5.1 A Peaceful Evening

Jeong Tae-ui stood motionless in front of the open door, his hand still gripping the knob for a moment. Eventually, he slowly turned his head to look toward the bathroom. Only after confirming there was no sign of anyone there did he look around the room once more. The room was still empty.

This was a first. Ever since coming to this house, he had opened Christoph’s door every morning, and he would always find Christoph lying in bed with his eyes closed like a porcelain doll.

On very rare occasions, Christoph would be awake before Tae-ui woke him, but it had never been like this. This was the first time he wasn’t in the room at all.

“Hmm,” Tae-ui murmured softly. Regardless, he entered the room as usual and drew back the curtains. Outside the window, bathed in sunlight, he could see people moving busily to start their morning.

Perhaps the reason this room was empty was the same as theirs.

As the date for the succession decision drew near, the mansion had become noticeably hectic. With the day the owner would change for the first time in decades approaching, the entire estate seemed to be buzzing with excitement. Everyone was busy. Except for Jeong Tae-ui, who was merely a guest staying there.

Yet, even amidst that busyness, Christoph—though he was helping Richard—had given the impression of keeping himself somewhat detached, which was strange.

Just as Tae-ui finished airing out the room and was about to leave to return to his own, he spotted a small shadow lingering in front of his own door not far away. The shadow, who was clutching a large box, seemed to notice Tae-ui and turned around, letting out a small “Ah” of recognition.

“Good morning. I was wondering what to do since you didn’t seem to be in your room.”

Looking at the boy, whose face reached about Tae-ui’s shoulder height and wore a soft smile, Tae-ui nodded, albeit somewhat bewildered.

“Right, Oliver. Good morning. …Did you come to see me?”

Oliver nodded. “Ah, I see,” Tae-ui muttered, rubbing the back of his neck in curiosity, and lowered his gaze to the large box Oliver was clutching in one arm.

He had exchanged greetings with the boy a few times while passing through the mansion, so the face was familiar, but he didn’t recall having built a special friendship close enough for the boy to visit his room. If so, he must have come for a reason, and that reason was likely the box…

As Tae-ui stared at the box, Oliver readily held it out. It was a large box, enough to fill the child’s arms, but judging by the way he held it out, it didn’t seem very heavy.

“…?”

“My father told me to deliver this to you. Actually, I received it yesterday evening, but I’m a bit late. I’m sorry.”

Waving off the bowing Oliver, Tae-ui took the box and looked down at it with even more confusion. After a moment of thought, he unwrapped the box right then and there.

It wasn’t that he was necessarily suspicious, but just in case, he thought it would be better to check it immediately while someone else was present. Then, realizing that the thought itself was a form of suspicion, he clicked his tongue bitterly.

But it couldn’t be helped; the sender was who the sender was.

If it was Oliver’s father, no matter how much Tae-ui racked his brain, he was not a man who would ever send a personal gift to Jung Tae-ui. On the contrary, it would be more plausible if he sent something like an explosive…

As his thoughts drifted toward danger, Tae-ui thought it was unlikely, yet he glanced at Oliver and slowly stepped back a couple of paces. Oliver looked at Tae-ui with a curious expression, then quickly smiled, sensing the mood.

“Ah, sorry. I’ll be going now.”

Perhaps thinking he had been staring too intently while the other person unwrapped the package, Oliver smiled awkwardly and raised his hand. As he finished unwrapping and opened the lid of the box, Tae-ui shook his head.

“No, you came all this way, maybe something to drink… uh…”

Tae-ui, who had called out to Oliver without considering that his own refrigerator was filled only with beer, blinked as he saw the item inside the box.

Seeing Tae-ui scratching his cheek with a look of slight bewilderment, Oliver peeked into the box on his tiptoes.

“It looks like a suit.”

“Uh, yeah, it does.”

Tae-ui nodded and murmured in response to Oliver’s words.

Neatly packaged inside the box was a full suit. Not just the clothes, but all the accompanying accessories.

Tilted his head, wondering if there had been some mistake, Tae-ui picked up a card placed in a corner of the box and confirmed his own name engraved on it.

“…It really is mine.”

He murmured this, but he still had no idea why.

It was incomprehensible that Richard would give him a gift, and it was equally baffling that the item was clothing.

“…? …??”

Did he hear somewhere that I don’t have a suit, and sent this so I wouldn’t show up looking shabby at his upcoming succession ceremony—since it’s unlikely anyone else will be the successor anyway?

Actually, now that he had obtained his card, he had been thinking about going out to buy some clothes today. It happened to be exactly what he needed, so this worked out well. By the look of it, the size seemed to fit.

Even as he thought this, he tilted his head in confusion, and suddenly noticed Oliver staring at the clothes in front of him with a look even more bewildered than his own.

“Uh…” Tae-ui asked with a look why he was acting like that as Oliver tilted his head and looked at the clothes suspiciously. Oliver then tilted his head in the opposite direction and murmured ambiguously.

“My father doesn’t usually give clothes as gifts… He only sends them occasionally to people he’s dating.”

Tae-ui remained silent for a moment, then looked down at the card in his hand again. Even looking again, the name engraved there was his. For now, at least, it seemed he was indeed the intended recipient.

Oliver, who had been facing Tae-ui awkwardly, soon shrugged his shoulders.

“I guess he just gave it to you. I’ve never seen him give clothes, but he does occasionally send gifts to people he’s close with.”

‘No, I’m not close with your father, absolutely not,’ Tae-ui muttered inwardly. He glared at the clothing unauthorized copybox for a moment, then turned his [Read on Read BL Novels]gaze to Oliver as if he had made a decision.

“It’ll be faster to just go and ask him. Oliver, is your father in his room right now?”

“I’m not sure,” Oliver answered uncertainly, but he led the way. Tae-ui followed behind, clutching the clothing box under his arm.

Tae-ui thought about his relationship with Richard once more.

If he had to define it, they were friends of enemies. He had a slight history of being caught in the middle of a vicious fight between those enemies. There were absolutely no personal points of contact.

…Even thinking about it again and again, it didn’t feel like a good relationship. At the very least, it was certainly not a relationship where they would exchange gifts for no reason.

Furthermore, if he asked directly, the man would likely answer “That is not the case” with a calm, benevolent smile, but Tae-ui had never once felt that the man had any fondness for him.

‘Whatever, he’s giving it, so should I just take it?’ While he was thinking this, Tae-ui had already arrived in front of Richard’s room.

Come to think of it, this was his first time visiting this room. Even though it wasn’t particularly different from any other room, he hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door.

“…”

He waited for a while, but there was no answer from inside. Tae-ui knocked again and quietly called the owner’s name, “Richard?” Still, no answer came.

Is no one here?

Well, that was possible. No, thinking of his usual routine, the man should have woken up long ago and should be flipping through several kinds of newspapers in the study or office by now.

Just as Tae-ui accepted this and was about to turn around, Oliver, who had been standing quietly beside him, grabbed the doorknob.

“Father, it’s me, Oliver. I’m coming in.”

After tapping the doorknob twice and waiting a few seconds, Oliver opened the door. Tae-ui, who had paused and stepped back half a pace, peeked his head in behind Oliver.

“Richard, it’s about these clothes—…”

Only after speaking to the presence he glimpsed on the bed did Tae-ui realize that the person was not Richard.

The man, who was languidly brushing back his hair as if he had just woken up, had a somewhat displeased face, looking dazed as if he hadn’t fully awakened from sleep. He was always like that in the morning—that man, Christoph.

Having encountered an unexpected person in an unexpected place, Tae-ui stopped in his tracks. However, even when their eyes met, no particular emotion surfaced in Christoph’s sleep-laden eyes.

Ah, he’s not fully awake yet.

Tae-ui understood immediately.

Christoph was like that sometimes. Even when he was clearly awake and gave short, proper answers when asked something, his reactions were slow and vague. It was as if his body was [unauthorized copy]awake but his mind was still [Read on Read BL Novels]asleep; he would stay in that dazed state for a few minutes before slowly waking up.

Tae-ui looked around. There was no one else.

In the spacious room where the morning sunlight streamed in dazzlingly, only Christoph sat alone, besides Tae-ui and the boy who had just entered. Golden sunlight fell upon his sparkling, snow-white skin and platinum hair.

Sitting like a silent, dazzling painting, Christoph eventually turned his gaze toward Oliver. He looked at Oliver with sunken blue eyes and gestured. Oliver approached him, watching the clumsy gesture that seemed like a dream.

“Olivia.”

While lightly rubbing Oliver’s hair with his fingertips, Christoph suddenly murmured.

He hadn’t called Oliver by the wrong name. It was simply his mind, still wandering somewhere in a dream, whispering a remnant of a memory to himself.

Oliver looked at Christoph blankly. Even though Christoph could be frightening, Oliver observed him without any such fear and spoke quietly.

“I’m not an aunt.”

Christoph looked at Oliver. As if overlapping someone’s face from his memory onto that face, Christoph seemed to be waking up little by little.

“Right, Oliver.”

He whispered and withdrew his hand. After remaining still for a few seconds, Christoph suddenly furrowed his brows. Then, he [unauthorized copy]cast stolen contenta sidelong glance at Tae-ui, who was standing awkwardly beside them. Now he was fully awake.

“Uh…” Tae-ui scratched his head, and since nothing particular came to mind, he spoke whatever popped into his head.

“Did you sleep here last night? I was wondering because you weren’t in your room when I went there.”

However, the moment he voiced that question, he wondered if he shouldn’t have said it.

Christoph, who until a moment ago had been transparent and ephemeral like a doll, intoxicated by a dream, suddenly had his eyes sharpen as if memory and reason had vividly returned. His thin, sharp eyes like blades glared at Tae-ui, and he threw back the bed covers and stepped out of bed. The way he turned away looked displeased.

Seeing the red marks and vivid bite marks dotted across his flawless white back, between the nape of his neck and his shoulder blades, Tae-ui scratched his temple, thinking he really shouldn’t have spoken. He glanced at Oliver, who was tilting his head in curiosity and almost starting to say something, and let out a silent sigh.

Tae-ui was sometimes called dull in ways that were off-center, but he was relatively quick-witted. To put it in someone else’s terms, it might be more accurate to say he had good intuition. Rather than consciously realizing a fact, he would often not be clearly aware of it, and then upon finding out, he would accept it without much surprise, thinking, ‘Ah, as expected.’

But in this case, perhaps because he already knew, it felt almost too explicit. Moreover, how should he put it…

“Hand me that robe.”

After shifting his gaze left and right for a moment, Christoph saw what he was looking for lying neatly on the nightstand on the other side of the bed and reached out, frowning. Although only his back was visible, he seemed reluctant to be completely naked, needlessly stroking from his nape down to his shoulder with his other hand.

“Here,” Tae-ui said, handing him the robe that looked as if it would slide off softly. He inwardly clicked his tongue as he saw Oliver staring at Christoph as if entranced.

What do you call that… sexual Read on Read BL Novelsallure… or should it [Read on Read BL Novels]be called ‘yeomtae’ (sensual beauty)?

An atmosphere that anyone who had played around a bit could easily recognize was flowing out of him. Enough to attract even a child’s gaze.

It was a blessing that the man was shunned by everyone and thus not closely watched; otherwise, all sorts of rumors would have already spread. There would undoubtedly have been a dozen people trying to poke and make a move on him.

For the first time, he felt that the man’s temper was a fortunate thing.

“…Was it hot?”

After thanking Oliver for guiding him and telling the boy to go attend to his own business, Tae-ui suddenly asked Christoph. As Oliver left after giving a polite, albeit hesitant, greeting, Christoph gave him a puzzled look while putting on the robe.

“…? Hot? Was your room hot? I was fine.”

Looking around the interior, which was neither too hot nor too cold, Christoph asked back.

“No, my room was just right. But… it looked like you sweated quite a bit.”

When Tae-ui pointed to the hair sticking to his forehead and nape with sweat, Christoph tilted his head as if he didn’t know, then suddenly his expression hardened fiercely. He glared at Tae-ui for a while without speaking.

Geez. He must have said something wrong again. Tae-ui scratched his temple uselessly.

“…That bastard kept hugging me from behind. …I told unauthorized copyhim it was [visit our site]creepy and suffocating. I told him I was uncomfortable because I was sweating.”

“But he wouldn’t let go,” Christoph murmured sullenly in fragments, shrinking his body as if the sensation had returned to him. His eyes trembled slightly.

“Uh, right,” Tae-ui murmured, shifting his gaze away from those sharp eyes. He pretended to look around the room to avoid that gaze. Then, Tae-ui’s eyes wandered suspiciously around the room.

Crisp, clean sheets that looked newly laid—he caught a glimpse of crumpled sheets filling a basket in the corner. A robe that fit his size and taste perfectly, as if it had been intended for Christoph from the start. A body that was cleaned spotless, despite the vivid marks engraved upon it.

“…Richard…”

Tae-ui scratched his head and blurted out unconsciously. He was about to add, ‘Regardless of his tendencies, his manners are top-notch,’ but as soon as the name came out, Christoph glared at him with fire in his eyes, causing him to trail off. Tae-ui pulled at his hair, wondering what to say after ‘Richard.’

But it was still surprising. He hadn’t thought the man would have such good manners in bed. No, looking at his usual gentlemanly attitude, it was only natural that his manners would be excellent, but considering his insidious nature—and even his sexual preferences that could be called perverted—Tae-ui had vaguely thought his bed manners would be absolutely atrocious.

But if he thought about it that way, it was the same for Ilay. He had boasted manners so wonderful that one couldn’t believe a guy like him could be this way. Not only did he handle the basic cleanup, but he also made sure Jeong Tae-ui could fall asleep—or rather, lose consciousness—feeling refreshed and clean without having to lift a single finger.

