed them over. The Chief of Staff’s brow furrowed as he pulled the documents from the envelope. They were copies.

“What is this?”

“The materials you mentioned. I brought them for your reference.”

“You said you’d destroy the original right in front of my eyes.”

“There are several copies, so what does the existence of the original matter?”

“……”

The Chief of Staff clutched his forehead and wiped his face as if scraping off the skin. Just as he was about to say something with an irritated expression, an employee entered with a knock and placed a meal on the table.

Woo-jin and the Chief of Staff silently stared at each other without uttering a word until they left. Once the employee was gone, the Chief of Staff threw the documents he had placed beside him onto the table.

“I’ve done everything you asked! How long do you intend to hold my leash?”

“I’ve never made any such demands.”

“What do you mean? Do you know how difficult it was to persuade the VIPs because of the special investigation into President Kim Jeong-geun?”

“Let me make a formal request now.”

Woo-jin took out another file from his bag and handed it over. The Chief of Staff snatched it with a nervous hand.

“What is this?”

“Documents related to K-One Group. A list of recent acquisition targets. Among them is a mobile payment solution company called DayPay. K-One is aggressively pursuing M&A to dominate the payment processing market and is funneling all group cash into it.”

“So? What does this have to do with me?”

“It has nothing to do with you, General Manager. It has to do with me.”

“What?”

“Please block the short-term financial business license for the investment bank that K-One Securities has been preparing for years, just for a few months. It’s scheduled to be decided at the upcoming regular Financial Services Commission meeting, and they’ll likely get approval.”

Currently, among the mega securities firms, only a few can raise funds by issuing promissory notes based on their own credit. If K-One obtains the short-term financial business license, the blocked funding channels will open, allowing them to issue massive promissory notes for smooth capital raising, and it’s obvious they’ll gain wings for their current projects.

“How can I intervene in something like that?”

“Among the documents I just gave you, there is evidence of personal misconduct by the chairman of K-One Financial Holdings, which was a key issue in a recent Financial Supervisory Service review. This should qualify as grounds for suspending the review under the Capital Markets Act enforcement rules.”

“Are you trying to use me as a pawn on your chessboard?”

Woo-jin picked up his utensils. He asked while eating with a composed demeanor.

“……How far do you want to go?”

“What?”

“I’m asking how far your goal as Chief of Staff is.”

“There will be a Blue House personnel appointment soon. I’ll be stepping down from the Chief of Staff position.”

“You’ll join the party too. You’re planning to run in a safe district, right?”

“……”

“You’ll be elected smoothly. That district is the ruling party’s stronghold. If you maintain the current public opinion well, that is.”

“I can’t do anything unreasonable.”

“I’m not asking you to do anything illegal. It’s just that I can’t do it myself, so I’m borrowing your hand.”

“I really don’t understand the reason. There’s no reason for Han-gyeong to clash with K-One.”

“Let’s just say it’s personal resentment.”

Woo-jin said that much, stared at him intently as if to say handle it well yourself, then lowered his gaze and continued his meal.

If he wanted to find faults, there were plenty, but the areas Woo-jin could operate in weren’t limited to just the law. He could touch K-One using Han-gyeong, and he could shake K-One using the Chief of Staff or members of the National Assembly’s Legislation and Judiciary Committee.

A video and a few corruption cases weren’t enough to control them. He planned to deal with Lee Seok-joong, who was being a nuisance to K-One without revealing his true identity.

A few days later, at the regular Financial Services Commission meeting, the review of K-One Investment Bank’s short-term financial business license was indefinitely postponed.

The group’s stock price fell by over 10%. Financial sector stocks dropped by more than 20%.

Having pushed aggressive M&A to avoid falling behind in fierce market competition, they were already cash-strapped, and this time, assuming they would get the license, they had even taken out loans, so the blow was significant.

When Woo-jin arrived in Yangpyeong, a light rain was falling. Parking his car in the bunker-style parking lot, he deliberately stepped on the stepping stones placed among the grass to avoid mud splashing on his trouser cuffs.

Cars that had arrived earlier were gleaming with light in the darkness. Not using an umbrella but instead roughly covering his head with his hand, he headed toward the villa’s back stairs with quick steps but stopped at the sound of his phone ringing.

Taking out his phone, he switched it to vibrate, went under the eaves, and answered the call.

It was Hae-won.

“Did practice finish well?”

—Hyung, I’m in big trouble.

“What big trouble.”

—Our concertmaster was supposed to be the violin concerto soloist the day after tomorrow, but he caught his finger in a hotel door.

“And?”

—He was hurt so badly that one of his fingernails came off.

“That must have hurt a lot.”

His face showed no interest at all, but his tone was affectionate.

—It’s not just ‘that must have hurt a lot.’

“Then?”

—There’s no soloist now.

“There are dozens of violinists, and no one can play that piece?”

—Of course there is? The problem is…, Auntie Seo Okhwa, no, Chairwoman Seo Okhwa told me to do it….

“What?”

Woo-jin’s eyes, staring into the darkness, fixed on one point and hardened.

—The Chairwoman insisted to the conductor that I do it….

“……”

—So I agreed to do it.

“Do you know the piece?”

—Of course I know it. It’s a very famous piece.

As if asking why he would ask something so obvious, Hae-won scolded Woo-jin and replied. Unable to hide his displeasure, which showed all over his face, his voice nonetheless didn’t lose its usual gentleness.

“Then just do it.”

—I don’t like performing in front of people. It’s not great.

“If anyone stares at you panting, call me, Hyung. I’ll come right away and smash their head in.”

—I’m not joking. I really don’t like it. It’s my first time doing a solo with an orchestra since high school.

“I’m not joking.”

Woo-jin had never made that kind of joke before. If anyone approached Hae-won in that manner, he was prepared to respond with even harsher methods.

—Haha, anyway, Hyung… I’m not confident.

Listening to Hae-won’s voice chattering away about lacking confidence, it having been a long time since he played a concerto, and not having much practice time, Woo-jin looked down at the watch on his wrist.

Someone else must have arrived, as a car engine turned off and someone approached from the direction he had come. It was Im Hyo-sang, the grandson of Jeonju, a big player in the Myeongdong private loan market.

Im Hyo-sang, standing under the eaves, spotted Woo-jin on the phone and waved.

Woo-jin raised the corner of his lips and gestured for him to go in first.

“What, are you on the phone with your lover? I heard you got a lover? A cousin? A guy with a lover comes to a place like this? Tsk, trash bastard.”

Im Hyo-sang, who like him wasn’t using an umbrella, roughly covered his head with his hand to avoid getting his hair wet, passed by Woo-jin with quick steps, and chuckled mockingly. He soon disappeared toward the stairs leading to the bomb shelter.

Woo-jin looked at the black sky and let out a low sigh.

—Who was that?

“What? Who. It’s nothing. Some drunk guy passed by and said something.”

—Yeah, so I was wondering if I could do well, and suddenly I really wanted to hear your voice, so I called. Where are you?

“I just left the District Prosecutors’ Office. On my way to dinner.”

—By the way, Auntie lost a lot of weight. I mean, Chairwoman Seo Okhwa.

Trying to be careful not to make verbal slips that kept popping out, Hae-won added.

Woo-jin found this situation irritating. With physical distance between them, controlling Hae-won wasn’t easy.

“She’s the director of an arts foundation, so it can’t be helped, but try not to get too close if possible. It makes me uncomfortable and awkward.”

He touched Hae-won’s sore spot. Seo Okhwa was the mother of Woo-jin’s deceased fiancée.

Whenever you talk about Seo Okhwa, I can’t help but think of my fiancée, he revealed his uncomfortable feelings frankly in a low voice.

—Ah…, sorry. I didn’t think of that.

A brief silence passed. Woo-jin changed the atmosphere by speaking in a different tone.

“It’s just playing one concerto, so just do it. If you know the piece, there’s no need to refuse.”

—Okay. You must be hungry, Hyung. Why are you eating dinner so late?

“I was a bit busy going here and there.”

—I see. Eat dinner quickly.

He looked at the black sky of the Yangpyeong villa where rain was falling.

“Hae-won.”

—Yeah?

“I miss you.”

—…Me too.

“I miss you. If I tell you to come up, will you come?”

—You’re doing it again. You come down.

“Should I come?”

—Really?

“I’ll come.”

—Don’t come. You’ll come and drain all my energy, then I won’t be able to do anything the next day.

“No way.”

—Really, don’t come. If anyone listens to my performance with their ears but their mind is elsewhere, I’ll call you right away. Come then.

“Okay. Do well.”

—Yeah… Let’s talk tomorrow.

After ending the call, Woo-jin ran his hand through his hair with an irritated gesture. He called the agent.

“Moon Hae-won met Seo Okhwa.”

—I’m sorry.

“Didn’t I ask you to prevent contact? Was it a difficult request?”

His voice was thick with irritation. His usual voice was already quite low, making listeners tense, and with added displeasure, it felt like pressure pressing down on the crown of the head.

—I tried to block it somehow, but Madam Seo Okhwa sought out Mr. Moon Hae-won several times. There was a limit to how much I could block…

The agent, making flustered excuses, trailed off. Woo-jin fiercely furrowed his brows as if scolding the absent agent.

He couldn’t understand the reason at all. Hae-won was ill-mannered, and his speech habits were even ruder than his actions. He was bound to be incompatible with Seo Okhwa, who had a particularly strong temper.

He didn’t know what had happened between them, but Seo Okhwa treated Hae-won exceptionally. The chaebol family madam, for whom not giving people the time of day was routine, made an exception only for Hae-won.

Things he hadn’t anticipated and couldn’t guess were happening precisely around Moon Hae-won, and the other party was Ha-young’s mother.

Woo-jin had done nothing wrong regarding Ha-young’s death, but like Tae-shin had, they blamed Woo-jin. They said as if there was something wrong with Woo-jin that those who loved him died.

He had done nothing wrong. Whether Hae-won and Seo Okhwa met, whether they chatted about Ha-young and Woo-jin or not, he had provided not a penny’s worth of cause for Ha-young’s death, so there was nothing to feel awkward about.

But Woo-jin was uneasy.

The thought of Hae-won finding out something frightened him, and because he couldn’t clearly define that something he didn’t want revealed, he couldn’t find a solution, which made him uneasy and afraid.

Woo-jin traced back to when things went wrong.

