#23

“Sss… ha.”

A sigh slipped out, and at the tail end of it came Wei Chen’s voice.

“Get on.”

I whipped my head around to look at him and replied immediately.

“No.”

Right as I said that, my foot caught on the edge of the curb and I stumbled. I barely caught my balance in time—if I hadn’t, I would’ve sprawled out flat in front of Wei Chen like a total idiot.

He raised an eyebrow and gave a short laugh.

“You can’t even walk straight.”

In response, I tried planting my foot firmly again, but I couldn’t hide the way I swayed from the alcohol.
As if waiting for that, he added another line.

“My car’s parked far.”

“A little walk’s nice, actually.”

“If you get hurt and try to skip training because of it, I’m the one who loses. Get on.”

Without waiting for my agreement, he bent one knee and crouched in front of me.

“I really don’t want to…”

Even so, I found myself hesitantly stepping closer.
To be honest, I’d never ridden on someone’s back before.
The moment I leaned my body against his back, a wave of awkwardness swept over me.

But Wei Chen didn’t seem to care at all.
He lifted me onto his back with practiced ease.

Maybe it was because his back was broad—it didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
In fact, the warmth from his hands and back, firmly supporting me, was surprisingly soothing.

He started walking as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“Hold on tight.”

His tone still sounded teasing, but this time, it carried a strange gentleness.

“You’ve got all kinds of things to say to me, but not a single word to him.”

Wei Chen’s voice came low and calm, the sound of it vibrating softly through his back.

The “him” he referred to was Jung-hoo sunbae.
I buried my face into his shoulder and murmured.

“Because… not everything he said was wrong.”

“All of it sounded like bullshit to me.”

“Maybe I didn’t steal his wallet, but everything else? It was true… That’s why I couldn’t say anything.”

“Nothing good comes from digging up the past. And it’s not like you ever stole that bastard’s stuff back then anyway.”

He was telling me not to drag my past mistakes into the present.

“You don’t get it, Wei Chen.”

He didn’t even look back when he replied.

“You’re still a baby, no wonder you worry too much.”

“Baby?” I twitched my eyebrow without meaning to.
Before I could stop myself, the question I’d been holding in suddenly burst out.

“Wait—how old are you, Wei Chen?”

“Thirty-four.”

“You really are an ahjussi. You’re not secretly younger than me, right?”

Wei Chen stayed silent for a moment, then let out a laugh.

“If I’d gotten married early, I could’ve had a daughter your age.”

I was completely speechless.
That was enough to shock the alcohol right out of my system.
My mouth dropped open behind his back in disbelief.

Did Baekwoon develop a drug that stops aging or something?
That’d be worth more than a human weapon, honestly.

“Why so quiet?”

I pulled myself together and answered.

“Wondering if I should’ve been more respectful.”

He let out a low chuckle.
The sound of his laughter blended with the night breeze, soft and warm.

“Not a daughter your age… My younger sister was the same age as you.”

“……”

My ears perked up at that.
Wei Chen rarely ever talked about himself.
This was the only clue I had about his past—his sister.
I leaned into his back quietly, hoping he’d say more.

“The one who took the Nectar?”

He gave a short reply.

“Yeah. Always messing around, never listened, threw tantrums all the time. Just like you.”

“……”

I pouted.
How could he say that? I’m the picture of grace and composure.
He continued.

“She was full of affection. Smiled a lot, but that made her soft, too.”

Something about his words felt off.
Like he was reminiscing…
Like he was reaching into something already gone.
With a sinking feeling, I asked:

“Where is she now?”

His answer came short and firm.

“No idea.”

“She ran away from home?”

After a brief silence, he said,

“Maybe she just didn’t want a brother like me.”

“Oh. You’re not going to look for her?”

“…Who knows.”

The reply was vague.
I could tell he didn’t want to keep talking about her.

So I stayed quiet.

* * *

A chill crept over me, wrapping around my body.
Even with the blanket pulled up to my nose, the cold wouldn’t go away.
My stomach churned, my head felt like it weighed a ton.
And yet, somehow, sleep kept pulling at me.

