5. Fiery Love

Hwang-ah, who had been sitting on the wooden platform, slid her phone into her pocket. Namu was on Seong-cheol’s back as he climbed up the slope, panting.

“Huff, huff, it’s damn hot.”

Namu, who had seemed unconscious, carefully climbed down from Seong-cheol’s back. He bowed his head to Seong-cheol with an embarrassed and apologetic expression.

“Th-thank you.”

“Forget it, forget it. It’s much easier to carry you on my back than to support you.”

Namu also helped as he looked up at Seong-cheol, who was wiping his sweat-drenched face and fanning himself with his hand. Even so, it was just a ‘maple hand’; no matter how much he fanned, it barely did anything.

“Right, you need treatment, so go wash up quickly and come out.”

“Yes….”

Namu, feeling bad for Seong-cheol who was pouring sweat like rain, hesitated to move. Then, his eyes widened as he noticed Hwang-ah. He hadn’t seen her because she was hidden by Seong-cheol’s bulk.

“Uh….”

“Hi?”

Surprised by the unexpected encounter, something fluffy and soft wrapped around Namu’s calf. It was the red dog, which had been holding its breath and smelling Namu for a long time.

The way it leaned in slowly only after confirming Namu’s safety was incredibly clever. Eventually, Namu looked down at the red dog pressing its moist nose against his thigh and started to reach out, then flinched.

‘Just like that dog you dragged out of the grave.’

There’s no way… that could be.

But his intuition kept whispering that his guess was correct.

“Seeing this, dogs are better than people. There are plenty of bastards who’ll stab you in the back for a few pennies, regardless of whether you’re the savior who saved them or not. But this guy just goes crazy with affection whenever he sees Namu.”

Startled by the words that confirmed his intuition, Namu looked back at Seong-cheol. Seong-cheol, smiling kindly with his broad face, shrugged. Teacher Hwang, and the dog he thought was dead. Looking back and forth between Teacher Hwang and the red dog with a confused face, Namu reached out.

“Are you… that dog?”

But how are you here….

The red dog’s eyes sparkled, urging him to pet it quickly.

“Say hello to the doggy later, and go wash up quickly. The CEO will be here soon. Shouldn’t you at least look like a human before then?”

“…Yes.”

At Seong-cheol’s urging, Namu clenched the hand he had extended and started walking. He unintentionally locked eyes with Teacher Hwang. Smiling brightly, she waved her hand lightly.

“Not Hwang Jung-ah, just Hwang-ah. My real CEO is Cha Mu-won-ssi.”

Teacher Hwang was also sent by the guest….

For Namu, who had almost no background knowledge even after they told him, it was hard to understand. He could only vaguely guess that it was related to the ‘fact that the guest had used him.’

“Kid, not that way, straight ahead. The men’s bath is over there. It’s not polite to enter a room without permission when the Hyung-nim isn’t there.”

“What? Ah… yes….”

Namu, who had naturally tried to head toward the inn room, stumbled as he hurriedly tried to change direction. Fortunately, he grabbed the wall and didn’t fall, but he heard a clicking sound of a tongue from behind.

“Want me to carry you to the men’s bath too?”

“Ah, no. I’m okay…. I can go by myself.”

He didn’t have any fractures or serious injuries. In fact, compared to when he attended the House, the wounds he suffered today were ordinary. It was just that walking was a bit uncomfortable because his legs had been spread for a long time. Namu felt even more embarrassed because he wasn’t injured enough for Seong-cheol to have carried him. Rubbing his reddened ears for no reason, Namu hurried his pace.

“If water touches the wounds for too long, it’ll scar, so just rinse off quickly and come out! Don’t even go near the tub!”

When Seong-cheol shouted loudly behind him, Namu’s answer echoed faintly from inside the narrow entrance.

“What about the CEO?”

“Work.”

Hwang-ah, who had sat back down on the platform, offered some dried pollack strips in a basket to Seong-cheol. Taking a handful, putting half in his own mouth and throwing half in front of the red dog, Seong-cheol sat his backside on the platform.

“Look at this brat, so smart.”

The red dog, ignoring the dried pollack strips, turned around and sat in front of its doghouse. At that sight, Seong-cheol added a “Oh, really?” and found that lack of manners quite pleasing.

“Personally?”

“Yeah.”

“Hasn’t it been a while since the CEO did the cleanup work himself?”

“It has.”

The situation in the sauna room was obvious. Hwang-ah, who hated blood, had switched screens to monitor only the surroundings once the weasel and the scout were in place. She expected him to get Namu out, but she was inwardly surprised by the news that Mu-won was personally handling the remaining guys.

“He must be pissed, seeing how they made the kid look.”

When the red dog, which hadn’t even looked at the dried pollack, showed interest in tug-of-war, an excited Seong-cheol rolled up his sleeves.

“I guess so. Who is he, that the CEO is doing work that even the cleaning crew could do? Just how pissed must he be?”

“Don’t you know Hyung-nim’s personality?”

“If he didn’t want those bastards touching him, he should have kept him away from the start.”

“Because the kid is too clean.”

“Ah.”

Except for the back, it was a contradiction to call Namu ‘clean’ when he had been rolled around as much as he had. But considering the kid’s disposition, there was no word that fit better.

“He needs to be moderately stained and scratched to be less shocked by being near Hyung-nim. He’s not the type to look after someone tenderly just because they’re by his side for a bit.”

Indeed, Namu tended to see Mu-won as an excessively good person. It was quite strange. No matter how you looked at it, Cha Mu-won was a person who never looked like a good person. No doubt he had lured the naive kid instantly with that handsome shell and his skill of manipulating people.

“He had a lot of wounds; he should have gone to a hospital.”

“I thought Hyung-nim would want to find him immediately.”

Ah— he really uses him like that? CEO, you thief….

Swallowing the sigh that naturally escaped, Hwang-ah chewed the dried pollack strip in her mouth.

“Did the CEO use men before?”

“First time I’ve seen it.”

“Me too.”

Wondering who the animal was, Hwang-ah looked pitifully at Seong-cheol, whose muscles were twitching as he played with the dog, and took out her phone. In the real-time feed, she ignored the sauna room and checked only the surroundings. The area around the building was cleaned up so neatly that it seemed as if nothing had happened.

“Isn’t it problematic if he ruins them too much? I heard he’s handing them over to Superintendent Seo.”

The plan to pit two organizations against each other through a ruse and wipe them out in one go was Mu-won’s suggestion.

“That man wouldn’t blink an eye even if a bomb dropped, as long as his performance record goes up.”

“There are too many scumbags around our CEO.”

Maybe because he is one.

Muttering inwardly, Hwang-ah looked up at the cloudy sky and suddenly checked the time.

“Why isn’t he coming out? It’s already been 30 minutes.”

“Is that so? I told him to just wet his body and come out; maybe he’s scrubbing himself clean.”

Seong-cheol, who was just getting tired and found an excuse, let go of the rope, saying it was time to stop playing. The red dog, understanding the words like a ghost, sat in its place without even barking once.

“That dog is really something.”

Laughing heartily, Seong-cheol stood up his body, which had slightly more muscle than fat. Strolling toward the men’s bath, he cursed the bad weather for no reason. “Damn it. The weather is acting up again.” After being cloudy all day, raindrops began to fall sporadically.

“So damn humid and hot. Godforsaken neighborhood.”

Following Seong-cheol, who continued to complain, Hwang-ah also stood up. The red dog had already hidden itself in the doghouse. It was smart enough to make her let out a hollow laugh.

Taking off his shoes and entering the men’s bath, Seong-cheol raised his voice.

“Hey, Namu!”

The men’s bath, where the entire inn had been rented and there were no other guests, was quiet. Not hearing the sound of washing, Seong-cheol frowned and quickened his pace.

Sure enough, Namu, who had stripped off his clothes to wash, was collapsed on the cold tiled floor.

“What’s wrong with him!”

Ah, this kid. He had those fainting spells.

Startled, Seong-cheol rushed over and laid Namu flat. He checked his condition according to the habit ingrained in him as a doctor, when a voice was heard from behind.

“Is he asleep?”

It was Hwang-ah.

“You brat! You, in the men’s bath!”

“It’s completely empty, so what?”

“Yeah. That’s true.”

Since they had seen Namu’s naked body to their heart’s content through the real-time video, it was ridiculous to be modest now. Nodding, Seong-cheol carefully examined Namu.

“Is this that narcolepsy?”

“Looking at him sleep, I reckon so.”

“I thought they just collapse without warning? He didn’t hit his head, did he?”

“You think that’s the only symptom?”

Whether he had fallen asleep while washing off the foam or right after, his body was damp and cold. The quick-witted Hwang-ah swiftly brought over a few towels. Instead of Seong-cheol, who was holding Namu, she covered his body with the towels, and his pale lips caught her eye.

“It’s a relief he didn’t just crash hard. Why on earth did he fall asleep here of all places?”

“Well… maybe the location was the problem?”

At Hwang-ah’s reply, Seong-cheol looked around the bathhouse again and clicked his tongue. The sauna room, where the work might have already been finished, was essentially a scaled-down version of a public bath. Clicking his tongue once more, Seong-cheol hurried out of the men’s bath.

Mu-won’s room wasn’t locked, so it opened easily. Hwang-ah went in first to spread out the bedding, and then Seong-cheol laid Namu down. By the time they arrived, the moisture had already dried.

“Didn’t you say it’s rude to enter empty rooms without the CEO’s permission?”

“That’s not wrong.”

Seong-cheol’s hands moved quickly; he had expected the Hyung to arrive while he was treating the wounds after seating the washed-up Namu on the wooden platform. He took his temperature first, checked a few things, and then took out an IV drip and hung it on a clothes rack.

“Maybe it’s because he’s young, but his veins are easy to catch. He’s sturdier than he looks.”

“Young? He’s just a kid.”

“Turn on the boiler.”

Hwang-ah turned on the boiler without a word and skillfully assisted Seong-cheol as he worked busily. Because his body temperature was too low, Seong-cheol treated only the seriously ruptured or broken areas first and then pulled a thick duvet up to Namu’s chin.

Hwang-ah, whose job was to report the circumstances of the ‘tangerine massage,’ had frequently seen Namu being handled by an unspecified number of people. Still, there was a huge difference between seeing it on video and seeing it in person. Seeing the bruises, ruptures, and marks of exhaustion covering his entire body right in front of her made her frown instinctively.

“But, Assistant Manager.”

“What?”

“Isn’t the weight class difference between him and our CEO way too much? I heard that even most salon CEOs or general managers crawl out after spending one night with him.”

“Still, this one is a man.”

“Wouldn’t it be more burdensome to put something into a hole meant for letting things out? I heard the CEO’s cock is the size of a forearm.”

As if she wasn’t wrong, Seong-cheol, who was checking the temperature once more, shrugged his shoulders.

“What can you do. That’s why he was brought here—to be used like that.”

“If he’s coming back after doing the work himself today, I don’t think one of him will be enough. On days like that, even the CEOs and general managers can’t handle him alone.”

“Hyung will take care of it.”

Despite his words, Seong-cheol seemed concerned; after pondering for a moment, he rummaged through a low storage cabinet. He pulled out everything basic to the inn—love gel, condoms, and so on. Then, he placed them prominently on the low table.

Scratching her head, Hwang-ah searched the drawer once more. Since there was no more love gel, she placed a bottle of basic lotion next to the condoms. She also added three bottles of mineral water from the refrigerator and wet wipes she found in the drawer.

“You don’t want to clean up a corpse either, do you, Assistant Manager?”

“That’s true.”

Only then did Hwang-ah and Seong-cheol exchange glances and quietly leave the inn room.

* * *

Namu woke up to an inexplicably noisy atmosphere. Looking up at the dim ceiling, Namu pushed himself up with his aching body. He looked around the inn room, which had become familiar by now, and fixed his gaze on the window. The curtains were tightly closed, so he couldn’t see outside. However, the sound of rain allowed him to imagine the scenery.

‘That tedious rain.’

Whenever it rained, Jeong-gon would get irritated even while playing mobile games.

Messages….

After a short conversation, there had been no further contact from Jeong-gon. At this point, it was meaningless to nitpick about the sashimi restaurant owner’s job. In truth, he had been selling his body since then. Namu was the only one who didn’t know his own situation. Neither the sashimi restaurant owner nor Mu-won had misunderstood. They had simply treated Namu exactly as he deserved to be treated.

Swoosh—Judging by the heavy sound of the rain, it seemed to be pouring. Gamgyul City was a city where it rained frequently throughout the four seasons. He had come in March, and it was already October. To Namu, the past eight months felt like eight years, yet also like eight days.

So many things in his life had changed in such a short time. The debt that was the starting point, the 100-million-won watch—it was all a lie. The faces of the Manager and President Im, who had coaxed and soothed him with kind faces, flashed by in succession.

Teacher Kim, who had informed him about Room 7 because she wanted to kick him out and take the small room for herself. In the early morning when he was getting Mrs. Oh out of the secret space, Teacher Kim, who had been resting nearby, must have not been asleep or had woken up to his presence. Finding his movements strange, like a stray cat, she must have secretly followed him and witnessed the scene of him helping Mrs. Oh out.

He had heard in passing that Teacher Kim had stayed in the small room before Namu arrived. While it was the Manager’s decision to let Namu stay there, it must have been a bolt from the blue for Teacher Kim. People make bad choices when pushed into a corner. Namu himself had always been that way. Yet, the one whose heart he felt for was Teacher Kim. Because she was the one who always silently, subtly took care of him and showed him consideration from behind.

‘There are no good people for you, Namu.’

The Manager’s decision to settle the homeless Namu in the small room wasn’t out of goodwill either. From the beginning, they intended to use Namu. Because he was weak, naive, and a stupid brat without any malice or grit, he would have been easy to use in any way.

The one who connected Namu to the ‘tangerine massage’ was Seo Su-yeong. It was a place where he had also worked as an employee, and he introduced it to Namu as a decent job. Having lived together in a runaway family, he had been a good person to Namu. At the time, Namu had not a single reason to doubt him.

Did Su-yeong Hyung know and still introduce me…?

‘He says he’s doing construction work.’

Because working at a dangerous and difficult construction site was better than the ‘tangerine massage.’

With vacant eyes, he spotted the IV bag, which was almost empty. He remembered his vision blurring as he was coming out of the men’s bath. Fortunately, he hadn’t collapsed like a blown fuse, so it didn’t seem like his head was cracked or any bones were broken.

It seemed he had received help from Kwak Seong-cheol… Assistant Manager Kwak again. Teacher Hwang, who had been waving her hand beside him, was also one of the customer’s people. He thought they hadn’t seen each other often because their schedules clashed, but since it was undercover employment, it seemed they hadn’t taken many bookings to begin with.

The red-furred dog….

Namu, who had truly thought the little one had died, had cried a lot that day. The Bongo van driver who drove him from the House to the ‘tangerine massage’ had gotten angry, saying he was making a fuss despite not being beaten for the first time or two. Taking advantage of a red light, the driver had even smacked Namu’s head while he was sitting in the back seat. Namu had held his breath entirely so that the sobs he was barely suppressing wouldn’t leak out.

But how is he here….

Greater than the curiosity was the joy that the little one was alive.

You were alive….

His thoughts and emotions scattered haphazardly. As Namu habitually tried to curl his body, he opened his thighs at a stinging pain. He was covered in handprints, bite marks, and deep purple bruises. It was the same everywhere else. However, perhaps because painkillers were mixed into the IV, it didn’t hurt as much as it did before he had his seizure.

‘You’ll keep being a debtor. Instead of the debt, you’ll either be beaten to death or rolled around in a red-light district until you’re a rag and then thrown away.’

What will happen to me now?

‘That’s why I plan to keep using you.’

He had no clue where or how he was being used.

‘You don’t have to be beaten while offering your body to any random piece of shit. You won’t have to spread your legs while worrying about gangbangs.’

If he doesn’t beat him and doesn’t use him as a male prostitute… does that mean he’ll use him as a dedicated masseur? He thought the customer seemed to like his massage. Ah, was that just something he said…?

He wondered where Mu-won, who said he had already used him, would use him again. As Namu was feeling confused, he lifted his head. The inn room door opened without a single knock. It was natural. The person who opened the door and entered was the owner of the room, Mu-won.

“……Customer….”

Because he was larger than the door, Mu-won had to bow his head to enter; he bent his upper body and stepped inside. Click, as the light turned on, the retinas that had grown accustomed to the darkness blurred white. After blinking a couple of times to regain his vision, Mu-won finally came clearly into Namu’s sight.

Except for his hair and shirt being wet, as if he had been caught in the rain a bit, he looked neat. Recalling the sauna room that had been overflowing with blood, Namu suddenly scanned the surroundings. A calendar. He saw a calendar hanging on the wall. That was all; since it was a room without something like a digital clock, he couldn’t tell what date it was today.

Watching Namu’s actions, Mu-won gave him the answer while taking off his wristwatch.

“The date hasn’t passed.”

“Ah….”

It’s the same day.

Mu-won looked so neat that he thought it was a different day. He wondered if he had lost a few days because he had another seizure. That must be why his overall senses felt dull even though he was on an IV.

It was difficult to gauge the date by the blood-bruises left on his body. Because he was beaten or injured so often and so many times, new marks appeared before the old ones could fade. With the layers of traces, he couldn’t tell exactly if they were caused today or if he had been injured a few days ago.

“…….”

Clack, Mu-won placed the watch on the storage cabinet and unbuttoned his shirt. Perhaps he had changed after leaving the sauna room, as the black shirt had changed to white.

The sauna room….

The bloodstains that had splattered on Mu-won’s face, as much as on the jacket that had covered Namu, were vivid in his memory. Round eyes followed Mu-won’s back as he headed toward the bathroom.

He didn’t seem to have been caught in the rain much, but the wet shirt was clinging to his back. The muscular body, faintly visible beneath the white shirt, was slowly revealed. The three snakes with their fangs bared and noses wrinkled, along with various types of scars, were also visible in detail. Even a wound that looked like it hadn’t been there long.

He said he wasn’t hurt.

I guess for a customer, that level of injury doesn’t even count as being hurt.

Despite being in a dire situation himself, Namu felt depressed as he couldn’t take his eyes off the scars. Meanwhile, Mu-won, who had thrown the stripped shirt into the corner of the room, loosened his belt. At the low ringing sound, Namu flinched instinctively and pulled up the duvet that had slid down to his feet.

Usually, after that sound, it was common to be beaten until the skin burst. As he gripped his trembling fingertips, the duvet naturally curled up. Mu-won, who skillfully didn’t miss that sign, slid the belt out.

“Loosen your bottom.”

“……What?”

Namu thought he had misheard. He looked up at Mu-won, so surprised that he forgot the sound of the belt. Mu-won, who had undone his pant buckle, was looking down at something. Naturally, Namu’s gaze followed.

He saw the low table placed next to the bedding. And the various items placed upon it.

“Uh…?”

Discovering the sex toys on the table before Namu did, Mu-won picked up the love gel with an amused expression. Then, he immediately threw it at Namu. Though bewildered, Namu caught the love gel reflexively, his eyes wide. Looking at Namu, who couldn’t understand the current situation itself, Mu-won curled the corners of his mouth.

“Why, did you think I was just going to get a massage from you?”

“Yes…… yes…?”

“Even women find my cock hard to take. If you don’t want to bleed, loosen your hole well. I’m going to fuck you right after I wash.”

“…….”

Until Mu-won, who had stripped off his bottoms as well, entered the bathroom, Namu only gaped, unable to say a word in the end. With a face that didn’t know what to do, he only stared at the love gel in his hand.

It wasn’t that Namu didn’t know the purpose of love gel. He had heard about it occasionally while living in the runaway family, and during the two weeks he worked at the sauna room, he had used it himself. If he touched the genitals with hands coated in love gel, extremely aroused customers would ejaculate in a few seconds. After that, they would shout in anger with red faces, slapping his cheeks or hitting his head.

Regardless, Namu had never used it on his own hole. There was no way they would use something like love gel when putting something in his anus at the House, and the customers who tried to put their cocks in today just tried to force it in. Above all, he didn’t quite understand this situation.

The customer… said he didn’t like him.

And it seemed he had only done it with women until now….

“…….”

Of course, sex could happen even without liking someone. Hadn’t Namu himself given his body to customers he didn’t know at all? If one didn’t attach meaning to it, it was an act of no consequence.

After staring blankly at the love gel for a while, Namu lifted his gaze. The sound of water could be heard from beyond the closed bathroom door. Only then did it start to feel real.

So… this is how he’s using me.

‘Until I get tired of you, Namu.’

Until then.

It wasn’t that he hated it. He was just a little scared.

What if he gets tired of me right after doing it once….

No, what if he stops in the middle….

An unfamiliar anxiety slowly tightened around Namu. The hand gripping the love gel trembled slightly. Namu pushed aside the duvet that had been covering his body. He was already naked, so there was no need to take off clothes. Hesitating, Namu spread his thighs wide, his cheeks flushing.

He was too dirty.

The marks left by the customers were scattered unsightly.

Even I wouldn’t want to use something like this.

Suddenly feeling a sharp pang in his chest, Namu swallowed hard and bit his lip tightly. The customer probably didn’t say those things without knowing this. He had seen things even worse than this. As memories of the casino House tried to surface, he quickly shook his head.

First, do as told. Namu tried to be faithful to the task the customer had given him. So that he could fuck him immediately after washing. He intended to loosen himself as hard as possible. First, he removed the IV needle from his arm and stopped the bleeding. The blood stopped faster than expected.

The sound of water was still coming from the bathroom.

It was when he had increased the number of fingers coated in plenty of love gel to three. The bathroom door opened, and thick steam poured out like a fog. Mu-won, wearing nothing, bent his upper body and crossed the threshold.

“…….”

Namu, whose legs were spread so wide his pelvis felt stiff, let his gaze travel up the massive body. Mu-won, who was drying his wet hair with a dry towel, spotted Namu and frowned.

“Are you still loosening?”

Namu, who had been staring up blankly, belatedly shook his head.

“Ah… that… you can put it in….”

Before he could finish speaking, Mu-won, stepping onto the thick mattress, crouched down in front of Namu. A cool scent of body wash wafted over. That wasn’t all. Because he was sitting with his thighs spread, Mu-won’s cock, fully revealed, filled Namu’s field of vision. As he turned his gaze away in surprise, a low voice flowed into his ear.

“It looks like even the head of my cock won’t fit.”

In an instant, the hole holding three fingers twitched. It was because the folds he had barely loosened contracted sharply, tightly gripping Namu’s fingers. Even so, Namu couldn’t show any other reaction.

Mu-won, with his head lowered, was looking closely at Namu’s anus. It was merely a simple action of checking the condition, but for Namu, he couldn’t help but be nervous. He was scared that Mu-won’s breath might touch the folds. Above all, it was too embarrassing and shameful.

What if it smells… what if something strange is stuck to it….

Fortunately, when he checked, nothing came off on his fingertips. The only smell was the sweet scent of the love gel. It seemed he had been cleaned thoroughly during the process where the sauna room customers injected water until his stomach burst and forced it out.

While those messy thoughts were intricately tangled, Mu-won’s eyes remained fixed on the hole. Finally, Namu, whose entire body had turned red, opened his mouth haltingly, trying to escape this situation somehow.

“Three… three fingers go in….”

Finally taking his eyes off Namu’s anus, Mu-won draped the towel over his shoulder with a ‘Really?’ expression.

“Take your hand out.”

“Yes?”

“I said take out the hand that has three fingers in, Namu.”

“Ah….”

Watching for a reaction, Namu slowly withdrew his fingers. Because of the mucous membrane that clung like a suction cup, removing his fingers wasn’t easy. When he finally pulled out his fingernails, Mu-won reached out. As soon as the foreign object left, a thick finger thrust deep into the hole that was closing up.

“Ah…!”

Namu, who let out a sound involuntarily, covered his mouth with both hands. A sweet floral scent came from his hands, which were sticky with love gel.

Unbothered, Mu-won poked around inside with the inserted finger. The folds, which struggled to accept even two fingers, let alone three, were swollen. It wasn’t because Namu had been diligently shoving things in. It was the trace of the guys who had rolled around naked in the sauna room.

Spreading two fingers wide and rummaging inside, Mu-won glanced at Namu.

“Should I really put it in?”

Namu, barely swallowing a hiccup, hesitated and then shook his head. Even though Mu-won had only put in two fingers, the inner flesh convulsed and the folds cried out in pain. Moreover, Mu-won’s cock was too… big. If he started like this, it was certain he would tear before it was all in.

“Can I… can I loosen more? If you could just wait a little….”

Contrary to the worried hesitation of Namu, Mu-won easily granted permission.

“Do it.”

With that, he settled himself right in front of Namu. He sat cross-legged, leaning his chin on his hand, propping his elbow on his thigh. Namu’s cheeks flared red as he was suddenly forced to stretch himself open right before Mu-won’s eyes. It wasn’t very noticeable, though; his face was already mottled and bruised from the way the men at the sauna had handled him.

Mu-won’s pupils narrowed as he examined the face, one cheek abnormally swollen. It was a habit he had when lost in thought. He searched his memory, wondering if he had ever seen the face without a single scratch. On the day they first met as a customer at the ‘tangerine massage,’ the face that had smiled so brightly had been quite clean. Of course, everything beneath the clothes had been a mess even then.

Squish, squish. Namu, having applied a generous amount of lube to his dry hands, was stretching his folds. He managed to get three fingers in. Even so, they were smaller and thinner than two of Mu-won’s fingers combined. He worked quite diligently, as if unaware of the fact that even if he put in all five of his own fingers, it would be nowhere near enough to take Mu-won’s cock.

Finding the sight somewhat worth watching, Mu-won released his chin from his hand.

“Why that look on your face?”

“Pardon…?”

Namu, who didn’t dare even think of making eye contact with Mu-won staring at him, was simply staring down at his own anus, circling his fingers.

