It’s time to seriously think about it. What should Jeong Taeui do now?

In reality, if Ilay Riegrow insisted on taking him to Hong Kong even if Taeui didn’t agree, there was no way he could escape his clutches. Especially with Ilay still having all his limbs and his eyes always glued to Taeui, there was no way Taeui could outsmart him. He couldn’t fight him one-on-one either.

Jeong Taeui couldn’t use his old trick of drugging Ilay, tying him up, and running away anymore…… Unless he had a new identity, he’d be caught by Ilay before even getting through customs.

Creating a new identity was the best way. Jeong Taeui didn’t know if this was possible while Ilay was still watching him, but Ilay wasn’t someone who would be fooled twice by the same trick. Jeong Taeui clicked his tongue and scratched his head before looking up at Ilay.

“Do I have the right to refuse?”

“No.”

A calm response came immediately, just as he expected.

“So what if we transit somewhere else for a while?”

“From Berlin to Dar es Salaam, then switch to a light aircraft to Seringe, find Jeong Jaeui, then back to Dar es Salaam and on to Berlin—no, flying straight to Johannesburg would be faster, then to Hong Kong. If we do that, we could be there by tomorrow.”

“……”

How many times had he thought about tearing that casually talking mouth open all at once? Jeong Taeui silently counted and gave up because even both hands wouldn’t be enough.

There were many things he wanted to say, but he decided to keep his mouth shut because he knew no matter what he said, he couldn’t outtalk him. Suddenly, Ilay spoke amidst his silence.

“Taei. Maybe you’ve thought about this at least once.”

“……?”

“Jeong Jay is very lucky. They say he was kidnapped and imprisoned, but no one really believes that. If he really wanted to, he could have returned unharmed. Moreover, he hasn’t contacted anyone, including you.”

“……”

“Maybe Jeong Jay never really wanted to meet you in the first place———Haven’t you ever thought about that?”

Jeong Taeui calmly looked at Ilay. It wasn’t a mocking or teasing tone. He was just stating exactly what he was thinking. Taeui nodded.

“Yeah…… that’s possible. So, in that case, even if I go to Seringe, I won’t be able to see him.”

Jeong Taeui shrugged and mumbled.

Forget Seringe, even if Jeong Jaeil were standing right outside that door, if he didn’t want to see Jeong Taeui, he would never be able to see him.

“But I don’t think that’s likely. Just because he doesn’t want to see me doesn’t mean he never wants to see me again.”

In reality, he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Even on his birthday, his brother didn’t contact him, which had never happened before. So, of course, he couldn’t help but think about that possibility. Maybe his brother was just too engrossed in something to think about him.

“He hates me, this…… Yeah, I guess that’s possible. I didn’t even think about it.”

Jeong Taeui mumbled bitterly and nodded. He had never thought about it despite all the premises. But even if he thought about it, it didn’t seem likely.

Ilay raised an eyebrow, observing Taeui nodding in front of him.

“Your relationship with your brother is very good.”

“Hmmm—? Instead of saying it’s good…… there’s nothing bad between us.”

Their personalities weren’t ones that would easily clash, but they also weren’t ones that could be described as having a good relationship. Jeong Taeui briefly thought about his brother.

They weren’t like any typical siblings. His brother never took him to an internet café or played baseball or basketball with him. However, there was nothing for them to argue about regarding their preferences.

It seemed like a very dry relationship.

But even so, he still hoped———.

“I want to see my hyung.”

So I don’t want to go to Hong Kong with you.

Ilay couldn’t possibly miss the thoughts running through Taeui’s little head.

He was someone who could see even what Jeong Taeui didn’t want to be seen. Ilay’s eyes narrowed more. Jeong Taeui looked straight into those eyes, unsure of what he was thinking.

“Jeong Taeui.”

“You think you have a choice?”

“……don’t I?”

Jeong Taeui sighed and mumbled. Clearly, just three seconds ago, he was confident about doing things his way, but he was quickly brought back to reality.

While Jeong Taeui was silently clenching his lips, Ilay stayed quiet for a while and then asked again.

“If not, were you planning to take the opportunity to tie me up again and escape?”

“What……”

Jeong Taeui was speechless, even though he wanted to say it was possible, the words got stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

He used to think he was quite good at speaking ambiguously, but now he might have to reconsider that thought. This was why dealing with someone with quick thinking was difficult, not knowing what they would do next. Lying in front of such people usually didn’t work. But even so, um, he wouldn’t go around following him everywhere.

However, Jeong Taeui sighed and shrugged. After struggling for a while, he knew what he had to do.

In most cases, or rather, in all cases, time was the best medicine to heal all wounds.

The extent would depend on the amount of time you had and whether you had the ability to wait for that day to come, but in the end, almost no problem couldn’t be solved with time.

Sooner or later, whether it be months, years, or even longer, Jeong Taeui could escape from Ilay.

Because his anger and obsession with him would fade with time. Then, at some point, Jeong Taeui would have another opportunity. He never thought that he would never have a chance to escape from him for the rest of his life.

…… Although, in his case, considering Ilay’s personality, he might kill and get rid of Taeui without worrying about anything before his resentment faded and that opportunity came to him.

