“Where is he?”

“I don’t know either.”

Jeong Changin answered without hesitation but immediately faced Riegrow’s venomous gaze. He sat opposite and clicked his tongue.

“Really. I’m not stupid enough to lie to you in this situation, and Taeui is not stupid enough to reveal his whereabouts to me, even a hint, to be caught.”

“…..”

Riegrow silently looked at Jeong Changin and seemed to realize that he wouldn’t get the answer he wanted from him. Disappointment was evident in the light tapping of his fingers on the armrest of his chair.

“The boy left with a new name and identity that I don’t even know. He said he would call me a few times a month, but he didn’t even set specific dates—To be honest, he probably doesn’t want me to be a stepping stone for you to find him.”

Riegrow frowned at Jeong Changin’s words. Jeong Changin looked at him as if nothing had happened, but he couldn’t help feeling a chill inside. Even those words now became dangerous in front of this man. Jeong Changin wondered if the fingertips tapping on the armrest had increased in pressure.

Then suddenly, Riegrow stopped tapping. Jeong Changin truly didn’t know what was going on in his mind. Riegrow fell into silence. And when his eyes looked up again, Jeong Changin could only meet them with trembling. He knew how frightening they could be.

“It seems the only thing Taei learned here was to be bold and daring…… He even loudly said that he wanted to cut my throat many times..”

Riegrow smiled. Although it was just a slight curl of his lips, the low smile carried no hint of joy. Jeong Changin responded with a calm smile, even though he knew it wasn’t Riegrow’s real smile.

“Why are you so angry, Rick? Isn’t it just some words in one ear and out the other? You didn’t even actually hear those words. And there are people who gossip like that without even caring who actually said it or what was said.”

Riegrow didn’t respond, as Jeong Changin had said, many people tried to kill him, so such words weren’t worth caring about. Riegrow pondered for a moment, then nodded and absentmindedly said.

“Yes, you’re right.”

He acknowledged it but still mumbled with a tone that wasn’t entirely convincing. Riegrow fell silent again, and Jeong Changin glanced at him.

‘I want to cut your head off…’  – Jeong Changin thought for a moment about Taeui’s face and expression when he said those words, and he seemed to understand.

Jeong Changin looked up and saw him once more. A strange feeling filled his mind; clearly, the atmosphere around him was spreading a peculiar, frightening aura, yet his expression was very gentle.

His face seemed to be smiling—Jeong Changin really wanted to sink into despair.

Then suddenly, Riegrow stared at him with a curious gaze. He then spoke lightly but firmly.

“I won’t use you as a stepping stone.”

“Honestly, even if I kill you now, I will still find him. It will just be a bit more difficult… There will be nothing making me worry about him anymore.”

“…….Thank you for that.”

Jeong Changin said doubtfully, frowning slightly. As soon as Riegrow spoke, he guessed what he would say. And Riegrow said exactly what he had thought beforehand.

“So when I find Taei, no matter what I do to him, don’t interfere. This is a matter between me and him, not your concern. And it wouldn’t be fair if you interfered again, right?”

Jeong Changin did not answer but remained silent for a long time. His jet-black eyes, fixed on the man to extract a response, gleamed with a cold bluenish light. It was a gaze that neither tolerated refusal nor allowed for any justification. If Ilay Riegrow could find Jeong Taeui, Jeong Chang-in would not interfere. That was exactly what he expected of Jeong Changin.

Jeong Changin quietly stared back at him. After a moment, he let out a helpless sigh and nodded.

“Do whatever you want.”

Upon hearing Jeong Changin’s answer, Riegrow nodded slightly as if satisfied. Seeing him slowly exert force on his clenched hands on the table, Jeong Changin clicked his tongue.

However, in truth, Jeong Changin had no intention of interfering any further, even if Riegrow hadn’t mentioned it. He wasn’t foolish enough to meddle in someone else’s life when it wasn’t wanted. Moreover, Jeong Tae-ui cherished those who naturally became part of his life, but he disliked people who tried to force their way in.

