“Ugh…….”

A photo slipped from his cold fingers. Jeong Taeui couldn’t suppress a groan of astonishment, his mouth gaping open in shock.

The photo fell to the floor, but he didn’t dare pick it up. He only glanced at it for less than a second before tightly closing his eyes again, but the image was already burned into his mind, impossible to forget.

“What the hell did I just see…….”

Jeong Taeui turned pale, covering his mouth with his hand. He stood rooted to the spot, his body frozen like a statue, staring in disbelief at the photo lying face-down at his feet.

No, maybe he was mistaken. Sometimes people see things incorrectly. Yes, and lately, he’s been suffering from chronic sleep deprivation, right? Because he couldn’t sleep well at night, he had to catch up on sleep during the day, so seeing something strange could just be his overworked brain playing tricks on him.

Jeong Taeui reluctantly and slowly bent down, hesitating as he picked up the photo. Although he didn’t have the courage to turn it over, he had to confirm whether his eyes had deceived him, so he forced himself to flip it over. In the next moment, a heavy breath escaped his lips. It should have been a sigh of relief, but instead, it was a gasp of shock.

“Oh my God……..”

The photo slipped through Jeong Taeui’s fingers again and fell to his feet, but this time it lay face up, fully exposed. In the photo, someone Jeong Taeui knew very well was crying miserably. The man, completely naked, was tied to a bed, all his private parts on display.

No, saying he was completely naked wasn’t accurate. To be precise, there was a gun barrel inserted deep between his buttocks – more accurately, into his anus.

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

Jeong Taeui had heard that Maurer would be coming today. As they were having breakfast, Kyle, as if he had just remembered, spoke up.

“Tay, you two already know each other, right?”

“Uh, …….yes. I know him.”

“That’s right. You two were quite close when he stayed at my place before.”

“Not really, I don’t remember us being that close…….. but what about him?”

Jeong Taeui recalled numerous memories flooding his mind at the mention of that name. Losing his appetite, he set his spoon down and rubbed his lips with his thumb, immediately earning a cold look from Rita beside him. Jeong Taeui quickly held up his thumb and explained: “There’s nothing stuck, it’s just a habit.”

He wondered if Kyle noticed his flustered expression or pretended not to.

“Alright, Maurer will be arriving this afternoon. He’s decided to spend his year-end holiday here. I think he’ll stay the night and leave tomorrow.”

Jeong Taeui muttered: “Ah, yes” then bit his lip, not asking anything further.

Thinking back, he vaguely recalled hearing that T&R was developing some experimental product. It seemed to be an ambitious project, thoroughly researched. He thought that if Maurer heard about it, he would go crazy and rush over, and indeed he had. That gun nut.

“That’s great.”

Jeong Taeui smiled awkwardly and said: “It’s been a while since I last saw him, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Yes. Considering the deep-seated grudge he had against that man, Jeong Taeui was determined to confront him. In fact, he had almost forgotten about it, but hearing that name reignited his anger.

Jeong Taeui glanced at Ilay, who was sitting across from him. He didn’t know what had happened, but Ilay had been practically living in his study for the past few days. Despite that, last night, he suddenly came to Jeong Taeui’s room, messed around for a while, and then went back to work, saying he still had a lot to do. He probably only took a brief nap at dawn, yet there was no sign of fatigue on his face. Maybe after breakfast, he’d sleep a bit more.

Ilay hated hearing Rita’s nagging, but surprisingly, he never disobeyed her. This morning, he probably wanted to sleep more, but after Rita came to his room three times, saying, ‘Even if you want to sleep more, get up and have breakfast first, young master,’ and woke him up, Ilay joined them at the table.

So, usually, Ilay wouldn’t say much during meals but would at least make a comment or two, whereas today, he was completely silent.

Jeong Taeui quietly continued eating.

Right. How could he forget the deep grudge he held against Maurer?

Thinking back now, he wasn’t sure if it could even be considered a grudge, but Maurer’s initial intent had been to betray him, so Jeong Taeui decided to hold onto that resentment.

When he was being hunted by a madman like Ilay, constantly facing the very real possibility of death if caught, that scoundrel Maurer had coolly sold him out for a gun. Even though they had no good feelings towards each other from the start, how could he trade a person’s life for a gun?