When he started feeling uneasy, when he started being concerned.

It was from then.

From the day he discovered Lee Tae-shin’s diary.

From when Lee Tae-shin, whom he considered insignificant, called Woo-jin an emotionless abnormality, and from when he gave the loyal advice to run away from him, not to love him.

Run away…

Woo-jin had spent his whole life trying to dismantle his father’s claim that a monster like him couldn’t be his son.

But Lee Tae-shin, who didn’t even know him well and hadn’t taken a single step into his innermost depths, evaluated Woo-jin like his father did.

A snake, a slaughterer, a monster who felt no emotion.

He was uneasy that Hae-won might somehow find out about that fact they claimed and he denied.

Afraid he might believe a lie that couldn’t even be called reality.

He didn’t know where normal ended and abnormal began. So it was better if Hae-won didn’t know. Better if he knew nothing… Better to just stay in the comfortable, cozy embrace he provided.

Knowing could be painful. Like it had been for Kim Ha-young and Lee Tae-shin.

—I’m ashamed. They seemed quite close. If you didn’t know, you’d think they were mother and son.

“So you’re saying it was unreasonable from the start to try to separate such close people?”

—My apologies.

“It may be troublesome, but please ensure the two don’t meet.”

Woo-jin hung up the phone. Rather than pressuring Hae-won, he thought it better to make him realize how uncomfortable it made him to be close with Ha-young’s mother.

Then Hae-won would move as he wished.

Just as he always had.

As he entered the bunker, the sound of a champagne cork popping could be heard.

Im Hyo-sang exaggeratedly popped the champagne and aimed the gushing liquid at Woo-jin. His chest became damp with golden sparkling wine. With an expressionless face showing no emotion, Woo-jin only lowered his head and lightly brushed off the soiled hem of his shirt.

“Congratulations. I hear you’re fucking your cousin.”

“…….”

The displeased gaze directed at him shifted toward Lee Seok-joong sitting on the sofa.

Im Hyo-sang poured the champagne. Woo-jin took the glass he offered and drank it down. Lee Seok-joong, who had likely already blabbed everything about Hae-won to the bunker members, giggled as if he found it hilarious when his eyes met Woo-jin’s.

“A prosecutor as lofty as the heavens fucking his cousin. That’s even more shocking than when my hyung got caught fucking his sister-in-law in a hotel.”

Yu Gi-jae, the son of the Supreme Court Chief Justice, chimed in while exhaling marijuana smoke. His hyung was a head judge at the Central District Court, and his sister-in-law was a lawyer at a major law firm. Woo-jin found it even more shocking that his own affair was considered more shocking than theirs.

“What nonsense.”

Woo-jin feigned ignorance.

He took off his soiled jacket, tossed it onto the sofa, and unbuttoned his shirt. He wiped his damp chest with a prepared dry towel.

“You took him to our hotel, right? That cousin.”

“Don’t even mention it. He’s the prettiest among the kids I’ve seen. You know the type? The kind you just want to devour. The kind you want to make cry.”

“Didn’t you say he’s a guy?”

“Since when did that matter? Is he not a guy?”

Lee Seok-joong gestured with his chin toward someone sitting on the sofa.

A man with a terrified expression sat alone on the long sofa.

Brought by Lee Seok-joong, the man who appeared to be in his early twenties was likely an aspiring entertainer. He had been procured as tribute from one of the entertainment agencies under the K-One Group’s subsidiaries.

“I had no idea our prosecutor was so into faces.”

Lee Seok-joong was thinking of Hae-won.

Im Hyo-sang approached the aspiring entertainer, plopped down beside him, and passed the marijuana joint he was holding between his lips. The man frowned as if tasting something unpleasant and inhaled from the filter. Exhaling smoke, he coughed and hacked.

From the moment the man entered the bunker, he became an accomplice. Here, both victims and perpetrators were accomplices.

“He’s really my cousin. Watch your mouth.”

Lee Seok-joong scoffed at Woo-jin’s words.

“Ah, right. Got it. Whatever anyone says. By the way, your cousin borrowed thirty thousand won from me. I gave him my business card, but he hasn’t contacted me. I told him not to throw it away because it’s real gold leaf. Do you know how much that card costs?”

“……What are you talking about?”

“He didn’t tell you? He said he was hungry, so I gave him a ride to the convenience store. When we got there, he said he had no money. No cash, so he asked for a card. So I lent it to him.”

“…….”

“He was so cute I almost did him right in the car, but I was afraid our prosecutor hyung would glare at me like this, so I didn’t touch him. You pay back the thirty thousand. Or should I contact your cousin?”

“…….”

Woo-jin took out his wallet. There were no ten-thousand-won bills, only fifty-thousand-won ones. He pulled out a fifty-thousand-won bill and handed it to Lee Seok-joong. Lee Seok-joong took the bill with a bitter smile, as if amused.

Lee Seok-joong wandered around with the bill before tossing it into an ashtray filled with cigarette butts. Perhaps there were still embers, as flames erupted from the middle of the bill. Soon, the fifty-thousand-won bill was engulfed in flames. Gazing mesmerized at the disappearing flames turning to ashes, Lee Seok-joong muttered as if to himself.

“He said he wants to join our gathering.”

“What?”

“Your cousin. He wants to join our gathering. I told him he needs two recommendations and unanimous approval from everyone. If that doesn’t work…, he has to come as tribute.”

“……Seok-jung.”

“Yeah, Woo-jin.”

Woo-jin took a cigarette pack from his discarded jacket and put a cigarette in his mouth. He clicked the lighter on the table and lit it. In the dim light, bringing the lighter close to his face revealed Woo-jin’s face split grotesquely in half—one side in darkness, the other exposed to light. With his damp chest exposed, looking even more dangerous, he took a drag from the cigarette and exhaled a long breath.

“Want to try being tied up over there?”

Woo-jin’s eyes pointed to the pole in the center. Seok-jung followed his gaze to the pole, then looked back at Woo-jin.

“You try being tied up over there.”

“What the fuck, are you insane?!”

“I want to tie you up there and fuck you until your hole is torn.”

“You fucking bastard! I’ve been tolerating you because you’re a prosecutor, but what?!”

Seok-jung stood up, breathing heavily, fists clenched as if about to attack Woo-jin immediately, but they trembled, unable to strike. When Woo-jin exhaled cigarette smoke, Seok-jung’s face turned red, and he soon burst into light coughing.

“You fucking, cough, cough, dickhead…, cough, beggar bastard.”

Woo-jin rose from the sofa.

He stubbed out his cigarette on the half-burned bill and approached Seok-jung. Seok-jung flinched and stepped back as if retreating. Woo-jin pressed his face close to his. Seok-jung, with weak respiratory system, held his breath, his eyes growing increasingly red.

“I hear the back gives quite a thrill. I’ll let you feel it. Trust me?”

Woo-jin gave a charming smile. Grabbing the back of Seok-jung’s neck as if restrained, he suddenly pressed his lips against his. Im Hyo-sang burst into laughter. When high on marijuana, he laughed excessively even at things that weren’t funny.

Woo-jin forcibly pried open Seok-jung’s lips and pushed his tongue inside. Resisting movements fiercely fought back, and they fell together onto the sofa. Deliberately blocking all air, he poured a rough kiss. The resisting gestures gradually subsided, limbs trembling violently.

Woo-jin pulled his lips away. Seok-jung coughed as if retching. After coughing as if trying to vomit everything inside, he gulped down champagne repeatedly to calm his cough.

Wiping his wet lips with the back of his hand in disgust, Woo-jin rinsed his mouth with alcohol and spat. The aspiring entertainer, with a confused expression, rolled his eyes, utterly bewildered by what was happening.

“Fucking bastard!”

“Want more?”

“Dickhead bastard!”

“Seok-jung, come here and suck mine.”

“Are you really insane? Do you know who I am, you beggar prosecutor bastard!”

“Kissing you got me hard. Come suck it quickly.”

“You…, cut it out, enough.”

“Come suck it quickly.”

“Fine! I’ll stop! I’ll stop paying attention. Fuck, what’s with that damn cousin.”

Seok-jung, intimidated, shuddered with his whole body and avoided the staring gaze.

Meanwhile, Im Hyo-sang offered alcohol to the dazed aspiring entertainer. The man, trying hard to appear nonchalant, drank as if swallowing poison. Im Hyo-sang placed a hand on his shoulder and stroked it.

Seok-jung, who had been gulping down alcohol repeatedly to suppress his cough, glared fiercely at Woo-jin and spoke.

“Try doing that again just once.”

“What, the kiss? It was mediocre.”

“You fucker….”

Seok-jung spat on the floor, then lost interest in Woo-jin and moved to sit beside the aspiring entertainer. The aspiring entertainer was kissing Im Hyo-sang.

Woo-jin watched them and poured himself a drink. The bitter, hot liquid licked his throat and slid down his esophagus distinctly. The alcohol content was considerable.

Soon, the aspiring entertainer was tied to the pole.

As Woo-jin approached them, Im Hyo-sang asked.

“Is your gonorrhea all healed?”

“Fuck, it’s healed, that’s why I took my cousin to the hotel… Ah, fuck, I get it.”

“It’s healed, then.”

When doubted, Woo-jin took the initiative.

He grabbed the trembling man’s hair. Trying to erect the limp genitals by gripping and stroking with his hand, but there was no response. Seok-jung looked down at Woo-jin’s crotch with a strange expression.

“With erectile dysfunction, talking about fucking someone… Get lost, you’re killing the mood.”

Seok-jung pushed Woo-jin away. As if showing off something, he erected his penis and thrust it into the man’s hole.

∞ ∞ ∞

Facing a monitor displaying the continuously plummeting stock graph of K-One, Woo-jin looked down at the bustling front courtyard of the District Prosecutors’ Office outside the window.

The stock drop wasn’t enough. Woo-jin recalled Lee Seok-joong, who had regained his appetite by mentioning Hae-won. Of all places, they had run into each other at the hotel they co-invested in, so Seok-joong must have been grinding Hae-won like gossip fodder all night. Even when told to back off appropriately, Lee Seok-joong, who had never cared about others’ feelings, didn’t know his limits and acted out.

Recalling that he had given Hae-won his business card, a clear and vivid irritation arose inside his chest. Though not on the same level, it resembled the discomfort he felt when seeing Hae-won curled up and crying—a subtly similar irritation.