Suddenly, Jeong Changin recalled a young man who fell into the latter category. The very day after Jeong Tae-ui left this place, that young man came looking for him. He said he had already submitted his resignation letter at the office and was on his way to the docks. And, just like Riegrow, he asked the same question: Jeong Taeui’s whereabouts.

But in the end, he had to leave disappointed without getting the desired answer. He looked even more worn out than Taeui, as far as Jeong Changin remembered. Seeing that young man’s expressionless face seemed toxic, Jeong Changin clicked his tongue.

‘Where was that young man now?’

While sinking into the thread of memories, Jeong Changin shook his head and looked at the clock. The clock hands had passed midnight, and dawn would break soon. He sighed and returned to the unfinished topic at the beginning.

“By the way, have you received any news from Kyle?”

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

Jeong Taeui wasn’t happy at all.

There are countless cases that make people feel unfortunate. And in most of those times of misfortune, when time has passed and you look back, you often feel that those misfortunes were actually very ordinary and trivial.

Jeong Taeui knew that. Maybe in a few years when he recalls this, he will think that this moment was just a trifle, not worth mentioning. Probably at that time, he would frown or mumble for a few minutes like telling a casual story, but the feeling of misfortune now would have long vanished. He knew, time heals everything.

But despite understanding all that, he was still unhappy.

Even knowing that in a few months, not even years later, he might not even remember this unlucky incident. But right at this moment, his heart ached unbearably.

The misfortune wasn’t just because he had to wear a cast on his ankle in this scorching summer. The smell of feet and the itchiness were only secondary issues when in a cast. His misfortune was also that his previously injured ankle couldn’t afford to be injured like this again.

Taeui had to stay here while trying to leave because his ankle was severely injured, but he didn’t feel too troubled by it.

Earlier, he thought he had to leave because of that former colleague. But the truth was, he didn’t hate this place. On one hand, being injured meant he could stay here a bit longer; on the other hand… It was good.

Taeui had grabbed the collar and threatened once again.

“If you dare go around and reveal that I’m here, those beautiful pets of yours will be confiscated immediately!”

Jeong Taeui could enjoy a bit more peaceful time by strolling in the garden with his bandaged legs and taking a nap there.

But he didn’t expect that this mansion was also where his misfortunes began.

Maurer was in the next room. Because the walls were thick enough for soundproofing, even if he was right next door, it was hard to hear any noise. So having him next door was still fine. But this former colleague of his wasn’t someone who could keep secrets. And Jeong Taeui’s misfortune fundamentally lay in knowing him.

“Ah, she’s so beautiful. How could there be such a beautiful and lovely child in this world? Is that child an angel who accidentally fell to the mortal world? She was still asleep in her lonely dream, but when I touched her, she became more radiant than any other flower in the world, truly touching….”

Jeong Taeui looked at Maurer with wide eyes as he continuously muttered nonsense beside him.

He had gone mad.

An hour had passed since he started uttering those crazy words.

An hour ago, Jeong Taeui was peacefully sitting on a bench by the pool, playing quietly by himself. Occasionally dipping his feet in the pool and massaging them. Occasionally, a gardener would pass by and smile at him, and Jeong Taeui would smile back. And when Rita scolded the maids while passing by him, he would smile at her.

Those peaceful moments an hour ago had been completely shattered.

Maurer had gone out with Kyle this morning, but Jeong Taeui didn’t care much. It seemed Kyle had promised to show Maurer a new gun he was developing, but due to company issues, it was delayed for a few days until today.

Jeong Taeui didn’t care much about anything at this moment, whether it was guns or weapons. He was happily playing by himself when Maurer had to go out in the morning, saying that he wouldn’t bother Taeui anymore.

If a person doesn’t care about someone they hate, it’s because they have a generous heart, so it seems like Maurer was quite pleased with himself.

Maurer returned alone in the early afternoon, while Kyle said he had to go back to work with an ecstatic expression. His face was flushed, strands of hair poking into his eyes with a dopey expression.

Jeong Taeui thought this guy was pretty good.

When relaxed, his mind became more at ease, so he spoke kindly to Maurer and also asked a few questions. Like, had he found the person his brother was looking for? Although it wasn’t his business, he was just a little curious.

