It seemed like summer should have been retreating by now, yet the weather remained uncomfortably hot. Even though it was the afternoon and the sun was blazing, walking through the dense forest still left sweat trickling down the forehead and the tip of the nose. Perhaps it was because this forest was near the coast, with small pools of water scattered around, making the air feel more humid.

Thinking about it, this place was at a much lower latitude compared to the areas Taeui had lived in before. He figured this region was probably in the subtropical zone. As he wiped the bead of sweat rolling down from the tip of his nose to his lips with a finger, a rough elbow suddenly jabbed into his side.

“Hey, that’s your colleague, right?”

“Huh……. Are you trying to talk to me or just finding an excuse to jab me in the side?”

Just a few minutes ago, Alta had been several steps away, but now he was right next to Taeui. Taeui grumbled, glancing sideways at Alta standing so close. However, Alta didn’t care; he continued to prod Taeui with his elbow, repeating his question.

“Hey, hey, but that’s your colleague, right?”

“So what!”

“No, it’s just that he stands out……. Oh look, there’s so much space around him.”

At the spot where Alta’s gaze lingered, muttering as if in admiration, there were two men walking about 10-20 meters away from them. One was a very tall German man, easily recognizable as Rick just from the back of his neck. The other was Taeui’s colleague, and it was just as easy to identify him from behind.

“Your colleague is pretty gutsy, huh? Walking side by side with Rick. Actually, I knew he was a daredevil ever since he arrived at this branch and started that big fight, haha.”

“Gutsy? He’s just an idiot who doesn’t know how to read the room.”

Currently, almost no one dared to come within a 5-meter radius of them, except for a few newcomers or outsiders who didn’t understand the situation. But Jeongpil, that idiot, didn’t seem to notice at all as he casually walked with an innocent expression, occasionally chatting with Ilay.

“But for Rick to let him walk beside him, he must be used to seeing him around by now.”

“I bet Rick doesn’t even care. It’s probably like not bothering to notice a fly buzzing around.”

Before he even realized it, Carlo had appeared out of nowhere, squeezing in between Alta and Taeui. Taeui clicked his tongue in annoyance, scratching the back of his neck.

“Or maybe those two just enjoy badmouthing me so much that they’ve gotten closer, who knows.”

“Ah――they say the quickest way for two strangers to bond is to have a common complaint.”

While the two chuckled over their shared grievances, Taeui stepped on each of their feet, one by one. With a groan of “Ugh” he pretended not to notice as the two stumbled and nearly tripped in front of him.

“Hey, hey, what’s this all about over a little joke? Are you in a bad mood today?”

“In this kind of weather, who could possibly be in a good mood while marching around, drenched in sweat like this?”

“Yeah, that’s true.”

The two of them continued chuckling, seemingly enjoying themselves. Taeui let out a sigh, “Haizz…….” and turned his gaze back forward.

But why was he like that?

Someone as cold and indifferent as Ilay Leigrow wasn’t easily swayed by his emotions, yet today, he didn’t seem upset merely because of the harsh weather or the demanding work. Outwardly, he appeared the same as always, but something felt off. Taeui frowned and tilted his head.

It seemed like that mood had lingered since last night.

…….So, was it because of him that Ilay’s mood was off?

Because he wasn’t sure which part of what he said might have been wrong, maybe he should talk it over and, if it was indeed his fault, apologize. Taeui pondered, scratching his head, but Ilay didn’t seem angry. No, he didn’t look angry—he just seemed displeased.

“Come on……. I don’t know.”

Taeui muttered, feeling disgruntled.

As he slowed down, feeling dejected, Jeongpil’s voice rang out from up ahead, the distance between them having closed a bit.

“A――it’s so hot. When Changoh finishes his training and goes home, Sister Jesu, like a fox catching a hen, will make a nutritious meal for him……. At times like these, I envy those who are already married. By the way, what about Rick? Are you married? …….Ah. Is that too personal a question?”

