It Begins with Isaac Chapter 4.1

The First Military Academy, where Asil was enrolled, was located on the outskirts of the capital, Markna. Built at the foot of the empire’s largest mountain, Kwaloum, the academy had a tradition of climbing the mountain every semester. Though called a march, it was little different from a week-long ordeal of torment. The backpacks they carried weighed nearly 30 kilograms, and the new cadets had to drag small carts containing disposable sleeping bags as they ascended.

“Gasp… gasp…”

Harsh breathing erupted from all directions. The stifling sound of labored breaths, combined with sweat streaming down their bodies, made Asil’s chest feel constricted. He opened his mouth wide, struggling to inhale fresh air, but his blocked airways refused to clear. His legs slowed involuntarily, yet the shouts urging the march forward from both front and rear left no moment to rest.

“Ugh… move faster.”

Someone shoved Asil’s shoulder and overtook him. The face glancing back was familiar—it was Coleman. With a scowl of irritation, Coleman muttered curses under his breath as he moved ahead.

Yail, the cadet who had been publicly beaten in the cadet cafeteria, dropped out just a few days later. Officially, it was a voluntary withdrawal, but rumors swirled within the academy that some coercive measure had been involved. As it turned out, Yail had decent grades and a good reputation among the cadets. The fall of a promising cadet sparked widespread curiosity about the hidden circumstances. Soon, everyone learned that Yail had been harassing Asil right up until he entered the cafeteria.

It was Valery’s warning. Through Yail, he had clearly set the tone for how others should treat Asil: don’t approach recklessly, isolate him, but don’t mistreat him carelessly. Despite marking Asil as his own territory, Valery made it clear he didn’t want others touching him. Asil had once scoffed, mocking Valery’s obsessive control over his “property,” but the truth was, things had become easier for him. The strange cadets who pestered him stopped, and the snickering taunts from a distance vanished entirely.

The only exception was Coleman, his roommate, who still grated on his nerves from time to time. But even Coleman, seemingly wary of Valery’s retribution, limited himself to muttering curses under his breath when others were watching, as he did now. Asil gazed at Coleman’s retreating figure, growing smaller, and resumed his steps.

As evening approached, the sun began to set. Before it grew completely dark, they needed to find a suitable spot, start a fire, and prepare their sleeping arrangements. The instructors leading the group issued commands, and the upperclassmen moved in unison, directing the lower years. The new cadets scattered to gather dry branches for firewood. Asil set down his load and slowly walked toward a relatively secluded area.

Being in the mountains, the sun set rapidly. While picking up branches along the forest path, Asil sighed and leaned against a large, flat rock. The surroundings were so dark that no one would notice him slacking off like this.

“I’m exhausted…”

Pressing his eyelids firmly, Asil pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pants pocket and unfolded it. It was a letter from his younger sister, Kana, received a few days ago via mail. Starting with, “Oppa, are you doing well?” the contents that followed were astonishing. He had read it so many times over the past few days that he could recite every word perfectly. The letter detailed how their father had recklessly expanded their farmland by leveraging his son’s admission to the military academy, how their youngest sibling’s cold had persisted for a month, and how heavy rains had caused one side of their mother’s grave to collapse, with no money to repair it…

Asil carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into his pocket. Living in the dormitory, he had no immediate way to procure money. Even the little pocket money he had was gone, leaving him unable to afford repairs for his worn-out uniform. Before the march, he had sent a letter to his uncle in a distant province, but whether the man would willingly help was uncertain. Since their mother’s death, contact with him had ceased entirely, leaving their relationship estranged. He might not even remember Asil’s name. The name Richard was likely a bitter memory for his uncle. That’s why Asil had deliberately omitted his surname and written only his first name—perhaps a misjudgment.

