Kyle’s decision this time was made without any hesitation, which once again caused James to miss the opportunity to submit his resignation.

According to the witness, when the incident happened this time, the moment he received the news, James was stunned like a statue for about 5 seconds, completely shocked into silence. However, when everyone thought he was bowing his head in contemplation for about 5 seconds, he suddenly stood up with an unusually calm and serene expression.

“This time for sure……”

He mumbled as he walked towards Kyle, his steps unusually light, seemingly filled with joy at first glance.

However.

It was extremely unfortunate for James.

After hearing the news, Kyle’s expression did not change, and he simply made a brief decision.

“Just leave it be. At worst, he’ll just be executed, what more could happen?”

“That would only happen if the guy obediently lets himself be caught.” – Kyle added, then casually tossed the fax that reported his biological brother had caused a bombing in Riyadh a few dozen minutes ago onto the desk.

In response to the unexpected—no, not entirely unexpected, but very different from usual—reaction, Kyle did not furrow his brows and mumble something like: ‘To prevent this, we have to work hard. (James, it’s you)’—James was momentarily speechless, unable to say a word. He could only stand and stare at Kyle for a moment.

“……Then……”

“Completely covering it up as if nothing happened would be too costly. He’ll manage on his own. Well, if by chance he rolls up to my house, at most I can only protect him to that extent.”

As if wanting to close the conversation, Kyle added: “Anyway, if the situation changes, let me know.” But then suddenly, seeing James standing there with a bewildered and motionless expression, Kyle let out a deep sigh.

“Really…… That damn guy is causing trouble again. He just keeps causing trouble time and time again, making people worry. It seems like you’re also very worried about this time, your complexion doesn’t look good at all. Don’t worry too much. That guy is the type who can find a way to survive no matter where he’s thrown. If you keep worrying and fall ill, it won’t be good. You know, James, I really appreciate and trust you. I consider you like family.”

Even towards the end, the subject seemed to change more subtly, but James still didn’t utter a word. After all, Kyle’s younger brother was in a serious situation—albeit of his own doing—and furthermore, Kyle hadn’t piled any ‘work bombs’ onto James’s shoulders, so he couldn’t be sarcastic.

Kyle pretended to take a deep breath, then as if realizing something, his gaze fell onto the tightly clenched hand of James.

“But James, what’s that you’re holding in your left hand? Don’t tell me it’s a resignation letter?”

“…….”

“Why? Have I done something wrong to you recently? Did I unknowingly burden you with the troubles and worries due to my family issues……? Whatever it may be, just let me know, and I’ll fix it right away!”

And then, the moment Kyle uttered the sentence: “Somehow, we have to try to settle it.” James crumpled up the resignation letter he intended to slam into Kyle’s face. While looking at Kyle with resentment, the person with the quick wit like the devil, was the one who, despite having a pitiable and carefree face, would always cause all of his plans to collapse at the last minute, so James couldn’t achieve his initial aim.

“……Have you ever burned a book?”

Yuri asked while taking a sip of coffee, facing James, whose face was rigid, and his eyebrows furrowed tightly together. The reply was equally cold.

“I have.”

“And you still weren’t fired?”

“Right at the place where I burned the book, they brought out my resignation letter and burned it alongside as a tribute.”

“While crying, he said goodbye to the book: ‘Goodbye. May you come to a better owner in your next life’,…… That was a horror scene I never want to see again.” – James shivered as though just the thought made him shudder.

“I see.” – Yuri nodded quietly, then thought to himself: ‘If even at that extent it wasn’t accepted, the day James’s resignation is approved might never come.’

But for Kyle, it was indeed the right decision. Because from past till now, and surely even in the future, there’s no way he could dismiss such excellent personnel only to assist his biological brother, someone who has always wrought calamities and never been beneficial. That’s right, even now, when the international arrest warrant for terrorism charges against Ilay Riegrow had been issued, James was still handling precisely and perfectly streams of accusations and demands flooding in from all directions. Kyle absolutely could not afford to lose an outstanding employee like James.

The incident was announced a few days ago.

