Codename Anastasia Novel (End) - Chapter 83

But Zhenya didn’t leave Kwon Taekjoo alone. As Kwon Taekjoo expended all his strength and briefly caught his breath, he pushed the inserted object all the way in. The stimulating point of the insert, which slid in smoothly, swelled the base of his penis and pressed against his prostate. His entire pelvis vibrated. That uncomfortable sensation quickly surged into his inner thighs.

[Haa, ugh, take, ugh… it out. Take…]”

He thrashed about frantically, twisting his shoulder violently, shaking his head wildly. Zhenya gripped Kwon Taekjoo’s face, forcing him to look straight ahead. His eyes and ears were flushed red with lust, and a faint film of moisture shimmered in his pupils. Zhenya’s lips curved into a long, thin smile. His cinnabar eyes constricted tightly in response.

Kwon Taekjoo, sensing tragedy, frowned sharply. Zhenya, as expected, folded Taekjoo’s legs up onto his chest and pressed his own body down, covering him. Blood quickly rushed to Kwon Taekjoo’s face, now completely pinned beneath him. Zhenya watched Kwon Taekjoo groan, rubbing his massive erection against the already loosened opening. Kwon Taekjoo managed to meet Zhenya’s eyes, eyes that seemed to accuse and plead all at once. It was intoxicating.

“Haaa, Taekjoo.” “Haaaugh… Ah, h-huh, uhh!”

Zhenya smirked, then firmly pushed his member, which had been resting at the entrance, all the way in. The opening struggled to part, slowly taking in the thick flesh. At times, the grip was so tight it felt like his skin would peel off. His vision swam several times.

“Were you, hnh, very hungry?”

The tightness made him frown instinctively. He paused to catch his breath, then thrust down deep in one go. Kwon Taekjoo shrieked, convulsing. Was it his imagination, or did the insertable toy blocking his front hole rise slightly then fall? Curious, he poked the visible part, and his entire member trembled so much it was visible.

He observed the situation below, vigorously thrusting the inserted member. Kwon Taekjoo’s own member was squashed in response, pressing against his urethra. Kwon Taekjoo recoiled, pushing Zhenya away with his whole body. The rough stimulator’s points seemed to provide a distinct foreign sensation within his urethra. Perhaps he could make Taekjoo expel the toy without touching it. A strange curiosity arose.

On any other occasion, he would have deliberately teased Kwon Taekjoo by skirting the most sensitive points. The night was long, and there was no rush.

But after so long, the thought of enjoying a different kind of sex made even his non-existent patience vanish. A sadistic urge, like instinct, reared its head.

He intentionally pressed his abdomen tightly against Taekjoo’s. This completely crushed Kwon Taekjoo’s members. With their bellies pressed together, he subtly shifted his lower body.

“Aaa-uhh!”

Even with that shallow thrust, Kwon Taekjoo’s entire body convulsed. His highly sensitive member seemed greatly stimulated, pressed and rubbed against both their abdominals. A strange, unknown fluid seeped from his member, slowly dampening Zhenya’s stomach. Zhenya clicked his tongue, feigning pity.

“You’re whimpering. Wouldn’t it be better to just cry your heart out?”

Grinning, he unexpectedly slammed into a specific spot. His entire abdomen echoed dully. His rigid limbs trembled like a poplar leaf.

“Haah…! Uhh…”

Kwon Taekjoo’s face looked as if it could crumble at any moment. Zhenya stared at his anxiety, then relentlessly thrust, thrusting into the same spot. Each brush of Zhenya’s member sent a concentrated burning sensation like an electric current spreading everywhere. His fingers, toes, and even the roots of his hair tingled. An intense urge to pee also flooded his member, which was constantly being rubbed and crushed between them.

“Ugh, ahh… sh-shit, I want to come.” “Cum as much as you like.” “You crazy bastard, how… Aaa-uhh!”

His mouth, which had been spewing curses fueled by rage, clamped shut. Zhenya repeatedly pressed his lips down, thrusting even deeper. He wanted to entwine their tongues, but it felt like his tongue would be bitten off at any moment. As a compromise, he continued kissing Taekjoo’s lips and cheeks, repeating thrusts with wide drops.