Contradictory emotions caused the same pain, confusing Woo-jin. One he wanted to crush under his heel, the other was the opposite.

First, Woo-jin gathered K-One’s materials using sources and the Han-gyeong Group’s strategy room. Bunker materials weren’t accumulated to be disclosed to others. They had to be the final means to tighten their noose at the right time.

The bunker wasn’t a record of crimes but faithfully served as a secret chamber for the conspiracies and plots exchanged there.

At the sound of a knock, he lowered his laptop screen. The person who opened the door and entered was Jeong Ho-myung.

“Seonbae, aren’t you having lunch?”

“I’ll eat simply at the cafeteria.”

“Ah, I was going to the cafeteria too. Let’s go together.”

Woo-jin grabbed his phone and stood up. He went down to the cafeteria on the second floor of the Central District Prosecutors’ Office with Jeong Ho-myung. After getting their food and sitting at any empty spot, Jeong Ho-myung scooped a spoonful of yukgaejang and spoke.

“Lately, the media has been praising Han-gyeong a lot for repaying the public funds.”

“Really?”

“You’re not planning some reversal, are you?”

“Why would I need to? I hold quite a lot of that company’s stock.”

Woo-jin spoke honestly.

“Then why don’t you resign?”

Jeong Ho-myung asked with a look of utter incomprehension. With that kind of wealth, he’d be a chaebol, not doing this prosecutor thing—he revealed his blatant, worldly inner thoughts.

“Power without capital inevitably has to heed capital. That’s how capitalism works.”

“That’s right… That’s how the world works.”

“If you’ve got a line, stop calculating interests and just hold onto one thing well. Don’t overthink.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Jeong Ho-myung nodded as if deeply impressed, with an expression of having gained great enlightenment.

Leaning his elbows on the cafeteria table, Woo-jin continued eating half-heartedly. The cafeteria for employees wasn’t great in taste or quality, so even during lunch hour, there weren’t many people, and everyone conversed quietly to avoid standing out.

Lost in thought, Woo-jin ate expressionlessly.

Absentmindedly raising his gaze, he stared at the large wall-mounted TV in the cafeteria.

It was a screen that repeatedly broadcast legal news, lifestyle information, and occasionally promotional videos produced by the judiciary.

Some fixed their wandering eyes there, but it was generally decorative, with no one paying close attention.

Woo-jin’s pupils froze, fixed on the wall screen.

Jeong Ho-myung, who had looked up while saying something, followed his gaze curiously, seeing him staring intently somewhere.

It was Moon Hae-won.

Dressed in a white shirt and black pants, Moon Hae-won was playing the violin with an orchestra of over a hundred behind him.

With an expression so immersed in his own emotions it seemed about to overflow, Hae-won moved like a dream beyond the silent screen.

His fingers fluttered dazzlingly over the fingerboard, his right hand gripping the bow drawing passionately from end to end with all its strength.

As if entranced, Woo-jin suddenly stood up from his seat.

Jeong Ho-myung’s eyes followed him, staring, “Huh?”

He walked to the large screen no one was watching. Stopping tall before the screen larger than his height.

Hae-won’s face filled the large screen.

Instantly, the air gained weight, pressing down on Woo-jin’s shoulders.

As if all moisture left his body, he felt crushed by something.

His mind went blank white, his heart pounding.

He fixed his pupils on Hae-won, who filled his vision chaotically, entranced.

Like a towering wave, like a raging gust, Hae-won was overwhelming him.

The image of Hae-won playing the violin superimposed before him, standing out with his superior tall stature.

His breath caught.

His head spun.

Woo-jin’s fist in his pants pocket clenched tightly.

It was the first realization.

First love.

The broadcast airing the Jeju International Wind Music Festival soon changed to legal common sense.

Woo-jin flinched as if someone had slapped his back. He blinked at the screen where Hae-won had disappeared. The screen showed a lawyer explaining legal common sense and a promotional broadcast announcer from the judiciary.

Standing dazed for a while, he slowly turned. Woo-jin returned to his seat and picked up his utensils.

“What’s wrong?”

“…….”

Woo-jin didn’t react, as if he hadn’t heard the question.

His heart and face grew hot simultaneously, and it took considerable time to regain his senses. With a dazed expression as if he’d dreamed a midsummer night’s dream, he moved mechanically.

∞ ∞ ∞

“Ugh, I made a few mistakes.”

“None of that showed. You were so passionate. My face turned completely red watching.”

Seo Okhwa clapped twice with her palms, as if amazed. It was praise for doing well.

Max Bruch

4]

Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, was the piece Hae-won had intended to play before him when he went to President Kim Jeong-geun’s villa without knowing Hyun Woo-jin had called, and Hae-won had memorized all movements from the first to the third.

The concertmaster, the first violinist who was the concerto’s soloist, had injured his finger on the hotel door, so Hae-won ended up taking the solo unexpectedly, approaching the performance with appropriate excitement and tension blended.

Though he modestly claimed embarrassment over mistakes, Hae-won actually liked today’s performance. It had been so long since he had immersed himself so passionately in a piece.

“You were like the associate concertmaster who had been eyeing the concertmaster’s injury.”

“The conductor had no choice but to assign me because you insisted, ma’am.”

“Whether forced or voluntary, it was successful if it worked.”

Seo Okhwa, who had returned from the U.S., stylishly swept back her shortly cut hair. It was confidence that her judgment wasn’t wrong.

Not just because she was the wife of the Han-gyeong Group chaebol family, but as a senior figure wielding significant influence in the classical music world itself.

Anyway, such things usually follow order, but due to Seo Okhwa’s insistence, Hae-won became soloist under awkward pressure.

Despite that, he had been secretly worried about making mistakes. Fortunately, even by his own assessment, he delivered a decent performance. The conductor also gave sincere applause to Hae-won for his satisfying performance.

“If Hae-won had performed last time too, it would have garnered much attention.”

Park Jong-hoon, sitting at the same table, chimed in.

Park Jong-hoon was participating in the music festival with music college students. Park Jong-hoon and Seo Okhwa seemed to know each other, and they ended up sitting together at the dinner table.

“Me? I thought that violinist was better than me.”

“No. If Hae-won had done it, it would have been sold out.”

“Why?”

Because people are drawn to the packaging.”

At Park Jong-hoon’s words, Seo Okhwa, who was drinking wine, burst out laughing. Almost spitting out what was in her mouth, she quickly covered it with a napkin.

Packaging?”

Hearing all sorts of bizarre things. Hae-won asked back, dumbfounded.

“Oh, was my phrasing strange? I meant that since Hae-won has the looks, people probably liked it.”

“No matter how good the looks are, if the performance is mediocre, it’s a flop. Hae-won’s performance is solid, so his appearance shines even brighter.”

Seo Okhwa patted Hae-won’s back, saying he did well.

Even though her husband was serving time in prison, Seo Okhwa had lost some weight but remained a chaebol family’s madam and the chairwoman of the Hankyung Cultural Foundation.

“I’ve never been called ugly anywhere, but this is the first time I’ve heard someone say I’m just a flashy shell.”

“Haha, I spoke my mind. If it offended you, I apologize.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Actually, I went to see the performance. It would’ve been nice if I could have participated, but it’s not like I absolutely had to.”

“Then can you participate in the next performance?”

“Yes, if I have time.”

“Professor Park is still so naive.”

Seo Okhwa poured wine into both Hae-won’s and Park Jong-hoon’s glasses as she spoke.

Hae-won carefully suppressed the lingering excitement, like the afterglow of a fever, and took a sip of wine.

Any music festival with Seo Okhwa was a free pass.

He could observe masterclasses by world-renowned violinists and listen to orchestra performances from the best seats.

Of course, it must have been awkward for Woo-jin that I was close to Seo Okhwa. But it wasn’t like we met separately outside of these music festival periods anyway. Seo Okhwa also said she’d be returning to the U.S. soon.

I avoided asking about President Kim Jeong-geun’s affairs as much as possible, and Seo Okhwa didn’t bring it up first either. We only carried out official schedules. Our movements were cautious. She didn’t answer any reporters’ questions. Media outlets trying to approach were first turned away by bodyguards, then blocked by secretaries.

Only after sitting in the VIP room of a restaurant where no one could eavesdrop did Seo Okhwa’s face brighten with relief. She had returned to her usual confident self.

“Did your daughter go to the U.S. too?”

“She got into grad school there, so she’s attending. It’s a bit complicated here, after all.”

“She must be good at English.”

At Hae-won’s words, Seo Okhwa let out a hearty laugh as if it were absurd.

“Of course she is. English, French, and Chinese are basics for her.”

“Chaebols really are different.”

“What can we do? He got seven years. He shouldn’t have gotten seven years… They just wanted to humble a disobedient chaebol. It’s all about making us pay up.”

She spoke as if they were innocent victims of public opinion. Park Jong-hoon seemed to have something to say but just drank his wine. Hae-won took the opportunity since she brought it up first and asked what he’d been curious about.

“So who’s running the company? If you’re in the U.S. too… Is it being managed by a professional manager?”

“Woo-jin will handle it.”

“……Who, Seonbae Hyun Woo-jin?”

Hae-won asked in surprise at the unexpected name. He had acted as if he had nothing to do with Hankyung and said he didn’t know about Kim Jeong-geun’s arrest. But Woo-jin was still deeply involved with Hankyung.

“He transferred all his stock voting rights to Woo-jin, didn’t he? Woo-jin is managing the strategic office to keep the executives in line. Honestly, I don’t know how lucky we are to have Woo-jin. At first, I was a bit puzzled when he started restructuring affiliates to repay public funds. But there was a reason, of course. Given the current atmosphere, I think the Supreme Court might reduce the sentence a bit.”

He transferred all his voting rights?

Hae-won didn’t quite understand for a moment. He stopped asking further and mechanically nodded in response.

“Really? That’s fortunate.”

Hearing Woo-jin’s name, Park Jong-hoon tilted his head. Perhaps considering it a private matter, he didn’t ask any questions.

“Anyway, today’s performance was absolutely splendid.”

Seo Okhwa praised Hae-won brightly.

By the time we finished the schedule and returned to the hotel, it was already past nine at night.

Hae-won showered and changed into comfortable clothes. Only then did he catch his breath and habitually turned on the TV. As he randomly pressed the channel buttons, only the texture of white noise from an unconnected signal filled the screen.

