Precious Thing

As Jane gasped loudly for breath, Tae Woowon covered her mouth again. He pulled them into the shadows beneath a tree and scanned their surroundings. He sensed someone nearby; the mansion was still buzzing with the party, and guests could easily have wandered over to the annex. Quietly, he took deep breaths, feeling his chest rise and fall as the faint sounds gradually faded away. Only then did he let Jane go.“Boss… I feel like I’ve been reborn.”“Congratulations?”With a playful smirk, Tae Woowon ran a hand through his hair, realizing he’d lost his hat to the water currents. It didn’t matter—he’d only bought it at the market yesterday. No big deal if someone found it.“Grab your stuff, let’s head back to the hotel.”He was relieved they wouldn’t have to retrace their steps back past the laser security to the lake. They’d nearly drowned, but at least they made it.“Got it.”Jane, now with a smile, gathered her belongings from where she’d stashed them and took a deep breath. Tae Woowon also picked up his things, took a final breath, and dived into the water. Once back at the hotel, he’d shower and prepare for the flight. Back in Korea, he’d finally be able to hold Lee Yesin and get some sleep. With a soft smile, Tae Woowon glided forward through the gentle water.٠ ࣪⭑By the time they returned to the hotel, it was almost 3 a.m. Tae Woowon dropped his bag and clothes to the floor and grabbed his phone. Seeing no messages from the temporary bodyguard, he quickly showered and emerged, then packed Jo Seonggil’s precious jewels into a special bag that could pass undetected through security x-rays. Jane, unbothered, had collapsed in the suite’s living room without even showering. Tae Woowon left a note for her and headed out.He boarded his 6:30 a.m. flight with plenty of time to spare, letting the boring hours tick by. Despite the two-hour journey, Tae Woowon couldn’t fall asleep—not for lack of trying, just unable to drift off.Leaving the airport, he got into his car and dialed the temporary bodyguard. He considered calling Lee Yesin directly but knew he was unlikely to pick up, especially since he might be sleeping.“Yes?”“Anything unusual?”“No, nothing. Lee Yesin is asleep right now.”“Since when?”“Uh… since around 5 p.m. yesterday. He said he hadn’t slept a wink the night before.”It was more or less what he’d expected. Tae Woowon figured that Yesin would try to sleep for a full day, or take something to help if he couldn’t. But he’d gone to bed earlier than Tae Woowon had anticipated. Glancing at the car clock, Tae Woowon noted that Yesin had been asleep for over 12 hours.“Have you checked in on him?”“Yes, I’ve checked on him periodically. He’s a light sleeper, so I just looked from the other side of the partition; he’s still asleep.”“…And how exactly did you tell he was asleep from across the partition?”“Ah, uh, should I get closer to check?”“Yes. Now.”When Yesin took sleeping pills, he wouldn’t hear a sound. There was no reason for him to tell the temporary guard he was a light sleeper just to mess with him. Tae Woowon gripped the steering wheel and pressed the gas pedal.This was probably just needless worry, he told himself. Before he left, Yesin had been nothing but sweet. He’d tended to Tae Woowon’s injured hand, washed his hair clumsily, and, even in the rougher moments, clung to him, needy. He had even admitted that he couldn’t sleep without Tae Woowon around. He hadn’t asked when Tae Woowon would be back, likely fearing he’d wait all day. He had even asked for a gift—anything red, in a somewhat specific request. Yes, surely he was resting quietly in bed, behaving himself…“Uh, sir, I’m sorry. He’s not in his room.”“……”Words failed him. Tae Woowon pressed his hand to his mouth as he leaned against the window.“He… he left a decoy of himself with pillows and clothes, like he was still in bed. His phone’s still here too…”“Get out.”“Pardon?”“Get. Out.”“But it was my oversight, so maybe I can help look—”“Unless you want to spend the rest of your life flat on your back, get out.”The line fell silent, and then the call ended. Tae Woowon’s foot pressed harder on the accelerator, his mind a whirl of thoughts. Without a second to waste, he scrolled through his contacts, found Baek Hyeyun’s number, and dialed. Given the early hour, it took her a moment to answer.