Solo For Two

Georg nodded at those words and then began to think through the situation as if it were his own. He cautiously opened his mouth.“Then, wouldn’t it be better to call off the wedding…?”The marriage was initially pursued to stabilize his position while living a double agent life. Now that the plan had fallen apart, there was no reason to maintain it. But Karel shook his head.“If we suddenly change plans at this point, both France and Austria will realize that I’m organizing my affairs.”That answer assured Georg that Karel had no intention of following his homeland’s orders.But what was he planning to do while deceiving the governments of various countries? And where could he go after ending this life?One thing was certain: the fictional figure of ‘Lord Scar’ would disappear after the three-month grace period Austria had given him.Georg also knew that whatever Karel was about to do was not a game with a guaranteed 100% chance of victory.“Give me any task. I’ll follow you to death.”Karel responded with a faint smile.“You don’t have to act so soldierly. Both you and I will be shedding our uniforms.”After burning all the documents and even a few handwritten notes on the desk, Karel added.“For now, I’d like you to take on the task of guarding Sasha.”“Is there a physical threat?”“More than that…”Karel said calmly.“I think he’s going to go through some emotional distress.”＊＊＊‘Perhaps this courtesan woman could have become the most affectionate and pure maiden with a small trigger.’The Lady of the Camellias.In the dazzling social scene of Paris, where women in beautiful dresses and gentlemen in the latest fashion gathered, there was a lady who captivated everyone’s attention with her elegance. She was called the ‘Lady of the Camellias’ because she adorned herself with white camellias for twenty-five days a month and red camellias for the remaining five days.Despite her background as a high-class prostitute, her beauty, graceful voice, and intelligent eyes earned her the treatment of a noble lady wherever she went. Even the daughters of respectable families imitated her attire, demeanor, and even her way of speaking, while men felt proud to be seen with her at the theater.One day, a young nobleman named Armand, visiting the capital for the first time, fell in love with her at first sight. The Lady of the Camellias, too, fell for the sincere young man, and they soon became lovers, nurturing their deep love in a peaceful rural life.However, Armand’s father, upon hearing that his son was involved with a prostitute, came to her and begged her to leave his son for his future.In the end, she decided to leave the young man for the sake of love.When Armand returned home, the house was empty. Devastated by her sudden departure without a word, he resolved to repay the pain she caused.Later, she threw herself back into the hedonistic life of Paris, drifting through numerous men in sorrow over her lost love. Torn between remaining love and hatred, Armand was disappointed by rumors of her, and unable to overcome his vengeful feelings, he engaged one of her friends as his fiancée.Georg did not particularly like this popular novel that everyone was so enthusiastic about. He found the cliché of male authors seeking a saintly face in a courtesan tiresome and considered it unfair that a woman dedicated to love would suffer due to misunderstanding.And the part Georg disliked the most was the conclusion.＊＊＊As Levin mentioned last night, Sasha slept like the dead until noon. He awoke with a severe headache, feeling groggy from the lingering effects of the sleeping pills. Even after his morning shower, his head felt heavy, as if shrouded in fog.“Sasha, are you awake?”When Sasha didn’t respond, Levin entered the room after a brief pause.Sasha, drying his hair with his robe barely fastened, turned to the open door. Levin saw a blue gleam on Sasha’s bare chest. Not recognizing what it was at first, Levin approached him.“Hasn’t Karel come?”“No, there have been no visitors….”“Then I should sleep some more.”“You’ve already been sleeping until now?”Levin observed the blue gem again. Initially thinking it was a piece of shell from a craft decoration, she reached out and brushed it off.“Sasha, something is on you….”“Ah…!”As the jewel caught on Levin’s fingernail and pulled, Sasha let out a short scream, and Levin, realizing what it was, was horrified.“Ah… it hurts.”“I-I didn’t mean to….”Sasha looked down, clutching his chest and examining his slightly swollen nipple. Levin, embarrassed by the indecent behavior, turned her back to Sasha.‘Is it Scar’s preference? A pervert… how pitiful. You can’t judge a person by their appearance. He looked so normal and gentlemanly.’Thinking it was the end of the world, Levin, still unable to turn around, asked.