DOGC Ch 3

Summer was also slowly coming to an end.

The days with a clear wind blowing became more frequent than the downpours that had poured like an uninvited guest. The cicadas, which had cried their throats out to the point of being grating, had also hidden themselves away somewhere. Gazing at the scenery that changed from moment to moment beyond the car window, Seorim stroked his bare nape.

Seorim was being led by Chairman Ryu’s hand, his body settled into a luxury sedan. It was under the pretext of accompanying him to the previously announced cruise party.

The white tuxedo that constricted his body felt so awkward that he kept pulling at the collar. It was tailored to be neat yet subtly cling to his body, revealing its contours, making it incredibly uncomfortable to wear. During his days in the omega red-light district, he had often adorned his body at the will of others, but back then, it was not this kind of stuffy, luxurious clothing, but rather more vulgar clothes, mainly intended to incite sexual desire.

“My dear, have you ever been on a boat.”

Suddenly, Chairman Ryu’s outstretched arm stealthily wrapped around Seorim’s waist. Not stopping there, he began to knead his flat abdomen and inner thigh. A visceral sense of repulsion surged, but Seorim managed to let out an exaggeratedly short breath and answered.

“Uhm, no. It’s my first time.”

“Is that so. You’re living in luxury thanks to your good Husband. When we get there, it will be a whole different world.”

“Thank you for taking me. Husband.”

“Isn’t it so nice when you speak so prettily and listen well.”

It was a familiar flow. That voice that added a blessing to the end of every sentence, and that touch that caressed down the back of his hand. At first, he had to forcibly hold his body back from recoiling, but now the corners of his mouth went up reflexively. Because he had learned how to do so.

The touch on top of his clothes gradually became more explicit. Seorim forced a smile as he looked at Chairman Ryu rubbing his shallow chest with his palm. He simply followed the ‘method of reacting prettily’ without letting even a single glance falter.

Inside, not a single emotion stirred. Seorim knew. He knew how to smile to avoid a slap, and what tone of voice to use to postpone coercion. After he began to sell himself to survive, his body learned to remember it first.

“Hm? At night. I’ll make my dear’s belly very full, and we’ll watch the sea together. Doesn’t that sound good?”

“Yeees.”

“If I had my way, I’d want to lay you down right now, but I’m holding back. So my dear can play comfortably when we get there.”

What did he mean by play. Was he telling him to go and confidently enjoy sunbathing in his status as a male prostitute? Because it was a thought he couldn’t say out loud, he just quietly put on a manufactured smile.

While the scenery filling the world outside the window rapidly changed its appearance, Chairman Ryu groped Seorim’s body to a nauseating degree. Fatigue washed over him from having to play along since the daytime. The hot breaths pouring into his ear induced nausea, making his stomach churn.

About an hour had passed of him enduring the lewd jokes and harassment with an empty mind when the car finally came to a stop.

“My dear, what are we going to do if you’re already all worn out before we even get off.”

“I know, right. Because Husband was so sweet to me.”

“Just looking at you brings back my appetite.”

It’s not like he was touching a piece of meat, so what did he mean his appetite was back. He was making a dirty analogy, just like a lecherous old man. To avoid letting his dry, expressionless face be seen, Seorim turned his head and got out of the car.

The moment his feet touched the ground, the scent of the salty sea breeze tickled his nose.

The sound of gulls crying intermittently, the chatter from the passing crowds, it had been a long time since he had seen the lively scenery of a harbor.

Of course, the most eye-catching thing among them all was on the sea.

It was the first time he had seen a ship this large, not just in person, but in any movie or drama. He couldn’t count how many windows were plastered to the hull, and the body of the ship was longer than several buildings put together. Even just being docked, the hunk of scrap metal felt like it was exuding an immense sense of pressure.

Large fresh flowers were hung in clusters on the long staircase connected to the ship. As he and Chairman Ryu ascended the stairs, a crew member standing at the entrance bowed his head.

“Welcome, Chairman. I will guide you inside.”

Next, the crew member’s gaze turned to Seorim. Before he could open his mouth to say something, Chairman Ryu’s secretary first whispered in his ear. He couldn’t hear it clearly, but he could guess to some extent what was being said.

After the secret conversation ended, the crew member’s eyes swept Seorim up and down once. Soon, two employees came out from inside the ship, and one of them showed Chairman Ryu in.

“Well then, my dear. I’ll see you tonight.”

Weren’t we going in together? The moment Seorim was wondering, Chairman Ryu disappeared with the employee. And the remaining male employee opened his mouth in a business-like tone.

“The companion can follow me.”

The content the secretary whispered was probably about his use. Perhaps they thought it was beneath them to openly reveal a male concubine who provides nighttime services at a lavish social gathering.

Is there a dedicated passage that connects to the room? But if that were the case, the words ‘see you tonight’ felt off.

While he was alone, lost in various idle thoughts, the employee started walking. Click, clack. Listening to the sound of shoe heels striking the marble floor, Seorim followed the employee into the ship.

🦅

Where on earth do they draw all this water from?

Inside the fountain where water was pooled abundantly, Seorim narrowed his brow as he looked up at the baby angel that was continuously spouting a stream of water from a plate. It was on such a large scale that he would have believed it if they said they were drawing seawater instead of using a water tank.

It wasn’t just the fountain. This ship was a place that seemed to have reached the pinnacle of luxury. The ornate chandelier hanging from the ceiling, the sculptures placed meaninglessly here and there. Because fruit was arranged to be eaten freely, squashed grapes were rolling around on the floor.

And the thick pheromones that set his nerves on edge. All of it was the scent of omegas. Every single person sitting or lying around here, spending their time, had a dull look in their eyes. Wondering if his own eyes were that vacant, Seorim needlessly rubbed them.

It seemed they had gathered people who were on board for a similar purpose in this space. Carefully hidden away underground, according to their station.

In one corner, he could see some crazy omegas throwing fruit at each other and playing. In another corner, they were smoking a hookah, creating a den of smoke, and in yet another, they were adorning themselves by spraying perfume.

Money is just leaking away.

They wouldn’t have become male concubines by choice, so money must be precious to them as well. Seorim picked up a shine muscat grape placed in the center and put it in his mouth. It’s sweet and delicious. It must be a very high-quality product.

He didn’t particularly want to hang out with anyone, nor did he feel like meticulously grooming his appearance, so Seorim sat down in front of the round, artificial garden. He even had the thought of gathering the prepared food and selling it. Wouldn’t it all be thrown away if left alone?

Is that too much like a beggar, but I am a beggar, so.

“Ahaha, ah! Wait a minute!”

Suddenly, a loud laughing sound got closer. Seorim, who was about to turn his head toward the source of the sound, let out a low groan. It was because a person’s body had abruptly sat down on top of him.

“Ah.”

“Ah! What the?”

That was his line. Reeking of a headache-inducing perfume scent, the man turned to Seorim with an annoyed look. Whether it was bleach or something else, he was an omega with white-blond hair, like an angel depicted in a Western masterpiece.

“Ah, sorry. Are you hurt?”

