“What happened to your face?”

“I got hurt.”

“That’s unusual. Who hit you?”

Rabbit smiled. But he was smiling yesterday too. Even while stabbing someone with a knife.

“Why? Does it make you happy?”

“Damn bastard.”

Let’s see. How badly is it torn? Despite his gruff tone, there was a hint of concern. Soo-hyun still turned away, looking elsewhere.

‘Surely he wouldn’t recognize me. When we met on the second floor, I had my face covered, and when I came out of the pool area, the power was out so he couldn’t have seen me.’

 He could feel a burning gaze on the back of his head. The man probably felt curious about the stranger.

“Who’s the guest?”

Soo-hyun’s heart sank.

“Baek Gwang-mu’s son.”

“Ah, that thief.”

His tone sounded casual. Soo-hyun’s heart pounded violently, threatening to jump out of his mouth. Judging by the “thief” comment, that man must have stolen something. Fortunately, he didn’t ask to see his face or tell him to turn around. Soo-hyun tried his best to maintain a calm expression, but his mouth corners twitched with nervous tension.

“I need to speak with you. Could you spare a moment?”

“Now?”

“Thirty minutes will do.”

Hmm. The old man called for Woo-jin.

“Woo-jin. Take our guest inside first.”

Woo-jin approached and gestured to Soo-hyun. You can go in that way. Ah, I’m saved. Thank goodness. Even as he hurried his steps, he lacked the courage to look back.

Only after walking to the wooden porch did Soo-hyun look toward the main gate. The spot where Rabbit and the old man had been now contained only staff sweeping the area. His legs suddenly gave out, and he sat down on the porch, causing Woo-jin to look at him curiously.

“Are you still dizzy?”

“Ah, no. I’m fine.”

“You can go inside. Follow me.”

Soo-hyun took off his shoes at the edge of the porch and followed Woo-jin. He considered running away but realized escaping through the tight security visible everywhere would prove difficult. Besides, he sensed the old man wouldn’t harm him right away.

“Sit and wait. My grandfather will be here soon.”

Soo-hyun sat down and looked around. Pottery, paintings, folding screens, and bonsai trees—antique-looking items appeared everywhere. While examining the reception room, Soo-hyun noticed Woo-jin staring at him. Wondering why, he saw the boy quickly looking away.

“What? Afraid I might steal something?”

“Yes…”

Ah, really. The kid’s honest.

“I know right from wrong. Just because I was brought here against my will doesn’t mean I’ll steal just anything.”

He seemed to understand, nodding his head. An awkward silence fell between them. Soo-hyun thought about the Rabbit he had just seen. Surely he wouldn’t come in with the old man. The boy sitting across from him fiddled with his phone.

“Your name is Woo-jin, right?”

Woo-jin looked up.

“Baek Gwang-mu, I mean my father—what exactly did he steal?”

Woo-jin kept his mouth shut and shrugged. Whether he truly didn’t know or just didn’t want to tell remained unclear. Something strangely cunning surrounded the young boy.

‘Maybe I should ask the old man directly. It’s surprising enough that that man still lives, but equally surprising that he stole something from a place like this.’

Soo-hyun decided to ask something else.

“Who was that tall guy earlier? Your grandfather’s subordinate?”

“He’s my brother.”

“Who?”

“Yang Ho-beom. He’s my brother.”

His name is Yang Ho-beom? Not Rabbit but Tiger. But how can they be brothers when they don’t look alike at all? With a disbelieving expression, Soo-hyun looked Woo-jin up and down. This princely-looking kid and that man who looks capable of eating people… How could they come from the same womb? Half-brothers maybe?

“We’re cousins.”

He answered seemingly reading Soo-hyun’s mind. Ah, that makes sense.

“Does your brother live here too?”

“No. Only I live here. Ho-beom hyung just visits occasionally.”

Nice. Soo-hyun let out a sigh of relief, his expression visibly relaxing. Since Ho-beom hadn’t recognized him, he would probably leave, and they wouldn’t run into each other for a while. Heaven is on my side. Just as he thought this, Woo-jin’s face hardened while looking at his phone. He appeared to exchange messages with friends, and something unpleasant had happened. When their eyes met, he put his phone in his pocket and avoided Soo-hyun’s gaze.

While they sat awkwardly, the old man appeared through the door before thirty minutes had passed. He accompanied someone who, judging by his attire, appeared to be his secretary. When the old man entered, Kim Woo-jin stood up, bowed deeply without being told to, and left. So he really was there to watch me. Feeling bitter, Soo-hyun smiled as an employee brought in tea and snacks.

“Is your father Baek Gwang-mu?”

Soo-hyun didn’t deny it. Keeping his mouth shut, he waited for the old man to continue.

“Your father thinks you’re dead.”

That wasn’t surprising. The house had burned down, and both wife and child had disappeared—anyone would think the same. Still, he hadn’t sought them out because it seemed better that way. Yet Soo-hyun wondered: Did that man ever try to find me? Or did he feel relieved to be free of his burdens?

As various thoughts crossed his mind, the old man handed him a photograph. It showed a CCTV image of someone’s face. Despite more than fifteen years having passed, seeing the face brought back vivid memories.

