It’s only been 30 minutes. Precisely 30 minutes. If there was any margin of error, it would be about 5 minutes.

Jeong Taeui glanced at the clock on the wall, then at his wristwatch. He then looked at the pendulum clock. Each clock was off by only a few seconds and they all displayed nearly the same time.

“What’s the matter? Have the clocks stopped? I just replaced the batteries a few months ago.”

Ilay, who had been watching Jeong Taeui intently while Taeui frowned and looked from one clock to another, finally spoke up. At the same time, he took off his wristwatch and threw it to Jeong Taeui. What about Jeong Taeui? He reflexively caught the watch flying toward him and shook his head, saying: “Ah, no.”

“No, it’s running fine….But why did you throw the watch like that? What if it fell and broke?”

As he said this, Jeong Taeui also threw his own watch back to Ilay, knowing that he would easily catch it.

Sure enough, Ilay caught the heavy watch Jeong Taeui had deliberately thrown with almost the strength of a baseball pitch but slightly slower and effortlessly with one hand, then checked the time.

“10:50. Is the issue with the time or the clocks? Why are you glaring at the clocks like that?”

“It’s the time. Precisely the time.”

Jeong Taeui frowned and rested his hand on the window frame then looked outside.

From the window, he could see several large cars parked in neat rows in front of the main building’s front steps. They were the same kind of cars that arrived when guests from Saudi Arabia visited a few days ago.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue as he looked down at the groups of guests in Tobes starting to emerge from the central entrance.

“It’s been 30 minutes since they entered the meeting room. From this point on, it’s been 30 minutes, which means the actual meeting time is only about 20 minutes. If you include the time spent drinking tea and chatting, it’s only about 15 minutes.”

“Hmm. So what?”

“Do they really need to come all the way from Saudi Arabia to Germany and stay for four days just for a 15-minute meeting? That’s a waste of resources and time.”

Ilay, who was sitting at a desk with a laptop in front of him, raised an eyebrow. After staring blankly at Jeong Taeui for a moment, he smiled and took off his glasses. When he closed the laptop, the noisy hard drive stopped spinning.

“It was originally like that, but for some reason it got distorted.”

He placed his glasses on the laptop, stood up, and slowly walked toward Jeong Taeui, his eyes following Taeui’s gaze.

Now they were getting ready to get into their cars and leave.

“Aren’t you going to see them off?”

“Why should I?”

When Taeui asked, Ilay responded with a look of surprise.

Well, after all, this man was a guest in this house. There was no reason for a guest to see off another guest unless there was a special reason.

“What about you? You seem quite close to Aziz. Aren’t you going to see Aziz off?”

“Oh ——No way, no way! Absolutely not! I’ll get detained.”

Jeong Taeui frowned and waved his hand dismissively.

That was precisely why Jeong Taeui felt uneasy.

The short meeting was understandable. Even though considering the issues discussed between them and Tarten, 15 minutes seemed too short, but when thinking from another perspective, it made sense.

The more important the issues, which had been thought out for a long time, the less significant the actual meeting or discussion. The problem here was merely adjusting to unify opinions based on predetermined conclusions.

“They must have made decisions before coming here. If the real decision-makers didn’t come, there’s no other way――We just need to confirm whether the situation on the other side is suitable for making those decisions.”

That’s what Ilay told Taeui when he was mumbling about the conditions they might impose for loan repayment and the outcome of the negotiations.

But even so, 15 minutes was too short.

“They came from Saudi Arabia just for 15 minutes of work and four days of leisure.”

Jeong Taeui said with a displeased voice while watching the cars start to move slowly. Right next to him, Ilay also spoke up.

“Ah. Aziz’s car is passing by. Why don’t you wave to him?”

“No! Absolutely not!”

Jeong Taeui shook his head vigorously.

He thought Aziz was a good communicator with clear steps when assessing situations, but since he visited Jeong Taeui’s room a few days ago to make a proposal and was rejected, every time they met, Aziz stared intently at Jeong Taeui. He didn’t say anything special, just stared too intently. His eyes seemed to be saying something.