Thinking about it now, it wasn’t particularly surprising, but still, this situation was as wondrous as the unexpected excellence of Ilay’s manners. Especially considering the relationship between them.

At this rate, it was almost as if…

“Turns out you might actually like him, huh?”

He murmured to himself, his words ninety Read on Read BL Novelspercent joke. Then, suddenly, Jeong Tae-ui tilted his head, visit our sitefeeling a bit uneasy. But he soon shook it off.

No, if someone likes a person like that, it’s just scary. That’s way too twisted, Jeong Tae-ui convinced himself, and then suddenly shut his mouth.

Right in front of him, Christoph was staring at him with a very bizarre expression.

As if he had heard something he shouldn’t have—a look of utter disbelief, as if the words were so insulting, absurd, and outlandish that he couldn’t even comprehend them—Christoph stared at Jeong Tae-ui without even blinking. Just as Christoph was about to open his mouth:

“That’s an amusing joke.”

Before words could leave Christoph’s lips, a voice drifted over Jeong Tae-ui’s shoulder.

The owner of the room, Richard Tarten, who wouldn’t be strange to find here at all, was crossing the threshold with a leisurely stride.

Damn, what timing. It really was a joke, but when he countered it like that, it made it sound like he’d been serious.

Looking back at Richard, who was smiling pleasantly as if he had heard something truly funny, Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue inwardly. However, ignoring him, Richard cast a glancing look at Christoph, who had stopped speaking in dissatisfaction.

“Well? Do you think so too, Christoph?”

“Even if the world turned upside down, there’s no way you’d feel that way.”

A blunt answer came back.

After looking at Christoph for a moment, Richard smiled a bit more deeply, as if it were the correct answer, and looked at Jeong Tae-ui.

“So it seems.”

“Ah—no, I just meant his manners were quite impressive.”

Jeong Tae-ui shrugged slightly and spoke in a tone as nonchalant as possible. Richard, looking puzzled, soon seemed to understand and frowned slightly with an “Ah.”

“I wonder… isn’t this much a given? I don’t think it’s even something worth calling ‘manners’… Ah, then again, Rick was quite famous once. For leaving his partner bloodied and torn open while he just satisfied his own desires and left. …Ah, my apologies.”

Apologizing slightly as if he had made a slip of the tongue, Richard looked at Jeong Tae-ui with a look of genuine pity; he had definitely said it on purpose. His eyes, though smiling, were far from kind.

No, Ilay’s aftercare manners are actually great. …To me.

Adding that last part felt incredibly awkward for some reason, so although he felt quite uncomfortable, Jeong Tae-ui just kept his mouth shut.

“But what brings you to my room…?”

Richard asked while glancing at his wristwatch, as if he were busy or didn’t want to deal with him for long. Only then did Jeong Tae-ui remember that the original reason he came to this room was to meet this man.

“Ah. I received [Read on Read BL Novels]this from Oliver this morning. He said you wanted me to unauthorized copyhave this…”

Jeong Tae-ui held out the box he had been clutching to his side.

Though people were bustling about outside, it was still early, yet Richard—already dressed neatly as if he had just returned from somewhere—looked at the box Jeong Tae-ui held out and said nonchalantly, “Ah.”

“I see. Did you like it?”

“Pardon? Ah, yes, it’s a wonderful suit. But…”

“That’s good. Since it was chosen with great care by someone who pays meticulous attention to clothing, it won’t be lacking. And I think you’re mistaken; I’m not the one giving it to you.”

“Pardon?” Jeong Tae-ui asked back, blinking in confusion as he looked at Christoph. And only then did he realize.

Christoph, who had been getting up from the bed and closing his robe with a displeased face since the moment Richard entered, was now staring at the box with a blank expression. No, it would be more accurate to say he was glaring at it.

“…That suit.”

Muttering shortly without taking his eyes off the box, Christoph fell silent again. His gaze slowly shifted from the box and nailed itself to Richard’s face. To the man who was raising an eyebrow with a relaxed smile.

“You—.”

“It’s a suit Christoph personally chose for Mr. Jeong Tae-ui.”

“Richard, you did this on your own—!!”

Christoph gnashed his teeth and glared at him fiercely. Richard looked back at him as if wondering why he was reacting that way.

“Why? You picked it out with such pleasure; it would be a waste to throw it away, wouldn’t it? Instead of letting that suit you intended to discard go to waste, I arbitrarily took it and sent it to where it belonged, and in exchange, I sent you new clothes. Was that not enough?”

As Richard added that he had ordered items from a shop Christoph frequently used, Christoph shouted as if his insides were churning.

“I won’t wear clothes sent by you! I have no reason to receive such things from you!”

After glaring intensely at Richard while grinding his teeth, Christoph turned that same fierce gaze toward Jeong Tae-ui. Processing their conversation in his head, Jeong Tae-ui instinctively moved the box behind his back as Christoph approached with heavy strides.

“Uh… you gave this to me?”

“Throw it away.”

“You said you gave it to me.”

“I said throw it away! Throw it away and buy a new one! Throw it away!!”

“…I don’t want to.”

Christoph, who tried to snatch the box from Jeong Tae-ui, failed because Jeong Tae-ui quickly hid the box and stepped back. In an instant, his eyes narrowed into slits.

“Throw it away!!”

“I said I don’t want to. I happened to need a suit anyway, and where am I supposed to find a better one than this within a few days? No.”

“I’m not giving it to you! It’s not yours!! I said I threw it away!!”

“My name is written on the card here. Then it’s mine. Besides, if you threw it away, you have nothing more to say. Thanks, Christoph. I’ll wear it well.”

Jeong Tae-ui stepped back, subtly dodging the direction Christoph was swinging his arms. At the same time, he looked at him with a slightly strange feeling.

How should he put it, this was almost like—

But before Jeong Tae-ui could organize those feelings, Christoph’s movement, as he lunged toward Jeong Tae-ui, came to a dead stop. Richard had grabbed his arm from behind.

As the large hand gripped his arm, Christoph flinched and swung his arm to shake it off.

“Let go!”

However, as if Christoph’s shout Read on Read BL Novelswent unheard, Richard, standing behind him, spoke visit our sitewith a formal smile only on his lips and cold eyes.

“As you may know, regarding that suit, I simply found its owner, so there is no need to thank me. Now that your business here is finished, would you mind leaving my room? I’d like to rest for a moment before starting my morning routine.”

The gentle voice issued a firm order to leave.

Jeong Tae-ui looked at Richard for a moment and then nodded obediently.

“I see. Excuse me. …Christoph. Thanks. It’s a truly wonderful gift.”

Jeong Tae-ui spoke while patting the box he held tightly to his side, fearing it might be snatched away.

He meant it. The moment he heard Christoph had chosen this suit, he could vividly imagine it. How hard Christoph must have looked around to pick a suit that would suit Jeong Tae-ui perfectly. That, more than anything, was the greatest gift.

Christoph looked like he wanted to say something with a stiff, displeased face, but after staring fiercely at Jeong Tae-ui for a while, he abruptly turned his head away. A chilly voice followed: Do whatever you want, I threw it away anyway.

“Yeah, thanks.”

A full smile spread across Jeong Tae-ui’s face. Glancing at that face, Christoph frowned again for no reason. Seeing that furrowed brow and the set of his mouth, Jeong Tae-ui found it funny and let out a chuckle.

But then, Richard’s voice urging him, “Mr. Jeong Tae-ui?” was heard again.

Jeong Tae-ui said shortly, “Ah, then I’ll be going,” and looked at Richard. unauthorized copyRichard was looking at him, maintaining his polite and [unauthorized copy]courteous demeanor. The smile on his lips remained.

But now he knew for sure.

Richard did not have any affection for Jeong Tae-ui. Behind that smile he showed everyone, he did not like Jeong Tae-ui.

“Chris, shouldn’t you go back and get ready to head out too?”

When Jeong Tae-ui asked while opening the door, Richard spoke before Christoph could answer.

“You’re going back dressed in that robe?”

Christoph glared at Richard, but he didn’t refute the statement. If it were Christoph, he certainly wouldn’t step out into a shared space wearing only a robe, even if it were only a few steps away.

Jeong Tae-ui hesitated for a moment just before closing the door.

He wondered if he should tell him that he’d be waiting outside, so he should change and come out. Christoph, who wasn’t wearing his usual armor of thorns to protect himself, looked unusually pitiful for no particular reason.

But he soon shook his head. This wasn’t something for him to hastily reach out about. It wasn’t his role.

“Right. …Then I’ll see you later.”

Jeong Tae-ui said that and [unauthorized copy]gave a light wave. After nodding a greeting [Read on Read BL Novels]to Richard, Read on Read BL Novelshe quietly closed the door.

With the small click of the door closing, the two sides were separated.

The short silence was broken by Christoph’s low voice.

“Why did you do something so useless?”

Shaking off the hand that was still holding his arm, Christoph growled, openly displaying his displeasure. This time, Richard let go of his arm obediently and raised an eyebrow as if surprised.

“Useless? Wasn’t he happy to receive the clothes? That’s how it looked to me.”

“…—.”

Christoph glared, but in the end, no words came from his mouth.

“Instead of that box you’d tossed by the door, I placed clothes that would suit you on your table, so think of it as an exchange.”

“I told you I won’t wear clothes given by you.”

As Christoph muttered sharply, Who knows what you put on those clothes, why would I wear them, Richard looked down at him bleakly.

“You won’t wear clothes I give you…?”

He repeated Christoph’s words as if talking to himself. Suddenly turning his head slightly with a smile, he looked down at Christoph obliquely and spoke coldly.

“Then you’ll have to take off that robe first.”

Christoph, who had been walking toward the bathroom, paused. Turning his head to look at Richard for a few seconds, Christoph, as if provoked, untied the belt of his robe. As if he couldn’t stand the fabric touching his body, he roughly threw the robe onto the bed.

“Fine, then give me my clothes,” Christoph said lowly.

Richard scanned Christoph, who stood proudly before him. Slowly, as if licking him, from head to toe. Explicitly enough for Christoph to realize.

Only after confirming that Christoph had clenched his fists did Richard narrow his eyes.

“If you’re talking about the clothes you were wearing last night, you were so impatient that you came and soiled them while I was digging into your groin just a few times, so they’re probably in some trash can by now. I’ve prepared some clothes you can wear instead, but well, I don’t know if you’ll actually wear the clothes I’ve provided.”

Richard pointed with his thumb toward the decorative sofa next to the nightstand. On it, a set of clothes was laid out, matching the style Christoph usually preferred.

“If you don’t want to wear them, you can go back to your room just like that. Although it’s a time when people often pass by, it’s not that far from here to your room, is it? If you’re lucky, you might be able to return without being spotted by anyone.”

Adding that though your body isn’t one to be ashamed of even if spotted, Richard walked toward the minibar and took out some water.

As if he didn’t care whether Christoph left as he was or not, he poured the water and lightly moistened his throat. Seeing Christoph [stolen content]standing frozen in place, glaring at him, he unauthorized copylet the corners of his mouth curl up into a tiny smile.

“Come to think of it, the gift of clothes had another meaning. Tell me, Christoph. Did you want to see Jeong Tae-ui stripped?”

“What?”

Christoph frowned. Seeing the puzzled face that didn’t understand what he meant, Richard remained silent for a moment before shifting his gaze.

“I guess you didn’t know. Well, fine.”

Approaching the sofa, Richard picked up the clothes and walked toward Christoph. As he came right in front of him, Christoph stepped back, looking at him with displeased eyes, until the bed hit the back of his knees.

“Lift your foot. I’ll put them on you.”

When Richard spoke nonchalantly while placing the clothes on the bed and holding up the underwear that was on top, Christoph first frowned as if he hadn’t understood the words. Looking back and forth between the underwear and Richard in confusion, Christoph’s brow furrowed deeper.

“No.”

“I won’t stop you if you want to roam the hallways naked, but don’t be stubbornly useless, Christoph. I’m busy today too. I don’t have the luxury to bicker.”

“…—I can put them on myself.”

“Lift your foot.”

Richard spoke low and firm, then knelt on one knee in front of Christoph.

Looking down at the crown of his head with somewhat bewildered eyes, Christoph lost his balance and flopped back onto the bed when Richard, who didn’t see Christoph moving, grabbed his ankle and lifted it without hesitation. The underwear slid up over his leg, which was now off the ground.

A broad palm brushed up over the white leg. When Christoph instinctively recoiled at the sensation, Richard glanced up at him and gripped Christoph’s knee even more slowly and suggestively. The fingers brushing the back of the knee were chilly. Simultaneously, his other hand slid up between the thighs.

The large hand digging through the underwear draped over the thigh looked exceptionally erotic. Perhaps it was because it was fully illuminated by the sunlight. Christoph’s expression hardened instantly.

“Richard, stop.”

“Stop? What am I doing?”

He asked back as if it were amusing. Before Christoph could continue, Richard pushed him, knocking him down onto the bed. Then he pushed his knees forward. With his body bent so that his knees and shoulders almost touched, his lower back floated in the air.

“Richard!”

As Christoph let out a low burst of anger like a suppressed scream, Richard murmured, slowly looking at the exposed thighs and the inner area.

“You look fine, considering you begged me to stop, saying you felt like you were going to die from the pain. Though you are a bit swollen.”

“I…—, …, I never, did—.”

“It would be wise not to say you didn’t, Christoph. It makes me want to confirm that such words can indeed come out of that mouth.”

Christoph shut his mouth. He glared at Richard with blue eyes before turning his head away. His nails dug into his palms.

