By Zephyria 
Although it wasn’t that much of a threat, Gyu-oh lived with his nerves on edge at all times after detecting the tail. Not only did he stop visiting the company, but whenever he had to make a call, he only contacted people through a temporary phone. Perhaps because there was no significant progress, Son Pro began to provoke Gyu-oh more aggressively.
“If not tailing, how are they approaching you now?”
When approaching the Executive Director and Son Pro, Gyu-oh played the role of a ‘black hacker who knows Son Pro’s secret.’ His name, age, occupation, and place of residence were all lies, and he intentionally mixed in English during conversations to pretend he had lived abroad for a long time. Therefore, no matter how much they followed Gyu-oh, they wouldn’t be able to find anything substantial.
“They’re sending wreaths and quick-service deliveries. I saw them throwing out a flowerpot earlier.”
He was talking about the gifts arriving at the building the Seong-tak gangsters used as their office. Since he had visited a few times with a tail, as if it were his own office, Son Pro had focused his attacks there. The low-level gangsters guarding the space were flustered and wary of the sudden flowerpot gifts every time.
“Flowerpots? With recorders planted in them?”
“Yeah. Now they dig up the bottom of the pot to check every time they receive one. The pots are getting bigger just to spite them.”
Gyu-oh puffed out both hands in the air. It was a meaningless battle between spear and shield. Gyu-oh, who was supposed to be caught in the middle, simply watched the situation with amusement.
“The innocent guys are just getting suspected for no reason.”
“Yeah. If they actually clash, it’ll be quite a sight.”
Min-ho glanced at Gyu-oh, who was giggling in the passenger seat. Unlike the boy who was acting carefree, Min-ho was inwardly worried. Now that Son Pro had blatantly put a tail on him, Won Gyu-oh was not safe. Every time they met, there had to be someone who volunteered to be the driver like this, or otherwise, he had to ride a motorcycle to easily shake off tails even when alone. He also had to endure the hassle of selling the motorcycles and switching them every week or so.
Moreover, he spent most of his day holed up in a hotel, or sometimes had to return after a meaningless, long flight. Most importantly, there was no end in sight for such a life. Not until Son Pro was cornered and self-destructed.
“……The place you’re staying. Is it safe?”
“Hmm. I wonder.”
Honestly, it wasn’t a situation he could guarantee. He was staying by moving hotels and creating confusion by going up and down a few floors via the stairs. But they might encounter each other one day. He couldn’t hide forever, and it would be exhausting to move secretly like a clandestine meeting every time they shared information.
“Then what will you do? Do you have an alternative?”
“Should I add a setting that I’m a hacker employed by U-won?”
“…….”
In the past, Gyu-oh had often been in similar situations. At those times, he used to stay with someone who could judge the situation, whether it was Min-ho or Mu-gyeong, but this time he didn’t even bring up a similar suggestion. Despite saying he had no particular ulterior motives, he didn’t treat him as he did before. This must be an extension of the subtle change that had occurred between them.
“It’s more bearable than I thought. Drifting around suited my aptitude anyway.”
Although Won Gyu-oh said that, Min-ho’s heart was not at ease. Should I give him an office-tel and stay somewhere else for a while? No, right now, even a minor change could be suspected by Son Pro, so he needed to be careful. Nothing good would come from it if it were revealed that Gyu-oh and U-won were connected.
He hadn’t normally been this concerned about safety, but this time, he was strangely worried. Even though he knew Gyu-oh would handle it well, why was he so anxious this time? There should be… nothing different from before.
“Hyung, the light.”
“……Oh.”
Lost in deep thought, he hadn’t even noticed the light had changed. Min-ho, who had been tapping the steering wheel, flinched at Gyu-oh’s voice. He hurriedly gripped the wheel and stepped on the accelerator.
He didn’t forget to check behind him occasionally to see if any suspicious cars were following. Fortunately, perhaps because he was using his own car, no suspicious shadows followed. It was around the time they had circled the center of Seoul and reached the hotel where Gyu-oh was staying.
“Drop me off by that warehouse. It connects to the underground parking lot passage, so it’s perfect for sneaking in.”
Min-ho shifted his gaze in the direction Gyu-oh pointed. Although it was hidden by a low wall, several carts filled with large trash bags were lined up. It seemed to be a warehouse for transporting hotel trash.
“You’re going to… crawl in through that gap?”
Had he entered this way every time he went out? Since Min-ho hadn’t played the role of driver for a while, he hadn’t known he went to such lengths. It was the result of entrusting everything related to Gyu-oh to Mu-gyeong and intentionally ignoring it.
“Yeah. I can hold my breath for up to two minutes.”
He bragged about it as if it were some great feat. Well, since they were both from the bottom, enduring among trash like that was no big deal. But for some reason, he didn’t feel like letting him go.
