Chapter 20: The Seducer’s Gambit

#20

Doyoo wished to dismiss it as idle talk, yet knowing Cheongshin’s words held considerable plausibility, he ultimately conceded.

He understood the board of directors’ unfavorable reaction, seeing how Seong Heeyu intended to completely exclude Doyoo from this matter and solely attribute the fault to himself as team leader. However, he had not anticipated it would be this dire.

Each member of Special Operations Unit Team 1 was a death row inmate granted a stay of execution, meaning they would be given no opportunity to plead their case, regardless of any mistake.

Cheongshin cupped Doyoo’s cheek.

“So, Doyoo, don’t worry.”

The sight of the beautiful man’s sweet smile truly made him feel as if all his worries could dissipate.

Yet, an instinct whispered a warning. Was he truly safe in entrusting everything to Cheongshin? A wave of anxiety washed over him, fearing he might escape one dire situation only to plunge into an inescapable quagmire.

No, it wasn’t worry.

Rather, a greater fear gnawed at him: that by allowing Cheongshin to extricate him from this predicament, he would gradually grow dependent on him.

“I want to know how you plan to take the punishment instead.”

Song Yoowon, who had been observing Cheongshin and Doyoo in silence, finally spoke. Though her expression remained hidden behind a mask, her voice betrayed a distinct sense of amusement.

Cheongshin smiled and looked at Song Yoowon.

“I’ll join Special Operations Unit Team 1.”

“What did you say?”

“What?”

“It’s exactly as I stated. Under Article 187, Clause 2 of Kadan, my identity, which concerns you, Mother, will be safeguarded. Kadan, in turn, gains the chance to utilize a brilliant, promising mage as their puppet, leaving them no room to object.”

Article 187, Clause 2. Doyoo’s mind involuntarily retrieved the details of the provision.

It was a provision applicable when there was clear circumstantial evidence that an individual had committed a grave offense, one akin to a disaster, yet lacked concrete physical proof. In such instances, the suspect would be assigned to Kadan’s Special Operations Unit for a specified duration, ensuring both surveillance and personal protection.

In essence, it meant the suspect would be kept under Kadan’s purview and exploited until definitive physical evidence of their guilt emerged.

“Mother, you don’t want my identity revealed to Kadan’s executives because of this, do you?”

If the matter were handled conventionally, proving Cheongshin’s innocence would necessitate revealing his identity as Song Yoowon’s son.

However, by proceeding as Cheongshin proposed, his true identity could remain a closely guarded secret from the executives.

She fell silent, appearing lost in thought for a considerable time, before finally posing her question.

“Are you truly prepared for this?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“…Alright. Let’s do as you say.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

****

“What’s your game?”

In response to Doyoo’s question, Cheongshin, who had been gazing out the passenger window, turned his head.

“My game?”

“Don’t you know what it means to join Team 1?”

“I know very well, Doyoo. I’m the Association President’s son, after all.”

“And despite that, you specifically chose Team 1? Tell them you want to transfer to a different team, even now. With your abilities, no one would dare object.”

Doyoo felt a pang of concern for Cheongshin. He was still so young, a genius mage with a brilliant future, just as he had declared.

Though his identity would be protected and the information available to executives limited, his striking face and voice would undoubtedly make him instantly recognizable should they encounter him again.

Cheongshin was a rare beauty, and his voice, a melodious tone as unforgettable as his face, left Doyoo with no doubt.

“While it’s exhilaratingly delightful to have you worry about me, Doyoo, I find myself drawn to Team 1. More accurately, I’m drawn to being by your side.”

“Lee Cheongshin. Stop joking…”

“A joke?”

Cheongshin abruptly leaned towards Doyoo, causing Doyoo to halt the hand that was fastening his seatbelt. The intense gleam in Cheongshin’s emerald eyes, now so close, startled and froze Doyoo like a rabbit caught in a snare.

Doyoo found himself unable to resist the force of Cheongshin’s hand gripping his chin. He was drawn forward, their lips brushing lightly before separating.

“I told you, Doyoo. I love you. It hasn’t even been a few hours, and you’ve already forgotten?”

“No, I… I remember, but…”

“As long as you haven’t forgotten, that’s enough.”

Cheongshin settled back into his seat. Doyoo, for his part, stared blankly at Cheongshin as he fastened his seatbelt in the passenger seat.

“Still, it’s hard to understand…”

Doyoo mumbled, his voice lacking conviction. He had, after all, witnessed countless comedies and tragedies born of ‘love’ from a third-person perspective, having handled numerous cases.

Yet, those experiences were not his own. Doyoo found himself utterly unable to comprehend Cheongshin, who, for the sake of ‘love,’ was willingly stepping into a team loathed by every other department.