Even today, before leaving in the morning, Taeui coincidentally met them in the hallway when they were heading to the office to discuss repayment. Even when Taeui turned a corner in the hallway, he still felt someone staring at the back of his neck.

Otherwise, why did he feel so relieved when they said they were leaving, even though he had no particular grudge against them?

Jeong Taeui sighed while watching the cars carrying them drive away, and when they were out of sight, a voice next to him spoke as if it had been waiting.

“So… can you tell me why Aziz looked at you with such fervent eyes?”

The slow and gentle voice sounded like a joke.

“Huh?” – Jeong Taeui turned around, but when he looked into those slender, smiling eyes, he realized it wasn’t a joke.

“…What is it? Why are you looking at people so intimidatingly?”

“Oh, doesn’t it look like a smiling face?”

You have to live with him day in and day out to see that face is smiling.

Jeong Taeui frowned and scratched his head.

“Oh… that person asked me for help with something, but I refused. Since then, he’s been staring at me.”

“Hmm” – Ilay nodded.

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and looked at Ilay.

Even though Aziz had been quite blatant in staring at Jeong Taeui to the point where he clearly noticed it, even though they rarely met. Even so Ilay had noticed. But…

“If you’re so curious, why didn’t you ask me earlier?”

“In the current situation in Tarten, if I immediately cause trouble* for them, it would be quite troublesome.”

(*저들의 목을 꺾어 놓으면: literally means ‘break their necks,’ but metaphorically means ’cause trouble for them,’ suggesting Ilay actually wants to break their necks when they bother Tae. Should it be literal to make it cooler?)

“…If you ask after they leave, will it be less troublesome?”

“At least I won’t immediately rush to cause trouble after hearing the story. I have a lot of work to do right now.”

“If I finish my work in Tarten first, then handle the remaining parts and chase after him. That way, he’ll live for about ten more days.”

Although knowing Ilay’s muttering was just a joke, Jeong Taeui still waved his hands hurriedly, unable to take it as a joke.

“No need to cause trouble. Really, no need.”

“Are you sure?”

“No need!”

Jeong Taeui frowned and said, but Ilay was looking in the direction of the departing car, suddenly chuckled softly and responded.

“That depends on the request he asked you for.”

Jeong Taeui shrugged indifferently.

“A request like the ones I’ve heard hundreds of times since I was a kid.”

Thinking back, it was really nothing important.

Jeong Taeui had heard many requests or favors from Jeong Jaeui, perhaps even more than from his parents. He didn’t understand why, but people often asked him to do such things.

Jeong Taeui asked seriously.

“If I ask you for something, will you listen?”

“You? And Jeong Jaeil?”

“Yeah —— since I was little, I’ve often received such requests. But now that I think about it, some people who came to our house as guests and talked to us often secretly asked me to talk to my brother even more than to our parents.”

“Of course, because you’re Jeong Jaeil’s lucky charm.”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head at Ilay’s simple answer.

“Don’t say such baseless and incomprehensible things…”

“Did Aziz ask you for something related to Jeong Jaeil?”

“Yeah” – Jeong Taeui nodded nonchalantly.

In fact, it was something you could guess even without being told. If it was something worth coming to Jeong Taeui to ask for help, whom they had never met so it could only be that.

“I don’t want to convey those words to my brother. Actually, if I ask for something, he might do it even if he doesn’t want to. Just like I would.”

Jeong Taeui sighed and muttered.

“Moreover, most of the people who ask for favors or make proposals say it’s good for him too, but even if it seems good, no one knows if it will really be good in the long run.”

Jeong Taeui didn’t want to bother or burden Jeong Jaeui, even a little. When everyone walks their own path in life, just being able to lean on each other mentally occasionally is enough.

