Jeong Tae-ui casually walked along the street as if taking a stroll, trying to gauge the situation. He couldn’t be certain, but he felt that if he put his mind to it, he might be able to shake off the tailing. Anyway, unless it was a particularly skilled opponent, he had some confidence in escaping. If it was just one person, and if his leg were fine, he could have simply run like a 100-meter sprint to get away.

Though his leg wasn’t fine, he considered trying once but then gave up. If the person following him wasn’t deliberately harming him, he didn’t want to waste unnecessary energy. Also, even if he managed to shake off that surveillance and safely leave Hong Kong, now that his identity was already exposed, he honestly had no confidence in losing Ilay Riegrow.

If he ran away again and got caught…… Oh, what a splendid life that would be. He might really lose limbs that time.

Recalling the dreadful feelings when he had met Ilay in the birch forest, Tae-ui’s heart beat faster on its own. Had he been just a little weaker back then, his heart might have stopped at that moment.

Though he didn’t like the unfamiliar gaze glued to the back of his head, there was nothing he could do about it. He went into a bookstore that was open late, bought books, walked around the streets, bought drinks, visited a night market to get some snacks, wandered into a shop selling camera equipment though he had no particular interest, and then went into a shabby bar in a quiet corner by the sea to enjoy a couple of beers before returning to the hotel.

During all that time, although the gaze must have followed him persistently, he had no interference. Thinking differently, it was a hundred times better to have that barely-there gaze following than Ilay himself being right beside him.

It stayed the same afterward.

Whenever Tae-ui went out for a walk — or more precisely, from the moment he left the room — the watching gaze relentlessly followed. But there was absolutely no interference.

The day before yesterday, wondering just how much interference there was, he took only his passport and wallet and got on the airport bus. He even briefly thought that if there was no interference all the way, he might slip out of the country quietly. But apparently, they wouldn’t let him go that easily. As soon as he arrived at the airport, the phone rang. It was an unrecognizable number, but even before answering, he already knew who it was.

“No, I’m really not trying to leave. I’m not that stupid,” he thought as he hurriedly prepared an excuse before answering. But even that excuse seemed obvious. In a tone that wasn’t particularly angry, the voice he expected grumbled, clearly bothered.

‘Anyway, you can’t leave now with your passport — or Kim Soo-young’s passport — so just look around the airport and come back. It’s difficult for me to let you leave now, so don’t cause trouble.’

After those words, the caller hung up without waiting for a response.

Jeong Tae-ui stood frozen in the middle of the airport, glaring at the phone. Ha, a bitter laugh escaped him. A travel ban, huh? Yeah, there’s nowhere he couldn’t control. He felt like he had become some great criminal. Maybe he should just break the neck of the surveillance guy tailing him and really take a stowaway ship.

But in the end, Tae-ui had no choice but to do as he was told — look around the airport and return. That day, as soon as he returned to the hotel, he emptied the minibar in his room. Starting with a 500ml bottle of water priced like a cocktail bar drink, he poured all kinds of drinks and snacks — except the beer — down the drain. Even if it cost a fortune, he angrily pounded a cotton swab against the diamond spoon without flinching.

But thinking back now……

“……If they make me pay the room charges at checkout, that would be a real disaster……”

Jeong Tae-ui muttered while fiercely glaring at the Repo Center.

The day was fading. The day after tomorrow was Friday.

If Ilay’s routine hadn’t changed, he would come out to Hong Kong that night after working at the Repo Center on the weekend. Maybe Tae-ui’s short leisure time would end there. But even so, what could he do? When the weekday came around, Ilay had to return to the branch. And Tae-ui, no longer affiliated with UNHRDO, couldn’t enter there anymore.

Surely they didn’t intend to keep him locked up at the hotel like this. Only coming out on weekends to overwork people and then leaving them alone during the week? No way. Not like a local mistress or something……

Thinking that, Tae-ui suddenly shut his mouth. The beer’s taste fell sharply, and he groaned weirdly before collapsing face down on the bed.

