PASSION Chapter 5 Part 13

Chapter 5 Part 13

Since this man's body was at least human, his eyesight would deteriorate too. Though they said vision stabilizes with little change after becoming an adult, reading in such darkness while squinting couldn't be good for the eyes.

Ilay calmly felt around the wall corner near the mattress. Then a small light built inconspicuously into the wall at the mattress headboard turned on. It was a small, bright light just right for reading, suitable as a desk lamp substitute.

Tae-ui looked with a fed-up face and asked:

"Are there... any other lighting devices or facilities needed for living that I don't know about here?"

"This is all for lighting. As for other facilities needed for living, well... There are ventilation and climate control systems but they're centrally managed so not much use. But who knows? Since I didn't install this place's facilities, and don't know if the designer hid more necessary devices."

At his words, Tae-ui internally called out to the old man again. What an eccentric old man. Perhaps rather than not wanting promotion, he wasn't promoted because he was so eccentric.

UNHRDO might seriously have bad elements. With members like this and instructors like that. Later after getting out, it seemed his duty as a human to advise anyone thinking of joining here to carefully reconsider.

Tae-ui shook his head and stood up. With the inconvenience of darkness gone and facilities well equipped, he thought he should wash up. Come to think of it, he hadn't even touched water to his body for three or four days already. Still, Tae-ui was better off. Among his colleagues, many hadn't gone near the bathroom since training started.

...Well, having actually seen guys who just used the sink near their bed when tired because going to the bathroom was bothersome, what more could he say.

Tae-ui resolved never to share a room with Alta even if room changes came later.

"Where's the underwear?"

"Underwear?"

When Tae-ui asked while rummaging through drawers and such, Ilay who had been reading looked up with a puzzled face. Then Tae-ui looked back at him with an equally puzzled expression.

"There should be issued underwear right? I was dragged here at dawn without bringing anything. The old man didn't say anything either. So naturally everything should be provided internally right?"

"The only clothing provided here is clothes. Though towels could be considered provided clothing if you want to use them as robes."

Tae-ui stared at him blankly. The provided clothes meant the loose elastic training clothes like prison uniforms, ash-colored ones that Ilay was wearing and Tae-ui had changed into after coming in. Come to think of it, when taking these clothes from the drawer he hadn't seen any other underwear either. But he had just assumed they would be in some other drawer.

"... Did you bring all your things?"

"If even you as a witness didn't have time, do you think the actual person involved would have had time?"

"Then what are you wearing?"

"Not wearing anything. Want to see?"

Ilay made a motion to pull down his waistband as if amused. Tae-ui frowned and flatly refused.

"Pass. I don't particularly want to see such an ugly thing."

"Calling it ugly is too harsh. You'll be seeing that ugly thing in the bathroom every time anyway."

"Mine is a much cuter and lovelier size than yours. No comparison to such an ugly thing."

Though Tae-ui spoke decisively, he felt something was off but just kept a brazen face. Actually it was true. Tae-ui frowned recalling Ilay's naked body he had unintentionally seen at the beach days ago. He thought whoever slept with that guy must suffer. That's why he had looked pitifully at the young man who was with him then. He had seemed quite slight, fortunately his mouth hadn't torn that day. He expressed deep condolences to anyone who mixed bodies with that guy.

Tae-ui turned his back on Ilay who laughed out loud for a while as if hearing something very amusing, and entered the bathroom giving up on underwear.

Damn it, unnecessary things came to mind. That overwhelming body whose outline was only faintly visible in the dim light on the dark beach, and that presence that dominated the surroundings while walking out naked nonchalantly. Perhaps because it was in the middle of enjoying the act, the mix of sweat smell and body scent had been suffocating. Such strong vitality that awakened instincts as a male to tuck tail and leave the territory.

Tae-ui looked at the mirror mounted fully on the shower room wall. A familiar figure was reflected there. Not one to cower or feel inferior anywhere. Though not particularly excellent, it easily matched the average of ordinary men. No, actually beyond average, a body he could confidently show off. That man outside was just excessively above average. Thinking he was thin but finding him solid when stripped, this was cheating.