-“…Yes?”“Check the CCTV around Lee Yesin’s house with Seokkyung.”-“Wait… what? Why?”“Why do you think?”-“Did he run away?”Run away—that was exactly it. Luring Tae Woowon in, only to flee as soon as his guard was down. Where did the act begin and end? Where did the fake smiles and feigned concern stop? He’d fallen so easily for Yesin’s sweetness, for his kind gestures and words, his gentle touches. But of course, how could he resist? He had been so beautiful, so charming.“Start from the footage at 5 p.m. on Friday.”-“Got it. Did you manage to get into the vault?”“Without Yesin, what does it even matter?”The words slipped out before he could stop them. Tae Woowon ran a hand through his hair, frustrated, before adding in a more controlled tone for Hyeyun’s benefit.“…Yes, I did. I stole everything, so just focus on finding Yesin.”-“Got it. Drive safe.”Hyeyun hung up first, and Tae Woowon immediately called Kwon Heechan, who answered in his usual carefree tone.-“What’s up?”“You know why I’m calling.”-“Hmm… no idea. Did something happen to Yesin?”“Are you sure you don’t know?”-“Yeah, I don’t know. Why?”His voice sounded steady. Though Tae Woowon didn’t fully believe him, he knew he had no evidence yet. First, he’d search everywhere, then confront Heechan if there was any link. But he felt he should give Heechan a warning.“Don’t get caught. If you do, you can forget about graduating or anything else.”-“…Why are you going to such lengths?”Tae Woowon stayed silent. The question was understandable; after all, he was merely Yesin’s bodyguard.“Honestly, it’s true, right? Even if something happens to him, the worst you’d get is some scolding from Chairman Lee. You could just move on to another job…”Before he could finish, Tae Woowon hung up. There was no point justifying himself. He stepped harder on the gas.By the time he arrived at Yesin’s house, the temporary guard had already left. If he’d still been there, Tae Woowon would have acted without thinking. It was better he’d run off.Without unpacking, he went straight to Yesin’s room, grabbed his phone from the nightstand, and checked its contents. Everything was as it had been, except that recent records were missing. He pocketed the phone and went upstairs. Yesin’s expensive jewelry and the Sandrite necklace were gone. It finally sank in that Yesin had truly escaped. Tae Woowon stood in the dressing room, staring at the empty display case.٠ ࣪⭑“It cuts off here.”Seokkyung pointed to the computer screen. The footage showed Yesin following an unfamiliar man into an alley. Tae Woowon, now in the hotel room he used as his workspace, handed out breakfast to Baek Hyeyun and Seokkyung, who were busy on their computers, and listened to their report.After 5 p.m. on Friday, Lee Yesin left his house, stopped by the bank, then took a taxi to a busy area, where he smoked a cigarette in front of a karaoke bar. Soon, a man in a black cap approached, and they entered an alley together. That was the end. All CCTV cameras in the alley were either broken, and the back road was full of blind spots, making it impossible to tell where they went or what vehicle they used.“Search nearby car dashcams,” Tae Woowon instructed.“Yes, sir,” Seokkyung replied, and then Baek Hyeyun called him over to join her at the computer. Glancing back at Tae Woowon, who gave a short nod, Seokkyung quickly went to help her.Relieved he hadn’t wasted even more time returning from the lake, Tae Woowon reminded himself to stay calm and methodical as they searched, hoping fervently that Lee Yesin hadn’t left the country.“You didn’t expect him to take off before the heist was even done, right? Did you?” asked Baek Hyeyun as she examined the goods Tae Woowon had retrieved, her eyes sparkling at the sight of the Shining Bran.“No. I didn’t think he’d actually run.”Lee Yesin had always seemed like a gentle spirit who could accept defeat and who was vulnerable to kindness, so Tae Woowon had assumed he’d eventually settle in his arms. It was arrogant to think so. For Lee Yesin, fleeing was a reasonable choice. Losing the dream he’d pursued with Kohangyeol meant his only options were either collapsing or starting over while avoiding Chairman Lee’s grasp, and he’d chosen the latter.It wasn’t that Lee Yesin had fled from Tae Woowon; rather, he was escaping Chairman Lee and trying to sever his ties with Yeho Group for a new beginning. Tae Woowon knew this, but the thought of being so easily tricked and left behind stung. The memory of their single tender kiss mocked him for his foolishness.