Riegrow glanced at his watch just as Jeong Changin uncorked the bottle of wine.

Although the task Riegrow was handling this time – a matter involving the Asian branch of UNHRDO and Horgan – was a separate responsibility with no direct connection to Kyle, he had still come to Jeong Changin’s room to discuss certain issues regarding military supplies currently under negotiation between them.

Since most of the conditions had already been settled in advance, only a few minor details required final review, allowing the work to conclude swiftly.

Upon hearing that Kyle had recently acquired the ancient book Jeong Changin had been searching for, he had opened a bottle of Scotch with the intention of discussing it leisurely. Yet, Riegrow checked his watch, then stood up and said: “I suppose I’ll have to go now” prompting Jeong Changin to glance regretfully at the untouched Scotch.

“Why the rush? Is something pressing?”

But Jeong Changin knew well that Riegrow was here only as an ordinary visitor, not in his official capacity, so at this hour, there wasn’t any special work awaiting him. Even if it involved Horgan, tonight was not a night for any risky maneuvers, meaning there was no real reason for Riegrow to be in a hurry. Besides, it was still a bit early for the man to retire for the night.

Glancing at the watch with midnight still some time away, Jeong Changin asked, and Riegrow shook his head slightly.

“No. It’s just that perhaps your nephew will be coming to find me soon.”

“Taeui? You’re meeting tonight? At what time?”

If Riegrow had plans to meet Taeui, it seemed lingering over drinks was out of the question.

Jeong Changin gently set his glass down.

“It’s not strictly a meeting tonight, so we didn’t set a specific time, but he usually comes around this hour.”

Riegrow glanced at his watch thoughtfully and added that by now, Horgan was probably just finishing up and heading for a shower, which made Jeong Changin chuckle softly.

“Does he come by every night? Seems like the two of you get along well—that’s good to hear. But if Taeui can only drop by when Horgan’s done for the day, then――”

Jeong Changin began pouring the Scotch into both glasses, including the one he had just set down.

“Since we’ve already opened it, let’s finish the bottle. This one’s quite good. Today, Horgan’s been caught up with additional tasks beyond his usual duties, so Taeui won’t have much free time either. He probably won’t be here anytime soon.”

Beside him, as Jeong Changin filled his glass halfway and added a few ice cubes, Ilay raised an eyebrow, appearing to weigh his options. He wasn’t one to shy away from Scotch, and if Taeui wasn’t coming, there was no rush to return to his room. On the other hand, sitting here indefinitely wasn’t exactly what he wanted either, especially if there was a chance Taeui might already be waiting back at his room—that was his hesitation at the moment.

Should he just call and confirm the timing to settle things? At that thought, Jeong Changin gestured toward the phone on the table with a slight nod, and Riegrow agreed, thinking it was probably best to check right away.

He pressed a few buttons for the intercom, and before long, the other end picked up. Riegrow’s voice came through.

“When are you coming?”

「”…….Ilay? What’s with the sudden hurry?”」

“I’m in Instructor Jeong Changin’s room. Just wanted to know when you’ll be coming.”

「”Uncle’s room? …….Are you asking me to come there?”」

“That wasn’t my intention, but if you’d like, you’re welcome to. We could meet here, though I don’t think it’s something you’d enjoy.”

「”…….Uh. No, I’m not particularly interested in that.”」

“Instructor Jeong Changin, your nephew says he has no desire to meet you at all.”

「”YAA! WHY ARE YOU TWISTING MY WORDS LIKE THAT! THAT’S NOT TRUE!!”」

As Riegrow was on the phone, he suddenly turned to say something to Jeong Changin, which made his nephew on the other end nearly jump out of his skin. From the receiver came Taeui’s high-pitched voice, urgently telling Ilay to set the record straight and stop twisting his words. Hearing that almost childlike outburst, Jeong Changin couldn’t help but chuckle. Although he wasn’t one to believe every story he heard at face value – and Taeui knew that well – Taeui still reacted so strongly, seemingly caught off guard in the moment. Soon, though, Taeui seemed to remember his uncle’s playful nature, calming down and adjusting his tone to sound more composed.

「”Anyway……. I’m swamped with work tonight, so I’ll probably be late. It might be really late, so don’t wait around—just go to sleep.”」

“I can wait as long as it takes for your alarm to go off.”

「”…….Alright, number 18. I’ll come, I’ll come. I’ll try to be there before midnight. But definitely not before eleven…….”」

“Alright, so somewhere between eleven-thirty and midnight, then.”

「”Understood. See you later, number 18.”」

Taeui grumbled: “Don’t forget to send my regards to my uncle”, before the call ended.

Suddenly hearing a faint, almost whispered laugh like a breeze slipping past, Jeong Changin looked away from his glass, those eyes widening in surprise.

