Precious Thing

When he went to the party venue, he intended to hand it to Lee Yesin. Noticing this, Baek Hyeyun obediently nodded.“Hmm… So, is that everything? Oh, Kyung said to make sure you’re eating well. Did you two get closer recently?”Baek Hyeyun said with a peculiar expression. Chuckling, Tae Woowon stood up from the sofa first to forcibly see her out.“Yeah, we did. If he has anything else to say, tell him to reach out directly.”“Why don’t you contact him? Don’t make me do it.”Trailing behind Tae Woowon, Baek Hyeyun spoke irritably. Tae Woowon, with his hands in the pockets of his training pants, looked down at her as she put on her shoes by the entrance.“Too bothersome.”“Haha, that is too bothersome? Then how much of a hassle was it for me to come all the way here?”“I gave you a ride. That’s not cheap, you know.”“Is that car even yours? Isn’t it Lee Yesin’s?”“Which makes it mine.”At Tae Woowon’s indifferent reply, Baek Hyeyun shook her head in disbelief.“…You’re crazy.”“Thanks for the compliment.”As Tae Woowon laughed lightly, Baek Hyeyun let out a big sigh and pushed the door open.“I’m leaving.”“Go on. Contact me if there’s any problem.”“Yes, sir.”With a playful reply, she quietly closed the door and left. Tae Woowon took the two teacups from the living room to the sink and washed them immediately. He glanced around to ensure no traces of Baek Hyeyun remained, then turned off the living room lamp. Entering Lee Yesin’s room, he approached the bed. Lee Yesin lay curled up, legs partially exposed as he slept. Climbing onto the bed, Tae Woowon pressed his lips to Lee Yesin’s forehead and covered him with the blanket. As Lee Yesin’s cold skin, exposed to the air, brushed against Tae Woowon, Lee Yesin stirred and nestled into his embrace.“…Cold…”Tae Woowon reached out to adjust the air conditioner temperature a bit higher. Then he slowly patted Lee Yesin’s back as he clung close, listening to his soft, steady breathing like a child. Tae Woowon closed his eyes, a sense of urgency in his heart to act quickly, as fast as possible.٠ ࣪⭑“Yesin, could you spread your legs just a little more? With a bit more effort in the coming days, even a fist could fit.”Startled by the unfamiliar voice, his eyes shot open. Lee Yesin bolted upright. Clang… the chains wrapped around his legs made a small noise. Where was he? As he clutched the blanket tightly, drenched in cold sweat, he heard the door open. Tae Woowon appeared, holding a teacup, leaning against the partition with an unhurried step. Panting, Lee Yesin looked at him.“Who was it?”Tae Woowon asked in a low voice. Swallowing hard, Lee Yesin parted his lips, then shook his head. Smiling faintly, Tae Woowon sat beside him, handed him the slightly cooled teacup, and brushed his fingertips along his eyes.“Who appeared?”People started to emerge in the flower-filled dreams of Lee Yesin. Lee Juho and Chairman Lee, relatives whispering behind hands, a man with dirty curse tattoos on his hand, the indifferent manager from Sokcho Harbor, and Jang Wonhyeok, smiling as he reached out. Each time, Lee Yesin would wake up in a panic. In the dawn hours, seeing Tae Woowon’s face reassured him. As if he instinctively knew Lee Yesin had awakened, Tae Woowon would always ask, just like now, “Who was it? Who bothered you?”“That man…”“Your master?”Lee Yesin threw the teacup he had just taken to his lips onto the floor. Ignoring the loud crash of the shattering cup, he struck Tae Woowon’s shoulder, pushed against his chest, and shoved him away. The chains on his ankles clanked noisily.He couldn’t remember everything from Sokcho, only that Jang Wonhyeok had done something terrible, and there were gaps in his memory, perhaps because his mind had blocked them out. But the word “master” was vivid. Every time he heard it, goosebumps involuntarily rose all over his body. With a contorted expression, Lee Yesin continued swinging his hands at Tae Woowon, exhaling sharply. Tae Woowon caught his hand aiming for his face, pinned Lee Yesin down, and hot tears streamed from his eyes, trailing down to his ears.“You bastard… you’re insane…”“Want a spanking?”With one hand, Tae Woowon clasped both of Lee Yesin’s wrists and slowly mounted him. Lee Yesin glared at him, forcing his quivering lips to speak.“Ugh… you really…”“Well, it would’ve been better if you hadn’t tried to run away, right?”Peck. Tae Woowon kissed the corner of Lee Yesin’s eye. Lee Yesin closed his eyes and tried to wriggle free from Tae Woowon’s grip on his hands. Displeased by this, Tae Woowon bit Lee Yesin’s ear, holding his wrists even tighter.