“Look at that expression, that expression. Hey, hey, relax your face. If you keep frowning like that, even good fortune will run away.”

*Smack!* A loud painful sound echoed off his back. The sting was just as sharp as the sound itself—really, really painful. While wiping away the tears that welled up, Taeui turned to complain to Alta, who was sitting beside him.

“Why hit me instead of just saying it?”

“I had a hard time getting in touch with such a hard-to-reach broker, and yet you’re making a face like you just ate something awful! What if they feel uneasy about your expression and cancel the deal and leave?! It’s fine if you don’t buy anything, but this is a connection I might need to keep in touch with later!”

“Got it. Got it, just lower your voice a bit.”

Taeui picked up the teacup and added, “For the very connection you might need to maintain later.” Warm steam rose from the cup, spreading a familiar scent. It was the fragrance of orchids.

“This is Keemun black tea*, right? …….Xinlu brewed it for me before.”

(*Keemun Black Tea is the finest black tea from China, known as the queen of black teas. It has been cultivated in Qimen County, Huangshan City, Anhui Province, for over 100 years…….)

Alta assumed that all tea was just black tea and casually took a sip, raising an eyebrow when he heard Taeui suddenly mumbling. He didn’t know what he had ordered, as he had just picked something at random. It was just black tea, after all. “Well, what’s the difference” – Alta muttered and shrugged. Beside him, Taeui quietly looked down at the cup of red tea. It had the same scent as the tea Xinlu had once served him.

He was reminded again. Little things like this always brought Xinlu to mind. And every time he thought of Xinlu, he felt sad.

Seeing Taeui’s face darken again, Alta quickly raised his hand. At that moment, Taeui immediately acted as if nothing had happened.

“What’s up with you lately? Did you confess to Xinlu and get rejected? Oh, wait, you said you were meeting Xinlu tonight. So why are you sulking like this?”

“Hmm……. Is it that obvious?”

“Yes, it’s very obvious, right now, even!”

Alta yelled anand looked annoyed. “Well, that won’t do -” Taeui said, rubbing his face with both hands. He glanced around to distract himself. The broker, who had been on the phone for a while, had excused himself and gone outside, and it seemed like the call was taking longer than expected.

They were at a seaside hotel in the Kowloon area of Hong Kong. This was an old neighborhood, with alleys intertwining like a maze and old buildings lined up along the bustling end of the street. In a place crowded with famous hotels, Alta and Taeui were sitting in the lounge, a few floors below the building’s top. Even though it was the weekend, perhaps because it was just around evening time, there weren’t many people around.

Perhaps feeling sorry for Taeui after seeing Maurer scold him, Tou had asked Alta to introduce an arms dealer. In truth, Taeui didn’t think he was being scolded – if anything, he felt that if he had to choose, he would side with Maurer’s argument that it was he himself who was scolding Maurer. Nevertheless, he thought it was best to find a new Colt to replace the one he had accidentally taken and lost. So, he happily nodded and went along with Alta’s suggestion.

The broker they met in Hong Kong mentioned that the Colt model Taeui wanted wasn’t available at the moment, but he could find it. As they were talking, the broker received a call and excused himself for a moment.

Taeui turned his head and looked out the window right beside the table. Below was a narrow strip of sea, and beyond it was Hong Kong Island. Xinlu was likely there right now. He had said he had something to do with a friend living on Hong Kong Island and suggested they take care of their own matters separately, then meet again in the evening.

Smiling shyly, Xinlu had said: “So, let’s meet again in front of the Peninsula Hotel this evening……. I’ve already reserved a spot.” Taeui had nodded shyly in response, but the moment Xinlu disappeared from sight, he felt a wave of melancholy.

It wasn’t that he hated Xinlu or anything like that. In fact, he felt guilty and sympathetic. At least on that day, the reason Xinlu had sought out Ilay on his own was for his sake. And that was what made him feel melancholy. Everything, Ilay, Xinlu, and the situation,…. all left him feeling dispirited.

However, he knew well that dwelling on sadness in a foolish way wouldn’t help. After all, Ilay would never appear before him again. So, the obstacle was gone, and now it was just a matter of him and Xinlu happily holding hands and being together.

But.

Something still didn’t feel right. His mind felt clouded, like it was covered in fog, leaving him with a heavy and sad feeling.

“Xinlu…….”

“That’s exactly why I didn’t want to bring you along! If you’re going to be like this, don’t ever come with me again!” – Alta grumbled, gritting his teeth in frustration. With a sorrowful gaze, Taeui silently looked toward Hong Kong Island on the other side. He must still be there. Or perhaps, since their meeting time was approaching, he might have already crossed over. Or maybe he was still on the boat.

