Lovers

42

This bastard won’t do

Anyway, Baral succeeded in bringing Volkari back to her senses, and upon her return, she approved my approach to Josef Kuno. As soon as I got my workplace’s cooperation, Sebastian put his arm around my shoulder and we entered the gay club where Josef Kuno was said to frequent.

It was very dark and noisy, with well-built men wearing barely anything to cover their genitals dancing provocatively on four circular stages in the center. Men putting bills into male strippers’ underwear – I must have lived too long. I’m seeing things I shouldn’t.

“Are you sure Josef Kuno is here?”

I asked close to his ear. There was no need to whisper. It was so loud that you had to shout right into someone’s ear just to be barely understood. I was curiously waiting to see if Sebastian, with his personality, would yell back at me, but he just nodded.

“How can you be sure?!”

We were moving through the dancing men, our bodies pressed close together. The men glanced at us with looks that said, “What’s this?” and then widened their eyes when they saw Sebastian. First, they were surprised by his long black hair, and then they were captivated by his features. Some had their eyes wide open, others smiled seductively. Some even reached out to touch him, but I roughly grabbed those hands and threw them away. He’s with someone else. Open your eyes properly.

Sebastian mouthed the word “Sender” without making a sound. I was amazed that I could understand him despite the noise.

“You be careful too.”

I warned Sebastian, who was less than a breath away from me. He smiled and leaned towards me. Just as I was wondering what he was doing, his lips approached mine, leaving a soft “chu” sound before pulling away.

“Cute.”

The fact that a man calling another man cute doesn’t make me cringe must be the power of infatuation.

We had barely walked a few steps when Sebastian suddenly pulled me closer. Then, while kissing my ear, he used his hand to turn my chin in a certain direction. Wondering what it was, I stared intently in that direction as if searching for a hidden picture, and there, in the distance, I saw Josef Kuno. He was sitting at the bar, talking about something with the bartender. It was just as noisy there, so the two were leaning towards each other across the bar table.

I don’t know why I received a photo of Josef Kuno, but in a situation where I didn’t know where to go, it was the only visible clue. Whether it was a trap or not, I had no choice but to follow it.

Sebastian and I struggled to walk towards the bar. At first, Sebastian held me close as we pushed through the crowd, but it became less efficient as we went on. These discerning men were clinging to Sebastian, so I had to throw them away more aggressively than before. Eventually, I ended up holding Sebastian’s waist and dragging him towards the bar like I was towing him. If someone had seen us, they might have said we looked like a ship plowing through a storm.

We were almost at the bar. There were only one or two layers of people between us and the bar. Sebastian removed my hand from his waist, firmly held my shoulder, and with an inaudible “Excuse me,” he pushed forward to the bar.

When we finally sat on the bar stools, it felt a bit like we had survived a battlefield. People were busy dancing, so the area in front of the bar was rather empty.

Even after we sat on the stools, Josef Kuno paid no attention to us. He was watching the dancing men. I wondered what kind of eyes he had, trying to seduce some guy to ruin his life again. Afraid my thoughts might show, I lowered my head for no reason. At the same time, I was pondering how to strike up a conversation with Josef Kuno. I felt a bit lost, having never intentionally tried to befriend someone before.

Just then, the bartender came to take our order. I was thinking of ordering a martini, but Sebastian said this:

“Whiskey, what’s the best you have?”

I wasn’t sure what he meant, but the bartender seemed to understand immediately. He looked at Sebastian with surprised eyes and quickly brought a menu from inside. Sebastian looked at the menu, and I peeked over as well. The prices ranged from reasonable to “Are you crazy?” Then Sebastian closed the menu and shook his head.

“Disappointing.”

At that moment, I could almost see dollar signs flashing in the bartender’s eyes. The bartender very carefully took out a bottle of liquor. He had an expression that said, “Is it okay to bring this out?” but Sebastian clicked his tongue.

“I guess I’ll have to be satisfied with this. Give it to me.”

“We don’t sell this by the glass!”

Sebastian didn’t shout. The bartender miraculously understood Sebastian’s normal speaking voice and yelled back so that he could hear. Ah, a symbolic scene of capitalism. I glanced at the man who would gnash his teeth at capitalism and was deeply connected with groups that hated it.

At that moment, my eyes met with that man, Josef Kuno.

He seemed to have seen the liquor Sebastian had chosen. It must be some expensive liquor? He looked visibly interested.

“Of course.”

“You’ll have to pay in advance…!”

The bartender’s expression was like someone about to scratch a lottery ticket. Sebastian handed him a card. As soon as the bartender saw the black card, his face changed to that of someone who had won the lottery. He processed the payment with the card and politely requested a signature.

