Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 51

Just a slight shift of his body made his back ache. Could he get bruises from sex? He wondered, as there wasn’t a single spot that didn’t hurt. He groaned for a long time trying to sit up straight. Leaning his back against the headboard, a long sigh naturally escaped him.

“Yesterday, I saw there were a lot of slopes, so it looked good for skiing.”

Zhenya made an incredulous expression. Skiing, with his noticeably pale face? It seemed impossible for him to even walk on his own feet right now.

“Are you still well enough to live, it seems?”

“I thought it would be better than going crazy just sitting around.”

He grumbled that even a prison would be better than this place. Zhenya’s gaze bored into him again. It felt as if his dark intentions would be laid bare at any moment. He sucked on his cigar, making his cheeks hollow, and subtly avoided Zhenya’s gaze. He also scolded the arrogant man who never complied willingly.

“Don’t pretend to be annoyed, you bastard. You’re enjoying it too.”

“Did you even keep up enough to enjoy it?”

Zhenya sneered and provoked him. His consecutive losses in the past two bets were due to unforeseen circumstances. This time would be different. It had to be different.

“Boast while you still can. Believe it or not, I’ve received dozens of business cards asking if I’d like to be a ski athlete.”

“Oh, really?”

He didn’t seem to believe it at all. How little he thought of people.

“We’re betting. Got it?”

With Zhenya’s lukewarm response, he urged him again. Zhenya gave a sly smile.

“Are you perhaps clinging to me because you want to be embraced?”

How did that head of his come up with such an adorable conclusion?

“Just get ready to have your ass mounted.”

He growled, raising his middle finger. Zhenya, successfully provoked, wore a satisfied expression. Zhenya’s retreating figure, as he went to gather ski equipment, seemed quite joyful. His steps even seemed lighter than usual, and his shoulders seemed to bounce pleasantly. It must have been his imagination.

He powerfully stomped on the snow and raced forward. The wide, short Siberian-style skis glided effortlessly even on snow-laden terrain. The trees, which had seemed to loom over him, rapidly flashed past. Each time he leaped after a long glide, a thrilling shiver spread through him. His heart, which had been burning with a desire for victory, soon relaxed, and he began to enjoy the skiing itself. He didn’t know how long it had been since he had savored such a thrill.

The two men rode the ridge, sometimes ahead, sometimes behind each other. As their speed increased, his breathing became ragged. A dull ache rose from his chest, but even that felt exhilarating. Just inhaling the crisp air deeply seemed to purge all the toxins from his body.

While skiing, he didn’t forget to survey the surrounding terrain. He meticulously calculated which ridge to use to gain strong propulsion. He couldn’t use a hill that would collapse with a few shotgun blasts like yesterday. It would be better if it was a high altitude, but more importantly, it was the wind. The wind had to push him from behind for him to jump further.

He continued to gain speed, deftly avoiding obstacles like trees and rocks. At some point, Zhenya was no longer visible. He looked around for him for a while but soon gave up. It was actually an advantage that Zhenya wasn’t nearby. He meticulously checked useful areas without having to worry about being watched.

Of course, if he won this bet, it would all be useless. He endured all demands, stoically, for a future victory. Given what he had done so far, Zhenya wouldn’t dare to ignore his demands.

He imagined Zhenya reluctantly handing him the helicopter keys. He felt an anticipatory thrill. This time, he would definitely win. He clenched his teeth and lunged forward.

The match would end when one of them reached a pre-designated point. Kwon Taekjoo dared to guarantee his victory. He had never lost a skiing bet. Unless some absurd variable occurred, even a monster like Zhenya would find it difficult to defeat him.

He picked up the pace and raced down a steep slope. Zhenya was nowhere to be seen. He must have tripped over a rock and fallen.

Now he just had to round the corner. He forcefully pushed off the ground with both poles, accelerating. His thighs and calves, which were maintaining his balance, ached as if they would burst. But with victory in sight, such pain was irrelevant. A triumphant smile spread across Kwon Taekjoo’s face.

He won.

Just as he was rounding the corner, filled with confidence, something flew over his head. He unconsciously looked up, and a deep shadow fell across his face. It was Zhenya.

