PASSION Chapter 3 part 8

Jeong Tae-ui hesitated for a moment longer but soon gave up and shrugged. The man wasn't trying to harm me, nor did he seem likely to do anything to my comrades—the direction he was heading was the opposite, for one thing. In that case, it was best not to be curious about unnecessary things.

Jeong Tae-ui cleared his mind again and turned his steps back in his original direction. As he expected the sound of water to grow closer, it wasn't long before his view opened up and the sea appeared.

The night sea is pitch black. Utterly black without a single light, the sea, if not for the sound, would be a gaping maw of black darkness, impossible to guess if it was a sea or what it was.

Black darkness. The sound of waves. The smell of the sea. The damp wind. All of it wrapped around his eyes, ears, nose, and skin. That's why Jeong Tae-ui had always liked the night sea.

Hoo, he let out a long sigh. His breath mingled with the sound of the waves. Suddenly, he felt better, and a clear smile played on his lips.

Should I bring Xinlu next time? Although it's a little dangerous at night due to the many snakes in the forest, I thought that if we were properly prepared, there wouldn't be anything to worry about after seeing it one day. In this vast darkness, how wonderful would it be to hold the warmth of another person's body in my hand? ……Actually, it didn't have to be Xinlu, anyone would do.

The ground beneath his feet was unstable. The seashore, piled high with large rocks instead of sand, was difficult to walk on comfortably like a stroll. There were large holes in places and gaps between the rocks, making it precarious. However, Jeong Tae-ui tapped the rocks lightly with his heel, tapping, and smiled. When I was a kid, my parents were often busy and I was sent to my maternal grandparents' house, which was by the sea. So, I would play by running around on the rocks of the seashore. Thinking about it, my Hyung seemed to have already been talking about the process of rock erosion due to high salinity seawater back then.

Walking on the rocks as if on flat ground, Jeong Tae-ui softly hummed a tune. The pitch-black darkness, the cold, damp wind – it all felt good. Perhaps because I was reminded of my childhood memories, I suddenly missed my Hyung. It would be nice if Hyung were walking with me right now. He surely would have been happy too.

Jeong Tae-ui stopped, a hint of regret in his smile. A lighthouse stood in the distance. A couple of streetlights near the lighthouse were illuminated. Their light didn't reach brightly here, but they cast a faint glow on the surroundings.

Perhaps I should head back now. This is far enough. One more step and this pleasant darkness would end, replaced by a dim light. Ending his night walk here and slowly returning to his comrades would probably align with his watch duty time.

Jeong Tae-ui looked at the sea for a moment longer, then turned around. He looked at the way he came and gauged a shortcut. Going diagonally to the right would be faster.

Confident in his sense of direction, he started crossing the rocks, deviating slightly to the right from the path he had taken. One, two, there were some quite large rocks, so he changed direction slightly as he made his way back.

But at a certain moment. At a certain moment, I ignored that small sound that could have been, thinking that it’s mixed with the sound of the wind.

Jeong Tae-ui's steps slowed. Tilting his head slightly and gradually slowing his pace, he finally stopped altogether. It was because he hadn't misheard the sound that was coming intermittently.

The sound was coming from below the rock. It was a large rock blocking Jeong Tae-ui's path—truly as big as a house. Deep within the rock, which seemed to form a shallow cave hollowed out inwards with a hole in the ceiling, I can continuously hear a lewd sound.

It was a sign of a person. Someone was inside. Jeong Tae-ui realized that if he took just a few more steps, he would come face to face with the person inside.

Perhaps it was someone who had come out to the beach in their sleep during the night and was relieving themselves in a secluded spot. However, I knew well that this was unlikely. It was quite a distance from the forest where they were camping to here, after all.

Or perhaps it was the person I had glimpsed in the forest earlier. Recalling that person who had seemed suspicious, Jeong Tae-ui inwardly clicked his tongue. Whatever it was, I want to avoid getting caught up in troublesome matters. Isn't it better to secretly turn back now?