It seemed Jeongpil still didn’t understand the limits of respecting privacy, as he asked with a bit of hesitation, shaking his head. Ilay glanced at him, his expression indifferent.

“I’m not sure. What do you think?”

“Hmm――well, at the very least, he must have someone. You’re the type of guy women like. Smart, reliable, and gentle. You must have a girlfriend, right?”

At that moment, Taeui felt a flicker of gratitude toward Jeongpil. It was as if the temperature dropped by about three degrees, making the air feel cooler. The others who heard that question seemed to feel the same way, falling silent for a moment. However, Taeui didn’t like that question, as a few keen eyes shot him mischievous glances. (Among them was even the knowing smile of his uncle, who was leisurely walking a few steps behind.)

“Yeah, I do.”

Ilay replied indifferently. Taeui was about to step back slowly to create some distance, but Carlo, with a friendly smile, unexpectedly grabbed his elbow and pulled him back. This jerk, always claiming to be so pitiful and miserable, and now he’s smiling like that!!

“Is that so? Then who is that person?”

“Someone who always believes they could die for me.”

The hand gripping his elbow suddenly let go. Yeah, hearing that would probably make him think Taeui is the unfortunate one again……. But perhaps that was the reason why Ilay’s mood wasn’t good.

Taeui glared at Carlo, his face slightly tense, and pulled his elbow free from his grasp.

“Haha, what’s that? Just a light-hearted joke.”

“Yeah……. I think so too.”

The sound of conversation from up ahead echoed back, and the surroundings fell into an unusually quiet silence. Was that really a joke, or was he seriously saying his lover could die for him? Maybe everyone was thinking the same thing at that moment.

And amidst the occasional glances exchanged in that tense silence, Taeui felt annoyed. He picked up a nut-sized object from the ground at his feet, about the size of a walnut, and, gritting his teeth, threw it at the infuriating back in front of him. He didn’t even expect to hit, but, just as expected, Ilay turned around as if he had eyes on the back of his head and caught the nut, their eyes meeting, making him look even more annoying in Taeui’s eyes.

“Why are you getting upset over something like this! It’s nothing new, and it’s not like I plan on doing anything; it’s just the way I think, so it’s unavoidable! Try living with someone like you for once!”

Taeui shouted in German, which probably not many people around could understand. Ilay kept his expression neutral, only raising an eyebrow slightly as he crushed the hard nut with three fingers.

“Someone like me, huh. What kind of person is that?”

“……………”

Taeui was at a loss for words when faced with that question. No matter what, he couldn’t just call Ilay a ‘crazy murderous psychopath’ to his face.

Immediately silenced, a strange tension hung in the air between Taeui and Ilay. Though Ilay maintained his usual faint smile, something was clearly off.

Just as Taeui frowned and was about to speak, a light clapping sound came from behind.

“Why are you stopping in the middle of the march to rest? Keep moving, pick up the pace, feet. I didn’t say to take a break. Want to stop with a 25-kilo pack on your back?”

The person urging them with a calm expression was none other than Taeui’s uncle. He walked up from the front and gently pushed those who had stopped, prompting each of them to start moving again.

After watching his uncle for a moment, Ilay also turned back and resumed walking, causing the line to stretch out again like before.

Amidst the sudden tension, Jeongpil, who had been observing both of them, suddenly spoke to Ilay.

“Seems like you don’t get along well with that guy……. Even though he’s just a weakling with fists as light as feathers, don’t go causing any trouble. He’s still a bit stronger than the average person, at least compared to office workers……. By the way, Rick, where do you work?”

‘Better not to know*’ – that response crossed Taeui’s mind as he continued walking with an extremely irritated expression. In response, Ilay gave a brief and unremarkable reply.

(*The phrase “모르는 게 약이다” in Korean literally translates to “Not knowing is medicine,” but its actual meaning is “It’s better not to know” or “Ignorance is bliss.”)

“Complaint handling department.”

“Complaint handling……. Oh, like dealing with citizen complaints? So, you’re a civil servant? Working in administration? Must be tough.”

