HRDT Ch 11

After successfully escaping, Raewon was sick in bed for two days. As the tension left his entire body, a dull ache washed over him without fail. There wasn’t a single joint that didn’t ache, and the scrapes on his skin stung and throbbed even when he was still.

“What to do, our Raewon’s pretty face is all wrecked.”

Boo Seongchan approached with a sly grin. Although he was annoyingly clingy, his actions were, in their own way, for Raewon’s benefit. Even now, he was placing a hydrocolloid patch on a scratch on his shoulder.

“Take off your t-shirt for a bit, it’s hard for oppa to put on the band-aid.”

“Cut the crap and just stick it on.”

Raewon waved his hand with a displeased expression. He could bear it if it were not for that middle-aged man-like way of speaking. His stomach felt queasy even though it was empty. Raewon pulled the fruit juice Boo Seongchan had bought him closer and sucked on the straw. slurp.

He scanned the inside of the house with an indifferent gaze. The place he was currently staying at was an officetel registered under Boo Seongchan’s mother’s name. It was spacious, but the windows were blocked, making it feel just like a prison.

Perhaps it was because he could not leave.

Raewon had not yet stepped outside the house since his escape. There was no one to suppress his freedom now, yet he did not. He was afraid that if he went out, Choi Taejin or Manager Goo might be standing there. The anxiety that had sprouted in his chest did not easily subside.

“So, what are you going to do from now on. Are you going to keep living with me here?”

Having finished his task, Boo Seongchan asked as he leaned his upper body diagonally against the sofa. I don’t mind, he added, tacking on a useless comment.

“I don’t know. For now….”

Raewon opened and then completely closed his lips. He had no plans whatsoever for the future. In truth, it was because he did not even know if he would succeed in escaping. He would have no excuse even if he were told his head was completely empty.

He picked up the cell phone he had tossed on the corner of the sofa. It was a burner phone that Boo Seongchan had given him to use. It was in the name of a stranger, someone completely unrelated to them. He used it to call his grandmother.

This time, too, only a tedious ringing tone continued. He had tried calling hundreds of times, but it was always the same. He did not know if she was not picking up because it was an unknown number, or if something had happened to her. Still, he did not have the courage to leave a text message and put the phone down again.

“You, do you know anything about my grandmother?”

“Ung, where was it? I heard she went to Japan. That’s why Cheongyeondang is also temporarily closed these days. It’s probably been over a month?”

“Fuck, why are you telling me this only now?”

As Raewon’s eyes glared fiercely, Boo Seongchan revealed his white teeth and let out a nasty laugh, keke. Just, ’cause it’s fun to see you on edge. A comment that rubbed salt in the wound was added.

“Your cards are cut off, and your bank accounts are frozen. Wow… Jin Raewon is a beggar without a single penny, huh?”

“So what.”

What do you want me to do about it, Seongchan. Raewon asked back, leaning his back leisurely.

Even as a beggar, his shell was that of Jin Raewon, the money-lender of Myeongdong and the heir of Cheongyeondang. His innate self-esteem and pretty face never allowed him to be intimidated wherever he went.

“If I’m a beggar, shouldn’t you be the one to serve and attend to me. Am I going to be a beggar for life?”

“If I attend to you, what will you do for me.”

“Where did you learn to negotiate so improperly?”

“Let’s sleep together. I’ll fuck our Raewon until he’s a sobbing, snotty mess.”

Raewon let out a complicated sigh. He knew that as long as he had asked Boo Seongchan for help, he had to pay a price. It was not difficult to give his body, which was already worn and used, just once, but he did not feel like it. Because it felt like selling his body? That was not it. It was just….

For a moment, Choi Taejin’s face flashed by, and Raewon quickly shook his head to clear the thought. He pushed away Boo Seongchan’s face, which had moved in close.

“Look at my state. Do you still get turned on seeing a body that’s a complete wreck?”

“Yeah, I’m fucking turned on.”

There’s no getting through to him. Raewon clutched his forehead.

“Haa, later.”

“Later when.”

“When my wounds heal.”

Surprisingly, Boo Seongchan agreed readily. Two weeks should be enough, right? The sound of him muttering to himself reached Raewon’s ears. Another sigh escaped him.

He too once had a time when he lived as thoughtlessly as Boo Seongchan, but now he was acting all high and mighty like some enlightened sage. How funny…. Mr. Choi Taejin, look. You’ve made me this way. At least I can face my grandmother now.

He tries so hard to think of him whenever he has a spare moment after having gone through the trouble of escaping. What could he be doing right now. Would he be very angry. I wonder if he is not hooking up with some other guy or girl now that I am not there.

It was truly absurd how he was worrying about Choi Taejin’s well-being when he could barely take care of his own body.

“Am I crazy, for real.”

