DOGC Ch 6

Before, it was a cruise; this time, it’s a golf trip. It feels like I’ve become a keyring attached to a bag, dragged around wherever it goes.

Seorim gazed at the lush green expanse of the golf club’s lawn with indifferent eyes. If houses were built on this land, it could probably accommodate hundreds of people. In a world where some have no place to sleep and wander the subways, this was an extravagantly opulent scene.

“You’ll have to get used to places like this now.”

Chairman Ryu, seated next to him in the back of the car, said while patting his shoulder. His bony, protruding frame gripped Seorim’s skin with a fierce strength, as if it were a body drained of all vitality, left with nothing but lust.

“Thanks to you, Chairman, I get to see the world, and I’m grateful for it.”

“That’s right. Everything I show you is the best in Korea, so you’re living quite the privileged life.”

“Really?”

“You must be thrilled to death, huh? But I feed you only the finest things, so don’t let this belly get too full.”

Chairman Ryu’s wrinkled hand firmly grasped Seorim’s lower abdomen. Of course, with his lean frame and barely any fat, there was little flesh to grab. As if he had the luxury to gain weight in this situation.

“To keep getting lots of love from my husband, I’ll have to keep trying hard. You’ve seen so many beautiful things, I wonder if I can satisfy you…”

“You’re something I chose, so you’re top-quality too, aren’t you?”

Calling a person top-quality. To hide the coldness welling up inside, Seorim curved his eyes into crescent moons and smiled. He didn’t forget to drawl out a “Yeees” in a foolishly exaggerated tone.

The car carrying the two passed through the club’s grounds, revealing an entrance to a building that resembled a hotel.

Upon reaching their destination, Chairman Ryu led Seorim into a large reception room set up on one side. Already there were middle-aged men dressed in expensive golf attire, engaged in conversation. Madam Han, Chairman Kim, Chairman Park, President Oh—different genders, different titles.

And the peculiar thing was that each had a lover by their side. There seemed to be a subtle competition over who had brought the younger, more impressive companion. The moment they entered the room, countless gazes swept over Seorim’s cheeks, making his skin prickle.

“Chairman, you’ve arrived.”

“Madam Han, your face looks even brighter.”

Standing one step behind Chairman Ryu, Seorim looked at the man standing like an ornament behind Madam Han. From the loose pheromones, he could tell they were both omegas. That man, too, cast an observant glance toward Seorim.

“I heard you launched a premium brand this time. Your stock prices shot up, didn’t they? You must be proud of your capable son.”

“He’s just so-so.”

“Isn’t it about time for Executive Ryu to settle down?”

“He’s just getting older, not wiser. A good-for-nothing rascal.”

“Oh, come on, with such good looks?”

Seorim largely agreed that Ryu Yeonho was something of a rascal. Perhaps because of the malice he harbored toward his son, Chairman Ryu’s insight was sharp. Seorim let his gaze drift aimlessly toward the banquet hall’s window, then smiled brightly when his eyes met Madam Han’s.

Her gaze came back as if appraising a ring or an earring. Madam Han’s eyes scanned Seorim’s features up and down, her lips twisting slightly. He knew the meaning of that expression. Perhaps at the next gathering, the omega by her side would be someone new.

Once enough people had arrived, they exchanged brief greetings before heading to their rooms for the main purpose of the trip: golf.

Seorim, too, followed Chairman Ryu to a room on the eighth floor, tucked away in the corner. Compared to an average home, it was far larger, with a spacious living area and two bedrooms—an extravagant place.

“I’ll go change, husband.”

“You could do it here.”

“I’m shy… just a moment…”

After kissing Chairman Ryu’s wrinkled cheek, Seorim went into the room and opened the suitcase he’d been given. A white polo-neck t-shirt and navy shorts. Even his golf attire reflected the same predictable taste.

He threw on the clothes and looked into the mirror attached to the vanity. The faint pink of his areolas showed subtly through the thin shirt. That was probably what the chairman liked. The tight fit accentuated the curve of his chest. Rummaging through the suitcase, he found no specific innerwear to pair with it.

Perverted old man.

Seorim adjusted his clothes, taming the disdainful look in his eyes directed at Chairman Ryu.

Arm-in-arm with the chairman, who had also changed, they headed to the course, where a caddy-driven cart awaited them. Before climbing aboard, Seorim looked up at the sky.

It was a hazy, inky gray. The air against his cheeks felt damp, suggesting a downpour might soon come.

“Hey, what are you doing? Hurry up and get in.”

Chairman Ryu, already settled in the cart, gestured to him. Seorim gave a sweet “Yeees” and a charming smile before climbing aboard. A trip—what a hassle. It wasn’t like he got extra pay for serving during the day, yet he had to work twice as hard.

The forced smile made his facial muscles feel like they were going numb. Too much time had passed for him to feel self-loathing for getting used to this. Seorim placed his hand over the chairman’s, which was wrapped around his shoulder.

When the chairman chatted, Seorim stood behind like a doll, waiting. When the ball went into the hole, he’d chime in with “Amazing!” or “So cool!” At the clubhouse, he’d blow on tofu kimchi or dumplings and feed them to those jellyfish-like lips.

It was a series of simple, tedious emotional labor. The tasks of the lovers brought along were generally similar—same expressions, same tone of voice. Seorim wasn’t the least bit curious about the stories that led others to this situation.

The sky, growing increasingly overcast, soon turned dark.

“Shall we head in for a meal?”

“I remember the black goat stew was pretty good last time.”

Finally, some freedom. The raindrops falling from the clouds felt oddly welcome, and Seorim let out a sweet sigh without realizing it. Drip, drip. The intermittent water droplets began to dampen his shoulders.

Since lovers weren’t brought to the formal dinner, Seorim quietly watched Chairman Ryu’s retreating figure as he left the course with the group.

Now what to do to kill time?

If only he had a phone, but trapped as he was, such a thing was out of reach. He felt like he was slowly turning into an idiot. An omega cut off from the world, living only for sex until death—was this the life of a male prostitute sold to an old man?

Lost in pointless musings, something small caught the edge of his vision.

“Oh.”

It was a kitten with white fur and brown patches, waddling toward some corner of the course. With rain falling, it should’ve hurried, but its short legs couldn’t pick up speed.

Cats were nice. Quiet, self-entertaining, cute. Among animals—maybe even more than people—he liked cats. It had been ages since he’d seen one in person. Over two years since he’d seen the strays in the omega brothel district.

“Can I borrow that?”

“Huh?”

“Thanks.”

Seorim snatched the umbrella from a dumbfounded caddy standing nearby. Ignoring the caddy staring at his empty hands, Seorim opened the umbrella and followed the kitten, as if enchanted.

The rain grew heavier. Water droplets splashed like shards on the ground, clinging to his bare legs. There was no way such a fragile creature could withstand this downpour. The tiny kitten waddling ahead was so small and slow that Seorim’s heart burned with anxiety.