“Are you feeling guilty? Do you still hate acting like a whore?”

“N-no, it’s not that….”

It was hard enough sitting with his legs wide open, trying to stretch folds that wouldn’t budge, but the vivid sensation of the gaze from the front made his mind go hazy.

“I just… didn’t know a customer would use me in this way.”

Because his head was bowed, the exposed nape of his neck was burning hot.

“In this way?”

“Ah….”

Caught off guard by the indifferent question, Namu answered while spreading the folds with one hand and poking inside with the other. The word he had heard most often at the sauna naturally slipped out.

“A… dedicated… cock-sleeve…?”

Before he could even finish the sentence, his entire body flared up, turning as red as a ruby.

“You’ve been well-trained.”

With a smirk, Mu-won abruptly reached out and grabbed Namu’s wrist. Startled, Namu flinched and looked up at Mu-won. It was the moment his trembling pupils met those black eyes. The finger that had only reached the second knuckle was suddenly shoved—thump—deep into the third.

“…Ah…!”

“Does it hurt?”

Mu-won’s voice, while still gripping the wrist, felt strangely dangerous. Meanwhile, the inner walls, startled by the sudden insertion, clamped down on the finger so hard it felt numb. However, the moment Namu saw himself reflected in those dark, narrow pupils, he ended up shaking his head.

“I-it’s okay….”

Mu-won tilted his chin slightly and smiled.

“Really?”

“Yes….”

It was certain that it wasn’t okay. But Namu couldn’t say no here. If he did… he felt the customer might leave this room. Or perhaps he would kick him out and call people who could fully handle him. Namu was… afraid of that.

“Right, I get it.”

“…….”

Namu’s lips parted instinctively. It was because as Mu-won pulled his wrist, the finger buried deep inside came out far too easily. As the folds, which had been gasping and spitting out the foreign object, narrowed back down, the melted gel leaked out. It flowed down the crack of his buttocks and pooled on his lower back. Every sensation was so vivid that Namu felt the hair on his entire body stand on end.

“No matter how much you dig with your own fingers, Namu-ssi, I don’t think it’s going to stretch.”

“Ah…!”

Having changed his position before Namu knew it, Mu-won spread his kneeling knees wide. Simultaneously, Namu’s body was yanked forward by his calves. His back, which had been leaning diagonally against the wall, slid and fell onto the plush mattress. He was dragged a bit further after that.

“I’m exercising maximum patience right now.”

“…….”

The voice, which had sounded low, was thick with a murky heat. Namu realized the danger he felt wasn’t a delusion. He could read the remnants of violence, not yet fully vented, from the man looking down at him.

Namu’s slightly trembling pelvis was opened to the limit. Mu-won, wedging his torso between the helplessly splayed legs, gripped Namu’s waist with both hands. Because his hands were naturally large, when he gripped the fleshless waist, his thumbs almost touched near the navel.

“C-customer….”

“Yes, Namu-ssi.”

Answering half-heartedly, Mu-won was looking down at the anus that fluttered every time Namu breathed or spoke. Namu had been pulled up so that his buttocks reached Mu-won’s thighs, with only the upper part of his back barely touching the mattress, but it wasn’t a position ideal for fucking.

“You… don’t have to be patient….”

A glance. The black pupils turned toward Namu. Namu, who didn’t avoid those eyes despite trembling, parted his lips, which had become plumper from being hit.

“I… I’ve had many chips put in, and my anus has torn several times.”

Mu-won, who listened to the lacking confidence in his voice until the end, twisted one corner of his mouth upward.

“Our Namu-ssi. Is a slut?”

“…….”

Whether it was because his neck was half-pressed due to the position or because of shame, the blood rushed to his face so much it looked as if it might burst.

“Even professional sluts who stretch as much as you put in make noise.”

“Huk…!”

As Mu-won pushed Namu’s legs up, his round buttocks were fully exposed. Measuring the angle, Mu-won leaned his upper body forward and braced his thighs. By that force, Namu’s waist naturally curled, and both knees were pressed into the thick mattress. Folded almost in half, Namu let out a groan. Perhaps because his bones weren’t fully hardened, he was…

“Flexible.”

“…Do you… like it?”

“Passably.”

The face that smiled with a ‘Hehe…’ was incredibly loose.

“Hug your legs.”

“Yes.”

Despite it being a strained position that made him groan, Namu hugged his legs one by one without a word. Mu-won, who raised his upper body as much as he had leaned it, grabbed his cock. As he placed the soft flesh, not yet erect, on one buttock, Namu flinched.

It was amusing how he was terrified before they had even started. Despite that, Mu-won placed his palm on the belly of the boy who only picked words that would incite the bastards of the world.

Tense, Namu reacted sensitively to every single one of Mu-won’s actions. Looking down at the anus that contracted immediately, Mu-won spread his palm wide. From just above the genitals, past the navel, to near the solar plexus, it was all covered by one hand.

Namu lifted his head to look at his own stomach at the strange sensation, and he saw it clearly. Noticing that gaze, Mu-won intentionally pressed on the belly and spoke.

“It should go in up to here. Should I stop being patient?”

A hint of a smile mixed in when he pronounced ‘patient.’ However, the surprised and tense Namu failed to notice and asked a foolish question.

“Does… does it go in that far…?”

“Namu-ssi, who swallowed forty-two chips the size of golf balls, can’t take this one thing?”

“The customer’s… is big.”

The chips had simply bunched together and stretched his lower abdomen, but the cock pressing heavily against his buttocks felt as if it might pop out of his throat.

“Still… if it all fits… please put it in.”

Whether it was because it was better than being beaten to death or gang-banged. Or whether he was okay with being treated this way. Mu-won didn’t find it confusing.

Namu, who hated being beaten and gang-banged, figured that if it had to happen, he would rather have it done by Mu-won, whom he liked—not by other ‘people,’ but only by Mu-won, whom he ‘mistakenly’ believed he liked.

Using the towel draped over his shoulder, Mu-won roughly wiped the lube smeared on the anus and placed his cock on top. Gripping Namu’s buttocks and squeezing them tightly together, the cock was compressed.

“If you slather it on the entrance, it’s just slippery and doesn’t go in well.”

“Ah….”

Slide, slide. Rubbing the shaft of his cock against Namu’s anus by swaying his lower body back and forth, Mu-won released the buttocks that had been crushed in his hands. The buttocks, which quickly showed handprints, were also dirty with traces left by other men. After looking down for a moment at the body densely packed with sub-standard violence, Mu-won lifted his gaze. He reacted, noticing Namu’s body becoming stiff for some reason.

“Is it… dirty?”

Mu-won snorted and didn’t answer. Meanwhile, he grabbed his hardened cock and pressed the glans against the anus. The swollen folds were quite soft, but insertion was out of the question. While quietly entrusting his body to Mu-won’s relentless touch, Namu, who had been hesitating, finally mustered the courage.

“But, customer….”

Instead of an answer, a gaze shifted. As he carefully met those eyes, the lips speaking his inner thoughts trembled slightly.

“If it hurts… can I… cry a little?”

“A little?”

Smiling as if ‘a little’ wouldn’t be enough, Mu-won shoved two thumbs in. He could feel Namu trying to relax his rigid body, startled by the intrusion, but it was futile.

Mu-won, who hadn’t expected much, applied force to his hand.

Pushing through the folds that were tight despite Namu’s diligent efforts to loosen them, Mu-won pulled his thumb to the side, creating a very narrow gap. Withdrawing one hand, Mu-won grabbed the lube. Click, he opened the cap and inserted the nozzle into the narrow gap.

“Ah!”

Startled, Namu let out a sound. The arms hugging his legs trembled violently. Every time the lube bottle was squeezed hard, the cold mucus filled the rectum and seeped into the mucosa. After squeezing in as much lube as he wanted, Mu-won tossed the nearly empty bottle aside. Then, he aligned the head of his cock with the anus once more.

“Namu-ssi.”

Namu could only gape his mouth, unable to make a sound.

“Endure it.”

“…….”

“If you’re useful, I’ll use you for a long time.”

“…….”

“As my own.”

Press. The pressed glans forced its way through the anal folds. As expected, only the tip barely buried itself. Frowning, Mu-won lightly slapped Namu’s buttock. The tightness from the entrance was incredible.

“Relax.”

There was no way he would relax just by being told. Mu-won, intending only to distract him, placed his palm on Namu’s belly. Before Namu could realize it, he applied pressure to the hand covering the stomach. As he put his weight into it—thump—a gasp of air escaped from Namu’s wide-open mouth. Mu-won didn’t miss that moment.

“Hag…!”

He had only pressed down, but Namu, who looked as pained as if he had been hit with a fist, momentarily lost consciousness.

“…….”

Feeling the pressure from both inside and out, Namu’s pupils flew wide open as he came back to his senses.

“Uh… uh….”

His stomach was full. It wasn’t just because Mu-won was pressing on his belly with his palm. Something had entered his stomach. It was undoubtedly Mu-won’s cock. A mass of flesh so huge it took his breath away and blackened his vision was tearing through the folds, crushing the entire inner wall, and pushing up his internal organs.

Tears dripped down the corners of Namu’s eyes. Mu-won didn’t care. Applying force enough to make his thigh muscles ripple, he shoved the remaining half of his cock in to the hilt. It wasn’t a lie that he was exercising maximum patience.

“Huu.”

As Mu-won, who had finally shoved the forearm-sized cock in to the root, let out a short breath, Namu screamed. Crying burst out immediately after. Not a little, but a lot.

Namu’s helplessly shaking belly bulged and receded repeatedly. Above that, Mu-won, gripping the narrow pelvis, thrust his hips upward at a rapid pace. Every time, unable to endure the cock that seemed to bounce in all directions as if it would pierce through the belly, Namu gagged, his eyes glazed over.

“Heuu….”

Slap! Mu-won, who thrust his lower body up strongly, rotated his hips slowly, making the mucosa clinging to the cock shiver. Having fully felt the spasms of the wall that had curved to the shape of his cock, Mu-won swept back his wet hair. Thick droplets of sweat fell from the fiercely writhing muscles.

A vein-popping hand snatched a water bottle from the floor table. Crack—opening the cap, Mu-won drank the water. He soon poured some into the corner of Namu’s mouth, but Namu couldn’t drink it properly. Every time he choked and coughed, the inner walls contracted, squeezing the cock tightly.

“Mmm.”

Letting out a pleased groan at the not-bad sensation, Mu-won looked down. The narrow, damp inn room was filled with heat. In the middle of it, water that Namu couldn’t swallow flowed back from the corner of his mouth, as he lay sprawled like a broken doll. Looking down with narrowed pupils, Mu-won leaned his upper body forward and lightly slapped Namu’s cheeks, slap, slap.

“Wake up.”

As much as he leaned forward, his weight was applied, and as the insertion deepened, Namu, pinned underneath, shuddered. Far from waking up, his half-closed pupils rolled back and returned repeatedly. Even his panting breath continued intermittently. He looked as if he would lose consciousness again.

Not welcoming that, Mu-won propped one hand by Namu’s head. Mu-won’s forearm, which was threateningly moving as he poured water again into the mouth that couldn’t close, just like the hole below, flexed.

Tadak-tadak—the heavy rain, which hadn’t stopped, hammered against the tightly closed window. Outside, it was already pitch black. He had been fucking the boy for over half a day. Yet, the accumulated heat didn’t fully dissipate, and the overflowing sexual desire didn’t run dry.

Mu-won, who had once lived like a beast, had only become polished on the outside; the inside was not much different. Periodically releasing the violence that accumulated the more he restrained it was a long-standing method for maintaining his social mask. Therefore, it was much better for Mu-won to run wild inhumanly. After expressing violent energy halfway, the aftertaste was rather unpleasant, and the cleanup was tedious. Just like right now.

Finishing the remaining water, Mu-won tossed the empty bottle away. Holding Namu’s pelvis with only one hand, he lightly thrust his hips up. The pink genitals, which were shooting water pit-pit as if by appointment, were now bright red like overripe fruit. The entangled bodies and the mattress were soaked with the fluids they had each poured out.

Mu-won, who had forcibly pierced through the narrow, thin hole of Namu’s small belly, roughly ground away until the inner and outer muscles loosened limply. In the end, Namu’s semen, which came out in all sorts of ways every time the cock was slammed in, became not just thin, but transparent. After fountain-ing and even leaking urine, he was on the verge of dehydration. That was the reason he had taken the time to feed him water.

“Heuu….”

Thump—as he intentionally slammed in hard, the limp body bounced reflexively. Even while half-unconscious, Namu twisted his body, making choking sounds. It was because he felt too much. Because the cock was large, the prostate was crushed the moment it was inserted, and all the internal organs were mashed and pushed up. Throughout it all, Namu, who steadily felt both pain and pleasure, screamed, cried, sobbed, and even let out high-pitched nasal sounds.

‘Cust…omer.’

With a ruined mouth, in a ridiculous pronunciation, he said he wasn’t.

‘I… wasn’t a pro-fessional.’

Mu-won found the fluff-ball ridiculous for telling a blatant lie, saying he had never sold his body. If one cannot quit a job of their own will, freely, then regardless of the type, they have entrusted their body to someone else’s hands. Just as Mu-won had been in a cage in the past, just as Namu was now.

Whether the fluff-ball was a virgin or not was outside his interest. As if that were important, the fluff-ball, who couldn’t even speak properly, shook his head and claimed his innocence.

It was the fragile heart of a young thing who didn’t want to be misunderstood by the person he liked. Mu-won didn’t feel the slightest emotion, but he could be kind. A kindness exactly to the extent of the utility the fluff-ball needed.

“Huaaa….”

Thump—as he shoved the half-withdrawn cock deep inside, Namu let out a lifeless groan. The body, already pierced through to the colon and completely crumbled, collapsed and mashed however Mu-won poked and crushed it.

Namu, who had been treated as a loose slut, was, according to his own claim, using his back for the first time. From the moment he pierced through the tight hole despite the cheap lube, Mu-won could tell. It was a body that didn’t know men. A hole that might have accepted other things but had never accepted a cock clung neurotically, pressing the intruding shaft as if scratching it.

Mu-won, who had a large cock, preferred loose holes. The fluff-ball, who was young, naive, stupidly kind, and even a virgin, didn’t fit Mu-won’s taste in any way from one to ten.

Slap—as he thrust the cock up as if to shove it in to the balls, Namu had a seizure and rolled his eyes back. He tightened as if to bite the cock off. “Kugh.” Letting out a low groan, Mu-won grabbed and fixed the head of the backward-leaning Namu.

“Namu-ssi.”

Slap! Namu, who could only tremble without making a high-pitched sound, had his cheek struck quite hard this time. Only then did Namu’s pupils find their place as he blinked rapidly and came to his senses. His red, swollen, and burning face was a mess of tears, snot, and cum.

“C-customer….”

As his consciousness returned, the squelching walls began to suck strongly from the glans to the root. Stimulated, the cock regained its strength and expanded further in volume. Groaning, Namu shed thick clumps of tears. Without realizing it, Mu-won almost bit down on the corner of his own eye. He felt a hunger. Feeling as if he might actually chew Namu up and eat him, Mu-won slowly withdrew his cock, which had been thrust deep inside. He did it deliberately slowly.

Shuddering at the sensation of the cock—which had been crushing his insides into a mire—slipping out, Namu let out a small trickle of urine. His face, twisted in small sobs, became drenched in tears again. Mu-won had pinned Namu’s nearly folded body down with his sheer size, and as he had driven himself in with intent from above, Namu’s tears poured out just as they had when he had climaxed so hard he’d sprayed his own face.

Every sensation felt wrong. Throughout the time he was taking Mu-won, he felt as if his body was breaking and falling apart.

“Hng, ahh…”

As the cock was fully withdrawn, saliva leaked from his agape mouth along with a moan. The inner flesh, dragged out to its limit, spat out a glob of semen with a plop.

“Ah… hng… ugh.”

That sensation alone was too much; Namu twisted and curled his body, trembling violently. The inner flesh, slowly crawling back inside, was drenched in semen. The folds that should have closed back to normal had stopped contracting at some point. They remained open, exactly the size of Mu-won’s cock.

The semen, which had felt like it was sloshing around in his belly every time he shook, flowed steadily out of the open hole. Every time Namu’s trembling intensified and his breathing grew ragged, the amount surging out increased.

When Mu-won released Namu’s legs, which he had been holding over his arms, they fell limply onto the mattress. Namu curled his body to the side, his buttocks shaking uncontrollably. His crimson backside, looking as if it had been severely beaten, already had deep blue bruises rising.

As expected, it wasn’t enough.

Wiping his glistening cock with a towel lying around, Mu-won stood up. Opening the room door, he saw a small table attached to the hallway wall. Spotting the tray placed upon it, he slid it up.

The galbitang in a stone pot and the clear seolleongtang were foods Jae-un had prepared. Since he couldn’t recklessly open the door while his Hyung was working, nor could he disturb him to tell him to eat, and he certainly wouldn’t dare place the food his Hyung would eat on the floor, he had used the table as a temporary measure.

Mu-won, who wouldn’t have cared who came or went while he was in the middle of fucking, closed the door and set the tray down on the floor table. The two stone pots, two bowls of rice, and a couple of side dishes were cold and dried out. Mu-won, who had never really eaten for the taste, woke Namu as he opened the lids. In the meantime, Namu had fallen into a dead sleep, and a slap sounded against his thighs and buttocks.

“Wake up and sit up.”

Startled, Namu pushed his eyelids open. However, his eyelids, heavy as stones, failed to do their job. Fortunately, Namu, who didn’t miss Mu-won’s voice through his muffled ears, tried to lift his body. As expected, he couldn’t move a single finger and only exhaled hot, ragged breaths.

Reaching out abruptly, Mu-won hoisted Namu up and sat him up. His attitude suggested he had expected as much. However, Namu couldn’t even straighten his waist on his own. He simply leaked semen from his loosened hole.

Eventually, Mu-won pulled Namu into his lap and roughly wiped his dirty face and upper body with the towel he had been using. Namu, who unconsciously sniffled, had a spoon pressed into his hand. Barely managing not to drop the spoon, Namu shook his head tearfully.

“I… can’t eat…”

The voice that squeezed through his heavily clogged throat was miserably cracked. Mu-won, supporting Namu’s collapsing back, spoke a single sentence.

“Forget it. Should I just hook you up to an IV and fuck you into the ground?”

Even though the words were devoid of any particular emotion, Namu, sobbing, gripped the spoon tighter. He tried to eat, but the hand holding the spoon trembled violently. Mu-won, stirring the galbitang which had been conveniently deboned, watched with a dissatisfied expression before setting the spoon down with a clack. The body, which fit easily within one arm, flinched.

Regardless, Mu-won picked up the seolleongtang pot and held it to Namu’s lips. However, the lip muscles, which had been forced open while his head was held and the cock was shoved down his throat, were completely slack, and he couldn’t take the food properly. Seeing the seolleongtang dripping down under his chin, Mu-won clicked his tongue and set the pot down.

There was neither consideration nor irritation in the hand that wiped the chin and chest soaked in the pale broth with a towel. He simply didn’t bother to care that the broth seeped into skin that hurt even at the touch of air, and that Namu couldn’t endure the pain every time the stiff towel passed over him.

“Ah… hng…”

In truth, Namu had done nothing wrong or made any mistake. The sexual desire stemming from unspent remnants was Mu-won’s problem. It had been a long time since he had pushed a single partner this far.

As expected, he should have stripped those bastards to the bone. He felt unsettled because he had only severed the tendons in the limbs of the guys rolling around the sauna and tossed them into pig crates. Because his gut twisted at the thought of killing them too easily, he had done that, and now Mu-won was quite dissatisfied.

Back when he was young and full of vigor, he used to run wild without knowing any better, unable to control the adrenaline left behind like impurities, sometimes shoving three or four people into one room and rotating through them. After he matured a bit, if the ones he used wore out, he’d bring in new ones to fuck, spending his nights and days primarily with experienced partners. This was the first time since he grew hair on his head that he had caught someone just to fuck and even tended to them.

Moreover, this young thing, whose baby fuzz hadn’t even gone, had little talent for sex. Yet, Mu-won didn’t feel bad about holding Namu, who was crushed and stirred under him, melting whenever he pressed down. It felt as if the sadism and violence he hadn’t been able to fully shake off were being resolved.

“Ah.”

“Ah…”

Every time Mu-won spoke a word, Namu opened his mouth like a baby bird and took a spoonful of seolleongtang broth. Since it was obvious he wasn’t in a state to chew anything even without checking his mouth, Mu-won only fed him broth. Even then, he didn’t wipe away the parts Namu couldn’t swallow and let leak. The way he couldn’t endure the pain when his body was wiped was quite grating.

“Water?”

“……Yes…”

Wondering if he deserved such treatment, Namu, who hesitated for a long time even in his dazed state, answered in a completely hoarse voice. Mu-won opened a bottle of mineral water, poured it into a glass, and held it to Namu’s lips.

Gulp, gulp—even as the small Adam’s apple struggled to swallow, the clear water leaked down his chin. Mu-won didn’t care further. He emptied his own portion from time to time while occasionally filling Namu’s mouth. Whether it didn’t suit his taste or because he naturally had a small appetite, Namu didn’t eat much despite Mu-won’s help.

Soon after finishing the meal, Mu-won pushed the floor table aside. His body, glistening with the sweat and bodily fluids of two people, felt sticky. Standing up, he slung Namu over his shoulder and left the room. As they passed through the quiet hallway, Jae-un, who had been waiting at the counter, stood up abruptly.

“Hyung-nim.”

Jae-un’s gaze, as he greeted him politely, accidentally brushed against Namu’s thighs. Setting aside the poor soundproofing of the shabby inn room, the screams that had pierced through the loud sound of the rain hadn’t been heard for nothing.

“Clean the room.”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

Jae-un, who had kept his eyes down until Mu-won entered the men’s bath, belatedly looked up. Whether it was because that tiny thing had thick bones for a man, or because he had built up some endurance, it was surprising that Seong-cheol hadn’t been called in even after Namu had dealt with Mu-won for half a day.

Looking at the body that was half-fainted and in tatters, one couldn’t say he was fine, but there were plenty of partners who couldn’t last one or two hours before crawling out. That was how relentless and merciless Mu-won was at times like this.

Is he a pass for now?

Jae-un scratched his head and narrowed his brow. Seeing how he took care of him like that even after using him once, it seemed he wouldn’t cast him out immediately. Finishing his thoughts, he grabbed the cleaning tools and headed toward Mu-won’s room.

There was no need to contact Seong-cheol separately just in case. Like Jae-un, Seong-cheol had long since taken over one of the empty inn rooms and unpacked his bags.

Mu-won, who immediately held Namu, who was gagging from the blood rushing to his head, roughly rinsed his body under the pouring stream of water. He then immersed himself in the hot tub. As the 38-degree water touched his skin, the sobbing Namu instinctively clung to Mu-won.

Unable to do anything more, Namu’s body, awkwardly embraced, was lifted lightly. Soon, Namu, whose legs were spread in a face-to-face position, was sat upon Mu-won’s thighs.

His pelvis was stiff, and his skin stung everywhere. Namu, who felt everything touching him as pain, shed tears steadily. Unconcerned, Mu-won split the buttocks, which were more swollen and tight than usual, as if dividing them in half.

“Namu-ssi.”

“…Hng-aa…”

As he pulled the already open hole to both sides, the anus widened further, and water that felt somewhat hot rushed in. The mucosa, worn and frayed from the long and rough insertion, screamed in protest, pleading with pain.

Even while doing that, Mu-won put his fingers into the anal folds of Namu, who was just sitting awkwardly and convulsing, and pulled them wide open.

“Aaah…!”

The hoarse voice hit the tiled wall and echoed. In pain, Namu reflexively rubbed his forehead against Mu-won’s shoulder. Even that hurt, and as he sobbed, the cloudy semen that had pooled beyond the colon slowly flowed out and floated on the surface of the water.

“Namu-ssi.”

“Ah… hng… yes…”

“Hang on properly. It’s uncomfortable.”

Namu, dripping tears, moved his fluttering arms in the water to wrap around Mu-won’s neck. Immediately, the erect cock was driven into the anus, which was almost fully bloomed.

“Ah…!”

The high scream floated low due to the hoarse voice. Following the cloudy semen, bright red blood bloomed on the surface of the water like a haze. It was because the folds that had already been torn were torn further. Namu, clinging to Mu-won’s neck like a lifeline and burying his face in the broad shoulder, didn’t scream louder but instead let out stifled, sobbing gasps.

Despite being in such pain, the sphincter, which had been loosened to the limit, gave way to the cock that pushed in of its own accord. The thick glans pressed against the raw mucosa and split through the internals. As it approached the colon, the thick cock disappeared, and bubbles rose to the surface. At the sensation of something tickling a place that couldn’t be scratched, Namu’s toes curled.

As his prostate was pressed, his bladder was pressed, and the deepest parts of his fragile inner walls were pressed, Namu felt as if he were losing his mind. His lower abdomen was hot, and his insides were simmering. He couldn’t distinguish between pain and pleasure.

Finally, when the hard glans passed through the colon and bent, Namu climaxed once. It was a dry climax without ejaculation. His vision went white. After momentarily losing consciousness, Namu opened his eyes and trembled violently.

The tightness was certainly less than at first. Mu-won, who inserted himself to the root while gripping Namu’s buttocks, who was completely powerless, clicked his tongue lowly. With the cock still plugged in, he stood up and left the bath.

“Hng. Huaaa…”

Namu, who was being fucked with every step, finally burst into tears again. Without any attempt to soothe him, Mu-won stepped on the wet tiles and opened the frosted glass door.

As the air, cooler than the bath, touched him, Namu’s baby fuzz stood up and his inner walls contracted sharply. Even so, it wasn’t a sufficient tightening. But for Mu-won, it was just the right amount for fucking.

