Hospital
Inspector R stood silently in the corner of the hospital room. The small TV beside the bed was playing the news: four heirs of political dynasties walked into a conference hall, each in perfectly tailored suits and elegant ties, exuding an aura of power and dignity.
But none of it drew his eyes.
For the past two months, the boy who had lived with him had seemed naïve, playful—like a child role-playing at being family in his condo. He laughed, gamed away the days, showed no sign of carrying the weight of the future. And yet, the faces on the TV now belonged to the heirs of powerful political families. Their words, their smiles—all polished, sharpened by ambition, dripping with hidden interests.
Every smile he had seen. Every word spoken. Every time the boy had laughed or whispered "I love you."
All of it… could have been a lie.
R felt the silence of the hospital room pressing down on his chest, his heartbeat slowing, his gaze refusing to leave the screen. Every image, every smile on that broadcast tore at a truth he didn' t want to admit.
Reya had never been a foolish child. He was cunning, meticulous, sacrificing himself for his family' s business. The thought made bile rise in R' s throat. He realized he had been nothing more than a pawn in someone else' s game—the very kind of game Reya loved to play. Even the intimacy they had shared now burned like proof of betrayal.
Well played, Reya…
In another private hospital room, Yuu lay on his bed, the glow of the TV painting sharp shadows across his stern face.
Those four heirs appeared again, marching into the meeting room. Their suits were pressed, their ties knotted tight. And among them—Pyramid.
The boy didn' t look anything like the scruffy, oversized-shirted brat Yuu had known. No messy hair. No lazy grin. He was immaculate, reserved, smiling politely with the older elites around him.
Yuu' s fist tightened. His jaw locked.
"How dare you lie to me…"
His anger burned hot, but he buried it under layers of silence. His mind raced, already weaving a strategy of payback—disguised, patient, calculated. The way Pyramid liked to play his games.
"You think it' s that easy? You have no idea who you' re up against," Yuu muttered to himself, his eyes never leaving the screen.
The weight of the hospital room pressed down like judgment. Each smile from Pyramid wasn' t innocent anymore. Each glance was a challenge.
Had he been tricked into giving away secrets? All that time together—laughing, messing around, feeling happy for the first time in years—was it all a mask? He felt the warmth they shared curdle into something bitter.
So that was it. No wonder the boy was careless, incompetent, always pretending. He was born with a silver spoon. The son of the man who had hired Yuu in the first place. And Yuu, a fool, hadn' t realized.
He scowled. Rich enough to buy the world, and yet you used someone else' s credit card. You little bastard. You' ve inherited your father' s cruelty all too well.
Even as his body lay still on the bed, fury rumbled beneath his skin.
"That brat… I' ll bury him alive if it' s the last thing I do."
The highway at night stretched beneath rows of amber streetlights, their glow painting long shadows across the asphalt.
A sleek black imported car slipped past Pyramid' s vehicle. It looked less like transportation and more like a collector' s prize—something meant to be admired, not driven.
Pyramid' s chest tightened. His gaze snapped to the license plate, and his heart stuttered violently. That car was supposed to be locked away in the family' s private garage. Only one person would dare drive it—because Pyramid himself refused to touch anything once owned by someone he despised.
"…That car." He whispered under his breath.
Through the side mirror, he caught a fleeting glimpse of the driver' s profile. Recognition slammed into him. His grip on the steering wheel trembled before he floored the accelerator, headlights cutting through the night as though chasing prey he never expected to find in this city.
The black car turned smoothly into a luxurious restaurant at the city' s heart. Golden light spilled through wide glass windows, warm and inviting, a world apart from the cold streets outside.
Pyramid parked at a distance, his breath ragged as if he' d sprinted miles. He shoved open the door and strode toward the entrance, every step heavy with agitation.
His sharp eyes scanned the room until they locked onto a tall figure at the counter. The man stood straight in a fitted shirt, speaking to the staff. Slowly, he lifted his head, as though aware of being watched.
"Pyramid…" His deep, velvety voice carried across the space.
The boy froze for a split second, fury crackling behind his trembling stare. His teeth clenched so hard a vein throbbed at his temple. Then the man, draped in an elegant suit, stepped forward with effortless grace, wearing a smile that could melt steel.
"When did you come back from abroad?" Pyramid' s voice was cold, his gaze sharp enough to cut.
The man only raised his brows, smiling as if nothing in the world was wrong.
"Just when you saw me. How have you been?"
Pyramid turned his face away. "Don' t bother with me."
The taller man chuckled softly, then leaned in closer. "Come have dinner with me. I' m meeting someone important."
Pyramid tilted his head, lips curling in a mocking smile.
"Important? Don' t tell me it' s just another one of your one-night stands you dragged off an app."
The man laughed, his eyes crinkling with boyish charm—yet there was something predatory in the gleam, the same dangerous allure as their father. "Not this time. This one… I' ve known for quite a while."
Pyramid' s jaw tightened. His glare burned like fire, but he refused to give the satisfaction of a reply.
"Pathetic."
Unbothered, the man gestured casually toward the restaurant' s interior.
"Oh? Look—he' s already waiting at that table. Funny, this place used to be your favorite. Shall we?"
Against his will, Pyramid' s eyes flickered in that direction—and froze.
Seated at the table was none other than Yuu.
The color drained from his face. Memories came crashing in, striking his heart numb. That man wasn' t just some notorious playboy police officer chasing after Inspector R. They knew each other. Intimately. Too well.
Womanizer. Pretender. Reckless bastard. Even after nearly dying in a car accident saving someone else' s wife, he was already prowling again.
Disgust burned through Pyramid, his body trembling with rage. His face flushed hot, then he tore himself away, spinning on his heel. He stormed out of the restaurant without sparing another word for his half-brother—the wandering, careless charmer who only returned home to leave chaos in his wake, worsening their father' s fragile health every time.
Pyramid despised him. Despised his false kindness, despised how easily he could wound others while wearing a smile.
His white sneakers struck the pavement in a rapid staccato, nearly breaking into a run. He climbed into his black car, slammed the door shut, and stomped on the accelerator. The engine roared as he shot forward, fury twisting inside him.
And he didn' t even know why he was this angry.