Perhaps used to humans, it didn’t even flinch at a stranger following. It just glanced back once and continued on its way. Seorim silently tilted the umbrella toward the kitten.

The rain poured so fiercely that no one else was outside. The kitten strutted across the course as if it owned the place. Was it heading to its mother?

Finally, it stopped at a corner behind a building, sitting under a rough eave and looking up at something. It seemed to be waiting.

Since it had reached a place sheltered from the rain, Seorim thought he should head back. He wasn’t a kid, yet here he was, following a kitten because he was worried it’d get wet. Something Yeonho might do.

Crouching down, he stroked the kitten’s fluffy head once, then stood, resting the umbrella on his shoulder.

Meow—.

The kitten let out a soft cry.

“Came to mooch some food on your own?”

Seorim froze at the sound. A sense of déjà vu hit him. A voice both nostalgic and resentful. He couldn’t understand why it stirred both warmth and rejection.

“Where’re your big brothers? Where’s your mom?”

The more he heard the voice, the stronger the emotions grew. No way, no way. His mind couldn’t recall, but his body seemed to remember—his heart began racing.

“Oh, how pretty.”

Oh, how pretty. That tender tone, that voice—he remembered it all. Forcing himself to bite his trembling lips to calm down, Seorim slowly turned toward the source of the voice.

A middle-aged man in a golf club uniform was crouched down. Navy uniform, a can of tuna in hand, lean forearms—Seorim’s gaze reached the man’s face.

Oh.

His mind went blank in an instant.

The man looking down at the kitten slowly raised his head. In the air tinged with the scent of rain, their eyes met. The man’s dark pupils widened like lanterns as they took in Seorim.

From his parted lips, a cracked voice spilled out.

“Seorim, is that you?”

The heavens were truly indifferent. They said reality was more dramatic than movies or dramas, and they weren’t wrong.

How, in the midst of selling his body, did he come face-to-face with the one who’d plunged his life into the gutter?

Father. The word caught in his throat, refusing to come out.

“Ah, ugh, hng.”

Sounds barely qualifying as language slipped through his parted lips.

He’d had so many things he wanted to say if they ever met again, but not one came to mind. The scene before him felt so unreal it was terrifying.

“Seorim, Mom, this is the last time. I swear.”

“You know how we’re living, and you still do this, honey!”

Through the crack of an open door, amid scattered toys, he’d overheard raised voices. He knew what came next: his mother collapsing on the floor, stifling her tears; his incompetent father sighing, clutching his forehead.

“Seorim, I’m sorry.”

“Daddy!”

“I love you. I really love you. You’re my treasure, the most precious thing in the world.”

Those were likely the last words he’d heard from his father.

You’re my treasure, the pillar of our home, the hope, dream, and love of Mom and Dad. Everything carefully crafted.

After those words, his father disappeared for years. Fragmented memories piled up, clogging his throat. Unable to breathe properly, Seorim fumbled at his neck with the hand not holding the umbrella.

Because of his father, he and his mother—his family—

There had been days filled with endless resentment and desperate searches. Days when the only one he could beg for help was his blood-related father. Days when, burning with fever, he had no one to lean on. Days when he had to endure crushing hardships alone.

But his father was alive.

“Hey, let me see your face…”

His father approached. Seorim’s shoulders shook uncontrollably, trembling violently. Nausea surged, and he covered his mouth—not just for that, but to stifle the animalistic whimpers and cries.

Thud.

The umbrella fell, its sound drowned by the rain. Seorim turned and fled, as if chased by something.

He ran to who-knows-where, hiding and trembling. He couldn’t believe it. Even as Chairman Ryu beat him for running off, all that filled his chaotic mind was the thought of his father. It was so unbelievable he wondered if it was a dream. The man calling his name, the familiar face—maybe it was all an illusion conjured by the rain. Or perhaps he’d been bewitched by the kitten.

A vague terror, like drowning in crashing waves, overwhelmed him.

Since some point, he’d thought his father was dead—the one who’d thrown him into this abyss. Yet he was alive, looking relatively fine.

But Seorim couldn’t be certain. It had been over ten years since he’d seen that face. The man hadn’t even shown up at his mother’s funeral.

Was it really his father? Where had he been all this time, doing what? Why hadn’t he come? Why had he made Seorim like this? Dozens of unvoiced questions roared in his chest.

The rain, pouring as if the sky had a hole, didn’t stop even as the trip came to an end.

Playing golf, eating lavish meals, and at night, enduring the chairman’s perverse desires—Chairman Ryu looked exhausted. Less than twenty minutes after getting in the car, he was snoring, fast asleep.

Seorim absently touched the bruises on his calves and the marks on his neck. He felt neither pain nor injustice. Wasn’t he too worn out for such emotions?

“Cough, ugh.”

Chairman Ryu snored as if something was stuck in his throat. If he died in his sleep, maybe Seorim could escape. Maybe he could live a new life. Even now.

But no matter how old, a sudden death in sleep was unlikely without someone causing it. Seorim unconsciously clenched and unclenched his fist. He had no attachment to life, but neither did he have the courage to take another’s.

Patter, tap—.

The heavy rain struck the car window. It had rained the day they sent off his mother, and the day he was dragged to the brothel. Come to think of it, misfortune always came with the sound of rain.

The face he’d seen yesterday was already fading from memory. If only he could see it one more time. Even the face from hours ago was blurry, so of course, his father’s face from over a decade ago was hazy. How could he be sure he’d really met him?

If only he had a photo.

A photo…

“Oh.”

As Seorim bit his lip, searching for traces of the past, an object suddenly came to mind. There was a photo. Not in his hands now, but…

He had to take it back. No matter what it took. Even if these actions led to some unforeseen consequence, it didn’t matter. Staring silently at the sleeping Chairman Ryu’s wide-open mouth, Seorim leaned back against the car seat.

Dizzy.

Was this trembling wave just a ripple, or the start of a storm?

🦅

That evening, back at the mansion.

Whether it was good luck or bad, Seorim soon encountered the person he’d been seeking. Against the backdrop of the rain-streaked reception room window, Ryu Yeonho leaned casually on a sofa.

In front of him was Ryu Hyeonjun, holding a steaming cup of freshly brewed coffee. Chairman Ryu, claiming exhaustion, had gone straight to the second-floor bedroom, leaving just the three of them in the reception room.

“You’re back already?”

Ryu Hyeonjun spoke first. Was it normal to greet a male prostitute so warmly? Instead of answering, Seorim subtly shifted his gaze to Ryu Yeonho.

Ryu Yeonho wore an unreadable smile. In a voice as calm as his expression, he said, “You two are on speaking terms?”

“We talked a bit before. He was cleaning the study.”

“Oh, I see.”

With Seorim between them, their conversation flowed naturally. Hyeonjun was friendly, but Yeonho’s responses were subtly dry. Hyeonjun didn’t seem to notice.

