Perhaps Richard truly enjoyed how things had turned out this way.

The only person Christoph truly cared for was Jeong Taeui. It was the first time anyone had noticed Christoph showing clear interest in someone outside his family and colleagues.

Christoph stared at Richard for a long time. Then he suddenly spoke.

“Give them Rick. After all, he was the one who carried out the bombing.”

As soon as he said that, Christoph seemed to freeze for a moment but then continued.

“I never liked those Saudis from the beginning. They know well the relationship between Tarten and Riegrow, yet they still made that condition. Whether we fulfill their conditions and arrest Riegrow for them or violate those conditions, everyone will suffer losses.”

While saying this, Christoph’s gaze sharpened as if dissatisfied.

When Christoph finished, Richard stopped rummaging through the wardrobe and crossed his arms, looking at him.

Richard’s face no longer bore a mocking smile. Instead, there was clear displeasure and anger.

“So what. What if their proposal is different? What if they present a condition that doesn’t harm the relationship with Riegrow, such as demanding the life of Jeong Jaeil’s younger brother, who will be held responsible for the terrorism?”

Christoph fell silent. He looked at Richard with a pale, bloodless face. His lips moved as if to say something but no words came out.

Richard sighed in frustration. Then he threw the clothes he had just taken out onto the bed and stepped toward Christoph.

A body covered in terrible scars approached Christoph. One of the wounds hadn’t fully healed; the arm that had been dislocated was still swollen and turned black, looking very painful.

“Are you trying to stop me? Your fragile heart, unlike normal people, has been blinded and enchanted to a ridiculous extent…… Wake up, Christoph. Stop pretending to be a nice person.”

“…….”

Christoph’s lips moved slightly. It seemed he said something, but his voice was too soft to hear clearly. Only his light blue eyes stared angrily at Richard.

“Stop getting unnecessarily excited and deluding yourself; live true to your nature. You don’t actually like people. You don’t know how to do that.”

Richard stood right in front of Christoph, close enough to touch if he reached out. He looked down at Christoph and spoke cutting words without mercy.

“……, ……That’s not true.”

Christoph muttered. His fragile voice, like a breeze, was too soft for Richard to hear clearly, prompting him to ask again, “What?”

“Who says I don’t genuinely like Taei? I really like him. Truly.”

Each word, though slightly halting, was spoken slowly and clearly as if Christoph was reminding himself.

Before Christoph’s pale face, the expression on Richard’s face disappeared. He looked down at Christoph with an emotionless face like a mannequin.

Then, very slowly, very slowly.

Only Richard’s lips moved. With a blank face, his soulless voice echoed like a machine.

“So what.”

“……―.”

“Are you trying to interfere? Bearing the Tarten name, you’re going to interfere with Tarten’s work just because of that person?”

Christoph didn’t respond. He just looked at Richard with eyes full of anger, confusion, and anxiety.

Like a lost child, Christoph’s light blue eyes trembled slightly.

Yet Christoph kept muttering as if hypnotized.

“I like him……”

The broken voice, like a malfunctioning recorder, couldn’t finish the sentence.

Richard grabbed Christoph by the collar and lifted him up.

“Shut up. You haven’t forgotten, have you, Christoph? You promised to follow everything I say. Never do anything to hinder my work, you promised. Have you forgotten?”

“Let go……!”

When Richard grabbed his collar, Christoph flinched and shouted as if he didn’t hear what Richard said. Christoph tried to grab Richard’s arm as if to break it, but when his hand touched Richard’s bare skin, his fingers curled back as if in disgust.

Richard glanced at the fingers curling back from touching his bare arm and gave a short laugh.

“Yes, you want to interfere to the extent that you’re willing to go against Tarten. A person who hates touching others and doesn’t want to be touched actually approaches someone because you like them, right? You never expected someone like that to appear in your life, did you? Surely that makes you feel precious and more human, doesn’t it?”

“……., ……Let me go!”

“Listen carefully, Christoph. You are not to interfere with me. You are not to go against me. If you try to interfere, I will ensure you cannot do it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Richard punched Christoph in the stomach. The hollow sound and Christoph’s face twisted momentarily.

