The Smell of Something Fishy Chapter 7.2

The forced return to the country changed Tae Shinju’s life thereafter. His career path, major, lifestyle habits, mindset… even his personality, down to the smallest details.

If he kept pretending not to notice and buried family matters, he would be screwed.

Though his memories were lost, an unrelenting resentment lingered, spurring Tae Shinju forward. He studied business, cultivated ambition, dismissed but used vulgar gangsters, and relentlessly climbed the foundation his father had laid for the successor.

The disposal of his stepmother and Tae Hyunwoong was merely the price for that.

The cost of abandoning his former self and burying his bones in “Geumwoong.”

“…….”

As he traced old memories, his destination suddenly came to mind. Tae Shinju connected the call without hesitation.

[Yes, this is Jung Seokhyeon.]

“It’s been a while since I last contacted you. This is Tae Shinju.”

[Of course, I remember you, Master Shinju. Have you been well in the meantime?]

“Thanks to you. I have something I’d like to ask about.”

[What is it?]

Dr. Jung Seokhyeon. He was the one who had worked to stabilize Tae Shinju’s mental state during his recovery period. Tae Shinju had undergone psychological treatment with him for a full five years after the accident.

“Is hypnosis therapy possible?”

🕷️

To put it simply, it was possible. Dr. Jung cleared his schedule two hours later for Tae Shinju. That’s how important Tae Shinju’s treatment must have been to Jung Seokhyeon as well.

During the initial period of psychological treatment, they had discussed opening the subconscious through hypnosis once his condition stabilized to some extent. However, as Tae Shinju solidified his consciousness as a businessman, he increasingly felt the process was unnecessary and discontinued the treatment.

About two hours later, Tae Shinju stepped over the threshold of Dr. Jung’s clinic. Unlike the prestigious university hospital where they had first become acquainted, the private clinic reflected the doctor’s taste, small and quiet. One doctor transitioning from middle age to old age and one nurse. Not even in the heart of Seoul, but a neighborhood clinic in a suburban city.

After the treatment, Tae Shinju had called Dr. Jung to his home a few times as a dedicated physician, but the simplicity of the staff and the modest space felt surprisingly unfamiliar, perhaps because his first impression had been so vivid.

Tae Shinju scanned the unfamiliar place and shook hands with a figure who had aged more than his memory recalled.

“I heard you opened your own practice, but I’m only visiting now.”

“I’m just grateful you took the time to visit despite your busy schedule. But hypnosis therapy… I’m curious about what prompted this decision. Shall we go in?”

As soon as they entered the consultation room, the reddish-brown walls and furniture caught his eye. The cozy space evoked the interior of a wooden house.

Tae Shinju let out a soft chuckle without realizing it. A wooden house, of all things. It seemed like a place that would suit Park Yeonseo.

“Did something amusing come to mind?”

“Oh… ahem. Just thinking about the squirrel I’m raising.”

“A squirrel? You’re raising a squirrel?”

The man’s reaction, eyes wide with surprise, was oddly exaggerated. Was it really that surprising? Tae Shinju rubbed his chin for no reason.

“It’s nothing. Let’s proceed.”

“Very well. Please sit here and relax your mind. You may take off your coat or cover yourself with a blanket if you’d like.”

Jung Seokhyeon led Tae Shinju not to the consultation chair but to a couch. Upon entering the consultation room, there was a typical setup for a doctor’s office with a consultation desk, followed by a large single couch and a bookshelf densely packed against the wall.

Tae Shinju removed his suit jacket and slightly loosened his tie. While he was at it, he unbuttoned a couple of shirt buttons, and his body relaxed noticeably. The couch was slightly firmer than a bed, soft for a seat but comfortable enough to sink into slightly, though it was bearable. He didn’t even glance at the blanket.

As the doctor settled to his left, the questions began.

“Before we start the treatment, I’d like to confirm a few things.”

“Go ahead.”

Perhaps because of his habit of looking after the successor among gangsters, the doctor’s tone still carried the deference of addressing a young master rather than an ordinary patient.

