Story Of A Villain

But as always, his voice trailed off with a sense of desperation. As he looked up earnestly with his large eyes, Gu Wonjae’s lips curved into a crooked smile.“You have a lot of friends, Cheongwoo.”By then, the sunset had faded completely.The garden’s outdoor lights, now bathed in the night, came on with a soft glow. Gu Wonjae grabbed Cheongwoo under both arms and lifted him up. Then he gently sat him on the porch railing.“Friends, huh…”As he murmured to himself, the halo of the moon cleared, and the man’s aura became more intense.Cheongwoo, looking at the man standing between his legs, held his breath once more. Turning away in fear, he felt a large hand grasp his hair, making him look straight ahead. The touch was surprisingly gentle, almost sweet.“You say you’re not a prostitute, Cheongwoo.”But slowly, the hand in his hair tightened its grip.“Do you take everything men give you because you like it?”“…Ah.”With the sudden, harsh grip, Cheongwoo’s head was forced halfway down, and fear once again filled his eyes. Moonlight seemed to flow like tears down his beautiful cheeks. Gu Wonjae chuckled at the sight, as if looking at the world’s biggest scoundrel.“Why do you, Mr. Chairman…”After a long while, Cheongwoo’s lips began to move.‘Not good.’He thought he should stop there, but his mouth always went against his will.Cheongwoo, trembling, lifted his eyes to meet Gu Wonjae’s gaze head-on.“Why do you always speak to me like that?”His chest swelled with a mix of injustice and sorrow. His mind, gone mad, kept moving his mouth.“I didn’t want to live like this either. But you’re the one who made me into a prostitute. You threatened to cut off my legs if I ran away. So why does it seem like all this is my fault, like it’s my mistake…”“Then is it my fault that your life is shitty?”Gu Wonjae, who had been listening quietly, asked with a slight frown.“Do you expect me to shower you with favors without touching your pretty body at all?”“…”“Should I let you run away without a care, and always back off politely despite countless rejections?”“…”“Is that worth it?”His calm gaze looked at Cheongwoo without wavering. Gu Wonjae never spoke in a torrent, but his slow words hid blades that turned Cheongwoo’s mind into a blank slate. He couldn’t think of anything to say or find any words in response.The man released Cheongwoo’s hair, gently cupping his small chin, and whispered solemnly.“So, Yeon Cheongwoo.”“…”“Did you do wrong, or not?”It was strange. Oddly enough, Gu Wonjae’s calm remarks hurt Cheongwoo more than Sangseop’s blatant insults. It always seemed to be that way.Cheongwoo slowly lowered his gaze.“I did wrong…”By the end of his answer, the tears he had been holding back burst forth. Today, too, Cheongwoo had to admit to a fault he didn’t understand, crying.Gu Wonjae thought that the sight of Cheongwoo, with tears continuously falling from his wet eyelashes, was oddly pleasing. Seeing this, he felt a sense of relief from the dirty feeling he had been carrying. Yeon Cheongwoo was crying beautifully, for no one else but Gu Wonjae.🧸Outside the gate.Since the bleeding wouldn’t stop, Manager Choi pulled out a handkerchief from inside his jacket to support Sangseop’s chin and forced his mouth open. It was hard to assess the condition as his throat, jaw, nose, lips, and tongue were all covered in blood. When he stuffed the bunched-up handkerchief into Sangseop’s mouth, he made choking sounds.“Take him to the emergency room.”“Yes, Manager.”After wiping the blood from his hands, Manager Choi took a deep breath. Looking around, the scene seemed as if time had pooled and stopped. Beyond the tiled wall, the garden was filled with dusk, and Chairman Gu stood alone.Yeon Cheongwoo was not visible, presumably having gone inside the annex first.He was a good, straightforward kid, according to the background check.‘Is he Gui-shui (癸水)?’According to the shaman, his birth chart was of noble water, with all four pillars made of water.‘Too clear, hence vulnerable. His grandmother used to keep him close, like a protective screen, but as she aged, she couldn’t. Now that his pure destiny has been exposed to the world, everyone is trying to muddy it.’And she said, looking at the solid Chairman Gu,‘You are a Taishan by the lake.’Manager Choi, listening nearby, suddenly thought of an image of overflowing rainwater being contained within a dam. Only the supreme Taishan could turn the naturally falling rainwater into a lake and protect it from external pressures.And both the lake and Taishan are beautiful by themselves. Just by placing them together, they create a landscape, a world.‘But…’It was hard to precisely define the relationship between the two. Above all, since Chairman Gu met Yeon Cheongwoo, he had shown behaviors that were previously unseen. He never personally engaged in violence, only commanding it, and one could say he was born without emotions. His current actions were puzzling even after serving him for over ten years.