“Ung, ugh… haah, ahng, uhh…!”

All Kwon Taekjoo, tied down, could do was groan. A profound moan escaped him with each depth of Zhenya’s thrust. He tried to bear it by gritting his teeth, but he couldn’t. The intensity of the sensation kept his head snapping back. His breath repeatedly hitched in his lungs before bursting out raggedly.

Zhenya increased the pace of his thrusts. Soon, a thick, white gel dripped down the outside of his member. The lukewarm inner wall was repeatedly pounded, seemingly molding itself to his member’s shape. It was a sensation both familiar and yet never quite familiar.

No matter how he tried to resist, Zhenya violently forced his way inside, sucking on the sweet flesh. The inner lining, thoroughly battered, became not just soft, but seemed to be devoured.

“Aauugh, ah, uhh, uhh, aaa-uhh…!”

Zhenya, who had been relentlessly thrusting, abruptly stopped. Some gel, moist and thick, stretched from his glans, which was barely inserted. Then it finally broke off, slapping onto one of Kwon Taekjoo’s buttocks. Kwon Taekjoo, who had been groaning incoherently, trembled. He swallowed ragged breaths, and his eyes, as he dazedly looked down, were quite moist.

“Zhenya…”

He called out to him desperately, his voice on the verge of breaking. Could there be any greater joy? Zhenya willingly descended towards Kwon Taekjoo.

“Aah, uh, uhhh…!” 

“Ugh, uhh, Taekjoo…”

He powerfully struck the slowly twitching inner wall, then climaxed in a gush. Kwon Taekjoo also trembled violently from the intense shudder. His head swam as if he’d been electrocuted. Zhenya whispered Kwon Taekjoo’s name repeatedly, showering kisses wherever his lips touched. Goosebumps rose on Kwon Taekjoo’s sweat-damp skin. When Zhenya put his tongue into his ear, Taekjoo groaned in a voice heavy with exhaustion. At the same time, their tightly pressed abdomens became slick with fluid.

“…Quickly.”

Kwon Taekjoo rubbed his forehead against Zhenya’s shoulder. His ragged breaths tickled Zhenya’s neck. Zhenya teased Taekjoo’s warm ear with his lips, then unlocked the handcuffs. Immediately, Taekjoo slapped his shoulder hard. Zhenya gladly accepted the blow. Even when Taekjoo pushed him away with his foot, Zhenya chuckled and obediently retreated. However, he absolutely would not allow Taekjoo to climax on his own.

Zhenya abruptly pulled Kwon Taekjoo’s ankle. Kwon Taekjoo’s body slid limply forward. Zhenya bit his smooth ankle bone once, released it, then nibbled at his calf. He continued past the knee to his thigh, leaving bite marks all over it. Kwon Taekjoo complained, asking what he was doing. Ignoring him, Zhenya continued to gnaw at the inside of his thigh, then sucked, slurp, slurp, at the soft skin of his groin. That alone made Kwon Taekjoo’s limp member tremble. Something, perhaps semen, was already oozing from his urethra. The insertable toy had also been pushed out somewhat.

“…Ugh.”

As Zhenya subtly tried to pull it out, Kwon Taekjoo flinched. His urethra constricted tightly. Zhenya caressed his entire member as if comforting it, then licked his glans. He repeatedly and gently kneaded his tongue over the urethra, carefully removing the mucus-covered insertable toy. Each time the thick stimulatory points were pulled out, Kwon Taekjoo’s hips twitched. When the very last part exited, the semen he hadn’t fully expelled burst out in a sputtering rush.

Kwon Taekjoo covered his face with both hands, muttering curses. Zhenya caressed his tired member and kissed the back of his hand repeatedly, stubbornly, until Kwon Taekjoo finally gave up and accepted his kisses.