Raewon covered his eyes with the back of his arm and sank deeper into the sofa. The face that stuck to him like a leech was not as easy to forget as he thought. Choi Taejin was a man who had him in the palm of his hand, whether he was by his side or not. It seemed it would not be easy to break free from this formless restraint.

˖๋ ࣭ ⭑

Unable to resist Boo Seongchan’s nagging, he went outside. It was his first outing in a whole week.

He was in the middle of shopping at a select shop in Gangnam. For the VIP customer’s visit, the store had completely locked its doors and even drawn the curtains. The consideration for a big spender was substantial.

Boo Seongchan was already busy moving around with an armful of clothes. While he went in and out of the fitting room dozens of times, Raewon, with an uninterested face, flicked through the clothes hanging on the rack. tok, tok.

Even though Boo Seongchan told him not to worry about money and to pick whatever he wanted, saying he would bill him later anyway, he did not particularly feel like buying anything.

He remembered the time he was fretting at a convenience store, clutching a thousand-won bill. A laugh suddenly escaped him. How many times did I have to clean the room to buy a single piece of t-shirt like this. Lost in reminiscence, Raewon wiped his mouth to erase the lingering smile.

After finishing their shopping, they naturally headed to a restaurant. When moving, Raewon always wore a cap pulled down low. For fear that someone might recognize him.

He still did not feel at ease going out. He would get startled as if having a seizure, especially whenever he saw men in black suits. Even now, he was only able to relax and eat after entering a private room.

“You know what? The rumors in the clubs and rooms are nasty these days.”

Boo Seongchan pointed his finger while in the middle of his meal. Raewon, who was twirling pasta with his fork, just lifted his eyes.

“What is.”

“They say gangsters storm in around dawn and sweep the place clean. Checking the faces of the kids who are having fun, one by one.”

“……”

“I heard they’ve already hit all three districts of Gangnam. Aren’t those guys looking for you?”

Raewon gulped down his wine. He heard it was a vintage that cost hundreds of thousands of won per bottle, but it tasted worse than the one he used to steal and drink from Choi Taejin’s room. He immediately drank water to rinse his mouth.

“Probably. It’s about time they started searching.”

“Ooh.”

“So don’t even think about taking me to a club. If we get caught, it’s over.”

For the past few days, Boo Seongchan had been urging him to go out for a night of fun again. Since Raewon did not even pretend to listen, Boo Seongchan had gone out to have fun by himself countless times. Well, how easy would it be to quit something you do every day.

“I don’t get it. What kind of mortal sin did you commit.”

“I know, right.”

Raewon let out a small laugh and twirled the limp noodles. The pasta, soaked in ragu sauce, was something Raewon absolutely loved. But for some reason, his appetite had completely vanished. He let out a sigh that had become a habit and threw down his fork.

His empty hand instead gripped his cell phone. Raewon searched for keywords like Yurim Construction, Choi Taejin, and Magok District development on the internet browser. He had looked it up so many times every day that the relevant keywords now appeared as soon as he typed the first letter.

《Yurim Construction, Fierce Succession Battle Accelerates》

《Yurim Construction’s Magok District, Full-Scale Launch of Large-Scale Commercial and Residential Complex!》

Seeing the bold text, Raewon’s eyes narrowed. Contrary to his worries, it seemed Choi Taejin was taking good care of his own rice bowl. The business seemed to be running smoothly… and as for the succession battle, he would surely handle it well on his own.

It’s a relief that he’s doing well.

Raewon turned his phone face down and rubbed his face with both hands. A hot sigh pooled in his palms, making the area above his upper lip feel warm and stuffy.

Choi Taejin was not doing as well as Raewon expected.

He was hell-bent on finding Jin Raewon while consistently carrying on with his work. His sleep was a mere two or three hours a day, and when this state continued for over a week, the whites of his eyes turned completely red, and the aura he emitted was sharply on edge. People around him were already keeping their distance and avoiding Taejin on their own.

Without Jin Raewon, the business, on the contrary, ran well. Since he had an abundance of time to devote, the speed of business promotion accelerated, and Taejin took the lead in spearheading the Magok district development project. Chairman Choi’s trust in him also grew day by day. However, he did not enjoy it at all.

He had thought he could find him quickly, but Jin Raewon had hidden himself more thoroughly than expected. He managed to track down the taxi he took and found out he got off near a shopping mall in Sinsa-dong, but he did not expect him to pay the fare in cash.

By thoroughly examining the surrounding CCTV footage, he was able to confirm Raewon meeting with someone else. But even then, the person’s face was so well-hidden that it was impossible to identify them.

Since becoming an adult, Taejin had never felt so frustrated. Nothing related to Jin Raewon ever went his way. He thought he surely had him in his grasp, but he had slipped away without a trace. The only thing consuming his mind now was humiliation. His insides felt like they were burning up with boiling anger.