“Don’t…”“What?”The proximity of Tae Woowon’s voice in his ear made it feel overly close. Instinctively, Lee Yesin recoiled, turning his face away from Tae Woowon.“Don’t talk to me like that.”“What’s there to admire?”Peck. Tae Woowon lightly kissed his cheek and released his grip on his wrists, getting up. He took a key from his pocket and unlocked the shackles. Then he got off the bed and stretched his arms out toward Lee Yesin.“Come here.”Lee Yesin, lying down, looked at him. A scar remained on the palm of his hand, a burn mark from a cigarette. Tearing his gaze from the scar, Lee Yesin quietly extended his arms toward him. Holding his arm, Tae Woowon gently lifted him up and led him into the bathroom.He was strange. The term “inconsistent” was coined just for him. With sharp words, he would tear open Lee Yesin’s wounds, yet he would hold him tenderly. When he asked who had hurt him, it was with a smile as if he would exact revenge on them, and if Lee Yesin replied, his eyes would glint sharply. Then he would whisper in his ear.“They can’t hurt you anymore, so don’t worry.”He said they, as if knowing everything. At times, he was terrifying. Yet, Lee Yesin was drawn to his peculiar, inexplicable kindness, unable to ask the real questions and feeling himself get swept away. In another way, it felt like he was losing his mind.“I’m going to a party tonight.”Tae Woowon said while brushing Lee Yesin’s teeth. Lee Yesin furrowed his brows and stared at Tae Woowon. He found it annoying how Tae Woowon deliberately blocked any chance of a retort by talking while his mouth was occupied, but he was planning to go anyway. He had anticipated this since getting a call from Secretary Park a few days earlier, and he was somewhat resigned to it. The fact that it wasn’t a family dinner eased his stress.“Feels weird.”Tae Woowon removed the toothbrush and handed Lee Yesin a cup of water. Lee Yesin spat out the foam in his mouth and rinsed.“What kind of party?”“It’s a launch party for an accessory brand.”As Tae Woowon smoothed back the slightly longer strands of Lee Yesin’s hair, he looked down at him. Lee Yesin blinked slowly and observed Tae Woowon through the mirror. Even though Tae Woowon knew where his eyes were, he only fiddled with the piercing on Lee Yesin’s earlobe with a disinterested look.“I sent you some clothes.”Tae Woowon tilted Lee Yesin’s face toward him, ran his fingers over his moist lips, and touched the inside of his mouth.“I’ll go with you.”With his mouth slightly open, Lee Yesin nodded slowly. Tae Woowon withdrew his fingers and kissed him deeply.When the shackles were first put on, he had asked Tae Woowon how long this would go on. Tae Woowon had replied, “Until I’m satisfied.” Because of that, Lee Yesin had no idea how long Tae Woowon’s “for now” would last.“Is it uncomfortable?”As Tae Woowon helped him into underwear, he asked. Lee Yesin chewed on his lower lip and shook his head. It had been a while since he’d worn outerwear—or underwear, for that matter. For the past few days, cooped up at home, Tae Woowon had only let him wear a robe. When he complained about his legs being cold from the AC, Tae Woowon had kindly turned it off and brought him a blanket. Really, he did as he pleased.“Look up.”After putting on pants and buttoning his shirt, Tae Woowon lifted his chin and tied a bolo tie with a striking purple gem embedded in it around his neck. He tied the wide ribbon easily into a bow, brushed Lee Yesin’s hair with his hands, and finally helped him into a thin summer suit jacket. Then he took off his own T-shirt. He positioned Lee Yesin neatly on one side of the dressing room and changed his own clothes.He was strong, often carrying Lee Yesin around with ease. His towering height was already intimidating, but he was so muscular that Lee Yesin was often surprised every time he undressed. Tae Woowon seemed surprisingly heavy, possibly because his body had almost no fat. If he threw a leg over him while they slept, Lee Yesin would be trapped, unable to move in his embrace. The problem was that he didn’t entirely dislike it. Am I the pervert here? Lee Yesin thought, furrowing his brows as he looked at Tae Woowon’s defined chest muscles.Tae Woowon didn’t let Lee Yesin do anything alone—from bathing to eating to falling asleep, he was involved in everything. He picked out books for him, didn’t allow him to change TV channels on his own, and once even kept him awake by constantly touching him despite him saying he was sleepy. When he angrily asked why, Tae Woowon simply said, “Just because.” He was genuinely maddening.As he leaned against the display case with a slightly disgruntled expression, recalling the past few days, Tae Woowon, now fully dressed, placed a thin card in the inner pocket of Lee Yesin’s jacket. Lee Yesin tilted his head.