“The organization will take good care of him there; there’s nothing to worry about. Moreover, it’s Jeong Jay after all.”

“I’m not worried about my brother’s situation, but somehow it doesn’t seem too good.”

Jeong Taeui rubbed his forehead.

If he knew nothing, perhaps it would have been better, but having heard some things, he couldn’t help but worry.

“If someone attending the forum is kidnapped, it will be a major issue.”

“Indeed, it would be huge. It’s not just any attendee; if the main character gets kidnapped, then what more is there to say?”

As Jeong Taeui muttered, Kyle nodded immediately without hesitation. However, as Jeong Taeui sighed and groaned, Kyle seemed to want to soothe his worries and added: “But in this situation, kidnapping is a challenge. Jeong Jay is currently a member of an organization. Moreover, he has also worked at UNHRDO.”

Jeong Taeui nodded. Regarding that, he had argued that the idea of kidnapping was nonsensical. The organization that Jeong Jaeui is currently working with has a training program almost at a military level. If he is protected by such a group of people, unless he steps out voluntarily, kidnapping is impossible.

If one has to consider the possibility—

“If someone who understands the operational mechanisms stands out, it would be easy to find a loophole.”

Christoph said while chewing grapes, seeds and all.

That’s indeed the problem.

However capable one might be, taking someone out quietly is impossible, but if Ilay stands up, it’s not impossible to say.

……More terrifying than anything is if that person stands up without knowing what he would do to achieve his goals.

“But the contract with Raumaan has been broken. Ilay won’t need to bring my brother forward anymore. So, I wonder what Raumaan would do in this situation.”

Jeong Taeui slowly tapped his chin, pondering.

Last night Richard said: They had gone to Frankfurt immediately after.

If kidnapping becomes infeasible, the only approach left is the conventional one. That is to meet face to face to get the desired response. While inside the headquarters of UNHRDO, the organization can completely prevent any external contact as it wishes, but once outside, the story changes. At least, face-to-face meetings are possible.

Meeting Jeong Jaeui is possible, but to extract his consent—

“If it were me, I’d target you.”

Christoph had responded as if he had seen through Jeong Taeui’s thoughts. Taeui frowned at Christoph and then ruffled his hair: “It’s indeed back to the starting point.”

After being caught up in a whirl and finally stopping, it all comes back to where it started. “If this continues, I might collapse before achieving any result,” Taeui sighed internally and muttered. As long as no specific situation occurs, any further speculation won’t continue.

“I wonder if Ilay is alright……”

While ruffling his hair as if trying to figure out a solution and suddenly mumbling to himself, remembering the person who had nearly become the main character in the mentioned kidnapping.

Although Jeong Jaeui doesn’t need to worry from one perspective, the last image of his brother in Taeui’s memory is him lying unconscious.

Luckily, whether it’s Raumaan or Tarten, their ultimate target was not Ilay. Yet, on the other hand, for a man who has committed a series of brutal crimes to the extent that it’s unknown how many enemies he has at all times. Thus, it’s possible that while he was unconscious, the victim had managed to pull out a knife and strike.

“No news at all…… It’s really unsettling.”

He whispered so softly that it was almost inaudible, but because the living room was so quiet, it seemed as if the sound had been heard. Suddenly becoming alert again, Taeui realized Kyle was quietly watching him. Kyle’s expressionless face merely blinked, making Jeong Taeui slightly embarrassed, thinking he had said something wrong.

Taeui looked at Kyle in surprise, and Kyle slightly raised his eyebrows looking up at the ceiling, then widened his eyes and shook his head: “No…… it seems there isn’t much to worry about.”

After speaking, Kyle shifted his gaze back to the newspaper. Beside him, Christoph was picking grapes and continued to mutter as if hearing everything.

“You worry about who you need to worry about. Someone who has been injected with Propofol to that extent yet can still run around and kill three people.”

“HUH, killed three people during the coronation ceremony?”

Kyle had only heard briefly about the general situation and the cause and effect but didn’t know the details, so he looked up from his newspaper and asked again.