Xinlu had smiled shyly and said he had already booked a hotel. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand the implication of those words. So, before coming to Hong Kong, Taeui had carefully bathed and prepared himself, even though his mind was a mess.

But would it be okay? It had been a long time since they had been intimate like that, could he do it well without hurting Xinlu? Furthermore, the night before Ilay left, Xinlu must have been deeply hurt. Maybe the wounds had healed, but enduring such an ugly experience surely left scars. Was it really okay to hold someone who had gone through such pain?

If Alta or any of his other teammates heard this, they would undoubtedly look at him with disdain. But the more he thought about it, the darker Taeui’s mood became.

“There’s no need for this. Now that there’s no one standing in the way, just being happy is enough.”

Taeui tried to console himself with these thoughts, then sighed. He inadvertently glanced over and noticed a man sitting alone at the table next to him.

He wasn’t sure why his eyes lingered on that man. He was just an ordinary person. Dressed in a neat suit, he held a fountain pen like a fine accessory with his delicate fingers, lost in thought. There was nothing particularly striking about him. Yet, strangely, he looked familiar, and Taeui couldn’t understand why he felt drawn to him.

“Hey, Alta.”

“What?”

Alta responded with a scowl, not even bothering to look his way. Taeui tugged on his ear hard and whispered quietly.

“Do you know the man sitting next to us?”

Hearing Taeui’s low voice, Alta seemed to sense that something was off, so he quickly glanced at the man beside them. He discreetly scanned the man from head to toe, trying not to draw attention, then tilted his head in thought.

“Hmm, I don’t know him. If he were someone with such a good build and neat appearance, I wouldn’t forget easily. I don’t know this guy. But why? Is something wrong?”

“Yeah――no, it’s just that he looks familiar, like I’ve seen him somewhere before. But maybe I’m mistaken.”

After hearing Alta’s response, Taeui realized that, even if someone appeared ordinary, if he had spoken to them before, he wouldn’t forget so easily. Perhaps he had encountered someone similar, or maybe he was just confused.

Taeui tilted his head and then shifted his gaze down to the paper the man was examining on the table. The distance was a bit far, so he couldn’t make out every detail, but it looked like some kind of blueprint. Some parts were intricately drawn, while others seemed hastily sketched, almost like scribbles next to the blueprint. There were also rough handwritten notes alongside it.

Taeui stared at the blueprint as if by chance, then suddenly thought: ‘Oh, that’s strange, I feel like I’ve seen this drawing somewhere before.’ The paper wasn’t very clear, making it hard to decipher at first glance, but it seemed to contain chemical formulas or jumbled equations.

“Strange……. the person looks familiar, and now even the blueprint feels familiar. I thought the only one who drew and wrote so sloppily like this was Jaeui’s.”

“The handwriting looks similar too…….” – Taeui muttered, continuing to look at the drawing without much thought. Suddenly, the man looked up. Their eyes met.

The man’s lifeless eyes behind thin silver-framed glasses stared directly at Taeui. Although he felt a bit awkward being caught staring, there was no reason to avoid his gaze, so Taeui calmly stared back.

It seemed he had never met this person in person before. Even after looking directly into each other’s eyes for a few seconds, no memories surfaced. It was just a vague feeling of familiarity, as if someone resembling this man had appeared in a forgotten corner of Taeui’s memory.

The man looked at Taeui with an expressionless face for a while, then slightly furrowed his brows. It seemed like he was about to say something, as his mouth began to open.

But at that moment, the broker returned after the long call. Perhaps feeling guilty for making them wait so long, he smiled awkwardly, trying to appear friendly as he explained.

“Sorry for keeping you both waiting so long. A prominent figure arrived in Hong Kong yesterday. Someone like me rarely gets the chance to meet someone like that, but my brother managed to arrange a meeting with him.”

“Oh, really? Hearing you say that, it must be someone very important. But why did he come here?”

“It’s quite a big deal. It seems they’re planning to open a large-scale branch in Hong Kong. Previously, the company only operated through a single headquarters, but this time, it looks like they’ll establish their first branch here in Hong Kong. So, the business community is paying close attention, especially regarding who will manage that branch…….”

“Wow, so your brother’s meeting with him is related to that…….?”

“Well, I’m not sure yet, but it’s likely connected in some way.”

“That’s amazing!”

While Alta eagerly flattered the broker to the point of almost drooling without the slightest embarrassment, Taeui only half-listened, gradually shifting his gaze from the broker back to the table next to them.