Hesitating for a moment and listening to the presence, Jeong Tae-ui soon realized that there was more than one person inside. No voices were heard. However, the short, sharp sounds and the sounds of movement were not those of a single person. Probably two.

Mixing with the sound of the waves, there was the sound of water. At first, Jeong Tae-ui thought it was the sound of water. But he soon felt a sense of incongruity. It was a sound of the same kind as water, but it was different from the sound of the sea or a puddle in a cave. The sound was more sticky and wet, more lewd on the side.

"...—."

Jeong Tae-ui, who had been rubbing his chin and tilting his head in confusion, suddenly covered his mouth without realizing it. A look of embarrassment appeared on his face. It was a sound Jeong Tae-ui knew.

It was a wet, lewd sound. To be exact, the sound of licking and sucking on wet skin. And mixed in between those sounds were gasping, tearful breaths and low growling breaths. Occasionally, short moans of pleasure could be heard.

……Oh dear. I've come at an awkward time. Who on earth are these energetic fellows? I never would have dreamed that there would be people enjoying themselves on the beach in the middle of the night. This wasn't some resort beach, and I couldn't believe there were guys fooling around like that on the beach of an island full of nothing but men.

Jeong Taeui scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. Should I go back and take the long way around? It would be a long detour, but if I passed by here and made eye contact, that would also be awkward. But to go around, I'd have to climb over the rocks behind me, which looked quite steep. It seemed a bit difficult to do with bare hands without tools. And if I went back the way I came and went lower down, it would be too much of a detour.

Jeong Taeui examined the path ahead, lost in thought. The darkness, barely touched by the lighthouse's dim glow, pooled in the crevices of the rocks. The rocks were hollowed out in places, carved by the waves. If I lowered my body and passed through there, I might be able to get by without being noticed, if he was careful. Well, in this darkness, and especially while completely lost in pleasure, it would be hard for them to sense someone's presence. Besides, well…… if push came to shove, I could just consider it an interesting sight. Though I probably wouldn't see anything.

Jeong Tae-ui crept down into the gap between the rocks, muffling his steps. Clack, his foot struck a stone, but the sound was small enough to be lost in the sound of the waves. It's okay, I wouldn't be caught with this much noise.

Come to think of it, even if I was caught, there was no reason for me to flinch. If they, who were trying to enjoy themselves secretly here, were startled and flinched, that would be another matter. I wasn't intentionally trying to peek, so why should I?

Jeong Tae-ui patted his chest and moved forward. He lowered his body and passed in front of the hollowed-out rock. The fleeting glance he cast in that direction as he passed was not out of a desire to peek. It was merely to check if his figure would be visible to them.

From inside the rock, a very faint light was leaking out. Perhaps one of the people inside had brought a portable temporary flashlight or something. But even that wasn't very bright, only lighting just enough to see around.

There were two people inside.

One person was crouched and bowed between the legs of a man sitting leaning against the rock. With both hands wrapped around the sitting man's genitals, they licked the tip. Then, moving down the shaft to the base and further down to the sac below, they licked and sucked as if entranced. Sticky, wet sounds continuously leaked from between the legs. The person crouched with their face buried between the man's legs seemed excited by that alone, shaking their hips and waist, lost in their desire. Occasionally, as if unable to bear it, a hand reached out to rub their groin, wet and glistening in the faint light. At the same time, short moans, as if they could no longer endure, burst out.

And before him, the man sitting leaning against the rock was looking down at the man burying his face between his legs, lost in pleasure. With a placid yet openly desirous, languid face, he looked down upon the one faithfully serving him.

The moment Jeong Tae-ui saw that expression, he felt a jolt in his chest. It was a combination of shock and dread.

The man's eyes were exceptionally cold. Yet, they were infinitely hot. He was reacting hotly and passionately to his own desire, but it was not a longing for the person between his legs. He was enjoying merely the act itself, without the slightest trace of emotion towards the person performing it with him.

And Jeong Tae-ui quickly realized who the man was. The face, whose outline emerged faintly in the darkness, was one he could not mistake.

