Taeui shook his heavy head and stood up, making his way to the bathroom. Ilay stood under the showerhead in the stall, only glancing at Taeui as he entered. Taeui, still half-asleep, stood in front of the sink, toothbrush in hand, his eyes dull with drowsiness. He then began brushing his teeth, caught somewhere between wakefulness and sleep.

When he slept less than usual, his eyes were sharper, but when he overslept, opening them felt like an impossible task. So, at times like these, he would often keep them closed, waiting until he finished brushing his teeth to fully wake up.

Since he was a student, Taeui had led a disciplined life, sticking to the school’s schedule. After graduation, he adopted the military’s rigid routine. Therefore, even though he had been confined here for only a few days, his body’s internal clock refused to change.

“You didn’t wake up on time as usual. Hey, don’t swallow. Spit it out.”

Having just finished his shower, Ilay clicked his tongue and approached the still drowsy Taeui, giving him a pat on the back as he brushed his teeth sluggishly. At that moment, Taeui hazily opened his eyes and spat out the toothpaste. As he rinsed his mouth several times, he gradually came to his senses.

“Damn it. My head is pounding. I swear I’ll never touch that damn puzzle again.”

Grumbling as he exited the bathroom, Taeui tossed a puzzle magazine to the side. Yesterday afternoon, while the warden was making his rounds through Eoryoeng and checking each cell, he had stopped in front of Taeui’s and unexpectedly handed him a stack of books. He said they were gifts from his comrades, sent to lift the spirits of their wrongfully detained teammate.

None of the books were particularly useful, but out of boredom, Taeui accepted them without complaint. However, when he flipped through them, it turned out that none were of any real use. Two pornographic magazines, a detective novel he had read ages ago, and a puzzle magazine.

Looking at these options, he could guess who had picked each one. The porn magazines were probably collected by a few of the guys working together; the detective novel was undoubtedly chosen by Tou. As for the puzzle magazine, although he was initially uncertain, none of his team members had any real interest in puzzles—except perhaps Maurer, who shared a room with Tou (and had once shared one with Taeui as well). Despite Maurer’s eyes always burning with anger whenever he faced Taeui after the Colt incident, it seemed he felt a twinge of sympathy upon learning of Taeui’s confinement.

Out of all the books, the most useful for killing time was the puzzle magazine, so Taeui sincerely thanked Maurer and opened it. He promised himself that the next time he went to Hong Kong, he’d find a black market dealer to help him recover the Colt.

But right now, all those thoughts disappeared as he came to a stark realization – Maurer’s resentment ran deep. The puzzle magazine he had sent was the hardest one [Extreme] level. A cute warning – [Not for Beginners] – was cheekily printed on the cover. Taeui liked puzzles but knew he wasn’t particularly good at them, yet Maurer still chose to send him this.

In the end, Taeui stayed up late, clutching the magazine, racking his brain until the early hours of the morning before he could finally sleep. Ilay frowned and asked: “Do you really have to solve it?” but Taeui resolutely shook his head. Once he had something in his hands, he was determined to solve it, no matter how terrible the book was.

And so, now he was paying the price. Waking up late left him with a throbbing headache, his eyes dry and stiff.

“Maurer……. you sent this just to mess with me, didn’t you…….” – Taeui muttered, glaring at the magazine as if he could burn it with his gaze. From a distance, Ilay, who was calmly doing morning push-ups, glanced at him with a deadpan expression.

“If you can’t solve it, just leave it. Why do you have to get stuck on it?”

“Once I pick something up, I have to finish it! ……. Ugh, maybe I’m overthinking it. I’m starving. Why hasn’t breakfast arrived yet?”

Taeui started to feel that it was about time breakfast should be served, so he looked around, searching for the watch on his wrist.

And just then, as if his wish had been granted, the sound of the metal door opening echoed from the end of the hallway. It seemed breakfast had arrived. The meal was right on time, and it came with a decent array of side dishes – quite impressive for prison food. As usual, the hallway of the cell block lit up brightly when the meals were being served. The sudden brightness stung his eyes, making it hard for him to keep them open.

“Rice, rice, rice—, I’m starving—, bring the rice—, hurry up—.”

