CRT Ch 34

“The role of Biryu will be decided at the final audition and will be revealed in the third teaser. We have placed an embargo on the press, so on the scheduled date…”

Manager Kim’s briefing paused momentarily. This was because Cha Yilhyun was sitting under the podium in front of him, rummaging through something. However, Manager Kim obligingly moved his legs and continued the briefing.

“It will be reported collectively on the scheduled date. We request all employees in each department to maintain strict confidentiality. Taeryung Group has made an investment proposal for ‘Lake of the Gods,’ which is currently under review. Also, the integrated platform that the CEO planned last time is taking shape, so I will organize and submit the proposal as soon as possible.”

Cha Yilhyun, returning to his seat, lined up various game consoles on the U-shaped conference table. Not only that, but a tablet, RC cars, and building blocks were piled up in front of Seok Ryu.

Leaving aside the toys scattered around the conference room, it was surprising that the meeting proceeded smoothly despite the CEO constantly disrupting the atmosphere. The directors, instead, glared at Seok Ryu, who was sitting quietly, or coughed pointedly, as if to make sure he heard them. Cha Yilhyun casually addressed the directors.

“He is watching me, so you don’t need to mind him.”

The executives and Secretary Yang, who were waiting in the back, flinched. Seok Ryu bit his lip and glared at Cha Yilhyun. Since most of the executives had become Yoon Yubin’s slaves, this situation would also reach Noeul’s ears.

“Wouldn’t it be appropriate to send the trainee out?”

Director Kwak, who had looked displeased the entire time, finally spoke up. Seok Ryu had thought he was avoiding him under Noeul’s control, but he appeared during the meeting. It seemed like a declaration that he would steal back the slaves even if Seok Ryu reclaimed them.

Currently, he was far from Director Kwak and the environment wasn’t conducive to concentration, so he planned to attempt doping as soon as the meeting ended. Of course, Seok Ryu would hide Director Kwak somewhere out of Noeul’s reach.

Director Kwak gave Seok Ryu a cold stare.

“It’s inappropriate for a mere trainee manager to observe an executive meeting. There is also the risk of him spreading the contents of the meeting outside.”

“The directors should be able to keep their mouths shut. And from today, I am a regular employee.”

Seok Ryu’s eyes widened as he looked at Cha Yilhyun. Come to think of it, it was around this time that he was supposed to shed his trainee label, but even Seok Ryu had completely forgotten about it. Cha Yilhyun’s lips tightened slightly. But he soon calmly picked up a paper with a chart on it.

The finance director chuckled and said,

“It’s been a while since the CEO has sat in his seat during a meeting, so why don’t you just pretend you didn’t see it, Director Kwak? The atmosphere of the meeting is amicable and pleasant, isn’t it?”

“That’s right. We just need to be careful what we say. Hahaha!”

The sycophants chimed in with their empty words. Cha Yilhyun looked at the documents with an impassive face. He, who enjoyed seeing others embarrassed, didn’t empathize when others were happy.

Anyway, it was unsettling that Cha Yilhyun knew something that even Seok Ryu didn’t know. Yejun’s followers had listed Seok Ryu as their primary target for elimination. To eliminate a competitor, it was fundamental to understand everything about them.

Sometimes, excessive possessiveness towards the master could overtake loyalty and create tragedy. Cha Yilhyun as an ally was an iron fortress that blocked everything, but as an enemy, he showed the very bottom of despair, leaving no room for dreams or hope.

When the short chat time ended, Manager Kim resumed the briefing. Seok Ryu glanced sideways at Cha Yilhyun’s profile. His eyes looked dry, as if he was still suffering from the aftereffects of the garnet effect. Judging by the wrinkles all over his shirt, he seemed to have poor posture when sitting. Perhaps it was a trace of fragmented sleep.

It felt like a dream that Cha Yilhyun had held Seok Ryu’s hand and gone down the emergency stairs. He still didn’t know why he had acted that way. Could it be because of lingering residue? There had been many similar cases among Jinguk and his previous followers. But it was literally just residue, not even worth ascribing meaning to their actions.

If that person hadn’t appeared then, Seok Ryu would have thrown himself down the stairs. He had thought it wouldn’t matter if he shattered. He didn’t think he would regret the present, where he wanted to live again.

