Jeong Taeui enjoyed a leisurely morning strolling along the paths near the hotel. However, before it was even noon, he had to return to the hotel after receiving a call from Kyle.

It was an ambiguous time, neither morning nor lunch, but Kyle’s insistence on having lunch quickly made him seem like a person who would die if he didn’t arrive thirty minutes before the appointment time.

Even after rushing through lunch and hurriedly preparing, the car sent by Ling Xinlu arrived exactly on time to pick them up. In the end, the two arrived at the meeting spot precisely at the appointed hour.

The newly developed district on the outskirts of the city was said to be an area where young, newly wealthy residents mainly lived. Modern and sophisticated mansions lined the streets, each occupying spacious lots.

Still, compared to the estate from yesterday, so vast that the walls seemed endless, this one felt rather modest. As they passed through the front gate guarded by security, they saw Gable sitting under a white pine that stood gracefully in front of the mansion entrance, almost as if keeping watch over it.

Perhaps he had been waiting for the guests to arrive; tapping away at his phone, Gable stood up immediately when he sensed their presence and came toward them.

“Long time no see, Kyle. Mr. Jeong Taeui, I hope you’ve been well?”

Exchanging handshakes with Gable, who greeted them as naturally as if they had just met yesterday, Taeui was inwardly amazed to see him after a period of time close to two decades. Why hasn’t this man aged? He looked exactly the same as he did back in Seringe.

Upon entering the front door and passing through a long corridor, they arrived at a spacious living room. The folding glass doors that made up one side of the living room were all open, leading to an inner garden that couldn’t be seen from the main gate. The breeze coming in from the garden was just right and refreshing.

In the sunlit garden stood a spacious swimming pool that was slowly filling with water. Perhaps thinking that Taeui, who was looking down at the pool that looked like a small pond in harmony with the bushes planted in the garden, wanted to swim, Gable said,

“It was cleaned yesterday, and we’re refilling it now, so it’s not ready yet.”

“Oh, no, not at all…… I was just thinking that you, Gable, still like water as much as ever.”

While Taeui smiled, remembering how Gable used to go out to the sea every dawn in Seringe, Kyle discovered a pile of old books that Gable had already stacked on the living room table and let out a single cry that was hard to tell if it was a cheer or something else.

“Oh my God. The Ancient Poetry Anthology compiled by Jin Iso! It, it, it’s the real thing!”

Murmuring in a trembling voice, Kyle rushed over, his eyes flickering as though devouring every detail of the stack, then began counting the volumes. Forty-two volumes. All forty-two volumes are here! My God! Completely overwhelmed with emotion and at a loss for what to do. He seemed beside himself until he glanced at the clock and, perhaps coming to his senses, asked Gable with a serious expression:

“If it’s not too much trouble, would it be alright if I looked through these books and took some photos for future reference in my research……?”

“Sure, go ahead.”

Gable replied easily, as if he had already expected the request.

Whether he had truly anticipated that Kyle would photograph all forty-two ancient volumes page by page was another matter. In any case, although Gable did look on with slight astonishment as Kyle began solemnly photographing each book from the cover onward, he said nothing.

Leaving the book-absorbed Kyle to himself, Taeui sat down at the table and slowly looked around the interior.

There seemed to be no one else but them, and the only sound in the house was the sound of water flowing from the garden. In the antique-decorated interior that matched the quiet atmosphere, the most striking thing was the huge wood-carved wall decoration that occupied the inner wall of the living room.

A tiger, intricately carved in openwork, sat with its ferocity hidden, gazing down over the room. It felt almost like a reflection of the house’s master, capturing one’s gaze.

“Is there anything you don’t eat or dislike?”

At the quiet question, he turned his head to see Gable opening the stacked food boxes one by one on the table. Steam began to rise from the teapot placed beside them.

“No, I eat everything well. But are there no hired helpers?”

“They come in the morning and then leave. Both Mr. Xinlu and I prefer not to have other people in the house.”