Amusingly, that tone made even Tae Shinju feel as though he was transported back to the time, over a decade ago, when they had first connected.

“When we were actively undergoing treatment, you mentioned losing memories from your late teens to early twenties. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Has anything changed since then?”

“No.”

“So, you’re saying no new memories from that period have surfaced at all?”

“That’s right.”

“Then what made you decide you needed to recover the memories from that time?”

The questions were simple, and the voice was gentle, lulling Tae Shinju into a drowsy state of thought.

‘The reason I need to recover those memories…’

“Someone who knew about that time asked me if I had recovered my memories.”

“Did that question bring about an important realization for you?”

“Hmm, well… I don’t think so. Honestly, even now, I think whether I recover those memories or not has no bearing on my daily life or work. I just got curious. What’s hidden that caused his expression to change?”

“His expression changed… Why do you think that person’s expression changed and brought up the question about your memories?”

Tae Shinju crossed his fingers over his stomach.

‘Baek Heonjae’s expression changed?’

No… it was closer to hesitation, not a significant change. But why had he said his expression changed?

‘Did my subconscious perceive it as a big change? It’s true that for his personality, it would be a big change.’

Baek Heonjae had always been stoic. Polite to superiors, diligent in carrying out tasks, a right-hand man who took care of his people behind the scenes. But his expressions had always been restrained, and after the accident, his demeanor grew even more subdued, to the point of rarely showing emotion.

The fact that even a brief moment of hesitation felt relatively significant likely stemmed from that.

“I don’t know the reason. He was just pointing out something he knew, or perhaps he hoped I’d forgotten even that memory.”

“If you were to lose even that memory, what change would it bring for him? Would there be any benefit for him?”

“Benefit… If I didn’t know something, I might have foolishly followed him, calling him Hyung, Hyung. It’s not about money, so it wouldn’t be a financial gain. When he asked the question, I was holding a hammer to deal with some business, and it was a situation where I was blaming him for breaking my hand with a hammer in the past.”

“So, he had harmed your hand with a hammer in the past, and since you hadn’t lost that memory, you were naturally able to blame him in a similar situation. His expression changed, and he asked if you had recovered your memories.”

“Yes.”

“And you became curious about what hidden memories there might be, even if they’re unrelated to your current daily life or work.”

“That’s right.”

“Understood. Let’s go through it step by step, starting from the early days when your memories disappeared. Now, close your eyes and take deep, relaxed breaths in and out.”

Following Jung Seokhyeon’s instructions, Tae Shinju repeated deep breaths. As his breathing settled comfortably, a low voice flowed in.

“Let’s first go back a little earlier. To when you were ten years old.”

Snap!

🕷️

He hadn’t thought he could fall asleep, but when he woke up, it was almost afternoon. Yeonseo stared blankly at the digital clock on the nightstand.

‘So drowsy…’

The bedroom was no different from early morning except for the time. Spacious, comfortable, and perfectly dim for sleeping—everything was the same. If he stayed like this, he might fall back asleep without realizing it and finally understand the feeling of someone who could sleep endlessly and still feel short on rest.

In a way, it was a first. Idling away until this hour with nothing to do.

Even just yesterday, hadn’t he woken up at dawn to entangle himself with him?

Sleeping until nearly noon wasn’t just oversleeping; it was closer to a result of recharging depleted stamina. Before that, when early morning sex hadn’t yet become part of the routine, he used to leave the bedroom by mid-morning.

‘I should get up…’

Was this place always so conducive to sleep?

He was wrapped up in the bedding like a cocoon. The soft bedding, warmed by his body heat, made the spot where Yeonseo lay toasty and cozy. Staying still, he felt no pain, just the sense of being protected in a peaceful place.

Is this why people talk about good sleep, like sweet rest?

Though something bad had happened, an important issue had been resolved by chance, and his mental fatigue was low. With enough rest, his body felt refreshed too.

Growl.

“Hm?”

The absurd reason for dragging his languid body out from under the covers was hunger. Could sleeping longer than usual make him so hungry that his stomach growled?