Completely speechless at Kim Jeongpil’s imaginative interpretation, Taeui could only think that if a country had civil servants handling complaints like him, there would certainly be no shortage of people filing for asylum.

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

After marching for another hour, they were finally allowed to remove their gear temporarily.

Because the heat was so intense, they needed water to cool off. Following the instructor’s directions, they turned onto a different path and walked for a while until a clearing opened up, revealing a beach in front of them. It was surrounded by rough trees and jagged rocks, and the stretch of sand, which could be compared to the size of a few combined classrooms, was just enough to let them feel the seaside atmosphere.

As soon as the instructor announced a 30-minute break, the team members immediately unstrapped their gear and tossed it down.

Taeui also set down his backpack and let out a sigh. While marching with full gear wasn’t particularly difficult, carrying such heavy loads in the sweltering heat, which felt like a sauna, while trudging along a rough forest path that seemed to stretch on endlessly, was certainly no easy task. A sigh escaped him naturally.

“Why bother arguing and making a fuss like that? Risking lives over nothing.”

Carlo, who was removing his gear next to him, suddenly spoke up. Taeui clicked his tongue.

“There was no argument. He’s just overthinking things and bringing himself down. What life-threatening situation are you talking about?”

“It might not seem dangerous to you, but every time his mood drops by one degree, the lifespan of everyone around him shortens by a year.”

“…….So what. Anyway, it’s just a bunch of clueless idiots around here right now.”

Taeui, while taking off his sweat-soaked uniform shirt, glanced around. A few meters ahead, Jeongpil had just set his belongings near the shore, where the waves barely reached, and he already seemed ready to get into the water. Many others had already stripped down and jumped into the sea.

Nearby, Ilay was also removing his watch, tucking it into his shirt pocket as if preparing to wade into the water.

“Is he really planning to strip down and get in the water?”

Taeui muttered doubtfully as he watched Ilay undress. Carlo overheard and turned to him.

“Seems like it. Aren’t you getting in? It’s so hot.”

Carlo said he was going in and started unbuttoning his shirt like the others. But Taeui frowned and replied, “That’s not the point.”

“I’ve heard that some people take advantage of moments like this during marches to target him. If he goes into the water without any weapons, wouldn’t that be dangerous…….”

“…………..”

“…….Seems like I said something unnecessary, didn’t I?”

“Good that you realize it. You know what he’s like, yet you’re worrying about him that much?”

Carlo sneered, showing both surprise and sarcasm. Taeui had nothing more to say, so he just stayed silent and continued undressing.

“Besides, in broad daylight, with the instructor keeping a close watch from under the trees over there, who would dare try anything? If they were going to attack, the best time would be at night, taking advantage of the darkness to ambush and leaving no evidence.”

Taeui nodded at Carlo’s words, knowing that was true if such a situation were to happen, then he headed towards the beach.

Amidst the heat and the exhaustion from marching, they were granted a short break. There were all kinds of people: some lying under the shade of trees, others already stripped down and splashing in the sea, while some only dipped their feet in the water.

Walking behind Carlo, who was about to jump into the water wearing just his underwear, Taeui planned to wade in only up to his knees. He rolled up his pants to his thighs and gazed out at the sea. There were already many people in the water, and a lot of them were splashing around and playing like children.

For some reason, he had a feeling that if he stepped into the crowd, even with the intention of only wading up to his knees, those guys would pull him down and dunk him from head to toe…….

With a suspicious look, Taeui watched them and weighed his options in his mind. Maybe it was better to strip down completely from the start to avoid getting dragged under.

A few meters ahead, Ilay, wearing only swim trunks that reached his thighs, walked past. He brushed aside the long hair that fell over his forehead as if it annoyed him, seemingly not intending to pass by Taeui but rather just turning his head by chance and catching Taeui’s gaze. His steps seemed to slow for a moment.

“…………..”