Maurer looked at Jeong Taeui with blank eyes and quickly approached him. Jeong Taeui was surprised to see Maurer suddenly get close to him and instinctively leaned back a bit, but Maurer didn’t care about that. He sat down next to Jeong Taeui and grabbed his hand as if he didn’t realize the person in front of him was Jeong Taeui.

“Oh, how could she be so adorable? From the first moment I saw her, I was captivated. How could she be so beautiful and touching? If I meet her again, I’m sure we could fall in love instantly. Her smooth body, her shy grip, her mesmerizing attack… everything.”

Jeong Taeui looked at Maurer, who was so moved he was almost in tears. He wondered what this meant. If not for the “smooth body, shy grip, and mesmerizing attack,” he would have thought Maurer had met and fallen in love at first sight with a girl at the test shooting range today.

But what Maurer was passionately praising wasn’t a person; it was the gun he had seen today.

Realizing the truth, Jeong Taeui could only be speechless, his face showing his shock.

He knew Maurer was a gun fanatic.

The fact that he was a gun addict, to the extent of enjoying himself happily with his weapons, had spread throughout the branch since he was at UNHRDO. So it was nothing new.

Jeong Taeui was at a loss for words about the topic of guns. He shrugged and looked at Maurer with a horrified expression, then turned away.

It seemed he had sensed something strange. Whether it was his mood or not, Maurer’s groin looks swollen. Jeong Taeui blushed. It was a new kind of terror he had never experienced before. 

He had heard similar horror stories in the past, like a farmer in a rural area being sexually attracted to chickens. At that time, when he heard it, he thought: ‘Wow, this world really has all kinds of crazy things.’ But now he deeply felt that it wasn’t just something that happened ‘out there’ in the world.

Such behavior was too beastly and inhuman, so what should he say now?

Jeong Taeui didn’t even look at Maurer and was busy with his own random thoughts. But Maurer was still lost in his fantasy world, endlessly babbling. Even when Jeong Taeui didn’t pay attention, he continued to talk, talking cheerfully.

Oh, the damn bastard. The title ‘crazy guy’ no longer seemed to suffice for him; this gun-crazed pervert was beyond that.

Jeong Taeui slowly rubbed his goosebump-covered arms, but he still felt a chill, his body trembling.

Maurer seemed very happy, his mood quite good and relaxed. He even tightly held Taeui’s hand, smiling cheerfully, recounting today’s fateful encounter.

Jeong Taeui brushed Maurer’s hand off him, but this pervert had great strength. Normally, he didn’t seem that strong, but now he wouldn’t let go of Taeui’s hand, shaking it. Jeong Taeui could only shout for him to let go, but it seemed his words didn’t reach Maurer’s ears, still lost in his love-struck daze.

Finally, exhausted, Taeui had to sit next to him for an hour, motionless, with Maurer’s hand still tightly gripping his….

In reality, even with his bandaged ankle, making it hard to walk normally, Taeui didn’t feel too uncomfortable. He could enjoy the peaceful feeling of being alone like this. But this sicko sat next to him, constantly talking about things he didn’t want to hear, didn’t want to understand, and wouldn’t understand even if he tried.

Taeui was not happy.

After an hour or more, those sweet praises finally changed, or rather, the way they were expressed changed.

“But I’m still not happy… she’s a 10 and adorable, but I can’t love her… I have to wait a long time before I can love her, what should I do… Right now, everything is fine, but Kyle shook his head and said he couldn’t give her to me now. They said it could take up to a year, but how can I wait that long with this broken heart.”

With a face that seemed about to shed a liter of tears, Maurer cried mournfully. Jeong Taeui widened his eyes at him. At least he still had some pity for him, not saying what he really wanted to say.

But no matter how pitiful, he couldn’t look at him normally anymore after enduring this torture for an hour. Guns, guns, guns… he just mumbled to himself.

People say there are all kinds of people in the world, but why do all the people he meets, even once, turn out to be like this?

Jeong Taeui sighed and shook his head, then stopped to think for a moment before shaking his head again. But maybe that’s just how people are. There are always one or two things you can’t tell anyone… And clearly, this crazy guy clinging to his arm and crying didn’t realize what he could or couldn’t say to others.

