Come Looking for Flowers Chapter 3.2 - Dissociation

A hand slipped behind his lower back and neck. Holding the contents of his embrace tightly, Won Kangho thrust all the way in with one swift motion.

“Ah, hng…!”

The buttocks, stimulated by the rough movement, flushed red. The penis seemed to slide out completely before plunging back in deeply with a thud, striking the inner walls forcefully.

The arms embracing the man tightened with strength. With each thrust from behind, clear liquid splashed inside. The front, having ejaculated almost immediately, quickly rose again.

The hip movements continued without consideration. Enveloping the slender body fully in his arms, Won Kangho ravaged the inside as he pleased. The stimulated inner walls burned hotly.

It felt like his stomach might burst. He wanted to release the strength in his arms and clutch his abdomen. Instinct bypassed thought and moved directly to action.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Hnng, ah! Slow, slow down, please, hng…!”

The plea to go gently was, regrettably, not heeded. As Yoonjo loosened his arms, Won Kangho interlocked their fingers and pinned them to the bed.

Won Kangho’s gaze never left Yoonjo. Like a predator eyeing its prey, he stared intently while ravaging him.

The thick mass pounded against the inner walls with a thudding force. It felt as if it reached up to his chest, making it hard to breathe. The tightly gripped fingers twitched. His toes kept curling inward. The feet, still in partially removed socks, dangled in the air.

The space between his widely spread legs ached. The climax came quickly. White, cloudy fluid splattered across his even paler abdomen.

“S-stop, hng, no…! Stop, please, hah…!”

“You can’t even speak properly, and you’re telling me to stop.”

It was as if his entire body had been stuffed and preserved. Their lips met, stealing even his breath. Tears flowed down the corners of his eyes, pooling at his earlobes.

The alpha’s thick tongue recklessly invaded his mouth. It grazed his teeth, tickled the roof of his mouth, and pressed firmly against the tender flesh beneath his tongue, stimulating it.

Won Kangho coiled around the escaping tongue, then thrust repeatedly toward the back of his throat. The inconsiderate and ostentatious kiss left him dazed.

His hands were released. But freedom was not regained. Won Kangho had grabbed his neck.

It felt as though his breath could be cut off at any moment. Though it was merely held, the fear accumulated from past events overwhelmed him.

“Baby, look closely at who you’re getting aroused for.”

Yoonjo’s body trembled under the gaze looking down at him. Tears welled up and spilled from the corners of his eyes. The man, following the movement with his eyes, asked.

“Are you scared of me?”

The man’s hand tightened. His startled eyes widened. The deepening blue pheromones constricted his entire body.

“Are you scared, Yoonjo? Your boss is asking.”

“Nngh…”

Unable to answer, his tear-soaked eyes blurred his vision. The man smiled brightly.

“Our Yoonjo is scared of his boss, isn’t he?”

The eyes looking down resembled those of a snake.

“Keep being scared like that.”

It felt as though his breath had stopped.

“That’s what makes it fun.”

“Hnng…”

“Do well to keep your boss’s interest. Got it?”

“Ah, ngh!”

The rough movements resumed, as if to crush him from within. His head, thrown back, gasped for air with strained breaths.

The movements striking the inner walls were violent. Each time the man thrust his cock, Yoonjo’s head throbbed. A choking sound escaped as if his breath might give out. His dangling feet swayed in the air. Sensations flooded his entire body.

He didn’t want to feel the pleasure the man gave. Every interaction with him was nothing but rape.

Yoonjo didn’t want to embrace the one destroying and crushing him. His head spun as he resisted the urge to wrap his legs around the man’s waist.

“Hnng, ah, ahh! Hah…!”

The ejaculation was quick. Thin semen burst from the erect pink penis. Won Kangho pulled the trembling body, still in the afterglow of climax, closer and thrust even harder.

Inarticulate sounds turned entirely into moans. Mixed with cries, they rolled across the bed.

“Ha, fuck…”

The man ejaculated, thrusting his cock deeply. The inner thighs trembled faintly.

“Hah!”

