Just as Richard said, after walking a short distance, Jeong Taeui noticed a small stream to the right.

To cross to the other side of the stream, an average height person would have difficulty getting across without getting their pants wet unless they rolled them up to their thighs. On this side of the stream, connected to the west wing, there were horse-riding trails, while on the other side was a pristine forest perfect for strolling. 

Jeong Taeui, who had boldly claimed the day before that he loved such primeval forests, had crossed the stream but had to turn back almost immediately due to the dense, thorny underbrush entangled among the ancient oak trees.

Hence, it made sense that this area was so quiet.

Jeong Taeui looked towards the stream with regret.

The day before, when he had crossed the stream to the other side, he had shivered with cold because the sun wasn’t out, making the water icy. But today was different. The weather was extremely hot, and even in the forest, he could feel the scorching sunlight above. A rare cool breeze passed through. The thought of immersing himself in the stream to swim came to his mind.

“Swimming in such a large stream would be amazing… The people in Tarten can vacation here without needing to go far. And on a day like today, it would be perfect… Today is so hot…”

Jeong Taeui nodded while looking at the stream from the dense forest.

He decided to forgo the walk.

Jeong Taeui enjoyed walking on gently cloudy days and even on rainy days, he could walk under an umbrella. But he couldn’t resist swimming when faced with such cool water on a hot day like this.

He stepped out from the shade.

On both sides of the stream, smooth pebbles from upstream were piled up.

Jeong Taeui looked around once to make sure there was no one else there, even though he probably wouldn’t mind if someone appeared. He took off his shirt and, after a moment of thought, decided to only remove his pants and stay in his boxers. His perfect plan was to just wear his pants when he got out and take off the boxers once he returned.

Jeong Taeui placed his clothes neatly on a rock in the warm sunlight and jumped into the water.

Oh my, it was freezing.

Perhaps because the water was directly from the upstream, even with the sun shining on it, it was as cold as ice, chilling to the bone.

“OH MY… People with weak hearts shouldn’t come in here.”

Jeong Taeui exclaimed while diving underwater again. He submerged his body completely, letting the water envelop him. The water wasn’t deep, but it was enough to lie in.

It felt great.

When it came to swimming, he could swim freely in Berlin. The Tarten mansion had a pool, and the mansion in Berlin had a pool too. It was even large enough for many people to swim together.

But how long had it been since Jeong Taeui had the chance to immerse himself in cool natural water deep in the forest like this? He couldn’t even remember.

Whether it was the surrounding atmosphere or the water temperature and quality, it was far better than the home pool, and even the feeling of swimming in such shallow water was special.

It felt really good.

Jeong Taeui dived near the bottom of the stream as he used to do when playing in streams as a child. Actually, the water wasn’t deep enough to be considered diving, but the sensation of being completely submerged was wonderful. There was nothing better than turning, opening his eyes, and looking up at the clear water and sunny sky.

Next time, they should vacation at the beach.

Jeong Taeui thought as he remembered how Kyle would take his family on vacations once a year.

After frolicking in the water for a long time, he soon ran out of breath.

Jeong Taeui emerged from the water, gasping, and stood up, spitting out some water. The scorching sun above warmed his body.

“A… it would be great if the water were a bit warmer… hm?”

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt as if something he hadn’t seen before slipped past his line of sight as he entered the water, so he turned his head back. The moment he confirmed the existence of ‘that thing,’ he was momentarily speechless.

It was… Well…. A white horse.

A large white horse was standing right next to the rock where Jeong Taeui had placed his clothes, looking down at him proudly.

“…”

And a second later, he also realized that Christoph was sitting on a large rock beside the stream. The white riding clothes he wore today looked particularly hot.

“Chri…”

“Sit down.”

“What?”

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, Christoph frowned and ordered. Jeong Taeui stared blankly at him for a moment.

“Sit down? Sit down where?”

“In the water.”

“…Why?”

“I don’t want to see your wet underwear clinging to you.”

Just a minute ago, Jeong Taeui had looked at his own body and thought, ‘This should be fine…’

He remembered the satisfaction he felt with his body at that moment, then felt embarrassed under Christoph’s cold gaze, and quietly crouched back into the water.

“…It’s so cold.”

“Then turn around and stand with your back facing me.”

Jeong Taeui, with only his head above water, looked pitifully at the beautiful young man speaking emotionlessly without changing his expression.

“I have a better idea… why don’t you continue on your way? Besides, this isn’t even a horse-riding path. Why are you here?”

