Jeong Taeui looked at him again. His head was spinning. It seemed like Ilay really wanted to go there. No, more accurately, Ilay was ready to go with him. Jeong Taeui had the chance to meet his brother….. although he always thought he would see his brother again someday, he didn’t think the opportunity would come so soon.

Jeong Taeui nodded once: “Ah.”

As expected. It was just a coincidence of interests.

From the standpoint of UNHRDO, that organization was also looking for Jeong Jaeui. Ilay was part of UNHRDO, and a five-week vacation was indeed too unreasonable, so it was to serve this purpose. Anyway, if Jeong Taeui went along, the chances of finding Jeong Jaeui would be higher. And it seemed many people expected him to meet his brother.

Jeong Taeui soon realized that the answer to all these things was indeed that.

He sat up. His weak body made him stagger, but if he tried, he could still move. However, the weight of his body on his legs and lower back, which were in severe pain, prevented him from sitting up straight and forced him to bend over.

Jeong Taeui sat there with furrowed brows for a while and sighed as the dull pain spreading from his lower back to his whole body gradually subsided.

“You’re weaker than you look.”

Ilay, who had been staring at Jeong Taeui, suddenly muttered. As soon as he heard that, Jeong Taeui, who was about to tear up, shouted angrily.

“I’m not weak, you bastard…..!”

“Am I?”

“…..The people who did that to you should be fine soon after getting that fierce thing stuck in them, right?”

“Well….. yeah.”

Ilay pondered for a moment and then shrugged innocently.

“I don’t know, because it’s not my business.”

This bastard, hasn’t his behavior always been good after doing that?

Jeong Taeui stared at Ilay in astonishment, then sighed and waved his hand. The more he thought about it, the more incomprehensible things became. There were more important issues now.

“Alright, will you go? To Seringe?”

Jeong Taeui suddenly felt interested.

He could go there. And stay there. He could leave this place of confinement with its invisible bars. (Although he would still have to go with the bastard behind those bars.)

With expectant eyes, Taeui leaned towards Ilay. Holding a beer can in one hand and tapping a rhythm with his index finger, Ilay looked at him silently.

“You seem to be in a good mood.”

“Yes. There’s no reason to be in a bad mood.”

Jeong Taeui tilted his head and shrugged. Ilay stared at him without a word, lost in thought, and finally nodded.

“We can start anytime you want. But the deadline is from yesterday, and we have to return within exactly five weeks. Whether you meet Jeong Jaeil or not.”

Five weeks. He didn’t know if that was short or just enough time. Anyway, he already knew where to go, so it was all about luck now.

If he was lucky enough, he would be able to meet him; if not, he wouldn’t. Maybe because he had never heard of anyone meeting Jeong Jaeui, he thought it would be very difficult. Even within five weeks or five years, he might not be able to meet him.

Jeong Taeui looked down at his hand. An invisible red thread was tied to his pinky finger. And in reality, Jeong Jaeui had already cut it. He hadn’t known that luck couldn’t follow him anymore.

But even so.

“Today. As soon as the sun rises.”

Jeong Taeui spoke without thinking. On the earliest flight there, he would go to meet Jeong Jaeui.

Ilay seemed to have anticipated his answer, but he just smiled and shook his head.

“If you get on a flight that leaves in just 6 hours and lasts 13 hours with your current condition, you might need to find a doctor on the plane first. Just sleep for now. You look as pale as a ghost.”

“Huh?”

Jeong Taeui confusedly rubbed his face. Right, thinking about it, he felt uncomfortable with his appearance now.

In fact, if someone just lightly pushed him now, he might fall and not be able to get up. He had tried standing up and sitting down a while ago, but his body kept trembling.

“Hmmm—yes, it might be a bit dangerous.”

Lack of sleep would deplete his physical strength and accumulate fatigue.

Ilay pushed Taeui’s shoulder down onto the bed as he grumbled angrily: “So when can we go?”

When his back hit the mattress, Jeong Taeui groaned like an old man.

