The scream shook the walls.
Seconds later, Caesar burst through the door, alarmed. "What?! What's wrong—"
WHAM.
He didn't even see it coming. Eun-jae's fist collided straight into his jaw, knocking him into the bathroom doorframe.
"You fucking bastard!" Eun-jae roared, wild with fury, lunging forward. He didn't stop there—his hand shot up, grabbing Caesar by the throat and slamming him against the cold wall.
"HOW DARE YOU?!" he bellowed, eyes burning. "While I was out?! UNCONSCIOUS?! What kind of psycho brands someone like a goddamn pet?!"
Caesar coughed slightly but didn't fight him off. He grinned—of course he fucking grinned.
"Oh... so you saw it," he rasped, his voice irritatingly calm. "I thought you'd never check that mirror."
Eun-jae's grip tightened. "You think this is funny? You think this is a joke?!"
"It's not a joke," Caesar murmured, the smirk growing even more unbearable. "It's art. And honestly, I think I nailed it. The placement, the scale... the vibe. It's very you."
"You put a damn Hello Kitty on my ass."
"It's not just Hello Kitty. Look closer—she's holding a tiny dagger. Symbolism, baby."
"I am going to kill you," Eun-jae hissed.
Caesar tilted his head, looking him over. "I was inspired, okay? You passed out after trying to escape and knocking yourself into a table. I figured, why waste a moment of silence? And... I mean, I'm an excellent artist."
Eun-jae shoved him again. "This is violating, Caesar. You violated me."
The smile vanished from Caesar's face for just a second. "You think I don't know that?" he said, his voice soft, dangerously soft. "You think I haven't already punished myself for every breath I've taken near you?"
Eun-jae paused, startled—but only for a heartbeat.
"You're unbelievable," he said, disgusted. "You want me to feel sorry for you now? After you branded me like I'm your damn property?"
Caesar's grin returned, slow and toxic. "You are mine, though. You just haven't accepted it yet."
Eun-jae's voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "Get the hell out of my bathroom."
"I could join you in the jacuzzi instead," Caesar said casually, already starting to shrug off his coat.
Eun-jae picked up the nearest bottle of shampoo and hurled it at Caesar's head.
"OUT!"
Caesar ducked, chuckling as he backed away. "Okay, okay! You've got claws, Kitty."
"Say that again and I swear I'll tattoo a dick on your forehead while you sleep."
"Ooh, kinky."
"GET. OUT."
The door slammed so hard behind Caesar it rattled the marble floor.
Eun-jae stood there, seething, his body still buzzing with rage. His reflection stared back at him. Cute Hello Kitty, middle finger up, cheeky wink.
He groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
"This island is going to drive me insane."
After what felt like a whole damn lifetime, Eun-jae finally stepped out of the steamy bathroom, skin flushed, hair wet, and a white towel slung low on his hips. He was too tired to care about anything other than getting into bed and forgetting Caesar existed. The room was dimly lit with the soft glow of a bedside lamp, casting golden shadows over the velvet drapes and polished floor.
And there he was.
Caesar.
Sitting on the edge of the bed like he owned the place, arms crossed, one leg casually propped over the other like some sexy villain straight out of a mafia drama. He had that smug little tilt to his head, eyes fixed on Eun-jae with an expression that screamed I've seen you naked and will again.
Eun-jae groaned dramatically and rolled his eyes so hard it could've caused a power outage. He didn't even slow down—he walked right past him like Caesar was just a badly placed statue.
"Stop looking at my tits," Eun-jae said flatly, flinging open the closet and yanking out his pajamas.
"Oh, but how can I?" Caesar purred, that dark voice like silk and poison. "Your chest is a work of art. The way it rises when you breathe, those gorgeous piercings just begging to be played with... and your nipples? So—" he licked his lips slowly, deliberately "—tasty looking."
Eun-jae snapped his head around so fast, the towel almost fell. He looked at Caesar like he was literal scum on the bottom of a shoe.
"You are disgusting. And delusional. My chest is not for your nightly thirst trap."
Caesar just grinned, completely unbothered. "I'm just appreciating the view. It's not my fault you're a masterpiece. Like if Hello Kitty and sin had a baby."