“I haven’t verified it exactly…… quite possibly more.”

Although he had run away with the intention of severing all ties, since it was a family affair, Christoph spoke calmly to the point of surprise, making Kyle slowly hold his forehead. From what Christoph said, it seemed like the issue was bigger than just killing three people, talking about murder now was too late.

“But for Rick, that’s also enough to go mad.”

Christoph muttered while picking up grapes to eat. Taeui looked at him with admiration as he saw Chris chew both the skin and seeds and replied: “Right?” Christoph frowned as if it were obvious.

“I’d go mad too. If someone who promised me stabs me in the back at a crucial moment.”

“Even though it’s not something pleasant, thinking about it, Ilay is even more of a surprise. I don’t think he’s the type to trust others easily.”

He thought that if one has signed a contract, he wouldn’t naively trust the content of the contract and the partner to the point of being blind. On the contrary, if someone is ready to strike from behind, then it’s worth mentioning.

“Ah…… right. You’ve never been here. You were only at UNHRDO for a short time before leaving.” – Christoph nodded as if he understood.

“It’s like your life hangs by a thread attached to a condition in the contract. Adding or omitting a word can decide whether you go to heaven or hell, not to mention if there’s a problem with the contract overall, then it’s not even worth mentioning. Here, unilaterally breaking a promise is taboo.”

Christoph spat out a grape stem from his mouth and glanced at Kyle.

Kyle was engrossed in the newspaper. It wasn’t clear whether he didn’t hear or pretended not to hear with an impassive face flipping through the newspaper. Christoph continued to speak after watching Kyle for a while.

“Moreover, when mentioning Riegrow and Tarten, it goes beyond the scope of trustworthiness and reliability. Even if Tarten turns his back on Riegrow to cooperate with someone else, it shouldn’t lead to him stabbing Riegrow.”

Moreover, given Rick’s temperament, he would also not think that he would be blatantly stabbed in the back like that. Christoph said this with a bit of melancholy emotion and then ended the succinct sentence.

“In other words, they instructed that person to do whatever it takes, or if possible, to do it as best as possible.”

“……The more I hear, the more ominous it sounds……”

Jeong Taeui was still pulling at his hair that was pinned up. He wanted to tear it out but thought better of not harming himself and let go.

“If that’s the case, then it can be concluded that Ilay’s position in this event is very important.”

Jeong Taeui sighed and exaggeratedly spread his arms. But there was no answer to that statement.

“When we meet Richard, we’ll know.”

Kyle folded the newspaper and said.

As soon as that name was mentioned, the expression on Christoph’s face vanished. Taeui just glanced at him quietly.

“Um…… really want to have dinner together in this house?”

There are many reasons why facing each other directly seems difficult. At least even if the food is delicious, it’s hard to enjoy it.

But Kyle picked up the last newspaper and opened it and spoke calmly.

“Unless he definitely lets go of me first, I have no intention of letting go. And anyway, in this situation, the one who got ‘hurt’ is not Riegrow but Ilay himself.”

“And you know, it’s not always the guy who gets stabbed in the back like that which is truly extraordinary.” – Kyle added with a slightly pleased mischievous tone.

Considering Kyle’s past when Ilay had hurt him to the core, that feeling might not just be felt by him alone.

****************

Darkness fell over the face.

The intense red light shining above Christoph’s tightly closed eyes was obscured and turned to blue. Christoph slowly opened his eyes.

“Oh, did I wake you?”

Jeong Taeui stood above him, holding a large bucket. It might just be a feeling, but there seemed to be a foul smell emanating from the bucket.

“What’s this bucket shaking in front of my face?”

Christoph spoke coldly. If released, the bucket would directly hit his face.

“Huh? Oh, it’s fertilizer. Peter told me to bring it here.”

“Because it’s made from natural ingredients, it stinks, right? But it’s natural.” – Jeong Taeui added naively and grinned broadly. Christoph stared at him with a deadly gaze.

