'If Seo Ui-woo asks me to date him, I'll just agree and use the position of 'boyfriend' to drain him to the bone.'
Seo Ui-woo's all-powerful abilities as an S-class Esper.
And the hundreds of billions stacked in his bank account.
'I'll make him work like a slave with just a flick of my finger, while I blow through his money like there's no tomorrow.'
The first time, he was captivated by Seo Ui-woo's obsession and innocent and pretty face, so he accepted everything without thinking, but the second time, he will never let it go.
I'll wring everything I can out of him,
use him for everything he's worth,
and survive the gate disaster in four years, living an unregrettable, extravagant second life.
'Hmm, thinking of it this way, I feel a little better…'
For the time being, no matter how much Seo Ui-woo acts like a complete lunatic, I think I can tolerate it, and maybe even find it cute.
And in fact, Seo Ui-woo is pretty cute-looking.
'Sigh… Fine, so what if my boy's a bit crazy? It's not his fault, is it? It's not like Seo Ui-woo asked to be born an esper.'
Kwon Jae-jin forced himself to bend his thinking to be more forgiving.
In his heart, he wanted to say, "Seo Ui-woo's not my problem; let him be someone else's headache," and just walk away. But he decided it was better to look out for his own and side with his boy.
'If I handle him carefully and teach him well, it'll all work out. Seo Ui-woo picks things up fast, he's quick-witted, and he's a freak who can predict moves three steps ahead… The problem is, that he wastes that sharp mind obsessing over people. But his potential is real.'
***
After recovering somewhat, Jae-jin rotated his stiff wrist and got up from the bed. His body wasn't fully healed yet, but he figured he could move around well enough by now.
Loosening the tie around his neck with a casual tug, he stepped into the hallway with a relaxed stride. There was no need to check his surroundings — it was exactly as he remembered. He could navigate this mansion with his eyes closed.
Jae-jin first headed to the dressing room adjacent to the bedroom. As soon as he entered, motion sensors in the ceiling detected him, illuminating the space brightly. The neatly closed wardrobe doors automatically swung open and lifted upwards.
The first thing that caught his eye was a massive glass cabinet, filled with an array of weapons.
Like the secret hideout of a special agent in a movie, firearms, knives, and grenades were meticulously arranged, all perfectly aligned. Jae-jin glanced at the weapon shelf before walking past it. The casual clothes and underwear he needed for lounging around the house were on the shelves further in.
After grabbing a few necessary clothes, Jae-jin left the dressing room, and just as when he had entered, the motion sensors responded — the lights dimmed and the wardrobe doors smoothly closed. It was a convenient house, no doubt. Once you got used to it, it did make you lazy.
Yawning deeply, Jae-jin headed to his next destination. Feeling grimy, he needed a good wash, so the bathroom was his target this time.
True to the mansion's grand scale, there were several bathrooms to choose from. Some were equipped with swimming pools, others with jacuzzis. Though any bathroom would suffice for a quick wash, since he was feeling particularly filthy, he decided to go for the most luxurious one.
Jae-jin walked through the living room and took the elevator to the upper floor. For reference, the house had three elevators — one for people, one for cargo, and one for emergencies, if he recalled correctly.
In no time, he arrived at the upper level and climbed the stairs. The top-floor bathroom offered an excellent view. Soaking in the hot tub there, overlooking the vast expanse of ocean below, always did wonders for his mind and body.
As the tub filled with water, Jae-jin switched on the massive wall-mounted monitor. He set it to a news channel and then pulled the hidden handle beneath the mirror. The design was seamless, so it wasn't immediately obvious, but there was a built-in wine cellar hidden there.
He grabbed the first bottle that came to hand and sank into the tub. His torn shirt had long been discarded and tossed into the laundry chute. The chute was connected to the laundry room, where clothes were automatically sorted, washed, and dried.
Indeed, this house made a person lazy.
Jaejin took a swig directly from the wine bottle. He couldn't taste it. Even after drinking expensive liquor for four years, he still couldn't tell the difference. It was just about the mood. In any case, he washed his hair, cleaned his body, and changed into fresh clothes — a white short-sleeved t-shirt and gray cotton pants.
Seo Ui-woo's clothes were a bit big on him. The sleeves hung loose, and the pant legs were long enough to graze the floor. Though Jae-jin had a solid build, Seo Ui-woo was even bigger. And, as far as Jae-jin knew, that guy would grow even more over the next four years.
Feeling refreshed, Jaejin applied some lotion and patted his hair dry with a towel as he stepped out. He pocketed the remaining lotion and headed back to the elevator. This time, his destination was the kitchen.