But when Ilay was about to turn away without saying anything, Taeui suddenly felt a surge of frustration in his chest. This guy, always acting like something’s bothering him but never saying a word…….

“Hey, Il—”

Just as Taeui was about to call out to him, Ilay, before fully turning away, stopped and fixed his gaze on Taeui’s neck.

“Taeil, on your neck—”

“Huh?”

Taeui instinctively raised his hand to touch the area where Ilay’s eyes were focused. Was there something on it? He wondered as he rubbed the spot lightly. Ilay watched him for a moment, then said: “No, it’s nothing”  and turned away. He continued walking past Taeui and headed toward the sea.

“Huh?” Taeui blinked in surprise. By the time he realized he had missed the chance to call Ilay back and say something, it was already too late. He could only shout: “Hey. Ya!” but Ilay was already gone.

Ilay leapt into the sea, creating a large splash, then completely submerged, disappearing from sight.

When Ilay jumped in, everyone around, as if a great white shark had suddenly appeared, quickly scattered with pale faces. But even as time passed, Ilay didn’t resurface, and no one was pulled under like a victim of a shark attack.

“…………..”

Taeui bit his lip and sighed.

Well, I might as well……. cool off a bit myself.

He looked down at himself: his shirt was off, and his pants were rolled up to his thighs. After thinking for a moment, he decided to go into the water as he was. If any ‘water ghosts’ were lurking, waiting to drag him under, he would only go in deep enough so that if something happened, he could quickly run back to the shore.

With that in mind, Taeui began wading into the water.

At that moment, he caught the gaze of someone already in the sea, happily splashing water in just their underwear. His instinctive reaction made him frown immediately. It was Jeongpil.

When Jeongpil’s eyes met Taeui’s, he also frowned. He suddenly stood upright in the water, his body emerging from the surface.

“What are you looking at, you damn gay.”

Right, he finally had to say it.

“Shit……. I just realized, I’m undressing in front of a gay guy.”

Seeing Jeongpil’s expression, showing clear discomfort as he deliberately shrank back, Taeui only scoffed in disdain.

“Only those who think they have something worth looking at would say that…….”

“You bastard, get away from me! I don’t want to swim with a gay guy!”

“Is this beach yours to rent? If you don’t like it, then you get lost. And by the way, Jeongpil.”

Taeui stood firm, feeling the gentle sand slip between his toes with the waves, while looking directly at Jeongpil. Then, he deliberately scanned him from head to toe in an exaggerated manner before letting out a contemptuous laugh.

“Someone like you—I’d never be interested, even if you offered yourself, idiot. With a body like that, worrying about being ogled by a gay guy? Do you even know who you are? Do you think just because you have that, I’d consider you a ‘man’?”

“With someone like you……. utterly laughable” – Taeui muttered with a tone full of contempt. Jeongpil scowled and angrily shouted: “What did you say, you bastard?!” as if he was about to charge at him.

“Hey, hey, don’t come any closer. It’s already unbearably hot, don’t ruin this rare break we’re getting. Let’s just stay apart, keep our distance, alright?”

Taeui sighed and waved his hand dismissively. The heat drained his energy, making him uninterested in arguing. But even though he had no intention of picking a fight, it seemed Jeongpil was different. He still looked like he wanted to get out of the water and confront Taeui.

This guy never listens anyway, Taeui thought, clicking his tongue as he rubbed his neck. Under the intense sunlight, he was even preparing for an amusing show for the people enjoying themselves on the beach.

However, just as Jeongpil, who had stepped out of the water and readied himself to charge, was about to approach, he suddenly froze. His eyes fixated on Taeui with a strange expression, focusing intently on the area of the neck where Taeui had just scratched.

“You…….?!”

Jeongpil tilted his head, pausing with a hesitant tone. Taeui shot him a puzzled look in return.

As Taeui cast a confused look at Jeongpil, wondering why he had suddenly stopped, a splash of water broke the silence from not too far away. A man emerged from the water, splashing a few droplets onto Taeui as he swept the wet strands of hair off his forehead and exhaled deeply. Beneath that hair, a pair of cold black eyes appeared.