“What’s this?”“A tracker.”The madman didn’t trust Lee Yesin. He didn’t even pretend to trust him. It felt strange to be angry at such blatant suspicion.“…You could just take my phone.”“If I take it, will you use it to call Kwon Heechan and ask for help?”Since returning home, Lee Yesin hadn’t seen anyone besides Tae Woowon. He hadn’t even spoken to anyone else because Tae Woowon hadn’t given him the chance. So, he hadn’t been able to let Kwon Heechan know he was back.“Then why tell me it’s a tracker instead of sneaking it in?”“You said you weren’t going to run.”Scoffing in disbelief, Lee Yesin let out a laugh. It wasn’t suspicion, nor was it trust. He took the tracker out of his inner pocket.“Do you want me to run?”“I’m not going. I said I’m not going!”“Then quietly put it in your pocket. Before I decide to shove it somewhere else.”Lee Yesin clenched the tracker in his hand, bending it almost to the point of breaking. He didn’t know what had happened within the Yeho Group while he was gone, but judging by Tae Woowon’s attitude, it was clear that Chairman Lee was very angry. Otherwise, there was no reason for Tae Woowon to be so on edge. Though he was allowed to move freely within the house, it was practically a form of confinement: isolation from the outside, restricted movement, and constant surveillance. Constant surveillance. Lee Yesin gritted his teeth and reluctantly put the tracker back in his pocket.“Open your mouth.”Tae Woowon stepped forward, grabbing the back of his head to lift his face. His gaze was cold, but the tongue that entered his mouth was nothing but gentle.It was enough to drive him crazy.٠ ࣪⭑Lee Yesin tried to get into the front passenger seat, but Tae Woowon seated him in the back. Are you that scared of Chairman Lee? He wanted to taunt him, but instead, he kept quiet, looking out the window. At around 8:00, the car stopped in front of the two-story accessory store where the launch party was held. One of the employees at the entrance opened the car door. Tae Woowon said nothing, and Lee Yesin, without looking back, stepped out of the car and entered the store.The party must have started right on time at 8:00, as the host was giving a speech in the quiet interior. The person holding the microphone on the flashy platform was one of his cousins. She was from Lee Juho’s youngest sibling’s side and handled the fashion division of the Yeho Group. This daughter of that family had started an accessory division and created a new brand.“…So, I’ve loved accessories since I was young. I simply studied hard and worked tirelessly, and now I’m thrilled to be able to take this successful first step in front of so many people. I’ll work hard to ensure I don’t bring shame to the Yeho Group. Finally, I want to give my deepest thanks to the chairman, who has been instrumental in getting me this far. Grandfather, I love you!”She said brightly with a cute smile, causing flashes to go off everywhere. Laughter erupted here and there. Lee Yesin watched her quietly from where he stood. The bolo tie around his neck was her creation. The accessories on display, shining under the bright lights, were also her work. Picking up a glass of champagne from a passing server’s tray, he glanced over the accessories. A luxurious necklace with high-quality diamonds set in a snowflake design, glamorous earrings with long blue gems, an antique-style ring with a beautiful emerald….“You could have been standing there, you know.”Startled by the sudden voice, Lee Yesin looked up. Chairman Lee raised his glass slightly as he approached. Lee Yesin took a deep breath and lowered his gaze.“That’s what happens when you keep causing trouble…. Just keep living as you have been recently, and I’ll set you up with your own store for clothes or accessories.”Lee Yesin kept his expression neutral as he looked up at Chairman Lee. Chairman Lee, smiling pleasantly, looked back at him. When Lee Yesin remained stubbornly silent, he continued.