“Baek Gwang-mu stole something from me.”

The background in the photo didn’t seem to be this place.

“I’m surprised that man still lives.”

‘My mother died because of him. I’m living like this because of him.’

Seeing his father alive and well in the photo made anger rise within him. If possible, he wanted to find him right away, grab him by the collar, and shake him. Soo-hyun looked away from the photo and faced the old man.

“So?”

“I’m not asking you to repay his debt. You don’t seem positioned to do so. But I’d like you to be bait to help us find your father.”

The word “bait” made him laugh.

“You’ve got it wrong. I don’t think I have that much value to him.”

“Well, we’ll see about that.”

“What if I refuse?”

“The choice is yours. Your father owes the debt, not you. If you want to leave right now, go ahead. I won’t stop you. However, if that’s not the case, I have a proposal…”

The old man paused, and Soo-hyun patiently waited for his words.

“It doesn’t seem like there’s much father-son affection anyway, so how about helping me and getting something substantial in return?”

At the mention of something substantial, one of Soo-hyun’s eyebrows raised. So he’s saying if I help catch my father, he’ll reward me? With what? Money? Soo-hyun remained silent. When he gave no response, the old man brought the tea to his lips.

Soo-hyun thought carefully. His father was someone he’d thought dead anyway. No, someone he’d wished dead. If alive, he would hold Soo-hyun back for the rest of his life. Even now, he found himself in this situation because of that man. Soo-hyun stared at the flower petals floating in his teacup before speaking.

“How much will you pay me?”

The old man put down his teacup and looked at Soo-hyun with an unreadable expression.

“How much would you like?”

Soo-hyun thought carefully. He didn’t know what the old man did, but judging by his house and staff, he clearly possessed considerable wealth. Moreover, his grandson had stabbed someone and casually walked around the next day seemingly unaffected. That suggested he likely wielded power as well.

“Give me some time. I’ll think about it.”

The old man smiled almost imperceptibly and nodded. Soo-hyun stood up without having touched his tea.

“If we’re done here, may I leave first? I’m tired…”

“Do as you please. Use that room for today, and if it’s uncomfortable, we’ll change it tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Soo-hyun bowed his head in greeting and left the reception room. Outside, the wind felt cold, but his constricted airways seemed to open up. Taking a deep breath, he rubbed his face. His hands remained damp with sweat from the tension moments ago.

‘At least I won’t lose my head right away.’

He put on his shoes and stepped down from the porch, noticing darkness already falling. Retracing his steps, he walked for quite a while, realizing how large the estate was. He could see people patrolling with dogs beneath the walls.

When he arrived at his room, he found new clothes and underwear neatly folded and waiting for him. Someone had also provided skincare lotion, toothbrush, shampoo, and other necessities. With the tension finally leaving his body, Soo-hyun retrieved his pants from under the bed and checked the necklace.

‘I’d better hide this.’

Soo-hyun tucked it deep inside the mattress. Then he went to the bathroom and took a hot shower. He even filled the tub for a half-body soak, which relieved his fatigue and made him feel alive again. Compared to his rooftop room, this place seemed heavenly.

Drowsiness washed over him as he dragged his relaxed body out of the bathroom. Soo-hyun dried himself and changed clothes. Even the sleepwear provided felt soft as silk. As he buttoned his top from the bottom, he heard movement outside.

‘Is it one of the staff?’

Just as he wondered, there came a knock at the door.

“Who is it?”

Instead of an answer, the door opened. Soo-hyun nearly fell backward. Rabbit, or rather Yang Ho-beom, stood at the door, hunched over and peering into the room.

“Is this not it?”

He looked behind him.

‘What? Did he get the wrong room?’

Just as Soo-hyun felt inwardly relieved, Yang Ho-beom stepped inside. He wore shoes instead of slippers and held a takeout coffee in one hand. Had he come back from somewhere? Why?

A chill ran down Soo-hyun’s spine. Warning bells rang in his head.

As he tensely stared, an employee following behind tried to stop Yang Ho-beom.

“Young master. The chairman ordered that no one should come near this area.”

Yang Ho-beom smiled politely at the employee.

“Manager Kim. I have something to ask the thief’s son. It’ll only take ten minutes, so please wait.”

The employee couldn’t press further and bowed his head before closing the door and disappearing. Soo-hyun felt so tense about the sudden situation that his fingertips went numb.

“Who are you? What do you want?”

Yang Ho-beom, still standing at the door, tilted his head at an angle. The gauze attached above his eyelid seemed to cover a wound from when the glass shattered. Yang Ho-beom remained silent, and Soo-hyun tried his hardest not to show his tension.

“I’m sorry, but if you don’t have business with me, I’d appreciate it if you’d leave. I need to rest.”

He entered the room and placed the takeout coffee on a small drawer by the door. The sound of him tapping the drawer with his fingertips irritated Soo-hyun. He stared at Soo-hyun and asked with an expression revealing nothing of his thoughts:

“We’ve met before, haven’t we?”

His face showed genuine curiosity.

Or perhaps he merely pretended.

Judging by how the corner of his mouth lifted right after asking.