TSBIRBV Ch 77

Chapter 77 An Esper Who Knows When to Act (7)

It wasn’t entirely Yegyeol’s idea.

To be honest, it was a scheme inspired by the public education system in South Korea.

Yegyeol hummed a phrase from the Pahanjip anthology:

홍엽(紅鬣)은 정이 있어 도리어 길을 아는데.¹

It refers to the story of Kim Yushin and Cheon Gwanyeo.

Kim Yushin, who used to frequent a gisaeng house, vowed to quit the pleasure quarters after being scolded by his mother. But one drunken night, his prized horse took him to the house of Cheon Gwanyeo, as usual.

Kim Yushin cut the horse’s neck to prevent himself from being swayed after his decision.

Yegyeol thought:

‘It must be hard even to train someone to do that on purpose…’

He stroked the head of Baembaem, his spirit companion.

Still, there was something to use from that story.

‘I absolutely! Never intended to come! But oh no, the horse came here anyway?’

Hiding in the reins of Baembaem under his sleeve, Yegyeol smiled slyly as he tugged the reins this way and that, guiding Baembaem as he wished.

To an outsider, he might look like a drunk who was rubbing his cheek with his hand.

The horse had not turned towards the Black Spot on its own. Baembaem, who had learned to handle horses while socializing with Jeokroe, played a role.

“Go back.”

Two gatekeepers of Black Spot crossed their spears to block Yegyeol’s access.

“I have something important to say to someone inside,” said Yegyeol, licking his lower lip nervously as he tried to step inside, but the gatekeepers pointed blades at his neck. One moved his spear as if to stab the horse.

‘Of course. Black Spot handles many dangerous things, so they must be on guard, even against a drunkard.’

Yet Yegyeol, the target of the threat, was delighted. Wherever Senior Brother was, no amount of guarding was insufficient.

“You drunkard…”

Judging from Yegyeol’s laughter, the gatekeeper gritted his teeth and stepped forward. The spearpoint threatened to pierce flesh, a situation on the edge of disaster.

“Stand back!”

Then, a clear voice of a woman appeared. Her charred cheek and high tied hair, the same style as Black Ghost’s servant.

Yegyeol rejoiced in his heart.

‘Samrang, nice assist!’

“You fool. She is the guest of the branch chief.”

Yegyeol had told Samrang to just escort him to the restaurant but knew the one ordered by Senior Brother wouldn’t leave. He sensed her bioelectricity ebb and flow as she turned.

“The branch chief’s?”

“I met her several times; I’m sure. Stand down.”

Samrang rummaged in her clothes and showed a tag. Wordlessly, the gatekeepers retreated and bowed politely. Yegyeol waved his hands and passed through.

“Thanks, thank you.”

Yegyeol was sincere. Samrang sighed deeply and helped him dismount, passing the reins to Black Spot’s stablemaster.

“Be sure to secure your sleeves well. Yes. You should go this way to find the branch chief.”

Samrang pretended to adjust her outfit to check that Baembaem hadn’t slipped down, then supported Yegyeol and moved.

He thought he heard a sinister voice about charging overtime pay but ignored it. After all, he was just a drunkard.

Samrang guided him to the room used by Black Ghost.

‘Samrang navigation off. Would reuse next time.’

Scrawling a five-star review mentally, Yegyeol collapsed onto the bed as she pushed him.

“Hey, Baembaem… Baembaem, feed him some food.”

Half-raising himself from the floor, Yegyeol took Baembaem out and handed him to Samrang.

“You’re a good, kind one. No bites. Here, water and meat, okay?”

“Yesss.”

Samrang took Baembaem reluctantly. Fulfilling his duty as butler, Yegyeol collapsed on the bed.

‘How can she hand me over to someone who doesn’t even know about the Millennium Brain Cage…’

Unaware that Yegyeol might have recognized him, she clicked her tongue.

She corrected Baembaem’s face angle so he wouldn’t suffocate, gave a deep sigh, carefully carried Baembaem, and left.

As for Yegyeol, the moment she turned her back, he buried his face in the bed again.

‘Senior Brother’s scent.’

His scent was faint but smelled freshly cleaned, calming his mind.

Yegyeol, who had been giggling drunkenly, caught a presence and hastily composed his expression.

At the hand that lifted him, Yegyeol raised his drowsy head and blinked.

“Uh…?”

Before him stood Black Ghost.

‘Jackpot!’

Yegyeol clenched his fist mentally. Although he half suspected it since Samrang led him directly, it really was Senior Brother.

In fact, Yegyeol hadn’t expected Je Haryang to be in Sichuan. Senior Brother moved wherever whenever after Yegyeol left Qinghai. Destination and return times were never shared in advance.

Thus, he planned to continue the so-called ‘Red Leaf Operation’ until news reached Senior Brother that he was meeting Black Ghost whenever he was sober.

“This is a sobering medicine. Please take it.”

Black Ghost held Yegyeol’s chin and poured the cold liquid into his mouth. Yegyeol had deliberately not swallowed properly, so some dripped at the corner of his lips, but Senior Brother didn’t mind and focused on making sure Yegyeol took the medicine.

After a few coughs, he wiped Yegyeol’s mouth and stroked his back.

