M 180

There’s only one reason why a playboy from a good family would speak to him in such a confrontational manner. He wants to ridicule everything Sehwa have, ultimately trying to demean Ki Tae-jeong. Until now, no one dared to mock him in front of his face, out of consideration for Ki Tae-jeong and him father, but Second Lieutenant Kwon, with his strong backing, wouldn’t hesitate.

“Second Lieutenant Kwon, please step aside.”

Warrant Officer Choi firmly blocked Sehwa’s path.

“Hey, Warrant Officer Choi.”

“I apologize, but the madam isn’t feeling well, so we must be going.”

“Oh, you little punk? Are your eyes just for show? Can’t you read rank insignia?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Hey.”

A displeasing sound, like a slap, echoed. Sehwa, who had been standing dazedly behind Warrant Officer Choi, instantly narrowed his eyes. Did this jerk just hit someone for interrupting him? What kind of person does that?

Sehwa, wondering if the troublemaker had actually hit him, unconsciously grabbed Warrant Officer Choi’s arm. If Second Lieutenant Kwon had raised his hand first, then anything he did from now on would be considered self-defense, so he wouldn’t hold back. But the uniform sleeve under his palm felt damp.

Terrified that he might be bleeding, he pulled his hand away, and a strong smell of alcohol assaulted his nose. Ah, he just poured alcohol on him. But to splash someone’s face with alcohol so forcefully that it made such a loud sound… In some ways, it might feel worse than getting hit.

“Fucking hell, is this guy crazy?”

Second Lieutenant Kwon’s voice, which had been light and teasing until now, suddenly turned heavy. Warrant Officer Choi’s gesture of protecting Sehwa from the thug seemed to have really triggered his temper.

“Hey, Warrant Officer Choi.”

“Excuse me, but…”

Sehwa stopped chewing on his lip and tried his best to nonchalantly draw Second Lieutenant Kwon’s attention. It wasn’t like he had anything to apologize for, but he felt like he had to step in at this point.

After all, Second Lieutenant Kwon outranked Warrant Officer Choi and had a powerful background that made him unafraid of the name Ki Tae-jeong. So, even if he couldn’t do anything about it, he could probably beat Warrant Officer Choi to a pulp right here and now.

Second Lieutenant Kwon was even holding a bottle of alcohol. There was no guarantee that a man who would pour alcohol on someone wouldn’t swing it around… He couldn’t stand to see Warrant Officer Choi, who had already suffered so much because of him, go through anything worse.

“I think I should be going now. You seem to have had a lot to drink, so please get home safely.”

Sehwa wanted to unleash every curse word he knew. But he didn’t want to escalate things any further, so Sehwa turned halfway around. Warrant Officer Choi also shielded Sehwa and called for a driver.

“Then…”

He should never come here again. He never want to encounter a jerk like that again. He made a firm resolution in his mind.

“How about the three of us try it?”

Second Lieutenant Kwon stopped Sehwa, who was about to turn away, with a strange suggestion.

…What? Try what? Sehwa blinked blankly, wondering if he had misheard.

“Let’s try it together, the three of us.”

As if confirming that it was what he thought, Second Lieutenant Kwon made a vulgar gesture with his hands. He made a ring with his thumb and forefinger and poked inside with his other hand. When Sehwa’s gaze landed on him, he grinned and pushed another finger in. The bent index and middle fingers swam grotesquely inside the circle.

“Lieutenant General Ki Tae-jeong is rumored to be very prickly these days. What’s so hard about being a good spouse? Just please him and make him feel good. In my opinion, the madam is beautiful, but I think Lieutenant General Ki Tae-jeong’s taste is a bit bland.”

“…….”

“I’ll do my best to help you. Do you use toys often? Lieutenant General Ki is known for his aggressive and creative play… Ah, was that a pointless question?”

Sehwa wasn’t the only one who froze. Sehwa realized today that Warrant Officer Choi could open his eyes that wide.