Hae-won leaned back against the headboard and stared at the TV showing nothing.

The soloist performance he’d taken on suddenly had been perfect, and the dinner with Seo Okhwa and Park Jong-hoon had been excellent.

High-quality food, high-quality wine, high-quality music.

Seo Okhwa and Park Jong-hoon were masters of social skills who naturally included Hae-won as the center of conversation without him having to make an effort.

The night after a fulfilling day should feel light and rewarding, but a corner of his heart felt heavy.

“…….”

His mood felt strange.

There was no ambition left for Woo-jin to achieve at Hankyung Group.

Seonbae Choi had described him as an ambitious man with a foul, inky smell, but his fiancée had left, so what he could achieve had vanished. The relationship between Kim So-young and Woo-jin, which Hae-won had thought was his other ambition, turned out to be Hae-won’s terrible misunderstanding. In fact, it was Woo-jin who had rejected Kim So-young’s affection and taught her right from wrong.

Seonbae Choi, who ended up in prison because of it, had said that the most cunning ones are those who learn a lot and are smart.

If there was nothing left for him to achieve at Hankyung, then according to Seo Okhwa, Woo-jin had essentially achieved everything.

Kim Jeong-geun had transferred his voting rights to him, Woo-jin was filling Kim Jeong-geun’s vacant position, and he was the one managing the strategic office, which was practically the group’s nerve center, and had ordered the repayment of public funds.

Now I understood why Woo-jin was so busy.

He had to be busy. Working as a prosecutor, running a company, dealing with bad guys, and trying to date me—he’d need ten bodies to handle it all.

Woo-jin had achieved everything, even though there was nothing left to achieve.

He had it all.

Even the things he seemed not to desire, he ended up possessing entirely.

He hadn’t intended anything, yet everything had turned out as if he had.

To possess something, one must endure the resistance of submission. But the fact that such immense possession had been achieved so naturally and smoothly was astonishing.

Hae-won was realizing anew that Woo-jin was no ordinary human.

“Well…, someone who memorized that kind of book can’t be ordinary.”

Staring at the grayish texture, Hae-won muttered to himself.

Something didn’t seem to make sense, yet it did.

The crackling, distant noise finally reached his ears. Hae-won turned off the TV with the remote. The surroundings fell silent again.

His phone, turned off during the performance, had run out of battery. He plugged it into the charger and turned it on. Suddenly, a series of loud sounds erupted from the phone.

Calls and messages flooded in. There were piles of missed calls and messages from his father, stepmother, and unknown numbers.

Not understanding what was happening, Hae-won checked the messages and frowned, “Huh?”

It seemed today’s performance had been featured in a cultural brief on broadcast. There was also a message from Ponytail, whose contact had been lost after a brief exchange.

[It’s me, the noona from the pork belly restaurant. You were a violinist?! I thought you were a scammer. Noona will treat you to meat. Let’s have pork belly. I’ll forgive you for almost getting caught by the police last time, so forget about it.]

[This is Director Kim. Did you turn off your phone? I saw the broadcast. You still haven’t checked the email I sent last time. Listen to it and contact me. I’ll be waiting.]

[Mr. Moon Hae-won, I saw you on broadcast. It was moving. Please contact me when you have time.]

[Hae-won, it’s Su-yeong. Remember me?]

There were also tons of messages from people he couldn’t even identify. Hae-won started checking them one by one but eventually gave up.

The reach of the broadcast was surprisingly powerful.

Since Woo-jin had smashed his phone, he hadn’t been able to save the numbers, so he took this opportunity to organize them.

He saved Ponytail as “Pork Belly Ponytail” and Kim Jae-min as “Director Kim Jae-min,” but then stopped, thinking Woo-jin might see it and warn him not to contact him.

Amid all this, he felt a bit disappointed that there was no contact from Woo-jin, but he decided to let it go, thinking Woo-jin was too busy running the company and working as a prosecutor to have watched the broadcast.

As Hae-won searched for today’s broadcast on his phone, he was startled by the sound of the doorbell and turned his head.

He ran his hand through his damp hair and stood up. Slipping on slippers, he walked to the door. Without even checking the peephole, he opened the door while asking, “Who is it?”

Thinking it might be the concertmaster coming to inform him of tomorrow’s schedule or one of the quartet members from downstairs who was originally supposed to share the room with him.

“…….”

“Hi.”

The person standing at the door was neither the concertmaster nor one of the quartet members.

It was Woo-jin.

Hae-won stared at him with wide, surprised eyes.

As if he’d flown down right after finishing work, he wasn’t in his usual neat attire. His tie was slightly loose, and his jacket buttons were undone, giving the impression he’d rushed here as if chased by something. He wasn’t carrying any bag.

“What’s going on?”

“…….”

Woo-jin just silently looked at Hae-won, who asked in surprise.

As Hae-won was about to ask what had happened, Woo-jin’s hand grabbed his cheek and their lips collided. Hae-won stumbled backward. Woo-jin stepped inside, and the door closed behind him.

Cupping Hae-won’s cheeks with both hands, Woo-jin sucked on his plump, chewable lips.

“Mmh…!”

Hae-won’s upper body, pushed back, wavered. Woo-jin, who had been sucking his lips, pushed his tongue inside. In one motion, he wrapped it around the base of Hae-won’s tongue, swallowing saliva and pulling him in, lifting his unresisting waist. With their lips still pressed together, Woo-jin carried Hae-won to the bed.

Pushed by his force, Hae-won’s body collapsed onto the bed. Woo-jin parted his knees and climbed on top, his pubic bone grinding blatantly against Hae-won’s lower body. Lips as heated as the grinding below attacked Hae-won as if trying to swallow him whole. It was like a bulldozer. Every time Woo-jin’s waist writhed and moved, Hae-won let out pained moans.

“Uh, uhn….”

While meltingly kissing his lips and the sensitively heated mucous membrane inside his mouth, large hands pulled up Hae-won’s shirt. Hands entered unhesitatingly under the shirt pulled up to his chest.

His consciousness and body crumbled as Woo-jin dismantled them. Hae-won felt his spirit grow distant from the draining sensation of energy leaving his entire body.

“Haa, ah…, hng, hhht.”

He bit the lips that were sucking greedily. He sucked the soft, chewable flesh tightly, making audible sounds. Hands grabbing Woo-jin’s hair slid down to his nape. Breath rising to his chin flowed out rapidly.

“Haa.”

The sticky sound of lips parting echoed as they separated. The entwined tongue pulled out, and Hae-won’s dazedly parted lips trembled faintly.

As the excited Woo-jin tilted his head again with hazy eyes to press their lips together, the doorbell rang unexpectedly.

Hae-won grabbed his shoulders, which were pressing in, and pushed him away. Rough breaths poured between them as they looked at each other.

“What is it?”

The thick, intensely heating passion abruptly deflated.

Annoyed at the interruption, Woo-jin scowled fiercely and turned his gaze to the door. He looked ready to commit murder if possible. Unconsciously, Hae-won urgently grabbed the hem of his clothes.

“Were you expecting someone?”

“Probably the massage I ordered.”

When Hae-won returned to the hotel with Seo Okhwa, he saw her booking a massage service and ordered one too.

His shoulders and arms, tense from performing all day, were stiff, and he’d planned to get a full-body massage in his room.

Woo-jin silently looked down at the disheveled Hae-won, and when the doorbell rang again, he finally tucked his disheveled shirt into his waistband, straightened his clothes, and stood up.

Opening the door, a massage therapist in a white uniform stood at the door, just as Hae-won had said.

“Sorry, something came up, so I’ll have to cancel. How much is it?”

After paying more than the cancellation fee and sending the massage therapist away, Woo-jin closed the door and turned around. Hae-won, who had straightened his half-removed clothes and sat up, stared blankly at Woo-jin and asked.

“What’s going on?”

“I said I don’t like anyone touching you.”

“Not even a massage?”

“No massages. I don’t like anyone laying hands on you.”

He pulled off his tie and approached. Hae-won pushed Woo-jin’s chest as he tried to lay him back down on the bed.

He pulled him aside to sit down calmly. Throwing the loosened tie onto the bed, Woo-jin sat beside Hae-won, unbuttoning his shirt the rest of the way.

His hands moved urgently, trying to quickly remove the clothes clinging to his body.

“I asked what’s going on. No call or anything.”

“Were we the kind of people who had to call and make appointments to see each other?”

“How did you know I was here?”

“What does that matter?”

He had always managed to pick the lock even when Hae-won frequently changed his officetel door code, and he knew about Hae-won letting Seonbae Choi stay at his place.

That wasn’t all. Having seen him abuse his authority so often, Hae-won had roughly accepted Woo-jin’s elusive nature.

Finding out where he was staying was probably easier than figuring out his officetel door code.

Normally, two people shared a room, and originally, Hae-won should have shared with one of the quartet members, but he used the opportunity with Seo Okhwa to upgrade to a single room.

The concertmaster quietly asked him to be discreet with others, as the orchestra members might feel bad if they knew he had a room to himself.

Apart from the cellist who was supposed to share with him and the concertmaster, no one knew which floor or room Hae-won was staying in.

It wasn’t information he could get by asking hotel staff. If he had asked the hotel, they would have given him the wrong room number.

Hae-won stared intently at Woo-jin.

His straight gaze, as if blocking all the distracting worldly thoughts that clouded the mind, was entirely fixed on Hae-won.

There were many things he wanted to say, many things he wanted to ask.

But facing him, his mind evaporated, and no thoughts or words came to mind.

He just wanted to quickly, even a second sooner, press his lips against Woo-jin’s.

Hae-won grabbed his shirt and pulled.

He pressed his lips against Woo-jin’s and tightly closed his eyes.

They had been intimate many times, spent countless nights together, but his heart had never felt this hot before.

“Haa, did you miss me?”

“I missed you, hoo, I missed you so much I chased after you like a madman.”

It was an uncharacteristic answer. Sliding his hands under Hae-won’s knees to spread them wider, Woo-jin thrust his hips down. The already deeply inserted genitals plunged sharply deeper inside. Hae-won’s chest jolted, and his chin tilted back. Woo-jin lowered his face and rubbed his hot lips against the exposed neckline and collarbone.

“Ah, too deep…, too…, wait, pull out a bit.”

“Too deep? Should I go deeper?”

“Hhht! Hyung, I’m serious. It’s too deep. Ah, ahh…!”