“Yeah.”

“Really sorry. I was just so out of it.”

He looked slick, but every time he opened his mouth, a terrible smell of alcohol wafted out. In a way, it was understandable that he would be out of it. When he replied indifferently, the man stared intently at Seorim with slightly unfocused eyes.

“This one looks really precious.”

He was aware of the fact that his appearance was good. As Seorim silently held his gaze, he tilted his head and asked.

“What’s your name?”

“Why.”

“I’m curious.”

He didn’t want to obediently give his name to some man he didn’t even know. So, Seorim randomly pulled out a name he had heard somewhere recently.

“Baek Yeonho.”

“Baek Yeonho? That’s an unusual name. It doesn’t really suit you.”

“I hear that often.”

Because it was a lie. As he calmly straightened his collar, the man also seemed unbothered and smiled. He pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket and spoke in a friendly manner.

“Yeonho, want one?”

“No.”

“Then want a drink?”

“I’m good.”

“Why? It’s free. Everything here is free.”

Was it really okay to consider it free when you have to spread your legs for the price of it, he must have a remarkably positive personality. The smell of alcohol was so strong that he wished the man would go somewhere else, but he plopped down right next to Seorim instead. He put a cigarette to his lips and continued the conversation.

“Who did you come with?”

“It’s a bit hard to say.”

“Is it a sensitive old man? Rich old men are kind of like that, full of secrets. Want a grape?”

“I had some.”

He wondered if he was the type who showed goodwill to complete strangers when drunk. He was a little wary, but he didn’t dislike kind people. He thought it was much better than being ignored and hit by others. Despite Seorim’s lukewarm response, the man continued to strike up a conversation.

“What are you going to do now? Want to hang out with me?”

“What do we do for fun.”

“Get our nails done, or we can eat something. If we go upstairs, there’s a casino and a swimming pool, but we’ll probably have to sneak out for that.”

The man, who had been rambling on, then lowered his voice slightly and whispered.

“Over there, there are some guys who are fucking each other.”

Since they were all handsome, it seemed there was a type who would have relations even among omegas. For Seorim, it was hard to understand. It felt like a waste of energy to be pounding ass in their spare time when they came here to do that anyway.

“I’m good. I’ll just be by myself.”

When he shook his head, the man stared intently at Seorim with a smiling face. Seorim also did not avoid his gaze. Now that he looked, this person’s eyes were hazy and unfocused. The way his raised lips trembled slightly gave a somewhat bizarre impression.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Ah, you should take this.”

The man fumbled for something in his pocket and tucked it into Seorim’s tuxedo pocket. It was a lustrously shiny blue pocket square.

“You need this for it to be free.”

“What about you?”

“I can just get a new one, they give it to you right away if you ask. You must not have seen them at the entrance.”

Along with the pocket square, the fingertips that straightened the wrinkles on his clothes were quite skillful. The man wore a satisfied smile on his lips as if he had just tidied up his own appearance. He patted Seorim’s shoulder with a brightly smiling face.

“It’s pretty. It suits you well.”

“You think so.”

“It’s all free, so you have to enjoy it at times like this. Have fun!”

After saying that, the man gracefully disappeared beyond a tall pillar. Seorim watched him go, then let out a shallow yawn. His eyelids felt heavy because he had woken up early in the morning.

What to do to kill time until night. Not even a few hours had passed since he arrived, but he already wished they would send him home quickly. He was at the point where he felt it would be better to deal with Chairman Ryu than to be stuck in a space devoid of reason and have his brain melt.

🦅

Meanwhile, around the same time, aboard the Blooming Rose.

Yeonho was also swaying on the same sea with an indifferent face. A great deal of weariness was smeared on the black dress shoes under his diagonally crossed legs. His straight fingers, as if expressing boredom, repeatedly tapped the rim of his champagne glass in a steady rhythm.

It was a bothersome schedule as soon as he returned to Seoul. He liked to travel, but he did not welcome events like this. The one being held on the ship today was a strange social gathering where empty formalities and sordid desires coexisted.

From business and political figures to famous celebrities, and even renowned sports players from overseas teams. Ostensibly, it was a pretext for the leaders of each field to gather and promote development, but in reality, that wasn’t the case. In the first place, getting together to chug alcohol and gamble was far from a constructive assembly, wasn’t it.

The view outside was at least decent, which alleviated some of the boredom. As he was sipping his champagne with the rolling waves as his side dish for a while, someone struck up a conversation.

“Oh, Executive Director Ryu.”

“President Park.”

It was Park Heenam, the general president leading Hyungang Department Store, a subsidiary of a major domestic conglomerate. He was the second son of the founder of Hyungang Group, a figure who had been frequently appearing in the media lately because his son had caused a huge mess. He must have had a lot of headaches, as the sight of his carefully combed-over hair, which had thinned out considerably, was pitiful.

“It’s been a while. You’ve been well? Is the Chairman in good health?”

“He’s always well. We came together.”

“Oh my, I was so disoriented that I haven’t been able to greet him yet.”

Continuing the conversation, President Park sat down in the seat across from him.

“Executive Director Ryu, you get more handsome every time I see you. The celebrities can’t even hold a candle to you when you’re just sitting there, really.”

“You praise me too much.”

“It’s not praise. My own son is around the same age, but all he does is cause trouble. I don’t know who he takes after, that damn blockhead.”

Scratching his already thinning hair with an irritable motion, President Park put on a good-natured smile.

“If someone like Executive Director Ryu was in our family, I think my heart would ache a little less.”

“……”

“Do you still have no thoughts of marriage?”

So the conversation flows this way. Yeonho raised the corners of his mouth smoothly, in contrast to his cynical eyes. A calm reply flowed from his curved lips.

“I think about it often, but putting it into practice is difficult.”

“Right, well. You’re young for now. But later on, to solidify your position, you have to meet a good partner. You know that. I’m telling you this for your own good, Executive Director Ryu.”

He wasn’t wrong. He would eventually marry someone in a suitable strategic relationship anyway, so whether their hearts connected or not wasn’t important. But when it came to building a family that at least looked plausible, he had nothing to learn from. He also had no desire at all to get deeply involved with someone right now. Unaware of Yeonho’s inner thoughts, President Park shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

“My daughter came along too, why don’t you say hello at least.”

“Are you trying to introduce your precious daughter to me?”

“For someone like Executive Director Ryu, well, you’d be an excellent son-in-law.”

“I’m honored. Especially since you have such discerning eyes, President Park.”

“You have a way with words. The most difficult person to keep by one’s side in all of South Korea.”

Yeonho just let out a small laugh and let the champagne flow down his throat. It was a pity, but he had cheap taste and wanted to refuse the daughter of a prestigious house. There had to be at least a little bit of interest for them to kiss, or have a child.

“If only you were good at golf, it would be perfect. Let’s go out to the field together next time.”

“It’s been a long time since I’ve gone for a round.”

“We’re just playing for fun, so what. You should learn a thing or two from Chairman Ryu.”

