‘…Sister. Right?’

‘I’m sorry. He said he’d make sure there’s no problem with your sponsorship.’

That’s when he finally understood. This whole thing had been an enormous trap. Yeo Ji-woong had taken him in because he was useful, and when his academic achievements started showing promise, Ji-woong thought he needed to be tied down when he saw Yun-jae wavering at offers from elsewhere.

Stupidly, he had thought that since Ji-woong had called their relationship like family, he might support Yun-jae’s better opportunities.

‘Sister, you’re making the wrong choice right now.’

‘He’s not that kind of person.’

That’s when he realized. From then on, he would have to remain under Yeo Ji-woong not by choice but by force. After that, he stopped contacting his sister. He didn’t want to remind Ji-woong that his sister was his weakness. So he pretended to be stupid, acting like he still only looked to Ji-woong and remained by his side.

“Now that’s gone too.”

He thought maybe she was calling to blame him. But right now, Yun-jae didn’t have the energy to receive such blame. His body seemed to sink slowly beneath the water’s surface. He wished he could sink deeper, all the way to the complete darkness of the deep sea.

“I heard those guys from AGT are coming back?”

“What nonsense.”

“It’s not nonsense. Apparently one of the congressman’s sons suddenly acted out.”

“I heard he kidnapped someone. That Yeo Myung-hwon’s ability user boyfriend.”

Yun-jae’s eyes flew open at the familiar name. Though they stood outside his door, the soundproofing wasn’t great, and he could clearly hear the two people’s conversation. While they monitored Yun-jae, no one actually paid attention to him. He always soaked himself in alcohol and never even attempted to leave.

Confidential information spilled out. Moreover, it didn’t seem like information obtained through official channels, but rather internal gossip shared between colleagues.

“Why?”

“Don’t know. But apparently if the rescue succeeds, they agreed to come back.”

“And AGT?”

“Don’t know about that.”

“Anyway, they said he couldn’t come back, but if he does, he’ll outrank us. I gave him such a hard time, what should I do?”

Yun-jae knew that Yeo Ji-woong’s reach extended all the way to AGT. Some supplies delivered to AGT had passed through Yun-jae’s hands, and he had even visited the vicinity himself.

Even if he went out, he might not be able to help. But after hearing this conversation, he couldn’t just sit still. There were many ways to get out of this place. Especially now when they felt completely at ease about him. He quietly laughed as he recalled the elective course he took at the Special Ability Agency about how to deal with kidnapping situations. It was the only class he had taken together with Ju-eon.

**

He drove anxiously. The AGT building on the northern outskirts of Gyeonggi Province was heavily guarded, and Yeo Ji-woong’s people inside AGT would certainly know he was being detained.

He knew things wouldn’t go as easily as with the two people monitoring him at home. Yun-jae increased his speed as he listened to the news streaming from his phone. Yeo Myung-hwon was attending the assembly. And Yeo Ji-woong was beside him. Myung-hwon must know that Ju-eon had disappeared, yet he remained there, which meant some condition had been imposed. Though Yun-jae had only met Yeo Han-ol a few times, he knew Han-ol despised his father terribly. Nevertheless, his method of exploiting others’ weaknesses was no different from Yeo Ji-woong’s. No matter whose hands Ju-eon fell into, Myung-hwon would end up dependent on them, just like himself. Especially now, when they had only recently reunited.

He knew all too well how desperately Myung-hwon cared for Ju-eon.

But just before reaching the AGT building, the car was stopped by someone waving from the roadside.

Why are you suddenly appearing here?

Ju-eon was standing alone on the empty roadside. Yun-jae hurriedly opened the car door. It really was Ju-eon.

“Ju-eon!”

“…Yun-jae?”

Ju-eon wore the same expression as Yun-jae—why are you appearing here?—when he saw Yun-jae rush out of the car.

“What are you doing here?”

“What about you? Weren’t you captured by AGT?”

Yun-jae had left in such a hurry that he hadn’t even put his shoes on properly. Ju-eon looked Yun-jae up and down, noting his rushed appearance.

“How did you know that?”

“The people monitoring me…!”

“Monitoring?”

Ju-eon recalled the conversation he’d heard while captive. The story about Yun-jae being detained because of him. He had forgotten about it due to other shocking events.

Now seeing his face, Yun-jae looked so haggard he appeared to be a different person, though not much time had passed. Rough skin, unkempt hair, dark shadows under his eyes.