“I’m saying, if you need anything, let me know.”Click, click. The time allotted for photographers wasn’t up yet. They were busy snapping shots of Chairman Lee and Lee Yesin standing together, trying to capture the moment. Chairman Lee smiled thinly, then gave Lee Yesin, who still had a rigid expression, a few taps on the shoulder and walked away. Now alone, flashes continued to go off in front of Lee Yesin’s face. He turned to avoid them, finishing his champagne halfway and setting it back on a server’s tray. Furrowing his brows, he headed toward the restroom.He didn’t expect to be slapped in a crowded place like this, but he hadn’t expected to receive such an unsettling smile, either. Chairman Lee didn’t know he had run away. How could that be? Why didn’t he know? If it wasn’t under Chairman Lee’s orders, then why had he been found? Why is he so obsessed with running away?Thoughts whirled in his mind. Then, the answer appeared in his head. If I run away, it’s his fault for not monitoring me properly. It’s his responsibility. Lee Yesin stopped in his tracks, nodding faintly to himself. Ah…. He’s doing this because he’ll get in trouble if I run. It was all too obvious. He felt embarrassed and ashamed for even considering the “what if.” He rubbed his cheeks as they flushed with humiliation. Just as he stood still, a familiar voice reached his ears.“Customer, you like gin and tonic, right?”Lee Yesin turned his head toward the voice. Over at the makeshift bar in the store, Seong Wonkyung stood, dressed stylishly in uniform.“…What are you doing here?”“Filling in. Come here. I’ll make it just the way you like it.”With a smirk, Seong Wonkyung gestured to Lee Yesin. Though unexpected, his sudden appearance was oddly comforting. Seong Wonkyung had never brought any harm to him. Instead, every time he extended his hand, he helped Lee Yesin escape this tedious reality without a hint of complaint. Pushing away complicated and embarrassing thoughts, Lee Yesin approached him.“The uniform really doesn’t suit you.”“You’re kidding, right? Don’t you see that everyone is looking at me right now?”“I don’t see it.”Lee Yesin replied with a faint smile, while Seong Wonkyung playfully pouted his lips as he skillfully prepared a cocktail, handing it over along with a small cellphone.“…What’s this…?”“Take it. Quickly.”Seong Wonkyung whispered. Lee Yesin looked into his eyes, then slipped the phone into his pocket.“If I play my cards right, I might go to Europe. Paris.”He smoothly changed the topic. Lee Yesin took a sip of the cocktail, hiding his surprise.“Suddenly?”“A friend I know opened a place there and wants me to visit. Do you want to come too?”“You know I can’t go out.”Seong Wonkyung knew a lot about Lee Yesin. It wasn’t something he’d intentionally shared, but after living with him for nearly a year following Go Hangyeol’s death, it was hard to hide.“It might be possible if you contact the right person.”Seong Wonkyung glanced meaningfully toward Lee Yesin’s pocket. Lee Yesin demanded a more detailed explanation. Lightly moistening his lips, Seong Wonkyung smiled as he began.“Apparently, you’re caught up with a tough guy. Wasn’t his name Ji Geonwoo?”“…What?”“The one who gave you that thing said he’d help you.”“And who is that?”“I don’t know. He was someone I’d never seen before, but he said he knows Ji Geonwoo well. Said that guy’s dangerous. If you get caught by him, your life’s over. Contact him before it’s too late.”The more he explained, the more curious Lee Yesin became. Driven by a lingering thirst for answers, Lee Yesin leaned closer to Seong Wonkyung, catching a whiff of his sweet cologne.“I don’t understand a word you’re saying. What are you even talking about right now?”He asked quietly, looking up at him. Seong Wonkyung, with only his eyes lowered, stared at him intently.“Do you want to go to Paris with me?”“…….”“Fine, we’ll head to Hong Kong first if we need to.”Taking off his apron, Seong Wonkyung gestured to Lee Yesin and started walking toward the restroom. Lee Yesin looked around the extravagant venue before following him. Hong Kong or not, he needed to know exactly who had given him that phone.٠ ࣪⭑“No, we need to go out through here.”“No, you idiot. If you open that, the sensor will go off.”“I’ll disable the sensor for you, so please stop fighting.”With a sigh, Tae Woowon grimaced, adjusting his phone. On the screen, Jane and another thief, Franco, were bickering as they attempted to escape Chairman Lee’s mansion. Seokkyung, who was observing the situation, calmly said he’d handled it and instructed them to proceed. After shoving each other a few times, Jane and Franco left through the hallway and slipped out the window. They may have had incompatible personalities, but their coordination was flawless, showing the practiced ease of people who’d worked together many times. They even spat insults at each other as they went. It was hard to decide if they made a perfect team or not.