Vermouth’s gaze persistently followed them. However, Jaeheon paid no mind and took Ian into the assigned tent. It was a hastily erected tent, but like Yoon Taegyeom’s tent he’d seen before, it had everything they needed.
“Sit.”
At Jaeheon’s words, Ian obediently sat in the chair.
“What do you want to drink?”
What he held up were strawberry milk and banana milk. Ian silently pointed to the strawberry milk. Jaeheon stuck a straw in it, handed the strawberry milk to Ian, and sat across from him. Hong Seoyoon and Yoon Taegyeom had said they’d stay with them too, but Jaeheon refused.
“Let the family talk first.”
“We’re practically family too.”
Hong Seoyoon grumbled, but Yoon Taegyeom dragged him away. They didn’t know what kind of conversation would follow from now on, but they gave them space for a family discussion.
Ian first drank the strawberry milk in his hand. The sweet taste slowly calmed his constantly tense nerves. It gave him at least a little courage to face his hyung.
“So.”
Jaeheon opened his mouth.
“Until now, I didn’t ask because I didn’t know what kind of wounds you had, but now I need to know. Tell me what happened during that time.”
“I told you that last time.”
“Yes, you did. Then I’ll ask again. What exactly was your relationship with that bastard?”
“Just the relationship between a Holy Knight and a Saint.”
“But he put his lips on you that easily?”
“No, that was…”
It wasn’t an act worthy of being called a peck or a kiss. It was simply to recover power, but to hyung’s eyes, it could certainly look strange. Because on Earth, this kind of thing was only done between people in love.
“It’s not just a kiss on the cheek, right?”
At those words, Ian unconsciously gripped the milk carton tightly with both hands.
“Ian.”
Jaeheon met Ian’s eyes.
“We’re family. Family shouldn’t hide anything from each other.”
No, I want to hide it. Even families who get along well don’t tell each other everything about physical contact with others! Even Ian, who had been dragged to Lancia five years ago, knew that much. Of course, Ian had been caught masturbating by his hyung!
He thought this was different.
Ian couldn’t bring himself to tell the truth and only fiddled with the innocent strawberry milk.
“Did you kiss?”
At the explicit question, Ian jumped in shock. That reaction seemed to give Jaeheon certainty.
“Has he touched your body?”
Ian tried his best to maintain his composure. He really wanted to hide the fact that Vermouth had put his hand under his clothes and fondled his chest.
“He has.”
Jaeheon had a shocked expression on his face. How did he know when I didn’t even say anything? Ian’s face turned bright red with embarrassment and shame.
“That—”
At the words that were about to follow, Ian grabbed Jaeheon’s mouth with his hand in horror. He could feel a look asking what the hell he was doing, but he couldn’t remove his hand.
His mind went completely blank and he couldn’t think of any words.
Jaeheon calmly removed Ian’s hand and continued with the words he couldn’t say.
“Did you sleep together?”
They had slept together many times. But he swore to heaven they had never done anything he’d be too embarrassed to say directly. So this time he could answer confidently.
“No.”
“So you did sleep together.”
I said no? Jaeheon calmly stood up from his seat and left the tent. What the hell is happening right now? Ian stood there dazed, then hurriedly followed out of the tent.
CRASH!
The container that had been used as a conference room until just a moment ago flew through the air.
“Oh my.”
Vermouth swatted away the container flying toward him with his hand. The container rolled on the ground in a crumpled state, and people nearby scattered screaming.
“Hey!”
Hong Seoyoon stood in front of Jaeheon with a surprised expression. Yes, the person who had just thrown the container at Vermouth was Jaeheon. The eyes that had been sunken without emotion when Ian wasn’t around were now shining with indescribable emotion.
Vermouth looked back and forth between Jaeheon and Ian, then nodded as if understanding.
“I heard from another comrade before that being with someone you love isn’t possible with just the two people’s will. Because there’s family.”
“Die.”
“That would be troublesome. Since I can’t die for you, it would be better to have time for persuasion.”
Why is everything that bastard says like that? Ian rubbed his face with his hands. Meanwhile, Hong Seoyoon, who had approached closer, asked Ian.
“Ian. What’s going on?”
“For now, should I just kill that bastard Vermouth?”
Hong Seoyoon didn’t seem to have even the slightest intention of stopping Jaeheon. And Yoon Taegyeom was the same.
“Clear the area!”
Hong Seoyoon controlled the surroundings and moved people away. This was practically making space for them to fight.
