I Bought the Male Lead with Money

8.

“Guide. Me. In.”

As Yu Jin spoke each word distinctly, Keith’s expression crumbled.

“Do you, do you like that slave so much?”

“What?”

“I’m asking if you like that slave that much. You’ve changed since that slave came. You weren’t like this before.”

His voice sank with melancholy. Keith usually addressed Yu Jin formally when others were around, but now he didn’t care even though a maid was nearby.

Yu Jin looked at Keith with a surprised expression. Despair showed in his crumbling face. Without realizing it, Yu Jin reached out and held Keith’s cheeks.

“No, that’s not it. You know. The most important people to me are only my brother and sister.”

They were incomparable to Jinhyeon, who was bought to survive.

“We’re family, aren’t we?”

How could family be compared to others? However, despite Yu Jin’s words, Keith’s expression didn’t brighten.

“I…”

Keith’s lips moved a few times, but he ultimately didn’t speak. He just looked at Yu Jin with a sorrowful gaze. Finally, he closed his eyes.

“I’m sorry.”

When he opened his eyes again, he was the usual Keith.

“What are you sorry for?”

“For punishing the slave you care about so recklessly.”

That’s not it. Yu Jin couldn’t think of anything else to say. It was better for now if Jinhyeon was considered a slave Yu Jin cared about. Yu Jin kept his mouth shut.

“I’ll guide you to the solitary cell.”

Keith helped Yu Jin stand up, tidied his clothes, and then turned to lead the way.

Something seemed off, but Yu Jin couldn’t pinpoint what. He followed Keith with mixed feelings. Along the way, guards joined them, and the four people went underground.

As they descended underground, a long corridor came into view. There were several doors along the sides, and when one was open, Yu Jin peeked inside.

‘There was an army there.’

The beds and lockers lined up reminded him of the military. Is this what slave quarters are usually like? Still, it was cleaner and more spacious than expected.

It did bring back faint trauma from the past, though. After passing several rooms, they reached the end of the corridor.

It was strange that there was a separate punishment room apart from the living quarters, but since this world was like this, Yu Jin tried to accept it. Slaves have no human rights here.

If anything, this mansion providing beds for slaves was unusual. Typically, slaves were made to sleep on the floor, often without blankets.

“Here it is.”

Unlike the quarters, the solitary cell door was made of solid metal. Moreover, there was no window visible no matter how much he looked. There might be one on another wall he couldn’t see, but judging from the situation, it seemed unlikely.

It’s good to know this early.

Wouldn’t someone go crazy staying in a place like this for days? Yu Jin thought as he stepped forward. As he reached for the bolt to open the door, Keith stopped him.

“I’ll do it.”

Grrrng.

The heavy bolt was pushed aside. It was good that Keith did it. Yu Jin, being a weak human, might not have been able to move the bolt.

Keith removed the bolt and pulled the handle. Beyond the easily opened door, it was narrow and dirty. Jinhyeon was sitting formally in that place devoid of any light.

“Jinhyeon.”

When his name was called, he lifted his eyelids and looked this way. His unusually black eyes gleamed in the light seeping through the door. It felt like the eyes of a beast, causing Yu Jin to hesitate involuntarily.

“Master.”

Jinhyeon called out to Yu Jin. It wasn’t his usual smiling face. With a deeply sunken expression, he called out in a low voice, making Yu Jin’s body tremble.

‘No.’

He shouldn’t be scared here. Yu Jin raised his hand and lightly slapped his own cheek. With the pain, he came to his senses.

“Jinhyeon.”

Yu Jin walked towards Jinhyeon with a sympathetic expression. When Keith grabbed his shoulder midway, he pushed him away, and Keith whispered in Yu Jin’s ear.

“Yu Jin, it’s dangerous.”

It seemed Keith had also noticed Jinhyeon’s dangerous aura. The guards had also taken a step forward. But Yu Jin couldn’t stop. He crouched down in front of Jinhyeon, naturally bringing their eye levels to the same height.

“I’m sorry. It must have been hard?”

Even though it was painful to be stared at so intently, he didn’t look away. Originally, when having a staring contest with a wild beast, one shouldn’t look away. If you do, they might see you as weak and swallow you whole.

‘Probably.’

It should be right since he saw it on YouTube. His cheeks felt like they were cramping from maintaining his expression, but Yu Jin persevered. After some time had passed,

Jinhyeon finally smiled faintly.

“You came to rescue me, didn’t you?”

The words he uttered were nonsense. Who am I rescuing? Yu Jin almost retorted at the absurd statement. But he held back everything.

‘Be patient. And smile.’

Yu Jin spoke in a gentle voice.

“Yes. I came to rescue you.”

