“Haha, instead of doing that, how about we do the opposite?”
“The opposite…?”
“Yes, the opposite.”
Seo Eui-woo let out a low chuckle and rubbed his lips against Jae-jin’s forehead. Despite the playful gesture, there was a distinct weight behind it.
Jae-jin had thought that the second-round Seo Eui-woo was fresh and vibrant, but considering how drastically the situation had changed, it made sense that he could change too. In a way, he might even become more sinister than the first-round Seo Eui-woo.
“Instead of handing over your head, we should take control of theirs. There are probably about a dozen of them, so I can’t guarantee complete success, but…”
“…”
“Either way, it doesn’t matter if I fail. They’re insignificant people. Even if a few of them end up with their brains fried and declared legally incompetent, it’s none of my concern.”
“…So you’re saying you’re going to use a psychic ability? On high-ranking military officials?”
Jae-jin recalled an explanation he had heard quite some time ago. Seo Eui-woo’s voice replayed in his mind like an auditory hallucination.
“Yes. I’ll rattle their brains and manipulate them.”
Manipulate.
A skilled user can control a subject’s thoughts, actions, and senses…
Is that really possible? Could he actually do that…?
Jae-jin abruptly lifted his head and asked, his voice trembling slightly.
“Can… can that really be done? Can a psychic ability user actually do that?”
“No, normally, they can’t.”
“What?”
“Psychic abilities are inherently tricky and complex. Under normal circumstances, you have to go through strict procedures and obtain authorization. It’s like performing a major surgery—you need an extended recovery period and have to repeat the process multiple times. At least ten times, minimum.”
“…”
“Besides, even if I say ‘manipulation,’ it’s not absolute. I can only give simple commands like ‘do this’ or ‘don’t do that.’ And trying to tamper with the mind of a general who has A-class bodyguards trailing him at all times? That’s something an average Awakened wouldn’t even dare to attempt.”
“Ah…”
“Plus, as you know, Jae-jin, using a psychic ability leaves traces in the brain. If someone else looks into it, they’ll notice right away.”
“…But you’re saying you’re going to do it anyway, Seo Eui-woo. That you can do it. Right now.”
Seo Eui-woo let out a deflated chuckle.
“Yeah. I’m going to do it. And I’m not going to spread it out over multiple attempts—I’ll hit them all at once.”
“…”
“We’re already at a dead end. There’s nowhere to retreat, and I have no intention of backing down. Besides, is there really a more effective method than this?”
There was no choice but to agree.
This was the weakness of a dictatorship.
The more rigid and closed-off a hierarchical structure was, the easier it was to seize control of the whole system simply by taking over the top.
If Seo Eui-woo actually succeeded in manipulating the thoughts and actions of the generals, then reforming the military and improving the treatment of Awakened individuals and mutants wouldn’t just be a pipe dream. They could even prepare for the upcoming Creature Wave in advance.
“This works out perfectly. That Wave you warned me about, Jae-jin—it’s the perfect justification.”
If they announced a large-scale military restructuring under the pretext of countering the imminent Creature Wave, it would serve as a plausible excuse.
“…I see.”
“Yes, Jae-jin.”
“You’re really going to do this.”
“Yeah.”
“…”
“Mm, we’re doing this.”
“…”
Looking back, it had been a ridiculously short moment.
Before spring could arrive, before he could even put a ring on his finger, the brief time they had alone had come to an end.
This cruel world never left Kwon Jae-jin alone for even a second. Whenever he thought he’d reached the end, an even deeper abyss opened its jaws to swallow him whole. Another trial always seemed to be waiting in line, ready to push him forward.
Seo Eui-woo gazed at Jae-jin with eyes that had sunk into a deep, dark stillness. He couldn’t take his eyes off the pale breath that scattered from Jae-jin’s lips with each exhale.
“Jae-jin, what are you thinking about right now?”
What was he thinking about…
Countless fragmented thoughts drifted through his mind.
A writhing mass of creatures from his dream. Gunfire spitting flames. The 6th Residential District. A dense bamboo forest. A small cabin where he might have lived with Seo Eui-woo. An exploding mansion and smoke grenades. Awakened ones screaming. The ones who coughed up blood and groaned at nothing more than a glance from Seo Eui-woo. Pain. Danger. Crisis. Massacre. Seo Eui-woo. His omnipotent ability…
Suddenly, it felt like the bottom of his chest had dropped out, hitting the floor with a heavy thud.
If he closed his eyes, it felt like he would still see Seo Eui-woo, drowsy from sleep. He would be murmuring in his sleep, a pink puppy rolling around on the bed. But that wasn’t the case. Seo Eui-woo was here, baring his fangs at the world.
“Right now… I’m thinking about you, Seo Eui-woo.”
