TTRIA 60

“…Don’t go.”

A wet warmth enveloped his back. The damp breath on the nape of his neck was vivid even amidst the cold rain.

“Don’t go, Jeff….”

His faintly scattered voice trembled. But Jeff stared blankly into the void. As if he hadn’t even seen that expression, Cecil shook his head buried in the nape of his neck and whispered.

“…Don’t go.”

At those words, Jeff opened his mouth.

“Why should I.”

At the voice that cut through the darkness, he felt the breath behind him stop.

“You abandoned me.”

“…No.”

A desperate voice burst out.

“No, no….”

Jeff, still not turning back, answered coolly.

“You left me, abandoned like trash.”

“It’s not like that. I didn’t abandon you….”

A plea-filled denial flowed out. Only then did Jeff slowly turn around. His distorted gaze pierced Cecil’s face.

“Then you shouldn’t have left.”

The words that burst out like an explosion crushed the air in an instant.

“You shouldn’t have left alone!”

Jeff shouted, roughly grabbing Cecil by the collar. The sharp voice that burst out was torn with anger and resentment. Cecil couldn’t say anything and just shed tears. Rain and tears mixed, flowing down his cold cheeks. Jeff stared coolly at the pitifully dying eyes and said.

“You shouldn’t have done that.”

Cecil’s mouth opened and closed. But as if the sound was blocked, only a trembling breath flowed out.

“Even if it meant being caught by Wayne and dragged back, we should have been together.”

At those words, Cecil swallowed his breath and closed both his eyes. Jeff, who was watching the ceaselessly flowing tears, added.

“Even if it meant being thrown into the mud, you should have been with me.”

With that painfully hoarse voice, Jeff released his hand. And he turned again to take a step. Just then.

“…I was scared.”

Cecil, who had hastily grabbed his clothes, said.

“I was scared.”

Jeff’s steps stopped.

“Because I realized there was no way to escape. I have finally changed, but that place is still so terrible. Because I know that terribleness will harm you….”

“……”

“I was so scared.”

A tremor was mixed in at the end of the tearful voice.

“I thought if I went back, he would lose interest in you. That he would leave you alone… because of the foolish hope that he would let you go…. I ruined everything.”

A pitiful breath burst out from behind him. Jeff slowly turned back. He stared blankly at the blue eyes that hastily met his gaze. At that coldness, Cecil’s red-rimmed eyes twitched. He suppressed a sorrowful breath and just shed tears continuously.

Jeff slowly opened his mouth.

“The Allen my mother told me about was a kind and beautiful young man. But the Allen in my memory was a monster.”

“……”

“How did he end up so broken? I thought about it hundreds, no. Thousands of times. And now I finally know the answer.”

Jeff, who was looking at Cecil, took a step closer to him.

“He was taken. By a monster.”

Cecil’s lips, who had swallowed his breath, trembled faintly.

“By a bug, his body was taken by you people.”

“Jeff….”

Jeff asked in a low voice.

“Are you the same? Did you also take that body?”

At those words, Cecil’s face turned pale and despair settled in. Jeff, without taking his eyes off him, said.

“I was curious after I found out. Watching me search for the connection between Allen and the bug, what on earth would you have said.”

“……”

“Would it have been funny.”

At the words that seemed to hold a dagger, Cecil’s eyes shook greatly.

“No!”

He shouted desperately, shaking his head. As if he were suffocating, his pale face was consumed by pain. Tears flowed endlessly from both his eyes.

“No, no….”

Despair was felt in his terribly shaking voice. Pain was felt in the movement of him shaking his head in denial. Jeff’s gaze, facing the choking indignation, slowly changed.

“No?”

He took another step closer.

“Then tell me.”

He said, as if chewing on the words in a low, sharp voice.

“Tell me about yourself. Don’t hide anything, tell me everything.”

“……”

Cecil, who had swallowed his breath at the somehow changed voice, looked at Jeff. He closed his eyes to the vision blurred by rain and tears and let the moisture flow. Before they could well up hotly again, he opened his eyes and confirmed Jeff was in front of him. And then Jeff, who had been as cold as a person devoid of emotions,

“…Please.”

was pleading with him, shedding tears mixed with resentment. Cecil reached out a trembling hand and grabbed Jeff’s arm. And finally, leaning his whole body in, he embraced him.

There was a young bug.

That bug did not even know when or where it was born. A primal trace that could neither be remembered nor proven. It was simply thrown into the world by existing. But the bug instinctively realized one fact.