In an industry where news often spreads before the official event is made public through major media channels, the fact that it was broadcast on public television many days ago should have signaled that the situation had ended. Yet, even now, many days after the news aired, the office remains in chaos like a battlefield.

Yuri just stopped by the office to complete the final paperwork related to his soon-to-expire contract, and in those mere 20 minutes, the total time James took his hand off the phone was less than a minute. But then, at the exact moment the clock struck 12 noon, James switched all office phone calls to standby mode. Immediately, the phone at the secretary’s office outside began ringing incessantly, but inside the office, the atmosphere became much quieter, at least temporarily. (However, Yuri firmly believed that it wouldn’t be long before James’s personal phone would start ringing, and he was willing to bet his entire fortune on it.)

“As you can see, the situation is like this, so I probably can’t have lunch with you. I had planned to have lunch together, but it turned out like this. I’m really sorry.”

James sighed while glancing at the pile of faxes that kept coming in since earlier. Yuri merely shook his head calmly, as he had anticipated this when he arrived.

“It’s okay. I also just stopped by to handle some things…….So, with this, the contract is completed this time. The special terms have also been dealt with. So everything is alright, right?”

Yuri skimmed through the confirmation sheet he had completed as per the original contract, with nothing needing correction, then handed it back to James. James just glanced over it indifferently – but surely had read every word carefully – then replied: “Okay”, and clipped the paper into the file folder.

“So what are you planning to do about the contract renewal? I’ve already prepared the papers, do you want to sign it now and then go?”

“For this——…… first, I plan to rest for about a week or two. If I sign now, Kyle will immediately send me to Riyadh.”

Even though Kyle had raised his hand to assert that he would not be involved in Rick’s bombing incident, with the close relationship between Kyle – in this case T&R – and Rick, everyone knew that being completely uninvolved was impossible. Just looking at the current situation, with phones ringing nonstop from everywhere and the image of people hustling around like a stirred-up beehive, is enough to understand how serious the situation is.

In this state, any personnel with even a little value is immediately mobilized to handle the emergency situation. Letting Yuri idle at this moment is something that would never happen. Being talented and wise, Yuri clearly knew what was beneficial for himself. And now, after he had just signed the end of the ‘current contract,’ he at least hoped he could rest for a few days.

“Sorry, James, but you’ll have to manage by yourself for the next few days. I need a bit of rest.” – Yuri said this quite casually but with decisive resolve.

James clenched his teeth, tearing the fax dramatically as he responded angrily:

“Alright, this time I’ll draft the contract with a lifetime term.”

“You know I never sign lifetime contracts. Just like always, listing a one-year term is sufficient.”

If there’s any particular long-term assignment, Yuri is also willing to sign a contract for a few years. But aside from those cases, his contracts are always renewed annually. James seemed to have anticipated this, merely waving his hand dismissively as if he fully understood.

Amidst the scene of faxes pouring out ceaselessly, despite James having torn a large stack, it showed no signs of decreasing. He didn’t even have time to eat and was nibbling on a sandwich that an employee had helped purchase. Yuri stood up, leaving with a simple farewell: “Wish you well.” He really wanted to help James, but in the current situation, there was nothing he could do to alleviate the man’s pressure. All Yuri could do was quietly place a packet of vitamin powder into James’s hand from his pocket before leaving.

Yuri waved goodbye to James, who was shouting after him: “Remember to come back to sign the contract next week!” and then exited the office. As he stepped out of the T&R headquarters building, all the employees he encountered on the way had tired faces and dull, weary eyes.

‘That’s why they say, you can’t choose the wrong boss. When signing a labor contract, you must always be very careful……’

Yuri thought to himself as if it was someone else’s matter, then began to walk home. His house was quite far from the company but still within walking distance, and he decided to use this opportunity to unwind his mind after a long day.

Since the house had been left vacant for too long, it took several days to clean the thick layer of dust that covered everything. With a slow yet meticulous and patient approach, Yuri had completed the task perfectly. Thanks to that, the house, which was once so dusty it was hard to touch, was now clean from inside out. The only thing left was to return home, retrieve the washed and sun-dried curtains from the rooftop, and hang them back up to complete the job.