Cheongshin, who had somehow caught Doyoo’s whisper, smiled as if he had just discovered a new, endearing facet of his beloved.

“If I join Team 1, I’ll be able to stay close to Doyoo for a long time, won’t I?”

“That’s true…”

Before they left the Association President’s office, Song Yoowon had pulled Doyoo aside, asking him to look after Cheongshin. The implication was undeniably clear: should Cheongshin join Team 1, Doyoo would be his designated partner.

While the Special Operations Unit typically operated on an individual basis, it was standard procedure for members to work in pairs during major assignments or when a new recruit joined.

New recruits, in particular, required extensive training even outside of missions, making it no exaggeration to say they would be practically inseparable throughout the day.

“While I’m in the Special Operations Unit, I’m going to seduce Doyoo.”

At the audacious declaration, Doyoo instinctively recoiled, then exhaled a long sigh before asking.

“If you say such things so openly, do you think I’ll fall for you?”

“Yes.”

“……”

Had he hesitated even slightly, he might not have appeared so utterly vexing. In this unfolding situation, Doyoo felt distinctly as though he were merely a pawn in Cheongshin’s game.

“Because I know what Doyoo’s desires are.”

“My desires?”

Why this sudden discourse on desires? Cheongshin met Doyoo’s blue eyes and nodded slowly. Then, a faint smile bloomed on his lips, radiant as the first blush of dawn filtering through the car window.

“Brother, do you know? Seduction can only truly succeed when the target harbors desires they don’t consciously recognize. The seducer then fulfills that ‘desire’ on their behalf, effectively preventing the target from ever truly grasping what they yearn for.”

Doyoo pressed his lips together.

Cheongshin continued, his tone clear and resonant, almost like a song.

“Because the target, unaware of their true desires, finds them fulfilled through the seducer. This leads to an ever-growing craving, a deeper reliance, until eventually, they lose all control over themselves.”

Indeed, as Cheongshin articulated, every individual harbors unrecognized desires. When these desires are fulfilled without conscious awareness, one inevitably becomes dependent on the source of that fulfillment.

Drug addicts serve as a prime example. Doyoo grasped the essence of Cheongshin’s words. He mulled them over for a moment, then, frowning, called out to Cheongshin.

“Hey.”

“Yes, Doyoo.”

“Why would you tell me all of that beforehand?”

Though he had no intention of becoming a mere puppet in Cheongshin’s scheme, such a brazen declaration left him no choice but to challenge it.

Wasn’t that tone practically a declaration that Doyoo would inevitably fall in love with him? It was brazen, certainly, but Doyoo, while acknowledging it as typical Cheongshin, found himself compelled to retort.

Perhaps Doyoo’s words caught him off guard, for Cheongshin, after a moment of surprised expression, burst into delighted laughter.

“Don’t fret, Doyoo. You’ll never truly know what your desires are. I simply won’t allow you to.”

Forever.

Doyoo savored the word, a term he had never once imagined hearing from another soul. Consequently, he found himself utterly at a loss for how to respond.

As if sensing Doyoo’s confusion, Cheongshin once again lowered his head, attempting to kiss his lips.

Though he had been taken by surprise moments before, this time a clear-headed Doyoo sharply turned his head, narrowly evading the kiss. A palpable expression of disappointment crossed the beautiful man’s face.

“Lee Cheongshin.”

“Yes?”

“Are you truly, at times, insulting me with a perfectly straight face? Or is it merely my imagination playing tricks?”

“Why would I insult my beloved Doyoo? I love you very, very much, Doyoo.”

“Just be quiet. I’m about to start driving, so buckle up.”

“Yes, alright.”

As soon as he buckled his seatbelt as instructed, Doyoo immediately set off, as if he had been merely biding his time. Cheongshin watched Doyoo’s profile, now intent on the road.

Doyoo was doing his utmost to maintain a neutral expression, yet a closer look revealed his cheeks and ears flushed a deep red, like luscious, ripe pomegranates.

Part of him yearned to caress Doyoo’s flushed ears, to lightly lick them and savor his reactions, before finally capturing his reddish lips and playfully tormenting him.

However, Cheongshin held back. Knowing Doyoo was unaccustomed to both giving and receiving affection, he was even more determined not to yield to his impulses.

Above all, he deeply desired to guide Doyoo through each step, revealing things to him little by little from the very beginning. He gently placed his twitching hands, eager to act on impulse, on his knees and clenched his fists.

If Doyoo had known Cheongshin’s thoughts, he would have said, ‘The guy who tried to strip me and pounce on me during an ambush is now talking about ‘steps.”

But Doyoo would never know what Cheongshin was thinking now, so it didn’t matter to Cheongshin at all.