“…”At that moment, Chairman Gu’s gaze shifted from the chrysanthemums blooming under the porch railing to the walkie-talkie discarded on the grass.Observing this, Manager Choi quickly shook his head to dispel unnecessary thoughts.He was the firstborn son of the Gu family.Born with an ability that could be either a curse or a blessing, never once having looked up at another, this man. Whatever his will, it must be followed. No resentment or doubt should be entertained. In the end, according to fate, to Chairman Gu, that boy would merely be the rainwater to be kept calm, just a necessary element. That was predestined.“Manager Choi.”“Yes, Young Master.”The garden was enveloped in darkness. As Gu Wonjae took out a cigarette, Manager Choi quickly rummaged through his jacket pocket for a lighter and approached.“There are quite a lot of young male servers here.”Gu Wonjae, not taking his eyes off the walkie-talkie rolling on the lawn, brought the lit cigarette to his lips.“They make a lot of mistakes every time they come and go to the annex, maybe because they’re young.”“Ah… is that so? I will convey that to Manager Jung or Manager Yoon. May I ask who exactly made those mistakes?”The man answered with a calm breath instead of words.As silence continued, Manager Choi, who had been lost in thought, finally looked up cautiously after a while.“As I heard from Manager Jung before… Dowonhyang’s servers need to be physically fit, and since it’s a service job, they’ve mainly recruited young men in their twenties with neat appearances. It seems to be an issue of age, as you pointed out, Young Master.”“Is that so?”“Yes, Young Master.”Manager Choi continued calmly.“I will immediately convey that servers under 25 should be replaced with those of an appropriate age.”As expected of someone quick on the uptake, Manager Choi gave the right answer promptly.Only then did Gu Wonjae walk towards the walkie-talkie. Habitually, he silently crushed the weak object under his foot. After looking at the broken walkie-talkie for a moment, he concluded the conversation in a flat voice before entering the annex.“Tell them the severance pay will be covered by us.”🧸Two days had passed since then.The swelling and bruises on his face had mostly subsided, but instead, there were more marks on his body. From his neck to his toes, it was hard to find a spot without Gu Wonjae’s bite marks.Now, he was accustomed to falling asleep naked and waking up the same way. Despite having his first experience less than a month ago, he felt like he was already worn out. There was no position he hadn’t tried, and he had even been taken standing up. Recalling last night, Cheongwoo’s cheeks inevitably reddened.‘I really hate it.’Cheongwoo bit on his swollen lower lip while wrapping the blanket around himself. He found Gu Wonjae so hateful and scary, yet his body kept responding. It was strange. If he hated Gu Wonjae, shouldn’t he also hate touching him?Lost in thought, he unconsciously tensed his buttocks. They felt refreshing without the sticky sensation from before.‘Come to think of it, the blanket…’It was completely wet yesterday, but now it looked fluffy like a new one. Who cleaned it up?Cheongwoo moved from where he was sitting, lowering his feet to the floor beside the bed, feeling a slight chill, so he wrapped the blanket even tighter around himself. He wondered why it was cold; it turned out the window leading to the veranda was slightly open.There were slippers on the rug, but out of habit, he walked barefoot, carefully. As he approached the veranda, the bright autumn sunlight poured onto his eyelids. A low voice rang out.“Come here.”The man was sitting at the garden table, legs crossed, surrounded by beautifully blooming chrysanthemums.Cheongwoo, after hesitating, pulled the blanket up to his chin and stepped out onto the veranda barefoot. The air was filled with the scent of coffee and paper.On the table, there was a large glass of apple juice, presumably for him. Cheongwoo wrapped the blanket around himself again and sat quietly in the chair.Sipping through the straw, he glanced up. The man, who had voraciously consumed Cheongwoo’s body all night, now looked like a sculpture under the cold sunlight, soaked in languid satisfaction. His serene gaze, matching his aristocratic appearance, slowly scanned the book.The man from last night, who had devoured him so thoroughly he couldn’t even leave the bed, seemed like a different person from the Gu Wonjae sitting before him now. He looked as elegant as the third-generation chaebol from the movies. Though there might not be much difference in essence.Was this man really the same one who would step on people with his feet, throw hurtful words casually, ravage him so calmly, and treat him so easily?His small face, lost in thought, slowly lowered. He sipped the cool juice through the straw, cheeks drawn in, and the next moment, a warm sensation supported his chin. Looking up slowly, he saw the deep, dark eyes of Gu Wonjae like a well, close and looking down at him.Kiss.Their lips touched. Cheongwoo’s mouth opened weakly under the invasion of Gu Wonjae’s tongue.Gu Wonjae tilted his head deeply, engaging in a sloppy kiss, pulling Cheongwoo closer. He felt the weight of Cheongwoo’s petal-like body settling on his knees and the trembling of his jaw.