Tae-ui grumbled internally while entering the shower stall. Soon warm water flowed down wetting his body. As warm water poured over his head, his body felt like it was melting and loosening up.

Though he thought it would be nice to fill the tub with warm water and play in it during his ten days here, unfortunately there was no tub. However, just having a shower pouring hot water was quite luxurious facilities for a prison.

"This defeats the purpose of being a prison. You could rest more comfortably and easily than outside."

"It reflects in your rating. Having a record of going to solitary makes it harder to get assigned to good places later."

Somehow having entered without notice, when Tae-ui flinched and turned around, Ilay was inside beyond the glass partition. He stood in front of the toilet doing his business while calmly looking at Tae-ui.

"So guys who want to go to specific places or have somewhere they want to go, or want to be sold at a higher price, try hard to get good scores. Haven't you felt it while staying together these days? Them winning in sparring and training and listening earnestly to lectures isn't just from competitive spirit or thirst for knowledge. Though there are some who live as they please saying whatever will be, will be."

"You mean yourself?"

Tae-ui frowned and rubbed his body. Though there was soap beside the sink outside the shower stall, seeing Ilay standing right next to it somehow made him not want to approach. So he just rubbed his body with bare hands under the water stream while tasting bitterness.

Though it was common to see one guy washing his face while another relieved himself and another washed his hair when using communal bathrooms, still it couldn't feel good having someone doing their business beside you showering. Especially someone watching with such interested eyes.

"Haha, though I live as I please, 'whatever will be' isn't my style. Besides, even causing problems going in and out of solitary multiple times, in my case achievements have piled up into a golden tower. I hear they're starting to talk about promotion too. Whether I want it or not."

"Promotion? I thought UNHRDO Officer positions weren't ones members got promoted into."

"Usually not. You need certain qualifications that are hard to get just being a member. But in my case I've been out doing external work a lot too. Ah, right. Your uncle also started as a member originally."

"Right. Seems he did. ...But."

Tae-ui started to speak then briefly closed his mouth. It felt somewhat funny to say. But meanwhile that blatant staring gaze was quite annoying. Tae-ui raised his gaze to glare straight at Ilay and spoke:

"What are you looking at?"

"No, this is quite... Thinking it's a body that wouldn't lose anywhere. You must be popular, Tae-ui. No wonder that young boy is enchanted."

Ilay said with a rolling smile. Tae-ui looked at him with a face like hearing something bizarre. Glancing at the thing being shaken off and put away after finishing his business, he thought with a disgusted face. You're the one who would kill someone if they got hit with that thing.

Dealing with guys who compete over manliness by penis size was enough just during military service. It was funny seeing guys arguing over being a millimeter bigger or smaller than others. What use was penis size? When he said that, one close friend had laughed saying "You can say that because you're at least average" and went on a long speech about large penises and male virility.

But seeing that man, he could somewhat understand the feelings of guys who felt intimidated about size. Starting with himself who had never thought about such things until now, that blatant staring gaze made him want to cover his body. Well, anyone would feel uncomfortable being stared at so openly.

Though Tae-ui faced Ilay while fully showing his quite uncomfortable feelings, he didn't budge at all. Somehow reluctant to explicitly say "don't look," Tae-ui frowned and came out of the glass stall to start drying himself with a dry towel. Then he glanced up at Ilay standing there blankly.

"If you're done with your business why aren't you leaving? First time seeing a person?"

"Though I've seen plenty of people, it's my first time seeing you like this... But can I ask one thing?"

Ilay asked with a rolling smile. Tae-ui looked at him with suspicious eyes wondering what he was going to say, then nodded reluctantly.

"You haven't slept with that young boy yet. What about others like that? Do you have experience?"

Tae-ui frowned. Too personal a question. So this is why he unusually prefaced with "can I ask one thing."

He clicked his tongue. Of course he had experience. Though he didn't know if this man was inhuman in that aspect too, Tae-ui was average or above average in that area too.

"I do."

"With men?"

"Yes."

When Tae-ui answered shortly and gruffly, Ilay laughed. Ah right, he had said something like that during their call before, about deviating from sexual morals. He muttered that while laughing as if amused.

"Were they all your type, like that young boy?"