* * *
[ WELCOME to JEJU ]
“Welcome, my ass. Damn it.”
Taeryu had the sudden urge to smash the smiling DolHareubang statue in front of him.
They called it probation, but in reality, it was just a modern-day exile.
With reporters swarming around Taesan HQ and Hyunwol-gwan, his grandfather probably thought this was the best decision.
But he needed to find Yoo Junhee.
Being stuck on this island was unacceptable.
“Shit, and it’s raining the moment I get here.”
Taeryu stood still, watching the rain pour down in heavy streaks.
He didn’t know how long this storm—both literal and figurative—would last.
But one thing was certain: if he stayed here too long, he’d be buried and forgotten.
At HQ, Hong Yeonggyeong and Ki Buseong wouldn’t leave the power vacuum untouched.
To stop them—to bring them down—he needed Ki Taeseong.
‘Not Yoo Junhee.’
And yet, all this time, instead of looking for Ki Taeseong, he had been chasing after Yoo Junhee.
Only when both had disappeared from his reach did he finally realize—
What he truly needed.
“D-Director! I’m so sorry for being late! There was an accident on the road because of the rain, and traffic was a mess… Ah, I’ll take you straight to the hotel now!”
A flustered staff member rushed over, hastily grabbing Taeryu’s suitcase.
Taeryu barely spared him a glance before exhaling a long sigh.
“Oh dear, what a shame…”
The shop owner looked devastated upon hearing Junhee’s sudden resignation.
“I’m sorry for the short notice, boss.”
“No, I had a feeling this might happen.”
“…Pardon?”
“You just have that look, like you’ve got a lot on your plate. Where are you headed? Do you have a place to go?”
Her warmth caught Junhee off guard.
“Ah… Yes. I wasn’t sure where to go at first, but now I know.”
“Good. No matter where you go, I know you’ll do great. So don’t worry too much, okay? And come visit anytime!”
“…Thank you. Really, for everything.”
Junhee bowed deeply, handing over a neatly wrapped gift.
“Oh, what’s this? You didn’t have to—why get me something so fancy?”
Even as she spoke, the shop owner was already tearing open the wrapping.
“Oh my! A new apron? I was just thinking I needed one! You really are a lucky charm, aren’t you?”
With a beaming smile, she looked at Junhee expectantly.
“Can I give you a little pat? Just once?”
Her eyes were almost too eager.
Junhee had seen that look before, countless times while working.
But he hadn’t realized what it truly meant until now.
“…Just once.”
The moment he gave permission, she gently patted his lower back.
“Thank you for calling me your lucky charm.”
Thanks to her, he really had started to believe it.
As Junhee turned to leave, she pressed a takeaway cup into his hands.
“Come back anytime. I’ll make you the best vanilla latte.”
He stared at the cup for a moment before bowing one last time and stepping out of the shop.
On the way back to his lodging to grab his packed bags, Junhee recalled a conversation with Ki Taeseong.
“If there’s somewhere you want to go, just say the word. Even overseas.”
“…I don’t even have a passport.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
Of course, he knew.
Ki Taeseong had been monitoring his every move for five years.
Even now, he was on the run from Ki Taeryu, hiding his identity.
If Taeseong wanted, he could send Junhee anywhere in the world.
“There is one place I’d like to visit.”
“Where?”
“Taiwan.”
At that, Taeseong had made a strange expression.
But he didn’t ask why.
Junhee took a sip from the cup.
The sweetness was overwhelming, but for some reason, his heart still felt bitter.
He didn’t bother asking himself why.
His phone rang at the crack of dawn.
In the dark room, the screen was the only source of light.
Taeryu flipped the phone over.
As he ran a hand through his hair, it buzzed again.
-Taeryu! Did you commit a crime against the reporters or something? Is this real? Huh?
Kim Daeheon’s loud voice drilled into his skull.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
-Dude, check the internet right now. The reporters are tearing you apart. Not that they’re completely wrong, but still! It’s a disaster! I sent you a link—look at it.
Taeryu hung up without a word and tapped on his phone a few times.
A news article popped up.
[T-Group’s heir, K-mo, caught in hospital parking lot violence scandal]
[U-
[Taesan Group linked to gang fight—suspicions of special treatment in police investigation]
[Third-generation chaebol’s habitual violence… T-Group chairman under fire]
They had been waiting for the perfect moment to drop this bomb.
