21. Give me all your salary right now

Karel lay comfortably on Arthur's arm, his body wrapped in a thick blanket. Inside the cocoon of warmth, his smooth skin pressed directly against Arthur's, creating a soothing, warm sensation amidst the winter chill.

Karel shifted slightly, searching for a more comfortable position, wrapping his legs and arms around Arthur's thighs like a koala clinging tightly to a tree trunk.

His breathing was slow, steady, and faintly audible, while Arthur let his large, warm hand rest on Karel's back, holding him gently.

"Hmm, I'm curious about something"

Karel suddenly lifted his head slightly, his eyes gazing at Arthur's face, now more visible in the soft glow of the bedside lamp in the corner of the room.

Arthur turned his head a little, smiling faintly as he leaned down to kiss Karel's black hair, which smelled faintly of blueberries—the scent of his favorite shampoo that always made Arthur feel at ease.

"How much do you earn?"

Karel asked casually, though his hand wandered playfully over Arthur's six-pack, his slender fingers tracing the well-defined ridges of muscle. That stomach always made him envious, though he was too lazy to work out himself.

Arthur blinked for a moment, trying to recall before answering.

"I don't know, I don't really keep track"

His blue-green eyes gazed at Karel with affection, though his mind drifted briefly. If he thought about it, his monthly income probably reached billions, but he never really cared about the numbers. Tomorrow, he'd ask his assistant.

"What's wrong?" Arthur asked, curious.

"Give me all your salary right now!" Karel demanded lightly, his face breaking into an innocent smile.

Arthur paused, lost in thought for a moment, then slowly pushed aside the thick blanket covering them.

But before Arthur could fully get up, Karel's voice stopped him mid-step.

"Where are you going?"

Karel asked, his brow furrowed, his face showing confusion. His hand was still outstretched, as if he hadn't finished enjoying the feel of Arthur's firm, warm stomach. His eyes widened when he saw Arthur step out from under the blanket, completely naked.

"Come back to bed"

Karel quickly pulled Arthur back under the covers with a swift motion, immediately covering Arthur's body halfway with the blanket.

"I just wanted to get my wallet. My money's in there" Arthur explained, his voice calm but slightly puzzled.

Wait, hadn't Karel just asked for his salary? Why was he pulling him back now? Was Karel planning to do that again?

Karel let out a small laugh, covering his mouth as he realized Arthur had taken him seriously. "I was just joking," he said, his eyes crinkling with amusement.

"Why joke? If you want it, I'll give it to you now. I'll go get it" Arthur replied, his tone earnest.

Karel covered his mouth again, his mind racing. Is there really someone like Arthur out there? "Damn, when will I ever find a guy like this again? Only in a novel," he thought to himself, feeling a mix of awe and gratitude.

Karel smiled faintly, shaking his head before pulling Arthur's arm back to use as a comfortable pillow for his head.

"Don't bother. Besides, how much does a teacher even make?" Karel asked, his tone curious but tinged with disbelief. How could a teacher afford to switch cars so often and live in a high-end apartment?

"A teacher's salary?" Arthur tilted his head, as if the question made him think. "I only teach two classes, so it's about thirty thousand a year," he answered casually.

"Thirty thousand? That's so little!" Karel's eyes widened in disbelief, his brow furrowing even more.

"Then what about the car and this apartment? There's no way you could afford all this just from teaching. Unless…"

Karel narrowed his eyes suspiciously, his voice turning serious, almost like a detective investigating a major case.

"Are you making deals with the devil or something?"

After saying that, he quickly got out of bed, putting some distance between himself and Arthur. In this world, anything was possible—especially since he'd ended up here because of some inexplicable magical nonsense.

Now, Karel was getting paranoid at the mere mention of magic. His mind raced through endless possibilities, and his wild imagination began conjuring images of Arthur with horns and black wings.

Hearing Karel's rather unique statement, Arthur couldn't help but smile in amusement. Slowly, he got up from the bed, his athletic body moving gracefully even without a stitch of clothing covering him.

Tap!

Arthur's index finger gently tapped Karel's forehead, startling him slightly. Karel immediately rubbed his forehead, even though the tap didn't hurt. He pouted like a child who'd just been scolded.

"Nothing like that exists" Arthur murmured, amused but slightly regretful for tapping Karel's forehead. Without another word, he gently caressed Karel's forehead, his warm fingers brushing against Karel's skin with tenderness.

"So?" Karel looked at Arthur with a questioning gaze, his eyes still narrowed as if he didn't quite believe Arthur's explanation.

Arthur stared at Karel for a moment before answering "Besides teaching, I also work at Lichoin Group."

That sentence made Karel freeze for a moment. The name Lichoin sounded familiar to him. Lichoin... Lichoin... the second male lead who was blind. His eyes sparkled with excitement, and he immediately jumped toward Arthur, gripping his shoulders tightly.

