* * *

Woohee’s long, fan-like lashes, drenched with tears, clumped together and made it difficult for him to open his eyes—he looked like a newborn fawn struggling to see.

“Y-Yes, it would,” Woohee stammered.

“Exactly. Then you know you’ve done wrong, right? So you’ll have to accept your punishment.”

It seemed Jinwoo had calmed down, but he hadn’t.

His anger, boiling to the very top, surged again as he grabbed Woohee’s wrist and dragged him into the house.

Woohee stumbled, losing one of his slippers in the garden as he was hurried along.

“Hyung, my wrist hurts,” Woohee protested.

“Shut up.”

Inside, Jinwoo scanned the area like a lion sizing up prey.

The household staff froze in pale-faced terror at the unexpected intrusion of Jinwoo and the crying Woohee.

“Everyone, gather in the living room.”

Soaked from earlier and now standing in the air-conditioned room, Woohee shivered violently.

Goosebumps rose on his skin, and his teeth chattered.

“See? Dressing so indecently makes you shiver even in the middle of summer.”

The cold air from the air conditioner was to blame, not the short sleeves and shorts.

But Woohee knew better than to argue—it would only stoke Jinwoo’s rage.

Jinwoo took off his suit jacket and draped it over Woohee’s shoulders.

With their significant size difference, the jacket’s sleeves draped over Woohee’s hands, and the hem fell to his thighs, covering most of his shorts.

Ironically, this made the shorts seem even shorter.

The thought of how revealing Woohee’s clothing was burned into Jinwoo’s mind like a needle carving words into stone.

He unbuckled his belt and yanked it out of his trousers.

At Jinwoo’s command, the gathered staff lowered their heads and stayed silent.

Jinwoo walked slowly among them, testing the belt in his hands to show its sturdiness.

“Who? Who dared to dress my brother in those clothes?”

Butler Kang, who had never imagined things would escalate this far, shut his eyes tightly.

He doubted Jinwoo would actually strike someone who had served the Yeo family for 15 years—but Jinwoo was unpredictable, and the possibility tightened his chest.

“Not answering? Then you can all expect to be beaten to death today.”

Jinwoo swung the belt at the nearest servant.

“Kyah! Sir! It wasn’t me! It was Butler Kang! Butler Kang is responsible!”

The servant, clutching her cheek where the belt had struck, sobbed loudly.

Jinwoo exhaled sharply, then dismissed the others.

They fled, leaving Butler Kang alone, swallowing dryly in the empty living room.

“Butler Kang.”

“Y-Yes, Director.”

“Do you know how wrongdoers were punished in the past? They were rolled up in mats and beaten until they died. But nowadays, if the master beats a servant to death, it’s considered a crime. What nonsense. Still, it’s the law, so I can’t kill you—I’ll just make sure you live.”

Jinwoo raised his arm high, then swung the belt like a whip, striking Butler Kang.

“Argh!”

Butler Kang screamed.

Woohee’s legs gave out, and he collapsed.

Terror gripped him—what if Jinwoo really killed Butler Kang?

Crawling over, Woohee clung to Jinwoo’s leg, begging.

“Hyung, please don’t hurt the butler. It’s my fault! I’m the one who asked for summer clothes.”

Woohee buried his face in the back of Jinwoo’s thigh, rubbing against him in a display of desperate affection.

Though pleased by his brother’s gesture, Jinwoo didn’t stop hitting Butler Kang.

“Woohee, I already know it’s your fault. You’ll be punished too, so stay back—you might get hurt.”

“Sob… Hyung, I’m sorry! I’ll never wear such clothes again. Please forgive me. Just stop hitting the butler. Punish me instead!”

Jinwoo lowered the belt, gazing down at the pitiful, writhing figure of Butler Kang.

“Butler Kang, my Woohee says he’ll take your punishment. What do you think? Should I keep hitting you, or let you betray Woohee and save yourself?”

Kneeling, Butler Kang bowed his head to Jinwoo, trembling.

“Director… I was only following the Second Young Master’s orders.”

“Puhahaha. Woohee, did you hear what that old man you tried to save said? You were willing to get hit by me just to save someone like him.”

Yeo Jinwoo smiled in satisfaction, having successfully driven a wedge between Butler Kang and Yeo Woohee while making it seem as though it was all Butler Kang’s fault.

Unraveling the tie around his neck, he pulled Woohee’s hands behind his back and bound them with the tie.

“Butler Kang, go to my study and bring me ten books.”

“Yes, Executive Director.”

Butler Kang replied with the unwavering composure of a loyal servant, as if he hadn’t just been subjected to Jinwoo’s wrath.

Jinwoo stacked the books brought by the butler neatly on the floor.