The man at the next table continued to look at Taeui with a suspicious expression, but in the end, he didn’t say anything. He simply lowered his head again to focus on the blueprint on the table.

Occasionally, he scribbled a few words on the attached paper, appearing deep in thought, just like Maurer when solving a tricky puzzle.

But that blueprint clearly looked like something Jaeui-hyung would have drawn.

Taeui stared at the blueprint. Even though he couldn’t make out every detail clearly, he could see certain elements, and it made him think that way. He considered asking if the man knew anything about Jaeui-hyung’s whereabouts, but then he shook his head. Even if it truly was Jaeui’s drawing, so what? Even if he knew where Jaeui was, he wouldn’t know what to do next. Besides, there was no guarantee that this man would know anything.

Taeui turned his attention back to the broker as he began the conversation with: “About that Colt……” What mattered to him at the moment was not his brother’s blueprint, which he didn’t even understand. His brother, wherever he was and whatever he was doing, would certainly live well, thanks to his resilient nature.

What he needed to focus on now was the Colt he had to return to that grumbling Maurer and the upcoming meeting with Xinlu.

According to the original plan, their evening would start with a meal at the hotel restaurant that Xinlu had reserved, followed by a light drink at the bar, and finally, they would return to their room, with a bit of alcohol to help him relax, as he figured he wouldn’t be able to manage it completely sober……. However, the plan was disrupted right at the restaurant. While they waited for their meal, Xinlu’s complexion grew so pale that it was painful to watch.

From the moment Xinlu met him in front of the hotel, his complexion was already poor. Despite the pale and wan look on his face, Xinlu forced a smile when he saw Taeui. On the way to the restaurant, Taeui asked him six times if he was okay. And each time, Xinlu firmly shook his head, insisting that he was fine.

No matter how you looked at it, Xinlu’s complexion was so pale that it seemed like he could collapse at any moment. But since he was making such an effort, Taeui found it difficult to suggest that he should go back. Moreover, it seemed that Xinlu had been looking forward to this evening. He wasn’t wearing the usual uniform that Taeui often saw him in at headquarters. Instead, he wore a neat sweater that looked freshly bought, with no signs of wear. Underneath was a crisply ironed shirt – mostly hidden except for the collar that peeked out. It was clear that the entire shirt had been ironed meticulously, not just the collar. He also wore simple cotton trousers, but they were so impeccably clean and free of dust.

Though the outfit was not much different from his usual style, it was evident that Xinlu had paid attention to every detail. Even his hair looked softer and smoother than usual.

Taeui was captivated by Xinlu’s meticulous and flawless appearance, but seeing his pale face made him worry again and ask if they should go back.

But Xinlu shook his head.

“I’m just a little nervous. It’s the first time I’ve met you like this……. so that’s why. I’m really fine.”

After saying that, Xinlu stepped into the hotel first, and Taeui followed him, gradually feeling his face flush a little. He wondered why he had been worrying so much when he had such a sweet and lovable person right in front of him.

Xinlu hadn’t changed. As far as Taeui could see, he was still gentle, sweet, and caring. Every time their eyes met, Xinlu would still smile shyly and blush, still hold his hand timidly but with warmth. Nothing had changed.

Taeui blamed himself for feeling melancholic without reason, then followed Xinlu.

And then, things took a bad turn right in the restaurant.

While they were waiting for their meal, Xinlu’s complexion grew paler, turning so ashen that he had to cover his mouth and rush to the restroom before the appetizers even arrived. Naturally, Taeui panicked and hurried after him, not having time to think.

As soon as they entered the restroom, Xinlu clutched the toilet and vomited violently. He threw up again and again until only bitter stomach acid was left, his pale face looking incredibly weak. When Taeui entered, despite his exhaustion, Xinlu still managed to say: “I don’t want you to see me like this” and firmly pushed him back outside the door. In the end, Taeui had no choice but to stand outside the restroom, waiting anxiously.

He heard Xinlu labored retching over and over, then gradually it fell silent. Worried, Taeui asked if Xinlu was okay, but there was no response.

Terrified, he pushed the door open and rushed in, finding Xinlu lying weakly on the floor. No longer concerned about dinner or drinks, Taeui immediately lifted Xinlu up and took him back to the reserved room without delay.

Now, Xinlu lay on the bed, fast asleep as if completely exhausted. Taeui had washed his clothes and organized his belongings, then sat down beside the bed.

“……………”

He stared at Xinlu’s sleeping face. Fortunately, his complexion had regained its rosy hue. It seemed like his condition had stabilized, with no more signs of pain, and he was sleeping soundly.