“It was kind of funny. He was under the desk, and I got startled.”

“…”

“He cleans, looks after Yeonwoo, and is so talented.”

Not only did Hyeonjun speak freely about what happened, but he also added a familiar introduction, as if they were close.

Was he just an idiot?

Saying such pointless things, especially in front of Ryu Yeonho. Seorim lowered his head slightly, pulling his lips into a flat line, his mood sour.

Yeonho, who had been quietly listening to Hyeonjun, stared at Seorim. His eyes were calm, but his gaze clung persistently to Seorim’s youthful profile. A beat late, he let out a response.

“Is that so? I didn’t know. I thought he was just a worker.”

“Still, living in the same house… Oh, hold on, I’ve got a call.”

As he said, his phone buzzed loudly, signaling an incoming call. “See you later,” Hyeonjun mouthed secretly to Seorim, who hadn’t said a word.

It was absurd how he seemed to think they’d gotten close. Seorim watched Hyeonjun’s retreating figure expressionlessly as he left with the call.

Now, only he and Ryu Yeonho remained in the space.

“Were you always that sociable?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Then why aren’t you friendly with me? We’re closer, aren’t we?”

“I wasn’t friendly with him either.”

Suddenly, Yeonho grabbed Seorim’s wrist, pressing his nose to the spot where blue veins showed. Despite the odd action, he wore an enigmatic smile. Seorim, letting Yeonho hold his arm, asked, “What do my pheromones feel like?”

“Strange question.”

“I’m curious. I don’t know myself.”

Yeonho inhaled lightly against Seorim’s wrist before answering slowly, “Like pomegranate.”

“Do you like it?”

“To eat? Or to fuck?”

“Both.”

As expected, crude. Seorim was relieved he was used to masking his expressions. He met Yeonho’s eyes. This man was the type whose emotions couldn’t be read through his gaze. Hoping to appear the same, Seorim spoke as calmly as possible.

“Then would you like to have me?”

“What?”

“Me.”

Yeonho’s eyes narrowed. Like a snake eyeing prey, but Seorim couldn’t avoid it. Unlike his usual lukewarm responses, Yeonho gestured with his chin for Seorim to continue. Seorim blinked once and went on.

“Your father has no taste. Living like a hamster on a wheel is no fun.”

“…”

“You need something like this to keep going.”

Yeonho’s lips curved into a smile. Too twisted to be kind, too eager to be cold. In a soft tone that belied his words, he whispered, “Then wash off my father’s stench before you come back.”

Their hands brushed, fingers interlocking briefly before Yeonho let go.

🦅

Late into the night, Yeonho was looking at his tablet when he stood. Though nothing was said, his intuition told him Seorim would come soon. As he sat on the bed’s edge, a knock came at the door.

“Come in.”

The visitor, upon hearing the response, cautiously opened the door. Yeonho quietly raised his head, gazing at Seorim standing at the entrance. With a soft click, the wooden door closed with a brief noise.

Even after entering, Baek Seorim remained silent. He merely bit his lips, staring at the bed from a distance. For someone who made a living selling his body, he didn’t exude much sophistication. Yeonho broke the silence that had settled in the room first.

“Come here.”

Seeing Seorim take a step forward, he added, “Take off your clothes.”

At those words, Seorim halted abruptly and slowly raised his eyes. When their gazes met in the air, he bit his lips again. Soon, one by one, the buttons of his shirt came undone, and the garment that had covered his body fell to the floor with a soft thud.

There was hesitation in his movements as he lowered his pants along with his underwear. He paused briefly before slowly pulling them down. The still-warm clothes lay crumpled beside Baek Seorim, like a snake’s shed skin.

Completely bare, Seorim took slow steps forward. His slender shoulders trembled faintly, perhaps from the cold air brushing against him.

Yeonho’s gaze meticulously traced the lithe body. His eyes lingered long on the pinkish nipples budding on Seorim’s flat chest and the hairless groin. His pure white form, unmarred by any cover, resembled a doll crafted from clay.

As Seorim drew closer, Yeonho took his hand, gently interlocking their fingers. With a slight pull, Seorim’s legs gave way without resistance. A rich pomegranate scent wafted strongly.

Seating Seorim on his lap, Yeonho immediately took a red nipple into his mouth. As he sucked eagerly from the start, a delicate moan escaped.

“Haa, ugh!”

Startled, Seorim instinctively grabbed Yeonho’s shoulders. Despite this, the aroused nipple hardened and swelled in Yeonho’s mouth. Rolling the protruding tip with his tongue, Yeonho locked eyes with Seorim.

“Mm, hng, uhh…”

Baek Seorim wore an expression of uncertainty, as if at a loss. If it was an act, it was an impressive one. For the first time in his life, Yeonho felt jealous of his father. The amount of seed this face must have greedily received already was unimaginable.

Whenever their eyes threatened to lock, Seorim kept looking away. Yeonho wanted to savor that flushed expression, but it irked him. Nibbling the nipple lightly with his teeth, he said, “Is someone going to eat you? Why are you so stiff? You came here to do what you’re good at, didn’t you, Seorim?”

“Ah, hng, what’s the point… of looking at my face, ugh.”

“Seeing a pretty face helps me get it up.”

In truth, his cock was already throbbing, straining against his thigh. No one who saw this scene would remain unaffected.

Yeonho slid his hand to Seorim’s slowly rising cock. Despite its hairless sensitivity, it was already leaking tiny droplets from the small urethra. Stroking the shaft elicited another low moan.

“Hng, ahh, just… put it in.”

Seorim grabbed the hand on his cock, pushing it away as if scolding. It almost seemed like he found the act unfamiliar. Having only taken it in his hole thus far, he might not have experienced much foreplay.

The intriguing reaction spurred Yeonho to rub the tender skin harder. His tongue relentlessly worked the nipple. In response, Seorim clung to Yeonho’s neck, his upper body twitching.

“Ah, I don’t like this. Just, hng, quickly… inside…”

A flood of pheromones filled the room like a thick fog, as if caressing a blooming poisonous flower. Yeonho, who had been toying with Seorim’s cock, stopped and lifted him.

He sat Seorim against the headboard, facing him, and Seorim raised his head, cheeks flushed red. His saliva-slicked lips glistened enticingly. Yeonho kissed the hollow of his collarbone and whispered, “Open yourself up. Use your fingers.”

“I don’t need to…”

Stammering a protest, Seorim’s wet eyes darted to Yeonho’s bulging pants. Hesitating, he slowly moved his hand between his buttocks. He looked like a small animal struggling to protect itself, and a chuckle escaped Yeonho.

A slender middle finger probed the entrance. A trickle of fluid spilled out, wetting the pinkish folds. It was like watching a finger slowly slice through juice-laden fruit.

“Uhh, hng.”

With a dreamy expression, Seorim curled his finger, stirring the entrance and letting out a pained moan. Yeonho scraped the protruding nipple with his thumbnail and whispered, “So you whimper like a puppy even when you do it alone, Seorim.”

