Richard was a man who wouldn’t be surprised if he drowned in his mountain of work.

The workload piled up on him was truly colossal. Anyone who knew about it whispered that if he tried to handle it all himself, he’d probably set a record for the fastest work-induced stroke. Fortunately, thanks to the support of his talented secretarial team, he hadn’t shown any signs of a stroke yet, though the workload remained horrific.

Therefore, Christoph felt fortunate. Every weekend, Richard usually arrived on Friday night and left early Monday morning. And during that time, Christoph had to act as Richard’s bedmate and practice partner for bedroom skills, all because of his own thoughtless words in the past. Christoph constantly wished he could strangle his past self, the one who had said: “Whenever you want, as much as you like.”

For the same reason, Christoph felt lucky that Richard was so swamped with work that he could drown in it, so during the week, he could only drop by briefly before leaving again.

“Richard said he’s going to London next week, right? It seems there’s a rare book auction by Jan Byrne around that time……”

Christoph turned to look at the person who seemed glued to his laptop, intently searching for something. With a face as worried as the sky was about to fall, Kyle muttered: “I’ve asked a broker in London, but I wonder if it will work……” Lately, he had been browsing rare book auction websites more diligently than usual. It seemed he was anxious because of the sudden appearance of a strong competitor.

“Ugh…… I’m about to get Irritable Bowel Syndrome……”

Christoph simply watched Kyle’s gloomy back as he left the study, then glanced at the laptop screen Kyle had just been looking at. The screen displayed a series of images of old books.

“……That guy already has a monstrous workload, and now he’s digging into this stuff too. What’s he going to do?”

Christoph shook his head and murmured. A man who calculated every minute of his day must be struggling a lot to spare this much time. Even if he managed to get that book, he, a man who didn’t particularly like old books, would just silently watch Christoph’s radiant face upon receiving it, then smile gently.

Christoph picked up a random book from the table and fanned himself. His face flushed again. His heart pounded. He had thought he would get used to this man, but he didn’t know when that would happen.

But it would probably take a long time for him to get used to it.

That Richard Tarten, during their frequent encounters and interactions, Christoph realized had quite a few unexpected sides. For instance, and though if he told this to those who knew him, they’d ask what was so unexpected about it, Richard was very polite and decent. For example, even when he came every weekend, clinging to Christoph and tumbling around in bed.

Richard was unexpectedly serious about ‘practicing’. He was inherently diligent and eager to improve, but Christoph thought he would feel his pride wounded by needing to practice bedroom skills. However, Richard showed no such sign, seriously embracing Christoph.

The only problem was, it seemed he wasn’t very talented in that area. No matter how much he practiced, his skills didn’t seem to improve. In fact, Christoph even felt like his skills were getting worse.

Every time he made love with Richard, Christoph completely lost his mind. From the moment Richard’s hand touched his body, all of Christoph’s cells tensed up, a sensation that lasted until the very end. It didn’t subside; rather, as time went on, his nerves became even more taut, until finally he couldn’t bear it anymore, nearly fainting in tears. This happened frequently.

This was partly (no, 80-90%) Richard’s fault. During their lovemaking, when Richard’s hand or penis touched a certain spot on Christoph’s body, he would flinch abnormally. There were a few spots on his body that made him shudder, feeling like an electric current running down his spine. And Richard kept hitting those exact spots.

Christoph couldn’t say anything either, because Richard always carefully observed Christoph’s state, trying and asking: “Should I slow down? …… Is this okay? …… How about this?” So Christoph found it difficult to tell him to stop, especially after he himself had said he’d be his practice partner as much as he liked.

Meanwhile, Christoph’s body was becoming increasingly sensitive; he felt himself getting aroused much more easily than when he first started having relations with Richard. It seemed this wasn’t just Christoph’s feeling. Not long ago, while they were in the middle of things, Richard suddenly chuckled softly. Christoph looked back in surprise, and Richard kissed his ear and whispered:

“It seems we don’t need lubricant anymore. Look, you’re soaking wet even though we didn’t use any.”

