The Smell of Something Fishy Chapter 7.1

Early morning, a quiet bedroom.

Yeonseo slowly opened his eyes. The alarm hadn’t gone off, but it felt like around seven o’clock.

Just waking from sleep, he scanned the room with half-open eyes, slowly taking in his surroundings to figure out where he was.

A spacious and comfortable room. Clean, soft bedding. Beige blackout curtains. And… the warm body heat beside him.

“Are you awake?”

Tae Shinju was sitting near Yeonseo’s waist. Dressed in his usual pristine suit, he toyed with Yeonseo.

The touch grazing his flat stomach and waist was gentle. Noticing the smooth, dry texture, Yeonseo realized something was different.

This morning, Tae Shinju hadn’t held him.

—Until your wounds heal, it’s fine to take a break from ‘work.’

Was that what he said yesterday? It had been such a hectic day that Yeonseo had forgotten.

Then he recalled his own words.

—No, it’s okay. I can… keep working.

He meant it. If he could handle such intense sex on the very day he’d been badly beaten, surely he’d be fine moving forward.

But Tae Shinju was unexpectedly firm.

—Rest.

The lingering sensation of their last encounter still clung to his skin. Yeonseo leaned his face into the hand that had now reached his cheek.

“…It’s not a dream.”

What grand change could happen in a single day? His face was probably still a mess. The gauze covering the torn skin might hide some of the bruises, but his ghastly appearance likely remained unchanged.

“Would you prefer it to be a dream?”

“…No.”

Tae Shinju’s voice, low and husky in the early morning, sounded even more resonant. Yeonseo let out a languid sigh. The stormy events of yesterday felt like a distant dream, so peaceful was this moment.

In truth, if you only considered yesterday’s routine, it was just like any other day. Waking up in the same bed, seeing Tae Shinju off to work, doing ‘work’ when he returned, then sleeping together.

Whether to call yesterday’s sex ‘work’ or not was debatable, but Yeonseo found comfort in the fact that yesterday and today began with the same scene.

Tae Shinju leaned down, lightly pressing and releasing his lips against Yeonseo’s. At the natural kiss, Yeonseo scratched his chest, feeling oddly ticklish.

“I’ll be back early. Rest.”

“Yes… Have a good day.”

Yeonseo sat up to see him off. The way he said goodbye reflected Tae Shinju’s nonverbal cues. If Yeonseo had enough energy to insist on following him out in the morning, it meant the intensity of their sex would increase…

In the beginning, Yeonseo had naturally followed him to the door. He firmly believed farewells were done at the doorstep.

After a few days of this, Tae Shinju gave a suggestive smile, saying, “Park Yeonseo, you have more stamina than I thought,” and morning sex began.

Whether fortunate or unfortunate, Yeonseo was often half-asleep when Tae Shinju left for work, so their goodbyes naturally shifted to the bedroom. Around that time, he also grew accustomed to sleeping and waking up naked.

As a supposed patient, he was allowed clothes today. It was one of Tae Shinju’s pajama tops, often borrowed.

“Hm.”

Even after the farewell, Tae Shinju lingered for some reason.

Yeonseo tilted his head. Did he have something to say? Unable to guess, he waited quietly.

“Park Yeonseo.”

“Yes?”

“Can you handle some homework?”

“Homework?”

Homework?

‘Homework… like solving problems or doing research?’

Caught off guard by the sudden topic, Tae Shinju continued without hesitation.

“It’s not difficult. It depends more on your conscience, I’d say.”

“Conscience…?”

Homework that required ‘conscience’? He had no clue.

The only homework Yeonseo knew was the kind teachers gave to kids—solving problems or researching something. His last memory of that was from middle school.

“There are two assignments. One is to guess my favorite model, and the other is to ask my permission every time you need to use the bathroom.”

Yeonseo’s light-colored eyes wandered in confusion. Not only was the content bewildering, but there was no connection between the tasks.

‘The model thing aside, why the bathroom…?’

It was strange. Tae Shinju already watched Yeonseo in the bathroom. It wasn’t about forcing him to hold it, but if they were in contact, he’d make Yeonseo call and do his business while on the phone, or at night while washing him, he’d unabashedly squeeze Yeonseo’s genitals over the toilet.

In short, Yeonseo didn’t see how this ‘homework’ was any different.