The strange thing was, as his hunger became clear, the surroundings within his line of sight also became vivid. It was like the saturation had been turned up. Or perhaps, as the saturation of life increased, his desires felt more distinct.

It wasn’t a bad feeling. He might feel a pang of emptiness later when returning to a pauper’s life, but for now, he decided to enjoy the novel experience. Moving slowly, unhurried by time, he savored the peacefulness with his heart.

“The outfit today is pretty normal… Thank goodness.”

After splashing water on his face and arriving at the dressing room, Yeonseo let out a sigh of relief. The outfit Tae Shinju had chosen today was a cozy-looking sweater with wool pants. His eyes, gazing at the deep green top and light beige bottoms, dropped to the floor. Beneath his long eyelashes, his slightly puffy eyelids were faintly red.

‘The chastity device… it’s changed.’

He noticed it the moment he stepped out of bed. The heavy sensation in his lower abdomen while lying down, which he had thought was just the aftereffect of their intimacy, wasn’t that at all.

A dildo similar to the one filling his back was now in the front as well. Unlike before, when it was merely to lightly plug the hole, this one seemed designed to keep him stretched all day. In crude terms, it was like walking with two phalluses inserted front and back. His stride narrowed, and his movements slowed, likely influenced by the new chastity device.

Still, he appreciated that the outer clothing had been chosen for him. Yeonseo picked up a new cardigan, likely Tae Shinju’s, and buried his nose in it. The indoor knit cardigan only carried the fresh scent of newly washed laundry. That was a bit disappointing.

Folding the sleeves twice to complete dressing, he went down to the dining room on the first floor. With each step, the tight sensation inside him shifted. By the time he reached the short distance, he was breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling a bit overheated. It seemed the nipple rings had been removed in anticipation of this.

It was the first day adjusting to the new chastity device, so even sitting on a chair felt awkward. He had come down to eat because he was hungry, but he was so distracted he couldn’t tell if the food was going into his mouth or his nose. The food itself was warm, though. It seemed the housekeeper, anticipating he’d come for lunch soon, had warmed it up just in time.

Since Yeonseo started waking up late, the housekeeper would prepare the meal and then move to other assigned areas. Initially, she waited until someone came down, but that delayed her leaving time, so Yeonseo had asked Tae Shinju for permission first. He was a bit worried it might be seen as defying control, but surprisingly, Tae Shinju agreed readily.

—You’ve grown a lot, knowing how to behave.

The face that smirked while saying that lingered in his memory.

“…Again. Thinking of him again.”

Yeonseo tried to clear his mind and focus on eating. Lately, whether awake or asleep, his mind was filled with just one person, and it was troubling.

‘What would MoHyung be like?’

His anticipation grew sharply as he approached the study. Of course, given that he was someone who gifted lewd adult items as presents, there was a chance MoHyung could be similar…

“Huh?”

The study, which he reached after walking diligently, had undergone some changes.

Initially, there was only a fabric sofa in the center of the room. Now, a glass table had been added. The sofa’s position had shifted to the long side of the rectangular table. Until now, he had faced Tae Shinju directly, but now he’d have to turn his head to see his face.

Tae Shinju’s “homework” was boldly placed on the glass table.

“Lego assembly?”

This is… homework?

It was so normal it was startling, and just as unexpected, it was bewildering.

Lego was something Yeonseo hadn’t even touched when he was a six-year-old kid. The reason he roamed the neighborhood wasn’t for anything else but because there were no toys to play with at home.

The Lego box was moderately large. The completed model pictured on the box was a “house.” A house with a red roof, white walls, and a green yard.

“Why this…”

Half puzzled, half skeptical. Unable to guess a plausible reason, his hesitant hand gained speed only after tearing open the box’s seal and grabbing a handful of Lego packets that spilled out.

The colorful Lego pieces were numerous at a glance. That gave him certainty. The certainty that this was truly the homework Tae Shinju had arranged.

