By Zephyria 
A deathly silence fell. Thump, thump, thump—Jun-il’s heart raced frantically, and adrenaline surged through his entire body.
“If I’ve already told Eun-myeong that I’m a cop…”
At that moment, a chuckle broke through. Jun-il frowned deeply at the sound, which seemed to scrape mercilessly against the back of the man’s throat.
Soon, a loud burst of laughter rang out, echoing in his ears.
—Hmm, right, you’ve figured it out.
He murmured, his voice still laced with amusement.
—What am I going to do? You’re so naive and honest that I can see right through you.
As the man muttered those chilling words, goosebumps broke out all over Jun-il’s arms.
…Naive and honest, my ass. If it were up to him, he wanted to ask if the man had actually gone insane.
His half-brother, Kang Chang-hee, was almost human by comparison. Sure, he was involved in drug cases every other day, beat people up, pulled out molars with pliers, and drove opponents to the brink of death before being released. Of course, there were also bribery charges.
Even if he got caught in something truly filthy, at least that side of the family felt somewhat human.
In contrast, Kang Pyeong-won didn’t seem human at all.
The way he observed and appraised others as if they were inanimate objects or things without breath; the way he naturally dominated, as if commanding someone to grovel like a dog; the way he spoke, combining vitriol with a whip…
—That’s right, he’s my precious one. Every time I open my eyes, I want him between my thighs, and I want to see him every time I breathe. Just watching food go down his throat makes me feel full.
The excited voice continued to surge like a wave. It felt as if he and Kang Pyeong-won were alone in a dripping cave, huddled around a fire. He babbled about whether Jun-il had ever seen the boy smile, and how he wanted to crunch him down to the bone when his cheeks puffed out.
—He’s truly maddeningly lovely.
Haa. The man let out a thick sigh, as if the mere thought was heartbreaking. But only for a moment.
—You know I’m a cop? So what of it? There’s no way my baby would betray me.
A sinister low tone, unbelievable coming from the same person just a second ago. Then, a metallic ching sounded. He must have put a cigarette in his mouth; the sound of a long exhale followed.
—Even last night, he called me and poured out his love so desperately; I feel like calling him right now just to smell his armpits.
Crazy bastard. Who could call a thing like that human? It felt like listening to a snake stand on two legs, speaking human language and mimicking human emotions.
“Crazy…”
—You think I’m not sane, don’t you? You’re right, I think so too.
You sure fucking know, you piece of shit, Jun-il wanted to snap back.
“What the hell are you doing with that kid…”
—Is it because I come from a family of thugs? I hate it when my things smell like a cop. No, I just hate it when they smell like another bastard.
“You’re a fucking malignant piece of shit.”
—Indeed, because I’m a man of great generosity.
There was absolutely no communicating with this son of a bitch.
—Ah, come to think of it. I should visit your father more often. He was so distressed that his son, the policeman, wasn’t getting in touch. My, my.
“……”
—So, let’s not touch, shall we? Either of us.
It was nothing short of a threat. Leaving behind those words that felt like a vicious curse, the call clicked shut.
“You fucking piece of shit!”
Having stood there dazed for a moment, Jun-il suddenly slammed the corner of his cell phone against the wall.
The next day, when he went to the sashimi restaurant, Eun-myeong hurried toward him. His eyes were puffy, as if he hadn’t slept well. Had he been unable to sleep even after returning home?
“Is your body okay, Customer?”
“Yeah, well, I’m doing alright, as you can see.”
Jun-il gave a casual smile and shook his arm. It was wrapped in bandages after a trip to the hospital. The hospital people always overreacted to minor things, but for once, it was helpful.
“I’m so sorry.”
Eun-myeong’s face sank rapidly. His expression, clouded with guilt, looked sorrowful.
“I told you, I’m really fine.”
His messy hair caught Jun-il’s eye. Just as his fingertips began to itch to fix it, the tiny face beneath murmured, looking completely pale.
“…And, I think I left my cell phone behind.”
“Ah, it was at my house. I meant to bring it, but I forgot.”
Jun-il watched Eun-myeong closely.
As usual, he couldn’t maintain eye contact, and his gestures were restless and clumsy. His tone and behavior were no different from always. It seemed Kang Pyeong-won hadn’t revealed Jun-il’s identity yet.
A question suddenly popped into Jun-il’s head.
Why on earth?
Lee Eun-myeong says they aren’t even lovers, yet Kang Pyeong-won is pissing on the territory, marking him as his own and warning Jun-il not to even think about touching him.
He made up his mind. He had been warned that he’d be killed if he touched him, but he had to poke and pry into everything. If he could get even a single clue, he’d be grateful; if the boy would testify, it would be even better.
“I’ll bring it to you, so don’t worry.”
“Thank you so much.”
Those large eyes finally landed on the man’s forearm. What simmered in that gaze was definitely a bitter sense of guilt.
“Just with words?”
Jun-il grinned widely.
“If you’re that grateful, buy me a meal sometime.”
Eun-myeong’s eyes wavered in hesitation before he eventually nodded, agreeing.
Jun-il didn’t meet Lee Eun-myeong again until late at night. As he approached the shop, a white figure was walking toward him. Jun-il deliberately waved his bandaged arm.
“Eun-myeong.”
He handed the cell phone he had been holding to Eun-myeong, who came jogging up.
“Here. You must have been anxious.”
Eun-myeong fiddled with the cell phone as if it were something precious. He quickly pressed the power button to check for any incoming messages.
However, no notifications popped up. His pale face clouded with disappointment. Was he waiting for a message from Kang Pyeong-won?
