Substitute
Chapter 62

He walked alongside Number 3.

“I’m serious.”

“About what?”

“That threat. I meant it.”

Jiwon looked up at Number 3, but almost ran straight into the crew member walking in front of him.

“You like me that much?”

Number 3 caught him by the arm, speaking with teasing nonchalance.

Maybe it was because he was well aware of his own appeal—he carried himself with an effortless confidence. It should’ve been obnoxious, but somehow, it suited him.

“But didn’t you promise to suck off Son Geonwoo first? Is that true?”

The question came out of nowhere.

“How do you know that?”

Only after asking did he realize—Son Geonwoo was the only person who could’ve told him. He hadn’t said that to anyone else.

That bastard and his loose lips.

Jiwon silently cursed him.

Whether he’d actually go through with it or not was up to him. But yes—he had made the promise.

“Yeah.”

Maybe the answer came out too flat.

Number 3’s pupils widened slightly before his lips curved into a sly smile.

“Are you going to?”

“Depends.”

“Wanna meet at midnight?”

That again—mid-conversation about Son Geonwoo, and now suddenly midnight?

Jiwon raised an eyebrow.

“Midnight’s tomorrow,” Number 3 clarified. “It counts. It’s allowed.”

Ah. Right.

Jiwon had naturally assumed it would be from wake-up time the next morning.

But technically, as Number 3 said, once the clock struck twelve, it would be tomorrow. Which meant sex—and masturbation—would be permitted.

“That’s why everyone’s acting like this. They’re all on standby.”

I was too naïve.

Jiwon marveled at how sharp people were when it came to things like this.

“Missing your turn would suck.”

Jiwon let out a soft laugh at that.

“What? You mad you won’t get to be first?”

Looked like that obsession with being “first” was the same here as it was out in the world.

When Jiwon asked, Number 3’s mouth fell open in exaggerated shock.

“That’s what you think I meant? You think I’m that kind of person?”

He fired back with another question.

Seemed like answering questions with more questions was a habit of his.

“Well, roughly.”

Wow. So that’s how you see me?

Number 3 muttered to himself, then shot Jiwon a mock-glare.

“Mm. Well. It’s not totally wrong. After seven days, if I’m gonna fuck someone, I’d prefer to be their first.”

He confessed plainly after all. It was... kind of cute.

Number 3 had a way of making people want to suck him off—without ever resorting to threats like Son Geonwoo.

Not that he actually meant for Jiwon to do it. He was just talking big.

Still, Jiwon felt a little embarrassed for even thinking that.

He flushed, even though there was no way the other could have heard his thoughts.

“I heard he killed someone during sex. Choked them to death.”

He tried to snap himself out of it by recalling Han Seoho’s warning. But it didn’t work.

Honestly, so what if he had?

If not just Son Geonwoo and Number 3, but all the guards were murderers—what would he do?

Even Han Seoho, the one who’d warned him, was out here making sex deals with the guards.

And what, you think you’re safe?

Jiwon pushed back at the thought, defending himself.

“Come to my room at midnight. I mean it.”

Number ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ 3 was being bold.

After being completely ignored by everyone else, it was hard not to feel a little flattered—especially since the guy showing interest was the hottest among the crew.

Still, he wasn’t some animal in heat. He forced down the grin that tried to crawl up.

“Maybe.”

He acted like it was no big deal.

“You’ll open up.”

Number 3 grinned as he grabbed his crotch. “It’s big,” he added playfully.

“Figured you knew—but just in case you forgot.”

Jiwon couldn’t help but think: he must have a line of people already dying to suck him off. And yet, here he was, trying to win Jiwon over. What a strange guy.

What about me does he even like?

He wondered.

Or maybe he’s just screwing with me?

The doubt crept in. After all, there was no guarantee someone’s face matched who they really were.

Just then, Park Geonwoo approached, face flushed after chatting with Gwak Chan.

Spotting him, Number 3 quickly turned to Jiwon with a more serious tone.

“One more thing. Who told you what I said yesterday?”

His demeanor had shifted—he wasn’t joking anymore.

“What are you talking about?”

What had they talked about yesterday?

Jiwon remembered running into Number 3 in the lobby. But the details were blurry—like someone had blurred that section of his memory.

He did recall Park Geonwoo mimicking some old-timey drama voice. And Son Geonwoo throwing an arm over him.

As he struggled to recall, brow furrowing—

Number 3 leaned in close and whispered:

“Killer.”

Ah. Fuck.

Jiwon squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them again.

So I did say that.

The memory finally came back into focus.

“Whatever you do, don’t tell anyone I said this. Promise! Secret!”

Han Seoho’s voice echoed in his ears.

Number 3 lowered his gaze, staring directly into Jiwon’s face.