He had believed that once he entered the military academy he so desperately wanted, everything would fall into place. It was a guilty thought toward his siblings, but he had hoped that escaping their stifling home would bring some peace of mind. The siblings who looked up to him like a father felt burdensome, and he loathed their father, who ignored the family and chased vain dreams of restoring their house’s glory. On the day he left for the academy, watching his sobbing siblings see him off, what emotions had surged within him? He had felt so relieved that he hated himself for it. His heart had pounded with conflicting guilt. No one was holding him back, yet he had whipped the reins hard, racing forward without looking back, as if fleeing.

But it was the same here. He was still anxious. Valery tormented him every night, and the closer Valery kept him, the less Asil’s standing in the academy resembled that of a soldier. No one trusted him with their back. No one trained with him or treated him as a comrade. Despite yearning for it his entire life, what was now thrust into Asil’s hands wasn’t the image of a promising talent who entered the academy at the top of his class, but that of a lazy whore selling his body to a powerful man for easy success.

Even as he whipped himself to endure, it grew harder. His mind felt like it would burst with countless thoughts. There was no shortage of things to worry about. He had to survive here to the end and become the soldier his damned father so desperately wanted. In the near future, he had to provide his three siblings with a life incomparably better than now. To ensure they lived well in good homes with good people, he had to succeed at all costs. Whenever the urge to escape the academy surged, Asil recited thoughts of his family like a mantra. But even that was losing its effect. The pocket containing Kana’s letter felt as heavy as a stone.

“Assemble! Assemble!”

A faint shout echoed from afar. Asil straightened his back from the rock and gathered the branches in his arms. The short dusk had darkened further, rendering everything nearly invisible. He pulled out his flashlight to illuminate the path, but the dim light flickered a few times before going out with a pop. As if on cue, the moon was hidden by clouds, leaving the forest pitch black.

Asil frowned, peering ahead. Narrowing his eyes, he soon adjusted to the darkness, making out the vague shapes of large trees. He walked slowly toward the sound. Stumbling over rocks but managing to keep going, Asil suddenly let out a sharp cry as the ground gave way beneath him.

“Ah!”

Before he could step back, his body sank. Asil slid down a sloped, muddy surface, tumbling endlessly downward. His face was scratched by branches, and his back slammed against rocks embedded in the earthen wall. Desperately digging his nails into the soil to stop himself, his body kept sliding until he finally landed with a thud on flat ground, rolling sideways.

“Ugh! What the…”

Spitting out the dirt in his mouth, Asil clutched his throbbing head, groaning. His body, battered from the fall, ached all over. As he tried to stand, a sharp pain shot through his ankle. Feeling it gingerly, he found it had swollen severely in moments.

Looking up, he saw a cliff, not too high, but too steep to climb with his swollen ankle. His flashlight flickered weakly before dying, and shouting for help yielded no response. His communicator, likely damaged in the fall, wouldn’t even turn on. Choosing a secluded spot to avoid others had been a grave mistake. Now, even the shouts to assemble were inaudible. Only the mournful cries of night birds echoed forlornly.

At this rate, he’d end up camping in the middle of a pit. Asil slumped down and shouted recklessly.

“Why does nothing work out? Why!”

As he yelled, tears welled up. His ankle throbbed, and his stomach growled. Kana’s letter kept haunting him. Was the sick youngest sibling better? Did the letter reach his uncle? Could he ever escape Valery? A torrent of worries swept through his mind.

Asil sniffled, wiping his nose. He tried not to cry, but his eyes kept watering. He thought he’d outgrown childish sobbing, but apparently not. Lately, controlling the surges of emotion had become difficult. His volatility made him wonder if he was starting to resemble Valery, that bastard who thrived on manipulation.

“What are you doing here?”

Asil was wiping tears with his head bowed when a beam of light shone from above. Squinting upward, he saw Coleman standing with one leg propped up, looking incredulous. Coleman scanned Asil with his flashlight, then surveyed the pit.

Of all people, Coleman had to find him. Asil sat with a blank face, unsure whether to be glad or not, hastily wiping his tear-soaked face.