The doubt turned to excitement in an instant. Yeonseo pushed the contents to an empty spot on the table and dove into assembling the Lego. Following the instruction manual step by step was surprisingly fun.

Honestly, he lost track of time. Even when the housekeeper quietly left juice and later replaced the empty glass with a fresh one, Yeonseo was completely absorbed in the Lego.

The large single sofa was perfectly comfortable when he leaned sideways with his legs up, fitting his frame just right. He realized this by chance, but his focus remained solely on the Lego.

The problem was the bathroom.

“…….”

His concentration, fixated on one thing, was forcibly disrupted.

‘I should’ve controlled how much juice I drank.’

What a mess.

Caught up in assembling the Lego, he had carelessly drunk the juice without restraint.

He couldn’t forget, even if he wanted to, that there was another piece of homework besides assembling the model. The man had called it “toilet training,” no less. If he were here to pester him, Yeonseo could rationalize it as part of sex, but having to call for permission to go to the bathroom filled him with shame so intense he wanted to cry.

Yeonseo gripped his phone tightly, trying to hold it in.

“No, no way…”

It was no use. The more he focused on it, the stronger the urge became.

Could he have deliberately had the housekeeper deliver juice regularly just for this?

‘Surely not… right?’

No way. Even as he muttered to himself, Yeonseo couldn’t stop the assumptions. His thoughts were close to grasping at straws. Or maybe…

“Ugh…”

In this state, it suddenly dawned on him why the chastity device had been changed.

As the urge to urinate grew intense, his body tensed, making the presence of the rods filling both holes vividly apparent.

It was maddening. The fear of making a mess if he moved wrong surged over him.

—Yeonseo, you… you’re too careless.

That subtly smiling face.

If he wet himself anywhere, it’d be like admitting that statement was true.

The slightly thick wool pants were also a concern. The pants were soft and comfortable, but closer to formal wear than the ease of pajamas. In other words, they slowed him down by a beat when walking quickly or undoing the front.

Was this what it felt like to urgently need a bathroom while entering a highway?

Yeonseo, drenched in cold sweat, made the call. It was maddening.

Tae Shinju wasn’t answering.

Yeonseo’s face turned pale. The orders from his perverse employer—about leaving it to his conscience, only going to the bathroom with permission—swirled in his head.

‘What happens if I can’t keep it?’

—If you hide it, you’ll be punished.

Right. He said he’d be punished.

Punishment or not, as a rational adult, Yeonseo desperately wanted to avoid the disaster of wetting his pants.

“Ugh.”

In the end, he crawled across the floor. Ring, ring… Tae Shinju was still unavailable.

“You said you’d answer…”

A surge of tearful resentment burst out.

“You jerk… pervert.”

If cursing like this made his ears itch, as the saying goes, Yeonseo would later argue it wasn’t entirely his fault if Tae Shinju checked the security footage and questioned him.

Did the curse work?

[…Yes.]

“Tae, Shinju, sir…!”

He finally picked up!

[Why so many calls… Oh, it’s about the bathroom, isn’t it?]

Tae Shinju’s voice was deeply languid. Whatever he was doing, it sounded like someone who had just woken up, his voice loose. Yeonseo had thought he missed the call due to an important meeting, so this was unexpected.

Anyway, that wasn’t the point.

“Yes, yes. The bathroom.”

[Was just wondering when Park Yeonseo would call. Good timing.]

“Y-Yes, ugh…!”

[Which bathroom are you heading to?]

“The one near the study.”

[Alright. Get there quickly.]

His voice gradually grew clearer. The sound of someone talking buzzed faintly in the background, and soon the familiar sound of footsteps filled Yeonseo’s ears.

“Huff, huff…”

In truth, Yeonseo was listening to his own rapidly intensifying breaths.

The nearest bathroom to the study was at the end of the right corridor. The very bathroom where Yeonseo had first bathed upon arriving at this house.

[Have you arrived?]

“Ugh… N-No, not yet.”

Over the phone, Tae Shinju got into a car. Hmm… He paused ominously.

[Really need to go?]