“Um, hmph…”Cheongwoo’s chest heaved as if he were out of breath. He also felt the ticklish touch of hands groping his firm shoulders.Gu Wonjae stirred deeply within Cheongwoo’s apple-scented mouth, lightly biting his lower lip before pulling back. He licked Cheongwoo’s lips, which were gasping for air, and whispered.“You almost die every time we kiss.”“Mr. Chairman’s tongue is big… it fills my mouth.”“But Cheongwoo likes big things, right?”Realizing what he meant, Cheongwoo’s ears burned red.“No, I don’t. I don’t like big things.”Gu Wonjae bit those cherry-like lips, which kept saying no, gently once more. At that moment, a kitchen staff member approached the veranda window and asked.“Mr. Chairman, shall I prepare the meal?”“Yes.”In the midst of confusion, Cheongwoo was frantically pulling the blanket up to cover his face. Would that really hide him? Gu Wonjae stifled a laugh, leaning back against the chair.“Lower the blanket.”Cheongwoo’s face, full of caution, shook his head slightly. Gu Wonjae, still in a relaxed posture, slipped his hand under the blanket. Naturally grabbing Cheongwoo’s buttocks, he made Cheongwoo tense up just as the kitchen staff began entering through the side door with food. Cheongwoo’s eyes, glancing towards the side door, slowly calmed.Hwang Seongyeon hadn’t come to serve in the last two days.The servers were not around, and even simple meals and snacks were brought by kitchen staff. Something felt off.“Um… Mr. Chairman.”Cheongwoo, with his buttocks grabbed, squirmed and looked up.“Did you meet Seongyeon?”‘Seongyeon.’Gu Wonjae, casually rubbing his temples, answered softly, “Yes.” Cheongwoo’s lips moved.“When…?”“That day, in front of the gate.”That day? Could he mean the day two days ago when he gave the acorn bracelet?Before Cheongwoo could ask more, he moistened his dry lips with apple juice, and Gu Wonjae murmured indifferently.“I buried him well.”“…”“With concrete.”Cheongwoo spat out the juice he was drinking. Gu Wonjae’s lips, watching him, stiffened for a moment before relaxing.“Ah… you’re joking, right?”Regaining his senses, Cheongwoo wiped his lips with the back of his hand, looking up with an innocent face.“You were joking, right?”“Who knows.”“You’re teasing me?”“What do you think?”Sensing the relaxed atmosphere, Cheongwoo mumbled while observing Gu Wonjae’s expression.“Well, I don’t think you’re someone who would do that.”“Really?”Gu Wonjae asked calmly, tilting his head. It was as if he’d never heard of such a thing.Cheongwoo, nodding vigorously while looking back at him, slightly smiled. Sweat was forming at the back of his neck.“Yes… you’re, like, really cool and, um, gentle.”Gu Wonjae also pulled his lips into a slight smile. He saw right through Cheongwoo’s attempt to dispel the situation with flattery.“Me?”“Yes…”Still, it didn’t feel bad.Cheongwoo’s small hand was clutching Gu Wonjae’s clothes with a desperate look. In his delicate eyes, which sparkled with both sunlight and moisture, only Gu Wonjae’s face existed. That fact, that he was the only one existing in that little world again, satisfied the man.“You try to be perceptive, but you lack perception.”He feigned an expressionless face while gently shaking Cheongwoo’s pink earlobe without causing pain.“You apologize for doing wrong without even knowing what you did wrong.”Then he moved his hand to Cheongwoo’s cheeks, squeezing them in one hand. As Cheongwoo tried to protest with a round “But that’s because of you…”, his cheeks were pressed together, making his jelly-like lips comically pucker.“Pfft.” Cheongwoo made a face of disbelief, slightly parting his lips. Although his eyes were full of complaints, his cute, distorted cheeks made him look harmless.Gu Wonjae, watching this with a calm face, had a brief smile at the corner of his mouth. It was a serene, cool smile that blended with the autumn light.“Where did this come from…”At that moment, thinking the man’s eyes looked somewhat unfamiliar, their lips gently met. Cheongwoo blinked slowly with a dazed look. In the bright silence of the garden, the chest pressed against him felt endlessly firm and broad, like a mountain.