But immediately, he regained his angry expression and struck Richard’s elbow from above with his own.

“Let go! Don’t touch me!”

Richard released Christoph’s collar in response to the short but strong and sharp punch. But as if anticipating it, he kicked Christoph’s leg.

Christoph punched Richard in the jaw. When Richard blocked the punch with his hand, the contact made Christoph flinch. Even though he kneed Richard in the stomach, Richard only groaned a little but didn’t retreat. Instead, he grabbed Christoph’s knee tightly.

“……!”

Christoph felt disgusted when Richard’s bare leg – more precisely, Richard’s shin – touched his ankle. He tried to push Richard away, but Richard’s strong arms didn’t budge. On the contrary, he held on tighter.

And at that moment.

Although unintentional, the warmth from Richard’s private area touched Christoph’s ankle.

“……!”

“……!! Let go!!”

Richard also didn’t expect this and frowned slightly. No one likes their sensitive area touching someone else’s leg.

But that reaction was mild compared to Christoph’s when he realized the source of warmth touching his ankle. His face turned pale, and he screamed with hatred, then pushed Richard away.

Although Richard clicked his tongue, he didn’t let go of Christoph’s leg, causing Christoph to lose balance.

With a heavy thud on the thick carpet, Richard climbed on top of Christoph lying on the floor.

“Get off before I kill you……!”

With an angry and bewildered voice, Christoph tried to push Richard off him.

If it were someone else, they might have easily pushed Richard off and stood up. But Richard knew Christoph’s techniques and habits well and was strong enough not to be easily defeated.

Richard pressed down on Christoph, preventing him from struggling, and tightly held Christoph’s chest and neck.

Both were panting heavily with anger and excitement.

Richard, too, was gasping and spoke roughly.

“I told you before. You have a fatal weakness in close combat. Moreover, now you have no weapons. So what are you going to do?”

“Get off……! Don’t touch me……!”

“You can only growl.”

Under Richard’s grip on his neck, Richard deliberately slid his other hand down Christoph’s chest. Under the thin silk shirt, the trembling sensation transmitted directly to his palm.

“LET GO……LET GO! LET GO!!”

Christoph’s face twisted in anger. His blue eyes burned with a fierce blue flame.

Richard looked down at those eyes mercilessly as if his rationality had lost half of itself.

“Say it. Say that you will not hinder me and will follow everything I say.”

His deep and smooth voice pressed close to Christoph’s face.

Christoph gritted his teeth. He glared at Richard, even swallowing the urge to scream.

Richard continued speaking.

“Say it. Say that you don’t like anyone. Don’t pretend to be human just because you know how to like someone.”

“……―.”

“Human emotions? Why do you need that? You just need to hate me, that’s the only emotion you know and it suits you perfectly. A person who only knows hatred.”

“…… You may inherit Tarten, but you will never inherit his position.”

Christoph muttered through clenched teeth, his voice trembling with anger and disgust.

“You are despicable and cruel. From what I know, no one will be as cruel as you in the future.”

His pale lips trembled, making his speech stutter.

The smile disappeared from Richard’s face. He looked down at Christoph with an expressionless face like a statue, as if wearing a mask.

And that mask slowly, slowly smiled. It was the friendliest smile Richard could muster, sending chills down one’s spine.

“I didn’t expect to hear that from you. No one else thinks of me that way, only you.”

Richard’s eyes narrowed.

The gentle eyes that Christoph could never master pressed close to his face. The soft voice echoed in his ear.

“I’m like a mirror reflecting the expectations of the one looking at me.”

A voice as soft as a lullaby.

/In Richard’s room/

The sound of pounding on the floor was absorbed by the soft carpet, echoing eerily.

Occasionally, there were sounds like something striking not the floor. Then it continued to pound on the floor.

Holding down a person who is frantically struggling is not easy. If all conditions were equal, it would be impossible.

However, if all conditions are unfavorable and the oppressor has no intention of giving up, the outcome is usually predictable from the start.

