* * *

Lee Jaehee lifted his lips from my hand and bowed his head.

“I’ve killed Lee Jooyun and captured Jung Eunji alive.”

“I told you to capture them both alive.”

“I’m sorry. Lee Jooyun resisted too fiercely—”

Before he could finish, Lee Jaehee collapsed to the ground as if crushed by an overwhelming force.

I was pressing him down with telekinesis.

The pressure was enough to kill, crushing his entire body.

I felt fear—a person could burst and die.

Yet dream-me remained eerily indifferent, as if it was second nature, or as if it wouldn’t matter if he really did die.

“I told you not to make excuses.”

“…”

“If I give an order, complete it. That’s your job.”

Fortunately for Lee Jaehee, I released the pressure before he died.

He was still useful, even if he failed this time.

Lee Jaehee staggered to his feet, his expression tormented.

Despite nearly dying, his eyes held no fear or anger.

Only reverence remained—a reverence not for a person, but for a god.

“I understand, Heewon.”

Dream-me scowled, finding that blind devotion utterly repulsive.

But even faced with my blatant disdain, Lee Jaehee remained unfazed.

I rose to my feet.

He had at least brought back one of them, so I intended to inspect the captive myself.

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, I’ll follow.”

Jaehee stepped out of the lavish room and crossed the hallway.

Through the sparsely placed windows, he could see the dark ocean stretching out below.

As he walked, a spacious hall came into view.

Instead of taking the grand central staircase, Jaehee headed toward the emergency exit on the side.

Beyond the exit, a narrow staircase continued downward.

After descending for a while, he reached a low-ceilinged corridor.

The hum of machinery echoed around him.

From there, Jaehee, looking somewhat apologetic, took the lead.

He crossed the corridor, heading to the very end, where their destination awaited.

Inside a small room was a cage.

It was a narrow cage, about half the height of an average person.

Inside was a figure who seemed to be Jung Eunji—or at least, someone presumed to be them.

The identification was uncertain because their face was so mangled with blood and wounds that it was almost unrecognizable.

“Wake them up.”

At my command, Jaehee signaled to the guard standing beside the cage.

The guard pressed a button on a remote placed above the cage.

“Aaaaargh!”

The unconscious Jung Eunji woke with a scream.

A thick collar, perfectly fit to their neck, emitted a sharp blue light.

Their body jolted violently as if overwhelmed by excruciating pain.

“Ghhk, hhh, hhhh…”

With blood-streaked tears running down their face, Jung Eunji glared at me.

Their gaze was so fierce it felt as though it could tear me apart.

“Where is Baek Gunho?”

“I… don’t know…”

The guard pressed the button again, and another scream tore from Jung Eunji’s throat.

I didn’t ask any further questions, simply standing by silently.

The guard, as if instructed, pressed the button at regular intervals.

I wanted to yell for it to stop, but the me in the dream remained composed.

Only after the process repeated for a long while did I finally stop the guard—not out of mercy, but for a different purpose.

“Open it.”

At my command, the cage door opened.

I crouched down and grabbed Jung Eunji by the hair, pulling their head up.

They grimaced in pain but laughed faintly, their voice breaking into uneven gasps.

“Hh… haha, do… you think… you’ve won…?”

“…”

“This… is a fight… you… can’t… win…”

“I don’t lose.”

I replied immediately, letting go of their hair.

Jung Eunji collapsed to the floor.

I looked down coldly at their trembling, pain-racked figure.

It wasn’t just out of stubbornness.

I had a certainty that I wouldn’t lose.

Though I couldn’t explain where that certainty came from.

“Even if Baek Gunho has a miracle, it doesn’t matter.”

“…”

“I’ll win, no matter what it takes.”

A shadow at my feet writhed, as if responding to my words.

I woke up as if fleeing from the dream.

Before I could even process the confusion of the dream, an even more bewildering sight greeted me.

A man’s bare chest was right in front of my face.

Startled, I shoved him away.

Unsurprisingly, it was Baek Gunho who stumbled back.

“What a dramatic way to wake up.”

“You—wouldn’t you react the same?!”

“Ah.”

Baek Gunho’s gaze roamed over me, then he reached out and pulled me into a tight embrace again.

“Not quite…”

His low, sleep-roughened voice tickled my ear.

A shiver ran down my spine as his thigh pressed against the space between my legs.

“Hngh…”

A humiliating groan escaped my lips at the sudden contact.

I struggled, but Baek Gunho didn’t let go.