From Kang Heesung’s party photos to the hospital parking lot incident to the Busan gang conflict—
Hong Yeonggyeong and Kang Heesung had both been eerily quiet.
Now he knew why.
They had meticulously stacked their kindling, waiting for the right time to pour gasoline and set everything ablaze.
He had known. If he didn’t crush them first, he would be the one crushed.
If he could find Ki Taeseong now, he could still turn this around.
But he was drained.
If it weren’t for the need to find Yoo Junhee, he wouldn’t have the strength to do anything at all.
He was already that far gone.
“That damn omega—what the hell is he to me?”
Was it regret that he hadn’t been able to break him?
Or was it the sheer audacity of running away from him that made his blood boil?
Whatever the reason, that omega—who didn’t even have the courage to face him—had left him like this.
His grip loosened, and the phone slipped from his hand.
Just as it was about to hit the floor, it vibrated.
(Unknown Number)
A single link popped up.
Expecting yet another scandal, Taeryu clicked on it.
It was a social media post—a simple photo of a beachside café.
[Photo]
Breathtaking view.
Ah, so healing. ♥
#JejuTrip #JejuAestheticCafe #FriendlyOwner #TheBaristaIsDelicious
“…….”
Taeryu’s hand froze mid-scroll.
The next moment, he was already up, moving.
“Welco—”
“Where is Yoo Junhee?”
“Goodness, you startled me! Handsome young man! Oh my, look at that sweat. Here, let me get you some tissues so you can wipe—”
The shop owner, about to step behind the counter for tissues, was stopped in place.
Taeryu stood there, blocking the way as if he couldn’t move an inch, his bruised face still carrying a menacing aura.
The shop owner widened his eyes at him before lightly pushing Taeryu’s shoulder aside and slipping behind the counter.
“Ah, another one looking for the ship after it’s already sailed.”
“…….”
“You wouldn’t believe how many people come asking for our Junhee. But I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before. When did you get here? If I’d seen that face, there’s no way I’d forget it.”
The shop owner pulled out a few tissues and poured a cup of water, handing it to Taeryu with a thoughtful expression.
“Here, have a cold drink and calm down, young man.”
Taeryu stared down at the glass of water and turned over the man’s words in his head.
Looking for him after he’s gone? And he’s not the only one?
His expression grew even darker.
“Aigoo, our Junhee sure has a lot to answer for. Is he planning to make the whole world cry?”
“I asked you. Where is Yoo Junhee right now?”
“Well, at this moment, I’d say…”
The room was filled with Yoo Junhee’s scent.
A seaside lodging with nothing but the ocean stretching beyond the window.
Taeryu’s heartbeat picked up in a way it never had before.
His palms grew damp, his throat tightened, and his voice refused to come out.
“…Yoo Junhee.”
He called his name softly, but only his own voice echoed back from the ceiling.
“Come out, Junhee.”
He wanted to tear the entire place apart if he had to, drag him out by force—but he was terrified that Junhee would just run away again.
Unlike his slightly crazed eyes, his voice remained steady.
“If you come out now, I won’t get mad.”
Of course, once he caught him, he had no intention of letting him go.
But there was no need to say that out loud.
Like a predator closing in on its prey, he moved deeper inside without making a sound.
In front of the window, a large fabric sofa sat in the vast open space.
Taeryu reached out.
The intoxicating scent was thick here.
It was the scent that dragged him back to that night—the night he finally had Yoo Junhee.
A sudden, unbearable impatience surged through him.
“Junhee, if you come out now, I’ll let it slide once. But if I have to find you myself—”
I might really lose it.
Creak.
The sound of a door hinge made him turn.
A door that had been tightly shut before was now slightly ajar, like a shell opening in water.
Step, step.
Taeryu walked over and stopped in front of the door, forcing his voice into a gentler tone.
“Junhee. You’re in there, aren’t you?”
The air was so thick it felt suffocating.
Damn it, Yoo Junhee was right behind this door.
He wanted to rip it off its hinges, storm in, and crush Junhee’s lips with his own.
Bury his mouth against that pale nape, strip him bare, and mark him red all over again—like a tattoo.
He wanted to lick up the tear that would slip down Junhee’s cheek as he gasped beneath him.
Grip his ankle, press him down, and take him over and over.
“Fuck, I’m really holding back here. How much longer do I have to?”
His voice came out rough, impatient.
Then, finally—the door swung wide open.
* * *