“My favorite model is in my study. Check it out whenever you’re up and feel like it. It’s fine if you don’t get it all right. If you’re unsure, ask me. But don’t ask anyone else to guess it for you. That’s the first task.”

Setting aside what this ‘model’ was, the explanation sounded perfectly normal, even a little exciting. Yeonseo agreed readily.

“As for the bathroom.”

Tae Shinju paused briefly.

“This is a form of training. It’s not just about yesterday, but you… you’re too careless.”

“…….”

Even without a specific target, Yeonseo understood and felt a pang of sadness.

Meanwhile, the idea of a grown adult needing toilet training because he couldn’t control himself made Tae Shinju seem like a complete pervert, and Yeonseo covered his face with his hands.

It’s not a dream. It’s not. If it were, a scene like this wouldn’t happen.

A pleasant chuckle colored Tae Shinju’s voice.

“We need to retrain you on bathroom habits. Before you go, ask my permission, and only go when I allow it. When you get permission, connect via video call and follow my instructions.”

“V-video call?”

That far?

Yeonseo recoiled in shock, but Tae Shinju curved his eyes like a refined gentleman.

“It’s training. Without someone teaching you, you’d be like a stray dog relieving itself on the street. Now that you’re in my hands, we need to do proper toilet training.”

“Oh…”

“Don’t do it on your own. Call me every time. I’ll always answer.”

“…….”

“If you hide it, you’ll be punished.”

“…Yes.”

‘Didn’t he say it depends on my conscience?’

The conversation, wrapped in gentle coercion, made Yeonseo’s ears burn. The man who had kissed and nibbled his flushed earlobes reluctantly stood, smacking his lips as if unsatisfied.

“Oh, someone will come by this afternoon to move your things, so check on that.”

“Yes.”

“See you later, then.”

Checking his wristwatch, Tae Shinju picked up his suit jacket. He stayed ten minutes longer but showed no particular rush.

His commanding presence vanished in an instant. Yeonseo scratched his cheek out of habit, then moved his hand to his nape, rubbing it for a while, but the awkwardness didn’t fade.

‘When he said “in my hands,” he meant living together, right?’

—Forget the old house. I’ll give you a new one.

He’d said something with a strange nuance at the end of their coupling yesterday.

Yeonseo had been too dazed to clarify then, but he wished he’d pressed for details.

Living together…

‘Living with Tae Shinju… is that really okay?’

Since he was going to clear out his old place anyway, losing a home wasn’t an issue. But once their contract ended, the core justification for their arrangement would vanish, and Yeonseo assumed this relationship would gradually fizzle out.

‘He got mad about that before… but from his reaction yesterday, it seems… okay?’

Burying himself back under the covers, Yeonseo pulled the blanket up to his nose, leaving only his large eyes visible.

His cheeks, hidden beneath the blanket, were redder than his ears. Unless he grew desensitized to days like yesterday, the mere mention of ‘yesterday’ would likely keep him rattled for a while.

Last night, after their messy encounter at the entrance.

Yeonseo had felt a strange sense of relief. Having satisfied the man’s desires, he was certain there’d be no more surprises that day.

In conclusion, there wasn’t a single moment of peace until they returned to the mansion. No, even after returning, he was scrubbed clean and tormented again, nearly fainting.

The journey home was grueling. The physical intensity of their sex was unmatched, but the return trip was emotionally draining due to constant tension.

Right after sex, Tae Shinju whisked Yeonseo out of the house with only a cardigan. That’s where the trouble began. With Yeonseo naked save for the cardigan draped over his shoulders, they stepped outside.

Forget his father’s keepsakes—Yeonseo, without even underwear, was carried in Tae Shinju’s arms, permitted only his embrace and the cardigan. It was a winter night. A biting, ferocious wind raged.

Tae Shinju had parked the car at the spot the driver aimed for. Looking back, the crooked parking made the luxury sedan look abandoned on the roadside.

Luckily, they didn’t encounter anyone during the move. But the destination was a few minutes’ walk even for Tae Shinju, and Yeonseo broke down.

—Just hold on a bit.

—Hngh…

Yeonseo clung to Tae Shinju, trembling. No matter how tightly they pressed together, he was freezing.

—We’re here.