“Oh, don’t misunderstand, I have no feelings for Lieutenant General Ki Tae-jeong at all. I’m actually more interested in the madam. You’re exactly my type.”

“Madam, let’s go.”

Warrant Officer Choi, finally regaining his senses, gently pushed Sehwa away. This time, Second Lieutenant Kwon didn’t find fault with his actions. Instead, he even stepped aside slightly to clear the path.

“Seeing Lieutenant General Ki taking on training assignments that don’t suit him makes me think he’s getting tired of married life. People don’t change.”

“…….”

“Life is short, right? Let’s enjoy ourselves.”

He didn’t know what this person’s purpose was in approaching him and saying such things. So he knew he shouldn’t listen to him or get upset. He knew that…

But Warrant Officer Choi, who had been wary of Second Lieutenant Kwon earlier, saying that there were no problems between their families, and Warrant Officer Choi’s current behavior of sighing deeply and avoiding eye contact, belatedly upset Sehwa.

It seemed that Ki Tae-jeong had been involved with this man before, and Warrant Officer Choi knew it well…? If that was the reason, then it made sense why Warrant Officer Choi had tried so hard to avoid the situation earlier. And why he had looked so troubled as soon as he heard Second Lieutenant Kwon’s name… It wasn’t a power struggle, but a love affair.

Of course, he wasn’t doubting Ki Tae-jeong just based on Second Lieutenant Kwon’s words. They had been a little awkward lately because of the second issue, but he knew that he wasn’t the kind of person who would do anything foolish behind his back. If they were going to fall apart over such a trivial argument, he wouldn’t have gone back to Ki Tae-jeong in the first place. However… Seeing someone who seemed to have had a connection with Ki Tae-jeong in the past kept making his heart ache.

“Ah, I’ll give you this as a gift.”

Just as Warrant Officer Choi was leading him past Second Lieutenant Kwon, he forced the bottle of alcohol he was holding into Sehwa’s hand.

“Lieutenant General Ki Tae-jeong really likes this alcohol, you know.”

Amidst the muffled feeling, as if he were underwater, only Second Lieutenant Kwon’s voice rang sharply in his ears, saying that this alcohol goes well with thinly sliced apples, and that Lieutenant General Ki Tae-jeong drinks several bottles with apples as a snack.

Whether that was all he wanted or not, Second Lieutenant Kwon quickly left the scene, but Sehwa stood there as if rooted to the spot, holding the bottle of alcohol that Second Lieutenant Kwon had arbitrarily thrust upon him.

Sehwa didn’t know what his emotions were, and he was at a loss for what to do. Why…? Even if he had met someone in the past, so what? It was already in the past, so there was no reason to be upset, right? He wasn’t just trying to act tough, he was being sincere. He really didn’t care.

But why did his heart sting so much…?

The feelings he had for Ki Tae-jeong had always been diverse, but they were mostly very heavy and superficial. Can I really live like this with this person? Is this kind of life really allowed for me? Have I really gotten better than before…? Difficult questions that made him contemplate the meaning of his existence often knocked on Sehwa’s door.

But now… it was like waking up from a dream out of nowhere. As if mocking Sehwa, who had been carefully polishing his heart, raw and childish sentences poured down like a rainstorm.

I just don’t like it.

I don’t like that person, and I don’t like what that person says about Lieutenant General.

I hate everything, I resent it, and it pisses me off.

Sehwa was repeatedly hit in the heart by the childish tantrum raging inside him, but he stubbornly kept his mouth shut. He felt like he knew what this serpentine feeling was, but he didn’t want to know. He didn’t want to admit to his state, so he just kept repeating to himself that he felt a little strange.

“Um, Madam.”

At the same time as Warrant Officer Choi cautiously spoke, sensing Sehwa’s mood, the phone in his pocket rang. He assumed it would be Ki Tae-jeong, but the caller was his father. He was relieved. He didn’t know how he would react if he got a call from him right now.