‘Next time, if possible, hopefully, the work will be somewhere near Berlin, so I can spend a little time cleaning every day.’

Yuri thought to himself as he turned into a small alley inaccessible to cars. That quiet alley, with only the blazing sunshine pouring down, made his mind become even calmer and more peaceful.

“……”

Finally, it seemed Jeong Taeui had fallen into Rick’s hands.

Hearing the news that Ling Xinlu had kidnapped Jeong Taeui right under Rick’s nose and disappeared after Rick demolished the mansion in Seringe, Yuri felt a threat even greater than the bombing incident in Riyadh.

From the moment Ling Xinlu left with the intention of bringing Jeong Taeui back, Yuri knew that things would not go smoothly and gently. Nevertheless, he still hoped that at least Ling Xinlu would not act recklessly like before. He hoped that matters would be resolved in some reasonable and non-violent way—whether through dialogue, betting, or agreements.

However, since Ling Xinlu almost blocked the way to seize Jeong Taeui and take him away, it was predictable that at least one person would have to face a difficult situation. And even though things seemed no longer related to himself, Yuri could not stop paying attention to the developments concerning Jeong Taeui and those involved.

If it’s called luck, then it’s correct – even from another perspective, this could be an unpleasant ending – things seemed to have concluded with Jeong Taeui returning to Rick’s side, while Ling Xinlu was left alone, though fortunately without serious harm.

In the journey of returning to find Jeong Taeui from Seringe, then winning him in Johannesburg before passing through Hong Kong, and finally, the only person issuing a plane ticket to Hong Kong was Ling Xinlu.

As soon as he heard that Ling Xinlu had returned to Hong Kong safely and was uninjured, still a bit of lingering worry, Yuri calculated the time he might have been able to return to the main house, and he contacted Ling Tangyun to confirm immediately afterward. The answer: [“He’s back, but seems very tired”], made Yuri breathe a sigh of relief.

For someone like Ling Xinlu, who rarely shows weakness in front of others, Ling Tangyun’s comment suggests that he truly returned in a very bad mood.

‘Wonder if his mood has improved at all by now.’

“……”

Yuri fiddled with the phone in his pocket. He thought about calling Ling Tangyun again but hesitated because there was no specific reason to inquire. Thinking that no matter how tactful he might be, Tangyun would surely ask back with suspicion: ‘What’s up with you? Suddenly asking about someone else’s situation?’

But…… maybe it’s okay.

Just thinking about Ling Xinlu’s feelings when sitting alone on the flight back to Hong Kong, Yuri felt a persistent, heavy ache in his chest. Yet, he did not feel the need to worry too much.

The last time meeting Ling Xinlu, he was still somewhat unsettled but seemed to have calmly rearranged his thoughts much clearer. It was as if he had told himself that if this final effort did not succeed, he would let everything go and end it all.

So, even if he’s weary or sad for a while, Xinlu will be fine.

“Hmm.” – Yuri nodded slightly, then walked faster, thinking of finding a plausible reason to call Ling Tangyun next time. He continued to play with the phone in his pocket, letting that feeling help him feel somewhat more comfortable.

The afternoon sun was warm. The cold breeze blended with the warm sunlight created a pleasantly adequate feeling. As he walked down the quiet and bright alley, Yuri took a deep breath.

Silence.

It was a strange feeling.

He never thought like this before, but this lonely afternoon made me feel empty, as if he just lost his purpose in life.

Every time Yuri completed a task he had spent much time on, he usually felt a bit of emptiness for a short while. But that feeling was only fleeting. He had never experienced such profound emptiness that made him ponder for so long like this. And Yuri knew exactly why.

For the first time in his life, he had experienced such vivid beauty up close. Even though it was just for a brief moment, he could clearly feel that warmth through his hands, his body, and even his lips. He was enveloped in that sweet and passionate fragrance.

That beautiful and gentle thing was once very close to him, but now it’s not there anymore. 

Just being able to look at it was enough to make him content. It really was. He wanted nothing more. But……

He wanted to see a little bit more.