Without letting Yeonseo go, Tae Shinju climbed into the driver’s seat. Yeonseo hadn’t known you could drive like that. Even with a large car and empty roads, it felt like a stunt. Especially at traffic lights…

—Hic, ha, ah!

—Hmm. This is fun.

He toyed with the dildo still inside Yeonseo, sliding it in and out.

—Ngh! No, stop, don’t…!

Beeeep—.

When the dildo pierced his newly freed body, Yeonseo instinctively bit Tae Shinju’s back. He scrambled to fix his posture at the sharp honk, but the man didn’t care. Instead, his eyes gleamed as he bit Yeonseo’s protruding nipple.

Crazy bastard.

For the first time in a while, Yeonseo cursed inwardly. Tae Shinju was a crazy bastard. A dog, a lunatic, a pervert.

The lunatic grinned.

—Not cold anymore, right?

—Haa…!

—Why run away? My daily work is shoving my cock into your cunt.

That was true. When Tae вось Shinju worked, Yeonseo would suck him under the desk or straddle his thighs, taking him in both holes. Yeonseo did the moving, while Tae Shinju focused on documents, thrusting or filling him when he felt like it, as if it were just ‘their respective jobs.’

—S-sometimes I stop, don’t I? Hngh!

That was true too, so he couldn’t deny it. Sometimes during video meetings, Yeonseo would pause and move away, sitting spread-legged on the fabric sofa in front of the desk, becoming Tae Shinju’s background—a prop with his wet holes exposed.

In a way, this moment was similar: Tae Shinju facing the outside world, Yeonseo as the silent backdrop.

Tae Shinju laughed coldly.

—Then don’t drug my pearl.

If someone poisoned a carefully cultivated pearl, wouldn’t it be normal to feel shaken and anxious?

Yeonseo’s jaw dropped at the absurd retort. Hadn’t he been told to keep taking contraceptives? What nonsense.

—Let’s say I’m a bit impatient because someone poisoned my pearl.

—Ngh, hah! Ahh…!

As the light changed, Tae Shinju drove with one hand and teased the dildo with the other.

Cold sweat poured from tension. Yeonseo clung to the man’s torso, heart pounding with fear of an accident. As promised, the cold was gone.

Whether they took a detour or the late hour emptied the roads, the silent streets saw this bizarre act repeated several times. Tae Shinju seemed to enjoy the height, perfect for sucking Yeonseo’s chest while plugged into him.

By the time they reached the mansion’s parking lot, Yeonseo was exhausted, on the verge of collapse—or maybe he briefly passed out.

When he came to, he was in Tae Shinju’s arms, stepping out of the elevator. He could still feel Tae Shinju inside him.

—Hic, ngh, sob.

—Awake? Don’t sleep. We need to disinfect.

The sensation of Tae Shinju’s cock thrusting with each step was unfamiliar. The relentless focus on one spot left Yeonseo’s groin numb. Grimacing, he pressed his forehead against Tae Shinju’s shoulder.

—Sob… I-I’m sorry. I won’t take the pills again…

—You messed up, didn’t you?

Yeonseo hurriedly nodded at the softened tone, clinging to the man’s neck.

—So naive, trying to charm your way out.

Chuckling, Tae Shinju headed straight to the bathroom, washing Yeonseo thoroughly with brisk hands. He removed the dildo and nipple rings, focusing solely on cleaning. The sticky touch transformed into something entirely different during washing, always surprising Yeonseo. Even rinsing his insides was so matter-of-fact that his shoulders eventually slumped, tension released.

When too exhausted, deep sleep eludes you. Yeonseo remembered Tae Shinju laying him on the bed. The sensation of a doctor treating his wounds and checking his body in the middle of the night registered faintly in his hazy consciousness.

Blink.

When Tae Shinju finally lay beside him, Yeonseo briefly woke from a light doze. Perhaps Tae Shinju had been watching him, as he didn’t flinch when their eyes met, only raising the corner of his mouth.

—Welcome to your new home, Yeonseo.

—Yes…

—And don’t take what I said earlier too seriously.

—…?

When Yeonseo asked with his eyes, Tae Shinju smiled warmly.

—After tasting it, the poisoned pearl was delicious too.

Pervert…

This guy is such a pervert.

Finished with his recollections, Yeonseo rubbed his face dry. If it were just memories, he could dismiss it as a dream, but the lingering effects on his body confirmed yesterday’s reality.