It seemed the basics had already been prepared in advance, for the boxes were filled generously with a variety of delicious-looking snacks and sweets. Taeui picked up one of the most ordinary-looking square pastries and ate it while watching Gable pour the tea.

“You handle the teapot quite skillfully.”

“Well, I’ve lived here for a long time now.”

Gable’s casual reply made him seem, somehow, as if he had blended seamlessly not only with the teapot, but also with the tiger carved into the wall. This antiquated and private space seemed as though it had been meant for him from the very beginning.

After placing a teacup in front of Taeui – and also in front of Kyle, who still hadn’t spared them a glance – Gable picked up his cell phone as if by habit. As he fiddled with his phone for a moment, as if he had someone to contact, Taeui sipped his tea. For some reason, the way he occasionally glanced down at his phone reminded him of someone…

“I went to the Ling clan’s banquet yesterday and met Xinlu.”

As Taeui opened the conversation, Gable nodded.

“Yes, I heard. He said there were too many people, so he didn’t get a chance to speak with the two of you separately.”

“Yes. There really were a lot of people. And in the midst of it all, Xinlu seemed incredibly busy… Now that I think about it, I heard you help Xinlu with his work, so I thought you’d come together. I was disappointed you didn’t.”

Taeui didn’t bother adding: ‘Kyle kept trying to push the appointment time earlier’, but he figured this man probably understood anyway, judging by the side glance he gave Kyle.

“Ah……. For one, Mr. Ling Xinlu doesn’t like me going to crowded places, and also, his mother isn’t particularly fond of me, so I try to avoid family gatherings unless necessary.”

At Gable’s indifferent remark, Taeui paused unintentionally.

Suddenly, a Korean-style morning drama unfolded in his mind: ‘You seduced my son?!’; ‘No, mom, that’s not it—’.

“……”

Wow. This is too much. The thought of that elegant lady he had seen yesterday and this seemingly aloof man having a mother-in-law-and-son-in-law conflict tangled his brain in an instant. Jeong Taeui quickly shook his head. He had lived abroad so long that he sometimes felt his Korean had gone rusty, and lately he’d been binge-watching random Korean dramas without thinking.

“Ah, yes……” – He replied vaguely, hesitating for about three seconds over whether to acknowledge it or pretend not to know, when Kyle suddenly chimed in. He seemed lost in the books, but apparently, he’d been listening all along.

“I heard you’re dating the youngest son of the Linga clan. Is that why?”

At that blunt question, Taeui quietly closed his mouth (in his heart) and retreated to a corner to sit back and observe.

“Last year, when I met Ling Tangyun for work, family matters came up briefly in conversation. Ling Tangyun didn’t seem to think much of your relationship—if anything, he seemed rather pleased, saying thanks to you, the youngest had settled down a bit. But I guess the rest of the family feels differently?”

Despite it being a potentially sensitive topic, the way Kyle spoke so casually made it seem like it truly was no big deal.

That was Kyle’s remarkable talent. And honestly, Kyle probably genuinely believed it wasn’t a big deal. He had a way of seeing things that others might view with prejudice exactly as they were, without judgment. (That’s how he’s managed to live all these years with someone like Rick as his own younger brother, Christoph once said.)

“It varies from person to person…… At first, some were uncomfortable, but now it’s fine. Still, there are those who aren’t exactly thrilled about it.”

But Gable, too, seemed entirely unbothered as he answered.

Since both of them were so at ease, Taeui decided to feel the same way.

“Besides the mother, then? The father?”

“No, the father is actually quite alright. It’s more the nephews, and so on…….”

“Nephews? What does it matter what the nephews think?”

Kyle cut in firmly. As Gable sipped his tea without further comment, an electronic sound chimed from his phone. Whether he had set an alarm or something, a regular mechanical tone rang out, prompting Gable to check his watch and send a text somewhere. Almost immediately, it seemed he received a reply, as a brief exchange of messages followed.

Kyle’s hands moved with both caution and speed as he photographed each page of the ancient texts; he seemed to have already gone through nearly a dozen volumes. Still, many times that number remained.

