Whispers Before Dawn

Chapter 5

Tae-ui had been gone on a mission for more than a week—the mission that had begun the night he met Ilay in Hong Kong. Now back, he had finally taken a long bath, massaged lotion into his skin—something he hadn't done in days—and even put on a sheet mask. After sleeping for a few hours, he felt refreshed, his appearance vastly improved after the much-needed cleanup.

"I need a haircut, though" Tae-ui muttered to himself, examining his reflection in the mirror.

Humming a light tune, he reached for his laptop and dialed his uncle for a video call.

******

Chang In picked up the call, noticing that Rick was still in the room. They had been discussing the upcoming joint training with the South America team when the call came through.

"Tae-ui..." Chang In greeted.

"Hello, Uncle" Tae-ui replied with his usual bright smile.

"You look good" Chang In remarked, genuinely pleased to see him looking refreshed.

"Is that Ilay?" Tae-ui asked, his eyes catching a glimpse of the man behind his uncle.

"Uh... yeah" Chang In confirmed, slightly puzzled. Tae-ui calling Rick by that name caught him off guard—it was supposed to be off-limits. He glanced at Ilay, wondering if he'd react, but Rick seemed completely unfazed, engrossed in verifying the documents in front of him.

"That guy is always in your room. Are you guys... dating?" Tae-ui asked excitedly, a playful grin spreading across his face.

Chang In froze, feeling Ilay's gaze shift slightly in his direction—or maybe it was just his imagination. Either way, the remark caught him off guard. He quickly composed himself.

"I'm not looking for a date at my age" Chang In replied smoothly. "I do need a son, though. Do you think I could manage that?"

"Are you sure you want a son? Try for a daughter, Uncle" Tae-ui retorted, just as smoothly. "All the sons in the world are lazy brats. They never take care of family responsibilities."

The playful exchange made Chang In chuckle inwardly at how easily they both dodged the absurd question.

"Instructor Jeong, I've reviewed the documents. Everything looks good" Ilay spoke up, giving a nod to Chang In. Without waiting for a response, he left the room in a hurry, as if there was something urgent.

"Seems like he was in a rush" Tae-ui commented, watching Ilay's swift exit. "Anyway, Uncle, I just wanted to let you know—I'll be gone for another week."

"You just got back today, didn't you? Well, take care" Chang In said, masking his concern.

"I will. You too, Uncle. Bye" Tae-ui said with a smile.

"Bye, Tae-ui" Chang In replied.

As the call ended, Chang In leaned back, feeling lighter after talking to his nephew. There was something about Tae-ui's charm—you could never predict where the conversation would go. He smiled to himself, thinking, I hope he never changes.

******

Ilay was in the shower when he heard his phone ringing. He ignored it, continuing with his routine. The phone rang exactly three times before he finished.

Once out of the shower, Ilay finally picked up the call.

"Yes" Ilay answered, his voice cold and sharp.

"Oh dear... are you angry again?" Tae-ui's voice came through, playful.

"..."

"I got it. I know what it is" Tae-ui said, sounding almost triumphant.