“If it’s natural fertilizer then……”

“Ah—what’s it called in German, um…… Kompost? Fertilizer?”

Jeong Taeui shook his head and mumbled while searching for the right word as Christoph immediately moved aside and sat up.

“Are you shaking that thing right in my face?!”

“Ah, sorry. I thought you were sleeping.”

“Even if I was sleeping, don’t bring it too close!”

Christoph shouted angrily. “Yes, sir.” – Taeui obediently put the bucket down next to him and sat down beside Christoph under the tree where Christoph had been lying. He seemed comfortable as he leaned his head against the trunk and closed his eyes while Christoph still stared intently at him.

“Like it?”

Christoph suddenly asked. Jeong Taeui merely rolled his eyes at Christoph and replied succinctly: “Yeah.”

“Wow, you really like going into the forest in Dresden.”

Christoph nodded, murmuring, and suddenly Taeui burst out laughing. Christoph frowned, not understanding, and shook his head.

“The one who likes going into the forest is you. You ride horses almost every day. Even when the horse is injured and can’t be ridden, you still go.”

Jeong Taeui spoke while laughing. Christoph coldly shook his head.

“I don’t really like the forest that much. It’s just less crowded there, and I don’t have to face more people than in the manor.”

That place was always quiet and secluded.

During that time in Tarten when he was still struggling for the succession and his schedule was packed, he hardly had any rest. Among the few places he could find tranquility outside his bed, that was one place where he could be at peace alone.

“Really? Why is that? The forest is so beautiful. At least you don’t encounter many others there…… Oh, there was that time you met Richard.”

Taeui hesitated as if it were odd. He seemed to remember something and added, making Christoph raise his eyebrows.

“It’s rare. He doesn’t often go there.”

Christoph said, and Jeong Taeui looked even more surprised.

“I thought he often walked there because he knew the path so well.”

“Ah…… it’s been a while since he’s been going regularly. Olivia likes walking in the forest.”

Her physical condition was weak, so she seldom walked in the forest, but when her health was good, she would occasionally sit and rest near the entrance to the forest. Christoph had seen her several times like that. And each time, Olivia always had a bright smile. Moreover, Richard just smiled gently without knowing that he didn’t really like it.

She always smiled. Every time Christoph saw her there, she was cheerful. No matter when.

——Does Olivia really like me? ……No, if it was me, it wouldn’t be like that.

Suddenly a gentle yet malicious voice rang in his ear. It was a recently heard remark.

Beside Christoph in silence, Taeui looked up at the sky and whispered.

“Olivia…… sounds like Oliver. Then she’s also like Richard, right?”

Christoph was silent for a while then slowly said.

“Not exactly like Oliver, but enough to recognize that they are siblings……. And I hate that.”

He hates it. Not hate, but dislike. Although it wasn’t so, she was Richard’s sister and even looked like him. So he didn’t want to approach.

Not yet.

Every time Olivia saw Christoph from afar, she would happily approach. Always like that, without exception. So frequent it was strange.

“Even if I spend more time there just lying down than walking around, I still meet her more often than others. Every time she sees me, she approaches. So each time – or sometimes occasionally – I wondered. Why is that? Does she really like me?”

Christoph clamped his mouth shut.

In the end, those doubts would never be resolved. And now it could no longer be dealt with.

Jeong Taeui tilted his head to look at Christoph then looked up at the sky.

“So…… maybe if you stayed longer, you’d also like Olivia.”

Jeong Taeui spoke as if talking to himself and when Christoph looked at him in surprise, he just scratched his head and added.

“Usually thinking like that means it’s so.”

Christoph blinked – “I guess.” He murmured and tilted his head in thought for a while, but still couldn’t make sense of it.

He quietly watched Taeui for a while. After observing Taeui’s relaxed face leaning against the tree trunk for a long time, Christoph suddenly said.

“Taei. I like you.”

Jeong Taeui opened his eyes and looked at Christoph. He seemed confused and surprised and didn’t take his eyes off Christoph.