“I’ll book a flight for tomorrow. Just sleep today. Where do you think you’re going with that body?”

Ilay looked at him with his eyes glistening, seemingly pitying him as he groaned in pain. Even though he felt helpless, Jeong Taeui still glared at Ilay with all his might.

“It would be the same even if you didn’t touch me.”

“So, it means it will be the same tomorrow if I touch you?”

“Why do you always have to be like this…..!”

Why did this bastard keep pretending not to understand? But despite Jeong Taeui’s wide-eyed glare, Ilay remained motionless, quietly stroking his chin and seemingly lost in thought for a moment before speaking.

“This means it doesn’t matter whether you get on a plane tomorrow or the day after. So let’s just go today.”

Jeong Taeui knew this man well, and even though he hadn’t been with him for months, he quickly realized that what Ilay just said was a mix of seriousness and jest. But it seemed the parts Jeong Taeui wanted to be jokes and the parts Ilay wanted to be serious didn’t match up.

“Please….. have mercy….. on me…..”

Jeong Taeui groaned as he buried his face into the blanket. Nothing was more foolish than begging for approval from a man named Ilay RieGrow, but he still spoke in a small, helpless voice, trying to appear as pitiful and weak as possible. Though it probably wouldn’t help.

But whether Ilay truly found him pitiful or not, it seemed Jeong Taeui’s act had some effect. Ilay suddenly smiled.

“Alright. Until we get to Seringe, I’ll try to be ‘gentle’ with you while we’re here.”

Jeong Taeui, lying on his stomach, could feel Ilay’s fair hand slide over his thigh and fondle his buttocks. He shuddered, weakly curling up, but the hand lingered around his waist and hips before letting go.

However, before he could feel relieved, that hand roamed across his back and caressed his nape. Finally, Ilay gently grasped Taeui’s chin.

“…..?”

He grabbed his chin, turning his head so that he couldn’t help but look up and meet Ilay’s gaze. Jeong Taeui met that gaze without hesitation. Ilay’s thumb slowly rubbed against his lips, gently, and as his lips parted, Ilay’s fingers quickly slipped inside, pressing against his tongue.

Reflexively, Jeong Taeui turned his head, Ilay’s fingers continually moving in and out of his mouth, mingling with his tongue and teeth. The hand, now slick with saliva, traced over his lips as if following a trail.

“……!”

Jeong Taeui glared at him fiercely. Damn it. This doesn’t seem gentle at all!

Ilay seemed to understand what Taeui was trying to convey. But as if that was the exact reaction he wanted, he smiled again. His eyes curved slightly, his pale thumb rubbing Taeui’s lips, while the rest of his fingers gently cupped and caressed his cheek. It was strange, Jeong Taeui looked into Ilay’s smiling eyes with suspicion.

So. Whether he liked or disliked playing with others—though the truth was, the way he touched his cheek, fondled his lips, and stroked his nape wasn’t as uncomfortable as he thought—what should he say about this? This surely…..

…..No. Because this man was Ilay RieGrow. For him, emotions and humanity, how could it be?

No. No. No. No way!

Jeong Taeui pondered for a while. A vague, itching suspicion had been gnawing at his chest from earlier. He didn’t know how to describe it, and it was frightening to know what it might be. And, of course, he didn’t think he should know.

“…..What is it?”

Jeong Taeui murmured to himself with a sigh after thinking about it for a while, so quietly that even he couldn’t hear it. Ilay’s fingers continued to play with his lips and then delved back in to tease his tongue. Jeong Taeui quietly bit down on the intruding finger.

The finger, which seemed about to withdraw, instead wrapped around his tongue more aggressively.

Fine, do whatever you like, just keep going!

Jeong Taeui lay on his side on the bed and closed his eyes. Finally, the hand that had been holding his cheek for a moment let go. Ilay’s gaze seemed to linger on his face for a long time, but Jeong Taeui couldn’t feel its presence anymore because he had passed out and fallen asleep for 12 hours.