“……”

Perhaps before calling Ling Tangyun, Yuri needed to calm himself and soothe the sense of disappointment and emptiness in his heart.

‘Let’s go swimming this afternoon. Go home for a meal, hang the curtains back up, and then spend the afternoon soaking in the water. That should make me feel a lot better.’

‘Germany is nice, but the sea here is not the ideal choice. The Baltic Sea* is too cold…… How about trying to go down to Switzerland over the weekend, to some warm lake?’

While these thoughts passed through his mind, Yuri arrived at his apartment. After exchanging a few brief words with the old man at the end of the first-floor corridor who was sweeping in front of the door, Yuri entered the building and headed to the mailbox area. Among the mailboxes stuffed chaotically, Yuri’s mailbox, with the room number clearly written on it, was completely empty.

“……”

The hand naturally reaching toward the mailbox suddenly froze. Yuri blinked a few times, tilted his head as if to double-check, then reached into the mailbox to search. Eventually, he decided to fully open the mailbox lid. Still, nothing.

‘Strange……’ – He thought to himself and carefully checked every corner of the mailbox. But the result was the same: Completely empty.

“Today it seems like you’re waiting for mail from somewhere, aren’t you?”

The old man, after finishing sweeping and walking in, struck up a conversation when he saw Yuri rummaging through the empty mailbox. Then he took a few letters from his mailbox and left.

“Ah…… no, not really……”

Yuri replied, but his eyes briefly glanced at the old man’s letters before quietly closing his own mailbox lid.

In reality, there wasn’t any mail expected to arrive. But in his heart, he always assumed that there would surely be mail…… From somewhere he himself didn’t even know.

There were many places wanting to sign a contract with Yuri Gable. Even during regular times, letters inquiring about potential collaborations often arrived. Especially recently, with the contract with T&R about to expire, he received one or two contact letters almost every day. And today, when the contract officially ended, in an industry where information spread terrifyingly fast like this, he automatically assumed that his mailbox would be filled with invitation letters. That’s why he didn’t think much and carelessly reached for the mailbox, sure that he would pull out a bunch of letters.

“……”

Yuri stared at the empty mailbox and then turned around to walk away. As he passed other mailboxes, he inadvertently glanced at the lone letters inside them, which made him subconsciously scratch his head lightly.

Anyway, if nothing unexpected happens, he would renew his contract with T&R, so not receiving a partnership invitation wasn’t particularly disappointing. Moreover, he was not in a situation where he had to rush to find a job. But, being human, when his expectations were completely off, he still couldn’t avoid the feeling of disappointment.

His already hollow mood grew even darker, making Yuri feel as if the whole world had turned its back on him.

‘Today, I have to soak in the water longer than usual.’

With that thought, he headed towards his room on the top floor, the 6th floor of the building. But after climbing just a few steps of the spiral staircase, his phone rang in his pocket. Yuri slowed his pace, took out his phone, and upon seeing the familiar name displayed on the screen, he suddenly felt a bit relieved.

“Annette?”

[“Mon sucre, Yuri! Long time no see! How have you been lately?”]

Her bright and clear voice rang out. Like a melody that always brings such vibrant colors, just listening to it seems to lift one’s spirits.

“As usual. Why did you call?”

[“Have you met James yet? Have you finalized all the contracts?”]

“News travels fast, doesn’t it? I just came back from there, heading up to my room.”

Yuri lightly shook the keys in his pocket and looked up at the long spiral staircase still leading to the top floor. This old building’s wooden staircase was erected over 80 years ago; every step he took made that familiar creaking sound, giving a strangely close feeling.

[“So you received our contract offer, right? Have you opened it yet?”]

“Contract offer? No, haven’t seen anything yet.”

[“Really? That’s strange, it should have arrived by now since it was sent via express delivery. It should arrive tomorrow. Anyway, I’m also going to send it via email. Please consider signing the contract with us.”]

It seemed she called to probe his work intentions. Yuri gave a light laugh.

“Short on staff, are you? Thanks for the offer, but I decline. I’m planning to extend the contract with T&R.”

