“Kim Seonghee-nim did.”
“Kim Seonghee-nim is… not an ordinary person.”
Jiwon had never once thought of Kim Seonghee as ordinary. He was extraordinary in every way.
“Didn’t you say last time that when too many followers flocked to <Mother’s Land>, you divided the religion?”
“Yes.”
“I was the one who came up with the name <Land of Happiness> and made the detailed proposal to Kim Seonghee-nim.”
“Wow.”
Jiwon felt as if he’d just learned the secret of the universe’s creation.
“I always thought religion was something that… just happened naturally. It wasn’t until I came here that I realized it could be planned.”
“I suppose so. I wasn’t in my right mind back then, either.”
“…….”
Lee Jak’s conversational pace was sometimes hard to follow. Jiwon felt like he was bothering a busy man, so he decided to stay quiet.
“So while <Mother’s Land> is based on following Kim Seonghee-nim for pleasure, <Land of Happiness> operates differently—from recruiting followers to its management. Here, the concept is to adore the Leader.”
“Adore…”
“Speaking of which, what do you think of this?”
Lee Jak handed Jiwon a tablet. The screen displayed pages from adult product sites, comparing cat costumes. The outfits were minimal—just furry palm-sized tops and bottoms, a tail, and ears.
“I picked out what would suit you best, Leader.”
It was an energy-saving design. Right. This is that kind of place. This is that kind of work. Jiwon realized it anew.
“I’m still a bit embarrassed……”
“It would suit you. Too bad. I’ll suggest it again later. I think it’s still too soon.”
At Jiwon’s refusal, Lee Jak took the tablet back and resumed his search. Jiwon asked,
“Are you preparing for the second public sermon?”
“Yes. Since the Leader isn’t as eloquent or commanding as Kim Seonghee-nim, I thought visual appeal would be better.”
“That kind of presence is something I’ll probably never have in my life……”
“You just have a different type. The Leader has his own charm.”
Lee Jak sometimes had a knack for saying embarrassing things so casually. Jiwon wasn’t sure if he should take it as a compliment, but he blushed. He smiled faintly.
“Sometimes I feel like you know me better than I know myself.”
“That might be true. People often don’t know themselves well.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes. You didn’t know your chest is sensitive, or that your perineum is smooth and pretty……”
“No, wait. That’s not what I meant.”
“That’s part of you, too.”
Lee Jak was unfazed. Only Jiwon seemed to be breaking into a cold sweat. He was naked, having fallen asleep right after showering, and suddenly felt self-conscious. He wrapped the blanket around himself.
“Should we postpone the public sermon?”
“What?”
Lee Jak asked abruptly.
“We can’t cancel it entirely, but we could delay it by a few days.”
“Oh… no.”
“Are you sure?”
“I think it’s better to get it over with as soon as possible.”
At Jiwon’s words, Lee Jak nodded.
“As you wish. The second promotional video is almost complete. The editing isn’t finished yet, but would you like to see it?”
“I don’t think I need to…”
“The footage itself turned out well. It captures you receiving affection from Kim Seonghee-nim nicely. You don’t need to worry.”
Jiwon recalled the day the video was filmed—Kim Seonghee half-turned, choking him, the day he’d felt pleasure. Then, a thought suddenly struck him.
“About the sermon…”
“Yes?”
“What if we do this?”
As Jiwon shared his idea, Lee Jak listened seriously, then admired it.
“That’s good. I’ll tell Kim Seonghee-nim right away.”
“No, don’t tell him.”
“Then when should I tell him?”
“Let’s make it a surprise. For Kim Seonghee-nim.”
Jiwon smiled, his lips curling up like a mischievous child.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
