The farewell party that District 5 had supposedly prepared for the guests of District 1 was painfully modest. They called it a party, but even a casual garden gathering hosted by the elders of District 1 would have been better than this.
Unfastening the stifling button at his throat, he scanned the sparse crowd that barely filled half of the spacious hall, searching for Seo-yul. But no matter where he looked, Seo-yul was nowhere to be seen.
Had he not arrived yet, or was he not coming at all? There was no way to tell, so all he could do was wait. Accepting a glass of champagne from a passing attendant, he frowned openly at the people beginning to approach him.
“I greet the young master of District 1.”
An elderly elder bowed first, followed by his children who mimicked the gesture. Seeing through their obvious ploy, he ignored them entirely and simply sipped his champagne.
Despite his complete lack of interest, the elders showed no signs of hurt pride. They refused to leave, desperately trying to make their children stand out in his eyes.
As more and more people gathered, they soon formed a tight wall around him. Only after draining his glass did he finally bother to acknowledge those blocking his way.
Noticing his belated interest, the elders launched into a fierce battle of nerves, each trying to hold his attention. Ever since they discovered that the esteemed guest from District 1 was none other than him, they had been waiting for this moment. They were desperate.
Rumors about Vincent Shining, the next successor of District 1, were rampant. He was known as “District 1’s hound,” an obedient enforcer who followed every command given by the current district leader without question. His main task was “handling” people.
The fact that someone born of an Omega had climbed to the position of the next district leader was solely due to his ability to carry out such work. From torture to murder—acts no human should commit—he executed them without hesitation. But what did that matter?
In the end, he was the one who would inherit District 1. If one of their children could somehow marry him, they wouldn’t just escape the poverty of District 5—they would change their entire lives.
“I’ve heard much about you, Vincent, but seeing you in person… You’re even more beautiful.”
“They say the more vivid the color, the purer the Shining bloodline. Your radiance is truly mesmerizing.”
Letting the flattery pass through one ear and out the other, his gaze suddenly locked onto Han Se-yul, who had just entered the hall alone.
Raising a hand to silence the babbling crowd, he strode purposefully toward Se-yul.
“Han Se-yul.”
At the sound of his voice, the people in his path instinctively parted, forming a natural passage. Moving through the opening, he arrived before Se-yul, only to glance at the empty space beside him. As expected, Seo-yul was not there.
“He didn’t come.”
Muttering those words to himself, he turned away without hesitation. Striding across the hall, he headed for the stairs. His destination was clear—Seo-yul’s room on the second floor.
Panicked, Se-yul barely managed to catch his arm before he could leave the hall.
“Where are you going?”
“…….”
He gave no verbal response, but the brief glance he cast toward the stairs was answer enough. Se-yul tightened his grip on Vincent’s arm and tugged it downward—a silent plea for him to stay.
It was almost laughable how transparent his intentions were. Was he trying to keep Seo-yul hidden from him because of what had happened last night? Vincent nearly chuckled at the thought. Of course, what he really wanted was to put a bullet through Se-yul’s skull right now, but he kept his usual, composed smile.
“Why? Would you like me to dance with you?”
Vincent twisted his lips into a smirk, his tone dripping with amusement. He turned his body away from the stairs, as if reconsidering, but the provocation was clear.
Caught off guard, Se-yul quickly let go, only to be immediately caught by Vincent instead. His hand moved to Se-yul’s waist, as if he were actually about to dance. A shiver of revulsion ran down Se-yul’s spine, and he immediately jerked away.
‘Fucking lunatic.’
He couldn’t openly curse at him with so many eyes on them, but his glare was as sharp as a knife. Vincent merely shrugged, unfazed, then turned away, ready to head toward his original destination once more.
“I greet the ruler of District 5.”
The respectful voices in the hall forced Vincent to halt. He hadn’t expected Han Jae-hoon to make an appearance, given that he was supposedly resting due to poor health.
Ignoring Han Se-yul was one thing, but walking past Han Jae-hoon was another. Vincent had no choice but to turn around, abandoning his plan to go upstairs.