“Oh…”

A low gasp escaped him involuntarily. The snowball created by Zhenya’s descent was growing in size and rolling down the slope. He had to avoid it, but if he hesitated even for a moment, he would lose to Zhenya. He gritted his teeth and held on.

The snowball finally engulfed Kwon Taekjoo, turning him into a living snowman. Zhenya, who had landed safely in the meantime, gained acceleration and shot ahead. Kwon Taekjoo belatedly gave chase, but the impact of colliding with the snowball had slowed him down, preventing him from closing the gap.

Zhenya smoothly turned at the designated spot and effortlessly pulled out the pole he had stuck there. Kwon Taekjoo arrived a step too late. He shook his head to clear the snow as he ran, but his entire body was still covered in it. Kwon Taekjoo, frustrated, threw his pole, looking like a polar bear slamming a salmon. That was why Zhenya suddenly burst into loud laughter.

“Ahahahahah!”

Kwon Taekjoo was dumbfounded. It was the first time he had seen Zhenya laugh so brightly. Perhaps that was why his heart pounded wildly on its own. Was he too surprised? He slowly rubbed his chest, which wouldn’t calm down easily.

Around that time, the snow covering various parts of his body melted chillingly, reminding him of its presence. He sat down where he was, still wearing his skis. Then he began to remove the snow that had thoroughly burrowed into every nook and cranny. He even shook his head to get the snow out of his ears, and Zhenya approached, inevitably taunting him.

“Winning is getting boring.”

His stomach churned, but he didn’t show it. It wasn’t entirely without a harvest. Although he had failed to win the bet and proudly claim the helicopter, he had completed his terrain assessment, thus achieving his secondary goal. He was just displeased that he had once again inflated Zhenya’s ego.

“You unlucky bastard,” he muttered, unconsciously extending his hand. It was a habitual action. A habit he had only ever done with companions on ski trips had inadvertently popped out. He immediately realized his mistake but didn’t withdraw his hand again.

Zhenya simply stared at Kwon Taekjoo’s outstretched hand. His extended hand felt awkward. “Hey,” he urged, wiggling his fingers. Zhenya continued to observe him as if he were a strange creature, then, after a long time, finally took his hand.

No, he thought he did. The moment he tried to get up, relying on Zhenya, he was instead pushed backward. As soon as he fell on his bottom, Zhenya’s body covered him. He reflexively raised his arms to block, but Zhenya expertly grabbed and pinned them down. Soon, Zhenya’s face was within touching distance of his nose.

Zhenya quietly stared at Kwon Taekjoo. Facing him so closely, Kwon Taekjoo could tell what Zhenya’s eyes held at any given moment. He slowly traced Kwon Taekjoo’s dark eyebrows, black pupils, prominent nose, and fairly full lips, one by one. Then, Zhenya suddenly lowered his head and repeatedly pressed his lips against the corners of Kwon Taekjoo’s eyes and the back of his neck.

Perhaps due to the cold, Zhenya’s lips, which lightly touched and then pulled away, were warmer than ever. Zhenya, who had taken Kwon Taekjoo’s Adam’s apple into his mouth and then released it, lowered his head further and bit the zipper of his upper garment. Then, he slowly pulled it down.

His bare skin was soon exposed. Zhenya leisurely moved his lips from Kwon Taekjoo’s neck to his collarbone, and then to his chest area. It was unusually soft skinship for Zhenya. He couldn’t tell if the goosebumps were due to the cold or Zhenya’s ticklish actions.

“…Is this your wish?”

He endured silently, then asked. Zhenya flinched and raised his head. His face was blank, as if he had just woken from some fantasy. Any emotion that had been in his eyes vanished like a ghost. He seemed quite flustered.

“Ah, right. A wish…”

Zhenya, who had been muttering vacantly, suddenly stood up. Kwon Taekjoo also quickly sat up and zipped his zipper back up to his belly button. He also brushed off the snow that had clung to him again.

Zhenya stood with his back to him for a long time. He looked where Zhenya’s gaze rested, but there was nothing noticeable. Soon, Zhenya said “Go,” and walked across the snowfield alone.