Jeong Taeui scratched his cheek and clicked his tongue, showing he wasn’t giving up and weakly resisted one last time.

“But if we find Jaeui, wouldn’t it benefit your company too? You’ve been looking for him all this time, haven’t you?”

“The company? Well, the company won’t suffer much damage anyway, and besides, that’s not my business.”

“The company is managed by my brother, not me.” – Ilay added, waving his hand gently. Jeong Taeui tried to hold on once more.

“So what about UNHDRO? That’s where you work (though I don’t think you have anything like a member there), but don’t you intend to help them find the person they’re desperately searching for?”

“Me?”

Ilay’s answer was just one word. And that one word represented all his answers. Jeong Taeui suddenly felt ridiculed by Ilay even though he knew he would be like this. He knew well that no matter how much he talked, Ilay wouldn’t warmly say: ‘I understand, then you go find him.’ Thinking about it, the most confusing person here was himself for saying things he knew would not be answered.

“Taei. If so, let’s go back to the first issue.”

“……?”

Jeong Taeui suspiciously looked at Ilay at his sudden words.

“Jeong Jaeil, as you said, is certainly an important figure for both T&R and UNHDRO, as well as other related organizations. In other words, as long as there is a clue about his whereabouts, those trying to find him won’t be lacking. That means he will be saved. So why are you so determined to go there?”

“Saved? It’s not that I want to save him, I just want to see him.”

Besides, Jeong Taeui shook his head, saying: “He’s not someone who needs saving.”

Perhaps, the reason his uncle asked Jeong Taeui to find Jeong Jaeui wasn’t to deepen their brotherly bond, but even if that were the case, Jeong Taeui still wanted to see Jeong Jaeui. He didn’t know why he couldn’t contact his brother. Moreover, in this situation, he didn’t like the idea of the red thread between them being cut by Jeong Jaeui.

After muttering a bit about how he felt his luck was running out because the red thread with his brother was cut, Jeong Taeui suddenly looked at Ilay. He looked down at Jeong Taeui without any emotion on his face.

“Do you want to go?”

He didn’t attach the place he wanted to go to the question, but Jeong Taeui understood clearly where he was talking about. Jeong Taeui remained silent for a moment and then sighed.

“If I want to go, will you let me?”

“No. Tonight, you will have to fly to Hong Kong with me.”

Jeong Taeui’s face dropped. What was the point of this guy playing with words all this time?

“Ilay, think about it. You’re not someone who would fall for the same trick twice, and I know that too. And you know I wouldn’t do that again. So, even if I go to Africa alone now to find my brother, you can find me immediately. There’s no reason for me to go to Hong Kong with you. You can find me whenever you want, easily.”

Jeong Taeui spoke seriously. Ilay then smirked.

“Taei. You forgot one thing.”

“What?”

“You said you hated being with me so much, didn’t you? So, live in resentment by my side every day until you die.”

“…….”

Jeong Taeui had forgotten what he had said before. How foolish of him to forget even for a moment about the obstinate and violent nature of this monster.

Jeong Taeui got up without hesitation and stepped off the bed. He grabbed the shirt hanging on the chair and slipped it on, mumbling.

“Alright, let’s go to that damn Hong Kong. Go ahead and throw me in prison or cement me and throw me into the sea, do whatever you want.”

If they were leaving tonight, he didn’t know when they’d depart, but he couldn’t just sit around waiting. Even if he had no luggage, he still needed to get everything in order and bid farewell to Kyle and Rita. At the very least, he wanted to say goodbye in person, but he might have to send a message to Kyle since he had left for work right after the late breakfast. He would see him again someday, but he wanted to say goodbye properly.

Dammit. He had already resigned himself halfway when he was captured by this man, but the situation where he couldn’t decide his own life was uncomfortable.

“As soon as there’s a hint of someone’s whereabouts, the news spreads immediately.”

Ilay’s voice echoed in Jeong Taeui’s ear as he dressed with a displeased expression. Jeong Taeui muttered while glancing at Ilay.

“Alright. It’s true that my brother’s whereabouts being in Seringe could be leaked, and there would be plenty of people who could get him out without me lifting a finger.”

That’s why I’ll go to Hong Kong. He muttered silently.

*Creak* The old wooden floorboards creaked, and he could feel Ilay standing up and taking a few steps toward him. Ilay reached out and touched Jeong Taeui’s ear, caressing it gently but firmly. Jeong Taeui frowned at the sudden pain and turned his head away.

“I’m not talking about Jeong Jay.”

“……—?”

Jeong Taeui shook his head, covering his ear with one hand, and looked at him curiously.

A rumor about someone’s whereabouts, in this context, it should be about Jeong Jaeui, right?

Jeong Taeui tilted his head, staring at Ilay for a moment. Then, blinking a few times, he thought there must be something wrong, but Ilay remained silent as if he had no intention of explaining.

Jeong Taeui caught his gaze and frowned, speaking with surprise.

“Me……?”

“Yes, you.”

Jeong Taeui looked at Ilay with a stunned face, slowly pointing at himself with his finger.