In the narrow waiting room, there were dozens of lockers, a U-shaped mirror stand, and a wooden platform. Mu-won headed toward the convenience store near the entrance. With every step, Namu’s crying grew louder.

Mu-won’s white teeth appeared and disappeared behind his lips. It was because of the impulse to bite and chew Namu, which grew the more he cried. He had never felt the desire to bite, chew, and swallow a partner during sex until now. It meant that while relieving his lust, he had never snapped like a dog.

Reaching the store in a few steps, Mu-won opened the refrigerator door. He took out a banana milk, poked in a straw, and headed back to the bath. He had intended to feed it to him while sitting on the platform, but Namu’s body, which had been fire-hot, had cooled down too much.

As they sat back in the hot tub, Namu, shuddering, let out a cry. Mu-won waited until the body curled in his arms became warm before changing positions. As he sat Namu to the side with the cock still plugged in, Namu’s crying grew slightly louder.

Wrapping his arm around the now-lukewarm body to support the lower back, Mu-won picked up the milk he had placed on the railing. He soon placed the straw in Namu’s mouth.

“Suck it and swallow.”

Namu, whose eyes were so swollen he couldn’t see ahead, didn’t know what it was and opened his mouth as told. Then, slurp—he sucked the straw in his mouth.

At first, it seemed he couldn’t even swallow properly, but at some point, gulp, gulp, he diligently moved his small Adam’s apple and swallowed the milk. His crying also gradually decreased.

Mu-won was flabbergasted. It wasn’t as if he were a child who clung to someone just because they gave him candy. It wasn’t as if the pain decreased because he ate something sweet. It was absurdly easy to soothe him just by giving him a little of that.

Because his mouth, throat, and belly were all a mess, he couldn’t suck freely, but Namu drank it little by little, slurp, slurp, until the very last drop.

“Why don’t you suck my cock like that?”

At the words of Mu-won, who had been silently watching Namu take a long time to drink a small amount, the thin shoulders hunched.

“It’s… tasty… Sir…”

As if he had to say something, Namu let out a voice with imprecise pronunciation, and his shoulders jumped violently. It was because Mu-won, unable to hold back, had suddenly bitten his thin nape.

Mu-won, who had been doing it from behind while leaning Namu over the hot tub railing, irritably wrapped his arm around Namu’s waist. He didn’t like how the body kept collapsing even when held straight from behind.

“Ahak…!”

Namu, whose belly skin was pressed during the insertion, let out a short breath. Psh—something shot out from the urethral opening, but it was impossible to tell if the clear liquid was semen, squirt, or urine. Furthermore, Mu-won’s forearm, as he hoisted Namu up, pressed against the navel which was bulging in the shape of the cock, making him lose his senses even more.

Mu-won, who placed the convulsing Namu on a standing bed instead of the hot tub railing, grabbed the buttocks and spread them to both sides. The cock, which had partially slipped out while moving, was caught in the folds that had become round and flat.

The anus, which had taken a giant cock for half a day and several more hours, had almost lost its function of tightening. However, the still-narrow inner walls clung to and crushed the dick as it went deeper.

Ignoring that struggle and forcing his way through, he simply opened a new path as he went. Considerable pressure squeezed Mu-won’s cock. The internal muscles, softened by the long fucking, clung to the root, and the newly opened, taut muscles chewed the sensitive glans and shaft chewily.

“Haa.”

Mu-won let out a satisfied moan. Only now did he begin to drive fiercely, aiming for the hole that had been stretched and stirred to fit the size of his dick.

The inner walls, melted and crushed inside, made squelching sounds and leaked dick-juice steadily. The mucosa, ruthlessly crushed and rubbed by the rapid thrusting, felt hot as if it were melting. The bright red inner flesh repeatedly flipped, creating bubbles and making wind-escaping sounds.

Splat, splat—every time the heavy balls hit the perineum rapidly, Namu, who was pushed forward, convulsed slightly. When the cock, thrusting with a menacing momentum, pierced a place he hadn’t even known existed, his limp body leaped up like a seizure. Soon, Namu, pinned firmly by a large palm, shed tears.

His body felt strange. Sensations he couldn’t identify as pain, pleasure, or climax wildly stirred his damp, raw body. His vision flickered incessantly, and he repeatedly drifted in and out of consciousness. It felt as if his nerves were on fire and his brain was melting.

“Kugh…!”

The hard glans finally forced its way into the tiny space and thump!—as it slammed upward, his breath caught.

“Ha… fuck… haa…”

Mu-won, chewing on a curse at the tightness that was incomparable to anything before, exhaled a rough breath. The muscles, expanded to the point of bursting, surged fiercely. Meanwhile, Namu, who had only been trembling like a fish hit by a harpoon, gagged.

“Guegh…! Hng… hng… huaaa… uaaa…”

Finally bursting into tears, he poured water from every hole. He simply couldn’t endure the excessive stimulation. While doing so, without even a gesture of trying to escape or push him away, Namu just wailed, and a hot chest pressed against his back as if crushing him.

“Ha, fuck… Namu-ssi.”

“Uaaa… hng…”

“Stop it. Unless you want me to make my dick even bigger.”

At the heartless words, Namu’s crying grew more intense. It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying to hold it back. Rather, Namu had tried. It just didn’t work. A strange sorrow, beyond his own control, had rushed in like a bursting dam.

“Sor… hng-uaa… sorry… uaaa…”

Every time he spoke, every time he poured out his tears, the inner walls constantly squeezed the dick. If he made the place he had barely opened loose, it would be good for immediate use, but he didn’t feel like ruining a hole he had just opened just for a moment of pleasure.

Instead of pounding and stretching the cock-path he had forcibly opened, Mu-won crushed the walls and withdrew his cock. The semen that had been sloshing inside squeezed out with a squelch through the tight junction. Hearing that sound again, Namu’s body, crying sorrowfully, became hot as a fireball.

Regardless of that, Mu-won, whose hips were twitching in small, rapid motions, bit Namu’s shoulder. Namu, who winced in pain wherever he was bitten—his nape, his shoulder blades—tightened his entrance. The relatively loosened anal folds and sphincter stimulated Mu-won’s cock.

However, not yet satisfied, Mu-won continued to nip at every inch of Namu’s tender skin and hammered away at his inner walls until he had had his fill. Like a dog in heat.

After moving from the bath to the inn room, Mu-won spent another half-day rolling around with Namu by his side before finally letting him go.

* * *

Namu had drifted in and out of consciousness to the sound of rain, doors opening and closing, and the ambient noise of daily life outside the door, but he didn’t fully wake up until it was broad daylight.

The inn room, with its curtains drawn, was dark, quiet, and smelled musty. Waking up alone in the empty room, Namu curled his body up with a groan. For some reason, a wave of sorrow washed over him. As soon as he regained his senses, that sorrow hurt more than the pain that had been tearing through his nerves, and he let out a small sob.

Not long after, Namu fell into a death-like sleep and suffered through a fever for five full days. He spent the entire time hooked up to IV drips and nutritional supplements, barely regaining his strength as dawn broke. Once again, there was no one in the room. The only things that had changed were the cleanly tidied room and the fresh air from ventilation.

His body felt much lighter. Still unable to feel completely safe, Namu turned over cautiously, wrapped in a plush duvet. The damp, clammy mattress and blankets had also been replaced with new ones.

“It doesn’t hurt…”

The stinging and throbbing sensations remained, but the pain that had felt like it was grinding him down had faded. For Namu, this was the best condition he could be in.

How many days had passed…?

Slowly pushing himself up, Namu looked for a calendar. As expected, he couldn’t tell from a calendar alone, so he fumbled around his surroundings and found his bag. The bag sitting by his bedside was his. He hadn’t imagined he would see the bag he had carried ever since leaving the facility here.

“Wow…”

Inside the bag were Namu’s few belongings, intact. Clothes, a wallet, a diploma, and two cell phones. The phone Mu-won had returned and the phone Mu-won had bought him. After some hesitation, Namu picked up the old phone he had used previously. Fortunately, there was battery left.

October 8th, Thursday, 10:23 AM.

The last date Namu remembered was September 21st. After that, moving only between the closet and the sauna room, his sense of date and time had become blurred. Looking back, even knowing today’s date wouldn’t tell him where he had been or for how long.

It felt like a month had passed…

Staring blankly at the screen, Namu quickly moved his finger before the display turned off. With practiced ease, he entered the gallery and tapped on a photo of his grandfather.

I miss him.

“Grandfather…”

He wanted to live according to the last will. Namu wanted to live exactly as the meaning of his name suggested.

Rubbing his reddened nose, Namu folded the phone and put it back in the bag. He also took out the phone Mu-won had bought him to check. There were no meaningful messages or missed calls. Very few people knew this number to begin with.

Putting the second phone in the bag and zipping it shut, Namu slowly moved his body.

“Ah.”

Just as he was about to stand up because he felt okay, he looked at the rubber tube attached to his arm.

When did this…

He really had been out of it. Even while rummaging through his bag, he hadn’t noticed the needle embedded in his forearm. The IV bag hanging on the rack was half-full. The small pack attached next to it was empty.

Assistant Manager did this too, right?

Thinking of Seong-cheol, who looked scary but was actually quite affectionate, Namu fidgeted with his fingers for a while before pulling out the needle. He stopped the bleeding with a tissue from the table and wound the rubber tube around the rack.

It was hard to be alone in the dark, silent room. Still, Namu pulled back the curtains to let the sunlight in and moved diligently. He folded the duvet he had been lying on and tidied up the mess he had made.

Since he was naked, he took clothes out of the bag and put them on. From underwear to pants and a shirt. Because it was October, he intentionally wore long sleeves. Even moving slightly caused his lower half to chafe and sting, making him hold his breath for a moment.

Slowly peeling off the bottoms he had just put on, Namu looked down at his body. There wasn’t a spot on his chest or stomach that wasn’t mottled. The bruising on his lower abdomen was even worse. Bite marks concentrated on his thighs and chest were scattered everywhere. His limp genitals were a darker shade than before.

The skin of his penis, red like a ripe fruit, showed signs of having been peeled. Since neither he nor the guests remembered touching it, it seemed he had been scratched and rubbed as he moved around. He couldn’t see the back, so he felt it with his hand. The anal folds were slightly protruding, likely swollen. He could feel a couple of spots where tears had healed within the thick folds.

At least there’s no blood.

That was a relief. Relieved, Namu pulled his bottoms back up and hurried out of the room. There was no point in hurrying with his waddling gait, but he wanted to get outside as quickly as possible.

Slipping into the slippers by the door, he stepped into the hallway. The inn was quiet. He had never stayed anywhere as expensive as an inn, so he didn’t know if it was normally this quiet at this hour. His experience staying for several days thanks to the guests wasn’t very helpful, as he spent nearly half that time sleeping.

The room Mu-won was using was on the first floor, the third room from the counter. After glancing at the empty counter and the men’s bath area, where there was likewise no sign of anyone, he exited through a space that was more of a passage than a lobby.

The glass entrance door was wide open inward. In the relatively spacious yard, not a single human shadow could be found. Only a red dog, sitting straight in front of its doghouse, remained at its post.

Where did everyone go…?

Even after walking this short distance, his joints creaked and his muscles ached in various places. Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, Namu awkwardly perched his hips on a wooden platform. Since putting weight on it made his anus sting, he sat askew. Once seated, he found himself facing the red dog.

“Hello…?”

His voice was completely devoid of strength. Yet, the red dog pricked its ears, stood up, and slowly approached. There was no sign of haste or aggression. Instead, it approached cautiously, circled around Namu, and gave his leg a nudge with its nose.

“Is it… really you?”

As if it understood his words, the dog rubbed its head against Namu’s leg and gently pressed its body against him. Its fur was soft and glossy. Seeing it under the bright sunlight made it even harder to believe. The dog he knew had been covered in blood, bitten by sharp teeth and torn by claws. It had been severely injured, with its belly skin torn so badly that bones and organs were visible.

“…”

As Namu hesitantly reached out, the red dog pressed its head against his hand as if it had been waiting. As if to say, Yes, it’s me. As if asking him to finally recognize it. Namu, awkwardly stroking and petting the fur with the dog’s help, suddenly paused.

“Eh…?”

He felt something rough with his fingertips. Noticing it first, the red dog sat in front of Namu and obediently bowed its head. Unknowingly parting the thick fur to find the cause of the rough texture, Namu let out a belated exclamation.

Because it had been dragged by a snare, and because it had worn a collar so tight it dug into the flesh, the dog’s neck had always been soaked in blood. The red dog had the same scars around its neck. The rough texture was likely the scars left behind.

“You… you really were alive.”

Woof.

As if responding to those words, the red dog barked gently, and Namu’s two hands became entangled in its fur.

“You were alive…”

The red dog, continuing to wag its tail, seemed overwhelmed with joy and even rolled over to show its belly. A long scar running across its belly came into Namu’s view.

For a moment, tears welled up and he sniffled, but the red dog, somehow sensing this, jumped up and pressed its nose against the back of Namu’s hand. Restless, it continuously licked the back of his hand and his palm with its rough tongue. The sensation was so ticklish that Namu ended up laughing.

* * *

“Superintendent Seo got another hibiscus flower on his lapel, Hyung.”

It was a reward for the achievement of wiping out the weasel and the chatterbox in one fell swoop. Since he had caught The Center’s attention, the surveillance and observation would likely intensify for a while.

“In reality, Hyung and we should be the ones getting the performance bonus, right?”

“Should I buy a wreath and give it to him?”

“I’m just saying this because he’s annoying. Just thinking about how his neck will get even stiffer now that he’s risen to Police Commissioner, ugh. Of course, I’m sure Hyung has a plan. Anyway, that man should have gone into politics, not policing.”

Jae-un, who was grumbling that they had only done a good deed for Superintendent Seo, spotted Seong-cheol turning the corner and raised his hand.

“Yo, Assistant Manager Kwak. Back from grocery shopping?”

Seong-cheol, who was heading toward the main entrance from the vacant lot next to the inn used as a parking lot, greeted Mu-won politely first.

“Hyung, you’re back?”

“Where’s Hwang-ah?”

“She shut herself in her room saying she was changing the massage shop channel, and there’s been no word since, Hyung.”

Seong-cheol, who handed a box over to the empty-handed Jae-un, didn’t forget to report to Mu-won.

“I didn’t forget to pick up the items you mentioned.”

“Right, good job.”

At the nonchalant response, Jae-un gave a questioning look. Seong-cheol slightly lifted the box he was holding. The box, used instead of plastic bags, contained various food ingredients. Two four-packs of banana milk were particularly noticeable.

“Did Hwang-ah’s taste change again?”

“She hates sweet things.”

“True.”

There was no way Hyung would have picked up something for Hwang-ah. Maybe if it were a cash bonus or a performance incentive. Among the people currently staying at the inn, there was only one person who would seek out banana milk. It was Namu, who, over the past five days, could barely swallow anything else but managed to drink banana milk.

“Is the fridge empty already?”

“I threw them out because they passed the expiration date.”

One might have scolded him, asking why a thug was worrying about expiration dates, but Jae-un didn’t. Namu looked like the type who would get sick if fed something even one day past its expiration date. He knew that Namu was surprisingly durable and healthy because he was young, but he just looked that way.

“What’s on the menu today?”

“Spicy pork for lunch, baeksuk for dinner.”

“No grilled pork belly?”

“You want to eat that again after having it yesterday and the day before?”

“One serving of pork belly a day is the golden rule. Isn’t that right, Hyung?”

After chatting among themselves, Jae-un asked a question to Mu-won, who was walking ahead, and stopped following his Hyung. Seong-cheol, who stopped last, also looked over the low wall with a puzzled face.

Having woken up in the meantime and dressed neatly, Namu was sitting on the yard platform playing with the red dog.

“Wow, the kid’s smile is damn pretty.”

At Seong-cheol’s sudden observation, even Jae-un, who prided himself on having high standards, didn’t disagree. With the sunlight being so perfect, it was like a painting.

“Hey, you feeling better?”

“Looks like you’re finally fit to live?”

Startled by the voices from the main entrance, Namu tried to jump up but stood awkwardly, clutching his waist.

“Why is a kid who isn’t even healthy yet jumping up like that?”

“No matter how much it hurts, he should greet Hyung.”

“That’s true.”

Nodding readily at Jae-un’s point, Seong-cheol gave a subtle hint. Namu, who had been intending to greet Mu-won anyway, was inwardly flustered as the situation turned into a “forced greeting.”

“W-welcome back, Guest.”

Namu bowed his waist to Mu-won, who had entered late, and didn’t forget Jae-un and Seong-cheol.

“Assistant Manager, General Manager, did you have a safe trip?”

“Yeah, yeah. It must be hard, so just sit there.”

“Hey, your voice is terrible. Why are you out here instead of staying in bed?”

Though they responded bluntly and seemed to be scolding him, Namu felt a tickle in his chest because he could somehow read the worry in Seong-cheol and Jae-un’s tone, so he lowered his gaze. A pleased expression flickered in his rolling eyes.

Ah, the luggage.

Then, remembering the luggage Seong-cheol and Jae-un were carrying, Namu looked up to help.

“I-I’ll help carry them.”

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“Don’t be a nuisance and just stay seated.”

Seong-cheol and Jae-un spoke at the same time with bewildered faces.

“B-but still… Uh… eh?”

As Namu tried to waddle after them, his body suddenly floated.

“Namu-ssi, you don’t have to do things like greetings.”

“G-Guest?”

“Do you think I attended to you day and night just so you could do chores?”

“Ah…? Uh…? Ah…”

Startled by Mu-won’s action of lifting him up, Namu struggled for a moment before finally understanding and letting his body go limp. As he was carried along, he locked eyes with the red dog wagging its tail. He awkwardly curled the corners of his mouth, but then, fearing he might lock eyes with Seong-cheol and Jae-un who were heading toward the men’s bath, Namu quickly lowered his head.

The thought suddenly occurred to him that they probably knew what he was doing with the Guest. How thick-skinned must he look? He felt so embarrassed and ashamed.

As soon as they entered the inn room, his clothes were stripped off by Mu-won’s hands. After removing even his underwear, Mu-won roughly spread the mattress with his foot and laid Namu face down.

It seemed the saying that if you come to sell your body, you should just spread your legs was correct.

With two plush pillows placed under his stomach, leaving only his buttocks protruding, Namu obediently spread his thighs. He expected him to push in immediately, but his expectation was wrong.

Is he going to wash first?

The sound of presence moved away toward the bathroom. However, the sound of water, which should have been long, was short. When Mu-won, who had only washed his hands, took his place between Namu’s thighs, Namu’s tense buttocks stiffened.

Ah, I got it right this time.

He felt two hands, cold from washing, kneading his buttocks before parting his cheeks to the sides.

The anus…

Recalling his swollen, protruding anus, Namu blushed and buried his face in the mattress.

“Ah…!”

The Guest’s finger, likely coated in gel, brushed the folds before plunging inside. Even though it seemed to be just one finger, the pain flared up like a thorn, making his waist instinctively arch.

“You’re not blubbering about the pain anymore.”

Although most of his memories had evaporated, he hadn’t forgotten that he had wailed like a child. Blushing up to his nape, Namu hunched his shoulders and tried to swallow his moan.

“Relax, Namu-ssi.”

“…Yes.”

He tried to relax at Mu-won’s request, but it didn’t go well. Because of the finger stirring in circles against the inner walls, which were as swollen as the folds, it hurt enough to bring tears to his eyes.

“At this rate, are you going to snap my finger off?”

Instead of relaxing, Namu’s grip only grew tighter. Mu-won slapped his buttocks lightly—smack, smack—and then gripped and kneaded the butt cheeks. The tightly clenched gluteal muscles slowly relaxed under the rough touch. However, since the cheeks weren’t in perfect condition either, the subsided pain surged back.

Finally sobbing, Namu gripped the mattress tightly with both hands and pressed his nose into it. Squish, squish—the wet sounds from below were loud, likely because a lot of gel had been applied.

I really feel like a… a whore… though that’s true…

Feeling somewhat gloomy, Namu buried even his tightly closed eyes in the mattress, and after a while, he looked back. Even as he gradually adapted to the stinging and tingling pain, Mu-won was only touching the inside of the hole.

“Guest…?”

Mu-won, who was probing the inside with his fingers spread wide, met his eyes instead of answering.

“Now… uh…?”

Contrary to the loud sounds, perhaps the lubrication was insufficient; he picked up the gel on the table and squeezed the tube. In an instant, Namu’s eyes widened. It wasn’t because the gel touching the insertion point was cold. What Mu-won had picked up was not gel, but ointment.

Did he… use up all the gel…?

Unable to imagine that he would treat him, Namu racked his brain and buried his face in the mattress again.

Maybe it’s not lubricating well because it’s ointment… Should I prepare the gel separately…?

Looking at the round back of Namu’s head, through which his inner thoughts were transparently visible, Mu-won chuckled and slapped his bottom.

“Ah-heu…! I, I… I relaxed…”

His voice, muffled by the mattress, contained a spoonful of unfairness.

“I know, the grip isn’t what it used to be.”

“…”

At those words, Namu’s eyes suddenly welled up with tears, and he tightened his lower abdomen. Letting out a hollow laugh at the sudden tightening of the folds, Mu-won lightly slapped his bottom again.

“Doing this won’t make it tighten like the first time.”

Startled, Namu blinked rapidly and released the tension in his lower abdomen. The folds that had been struggling to bite the finger also loosened.

“T-then… are you not going to use it now?”

Fearing that he was already broken, Namu continued hesitantly.

“Can… can’t you use me anymore?”

“It’s not exactly in a good state for fucking.”

“Uh…”

As Namu’s mind went blank and he couldn’t find words, three fingers spread wide inside.

“Aah!”

Namu’s waist immediately arched. Knowing that Namu would be in pain if the inserting fingers scratched anywhere else, Mu-won pressed down on Namu’s lower back to keep him from moving.

“G-Guest…”

“I’ve completely fucked up your hole, Namu-ssi.”

“Wh-what?”

Taken aback by the unexpected remark, Namu, who had been quietly agreeing, looked back. The moment a hand softly rubbed his inner wall, he couldn’t hold back a moan. “Hngh.” He curled his toes. As Namu reacted by trying to squeeze his thighs together, Mu-won confirmed that he had hit Namu’s prostate.

Having spent nearly two days constantly plugging and pumping into him, Namu’s body was ragged inside and out. Because he had grown accustomed to sensations that were naturally contradictory, his hypersensitive body frequently dumped every drop of fluid it had at the slightest touch.

The prostate, which at first had been buried so deep it was hard to locate, had become enlarged and now caught against Mu-won’s finger joints every time he touched it. As Mu-won intentionally massaged it gently, Namu began to tremble violently, repeatedly trying to close his legs.

“Guest… it, it feels strange…”

“Because it hurts, but your cock feels like it’s going to get hard?”

“Yes…”

Namu answered softly, then nodded while sniffing.

“Yes… Guest. There… it feels strange there.”

Despite saying it was strange and trembling, Namu didn’t kick out or try to run away. Mu-won continued to stir Namu’s inner walls, rubbing the swollen prostate as if tickling it. He didn’t forget to meticulously spread the warm, melted ointment inside.

“Do you know that your prostate is very small and shallow, Namu?”

“I-I don’t know… Hieek…!”

“Can’t you see anything now that we’ve matched bellies? And you’re cutting me off mid-sentence.”

“T-that’s… no… hngaaah…!”

“I guess I’ll just have to cut off your cock next.”

“G-Guest…! Haaah…!”

When Mu-won spread the finger that had been pressing firmly on the prostate and gave it a slight pinch, Namu leaped, reflexively shaking his hips.

“Ah… ah-eung…!”

Just as his balls seemed to plump up, after only two shakes, he spurted semen from his erect cock.

“Hngh, hue…”

Trembling all over as if struck by lightning, Namu went limp like a spent rubber band. Thanks to this, his internal muscles relaxed, allowing Mu-won to move his fingers more easily. In other words, it meant he could rummage through Namu’s body to his heart’s content.

“Hngh, hukk…”

Only after making him squirt and leak urine did Mu-won withdraw his finger and wipe away what had come out. Now, without scolding the sobbing Namu, he removed the pillow from under his stomach. Then, he placed it under Namu’s chest so he could lie face down comfortably.

“Why… why…”

Namu couldn’t understand why Mu-won didn’t just stop at the semen, but every time, made him release strange fluids and even urinate. No, maybe it was his own body that was strange. Just as Mu-won said, maybe he was so broken that he couldn’t be used anymore…

“I think… I think that part is broken… hukk…”

“That part?”

Mu-won looked at Namu, who was now burying his face in the pillow instead of the yoga mat, and smiled.

“Ah, my personal cock-sleeve?”

“…”

Namu had said it himself, but hearing it from Mu-won’s mouth seemed to wound him. Mu-won tapped Namu’s cheek, making him look up. His face and eyelids were already swollen red with heat.

“I’m saying I’ll wreck my cock-sleeve, treat him, and then use him more. Does that make you feel that miserable?”

“…Treat me?”

“I just applied the medicine. Just now.”

“T-that…”

Unable to ask if that was actually ‘treatment’ until the end, Namu looked at Mu-won with tear-filled eyes.

“I… I thought the Guest was t-torturing me.”

“Me? Torturing you? Why?”

“Because you don’t put your cock in and just keep making me release strange things… I thought it was because you didn’t like me… so I thought you were punishing me…”

“Why would I bother punishing you if I didn’t like you? I’d just throw you away.”

“…”

Fidgeting with his fingertips, Namu quickly wiped his tears onto the pillowcase.

“Then… am I…”

Before Namu could bring himself to ask if he wasn’t being thrown away yet, a few sheets of paper were held out in front of him.

“What… is this?”

“A contract.”

Mu-won placed it in front of the pillow so the prone Namu could see it clearly and handed him a ballpoint pen.

“I bought your debt, Namu.”

“…Really?”

“Even if you signed it because you were scammed, the contract still exists. If I want to use you, I have to pay money to buy it.”