He flinched and opened his eyes. His vision slowly cleared. Had he fainted again? He wasn’t sure how long he’d been lying there; the pillow felt completely flattened. His chest and abdomen were pressed entirely against the bed. Perhaps because his lungs were compressed, he couldn’t breathe easily. He tossed and turned to lie on his back. His entire body’s muscles seemed to scream.

“Ah… I’m going to die.”

Even his sighing voice was terribly hoarse. It was pathetic. He shouldn’t have provoked him in the first place. Throughout the night, tormented by Zhenya, he regretted what he had said. He had tried to retract it mid-way, but Zhenya wouldn’t listen. It felt like his body had been folded in various ways, just like that time he received physical therapy.

Was it still Saturday, or Sunday? What time was it? He hoped headquarters hadn’t called. Even with these questions, he couldn’t muster the courage to get up. He rubbed his head into the soft pillow, indulging in laziness. He instinctively fumbled beside him, and residual warmth lingered. Come to think of it, he could hear faint sounds of water. It seemed Zhenya still had energy left to move after expending so much.

“He’s not human, that one.”

He grumbled, about to try and get some more sleep, when his phone rang. The sound wasn’t coming from inside the room. Should he ignore it? He hesitated for a moment, then struggled to sit up. If it was a call from headquarters, the repercussions would be entirely his own.

Every step he took, the inside of his buttocks felt strange. His thighs ached, and his thoroughly stirred insides were indescribable.

His phone was on the kitchen table. Zhenya must have picked it up and placed it there. He grabbed it immediately, checking the caller ID first. It was an unregistered number. It had happened a few days ago too; was this definitely a telemarketing call this time? While he hesitated, the vibration subsided.

He immediately checked his missed call log. Fortunately, there were no calls from headquarters. What caught his eye was a message from Kang Chanwoo. It contained the location and time of the alumni gathering, and an earnest request to attend. He had completely forgotten, having poured all his attention into Zhenya since his return.

He scrolled back to the top, noting the caller ID from the recent call. The last digits looked vaguely familiar. Who was it? As he racked his brain, the screen suddenly inverted, and a call came in. It was that same number.

This time, he touched the answer button without hesitation.

“Yes?” 

“- Hello? Kwon Taekjoo?”

Just hearing that much, he knew who it was. More than ten years had passed. A person’s voice would naturally gain depth and resonance with the passage of time.

And yet, still, he knew.

“- It’s me. Yoo Nahyun.”

How did they become so close?

Yoo Nahyun said she liked Kwon Taekjoo’s indifferent side. Kwon Taekjoo didn’t try to deny the rumors that they were dating. Nor did he distance himself from Yoo Nahyun. It was more accurate to say he simply didn’t care about the rumors themselves. No one was harmed by the false gossip.

At the time, Kwon Taekjoo wasn’t seeing anyone else or interested in anyone. That was why he felt no need to explain. As Kwon Taekjoo became perceived as Yoo Nahyun’s boyfriend, the amount of gossip she faced decreased. Even if she rejected advances or drew a line, no one dared to speak ill of her. If she skipped private gatherings or departmental events, it wasn’t a big deal. Everyone just assumed she was dating and understood. Occasionally, they would tease Kwon Taekjoo for monopolizing his girlfriend too much. It must have been convenient for her.

It was the same for Kwon Taekjoo. Hanging out with Yoo Nahyun significantly reduced annoying incidents. Sometimes, it was even more comfortable than being with his friends. Yoo Nahyun never asked private questions or interfered. She never made unreasonable requests. On the contrary, she often helped him by reserving seats in lecture halls or libraries, borrowing books and papers needed for reports, and always sharing old exam questions if she happened to get them. She said it was for fair competition, but it might have been her way of expressing gratitude.

However, there was no romantic tension between them, not even a hint of it. At least, that’s what Kwon Taekjoo thought. He had never seen Yoo Nahyun as a woman. And it seemed there was no place for romance in Yoo Nahyun’s dictionary, except for her fervent ambition to succeed. As far as he remembered, she was always looking forward. It took him a long time to understand why.

“You know, I actually grew up in a facility?”