Now that he thought about it, his whole body ached. With soreness and discomfort everywhere, it seemed like muscle pain.

Used to physical exertion, Yeonseo had quickly adapted to sex with Tae Shinju. Only the first time was uncomfortable from using new muscles, but even that faded with repeated encounters, leaving him mostly free of sex-related soreness.

This rare muscle pain left a strange impression—like his first time, facing an unfamiliar situation, a brief pause before a major change in his environment.

Moving hurt, but it wasn’t unbearable. Sleep wasn’t coming either. Still, instead of leaving the bed, Yeonseo rolled to the side.

“Haa…”

The spot where Tae Shinju had lain.

Naturally, the sheets were cold. A diligent man like him wouldn’t linger in bed after waking. Yeonseo hadn’t meant to feel disappointed by his absence.

What Yeonseo sought was the scent. Tae Shinju’s heavy, intense fragrance.

When washed off, his bare skin no longer carried that scent. Instead, a crisp, refreshing aroma faintly lingered—barely detectable unless you were close enough to touch, the subtle scent of his body wash.

That fragrance, also on Yeonseo’s body, mingled with the potent scent etched in his mind, solidifying Tae Shinju’s image.

Yeonseo buried his face in the spot Tae Shinju had occupied, absorbing him with his nose, skin, and mind. Soon, he was enveloped in the scent he’d found—not the fishy odor that once stained him, but

Tae Shinju.

🕷️

That afternoon, Geumwoong Loans.

The youngest member of the organization—or rather, the junior employee at Geumwoong Loans, ‘Galchi’—rolled his eyes cautiously at an unusual visitor. Why unusual? Because the man didn’t look like someone who’d borrow money from a place like this (no offense to the boss).

He seemed vaguely familiar, but Galchi couldn’t place him. With such a striking figure and a face so handsome it could pop your eyes out, he should’ve been hard to forget.

‘Probably a celebrity or a chaebol.’

It wasn’t uncommon for celebrities who made bank from a single TV appearance or chaebols rolling in astronomical wealth to visit loan sharks. At Geumwoong Loans, the latter were relatively frequent, likely because of the perception that a chaebol family backed the place, drawing desperate CEOs in droves.

Galchi’s main job was door duty. Open the door for guests, kick out troublemakers, and lock it after. Filtering out broke ‘troublemakers’ was also his task.

“Is Tae Hyunwoong here?”

The visitor asked politely. Definitely a celebrity. Maybe a late-debuting one. Concluding as much, Galchi bowed.

“The boss is out on business.”

“Out, huh… Did he say when he’d be back?”

His tone suggested it’d be inconvenient if he couldn’t meet now.

Man, what a vibe. If Hyung from Jukjeon were here, he’d be swooning over that low voice. It melted Galchi’s heart. Though he’d entered the gangster world, in front of a face like that, Galchi was just a humble nobody—a fact he learned today.

“He should be back in about fifteen minutes. Would you like to wait?”

“I’ll wait in his office.”

“Alright, what would you like to drink? Coffee, orange juice, ssanghwa tea, or snake wine are available.”

“Snake wine?”

The visitor’s lips parted in a charming smile, making Galchi’s fragile heart flutter…

This wasn’t flirting. It was proper hospitality. Swearing solemnly, Galchi asked shyly,

“Shall I prepare snake wine? And, uh, if you could give me your name, I’ll let the boss know…”

“No need. Get back to work.”

“Yes…”

So cold, celebrity Hyung… Was the dream of bonding with a star crumbling already?

“By the way, do you know who I am?”

A celebrity introducing himself? Galchi was thrilled inside and answered confidently.

“Yes. If you tell me your name, I’ll remember it from now on—”

“You must be new here.”

“What? Yes…”

“Alright. Get to work. Preferably look for a different job.”

The advice, given kindly, felt oddly unsettling. Later, reflecting on this moment, Galchi would think it might have been his last moment of peace.

It was about five minutes earlier than expected.

“Damn, it’s freezing.”

“Yo, kid, you guard the place well?”

“You’re here, boss! Hyungs!”

“Assistant Manager Kim, you little punk. How many times do I have to tell you to use my title?”

“I’ll correct myself, Assistant Manager Kim!”

“Good answer.”

A group of men stormed into the office entrance. Tae Hyunwoong and his Hyungs. Their chatter turned the room into a noisy marketplace. It was a familiar scene to Galchi.