“I have a lot of debt…”

The principal was 100 million won, and with various additions, it had reached 200 million. To Mu-won, it was a negligible amount, but he deliberately didn’t mock him. After all, the value of money was relative.

Faced with an attitude that suggested it didn’t matter, Namu swallowed hard. Eventually, he took the pen with a hand that looked barely half the size of Mu-won’s. The contract format was simple.

“You can read, right? You graduated high school.”

“Yes…”

He could have grumbled, asking if he looked like someone who couldn’t read, but Namu simply nodded. That was what caught Mu-won’s eye. It was surprising that a kid who looked like he could have been devoured at any moment had made it to this age intact, and his broken radar, which couldn’t detect a single danger even while standing in a pit of snakes, was truly admirable.

“For the next year, Namu, you just have to live as my personal cock-sleeve.”

“One year…?”

“Once you complete the year, your debt will be wiped immediately.”

“…And if I can’t?”

“I’ll have to sell you to other guys to pay it back.”

“…”

Namu quietly lowered his eyelashes, his eyes reading the text in the contract. His eyelashes weren’t particularly long; they just looked lush because the light-colored hairs were densely packed.

“Don’t be scared first. The establishments I manage are better than a House.”

“T-the establishments the Guest manages?”

“Is there somewhere else you’d rather go?”

Namu quickly shook his head.

“It’s not that… I was just wondering if the Guest personally introduces people to the establishments he manages.”

“If I’m handing over a guy I’ve been fucking under the same blanket as merchandise, I should at least do that much. Right?”

“Y-yes… that’s right…”

Without even knowing what was ‘right,’ Namu touched the pen to the signature line. Watching this, Mu-won reached out.

“Ouch!”

Ttak! With a snapping sound, Namu rubbed his forehead with his palm. Mu-won had flicked him on the forehead. His widened eyes were full of Mu-won. Whether it was because the flick hurt or because he had been miserable all along, his eyes were brimming with tears.

“You should read the contract thoroughly before signing, shouldn’t you?”

“…I did…”

Resentment leaked into his voice. Without even a snort, Mu-won threatened him to check the contract properly and then lay down flat on his back. Using his interlaced fingers as a pillow, Mu-won lay on the floor—not the mat—while Namu stole glances at him before looking back at the contract.

The content he had read once was the same. So were the documents thrown in with the contract. It was a debt purchase agreement stating that a loan company had bought Namu’s debt. Despite his resentment, Namu read it thoroughly once more and touched the pen tip to the new contract again.

Mu-won, who had since shifted to lie on his side, was watching Namu with his chin resting on his hand. Sensing his gaze, Namu asked before signing.

“Do I do it?”

“And if you don’t?”

Whether he read the contract by heart or skimmed it, he had to sign anyway, but he felt both resentful and grateful that Mu-won had pushed him. He had only ever known adults who rushed him to sign things; this was the first time an adult had scolded him for not reading.

“But, Guest.”

“Yes, but?”

“The way the Guest speaks…”

As he wrote his name stroke by stroke instead of just signing, Namu looked up with eyes moist from crying. His lips parted a few times before he spoke.

“It’s… awkward.”

“What is?”

“The swearing, and ‘wreck’… using words like that. Before…”

You weren’t like that.

Namu couldn’t finish the sentence aloud and bit his lip. He thought it was an impudent thing to say. However, Mu-won answered without caring.

“Back then, I was pretending to be gentlemanly to seduce you.”

“…”

“It’s not like you didn’t know I was a third-rate thug to a human butcher.”

Nodding in agreement, Namu finished writing his name.

“Here.”

After checking the contract Namu handed over, Mu-won carelessly pushed the documents into the corner of the room. Namu stared blankly at Mu-won, who had scolded him but hadn’t spent a single second checking the papers himself, and buried his nose in the pillowcase. The Guest must be used to such documents.

“Guest…”

Maybe it was because he had signed the contract, or maybe he was just imagining things, but he felt like Mu-won would put up with his whining today.

“I want to wash.”

The mat was damp from the fluids he had released earlier, and his lower body felt sticky.

“Can I wash?”

Mu-won stared at Namu, who asked cautiously while lifting his eyelashes, and curled the corners of his mouth.

“Namu, you have a talent for being served.”

He hadn’t asked to be washed…

Before he could say anything, Namu was scooped up by Mu-won, and with trembling hands, he tightly wrapped his arms around Mu-won’s neck. Mu-won didn’t complain that he was doing something unpleasant. Instead, he adjusted his grip on Namu and left the motel room. Before long, Namu was sitting in the hot tub, holding a banana milk with a straw in it.

* * *

Namu woke up on Mu-won’s thighs again today. The sun was high in the sky, so it couldn’t really be called morning. Having been exhausted by Mu-won all night, Namu had fallen into a deep, dreamless sleep.

That’s why his reactions were always slow. When he opened his eyes to the sensation of his inner walls being poked, he was sprawled across Mu-won’s legs, and his erect cock was pressed flat against his stomach.

“Ah… hngh…”

It seemed he had woken up while ejaculating. More concerned with Mu-won’s legs than his own damp lower belly, Namu tried to lift his hips, but he was pressed back down by a palm.

“Gues…t…”

“Stay still unless you want to be poked somewhere else.”

“Guest… your legs are getting all wet…”

As if asking why he was bringing it up now when they were already soaked, the palm pressing on his lower back gently rubbed near Namu’s tailbone. As the inside was touched, Namu let out a groan when the most sensitive part was hit.

“Did… did I tear a lot again today?”

“Want me to show you?”

“…How?”

Namu, not saying no, held his breath for a moment before asking. Mu-won, who had been applying ointment evenly to the raw inner walls, picked up his phone and turned on the camera. Namu’s shoulders jumped at the sound of the ‘click.’

“Like this.”

Because Mu-won spread the two fingers inserted into the anus wide and focused accurately, the photo came out very clear.

“…”

The folds, which opened smoothly just from the strength of the fingers, were indescribably swollen. A few of the folds, swollen into small donut shapes, were torn, but no blood was visible. It seemed they had clotted while he slept, or while Mu-won was treating him. The bright red inner flesh visible through the circular gap was also plumply swollen.

The substance soaking Mu-won’s fingers and glistening inside and outside the anus was likely the ointment. After sex, Mu-won always cleaned the inside. Even in his sleep, Namu had fragmented memories of opening up when Mu-won told him to, enduring when told to endure, and relaxing when told to relax.

“…I want to delete it.”

Namu, his neck flushed with bite marks and hickeys, pressed his forehead against the floor.

“Go ahead.”

At the cool permission, Namu quickly deleted the photo with fumbling hands. While embarrassed, he was also worried about when he would ever get used to it, since it always hurt and stung this much. Even to Namu, Mu-won’s cock was incredibly large. He still couldn’t believe that he swallowed a cock that was perfectly proportional to Mu-won’s build—no, slightly larger. That was probably why he tore and swelled every time.

“Guest… isn’t it a hassle for you?”

“It has its own kind of fun.”

“What?”

Namu, unable to even lift his head, replied while clutching Mu-won’s phone in both hands. Mu-won laughed lightly and closed the fingers he had spread like scissors, causing the internal membranes to squirm and stick together. Though expanded due to swelling, the inner walls wrapping around the fingers felt textured.

Mu-won, applying the ointment so meticulously it felt like he was counting every single fold, slightly bent the tip of his finger. Reflexively, Namu’s hips jumped. The prostate, caught by the nail, was also in a plumply developed state. Whenever it started to subside, it was crushed by a cock, leaving no room for recovery.

Anticipating what Mu-won was about to do, Namu trembled and hunched his shoulders.

I’ll probably just pour out more of that strange fluid again.

Namu reacted faithfully, shaking his hips whenever Mu-won’s finger touched his prostate. The fluid and urine that erupted like a fountain from his erect cock were so plentiful that they always soaked the mat. He had become sensitive to stimulation through their sexual encounters, but it was also because Mu-won made him drink a lot of water during sex.

Looking at the mat, which was difficult to wash, with an annoyed gaze, Mu-won began to fondle Namu’s anus on the floor from then on. For Namu, who always felt sorry for Seong-cheol or Jae-un, who did the laundry instead of him, this was a welcome change.

When he had sex with Mu-won, there was laundry in the morning and laundry in the afternoon. In the morning, the blankets that had been messily crumpled all night; in the afternoon, the blankets stained with the fluids Namu released while being treated. It wasn’t that there was no laundry at all, but having one load instead of two helped Namu’s peace of mind.

However, whenever he wiped the floor drenched in his own discharged fluids, he felt as if his whole body were catching fire. He was ashamed. He was anxious that Seong-cheol and Jae-un, who would never imagine incontinence during sex, would find out that he was a grown man who couldn’t control his bladder. He even thought it was a relief that it didn’t stand out much, mixed in with the bucketful of semen.

That’s why he had been horrified when Mu-won said something like, ‘The kids will clean it, why create more work for yourself?’ Mu-won easily let it go, telling Namu to do as he pleased when he stubbornly insisted on doing it himself, which was unlike him.

Wearing only his pants and leaning against the window frame, Mu-won suddenly scooped up Namu, who had just finished wiping away the last of the moisture. I still have to clear away the tissues used to wipe the floor… Despite Namu’s murmuring, Mu-won gave him no more time.

For that reason, Namu ejaculated on the floor again this time. When he squirted in succession, he tightened around Mu-won’s fingers as if to snap them, and when he leaked urine, he let his bright red body go limp.

Namu couldn’t tell if he felt good or bad at those moments. The treatment didn’t feel like treatment. Yet, he couldn’t deny it, as the ointment definitely made the healing faster.

However, it was agonizing when the euphoria, using the erotic sensation of his internals being tickled as a lever, filled his head. During the release, he felt it so intensely that his mind went blank, and he trembled, his body slippery with sweat. Just as he was about to sink into the ensuing lethargy, Mu-won would either scoop him up or flip him over like a pancake, leaving him no time to dwell.

Having gone through the same process again, Namu sniffled and wiped the floor. Though his limbs were loose and he trembled like a newborn calf from the afterglow of the strong release, his hands were quite skilled at wiping the floor meticulously.

In a motel with absolutely no soundproofing, the sound of the two of them fucking would spread almost like a live broadcast. It wasn’t as if Seong-cheol and Jae-un were clueless novices. There was no way they wouldn’t know what was being released and what was being felt just from the screams and moans Namu couldn’t hold back. Even Hwang-ah would probably know.

While it was funny that Namu was anxious about being caught, it was also cute. Mu-won had never given a glance to things that were small, young, innocent, and stupid, but he couldn’t bring himself to dislike this ‘downy’ boy. The way he tried his best to do his part in even the smallest things often caught his attention.

“Can’t… can’t I do the treatment myself?”

Namu’s question, asked while nestled in Mu-won’s arms and rubbing his eyes, echoed in the quiet hallway.

“It won’t reach with your small hands, Namu.”

“Because strange things keep coming out…”

“If you really hate it, should I call Seong-cheol? Would it be better since he has a medical license?”

The thought of showing his anus to someone other than Mu-won—especially Seong-cheol, whom he faced every day—and potentially showing a hideous sight made Namu’s world go dark.

“N-no…”

Holding the head-shaking Namu, Mu-won entered the men’s bath and pushed the glass door open with his foot. After roughly rinsing off the residue under the shower, they soaked in the hot tub. Namu, who had been held the whole time, let out a small whimper.

The bruises and bite marks spread across his body stung as they absorbed the water, his overworked muscles screamed, and the hole, which didn’t close completely and held the hot water, spasmed. Mu-won waited leisurely until Namu grew accustomed to the pain enveloping his entire body.

“Hnghh-hukk…”

Sitting with his legs spread across Mu-won’s thighs, Namu instinctively clung to him, wrapping his arms tightly around his neck. Once the trembling subsided somewhat, Mu-won hardened his cock and aligned the glans with Namu’s hole. The anal folds, which had been repeatedly absorbing and spitting out hot water, contracted. Before that, Mu-won pushed his cock in to the root, and sobs poured into his ear.

“Does it hurt?”

As Mu-won’s whisper tickled his earlobe, Namu, curling his whole body at a sensation that couldn’t be called purely pain, shook his head slightly. Meanwhile, the tears he shed flowed down Mu-won’s shoulder, pooled in his collarbone, and then dropped into the water.

“This is why I don’t do it with kids who have small holes.”

“I… I’ve gotten a little bigger…”

“You shrink back down if I don’t plug you for even a single day.”

“B-but… I take everything you give me…. I took it all just now, and last night, and the night before that, too…. You’re so big, Guest. But I still took it all…. My hole isn’t small, Guest….”

“You keep bleeding.”

“…….”

“No matter how much of a killer I am, I don’t appreciate seeing blood while we’re fucking, Namu-ssi.”

“T-then….”

Namu swallowed a sob, his throat bobbing, before continuing.

“Do it often…. Until my hole gets bigger… please fuck me more and more often, Guest….”

“Now who’s the debtor here?”

Mu-won, appearing completely bewildered, gave him what he wanted. He gripped Namu’s pelvis to keep him from moving and thrust upward, their junction fitting together so tightly that not a drop of fluid could leak.

“Keck…! Hua-!”

Even after being kept in the inn room and rolled over day and night, Namu’s inner walls—which didn’t seem to stretch beyond a certain point—clamped down ruthlessly on the invading cock. Despite groaning low at the pressure, Mu-won didn’t stop his hip movements. Instead, he drove in harder and stronger, attempting to widen the interior.

Namu screamed and shook helplessly under the merciless pounding, eventually flipping back with a blank stare. Mu-won readjusted his hold on him and crushed the inner walls even more violently.

Finally, with a satisfied groan, he spilled his seed deep inside. The muscles of his entire body, swollen as if they might burst, slowly relaxed with heavy panting.

“Haa.”

Exhaling a breath like a curse, Mu-won brushed back his disheveled hair. He draped Namu, who was limp against his chest, over his shoulder and tilted his head to loosen his muscles. He leaned back just like that, spending time leisurely until the heat cooled and Namu, who had fallen asleep as if unconscious, woke up.

This kind of life became a sort of pattern. After relieving his sexual desires in the room or the bath and coming out refreshed, Seong-cheol or Jae-un would be waiting with a set table. If the weather was nice, they ate on the wooden platform; if it was chilly or raining, they used Room 1, which served as a combined dining room and living room.

Cleaning, cooking, and laundry never fell to Namu. To be precise, he wasn’t in a position to do them. First, Seong-cheol and Jae-un made sure he didn’t get anywhere near those tasks, and if he even caught Mu-won’s eye, he was dragged back into the room with words like, ‘You have the leisure to do other things, impressive.’

Usually, he was worn down so much that he couldn’t move from under the covers for a day or two, but on days like that, Mu-won pushed and squeezed him so relentlessly that the days he spent aching increased by another two.

As a result, Namu’s wake-up time grew progressively later. It became his routine to open his eyes around the time the midday sun began to tilt and crawl out from under the covers with a completely drained body.

And so, November arrived.

* * *

On days when there was no sex with Mu-won, his entire daily routine consisted of sitting on the platform and playing with the red dog. In truth, “sex” happened at most once or twice a week. This was because after spending one whole night completely exhausted, he would ache under the covers for anywhere from two to five days.

Thus, Namu’s day became very simple. He would have mind-blowing sex several times throughout the night, ache for a few days, pull himself together to eat the food prepared by Seong-cheol or Jae-un, and then doze off into sleep. On other days, he listened to the sound of rain outside the window or received plenty of affection from the red dog on the platform, as he was today.

“Oh? Hello….”

Feeling a presence beside him, Namu looked up, but before he could finish his greeting, a peanut was pushed between his teeth. It was Hwang-ah, who always carried snacks.

“This guy still doesn’t have a name, right?”

“Yes….”

Munching on the peanut Hwang-ah had given him, Namu knew it too. The people at the inn didn’t give the red dog more attention than necessary. They provided food and a place to sleep, but beyond walks, they showed no particular will to bond with it.

Is he in a similar situation to me…?

He’s probably more useful than I am, though.

Having never spent time so lazily in his life, Namu sometimes felt like a parasite. Being Mu-won’s bed partner was exhausting enough, but strictly speaking, there was no easier way to pay off a debt in the world.

Because he was told the debt would be fully cleared if he had sex with him for one year. Although that one year wasn’t guaranteed….

The fact that he could pay off his debt while having sex with someone he liked was, in truth, a stroke of luck he’d never had in his life. He didn’t have to be dragged around and beaten, nor did he have to be shoved into strange rooms to endure all sorts of things from men whose faces he didn’t even know.

He couldn’t be Mu-won’s top priority, but just being on the list of people to help or save was more than he deserved. Mu-won didn’t like Namu, nor was someone with a small hole like Namu his preference, but he continued to use him regardless. Namu didn’t forget that he could be kicked out overnight, as easily as flipping a palm.

Since there had been many people like him, the inn staff didn’t seem to give him any special affection or interest. He was likely just one of many short-term bed partners.

“You name him.”

“Me…?”

Namu’s eyes widened at the unbelievable proposal.

“I’m not even the one taking care of the dog…?”

“If not you, he’ll probably live and die without a name his whole life.”

“Ah….”

That was too sad. Looking down at the red dog with pitying eyes, Namu lightly scratched under the chin of the fur-ball that was affectionately clinging to him. After pondering for a long time, he cautiously looked at Hwang-ah’s expression. Even then, his face was already flushed.

He’s damn pretty.

Hwang-ah felt he understood why Mu-won, who didn’t keep separate sex partners, had kept him close for over a month. While letting Namu’s scream-like cries, which spread throughout the inn whenever he was pinned by Mu-won, go in one ear and out the other, Hwang-ah couldn’t help but question his boss’s lack of conscience.

The CEO, that conscience-less bastard. Ah, he never had one to begin with.

If the CEO dumps him, should I try making him an influencer? He’d make 200 million in no time. It would be much more efficient than sending him to another establishment.

“Can I really name him?”

Reading the flicker of worry on the excited face, Hwang-ah smiled cryptically while chewing a peanut.

“The CEO probably won’t say anything no matter what Namu-ssi does.”

Then, she vanished as quickly as she had arrived. Namu, staring with a bewildered face at Hwang-ah entering the inn, soon fell into deep thought.

A name…? This was the first time he had ever named someone.

‘The CEO probably won’t say anything no matter what Namu-ssi does.’

Even if that were true, he should still ask for permission. He might dislike it.

Namu didn’t want to do anything that Mu-won would dislike, even the slightest bit.

Around 3 or 4 PM, those who had gone out returned to the inn one by one. Sometimes they came in singles, pairs, or trios. Today, it was three. Namu, who had been sitting in the yard as the sun set, sprang up upon spotting them.

“Guest…!”

Despite seeing him every day, Namu ran toward him with cheeks flushed in the cold November air, looking incredibly glad. Jae-un clicked his tongue, and Seong-cheol gave a warm smile.

“General Manager, Assistant Manager….”

One had to wonder if he should be called a well-behaved puppy. Since Mu-won told him not to bother with greetings, Namu truly refrained from formal greetings. Instead, he scurried over like that, welcoming them with sparkling eyes. Naturally, the priority was Mu-won.

“You’re going to trip at this rate.”

Mu-won tossed out a comment with a curl of his lips and ruffled Namu’s thick hair, then it was Jae-un and Seong-cheol’s turn.

“Hyung-nim, should I buy him a puffer jacket?”

When Jae-un asked with a dissatisfied look, Mu-won scanned Namu and nodded.

“Do that.”

Seong-cheol chimed in.

“Buy plenty of winter clothes too, okay? Don’t just buy a single puffer jacket again.”

“Is it Hyung-nim’s money or yours?”

“Should I throw my card at you?”

Leaving the two bickering behind, Mu-won walked ahead, and Namu followed with quick steps. Recently, whenever they returned, they always smelled of earth, wood, and iron. It was like the smell of a construction site or a redevelopment area. Having occasionally worked at construction sites while in a runaway family, Namu could easily make the connection.

“Uh….”

Namu, walking behind, came to a stop. Fortunately, the disaster of head-butting Mu-won’s back did not occur. Mu-won, sitting on the platform, took out a cigarette and then his phone. He answered the call with a frown.

Always busy, he made frequent calls. The person on the other end seemed to be different every time. Starting the call, he gestured to Namu, who was standing awkwardly. Namu approached Mu-won without hesitation. Even without a word, he quickly climbed onto Mu-won’s lap and clung to him like a koala. He wrapped both arms tightly around Mu-won’s neck and buried his face in his shoulder.

Mu-won’s scent was full of dust. As expected, he must have been going back and forth between construction sites or redevelopment areas.

Jae-un and Seong-cheol, who had been arguing over whose money it was, gave a short nod to Mu-won on the platform and headed inside the inn. Even without looking, Namu knew they were going to wash up. They always washed their bodies first upon returning home. Thus, Namu didn’t have to smell the dust or blood they brought from outside for long.

Mu-won, on the other hand, was different. No matter what smell he brought back, he would hold Namu while taking various calls or asking Namu various things. Most of the conversations were short and trivial, but Namu truly loved that time.

Once Seong-cheol came out after washing, Jae-un brought out the folding dining table. While they prepared dinner, Namu, as always, was carried by Mu-won into the bath.

Before meals, Mu-won did not touch Namu sexually. He simply washed Namu’s hair or scrubbed his back. Then, Namu would hesitate before scrubbing Mu-won’s back with a lathered towel. He had once tried to scrub him with his body but was severely disciplined for it, so he never attempted it again.

He heard a chuckle from above his head. Contrary to his impression, Mu-won was actually prone to laughing. Although it was often scarier when he laughed.

By the time he dried his hair and dressed, it was usually around 5 PM. Unless something special happened, they would gather around the table for dinner at that time. Even Hwang-ah, who rarely went out and stayed shut in her room, never missed mealtime.

In the meantime, the table set on the platform was lavish with various side dishes. Meat and seafood were never missing from every meal. For Namu, who sometimes couldn’t emerge from under the covers in a daze, porridge or thin gruel was served separately. Namu, who woke up sluggishly late in the afternoon, was able to join the dinner table this time.

Since days without wind and rain were rare, they didn’t eat on the platform often. Today, the air was only slightly cool, and the lights came on under a calm sky. The lights illuminating the inn yard were incandescent bulbs temporarily installed by the three men, excluding Namu. Incandescent bulbs larger than fairy lights hung in clusters from the clothesline.

“Starting the day after tomorrow, teams will start coming in one by one.”

At Mu-won’s word, Jae-un, who had just swallowed a piece of spicy pork wrapped in lettuce, answered first.

“I’ll call a company and have everything cleaned up by tomorrow, Hyung-nim.”

Seong-cheol, who was mixing rice with soybean paste stew, also spoke up.

“Are we bringing them all in?”

“Do we have enough rooms to house all of them?”

“Ah! Hyung-nim is right about that.”

The beaming Seong-cheol replied with a sociable grin.

The complex and trivial problems were mostly solved, and now only the large-scale matters remained. It meant that checks and balances would begin in earnest. This was the background of why the subordinate employees, who had hidden in Gamgyul City one by one following Mu-won, were now moving into the inn in succession.

“Assistant Manager Kwak. Is the lens installation done?”

“Three blocks left. I’ll have it all finished within this week.”

“Yeees. Don’t mess it up by rushing for no reason. Just do it thoroughly within the time limit.”

At Hwang-ah’s nagging, Seong-cheol thumped his chest, telling her to trust him.

“Must be nice to finally escape being a kitchen hand, huh?”

“Look who’s talking.”

Namu, who had no interest in and knew nothing of their conversation, put a piece of pink sausage in his mouth. Having frequently encountered foods he had never even seen, let alone eaten, because they were so rare, every meal was delicious to Namu. It was only a pity that he couldn’t eat much because the portions were small.

While staying at the inn, both his stomach and his appetite had grown significantly, but he intentionally avoided eating until he was full. Fearing it might interfere with sex. The enemas that filled the bathroom cabinet were still burdensome items for Namu. Nevertheless, Namu consistently emptied the cabinet.

At one point, he thought they were just provided in every inn room, but upon learning that Seong-cheol was the one who bought and refilled them whenever they ran low, he didn’t know what to do from embarrassment. Still, since he didn’t know when or where Mu-won might start, he didn’t skip emptying his insides in time as much as possible.

For that reason, a piece of hairtail fish was placed in Namu’s bowl, where he was picking at his food. It was Mu-won.

“I have no intention of touching you more, so eat properly, Namu-ssi.”

At the added words, Namu’s cheeks flushed. The others must have understood what he meant. Of course, everyone at this table knew he was the Guest’s exclusive fuck-toy, but he couldn’t help feeling embarrassed.

Still, Namu picked up his spoon and continued eating. Because he didn’t want to go against Mu-won’s words. And because he knew that having sex with Mu-won was so exhausting that he had to eat as much as possible when he had the chance.

While everyone else polished off two or three bowls of rice, side dishes were occasionally placed in the spoon of Namu, who was slowly chewing and swallowing his portion. Bulgogi, sausages, hairtail fish. Even amidst the unpredictable conversation, the only owner of the chopsticks moving toward Namu’s bowl was Mu-won.

As he steadily emptied his bowl of rice, letting their conversation go in one ear and out the other, a faint trace of worry crossed Namu’s face.

‘I have no intention of touching you more.’

It was because those words made him anxious.

* * *

Drained of energy, Namu leaned his upper body back. A hot, firm chest touched his back, which was still flushed with heat. It was hard even to hold his head up, so he rested the back of his head on Mu-won’s shoulder. As his heightened senses subsided, his ragged breathing slowed. Drip, drop. Water droplets gathered on the ceiling fell onto the surface of the bath. Staring blankly at the irregular falls, Namu opened his red, swollen lips.

“Guest….”

“Yes, Namu-ssi.”