“Ah, I’m starving. I know a great place; want to go grill some meat?”
As Jun-il spoke with exaggerated enthusiasm, Eun-myeong finally looked away from the phone. He looked up at Jun-il and nodded meekly.
“Yes.”
Jun-il entered a nearby restaurant. Eun-myeong followed closely behind, like a well-behaved dog. The meat shop was bustling with people. The sizzling sound of grilling meat could be heard from everywhere.
“Ma’am, three servings here and one soju, please.”
He skillfully found a seat first and held up three fingers. Soon, a round plate arrived with rolls of reddish raw meat.
When Jun-il abruptly grabbed the tongs, Eun-myeong started.
“I’ll grill it.”
He meant that he couldn’t let a patient do such a thing.
“I take pride in my grilling skills. Just wait, I’ll grill this for you like a work of art.”
Due to his job, he often settled for cheap pork belly and soju whenever he had a chance. Grilling this kind of thinly sliced meat was a piece of cake. He quickly started grilling the pork belly.
He utilized every bit of experience he’d gained as a lackey for his seniors during his time as a hubae. He let the meat sear patiently until it was cooked through, then flipped it at the exact right moment.
“Wow, it’s crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. It’s delicious.”
It’s not that big of a deal, Jun-il thought, letting out a small laugh. Then, he suddenly turned serious.
‘Just watching food go down his throat makes me feel full.’
That nonsense flashed through his mind.
Lee Eun-myeong ate the golden-brown meat with gusto. Perhaps because his mouth was small, he made small wraps and chewed them slowly.
“…It’s tasty.”
He murmured to himself.
He didn’t eat a huge amount, but he ate so heartily that it didn’t ruin the appetite. His behavior was quiet and modest. Jun-il found himself just watching him, having barely eaten a few bites.
Come to think of it, he resembled Jun-il’s first love. He felt similar to the next love, and the one after that. Damn, that’s my type, he realized.
He was appalled by the sudden thought.
But so what? Was he going to date him? The lover of a criminal bastard?
It was just that his actions were cute, and he reminded him of his youngest brother who had just entered high school.
Seriously, fuck, that’s all it is. …This is bullshit. Maybe he should go on a blind date.
“Dammit.”
In a fit of irritation, he lifted the soju bottle and poured a generous amount into the glass. He poured it until it nearly overflowed onto the back of his hand, then gulped it down. Lee Eun-myeong stared at him intently.
“What? Want a drink?”
“Yes, please give me some too.”
When Jun-il poured a moderate amount, Eun-myeong stared at the glass for a long time. As if he were sharpening a blade while staring at his parents’ enemy.
Then, he slowly tilted the glass. Gulp, gulp. His slender throat bobbed. After finishing, he frowned deeply. He furrowed his thin, crescent-moon eyebrows and trembled. He bit his red lips hard.
“Ugh.”
Watching this blankly, Jun-il unconsciously bit his own lower lip.
“You can’t handle alcohol. You should have told me.”
He deliberately softened his voice and pushed some corn cheese toward him with the back of his hand to eat as a side dish. Eun-myeong quickly picked up two kernels with his chopsticks. Two kernels? Was he a bird or something? Because the way he chewed was too pretty, Jun-il badmouthed him internally.
Recalling his profession and his task, Jun-il steadied his heart and gently coaxed Eun-myeong.
“Is something bothering you? That lover from before?”
“I told you, we’re not lovers…”
But it seemed he was indeed upset because of that man.
Why, and how, did he end up caught by such a bad man?
It would have been easier if Kang Pyeong-won were hot-tempered or if his emotions were written all over his face. That bastard smiles when he’s in a foul mood, and he smiles when he’s pleased. He was a psychopath whose emotions were impossible to read.
On the other hand, he’d said Lee Eun-myeong came from an orphanage. Perhaps his deficiency was so deep because he grew up without love.
Could he be mistaking something like Stockholm Syndrome for affection? Given that their relationship was also entangled in debt, that theory gained more weight.
The bastard has so much fucking money, yet he’s meticulously collecting from a lover he supposedly cherishes.
“Seriously, the rich ones are the worst.”
“Pardon?”
Eun-myeong’s eyes widened. Jun-il shook his head.
“Nothing, just a story about someone I know. Hurry up and eat.”
With that, he glanced at his old watch. It was slightly past 8 o’clock. He naturally reached for the remote and changed the channel. When he found a channel broadcasting the news, he left it on.
—On the 25th of last month, an unidentified body was discovered off the coast of Gyeryong Bay, leaving citizens in great shock. Following a report from a citizen about a foul odor emanating from a trunk washed ashore by the waves…
As the anchor’s voice flowed out, people around them began to chime in. Some said it was scary, others that all sorts of things happen in the world…
Jun-il had been notified in advance that this news would air today. He shook his head with exaggerated theatricality.
“Ugh, how scary.”
He crossed his arms and clicked his tongue. Then, he glanced sideways at Lee Eun-myeong to check his expression.
Eun-myeong was looking up at the news with a face as if he had seen a ghost. He was frozen, stopped dead like a sheet of ice.
“Don’t you think it’s too scary to live in this neighborhood, Eun-myeong? Especially as an Omega. There was that incident a few days ago, too.”
His complexion was utterly pale. Jun-il casually threw out the bait to the face that had faded white like a pickled radish.
“I heard that a few people around here have been disappearing and things like that.”
Eun-myeong slowly turned his head. Those large eyes looked at him.
Chup, his reddish lips parted.