Chapter 26: A Generous Standard

Two figures lay on a bed awash in the faint glow of moonlight. The silhouette of a man stirred. He pushed himself up, his upper body now upright. As the sheets slid away, the menacing curves of his muscles caught the dim light.

The man lifted one of his arms, his gaze fixed on the red handprint that marred his wrist. He turned his arm over, inspecting the marks on his body—small scratches and what looked like teeth marks.

He studied his own form for a long time, as if seeing such wounds for the first time.

A small red light blinked in the darkness. A cell phone, left on a table, was vibrating silently. Careful not to wake the person beside him, the man rose and walked into the hotel living room to answer the call.

–Why’d you suddenly disappear in the middle of our conversation? If you’re going to leave, you should at least say something.

The person on the other end spoke in English. Despite the accusatory and agitated tone, delivered without so much as a greeting, the man dismissed it nonchalantly.

–Right. I was a fool for expecting an answer. So, when are you rejoining us? You’re not planning on putting down roots in Korea, are you?

“For the time being, I’ll be operating solo.”

–Oh, that’s a new one. As if you’ve ever been cooperative. Cut the bullshit, finish up, and get back here.

“Don’t contact me first. You keep the others in line. As for me…”

A torrent of curses poured through the receiver. Standing in the living room, Han Do-hoon ignored the noise like static and looked at his reflection in the mirror.

His entire body was a tapestry of red and blue marks. His back, where Jin Sa-yoon had clung to him, was likely in even worse shape.

His reflection smiled—a fierce, predatory grin that didn’t reach his eyes. In a voice devoid of humor, he informed the person on the phone,

“For a while, I need to focus on my guide.”

He had finally found him. The shadow cast on the marble floor by the bright moonlight danced with joy.

[…If there is danger, it will always be the Espers who stand at the forefront.]

A voice, tinged with faint static, echoed from the wall.

[Even if no one acknowledges them, they are always there, silently doing their duty. What is it that allows them to rush toward danger without hesitation?]

[Well, I’ve never really thought about it that deeply. To me, it was simply a matter of course.]

The cringeworthy content and the familiar voice snapped his hazy consciousness into sharp focus. Sa-yoon’s eyes flew open, and he scrambled to look at the screen. A video of his own interview, from not long ago, filled the massive television.

Why was the documentary, which was supposed to air at 6 PM on Friday, playing now? Peering through the blackout curtains that shrouded the room in darkness, Sa-yoon found a clock and checked the time.

It was indeed 6:15 PM.

He quickly balled his fists and checked his fourth finger. A sigh of relief escaped him as he felt the smooth texture of metal. Thankfully, he had managed to keep the ring on through all that chaos.

“Aigoo…”

As the tension eased, his body, which felt far from its usual state, began to ache with protest. He turned on the light, and his eyes fell upon his own bruised skin. Han Do-hoon had truly savored him like a feast, leaving him in this state.

Sa-yoon idly ran a hand over the marks, a mix of red and dark blue. Anyone who saw him would think he had been in a brawl. Even after the most intense training, his body had always remained pristine, without a single mark. This was the first time he’d been so battered since awakening as an S-rank.

Lifting the covers revealed an even more chaotic canvas on his torso. He scratched his cheek as his eyes landed on the particularly red marks on his lower half.

“Are you awake?”

Han Do-hoon entered, carrying a tray. He placed a hot coffee and a sandwich on the bedside table.

“I was worried when you didn’t wake up, but after checking on you, I saw that you were fine.”

“Does this look fine to you?”

“When I was washing you, I made sure nothing was broken or bent, thankfully.”

As Han Do-hoon said, his limbs were intact. The problem was that *only* his limbs were intact. Sa-yoon grazed his ruined skin.

“Your standards are certainly generous.”

Sa-yoon stretched with a groan. His bones were fine, but his muscles were another story. As he loosened his stiff muscles and shook his body, his mind began to clear.

“So? Are you satisfied now?”

Han Do-hoon’s eyebrows softened, and his eyes curved into crescents. It was a look that needed no verbal answer. Yes, that was the same expression he wore last night as he moved, his gaze devouring Sa-yoon as if he were made of sugar. Sa-yoon felt a pointless warmth pool in his lower abdomen.

“I wish I could have been of help to you as well, Mr. Sa-yoon.”

“…It wasn’t bad for a change of pace. We’ll have to see about the rest.”

Han Do-hoon had kept his promise. Just as he’d offered, he had tossed Sa-yoon around so thoroughly that he couldn’t think of anything else. Thanks to that, despite his battered body, his mental state was surprisingly good. After a deep sleep, his head felt clear.