“No, hng, that’s not… true.”

“Then how long will it take to get my cock in there?”

Forcing Seorim’s legs wider, Yeonho pressed his finger into the already occupied hole. Seorim’s eyes widened in shock.

“What, hng, what are you doing… ah, mm.”

As Yeonho pushed his finger in alongside Seorim’s, the tight entrance strained open. Baek Seorim’s smooth finger and hot mucous membrane brushed against Yeonho’s fingertips. Deliberately rubbing their knuckles together, Yeonho twisted his wrist.

“Ugh, ha, you’re such a pervert.”

Their fingers churned the slick membrane. When Yeonho thrust deep, hitting a swollen spot inside, Seorim’s hips bucked sharply. That was the source of ecstasy.

“Ha, ahh!”

“It’s dying to take a cock in here.”

Yeonho drove his finger to the hilt, repeatedly spreading the passage. The entrance gaped slightly each time it swallowed the thick knuckles. Seorim’s hand, caught at the entrance, had stopped moving, as if all his focus was on enduring the intrusion.

Fluid trickled from between his buttocks, pooling shallowly on the sheet. Like he’d wet himself, Seorim panted heavily.

“Hng, ah, ugh, mm!”

With wet, sloppy sounds, the thick fingers kept digging into the inner walls. Seorim, tears glistening in his eyes, pleaded, “Hng, ugh, stop and just… quick, mm?”

“Then say it with your mouth. Beg for it.”

The fingers pounding the inner walls sped up. Each thrust against the entrance splashed tiny droplets of fluid. Seorim arched his back, letting out shrill cries. His soft thighs trembled pitifully.

“Ah, ah! Ugh, hng, put it in.”

“What?”

“Your cock, put it in my hole, please.”

The crude words spilling from those pretty lips stoked Yeonho’s desire. Exhaling a shallow, hot breath, he pulled his fingers out. The loosened hole dripped with pent-up fluid.

A condom was by the bed. Yeonho fumbled in the drawer, pulled one out, and lowered his pants. His freed cock sprang out, boasting its heavy size.

Tearing the wrapper with his mouth, Yeonho rolled the condom onto his cock. The veiny shaft pulsed with vulgar desire. Grabbing Seorim, he forcibly spread his closed legs.

“Hng, wait, it’s too…”

Seeing the cock’s size, Seorim thrashed desperately. When would he realize that such resistance only fueled excitement? Yeonho gripped Seorim’s thighs, silently aligning the tip with the entrance.

With a squelching sound, the folds stretched to their limit, and Seorim burst into tears. Yeonho, eyes bloodshot, stared down at him and thrust his hips.

“Hng, ahh! It hurts, ugh.”

The sensation inside, pierced by the cock, was an indescribable treasure trove of pleasure. Unbelievably soft yet gripping the shaft tightly, it was overwhelming.

“Fuck…”

The sensation was too exquisite. Baek Seorim’s sobbing voice felt like sweet nectar. Biting his lip, Yeonho, as if possessed, buried his cock to the hilt and said, “You begged for it.”

“But, hng, it’s too big… it’s tearing me!”

As he said, the tight flesh seemed to struggle just to take the cock. But there was no room for restraint. Why savor something this delicious?

Yeonho pulled back and thrust deeply, hitting the swollen spot from earlier. Baek Seorim trembled violently, his small face streaked with tears.

“Yeah, haa, what do I do if it hurts, Seorim? How should I help?”

“Ah, ugh, hng.”

“Make it nice for you?”

Pushed by the thrusting cock, Seorim nodded frantically, lifting his hips. He seemed to be in real pain. Yeonho leaned down, licking his salty lips, and said, “Raise your arms. I’ll suck your nipples.”

Seorim, dazed, rubbed his face against the pillow. He was high-maintenance. Yeonho grabbed the arm on the sheet and lifted it. A sweet scent wafted from his bare armpit.

Sucking the nipple while thrusting inside, Seorim gasped sharply. The now-prominent tip tickled Yeonho’s tongue. As if begging for more, Yeonho pinched the bud tightly, eliciting continuous moans.

“Hng, ah, ugh, mm.”

Stimulating the erogenous zone made the inner walls clamp down as if to devour the cock. Where did this come from? He might not think so, but he was a born prostitute.

Gradually, Seorim’s cries turned more to moans. His flushed face and body dripped fluid from the hole. The feverish, rosy cheeks stirred curses in Yeonho’s mind. What kind of bewitching creature was this?

Yeonho hooked his hands behind Seorim’s knees, folding his body nearly in half. The penetration deepened. The fluid from the cock-soaked hole trickled to Seorim’s navel.

Continuing to tease the nipples, Yeonho thrust, and Seorim clung to the headboard like a lifeline, sobbing. Shaking his head, he pleaded desperately, “Ha, ahh, no. Stop making it nice there.”

“Gonna come?”

“Mm, hng, yes.”

The cock at his navel was leaking clear fluid from the urethra. Yeonho drove the tip deep, brushing Seorim’s pubes, and pulled out with a grin.

“You’re spoiled. Coming here to get fucked and rudely spilling on your own.”

The thick cock pierced Seorim’s insides fiercely. His lean stomach bulged and receded with the shaft’s outline. When Yeonho bit the nipple hard, Seorim, trembling throughout, curled his toes tightly.

“Hng, ahh…!”

His dangling cock spurted white semen. The inner walls clenched greedily, as if milking him. Barely suppressing his own climax, Yeonho kissed Seorim’s forehead.

Exhausted, one of Seorim’s legs fell to the sheet. Baek Seorim, face smeared with his own fluids, sobbed quietly. His spasming body hinted at the afterglow of an intense climax.

Click—.

That was when a faint metallic sound rang out.

It was so soft that Baek Seorim seemed not to hear it. In his current state, he probably wouldn’t notice someone shouting beside him. Yeonho, still moving his cock inside, glanced toward the door.

“Haa, ah, not now, just… let me rest.”

Seorim shook his head, but Yeonho had no intention of listening. Silently pulling back and thrusting hard, he fixed his gaze on the door’s crack. There was definitely a presence.

“If you make that much noise, everyone will come to watch you get fucked, Seorim.”

One person was already here, it seemed. Yeonho reached out, kneading Seorim’s chest, and smiled faintly. Pulling his cock from the wet flesh, he drew the collapsed Seorim into his arms.

Seorim seemed puzzled as the tormenting presence withdrew. Blinking dazedly, he let himself be held, looking rather cute.

Yeonho turned Seorim to face the same direction, spreading his legs from behind. He lifted him lightly and thrust his cock between Seorim’s buttocks.

“Ah, haa!”

Seorim threw his head back at the sudden deep penetration. Yeonho hooked his legs to keep Seorim’s from closing and rapidly thrust upward. His fluid-soaked balls slapped against Seorim’s ass.