“…… I thought so, but now I’m not sure. I really……”

Christoph stopped midway and just stared intently at Jeong Taeui.

While the two were looking at each other, Taeui seemed embarrassed and was about to say something but just then.

“Are you two here together?”

The glass door leading to the living room opened, and Kyle stepped out.

He had been pulled away early to go to the company and had just returned, still in his suit. But right in front of them, he immediately stripped off his clothes and was left only in his underwear, then walked over and jumped into the swimming pool next to them. Along with the loud splash, water sprayed near where they were sitting.

After diving underwater for a while, Kyle suddenly surfaced, breathing heavily in a refreshing way, and wiped his dripping wet face with his palm.

After trying to wipe his face several times with his fingers, Kyle inadvertently caught Jeong Taeui’s gaze. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he exclaimed:

“Hey, Taei, I remember Peter is waiting for you in the front garden. I think you were supposed to bring him fertilizer, right?”

“Oh? ……AH!”

Jeong Taeui, with a regretful expression, quickly stood up. He grabbed the bucket he had set down, waved goodbye to Christoph hastily, and hurried away.

Christoph, who was sitting nearby, watched as Taeui’s figure disappeared behind the building. Meanwhile, Kyle swam back and forth a few more times in the pool, and finally, as if satisfied with his laps, let himself float on the water.

“If I think about it, it’s not surprising that you like Taei, considering your personality…… But Taei is off-limits. Ilay genuinely values him. Even though I see it every day, I still can’t believe it.”

While floating on the water, Kyle suddenly voiced his unexpected thoughts. Only then did Christoph turn his gaze from where Taeui had disappeared to look at him.

As if those simple words contained a vague worry. Kyle might have been concerned about whether Christoph and Rick would have a conflict, or perhaps he was feeling sympathy for Christoph.

“Why do you like Taei?”

Christoph asked. Kyle squinted and smiled, unfazed by the unexpected question.

“Because he’s beautiful.”

“……”

“Huh?”

“……Nothing, nothing at all.”

Christoph widened his eyes at the brief response, then shook his head.

But upon reflecting once more, it made sense. That radiant beauty truly defied description.

“Indeed.” – After being convinced upon further thought, Christoph nodded to himself and asked again.

“Is that really so?”

“Yes.”

This time, the answer came immediately and without hesitation, leaving Christoph at a loss for words, so he remained silent.

How could one know? How could one understand such a thing?

Christoph stared at the man with wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, not from age but from smiling, and whispered. Yes, that was something easily said.

It could be easily spoken. Even if one didn’t think so or didn’t realize they didn’t think so, it could still be easily said.

It seemed Kyle also heard Christoph’s whispers.

Kyle turned his head to look at Christoph and then slowly stood up from the water. He jumped out of the pool and sat down seriously. Unexpectedly, he spoke with a serious tone.

“Have you ever thought that words have power?”

Christoph frowned and looked at Kyle with suspicion. He shook his head.

“If we hear something said to us repeatedly, we might start believing it without even realizing it. Depending on the circumstances, that can be a very scary thing.”

Christoph looked at Kyle with a strange expression. He couldn’t understand what Kyle was trying to say.

Kyle had always been like this for a long time. Ever since Christoph was very young, there were things about Kyle that Christoph couldn’t comprehend. Christoph couldn’t understand many things others said in general, but this was different.

Sometimes, when those of the same lineage ‘brothers’ gathered, most of them were friends around Christoph’s age. Among them, Christoph was one of the older ones, but Kyle was much older than Christoph. Among those of the same lineage, Kyle was the oldest. When Christoph first met him as a small child, Kyle was already a mature adult compared to the other peers.

Strangely, although Christoph was young and Kyle was clearly more mature than most adults, at some point, he became someone with careless and quirky habits. Perhaps Christoph’s childhood memories were mistaken.

One of those quirks was this. Sometimes he would say things that were hard to understand, leaving the listener puzzled as to what he was really implying.