Cha Yilhyun’s concentration didn’t last even five minutes. He slumped on the table with a bored expression. Suddenly, he stretched out his arm and fiddled with the blocks placed in front of Seok Ryu. His arm kept brushing against Seok Ryu’s shirt, so Seok Ryu moved back.

Anyway, the stench permeating the conference room was giving him a headache. Seok Ryu whispered to Cha Yilhyun, who was sitting next to him.

“Do you smell something strange? Like the fishy smell of stagnant water……”

Cha Yilhyun tilted his chin and pretended to sniff.

“Not at all.”

Since Cha Yilhyun and the others didn’t seem to notice anything, it seemed like Seok Ryu was the only one who could smell it. He had been swept along with him and hadn’t been able to address the important matter. Seok Ryu took out a notebook and pen from his shirt pocket so as not to disturb the meeting. He wrote something on the last page and handed it to Cha Yilhyun.

—What are you going to do about Yoon Yubin?

He took Seok Ryu’s pen and quickly wrote something, then pushed it back.

—Is there any reason I should report that to my manager?

No matter how much Cha Yilhyun was Cha Yilhyun, there was no way he would believe that Yoon Yubin and Yoon Inoh were the same person. He couldn’t just say it without Yejun’s consent.

—Now is not the time to argue. Yoon Yubin settled into the officetel before the ink on the contract was even dry. And it’s right above Yejun’s officetel. Besides, do you know that he’s treating Songhyul actors like slaves?

—It’s absurd that he’s sitting on top of Yejun’s head.

—No matter what Director Kwak says to persuade you, you must not meet Yoon Yubin. Especially the person named Noeul who sticks to his side. He has wine-colored eyes and hair and wears a velvet choker around his neck.

—Was there anyone else who dressed like that besides the manager?

It seemed he had truly developed calluses over his emotions. Even if he didn’t call Seok Ryu’s name, it didn’t hurt as much as it used to, enough to shatter his heart.

—If that man named Noeul approaches you, run away without looking back. Never, ever make eye contact with him.

—Why should I? I don’t even know who he is or why.

Cha Yilhyun seemed interested only in finding a toy to alleviate his boredom and not in the seriousness of the situation. Since Yejun hadn’t instructed him directly, it probably wouldn’t resonate with him. It was also Seok Ryu’s job to manage the unpredictable followers so that they would demonstrate proper loyalty.

—It’s for Yejun……

He momentarily lost track of what to write. It was easier to treat Jinguk like a human than to treat Cha Yilhyun like other followers. Seok Ryu crossed out the awkward writing and wrote anew, pressing down firmly.

—If you want to protect Yejun, do as I say without arguing.

Cha Yilhyun’s eyes narrowed slightly. If he hadn’t met Yoon Yubin, he wouldn’t have come into contact with Noeul. Noeul only demonstrated his ability in front of his master, so he always clung to his master’s side like a leech. Yoon Yubin wasn’t the type to give up easily either. Seok Ryu couldn’t predict how far Yoon Yubin, who had appeared with sharpened knives, would go.

Cha Yilhyun rested his finger on his temple and muttered seriously.

—Then I shouldn’t sign a contract with Yoon Yubin.

—You’re finally catching on.

—Should I kick him out of the officetel too?

Seok Ryu nodded.

—How about I don’t even come to work?

This time, Seok Ryu hesitated to answer. With Director Kwak also becoming Noeul’s slave, if Cha Yilhyun left the company, it would become a world of Noeul’s minions.

—Still, the CEO needs to be present for the company to function.

—I can do it by phone or video conference.

—That’s only good for a day or two. There will be factions acting up while the CEO is away……

—I can just fire them.

Since he had a history of mass layoffs, it didn’t sound like an empty threat. In any case, it was a relief that Cha Yilhyun, whom he had been most worried about, was cooperating so enthusiastically. However, while rushing here, Seok Ryu seemed to have harbored an expectation he shouldn’t have. Every time he confirmed Cha Yilhyun’s unwavering loyalty to Yejun, he felt relieved, but also a dull ache in his heart.

Suddenly, Cha Yilhyun tilted his head and spoke in a low voice.

“But who am I doing all this troublesome work for? Have you been taking credit for my hard work behind the scenes like this all along?”

“What are you……”

He raised his voice without realizing it, and the directors in the meeting glanced over. Seok Ryu pulled his notebook closer and quickly wrote. Cha Yilhyun leaned close to Seok Ryu to see what he was writing. As if frozen, Seok Ryu’s hand froze, and his writing became crooked.