“As you can see, I fell. Get someone to help. I sprained my ankle and can’t climb up alone.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yeah.”

“I see.”

“…What are you doing?”

Coleman, showing no sign of helping and merely echoing Asil’s words while standing still, asked, “What?” The darkness obscured his expression, but following the flashlight’s beam, Asil faintly saw his face. Coleman was grinning ear to ear, as if reveling in satisfaction. Looking down at Asil, he muttered.

“Hey, you filthy rag. You shitty whore. Reflect on yourself down here, huh?”

“…”

“If I were you, I’d just drop out. Shameless bastard… You think you’re something because Lord Valery keeps you? You’re just a year-long hole at best. Once he graduates, you’ll be a discarded, dirty toilet, got it?”

Coleman’s eyes reddened as he spat venomously. Seeing Asil look up at him made his heart pound heavily. The clean, refined face, now smeared with dirt, looked repulsive, yet it inexplicably stirred memories. The image of Asil, legs spread wide under Valery, crying weakly, and the low, lascivious moans he’d uttered had haunted Coleman since that day. Thinking that far, Coleman found it hard to meet Asil’s gaze. It was just the two of them here. A strange impulse surged. For instance…

“Why not drop out and take a path that suits you? Make prostitution your trade. You’d sell like hotcakes.”

“…Hey.”

“For the sake of our roommate bond, I’ll even buy you once. You’re poor, right? Need money? Want this? Will you spread for it?”

Without hesitation, Coleman detached a button from his uniform and waved it at Asil. The pure gold button seemed to gleam even in the dark. Asil’s expression twisted with each insulting word. Seeing his clenched, trembling fists, Coleman felt a thrilling sensation, his hair standing on end. When Coleman taunted him to strip, Asil rubbed his face dryly and let out a bitter laugh.

“You tiny-dicked bastard. How do you plan to fuck me with that? You think a finger-sized thing would feel good?”

“…What did you say?”

“Get out of here, or be ready to get beaten, got it?”

Unlike his usual response of glaring silently no matter how much he was mocked, Asil now looked ready to kill Coleman with terrifying eyes.

“Not leaving?”

“Playing tough, huh? Fine, think it over down here for a day. If I don’t run into a pack of wolves before sunrise, you’re lucky. If it’s just a corpse, I’ll personally send it back to your hometown.”

Coleman shrugged mockingly and spat at Asil. He wanted to urinate on him, but approaching footsteps distracted him. Tossing the button at Asil, who dodged the spit, Coleman left. No matter how much Asil acted pricey, his true nature wouldn’t change. Once he tasted money, he’d spread his legs soon enough. As roommates, Coleman could fuck him plenty before sending him to Valery. Then, crushing him again at dawn… Coleman grinned slyly, lost in his fantasies, unaware of who would find Asil next.

After Coleman left, Asil sat for a moment, debating whether to call him back. He’d spoken impulsively in anger, but now, alone in the lightless pit, he regretted not humoring Coleman’s words. Staring blankly at the button on the ground, he picked it up and stuffed it into his pocket as if hiding something shameful. Clearing his throat to call Coleman’s name, he was interrupted.

“What are you doing here?”

A voice came from above before he could speak. At first, he thought Coleman had returned, but the familiar tone reminded him of the speaker’s identity.

Valery stood at an angle, smoking a cigar. He shone his flashlight directly at Asil’s face. Blinking against the blinding light, Asil saw Valery raise an eyebrow with an exasperated expression.

“Can’t take my eyes off you.”

“I sprained my ankle…”

Asil stood, limping heavily. Looking down at his hobbling, Valery sighed, took a deep drag of his cigar, and tossed it away. The glowing butt fell into the pit, a vivid red in the darkness.