As the cock plunged deeper, Seorim’s waist curved gracefully. His protruding chest, with nipples begging for touch, stood out. Eagerly responding, Yeonho twisted the ripe buds with his fingers.

“Haa, ah, no, mm, it hurts.”

Rubbing his lips against Seorim’s cheek as if to soothe him, Yeonho subtly watched the slightly open door.

The voyeur didn’t look away either, their eyes meeting. Shock filled their gaze. They were watching Yeonho toy with Seorim’s swollen nipples and ravage his tight hole with his cock.

Yeonho, as if showing off, spread Seorim’s legs wide and pounded away. One hand teased Seorim’s newly erect cock. Despite just coming, it scattered tiny droplets as Yeonho scraped the urethra with his nail, eliciting whimpers.

“Have you ever fucked?”

Amid the shaking from the thrusting, Seorim barely shook his head.

“You’ve only used your back hole, so why does this keep standing?”

It twisted Yeonho’s gut. The idiot outside was probably seeing Seorim’s pinkish cock too. Lucky bastard.

“Poor Seorim. No one will fuck an omega who only leaks from his ass.”

“Mm, ugh, don’t keep saying… hng.”

“If you love it this much, maybe you don’t care?”

Seorim’s lithe body swayed limply with each thrust. Moans mixed with sobs poured from his open mouth. Drunk on pleasure, Seorim forced strength into his glazed eyes and retorted, “It’s not, ugh, hng, that great.”

“…”

“Just stupidly big, ah!”

It only looked like petulant whining. Yeonho pinched the erect nipple painfully and drove the tip to the end of the inner walls. Scraping every fold, Seorim gasped, unable to breathe.

“Then I’ll have to learn from Seorim where to thrust to make you lose it.”

Yeonho sealed Seorim’s sharp tongue with a kiss. The moans Baek Seorim let out reverberated in their joined mouths.

His thrusts quickened, and Seorim flailed like a speared fish. When he reached his second climax uncontrollably, the door closed with a sound.

Sucking the sweet tongue, Yeonho smiled with lust-filled eyes.

🦅

Seorim woke to a heavy, dull pain coursing through his body.

His tender skin was chafed, making his eyes sting. It’d be quicker to list the parts that didn’t hurt. Especially between his overworked legs, which wouldn’t close easily.

Because of that crazy bastard.

Seorim pushed away Ryu Yeonho, who was uncomfortably holding him in his sleep. His large, solid frame barely budged. Managing to free his shoulder, a long arm soon wrapped around his waist, perhaps instinctively.

“Haa…”

It took considerable effort to escape again. Fortunately, Ryu Yeonho seemed deeply asleep, eyes closed throughout.

Seorim slid his hips to the bed’s edge while lying down. Before getting up, he waved his palm over Yeonho’s face. The steady breathing from his nose confirmed he was sound asleep.

Stepping off the bed, cold air swept over his body. The fluids on his arms and legs seemed wiped off by the sheet, but his buttocks remained sticky and unpleasant.

But there was something more important. This was his only chance to try something he couldn’t otherwise.

Moving as quietly as possible, Seorim reached the desk and quickly scanned it. He wasn’t sure if it was still in this house, but he had to seize the opportunity to look.

Nothing on the desk, as expected. Nor on the bookshelf above or the side table by the bed. That was within his predictions.

Hoping against hope, he checked the pockets of Yeonho’s discarded coat. Regrettably, only bits of dust clung to his fingertips.

He knew it was small and hard to find in the dim light. But the situation didn’t allow for a thorough search. What if it wasn’t here? Yeonho supposedly lived in Seoul, so the necklace could be stored anywhere else. Growing anxious, Seorim hurriedly ran his fingers over the desk.

Clink, something caught under his nail. A drawer. Without thinking, he carefully pulled the handle. He had a good feeling.

“Oh…”

He found it—the necklace.

Gleaming faintly in the dark, it was undoubtedly the necklace he’d been searching for. A bright smile bloomed on Seorim’s lips, like a flower bud. It was finally back in his hands.

He’d look at Mom’s face first. Seorim carefully lifted the necklace from the drawer’s edge. The clasp had been broken, but now it was restrung with a new chain. The thought that Yeonho had fixed it himself made Seorim wonder if he wasn’t such a bad person after all.

No, he stole it in the first place, so he’s still a bastard. As Seorim pressed the locket’s lid to open it—

Thud—.

An arm shot out from behind, pinning Seorim’s hand, necklace and all, to the desk. He was too shocked to scream. The warmth and imposing pheromones at his back belonged to the alpha he’d been rolling with in bed.

How could someone hide their presence like that? When had he woken up? Before Seorim could turn, a strong grip seized his waist.

“Your hands are filthy.”

“When did you wake… haa!”

A crushing pressure surged into his lower abdomen. Even after the earlier frenzy, he felt the tight entrance stretch painfully. His insides filled instantly, making it hard to breathe.

“Ha, ahh, if you put it in like that, hng.”

Ryu Yeonho was truly insane. Even the cock at his groin was beyond normal size. It felt like forcing a baseball bat into a tiny needle’s eye.

Had they not gone at it earlier, he’d swear he’d be bleeding. Yeonho’s hot breath poured onto his nape. Seorim, gripping the desk’s edge, collapsed onto scattered papers.

“Haa, ah! Mm!”

Each thrust felt like his insides were being dragged out. Not fast, but deep, the cock pounded to the end of his walls. The desk shook slightly with the force.

Despite his resistance, the pleasure-hungry membrane greedily clamped around the shaft. Pain and pleasure flooded in like a tide. Broken moans spilled from his mouth like a hacking cough.

“Just widened it, and it’s tight again.”

Yeonho muttered, thrusting his cock in. The necklace’s chain passed to his hand. Seorim slapped the arm around his abdomen, sobbing, “Give it back, hng, ah.”

“Not yet.”

Kissing his soft nape, Yeonho continued, “If I give it back, you’ll run off like a stray cat.”

“Give it back, ahh.”

“You have to behave if you want it back.”

Jingle, the necklace chain rattled as Yeonho moved his hips. The euphoria from the oversized cock was hard to resist. The pheromones pouring out seemed to paralyze his brain.

“If I do it, you’ll give it back, hng, mm.”

“I said it depends on how you do. What have you done?”

What was this guy planning to milk out of a stolen necklace?

“I want to get a lot closer… close enough to roll around every night, reeking of cum.”

“You’re doing it right now, ugh.”

“Yeah. Since I can’t stuff your upper mouth right now, stop yapping.”

In the next moment, Yeonho pulled out his cock and grabbed Seorim, turning him around. Forced onto the desk, Seorim’s legs were spread open again.

“Hng, ah.”

Their breaths mingled as the tip of Yeonho’s cock plunged back inside. The pleasure reached its peak, clouding Seorim’s mind. It was harmful in so many ways. He didn’t want to admit it, but this was the first time he’d felt such intense arousal during a physical encounter.

