The air, once hushed, had grown thick and humid. As he collapsed, the back of his head hit the floor—but the weight of Tae Woon pressing down on him drowned out any minor pain.
Now that he could finally get a good look at Tae Woon’s face, it was twisted in anguish. Even though the purification had lessened the pain somewhat, he looked even more strained now than when he’d been unconscious.
“…Haa.”
Harsh, ragged breaths poured down on him. Tae Woon had Sibaek’s wrists pinned to the floor like he was trying to restrain him, yet there was almost no real pressure—just a strange, stifling sensation. Sibaek moved his fingers slightly. The grip that had been holding him down released without resistance. So much for calling him a dog in heat.
He’d expected this outcome. He knew Tae Woon’s senses would be oversensitive. And still, he went ahead with the purification—partly because Tae Woon had been in bad shape, but mostly because Sibaek hadn’t been sure what he would do when faced with that overwhelming desire.
He raised his freed hand and brought it to Tae Woon’s cheek. As soon as he touched the sweat-drenched skin, it trembled. Then Tae Woon grabbed his hand roughly, holding onto it like a child who didn’t know what to do next. He fumbled awkwardly—then bit the tip of Sibaek’s finger.
“Nh…”
The moment his finger slipped past those damp lips, sharp teeth began gnawing at the tip. It felt like he might bite through the nail, and then came the sensation of a hot, wet tongue—eager and unrestrained—licking him thoroughly. The squelching, wet sounds of it lapping him up echoed right next to his ear.
Sibaek shivered. The nerves in his fingers lit up like live wires. When he tried to pull back, Tae Woon swallowed deeper and flicked his tongue again. That red tongue slid greedily between his fingers, pushing at the sensitive membrane between them.
It was just his fingers being licked—but the sharp tingling sensation crawled across his entire body. His throat twitched. Only then did Sibaek realize how dry his mouth was.
He’d never imagined doing something like this with Tae Woon. Unlike that sudden kiss before, this—he was fully aware of. But if someone asked him whether it felt wrong or whether he wanted to stop…
Sibaek shifted the fingers still inside Tae Woon’s mouth. When he scratched the rough tongue with his nails, a deep, growling moan rumbled from Tae Woon’s chest.
“…What does it feel like right now?”
“It’s like… my whole body’s become an erogenous zone.”
Tae Woon gasped, unable to calm his frayed nerves.
“Your breathing—it’s like it’s biting into my ear. Just your body heat makes all the blood rush south. Ah, fuck. Hyung, just—give me a sec. Just a second.”
He twisted his upper body in distress, then bent forward. The weight of him shifted like he was about to collapse completely, but he didn’t. Instead, he pressed his damp forehead to the nape of Sibaek’s neck and breathed him in.
Sibaek didn’t understand what he was doing—until he heard the distinct sound of a zipper. He flinched, but it wasn’t his pants.
“Haaah…”
Face buried against Sibaek’s neck and shoulder, Tae Woon was unzipping his own pants. Even though Sibaek’s hand had only lingered on him for a moment, as soon as Tae Woon tugged down his underwear, Sibaek felt something heavy and hot slap against his stomach.
He inhaled sharply. The moment the tip touched him, Tae Woon grabbed himself with one hand, lifting the weight—but the heat that had brushed his skin lingered, like a phantom pressure that wouldn’t go away.
It was unfamiliar and intense. Sibaek tilted his head back and took a shaky breath. Maybe Tae Woon thought he was trying to escape, because he clung to him tighter, nuzzling his face deeper against Sibaek’s skin.
“Hyung, just… just a second. I’ll finish quickly, ngh…”
The wet, rhythmic sound of friction came from below. But it was the raw, overwhelming hunger in the air that truly weighed him down.
Tae Woon’s jerking off on top of me.
If someone had told him that just days ago, would he have even been able to comprehend it?
Sibaek closed his eyes, letting the weight of Tae Woon’s need wash over him.
With his sight cut off, his other senses sharpened—even if not to Tae Woon’s level. The slap of a hand on slick skin. The slow seep of sweat across flesh. The musk spreading in the air. Labored breaths, gritty and rough. Moans rising from a strained throat. The thick pressure of heated air. A tongue wetting dry lips—his own. Dry swallows. A scratchy, raw throat. Who was moaning and panting? It wasn’t just Tae Woon.