Asil hoped Valery would fetch someone to pull him up. But contrary to his expectations, instead of leaving, Valery began descending the cliff at an angle. Unlike Asil’s clumsy slide, Valery kept his legs straight, bounding down the steep slope like a runner. Landing lightly in the pit amid swirling dust, Valery strode toward Asil.

As Asil awkwardly bowed to thank him, Valery abruptly knelt.

“Let me see your ankle.”

“…What?”

Startled, Asil echoed the question. Valery grabbed his ankle, placing it on his knee. Shining the flashlight on the swollen ankle, he kneaded the area around the bulging bone. A sharp pain jolted through Asil, drawing a low gasp from his lips.

“Doesn’t seem fractured… but it’s badly swollen.”

“Sorry, ah… ah!”

“Stop leaking. I don’t want to get hard in front of an injured kid.”

Valery muttered, tightly wrapping a handkerchief around Asil’s ankle. The small cloth was applied so efficiently that the pressure alone eased the pain. Finishing the first aid, Valery turned, still kneeling. His broad, solid back filled Asil’s view.

“Get on. You’ll miss dinner like this.”

“What? No, I’m fine.”

Startled, Asil stepped back, but Valery reached out, hoisting him up. Not quite piggybacked but slung over his back like a backpack, Asil couldn’t help but feel awe at Valery, who climbed the cliff with him secured. Grasping protruding rocks and tree trunks, Valery ascended the slope with a bored expression, not a hint of strain. His breathing was steady, his movements swift. In no time, he reached the top and gently set Asil down.

Catching his breath after dismounting, Asil noticed the button fall from his pocket, rolling to Valery’s boots. “Uh…” he muttered involuntarily. The gold button stopped against Valery’s boot tip. Valery picked it up, examining it closely.

“That’s, well…”

He could’ve just said it was a button, but an inexplicable unease made Asil stammer. Hesitating, Valery read the inscription on the button, which bore Coleman’s family name.

“Coleman Saranda… Why do you have this bastard’s button?”

It was a casual question, but Asil sensed a sinister undertone. When he didn’t respond, Valery smiled, narrowing his eyes, and asked, “Hmm?” It was the same unsettling smile Asil had seen on the bed, one that had lulled him into false security before a betrayal. Telling the truth would likely lead to Coleman being beaten and expelled, as before, but Asil couldn’t think of a lie.

Briefly picturing Coleman’s face, Asil clamped his mouth shut. No matter how much he wanted to punch the guy, he didn’t want anyone else hurt because of him.

“Here we go again.”

“…”

“Not talking?”

The longer Asil’s silence stretched, the lower Valery’s voice dropped.

“Did you steal it?”

The confident question left Asil shaking his head, firmly denying, “No.” But Valery’s expression grew colder, as if displeased by the reluctant answer.

“Then why do you have it? Looks like you made some deal, huh?”

Valery emphasized each syllable, his anger seemingly updating in real-time. By the final “huh?” his voice was so low it seemed to burrow into the ground. Dealing with Valery’s unpredictable mood swings always left Asil feeling utterly helpless, his throat tight.

Deciding it was better for his safety to confess, Asil slowly spoke. Explaining the earlier situation felt petty, but he was too exhausted to bear Valery’s wrath alone. All he wanted was to escape this moment and sleep in his sleeping bag.

Valery listened silently, his expression still ominous. Asil couldn’t guess his thoughts.

“So.”

“What?”

“Why did you pick up the button he threw? Were you tempted to give him a go?”

“No! I picked it up to return it.”

Asil had to explain how he’d responded to Coleman’s words. Valery, listening with a cold face, finally let out a small scoff at Asil’s mention of fingers. Though just a light snort, it seemed his mood had improved slightly, allowing Asil to exhale in relief.

“Still don’t like it.”

“…”

“You seem oddly soft on that guy.”

Valery grabbed Asil’s arm and walked. Leading him to a dense cluster of trees, Valery stopped Asil, leaning him against a trunk. As clouds parted, revealing the moon, Valery’s face was clearly illuminated by the pale light filtering through the leaves.