Golf, side by side with his father. Would such a thing ever happen in his lifetime? As Yeonho showed a lukewarm reaction, President Park smacked his lips with a smack smack sound and got up from his seat.

“I have a prior engagement, so I’ll be going first. Make yourself comfortable.”

“I’ll see you next time.”

“Ah, if you have time, there’s an orchestra performance in the hall, you should go see it. The lineup is quite good.”

As if he were about to leave, the middle-aged president chattily went on with his story.

“I went to another performance recently, so I’m not going, but still. Classical music gets tiring if you listen to it constantly, you know.”

“Ah, yes.”

“Who was it, there’s a young flutist. The spouse of a division head at LS, I think they said. We have connections with that side, so we went.”

He seemed to recall seeing an outdoor advertisement a few times while driving. But no matter who played what, it was of no interest to Yeonho. As he let the sentences flow past his ears with an artificial smile on his face, President Park fervently chattered on about classical music by himself before disappearing.

Yeonho’s gaze fell to the silver watch on his wrist. Thirty minutes had passed without him doing anything. He was planning to find a chance to go to his cabin and take care of some backlogged work, but he wasn’t sure if he would get the time. Since President Park would probably not be the end of the pleasantries.

“Oh my, Executive Director Ryu!”

As if on cue, another person came over to greet him. Yeonho swallowed his fatigue along with the champagne and once again put on a forced expression. In a way, this too was an extension of his work.

The feast of fellowship that had begun in the afternoon continued until the sun had set and black ink had been cast upon the sea. He couldn’t even remember how many people he had dealt with. In the meantime, Yeonho had moved from the lounge to the restaurant, the venue for the evening meal.

In the open-plan dining room, one could dine while looking out at the night sea through large windows. Just sitting and opening his mouth was a form of labor in its own right, so he was feeling hungry.

After moistening his mouth a couple of times with the wine on the white tablecloth, a server dressed in a suit brought the food. It was a thick steak, its pinkness not yet gone. Just as Yeonho was about to cut a piece of meat with his knife and put it in his mouth, the chair next to him slid back with a shhhk.

“Ah, I’m getting hungry.”

Nam Hyunsoo, an old frenemy from childhood. They exchanged messages occasionally, but it had been quite a while since they had actually seen each other. Since he was a rather chaotic fellow, the feeling of annoyance came before any sense of gladness. Yeonho chewed on the lean meat and said in a dry voice.

“You’re here.”

“Why is it so hard to see your face, are you busy these days?”

“A little.”

“How busy are you that you don’t even have time for a drink together. It’s a good thing we can see each other in a place like this.”

A server who approached again placed Nam Hyunsoo’s portion of the steak down and left. As if he had been waiting, Hyunsoo continued to speak while cutting his meat.

“That actor was over there. Jo Heewon, or something, did you see him?”

“Yeah.”

“Wonder if he came to find a sponsor. He was damn pretty, though.”

Was he talking about the omega who was sitting there with an expression that carried all the sorrow in the world? He didn’t think it was a particularly impressive appearance. Rather, Baek Seorim’s was more striking, Yeonho unconsciously thought of his father’s concubine.

Since quite a few people had brought omegas to spend the night with, he too must have boarded this ship. Is he holed up in his father’s room by now, or is he in the basement. With that prickly personality, he didn’t know if he was getting into a brawl somewhere. If so, he’d want to go and watch. It would certainly be a good stimulus on this tedious trip.

Hyunsoo, who had been muttering something to himself, held out his wine glass. After lightly clinking glasses, Yeonho took a sip of wine with a small, private smile.

“What’s up, smiling by yourself.”

“It’s just something.”

“Is the Gamyeong Group’s youngest son’s affair that funny?”

He hadn’t been listening carefully, so he hadn’t noticed, but it seemed that was what he had been talking about. Yeonho slowly shook his head and picked up the dessert placed in front of him. When he tossed it in his mouth, a sweetness so intense it made his tongue tingle spread out and melted.

Whether his companion was listening or not, Hyunsoo’s mouth did not rest. Trivial topics like the stocks he invested in, backstage rumors in the political and business world about someone aiming to run for office, and gossip about a recently famous actor were all brought up. Yeonho loosened the tie that choked his neck, showing his boredom, and threw in some perfunctory responses.

In the midst of that, a sentence that grated on his nerves suddenly came to his ears.

“But hey, are you going there tonight?”

“Where is there.”

“To have a gangbang.”

It was a simple tone, but the meaning it contained was quite debaucherous. Then again, it was unlikely that people overflowing with money would gather and spend the night peacefully. There were probably some among them who had boarded the ship just for that orgy.

In public, they pretended to be dignified, citing useless culture, but behind the scenes, they were a group itching to rut like dogs. When Yeonho didn’t answer, Hyunsoo, in a somewhat excited tone, added an explanation as if he were a tout.

“I heard the kids are pretty good this time. You’re not going?”

“No.”

“It looked like a lot of the old grandpas were going. They’re all crazy for this kind of stuff.”

“The old man in my house loves it too.”

He never missed out on things like this, so he was certain his father would, of course, be attending. If that was the case, what about the Baek Seorim he brought with him? Surely that man, with his strong sense of possession, wouldn’t push his own concubine into a chaotic mess for other guys to pass around.

A server approached and filled his empty wine glass. Gazing at the dark red liquid dancing inside the transparent glass, Yeonho narrowed his eyes. It felt like the fruity scent lingering in the air was particularly strong today.

🦅

“Ugh.”

In the chaotic atmosphere, Seorim groggily lifted his closed eyelids. He had fallen asleep leaning against a wall with nothing better to do, but suddenly the surroundings became noisy. With no windows or clocks, it was difficult to guess what time it was.

He saw lavishly dressed people bustling about, coming and going before his eyes. A few were sitting on sofas, watching them with interested expressions. It felt like the air had changed somehow, but Seorim had no way of knowing what it meant.

Just then, a man in an employee uniform stopped in front of Seorim, who was crouched on the floor.

“This is the first time I’ve seen one dozing off.”

“What?”

Seorim, still not fully awake, asked in a daze, but no answer came back. Instead, the employee grabbed his slumped shoulders and pulled Seorim to his feet. And then began to drag him somewhere.

“Where are we going?”

“What’s with the innocent act with me.”

“What are you talking about, I really don’t know.”

The employee clicked his tongue with a tsk sound and shut his mouth. The place he was led to by the man’s hand had a line of omegas dressed in white suits.

Not a single one had an ordinary expression. Some were biting their nails anxiously, someone had vacant eyes with dilated pupils, and even the extremely rare person who was smiling caught his eye. The employee shoved Seorim into the middle of the line.

“You have to earn your keep properly.”

Suddenly reaching out, the employee patted Seorim’s buttocks before walking to the man at the very front and whispering something. At that, the omega at the front slowly started to move. Following him, this strange, unidentified group moved forward as one.

It was just like watching slaves being sold off in a group. He hadn’t heard from Chairman Ryu that he would have to do something like this, so Seorim looked around in bewilderment.

