I really wanted to clarify his first encounter with Roy—did he remember it correctly? Was Roy really fishing? Because my impression of Roy was that he absolutely detests fishing. He had mentioned before that fishing was an incredibly boring activity, and even as a companion, he would never choose to accompany someone on a fishing trip. And was that when Roy and Neil started? During Neil’s school days? When he was a teenager?Just as I was hesitating about whether to ask directly, I noticed something was off. He was hugging the teddy bear, leaning against its shoulder, sometimes staring blankly ahead with a bright smile, sometimes lowering his head, clenching his fists, and wiping his eyes."Neil, are you okay?" Seeing him repeatedly wiping his eyes, lifting his head, and then lowering it again to wipe his eyes, I felt uneasy and asked softly."I'm fine." He kept wiping his eyes."Is it sand in your eyes?" I asked."No, it's just..." He said he was fine, but his hands didn't stop."Jus
I held my phone and walked out to the balcony. Partly, I didn't want Neil to overhear my conversation with Roy, since most of what Roy and I discussed was rather adult in nature. Additionally, I was concerned that Roy might catch on to what Neil and I had been doing."Hello.""Are you with my baby?""Didn't you ask him to come to me?""Help me out, brother. It's just one paper. Just give him some rough guidance, and he'll sort out the rest. Don't be fooled by his naive look; he's quite smart.""Are you really that comfortable letting your baby stay with me?""Of course. Why wouldn't I be? A timid human with an impatient werewolf like you—the worst that could happen is you'd get annoyed and leave him behind."So, Neil was a timid soul in Roy's eyes. I glanced back at Neil, who was lying on the bed. He did seem like someone who needed protection, but I believed he wasn't actually timid. He just lacked a sense of security, something even his fiancé, Roy, had failed to provide.This was s
The sudden yank and pull of the blanket jolted me awake. As soon as I opened my eyes, I saw the small figure who had slept in my arms last night, now looking a bit nervous. From his bewildered expression, I could guess that he had blanked out and forgotten the promises he made to me the night before. I knew I could explain everything that had happened, and while I wasn't entirely without fault, I was certainly not to blame. However, my current concern was that this child might be frightened or anxious due to his perceived betrayal of Roy. After all, he wasn't like that scoundrel Roy, and he probably didn't know that Roy had another lover outside."Neil, don't be scared. Can you listen to me first?" Seeing him nod, I pulled him back to the center of the bed, as he was about to fall off. Noticing his lingering wariness, I gave him the blanket and wrapped him up snugly. "I did cross a line last night, and if it bothers you, just tell me, and we can figure something out, okay?" My priorit
After our meal, I took him for a stroll around the island to help him digest. Knowing his fear of the sea, I avoided the shore and instead led him through some of the recreational areas in the heart of the island. Despite the lack of anything particularly special, he walked with such enjoyment and delight, marveling at unfamiliar sights with an inquisitive gaze. His focused expression and occasional smiles reminded me once again of Neil Wesley.As noon approached and the sun reached its zenith, I couldn't bear to let Neil walk under the scorching sun. He was my precious treasure, meant to be cherished, not to be exposed to the harsh sunlight. We stepped into a high-end Japanese restaurant where I had also reserved a buffet. Neil was far too thin for his height of 170 cm, weighing just around 50 kg. If I didn't help him gain weight, I wouldn't be Ryan Lucas.He ate with great enthusiasm. I was quite amazed at his digestive capacity; even after a hefty breakfast that could feed two and
"Neil, what happened three years ago?""It was the year the school organized a holiday trip that everyone had to attend. I was worried about the cost because, living in an orphanage, I had no money. But then the school said a philanthropist had sponsored our trip. Everyone in our orphanage was so happy because it was our first chance to go somewhere other than the orphanage or school. Thanks to that philanthropist, we had our first trip."The first trip. That meant there had been no such arrangements before, only three years ago. I pulled out my phone and sent a quick message to Ethan, asking him to check the records of all the holiday trips organized by Rollen Boy’s School. Then I quickly put my phone away; I needed to know more and couldn't interrupt Neil's confession.I held his hand tightly. "I remember we were divided into two groups that year: one for a sea trip and one for a mountain trip. I initially chose the mountain trip because I'm afraid of the sea. But on the day of the