As Yeonho thrust repeatedly, he lowered his head. Their lips met naturally. The way he entwined their tongues and lightly bit and released Seorim’s lips was skillful.

“You seem worn out. Like chewing on a rag.”

“Is the rag tasty?”

“That, ugh, I don’t know.”

Too preoccupied with exploring each other’s tongues, the conversation couldn’t continue long. It felt like his insides were melting with heat.

If they kept mixing their bodies like this, it seemed like nothing but sex would remain in his brain.

Panting, Seorim, before turning into a complete fool, covered Yeonho’s hand with his own. Then, he swiftly grabbed the necklace dangling from it.

“Sneaky little rat.”

Thrusting his cock deep once more, Ryu Yeonho let out a low, mocking laugh.

“That precious to you?”

“Yes, I said so. Hng, ugh.”

“What’s gotten into you all of a sudden? Thinking with your head, huh?”

His tone was provocative again. Seorim wished he’d just shut up and move his cock diligently. With that hope, Seorim tilted his head toward Yeonho’s lips. Their breaths collided hungrily.

With a clatter, the papers strewn across the desk tumbled to the floor. The wooden desk wasn’t an ideal place to lie down, but that hardly mattered anymore.

🦅

The scent of damp, post-coital musk wafted from the sheets against his skin. Seorim, clutching his prize tightly, blinked at the ceiling. The lingering heat left his body languid and weak.

Ryu Yeonho, who had been standing by the desk drawer, returned with something in hand. Without a word, he pushed it into Seorim’s mouth.

Realizing what it was, Seorim swallowed without protest. To think he even had omega-specific birth control pills. Was he cautious or just wildly promiscuous?

“I thought you forgot, but why go for the necklace?”

Sitting on the bed’s edge, Ryu Yeonho casually broached the subject.

Seorim’s dazed gaze drifted over Yeonho’s chiseled abs and broad shoulders. It was like looking at a sculpted figure, not a human body. No wonder he was so strong—his waist still ached from being grabbed.

“I told you I wanted it back.”

“Is there a reason you’d go so far as to use your body to get it?”

“What’s it to you?”

“You’re talking like shit again.”

Looking down at Seorim, Yeonho wiped the sweat from his forehead with his palm. It wasn’t unpleasant, as if some animal instinct in him responded to the touch. Probably because he was too exhausted.

“I want to see his face.”

“Whose?”

“My father’s.”

With a rustle, Ryu Yeonho slipped under the covers. Naturally, he slid his arm under Seorim’s neck as a pillow. People often acted like this at the head of the bed, so Seorim let it be.

“Why your father?”

“I think I saw him a few days ago.”

“What do you mean?”

“At the golf club… he was working there.”

“Oh,” Ryu Yeonho let out a small sound, his tone brimming with interest.

“Your father’s an employee at the golf club my dad frequents?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t remember his face. The only photo I have is in the necklace.”

“How long has it been since you saw him?”

“I don’t remember. It’s been too long.”

Everything was blurry. Living steeped in this life had turned the past into a faded afterimage.

While Seorim contorted his face with complex emotions, Yeonho took out a cigarette and put it in his mouth. His long fingers toyed with Seorim’s hair as if it were a plaything.

“You hate him? Your father?”

The faint cigarette smoke Yeonho exhaled curled around the bedside. Seorim watched it for a moment before answering slowly.

“Yes.”

“For making you like this?”

Like this. Without any embellishment, it was a fitting phrase.

“You miss him?”

That question caught in his throat. After a long silence, Seorim finally spoke.

“…I don’t know.”

“What’ll you do if you see him? Punch him?”

“He’s still my father. How could I hit him?”

That was a thought typical of someone with a bad relationship with their dad. Come to think of it, why was Yeonho on such bad terms with Chairman Ryu? With a half-sibling in the picture, he must have a colorful family history.

Seorim stared blankly at Yeonho’s profile and continued slowly.

“I just want to ask… what he’s been doing all this time. If he’s been living well. If he forgot about me and Mom.”

At the end, his true feelings slipped out unintentionally.

“It was hard for me. Really hard.”

Yeonho’s hand, combing through Seorim’s hair, stopped. Suddenly, he playfully pressed his palm against Seorim’s face. What the hell was this? Seorim frowned, but a lighthearted voice followed.

“Want help?”

“With what?”

“Finding out. Even if that guy’s your father, you can’t do anything about it.”

He was right. Seorim had no means of contact, no way to dig into someone’s identity. Trapped in this mansion, what could he do? He wasn’t even sure if the man still worked there.

Turning from the ceiling, Seorim looked at Yeonho. His calm eyes, hiding unknown intentions, gazed back. His curved lips smiled, but whether his heart matched was unclear.

“Why?”

“What’s why?”

“Why help me? I was sold to your father.”

Did he hate his father that much? But Yeonho’s response was absurdly flippant.

“Just looks fun.”

There was hardly any substance to it.

“What’s his name? Your father.”

Seorim, with a sunken expression, answered dully, “…Baek Hongsik.”

“Sounds like a grandfather, not a father. What kind of name is that?”

“Why’re you mocking my dad’s name?”

Yeonho’s daily rudeness seemed to extend effortlessly to others’ fathers. Seorim didn’t really mean to defend his dad’s name; it was just a reflexive retort to Yeonho’s casual disrespect.

“So, how did this Baek Hongsik guy make you like this?”

“It’s the usual story. Business failed, drowned in debt. I don’t have any memories of living well. By the time I was old enough, the family was already ruined.”

“You sure you don’t want to hit him?”

Yeonho must be the type to throw punches when things go wrong. Wondering why he was so interested in Seorim’s family drama, Seorim replied shortly, “I told you, how could I hit my father?”

“You must resent him. You probably had things you wanted to do.”

“You can say some normal stuff sometimes.”

“I’m pretty softhearted, you know.”

Softhearted. Neither his looks nor his actions suited that description for Ryu Yeonho.

Seorim’s dark pupils reflected the wide ceiling. The floor above was his room. Yeonho might have heard Chairman Ryu with his mistress. Yet he still touched and lusted after Seorim, proving he wasn’t normal.

How many snakes were coiled in his gut? Where were their heads pointed?

Seorim could guess what Yeonho might demand in exchange for help. Still, he needed Yeonho’s power. Like sticking his head into a snake’s jaws, Seorim asked, “How will you help?”

“I’ll check if that guy’s your father.”

What was a life-altering event for one person was mere entertainment for another. To Ryu Yeonho, it was a trivial amusement. Not an act of kindness.

“What do I have to do if you find out?”

“Well.”

His intentions were obvious, but Yeonho didn’t say it outright. A vague, empty reason followed his brief reply.

“It’s just fun to watch. Maybe because you’re pretty.”

Seorim turned his gaze from the ceiling to Yeonho and asked, “I’m pretty?”

