[—…….The current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia is Prince Bandar Alfad. He is a wise man, but his health has been poor since birth. As a result, Prince Rashid and Prince Ali have been vying for the diplomatic seat ever since. Prince Al-Faisal is Ali’s younger brother. They are a very close pair of brothers. However, Al-Faisal soon gave up the power struggle and started his own business…….—]

Such dirty dealings are everywhere.

Wherever there is power, there are ‘vermin’ crawling around. The more people there are competing for a position, the dirtier and more complicated it becomes.

In the eyes of others, the ‘vermin’ are more often found within the ranks than outside. Perhaps everyone knows how foul it smells behind the glamorous façade.

“Oh, there’s no wind at all today.”

Jeong Taeui grumbled while chewing on dried plums. The soft dried fruit was very sweet, especially on hot days like this.

“If you want to get involved in this, there’s nothing more I can say. But I just hope you don’t drag unrelated people into it.”

Jeong Taeui had been grumbling for a while.

But no one responded to his complaints. At first, there was someone sitting right in front of him, but it seemed that person wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying, busy flipping through the pages of a book—still, if Jeong Taeui said something important, he would respond as if he had been listening intently all along. The woman in a white dress, wearing a veil, was walking down the hall to change the water in the pitcher she was holding in silence. Even if Jeong Taeui could communicate with that girl, he probably couldn’t casually talk to her. Because the space inside this building belonged to an Arab – a territory of Tanzania – not Seringe.

He recalled what his high school friend had said before, that he had once gone to Iran for work and then got lost. He had spoken to a passing woman without understanding the significance of her attire and had nearly received a heavy blow for looking at her intently.

Jeong Taeui didn’t intend to talk to this girl either. He wasn’t the type to stare at others, especially women (unless the person was a man). He simply admired ‘the beauty of a woman’, and they were not objects of his desire.

…….But, Jeong Taeui didn’t think that the Arab man holding a knife standing in the corner of the hall could understand his utterly pure-hearted intentions towards that girl. The man’s scowling gaze was fixed on him.

“All I need now is a beer.”

Jeong Taeui sighed, muttering, and lay down.

Outside the stone-paved yard, through a small door at the end of the hallway, was a beautiful garden covered by lush trees, shrubs, and vibrant flowers swaying as if it had been transported from a dense forest.

Sitting under a rubber tree at the back, Jeong Taeui quietly turned the pages of his book and slowly lay down on the grass in the shade in front of him. Jeong Taeui pulled over the fruit basket that the woman in white had brought to him earlier and picked up a fruit.

This place is beautiful, perhaps the closest to paradise.

There was no noise at all. Instead, there was only the rustling of the bushes, the occasional chirping of birds on the dense branches or the sound of their wings flapping as they flew away, and the echoing laughter of the girls in white in the distance.

Above him was the clear blue sky.

And beside him was his beloved brother. The familiar sound of pages turning occasionally broke the silence.

“It’s funny. How can the mansion of someone involved in such a mess be so close to paradise?”

Jeong Taeui muttered wearily.

Indeed, he seemed to understand why Jeong Jaeui had decided as he did.

“Why are you still stuck here while everyone is desperately looking for you? Even if you are being held, you could escape if you wanted to.”

When Jeong Taeui asked his brother, Jeong Jaeui calmly responded.

“It’s comfortable. And there’s nowhere I particularly want to go.”

At that response, Jeong Taeui was left speechless. Well, perhaps because he is so precious, even if he is being kept here for some purpose, he must be treated with respect, Jeong Taeui thought. Just looking at the living conditions, it’s clear he isn’t being mistreated. In fact, everything is meticulously arranged to ensure he can enjoy the utmost comfort, although it might not be immediately apparent.

“Can I greet the host? After all, I’ve come to someone else’s house, and I…….”

It’s also quite funny to think about meeting the culprit who kidnapped his brother and greeting him with, “Hello, please take care of my brother.” But it might be worth seeing what he looks like.

However, Jeong Jaeui shook his head.

“He went back to his country four days ago. Because he has to visit the hospital frequently, he goes out once a month. Each time for about a week or more, so if you want to meet him, it’ll be another three or four days. Besides…….”

Jeong Taeui stopped speaking. He fell into thought for a moment and then muttered to himself.

“Running into each other wouldn’t be good.”

“Why?”

“He brought you here so no one could find you. But the fact that you’re here now means at least someone, including you, knows about this. In other words…….”

“…….I’ll be detained, or tortured to see who else knows about this, or both?”

“That’s possible.”

“So what should I do?”

“It’s better if you leave here before that man returns.”

“And what about you?”

When Jeong Taeui asked, Jeong Jaeui looked confused. Seeing that expression, Jeong Taeui quickly realized. His brother wasn’t being held captive. He stayed here because he liked the calm and quiet environment.

Jeong Taeui scratched his head.

“Alright……. So I’ll go back by myself. Anyway, I’ve seen you.”

There would be many people, including his uncle, who would be very disappointed if he returned without bringing Jeong Jaeui along. But from the beginning, Jeong Taeui hadn’t gone to find his brother with the intention of delivering him to them. He went simply because he wanted to see him.

But when Jeong Taeui was about to leave and said, “Goodbye, hyung,” he was stopped on his way out.

He couldn’t leave the annex, which was said to be a separate house in a corner of the large mansion. Let alone the main house or any other buildings in the estate, he couldn’t even get out of the annex. The annex was completely isolated.

