“What is this.”

Beyond bewilderment, he was simply dumbfounded. The luxury homes in Hannam-dong, famous as a wealthy neighborhood, were worth at least tens of billions of won even before the Great Change. With his name written on documents for such a house, it couldn’t help but feel unreal.

“I heard you’ve been staying at a hotel with your sister recently.”

“Well…”

“Isn’t it uncomfortable? High expenses, lack of stability.”

“I’m only staying there temporarily anyway. It’s fine. I’ll find a house soon…”

“I don’t think so.”

Rational suspicion arose again at his words filled with strange certainty. Could he have manipulated the situation behind the scenes? He didn’t seem to have any intention of hiding it from the start.

“I’ve heard it’s a growing trend for companies to provide company housing for employees. So feel free to accept it.”

What company in the world would give an employee a luxury home worth tens of billions of won? Moreover, to transfer or gift it outright without compensation. It was on a completely different level from simply moving in.

“It would be convenient to commute together by helicopter if you come over to my house every morning.”

“No…”

Choi Gang-hu grabbed his hand again after briefly letting go, interlaced their fingers, and started walking towards the dining room.

“I’ve taken care of the tax issues cleanly. You don’t need to worry about that side of things.”

He thought food might have been prepared like before, but surprisingly the dining room was empty. Passing through a large door leading to the kitchen area, a beautifully decorated greenhouse came into view. It was a place set up with flowers, trees, and cozy tea tables.

After crossing straight through the greenhouse surrounded by glass walls and ceiling and opening a door, a familiar space appeared. The backyard of Choi Gang-hu’s house. It was a large, spacious garden with walking paths.

“You can take that elevator up to the helipad.”

To think the two houses were connected in this way. Aren’t wealthy neighborhoods usually extremely sensitive about privacy? The fact that a helicopter landing pad was installed on a privately owned mansion wasn’t even surprising anymore.

As he entered through the folding doors, a buzzing vibration sound was heard from somewhere. Choi Gang-hu, who had been walking without paying attention, stopped as Ryu Seo-ha halted with force.

“I really appreciate your consideration, but.”

He twisted his interlaced hand free and bowed his head while grasping one of his arms as if for support.

“I’ll just accept your goodwill.”

As he slowly raised his head, he saw Choi Gang-hu turning around with an expression that said “I knew it.”

“As expected, you never accept anything easily no matter what I give.”

He muttered lowly as if sighing, then pulled something out of his pocket and abruptly held it out. He almost stepped back in surprise but managed to stop. When he received the offered item in bewilderment…

‘Candy?’

It was a white peppermint candy. A very common and cheap kind, the type that would be distributed freely at events.

“Will you eat that?”

“……”

The cheap wrapper crinkled in his palm. Ryu Seo-ha, who had been staring blankly at that single small candy, raised his head. Choi Gang-hu’s deep eyes were staring down at him intently.

He vaguely grasped what he wanted to say. He probably wanted to say that to him, there was no difference between a single candy and a house deed.

In the Abyss, a single candy would have been several times more desperate. He probably meant what’s the problem if he wants to give it because he wants to. Ryu Seo-ha didn’t stop the soft sigh that escaped.

“Why are you doing this to me?”

It would be a lie to say it wasn’t burdensome. Not only was he unfamiliar with receiving anything from someone, but not knowing the intent behind it increased his anxiety.

The kinder Choi Gang-hu is, the more he keeps his guard up. Afraid that he might get used to that comfort and abundance.

Because he would surely be ruthlessly discarded when he’s no longer useful. Ridiculously, he became afraid. Of that day when he would eventually be abandoned. The deeper he lets his heart’s defenses loosen, the deeper wound he’ll receive.

“Because I like you.”

Last time he blatantly changed the subject, but this time a direct answer came. An answer that seemed a bit flimsy as a reason for handing over even a registered deed. Surely he hadn’t really developed romantic feelings for him.

“Please be honest with me.”

“More honest than this?”

Choi Gang-hu slightly raised his eyebrows as if expression was difficult. He had been prepared from the start to be ruthlessly cast aside when he was no longer useful. So he wished he would at least tell him what that usefulness was.

“…You always pay attention to my movements, came to rescue me yourself from far away, protect my sister too, gift me expensive things like clothes and a house by the armful, and even assigned a stealth-type watcher.”

Ryu Seo-ha swallowed dryly and blurted out all the things he had found suspicious at once.

“At this point, wouldn’t anyone have questions? If you could give a clear reason…”

Choi Gang-hu’s eyes suddenly flashed as he quietly listened to the murmur resembling a sigh. Whoosh, just as he felt his body lifting, in the blink of an eye his back landed on a soft sofa.

“Well, shall I express it clearly? According to my feelings.”

Choi Gang-hu, who had mounted him without putting his weight on Ryu Seo-ha’s body, whispered in a much lowered voice.

“Are you confident you can handle it?”

His hair stood on end at the voice resembling the growl of a starving beast. An absurd imagination that he might be devoured like this crossed his mind. Buzz, the vibration rang out again.