Riegrow

……Damn it. Why do I keep running into this guy everywhere I go? He's the last person I want to run into. He should be quietly sleeping at this hour. Why drag someone out to this beach to do this kind of thing?

Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue. It would’ve been fine had I not known, but now I’m stuck. I feel like I would be discovered if I moved even a single finger. No, maybe I had already been discovered.

Jeong Tae-ui stood there as if frozen, holding his breath. How can I get out of here? That was the only thought in his head.

Riegrow, whether he was aware of someone's presence or not, was engrossed in the act.

Looking down at the young man between his legs, who was moving his mouth and wriggling his tongue as if ravenous, he suddenly grabbed the young man's hair. And roughly yanked that head close to his groin.

"Swallow deeper. Harder. ……Can't you suck it right?"

He lightly grabbed the young man's chin and shook it. Then, clicking his tongue, he gripped the young man's head and immediately began thrusting. The young man let out choking sounds and gasped for breath. Riegrow, who had been roughly moving his hips against the young man's mouth to the point where it seemed he would suffocate, then pulled out as the choking young man struggled, and lightly slapped his cheek. Though called a light slap, a dry, resonant sound rang out quite forcefully, and the young man's head snapped to the side.

"Do it right, I said. Lick every inch, suck hard. Then I'll thrust into you as much as you crave. You're making a face like your hole is itching to be fucked, yet you're not putting in any effort."

His voice was hoarsely excited. Dripping with lust and expelled with ragged breaths, his voice escaped hotly. The young man again frantically rushed between his legs. Soon, violent and urgent sounds echoed.

Jeong Tae-ui could feel his own face hardening. My chest is heating up and I feel suffocated.

This was not only because of this abnormal situation of peeping at another's act. Nor was it due to the fact that it had been a long time since I had relieved myself.

Riegrow, this overwhelming man, was radiating energy as intense as his tyrannical might. He was the strongest male, one that would make any ordinary man tuck his tail and run away. Any woman whose primal instincts were alive would instinctively offer herself to him, and men wouldn't even dare to stand before him.

It was inadequate to describe this as mere sexual charm. The scent of a male that would overwhelmingly draw others emanated from his entire body. So that anyone bitten on the neck by those cruel fangs would lie prostrate, unable to even contemplate resistance.

The color drained from Jeong Tae-ui's face. I felt threatened by the very presence of this man, who was difficult to contend with as a male. Dangerous. Mustn't get close. Just as someone entering a stronger male's territory instinctively flees that place, Jeong Tae-ui felt a suffocating sensation from the man, like primal threat and fear.

Just then, Riegrow, who had been looking down at the young man with lowered gaze, lifted his eyelids. Those jet-black eyes unhesitatingly turned towards here. As if he had known from the beginning.

Jeong Tae-ui was completely still, as if frozen. He could only face that man, as if confronting the gaze of a beast staring him down.

From where Riegrow was, Jeong Tae-ui shouldn't have been visible. No, even if he felt a presence, he shouldn't have been able to discern at least who was standing there. Because the light didn't reach that far.

Riegrow cast a chilling gaze towards where Jeong Tae-ui was. Then, at one moment, he subtly twisted up his lips. A sneer, or a threat. As if telling a weakling like me, hiding and frozen there, to quickly get lost.

Twitch, Jeong Tae-ui curled his fingertips. Then, his body moved as if a person released from sleep paralysis. His heart, vigorously pumping blood, was pounding so fiercely it hurt, as if sensing danger from the instinctive threat.

I would better go now. I must get out of here. I wanted to leave this spot quickly. I couldn't bear this suffocating intensity any longer. If I disappeared quietly now, that tyrannical beast wouldn't target my throat and chase after me. In that case, leaving now was the best move.

Riegrow. This damn guy. Doesn't that guy ever get tired? Rolling around all day, then coming on a forced march at night without rest, he should be lying down quietly and sleeping. Why is he having this crude fun in a corner of a beach like this?

Along with surging anger that welled up, Jeong Tae-ui felt anxiety subtly rising from within.