Judging by the pheromones they released, they were all dominant omegas around his age. Though the designs were all different, they were all wearing white suits. And in the front pocket, a blue pocket square.

Wasn’t everyone supposed to be wearing a blue pocket square? Feeling a strange sense of discrepancy, Seorim hastily looked behind him. In his sight was a group of omegas gathered at a distance, watching the line. They did not have blue pocket squares.

Didn’t he say you needed this to use the facilities freely?

Seorim’s gaze, which had been drifting in confusion, stopped in the middle of the group. He made eye contact with the platinum-blond omega who had so kindly handed him the pocket square earlier. His front pocket was empty. He gave a gentle wave to Seorim with a suggestive smile on his lips.

“You, son of a bitch……”

He didn’t know what was happening, but it was certain that bastard had passed off his role. He wanted to stop walking, but the line was already leaving the basement. An employee standing next to him pushed Seorim’s hesitating back. It wouldn’t work to say the person had been switched now.

Considering the purpose these omegas had for boarding the ship, he wondered if they were going to be chosen. They said it was a very high-class gathering, but what they were doing was utterly sordid. As they went up the stairs and got closer to their destination, the floor vibrated intermittently. It seemed to be because of the loud music playing.

“It’s so fucking hard to make money.”

The omega in front of him muttered. At the same time, the line stopped, and a large door engraved with various decorations opened.

Thump, thump—.

The loud music, the smell of cigarettes, all sorts of chaotic elements enveloped his five senses. The interior was dark, making it difficult to gauge how many people were gathered. Seorim rubbed his stinging eyes from the hazy smoke and hurriedly surveyed his surroundings.

Small lights were placed sparsely in the corners of the hall, and tables occupied the space with wide intervals. Beyond the hallway connected to the hall, there seemed to be several rooms prepared as well. Until just a short while ago, he had seen places just like this countless times.

“Ugh.”

Glancing at the hall, Seorim let out a shallow groan and covered his nose and mouth. The pheromones vibrated to the point of being nauseating. As befitting a place where dominant traits were gathered, it turned into a strong pressure that crushed his lungs.

With every step he took, chilling gazes from men and women alike clung to his cheeks. He saw those who had been observing from the tables approach and take several of the omegas at the front. Some were stripping their clothes off hastily before even having them sit down, no different from beasts.

Being pushed forward, Seorim’s rolling eyes suddenly stopped. It was because a familiar figure, sitting like a slumped rice cake at a table in the inner part of the hallway, had caught his eye.

It was Chairman Ryu.

Greedily, he had two naked omegas next to him. One was already on top of Chairman Ryu, and the other had his arms wrapped around the wrinkled neck, kissing him. The messy entanglement looked less like people and more like a lump of flesh where lust was balled up together.

The back of his neck kept prickling because of the pheromones and some unknown smoke. The moment Seorim reached out his arm to touch his own hair, a man who had popped out from somewhere blocked his path.

“Wow, fuck. A premium product.”

He grabbed Seorim’s shoulder and roughly pulled him toward him. When he tried to pull away because the spot he was grabbed hurt, this time his collar was seized. Seorim collapsed onto a chair as if his neck was half-choked.

“Where did you get this one.”

“He was just standing there blankly at the front. You gonna feed him that?”

“No, just alcohol. To be honest, making them do it sober is the most fun.”

There were three men sitting at the table. One of them was already preoccupied with pouring out his desire on top of a male prostitute. The man who had brought Seorim over snickered as he took off his outer coat and wrapped an arm around his waist. A musty scent mixed with alcohol and cigarettes emanated from his mouth, making him automatically hold his breath.

“Why haven’t I seen this one before, is this his first time?”

“I know, right. You know pretty much all the spots. You whore.”

“You gonna talk shit to me?”

With Seorim in the middle, all sorts of vulgar words were exchanged amicably. The man who had spat out a curse grabbed the mouth of a whiskey bottle on the table. Soon, a glass the size of a forearm was quickly filled with a yellowish liquor.

“Hey, wait a minute. My companion is.”

Seorim tried to resist, however feebly, but it didn’t work. On the contrary, they groped him here and there as if it were amusing.

Not satisfied with that, he opened another bottle and mixed a new liquor into the glass. Even from a distance from the table, a terrible smell wafted over. The man lifted the glass, held the hard liquor in his mouth, and roughly grabbed Seorim’s chin.

“Uh, mph.”

A bitter liquid flowed through the gap between his pressed lips. A burning sensation, as if he had swallowed a flame instead of water, immediately struck his throat. Would it feel like this if one were to drink unrefined pyroligneous acid? It felt like his insides were screaming and burning to a crisp.

The man kept his mouth firmly covered so he couldn’t spit out the alcohol, and only let go after Seorim had swallowed all the liquid pooled inside.

Before his light coughs could even subside, this time another man pressed his lips against his. He too had a mouthful of alcohol. Without a moment to let out a small cough, Seorim had to accept and drink the hard liquor repeatedly.

“Mph, heuh, haah.”

It felt as if his throat was constricting on its own. Once his mouth found freedom, Seorim grabbed his own throat and trembled all over. It felt like his wildly beating heart would pop out of his mouth.

He had drunk a lot of alcohol in his time, but something this strong was rare. The sensation of the fine hairs on his entire body standing on end was vivid even with a small amount.

“Look at him getting loopy. Pretty boy, is it tasty?”

The hand fondling his waist was unpleasant. Even though he was panting, unable to breathe properly, the man pressed the rim of the glass to Seorim’s lips. With his cheek held in one hand, he couldn’t turn his head away.

The golden liquid that smelled foul poured into his mouth. He desperately twisted his jaw, but the glass wouldn’t fall, and the stream of liquid came crashing down, soaking his dress shirt. The alcohol that fell on his pale skin slid down his chest in a trickle.

“Ugh, ugh! Uuugh.”

If he drank all of this, he might really die. Seorim pushed away the man holding his body with all his might. The man who fell back burst into a low laugh.

“Feisty. Looks like pretty boy is having a hard time.”

“He looks pitiful, so stop feeding him. You’re gonna kill the kid.”

“This is all for his own good. How hard would it be if he did it sober.”

Beeep, a ringing sound echoed in his ear. A fever boiled up, and physiological tears welled in his eyes. The sound of his own pulse was so loud that the words the men were exchanging scattered hazily.

“You’ve ruined your clothes. You’re hot, right?”

The buttons of his dress shirt were undone by the man’s hand. Forcibly pushing the fabric down to his solar plexus, he buried his nose in the nape of his neck. He spoke as he took a deep breath of the scent of his skin.

“Wow, look at those pheromones. Fucking turns me on, damn it.”

At those words, another man also buried his head in Seorim’s nape. He even stuck out his tongue and licked him. His shoulders flinched every time saliva wet his skin.

It was hot. The sounds of copulation could be heard from here and there, his head was dizzy, and the rows of pheromones grated on his nerves. A world that had abandoned dignity was this close to a den of beasts in heat.