—I have no intention of taking credit. Yejun will know all the hard work you’ve done behind the scenes. If he doesn’t know, I’ll definitely tell him.

Cha Yilhyun looked up from the notebook and stared at Seok Ryu with an ambiguous look. After a moment, he pushed the scribbled notebook back to Seok Ryu.

—Let’s call a truce for now. There’s no need for a power struggle between people with a common goal.

As expected, Cha Yilhyun seemed to have been at war with Seok Ryu with Yejun in between. But Seok Ryu had never seen him as an enemy, not even for a moment. It was a monumental moment, the first peace treaty between the master’s devotee and Seok Ryu, but he felt no surge of motivation. Seok Ryu nodded slightly and responded to his handshake.

He turned the page of the notebook filled with superficial conversations. He wished he could easily cover up the traces Cha Yilhyun had left on him. There were plenty of clean pages.

—From now on, don’t trust anyone around you, and don’t meet anyone for the time being.

—I have a dinner appointment with my parents this weekend. Is that not allowed either?

It was surprising that Cha Yilhyun had parents to dine with. He seemed like he had dropped onto this planet alone from some unknown star. After some thought, Seok Ryu wrote,

—Wouldn’t they understand if you said you had a sudden business trip overseas?

—I don’t know. They’re the kind of people who only think about their own feelings.

—As they get older, they’ll want to rely on their children.

—That’s creepy.

Seok Ryu chewed on his lip and fiddled with his pen. It wouldn’t be bad to dig up some more information on Cha Yilhyun, just in case.

—Do you have anyone else you absolutely must meet? Like friends or siblings……

—I do have a cousin I need to meet soon.

—What does he do?

—He just works at a company.

—What about any hobbies you pursue on weekends?

—Flying a drone outdoors or watching movies.

There were ballpoint pens rolling around on the table, but Cha Yilhyun insisted on taking Seok Ryu’s pen. The interruption to the flow of conversation was uncomfortable, and he flinched every time their skin touched. Cha Yilhyun suddenly leaned closer and spoke in a low voice.

“Am I going to be watched like this all the time?”

It was unclear whether he was genuinely curious or asking a rhetorical question. Seok Ryu furrowed his brow and nodded.

“So you’re saying that if I disregard all these warnings, I’ll lose you to those people.”

His gaze, which had been fixed on the notebook, suddenly shifted to Seok Ryu. The light from the screen caught the sharp angles of Cha Yilhyun’s features.

“If you lose me, who will be in real danger?”

It was a sinister question, as if a trap had been laid. Seok Ryu just fiddled with the pen and gave up on answering. The notebook was filled with different styles of handwriting. The pages filled with his traces would sleep soundly next to Shinbi’s grave.

💎

When the long yet short meeting finally ended, the fluorescent lights came on. The directors who were on good terms with each other discussed lunch menus and disappeared out of the conference room.

Seok Ryu leaned against the table and clutched his hair. He had just tried to re-dope Director Kwak, but he had failed. The same was true for the other executives. Including Team Leader Seo and the employees he encountered in between, the number of people he had attempted to dope had easily exceeded fifty.

Even with a 50% success rate, this was the first time he hadn’t succeeded with a single person, like today. He could only laugh hollowly at the unprecedentedly dismal results. Could it be because there was a crack in his Source Stone?

But he had doped several people after Yejun was hospitalized. Besides, if his Source Stone was damaged enough to malfunction, Seok Ryu and Yejun wouldn’t be able to walk around normally. Then why…

Secretary Yang tidied up the documents and drinks scattered on the large table and collected the toys scattered around the conference room in a box. He hadn’t doped Secretary Yang because he wasn’t necessary, but now even clumsy hands would be helpful. Seok Ryu stared at Secretary Yang, waiting for a chance to make eye contact.

“Do you still have time to be distracted?”

He turned his head at the sudden voice. Cha Yilhyun had been staring at him at some point. Seok Ryu composed his expression and stood up. It seemed that concentrating on Cha Yilhyun alone would be beneficial for his mental health today.

Secretary Yang approached Cha Yilhyun and spoke respectfully.

“The production presentation will be starting soon. You should leave now to arrive on time.”

“Secretary Yang, you can leave work now.”