As Woo-jin pulled back slightly and then thrust forcefully, his member pierced into a place that couldn’t go any deeper. Hae-won’s entire body trembled. His breath caught in his throat, and his whole body felt like it was melting away under the heat rising like a mirage.

“Haa, does it feel good?”

Woo-jin asked. Hae-won was looking up at him. His legs hurt from being pinned under Woo-jin for so long. Whenever Hae-won showed signs of discomfort, Woo-jin would change positions or enter from behind, but it was almost the first time they had maintained the same position, staring intently at each other for so long.

Whenever Hae-won tried to wrap his arms around Woo-jin’s shoulders to feel him closer and embrace his neck, Woo-jin would straighten his chest and create distance, repeatedly looking down at Hae-won’s face as if surveying him being consumed, becoming entirely his.

The pleasure from the flesh was merely sexual. His aim lay elsewhere.

Woo-jin wasn’t doing this with Hae-won to relieve sexual desire. He was doing this because he missed Hae-won. Even Woo-jin himself was confusedly accepting that fact.

Hae-won, spreading his legs for him, Hae-won, accepting his member deep inside and moaning, was unbearably lovable, unbearably missed.

Even while looking at him, he missed him. Thirst burning his throat, Woo-jin moved his hips shallowly and stared at Hae-won’s face, which contorted and winced in varied ways, as if appreciating it.

“Does it feel good, Hae-won? Hmm?”

“Uh…, hng, yes, it feels so good I might go crazy.”

It wasn’t gasping that felt like his breath would be cut off, but Hae-won was lying beneath Woo-jin, who was moving with calculated, sharp motions that stayed just one step below climax—never descending, yet not raising the intensity either—and he was viscerally understanding what it meant to feel like he was going insane.

Literally, he truly felt like he was going insane. It felt like his mind was about to snap.

“Faster, huh? Faster……, Hyung, do it faster for me.”

“You come when I tell you to come. Hah, Hae-won-ah. You should call my name.”

“Woo-jin Hyung, Hyung……, ah, Woo-jin……, ahh.”

With sweat-slicked fingertips that kept slipping, Hae-won gripped Woo-jin’s shoulders tightly. His fingers clenched more urgently when Woo-jin thrust in, and loosened when he pulled out, repeating this cycle endlessly.

Hae-won shook his head. Woo-jin’s thumb, which had brushed back Hae-won’s hair and held his cheek to make him look at him, parted Hae-won’s lips and entered inside. Hae-won stuck out his tongue, tightened his lips, and sucked on his finger.

His lower back squirmed. Hae-won’s thighs were trembling intermittently from staying in one position for so long. Yet, Woo-jin didn’t change his posture.

Woo-jin supported himself with both hands on the bed and raised his upper body. He thrust his hips faster and harder. Squelch, squelch—each time the wet flesh rubbed and plunged deep, Hae-won’s moans grew louder.

Hae-won pressed his lower abdomen tightly against him, rubbing and grinding his heated genitals. A viscous fluid seeped out, slickening his stomach and Hae-won’s lower body.

That suffocating movement tightened around Woo-jin’s mind. Saliva dripped from his parted lips, making Hae-won’s lips glisten. Woo-jin lowered his head and licked the flushed, heated lips. His back sensuously undulated.

The hand gripping Woo-jin’s shoulder moved to clutch his lower back. The sweat-drenched line of his spine felt like the surface of a heated iron.

“Hah, Hae-won-ah…….”

“I want to come, I……, Hyung, I, want to go.”

“Not yet. Okay? It feels good, right? Hah, being like this with Hyung?”

“Good, good……, so good. Good. Uhh.”

An expression that was neither joy nor pain flickered across Hae-won’s face. The corners of his eyes contorted, and the tears that had welled up trickled down past his ears.

Woo-jin licked away even those tears.

He swallowed everything that came from Hae-won’s body.

The pleasure, burning like a simmering heat below his waist, was pooling without reaching its peak. He had even forgotten how long they had been like this.

“Do you like me? Huh? Huhh, say it. Hae-won-ah. Say you like me.”

In response to Woo-jin’s question, Hae-won nodded his head like he was out of his mind, shook it side to side, busy by himself. Then, he began scratching Woo-jin’s back with his nails.

He raked his nails across his flesh. He hugged Woo-jin’s slowly moving waist tightly and ground himself from below. His panting breaths grew increasingly heightened and ragged.

“Do you like me?”

“I like……, hhuuk, I like, Hyung, I love you, I love you…….”

“Hah, fuck……. Keep going. Keep saying it. Keep saying you love me……, hah, keep saying it.”

He bit his lip as he muttered a low curse. Lowering the hand that was supporting his weight, Woo-jin buried his face in Hae-won’s neck. He nibbled and sucked on the pink-flushed earlobe and nape. The movements of his lower body intensified, and Hae-won’s gasps burst forth sharply.

“Ahh, ah, aah! Ahh……, hng! Hyung, let me come. Let me go. I want to go. I……, ahh!”

He wrapped his arms around his neck as if to strangle him, crying and pleading. Because of Woo-jin’s movements that kept him from reaching the peak, he cried and pleaded until his voice grew hoarse.

Hae-won’s cries were, before he knew it, confessing love as Woo-jin demanded.

“What should I do? Huh? Hah, Hae-won-ah, tell me. What should I do?”

“Fuck me. Harder, more……, more, more, faster.”

Panting as if his breath would give out, Hae-won rubbed his wet cheek against Woo-jin’s cheek and whispered.

“It feels like I’m going to tear. Uhh, and you want me to fuck you harder?”

“Hng, yes……, hurt me. Hurt me more. Hhup.”

Woo-jin bit Hae-won’s lip. His breath spilled pitifully from his parted lips. Suddenly, Hae-won’s lower body jerked and trembled as if convulsing. His face flushed red as he came. The tension that had been tightly coiled in his thighs released, and his legs went limp. Hae-won was looking up at Woo-jin. His wet eyes were dazedly blurred.

“Ahh……, uhh……, uhhng.”

“You should come when Hyung tells you to come. You couldn’t even hold back……. Hah.”

“Hah, hah…….”

“Fuck, why is Moon Hae-won’s body so vulgar? Huh? What should I do with you?”

“Do more…….”

With a gaze clouded and blurred, Hae-won clung to him, craving more, and in that moment, Woo-jin wanted to kill him. He wanted to strangle Hae-won’s neck.

With his genitals buried deep inside Hae-won, Woo-jin gripped his neck. Not knowing what was happening, Hae-won simply stared back with a dizzily wet expression.

Woo-jin lifted Hae-won up. Beyond the hotel window, the city’s nightscape spread out. He took the limp Hae-won to the window.

Sitting on the bed, he placed Hae-won on his lap and made him face the window.

Their figures were starkly reflected in the dark glass.

“Uhh…….”

Spreading Hae-won’s legs wide, Woo-jin pushed his erect, wet genitals into that hole. Hae-won’s back curled.

Woo-jin rested his chin on Hae-won’s shoulder and stared at the window together. Hae-won couldn’t bear to look and turned his head away.

Instead of filming that nonsense in the bunker, Woo-jin should have filmed this. A regretful pang surged through him—he should have filmed Hae-won being devoured by him. Their reflection in the dark glass was so stimulating, fatal, and ecstatic that he wouldn’t have minded if his life ended right then.

For the first time, Woo-jin realized that possessing someone, devouring someone, could be this overwhelming. The slaughterer devouring Hae-won grabbed his cheek, turned it, and pressed their lips together.

“Ahhng, uhhng……, hht! Hhup!”

Grabbing both knees and spreading his legs wide, his pelvis opened, and Hae-won moaned in pain. Raising his hand, Woo-jin pressed both of Hae-won’s nipples simultaneously with his thumbs, and as the tightening force increased, his lower body trembled violently.

“Hah, ah! Don’t! It hurts, aah!”

As his nipples were bitten, Hae-won thrashed as if he were losing his mind. Unable to hold back, Hae-won came again, limbs flailing. Embarrassingly thin fluid seeped out with a splurt.

Woo-jin spread Hae-won’s clenched thighs wide again. He placed Hae-won’s legs over his own as if straddling them, widening the angle even more. Hae-won, who had been whimpering and crying, tightened his lower back as if his breath would be cut off.

“You came again? Hah, you should come when Hyung tells you to. Huh? Hae-won-ah.”

“Hhuuk……, Hyung, stop. Stop, I don’t like it. I don’t think I can do it. I can’t do it. I don’t like it, I don’t like it, I don’t like it!”

“Hyung needs to come too. Huh? Hah, inside our Hae-won’s hole……, Hyung needs to come too.”

“Aah! Ah!”

He thrust his hips from below, piercing Hae-won’s lower body even deeper. As if he had swallowed a stimulant, Hae-won’s entire body trembled breathlessly.

His sweat-drenched hands moved frantically to tear away Woo-jin’s hand touching his chest, but it was futile. Every time his nipples were touched, the muscles in his groin tightened as if the hole were narrowing. Woo-jin knew how much that stimulated Hae-won. Hae-won’s genitals twitched pitifully, standing erect.

Woo-jin gazed indifferently at Hae-won, who was being thoroughly soaked by him, reflected in the dark glass like a mirror.

He wanted to devour Hae-won. He wanted to make Hae-won completely his own, but there was no other way. As if obliterating his consciousness, Woo-jin rolled his hips. Hiiik—goosebumps rose, and Hae-won lifted his chin, gripping Woo-jin’s arm holding his chest with all his might. His toes stretched out, spreading like a fan and curling repeatedly. Even the fingertips gripping Woo-jin’s forearm tensed, his nails pressing white.

Woo-jin swallowed a rough moan in his throat and watched Hae-won. Hae-won, who had even forgotten what obscene state he was being ravaged in as he was reflected in the window, exhaled rapid breaths as if he were about to die.

Sitting up straight, Woo-jin lowered the hand that had been touching his stiffened nipple. He slowly gripped Hae-won’s genitals. Hae-won’s body tensed, his strength fully coiled.

“Don’t, don’t! I don’t like that, I don’t like it! I can’t. I don’t like it, I don’t like it!”

“Hah, Hyung will let you come. I want to come inside you too.”

As he shook his head, Hae-won’s teardrops fell together. Woo-jin gripped Hae-won’s genitals tightly and rubbed them. Simultaneously, thrusting from below to stimulate inside, Hae-won lost consciousness, trembling at his climax, and spilled uncontrollable warm fluid.

