Ah, just as Jeong Taeui was about to speak, Ilay beside him answered first.

“We were talking about you being someone in the 3D industry.”

“I NEVER SAID THAT!!”

Ilay, with a sincere and gentle tone, started a conversation that made Taeui explode and yell in Ilay’s face. Then Ilay turned his eyes from the laptop and looked at Jeong Taeui with a surprised look.

“Didn’t you say that? That someone in the 3D industry is someone who has to endure bullets and fight on the battlefield.”

“No, that’s――.”

He intended to say that it was – ‘I meant to say that when I look at you’ – but then stopped.

Thinking back, there was no one in this room who wasn’t from the 3D industry.

Jeong Taeui felt like he had dug his own grave again and weakly leaned back.

Immediately after, he felt Christoph’s gaze staring intently at him and quickly waved his hand, trying to correct it though it was too late.

“Oh, right, we were talking about how children really like you. Just now, I saw you passing by the small tower not long ago. Did you run into any kids?”

“Ah―…….”

Christoph mumbled as if knowing who was being talked about and then paused. Then he frowned and said,

“I’m not liked. I don’t like children.”

“No, it’s not that you like children, but that children like you. In this case……”

But in fact, he didn’t really dislike children. Although sometimes they were annoying. These words popped into his head, but Jeong Taeui swallowed them, knowing that saying them wouldn’t do any good.

“What…… Just now, Ilay said not only children but also adults really like you.”

Jeong Taeui directed the focus towards Ilay. Christoph widened his eyes in surprise and looked at Ilay, who clicked his tongue while pressing the [Backspace] key as if he had typed the wrong key.

Christoph stared at Ilay, as if not only disbelieving the words but also unable to believe that it was Ilay who had said them.

Christoph’s sharp and threatening gaze made Ilay uncomfortable. He pressed the [Backspace] key several more times, then closed the laptop.

“Oh, right. You were like that even when you were in the riot squad. Not everyone, just some people with particular preferences. I’m pretty sure there were quite a few people who spent time imagining you even though they didn’t dare talk to you because of your bad temper.”

“……? What is that?”

When Christoph frowned and asked back, Ilay shut his mouth. Then he looked at Christoph slowly and attentively.

Jeong Taeui felt that gaze was saying – ‘Where did such a stupid like an ancient relic come from?’

“Well, it’s a good thing. Think positively.”

It seemed Ilay was too lazy to explain further, so he spoke casually. Jeong Taeui was standing beside and thinking that it was certainly not a good thing but didn’t want to say it out loud.

Christoph just rolled his eyes without saying anything and seemingly contemplating it. Seeing him tilt his head a few times, Jeong Taeui hurriedly opened the fridge and took out a bunch of beer cans, piling them on the table.

“Today is a sunny day, but at times like this, there’s nothing better than drinking a refreshing beer. Come on, come on. This is a local specialty that Kyle sent back after his business trip.”

“……Kyle didn’t send me even a cheap 500ml bottle of water, but sent you a whole box of local specialty beer?”

Ilay spoke gloomily, but Jeong Taeui gently ignored it. He had heard something similar from Kyle before. Sometimes Ilay would send Jeong Taeui a surprise gift via express delivery when he was away for a long time. And when Jeong Taeui opened the gift box, finding nothing for Kyle, Kyle would mumble sadly: “Brothers by blood, but nothing……”

“You reap what you sow…… Drink up.”

While Jeong Taeui chuckled and invited everyone to drink beer in the morning, Christoph silently opened a beer can. After drinking a few sips and putting it down, he suddenly mumbled

“Really close. Even Kyle.”

The voice had a hint of bitterness. But the expression remained calm and indifferent.

Because of that difference. That’s why whenever he looked at Christoph, his heart would turn cold.

“……”

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and drank a sip of beer.

“Told you already. I can’t give it to you.”

Right next to him, Ilay spoke casually and indifferently. His eyes looked sharply at Christoph.

It seemed like he had just taken a few sips, but Ilay placed the empty beer can on the table with a *Clack*. Then he turned back to his laptop and casually said.

“Christoph. I have no feelings for you. Neither like nor hate. So I’ll speak plainly without any goodwill or malice, you’re not suitable for this guy. Wake up soon and find someone else or just live the way you used to.”

“――Why am I not suitable?”

Christoph, with a pale face bewildered by Ilay’s words, then suddenly protested as if he couldn’t easily accept it. Ilay’s reaction to that protest was very brief.

“Your temper is too bad.”

“…….”

“Ughfffff”…… Jeong Taeui silently held his breath. He almost spat out the beer he was drinking. If he had spat it out in front of Christoph, but with Christoph’s perfectionism, Jeong Taeui would not have lived in peace.