“Alright……. I see…… but my uncle already knows where I am. So what?”

“If someone tries to steal my prey even for a moment, it wouldn’t be pleasant. If I keep you in Hong Kong and go to the branch, in case of an emergency, I can handle it right away, but otherwise, as soon as I leave Germany, that person will act immediately.”

Jeong Taeui stood in stunned silence for a moment.

This wasn’t the first time the man had said things he couldn’t understand. Before, he could get the gist, but now he couldn’t grasp any of it. But Ilay wasn’t someone who would say meaningless things, which meant his understanding was also declining.

But even so…….

“There’s no one after me except you…….”

Jeong Taeui spoke in frustration. People say that humans tend to judge others based on themselves or their surroundings, but even so, his life was completely different from this man’s. He didn’t remember making any enemies or doing anything that would make someone want to kill him.

Surely, as Ilay said, Jeong Jaeil wasn’t the only one missing here. Though for a much shorter period, Jeong Taeui had also been missing recently.

But Jeong Jaeil and Jeong Taeui were entirely different cases. No one wanted to find Jeong Taeui. He didn’t know if there was someone on this earth who persistently hated him to the point of wanting to kill him—except for the man standing before him now.

“Why not? Just think of the first name that comes to mind……”

Ilay clicked his tongue and started to say something but then fell silent again. Taeui snorted and said.

“And then what?”

Jeong Taeui urged him, but Ilay just stared at him blankly. Jeong Taeui slowly averted his eyes, though he didn’t recall doing anything wrong. If he didn’t want to say it, why bring it up in the first place?

Ilay suddenly mumbled.

“Jeong Jay……”

“……?”

“Maybe it’s more complicated than that.”

Jeong Taeui frowned slightly. The subject continued in a roundabout way, and he couldn’t keep up even when his brain was working at full capacity. Jeong Taeui sighed deeply. He tugged at his hair in frustration.

“So. So even though we don’t know who, you’re worried that someone with a grudge against me will snatch me from you and kill me first, so I have to go to Hong Kong with you? Otherwise, you’ll make me suffer every day?”

He wanted to say it heavily to express his anger, but it didn’t come out as strongly as he hoped. But the person listening wasn’t someone Jeong Taeui had to care much about, so even though he wasn’t satisfied, he wasn’t angry.

Jeong Taeui thought while mumbling weakly. He had made a series of mistakes from escaping to being caught, and now things had turned out like this. He guessed people called this karma.

Since entering this room, Ilay’s gaze had been fixed on Jeong Taeui as if he were thinking about something. He took out his phone and tossed it to Jeong Taeui. Reflexively, Taeui caught it and looked at the phone in his hand curiously.

“Do whatever you want. But the plan to go to Hong Kong won’t change. We’ll leave in 30 minutes, so call my brother and tell him I’m leaving. Calling directly will avoid unnecessary formalities.”

“Alright.”

Jeong Taeui responded, though not enthusiastically, and opened the contact list. Then he frowned.

Leaving in 30 minutes. He’d have to prepare everything in a roasting beans over a lightning bolt*.

(번갯불에 콩 볶아 먹겠네: roasting beans over a lightning bolt/ A phrase implying the nature of doing things hastily and immediately.)

There was no need to look for a number he had memorized. He looked up and asked Ilay as he walked toward the door.

“Didn’t they say you came here on a private jet? So there’s no fixed schedule. Why the rush, leaving in 30 minutes?”

If he calculated the time, including preparation and waiting for Kyle to return and having a last dinner together to say a proper goodbye, then boarding the private jet to return, there should be enough time.

“……”

Ilay stopped and slowly turned around. Seeing a slight hesitation on his otherwise expressionless face, Jeong Taeui quickly shifted his gaze back to the phone screen.

Right. The pilot wouldn’t just wait quietly under his coercion. Moreover, if it wasn’t a private jet but a UNHRDO specialized aircraft, its operational schedule was already set, and deviating from that plan wasn’t the only obstacle.

“With such tight timing…… did you already book the flight?”

Ilay, who had stepped out of the room, paused and replied to Taeui.

“Of course. Under the passport number JR0203314 of Mr. Kim Young Soo”

“……Your unparalleled skill at mocking others……”

Jeong Taeui mumbled. Ilay laughed out loud.

(김영수 씨: Ilay used Kim Young Soo ssi – 씨[ssi] is an honorific in Korean. In English, it’s roughly equivalent to Mr. It seems like this is the first time 씨 has appeared in the whole of Volume 4 :v Basically, Ilay emphasized the name Kim Young Soo to mock Tay🤭)

After a while, Ilay turned back to Jeong Taeui, not looking reluctant at all but rather calm.

“Shut your mouth and follow me obediently. I won’t stop you from meeting Jeong Jay.”

“Huh?”

Jeong Taeui, holding the phone to his ear, looked at Ilay in confusion. He hadn’t misunderstood; he heard correctly. But before Taeui could ask for confirmation, Ilay had left the room.

Jeong Taeui stared blankly at Ilay’s retreating figure until he disappeared from sight. The beeping of the phone suddenly stopped, replaced by Kyle’s voice on the other end: “What’s going on?”