“Yes, yes…”

[Alright. If you need to go that badly, hurry to the bathroom. Move quickly.]

Yeonseo, limping like someone with a leg injury, leaned against the wall and shuffled forward. The urge was one thing, but the rods piercing his body were truly a hindrance.

Sitting in one place for too long made his hips feel numb, and even though he clenched his holes tightly, he wasn’t sure if they had actually contracted. He worried that if he kept walking carelessly, he might end up causing a mess in some inappropriate place.

His stride was narrow, his holes were stretched, he had to grab his phone, answer questions, and exert effort not to make a mistake on the spot… In the process, even the muscle soreness he had forgotten about resurfaced, tormenting Yeonseo. There was no end to the obstacles just to get to the bathroom once.

That’s how it always was with Tae Shinju. Things he thought were difficult became easy, and things he did as easily as eating became difficult.

“Huff, I’ve arrived.”

[Switch to video call. Accept it.]

Here it comes.

Soon, a handsome face appeared on the square screen. He was driving. Tae Shinju glanced at the screen and curved his eyes.

[You didn’t wet yourself like a good boy, did you?]

“Ugh…”

[Since it’s the first day, shall we take off your pants?]

That damned first day… Instead of responding, Yeonseo hurriedly undid his pants’ buckle. His hands trembled, fumbling a couple of times before he finally managed to pull down the zipper.

The next part was the challenge. To take off his pants, he had to bend over, but doing so would make the dildo in the back…

Tae Shinju laughed through his throat. That distinctive low tone, if heard alone, was truly deep and sweet.

[Can’t do it?]

“The, the device…”

[Device? What device. You need to speak clearly for me to understand.]

“The dil…do.”

[Oh, you mean the chastity device. Hmm. What’s wrong with it? Is the fake cock poking at Yeonseo’s little bladder or something?]

He was at his limit to play along with the word games.

Yeonseo mustered all his strength to stand in front of the toilet. Unfortunately, it was a toilet without a backrest or support, so he had to keep holding the phone in one hand.

‘Should I pretend to drop it by mistake?’

The fact that such an uncharacteristic thought crossed his mind showed how little composure he had left.

When he was too desperate, his surroundings stopped registering. Normally, he would have been too embarrassed to take off his pants while someone watched him urinate, but the primal need to relieve himself was so intense it clouded his vision.

[You can’t do it until you take off your pants. Hold it.]

“Haah…”

His lower abdomen was tingling. Yeonseo squeezed his eyes shut. Whether he covered the screen or not, he took a deep breath, held it, and yanked his pants down in one go.

Huff.

The heavy dildo stimulated his inner walls. It was on a different level from when it was only in his back hole. The realization of how meticulously this device had been chosen sent chills down his spine.

[Hold the screen properly.]

“Haa, ugh…”

Tears welled up at the stern command. He felt wronged. Why? Why couldn’t he use the bathroom freely? If he was going to be like this, he shouldn’t have fed him anything in the first place.

[Haha, the resentment is practically dripping from your eyes.]

I’m getting soft-hearted… Tae Shinju muttered, leaving it unclear whether it was to himself or not.

Please, please, please, please…

“…I want to go.”

[What’s that?]

Yeonseo, finally sobbing, spoke through his tears.

“I want to… pee.”

The moment he confessed, a drop of urine broke free, marking the start.

Drip, drip. The clear toilet water quickly changed color. It didn’t stop until he was completely empty, and while Yeonseo panicked, he also let out a long sigh of relief that he hadn’t wet his pants.

“Haaa.”

Life was tough. But thank goodness he wasn’t too late…

[So, feeling relieved?]

“……”

The person who had stayed silent until Yeonseo emptied his bladder suddenly spoke. Yeonseo, regaining his senses late, turned pale.

Tch, Tae Shinju teased with a mocking tone.

[What? You were all carefree while peeing, and now you’re suddenly shy? Now that you’re done, you’re aware of me?]

“N-No, it’s not… that…”

[Hmm. Toilet training isn’t easy, is it?]

