Chapter 3 Part 16

‘Jeong Jae-ui is undeniably extremely lucky. To the point where one would throw up their hands in surrender. But have you ever considered what lies at the root of that luck?’

The smile vanished from Jeong Tae-ui’s face.

He had felt something was amiss for a while. There was something gnawing and catching in his words, and though he hadn’t known what it was, he vaguely understood now.

This man knew something he had never thought about, something he hadn’t needed to think about.

“He’s my brother, yet it seems you know him better than I do.”

Ilay seemed to grasp the bitter meaning behind Jeong Tae-ui’s words instantly. He mumbled, “Oh, dear,” as if slightly embarrassed, and spread his hands.

‘How awkward. I didn’t mean to offend you. Shall we drop this topic?’

Ilay concluded the conversation in a light tone. Jeong Tae-ui stared intently at his white hands, then finally sighed. It wasn’t a topic he wanted to dwell on.

‘You seem much calmer now. Your flushed face has returned to normal.’

At those words, Jeong Tae-ui, who had been rubbing his forehead with his thumb as if tired, turned his head and looked in the mirror. Just as Ilay had said, his face, which had been flushed red and showed no sign of calming down, had returned to its normal color.

As Jeong Tae-ui needlessly ran a palm over his face, Ilay’s subtle voice reached his ears.

‘But if you’re stuck on that island and have someone in mind, it wouldn’t be a woman, would it?’

To Ilay, who was ambiguously trailing off, Jeong Tae-ui answered sulkily.

“Of course not. Since high school, I haven’t held a woman’s hand except for a handshake.”

‘Ah, so that’s what was included in “deviating from sexual morals.” Indeed.’

Ilay murmured to himself, as if understanding. Jeong Tae-ui, who had never intended to hide his preferences, merely hadn’t brought it up first, shrugged his shoulders.

“So, does that bother you?”

‘Bothered? Why should I be bothered by someone else’s preferences?’

Ilay burst out laughing as he spoke. His words clearly drew a line. Even if they were talking as if they were close, they were distinctly strangers. Physically, of course, but emotionally as well.

It was then that Jeong Tae-ui suddenly realized.

Even as this man spoke so casually with Jeong Tae-ui, he felt no intimacy or fondness. Nor did he feel the opposite. He was, quite literally, a pure stranger, nothing more and nothing less.

Though it was obvious, Jeong Tae-ui felt a faint surprise. He had only just realized it, but Jeong Tae-ui had felt quite a bit of familiarity with this man. They had only encountered each other a few times over the phone, but as most people do with someone they’ve spoken to a few times, Jeong Tae-ui had developed a sense of familiarity proportional to the time they had spent together.

However, for this man, such things were useless. He wasn’t someone whose intimacy was proportional to time. Thinking back, there had been many indications, yet Jeong Tae-ui hadn’t noticed at all. Even if they spoke hundreds more times in the future, this man’s feelings towards him would remain those of a stranger.

Beyond the question of whether he was cold or not, he existed outside the typical emotional spectrum of most people.

If we’re talking about being human, you don’t seem to have the right to speak about anyone…

The words rose to his throat, but he swallowed them back without speaking. He had no intention of arguing, and knowing that Ilay drew a clear line as a stranger, he felt it would be presumptuous to offer such advice to one.

“What a shame, I actually quite liked you.”

‘Ah, if you mean something related to deviating from sexual morals, then that’s always good.’

“…No. That’s definitely not what I meant.”

Jeong Tae-ui muttered, disgusted. Ilay, who of course knew perfectly well, chuckled softly.

Just then, a faint mechanical sound could be heard in the distance. The regular beeping sound seemed like a timer, an alarm, or a pager. It was coming from beyond the phone.

Ilay seemed to turn around. He sighed deeply, then tapped the desk with his fingertips.

‘They always call just when I try to rest. I should get going.’

“Alright, then. I suppose we’ll meet again if the opportunity arises.”

‘Yes. —Ah. Now that I think about it, the joint training between the Asia Branch and Europe Branch is almost at hand, isn’t it?’

“That’s right. You’re well-informed.”

A rare book dealer, a weapons dealer, and a man who, depending on how you think about it, is utterly suspicious.

However, the schedule for the joint training was not a strict secret, and Ilay—though the details were unknown—seemed to have a close relationship with his uncle, so it was not strange for him to know.

‘It must be tough, starting joint training as soon as you enter the branch. I wish you luck. Don’t die.’

“That’s quite an ominous thing to say for wishing someone luck, but thanks.”

As Jeong Tae-ui chuckled in disbelief and muttered, Ilay also seemed to smile slightly. And with that, the call ended.

It was a Friday night of mixed emotions.

On Friday evening, after the regular work schedule, they drew lots as planned. Who would remain here at the Asia Branch, and who would go to other branches. Those coming to the Asia Branch for this round of joint training were, as they already knew, from the Europe Branch, and the destination for those leaving from here was the South America Branch.

Jeong Tae-ui thought it didn’t matter either way, but seeing his colleagues shudder with such hatred for the Europe Branch made him want to stay here and see their faces just once. However, for his own peace of mind, it would probably be better to join the team heading to the South America Branch, which was supposedly the lesser of two evils.

Moreover, there was that vivid image that surfaced when he closed his eyes—and even when he didn’t.

In it, a neatly dressed, clean-cut man still extended a hand in black gloves, grasping the opponent’s neck, piercing it, and leaving a dark red mark.

If he were to encounter that man.

Jeong Tae-ui, who had briefly imagined such a scenario, felt a sudden chill and shivered.

I should take good care of my own life.