“This is the path I always take. Moreover, this is where I always rest.”

“This isn’t a horse-riding path!”

“I never go on those paths. I don’t like accidentally meeting people.”

Jeong Taeui fell silent.

Now he sank his mouth into the stream.

Christoph stood up and walked over to the horse resting beside a rock under the shade of a large oak tree. He took out something resembling a snack from a small bag attached to the saddle and placed it in his palm. The horse immediately nuzzled his hand. With one hand, he fed the horse, while the other hand gently stroked its mane.

The scene was warm but… oh my, it was cold.

When submerged in the water, Jeong Taeui hadn’t thought much about it, but now that he was aware, the water felt as cold as ice.

Meanwhile, Christoph sighed softly and looked up at the sky, wiping the sweat off his forehead under his hat with his finger.

…Ah.

“Christoph. Christoph.”

Jeong Taeui called his name in a friendly manner. Christoph, wiping the sweat from his forehead, turned around with surprise. Jeong Taeui gave a beauty queen smile.

“I just thought of another good idea. How about you soak and relax too? It’s very refreshing, really good.”

Christoph just sneered contemptuously.

Of course, it wasn’t going to work.

Jeong Taeui sank back into the water up to his nose.

But it seemed Christoph didn’t entirely dismiss the idea.

Christoph thought for a moment and then asked Jeong Taeui.

“Is it really good?”

“Huh?”

“Is soaking in the water really good?”

“Huh? Yes, of course, it’s very refreshing. But if you soak too long, it gets a bit cold.”

Jeong Taeui felt uneasy and slowly stood up. Just having the upper half of his body out of the water felt much warmer.

Christoph pondered again. He glanced at the horse, then gently patted its nose as if to say, ‘Wait a bit.’

Then Christoph approached the stream and began taking off his riding outfit, placing it next to the rock where Jeong Taeui’s clothes were.

Starting with his hat, then his gloves, and then the tight-looking jacket, finally the boots—all were neatly placed beside the rock. Next, he removed his uncomfortable-looking pants and, lastly, the spotless white shirt.

Jeong Taeui unconsciously watched every movement of Christoph, unable to take his eyes off him.

Finally, Christoph removed his watch and placed it on the pile of clothes, wearing only his underwear, and walked towards Jeong Taeui.

“Wow… a walking statue… it’s amazing…”

Jeong Taeui mumbled with his mouth half-submerged in water. The words, mixed with water bubbles, were unclear, so perhaps Christoph couldn’t understand them. Actually, he did it on purpose because if Christoph understood, he would be dead.

Honestly, Jeong Taeui didn’t know where to focus his gaze with Christoph right in front of him. Christoph was stepping into the cold water, standing for a while as the water only reached his calves, seemingly colder than expected.

Jeong Taeui often thought that Christoph’s appearance was breathtakingly beautiful, but when he took off his clothes, that beauty became even more intense.

His slender and graceful body was slightly thin but with smooth and balanced curves. Absolutely gorgeous.

Jeong Taeui thought that just covering that body with a thin layer of plaster would create a perfect statue.

As he was lost in thought, he looked up at Christoph, who was getting closer after getting used to the water temperature.

“Your lips are pale.”

Christoph suddenly said, making Jeong Taeui realize how cold he was. He saw that his nails had also turned a light blue.

“Can I stand up?”

When Jeong Taeui hesitantly asked, Christoph remained silent for a moment, then feeling more comfortable after soaking in the water, he nodded.

Jeong Taeui immediately stood up. He took a few steps and sat on a rock protruding in the middle of the stream. The water dripping from his soaked body wet the rock, but the hot sun quickly dried it.

It was like they had switched places. This time, Christoph was the one soaking in the water.

Even though the water was only waist-deep, and even when submerged, one could see clearly from above, Jeong Taeui knew that didn’t matter to the person soaking. The sensation of the water enveloping the entire body was all that mattered.

“…”

Jeong Taeui sat with one leg propped up on the rock, resting his chin on his hand, watching Christoph soak in the water. The ivory-white back shimmered faintly under the water. The long, slender legs looked as soft as silk. Jeong Taeui swallowed unconsciously. 

Then he suddenly drew back and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“Not good, not good. Not yours. Don’t be greedy.”

Jeong Taeui suddenly remembered Ilay’s words. Christoph wasn’t his type; otherwise, Ilay wouldn’t have let him stay by his side.

Jeong Taeui nodded, reassuring his racing heart.