As soon as Yuri finished speaking, she immediately reacted with an irritated tone: [“What? Why do you keep signing with them? The working conditions aren’t much different!”]

“It’s simple. Working with a familiar place, both sides understand each other’s style, so it’s easier to collaborate.”

In reality, T&R’s working conditions weren’t just better than the Intelligence Agency’s, but better than most other places as well. But Yuri didn’t feel the need to mention that.

Annette understood Yuri’s personality well enough – once he refused, it was very hard to convince him otherwise – so she grumbled something dissatisfied and then sighed.

[“Alright, alright. But anyway, try to find some time. We haven’t met in a long time.”]

She added: [“You’re free now, right? Let’s grab something to eat together.”] Yuri casually nodded in agreement. Meeting up with a close friend after a long time always made him feel happy.

“Sure. When?”

[“Hmm?? How about tonight?”]

‘Suddenly like that?’

Yuri laughed at her surprising suggestion, and in the meantime, he had climbed the staircase to the 6th floor. Initially, he planned to go straight to the rooftop to collect the dried curtains, but then, thinking it was a sunny day, he figured he might as well dry some blankets, so he turned back to his room.

[“Are you busy today?”]

“No, not at all. Alr—”

‘Anyway, I was just planning to swim this afternoon, nothing else.’ – Thinking so, Yuri was ready to reply. But before he could finish his sentence, he halted.

A man was leaning against his room’s door.

The man stood among a pile of scattered paper scraps at his feet, holding a large stack of papers under his arm. Upon seeing Yuri, the man merely raised his hand in a casual salute. Yuri stood dazed in the hallway, his eyes blankly staring at the man. As if he were seeing an apparition that shouldn’t be there, his eyes locked onto the man, completely spellbound for a moment. It wasn’t until the man pulled a sheet from the stack at his side and tore it apart that Yuri snapped back to reality.

“I’m sorry, Anette. I might not make it today. I’ll call you back later, okay?”

Yuri hastily ended the call with a polite refusal, but his eyes never left the man standing at his doorway. The situation was still so unreal that he couldn’t look away.

“……The salary will be adjusted according to the agreement, in line with internal standards, benefits equivalent to a senior management level, with working conditions being four cycles per year…… Hmm, this also won’t do. All the conditions they propose are unsatisfactory. There’s no place that is genuinely good.”

The man mumbled as he flipped through a pile of papers in his hand. The stack – which, upon closer inspection, turned out to be envelopes – was pulled out and glanced over by the man. After each cursory read, he would pout, shake his head, crumple the paper, and toss it to the ground, adding to the mess at his feet. After repeating this three more times, pulling out, reading, crumpling, and tossing, Yuri finally stepped forward.

“Mr. Ling Xinlu. What are you doing here?”

Yuri called out to the man with clear pronunciation. And in response was Xinlu’s bright smile. Unmistakable. It was definitely him, no mistake.

“I arrived earlier than you expected, right? Did you meet Miller okay? How is the contract renewal going?”

“Not yet, still not…… But why are you here—”

“This apartment complex seems pretty old, doesn’t it? It’s just a hallway, but it’s really cold inside this building.”

Ling Xinlu blew warmth into his hands, causing Yuri to pause and look at him for a moment before silently taking out his keys and opening his room door. Seeing the scattered paper bits at his feet, Yuri could guess they were the ‘creations’ of the man while he waited. And if his guess was correct, the contents were the letters that had been in Yuri’s mailbox.

Even though he dared to arbitrarily open, read, and discard someone else’s letters without hesitation, Ling Xinlu maintained a nonchalant attitude in front of the owner of those letters and unabashedly walked right through the door that Yuri had opened. Even if Yuri were to say: ‘Come in’, the words would have been pointless, as Ling Xinlu was already inside the room before they could be uttered.

Ling Xinlu glanced around the small, modest room, only just comfortable enough for one person to live in. He made his way to the bed by the window, where the sunlight was shining, and sat down with a *thump*.

