Chapter 2

Loud music thumped through the club, shaking the air.

Gyuyeon sat among the chatter and laughter, staring only at his phone.

His legs were crossed arrogantly, his dark brows furrowed, and the sharp set of his face made him look even more unapproachable.

He had booked a private room to avoid the noisy crowd, yet somehow the room was even louder.

One of the few people who could dare call himself Gyuyeon’s friend, Do Geonhyuk, was clumsily lining up glasses for bomb shots.

“Hey, hey, Do Geonhyuk, don’t go overboard!”

“You don’t get it — you gotta soak it like this.”

As the row of glasses foamed over, Gyuyeon clenched his jaw.

If Geonhyuk weren’t his friend, he would’ve cursed him out the moment he walked in.

Truthfully, he still felt like cursing him out right now — but he didn’t have the time to waste.

His brows only knit tighter as he stared at the dark phone screen, waiting for it to vibrate.

Meanwhile, cheering erupted.

“Kyaa! You’re crazy, Do Geonhyuk!”

“Did you see that? Isn’t he kind of hot?”

“Hot, my ass. Pfft!”

Geonhyuk, catching the girls’ eyes with flashy gestures, shoved the stacked glasses. With a clink, the tumbling glasses slid into the beer and liquor mix, finishing with a foamy flourish.

Gyuyeon, who had planned to drink quietly and leave, cursed under his breath as he stood.

His so-called friend was no help, only making a racket, so the insults came naturally.

When Gyuyeon rose, all eyes in the room turned to him.

Long, well-shaped legs, a lean, muscled frame, and a face as sharp as a statue carved by the gods.

Even though he spoiled the mood by standing, no one complained.

If anything, they groaned at the thought of him leaving.

Losing sight of such a man was a crime in itself.

Besides, Yoo Gyuyeon wasn’t just handsome — he was the youngest son of the famous YK Electronics.

“Where are you going, Gyuyeon?”

“Drink among yourselves.”

“Ah, come on! I even mixed the shots.”

“Do Geonhyuk, do you want me to erase your face from my sight starting tomorrow?”

“Oh no, he’s doing it again,” one girl muttered.

Geonhyuk grinned slyly and clapped his hands. “Alright, alright, I’ll go talk to him. You all keep partying.”

Dragging Gyuyeon with him, he slipped out of the room.

The music outside slammed into them, so loud it rattled the eardrums.

Wearing a leather jacket from a luxury brand everyone whispered about being impossible to buy, Gyuyeon strode through the club, long legs drawing stares.

His outfit was casual yet refined, and the custom-made walkers on his feet only heightened his striking presence.

At the entrance, he lit a cigarette with a snap. Drawing the acrid smoke deep into his lungs, he felt some of his boiling irritation ebb away.

“Gyuyeon, this is about that rumor, isn’t it? Some crazy bastard — I should’ve grabbed him right then.”

“Hah. That I’m some kid abandoned at home? That Kim Yuyoung dumped me? What a load of bullshit.”

He exhaled smoke in a hard puff, tossing the still-burning cigarette to the ground.

Curses spilled from his mouth, sharp and vulgar.

The source of his rage was a rumor.

A few days ago, Geonhyuk had attended the youngest daughter’s birthday party at DK Airlines and heard the nonsense.

First: that Gyuyeon was treated like a discarded child in his own family.

Second: that he had been dumped by Kim Yuyoung, DK Airlines’ second daughter.

The source? Some nouveau riche nobody.

Of course, loose-tongued Geonhyuk had come straight back and told him everything.

And Gyuyeon, prideful to the extreme, had exploded.

The truth was laughably different.

Gyuyeon was the doted-on youngest of his family.

Sure, he had no part in the cutthroat fight between his older brothers for the chairman’s seat at YK Electronics, but that was because he never cared about inheriting the company. He spent his time partying, and his family indulged him.

As for Kim Yuyoung? He had dumped her a month ago.

She begged for his time, clung to him so desperately that her constant calls became unbearable. He cut her off without hesitation.

And now? Some nobody had spread such trash about him — at DK’s youngest daughter’s party, of all places.

Yoo Gyuyeon, whose pride touched the sky, swore he wouldn’t let it slide.

Just yesterday, he had hired an errands agency to dig up the brat’s details.

It would’ve been easier to let his secretary handle it, but his brother Gyuseong had scolded him not to harass staff over trivial matters, so he reluctantly left it to the agency.