“I mean... it was just...”

No excuse came to mind. And with the way Number 3 was staring, he couldn’t just brush it off as a joke. He figured, might as well ask what he really wanted to know.

“Did you really kill someone?”

“Who?”

“Your partner. While fucking.”

“Or maybe they just died from liking it too much?”

Number 3 joked.

“Did you kill someone or not?”

Jiwon found himself pressing, almost without meaning to.

“Why would I?”

“Only the killer would know.”

There was no single profile for a murderer. Even someone who seemed like they had no reason could end up killing someone.

His uncle, a detective close as a brother to Jiwon’s father, had cried multiple times during murder investigations. Sometimes because the victim had been pitiful—but more often, because the reasons were just so stupid it made him hate people.

He used to say it was better when the motive was something like deep resentment, money, or a twisted love-hate relationship. At least in those cases, the killer usually regretted it. You could charge them, make them pay.

But when the reasons were something like—“he looked at me wrong,” “she reminded me of my ex,” “he smiled while I was pissed off”—that was when he’d just sigh.

"You know what all those people have in common? They don’t regret it. They think they were justified. They’re the only ones the world’s unfair to."

And cases like that were still happening all the time.

So who’s to say Number 3 wasn’t a murderer?

Jiwon and Number 3 stared each other down like they were locked in a standoff.

“You two about to kiss?”

Park Geonwoo threw himself at Jiwon with a ridiculous line and a hug.

Number 3 gave Park a sweet smile.

“Our pretty boy got even sexier after the tanning. Though, hard to tell. He was always a bit tan.”

“Oh? Good eye. Our sailor here didn’t even notice.”

“I did. That he didn’t do it.”

Jiwon answered curtly.

Not all twenty-nine crew members were pale. There were three or four with darker skin tones—Number 3 being one of them. It helped explain his popularity.

Now that Jiwon thought about it, most of them were oddly pale for summer. It wasn’t that they hated the beach. More likely, they’d been told not to tan beforehand. Jiwon, being practically translucent, probably hadn’t even needed the warning.

Number 3 smiled at Jiwon’s answer, his lips curling upward.

“See you later.”

He waved both hands in a playful goodbye, returning to his group.

“See you later~”

Park Geonwoo mimicked him before clinging to Jiwon again.

Still no answer.

Did he really kill someone?

“So... you’re doing it with him, right? You are.”

Park asked in a sly voice.

“...No.”

“Oh, please. I’m not blind.”

He scowled.

“What about you? Did things work out with Gwak Chan?”

“Of course. But... I’m worried. He’s got some intense tastes.”

“How intense?”

“That’s a secret.”

Park held up a finger to his lips.

A secret, huh?

Jiwon glanced over at Han Seoho, still surrounded by guards and gag props, fielding offers like a celebrity.

“...Wait. Threesome?”

“What?”

Snapped out of his thoughts, Jiwon turned to see Park pointing with his chin.

Son Geonwoo had appeared out of nowhere.

“What about him?”

“What about him?”

“Son Geonwoo thinks he’s doing it with you.”

“You told him, too? Is there anyone who hasn’t heard?”

Jiwon grumbled.

“Who doesn’t know he’s obsessed with you? He straight-up said your dick was cute.”

He had, too—right to his face.

“Since you already have Number 3 lined up, just go for a threesome. Who knows? Might blow your mind.”

Park said it like it was his own plan.

Seriously, this guy.

Jiwon shook his head.

“Hyung.”

“Okay, okay. I’ll stop joking. No need to glare.”

“That’s not it.”

Park raised his eyebrows.

“Be careful.”

Jiwon felt awkward the moment he said it.

Who was he to be giving advice to a grown man about having consensual sex?

“I mean... I should be careful, too. This place is... yeah. I’m just being nosy, huh?”

He mumbled.

Park’s eyes widened.

“Wait, wait—was that our Jiwon... worrying about me? You were!”

He joked, but his face lit up.

Before Jiwon could stop him, he pulled him into a tight hug.

“Not many people say stuff like that to me. Thanks.”

He gave Jiwon a squeeze around the shoulders.

“You’re a good one.”

He said it softly.

Jiwon felt a warmth bloom in his chest.

He remembered holding his little brother like that—years ago.

"Take care of yourself. Don’t follow anyone just ’cause they offer snacks," he’d said as a joke the day his brother left for Seoul.

Once, drunk, he’d wrapped him up in a tight hug despite his brother’s complaints and said, “Thanks for being born as my brother.”

When was that?

Why had he said it?

It hadn’t been that long ago, but the memory was already fading.

Still, he remembered the warmth of his brother’s body, pressed against his chest, with perfect clarity.

The ache of longing burned through him.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.