With the penis still inside, his body was spun around. The sensation of the cock scraping the inner walls was unfamiliar. The man’s firm chest pressed against his back. His head, still drunk on the afterglow, was hazy.

Thick arms slid under the backs of Yoonjo’s knees, lifting his legs. His mouth opened at the sensation of his lower half spreading.

“Ah, no, hng!”

“It’s a flood, Yoonjo. Why are you leaking like that?”

The lewd, wet sounds pierced his ears. The shameless rear opening eagerly clamped around the alpha’s cock.

The clear liquid flowing along the inner walls aided the movements. Yoonjo, already prone to being wet, was practically gushing with the added heat cycle.

His entire body was hot. Louder than the man’s whispers in his ear were the sounds of skin colliding and liquid splashing. Though he didn’t want to feel it, his traitorous body reveled in the pleasure. He let out unrestrained moans as the man thrust.

“Nn, ngh…! Hah, ah, ahh!”

It felt as though instinct would overpower reason. It couldn’t. Biting his lips forcefully, he swallowed the words he might have blurted out.

But enduring the hard, hot sensation pounding deep inside was no easy task. His mouth opened each time it struck deeply.

His toes curled. His hands tightly gripped the arms embracing his chest and waist. Neat nails dug into him.

“Ah, g-good, ngh…!”

He nearly let that word slip out. Yoonjo bit his lips hard, struggling to regain his senses. His vision spun.

“Why stop mid-sentence? Saying your boss’s cock is bad?”

“Hk, ah, ahh. No, hah!”

“Who’s the one eagerly taking this bad boss’s cock?”

“Ahh!”

A hand struck the sensitive buttocks. The sharp pain snapped Yoonjo’s head back. The man kneaded the struck area like dough. Pink flesh spilled between his fingers.

“Your lower mouth says it’s delicious.”

“Hng!”

“Why lie, huh?”

When the fist-sized glans struck a particular spot, his vision went white. Noticing Yoonjo’s peculiar reaction, the man’s eyes gleamed darkly.

“Ha, look at this?”

His lips stretched into a wicked smile. As the penis withdrew, the inner walls clung to it. When he thrust hard into that spot again, a sharp moan unlike any before burst from Yoonjo.

“Aah…!”

“You’re losing it.”

“No, not there, hng…!”

Won Kangho relentlessly targeted the sensitive spot. Each time the fist-sized glans pounded inside, Yoonjo’s body writhed.

The inner walls cheered. They clung to Won Kangho’s penis, screaming for more, begging it not to leave.

The slick, explicit sounds filled the bedroom. His body, already hypersensitive from the heat cycle, was overwhelmed by Won Kangho’s beastly thrusts, which brought thunderous pleasure.

“Hah, nn, ngh…! Ha, good… ngh!”

His body didn’t feel like his own. The hand gripping his ankle, the penis scraping his inner walls, even the sharp teeth sinking into his nape—all were stimulating. His entire body felt like an erogenous zone.

Just before ejaculating, Won Kangho suddenly stopped. It was Yoonjo who grew frantic. His trembling hand instinctively grabbed Won Kangho’s arm.

“Acting coy, are you?”

“Hng…!”

His prone body was yanked up. Sitting atop Won Kangho, who leaned against the headboard, Yoonjo felt both fear and thrill as the glans seemed to push up to his throat.

His body trembled, head thrown back. Won Kangho gripped his exposed nape and thrust deeply. The man’s hot body temperature against his back paled in comparison to the overwhelming presence filling him below. The immense pressure left him unable to breathe or speak.

“Lee Yoonjo.”

“Nn, hng, ngh…”

“Not coming to your senses again.”

A snake-like thick arm pressed Yoonjo’s abdomen firmly. He reached climax again.

Won Kangho tightly embraced Yoonjo, spilling white fluid, and resumed thrusting. Each deep thrust caused something to burst from the tip of the erect penis.

“S-stop, hng, stop, ahh…”

The bedding was long ruined by Yoonjo’s bodily fluids. The soaked sheets bore a round stain in the center.

But such things were far from Yoonjo’s mind now. It just felt good. Though his mouth uttered denials like “stop” and “no,” his mind was filled only with thoughts of pleasure.