“Woohee, climb onto the books.”

The stack of ten books was too high for Woohee to step onto unaided.

As soon as he tried, the unstable pile collapsed.

Jinwoo restacked the books and, this time, hoisted Woohee onto them.

“Now, you’re going to stand on this pile until midnight. Every time you fall, Butler Kang will get hit because of you. Understand?”

“Hhic, sob, sob.”

With tears streaming down his face, Woohee nodded, his shoulders trembling.

His arms, tied behind him, made it even harder to maintain balance, and the precarious tower of books wobbled dangerously with the slightest movement.

Adding to his predicament, it was only 3 p.m., meaning he had to endure this torture for nine grueling hours.

The very thought of stepping down, even to relieve himself, meant Butler Kang would face the lash of a leather belt. He couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, and had to endure.

Though Woohee had known Jinwoo could be frightening, he had never imagined this level of ferocity.

Despite his submissive tendencies, the situation filled him with a primal fear, as if his very life were in danger.

If there had been a safeword to stop this sadistic game, he would have screamed it a thousand times over.

But this wasn’t some casual BDSM role-play—it was the life Woohee had chosen, living as a devoted slave to his master.

Determined to endure the punishment and earn Jinwoo’s approval, Woohee managed to stand on the books for an hour.

But his legs began to swell and tremble.

When he faltered and fell, Jinwoo caught him.

Meanwhile, Butler Kang, kneeling in the living room awaiting his fate, was beaten with a leather belt by Jinwoo.

“Again.”

At Jinwoo’s command, Woohee climbed back onto the stack of ten books.

His legs throbbed, and his feet ached so much that tears fell freely from his eyes.

“Ahh, hyung… I-I can’t. My legs hurt too much.”

“Woohee, did I hit you? Did I do anything to you? If you can’t even stand properly, how can you claim to take care of yourself? You’re weak and helpless without my protection. Admit it.”

“Yes, sob… It’s true. I can’t do anything without you.”

Jinwoo’s expression softened slightly, and he smiled, his eyes narrowing.

Woohee, hoping the punishment was over, was disappointed when Jinwoo checked his watch and said, “Seven hours left.”

The sight in the living room horrified Chairman Yeo and Kim Minjeong, who had rushed home upon hearing the news.

Witnessing the scene in person was far more shocking than hearing about it secondhand.

“What the hell is going on here? Jinwoo, stop this madness right now!”

Despite the chairman’s outburst, Jinwoo remained unfazed, lounging on the sofa with his legs crossed, watching Woohee’s punishment like a spectator.

When Kim Minjeong tried to untie Woohee’s wrists, Jinwoo lifted a teacup from the table.

Startled, Kim Minjeong instinctively stepped back.

Jinwoo mockingly mimicked her dainty tea-drinking gestures, lifting his pinky as he sipped.

The twisted smirk beneath the teacup brim made his derision clear.

“Wise choice, Mother.”

“Jinwoo, stop this immediately! What could your brother possibly have done to deserve this? Are you insane? When will you come to your senses?”

Ignoring the chairman’s anger, Jinwoo replied nonchalantly, “Father, Woohee wore short sleeves and shorts today.”

“So what? Are you punishing your brother like this over that?”

“Did you approve of it, Father?”

“What if I did?”

“I see. Would you like to be punished as well, then?”

“What?”

Stunned by his son’s audacity, the chairman could hardly believe his ears.

Jinwoo extended his hand to Woohee, who, realizing his brother was finally forgiving him, hurriedly climbed down from the books.

Limping on legs stiff from standing too long, Woohee walked toward Jinwoo, who lifted him onto his lap and massaged his aching calves.

Though Woohee had only stood for two hours, the intensity of Jinwoo’s methods left everyone too shocked to notice.

“Woohee, from now on, you’re never to wear clothes like that again.”

“Yes, hyung.”

Woohee meekly replied, snuggling his face into Jinwoo’s chest like a well-trained pet.

“Come, let’s go to my room. I’ll massage your calves properly.”

Jinwoo carried Woohee to his room, laying him face-down on the bed. His rounded hips and broad pelvis made his slim waist look even narrower—a sight that stirred Jinwoo’s thoughts.

To commemorate Woohee’s short-sleeved and short-pants debut, Jinwoo indulged himself, caressing every inch of skin exposed by the outfit.

The sensation of bare flesh against his hands was intoxicating.

Woohee’s limbs, flushed pink at the joints, looked exquisitely delicate.

He giggled and squirmed under the massage, his sensitivity further evidence of his pliable nature—a promising sign.

“Woohee, it won’t be long now.”

“What? Until what?”

“Until you’re ready to accept my love.”

“Do I… not love you already, hyung?”

* * *