Hearing those words made Christoph freeze. His neck flushed, his mind went blank. That sentence made him clearly realize that his body was changing, different from before.

Richard, holding Christoph in his arms, seemed to notice his confusion. He gave a wry smile and held Christoph, who was gradually turning pale, tightly.

“Christoph…… Chris. Listen to me. I’m greedy. So, I’m very happy to see you changing because of me. I’m also changing because of you. Isn’t this ‘practice’ we’re doing also for that reason?”

Christoph shuddered. His mind was still reeling from the shock, but Richard’s words gradually sunk in. Along with his husky voice calling Christoph’s name came a genuine happiness.

“You’re changing because of me, and I’m changing because of you.”

He said he was happy about that change.

Ah. So that’s it. Christoph’s stiff body gradually relaxed. The fact that his body was getting used to this act still shocked and confused him, but if Richard said so, he could accept it.

The fact that his body was becoming more sensitive. The fact that now just being caressed made his penis slightly harden without needing to be directly touched.

He decided to accept it…… But.

Christoph frowned.

If his body kept reacting so strongly, it seemed to be moving further and further away from a ‘peaceful and relaxed’ relationship. Would that be okay? Moreover, not just him, but Richard too, despite practicing so much, still hadn’t improved. He wondered if Richard was just inept.

But that didn’t mean Richard wasn’t trying. Christoph could clearly feel his gentleness throughout the process. No part of his body that touched Christoph was ever rough. Always gentle, persistent, and considerate. Even someone as inexperienced as Christoph had to think: ‘This is what they call being polite.’

So, even though he wasn’t lacking in effort, there didn’t seem to be any sign of their lovemaking becoming more comfortable. Every moment their bodies touched, Christoph felt like his muscles were being electrocuted, and his breathing became ragged.

He didn’t know when he’d be able to experience that relaxed, comfortable, and pleasurable feeling.

“…….”

But perhaps, while he was putting in so much effort, Richard himself wasn’t comfortable at all. No, that thought was growing stronger within Christoph.
Christoph suddenly frowned.

On weekends, after a long night of tumbling around, Christoph would usually pass out. Richard would quietly kiss him, then sigh and go into the bathroom. Not to shower. The faint sounds that emerged indicated he was taking care of his own needs.

“…….”

Christoph felt a vague unease he couldn’t quite articulate. He didn’t know what to call that slightly sinking feeling. Was it because it was practice, requiring effort, that it couldn’t be completely satisfying? ……Christoph even felt a little guilty.

Had he pushed Richard too hard, telling him not to make people faint but to make them comfortable?

Christoph sighed uncomfortably.

Just then, as he sat staring blankly at the laptop Kyle had left behind, the phone beside it started ringing. The screen blinked.

Most calls to Kyle’s private study were from people with close connections. Christoph looked towards the door for a moment, but Kyle still hadn’t returned. He wondered what to do, whether he should take a message, then pressed the answer button. And at the same time, the screen lit up, displaying the caller’s face. A familiar face. Though he didn’t want to see it at all……

[“Hm……? Where’s Kyle?”]

It seemed the other person had recognized Christoph. Christoph looked back at him with an unfriendly expression as he spoke without even a greeting.

“Bathroom. Where’s Taei?”

Riegrow smiled on the screen. A smile that didn’t look like a smile.

[“Why are you looking for Taei?”]

The person Christoph was looking for seemed to be near Riegrow. Christoph saw a man – from the chest up – perched behind Riegrow, drinking beer, and sauntering closer. He said: [“Huh? Me? Oh, Chris?”] over Riegrow’s shoulder on the screen.

“Yeah, Taei……”

[“Go watch the rest of the game. Oh, South Korea is about to concede a goal.”]