Ilay quietly watched Jeong Taeui. He muttered – “Ha…” – then looked out the window again. But what he was looking at was not the scenery. It seemed like he was staring into the sky’s void, contemplating something.

“Brothers…” – A gentle whisper sounded.

Jeong Taeui glanced at him.

“Is it because you’ve been apart for a month that you miss Kyle?”

Jeong Taeui smiled and asked. Ilay looked at Jeong Taeui with a strange expression. His eyes seemed to ask why that name was mentioned here.

Of course, Jeong Taeui didn’t actually think that was the case, but after all, he didn’t have anything called family affection…

Jeong Taeui scratched his head.

“It seems like you’re pondering the topic of brothers. What are you thinking so deeply about?”

“Thinking more deeply about what I left unfinished last time.”

“What is that?”

Ilay remained silent, looking at Jeong Taeui with a thoughtful face. Hmmm… his hand continuously rubbed his chin, indicating he was struggling to find a solution.

“Jeong Jaeil is so lucky that no matter how much I think about it, I can’t come up with a way to eliminate him. So…”

In front of the younger brother of Jeong Jaeil the lucky, Ilay was discussing how to kill him.

Jeong Taeui frowned and clicked his tongue.

“I didn’t think you were still thinking about that like this…”

Jeong Taeui shook his head in exasperation and once again realized how fortunate it was that his brother was a lucky person. Otherwise, his brother might not have survived until now. Since childhood, his brother had experienced all forms of kidnapping and imprisonment.

“If you think about it that way, even if I inadvertently ask him to do something wrong and things get messed up, he won’t be harmed.”

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself and nodded. Then he wondered if he could convey those words without feeling too burdened, but when he thought about it, he shook his head.

Even if there was no harm, causing trouble was still unacceptable.

“…Come to think of it.”

While talking, Jeong Taeui suddenly remembered something.

He stared at Ilay.

Ilay, leaning against the window, looking down at the courtyard, seemed to sense that gaze and turned to look at Taeui with curiosity.

At the moment when Aziz visited Jeong Taeui, Taeui was on the phone with Ilay. And just as Aziz visited, Ilay was receiving another guest on the other end of the line.

Considering the timing, the guest seeking Ilay might be—

“But why did Malik find you that night?”

Jeong Taeui glanced without hesitation and asked in a casual tone. Ilay, who had been staring at the gardener walking around the yard with pruning shears, suddenly paused and slowly turned to look at Taeui.

“You knew that well.”

“Well… I guessed about an 80% chance, but it’s good to be right.”

Because Ilay was a valuable guest in this house, others might also seek him, but it seemed Jeong Taeui’s guess was correct.

The reason Malik sought Ilay.

Jeong Taeui found it strange after Aziz left that night, but he was too tired to think deeply and just fell asleep. Later, because of Aziz’s silent gaze that made him feel pressured, Jeong Taeui completely forgot about Malik.

Jeong Taeui quietly watched Ilay, waiting for an answer. Ilay leaned against the window frame, looking outside, and when he realized Taeui was still staring at him after a long time, he didn’t turn back but simply reached out then grabbed Taeui’s chin, and turned his head away.

“Hey, what’s that for!”

“Staring at me like that makes me feel like I want to devour you, so look somewhere else.”

“Somewhere else… like there?”

The direction Ilay turned Taeui’s head toward was the western end of the main building.

This morning, due to a sudden change in schedule, the Tarten family members sent the distinguished guest away about two hours earlier than planned and were now relaxing with the remaining free time.

Normally, Christoph would have to stand beside Richard with a stern face, but now he was walking from the main building to the west wing of the low tower.

It seemed he had just played on the tower top and was coming down. Christoph bumped into a child. It was one of the children Christoph was teaching.

The child smiled brightly and spoke to Christoph. Although Christoph maintained a blank face, he responded sincerely. Then the child asked something that made Christoph frown with discomfort and replied briefly before turning away. The child called Christoph’s name several times with a pout and a smile, then continued on their way.

“Christoph is quite loved by children, isn’t he?”

