JD 113

Gi Sang-oh bowed his head like a criminal guilty of high treason. No, Muheon had personally told him to keep a close watch, and he had failed to do so. That made him a traitor, plain and simple.

“I’m sorry!”

Gi Sang-oh lowered his head even further, to the point his forehead nearly touched the floor.

Muheon frowned as he absorbed this simple yet complicated truth. So Kang Hajo really had seen the real Kim Taeyoung.

The day after Hakyung had come back from fighting with him, Hajo had shown up with a defeated expression and told Muheon what he had witnessed.

“I was waiting for my brother outside a fast food, and across the street I saw someone way too familiar. At first, I thought, ‘No way.’ But it’s not like I’ve only seen that bastard Kim Taeyoung once or twice…”

Back when Kang Hakyung had spent his life chained to Kim Taeyoung and treated like a slave, his younger brothers also had to endure a great deal. It wasn’t direct abuse like what Hakyung suffered, but they were constantly insulted, made to run errands in front of their friends, and dismissed openly. The list went on—it was exhausting just to describe it all.

Hajo had been in middle school then, full of adolescent angst. Puberty only made his rebellious streak stronger. So one day, Hajo defied Kim Taeyoung, telling him to stop tormenting his brother.

Taeyoung had laughed in his face, and Hajo had gotten the crap beaten out of him by Taeyoung’s cronies.

Even back then, and still now, Kim Taeyoung had a face good-looking enough to attract people. So naturally, he was always surrounded by those who wanted to stay on his good side.

That evening, Hakyung had burst into tears, apologizing as he looked at his bruised and battered brother. And the next day, he had knelt in front of Kim Taeyoung—because he’d failed to control his own sibling.

From that moment on, Hajo couldn’t even look at Taeyoung’s face without breaking into a cold sweat. There was no way he wouldn’t recognize him.

That’s what made him even more worried about Hakyung. Just when his brother was finally happy, he was terrified that someone like Kim Taeyoung would show up again and ruin everything. That his brother would fall back into being dragged around by that man, helplessly.

Even though it had been revealed that Kim Taeyoung hadn’t actually saved his brother, it wasn’t easy to shake off a lifetime of violence and exploitation.

So it made perfect sense that Hajo couldn’t bring himself to say anything to Hakyung.

‘I’m just so scared my brother’s going to suffer at that bastard’s hands again. Please… keep a close eye on him.’

After saying that several times, Hajo finally left for his academy.

And the moment Muheon heard those words, he had summoned Gi Sang-oh and ordered him to investigate thoroughly.

But with all the focus on Hakyung’s condition, he was only now hearing the report.

“How did Kim Taeyoung escape that island?”

Muheon tilted his head slightly. The place where Taeyoung’s family had been confined was basically an unnamed, uninhabited island. Without a private boat, there was no way off it.

They hadn’t just locked them up—they’d had eyes on them at all times. So how?

Sensing Muheon’s growing doubt, Gi Sang-oh quickly explained what he’d found.

“While living on the island, Kim Taeyoung didn’t take a single step outside his house. No matter what his family did, he wouldn’t leave. That’s why we let our guard down.”

“You let your guard down?”

“Well… I’m ashamed to admit it, but during your wedding, I left my post for a moment to watch the broadcast…”

Gi Sang-oh trembled, still not raising his head. Even to his own ears, it sounded absurd—what must Muheon be thinking?

This wasn’t just anyone—they had let the man who’d tormented Muheon’s partner his entire life get away. Worse, they hadn’t even noticed he was missing.

The wedding had been streamed live, and everyone had rushed to where they could get a signal. That had been the fatal mistake.

Even if Gi Sang-oh hadn’t been physically present, it was still his job to supervise his subordinates. The ultimate responsibility was his.

“Did he swim to the mainland or something?”

“I don’t think so. There must have been someone helping him… a collaborator.”

“So you don’t even know who helped him or how he got to the mainland.”

“Once again, I’m terribly sorry. I have no excuse.”

Despite Gi Sang-oh’s desperate apology, Muheon only let out a cold, hollow laugh. Gi Sang-oh knew all too well it wasn’t a real laugh, and he shut his eyes tightly.

At this rate, Gi Sang-oh and all the sea beastmen under him were going to be exiled, one after another, into some remote valley.