“Is that face your type?”

Tilting his head, Valery’s disheveled blond hair fell over his forehead. Staring at Asil, he muttered with a displeased look. Asil was too stunned to respond immediately. Type? Valery’s question missed the mark entirely.

“I… prefer women. I’ve never thought of men that way.”

Half to placate Valery’s strange fixation, Asil’s words only worsened his expression. Valery swept back his hair, gazing at the sky. The clear moonlight cast shadows on his sharp, chiseled face, lending a sensual air to his classically perfect features.

“A guy who cries and leaks when fucked says he prefers women?”

Lowering his eyes, Valery murmured quietly. The eerie, chilling tone made Asil flinch.

“Feeling all manly because your front’s tingling, huh?”

“No, no!”

Asil shook his head vehemently, but Valery continued in a mocking tone.

“What, wanna try fucking? Hmm?”

“No, that’s not—why do you keep saying that…”

“Wanna fuck me?”

“…What?”

Valery grinned, mouth wide. His red tongue and neat white teeth were visible. Asil, dazed, stupidly repeated, “What?”

Valery’s mouth was wet and slick. It was natural for a mouth, but it felt especially moist. Asil groaned, pressing his fevered face into his palms. Unable to believe the situation, he tried recalling the moments prior, but his foggy mind refused to cooperate.

Glancing down, he saw Valery’s head buried in his crotch. His sharp nose, like a rugged mountain ridge, rubbed painfully against Asil’s lower abdomen. The hands gripping his thighs occasionally tightened, and with each grip, the suction grew fiercer. Valery sucked without restraint, opening his mouth wide to draw hard on the tip before swallowing the shaft in one go. He didn’t even cough as the cock teased beyond his throat.

Surely his first time giving oral, yet Valery was excessively skilled. Hollowing his cheeks to envelop the cock tightly, he stared up at Asil. His brassy eyes gleamed with vivid intensity. Spitting out the cock, he gripped Asil’s slick shaft, slapping it with a wet sound.

“Ah, ah… ugh, uhh!”

“You look like you’re loving it.”

Valery chuckled, flicking his tongue sharply against the urethra. The intense stimulation of digging into the small opening made Asil shake his head violently, hunched over. His hands instinctively grabbed Valery’s hair, messing it up.

“Sucking a guy’s cockhead? Unbelievable.”

“Stop, stop… ah!”

The drenched cock, fully erect, trembled precariously. When Valery withdrew his tongue, a long thread of saliva stretched from the tip. He snapped it with his hand, wiping the sticky fluid roughly on Asil’s pants.

“If I’d known you’d love it this much, I’d have sucked you off sooner.”

“Hnng…”

Valery flicked Asil’s cock with long fingers, then opened wide, shoving it deep into his throat and pulling out. Rolling the shaft and tip against his cheek, he sucked like candy. Each time his molars scraped the skin, Asil shivered, goosebumps rising.

“Wait, wait! I’m really gonna… ah, hah!”

As his mind went blank and his vision blurred with intense release, Asil instinctively pulled Valery’s head closer. The tip hit the back of his throat, scraping his tongue, and spurted semen. Lingering in the warm mouth, Asil noticed Valery’s amused eyes watching him and jolted, collapsing. Too dazed to tuck away his limp cock, Asil hunched over.

“Sorry. Spit it out.”

Asil extended his hand to Valery’s mouth, but Valery swished the semen, then spat it onto his palm.

“Tastes bad.”

“Why on your hand…! Wait, I’ll wipe it.”

As Asil bent to untie the handkerchief from his ankle, Valery undid his pants, pulling out a heavily engorged cock.

“Ah…”

“Look at my face, Asil.”