But unexpectedly, contrary to Christoph’s expectation as he tensed his whole body, smooth fabric slid up and wrapped around his thighs. It was the underwear. Following that, the trousers soon slid up and wrapped around his legs.

“Sit up. Lift your arms to the side,” Richard said indifferently.

He helped the blankly blinking Christoph sit up and guided his arms into the shirt sleeves. Still kneeling on the floor, he calmly worked his hands to fasten the buttons. One by one, from the bottom.

“I told you I can do it.”

Christoph spoke, but no answer came. Only after dressing him in everything from the cuff buttons to the tie, belt, and vest did Richard stand up.

“I told you I’m busy today. Get up.”

To Christoph, who was sitting on the bed staring at Richard as if possessed, he clicked his tongue shortly and spoke.

Christoph stood up in silence and smoothed out the small wrinkles in the clothes. While doing so, he glanced at Richard with questioning eyes. Sensing that gaze, Richard, who was picking up his glass again, looked over.

“I know what you were expecting, but not right now. unauthorized copyI’ll faithfully fulfill that expectation later, stolen contenteven if I unauthorized copyhave to find a gap in the office, so wait.”

“I wasn’t expecting anything!”

Christoph shouted out of impulse. He could guess what Richard meant, and he had certainly thought that way, but it was by no means an expectation.

As he flushed with irritation from the nape of his neck up, he saw the lips touching the glass curve. The corners of the eyes curved mischievously as well.

“Is that so? Last night, you seemed to be shaking your hips quite well.”

“You told me to try and imitate it. You said I might feel something similar if I did, that’s why you did that.”

The heat climbed from the nape of his neck up to his face. He felt a burning sensation all the way to the root of his tongue.

As Christoph expressed his anger in a low voice, Richard wiped the smile from his face. After looking puzzled for a moment, he seemed to realize what Christoph was talking about. His expression became strange.

There was no trace of a smile, yet it wasn’t anger or offense; Christoph stared intently at that peculiar face.

“……Ah, I see. Right.”

Richard said only that and fell silent. He simply drank his water without a word.

Christoph glared steadily at him, unable to tell what he was thinking.

It had been like this for some time now.

One moment, Richard would do things that made Christoph shudder in horror, and the next, he would act kind for reasons unknown. It was so unfamiliar that Christoph found himself instinctively shrinking back. Because his attitude was so inconsistent, he had become even more unpredictable lately.

But that, too, would soon be over. In a few days, it would all end—the unfamiliar warmth and touch of him clinging to his back every dawn so that he couldn’t move an inch; the tongue licking his lips at unexpected moments or the hand pushing into his groin; and the sudden kindness whose cause and purpose remained a mystery.

Thinking this, Christoph clicked his tongue lowly and moved his feet. He had to stop by his room before starting his day. As he stepped out the door, he heard a voice over his shoulder, speaking in the same tone as always: “Come to the central entrance in 25 minutes.”

Instead of answering, Christoph closed the door a bit hard, reflecting his displeased mood.

 

 

It wasn’t until evening that Jeong Tae-ui actually tried on the clothes in question.

He hadn’t been particularly fond of clothes to begin with, and because people were moving about so busily, Tae-ui felt swept up in the bustle and had forgotten about them while helping them with minor tasks.

Then, when he ran into Christoph returning home in the evening, the latter—who looked utterly desolate as if he had been thoroughly exhausted by Richard all day—suddenly paused. He started to mention the clothes, then hesitated for a moment. Tae-ui wondered if he was going to shout at him to throw them away again, but after mumbling discontentedly for a while, Christoph spoke sullenly.

‘Did the size fit? ……Do you like them?’

‘Yeah, they fit perfectly. Thanks.’

After answering promptly without a moment’s hesitation, Christoph blushed slightly as if embarrassed. Tae-ui left him with some vague words and quickly returned to his room, where he pulled the clothes out of the box he had set aside and put them on.

And he confirmed that his words hadn’t been a lie.

The measurements were so precise it was impressive, and while he had worried the color might be too flashy when he first saw it, once he put it on, it suited him perfectly, as if the person had been tailored to the clothes.

“I guess clothes really are wings. Looking at this, I don’t look too shabby myself……”

“I wondered where you were rushing off to, and it turns out you got new clothes.”

The voice that suddenly rang out from behind Jeong Tae-ui, who had been preoccupied with the mirror, didn’t even surprise him anymore.

Ilay, who had appeared like a ghost, was leaning against the door and loosening his tie, looking like the typical successful, sophisticated young lawyer, having just finished his day’s work.

“When did you get here?”

“Just now.”

Ilay pulled the tie straight down from his collar. He took visit our siteoff his glasses, tucked them into his jacket pocket, and lightly rubbed the bridge of his nose stolen contentwith his fingertips, yet his gaze never [unauthorized copy]left Jeong Tae-ui. Tae-ui paused and looked at him with a subtle frown.

“You don’t look like you’re in a great mood.”

“Is that so? I came back after hearing some unwelcome news, only to find my lover wearing clothes given to him by some guy…… so, there isn’t exactly a reason to be happy.”

The crease between Jeong Tae-ui’s brows deepened slightly.

Still, judging by the intuition he’d developed from living together for several years, this wasn’t a danger zone. It seemed the man was making a joke in his own way, but the first part of the sentence bothered him more than the latter.

“What do you mean, unwelcome news?”

“I think I’ll be seeing an unwelcome face soon. Well, whatever. I expected it to some extent, so let’s leave it. ……Hmm. Looking at the choice of clothes, it’s Chris’s handiwork. That guy has quite good taste.”

Ilay approached Jeong Tae-ui and stopped a few steps away, scanning him again from an angle. Then, he nodded slowly.

“Clothes, huh……. Well, fine. If it’s that guy, he wouldn’t have had any ulterior motives, and his eye for style is trustworthy. It suits you very well, Tae-yi.”

Jeong Tae-ui, who had been looking at Ilay with a subtle expression, soon sighed and replied, “Uh, thanks.” As for the unwelcome face, it didn’t seem like something he needed to ask about in detail.

Ilay strode toward Jeong Tae-ui in two or three steps and skillfully loosened the tie from Tae-ui’s neck with one hand. Then, he wrapped the tie he had been wearing around Tae-ui’s neck instead.

“……? Is this one better?”

“No, unfortunately, the one that guy picked suits you better. He probably picked the whole set from the start.”

“Really? Then—”

“But wear this one. A look that’s too perfect is boring.”

Jeong Tae-ui stared at Ilay for a moment. As he met the gaze of the man who faced him with a composed expression, he suddenly let out a small laugh.

“I’ll do that. ……Anyway, let’s take these off for now. Suits feel heavy, so I don’t really want to wear them unless they’re absolutely necessary.”

Jeong Tae-ui shrugged and loosened the tie again. He took off his jacket and unbuttoned his shirt.

Ilay, perched on the sofa beside him, watched Jeong Tae-ui in silence, resting his chin on his knuckles as if lost in thought. Tae-ui looked at him curiously.

“What?”

“Nothing, I was just thinking about Christoph’s taste in clothes.”

“Christoph? If it’s Christoph…… he does have a very clear taste.”

With those looks, he would shine even if he wore rags, but he dressed himself [Read on Read BL Novels]very Read on Read BL Novelswell. Not so that the clothes overshadowed his looks, nor so that the clothes were unauthorized copyoverly emphasized. He based it on the colors he liked.

“Right, that’s true. ……I see.”

Suddenly, Ilay laughed. He looked almost like he was grimacing, but he leaned his head back on the sofa with a look of amusement.

“So, that guy picked your clothes, and Richard gave that guy his clothes.”

“Hmm? ……Richard gave clothes to Christoph?”

“At the very least, it’s clear that the clothes he wore today weren’t the style he usually enjoys.”

Come to think of it, that seemed to be the case.

Jeong Tae-ui stopped unbuttoning his shirt and searched his memory for a moment, then frowned slightly.

“Somehow, it doesn’t feel like pure goodwill.”

Jeong Tae-ui finished taking off his shirt, tossed it carelessly onto the bed, and sat down beside it. Then he faced Ilay.

“I think Richard dislikes me.”

Jeong Tae-ui spoke quite seriously. Ilay raised an eyebrow. Seeing that [unauthorized copy]expression—which felt more like he found it obvious rather than denying it—Tae-ui thought to himself, Ah, as [Read on Read BL Novels]expected. At the same time, his eyes shifted with a bit of curiosity.

He knew many people thought in terms of ‘the enemy of my enemy is my friend’ or ‘the friend of my enemy is my enemy.’ There were plenty of people who defined their relationship with someone based on how that person related to others, even if they had no direct connection to the person themselves.

So, it wouldn’t be strange if Richard disliked Jeong Tae-ui. After all, if one had to be precise, Tae-ui could be considered close to Christoph.

However, the part he couldn’t quite accept was that, from Tae-ui’s judgment, Richard didn’t seem like the type of person to be like that. He didn’t look like the type to hate someone just because they were close to someone he disliked.

But no matter how much he racked his brain, no satisfying answer came to mind. As Tae-ui just rolled his eyes with a hum, Ilay suddenly asked.

“Do you dislike the fact that he dislikes you?”

He’s not saying he doesn’t dislike it…… Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head and frowned. His answer came concisely.

“No, whether a stranger who isn’t closely involved with me likes or dislikes me isn’t a big deal. They can’t influence me or change who I am. I mean, being hated isn’t pleasant, but it’s not something to be upset about.”

“Then it shouldn’t matter what Richard thinks of you, right?”

“That’s true. It’s just…… how should I put it. It’s a bit unexpected.”

Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head and fell silent. He felt that if he kept talking, it might lead to a conclusion like ‘it’s unexpected that he dislikes me,’ which, while similar to what he meant, had a very different nuance.

“No, no, I don’t mean it like that,” Tae-ui said, waving his [Read on Read BL Novels]hand. Ilay watched him with amusement and [unauthorized copy]smoothly visit our sitechanged the subject, though his gaze never left Jeong Tae-ui for a single moment.

“Then, Tae-yi, are you saying you don’t care what others think of you?”

“Well, as long as they aren’t people who can influence this or this.”

Jeong Tae-ui tapped his head and then his chest with his fingertips.

“And if they are people who can influence you?”

“Ah—then that’s a huge problem. Even the survival of my ego is at stake.”

Although such people could be counted on one hand with plenty of room to spare, it was a very important issue. It was as important as a newborn baby absolutely needing a parent’s touch to survive.

Perhaps for everyone, whether they were conscious of it or not, there existed a tiny handful of people who exerted an absolute influence in some way.

When Jeong Tae-ui answered readily, Ilay gazed at him intently. His narrow eyes seemed lost in thought.

“The survival of the ego……. Impressive.”

Jeong Tae-ui looked at the iron-walled man, who seemed to have a stronger ego than anyone else in the world, as he muttered with a raised eyebrow. He scratched his head and licked his lips before speaking.

“You might not know, but that’s generally how it is. There’s usually stolen contentat stolen contentleast one person who changes the way you exist, consciously or unconsciously.”

At the very least, there are parents. Someone without whom survival itself would be impossible. Someone who touches an important part of one’s mind without them knowing—or someone they suddenly realize—whether in a good way or a bad way.

“Hmm……?!”

Whether he understood or not—Tae-ui doubted this man could truly understand even if he accepted it—Jeong Tae-ui let out a chuckle seeing Ilay mutter briefly.

This is why this guy is Ilay Riegrow. A monster. Crazy Rick.

But seeing himself smiling so pleasantly while looking at this man, it was an obvious fact that this man had changed him at some point. Before he knew it, he had become like this. In the past, far from laughing, he would have been rolling his eyes incessantly, looking for any chance to flee hundreds or thousands of miles away.

“Why are you grinning like that?”

As he spoke, Ilay also let out a small laugh. Finding that somehow funny, Jeong Tae-ui laughed out loud.

“Nothing, I was just counting who the people are that have an absolute influence on me.”

“I see. ……Then conversely, there must be people whom I have an absolute influence over, right?”

“Huh? Well—, ……I don’t know, that might not necessarily be the case.”

Jeong Tae-ui racked his brain over a problem he had never thought visit our siteabout so seriously. As Ilay Read on Read BL Novelswatched him tilt his head and frown, he quietly turned his head and curled his lips into a smile.

It was just as Jeong Tae-ui was pondering, Someone I have an absolute influence over, that the phone rang. A long ringtone repeated with short intervals.

Hearing the sound indicating an outside line, Jeong Tae-ui looked toward the phone within arm’s reach. A blue light was blinking.

“Is it Kyle?”

If it was someone calling Jeong Tae-ui’s room from the outside, it was obvious.

Glancing at the biological younger brother who hadn’t even sent him a bottle of cheap mineral water, Jeong Tae-ui picked up the receiver with a smirk.

“Hello—”

‘Tae-ui?’

However, at the clear pronunciation of that quiet voice, Jeong Tae-ui fell silent for a moment. He unconsciously widened his eyes and tilted his head with an “Uh.”

“Brother Jae-ui?”

Ilay, who had been watching him intently from the moment Tae-ui answered the phone, raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing that name.

‘Yes. You’re doing well, right?’

It was the first time he had spoken to his older brother in over a year, yet the brother asked as casually as if they had spoken just a few days ago. Hearing that nonchalant voice, Jeong Tae-ui felt a similar sensation. “Yeah, I’m doing well,” he replied, and though he thought for a second that it was a bit of a lie, he soon felt that it didn’t matter. Whenever he talked to his brother, he always felt that kind of relaxed mood.

“How did you find out where I am to call me?”

‘Uncle called me regarding some work. While he was at it, he gave me your news and your phone number. I happened to be thinking of you, so it worked out well. I heard you’re in Tarten.’