So both Richard and Christoph knew from the beginning which side had the advantage and which side had the disadvantage.

Richard’s height surpassed Christoph’s by a hand span, and his body was two to three weight classes larger. Richard had the advantage in physicality.

Stamina was the same. Despite having an advantage in speed and reflexes, Christoph lacked stamina.

The most dangerous was the initial stance.

Starting from being pinned down, unable to use his body was the biggest weakness.

Even so, Richard endured the hits or minor injuries from Christoph’s strikes.

From the beginning, Christoph was at a disadvantage.

In that situation, both knew that waiting for a decision from the start was the wisest.

But Richard also knew that Christoph would never endure it.

When Richard tied Christoph’s hands to the heavy mahogany table, both were in a miserable state.

Even avoiding Christoph’s frantic blows, Richard was still punched in the forehead, stomach, and chest. Leaving red bruises that would turn black and blue the next day. His forehead bumped into the table, leaving a dried blood mark.

Below, Christoph was pale, trembling with a face full of resentment.

Everything was a mess.

Clean clothes were now wrinkled and messy, the coat lost its buttons and was half-off. His shoes were nowhere to be seen.

The fluffy hair that normally grazed his nape neatly was now disheveled and sweat-drenched, sticking to his forehead and cheeks.

Richard panted, sitting firmly on Christoph’s lower abdomen, then looked down at him with eyes mixed with anger and thrilling excitement.

“……This is the first time I’ve seen you in such disarray, Christoph. You always appear flawless in front of others.”

Christoph didn’t answer. He just panted as if he might stop breathing at any moment, glaring at Richard with hateful eyes.

“So, what now? I could break your neck right now or tear your heart out or tear you into pieces right here.”

Richard spoke slowly.

He was also somewhat unusual. Though he could usually hide his emotions even when angry or excited, this time, in the low whispering voice and the gaze down at Christoph, he couldn’t hide the dim light of excitement.

He leaned down. Placing his mouth close to Christoph’s ear, Richard grasped Christoph’s trembling nape and whispered into his ear.

“Say it from your mouth. That you will never resist me again. That you will follow everything I say. Say it clearly with your mouth.”

“……―.”

Christoph clamped his panting mouth shut, not letting a sound escape as if even his breath was speech.

Richard looked at Christoph in silence. He seemed to give Christoph a moment, then sighed lightly and chuckled.

Richard clicked his tongue as if in annoyance, then whispered softly and gently, as if coaxing a child.

“You are really stubborn. You have always been like this. You don’t know how to speak lies or flattery to get by, and no matter the pain or the prospect of death, you never complain.”

Suddenly, Richard rose from Christoph. He placed his hand just below Christoph’s collarbone.

“Then this time, how much can you endure?”

The gentle voice, as if compassionate, entered Christoph’s ear at the same time Richard’s hand slowly slid down.

Through the thin fabric, the warmth from the body beneath was felt clearly, as if directly touching the skin.

Christoph twitched, his body trembling as if having a seizure.

“DON’T TOUCH! WHAT ARE YOU DOING……―!”

Christoph reflexively screamed, his pale face suddenly stiffened as Richard’s hand stopped on his chest.

“……?…… Suddenly silent. I thought you would scream until you lost your voice. Or do you like being touched here?”

A surprised voice echoed.

Richard’s fingers moved lightly over the protruding spot on the shirt. Every time he lightly scratched his nails, Christoph’s body shuddered and convulsed more violently.

“Don’t touch me……”

A trembling voice escaped the tightly closed throat.

However, Richard paid no heed to that voice. He played with the sensitive spot on Christoph’s chest for a while, then suddenly twisted it sharply like a small toy.

A choking sound burst out loudly.

At that moment, Richard chuckled softly.

“That’s your scream. I always wondered what your scream, which I had never heard, would sound like.”

“……What……―.”

Christoph’s mouth opened as if to say something, but then it closed tightly. He gritted his teeth, swallowing the words. Christoph’s face grew paler and paler.

Richard kept his hand on Christoph’s chest, the other hand slowly sliding down.

From chest to waist, from side to belly.

