He lifted his eyelids, heavy as a thousand pounds. Ilay was quietly inspecting Jeong Tae-ui’s groin. When their eyes met, and he casually muttered, “Shall we start with medium size?” Tae-ui finally realized he wasn’t joking.

Even though he was too tired to even speak, Tae-ui found himself clenching his fists without realizing it. Seeing the clenched fists, Ilay let out a slight chuckle.

After that, he never brought up such words again.

“Well then.”

Though he looked like he should be exhausted, Ilay showed no sign of fatigue as he suddenly got up from the bed. He picked up the limp Tae-ui like a corpse and strode toward the bathroom.

Even though Tae-ui seemed unable to move a finger as if he had been beaten to death, Ilay easily washed him, cleaned him thoroughly from head to toe, and then dried him carefully with a bath towel before laying him back down on the bed. Only then did he return to the bathroom and start washing himself.

Listening to the sound of the shower, Tae-ui sighed deeply once again—he had lost count of how many times by now.

He was a monster who pretended to have good manners in strange ways.

Tae-ui raised one arm into the air. It was completely dry, smooth without a trace of moisture. Although his lower body was stiff and aching to the point of numbness, no unpleasant sensation remained.

“The only manner left claiming I’m human…”

He muttered to himself. Though his voice was barely audible due to his hoarse throat.

“…”

Actually, putting aside resentment and grudges to think objectively, Ilay’s manners in bed weren’t that terrible. Judging by how he had forced himself on Tae-ui before, it was clear he lacked morality, but his manners in bed were not filthy. At least, he never satisfied only his own desire and ran off. Nor did he thrust recklessly... though he hardly listened to what others said.

Perhaps if that damn lower body didn’t look like a monster, Tae-ui might have quite willingly mixed bodies with him sometimes. Yeah, since it had come to this, maybe he should try hard to get used to it quickly. After all, his technique and stamina were excellent...

...No, it’s no use. Handling a monster like that is too hard. Tae-ui wondered how to escape.

“Maybe it would’ve been better if I’d just been caught quietly by the man Shin Lu sent...”

He muttered unintentionally, then startled himself into silence. He glanced toward the bathroom, but fortunately, the sound of running water blocked Tae-ui’s fading mutter from reaching there.

If Ilay had heard it, it wouldn’t have ended well. He was the type to try to cripple someone just for saying a word about meeting Shin Lu.

“... Damn it... I just want to understand, understand...”

Tae-ui clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. Suddenly feeling a tightness in his chest, he reached for the beer Ilay had left within arm’s reach while laying him down on the bed. Raising his upper body while lying face down, Tae-ui muttered, “Ugh, I’m dying.” After taking a few cold sips of the beer, he finally felt a bit better.

He tried to think. What exactly was that man thinking? He strained to guess the thoughts locked away in Ilay’s mind.

— If you had followed what reason told you, Tae-ui, you’d have died several times already.

Suddenly, his low voice came to mind.

— Don’t think. Forget it. There’s no reason or need to meet again. So don’t think about him.

— I thought about that too, but anyway, the only conclusion is that you’re mine. I have my guesses why, but nothing certain. There’s no past evidence to judge if that’s right or wrong.

— That brat. Ling Shinlu. Say you won’t meet or even think of meeting her.

— Do you like that brat so much? What’s so good about her?

— Jeong Tae-ui. You’re mine. Got it? You’re mine.

Words kept coming one after another. Hands that stroked his back several times. When Tae-ui embraced his neck, he chuckled lowly, kissed his ear lightly, brushing lips. After finishing, his gaze that examined Tae-ui’s body.

“...”

Tae-ui frowned. The beer swallowed with a gulp was lukewarm, warmed by his thoughts in his mouth.

“Damn, they’re all convenient reasons to reach the same conclusion...”

Slowly swallowing the beer, Tae-ui furrowed his brows harder.

If he told a passerby those words, that person would surely reach the same conclusion. No need to add that Ilay Riegrow was absolutely not that kind of person, or to emphasize his personality that didn’t care about anyone else.

“... Could it be that bastard really likes me...”

He muttered absentmindedly, staring intently at the floral wallpaper by the bedside. But before finishing the thought, he closed his mouth. The thought, which he had once recalled and then erased recently, was just too ridiculous even to consider. Tae-ui muttered, “No,” shaking his head.

“No. It’s not. It can’t be. There’s no way he has such human feelings... What the hell is it then?”

Tae-ui sighed deeply and shook his head.

“I might not be much, but I have a good eye for people. If that damn Lieutenant Kim was even half decent, I might have seriously suspected he really... But that guy isn’t it. I’d bet my life he has absolutely no human side.”

“Betting a life that’s not even yours wherever you want.”

A voice flew from behind, startling Tae-ui so much he almost jumped. The beer in his hand sloshed and wobbled.

Turning around, Ilay was just coming out of the bathroom, rubbing his hair dry with a towel.