Taejin repeatedly extended and clenched his right hand. Should he just let him go? He had been a troublesome existence from the start. He could just apologize to the former chairman and provide adequate compensation. It would be easier to just erase him from his life, but he could not easily make that simple decision. The leash had somehow wrapped itself tightly around Taejin’s own neck. The feeling of his windpipe being constricted.

“Fucking hell.”

Taejin let out a cynical laugh. The thought of giving up also faded. Now that it has come to this, the only thought was that he must find Jin Raewon and make him kneel before him. He suppressed his overflowing anger with the single-minded determination to make him pay the price for deceiving him.

knock knock— A knock shattered Taejin’s train of thought. At his short reply to enter, Manager Goo appeared. It was already past 3 in the morning. But Manager Goo had not been able to sleep either.

His broad face was slick with grease, and his lips were chapped. Like Taejin, dark circles had settled deeply under his eyes. Manager Goo glanced at Taejin with a guilty face for a moment before bowing his head deeply.

“Director, we have confirmed Woo Jihwan’s whereabouts.”

Taejin lowered the hand that was covering his face. His gleaming eyes stared at Manager Goo without a word.

At that, Manager Goo secretly closed the distance. He stood in front of the chaotically messy table and handed Taejin the file he had brought.

“It seems he has settled in Daerim-dong, Seoul. There are no rumors about Woo Jihwan circulating yet, but he seems to be very conscious of his surroundings and is refraining from going out. The former chairman’s side has not made a move yet either.”

“Has his return schedule been set?”

“Not yet, but… the preparations seem to be in their final stages.”

“For a man of his venerable age, he’s overdoing it.”

Taejin spoke nonchalantly as he turned a page of the document. The former chairman’s revenge plan also seemed to be proceeding without a hitch. The fact that he was preparing so elaborately meant that his resentment was that much greater. If Woo Jihwan were to be murdered, the first person to be suspected would be the former chairman, so he must be planning everything meticulously from one to ten.

It was a job that would have been finished smoothly if he had left it to them, but he was going about it in a truly difficult way. That is how much a person’s desire for revenge was no different from a tenacious obsession. He understands. How could one even fathom the size of the anger that had been nurtured while swallowing bloody tears for decades.

On the next page that was flipped over, a photo of Woo Jihwan was printed. A middle-aged man in shabby attire. Even in the photo with poor resolution, his eerie eyes were distinct. Taejin knew the characteristics of those with faces like this.

A human who does not care about his own life and only looks at a single purpose. A crazed person who rushes in without considering the consequences. The crazier they are, the trickier they are to deal with.

It was clear that Woo Jihwan also held revenge in his heart. He was suddenly reminded of his vow to slit the throat of the former chairman’s only blood relative.

“……”

Taejin fixed his gaze on the face in the photo. As if he were engraving every single feature of Woo Jihwan into his mind.

Soon, he tossed the file aside and sank into the sofa as if collapsing. A weary sigh escaped him. He swept back his disheveled bangs and furrowed his straight eyebrows fiercely.

“What about Jin Raewon?”

“That side is still….”

“It’s strange that a bastard crazy about partying is still laying low. Did he come to his senses now.”

Taejin’s voice was languid, with a hint of laughter mixed in.

Manager Goo bowed his waist deeply. This was better than adding a lame excuse.

They were turning the entertainment districts of Seoul upside down every night, as if hunting for rats. It was the most likely place for Jin Raewon to appear.

Although he hid like a ghost during the day, given Jin Raewon’s personality, it was time for him to crawl out stealthily. Taejin had set up a tight search net in the entertainment districts. Perhaps the rumors that he was turning the places upside down had reached Raewon’s ears. But for someone like Jin Raewon, who succumbs to instinct rather than reason, he was bound to crawl out at least once, someday.

The more he thought about it, the more a headache pulsed, and Taejin clutched his forehead. He gently pressed the bulging vein with his thumb, and then he heard the sound of hurried footsteps from beyond the door.

“Hyungnim!”

Yeo Huido burst open the door without permission.

“You bastard, knock….”

Manager Goo showed his displeasure, while Taejin simply lifted his gaze silently. There was only one reason for Yeo Huido to be that agitated.

“That, right now in Samseong-dong, Jin Raewon is.”

Perhaps because there had been so many reports like this, Manager Goo’s reaction was lukewarm.

“Are you sure?”

“The description is almost identical. The guys he came with are also said to be the ones he used to hang out with frequently.”

“……”

“I think we found him.”

Yeo Huido answered, swallowing hard. Unable to meet the sharp gaze, his head gradually drooped.

Taejin slowly straightened his tilted head. His long legs, wrapped in black fabric, moved like a snake. It was just him uncrossing his legs, but the slow movement made the onlookers tense.

“Lead the way.”