That it could take the body of a beast or a human.

And that bugs who had thus obtained a shell and hidden their true form were living in this world.

Their instinct was so clear, but the young and fragile bug rejected it. It was fine to wither away and crumble, just as it was born. Even if it was fated to die of desiccation, that was the bug’s choice.

However, that choice was soon negated by someone’s hand.

The one who found him was Wayne’s father.

The Gray family had long realized the existence of bugs wearing human skins, and they used them as subjects for their greedy experiments.

Countless bugs trapped in glass bottles. Experiments that took their lives were repeated endlessly. The surviving bugs had to borrow human shells and serve him. The human ‘body’ occupied by a ‘bug’ was special, and their secretions became ingredients for <Vybrook>’s perfumes. Wayne’s father also continued the family line in that way.

His son, Wayne Gray, was a genius.

Wayne’s sensitive sense of smell had proven his talent as a perfumer early on, and his ambition even surpassed that talent. On the other hand, his twin brother, Cecil Gray, was nothing more than a useless shell with an immature mind. It was as if his intelligence and talent had been taken by his twin brother, leaving only a remnant of his form.

Wayne, who had frequented his father’s workshop since childhood, understood the existence of the ‘bug’ at once. His sense of smell was fixed on a single subject. On the being that emitted the most intense and captivating fragrance from within his father’s glass bottle.

It led him as if by fate.

And so, Wayne’s gaze naturally turned to his own brother.

His other half with the same face. A doll made for himself. Looking at the shell that had finally found its use, Wayne smiled brightly. At only five years old, he strangled his brother Cecil and presented the body to the bug.

And so, the bug became ‘Cecil’.

“From now on, you are my little brother.”

Wayne whispered, looking at ‘Cecil’ with a warm gaze. While stroking his cheek with the hand that had strangled his brother. Ironically, that was the first warmth of another person that ‘Cecil’ had ever felt.

“I like your scent. You are truly special.”

Wayne was the only one who sought out Cecil, who had been neglected amidst the mansion’s indifference. He cherished Cecil in his own way. He shared good things with him, and when he was lonely, he would visit the annex and spend time with him. It was all thanks to Wayne that he could fill his hungry stomach. That he could receive an education.

Cecil was protected under Wayne’s shadow. But that protection soon became a yoke, and his dreams were shattered.

“Wayne?”

On the day Wayne, who had not been seen for a while, appeared in a black suit.

“Father is dead.”

The shadow of the boy who whispered with an excited face,

“Now I am the master of Vybrook.”

Starting from that day, which felt so terribly black, Cecil’s daily life collapsed.

With the death of his father, Wayne became the new master of Gray. But he was still too young to lead the family, so on the surface, a guardian managed the family, but in reality, he was nothing more than a scarecrow. Wayne was already the center of the family, and the family had long been moving under his influence. From the moment Wayne’s talent surpassed his predecessor’s, his existence was no different from the new <Vybrook> itself.

Wayne used Cecil as a perfumery experiment subject. Through this, he learned that fragrance changes according to emotions. That was a characteristic unique to ‘bugs’ that had obtained a body. Wayne paid particular attention to the fragrance that bloomed in pain and accumulated data. How much of an injury was needed to change the fragrance. What kind of fragrance was created depending on the intensity of the pain. How much stronger the fragrance that bloomed from Cecil’s body became when his emotions reached their peak.

“How is it, Cecil. Does it hurt?”

Merciless violence was justified under the name of experimentation. Wayne engraved pain onto Cecil’s body and indulged in the changes in fragrance.

“How do you feel? Are you in pain? Are you crying because you’re in pain?”

He destroyed everything Cecil’s eyes fell upon. He observed the process of his mind and body breaking down in detail. But since he couldn’t let Cecil be completely broken, he had to leave one breathing hole. That was the violin.

Cecil, who had secretly watched the performance of a musician who visited the mansion for an event, could not take his eyes off him. As if he were captivated by the sound without even realizing it, he stood still, holding his breath. Wayne did not miss that look.

The blue eyes that wavered with concentration.

The fingertips that trembled slightly with the notes.

And in that moment, a faint emotion mixed into the air and the fragrance changed. Wayne realized. A way to use Cecil for a long time.

Unlike the real ‘Cecil’ who was an idiot, the ‘bug’ that became Cecil showed a natural talent for the violin. He had only been given an instrument, yet he created his own sounds and tuned the notes. Wayne liked to see Cecil play the violin. He himself was a born artist, and above all, he loved beautiful things.