Eun-jae made a face like he was about to vomit. "You need a hobby. Preferably far away from me."
Slipping on his pajama bottoms and yanking the shirt over his head with aggressive sass, Eun-jae dramatically fluffed the blanket, climbed into bed, and wrapped himself in the covers like a human burrito. He didn't even look at Caesar as he turned over, pulled the blanket over his head, and sighed like the world had wronged him.
Within minutes, the sound of soft, steady breathing filled the room. The sass machine was out cold, mouth slightly parted, one leg kicked out from under the blanket in that very specific "I'm hot but don't wanna move" way. A faint little snore escaped him, quiet and almost... cute.
Caesar didn't move. He just sat there, eyes locked on the sleeping boy like he was the last light in Caesar's dark, twisted world.
After a long pause, he stood.
Moved quietly.
Stood at the side of the bed.
He leaned in, his shadow falling over Eun-jae's face, and gently brushed a strand of damp hair off his forehead. His hand lingered, warm and oddly gentle, fingertips tracing over the smooth skin of Eun-jae's cheek.
"You drive me insane," Caesar whispered, voice barely audible. "And yet, you're the only thing that makes sense anymore."
He bent lower.
Placed a soft, almost reverent kiss on Eun-jae's temple. Just a light peck. Ghostlike. The kind you give when you're not sure if you're allowed to touch something so beautiful, so breakable.
Eun-jae stirred slightly in his sleep, brows twitching, but didn't wake.
Caesar stood still for a moment, watching him like a man standing at the edge of a cliff—fascinated and terrified of the fall.
Then, quietly, he turned and slipped out of the room, closing the door behind him with a soft click.
Outside, his smirk returned, sharper this time.
"Sweet dreams, kitten," he murmured to himself, walking down the dim hallway. "You'll be mine... eventually."
The door clicked softly shut behind him as Caesar stepped out of Eun-jae's room, his face still lingering with the faintest trace of a smile — a twisted blend of possession and fascination. The hallway was quiet, dimly lit by the golden sconces along the stone walls of the island villa. He hadn't taken more than three steps when his phone buzzed sharply in his coat pocket.
Vseslav.
The name alone pulled a twitch from Caesar's jaw, but he answered anyway, voice smooth, calm — far too calm.
"Yes?" he said simply, already descending the marble staircase like a man with nothing to hide.
There was a pause on the other end. Then came the voice — icy, sharp, and threaded with an undertone of suspicion.
"Where is he?" Vseslav asked. "Because I know he's with you."
Caesar didn't miss a beat. His lips curled slightly as he reached the bottom of the stairs, the fireplace in the hall casting flickering shadows across his face.
"Why should I tell you, hmm?" he replied lazily. "He's not with me. Haven't seen him."
"Don't lie to me, Caesar," Vseslav said, the venom building in his tone. "You never let go of your toys that easily."
Caesar chuckled under his breath, a soft, predatory sound. He walked over to the bar cart, pouring himself a glass of red wine with elegant ease, holding the phone between his shoulder and cheek. "Toys?" he echoed. "Now that's unfair. I like to think of them as... long-term investments."
He took a slow sip, then sighed dramatically, switching the subject with a flick of his tongue. "But let's not pretend you called because of Eun-jae. You didn't risk tracing this line just to play babysitter. What's really on your mind, Vseslav? Or should I say... Seraphim?"
There was a silence. Then Vseslav's low chuckle came through the receiver.
"So you're not denying it," he said, amused. "You know what I want. I want to know if the original Seraphim was truly destroyed... or if you're just hiding it somewhere. You always were too sentimental to fully burn your masterpieces."
Caesar's gaze darkened as he stared into the wine glass, the red liquid swirling like blood in the dim light. He leaned back against the marble counter, the mood shifting in the air.
"I didn't hide it. He ended it." His voice was quieter now, more calculated — dangerous. "Seraphim was never meant to survive this long. It was too powerful, too erratic... too much like me. Any attempt to recreate it—"
"—Would never match the original," Vseslav finished. "Still... couldn't you at least try to start another? A second Seraphim. With your mind, your tech... surely it wouldn't be so hard."