Richard’s hand moved slowly over the shirt, feeling every sensation from the body under the fabric with his palm. Each time the hand moved, Christoph’s body twitched lightly.

Richard snorted and chuckled.

“Your whole body is this sensitive. I don’t know how you manage to have relations with women. Probably just no foreplay at all? Just intercourse and ejaculation? Really, no manners at all.”

“……―.”

Christoph curled up – even though Richard was sitting on him, he couldn’t curl up completely – and gritted his teeth.

Richard, looking down with a sneering smile, clicked his tongue and suddenly stopped his hand. A strange light appeared on his face. He muttered as if he couldn’t believe it, squinting his eyes.

“Could it be that you are still a virgin at this age?”

Though unbelieving, Richard still said it to test. At that moment, he didn’t miss any small movement of Christoph’s lips when they trembled lightly.

Richard’s face froze in amazement. His hand caressing Christoph’s body also paused.

“You mean you’ve never had sex?”

Richard asked in a disbelieving tone as if asking Christoph to stop joking. But Christoph only bit his lips harder.

Richard looked down at him for a moment as if mesmerized, then let out a dry laugh and asked again as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Are you joking? You’ve never done that?”

“……No.”

At first, the voice was too small to hear clearly.

Christoph muttered, his body trembling. Through tightly clenched teeth that seemed about to bleed

The voice gradually grew louder until it was clear enough to hear.

“You did…… that with me.”

Richard fell silent.

He looked at Christoph with strange eyes as if Christoph was saying something unreasonable in extreme pain.

“What?”

Richard asked again, squinting his eyes. Christoph forced out words with a trembling voice.

“You did…… with me! When we just came out of the river, you did that with me……!!”

Richard looked down at this crazy and perverted man, watching Christoph mutter tremblingly in horror. The hand on Christoph’s body clenched. Along with that, Christoph’s body shrank.

Looking down at Christoph’s pale face, Richard muttered. – “I did that to you……?”

“Have you told anyone else that?”

Christoph’s eyes flashed with anger and hatred as he screamed as if about to burst into tears.

“Have I told anyone else? Why would I tell anyone else? You think I would spread that around? Maybe a few people heard me say I would kill you for it, but you think I would spread that around?!”

Christoph’s blue eyes glistened like glass as he trembled with anger and rage.

Richard looked at him silently for a while. Christoph’s body shook slightly, unable to contain the rising anger and frustration. Christoph’s eyes sparkled with confusion and shame that showed on his face.

“So that’s why the rumor spread……”

The whisper was inaudible to Christoph, who was panting heavily.

Richard suddenly let out a dry laugh and looked down at Christoph as if he couldn’t believe it.

But when the smile disappeared, his hand on Christoph’s body became more forceful. The smile vanished from Richard’s face.

“How foolish. How could such a rumor spread, and why make such nonsensical statements…… I did that with you? Me?!”

His voice grew harsher as if he had just tasted unexpected humiliation. Richard sneered, muttering with an expressionless face.

“Well, today, let me teach you. I will teach you clearly what a relationship between men is like.”

Richard spoke in a frighteningly gentle tone, grabbing the collar of Christoph’s shirt and tearing it from the neck down. The thin but weak fabric tore easily.

Beneath the ragged clothes draped over his shoulders and arms, Christoph’s pale skin suddenly appeared.

As Christoph’s face stiffened, Richard said nothing and pulled down Christoph’s pants.

Immediately, Christoph’s expression changed; he used all his strength to struggle with his legs, but with his restricted body, all efforts were futile. Even screaming frantically did not help.

“YOU MANIAC, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING! DON’T TOUCH ME! DON’T TOUCH MY BODY!!”

However, Richard acted as if he didn’t hear Christoph’s angry shouts.

Soon, Christoph was completely naked.

Richard threw Christoph’s last piece of underwear aside, looking down at him. Richard’s blatant gaze scanned him from head to toe.

“Hmm…… I wonder if it can get hard with a man……”

Richard caressed his own groin.

His heavy penis showed no signs of erection.