Using Asil’s semen as lubricant, Valery rubbed his shaft up and down. Already fully erect, the cock seemed to swell further in his slick palm. Bulging veins on the flushed, brownish shaft flattened under his large hand. Asil, unable to find a place to look, lowered his head, but Valery grabbed the back of his neck, yanking it up.

“I said look at my face… Yes, don’t look away.”

Cautiously, Asil met Valery’s gaze. As he moved his arm, his loose hair swayed softly. Frowning, he occasionally bit his lip, enduring something. When Asil reflexively looked down under his intense stare, Valery’s veined forearm, busy with masturbation, assaulted his vision. His neat nails dug into the tip or scraped the skin, a violent, savage act befitting his nature.

With a beastly growl, Valery swallowed a groan, yanking Asil’s head down as if slamming it to the ground. Rubbing the pulsing urethra against Asil’s nose, he ejaculated onto his pale face. Asil, eyes shut tight against the hot liquid, lost balance and fell, landing hard.

Still stroking his rigid cock slowly, Valery looked down clearly at the slumped Asil.

“I’d love to fuck you right here.”

“Sir, not here… please.”

Crazy bastard… Was he living off aphrodisiacs instead of meals? Leading the climb all day, wasn’t he tired? His narrowed, predatory eyes were unsettling. Asil had no intention of having outdoor sex with Valery near his peers. They’d each gotten off once—enough. No more.

Unable to hide his disgust, Asil’s expression made Valery smirk crookedly.

“Then a kiss?”

“…What?”

“Kiss me first. Then I’ll stop here.”

Tucking his pants, Valery pulled Asil up, bringing their faces close. Wiping the semen from Asil’s damp face, he lingered near his lips.

“Why not? I said do it…”

He chuckled softly. Asil stared blankly at Valery, who smiled warmly.

It was strange. Valery was truly strange. When had he ever stopped at a refusal? The man who’d ravaged him mercilessly, heedless of protests, had now given him oral—a first—and settled for masturbating alone…

This should’ve been a relief, yet it only heightened Asil’s unease. Watching Valery warily, he cautiously pressed their lips together. Valery’s chuckle vibrated through him. A thick tongue slipped between Asil’s lips, not greedily as usual but gently, lazily exploring before deeply sucking his lower lip and pulling away.

The kiss ended quickly. Facing Valery’s calm, relaxed expression, Asil impulsively spoke.

“I want to go to the Second Military Academy.”

Located near his hometown, Maron, the Second Academy would allow weekend visits home.

“My siblings are still young. It’d be better to attend school closer to home.”

He could share Kana’s worries, watch young Olin and Graim grow up. His father would be furious, but a few slaps were nothing. After Valery’s blows, his father’s hand no longer scared him. Above all…

“Can’t we stop now?”

He didn’t want to continue this relationship with Valery. Each time Valery was uncharacteristically kind, suspicion and relief mingled, making Asil feel wretched. He felt like a well-trained pet, reacting to its master’s whims. All of Valery’s actions stemmed from violence, yet Asil hated himself for forgetting that origin, swaying with momentary kindness. If this continued, he’d end up wagging a nonexistent tail for a single carrot after days of whipping.

Valery was taming him this way. Reducing five blows to three, scolding harshly then stroking gently…

“There are plenty of people eager to serve you loyally. Even Coleman… Why does it have to be me?”

The long-suppressed injustice surged again. The brimming emotions overflowed in an instant. Once unleashed, he couldn’t stop.

“It’s hard for me too. I want to stop. Just let me go, please?”

Asil obsessively rubbed his reddened eyes, staring at the ground, unable to meet Valery’s gaze. He feared what Valery might say—or do, like slapping him or kicking his swollen ankle. Bracing for Valery’s response, an unexpected reply came.

“I sent money to your hometown in your name.”

“What?”

Asil’s head snapped up, startled. Valery’s darkened eyes bulged with veins on his forehead and neck. Clearly furious, he swallowed hard, scratching his brow to calm himself. His restraint was evident even to Asil.