“Wait, hold on. That side’s no good. They’re changing shifts there. Move a little later or head toward Jane’s side.”“No, it’s too exposed here. What about you?”“No good here either.”“Do we have to go back in?”“Are you crazy? How would we climb back up there?”“Go down, turn left around the wall, and you’ll find a back door to the basement. Go through there and come back out.”“What, boss, are you still watching?”Jane asked brightly as she moved across the yard, stepping over tree shadows. Franco quickly followed her.“Finish up quickly. Seokkyung, let Tak know the pickup location has changed.”“Yes.”Tae Woowon checked his watch. It had been over 20 minutes since he’d sent Lee Yesin in alone.“Damn it, a rat!”Jane cursed, shrieking as Franco, mocking her, ran ahead. After running for a while, they climbed a ladder and stopped at the emergency exit.“Tak said it’s clear to come out.”With Seokkyung’s okay, Jane and Franco exited the building and safely got into Tak’s waiting black car. Tae Woowon turned off the screen after watching up to that point.“I’m disconnecting.”“Yes. Understoo… Wait, they’ve got a tail.”“Tak can handle it. Don’t get caught.”“…Understood.”Leaving his parting remark, Tae Woowon removed the in-ear device and smashed it against the wall. He gathered up the shattered pieces, pocketed them, and switched off his phone before heading toward the launch party location. Taking out his usual phone, he checked Lee Yesin’s location. If he hadn’t ditched the tracking device, he’d still be in the party hall.“ID, please.”“Oh, you can let him in.”As he was about to show his ID to the guard, Park Jonghyun stepped outside. Tae Woowon gave him a slight nod.“How about a smoke together before going in?”He thought it was urgent but found no reason to decline. The building interior was secure, after all. Tae Woowon pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek as he headed to the smoking area behind the store with him.“Honestly, I’m impressed. Not only have things been quiet lately, but I also didn’t expect you to actually attend. I thought you’d find every excuse to decline.”“Is that so.”Responding with indifference to Park Jonghyun’s words, he lit his cigarette.“Yes. Especially given the party’s theme.”Tae Woowon pondered why an accessory brand launch party would touch a nerve for Lee Yesin. It was probably because of Go Hangyeol. According to the notebook he found in Lee Yesin’s safe, young Go Hangyeol had dreamed of becoming an accessory designer. Remembering the necklace sketches in that notebook, Tae Woowon exhaled cigarette smoke silently. He liked blue, didn’t he? Maybe he’d get something similar made with red taralite.“What’s your secret?”It was clear what kind of secret he was asking about. However, Tae Woowon had no desire to answer or to question him in return, so he kept his mouth shut. Sensing his silence, Park Jonghyun lowered his voice and asked again, more discreetly.“What’s your secret for keeping him in line? Honestly, when you said you wouldn’t file reports, the Chairman agreed without hesitation, but I had some concerns. I wondered if Mr. Ji Geonwoo was being too lenient with you. The Chairman doesn’t read Ji Geonwoo’s reports anymore. So I’m the only one who notices whenever he changes his nighttime partners. But now that you’re saying he’s stopped altogether, well… I wondered if he just got bored or if there was some other reason….”“Did you place a bet?”“What?”“I asked if you placed a bet with your friends.”Park Jonghyun’s mischievous grin betrayed him as he gave a small nod.“Sharp as ever. So, is it who I think it is?”“Who are you thinking of?”Tae Woowon crushed the cigarette butt into the sand filled with countless others.“Who else? Is Mr. Ji Geonwoo now on his list of nighttime partners?”“How much did you bet?”“150,000 won.”“And which side did you bet on?”“That they’re together.”Park Jonghyun grinned. Tae Woowon looked him in the eye and grinned back.“If you pay me 150 times that, I’ll tell you.”“…Pardon?”“What, is 15 million won too much to spend to satisfy your curiosity?”“…What are you talking about….”Holding back his rising anger, Tae Woowon brushed his hair back to calm himself down. Lee Yesin was surrounded by people like Park Jonghyun. Every time he encountered such situations, he had to restrain himself from ripping their heads off. Since he had no plans to kill every person in Yeho Group, he needed to keep his temper in check.