“Has life really gone as far as it can, Jeong Tae-ui…… hey.”

Desperately struggling to wipe the chilling thoughts from his head, Tae-ui finally gave up and slumped down. He stared blankly at the ceiling with weary eyes.

Suddenly, a faint voice vaguely brushed through his mind.

— Shut up and come quietly. I won’t stop you from seeing Jeong Jae-ui.

“…….”

He hadn’t misheard.

Staring blankly at the ceiling, Tae-ui suddenly sat up. “I won’t stop you from seeing Jae-ui,” he had definitely said that.

As far as Tae-ui knew, Ilay Riegrow was a very unpredictable and hard-to-read man but not one to speak empty words. Especially about something like that. In fact, one reason Tae-ui had been quietly holed up in the hotel, occasionally going out for walks, might have been because of those words.

“Is he planning to drag my brother here?”

He muttered suddenly, shaking his head. He dismissed that thought immediately. He couldn’t even picture someone like Jae-ui being dragged along by anyone.

The most likely possibility was still: “If you stay quiet, I’ll let you go to find your brother.”

Maybe Ilay, having decided to be merciful, had unexpectedly chosen to go easy on Tae-ui.

“……People come up with all kinds of thoughts when they have too much time.”

Ilay being merciful was as unimaginable as the idea of Jae-ui being dragged along.

Among the many possible cases, the most plausible one when considering reality was one: Interests.

Finding Jae-ui might threaten some, but for the organization or company related to Ilay, it would be a definite gain. At the same time, losing the ‘preemption’ — a word Tae-ui personally disliked, but from the human organizational perspective, Jae-ui was no longer seen as a person — would be a great loss.

In other words, bringing Jae-ui was advantageous to the organization, and even to Ilay Riegrow. Since Tae-ui, who couldn’t escape again, could be easily found anywhere in the world, Ilay would put aside petty grudges and send Tae-ui to Jae-ui.

“……But still, I’m not really eager about that.”

Tae-ui muttered bitterly. He just wanted to see his brother.

He never thought about bringing or rescuing him. He just wanted to meet somewhere, exchange a few words to ease the longing, then say, “Well then. Goodbye. See you later.”

Tae-ui licked his lips and scratched his neck.

But even so, if the condition to be let go was bringing his brother, Tae-ui was willing to agree for the sake of his own peace.

Thinking that made his chest and head grow complicated. Tae-ui began pulling at his still-intact hair in frustration. He could only curse his unlucky fate.

He stood up sullenly. Though he had just come into the room, the confinement already felt stifling. When his thoughts were complicated, moving his body to distract his mind was best. He already knew that if he stayed curled up while depressed, the gloom would swell like a monster and eventually swallow him whole. That was never a pleasant feeling.

He realized this after about half an hour out of the hotel. Sitting on a bench in Mid-Levels, sipping orange juice, he looked up at the darkening sky and quietly thought.

Why did the tail suddenly double?

At first, he hadn’t noticed. He was almost ignoring the persistent surveillance he’d been under for days. There was nothing he hadn’t gotten used to. No need to see anything unpleasant. He had no real plan to run to the port and take a stowaway ship. As long as they didn’t interfere beyond a limit, he wouldn’t interfere either.

So, strolling without caring, suddenly he realized something felt weird, a strange discomfort. Thinking casually, he noticed the tail had doubled.

He finished the juice in one gulp and, removing the straw from the empty cup, he twirled it in his mouth, considering.

Maybe they added one more after his airport escape attempt. Both he and they knew it was just formality, so what use did adding another tail do?

He sighed. Besides, the new tail wasn’t very capable. He could shake off either of them if he really wanted.

“Even if my body can’t escape elsewhere, isn’t this too much…… I wouldn’t ask for a tail so skilled I couldn’t even sense them, but still, this is ridiculous.”

Tae-ui grumbled while chewing the straw. Then he put the straw back in the cup and tossed it into the nearby trash bin before standing.

Think positively. Maybe they added the other just to have fun together.

“Well then…… let’s play.”

