TIN 3

“He asked if I wanted to go with him, and I said no.”

I suppose I should be thankful that I’m not yet considered “merchandise” to be sold here. If I were, I would have no choice in the matter, but at least I could make a show of declining the proposal.

Furthermore, Ling-Ling mentioned that when Wang Wei first inquired about the price, the boss had quoted an outrageously high amount. Claiming that I wasn’t for sale and that I was too valuable, it seemed like he was just waiting for the right opportunity to cash in. Of course, Wang Wei probably wasn’t interested enough to pay that much, so he just kept ordering expensive liquor while ogling me.

“Good thing you’re expensive, huh?”

Echoing the boss’s words, Theo looked at my face intently. His eyes, tinged with a reddish hue like his hair, were a deep, almost brownish red.

“Well, you know… Ornamental goods tend to be expensive.”

More precisely, they’re like emergency funds, Theo added almost inaudibly. Everyone, including him, probably knew how I was treated at Oceans. And just as Ling-Ling said, the boss was likely waiting for the perfect moment to sell me off.

“Are you really not going with Wang Wei?”

“Didn’t you say people who go with him either disappear or get crippled?”

Wasn’t that your way of subtly warning me not to go? I responded with that in mind, but Theo just let out a small laugh as if I was saying something ridiculous.

“Even if I hadn’t told you, you weren’t going to go anyway.”

“…”

He was right. Even before hearing that information from Theo, I had no intention of going with Wang Wei.

“Well… Oceans is a pretty decent place to live.”

Theo spoke as if talking to himself while looking at me in silence. Most people working at Oceans, as well as those outside, probably thought the same. As he said, it was hard to find a better place to live in this city than Oceans.

Located at the edge of the slums, Oceans was like a dream job for the poor. Once inside, all your basic needs were taken care of, and at least you didn’t have to worry about dying from some unknown disease. Here, you wouldn’t find yourself drinking dirty water out of thirst, catching rats or cockroaches out of hunger, waking up next to a dead body, or fearing that you might become that dead body.

Of course, reality was slightly different, and the fates of those who fell into despair were always similar, but just having a moment to catch your breath was comforting. Even if you had to serve someone, it was better to do it here and get paid rather than being forced to do it outside. That’s why so many people lingered around the entrance, hoping to get in.

“But someone like you could snag a decent customer and make a life for yourself, you know.”

Some even dream of upward mobility after entering Oceans. Even though they knew they’d only end up as playthings, they worked hard to stand out because it seemed better than their current lives.

It wasn’t a wise choice, but when humans are cornered, they tend to opt for the worst-case scenario.  Besides, criticizing them would be hypocritical, given that we were in the same situation.

“It’s not like I’m the one deciding anyway.”

Theo seemed to accept my nonchalant response. He too knows that all of us working here are the boss’s property. We’ve sold our freedom in exchange for a livelihood, so we have to obey the boss unconditionally.

“And this is the only place with the sea.”

I added a plausible excuse, just in case he probed further. This was also one of the reasons I stayed at Oceans.

Oceans have the sea. Oceans had the sea. For the clients, it meant me(Bada), but for me, it referred to the sea itself. The decorations that symbolize the sea, and the murals of waves on the walls. The moment I leave Oceans, there will be no place for me to see the sea.

“People really love the sea, don’t they.”

This time, Theo nodded understandingly. He had a slightly surprised expression, but it didn’t seem incomprehensible to him. After all, the romantic notion of the sea is something shared by the common people.

“Even the ones who come here to buy stuff say something similar.”

Theo must be referring to the lower-class customers who come to buy defective goods. The haughty customers sometimes act as if they’ll catch a plague just by encountering the poor, so the common people who visit Oceans mostly use the underground passages. But they say the interior glimpsed beyond the passage is so dazzling that they sometimes come to Oceans just to take a look at that.