Won Kangho deliberately struck deep, almost painfully. Yoonjo’s body kept falling back, fully leaning on Won Kangho. Sensations gradually built, leading to an urge to urinate. His face, previously trembling with moans, paled as he struggled fiercely.

“No, let go, hng! Let me go, please…!”

Instead of releasing him, the man held him tighter. His arms constricted Yoonjo’s slender waist, continuing the relentless thrusts. Wet sounds echoed from below with each thrust. The rising urge to urinate reached its limit.

“Ah, ahh, hng…!”

Unable to hold back, it burst out. A clear stream sprayed from the tip of his penis, odorless and distinct from semen.

The man’s movements halted. His dark eyes gleamed with intense, terrifying desire.

As Yoonjo trembled, unable to regain his senses, the man firmly gripped his penis. Yoonjo’s body shook but couldn’t push him away.

It wasn’t semen that wet the man’s hand. Staring at his wet hand, the man put his fingers in his mouth and rolled them. His lips curled into a sly smile.

“You can even squirt. All grown up, our Yoonjo.”

Despite the praising tone, his voice dripped with lust. The hand gripping his neck tightened.

What would happen if he squeezed harder? With a sinister look, the man gnawed at the already tattered nape. The one who had passed out couldn’t open his eyes.

Yoonjo opened his eyes days later.

His memories were fragmented. Only the long, passionate time spent with the man and his own crying, pleading, and clinging were vivid.

Even after waking, Yoonjo couldn’t leave the bed for a while. His body was so wrecked it could’ve been mistaken for a severe beating. Bruises covered him, with handprints, bite marks, and marks on his neck, wrists, ankles, inner thighs, and waist.

“Ugh… cough…!”

Recalling the heat cycle memories made him gag uncontrollably. Too weak to reach the bathroom, he had already vomited yellow bile on the floor several times.

He wanted to die. The memories of himself were so horrific he wished it were all a dream. But reality didn’t change.

The man had dragged him to the depths. The foolish thought of hiding his heat cycle hadn’t worked.

If only he had suppressants. If only the man hadn’t poured pheromones on him, such horrors wouldn’t have happened.

Unrealized hypotheticals bloomed endlessly, gnawing at Yoonjo. They cut his flesh, took his bones, and pulled him into deep darkness.

“Haa…”

Before the sink, barely standing, Yoonjo met eyes with his wretched reflection. His appearance was too horrific to look at.

The man in the mirror cried. Seeing him, Yoonjo felt his own cheeks itch and rubbed them. The man in the mirror mimicked him.

Forcing his crumbling mind and body to hold together, Yoonjo didn’t comfort the crying man in the mirror but kept rubbing his cheeks, as if urging him to follow. He rubbed until his skin reddened.

It felt like being in the eye of a storm.

Days without incident only heightened his anxiety. A new habit formed in Yoonjo.

He hid the money Won Kangho had given as “payment” in various parts of his body. It was escape money for an emergency.

Banknotes tucked inside socks and wrapped around his ankle irritated him with every step, but he couldn’t show it. Until moments before Won Kangho’s arrival, Yoonjo always carried money on him.

But only until Won Kangho appeared. Before his arrival, Yoonjo returned the money to its hiding place. If the man, who could claim his body at any moment, discovered the hidden money, it would be disastrous.

Time passed day by day, and as exhaustion set in, an opportunity finally came.

“Let’s go. I’ll escort you.”

Manager Jung appeared silently, smiling politely and stepping aside from the door. Yoonjo stepped back, hoping his movements seemed natural.

“…Where to?”

“Oh, haven’t you been told? You have a check-up scheduled.”

“A check-up…?”

The yellow banknotes hidden in his socks felt like they were tightening around his ankle. His heart pounded, making it hard to breathe.

“You’ll be admitted for a couple of days for a comprehensive check-up. We should leave now to avoid being late.”

The opportunity had come. The effort of hiding money daily paid off today.

“When you’re ready, come out. I’ll wait outside.”