It was now difficult to tell the men apart. If he was kissing one, another would embrace his body. He couldn’t feel the difference because the foul smell from both their tongues was severe. It was a sensation similar to rolling a rotten rag around in his mouth.

“Mph, huuh.”

A wave of nausea rose. When Seorim spat saliva onto his tongue, they drank it up gladly. The hands crawling all over his body were like insects. Tears and spit, every bodily fluid that came from Seorim’s body, the men licked as if it were holy water.

“Stop, please.”

“Yes, pretty boy. What did you say?”

“Because it’s dirty……. I said stop.”

It was the first sentence he managed to stammer out. Hearing those words, one of the men’s expression hardened coldly.

“Look at this, you son of a bitch. I’m being nice and you’re spouting bullshit.”

The force gripping his shoulder grew stronger. The man shoved Seorim against the back of the chair and gestured with his chin to his friend.

“Grab his legs. I’m just going to rip him open.”

Even in his dazed state, he could understand the meaning the words held. A direct sense of fear suddenly engulfed Seorim. There was no way this unhinged man would go easy and ruin his body.

In an instant, his outer coat was stripped off and tumbled under the table, and the half-remaining buttons of his dress shirt popped off with a tearing sound. As his skin was completely exposed, one of the men who had been clinging to him brought his tongue to it ravenously.

“Hngh, hht……!”

Goosebumps that traveled up his shoulder where the tip of the tongue had brushed past froze the back of his head. In time with the noise that filled the venue, his heartbeat also gradually quickened.

He dry-heaved. The touch that groped his skin, as if to forcibly incite sexual sensation, was unbearably repulsive. As a chubby finger began to knead his numb chest, Seorim bit his own lip.

“Open your mouth. Are you keeping it shut because your mouth feels empty?”

“We’ll have to give him something to suck on, looking like a whore.”

Though it was noisy with all sorts of sounds mixed in, the clinking of a buckle could be heard clearly. Seorim panted as he looked at the approaching man’s trousers. His bloodshot eyes, filled with physiological tears, glittered.

Black briefs, the scent of an alpha, and a nauseating smell wafted over. How could those who coveted one’s body all approach with such similar patterns?

Soon, a blunt lump of flesh met his lips. When he tried not to open his mouth, the man’s index finger stretched the corner of his mouth like a hook, forcibly creating a space.

“Hngh, ugh.”

Whether he bared his teeth or not, the man was like a beast lost in the act of rutting. His wide-open jaw ached, and he couldn’t breathe, so a ragged cough burst out. The way he held his hair and tempered the penis was as if he were handling a tool.

“Fucking disobedient.”

With a trail of saliva, the man pulled out his penis. He said, grabbing the pants hanging on Seorim’s waist.

“I’m using the back hole first.”

“Ah, you son of a bitch.”

“Then let’s put it in together. It’s probably a gaping hole by now anyway.”

The pressure crushing his body suffocated him. Even if he cried for help, no one would listen or pay any attention. Buried in a sense of powerlessness, unable to do anything, Seorim was biting his lips to the point of drawing blood.

The anomaly occurred at that moment.

“What the.”

The man on top of him let out a stupid sound. A foreign scent brushed past the tip of his nose. As if possessed by something, Seorim turned his head toward its source.

“Uh……”

A faint groan escaped between his lips. It was because for a moment, he thought he was seeing things from being drunk. The one standing in front of the table was none other than Ryu Yeonho.

“I had a feeling, but you’re really lying here, this thing.”

At the low voice, he felt the men’s grips loosen. Seorim looked up at Yeonho with a confused expression. Was Ryu Yeonho always this tall? He seemed a head taller than the men standing awkwardly.

Yeonho’s gaze swept over the panting man next to him before falling on those who had been crushing Seorim.

“So you have a hobby of getting it on with riff-raff.”

Just like that, Yeonho easily lifted Seorim into his arms. He slipped through the tables with a natural demeanor, as if retrieving a lost item.

The cries and screams running rampant everywhere made his skull ring. Instinctively, he felt that in this chaos, the safest place was in Ryu Yeonho’s arms. Without realizing it, Seorim wrapped his arms around the firm neck and let out a pained sound. Yeonho patted his back a couple of times without a word.

They left the table, but the unpleasantness and heat churning inside him remained. The trembling wouldn’t stop, and Seorim’s shoulders shuddered intermittently.

Passing through the hallway connected to the hall, Yeonho stopped in front of a black door. He wiped the cold sweat beaded on Seorim’s forehead and whispered lowly.

“You reek of alcohol.”

Click, the sound of Ryu Yeonho opening the door was heard. Lacking the energy to reply, Seorim just let out an annoyed sigh.

🦅

The place he was carried into by Ryu Yeonho was a spacious room. It had a quiet and cozy atmosphere that was hard to believe was a place within the hall. However, the soundproofing didn’t seem to be perfect, as the noise from outside could be faintly felt beyond the door.

Yeonho sat him down on the bed, but Seorim, unable to support his body, wobbled back and forth like a roly-poly toy. His head throbbed, and a fever boiled, making him feel utterly unpleasant. Unable to endure the nausea, Seorim muttered in a barely audible tone.

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

“One thing after another.”

With those words, Yeonho once again wrapped an arm around Seorim’s shoulders and pulled him up. The movement made the nausea even more severe. It felt like if he walked a few steps, he would really throw up everything inside him. Seorim gripped Yeonho’s clothes tightly and desperately stopped him.

“If, if I walk, I think I’ll throw up.”

“The bathroom is right there.”

“No, I can’t hold it. I really think I’ll do it on the floor.”

Even though he begged earnestly, Yeonho pressed Seorim’s head against his body and walked toward the bathroom. He was covering his mouth, making it difficult to breathe, but that actually helped in holding back the vomit.

The bathroom wasn’t far, so they arrived quickly. As soon as he stepped on the cold tiles, Seorim plunged his head into the toilet and opened his mouth. But once the stage was set, cruelly, not even saliva, let alone vomit, came out. His insides felt stuffy, as if a large rock was blocking his esophagus, but nothing came out of his mouth, which was driving him crazy.

“Ugh, blegh. Gack.”

He tried making artificial sounds to induce vomiting, but it was a meaningless act. Yeonho, who was standing beside him watching Seorim struggle with the toilet, clicked his tongue briefly.

“You’re a lot of work. Even Yeonwoo isn’t like this.”

Without any time to look back, a long finger boldly entered Seorim’s mouth and touched his uvula. At the same time, an arm roughly pressed down on his flat stomach.

“Uuugh.”

The liquid that had been filling his intestines poured into the toilet with surprising speed. Once Seorim succeeded in throwing up once, Yeonho pulled out his finger and roughly patted his back. Since he hadn’t eaten anything, all that floated on the surface of the water was a puddle of mixed alcohol and stomach acid.

After emptying his stomach, this time a chill set in. As Seorim tried to stagger and sit down, Yeonho caught him and forced him to rinse his mouth. Then, after quietly watching Seorim acting limp like a person whose bones had all melted, he dragged him out of the bathroom.

“This is another first, cleaning up someone’s vomit.”