Jeong Taeui had deeply ingrained that betrayal in his heart.

…….But.

There was something else that still troubled him.

Not long ago, while looking for a book in Ilay’s room, he stumbled upon a photo.

It seemed to have been forgotten on the table. As Jeong Taeui grabbed a dusty book from the side table, a photo fell out along with the dust. He had intended to pick it up and put it away, but nearly fainted at the sight of the grotesque images.

The photo featured Maurer. But it wasn’t just any ordinary portrait. It was an image no one could casually reveal anywhere, and if he tried to describe it to someone, they’d likely roll their eyes and think he’d lost his mind.

Jeong Taeui put his spoon down again. Thinking about that horrifying photo ruined his appetite.

He had meant to ask Ilay about the photo, but with Ilay being swamped with work and Jeong Taeui himself not being idle, he had completely forgotten. Whenever he did remember, he couldn’t bring it up because others were around.

In truth, Jeong Taeui didn’t think there was anything shady going on between them.

What shocked him more than anything was not that Ilay had the photo, but what appeared in the photo with Maurer.

…….It was a .45 caliber Colt.

Jeong Taeui recalled the blinding image that nearly seared his eyes. Horrifyingly, lodged deep between Maurer’s legs was a .45 caliber Colt.

“He betrayed me for a gun…….”

Jeong Taeui stabbed his fork into his food. Kyle tilted his head, seemingly puzzled by Jeong Taeui’s sudden aggressive action. Jeong Taeui quickly forced a smile and used the fork to eat some vegetables.

Another reason he couldn’t immediately confront Ilay was that he already knew the answer.

Jeong Taeui, who didn’t want to betray others like Maurer did, remained silent for Maurer’s dignity. To him, Maurer’s gun obsession exceeded normal affection. Jeong Taeui had been utterly stunned to see the gleam of ecstasy in Maurer’s eyes as he gazed at the gun lodged between his legs.

Perhaps Maurer wasn’t just a gun enthusiast, he was a gun fetishist…….

Jeong Taeui lost his appetite for the third time.

He set his fork down, realizing he couldn’t enjoy breakfast today.

Considering ending his meal then and there, he remembered that if Maurer arrived late in the afternoon, they might have to have dinner together. By then, he’d have no appetite for anything, so it was better to eat enough now. So Jeong Taeui picked up his fork again.

It had been a long time since he last saw Maurer.

Jeong Taeui counted on his fingers; it had been a few years. He was surprised to realize how quickly time had passed.

In a sense, he was still an internationally wanted criminal, so he couldn’t travel abroad. He had lived a quiet life while Ilay faced several near-death experiences. So he had to live quietly (and leisurely).

But somehow, living in a place where he didn’t have to show his face, he didn’t feel at ease. Maybe it was life’s twists and turns.

Time flew by. When he suddenly looked back, that period had vanished, remaining only in memories.

Maurer, it had been a long time since he last saw him. Now he realized it had been quite a long time.

…….But meeting him again, the resentment resurfaced.

Jeong Taeui crossed his arms and watched as the familiar face of Maurer, unchanged over the years, walked in carrying a large sports bag. Although several years had passed, Maurer seemed very familiar with the house’s layout, which hadn’t changed much. He intended to head to the living room when he saw Jeong Taeui standing there. Yes, only a few years had passed, so not much had changed. Maurer immediately widened his eyes at him.

“What are you doing here, you filthy terrorist?”

“…….”

Even his mannerisms hadn’t changed.

Jeong Taeui shot a glare at Maurer.

Wasn’t he the one stealing and then blaming others?

According to Jeong Taeui’s memory, he had repaid Maurer’s debt in full. Even now, he couldn’t forget that damn gun. He had found a broker and bought the gun back to return it to Maurer. Yet, Maurer had heartlessly tossed Jeong Taeui to death and ran off happily with his new gun.

Fury surged. But it was a personal grudge, so Jeong Taeui decided to seize the opportunity to confront him later. He suppressed his anger and replied with a tone full of implication.

“How’s your Colt 45?”