He sidled up to Tae Hyunwoong, who was heading straight for the boss’s office, and leaned in.

“Boss, there’s a guest inside.”

“A guest? Who? I didn’t get any calls about this. Yo, Baek, any schedule I don’t know about?”

The last man to cross the threshold, rubbing his wrist expressionlessly, approached. A long scar across his left eye gave him a chilling, heavy aura despite his blank face.

“Nothing, boss.”

“Damn, what’s this? Who’d he look like?”

All eyes turned to Galchi. He reported what he knew.

“I don’t know his name, but he seems like a celebrity.”

“Ho! If even our fish-head can tell, he must be a big deal. Good job, kid. Did you offer him a drink?”

“Uh, no. He didn’t choose anything, so I didn’t—”

“Ugh, you dumbass, of course. Coffee! Get coffee!”

“Sorry, Hyung!”

Galchi bowed at a ninety-degree angle as Tae Hyunwoong playfully smacked the back of his head, then turned with a broad grin and opened the boss’s office door.

“Well, welco—”

“Tae Hyunwoong, the boss?”

The man standing picture-perfect by the desk, toying with the nameplate, smirked. Tae Hyunwoong’s face flushed red and purple, ready to explode.

“You, you little—What’s your game?!”

Tae Hyunwoong’s shout didn’t finish. The man, holding the sleek black nameplate, strode forward and—

Crack!

“Hyung!”

“Ugh…”

Tae Hyunwoong staggered and collapsed under the merciless blow. Galchi’s scream echoed faintly. The strange thing was, despite this stranger suddenly attacking the boss, everyone stood frozen, like inmates in a prison.

Tae Shinju gave an order.

“Get a rope.”

He didn’t specify who, which meant it was for everyone.

The gangsters, standing a step back, hesitated, glancing at each other. Galchi, a three-month rookie, felt his pupils shake violently. What was this? What was happening?

Then, Baek moved. He retrieved a rope from the storage box in the corner.

“Young master, you’ll hurt your hands.”

He even worried about the thug!

The lips Galchi had admired twisted coldly.

“Time’s passed, hasn’t it? Baek Hunjae worrying about me.”

“…”

“What are you waiting for? Tie him up.”

With a short nod, several gangsters rushed to seat Tae Hyunwoong on a hard chair. A gurgling sound came from Tae Hyunwoong’s throat, but they tied him up like diligent workers and stepped back.

“Hold it.”

Galchi’s eyes wavered again. The one holding the chair with the tied-up boss was Jukjeon Hyung, the senior who’d been joking with the boss just this morning.

What followed was a long ‘disciplinary’ session.

The first words from the celebrity-like man were:

“You don’t call a Hyung ‘you.’”

Too late, Galchi recalled the boss’s family tree. There was an older half-brother above him…

And they were to follow his orders above all else.

As a rookie, Galchi didn’t know the details, but whenever the boss’s family came up, everyone clammed up as if by agreement. Jukjeon Hyung had only said, with a heavy look, “You’ll know when the time comes.”

So, that man was Tae Shinju…

“Gasp, damn, ugh, spit! What’s this crap now?”

How much time had passed? Tae Shinju, still in his neat suit minus the jacket, was relentlessly beating Tae Hyunwoong’s face and head before suddenly choking him.

“Guh…!”

“Don’t want your money?”

“Argh!”

Under intense pressure, Tae Hyunwoong’s face turned beet red, his eyes bulging. He thrashed for his life, but Tae Shinju didn’t budge.

“Park Yeonseo. I told you not to touch him.”

“Ha!”

It was more a guttural scream. When Tae Shinju briefly loosened his grip, harsh, raspy laughter mocked him. Tae Hyunwoong’s unfocused eyes glinted with madness.

“Damn! Yeah, Park Yeonseo. Park Yeonseo… Haha… I’m getting beat up over that guy? Huh? Argh!”

“I was wondering what you’d say.”

“Ugh… Why, dear Hyung? I was gonna bring it up anyway. Our high-and-mighty Hyung, you screwed him, didn’t you? Looked like you tore into him real good. I almost cried, feeling wronged for all the years I was looked down on for my low-class tastes.”

Slap. Slap. Slap. Tae Hyunwoong’s face turned side to side in rhythm.