Mu-won, looking down at Namu, who was ripened perfectly by the heat of the hot bath and sex, answered. Namu’s translucent chest was full of the marks Mu-won had left. Even the nipples and areolas, which had grown from millet-sized to bean-sized because they had been bitten so much, had clear tooth marks.

“By any chance… can I name the red dog?”

He had looked like he had something to say the whole time.

The corners of Mu-won’s mouth softened as he enjoyed the pleasant afterglow.

“Do you have a name in mind?”

“I-I’m thinking about it!”

Namu, who had been waiting nervously, turned around with a bright face at the ready permission. He twisted only his upper body to wrap his arms around Mu-won’s neck, then let out a groan, “Ouch….” as a tingling pain shot up from his anus.

“I wonder how you held back your desire to name him all this time.”

Mu-won released the arms wrapped around his neck and used his large hand to moderately massage the muscles of Namu’s waist. Regardless of his flexibility, the posture of taking Mu-won for hours couldn’t have been comfortable. Considering the difference in their size and the weight Mu-won put on him, it was admirable that Namu could spring back up without aching for days.

Feeling good because of Mu-won’s touch and the acceptance of his request, Namu giggled and leaned his body back again. In truth, it was also because his anxiety had been slightly relieved after realizing that the words ‘no intention of touching you more’ were a one-time thing.

In a good mood, Namu’s whining, aegyo, and talking increased. Though he himself probably didn’t realize it.

“But, Guest. How did you meet the red dog?”

“Picked him up.”

Namu waited for the next words. But when Mu-won showed no sign of explaining further, he soon gave up and let the strength leave his body.

Was the Guest there that day too? Did he see him by chance while coming out for fresh air after spending time at the House, or while passing by? Does he still go to the House these days? Gambling is bad….

With a body that had been thoroughly worked over, sitting in a warm bath and leaning on Mu-won, sleep began to come softly. Namu soon started to doze off.

The outside was chaotic. Namu, who had emerged from his bedding late in the afternoon with a disheveled face, opened his room door with a puzzled expression. As expected, he hadn’t misheard the footsteps busily moving through the hallway and the loud voices coming from the yard.

“Hey, hey! Be careful! If it breaks, you blockhead! Are you going to take responsibility?”

“Yes, I’ll be careful! Hyung-nim!”

“Ha, fuck, it’s so hot. Is this neighborhood summer even in the dead of winter?”

“I heard the temperature drops sharply in December. This neighborhood’s weather is fucking crazy.”

“We’re not actually settling down here, are we?”

“If we do, then what?”

“We’d better adapt damn well, fuck.”

The men sitting on the platform and snickering looked around as if it were their own living room and spotted Namu standing in front of the glass door. Namu, who had come outside avoiding the busily moving men who looked like so-called ‘extras,’ swallowed hard when his eyes met theirs.

Like Jae-un and Seong-cheol, they had burly builds and fierce expressions, but they seemed different. They were rawer, rougher; they reminded him of the gangsters who used to frequent the House and the sauna. As Namu instinctively took a step back, the man with the gold necklace locked eyes with him and scowled.

“Who the fuck are you? Why are you hiding like a little rat?”

The man with the crew cut sitting next to him added in with a slouching, arrogant posture, swinging his legs.

“More like a hamster than a rat… Did you roll out of a red-light district or something?”

“Hyungs, why would the CEO hire someone from a red-light district?”

“That’s true. Hey, brat! I asked who you are. Did you come from the dispatch office? Are you here for the chores?”

“Seems so, Hyung. I don’t think the General Manager or the Assistant Manager would have done it personally.”

“Is that so? Hey! Go get us some drinks. This fucking neighborhood is damn hot. You brat! Are your ears plugged? Look at how slow this guy is. Do you need a hit to wake up?”

They kept throwing questions and chatting without giving Namu a chance to answer, and then one of them suddenly raised a hand. Even from a distance, the gesture was threatening, making Namu flinch and nod.

“Yes, yes…!”

He figured they must be the new arrivals. Seeing as they didn’t even know who he was, it seemed Mu-won hadn’t given them any prior notice. It was only natural. There was no need for the lower employees to know every detail about a personal fuck-toy who could be kicked out at any moment.

“Ah, fuck! What the—?”

As Namu turned around in a hurry, he nearly collided with a man leaving with some luggage, and a torrent of curses immediately followed.

“I-I’m sorry.”

“You fucking brat! Watch where you’re going!”

Having been hit on the head as well, Namu bowed repeatedly and moved his feet quickly. He suddenly realized that he had been lounging around in far too much luxury. Far beyond his station.

Running into the men’s bath area, Namu opened the commercial refrigerator. It was packed with drinks that Seong-cheol had stocked. After putting a few bottles of water into a mart basket, Namu hesitated before adding a variety of ion drinks, sodas, and beers.

Then he moved quickly. This time, he headed toward the wooden platform, taking care not to bump into the men moving about.

“What about the snacks?”

“This brat has zero sense. If he had the brains to bring beer, obviously snacks come with it. Bring something!”

“Aren’t you hungry? Seeing the beer makes me crave meat.”

“Hey, rat! Bring some dried snacks first, then fry up some meat. If it tastes bad, you’re dead.”

“M-meat?”

“Tsk— hurry it up! Look at this lack of discipline.”

Cowering in fear of another hit, Namu first went to gather the dried snacks.

I’m terrible at cooking… Is there anything in the kitchen fridge?

Namu’s mind raced. Since coming here, he had never even set foot in the kitchen, let alone the refrigerator. The meals Seong-cheol prepared were always cleared clean. Everyone had appetites as big as their frames, and the food was simply delicious. Namu’s own appetite had grown since he started eating Seong-cheol’s food.

No matter how much he thought about it, he doubted there were any prepared dishes left in the fridge. After grabbing some dried fish and a few bags of chips, Namu stopped by the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. As expected, inside the neatly organized fridge, there was nothing Namu could manage to cook right away.

Closing the fridge door with a worried expression, Namu practically flew back. He didn’t know how long it had been since he’d run around with his feet on fire like this. Because it was the kind of verbal abuse and treatment he had endured since moving from facility to facility, it took less than a minute to get used to it.

“What now? You resisting? Where’s the meat?”

“I… I don’t know how to cook.”

“What? You can’t cook? Ha, you fucking… what in the world is impossible? Aren’t you getting paid to work here? You’re acting like you’re the master here, the master. Just because you’re serving the Hyungs up close, you think you’re something special? You’ve got no eyes? Hah, this brat’s work is pathetic. Hey, do you even work properly? Do you do exactly what the Hyungs tell you to do!”

“I-I’m not actually getting paid to work….”

“Look at this guy. Your tongue is damn long, isn’t it? You fucking… do I look like a joke to you? Huh? Yeah, I’m a joke, right? People like you need to be beaten to death… Aagh!”

The man with the gold necklace, who had been hitting Namu’s forehead and head with every word, let out a shriek and was slammed onto the cement floor. Before he could even react, a polished shoe flew in—thump, thump, thump—brutally stomping on a body that had more fat than muscle. The man with the gold necklace soon became blood-soaked, making sounds like a pig being slaughtered.

Namu wasn’t the only one who turned pale at the sound of bones breaking. The man with the crew cut, the one with the centipede tattoo, and the men who had been watching the gold-necklace man’s tyranny as if it were entertainment while moving luggage—nearly all of them looked as if their souls had left their bodies.

Beside the gold-necklace man, who was groaning and taking the beating without a single act of resistance, the men, including the crew-cut man, dropped to their knees in a row.

“C-CEO! We were wrong! Please forgive us just once!”

Trembling, they buried their heads and chanted that they were sorry, not even knowing what they had done wrong. Mu-won, who was crushing the gold-necklace man with a bored expression and without a single word, didn’t even break his breathing. With a final thump, he stepped on the man’s forearm instead of his head and then casually wiped the blood off his shoe on the man’s clothes.

Silence fell over the area. Only the bloodied gold-necklace man trembled, foaming at the mouth with gurgling sounds. Just as Namu, who had been frozen for a long time, instinctively tried to approach the man who looked like he might die if left alone—

“Namu-ssi.”

At the voice that broke the chilly silence, Namu looked up. Mu-won was standing askew, hands thrust into his trouser pockets.

“Come here.”

At the short command, Namu didn’t hesitate. He reacted instantly to Mu-won’s voice, like a doll with a programmed command. Before Namu could even stop walking toward him, Mu-won snatched him by the waist. Lifted high, Namu habitually wrapped his arms around Mu-won’s neck and buried his face.

“G-Guest….”

Instead of savoring the breath tickling his neck, Mu-won frowned and crossed the yard.

“Are you angry?”

“Yes.”

“Huh…? Why, why?”

“I wonder. It is something to be angry about, but why am I this pissed off?”

It was a question, but Mu-won didn’t seem particularly curious. Like someone who already knew the answer before asking.

“I’m sorry, Guest….”

“For what? Worrying that that blockhead might die because he’s human?”

“What…?”

Confused, Namu shifted and turned his head. He saw Mu-won’s thick, long neck and firm jaw. It seemed his anger wasn’t a lie, as fine muscles were tensed in various places.

“Guest….”

After calling him, Namu hesitated and then softly rubbed his cheek against the nape of Mu-won’s neck.

“Please don’t be angry.”

“You’re getting more spoiled by the day.”

The tone was indifferent, but the fierce aura in his voice had softened considerably.

“From now on, if brats like that pop up, tell them you’re Cha Mu-won’s fuck-toy.”

“…….”

Namu didn’t answer and just pressed his cheek tighter, radiating heat.

“Ha. You talk so well in front of me, but you can’t do it in front of others? Are you embarrassed?”

This time, Namu buried his eyes completely into Mu-won’s shoulder, his ears burning. Because it was winter, he had been bought a few sets of clothes, and the marks left on his nape were hidden by the turtleneck. Mu-won felt like biting his cheek.

“I-It’s not that I’m embarrassed. Uh… it is a bit shameful…. It’s just… if other people knew that someone like me and the Guest were… that is. I mean… is it okay for other people to know? I… I’m a man….”

“Do you think I fucked you without knowing you have a dick? What’s the big deal about fucking Namu-ssi?”

“Ah…?”

“If you hate ‘fuck-toy,’ call it ‘fuck-buddy.’ Or call yourself Cha Mu-won’s concubine.”

The two disappeared into the inn, chatting quietly. Soon, the men who had been lying face down on the ground as if they were dead began to lift their heads one by one. Their mouths hung open after witnessing something akin to their CEO’s public display of affection. Then, suddenly realizing something, they gasped and turned pale.

“Ugh, these hopeless brats.”

The subordinates sitting in a row in front of the platform looked up, unable to contain their sense of injustice at Jae-un’s scolding.

“G-General Manager! We really had no idea he was the CEO’s lover!”

“Lover, my ass.”

“T-then is he a fuck-buddy? A concubine, like the CEO said? No wonder he was pretty enough to have rolled around in a red-light district.”

Thump, thump, thump—this time, the men were hit in the head one by one by Jae-un’s stone fists, but they didn’t dare cry out, only glancing at him nervously. Eventually, the one with the least seniority tentatively raised his head and asked, as if pushed by the others.

“But, uh, what should we call him?”

“That’s right, General Manager! He’s so close to the CEO that we don’t want to get beaten up again for calling him the wrong thing!”

“M-Madam?”

“Sister-in-law!”

Watching them hold a tournament to see who was the biggest idiot, Jae-un felt dizzy.

“They say the bond of the bed is the scariest. If he really brings him into the inner room….”

“You brats, are you writing a historical drama?”

“No, General Manager. I’m not joking. Has the CEO ever had anyone he settled down with before? Not a single one! He’s technically the person the CEO keeps by his side… no, the one he cherishes. I think we need to settle on a title!”

Just as Jae-un was about to raise his fist again in disbelief, a burst of giggling erupted from behind him. Seong-cheol, who was holding Jae-un’s shoulder and clutching his stomach, pretended to wipe away tears.

“Sister-in-law is right.”

“Hello, Assistant Manager!”

“Yeah, yeah. Now that you’ve all got it straight, treat him with utmost respect from now on, got it? Hmm?”

“Yes! Understood!”

At the end of the line of men shouting in disciplined unison was the blood-soaked gold-necklace man. Mu-won must have controlled himself even while pissed, as the man had avoided fatal injuries, aside from his face being a mess and his left arm being broken.

“Anyway, he’s a scary man. Right?”

“Yes, sir!”

Their booming voices echoed, but then suddenly, it became deathly quiet.

“Gasp.”

The ones on their knees reacted first.

On the first floor, the window of the room where Mu-won was staying must have been open, as erotic moans drifted out. Flustered to the point of a headache, Jae-un barely managed his expression and took it out on the men.

“Ha, you blockheads. You still don’t know why you got beaten today, do you?”

“N-no! General Manager!”

“The fuck you mean ‘no.’ If Namu….”

Jae-un stopped mid-sentence, hesitated for a moment, and then suddenly changed his expression and spoke brazenly.

“What if Sister-in-law had been an employee of a partner company or a VIP? Do you think it would end with just your heads being cracked?”

“We were wrong! General Manager!”

“Fuck, what poker face. Even if you know, pretend you don’t! Did I tell you or not to make it obvious!”

“We will correct it! General Manager!”

“Get lost, you brats!”

“Yes! General Manager!”

Answering loudly, the men supported each other as they left the yard. No one dared set foot in the inn building after hearing their revered CEO having sex with a—no, with Sister-in-law—in real time. Feeling they had fallen out of favor with the CEO, they limped toward the moving truck at the entrance with gloomy faces.

“Ugh, seriously.”

Irritated, Jae-un fluttered his shirt roughly and sat on the platform. A grinning Seong-cheol sat beside him and patted his shoulder.

“Well, since Hyung went that far, what can we do. He’s Sister-in-law. Indeed. Right?”

The final question was directed at the red dog. The red dog, who had been guarding the doghouse with a bored expression, pricked its ears at the sobbing sounds drifting from the window and then turned away.

“That dog’s temperament is something else.”

Actually, Jae-un had recently felt uncomfortable calling Namu ‘hey,’ ‘you,’ or just by his name. Even Hyung consistently used the honorific ‘Namu-ssi.’ It wasn’t just for a day or two, but over a month, and the CEO was fucking him just enough so that he wouldn’t die; who were they to complain? He couldn’t help but walk on eggshells.

He figured it was time to settle the titles and raise Namu’s status, which would also save Hyung’s face. Having quickly organized his thoughts, Jae-un lifted his massive body.

“Let’s take these brats to eat.”

“General Manager Jo is paying, since he’s the one who brought it up.”

“Ugh, that mouth.”

Regardless of the prickly Jae-un, Seong-cheol danced with his shoulders and left a message for Hwang-ah.

[Hwang-ah]

[Hwang-ah, General Manager Jo is paying. Hurry up and get over here.]

Hwang-ah, who had been holed up in a fifth-floor room, soon joined the dining party. She didn’t miss the chance to laugh her head off while hearing about the title-settling process.

* * *

Peeking his face out from under the covers, Namu looked up at the window. Even though it was past 3 PM, the gap in the half-closed curtains was dark. It was because it was raining.

Fumbling on the floor, Namu found his phone. The screen showed November 22nd. Three days had already passed. Since the day Mu-won’s subordinates arrived, Namu, who had been laid in bed since noon, hadn’t worn a single piece of clothing.

He couldn’t tell when he had fallen into a deep sleep after spending half a day taking Mu-won. The memories of shaking beneath Mu-won, above him, and in the water were blurry.

The Guest… must find it fun to wash me.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have washed him clean every single day without fail before tucking him into the covers. Looking down at his body and the crisp, non-sticky bedding, Namu shivered and wrapped the covers around his shoulders.

Even with the boiler on, the air in the inn room was chilly. The inn, over 50 years old, showed clear signs of being patched up and repaired here and there over a long time, but it seemed the drafts were too difficult to fix.

As he moved slightly, his senses returned, albeit dully. Certainly, as time passed, the period of aching decreased. Normally, after that much, he would have been bedridden for five days. They say humans are animals of adaptation; it seemed Namu’s body had grown accustomed to Mu-won’s inexhaustible stamina.

As his bare feet touched the floor, he felt a searing heat. The boiler was set to 25 degrees. No wonder only the tip of his nose felt cold. Lowering the temperature to 22 degrees, Namu headed toward the window. Opening the curtains, he saw a torrential downpour. Judging by the rain slamming against the window, it seemed windy as well.

Leaning out a bit more, his forehead touched the glass. From Mu-won’s room, the inn yard was clearly visible. The red dog had smartly gone into its house to avoid the rain. Though crude, the large doghouse was very spacious for a large breed like the red dog. A smile spread across Namu’s lips as he imagined the red dog burying its soft nose in its curled-up legs.

Today was the day he would tell the red dog his name. He had agonized over whether to tell the Guest or the red dog first, but he figured the owner of the name should come first. In truth, he didn’t have the confidence to keep his mouth shut until Mu-won, who had become increasingly busy since Namu settled into the inn room, returned.

After listening to the sound of the rain for a while and indulging in pleasant fantasies, Namu shed the covers and put on clothes. The winter clothes Jae-un had bought and given him filled the wardrobe that took up one corner of the room. Namu seemed to have more clothes than Mu-won, who didn’t have many, and that was actually the case.

‘I have more clothes than the Guest.’

‘What’s the point of having many uniforms? The kids seem to be enjoying playing dress-up with Namu-ssi, so just go along with it.’

Namu had meant that it was overwhelming, but Mu-won hadn’t even pretended to listen. Anyway, that day Namu realized that Mu-won thought of the suits he wore as nothing more than uniforms. Hwang-ah had told him that the price of one suit was about the weekly salary of an executive at a decent company. Namu had no idea how much a ‘weekly salary of an executive at a decent company’ was. So, he had no choice but to ask Hwang-ah.

‘How much is that?’

Hwang-ah had smiled and answered that it was ‘one big one.’

Does ‘one big one’ mean 1 million won? He thought they just looked good because the Guest wore them, but the clothes themselves were very expensive.

The Guest would surely look handsome even in clothes from the market, so it felt like a waste for him to wear such expensive clothes. But then, the feeling that he wanted the Guest to use only the best and most luxurious things grew stronger.

Namu had no idea that the ‘one big one’ Hwang-ah mentioned was in the thousands, nor that the clothes Jae-un bought for him were also quite expensive. This was because there were no labels, so he assumed they were just high-quality clothes picked out from the market.

As soon as he opened the door, a wave of boisterous noise rushed in, increasing in volume. Should I just stay in the room…? After a moment of hesitation, he slipped on his slippers. It seemed the heavy lifting was done; the men bustling back and forth between the entrance and the hallway were carrying only small items. Since they looked busy, Namu thought he could slip out quietly without being noticed.

“Sister-in-law! Did you have a restful time!”

Of course, that was merely Namu’s hope. Startled by the sudden, thunderous voice, Namu jumped nearly a foot in the air. He was so shocked that the title used to address him didn’t even register.

“Oh, Sister-in-law. Did I startle you?”

“Pardon?”

Not even imagining that he was the one being called, Namu looked around before stepping back with an “Uh…”

“We were told you’d be waking up around this time, so we’ve prepared some snacks. Do you happen to like savory pancakes?”

“…Yes… I do like them, but…”

“Kyah! As expected, savory pancakes and makgeolli are the way to go on a rainy day! Ah, I forgot you said you can’t drink, Sister-in-law! We’re strict about rules during work hours, too. How about a glass of cider with your pancakes? What do you think?”

“What? Yes, that sounds good…”

Overwhelmed by the man’s momentum, Namu nodded reluctantly. As if he had expected this reaction, the man clapped his hands and poked his head out into the hallway, raising his voice.

“Hyungs! Sister-in-law is out! Didn’t you say you wanted to greet her formally!”

No sooner had the man finished speaking than bulky figures began rushing out from somewhere with a loud clatter. Among them were men he had seen in the yard three days ago.

“Did you rest well, Sister-in-law! I’m Jeon Dae-gil! You can just call me Daegal!”

A man wearing a gold necklace, with bandages plastered all over his face and a cast on his left arm, was the first to offer his greetings.

“Hello, Sister-in-law! I’m Choi Byeong-su! It would be an honor if you called me Gaeko!”

“Were there any inconveniences while you were resting, Sister-in-law? I’m Seo Nam-ju. Nam-ju, Ssang-kal, hey, you, you brat—anything is fine, so please just call me whatever is comfortable.”

Namu had to stand there awkwardly until the introductions of these men—who were more disciplined than actual soldiers—were finished. He had no idea why they were using such titles for him, and since he felt he would never get comfortable with it, he just wanted the moment to pass quickly. Fortunately, the number of people didn’t increase beyond thirty. He remembered eight of them, while the other twenty-two were unfamiliar faces. It seemed they were new recruits from the last three days.

“Then, please continue your rest!”

Shouting in unison and bowing deeply, the men began to disperse one by one. They seemed to have rushed over, leaving their respective tasks, at the call of a man who introduced himself as Yun-seong, also known as Neopchi.

“I heard you usually ate in the yard or in Room 1. It’s pouring rain outside. I thought you might be cold, so we’d like to set the table inside for you. Would that be alright?”

“Yes…”

“Ah, Sister Hwang also mentioned she was feeling peckish; would it be alright if you shared the table? It might be lonely eating alone! Hahaha!”

“Yes… that’s fine.”

Nodding obediently, Namu tried to sidestep Neopchi, who was blocking the entire hallway. Before he could, the quick-witted Neopchi stepped aside to make room.

“Th-thank you.”

“Don’t mention it, Sister-in-law! Please wait just a moment! This Neopchi will whip up something fantastic!”

Beating his chest confidently, Neopchi headed toward the kitchen, still wearing his apron. Everyone was so large and loud that Namu’s ears felt muffled. Feeling somewhat drained, Namu left the hallway and looked toward the counter. Fortunately, no one was there. Relieved, he leaned his upper body over the counter to look for a permanent marker. Just as he remembered, a marker was lying on one side of the counter.

Got it.

With a brighter expression, Namu straightened up, passed through the small lobby, and stood at the entrance. Several umbrellas were tucked into a blue bucket used as an umbrella stand.

All were black except for one transparent one. The black umbrellas, which looked heavy as well as sturdy, had ‘Munsang Construction’ engraved on their handles. In contrast, the transparent umbrella, with its thin ribs and simple plastic cover, showed signs of wear on the handle from frequent use.

Thinking the black umbrellas would be uncomfortable and difficult to hold for long, Namu took the transparent one. Upon opening it manually, he found it to be quite sturdy with no holes. It was also the perfect size for him. Satisfied, Namu stepped out into the yard under the umbrella.

The doghouse had a long eave, making it a great environment for the dog to lie outside even on rainy days. He had often seen the red dog watching the rain under the eaves, but today, perhaps not in the mood, the dog was tucked away inside.

I hope he’s not sick.

Suddenly worried, Namu quickened his pace. At the same time, the red dog peeked its head out from the doghouse. Seeing the dog try to leave the house and move past the eaves, Namu quickly waved his hands.

“No, it’s raining. Don’t come out, don’t come out. I’ll come to you!”

As if it understood, the red dog stopped and sat at the entrance of the doghouse, waiting for Namu. Its long, lolling tongue looked lively, and its acorn-like eyes sparkled.

The eaves of the doghouse were wide enough for Namu to slip underneath after folding his umbrella. This was possible because the red dog had positioned itself at the entrance rather than under the eaves.

“Did you eat? Water? Aren’t you cold?”

The food bowl, which had been full of kibble, was empty, suggesting the dog had eaten its fill. After checking the water bowl, which was half full, Namu pulled over a blanket from inside and covered the red mane. The soft, warm blanket had been bought by Mu-won. Since Jae-un had tossed it to him as usual, he had thought nothing of it, but he remembered being surprised and touched when Jae-un added that it was an errand for the Hyung.

“The guest must really like you.”

Wrapping the dog snugly in the blanket and tickling under its chin, Namu gave it a quick peck.

“You know, the guest said I could name you, so I thought about it a lot. So…”

Whispering, Namu pressed his lips against the ear that had been clipped at the fighting pit and told the dog its name.

“Do you like it?”

Whether it truly understood or not, the red dog, panting with a smiling face, gave a low “Woof” and began licking Namu all over.

“You like it? You like it, right?”

Scratching the thick mane, Namu giggled, enjoying himself. After playing for a while, he suddenly remembered and took out the marker. The doghouse, built of smooth wood without any colors or drawings, had plenty of space to write a name. Namu wrote the red dog’s name in a spot where it would be clearly visible from the outside. As he concentrated, the animal’s tongue gave his cheek a long lick.

“It’s lonely being out here by yourself, right? Sorry, I’m just crashing here too… But I’m really glad the guest likes you. Even if I get kicked out later, I don’t think he’ll kick you out. Maybe it’s because you’re smart and dignified. No, he brought you here first, so it has nothing to do with me. Hehe.”

Since he had only stepped out for a moment, Namu hadn’t put on a coat, and he buried his shivering body into the red fur. The red dog willingly gave up its space and rested its chin on Namu’s stomach. Standing on two legs, the red dog was larger than Namu; it had wolf blood in it. This was something Mu-won had told him before he fell asleep.

“I heard you weigh over 50kg? I wouldn’t be able to move if you pinned me down. But I don’t think it would actually hurt. Actually, the guest is really big and heavy too. But it’s not that hard even when he lies on top of me. Uh… it does hurt when we do that, but it’s not just pain. It feels strange, and my body keeps becoming strange. I guess that’s how it is when you have sex. The guest is my first time, so I don’t know much. But I guess he’s not bad at it. He keeps hugging me over and over. So even if it’s tiring and hurts, I like it. I can bear it.”

The red dog, resting its face on the stomach of the leaning Namu and licking the back of his hand, quietly shut its mouth. Namu’s voice was growing smaller as his words trailed off. His heavy eyelids began to flutter and close.

