Swallow Hunting

There had never been any prior arrangement. Song Jaewook had just shown up and waited like he owned a stake in the place. Cha Haejun was already enough to give him a headache—he had no desire to pile Song Jaewook on top of that.

Lee Kangjoo didn’t respond to the knock. He simply organized the documents spread out before him. Even as he put everything back in place and picked up his jacket, the knocking came again. When he ignored it, Song Jaewook opened the door on his own and poked his head in.

“Hello, sir. So you were inside.”

He was someone with no further use. Judging by his ability, he might be usable elsewhere once more, but the way he looked at him was deeply unpleasant. He had tolerated him while he was useful—there was no reason to anymore.

“What brings you here without an appointment?”

“Come on, do we really need an appointment to see each other?”

That was exactly the kind of relationship they had. Even when Lee Kangjoo looked at him in disbelief, Song Jaewook didn’t lose that same smile.

“I’ve been waiting outside for over three hours. Just to see you.”

“So?”

“Well, at least have dinner with me. Make the wait worth it.”

“You expect me to compensate you for waiting on your own?”

Even sparing time for him felt like a waste. As he tried to brush past, Song Jaewook, without a shred of fear, grabbed his wrist.

“If you leave like this, you’ll miss something interesting. I heard something.”

Lee Kangjoo looked down at the hand gripping him. Under that blade-like gaze edged with irritation, Song Jaewook slowly let go and raised both hands. As if dust had settled on him, Lee Kangjoo lightly brushed off his wrist.

“Say it here.”

“Over dinner—”

“I’ll hear it first.”

“Come on—”

“I’ll give you five minutes.”

His voice was dry, as if there was no reason to listen any longer. His expression as he checked the time was utterly indifferent. Five minutes—that was all. If he let him go like this, it would be over. Panicked, Song Jaewook blurted out:

“That guy you’ve been favoring lately. His name... Cha Haejun, right?”

For the first time, Lee Kangjoo’s gaze turned to him.

Song Jaewook cursed under his breath. He didn’t want to admit it, but if he wanted to catch this man’s interest, using Cha Haejun was the only option.

A few days ago, after running into Cha Haejun by chance while ordering delivery, he had secretly commissioned a background check.

Just as he expected. Cha Haejun’s past wasn’t just messy—it was filthy enough to make him untouchable. The stories, especially the one about how he’d ‘enthusiastically’ sucked off other men in front of people, made him let out a hollow laugh.

How the hell did he end up picking up a rag like that?

Even after hitting the bullseye, his mood sank to the bottom. But he didn’t show it. Lee Kangjoo didn’t know anything. That was the only reason he was keeping someone like that at his side. If he knew even a fragment of that past, he’d be disgusted and throw him away—Song Jaewook was certain.

“I’ve heard some things about him. Does that make you want to have dinner with me now?”

“Not really.”

Lee Kangjoo didn’t budge. That calm expression only fueled his stubbornness. No matter what, he was going to have dinner with him—and more than that. He burned with determination.

The first day he met Lee Kangjoo, he couldn’t sleep, his heart racing. The face you couldn’t forget once you saw it, the low voice that stirred something in you, the detached attitude toward everything, the effortless manners despite being involved in dangerous work—it all shook him.

Everything about Lee Kangjoo appealed to him. He was the ideal he’d always dreamed of.

He didn’t want to lose him. The thirst nothing had ever satisfied—Lee Kangjoo felt like the one who could.

Maybe the preview had been too weak. There was no time to drag it out. Song Jaewook quickly added:

“You’d be shocked if you knew what Cha Haejun used to do.”

“......”

“How filthy he lived... That bastard, he’s not someone who suits you at all. I’m not the type to go around saying things like this, but it seems like you’re being deceived.”

He tried desperately to draw a reaction, but Lee Kangjoo’s expression didn’t change. He glanced at his watch again and turned away.

A perfect dismissal.

“Cha Haejun—he was a prostitute!”

Song Jaewook shouted, thinking it would be enough to stop him.

“He sold his body to anyone, men or women.”

He had definitely heard—but Lee Kangjoo grabbed the doorknob as if he hadn’t. Song Jaewook rushed forward and blocked his path.

He couldn’t let him go like this. That wasn’t why he had waited like an idiot all this time.

“Aren’t I better than someone that filthy?”

The fact that Lee Kangjoo was open to men should have been welcome—but the fact he already had someone was irritating. Even more so because it was some trash of unknown origin. He had to get rid of him to take his place. So he clung to every flaw he could find in Cha Haejun.

“Why should I care?”

The response was nothing like what he expected.