Taeui, eyes tightly shut, tapped his fingers against the iron bars, humming a monotonous tune—a habit he resorted to whenever he felt tired and sluggish. Ilay glanced at Taeui, as if thinking this guy sure knows how to entertain himself, but he didn’t react further. Instead, he pulled out a small tray and started setting it up.

“Looks like you’re low on calcium. Your brain seems like it’s floating. Hopefully, there’s something calcium-rich for breakfast today.”

Taeui heard Ilay’s muttered comment and let out a small chuckle. Corny jokes like these somehow eased his mood significantly. It made him think that maybe this guy wasn’t entirely a lunatic beyond conversation. But then, in the afternoon, when he watched Ilay stretch by punching a steel plate fixed to the wall or hang upside down to do sit-ups, that thought would vanish.

He might not be a completely unreachable madman, but he certainly wasn’t a normal human being either.

There were plenty of signs to prove this without even needing to look at the dented steel plate on the wall. The easiest proof was the wound on Ilay’s shoulder. Its healing speed wasn’t just slightly faster than normal – it was astonishing. Even the Kyoho medic who came to check on him every afternoon often shot Ilay a suspicious look, as if questioning whether he was truly human.

But upon further thought, whether Ilay was human or not didn’t really matter. The most important thing was that as long as he didn’t cause any trouble, there was no need to worry about him. Taeui continued tapping his fingers on the bars while watching Ilay arrange the tray.

Just then.

“Taei-hyung.”

A familiar voice called out just a few steps away. Taeui froze, his fingers stopping mid-tap, and he turned around with a look of disbelief. Outside the bars, only a few steps away, stood Xinlu.

“Huh, ……. what are you doing here? Why are you here? —Is something wrong, Xinlu?”

At first, Taeui was delighted to see him, but then he quickly remembered that this was a prison, and his expression grew serious. Even though he knew Xinlu was an instructor and wouldn’t come here for personal reasons, he couldn’t help but worry that something bad had happened.

Perhaps sensing why Taeui’s face shifted from joy to concern, Xinlu hurriedly waved his hands, looking a bit flustered.

“No, hyung. I just came to visit you. I wanted to see how you were doing, so I asked the instructor for help.”

Xinlu quickly reassured Taeui, flashing a bright smile. It was the same familiar smile as always. Taeui stared at him, as if trying to discern whether something else was going on that Xinlu was hiding. But as he kept gazing at Xinlu, it seemed to make him feel a bit self-conscious, and Xinlu tilted his head shyly. Only then did Taeui let out a calm smile.

“Yeah. Thanks for visiting. I was surprised when you suddenly showed up. I thought you might have ended up in this harsh place because of something serious. But really, you haven’t done anything to end up here.”

Taeui said this, brushing aside the fact that he himself hadn’t done anything to deserve being there either. Standing face to face with Xinlu through the bars, Taeui noticed the shy expression on his face. Xinlu whispered softly, as if not wanting anyone else to hear.

“Are you okay? I was worried when I heard you were in Eoryeong Prison. Is everything alright here? There’s no abuse or anything, right…….?”

“No, no. I’m fine. What about you? And everyone else? Is everything okay?”

Taeui asked, his hand still gripping the bars. Xinlu shook his head to indicate that everything was fine, then took a step closer. Though they were close enough to reach out and touch, the bars stood as a barrier between them. Xinlu looked at him with a regretful expression, and after a brief moment of hesitation, he gently placed his hand on the bars, just half a hand’s width away from Taeui’s.

Taeui’s gaze shifted to the smooth hand, then back to Xinlu’s face. Xinlu lowered his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly. Seeing this, Taeui felt his own face heat up. Slowly, he lowered his hand, gently placing it over Xinlu’s. Immediately, Taeui’s face grew even hotter, and he bowed his head slightly.

It was an unexpected joy. He hadn’t anticipated that someone would come all the way here to visit him – he wasn’t even sure if visits were allowed in this place. And the fact that it was Xinlu who came made him even happier. Gently, he used his thumb to caress the soft hand resting in his. The slight twitch of Xinlu’s fingers, as if tickled, was so endearing.

At that moment, perhaps accompanying Xinlu, a guard approached to deliver the food. The two, still blushing and holding hands quietly, suddenly froze and slowly pulled their hands away. Even so, Taeui couldn’t help but smile, raising his hand to cover his mouth. The guard glanced at Xinlu and then at Taeui. Normally, he would just hand over the food tray without a word, but this time, he spoke.