Jeong Taeui thought he might have said too much, but he wasn’t sure if Maurer would catch the hidden meaning. Maybe Maurer didn’t think he had seen the photo, or perhaps – though he didn’t want to believe it – Maurer changed guns each time. If that were the case, the Colt 45 wasn’t special at all.

Indeed, considering that it had been several years, it was possible that Maurer wouldn’t even understand what he was talking about. With that thought, Jeong Taeui scratched his head.

But that wasn’t the case.

The moment Maurer heard those words, his eyes glazed over. In an instant, a fire of hatred, long suppressed, flared up.

“The Colt 45……. it’s still in good condition. I couldn’t bear to throw it away, so I stored it in the deepest part of my room. Guns aren’t to blame. All those terrible things……. they’re your fault, aren’t they?”

Maurer suddenly pointed at Jeong Taeui, shouting and throwing his sports bag onto the floor.

Jeong Taeui didn’t expect such an intense reaction. He was slightly taken aback and took a step back. He widened his eyes, blinking as he absorbed the hateful words pouring into his ears.

“What do you mean it’s my fault? You’re the one with the weird sexual fetish involving the Colt 45!”

“That’s not my fetish! I told you it’s not! How could I put such precious and beloved things into a place like that…….!”

Maurer yelled into his face. Jeong Taeui had to take another step back, feeling like he was about to be eaten alive by the man’s furious roar.

“…….What? Then why did you do it?”

When Jeong Taeui lowered his voice and questioned Maurer with genuine curiosity, Maurer buried his face in the sports bag he’d thrown down, his shoulders trembling as if he were crying bitterly over unspeakable pain. However, the bag, crushed under the weight of his upper body, revealed a solid outline through the fabric.

It was a handgun that looked like it could fit comfortably in one hand.

Coming on vacation and yet still feeling the need to cling to a new one for satisfaction. This guy had indeed sold his soul to those guns. Right, if you’ve done it with a gun, why not marry one too. Marry a gun!

Jeong Taeui wondered how Maurer managed to get from Hong Kong to here with that gun. He stood there, dazed, watching Maurer until he raised his head, trembling and sobbing.

“It’s because of you……. because you asked that bastard Rick, didn’t you? No, I’m fine. Even if I have to apologize a hundred times, it’s fine, even if I have to endure the pain of a torn asshole every time I go to the bathroom for days, it’s fine! But what did my precious Colt 45 ever do to deserve this?! It’s such a widely used, efficient, and elegantly designed gun! Tay, you……. what grudge do you have against the Colt 45?!”

Jeong Taeui furrowed his brow, hearing Maurer’s seemingly absurd yet strangely reasonable rant, and his mind automatically filtered out the problematic parts.

“Rick?……. Ilay? What’s he got to do with it? What did I ask him to do that was so bad…….?”

Thinking back to the photo he found in Ilay’s room, Jeong Taeui widened his eyes.

“Talk some sense! Hold on, I almost believed you! Look at the photo, the background is clearly the UNHRDO Asian branch office! If Ilay was at UNHRDO, it was a few years ago, how could I have asked him for anything then? Do you think he was the kind of person who would listen to anyone back then?!”

Even now, if Jeong Taeui wanted to ask Ilay for something, it would have to come with a condition before he’d even consider listening!

His anger seemed a bit misdirected, but Jeong Taeui couldn’t help but yell internally, ‘If you’re angry because you got stabbed by a gun, I would’ve died of high blood pressure long before you, you bastard!’

But then, considering that Maurer might retort: ‘Who told you to get back with him? Why blame others when you dug your own grave!’, and Jeong Taeui would have no rebuttal for that, he swallowed his words.

“I don’t care about that! He said he promised you something and made me like this!”

Maurer whined. Then he slumped over the sports bag again, his shoulders shaking with sobs. Oh, now Jeong Taeui could see another gun on the other side. Its outline pressed through the fabric of the sports bag. Just how many guns had this guy brought along?

Jeong Taeui thought, glancing at Maurer with disdain, while the man’s words left him puzzled.

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

If it was something Ilay had said, it certainly wouldn’t be pointless or idle talk. Moreover, he wouldn’t do anything useless. So Maurer’s words weren’t entirely unreasonable.