🧸When he went out to the living room, there were piles of shopping bags, all from luxury stores in Seoul.They were thicker than the clothes from last time, with many pretty coats and padded jackets. Most of the clothes were in light pastel tones and were small in size, clearly not belonging to Gu Wonjae.‘Are these for me?’There were still many new clothes from last time that he hadn’t even opened yet. Plus, they all looked expensive. Cheongwoo felt overwhelmed, his toes twitching nervously.Then, he met eyes with Team Leader Jung, who was standing by the pillar in the living room. Feeling unnecessarily awkward, he tried to avoid eye contact, but then Team Leader Jung, with his usual blunt expression, pointed somewhere with his chin.Looking in that direction, he saw a small box among the large shopping bags on the table. It was a box for the latest phone model. Seeing it, his heart swelled with excitement. Cheongwoo’s clear cheeks glowed with joy.Holding the phone close to his chest to prevent it from being taken away, he wandered around before sneaking into the dressing room, checking if anyone was watching.The sound of bare feet reached Gu Wonjae’s ears as he sat on the wide sofa, looking at his tablet. The corners of his handsome lips subtly curved.“Hello? Grandma!”Feeling the dressing room wasn’t secure enough, Cheongwoo crawled into the wardrobe and called his grandmother first. While exchanging greetings as usual, his grandmother suddenly asked:— Only four months left, right?“Huh?”— I mean, my baby suffering in that secluded mountain place…Cheongwoo, crouched with the phone in hand, swallowed hard. He couldn’t think of what to say.— Just thinking about my child makes my heart melt. I should have been there to keep away the dirty hands, but now, in my old age, this has happened. It would be nice if you could call more often to ease my worries.Cheongwoo, rubbing his teary eyes, answered as cheerfully as he could.“We can talk often now, Grandma. They allow phones here now. I’ll call you morning and evening, so don’t worry about me and focus on your health, okay? I’ll get strength if you’re healthy…”In the end, he cried a little while holding the phone. After hanging up, his mind felt a bit foggy.Four months.He wasn’t sure when Gu Wonjae would leave this place, if he would leave at all. If he got tired of him before then, he might abandon him earlier.‘…Abandon.’Since he was easily taken, he would be easily tired of. So, abandoning him would be just as easy.Looking at the new phone, Cheongwoo shook his head slightly to clear his thoughts.Then he called Gyujin and got a scolding mixed with concern. He had to stop him from coming immediately.— You said there’s a guest who’s harassing you. You said you’d quit and come back, but then you cut off all contact; do you know how worried I was?“Ah, I know, I’m sorry. It just happened that way. But I’m really okay. I’m doing well…”— Okay, my ass. Anyway, even when you were still, all sorts of trash used to stick to you.“Huh?”— Don’t you remember? Kang Sangjun.“Oh… what, that was ages ago.”Cheongwoo mumbled, his voice half-drowned. His fingers, which had been fiddling with the wardrobe hinges, gradually stopped.Hearing that name, he recalled the unwanted touches under the guise of playing games and the particular smell of sweat from middle school days. His mood soured instantly.“Why bring him up suddenly?”— Well, I heard he got expelled from high school and now he’s involved with some gang, scamming people with used cars. Jeong-won ran into him not long ago and nearly peed himself out of fear.‘Nearly peed himself out of fear…’, hearing that made Cheongwoo snort. He thought it was because Kang Sangjun hadn’t met a truly scary gangster.Anyway, starting with Kang Sangjun, he caught up on news about other school friends, having a long chat without noticing the time passing. By the time they ended the call with a promise to keep in touch more often, an hour had already passed.‘Why did he suddenly buy me a phone?’Cheongwoo looked at the sleek new phone, casually opening the internet and checking the gallery. It felt great without any lag. His old phone was seven years old, slow, with calls dropping all the time, and the camera was terrible…Quietly opening the wardrobe door, he saw no one was in the dressing room.Cheongwoo tidied his hair and turned on the camera function. The image was very clear. Under the beautiful lighting of the dressing room, his clear face stood out even more.He awkwardly smiled and took a selfie, sending it to his grandmother and Gyujin with a message saying not to worry, he was doing well. After staring at the blank screen for a while, Cheongwoo carefully put the new phone in his pants pocket.🧸In the afternoon, Gu Wonjae seemed to be preparing to go out, dressing in a dark classic suit. He told Cheongwoo to get ready to go out as well.Cheongwoo, looking perplexed, followed the instructions and changed into new clothes. He wore a light, sky-blue padded jacket, slacks, a round-neck tee, and soft white sneakers. The jacket was so roomy that only his fingertips peeked out from under the sleeves.