“Hyung, hyung!”
Ian grabbed Hong Seoyoon in horror.
“You should stop them! Why are you going along with this!”
“No, think about it. Say I have a cute, young sibling. I’ve raised them preciously like a treasure, and one day some dog-like bastard appears and messes with my sibling. What should I do then?”
“I’d probably try talking first.”
Of course, Ian’s words had no effect.
“I’d beat them up. Beat them to death, and beat them more. If they die in the process, even better.”
“Taegyeom hyung!”
But Yoon Taegyeom, his last hope, wasn’t much different from Hong Seoyoon.
“Ian, let’s think rationally. You were young five years ago. But that bastard.”
Yoon Taegyeom pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.
“If he touched you, that’s a crime. You’re still young even now, aren’t you?”
“No, you don’t even know Vermouth’s age!”
“I know. He said with his own mouth that he’s 28.”
Did he? Ian had never asked his age, so he only found out now. We really did lack communication between us. Vermouth often threw questions at Ian, but Ian didn’t do the same. Because they would part ways later anyway. He tried not to give him any affection at all. Above all, he did do quite a lot of crazy things.
“Hyuuung!”
“No. No matter how cutely you call me, what’s not okay isn’t okay.”
For all that, Hong Seoyoon and Yoon Taegyeom didn’t immediately join the fight. It was to give Jaeheon some time to release the anger he’d built up. But if he became disadvantaged, they would intervene right away.
CRASH! CRASH!
The container flew again, and at the same time, a strong force pressed down on Vermouth. Because of that, all the nearby tents were destroyed too. It seemed he had widened the range in case Vermouth tried to escape.
“No, seriously, what are they doing?”
Guild masters from other guilds watched the two fight from a distance.
“They’re damn strong.”
Jeong Yeonhwa shook her head. She wasn’t confident she could beat him in a direct fight.
“Is it because he’s a second awakening Awakener?”
“Who knows. In any case, it’s an amazing ability.”
The way he freely controlled telekinesis as if using his own hands was impressive. And Vermouth, who was blocking all of it on the opposite side, was no pushover either. Every time Vermouth opened his mouth in between, Jaeheon’s power grew stronger and stronger.
It was as if anger itself was amplifying his power.
“But why are they really fighting?”
Park Seori tilted her head questioningly. But the only ones who knew the circumstances here were the three in front of them.
Vermouth opened his mouth again.
“Is it necessary to go this far? No matter how much he’s your sibling, he’s a different person, and he has sufficient ability to handle his own affairs.”
He knows. Jaeheon also knew what a normal relationship between siblings was like. No matter how close they were, unless he knew Ian’s clear intentions, this could be excessive interference.
“You mustn’t interfere with romance.”
But he couldn’t calm his anger at all. Jaeheon was using the most power he’d ever used since awakening. The ground hollowed out and the river water was pushed back. His nose even started bleeding from the excessive use of power, but he didn’t want to stop. He even blocked Hong Seoyoon and Yoon Taegyeom from intervening in the middle.
Because he wanted to beat down that bastard called Vermouth completely with his own power. Vermouth also started to draw his sword and swing it at some point.
“Ah, really, Ian-nim will dislike this.”
Murderous intent settled in his violet eyes.
“This really won’t do.”
I want to kill him. That emotion was clearly felt from Vermouth. Just as Jaeheon wanted to kill him, he also wanted to kill Jaeheon.
“Hyung!”
Ian’s voice was heard from behind. Then Vermouth’s eyes, which had been half-crazed, became a little gentler. He let out a deep sigh and then slashed the air with his sword. Then the telekinetic force that had been pressing down on him disappeared, and he regained freedom of his body.
Drip.
Following his nose, now blood flowed from his eyes too. It seemed his blood vessels had burst. Still, Jaeheon didn’t withdraw his outstretched hand.
“Now I understand.”
One step, two steps. Vermouth, who had approached closer to Jaeheon, whispered.
“You’re the same kind as me.”
“Who’s like a bastard like you!”
“No, we are the same kind. You, what do you think of Ian?”
“He’s my precious family and my younger sibling.”
“Really?”
Vermouth smiled strangely. He raised his hand and poked Jaeheon’s chest with his finger.
“Can you swear on your heart? Is Ian truly purely just a sibling to you?”
His heart suddenly sank.
WHAT is this guy SAYING in front of everyone
(Yeah I had my suspicions too but I don’t wanna question the bond between adoptive siblings without reason)