“You find so many ways to piss me off…”

“…”

“If you need money, say so. Don’t test me like this.”

His tone suggested Asil was using money as an excuse for insincere words. Fair enough—having offered his coveted side, Valery wouldn’t take a refusal at face value. Perhaps all of Asil’s past defiance and rejections were seen as mere tantrums.

“Why would you do that!”

“Enough, enough…”

Valery raised his hand sharply. Asil instinctively shut his eyes, expecting a blow, but Valery let out a hollow laugh and lowered his hand.

“Know your place. I call you pretty, and you get cocky?”

“When have you ever called me pretty? All you do is hit me!”

“Want to see what real beating is? You’ve never been properly hit, and now you’re joking.”

He kept chuckling, not from amusement but sheer disbelief. Determined not to yield, Valery dismissed Asil’s heated words, pulling out his communicator. He snorted and scratched his brow intermittently.

“Kane, you there?”

— Yes, standing by.

“Bring Cadet Saranda.”

— Understood.

Asil, fuming, demanded, “Why are you calling Coleman?”

“To fix your attitude.”

“Why Coleman…”

His heated tone dwindled. Hesitating, Asil soon saw Kane and Coleman approaching through the bushes. Coleman, scanning nervously, widened his eyes upon seeing Asil beside Valery, his legs trembling as if he might faint. When Valery tossed the gold button at him, Coleman dropped to his knees, begging unprompted.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry, sir!”

“I didn’t say anything. What’s wrong?”

“Sorry, ugh!”

“Quick on the uptake.”

Valery’s leg arced elegantly through the air, his hard boot striking Coleman’s head like a ball. The brutal, resounding impact was shocking for a human striking another. Each kick swung Coleman’s head side to side, blood splattering, a drop landing on Asil’s cheek.

Mumbling incoherently, Coleman crawled before collapsing limply. His face, swollen beyond recognition, barely resembled him. Valery picked up the button and shoved it into Coleman’s mouth. “Might as well knock out a molar.” Casually muttering, he closed Coleman’s mouth, shook the blood from his boot, and turned to Asil.

“This is a beating, Asil.”

He wiped his boot on the dirt.

“Why…”

“All I’ve done to you is pat your ass and pamper you, fuck.”

Valery approached. Asil backed away, stopping when a tree pressed against his back, clenching his jaw. A large hand wiped the blood from his cheek.

“Stop being cocky and do your job while I’m still fond of you.”

Valery adjusted Asil’s pants and dusted his dirty clothes. The grip was strong enough to sting, but as he said, it was merely affectionate stroking.

“This is the last time I’ll let it slide… Keep things in check.”

“…”

“Answer.”

“…Yes, sir.”

Asil, throat tight, avoided Valery’s eyes.

Failure. Another failure. Thinking Valery was in a good mood, Asil had hoped his words might get through, but they were ignored, and poor Coleman was beaten half to death. Overwhelmed, Asil trembled, unable to cry.

He wanted to dissect Valery, to know his true intentions. He’d thought a few rounds would bore him, but a semester had passed. Defiance didn’t work, and submitting only fueled Valery’s appetite. Pushing another willing guy into his room angered him, and begging to leave led to threats and beatings of uninvolved people. Why was he so relentless…

“Sir, do you like me?”

The thought that suddenly surfaced slipped out of Asil’s mouth without passing through his brain. Valery, who was giving instructions to Kane, contorted his expression the moment he heard Asil’s words. Even Asil, who had blurted out the question, was so startled that he fell silent, and an eerie stillness settled over the middle of the forest.

“…Me? Like you?”

After a long pause, Valery echoed the question. He closed his mouth briefly, stared at Asil with an indescribable expression, then lowered his head and burst into a loud laugh. The hearty sound of his laughter echoed cheerfully. He laughed for a while, roughly ruffled Asil’s head, and then walked back toward Kane.