Seorim, too, although he found him annoying, didn’t want to show such a state if possible to the person who had helped him three times. He couldn’t resent his uncooperative body more.

Yeonho, who had tossed the flushed and reddened Seorim onto the bed, spoke in an indifferent tone.

“So why were you there. Did my father order you to?”

“No.”

Clatter, the metallic sound of friction quietly cut between them. Yeonho leaned his upper body toward the side where Seorim was sprawled to place his unfastened wristwatch on the side table. He seemed to think for a moment before throwing a question a beat later.

“Did you come because you wanted to have a gangbang on your own two feet?”

“Who would want to join something like that. Because of that crazy pocket square……”

“Where did you pick up the pocket square.”

“Some psycho passed it off to me.”

Returning to his original position, Yeonho unbuttoned a couple of his own dress shirt buttons and asked.

“The blue one?”

He might start to hate the color blue from now on. As Seorim nodded with a scrunched-up brow, Yeonho let out a thin smile.

“You almost had to crawl home. That’s a sign that says anyone can screw me as much as they want.”

The smiling face that had been spinning around came to mind. He had spoken as if every omega in the basement had one, and then passed off such a dangerous item. With no outlet for his anger, Seorim tore at the innocent blanket. If he had his way, he wanted to run over and slap that handsome face right now, but his energy had already hit rock bottom.

“Acting all sharp, yet you stupidly take on something like that, you’re a special kind of idiot.”

“……”

“Aren’t you going to thank me for saving you?”

It was certain that if it hadn’t been for Ryu Yeonho’s help today, he would have been in big trouble. Seorim replied flatly, as if letting the words drift away on the wind.

“Thank you.”

“Just with words.”

Ignoring Yeonho’s words, Seorim got up from his spot. The spilled alcohol had soiled not only his clothes but also his skin, and the feeling of unfamiliar pheromones on his body was unsettling. He felt better than before, so he wanted to wash it all off cleanly.

“I want to wash up.”

“Trying to repay the favor with your body?”

“No.”

After quickly taking off his clothes, Seorim trudged into the bathroom.

He stepped into the glass booth and turned on the shower, and a stream of steaming hot water poured down. It was difficult to even stand still under the water with the strength gone from his lower body, but thinking that the filth was being washed away made him feel a lot better. The tension he had been holding in his muscles felt like it was lazily loosening, and a sigh escaped him naturally.

I might just fall asleep while showering like this. After leading a static life for so long, he had experienced too much in one day, starting with boarding this unfamiliar ship. Seorim let out a thin breath and brushed his wet hair back.

He meticulously scrubbed his abused body with body wash and even shampooed his alcohol-scented hair until it felt fresh. Standing under the hot water for a while made him dizzy and short of breath. The desire to crawl into a fluffy duvet was desperate.

After finishing his shower after a long time, Seorim emerged from the bathroom in a robe. Is Ryu Yeonho already asleep? As he dried his face with a dry towel and turned his head, he saw a large figure sitting on the bed.

But the action he was taking was a bit strange.

Ryu Yeonho’s ear was turned toward the wall. It was a posture as if he were eavesdropping on the sounds leaking from the next room. The corners of his mouth were drawn in a soft curve, giving him a somewhat amused expression.

Tying the knot of his robe tightly again, Seorim asked in a voice full of suspicion.

“What are you doing?”

“Come here.”

Seorim, with a very skeptical expression, slowly walked to the head of the bed. As he lowered his posture with Ryu Yeonho behind him, the faint voice of someone unknown came from beyond the wall.

— Hngh, ah! Ugh!

To be eavesdropping on other people having relations, what a shameless hobby. Seorim, who was about to avert his gaze with a look of disgust, momentarily flinched.

It sounds familiar for some reason.

— You’re just skin and bones, there’s no pleasure in how you squeeze, hm?

The tone and voice that came through were quite familiar to his ear. Seorim narrowed his eyes and then looked at Yeonho. He had a mysterious smile on his face the whole time.

— Aahk, hngh, ugh, Chairman-niiim.

It was a volume that was hard to hear unless you specifically put your ear to it and held your breath, but it was clear how hard he was trying to be seductive. And whose taste that was. Seorim blinked his eyes, not knowing how to react.

“Your Husband is cheating on you.”

“I see.”

“He’s really going at it. If he does well, he might take your spot.”

If that’s the case, should he be feeling anxious now and praying that Chairman Ryu has an unsatisfactory affair? Seorim’s lips twisted as if he had bitten into an unripe persimmon.

— Haaah, ah! Ugh! Right there is good, hht!

Common lines and moans that would only appear in a third-rate adult film pierced his ears. It wasn’t much different from the words he uttered when he had relations with Chairman Ryu. It felt like looking in a mirror, which was uncomfortable.

On the other hand, it was sordid. He thought people with money to burn would be different, but seeing them rutting in every room with just a wall in between, everyone blinded by sexual desire is the same.

— Aah, I think I’m going to come. Chairman, ah!

Why do I have to listen to this. Seorim, who had been staring blankly at the wall, moved back to get away. No, he was about to move back. To be precise, he had intended to, until a hand that suddenly appeared parted the front of his robe.

The body heat that enveloped his skin was as cool as a snake’s scales. Seorim looked down at the unfamiliar hand that had reached his stomach and asked.

“What are you doing?”

“Just because.”

The breath pouring into his ear, the sensation tickling his skin, came to him more vividly. A concentration of pheromones, incomparable to the thugs he had just been jostled by, pressed down on his ability to breathe.

“It’s fun, stuff like this.”

He doesn’t hold it back on purpose. The heat that had been cooled down once by water felt like it was warming up lukewarmly, regardless of his will.

Lost in the ridiculous delusion that he had been saved, he had forgotten. This man was perhaps a pervert with a stranger and more absurd taste than anyone else. It was a case of fleeing a pack of wild dogs only to run into a tiger’s den.

A finger with a hard tip tickled his ribs and crawled up toward his chest. He tried to pull his arm away, but he couldn’t move an inch because he was being pressed down as if in an embrace from behind.

— Aaat, haah, please do more, ugh.

The sounds made by the male prostitute in the next room buzzed around his consciousness like tinnitus. A drop of water, whether it was from not being fully dry or cold sweat, slid down his collarbone. Seorim looked down at his own protruding nipple and blinked his long eyelashes.

“Did you get turned on listening to your Husband have sex with someone else?”

“Don’t do it.”

Both Ryu Yeonho and Baek Seorim knew that the hand would not stop. The body, intoxicated by pheromones, was so powerless. Even if he thought of dozens of ways to resist, they would soon turn into a whitish fog and be erased from a corner of his brain. That space is filled with an idiotic expectation of pleasure. That’s why he hated this situation even more. Having his desires seen by the other party was not something Seorim was used to.

“Hngh, hht.”

As a nail tickled his nipple, Seorim let out a moan caught in his throat. As if to draw out more of a reaction, Ryu Yeonho put strength into it and pinched the tip. Annoyingly, a tingling pleasure accompanied by pain surged up.