His aide, who had quietly moved to his side, sent him a subtle signal. Vincent let out a short sigh in response, silently acknowledging the gesture before making his way across the hall toward Han Jae-hoon.
“I greet the ruler of District 5.”
“…It’s been a while.”
Jae-hoon recognized him immediately. Though the features of his childhood had blurred with time, the vivid red of his hair—so unmistakably reminiscent of Luis Shining—confirmed his identity. He was indeed the boy who had once stood by Seo-yul’s side.
How many years had it been since the last report on him? Jae-hoon had long ceased paying attention, believing there would never be another encounter between him and Seo-yul. Yet here they were.
“Have you found your stay comfortable over the past week?”
“Yes, thanks to you. I’ve been quite at ease.”
Their conversation appeared cordial on the surface, but beneath the polite words, their gazes clashed, each scrutinizing the other with an unspoken hostility.
Only then did Vincent realize that it hadn’t been Han Se-yul who had hidden Seo-yul away—it was Han Jae-hoon.
It had been Jae-hoon who tore him and Seo-yul apart eight years ago. The memory alone made his fingers twitch with the urge to reach for the gun he had left in his room. Of course, he had enough self-control not to shoot the ruler of District 5. But unfortunately, that self-control was currently hanging by a thread.
“I heard from Se-yul. You said you’d ensure a fair outcome.”
“I only said what was expected.”
Lies. He had never intended to be fair in the first place. Yet he stated it so smoothly, smiling as if deceiving others was second nature to him now. The resemblance to Luis Shining was uncanny—the face, the mannerisms. It left a bitter taste in Jae-hoon’s mouth.
“This gathering may be modest, but it was prepared in your honor. I hope you’ll enjoy it to the fullest.”
With that, Jae-hoon gave him a firm pat on the shoulder before moving toward the group of District 5 elders.
Vincent gave a slight nod in response. Only after Jae-hoon disappeared from his sight did he slowly unclench his tightly balled fist.
“Well done.”
The tense atmosphere had left the aide on edge, worried that something might actually happen. He quickly approached and whispered in relief. Vincent glanced at the now-relaxed aide before leaving the hall without a word.
Stepping through the wide-open doors, he disappeared into the darkness of the garden. The aide hurried to follow, but by the time he reached the outside, Vincent was already gone. And so, the party continued—without its intended guest.
***
By the time the moon shone clearly in the pitch-black sky, the party for the guests from District 1 had begun. I leaned my head against the window frame, listening to the distant sounds drifting in through the open window.
Normally, I should have been in the hall with the others, but at Han Jae-hoon’s request, I remained in my room. The moment he realized that the investigator from District 1 was him, Jae-hoon had made the decision for me.
I had agonized over how to face him, but in the end, I didn’t have to see him at all. It made things easier. I didn’t have to worry about what expression to wear, what words to say.
This is for the best.
By tomorrow, he would leave District 5. I would never have to see him again. The distance between District 1 and District 5 was immense, and even if he was a Shining, there were limits to physical distance.
As time passed and we buried ourselves in our separate lives, this brief reunion—barely a week long—would fade. He would return to his world, and I would remain in mine. Where we each belonged.
That should have been enough. So why did my chest feel so heavy?
“…I should just sleep.”
I tried to clear my cluttered mind, but it wasn’t easy. Maybe if I fell asleep, time would pass faster. Morning would come in an instant. Hoping for that, I stepped away from the window and headed toward the bed.
“Seo-yul hyung.”
I stopped in my tracks. The voice was unmistakable. I instinctively turned toward the tightly shut door, but there was no sign of anyone outside.
Logically, I was the only person on the second floor right now. The party was in full swing downstairs. Was I just hearing things? Had I been thinking about him so much that I imagined his voice?
“Seo-yul hyung, I know you’re there.”
I had almost dismissed it as an illusion, but this time, the voice was clear and undeniable. I turned around and approached the window again.
And there, in the darkness, I saw him. Calling my name.
Not a hallucination. Not my imagination.
The real Vincent.
“…Hello, Seo-yul hyung.”