“Hmm? Oh, right. I almost forgot. Here, take it. It’s a gift for you.”

When Ilay shoved the photo in his face, Jeong Taeui stared at it and then stretched his arm out, pushing the photo as far from his sight as possible. Then he glanced sideways and grimaced.

“No, if you want to give me a gift, it should be something nice. Why would you call this disgusting thing a gift…….”

Jeong Taeui mumbled as he pushed the photo even further away.

It was past 2 A.M, but Ilay was still sitting at his computer, looking at various charts and graphs. He glanced over at Jeong Taeui while continuing to work. It seemed he was only taking a short break as the room was still brightly lit, and he had a lot of work to do. He took off his glasses, set them on the table, and looked directly at Jeong Taeui’s displeased face.

“What’s wrong? You don’t like it? I told you I’d get revenge on Maurer for you. Being impaled by his beloved gun, what could be a heavier blow to him?”

Ilay picked up the photo in front of Jeong Taeui and spoke nonchalantly, looking at it indifferently. Jeong Taeui frowned even more.

“Why would you get revenge on my behalf…….”

Jeong Taeui felt a knot in his chest. He vaguely remembered hearing something like that before. He couldn’t recall exactly when, but he thought Ilay had mentioned something similar.

Ilay sighed lightly, looking at Jeong Taeui’s confused expression.

“Did you forget? It was when you ran away and I brought you back……. No, when I took you to Hong Kong. Yes, it was before we went to Seringe. At that time, I planned to return to the UNHRDO branch, but you insisted on coming along, saying you had unfinished business with Maurer.”

“…….Oh.”

Jeong Taeui let out a short exclamation.

He remembered now. Yes, it was back then. The memories that had faded now resurfaced vividly.

Right, that was it. When he returned to Hong Kong, driven by his grudge against Maurer, he had resolved to go there for revenge. But Ilay had said the UNHRDO wouldn’t allow it, so he had to stay put.

At that time……. at that time…….

Jeong Taeui’s expression hardened as the intertwined memories came rushing back.

“Yeah……. back then……. This…….”

Jeong Taeui looked coldly at the photo. Just for a picture like this…….

“I also remember you pleading with me while giving me a blowjob back then.”

“I did not!”

Well, he did give him a blowjob, but he didn’t remember asking him for anything. He regretted it deeply then. It would have been better to wait to meet Maurer later and exact revenge at the right time. How could he have asked for something like this?

“Jeong Taei. It’s not like it was only once or twice. You got quite used to enjoying my cock. Look at you, your face is all red.”

Ilay smiled brightly at Jeong Taeui. Jeong Taeui sat down on the bed behind him, feeling utterly defeated.

“It’s different. Completely different. It was different then.”

Yes, as Ilay said, even if he proved he hadn’t said anything during those times, nothing would change. He had grown too familiar with his cock. If he counted, the number of times his mouth had “met” it probably exceeded the times his lower half had. When Ilay was so busy with work that he couldn’t spare even a few minutes, he would pull Jeong Taeui over, let him take care of his hardened member with his mouth while he continued to flip through documents.

He had swallowed tears during those times, having long since grown accustomed to it.

But back then it was different. That was a time of youthful vigor.

Jeong Taeui held his head in despair. Ilay watched his expression and fetched a beer from the mini fridge near the bookshelf, handing it to him. Jeong Taeui immediately perked up.

After popping the can open and taking a few gulps, he felt somewhat calmer. Jeong Taeui sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

“That guy is still obsessed with guns.”

In the afternoon, after Maurer had slumped over his sports bag for a while, he had quickly stood up, lamenting: “Oh dear, my beloved guns can’t be crushed like this”, and headed to the living room. Jeong Taeui responded.

“What kind of gun could be easily crushed like that?”

But Maurer ignored him.

As soon as he entered the room, he dumped all the guns from his sports bag onto the bed. Jeong Taeui could only stay silent.

He sighed, wondering how airport security could be so ineffective as to not catch someone carrying so many weapons on a plane.

“Even though it happened, your guns are still in good shape.”

“Guns are not to blame!”