“Haizz…….” – Taeui sighed softly, quietly observing Xinlu. Xinlu’s clothes had some vomit on them, so as soon as they entered the room, Taeui had helped him change out of everything.

Now, Xinlu was lying on the bed in just his underwear, so Taeui could clearly see his long, slender legs, his lean arms, and his beautifully toned body. If everything had gone as planned today, he could have held this body close. Though the plan had fallen apart, if another chance arose, this was still a body he could hold in his arms. Taeui gently took Xinlu’s hand. Seeing him in this vulnerable state made him realize something. No matter how gentle he seemed, Xinlu was still a man. The muscles clinging to his slender frame were a clear display of masculinity. It was truly a beautiful body.

“Hey, you get people all excited and then just fall asleep like this, you silly kid.”

Taeui joked gently pressing the tip of Xinlu’s nose. Then he smiled and plopped down beside him. The bed was spacious, enough for both of them to lie comfortably.

In truth, he wasn’t too disappointed. He had been looking forward to tonight, but even though things hadn’t gone as planned, he didn’t feel too let down. Instead, he felt sorry for Xinlu, seeing him suffer with such a pale face. There was no need to rush. Just having this warm hand nestled in his was enough. It felt so peaceful, so gentle, and so happy……. even if his colleagues or uncles might tease him if they knew.

Taeui turned and quietly watched Xinlu. His sleeping face looked so warm, with those adorable rosy cheeks. The shy lips that called him ‘Taeil-hyung’ were equally endearing. ‘Ah, this cute little kid,’ he thought and gently pinched Xinlu’s cheek.

It had been over a month since the end of their joint training. Since that day, Taeui and Xinlu hadn’t had a real chance to talk directly for any meaningful length of time. After the post-training break, both had been busy with work. In particular, the Asian branch had been struggling with the handling and reappointment of the trainer’s position after his death, so the instructors had become busier than ever.

When the instructors were busy, of course, the assistant warden like Xinlu also became busy. So, apart from brief encounters where they exchanged a few words, they hadn’t really had a chance to sit down and have a proper conversation together.

Naturally, the topic of Ilay had never come up. It wasn’t because they deliberately avoided it, but because there was no reason to bring it up. Every time Taeui thought of Ilay, the image of that last night when Ilay had placed Xinlu on his lap flashed in his mind – Ilay’s cold face and piercing gaze.

Xinlu hadn’t mentioned it either. Perhaps he didn’t know that Taeui had witnessed the scene between him and Ilay that night. And Taeui had no intention of telling him that he had seen it.

What surprised Taeui wasn’t that Xinlu had been intimate with Ilay, but rather Xinlu’s cold and intense demeanor. It was a side of Xinlu he had never shown in front of him, and one Taeui had never imagined Xinlu could have.

But everyone has different sides to them. A person who can be gentle with one might also be harsh, childish, or friendly with another. So, as long as Xinlu remained gentle with him, that was enough for Taeui. To him, Xinlu was still a gentle person, and that was all that mattered.

Taeui tilted his head, deep in thought. If everyone had different facets to them, then what about Ilay – the man named Ilay Riegrow – what kind of person could he be?

In Taeui’s eyes, Ilay was ruthless, indifferent, bold, yet also intriguing—a person who embodied traits that seemed impossible to coexist. To others, he was terrifying, brutal, and cruel. But perhaps, somewhere, someone saw him as gentle and soft.

Ilay Riegrow as a gentle and soft person……. No matter how hard he tried to imagine it, he just couldn’t picture it.

As Taeui tried to shake the image of Ilay from his mind by shaking his head, he suddenly heard a deep breath next to him. When he turned, he saw Xinlu slowly opening his eyes. He stared up at the ceiling with a confused expression, as if he didn’t quite understand the situation, then turned his head toward him. Their eyes met.

As their gazes locked, Xinlu, still looking drowsy, blinked a few times before suddenly breaking into a bright smile.

“Oh……. Taeil-hyung…….”

He spoke in a raspy, tired voice, like a child happily dreaming. Taeui smiled back.

“Oh……. Xinlu…….”

Surely, if anyone saw this scene, they might scratch their head uncomfortably and stare, but it didn’t matter. After all, it was just the two of them here, and they weren’t doing anything wrong.

Taeui blushed slightly as he whispered this to himself, then gently brushed a lock of hair that had fallen over Xinlu’s cheek. Still not fully awake, Xinlu giggled and nuzzled his cheek into Taeui’s hand.

