BIA Ch. 143

“You can probably guess his condition after being shot from this distance, right? The dog wasn’t cute to begin with, and now he’s even less so.”

Isaiah flinched involuntarily at the image that instantly came to mind.

“Though, in my eyes, this look is actually more bearable.”

Contrary to his joking tone, the grip pressing on the back of his head was incredibly rough. Come to think of it, even the joke itself was quite terrifying. Only his tone and voice were gentle.

His ears, still muffled from the gunshot, finally started to ring. A faint noise like spinning propellers echoed inside his eardrums.

“The helicopter’s finally here.”

…So it wasn’t tinnitus.

A real helicopter had arrived. For a moment, Isaiah felt an indescribable sense of regret. Whether he knew Isaiah’s feelings or not, Bran simply continued whispering in his sweet voice.

“Now, it’s time to say goodbye.”

Still holding Isaiah in his arms, Bran spun around half a turn on the spot, as if dancing. Then, as soon as he released the hand pressing on Isaiah’s head, he grabbed his shoulders and made him turn around alone.

“Look forward.”

Isaiah wanted to see Chester’s body, but Bran’s body blocked his view completely. Only briefly, very briefly, did the sight of two carelessly sprawled feet and the pool of blood spreading around them flash into his vision.

Maybe because he couldn’t see the shattered head, it wasn’t that shocking. It just looked like any other corpse he usually saw. Moreover, he briefly thought, even in that situation, ‘That guy Chester, seeing his precious Hermes shoes in this state, he’d probably throw a fit even in death.’

“What are you trying so hard to see?”

But it seemed Bran didn’t even like that.

“Stop looking and turn around. Go forward.”

Isaiah grumbled resentfully at the man forcing him to turn away.

“I already saw it.”

“Why look? Do you want to meet him in your dreams that badly?”

“What are you talking about?”

Pushing the incredulous Isaiah’s back from behind, Bran spoke in a much lower voice.

“Anyway, just get out now.”

Practically shoved through the door of the underground crypt, Isaiah started climbing the stairs first. The fact that the helicopter was getting closer was felt not through sound, but through the building’s vibrations.

“Bran.”

Climbing the stairs two steps ahead, Isaiah quietly called Bran’s name.

“Hm?”

But when he actually tried to speak, the words wouldn’t come out. After swallowing dryly a few times, Isaiah finally managed to open his mouth upon reaching the landing.

“Why did you have to…”

“Kill Chester?”

It seemed Bran already knew what Isaiah was going to say from the moment he called his name. As if he had been waiting, he gave the reason.

“Because he had to die for me to become the boss according to the automatic succession rule. If he were simply missing, it would be ambiguous. Until Chester’s whereabouts were confirmed, I wouldn’t be able to shake off the tag of Acting Boss.”

“That’s why I suggested recording him.”

“They could just insist it was coerced under duress. Depending on how Chester’s remaining faction reacts, it could actually work against us.”

“Hmm… I see.”

“Besides, Chester might be like this now, but there’s a high chance he would have changed his mind later. He’s the type to be easily swayed if someone eggs him on. If his subordinates said just one word about the position originally belonging to the Boss, he’d come right back.”

Isaiah had nothing more to say. And truthfully, he wasn’t in a position to speak. Strictly speaking, he was an outsider. He was in no position to tell Bran, who was risking his life in a power struggle with Chester, what to do.

Besides, Bran wasn’t trying to become the boss of the Kalisz organization simply out of personal greed. The lives and safety of many people, and the fate of decades, rested on his shoulders. Since Bran himself knew this best, he must have made the decision more carefully than anyone.

“…..”

Isaiah belatedly felt his face flush. No matter how he thought about it, interfering there had been inappropriate. He had gotten swept up in the moment and said something unnecessary.

“I think I was being too emotional.”

While he hesitated whether to add an apology, saying ‘sorry’, they arrived on the first floor.

“Crucially.”

Bran, leaping up three steps at once, came up beside Isaiah and said.

“I don’t particularly like dogs. Especially ugly, ill-mannered ones.”

“…..”

“Let alone leaving a dog that tries to carelessly mark my lover? Well, for me, that’s unthinkable.”

Isaiah stopped walking abruptly without realizing it. Bran stopped along with him. Looking down at him with a ‘What’s wrong?’ expression, Isaiah asked in a slightly shocked tone.

“I’m just asking, just in case.”