“Does Chairman Lee know?” asked Baek Hyeyun, looking at him. Tae Woowon nodded. No one would have informed him yet, and Tae Woowon had only just found out himself.“If Chairman Lee finds out, will he let Lee Yesin go?”“Maybe. Or, he might capture or even try to kill him.”If they really were blackmailing each other, Chairman Lee might seize this chance to “deal with” Lee Yesin, all while shedding crocodile tears publicly. He’d use his power and money to find him and might even kill him on sight. Tae Woowon needed to find him first, quietly return him home, and deal with everything as planned. His head throbbed with tension.“Call Goldie and tell him to replicate Shining Bran.”“Right.”“And check Lee Yesin’s phone for any new contacts.”“Yes, boss. You should eat something, too.”“I already did.”With that, Tae Woowon took a cigarette and retreated to an inner room, where Baek Hyeyun’s belongings were scattered around. He sat on a relatively clean bed and placed the ashtray beside him, feeling an ache deep in his gut and wishing he could pull out his insides to clean them.“…Damn it,” he muttered, burying his face in his cold hands.٠ ࣪⭑“How was the sleeping arrangement?” Jang Wonhyeok asked, pulling back the curtain in the early afternoon. Looking around the barely-a-room, Lee Yesin answered, “It was fine.”“It must’ve been uncomfortable. The inner room was taken, so….”“It’s alright,” Lee Yesin replied, rubbing his face as he stood up. He’d said it was fine, but the room was barely better than a storage closet. The mattress was worn, with springs sticking out, and the area was separated only by a curtain. As he’d expected, he hadn’t been able to sleep at all, especially with the office-wide drinking spree lasting until dawn. Now, he could barely keep himself steady.“Let’s eat, then. If you get bored, you can help me out a little,” said Jang Wonhyeok, flashing a friendly smile. Since he had little else to do, Lee Yesin shrugged and nodded.Helping him turned out to be easy work, sorting files by month and year. That afternoon, they even took a quick trip to the terminal to retrieve some bags. Although he had no idea what was inside, they transported five sports bags back to the office, labeled them, and shared idle chit-chat while sipping coffee. The routine was simple but passed the time quickly, and the same basic tasks continued for three days.Nothing out of the ordinary. Jang Wonhyeok’s tasks weren’t hard or tiring, and Lee Yesin even appreciated the way they filled the day. Jang Wonhyeok showed him kindness, asking if he was alright if he paused or sighed, providing meals, and arranging his makeshift bed. Still, Lee Yesin couldn’t sleep. Exhaustion fogged his mind, but the thought of sleepwalking here made him avoid taking his sleep medication. As he waited quietly in his small corner room for the time to catch his boat, he worked to keep his composure.“…Yesin, we have a problem,” Jang Wonhyeok announced, returning empty-handed. It was almost 10 p.m.He’d gone to retrieve his passport and ticket, yet returned with nothing.“Due to a recent crackdown, the boat won’t be leaving for the time being.”It was like a bolt from the blue. Lee Yesin stared blankly as Jang Wonhyeok hurried over, his face etched with worry.“It’s happened before. When Sokcho Port was blocked, they managed to open Mokpo or Busan Port, so if you wait a little longer, it’ll work out. Don’t worry.”“But…”It was hard to endure. Even though he hadn’t done anything wrong, it felt unfair to live in hiding, and he was frustrated that he couldn’t sleep in peace. His weakened body and mind left Lee Yesin more sensitive to his emotions.“…You haven’t been sleeping, have you?”“……”“Yesin, would you like to stay at my place? It’s a bit small, but it has a proper lock instead of just curtains, and there’s a cozy bed. If you’re okay with it, you can stay with me. You could even stay home while I’m working.”Lee Yesin looked up at Jang Wonhyeok with blurry vision, swallowed hard, and nodded.