It was unsettling, and something about it felt off. The atmosphere resembled the most squalid and rough parts of Cheongun Island. That alone was clear just from the cabinet packed full of unnamed liquors and glasses, and all manner of sex toys proudly on display.
“Disgusting…….”
Yi-won could guess what this space was used for. He didn’t know much about such things firsthand, but what he’d picked up from listening was more than enough.
Toys for people who treated others like animals, driving them to the edge of pain and calling it pleasure. This was probably the villa owner’s hobby room. And that hobby would be vile and depraved.
Yi-won set down the bedding he’d brought in one corner of the sofa. He kept his gaze as unfocused as possible and silently worked through it.
He cleared away multiple boxes of long-expired condoms and cracked liquor glasses, swept and wiped down everything repeatedly. He was pulling rotted underwear from the back corner of the cabinet and picking up pubic hair that had rolled to the floor from god knows where, when it happened.
— Click.
“……!”
Yi-won’s shoulders, which had been fixed on the floor, drew inward. His head turned toward the sound. Is it getting late? Did someone come to check if I’m done……? Yi-won’s mind raced.
He was in the middle of straightening up from his awkward crouch when he froze, breath caught in his throat.
“Executive Director, how are you here already. You must be exhausted from the journey — I was going to have everything cleaned up before you arrived.”
It was the voice of the man who had been cursing at him so roughly.
Finish before the Executive Director arrives, no exceptions. If you drag it out and he catches you, you’re dead. And obviously, if you don’t finish cleaning before then — you’re dead too.
What do I do…….
“……!”
My slippers…….
Yi-won clapped his own hand over his mouth.
“Tired.”
“If I’d known you’d be arriving early, I would have at least drawn you a bath.”
Right, that little shit isn’t done cleaning yet.
Fortunately, it was the man who spotted Yi-won’s worn slippers first. He quickly kicked them aside and shoved them into the shoe cabinet.
“The nerve of you.”
“You know I’m always sincere when it comes to you, sir. Ha ha…….”
The man’s gaze darted around hurriedly, looking for Yi-won. He’s probably smart enough to hide on his own. His attention was splitting, and he missed the fact that he was being flustered and erratic himself. In that moment, his eyes met Choi Woo-hyuk’s.
“Something you want to say?”
“No, sir. Nothing to say. What would I have.”
The man, wearing an awkward expression, scratched the back of his head sheepishly. I need to stall for time, find the right moment, and get the little shit out of here — but this stupid head of mine just isn’t working. The first floor was quiet, so it’s either the second floor or the basement.
“Looks like you left the windows open.”
“Ah. That, ah. Yes. I thought the place should at least be aired out before you arrived, so…… yes.”
“Right.”
“I’ll, I’ll go shut them right away.”
The man hadn’t realized all the living room windows were open, and only now understood they’d been left that way.
Why the hell am I only now noticing the air inside is cold. The man’s eyes worked quickly. It’s probably just the living room windows. Should I check every room…….
The man rushed over to close the large living room windows, and behind him, Choi Woo-hyuk’s reflection appeared in the glass. Feeling that watchful gaze scanning his every flustered move, the man forced an awkward smile and dropped his eyes.
Choi Woo-hyuk stood in the center of the living room and removed his coat. The man hurried forward to receive it, but the coat simply stayed draped over Choi Woo-hyuk’s own arm.
Choi Woo-hyuk came to a stop at the foot of the second-floor stairs and looked back at the man.
“…….”
“Please get some rest, Executive Director.”
“You should head out too. The others are still going at it.”
“Ah, no, sir. There are still things to see to. It’s your first night here—”
“Gyu-tae.”
His sentence cut off, Lee Gyu-tae was caught between staying and going, visibly at a loss. Choi Woo-hyuk had no way of knowing why Lee Gyu-tae was hovering instead of taking the offer to go enjoy himself, and a brief furrow crossed Choi Woo-hyuk’s brow.
Lee Gyu-tae hadn’t originally been assigned to Cheongun Island or its management. He’d arrived ahead of the others to take charge of the villa’s upkeep inside and out, so island life must have been chafing at him — that much was obvious.
When daylight came, everyone except for the few remaining behind on Cheongun Island would be heading back to the mainland. Lee Gyu-tae was one of the handful of Choi Woo-hyuk’s men who would be staying on the island with him while he was here. Which was precisely why this moment was also an offer he couldn’t afford to pass up.
Once Choi Woo-hyuk felt he’d spent enough time at the gathering to fill the seat, he planned to send Lee Gyu-tae off and settle into proper rest. To Choi Woo-hyuk, Lee Gyu-tae’s lingering was an intrusion on that.
“You’re dragging this out.”
The furrow on his face was growing more pronounced. That was never a good sign. Seeing the gesture of pressing at the corner of his eye — the one that meant he was doing his utmost to hold back his temper — Lee Gyu-tae quickly stepped back.
“I apologize.”
“Don’t need to show your face until I call for you. Go.”
“Then I’ll take my leave. If you need anything, call for me right away.”
Lee Gyu-tae folded himself nearly in half with his bow. He straightened up to the sound of footsteps on the stairs. There was nothing to do but force his reluctant feet to turn and go. He was heading toward the front door when he slowly turned his head. Choi Woo-hyuk had already reached the second floor and was nowhere to be seen.
“……If he finds him, it’s all over.”
Unsol-chae was the personal space Choi Woo-hyuk had chosen for his rest, and he was alpha. No matter how detached a person might be, no one was unbothered by having their space invaded.
That was also the reason Lee Gyu-tae had told Jeong Yi-won to finish all the cleaning and disappear before Choi Woo-hyuk returned.
So if someone from outside had been let in out of necessity, that person had to vanish without a trace before catching his eye. Not so much as a speck of pheromone, let alone a single footprint, could be left behind.
“Damn it all. The hell with it.”
Lee Gyu-tae glanced back one more time as he reached the front door. He picked up the slippers he’d kicked into the corner, pinching them between two fingers. The soles were soaked through and worn flat, the rubber rotted away in patches. They were closer to trash than footwear.
He took them and stepped outside. Intending to toss them somewhere out of the way.
“Damn.”
The owner of these shoes, well. She’ll figure it out.
Yi-won immediately switched off the lights he’d left on. Then he pricked his ears — but the voices he’d been able to hear so clearly stopped there.
He curled himself small, clutching in his fist a piece of old underwear of unknown origin and age.
“I’m scared…….”
Did he see my slippers. I didn’t hear anyone yelling about whose they were. So maybe he didn’t notice. Maybe I haven’t been caught yet. So what do I do now.
“……!”
Then footsteps rang out from the ceiling above. His hunched shoulders jerked upward, and his heart pounded so hard it stung. His toes curled in on their own for no reason.
The cut on his toe, which had clotted on its own, split open again. Bright red drops of blood were soaking his entire toenail. Yi-won quietly wiped the blood away with the underwear still in his hand.
“……What do I do.”
That Executive Director must be the owner. I was told not to let him see me. If I stay here any longer I might get caught. I should have gotten that man’s number.
The bleeding and the pain came second — figuring out how to get out of this situation came first. Yi-won let out a long breath and slowly looked around. But all it gave him was the suffocating feeling of being hemmed in on all sides.
To find any chance to slip out, he’d have to go up the stairs first — but even that was too frightening to attempt.
There was no way out in sight. He couldn’t call for help just because he’d come to clean and ended up trapped. Everyone would be busy by now, and there was simply no way to get him out from under the Executive Director’s watch.