“Yeah. Your timing is as good as ever, Brother.”

Jeong Tae-ui smiled and sat up on the bed. As he leaned back against the head cushion, he suddenly looked at Ilay. Ilay, who had been watching him steadily, gestured with his eyes for him to continue talking without worrying about him.

‘Tarten……. The succession date must be coming up soon. Will you stay there?’

“Ah. I think I’ll probably return to Berlin once the succession is decided. I heard you’re coming to Germany, Brother.”

‘Yes. Do you want to come to Frankfurt too? I’ll be arriving early next week.’

Jeong Tae-ui looked troubled. Of course he wanted to go. It would be a chance to see his brother’s face. However, he glanced at Ilay and shook his head.

“No……, I don’t think I can make it this time. I think we’ll have to see each other next time.”

‘I see……, that’s a shame. I want to see you.’

Jeong Jae-ui muttered with a slightly lowered voice, sounding genuinely disappointed. “Yeah, me too……” Tae-ui murmured, then suddenly stopped. He felt something subtle and wondered what it was, then realized: Has there ever been a time when what Brother wanted didn’t happen?

As far as Jeong Tae-ui remembered, there hadn’t been. If it was something Jeong Jae-ui wanted enough to voice it, it eventually happened in some form.

Somehow……, how should I put it……, somehow…….

“……. ……. I want to see you too, Brother.”

Jeong Tae-ui murmured ambiguously and tilted his head. His eyes met Ilay’s.

Ilay, who had been watching Tae-ui while resting his chin on his knuckles, seemed to have his eyes twitch slightly.

It happened in the next moment.

Ilay, who had been sitting on the sofa a few steps away, stood up abruptly, approached, and snatched the receiver from Jeong Tae-ui’s hand. Before Tae-ui could protest, Ilay answered in his stead.

“It’s been a long time, Jeong Jae-yi.”

He couldn’t hear what Jeong Jae-ui was saying on the other end. However, after a short pause, as if giving the correct answer, Ilay replied.

“You’re right. I stolen contentsuppose you Read on Read BL Novelsremembered my voice even after all this time. [stolen content]……Haha, thanks for the compliment.”

“Hey, Ilay. Give the receiver back. I’m still on the call.”

“Right, you’re coming to Frankfurt? If things go well, we might be able to meet. No, if you want it, we’ll meet. That’s just how you’re built.”

Lightly ignoring Jeong Tae-ui’s protest, Ilay held the receiver away from him. Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue a couple of times and pressed the speakerphone button. Ilay glanced over and continued speaking.

“Ah—that’s right. Come to think of it, there’s someone who very much wants to meet you and is also coming to Germany soon. Why don’t you try meeting them instead? I can hear from here that they’re sending constant love calls, promising you an incredible welcome.”

There were more than a few people sending love calls and promising an incredible welcome to Jeong Jae-ui. It wasn’t news, but Jeong Tae-ui looked up at Ilay curiously.

‘……? Who?’

Jeong Jae-ui’s voice flowed through the speaker, asking back in confusion, as if he also had no idea.

“I wonder who it could be.”

Ilay spoke slowly. His tone was almost as if he were joking, but the corners of his mouth curled slightly in dissatisfaction. Suddenly, Jeong Tae-ui remembered the words Ilay had left unfinished a moment ago.

Unwelcome news. An unwelcome face.

Could it be…—.

‘……Al Saud?’

Almost at the same moment Jeong Tae-ui thought of a certain person, a name was heard from the other end of the phone.

“Yes, you know him well.”

“That man is coming? To Germany?!”

It was Jeong Tae-ui who shouted, gripping Ilay.

Raman Abid Al Saud. A man whose ties were strangely twisted in many ways, including the involvement of Tarten. He knew the man was sitting behind the scenes here and there, but he hadn’t expected him to step forward personally.

Thinking of the man—who felt awkward and uncomfortable to deal with even now, just as he had years ago—Jeong Tae-ui unconsciously frowned.

“Yes. He says he’s coming in person to coincide with Tarten’s succession decision. Then he’ll depart from Frankfurt. Quite the timing, isn’t it?”

Ilay smiled meaningfully. Staring blankly at that twisted smile, Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head vigorously and clicked his tongue.

After a moment of silence, a quiet voice reached Jeong Tae-ui’s ears.

‘You have something wrong. He [visit our site]did request a contract with me in the beginning, but after [Read on Read BL Novels]I refused once, he only sends occasional greeting messages.’

“Aha. Greeting messages that show absolutely no ulterior motives, you mean?”

‘If you call a polite and courteous greeting asking to be contacted if I ever visit Saudi Arabia an ulterior motive, then I suppose you could call it that.’

Jeong Jae-ui’s voice was utterly calm and composed. Hearing that voice, one would truly believe that Raman was sending purely friendly greetings without any other intention—such as a scheme to entrust him with weapons development or other tasks for his own benefit. No, regardless of the reality, it was clear that Jeong Jae-ui thought so.

Even Jeong Tae-ui found himself thinking, Could it really be like that?

Come to think of it, since that side had already seized the upper hand in the power struggle, there would be no need to borrow external strength. Perhaps now he really was just sending occasional formal greeting messages for the sake of pure networking.

Although the cause was his own fault, he had smashed the villa to pieces before leaving; Jeong Tae-ui sighed, thinking it was a relief that the man hadn’t harmed his brother. It was then that—

“Ah, was it Rashid who was sending the love calls, then? I don’t remember well since I haven’t paid attention to that side.”

Ilay spoke with a slow smile. Silence followed from the other end for a moment. Breaking that silence with the words, ‘……It’s not that I was contacted directly, but it seems your news is faster than mine,’ Jeong Jae-ui affirmed his words.

Recalling the name that still felt unfamiliar in his memory, Jeong Tae-ui frowned. Wasn’t that the name of the one who lost the power struggle against Ali?

“Indeed. Even if he has firmly secured victory, the Al Faisal side wouldn’t be at ease with a figure like Jeong Jae-ui involved. ——He is still someone the arms industry would drool over and covet. There aren’t many people who can be expected to become the strongest ally just by their name, even though the tide of a political situation isn’t likely to change because of one person.”

Ilay held the receiver out to [Read on Read BL Novels]Read on Read BL Novelsunauthorized copyJeong Tae-ui again. Since it was on speaker, the receiver didn’t really matter, but Jeong Tae-ui took it bitterly.

“I sincerely hope you’d rather meet them than Tae-yi, Mr. Jeong Jae-yi. I really have no desire for this side to be swayed by your internal strife.”

‘……. If Tae-ui wishes, I wouldn’t mind living with Tae-ui.’

“No, I have absolutely no intention of living with you. Why is the conversation going in that direction?”

Ilay’s voice grew faintly menacing.

‘Because if you are with me, you won’t be swayed. ……And probably, as long as it’s not Tae-ui, nothing will happen to harm you, Riegrow. Wasn’t that what you wanted?’

Staring bleakly at the phone from which the calm voice continued to flow, Ilay shook his head slightly.

“I just can’t stand this fellow who is your brother.”

Knowing it would be clearly heard on the other end, Ilay spoke to Jeong Tae-ui. Jeong Tae-ui smacked his lips bitterly and held the useless receiver to his ear.

“For that reason, I don’t plan on going to Frankfurt. For now. If nothing happens, I’ll see you next time, Brother.”

‘Right, then it can’t be helped. Though I was looking forward to seeing you.’

The weight of “I want to see you” differs between [stolen content]other people and Read on Read BL NovelsJeong unauthorized copyJae-ui in terms of feasibility. Jeong Tae-ui looked up at the ceiling and muttered, “Uh, yeah.” Was it just his imagination that the near future seemed like it wouldn’t be smooth?

As if it had simply been a check-in call, just as they were about to hang up after exchanging a few greetings, Jeong Jae-ui spoke as if he had just remembered something.

‘Then take care, Tae-ui. ……Ah, that’s right. Could you tell Riegrow? Actually, I don’t like him that much either. Since several years ago, yes, around the time I took you to Berlin.’

With those final words and a short goodbye, the call ended.

Holding the useless receiver and blinking blankly, Jeong Tae-ui felt a stinging gaze on the side of his face.

“Surprisingly, the genius Jeong Jae-yi has a childish side.”

Looking at the man in front of him, Jeong Tae-ui thought to himself that he wanted to throw those spiteful words right back at him.

 

* * *

 

The place was as quiet and cool as always.

The overall circular space looked, at a glance, like a sophisticatedly decorated study.

Storage cabinets with doors filled and surrounded the circular walls like bookshelves; in the center, two plush single-person couches were placed on either side of a small table resting on a rug. Yellowing sunlight, filtering through a slanted glass skylight, illuminated the interior.

If the cabinets had been filled with books, it could have been called a tranquil study prepared by some wealthy person for leisurely relaxation.

However, what filled each of the cabinets with their numerous small doors were not books. They were small urns that could be easily lifted with two hands. And inside them were fine powders.

Only one of those doors was open.

Christoph merely stared at the urn inside without emotion. Having had no intention of touching it from the start, his hand did not move in the slightest. After staring for a while, he suddenly shrugged his shoulders and closed the door as if in a bad mood. Written there was his father’s name and two dates separated by thirty-some years.

As if someone had already visited before Christoph arrived, a fresh flower was placed in front of it. It was likely his mother.

“……Disgusting.”

The voice, with no one to hear it, echoed inside the empty ossuary.

Christoph turned away, rubbing his throbbing temples.

He shouldn’t have come. The feeling of being surrounded by names that had died long ago was always unpleasant. If it weren’t for his mother’s short phone call reminding him that today was his father’s death anniversary, he wouldn’t have come anywhere near a place like this.

As Christoph stepped toward the door, a name flickered at the edge of his vision.

He ignored it and took two steps, three steps, walking briskly, but his pace gradually slowed. Eventually, as if about to stop, his feet hesitantly returned a few steps.

On the door quietly closed in the shaded corner, the name of a girl who had died young long ago was written. Olivia Tarten.

However, the inside of that door was empty. The child’s body had been moved and buried on the hill behind the villa she had loved during her lifetime in the suburbs of Dresden. That door remained empty, merely engraving a memory.

“…….”

Christoph slowly extended his index finger. The finger, which came close to almost touching the name, hesitated for a moment and then pulled away.

In front of the door engraved with that lovely name, a single white rose that had been placed recently was tucked in. It seemed someone who cherished her had brought it. Unlike his father, who bleakly placed a single flower only when the anniversary came, she was still loved long after her death.

“……Why did she like me?”

Muttering abruptly, Christoph unconsciously shrugged his shoulders at the sound of his own voice, which echoed louder than expected.

Even though two-digit years had passed, he remembered. That pale girl, who spent most of her given time lying in a hospital bed, followed Christoph exceptionally well. She followed and liked Christoph even more than her own biological brother. Even though he didn’t remember ever showing her any kindness.

There’s no way she could like me. There isn’t a single reason for it.

As a long time passed, it became ambiguous whether she visit our sitehad [Read on Read BL Novels]truly liked him. No, he even felt [Read on Read BL Novels]as if he didn’t know what it meant to “like” someone.

“I wondered that too. Why it had to be you.”

A low voice echoed in the air.

Richard, clutching a white bouquet in one arm, was entering the ossuary.

After placing the bouquet in an empty vase on the table, Richard pulled out a single flower and approached Christoph. He placed the flower in front of his sister’s spot.

Watching Richard take the urn out of the compartment and quietly brush the dust—though there was none—off the top with his palm from a short distance, Christoph spoke bluntly.

“Do you come here every day?”

“Not every day. About two or three times a week.”

Richard, who had been stroking his sister’s urn, closed his eyes and remained silent for a moment as if offering a short prayer. Finding the sight somehow unfamiliar, Christoph looked at him as if he were a stranger.

Then, he happened to lock eyes with Richard, who suddenly opened his eyes and turned his head.

“I knew you’d be here because your horse was tied outside, but this is the first time I’ve seen you come here. ……Ah, right. Your junior uncle’s anniversary was around this time. I suppose it was today.”

The reason his voice sounded exceptionally cold wasn’t just because it echoed in this space.

Although he had returned home while the sun was still up, he had to be crushed by a mountain of paperwork again in the evening. He had stopped by for a moment during a reasonably generous break to wash up and eat, but he hadn’t expected to run into him even here. Of all places, here.

“Why did she like you?”

Richard muttered again. As if talking to himself, he didn’t even look at Christoph and simply brushed the urn with his fingertips.

“She didn’t know much about the world because she was always sick and lying in bed, but she wasn’t a stupid child. So why on earth did she like you? You, who had nothing to see but a superficial shell.”

Christoph’s eyes sharpened with displeasure.

“Then you should have stopped her. I didn’t like it either. It would have been better if you had told her not to.”

Richard did not answer. The gaze he flicked toward Christoph was imbued with a blade-like coldness.

It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried to stop her. While he had no way of knowing every conversation that passed between the siblings and Christoph, whenever Olivia approached Christoph, he had watched with a dissatisfied face and given a few warnings, but he never scolded or blocked her. Perhaps he simply couldn’t bring himself to do that to a sister whose body was so weak she wouldn’t live long.

Generally, that was how it was. Almost always, he just watched from a short distance with an unpleasant face—though he was always infinitely gentle toward his sister. Yes, even back then.

He didn’t remember exactly when it was. What was certain was that it was just before summer.

It was a hot day for spring. He remembered thinking that spring was finally over.

Above his head, sunlight filtered occasionally through the lush leaves; on the ground, blades of grass that had sprouted anew had already grown to his shins, and he walked with a limp, stepping on those blades.

Flowers were in full bloom. Bees flew around gathering honey. While taking a walk on horseback, the horse was unfortunately stung by a bee, and Christoph fell off.