“I still have some work, so go on ahead. It’s unit 305, and the code is 372856. Got it memorized?”“…Yes.”“Hmm, better write it down.”With a doubtful look, Jang Wonhyeok grabbed a nearby pen and knelt down to scribble the door code on Lee Yesin’s palm.“There. Let me get a taxi. Come on.”He helped the cold, unsteady Lee Yesin to his feet, wrapped an arm around his shoulders, and called a cab. When it arrived, he gave the driver the address and helped Lee Yesin into the taxi. Before shutting the door, Yesin looked up at him quietly.“Get some good rest,” Jang Wonhyeok said with a warm smile.٠ ࣪⭑Lee Yesin’s phone had no notable records left. He had exchanged cryptic texts with Kwon Heechan, but there wasn’t enough evidence to justify a pursuit, so Tae Woowon simply assigned someone to monitor him. Besides Kwon Heechan, there were a few calls with someone named Seong Wonkyung, though the most recent was nearly a month ago. When Tae Woowon called Seong Wonkyung to confirm, the man cheerily said, “Wanna hang out today?” making it clear he had no link to Yesin’s escape.Ten fruitless days had passed. Tae Woowon checked footage from nearby car black boxes but found nothing. Even CCTV footage from the nearby highway terminal showed no sign of Yesin. With no new moves from Kwon Heechan, the situation was deteriorating, leaving a creeping sense of dread. What if Yesin had already gone overseas? Tracking someone on the vast globe was nearly impossible. Tae Woowon, now seated on the hotel’s living room sofa, pressed his temples to stifle the bleak thoughts.Haunted by the idea that Yesin was somewhere close yet unreachable, he spent the last ten days clinging to any hint he could find. He barely slept; whenever he lay down, he felt an urge to get up and look somewhere new, always hoping he’d somehow locate him. Running around on little more than a vague sense of where to search, he’d spring up whenever a new thought struck him, and head off, day or night, driving all over. “Hide and seek,” a mocking tune, started echoing in his head.Lee Yesin had been tearing him apart, bit by bit. How many times had this happened already? As he counted the sleepless nights he’d spent because of Yesin, the door opposite his in the living room opened.“There’s been no updates, but a new post just went up.”Sleepy-eyed and rubbing his face, Seokkyung walked over to him, passing the laptop to Tae Woowon. An image from Yesin’s SNS appeared, showing a dark shot from his nose down to his collarbone, with crimson lips slightly parted and a faint milky substance visible, probably semen.“I checked the upload IP—it’s D.DO.”“A club?”Tae Woowon asked, getting up and grabbing his phone. Seokkyung tried to hold him back.“The club’s always crowded; even if you rush over now, it’ll be tough to find out who posted it.”“What do you mean?”“…Pardon?”“This is Yesin’s account. Who else would have posted it if not him?”At that, Seokkyung’s eyes widened in surprise, prompting Tae Woowon to furrow his brows.“This isn’t Yesin’s account. You know his personality—there’s no way he’d use social media. He hates attention. He cut off from social media ever since that nonsense started after Hangyeol’s death. Didn’t you know?”Tae Woowon hadn’t known. He hadn’t even thought to find out. Since people kept mentioning it, he’d assumed Yesin used social media. But once he truly got to know Yesin, he’d stopped paying attention to anything else. Nothing mattered but what he could see in person.“So someone else has been using this account, pretending to be Yesin. People think it’s him because he’s never said otherwise. Since Yesin hasn’t claimed the account was hacked or anything, the person has kept posting without fear.”Yesin wasn’t the one starved for attention. It wasn’t Yesin showing off his collection for the world to see. Tae Woowon realized just how recklessly he’d been trying to possess Yesin. He’d researched the value of every jewel he stole, examined each flaw in meticulous detail—but when it came to Yesin, he’d investigated nothing. He’d only thought about the steps necessary to take him. And for no reason other than that, he’d been consumed with wanting him.