* * *
“You really are slow. Do I need to spell everything out for you?”
I wasn’t wrong in my thinking—only in the fact that the person I was dealing with happened to be Ben Plaskun.
From the very first glance, Hoaphilen Regius realized it.
In that man’s eyes—cold and indifferent at first—warmth slowly welled up the moment they reminded him of someone, like a stream thawing under spring sunlight.
And softness, like leaves swaying in a gentle breeze, followed.
That realization quickly turned into certainty.
But even with that certainty, Hoaphilen found it difficult to admit her mistake—despite having lived a very long time.
Because she had never once seen Haimar Eilec’s sincerity.
To him, sincerity was just a thin veneer over a lie—something he could twist at will.
That’s what she believed, without a doubt.
And yet now—
‘You’re telling me… that was real?’
“No time for useless thoughts like that.”
[Fifth floor.]
The halted space began to flow again, and the elevator doors slid open as if nothing had happened.
Hoaphilen’s legs, which had been frozen like they were glued in place, finally moved—almost the instant the doors opened.
She didn’t even check to see if this was the right floor.
What gripped her now was a whirlwind of shame, unease, and urgency—a mess of negative emotions.
She wanted nothing more than to escape, to somehow reclaim the situation that had slipped out of her hands.
“Take care.”
A soft farewell came from behind, but Hoaphilen left in a hurry without even a proper reply.
She seemed to stumble a little, and in Haimar’s eyes, she looked just like a rat fleeing with its tail on fire.
Watching her pathetic retreat through the narrowing gap of the elevator doors, Haimar let out a brief, fleeting thought.
How presumptuous.
He brushed a cold hand over his stiffened lips and glanced at the watch wrapped around his wrist, clicking his tongue quietly.
Hoaphilen’s mind was well-trained—her defenses solid.
So he’d only grazed her to the extent that her psyche wouldn’t completely collapse.
He hadn’t gotten deep memories or thoughts, but he’d gathered enough.
If there was anything frustrating, it was not knowing exactly what Hoaphilen had said when she met Ben.
He could grasp the general tone and context of their interaction—but because it was Ben, he wanted to know everything. Every word, every phrase.
‘It would’ve been easier just to shatter her mind completely.’
In the past, he might’ve done it without hesitation.
But now, at least he could understand the strange distance Ben occasionally kept between them.
He wouldn’t say Hoaphilen was completely wrong in thinking someone as dull and useless as Ben didn’t deserve her attention.
Still, what neither she nor Haimar had accounted for was the weight of Ben Plaskun’s presence.
Hoaphilen had treated Ben like just another one of Haimar’s many side characters—but to Haimar, Ben was unmistakably different.
That’s why he’d gone out of his way to play this petty, laborious prank—to throw Hoaphilen’s game off balance.
It had been made possible thanks to the recently lifted control restraints.
So now, it was clear.
He had to have a real conversation with Ben.
What had he said to him?
Had he, without thinking about his own position, carelessly spouted something that could wound Ben’s self-esteem?
The thought gnawed at him.
But he couldn’t go back and see Ben today.
Annoyingly enough, today was Ellyn’s birthday—and also Elgran’s farewell party.
Normally, Haimar wouldn’t care for such noisy events. In the past, even if invited, he’d have ignored them.
But now that his Guide was involved, skipping out wasn’t an option.
Better to keep Ben where he could see him than let him wander out of sight.
The pointless party was about to begin.
Ben had said he’d be there with Xenon, so he’d likely already claimed a quiet corner of the gathering.
Haimar couldn’t care less about the other guests, but one thing did pique his curiosity—would Ben’s face turn red quickly if he drank?
As he idly imagined how he might “savor” his guide later, Haimar stepped out of the elevator as it opened to the floor he was headed for.
∗ ∗ ∗
“Welcome! You’re really early.”
“Excuse me for intruding.”
Cutting through the bitter winter wind that froze his bones, Ellyn appeared beyond the front door.
The warmth pouring out from inside made Ben, who had his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck, finally lift his head and greet her.
Ben had arrived two hours earlier than scheduled.
The rented house—about 30 minutes from Eternita Central—was a three-story building with a small garden, despite being close to the city.