Although I couldn't see properly in the faint light, I suddenly had a feeling that the young man giving his body to Riegrow might resemble Xinlu. Relatively narrow shoulders and slender limbs, the smooth lines of his body flowing down. Rather than the body itself, the image those features created was similar to Xinlu's. A soft-feeling body.

Damn it. If he clearly has a partner, he should keep his eyes off Xinlu, I'm saying. This unfaithful immoral madman.

Jeong Tae-ui chewed curses silently in his mouth and moved away without a sound. After walking ten or so steps, only reaching a place he felt was a little far from them, did he steal a glance back that way. Now their forms were hidden in the shade, and only flickering shadows on the rock could be seen.

"My luck isn't going well lately, seriously…….."

Jeong Tae-ui grumbled slightly and sighed.

And it was just as he was about to turn back and leave.

On top of the large rock where they were hidden, I thought I saw a shadowy figure moving slightly.

Jeong Tae-ui stopped his turn and sharply turned his head. I hadn't seen anything wrong. Clearly, one person was lying prone on top of the rock, moving cautiously. That person, who seemed not to have seen me, was giving all his attention to the person below the rock—probably Riegrow.

And Jeong Tae-ui saw. The outline of that shadow's hand, faintly illuminated by the dimly reflected light from inside the rock. There, a large and seemingly heavy crossbow was held.

Jeong Tae-ui gasped.

Holyzone…… no, maybe it was Steck. Although it was dark and hard to see, the crossbow held by that shadow was more than enough to shoot and kill one person. Furthermore, especially like now, if the tip of the crossbow was aiming at the head directly from above.

Jeong Tae-ui could soon make out that figure. It was the man I had seen earlier in the forest. That man I had given up following, although I had thought his behavior was somewhat strange, was now targeting Riegrow from up there.

The man's index finger was on the trigger. If he pulled just a few more millimeters, the heavy and sharp bolt would pierce Riegrow's head.

There was no time to think or move. Almost instinctively, or exactly according to the reflexes ingrained in his body since childhood, Jeong Tae-ui snatched up a fist-sized rock he could grab and threw it. The sound of it cutting the air ripped the night's silence. And at the same time, a snapping sound was heard from the man's wrist struck hard by the rock.

"Ugh!!" 

At the unexpected strike, the man's cry rang out.

In that moment, pulling the trigger, the misfired bolt left the bowstring. And that bolt, as luck would have it, flew towards Jeong Tae-ui.

"Gasp...!" 

Jeong Tae-ui drew a sharp breath. He reflexively dodged the moment the crossbow turned towards him due to the rock's impact, but the bolt was just as fast. The bolt he avoided by a hair's breadth barely grazed Jeong Tae-ui's elbow and passed by, embedding itself right where Jeong Tae-ui had been standing just a moment ago.

Jeong Tae-ui broke out in a cold sweat. If I hadn't instinctively twisted my body, I would have been seeing the afterlife by now. I had almost died instead, while trying to save a person.

Only after seeing the bolt embedded in the ground trembling did his mind, which had barely regained a little composure, sigh with a hint of regret. Why did I help? If I had just left him alone, I might have been able to see that ominous and dangerous man disappear from the world. Furthermore, perhaps the man with the crossbow wasn't he just trying to do what was rightfully needed? If you think about it, it's much more likely that Riegrow is the wicked one than that man.

However, probably even if the same thing happened again—and even if the person changed—I would have done the same thing. In any case, I wasn't the type of person to just watch someone die before his eyes.

While Jeong Tae-ui was steeped in countless regrets and worries during a short span of less than a few seconds, Riegrow's response was instantaneous. Pushing aside the young man crouching between his legs without hesitation, he picked up a suitable rock that was rolling on the ground. And half raising his body, he hurled it towards the head of the man on the rock gripping his wrist.

The rock flew with perfect accuracy, striking the man's head, which broke open and spurted blood. Letting out a low single groan, he collapsed on the spot as if unconscious.