At the sighing murmur, Yeonseo wanted to crawl into a mouse hole. Was he dreaming? Looking back, the yellow urine in the toilet and Tae Shinju’s face on the screen were undeniably real.

‘Should I say I did something wrong?’

Yeonseo rolled his eyes and flushed the toilet. The toilet returned to a pristine state as if nothing had happened.

[You failed one piece of homework. Admit it?]

“Yes…”

Tae Shinju’s eyes curved like a boy’s.

[Then you’ll have to be punished, won’t you?]

What that “punishment” would be, Yeonseo had been dreading for hours.

[I’ll be there soon. See you later.]

And knowing that mentioning “punishment” would make him squirm, Tae Shinju ended the call with a casual farewell.

Yeonseo felt a bit wronged at times like this. If Tae Shinju said, “Go ahead, be anxious!” he’d just respond with “Yes!” and follow along. But even if he consciously tried to resist, his mind was already leaning toward anxiety, making it futile.

After that, even the Lego he had been engrossed in took a backseat. In the meantime, Tae Shinju arrived.

“Have you been well?”

Yeonseo nodded timidly. Not knowing when, where, or what kind of punishment was coming, his body instinctively shrank.

After all, wasn’t it hard to imagine a grown adult getting scolded for properly using the toilet, only to be told their toilet training wasn’t up to par?

“Your eyes are red. Did you keep crying after we hung up? Sobbing your heart out, cursing Tae Shinju as a bastard?”

“N-No.”

Tae Shinju reached out and brushed Yeonseo’s eyes with his thumb. His gaze, checking his expression, was endlessly gentle. Yeonseo clutched his fluttering heart and shook his head repeatedly.

“Now that I think about it, it’s been a while since I saw you cry. I teased you because I was glad to see it. Generous Yeonseo will understand, right?”

“Yes…”

Tae Shinju’s greeting took place at the elevator entrance on the second floor. The man’s pattern varied depending on his mood—sometimes walking side by side to the bedroom, sometimes leading, sometimes groping Yeonseo, or even thrusting into him as they went.

Today, it was walking side by side, but…

“How was the new chastity device?”

A generous hand unhesitatingly kneaded Yeonseo’s slim waist and relatively fleshy hips.

“Mm…”

Yeonseo kept his eyes on his toes, matching the pace. Compared to when he first woke up, his gait had improved, but his stride remained narrow, and the foreign sensation inside persisted.

“Ah!”

“It’s not like it’s the first or second time, yet you’re startled every time.”

Wouldn’t anyone be startled if a hand suddenly slipped into their pants while walking?

Instead of retorting, Yeonseo stopped walking. Despite his startled reactions, Yeonseo had some learning ability. What Tae Shinju really wanted wasn’t a detailed report about how the dildo felt.

It was clinginess.

“…It’s uncomfortable.”

Whether he realized it or not.

Yeonseo took a step closer to Tae Shinju, who had also stopped. He gently leaned his cheek against the tall shoulder. Unlike his own, the firm, muscular waist was lightly embraced as he pleaded.

“Don’t tease me…”

And then,

“Ugh…!”

In an instant, the hand that slipped out grabbed Yeonseo’s nape. Naturally, he tilted his head, letting Tae Shinju nibble and suck on the flesh of his upper hole.

Whether it was the upper or lower hole, Yeonseo was in a position where every part was taken by him. If he had to give something up, the lips were better. Not only did he enjoy the mingling of breaths, but it was as thrilling as sex while allowing a quicker break than full-on intercourse.

“Park Yeonseo, you’re hopeless.”

“Ah!”

Tae Shinju swallowed a low, simmering groan and lifted Yeonseo into his arms. Held like a child, Yeonseo wrapped his calves around Tae Shinju’s waist. Reflexively clinging to his neck to avoid falling, Tae Shinju suddenly took Yeonseo’s ear into his mouth and sucked.

“Hnngh!”

A wet tongue invaded his ear canal.