“The IP changes each time, so we don’t know who’s managing the account. The email used is fake, too. But anyway, here.”Seokkyung made Tae Woowon sit back down, typing on the laptop.“See the tissue box sticker here? It’s a DVD room. So, the photo was taken earlier, and the upload happened from the club.”“You know where this is?”“Yeah. Just a second… Boss!”Ignoring the sound of Baek Hyeyun still asleep in her room, Tae Woowon pulled Seokkyung out of the hotel.They got in the car, and Tae Woowon started driving while Seokkyung, jostling in the passenger seat, quickly looked up the address and entered it into the GPS. It wasn’t far from the hotel. The DVD room was right next to a movie theater that Yesin often visited. Tae Woowon and Seokkyung parked on the curb and hurried inside.“This was before he ran. Yesin was here.”As they entered the elevator, Tae Woowon spoke to Seokkyung, who stood beside him with the laptop. Hearing his low tone, Seokkyung cast a careful glance at him, unable to hold back his curiosity.“When? What did he do here? Tell me what you know.”“Last Sunday, before I went to China. When I was having room service with you guys at the hotel.”“….”“I had sex here.”The photo was taken that day. The day he lied through his teeth to Tae Woowon, reeking of bodily fluids. Tae Woowon’s eyes darkened deeply.Ding. The elevator stopped on the seventh floor. Seokkyung, who was standing by the door, got out first, and Tae Woowon followed him inside the DVD room at the end of the hall.“Welcome.”“How long do you keep CCTV footage?”Pointing to the camera near the door, Tae Woowon asked. The employee, momentarily taken aback by the random question, soon answered that they keep it for a month.“Would I be able to view it? I’ll make it worth your while.”Before the employee could refuse, Tae Woowon took out a wad of 50,000 won bills from the car. The employee stared at the cash, then quietly took it and began typing on the computer. He also slipped out of the counter and pocketed the money.“There’s only CCTV at the entrance, in the hallway by the rooms, and outside the door. One of them is broken….”“Got it.”Tae Woowon answered, while Seokkyung, who had sat down at the computer, quickly opened up the footage. He discreetly plugged in a USB to copy the footage while the employee wasn’t watching.“What time?”“Around 11 a.m. Just start from 10:30.”“Yes.”Since it was a weekend, people were already coming and going in the morning. A man by himself, three women, a couple, another couple, a man alone, another couple, two women, then finally, Lee Yesin and Kwon Heechan.As Lee Yesin tried to enter, Kwon Heechan seemed to stop him. Though his expression couldn’t be seen, it looked like Lee Yesin reassured him with a pat on the shoulder. After exchanging a few words, Lee Yesin went inside alone. Left by himself, Kwon Heechan looked restless, biting his nails. Seokkyung pulled up the footage from the inside camera. Once inside, Lee Yesin said something to the employee, who then led him down the hallway. On another camera view, he was shown hesitating in front of a door, gripping the handle before finally entering.“Skip ahead. He probably won’t come out until around 2 p.m.”“…Got it.”As Tae Woowon had said, it was around 2 p.m. when Lee Yesin reappeared. He walked straight out of the room and out of the DVD room without a pause, where he met up with Kwon Heechan, who had been waiting with his head down. Lee Yesin allowed him to latch onto his arm as they disappeared from the camera’s view.“Go back to the room’s camera.”“Yes.”Switching views, Seokkyung moved the cursor swiftly. Ten minutes after Lee Yesin left, a man exited the same room. The man stopped at the counter, seemingly handing something to the employee as a tip. The employee took it with a bright smile, slipping the item into his pocket—it was money.“I think… I could find this guy.”Seokkyung zoomed in on the brief exchange between the man and the employee. There was a tattoo on the man’s hand. The image quality wasn’t great, so the exact wording couldn’t be made out, but Seokkyung, smiling brightly, looked up at Tae Woowon with confidence.“After all, I am a tattoo artist.”With that, Seokkyung copied the footage to the USB, closed the CCTV software, and thanked the employee as they left the DVD room. Out in the hallway, he grinned at Tae Woowon.