“Ah… are we going to Daechae-won?”He asked if they were heading to the members-only restaurant. Gu Wonjae didn’t answer, just walked out the door, grabbing Cheongwoo’s small hand. Cheongwoo stared at his captured hand in shock.“The car.”“It’s waiting at the West Gate parking lot. Should we bring it to the front?”“No, we’ll walk. The weather’s nice.”As they walked leisurely, holding hands, the hem of Gu Wonjae’s coat fluttered lightly.Cheongwoo felt extremely uncomfortable and anxious about this situation. His sense of caution didn’t diminish.It had been a while since he last left the annex. While walking briskly through the village, he kept glancing around, his gaze constantly drawn to Gu Wonjae, who walked a step ahead.His hand held in the large one was barely visible.Without realizing it, he fidgeted with his fingers hidden in the man’s hand, then made a deeply disappointed expression. Trying to pull his hand free would risk breaking his fingers. Gu Wonjae looked down at Cheongwoo, appreciating how his lips were tightly closed like a shell and his white cheeks subtly blushed.“Where are we really going…?”As they passed through the entrance of the annex village, Cheongwoo looked up anxiously. The man, with a cigarette diagonally between his lips, looked back and asked gently.“Why, are you afraid I’ll bury you?”“…”“Let’s go for some fresh air.”He had always felt this, but Gu Wonjae’s humor was too grim. Cheongwoo felt the soft down on his neck stand up.Then, their eyes met as Gu Wonjae was looking down at him. As Cheongwoo unconsciously wiggled his captured fingers, a brief smile crossed Gu Wonjae’s lips. Cheongwoo’s neck naturally shrank.‘Why is he like this?’Today, Gu Wonjae had laughed a lot.Of course, most of the time it was a mocking chuckle, but each time, Cheongwoo felt confused and ended up flustered. These laughter moments usually led to physical contact, ending with Gu Wonjae biting him somewhere. Cheongwoo, still feeling the sting on his neck, quickened his pace while rubbing it.Perhaps because the day was nice, many people were out in Dowonhyang’s vast courtyard.Among the bright autumn scenery, people were seen enjoying traditional games as a pastime. Cheongwoo, struggling once more to free his hand from Gu Wonjae’s grip but failing, noticed all eyes turning towards them.‘Is this a new way to shame me?’If what Hwang Seongyeon said was true, everyone here would know about Gu Wonjae and Cheongwoo’s relationship. The rumors had already spread widely.Looking back, he saw dozens of intimidating gangsters following behind, and Gu Wonjae was in front. Overcome with embarrassment, Cheongwoo pressed himself close to Gu Wonjae’s back.Feeling this, a faint smile appeared again at Gu Wonjae’s lips.Because of the height difference, when Gu Wonjae took one step, Cheongwoo had to take two quick steps. The sound of his light, cute footsteps pattered underfoot as he tried to keep up.With another chuckle from Gu Wonjae, Cheongwoo’s eyes filled with both curiosity and caution. At the same time, the followers exchanged glances of disbelief, as it was rare for Gu Wonjae to laugh like this.Soon, they arrived at the West Gate parking lot. The two climbed into the back seat of a sedan.Cheongwoo sat at the edge of the back seat as if he were a guest. Feeling even that wasn’t enough, he hastily lowered the armrest to keep some distance, looking relieved. This was rather cheeky, so Gu Wonjae didn’t let go of Cheongwoo’s soft cheek until he started to whimper to be released.“Crying will get you everything.”The man, with a calm expression, rolled down the window and lit a cigarette. This was after he had tightly pulled Cheongwoo close to his side.“Let’s go.”“Yes, sir.”The massive gates of Dowonhyang opened to either side.🧸Typically, the spirits of Dowonhyang would go out with guests to nearby towns or engage in fishing and camping by nearby lakes or rivers.Cheongwoo expected this, but the sedan passed through the town after leaving the mountains. Instead, it took the highway for another two hours to reach the largest tourist spot in the area. It was a place with a famous beach, where the surrounding commercial area was well-developed.As the sea came into view through the car window, Cheongwoo subtly moved away from Gu Wonjae’s embrace to stick close to the window. It was nearing sunset. Cheongwoo’s retina sparkled clear as he looked at the endlessly undulating blue water beyond the coastal road.“People would think you’ve never seen the sea before.”Gu Wonjae whispered calmly, touching Cheongwoo’s cheek. Cheongwoo moved his lips slightly.“It’s my first time.”The man’s hand, which had been rubbing Cheongwoo’s cheek, stopped.“Is that possible?”