TIN 9

The gate with bars like iron bars was so huge that it couldn’t be opened by human hands. With a creak and a majestic sound, as the entrance opened, an imposingly large garden unfolded. Along the path leading inside, rows of statues were decorating the way, and following that path, a lavish fountain emerged in the middle of the garden.

If my memory serves me correctly, there was also a swimming pool big enough to host a party in the backyard. With sun loungers, tables, and a pool bar, that place was where grand parties were held every summer, inviting various high-profile guests. I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, but I heard they even put on spectacular fireworks displays.

A swimming pool and a fountain? The water wastage was something ordinary people couldn’t even imagine. Maintaining just the lush greenery in the garden must cost tens of millions per year. This place, filled with extravagance and waste, was the domain of the upper classes who had an abundance of time and money.

“…”

I awkwardly straightened my posture and blankly gazed out the window. This place, which I was visiting for the first time in 16 years, was the private estate of Joo Do-hwa, belonging to the 4HAE Group. I hadn’t stayed here for very long, but I still vaguely remembered the overall appearance.

I never thought I’d be coming back here again.

After a moment of nostalgia, the car came to a gentle stop in front of the mansion. As the waiting security guard opened the door, Joo Do-hwa, who had been sitting next to me, got out, leaving me behind. I had no choice but to open the opposite door and step out as well.

“Young master.”

The man who approached Joo Do-hwa was a young man dressed in a suit. Joo Do-hwa was also wearing a suit, but with the tie undone and a few shirt buttons opened, he didn’t look very tidy.

The man took Joo Do-hwa’s coat and then gave me a doubtful look.

“And that one…”

“Ah, I bought him today.”

Joo Do-hwa replied casually and headed inside the mansion. He didn’t tell me to follow, but I discreetly followed in his footsteps. The gazes of the staff members were fixed on me, but it didn’t bother me that much.

‘I’ll take that one.’

When Joo Do-hwa had said that, the boss had a very complicated expression. He was happy that the opportunity he had been hoping for had arrived, but he seemed anxious, perhaps worried that something might go wrong, like me cracking open his head like I did to Wang Wei.

‘Call him over. I’ll pay whatever you want.’

Joo Do-hwa’s bold declaration was enough to silence the entire Oceans. The boss, of course, but also Theo, Lingling, and even myself.

As all eyes were on him, the boss cleared his throat and took a step forward.

‘Mr. Director, I’d like to hand him over if possible, but…’

As soon as I heard the pained tone in his voice, I vaguely realized something. He can’t just sell off anyone to an important client. He has to carefully consider who he’s dealing with.

‘That one caused a big incident today, so he’s not in a sellable condition. As I mentioned, he’s not fully trained yet, and he has some outstanding debts…’

‘I asked how much.’

The boss was no small fry, but Joo Do-hwa’s gaze was slightly above him. His unwavering eye contact and slightly tilted head made him look haughtily aristocratic.

‘An incident… Did he even kill someone?’

The radiant smile on his face was so innocent-looking. I wonder how Joo Do-hwa would have responded if he knew I had nearly killed someone. Well, even if I had, he probably wouldn’t have cared.

‘Oh, that’s not considered an incident.’

Joo Do-hwa shrugged and strode towards me. Up close, his face had a purity somewhere between a boy and a young man. At a glance, you might mistake him for choosing a toy rather than a person.

‘I noticed the pretty one first, and nothing else caught my eye.’

His lips, red as if stained with blood, curved into a soft smile. The sense of unease I felt came from the predatory gaze he fixed on me.

‘If the face is worth the price, just hand him over. I’ll take care of the training myself.’

I almost asked what kind of “training” he was referring to. I wasn’t afraid when I was slapped, but why did I feel tense at that moment?

‘It’s not like he’s being sold off against his will.’

Joo Do-hwa said, using his index finger to tilt my chin up, just like Theo had. Could it be the pheromones I vaguely sensed? The moment his hand touched me, a tingling sensation stirred deep within my core.

As he carefully examined my injured areas, the boss tried to dissuade Joo Do-hwa once more.

‘Mr. Director, even so…’

But the boss couldn’t finish his sentence. Joo Do-hwa had instantly wiped the smile off his face and turned his gaze towards the boss. Though his eyes seemed languid, the tone of his voice was anything but.