Ethan's text message read:"Master Ryan, I've found the results you asked for and some additional information that I think you should know: -1. Rollen Boy’s School had only ever had one holiday trip, which was three years ago.2. The trip was initially divided into a sea group and a mountain group, but the mountain group was canceled the day before the trip, leaving half of the children without the chance to go on the holiday.3. After canceling the mountain group, the school made some adjustments, pulling some kids from the sea group and replacing them with the children from the mountain group.4. The kids who got to go on the trip and those who didn’t had different backgrounds. The former were all from wealthy families; the latter were all orphans.5. There was one exception: Mr. Neil. Mr. Neil was the only orphan who went on the holiday trip."This last point struck a chord with my deepest fears. Since Neil was the only orphan who went on the sea trip, it meant Roy had his eye on
“I've been thinking, Ryan, are you a hybrid?”“What?”“You know, half-human, half-wolf? Or perhaps half-vampire, half-wolf.”“Haha, why would you think that?” I laughed, the first hearty laughs since losing Neill Weasley.“Because your thoughts seem different from Roy's. Or is it that your thoughts are more civilized, Ryan?”Suddenly, I started to doubt. Why did Roy bring Neil back to the castle and allow him to follow me to understand the werewolf mentality? It was because the wolfish thoughts Roy had instilled in Neill had been tainted by his own selfishness. If he were to speak the correct werewolf thoughts, they would conflict with what he had previously said. If he continued with what he had said before, Neil's thesis might be ruined. But if Neil were to ask me and I told him something different from what Roy had said, he could attribute it to the difference in our perspectives, given the few years of age difference between Roy and me. If my guess was correct, Roy Lucas, I must s
I had arranged for a yacht to take us back, but I was well aware that Neil couldn’t handle being on a boat. Therefore, I had no choice but to wait until he fell asleep before making my move. This time, I hired a driver because I was worried about possible mishaps, such as Neil waking up suddenly. I knew I couldn't manage both the driving and the task of keeping him company alone. It was clear to me that this wasn’t a time for bravado—Neil’s well-being was my primary concern.I settled him in a bedroom on the lower deck, positioned right in the middle of the yacht. It was an ideal spot, where the sounds of the waves were barely audible and the engine noise was minimal. Getting through the next two hours should be manageable. After locking the door, I sat down in the recliner next to his bed to rest. Watching his peaceful, sleeping face, I had to resist the urge to plant a few kisses on his cheeks. But I couldn't risk waking him up.Just when I thought everything had been perfectly arra
Ken Yimo simply gave a cold smile, completely dismissing my warnings. There was no trace of pity or warmth in his eyes as he turned and walked out of the cell. I stood there, helpless and furious, watching him leave, fully aware that I was trapped here and powerless to stop him. As the heavy door slowly closed behind him, a sense of helplessness overwhelmed me, and despair and anguish surged in my chest. I was locked in this cold, isolated cell, surrounded by thick stone walls that shut out even the faintest trace of light, leaving me in total darkness. There was no way to reach out, no phone, no tool to call for help. My thoughts began to be consumed by the shadows, yet Neil's face lingered in my mind, refusing to fade. Would he, once again, fall prey to Ken Yimo’s control and cruelty, triggering another episode of sleepwalking? The thought twisted my heart with an unshakable sense of dread and fear. As night fell, darkness engulfed
I stared at him, unwilling to waste words. Instead, I asked directly, “Where’s Neil?” The question was like a weight pressing on my chest, and this man before me was the only one who could answer it.Ken Yimo’s expression was one of indifference, as he replied coolly, “Neil? He’s resting. He’s very simple-minded. As long as I tell him to stay put, he won’t wander off. So, unlike with you, I don’t have to keep him chained up.” His words dripped with a detached cruelty, as though Neil were nothing more than a toy he could control at will. My fists clenched involuntarily, and a simmering anger began to burn within me.I knew then—Ken Yimo must have done something to manipulate Neil or force him into submission. I wanted to press him further, but Ken spoke first, a sly smile twisting across his face. “Ah, but it seems that when kids grow up, they’re not so easy to keep
“I’ve had enough.” Finally, my patience wore thin. Soft tactics weren’t working, so it was time to be firm. I stood up, bundled Neil up tightly in his blanket, ignoring his struggles or pleas. Before long, Neil was sitting at the small table, his head poking out from the blanket while the rest of his body was wrapped up snugly—held there by my bear hug, replacing any other form of restraint.I should have done it this way from the start. It saved time, kept the food warm, and, most importantly, even though he was wrapped in a blanket, I could still hold him close, care for him, protect him—letting him sit on my lap and lean against me.“Wow.” Seeing his eager expression, I couldn’t help but feel a bit proud. “I know you love these dishes, so I made them just for you. What do you want to eat?”"My favorite pasta.""My favorite pancakes."