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

Seringe II:

Jeong Taeui’s first impression of this man was that he was very reserved and straightforward. He looked to be in his late thirties or early forties, his age hard to guess among the crowd at the airport gate.

His smile lifted cautiously, creating faint wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He seemed friendly and surprisingly pleasant, but unfortunately, this man didn’t smile much. He almost always kept a blank expression, and his mouth rarely curved upwards.

As soon as he stepped through the gate, he stood out starkly among the crowd waiting for passengers or their loved ones. At least during the three-hour layover in Johannesburg, there were quite a few white people. But at the Dar es Salaam International Airport, there were none; everyone was black. Standing alone in that crowd, a white man like him was extremely conspicuous.

This airport was so small it looked like any rural bus station, even though it was an international airport. When the man saw the two of them step through the gate, he stood up straight.

“Long time no see, Rick.”

The man’s face showed no signs of joy or enthusiasm as he spoke. He then turned to Taeui and extended his hand, still without a smile.

“Mr. Jeong Taeui? I’ve heard about you from the boss. Nice to meet you. I’m Yuri Gable.”

“Ah….. nice to meet you. I’m Jeong Taeui.”

Jeong Taeui shook his hand, thinking it was a bit awkward that someone made such an effort to pronounce his name correctly.

He hadn’t expected to meet anyone. He had flown straight here with Ilay without any specific plan, so he thought he should ask about a hotel at the information desk first.

But hearing the name Yuri Gable triggered some of his memories. He recalled hearing that this was someone under Kyle’s command, who had scoured the Middle East looking for traces of Jeong Jaeui. And finally, he had found a clue.

Jeong Taeui glanced at Ilay. Ilay was observing the airport with an indifferent expression.

“Small, isn’t it?”

“This is your first time in Africa, right? Most international airports in Africa are small like this. Only Johannesburg’s airport is significantly larger.”

Gable responded as part of his job, then turned and started walking.

Jeong Taeui quickly followed him, realizing he had no intention of waiting.

“You must have waited a long time. It took me longer than expected because of visa issues.”

Taeui had thought he could get through quickly with his local visa, but the process was delayed, so he only managed to get out after most people had already left. He walked slowly, not knowing someone would be waiting for him.

“If I’d known you were waiting, I would have hurried. I’m sorry.”

“It’s no problem, Mr. Jeong Taeui.”

Jeong Taeui looked at the man ahead, who answered politely and tried to pronounce his name clearly, and he smiled.

“You can just call me Tae. Feel free.”

Gable nodded but spoke little. It had been a long time since he met such a reserved and stiff Westerner. Of course, back at Kyle’s place, he had encountered some quiet and hard-to-approach guests, and it took him a long time to get close to Peter, the family’s gardener. But this man was even more exceptional.

“What about Jeong Jaeil?”

Ilay, walking half a step behind Jeong Taeui, suddenly asked.

“He’s in Seringe.”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s hard to be certain.”

“What are the odds?”

“Well, about 70 or 80 percent.”

Short exchanges followed. Ilay nodded. When the three of them exited the building, a Jeep was waiting right in front. Gable climbed into the passenger seat, and the Black man waiting in the driver’s seat shifted gears. After a brief greeting, the vehicle finally set off.

After the nearly 17-hour flight from Hong Kong, Jeong Taeui felt like he was finally setting foot on solid ground. He leaned against the hard seat and sighed softly.

Seventy or eighty percent. While that’s not a low probability, it also isn’t high enough to bet on a five-week trip. However, he thought that his uncle and Kyle wouldn’t engage in such a venture with a low success rate.

If he started the search here and his brother wasn’t found, he would have to return to Hong Kong, making it no different from a five-week vacation in a distant country.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head, and beside him, Ilay spoke slowly.

“If this man says the probability is about 70-80%, then it’s quite certain that Jeong Jaeil is here. Now you just have to worry about how to meet him.”

At Ilay’s words, Jeong Taeui looked ahead. Hearing their conversation, Gable’s eyes met his through the rearview mirror. The taciturn man looked at him for a moment before speaking.