Fortunately, he fell into a soft thicket and wasn’t seriously injured, but he sprained his ankle. The horse had run far away, but it would likely return to the stables on its own once it calmed down.

After confirming that the sprain wasn’t severe enough to hinder walking, Christoph was heading back along the forest path.

Then, he encountered them. Not far from the entrance of the forest trail, Olivia and Richard were sitting on a spread cloth.

It was a day when the sunlight shone dazzlingly. Olivia, who usually only walked in the mansion’s courtyard and rarely came out to the forest, seemed to be in good condition that day and was laughing happily. Beside her, Richard, who must have brought his sister out, was also smiling gently at her.

He regretted not taking another path, but he didn’t even have time to turn back. Almost at the same moment Christoph saw them, Richard also saw him. Richard paused and fell silent, and it wasn’t long before Olivia, who looked at him curiously, discovered Christoph.

“Christoph!” Olivia called out happily and readily stood up and ran to him. Richard followed behind her, looking reluctant.

Christoph consciously corrected his gait. He didn’t want to limp in front of them. He was confident in his ability to endure pain.

‘Christoph! What brings you here? Are you on a walk? That’s great, stay and play for a while. Listen, there’s freshly baked white bread and the most delicious apricot jam in the world from this morning. Yes, milk too! Eat with us before you go.’

Olivia, who had happily clung to Christoph’s arm recently only to be roughly shaken off and [stolen content]injured—an incident that had caused [Read on Read BL Novels]Christoph and Richard to fight—circled around visit our sitehim with a beaming smile, as if she didn’t even remember such a thing.

‘I’m not hungry.’

It was as he was bluntly rejecting her offer and starting to walk away. Richard, who had been sending a cold gaze with a dissatisfied face from a step back, suddenly spoke up.

‘You’re struggling to walk with a leg that isn’t sound. What happened to your horse, and why are you coming alone?’

It was a kind and soft voice, perhaps considering that his sister was there. However, Christoph was not one to miss the sarcasm embedded in those words.

As he glared at him with fierce eyes, Olivia, who hadn’t even noticed the silent conflict, looked up at Christoph with a clouded expression.

‘Are you hurt? Did you hurt your leg, Christoph? Just sit for a moment, okay? I have a first-aid kit. I always carry one because you never know what might happen. Please, just sit for a moment. At least a bandage……, okay?’

As if she were the one injured, Olivia looked as if she might cry at any moment. No, those glistening, wet eyes were already poised to shed tears the moment Christoph said no.

Christoph looked down at her with a frown. Then, he glanced and glared menacingly at Richard. Richard was scowling. He likely wanted to send Christoph away quickly and was surely regretting having said something unnecessary.

Seeing that scowling face, regretting his own rash words, made him feel a bit better. So, Christoph, who had intended to refuse flatly and leave, deliberately followed her obediently as she led him.

Christoph, who never entrusted his body to another’s hands, borrowed only a bandage from her to wrap his own ankle, feeling satisfied as he looked at Richard, who had a displeased face because his leisurely time with his sister had been interrupted—of all people—by Christoph.

Stupidly, he could have just scolded her harshly once. If he had, unauthorized copyOlivia wouldn’t have [unauthorized copy]invited Christoph into a place where Richard was present, at least.

But Christoph knew that Richard could not be strict with Olivia. It had always been that way.

‘Stupid fellow.’

Christoph muttered as he brushed past Richard. It was a tiny voice, barely audible, but Richard seemed to have heard it. A flash of anger appeared on his expression.

However, pretending not to notice, Christoph followed Olivia. Finding the unpleasant sound of footsteps behind him slightly amusing.

But how did he know? There had been many times he was injured, both large and small, but Richard rarely ever noticed when Christoph was unwell. He could endure pain as much as necessary.

And yet, every now and then, Richard would see right through him.

It was deeply irritating and unpleasant, yet also strange.

“Why is it…?”

Christoph murmured without realizing it.

“Yes. I haven’t been able to figure out why either. Olivia listened to everything I said, but the one thing she absolutely refused to do was stop trying to get close to you.”

Richard’s voice returned.

The answer was completely detached from Christoph’s question, but Christoph merely stared at him for a moment without saying a word.

He didn’t want to voice his doubt and give Richard one more clue to analyze him. Even without that, Richard already knew more about Christoph than anyone else—often without Christoph even realizing it.

“…. I suppose that wasn’t what you were going to say? Were you thinking of something else in the meantime?”

Yes, exactly like this.

Christoph glared at Richard, who was observing the silent Christoph with narrowed eyes and a subtle tone. A faint sense of displeasure washed over him.

“You certainly know a lot about me.”

He intended to say it in a heavily sarcastic tone, but because of the faint fear that rose alongside the irritation, he couldn’t even manage that as he wished.

“Because you have a face that’s easy to read. Especially when you’re hiding something.”

“Hmph. I suppose that’s why you always wear a mask of a smiling face. …—What do you think you know about me.”

Christoph frowned.

He didn’t welcome others knowing about him. That was synonymous with knowing what his weaknesses [unauthorized copy]were, and stolen contenthow stolen contentto most efficiently torment him to drive him into a corner. Just as Richard was doing now.

“Me, about you? True, I didn’t expect to run into you here. But I know things like this. …Yes, for instance, that doing this will make you recoil immediately.”

Without warning, Richard suddenly gripped his forearm. Christoph flinched and shook off the hand, his expression instantly hardening. Only then did Richard let out a low laugh, as if he felt a bit better.

“Still the same. And here I thought you’d gotten a little used to it. Just the other day, you fell asleep with my thing inside you.”

“I was unconscious, not aslee—!”

Christoph, whose earlobes grew hot as he shouted impulsively, shut his mouth upon seeing the smiling Richard. Richard had undoubtedly said that knowing exactly how Christoph would react.

Christoph swallowed his words and let out an irritated groan.

Richard knew more about him than anyone else. He hated the feeling of not knowing where the attack would come from, or the feeling that the secrets of his mind had been exposed. Lately, he hated that more than the physical contact that had become a daily routine.

Richard could humiliate and hurt Christoph more effectively than anyone.

“Why? You’ve become able to fall asleep even while I’m holding you now. After grumbling that it’s chilly and creepy, you eventually drift off.”

Richard spoke subtly as he walked slowly toward the door of the ossuary, blocking the way.

Christoph, who had been planning to find a gap and leave, glared fiercely at the man [unauthorized copy]who had seen unauthorized copythrough that as well. However, the reason he couldn’t retort was that the words were true.

He could now fall asleep even while being held. Although his body still stiffened instinctively whenever he felt the sensation of skin touching skin, he might have grown somewhat accustomed to the warmth and the feeling of being clung to from behind so tightly that he couldn’t move.

Even the dawn of the day before yesterday, in his sleep, he had felt a chill around his shoulder and unconsciously twisted his body, rubbing his shoulder and forehead against the warmth of Richard’s chest, only to wake up startled by his own actions.

Perhaps Richard had been startled too, for Christoph had woken up completely upon locking eyes with Richard, who was looking down at him with an incredibly strange expression.

Following that was the agony of having to endure that contact with a vivid mind, as Richard did not release the arms holding him until it was time to get out of bed.

It had been a very awkward morning for some reason. Above all, Richard didn’t bother to speak to Christoph that day, who was speechless with horror at himself. He remembered feeling relieved only when the afternoon came and they could finally exchange blade-like words as usual.

“It’s… it’s because you’re a blanket.”

At Christoph’s sudden remark, Richard arched an eyebrow in curiosity. Christoph glared at him openly.

“Since you’re covering me instead of a blanket, the parts not covered are cold. You can’t even cover me properly, so just be grateful that I sleep quietly.”

In front of Christoph, who would have grumbled that if it were any other blanket he would have ripped it to shreds and stepped on it in water, Richard remained silent for a moment. Then, he murmured sporadically.

“My apologies. I’ll make sure to cover you properly from now on.”

The moment he heard those words, Christoph frowned grotesquely. His stolen contentface said, Wait, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go. When he looked up [unauthorized copy]at Richard, masking visit our sitehis bewilderment with an expressionless face, the usual gentle smile slowly appeared on Richard’s face.

“I’ll strive to be a good blanket that covers every nook and cranny without a single gap.”

“……. ……. No……, well…….”

Christoph clicked his tongue inwardly. A gaze, narrowed with amusement as if seeing through the uncomfortable turmoil in his chest, was looking down at him. Christoph ended up muttering a curse to himself.

“Fine, it’s not like we’ll have a reason to see each other again soon anyway.”

Christoph spoke bluntly and turned his head. He looked down at the urn Richard had been touching a moment ago. A smooth, snow-white urn.

“……I see. ……Even if your mother continues to stay here.”

The slightly lowered voice carried a somewhat meaningful resonance.

Christoph flinched and pulled back his arm. Slowly, he glared at the face where that faint smile remained.

“Yes. Even so. ……Anyway, once you inherit the succession, my mother will forget me, so what does it matter.”

Richard fell silent. His face, which had lost its expression as if he were a different person from a moment ago, gradually regained its smile. Chillingly.

“My, my. Christoph. Are your feelings hurt? Because Aunt Bianca gave me more affection?”

“……I don’t care.”

“Then the next time I see you will be, at the earliest, at her funeral. Otherwise, you will never return to this place.”

“Right. I won’t return. Never. I will never face you again.”

Christoph violently shook off Richard’s hand, which was gripping his elbow. But it didn’t go as planned. The strength of the fingers digging into his elbow only grew stronger.

“Right…… in that case, give me a gift, Christoph.”

“What?!”

“Since you’ll never visit this place again for the rest of your life, give a gift to poor Olivia. If you can’t even give her a single flower, you should at least show one drop of a tear, as much as that child wept because of you.”

He gripped the elbow as if to break it. However, more than that pain, the resolute oppression of being dragged and stood before the door engraved with Olivia’s name pierced more vividly into his mind.

“It’s the last time, Olivia. Since the Christoph you loved so much says he’ll never come here again, take a good look at him.”

“…—Stop talking nonsense……. Olivia isn’t here. She’s buried in Moritzburg.”

“Yes, her body is. But she loved this forest dearly, so her soul might be [Read on Read BL Novels]lingering here. stolen content……Right, Olivia?”

“Don’t make me laugh! She’s not here! She’s dead! No matter what I say or do now, she can’t hear it!”

Richard pressed closely behind Christoph’s back, as if blocking him from retreating. The arms tightly embracing his waist felt exceptionally strange now, even though they embraced him like that every night. Perhaps it was because the warmth wasn’t transmitted directly due to the clothes.

“Olivia was a fool. Not knowing that you hated her enough to throw a dead animal onto her grave.”

“That, …—that, the dog was――.”

Christoph had no intention of making excuses. He had no intention of convincing anyone. He didn’t care if everyone cursed him or not.

But at this moment, he felt he had to say it. The thought occurred to him suddenly. But the moment he opened his mouth, a finger entered, as if to block it. Those now-familiar fingers slowly stroked over his tongue.

“Surely you won’t say it was for Olivia, Christoph.”

“…—.”

“To treat her so coldly while she was alive and then say it was for her after she died—surely, no matter how brazen you are, you couldn’t say that. Isn’t that right, Christoph? You hated Olivia from beginning to end. Not for a single moment did you harbor any affection for another person. ……Right?”

His thoughts snapped back into place.

Richard always knew Christoph well. To the point where he felt a distant fear.

“Ri, hard, …—.”

Ignoring the fragmented syllables of his name as Christoph stammered, Richard slowly slid the hand that had been toyed with the inside of his mouth to the nape of his neck. Before he knew it, Richard’s breath was brushing against his cheek.

“Did Olivia really like you? Even though you treated that child with such consistent coldness, did she really not resent you once until the day she closed her eyes? ……No, if it were me, I wouldn’t have.”

Pop, pop, pop, the shirt buttons were undone. The evening sun, which had been shining yellow, had turned red. Before long, the sky would be stained in deep indigo.

“Richard, don’t…—!”

But before Christoph’s low shout could finish, Richard roughly scratched the tip of his exposed chest with a fingernail. A sharp stimulus brushed against the flesh that had been swollen from being bitten and sucked all through the previous night.

“And now, you say you like someone? …—Ha. If it were me, I would never have forgiven you. No matter how many tears I saw in those eyes, no matter how many moans I heard from that mouth, it wouldn’t be enough.”

“Why, of all places, here……, get out, I said get out, I’d rather go out and……, then I won’t care what you do…—!”

“No, it has to be here. This is perfect. I need to let my poor younger brother know clearly, even now.”

At the chilly sensation of a tongue pushing into his ear, Christoph reflexively pushed him away. He tried to hurry toward the door, but his leg got caught in his trousers, which were already half-undone. Caught by the stubborn grip pulling at the fabric, he eventually tumbled to the floor.

Before Christoph could even get up, Richard was already mounted on top Read on Read BL Novelsof him. [Read on Read BL Novels]After tossing and [unauthorized copy]turning a few times, Christoph glared at Richard with piercing eyes before turning his head away.

You’ve become quick to give up, Richard murmured with a smirk and slowly leaned in. Familiar breath touched the nape of his neck. Amidst the surging tension, every sense in his body woke up acutely.

“Do you know, Christoph?”

“……?”

Christoph looked up with anxious eyes at Richard, who had started with an incomprehensible phrase. Richard, whose lips were tracing his collarbone, buried his face just below Christoph’s ear. And he remained motionless for a moment. The pulsing heartbeat could be felt where his lips touched.

At some point, Richard suddenly fumbled around Christoph’s chest and pressed a small piece of flesh with his fingertip. The hardened flesh throbbed with a tingling sensation, and Christoph let out a small gasp.