“Why! Damn, ugh! Can’t even a fancy chaebol Hyung kick the habit of coveting what’s mine?!”

Tae Hyunwoong screamed as if vomiting.

“He was mine! I found him, he was mine!”

Tae Shinju’s hand stopped abruptly.

“Yours?”

“Yeah! Think I was saving him for you? Big mistake! Debt? I can make debt anytime. Think I can’t?”

Blood and saliva dripped from Tae Hyunwoong’s cackling mouth. His battered face was repulsive enough to make anyone wince.

Yet, those gleaming eyes kept Tae Shinju from stopping. No, he wanted to kill him today. A piece of trash not worth the air he breathed.

“…Ah.”

Even if he killed him, there was something to handle first.

Usually, this process involved tying and beating. Tools only hurt the user’s hands. Unfortunately, Tae Shinju’s hands were better suited for pens or paper. But that didn’t mean he couldn’t use tools.

Silently, he extended his hand to Baek Hunjae, who’d been standing by.

“Hammer.”

Guess I’ll have to crush this bastard’s balls myself.

Baek Hunjae obediently handed over the hammer, just as he had the rope, adding the same refrain.

“Vent, but don’t dirty your hands.”

Tae Shinju’s eyebrow twitched. His half-brother aside, Baek Hunjae annoyed him differently.

It was the hypocrisy of acting loyal now.

“Then whose hands get dirty?”

“…”

“Speak, Baek. Yours? Or your dogs’?”

“I’ll do it.”

His tone was calm. No hesitation, even when talking about killing the boss he’d served.

Tae Shinju gripped the hammer tightly, demonstrating it at Baek Hunjae’s eye level.

“What, think I can’t do it right? Worried I’ll mess it up like you?”

“Young master…”

“What.”

“…Did something come back to you?”

For the first time, hesitation crept into Baek Hunjae’s voice. Tae Shinju scoffed. These guys were pros at getting under his skin.

“I don’t need memories to know you treat me like an idiot.”

“That’s not—”

“Ugh… Damn, you bastards, life’s a joke to you? Huh?!”

Baek Hunjae tried to respond, but Tae Hyunwoong’s outburst cut him off. Baek’s cold glance at him was chilling.

Once started, Tae Shinju liked to finish things. The interrupted conversation left him irritated, but he didn’t want to resume it. That was a separate issue.

He channeled his displeasure into his right hand. Having a target to vent on was a blessing. Glaring at Baek, he slammed the hammer into his half-brother’s groin.

Crunch—

A disgusting scream echoed.

Tae Hyunwoong’s eyes rolled back, and he passed out. The chair’s base was soaked in blood.

Considering the cockroach-like resilience, Tae Shinju hammered and kicked. The squishy sensation of his balls underfoot was revolting. The guy woke up screaming, cursing, then sobbed and begged as his balls were crushed. It was even more irritating.

So noisy. Should I just bury him?

Yeah, let’s bury him.

The decision was simple. He’d been waiting for the right time, so this was perfect. The witnesses weren’t an issue. If he cared about that, he’d have killed himself years ago before returning to Korea.

“Lowly blood doesn’t change, does it, brother?”

He gripped the wailing man’s neck tightly. Strangling was a recent choice. He’d thought about when to eliminate him but not how until he saw the handprints on Park Yeonseo’s neck.

The vivid marks covering that delicate neck.

They clearly showed what had happened. The guy was nothing to Tae Shinju, yet he had the gall to harm Park Yeonseo so casually.

‘Did I let my guard down?’

The moment he looked away, Park Yeonseo showed up covered in bruises, prompting an uncharacteristic question from Tae Shinju. Was I the one who didn’t see this guy coming?

‘Pisses me off…’

His blood boiled for the first time in a while. Seeing someone battered like that blackened his vision—an experience he didn’t want to repeat.

Why was he so angry?

The insult of someone touching his property? The fact that it was Tae Hyunwoong, stinging his pride?

…No. That wasn’t it. Tae Shinju was furious the moment he saw that bruised face. Angry at Park Yeonseo for hiding the wounds, at the trash who touched what was his, and ultimately at himself for being so careless.

Why hadn’t he dealt with Tae Hyunwoong sooner?

That thought consumed him while holding Park Yeonseo. If Yeonseo hadn’t been adorably sniffling, he might’ve strangled Tae Hyunwoong that day.