“Quite.”

Ryu Yeonho’s long fingers slowly settled on Seorim’s cheek.

“Your hair, your eye color. Your lips, all rosy. Like they were painted with a brush.”

His fingertips, as if exploring, grazed Seorim’s long lashes, slid over his sharp nose, and gently pressed his plump lips.

“You could’ve debuted as a celebrity and paid off your debts faster than wiping an old man’s cock.”

“Then make me debut.”

“You think you could do it? Businessmen don’t invest just anywhere.”

Meeting Seorim’s eyes, Yeonho subtly curled his lips.

“I could make you my lover, though.”

Not a surprising response. Most men Seorim met in this situation treated him like this. Baek Seorim could only be a mistress, a toy, or a prostitute now.

Feeling a slight sting in his throat, Seorim muttered softly, “…It’s no different from now.”

“I’m five hundred times better than Chairman Ryu.”

“Not sure about that.”

“Then I’ll show you.”

His words dripped with lust. As Yeonho’s arm trapped Seorim’s shoulders, their breaths drew closer. Their lips brushed lightly before parting, and Seorim turned, burying his left cheek in the pillow.

“Find out. If he’s my father.”

His slender neck was bitten by a beast with bared teeth. A moan, like a sigh, escaped his parted lips.

“Alright.”

“And the necklace, hng, give it back.”

“Nope.”

Do whatever you want, you bastard.

Cursing inwardly, another round of sex began. It seemed Yeonho intended to exhaust him all morning.

Hoping Chairman Ryu, likely fast asleep, wouldn’t call for him, Seorim surrendered to the crashing waves.

🦅

They say if nature made you a bat, you must live a bat’s life. Dreaming of turning a bat into a goose is a foolish fantasy.

Born to be an omega prostitute. Born to bear the debt from his father’s failed business, to live in wretched poverty. He’d never even imagined grand dreams.

A bird struggles to break out of its egg. But the egg is the bird’s world. To escape, it must destroy that world.

To change his fate, Seorim had to break the egg. But if the shell was too thick and strong to crack? If mere realizations or new knowledge couldn’t change his world?

Demian was a book that stirred many useless thoughts. It made him want to live differently, to use the changed perspectives from reading as nourishment to live properly, even if just a little. If good writing changes the reader’s attitude, this was a truly good book.

Lying face-down on the bed, head buried in the pillow, Seorim pulled his fingers from the book’s pages. He lost track of where he’d been reading.

In truth, Seorim wanted to break the egg more than anyone.

He’d tried escaping this life once. The result was harsh beatings and worse neglect. His good looks were no advantage. Being pretty didn’t get him extra food or fewer blows.

He was sick of it. If he could be free, he wouldn’t care about missing college, not having his dream job, or eating good food. Living hand-to-mouth in a tiny room would be more than enough.

His head started aching again, so Seorim grabbed his coat and left the room. How long had it been autumn? It was getting cold again.

Would he be spared from wearing these black shorts in winter? With his primary duty being to satisfy lust, would professional duty demand short clothes even in the cold?

He thought about going a bit farther than the backyard today. Though it’d still be within the mansion’s grounds.

So, he headed to a small hill by the lake near the mansion.

It was the ambiguous hour between evening and night, with the sun setting dimly, so he was sure no one would be there. It was a place rarely visited day or night. Planning to clear his head in the cool air alone, Seorim had to revise his plan upon arrival.

Someone was already occupying the hill’s sitting spot.

It wasn’t far, so the other person likely noticed him too. It was too awkward to flee. Cursing inwardly, Seorim sat a few steps away. It was Ryu Hyeonjun.

“Seorim-ssi.”

Had he given his name?

A vague memory surfaced of Hyeonjun asking to be called by name, acting pitiful.

Seorim turned his head, rubbing eyes that felt like a rotten fish’s. Swallowing the rising annoyance, he composed himself as best he could. Meanwhile, Hyeonjun added, “What brings you out here?”

That was Seorim’s line. With so few places to be alone in this mansion, why was Hyeonjun taking one? Resentment bubbled up.

“I come here often. To sort my thoughts.”

“Thoughts?”

“What about you, Hyeonjun-ssi…?”

Turning to Hyeonjun, Seorim trailed off. Hyeonjun was staring into space with the coldest expression Seorim had ever seen. Despite his usual friendly demeanor, the Ryu family blood couldn’t be denied.

Still wearing a chilling gaze that could cut the sky, Hyeonjun answered quietly, “I had some thoughts to sort out too.”

“I see.”

Seorim replied nonchalantly, uninterested. He just wanted to leave soon.

But unlike Seorim’s mood, Hyeonjun didn’t stop talking.

“Seorim-ssi.”

His voice, calling Seorim’s name, carried an even colder edge.

“Yes?”

“It was forced, wasn’t it?”

Hyeonjun’s parted lips delivered an abrupt, out-of-place question. A bad feeling crept in. Sensing something unsettling, Seorim met his gaze and asked, “What was?”

The chilling voice passed, but the strange glint in Hyeonjun’s eyes startled him.

“You were forced to sleep with Ryu Yeonho.”

He’d been caught. Seorim’s sluggish mind snapped awake. Had Hyeonjun seen yesterday? He even thought the act was coerced.

If someone saw him with another, they might report it to Chairman Ryu. Hyeonjun seemed closer to the chairman than his own son, Yeonho. Not being more cautious in the heat of passion was a mistake.

His mind raced so fast he feared the gears might be audible.

What should he do? What was Hyeonjun thinking? What was the intent behind that gaze?

“That, uh…”

If Chairman Ryu found out, it wouldn’t end with a beating. He might end up crippled. What excuse could keep him alive? As he hesitated, Hyeonjun’s gaze didn’t waver. The faint moonlight reflected in his eyes, glinting.

“Ryu Yeonho exploited you, didn’t he? Even though you said no.”

“What?”

“He’s been like that since we were kids. He takes what he wants, no matter what—or who—it is.”

The conversation veered far from Seorim’s expectations. Hyeonjun’s words about Yeonho dripped with loathing.

“Poor thing. How did you endure it, Seorim-ssi?”

His voice was genuinely sympathetic, like he was consoling an injured bird. Was this the conclusion people reached after witnessing such a scene? Seorim, gauging Hyeonjun’s reaction, answered slowly, “No choice. That’s my life.”

“You’re so thin, always suffering like this.”

Ryu Hyeonjun reached out and slowly ran his fingers along Seorim’s wrist. Seorim gazed at the fingertips gliding over his skin and repeated his response.

“It’s just, there’s no choice.”

“There’s no such thing as no choice. Nothing is predetermined from birth, not losing everything, not being taken from, not just enduring.”

His tone carried a fervent sincerity, as if he weren’t just empathizing but projecting his own story.

“I’ll get you out.”

The grip on Seorim’s hand tightened, pressing hard enough to make his knuckles ache. Hyeonjun squeezed his flesh and continued.