“Ever since you learned the taste of a man—that is, since you started spreading your legs for me, you’ve had a scent. ……I wonder if this is the scent a female beast in heat uses to gather males.”

“…—!”

“You smell of it all over your body. A scent that puts a person in heat.”

“Your sense of smell must be crazy, or your head is wrong!”

Christoph shouted lowly, biting his lip, which had lost its color from the sense of humiliation.

“Is that so? If it’s only my head that’s wrong, then that’s [visit our site]a relief. It would be bad if other guys fell for [stolen content]your charms. It wouldn’t be good for [stolen content]the family if someone neglected their work because they were preoccupied with your crotch. ……Do you understand? If you dare bewitch some innocent fellow, I won’t leave you alone.”

Ending the sentence lowly, almost like a threat, Richard gripped Christoph’s chin. Eyes flashing brilliantly glared at Christoph. As if he would truly kill him if he did.

“I, ……I’m crazy, to, this, dirty, —….”

“Haha……, yes, you were.”

Richard laughed pleasantly. For a moment, it seemed he pulled his body back slightly. The weight pressing down on his chest vanished, and Christoph breathed a sigh of relief. But that was only for a moment.

“Richard!”

A shout close to a scream erupted.

He looked down to see the crown of the man’s head buried between his spread thighs. From below, he felt the sensation of a mouth opening as if to devour him. Simultaneously, the moist flesh wetting his lower half.

Christoph gasped. The hand gripping Richard’s hair trembled violently. As he tried to push him away by applying strength to that hand, goosebumps broke out all over his body at the feeling of a tongue licking upward slowly yet firmly.

“Don’t, lick, …—dirty――, that…—.”

“Dirty? Then what are you, whose crotch is twitching even though it’s dirty?”

Richard’s ridicule reached his ears.

Christoph let go of the hand that had been gripping his head. Instead, he covered his face with that hand. He covered the mouth from which breaths he didn’t want heard were about to burst.

A squelching sound was heard from below. The sound of lips and tongue moving without hesitation, as if eating something delicious, was undoubtedly being done on purpose to be heard.

“Stop, it—….”

As Christoph barely managed to mutter, the movement below stopped for a moment. Instead, there was a sign of laughter.

“Stop it? You’re saying that because you can’t see what state your ‘here’ is in right now, but look, Christoph. Even so, it’s your own body, don’t you know? It’s twitching, begging for more.”

“I never, did—…!”

It was then. Richard, who rose without hesitation, seemed to reach down and part his own clothes for a moment, and then immediately pushed himself between Christoph’s thighs.

In the place where the small, thick flesh had been wetting just a moment ago, a familiar—yet forever strange—tip of flesh dug in.

“—…!!”

Christoph instinctively covered his mouth with his hand as a moan escaped. His wide-open eyes glared at the glass ceiling as if in disbelief. That voice from a moment ago should never have been his own.

“Ha, you cry quite beautifully. See, you get it now, don’t you? That my thing grew larger just from that one moan. I know my own changes very well, but you don’t? Even Read on Read BL Novelsthough this body, unauthorized copywhich keeps unauthorized copysucking me in to swallow me deeper, is clearly your body? —…Ha, you’re truly a killer.”

Richard let out a sound mixed with a low exclamation. And soon, he began to move his hips without hesitation.

Then, at some point, he seemed to hear a low laugh. Following that, words spat out by Richard in a low, grinding tone pierced his ears.

“Olivia, look. This isn’t your share. No matter how much you liked him, Christoph didn’t end up becoming yours in the end. ……A lovely child like you should never have gone near a vulgar fellow like this, who doesn’t know what to do with himself because he’s so pleased to have a man’s thing driven into his crotch.”

In an instant, Christoph glared at Richard in horror, his blue eyes wide with disbelief. Curses eventually flowed from those pale lips.

“You lunatic……! Showing this kind of thing to your sister……!!”

“Didn’t you say that no matter what I say or do now, she doesn’t know?”

Richard laughed. Then, he looked down at Christoph. Eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts gazed blankly, excited by a faint desire, and gradually narrowed.

He lowered his head. Following the face of Christoph, who turned away while hunching his shoulders, he bit his lip. A large hand stroked down his waist and gripped his groin. Christoph’s body jolted.

“You’ve never done something like this with someone who likes you, have you, Christoph? You couldn’t even do this with someone you liked.”

“―….”

“How pitiful. Claiming you want to know what it feels like, yet not even knowing.”

The lips moving against his own were ticklish. The words, like venom leaking from that mouth, flowed into Christoph’s.

“Repeat after me, Christoph.”

Richard spoke softly. His voice, too, had become rough and excited before he knew it. Beast-like breathing filled his ears.

“You said you wanted to know how it feels. Then try following what he did. If you do that, you might be able to understand the feeling. ……Repeat after me.”

As he told him to follow, the sensation of their lips lightly brushing was somehow soft. It sounded as soft as that voice, which was strange. Even though it shouldn’t be, it felt truly soft for some reason, and Christoph’s eyes widened.

“Did he seem to be enjoying himself? What did he do?”

At the gentle voice, which sounded like a spell being cast, a short memory surfaced in his mind.

A glimpse he had caught. Yet, it was an image vividly stuck to his retina, engraved in his head.

Jeong Tae-ui had been entangled with Riegrow. With his arms wrapped around Riegrow’s neck and his thighs squeezing his waist, burying his face in his shoulder as if struggling, he had looked like he was enjoying himself. A low, breathless voice had whispered continuously like a gasp.

“Ri…―.”

Christoph’s lips parted. As if hesitating, or perhaps reluctant, he uttered a single word and paused for a moment, before unauthorized copythe impact of the waist hammering below and [stolen content]thrusting into his groin forced a shallow breath out of him, and he continued.

“Ri, ……ha, rt, …―Richar, d, ……good, …―.”

As if memorizing a mathematical formula, he traced the short memories that barely surfaced in the corners of his mind, his lips spitting out gasping words.

He reached out. He hesitated for a moment before his skin touched, but those arms, though hesitant, carefully wrapped around Richard’s neck. Even then, his shoulders jolted and shrank several times.

Good—when he finally spoke it so softly it was barely audible, a heavy, stiff mass of pressure swelled within his body. He felt suffocated.

“Me too.”

A low, rough voice whispered. Just as Riegrow had done.

Christoph looked at Richard with wide eyes. Looking down from directly above at those eyes filled with a shock bordering on horror, Richard suddenly gave a bitter smile.

“You aren’t under some useless delusion, are you? Back then, didn’t his partner say this? Or did he say something else?”

Ah. I see.

After staring blankly at Richard for a moment, Christoph soon shook his head. Then, he buried his lips in Richard’s shoulder.

Yes. He had said that. Back then, Riegrow had [visit our site][Read on Read BL Novels]said that to Jeong Tae-ui. stolen contentJust as Richard had said now.

“I like it too. Me too. ……Only you.”

Even though the words Richard whispered were not his own, that rough voice tickling his ear sounded strangely affectionate, and Christoph, immersed in an extremely peculiar feeling, surrendered his body to the flow of sensation, jolting and shivering.

“Richard, good, ……good, …―ugh……, good, I like it. …―.”

With every word, his body shook more violently. The force of the waist colliding became more intense. His body was spread wide, creaking.

His wide-open pupils dilated. Blue moisture welled up.

Contrary to his words, his unstable, trembling eyes looked at Richard, not knowing what to do. As if falling into endlessly deep water, searching for even a piece of straw to grasp.

He was anxious. Suddenly, he became maddeningly anxious. To the point where the chilly sensations of the flesh didn’t matter. Yet, there was nothing to hold onto.

—Why can’t I?

They had looked happy. Jeong Tae-ui had been clinging to Riegrow. Looking very satisfied, his sweat-drenched face had been smiling faintly.

Why can’t I? Why is it not me? Why am I always empty? Hollow somewhere.

Why am I.

“……Christoph.”

He heard his name. A voice calling him.

Only then did he suddenly snap back to his senses. Right in front of him, Richard was looking down.

Strange. It was a very strange face. He had never seen such a face before.

He wasn’t smiling, nor was he angry, ……yes. It was a face that looked as if he didn’t know what to do, watching him with a hint of impatience.

Christoph stared strangely at that wavering face and blinked. In that moment, something flowed down past his temple to the curve of his ear.

“……?”

Only after blinking a few more times in confusion did he realize that tears had pooled in his eyes. Because it was strange, he blinked again.

In front of him, Richard was still looking down at Christoph. With a face that momentarily revealed bewilderment, not knowing how to react.

“……Why.”

When a short, blunt voice finally asked, it wasn’t as Read on Read BL Novelsstrange Read on Read BL Novelsas that face, so Christoph felt a bit relieved. That voice, which sounded angry, was at least familiar.

“No, I was just thinking for a moment. It’s nothing.”

“Thinking about what.”

“Nothing much, just, why am I……. ……I don’t need to tell you.”

Speaking absentmindedly, Christoph suddenly frowned.

Richard, who had been silently looking down at Christoph, muttered, “I see,” and lowered his head. Then, he licked Christoph’s lips. Slowly and viscously. Then, he began to lick not only the lips but also the cheeks and eyelids—his entire face. Thoroughly, without missing a single spot.

“Stop it!”

At that explicit sensation, Christoph cried out in goosebumps, and Richard whispered in his ear.

“What were you thinking?”

“―…Can’t I think things like, why can’t I be the one?”

“Ha……?”

“Why is it always not me, [stolen content]why can’t it be me, [Read on Read BL Novels]why am I the only one who can’t—can’t I think those things!”

Christoph shouted sullenly. But after shouting, he turned his head as far as possible, not wanting to show his face. Nevertheless, he could clearly feel the gaze touching his cheek.

Slowly, lips touched his cheek. Those lips moved from the cheek to the jaw, and then found Christoph’s lips, which were desperately trying to avoid them, and covered them.

“It’s because you looked for the wrong partner from the start.”

“…―.”

“From the beginning, you’ve been staring blankly at people who didn’t have a shred of possibility of looking back at you. Whether it was your mother, or that man.”

Christoph opened his mouth to respond, but before he could speak, a tongue pushed relentlessly into his mouth. Blocked by the tongue exploring the inside of his mouth and the lips sucking his own, he ended up swallowing his words.

“Again.”

“……?”

“Tell me. Again, repeat after me.”

Whispering against his lips, Richard slowly began to move his waist. The volume that had already been buried deep inside, filling him completely, moved slickly. The wet sounds coming from below gradually quickened.

His groin and the surrounding area were already drenched. That moisture was exceptionally vivid and [Read on Read BL Novels]slippery, and Christoph [stolen content]flinched and closed visit our sitehis eyes. The remaining moisture on his pupils finally flowed down.

He leaned his forehead against the shoulder in front of him. Rough breathing could be heard. He didn’t know if it was his own or the man’s.

Christoph whispered lowly. In a voice barely audible even to himself, he repeated the words he had heard once long ago. If he did that, would he be able to taste the emotions or sensations that man had felt back then?

He thought it was a voice small enough that no one else could hear, but it seemed his voice had gradually grown louder. At some point, coming to his senses, he realized Richard was responding lowly in time with Christoph’s words.

Just like they had back then. Just as they had, frantically entangled and swept away by ecstasy.

Perhaps that was why.

Christoph, who would never have done so under normal circumstances, failed to notice the presence.

The light sound of footsteps approaching the door and stopping. The sound of a breath being held. A wide-eyed gaze that seemed to freeze the very air.

He was simply suffocated by the hot body heat as Richard, who seemed to stop all movement and sound for a moment, quietly stroked Christoph’s head, covering his ear and pulling his head into his chest.

So Christoph continued to whisper, as if feverish. Vaguely thinking that if he whispered like this, he might one day truly know what it felt like.

 

* * *

 

When that man came to Dresden, the posture of the welcome was different even before he arrived.

No, to be precise, Tarten’s posture wasn’t much different from a while ago. It was the other party’s posture that was different.

Almost half a day earlier than the scheduled evening arrival, a group of men arrived. From the moment he saw the movements of those rugged and ominous men, who were guarding the inside and outside of the mansion with Tarten’s consent, Jeong Tae-ui was already fed up.

“Good grief, is a head of state visiting…….”

“Does the head of state in your country travel like that?”

Jeong Tae-ui, who had been idling and rolling around in the sun on the temporary tower, rested his chin precariously on the railing and looked down. Beside him, Yohan, who was searching for how to say things like ‘You are beautiful, miss’ and ‘Did you come alone?’ in Arabic, asked abruptly.

Although he had discharged before completing his term, Jeong Tae-ui, who was nominally an officer, scratched his head with a “Hmm.”

“Generally, if there’s an occasion to visit a public place, the whole area is on high alert from the day before……. It looks almost equivalent to that situation.”

“Well, still, it’s easier for nobodies like us. By now, guys like Richard must be exhausted dealing with that head of state, right?”

Glancing at Yohan, who was salivating and saying they should just wait for stolen contentthe banquet and enjoy the [Read on Read BL Novels]show, Jeong Tae-ui nodded with a sigh.

As he said, Richard and Christoph were likely heading here with that ‘head of state’ by now.

Al Faisal. The closest biological brother of Prince Ali, who had won the political struggle, and the guardian of Raman Abid Al Saud. At the same time, a man who had achieved immense success as a businessman.

The man himself, who had already practically retired and stepped back, didn’t matter. For Jeong Tae-ui, the people who would come with that man were the bigger problem.

“But it’s strange. For such a busy man to visit this place. Just how enormous a demand is he going to make for the repayment of the loan that his precious self has come in person?”

“I wonder…….”