“So cozy and pleasant. There must be a nice view from the rooftop, and the wind is quite refreshing too……” – Ling Xinlu murmured contentedly while scanning every corner of the room. Suddenly, he stopped and burst into laughter. Yuri, who was still picking up the paper scraps at the door and witnessed this, was puzzled. After a moment of laughter, Ling Xinlu spoke up:

“No, I just thought about how a room truly reflects the personality of its owner. There’s nothing superfluous here, yet there’s everything necessary.”

“Is that so?”

Since Yuri had never noticed this before, he suddenly viewed his familiar room as if it were new. However, no matter how closely he examined it, he saw nothing particularly different from others’ rooms.

“……I’m beginning to be curious about your room, Mr. Ling Xinlu.”

He wondered what Ling Xinlu’s room might have or lack compared to his own.

Ling Xinlu raised an eyebrow, then smiled: “Really?” His tone seemed to carry a hint of an enigmatic smile. But when Yuri, surprised, turned to look, he returned an innocent smile as if nothing had happened.

“……? But why are you here? I heard you went back to China.”

“I—went home, stayed in one place and cried for a while, then came here.”

Yuri’s lips pressed slightly together, and his eyes widened a little. Ling Xinlu, as if predicting this reaction, gave a bright smile. Yet instead of being concerned with that smile, Yuri found himself more troubled by Ling Xinlu’s admission of having cried.

“Why?”

“You’re not going to comfort me?”

Xinlu suddenly asked in return, causing Yuri to pause.

Reflecting on the recent times, he realized that Xinlu had once again experienced the feeling of rejection. After days of exhaustion both physically and mentally, in the end……

“You’ve had a hard time…… Well done.”

For some reason, Yuri mumbled to himself and felt a fleeting sense of discouragement. However, Ling Xinlu, the person involved, unexpectedly burst out laughing just as Yuri finished mumbling.

“You really haven’t changed at all. A slight deviation would make those words sound sarcastic, yet they absolutely don’t.”

Ling Xinlu laughed out loud and teased further: “Come to think of it, you truly are a master, aren’t you?”

Yuri looked at him with an awkward expression but maintained a calm demeanor, merely scratching his temple lightly. Xinlu laughed for a while, then suddenly stopped, slowly taking a deep breath. He focused on Yuri, as if lost in thought, and then suddenly spoke up.

“It seems that I’m actually quite sensitive.”

“……?”

“When I went home, I had a full check-up, and the result was that my stomach almost got perforated. Not only that, but when my father found out about it late, he was so angry he nearly collapsed. So, I obediently stayed home and rested for a few days. Anyway, my mood wasn’t good at all.”

Perhaps here and now, Xinlu spoke about it casually and tilted his head as if it weren’t significant, but surely his state of mind had been very poor. Yuri recalled Ling Tangyun’s words: “He returned in a gloomy state and refused to leave his room.” He had expressed his negative emotions so openly to others, indicating that Ling Xinlu’s mood was in chaos to the point of being unable to hide it.

“To be honest, thinking about that guy dropping bombs on another country made me consider a hundred times a day that I should also drop a bomb on his house. Even now, with my foot already here, I still feel like doing it.”

Ling Xinlu said indifferently with narrowed eyes. But when he glanced at Yuri, he burst out laughing and added: “Just kidding, just kidding.” However, his tone made it sound nothing like a joke.

Yuri replied softly: “If you need it, I can give you the address.”

Ling Xinlu widened his eyes at him, then burst into laughter and snorted: “Just saying, but if I really went to that guy’s house, you’d run after me and stop me, wouldn’t you?”

Yuri didn’t give any response.

“──There, lying around in the room for days on end makes me feel lifeless. Life is so dull. I can’t even joke with anyone because I’m surrounded by idiots who can’t understand what I’m saying…… But when I just sit and think aimlessly, I realize at least Mr. Gable here doesn’t bore me.”

Ling Xinlu looked up at the small skylight window on the slanted roof, then slowly lowered his gaze. He stared intently at Yuri, as if reconsidering his decision, checking whether his judgments were correct. His mutterings sounded more like a monologue than a desire to share.