“Shouldn’t we have lunch? You skipped breakfast.”“That’s fine. I’m going to sleep more. Wake me when Karel arrives.”“Sleeping again?”“Yes.”The only thing Sasha liked about sleep was that he didn’t have to think about anything while asleep. He hoped that the next time he opened his eyes, it would be Karel waking him.In the end, Levin gave Sasha some soup and a sleeping pill, watching as he drifted back to sleep. Sasha was practically a housebound slacker when not in season, so this was not much different from before. Still, Levin couldn’t help but feel worried.“Sasha, Sasha?”Sasha lifted his heavy eyelids.“Wake up.”Contrary to Sasha’s wish that Karel would wake him, it was Georg who roused him. Sasha looked visibly disappointed.“Did you rest well?”“Yes, I’m fine. How about you, Georg?”“Me? I’m the same as always.”“What about Karel?”“……”Georg felt a bit uneasy as Sasha immediately asked about Karel. However, he reminded himself that this was part of the mission and that there would be more to come. He couldn’t let a little difficulty deter him.“He’s busy.”“How so?”Sasha frowned and got up. He didn’t feel refreshed, as forced sleep with sleeping pills didn’t provide the same rest as natural sleep.“He’s busy with business.”“Please explain in detail whom he’s meeting and for what. I understand Karel’s business matters. When he went on a business trip to Pfalz, Karel explained everything to me—whom he met and why. He even took me along when meeting guests….”Lies. Georg knew that the cautious Karel would never take a volatile lover to meet spies. He strongly denied Sasha’s claim, knowing how reserved Karel was with others.“That’s impossible.”Sasha was clearly making things up, and Georg could tell. Sasha quickly became sullen, confirming Georg’s suspicion.Georg replied sternly, “Wouldn’t you get angry if I told you the truth?”“The truth?”“He’s busy preparing for the wedding.”At Georg’s straightforward response, Sasha looked up at him with a defiant, fiery gaze—one he had seen before.“…Is it fun to tease me?”That, too, was something Sasha had said before.As Georg continued to lock eyes with Sasha, he slowly retreated, opening the door behind him with his hands behind his back.“He’ll come when he’s ready. In the meantime, you should stay healthy as Lord Scar requested. Don’t just stay cooped up in bed….”As soon as Georg stepped out and closed the door, there was a thud, followed by something heavy falling. Had he been a little slower, he would have been hit in the face with a pillow.“…Such a temper.”While his superior thought of Sasha as a poor little bird in a cage, Georg did not. He sighed softly, only to hear a quiet voice from behind.“Sasha can be a bit irritable sometimes.”“Levin.”Levin bowed her head in greeting.“I don’t mind it much. But how did you live with someone like him?”“…He can be demanding, but he’s not the most troublesome type.”Georg alternated between looking at the closed door and Levin.Then Levin spoke up, “There’s something worrying me. Sasha is just waiting for Lord Scar to come and doesn’t seem to want to do anything else.”“It’s fortunate that he’s doing nothing. It’s better than causing trouble by wandering around.”“It feels like an escape from reality. He keeps taking sleeping pills and trying to sleep.”“Oh dear…”Georg clicked his tongue with his hands behind his back. The emotional struggle Karel had warned about hadn’t even started yet. If Sasha was acting like this just from Karel’s brief absence, it would undoubtedly cause issues with Karel’s plans.“Can’t he at least show his face once a day? …Consider it a matter of saving a life.”“Would you be alright with that?”Georg asked, mistakenly thinking Levin was Sasha’s ex-wife or past lover. Levin, confused by the question, replied.“Does that matter? What’s important is that Sasha regains his strength.”“Sasha Sedrin is very fortunate.”In any case, Georg decided he would report this to Karel. Sasha’s desperation to see Karel wasn’t something he could solve.＊＊＊Two days later, Sasha finally got to see Karel.That morning, Georg told Sasha that Karel would visit that day, and Sasha couldn’t hide his excitement until Karel arrived.It was the first time they met since suddenly parting in the first-class train carriage. Sasha had resolved to immediately ask Karel why he had been busy enough to leave home for five days as soon as he arrived. He also wanted to ask if he would have to wait alone like this often in the future.