He had been bored anyway, so he thought it was fine. Putting his hands in his pockets, Tae-ui slowly started walking. As if on a stroll — which he actually was — he walked slowly up a gentle uphill, keeping an eye on his surroundings.

There were many people around here. A couple of blocks up was a row of antique shops, and a block away was a place where movies were sometimes filmed. Downhill was a main street. Even at this hour, many people came and went.

Despite being a crowded area, it wasn’t very tidy. Perfect.

If someone followed closely enough to hide behind people, they’d know the local geography well, but generally, tailing was several times harder than running away.

Tae-ui quickened his pace gradually. He entered a narrow side alley, turned at the end, and headed toward the main street below. Then, leisurely but quite fast, he walked toward the road.

He couldn’t hail a taxi. That would escalate from a light game to serious pursuit.

Beyond the main street lay a traditional market, rarely visited by tourists, mainly for locals. Passing through the unremarkable market, Tae-ui smirked.

…Ah. People increased. Then it’s time to find a good spot.

Humming cheerfully, Tae-ui walked a rough circle around the streets and turned back.

He had a place in mind. On the way there, there was another small alley that seemed decent, and though he briefly considered it, he decided against it. While it might be fine for loose pursuit like now, it would be dangerous if seriously chased. One block beyond was a redevelopment zone. One wrong turn there would make escape difficult. Also, if he had to run, his leg wouldn’t hold.

“Hmm…… that place’s better after all.”

His humming became livelier, his mood seemed to brighten. Having a tail wasn’t great, but seeing it like this, it wasn’t so bad. Of course, having a tail was still unpleasant, but it was incomparable to Ilay himself being there.

If the person behind was Ilay Riegrow.

“……. Why do I keep having scary thoughts…… I think I’ve got a sickness of the mind.”

Tae-ui muttered, rubbing the corners of his fading smile. If the tail were that guy, he wouldn’t even have attempted this game. If Ilay Riegrow were chasing close behind and he was desperately running away……

“Wow…… No, no, why am I thinking like this, Jeong Tae-ui?”

He rubbed his pale lips fiercely. Just the brief thought gave him goosebumps. Horror doesn’t get any worse than that. If that happened, the moment his shoulder was grabbed, he might have a heart attack and leave this world. Thinking back, the fact that he hadn’t fainted when he met that guy in the birch forest was proof he was quite brave.

Even in this hot season, Tae-ui rubbed his suddenly chilled arms.

By then, he had reached the place he had scoped out earlier.

A skybridge about one and a half floors high.

Smaller, spiderweb-like alleys spread below, and the skybridge was lower than ordinary ones on main roads. Still, it was somewhat too high to jump down safely.

Tae-ui rested his arms on the railing, quietly looking down.

The footsteps following him slowed. Maybe sensing Tae-ui’s unusual expression, the watcher became more cautious but kept a safe distance, apparently deciding to wait.

“If you sensed something weird, hurry up and catch me by the neck and drag me back, you people……”

Tae-ui muttered, staring down the darkening alley.

He glanced around. Nearby, a large stone sat a few steps away. Picking it up, it felt heavy in his hand. It seemed to be a piece broken off from a brick, big enough to catch someone.

Just below the skybridge, under the roof of overlapping houses, a pipe-like latch jutted out.

Tae-ui tossed the stone once and caught it, then threw it forcefully at the latch.

Clang! A solid sound echoed as the stone shattered into two or three pieces, falling below.

The latch was undamaged.

“Okay…… even if it falls from this height, it might hurt, but it won’t kill.”

He muttered, thinking that getting hurt playing a prank would still be ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) unfair.

He shook his wrist, took a deep breath twice, and then smiled brightly at the approaching figure. He waved once.

At the same time, he vaulted over the railing and threw himself down from the skybridge.

From afar, a short shout seemed to come.

Buildings rapidly rose in front of him as the ground approached. Around the middle, the latch came swiftly toward him. Tae-ui stretched both hands precisely toward the latch. If he missed or failed to grab it, he’d have to prepare to break at least one leg.

“─…!!”