Manager Jung didn’t rush Yoonjo. Like handling a stray cat, he chose to wait for Yoonjo to open the door himself.

After Manager Jung left, alone again, Yoonjo pressed his hand firmly against his chest. The frantic heartbeat pulsed vividly through his palm. His fingertips throbbed, proving he was alive.

He was alive. He could live. This might be his first and last chance. Fear and anticipation mingled, growing larger.

With a deep breath, Yoonjo rushed to the dressing room. Changing clothes, he tucked cash into his pockets discreetly. His heart, dreaming of the future, pumped blood through his body.

The black sedan carrying Yoonjo sped down the road. Unable to tear his eyes from the passing scenery, it felt surreal.

His heart still raced. He tried to calm his tense, trembling mind.

He had to stay composed. He couldn’t squander this hard-won chance with a single mistake. Yoonjo mentally planned, dreaming only of escaping Won Kangho.

“If anything’s uncomfortable, feel free to tell me.”

“Okay.”

“And here, take this.”

Manager Jung, in the passenger seat, handed Yoonjo a small shopping bag. Taking it reflexively, Yoonjo stared at him. Inside was a small box.

“…What’s this?”

“A phone.”

“A phone…?”

“It’s from the boss.”

“…Why?”

“Well, I don’t know the details.”

Manager Jung’s expression was odd. Meeting his eyes through the rearview mirror, Yoonjo didn’t suppress his rising suspicion. He couldn’t trust him rashly.

Since being taken by Won Kangho, no communication devices were allowed—not phones, TVs, radios, or computers. His original phone was naturally taken.

After a moment’s hesitation, Yoonjo carefully took out the contents. The phone felt unfamiliar after so long.

“If anything happens, call me.”

The plain rectangular device seemed unremarkable. Checking the contacts out of habit, Yoonjo saw two names.

Manager Jung Sejun

Won Kangho

The man’s presence was overwhelming just from his name. Reading it made Yoonjo’s breath catch.

What was the motive for giving him this? To test his reaction? Countless thoughts swirled in his mind.

“Change and I’ll wait.”

“Thank you.”

His voice trembled as he greeted the nurse. The luxurious private hospital room felt unfamiliar, his eyes darting around restlessly.

The room was better than most homes, with a TV, sofa, a separate room for visitors, and a wide, lavish bed unlike typical hospital beds.

Holding the patient gown, Yoonjo stood blankly, looking around. He didn’t notice Manager Jung’s gaze fixed on him.

“Not changing?”

“Huh?”

Manager Jung nodded at the gown. A flicker of discomfort crossed Yoonjo’s face before vanishing. Glancing at him, Yoonjo slipped into the bathroom. He felt eyes on his back.

Even after closing the door, he listened for outside movement. After a while, he quietly undressed.

As Yoonjo began removing his shirt, his gaze lingered on his empty wrist. The bracelet, forcibly placed and never removed, was gone for the check-up.

He gently held his wrist and exhaled. His eyes, staring into the air, were more resolute than ever.

If it was that man, he’d surely have tampered with the bracelet. Now, free from that restraint, was his chance. A chance to escape the man. A chance that might never come again.

Steeling himself, Yoonjo resumed undressing. Money tucked in his clothes fell to the floor. The loose patient gown wasn’t suitable for hiding money.

He tucked some into his socks and the back of his underwear, rolling the rest tightly. Using a hair tie from the bathroom, he secured it and hid it above the mirror shelf. After checking multiple times, he stepped out.

“I’ll administer the IV.”

Manager Jung, who had been present just moments ago, was nowhere to be seen, having stepped out. Yoonjo sat obediently on the bed, receiving the nurse’s touch as she inserted a needle into the back of his hand. A white adhesive bandage firmly secured the IV needle.

“Lie down and rest for a bit. The professor will be here soon.”

“Thank you.”

Lying down and staring at the ceiling, Yoonjo blankly watched the IV drip. The sensation of something entering his body felt unfamiliar.

Would he succeed? Could he truly escape from that man? The heart of someone envisioning the future beat loudly, pumping blood vigorously throughout his body.

He had enough funds. The money he had brought would cover the fare to a place far from Seoul. All that remained was seizing the opportunity.