I don’t know how long I stayed curled up like that before the door opened and familiar footsteps approached, carrying that scent I knew so well.

“Drunk mess. Wake up.”

His teasing voice shook me gently.
Normally, I might’ve listened.
But right now, I was in no condition to even sit up.

“Ugh… I’ve got the worst hangover…”

I groaned weakly, dragging out my words, barely able to open my eyes.
He let out a sigh, like he wasn’t even surprised.

“Drink some water at least.”

I stuck one arm out from under the blanket.
I heard the sound of a cup being lifted, then water trickling into it.
The cool surface of the glass brushed my fingers, and I gripped it with trembling hands.

I managed to lift myself halfway up and took a few sips.
I wasn’t even that thirsty—just enough to wet my mouth.
Wei Chen, watching me closely, gave a small nod with his chin.
I ended up drinking three more gulps.

“What time’s training today?”

My voice was hoarse and cracking.
Honestly, I wanted to skip training altogether.
But I’d already missed it yesterday because of the company dinner, so I couldn’t bring myself to say it aloud.

Unexpectedly, Wei Chen gave me a different answer.

“Take a few days off.”

“Huh… why?”

“I have to go to Hong Kong.”

My mind instantly cleared.
Wei Chen, who always stuck around like an unemployed shadow, was suddenly going to Hong Kong?
Did something happen?

I blurted out,

“How long?”

“Three days, if it’s short. Maybe an extra day or two, if not.”

He said it offhandedly while glancing at his watch.
I tried reading his mood like usual.
Of course, he looked like his usual aloof self.

“What? Gonna miss me?”

He must’ve noticed my staring and asked with that usual sly tone.
Ugh. Creepy. I quickly shook my head.

“Nope. I’m just worried I might mutate or something while you’re gone.”

“You’ve been managing fine lately. You’ll be okay.”

“……”

“If you’re anxious, just rest till Monday.”

“No way.”

“Knew you’d say that.”

“Are you leaving right now?”

Wei Chen nodded.

“That’s it? That’s how you’re leaving?”

What, was I supposed to wish him a good trip or something?
After hesitating for a second, I lifted a hand and gave him a little wave.

He stared at it for a beat, then let out a dry laugh like he couldn’t believe it.

“Sending me off that quick, huh?”

“You said you had to go.”

“I meant—‘have a safe trip.’”

“…Have a safe trip.”

“Yeah.”

Something felt off.
Were we even the type to exchange goodbyes like this?
We weren’t total strangers, but this still felt strangely formal, like we were playing roles that didn’t quite fit.

Wei Chen always kept a certain distance,
yet sometimes he was the one breaking his own rules—
blurring the line just enough to leave you confused.

“Make sure you eat.”

He said someone would come by to prepare each meal.
There was even a chauffeur assigned to drive me to school.

And that’s when I realized something.

If he had a driver, why didn’t he just send me around with them from the start?
Why had he gone back and forth in person?

At first, he said it was because I might suddenly mutate, so he had to keep an eye on me—
but by now, I was stable, able to control the changes.

So why was he still taking care of me himself?

I didn’t get the chance to think too deeply.
My body suddenly felt heavy, and I collapsed back onto the bed.
Sleep took over almost immediately.

A deep, dreamless sleep.

* * *

I was submerged in a suffocating silence.

The light spilling from the ceiling etched golden patterns onto the walls, creating not just a sense of grandeur, but a palpable pressure that went beyond opulence.
The floor, made of black marble polished to a mirror shine, felt like it could echo with emptiness at the slightest step.

Lining the walls were ornate bookshelves and antique furniture adorned with gold leaf—clear signs that this was far more than just an office space.

Beyond the massive floor-to-ceiling windows stretched the skyline of Hong Kong.
Skyscrapers pierced the sky, and layers of buildings stacked into a dense, concrete forest.
From the heart of the bustling district, inside Baekwoon’s headquarters, an oddly mismatched conversation was taking place.