“……I wonder if this gentleman’s mind has improved. I wonder if he’s thrown himself into the water to die yet. Or if he still keeps that sarcastic demeanor that doesn’t seem sarcastic at all. And sometimes, when I think of Seringe, I get inexplicably angry, to the point of choking.”

A faint smile appeared on Ling Xinlu’s lips as he spoke, even though he remained very calm. But at the very last moment, that smile twisted slightly, as if the words he had just spoken had evoked emotions he tried to bury. The resentment he intended to suppress now surged up due to a moment of provocation.

“So, being grumpy like that, my father finally said something. That if I can’t even control my own emotions, what else can I do.”

“Maybe I looked so bad that he had to blurt out those words. My old man, no matter what happens, only worries about comforting me, never says harsh words like that.” – Ling Xinlu muttered as if talking to himself. Then he gathered all the stacks of papers he had been playing with on the bed and threw them into the trash can at his feet. Most were unopened letters. Notably, the recipient of those letters was Yuri, the person sitting right in front of Xinlu, but Yuri didn’t seem to pay much attention to that presence.

“So, here’s the thing—”

Xinlu rummaged through his spacious pocket and took out a folded piece of paper, then handed it to Yuri. Yuri looked at him, then at the paper, finally took it without saying a word and began to open it. Meanwhile, Ling Xinlu continued to speak cheerfully:

“Don’t you want to sign a contract with me?”

Unexpected questions came flying in front of Yuri’s face before he could even fully open the paper. His hand had just completed the motion of opening it. The words made him pause and look up. In front of Yuri, who was silently observing him, Ling Xinlu smiled lightly like a beautiful cat, his tone playful, making the statement not seem serious at all.

“Being around you is quite fun and interesting, but sometimes you say things too bluntly, which annoys me. Even when I think about what happened in Seringe, I feel unjustly angry. Maybe you’ll be a good challenge for me to learn to control myself and cultivate patience.”

“……Are you planning to use me for training when you were the one almost giving yourself a stomach ulcer?”

The thought that each time Xinlu looked at him, he felt so stressed that it might lead to a stomach ulcer made Yuri uncomfortable. Nevertheless, Yuri glanced over the paper’s contents, a contract that was quite comprehensive and serious compared to how casually it had been handed over.

“Well, that reason takes up about half. The other half is…… now I also want to be more serious and learn to manage household affairs. And to do that, I need a good manager for my personal affairs. By coincidence, there’s someone I thought of, and that’s Mr. Gable, someone not tied to anywhere, very capable, and who also understands me to a certain extent.”

Ling Xinlu kept his smile but with a face that wasn’t exactly joking, nodding slightly toward the paper in Yuri’s hand and teasingly asking: “Are the conditions not attractive enough?”

Yuri shook his head and replied: “No, they’re too attractive, actually.”

Just in terms of the contract conditions, this was an excellent offer, so much so that if he didn’t agree immediately, he’d be considered foolish. The working conditions, benefits, and salary were all perfect. However, Yuri couldn’t nod right away, because he knew Ling Xinlu well. Someone as unstable and unpredictable as him was not the ideal partner to sign a contract with. And Ling Xinlu surely understood that too. Perhaps that’s why, since making the offer, he’d been watching Yuri with eyes that were no longer smiling and had been silently waiting for an answer.

“And…… there’s still something that bothers me. Every night, I have trouble sleeping, to the point where I have to take medication. If only there were someone I could confide in, maybe I would feel relieved. But I have no one to talk to. I can’t talk to anyone.”

“That’s why it feels like there’s a knot in my heart that can’t be untied.” – Xinlu murmured, a corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

It’s because he always harbored things he couldn’t share with anyone.

Unless it was a chance encounter – or more precisely, an unexpected situation – if he hadn’t witnessed Xinlu’s pride being crushed so completely, Yuri would never have believed that Ling Xinlu, someone like him, would willingly reveal his weak side and seek help from others. Even though every night he struggled with pain like a knife cutting through, Xinlu would still endure it silently. And during the day, he would act as if no wound had ever touched him.

“Can you help me?”