He watched Zhenya walk away blankly, then struggled to get up alone. He also picked up the pole that had been carelessly lying around. By then, Zhenya had created quite a distance, but he didn’t dare to try to escape. After all, if he ran, he would still be on the island. He didn’t have the confidence to be caught again and face the repercussions. He trudged through the snow towards the house.

He tilted his head due to his unusual heartbeat. Thump-thump. Thump-thump. No matter how deeply he breathed, or how much he rubbed his chest, it wouldn’t calm down. Was he going to die? He couldn’t understand why.

He finished showering and went outside. Zhenya was already sitting in front of the fireplace. As soon as their eyes met, Kwon Taekjoo sighed and turned away. He loosened his belt on his own and slipped off his gown. He slowly pulled down the last remaining brief. If there was one thing he wished for, it was that since they had done it yesterday, they would only do it once today.

“What are you doing?”

At the sudden question, he turned around with his briefs hanging around mid-thigh. Zhenya wore a shamelessly ignorant expression. ‘What do you think I’m doing?’ His demands were obvious anyway. He glared at Zhenya as if protesting.

“I never said that was my wish.”

Zhenya smirked. His face felt like it would explode. Every time he won a bet, Zhenya only made one demand. It was always a torment to listen to those instructions, so he had undressed on his own, but now Zhenya was feigning ignorance. He cursed under his breath and pulled his briefs back up.

After laughing at him for a long time, Zhenya crooked a finger. It was a gesture like calling a dog. When Kwon Taekjoo didn’t respond, Zhenya’s face immediately hardened. At this point, he wondered if Zhenya had bipolar disorder.

With an unwilling expression, he approached Zhenya. Zhenya suddenly extended his hand towards Kwon Taekjoo. He cautiously placed his hand on Zhenya’s, and Zhenya slowly stroked the back of his hand with his thumb. Then, he suddenly pulled Kwon Taekjoo, making him collapse in front of him. Before he could resist, his knees hit the floor.

“…Shit, that hurts.”

“I can thrust into you as much as I want, but it would be a waste to use it for that.”

Zhenya grabbed his bristling jaw. Kwon Taekjoo tried to throw Zhenya’s hand off by tilting his head back, but the attempt only made his jaw clenched tighter. Immediately after, Zhenya lowered his pants zipper. Then, he pulled out his monstrous penis through the gap. The unerect flesh flopped down, boasting its massive size. Zhenya calmly rubbed the head of his penis against Kwon Taekjoo’s jaw. The omens were not good.

“Suck it.”

“No…!”

His head, which recoiled in disgust, was suddenly held tight. Zhenya’s penis was ruthlessly pressed against his tightly closed lips. As he gritted his teeth and resisted, Zhenya suddenly yanked the back of his head. The moment Kwon Taekjoo let out an irritated groan, the thick mass of flesh plunged into his mouth.

His cheeks bulged, and his mouth was instantly full. The penis, pressing down on his tongue and sliding smoothly, hit his uvula. His stomach lurched. His upper body heaved with a strong wave of nausea. Zhenya firmly gripped his struggling jaw and calmly looked down at his distorted face.

As he resisted trying to properly take Zhenya’s penis into his mouth, his aching jaw grew increasingly sore. The saliva he hadn’t managed to swallow kept pooling in his mouth. His airway was half-blocked, and his breathing became labored. Each time he took a tight breath, a strong, fleshy smell wafted up. He thought it would be better to just get it over with quickly.

Kwon Taekjoo squeezed his eyes shut and took Zhenya’s penis, which had only been in his mouth, further inside. Just that made Zhenya’s abdomen ripple with satisfaction. As he slowly moved his head, Zhenya’s hand, which had been gripping his jaw as if to break it, also loosened.

It was his first time sucking a man’s penis. Since he had started, he wanted to give Zhenya a good release so he would be a bit more compliant, but he didn’t know how.

To Kwon Taekjoo’s distress, Zhenya personally peeled back his foreskin. The reddened glans protruded, its uretha, clinging like a nostril, constantly flaring with anticipation. Kwon Taekjoo looked at it displeasedly, frowned, and opened his mouth again. As he bit and sucked on the unusually heated flesh, Zhenya’s abdominal muscles visibly twitched. He even tilted his head slightly, and his gaze looking down at Kwon Taekjoo became much more languid.