His expression was somewhat innocent, and his voice matched, as if he were still half-asleep. Perhaps Xinlu thought he was dreaming? But even so, it was adorable in its own way.

Taeui had given up hope for an intimate night as planned. But lying on the same bed and enjoying this gentle moment wasn’t bad at all. He smiled and stroked Xinlu’s hair. Xinlu smiled softly in response.

“Hyung……. Taeil-hyung…….”

Xinlu mumbled as he reached out his hand. His fingers lightly touched Taeui’s chin and then slowly moved to his lips. His fingers grazed over them, the movement a bit dreamy, and slightly sensual. Taeui flinched a little “Oh…….” but he didn’t stop Xinlu.

The feeling of those soft fingers on his lips was pleasant.

Xinlu caressed Taeui’s lips for a while, then suddenly sat up. He climbed on top of Taeui, almost sitting on him, and then pressed his lips against his. Taeui’s eyes widened in surprise. The person holding his head and kissing him was none other than Xinlu.

A tongue slipped through the parted lips. The tip lightly licked inside the mouth, just like a cat licking its paws.

Taeui was a bit surprised but quickly relaxed his body. It was the action of someone half-asleep, so there was no reason to be upset. In fact, he had no intention of being upset; instead, he found it adorable and smiled, unable to hide the smile even as their lips remained connected.

But then, things escalated. The cute tender kiss didn’t end there.

Xinlu began to unbutton Taeui’s shirt, one button at a time, removing his shirt altogether. He was no longer a sleepy boy. His flushed face showed hints of both nervousness and excitement as he pressed his face against Taeui’s bare chest. Once again, he licked his chest like a cat.

“Xinlu, ……. is your body okay?”

Taeui felt a bit flustered, unconsciously calling Xinlu’s name, but stopping things at this point felt awkward, so he said something else instead. Xinlu kissed Taeui’s ear and whispered that he was completely fine.

Taeui hesitated, feeling a bit flustered, but then he looked at the adorable boy clinging to his neck, planting soft kisses one after another. It made Taeui smile wryly as he raised his hand. If Xinlu hadn’t collapsed earlier with that pale face, everything would have gone as planned tonight. Despite the hiccup in the middle, this was simply…….

Just him returning to the path he had intended to take peacefully.

“Xinlu, I……. it’s been a while, so I’m not very confident.”

Taeui pulled Xinlu tightly into his arms and whispered. Xinlu smiled.

“It’s okay. It’s been a while for me too. Honestly, I’m not that confident either.”

The image of Xinlu lying in bed with Ilay not long ago briefly flashed in Taeui’s mind, but he immediately brushed it aside. What did it matter? A little lie to avoid being disliked by someone you care about wasn’t a big deal—Taeui could accept that. Despite feeling a bit annoyed, he still smiled and gently nibbled on Xinlu’s ear.

Taeui kissed Xinlu’s cheek when he mentioned that he wasn’t confident. Regardless of the situation, as someone a year older and more experienced, Taeui felt he needed to take the lead. Moreover, he had to be extra careful not to push Xinlu’s body too much, ensuring he wouldn’t feel scared or uncomfortable.

Taeui intended to gently lay Xinlu down. But for some reason, Xinlu didn’t move away from Taeui; instead, he stayed on top, licking softly from his neck down to his chest.

…….Does he prefer the horse riding position? Thinking back, when he was with Ilay, it was the same position. While Taeui didn’t dislike it, this made it more challenging for him to be careful and ensure he didn’t hurt Xinlu.

‘There’s no other way; I’ll just do my best’ – Taeui thought as he stroked Xinlu’s hair while he gently licked his chest. But then he wondered, shouldn’t he be the one caressing Xinlu? Something felt a bit reversed. Just then, Xinlu suddenly bit down on Taeui’s nipple. It wasn’t painful enough to make him cry out, but it was enough to make him flinch and tense up slightly. Xinlu noticed Taeui’s reaction and lifted his head.

“Don’t like it?”

“Huh?”

“Ah……. Hyung, you haven’t touched this spot before, have you? When it becomes sensitive, you’ll start to enjoy it more. If you do it enough times, it’ll become more sensitive, so take it slow. I’ll change you. Don’t worry, just leave it to me.”

Xinlu smiled and then gently sucked on Taeui’s nipple. While his fingers teased the other side, he simultaneously caressed along Taeui’s stomach. From his belly to his waist, and then down to his lower abdomen.

Taeui felt his ears burning from the unfamiliar sensations.

‘Oh man, kids these days really are different from my time. It’s only been a few years, but there’s already such a generational gap. Even though we’re just a few years apart, they’re clearly much bolder.’