As I slightly opened the door, my eyes met those of the guard stationed in front. Bowing my head in response to his deep bow, I carefully stepped outside. The stifling air that had filled the bedroom cleared in an instant.
“You must not go too far.”
I sent the guard a look that told him not to worry, as he repeated the same words as always. Wandering aimlessly down the corridor, I eventually reached the path leading to the garden.
Descending a short flight of stairs, my feet sank into the soft grass. The moment I arrived in the sunlit garden, I took a deep breath, filling my lungs with the fragrance of blooming flowers.
“I feel like I can finally breathe.”
The only spaces he permitted me were the bedroom and the garden. Given the choice, the open air of the garden was far preferable to the bedroom, thick with his pheromones.
Even though it was artificial, this place bore a resemblance to District 5, and that similarity brought me comfort. Caught in the illusion that I had somehow returned, I found myself spending more and more time in the garden.
Though walls surrounded me on all sides, there was always a breeze coming from somewhere. If I closed my eyes and remained still, I could almost convince myself that this wind was not from within these suffocating walls, but from the outside.
Quietly rising to my feet, I began searching for the source of the wind, pretending to wander the garden while avoiding the guards’ gazes. Yet even after circling the area more than ten times, running my hands along the walls in search of a gap, I found nothing.
‘Was it just my imagination?’
Unwilling to give up, I pressed my hands against the solid wall, but of course, no escape route would magically appear just because I wished for it. Only when I heard a guard calling my name in the distance did I reluctantly return to the center of the garden, where a tree stood tall.
Sitting in its shade, I leaned my back against the trunk. Despite eating and resting better than before, even a few laps around the small garden had left me exhausted. Whether as a child or now, Han Seo-yul’s body remained hopelessly frail. Like a glassfish—one light touch and it might just die.
‘I’m so sleepy.’
My slowly blinking eyelids shut completely in an instant. As the gentle breeze tousled my hair, I sank into deep slumber. Each breath carried the scent of flowers, a fragrance so reminiscent of a certain familiar pheromone that it almost felt as if they were right beside me—
“Why are you sleeping out here?”
A kind voice tickled my ears. As I drowsily opened my eyes, a careful hand swept back the hair covering my forehead. Beyond that touch, a vivid flame shone, framed by a warm smile.
“Are you really that sleepy?”
“…No.”
My voice was thick with drowsiness, but I shamelessly lied. As he leaned down, lips nearing my forehead, I turned away, forcing my sleep-laden eyes to stay open.
As I tried to lift myself up, my legs, drained of strength, wobbled violently. I watched blankly as the grass rushed closer—until a firm arm caught my waist.
“Be careful.”
Had he not grabbed me, I would have ended up sprawled on the ground in an embarrassing heap, but I didn’t bother to thank him. Standing upright, I brushed off my clothes where his arm had touched and headed back to the bedroom. He followed silently behind me.
The moment I opened the door, I saw a lavish meal spread across the table. My stomach happened to be empty, so I sat down and started eating alone. A little later, he entered the room and quietly took the seat across from me.
An uncomfortable silence settled over the meal. He kept looking at me, but I deliberately avoided his gaze. As always, he was the first to break the silence.
“Does the food suit your taste?”
“……”
“There aren’t any chefs here who can cook District 5’s cuisine. I’ve been trying to get some, but it’s not easy.”
It was clear that he wanted me to grow accustomed to this place. That must be why he showed me a garden resembling District 5 and tried to replicate its food. But it was all pointless.
“Seo-yul hyung.”
“……”
“Seo-yul hyung.”
“…What.”
He had called me persistently, and in the end, I gave a curt response. Yet, even that seemed to please him—his eyes curved into a bright smile. I glanced up for a brief moment, saw that smile, and quickly lowered my gaze back to my food.
“There’s something I need to take care of, so I’ll be gone for a few days.”
Not just a few hours, but days. The moment I heard that, I nearly let my true emotions slip. I paused briefly before resuming my movements, feigning disinterest in his words.