Jeong Taeui gazed out at the garden, where the sun was beginning to sink. The water slowly filling the spacious pool had now risen to a considerable level. Just a little more, and it would be ready to swim in.

In the meantime, Gable seemed to have finished his messages, as he set down his phone and murmured: “Excuse me.” Taeui, who had been gazing at the sunlight shimmering on the water with narrowed eyes, suddenly remembered something and asked:

“How is Xinlu’s eye doing?”

“It’s the same as before. He’s been consistently receiving treatment, and they say the vision in his right eye has even improved, but the injured one hasn’t recovered. We’ve given up hope of it getting better, but his mother insists on continuing the treatments. They say that relying heavily on one eye can strain it and cause vision to decline, so it’s fortunate that his healthy eye is still well-maintained.”

Listening to Gable’s calm response, Taeui closed his mouth with a bitter expression. Perhaps sensing Taeui’s somber thoughts, Gable added:

“There’s no need for you to feel troubled over this, Mr. Jeong Taeui. It was Rick’s doing.”

“But it’s not as if I’m completely unrelated to what happened.”

“Some things happen where the cause doesn’t need to feel responsible for the outcome. This is one of those cases. And if you consider only Rick and Mr. Xinlu, the result came about because of the positions and circumstances they were in at the time—not because Rick is evil and Mr. Ling Xinlu is good. If the situation had allowed it, Mr. Ling Xinlu wouldn’t have hesitated to gouge out Rick’s eye either.”

“……”

‘That’s a very fair point, but… aren’t you dating Xinlu?’

As he stared blankly at Gable, who returned the look with a face that seemed to ask: ‘What’s wrong?’ Seeing that nonchalant face, he suddenly lost his energy and ended up laughing.

“No…… it’s just, you’re surprisingly ruthless, or maybe I should say, you manage to stay very objective. Most people, when it comes to their lovers, tend to see them through rose-colored glasses.”

Even as the words left his mouth, Taeui felt a sudden pang of regret. Sure enough, Kyle shot him a knowing look. To the unspoken question: ‘When have you ever seen things through rose-colored glasses?’ Taeui avoided his gaze, picked up a snack and ate it.

Gable also looked at him with a similar expression but kindly refrained from commenting on that part and spoke instead.

“Well, I’ve never really seen Mr. Ling Xinlu through rose-colored glasses when it comes to his personality……. In the beginning, he really disliked me so much that he even tried to kill me a few times.”

The pastry slipped from Taeui’s mouth with a *crunch*. Fortunately, he managed to catch it just before it hit the floor. He studied Gable’s face, which didn’t seem to be joking.

“Considering how Xinlu looks, you wouldn’t expect it, but he’s incredibly strong…… You survived well.”

“Yes. Just like you, Mr. Jeong Taeui.”

“……”

“……”

Jeong Taeui met Gable’s impassive face and burst out laughing. Gable also let out a small chuckle.

Suddenly, his heart felt lighter.

Depending on how you looked at it, some matters could be deadly serious, or they could be nothing much at all. Just like the way this man seemed to accept life.

Still laughing, Jeong Taeui continued with what sounded like a joke but held truth.

“Hmm, it’s hard to say whether Ilay or Xinlu is more ‘good’ or ‘evil’, but in a way, doesn’t Xinlu seem more dangerous? If things don’t go his way, Ilay would probably just snap your neck, but Xinlu, somehow, feels more like…….”

“Like he’d keep you alive as long as possible, while slowly breaking the bones in your neck one by one.”

Once again, Gable responded as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, and Taeui found himself laughing again.

Just then, a sudden gust of wind swept through the garden. The trees in the yard rustled, their leaves fluttering.

The rich scent of wood and water rushed into the living room together.

The refreshing, mingled aroma spread through the house. A scent deeply familiar to their home.

Looking outside, he saw the cool afternoon gently fading.

The swimming pool in the lush garden glittered like a pond hidden within dense foliage.