There was no answer. Asil, who had been completely ignored, lowered his face, filled with shame and regret, and rubbed his face dryly. Right, like me? What would it matter if Valery liked me? That would be a far worse situation than now. Is treating someone like that really something a sane person would do to someone they like? If it were love, he’d probably kill me and stuff me for display. Fundamentally, Valery wasn’t the type of person capable of genuinely liking someone. Just imagining him blushing or longing for someone made Asil’s stomach churn.

If that was the case, there was only one reason Valery held onto him so tightly. Though it was embarrassing to admit, it seemed his rear was exceptionally tight and perfect. He was the ideal toilet Valery desired—a sturdy, delicious hole that could take anything thrown at it without breaking. Asil furrowed his brow and stared blankly at Valery’s back.

“Let’s go.”

Valery reached out and put his arm around Asil’s shoulder. Volunteering to support him to avoid straining his ankle, Valery wrapped his arm around Asil’s waist, almost lifting him as they began to walk. The large hand gripping his side habitually kneaded his lean waist before slowly stroking it. Valery looked down at Asil, lightly pressing his lips to the crown of his head and near his temple.

But… was there really a need to be this attentive to a mere toilet? Asil, leaning on Valery and limping along, couldn’t hide his anxious expression and chewed the inside of his mouth nervously.

Climbing the rugged terrain of Kwaloum Mountain with a swollen ankle was too much, even for someone as fit as Asil. Due to Valery’s near-coercive order, Asil was decided to descend the mountain first. He glanced at Kane’s back as Kane pulled the cart ahead. The awkwardness was driving him crazy. He had insisted several times that he could walk, but Valery had directly ordered Kane to pull the cart. Thanks to that, Asil was enjoying the luxury of descending the mountain in a cart led by a superior.

“I’m sorry. I’ll get off now.”

“It’s fine. It’s Lord Valery’s order, so don’t worry about it.”

Kane glanced back at Asil as he spoke. He didn’t look particularly strained. Kane turned forward again and silently pulled the cart. An unbearable silence stretched between the two. The clattering noise of the cart’s wheels hitting rocks felt almost welcome.

Even without this, Kane was someone who made Asil instinctively lower his head whenever they met face-to-face. There had been a time when Asil hoped Kane might not know about his relationship with Valery, but that hope was now futile. Just yesterday, hadn’t he spouted nonsense about whether Valery liked him right in front of Kane? After the incident with Coleman, it was likely Kane who had carried Asil, unconscious from Valery’s bed, back to his dorm room. What a burden that must be for him, having to directly manage his superior’s sordid nightlife.

“I’m always sorry.”

Asil apologized in a small voice, and Kane stopped the cart, turning to look at him. He hesitated for a moment, brushing back his bangs before speaking. His expression was full of deliberation, as if weighing whether to say this or not. He looked at Asil with troubled eyes.

“You might not fully understand yet, but… Lord Valery is by no means a merciful man. Stop doing things that provoke his temper any further. Even now, he’s being unusually lenient with you.”

“…”

“There’s only about half a year left until Lord Valery graduates. Don’t hurt yourself by rebelling needlessly—just endure for six months. He’s not someone who fixates on one thing for long anyway… You get what I mean, right?”

Having finished, Kane resumed pulling the cart down the mountain, as if he hadn’t expected a response. Asil opened and closed his mouth, facing Kane’s back.

What if, after six months, that damned man still doesn’t let me go?

Afraid that the answer would be to keep enduring, Asil bit his lip. He was fed up with enduring. Six months. As Kane said, just six months. It wasn’t a long time. He only had to repeat the time he’d already endured once more.

Asil irritably untied the handkerchief wrapped around his ankle and threw it out of the cart. The handkerchief fluttered in the wind, soaring into the air before falling to the dirt. Wishing Valery would discard him as carelessly as that handkerchief, Asil slowly closed his eyes. A muggy breeze brushed his cheek. It was already summer.