There was only one door leading outside, at the end of the western hallway, guarded by a man with a large sword. Perhaps it was the same Arab guy who had punched him in the stomach last night.

“I want to go out……. Let me out.”

Jeong Taeui said, but the man just stiffly looked at him and didn’t move. In case the guy didn’t understand what he was saying, Jeong Taeui stepped aside and tried to open the door, but when he tried to grasp the doorknob, the man immediately drew a knife and slashed Jeong Taeui’s wrist to stop him.

Without thinking much, Jeong Taeui immediately went back to Jeong Jaeui and explained the situation to him. Jeong Jaeui nodded sadly. As expected. This was nothing short of a battle.

“I don’t know what to do either because I’ve never tried to go out, but it seems that the people who can enter this annex are very strictly limited. However, if I tell them that I want to go to the night market or something, they will gladly accommodate. Although they’ll make me wear a chador to cover myself.”

“But why did he stop me? Because it’s not time for the night market or because I’m not wearing a chador?”

“Maybe they reported about you and received orders from above……. The night market only opens once a week, Taeui. And the chador……. I don’t think it would suit you.”

There were a few things he wanted to say, such as it didn’t suit his brother either, and moreover, a chador wasn’t something a man could wear in the first place. But Jeong Taeui decided to keep quiet; those things weren’t important. He sighed and scratched his head.

“What’s this? So, I’ll be stuck here too? Can’t even go outside?”

“It seems like that’s the case for now. In a few days, when Raumaan returns, try talking to him. But he probably won’t be willing to let you go anywhere.”

“You said it wouldn’t be good to meet him.”

“I can’t help you in this situation.”

“So what if I’m imprisoned or even tortured?”

“Hmmmm…….—something will likely happen.”

Jeong Jaeui always maintained such a calm demeanor. Jeong Taeui stared at his brother and then sighed. In the worst-case scenario, Jeong Taeui even considered taking an Arab hostage to get out of here.

And that Arab could be Raumaan Abid Al Saud, whose health was very poor. It was rumored that because of his illness, he mostly stayed in the villa and rarely appeared outside.

Jeong Taeui felt a bit guilty thinking about that, about kidnapping a frail man who frequently needed to go to the hospital and had just returned from his homeland.

But anyway, his own life was the priority.

Jeong Taeui had no choice but to stay in the annex where Jeong Jaeui was living.

Another day passed just like that.

Jeong Taeui could understand why Jeong Jaeui had made such a decision. After just one day in this villa, he clearly understood the feeling of not wanting to step out into the outside world.

This quiet and peaceful place was like heaven. And certainly, it was a place that suited his brother.

Jeong Jaeui didn’t like crowded places and preferred being somewhere quiet alone, so this place must be perfect for him.

The sunlight made Jeong Taeui squint, and he turned to look at Jeong Jaeui.

Even though the only place his brother stayed was the annex, this place didn’t feel like a prison for a kidnapped person. He could stay here and enjoy a peaceful time, freely move around, and live his days in tranquility. Leisurely reading books, meditating, or getting lost in his complex thoughts.

Jeong Taeui smiled. No matter where he was, his brother was always lucky. That was something he could never achieve. Whether Jeong Jaeui was near or how long he had been out of touch, he would always be fine.

“By the way, brother.”

Jeong Taeui suddenly spoke up, remembering what he needed to say. Even though it wasn’t necessary to tell him, since he was his brother, Jeong Taeui thought it was something he should be informed about. He wasn’t blaming him; he just thought he should know. Jeong Taeui slowly opened his eyes, looking up at the bright blue sky.

Jeong Jaeui didn’t take his eyes off his book but quietly responded: “Yes, what is it?”

“What do the people holding you want?”

“…….”

There was no reply. Instead of answering, he glanced at him. Jeong Jaeui’s eyes followed his face, directed up towards the azure sky.

After a moment of thought, it seemed Jeong Jaeui still wasn’t going to answer. Seeing this, Jeong Taeui hesitated and asked again.

“Do they want you to develop weapons?”

“…….You already know?”

The soft sound of the book closing could be heard. Jeong Taeui remained silent for a moment, as if lost in thought.

Jeong Taeui knew that Jeong Jaeui always knew more than he could ever imagine. Perhaps right now, he was thinking about the person who helped him find his whereabouts, or the words he might have heard from that person.

Or maybe he was thinking of things beyond his reach.

“I saw it in the basement of UNHRDO. I heard it was your final masterpiece. Very beautiful.”

“It’s you.”

Jeong Taeui stopped talking and looked at Jeong Jaeui, who was now looking back at him. He calmly spoke.

“Didn’t uncle tell you the name? It’s called Tay. It’s not complete yet, but it can be redesigned to create other things. I made it with the utmost precision. My final masterpiece.”

“Jeong Taeui…….” – He muttered, then slowly got up and sat down again, rummaging through the fruit basket, grabbing any fruit he could reach, and putting it in his mouth, lost in thought. It was an apricot. Are there apricots here too? But anyway, it was good to taste it now.

“…….There’s nothing to hide from me. If that’s your goal, you don’t need to keep it a secret from me.”

Jeong Taeui muttered to himself.

Actually, he wanted to say that if Jeong Jaeui felt reluctant or wasn’t proud of something he had done, that would be the thing Jeong Taeui couldn’t bear.

He would protect Jeong Jaeui until the very end, no matter where he was or what he was doing. Just as Jeong Jaeui had done. In any relationship, one cannot confide everything, and Jeong Taeui also had a few things he didn’t want to share with Jeong Jaeui.