The loose knot of the robe had already lost its function and was hanging limply. Through it, the white skin, flushed red in places, was clearly revealed. Seorim frowned as he saw his own member beginning to lift its head at an angle.

“Traits are so inconvenient. It gets hard even when you fucking don’t want it to, like a goddamn beast.”

As if to prove those words, Ryu Yeonho pressed his heavy self firmly against his buttocks. Seorim let out a hot breath with his brow furrowed as much as possible.

A hand, extending like a snake crawling toward its prey, wrapped around his member. It probed the small hole that endlessly spat out transparent fluid, and lazily stroked up the shaft. In response, Seorim’s thin shoulders trembled pitifully.

He didn’t want to know what kind of expression Ryu Yeonho was making, or with what kind of eyes he was groping him. Seorim stared at the other side of the wall where Chairman Ryu was likely tumbling about, determined not to turn his head.

The hand teasing his body showed no signs of stopping. As it scratched the tip of his nipple with a fingernail while the other hand put strength into stroking his shaft, it was hard to suppress the convulsive pleasure that welled up.

“Ugh, hngh, ah……”

He could feel the space between his defiant buttocks quickly getting wet. In truth, the itchiest place was the hole below, but Ryu Yeonho persistently caressed only his member. But he wasn’t inserting his own erect self either. Did he say he wouldn’t put it in because it was dirty? Then he questioned whether just rubbing it was clean.

The strength gradually drained from the hand resting on the wall, and his upper body tilted. The more limp Seorim became, the more strongly Yeonho pressed down and enveloped his thin body. Slap, slap. The sound of skin, heavily coated with slick, rubbing together mixed with ragged breaths, embroidering the void.

The pheromones Ryu Yeonho was emitting were twice as stimulating as the hard liquor he had been forced to drink. The sight of his vision blurring hazily as his forehead grew hot was utterly unpleasant. Even when he bit his lip, moans slipped out like small coughs, so Seorim dropped his head low.

And probably, he climaxed together with the omega in the next room.

He vaguely heard an exaggerated, tearing moan. Since what came out of his own mouth was closer to a groan one would make when punched in the stomach, it must have come from over there.

Even after spurting seed from the tip of his glans, there was no sense of relief. Seorim quietly stared at the other person’s large palm, splattered with his own semen. Soon, his hair was grabbed from behind with a strong force. Blood can’t be denied, they say. Looking at his actions, he was a man who truly resembled his father.

His limp body felt like a tool for releasing sexual desire. Since his head was being held, he didn’t have to move it, so he just opened his mouth slightly. The ignorantly large lump of flesh stabbed his throat, so it was not comfortable at all.

Unlike his father, Ryu Yeonho did not cum easily. The oral sex was close to torture, so Seorim couldn’t even open his eyes properly the whole time.

By the time a hot, fishy liquid finally filled his mouth, Seorim was extremely exhausted. He barely managed to spit what was in his mouth onto his palm and wiped it roughly on the bedsheet.

“I have to go upstairs.”

“If you go out like this now, you won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”

Click, along with the sound of a Zippo lighter lid opening, the strong smell of cigarettes pierced his nose. Ryu Yeonho, leaning against the wall, took a light drag from his cigarette and continued.

“They’ll probably have three cocks in your hole.”

“……”

“Go in the morning. Father is busy having fun right now too.”

Though he was dazed and had no energy to stand up straight, Seorim got off the bed where the cigarette smoke was billowing. Seeing this, Yeonho asked in a tone tinged with a faint smile.

“Where are you going.”

“Have you ever seen a male prostitute sleep with someone after selling his body.”

“So?”

Instead of an answer, Seorim walked toward the bathroom a short distance away. More time must have passed than he thought, as there was no moisture at all on the dry floor. He thought that even on the hard, cold tiles, it would be much better than spending the night with Ryu Yeonho.

His actions right now, and this situation, were all so ridiculous and frustrating. Seorim gnawed on his lip as he got into the bathtub and lay down. His closed eyelids trembled nervously.

🦅

Early in the morning, Seorim asked an employee for directions and safely arrived at Chairman Ryu’s room. He didn’t know if Ryu Yeonho had remained in the room until Seorim left. He deliberately didn’t even look in that direction. After spraying the pheromone perfume provided in the guest room to erase the alpha’s traces, it truly felt like he had had an illicit rendezvous.

Fortunately, there was no one in Chairman Ryu’s room, and Seorim got into bed and pretended to be asleep. The owner of the room returned around eight-thirty in the morning. He lifted the blanket to check inside, and when Seorim made a small breathing sound, he shook him awake.

“My dear, were you lonely sleeping alone yesterday?”

If he were to find out what had happened last night, he probably wouldn’t be able to leave with his body intact. That he met your son at the orgy yesterday and rutted with him, that he took that man’s cock in his mouth and swallowed his semen. Seorim just pressed his lips to Chairman Ryu’s cheek with a sorrowful expression.

Chairman Ryu sat on the bed and fiddled with Seorim, then gently pressed the back of his head. Despite having had fun until late at night, the old man’s sexual desire seemed to surpass that of a young person. As he lowered his posture, Seorim unconsciously thought that Chairman Ryu’s was smaller than Ryu Yeonho’s.

After being satisfactorily serviced with his mouth, Chairman Ryu briefly washed himself. Then, after lying in bed for a while, he said he had a breakfast appointment and changed his clothes.

“There’s a casino downstairs. If you’re bored, go play.”

Finishing his words, Chairman Ryu placed a bundle of cash on the side table. A whole stack, all ten-thousand-won bills. It looked to be well over several million won.

After seeing Chairman Ryu off, Seorim sat alone and ate the breakfast that came with room service. The soup, the bread, the omelet, and the bacon were all delicious. To the point where it was one of the best breakfasts he had ever eaten. Eating a meal prepared by someone else in a luxury cruise ship bed. It was something he could never have even imagined before.

Staring blankly at the sea outside the window, Seorim let out a deflated laugh. Gambling was a meaningless act. He planned to make an excuse that he had played well and stuff it into his pockets somehow to take with him. Considering what happened when he went out yesterday, today he would quietly stay in his room…….

“……Ah.”

Recalling yesterday’s events, he remembered something he had to do. Since he had lost his suit jacket, Seorim left the room in his dress shirt.

The place his footsteps headed was none other than the basement where the male prostitutes were gathered.

Passing the employee at the front and opening the large door, the same scene he had seen yesterday unfolded. People throwing fruit around thoughtlessly, the headache-inducing smell of perfume, untamed pheromones, and finally, the luxuriously spouting fountain.

Seorim stood silently at the entrance, looking inside, before striding toward the center. It was because he had discovered the person who had made him come all this way, chatting with someone next to the silver platter of grapes.

“Oh, oh.”

The other person also seemed to have seen Seorim in the corner of his eye and turned his head. Seorim stared at him with his lips neatly closed. The platinum-blond omega smiled affably and spoke to him.

“Yeonho, did you have fun yesterday?”