But just as Christoph was about to greet him, Riegrow pressed himself against the screen, obscuring the entire frame, and his voice rang out. The other man cried out: [“Ah, no!”] and ran away. Then, Riegrow leaned back and looked at Christoph as if nothing had happened. Christoph immediately faced him with a completely expressionless face.

“……I should shoot you.”

[“If Taei dies before me, then anytime after that is fine.”]

“…….”

Everything he said was still truly detestable.

Christoph leaned back in his chair, fed up, and said coldly: “What is it? If you have a message for Kyle, tell me.” Riegrow obediently replied, [“Alright, then.”]

[“Kyle asked me to look into someone. I’ve posted the personal information to his account––––can you access the web now?”]

“Yeah. Read the address.”

Christoph pulled the laptop closer and typed the address into the address bar as Riegrow dictated. As soon as it connected, a password window popped up. He entered the string of numbers Riegrow recited, and the webpage loaded. A whole page of investigative information on a specific individual was displayed.

[“Scroll down and you’ll see the photos. The first, third, fourth, seventh, and fifteenth are worth looking at. The rest, if you want, you can use as leverage.”]

Christoph jotted down notes as Riegrow spoke while scrolling down, but then he stopped and grimaced. A series of extremely private and depraved photos, the kind he didn’t want to see at all, appeared.

“What the hell is this?”

Just looking at them made him nauseous. Christoph frowned slightly, his face visibly paling. Riegrow sneered on the screen.

[“What’s with the overreaction? Wasn’t your OCD cured? Richard’s been coming to Berlin every three days lately, so aren’t you being ‘taken care of’ by him more thoroughly than these pictures?”]

“That guy doesn’t do this kind of stuff! Even if he did, it wouldn’t be this bizarre and ridiculous. He does it normally, properly, and politely!”

Riegrow raised an eyebrow at Christoph’s serious declaration: “I’m also different from the likes of you!” He stared intently at Christoph as if assessing whether he was lying, joking, or being serious.

[“That guy isn’t that kind of person……”]

Riegrow muttered suspiciously, but then his eyes narrowed in a smile.

[“I bet that pervert is holding back a lot.”]

Christoph frowned. He knew that Richard had once been known for dangerous tastes, but now he was an extremely polite and serious man. No, perhaps his past reputation had been greatly exaggerated. With those clumsy skills, what could he even do?

Come to think of it, Riegrow didn’t like Richard very much. Right before Richard inherited Tarten, Jeong Taeui had been put in danger because of him, so since then Riegrow had always looked for ways to mess with Richard.

……And who else besides Taeui could he possibly like? Even now, when Christoph had only intended to greet Taeui, he immediately cut in.

Christoph raised an eyebrow and glared at him with displeasure. Quickly noticing this, Riegrow returned Christoph’s gaze with an equally unfriendly look. He also considered Christoph, someone who held affection for Jeong Taeui, a thorn in his side……This guy really had enemies everywhere.

While Christoph was still glancing over Riegrow’s shoulder to see if he could spot Jeong Taeui, Riegrow, still looking at him, suddenly smirked.

[“If that guy isn’t holding back, then–––there must be something wrong with your body.”]

Christoph froze for a moment. He couldn’t think of a response immediately, only staring back at him.

Then suddenly, he remembered something that had happened not long ago.

After lovemaking, Richard had left Christoph lying unconscious with his eyes closed and gone into the bathroom. And from inside came the sounds of him relieving himself.

It certainly wasn’t the first time. Perhaps after every time they made love, every time Christoph fell asleep, he always went to the bathroom by himself to take care of his needs.

Because he wasn’t fully satisfied. ––––Because there was something wrong with Christoph’s body.

Christoph suddenly felt a heaviness in his chest, not just sadness but a surge of anger as well. He frowned slightly, glaring at the man.

“Even if Richard is still a bit clumsy in that area, he tries very hard, so you don’t need to worry needlessly.”