“Ah.”

‘I need to give him a card when I get back.’

He’d forgotten. If he’d given Yeonseo a card earlier, he could’ve known what his little squirrel bought or if he’d picked up any bad acorns.

“I’m such an idiot…”

How long had he been sleeping with him for his brain to melt like this?

He realized anew that Park Yeonseo was tougher than expected, striking from unexpected angles. That’s what made him intriguing, even more so lately. It had been so long since he’d been this engrossed that time slipped away.

And this was the result of his obsession.

“Young… young master!”

At the brink of death, the one who stopped Tae Shinju was the rookie. The kid who’d been glaring from the entrance.

Tae Shinju replied coldly.

“There’s no ‘Yeon’ in my name.”

“Yes, yes! Sorry, boss!”

“Why am I your boss?”

“Then… boss’s Hyung?”

Dumbass… Tae Shinju furrowed his brow and let go. He needed to crush Tae Hyunwoong’s eyes, but his focus broke. Sigh. Someone let out an annoying breath, but he ignored it.

“What do you want to say?”

“Uh, yes! M-murder… please spare him…”

“Why.”

“What?”

“Why should I spare him?”

He didn’t like talking to this young thug. Tae Shinju glared at the kid’s flushed face with disdain.

He’d long stopped wasting words on gangsters. The kid screamed newbie and seemed close to Yeonseo’s age, so he’d shown some courtesy, but it wasn’t worth it.

“W-well… the boss is already castrated, so it’s like murder… and, uh, I thought you were a celebrity. This doesn’t suit you…”

His voice grew quieter, yet he stubbornly said his piece. The Hyungs were eyeing each other, signaling to stop the kid. The atmosphere was awkwardly warm.

“How old are you?”

“What?”

“How old. Do I need to repeat myself?”

“Uh, yes! Twenty-four!”

“Military service?”

His tone and voice suggested he wasn’t fully out of the army mindset. Tae Shinju was annoyed at not killing Tae Hyunwoong as planned but figured he’d vent as much as possible to feel better before dealing with Yeonseo.

“Didn’t go to the military, but I’ve been to prison.”

The rookie scratched his head shyly. A model thug.

Tae Shinju pulled out a handkerchief, wiped his dirty hands, and tossed it to Baek Hunjae, who naturally tucked it into his jacket pocket.

“Korea’s future is bright.”

“…”

“Bright.”

What was he doing with this clear-headed kid? Tae Shinju left the office. He regretted not killing him, but he’d achieved his primary goal, so he wouldn’t have to see that guy for a while.

“Safe travels!”

The silent gangsters bowed politely. Galchi, bowing along, later whimpered, “Hyungs, do I need to go to the military…?”

In the car, Tae Shinju drove off aimlessly. His plan was to kill Tae Hyunwoong and spend the afternoon cleaning up, but the failed murder left him with free time.

He’d taken a half-day off work, so no need to return. He could make other plans or go home, but oddly, no destination came to mind.

—Young master, did something come back to you?

‘Is it because of that?’

Baek Hunjae’s cryptic question.

It had been fifteen or sixteen years. Tae Shinju had little memory of his late teens to early twenties.

It wasn’t entirely gone, but most of that time, when he was forcibly brought to Korea, was a blur.

He’d heard the memory loss stemmed from violence and mental trauma. Later, he learned he’d been caught in a power struggle between his father, who wanted to turn the gang into a corporation, and those who wanted to maintain the status quo. A severe head injury had nearly cost them their heir.

‘But a simple power struggle doesn’t explain why Dad dragged me back to Korea like that…’

He’d spent his school years in the U.S. after elementary school—a sort of neutral zone. His parents, living apart for over half the year, used it to check each other’s custody.

Thanks to that, despite having a gangster boss for a father, Tae Shinju was barely influenced by that world. The people he met often treated him like a cherished younger brother, more like older Hyungs than gangsters.

Then, one day, they broke his arm. When he resisted, they fractured his hand and practically kidnapped him back to Korea.

—Sorry, young master. It’s your father’s orders.

The one who broke his hand was Baek Hunjae.

Before college, Tae Shinju dreamed of being an architect. While others struggled, he’d set his path early, building his career, activities, and grades step by step. He had talent, but also luck. Back then, everything seemed to go his way.