Ilay sometimes said things that shouldn’t be said, even though they weren’t wrong. Just like now.

Jeong Taeui quietly took a tissue and wiped a few drops of beer from the corner of his mouth, then cleared his throat a few times and placed the can on the table. Christop was sitting beside him and glared at Ilay with eyes filled with fury.

“Temper can be changed. I can change.”

Seeing Christoph trying to avoid saying – ‘You also have a bad temper’ – to avoid a useless quarrel made Taeui want to support him.

However, Ilay remained indifferent despite Christoph’s declaration this time.

“Can’t be changed. Do you think you can change a temperament that has formed over decades just because you’ve recently met someone? Initially, maybe, but long-term, no. It’s difficult if personalities don’t match from the start. Therefore, you can’t be with Taeui.”

‘No, that means I and you are compatible from the start. But saying that your personality matches mine from the beginning, I really don’t live so recklessly.’

Jeong Taeui silently cried in his heart while confirming that. He only dared to shout in his heart, knowing that saying it out loud wouldn’t do any good.

“……―I can change.”

Christoph, furious and glaring at Ilay fiercely, retorted. Like a stubborn child, he mumbled once more: “I can change.”

Ilay just glanced at Christoph. A discomfort appeared in his eyes. But then he said: “Okay” and sighed, then stopped typing and crossed his arms.

“Then let’s talk about the body.”

When Ilay asked directly, Christoph hesitated a bit. But then he answered firmly.

“Can be changed. There’s nothing that can’t be changed.”

“This guy now is only satisfied with my size.”

“YAAAAA!!!”

Jeong Taeui shouted again with a red face. Before his throat could burst, his head felt like it was going to explode.

However, the other two seemed to have forgotten Jeong Taeui’s presence and only looked at each other coldly.

“That……”

Christoph hesitated with a slightly stiff face. After thinking for a while, he looked at Jeong Taeui. After looking at Jeong Taeui and turning his head away, Christoph opened his mouth with a self-pitying look.

“Taei, what do you think about using rough toys instead of the body?”

“………, ………. Why are you like this too?…….”

Jeong Taeui mumbled and felt like he was about to faint. Clearly, they were talking about him, but in that conversation, Jeong Taeui’s opinion was not considered at all.

“Moreover, besides the size issue, you can’t put it in.” – Ilay

“……What about me?”

Ilay sighed, raised his head, then looked down at Christoph. His open contempt made Christoph angry, clenching his fists and asking back.

“First cure your cleanliness before telling me anything. Even if it’s someone you like—let’s assume—do you think you can put your part into where waste is expelled?”

“That’s―……”

Indeed, Ilay’s words made Christoph’s face pale. He seemed to be imagining something terrible, then gently rubbed his stomach. Ilay added as if to deliver a final blow to Christoph.

“It’s not just putting a penis into the anus. At least both places are equally dirty, so you think you can endure, right? Wrong. You might also insert your fingers and sometimes even your tongue.”

“YAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!”

This time Jeong Taeui suddenly jumped up and covered Ilay’s mouth. He felt like sweat was pouring from his eyes.

But it was too late. Once again, what needed to be said was said, and what needed to be heard was heard.

Christoph’s face immediately turned as white as a sheet. He gently covered his mouth with his clenched fist. He seemed afraid that if he looked directly at him, he would imagine something, so he looked slightly askew.

“………, ………Not just the front but also the back…… Does it mean you intend to put your mouth there?”

A very low, ominous voice uttered weakly and trembled slightly.

Ilay pushed Jeong Taeui’s hand away, snorted, then pulled the laptop back as if the match was over.

“We’ve done worse things than that, so what……”

Fortunately, before these words made Christoph’s face slightly flush again. Worse actions were beyond his imagination.

Ilay glued his eyes to the screen and added his last thoughts coldly.

“If you intend to have an eye on someone else’s lover, you should at least have some physical skills. As long as you can handle the front first, then it’s up to you whether you want to turn back. ……No, it’s best never to turn back.”

Ilay even waved his hand as if shooing a pesky mosquito flying around. And now he continued to type on the keyboard as if not wanting to respond anymore.

At that moment Christoph suddenly lifted his head and shouted fiercely.

“IF IT’S THE FRONT, I CAN DO IT YESTERDAY――.”

*Plop*…….

Jeong Taeui just opened a new beer can, drank a few sips, and lightly shook it, then dropped the beer can on the floor. The beer spilled from the can, and  wet the carpet on the floor, but he didn’t notice.