Quietly extending his arm, Seorim pushed the grapes, making them fall from the platter. The large-berried fruit fell in a bunch and tumbled onto the floor.

“You’re still in one piece, though. It must have been pretty bearable…….”

Clang!

Before the sentence could finish, Seorim picked up the platter and slammed it against the omega’s head. Because he brought it down like a hammer, the man, unable to withstand the shock, staggered on his knees. In the gap when his posture was lowered, he struck him several more times without hesitation.

“Ah, aaack! Wait!”

“You son of a bitch, this, you crazy bastard, you wanna die.”

Clang! Clang!

The companions standing around couldn’t bring themselves to intervene and became an audience, covering their mouths and watching them. A stream of red blood trickled down from the nose of the man who had been hit repeatedly. As he fell backward, Seorim got on top of his body, grabbed his platinum-blond head, and slammed his own forehead into it with all his might.

“Aaack!”

With a sharp scream as the last, the man flopped onto the floor. Seorim rubbed his flushed forehead with his hand and got up. Only now did he feel the day-long indigestion go down his esophagus coolly. One of the people watching from the side held the platinum-blond omega and tapped his cheeks to check if he was alive.

Having finished his business, Seorim turned on his heel without a backward glance. It seemed to be the rule for male prostitutes to stay in the basement, but since he had lost his white suit anyway, he figured who would know who he was. All he had to do was appear right in front of Chairman Ryu when he was looking for him.

He was sleepy from not getting enough sleep yesterday. Whether he went to the casino as Chairman Ryu suggested, or lay down on a sunbed, getting some sleep was the priority. His steps back to his room quickened, following the rush of fatigue.

🦅

After causing a scene, he returned to Chairman Ryu’s room, lay down on the soft bed, took a nap, and when he woke up, it was an ambiguous afternoon.

Seorim, in a disheveled state, enjoyed the warmth of the duvet for a moment before getting up. It was a time when the breakfast meeting would have been long over, but Chairman Ryu had not returned. It seemed he was busy running around somewhere today as well.

Now there was really nothing to do to kill time. They said this spacious cruise ship had every form of entertainment in the world, but he didn’t know how to enjoy them. Having boarded as a bedbug living parasitically off someone else’s sexual desire, perhaps he couldn’t leave the bed.

His gaze, which had been blankly tracing the empty air, suddenly fell on the bundle of money on the side table.

“Ah, right.”

Seorim crawled out of bed, laid out his clothes, and pushed the neatly folded bills into every torn pocket.

If I leave it here, it will just go back to Chairman Ryu’s hands, so it’s better to spend the remaining money now. Having made that decision, Seorim went into the bathroom and briefly washed himself. After getting dressed, he stuffed the entire bundle of remaining cash into his pocket.

Click—.

Taking the key, he carefully left the room. As befitting a luxury cruise ship, a soft carpet was laid on the hallway floor. As he looked around the interior and went down the stairs, a lobby wider than the entrance of a decent department store soon appeared.

He had felt that the space in the basement was also very spacious, but compared to the lobby, it was a drop in the bucket. For its size, there weren’t that many people wandering around inside. Nevertheless, judging by the thick concentration of pheromones floating in the air, most of the passengers seemed to be dominant types.

His feet moved on their own as he looked around the dazzlingly splendid interior of the ship. There was a swimming pool, a game room, a movie theater, and even a performance hall. As he wandered around like that, going up and down the stairs, he suddenly found the casino. At the end of the hallway connected to the stairs, he saw a crew member standing. That must be the entrance to the casino.

I’ve come this far, should I take a look? What should I say to get in?

He walked right up to the casino, but this time, the question was how to enter naturally. Seorim, who was loitering at the entrance, leaned over and peeked inside.

The inside, which was open like a field with no door, had various slot machines lined up in rows on a red floor. On the outskirts, blue tables, whose purpose he didn’t know, were placed here and there, waiting for customers. He also saw a few people getting angry while holding onto the machines.

It was when Seorim was spying on the casino with a very troubled face.

“Are you alone?”

A gentle voice poured down from above his head. He hadn’t been called in such a tone for a while, so Seorim naturally didn’t answer and continued what he was doing.

“Are you too busy to even answer?”

Only then did Seorim turn his head toward the person who had spoken to him. A man with neatly cut dark brown hair, tall stature, and wearing a light periwinkle shirt was looking down at him. The corners of his mouth were drawing a gentle curve, giving him a warm impression.

Seorim, who was looking at the man with a suspicious gaze, answered a beat later.

“Me?”

“Yes, you were just standing there, so I wondered if you were lost.”

He wasn’t a child, and if he got lost, he could just ask around and find his way back. He couldn’t understand the man’s intentions, so Seorim made a sour face.

“It’s my first time at a casino, so I was just wondering what’s inside.”

“Do you know how to play any games?”

“I don’t know how.”

“You came here without even knowing the games? You don’t know how scary the world is.”

What did it matter to others whether he loitered in front of a casino or ruined his life? It seemed that rich people, having too much money and nothing to do, were generally nosy.

“I was just looking on my way past.”

He gave his reason, but the man just stood there, beaming. When their eyes met, Seorim glanced at the casino entrance and asked.

“Aren’t you going in?”

“I came to look around too because I have nothing to do. I should have come with a friend for this kind of thing.”

“Ah, yes.”

What am I supposed to do with that?

“Want to try a game of poker? I’ll teach you.”

The man folded his eyes slightly and smiled in a friendly way. Looking at him like this, he had a pretty decent-looking face. His speech was also gentle, so he would be popular, but he wondered why he was loitering here alone.

Seorim stopped thinking about the man’s impression in his head and shook his head.

“No, I think I’ll just not go in.”

“Isn’t it a shame to have come all this way?”

“Not really.”

Thinking that the conversation would continue if he stayed any longer, Seorim added with an indifferent expression.

“I’ll be going. Have fun.”

The added phrase didn’t come from a place of consideration. It was just a sentence to end the conversation. The man’s lips parted, but in the end, he couldn’t hold him back.

Passing the casino and walking along the hallway for a while, he soon entered an area where the lighting was slightly dim. The loud music also became faint, and the decorations on both sides of the hallway were somehow overly luxurious and unfamiliar.

Seorim took a breath and stopped his feet. It was when he was thinking about where to go.

“What are you doing here.”

From behind his neck, at an all-too-close distance, a familiar voice suddenly sounded. Startled, Seorim hastily turned around. And ended up bumping his nose into someone’s chest.

There was no need to check the face. Among the people he knew, there was only one with this low voice and tall, lanky build. Seorim took a slight step back and looked up at Yeonho with a sour expression.

Is this man a wandering beggar?

“I asked what you’re doing.”

“Just……. But where do you keep coming from?”

It was strange to run into each other so often in this vast ship. A son of a chaebol family should have many people to meet and many things to do, yet for some reason, the old Chairman Ryu seems busier. Seorim asked, filled with a pure question that came from his heart.

“Do you have nothing to do?”

Hearing the question, Yeonho let out a laugh as if he were flabbergasted. He replied with a loose smile on his lips.