“I wonder how long the guest will stay here? I hope he doesn’t leave you behind when he goes. Hmm… I think he’ll take you. The guest is the one who saved you, right? Actually, I wanted to save you… Yeah, because I have a strange illness… Yawn…”

Letting out a long yawn, Namu began to doze off.

“The sound of the rain is so nice. I used to hate the rain, you know? Because my grandfather struggled so much when it rained… His bones would ache like he had a severe cold, and his muscles would tighten up so he couldn’t move well. That’s why I hated the rain. I hated days when school meals weren’t served, and I hated days off. I hated everything that made Grandpa suffer… I guess I’m being punished because there were so many things I hated.”

As his speech slowed and his voice grew faint, even Namu’s breathing slowed down.

“I know… that I did nothing wrong… But sometimes I’m sad. If it weren’t for me, Grandpa…”

His end wouldn’t have been so lonely and difficult.

Namu’s nodding head finally dropped with a thud. Soon, a large figure appeared from beyond the eaves. Mu-won, holding a large black umbrella, looked down at the space under the eaves. He crouched down and peered inside. The red dog only gave him a glancing look, neither wary nor annoyed. It was obvious the dog perceived him as the leader of the pack, or perhaps the partner of its savior.

“Right, good job.”

With a smirk at the look that seemed to say I’ve been guarding him well, Mu-won scratched the dog’s chin and leaned down. As he scooped Namu up with the hand not holding the umbrella, rounded handwriting caught his eye.

“Ha.”

The naming style and the handwriting were exactly like his own.

[Meoru’s House]

The letters, written clearly with a permanent marker, were rounded and neat.

“CEO! You’ve arri… ved…”

The voice of Ssang-kal, who happened to be guarding the counter, grew smaller and smaller until it was completely muted.

“Is he asleep?”

“Namu-ssi usually sleeps anywhere.”

“Ah, is that so? Neopchi is frying pancakes to give him a snack before the meal.”

“You guys eat them. I’ll take care of the kid.”

“Pardon? Yes! Understood, CEO!”

Even while lowering his voice, Ssang-kal answered firmly and then quieted his breathing. Knowing that Namu slept without moving once he fell into a narcoleptic slumber—whether the building collapsed or a bomb went off—Mu-won didn’t say anything more.

Tossing the shaken-off umbrella into the bucket, he stepped onto the cheap carpet. The first floor was relatively quiet compared to other floors since only Jae-un and Seong-cheol resided there besides Mu-won.

He had returned to change clothes for a late-night drinking appointment, but he had been stopped by the sound of whispering coming from the doghouse. The longer the talking went on, the more absurd it became, and the voice leaking out his already expected and intended inner thoughts sounded rhythmical through the sound of the rain.

Suddenly, he felt ridiculous, standing there with a single umbrella in a heavy downpour, eavesdropping on the ramblings of a fluffy thing that hadn’t even lost its baby fat.

He used him because he was useful, brought him along because it was convenient, and continued to use him because he wasn’t bad. Literally, he just didn’t like him; he had no grievances against the fluffy thing.

But now.

“…”

Mu-won carefully laid Namu down on the bedding, which showed clear signs of someone having just woken up, and sat on the floor. Sitting cross-legged with his chin resting on his hand, he looked down at the fluffy thing sleeping soundly with soft breaths.

I can’t just brush it off by saying I have no grievances and just don’t like him anymore. Then again, could he really keep him by his side forever?

Namu was merely dipping his toes into the land where Mu-won had taken root. Because he hadn’t lived a virtuous life, Mu-won had as many enemies as allies. No, he had far more enemies. The slaughter that took place in the sauna was a mere drop in the bucket.

Mu-won was well aware that his intuition was sharp. Rising from a dog-bastard at a fighting pit to a dog-bastard for Chairman Hwang was impossible with just fighting skills or a slightly unusual intellect.

One could only survive if innate luck was proportional to intuition. For Mu-won, who had lived in a state of constant tension for as long as he could remember, the ability to sense the surrounding atmosphere and read people was a matter of survival.

From the moment he discovered Namu dragging a fighting dog—which could only be described as a lump of meat—out of a dog graveyard, Mu-won knew his intuition had kicked in. That was why he let the fluffy thing experience things he didn’t necessarily have to. Tolerance creates calluses on the heart the more one experiences.

Being by Mu-won’s side, no matter how careful or attentive one was, injury was inevitable. Whether in heart or body. He couldn’t literally be the top priority every single time. Even if he became the top priority, nothing would change. Even if he were locked in a house or guarded by dozens of men, what was meant to happen would eventually happen.

Mu-won wanted the fluffy thing to be a tree that leaned as its fruit grew. One that leaned, but did not break. One that became firmer and perhaps a bit drier once the fruit fell. Then it would be more convenient to keep by his side.

However, the fluffy thing’s roots were driven deep into fertile soil, like an inexhaustible spring. They were seeds sown by a grandfather who had raised him more preciously than his own life. He was a flowering tree bloomed from the affection of a grandfather who had struggled so much he became the nutrient himself.

“…”

Lost in thought, Mu-won lightly touched Namu’s plump cheek with his fingertip. He pressed down until it indented.

‘I like you.’

Unripe emotion.

‘Are you… hurt…?’

A generous heart.

‘Please… don’t leave me here…’

Loneliness rooted alongside deep loss.

Because he was that easy. He was such an easy child that he would fall for a single kind word, which was why he gave his heart to a human like Cha Mu-won.

Was there any reason not to swallow that greedily?

Hmm? Namu-ssi.

You’ll be trampled anyway.

Because you’re young, weak, kind, and pretty.

For a tree full of flaws that would have been strengths if he had grown in the sunlight, he didn’t need land to take root in, but rather something to block the wind and rain and protect him from the storm. A support for a tree that knew nothing but how to be lovely to parasitize. Even if that support was a monstrous tree that grew by feeding on blood.

I think that’s me.

Hmm? Namu-ssi.

Isn’t it better to be by my side, even if you get hurt and ache a little?

Smiling faintly, Mu-won removed his hand from the soft skin. Namu, curling up as if cold, drifted toward the warmth. It was a silent plea to be held. Mu-won took off his jacket and slid under the covers. He held Namu, who naturally snuggled into him, and gently patted his back.

He spent his time contemplating a way to keep Namu—who had no blood relatives, no home, no temple, and was full of sweetness that attracted only bad people along with debts and chronic illness—by his side forever.

The thought didn’t take long. With his sharp intuition, Mu-won had already fully considered this situation.

His eyes met Namu’s just as he stepped out of the bathroom after washing. Namu, who had been buried in the blankets staring blankly at the bathroom where the sound of water was coming from, gave a beaming smile.

“Guest…”

Watching the smile that melted like cotton candy, Mu-won slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

“It’s 4 AM. You’ve slept for half a day.”

To Mu-won, who provided the information he had been curious about, Namu mumbled “Thank you” and tried to get up. However, before he could even push back the covers, the attempt was thwarted. Mu-won had already approached and lied down beside him.

As if by habit, a thick, lean arm slid under Namu’s neck. Rubbing his fine hair against the forearm and rolling further toward the armpit, Namu’s breath tickled Mu-won’s chest.

“Is it cold outside?”

“Mm… 7 degrees.”

“How cold is 7 degrees?”

As Namu tilted his head back, Mu-won’s angular jaw was reflected in his eyes.

The guest has a handsome jawline, too.

“Namu-ssi, you can just wear a parka.”

“Ah.”

“Sleep more. You must be tired from playing with Meoru.”

“Huh?”

At the words to sleep more, Namu’s eyelids, which had been sliding shut with a “Yes…”, pushed back up.

“Did you see it?”

“I wrote it there for you to see.”

“That’s true.”

Giggling, Namu pressed himself against the moderately cool body of the man who had just showered. One slender leg had already climbed onto Mu-won’s thigh.

“How is it? Do you like it?”

Regardless of Mu-won’s reaction—which was that he didn’t have much thought about whether he liked it or not—Namu didn’t care. He was simply happy that Mu-won had discovered it first, and he smiled brightly with a face swollen from deep sleep. Seeing him act coquettishly, it seemed his sleep quota hadn’t been fully filled.

“The reason I named him Meoru is…”

Sure enough, Namu’s voice, trying to fight off drowsiness with sleep-filled eyes, began to trail off.

“Yes, why did you name him Meoru?”

Responding softly, Mu-won gently patted his shoulder.

“First… I like wild grapes (meoru).”

A soft laugh escaped from above Namu’s head.

“And his fur… doesn’t it look exactly like the color of a ripe wild grape? It’s pretty… and cool.”

The mane, closer to a deep wine color than red, occasionally looked blood-colored. Mu-won found it interesting rather than annoying that they interpreted the same thing differently.

How on earth am I going to live with this one?

After mumbling with unclear pronunciation, Namu had fallen fast asleep under the touch of the hand stroking his shoulder, only to snap his eyes open. As if he hadn’t been sleeping at all.

“By the way, Guest.”

“Yes, by the way.”

“The guest’s subordinate…? Your brother…?”

“Staff.”

“Ah… the staff members. They keep calling me strange things….”

“Like what?”

“Um… they call me… Hyung-su-nim….”

Mu-won let out a short laugh and stroked the slender strands of hair. The hair tangling between his calloused fingers felt soft.

“Do they make you feel like you’ve lost your manhood?”

“It’s not that….”

“It’s not?”

“I’m not… doing that kind of thing with the guest….”

As Namu hesitated, the bridge of his nose rubbed against Mu-won’s chest.

“That kind of thing?”

“The guest is just using me so I can pay off my debt… so the staff shouldn’t misunderstand….”

“Then just be actual lovers.”

“Lovers…?”

His blinking eyelids sank heavily. Perhaps on the verge of being swallowed by sleep, the corners of his loosening mouth curved upward.

“Hehe… that would be nice….”

A large hand touched the cheek of the purring, sleeping Namu. After a light poke, it slid down to cover the nape of his neck. Mu-won smiled as he traced the bite marks he had left behind.

“What’s so nice about it?”

Being mortgaged for life to a gangster bastard.

Looking at the naive Namu, Mu-won admitted to himself that he had been lucky.

* * *

Lighting a cigarette in front of the supermarket, Mu-won spoke abruptly.

“Yes?”

Jae-un, who had been gauging Mu-won’s mood the entire time, asked as if he had been waiting.

“Are you alright, Hyung-nim?”

“With what.”

“Didn’t you come down here originally to retire?”

“You followed me all the way here knowing that?”

“I’m one with you, Hyung-nim; what else could I do?”

“I decline getting intimate with you, so keep yourself in check.”

“Why are you being like this? You’re not my type either, Hyung-nim.”

Despite the frivolous talk, Mu-won only exhaled cigarette smoke. His suit carried the distinct, stale smell of the entertainment industry. Though some person would probably find even that scent appealing and burrow into him.

“If you want to wash your hands of this, tell me now. Once the work starts, I won’t be able to let you go even if I want to.”

“It’s disappointing when you keep saying that, Hyung-nim. My blood is boiling for the first time in a while.”

Grumbling that he was truly disappointed, Jae-un turned his head and blew out a cloud of smoke. Even without nitpicking small things like drinking or smoking etiquette, the juniors who knew Mu-won revered and followed him of their own accord. After Mu-won told them once to stop being so formal, Jae-un and Seong-cheol had started smoking alongside him.

“I really thought you were just going to tidy up this neighborhood and settle down modestly. I heard you were even looking into spots for a chicken shop.”

“Chicken?”

Mu-won snorted and added, “Open a barber shop.”

Despite his appearance, the fastidious Jae-un thought that wouldn’t be a bad idea. At least it wasn’t a traditional hair salon.

“A casino, of all things.”

Suddenly overwhelmed with excitement, Jae-un took a deep drag of his cigarette.

“Hwang Jeong-sang is going to go crazy when he finds out.”

“The groundwork will start coming in. Keep the kids in line, and lock up anyone suspicious.”

“Ah, aren’t you handling it immediately?”

Jae-un wondered if Mu-won had softened because he was keeping a soft boy by his side, but he soon retracted that opinion.

“I have to handle it all at once. To minimize the effort.”

Mu-won hadn’t changed. He was still meticulous, cold, and decisive once a conclusion was reached.

“Pay attention to Namu-ssi’s communications.”

In the end, he simply acknowledged the fact that Namu had become his weakness and devised countermeasures.

“Any sign of people trying to lure the kid out?”

“First, I pulled Seo Su-yeong out of the bangseok-jip. I felt like he’d completely lose his mind if he stayed there any longer. He says he’s doing construction work now that he’s recovered a bit. I’ve confirmed that Jeong Jeong-gon has attached himself to Hwang Jeong-sang.”

“If they approach Namu-ssi, let Seo Su-yeong show his face, but as for Jeong Jeong-gon—”

“It’ll probably be him, right?”

The probability of Jeong Jeong-gon being the one to approach Namu to use him was higher than Seo Su-yeong. Mu-won had planned to use him as a punching bag in Dongbaek-dong until one of his limbs was useless before kicking him out, but Jeong Jeong-gon had walked into the minefield on his own.

After the ‘sauna’ incident, the ‘tangerine massage’ and Namu were immediately exposed. It was a natural step for Hwang Jeong-sang to approach Jeong Jeong-gon.

“Does the Chairman have anything to say?”

“He’s probably enjoying himself.”

Though he had shown tearful paternal affection, Hwang Mun-sang was fundamentally an old man who valued his own prosperity and achievements over blood ties. If he succeeded in attracting a decent casino to a place like Gamgyul City, which was like an ant hill, Hwang Mun-sang would immediately discard his deficient offspring and dump the burden on Mu-won.

“My, Hyung-nim is going to get very busy.”

With his mouth hanging open, Jae-un didn’t even try to hide his mood. He felt as if the sorrows and efforts of the past were finally being rewarded.

What did blood ties even matter? Mu-won was the protagonist who transformed the Munhak Clan into the Munsang Group, yet the Chairman had merely tossed him a ‘Munsang Construction’ business card and eventually used him as a disposable pawn. When he heard the news of Mu-won’s imprisonment, he had wept blood internally.

“I’m likely to toil like a rookie for a few years, and you’re smiling?”

“Then would you want me to make a sad face while I’m dying of happiness?”

Mu-won lightly slapped the back of the rambling Jae-un and flicked his cigarette ash.

“I’ll attach more guards to Hyung-su-nim.”

As he crushed the cigarette in the ashtray, Mu-won suddenly stared intently at Jae-un. Then, shortly after, he burst out laughing.

“What is it, Hyung-nim?”

“Nothing. I just wondered if I made it that obvious.”

“How could I not know when you keep him glued to your side? Even the lowest ranks grovel before Hyung-su-nim.”

Maintaining the smile at Jae-un’s sly use of ‘Hyung-su-nim,’ Mu-won pulled his wallet from his pocket.

“Feed the kids before we start.”

Jae-un quickly grabbed the heavy wallet and answered energetically.

“Thank you, Hyung-nim!”

Namu, who came out of the room late, rubbed the sleep from his eyes and looked around. He wasn’t looking for Mu-won, who seemed busier than ever lately. He knew Mu-won would definitely return in the late hours of the dawn. As Namu searched for Mu-won’s employees, to whom he had grown fond, his eyes widened. Ssang-kal was guarding the counter.

“Hyung-su-nim, did you just wake up?”

Following Mu-won’s instruction to act like a civilian so as not to scare the boy, Ssang-kal was implementing it perfectly.

“Yes. Ssang, Ssang-kal Hyung… nim? Did you sleep well too?”

“Ssang-kal Hyung-nim? If anyone heard that, they’d curse us for having a messed-up family tree. Please just call me Ssang-kal.”

“How… old are you?”

“Yes, I’m still twenty-seven.”

“I’m twenty.”

“Yes, Hyung-su-nim. I heard you graduated this year.”

Ssang-kal, who refrained from mentioning that Namu looked twenty to anyone, gave a friendly smile. He decided not to mention that the rumors of their Hyung-nim—already famous for being menacing—being a shameless thief had already circulated through the underworld.

“Then… can I call you Hyung?”

Looking at his Hyung-su-nim asking so cautiously and nervously, Ssang-kal thought that the notoriety wasn’t enough and smiled brightly. It made him look even more ferocious, but Namu, who was well-accustomed to such faces, focused only on Ssang-kal’s answer.

“Ah, that’s not something a low-rank like me can decide. I’ll report it to the Hyung-nims.”

“Oh….”

As if it wasn’t the answer he hoped for, Namu, unable to hide his disappointment, soon smiled faintly and walked away.

“Uh, Hyung-su-nim! Where are you going?”

“Huh? To wash up….”

Heading toward the men’s bath, Namu looked back at Ssang-kal in confusion.

“Gasp! Please wait a moment, Hyung-su-nim!”

Ssang-kal practically flew out from behind the counter and rushed into the men’s bath. Soon, loud shouting could be heard from inside.

“Hey, you bastards! Why the hell aren’t you crawling out yet? Hyung-su-nim is going to wash, so why are you shoving your filthy bodies in here? Cover your useless dicks and get the hell out before I count to three!”

Before the startled Namu could stop him, the door to the men’s bath swung open. Employees, who had hurriedly thrown on their clothes mid-wash, began to pour out. Even in their confusion, they didn’t forget to greet Namu.

“H-Hyung-su-nim, you’re out!”

“Go back in and do your work! I’ve cleared out all the dicks!”

Namu’s face turned pale at the voices, and he stepped forward instinctively. He regretted it immediately.

Next time, I’ll just wash in the room.

Namu felt truly sorry and embarrassed by the farce caused by his habit of washing in the men’s bath with Mu-won every day.

“Do you need anything else, Hyung-su-nim?”

“No… uh, nothing.”

Namu, who finished washing faster than ever, was practically dragged to Room 1. A lavish meal was set on a low folding table.

As Namu sat before the table under Ssang-kal’s kind guidance and tentatively picked up his spoon, a laugh burst out in front of him.

“Hyung-su-nim, I can’t tell if the food is going into your mouth or your nose.”

“Teacher Hwang….”

“You asked Ssang-kal if you could call him Hyung, so why am I ‘Teacher Hwang’? We’ve known each other longer. Ah, is Noona a bit shameless? ‘Auntie’ doesn’t fit the age. Yeah, Teacher Hwang is the best. Just call me what you’ve been calling me, Hyung-su-nim.”

“Excuse me.”

Hwang-ah, who was grinning while emptying her portion of rice, responded with a “Hmm?”

“By any chance… are those people teasing me? Is this like an initiation rite…?”

“Hahahahaha!”

Laughing out loud, Hwang-ah put down her spoon and continued to chuckle.

“To those guys, the CEO is like the sky, like a god. You’d better get used to it, Hyung-su-nim. They’re sincere.”

“I’m okay. No… I like it. I’m just worried they’ll get in trouble with the guest….”

Hwang-ah stared blankly at Namu, who wasn’t worried about his own embarrassment but was instead worried that those dark-skinned men would be scolded by the CEO they revered so much.

“Do you really think that?”

“Huh?”

With a faint smile, Hwang-ah shook her head.

“Eat, eat. The soup will get cold. Hyung-su-nim, you like galbitang, right?”

“How did you….”

“The CEO told me, of course. Who knows Hyung-su-nim better than the CEO here? I bet he planned the entire menu for them. Based on the foods Hyung-su-nim likes.”

Wondering if such a thing was possible, Namu nodded quietly and spoke up while gauging the mood again.

“Could you at least not call me that, Teacher Hwang?”

“Hmm… that’s difficult. The CEO is like the sky to me too.”

Hwang-ah gently coaxed Namu, telling him not to worry because even if they were each lacking in some way, they were capable in their own right and loyal to the CEO. Then, she let out a small, wheezing laugh.

Our CEO. He’s finally been properly hooked.

* * *

Sitting on a wooden platform and playing with Meoru, Namu pulled his phone from his parka pocket. There was a message. It was from an unknown number.

Is it spam?

As he was about to put it back in his pocket, the phone vibrated again. Since he was already holding it, he could see the pop-up window on the screen.

[How have you been?]

[It’s me, Lee Won-seong. I heard you’re looking for Su-yeong?]

Namu’s lips parted slightly.

Lee Won-seong was the leader of the runaway family he had briefly belonged to in the past.

After staring at the message for a long time, Namu gripped the phone with both hands. Because of this, Meoru, who had lost Namu’s touch, tilted his head before resting his face firmly on Namu’s soft thigh.

“Ah, sorry.”

Only then did Namu look back at Meoru and stroke his mane with one hand.

[+ Hyung, have you been well—]

Before he could finish the reply, another message arrived.

[Can you talk?]

Then the phone immediately rang. Looking at the phone with a complicated expression, Namu pressed the answer button.

“Hello.”

—Is that Namu?

“Yes, Hyung. Have you been well?”

—You brat, your Hyung sent a text first, and you don’t even reply? Were you planning to leave me on read?

“No. I was in the middle of sending one….”

—Ah, right. You’re slow with your hands, aren’t you? I guess you’re still the same. Are you still causing trouble for others these days? Thinking about when you were in our family— ugh.

“Hyung… how have you been?”

—Oh, is someone like Namu actually worrying about me?

Won-seong chuckled, then made a clicking sound with his tongue and got to the point.

—Hey, I heard you’re looking for Seo Su-yeong. Why are you looking for him?

“I… I’m not.”

—Really? I called because I thought, ‘Fuck, that bastard is screwed,’ when I heard you were looking for him. But since we have old ties, I thought I’d take his side for once.

“Take his side?”

—The fact that Seo Su-yeong sold you out.

“…….”

—You don’t still not know, do you? You’re looking for him because you know, right? I heard you caught a really big fish lately. How did you play him? Surely you didn’t do it alone.

“Did you know too, Hyung?”

—What? That Seo Su-yeong sold you out? You were the only one who didn’t know, you brat. I heard that Ho-seop bastard contacted you often too? Why would a sly guy like him contact someone with nothing like you? He probably did that because he felt guilty, the idiot.

“…Is Su-yeong Hyung doing well?”

—Look at this? Now that you’re making a living, you’re asking about the bastard who sold you out. I really have to see people for myself. Fuck, I didn’t even need to take his side.

“…….”

—Piece of shit. Still the same arrogant prick who shuts his mouth tight unless he’s annoyed or has something to say?

“I’m not….”

—Hey, Seo Su-yeong was tricked into going there too. He was doing some homo-shit and got counter-played, so he was sold. What could he do? He had to save himself first. They told him they’d let him go if he brought someone else, so what choice did he have? He just sold you because you were the easiest. I knew it from the moment he started acting all hypocritical! Did I warn you or not to watch your back?

“You said… you’d take his side.”

—Did everything I just say go in through your ass? I’m saying he had his reasons. So you, who hit the jackpot, should understand. I heard that bastard suffered like hell in a bangseok-jip after betraying you.

“…He said he was doing construction work.”

—He did. Until he got caught. The place you were sold to was managed by some real thugs, so I heard the water was filthy. Seo Su-yeong sold you and couldn’t even get his own foot out.

“Then even now….”

—If that were the case, would I have contacted you? I guess he played his cards right even while rolling in a bangseok-jip? He got out and started construction again? That bastard must be great at homo-shit. Disgusting piece of shit.

“…….”

—Want me to tell you where the site is?

“……Why?”

—Fuck, you should meet him and say what you need to say! Punch him in the face and ask if he thought he could live well after stabbing someone in the back!

“Not Su-yeong Hyung.”

—What?

“You… I don’t know why you’re telling me this.”

—……Ha, fuck. Are you questioning me now after pretending not to know for so long?

“…I never looked for Su-yeong Hyung.”

—Fuck, so what! You’re not going to go find that bastard Su-yeong?

“It’s not like I hit the jackpot either.”

—Hey, hey! Who said they wanted something from you? Are you treating me like a beggar now? You, who begged for food by selling your ass! Fuck, if you were going to sell your body anyway, why did you make such a fuss when you were in the family? If you had no skills, you should have at least paid for your meals by selling your body! You parasitic brat who only thinks of himself!

Won-seong’s voice, raging with excitement, gradually grew distant. Namu looked down silently at the phone he had pulled away from his ear and hung up without listening to any more sharp words.

‘Talking about ties, you piece of shit. Do you think this is a charity center? I’m offering to give a job to a bastard who can’t even pay for his own meals, and you’re giving me the finger?’

When they lived together, Won-seong had been so scary. Namu found it strange that he wasn’t that scared anymore. He thought Won-seong, furious to the limit, would persistently call back. So he was about to turn off the sound, but what came instead was a bomb of messages.

[Jayang-dong Block 88, 4-5]

[Seo Su-yeong is doing construction here]

[00 Bank 1234-45-XXXXXXX Lee Won-seong]

[Send a thousand, fuck, I’m the boss who fed and housed you!]

Then, several photos followed in succession.

[Did you live like this, you fucking pushover?]

[Think carefully, depending on how I spin the story, your]

[fucking body price will change]

[I give you exactly 2 days. If you want to keep sucking the blood of that pushover]

[send the money]

The ten or so photos were nothing special. They were photos of about fifteen teenagers laughing and chatting in a cramped studio apartment. That’s how it looked to Namu. But would it look the same to others?

Because it was cramped, boys and girls were tangled together; because it was hot, some were shirtless or wearing revealing clothes; around them, half-finished liquor bottles and snacks, and plastic bottles used as ashtrays were scattered messily.

Namu was sitting among them, grinning widely. Depending on a single word, the impression of the photo could change completely. Delinquent youths who were promiscuous and reckless, or survivors who relied on each other to survive in a palm-sized studio because they had nowhere to go and no one to lean on.

Namu, scrolling through the photos, looked depressed. Seo Su-yeong was smiling. Next to Namu, brightly, with a face without a single crease.

‘No matter how uneducated and crude you are, let’s keep some basic decency, Lee Won-seong, okay?’

Even Seo Su-yeong, who had stood up to Lee Won-seong—the apex predator of the runaway family—for Namu’s sake.