After downing wine on an empty stomach, he was starting to regret it. He figured he should eat something — anything — to settle his stomach.
This kitchen was outfitted like one you'd find in a high-end hotel. It had an eight-burner stove, ovens tailored for different purposes, three built-in refrigerators, and top-of-the-line, state-of-the-art cooking equipment. Everything was expensive and of the highest quality. Yet, Seo Ui-woo didn't know the first thing about cooking. The kitchen had been left neglected, and unused.
Jae-jin opened the lower cabinets to find a kitchen knife. Inside, neatly arranged, were a set of well-sharpened knives. He spotted his favorite one among them. After spending years together, it felt like an old comrade.
He set the knife down on the cutting board and moved to open the refrigerator. As expected, the contents were sparse: vacuum-sealed military rations and protein shakes — just the kind of emergency food Seo Ui-woo lived on. There were boxes of them piled high.
He then opened the freezer, hoping for better luck, and found something useful. There were a few items tucked away: a box of expensive, high-grade beef and a bundle of wild pine mushrooms wrapped in cloth. These were gifts from high-ranking officials in the government, probably tossed in there without a second thought. Seo Ui-woo likely had no idea these things were even in his freezer.
In any case, Jae-jin decided that reducing the wine he had been drinking into a sauce and stir-frying the beef with the mushrooms would make for a decent meal.
He thawed the meat and mushrooms, sliced them into bite-sized pieces with his trusty knife, and began cooking. As he stir-fried everything over high heat, a delicious aroma filled the kitchen. By the time the food was nearly ready, the sun had dipped to the horizon.
Dusk was setting.
The once-blue sky had turned a deep red.
Jae-jin transferred the stir-fried beef and mushrooms onto a tray, grabbed a spoon and chopsticks, and headed to the dining room. He placed the dish on the massive 12-person dining table and set his utensils. Just as he finished, a bright white light flashed outside.
It spread like a fine mist, scattering tiny droplets of light in all directions, as if someone had sprayed luminescent particles into the air.
It was the trace of a teleportation.
Seo Ui-woo, having just completed the jump, exited the sterile teleportation chamber and headed straight for the dining room. Even though Jae-jin hadn't made a sound, Seo Ui-woo knew exactly where he was, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Well, Jae-jin had expected him to return around this time anyway.
"Seo Ui-woo, take a seat," Jae-jin said, extending a set of chopsticks toward him. Then, as if demonstrating, he sat down across from him and nonchalantly picked up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, eating it without hesitation.
As Jae-jin chewed, his jaw working steadily on the stir-fried beef, Seo Ui-woo, still in his black combat gear, stood there quietly watching him. His gray eyes had a peculiar intensity to them.
"That… that was nice, you know. Really…"
Seo Ui-woo, like a boy hopelessly in love, blurted out an unexpected confession as he strode toward Jae-jin. He paid no attention to the offered chopsticks or the invitation to sit.
Standing close, Seo Ui-woo reached out and cupped Jae-jin's face completely in his hand. A shadow, deep and dark, fell over Jae-jin as he ate.
"My guide… finally… it felt so good. I've never felt anything like this before. My heart — it's overflowing, I'm so happy. What should I do?"
Ui-woo's long, monolid eyes curved into a smile as he gently stroked Jae-jin's cheek. His eye-smile was innocent, his touch tender. To an outsider, it might have looked like a heartfelt confession. But Jae-jin, unfazed by Ui-woo's clinging presence, simply picked up another piece of mushroom with his chopsticks and continued eating.
"Please sit down. We need to talk while we eat."
"No, I don't want to be apart from you. You have no idea how much I wanted to come back to you, Jae-jin. I was so anxious. Look, I bit all my nails."
"Oh, really?"
Seo Ui-woo spread out his five fingers and held them out. His fingertips were raw and chafed from all the biting, the skin peeled and inflamed.
Kwon Jae-jin, familiar with Seo Ui-woo's eccentricities, brushed it off and picked up a perfectly cooked piece of meat, offering it to him. But Ui-woo ignored the meat entirely, his gaze fixated solely on Jae-jin's face.
He started annoyingly pinching his cheek, poking at his ear, and even trying to stick his fingers into Jae-jin's mouth, making him frown. Jae-jin turned his head to avoid it.
"Let's do some guiding."
Seo Ui-woo was relentless.
His mind was so consumed by this guidance that nothing else seemed to exist.
This time, it wasn't his hand that approached, but his lips. Seo Ui-woo kissed the top of Jae-jin's head with an audible smack, the wet hair pressing against his lips.
"Jae-jin, you're my guide. Let's guide."
"How much are you offering for that?"
"What?"