Riegrow had just set down the receiver and was smiling—a silent yet unmistakably genuine smile, one that radiated contentment so deeply that even his eyes narrowed with joy.

Jeong Changin had seen this man laugh many times, even break into a bright smile, but this was the first time he had witnessed Riegrow’s eyes light up with such vivid happiness. Right now, Riegrow was smiling softly, exhaling with a sense of fulfillment and quiet joy.

Jeong Changin shrugged, sliding the ice tray back into place.

Even now, he found it all somewhat surreal, yet he was glad things seemed to be going well. After all, if things hadn’t worked out, they wouldn’t have been able to live together for so many years. Each time he visited Berlin to see his nephew, he still felt a slight strangeness, though he’d grown accustomed to it.

He had always thought it odd. He’d never expected his nephew and this man to get along so well. In the past, and still now, there seemed to be almost no similarity in their personalities. If he had to find a commonality, it would perhaps be their shared ability to treat outwardly serious issues as mere routine matters. Yet even in this, there was a marked difference: Riegrow genuinely viewed such things as inconsequential; while his nephew, though aware of the gravity, still faced them with an unburdened spirit, making every effort with a calm resolve.

The two of them truly were different by nature.

“How strange.”

Jeong Changin couldn’t help but voice his thoughts aloud.

Riegrow glanced at him as he saw Jeong Changin pick up his glass of Scotch and move toward the table.

“Of course, I care about Taeui, and I understand that he easily endears himself to others. But I never thought the two of you would get along this well.”

Jeong Changin set a glass down in front of Riegrow, then took the seat across from him, gazing directly at the man who had shared a life with his nephew for several years.

“Is that so?” – Riegrow replied in an indifferent tone, taking a light sip of the Scotch. Watching him, Jeong Changin faintly felt he was beginning to understand why the two had managed to live together for so long.

“Even though you live together, being out like this means you don’t have to see each other every day. Ever feel regret about not sharing a room, Rick?”

Jeong Changin teased lightly, and Riegrow half-jokingly replied that: “Oh, terribly”, with a relaxed smile.

“But since I care about you both, I arranged for your rooms to be close together, didn’t I? Room 6 and Room 8—just a step apart…….”

Instead of finishing his thought, Changin suddenly fell silent, swirling his glass. The sound of ice clinking filled the pause as he seemed to realize something. “Ah, so that’s it,” he muttered in a low voice.

“So, the ‘number 18’ Taeui mentioned—is that a room number?”

“Seems like you overheard the whole conversation.”

“I thought it might be some special nickname you two used.”

“He’s called me that a few times. Though rarely. ‘Sip-pal,’ you know.”

(*Number 18 = “Sip-pal” in Korean, sounds like “Ssi-bal”, a slang term roughly meaning “bastard.”)

“…….”

Hearing Riegrow say that with his calm smile, Jeong Changin fell silent for a moment, as if envisioning the entire thought process of his beloved nephew in his mind.

“So that’s why……. he calls it number 18, huh?”

He chuckled awkwardly, murmuring to himself. It was so like Taeui—his subtle reserved form of rebellion. ‘Number 18’ was probably something he’d tried out a few times, quietly amused by it, knowing full well the insult was meaningless to someone who didn’t understand it. Such an endearing kid.

“Instructor Jeong, do you understand what ‘number 18’ actually means?”

Just then, Riegrow spoke up, still wearing that relaxed smile, gently swirling the Scotch in his glass. His tone was almost as if he were speaking to himself, not truly expecting a response from Jeong Changin.

Not truly expecting a reply, but after a brief silence, Jeong Changin responded: “Well, a room number, perhaps?” Though revealing the truth might have been amusing, the protective affection of an uncle took precedence.

However, as Riegrow let out a soft chuckle, Jeong Changin muttered: “Aha…….”, to himself, sensing that things might be veering slightly off track. It wasn’t entirely clear, but he could tell the situation was unfolding in a way his nephew likely hadn’t intended.

This nickname……. could it be…….

“Taeui’s Korean pronunciation is excellent…….” – Riegrow said slowly – “…….and beyond that, he doesn’t speak quickly. His voice is low and gentle, making it quite easy to understand.”

Hearing Riegrow’s slow murmur, this time Jeong Changin could only manage a wry smile.

Whether a gentle tone actually made one’s words any easier to understand was debatable, but the real concern here was Taeui—oh, my poor nephew, what will you do now? It seems Riegrow has had the upper hand all along…….

“So, Rick, when did you learn Korean?” – Jeong Changin asked, striving to keep his tone steady.

“Just enough to catch what Taei says and understand its meaning.”