It was around the time Yoo Nahyun had applied for a language exchange and student exchange program. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, her selection was a foregone conclusion.

Around that time, Kwon Taekjoo was about to enlist in the military. Perhaps that was why. She might have wanted to finally get something off her chest. It was new to him, and he had occasionally seen family photos in her wallet, so he couldn’t help but be curious.

“I thought I saw a family photo before?” 

“You did. I was adopted.”

Yoo Nahyun answered casually, rattling her empty soju glass. It was unexpected, but he didn’t show it. He simply filled her glass in silence.

“My adoptive father was a firefighter.” 

“Why ‘was’?” 

“Because he died in the line of duty. When I was in high school.”

He nodded soberly. At the time, Kwon Taekjoo’s own situation wasn’t much different. Yoo Nahyun knew that.

“When I heard your father also died in the line of duty, I felt such a strong connection. I knew firsthand what happens to a family when they unexpectedly lose their breadwinner.”

Perhaps that was why Yoo Nahyun had actively approached him. Not simply because she saw Kwon Taekjoo as a competitor, nor because he was indifferent to her, but simply because he was someone who had achieved similar results in a similar environment.

“I guess I was born to a single mother. I was placed in the facility right after birth and grew up there until I was seven. My adoptive father used to volunteer there regularly. He was a man of few words, but he had a lot of subtle affection. He particularly doted on me. I don’t know, maybe I felt that way because I liked him. Sometimes he’d come with his fellow firefighters, and other times with my adoptive mother.”

Yoo Nahyun smiled blissfully, recalling the past. It was the face of someone lost in a dream. In fact, it was the first time he’d ever seen her smile like that.

“From the beginning, I loved my adoptive mother. Every time I watched TV, I wished I had a mom, and she was exactly as I had imagined. Gentle, kind, talked to me a lot, and paid a lot of detailed attention. When I heard the news that they would become my parents, I cried tears of joy! I cried so sadly that they even worried if I was scared to go with them. That’s how we became a family, and when I was in elementary school, my mother had a sibling. It was a precious child born after ten years of marriage. All the adults told me I was a good luck charm, right? After I was adopted, my sibling was born, and there were many big and small blessings in our family. I was truly happy too. I had never been a welcome presence before. I felt like a completely different person. The thought of having another family excited me so much I couldn’t sleep. There were so many things I wanted to do for my siblings when they were born.”

Suddenly, a familiar story came to mind: ‘the adopted child whose position shrinks after a biological child is born.’ Yoo Nahyun shook her head, as if to say, “Not at all.”

“Even after my sibling was born, my parents consistently supported and loved me. My sibling was also so cute and often followed me around. An ideal family was created, one that I had only ever imagined, one that was only possible in my imagination. At that time, every day was overwhelming and joyful… “

Yoo Nahyun, who had been talking ecstatically, suddenly let out a long sigh. He sensed a certain regret within it.

“Then my father passed away. It was when a large fire broke out in a commercial building, and he went in to rescue people trapped inside and couldn’t come out. It felt like half my world had crumbled. It was sad, empty, and full of despair. But the misfortune didn’t end there.”

What happened? He was curious but didn’t interject, waiting for her to continue.

“I stayed by his side throughout the funeral like a chief mourner. I wanted to do at least that. There were so many mourners: relatives, father’s colleagues, friends, neighbors… The night before the burial, an old colleague came very late. He asked me if I was the eldest daughter, and I, not knowing anything, said yes. Then he started telling me strange things.”

He cocked his head, listening intently. He couldn’t begin to guess what came next.

Yoo Nahyun chuckled, as if still dumbfounded at the memory. For a moment, various emotions flickered across her face.

“He said I was actually the deceased father’s biological daughter? That my father had a woman he secretly met behind my mother’s back, and that woman had me alone, but couldn’t raise me, so she left me at the facility. My father, receiving the news late, kept volunteering there to see me. And because my father kept caring for me, my mother, not knowing why, suggested adopting me.”

“…What?”

“What he said when he was drunk wasn’t credible. And I don’t know how close that colleague was to my father. But it wasn’t something I could just brush off.”