He prayed fervently that the heavens would be on his side. Yoonjo tightly closed his eyes and prayed. Though he had no religion, he desperately pleaded with a god. Please help me survive. I’ll do anything. He prayed and prayed with such desperation.

Dr. Choi appeared only as the sun was setting. As always, he faced Yoonjo with a kind expression.

“Today, we’ll do a few simple tests, and we’ll schedule the full detailed examinations for tomorrow, shall we?”

The meeting with Dr. Choi was brief. Yoonjo listened to explanations about various tests, but the terminology was too complex to remember. Afterward, he was dragged around to undergo tests he had never experienced before in his life.

He lay for a long time with strange patches attached to his body, and they applied transparent, warm gel to his abdomen, using a hard machine to examine his insides.

Fortunately, none of it was painful. Yoonjo belatedly realized that, aside from Won Kangho, nothing in the world caused him pain.

By the time all the tests were completed and he returned to his room, it was fully night. Yoonjo was alone in the spacious hospital room, surrounded by silence. Being alone in such a quiet place stirred countless thoughts in his mind.

How should he escape? If he jumped out of that window, being on a high floor, he might die instantly. But if he tried to leave through the door, the guards stationed outside would stop him, and the fact that he attempted to flee would reach Won Kangho’s ears.

“…”

Yoonjo quietly sat up. He shifted his gaze from the window, which he couldn’t tear his eyes from, to the door, likely guarded by the men.

Nothing would change if he stayed still. If he remained like this, it was obvious he’d be dragged back to that penthouse without a chance to resist.

“Ngh…”

Blood beaded on the back of his hand where he had yanked out the IV needle without hesitation. Yoonjo roughly pressed it with his hand and fully stood from the bed.

Holding the IV pole, he closed his eyes tightly and steadied his breathing. Then, he knocked the pole to the floor.

Crash! At the loud noise, the door burst open immediately. The men in black suits who slid the door open quickly approached Yoonjo.

“Come this way.”

One of the men led Yoonjo toward the wall. Yoonjo carefully stepped around the shattered glass debris scattered on the floor.

The IV pole had fallen, breaking the IV bottle attached to it, leaving the floor in a mess. His heart pounded wildly. Standing against the wall, Yoonjo slowly moved toward the door.

He wasn’t planning to escape right then. Not knowing when or how an opportunity might arise, he wanted to familiarize himself with the layout in advance.

He slowly pushed the sliding door. The door slid aside, creating a gap. A chill ran through him as the cool outside air hit his skin. Through that gap, a familiar scent wafted in.

“Why are you out here?”

The owner of the scent spoke in an indifferent tone. Startled, Yoonjo froze in place, unable to lift his head. Blood trickled from the back of his hand and dripped to the floor.

“Where were you going?”

Long legs, a vest wrapped around a solid frame, a luxurious gray tie, and a sharp face above it. And those pitch-black eyes directed at him.

Finally facing the man, Yoonjo felt a wave of powerlessness.

Escaping from this man? It was absurd. He had been chasing a utterly futile dream.

“Everyone, get out.”

“Agh…!”

Won Kangho grabbed Yoonjo’s neck in one swift motion and stepped inside. Yoonjo stumbled backward, clinging to the man’s hand gripping his throat.

The guards quickly exited the room. The door closed behind the man, leaving only the two of them in the space.

Eyes filled with fear trembled uncontrollably. Unlike Yoonjo, who looked on the verge of tears, the man wore his usual impassive expression.

“Why didn’t you answer the phone?”

The phone? It took a moment for Yoonjo to recall that he had carelessly tossed the phone Manager Jung gave him into a drawer.

“I-I didn’t, hng… I didn’t know, ngh…!”

“Didn’t know?”

“I didn’t know. I didn’t hear it…”

“Your excuses are too half-hearted, baby.”

Pushed back and back, his body caught on the bed and collapsed onto it. Won Kangho climbed atop him with ease. Tears, unable to be held back, slipped through the cracks.

This was something Yoonjo hadn’t anticipated.