“Well, it’s good for me. Surely he won’t be followed by a long line of only bearded men.”

Discussing the slender waists of Arabic beauties he had never seen, Yohan’s fingers moved like lightning as he searched for languages. Jeong Tae-ui looked at Yohan with slightly pitiful eyes and sighed.

“Did you find the words to use when seducing that problematic Arabic beauty?”

“Hmm……, a list of behaviors to be careful of in the Islamic world comes up. First, do not speak carelessly to women. Second, do not approach women carelessly. Third, never touch women carelessly…….”

“Right? Let’s cherish your life, Yohan.”

Leaving behind Yohan, who flipped his laptop over in stolen contentfrustration, Jeong stolen contentTae-ui turned unauthorized copyback to lean on the railing.

“……Ah. They’re here.”

He couldn’t see them yet, but he knew.

The men stationed and waiting inside and outside the mansion lined up with precision. Lined up orderly like toy soldiers, they didn’t budge, waiting for the noble guest who was about to arrive.

And not even a few minutes after Jeong Tae-ui muttered that, a procession of cars began to approach from the distant outer gate.

One, two, three…… cars, so many it was hard to count at a glance, approached in identical forms.

Among them was one familiar car. Richard’s car.

Only after seeing that almost majestic procession did it finally feel real.

Tarten’s succession date was just around the corner. The day when everything would be decided and end—or begin—had arrived.

 

 

Actually, he intended to avoid it as much as possible.

He didn’t know how long he could keep avoiding it, but regardless, even if someone came to call him, he planned to hide using every means possible, pretending not to be there.

Jeong Tae-ui did not want to encounter that man named Raman. Regardless of the cause, the shameful criminal history of destroying someone else’s house and running away was still vividly alive in his memory.

So he planned to quietly close the door, slide the bolt, and remain silent, pretending to be absent even if someone looked for him.

If only the first person to knock on the door hadn’t happened to be this man.

“Tae-yi, open the door. ……Before I break it.”

The voice was one he couldn’t possibly mishear, but there was no other man who would lightly yet seriously threaten to break a door that had been broken and replaced only a few days ago.

“Huh? ……Ilay?”

When he opened the door, Ilay, who had gone out early in the morning and was being seen for the first time today in the evening, was standing there, not yet having changed his clothes as if he had just entered.

“You said you had a lot to do today and would be coming back late.”

“Ah, I got in touch with them sooner than expected.”

“Hmm?”

“Why are you locked in your room?”

Changing the subject casually, Ilay entered the room and sat on the sofa, throwing off his tie first. Jeong Tae-ui looked at him suspiciously and shrugged.

“There’s a face I don’t particularly want to see.”

“……Aha.”

Soon, Ilay nodded as if he understood. Jeong Tae-ui took a beer from the minibar, handed one to him, and sighed lightly.

He had seen the car carrying Raman—the face he hoped he would never see for the rest of his life—stop in front of Tarten’s central entrance and watched him step out from the distant temporary tower. Even though it had been several years, he could recognize him instantly from afar.

Supporting the elderly man who stepped out after him—likely Al Faisal—he was exactly as he was in Jeong Tae-ui’s memory.

Jeong Tae-ui gulped his beer and then looked at Ilay as if he had suddenly remembered something.

“Come to think of it, have you ever seen him?”

“Only in newspapers or documents.”

I see, Jeong Tae-ui nodded. Indeed, even back then when [visit our site]he had caused a stolen contentspectacular mess, the homeowner himself hadn’t been there. It was after Ilay had gone visit our sitea step ahead to Riyadh, where he had planted the bombs.

Jeong Tae-ui stopped drinking his beer and stared intently at Ilay. Feeling that gaze, Ilay looked back at him while drinking his beer.

Actually, if you think about it, the homeowner whose house was destroyed should be the one in a worse mood than me…… thinking this, Jeong Tae-ui ended up shaking his head. He wasn’t that kind of man to begin with.

“I wanted to live without ever crossing paths with him if possible.”

As Jeong Tae-ui muttered like a sigh, Ilay, who had quickly finished his beer, set the empty can on the table and spoke as if it were unexpected.

“Aren’t you the type to solve problems rather than avoid them?”

“No, that depends on the problem……. As you know, I’m weak against the tyranny of power. I might if I thought something would come of resisting, but I have no hobby of hitting a rock with an egg.”

“Hmm……. Why not tell the rock to move? By giving it what it wants.”

“What the rock wants…….”

Jeong Tae-ui frowned as he spoke.

What they wanted was too obvious. Hadn’t that desire been clearly stated when Aziz visited recently?

“It’s troublesome. My brother’s will moves independently of mine.”

When Jeong Tae-ui shook his head, Ilay gave a somewhat dissatisfied smile. As if pointing out an unwelcome reality.

“Tae-yi. They aren’t fools. If they thought there was no room for you to intervene, they wouldn’t have come like this.”

Jeong Tae-ui looked at Ilay in silence. Eventually, realizing he couldn’t deny his words, he simply shrugged.

“But, it is definitely strange.”

Tapping the empty can with his fingertip, Ilay muttered as if talking to himself. Quietly stroking his chin, he gazed into the air.

“The name of the genius Jeong Jae-yi would certainly command an astronomical price in your industry, but I wonder if it’s truly worth the amount of time and effort spent to acquire him.”

Those words seemed addressed to Jeong Tae-ui, but in reality, they were a monologue.

If it were information that Jeong Tae-ui could answer, there was no way Ilay wouldn’t already know it.

Why would someone spend such a vast amount of time and immense effort to get hold of that genius’s name and abilities, and for what purpose? Where could they extract a value that would outweigh that time and effort?

He had heard that Al Faisal was a businessman. Raman, who had been designated as his successor—and was said to already hold most of the actual power—would likely be no different. If so, there was no way he hadn’t considered the opportunity cost.

“Even if they were to extract everything inside that brain, leverage all the credit [unauthorized copy]under that name, and stolen contentthen carve up the body to sell it off at a high price, it would be difficult to recoup the costs that shrewd businessman desires.”

Ah, no, if he’s that kind of genius, they could sell his sperm at a high price. That could be extracted continuously for decades without running dry, so it might be a profitable business in the long run, he muttered to himself. If, by any chance, this wasn’t a monologue, it was clearly a provocation directed at Jeong Tae-ui, who stood right there as the family member of the person currently being discussed as if on a chopping block.

“I’d appreciate it if you’d refrain from saying things that are horrifying just to imagine. For starters, the person you’re talking about is my brother.”

As Jeong Tae-ui muttered, smoothing the frown between his brows with his fingertips, Ilay said with a perfectly nonchalant face, “My apologies.”

While it was unlikely he would be used in such a manner, it was equally incomprehensible to Jeong Tae-ui. No matter how much the world coveted his brother’s brain, if it were Jeong Tae-ui, he would have rather diverted that effort to find a way to produce similar results elsewhere. That would have been far more efficient.

If so, the most rational conclusion one could reach was—…

“Perhaps that man’s pride was wounded quite severely.”

At the sudden remark, Jeong Tae-ui stared blankly at Ilay. He wondered if he had spoken his thoughts aloud, but Ilay continued.

“There are occasionally types like that. When things don’t go their way, they get so twisted inside that they have to make things happen as they desired, even if they suffer a loss, just to satisfy themselves. Especially those arrogant types who have strong backgrounds and high intelligence, so nothing ever went against their plans.”

Listening to his casual description, it sounded as if the man had a very narrow-minded, petty, and vindictive personality.

It didn’t match the impression of Raman that Jeong Tae-ui had seen, but then again, there was no evidence to argue otherwise.

Regardless, in practical terms, no matter how much Jeong Tae-ui thought about it, Raman had unauthorized copybeen obsessively chasing Jeong Jae-yi for [Read on Read BL Novels]years despite there being no sufficient gain. At the same time, he [Read on Read BL Novels]was the terrorist responsible for blowing up the villa.

“…….”

“What?”

Jeong Tae-ui smacked his lips bitterly at the situation where the perpetrator was badmouthing the victim and shook his head weakly.

“No…… I just thought it was a relief that you aren’t such a twisted guy.”

Adding that he was thinking this while seeing the state of someone dragging out an incident from years ago, Jeong Tae-ui erased the thought he had been pondering: Which is better—the type who drags it out for years, or the personality that smashes everything to pieces on the spot without thinking, without needing to drag it out for years?

Come to think of it, the man in front of him also had a very peculiar way of thinking.

“Did you want to get me back so badly that you were willing to give up a peaceful life and resort to terrorism?”

Jeong Tae-ui asked abruptly. To the joke delivered with a serious face, Ilay nodded without thinking for long.

“Ah, of course.”

Facing the man who answered with an equally serious face, Jeong Tae-ui scratched his head, feeling awkwardly embarrassed despite knowing it was a joke. Then, the man kindly drove the nail in.

“Does it sound like a joke?”

“…….”

He had no choice but to scratch his head even harder.

“Then for example, Tae-yi, if the situation were reversed, what do you think you would have done?”

At the question asked as if it were amusing, Jeong Tae-ui paused.

“No…… first of all, that hypothesis seems almost impossible to establish…….”

Jeong Tae-ui waved his hand. The very situation of this man being quietly captured and imprisoned in some remote mountain valley was already hard to imagine. However, looking troubledly at Ilay, who gestured for him to continue, Jeong Tae-ui pulled at his hair and thought about it. In truth, there was nothing to think about.

“There’s also the matter of timing. If such a situation had occurred back then, meaning a few years ago—”

“You would have been overjoyed and run away ten thousand miles.”

Ilay answered before Jeong Tae-ui could. Jeong Tae-ui smacked his lips bitterly. If you already know, why ask?

“Then how about now?”

Ilay’s eyes narrowed. Facing the man who was both mischievous and [stolen content]spiteful, Jeong Tae-ui frowned troubledly for a while before visit our sitefinally letting out Read on Read BL Novelsa sigh. It was a well-known fact that lying to him was useless.

“I’d have to go get you. Whether through terrorism or whatever.”

The moment he said it, Jeong Tae-ui felt a faint sense of despair. He had tried so hard to avoid this specific situation, but it seemed he had finally reached the end of his rope in life. No matter how much they lived together, he never wanted his way of thinking to become similar to that.

Still, it couldn’t be helped. Even if they were both hunted side by side, he couldn’t just stand there blankly waiting for someone who might never return.

“Ah—… after living together for just a few years, I’ve ended up at the end of my rope too…….”

Jeong Tae-ui muttered sorrowfully, clutching his head.

Suddenly, there was a sign of laughter. Looking up awkwardly, with a hint of resentment for why he had to ask such a thing, he saw Ilay smiling. He then beckoned him to come closer with a flick of his finger.

“……What.”

“I’m hard.”

“Why are you hard!”

Jeong Tae-ui shouted and took a step back. There was no need to ask what was hard. He was simply confused, unable to figure out which part of what he had said was a turn-on.

All Jeong Tae-ui had said was that his life had reached the end of the rope because of him.

Ilay looked at Jeong Tae-ui askew and slowly rubbed the front of his trousers. His narrowed eyes were becoming increasingly sincere.

The omens were not good. From this early evening, before they had even had dinner, the feeling was extremely bad.

But then.

The sound of a knock brought a momentary silence to the room.

“I will enter for a moment.”

A short, cold voice followed the knock. And immediately after the voice ended, though not excessively hasty, the door opened without waiting for an answer.

The door, which Ilay had not managed to lock when he entered, swung open. And from behind it, a man stepped forward without hesitation.

As he took a few steps into the room, the man seemed to scan the entire space in that short time. From Ilay, who was leaning askew on the sofa, to Jeong Tae-ui, who was standing near the minibar.

And Jeong Tae-ui looked at the man, who had come alone without a single attendant or subordinate, with a somewhat dazed feeling.

A man he had not expected to visit so quickly, and even personally, was standing there.

Raman Abid Al Saud.

The man he hadn’t seen in who knows how many years was looking directly at Jeong Tae-ui. Exuding the same pressure as when they first met, with a face devoid of any trace of a smile.

“It has been a long time, Mr. Jeong Tae-ui.”

That precise pronunciation was also the same.

Jeong Tae-ui let out a silent sigh and spoke.

“Yes, it has been a long time.”

Raman nodded slightly at Jeong Tae-ui’s weak greeting. Then he shifted his gaze toward Ilay.

“And this person is……?”

“Ah…… I was just talking with a friend. Um, …….”

This is the person who completely demolished your villa and terrorized your country’s capital, should he say the name or not? Jeong Tae-ui hesitated for a moment.

There was no way the man didn’t know the name, and even if he didn’t say the name, it was unlikely he wouldn’t recognize the face, but it was only human to hesitate.

“I am Ilay Riegrow. Though I am rarely called by my first name. Pleased to meet you.”

However, while Jeong Tae-ui was hesitating, the party in question stood up readily and extended his hand. And before Jeong Tae-ui’s eyes, the perpetrator and the victim, meeting for the first time in years, stood facing each other with nonchalant expressions and shook hands.

“I see. I have heard much about you.”

Of course you have, Jeong Tae-ui thought to himself as he silently took out a beer. In his agitation, he almost pulled the tab without thinking, but realizing a guest had arrived, he put the can back down.

However, the greeting between the two men did not last long.

By the book, a duel to the death should have broken out here, but they simply exchanged greetings and let go of each other’s hands as if nothing had happened. It was a moment so devoid of tension that it made the slightly nervous Jeong Tae-ui feel foolish.

But why had this man come?

The moment Raman withdrew his gaze from Ilay and looked at him, Jeong Tae-ui belatedly came up with a thought.