What had happened? According to the old colleague’s claim, the deceased husband had an affair with a woman while his wife was infertile, had a child, secretly visited that child at the facility, and then deceived his wife into adopting her. It was as if an unexpected bomb had been dropped at a gathering to honor the deceased’s altruistic and dedicated life. Whether it was true or not, he couldn’t imagine how his adoptive mother and Yoo Nahyun must have felt. He didn’t even know what to say.

“I didn’t do a DNA test. My mother refused, saying there was no need, she wouldn’t do it. She said we shouldn’t dishonor the dead, that he wasn’t that kind of person, and that we should believe in him. Should I have done it instead? After hearing that, I couldn’t be the same as before. My mother also seemed uncomfortable whenever she dealt with me, and I felt unnecessarily sorry to my mother and siblings.”

Yoo Nahyun emptied the glass she had been holding in one gulp. Then, with a shrug, she let out a big exhale. When she spoke again, her voice was cheerful, as usual.

“That’s when I decided I needed to be independent. My mother would be overwhelmed raising my siblings alone and taking care of them. So I decided I had to do well on my own, at least so I wouldn’t be a burden.”

Only then did he understand why Yoo Nahyun worked ceaselessly. And why she always strived so hard to maintain high grades.

“I often wonder if it would have been okay if my father hadn’t died. It’s a meaningless thought. But as I kept thinking about it, I wanted to create machines that could perform rescue and life-saving operations in dangerous places where people can’t enter. I don’t want any more sacrifices like my father’s.”

No matter what, her father was the one who created a family for Yoo Nahyun. Yoo Nahyun seemed to constantly long for the happy period when he was alive. Perhaps she would have to do so for the rest of her life.

“I told my mother I’d likely be going as an exchange student.” 

“What did she say?” “She praised me for doing well. Said she was proud. But you know, the human heart, just once, I wished she would hold onto me. I wanted her to regret it, to ask if I really had to go there.”

Yoo Nahyun chuckled weakly. Her gaze remained fixed on the empty soju glass.

“Maybe it’s better to be moderately happy. Then I wouldn’t feel this way. The time back then was so good, but it can never be filled again, so I always feel overwhelmed and empty. Like I’m all alone in this world.”

Yoo Nahyun, who had been grumbling, suddenly lifted her head, saying, “So…” Their eyes met. Her brown eyes looked transparent. It was because they were moist.

“Kwon Taekjoo, you be on my side.”

“…Taekjoo?”

The call jolted him back to reality. Zhenya, having finished his shower, was standing behind him. He wasn’t wearing a single thread.

“You crazy bastard, put some clothes on.” 

“How quaint.”

He dismissed it casually and headed for the refrigerator. Zhenya’s dangling member, whether from the shower or from being rubbed all night, was redder than usual. The marks from the condoms he’d put on and taken off multiple times remained like dark red rings, quite erotic. Not to mention the handprints on his broad back and arms. He idly looked down at his fingernails. He’d tried to keep them short, but they were still like this.

Zhenya took a bottle of water from the refrigerator and drank it. His gaze remained fixed on Kwon Taekjoo the entire time.

“More importantly, who was that?”

When Kwon Taekjoo feigned ignorance, Zhenya gestured with his chin towards the phone. He seemed to have heard the conversation. He could have just mumbled something about it being his mother or a work call. That would have been much less troublesome in the long run. Nevertheless, he answered honestly. There was nothing to hide between them.

“A college friend.” 

“A college friend? It’s been over ten years since you graduated, hasn’t it?” 

“That’s right.” 

“After all this time, what business do they have with you now?” 

“…Well, that’s not wrong. But why does everything you say sound so weird?” 

“Because the listener hears it perversely. Or because you have a guilty conscience.”

He sounded him out, suddenly asking, “What kind of guy is he?” Zhenya hadn’t imagined anything, and there was no reason to hide it, but it felt like he shouldn’t mention anyone’s name. A disaster would surely befall his innocent friend’s perfectly normal life.