Soon, something flowed from the urethra. It was slippery and tasted fishy in his mouth, like pre-ejaculate. Meanwhile, his penis rubbed its body against the soft mucous membranes, growing in size. His mouth became increasingly full, and his jaw opened wide. It was so hard to just hold it that he didn’t know what to do.

Zhenya put his finger into Kwon Taekjoo’s mouth and pressed down on his struggling tongue. Then, he forcefully pushed his rigidly erect penis in. Kwon Taekjoo’s eyes widened. His mouth corners stretched due to the penis, which was incomparably thicker than before it was erect. It wouldn’t be strange if it tore. He couldn’t believe something like this had been thrust into his backside.

The member that had rolled on his tongue a couple of times was thrust in swiftly to the very root, striking his uvula. Nausea surged up uncontrollably. “Ugh!” Kwon Taekjoo arched his body backward, squirming his limbs to escape the pain. Zhenya merely pressed his lower abdomen tightly against Taekjoo’s face, savoring the lukewarm, sweet sensation of mucous membranes. The sight of Kwon Taekjoo’s head buried in his core ignited a sense of conquest he had never felt before. A dull heat spread through the back of his head. He couldn’t hold back any longer.

He seized Kwon Taekjoo’s hair with a violent yank and thrust his hips forward. The thick member slid out, brushing his tongue, then surged back in, hitting his uvula and going even further. Occasionally, it would change direction, forcefully prodding the inner membrane of his cheek. Powerless, Taekjoo’s mouth hung open as the member violently moved in and out. His throat rasped with choked gasps. His tongue, being swept around against his will, felt like it would cramp. “Ugh… haah… Ghh… Ugh… Cough, cough.” Viscous saliva dribbled down his chin. His throat swelled as the member relentlessly pressed against his windpipe, forcing its way in. He felt like he could suffocate. Filled with indignation, he bared his teeth. It was right after that.

The hard Colt pressed against his temple. Zhenya looked down at Kwon Taekjoo as if daring him to try. He swayed his hips loosely, observing Kwon Taekjoo’s reaction. Kwon Taekjoo, glaring back with animosity, couldn’t bring himself to bite the man’s flesh. Instinct chose survival over preserving his pride.

Seeing Kwon Taekjoo calm down, Zhenya’s lips curved into a smirk. After that, he openly ravaged Kwon Taekjoo’s mouth. He repeatedly rubbed his glans hard against the rough roof of his mouth, then poked sharply at the inside of his cheek. Then, he gently caressed the protruding skin with his thumb. In an instant, his entire mouth felt numb.

As if that weren’t enough, he abruptly grabbed Kwon Taekjoo’s shoulder and changed their position. The chair he had been sitting on touched his nape. His arms were still held captive by Zhenya.

Zhenya, with Kwon Taekjoo’s wrists bound, mercilessly pressed his member down. His dangling testicles slapped wetly against Taekjoo’s lower jaw. Kwon Taekjoo’s face, from his neck up, flushed crimson from the brutal insertion that gave him no chance to breathe.

Zhenya’s thigh, pressed against the side of his face, twitched heavily. His abs, too, heaved with the pleasure that rippled from head to toe. Kwon Taekjoo merely waited for the current agony to pass.

Finally, Zhenya’s lower abdomen completely pressed against his nose, suffocating him. He felt like he would choke on the intensely thick scent of flesh as his windpipe was blocked. The member in his mouth thrashed violently, and then something thick was abruptly spewed into his throat. “…Ugh, ugh.” Zhenya’s teeth ground together. Even his flushed face lost all trace of composure. A metallic smell spread as fluid filled his mouth. He wanted to spit it out quickly, but the man’s still-resisting member wouldn’t allow it.

Zhenya lifted his hips further, tilting Kwon Taekjoo’s head back. Because of this, the semen that had pooled ambiguously in his mouth squirmed its way down his throat. Kwon Taekjoo’s eyes widened in horror. His arms, still held by Zhenya, tensed greatly. For the first time, it was hard to hold him down.

Only after Kwon Taekjoo’s Adam’s apple bobbed, swallowing the semen, did Zhenya withdraw. The member brushed his uvula again as it exited. As soon as his airway cleared, nausea surged, and he doubled over, gagging. His trembling lips were thoroughly wet with bodily fluids and saliva.