Unlike before, he could clearly tell the source. He could feel a phone vibrating beyond Choi Gang-hu’s clothes touching his thigh. Relentlessly, almost pitifully.

He slowly lowered his head with no intention of answering the phone. Ryu Seo-ha, who had unknowingly held his breath, reflexively crossed his arms to cover his face. Choi Gang-hu paused for a moment and let out a low laugh.

“Are you asking me to hold your hand first again?”

“……”

A sound that could be either a joke or sarcasm brushed his ear. He snatched away the peppermint candy trapped in the half-open palm, arbitrarily interpreting the defensive attitude. Just as he heard the sound of unwrapping, chak,

“…!”

He felt something suddenly push between his lips. Then a cool minty scent spread clearly. It was the peppermint candy. Along with the strange and unfamiliar sensation of fingers gently pressing his tongue.

Ryu Seo-ha, with wide eyes, tried to sit up but was easily restrained by a single touch pressing down gently on his chest. Both wrists, still crossed, were grabbed by a large hand and raised above his head.

This left his upper body completely defenseless. Forgetting that his opponent was Choi Gang-hu, he tried to attack with his lower body by raising his knees, but that too was immediately subdued by thick thighs lightly pressing down with force.

“Mmph…”

Ryu Seo-ha’s thick eyelashes trembled as he was deprived of the chance to protest what he was doing. His mind went blank at this situation he had never experienced before.

His crisis response ability was built purely on experience, so. He had never allowed himself to be driven to this point in the quarantine zone.

“You seemed to want my hand first.”

An amused voice teased his ears. The thumb trapped between his lips roamed Ryu Seo-ha’s mouth as if it owned the place. Gently stroking his even teeth and lightly stimulating his soft tongue.

When the half-turned finger brushed against the tender mucous membrane of his palate, he couldn’t help but flinch at the illusion of electricity running through his body. Without realizing it, his breathing had become rough.

“Stah…”

“You want more?”

He tried to escape by twisting his head, but it was useless. It was because the large hand was cupping his jaw as if to hold the inserted thumb in place. Buzz, he was confused whether the vibrating sound was coming from the phone or bursting from his brain.

The sweetness of the candy made saliva pool heavily in his mouth. He couldn’t swallow it properly. Saliva flowed down between his lips which quickly became moist. Choi Gang-hu looked down with satisfaction at it wetting his hand.

“I’ve been holding back.”

His other hand caressed Ryu Seo-ha’s reddened ear. The large hand that gently stroked his earlobe and auricle then naturally slid down to his nape, and below to his collarbone, awakening a chilling sensation.

“Why do you keep asking for it, hm?”

The moment he sensed the strange touch pulling down his neatly worn ivory sweater.

The characteristic ‘Sanctification’ is being cast.

Ryu Seo-ha, who came to his senses as if waking with a start from a dream, wrapped [Sanctification] around his body and bit down hard on the thumb with his teeth.

Applies status ailment ‘Paralysis’ to designated target (1 person of unknown rank).

Without thinking, he also applied a debuff. The paralysis was applied for just a moment, for an extremely short time that was barely noticeable, but it was enough for him to roll his body off the sofa.

“Haa, haa.”

Though looking at Choi Gang-hu leisurely licking his hand without a single tooth mark, it seemed like he had let him go on purpose. Ryu Seo-ha composed himself while breathing roughly due to psychological pressure.

“What on earth…”

As he was about to sharply protest while wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he couldn’t finish his words. Cough, a handful of red blood was spat out.

Choi Gang-hu’s expression, which had been relaxed throughout, hardened in an instant. It was a surprisingly new reaction. Even though he already knew that he often coughed up blood.

“Are you alright?”

Ryu Seo-ha distanced himself again, avoiding Choi Gang-hu who was quickly approaching. The vibration sound continued even during this.

“I’ll be going now.”

Ryu Seo-ha replied in a businesslike tone, ignoring the hand offering a handkerchief while standing still at an appropriate distance. Choi Gang-hu, who let out an incomprehensible sigh, roughly ran his hand through his own hair.

“I’ll take you.”

“No, I can go alone.”

Noticing his desire to avoid him, Choi Gang-hu closed his mouth and a troubled look flashed across his expression. It was a look as if he didn’t know how to deal with a small, delicate life form he had encountered for the first time.

Ryu Seo-ha neatly placed the house documents that had caused this situation on the sofa, bowed politely and turned around. At that moment, the pattern on a circular rug placed in one corner of the spacious living room emitted light. A subtle flow of mana could also be felt.

‘An item?’

In the moment he paused, a familiar face appeared. It was Secretary Jang.

“Guild Master!”

He burst out in a very urgent voice, having appeared through an extremely expensive disposable item. Presumably, he was also the caller of the vibrating phone from earlier.

“The Chairman has summoned Ryu Jeong-ah to his residence!”

Ryu Seo-ha’s expression, who had been thinking he could slip away easily in this gap, hardened.