“…”Suddenly, he felt a bit embarrassed by the tone, “Is that possible?”Unable to find other words to say, Cheongwoo just quietly took in the sight of the sea. According to his grandmother, he had been to the seaside with his mother when he was little, but he had no memory of it. In middle school, he was forbidden from wandering around, and in high school, he had no time for leisure.As the silence grew, Cheongwoo changed the subject.“Why are we suddenly going to the sea?”“Just to eat.”…Oh. So, people do come to the sea just to eat.Cheongwoo nodded quietly, accepting this.Gu Wonjae observed Cheongwoo’s round cheeks, his subtly red ears, and his fluttering eyelashes for a while.Suddenly, he reached out, gently pinching the plump cheek between his fingers without hurting him. Yet, Cheongwoo didn’t take his eyes off the window, and Gu Wonjae’s smile didn’t fade.The car soon arrived at a quiet seaside.The large restaurant’s glass facade sparkled in the purplish dusk. The restaurant itself faced a beautiful coast, adorned with various sculptures and flower-decorated pergolas, giving off an elegant, exotic vibe. As soon as they got out of the car, the refreshing sound of waves and the salty scent of the sea rushed in.They were led to a private octagonal room with glass walls.Though his guard was somewhat lowered, the tension remained. Before even sitting down, Cheongwoo kept looking around.‘This place seems expensive.’Not just the sea, but this high-end restaurant was also a first for him. As Cheongwoo hesitated, Gu Wonjae took his hand again. Feeling the peculiar gazes from the staff, Cheongwoo kept lowering his head.‘…This must be how it is.’Cheongwoo thought, looking at the pure white roses on the table.That is, other spirits would also be taken to nice places like this to eat good food when their dedicated guest felt like it. It wasn’t anything special. Other spirits were even carried back in luxury, there was no need to read too much into it.In fact, it was silly to keep questioning Gu Wonjae’s actions and analyzing their meaning.This man was just sharing his daily life with his dedicated spirit. In other words, to him, Cheongwoo was merely a substitute for a lover – easier, more convenient, and something he could treat casually…“Is the food… to your taste?”The voice was low but somehow warm, making Cheongwoo’s throat tighten for a moment.Such a capricious person.He only gently moved his lips before half-lowering his head.“Yes… it’s delicious.”Maybe because everything with this man was a first, that’s why everything felt so confusing.As he gave a small answer, Cheongwoo wiped the steak sauce from his lips with the back of his hand. Gu Wonjae gestured towards the napkin. Realizing his mistake, Cheongwoo, with a red face, quietly took the napkin and wiped his mouth again.“Um, why aren’t you eating more, Mr. Chairman?”“Too greasy.”Having lived with him, Cheongwoo noticed that Gu Wonjae ate surprisingly little for his large build, choosing his food carefully. Instead of indulging in alcohol and cigarettes, he ate sparingly and seemed to have a special diet. Additionally, Cheongwoo’s stomach would get upset with just a little movement after eating, but that didn’t seem to be the case for Gu Wonjae.Gu Wonjae ate a few pieces of steak before quickly setting down his knife. Leaning back in his plush chair, he mainly drank wine while watching Cheongwoo eat.‘Whether the food goes in through the mouth or the nose…’The view of the sea beyond the glass was beautiful, and the food was delicious. The problem was the person across from him.Throughout the meal, Gu Wonjae didn’t eat much and just watched Cheongwoo. Cheongwoo thought of it as ‘watching.’When Cheongwoo clumsily cut the meat with a fork and knife in each hand, when he stuffed his cheeks with meat and vegetables, when he couldn’t help but smile at the perfect harmony of juicy meat and well-cooked vegetables, Gu Wonjae would chuckle softly from across the table.Startled by the sound, when Cheongwoo hesitated in his eating, Gu Wonjae would say in a low, gentle voice, “Eat.”Bite by bite.Cheongwoo, while keeping an eye out, ate diligently until he glanced up and their eyes met.Gu Wonjae, with a twitching corner of his mouth, asked, “Where does all that food go?”“It’s going to my height…”Gu Wonjae chuckled again.He said while holding his wine glass with languid eyes, “From now on, send it to your body.”“…”“There’s nothing to touch.”You touch me all the time.Cheongwoo retorted back and quickly stuffed a piece of meat into his mouth.Seeing Cheongwoo’s cheeks move busily with food, Gu Wonjae could no longer hold back, leaning back further and whispering, “Come here.” Cheongwoo, shocked, shook his head vigorously.