“I’ll get you out from both of those rich bastards, Seorim-ssi.”

Get him out.

Did Hyeonjun even understand what he was saying? Seorim, who had been staring at the hand holding his, raised his eyes to meet Hyeonjun’s gaze. Those eyes showed unease but also a fierce determination. Why was this man acting like this all of a sudden? Seorim knew the words were empty. Yet, just hearing “I’ll get you out” made his heart race. Even knowing it was impossible, he couldn’t help but hope.

“You’ll get me out?”

Deliberately looking up at Hyeonjun from below, Seorim’s eyes, slightly wet from the cold, added to the effect.

“How? I’m scared. Of Executive Ryu, of Chairman Ryu…”

Trailing off, he brushed his hand over the ankle bruised by Chairman Ryu. Hyeonjun’s gaze fell on the faint marks.

“You’re like an injured bird. If you were out there, Seorim-ssi, you’d be a college student. Full of dreams, in the prime of youth.”

“…”

“Such a beautiful person, how could they…”

They’d barely spoken, met only a few times. What did Hyeonjun know about him to show such pity? It was true his life was ruined, but Seorim hadn’t expected sympathy from someone like this.

Seorim lowered his eyes with a mix of resignation and indignation toward Hyeonjun’s angry tone.

“Chairman Ryu is someone I’m grateful for. He took in someone as worthless as me. I have to keep serving him.”

“That’s all brainwashing. How much have you suffered?”

“I don’t really know.”

Acting pitiful while playing dumb was his specialty. The rising moonlight, the cool air settling around them—it all fit the mood perfectly, as if staged. Seorim lifted his chilled fingers to cautiously grasp Hyeonjun’s sleeve.

“But it’s hard. Honestly, I wish someone would help.”

A hint of genuine feeling slipped into the words. Seorim glanced at Hyeonjun, who looked at him with pity, and murmured softly.

“I have nowhere to lean.”

The world was full of strange people. Seeing Hyeonjun frown at his pathetic lament was absurd. As Seorim’s words trailed off, Hyeonjun took his pale hand, bringing it near his cheek, and said, “I’ll help you, Seorim-ssi.”

“…”

“I’ll help you.”

Yes, please help me. Be of some help, any way you can.

Repeating this inwardly, Seorim forced a faint smile.

🦅

The season between summer’s heat and winter’s chill was ripening quickly. Autumn seemed to grow shorter each year. With each passing day, the wind grew startlingly colder.

The mansion was quiet, as if preparing for hibernation. Whether it was the calm before a storm or true peace, Seorim couldn’t tell.

One afternoon, a small commotion arose.

“Fuck, this kid’s completely insane!”

Bad luck. He shouldn’t have left his room at this hour. The shouting was so loud it echoed through the mansion’s halls. Standing at the top of the stairs, Seorim frowned and looked down.

The noise came from the first-floor reception room. In front of the sofa stood an enraged Chairman Ryu and Yeonwoo, whose small frame seemed to shrink even further as he hunched his shoulders.

“Takes after his damn mother, out of his mind?”

Wasn’t Yeonwoo the son of the second wife? According to Ryu Yeonho, she’d been mentally unstable.

Seorim glanced around to see how many servants were nearby as he quietly descended. Fortunately, no one was in sight, though such loud shouting would draw them soon.

Even as he got closer, neither seemed to notice him. Up close, Yeonwoo’s trembling shoulders were more evident. He shook pitifully, like someone pulled from icy water in winter.

“Your mouth’s open, so why can’t you speak? I’m asking what this is! Who taught you this nonsense?”

Chairman Ryu’s finger pointed at something on the table. Seorim recalled seeing that mangled leather before. His brow furrowed.

A rat’s corpse.

He’d told Yeonwoo to stop, but the kid must’ve done it again and gotten caught. By Chairman Ryu, of all people.

“S-sorry, sir.”

“Sorry, my ass! What the hell are you doing? If anyone found out a Taehwa Construction heir was tearing open rats’ bellies like a lunatic, it’d be the ultimate disgrace!”

The only one unaware he was broadcasting it was Chairman Ryu himself. As Seorim watched them with a scowl, Chairman Ryu raised doffed his wrinkled hand.

Chairman Ryu was a heavy-handed man. If that small kid took a hit like that, his face would swell beyond recognition. Just before the hand struck Yeonwoo’s cheek, Seorim’s body moved on its own.

Thwack—.

“Hi, eek.”

Yeonwoo’s gasp filled Seorim’s ears. Pain radiated through his head. The blow was so hard it felt like his brain rattled. If Yeonwoo had taken that hit, his mouth would’ve bled from torn flesh.

What a bastard. Should’ve just stayed out of it.

“Hyung, hyung, what do we do? Hyung.”

“It’s fine.”

It wasn’t fine at all, but seeing Yeonwoo’s frantic, rabbit-like expression made his mouth taste bitter. Chairman Ryu, startled and furious, snapped at Seorim’s action.

“Who the hell are you, jumping in to take the hit?”

“Husband, please calm down. You’re scaring the kid.”

“Scaring? Why’re you butting in when I’m disciplining the kid?”

Disciplining? Left alone, he’d half-kill the boy. Just because Seorim felt a spark of empathy, his body acted on its own.

As Seorim opened his mouth to speak, the mansion’s tightly shut door creaked open, and a tall figure strode into the reception room.

“Quite the bizarre scene to walk into.”

How did he always show up with such perfect timing? Ryu Yeonho, with his characteristic calm, wave-like gaze, looked at the three in the room. Meeting Seorim’s eyes, his gaze narrowed slightly.

“Not exactly an ideal group to be together.”

“Fucking hell, all the kids I raised turn out like this.”

Cursing and clicking his tongue, Chairman Ryu stormed out of the reception room. Left behind were Seorim, Yeonwoo, Yeonho, and the rat’s corpse on the table.

Rubbing his still-stinging head, Seorim slowly stood. Ryu Yeonho, towering over him, looked down and asked, “Why’re you sitting there?”

“My head’s ringing.”

Yeonho scrutinized Seorim’s round head after the reply. Seorim patted Yeonwoo’s trembling back a couple of times.

“Why’s your head ringing? Got hit?”

“Just bumped it. While walking.”

“How do you bump the back of your head while walking?”

Yeonho’s gaze, lingering on Seorim’s head, soon fell to the animal hide on the table.

“That’s… oh.”

Cutting off mid-sentence, he seemed to grasp the situation. Placing a hand on Yeonwoo’s bowed head, he said, “Yeonwoo, it’s okay. Go to your room.”

The silent boy nodded and shuffled away with trembling steps. His unsteady back made Seorim uneasy. This mansion was no place for a kid’s emotional health.

As Seorim quietly watched the stairs, Yeonho sidled up close, whispering lazily in his ear, “Got good news.”

“…”

“Come to the lake later if you want to hear it. Two a.m.”