He said in a hoarse voice. At the implication that he would go himself, both Yeo Huido and Manager Goo became completely tense.

The club had no sign and was covered in black glass.

Bouncers blocked the entrance, but there was no usual waiting line. Only those approved through a thorough screening could cross the threshold. People overflowing with money, or those with handsome faces. It was a club famous for being picky.

But even the fortress-like entrance was breached helplessly before the members of the Yurim gang. Yeo Huido, at the forefront, cleared the path, glaring with fierce eyes. The five or six men standing behind him also exuded a dangerous scent. Taejin took a deep drag of his cigarette and followed slowly.

Upon entering, a wide, circular space like the Colosseum unfolded. Geometric laser lights shot out from all directions, and the club music pounded against his whole body, thump thump. 2 AM, a time when the club-goers were thoroughly soaked in pleasure.

Taejin stood at the railing and took in the scene. The swaying bodies were tangled so lewdly it was hard to tell if they were dancing or copulating. Jin Raewon was not among them. He stubbed out the cigarette he had barely smoked against the wall. Any trace of impatience was hidden under his expressionless face, not even a shadow to be found.

Just then, Yeo Huido grabbed the collar of a guy with numerous piercings. He was a club MD who wielded a fair amount of power here. Through the eardrum-splitting music, he could hear Yeo Huido screaming his head off. The club MD, completely intimidated, just nodded his head repeatedly. He gestured for them to come this way, so they followed him up to a higher level.

The club MD kept glancing back, conscious of the dark-clothed men. He had been around the block in this industry, but it was his first time seeing gangsters who emitted such a strong aura.

They had a fundamentally different presence from the local thugs who just put on a show and threw punches. He was confident in acting slick in front of gangsters, but he figured it was better to just shut his mouth right now.

As they went upstairs, the atmosphere was quite different. The long corridor and ceiling were all black, and there were rooms at regular intervals. A privilege that could be enjoyed with money, VIP rooms were usually like this.

“Hey, are you sure?”

Yeo Huido, unable to contain his temper, poked the club MD’s back. tok. It was not a very strong push, but the scrawny club MD almost fell forward. The guy, who barely managed to steady himself by grabbing the wall, looked back as if wronged.

“Of course…. I’m telling you he looked similar to the man in the photo you showed me then.”

“Similar my ass, you’re spouting words you shouldn’t be spouting right now. You know that?!”

When Yeo Huido roared, WAK!, the club MD flinched as if he had been struck by the loud voice. Hoo, the hyungnims are here, I shouldn’t get excited. Yeo Huido took a breath and then pulled out his phone from his pocket. The blunt device poked the MD’s side like a knife stab. pook.

“Check it one more time.”

“Yes!”

The club MD promptly took the phone. The face on the screen was one he had seen several times before. He did not know his name, but he remembered him as a guy who spent money well and partied hard.

The customer who came earlier was definitely similar to this. Although his face was covered with a mask, his exposed eyes, physique, and even the clothes he was wearing were so similar that it would be reasonable to see them as the same person.

“I think it’s him.”

“You son of a bitch, you’ve been speaking vaguely from the start. If it’s him, it’s him, if it’s not, it’s not, what do you mean you think it’s him?”

“That is…… he came with his face completely covered.”

At those words, Yeo Huido glanced back. Choi Taejin was a head taller than the other gang members, so his eyes met his in an instant even though he was standing at the back. Yeo Huido had a confident expression, but Taejin still wore a bored face.

“Where is it.”

He spoke for the first time. The low tone was clearly audible even from a distance. The club MD intuitively judged that he was the real power here. His head bowed automatically.

“It’s here.”

The club MD politely pointed to a closed door. He added the supplementary explanation that it was the biggest room in the club, that it had been three hours since they entered, and that about eight people were mixing and partying inside.

Naturally, all eyes gathered on Taejin. They were waiting for his command before storming in.

The club MD, not knowing the circumstances, shared a few more facts, thinking it was information.

“Ah, but hyungnims. The atmosphere inside is probably no joke. They should be at their peak right now.”

“……”

“A little while ago, a request came in to add some drugs. Not narcotics… something similar to an aphrodisiac. You know what I mean, right?”

Then he overlapped both palms and pressed them as if pumping. Ppuk ppuk ppuk, a gesture signifying fucking.

“They don’t usually party this hard, but I guess today is a special day. I definitely heard them chattering about a precious guest having arrived.”

Everyone’s expression hardened. It was nothing new for people to do drugs and fuck in a club, but for some reason, they found themselves observing the big boss’s complexion. But Taejin’s expression was frighteningly unchanged.

“Open it.”

“Yes.”

The club MD unlocked the door with a master key. The creaking sound of the hinges was particularly grating to the ears. creak. Through the slightly ajar gap, music as loud as the floor below flowed out.