“Don’t be cheeky, again.”Gu Wonjae put on a stern face for no reason, and Cheongwoo, immediately intimidated, put down his fork and stood up awkwardly.He straightened his knees, and as Cheongwoo’s soft body naturally came down into his embrace, Gu Wonjae slipped his hand under Cheongwoo’s shirt, rubbing his warm, soft lower abdomen, and gently bit his plump cheek. Cheongwoo made rejecting sounds, “No, no…”Haah. Gu Wonjae swallowed a sigh-like moan, feeling deeply that he was full without even eating.After the meal, they took a light stroll along the beach. There were rooms available on the upper floor of the restaurant, but Gu Wonjae disliked changing his sleeping place.While feeling the gentle sea breeze, the sun completely set, and Cheongwoo gazed helplessly at the scene where the sun and sea met in red.“It’s so beautiful.”For the first time, Cheongwoo murmured without fear or reluctance.A soft breeze lifted Cheongwoo’s delicate hair, revealing his white forehead.Gu Wonjae looked down at Cheongwoo, not the sea, with a somewhat enigmatic look. The clear eyes reflected the sparkling sea, and the light blue aura mixed with the red sunset.This kid shines like this when he’s happy.Slowly lighting a cigarette, he looked back at the sea. It was a place that resembled Cheongwoo’s aura.However, the next words made his mood sink surprisingly heavy.“I want to bring my grandmother here when she gets better.”That damn grandmother.Gu Wonjae’s eyes instantly returned to their original coolness.It was just a simple wish to share future moments with family, yet why did it grate on his nerves? In reality, Gu Wonjae was not present in Yeon Cheongwoo’s past, present, or the future he desired.So, why?Gu Wonjae’s face slowly tilted down, lost in thought.He was the eldest son of the Gu family. In other words, he had the heavy duty to produce an heir to continue the family line.From his 18th birthday when he was marked with the symbol of the Gu family’s head, this fact never changed. Even his father, who had only one woman by his side his whole life, and his grandfather, who was obsessed with womanizing, both fulfilled this duty as the eldest son with diligence.‘And this child?’He was just ‘rainwater.’Moreover, a boy who couldn’t even bear children. A being born to make him feel good and to neutralize his severe lethargy. Nothing more, nothing less than a mere necessity…It was so from the beginning and would remain unchanged in the future.Quickly quelling his brief confusion, Gu Wonjae withdrew his gaze from the sea and pulled out his phone.“Bring the car.”— Yes, Young Master.Just as Cheongwoo, pulling out his new phone, was about to take a picture of the sunset beach, he paused, his face blank with an inevitable sense of regret.He must not want to return to Dowonhyang, to that annex.Whatever, it didn’t matter.Gu Wonjae lightly pressed his large hand on Cheongwoo’s round crown before walking past him. Despite the light footsteps following him, the man no longer smiled.🧸The return journey in the car was somewhat silent.Cheongwoo stared blankly out the darkened window, while Gu Wonjae sat at a distance, checking business proposals in Seoul on his tablet.About 20 minutes after they entered the toll gate, Cheongwoo, blinking sleepily, softly spoke in a mosquito-like voice.“I need to use the bathroom.”Gu Wonjae, still focused on his tablet, spoke to the driver.“Stop at a rest area.”“Yes, sir.”The driver checked the navigation. There was a large rest area 10km ahead.‘…It’s strange.’New clothes, a new phone, a nice dining atmosphere, a beautiful beach.‘He didn’t say anything upsetting today, and he laughed a lot, but suddenly he’s been expressionless.’Cheongwoo idly fidgeted with his fingers on his lap. Glancing sideways, he saw Gu Wonjae’s hand, also resting on his own knee, much larger, thicker, and more dominant than Cheongwoo’s.A slight ripple of emotion stirred in his heart, but he decided not to think about it further. He didn’t want to be swayed by this man’s whims anymore.Turning his gaze back to the window, he saw a rest area sign not far away.It was Friday evening, and since the area was a tourist spot, there were many cars. Most parking spots were taken, forcing them to park far from the building, and the car carrying the bodyguards seemed to be heading to a rest area for vehicles quite a distance away.Gu Wonjae got out of the car, leaned against it, and pulled out a cigarette. Cheongwoo, expecting Gu Wonjae to come with him, turned around with a bewildered look.At that moment, the bodyguards from the distant parked car began to gather around. Gu Wonjae, sucking on the cigarette to light it, mumbled,“Those who need to go, go.”“Yes, sir.”With the intimidating men forming a perimeter, people’s gazes were already drawn to them. Was Cheongwoo supposed to go with these men?Frightened at the thought of navigating through a crowd of gangsters, Cheongwoo started walking ahead as if on alert.