“Yes?”

“…Were you jealous?”

“Why are you asking ‘just in case’?”

Bran immediately retorted.

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“Uh, well.”

As Isaiah, not expecting the question to be turned back on him, stammered in confusion, Bran laughed as if finding it absurd.

“Then what was that about watching my expression earlier?”

“No, that was just because you seemed angry.”

Isaiah said defensively, scratching the back of his neck.

“You can be angry even if it’s not jealousy, right? Finding out someone was scheming behind your back. It feels like being betrayed.”

This time, Bran looked a little shocked. He stared silently at Isaiah’s face, then nodded as if he’d realized something.

“You’ve never been in a relationship before, have you. Right.”

“What? What does that have to do with anything?”

Isaiah snapped back defensively.

“And never liked anyone either.”

“That’s not true.”

“It’s not?”

“Right. There’s you,” Isaiah said bluntly. “I’ve liked you all along.”

Bran looked momentarily taken aback. Gazing at Isaiah with a rare, flustered look in his eyes, he soon broke into a smile and said.

“Right. I understand.”

Pulling Isaiah’s shoulder close with one arm, Bran lowered his head and whispered softly enough for only Isaiah to hear.

“Understand this well. I get extremely jealous.”

“I didn’t know…”

“You’ll find out soon enough, until you’re sick of it.”

Still holding him close from the side, he pressed his lips to Isaiah’s. Strangely, amidst the smell of gunpowder and blood, he could now sense Bran’s scent. Had he gotten used to it during this chaotic war?

Whatever the reason, Isaiah thought it was fortunate. This might be their last kiss—no, it almost certainly would be—and he didn’t want to remember only the smell of blood and gunpowder.

Instead, he wanted to remember everything: the feel of these soft lips, the movement of the hot tongue, the smoothness of the even teeth, and the gentle breath escaping between them. He didn’t want to forget a single thing.

So he wished Bran would make it last a little longer, wished he would suck just once more, harder, but cruelly, Bran quickly pulled his lips away and spoke.

“So, Isaiah.”

Isaiah looked up at Bran with slightly hazy eyes. Perhaps because he had been so absorbed, his head felt fuzzy from lack of oxygen, even though the kiss hadn’t been that intense. As if finding Isaiah cute, Bran caressed his cheek and whispered softly.

“The ledger. Don’t forget it.”

“…Ugh, seriously.”

That damn ledger! Annoyed, Isaiah shook off Bran’s arm, which was still wrapped around his shoulder.

“In a situation like this, what the hell does that matter!”

“It’s important precisely because of this situation.”

Bran smiled and pulled Isaiah’s shoulder close again.

“It’s very important. That’s why I entrusted it to you.”

Bran was right. It was probably more important because of this situation. It was essentially evidence exposing Cedric’s illegal activities, so it could be more useful now than ever. And since Bran didn’t know about the deal between Isaiah’s side and Martino, he had no choice but to prioritize resolving the issue with Cedric.

He had no intention of resenting Bran for that. He didn’t want to feel disappointed either. He simply didn’t want to part ways. He wanted to cling to Bran and ask if he could just tell Samuel the ledger’s location and stay here with him, that anything else didn’t matter.

But he couldn’t bring himself to say the words. While he hesitated, the helicopter sound grew even closer, and the main entrance of the chapel came into view in the distance.

Samuel was waiting for Isaiah in the lobby. It seemed he had been waiting in front of the main entrance but came inside when the helicopter arrived.

“Bran, Chester is…”

Samuel asked as soon as he saw Bran.

“With Aunt Angelina.”

Samuel let out a sigh of relief. But he didn’t look as pleased as one might expect. Probably because he knew the real mastermind was Cedric, and Chester was just a pawn.

“Alright.”

Bran released Isaiah’s shoulder, which he had been holding as if in an embrace until then, and said.

“Take responsibility and get him safely to his destination.”

“Understood.”

Samuel replied politely as always. Bran stared silently at Samuel for a moment, then suddenly broke into a broad smile.

“Do you know which destination I’m talking about?”

“Yes…?”

Samuel seemed extremely flustered and couldn’t say anything. Still smiling, Bran patted Samuel’s shoulder and said.

“Use any means necessary to escort him safely. Make sure not even a fingertip gets hurt.”

“I made myself clear.” Bran leaned in close to Samuel’s ear and whispered lowly. The smile had vanished from his lips.