To put it bluntly, every pointed part of Tae Shinju’s body was practically a sex organ. Likewise, every hole in Yeonseo’s body seemed to exist to be taken by him.

The ear was relatively less frequented. Meaning, he wasn’t yet accustomed to it, and the unfamiliar pleasure still carried a tinge of fear.

Tae Shinju scolded the squirming Yeonseo.

“You’ve tasted a man’s cock and now you’re acting all bold.”

“Hnng…”

“Trying to be cute because I said I’d punish you? Huh? Who told you to act like this? I don’t recall teaching you that.”

Because you liked it…!

The nibbling and sucking naturally followed, but it was more bearable than long, perverse sex.

Just a few steps from the bedroom entrance, Tae Shinju suddenly turned. He strode toward the opposite corridor. Thinking they were heading to the study, Yeonseo was surprised when he turned again.

It was the empty room across from the study. Or rather, what used to be an empty room.

There was no need to ask why they came here. Yeonseo’s eyes widened as he scanned the room’s interior.

“Oh…”

“You were diligently working on your homework, weren’t you? I thought I should check since I hadn’t seen it.”

Only then did he recall the additional comment Tae Shinju had made about the homework. Something about someone coming in the afternoon to move his belongings.

The housekeeper’s hesitant reaction while bringing juice now made sense. There was probably an instruction not to disturb him if he was immersed in something.

Excluding old, worn-out furniture and clothes, the items were neatly organized.

In a space that previously only had basic furniture like a bed, lighting, and a wardrobe, there was now a spacious desk, bookshelf, chair, side table, a pen holder with colored pens, a table mat, a laptop, a vase, and other small items, all placed as if they belonged there.

It was as if it were someone’s specific room.

Strictly speaking, Yeonseo didn’t have many belongings. Living in poverty, he had more things going out than accumulating, so he had even fewer personal items.

The belongings he had packed in advance could fit into a jelly jar.

Though he only glanced, there were more items than he expected. A photo album displayed on the bookshelf like an LP cover, a pile of notebooks used for budgeting and miscellaneous notes, a small radio the size of two palms together… The traces of his efforts to gather as much as possible from his shabby one-room apartment were evident.

Yeonseo, spotting about five or six items, let his eyebrows droop.

‘Honestly, I don’t know what to say.’

Thank you? Or… why did you bring these?

The items weren’t bulky, cleverly disguised as interior decorations, which was amusing. Or perhaps bittersweet. His heart churned, but it was hard to discern whether it was joy, sadness, relief, or regret.

The most important jelly jar.

It was under the desk lamp. Next to it, a small framed photo was a bonus.

It was the only family photo he had. Taken when he was a baby, he unfortunately had no memory of that moment.

“I recognized your mother’s face.”

Tae Shinju spoke close to Yeonseo’s ear.

“Fifteen or sixteen years… something like that. She didn’t look much different from when I first saw her, so I recognized her easily.”

“You know… my mother?”

Yeonseo looked up at the man from a relatively higher position. Tae Shinju was imposing and large, whether seen from below or above. Since he wouldn’t let go of his waist, Yeonseo had to look down at him while being held.

“She was my mother’s caregiver. Didn’t I mention that?”

“No, you didn’t.”

How could this be?

His emotions were in turmoil. To encounter traces of a severed connection in such an unexpected place.

Tae Shinju was an astonishing person. Since their first meeting, he had endlessly surprised Yeonseo.

“She worked as my mother’s caregiver for fifteen years. After my mother passed away recently, she quit. Want me to find out where she is?”

“…No.”

“Really? That’s surprising. I thought Park Yeonseo would ask me to find her right away.”

It’d be a lie to say he wasn’t curious. There were times he considered checking on his mother’s whereabouts, even going as far as the errand center’s door.

—Our Yeonseo, did you go to the water spring today?

Then, without fail, her voice would come. A gentle, probing voice… yes, the voice of a mother pushing her son away.

“She wouldn’t like it.”

After answering, he worried he’d been too firm. Tae Shinju stared at Yeonseo with an enigmatic expression before biting his cheek.

