chapter 20

Caesar's smirk somehow deepened, which Eun-jae didn't even think was possible. "Nothing special," Caesar drawled, his tone so casual it made Eun-jae want to scream. "Just handed them a little bit of cash for some drinks."

Eun-jae's eyes narrowed, his blood boiling at how nonchalantly Caesar had diffused the situation—something that had spiraled out of control in the first place because of him. "This bastard… Always acting like he's five steps ahead. Like he's got the whole world wrapped around his perfectly manicured finger."

He bit back a sarcastic retort, instead settling for glaring at Caesar as the officers disappeared down the street. His mind, however, was far from silent.

"This guy—this smug, overconfident asshole—knew exactly what he was doing from the start. He didn't give me that card out of the goodness of his heart. No, he wanted to track me. He probably knew I'd use it, and when I did, he'd report it as stolen just to teach me some ridiculous lesson or see if I'd slip up."

Eun-jae's fists clenched at his sides. "He doesn't care if it lands me in trouble—why would he? As long as he gets his way, the rest of the world can burn for all he cares."

Caesar raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Eun-jae's seething silence. "So?" he asked, his voice dripping with mockery. "Done playing hero, or should I let them take you to jail next time?"

Eun-jae gritted his teeth so hard his jaw ached. "This man is a menace. A walking, talking, designer-suit-wearing menace."

The sheer audacity of Caesar's question nearly made Eun-jae explode. Instead, he shot him a look so sharp it could have cut glass. "This isn't over," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and dangerous.

Caesar chuckled—a deep, rich sound that only irritated Eun-jae further. "Whatever you say, hero," he replied, turning toward the door.

As the two of them stepped outside, the cold night air hit Eun-jae's face like a slap. It did little to cool his temper, though. If anything, the chill only made him more aware of the simmering frustration bubbling under the surface.

He stole a glance at Caesar, who was walking ahead with his usual confident stride. "Look at him, acting like he owns the world. Like nothing can touch him. God, I bet he even has backup plans for his backup plans. It's like he thrives on making my life miserable."

Eun-jae shoved his hands into his pockets, his steps heavy with irritation. "Just wait," he muttered under his breath, his words barely audible over the sounds of the city. "One day, I'll outsmart you. And when that day comes, Caesar, I swear you won't be smirking anymore."

The image of Caesar's smug face twisted into one of shock and defeat was enough to bring a small, almost wicked grin to Eun-jae's lips. "Yeah," he thought, his resolve hardening. "Let's see how much you're smiling when I flip the script on you, you overconfident bastard."

Eun-jae had just opened his mouth to speak when a flicker of movement outside the window caught his attention. His words died in his throat as his sharp gaze fixed on the shadow shifting just beyond the glass. His instincts kicked in, every muscle in his body tensing as his mind raced. "Oh, great. What now? Because clearly, one night without chaos is asking for too much."

Without hesitation, he turned back to Caesar, who was blissfully unaware, lounging as if he owned the place. Eun-jae's patience snapped. "Of course he looks completely relaxed. Must be nice, not having to worry about, I don't know, everything all the time."

"Hey, listen," Eun-jae said, his voice low but firm. Grabbing Caesar's tie in one swift motion, he yanked him down until their faces were mere inches apart. Caesar's eyes widened momentarily in surprise before narrowing back into his usual infuriatingly calm demeanor.

"Is this your idea of foreplay?" Caesar asked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Eun-jae ignored the quip, his own gaze burning with irritation. "I think we're being spied on," he said in a hushed tone, his words clipped and direct. His fingers tightened around the silk fabric of Caesar's tie as if to emphasize the seriousness of the situation.

Caesar blinked, then smirked as if Eun-jae had just told him a mildly amusing joke. "Why does he always look like he knows something I don't? It's infuriating."

"Take care of it," Eun-jae added sharply, releasing the tie with a small shove. He straightened up, crossing his arms as if to physically push back the rising frustration that always seemed to accompany Caesar's presence.

Caesar didn't move at first. Instead, he leaned forward, his face tilting dangerously close to Eun-jae's. His breath was warm, carrying a faint scent of expensive cologne.

Eun-jae didn't flinch, though his mind was screaming. "What is he doing? Why is he so close? Is this his idea of intimidation? Because newsflash, I've dealt with worse."

Caesar's smirk widened, his voice low and teasing. "I thought you were about to kiss me," he said, his tone a mixture of mockery and amusement.

Eun-jae's expression twisted into one of pure disbelief. "Kiss you?" he muttered in his head. "Why would I even—? This guy must live in his own little delusional world."

Instead of reacting, Eun-jae simply gave Caesar a pointed, questioning look, one eyebrow raised in a perfect arc of disdain. "God, you're so predictable. Is there anything you won't turn into some weird, flirty game?"

But Caesar wasn't done. He leaned in closer, his smirk transforming into something sharper, more deliberate. It was no longer teasing; it was a challenge.

"Oh, no. Nope. Not happening," Eun-jae thought as he raised a hand, placing his palm firmly against Caesar's face to block him.