“You shouldn’t expect valuable information for free.”He said this with a smile, prompting Park Jonghyun to look at him in confusion.“If you don’t like him being so well-behaved, should I stir up some trouble for you?”When Lee Yesin caused a scene by wielding a knife at school, it was Park Jonghyun who was busiest handling the aftermath, running around to deal with countless people. Realizing this now, he shook his head faster, remembering the stressful ordeal.“…No.”“Then I’ll be going inside first.”Time had been wasted on unnecessary things. Grinding his teeth in irritation, Tae Woowon entered the store. People dressed elegantly were conversing while holding drinks here and there. Maybe he went up to the second floor? Tae Woowon scanned the surroundings briefly before moving forward. His steps were halted once again by another person.“Did you come here with Yesin?”Lee Juho, holding a glass of wine with one hand and the other in his pocket, approached him. This was the same man who had swapped the newborn Go Hangyeol with Lee Yesin. And likely, together with Chairman Lee, the one responsible for Go Hangyeol’s death and Lee Yesin’s ongoing torment—a psychopath, in other words. He was not someone to feel any warmth toward.“Still as tight-lipped as ever. Though isn’t it a bit too much?”“Hello.”Nodding at Tae Woowon’s belated greeting, Lee Juho accepted it graciously.“You’ve worked hard. I honestly didn’t expect you’d really bring Yesin here to this party. How did you get him to come? The Chairman is grateful to you.”Most people who had been around Lee Yesin for a long time knew just how much Go Hangyeol meant to him. Yet, they all spoke of it easily, mentioning things like persistence or past memories as if it were nothing. Perhaps, as one not bound by blood, they didn’t care, but even Lee Juho did the same. It was depressing enough to make one question the very meaning of family, and having to reply courteously in such situations was indeed unpleasant.“Thank you.”“It would be even more helpful if you could handle one more thing that’s been a bit bothersome. Of course, we’d compensate you.”“Please, go ahead.”Smiling pleasantly, Lee Juho took a leisurely sip from his wine glass and looked back at Tae Woowon with a smile.“Make sure he stops using social media. The Chairman doesn’t see the reports, but I get them. Every photo he posts, every video, it’s all trivial.”Still smiling, Lee Juho spoke with an edge in his voice. Tae Woowon stared at his perfectly aligned teeth.“He won’t be posting anything else.”“Is that so?”“Yes.”Tae Woowon had already passed on the “Questions for Kwon Heechan!” list from Seokkyung to Tak. As Seokkyung had anticipated, Lee Yesin’s social media was actually managed by Kwon Heechan. He was still alive, barely functional enough that every time Lee Yesin recalled a painful memory, they removed one of his nails.“Well, that’s good to hear. Very reliable, indeed. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”“Yes.”“Mr. Lee, thank you for coming today.”The host of the party approached them, giving a brief glance at Tae Woowon before greeting Lee Juho. With a kindly smile, Lee Juho turned to her.“You can call me Uncle, dear.”“Ah, but this is still a formal event.”Not feeling inclined to nod politely at Lee Juho, Tae Woowon walked past them and ascended the stairs to the second floor. Among the elegantly dressed guests chatting near a large glass window, the only familiar face was Chairman Lee. Where could he have gone…. Shaking off a sense of unease, Tae Woowon checked the second-floor bathroom. He opened each stall, but it was empty. Exiting the restroom, he returned to the first floor.“Hey, where’s the guy covering for me?”Through the clamor, the voice of a bartender reached Tae Woowon’s ears. He turned toward the bar set up on one side.“Seong Wonkyung? Not sure, I think he went to the restroom a while ago.”“Damn, does he have a stomach ache or something? He’s been gone for a while now.”Seong Wonkyung. The name had appeared in the call log before—a man known to be Lee Yesin’s intimate partner. Tae Woowon bypassed the cocktail bar and headed toward the restroom. Just then, someone seized his arm. Looking down, he saw the host of the party.“I heard you’re Lee Yesin’s bodyguard.”Once again, he was stopped. At this point, it felt as if something was deliberately preventing him from moving forward, as if an invisible force was warning him not to go any further.“Yes, ma’am. Is there something you need?”