“I have an obsession with this sort of thing. I did a ton of research before I got into tattooing seriously.”As they waited for the elevator, Seokkyung quickly plugged the USB into his laptop and started typing away. By the time the elevator arrived, he had pulled up a clearer image.“FUCK YOU”The words were etched across the man’s hand.“Lettering, especially, is great for showing off individuality, so most people don’t use standard fonts—they choose a tattoo artist’s unique style. It’s why they pick the artist in the first place.”“Do you know who did it?”“Yes. I doubt it’s an old tattoo; otherwise, he’d be from Busan. This artist used to be there but recently moved to Seoul.”Tae Woowon reached out and patted Seokkyung’s hair.“Good job.”Considering the situation, he hadn’t given Seokkyung the praise he deserved. Finding Lee Yesin wasn’t originally part of his duties, yet he was being diligent. It was something to be thankful for.“Alright. Should we head over now?”“Yep.”With a shy smile, Seokkyung typed away on his laptop. By the time they were in the car, he had already found the tattoo artist’s address.As it was early morning, they reached the tattoo artist’s place without any traffic. Seokkyung and Tae Woowon brazenly knocked on the door. A rough voice answered a moment later, cursing under their breath.Tae Woowon didn’t have much to say, so Seokkyung ad-libbed.“Police.”Though a ridiculous claim, the door opened soon after, revealing a large woman with a deep frown.“So you think being police gives you the right to barge in at any time… Are you even real cops?”“We are. Do you know this person?”Seokkyung, extending his tattooed arm, showed her a picture on his laptop. She looked between the screen and Seokkyung’s arm with a scrunched expression.“…You’re Jo Chan, right?”“…Do you know this person?”“Yeah, the ‘daylight robbery’ tattoo artist Jo Chan who takes commissions for a small fortune.”“Is that really my reputation?!”As the conversation suddenly shifted, Tae Woowon took the laptop from Seokkyung and held it up close to the woman.“Do you know this person?”“…And if I do?”“Who is he?”“Why should I tell you?”“You like money?”“Of course, I do. But I don’t just hand over customer information to anyone.”“How much?”“…”“I’m asking how much.”“…Three hundred.”“Go get the money.”Tae Woowon handed the laptop back to Seokkyung and motioned toward the car. Seokkyung responded with a quick “yes” and went to fetch the cash. The woman crossed her arms, giving Tae Woowon an uncomfortable look as he leaned against the back wall, lighting a cigarette.“Why are you looking for him?”“He screwed my girlfriend.”“…I’ll take two hundred.”Apparently, she didn’t suspect that the person with “FUCK YOU” tattooed on his hand was anything but straight. Tae Woowon took a drag from his cigarette, appearing unbothered.“Here you go.”He handed her the cash he’d counted. The woman placed the money on a nearby shelf, took a pen and paper, and gestured toward him.“The place is a bit of a maze. His crew hangs out at that address, and when you get there, you’ll see a lone green door leading down to a basement. It’s locked, so figure it out. Once inside, there’s a hallway lined with doors. At the end of that hallway, you’ll find two exits. The left one takes you to a dead-end alley that’s not connected to the outside. Turn left again at the end of that alley, and you’ll find another way down. That’s where they are. This is valuable information, you know, and I’m only telling you because I feel sorry for you.”She pointed at Tae Woowon with the end of her pen. Tae Woowon smirked, while Seokkyung grimaced beside him.“…Wait, is this the infamous Townhill?”Even Tae Woowon recognized the name. Townhill was notorious as a hub for dealers, handling everything from drugs and prostitution to loans and trafficking.“You catch on quickly, huh? Yes, he’s a Townhill dealer. Good luck in there; people who go in the wrong way often leave in a body bag.”Seokkyung frowned, clearly apprehensive, while Tae Woowon calmly extinguished his cigarette.“So, what’s his name?”“Won Jungkyu.”Tae Woowon nodded, handed over the rest of the cash, but she waved him off.“Come back for a tattoo sometime. I’ll do a nice one for you.”