"Lichoin Group? That huge company? So you know Maximilian?" he asked eagerly, his voice rising a few octaves.

The description of Maximilian in the novel had always intrigued Karel—if the male lead had a soft, gentle handsomeness, Maximilian was portrayed as mature, strikingly handsome, with strong masculine features.

He had blonde hair, eyes as sharp as an eagle's, and a cold yet captivating demeanor. Karel had always imagined him as a character straight out of a mafia drama he'd watched.

Arthur suddenly fell silent, his lips twitching. Did his boyfriend really not know his full name?

He let out a soft sigh, trying to suppress the amusement bubbling up inside him. "Why are you suddenly asking about Maximilian?"

But Karel just shook his head. "What's he like?"

Arthur smiled proudly, as if talking about someone he admired. "You mean Maximilian? He's handsome, loyal, smart, and rich. He's managed to expand his business to an international level" he explained with a radiant smile, not exaggerating at all. Everything he said was true.

Meanwhile, Karel, who had been listening intently, began to frown. His mouth hung open slightly, his eyes narrowed, and his brows furrowed. "Do you like him?"

Arthur looked startled, his words catching in his throat. "It's not like that, how could it be?" he replied quickly, trying to explain, but Karel was no longer listening.

Without saying another word, Karel yanked the blanket tightly around himself, covering his entire body. He turned his back to Arthur, hiding the annoyed expression he didn't want to show.

"Sweetheart, sweetheart, it's not like that," Arthur coaxed, trying to pull the blanket back, but Karel held onto it too tightly.

Eventually, Arthur could only let out a rough sigh before lying down and hugging Karel like a bolster, trying to calm him with the warmth of his body.

Meanwhile, under the blanket, Karel furrowed his brows until they almost touched. Why am I acting like some PMS-ing girl? he thought, feeling strange about his own reaction.

Ever since he'd entered this body, he'd started feeling more and more irrational, like some emotionally unstable teenager.

Quickly, Karel shook his head, pushing away those weird thoughts. Then, he opened the blanket and turned his body to face Arthur again.

Arthur's smile floated on his face, his eyes shining with affection. "That's not what I meant," he said softly, trying to explain once more.

Karel, still in a bad mood, only responded with a small groan, making Arthur both amused and exasperated. But Arthur didn't get angry. He simply smiled while gently stroking Karel's head, his fingers brushing through Karel's black hair that smelled faintly of blueberries.

"The apartment passcode is your birthday," Arthur suddenly said, his voice calm but meaningful. "So, whenever you come over, just let yourself in. No need to wait for me."

Karel looked at Arthur with a skeptical gaze, his eyes narrowing as if he couldn't believe it. "Aren't you afraid I'll rob your apartment? Giving out the passcode so casually like this?"

Arthur let out a soft laugh, his voice like the gentle chime of a bell. "Go ahead and rob it if you want. There's nothing valuable here anyway," he replied casually, as if his luxurious apartment were nothing more than a small shack.

"If all your stuff goes missing tomorrow, don't come looking for me," Karel muttered, trying to act indifferent, but Arthur only chuckled softly.

Hearing Karel's words, Arthur didn't respond. He simply hugged Karel gently, his warm body pressing close to his lover's. "Let's sleep," he whispered, his voice like a soothing lullaby.

o0o

Alison paced back and forth nervously, her steps quick and erratic, like someone racing against time. Her face was tense and anxious, her brows furrowed, and her eyes kept darting to her phone, which showed missed calls from Karel.

"Ugh, where else can I get the money?" She muttered, biting her nails, her voice soft but clear in the quiet of the night.

For a while now, she had been pacing up and down the deserted sidewalk, causing a few passersby to glance at her with curious looks.

"Alison!"

Hearing the voice, Alison immediately turned around, her eyes searching for the source of the sudden call. And there, standing a few feet away, was someone she recognized—Mile. The man she had helped before, his friendly face and warm eyes instantly making her feel a little calmer.

"Mile, you're here?"

She said, surprised, her mouth closing tightly as if trying to hide her shock. But Mile had already noticed the worry on Alison's face, and it made him concerned.

"What are you doing out here so late at night?"

Mile asked, his voice tinged with worry, as he took off his thick yellow coat. Without another word, he draped it over Alison's shoulders, trying to give her some warmth in the chilly night air.

"I just finished ballet class," Alison explained with a sweet smile, though her eyes still betrayed her unease.

"Why the long face? You'll lose your charm if you keep frowning like that," Mile said, trying to lighten the mood with a teasing tone. A small smile appeared on his face, but his eyes remained serious, fixed on Alison with concern.

"It's just..." Alison hesitated, her voice trailing off.

"What's wrong? If there's a problem, tell me. Maybe I can help," Mile said gently, his tone encouraging.

o0o

^PMS stands for Premenstrual Syndrome

THE CONFLICT WILL BEGIN SHORTLY.