‘But I promised to wait, so I shouldn’t do that. If Karel even slightly shows that he’s annoyed, I won’t be able to bear it. Should I promise not to bother him after asking this once? But it should be okay to ask why he was busy, right?’For hours, Sasha had an internal conversation with himself. From Levin’s perspective, he was just sitting still, staring blankly out the window, but Sasha’s inner turmoil was deafening.It was around noon when the familiar car slowly glided into the garden of the mansion. Sasha hurriedly stood up, supporting himself with his hands on his knees. The moment Karel, wearing a long coat, got out of the car, Sasha instinctively opened the door and ran outside.Sasha met Karel at the porch steps and immediately jumped into his arms.Any lingering resentment and regrets vanished instantly, and Sasha felt nothing but immense joy at seeing Karel in the flesh.Clutching Karel with all his might, Sasha looked up at him, his eyes darting around as he meticulously observed Karel, whom he hadn’t seen in a while.“Let’s go inside.”“……”“I understand you’re glad to see me, but let’s go inside.”Karel said, smiling slightly, as he pressed his thumb against Sasha’s parted lips, which were staring up at him.Sasha, who had been staring intently at Karel’s hair, the scar on his cheek, and the lips forming a smile, nodded and walked towards the door, glancing at Karel multiple times in the few steps it took.As soon as the door opened, Levin, who was standing nervously by the doorway, bowed his head in greeting. Karel also bowed his head and glanced around the house.Levin had gone above and beyond in caring for the house, far more than Karel’s simple request to look after Sasha. The mansion sparkled, so clean that one wouldn’t think a baby lived there.“Karel, shall we go upstairs?”Karel shook his head at Sasha’s question, which transparently expressed his desire to be alone somewhere without prying eyes.“I have to leave again in an hour.”Karel replied nonchalantly.In that moment, Sasha’s face displayed a shattered expression of broken expectations.Sasha had expected that, since they hadn’t seen each other in a long time, they would have dinner together after sunset, take a relaxing bath, and spend the night together. Realizing that the time he was allowed wasn’t until the next morning but only about an hour from now, Sasha felt a sudden surge of anxiety. He reached out meaninglessly to hold onto him.“Where are you going?”“……”“Where will you be sleeping, if not at home?”Karel quietly removed Sasha’s arm and took off his coat. Although his touch was gentle and without force, if Karel willed it, Sasha could no longer touch him.Levin quickly hung Karel’s coat on a chair and withdrew to a place out of sight. It seemed that Sasha’s eyes could see nothing but Karel at this moment, and so Levin knew it was time for him to disappear.“Sasha.”Karel called Sasha’s name in a seemingly affectionate tone. But Sasha felt fear whenever Karel became gentle without reason.“Do I owe you an explanation of my daily activities? Do you want to play the role of my superior?”Karel always became kinder when he wanted to be cruel.“…That’s not what I meant.”“Then why do you need to know where I sleep?”As he spoke, Karel’s tone became increasingly curt. He collapsed onto the leather sofa with a sigh.“Is that all you’re curious about?”“Is that all…?”When Sasha weakly protested, Karel rubbed his temples and added that this was the first time today he’d had a moment to sit comfortably out of view.At those words, Sasha was left speechless.A flood of thoughts overwhelmed Sasha, leaving him troubled. He couldn’t tell whether Karel wanted to reproach him or if he was just a bit sensitive from accumulated fatigue. Simultaneously, Sasha scolded himself for forgetting his resolve not to bother Karel, wondering if he couldn’t even ask this much, and whether their relationship was truly that limited.Seeing Sasha’s internal storm, Karel lightly patted the empty seat next to him.Sasha obediently walked over and sat down. Just the act of Karel wrapping an arm around his waist was enough to wash away most of his worries in an instant. Without realizing that this was the emotional state typical of someone in unrequited love, Sasha gazed at Karel’s profile.“I might not have been able to come today either. I managed to find time with difficulty.”Karel began to speak. His voice seemed slightly hoarse. Leaning back against the sofa, he tilted his head back and closed his eyes.“Georg told me. You’ve been sleeping all the time, under the influence of medication?”“That…”“Did he report false information?”“No, but….”“Then, was it a protest to make me come?”Karel asked with narrowed eyes. Seeing the coldness in Karel’s expression, Sasha couldn’t bring himself to say yes or no.As the arm around his waist pulled him closer, Sasha was pulled helplessly and mumbled,“I was wrong.”