The keyboard that had been working for a while also stopped making sounds.

The eyes that had been staring at the screen slowly, very slowly moved to Christoph’s face.

And Christoph, who had been shouting, suddenly stopped with his mouth wide open, then didn’t move and froze like a statue.

“…….”

“……. Yesterday?”

The first to speak skeptically was Ilay, who quickly hid his surprise on his face. He still had his hand on the keyboard but didn’t move his fingers, instead staring at Christoph.

For a moment, the whole room fell silent. No one said anything for several seconds that passed.

Ilay leaned back in his chair. Then he slightly tilted his head and looked at Christoph with squinted eyes.

Christoph’s face initially turned pale, but now it was bright red. Taeui thought just a little more, and it would turn sweet potato red.

The one to break the silence this time was also Ilay.

“You, who…….”

But he immediately shut his mouth when he saw Christoph’s flushed face glaring at the table with anger. Then he waved his hand.

“……No, I won’t ask.”

Ilay said softly and turned his attention back to the laptop. He didn’t say another word and just focused on his work.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head and sighed, mumbling awkwardly. He glanced at Christoph.

Christoph sat on the chair, eyes staring intently at the table. His expression froze as if recalling an unpleasant memory. Occasionally his lovely lips slightly trembled.

“…….”

Jeong Taeui felt something bad had happened, but he quickly shook his head. He didn’t want to imagine that, and more importantly, he was sure it had nothing to do with him.

Ilay again seemed to have typed the wrong key and had to use the [Backspace] key. Then he clicked his tongue and tapped the screen lightly with his fingernail. He raised his eyebrows and looked at Christoph.

“Until a while ago, you didn’t even know what ‘Bi’* was……”

(Bi-yeok – (비역) is Korean slang that refers to male same-sex sexual relations, particularly those involving anal intercourse.)

When Ilay mumbled and clicked his tongue, Christoph suddenly felt his ears burning and looked at him with angry eyes.

“How do you know what I know or don’t know?”

Ilay didn’t answer the challenging voice of Christoph. He just glanced at him and ignored him.

“If you have something to say, say it properly, Rick. I――.”

Christoph was angry enough to lean towards the table.

*Knock Knock* Suddenly, a knocking sound came from behind everyone.

Instantly, all the sounds in the room stopped.

Christoph’s shouting, Ilay’s typing on the keyboard and even Jeong Taeui’s light tapping on the beer can all cease.

No one answered, but the door opened without waiting for a response. And a man stepped in.

“This living room in The West Wing is not well soundproofed. The noise echoes outside.”

The man who entered muttered calmly and glanced at Jeong Taeui, who was closest to him, then shifted his gaze to Ilay, who was looking back at him with slightly narrowed eyes. And finally, to Christoph, who was sitting in the middle like a statue with a cold expression.

“Today’s schedule isn’t completely empty. We’ll have to go out early, so don’t waste time and get ready, Christoph. —I called the room and no one answered, turns out you’re here.”

The man speaking calmly was Richard Tarten.

Finally, he looked at Ilay and smiled calmly as usual.

“I hope you don’t tease Christoph too much. After all, he’s a good friend who has helped me a lot.”

“Tease Christoph? No way. I never did that.” – Ilay snorted, laughing dismissively.

Richard looked at him for a moment, then lightly tapped the door with his knuckles.

“Now I realize how poorly soundproofed The West Wing’s living room is. No need to mock him about not knowing what ‘Bi’ is, Rick.”

Ilay looked at him with narrowed eyes while Richard continued to smile gently. Then he tapped the keyboard three times in a row and finished his work. He said,

“You misheard, Richard. I wasn’t mocking him for not knowing what ‘Bi’ is, I was talking about how unethical it is for someone to make him do such things.”

“Haa—……”

Richard slightly raised his eyebrows. He remained silent for a while, then smiled naturally. As if he didn’t want to say more, he turned to Christoph, who was still standing stiffly.

“You have to hurry up, Christoph, because we need to leave early today. Quickly prepare and come to the main hall.”

After leaving those words, Richard turned as if that was all he had to do. Then suddenly, he glanced at Jeong Taeui.

“……?”

Jeong Taeui was surprised when he caught Richard’s gaze. Richard looked at him for a moment, then turned back. And as he walked out the door, he added to Christoph,

“Your mother contacted me and said she would be arriving at Tarten this afternoon. Shouldn’t you go back early to meet her before it’s too late, Christoph?”

Saying that, Richard gently smiled.

His gaze lingered on Christoph, who briefly clenched his trembling lips and looked at Richard with a slightly pale face. He muttered and stood up: “Yes, you’re right.”