"It wasn’t like that. It’s a hundred times easier knowing he’s somewhere, even in some remote part of Africa, than not knowing where he is at all. I’m glad I got to meet my brother."
Shin Lu said with a smile. There was no trace of sarcasm. She looked genuinely happy as she gazed at Tae-ui. The cigarette between her lips seemed oddly unfamiliar. But seeing the curve of her smiling eyes, he finally found a faint familiar trace. The cigarette had already burned down close to the filter. Tae-ui, holding the cigarette, hesitated for a moment before lightly burying it in the sand and pulling it out again. He felt a bit sorry to extinguish it on the pure white sand.

"Shin Lu. I’m sorry."
Tae-ui said, putting the extinguished cigarette butt into his pocket. His voice was almost a whisper, barely audible over the sounds of the waves, the wind, and distant voices—sounds Shin Lu seemed to understand perfectly.

She stuck the nearly burned-out cigarette into the sand and smiled faintly.

"But if you think about it, your brother didn’t really do anything wrong. He’s just emotionally sorry—you’d understand that if you knew his personality—but practically, there’s nothing for him to apologize for. It’s rather me who should be apologizing."

"Hmm... maybe that’s true."
Tae-ui nodded obediently. Shin Lu chuckled shortly, as if hearing something amusing.

"Well... then, slowly, hyung."

"Slowly what? You’re going to drag me away?"
As he said that, Tae-ui glanced involuntarily at Shin Lu’s delicate wrist. But thinking back, that slender wrist was surprisingly strong.

Shin Lu, about to reach out to Tae-ui, paused and then looked at him with a troubled expression.

"I was going to... but do you hate that?"

"Of course I do. Who likes being dragged along?"

"Then what do we do?"

"What do you mean what? You just don’t drag me."

"But you wouldn’t follow me obediently, would you?"

"Hmm. I have to find my brother."

"You mean Jeong Jae-ui? There’s no need to look for him. Wherever he goes, he’ll be living well."

Tae-ui closed his mouth and looked at her with a slightly furrowed face. Shin Lu shrugged casually. Suddenly her gaze became serious as she looked straight at Tae-ui.

"No matter who told you to find Jeong Jae-ui, I don’t care. I don’t care what happens to Jeong Jae-ui. I only need you."

"Shin Lu."

"So come with me, hyung."

Shin Lu stood up. Sand trickled off. She stepped back a step to shake off the sand without letting it fall on Tae-ui, then reached out her hand to him.

"Hyung. I was wrong before. It’s because I like you so much. That’s why I couldn’t stand it. You like me too, but something kept not matching, kept going wrong, and I got so angry. I wanted to have you somehow. It’s true. All of it. I liked you so much."

Listening to Shin Lu’s slightly anxious and excited voice, Tae-ui looked at the hand she extended—a soft and lovely hand. Once, at some point long ago, he had been unsure what to do because he wanted to touch that hand.

Tae-ui reached out and took her hand. Shin Lu’s expression, which had been smiling but with anxiety beneath it, brightened faintly.

"Tae-i hyung."

"Shin Lu. How are you now? Since leaving UNHRDO, are you doing well? You liked working there."
Holding Shin Lu’s hand, Tae-ui asked calmly. Her bright expression dimmed slightly.

"Well... I’m doing well. My father gave me a small business to take over, so I’ve been learning and starting it recently. I enjoy that too."

"Good, that’s great. If I get the chance someday, I’ll come see it."

"...Hyung."

Shin Lu’s expression disappeared. The soft hand touching Tae-ui’s shrank slightly.

"Sorry."
When Tae-ui whispered that, her hand shrank even more. Then it clenched into a fist and slipped out of his grasp.

"...Hyung. You like me, don’t you?"

Shin Lu said quietly, looking at Tae-ui steadily with an expressionless face. Tae-ui felt a sudden ache in his chest.

"Yes, I still like you. You’re lovely. Cute. But... sorry. The relationship you want and the one I want seem different."

"No, the relationship you want is the one I want."

"Then the ‘relationship I want’ you think of has changed."

Tae-ui said quietly. After speaking, a sharp pain lingered at the tip of his tongue.
Maybe it was himself who had changed. Though he still found this lovely person lovely, he couldn’t respond as she wished. He felt again how the feelings had faded bit by bit and changed shape from before. It was a feeling both sad and regrettable.

Shin Lu only looked down at Tae-ui silently. On her unfamiliar, mature face—one he had never seen before—he thought he saw a flicker of anger. But that anger mixed with sadness, resentment, and pity.

"I, hyung... can’t. Since leaving UNHRDO, I’ve only thought about you. I can’t live without you. Somehow, in any way, you must be by my side. Otherwise, it won’t work. Why are you not by my side but next to someone else? You should be by my side... that’s all I’ve thought about, hyung."

"Even if I don’t want that?"

At Tae-ui’s low question, Shin Lu was silent for a while. After some time, she answered briefly,

"Even if I don’t want that."

Tae-ui looked at her silently. Then he sighed, stood up without taking her hand, and brushed sand off his pants by himself. The sand fell softly, hitting his shoes.

"Because of that, you and I can’t be together. Because of that, I don’t think about being with you."

Tae-ui’s voice lowered. Shin Lu seemed to notice the faintly harsh tone and the dangerous air it carried. Her expression darkened.

Suddenly, Tae-ui thought he had seen this stubbornness somewhere before, besides what he had felt from Shin Lu back at UNHRDO.

