Even without words, he knew just how much his hyung loved him. He’d always known—because his hyung wasn’t the kind of person to say things like that aloud, and because the feelings that may have once resembled something close to pure devotion had now twisted into something utterly unrecognizable.
He had sex with him, feeling like he was being devoured while being subjected to what bordered on brainwashing. At some point, he must’ve fallen asleep in his hyung’s arms—passing out more than dozing off… Most likely, his hyung had washed his body while taking care of the aftermath.
He woke up feeling languid, though his body also tingled with an odd heat.
“…!”
What the hell is this place?
His eyes darted around in a panic, trying to get a sense of his surroundings. But it was pitch-black—so dark he couldn’t see a thing. Even the room he’d stayed in at his brother’s place was never this dark, not even in the dead of night.
The space where he’d encountered the system flashed through his mind, and for a moment, his limbs went cold. But it didn’t take long for him to realize this wasn’t that place.
Because he couldn’t move freely.
His wrists and ankles were bound tightly with some kind of stiff cord, and there was something gag-like shoved into his mouth. On top of that, he was lying pathetically on what felt like a cold, hard floor.
Fuck… If someone was going to treat him like this…
‘Please, just go along with what he wants.’
‘I’m trying really hard not to be an absolute bastard here.’
…It’s you, isn’t it.
He swallowed the bitter laugh rising in his throat.
That’s when it happened.
With a faint mechanical hum, light suddenly flooded his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut against the blinding brightness. Ugh, too bright.
Clang. The loud crash of a metal door opening echoed through the room. He sensed someone approaching.
“How much fucking did it take for you to just wake up now?”
That familiar, garbage tone of voice, mismatched with a voice that was actually pleasant to hear. He forced his trembling eyelids open.
A pair of polished shoes came into view. When he lifted his gaze, it locked with Joo Cheong-gyeong’s, who was standing there looking down at him. Those red-tinged eyes were still as cold and arrogant as ever, only now they gleamed with something even more sinister.
Long time no see, you insane fuck.
“Mmph…!”
He thrashed, his face a mess of shock and confusion. Right before he’d blacked out, he had definitely been with his brother. So what the hell was going on now? How had everything changed so drastically in an instant?
Of course he was in shock—the situation had shifted so suddenly it made no sense at all.
Just like his tightly bound hands, his legs wouldn’t budge either. He kicked and twisted with difficulty. Compared to this, the temporary restraints his brother had used felt almost playful. His heart pounded, whether from fear or tension, he couldn’t tell.
“That look says you don’t have a fucking clue what’s going on.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong knelt down on one knee and lowered his body. In stark contrast to his solid frame, his face had a sickly, decadent look as it drew closer. A gloved hand brushed my disheveled hair back behind my ear. The touch was gentle.
“Eun-soo.”
“Mmgh, mmph.”
“Why do you think you’re here?”
A flicker of amusement crossed his pale face.
“Because I kidnapped you?”
“Really?”
Something felt off. Why was it so hard to breathe? Was it just from pretending to resist a little? I panted softly, staring at Joo Cheong-gyeong with unsteady eyes.
Reading the confirmation in my gaze, Joo Cheong-gyeong blinked. Then, with an exaggerated pout as if he were truly heartbroken, he lowered his eyebrows in a theatrical show of disappointment.
“Oh dear.”
His long fingers stroked my cheek as if to console a pitiful creature. I could feel the cold, smooth texture of the leather glove.
“What should I do with you…”
A smirk curled at the corner of Joo Cheong-gyeong’s lips.
“It was Cha Eun-hyuk who handed you over to me.”
“……!”
My face went blank, as if I’d just heard something completely unbelievable.
“He threatened me. Said if I didn’t treat you properly, he’d kill me… It was laughable, really.”
Rip! Joo Cheong-gyeong grabbed my top with one hand and tore it open. The sudden, forceful pull made the fabric scrape against the nape of my neck before it shredded helplessly and fluttered to the floor.
The raw traces left by the heated sex with my brother were laid bare. His gaze, both cold and aroused, scanned over the blotchy red marks mottling my skin.
“And he left you in this mess.”
“Mmph…!”
I shook my head, expression twisted in disbelief. I thrashed my legs in a desperate attempt to escape the situation. But with all four limbs bound and my body collapsed on the floor, there was nothing I could actually do.
No, I should at least be able to lift my torso… But the heat boiling inside my body was sapping all my strength. At the same time, every inch of my skin had become hypersensitive, alert to even the slightest touch.
Suddenly, I tasted bitterness from the cloth gag stuffed in my mouth.
…Ah.
That bastard. Don’t tell me he—again…
“This should be good enough.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong muttered as he closely examined my condition. I looked up at him with hazy eyes, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
“Don’t resent me too much, Eun-soo. This is probably better than being in your right mind.”
Joo Cheong-gyeong’s fingertips traced a slow, deliberate line from beneath my chin downward. I recoiled, curling up from the chill that crawled across my skin.