This man, who hadn’t sent anyone to call him—though if someone else had come to fetch him, he wouldn’t have followed no matter what—and had instead humbled himself to come here personally, must have business with none other than Jeong Tae-ui. And that business, he presumed, was likely not to hold him accountable for the ruins of the villa.

With a heavy heart, Jeong Tae-ui immediately brought up the biggest topic of discussion he could imagine.

“Come to think of it, you said you were in contact with Jae-yi’s brother occasionally. I heard from him. That you contacted him occasionally to check in…….”

If he had to face it anyway, the right [stolen content]unauthorized copyanswer was to get the uncomfortable issues over with quickly.

As Jeong Tae-ui mentioned the name, Raman’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Now that he looked, the man seemed a bit thinner. His cheeks and jawline felt sharper. Or perhaps it was because he was looking at him with eyes far colder than when he had been with Jeong Jae-yi.

“Indeed…… it seems Mr. Jeong Tae-ui is in frequent contact with Mr. Jeong Jae-yi.”

Raman spoke in a subtle tone. Jeong Tae-ui raised an eyebrow.

“Not enough to call it ‘frequent.’ Ah…… I heard you exchanged messages occasionally; did I hear wrong?”

“No, that is correct. It seems the organization delivers my messages about twice a year. Thanks to that, we are able to exchange greetings.”

“Ah, yes,” Jeong Tae-ui trailed off ambiguously.

Judging by that tone, it sounded as if he poured out countless messages, but almost none of them actually reached. Jeong Tae-ui lightly pressed his temples, feeling as though he would suffer from a headache tonight, wondering why someone of such a busy status would be so persistent with his messages.

“Is there a need to go that far in contacting him? My brother is not the kind of person to accept something he does not want, even if he is contacted dozens or hundreds of times. Furthermore, if it were something my brother wanted, it would have happened even if the UNHRDO tried their best to block it.”

There was no point in speaking indirectly among these people with extraordinary intuition. Jeong Tae-ui spoke very directly: stop persistently making requests to someone who doesn’t want them.

And that meaning seemed to be conveyed to Raman very accurately, as expected.

“Something Mr. Jeong Jae-yi does not want……. Mr. Jeong Tae-ui, it is useless to say this now, but I am certain that at that time, had you arrived just one month later, I would have achieved what I desired. No, at the very least, I would have certainly secured the foundation to achieve my goal.”

Raman’s tone changed instantly. The voice that had been cold yet low and polite now felt like nothing more than a desolate blade. Along with that voice, a cold and frigid gaze glared at Jeong Tae-ui without hesitation.

He had felt it before, but it seemed he was still quite hated by this man.

“If what you desired was to make my brother your ally and drag him into political strife, then I should consider it a great blessing that I wasn’t a month late.”

“Drag him into political strife? I? Him?”

Raman slowly repeated Jeong Tae-ui’s words one by one. He gave a low, short laugh as if it were absurd, and then didn’t even mention it again, as if it weren’t worth discussing.

“Because Mr. Jeong Tae-ui destroyed my villa and took him away, many things went awry. Not just for me, but likely for Mr. Jeong Tae-ui as well.”

As he said, Jeong Tae-ui, whose life path had changed because of that, didn’t regret it now, but he couldn’t deny the words and ended up smiling bitterly.

“I apologize for the villa. However, I would appreciate it if you understood that it was unavoidable. It was necessary to get out of there with my brother, who was confined like a criminal despite having committed no crime.”

“Confined, you say…….”

As soon as Jeong Tae-ui finished speaking, Raman [Read on Read BL Novels]repeated the words as if to himself and stolen contentgave a low snort. Then he looked at Jeong Tae-ui with a stern face.

“Mr. Jeong Jae-yi would not have thought so. Had he thought so, there is no way he would have stayed in my house for so long. …—Yes, had you not come looking for him, he would still be there, immersed in peaceful contemplation without anyone’s interference.”

There was confidence in Raman’s voice. Although he had kept Jeong Jae-yi confined, he was saying that it was simultaneously with Jeong Jae-yi’s tacit consent.

Of course, no one could have tied him down against his will, but it was inevitable that these words felt like the pot calling the kettle black. Jeong Tae-ui scratched his brow with a hum.

“Peaceful contemplation is certainly something my brother enjoys, but it seems that you, a stranger, and I, his family, have different perspectives on the matter.”

“Family…….”

Raman fell silent. A chill swept across his face as if something had bothered him.

Yes, family. That was a firm bond determined before birth, something no one could deny.

After staring at Jeong Tae-ui with ice-like eyes for a moment, Raman spoke as if nothing had happened.

“Everyone eventually finds a new family more precious than their original one. More so than blood relatives they hardly ever meet. Is that not the case for you as well?”

Well, that’s true, Jeong Tae-ui thought, and as he instinctively tried to glance at Ilay, he suddenly shut his mouth. He tilted his head in confusion.

“……. But what does that have to do with you capturing and confining my brother?”

Jeong Tae-ui frowned slightly at the flow of conversation, which seemed to be subtly drifting off-topic. He was talking about his legitimacy as family regarding the incident at the time, so why bring up the story of a more precious new family? ……Could it be.

A thought suddenly flashed through Jeong Tae-ui’s mind, and he quickly added.

“I can certainly say that I have a new family as precious as my own, but that doesn’t mean Jae-yi’s brother is no longer my family. Even if my brother ends up in a similar situation, I won’t just stand by and watch. And if I go to find him, he will likely follow my will this time as well, for the most part.”

Therefore, do not try to capture and confine my brother somewhere using similar methods again—with that wish in mind, Jeong Tae-ui spoke firmly with a forced smile.

“…….”

However, a subtle silence followed.

Not only Raman, who stood before him, but also Ilay, who had been listening to their conversation with his arms crossed in interest, said nothing.

“What an admirably enviable brotherly love. Indeed, the lucky charm is quite confident.”

Raman spoke softly. At the faint glimmer of anger bleeding through the tip of his tongue, Jeong Tae-ui tilted his head again. It seemed he had stepped on a landmine, but what on earth had he stepped on this time?

But before Jeong Tae-ui could guess the answer, Raman, seemingly having no desire to exchange more words, brought up the main point without hesitation.

“To be blunt, I have come to ask your intentions.”

Jeong Tae-ui thought for a moment about what this man could possibly want to ask him, then gave a vague nod.

“……I hope it is something I can give you a favorable answer to.”

“I would prefer to ask you to take your time before answering, but you will not be staying here long, nor is there much time. Therefore, I will speak plainly. I would like you, Mr. Jeong Tae-ui, to help me so that Mr. Jeong Jae-ui may assist me in the future.”

He had suspected as much, but the purpose was indeed blunt and clear.

This was no different from what he had heard through Aziz’s mouth not long ago. And Jeong Tae-ui had given a definitive answer regarding that point.

Because of that, Jeong Tae-ui knew.

This was the ultimatum and the final offer this man was presenting to him. If he passed up this proposal, the same opportunity would not come again.

There was no need for further words. If he accepted the offer and simply passed a few words along to his brother, the restrictions that had weighed upon Jeong Tae-ui, Ilay, and others for the past few years would vanish completely. Not only would they no longer see their own faces on wanted lists, but there would undoubtedly be incidental benefits as well.

Jeong Tae-ui lowered his head and looked down at his feet. For several minutes, he remained in silence for quite a while, yet Raman did not rush him and waited patiently for an answer.

“Does it absolutely have to be my brother?”

When Jeong Tae-ui finally asked, his voice sounding like a sigh, Raman paused.

It was true that Jeong Jae-ui was an exceptionally outstanding individual beyond compare, but if one looked, there would be others just as capable. Or, even if they fell slightly short, one could simply place several of them under his command. This man possessed sufficient power and wealth to do so.

And yet.

“It must be him.”

The answer came without hesitation.

Jeong Tae-ui frowned and scratched his head. Then, he glanced at Ilay.

If only he could nod here and free that man from the shackles of being a fugitive, it would be perfect.

For some reason—though he wondered how many things in his life had actually happened by his own volition—he felt uneasy, as if he had inadvertently placed Jeong Jae-ui and Ilay on opposite sides of a scale to weigh them.

With a displeased expression, Jeong Tae-ui pulled at a strand of hair for no reason, clicked his tongue, and turned sharply toward Ilay, speaking decisively.

“Ilay. Just so you know, if you end up locked away somewhere, whether as a terrorist or whatever, I’m going with you. I’ll live while being hunted—or locked up—right alongside you.”

At Jeong Tae-ui’s sudden declaration, Ilay, who had been observing them with mere interest, stared at him blankly as if he had been lightly struck. Turning his gaze away from Ilay, Jeong Tae-ui politely declined Raman.

“I am sorry. I have no intention of urging my brother to do something he does not wish to do.”

After those words left his lips, a few seconds of silence followed. At the end of that silence, Raman confirmed calmly, as if it weren’t particularly surprising.

“Then I shall take that as your refusal of my offer.”

“Yes.”

“Mr. Jeong Tae-ui. I do not particularly like you, but I am extending my utmost goodwill solely because you are Mr. Jeong Jae-ui’s brother.”

He knew. This man was not the type to give a second or third chance. He was the kind of person who might give one chance to turn things around, but once that chance was squandered, he would crush the opponent without hesitation.

Instead of answering, Jeong Tae-ui gave a light shrug of his shoulders.

Of course, he would have loved to simply pass along a few words and live as a free man. But he couldn’t push someone else into a state of unfreedom just for his own convenience.

Raman gave a barely perceptible nod. Then, as if he had no further intention of speaking, he left a short “Farewell” and turned away.

It was then.

“Ah. Come to think of it—though you likely already know—it has reached my ears that Prince Rashid harbors ill will toward those who helped Prince Ali. Although Prince Ali has gained the upper hand in the power struggle, the political situation likely hasn’t stabilized yet—…I sincerely hope no harm comes to your guardian.”

The person who spoke with such formality was Ilay, who had been listening to their conversation until now. Raman looked back [stolen content]expressionlessly at him; Ilay’s face seemed devoid Read on Read BL Novelsof emotion, but there was a flicker of a smile in his eyes.

“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Riegrow. However, unless there is an unexpected terrorist attack, I don’t believe you need to worry about our country’s internal affairs.”

Leaving behind those pointed words, he turned away. And this time, he left the room without looking back. There was no voice to stop him this time.

Only after the sound of his footsteps had faded into the distance did Jeong Tae-ui let out a deep sigh. The tension left his shoulders.

“As expected, seeing him again after all this time, I still……”

Jeong Tae-ui seemed to search for the right words for a moment, but unable to find them, he eventually spat out his unfiltered emotions.

“I hate that guy.”

As Jeong Tae-ui spoke decisively and shook his head, Ilay looked down at him with crossed arms. Then, he arched an eyebrow as if intrigued.

“It is rare for you to clearly define that you hate someone.”

“Is it?”

Hearing that, Jeong Tae-ui realized he couldn’t immediately think of anyone he particularly disliked. Indeed, hating someone required as much energy as liking someone, so he tended to avoid it altogether.

But he hated that man. He had thought so before, and Read on Read BL Novelsseeing him again [unauthorized copy]after a long time, that feeling had not changed.

“Anyway, I hate that guy. I hate that bastard.”

Ilay looked down at Jeong Tae-ui, who was grumbling like a throwing-a-tantrum child, with a strange look in his eyes.

“Why?”

Why.

He couldn’t answer that question readily. An answer that felt almost within reach didn’t quickly form in Jeong Tae-ui’s mind.

After pouting his lips in silence for a long while, Jeong Tae-ui suddenly spoke.

“He makes me anxious.”

“Anxious……?”

“I feel like he’d steal something precious. That’s why I don’t like him.”

He expressed that feeling, which couldn’t be clearly put into a single word, using the closest emotion possible. Then, the feeling seemed to become tangible.

It was an anxiety regarding loss.

Loss, of what?

He didn’t know that far.

Simply feeling that way, Jeong Tae-ui glared at the door where Raman had already disappeared.

Beside him, Ilay merely watched Jeong Tae-ui in silence with a gaze that made it impossible to tell what he was thinking. Then, he suddenly tilted his head to the side, cracking his neck bones one by one.

“Well…… regardless, he’s a man with guts. It should be dangerous to leave his own country in this situation.”

Jeong Tae-ui looked at Ilay curiously. Ilay continued in a nonchalant tone.

“Rashid may have lost the political struggle, but it’s not beyond recovery. If he just captures the key figures who supported Ali, the opportunity will return to him. In other words, Al Faisal—or his representative—is not in a position to be wandering around so leisurely.”

Jeong Tae-ui looked surprised. However, after blinking a few times, he just muttered, “Hmm.”

“That neighborhood is complicated too. ……But I’ve got enough on my own plate, so I don’t have the energy to care about that.”

Muttering that he was terrified of how that man would act starting tomorrow, Jeong Tae-ui turned to leave, only to look at Ilay in confusion again as he suddenly blocked his path.

“Hmm?”

“Does it matter how he acts? It’s just a matter of whether we live as fugitives together or live locked up together.”

Only after hearing those words did Jeong Tae-ui recall what he had said a moment ago. A forgotten sense of embarrassment suddenly washed over him.

“Ah, uh…—Well, I guess so.”

As Jeong Tae-ui spoke haltingly and pulled at his hair again, Ilay laughed lowly. At some point, he leaned down, bringing his lips close to Jeong Tae-ui’s ear, and whispered.

“Tae-yi. You’re hard.”

“—…I mean, why are you hard!”

Jeong Tae-ui shouted in shock and stepped back.

But this time, he failed.

Before he could escape the range, Ilay’s arm wrapped around his waist. Based on long experience, once that happened, it was better to assume there was no escape.

The peaceful evening came to an end.