Christoph stared at Richard’s groin in shock and disgust.

He had never seen another man’s penis at such a close distance. He always avoided public baths and never looked at other men’s genitals in shared bathrooms. Even in public restrooms, he never glanced to the side.

Though there was no reason why a man’s genitals should feel unfamiliar to Christoph – he had seen his own penis tens of thousands of times – the penis of Richard, rubbing against his groin, was entirely unfamiliar and disgusting.

Richard tilted his head, looking down at Christoph’s lower body. Then he sneered.

“I always thought men’s penises were just ugly, but your penis has the most beautiful color and shape I’ve ever seen.”

Christoph froze, his face turning ghostly white.

Being touched was enough to disgust him. But the current situation was even worse. These actions suggested a physical, carnal relationship, causing Christoph to imagine the horrifying things that could happen next.

“Richard…… Don’t do this.”

Christoph’s weak voice trembled as he mumbled. Richard looked at him and sneered.

“Do you know what I’m going to do?”

“With that……, you will touch my body.”

Christoph mumbled, his eyes staring at Richard’s penis. Just imagining it made him shudder and recoil.

For some reason, Richard let out a light laugh as if sighing. He caressed his penis, but it remained soft, showing no signs of erection. Finally, he let go.

“It seems I can’t get hard with a man. For you, that might be lucky……. But it’s okay. Penetration isn’t necessary to achieve my goal.”

Ignoring the stimulation below, Richard climbed onto Christoph.

Christoph recoiled as if he had jumped. His face turned pale.

The naked bodies of both men touched. The feeling of skin against skin was strange and disgusting, making Christoph’s skin crawl.

“DON’T……!!”

But Christoph’s scream didn’t escape.

Before he could shout, Richard grabbed his chin and bit his lips as if he wanted to devour him.

The horror was more than painful, and the shock made Christoph’s body freeze.

Seemingly sensing Christoph’s stiff body, Richard tightened his embrace, pressing him so close it felt suffocating.

Chest to chest. Stomach to stomach. Richard’s arms encircled Christoph’s back tightly.

Amid the flood of strange sensations from the whole body being stuck together, the most alien feeling came from the mouth.

Richard bit Christoph’s lips as if to swallow him. While biting brutally, he sucked Christoph’s tongue into his own mouth. Christoph’s tongue was drawn in, forced to taste the hot tongue of Richard, slippery and wrapping around for a long time.

Hot breaths and mixed saliva.

Wet and sticky sounds echoed.

It was then that Christoph realized.

Initially, Richard acted brutally and inadvertently. But at some point, his tongue, teeth, and lips began to move passionately. Eager and restless, Richard sucked Christoph’s lips harder.

Christoph’s lips, momentarily forgetting to tremble in shock, started to quiver. And when he realized that.

“……―!!”

Christoph suddenly turned his head as if his body had awakened again.

Christoph couldn’t breathe. A chilling sensation ran down his spine. It felt as if Richard’s tongue was still in his mouth.

Christoph, with his mind clouded in confusion, looked straight into Richard’s eyes.

Richard had a strange expression. His face showed a mix of anger and regret, like a child who had lost his favorite toy.

“Calm down. Anyway, this is just child’s play. Why are you so stubborn?”

A callous and indifferent voice directed at Christoph.

Christoph reflexively turned his head.

Goosebumps covered his body. A chilling feeling spread. A creepy sensation. He could clearly feel every cell from his chest to his stomach and the tight embrace on his back.

When Christoph turned his head, Richard clicked his tongue. He grabbed Christoph’s chin and roughly turned it back. Then he kissed Christoph hurriedly and frantically.

“……―!”

The shout – “DON’T DO THAT” – from Christoph was swallowed in Richard’s mouth.

Richard continued to explore deeper into Christoph’s mouth impatiently and hurriedly. His tongue licked and sucked every corner and inch of Christoph’s mouth. If he could, he would swallow it whole.

The hand holding Christoph’s chin slowly moved down. Richard’s hand traced the outline of Christoph’s neck and collarbone, then stopped at his chest.