“Because this time… I really, really had a hard time too.”
“So I probably won’t be able to control myself very well.”
He slowly pulled off his gloves.
***
A game, or whatever they called it. Back in the days when Joo Cheong-gyeong hadn’t even known Cha Eun-soo existed, he used to think about it from time to time.
What was the big deal about Espers and Guides?
Of course, this didn’t mean he denied the value of his own existence or his beliefs. It was simply a reflection on the nature of their dynamic.
Espers need Guides. Guides don’t need Espers. Without a Guide, an Esper slowly dies in agony. But a Guide, even without an Esper, can live in peace and comfort.
Isn’t that absurdly unfair? Yet once one awakened, it became a law of nature that Espers had no choice but to comply with for the sake of survival.
Joo Cheong-gyeong had always been prepared to accept that.
He didn’t want to scrape by with half-assed Guiding that wasn’t even as effective as an oxygen mask. He longed to meet someone who could truly save him—and spend a lifetime with them.
Even though he believed the odds of that ever happening were slim, he still unconsciously dreamed of the day a miracle might appear. If that person rejected him, he would persuade them gently… and if that failed, he was willing to use harsher means.
He intended to design that person’s entire life—so that they would live as someone who existed solely for him.
But he couldn’t do it.
This wasn’t a world where he could unilaterally claim ownership over Cha Eun-soo. It was far more logical to keep his existence hidden, protected by the bare minimum number of people, while enjoying the Guiding he offered.
And yet, he couldn’t stand the thought of sharing even a fragment of that man with anyone else. Having to concede that—when every part of him screamed not to—filled him with rage. He wanted to destroy the relationships Eun-soo had with other Espers. And he despised himself for having to endure it.
Looking back, it was just like Cha Eun-soo to be the first to muddle his mind like that. His very existence forced people to compromise with reality. Even the fury born from that submission turned inward, taking on the form of lust.
“Hngh…!”
Inside a luxurious interior space stood a bizarre, cage-like enclosure, its four sides made entirely of black bars.
Cha Eun-soo writhed inside that twisted cell, his face flushed red as he struggled to maintain his sanity. He was clearly trying to hold on. Unaware that if he had absorbed the drug soaked into the gag, that resistance would soon become meaningless.
Without a hint of guilt, Joo Cheong-gyeong removed Cha Eun-soo’s pants. Then, he stripped off his own clothes, flinging them aside without hesitation. He wanted to feel and overlap as much of their skin as possible.
As he climbed on top of the helpless, naked body, the artificially heightened heat spread from skin to skin.
“Haa…”
The warmth and softness of that flesh dulled his senses. Joo Cheong-gyeong could feel his heart pounding faster than ever. The first time always felt like putting out a desperate fire—but he didn’t mind that at all.
He didn’t care how it happened. As long as he could have Cha Eun-soo in any way, nothing else mattered.
He stuck out his tongue and licked Cha Eun-soo’s ear. The soft, moist flesh tickled his earlobe, making Cha Eun-soo shiver. He then turned his head to the other side, signaling his refusal. But Joo Cheong-gyeong didn’t stop; instead, he lowered his lips and bit hard into Cha Eun-soo’s pale neck.
“……!”
Cha Eun-soo’s light-colored eyes widened in shock. Tears welled up and spilled over as he felt the force and humiliation. He froze like an animal sensing a threat to its life. Joo Cheong-gyeong pulled his face away, leaving a red mark on Cha Eun-soo’s tender skin that would surely bruise.
Joo Cheong-gyeong rubbed his hardened member against Cha Eun-soo’s thigh, exhaling a breath filled with excitement.
“Fuck, I think I could come just like this.”
“Mmm, ugh…….”
“Who looks this fucking delicious?”
Cha Eun-soo’s jaw was gripped tightly, forcing his head to face forward. Joo Cheong-gyeong bit and sucked on his parted lips relentlessly. Saliva dripped down, soaking the makeshift gag.
The sensation of being restrained and used, combined with Joo Cheong-gyeong’s rough grinding against his thigh, began to arouse Cha Eun-soo. The heat radiating from his skin intensified the drug’s effects, making him dizzy with a mix of fear and unwanted pleasure.
Their lips parted with a wet sound. Joo Cheong-gyeong, expressionless, flipped Cha Eun-soo onto his stomach. Though Cha Eun-soo wanted to face him, enjoying such luxuries would have to wait until later.
With his hands bound, Cha Eun-soo tried to support himself on his elbows but quickly lost strength, collapsing onto the floor. If not for Joo Cheong-gyeong’s grip on his hips, he would have been flat on his stomach. In his dazed state, Cha Eun-soo panted heavily, his lower body held up only by Joo Cheong-gyeong’s grasp.
Joo Cheong-gyeong gazed down at Cha Eun-soo’s upturned buttocks as if he wanted to devour them. He stroked his own throbbing erection, ready to take what he desired.