“Maybe it’s because your name is ‘Bada’ (sea), and you have an inherently romantic side about you…”

Theo mumbled as he slowly approached me. Instinctively taking a step back, he trapped me between the sinks, bracing his hands on either side.  Furrowing my brow, wondering what he was up to, a short sentence suddenly escaped his lips.

“Information.”

“…Found something again?”

I quickly looked up at Theo. He grinned confidently, revealing his teeth.

“Of course, who do you think I am.”

His narrowed eyes briefly sparkled. Theo, once known for being part of a notorious gang, was still well-versed in the underworld gossip. Though he’s wearing a uniform as an employee, it’s just a hobby, and he’s actually one of the managers overseeing Oceans. Coincidentally, I’m the only employee who knows this fact.

“If you found something, hurry up and…”

“Can’t rush me, you know.”

Theo abruptly cut me off, tilting his head to the side. He then tapped his lips with his index finger.

“Forgot? Payment upfront is the rule.”

“…”

I swallowed the sigh that rose up to my throat. It wasn’t the first time he pulled this stunt, and I couldn’t help but find it annoying again. Would he really want to kiss the face that just received semen? Thinking that, I reached out to Theo.

Droplets fell from my wet hair. The lanky fellow obediently bowed his head as I grabbed him by the collar and pulled. His reddish-brown eyes were hidden behind his eyelids, and then a soft sensation landed on my lips.

Theo’s excitement was conveyed through our mingling breaths. What’s so good about this pointless act? Even as I kissed him without any enthusiasm, Theo leaned in more eagerly. He slid his thigh between my legs and pushed his tongue deeper.

Despite his extensive experience, there were times when he got excited like a nervous teenager who hadn’t even lost his virginity yet. He’d act all impatient, desperate to get closer, or reluctant to let go.

There wasn’t a set time limit, but I figured this was enough. As I turned my head, Theo followed my lips longingly, gazing at me with intense arousal.

“Even if you’re doing it unwillingly… Aren’t you being a bit too unenthusiastic?”

He must have noticed that I wasn’t at all focused. Of course, the “payment” he demanded didn’t include my full attention.

“I think I was enthusiastic enough.”

I replied indifferently and gave a light tap to his bulging groin with the back of my hand. Theo flinched in surprise and took a step back. I seized the opportunity to slip out of his grasp, and he clicked his tongue in frustration.

“That’s just a physiological reaction.”

“Are you a virgin? Getting hard just from a kiss?” 

“It’s disappointing, really. Especially when you actually responded.”

Theo fired back without letting me off, caressing his own lips and winking playfully. He even openly smacked his lips, as if reminiscing about the recent kiss.

“Didn’t I tell you before? Your mouth is so tight, it feels amazing.”

“You said that before.”

So what? I was about to repeat the response I gave then, but Theo didn’t wait for me to finish.  Narrowing his eyes, he trailed off with a hint of regret.

“If you suck on something other than my tongue, it would feel even better…”

His gaze lingered on my face, full of unspoken desire. It was laughable how he acted so desperate when there were plenty of others willing to do it for him.

“I’ll suck you off if you actually find something.”

“What? You have to give it to me then.”

This time, it wasn’t even worth responding. Theo quickly returned to his usual cunning expression, smiling crookedly.

“Sometimes I just don’t get you. You don’t mind kissing, but you won’t sell your body, and yet you’re so intent on saving up money. Or maybe you only do it for me?”

He may be joking, but there was a hint of expectation underlying his words. Of course, I didn’t respond that I’ve done it with countless others, and have even actually sucked a few off before.

“If you’re going to flap your gums about some trivial information, I’ll kill you.”

“Why, so you can get it back?”

Theo stuck out his tongue and giggled. When I stared at him silently, he finally raised his hands in surrender.

“Alright, alright. Stop looking at me like that.”

I should have just let him get slapped. Regretting that, Theo reached into his vest pocket and pulled out a note.

The voice that soon emerged was uncharacteristically serious.

“Someone spotted him on the outskirts of the city.”