“…….”
He had managed to ignore it for a while. Even now, the right thing to do was to let him in quickly and think nothing of it. Why couldn’t he do that? Hardship was something he’d always done, and hadn’t he been the one to pursue the most efficient method regardless of the way?
“Hyung, you passed it.”
Min-ho quickly drove past the alley where the warehouse was. Once he did it, there was nothing left to hesitate about. It wasn’t as difficult as he thought. Min-ho, readjusting his grip on the wheel, parted his dry lips.
“……Pack your things and come out.”
Gyu-oh, who was twisting his body to get out, sent a blank look.
“You want me to check out?”
There was a hint of anticipation in his questioning voice. Since their relationship was ambiguous and Won Gyu-oh’s strange curiosity hadn’t subsided, he hadn’t wanted to say this. Even though he realized the situation could flow even more strangely, he couldn’t think of any other way. Biting his lip, he turned the wheel toward the ground-level parking lot.
“If you come into my room, I’ll kill you.”
Whether Gyu-oh understood my meaning perfectly or not, he covered his mouth with his hand. I didn’t know if he was hiding a laugh or reacting in surprise, but I didn’t bother to turn my gaze to check.
“If we so much as touch by mistake, I’m kicking you out immediately.”
“Yes, of course, Master.”
The playful response was laced with an unmistakable excitement. It was as if he had been waiting for me to say this first. It almost felt like I had built up a wall only to take a step back and leave a gap. Biting my dry lower lip, I felt the need to add more.
“I’m just… letting you in because I feel sorry for you. You’ll stay just like you did at the hotel—uncomfortably.”
“Mm-hmm.”
Gyu-oh might have actually been taking it quite simply, but because I felt strangely guilty, I kept rambling. Just as I was about to add something else, Min-ho let out a low sigh. I don’t know. The situation might have become awkward, but my mind felt at ease. That’s enough.
“But if I go in first, isn’t it my room? If I lie down first, it’s my bed.”
A playful question returned, as if he hadn’t given a single thought to my confused heart. It was such a typical Won Gyu-oh thing to say that my head throbbed and I craved a cigarette. I scowled fiercely and glared at him.
“Just go get in a trash bag, you.”
“I’ve never been in a bag before. You’re joking, right? I was joking too.”
Hahaha. While Gyu-oh let out an artificial, staged laugh, Min-ho parked the car according to the lines.
“Want to go up together?”
It was likely just a suggestion to go together to get the luggage. But no matter how I thought about it, the image of the two of us heading to the hotel room alone wasn’t great. Instead of answering, Min-ho abruptly reached out and rummaged through Gyu-oh’s jacket pocket. Despite the sudden touch, Gyu-oh quietly let him search.
“……I’m going to smoke a bit over there.”
He finally managed to pull out the cigarettes and lighter from the pocket. For someone borrowing them, he acted quite bold without saying a word, but between the two of them, bringing up such a request would only have been cringeworthy and awkward.
“Sure, then.”
Following Gyu-oh, who nodded and got out, Min-ho opened the driver’s side door. Just as he leaned his body and was about to step out, a voice stopped him.
“Hyung, wait.”
Min-ho paused, sitting awkwardly in the car seat. He heard hurried footsteps, and soon something poked through the half-open car door.
“What is this?”
It was a motorcycle helmet, held together at the chin by a strap. As he stared blankly, wondering what this was all about, Gyu-oh shook the helmet slightly as if urging him.
“Wear this and come out. The face shield is tinted, so your face won’t be visible.”
“……Doesn’t this look more attention-grabbing?”
“Still, it’s better than having your face exposed.”
That was a fair point. No one was tailing them yet, and they had only just checked into this hotel today. Still, there was no benefit to getting caught.
Besides, it wasn’t like he was being told to ride a motorcycle, so it was better to be safe. As Min-ho slowly and sluggishly took the helmet that had been pushed through the gap, the door swung wide open. Then, Gyu-oh stood there, blocking his view.
“I told you. You should have ridden with me more often when I offered.”
“…….”
“Why are you so clumsy?”
Slower than Hong-ju-ssi. While adding the playful rebuke, the touch of his hand fastening the helmet buckle was quite tender. Min-ho, who had been holding the strap awkwardly, relaxed and let his hands hang limp.
Gyu-oh carefully lowered the black-tinted face shield and tapped the top of the round helmet twice. Tap, tap. The light sensation was strangely ticklish.
“There.”
“Get away.”
A tender voice and a cold tone clashed, and at the same time, their eyes met. One was cold, the other warm. Won Gyu-oh and Cha Min-ho had always lived with these temperatures, but now, strangely, a peculiar feeling surged.