He hastily changed the subject, saying he was hungry. Zhenya, despite his displeased look, habitually put water on the stove. He seemed poised to boil ramen again. Usually, Kwon Taekjoo would complain about being tired of it, but today he even specified the menu: spicy stir-fried noodles, to divert Zhenya’s attention. Zhenya, as expected, looked stern, saying it wasn’t food. Kwon Taekjoo chuckled, vowing to make Zhenya take a bite.

To Yoo Nahyun’s question about attending the alumni gathering, he replied he would try his best. It wasn’t because he had any other feelings or was nostalgic. He just felt he had to see her in person one last time.

“Oh, over here.”

Kwon Taekjoo raised his hand, and Yoon Jongwoo, who had been excitedly walking over, slowed his steps. Facing Kwon Taekjoo, with his back to the entrance, sat a tall foreigner. Seeing the back of his head, he had a hunch, and his ominous premonition wasn’t wrong. The one who turned to look at the stiffened Yoon Jongwoo was the madman of Russia, Zhenya.

“S-senior…?”

He barely managed to roll his eyes to look at Kwon Taekjoo. He had rushed straight from work, having been told Kwon Taekjoo would treat him to beef. He hadn’t been warned that anyone else would be joining. Of course, for a normal person, it wouldn’t matter who else was there, as it wasn’t their money.

But if it was Zhenya, that was a different story. If he had known he’d be eating with him, Yoon Jongwoo would never have come.

“Just sit down for now. I’m hungry.”

Kwon Taekjoo patted the seat next to him without much explanation. Yoon Jongwoo clutched his bag strap tightly, glancing nervously at Zhenya. What if he just ran away now? Would Zhenya grab him by the scruff of his neck? Would he break his neck for ignoring him? He pictured violent scenarios, then hesitantly sat down. Zhenya stared at him with a penetrating gaze. Facing those cinnabar eyes that never blinked, fixed on him, made him feel intimidated. Did people’s pupils normally show that much?

“What do you want to eat?” 

“Can’t I just not eat and go?” 

“Why? You were so happy when I said I’d buy you beef.” 

“I suddenly lost my appetite. I’m not very hungry. Oh, I think I’m having indigestion! Yes, I have indigestion.” 

“If you have indigestion, you should eat a lot to push it out. Sirloin?” 

“No, since you have company, I’ll just leave.”

He subconsciously pleaded, please. Kwon Taekjoo seemed to half-listen, calling a server. Then he ordered a whole lot of things on his own.

Soon, the table was filled with various side dishes. All the while, Zhenya didn’t take his eyes off Yoon Jongwoo. He tried to avoid his gaze, but that intense look was impossible to ignore. Was this what it felt like to encounter a tiger? Perhaps it would be like this if he were trapped in a large aquarium with a shark. He instinctively pressed his knees together, a nervous chill running down his spine.

“Don’t just stare at each other, say hello. You’re friends.”

“…Wha-aat?” 

“You’re the same age.”

Kwon Taekjoo added casually. Yoon Jongwoo already knew Zhenya was born in the same year as him. He often asked him to dig up information, so there was no way he wouldn’t know. Still, friends? It was the most bizarre thing he had ever heard. It felt like it should absolutely never happen. It was his instincts warning him.

“Senior, why are you doing this to me?”

He grabbed Kwon Taekjoo’s arm and shook it. It was a pathetic gesture, begging him to stop and let him go. At that, Zhenya glared at Yoon Jongwoo even more overtly. Was something about him displeasing Zhenya? Yoon Jongwoo flinched pre-emptively and shut his mouth. He even quietly tucked his lips inward. His hands were primarily clasped on his knees.

“So, you’re the junior who drank with Taekjoo?”

He thought, So this is the voice of the madman of Russia. His presence was extraordinary from the start. His voice wasn’t as deep as he expected, but it was a tone he had never heard before. Moreover, there was a subtly chilling aura about it. Was his peculiar, leisurely, twisted accent inherent to the Russian language? He didn’t know Russian, so he couldn’t tell. Nor did he understand what Zhenya’s first words meant. He just followed Kwon Taekjoo’s lead, raising the corners of his mouth when he saw Kwon Taekjoo smiling.