“Young Master.”As Cheongwoo’s back was watched, Team Leader Choi approached, offering sunglasses. Gu Wonjae looked down, slightly raising one eyebrow.Indeed, there were an unusually large number of people around. In such crowded places, the faint waves of auras could be dizzying, so he usually wore sunglasses.“Should I put men behind him?”“No.”Answering quietly, he accepted the sunglasses. Then, he watched from afar as Cheongwoo disappeared into the restroom entrance at the edge of the building.Even with his slender, small frame, his exceptionally blue aura was conspicuous anywhere. He could find the child wherever he went.Wherever he went…The man’s eyes, calmly observing beyond the crowd, held an inspecting aura.🧸‘Walnut cookies.’Just as Cheongwoo stepped out of the restroom, he was briskly walking towards the central area where the parking lot was. The sweet aroma typical of rest stops began to tickle his nose.Eventually, he stood like one entranced in front of a glass showcase filled with food. Besides walnut cookies, there were also skewers with various sauces, street foods hard to come by in Dowonhyang.…Gulp.Seeing snacks made his mouth water even though he had eaten not long ago. Cheongwoo bit his lip slightly and moved his cheeks, then looked around without thinking. Gu Wonjae’s bodyguards were nowhere to be seen.Putting his hand into his padded jacket pocket, he felt the crumpled cash he had brought just in case. It was money he had planned to use for escaping but was caught before he could.Putting those distant memories aside, he gripped the rolled-up bills tightly in one hand. He immediately went to the kiosk and touched the screen. However, his finger hesitated for a moment before joyfully pressing for walnut cookies.‘Should I buy some for the chairman too?’His fingertips, showing hesitation, curled up slightly.It was doubtful if Gu Wonjae would even touch such things, but buying only for himself and eating alone seemed awkward…The dilemma was brief. The hand that was about to add one more bag of walnut cookies eventually added five more. And then he added ten chicken skewers. Since not only Gu Wonjae but the other gangsters had mouths to feed, he carefully counted and paid for their share too.‘I should buy some drinks as well.’Now, he had about 150,000 won left.After completing the payment, Cheongwoo carefully packed the food into a large paper bag, hugging it tightly, and started walking briskly. However, with so many people around, he had to be careful not to bump into anyone, which slowed him down.Gu Wonjae’s car was parked in the center of the building.As he left the rest area, he came across an outdoor space with rows of tables. Just as he was about to pass by, he noticed a boisterous group gathered at one of the tables.They all seemed to be in their early twenties. Each wore gold necklaces, tight tops with clear brand logos, and carried luxury clutches, dressed in various short shorts.Despite it not being a smoking area, the air was thick with cigarette smoke. As he got closer, the crude curses they shouted sounded like casual banter.‘Wearing shorts in this weather…’He thought they might be dressed like that to show off the spider tattoos on their thighs and legs. A man with a protruding belly, whose eyes briefly met Cheongwoo’s, had a fierce expression but youthful skin, clearly about Cheongwoo’s age. The man spat on the ground without a care.Frightening and dirty. He needed to hurry.Cheongwoo tried to keep his gaze straight ahead to avoid looking at them as he quickened his pace. The men noticed Cheongwoo passing by briskly.Feeling a particular man staring at him from under his cap, Cheongwoo froze like an icicle after a quick glance.“Hey, you…”The man in the cap mumbled through the noise with a voice tinged with laughter.What, do you know him? The surrounding men scanned Cheongwoo up and down with questions.‘…Kang Sangjun.’His heart started pounding.Cheongwoo, swallowing hard, tried to ignore him and pass by. Kang Sangjun stood up quickly, blocking his way with a body check, bringing back a nauseating memory. The overpowering smell of men’s cologne stung his nose.Cheongwoo’s face stiffened as he looked up at him in disbelief.“Shit, it’s you. Yeon Cheongwoo.”Kang Sangjun, grinning, waved his hand in greeting. He was always the type to use profanity as greetings. His neck and hand were covered with messy lettering and Japanese-style tattoos he hadn’t seen before. Thick platinum rings also caught his eye.“Man, it’s been fucking ages. You’re just going to walk by without saying hi? Don’t you remember me?”How could he forget?Cheongwoo tried to stay as calm as possible while wetting his dry lips.“Hi, long time no see.”“Yeah, yeah, hi. But where are you off to in such a hurry?”As Cheongwoo stepped back during the conversation, Kang Sangjun stepped forward just as quickly.Cheongwoo, subtly scanning the surroundings, murmured quietly.