“I’ll grind that bastard into dust,” Gyuyeon muttered darkly.

“Don’t tell me you actually hired that errands agency yesterday? Gyuyeon, those guys are useless. See? They haven’t even called you yet.”

“Shut your mouth, Do Geonhyuk.”

Geonhyuk just laughed at the retort. Anyone else would’ve cowered, but he was used to Gyuyeon’s temper.

Just then, Gyuyeon’s phone buzzed. An unknown number. Finally.

“Hello.”

— Yes, are you Mr. Yu Gyuyeon? The investigation is complete.

“Took you long enough. I waited a whole day — a whole day.”

— We said we’d be quick, sorry about that. Haha. We’ve sent the details by text.

“I’ll check it first and call back.”

Their rude tone made him scoff. Customer service? Pathetic.

With the info in hand, he had no reason to linger. He left the club without a word.

“Hey, Gyuyeon!” Geonhyuk hurried after him.

“I’m busy. Don’t stop me.”

“No, listen — you left a leash in your room last time. Bring it back later, yeah?”

“You perverted bastard. Don’t leave that kind of thing in my room. Makes me want to kill you.”

“Please!”

Gyuyeon only sneered in disgust and walked off.

Outside, he called for his car. Within minutes, a limited-edition sports car purred up to the curb. He’d swapped out his last ride — a classic — just two months ago when he got bored of it.

He slid into the passenger seat without acknowledging Geonhyuk. His secretary at the wheel pressed the accelerator smoothly.

“Crazy bastard,” Gyuyeon spat, glancing at Geonhyuk through the mirror.

Behind him, his friend was mouthing, ‘Make sure you get it.’

Ignoring him, Gyuyeon checked his messages.

The agency claimed they’d already sent it, but the text had only just arrived.

The “information” was laughable.

No photo, no proper profile — just a sloppy blurb.

[Age 21, name Song Naun. Dad runs some entertainment company, had one idol hit big so now they’re rolling in it. Parents don’t care, kid lives alone. Goes around making people dislike him. ^^ Seems he somehow got shit on our client; but do you avoid shit because it’s scary? No, because it’s dirty. ^^ ~]

“What the hell are these bastards on about?”

He let out a hollow laugh before dialing them again.

Some worthless nouveau riche had dared spread trash about him, and this was the “report” he got? Nonsense.

— Yes, sir? Did you see the message?

“Listen, old man. Cut the crap about ‘shit.’ Bring that bastard here. Now.”

— Sir, that’s risky, it’s illegal, so—

“I’ll pay whatever you want. Just do it.”

— Oh my, then please wait a bit. We’ll bring him right to your door!

Hanging up, Gyuyeon ran a hand through his styled hair in irritation.

Let’s see that brat spout trash in front of me.

His sharp eyes blazed with fury.

Yu Gyuyeon had a reputation: bad-tempered, merciless.

He didn’t hurt people physically, but anyone who crossed him ended up broken, tormented until they knelt.

And today, that brat was going to learn.

---

The card key beeped, unlocking the luxurious penthouse door.

Inside stretched an opulent space — soaring ceilings, a vast living room, a pool gleaming beyond the balcony. Perfect.

Fearing the brat might run, Gyuyeon had ordered the agency to bring him straight in and lock the door from outside.

A special locking mechanism made it easy. The agency had even texted to confirm the job was done.

But something was off.

No matter how he searched, there wasn’t a trace of anyone.

“This bastard… he didn’t run, did he?”

Irritation twisting his face, he stormed through the kitchen, living room, and balcony.

Finally, with a sense of disbelief, he headed for his bedroom.

It was absurd to think they’d put the brat there — but his feet carried him anyway.

And when he opened the door—

“What the hell…?”

An unbelievable sight.

A man lay on his bed, a leash hanging around his neck.

So slight he barely looked like a man.

But the important part wasn’t his frame.

It was that he was on Gyuyeon’s bed.

The only people here were himself and the brat the agency had caught.

So… this must be him.

“Isn’t this bastard insane?”

If the brat had crawled at his feet begging forgiveness, maybe he’d consider it.

But to be asleep? In his bed? Clutching the leash in his hand like it was nothing?

The sheer absurdity choked even his laughter.

Rage flared.

That bastard dared? In his bed?

Striding forward, Gyuyeon seized the sleeping man’s chin and yanked it roughly, tilting his face.

It was a cruel, careless touch.