Maurer’s simple reply made his stance clear. Okay. Guns are not to blame; the person who did that to the gun is to blame.

Jeong Taeui bitterly licked his lips, watching Maurer carefully check each gun before turning away. However, as he reached the door, he heard Maurer gloomily mutter behind him.

“But I couldn’t bring the Colt 45 because it breaks my heart every time I remember it……..”

Surely the pain would be from something other than his heart when those memories resurfaced. Jeong Taeui thought. However, at this moment, right now, recalling his own situation with his lower half still aching and tired from last night’s affair with Ilay, he kept his mouth shut.

“If this gift doesn’t satisfy you……. should I just turn him into a corpse and bring him to you?”

Seeing Jeong Taeui deep in thought, Ilay shook the photo and took a sip of his beer. Jeong Taeui’s expression stiffened. He looked at Ilay with a strange expression and waved his hands frantically. What this man was saying didn’t sound like a creepy joke (and it probably wasn’t meant as one).

“Anyway……. Thanks to that, he can’t carry the Colt 45 anymore, so at least one gun is out of the way. For his gun obsession……. To cure that crazy fascination of his, wouldn’t it be enough to just gather all his guns and shove them in at once?”

Jeong Taeui said, then drank the last sips of his beer. He thought to himself: ‘Hmm, that’s a good idea.’, but then shook his head immediately.

He wasn’t close enough to Maurer to want to cure him, and more importantly, who would do that now? Certainly not him. He absolutely didn’t want to do it with his own hands, even if it meant dying.

“I don’t think so.”

Ilay cut off his thoughts seriously. Jeong Taeui lifted his eyes from the beer can and looked at him. Ilay was slightly shaking his beer can, which seemed still half full. Taeui reached out his hand, and Ilay immediately handed him the beer can he was holding.

Ilay smiled at Jeong Taeui’s bright eyes as he took the can and drank with a beaming face, like a child receiving a new toy.

“I heard Instructor Jeong Changin talk about Tou, who shared a room with Maurer. Tou said Maurer was very strange. He didn’t know why, but whenever Maurer took out his guns and cleaned them with a bright face, his expression would darken the moment he got to the Colt 45. Despite looking gloomy, he would meticulously clean the Colt 45.”

“…….huh?”

“When Maurer cleaned the barrel, he was incredibly persistent and thorough. Tow said it was really creepy.”

“Maybe he was preparing it for another session with the gun later on?”

Ilay added casually.

Jeong Taeui lost his appetite hearing that. He frowned and lowered the beer can. Damn it. No, it’s not the beer’s fault. He should still drink it.

Ilay watched Jeong Taeui sip the beer without saying anything, then suddenly, with a strange look in his eyes, spoke again.

“Just cleaning the guns won’t cure Maurer’s obsession. It’s an addiction. Just like how you can’t live without beer.”

“Huh?……. You’re saying it like I’m an addict. I only drink a can or two occasionally to relax.”

Jeong Taeui frowned and threw the beer can at Ilay. He caught it easily and noticed the 1000ml can was still half full.

“In short, I could create a memory for you where just the sight of beer would make you never want to drink it again.”

Ilay spoke slowly with a calm smile, half-jokingly. Jeong Taeui frowned at him.

“What do you mean? Are you going to fill the pool in the yard with beer and throw me in it all day?”

Jeong Taeui let his imagination run wild. Knowing Ilay’s personality, he wouldn’t put it past him. He thought that if Gable visited and saw such a scene, he would be very sad. But swimming in beer all day, even if the carbonation would dissipate and the taste wouldn’t be as good as cold beer, it would still be okay.

However, Ilay shook his head and began to unbuckle his belt.

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

Somehow, his voice didn’t sound normal when he said that. Jeong Taeui suddenly sensed danger in his actions and retreated to the bed.

“You have a lot of work to do. You don’t have time to play.”

“Leave it for now. It will be done in a few hours. After that, I’ll have some free time for a week. Besides, spending time happily with you is more important than work.”

“Um……. well……. uh……. Thank you for that but……. I’m a bit sleepy…….”

