* * *
Heesung wanted to make sure it was agonizing.
Starting with severing his limbs, one by one—
“Ugh… hhk… hh… gk… kkh—!”
At that moment, Go Yeonwoo, who had been sobbing desperately, suddenly began gasping for air.
It wasn’t just labored breathing from a high fever—his breaths were dangerously shallow, as if he might stop breathing at any second.
In that instant, Shin Heesung snapped to attention and rushed to Go Yeonwoo’s side.
His body, which had been limp just moments ago, now convulsed violently, his torso rapidly rising and falling.
Shin Heesung’s face turned pale as he watched.
“G-Go Yeonwoo…!”
Panicked, Shin Heesung pressed down on Go Yeonwoo’s chest, but the spasms wouldn’t stop.
“Ghk—kuh…! Hhk—!”
Then, Han Jihyuk, who had silently approached, grabbed Go Yeonwoo’s chin and pressed his lips against his without hesitation.
He slowly breathed air into Go Yeonwoo’s mouth, forcing oxygen into his struggling lungs.
Truthfully, Han Jihyuk was seething with a rage so cold it felt like his entire body might freeze over.
Unlike Shin Heesung, he didn’t show it outwardly, but his mind was filled with nothing but violent fantasies of tearing Koo Hyukjun to pieces.
Yet he didn’t stop breathing for Go Yeonwoo.
No matter how consumed he was by fury, he wasn’t foolish enough to stand by and watch him die.
Go Yeonwoo couldn’t die like this—not so meaninglessly.
He hadn’t brought him here and locked him away just to let him perish like some worthless thing.
Go Yeonwoo had to live.
He had to atone to Woo Jiyoo for the rest of his life as nothing more than a hole to be used.
A cheap slut who existed only to spread his legs and take cock.
Yes, that was all Go Yeonwoo was to him—a fucktoy, nothing more, nothing less.
A guided plaything didn’t need free will.
He only needed to be used like an object, fucked raw whenever desired.
That was how it should be.
So why… why was he so afraid?
It was ridiculous.
He was furious that Go Yeonwoo had dared to play around with Koo Hyukjun instead of him, yet the thought of him dying terrified him.
Pathetic.
He almost wanted to laugh at himself.
Suppressing the urge, Han Jihyuk kept his eyes fixed on Go Yeonwoo’s condition.
“Huu… hhk…!”
The convulsions gradually subsided, his breathing stabilizing.
The erratic rise and fall of his chest slowed, his body finally settling.
Logically, Han Jihyuk knew he didn’t need to keep breathing for him anymore—but he couldn’t stop.
The taste of those lips was unbearably sweet.
What had started as artificial respiration had long since lost its original purpose.
He sucked greedily at Go Yeonwoo’s mouth, his gaze locked on those tightly shut eyelids.
He wanted to force them open, to make those eyes look only at him.
Overcome by impulse, he pressed his thumb down on Go Yeonwoo’s eyelid.
He wasn’t planning to be as rough as usual—not because he cared, but because he knew better than to push too hard when Go Yeonwoo was still feverish.
If he died from overexertion, that would be inconvenient.
That was the only reason.
Han Jihyuk repeated it to himself as he continued ravaging Go Yeonwoo’s mouth.
But he couldn’t keep going. Shin Heesung, unable to stand by any longer, tore Go Yeonwoo away from him.
“…Stop it. Don’t torment my fucktoy.”
Shin Heesung snarled at Han Jihyuk, clutching Go Yeonwoo tightly.
Han Jihyuk knew he wasn’t actually concerned about Go Yeonwoo’s suffering—he was just marking his territory.
Amused, Han Jihyuk straightened up and smirked.
He wasn’t Lee Dohoon, but right now, he couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.
The spasms had stopped, but Go Yeonwoo’s condition hadn’t improved.
That persistent, unexplained fever still clung to him, and Han Jihyuk exhaled sharply in frustration.
The lack of progress gnawed at him.
Lee Dohoon had rushed out to find help, but there was still no news.
Han Jihyuk knew how difficult it was to find a trustworthy healer, but that didn’t stop his anger from boiling over.
He wanted to hunt down that sluggish bastard Lee Dohoon and kill him.
BANG—!
Just then, the heavy door burst open with a deafening crash before slamming shut again.
Go Yeonwoo, still cradled in Shin Heesung’s arms, let out a faint whimper, his brow furrowing at the noise.
Shin Heesung glared at the source.
Kang Taewon strode in, looking just as furious as when he’d stormed out earlier.
When he noticed Shin Heesung’s glare, he sneered.
“The fuck you staring at, huh? Want me to gouge your eyes out?”
“You’re the one making noise. That’s why Go Yeonwoo’s groaning.”
“Ha. The fuck you talking about? Where the hell does it look like he’s groaning from noise? Are your eyes just for decoration, shithead?”
“…Filthy mouth. Don’t dirty my toy’s ears. Get out. Disgusting.”
“You wanna die? Perfect. I was already pissed, and breaking shit didn’t help. Guess I’ll just rip your fucking mouth open—that oughta make me feel better.”
Just as Kang Taewon lunged at Shin Heesung like a wild beast, Han Jihyuk compressed the air, forming an invisible barrier between them.
“If you’re just going to keep causing a scene, then get out like Shin Heesung said. You’re nothing but a nuisance.”
Han Jihyuk’s icy gaze locked onto Kang Taewon, his blue eyes colder than ever.
Kang Taewon frowned, sensing something off about Han Jihyuk’s demeanor.
This wasn’t just anger over Go Yeonwoo’s condition—something else had happened.
Realizing some other bullshit must’ve gone down while he was away, Kang Taewon turned to Shin Heesung, the easiest target.
“Hey, Shin Heesung. Spit it out. What the hell happened?”
“Why the fuck should I tell you? You my boss now?”
This time, Shin Heesung reacted sharply, his eyes flashing. Kang Taewon frowned at the unusual attitudes of Han Jihyuk and Shin Heesung before reaching for the earpiece in his ear.
Even if Shin Heesung didn’t answer, he could just check the surveillance cameras in the room to see what had happened.
And sure enough, after rewinding the footage, Kang Taewon suddenly cursed and lunged at Go Yeonwoo, who was in Shin Heesung’s arms.
“What, we weren’t enough for you, you fucking slut? You had to spread your legs for that goddamn pig bastard too?”
Before Kang Taewon’s hand could touch Go Yeonwoo, Shin Heesung swiftly pulled back.
He glared at Kang Taewon, who was exploding in rage, screaming like a madman.
“…I warned you. Get out.”
“You fucking bastard. Doesn’t this piss you off too? That whore’s been letting just anyone play with his cunt, and you’re just fine with it?!”
“Then what do you want me to do? Kill my own damn pussy when he’s already barely hanging on? I can’t live without this. Like you said, I’m a fucking esper who can’t survive without Go Yeonwoo.”
Shin Heesung retorted sharply, his words unusually quick for him.
“Who said anything about killing? I’m not planning to kill that little slut either. But if he’s gonna act like a whore, he should at least get his cunt torn up to pay for it!”
“And what if his fever spikes and he dies? Will you take responsibility? Even fish in water need to breathe—what am I supposed to do without Go Yeonwoo? Huh?”
“Are you deaf? He needs to pay for whoring himself out, you fucking bastard!”
“You think you’re any different, Kang Taewon? Without Go Yeonwoo, you’re nothing too…!”
Now even Shin Heesung was shouting, his breathing ragged, betraying how unstable he was.
Their energies surged violently, clashing in the air.
The two forces tangled, on the verge of exploding—
* * *