“When’s your contract up? I’m hiring security lately, and I’d like to bring you on with better terms.”The woman ran her finger along Tae Woowon’s arm, which he glanced at with a blank expression.“It’s a long-term contract, so it might be difficult.”“My job is easier than taking care of Lee Yesin. It’s stable, no stress….”“My employer is Chairman Lee.”“Oh…”She was under the impression, perhaps from some mistaken information, that Tae Woowon was affiliated directly with Lee Yesin. That’s why she had made her offer so casually. But as soon as she heard the name “Chairman Lee,” she quickly released Tae Woowon’s arm.“Well… in that case, there’s nothing I can do. But if you find yourself in need of a position when your contract ends, come over here. I’ll keep a spot open for you.”With a cool smile, she turned on her high heels and walked away. Tae Woowon felt the heat rise to his head. Taking a deep breath, he quickened his steps and opened the bathroom door.“Shh…”It was a faint sound. Someone, realizing the door had opened, was covering another’s mouth and steadying their breathing from behind the stall. Tae Woowon locked the door from the inside, then started opening each stall door one by one, from the far end. Creak. Creak. Each door opened with a small noise until only the large, handicapped stall at the end remained closed.“Do you want to open it, or should I?”The scent of semen. That disgusting smell that screamed of Lee Yesin. There was a rustling sound as fabric shifted inside. Bang! Tae Woowon kicked the door open.“Ah! Damn it, you scared me!”The man clinging to Lee Yesin’s back shouted and stepped back. So, this is Seong Wonkyung. He was the man Tae Woowon had seen at the club long ago, back when he was tailing Lee Yesin. The man Lee Yesin had turned to first after losing his school. The first man to break through Lee Yesin’s defenses.“What the hell… are you some kind of voyeur?”Ignoring his taunt, Tae Woowon looked down at Lee Yesin, who sat with his back turned, crouched on the floor. The tie Tae Woowon had given him lay crumpled on the bathroom tiles. The shirt, half undone, hung loosely off his white neck and collarbones, while his neatly folded pants and jacket lay tidily on the toilet lid.“Seriously, are we not allowed to hook up in here?”Adjusting his still-aroused self back into his underwear, Seong Wonkyung took a step closer to Tae Woowon, who reached out and grabbed his neck.“Guh!”“Lee Yesin. Close your eyes.”With his free hand, Tae Woowon raised his fist, ready to strike, but Lee Yesin clung to his waist.“S-Stop… please, stop.”“…What are you doing?”Tae Woowon looked down at Lee Yesin’s trembling face pressed against his waist. Gripping Tae Woowon’s clothes, Lee Yesin shakily raised his head to look up at him.“More like, what are you doing…?”Clearly frightened, Lee Yesin buried his face in Tae Woowon’s side. Slowly, he lifted a trembling hand, gripping the arm Tae Woowon had around Seong Wonkyung’s throat.“Stop it, please… don’t…”Tae Woowon released his grip. Seong Wonkyung fell to the bathroom floor with a loud thud. Coughing and gasping, he clutched his neck as he struggled for air. Ignoring him, Tae Woowon untangled Lee Yesin’s arms from around his waist, knelt down, and lifted his bowed head.“Open your eyes.”“…….”Lee Yesin’s eyelids lifted slightly, and a smirk crept up one side of Tae Woowon’s lips.“You really don’t get what’s happening here, do you?”“…….”“What did you think would happen if you stopped me? How are you going to handle my anger all by yourself?”“…….”“Put on your pants, before I drag you out like this.”Biting his lip, Lee Yesin leaned against the wall and stood, his hands shaking as he pulled up his underwear and unfolded his pants to put them on.“Who… the hell… are you?”Finally coming back to his senses, Seong Wonkyung glared fiercely. Tae Woowon stood and approached him, and Seong Wonkyung, anticipating his next move, tried to stand up quickly. Thud! Tae Woowon kicked him squarely in the face with a blank expression. Seong Wonkyung’s head snapped back, blood trickling from his nose as his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious.“Yeah, I guess carving it into your anus was a bit much. So, where else would you like it?”“…What?”Staring coldly at the fallen Seong Wonkyung, Lee Yesin raised his head to look at Tae Woowon, who, smirking menacingly, grabbed a fistful of Lee Yesin’s hair, pulling him close.“My name. Where should I carve it?”Lee Yesin’s eyes went wide, his mouth parting slightly. Tae Woowon had half a mind to devour him whole right then and there.