Taejin stepped inside. Even as the tall man crossed the space, no one paid him any mind. Everyone was drunk on alcohol and steeped in drugs, not in their right minds. A couple of guys were passed out, and the rest were all stripped bare, panting like beasts.

There was no distinction between male and female. There were girls biting and sucking on each other, and there was also a guy holding two dicks in both hands and shaking them. The sofa, which would have been spacious enough for twelve people, had no empty seats due to the entangled bodies. Taejin slowly observed their faces as he walked further inside.

In the deepest part, there was a bed placed right out in the open. On it, two figures were intertwined. A man with a white, slender frame was relentlessly grinding his hips in a cowgirl position.

“Hah, ah!”

“Fuck, pretty boy. Why are you so tight today. You taste even better since it’s been a while.”

The man lying underneath tossed out a vulgar remark and forcefully spread the soft buttocks. Thanks to that, the scene of the darkish penis entering and exiting the narrow hole was clearly visible. Along with the trembling waist, and even the brown hair that fluttered lightly every time he bounced his hips.

<Touch me, and tell me I’m pretty too.>

<Choi Taejin, hold me.>

<Can I sleep here after we’re done with sex? Can’t you hold me while we sleep?>

<Haa, I love doing it with you so much….>

The shoe that had been stuck to the floor stepped forward. step. Taejin’s hand roughly grabbed the brown hair. The man, whose head was yanked back, let out a gasp and froze. gasp.

It’s not Jin Raewon.

“……”

As soon as he realized that fact, the grip that seemed like it would snap the neck at any moment loosened. The widened eyes, the trembling lips—at a glance, they resembled Jin Raewon, but it was a distinctly different face.

For some reason, a wave of relief washed over him. Following that, irritation uncontrollably flooded his mind. Both were unwelcome emotions for Taejin. Fuck, he spat out a low curse and dropped the handful of hair as if throwing it away.

He immediately stormed out of the room. Yeo Huido, his face gaunt and haggard, managed to squeeze out his voice with difficulty. Taejin had come all this way himself, and now that things had gone wrong, he couldn’t show his face.

“I’m sorry, hyungnim. I thought it was real this time….”

“Goo Beom.”

“Yes, Director.”

Manager Goo, who had been standing by his side like a right-hand man, answered immediately. His complexion was just as dark.

As Taejin put a cigarette to his lips, a lighter flame immediately appeared. The sharp glint in his eyes flickered along with the wavering light.

“Unleash all the guys. Search everyone around Jin Raewon, the bars, the luxury shops, everything, and find him within a week.”

“Yes!”

With a spirited reply, Manager Goo relayed the order. Taejin now finally understood the source of his anxiety.

He wasn’t just pissed off because some young punk had backstabbed him. Even now, the thought of Jin Raewon being somewhere he didn’t know, with someone else, made him want to rip that pretty face to shreds.

A filthy emotion he had never felt towards a person before.

What was boiling in his gut was a strong sense of possessiveness towards Jin Raewon.

˖๋ ࣭ ⭑

Great Kill-!!

A flash of light sparked from the horizontally held phone screen. Raewon’s thumbs relentlessly tapped the phone’s screen. Though the attacks landed one after another, not even a small hint of joy could be seen on his face. He was playing the game less for fun and more to simply pass the time.

“Hey.”

Raewon quietly lowered his gaze. Boo Seongchan, who had sneakily climbed onto the sofa and was pressing his tongue against his stomach, asked back, “Hnng?”

“What are you doing?”

“Let’s call it foreplay to warm up the body. You just keep doing what you’re doing. Hyung will give you a killer suck job.”

Then, as if to show off, he grabbed Raewon’s pants and underwear at once and gently pulled them down. His movements were so swift that half of his groin was already exposed.

Boo Seongchan lowered his head and began to apply saliva to the smooth mound. The sensation of the nimbly moving tongue, far from being arousing, felt somehow unpleasant.

Raewon frowned and lifted his right foot. He stepped on Boo Seongchan’s left shoulder and applied gentle pressure. Despite the roundabout refusal, Boo Seongchan’s head clung like a leech, showing no intention of detaching.

“Fuck, why is this bastard always coming on to me.”

“Raewon-ah, haven’t you rested enough? Why are you still being so stiff. It’s about time you got back to your old form.”

Boo Seongchan’s lips curled up crookedly. The feeling was vivid on their touching skin. Before he knew it, his penis had been grabbed and pulled out by another’s hand.

“Don’t. I’m not in the mood.”

“Yeah, you’ll be in the mood soon. Leave it to me, leave it to me.”

Boo Seongchan, barely listening, diligently fondled the penis. Raewon twisted his hips. His character had died long ago, and the game screen had returned to the waiting screen. Raewon carelessly tossed the warm phone aside and covered his face with his empty hands.