"Oh, I could build another," Caesar said smoothly, setting his glass down with a soft clink. "I could code the AI, run the simulations, even mold the base intelligence core from scratch... but it wouldn't be the same. The calculations would shift—slightly, at first. A decimal here, a delay there. But that's how monsters are born, Vseslav. Not weapons."
He leaned closer to the phone, voice dropping to a whisper like a serpent's hiss. "And if I create something that even I can't control... tell me, dear friend—would you still be so eager to play with fire?"
Vseslav went quiet for a moment, as if weighing something. Then, with a casual tone that barely masked his unease, he said, "You always loved dancing on the edge of chaos."
"And you always loved pretending you weren't watching," Caesar replied coolly.
A beat of silence passed between them. Then Vseslav's voice came back, calm, clipped, and sharp.
"I want that boy."
Caesar's expression didn't change, but his grip around the phone tightened just slightly. "I figured. You always did want what I have."
"He's dangerous."
"No. He's mine."
There was nothing else to say. Caesar ended the call with a cold smile and slipped the phone into his coat pocket. His gaze flicked toward the stairs.
Back to Eun-jae.
Back to the one thing he couldn't quite let go of — and maybe never would.
Morning crept in slowly, golden light seeping in through the sheer curtains and spilling across the bedroom floor like liquid warmth. Birds chirped faintly outside, waves lapping at the shore nearby — deceptively peaceful.
Eun-jae stirred, groaning softly as he shifted under the covers, still half-asleep. His hair was a messy halo, his body sore, and his mouth dry as hell — clearly a hangover from hell was about to hit. But that wasn't what made his eyes snap open.
It was the arm.
Thick. Warm. Definitely male. Draped lazily around his waist like it had every right to be there.
Eun-jae's brows furrowed as he slowly turned his head.
"What the helly..." he muttered, voice hoarse and laced with disbelief.
There he was — Caesar, peacefully asleep beside him like they were some married couple. His face was soft in sleep, lips slightly parted, his silver hair tousled, and lashes annoyingly long. But Eun-jae wasn't admiring anything — he was spiraling.
Oh my god.
No.
No no no no.
Did he sneak in here last night?!
I swear to god I locked that door. Did he pick it? Disable the lock? Crawl through the vents? Is he a damn raccoon in designer clothing?!
Eun-jae's jaw clenched as he snatched Caesar's arm and flung it off like it was a snake.
"Get your damn hands off me!" he snapped, sitting up with a jolt.
Caesar groaned and blinked awake, eyes still cloudy with sleep. Then, like it was the most normal thing in the world, he stretched lazily and said, "You woke up with violence. That's new."
He chuckled — chuckled — as if Eun-jae hadn't just had a full-body rage quake beside him.
Eun-jae stared at him in disbelief.
"Are you serious right now?" he hissed. "What part of do not touch me,don't crawl into my bed, and I'm not your emotional support plushie did you not understand, Caesar?!"
Caesar just smirked and sat up, ruffling his hair, not a single ounce of shame in his body. "You looked cold."
Eun-jae's eye twitched. "I looked cold? Are you Santa Claus now? Do I get hot cocoa and a restraining order for Christmas?"
He stormed off the bed and started yanking on a hoodie and sweatpants. His mind was buzzing with a cocktail of thoughts — betrayal, irritation, murderous intent, and the sharp ache of helplessness that came with waking up in the arms of the man who'd literally changed his life without his consent.
I am gonna go crazy on this damn island. He is seriously testing the last few brain cells I have.
One more stunt like this and I swear I'll shove him off the balcony.
Gently. But with force.
Caesar tilted his head, watching Eun-jae like he was the most fascinating creature alive. "You're cute when you're mad in the morning," he murmured. "All flustered and fiery."
"Flustered?!" Eun-jae barked, whipping around. "Do I look flustered to you?! I look like I'm about to stab you with a spoon!"
Caesar just smiled and leaned back on the pillows, arms behind his head like he owned the entire universe — and maybe he kind of did.
"You still haven't thanked me for the Hello Kitty tattoo," he added innocently.
Eun-jae threw a pillow at him. Hard.