"Are you going or not?" Eun-jae asked, his tone dry, his patience hanging by a thread.

Caesar chuckled, the sound vibrating against Eun-jae's palm before he finally straightened up. Adjusting his tie with exaggerated flair, he threw Eun-jae one last smirk. "Yhyh, I'm going," he said, his tone light but laced with amusement.

As Caesar turned and left, Eun-jae let out a long, exhausted sigh, collapsing into the chair with all the grace of someone who had just survived a tornado. He rubbed his temples, trying to soothe the headache that Caesar had inevitably caused.

"What is his deal? Does he have a quota of chaos to fill every day? And seriously, did he think I'd blush or something? Please. I'm not one of his fangirls. If he wants a reaction, he's going to have to try a lot harder than that."

Eun-jae's eyes flicked toward the window again, scanning for any sign of the shadow he'd seen earlier. His brows furrowed as unease crept up his spine. "Whoever it is, they'd better be gone when Caesar gets out there. Knowing him, he'll probably make it worse before it gets better. But hey, at least he's good for some things."

Settling back into the chair, Eun-jae's lips curled into a small, humorless smile. "One day, Caesar. One day, I'll figure you out. And when I do, you'll be the one sitting here with a headache."

Still, his gaze drifted back to the window, unease creeping in. "Whoever's out there better hope Caesar handles it quickly, because I'm not in the mood to play games tonight." He crossed his arms, his jaw tightening. "And if Caesar tries to pull something like that again, he's getting a knee to the stomach next time."

Caesar strolled back into the restaurant like he hadn't just walked out to handle something—or rather, someone—in the most violent way possible. He moved with an air of nonchalance, his expression unreadable, but Eun-jae wasn't fooled. The slight tension in his shoulders, the way he flexed his fingers as he sat down, and—most tellingly—the angry red marks on the back of his hands all screamed otherwise.

"Took care of it," Caesar said simply, like he had just finished running an errand instead of whatever brutality he had just unleashed outside. He slid into the seat across from Eun-jae with ease, completely unfazed, as if the blood—or worse—on his knuckles wasn't his concern.

Eun-jae's gaze flickered down to Caesar's hands, lingering on the deep redness staining his skin. The same hands he used to tear that guy's jaw apart… He exhaled quietly, a slow breath through his nose, trying not to let his thoughts spiral. I'm sure this time, he crushed his face and finished him off. No way that guy's walking away from it.

A chill crawled up Eun-jae's spine as another thought crept in, one he hated acknowledging. Sometimes I feel like he's more Bes Ilay Karpov-Troitsky than the one that died in the river… His fingers twitched against the tabletop, but he clenched them into fists before they could betray him. Am I just being paranoid?

His mind was still racing when the sharp snap of fingers in front of his face jerked him back to reality.

"This isn't the time to be daydreaming," Caesar said, amusement dancing in his eyes as he smirked.

Eun-jae scowled, but before he could throw out a sharp remark, Caesar pulled something from his pocket and slid it across the table—an invitation card, pristine and embossed with gold lettering.

"What's that?" Eun-jae asked, narrowing his eyes as he took it, his fingers grazing over the heavy cardstock.

"There's going to be a celebration banquet for the signing of the contract between Ukraine and Russia at the Sovereign Palace," Caesar said, tilting his head slightly, his voice carrying that ever-present edge of amusement.

Right… the Sovereign Palace. Eun-jae's mind clicked into gear, recalling the plan that had been scrapped before it could even unfold properly. I was going to infiltrate this banquet as Nikolai Ivanov. But the plan went sideways because of the unexpected bombing. His grip on the card tightened slightly.

His mind raced again. Wait—hold on. Did they change the dates? Or is this a reschedule because of the bombing? If the location changed, then security would be even tighter. His brows furrowed. The explosion at the Ukrainian base threw everything into chaos… If they think someone is targeting key figures, they'll have every high-level guard in the country stationed at the palace.

"This is just something like skirmishes…" Caesar's voice interrupted his thoughts, and Eun-jae glanced up in time to see the smirk tugging at his lips. "The real afterparty comes later."

"An afterparty?" Eun-jae echoed, his brows rising slightly in suspicion.

"Yep." Caesar leaned back in his seat, completely at ease. "One of the Karpov-Troitsky mansions is near the Sovereign Palace. The owner? None other than the CEO of Volkov Energy. He's the one organizing it." He let out a chuckle. "And you know the afterparty is something people wouldn't dare miss. The big men—the kings of the underworld, the mafia, the corrupt businessmen—everyone who holds real power will be there." He tilted his head slightly, watching Eun-jae's reaction. "They'd do anything as long as it brings them money."

Eun-jae exhaled sharply, leaning back in his chair. Of course. When there's blood in the water, the sharks come circling. He tapped his fingers against the table, mind already working through possible angles.

Caesar's next words, however, made him still. "We might even get a clue about Codename Seraphim."

At that, Eun-jae snapped his gaze back to Caesar, eyes narrowing. "So let me get this straight… The Karpov-Troitskys are throwing an afterparty when one of their own just died?" His voice dripped with skepticism.