“If you want it that badly, try asking Ilay.” 

Thinking about how to get this damned hand off him, Jeong Taeui muttered. Maurer suddenly raised his head at those words and looked at Taeui strangely. Clearly, he seemed to have just been crying, but now when Taeui looked into his eyes, they were dry.

Taeui looked at him skeptically. Are all crazy people like this?

Maurer let go of his hand, just as Taeui wished. After nearly an hour, he finally freed his hand. Jeong Taeui sighed with relief at his now sticky hand.

However, even though he wanted to bend down and wipe his hand on the swaying grass underfoot, he couldn’t. That’s because as soon as Maurer let go of his hand, he grabbed Taeui’s shoulder again.

“What are you talking about?”

A faint light appeared in Maurer’s eyes as he grabbed Taeui’s shoulder and looked at him.

Taeui seriously considered whether he should tackle this lunatic and throw him onto the grass. If it weren’t for his injured ankle, he wouldn’t have hesitated to do so. Jeong Taeui looked sadly at the cast on his leg.

He irritably removed Maurer’s hand from his shoulder. Jeong Taeui brushed Maurer’s hand off with the back of his own, but ultimately it was futile as Maurer immediately grabbed his shoulder again as soon as Taeui’s hand slipped past.

This lunatic…

He was injured in the ankle, so he was prepared for a slightly slower recovery, but now he just needed to stand up and kill this guy.

Throwing him into the pool sounded good; it would even help cool his head a bit. That way, it could be seen as a sacrifice for Maurer’s benefit.

Jeong Taeui grabbed Maurer’s chin, smiled, and lifted him off the ground, tossing him into the pool with a loud splash. Water surged in an instant.

Even rotten, a herring is still a fish.*

(*썩어도 준치: An idiom meaning that even something old or decayed retains some of its value.)

Just looking at him, you wouldn’t realize it, but even though Jeong Taeui knew Maurer well, he couldn’t see it — Maurer was a promising member of UNHRDO. He was a talented individual who had gone through a rigorous selection process.

The moment Jeong Taeui lifted and threw him into the pool, Maurer didn’t fall immediately.

“Ouch…—”

Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue, but it was too late.

He was grabbed by Maurer and plunged headfirst into the bottom of the pool. Along with the previous wave created by Maurer, another wave now greeted him grandly.

“….—”

Jeong Taeui emerged from the water like a ghost. Maurer surfaced a moment later.

“I hate you, more than ever…”

“Oh, what a coincidence, so do I….”

Both of them shut their mouths in frustration. At the same time, they thought this would be the first and only time they shared the same wavelength.

The pool wasn’t very deep, when he swam to the other side, the water was about 2 meters deep. On the opposite side from where Taeui had initially been sitting, the water came up just to the top of Jeong Taeui’s head. He looked down at the clear water, his casted ankle visible.

“Damn it. What about this? It’s soaked because of you.”

“Why did you drag me into this in the first place? You pulled me down!”

“Then why didn’t you let go of your damned hand!”

Jeong Taeui and Maurer argued as they grappled with each other, even taking a few punches from each other. It hurt more than hitting with their fists normally would. This must be the principle of being submerged in water, Jeong Taeui thought.

After a few rounds, they both soon realized that inflicting damage on the opponent would hurt themselves more. So, Jeong Taeui dropped his fists first. He pointed and said to Maurer, “It’s fair now, we’ve each landed three punches.”

Maurer also relaxed his fists after confirming that the fight wouldn’t continue.

Jeong Taeui climbed out of the pool. It was a scorching afternoon, so it wasn’t cold, but he was soaking wet. Water dripped from his casted ankle. Jeong Taeui sat on the lounge chair, staring at his pale, wrinkled foot, pondering whether he should dry it in the sun or go to the hospital to have the cast replaced.

“But what did you mean by asking Ilay? What do you mean?”

Maurer asked dejectedly. He stepped onto the grass behind Jeong Taeui and began wringing out his clothes. Taeui sighed in relief, thinking Maurer was finally coming to his senses. He spoke plainly.

“Ilay is the son of this family, didn’t you know?”