Jeong Changin fell silent, taking a sip of his Scotch. The rich taste hit his senses, momentarily numbing his mind, letting his other thoughts drift away. As the flavor faded, his first returning thought was:

‘My poor nephew.’

“Usually, he’s pretty easy to read, since whatever Taeui’s thinking is usually written all over his face.”

“Usually?” – Riegrow prompted.

“Yes. Sometimes, when he makes an effort to hide it, he’s harder to read. And if he’s thinking through something serious, you can tell what he’s pondering, but there’s no way of knowing where his conclusions might lead. Sometimes, he’ll come to conclusions so unexpected they practically shock my brain, keeping me on my toes……. but most of the time, he’s easy to figure out. Like that ‘number 18’ business, for example.”

Jeong Changin chuckled wryly. Right – “number 18” – he muttered, almost sympathizing. He couldn’t really blame his nephew for desperately wanting to hurl that word in this man’s face.

But it was truly surprising.

Even though Jeong Changin knew Riegrow wasn’t the type to fly into a rage over a curse, he hadn’t expected him to take it so calmly. He’d assumed Riegrow would subtly hint at understanding the word’s meaning and deflect the insult in his own clever way.

“A voice so soft and pleasant that even hearing ‘Sip-pal’ sounds nice, huh?” – Jeong Changin joked, smiling.

Riegrow chuckled softly: “Thinking about it, it’s really not that bad.”

“What’s there to think about? Isn’t it just a curse word?”

“Not exactly profound, it’s just……. if it’s something he wishes for, I’m willing to do almost anything for him. Except for things that would bring me suffering” – Riegrow spoke in a low voice.

“Things that would bring you suffering?” – Jeong Changin asked, partly out of surprise. He’d always thought of Riegrow as someone unbothered by pain, whether his own or others.

“Why not?” – Riegrow replied, then slowly raised his fingers, counting one by one. 

“Self-denial, avoidance, fleeing, separation……. or, in some momentary error or lapse, if for some reason I were forced to kill him with my own hands――”

Yet, as he murmured each word to himself, ticking off each finger, he suddenly paused, as if something had just surfaced in his mind. Perhaps he was recalling a distant memory—a vague memory like a dream, yet sharp like an ax blade cutting deep into his heart.

The smile vanished from Riegrow’s face.

An eerie terrifying seriousness took its place.

It was unexpected—his face, usually so devoid of emotion, now exuded a chilling aura. It became clear that with that expression, whatever this man might choose to do would make complete sense. Whether it was to harm others or to destroy himself.

‘――Ah, so that is pain.’

The thought flickered briefly through Jeong Changin’s mind.

But in just a fleeting moment, Riegrow had recovered, a faint smile returning as he settled back into his usual relaxed demeanor. With a casual sentence: “Anyway”, he loosened his fingers.

“He’s likely sacrificed more than a little because of me, so I’d like to do whatever I can to fulfill whatever it is he wishes for.”

With those words came a wistful sigh: “He’s not a greedy person, so that makes it all the more challenging”, as if genuinely disappointed that Taeui wasn’t someone with many desires. The way Riegrow spoke made Jeong Changin chuckle.

It felt as though he’d been hearing nothing but impractical sentiments all this time, yet Jeong Changin knew they were entirely true—and more importantly, they were coming straight from Riegrow himself.

“Alright, so? Are you willing to let a little harmless insult slide?”

“Oh? Well……. not exactly. Rather, I want to indulge Taei’s wishes. While I can’t right now due to a certain promise, once this training period is over, I think I’ll fulfill what he’s been wanting” Riegrow replied.

“What?”

“‘Ssip.’”

Jeong Changin blinked, momentarily taken aback.

He had just heard Riegrow pronounce “Ssip” with uncanny precision.

Then, as if echoing from afar, Riegrow’s earlier murmured question resurfaced in his mind:

“――Instructor Jeong, do you understand the meaning of ‘number 18’?”

Of course, he did. He was well aware of the origin of that word.

“If he calls me ‘Sippal’ so often, then I think I should at least respond properly, just once. After the training, when I don’t have to worry about health repercussions, I’ll dedicate an entire day to fulfilling what he’s been wishing for—a precise and genuine ‘Ssip.’”

(*For context……. ‘Ssip’ (씹) on its own roughly means ‘fuck’ in Korean.)

“…………..”

Before he could decide if, as an uncle, he should even tolerate such blunt remarks about his nephew, Jeong Changin found himself more intrigued by Riegrow’s proficiency in Korean. He began to wonder if, perhaps, Riegrow understood the roots of these Korean curses better than the average native speaker.

“Personally, I’d like to take my nephew’s side, but……. sadly, I can’t” – Jeong Changin muttered, shaking his head.