But inside, my mind was racing. Could his absence be an opportunity? Even as my thoughts grew chaotic, I outwardly remained composed and continued eating. He watched me closely before speaking again.
“I’ll have someone stay with you while I’m gone.”
“Oh? To keep an eye on me in your place?”
My sarcastic remark went unanswered—neither a denial nor an affirmation. But the silence that followed leaned more toward confirmation. There was no way someone like him, who couldn’t even stand to leave me alone for a few hours, would suddenly let me be for days.
“I won’t be long.”
A hand reached out and gently brushed against my forehead before pulling away. The fleeting touch left behind a brief chill, which faded just as quickly. I continued eating as if nothing had happened, burying my tangled thoughts beneath the silence.
***
Just as he had warned, he was gone for several days. On the morning of his departure, he lingered around as if hoping to be sent off, but I pretended to be fast asleep until the very moment he stepped out of the bedroom.
Only after the door closed did I finally open my eyes.
The scent of his pheromones still clung to the space where he had been. To rid the room of his lingering presence, I threw open the windows, letting fresh air rush in. It was only then that the reality of his absence truly sank in.
I overheard the reason for his sudden departure from the guards’ conversation. The district leader had ordered him to investigate a religious group called Night, which meant he had to head to the outskirts of the district.
I had heard about Night before, back when I was in District 5. It was a religious sect formed by those who rejected the Lunar Dominion and demanded the return of District 1’s night. They had also been responsible for several power outages. Their attempts to infiltrate the mansion and dismantle the Lunar Dominion had led the district’s master to command him to track down the cult leader of Night.
I lost interest in the guards’ ongoing discussion after that. If this meant he would be busy, it was all the better for me. Fewer encounters meant less emotional turmoil, and, most importantly, I could finally take my time finding a way out of this place.
I should check the garden again. If I could just locate the gap where the wind was coming through, I might find an escape route. Last time, I had been too hasty, too preoccupied to examine the walls thoroughly.
But now, with him gone for a few days, I could take my time pretending to stroll while discreetly inspecting the walls. The guards might be keeping an eye on me, but they didn’t seem to be watching my every little movement.
Knock, knock.
Hearing a knock at the door, I turned around. I hadn’t even said a word yet when the door cautiously opened, and a stranger peeked inside.
Despite having stayed here for quite some time, no one other than him had ever entered my bedroom before. As I straightened my posture from where I was leaning against the window frame, the man hesitantly stepped inside.
“Ah, hello! I’ve been assigned to serve you while Lord Vincent is away!”
The man bowed deeply, and to my surprise, he was from District 5. It was obvious why he had specifically sent someone from my own district. He was trying to manipulate me into growing comfortable here. Not that it would ever work.
Saying nothing, I leaned back against the window and turned my gaze outside. When I didn’t respond, the servant slowly straightened from his bow, nervously glancing at me.
“Would you like me to do anything for you?”
“……”
“I’ll just be here, so please call on me if you need anything.”
With that, he moved to a corner of the room and stood stiffly against the wall, almost blending into it. I tried to ignore him, but it was impossible not to notice. He wasn’t being punished—so why was he standing there like some sort of prisoner?
“Don’t just stand there. At least sit down.”
“Oh! Yes, sir!”
He responded in a booming voice and quickly looked around for a seat. Unfortunately, there was nowhere suitable. Watching his flustered search irritated me, so I pushed a chair toward him. He hurried over, grabbed the chair, and bowed his head.
“Thank you, Lord Seo-yul.”
He struggled to move the heavy chair before finally settling into it. He looked far more comfortable than before, though his face was still stiff with tension.
“What’s your name?”
“…Pardon?”
“Your name. What is it?”
I was the one who broke the awkward silence first. After all, we’d be seeing each other for a few days—I might as well know his name.
“Choi Yeo-min, sir!”
He shot up from his seat and announced his name in a loud, energetic voice. It was a common enough name in District 5, but I had heard it in a very different context before.
After all, the main submissive character in Mad Love was also named Choi Yeo-min.