The look on Ling Xinlu’s face when he looked at Yuri, with eyes shimmering, appearing fragile as if clinging, and asking in a pitiful way, but it was surely just a fake mask created to win Yuri’s sympathy. But Yuri wasn’t foolish enough to be deceived by that expression. And certainly, Ling Xinlu himself knew this well.

However, the words he spoke were not lies.

He still tried to maintain a calm exterior, trying not to let anyone see his unhealed wounds, standing lonely in the crowd like that.

“What if I refuse?”

Yuri silently stared at the paper before speaking. Ling Xinlu’s expression momentarily turned icy, but he immediately masked it.

“Would you try to hinder me every time I search for a job elsewhere?”

After taking his eyes off the paper, Yuri glanced at the pile of shredded paper in the trash can, then looked back at Ling Xinlu. Following Yuri’s gaze, Ling Xinlu showed a hint of awkwardness and shrugged with an embarrassed face, though having no real intention of remorse.

“If any place offers better conditions than I do, I will immediately concede.”

His beautiful smiling face seemed confident that there was no such place. But behind that smile, it seemed implicitly suggested that if no better place existed, he might find ways to obstruct. Yuri looked down at the paper once more. Indeed, there was no place that could offer better conditions than this. Yet the issue didn’t lie only with the conditions. Yuri’s hand holding the paper tightened slightly.

Though his heart still hesitated, Yuri felt that no matter how long he pondered, the final conclusion would not change.

So he spoke up: “Give me time.”

Yuri looked straight into Ling Xinlu’s eyes when saying these words. Although slightly disappointed, Xinlu, as if having anticipated this answer, nodded in agreement.

“Alright then. But I don’t want to wait long, so make your decision before tomorrow afternoon—”

“I have forgotten quite a bit of Chinese. To use it like before, I would need about one to two months to relearn. Besides, if I have to go that far, I need time to arrange everything here. So I would like to start in two months. If you’re still fine with that.”

Yuri concluded his statement and quietly awaited Ling Xinlu’s reply, who was looking at him with a peculiar expression.

Ling Xinlu looked at Yuri with a face as if he couldn’t believe it. This must have been the answer he wanted, but it seemed even he didn’t expect to receive it so quickly.

After a long moment, Ling Xinlu slowly broke into a smile.

“For that, I can wait.” – Xinlu replied generously, the smile on his lips was bright.

That smile appeared in response, but this time it was slightly different, making Yuri feel like it was unfamiliar, even though he had seen it many times before. Every little angle, from the corners of his eyes, lips, eyebrows, cheeks, forehead, all blended into a natural and genuinely joyful smile.

‘Ah, yes. This is what I want to see. A feeling of contentment just by looking at this. It’s been so long since I’ve craved this feeling.’

Yuri subconsciously looked at him, his eyes blank as if mesmerized. And as if realizing those eyes – surely couldn’t not realize – Ling Xinlu gradually withdrew his smile. Seeing this, Yuri slowly asked, albeit a bit late:

“Can I look at you?”

That was a question Yuri had asked before.

Xinlu bluntly looked at Yuri, who was quietly but seriously waiting for an answer. After a moment, Xinlu chuckled softly, as if unable to believe what he had just heard. That brief laugh briefly sounded like a snort full of irony.

He tilted his head, observing Yuri who was silently watching him, then chuckled softly once more, this time with a clearer hint of helplessness.

“Alright then. During the contract period, feel free to look at me. Anytime you want, just look as much as you like.”

And this time, Ling Xinlu didn’t impose any conditions but agreed nonchalantly. Yuri nodded and gently replied: “Thank you.”

Ling Xinlu smiled faintly as he looked at him, then suddenly asked:

“So, is there any place that offers better conditions than I do?”

Faced with that proud and confident question, Yuri didn’t take long to think, so he simply shook his head honestly.

Immediately, joyous laughter filled the room.

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

*Baltic Sea: The Baltic Sea is a shallow, brackish body of water in Northern Europe, bordered by Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany, and Denmark. It connects to the North Sea via the Kattegat and Skagerrak straits. The sea supports shipping, fishing, and tourism but faces environmental challenges like pollution and overfishing.