Beautiful music created by a being with a beautiful fragrance. To Wayne, it was a perfect harmony without parallel. In exchange for suppressing Cecil’s world, Wayne allowed him freedom only through the violin. However, just as Cecil enjoyed freedom through the violin, Wayne suppressed his life even more thoroughly.

Cecil could not defy Wayne. Because his body had been tamed that way. The pain engraved on his body and the repeated brainwashing easily broke his resistance. Above all, Cecil knew the sin of the body he possessed. Although he had never wanted a human body, he believed he had to pay the price for occupying it. That he had to pay the price for Wayne having caused his brother’s death with his own ‘life’. And that was….

“…This child liked Wayne.”

It was also what the owner of the body wanted. He could realize it because he had seen the memories remaining in the body.

Wayne Gray. A being with the same face, but a completely different personality. Unlike ‘himself’, who was clumsy and slow, he was the other half who excelled at everything. A brilliant child loved by all. Whenever he saw him, ‘Cecil’ felt as if a corner of his empty heart was being filled to the brim.

“Idiot.”

It didn’t matter even if Wayne didn’t call him by his proper name.

“Disgusting.”

The gaze filled with contempt was also fine. Because Wayne was the only one who gave him any attention. ‘Cecil’ liked Wayne. It might have been a delusion created by deficiency. Or it might have been a blind emotion towards a being that might have originally been one.

‘Cecil Gray’, whom everyone called a useless ‘shell’, thought Wayne was his ‘essence’, and loved him very much. Having occupied the body of such a person, the ‘bug’ that had occupied Cecil didn’t even realize the reason to resist Wayne.

However, that did not mean he did not feel pain. As time passed, the pain given to Cecil deepened. Enduring sadistic abuse. The fact that at some point, there was an audience. The reality of having to be abused like a beast in front of them consumed Cecil’s soul.

Wayne noticed that change faster than anyone. And he came to a conclusion. That it was time to develop a new fragrance.

“Simple pain isn’t that special anymore. Let’s try something new, Cecil. Yes! From now on, let’s learn about pleasure.”

He decided to teach the well-grown body about desire. However, even though the body had grown, the inside was still immature. Wayne used drugs to draw out Cecil’s sexual desire. He carefully selected the fragrances of ‘bugs’ that would best match Cecil’s scent, gave them bodies, and had them have relations with him.

The ‘bugs’ willingly offered their bodies to Cecil, who possessed a captivating fragrance and appearance. The entire process was thoroughly conducted under Wayne’s gaze. As if he had forgotten to even blink, as if he were recording, appreciating, observing, and admiring.

As a result, there was a change in the full moon stage, which had been no different from a sadistic abuse performance. Wayne would heighten the audience’s stimulation with primal pain, and then began to add explicit eroticism to the stage. Cecil was an indispensable lead in that place. However, there was one problem.

“Because your face is the same as mine.”

Wayne used two methods to hide Cecil’s face.

One was to use a cloth that was subtly draped over the stage, and the other was to have him cover his face directly. As a result, the audience’s imagination was further stimulated, and that sinister direction fanned their desires even more. Because it was unseen, it was more stimulating, and because it was unknown, it was more sinister. Their desires soon became a tool to further elevate the value of <Vybrook>.

Every time he went on stage, Cecil was administered drugs. Because without them, he could not get excited at all. Only with the power of the drug could his penis get erect, and could he endure the hellish time.

“Because tonight is a special night.”

Wayne, wearing gloves, elegantly picked up the syringe on the tray. Scratch, the needle pierced Cecil’s skin and went in. A momentary sting brushed past him, and the liquid was slowly injected. A cold sensation seeped through his blood vessels. It was a cool sensation, as if ice were melting, but it did not last long.

“Haa….”

As soon as the coldness disappeared, a burning heat covered its place.

“Heok, heo-eu, heuk….”

His breathing quickened. It felt as if his heart was beating twice as fast, and the sensation that went from his fingertips, down his arms, and to his chest was painfully tingling. In an instant, his nerves were on edge. His body reacted without even a moment for the fact that Wayne was watching from the side to cross his mind.

It was hot.

Cecil clenched his fists tightly. The blood rushed to them, and the back of his hands turned white. His limbs trembled with a slight convulsion. The bedsheets felt rough like sand, and the fabric of his pants dug into his thighs with his panting breaths.