“You seemed to be saying something funny to yourself. What life are you betting on?”

“Huh? Ah... uh... just my intuition and guesswork, I guess.”

Tae-ui mumbled vaguely, trying to dodge the question. Ilay took a beer from the fridge and came closer.

Tae-ui, lying stretched out, stared silently at Ilay’s side profile as he sat on the edge of the bed and drank the beer.

Truly, his appearance betrayed his inner self. His naked body, still damp, was neat and solid—impossible to imagine it contained such a dark mental world. Tae-ui swallowed the beer and bitterly pursed his lips.

He had long since realized his own preference. Tae-ui preferred men over women. But if he really wanted, women wouldn’t be a problem either. After all, he liked delicate, lovely-looking boys.

Yeah. Even though he liked men, the man in front of him was definitely not Tae-ui’s type. His neat, handsome appearance wasn’t bad, but naturally, his personality didn’t suit Tae-ui’s tastes. Tae-ui also didn’t enjoy being the submissive partner.

Still, the world is a strange place. How had it come to this? Saying it just happened doesn’t fit—this man was overwhelmingly strong in many ways. Considering everything, the most reasonable conclusion, unbelievable as it was, was that this bastard actually liked him...

“... No... Even if I might think so sometimes, just think about that mental world of his... Where’s the chance for that to happen?”

Tae-ui rubbed his brow, muttering. Though his voice was barely audible, Ilay, sitting at the end of the bed, turned his head as if he heard it.

“Mental world, huh? Whose?”

“Ah... I was just thinking I don’t understand the mindset of people who give sick leave to a guy bursting with stamina and health.”

Tae-ui muttered, glancing out the window.

Though it was still far from dawn, the sky outside was pale gray. The city never saw night as every skyscraper’s lights stayed on. Still, it was different from day, and the night’s unique silence lingered beyond.

Tae-ui spoke casually but then suddenly recalled something. He remembered being granted leave—sick leave. Five weeks, if he remembered right.

An absurdly long time. Of course, if it was real sick leave, maybe there was some serious problem requiring hospitalization or rest. But simple sick leave wouldn’t be given for five weeks.

“What kind of excuse got me five weeks off?”

Tae-ui turned on his side, muttering as he moved. Pain escaped from his mouth with every motion. Ilay watched him quietly, then finished his beer first.

“You said you wanted to meet Jeong Jae, but have you forgotten? Or you don’t want to meet anymore?”

That casual mutter made Tae-ui pause, then stare at him blankly.

He hadn’t forgotten. He remembered well. Tae-ui still wanted to meet Jeong Jae. But he hadn’t expected Ilay to bring it up.

“No... I want to meet. I want to meet, but... are you coming too?”

Tae-ui muttered vacantly. Ilay answered briefly.

“Five weeks. If you don’t meet within that time, give up.”

Tae-ui looked at him blankly again. It really seemed like they were letting him go. More precisely, Ilay would come along, but Tae-ui got the chance to meet Jeong Jae. Though he thought he would meet someday, he didn’t expect it to happen so soon.

Then Tae-ui nodded.

Sure enough, their interests matched.

UNHRDO’s position of searching for Jeong Jae, Ilay’s rank within UNHRDO, the ridiculously long five-week leave, Tae-ui’s wish to meet Jeong Jae, and some people’s expectation that Tae-ui could meet Jeong Jae more easily—these combined to this result.

Tae-ui got up and sat. His body was limp and unsteady, but he could still move. However, the severe pain from his waist down pressed heavily, so he couldn’t sit properly and leaned sideways instead.

Frowning, he sat like that for a moment until the sharp pain spreading from his waist eased a little, then sighed.

“You’re a lot weaker than you look.”

Ilay, who was staring at him quietly, muttered suddenly. Tae-ui glared fiercely at him in a surge of anger.

“I’m not weak, you bastard...!”

“Am I?”

“... Everyone you’ve been with seems to have been fine even right after.”

“Well...”

Ilay seemed to think for a moment but then shrugged as if he didn’t know.

“I wouldn’t know since it’s none of my business.”

Damn, wasn’t he decent at least in post-action manners?!

Tae-ui stared at him dumbfounded and sighed. The more he thought, the deeper the more he thought, the deeper the mystery became. But there was a more pressing issue at hand.

“So, are we going? To Ceringe?”

Suddenly, a sense of excitement stirred in him.

He could go. Escape from this place where he was trapped without bars. (Though it was a minor problem that he was going with the one who put those bars around him.)

With eyes unconsciously filled with hope, Tae-ui leaned toward Ilay. Ilay tapped the beer can in his hand lightly with his index finger, then calmly met Tae-ui’s gaze.

“You seem to be in quite a good mood.”

“Well… there’s no reason to be otherwise.”

Tae-ui tilted his head and shrugged. Ilay looked at him silently for a while as if deep in thought, then suddenly nodded.