Zhenya, observing the scene silently, reached out his hand again. He then lifted Kwon Taekjoo’s chin, who was gasping with difficulty. His jet-black eyes were swollen with brimming tears. Zhenya’s eyes widened further at the unexpected sight. Kwon Taekjoo quickly turned his head, evading Zhenya’s hand.

It was then. A vibration echoed from somewhere. Zhenya’s gaze, which had been piercing Kwon Taekjoo, shifted to find the source of the vibration. Soon, a mobile phone rolling on the floor caught his eye.

Zhenya slowly stood up and picked up the phone. He didn’t answer immediately, checking the caller first. When he finally answered, he didn’t say “hello” but listened silently to the other person’s words. In the middle, he glanced back at Kwon Taekjoo. For some reason, his expression was displeased. The meaning was unclear.

Kwon Taekjoo followed him up to the rooftop. His face was utterly sullen. It seemed he was still upset from the night before. He paused before boarding the helicopter, gazing at Zhenya. There were no particular words. For a while, only direct gazes were exchanged. “Hurry up and go.” On the surface, it sounded like a farewell wish, but it was closer to a command to get lost immediately. Yet, Zhenya looked at Kwon Taekjoo with a novel expression. In truth, it wasn’t the first or second time. Occasionally, the man would wear an unfamiliar expression at casual words or actions. He didn’t seem to have made any particular slip of the tongue. When he frowned and asked “Why?”, Zhenya finally snapped out of it.

The man boarded the helicopter without a word. Soon, the engine started, and the propellers began to spin. A strong wind pushed against his entire body. Even as his hair and collar fluttered wildly, he steadfastly held his ground. When the helicopter took off above his head, he even gave a half-hearted wave. Soon they would never see each other again, so what was difficult about it? The pointless bets with him, the humiliation of giving him his back—it was all over now.

Zhenya looked out the window for a long time before slowly turning towards the sea. Kwon Taekjoo watched the receding figure, and as soon as the helicopter completely disappeared from sight, he descended from the rooftop. The place he headed for immediately was the basement, which he hadn’t been able to visit for days.

When he opened the door, a half-finished paraglider lay abandoned on the floor. He had constantly been anxious that Zhenya might discover it. He immediately crouched down and continued sewing the unfinished parts. He had already selected the launch site for the completed paraglider. The wind speed and direction he checked on the rooftop were also just right. Today, he will leave this place.

Zhenya’s helicopter landed in a pasture near Moscow. Although the weather had warmed considerably, patches of lingering snow could still be seen where the sun didn’t reach. The thawing ground was entirely muddy. It seemed he would have to give his clean shoes an untimely mud pack. Zhenya, looking at the ground beneath his feet, quickly gave up on crossing the mire. He decided to wait for his appointment in a nearby stable.

Dozens of horses were tethered inside. Thanks to being fed high-quality feed and consistently managed, their coats all gleamed. When Zhenya appeared, the docile horses became noticeably agitated. Whether it was their naturally sensitive disposition making them wary of strangers, or simply because the visitor happened to be Zhenya, was unclear. As Zhenya slowly walked through the central aisle, the nearby horses rolled their eyes and pawed the ground. Some even reared up in excitement.

The innermost spot was occupied by a dark brown thoroughbred. Its price alone was said to rival that of a supercar. Zhenya rested his hands on the fence and stared at it. It didn’t whinny like the other horses. It merely backed away a little, hesitating.

“You’re here already?” Around then, someone spoke from the entrance. It was Zhenya’s brother, Vadim, who had called him here. Vadim approached, calming each of the agitated horses one by one. His touch became even more meticulous as he stroked the dark brown horse Zhenya was watching.

“It won’t touch its feed at all. It’s been days already…” He sounded as if he were worrying about a child who wouldn’t eat. Given that the listener was Zhenya, he surely wasn’t trying to discuss ways to restore his beloved horse’s appetite or seek advice. It was merely a sigh. Usually, Zhenya would have just ignored it, but for some reason, he suddenly offered a solution.

