Taeui shrugged slightly and pretended to be deep in thought. But he didn’t need to think much, as he already knew the answer. He had once wondered when exactly he started sinking deeply into this quagmire.

It was in Seringe. At that time, he had thought that he needed to ‘return’ to this man.

“……Definitely not here.”

However, saying this in front of the other person made him feel awkward, so he muttered vaguely. Ilay stared curiously at Taeui, but fortunately, he didn’t seem intent on digging further.

For some reason, Taeui felt uneasy under that gaze, so he turned his head away. The room had a layout similar to his uncle’s. It was a private room, not one shared with any assistant instructor.

“By the way, who’s your assistant instructor?”

“I don’t have one.”

“No assistant instructor? How come?”

“Because I didn’t come here as an instructor. I’m here as a regular member.”

“…So… you’re participating in the training too?”

Ilay shrugged lightly, as if to say: ‘Why not?’. Taeui stared at him wide-eyed, unable to blink.

――Who in their right mind would allow such a dangerous person to join the training when he could simply stay as an instructor and stand aside? ……Well, Taeui had a feeling he already knew who.

“Your uncle said it would be better if I came as an instructor, but it seems there’s more freedom in action as a regular member.”

“……I see……. But why are you on this floor?”

“They said it’s a courtesy for someone who once held the position of instructor.”

Ilay gave a modest smile and said: “I haven’t done much, but they still treat me well”. Taeui mumbled in response: “Yeah, right”. This man should be charged for significantly contributing to the branch’s increase in personal safety insurance premiums, but the branch was far too kind.

“So, have you greeted Horgan yet? What do you think?”

“Huh? Oh—just normal. It seems like he doesn’t like me much.”

Taeui spoke according to his true feelings. But in reality, he hadn’t come here for anything good, so there was no one for him to win over anyway.

Ilay stared intently at Taeui, then smirked slightly.

“He probably knows his own situation well. Maybe he has to be careful in everything because he has more enemies than allies. Well, it’s precisely because of those enemies that people hire me to take him down.”

“How did he live to the point of creating so many enemies? A person who dares to get involved in dangerous things. If you want to live peacefully, you shouldn’t have any enemies in the first place.”

Taeui suddenly shut his mouth and stared at Ilay.

Speaking of someone with many enemies, the man in front of him was no different……. But he lived very freely, without any fear of danger. Well, that’s understandable, given how many people had tried to exact revenge on him, only to fail miserably.

“This world isn’t that fair…….”

Ilay squinted at Taeui as if he had read his mind when Taeui let out a heavy sigh.

“That’s right, now that I think about it, it seems like you have an enemy too. Not exactly an enemy, but more like a deep grudge.”

“Huh? … Oh, right.”

Taeui instantly knew who Ilay was referring to, and his face darkened.

“Why bring him up out of the blue to ruin the mood?”

“No reason. It’s just refreshing. You rarely look like that. That man was ‘Lieutenant Kim,’ right?”

Taeui muttered in annoyance – “Um.” – while Ilay chuckled softly beside him. That laugh irritated him.

“What’s so amusing? You seemed pretty entertained just now.”

“Oh, yeah. It was entertaining. Seeing someone get so worked up, confronting another person like that—it’s rare. What, you don’t like that I just stood by and watched? Or did you want me to jump in and help?”

“Stop joking.”

Taeui cut him off immediately. Although Ilay’s idle watching and laughing had annoyed him, he definitely didn’t want Ilay to step in. No, never.

From the very beginning, this wasn’t something an outsider like Ilay should get involved in, especially not someone like him – who couldn’t distinguish between fighting and killing – even more so shouldn’t. No matter how much Taeui hated Lieutenant Kim, he didn’t want to see him die a horrible death. If anyone had to kill him, it had to be by Taeui’s own hands.

“Don’t interfere, no matter what. Otherwise, I will really get angry.”

Ilay smiled gently, as if he had already anticipated that Taeui would refuse without a second thought, and replied: “Alright, alright. Whatever you say.”

“But since you’ve already met, go ahead and fight. It’ll be fun.”

“……I told you not to interfere, but have you ever heard of adding fuel to the fire…?”

As Taeui mumbled with narrowed eyes, Ilay chuckled softly. Then suddenly, Ilay reached out and touched Taeui’s ear, gently pulling him closer. Taeui let out a soft “Oh” as he was drawn in by the force of those strong yet pale hands.

Ilay lightly bit Taeui’s lower lip – not hard enough to draw blood, but enough to cause some pain – then let his tongue brush against Taeui’s closed lips. Taeui muttered: “That hurts”, but obediently parted his lips.

How long had it been? Probably about ten days.

Whether it was after a day or ten, the tension of feeling like he was about to be devoured never changed. But because Ilay was such an unpredictable person, every time they met after a period of time, Taeui could only clearly feel his presence once they were intimately close like this.