“Alright. Let me wake you up first. We still have that discussion to finish. If I want to make you dislike beer, knowing your personality, it’s simple. There’s no need to waste a large amount of beer filling the pool. I could just put it directly into your body—pour it into your little hole—right in front of your eyes—very clearly.”

Jeong Taeui was speechless. He clamped his mouth shut, eyes wide open. Ilay was right. He was wide awake now.

With Ilay’s words, Jeong Taeui couldn’t tell which part was a joke and which part was serious. But those images running wild in his imagination made him shudder and shrink back.

Seeing Jeong Taeui glaring at him, Ilay laughed heartily while pulling out his heavy member. It wasn’t fully erect yet, but with a few strokes from Ilay, it began to stiffen.

“If not, I could put something reminiscent of beer into your mouth instead of beer.”

“What?”

Jeong Taeui looked puzzled. Ilay smiled and shook his penis a few times as if showing off. Jeong Taeui looked down at the hot flesh, then back at Ilay’s suggestive expression. His face turned from pale to green with anger.

“YA!!!”

Seeing Jeong Taeui’s face change color, Ilay burst into laughter. He laughed heartily for a while, then gently waved his hand.

“Alright, I was just joking. I don’t intend to make an enemy of you that way. I was just presenting a hypothetical situation. Just in case you drink too much beer.”

“……….”

Jeong Taeui immediately thought that he should drink less beer.

He really felt that he would never recover if he had to go through something like that. He had gotten used to having sex with this man and now he even felt pleasure when Ilay pushed that huge thing in and moved his hips, but even so, every time they did it, he felt like he was living the last moments of his life.

The fact that Maurer could still groom that Colt 45 made him feel melancholic. But he didn’t have time to dwell on it for long.

“But as you said, I should quickly finish my work first, so let’s keep it simple for now. You should also finish your ‘work’ before going to sleep. From tomorrow, I’ll relax and focus on our activities in bed. Okay?”

“No, no. You don’t need to rush your work. Just do it as usual.”

As usual, if he wanted to keep up with Ilay’s stamina, he would have died several times already. Jeong Taeui muttered dejectedly as he approached Ilay. With his many years of experience, Jeong Taeui knew it was best to quickly comply because Ilay was not someone he could refuse. And instead of using his lower body, he should immediately go for oral before Ilay changed his mind. It might be hard to breathe, but at least his body would be more comfortable.

Jeong Taeui obediently sat between Ilay’s legs and grabbed the base of the erect penis. Although he saw it almost every day, every time he looked at it and kissed the terrifyingly large head, it twitched and seemed to get even bigger.

He licked a path from the base to the top of the enormous shaft with his tongue. Ilay gently caressed Jeong Taeui’s cheek and then moved to his soft earlobe, even the fingertips brushing against his skin were filled with desire. Another hand stroked the nape of his neck, then slipped under his shirt and went straight to Jeong Taeui’s chest. The fingertips found his small nipples and pinched them hard.

“Ah~”

Jeong Taeui flinched and swallowed a small moan. His face burned.

“Taking care of it daily is really worth it. I barely touched it, and it’s already standing up like this.”

Ilay whispered above him with a low laugh.

Jeong Taeui pretended not to hear, lowering his head and boldly sucking Ilay’s penis. However, he couldn’t deny that his body would tremble each time Ilay happily played with his erect nipples, occasionally pulling and twisting them until he couldn’t hold back his moans.

“Jeong Taei.”

The voice whispered into his ear.

Oh. Damn it.

Before Jeong Taeui could say anything, he felt himself being lifted and immediately felt the mattress’s springiness against his back. Ilay laid him down on the bed and spread his arms to trap him in his embrace.

“Indeed, work should be left for later. We should get a good sleep first, then we can continue.”

Ilay was sitting on top of Jeong Taeui, smiled and began unbuttoning his shirt one button at a time.

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

Looking back, it was really pitiful.

Maurer must have been severely mentally traumatized.

Even though he still cherished and treasured his guns after that incident. But one couldn’t deny the fact that he had suffered greatly because of the gun he loved. Considering his strange obsession with guns, the pain must have been multiplied. (Of course, with a 45-caliber size, his body would have also experienced significant shock and pain.)