“What?”

Lee Kangjoo looked at him as if he were pathetic.

“Is Cha Haejun’s past something that matters to me?”

“No, but—”

“I don’t see why it’s something that should block my way.”

“Listen to more. Just what I know—”

“Why are you going this far?”

To get your attention. To hold onto you. Because once this was over, it felt like he’d never see him again.

He hesitated, unable to answer, and Lee Kangjoo moved to leave again. If he let him go now, there would be no next time.

“I like you!”

The words burst out.

“......”

“I’ll treat you better than Cha Haejun. I’m confident.”

Lee Kangjoo let out a quiet sigh and lowered his head. Then, rubbing the back of his neck with his large hand, he looked at him. One corner of his mouth crooked upward.

“Better than Cha Haejun? How?”

“I can give you anything you want. Work, or... anything else.”

Song Jaewook was desperate. No matter what it took, he wanted to keep him.

Just thinking about someone so far beneath standard—some piece of trash from who knows where—occupying Lee Kangjoo’s side made his insides burn. He couldn’t even sleep.

Lee Kangjoo stepped closer, grabbed his chin, and tilted it side to side. His touch was rough, like inspecting merchandise on display. His gaze was cold, and irritation flickered between his slightly furrowed brows.

“You’ve heard about Cha Haejun, but it seems you haven’t heard about me, Mr. Song Jaewook.”

The low voice, almost like a whisper, was intoxicating. Song Jaewook stared at him, entranced.

The atmosphere created by that expressionless face was dizzying, like staring into pitch-black water with no visible bottom. And yet, he was drawn into that unknowable abyss. Ever since meeting him, everyone else felt like lukewarm water in comparison. That was why he clung to him so desperately.

“How I deal with people who talk bullshit to me.”

“...What?”

“This is how I usually handle it.”

Their faces were so close their lips could touch. Song Jaewook’s gaze grew hazy.

That was the moment the grip on his chin tightened, like it would crush it. A chilling light flashed in Lee Kangjoo’s eyes.

And yet, even in that instant, Song Jaewook failed to realize the hell that was about to unfold.

* * *

Haejun sat on a bench, staring blankly into the air.

He had come out to the park because staying at home felt suffocating, but he didn’t have any real plan or purpose. Just getting out of the house had been enough.

The cold air seeped through every gap, but even that was better than being inside. Lee Kangjoo’s house felt like a prison sealed off by thick walls on all sides. Even when sunlight came in, it felt colder than shade, and even with the windows wide open, the air felt thin.

He gripped his phone tightly, not knowing when Lee Kangjoo might call. This time, he had made sure it was fully charged. He could’ve killed time watching something, but for some reason, he didn’t want to. The phone felt as heavy as a lump of iron.

His mind was a tangled mess, and his chest felt like it was weighed down by dark clouds. Just thinking about what to do next made his temples throb. Then when he thought of Lee Kangjoo, the headache would sink down and spread into a different kind of pain. Every time that happened, Haejun found himself clutching his chest helplessly.

“Haah...”

He let out a long sigh when his phone suddenly vibrated in his hand.

It was Lee Kangjoo.

Judging by the time, he should’ve been off work. Haejun slapped his cheeks lightly to pull himself together and answered.

“Yes, sir.”

“—Where are you.”

“At the park in front of the house. I came out for a quick walk. Did you get off work?”

“—Not yet.”

“Are you going to be late today?”

Whenever something unavoidable came up, he would let him know in advance, so he assumed it was that. But Lee Kangjoo didn’t answer right away.

After waiting, Haejun spoke first.

“Sir?”

“...Do you want to come to the office?”

His voice, when it finally came, was low, almost sunken. It sounded languid, like he had just woken up.

“The office?”

“I’ll send Yang Seokho.”

“No! I’ll take a taxi. I’m right by the road—I can catch one easily.”

“With that leg, it won’t be comfortable to move around.”

When he had gone to buy the plant, he hadn’t had a choice because of the distance, but this was different. It would be quick by taxi—there was no need to bother Yang Seokho.

“It’s okay. Oh—there’s a taxi coming.”

To catch one, he’d have to cross the park and go out to the main road, but afraid Lee Kangjoo might actually send someone, Haejun lied quickly.

Whether he knew or not, Lee Kangjoo accepted it easily. Telling him to take his time.

The call ended.

Haejun got up, leaning on his crutches, and hurried toward the main road.

Maybe they were going to eat out together for the first time in a while.

Before, that thought would’ve made his heart flutter.

Now, it just felt like a lump of food filled with thorns stuck in his throat, suffocating him.