Perhaps Ilay thought the same sometimes. Occasionally, he wouldn’t let go of Taeui’s lips, as if he wanted to devour them entirely, and only when Taeui was on the verge of suffocation would he finally release him, muttering: “Confirmation complete.”

Thinking about it, Taeui couldn’t help but smile inwardly. Even at such close proximity, he could sense Ilay’s surprise as his eyebrows slightly lifted.

“Oh, right. Don’t show this in front of him.”

Ilay, who had been licking Taeui’s now wet lips, paused and tilted his head slightly, asking,

“Huh?”

“Lieutenant Kim. Don’t reveal our relationship in front of him.”

“……”

At last, Ilay’s lips pulled away from Taeui’s. Taeui looked up and met Ilay’s gentle gaze quietly falling from above.

“Why? Are you embarrassed to openly show your foreign gay lover?”

“…How much Korean do you actually understand? Make yourself clear!”

Ilay’s dark eyes narrowed, refusing to answer. His gaze seemed to say: ‘Why should I tell you? There are so many interesting things’, which made Taeui click his tongue in annoyance.

“That guy is a homophobe. You’ve heard him, he throws in the word ‘f****** homo’ in every sentence.”

“Ah ha, so that’s why you want to hide this?”

“It’s not that! I just don’t want him calling you that too!”

Just thinking about it made Taeui’s whole body tense up in discomfort, and he frowned. Whether that guy had the guts to face a living killer or get beaten up was his own business. But Taeui didn’t want to see Ilay have to endure being called a ‘faggot’ by that hateful person, even if it was only through words.

Ilay looked down at Taeui, who was fuming, and gently raised his hand, pressing his finger lightly on Taeui’s forehead to smooth out the wrinkle between his brows.

“I don’t care.”

Of course, he didn’t care. He had probably heard far worse insults, and every time he did, he could snap the neck of whoever said it with a flick of his finger, without blinking. But…

“I don’t like it.”

“Hmm” – Ilay murmured softly, sounding puzzled. He stared deeply down at Taeui, then suddenly a faint smile spread across his lips. For some reason, Ilay’s mood seemed to improve, and the smile reached the corners of his eyes.

“Alright, Tae-i. Don’t be like that. If you say so, I can’t refuse…… But.”

The hand pressing lightly on Taeui’s forehead suddenly slowed. It moved gently, as if stroking him, gradually shifting from his forehead to his cheek and then to his neck.

…Wait. This doesn’t feel right.

Taeui cast a suspicious glance at the pale hand now caressing his neck and shoulder, but before he could raise his head, Ilay had already bent down, biting lightly into the back of his neck, leaving a mark. Taeui couldn’t suppress a soft moan, and Ilay’s lips brushed against his ear as he whispered.

“Just in front of him, okay? Because while we’re here, I have no intention of holding back at all……. Look, even now.”

Ilay stroked down Taeui’s arm, then firmly grasped his hand and guided it toward his crotch. Even just grazing the fabric of his pants, Taeui could clearly feel the hardness, and though it was Taeui’s hand, the one truly controlling it was Ilay. Taeui could only stare at the beer can in his other hand.

You’re such a fool. All for a can of beer, you’re selling away your peace of mind.

There was nothing new about Ilay’s lower half being as wild as a beast – it was like that before, and it still is now. But timing and location were always important. And right now, though the location wasn’t an issue, the timing was definitely all wrong.

“Starting tomorrow, I have to join the training, Ilay.”

“That’s right. Let’s have fun for the next fifteen days.”

He’s playing around, but I’m not!

Taeui clenched his hand tightly, gripping the hard length that was now firmly in his grasp. If he were to squeeze this thing hard right now——,…… He knew for sure he’d be the one to suffer. At least Taeui had learned that much.

“I’ve said this again and again, Ilay Riegrow. Your thing—it’s not small.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Compliment? What the hell are you talking about, you bastard!!

Taeui suppressed the urge to yank at the damn thing but managed to restrain himself, letting out a long sigh instead.

“I’ve only been able to put up with you because I’ve lived with you for years. No one else could possibly handle you!”

“Exactly, which is why it’s only for you. All of it, just for you.”

Taeui thought to himself, If he wanted, just three smooth words from him would be enough to make me suffocate.

This wasn’t working. Instead of trying to reason with him, maybe Taeui should appeal to his emotions.

“Ya……. it’s really too much for me……. No matter how I feel, after every time we sleep together, I can barely survive the day after. Do you really want to see me collapse in the middle of training?”

“…….You’re really making me think, Tae-i.”

Ilay looked down at Taeui, sighed, and murmured: “Hmph”. But it didn’t seem like he was thinking much as he unzipped his pants, guiding Taeui’s hand inside, as if regretting the previous teasing through the fabric.

As Ilay whispered in his ear, Taeui froze, still feeling the warmth of the hardness in his hand.

“You have to take responsibility, Tae-i.”

“What responsibility?”

