✽017

The next step was obvious. Ju-wan grabbed the largest suitcase he had and packed it tightly with stacks of 50,000-won bills and highly liquid jewels. In the compartment attached to the lid of the suitcase, he carefully arranged blood packs from the fridge alongside ice packs, neatly aligned. From a distance, anyone seeing them might assume they were bottles of omija juice.

“Should I have one before I go?”

Sweating profusely, Ju-wan paused his frantic packing to tear open one of the blood packs. He figured he’d need a quick boost of energy before making his escape. The past few days had been grueling. But the moment he sipped the blood, he gagged violently.

“Urk!”

Ju-wan immediately spat the blood onto the floor, splattering the once-pristine white tiles with crimson. He had consumed this kind of blood countless times, but today it tasted nauseatingly foul and strange. Grimacing, he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

“…What the hell? Is the fridge broken?”

But the fridge was functioning perfectly. Suddenly, Ju-wan began worrying about the rest of the blood packs. Tossing them all out wasn’t an option—it would be too risky. And besides, they were expensive.

‘Maybe I’m just so worn out that the blood tastes off?’

Deciding not to dwell on it, Ju-wan flushed the spoiled blood down the toilet and rinsed his mouth vigorously. Yet, no amount of gargling could rid him of the nauseating aftertaste. Feeling unsettled, he hastily threw a few light clothes and sunscreen into the suitcase and shut it.

Even as he did, Ju-wan spat a few more times in lingering disgust. Then, as if addressing the house itself, he spoke softly.

“Just wait a bit. I’ll be back soon.”

With a clean farewell, Ju-wan opened the front door.

And in the very next moment, his eyes widened to the size of saucers.

“What the—?!”

A bear-like brute suddenly shoved Ju-wan’s shoulder, attempting to force his way into the house. Startled, Ju-wan tried to slam the door shut, but the intruder was quicker, wedging his foot into the gap and pushing the door open with a loud crash. The sound of his body colliding with the door echoed through the hallway. His expressionless face was as terrifying as a vengeful ghost, and Ju-wan panicked.

“W-what the hell?!”

But the intruder, using his thick frame, shoved Ju-wan backward with sheer force, sending him stumbling. The front door slammed shut behind them, and the man—Shin Hwi-kyung—grinned as he looked at Ju-wan sprawled on the floor, having fallen backward near the shoe rack.

“…Darling, are you really trying to get yourself killed?”

Ju-wan was so shocked that he remained frozen on the floor, mouth agape. Shin Hwi-kyung, towering like a grim reaper by the door, was a sight to behold. After a long moment of silence, the only word Ju-wan could manage was:

“…How?”

“How? I never trusted you from the start. But I didn’t think you’d actually try to run this quickly.”

Ju-wan looked dumbfounded. Shin Hwi-kyung smirked dangerously.

“Are you that surprised to see me?”

Of course, he was. But what shocked him more was the fact that he’d been overpowered at the door. What was going on? Ju-wan was never the type to lose in a contest of strength—not without sedatives in his system. And now? Could Shin Hwi-kyung always overpower him like that? Enough to beat him?

‘Is that guy even human?’

While Ju-wan’s mind spiraled, Shin Hwi-kyung casually stepped into the house, still wearing his shoes. His imposing figure felt out of place in the tastefully decorated interior. His gaze lingered on the pitch-black blackout curtains hanging heavily over the windows. Pointing at them with a tilt of his chin, he said:

“You do know the sun’s up, right?”

“……”

Ju-wan gulped audibly. Sure, the windows were covered with UV-blocking stickers, but that wouldn’t stop Shin Hwi-kyung from simply tearing them down. And if he couldn’t open the windows, he’d break them to let the sunlight in. That lunatic would do it without hesitation.

Suddenly, Shin Hwi-kyung’s broad hand came into Ju-wan’s view, startling him into flinching and shutting his eyes. A second later, he felt a tight grip on his collar. Shin Hwi-kyung was inches away, glaring at him like a predator about to pounce. His hot breath fanned across Ju-wan’s entire face.

“I’m in a really bad mood because you broke our deal. So, what’s it gonna be? Coming with me now?”

Ju-wan could see a bead of sweat rolling down Shin Hwi-kyung’s temple from how close they were. He’d clearly run hard to catch him. Ju-wan swallowed hard. Damn it, if only he’d left a little earlier, he would’ve gotten away! Every hair on his body stood on end. Then Shin Hwi-kyung asked again, this time in a low, menacing voice:

“Or would you rather die?”

“Of course, I’ll go with you,” Ju-wan replied quickly, forcing a sheepish grin to appear as harmless as possible.

But as soon as the words left his mouth, he heard a metallic click around his wrists. He glanced down to see a pair of handcuffs locking his hands together. The sight of the shiny silver restraints made him gasp in horror.

“…Was this really necessary?”