Kyle wrinkled his wet eyebrows, blinked vaguely, and smiled faintly.

“That’s why important words should always be thought over many times before being spoken.”

“Important words.” – Christoph whispered in response. “Yes, important words.” – And Kyle, as if soothing a child, repeated after him.

Christoph stared at Kyle, then suddenly voiced thoughts that had crossed his mind a few times before.

“Kyle. I think that the older you get, the more childlike you become.”

Christoph’s words made Kyle blink in surprise with a puzzled expression.

“If I remember correctly, before I was even chosen as a successor candidate – back when you were still at the talent education facility – you were a mature person with sharp intellect and deep thinking, always admired by adults. A mature person full of willpower and wisdom…… To put it simply, you spoke little and often pondered, making you seem very composed.”

Kyle clutched his chest as if struck by a blow from the reminder of memories from over twenty years ago.

“Ah…… yes…… that was a shameful childhood…….”

“What made you change like this?”

Could it be the pressure of inheriting the family business, or having a relative with mental illness? While Christoph murmured such thoughts, Kyle only smiled bitterly.

“People really don’t know who they truly are until a certain point…… But why are you saying such heart-wrenching things now……?”

“You said to think carefully before speaking. I’ve thought about it several times.”

“No, no, Christoph…… that’s not what I meant…….”

Kyle lay down and rolled onto the grass, flipping over. As expected, his posture, lying on the ground with his knees in the water and his stomach on the grass, didn’t look like that of an adult at all.

“So, what is it? What are the important words that need to be thought over several times before being said?”

When Christoph asked, Kyle raised an eyebrow and grinned: “Hmm”, sinking into thought.

“Right, like these words. I like Taei. I also like Rita and Peter. And Ilay…… Ilay, I have to think a little more.”

Kyle suddenly looked gloomy as if darkness had clouded his mind.

“That guy is a heavy burden on my life. But to love such a burden requires continuous effort and practice.” – He whispered gloomily, and when his eyes met Christoph’s, he realized he was speaking nonsense and sighed. Then he smiled wearily.

Christoph looked enviously at the deep wrinkles at the corners of Kyle’s eyes. How could one smile so much that it created such wrinkles on their face? And Kyle suddenly smiled gently. Those wrinkles deepened.

“And Christoph, I like you too.”

Kyle’s words left Christoph expressionless. He stared at Kyle as if he had heard something very strange and entirely unexpected and slowly tilted his head.

“Me?”

Christoph blinked in surprise, and Kyle generously smiled and nodded. After a moment of thought, Christoph shook his head and replied uncertainly.

“I’m not sure.”

“Is that so? I thought you liked me too.”

When Kyle responded in surprise, Christoph didn’t think for too long before rolling his eyes and whispering to himself.

“That’s never going to happen.”

Christoph frowned slightly, but Kyle didn’t seem to care about his expression or the answer to his question: “Really?”, and laughed out loud.

“People don’t necessarily have to understand themselves.” – Kyle added, and those words sounded quite negative, but Christoph only looked at him with a strange expression.

Not knowing what to say. Somehow. Uncertain. But regardless.

Christoph lightly tapped his forehead, feeling a bit confused with the fragmented and unclear emotions that suddenly surfaced.

This feeling wasn’t bad. But there was a vague sense, almost like distant and faint anxiety looming over. Maybe it was fear. Slightly different, but similar.

It felt like an unexpected touch on the body that startled you, making you shrink back – a strange feeling.

“Feeling strange…….”

Christoph murmured to himself. Kyle looked at him with a puzzled expression. Christoph slowly rubbed his chest.

“It feels like this place is emptier. The taste can’t be felt anymore.”

Not just taste. Even sight, hearing, and smell seemed numb. Clearly, the senses were still functioning, but he felt as if a part of him was numb, like the feeling in a dream. As if he could perceive something, but it was covered by many layers of thick fabric.

“When did this happen?”

Kyle frowned and asked. Christoph replied indifferently: “It’s nothing serious. It’s not inconvenient or affecting anything.” yet he thought to himself:

Not for long. Maybe just recently.