“Because it won’t be satisfied unless it’s inside your body. I always feel like things are unfinished.”

The soft voice and the light lick along his earlobe created a dangerously alluring sensation.

“What――”

“Even when I have to go away for long periods of time and masturbate while listening to your voice, sometimes five or six times, it only temporarily soothes a small part of it. I never feel fully satisfied. Let me explain it simply – it’s like after sweating and showering, instead of drinking cold beer, you have to drink warm water. You get it, right?”

Ugh, that feeling must be incredibly unpleasant.

Taeui understood this example immediately. But even so, there was one thing he still couldn’t accept:

“But why is that my responsibility?”

“Because it’s you who made me this way. Who’s the one that clenches so tightly around me, driving me crazy every time? Who’s the one that sucks me in and swallows me whole to the point where I can’t keep my sanity?”

“HEY, THAT――!! …―!!!”

Taeui tried to shout, but his breath caught, and he could only open his mouth without any words coming out. Just a little more, and he would definitely be out of breath. Ilay looked down at Taeui, who was red-faced and mumbling incoherently, and smirked. He had clearly predicted this reaction. For some reason, Taeui felt like Ilay was becoming more and more cunning.

“I’m not blaming everything on you, but the fact that you made me like this is undeniable.”

No, it’s not. I had no part in shaping your twisted personality! Your body is your own problem.

Taeui shot a resentful glance at Ilay, who smiled as he kissed him, then sighed. In hindsight, Taeui had never gotten what he wanted from Ilay without having to give something up. Especially in situations like this.

“…….Alright, let’s compromise. How about just your mouth? Only until the training ends.”

As Taeui pressed a finger between their lips and muttered, Ilay seemed a little dissatisfied but obediently pulled his face away.

“Mouth, huh…… It may not be as tight and scorching as between your legs, but it’s warm and comfortable, and I feel at ease being inside it.”

“No need. I didn’t ask for your evaluation…….”

Hearing this rather unflattering compliment, Taeui suddenly felt a bit down and mumbled. Ilay chuckled softly, then placed a gentle kiss on the fingertip still pressed between their lips.

“Alright. I know the UNHRDO training isn’t easy, so I’ll concede. Let’s settle on the mouth.”

“Oh, really――.”

“But it has to be morning and night. Until I’m satisfied.”

“……”

“And you can’t spit it out. You have to swallow. I’ll overlook a drop or two spilling.”

“YAAA!!”

Taeui shouted instinctively.

“I can accept the original terms, but why must you insist I drink it!”

At this point, he wasn’t trying to say he found it disgusting or dirty anymore. It had been years since their physical relationship began. If they counted, what Taeui had swallowed from Ilay could probably fill a barrel, and the same went for what Ilay had swallowed from him.

But why impose such strange conditions? Couldn’t it depend on the mood whether to spit or swallow?

“I want to pour all my semen into you. If possible, I’d still prefer to do it down below.”

“…―.”

Taeui was completely speechless, unable to respond to Ilay’s calm expression. So that was the reason he never used condoms…… Taeui had assumed it was because there wasn’t a size that fit him.

“Sometimes, when I have to be away and can only handle things myself, I’ve thought about saving it all and bringing it back for you to drink.”

“…….You pervert…….”

Taeui could only mutter a tired and weak insult. But even hearing that, Ilay just chuckled softly. Taeui seemed to understand his situation all too well, so he didn’t say anything more about the unfairness.

Ilay gently but firmly lifted Taeui’s face with both hands. Then, he spoke slowly and clearly, as if wanting Taeui to listen carefully.

“This is all because of you.”

“Yeah, right, it’s all my fault…”

“No, not exactly. The fact that I made your body like this is your responsibility. But you are becoming this way, that’s entirely because of me.”

Ilay said this with a calm smile, but his tone wasn’t joking. Taeui heard it and wasn’t sure how to respond.

But thinking about it, that was true. Ilay held a significant responsibility for how Taeui had become. Without Ilay, Taeui would have never gotten used to something so large that his hand couldn’t even fully grasp it. He wouldn’t have known where his sensitive spots were, nor would he have come to enjoy the feeling of being stuffed full by that thing.

If the reverse were true, it wouldn’t be surprising either.

Taeui sighed. Damn it.

“Alright. Fine, number 18.”

As Taeui mumbled with a sigh, Ilay smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits. When Taeui frowned and asked why he was smiling, Ilay just shook his head and said it was nothing.

“Well then, let’s start tonight. ――Come on, Tae-i.”

Ilay pulled his length out from the opened zipper. The thing Taeui had just held earlier was now much larger, standing erect and looking even rougher than before.

Taeui stared at the object he could never fully get used to, feeling a little weary. He drained the rest of the beer in his hand in one gulp. Swallowing the last drop, he set the can down and knelt on the floor.

“…―.”

Immediately after, a familiar taste, not unlike the beer he had just consumed, began to fill his mouth.