After sending Secretary Yang away, Cha Yilhyun left the conference room. Seok Ryu awkwardly stood up and noticed Cha Yilhyun’s blazer left on the chair. As he picked up the blazer, he felt something the size of his palm in the inner pocket. Seok Ryu approached him in the hallway and held out the blazer.

“You left this.”

Cha Yilhyun looked at Seok Ryu strangely as he took the blazer. The suit, now in his hand, had one sleeve dragging on the floor.

Out in the hallway, he could finally breathe, free from the fishy stench. While waiting for the elevator, Seok Ryu stared at the number pad. The elevator, which had been stuck on the top floor, began to descend.

His gaze happened to stop at Cha Yilhyun’s neck. The scratch marks Seok Ryu had left were clearly visible between his shirt collar. He had been too distracted earlier, and the lights had been off during the meeting, so he hadn’t noticed them.

Suddenly, Cha Yilhyun’s gaze fell on Seok Ryu. Caught staring, Seok Ryu quickly averted his eyes. Flustered, he blurted out whatever came to mind.

“Hasn’t there been any word from Jo Youngseop?”

Come to think of it, he had completely forgotten about Jo Youngseop. He wasn’t the type of person to make a big fuss, but the silence was unsettling.

“I mean, about canceling Yejun’s advertising contracts or banning him from the advertising industry because of that incident.”

“He’s the type to hold a grudge, so there’s no telling how he might react.”

“Yejun is very worried, so please take care of it.”

A chuckle escaped Cha Yilhyun’s lips.

“He boasted that he would take responsibility.”

“We have different areas of responsibility, so let’s each do our part. Since it’s for Yejun, complaints……”

Seok Ryu frowned mid-sentence. The air leaking from the elevator gap smelled nauseatingly fishy. He belatedly noticed an unidentified liquid stained here and there on the metal door. It looked like grape juice that had been spilled recently. Even with such a strong stench, Cha Yilhyun didn’t seem to smell anything at all.

The elevator floor number was descending and was just about to reach their floor. The CEO’s office was on the top floor. Something was coming down from there.

Ding——— The elevator doors opened with a chime. Seok Ryu pulled Cha Yilhyun behind a wall and hid in a nearby empty conference room. He quickly locked the door, turned off the lights, and listened for any movement outside. Cha Yilhyun’s eyes gleamed with excitement at the sudden game of hide-and-seek.

“Are you being chased by a monster?”

Shhh! Seok Ryu covered Cha Yilhyun’s lips with both hands. His bones trembled with fear. Seok Ryu’s body was pressed close to him, enough for him to feel the tremors. But if he let go rashly, Cha Yilhyun might make a sound and be discovered by the presence outside the door. It was a presence that allowed no escape and didn’t bother with knocking.

Seok Ryu felt Cha Yilhyun’s lips gradually hardening against his palms. Just then, a phone ringtone echoed in the confined space. Seok Ryu flinched and pulled his phone from his pants pocket. He tightly gripped the speaker to prevent any sound from escaping. Yejun’s name was displayed on the screen. He seemed to have called because he was worried, as it was the middle of filming. He was about to press the answer button in a hurry when a hand reached out from the darkness and snatched the phone away.

Seok Ryu blinked and looked at Cha Yilhyun, who was in front of him. Unlike his coldly silent lips, his deep blue eyes burned with a flame. Seok Ryu reached out to grab his stolen phone. But Cha Yilhyun grabbed Seok Ryu’s wrist first and stopped him.

He turned off the phone with one hand. An inexplicable fear washed over him as the ringtone ceased. Give it back! he screamed silently, reaching out again.

At that moment, a rough hand grabbed the back of Seok Ryu’s head and pulled him forward.

“That damn Park Yejun is so annoying.”

Seok Ryu’s lips and chin were sucked into his mouth all at once. His tongue was bitten without a moment to breathe, and the chilling sound of their teeth clashing could be heard. Their breaths, tightly intertwined, wrapped around Seok Ryu’s tongue, hot enough to melt it.

Haah……, he groaned low and sticky, grinding their lower bodies together. The erect penis beneath his pants rubbed against Seok Ryu’s crotch. Cha Yilhyun’s tongue delved into the saliva pooling at the base of Seok Ryu’s tongue. Seok Ryu shuddered and pushed Cha Yilhyun away. No, he wasn’t even sure if it was really Cha Yilhyun doing this.

