He said that, but as the one responsible for the District’s Day in place of the district leader, he couldn’t afford to leave the estate for long. His outing was limited to just half a day. Even that could be impossible if something unexpected happened, but since ‘Night,’ which was always a variable, only moved at the tail end of the District’s Day, it was fine.
It was a bit of a stretch, but he still wanted to go with Seo-yul. He had even resorted to a not-so-subtle threat, implying that the only way he could see Han Se-yul was if Seo-yul agreed. It was a cowardly move to avoid rejection.
“Where are you planning to go?”
Seo-yul asked. He gave a vague answer, dodging the question with a noncommittal, “Well, who knows?” Before Seo-yul’s eyes could fill with suspicion, he smiled and gave a proper response.
“Where you and I went together.”
“Where we went…?”
Seo-yul trailed off as if something had just clicked in his memory. His expression twisted, and he brought a hand to his face, pressing his lips against his fingers as if trying to ground himself.
The village had been packed with people, the sky stained red by drifting smoke. He could still vividly recall the sweet skewers they had eaten and the cotton candy, light as clouds, that they had shared while holding hands. Even after all this time, those moments remained as clear as if they had happened just yesterday.
Thinking back on it, the excitement of experiencing something new for the first time had filled him. That thrill had been brief, though, cut short by the agony of a longing so deep it had nearly consumed him.
“Going back there won’t change anything.”
At Seo-yul’s words, he gave a weak smile. He knew. Even if they returned together, the time they had lost would never come back.
And yet, the desire to return to the place where he had once lost Seo-yul and swear never to let him go again—it was pure selfishness. A desperate attempt to satisfy himself.
‘Do I look too foolish?’
Fortunately, the gaze Seo-yul directed at him was filled with sorrow. Even though Seo-yul claimed to hate him, whenever he looked into those eyes, it felt like a lie.
This wasn’t how someone looked at a person they resented. Rather, it resembled the way Seo-yul had once gazed at him during happier times.
Seo-yul had once said he wanted to escape the suffocating estate and see the vast world beyond. He had been physically weak compared to others, forced to live almost as a prisoner within the estate’s walls. More than anyone, he had longed for freedom.
So, they had dreamed together once.
They had imagined a future where Han Se-yul would become the ruler of District 5, where Seo-yul would finally shed the burdens weighing him down, and they could leave together to explore a bigger world.
They had wished for that so desperately. But now, he had to be the one to tie Seo-yul down.
There was no other way.
If he wanted to keep Seo-yul by his side, this was the only option.
“It’s okay. I’m not hoping for anything like that.”
He let out a deep sigh and pulled Seo-yul back into his embrace. As he breathed in, the sweet scent of cocoa filled his lungs, making his eyelids grow heavy with drowsiness. He let them close.
***
When Seo-yul opened his eyes, Vincent was gone. Bright light streamed through the slightly parted curtains, but since it was always daytime here, there was no way to tell how long he had slept.
Blinking blankly, he instinctively reached for the empty space beside him. His fingers traced the lingering warmth on the blanket where someone had been lying just moments ago. Realizing what he was doing, he quickly pulled his hand back.
“Are you awake?”
At the unfamiliar voice, he bolted upright. Sitting in the spot where Choi Yeo-min usually sat was someone he had never seen before. Judging by the uniform, the man was a servant—but even after a second look, he remained a complete stranger.
“Who… are you?”
He asked cautiously. The servant stood and approached him in quick, deliberate steps. His expression had been neutral, but now a faint smile touched his lips as he bowed deeply and introduced himself.
“My name is Rain. From today onward, I will be attending to you, Seo-yul-nim.”
“Where is Choi Yeo-min…?”
“The previous attendant assigned to you had some circumstances to attend to and has been reassigned elsewhere.”
His thoughts grew tangled. Of all times, the servant was replaced just days before he and Choi Yeo-min were supposed to leave this place. This couldn’t be a coincidence.
“Where is Choi Yeo-min now?”
“I’m afraid I don’t know.”
“Can you call him here?”
“I’m sorry, but my duty is to stay by your side at all times.”