“Earlier, were you the one singing ‘I’m starving, bring the food’ or something like that? Well, here it is. I gave you extra portions today.”

The guard’s white canine teeth showed as he gave a slight smile. Taeui’s face immediately flushed red, and he shot an embarrassed look at Xinlu, silently cursing the guard in his mind. That jerk, who never responds to anything or even moves most of the time, just had to speak up right when Xinlu was there. He must’ve done it on purpose. There were too many enemies around. This world was truly harsh.

Blushing furiously, Taeui mumbled something under his breath, and a soft laugh sounded behind him. The moment he heard it, Taeui froze. It was Ilay.

Xinlu appeared surprised when he heard the sound coming from the dark corner of the cell. From outside the bars, it was impossible to see below the shelf, so he probably hadn’t realized someone was sitting there. When he unexpectedly heard the laughter, he widened his eyes, looking inside with a puzzled expression. However, it seemed he couldn’t quite make out who was sitting there.

“Oh, I thought you were alone, hyung? Is someone staying with you…….?”

“It’s the slender young man I met last time. He came all the way here to visit you, Taei. It seems the two of you are quite close.”

Ilay remained seated, speaking in a slow, deliberate manner. Xinlu immediately recognized the voice, and his expression stiffened.

“Hyung……. the person staying with you is…….?”

“Uh……. you’ve probably met him before. He’s from the European branch……. the one who caused trouble last weekend and got sent here.”

It wasn’t “probably” Xinlu had definitely met him before. Though Taeui always hoped Xinlu had forgotten, he knew that was impossible. Just as Ilay had looked at Xinlu with that unsettling, predatory gaze, Xinlu had returned the look with a mix of curiosity and evident wariness.

Taeui clicked his tongue in frustration. Somehow, every time he met Xinlu, Ilay was also there. It made him uneasy. He wanted to keep Ilay and Xinlu as far apart as possible. At this moment, because Taeui was present – and because Ilay was behind the bars – he couldn’t do anything to Xinlu. But if they were ever alone together, out in the open…….

He didn’t want to think about it. Even though, as a man, he lacked confidence and self-esteem, there was nothing else he could do. Honestly, he feared losing Xinlu.

“Hyung, are you staying with that person? ……. Since you came in here?”

Xinlu asked with a tense expression. As soon as he realized Ilay was close by, his face grew rigid, and tension gripped him. But Taeui could sense that Xinlu’s emotions went beyond simple anxiety or worry. There was something else, a deeper feeling as he quietly observed Ilay. His eyes were focused on Ilay with an intensity and determination that Taeui had never seen directed at himself.

Taeui suddenly recalled the words Ilay had spoken before.

“—What I mean is, you wouldn’t mind if I approached him, or seduced him, or took him to bed. In return, I won’t resort to any forceful or threatening measures.”

Ilay had spoken with clear confidence. He was certain that if Taeui didn’t interfere, he would win Xinlu over. And even if Taeui did try to stop him, Ilay wouldn’t give up on what he wanted.

From behind, Taeui sensed Ilay standing up. As he stepped out from the shadowed corner, he finally came into Xinlu’s line of sight. Though Taeui didn’t turn to look, he could tell. Xinlu’s eyes were locked onto a point over Taeui’s shoulder. Staring straight ahead, unwavering and direct.

Step by step, slowly, Ilay moved closer behind Taeui. Even without following Xinlu’s gaze, Taeui could feel him approaching from behind. Three steps away, then two, until finally, he was right there. Ilay stood close, so close that his pale arms suddenly extended over Taeui’s shoulders. One hand brushed past Taeui’s face, lightly grazing his ear before gripping the bars tightly. And not just one hand—but both. Trapped between Ilay’s arms, Taeui kept his face serious, refusing to turn around, staring straight ahead. On the other side, Xinlu stared at Ilay, his expression just as tense as Taeui’s. A flicker of light crossed Xinlu’s eyes.

Taeui paused for a moment. Xinlu was looking at Ilay with an expressionless gaze, his bright blue eyes cold as ice. It wasn’t a worry—there was a clear sense of vigilance. Vigilance, anger, and frustration.

Taeui had never seen this expression from Xinlu before. He was always gentle, smiling softly like cotton candy melting, whispering “Taei-hyung”. That’s why the image of Xinlu standing before him now felt completely foreign. It was as if he were a different person.