“The departure is whenever you want. But you must return exactly within five weeks counted from yesterday, regardless of whether you meet Jeong Jae or not.”

Five weeks. Whether that was a short or sufficient time was unknown. Given that the location was already known, the important thing was just luck. If luck was on his side, he could meet her; if not, then no. Judging by the lack of news about others meeting Jeong Jae, it was probably difficult. Maybe even five years wouldn’t be enough.

Tae-ui looked down at his hand. On his pinky was a thread invisible to the eye. And that thread was cut off by Jeong Jae. Luck might no longer follow him.

But still.

“Then today. At dawn.”

Without hesitation, Tae-ui said. He would take the fastest convenient flight and go meet Jeong Jae.

Ilay smiled faintly as if he had already expected this and shook his head.

“If you board the thirteen-hour flight in your current state in six hours, you’ll be looking for a doctor on the plane. Sleep today. You look like a ghost.”

“Huh?”

Tae-ui rubbed his face slowly. Even he thought he looked terribly pale. In reality, if someone pushed him, he would probably collapse and not get up. Just a little while ago, he had wobbled when he simply got up to sit.

“Hmm… yeah, that might be dangerous.”

Physical exhaustion, lack of sleep, accumulated fatigue.

Then, as Tae-ui muttered worriedly about when to go, Ilay pushed his shoulder to the side. Without resistance, Tae-ui collapsed with a groan like an old man.

“I’ll book the flight for tomorrow. Sleep today. Where would you go in this state?”

Ilay muttered, looking at Tae-ui with some disdain as he complained in pain. Tae-ui mustered all his strength to glare at Ilay with heavy eyelids.

“If you hadn’t touched me, I wouldn’t be like this.”

“Does that mean you’re like this the day after I touch you?”

“You’ve always been like this...!”

Why was he pretending not to know? Tae-ui was barely holding on. But Ilay didn’t flinch, stroking his chin quietly, seeming to think for a moment, then said,

“Well, whether you take tomorrow’s flight or the day after, it’ll be the same. Shall we just go today?”

Tae-ui thought he knew this man pretty well. It wasn’t for nothing that he had spent months serving as his assistant instructor. So he quickly realized that his words mixed joke and seriousness. Though the parts Tae-ui hoped were jokes and truths didn’t completely match.

“Please… save… me…”

He buried his face in the sheets and groaned painfully. Pleading for mercy from Ilay Riegrow was foolish, but still, he weakly muttered, trying to look pitiful and pathetic. Maybe it would work.

Whether Ilay actually pitied Tae-ui or not was unknown, but it seemed his wish was partly granted. Ilay suddenly chuckled.

“Alright. Until we arrive at Ceringe, try not to be a burden here.”

A white hand reached out, stroking Tae-ui’s thigh up to his buttocks as he lay face down. Tae-ui flinched faintly, but the hand lingered briefly near his butt and waist before withdrawing.

Without time to feel relief, the hand traveled up his spine and neck, then grabbed Tae-ui’s chin.

“...?”

The hand tilted his chin up slightly, making their eyes meet. Tae-ui gave a puzzled look as Ilay’s thumb slowly rubbed his lips. The tip of that white thumb slipped gently between his parted lips. It pressed softly on his tongue.

Tae-ui’s eyes snapped wide open. The finger moved in and out slightly, caressing his tongue and teeth. The saliva-wet hand rubbed over his upper lip.

“...!”

Tae-ui glared fiercely at him. Damn, does he think lips aren’t sensitive?

Ilay seemed to understand Tae-ui’s gaze. But perhaps expecting that reaction, he smiled lightly again.

His eyes softened with a gentle curve. Rubbing his ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ lips with his thumb, he stroked Tae-ui’s cheek with other fingers. Tapping and poking, then happily rubbing the cheek. Tae-ui looked suspiciously at the eyes that seemed to laugh for a long time.

So, putting aside whether he liked or disliked being touched, the careless touching of cheeks, lips, and neck didn’t feel particularly unpleasant—how should he say it? It was almost...

No. It wasn’t that. The idea of human emotions from this guy was absurd. No, no. Not possible.

Tae-ui thought for a moment. Since earlier, some uneasy and ticklish suspicion had been nibbling at his chest. Something like... but he was afraid to know, and thought he shouldn’t know.

“... Whatever.”

After a brief hesitation, Tae-ui muttered quietly to himself with a sigh. The fingers that had been stroking his lips seemed to notice the movement and flicked their tongue twice in surprise. Tae-ui quietly bit that finger once.

The finger that seemed about to withdraw, however, slipped back in and pinched his tongue.

Yeah, do as you please.

Tae-ui closed his eyes lying on his side on the bed. The hand that had been resting on his face eventually fell away. It seemed the gaze lingered for a while longer, but he couldn’t tell. Tae-ui then fainted and slept deeply, not opening his eyes for a full twelve hours.