Yang Ho-beom’s sudden appearance made Soo-hyun break into a cold sweat. Did he see the kiss? Probably not. While Soo-hyun darted his eyes around nervously, Ho-beom stood beside him with a composed expression, staring down at him. Soo-hyun forced a smile.

“You can see everything from here?”

“Indeed. Seoul is quite small. I didn’t realize you two were close enough to have private meals together.”

When Soo-hyun just smiled without replying, Ho-beom checked his watch.

“How long will your meal take?” he asked, and Soo-hyun looked at Woo-jin. The boy sat with downcast eyes, expressionless like a doll. He always wore that face around Ho-beom. At first, Soo-hyun thought it was fear, but now he wasn’t sure.

“About an hour, I think?”

“Perfect. Let’s go together afterward. I have something important to discuss with you. Kim Woo-jin, that’s okay, right?”

This time the arrow flew toward Kim Woo-jin. He looked up from his plate at Ho-beom and nodded.

“Yes, that’s fine.” As soon as he finished speaking, Ho-beom’s hand rested on Soo-hyun’s shoulder. He pressed down firmly once, said “Enjoy your meal” with good manners, then turned and walked toward his private room.

Soo-hyun released the breath he’d been holding. Looking at Woo-jin sitting across from him, the boy was calmly cutting his food with a knife. Soo-hyun was dumbfounded. Was this kid really unfazed? Just kissing another man could become a fatal weakness for Woo-jin.

“Why did you do that?”

Woo-jin remained silent, and Soo-hyun sighed.

“Don’t play around like that again.”

“It wasn’t a joke… I’m sorry I didn’t ask your permission.”

“What if Ho-beom had seen us?”

“Ho-beom knows.”

“What?”

“He knows I like men.”

His casual confession of his s*xual identity left Soo-hyun speechless. Realizing that what he’d sensed wasn’t his imagination made him slightly uncomfortable around Woo-jin. Of course, he acknowledged the boy was handsome and cute, but…

Ah, my cursed popularity. I’m the guilty one here. While worrying whether the brothers might end up fighting because of him, Woo-jin switched his plate of cut steak with Soo-hyun’s. “Eat this one.”

“Woo-jin.”

“I know. I won’t do it again… I’m sorry.”

Seeing him apologize with a face that looked ready to cry softened Soo-hyun’s anger. Right, he’s still young, these things happen. But for someone so young, his tongue had moved quite naturally when trying to enter Soo-hyun’s mouth. When Soo-hyun gave him a suspicious look, Woo-jin smiled brightly and poured more champagne.

After finishing the awkward meal, they found that Ho-beom had already paid the bill. He had been with a woman, but judging by their formal conversation, they didn’t seem to have a personal relationship. After sending the woman off, Ho-beom approached and examined Soo-hyun’s face with tender eyes.

“Did you drink a lot?”

“No… just a few glasses of champagne.”

“What about Woo-jin?”

“He left. I tried to stop him, but he took a taxi.”

“Follow me.”

Ho-beom headed toward the parking lot. Soo-hyun followed, taking out a cigarette and putting it between his lips. He tried to light it with a disposable lighter, but it just went click, click, with the flint spinning uselessly. Annoyed, he shook it several times, but it still wouldn’t work.

Ho-beom, walking ahead, took out a Zippo lighter from his pocket and approached. With a clear ting sound, the flame appeared. Soo-hyun brought the cigarette tip to it, took a deep drag, and looked up at Ho-beom. The flickering light made his face look somehow more sinister.

With a snap, he closed the lighter and put it back in his pocket, then took out his own cigarette and placed it between his lips.

He gently cupped the back of Soo-hyun’s head and used the lit end of Soo-hyun’s cigarette to light his own. Though it was a simple gesture, Soo-hyun’s body tensed for no reason. Ho-beom, with the cigarette in his mouth, reached out and touched Soo-hyun’s lips.

Soo-hyun frowned and asked, “What?”

“Just thinking how you give away your lips as easily as you spread your legs.”

Ah, so he did see. Soo-hyun pushed his hand away and feigned innocence.

“Let’s go quickly. It’s cold.”

He stubbed out his cigarette and tried to escape to the car, but Ho-beom grabbed him by the nape and pulled. His body followed, and in an instant, Ho-beom devoured his lips.

Soo-hyun’s eyes widened. Ho-beom was ravenously exploring his lips, making the back of his neck tingle. Suddenly, pain sharp enough to bring tears to his eyes shot through him.

Even when Soo-hyun punched Ho-beom’s shoulder, he wouldn’t stop. Finally breaking free and gasping for breath, droplets of blood fell onto his shirt. Shocked and appalled, he stared as Ho-beom wiped his bloodied lips with the back of his hand, smiling with murderous intent in his eyes.

“Be careful. I have no intention of sharing holes with my cousin.”

What is this crazy bastard saying? Scowling, he pushed Ho-beom’s shoulder with his fist, telling him to move aside, and got into the car. Pulling down the sun visor to check, he saw his lip was torn and bleeding. Is this guy really insane? He opened the console box, took out a wet wipe, and dabbed at the wound.