“Is it true you were detained?”

“…How do you know that?”

It was unlike Kang Yun-jae, who always kept himself neat. It wasn’t because he’d been locked up, but because he’d been drinking and blaming himself, but Ju-eon, not knowing this, could only think he’d been ruined from being detained.

‘Because of me.’

He felt dazed, seemingly struck hard on the head with a stone.

“Get in first.”

“I don’t want to put you in danger again.”

“What do you know to say that?”

“You were detained because of me.”

“That’s not it.”

“…But it is.”

Ju-eon stepped back. Yun-jae’s expression momentarily hardened.

He knew his situation was urgent, and that he wasn’t in a position to be picky. Still, he couldn’t thoughtlessly rely on Yun-jae who had been detained because of him. The time accumulated between them couldn’t be simply ignored.

There was still a deep rift between them. If possible, he would have preferred never to see him again. He thought the best parting would be for each to live well in their own place.

After a moment of silence, Yun-jae spoke. He never thought he’d say such things himself. A bitter taste welled up inside him, but Yun-jae didn’t show it.

“We’re still friends, aren’t we?”

“……”

“I can help when a friend is in danger.”

“……”

“So just get in for now.”

Too deep to be defined as friends, yet too shallow to be lovers. Their relationship had wandered, unable to go anywhere, and that had made it all the more painful.

Yun-jae probably knew this best. Ju-eon clenched his fists and quickly got into the passenger seat. He felt sorry toward Yun-jae, but he also had no energy to refuse further. He was going crazy with worry about Myung-hwon.

“I’m sorry, but I need to ask a favor.”

Before Ju-eon could finish speaking, the car sped forward.

**

The car interior filled with silence. Come to think of it, they hadn’t parted on good terms the last time they met. The end of a relationship can never be pleasant. Though he knew this, he couldn’t get used to the bitter taste lingering on his tongue.

Once broken, fragments can never return to their original state. Their relationship was like that too. They couldn’t pretend nothing had happened, but neither could they completely cut away the years they’d spent together.

Emotions he had tried to block now flooded in. The guilt of never being able to love Yun-jae. The anger at being used. The nostalgia of times they’d laughed together. These conflicting emotions collided, leaving Ju-eon confused.

Feeling like blood wasn’t flowing to his hands, Ju-eon meaninglessly clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly. Without turning his head, he glanced at the profile of the man driving.

“How did you know to come here?”

Ju-eon was the first to surrender to the awkwardness. Despite long deliberation about what to say, his voice came out dry and businesslike.

Yun-jae had no reason to help him. The fact that he could long for those moments and feel some compassion for Yun-jae was because he held the emotional upper hand. For Yun-jae, all that remained between them was ash that had lost even its form. It would scatter in the air with one strong gust.

‘Did he really risk his life because of me?’

That was what he really wanted to ask. But he couldn’t bring himself to ask because he feared Yun-jae might answer yes.

Even if he said no, could Ju-eon believe him? It wasn’t something he could just keep quiet about out of shame, but he also couldn’t give Yun-jae what he wanted.

“…I’ve been here before to deliver supplies.”

Yun-jae’s voice was hoarser than usual. Though not much time had passed since they’d last met, he had lost a lot of weight in the meantime. His expression had also changed, almost to the point of appearing irritable.

“Here…?”

“Most of AGT is probably affiliated with government agencies if you look into it.”

While stopped at a traffic light, Yun-jae answered bitterly, running his finger over the dark circles under his eyes.

Ju-eon recalled their earlier conversation.

“Ah.”

Kang Yun-jae had already known about the connection between Congressman Yeo and AGT. Not just that, but Ju-eon thought Yun-jae’s experimental supplies had probably flowed into AGT as well. In a way, it wasn’t surprising. Since it was an awkward topic to discuss further, he kept quiet, but Yun-jae seemed to interpret his silence differently and laughed bitterly.

“You don’t seem very surprised. Is it because you can’t be any more disappointed in me?”

“No. It’s not that.”

“Then is it because you have no expectations left?”

At the self-deprecating tone, Ju-eon rubbed the back of his neck. Watching them take shots at each other, he also realized there were people from a different faction besides those he knew from Yeo Han-ol’s side and Yeo Myung-hwon’s side. Given the circumstances, that would be Yeo Ji-woong.