Chapter 12: The Black-Haired Beast (2)

Maybe I should just die again.

After all, even if he died, time would rewind, or his body would heal, bringing him back to life. His existence was under the system's control, where life and death were dictated by its rules. So, if he smashed his own head with the pliers in his hand and died, wouldn't that reset this situation?

Sayoon briefly considered the idea before dismissing it.

Except during forced executions, time had never rewound on its own.

"Well, if time reversed every time I died, the system would have a real headache."

Holding onto the faintest hope that this time might be different was a choice that would only make him look like a lunatic in front of Han Geonju, who was trembling like a newborn fawn.

Think about it. If the person who kidnapped me suddenly bashes his own head in with a pair of pliers, who in their right mind would think, 'Hmm, he must e suicidal '? They'd just see me as a psycho."

And if he were to revive right in front of Geonju after being forcibly restored by the system, it would be a sight more horrifying than any horror movie Geonju had ever seen. He didn't know what kind of personality Geonju had or how much he enjoyed horror films, but he was confident this would top them all in sheer realism and terror.

The problem was, he couldn't do that.

The more he thought about it, the worse the potential outcomes seemed. At best, he'd be labeled as a threat, and their relationship certainly wouldn't improve. With that option discarded, he was left with nothing usable.

As Sayoon racked his brain, Geonju, sitting across from him, narrowed his eyes. His expression had shifted from hostility to suspicion.

Before he remembers me as a kidnapper and murderer, I should say something.

But with no good options, he opened his mouth anyway.

"Pretty boy."

"...?"

The sudden nickname made Geonju's eyebrows shoot up. Seeing the question mark practically materialize beneath his disheveled black hair, Sayeon belatedly realized the problem with his choice of words.

This is why my mouth is a problem.

For the past three months, he'd been calling people "pretty " so often that it had become a habit. The only saving grace was that, after all that time, worse terms like "bastard" or "that brat" hadn't slipped out instead. Still, calling him "pretty boy" wasn't exactly a great choice.

The look in Han Geonju's eyes was now filled with a previously absent sense of unease.

"He's looking at me like I'm some kind of pervert."

Sayeon debated whether to explain himself ("It's not what you think!") or maintain a serious demeanor as he studied Geonju's face. Distracted by his own thoughts earlier, he hadn't properly taken in Geonju's features until now.

"Now that I look at him, 'pretty' isn't entirely wrong."

Even from a distance, his sharp, well-defined features were undeniably attractive.

His long eyelashes (unusually thick for a man) and the subtly friendly shape of his eyes, despite their current wariness, stood out.

The slight dampness of his hair from cold sweat, the clean forehead revealed by his messy bangs (likely roughed up during the kidnapping), and the sharp line of his jaw, more handsome than innocent, all contributed to the image of a tragic yet tense beauty, kidnapped and bound.

"With a face like that, 'pretty' actually suits him."

Having made his judgment, Sayoon officially designated Geonju's nickname as "Pretty."

It was a nickname decided unilaterally, without the other party's consent.

"Calling him by his name would be worse anyway."

If he suddenly said "Geonju-yah," it'd be obvious he'd dug up personal information. Being mistaken for a kidnapper and a stalker wasn't exactly pleasant. Better to be seen as a weirdo who calls strangers "pretty."

"How did I end up like this?"

Amused by his own nervousness over something as trivial as a nickname, Sayoon chose his next words carefully. At least he'd successfully diverted Geonju's attention, but now, labeled a pervert, he wasn't sure what to do next.

"Whatever I do will seem weird."

As he hesitated, Geonju's eyes began to smolder with distrust again.

"What kind of patience lasts less than ten minutes?"

Even villains waited for heroes to finish their transformation sequences, but Geonju wasn't giving him a chance to explain.

"So impatient."

Muttering inwardly about modern people, Sayeon absentmindedly moved the pliers in his hand. It was a habitual gesture when deep in thought, but

Geonju flinched, as if interpreting it as a threat.

"That was a mistake."

If this were a dating sim or some kind of favorability game, that move would've cost him at least –10 points. With a sinking feeling, Sayoon summoned the quest window with a hand gesture.

[Current Relationship: Hostility & Distrust]

Just as expected, another negative term had been added to their relationship status.

At this rate, every possible negative descriptor, hostility, distrust, suspicion, fear, would soon be attached.

"How am I supposed to get close to him?"

What Sayoon knew best was crushing opposition with force, intimidation, and coercion, not sweet-talking, coaxing, or building rapport.