I rambled on while watching the stars twinkle silently in the night sky. The breeze caressed the woods outside the tent, and the night was as gentle as a dream. Unconsciously, fatigue crept into my eyelids, and finally I fell into a deep sleep in the stillness of the night.I didn't know exactly how long I slept until a beam of morning light shone through the transparent tent roof and shone on my face, waking me up from my slumber. In a daze, I blinked, as if last night's worries and hesitations were still swirling in my mind. But the scene that came into my eyes next completely turned all my imaginations upside down.“Neil!!! what are you doing?!” I instantly came to my senses and sat up with a jolt. Right in front of me, Neil was kneeling beside me, head bowed, with a serious look on his face as he tried to help me with my natural morning reaction. He didn't look hesitant at all, as if it was a matter of course.
My heart sank, realizing that it wasn’t just innocent childish behavior—it was a desperate search for affection, a need to please, a struggle to win more care and love from Ken Yimo. In that moment, I suddenly understood that Harry's words might have been true—their relationship was far beyond a typical father-son bond.I struggled to steady the emotions stirring within me, and looked up at Neil’s innocent face. He probably didn’t recognize the true meaning behind those gestures—their intent was not simply familial love, but a deep, almost physical craving for attention, a kind of dependence on being favored. A quiet ache settled in my chest as I wished with all my heart that he would never be caught in that dark emotional whirlpool again.I smiled softly, gently steering the conversation back to where it had started. "So, to get back to the point, I am your one and only, aren't I?" On this quiet night, I
"Yes, every day." Neil nodded firmly, his tone pure, almost childlike."Then, is this kind of missing me something unique?" I pressed on, as though I were hoping to hear a one-of-a-kind answer from him."Unique?" He blinked, looking as though he didn’t quite understand the meaning of the word.I patiently explained, "What I mean is... is this something that only I experience? Like, the way you miss your dad—does it feel the same as the way I miss mine?"Neil shook his head slightly, his voice soft as he replied, "It's different. I miss Ryan more."A flicker of delight stirred within me, but I kept my expression neutral and asked, "What about compared to your elder brother and your little brother? Is it different with them too?"Neil thought for a moment before nodding with certainty. "Yeah, I miss Ryan the most.""So, only I,
As I processed Harry's bombshell, I turned to Ethan and asked, "Have you checked if Fred Yimo is really Ken Yimo's biological son?"Ethan's expression turned serious as he pulled out his phone. "I'll have someone look into it now."Peter furrowed his brow, clearly skeptical. "You suspect Fred Yimo might be adopted too?""I actually hope so," I replied firmly. "It's a lot less messy than the unethical theory.""Ken Yimo really isn't simple," Harry remarked on the phone, sounding almost impressed. "When I was around, Fred was a bit more relaxed. But the moment I left, he turned into a mouse—didn't even dare to breathe too loudly, but a little bit “sticky” though."I let out a cold laugh. "Doesn't that completely clash with the surveillance cameras he set up at home?"Peter nodded thoughtfully. "You’re right. Which of these sides is the r
As Peter and I sat off to the side, watching them laugh and chat, a tangle of emotions stirred within us. The scene was heartwarming, yet there was an undeniable sense of loss. Here we were, two grown men, holding our glasses, sitting on the fringes of this cozy gathering, as if the world had forgotten about us.Peter let out a heavy sigh. "Why does it feel like I'm drifting further away from my own precious one?" His gaze lingered on Nick and Neil, a hint of sadness in his eyes.I took a sip of my drink, my voice low. "It feels like everyone else is getting closer to Neil than I am." The words left a sting in my chest, as though something inside me had been pierced.Ethan, overhearing our conversation, smiled softly and leaned in to offer a quiet word of reassurance. "Don’t rush," he said gently. "You’ll grow closer in time." He set down his soup spoon, his demeanor calm and wise. "When the bond is strong, n
I paused, surprised that Ken Yimo had informed Neil so quickly. I had been ready to carefully persuade him to come along, but it turned out I didn’t need to—the door was already open, and Neil knew he’d have some freedom. My plan could move forward seamlessly.I smiled, leaning down with a hint of excitement in my voice. "Neil, how about a trip to the amusement park?" My gaze held a playful glint, eager to see his reaction.As expected, Neil’s face instantly lit up with an incredible smile, like sunshine breaking into the depths of his heart. "Really?" His eyes sparkled like stars in the night sky, his voice brimming with barely-contained excitement."Yes!" I nodded, continuing to paint an exciting picture for him. "We can even go see a movie, and then camp out to watch the stars. How does that sound?"Neil’s face flushed with excitement, and he practically burst out, "Y