Staring intently at Hae-won, who was secreting enough fluid to drench the window reflecting them, Woo-jin also contorted his expression dazedly and came. He soaked Hae-won’s inside thoroughly with himself.

“Hah, hah, hah!”

He exhaled the breath he had been holding all at once. Hae-won, who had been intermittently leaking clear fluid like urine every time Woo-jin squeezed, sobbed as if his nose were blocked, leaned his back against his chest, and collapsed from exhaustion.

“Hhuu, hhuuk…….”

“I love you, Moon Hae-won.”

Woo-jin whispered lowly, his voice pressed against Hae-won’s ear.

He had been with Woo-jin many times. There were good times and bad times, but it was the first time his mind had become so utterly shattered as it was now.

Hae-won looked at Woo-jin with eyes that seemed to have lost himself. If someone had seen from afar, they might have seen it. In that state, with his legs spread wide and straddling him, he reached the limits of what a human body could feel. Through tonight’s lovemaking, Hae-won learned what it meant for his entire body to completely melt away.

Woo-jin laid the exhausted Hae-won on the bed, soaked a towel in water, and meticulously wiped his body. Then, lying beside Hae-won, he brought Hae-won’s gaze, which was vaguely fixed elsewhere, to himself.

Lowering his head, Woo-jin kissed Hae-won’s lips and closed his eyes too. Pushing his tongue in, he began sucking on Hae-won again as if it were the first time.

Hae-won, who had flipped his wrist to check the time approaching 2 a.m., lay using Woo-jin’s arm as a pillow. He pressed his cheek against his chest.

Woo-jin stroked Hae-won’s hair with an habitual touch and stared at the ceiling. Under the dim hotel lighting, it felt like a glossy sheen followed the lines of his face. His straight forehead and high nose bridge seemed to capture all the light.

Hae-won raised his upper body and looked down at Woo-jin. Woo-jin met his eyes, which seemed to have released the tension and energy that had been tightly coiled. It was a languid face that had expended all the emotions that could only be quenched through such acts.

“I was on TV today, no, yesterday. Did you see it by any chance?”

“…….”

“You didn’t see it? I guess being on TV is a big deal. I thought my phone would blow up.”

Hae-won glanced at the phone placed on the sofa table. His hand pressed firmly on the back of Hae-won’s head. He made him lie down again, cheek against his chest. Hae-won relaxed his body and leaned comfortably against him. The hand stroking his bare back encouraged sleepiness. Hae-won blinked slowly. Each time, his eyelashes tickled Woo-jin’s skin.

The one who had been silent suddenly spoke bluntly.

“I saw it.”

“……You saw it? How was it? Was it just like the real thing?”

“Just like it.”

“Which is better, the real thing or the screen?”

“…….”

Woo-jin didn’t respond. Stopping the hand stroking Hae-won’s back, he turned and lay down. Facing each other, Woo-jin brushed back Hae-won’s flowing hair. Hae-won’s eyes were full of sleepiness. It seemed like if he held him just a little longer, he would soon fall asleep, breathing softly.

“Hae-won-ah.”

“……Hm?”

“Don’t ever film something like that again.”

“I didn’t know it was being filmed. I didn’t know it was broadcast either. I found out after checking my phone at the hotel in the evening.”

“Don’t ever film it again. Don’t appear on broadcasts or anything like that either.”

“……Why? Was it not good?”

“I don’t want to show you to other bastards.”

It wasn’t an order but a request and a plea. Hae-won nodded, promising he would do so.

If he didn’t promise, Woo-jin’s pupils might shake drowsily like they were now. His own eyes, which had trembled all over from the cold as he waited endlessly for him in front of his officetel, must have looked like this.

Woo-jin hugged Hae-won so tightly it was suffocating. Captured by the peacefully tightening snare, Hae-won let go of his wavering consciousness. His mind sank into sleep, gulp by gulp.

∞ ∞ ∞

Wearing the same clothes from last night, Woo-jin ran his hand over the rough stubble in the mirror. Rubbing his tired nape, he looked back at Hae-won. Hae-won, who had barely gotten up from the bed, staggered over, putting on a robe.

“Rest a bit more before going. Are you leaving right away?”

Hae-won’s voice was hoarse and cracked. He recalled last night’s Hae-won, who had straddled him with legs spread wide, moving suffocatingly and bewitchingly. His lower body ached. Woo-jin splashed water on his face several times with rough motions, as if urging himself to snap out of it, and spoke.

“I have a meeting, so I need to go.”

“Why did you come all the way here if you’re tired?”

“When you come up to Seoul, move right away. No, I’ll move your things.”

“I told you, I need to sort through them. I’ve lived there since college, so there’s a ton to throw away.”

“I’ll move everything first, so you can throw things away there or handle it yourself.”

Because of Woo-jin blindly pushing things forward, Hae-won felt rushed too. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to live with him, but it was a matter that needed some time to think over. However, Woo-jin didn’t even allow Hae-won the time to ponder.

“What’s so urgent? We can take it slow.”

“I want to live together even a day sooner.”

“……Aren’t we living together now?”

“That’s different.”

When this push-and-pull genius said such things with that face and those eyes, Hae-won couldn’t retort at all. His heart softened, and a suppressed smile formed at the corner of his mouth. Hae-won clung to Woo-jin’s waist. He looked up at him, anxious.

“You’re like an old groom, restless that his young bride might run away without even consummating the wedding night.”

“……I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Since Woo-jin’s words were completely sincere, not understanding at all, Hae-won smiled faintly and rubbed his sleepy eyes against his shoulder.

Woo-jin kissed the crown of Hae-won’s head and said he should get going. Hae-won saw him off, leaving the hotel room and walking with him to the elevator.

“Go back in. Don’t wander around looking like this.”

“Who wakes up at six in the morning? There’s no one.”

“Go back in and sleep more.”

“You’re probably the only person who came down to Jeju at night and then went back at dawn the next day. I don’t get why someone who likes efficiency is so inefficient. You should just come on the weekend.”

“When you miss someone, you have to come. What can you do?”

It was an uncharacteristic way of speaking. Stepping back a few paces into the CCTV blind spot, he looked down at Hae-won, then lowered his head and approached. Hae-won closed his eyes.

A sweet scent of skin wafted from their bodies, which had been tangled naked all night. Just as his lips warmly covered his lips—

The sound of the elevator arriving made Hae-won startle, open his eyes, and push Woo-jin’s shoulder. He lifted his head and turned his gaze to the elevator. The elevator doors opened, and someone stepped out.

It was Park Jong-hoon. Woo-jin looked back at Hae-won with a displeased expression that said, You said there was no one. He gripped Hae-won’s forearm tightly once, stroked it, and let go, then stepped into the elevator Park Jong-hoon had exited.

As the doors closed, Woo-jin’s figure completely disappeared. Park Jong-hoon had a towel draped over his sweat-drenched nape, as if he had been to the fitness center.

Hae-won nodded perfunctorily and greeted him. There were people everywhere who woke up and stirred from six in the morning.

“You’re up early.”

“……Who, that man who just went down—do you know him, Hae-won-ssi?”

“Huh?”

“The person who just took the elevator down.”

“Ah, that’s, well—”

It would be simple to lie and say he didn’t know him, but he didn’t want to deny Woo-jin’s existence, so he evaded. He just hoped Park Jong-hoon would roughly catch on and pretend not to know, turning away. Contrary to Hae-won’s wish, Park Jong-hoon asked again.

“Do you know him?”

“What if I do?”

“Do you know Hyun Woo-jin?”

I resolved inwardly to keep pretending not to know, but Woo-jin’s name flowed naturally from Park Jong-hoon’s lips. Hae-won’s eyes widened.

“……You know Woo-jin hyung?”

“The one who just went down was Hyun Woo-jin, right?”

“How do you know hyung, Professor?”

“…….”

Park Jong-hoon looked back at the elevator whose doors had already closed, as if he couldn’t believe what he had just seen with his own eyes.

His troubled expression soon turned his gaze toward Hae-won. As he did, he slowly scanned Hae-won’s appearance from head to toe.

Hae-won, wearing a hotel robe, had nothing on underneath, and through the loosely tied knot, bruises from being tormented by someone all night were visible on his neck and chest. To anyone looking, it was the appearance of someone seeing off a lover they had spent the night with.

As Hae-won tightened the robe over his chest, Park Jong-hoon, who had been staring intently, quickly averted his eyes. His expression became awkward.

“…….”

“Well, take care then.”

Hae-won turned away, leaving Park Jong-hoon standing there avoiding his gaze.

Quartet

5]

An unexpected crowd had gathered at the small theater where the performance was scheduled. The bustling continued even after the performance ended.

“What if we really form a quartet? I never expected such a great reaction.”

“I heard the tickets sold out?”

“After yesterday’s broadcast, the organizers said they got tons of inquiries. They said there were even scalped tickets today.”

“Is having a decent face really that much of a topic?”

“We could release an album, go on overseas tours, hold fan signings! How about it?”

The cellist and violist seriously proposed to Hae-won again about trying a quartet. The substitute first violinist, replacing Senior Choi, stared sharply at Hae-won before turning his head away fiercely.

Since quartets usually don’t last more than five years even if formed, such suggestions were just words thrown out in the excited atmosphere.

Hae-won awkwardly looked beyond the stage where the audience was calling for an encore. The prepared encore pieces were already exhausted, but the audience kept applauding. There had never been such a large audience for the quartet before, and encores being called for this long were rare, so the cellist hurriedly searched through the sheet music.

“Shall we try ‘B Rossette’ we practiced before?”

The cellist brought out the sheet music he had. It was a piece they had practiced as an encore for a performance aimed at teenagers but hadn’t gotten to play because of other pieces. They hurriedly copied the sheet music, distributed it, and went up on stage.

They placed the sheet music on the stands and stood facing each other. The enthusiastic applause subsided, and the surroundings grew quiet. Once they each held their instruments in position and finished preparing, the concertmaster gave the signal.

The string quartet drew their bows down in a single, synchronized motion. A strong, dynamic tango sound struck the maple wood acoustic reflectors and resonated powerfully. It was a piece more famous as a drama OST. As the unexpectedly familiar melody flowed out, gasps erupted from the audience.