One side of his pants was pulled down and his underwear ripped by the inconsiderate hands. A hot penis thrust into his unprepared hole in one stroke. The penis was violently erect, its veins clearly visible. Ah, no! His feeble resistance was crushed in his mouth.

Cha Yilhyun lowered his head and sucked on Seok Ryu’s nipple, the one he had been glancing at throughout the meeting. He pistoned urgently inside Seok Ryu, then convulsed and unloaded his climax. He thrashed, his head thrown back, even as he came, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

As expected, it seemed that Cha Yilhyun had residual emotions left over. Empty shell emotions filled only with lust from the memory of having been with Seok Ryu. But he couldn’t push him away with a look of disgust or spit at him. How could he do such a thing to Cha Yilhyun……?

Cha Yilhyun swirled his tongue inside Seok Ryu’s panting mouth and hooked one of Seok Ryu’s legs over his arm. Then he pistoned again, as if to break him. After a brief pain, a suppressed pleasure sprang forth. The muscles of his inner walls, slick with semen, tightened around the rapidly pistoning penis.

At that moment, Cha Yilhyun, losing all control, began to slap Seok Ryu’s buttocks even more frantically. Between the intense pleasure and the dull pain, Seok Ryu clutched his back. His lower abdomen tightened, and the pressure of his own orgasm surged.

“Ha… Haah…… Ah!”

When Seok Ryu clenched his hole tightly and came on Cha Yilhyun’s shirt, the veins in his temples bulged. Cha Yilhyun thrust his hips upward, lifting Seok Ryu’s legs high. Seok Ryu, his mouth opening and closing wordlessly, plummeted into the climax Cha Yilhyun had thrown him into. It was a place with no light and no visible bottom.

💎

“Can’t we just wait in front of the CEO’s office?”

Noeul grumbled incessantly as he walked down the hallway outside the conference room. Yubin pretended not to hear and looked around towards the conference room.

“That’s because he’s not the type to come quietly.”

“I absolutely hate walking. How long do I have to keep taking the subway? I hate the smell and the crowds.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that you have to wait to get a car under Yoon Yubin’s name? Just be patient until a manager is assigned. Where was that conference room again……”

“If we wait at the CEO’s office, he’ll come eventually. Why are you making such a fuss?”

Yubin gritted his teeth and swallowed his anger.

“He’s the kind of person who will do the opposite of what you expect, no matter what you think. My head is killing me from listening to you whine, so will you shut up?”

Noeul grinned, his red lips curving upwards, and clung to his master.

“The CEO will become your slave anyway, so why are you so impatient?”

“What makes you so confident? Even if you dope him, that 돌멩이 Seok Ryu might steal him back.”

“Is that why you’ve been acting like a puppy that needs to poop? Are you scared of that half-assed thing?”

“Don’t get too cocky. You’ll get screwed over in one shot.”

Noeul wrapped his arms around his master’s shoulders and widened his eyes.

“That won’t happen. Never.”

Seok Ryu would be running around desperately trying to protect his rice bowl by now. But it was absurd from the start that a half-assed thing like him would challenge him, someone who was perfectly complete.

Yubin pushed Noeul away with an annoyed expression. Then, as if lost in thought, he chewed on his thin lip.

“You said it’s hard to dope psychopaths and sociopaths, right?”

“That only applies to half-assed things. That kind of thing is useless in front of me.”

“That bastard seems like a psychopath, no matter how I look at him.”

“The CEO?”

“And that psycho, don’t even get me started.”

“If it’s not the CEO, then who is it? Just tell me. I’ll make him your slave today.”

Noeul narrowed his eyes as Yubin hesitated, unlike his usual self.

“Something feels off. Don’t tell me, is it someone you like?”

“Cut the crap and just tell me if it’s possible or not!”

As Yubin’s face flushed red and he lashed out, Noeul burst into laughter. He couldn’t understand why he had a complex about his appearance. He was unbearably cute. Yubin threw a tantrum and then walked ahead. Noeul followed with a smile, then stopped abruptly. Yubin sighed and gritted his teeth.

“Fuck, why again?”

Noeul looked up and down both ends of the T-shaped hallway. There was no sign of life in any of the darkened conference rooms.

“Because there’s a really disgusting smell.”

Not just here, but Seok Ryu’s scent permeated the entire company, and it was sickening. Of course, he would now cover it all up with his own scent and erase it completely. Noeul clung to his master’s arm and walked on, trailing behind him.