“Shut up.”

Before Ju-wan could protest further, his vision went dark. Shin Hwi-kyung had ripped off Ju-wan’s hat and shoved a bread bag over his head.

* * *

Ju-wan sat in the backseat, forcibly restrained, with only his darting eyes visible inside the bread bag covering his head. Beside him sat Shin Hwi-kyung, still seething like a human kettle, exhaling heated frustration.

The car appeared to have a separate driver, and judging by their lack of reaction to Ju-wan’s abduction, it was clear they weren’t just a random taxi driver—they were one of Shin Hwi-kyung’s people. Ju-wan bit his lip inside the bread bag.

‘How did he even figure it out? I checked to make sure no one was following me. I even changed clothes!’

Just then, Shin Hwi-kyung spoke.

“Shut up.”

“…I didn’t say anything.”

“Your head is noisy. Stop scheming. I’m really on the verge of killing you.”

At that, Ju-wan closed his mouth with a quiet gulp. A moment later, he cautiously opened it again.

“Excuse me, but… can you read minds?”

“I said shut up.”

“I’m sorry.”

The car continued its smooth journey to an unknown destination. After a while, Ju-wan noticed that Shin Hwi-kyung’s breathing, which had been heavy and furious, had calmed somewhat. Seizing the moment, he spoke cautiously.

“So, um… what exactly am I supposed to do as your fiancé?”

He decided to play along, using the word “fiancé” since Shin Hwi-kyung seemed fond of throwing it around. Surprisingly, Shin Hwi-kyung didn’t react much.

“Get the ticket.”

“…What?”

“Be quiet. I’m going to sleep.”

And with that, he stopped responding entirely. Whether he actually intended to sleep or was simply done talking, it was clear he wouldn’t entertain further conversation. Ju-wan, though he’d gotten an answer, was now more confused than ever.

‘What ticket is he talking about?’

Considering everything he knew about Shin Hwi-kyung so far, nothing would surprise him. His extraordinary strength, agility, commanding presence, intelligence, and persistence—none of it was ordinary. Ju-wan began to wonder if “getting the ticket” was some bizarre euphemism for a shady underworld task or even some twisted sexual act he wasn’t aware of. The more he thought about it, the more unsettling it became. Ju-wan, for the first time in a long while, felt genuine anxiety.

After what felt like an eternity, the car finally came to a stop. Shin Hwi-kyung, who hadn’t spoken since his last command, turned to Ju-wan.

“Get out.”

“Oh, uh, just a moment—”

Before Ju-wan could even finish his sentence, Shin Hwi-kyung yanked his arm, dragging him out of the car in one swift motion.

“Argh!”

Ju-wan stumbled out of the vehicle, looking every bit like a criminal being hauled away. Though he couldn’t see clearly through the bread bag, the lack of light suggested they were indoors. At least he wasn’t about to be killed under the glaring sun. That was… something.

With his arm still locked in Shin Hwi-kyung’s muscular grip, Ju-wan felt as though his arm might go numb from the pressure.

“Sit down.”

Before he could react, Shin Hwi-kyung pressed down on his shoulders, forcing him into what felt like an office chair. At least it wasn’t some torture rack, Ju-wan thought with mild relief. Then, with a rough motion, Shin Hwi-kyung yanked the bread bag off Ju-wan’s head.

“Ugh!”

Ju-wan instinctively ducked his head and raised his cuffed hands in an X to shield his face. Slowly, he straightened and cautiously opened his eyes. As he’d suspected, there was no sunlight. The first thing he noticed was the soft chair he was seated in and the four pairs of shoes surrounding him: sneakers, black flats, slippers, and another pair of sneakers. From left to right, they seemed to belong to Shin Hwi-kyung, a woman, and two men.

Beyond the shoes, Ju-wan saw a large desk, chairs, and tangled electrical cords scattered about. Tentatively lowering his hands, Ju-wan looked up. As he’d guessed, the person on the far left was Shin Hwi-kyung. Next to him stood a woman and a man Ju-wan vaguely recognized from the time he’d been hit with a tranquilizer dart and thrown into a warehouse. His eyes widened in recognition, and he pointed with his cuffed hands.

“You two? From back then?”

The petite woman in a cardigan and jeans nodded.

“Good to see you again, though I don’t recall having a conversation with you.”

The burly young man with curly brown hair standing next to her alternated his gaze between Ju-wan and Shin Hwi-kyung, looking impressed.

“Wow, you actually caught him like you said you would.”

Shin Hwi-kyung shrugged nonchalantly, his expression blank.

“Of course.”

The muscular young man studied Ju-wan curiously before whispering to the woman beside him, “Wow, he’s even prettier up close.” In response, she stomped on his foot. Ju-wan vaguely recalled this guy’s name being something like Son… something.

It was clear now: these people were Shin Hwi-kyung’s subordinates.