Riegrow scoffed, as though he’d just heard something absurd: “That’s both a wise choice and a foolish worry.”

Dismissing the thought with his curt response, he raised his Scotch, taking a sip as the ice clinked sharply against the glass, filling the silence for a brief moment.

“Don’t treat the kid so casually…….” – Jeong Changin advised, trying to add a touch of uncle-like warmth – “After all, he does have a certain subtlety in his own way.”

Riegrow scoffed again: “Subtle? Sometimes I think I’m more subtle than he is.”

“…….An unexpected revelation” – Jeong Changin replied dryly.

“And fundamentally, you’re mistaken, Instructor Jeong.”

Riegrow set his empty glass down. As Jeong Changin poured him another half glass of Scotch, Riegrow smiled—a hint of the drink’s warmth lingering in his expression.

“Treat Taei casually? ――Not at all. Leaving aside other factors, even on a purely personal level, he’s one of the most challenging people I’ve ever had to deal with.”

‘On this point, I agree.’

Jeong Changin nodded slightly, inwardly amused in his silent agreement.

If Riegrow were truly serious, removing Taeui wouldn’t be difficult for him. Just as easily as Jeong Changin could rely on Taeui’s support.

However, his nephew, Jeong Taeui – despite his adaptable nature and the ease with which he adjusted to everything around him – always held firm to his core values deep within. This very quality often made him an unyielding opponent, someone nearly impossible to sway.

And if he were to hear this, Taeui would surely grumble: ‘I’m a rule-abiding person! How can you slander me like that?’

Jeong Changin chuckled softly, picturing his nephew’s grumpy face. Perhaps Riegrow was imagining something similar, as he also let out a slight laugh at the same moment.

“Anyway, Instructor Jeong” – Riegrow spoke up.

He took the glass Jeong Changin had refilled with ice and murmured a brief “Thanks”.

“You don’t need to worry about your nephew. I’m genuinely doing my best. In fact, you could say I’ve never tried so desperately in my life.”

“Thank you for that. Hearing those words puts my mind at ease.”

At Jeong Changin’s slightly exaggerated response, Riegrow smiled with a squint, as if to say: ‘I’m being sincere’, even though he didn’t say it out loud.

‘Yes, there’s really nothing to worry about.’

Jeong Changin truly wasn’t too concerned. He had complete faith in his nephew. He was certain that his dear nephew would know how to face whatever life had in store for him with wisdom.

As they neared the bottom of the Scotch bottle, the door to Jeong Changin’s room suddenly swung open. Though they’d heard footsteps approaching from down the hallway, Jeong Changin still feigned surprise at the unexpected guest’s arrival.

“Oh, Taeui? What brings you here at this hour?”

It wasn’t even eleven yet, and Taeui should still be busy wrapping up tasks for Horgan, with no reason to be here.

But upon seeing Riegrow and Jeong Changin seated across from each other, sharing a drink, Taeui seemed to have anticipated this scene. He slipped off his shoes and stepped inside.

“Finished up earlier than expected. Seeing the two of you like this, I bet there’s some fine liquor involved. Pour me a glass, Uncle.”

Taeui approached the Scotch bottle on the table and took a seat across from them. He paused, noticing Riegrow’s quiet watchful gaze and faint smile, a look that made Taeui briefly wary. Then, with a firm tone, he muttered,

“I’m here now. Just so you know, I’ll have one glass and then head back to my room. I only came for the drink, got it? Just the drink. Understand what I’m saying, ‘number 18’?”

“…….Of course” – Riegrow replied with a slight smile, raising his glass in acknowledgment.

Jeong Changin was in the middle of pouring a fresh glass with ice, had paused briefly, and then continued pouring in silence. Watching Taeui happily accept the glass with a playful: “Well, isn’t this a fancy drink, hehehe”, Jeong Changin sank into unspoken reflections.

‘Is there really no need to worry?’

His nephew took a sip, his eyes shining brightly as he smiled. Then, Taeui nudged Riegrow’s ankle and teased: “Already tipsy, ‘number 18’? How much did you have to drink to be smiling like that? Something funny, ‘number 18’?”

Watching the scene unfold, Jeong Changin couldn’t help but question whether he truly could rest easy about his nephew.

However, his concern didn’t linger long.

There are some worries in life best left to rest, unsolved. And as he looked at Riegrow. That man that was watching his nephew with unmistakable amusement, those eyes brimming with a gentle fondness even as Taeui nudged his ankle, Jeong Changin realized there was no need to worry.

He allowed himself a small smile.

Then, as if to toast himself and no one else, he quietly raised his glass and took a final sip of Scotch, now nearly diluted by the melted ice.

[End Special Track Vol 1]