The large great white shark that had vanished from sight earlier now surfaced right next to them.

“…….―.”

‘This guy—had he been underwater this whole time without coming up for air? No, that might very well be the case.’

Taeui stood still, taking in the droplets flung his way as Ilay casually shook his head. He suddenly recalled the times in Berlin when Ilay would dive silently underwater, leaving no trace, only to suddenly grab Taeui’s ankle when he thought he was in a peaceful place, startling him.

“Just grabbing my ankle was tolerable, but if some unknown hand started groping underwater, it would really send chills down my spine…….”

Taeui mumbled to himself, remembering those unsettling experiences.

Ilay emerged and now standing between them as if looking to stir things up, glanced briefly at Taeui and Jeongpil, as though nothing was amiss, before moving past them. After swimming, he waded to the shore and wrung out his shirt, using it as a towel to dry himself off.

“…………..”

Jeongpil, who had been ready to charge just moments earlier, was now captivated by the man who had emerged from the water, unable to take his eyes off Ilay’s every move. His gaze unconsciously followed Ilay’s hands as he dried himself. Taeui, reacting instinctively, followed that gaze as well, then suddenly frowned.

It wasn’t surprising that Ilay, having just come out of the sea with his soaked, thin swim trunks clinging tightly to his body, revealed every contour. His well-defined physique was exposed as if he were wearing nothing at all.

Taeui instinctively turned his head away, not realizing why. He scratched his chin, wondering why he felt embarrassed, despite being surrounded by bare-chested men everywhere. And yet, for some reason, when he looked at Ilay’s body, he felt a sense of awkwardness, as if it were his own body being exposed.

As he turned away, Taeui’s eyes settled on Jeongpil.

At first, Jeongpil had been looking at Ilay in a completely ordinary way as he dried himself, but then he blinked, and his gaze fixed intently on one point. His eyes, staring blankly at Ilay, seemed to try and pierce through the soaked underwear, and gradually that gaze turned into one of shock and astonishment.

Of course, no matter how long one lived in a male-dominated military environment, Jeongpil probably rarely had the chance to see something like that. Taeui knew exactly what was going through his mind. Men are men. The pull of instinct makes them curious. ――Nine times out of ten: they want to see for themselves.

Taeui suddenly felt embarrassed on Jeongpil’s behalf, so he quietly turned away and stepped into the water. Whether Jeongpil was staring at that part of Ilay or not, it wasn’t any of his business.

The cool water up to his knees was enough to soothe the heat. He bent down, scooping up water with his hands to wet his bare upper body and continued splashing it on his neck, shoulders, and even over his head to cool off from the scorching sun. He washed his face in the refreshing sea water.

Phew ――Taking a deep breath, he stood up straight and happened to see that Jeongpil was still staring intently at Ilay. When Jeongpil tilted his head and shifted his gaze, their eyes suddenly met. Reflexively, Jeongpil squinted, then as if realizing something, he quickly looked away.

“What are you staring at like that?”

Annoyed by Jeongpil’s persistent gaze at his neck, Taeui spoke with irritation. But instead of Jeongpil, it was Ilay who responded.

“Taeil.”

With a brief call, he tossed a towel at Taeui. Taeui instinctively caught the towel and looked at Ilay in surprise, but Ilay merely checked that he had caught it before turning his back and walking away. He grabbed a water bottle from his backpack and headed towards the shade.

This guy is still sulking……. When is he ever going to stop?

Taeui clicked his tongue, looking at the towel Ilay had unexpectedly thrown him, then draped it over his neck. Maybe he was telling him to get out of the water and dry off.

Taeui quietly watched Ilay’s figure from behind. His broad back gradually grew distant as he walked away, eventually sitting down on a rock beside another where Taeui’s uncle was resting in the shade of the forest. It seemed like they exchanged only a few words, not engaging in much of a conversation.