Chapter 36

Outside the hospital, under a big maple tree, Ryu was seated on an old brown bench. He put his hands over the edge and looked up at the movement of green leaves with the breeze. His grey eyes were empty and hollow. Every time he closed his eyes, the scene he most wanted to forget would come alive. In the last few days, he had not had a good time asleep. The influence of his past was prominent in his judgement. The only reason that could explain his childish behaviour toward Edwin and Jack was his unstable emotions.

' Ah, I was like these leaves. Always Headlessly dancing to my father's wishes. The only time I concealed something from him was related to Kaveh. And what was the result?'

Ryu sighed helplessly. Love does indeed make people fool.

" Hey, why did you want me to come here?"

Ryu turned his head to the voice. Jack stood beside the bench while two men in black suits were behind him.

Ryu put his people behind to monitor Kaveh and bring Jack here to him. Ryu wanted to talk with him and weigh up the situation regarding his involvement in Kaveh's life.

"You have the balls to come here after what you did to me!"

" you were so kind to escort me here. I have nothing to lose." Jack sat nonchalantly while saying that. He turned his head to the hot-tempered boy, frowning.

" Have we met before? Why did you get angry at me?"

" No, we haven't. That isn't important. Tell me, in the room, did you see Kaveh?" Ryu asked anxiously. ' Did Kaveh fall in love at first sight of him again? What did they do? Did they talk to each other?'

" Who? Ah, you mean Edwin's brother? No, I came here because of Edwin. I am interested in him."

" huh???!!! Aren't you Top? I don't think Edwin is a bottom!!"

Ryu was surprised by his answer.

Jack chuckled, hearing that. " You know everyone assumes that I am bottom. It feels refreshing to find someone that thinks the opposite."

Ryu raised his head to observe Jack again. The combination of his soft blond hair, his droopy blue eyes, his thin eyebrows and his straight nose slid towards the feminine face. His slim body shape didn't help it either.

" You have it hard!"

Ryu said with pity in his eyes. Jack was speechless.

Ryu felt a little better after knowing Jack's hardship. ' Wait a minute, so he did all of that in the previous life to help Edwin? No, I am sure Kaveh said he was his boyfriend. But after one year, they had never kissed, had they? That was a huge red flag. I was so stupid!' he face-palmed himself in his head.

Jack looked at the various expression on the boy's face, from shocked to puzzled and then enlightened. " Are you a suitor of Edwin's brother?"

Ryu felt embarrassed by his previous actions towards Jack. He nodded his head while looking at his feet.

Jack raised his eyebrows in understanding the situation. ' So, He thought I was his love rival. Still, I don't know who he is.'

Ryu wanted to beat his past self hard. It wasn't that he didn't have any past experiences in relationships before, but the difference was he never was infuriated with them like he was with Kaveh. Throughout his 100 years of living, His lovers were girls and boys of various races and occupations. However, he never had this obsession and possessiveness toward them or had urges to lock them in a birdcage like a canary.

What was he thinking to treat Kaveh like that? he just concluded Kaveh had a serious relationship before him based on vague words from rumours. His jealousy aroused the beast inside him to possess Kaveh, and he unexpectedly went into his rut. He couldn't remember what had happened after that, but the sight after coming to his senses was deep-rooted in his mind. Kaveh's hollow eyes stabbed his heart like a knife. At that moment, he knew he had lost Kaveh's heart and love forever. His attempt to mend their relationship was all futile. Their first encounter occurred in a hostile environment. Kaveh was a prisoner and test subject while he was a researcher and a predator. It was an unfortunate engagement.

Unknown to Ryu, without a doubt, Jack of their previous lives was in love with Kaveh. However, his tendency to be violent in his intimate gestures prevented him from touching his lover. This misunderstanding decreased Ruy's hostility toward Jack. So he started to chat with him comfortably.

Suddenly one of Ryu's bodyguards came hurriedly to them.

" Sir, it seems something happened to the young patient."

In response, Ryu jumped up suddenly and rushed back to the hospital.

His mind went blank due to the anxiety. He saw nurses and doctors standing there restlessly, trying to open the door. The door of Kaveh's room was locked while pleading and crying sounds came from it. It stimulated him greatly. He remembered Kaveh was in an institution like this, Breaking down under the unbearable pain, attempting to harm himself. There was a buzz in his ears, and his eyes became red. He thought he had a second chance to redeem himself finally. Why is it happening again?

He used his mental power and signalled his bodyguards to evacuate people from the lounge of Kaveh's room. He was not sure of the situation inside. It was better he was the one to see it first. It was only him and Jack. Ryu glanced at him and decided not to drive him away. He had this selfish feeling that maybe Jack would be scared of what was inside and would not be around Kaveh anymore. Ryu opened the door with force. He thought he would see the dull and soulless face of Kaveh again. But what he saw was completely different from his imagination. In the middle of the room, Kaveh held Edwin's waist tightly and begged him to calm down. Edwin's hands were like a wolf's pows, and his face deteriorated to an enraged beast ready to slaughter everyone. Ryu had no idea that his presence would have added foil to Edwin's anger. In just a second, his back was slammed into the door shutting it. Then, his throat was grabbed by strong hands. It occurred so fast. Jack, on the other side, couldn't have time to take a glimpse of it. However, he was able to hear the talking that took place inside.

Ryu struggled to free himself. He didn't want to hurt Kaveh's brother. He finally had a chance to start new with his love. Fighting Edwin would indeed jeopardise his relationship with Kaveh. Kaveh saw Ryu's careful action. He felt complicated toward Ryu. He knew he should never have his hopes up toward him. However, some part of him still yearned to be loved by Ryu. Kaveh blamed himself for this situation. He should have never said his past to Edwin. He was selfish to entangle him in those awful experiences. Now the consequences of his actions made this mess. The only thing he could do to calm down his brother was to admit that Ryu's existence was a must to him, even though it wasn't the case for Ryu.

" Edwin, if you kill him, I will also die. He is my mate."

Kaveh had emphasised his last word.

Even though Edwin was not in his sane mind, Kaveh's words still somehow made him stop his action.

Ryu was shocked and silly by it. He thought he was hallucinating from hypoxia. Ryu had a little doubt about Kaveh's previous behaviour. But right now, He was sure that Kaveh was like him. He turned his head stiffly to Kaveh, who didn't even spare a glance at him. Ryu stared at Kaveh's weak boyish appearance intensively. His body was hanging on Edwin. The atrophic muscles of his legs couldn't sustain his weight. At the same time, his arms were like a two-bombo shoot wrapped tightly around Edwin. His face was full of sweat from using too much energy for moving. Earlier, when Ryu saw him in the wheelchair, he ignored the fact that his lover was this young and weak. He was full of regret and resentment. His wish was to obtain Kaveh's heart, and at the same time, he wanted to get revenge on him for killing their child. He was emersed too much in his dilemma that he missed noticing this noticeable change. He was narcissistic, wasn't he? Ryu mocked himself bitterly. Still, Kaveh cared about him, didn't he? Admitting that he was his mate showed that he would risk revealing his secret to them instead of acting clueless and seeing his suffering. Ryu realised something awful. In this life, He still did not mark Kaveh. How could this logic be sound? 'Don't tell me Kaveh have his dragon power with him in this life?'

Behind the door, Jack heard Kaveh's words.

" What are they talking about? Mate? Die?" he muttered, puzzled.