As night fell and darkness settled in, they arrived at the final destination Keslan had suggested. When the car stopped and the building appeared in the headlights, the corners of Banteon’s lips curled faintly upward.
“Is this place alright for you?”
“Not bad.”
He answered gently, glancing down at Keslan who looked up at him cautiously.
It made sense now—how Keslan had been so focused on leading them only to private rooms all evening. Their final stop was a quiet bar on the outskirts of the capital.
A location far enough from the city center that it wouldn’t draw too many visitors. The place was blatantly set just below a hotel, making its intent nearly transparent—so much so that it was almost endearing.
Following the staff member’s lead, they walked down a corridor cloaked in black and shadow. The establishment seemed tailored for intimate encounters, composed of individual rooms rather than a large open hall.
The staff guided them to one of the more secluded rooms and politely bowed as he handed them the menu.
“What kind of drinks do you like?”
“Hmm…”
Banteon was about to ask Keslan if he could handle alcohol. Despite his appearance, Keslan was an Esper—an A-Rank one at that. Ordinary drinks wouldn’t even get him tipsy.
It was easy to forget that, thanks to his cute, youthful looks.
Banteon selected a drink he often enjoyed, something light and familiar.
“This one’s good enough for me.”
“Alright. Then I’ll… uh… What kind of sweet ones do they have?”
He quietly watched Keslan study the menu with serious concentration.
No matter how hard he tried to act mature, the kid was still green.
His eyes flitted rapidly over the unfamiliar drink names, his brain clearly working overtime.
It was endearing to see him try so hard to make this final stop of the date perfect—but some things were still out of his depth.
Banteon gently lifted the menu Keslan had been holding tightly.
Startled by the sudden snatch, Keslan blinked wide-eyed.
“Ah…”
“You did a great job preparing this whole date. Mind if I make the recommendation here?”
Keslan’s face flushed slightly at Banteon’s unexpected offer.
“Was it too awkward?”
“I’m probably more used to places like this. Do you have any preferences?”
“To be honest… I don’t really know much…”
His voice shrank to a murmur.
Banteon ordered a decent whiskey for himself and a sweeter, fruitier champagne for Keslan. Not much food was brought out with the drinks—just enough to enjoy with a full stomach from dinner.
Keslan cradled the sweet drink Banteon had picked with both hands, sipping slowly.
When the drinks had first arrived, he had boldly tried a sip from Banteon’s glass, but the high alcohol content and bitter aftertaste had startled him. From then on, he stuck firmly to his own drink.
Soft music played from somewhere in the distance. In the sense of isolation the private room provided, they were able to talk easily—about the play they had seen, and their time together at the Center. The conversation flowed naturally.
“There’s something I want to apologize for,” Keslan said.
“What is it?”
“I didn’t know what you’d like… I think I made a mistake preparing for this date.”
Banteon paused mid-sip at Keslan’s words.
The younger man fidgeted, clasping his hands together as he continued.
“You know today’s outing already became a hot topic, right?”
“Yeah.”
As Keslan lowered his head in guilt, his round crown came into view.
The tips of his ears glistened, flushed red from the alcohol.
“I wanted to keep it quiet… I didn’t expect it to blow up this much.”
He was confessing the part that had been bothering Banteon.
Banteon downed another sip of the slightly bitter drink.
It was disappointing, admittedly.
Not like Keslan to be this careless.
And it wasn’t just gossip about a date—there were even rumors that the two were going to be officially matched.
Keslan’s family, the Baiheron line, was known for producing A-Rank Espers.
Could he really have failed to predict this outcome?
It felt like more than just childish pride—almost too deliberate.
As Banteon silently drank, Keslan’s already-diminished confidence seemed to shrink further.
Even if he pushed, Keslan wouldn’t give him a real answer. And that would only ruin the mood.
“Well. I guess that sort of thing can happen.”
When Banteon replied magnanimously, color returned to Keslan’s downturned face.
With a visibly brightened expression, he raised his glass to soothe his dry throat.
Banteon hadn’t planned to give his heart to Keslan anyway—he was only out to enjoy the evening.
Even with an explanation, the unease wouldn’t go away. So once the night was over, he could just drift away.
If anything, wasn’t that more of a scumbag move?
“Enough with the boring talk. Keslan.”
He placed his hand gently over Keslan’s, which was still holding the menu.
The startled boy’s eyes widened as he looked up at him.
Banteon smiled, his gaze narrowing into a crescent moon shape.
Keslan’s cheeks blushed bright pink.