“No way, I’m the one tattooing him next time!” Seokkyung said in protest as Tae Woowon walked back to the car, smirking at their banter. Climbing into the driver’s seat, he buckled up as Seokkyung hopped into the passenger seat, offering some realistic advice.“Boss, it’s too risky for just the two of us.”Tae Woowon agreed. “Call Tak.”“…Isn’t Tak supposed to be the driver for the next mission?”“Call him. He’s good at fighting and loves it.”Tak wasn’t just good—he was practically a war machine with remarkable precision. Seokkyung dialed as Tae Woowon entered the address into the GPS.“Hey, it’s Kyung. Were you sleeping? I’m with the boss. Jealous? Heh. Wanna come out?”He barely listened as he hit the accelerator, running a hand through his hair. Right now, he wanted nothing more than to lie on a sunlit bed under a cozy blanket with Lee Yesin beside him. But when they met, he wouldn’t be smiling.What were you thinking? What was on that tiny mind of yours while you made me wait, expecting me to show up with a gift? Imagining my angry face—what were you even hoping for?The sudden, inexplicable fury made sleep impossible for Tae Woowon.٠ ࣪⭑“So, they call you Boss Woo, huh? You’ve come up with a cool name now?”Tak, large and grinning, strolled over. Tae Woowon straightened up, ignoring Tak’s teasing.“Get to work. We’re going to need your strength.”“I’d rather use my ‘strength’ in a different way.”Tak tapped his hand playfully against Tae Woowon’s face, making him frown. Seokkyung watched the interaction with an open mouth.“Seokkyung, did you do anything…besides work with Boss Woo?”“…Just worked.”“No other funny business?”Seokkyung swallowed, nodding rapidly. Tak chuckled and patted him on the head like a good kid.“We’re going inside to grab Won Jungkyu.”Tae Woowon guided Tak to the green door, Tak slinging an arm around him. Tae Woowon ignored the touch, swiftly picking the lock, and glanced back at Seokkyung.“You wait here.”“…Understood. Be safe.”With a nod, Tae Woowon headed down the steps, carrying Tak’s weight over his shoulder. Tak leaned heavily, teasing him.“Didn’t you miss me?”“Don’t make me swear at you.”“You look damn sexy when you do.”Tae Woowon shrugged Tak’s arm off, recalling the day they first met two years ago. He’d needed a driver for a high-stakes job, and Tak had shown up, skilled both in driving and combat. Afterward, Tak had jokingly asked if he could “take payment another way.”Naturally, Tae Woowon had told him to shove it. Since then, Tak had persistently flirted with him but never crossed the line. He was true to his word: no forcing.“So, where to from here?”Tak poked Tae Woowon in the waist as he asked. He often bothered him, but today he was especially persistent. Tae Woowon opened the door to his left and stepped out with a blank face. Tak tapped Tae Woowon’s backside as he walked ahead in the narrow alleyway.“Stop bothering me.”“Don’t you hate unexpected situations?”Tae Woowon stopped walking and looked back. Tak, who was smiling slightly, leaned a hand against the wall and gazed at him.“What are you curious about?”“Do you know your expression looks different today? You look like someone who’s totally worked up.”“Stop beating around the bush. Just say it directly.”“Looks like you’re desperate for what you’ve been missing.”Tae Woowon gave a faint laugh and took a step toward Tak, meeting his gaze, slanted slightly at the same eye level, and spoke in a low voice.“If you’re going to sleep with me, take my limbs off first. Otherwise, you won’t be able to handle me.”“…But I like your arms and legs, so I’d hate to take them off.”“Well, I’m not fond of your dick, so I could take it off even now. If you want, I can shove that into your backside.”“Why are you being so fierce?”“Don’t push my buttons. I think I could slice you up with my teeth, not just a blade.”“Yes, yes.”Tak replied half-heartedly as he rubbed the back of his neck. Tae Woowon looked at him briefly before turning and moving forward. As he listened to Tak’s relaxed footsteps behind him, he turned left at the end of the alley, where stairs leading underground came into view.“How much is the pay today?”Tak casually dusted off his hands and asked Tae Woowon.“Depends on how you do.”“Come on, you know my skills. I’ll have it done in under ten minutes.”Tak was never one for lying, and Tae Woowon wasn’t worried about how many people were down there. He was a born hunter.