If Christoph wasn’t his type and he was already this captivated, what if he was his type? It’s a good thing he wasn’t. Otherwise, he might have fainted and been floating on the water by now.

As Jeong Taeui was patting his chest, Christoph unexpectedly stood up from the water. When wet, his platinum blonde hair looked darker. The blue eyes seemed to sparkle with water droplets.

Snap out of it. You’re not a scholar bewitched by a fox spirit.

“Is Rick your lover?”

However, Jeong Taeui didn’t need to stay calm for long. Christoph’s unexpected question blew away all other thoughts from his mind.

“…Huh?”

Jeong Taeui asked back blankly. Christoph remained silent, his head slightly lowered, lips tightly pressed, looking both contemplative and angry.

But how could he be angry after just soaking in the cool water?

Jeong Taeui scratched his head, water dripping from his hair onto his hand.

“Have you and Rick… advanced to a deeper relationship?”

Christoph asked after a moment of silence. This time, the question left Jeong Taeui’s mind blank.

Jeong Taeui was stunned, “Huh?”

Suddenly, a question flashed through his mind: For someone with such an ideal and pure view of male relationships as Christoph, what exactly did a deep relationship mean?

“Have you kissed?”

Christoph asked so seriously that Jeong Taeui thought if he didn’t answer now, something serious would happen. Jeong Taeui also became serious, even though he was still dazed.

“…Um.”

The moment Jeong Taeui answered, Christoph’s expression became even more fierce. His gaze at Jeong Taeui was harsh.

At that moment, a thought flashed through Jeong Taeui’s mind.

Right, come to think of it, Christoph had known Ilay since they were very young. Whether they admitted it or not, they were childhood friends. They even worked together in the special forces, going through life and death together. So it wouldn’t be surprising if feelings beyond friendship developed between them during that time.

Jeong Taeui became more serious.

“Chris, do you…”

‘…have feelings for Ilay?’ – Jeong Taeui didn’t dare to ask the whole question as Christoph’s expression became even darker.

Wow. It seems to be true.

Jeong Taeui stood there, stunned as if he had just been struck on the head.

It’s been a few years since he met Illay, and their relationship had progressed to a certain level. Despite Illay’s attractive appearance, Jeong Taeui had never imagined someone would compete with him for Illay. He wasn’t the type for such things, and he didn’t think anyone would want Illay that much.

The situation was so unexpected that Jeong Taeui didn’t have time to feel uneasy or confused.

Come to think of it, if the competitor is Christoph, he is indeed at a great disadvantage. In terms of appearance, ability, or finances, there is nothing he can compare with him… No, it’s not pleasant to speak of oneself like this, but at least his personality is better than theirs, right? Of course, there’s no doubt about that.

While Jeong Taeui was lost in thought and letting his mind wander, Christoph stood in front of him with a contemplative face. Christoph hesitated for a long time before asking again.

“So, do you two sleep in the same bed?”

“… Well, not always, but yes.”

He wondered if he was being cruel to Christoph by answering like that. Christoph’s face stiffened. It wasn’t easy, but sharing a bed with someone was really difficult for someone like Christoph, who had a fear of physical contact.

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt pity for Christoph. Christoph fell silent. Then, as if in anger, he sank back into the water without a word.

Meanwhile, Jeong Taeui, with water splashing onto his face, could only sit on the rock, dazed.

“…”

A bit confused.

When Christoph disappeared from view, reality slowly returned, and the confusion became clearer.

If Christoph liked Illay…

“Calling it a disaster might be an exaggeration… But then, maybe it’s a calamity…”

Jeong Taeui mumbled as he rubbed his goosebump-covered arms, thinking about Christoph and Illay.

“… Who knows, they might actually be compatible in some way…”

He could immediately picture their appearances. They seemed quite well-matched. After all, both of them had looks that belied their inner selves. One was robust enough, and the other was slender enough. Their faces, too, were very attractive.

Personalities. As for their personalities…

“There’s research suggesting that people who look alike are happier together… So they would be very compatible.”

And he never wanted to live close to them. Jeong Taeui rubbed his goosebump-covered arms again.

Jeong Taeui scratched his chin and nodded.

“Yeah, come to think of it, they really do suit each other. Their families have good relations, birds of a feather flock together, and they have even worked together before. …Honestly. Finding people who match so well in this world isn’t easy.”

The more he thought about it, the more they seemed like a perfect match.

Even though goosebumps kept popping up, they truly were an ideal couple.

He looked down at Christoph lying in the water.

