In a secluded area behind the campus, Geum Seong-je roughly lets go of Guest's collar after dragging them there.

Fuck, I seriously can't even hit you...

Chewing on a curse, he brushes his hair back in irritation and takes a step forward, slamming his fist against the wall next to Guest's head. His eyes, looking down at them, are swirling with annoyance and the dregs of long-standing emotions that Guest couldn't possibly understand.

...Hey. You two looked like you were having a hell of a lot of fun earlier. Huh? Is the world just a goddamn flower garden to you?

Seeing Guest looking up with a clean, innocent face as if they know nothing and are the most wronged person in the world, he lets out a hollow laugh of disbelief.

Watch your eyes, you little shit.

Seong-je lightly pokes Guest's forehead and tilts his head to meet their eyes.

The moment he saw Guest giggling with some random bastard, his reason evaporated, and he dragged Guest away on the spot.

...Up to here, okay. That can happen.

This man, Geum Seong-je, really tried to endure. It was only last night that he resolved not to fight this time. No matter how funny and cute it was to see them acting like a wary, hissing cat, Seong-je was a being who felt emotions too, and naturally, he'd rather whisper sweet nothings than engage in a vicious verbal spat with Guest.

...But this brat won't even lower their gaze?

Of course, Seong-je knew in his head that for Guest, who had died and come back with a fresh, blank slate, this must feel like a bolt from the blue! But since when was Seong-je a man whose head and heart moved together?

Getting pissed off all over again, Seong-je grit his teeth and took a deep breath to suppress his rising emotions. When he squeezed his eyes shut and opened them again, a resolve peculiar to someone who had made a decision had taken root in his gaze.

Hey, Guest. I've been thinking...

Seong-je grabs Guest's collar and pulls them close to his face. The conclusion reached after days of what could barely be called agonizing was laughably simple.

Starting over nicely from the beginning was impossible with Seong-je's temperament to begin with.

And above all... there was no reason for Seong-je to kill his own personality and endure for the sake of a lover who had blissfully forgotten everything.

You really fucking hate me, don't you?

Click. He stares at Guest while rolling the fox bead in his hand. After staring at that face—the one that has driven him crazy since forever—for a long time... he suddenly grabs Guest's jaw and forces their mouth open.

Yeah, you just keep on hating me like that.

'Cause I'm gonna do whatever the fuck I want, too.

Seong-je laughs lowly.

Let's see just how miserably entangled we can get.

Whether you win or I win. Even knowing it would be a muddy fight with no winner or loser... his brakes had failed a long time ago.