Without even looking at the young man, who was screaming in belated surprise and frozen stiff, Riegrow picked up the crossbow that had rolled down from the man's hand. And from that crossbow, he saw the bolt which had flown just a moment ago and was embedded in the rock crevice. Finally, he turned his gaze to Jeong Tae-ui, who was next to it.

When their eyes met, Jeong Tae-ui, feeling needlessly awkward even though he hadn't targeted him, raised his two hands to show them. Riegrow's gaze coldly came down towards Jeong Tae-ui's hands.

"That wasn't me. ……No, actually, if you look at it, I helped you. There's no reason to glare at me like that." 

Jeong Tae-ui mumbled, feeling a bit wronged.

Riegrow said curtly, "I know." Then, clicking his tongue with displeasure, he just stepped forward. His steps approaching Jeong Tae-ui were unhesitating.

Facing him who was approaching with large strides, Jeong Tae-ui instinctively wanted to step back, but because it was all rocks under his feet, he couldn't backpedal in his unstable state.

"I keep telling you it wasn't me. Besides, I don't even know who that guy is. And his business has nothing to do with mine."

Hearing "I told you I know" repeated, Riegrow muttered as if bewildered. Jeong Tae-ui glared at him with wary eyes.

He won't suddenly attack the person who helped him, will he? But why is he walking towards me? No, I don't care, just put some clothes on.

As the naked man approached without hesitation, Jeong Tae-ui felt extremely uncomfortable. However, Riegrow stopped about four or five steps away, completely unconcerned and with a calm expression. He then bent down and picked up the arrow stuck in the crevice of the rock. Examining the tip of the arrow, he tapped it a couple of times with his fingertips and chuckled.

"If that had hit my head, even I wouldn't have been unharmed."

Jeong Tae-ui corrected him, mumbling with a frown. Riegrow's gaze, which had been examining the arrow, fixed back on Jeong Tae-ui's face. Jeong Tae-ui flinched, twisted his lips, and made the same excuse for the third time.

"It has nothing to do with me. ……Ah, really. Stop glaring at me like that. Why are you trying to give the person who saved you a heart attack?"

Suddenly feeling a surge of indignation at receiving such a sharp glare after helping, Jeong Tae-ui complained. Riegrow raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly.

"I wasn't glaring, but did it seem like that? I know who that man is. He's one of my team members. I know why he tried to kill me, and I know it has nothing to do with you, so don't get so worked up. ---Besides, even if I were holding a grudge, would I do anything to you in this situation, right after you helped me?"

He chuckled as if it were amusing. However, the sturdy arrow spinning between his fingers like a twirling pen couldn't help but look extremely dangerous. Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue.

"You're very calm for someone who almost died. I guess this isn't the first or second time this has happened."

"Well, I experience it about once or twice a month."

He spoke calmly, as if making small talk about worldly affairs. He tapped the arrowhead again and muttered.

"That guy, too, if he gets a hole blasted in his head with this, just like I was about to, he'll probably come to his senses."

"I don't care, but I'd appreciate it if you'd do it out of my sight. Preferably not where I am, either. ……Even better, if you could take care of it after you've gone back to Europe."

Jeong Tae-ui grumbled with a look as if he'd bitten a bug. I absolutely did not want to get involved in troublesome matters, no matter what. I had no desire whatsoever to be a witness at a death scene.

Damn it. Why do I keep getting entangled with this guy? I should have just pretended not to see and left. I'm an idiot.

Whether it was due to the chilly sea wind or the man in front of him, Jeong Tae-ui felt a sudden chill on his arm and rubbed it with his palm. Then, feeling a sting, he rubbed it with his palm. He then noticed a long wound a little further down. Only after seeing the torn skin and bleeding did Jeong Taeui realize for the first time that he was injured.

He muttered, "Uh," in confusion, then soon realized it was a wound from the arrow he had narrowly avoided when the crossbow flew at him just moments ago.

"Wow……. incredible. To be this much just from a slight graze, if it had hit properly, it would have been a real goner……. That guy also needs to copy the UNHRDO Disciplinary Regulations ten times for violating weapons possession rules."