He never thought he’d say these words in his life. Isn’t this the kind of thing drama protagonists say? This time, he got goosebumps for a different reason.

‘It’s so cringeworthy!’

If only the other person were a woman he liked, it might be a bit better. Or if they were younger. While Jinhyeon is younger than Yu Jin’s past life, he’s much taller and bulkier compared to Yu Jin in this world.

‘I can’t take it anymore!’

Yu Jin extended his hand to Jinhyeon.

“Let’s go now.”

He wanted to end this moment quickly. But Jinhyeon wasn’t an easy person. He also reached out his hand in response, but its final destination wasn’t Yu Jin’s hand, but his own cheek.

Placing his hand on his cheek, Jinhyeon tilted his head slightly.

“I want to go too, but I’m being punished.”

Yu Jin glanced back. Keith was glaring at Jinhyeon with a fierce expression. Seeing that made Yu Jin feel sorry, but for everyone to survive, he had to ignore it.

‘I’m sorry.’

Apologizing inwardly to Keith, Yu Jin grabbed Jinhyeon’s other hand.

“It’s okay. I’m the master. Let’s go out.”

For someone who was originally an ordinary modern person, his hand was very firm and rough. He hadn’t been wielding weapons for long, so how much had he been swinging them?

“Can I really go out?”

Jinhyeon asked again.

“Of course you can come out.”

Upon receiving a definite answer, Jinhyeon smiled softly. That expression was like a blooming flower, or like an innocent child. When such a handsome person smiles like that, it’s hard to look away.

Yu Jin came to his senses when Keith lightly touched him.

“Yu Jin.”

“Huh? Oh, right. I’ll take Jinhyeon with me for now. And later, tell me exactly why he was confined.”

“…Yes.”

Keith seemed quite upset. In that situation, Jinhyeon tactlessly clung to Yu Jin with a bright smile.

If he truly lacked tact, he would have died in the desert, so he must be doing this on purpose.

‘He really has a bad personality.’

Moreover, Jinhyeon and Yu Jin weren’t originally this physically close. Yu Jin tried to subtly distance himself from Jinhyeon, but it wasn’t easy. Now they were even holding hands with interlocked fingers.

‘I’m scared.’

I have no idea what he’s thinking. Yu Jin tried to pull his hand away, but it wouldn’t budge. Jinhyeon tightened his grip every time Yu Jin tried to pull away. Since there was no way to win by strength, he had no choice but to stay like this.

Yu Jin returned to his room with Jinhyeon in tow. His hands were sweaty from tension.

“Isn’t it okay to let go of my hand now?”

He cautiously asked, suppressing his fear, but Jinhyeon didn’t budge. Instead, he lifted their interlocked hands and ostentatiously kissed the back of Yu Jin’s hand.

“I don’t want to. I like being like this.”

The words that flowed out like a child’s whim made Yu Jin’s skin crawl.

‘Is this really happening?’

Just in case, he pinched his cheek with his free hand, and felt pain. It’s not a dream. Did he act like this with Roena too? No, he couldn’t have. Yu Jin became confused.

“Does it feel like a dream to you, Master?”

As if sensing Yu Jin’s state of mind, Jinhyeon asked. When Yu Jin slowly shook his head, Jinhyeon’s eyes curved like crescent moons. Then he raised his hand and placed it on Yu Jin’s cheek. What is he trying to do now?

While Yu Jin was extremely tense, suddenly a terrible pain shot through his cheek.

“Ow!”

Jinhyeon mercilessly pinched Yu Jin’s cheek. It hurt so much that tears fell from his eyes.

“Does it hurt?”

You call that a question, you bastard!

“Now you know it’s not a dream, right?”

That, he knew for certain now. But still, who pinches like this! Maybe because it hurt so much, his fear suddenly vanished and anger surged up.

You fucking bastard! I should have left you in solitary confinement longer. I can’t even pinch him back! Yu Jin trembled with frustration.

“Are you cold?”

But seeing this, Jinhyeon pulled Yu Jin into a tight embrace.

‘This is driving me crazy!’

What on earth did he go through while confined in solitary that made him act like this? He’d have to ask Keith for more details about the solitary cell. It just looked like a narrow room, but there might be something more to it. This is a world with magic, after all.

Until then, it seemed it would be difficult to detach Jinhyeon.

I feel like I’m going to die. In just a few hours, Yu Jin became haggard. He tried to find opportunities to detach Jinhyeon, but he just wouldn’t let go. Even when Yu Jin gave him subtle hints a few times, he pretended not to notice.

‘At least when it’s mealtime…’

Then Jinhyeon would have to separate to eat. He might cling back after eating, but at least Yu Jin could get a brief respite.

Yes, there was a time when he thought that way.