He didn’t have to think long. It was similar to that man. Just there, appearing leisurely between the low trees, walking toward them—Ilay Riegrow. His gaze fixed on Tae-ui without once leaving him. Slow, unhurried steps sinking from the dirt path onto the white sand.

A few steps behind came Gable. His expression was still expressionless and stern as he looked at Tae-ui. Glancing briefly at Shin Lu, he showed no particular reaction. Then Tae-ui recalled Gable’s warning—not to go out alone because of poor security.

Security wasn’t poor. Gable knew. Someone was chasing Tae-ui. Probably, as Ilay already knew.

Noticing Tae-ui’s gaze shifting behind his shoulder, Shin Lu turned her head halfway but, apparently expecting the face, didn’t show any concern and turned back again.

"Is that why you said you can’t be with me, hyung?"

Shin Lu spoke up. Her expression changed. No longer the gentle smile, her face now looked like that of a young lion who just became an adult—bold, unyielding, confident.

"That’s just an excuse. Because you’re with that man."

Tae-ui didn’t answer. He couldn’t. Her words were right. That trait of forcing one’s will was not exclusive to Shin Lu. But he was with Ilay, not Shin Lu.

"You look happy. Mind if I join? It’s been a while since I saw a familiar face."

A slow voice cut in over Shin Lu’s shoulder. That seemingly cheerful voice came closer. Five steps, four steps, three, two...

Tae-ui reacted almost reflexively. Maybe some old habit remained—the unconscious urge to protect the lovely, gentle girl from that brutal and cruel man.

He pushed Shin Lu aside and stepped forward behind her. Blocking the space between Ilay and Shin Lu, Tae-ui immediately thought he’d made a mistake. It wasn’t a calculated move but instinctual—and it was wrong.

Ilay, who was about to raise his hand, stopped it. The smile that was faintly on his cold face vanished slowly. He looked down at his open palm, which he had stretched out but then stopped midway, and curled his fingers one by one.

"I’m not the face you’re glad to see, Tae-i."

"...."

Tae-ui stood awkwardly. It was ridiculous to back down now, and ridiculous to keep blocking.

"Hmm... I wanted to shake your hand. Because I’m glad."

Tae-ui spoke hesitantly, folding and unfolding the fingers of his clenched fist as he cupped his hands and shook them slightly, murmuring, "Handshake, handshake."

"...."

"...."

Over Tae-ui’s bowed head, sharp eyes pierced down. Behind Ilay, Gable’s chuckle was heard. When he glanced up, Gable was already staring at him with his usual stern face.

Tae-ui looked down at his two white hands clasped together and wondered briefly why he was holding that hand. But then he thought again—he didn’t want to see Shin Lu bitten by this monster’s fangs.

"Tae-i... I’ve thought for a while you’re somewhat misunderstanding that kid. But well, it doesn’t matter."

A sigh came from above. As Ilay’s quiet voice ended, the hand Tae-ui held suddenly grabbed his wrist and pulled hard.

"...!"

Just as Tae-ui had turned Shin Lu behind him, Ilay spun Tae-ui around. Then took a step forward.

"Alright, if it’s a familiar face, shall we greet again? Ling Shinlu. Ling Huoleng elder, how are you?"

Ilay smiled. Between his slightly twisted lips, white teeth showed. They were sharp and strong enough to easily bite someone to death.

Tae-ui rubbed his neck for no reason, feeling uneasy and complicated inside.

Facing Ilay’s large frame, Shin Lu didn’t show the slightest sign of shrinking. She stood calmly before him. A cold gleam flickered briefly in her eyes but was quickly reined in.

"Thanks to you... you found him well. No matter how much I searched, I couldn’t find his whereabouts. Thanks to you, I could meet my brother again."

Shin Lu said, looking at Tae-ui. Tae-ui swallowed hard. Apparently, while roaming under a new identity with the help of his uncle, there had been people unexpectedly looking for him too. Both his brothers had been playing hide and seek side by side. Now it was only a matter of time until the older brother appeared.

Ilay, tilting his head slightly with a faint smile, whispered in a softer voice.

"Hey, kid. That’s mine. Not something you should meddle with."

Shin Lu didn’t respond. Instead, she looked at Tae-ui, her gaze seeming to say, “Is that why you said you can’t be with me?” Tae-ui clicked his tongue bitterly. Hearing the sound, Ilay glanced at him.

"What, you don’t think so? Jeong Tae-ui, you too? Don’t you think so?"

Ilay laughed. Tae-ui flinched seeing his twisted mouth. Ilay took a step closer, extending his white hand. Tae-ui stiffened. The hand stopped just below his chin, fingers stroking beneath his chin as his thumb rubbed ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ his lips.

Tae-ui’s face changed.

A memory suddenly surfaced—of a few days ago, when he was in a miserable state under others’ eyes.

Seeing Tae-ui’s face stiffen instantly, Ilay’s smile briefly vanished. His hand gripping his chin tensed.

But it was only for a moment.

The next instant, Ilay’s expression returned. Not the shocked face a moment ago, but the usual indifferent, almost-smiling, cold look. He glanced into the void for a moment.

"I thought that kid was missing for a while, but looks like he just grew up somewhere."

Ilay laughed loudly. Tae-ui frowned slightly. Then he noticed behind Ilay—Shin Lu was aiming a gun at them. A .22 caliber pistol, small enough to handle one-handed once accustomed. But even such a small gun, at this distance and if aimed precisely, could easily kill a person.

"Riegrow... I’m shooting."