Since it had been a while since they practiced it, and it was a piece that didn’t tolerate even a hair’s breadth of error, they exchanged tense glances as Hae-won played the main melody. When Hae-won’s part ended, the viola followed with a lower pitch. Hae-won exchanged signals with the violist through eyes and gestures. The violist, immersed in the tango rhythm, passionately played and performed a show by leaning his upper body back. Hae-won unconsciously furrowed his brow and turned his gaze to the sheet music.

They finished the performance, drawing their bows down identically until the very last note, and thunderous applause erupted.

Famous pieces definitely get good reactions. The string quartet politely took their final bows to the standing ovation from the audience and came down from the stage.

“We should have done something else.”

“It’s a good thing we had a piece practiced in advance.”

“This is the first time we’ve done four encores while playing as a quartet. How about we really try forming a quartet? With Hae-won as the center……”

The cellist, speaking excitedly, trailed off while checking the substitute first violinist’s reaction. Hae-won didn’t find this experience unpleasant either. The enthusiastic cheers of the audience breathing along with the performance created a sense of unity that sent shivers through his entire body. To the point where he himself couldn’t understand why he had avoided such experiences.

“Getting carried away over one accidental success.”

The substitute first violinist said, scoffing at the cellist.

It might be his own prejudice, but generally, cellists or violists playing the lower parts had easygoing personalities and got along well with everyone, while violinists like Hae-won, who constantly had their hearing stimulated by the narrow intervals of the high notes and had to produce precise pitches, often had sensitive and prickly personalities. Even if quartets were formed, they rarely lasted more than five years due to the self-righteous nature of such violinists. Violinists were usually the ones who provided the reasons for quartets disbanding and also the reasons they couldn’t form in the first place.

The substitute first violinist stared down at Hae-won with a condescending look, then packed up his instrument and left the waiting room first. After he left, the cellist let out a deep sigh.

“I mean, isn’t it good if things go well? Why does he have to be so irritable?”

“Still, I think our breathing matched really well because we practiced together beforehand.”

The violist said with a smile. The quartet, who had been doing freelance gigs behind the orchestra’s back, performed Schubert’s String Quartet No.14 in D minor, Death and the Maiden and Vivaldi’s La Follia.

Their breathing matched perfectly from the start. La Follia, with harpsichord and baroque guitar accompaniment, truly lived up to its title of “The Folly” with an enthusiastic response rivaling any rock concert.

Hae-won played so hard he genuinely worried the strings might break, but since the other players showed no sign of holding back, he had no choice but to pour all his strength into it.

To the point where the substitute first violinist sharply asked if they had been practicing separately, the remaining three already had experience with each other and found it easy to match.

“That freelance gig was really lucrative and good.”

Hae-won chimed in.

To be precise, it wasn’t their first meeting, but it was the day of his first face-to-face encounter with the man named Hyun Woo-jin. He was a tall man whose head alone stood out in the party hall, and he had such handsome looks that Hae-won readily wanted to get into his car.

Hae-won recalled the dark forest he had passed with Woo-jin back then.

That place where bare branches peculiarly clashed against each other, summoning an eerie wind. It was a meeting where Woo-jin knew nothing about him, but Hae-won learned almost everything about him.

A man who acted like Kim Jeong-geun’s son-in-law despite his fiancée’s suicide because his ambitions were so grand. A man born into a family of doctors who rejected the family business and chose a different path.

The man Tae-shin had a crush on. The man Tae-shin called twenty times before he died. That man was the same person who had flown down last night, spent the entire night with Hae-won, and returned to Seoul in the morning saying he had work.

As much time had passed, his relationship with Woo-jin had also changed a lot. Ultimately, since everyone dies, passion is a byproduct of fucking—forgetting his biological mother’s last words, Hae-won had come to truly love someone.

Last night’s Woo-jin was different from usual. His fingers, loosening the bow hair by turning the screw, trembled uncontrollably, lacking strength.

Last night was lewd enough to make Hae-won’s face flush red, despite having had his fair share of relationships. He hadn’t known that such base passion resided within Woo-jin, whom he had considered rather reserved about sex. Hae-won pressed down firmly on his heart, which was pounding loudly enough for someone to hear.

∞ ∞ ∞

The Jeju International Wind Music Festival was over. As busy as the schedule was, he had expected time to pass quickly, but it was a longer week than expected.

Hae-won declined the members’ suggestion to have an after-party and boarded the plane first. He got off at Gimpo Airport and headed to the parking lot. The parking lot was packed with cars. Even before he could recall the parking area he had noted, the novice driver sticker that Woo-jin had insisted he put on, which he had reluctantly attached, caught his eye from afar.

Hae-won placed the violin in the back seat and fastened his seatbelt. As he was about to get into the driver’s seat, he made eye contact with someone.

“…….”

Upon making eye contact with Hae-won, the man turned his head with a nonchalant expression and walked in the opposite direction. Although Hae-won was notoriously indifferent to others, the man wasn’t unfamiliar. He had seen him several times at the hotel and also when he was with Seo Okhwa.

Was he a festival official who had taken the same flight up?

Staring curiously at the disappearing man’s back, Hae-won got in the car and started the engine.

Highway driving was more comfortable than city driving. Since he just had to drive straight ahead, he maintained his speed and was careful not to drift out of his lane.

Arriving at the officetel, he pulled in and out of the parking spot about five times before finally parking and getting out. He grabbed his suitcase and violin and went up to the officetel. Unlocking the doorlock and opening the door, Hae-won finally went, “Ah.”

The officetel was completely empty. Nothing remained. Staring at the interior that looked unusually spacious after the belongings and furniture were removed, Hae-won sighed and took out his phone.

“I habitually came to the officetel. Did you finish moving already?”

―I’ll send you the address, so come here. I’m at the office too. I’ll leave right away.

“Okay.”

Hae-won went back down to the parking lot. He loaded the suitcase and violin and got in the car. He entered the address Woo-jin sent into the navigation. The distance wasn’t too far. Fixing his phone on the holder, Hae-won took his foot off the brake and looked ahead.

“Huh?”

The man he had seen earlier in the airport parking lot was driving past Hae-won’s car.

What the……?

Did I get some kind of stalker after being on TV?

It was no longer a coincidence. Feeling chills, Hae-won openly looked back at him, and the car carrying the man hurriedly disappeared into the lower level of the underground parking lot.

The power of broadcasting seemed truly formidable. Hae-won had been restraining himself from doing anything noticeable precisely because he thought such troublesome things might happen.

Besides the stalker, he was getting tired of constant contact from various places. When he didn’t respond, Kim Jae-min called twice. He blocked his number as spam. It wasn’t so much that he disliked Kim Jae-min, but he had no choice but to block him because he didn’t know what Woo-jin might do to him.

He drove to the address Woo-jin had given him. The underground parking lot of the mixed-use apartment resembled a supercar exhibition. Hae-won found an empty spot, parked perfectly, and got out of the car. As he walked toward the elevator, Woo-jin’s car happened to enter. Spotting him, Hae-won gestured toward an empty spot he had already scoped out.

It had only been four days. Woo-jin, getting out of the car, gave Hae-won a relaxed smile.

“Perfect timing.”

“You should have called.”

He took the violin case and suitcase from Hae-won’s hands and carried them in for him.

“I guess habits are scary. I was going to go to the officetel to wash up and rest a bit, then call you.”

“Were you tired?”

“Yeah, everyone was having an after-party, but I came up first.”

Woo-jin gave him the access card and entrance password. This was where Hae-won would have to live from now on. He repeated the four-digit number with his lips so he wouldn’t forget it.

They got on the elevator, which was as spacious as a large building. He tapped the access card on the card reader and pressed the button for the top floor. As far as Hae-won knew, it was a penthouse worth over ten billion won. Only two units existed in this apartment.

“……I told you I don’t like high places.”

“It’s not that high.”

“…….”

His father was the director of a general hospital, his mother a specialist at the same hospital, his older brother and younger brother were both doctors, and he was once engaged to the eldest daughter of Han-gyeong Group, so Hae-won had assumed he had a certain level of wealth. However, this penthouse in the mixed-use apartment was at a level difficult to attain with Woo-jin’s profession and family background. He probably owned a significant stake in the hotel he said he invested in and built.

The so-called third-generation chaebol had assessed Woo-jin as having an enormous amount of money. Woo-jin’s modest behavior and this penthouse seemed almost like a trick mocking people.

Hae-won stared in turn at the watch on his wrist and his off-the-rack suit. Then he met Woo-jin’s eyes.

“What’s wrong?”

“How much is this? This penthouse.”

“Hmm. Roughly how much do you think?”

He brushed it off as if uninterested.

The elevator went straight up without stopping in between. When the doors opened, a long marble corridor appeared.

Woo-jin took the lead. He walked with the violin on one shoulder and the suitcase in his other hand. Hae-won followed behind him. Woo-jin told him the doorlock password. It was the same number as Hae-won’s officetel.

“In case you forget.”

He said, looking back at Hae-won. Meeting his eyes, Hae-won suddenly felt a slight tightness in his chest for no reason. He swallowed dryly.

Woo-jin opened the door and gestured for Hae-won to enter first.

Entering inside, Hae-won passed through a long entrance hall, took off his shoes, and stepped into the living room. Woo-jin’s penthouse, which he said had been renovated, was so clean it felt like it smelled of disinfectant and so vast it felt expansive.

Hae-won was also from a well-off family and had enjoyed various luxuries thanks to his father, but Woo-jin’s penthouse exuded an aura of wealth that made Hae-won pause even more than President Kim Jeong-geun’s mansion.

Passing through the living room gleaming with natural marble, Woo-jin entered where the bedroom was located.

“Come here, Hae-won.”

He called Hae-won, who was standing dazedly in the living room looking down at the cityscape outside the window.

In the bedroom with warm wood-colored blinds lowered, there was a bed from the brand Hae-won preferred. It was larger than the one Hae-won used. In the dressing room inside the bedroom, his familiar clothes were neatly hung on one side.

“What about the rest of my stuff?”

“I left one room empty and put it there. If you need anything, take it out and organize it.”

“My sheet music too?”

“I brought the bookshelf as is.”

“My audio system?”

“Listen with something else besides that. Of course, I brought that too. I didn’t throw away a single thing. I brought everything, so don’t worry.”