Then, in an instant, the musk thickened, and Tae Woon let out a loud, broken gasp. Slowly, his hypersensitive body began to calm. His shoulders shook as he looked up.
“…Hyung.”
Those dark eyes trembled with uncertainty, but they stared straight into him—unapologetic, like he had no intention of denying what he’d just done.
“Do you hate me now?”
Sibaek didn’t answer. He cupped his face with both hands and steadied his breath. Thankfully, Tae Woon had kept his hips lifted while finishing. For now, he wouldn’t realize that Sibaek had… reacted too.
As Sibaek swallowed his words, Tae Woon rubbed his cheek against his hand like a child seeking affection. The damp strands of hair brushed softly against his skin, and the sensation struck like a jolt. Sibaek inhaled sharply.
“…We’ll continue the treatment next time.”
He slowly traced Tae Woon’s lips with the same fingers that had been in his mouth. Whether that was answer enough, Tae Woon kissed the tips and smiled, his eyes curving sweetly.
***
One of the simplest ways to disarm someone on the run was to offer them the basics: food, warmth, a place to rest. Before Edokers—now a man with nowhere left to go—sat a freshly delivered platter of steaming hot jokbal. But he didn’t let his guard down.
Did they really think I was just an ordinary human?
Human food meant nothing to him. It wasn’t just unnecessary—it couldn’t even offer the faintest satisfaction. More than anything, the fear that it might be poisoned gnawed at him.
He’d come along only because he was being hunted and had nowhere else to go. But even now, seated before the man, Edokers bristled with wariness. The man across from him simply shrugged.
“If you don’t want to eat, then don’t.”
“…Who are you?”
Edokers snapped, sharp and instinctive, but then remembered the pitiful state he was in—reduced to something barely more than human. He hastily added a formal ending.
“Sorry—sir?”
“That’s what I should be asking. I sensed Magi coming from you. It was strange, actually—unlike regular monsters, you weren’t even trying to hide it.”
The man extended his hand, as if inviting Edokers to verify for himself. Edokers glanced at him, doubtful. The man didn’t look like an Awakener. Still, he reached out and placed his hand on the man’s skin.
Behind his sunglasses, Edokers’ eyes flew wide open.
It was faint, but unmistakable—there was Magi flowing through him.
“How…?”
Truthfully, he had considered controlling the man the way he’d done with Na Jungwoo. His remaining Magi would take a hit—what little of it was left—but it was better than dying.
But then he saw the cross necklace around the man’s neck. A symbol of faith—one he’d learned to recognize in this world. And with his powers so diminished, there was no way he could sway someone who possessed true belief.
“You… are you a Devotee? A follower of Chaos?”
“A what now?”
Edokers sighed. Once again, Earth’s staggering ignorance of Chaos slapped him in the face. He started explaining—about otherworlders, monsters, gods, Chaos. His words lingered in the air for a while before the man, who introduced himself as Gu Yeongmin, gave a small nod.
“So basically… you crossed over from another dimension.”
“You believe that? Just like that? …Sir?”
“We live in a world with actual monsters. Dimension-hopping doesn’t sound that crazy. And honestly, you’re not great at formal speech. Just talk comfortably.”
Gu Yeongmin paused, thinking, then continued nonchalantly.
“Hmm. So, they call Him the Paladin of Chaos? I don’t know exactly who He is, but I’ve definitely received something like a revelation.”
“Wait—you go to church. You’re even wearing a cross. How can you be a Devotee?”
“It’s just fashion.”
“……”
Edokers stared at him, utterly speechless. That people could wear religious symbols just as accessories—without meaning or faith—was something he couldn’t even begin to comprehend. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts.
“…So what kind of revelation did you receive?”
He asked as casually as he could, hoping to find out who on Earth might be serving Chaos. If he did, he could try running—or maybe even beg for mercy.
But then Gu Yeongmin’s gaze changed. His eyes, which had seemed so ordinary just moments before, filled with a dark, unmistakable loathing—for humanity itself.
“I saw Him,” he said. “He came to me… in the form of a black-haired boy.”