He hadn’t expected the new servant to comply so easily, but hearing such a firm refusal so quickly drained him of energy. Unfortunately, it was clear that this new attendant would never disobey his orders.
‘I need to see Choi Yeo-min.’
He knew there were no guards stationed outside his bedroom, but with this new servant by his side, he was effectively trapped. If he couldn’t meet Choi Yeo-min, then the plan to escape the estate would fall apart entirely.
He would have to find the right moment to slip away and look for him. But no matter how he thought about it, there was no clear way to locate Choi Yeo-min inside the vast estate.
As his head throbbed from frustration, the new servant remained silently in place. Unlike Choi Yeo-min, who had always made conversation, Rain was eerily quiet. He stood there like an unmoving statue.
“Rain, was it?”
“Yes, that is correct, Seo-yul-nim.”
The servant only responded when spoken to.
With less than a week left, there was no chance of building enough familiarity to make him more cooperative. If he asked for Choi Yeo-min again, Rain would undoubtedly refuse just as firmly as before.
And so, time passed with no progress.
Trapped under the watchful gaze of the ever-present servant, he wasn’t even free to move around inside his own room. Frustration gnawed at him, and eventually, all he could do was lie back down on the bed, staring at the ceiling.
‘Should I just ask outright where they sent Choi Yeo-min?’
He could bring it up casually, but the answer was obvious. They would simply say he had been reassigned somewhere due to “circumstances,” and that would be the end of it.
If he pressed too hard, it might backfire. The one who was already suspicious by nature might turn the question around on him—why was he so desperate to find Choi Yeo-min?
‘There’s no way out of this.’
He let out a deep sigh and shifted in bed. The servant immediately stood up and asked if something was wrong. When he replied that it was nothing, the man returned to his seat, stiff as ever, like a statue made of stone.
As the uncomfortable silence stretched on, a knock suddenly echoed at the bedroom door. Both he and the servant turned their gazes toward it at the same time. There was only one person who would come looking for him. Even the servant raised an eyebrow, seemingly puzzled.
The servant stood and opened the door. A man he had never seen before peeked his head through the small opening. The servant quickly stepped in front of him, blocking his way.
“Who are you?”
“Oh, I was asked to bring a meal.”
The man’s cheerful voice rang out as he lifted a silver tray, showing the covered dishes. He moved as if to step inside, but the servant remained unmoved, continuing to bar his entry.
The quiet standoff ended with the man carrying the food emerging victorious. Only after confirming that the tray truly held a meal did the servant step aside.
“Where should I place this?”
“On the table will be fine.”
The moment the servant finished speaking, the man set the tray down on the table. His gaze flickered toward Seo-yul, but before he could say anything else, the servant coldly dismissed him.
“Leave the food and go.”
“Then, I’ll take my leave.”
After the man exited, the servant carefully arranged the dishes on the table. Almost immediately, the delicious aroma of the meal filled the room.
“I never requested a meal,” the servant muttered under his breath.
As someone inherently distrustful, he wouldn’t have allowed anyone to enter Seo-yul’s room unless they were a designated servant. Had he been too preoccupied with the District’s Day and simply forgotten? Either way, this was unlike him.
“Seo-yul-nim, will you be dining now?”
The servant approached and asked. He was about to say he wasn’t particularly hungry, but as soon as the smell reached him, his stomach betrayed him with a low grumble.
He climbed out of bed and walked over to the table. The servant pulled out a chair for him. With a small nod, he sat down.
The meal was simple—sliced bread and warm soup. Light yet sufficient for a quick bite.
“Um…”
“Yes, Seo-yul-nim?”
The servant didn’t move an inch, watching as if he intended to oversee the entire meal. It was only after Seo-yul exaggerated his discomfort that the servant gave a short bow and returned to his seat, telling him to eat in peace.
Finally, he thought, now I can eat in peace.
Just as that thought crossed his mind, his gaze landed on one particular piece of bread that stood out from the rest.
‘What is this?’
He subtly glanced at the servant to make sure he wasn’t paying too much attention, then picked up the piece. Pretending to take a bite, he carefully examined it.
Between the layers of the sliced bread, barely noticeable unless one looked closely, was a tiny, folded piece of paper.
—I’ll send a signal.
Jeremy.