Slightly slumped in exhaustion, Yegyeol slowly raised his head to meet Black Ghost’s gaze.

“This place… such a…”

Just recovering, Yegyeol splashed some cold water on his face and tried to get up, but staggered. Senior Brother caught him.

“Slow down… the medicine is still working.”

“I’m sorry, sorry…”

Not daring to meet his eyes, Yegyeol murmured an apology. Black Ghost watched him silently, then abruptly spoke.

“One of my servants was returning when I arrived. I heard you almost got into trouble with the gatekeepers?”

He scolded Yegyeol sternly.

“You were nearly in danger.”

It was mostly because of Samrang’s free pass. Without her, Yegyeol wouldn’t have gotten this deep.

“I… drank too much and didn’t realize.”

“Why did you come to the Black Spot again?”

Yegyeol blushed.

“Accidentally, I headed to a safe place.”

Black Ghost exhaled a breath that could’ve been a sigh.

“Black Spot is by no means a safe place. It’s the lowest place in Sichuan, filled with seeds of heretics and demons. Didn’t you feel it the first day you came?”

Haryang’s gaze was piercing, as if looking right through Yegyeol.

“Because Black Ghost is here.”

Yegyeol murmured, shoulders hunched.

“Is it wrong if I feel safe because Black Ghost is here?”

“Well…”

There was a complex feeling in the harsh voice. Yegyeol twisted his fingers nervously.

“…Why did you drink so much? Was it something the young lord did?”

Black Ghost’s question was rather delicate for business relations, and involved friendship.

“Un, Namgung Un, has no fault. I let myself drink.”

“Then why…?”

At Senior Brother’s question, Yegyeol smiled awkwardly.

“I was troubled.”

“Troubled? Is it something I can solve?”

The question was the same as the one Je Haryang had asked that night in Qinghai.

“Yes.”

Without hesitation, Yegyeol nodded.

The gaze Black Ghost cast on his disciple was peculiar. He sensed instinctively that it was a problem Senior Brother could neither solve nor should solve.

“I didn’t expect to meet you, Black Ghost, but now that I have, I have a favor to ask.”

His lips grow dry with tension. Yegyeol suppressed the urge to lick them.

“Go ahead with your favor.”

The deep voice was even more threatening. Yegyeol spoke as if rehearsed long ago.

“Hold me.”

If he was going to burn down, he’d be the one to set the fire.

Though Yegyeol seemed unassuming, he was an esper who knew when to act decisively.

“When you say hold, you don’t mean just a hug.”

Senior Brother grabbed Yegyeol’s wrist and pulled him close. Surprised, Yegyeol looked up at Black Ghost’s face.

The savage smile revealing teeth was quite unlike Je Haryang.

“You also want to receive a man’s seed inside again?”

The raw ferocity unseen in Je Haryang was on full display. Entranced, Yegyeol slowly nodded in assent.

The grip of Black Ghost’s hand tightened, the greatest pain Senior Brother had ever given him.

Though restrained by the cruel grip, Yegyeol did not utter a sound, but muttered hesitantly,

“I-I… seem to be in heat.”

Surprisingly, Haryang’s silence didn’t last long.

“Why do you think so?”

Bowng his head, Yegyeol hesitated. A slight tremble passed through the hand holding Black Ghost’s hand.

After a pause, Yegyeol whispered,

“I feel lust for the person I shouldn’t.”

For you.

“Every night, I dream of holding him.”

Yegyeol’s trembling voice was pitiful beyond words. Black Ghost tightened the grip of his hand and poured more poison into his ear.

“I beg and sob with legs spread, pleading for him to come deeper… then upon waking, I realize it was all a dream and despair.”

Recognizing the self-loathing in Yegyeol’s voice, Senior Brother held his breath.

“I tried desperately on my own but…”

He deliberately didn’t finish the sentence, letting Yegyeol recall the night he failed to masturbate.

“I don’t want to ruin our relationship. I don’t want to disappoint him.”

“So you want to use me?”

“Yes.”

Black Ghost’s question was blunt.

‘Please.’

Yegyeol shut his eyes tightly.

He had prepared for this moment carefully.

Over time, Yegyeol had handed Senior Brother the beginning, development, crisis, and climax of the story.

The beginning was that Yegyeol got addicted to oit and merged with Black Ghost.

The development was that Yegyeol, having realized pleasure, wanted Senior Brother instead and began avoiding him.

The crisis was that Yegyeol, struggling to suppress his desire, failed one night. Senior Brother worried about his disciple and got caught in the trap.

Finally, the climax was now. Yegyeol, unable to crush his desire for Haryang, made a certain decision and asked Black Ghost to hold him.

‘The ending…’

The ending wasn’t all Yegyeol’s to decide.

This last page would be filled by Senior Brother.

“‘That person’…”

Black Ghost reached out and lifted Yegyeol’s chin. Yegyeol lowered his eyes to hide his hopeful gaze.

“On the night you opened yourself to me, the man you pitifully cried and sought was not looking for rescue, was he? You weren’t asking for help… and that’s why you came to me.”

A fierce smile appeared on Senior Brother’s lips as he muttered to himself.

“Surely… you called me ‘Senior Brother,’ didn’t you?”

¹ Iinro, Guinhwan ed., Pahanjip, Shinwon Publishing, 2003, p.81