He wasn’t sure how to describe Xinlu’s face at that moment, but if he had to try—

Suddenly, Xinlu lowered his gaze. He looked directly into Taeui’s eyes. In that instant, his expression turned hesitant, as if he had been caught off guard or had just realized a mistake.

“Taei-hyung, I…….”

Just as Xinlu started to speak, Taeui reached out and took his hand. Despite feeling Ilay’s presence looming right behind him, Taeui deliberately ignored it and spoke to Xinlu.

“Thank you for worrying about me. I’m fine. I just need to endure a little longer, and I’ll be out. Then, we can meet up and go out together, just like I promised last time.”

When Taeui smiled as he said this, the worry and confusion that had clouded Xinlu’s face for a moment gradually faded. He nodded slowly, and a relieved smile appeared on his face, almost as if he were on the verge of tears. Seeing that expression, Taeui’s heart tightened.

It was because of him that this sweet, kind-hearted young man was so worried. Because Taeui couldn’t properly protect or reassure him, Xinlu felt uneasy whenever he looked at Ilay.

“I’m……. not as strong as you think. I’m sorry.”

When Taeui spoke with a hint of bitterness, Xinlu shook his head adamantly, refusing to accept his words. He kept repeating it, over and over.

At that moment, a hand landed on Taeui’s shoulder. Ilay released one of his hands from the bars and placed it on Taeui’s shoulder.

“You two seem really close. Someone coming all the way here to visit—how enviable. I don’t have any friends like that. It’s quite something to be jealous of, isn’t it?”

Ilay sounded amused, whispering in a deep, low tone right by Taeui’s ear. Taeui instinctively flinched as he felt the warm breath, his lips curling slightly in discomfort.

“If you knew how to build good relationships, people would come to visit you too. Why the sudden jealousy? Let me show you the book I got as a gift yesterday, so stop bothering me and go somewhere else.”

Taeui slipped out from under Ilay’s arm and spoke with annoyance. He wondered for a moment what had made Ilay chuckle softly before he casually stepped back. The pale hands that had clung to the bars over Taeui’s shoulders were now out of sight. However, it seemed Ilay hadn’t completely left; he had only taken a step back. This was clear from the way Xinlu’s eyes remained fixed on Taeui, watching intently.

From behind Taeui, Ilay seemed to have done something that suddenly made Xinlu tense up. His eyes flashed a sharp blue, and his lips pressed tightly together before a short laugh echoed from behind. When Taeui turned around in surprise, Ilay had already turned his back and was walking deeper into the cell. Taeui watched him with a displeased expression, then turned back to Xinlu. Xinlu was still staring after Ilay, his gaze blank and emotionless.

“What’s wrong? ……. Are you upset? Did he do something?” Taeui asked with concern. But Xinlu didn’t respond; he remained silent, just looking at Taeui. After a moment, he unexpectedly reached out and grabbed Taeui’s hand. His hand felt slightly cold, damp with sweat.

“Hyung……. Please get out soon. I’ll be waiting for you, don’t forget that. I’ll wait for you. Get out as soon as you can.”

“Oh……. Okay.”

Taeui, a bit surprised, nodded. However, Xinlu continued to look at him with a worried expression, his gaze unwavering. Moments later, the guard, having finished distributing the meals, approached them.

“Hey, Xinlu. Time’s up. You can’t stay here too long.”

The guard called out and gestured. Reluctantly, Xinlu let go of Taeui’s hand, and Taeui tightened his grip momentarily, feeling a pang of regret as their hands parted. After Xinlu said goodbye, he followed the guard out, and even after he disappeared from view, Taeui stood motionless by the bars. Only when he heard the sound of the metal door closing in the distance did he finally sigh and turn away.

Inside, Ilay had already started eating. Taeui sat down across from him, quietly picking up his chopsticks. He silently scooped rice into his mouth, and then Ilay spoke.

“That kid is adorable. Even if he seems to have misunderstood something, he’s still charming. He’s got something special about him too.”

Taeui glanced at Ilay. He tilted his head slightly when he heard the part about a “misunderstanding,” but he didn’t press further. He didn’t want the topic of Xinlu to be discussed any more by Ilay. He figured it was better to stay quiet and let Ilay move on to a different topic rather than ask questions and prolong the conversation. However, it seemed Ilay wasn’t done talking about Xinlu. When he noticed Taeui’s stiff expression, he laughed.