Eventually, I had to use a skill to push his hands away.

He finally backed off, muttering under his breath.

“Using power over nothing.”

“You’re the one constantly doing that!”

Ignoring my retort, Baek Gunho got up.

I glanced around the room.

I had fallen asleep on the sofa, but I woke up in the bedroom.

I couldn’t believe I’d slept so deeply I didn’t even notice being moved.

The clock in the darkness showed six o’clock.

Baek Gunho drew the blackout curtains, letting in a flood of light through the window.

His bare torso, striking even in the dark, now looked even more indecent in the bright daylight.

Why did he have to sleep like that?

If he was going to sleep half-naked, he could at least do it alone.

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Wait, is it morning already?”

“Yeah.”

“…”

How long did I sleep?

My precious half-day off had gone to waste. N

ot that I had anything particular planned, but it still felt like such a waste.

“Come out when you’ve woken up.”

Thanks to the overwhelming sight that greeted me upon waking, I was already wide awake.

I wished he’d leave quickly—for the sake of my sanity.

I escaped into the bathroom, brushing my teeth while staring at my reflection in the mirror.

For some reason, a strange feeling washed over me.

Like I’d been looking at this face for an unnaturally long time.

That weird dream was the problem.

It felt more vivid than usual, almost real—like the hallucinations I used to see.

And sometimes, the thoughts I had in those dreams felt like they were my own, even though they were things I would never think of.

Could the hallucinations and the dreams be connected…?

Whether they were or not, it left me unsettled all the same.

I wanted to resolve at least the hallucinations quickly, but both the old man and Baek Gunho seemed busy, so I’d have to wait before asking for help.

After brushing my teeth, I stared down at my empty hands.

These hands had grabbed Jung Eunji by the hair in the dream.

The sensation of gripping their blood-soaked, sticky hair—it was something I couldn’t even imagine.

I took a cold shower.

The icy water seemed to dampen the strange thoughts a bit.

After a long while under the freezing stream, I trudged out to the living room.

The smell of food wafted through the air.

I perked up and headed to the dining table.

But what Baek Gunho had prepared was a plate of greens, scrambled eggs, bacon, and French toast.

“Koreans need rice…”

“Just eat it without fuss.”

At twenty-six years old, I couldn’t afford to be picky.

Sighing, I sat down and nibbled on the rabbit food in front of me.

“Did I sleep quietly?”

“You looked like you were having a nightmare.”

As expected.

Whenever I had those kinds of vividly realistic dreams, it always showed.

Baek Gunho looked at me with an oddly sharp gaze.

“Nightmare?”

“It was just… you know…”

“You know, what?”

“I guess I was restless because of what happened yesterday.”

Thinking about yesterday sent a shiver down my spine.

Baek Gunho smirked faintly as he studied my face.

“Yeah, I could tell. When I moved you to the bed last night, you wouldn’t let go of me.”

“What?”

“So I had no choice but to stay with you.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Why would I lie about that? It’s true.”

I could swear I didn’t have such a sleep habit.

I prided myself on sleeping so still it could be mistaken for death.

But since I couldn’t prove what happened while I was unconscious, there was only so much I could argue.

I pouted in frustration.

“You should be careful for a while. I think they might try to approach you soon.”

“Are you going to assign bodyguards again?”

“Not if you don’t want them.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Wouldn’t want you falling for one of them.”

“…”

That unnecessary remark annoyed me.

Why did he sound so smug about me liking him but also bring up me potentially falling for someone else?

Sure, I rejected Baek Gunho, but still…

“You could just assign someone who already has a partner or spouse.”

“They could still cheat.”

“Do you think I’d date someone like that?”

“Did you watch some trashy drama or something? What do you mean ‘cheating’? Ridiculous.” I spoke in disbelief, but Baek Gunho looked at me suspiciously.

“Is that your type?”

“No, it isn’t!”

This guy had a consistency that remained unchanged whether he knew what I liked or not—he never actually listened to a word I said.

“Anyway, no bodyguards.”

“I don’t want a bodyguard either.”

Only then did Baek Gunho nod. He worried about the most absurd things.

“Then at least wear a tracking device.”

I thought he might let it go for once, but of course not. Reluctantly, I nodded.

“…Fine.”

“How cooperative.”

Well, even I don’t trust myself sometimes.

“Then let’s use this.”

Baek Gunho pulled a small box out of his inventory.

Inside was a tiny piercing with a rounded ball attached.

* * *