He wasn’t sure how much of a threat his connection with Han Do-hoon would be to Jin Jung-woo, but it was an excellent way to relieve stress.

“Such a harsh evaluation. I thought I put in quite a bit of effort. What score would you give me?”

“About a seventy?”

“And what’s the passing score?”

“Seventy.”

“Cutting it close.”

“I was being generous.”

Honestly, he could have scored him higher, but the sight of Han Do-hoon’s smug face killed any such inclination. If he praised him now, his ego would probably shoot through the ceiling, and that was a sight Sa-yoon had no desire to see.

“Well then, I should probably head back to the base.”

With what little strength he had in his upper body, Sa-yoon sat up, his back to the bed. Han Do-hoon’s gaze was fixed on his bare back. The image of that same intense stare from last night sent a shiver down his spine. Still, feeling that wrapping himself in a blanket would be admitting defeat, Sa-yoon feigned indifference as he picked up his shirt from the floor and put it on.

“You can go back already?”

“A shower will fix most of this. Now I have to go to the Director’s office, get an earful, and catch up on work.”

“I see.”

Though he nodded, Han Do-hoon didn’t move from Sa-yoon’s side. He even took it a step further, placing the warm coffee in Sa-yoon’s hand, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Clad only in a shirt, Sa-yoon let the warmth seep into his fingers and asked,

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Drink it before it gets cold. I ordered room service.”

While the thoughtful preparation was commendable, he had no idea why Han Do-hoon was serving him a meal. Deciding to at least taste the effort, he took a sip of the coffee.

“I ordered this instead of a meat dish. I figured a steak would get cold if I ordered it in advance.”

He almost spat out the hot coffee. Sa-yoon, who nearly choked, put the cup back on the tray, unable to hide his bewilderment. Was he talking about that old superstition—that if you had a satisfying night, you get served a meat dish in the morning?

“You don’t mean what I think you mean, do you?”

“I probably do.”

He’d suspected it before, but it seemed Han Do-hoon really did have a screw loose. No, more like five or six of them. Hesitantly, he examined the sandwich and saw it was packed with bacon. It seemed the comment about it being a substitute for a meat dish wasn’t a joke.

“You must have had a very good time.”

“Yes. It was even better than I expected.”

Delivering the far-from-innocent statement with stark frankness, Han Do-hoon moved closer. Standing behind Sa-yoon, he slipped his fingers through the opening of his shirt. A warm hand traced over his firm abs, slowly brushing against the remnants of last night.

He explored the fine tremors of Sa-yoon’s muscles as if savoring them. His fingers traveled cautiously up to his chest, and when they brushed against a hardened peak, Sa-yoon’s shoulders instinctively tensed.

“Did you not like it?”

“Mm…”

As Sa-yoon hesitated, Han Do-hoon pinched the nipple between his fingers and twisted.

“Ngh.”

“I noticed yesterday, but you’re quite sensitive.”

Provoked by the attitude that suggested he was the only one who had enjoyed it, Sa-yoon retorted.

“I think you enjoyed it more than I did.”

At his words, Han Do-hoon’s leisurely smile deepened.

“You’re right. I was the one who was desperate, the one who indulged himself. In fact, I’m holding back a lot right now. If I had my way, I’d lay you right back down this instant.”

Spitting out the shameless confession without a hint of embarrassment, Han Do-hoon turned Sa-yoon around and began to button his shirt, starting from the neck. His smooth fingers glided slowly down the thin fabric. As he fastened the last button near the waist, his thick palm brushed against the inside of Sa-yoon’s thigh, which was still bare. The act was deliberately provocative.

“I’m holding back because I thought you might be tired.”

“I’m not that fragile.”

“Then that’s a relief.”

Han Do-hoon’s hand, which had been stroking deep on Sa-yoon’s thigh, suddenly gripped it. The strong grasp made Sa-yoon instinctively clamp his knees together.

“You’re clingier than I thought, Mr. Han Do-hoon.”

“I didn’t know it either, but it seems I am.”

Smiling with shameless charm, Han Do-hoon pushed Sa-yoon back onto the bed. As Sa-yoon fell back limply, Han Do-hoon climbed on top of him, stroking the shirt he had just finished buttoning. Everywhere his hands touched through the thin fabric, he could feel the heat radiating from Sa-yoon’s body.

If he disliked this touch, he could easily stop it. Sa-yoon had more than enough power to halt Han Do-hoon. And yet, he didn’t want to move.