The wet sound of flesh rubbing together continued. Boo Seongchan’s breathing was quite rough. He buried his face in the soft groin and took a deep breath. The waist that flinched every time he brought his lips to it whetted his appetite.

However, Jin Raewon’s soft flesh refused to get hard. He tickled it with his tongue and even sucked on the glans, but it only raised its head halfway, remaining a soft, spongy mass. Boo Seongchan tilted his head.

“You… did you become impotent?”

“Ha, fuck. I told you to stop.”

Raewon, disgusted, kicked Boo Seongchan once more. This time, his heel accurately pressed down on the nape of his neck, causing a choked sound to burst from Boo Seongchan’s mouth. Ughk. After receiving nothing but a barrage of kicks for his service, Boo Seongchan’s eyes glared wide open.

“What the hell is your problem, again!”

“I told you not to.”

Raewon, having lifted his torso halfway, glared with his large eyes, his fair cheeks flushed red.

He was trying to be threatening, but that too turned people on. As Boo Seongchan, unable to come to his senses, charged at him again, this time Raewon grabbed Boo Seongchan’s crotch without a second thought.

As he squeezed his hand tightly, Boo Seongchan flailed his hands in terror.

“Ugh! Ack! Hey, wa-wait a minute!”

“Seongchan-ah, should I break it one more time? You’ve got your sperm frozen, so at least the Boo family line won’t be cut off. Right?”

“Ack! Aack! Don’t squeeze! Fuck! It hurts, I said it hurts, you crazy bastard Jin Raewon!!”

“Who gave you permission to touch me. Huh?”

Jin Raewon looked ready to tear out the root of his dick right then and there. The hand gripping the penis held no selfish desire or lust. As he twisted the dick like a pretzel without any mercy, Boo Seongchan finally squeezed out tears.

“Hwaa…… Sorry, sorry! I was wrong!!”

“Are you going to do it again in the future, or not.”

“I won’t! Raewon-ah, heueu, I’m really going to bust my dick at this rate……”

Boo Seongchan realized it too late. Just what kind of person Jin Raewon was.

It was true that he partied harder than anyone and acted like a total slut whenever the mood struck him. But he would never give up his body unless he himself allowed it. A vulgar but expensive body. That is what everyone used to call him.

Hadn’t he been taught a lesson last time for overlooking that fact? Boo Seongchan was repeating the same mistake.

“It’s true that I’m indebted to you, but I’m going to repay that with money, not my body. With a hefty interest rate. Got it?”

“Uh, uh-huh. Uh-huh!”

“Try touching me one more time, and that’ll be the day Boo Seongchan really becomes impotent.”

As Raewon warned and twisted the dick, Boo Seongchan’s eyes rolled back with a “Kkyaaa—”. He was really about to faint. Only then did Raewon brush off his hands and step back.

He had enough of a conscience to help the half-conscious Boo Seongchan sit on the sofa. He lightly tapped the cheek of the guy who was drooling.

“Hey, get a grip. Even if you’re going to faint, order some food before you do.”

“……You fucking, vicious bastard.”

“Seongchan-ah, you’ll still be my friend, right?”

Raewon smiled, his eyes curving into crescents. He had an innocent face, unbecoming of someone who had just almost crushed a dick. Boo Seongchan, dumbfounded, let out a sigh and sprawled on the sofa. He really had no desire to touch Jin Raewon anymore.

“Well… I know you’re thorough with your money calculations, so I don’t have much to say about that.”

“Yeah.”

Raewon flopped down next to him. When his butt slightly touched Boo Seongchan’s dangling hand, Boo Seongchan flinched and quickly pulled his hand away. The lesson had been thoroughly learned.

“But are you really going to keep living like this?”

“Like what?”

“I’m talking about being cooped up at home, lazing around. Aren’t you sick of it? The way you’re throwing tantrums, it’s all because you’re stressed. Honestly, you feel it too.”

“……”

Raewon saved his words. Or rather, it would be more accurate to say he had nothing to say. It had been a month of his reclusive life, and he had often thought he was slowly reaching his limit.

Still, he did not have the courage to brazenly roam the streets. It was too early. He had not even met his grandmother yet, and he had not solved a single thing, so how could he possibly go out and have fun.

“……What if I go out and get caught.”

“Do you happen to remember Byungjae hyung?”

“Ah… the one who said he was starting an entertainment business?”

“That hyung is opening a really slick new bar. He’s having a pre-opening party, want to go? He was asking a lot about what you were up to anyway. He seemed like he wanted to see you, so go and show your face just once.”

“……”

Boo Seongchan, already full of energy again, coaxed Raewon. Celebrities will be there too, and all the invited people are VIPs, so there’s nothing to worry about. You know that hyung’s connections are clean, right? No, it’s beyond clean, it’s practically obsessive. It’s a private party. Not just anyone can go there.