“It’s always fed with good things, so it’s full. Just feed it plenty of things it hates. Then, if you occasionally throw in something it likes, it’ll go crazy for it.” It was absurd. Giving advice to a horse enthusiast, when he hadn’t even raised a single blade of grass himself. Moreover, his method was closer to abuse than rearing.

“Are you raising a tiger or something?” “Well, something similar.” An evasive answer came back. He even wore a peculiar smile, as if remembering something. He had no idea where the man had been or what he had been doing. Taking the opportunity, he pressed him.

“Where have you been staying these days? I heard you haven’t shown up at headquarters either.” “That’s not what you’re really curious about, is it?” He evaded the question with a smirk. His narrowed eyes seemed to mock him. Vadim paused, looking towards the entrance, and sighed. When he spoke again, his voice lowered.

“What did you do with that guy? You didn’t just deal with him on your own, did you?” “Maybe.” “Even if you did, bring back the body.” Vadim then added another remark. In reality, that seemed to be the real reason he had called Zhenya here. “How about finally revealing ‘Anastasia’?” Anyway, it was ‘Anastasia’ this and ‘Anastasia’ that with both of them. He scoffed, laughing incredulously.

“Are you suddenly asking for my life?” “I’m asking you to give up your life. Rumors are circulating that the Americans have secured the blueprints for ‘Anastasia.’ We can’t confirm the truth, but it’s natural for the Kremlin to be anxious. And you, absconding with even the spy dispatched from Korea, have made me lose face. The councilors are all saying he must be caught and made an example of. The President also wants to reconfirm your loyalty. This opportunity will be the Kremlin’s last act of clemency.” He scoffed at the warning about his life, taking it lightly. Then, with a smiling face, he took a step closer to Vadim. Even though they were blood relatives, he couldn’t help but feel a sudden tension.

“Go tell them. Don’t covet the Korean spy or ‘Anastasia.’ If they keep desiring what’s mine, I’ll shove ‘Anastasia,’ whom they love so dearly, right into the Kremlin.” The smile on his face vanished in an instant. He twisted his nose in a menacing gesture, then walked past Vadim.

“Evgeny!” Despite the piercing call, he didn’t look back. Vadim, left behind, kicked the innocent fence.

Before returning to the island, he stopped at the shopping district. If he was to stay only on the island for a while, he needed many things. As he was getting daily necessities and medicine, a certain food store caught his eye. The signboard had a Taegeuk symbol on it.

He visited this area every time he bought things, but he had never realized such a store existed. An unusual smell wafting from inside the store made his brows furrow instinctively. He stood there for a long time, neither entering nor passing by. The owner, who spotted him, rushed out.

“Welcome. What can I get for you?” The owner, who asked kindly, was a short East Asian woman. Zhenya briefly scanned the products displayed behind her. They were full of unknown items.

Finally, he pointed to a familiar package. The owner quickly understood and brought out a whole box of ramen. “Do you need anything else?” He shook his head and took the box. As he was about to pay, the owner used the moment to recommend another product. “This just arrived from Korea, and the response is really good. We sold out yesterday and only have this left! If you’re interested in Korean food, why don’t you buy one? It’s really delicious.” She stretched out “really” for emphasis. Zhenya’s gaze, which had been fixed on his wallet, subtly shifted towards it. His skepticism was evident. The owner quickly picked up a bag and showed it more closely. Zhenya’s brows furrowed again. The smell felt somewhat off-putting.

“…Are Koreans crazy about this kind of stuff too?” “Yes? Oh, of course! Koreans can’t eat without this. There’s even a song about it. When you live abroad, you miss this so much that you even get homesick! How about it, shall I get you one?” She asked while already half-filling the bag with the item. Zhenya nodded, still feeling a bit reluctant.

“What are you doing up there?” He looked up at the tall birch tree with an incredulous expression. Kwon Taekjoo was dangling precariously from its branches. On the way back in the helicopter, he had spotted a fluttering parachute displaying a deep color. Upon checking, this was the result.

Kwon Taekjoo kept his mouth shut and didn’t respond. Below his feet, which swayed helplessly with every gust of wind, a knife was stuck vertically in the ground. It seemed that when the crude paraglider got caught in the tree, he tried to cut the connecting ropes to escape and ended up dropping the knife.