“……It’s a lovely afternoon,” – Taeui murmured.

Gable nodded in agreement. A comfortable silence settled between them, not awkward in its wordlessness. They savored the moment within that tranquil quiet. Only Kyle remained fully absorbed, tirelessly taking photos.

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

Then, at some point, the sound of an alarm went off.

Gable, who had been staring blankly at the filling pool, picked up his phone and began tapping at the screen, as though sending another message somewhere.

Suddenly, the image of Xinlu at yesterday’s banquet came to Taeui’s mind—how he had frequently pulled out his phone. He had thought Xinlu must be incredibly busy, but now it seemed Gable was no less so. Still, to have so much to do that he needed to set alarms for it…

For a while, Gable fiddled with his phone as messages went back and forth. When at last he set it down, Taeui asked:

“Are we disturbing you, when you’re this busy?”

“Oh, no, not at all. I was just contacting Xinlu for a moment. It seems his work will wrap up early today.”  

“……?”

Did he really need to ask when Xinlu’s work would end? Even setting an alarm for it?

“Were you also contacting Xinlu earlier?” – Jeong Taeui asked.

Gable made a subtly complicated expression for a moment, then nodded. As Taeui blinked, studying him with a faintly awkward air, yesterday’s image suddenly flashed through his mind—Ling Xinlu, sitting proudly and impeccably beside Ling Huolong, yet checking his phone from time to time.

“Then, even while Xinlu was at the banquet yesterday…?” 

Taeui asked in doubt. After a brief silence, Gable let out a sigh. As if he had already resigned himself to it, he straightened his expression and replied: “Yes.”

“When we’re apart, I try to contact him at least once an hour.”

“……??”

“It’s because Xinlu likes it that way.”  

Seeing Taeui bewildered and unable to process the meaning of those words, Gable went on, as if giving up on further explanation:

“Usually it’s once an hour, but yesterday and today I’ve shortened the intervals a little. Since you were coming, Mr. Jeong Taeui, Mr. Ling Xinlu seemed uneasy.”

“……, …… So, you are uneasy about me being in the same place as Xinlu……?”

Almost without realizing it, Taeui straightened up and asked the question with a serious face.

Come to think of it, his lover (Ling Xinlu) was meeting the person he had once had feelings for (Jeong Taeui) for the first time after several years. It wouldn’t be strange for him to be concerned or wary.

It never crossed my mind that this seemingly indifferent man would be like that, but again, you never know. Everyone has hidden facets, and Jeong Taeui didn’t know Yuri Gable well enough to rule it out. For all he knew, Gable could be unexpectedly sensitive and jealous……., even Kyle, who was closer to Yuri Gable, was giving him a look of disbelief.

“No, it’s not that,” 

Gable, who looked at a loss for how to explain, scratched his neck and said awkwardly.

“It’s that Mr. Xinlu gets worried because he thinks I might be concerned.”

A silence fell.

Perhaps feeling uneasy under the weight of the quiet stares fixed on him, Gable quickly added,  

“Well, even aside from that, I usually try to reach out often. Mr. Xinlu likes it when I contact him frequently.”

“……Oh, I see……?”

Suddenly cast in the role of the ex-boyfriend who might (or might not) be causing concern, Jeong Taeui lowered his gaze to his teacup. For a moment, he nearly matched Gable’s solemn tone. But then he realized there was no real reason for him to feel uncomfortable. It was a situation that had nothing to do with him, and he quickly shook off the unease. After all, hadn’t he long since learned it was safest to detach himself swiftly from matters that had nothing to do with him?

And if he thought about it carefully, it all meant one simple thing: In the end, whatever else, they were doing well together.

A sudden ease came over him.

Now, Xinlu was buried in memory—apart from the rare occasions when news from the Ling clan reached him, there was no reason to think of him anymore. And yet, the last time they had faced each other, those eyes, burning with a mix of rage and pain, had always lingered like a bitter aftertaste that never quite faded. But now, it felt as though he no longer needed to keep tasting that bitterness.