As it was my first time seeing Sebastian’s signature, I was curious and looked down, only to be shocked by the price.

2.2 million Lid?

With 25,000 dollars, you could buy a car even in the US. Did he just spend the price of a car on one bottle of liquor?

The bartender, with a determined expression, opened the bottle and poured a glass for each of us, then retreated like a 19th-century servant, politely wishing us a good time. Even though it was just inside the bar, he still tried to make a retreating gesture. Money is truly frightening.

And I fell into contemplation about whether I should drink this 2.2 million Lid liquor while holding my glass. I put the glass to my lips but was hesitant to drink, so I just slightly dipped my tongue in the liquor. Sebastian grimaced and tilted my glass, causing the liquor to go down my throat.

“Hey!”

Surprised that I had just drunk 2.2 million Lid liquor like water, forgetting about the operation and everything else, I shouted. Sebastian leaned in to my ear and said:

“It’s the cheapest liquor I’ve ever given you, so just drink it.”

Don’t say that. How expensive were the drinks you gave me before? I’m scared.

My past thoughts about selling my body to Sebastian seemed laughable now. This man buying my body? He must truly like me. The money he’s already spent on me… I’m not sure if I could repay it even if I sold my body, my soul, and even my country.

I sipped the liquor, savoring it. It’s delicious, but maybe because Sebastian said unnecessary things, the liquor I drank last time seemed more delicious… No, don’t be shallow, Armin Schnieke! Everyone has their own taste, how can something be delicious just because it’s expensive! Taste is diverse!

I tried to compose myself, but the honest part of me that had been sleeping inside suddenly raised its head.

…But wasn’t the liquor I drank then really more delicious…?

When my honest self asked, my taste buds nodded, and my shallow side also smiled saying, “Right?” No, you guys!

Let’s shake it off. Begone, demon of shallowness! I shook my head vigorously and whispered to Sebastian:

“But now’s not the time to drink expensive liquor, we need to talk to Kuno. We need to approach him!”

“This liquor isn’t expensive, and Kuno is coming, so don’t worry.”

It is expensive, it is!

I wanted to argue back like that, but I kept my mouth shut. It was because of what he said about Kuno coming. Even someone as oblivious as me wouldn’t make the mistake of turning around when Josef Kuno was approaching.

Soon, a slightly hoarse voice spoke from behind me.

“That’s a good liquor!”

His attitude was friendly and lively at first. Wait, is this suspicious? I had thought Josef Kuno would be an arrogant and violent character. What’s with this puppy-like friendliness?

But Sebastian glanced at Kuno and snorted.

This?

He didn’t make a sound. It wouldn’t be heard anyway.

“Isn’t this worth about 2 million Lid?”

Even when Kuno mentioned the price, Sebastian showed little reaction. He just languidly refilled my glass with an appropriate amount. And I couldn’t hide my “Who is this?” look as I watched Sebastian’s elegant and arrogant attitude to the tips of his fingers.

No, really, who is this?

Come to think of it, the Sebastian I first met seemed to have this kind of feeling. Seeing the chaebol Sebastian Riegel mode after so long made me feel a bit dazed.

“I’m Josef.”

Josef Kuno reached across me to offer a handshake to Sebastian. Feeling Kuno pressed close to my back, I contemplated slightly. Should I try to swipe the phone from inside his clothes? Is it time to use one of the tricks I learned as a child soldier? As I was considering this, Sebastian pulled the stool I was sitting on closer to him.

Sebastian.

Even Kuno, who seemed to understand most words well, couldn’t understand Sebastian’s name with his fish-like mouth, so he tilted his head and leaned in closer. Kuno’s head was now right next to my shoulder, between Sebastian and me.

“Sebastian!”

Sebastian raised his voice for the first time. Wow, he wouldn’t even answer me loudly? His cooperation is amazing. Then Kuno turned his head towards me. He had already been leaning his head close to me, so our noses were almost touching.

“And you are?”

I involuntarily frowned at Kuno’s question. It was because of the strong aversion I felt towards exchanging names with a Canaris. We shouldn’t be exchanging names with those bastards, we should be fighting them.

Right, the bastard in front of me has committed dating violence, abuse, confinement, and murder, but we’re not sure if he’s Canaris. It’s just his father who’s Canaris. So, with a good heart, let’s exchange names… No, fuck. A bastard who isn’t even Canaris is riding on the coattails of his Canaris bastard father and doing fucked up things! That’s even worse!

“…”

“Your name? Oh, should I say mine again? Josef, Josef Kuno.”

Josef winked at me. At that moment, something poured down over Josef’s head. I realized a bit late that it was the 2.2 million Lid liquor.

Hey!

As I was about to shout, Sebastian gave me a terrifying look.