“You’re that worried, huh? Afraid I’ll steal him away? Or is it something else you’re worried about?”

“…….Yeah, I’m worried someone might steal him away. He’s so sweet; I imagine a lot of people would take an interest in him.”

Taeui responded indifferently. Ilay suddenly tilted his head, smiling in a way that was difficult to read as he looked at him. Then, he set his spoon down and took a sip of water. His wet, glossy lips seemed strangely sensual. When he noticed Taeui’s gaze lingering on his lips, Ilay ran his tongue lightly over them. Taeui immediately looked away.

Taeui knew all too well. Physically speaking, Ilay was undoubtedly an attractive man. If he put all his effort into it, drawing someone into his embrace wouldn’t be difficult. And Xinlu wouldn’t be an exception. In truth, the relationship between him and Xinlu was still vague, so if Xinlu did choose Ilay, Taeui had no right to complain. If Xinlu left him for someone as captivating as Ilay, who could make his heart flutter more than anyone else, what could he possibly say?

“What do you think is the source of a person’s allure?”

Ilay suddenly asked. Taeui, puzzled by the ambiguous question, tilted his head thoughtfully. The source of a person’s allure? If he had to give a conventional answer, he could say it was a mix of things—kindness, spirit, intelligence. Beyond that, there could be countless answers depending on each person’s perspective.

“The face.”

Taeui muttered bluntly. Ilay laughed loudly, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the table, clearly amused.

“That’s your standard, huh? Fair enough. The face is indeed important. Haha, that’s interesting.”

When Ilay laughed and remarked that Taeui was an interesting person, Taeui didn’t even bother to ask who else Ilay found interesting. He already knew too well that whenever Ilay looked at him, he seemed to be seeing the shadow of his older brother.

“But, you know, it’s not just about the face or the body. There’s something called charisma. It pulls people in. Some call it personality, some call it skills, but there are people who attract others without even trying. That kid is like that. Every time I see him, this part of me heats up.”

Ilay said, pointing at his lower body. Taeui wondered if this was an appropriate topic to discuss over a meal, but he still said nothing. As Ilay watched Taeui’s silence, he paused for a moment and then slowly asked.

“I’m curious. If I managed to get that kid, what would you do?”

Taeui paused, his chopsticks stopping mid-air. A piece of food fell from between them. Damn it. After all these years, why was he still not used to using chopsticks? Picking up those tiny beans was a pain.

Frustrated, he stared at the fallen food, then set his chopsticks down. He reached for the glass Ilay had just used, and without hesitation, drank it all in one gulp.

If Xinlu were taken away, what would he do? He had never thought about it. He didn’t want to think about it, intentionally avoiding the thought. In reality, the word “taken” wasn’t accurate either, as Xinlu had never belonged to him. People don’t belong to anyone.

But he didn’t want to lose him. He wanted to keep Xinlu close and cherish him. He didn’t want him to belong to anyone else. Yet, if Xinlu chose to leave of his own will, that wasn’t something Taeui could prevent.

“If you keep your word, then I must keep mine too.”

Taeui spoke gloomily. If Ilay didn’t force himself on Xinlu, then he wouldn’t interfere. Even though it wasn’t a formal agreement but rather a one-sided promise from Ilay, Taeui still intended to uphold it.

Thinking about it, he felt dispirited. Taeui looked down at his meal tray, feeling a sudden loss of appetite. Even though there were still a few bites of rice left in the balanced meal, he set his spoon down and pushed the tray away.

Ilay quietly watched Taeui, then laughed before continuing to finish his meal. He ate with a look of amusement, as if he were talking to himself, thoroughly entertained.

“You’re smart about some things, but you misunderstand others. Still, from my perspective, that’s what makes it interesting.”

“Keep poking fun at others for your amusement, and one day, it’s going to come back to you.”

“Hmm—maybe that’s why I’m sitting here right now.”

Taeui briefly considered throwing the entire tray of food in Ilay’s face but quickly dismissed the thought. To get out of this place, he needed to endure a few more days. He still had to share the same cell with this person, and he needed to protect himself. Taeui merely ran his fingertips lightly over the tray, feeling a sense of regret.