In this situation, what should he say…

Even scratching his head until the skin was raw, Jeong Taeui couldn’t find an answer.

While he was struggling to figure out what to do, Christoph emerged from the water again.

With the same gloomy face, he stared at Jeong Taeui, took a deep breath, and coldly asked.

“What about… masturbation?”

With a determined look as if making a significant decision, Christoph’s words left Jeong Taeui momentarily unable to comprehend.

Masturbation, what is masturbation? Jeong Taeui thought for a few seconds and finally understood what the word meant.

Jeong Taeui was speechless.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t answer, but how should he…

He wanted to answer vaguely to get it over with, but Christoph stood before him, not intending to back down. Finally, he reluctantly replied.

“… Yes.”

Only masturbation? He’s done almost everything related to the character 淫 ‘lust’. Who knows, he might even ask about dirty talk next.

Jeong Taeui had prepared himself mentally, but Christoph’s limit – who absolutely believed in a pure same-sex relationship – seemed to stop there.

Christoph’s face suddenly turned cold, and he fell silent.

“…”

“……”

And immediately after, Christoph dived back into the water.

Jeong Taeui remained seated on the rock, cold sweat dripping.

Now, the back of his neck was burning. He wanted to get off the rock and immerse himself in the water, but he was too scared to move. He felt that just stepping into the water would immediately result in a hateful hand pushing his head down.

If only someone could save him from this situation…

While Jeong Taeui was praying in desperation.

A lifeline unexpectedly fell from the sky.

“…Ah. We’ve run into each other quite a lot today, haven’t we?”

A man appeared among the dense oak trees above the stream. Seeing Jeong Taeui, he seemed surprised but quickly smiled naturally. The shy woman who followed him blushed and hid behind him upon seeing Jeong Taeui in just his underwear.

“Ah… yes, indeed.”

Jeong Taeui bowed and smiled vaguely.

Oh… He had wished for a lifeline, but why was it a rotten one…

The newcomers were none other than Richard and his lover. Clearly, they had previously taken a different path.

“She said she felt tired and hot halfway, so we came back to soak our feet in the stream. I didn’t expect you to be here first. The water is cold, isn’t it? Are you okay soaking your whole body?”

Richard smiled kindly and approached.

But as Richard neared Jeong Taeui, his expression suddenly changed, and he stopped.

Perhaps it was because he saw the white horse standing in the shade and the neatly placed white riding clothes on the rock beside it.

“This is…”

But before he could finish his sentence.

Between Richard and Jeong Taeui, a figure suddenly stood up from the water near Jeong Taeui. Water splashed everywhere.

Jeong Taeui shifted his gaze from Richard to Christoph.

Christoph stood right in front of Jeong Taeui, sighing and brushing the strands of hair from his forehead and cheeks. Water droplets ran down his fair skin. From his face down to his chin, from his neck down to his chest and stomach.

He blinked his water-drenched eyelashes like grains of sand and looked down at Jeong Taeui as if he had made a decision.

“Is there any particular reason it has to be him?”

Christoph’s voice sounded colder than usual. He brushed the hair sticking to his nape as if it annoyed him and took a step towards Jeong Taeui.

As he moved, the wrinkles on his soaked underwear looked more provocative than being completely naked.

Looking at his slender limbs, smooth white skin, and bare body, Jeong Taeui suddenly felt anxious.

Jeong Taeui glanced at Richard over Christoph’s shoulder.

The smile on Richard’s face had long vanished, replaced by an expressionless stare towards them. As if frozen in place. The shy woman behind him stared blankly at them, her face like a sweet candy.

“If it doesn’t have to be him, that’s fine. There’s no need for it to be that man—”

Christoph spoke again and took another step towards Jeong Taeui. However, that was also when he noticed Jeong Taeui’s gaze passing over his shoulder. Christoph turned back with suspicion.

Jeong Taeui could clearly feel Christoph’s back stiffen a little. The shoulder blades stood out more prominently, the waist seemed deeper, and the long, straight legs and buttocks that the underwear couldn’t hide tensed up.

As if ice water had been poured on them, a prolonged silence enveloped everyone. No one spoke or moved, only staring at each other with expressionless faces.

The first to break the silence was Jeong Taeui.

He scratched his cheek and spoke awkwardly.

“It’s quite a coincidence that we’re all meeting here, isn’t it? It seems this place is really suitable for resting.”

But even after that, no one spoke.

Finally, Christoph’s shoulders seemed to tremble. As if spasms were starting again, water droplets fell from him. He looked at his clothes and gear, frowned, and muttered something that seemed like a curse.