Jeong Taeui didn’t think he was to blame for this – well, he meant, yes, why would it be his fault – but as a former colleague, seeing Maurer’s condition made him feel bitter for him.

Not sure if it was the mood, but Maurer seemed sad as he caressed the imprint of a gun sticking out from his duffel bag.

“Ah, I don’t know.”

Jeong Taeui sighed.

After breakfast, Maurer would go with Kyle to the company to see the sample product currently under development and then plan to head straight home. Maurer took his bag and left just as he had brought it in.

Kyle was about to leave the room when he received a phone call. He signaled Maurer to go out and get in the car first.

James was sitting in the passenger seat of Kyle’s car, waiting inside the gate, so Maurer sat in the back. He lowered the window in irritation when he saw Jeong Taeui knocking on the window.

“What is it?”

“Well, since we don’t know when we’ll meet again, take this rice cake as a goodbye gift.”

“I’m not going to eat any rice cake you give me. What if Rick comes running and says I ate his rice cake!”

Maurer yelled and then quickly shut his mouth as if he had suddenly seen something. When Jeong Taeui turned his head in the direction Maurer was looking, he saw Ilay, wearing only sweatpants, walking out of the gate. On his shoulder was a fresh bite mark—Jeong Taeui’s handiwork from last night when he bit Ilay hard in frustration as his exhausted body couldn’t take it anymore. Ilay, unashamedly showing off the mark, scratched his neck as if still not fully awake.

Obviously, he wasn’t out there to see Maurer off; he was clearly looking around for Jeong Taeui since he couldn’t find him inside the house.

At the same time, Kyle approached from behind Ilay, seemingly finished with his phone call. He walked over to Ilay while grumbling like Rita: “Even if you’re at home, you should dress properly”, then apologized to Maurer for the wait and got into the car.

Jeong Taeui heard the car start.

He hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit annoyed, but still decided to offer some comforting words to Maurer.

“Anyway, um, I’m not sure, but don’t let those bad memories about the gun bother you anymore. Try looking at the Colt 45 again……. just once, glance at it and then forget about it. It won’t wear out anyway.”

After speaking, Jeong Taeui realized his words sounded more like mockery than comfort. But Maurer probably understood the comforting intent through his tone.

Maurer was silent for a moment. As the car started to move, he stuck his face out of the window. In a rare warm and serious tone, he smiled brightly and responded.

“And you……. my Colt 45 is nothing compared to what you have to swallow every night. I saw quite a scene yesterday when I passed by. Next time, close the door properly. Bye-bye.”

“…….-!!!!””………——!!!!”

Jeong Taeui’s face hardened.

The car sped out of the gate, leaving Jeong Taeui standing there, frozen like a statue, unable to move an inch. Beside him, Ilay, who had been standing still until the gate closed, walked up and stood next to him.

“Ah……. so it was him. I thought I heard someone passing by in the hallway.”

“…….Wasn’t the door closed last night? That room…….”

“When you came in, you didn’t close it completely, so it was slightly ajar. Didn’t you plan to leave right after? But it seems you don’t remember.”

Jeong Taeui was silent for a moment. As he said, every time he went to Ilay’s room, he left the door slightly open to make a quick escape if needed.

“But clearly, early this morning when I left the room, the door was locked?!”

“I don’t know. Maybe he closed it when he passed by out of concern for you.”

Jeong Taeui stared at him in astonishment. He muttered as if he had lost his mind.

“You knew all along, didn’t you…….?”

“Know what?”

Ilay put on an innocent face, shrugged, and replied briefly.

The next moment, Jeong Taeui grabbed his shoulders and shook him wildly.

“You should have said something at the time, said something!!”

“Even if I had said something, it wouldn’t have changed anything. Moreover, that guy will visit this house at least a few times a year, so it’s better to know sooner than later.”

After saying it wasn’t a big deal and advising him to go for a swim to clear his mind, Ilay headed toward the pool. Jeong Taeui sat down and stared at his retreating back.

He was still curled up and sitting motionless on the floor, with sorrow deeply embedded in his soul for a long, long time until Rita walked by and scolded him.

“The floor is not a place for you to sit around like that.”

==============

[Passion – 1st book – Completed]