The kitchen was blissfully quiet, the kind of calm that only came after a storm of chaos — or in Eun-jae's case, waking up to an unwanted cuddle session with a manipulative psycho prince. He descended the stairs barefoot, hair still a tousled mess, hoodie halfway zipped, and mood somewhere between "don't talk to me" and "burn it all down."
His stomach rumbled. Loudly.
"Ugh," he groaned to himself, dragging his feet across the cold marble floor and opening the sleek, stainless steel fridge. He leaned into it, squinting at the contents like they might magically turn into takeout. There were rows of fresh fruit, imported cheeses, stacked containers of prepped food — everything meticulously organized. Of course. Caesar's psycho energy extended even to food.
Eun-jae sighed, shut the fridge with a soft thump—
And nearly jumped out of his skin.
"JESUS CHRIST—"
There he was.
Caesar.
Leaning casually on the other side of the fridge, like he'd been waiting there just to scare him. Again.
"Stop doing that!" Eun-jae snapped, clutching his chest. "It's creepy as hell — you're not a ghost in a Victorian horror film!"
Caesar just tilted his head with a slight smirk. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
Rolling his eyes so hard they practically did a full 360, Eun-jae turned away and grabbed a glass, pouring himself some water and chugging it like it could wash away Caesar's presence.
Leaning against the counter now, arms crossed and patience thinning, Eun-jae muttered, "Don't you have, like… games? Or a TV? A punching bag? Anything that might help me from dying of boredom or snapping and stabbing you with a fork?"
Caesar leaned against the opposite counter, mirroring Eun-jae's posture, always so casually composed. "I do have a deck of cards."
Eun-jae blinked. "...Cards. You mean like those little rectangles people use in nursing homes and prison?"
Caesar chuckled. "It's a vintage royal deck. Very rare. Gold trimmed. Hand-painted."
Eun-jae rolled his eyes again. "Of course it's bougie. God forbid you own something normal."
There was a pause. Then Eun-jae narrowed his eyes, head tilting.
"So… whose house is this, anyway? You steal it from your mommy dearest or what?"
Caesar raised an eyebrow, amused. "No. This one's mine."
"You mean like… yours yours?" Eun-jae asked, already bracing himself.
Caesar nodded, taking a slow sip of his own water. "Yes. One of my houses."
"One of…" Eun-jae repeated, letting the sarcasm drip from his voice. "Okay, Monopoly Man. You got a little collection going? Is there a penthouse in Dubai and a mountain villa in Switzerland, too?"
Caesar just shrugged. "Something like that."
Eun-jae huffed in disbelief, grabbing an apple and dramatically biting into it like it owed him rent.
"Okay but, like… how rich are you?" he asked, mouth half-full, still skeptical. "And don't do that 'I'm just a guy with a trust fund' thing. I've seen your closet. I've seen your stupid gold cutlery. Your house smells like imported linen and arrogance."
Caesar didn't miss a beat. His lips curled into that maddening little smirk as he took a step closer, resting his glass on the counter.
"I'm just… comfortable," he said smoothly, voice dipped in charm and mystery.
Eun-jae stared at him. Blinked.
Then snorted.
"Comfortable?" he said, laughing dryly. "You call owning multiple luxury properties, flying around in helicopters, and drugging people just to get their company comfortable?"
"You make it sound so dramatic," Caesar said with faux innocence. "I only kidnapped you a little."
Eun-jae jabbed a finger in his direction. "That is not how that sentence works, you sociopath!"
Caesar's grin deepened. "Yet you're still here."
Eun-jae took another bite of his apple, staring him down. "Because I haven't figured out how to escape this island yet. But trust me, once I find a boat, a plane, or even a sea turtle with decent cardio? I'm out."
"Oh, but you'd miss me," Caesar said with quiet confidence.
Eun-jae dramatically gagged. "I'd miss food poisoning and paper cuts more than I'd miss you."
Caesar just laughed and walked past him, brushing close enough for Eun-jae to feel the heat radiating off him.
"You say all that," Caesar murmured, voice close to his ear, "but you keep eating the food, sleeping in my bed, and yelling my name like we're married."
"I yell your name because you make me want to die," Eun-jae deadpanned.
Caesar winked. "Still counts."