But on the other hand, this feeling seems to have existed for a long time, as if each layer of fabric had been placed a long time ago and now was just being weighed down further.

Numbness. As if losing sensation.

“It still feels painful here…….”

Christoph placed his hand on his chest. Then he looked up at Kyle.

“Say it again.”

Kyle raised an eyebrow. His face shifted from surprise to understanding. He smiled gently and agreed with Christoph’s request as if to say: ‘You can hear it as many times as you want.’

“I like you, Christoph.”

“……Say it again.”

“I always wish for your happiness. Christoph, my dear one. I truly care for you.”

Kyle repeated, using a tone that seemed somewhat exaggerated but with clear sincerity.

Christoph remained silent. He stared at the hand placed on his chest.

“Do I…… really want to hear those words?”

Christoph asked Kyle with a curious expression, like a child asking an adult something they didn’t know. The smile on Kyle’s face gradually faded.

“Do you want to hear that?”

Kyle responded with a question instead of an answer. Christoph pondered and slowly shook his head.

“I don’t know.”

Christoph looked up at Kyle.

Not knowing. Unable to know. But there was a feeling that if he heard more, perhaps he would understand something. Not sure what it was, but maybe just hearing a little more would help.

“Say it again.”

Christoph whispered. It might have just been a feeling, but it seemed like his throat was trembling. He tilted his head in confusion and placed his hand on his neck, but his throat wasn’t trembling. But it felt as if it were trembling for some reason.

“My dear Christoph. I truly care for you.”

Even though Christoph was no longer a child, Kyle still whispered as if he were turning back time to say and repeat the words Christoph should have heard a long time ago. And Kyle would say them anytime, dozens or hundreds of times, with endless gentleness.

“One more time.”

Christoph said, and at that moment, he realized. It wasn’t the outside of his throat trembling, but the inside. That’s why his voice was slightly trembling.

“Christoph, I like you.”

A voice full of kindness and gentleness, like an older brother speaking to his younger sibling, echoed in Chris’s ears.

Strangely, why did his throat feel so hot? It was as if he had swallowed a burning coal, his throat ablaze. No, maybe it was because he was overheating.

“――Christoph. I like you.”

Suddenly, that gentle breath echoed in his mind.

It was the gentle voice he had heard not long ago, repeating over and over through overlapping lips.

All of a sudden, a sense of inexplicable anxiety welled up, deeply embedding itself in his heart, leaving him at a loss.

It was the voice he had locked away in his memory, preventing it from surfacing, but now it echoed in his mind.

“……―.”

Now. Even though it’s this late.

“Christoph?”

A voice called out, sounding both puzzled and uncertain. Kyle’s gentle gaze met Christoph’s eyes, but Christoph’s vision blurred and became unclear.

“……Chris.”

Christoph lowered his gaze.

Only now did he realize that the gentle voice etched into his memory was actually a terrifyingly sharp blade. It became clear that he had been hurt back then, something he hadn’t recognized at the time……. It was only now that it was evident in his mind.

“……You didn’t say those words just out of curiosity to see how I would react, did you?”

Christoph whispered.

Kyle was silent for a moment. After sensing the trembling in the whisper, instead of asking who had said those words to Christoph, he simply looked at him for a long time, as if scrutinizing, and then slowly smiled. He quietly shook his head.

“You didn’t say that just to see my reaction and find amusement in it, did you?”

Once again, Kyle shook his head.

“I like you, Christoph.”

A gentle voice, like that of an older brother speaking to his younger sibling, echoed in Chris’s ears.

“Say it again.”

Christoph said.

His pale, expressionless face trembled slightly. He didn’t look at Kyle but kept his head down. Relying only on that gentle, deep voice to cover the voice in his memory, Christoph said: “Say it again.”

His white cheeks were wet. Such a small thing. But his cheeks remained wet and wouldn’t dry.

“If you say it again, maybe I could like you too.”

Christoph whispered like a sigh.