He had heard him say he would kill people before. That he wanted to kill. But Jae-jin had never truly grasped the full weight of those words, had never felt in his bones just how dangerous Seo Eui-woo was when he acted on them.
No matter how powerful an S-rank Esper he was, no matter how unhinged and cataclysmic his abilities were, Jae-jin knew one thing for certain—Seo Eui-woo would never harm him.
He couldn’t kill Kwon Jae-jin.
Far from killing him, he was terrified of Jae-jin dying. It made him tremble with fear.
That was why it never felt real.
Gun-wielding Awakened ones were swept away like matchsticks. These were elite, highly trained special forces soldiers, yet they were crushed to the ground without even a whimper. If Jae-jin hadn’t known better, he might have dismissed it as nothing unusual—but he had already seen Major Mateo expertly take down five wolf-type creatures with his rifle. He had seen the shimmering, multicolored shield that had protected him, strong as steel.
And yet, to Seo Eui-woo, it was all child’s play. If Jae-jin hadn’t stepped in to stop him midway, Seo Eui-woo would have shattered all of their cores without hesitation.
Now, Seo Eui-woo had even set his sights on the same goal as Jae-jin.
Systemic reform. A paradigm shift. He was going to upend the world and rewrite fate itself.
“I was just thinking… if it’s Seo Eui-woo, he really could do it.”
The generals were adorned with stars—one-star, two-star, three-star, four-star. Brigadier generals, major generals, lieutenant generals, full generals. Seo Eui-woo would dig into their minds, rewrite their brains, and seize control of the military. At first glance, it was an absurd plan. But if it was Seo Eui-woo… it felt terrifyingly possible.
And that was a huge problem.
Now that Kwon Jae-jin had stepped back into the world, he had no choice but to deal with Seo Eui-woo.
Because the only person who could control Seo Eui-woo… was Kwon Jae-jin.
And if Jae-jin mishandled the reins, if he made one wrong move—even with some exaggeration—it felt like the world itself might collapse.
Honestly, it felt like something out of a washed-up fantasy novel. Something with a ridiculous title, like “My S-Rank Boyfriend Is the Unrivaled Strongest in the World.”
“…It’s finally hitting me. The weight I have to carry. Feels like gravity just tripled.”
Jae-jin murmured absently, pressing a hand against Seo Eui-woo’s back. Seo Eui-woo pulled him into a tight embrace.
Even though they were both dressed in loungewear, the sea breeze was cold against their skin. It was still the dead of winter.
“Jae-jin, you’re shivering.”
“A little… it’s just the cold.”
“Then I’ll warm you up.”
“What?”
“Lift your head. Look at me.”
Seo Eui-woo swallowed harshly, as if biting down on a rough inhale. He stared at Kwon Jae-jin’s face for a long moment before lowering his head, pressing their lips together.
Their cold, chapped lips naturally overlapped, stiff from the winter air.
Seo Eui-woo kissed him slowly, lazily, until the soft tissue warmed and moistened. Then, in a hushed whisper, he murmured,
“Stick out your tongue.”
“…”
Jae-jin’s dark eyes flicked up to meet his gaze. After a brief hesitation, he parted his lips slightly, letting just the tip of his tongue slip out, resting against his front teeth.
But Seo Eui-woo wasn’t satisfied.
“More.”
“…More?”
“More.”
Jae-jin hesitated again before obediently opening his mouth, extending his tongue.
Against the backdrop of the deep blue sea, from his pale, blood-drained face, a vivid red tongue unfurled.
Seo Eui-woo cupped Jae-jin’s face in one hand and immediately took the offered tongue into his mouth, sucking deeply. Their saliva mixed thickly, breath growing hotter, melding into an unbroken kiss.
When he scraped along the sensitive underside of Jae-jin’s tongue, the shiver that ran through him made his lips tremble, his eyes fluttering shut. Unable to hold back, a quiet, stifled whimper escaped his throat.
Jae-jin tried to pull away, his neck arching back, but Seo Eui-woo didn’t let go.
His entire head fit snugly in the large palm holding him still.
As Seo Eui-woo continued to kiss him, his fingertips traced along the delicate curve of Jae-jin’s ear. He teased the ridge, toying with it until warmth pooled at the sensitive skin, then pressed forward, brushing just near the entrance of his ear.
“Mm… ugh.”
“Haa…”
“Ah… ngh.”
A shudder ran down Jae-jin’s spine when Seo Eui-woo touched his ear. Heat coiled low in his stomach, stirring, making his breath come faster.
He turned his head, breaking away.
Seo Eui-woo’s relentless persistence was nothing new—Jae-jin was used to it. Expected it, even. But now… now was not the time.
Panting slightly, Jae-jin pushed him away once more.