He might be awkward and clumsy, but he wasn’t too young to understand what that touch meant.
Banteon slowly ran his fingers over the back of Keslan’s hand before gently taking hold of his wrist.
As his fingertips brushed against the tender inner flesh, the delicate wrist trembled slightly.
“Did you book a room?”
“Huh? Y-yeah…”
Of course he had.
Why else would he go to such lengths—and bring them all the way out to a remote place like this, where it’d be hard to even hail a cab?
Banteon pulled the other’s arm, who answered as if entranced.
Keslan was an A-Rank Esper, yet when Banteon tugged, his arm followed without resistance.
Banteon brought the hand up to his lips, placing a kiss right on the bones of the fingers with a soft chok sound, then looked up and smiled at the flushed face before him.
“Shall we head up now?”
“Ah…”
Even the innocent expression and reddened cheeks might be an act. Still, he couldn’t deny it was cute. He didn’t mind this kind of coyness.
Whatever was going on in that head didn’t matter. For tonight, he was only interested in enjoying the moment.
The pleasant buzz in his body yearned for a different kind of stimulation.
Keslan slowly rose to his feet and moved to stand beside Banteon, his steps unsteady, as if his strength had given out.
Banteon, who was often surrounded by Espers, knew full well that this amount of alcohol wouldn’t affect someone like Keslan. Still, he chose to let it slide.
After all, once they went upstairs, their bodies would be close enough anyway. Banteon smirked at the barely-contained urgency.
—Tadak. Tadatak.
As they exited the room and walked toward the elevator, hurried footsteps echoed behind them.
It wasn’t just one or two people—several sets of footsteps grew louder, rapidly approaching Banteon, Keslan, and the escorting staff member.
“Please stay where you are, sir.”
Keslan stopped Banteon from turning around and stepped protectively in front of him.
His earlier wobbly steps vanished as he focused on the approaching noise and readied himself.
As the sound drew closer, Banteon turned slightly to get a direct look at the approaching figures—and let out a small sigh.
Nothing ever goes smoothly.
“Who the hell are you guys…?”
“Keslan. Calm down.”
Banteon raised a hand and placed it on Keslan’s shoulder.
Keslan looked up at him in confusion, and Banteon gave him a bitter smile.
Two fully grown adults, sharing a consensual, pleasant evening—why was it so damn hard to just be left alone?
“We apologize, Sir Banteon.”
The men in suits had now reached them, bowing deeply and speaking in unison.
Their formal suits creased as they bent at ninety degrees, then quickly straightened and raised their heads.
“Sir?”
“They’re people from my family,” Banteon replied.
They were guards from Esrante, who had been covertly keeping watch since the beginning of the date.
Keslan’s lips parted as he tried to piece things together.
“Ah… from Esrante…”
He looked at the large men with bewildered eyes, unsure how to react to the fact that security had been secretly assigned.
He might feel disappointed, thinking Banteon didn’t trust him, but there was no helping it.
There’s no way someone like Banteon would walk around alone with just an A-Rank Esper.
“What’s going on?”
“It’s urgent. You must return to the Center immediately.”
The guard who seemed to be the leader furrowed Banteon’s brow with that announcement.
These men weren’t ignorant of the situation—they had to know this wasn’t just a casual night out. So why push to return now of all times?
“Right now?”
“S-sorry. The situation is…”
The guard bowed again, glancing sideways at Keslan.
The staff had fled the moment the atmosphere turned tense, leaving only Banteon and Keslan in the hallway.
“Just tell me.”
“Yes, sir!”
Snapping to attention, the guard reported in a disciplined, military tone.
“We just received a message from the Center. At approximately 9:53 PM tonight, Delroz escaped from solitary confinement. As of twenty minutes ago, his location remains unknown. A protection order has been issued for you, Sir Banteon, as Delroz’s temporary Guide.”
“What?”
“I-I’ll repeat it. Delroz has just escaped from solitary confinement!”
When Banteon didn’t immediately react, the guard prepared to explain again—but then froze like a nail hammered in place.
What the hell was happening?
Delroz had been quietly locked up until now—so why escape just days before his scheduled release?
And how could he vanish without a trace…?
“Sir…”
A shaken voice called out from behind.
Turning his head, Banteon met Keslan’s anxious eyes.
He was clutching tightly onto Banteon’s jacket.
You’re not really going to leave like this, are you?
His gaze seemed to plead desperately.
Banteon slowly closed his eyes.
There was nothing wrong with seeking personal pleasure.
He had been looking forward to this night too.
But the timing—damn this wretched timing.