‘What? Seo Su-yeong sold you out? You were the only one who didn’t know that, you brat.’

Seo Su-yeong, who had sold Namu out.

‘Hey, Seo Su-yeong was tricked into going there too. He was playing around with some homo stuff and got counter-played, then sold off. I heard that bastard backstabbed you and then got rolled over and beaten senseless in a bangseok-jip.’

Seo Su-yeong, who had also been tricked and ended up in a bangseok-jip.

They were all the same person.

‘I knew it from the moment you started acting all fucking hypocritical! Did I warn you or not to watch your back?’

Still, Hyung, I think benevolent hypocrisy is better than malicious vice.

Putting the phone back in his pocket, Namu stroked Meoru’s mane with both hands. Whimper… Sensing something, Meoru licked the back of Namu’s hand as if to comfort him. Smiling at the affectionate gesture, Namu locked eyes with Meoru.

“I’m okay, Meoru.”

Then, he hugged Meoru tightly.

“Really.”

He closed his eyes and trembled slightly for a moment.

‘I heard you caught a really big fish lately?’

Who had leaked what?

As Mu-won had said, his body inside the parka remained warm despite the cold November wind. However, Namu’s heart felt freezing, as if ice had been poured over it.

“Hyung-su-nim, is something the matter?”

Neopchi, who had brought out some fried tofu rice balls for a snack, asked with a worried face. Namu, who had been lying with Meoru under the eaves of the doghouse, rolled over, but quickly pushed himself up, thinking it was impolite.

“Oh, no, it’s nothing.”

“Your face is full of sorrow.”

Neopchi, who had brought a small folding table, set down the tray and sat sprawled in front of it. Since it was a place Namu frequented outside of his room, the area around Meoru’s house was covered in blankets. Namu instinctively pulled one over his knees and shook his head.

“I’m really okay.”

“I wanted to help you change your mood, but the neighborhood has been restless lately. The CEO told us to refrain from going out as much as possible.”

“Oh, really?”

“Is there anywhere in particular you wanted to go?”

“Oh, no.”

Namu waved his hands hurriedly, quickly picking up his chopsticks because he didn’t want to draw more attention to himself.

“Please eat with me. I can’t finish all of this.”

“I was almost disappointed, thinking you wouldn’t say that today.”

Acting sly, Neopchi laughed and devoured a tofu rice ball in one bite.

“It’s delicious. Thank you.”

“Make sure to tell the CEO that too!”

Namu wondered if it would mean anything for him to say it, but he nodded obediently.

* * *

Mu-won, having placed his umbrella in the bucket, stepped inside while shaking the moisture off his jacket. Namu, who should have been sleeping in his room, was out in the lobby at this hour. To anyone, it looked like he had been waiting for Mu-won. Checking the clock, which pointed to 4 AM, Mu-won approached Namu, who was sitting on the sofa.

“Welcome back, Guest.”

“Were you waiting for me?”

“Huh? …Yes.”

“Do you have something to say?”

Namu, who was starting to stand up, paused. It seemed he looked like he had been waiting for a specific reason. Which was true, but… Feeling suddenly awkward, Namu scratched his head with a clumsy smile.

“What is it? Tell me.”

Namu followed closely behind Mu-won, who led the way while unbuttoning his jacket.

“Are you going to wash up right away?”

Mu-won didn’t press Namu for an answer, even though he was avoiding the question and talking about something else, and opened the door to the men’s bath.

“Do you want to attend to me like last time, Namu-ssi?”

“Oh, no…! I’m not doing that anymore. Never. You were so angry. I… I hate it when you’re angry. Especially because of me.”

“Why go as far as ‘never’? Why not do it once in a while as an event?”

“R-really? Ow!”

Once again receiving a sharp flick to the forehead, Namu rubbed his brow vigorously while still following Mu-won.

“If you’re not washing with me, go back to your room.”

The interior in early winter was slightly chilly, even in the bathhouse. Mu-won, who had tossed his clothes carelessly onto the wooden platform, looked at Namu, who was biting his lip with a very troubled expression.

“If it’s urgent, I’ll listen now.”

“I-it’s not urgent.”

“Then go inside and warm up the blankets.”

“G-Guest.”

“Yes, Namu-ssi.”

“If we wash together….”

“There’s no reason we can’t.”

At the immediate permission, Namu’s face brightened considerably in relief.

“T-thank you.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Before he could even finish speaking, Mu-won’s hands were skilled in stripping Namu’s clothes off. Namu, not surprised even as his clothes were peeled away like the skin of a ripe peach, helped Mu-won by raising his arms and stepping out of his clothes. Holding the now-naked Namu in his arms, Mu-won entered the bath.

“What is it you wanted to say that makes your service so excellent?”

While sitting together in the hot tub, Namu, who had been massaging Mu-won’s shoulders for the first time in a while, flinched. It was because his conscience was pricking him. Seeing Namu’s transparent reaction—since he never knew how to hide anything—Mu-won curled his lips into a smile and glanced back.

“Do you need money?”

“No…!”

“It’s fine to need money, why are you jumping so much? Are you afraid the debt will grow with interest?”

“No, Guest. I really don’t need money.”

“Right.”

Not particularly bothered, Mu-won straightened his head and relaxed his muscles. Small but firm hands pressed accurately on the knotted muscles and pressure points, relieving the fatigue.

It wasn’t empty praise to say that Namu, who was quite bold about climbing onto other people’s bodies, was good at massaging. For that exact reason, Mu-won didn’t want massages from Namu.

After only a few days, Namu had already grown fond of these dark-hearted bastards. He would get excited over a single word of praise, or want to do something for them because he felt he owed them; it was obvious he would climb onto any bastard. Without even knowing the value of his own hands.

“As long as you’re not saying you want to leave the house, I’ll grant you almost anything, so speak.”

When he felt sufficiently relaxed, Mu-won pulled Namu to sit in front of him, his low voice humming. Feeling as if the voice was tickling the rim of his ear, Namu shrugged his shoulders and hugged his knees.

“If you don’t kick me out, Guest, I could stay here for the rest of my life.”

Even with his hesitant tone, Namu placed a clear period at the end of his sentence. Unaware of how scary the Guest could be, Namu continued to spout cute things as if breathing; water was splashed over his round shoulders. Mu-won didn’t try to manipulate Namu further to make him open up. Instead, he gave his backside a light, sharp slap.

“Turn around, Namu-ssi.”

At Mu-won’s word, Namu turned around without a single resistance, looking rather relieved. Mu-won understood all too well the feeling of being unable to bring oneself to ask for a favor when one was merely a debtor.

However, a laugh escaped him at the behavior that clearly revealed the inner thought: maybe it’ll be easier to talk if I give it to him once. Neither completely innocent nor completely jaded, Namu looked up at Mu-won with a face that practically begged to be held.

Namu-ssi, you are so lukewarm that I’ll have to keep you with me for the rest of my life.

Mu-won carried Namu, who had been shaken and squeezed until his whole body was bright red, and opened the room door. Having been dried and had his hair blown dry in the bathhouse, Namu was able to bury himself immediately in the blankets. Mu-won, wearing only his bottoms, turned off the light and lay down under the same blanket. Namu, who had been waiting for Mu-won to lie down even with his eyes fluttering, burrowed into his side.

“Guest….”

“If you’re sleepy, sleep. I won’t touch you anymore.”

“It’s not that.”

“Right, it’s not that.”

After hesitating for a long time, Namu pressed his forehead, which still held some heat, against Mu-won’s chest. From the soft yet elastic chest came a scent similar to Namu’s. A common soap. But it was a scent that had become uncommon by mixing with Mu-won’s body scent.

“Earlier today. I got a contact from a Hyung I used to know.”

“Used to know?”

As expected, Mu-won wrapped his arm around Namu, who was finally opening his mouth, and replied casually.

“Yes, when I was in a runaway fam….”

“Right, a runaway fam. Tell me about that time, Namu-ssi.”

The breath exhaled from Namu’s fidgeting lips tickled Mu-won.

“It’s nothing much….”

“Since it’s nothing much, go ahead.”

“Uh….”

The sound of Namu’s breathing as he chose his words was slow. Even though it wasn’t more intense than usual, Namu, who was still not fully immune to the act of sex itself, always struggled. He was helplessly swept away by the wave of physical and mental fatigue. Usually, Mu-won would let him sleep enough, but today he had no intention of doing so. He had checked the name that appeared in Namu’s call logs and wanted to hear it directly from Namu’s mouth.

At the finger poking his cheek, Namu opened his closed eyes and began to let out disjointed words that he wasn’t prepared to say.

“My grandfather passed away. Ah, my grandfather raised me instead of my parents. My parents… I don’t know where they are. They said they ran away.”

“When did your grandfather pass away?”

“When I was in my first year of middle school.”

Taking a moment to catch his breath, Namu parted his lips, which had become plump from being bitten and sucked so much.

“Um… his health wasn’t great to begin with, and I think a national screening showed signs of stomach cancer. But Grandfather didn’t have insurance and couldn’t afford treatment. So. So he made a bad choice. I think he didn’t want to be a burden to me.”

“Is that why you hate it so much when someone dies, Namu-ssi?”

“Ah… that might be it. Right?”

As Namu nodded in agreement, long, hard fingers entwined in his hair.

“After the funeral, I stayed at a relative’s house for a while.”

“A while?”

“That’s….”

Looking troubled, Namu hesitated before continuing.

“I didn’t get along well with my cousin Hyung.”

“What exactly happened that a fourteen-year-old with nowhere to go would leave a relative’s house on his own?”

“…He kept touching strange places.”

Namu’s body, pressing closer, was warm.

“I told him not to. That I hated it. I begged him to please stop, but he kept doing it.”

Namu’s voice grew smaller as he added the explanation as if making an excuse.

Does he think I’m easy? …The other relatives said that too.

A rough palm covered the cheek of Namu, who was regretting having spoken.

“You did well.”

“…….”

Namu, who stopped breathing for a moment, lifted his forehead from Mu-won’s chest. Then he looked up at Mu-won. The black eyes that met his, as if they had been waiting, were clearly visible even in the dim room.

“Really?”

“Yes, really.”

After looking up at Mu-won for a long time with clear, pooling eyes, Namu whispered, “I see…,” and lowered his gaze. A gentle shadow fell beneath his lowering eyelids. Soon, he scattered himself, burying his face in Mu-won’s chest.

“After leaving the relative’s house, I moved around different facilities. Some had fixed residency periods, some were too far from school, and also….”

“Were there bastards who bullied you there too?”

“…….”

Namu, who seemed about to shut his mouth again, buried his entire face in Mu-won’s chest.

“There were.”

It’s okay to tell him. To the Guest… I can tell him more.

Realizing this, heat seeped into Namu’s breath, along with a faint dampness.

“I got beaten a lot.”

“By which bastards?”

“There were facility teachers, Hyungs, and friends. They just said they hated me. That it was annoying to look at me, that they wanted to kill me, that they wanted to beat me so badly I couldn’t even show my face.”

Even without hearing the details, it was obvious. Among the kids who hadn’t even hit puberty, Namu, who would have been exceptionally fair and smooth, would have stood out. They must have barely relieved the strange urges and dirty desires that rose from their guts whenever they saw Namu by venting them through violence.

They probably claimed that they became strange because of Namu. They would have committed despicable and cowardly violence while incessantly blaming and shifting the responsibility. Whether children or adults, it was always easier to blame others than oneself.

“One day, I was beaten so much that I was scared. I felt like if I went back, I might never be able to come out again. So I ran away. Just like my mom and dad.”

Hehe… Namu, laughing habitually, swallowed hard.

“I entered a fam by chance. And there… there was a Hyung named Su-yeong. Seo Su-yeong. He was very kind to me. I developed narcolepsy after my grandfather died, and he took care of me without finding it annoying. When the leader Hyung tried to hit me for being useless, he blocked him, and he also protected me when I almost got sold to some strange middle-aged men. After my grandfather, he was the person who took care of me the most in the world.”

Mu-won watched in silence, wondering how Namu was processing the fact that the same Seo Su-yeong had sold him out.

“I was able to leave the fam thanks to that Hyung. And I was able to get my massage certification because that Hyung helped me.”

It was likely a scheme to snatch Namu, who was the only valuable asset in the fam, and a means to sell him to a massage parlor instead of himself. However, Mu-won did not say it out loud.

Namu-ssi doesn’t necessarily need to know that.

“What about you, Guest…?”

“…….”

Mu-won, who had been waiting for Namu’s next story—that is, for him to vent the thorns embedded in his heart that he hadn’t even known were there—reacted a beat late. Their eyes met. Namu wasn’t asking about Mu-won’s story as a mere formality after finishing his own. He was asking a question he had wanted to ask for a long time but hadn’t dared to.

“Guest… since when have you been so good at fighting?”

“Ha.”

Laughing shortly at that cheeky yet affectionate interest, Mu-won turned toward Namu. As he pulled him in, the body that fit perfectly in his arms was just the right size.

“I was probably born with it.”

“Eh?”

Because his face was pressed, Namu’s pronunciation came out muffled.

Phew— Namu, barely lifting his face from Mu-won’s chest, exhaled the breath he had been holding and tilted his head back.

“My father was a thug who couldn’t even make it to a third-rate gangster, an alcohol addict crazy for gambling. I don’t even know my mother’s face.”

Mu-won, fiddling with the hair that wound around his fingers as if swimming, leaned his head on the pillow.

“I was sold for gambling debts and fought dogfights in an illegal arena until I caught Chairman Hwang’s eye.”

Namu’s regular breathing settled by Mu-won’s ear. The rain, which had grown heavier, seeped through the gaps of the tightly closed window.

“From then on, I displayed outstanding skill and realized that being a gangster was my calling. Anything else you’re curious about?”

The hand hugging Mu-won’s thick ribcage traced his back.

So that’s why he has so many scars.

Reading the inner thoughts felt through the fingertips as if he had heard Namu’s voice, Mu-won curled his lips.

“Did it hurt when you got the tattoos?”

“It hurt.”

“Ah.”

The fingertips tracing his back became even more cautious. Finding that cute, Mu-won hugged his lower back tightly and rested his chin on the small head.

“Guest?”

Though bewildered, Namu remained obediently held according to Mu-won’s touch.

“One snake for every time I won in the arena.”

“…….”

“The day I drew the third one, I was handed over to Chairman Hwang.”

“I see.”

Sorrow leaked from the small, murmuring voice. Mu-won, who had been indifferent to others’ feelings toward him until now, found this unfamiliar emotion pleasant and insufficient. He welcomed Namu’s infinitely soft heart.

“Nothing more?”

“Um….”

Pondering the question of whether there was anything else he was curious about, Namu opened the hand that had been stroking his back and hugged Mu-won tightly. The gesture of trying to embrace him entirely, even while struggling with the size, was Namu’s way of comforting him. It was the best effort of understanding that could not be expressed in words. Mu-won drank in Namu’s incessantly pouring affection. Almost as if extorting it. Secretly and persistently.

“Is Chairman Hwang the boss of the Munhak Clan?”

“Namu-ssi, you know about the Munhak Clan too?”

“Yes…. Before, the Manager and Jeong-gon… ah… they told me. But they said the Munhak Clan only has tigers on their backs….”

It was a rumor spread by Hwang Jeong-sang. It was the moment when the childishness of a man consumed by inferiority shone at its peak.

“I was really worried about you then, Guest.”

“Because a guy with no money and no backing spends money like water, comes in injured sometimes, and seems to be hanging around gambling dens?”

“……Yes.”

Mu-won let out a light laugh.

“Look who’s worrying about whom.”

“…I can worry a little….”

“Now you’re even speaking informally.”

“Mm… it’s not that….”

Being held tightly by Mu-won didn’t feel suffocating; rather, it felt comfortable. Because it was safe and warm.

“Namu-ssi, are you sleeping?”

“…No… I’m not.”

“Sleep in a bit. I still have something I’m curious about regarding Namu-ssi.”

“Something you’re curious about…?”

“Why did that guy you knew from the runaway fam look for you?”

“Ah….”

Namu, who barely managed to open his heavy eyelids, spoke haltingly. His voice, flowing out slowly, was full of sleepiness. In Namu, who nodded off and fell fast asleep as if making up for lost sleep whenever he had the chance, Mu-won could read the anxiety of the past. Mu-won could easily guess Namu’s adolescence, where he had to defend himself while taking catnaps every day because he had nowhere to lean or rely on.

“I… wanted to show you the phone.”

Mu-won searched the parka thrown near the bedding and took out Namu’s phone. It didn’t take more than a few seconds to read the message sent by Lee Won-seong.

“You were going to tell me this without hiding it.”

“I… I hope the guest doesn’t dislike me. But since the guest hates lies… and you’re the only person I can ask what to do in times like this….”

“You’re a good boy.”

At a single word of praise, Namu beamed again, his breathing slowing down.

“So, what about Seo Su-yeong?”

“……Yes?”

Namu, who had drifted off for a moment, responded belatedly. It seemed the seizure was starting, as sleep kept washing over him.

“I asked what you’re going to do about Seo Su-yeong, the one who sold you out.”

Did I ever tell the guest about that?

Even as he struggled to push back the drowsiness, Namu’s nose rubbed against Mu-won’s chest as he nuzzled in to chase away the sleep.

“I just… want to leave him be.”

“You’re going to be that nice to the bastard who sold you?”

“……Su-yeong Hyung says he’s doing construction work….”

“You feel sorry for him because of that?”

“He said he did construction after selling me. Not long after, he was dragged into a bangseok-jip… and even after barely escaping, he’s still doing construction.”

Mu-won understood what Namu was trying to say.

“I think he wanted to be ordinary….”

Namu had been no different.

“I think he wanted to… go back to the way things were, even if it was like that….”

That was why he could understand him so well.

“It’s already happened… and I have the guest now…. Uh… not for the rest of my life, maybe…. But for now, I have the guest….”

Submerged in the dripping eaves of sleep, Namu’s voice could only be heard if one listened closely.

“I hope Su-yeong Hyung… does well….”

Holding Namu, who soon fell fast asleep, Mu-won asked.

“Didn’t you want to go back, too?”

As much as he deeply understood Seo Su-yeong, who had betrayed him, Namu—who must have once longed for a return to an ordinary life—no longer needed that past. Because he liked Mu-won more.

Mu-won didn’t find that sentiment pitiful. Instead of pity, a sense of satisfaction filled Mu-won.

“Namu-ssi.”

Whispering softly, Mu-won kissed the top of Namu’s head.

If you live like this, the only thing you’ll ever be able to do is stay by my side.

Mu-won didn’t ask aloud. He hadn’t expected an answer in the first place.

The sound of rain drifted languidly through the dark room.

* * *

Wrapped in a thick parka, Namu sat on the wooden platform, tapping the cement floor with the tips of his sneakers.

Woof!

Hearing a sound from the inn’s main entrance, Namu looked up and smiled brightly.

“Meoru!”

“Aigoo, you little rascal! Here! I’ll let you go, I’ll let you go!”

Before he could even spot Namu, Daegal, who was sweating profusely, unclipped the leash of the bouncing Meoru.

“There isn’t another dog in the world who likes his owner more than a walk, Hyung-su-nim!”

I’m not the owner, though… Thinking this, Namu was knocked backward as he absorbed Meoru’s massive frame.

“He’s so dignified during the walk, but as soon as we get close to the inn, he drags me along and goes absolutely wild.”

Daegal, who was making a show of his efforts by thrusting his face toward Namu as he lay on the platform, had his wounds completely healed. Laughing heartily and saying, ‘The Hyung was very lenient with me,’ Daegal had also begged Namu desperately. Rather than hating Daegal for being beaten far worse by Mu-won than he had been by Namu, Namu felt sorry for him.

“Thank you.”

“Oh, please, don’t mention it. Then I’ll leave Meoru with you, Hyung-su-nim, and go wash up. This guy’s strength—his strength is unbelievable.”

Tsk-tsking, Daegal turned away, his body drenched in sweat.

“Were you that happy?”

Namu’s face was full of smiles as he pampered Meoru, who showed no sign of exhaustion despite having run for two hours. Because he was practically forbidden from going out for safety reasons, Namu had never actually gone for a walk with Meoru. The employees guarding the inn took turns taking him out. Namu didn’t feel frustrated by the restriction on his movement; he was simply sad that he couldn’t walk with Meoru.

* * *

Mu-won, temporarily settled in a shabby building with a sign that read ‘Joeun Surgery,’ tossed the documents he was reading. At the top of the papers, ‘Casino Special Tourism Zone New Business’ and ‘Tourism Zone Redevelopment Proposal’ were printed in large letters. These were documents from the office of General Bae, who had been elected as a regional representative for Gamgyul City after retiring.

“The 18th. That’s a week from now.”

Standing before the old desk, Jae-un reported with a serious expression.

“They’re moving faster than I thought, Hyung-nim.”

Seong-cheol, standing beside him, joined the conversation with a frown.

“The information is reliable, Hyung-nim.”

“It hasn’t even been designated as a special zone yet, but it seems Hwang Jeong-sang is desperate.”

Though he expressed doubt, Seong-cheol also didn’t question the reliability of the informant. The informant’s identity was undoubtedly certain.

“Double-check it, then set a date.”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

“Yes, Hyung-nim.”

Jae-un and Seong-cheol replied briefly with calm faces.

* * *

The inn was as quiet as it was bustling, as usual. With the number of personnel having increased to between 30 and 50, it felt that way because all but fifteen had already left for work.

As it grew colder, Mu-won became incredibly busy, often returning home after staying up almost all night. Naturally, the sex decreased. Namu, sitting on the platform with Meoru, tilted his head while counting his fingers.

Today made exactly fifteen days and one day.

Had it ever been this long since we last did it?

Namu’s face darkened as he searched his memories. This was the first time. Even when Namu was sick, Mu-won would have come in and spread his legs, but lately, he hadn’t touched him at all.

Still, he hugs me every time we sleep….

And even if he stayed up all night, he never spent the night out.

“…….”

Has the guest ever smelled unfamiliar?

He thought hard, but nothing came to mind.

He was busy.

Not just Mu-won, but it wasn’t easy to see Jae-un and Seong-cheol as often as before. The staff who commuted to and from the inn seemed busy as well. Even Hwang-ah, who usually stayed shut in her fifth-floor room, had been silent since going out a few days ago.

Is everyone busy…?

Knowing well that he was in no position to follow them around and ask out of curiosity, Namu didn’t want to bother them even slightly.

“Meoru won’t be able to go for a walk today either.”

The employees remaining at the inn hadn’t been able to take Meoru for a walk for the past three or four days due to work. If he could, Namu wanted to help with something as simple as walking Meoru, but he knew well why they kept him inside the inn. It would obviously interfere with Mu-won’s work.

While he didn’t fully understand the nature of the work, he could vaguely guess that it was dangerous. Keeping Namu inside the inn was partly for protection, but it was likely more about prevention to avoid any unforeseen incidents. Namu, more than anyone, didn’t want to be a hindrance to Mu-won.

Thanks to Mu-won making sure he didn’t miss meals or snacks even while busy, there were snacks beside Namu now. They were tangerines. Namu’s cheeks puffed out as he gave Meoru a cucumber and popped a whole tangerine into his own mouth.

It was Neopchi who had told him that eating them this way made them taste better. Neopchi was also on the work shift today and was away from the inn. Instead, one of the lower-ranking employees he often encountered had brought the snacks.

Chewing the tangerine until his cheeks hollowed, Namu peeled another one. He gave Meoru more carrots and cucumbers. By the third one, his fingertips began to turn yellow.

Does the guest like fruit?

Come to think of it, he didn’t know much about Mu-won.

He was a gangster, he had an unhappy past, he succeeded through outstanding ability, but he was still doing dangerous work. As Namu listed the facts he knew about Mu-won, he put another tangerine in his mouth.

‘Namu-ssi, are you good at hide-and-seek?’

A few days ago, when a half-asleep Namu tried to follow Mu-won as he left for work, Mu-won had stopped him at the door and asked this abrupt question.

‘I’m not sure.’

He had no memory of playing hide-and-seek at school or at home. So, he didn’t know if he was good or bad at it. Seeing Namu unable to answer such a common and easy question, Mu-won pressed down on Namu’s swollen eyelids and added with a smirk.

‘Then we can find out this time.’

Should I have asked what that meant? Or, if the guest is also good at hide-and-seek…. Hmm… I think the guest is good at everything. Or maybe he’s the type who wouldn’t do something like that at all.

“…….”

Does it mean there will be a reason to play hide-and-seek?

There’s no reason for grown adults to play hide-and-seek.

‘If it looks like you’ll be caught, hide. If possible, pretend to be dead.’

With that final word and a swirling smile, Mu-won had left Namu standing in the inn room and gone to work.

‘If it looks like you’ll be caught, hide.’

A place to hide.

Looking around his surroundings anew, Namu saw the old inn building, the low walls, and the dry weeds growing through the cracks in the cement. Beyond the wall, the alleys of the shantytown, which sat lower than the inn, were clearly visible. Sometimes he could see the backs of Mu-won and the others as they were swallowed by the forest of buildings.

Still unable to find a suitable place to hide, Namu scratched Meoru’s chin while giving him the last of the cucumbers.

“I feel like I’d be found no matter where I hide. Right?”

In the yard where only the sounds of daily life floated like air, only Namu’s voice echoed quietly. A smile spread across Namu’s lips as he watched Meoru savoring his touch with a pleased expression.

“Yeah, I feel good too when the guest touches my head like this, like this.”

Smiling aimlessly, Namu cleared the snack tray, played tug-of-war for a long while, and then sat down, exhausted.

“Wow, the people who walk you are really amazing.”

Catching his breath and drinking some water, Namu filled Meoru’s bowl with water. The sunset was already beginning to fade. Looking at the red glow touching his feet, Namu took out his phone. December 17th. It was just past 5 PM. Perhaps because winter was deepening, the sun was setting earlier.

“They’ll tell me to eat dinner soon.”