Kwon Taekjoo, with a forced smile, warned Zhenya.

“Hey, don’t glare. You’ll scare him.” 

“What did I do?” 

“You should at least be polite to someone you’re meeting for the first time. Smile, you bastard.” 

“He looks dumb, I don’t like it.”

Yoon Jongwoo rolled his eyes back and forth at their fluent Russian conversation. Zhenya continued to look at Yoon Jongwoo with disapproval. They say you can’t spit on a smiling face, but it seems not to apply in Russia. His cold gaze seemed to embody all negative expressions. It was like sitting on a bed of thorns.

Kwon Taekjoo kept saying something to Zhenya while moving the corn cheese, fruit salad, and potato pancake in front of him to the other side. These weren’t dishes Kwon Taekjoo was particularly fond of, but he wasn’t usually one to bother moving them. Was it because the madman, though a foreigner, couldn’t eat spicy food?

He watched curiously when Kwon Taekjoo suddenly wrapped his arm around Yoon Jongwoo’s neck. Yoon Jongwoo’s head naturally tilted that way.

“Jongwoo, can I ask you a favor?” 

“Don’t.” 

“Hey, what’s the point of having a good junior? Don’t be like that, just help me out this once.” 

“Do you know how many times ‘just this once’ has been? Have some conscience, please.”

He stopped bickering and glanced at Zhenya. The gaze on his forehead was too intense to ignore.

“You two seem to get along very well, don’t you?”

It was still in Russian, so he couldn’t understand it, but he clearly understood that Zhenya was displeased with him. Zhenya’s blue eyes were as sharp as honed blades.

“Senior, can you tell him to stop glaring at me? He seems to dislike me.” 

“Don’t be like that, you two get along.” 

“No. The moment I leave this restaurant, I will forget about that person. I’ll live my life never knowing him.” 

“Just for today.” 

“I said no!” 

“You can’t do that.”

Kwon Taekjoo muttered in a troubled tone. An ominous feeling arose.

“What can’t I do?” 

“You have to play with him today.”

At that moment, all the expressions drained from Yoon Jongwoo’s face. He cocked his head, certain he had misheard. When Kwon Taekjoo nodded, confirming he heard correctly, Yoon Jongwoo burst out laughing. Then he immediately sobered up, whispering rapidly.

“What kind of nonsense are you spouting so casually?” 

“Hey, cut me some slack. Just for half a day. Please?” 

“No, that person isn’t a child. Why should I cut him slack?”

He inadvertently pointed at Zhenya. Zhenya frowned. Just that small reaction made Yoon Jongwoo’s index finger curl. And they wanted him to stay with this man for half a day? It was preposterous.

Kwon Taekjoo’s persuasion continued.

“It’ll be a headache if that bastard follows me.” 

“Where are you going, Senior?” 

“Me? I’m going to see some college friends.” 

“Then you should take him there. Show them what a Russian madman looks like. Tell them he’s the Russian ambassador to Korea too. You’ll be the center of attention!” 

“Ah, don’t joke.” 

“You’re the one joking, Senior.” 

“Seriously, just this one day, please? I’ll buy you all the game items you want.” 

“No thanks! Do you even know how much that costs?” 

“Even if it’s expensive, it won’t exceed 500 million won.” 

“500 million won? Ha, Senior. Even for game items, you buy them with real money, not cyber money.” 

“I know.” 

“Didn’t you say spending even 5,000 won on things like that was wasteful?” 

“Well, yes, but this bastard gave me some money as a tip, so it’s ‘blind money.’ I’ll spend the dirty money casually to feel less guilty, so I’ll treat you.”

What on earth was he talking about? Was he just throwing money around? Suddenly, a limited-edition item flashed in his mind, equivalent to his monthly salary. Also, a rare item costing as much as a domestic car. He couldn’t quite believe Kwon Taekjoo would buy them, but if the money came from Zhenya, it felt strangely credible.