“It’s a newly developed drug. The reaction is faster than before, isn’t it?”

Wayne’s fingertips cupped Cecil’s chin. His face wavered beyond his forced-up gaze.

“Wayne, I hate this, it’s painful….”

“It’s not painful, it’s good.”

Wayne always said that. That everything he gave to Cecil was good. So don’t be afraid, don’t refuse, and accept it. Every time, Cecil wanted to deny the memories and emotions left in his body. In the face of pain, even blind faith and will wavered.

“I hate it, Wayne, it hurts, it’s painful…!”

His insides felt like they were on fire. The sound of his heartbeat echoed in his ears. It was a sound that seemed to vibrate even to his bones. His chest tightened, and it felt like the space between his thighs was burning. An ominous heat flowing through his blood vessels dug into the center of his body. A sensation began to waver from a deep place that his will could not reach.

“Aah… please, stop this…!”

“Don’t worry, Cecil. You’ll feel good soon without a single thought.”

Wayne smiled leisurely, looking down at Cecil writhing in pain. And just as he said, his reason soon disappeared as if it had turned to ash. Blink, Cecil opened his eyes and found himself thrusting his hips like a machine.

He really couldn’t think of anything. He was just moving his body as his instincts led. He copulated like a beast, in an act no different from mating. It was a hellish time, but it was a relief, if it was a relief, that the drug blurred his consciousness.

But the fragrance collected in that way was no different from when he was given ‘pain’. Wayne could not accept it. If the body knew pleasure, the fragrance should also change. But Cecil’s fragrance did not change. It was still a fragrance consumed by pain. It wasn’t as sweet as he had imagined, and he couldn’t feel any aroused desire.

“…I need a more suitable subject.”

Wayne began to collect fragrances and bodies that would move Cecil’s heart. The subjects were mainly beings that would not cause any trouble later.

The poor, vagrants, criminals.

Humans who live at the bottom of the world.

Wayne, following in his predecessor’s footsteps, collected humans as he collected bugs, and continued the sponsorship project that glorified it. The bright children were selected as bodies for the ‘bugs’ to occupy and became prodigies. Those who were not were made the hands and feet of the mansion and took on the dirty work.

But even that was not a simple process. Because not every bug could occupy just any human body. The body needed compatibility. The bugs knew this instinctively. They could select a body that suited them through ‘blood’.

The ‘bugs’ selected in this way, who had beautiful bodies and captivating fragrances, were used as Cecil’s ‘partners’. Their bodies were merely tools for the sake of ‘fragrance’.

Among the ‘bugs’ that had obtained bodies, the clever ones became Wayne’s close servants and went out into society. They selected sacrifices and led them to the mansion, or took on the role of finding ‘bugs’ that had not yet obtained bodies.

Hugo belonged to the latter. He was not as captivating as Cecil, but he had a sufficiently beautiful fragrance and was an intelligent bug. He had been chosen by the predecessor early on and had become a member of the Gray family in an unprecedented way.

A handsome appearance and a solid background. A charming personality that easily gained the favor of anyone. Many were drawn to Hugo without him even trying. He carefully selected only those among them who would not cause trouble later and led them to the mansion. While imitating the appearance of a kind and compassionate man who gave jobs to those in need.

And then he met Jeff. An appearance so striking that even his shabby clothes couldn’t hide it. But what caught his eye the most was his gaze. Jeff had eyes that drew people in. That reminded Hugo of someone he had forgotten.

“There are many things in the world you don’t know yet, but there are just as many things you can learn. What do you think, aren’t you excited?”

The first tutor he had met as a prodigy in the mansion in his childhood.

And when Hugo noticed that Jeff knew about the existence of the ‘bug’, he realized. Their connection.

Jeff was truly a perfect sacrifice. Hugo was convinced that he could stir Cecil’s emotions. It was a strange conviction that even Hugo himself could not understand.

And what if he failed? His body would become a ‘bug’s’ and prove its value. And if possible, Hugo thought he would like that body to become his own. The current shell was satisfactory enough, but it was nothing compared to Jeff’s. And so, Hugo led Jeff to the mansion.

Wayne liked Jeff. Because he loved beautiful beings as much as he created captivating fragrances. Moreover, he was very interested in him, who had noticed the mansion’s atmosphere early on. Wayne gave Jeff the freedom to run wild as he pleased and turned a blind eye to his eccentricities.

And then he let Cecil know of Jeff’s existence.