As Namu, who had been sitting under the eaves, tried to stand up, Meoru tugged at the hem of his pants.

“Why?”

Namu looked back at Meoru with a puzzled expression. Meoru was pulling Namu toward his doghouse.

“You want to play more? The Hyungs are busy, so I shouldn’t bother them.”

That was why he was about to go inside before they came to call him. Using the titles he hadn’t yet been permitted to use even when he was alone, Namu looked toward the inside of the inn with a troubled face.

Dinner time was 5:30. Inside the building, which was quietly bustling, there was still no sign of anyone calling for Namu. Meoru continued to pester Namu to play more. Eventually, unable to win against Meoru, Namu checked the time.

“Alright. Then just for 10 minutes.”

With a grin, Namu crawled into Meoru’s house.

“Hyung-su-nim! Dinner…!”

Gaeko, who had burst through the front door, widened his eyes upon finding the yard empty.

“Where did he go?”

The terrifying wolfdog should have been playing excitedly as if he were a golden retriever, but the face like a ripe peach was nowhere to be seen. Wearing an apron, Gaeko stepped out of the entrance and looked around the front and back of the building, calling for ‘Hyung-su-nim.’

Namu, who usually appeared before he was even called, showed no sign of himself. As bad thoughts began to creep in, Gaeko stepped into the front yard with a hardened face, and suddenly his eyes flashed sharply. The facial muscles that had been relaxed in front of Namu instantly tightened, turning menacing.

“Holy shit.”

Beyond the low wall, he saw gangsters crawling up the maze-like alleys like a swarm of ants. The reason Mu-won had settled in Gamrotang, which was practically halfway up a mountain, was so that he could overlook Gamgyul City at a glance.

Immediately grasping the situation, Gaeko ran back into the inn. The building was thrown into an immediate uproar.

The raindrops, which had been falling one by one, began to grow thicker. Mu-won, who had finished an early meal at ‘Giwa,’ a Korean restaurant occupying a large plot in Byeolwon City, waited for his car. As he crushed his shortened cigarette into the ashtray, a large pickup truck slid to a stop in front of him.

“CEO.”

Seong-cheol, standing beside him, opened the back door for Mu-won first and then climbed into the passenger seat.

“Did you finish your meal well?”

“I had a very worldly conversation with some worldly people.”

“As expected, things move smoothly when Hyung-nim steps in.”

This time, Seong-cheol joined in to help.

“If someone offers to share a golden goose, who would refuse?”

“You can’t welcome it with open arms if you know it’s a path that leads to your own gut being ripped open.”

Linking the group that enjoyed power by treating Gamgyul City as their own small kingdom into a casino was not a clever move, but a mediocre one. Monopoly, rather than distribution, has the property of a cartel that makes a small group even more rigid.

By sweeping through illegal Houses indiscriminately, Mu-won had succeeded in drawing attention and succeeded in tying individuals into a group by giving them what they wanted.

He had intended to end it there, but Hwang Jeong-sang had provoked him. Rather, Namu had lit a fire in Mu-won’s extinguished desires. The moment he had a weakness, a parallel line with Hwang Jeong-sang became impossible. No matter who it was, one had to crush the other, and Mu-won had no talent for being crushed.

“We’ll go straight to the Chairman’s house. Please get some rest, Hyung-nim.”

“Right, drive safely.”

Cracking his neck to relax his muscles, Mu-won leaned his large upper body deep into the seat. To set the framework before Hwang Jeong-sang could make a move, he had increased the pace over the last month. The designation of the special zone, subtly inserted into a bill that had been pending for months, would pass quietly, and the redevelopment area would be selected smoothly with the cooperation of local residents.

All he had to do was push in and take over the table that was already set. If it were Mu-won, he would have chosen that method. But unlike him, Hwang Jeong-sang was driven by the desire for recognition—to put his spoon in from the start and claim he had achieved it himself.

Hwang Jeong-sang, the only blood relative of Chairman Hwang of the ‘Munsang Group,’ was a collection of inferiority complexes and endless greed. On the other hand, Chairman Hwang was the incarnation of grandiosity and the desire to preserve the massive achievements he had attained. In the end, they were of the same vein. Narcissistic personality disorder had been inherited through blood.

“…….”

And such a Chairman Hwang would give up his fortress this easily? The reality of the discomfort that had been grating like a splinter felt as if it were within reach.

Tap, tap. Tapping his thigh with fingers that had become more than just calloused—they had become part of his identity—Mu-won opened his tightly closed eyes.

The 18th. Hwang Jeong-sang’s scheduled attack.

And today, the 17th. A private meeting with Hwang Mun-sang.

Could this one-day difference really be a coincidence?

The informant who delivered the intelligence was a verified resource. However, if it were Chairman Hwang, he would stop at nothing to not only preserve his own achievements but to achieve an even better goal. Just as he had tried to unilaterally add Mu-won to his family register long ago.

For Chairman Hwang, deceiving a single informant would be as natural as breathing. Mu-won had good instincts. And he was a survivor who had actively used those instincts to stay alive.

The weakness that had appeared in Mu-won would apply exactly the same way to Chairman Hwang.

Opening his eyes, Mu-won leaned his upper body forward.

“Turn the car around.”

“Pardon? What do you mean….”

“Turn the car back to the inn, Jae-un.”

Jae-un didn’t ask twice and turned the vehicle. Simultaneously, the vibration of a phone broke the brief silence. Sensing something, Seong-cheol’s gaze turned toward Mu-won. Taking the phone from his inner jacket pocket, Mu-won answered immediately.

-Hyung-nim! It’s an attack! The people sent by Hwang Jeong-sang…!

“What about Namu?”

-T-that’s…!

“Slowly, tell me accurately.”

Mu-won calmed the employee’s excitement with a composed voice. The employee, now calmed, spoke while shaking off anxiety and self-reproach.

-He was alone in the yard, and then he suddenly disappeared. At the same time, Hwang Jeong-sang’s bastards were swarming in like ants.

Seeing that it was still quiet over the phone, it seemed those ants hadn’t all climbed up yet. Listening to the report of the employee who was becoming increasingly calm, Mu-won switched to speaker mode and tapped Jae-un’s shoulder.

“Step on it.”

Thick veins stood out on the back of Jae-un’s hand, who was already flooring it at maximum speed. Seong-cheol, who had easily grasped the situation, contacted Hwang-ah.

“Hwang-ah, let’s check the CCTV. Hyung-su-nim is missing.”

* * *

Having finished the call, Gaeko readjusted the tool in his hand. The black swarm of bastards was turning the corner of the nearby alley.

“Hyung-su-nim is missing. Don’t let a single one of them into the inn until Hyung-nim arrives.”

At Gaeko’s solemn command, the employees answered loudly and blocked the front gate, each holding a tool. Tension settled on their faces as they looked down at the bastards, who seemed to number at least a hundred.

A white mist of heavy rain was crawling up, as if to swallow the old and shabby shantytown.

* * *

The rain-soaked shirt clung to his chilled body. Taking off his heavy jacket and grabbing his tools, Mu-won looked at Seong-cheol. Hesitating, Seong-cheol reluctantly spoke.

“If by any chance Hyung-su-nim disappeared of his own volition….”

“Namu-ssi did?”

Snorting, Mu-won slammed the trunk shut.

It was Namu’s own confidence and conviction that he would never leave him. Or rather, it was closer to trust.

* * *

“Hyung! Until the others arrive…!”

Ignoring Seong-cheol’s attempt to stop him, Mu-won dove straight into the swarm of ants running forward.

Thwack—! Thwack—! Thwack—!

The bastards, swarming like clouds, surrounded the inn. The fifteen men guarding the main gate were not enough to stop them. The employees, refusing to retreat and instead leaping forward, swung the tools they held high.

Clang—! Tools clashed against tools, and screams and groans erupted simultaneously as bone and flesh were struck by swinging weapons. Waaaaah—! Shrieks, from voices indistinguishable from one another, collided in the air, creating a violent echo.

The momentum of the outnumbered employees was far more fierce and desperate than that of the attackers who held the numerical advantage. Despite their efforts, the old walls crumbled. The wooden platforms were smashed, the doghouse collapsed, and the glass doors of the entrance shattered into pieces. The peaceful inn was turned into a wasteland in an instant.

“Hyung.”

Panting heavily, Jae-un, who had followed closely behind, waited for Mu-won’s instructions. Seong-cheol, standing guard at the entrance of the alley, would soon join them as the younger members arrived one after another.

“Drive them from below.”

“Hyung!”

Mu-won didn’t even look back at Jae-un’s low shout. He simply launched his heavy frame lightly, quickly closing the distance to the inn. Throughout the process, the unmaintained streetlights and the deep, settling darkness provided considerable help in crushing the black-clad bastards as if they were ants.

With every breath, white mist mingled with the night air. Hiding his body under a crumbling roof, Mu-won looked back and forth between the ridge where the inn sat and the alleyway below.

Seong-cheol, having joined in, was driving the ants from the bottom, beating them down. Unaware of the situation below, the ants rampaged, indiscriminately destroying the inn. Mu-won steadied his breathing, which was beginning to grow ragged.

‘If it feels like you’ll be caught, hide.’

He thought of Namu, who had nodded obediently, promising to do exactly that despite the abruptness of the instruction. Namu would be fine. However, looking at the inn swarming with ants, his conviction wavered. As if to snatch back that fading certainty, Mu-won leaped down.

The distance to the inn was about 10 meters. From here, he couldn’t rely on surprise attacks using the darkness or hope for luck. To reach the inn, he had to dive into an ant-lion’s pit where friend and foe were entangled, struggling to survive. Mu-won moved immediately.

Heavy raindrops slammed violently against a metal sign that appeared to read ‘Garotang,’ some of its bulbs burnt out.

“Hyung!”

Gaeko, spotting Mu-won as he dove inside while throwing aside the bastards rushing him all at once, couldn’t hide his relief.

“Hyung! The lodging is…!”

“Forget it. Did you plan on living here for the rest of your life?”

Deeply relieved upon seeing Mu-won, Gaeko trembled as the sudden rush of reality hit him. Having seen this reaction many times, Mu-won calmed him dismissively, his eyes quickly scanning the surroundings.

The younger members who had been defending the inn were slumped in various parts of the yard, catching their breath, while those seriously injured had been moved inside, screaming at the top of their lungs.

“Hyung.”

Jae-un, who had joined Seong-cheol and climbed up while exterminating every bastard in sight, had a twitch in his eyebrow.

“Take care of the kids inside, and tie up the remaining bastards together.”

“Hyung!”

Mu-won frowned at the voice calling him with more urgency and looked back at Jae-un. Then, he pressed down on the spot Jae-un was looking at as if it were nothing. There was a long laceration on his side. He had more than enough large and small wounds, but the side wound stood out because of the amount of blood seeping through.

“No need to make a fuss.”

At the low remark, Jae-un scanned the surroundings and kept his mouth shut, fearing the other employees might get agitated. The hundred or so who had swarmed like ants were beaten down and repelled by the two hundred who had rushed in like a swarm of bees. It had been over an hour since they had clashed, lunging at each other with fire in their eyes and screaming as they tangled.

Brushing back the hair obscuring his vision, Mu-won scanned the yard once more. He kicked aside the lumps sprawled like corpses and reached out. What he pulled out, as easily as pulling a radish, was a brat who had been beaten into a pulp with bones broken in several places. The destination for those who clung to this side or that like bats was, in the end, to be a disposable meat shield.

“Wake this bastard up.”

Jae-un, receiving Jeong Jeong-gon, scowled.

“This piece of shit has a damn long life.”

His head was still tingling from where Chairman Hwang had hit him, and inwardly cheering that he’d finally found the guy, Jae-un tossed the limp Jeong-gon aside like a piece of luggage. Then he called Seong-cheol. He figured the guy would wake up screaming, thinking it would be better to just die than to take one injection.

“What? Are you hurt somewhere?”

Seong-cheol, who had just crossed the main gate, responded to Jae-un’s call while panting.

“Let’s give this bastard one shot.”

“Who is he?”

“Jeong Jeong-gon.”

“Ah. Then we should give him one really painful shot.”

Seong-cheol, well aware of Jeong Jeong-gon’s dirty tricks, sneered and turned his head sharply.

“What about the sister-in-law?”

“Not yet.”

At Jae-un’s response, Seong-cheol, who had a serious expression, suddenly rummaged through his pockets and pulled out his phone.

“Looks like she found him.”

There were dozens of missed calls, and the messages, filled with a colorful array of profanity, had stopped at +999. The gist of the messages sent by Hwang-ah was that she had found Namu.

“Wow, this piece of shit really does have a damn long life, doesn’t he?”

Jae-un’s remark was directed at Jeong-gon, who opened his eyes, screaming like a slaughtered pig at the first injection. Mu-won didn’t feel the need to be particularly angry at a small fry not worth the effort of catching and torturing personally. If, by any chance, Namu had actually been kidnapped, he was merely a tool to shake out even a speck of useful information.

Of course, if Hwang Jeong-sang truly had Namu in his custody, a threatening call would come before Jeong Jeong-gon could confess. In other words, Jeong Jeong-gon’s only use was as a vent for Mu-won’s anger. He had literally come back from the brink of death.

Then again, killing him this simply would be unfair. Wasn’t that why Hyung had driven Jeong-gon to a slow death? You bastard, suffer as much as you’ve caused.

With a hardened face, Mu-won looked down at his feet, lost in thought. Something that should be there was missing. Namu. And the wolfdog with the red mane. Mu-won’s gaze turned toward the doghouse with the collapsed roof. His body reacted before his mind. Soon, his blood-stained shoes stepped on the cement floor, where rainwater was washing everything away.

“Yeah, hello. Hwang-ah.”

-Fuck, if you’re not going to use it, why the hell do you carry a phone? Does your brain turn into a stone every time you get into a fight? There are things you can forget and things you can’t. Why carry something so heavy? Ah—to use it as a weapon?

“I’m really sorry, Hwang-ah. So, the sister-in-law is okay, right?”

Seong-cheol, who had been fumbling while searching for Mu-won under the wrath of a furious Hwang-ah, stopped in his tracks. Mu-won was standing in front of Meoru’s house. At the same time, Hwang-ah mentioned Meoru’s house.

-The sister-in-law you’re looking for so desperately is at Meoru’s house.

“Yeah, okay. Hyung was looking for her anyway. Thanks. See you later.”

Hurriedly hanging up the phone, Seong-cheol started to approach to help Mu-won but hesitated. With a face chilled by the winter rain, Mu-won stared at the doghouse and carefully cleared away the collapsed roof.

The doghouse, made of sturdy wood selected to fit Meoru’s size, had no major damage other than the slanted roof. Even the collapsed roof had only cracked along the grain of the wood.

Finally, the last plank was removed. Seong-cheol, who had wanted to check if Namu was safe, ended up not doing so. It was because he missed the timing to look away from Mu-won’s face, where a single, clear emotion—’relief’—had vividly emerged in that short moment.

Meoru, with his back to Namu, spotted Mu-won and let out a low ‘Woof!’ Judging by the fact that his triangularly contracted pupils hadn’t fully returned, it seemed he had only recently let down his guard. A familiar presence had eased Meoru’s vigilance.

“Good boy.”

As if Mu-won’s word were a signal, Meoru, who had been sitting with his chest puffed out, stood up. As he moved aside, the sight of Namu, curled up in a ball and sleeping, was revealed.

“Hah.”

Letting out a hollow laugh, Mu-won grasped the situation instantly. He didn’t know how he had ended up crawling into a doghouse, but he must have had a narcoleptic episode while playing with Meoru as usual. While this dogfight was raging, Namu had been able to stay lost in sleep, oblivious to everything.

It was absurd.

Mu-won’s tightly coiled muscles relaxed, and his sharply narrowed pupils softened. Mu-won, who was about to take off his jacket to shield him from the rain that had begun to thin, fumbled.

Ha, fuck.

Only then did he remember the jacket he had thrown off before climbing the ridge.

Just because this one little thing was gone.

Like a madman.

“…….”

Composing his raging emotions, Mu-won slowly regained his breath.

It felt as if the blood had been drained from his body. Needless to say, it was a sensation he never wanted to experience again.

Judging that it would be faster to just pick him up and move him rather than covering or shielding him, Mu-won moved. Namu, curled up without a stir, was obediently gathered into Mu-won’s arms. Only then did the final string of tension snap.

Narcolepsy. It was the only legacy his grandfather had left Namu. In the end, that legacy had looked after Namu safely. Namu, who had received such great affection, had walked on his own and fallen into Mu-won’s arms.

Mu-won could hear something inside him crumbling. A long-standing wall, sharpened to a razor’s edge to survive and built up to an arrogant height. It was a wall that became useless only in front of Namu.

* * *

Namu slept for another full day.

The breath of the soundly sleeping Namu was peaceful, and his breathing was regular.

Mu-won, who had spent the time settling the incident, cleaning up the surroundings, and tending to his own body, sat blankly in the inn room.

“…….”

Just as the tedious rain seemed to stop, a strong wind blew. The window, as old as the building, only shook occasionally; it didn’t rattle noisily.

Outside the room, which was toasty from the boiler, it was still cloudy and dark thanks to the clouds covering the sky. It was cold enough that Namu would have needed to wear a puffer coat that reached his ankles.

With his elbow resting on his thigh in a cross-legged position and his chin in his hand, Mu-won unintentionally found himself scrutinizing every detail of that small face while waiting for Namu to wake up.

The nicely rounded forehead, the bridge of the nose that dropped in a smooth curve, and the red lips where the lower lip was slightly plumper. On the two cheeks, flushed red by the warm air circulating in the room, fine peach fuzz was softly visible.

Looking down at Namu, whom he felt he could watch all day without getting tired, Mu-won organized his thoughts one by one.

‘Did you plan this, old man?’

Opening the door to the chairman’s office, Mu-won had thrown the bloodied mess that was Hwang Jeong-sang in front of Chairman Hwang. Chairman Hwang, sitting in the seat of honor on the expensive sofa like a king, didn’t give his own bloodline a single glance. He only looked up at Mu-won and smiled thinly.

‘No. I only made an appointment with you.’

And he hadn’t hidden that appointment from Hwang Jeong-sang. Chairman Hwang, revealing it was a deliberate act, even openly denied involvement.

‘The one who set the date and leaked false information was that fellow. If I had participated, it wouldn’t have ended so blandly.’

The tone, mixed with the stubbornness and self-righteousness typical of a self-made old man, was full of amusement.

‘Don’t think about running away. Since you’ve made my only successor a half-cripple, you must take responsibility.’

‘You should just fix him up and use him. Why are you so greedy?’

‘That’s why you should have been born as my bloodline.’

‘People will say you’ve gone senile, old man.’

‘That’s what they’d say if I put that fellow as the successor. Do you think I don’t know the hearts of the people I employ? They won’t acknowledge anyone but you. They won’t fear him either. The company I worked so hard to make useful would be torn to shreds. You wouldn’t want that either, would you?’

So, he didn’t say any more about just fixing him up. Mu-won simply stared at the bloodied mass that had been Hwang Jeong-sang. Reading that as some kind of signal, the old man began to coax him.

‘If you want to live with a lover as precious as gold, you should hold a decent business card.’

It didn’t sound particularly pleasant, but it wasn’t wrong. Mu-won had many enemies. When he had nothing to protect, that wasn’t a weakness.

‘Don’t expect to get your severance pay back.’

‘Forget it, you brat. Use it to buy snacks for that pretty little thing.’

‘And don’t even think about calling the kid over to mess around.’

Chairman Hwang, who didn’t even scoff, suddenly looked at Mu-won with a face full of emotion.

‘I didn’t realize you trusted me that much.’

Mu-won immediately frowned.

‘Even if I turned a blind eye, you didn’t think I’d directly participate, did you? Of course, I didn’t directly participate.’

Tsk, clicking his tongue, Mu-won revealed his inner thoughts.

‘I have no hobby of biting the hand of the master who raised me.’

‘Even if you’re a tiger and not a dog.’

‘You should exercise restraint before you get bitten by the dog you raised.’

Chairman Hwang, smiling like a benevolent old man, nodded for once.

‘I know you see me as something of a psycho. There’s no one as smart as you.’

He made a face as if that fact were lamentable, then gave up.

‘That’s why this position will go to you. That way, even if I become a toothless tiger, I won’t be torn apart.’

For a psycho who had been weighing a real bloodline against a fake one until recently, it was a remarkably human thing to say.

‘You will complete my wish.’

‘Old man, that’s a disease.’

‘Is this old man’s blind faith that burdensome?’

Chairman Hwang’s wish was the transplantation of the company he had spent his life building from the shadows into the light. The reason Mu-won changed his mind was that his goal was the same as Chairman Hwang’s.

It was a migration to a world where he could be safe even if he had something to protect.

* * *

Namu opened his eyes around the time the white snow began to flutter.

Mu-won, who had been watching without missing a single moment as the eyelids, densely lined with pale lashes, pushed upward, spoke for the first time in a long while.

“Did you sleep well?”

“……Guest.”

“It’s 11 AM, and you slept for a day and a half.”

“…….”

It took some time for Namu, waking from a long sleep, to pull his consciousness back up.

“You were sleeping soundly in Meoru’s house.”

“Ah….”

At those words, memories that had been floating began to find their place.

Playing with Meoru…

As Namu pushed back the blanket that had reached up to his chin and sat up, his eyes gradually widened. Jumping up and leaving the bedding, Namu approached Mu-won almost as if he were crawling. The sleep had already vanished from his greatly startled face.

“Are, are you hurt? Oh, what do I do….”

Fidgeting and hovering around Mu-won’s waist, Namu’s two hands trembled.

“Assistant Manager Kwak… I’ll go call Assistant Manager Kwak. J-just a moment. If you just wait a moment…!”

“Namu.”

“Yes… yes?”

Namu, who was about to scramble up, reacted reflexively to the voice calling him. A large, hard, scar-covered hand gripped Namu’s wrist. The touch that gently pulled him was soft.

“Guest….”

Mu-won, lifting his t-shirt which was slightly stained with red blood, pulled Namu’s hand a bit closer. Flinching, Namu was obediently drawn in and looked at Mu-won’s waist. White bandages were wrapped tightly around Mu-won’s waist. The blood on the t-shirt was a stain of blood that had soaked the left side of his waist.

As the rough texture of the bandage touched his fingertips, Namu curled his fingers. Mu-won, who waited without forcing him, placed Namu’s hand on his wound again. As if it were nothing. As if this was no big deal.

Suddenly, Namu’s eyes turned red. Soon, hot tears filled up quickly. Patter, they fell, wetting his cheeks. Mu-won, silently watching Namu cry so hard his eyes felt like they were melting, contrary to his intention, let go of his wrist. He had already pulled down his t-shirt, hiding the blood from Namu’s sight.

“Namu.”

“Yes… hic….”

“Do you still like me that much?”

He could have argued that this wasn’t the time for such a question, but Namu nodded, pouring out tears like chicken droppings.

“Yes… yes….”

He tried to swallow his sobs, wiping his tears with the back of his hand.

“H-how… hic, did you get hurt… hic… waaaah….”

Shocked to see the bandages soaked in bright red blood as soon as he opened his eyes, Namu finally burst into tears. Without comforting him, Mu-won watched him silently and only spoke after a long while.

“I don’t think this will do, Namu.”

“Yes… hic… yes…?”

Even while looking up at Mu-won with hiccups, the tears that continuously pooled drenched Namu’s face. In front of Namu, who was distracted by crying, a piece of paper was held out.

“This is… hic, hic….”

It was only after Namu’s face had swollen up like water-logged cotton from sobbing as if his heart were breaking that he was finally able to see the documents properly.

“W-what… is th- hicu… this?”

“Our contract.”

“Hicu… what…?”

Startled, Namu gasped. Then, as if anticipating something, he looked at Mu-won with a face full of sudden fear before quickly dropping his gaze. He tried to look down at the documents, struggling to wipe away the endless stream of tears. However, his vision was so blurred by the tears that he couldn’t see the letters clearly.

Mu-won let Namu cry to his heart’s content. He waited until Namu could compose himself. After a long while, Namu stopped crying and wiped his eyes with his sleeve instead of the back of his hand, looking down at the papers. Finally, he read the words.

“Uh….”

His wide eyes shifted from Mu-won to the text in the document, repeating the motion.

“Uh…?”

The document was the contract they had drafted previously. However, only one thing had changed.

The agreed period of one year had been crossed out with an X, and next to it, the word ‘Lifetime’ was written.

“Uh….”

Unable to grasp the situation immediately, Namu looked up at Mu-won as if seeking help. Mu-won, who had been waiting for him all along, spoke.

“Do you want to stamp it?”

“……Uh…?”

Namu’s face, bewildered as if this were far too strange to be true, was now filled with question marks instead of tears.

T-there’s no way….

He looked at Mu-won’s face once, then at the contract once.

Even after alternating his gaze several times, Namu still couldn’t accept it and tilted his head. Then, at some point, he stared at Mu-won with a blank expression.

Could it be…. No, it can’t be….

And yet, Namu couldn’t help but part his lips.

“Cu-customer….”

“Yes, Namu-ssi.”

“By any chance… perhaps….”

“Yes, perhaps.”

“I mean, perhaps….”

Namu’s face was bright red as he spoke hesitantly.

“Do you… like me?”

With a gentle smile, Mu-won replied.

“You’re only realizing that now?”

“Ah….”

Namu still looked as if he couldn’t believe it. Forgetting to cry, a flood of emotions surged and receded in his eyes as he gazed at Mu-won. And when only Mu-won remained at the end of it all, Namu suddenly realized.

It’s real… it really is.

Truly….

After staring at Mu-won for a long time, Namu seemed on the verge of tears again, but then he let out a soft, fluttering laugh through his tears. His drenched cheeks, flushed a peach color, puffed up slightly.

Mu-won reached out with both arms and held Namu in a tight, seamless embrace.

-End-