Richard’s hand, which seemed to nibble gently on the small raised flesh on Christoph’s chest, began to fondle it patiently, almost obsessively.

Christoph jerked his body violently, twisting in despair.

Christoph couldn’t endure it. The strange and horrifying sensation running down his spine made his whole body shiver.

‘Stop. Please don’t touch me. It’s too strange, I can’t bear it. Leave me alone.’

Christoph turned his head, screaming in panic.

“Don’t do that, stop, it’s disgusting……! I feel nauseous, don’t touch ah ……ah ah ……―!!”

His trembling voice mixed with weak sobs, though he didn’t want to speak. He tried to swallow it back, but he couldn’t. His mind felt like it was about to burst.

Richard looked at Christoph in silence for a moment. What the light in his eyes meant, Christoph didn’t know. Perhaps Richard didn’t know either. In those eyes, confusion was mixed.

“……It seems you like this spot. Although you’ve never done this, you’re too sensitive. Or is that why you have a phobia of touch?”

Richard’s mocking voice carried a hint of confusion.

Slowly, Richard’s lips descended.

They brushed along Christoph’s neck, down his shoulder to his collarbone, and finally reached his chest where his hand was fondling.

For a moment, he paused as if hesitating, then his lips covered the raised flesh. Richard’s tongue teased that spot before sucking hard enough to suffocate.

“……―!!!”

The sensation was like being bitten and pulled hard, making Christoph’s hair stand on end.

Christoph didn’t know what sound escaped his mouth.

He just knew he struggled desperately like a fish thrown onto the shore. Using all his strength to break free.

For a moment, Richard also used all his strength to pin Christoph down and suck his nipple like a newborn. But then he pulled away from Christoph’s body.

Their chests and abdomens separated, and the arms tightly holding Christoph’s back released.

The burning heat from Richard’s body disappeared, replaced by the familiar cold air on Christoph’s skin.

Christoph panted, his whole body trembling. He stared at Richard without blinking.

Richard knelt half a step away from Christoph.

Richard’s face looked extremely strange.

Christoph thought Richard would have a sneering or cold expression as usual, but this time Richard’s face was hard to read. Christoph didn’t understand what emotion it was.

Suddenly, Richard froze.

Richard’s penis had become erect.

The rough and terrifying skin stretched tight with blood vessels standing up.

“……Don’t come near.”

Christoph whispered, curling up.

His body shook.

It wasn’t from fear or anger, but from physical inability to endure. His body couldn’t accept contact with another person.

Richard frowned, about to say something but then fell silent. Then he looked at Christoph with cold eyes and spoke in a low voice.

“Why react like that? You said we already had a relationship, right? So why avoid it now?”

“It doesn’t matter. Whatever you do, don’t touch me!”

Richard said nothing. He observed Christoph carefully. His eyes moved from Christoph’s head to his feet, then back to his lips.

His gaze stopped on the lips he had bitten and sucked.

Then his eyes fell on the body he had hugged tightly and the swollen, red, wet nipple.

And then.

“……”

Richard suddenly raised an eyebrow. As if he had just seen something strange. His eyes widened, then looked back at Christoph’s face.

He slowly lifted his hand and lightly grasped his own penis. That thing was already stiff and erect, and Richard began to stroke it.

Earlier, his penis was still limp and weak. Now, after a few strokes, it had risen to some extent and began to swell even more.

Looking at Richard with horrified eyes, Christoph saw Richard sneer. And then he spoke.

“Look at yourself below and don’t tell me not to touch you.”

Christoph looked down as Richard said, then froze in shock.

His own penis had started to get erect, if only a little, the tip had begun to swell. It wasn’t limp as usual, but there was some movement.

Why is this happening……?!

Christoph stared down for a moment, then slowly raised his head. With a red and white face and wide eyes, he looked at Richard, who took a step towards him.

“No need to look so confused. It’s simple. Despite your psychological aberrations and obsessive sensitivity, your body is naturally ridiculously sensitive…… Christoph, you’re lucky. The pain will only last a moment.”

As he spoke, Richard took another step, and Christoph’s face turned ashen.