“You’re Jeong Jaeui’s brother, right?”

“Yes.”

Then he looked at Taeui through the mirror in silence.

“You look like your brother.”

“Do I?”

Jeong Taeui responded, but that was all. The man said nothing more about their resemblance. Perhaps he was just making polite conversation.

On second thought, people often said that Westerners couldn’t distinguish Asian faces from one another. So, maybe to a Westerner, all Asians with thin faces, yellow skin, and black hair looked the same.

“I think we’ll go straight to Seringe, is that okay?”

At Gable’s question, Jeong Taeui nodded. Come to think of it, it was called an island. They would get there by a light aircraft from Dar es Salaam.

The car entered the town. The market with its low, old buildings was crowded with people everywhere. People were packed into every corner.

The streets were filled with people dressed in black, and the car moved at a snail’s pace. Jeong Taeui felt a bit carsick. The smell was no different from burning tires.

It had been a long time since he felt carsick. But after a long flight, he had immediately gotten into an uncomfortable car on a bumpy road.

“Is Dar es Salaam…..that big?”

Jeong Taeui sipped some water and asked. Gable glanced at the rearview mirror and replied.

“It’s the largest in Tanzania. The population is over a million.”

“A million…..”

Jeong Taeui sipped some more water, thinking that this place might be comparable to a metropolitan city. He tried to calm the nausea in his stomach and looked outside. Ilay beside him glanced at Taeui and suddenly asked.

“I heard the airport is next to the port. How long does it take to get to the port?”

“We’ll be there in about 15 minutes. Then we transfer to a small plane, and it’s another 40 minutes to Seringe.”

Fifteen more minutes. Jeong Taeui sighed deeply. That much he could endure. He took another sip of water, and soon the bottle was empty. He shook the empty bottle lightly and sighed, but Ilay had already grabbed another bottle and tossed it to him. Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay and gently caught it with one hand.

“With your current condition, even if you meet Jeong Jaeil, you wouldn’t have the strength to bring him out.”

“I never intended to drag him away in the first place. If my brother doesn’t want to leave, I have no way to make him.”

Jeong Taeui shook his head and opened the water bottle. He drank it down in one gulp without thinking, but then immediately frowned in confusion. Finally, he looked at the label on the bottle again.

“…..I do feel nauseous, but why give me sparkling water?”

Seeing Jeong Taeui grumbling as he swallowed the water with a look of disgust, Ilay, who had obviously done it on purpose, just smiled in amusement.

Meanwhile, the car passed through a crowded market area with hardly any dedicated lanes. And, as Gable had said, they soon arrived at a small airstrip connected to the port.

People often say that physical torture is easier to endure than mental torture, but this was truly an excruciating long-term ordeal for Taeui. By the time they reached the end of the journey, Taeui felt like he had just gone through 72 hardships of life.

Behind the cramped seats of the shabby four-seater light aircraft was the luggage compartment. A large bundle of something like a rolled-up carpet protruded from the luggage area, pressing against Taeui’s back on the flight to Seringe.

Listening to the roar of the light aircraft’s engine for 40 minutes, almost pressed into the backrest of the seat in front, Jeong Taeui deeply regretted not choosing to travel by boat.

The man had said that taking a boat would take longer, but if he had known he would be punished for his foolish choice by being tormented in a plane that felt like it was tumbling in the air, he would have chosen the boat without hesitation.

Ilay looked at him and quietly said: “Maybe you should have taken the boat instead.”

Next to Jeong Taeui, Ilay was getting off the plane. Taeui glanced at him with a weary face, for some reason wishing this man could have the human emotion called ‘worry’.

“When I looked down from the plane, the color of the sea was beautiful. It would have been great to enjoy it from a boat.”

“…..”

Jeong Taeui felt foolish for even momentarily expecting that the emotion of ‘worry’ would appear in this man. He thought Ilay must be trying to provoke him, because at this moment he had no interest in admiring the beauty of the sea.

Why is this man becoming worse and worse….. It seems the deeper I understand him, the more wicked he appears.