‘The price.’

‘…’

I don’t know what conversation followed after that. The only thing I’m certain of is that the boss, with a resolute expression, escorted Joo Do-hwa deeper inside. And when he returned, there was a piece of paper in his hand.

I know what that is. It’s the confirmation slip, or rather, a contract that customers purchasing goods must fill out. The content essentially absolves the store of responsibility for anything that happens after leaving Oceans. It’s just a formality, but there have been troublesome customers who’ve insisted on it.

Anyway, for that reason, I was leaving Oceans, where I had been staying for the past year. I didn’t even need to gather any belongings, and after changing out of my uniform and retrieving the money I had hidden in the closet, I had something to say to the boss.

‘Please return the wallet you took.’

It was a hail mary attempt since I had nothing left to lose anyway. The wallet that Wang Wei had put in my mouth was likely carefully kept by the boss. If I didn’t demand it back, it would end up in the boss’s pocket for good.

‘Fvcking bastard.’

I had expected him to at least slap me, but surprisingly, the boss just widened his eyes without raising a hand. He even shoved a few crumpled bills into my pants pocket while cursing me like a madman.

‘Remember this. If you cause trouble again, I’ll put a price tag on that body of yours and put you up for sale. The day you come back to Oceans will be the shittiest day of your life, got it?’

Was that a threat to kill me if I caused trouble again? I had achieved better results than expected, but the situation was too absurd to simply be happy about. Joo Do-hwa must have paid him quite a hefty sum.

“Bada.”

“…”

I snapped out of my thoughts. The soft voice had abruptly cut off the stream of my musings. As I blinked slowly, Joo Do-hwa, who had been gazing at me, tilted his head slightly and spoke.

“That man was calling you ‘Bada’.”

“Ah.”

That man must be Theo. The boss didn’t call me ‘Bada’, so he must have overheard Theo’s conversation with me. Or rather, the conversation that was cut off before it could even start.

“Bada, Bada…”

He repeated it a few times, carefully scrutinizing me. It was an open appraisal, but his weary eyes lacked any distinct emotion. Or rather, basic desires seemed to be absent. Unlike Wang Wei, who had said he wanted to “use” me.

“It’s a lavish name.”

There was no need to correct his remark, so I simply kept my mouth shut. In response, Joo Do-hwa’s face softened.

“How old are you?”

Addressing me with honorifics, huh.

He had been speaking casually to his subordinates, but with me, a mere commodity, he was maintaining a pretense of politeness. But the reason it didn’t feel like respect was that he was looking down at me with a stiff expression.

“I’m twenty-five.”

“Twenty-five…”

His languid eyes narrowed slightly. Apparently, my age was unexpected, and he examined me more closely.

And the words that followed were enough to leave me speechless.

“You’re a hyung.”

“…”

Hyung? I almost blurted that out. The reason I didn’t was that for a moment, I felt like I had been transported back to my childhood. When that boy, younger than me by a head, would follow me around, calling me “hyung” with a beaming smile.

Of course, the man in front of me was no longer a child, and even if he were resurrected, he would never call me that. The way he would address me would likely be “hey” or “you”.

“I’m three years younger than you, you know.”

“I see.”

I simply responded with a neutral reaction, as I had no appropriate retort. I couldn’t say I knew, nor could I ask what he was getting at. I’m aware that even a polite remark like a compliment would come across as condescending to young men like him.

“If I’m three years younger, how old am I?”

Joo Do-hwa asked with a smile on his face. It seems he was curious about how much basic knowledge I had. In reality, lower-class people who didn’t receive proper education often lacked even simple math skills.

“Twenty-two years old.”

“Ah, so you can do subtraction.”

For some reason, his expression seemed a bit deflated. Perhaps he had hoped I would be a little more ignorant. The customers who visited Oceans often said that the more oblivious they were, the more obedient they would be.

“Well, let’s do it this way then.”

After a moment of contemplation, Joo Do-hwa began speaking softly, his eyes narrowing. His gaze was hazy, as if he had taken something, but his golden irises remained sharp. From his crimson lips spilled a voice as sweet as honey.

“I’ll call you ‘Hyung’.”