The temptation was persistent. Raewon bit at the flaky skin on his lips and shot a sidelong glance.

“A pre-opening party means….”

“A brand spanking new place not even registered on the map.”

“Don’t tell them I’m coming. If rumors spread, I’m fucked.”

“Picky, so picky. Think you’re royalty or something?”

Wanna die? Raewon jabbed a fist into his abdomen. It wasn’t even that strong, but Boo Seongchan curled up like a roasted squid. A fist flew back in a counterattack. After exchanging a few cotton-ball punches, they burst into laughter. They sprawled comfortably on the sofa and chatted about trivial things.

“Seongchan-ah, thank you.”

“Eeeh?”

“I mean it. If it weren’t for you, I really wouldn’t have been able to do anything.”

Boo Seongchan, looking awkward, stretched the skin above his lip. He scratched under his nose and let out a needless cough.

“I like you, you know.”

“I know. I’ll definitely repay my debt to you.”

“……”

“But let’s move your arm.”

The arm that was stealthily trying to wrap around Raewon’s shoulder dropped in a curve. Satisfied, Raewon leaned his body comfortably against Boo Seongchan. Yes, let’s slowly return to my old life. I couldn’t hide forever. The beginning is difficult, but once I do it, it won’t be a big deal.

˖๋ ࣭ ⭑

The newly opened establishment was quite large. Not only did it use a whole four-story building, but each floor had a different concept, so there was plenty to see. The basement could only be used by the owner’s acquaintances, the first to third floors were a pub, and the fourth floor was for party rentals, he heard.

As a newly constructed building, the interior still smelled of paint. The basement, in particular, seemed to have poor ventilation. To cover the faint, lingering smell, fresh flowers and diffusers were displayed everywhere. On top of that, the smell of perfumes worn by the people mixed in, steeping the entire place in fragrance.

Raewon’s head throbbed, and he could not stand it. He deliberately sat in a corner and pressed his temples firmly. Boo Seongchan came over to his side and handed him a glass of alcohol.

“Is it that bad?”

“My head feels like it’s going to split.”

“Go upstairs and get some air. The rooftop is really well done.”

Raewon shook his head. He had already gone up for a bit, only to come back down because it was so crowded. He said he only invited a select group of connections, but what the hell. It seemed he had gathered all the influencers as well, each holding a camera for filming.

The old Jin Raewon would not have cared and would have mixed in with the crowd, but now he found himself subconsciously being cautious. He was not in the mood to party anyway. His circumstances had changed him.

Boo Seongchan quietly shot him a sidelong glance. In stark contrast to his nicely dressed-up appearance, Raewon wore a cap pulled down low. It was hard to believe this was the same guy who used to live for the pleasure of showing off his face.

“You’ve become no fun, Jin Raewon.”

Raewon let out a small laugh, pik, and just tilted his glass. He agreed with that sentiment himself.

“Go and have fun. Don’t worry about me.”

“Hey, but how can I just leave you alone. Let’s go, it’s been a while, let’s go see the guys. Go and report that you’re alive.”

Boo Seongchan forcibly pulled up the lounging Raewon. As he was dragged by the wrist, Raewon, annoyed, trudged along.

Upon entering a room located in the back, a familiar scene unfolded. Raewon took a sip of his remaining alcohol and let out a hollow laugh.

“Are these guys still partying like this?”

Men and women were sitting in groups around a large table. Champagne was flowing down a tower of stacked glasses. Since they had just started pouring the drinks, cheers erupted.

“Oh! It’s Jin Raewon!”

“Raewon-ah!”

Even with half his face covered, his identity was revealed in an instant. As they chanted his name loudly, Raewon winced as if he did not want to hear it. He instinctively scanned his surroundings.

“Fuck, everyone’s going to hear.”

“Don’t be annoyed. Let’s just come in and hang out for a bit.”

Boo Seongchan patted Raewon’s shoulder. Having lived together for a few days, his skill in handling him was adept. Raewon, as if he couldn’t win, stepped inside.

As the door closed, the noise from outside was cut off. thud. The soundproofing was solid, so no one outside would know what they did inside. It was an ironclad rule that VIP rooms guaranteed secrecy. Knowing that, they tended to let loose even more extravagantly.

“You know there are a shit ton of people looking for you, right? What have you been doing?”

“Did you take out a loan or something?”

“Idiot, why would Jin Raewon take out a loan? He can borrow money from his family without interest.”

The people at the drinking party raised their voices amongst themselves. Raewon, buried in the sofa, sighed as if the floor would collapse. Should I just leave? He was already starting to get tired of this place.

“Hey, move.”

A tall man who had been sitting in the corner kicked at the cluster of knees gathered together. thump, thump. It was the son of the prosecutor general.