He never imagined Won Kangho would come all the way here. The man already had three sets of eyes on him.

The man didn’t trust him. But Yoonjo hadn’t expected him to show up in person to intimidate him like this. The grip on his neck was excessively strong.

“It hurts, sob…”

“Look at your boss properly.”

Won Kangho observed the trembling, pitiful lamb as if watching an amusing spectacle. Yoonjo barely managed to grasp the hand gripping his neck. The man’s thumb pressed firmly into the hollow between his neck and jaw.

“Baby, Yoonjo.”

“Ngh…”

“Only those who’ve tried lying can pull it off.”

A chill ran down his spine at the low, whispered voice.

“You dare try to deceive me with your pathetic self?”

The hand gripping his neck seemed ready to snap his breath at any moment. The man, adjusting his strength as if toying with consciousness, felt like a monster. If he squeezed harder, his neck would break. Would that mean death?

There had been countless moments when he thought dying would be better. But not now, with an opportunity right in front of him. He wanted to at least dream once before dying.

“I told you not to scheme.”

“Hng, can’t breathe…!”

“I told you to empty it.”

Firm fingers pressed against his head as if pushing it. Yoonjo, always exposed to the man’s sudden violence, trembled at even this small touch.

He was terrified. Unrestrained tears soaked his temples. The tightening grip on his throat, as the man had said, emptied his mind.

Heat rushed to his face, and a ringing filled his ears. It felt like his eyes might burst. Short nails frantically scratched the back of the man’s hand.

“Hng, cough…! Hack!”

“Cry.”

Just before he lost consciousness, the man released his hand. Yoonjo’s face, coughing harshly, was flushed.

Whether the one pinned beneath him suffered or not, Won Kangho remained unmoved. With no change in expression, his pitch-black eyes took in every detail of the one trapped between his arms.

Beneath the white hand clutching his neck, red handprints were visible. By tomorrow, they’d likely bruise beautifully. The man’s gaze was obsessive.

“Baby.”

“Ugh, sob…”

“Your boss is here to warn you.”

A firm hand gripped Yoonjo’s jaw. Tear-soaked eyes met his. In that moment, the man felt a strange sense of fulfillment.

The corners of his mouth curled upward, brimming with amusement. His expression showed he was thoroughly enjoying this moment.

“Don’t think useless thoughts, and get your tests done properly.”

“Hng…”

“You know what happens if you try to scheme while your boss isn’t around, right?”

The man tapped Yoonjo’s head as he had before. Still unable to hear properly due to the lingering ringing, Yoonjo nodded reflexively. Tears fell with the movement.

“Answer the phone.”

Only after gently slapping his wet cheek did the man pull away. Even after he left, Yoonjo lay on the bed like a corpse, shedding tears.

Won Kangho scanned the room once and left. The moment he exited, the smile on his lips vanished instantly.

Putting Lee Yoonjo in the hospital was purely out of curiosity. Dr. Choi’s persistent requests had some influence, but only minimally.

The man was curious about Lee Yoonjo. What reaction he’d show when out of his sight, placed in an unfamiliar space.

What useless thoughts filled that little head? Did he even remember the warnings to empty his mind?

Lately, the man’s interest was entirely on Lee Yoonjo. Coming here was a mere impulse. He hadn’t even called. It seemed Yoonjo wasn’t in a state to entertain useless thoughts.

“Put more eyes around. At least two follow him when he moves.”

“Yes, sir.”

Lee Yoonjo needed to realize that no matter how he tried, he was within the man’s grasp. He needed to understand that leaving his space didn’t grant him freedom.

“Should’ve broken his wings so he couldn’t fly in the first place.”

In the quiet VIP floor corridor, only the sound of the men’s dress shoes filled the space. Won Kangho’s eyes gleamed darkly as he loosened his stifling tie.

Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Yoonjo, alone again, struggled to sit up after a long while. The traces of the man, who came and left like a typhoon, remained vividly on his body.

His waist buckled as he clutched his aching neck. Holding his sore throat with both hands, he swallowed the persistent trembling.

He slowly lifted his tightly closed eyelids. His wet eyelashes quivered. The amber eyes within held no trace of fear or terror anymore. They were simply hollow.