A moment later, Ho-beom finished his cigarette and got into the driver’s seat.

“Are you okay? Let me see. Is it bleeding a lot?”

Acting like nothing had happened, Ho-beom reached out, but Soo-hyun slapped his hand away.

“F*ck. You cause the injury then act concerned?”

“That’s what happens when you flirt with a kid. Have you no conscience? He’s ten years younger than you.”

Soo-hyun scoffed.

“Director Yang, are you jealous?”

Ho-beom gave him a contemptuous look.

“Are you really that stupid?”

“What?”

“You’ve got the order wrong. Haven’t you considered that I’m angry because Baek Soo-hyun messed with my cousin?”

Ah… Soo-hyun was at a loss for words. So that’s what it was. F*ck. I jumped to the wrong conclusion. Ho-beom mouthed the word “idiot,” and Soo-hyun didn’t just glare back—irritated, he kicked the front of the car with a thud.

“Think that will break it? Kick harder.”

Even as Soo-hyun kicked again, Ho-beom ignored it and started driving. Throughout the journey, Soo-hyun checked his lip several times. Fortunately, the bleeding had stopped, but his lip was gradually swelling.

Despite Soo-hyun’s glaring and heavy breathing, Ho-beom didn’t bat an eye. When the car stopped at a red light, Ho-beom’s gaze shifted to the shopping bag Soo-hyun was holding.

“What’s that?”

Annoyed, Soo-hyun kept his mouth shut.

“Did you get a gift from Woo-jin?”

“My lip hurts too much to answer. Don’t make me talk.”

Afraid Ho-beom might do something to the gifted clothes, Soo-hyun hugged the bag tightly to his chest and turned toward the window.

The champagne had been sweet, but he was surprisingly tipsy. The warm seat made him drowsy. Soo-hyun began to nod off with his head against the window.

Watching him, Ho-beom reclined the seat.

“Sleep comfortably. The traffic’s bad, so it’ll take a while.”

His eyelids grew heavier. I shouldn’t fall asleep. I need to stay alert. But he drifted off, and when he opened his eyes, they were in front of the hotel. Soo-hyun rubbed his eyes and yawned, then suddenly realized the shopping bag was no longer in his arms.

Alarmed, he looked at the floor, but it wasn’t there either. He searched the back seat and every corner, but it was nowhere to be found.

Finally, his gaze settled on Yang Ho-beom.

“Hey…”

“Get out quickly. I need to go back to work.”

Soo-hyun extended his hand with an incredulous expression.

“Give it back, now.”

“What?”

“That thing from earlier.”

Ho-beom smiled shamelessly.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Soo-hyun pushed his face between Ho-beom’s legs to check under his seat. Nothing there. As he tried to lift his head, Ho-beom grabbed the back of his head and pushed down. Soo-hyun struggled, but it was useless.

With a vicious grip, Ho-beom ground Soo-hyun’s face against his crotch. Hah, sticky breathing sounds came from above as the c*ck gradually hardened.

Though he managed to break free from Ho-beom’s grasp, his face was flushed bright red.

“You—!”

“What? Weren’t you trying to suck me off?”

“Shut up and give it back while I’m asking nicely!”

Knock, knock. Someone tapped on the window. Park Tae-jun was waiting outside with documents, though Soo-hyun hadn’t noticed his arrival. It seemed Ho-beom had no intention of returning the gift.

Hah, not wanting to argue further, Soo-hyun cursed once and got out of the car, but Ho-beom had to get in one last word.

“Go to sleep. Don’t wander around uselessly.”

Soo-hyun defiantly raised his middle finger. Eat this, you bastard. He bowed politely to Park Tae-jun and stormed into the hotel, where a security team employee ran up, calling his name.

“Soo-hyun.”

Noticing his swollen lip, he asked curiously, “Did you get hurt?”

“No. What is it?”

He held out some mail.

“Give this to the manager. Someone left it in our room.”

Manager Lee Yun-cheol was working the night shift today. Soo-hyun took the mail and entered the dormitory. Was it from a credit card company? He placed it on the manager’s desk and was about to undress when he paused.

He went back and picked up the mail. The five-digit postal code below the address caught his eye.

Suddenly, it felt like a hammer had struck his brain. He hurried to his bed, opened the drawer, and took out a note. On it were the five digits his father had given him. He quickly opened an internet search for postal codes and entered the numbers.

“1…7…”

After entering the last digit and searching, several addresses appeared. Jecheon… his father’s hometown. His pulse quickened, and his heart raced.

Hoping to find a clue, Soo-hyun scrolled down the screen until his gaze fixed on one place.

Hansol Memorial Park?

His father had mentioned his mother before giving him the numbers. Then it was likely related to her. Assuming she had passed away… his lips went dry. He immediately found a phone number and called, but there was no answer.

Unconsciously, he nervously bit his nails.

He tried several times with the same result.

After deliberation, Soo-hyun pulled on a cap, packed his backpack, and left the dormitory.