Each floor had at least one or two bathrooms, there was a large dining room, a personal library, a spacious living room, and more guest rooms than two people could ever need.
When Ben first received the address, he was surprised it wasn’t a company-provided apartment.
But as it turned out, Ellyn had chosen this place herself, apparently dissatisfied with the original offering.
“Cold, isn’t it? Come in. But… Haimar isn’t with you?”
“Oh—he said he had work, so I came ahead.”
“Really? You didn’t have to rush. It’s not far—you could’ve come together.”
“No… I wasn’t sure when he’d be done…”
“Ah! Welcome, Ben!”
He could have come with Haimar.
But ever since the morning, the awkward tension between them had lingered.
Sure, Ben was the only one feeling awkward, but he figured it was better to avoid things for now while he still could.
He was just about to dodge Ellyn’s question with a vague answer when Xenon appeared at just the right moment to help him breathe again.
Still, the house was… impressive.
Pushing aside his modest worries about how expensive the rent must be, Ben followed Ellyn and Xenon to the dining room.
The closer they got, the more the delicious smells teased his appetite.
He’d expected just a light dinner with a few drinks—but the party was more elaborate than anticipated.
Clearly prepared with care, Ellyn had hired someone to cook in advance.
In one corner of the dining room, a buffet was laid out: lamb steaks, sirloin, fajitas, caprese salad—plenty to fill a stomach.
“Well, well. If it isn’t Ben Plaskun.”
“Haha! Welcome, Ben.”
At the table sat Elgran and Lus, who had arrived before Ben and were already pouring drinks next to a spread of apple pie and butter bread pudding for dessert.
Haimar’s morning remark about this being a party for alcoholics flashed through Ben’s mind.
“Hello, sir. But… is it really okay for Mr. Lus to be drinking now?”
“Hey! My guide is my business!”
The sharp response from Elgran hit Ben like a jab.
It wasn’t the first time the man had snapped like that, and seeing Lus respond with his usual, gentle smile, Ben could only shrug in amusement.
Before accepting a plate of food from Ellyn, he reached into his bag and pulled out a wrapped gift.
“Happy birthday, Miss Ellyn.”
“Oh! Thank you—it’s champagne!”
Since she seemed to like alcohol, Ben had stopped by a wine shop in the city center and bought a bottle of vintage champagne.
It was a 50/50 blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, according to the sales clerk’s flashy explanation—but Ben, not an expert, didn’t feel the need to repeat it all to Ellyn.
Still, he had paid attention to the storage instructions, which seemed important.
“It’s still cold from the weather, but I’d recommend refrigerating it.”
“This must’ve been expensive. Let’s drink it together later!”
While Ellyn went to put the champagne in the fridge, Xenon appeared from somewhere holding a gift wrapped in hot-pink paper.
She hesitated a moment before stepping shyly up beside Ben.
“Should I… give it to her now?”
“…Um, yes. Since Ben suggested it’d be better to give it together when he gives his…”
“And perhaps a bit later in the… evening would be better.”
If he hadn’t known what was inside, he might have dismissed it as just a gift wrapped in ordinary hot pink paper.
But since he had a pretty good idea, even the vibe emanating from the wrapping felt suggestive.
It was still early evening, a gift more suited for a much later hour, so Ben had subtly suggested handing it over when no one was around.
However, because Eli returned so quickly, he couldn’t say more and closed his mouth.
It doesn’t look good for someone who isn’t even the gift-giver to comment on someone else’s present in front of the birthday person.
Moreover, clearly interrupting the timing of the gift-giving wasn’t right either, so Ben ended up with a front-row seat to the gift presentation he didn’t want to see.
Under the bright lights, Xenon shyly held out the gift, and Eli opened it with excited, trembling hands.
The moment she saw it, she broke into a beaming smile, genuinely delighted.
“Oh my god, this looks so cute! Why didn’t you wear it, Xenon!”
“W-wear it… here?”
‘I should have just left quietly and focused on getting food.’
It would have been a fine scene if not for what he was holding.
In one hand, a dog ear headband; in the other, a tail plug.
As Ellyn spouted nonsense, Ben couldn’t bear to stay silent and ended up interrupting.
* * *