The people gathered were all children of prominent families, but they had their own hierarchy. Among them, no one could beat the power of the law. As they stealthily made way, the man naturally walked in and stood in front of Raewon.

“Raewon-ah, it’s noisy here. Shall we go out with hyung?”

“……”

Raewon, with his arms crossed, just tilted his head slightly. The eyes, hidden in the shadow of the cap’s brim, flashed for the first time in a while.

Was that bastard always that tall? And why is he wearing all black again. Like the grim reaper.

A black shirt and black pants. The outfit, which he hadn’t seen in a while, kept reminding him of someone.

“Hm? You don’t want to? I’m not forcing you.”

The man smiled with his eyes. It was a friendly expression and tone of voice, a far cry from Choi Taejin. Not similar at all.

Nevertheless, his body moved on its own. As he shot up from his seat without a second thought, the man extended his hand. Raewon ignored his kindness and walked out. A chilly voice followed him.

“Is there a quiet place?”

“I’ll take you there myself. Don’t worry.”

The man’s lips formed an arc. It looked somehow seductive, but Raewon tried his best to ignore it.

He led Raewon into a secluded room. Not liking the dark space, Raewon immediately pressed the light switch. As the space brightened, the man clicked his tongue as if he were in a difficult situation. It wouldn’t be easy to set the mood like this.

But he did not rush and first took a seat on the sofa. The way he pulled over a glass that was set on the table and filled it with alcohol was quite natural.

“I thought you didn’t like to hang out in bright places? Did your taste change in the meantime?”

“Since when did you know my taste.”

Raewon, showing his annoyance, plopped down on the sofa. plop. As the linen sofa cushion sank down with the sound, Raewon fiddled with the armrest. This chair is something else. Once you leaned back, it made you endlessly lounge around.

“As for me, I know Raewon’s taste inside and out.”

“……”

“I was so disappointed that I didn’t see you all this time. I had to have you at least once. I’m the only one who hasn’t had you, you know.”

“Don’t get the wrong idea. Besides hyung, there are tons of guys who haven’t had me.”

Raewon replied half-heartedly and took a sip of water. His mood was already ruined, making him wonder if he had followed him for nothing.

“Still the same. Only playing hard to get with me.”

The man fumbled inside his clothes and took something out. The pack of cigarettes tossed onto the table looked somehow familiar. Raewon, without realizing it, stared intently at the cigarettes. Does this bastard know something? Why is he smoking the same cigarettes as Choi Taejin?

“I can smoke, right?”

“……Yeah.”

He skillfully pulled out a cigarette and put it to his lips. It was an ordinary motion, but strangely, his gaze was drawn to it. Raewon, with his face turned slightly, stared intently at the man.

The man, conscious of the gaze, let out a deflated laugh. pssh.

“That’s the face of someone who’s turned on, isn’t it?”

“……Not really.”

“Want a drag?”

The man offered the cigarette he was smoking. Raewon took the cigarette without thinking. He was originally a non-smoker, but he never smoked a cigarette given to him by others at a drinking party. Because there were guys who sometimes mixed strange things in them.

But now, how should I put it… his heart was leaning towards it. Because it was an object that reminded him of Choi Taejin, and because it was being offered by a man in a similar outfit. Funnily enough, it seemed he had missed that man a little.

Raewon carefully brought the cigarette to his lips. As he sucked on the moist filter, the smoke was drawn in. It was so strong that his vision momentarily blacked out.

Why did he smoke something so strong so often? Raewon let out a short puff of smoke. The taste left in his mouth brought back a memory that had been buried somewhere.

“You suck it well.”

The man wore a satisfied smile. At the suggestive tone, Raewon immediately extinguished the thought. He unhesitatingly stubbed out the cigarette he had smoked once in the ashtray.

“So, are you turned on?”

“I’ve been turned on from the start.”

“Too bad. Looks like only hyung is getting turned on.”

“What should I do to get Raewon going? Huh? Tell me.”

The man stealthily closed the distance. From the closely pressed body, he could feel the unfamiliar body odor of another person. It would have been nice if he had worn a similar perfume too. A slight sense of disappointment remained.

Suddenly, a shadow fell over his face. Before he knew it, the man was gently pressing down on Raewon’s shoulder. Instead of avoiding the prelude to skinship, Raewon licked his own lips. The taste of the cigarette still lingered, so his lips tasted of Choi Taejin.

“Can you act a little?”

“Well, what kind of concept do you want?”

“Like a gangster…… act scary.”

The man burst into a deflated laugh. That’s difficult…. At the muttered words, Raewon lightly tapped his cheek. You can do it. Try it.

The man grabbed Raewon’s nape strongly. He glared fiercely, in his own way, and spat a curse at Raewon.

“Wanna die? Stop acting pricey and just spread your legs.”

The other’s reaction was cold.

“No, not that.”