“Yeah, of course you’re sorry… You don’t even have to think for yourself. All you had to do was follow orders. And you couldn’t even manage that—what does that make you, if not trash?”

The longer Muheon spoke, the more cold sweat gathered on Gi Sang-oh’s face. Having suddenly become the leader of a pack of trash, he bit down hard on his lip. He couldn’t even make excuses.

“I’ll find that bastard no matter what and make sure he never sets foot on land agai—”

His vow was cut short. Muheon had reached out and lifted Gi Sang-oh’s forehead, straightening his posture. It happened in less than a second, so Gi Sang-oh was still dazed when footsteps sounded from inside.

It seemed Hakyung had woken up and was coming out of the bedroom. Muheon had noticed first and had made sure Gi Sang-oh looked composed to avoid suspicion.

Among sea beastmen, Gi Sang-oh was known to be particularly sensitive to presence—but standing next to Muheon, he might as well have been a rock.

“Uh…? Hello.”

Hakyung, mid-motion opening the fridge, spotted Gi Sang-oh and greeted him with a smile. Then he grabbed a bottle of water and hurried over to Muheon.

“Don’t run. You might fall.”

Muheon’s tone was filled with gentle concern—completely different from the way he spoke to Gi Sang-oh. He even took long strides toward Hakyung, as if worried he might actually trip.

But they weren’t in a rocky mountain or anything—just a perfectly safe house. And the distance between them wasn’t even ten meters. There was no real risk of Hakyung falling, and even if he did, he wouldn’t get hurt.

In short, Muheon was being overly protective. Still, Gi Sang-oh didn’t say a word.

He was just grateful that Hakyung had appeared. The suffocating tension had felt like it might crush him, even as he breathed, and Hakyung had dispelled it. If he could, Gi Sang-oh would have shaken his hand and thanked him on the spot.

Of course, if he tried, he’d probably be ripped to shreds by Lord Muheon’s glare, so he held himself back.

“It’s not even six yet… Are you already working?”

Hakyung asked, holding onto Muheon’s arm. His expression held a touch of concern, like he was wondering if Muheon was being worked too hard.

Gi Sang-oh gave an awkward smile and shook his head.

“Ah, I, uh… just came for a morning workout and, uh, ran into Lord Muheon by chance…”

“Oh… I see.”

Hakyung accepted the obvious lie without question. He simply stored it away as a fun little fact—So Mr. Sang-oh works out near the office every morning, huh.

Completely unaware of the heavy tension from just a minute ago, Hakyung yawned and poked Muheon in the side.

“I’m going back to sleep for a bit…”

He didn’t say it outright, but the message was clear: Come with me, hold me, and cuddle me.

Somehow, Muheon picked up on that silent cue. Like a loyal servant following his lady, he took on a serious expression and trailed after Hakyung. Just before leaving, he glanced back at Gi Sang-oh and gave a small nod.

Now it was Gi Sang-oh’s turn to understand the message. He realized he’d been given one more chance—and steeled himself with a resolve not to disappoint Muheon again.

Meanwhile, once Muheon followed Hakyung into the room, he closed the door and immediately lifted the smaller man into his arms, pressing kisses to every inch of his face.

Far from objecting, Hakyung smiled brightly and accepted the sudden barrage of kisses.

“Ah, what’s this? You’re not a cat—you’re a puppy.”

“Mhm. I don’t care which. Just love me.”

Still clinging to Muheon, Hakyung gently stroked his soft, silky hair.

It was getting to be a problem—Muheon was becoming more adorable by the day. This man was the world’s cutest thirty-six-year-old—or rather, ageless—imugi.

Hakyung tightened his legs around Muheon’s waist, clamping down hard. But no matter how much strength he used, the solid, muscular body didn’t budge.

“Wow, seriously! You’re built like a tank.”

Hakyung blinked, surprised that he’d said it out loud.

It wasn’t exactly the kind of thing you said to your beloved husband—it sounded more like something an old farmer would say while admiring a prize bull.

As he made a face, realizing how it came off, Muheon just smiled, clearly pleased by the compliment.

He adjusted his hold on Hakyung and whispered in his ear.

“If I want to satisfy Kang Hakyung, I have to be built solid.”

The deep, ticklish murmur sent heat rushing to Hakyung’s ears.