Woo-jin said while taking off his clothes to hang up and changing into comfortable attire. Hae-won headed toward the room where he had moved his belongings. He had to cross the living room for a while.

Absentmindedly walking, Hae-won abruptly stopped.

His head automatically turned toward the wall. A painting was hung on the wall above where a decorative fireplace was placed. Hae-won’s neck stiffened as he looked up at it.

It was a painting by Damian Ryu that the curator had offered a 5% discount on from $120,000, but he hadn’t bought.

“…….”

Before he could realize anything, a chill swept down Hae-won’s spine like a shudder. As he was staring blankly up at that large painting, Woo-jin, who had approached silently, wrapped his arms around Hae-won from behind. Hae-won flinched.

“Do you like it?”

“……It’s Damian Ryu. He’s a painter I like.”

“Ah, really? That’s fortunate. I like this artist too.”

“You like this person?”

Surprised, he turned to look at him. As he turned his head, Woo-jin’s lips pressed against his cheek.

“He’s a painter I like. His style is flamboyant yet doesn’t feel excessive, vivid and full of realism, you could say.”

“I like this painter too.”

“Do you want to eat dinner and then wash up, or wash up and then eat dinner?”

“……Wash up first.”

Woo-jin said to do that, rubbed his lips against Hae-won’s hair, and turned away. Hae-won stared at his retreating back heading toward the kitchen.

This wasn’t a coincidence. Such a coincidence couldn’t exist.

Hae-won’s instincts told him through the goosebumps rising on his arms.

It can’t be.

Surely, it can’t be.

Hae-won shook his head.

There was no reason for him to go this far. It was he who had clung to him and gone to him crying, wanting to meet again. Although Woo-jin sometimes showed intentionally cold behavior to fix Hae-won’s self-centered habits, he said he was sincere back when they broke up. That he sincerely wanted to end things with him.

Hae-won missed him so much he couldn’t bear it and crawled back to Woo-jin on all fours. Given that he had done such a thing, there was absolutely no reason for Woo-jin to go this far.

It was Hae-won who wanted to melt into his flesh just from his touch, it was Hae-won who willingly spread his legs and embraced him in front of Woo-jin, wanting to be connected flesh to flesh. It was he who declared he would take off his clothes in front of him. It was all Hae-won. Lowering his pride and crawling because he wanted to be with Woo-jin—these were all things he did because he wanted to, not because anyone forced him.

When he had suddenly appeared in a hotel room no one knew about, when he had opened the door with an annoyed expression at the constantly changing password, no thoughts had crossed Hae-won’s mind. But the painting of Damian Ryu hanging in the middle of Woo-jin’s penthouse living room was too perfect—deceptively perfect—telling Hae-won that this was not normal.

Woo-jin led Hae-won, who was standing blankly before the painting, to the bathroom and told him to wash up, even taking out underwear and clothes for him.

Hae-won showered and changed into the clothes Woo-jin had prepared. When he looked in the mirror, a doll that matched Woo-jin’s taste—the kind he liked—stood there.

On the abnormally long dining table, a meal for two was set. Hae-won sat beside him but flinched when he saw a moving shadow in the kitchen.

“A working helper. She barely speaks Korean. Doesn’t understand it either.”

A neatly dressed Filipino housekeeper emerged from the kitchen. She placed the main dish in front of Hae-won and Woo-jin. She spoke British English, likely having received higher education in her country. Woo-jin added that she held a chef’s license. She didn’t live in, but when they were away, she would arrive to clean, do laundry, and prepare some side dishes. He said to request anything they wanted to eat; today, he had specifically asked her to stay until dinner.

A steak roasted with wine and rosemary was placed before them. When Woo-jin told her she could leave now, the housekeeper disappeared with a polite smile and a bow.

“Let’s eat.”

Woo-jin blended seamlessly into his place, the position he rightfully deserved. He cut the meat and fed it into Hae-won’s mouth. It was the same texture and taste as when Woo-jin had stubbornly shoved it into Hae-won’s mouth when he had refused to eat.

Hae-won chewed the meat slowly, staring at Woo-jin as if searching him.

“Why are you looking at me like that? I had soundproofing installed—you can check that too. No one here will complain about noise, so practice whenever you want.”

“…You’ve prepared a lot.”

“Moon Hae-won can’t say he doesn’t like it, so I had to prepare it to his liking.”

Woo-jin’s lips were curled in a constant smile, as if he was immensely pleased with the sight of Hae-won sitting in his house, before him, in his space.

This vast space seemed like his own world, a comfortable bunker free from anyone’s interference. Woo-jin liked things that were familiar and comfortable. Even Hae-won, who was rarely surprised by anything, seemed to find this dazzling house comfortable.

The clothes Hae-won wore, Hae-won’s face, the eyes staring intently at him—all gave Woo-jin a sense of satisfaction that they were perfectly suited for his possession. Hae-won picked up the wine glass Woo-jin offered him.

“Isn’t the house too big?”

“Too big? You’ll get used to it as you live here.”

“Prosecutors must earn a lot, I guess.”

“How could I live on just a salary? I invest here and there, run businesses.”

“Build hotels too?”

“Yeah, build hotels too.”

“Sell artworks too?”

“…What?”

“Nothing, never mind. No pickles? It’s too rich.”

At Hae-won’s words, Woo-jin opened the refrigerator. He took out a jar of pickles and served some on a plate.

After finishing dinner and watching Woo-jin clean up, Hae-won went into a room that looked like his officetel had been transplanted exactly as it was and organized his belongings. However, the bed was nowhere to be seen—whether it had been moved or discarded.

He moved the necessary things to the bedroom. The bedside table was empty.

Hae-won sat on the bed. It was a brand he liked. Since he had requested this, it was only natural for Woo-jin to prepare it this way.

But the painting…

Damian Ryu wasn’t a famous painter, and his paintings weren’t highly valued.

Hae-won liked his paintings, but he was an artist unknown to the general public—someone ordinary people wouldn’t have heard of unless they had a particular interest. It was plausible that Woo-jin knew of him.

But that painting…

That painting, which wasn’t even the representative work of this exhibition.

What if this isn’t a coincidence?

An obscure painter, a painting no one paid attention to.

The very work Hae-won had stared at for a long time before turning away in regret was hanging in Woo-jin’s living room.

Hae-won recalled the man he had encountered at the airport parking lot and seen at the officetel.

It didn’t make sense.

“…”

Except for work hours, he was almost always with Woo-jin.

Woo-jin knew Hae-won’s schedule inside out—where he went, when he returned—and Hae-won would even disclose his destinations to him, despite his lack of interest.

There was no way Woo-jin would have someone tailing him, right?

Logically, that was the obvious conclusion, but he couldn’t shake off a foreboding feeling.

It was too perfect. So perfect that the sense of dissonance was suffocating.

“What are you doing?”

“Huh? I’ll use this drawer.”

“Sure. Nothing missing, right? I told them to pack carefully.”

“The bed is missing, though.”

“It’s right here. If I left that bed, you might run away to it saying you don’t want to sleep with me, so I got rid of it altogether. Even the bed you can’t sleep anywhere else on is high-end, for our Hae-won.”

“…What’s high-end about it?”

Hae-won asked again, wondering if he had misheard, but Woo-jin didn’t reply, just smiled and put the belongings Hae-won had haphazardly placed into the empty drawer for him.

He knew Hae-won’s habit of only sleeping soundly on that bed better than anyone.

Yes, that much he could understand. That was plausible. But something felt off. Like a smooth silk thread with a single loose knot you could feel with your hand but couldn’t see no matter how hard you looked.

Hae-won looked down at the bed he was sitting on and said,

“But whose taste is this bedding?”

“Don’t you like the color?”

“It looks too much like a wedding bed set.”

Not just the bright colors of the bedding, but even the fluttering curtains in the living room weren’t his or Woo-jin’s taste.

“I was busy and left it to someone, and it turned out like this. If you really don’t like it, change it yourself.”

“It’s not that I don’t like it, but it’s incredibly burdensome.”

“Why?”

“…If I sleep here, it feels like I’ll get pregnant.”

“If Moon Hae-won got pregnant, it’d be quite a sight. I’m already looking forward to how fussy you’d be.”

He shook his head as if just imagining it was exhausting. He pushed Hae-won down onto the bright bedding that seemed like it would make someone pregnant and pressed down with a heavy weight.

“Should we try making a baby today?”

He pressed the tip of his nose against Hae-won’s nostril and smiled elegantly. Hae-won wrapped his arms around Woo-jin’s neck.

That couldn’t be. It made no sense.

Woo-jin’s gaze as he looked down at something adorable transcended Hae-won’s suspicions. It couldn’t be, Hae-won buried his face in Woo-jin’s neck and hugged his back tightly.

The next morning, the painting of Damian Ryu, hanging in his penthouse living room, looked sublimely magnificent under the dazzling morning sun, to the point where it felt like a blessing.

If he had a living room like this and liked Damian Ryu’s paintings, he would have had no choice but to buy that painting. Hae-won, who had doubted him, marveled at Woo-jin having a similar eye for art.

Could he be this happy?

Woo-jin spread out a bed tray, gently waking the sleeping Hae-won with the scent of coffee, fruit, butter, and freshly baked bread. When Hae-won lazily rose, the morning sun, which he had never seen in his officetel, poured in abundantly, dyeing everything in moving colors. The scene he had only seen in movies unfolded every morning.

Woo-jin, already ready, kissed Hae-won’s cheek as he ate breakfast and left for work first. Hae-won lazed around in bed until the housekeeper arrived, turning up the volume on the high-end audio system—likely not even enjoyed by the company’s owner—and listened to music.

In the penthouse, he could play the violin anywhere.

He could play in the bedroom, in the living room. When the sound resonated and flowed into his ears, it echoed beautifully, making him grateful for his own musical talent.

The Filipino helper even had surprising musical knowledge; when Hae-won played, she wouldn’t clap between movements but only after the piece was completely finished. It meant she knew what piece it was. Then, after hearing something from Woo-jin, she would quietly leave the room whenever Hae-won took out his violin.

The penthouse, which had felt intimidatingly large at first, no longer felt that spacious after a few days, just as he had said. It was a space perfectly suited for two people to live in.

As he had once said, living as someone raised by him, happy when he stroked him, and loved wasn’t as bad as he had thought. He gradually grew accustomed to Woo-jin’s touch and care.

Into the Thrill Part 2, Volume 2