[“……That guy isn’t that kind of person……”]

Riegrow frowned very slightly. Christoph’s insistence: “That guy isn’t that kind of person”, as if the person he knew and the person Christoph knew were two different people, bothered him even more. That hateful guy seemed determined to be even more hateful.

He narrowed his eyes at Christoph, as if lost in thought for a moment, then said: [“Or maybe……”]

[“You can’t keep up with him? That guy has quite a large ‘thing.’ Normally, it would be painful and too tight to the point of discomfort if the ‘hole’ is too small. It’s even more difficult if you have to cater to the other person’s condition.”]

Christoph almost blurted out something like: ‘So that’s why you were famous for being inconsiderate in the past, just tearing people apart down there? How are you treating Taei now, huh?’ Those words rose to his throat, but ultimately he couldn’t utter them. At that moment, the image of Richard once again flashed in his mind, the scene of him going to the bathroom to take care of his own needs.

“…….”

If sometime in the past, though he couldn’t recall exactly when, Richard had muttered as if complaining: “You’re really tight……” At the time, Christoph had been the one exhausted, so he hadn’t paid much attention to such words.

Christoph fell silent, deflated. Then, suddenly realizing Riegrow’s probing gaze sweeping over his face, he quickly adjusted his expression.

The eyes observing Christoph narrowed.

[“Or maybe…… widen it?”]

His voice was so overly gentle that Christoph immediately felt suspicious. But he still couldn’t help but pay attention to those words. The next moment, Christoph’s eyes widened, and he coldly retorted: “Go widen your own.”

Riegrow smiled without a hint of annoyance. Those eyes narrowed again.

[“Or…… should I send you a toy to widen ‘it’? Not mine, but Taei’s. Let’s see, where is it……”]

Riegrow disappeared from the screen for a moment. It seemed he was bending down, opening some drawers and rummaging through something, the sounds of objects clinking together. From behind him, Jeong Taeui, seemingly having heard his name mentioned, blinked and looked over with a bewildered expression: [“Huh?”]

[“Ah, found it. Here it is. Alright, I’ll send it to your home address.”]

Riegrow reappeared on the screen, holding something that looked very suspicious in his hand. Its purpose was all too clear. It was a penis-shaped sex toy.

“No need––”

[“Taei uses this sometimes, seems pretty good. Very positive reaction.”]

Riegrow lightly shook the object, interrupting Christoph as he frowned and said he didn’t need it. Christoph tried to reiterate that he didn’t need it, but this time he only managed to get out a “No—” before being cut off.

[“YAAA!!! THAT’S YOURS, NOT MINE!!!”]

Ah. Taei’s familiar voice.

His angry voice made Riegrow calmly turn around.

[“It’s for your body.”]

[“To be precise! You’re the one who shoved it in there!!”]

And before he knew it, Riegrow had completely turned his back. Meanwhile, Christoph – the one actually on the call – could only sit and listen to the conversation coming from the phone. Although it was called a ‘conversation,’ in reality, it was just one angry voice.

In the meantime, the topic of conversation had shifted to something like: [“It’s all your fault that our team conceded a goal!”], and Christoph, not knowing when or how to interject, could only obediently listen as the two continued to bicker until finally Kyle returned.

“Oh, is there a call? Who is it? …… Huh, what are these pictures?”

Kyle walked in looking completely relaxed, then startled when he saw the bizarre photos still displayed on the laptop screen. But upon recognizing his brother on the phone, he seemed to understand the situation.

Christoph felt a bit annoyed that the argument with Riegrow had ended so abruptly, but since the actual recipient of the call had returned, he quietly yielded his place. Shortly after, Riegrow returned to the phone, and upon seeing Kyle, began discussing business without acknowledging Christoph. Christoph glared at Riegrow on the screen, a knot of frustration in his stomach, then turned away.

He felt very uncomfortable. Extremely uncomfortable. The words “Or maybe you can’t keep up with him?”, “Painful and uncomfortable” echoed in his mind, making Christoph even more gloomy.