“Children love him openly. Older people love him quietly… Though perhaps not in this house.”

Ilay seemed to lose interest in the scene outside the window, so he moved away from the window and returned to his desk. He turned on the laptop he had been working on since the morning because the deadline was approaching.

Jeong Taeui stretched his neck to watch Christoph until he passed the west wing and was out of sight, then spoke while still leaning against the window frame.

“Yes, yes, it’s clear that he is always loved by everyone, and especially children. I met Oliver while taking a walk the other day, and the kid seemed more worried about Christoph than the person who was seriously injured. The kid said that he kept thinking Christoph would feel guilty every time he saw him or something like that. Though young, that kid has a really good personality.”

“His father was no good from the start.”

“Yes, that’s right, Richard indeed has no good character… How would I know? Why do you always make me speak ill of others?”

Jeong Taeui unknowingly nodded in agreement with Ilay, not realizing what he had said until he turned around and saw Ilay looking at him with a suspicious gaze.

Ilay continued to giggle and his eyes started to glued to his laptop.

Hmm…? Somehow, it seemed the conversation had smoothly diverted…

Jeong Taeui felt something was off but was more concerned with the images unfolding before his eyes.

It was surprising how Ilay could still respond whenever Jeong Taeui talked to him, while seriously focusing on the screen and moving his fingers. But what was truly impressive was his neat and organized appearance.

He must remember this. Soon, when he returns to Berlin, he won’t have another chance to see Ilay like this.

Jeong Taeui widened his eyes, staring at Ilay, and then suddenly laughed.

“But you… do you know that when you wear glasses, you really look like an evil lawyer or something?”

The occasional sound of keyboard typing abruptly stopped. Ilay took his eyes off the screen and glanced at Taeui. The look through his thin silver-rimmed glasses really suited him, staring straight at him with a sinister look… of a threatening person…

“It surprisingly suits you… I can’t imagine you being someone from the 3D industry* enduring bullets and fighting on the battlefield.”

(*3D industry (Dirty – Dangerous – Difficult): usually referred to in Korean culture about industries with harsh and unpopular conditions)

“Thank you for the compliment.”

As soon as Ilay responded formally, the door suddenly swung open without a knock. Christoph, who had just come from the main building to the west wing, was standing there.

He stepped in decisively but slowed down upon seeing Ilay in the room.

“Why is he here? This is Taei’s room.”

Christoph spoke coldly as if picking a fight, while Ilay remained calm and typing without even glancing at him.

“What’s strange about me being in my lover’s room? By the way, I also slept here last night. Right on that bed. We were glued to each other. We almost became one.”

“YAAA!!!”

Jeong Taeui suddenly shouted from beside the window.

His expression slightly changed at the phrase “…glued to each other” and as soon as he heard “…almost became one” he suddenly widened his eyes and let out a loud shout, as if trying to cover up something that had slipped out.

But once words are spoken, they cannot be taken back, and what needs to be heard has been heard.

Even though Jeong Taeui was panting with red cheeks, Ilay remained unfazed and his eyes still glued to the screen. Christoph just glared at Ilay with a grim look.

“What are you here for? This is Taei’s room.”

When Ilay asked, Christoph raised his chin and replied decisively.

“What’s strange about me walking around my house? By the way, I also came to this room yesterday and have been coming here daily for the past few days.”

“Ah ha… are you still practicing smiling? Doesn’t seem to be working well.”

“I’m trying my best not to laugh as badly as you, so naturally, it’s not easy.”

Christoph stepped in and pulled a nearby chair, sitting a bit away from Ilay.

Thinking back, he often came by but never practiced smiling. He would just sit there, look at Taeui with a somewhat tired face, and then leave. Then, Jeong Taeui would click his tongue and think that working with someone who doesn’t get along with oneself is indeed terrible.

“What were you two discussing?”

Christoph asked vaguely, unclear who he was asking, but his eyes were still on Jeong Taeui.