PASSION Chapter 4 Part 18

Chapter 4 Part 18

Flinch, strength entered his fingers holding the hand. Being discovered on this floor by anyone would do Tae-ui no good. Though he might have been caught on surveillance cameras, being caught directly by someone felt different.

Who could it be, if it were another Support Staff that would be easier to explain away, Tae-ui thought clicking his tongue, but the moment he recognized who it was, he paused, even stopping his steps.

It was someone he hadn't expected to meet on this floor at all - or rather, someone he shouldn't meet here. Rigrow, that vicious man.

That man saw Tae-ui too. Then his gaze slowly moved to Shin Lu beside him. And down to their clasped hands.

Those pitch-black eyes that revealed nothing of his thoughts narrowed faintly. As if finding something interesting, amusing, or perhaps displeasing, or else desiring.

The moment that last possibility crossed his mind, Tae-ui's face hardened. He recalled the conversation with Tou from that morning before this man arrived.

--No young and pretty guy was left unscathed.

A chill ran through his chest. Tae-ui reflexively tightened his grip on the hand he held and stepped in front of Shin Lu. Though Shin Lu fidgeted behind him in confusion, Tae-ui stood firmly in front of him.

Dangerous. That thought flashed through his mind instinctively.

It wasn't the same kind of threat related to life or survival he had felt before. This was perhaps a more urgent and anxious threat than survival - the possibility of losing something precious.

Rigrow gazed steadily at Tae-ui. As if seeing right through such thoughts, slowly an expression that might have been a smile rose on his lips.

"What's wrong...?"

He spoke quietly. His voice held a faint but clearly discernible laugh.

Tae-ui internally clicked his tongue. One shouldn't show potential weaknesses to others. Especially not to such a threatening and vicious man. Yet in an instant, he had revealed his own vulnerability.

"Shin Lu. You should go now."

Tae-ui spoke quietly over his shoulder. Shin Lu seemed to hesitate briefly. His gaze touched Rigrow briefly. Careful eyes examined Rigrow searchingly.

"Brother..."

"It's fine, go back. I'll see you later."

Tae-ui gently soothed Shin Lu who muttered while clutching his clothes. Though Shin Lu hesitated a while longer, he soon gave Tae-ui a brief goodbye and turned away. Even while returning to his room, he looked back once, twice. At the end of Shin Lu's gaze was Rigrow. Rigrow too watched Shin Lu with subtle eyes.

Finally the sound of a door closing came from far behind Tae-ui's back, and Rigrow who had been staring intently at Shin Lu's retreating figure over Tae-ui's shoulder finally turned his gaze back to Tae-ui.

Tae-ui looked at him uneasily.

He had met someone he didn't want to meet in a situation he didn't want to meet them. Such bad luck.

However, even after Shin Lu disappeared, Tae-ui's anxiety didn't fade. Because he saw Rigrow's gaze continuing over his shoulder. Until the moment Shin Lu entered his room, Rigrow stared at him intently. Very interestedly, with narrowed eyes.

"What a pretty one."

Rigrow finally said. A glimpse of pleased desire mixed in that voice. Tae-ui's expression hardened further. And he looked straight at him and spoke stiffly:

"What's this about a man being pretty."

At Tae-ui's words, Rigrow immediately showed an amused expression. Wrinkles of laughter formed around his eyes.

"Aha. A man. Right, right. Though I don't discriminate between men or not if I like them, seems you're not like that. How unexpected--"

Rigrow smiled slightly while drawing out his words meaningfully. Tae-ui's mouth turned bitter. It had been too clumsy a statement. This man would have noticed as soon as he first saw - how Tae-ui felt about Shin Lu. Maybe he should have just affirmed it rather than trying to deflect with unfunny words.

His chest felt uneasy. That subtle look this man had given Shin Lu kept catching in the corner of his heart, refusing to fade. The glass marble that had barely entered his hand was wobbling precariously.

Tae-ui clicked his tongue. Nothing good would come from dragging out the conversation. Besides, come to think of it, this confrontation situation itself with this man held nothing good for Tae-ui.

"What brings you here? It should be off limits."

Though knowing he wasn't in a position to ask boldly either, Tae-ui spoke while looking in the direction the man had come from. That was where the instructors' rooms were. Though the European branch instructors who had led the European members were staying on this floor too, their rooms were in a different direction.