Jeong Tae-ui clicked his tongue and muttered. It seemed to be cut quite deeply, as the bleeding didn't stop easily.

Hearing that, Riegrow suddenly burst into laughter. The low but cheerful laughter didn't stop for a while. As Jeong Tae-ui looked at him with a displeased face, Riegrow gradually stopped laughing and said.

“Ahaha, right. As you say, I’ll deal with him after he copied the Disciplinary Regulations ten times. Alright, while I'm here, I'll tell him to copy the regulations, and I'll handle it after I return to Europe. The person who saved my life tells me to, so of course, I must obey.”

Riegrow continued to chuckle softly for a while, then lifted Jeong Tae-ui's arm, examining the wound.

“The cut is a bit deep, but not severe. Once the bleeding stops, there's nothing much to worry about. ……I'll give you this to wipe it.”

Saying that, Riegrow took off the glove he was wearing. Jeong Tae-ui agitated with a groan. Surely he wasn't telling me to wipe the wound with that glove, soaked in the blood of countless people? If he wiped it with that, it felt as though the grudges of all those people would cling to me.

“You really are completely different from your brother. Even for fraternal twins, it's rare to be this different. That's fine though. It's not bad at all.”

Riegrow whispered in a tone that still held a trace of laughter. Jeong Tae-ui, who had hesitantly reached out to take the glove he offered, paused for a moment. I feel like I had heard somewhere before. Although subtly different, I had definitely heard something with similarly like that recently. And who I had heard it from was--.

Seeing Jeong Tae-ui just holding the glove and staring at him without moving, he tilted his head, took the glove back, and gently wiped Jeong Tae-ui's wound with it. His bare hand holding the blood-stained glove was remarkably white. Receiving the hazy moonlight under the sky where the fog was beginning to lift, his hand was unusually pale.

Fingernails that sparkled neatly like glass. Long, delicate fingers. A white and beautiful hand.

It was a familiar hand. So familiar that it seemed more accustomed to me than my own hand.

Riegrow, who had finished wiping Jeong Tae-ui's wound, seemed to have noticed his gaze fixed on his hand. He suddenly raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Oh my," as if troubled, then clenched and unclenched his hand. That movement was also familiar.

"Do you like my hand that much?"

He asked Jeong Tae-ui, who couldn't take his eyes off his hand. Jeong Tae-ui raised his head and stared intently at the man who was smiling faintly in front of him.

Damn it. What is this?

Only that thought came to mind. His mind was blank, and no thoughts surfaced, but at some point, a sudden anger welled up.

"If I say I like it, will you cut it off and give it to me?"

When Jeong Tae-ui spoke gruffly, Riegrow laughed aloud. The tone of the electronic voice he had heard recently overlapped with his laughter. Thinking about it, even his way of speaking was similar.

"If you want it. Your own hand suits you, but if you want it, I'll give it to you. After I die."

"I don't need it. It doesn't make sense for me to ask for them now that I said I didn't need them until recently."

Jeong Tae-ui's voice became increasingly displeased. His mood became as unpleasant as his voice.

Riegrow was smiling in front of him. The smile that creased around his eyes subtly looked down at Jeong Tae-ui. Jeong Tae-ui glared at his hand again.

There couldn't be two such hands in this whole world. Such a beautiful hand.

"Which is your last name and which is your first name?"

Jeong Tae-ui asked sullenly. A question he had never thought of before suddenly popped into his mind. Riegrow looked at Jeong Tae-ui, smiling subtly, then after a brief pause, he answered.

"Riegrow is my last name."

"I see. ……Which do you prefer to be called?"

"Whichever is comfortable for you."

"Fine. But I don't really feel like calling you by either, Ilay Riegrow."

Jeong Tae-ui spoke, overtly revealing his unpleasant feelings. The man in front of him just sighed and laughed.

I now had one more reason to resent my uncle.

***

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Credits:

Translator: Hoshi Miya

Editor/Proofreader: Tâmago

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