Christoph slowly walked out of the water. Each step made water droplets fall, one by one. Richard, not far from the rock where Christoph’s clothes were, watched Christoph with an impassive look.

When Christoph reached his spot, he took out a towel from a pouch on the horse’s saddle, not looking at Richard, and quietly dried himself.

Richard didn’t take his eyes off Christoph. He watched every slow movement Christoph made with a cold gaze, impossible to guess what he was thinking. Then suddenly, he sneered and spoke.

“It seems you prefer small streams to swimming pools. That’s surprising. I’ve never seen you enter a pool, so I thought you couldn’t swim, but it turns out you can play in the water here.”

Christoph paused while drying his legs. But then he continued drying himself as if nothing had happened. Christoph replied briefly.

“I’d rather never swim for the rest of my life than step into a pool you’ve swum in.”

Christoph rudely stuffed the towel back into the pouch on the saddle and dressed angrily.

Jeong Taeui felt the situation becoming increasingly awkward. He stood up, crossed the stream, and stepped onto the bank. Wet footprints were left on the sun-dried pebbles.

“Christoph, lend me the towel. I don’t have anything to dry myself with… And Richard, the lady with you seems to have been waiting for a while…”

Jeong Taeui spoke to Richard as he walked towards Christoph, extending his hand. He nodded towards the woman standing behind Richard.

The atmosphere became tense once more.

But perhaps thinking it was not the place to argue, Richard whispered something to the woman and stepped back. Christoph also didn’t want to quarrel with him.

“I planned to rest here, but maybe another time. Enjoy your walk.”

Richard bowed to Jeong Taeui and left. Before turning away, his cold gaze swept over Christoph, but that was all. He disappeared among the oaks with the woman, quickly vanishing from sight.

As the sound of footsteps on the grass grew distant and finally faded away, Christoph, who was buttoning his shirt, suddenly swore.

“Damn it!”

“Calm down. It was just a coincidence meeting them here. They didn’t do anything to you, so let it go.”

Jeong Taeui dried himself with the towel Christoph handed him, trying to put on his clothes while still damp, speaking reassuringly to Christoph.

“I hate being in front of others when I’m unguarded! Especially in front of him!”

Christoph shouted angrily. He clenched his hat tightly, crumpling it.

“Unguarded…”

“Yes, unguarded. If he had aimed a gun at me in that state, I couldn’t have done anything.”

Christoph grumbled and cursed again.

Jeong Taeui watched him put on each layer of clothing, thinking about Christoph’s personality. He always hated showing weakness in front of others. Then he looked down at himself, realizing he had only managed to put on his pants—not even buttoned.

“According to your logic, if you aimed a gun at me now, I couldn’t do anything either.”

Jeong Taeui replied nonchalantly. Christoph frowned in dissatisfaction.

“Why would I aim a gun at you?”

If that’s the case, why would Richard aim a gun at you? Jeong Taeui was about to say, but then he kept quiet. Thinking about Richard’s cold gaze earlier, he felt Richard might actually do that. His cold eyes seemed to devour others.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and mumbled. He looked at Christoph, who was waiting for his response.

“How would I know if you might want to eliminate a competitor?”

After speaking, he realized he had misspoken.

Christoph looked at him in surprise.

“Competitor?”

“Yeah… Ilay.” – Jeong Taeui spoke awkwardly, his mouth suddenly tasting bitter.

It felt strange. He had never thought he would have to compete with someone for Ilay.

When Christoph heard Ilay’s name, his expression turned cold. He silently stared at Jeong Taeui.

What should he do now?

Jeong Taeui stood frozen, not knowing what to say in this situation.

But thinking about it, Ilay was the one who could solve situations like this. There was no need for further discussion; the conclusion depended on Ilay’s decision.

“Then we should go see Ilay—.”

“Why would I aim a gun at you because I want to kill Ilay?”

While Jeong Taeui was sighing and about to speak, Christoph, who was seriously thinking, interrupted him.

Jeong Taeui was speechless, blinking.

Ah… A thought flashed through his mind.

Realizing the conversation was illogical, he sensed a shift in the discussion’s direction.

“Christoph, if I’ve said something wrong, I apologize, but I need to ask this. I have a bit of an overthinking problem, so don’t pay too much attention… just listen and ignore it if it’s wrong…”

Jeong Taeui paused for a moment and then asked with a very serious face.

“Is it possible… that the person you have feelings for… is me?”