Tae-ui suddenly tilted his head. What business would this man have meeting an instructor from this side privately? Or was he perhaps scouting the branch building? But no particular reason for that came to mind either. Since UNHRDO didn't have any specially opposing organizations, no organization or group that might want to spy on them came to mind.

He briefly considered the Rigrow-as-spy theory but reached no pointed conclusion.

As if knowing what Tae-ui was thinking, Rigrow wore a faint smile. However, instead of answering that question, he gave the expected response:

"I'm not the only one this place is off limits to. What brings you here? --Though I seem to have the answer without needing to ask."

Rigrow muttered languidly. Then suddenly tilting his head to the side, he smiled slightly.

"But what were you doing with that pretty young man? Your face was quite deliciously flushed."

At his low words, Tae-ui's face hardened sharply. At that subtle tone muttering "what were you doing," the sensation of Shin Lu's cheek against his lips revived. His face grew hot.

Without realizing it, Tae-ui raised his hand and wiped his face once with the back of his hand. But immediately he thought he had done something unnecessary. Rather, it only made his face hotter, and in front Rigrow let out a soft laugh.

Tae-ui felt a surge of anger. There was no reason to be laughed at by others. Neither himself nor Shin Lu.

"Whatever I was doing is none of your business."

"Well, I wonder about that, I'm quite curious. What kind of reactions that pretty young man would show depending on what's done to him. How warm his breathing would be, how adorable his crying would sound. Things like that--you see."

Rigrow whispered, drawing out his words. Tae-ui glared at him coldly.

Damn it. He had felt uneasy with a bad feeling since earlier, so this was it.

He grew anxious. As anxiety rose his mouth went dry. Though anyone would feel unpleasant if someone looked at Shin Lu covetously, with this man it was even more so. Beyond unpleasant, a distant anxiety washed over him. An overwhelming sense of crisis.

Moreover, though this madman's personality and tendencies were like that, his outward appearance was quite proper. With just a wave of his hand, he had the kind of body and face that could gather a dozen people.

He had to honestly acknowledge what should be acknowledged. The only thing I have over him is humanity.

Whether face, body or strength, there was nothing he could claim to be better at. Even being able to proudly claim he was ahead in humanity wasn't because he was superior but because that man was frighteningly inferior.

"So what you're saying is, you like Shin Lu, is that it?"

"Shin Lu? Aha, so that young man's name is Shin Lu. Yes, not bad. No, quite good actually, that one."

Rigrow said. At the same time, he took one step toward Tae-ui. And another step.

The moment he started walking slowly with leisurely steps, Tae-ui frowned.

He had forgotten briefly. The fact that nothing good could come from meeting this man. No, rather he should have run away quickly if he saw even a hair of him from a hundred li away. The sensation of that man's neck against his gun muzzle was still vivid.

Flinch, he almost stepped back reflexively but Tae-ui soon changed his mind and stood his ground. Thinking about it, it was already too late to run away. Then backing away needlessly would just look foolish. Besides, surely he wouldn't go so far as to kill someone in a corridor like this... though he might.

"What's wrong?"

Rigrow smiled and shrugged at Tae-ui who stood stiffly rooted to the spot. However, that smile was even more chilling. Though slow, he had walked without stopping until he was only a few steps from Tae-ui. Yet he kept coming.

One step, two steps, one more step.

Tae-ui tensed his whole body blue while meeting those black eyes staring at him straight on.

How far are you going to come? It’s already within arm's reach.

But still Rigrow came closer. One more step, and only then did he stop.

Not even two or three spans apart. From there, Rigrow looked down at Tae-ui. Eyes cold as ice. Though clearly faint smiles hung at the corners of his eyes and mouth, his gaze was cold as a blade.

A dangerous position. No, beyond dangerous. Tae-ui blamed his own foolishness again. At this distance, if this man made a move, eight or nine times out of ten he would be done for. He wouldn't even be able to try using shallow tricks to escape. He should have made his feet stop at least a few steps away.

"Strange... where did all that nerve from the other day go, hm?"

Rigrow spoke quietly. He seemed to even mix in a happy hum.

Tae-ui looked at him head on. Eyes frozen so coldly, he seemed inhuman. Goosebumps rose. It was hard to believe such a man existed.

"Jung Tae-ui."

A voice slowly calling his name. That clear and precise pronunciation seemed to claim, I know you, as precisely as this pronunciation.