🕯️ Morning, Kang Estate
The mansion of Kang Taehyun never felt like a home.
It felt like a place that tolerated humans.
Morning light slid through tall glass windows, cutting across polished floors like sharp blades.
And somewhere inside that silence—
Lee Eden woke up.
🤍 Eden’s Room
He sat up slowly.
The bed was still untouched in the way expensive beds often were—too perfect, too unused, like comfort had been installed but never trusted.
Eden blinked once.
Then twice.
No panic.
No confusion.
Just quiet awareness.
He looked at his hands.
“…Still here.”
A soft whisper.
Like he already expected it.
🖤 Outside the Door
Two guards stood like statues.
One yawned.
The other adjusted his earpiece.
“Why are we even guarding a kid like this?”
“He’s just some debt payment, right?”
A faint pause.
Then—
The hallway lights flickered.
Once.
The guards stopped talking.
“…Did you see that?”
“No—probably voltage issue.”
Silence returned.
But the air felt colder.
🌙 Upstairs Office — Taehyun
Kang Taehyun stood behind his desk.
Black suit.
Neat collar.
Eyes unreadable as always.
Minjun placed a file down.
“Nothing unusual on his background. No records. No school history that checks out properly. It’s like he appeared out of nowhere.”
Taehyun flipped a page.
Didn’t react.
“…And the cameras?”
Minjun hesitated.
“All offline in his room.”
A pause.
“…Every single one.”
The silence after that was heavier than the words.
🩸 Downstairs — Eden Moves
Eden walked through the mansion alone.
No escort.
No rules spoken to him yet, but somehow—
he knew where he could go.
And where he shouldn’t.
He stopped in front of a long corridor lined with portraits of dead men.
Their eyes followed him.
Eden tilted his head slightly.
“…They don’t like me.”
A soft smile.
Not scared.
Not impressed.
Just observing.
🖤 First Encounter
Footsteps.
Slow.
Controlled.
The kind of footsteps that didn’t rush for anything in this world.
Eden turned.
Kang Taehyun stood at the end of the corridor.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
The air tightened.
Like the mansion itself was holding its breath.
🌧️ “You’re walking around freely.”
Taehyun’s voice broke the silence first.
Cold.
Neutral.
Eden nodded slightly.
“…No one told me I couldn’t.”
A pause.
Taehyun stared at him.
“…No one told you that you could either.”
Eden blinked.
Then smiled faintly.
“I didn’t feel like I should wait.”
That answer made something shift.
Minjun, standing behind Taehyun, stiffened.
“…Boss.”
Taehyun didn’t respond.
He just watched Eden.
Longer than necessary.
🩸 Strange Moment
A servant passed behind them carrying a tray.
The moment the servant looked at Eden—
the tray slipped.
Glass shattered everywhere.
The servant froze.
“I-I’m sorry!”
Eden stepped aside calmly.
“…Be careful.”
That’s all he said.
But the servant suddenly looked terrified for no reason.
Like he had seen something inside Eden’s eyes that wasn’t human.
🖤 Taehyun’s Observation
Taehyun noticed it.
Everything.
The hesitation.
The fear.
The unnatural reaction.
But Eden… was still smiling softly.
Like nothing happened.
Like he hadn’t done anything at all.
🌙 Dinner Hall — Night
The dining hall was too large for two people.
Too empty.
Too quiet.
Eden sat across from Taehyun.
Food was placed in front of him.
He didn’t touch it yet.
Taehyun watched him.
“…Eat.”
Simple command.
Eden nodded.
“…Okay.”
But he still didn’t move immediately.
🩸 The Question
After a few seconds—
Eden spoke.
“…Why did you keep me?”
Taehyun paused slightly.
Just barely.
“…Debt.”
Eden nodded slowly.
Like he accepted the answer.
But his eyes didn’t match.
Then softly—
“…That’s not the real reason.”
Silence.
Minjun stopped breathing for a second.
Taehyun’s gaze sharpened.
“…What did you say?”
Eden looked down at his food.
Calm.
Soft.
Almost innocent.
“I said… that’s not the real reason.”
A pause.
Then a small smile.
“…But it’s okay.”
🌧️ Something Breaks Quietly
The chandelier above flickered once.
Taehyun noticed it immediately.
He didn’t move.
Didn’t react outwardly.
But his eyes narrowed slightly.
Minjun felt it too.
That feeling.
Like the house… wasn’t stable anymore.
🖤 Final Scene
That night, Taehyun stood outside Eden’s room again.
No reason.
No order.
Just there.
Minjun approached carefully.
“…Boss, are you checking security?”
Taehyun didn’t answer immediately.
Then quietly—
“No.”
A pause.
“…I just want to make sure he’s still inside.”
Minjun blinked.
“…He’s a guest.”
Taehyun’s eyes stayed on the door.
Cold.
Controlled.
But something darker lingered underneath.
“…No,” he said again.
“…He’s not a guest.”
Silence fell.
Inside the room, unseen—
Eden lay awake.
Eyes open in the dark.
Listening.
Smiling faintly to himself. 🩸
***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***
Download
Like this story? Download the app to keep your reading history.
Comments