“Ow…”

“Well, alright. Let’s talk about that later.”

Tae Shinju lightly tossed Yeonseo onto the neatly made bed. It was as soft as Tae Shinju’s bedroom. The room’s layout made it slightly smaller, but it was enough for two to lie together.

Yeonseo trembled slightly, curled at an angle. The sudden tension made his insides quiver.

The towering man casually shed his jacket. The movement of unbuttoning and rolling up his right sleeve was devoid of any excess.

“You’re escaping.”

He must have instinctively scooted back with his hips.

“Ah!”

Tae Shinju grabbed Yeonseo’s ankle and pulled him to the edge of the bed. Before Yeonseo could protest, his lower garments were stripped away. It felt like, lately, it took Tae Shinju mere seconds to undress him.

His spread legs revealed the wriggling holes. Tae Shinju knocked on the flat base of the dildo with the back of his hand, tap tap.

“I was heading to the bedroom out of habit, but then I remembered we set up Yeonseo’s room today. Even if we can’t have a housewarming, we should at least try out the new bed, right?”

“Hnng, w-wait.”

He began recklessly prodding the dildos back and forth. Squish, squish. The wet sounds signaled the softened state of the holes.

“I was planning to feed you and settle things since there’s a lot to sort out today… but seeing Yeonseo so desperate for cock, I think we can knead the dough first.”

He chuckled, casually spouting vulgar remarks.

In short, it was his own fault.

“It’s probably better for you to get it over with before dinner. I happen to have a gift lined up too.”

A gift. Yeonseo rarely recalled receiving a normal gift when Tae Shinju said “gift.”

“Ah, ugh, ah…”

As Yeonseo floundered in confusion, Tae Shinju brought over a flat rectangular case from a nearby table. It was about two fingers tall, resembling a silver briefcase.

“Here it is. A housewarming gift for the new nest. Open it.”

For someone who had hurriedly stripped Yeonseo’s clothes, he was awfully leisurely.

A command disguised as consideration. Yeonseo placed the case on his thigh and opened the lid with trembling hands. It was light.

“This, this is…”

Not surgical tools, but several long, thin rods…

‘What are these?’

“You’ll find out when you use them.”

“Use them… what?”

“Acting innocent when it’s not your first or second time?”

Acting innocent? I’ll know when I use them?

“So, this is… another…”

Adult toy.

‘Where does he even get these lewd devices?’

The question was purely genuine. Not only did he consistently bring similar items, but just when Yeonseo started getting used to them, he’d introduce something new, never giving him a chance to fully relax.

As always, Yeonseo hesitated, unable to touch it right away.

In the meantime, Tae Shinju opened a pack of latex gloves and put them on. Apparently, this item wasn’t even meant to be used bare-handed. He had wondered why there were gloves at the bottom of the case, and sure enough, it was for the device. He couldn’t even begin to guess how it was used.

“A practical gift. I bet Park Yeonseo loves it, right?”

If I say it’s perverse… that’s not okay, is it?

“You’re rolling your eyes. Cute.”

He immediately lowered his gaze.

“Why are you looking down? Trying to piss me off? Don’t want to make eye contact? But you’re fine with our bodies connecting?”

“Hnng…!”

He pushed the case aside and grabbed Yeonseo’s cock. Holding the pale shaft and round balls in one hand, he roughly kneaded them. The rough touch was one thing, but the unfamiliar texture of the glove made it even stranger.

“Ah, it hurts.”

“Then you’d better keep your eyes on me. I’m not in a great mood.”

Yeonseo was inwardly surprised at Tae Shinju’s words. During the call and even when he arrived, laughing and nibbling, Yeonseo hadn’t realized he was in a bad mood.

When Tae Shinju was upset, it showed subtly. Having spent a lifetime reading others’ moods, Yeonseo could faintly sense Tae Shinju’s atmosphere. Or perhaps, because it was “home,” he felt comfortable letting his mood show. Either way, Yeonseo believed he had a decent sense when it came to Tae Shinju.