“……”Karel didn’t answer and closed his eyes again. Even as Sasha’s breathing quickened, feeling the rise and fall of his own excited chest against Karel’s firm arm, Karel remained still, eyes closed.Watching this cold demeanor, Sasha recalled the early days of their patronage relationship. It felt as though, unbeknownst to him, Karel’s clock had wound back to those times. However, compared to then, when Karel wouldn’t allow Sasha’s affectionate gaze or touch, things seemed a little better now.Unsure of what to say, Sasha turned slightly and asked, “So, did you come here today just to see me?”“Yes, I don’t want my sponsored dancer to be too broken to go on stage.”“……”“Take care of yourself.”There was something peculiar in his words. Under the guise of concern, Sasha felt as if Karel was drawing a line, reminding him of their patronage relationship.“The season isn’t far off. Don’t you have to attend class soon?”“Yes…”Karel, seemingly dissatisfied with Sasha’s uncertain response, opened his eyes. But Sasha hesitated, unsure of how to answer the probing question. Witnessing this brief silence, Karel began to scold him again.“Who was the one who endured pain to work because they didn’t want to give up their career? What made you like this?”It was because of Karel.However, Sasha held back the words.Sasha thought he had been able to rid himself of his obsession with the stage and the determination to destroy his body through Karel’s love. But faced with Karel’s reprimand, he lost the courage to answer honestly.“You’re not planning to just stay at home and wait for me, are you?”“I understand. I’ll attend class.”It seemed that Karel would no longer even bother to lock the door to keep him from leaving the mansion.Sasha felt a deep sense of emptiness. It was as if the fleeting affection he had briefly experienced had vanished without a trace like smoke.“Is it okay if I go out whenever I want?”“Yes.”“Why?”“Why?”Karel frowned, seemingly annoyed by the rhetorical question, and released Sasha’s waist.“Sasha, I funded a principal dancer.”“……”“Not someone who just sleeps while waiting for me.”“……”“Stay valuable. Not as my lover… but as Sasha Sedrin, the principal dancer with a title that everyone envies.”With those words, Karel kissed Sasha’s hand.“I understand.”Sasha replied flatly.Karel then moved his lips to Sasha’s wrist, feeling the pulse.Even those who approached him with shallow interest said similar things. Words that had meant nothing when heard from others now pierced Sasha’s heart like a dagger when spoken by Karel.He just wanted to be loved, even if he had nothing to offer.But Karel, unaware of Sasha’s unspoken feelings, soon released his wrist. He checked the time and clicked his tongue.“Thirty minutes left.”He placed his fingers on the open collar of Sasha’s shirt, sliding his hand down and popping off a few buttons.Karel effortlessly tore open the front of the linen shirt and used his index finger to widen the gap. Sasha instinctively hunched his back at the feel of leather gloves on his bare chest.“Sit on top of me.”“But…”Realizing what Karel meant, Sasha glanced towards the stairs leading to the second floor. There was always a chance that Levin could come down and see them in the act.Seeing Sasha hesitate, Karel caressed his small ear and asked. Sasha turned back to face Karel, his expression revealing a mix of discomfort, embarrassment, and a faint hint of desire.“Do you want me to leave like this?”Sasha didn’t answer. Instead, as if spurred by Karel’s words, he reached for his belt. Though his hands trembled slightly, there was no hesitation in his movements. Realizing that they had little time left, Sasha blushed and quickly knelt between Karel’s legs. As he unzipped Karel’s pants, a huge, erect member sprang out, already aroused.‘It’s so hot…’Sasha looked up at Karel, rubbing his cheek and lips against it.‘At least it means he wants me…’Without hesitation, Sasha took it into his mouth.The sensation of long, cold fingers gripping tightly, the feeling of small, soft lips wrapped around, and the intense pressure against the delicate, soft inside of his mouth.Sasha quickly removed Karel’s pants, taking only a moment to completely undress, as if intending to straddle him with legs spread. Karel’s gaze lingered on the slim legs moving beneath the shirt for a long time.“Karel, slowly… I’ll put it in slowly.”Despite saying this, Sasha seemed impatient, unable to wait to insert Karel’s member faster.Karel noticed the light pink blood vessels in Sasha’s watery, glistening whites of his eyes. Realizing that Sasha was overly excited, Karel slowly stroked his back, helping him breathe. The mere touch of the leather glove on his back made Sasha tremble finely and sit deeper. It took only a moment for it to plunge in deeply.