Zhenya, who had grasped the entire situation, chuckled. Kwon Taekjoo, flustered, shouted at him not to laugh, but hanging there like that, he was hardly intimidating.

“Don’t move.” He warned, pulling a knife from his pocket. Kwon Taekjoo, understanding his intention, said “Wait,” but Zhenya unhesitatingly threw the blade. The swiftly flying knife circled above Kwon Taekjoo’s head, cutting the tangled ropes. Kwon Taekjoo fell straight down, landing hard on his bottom. If the accumulated snow hadn’t acted as a cushion, something would surely have broken.

To just stand there and watch someone fall. He really had a long way to go to be human. He groaned and slowly got up. Immediately, Zhenya grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away. The man didn’t ask anything. He merely informed Kwon Taekjoo of the reason for his repeated failure.

“To properly understand the wind here, you’ll need to be stuck here for at least twenty years.” He had thought he had sufficiently grasped the island’s terrain and wind patterns over the past few days, but it seemed even that was just a temporary trend. He had succeeded in skiing down and gliding powerfully, but was helplessly swept away by a sudden gust of wind. He had been hanging there for a full half-day.

As soon as he returned to the mansion, he collapsed in front of the pechka without even taking off his clothes. Having been exposed to the cold wind all day, his entire body shivered. It felt as though the biting wind had seeped into his very bones. Could he really be this unlucky? He resented the heavens.

Zhenya, who had gone straight to the kitchen to boil ramen, turned back in surprise. Kwon Taekjoo, who should have appeared by now, drawn by the smell, was nowhere to be seen. Given that his body was frozen solid, he must have been hanging there for a long time, and it seemed his despair had even extinguished his appetite.

He turned down the heat on the pot and approached Kwon Taekjoo. “Aren’t you eating ramen?” “No.” He refused without a moment’s hesitation. While he used to go wild for ramen, he wasn’t ramen-obsessed, and now it was even becoming nauseating. His stomach felt heavy, and his limbs ached; he just wanted to rest.

Zhenya didn’t press him further. He merely shrugged and returned to the kitchen. “Then I guess I’ll have to throw this smelly stuff away.” What smelled? He managed to turn his head. Soon, he saw a red bag held between Zhenya’s thumb and forefinger. For a moment, he doubted his eyes. He rubbed his eyelids. The shape of it, about to be thrown into the trash, became clearer.

He rushed over to Zhenya in an instant. Then, he snatched the kimchi, which the man had thrown into the trash can, mid-air. He hadn’t had the strength to lift a finger just a moment ago, but he didn’t know where that speed had come from.

He took out an empty bowl and carefully transferred the kimchi. Then, he swiftly put it on the ramen, which had already swollen, and ate. They said he’d get homesick if he couldn’t eat it, and it wasn’t an empty boast. There had to be drugs in it.

Kwon Taekjoo, who devoured the ramen in an instant, wore a satisfied expression. He rubbed his stomach, leaned back in the chair, and met Zhenya’s gaze. Feeling awkward, he cleared his throat and averted his eyes. A faint laugh escaped Zhenya.

“You… you’re really interesting.” “Please, just get sick of me already.” He responded, sounding fed up. Zhenya didn’t mind, just staring intently at Kwon Taekjoo. He was about to get up, but the intensity of the man’s gaze made him miss his timing. He had nothing to say, and just staying like that felt awkward, so he casually asked.

“Did you… eat?” It was meant to tell him to go do his own business and let him warm himself with the pechka. Was his expression strange? The man’s grinning face suddenly stiffened. He didn’t seem displeased. Rather, his expression was as if he had encountered something novel.

He was about to say, “Hey,” to the dazed man to get his attention. Then, the man suddenly uttered something strange. “…Anastasia, shall I give her to you?” “What?” “Do you want her, you?” He didn’t know what random thing he was talking about. As he frowned in bewilderment, the man abruptly turned and left the kitchen.

“Crazy bastard, what are you talking about?” He scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

Zhenya didn’t appear in the bedroom until late that night. Thanks to that, he was able to stretch out on the large bed and fall asleep comfortably. In his fading consciousness, he faintly heard a double bass performance. The flowing melody was as heavy and calm as before, but it felt somewhat melancholic.