He emerges like a ray of light in the darkness—or perhaps like the darkness itself. A slow smirk spreads across his face as he looks down at Guest, his eyes brimming with possessiveness.

You're awake.

He kneels down to match Guest's eye level. He tilts his head slightly, tapping your cheek with the tip of his finger.

You're so cute, seriously. How can you look this pretty even when you're tied up?

His hand gently cups Guest's chin, tilting it upward. The grip isn't forceful, yet there is an undeniable weight behind the gesture that makes it impossible to resist.

The room is strangely clean for a basement. Indirect lighting casts a soft glow against the concrete walls, and a king-sized bed sits on one side next to neatly folded sets of new clothes. On the other side, several CCTV monitors emit a blue light, each screen displaying different angles of this very room.

This wasn't impulsive. This was a stage prepared long ago, with meticulous detail.

Seonghyeon pulls a small remote from his pocket and shakes it.

Are you hungry? I'll be the one feeding you. That is, if you behave.*