“Uhng….”With Karel fully thrust inside, Sasha bit his lips hard to suppress his intense excitement.“Blood is coming out.”“Uhng….”“Bite on this.”Karel offered his finger instead.“Move.”“Wait a moment, it’s too… ah….”Even though Karel hadn’t touched Sasha’s member, it was already leaking pre-cum little by little. Karel tantalized him further with a kiss on his ear.“Touch me here too.”Sasha guided Karel’s hand to his chest. As he wished, Karel caressed the entire chest with his spread palm, including the nipples, or tugged them lightly. Just that made Sasha moan.“Keep your voice down. If Levin hears strange noises and comes down….”“Uhng, ugh….”Shaking his head, Sasha clung tightly to Karel’s firm neck. Biting his lips, he tried to suppress his moans as much as possible, letting them resonate only in his throat. Though his body was burning, Karel didn’t move at all. With no choice, Sasha moved his hips himself, feeling a slight sense of shame.“Sasha.”“Mm… sob….”“At this rate, we won’t finish in time.”“Karel, you can do it for me, can’t you?”Sasha asked reproachfully.“No, if I do it, I won’t let you release properly, and you’ll get hurt. You have to control yourself and do it.”It was annoyingly reasonable. If Sasha just took Karel in, it might cause internal scraping and bleeding. Sasha put strength into his thighs, repeatedly lifting and lowering his waist. He felt the dry insides heating up. If he sat down clumsily and hit the wrong spot, his waist would go limp, making it hard to raise it again. Looking at Karel with pleading eyes, Karel coldly checked his watch after rolling up his sleeves.“Ten minutes left….”Yet Karel continued to let Sasha struggle alone a little longer with a bored expression.After a while, Karel stood up with Sasha still in his arms. For a very brief moment, Sasha clung tightly to Karel in fear as he felt his entire weight deeply penetrate while being lifted off the ground. Even through the layers of clothing, Karel could feel Sasha’s smooth, sweaty skin and warmth.This time, Karel seated Sasha on the sofa, pulling his waist close to him. Sasha looked up at Karel with a face marked by both fear and anticipation.“Sasha, I haven’t had any fun at all.”“Sorry. Now, until you’re satisfied… ah!”Contrary to his gentle voice, the sensation of him thrusting fiercely enough to be felt in his lower back made Sasha shut his eyes tightly. He felt as though they had returned to their early days. Even though they were swayed by merely having sex without any kisses, Sasha was bewildered why Karel had changed like this.“Just hold me a little longer….”Right after ejaculating deep inside Sasha, Karel tried to withdraw his member immediately. Sasha clung desperately, kissing Karel from his eyebrows to his chin. Though Karel initially acted as if he would leave right away, he ended up staying about twenty minutes longer than the time he had decided to leave.＊ ＊ ＊Afterward, Karel visited the mansion only occasionally. Since his visits were often very short, sometimes they had sex, and sometimes they didn’t. Whenever Karel left without doing anything, Sasha felt sad, and when they hastily mingled their bodies, he felt heartbroken as if Karel visited only for that purpose.Initially, Sasha thought Karel pretended not to know about his anxious feelings.But over time, doubt grew. He wondered if even that thin layer of interest had already faded away.‘You need to get used to the time without me.’Sasha recalled Karel saying that his absence should be natural. ‘The time without Karel’ seemed to refer to his married life. Though Sasha agreed with him, he resented Karel for reminding him of that fact.At first, Sasha was touched that Karel allowed him to stay at his mansion. But now, he even doubted if this house was truly Karel’s home since he wasn’t there. Sasha was tormented by the thought that Karel might be hiding him here while living with his fiancée elsewhere.And sometimes, the hatred for Karel completely took over Sasha.During such times, Sasha would lie helplessly in bed for days, losing track of time and not caring about missing classes and rehearsals. Suffering from extreme lethargy, the only thing Sasha could manage was to frequently pester Georg, who visited often, asking him about Karel’s schedule. And when he found out that Karel was preparing for the wedding by visiting dress shops, jewelers, or florists, he became deeply depressed.‘If you don’t want to hear it, why do you keep asking?’‘Can’t you say something I’d like to hear?’‘I’m not good at saying flattering things.’Seeing Sasha curling up in bed like a caterpillar again, Georg clicked his tongue. But remembering his superior’s words that premature comfort only leaves room for hope, he behaved even more coldly in front of Sasha.