“Haa…”

A dry hand roughly wiped his wet cheeks. The dried blood mixed with tears, creating a strange pink hue.

“Patient?”

The face turning toward the voice showed no sign of surprise. Instead of responding, Yoonjo blinked once.

He couldn’t stagnate like this forever. He realized it was time to act, whether to move forward or take flight.

“You’ll wait here for a bit.”

The first health checkup of his life was far more complex and exhausting than expected. Yoonjo’s face was etched with fatigue from being subjected to various machines.

With a strange needle in the back of his hand, he sat in a chair, leaning his head against the wall. A weary sigh escaped.

Yoonjo’s gaze was always fixed on his thighs. Front, side, back—there was nowhere to rest his eyes. Watching eyes surrounded him from all directions.

Where his heavy eyes landed, men in black suits, utterly out of place in the hospital, stood. They were Won Kangho’s “eyes.”

Since Won Kangho’s visit yesterday, the number of people monitoring Yoonjo had sharply increased. He couldn’t escape the man’s gaze anywhere.

“Lee Yoonjo, please come in.”

A nurse emerged from the nearby door, calling his name. Slowly standing, he entered, and the guards naturally moved to follow.

“Guardians, please wait outside.”

Instead of meeting their eyes, Yoonjo bowed his head once toward them. The door closed behind him.

Though only the watching eyes had vanished, it felt as if the uncomfortable weight wrapping his body had lifted, leaving him light. Following the nurse, Yoonjo quickly scanned the examination room.

The room had not only the door he entered through but several others.

The door in the same direction was likely another entrance, so that one over there… His thoughts were interrupted by the nurse’s voice.

“Swallow this and lie down.”

Sitting on the examination bed, Yoonjo swallowed the pill the nurse handed him. The bitter medication made his throat scratchy and dry, causing his face to scrunch up.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

The nurse and doctor, discussing the medication dosage, turned their attention to Yoonjo. His startled eyes dropped immediately. He stammered.

“C-can we do it without anesthesia?”

“Without anesthesia?”

The medical staff’s expressions turned puzzled at the unexpected request. He added pleadingly.

“Please, I’m begging you.”

Suppressing his anxiously racing heart, Yoonjo gave a desperate look.

He couldn’t fall asleep here. Yoonjo instinctively knew this was his chance.

This was the last test, and once it was over, he’d be dragged back to his room. Then the opportunity would be gone forever.

After exchanging glances for a while, the medical staff nodded, though their faces showed concern.

“It’ll be tough without anesthesia. Are you sure?”

“I’m fine.”

“If you insist, then… Lie down for now.”

He had to escape this hospital before dawn tomorrow. As quickly as possible, he had to flee from Won Kangho.

Following the nurse’s instructions, Yoonjo lay on his side on the bed, putting something in his mouth. Click, the sound of a buckle fastening came from behind his head.

“Swallow.”

The long endoscope camera probing his throat was larger and longer than expected. The unfamiliar, unpleasant sensation made his crumpled face refuse to relax. But he had to endure. Compared to the pain Won Kangho inflicted, this was nothing.

The examination felt like an eternity. The doctor explained something, but none of it registered.

By the time it was over, Yoonjo was utterly exhausted. He had done nothing but lie there, yet his body felt crushed by fatigue, as if someone had pressed down on him.

He moved to the recovery room. Refusing the option to leave immediately, Yoonjo stubbornly settled into the recovery room bed, his gaze fixed on one spot.

He couldn’t tear his eyes from a door near the recovery room. From his earlier observation, it was clearly used only by medical staff, as no one in patient attire passed through it.

Lying on the bed, Yoonjo kept watch. Only after the surrounding noise fully subsided did he slowly sit up. This moment, when no one was paying attention to him, was the timing.

The room was filled with patients asleep under the influence of medication. Yoonjo quietly wove through them and stood before the door he hadn’t been able to look away from.

The only way to escape hell was to flee with wings. Yoonjo’s hands, searching for the wings to carry him out, moved frantically. His heart pounded wildly.