“How much will I get?”“Can I take The Well?”At the sudden question, Tae Woowon looked back at Tak. It had been over two months since he’d last responded to Kim Yeonseong’s messages. Although he’d managed to steal the Sandrite necklace, it had ended up in Baek Hyeyun’s hands, and he’d been entirely focused on stealing from Lee Yesin, leaving everything else behind. So, hearing that name out of Tak’s mouth felt odd, and he didn’t understand why Tak was asking his permission.“I don’t know why you’re asking me.”“Aren’t you seeing The Well?”It seemed some rumors were circulating—whether Kim Yeonseong had spread it to get in touch with Tae Woowon, or some third party had picked it up.“No. You guys handle it yourselves.”“Actually, I’d rather do it with the three of us. You with The Well, and then me with you. You’d be rocking your hips, and I’d be pounding you—sounds delicious.”Tae Woowon looked at Tak silently. Tak, who had turned his gaze to Tae Woowon, licked his lower lip with his tongue. Tae Woowon finally spoke.“Are you done?”“What do you mean?”“You’re not harassing me for pay, are you? Go on, I’ll listen.”“…Four hundred with a discount.”Tae Woowon nodded.“Just bring Won Jungkyu.”“Yes.”With a bored response, Tak descended the stairs. Squeak—bang! The sound of the thin metal door opening and then slamming shut echoed one after the other. Tae Woowon looked down the stairs and took out a cigarette. He figured he should reach out to Kim Yeonseong at some point, so he decided to take care of it now and gave him a call. Even though it was well past 4 a.m., Yeonseong picked up almost immediately without a word.People in this line of work always made sure to verify the other party before speaking; they considered the possibility of the phone being lost or taken. Tae Woowon had intended to hang up if there was silence until the end, but feeling lazy about calling again, he spoke first.“If you don’t talk now, I’m hanging up.”— …Do you even separate business and personal?He thought about it for a moment. Was Lee Yesin his “personal”? It seemed strange, given that too many professional figures were involved. Yet denying it entirely seemed an indulgence.“I was busy. And the necklace isn’t happening.”— …Did you sleep with Lee Yesin?“Why’s the conversation going there?”— Then how else should I interpret this situation?“Don’t interpret. Just assume I failed to steal the necklace.”He answered lightly and took a deep drag on his cigarette, releasing a white plume into the cool dawn air of a summer night.— …You didn’t sell it to someone else, did you?“No.”— …Just answer one question. I’ll stop bugging you about the necklace.The voice was low. Even while speaking, there was a sense of hesitation, like he was unsure if he wanted to ask. Tae Woowon flicked his ash, his expression impassive.“Go ahead.”— …Did you sleep with Lee Yesin?“I did.”— ….“I’m hanging up.”Ending the call, he dropped the cigarette butt to the ground, extinguishing it under his foot, and ran his hand through his hair. He felt annoyed. Tae Woowon swept his tongue along the inside of his cheek, then took out another cigarette and lit it, glancing up at the dark sky. No stars were visible.Squeak, clank! The door opened with a loud noise just as the cigarette in Tae Woowon’s hand was almost down to the filter. Tak came up the stairs, dragging Won Jungkyu, who was smeared in blood.“Boss Woo, is this him?”Tae Woowon checked the bloody hand of Won Jungkyu, which had “FUCK YOU” written across it. He had never been so happy to see a curse word.“That’s him.”Tae Woowon smiled and grabbed Won Jungkyu’s face. When he spit up blood and weakly opened his eyes, Tae Woowon sneered.“Did you enjoy it?”As he moved his lips, Tae Woowon threw a punch. Tak supported the limp body.“He’s cute; don’t be too rough on him.”“Take him to your studio.”Tae Woowon felt certain that Won Jungkyu had something to do with Lee Yesin’s disappearance. That night wasn’t just playful fun. Lee Yesin had hesitated at the door and lied needlessly. It seemed likely that Won Jungkyu from the shady Townhill group had helped Lee Yesin escape in exchange for sex rather than money.“And you?”“I’ll drop off Seokkyung and be back.”