"Why is this so hard?"

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair and gave up on acting gentle.

The premise itself, a cozy chat in a torture villa, was absurd. There was no salvaging this.

Without a manual, what else could he do?

"I'll just do what comes naturally."

Fortunately, Sayoon knew exactly what to say in this kind of situation. The same line he always used when bringing someone to the torture villa:

"You wanna work under me?"

"...."

"If not, well… you can die."

"Hyung-nim!"

Jong-sik, the subordinate who had kidnapped Geonju, looked more alarmed than Geonju himself. Ignoring him, Sayoon watched Geonju's reaction closely.

Half the Bamjwi guild members had been recruited this way. If this was a kidnapping, then it was a kidnapping. If this was confinement, then it was confinement. There was no room for small talk like "What's your name?" or "What's your phone number?"

Rather than acting unnaturally and raising suspicion, it was better to behave as he always did. If things were already ruined, he might as well seize control.

Intimidation and threats.

That was all he needed. When faced with a problem, people naturally fell back on what they were best at.

"…Right?"

Or do normal people try to learn new things?

He had no idea how ordinary people thought or behaved. It had been so long since he'd had a normal thought process. Shoving the question aside, he waited for Geonju's response, only to belatedly realize his mouth was still taped shut.

"Untie him."

"…Yes."

Jongsik, who had been eyeing Sayoon warily, peeled off the tape covering Geonju's mouth and removed the gag. As soon as it was out, Geonju gasped for air.

"Hah…"

In the damp, musty basement, the only sound was Geonju's ragged breathing.

Click.

Sayoon deliberately moved the pliers again, a silent prompt.

"I'm not a patient person. You'd better talk before I get rough."

Of course, he had no real intention of harming Geonju, but the implied threat would make things easier.

Whether naive or sharp, Geonju's eyes flicked to the pliers as intended before he finally looked up.

Their gazes locked in a brief standoff. Geonju's silence didn't last long.

"…Untie me first."

Calmer than expected. Sayoon had assumed he'd immediately demand to know who they were or start cursing, but his voice was steady, almost polite. Even pleasant to listen to, with its unwavering tone.

"He's got composure."

"Better than an idiot."

Satisfied, Sayoon nodded at Jongsik. With a sigh, Jong-sik moved to untie Geonju, glancing back at Sayeon as if to ask, "Are you sure about this?"

Sayoon's expression remained cool, but inwardly, he was swallowing his anxiety.

"If that annoying notification pops up now—'Failed to gain favor with the Trait Holder. The resisting target will be permanently deactivated'—I'm screwed."

This wasn't his last chance, of course. There were two Trait Holders The One Who Defies Fate.'

The Supreme Ruler of Heaven and Earth.'

If he failed with Han Geonju, he could always find the other one.

"But it took me three months to find Geonju."

He'd abandoned guild work, pushed his skills to the limit until he passed out, and spent 92 days searching nonstop before finally locating him. Finding the other one would be a gamble.

"We shouldn't have brought him here."

He'd messed up from the very first step, like buttoning a shirt wrong from the top and only realizing at the very last button.

The blame fell squarely on Jongsik. Shooting him a "Hurry up" glare, Sayoon watched as Geonju was finally freed from the ropes binding him to the chair.

The marks from the tight restraints remained on his wrists and ankles.

"More penalty points, I guess."

In Sayeon's mind, this had turned into a dating sim.

"Another –7 this time?"

As he mentally deducted points, Geonju let out a low groan while rubbing his wrists. Snapping out of it, Sayeon broke the silence.

"Now that you're untied, answer me, Pretty."

The black eyes rolled in exasperation. Geonju's gaze darted around the room as if looking for an escape before finally settling back on Sayoon. His probing stare lingered before his expression subtly shifted.

At the same time, the quest window updated.

[Current Relationship: Hostility & Interest]

"…Interest?"

Sayoon tilted his head.

The only change from "Hostility & Distrust" was that he'd untied Geonju and threatened him into talking. Normally, someone would feel fear or dread.

But interest?

He tried to trace what might have triggered it. Then it hit him.

Among the Bamjwi guild members, there had been a lunatic who got excited when insulted. Some liked being hit, others moaned when humiliated. With all kinds of crazies gathered in one place, it wasn't surprising that some had… unconventional tastes.

A reasonable suspicion formed based on past experience.

"Wait… is this guy…?"

A masochist?

His eyes narrowed.