The Strategy of Silence

In addition to the items, the interior of the basement began to change noticeably after Baek Seohan started coming down.

The bed, which once felt like a hard slab of stone, was replaced with a large, expensive-looking one. A plush sofa—long enough to lie down on—appeared in one corner. A bookshelf flush against the wall was packed with various literary novels, and beside it hung a painting in warm, inviting tones.

With the addition of a state-of-the-art TV, the space felt entirely different. Watching various people filter in and out to renovate his prison left Dohun feeling nothing but awkward.

Yet, Dohun steeled his heart over and over. He had to get out of here, even if it meant killing that man.

But when Baek Seohan finally visited, he blurted out something absurd.

“I’ve nullified the contract.”

“……What?”

“The contract to buy you. I’ve nullified it.”

Dohun had seen that ‘contract’ for the first time right after his kidnapping, when he was first dragged before the man. It stated that Seohan had paid double the debt to the company and assumed all rights over him.

‘No way.’

There was no way Baek Seohan would do that. If anything… his taste was more aligned with giving someone hope only to reveal a cruel truth later and mock them. Believing this was all a scheme, Dohun made no effort to hide his disgust.

“You just want to watch me despair.”

If he hadn’t seen Baek Seohan’s eyes waver at those cynical words, he would have kept believing that.

He simply couldn’t understand ‘Baek Seohan’ anymore. A man who had pushed him to the brink without mercy just days ago was now sitting there, walking on eggshells around him. Why? What was the catch? What did he stand to gain from acting like this?

Questions snowballed in his mind.

However, his brain remained sharp, hunting for a gap to exploit for his escape. ‘Today’s’ Baek Seohan was acting strange; he could use that.

“If you release me, I’ll do anything. Please.”

Dohun pleaded before Baek Seohan for the first time. It wounded his pride that the target was Baek Seohan of all people, but escaping this place was his priority.

He lowered his brows while keenly observing the reaction. It was a gamble, but fortunately, Baek Seohan gave the exact response he had hoped for.

“……Just your wrists.”

Dohun couldn’t hide the momentary break in his expression. He tried to recover quickly, but his mind was in a whirl—especially as he watched the man approach so submissively to unlock the cuffs.

He fought to suppress the growing sense of wrongness. The moment Seohan’s fingertips touched the metal and the lock actually clicked open—Dohun struck. In that split second, he slammed Seohan to the ground. The man didn’t even have time to react before he was pinned.

His hands moved without hesitation, slowly but surely beginning to squeeze Seohan’s throat. The rage accumulated against the man fueled his strength.

“Unlock it all. Now.”

He had no intention of killing him, of course. He just needed to threaten him enough to get the ankle shackles off so he could leave.

But for a moment, Dohun’s attention drifted to Baek Seohan—specifically, his face. That stoic, tidy face was completely disheveled, and his breath was coming in ragged gasps.

It was a face he had never imagined. He told himself that was the only reason his focus had wavered.

“Baek Seo—urk!”

The result of that momentary lapse was disastrous. He hadn’t noticed Seohan raising his hand. A sharp impact surged up from his side, and his vision instantly turned black.

The moment he regained consciousness and realized he had been knocked out, he checked his wrists. Seeing them locked tight once more, Dohun let out a hollow laugh. He had achieved nothing but making Baek Seohan more wary of him.

‘Damn it.’

Why the hell did he lose his focus because of Baek Seohan’s face? It was no different from kicking away his own chance at freedom.

Dohun blamed himself incessantly. At least, until Baek Seohan—who he thought had fled—returned with a dinner tray.

And then…….

“I’m not sure what you’re talking about.”

Looking at Baek Seohan, who sat there with a casual smile as if he had completely forgotten being pinned and strangled minutes ago, Dohun finally developed a serious doubt about the person in front of him.

Dohun provoked him after that. He had ended up with a sore throat after triggering the man’s temper, but he hadn’t walked away empty-handed.

“Well then, I hope you enjoy your meal.”

The moment Baek Seohan said those words—specifically, the moment he put the fork down—Dohun sensed a shift. The expression that failed to hide emotions, the lingering trace of guilt, the way he watched for a reaction… and the way he seemed almost scared of Dohun.

Staring at the food left behind, Dohun muttered to himself.

“……Is it a split personality?”

That was the only logical conclusion he could reach. Otherwise, there was no explaining the switching personalities or the apparent memory loss of recent events.

Dohun mentally traced back the moments this ‘other personality’ appeared. Likely the first time was when he went to see Seohan covered in restraints. Then the time he fled after his tongue was bitten, and the time he unlocked the handcuffs.

Looking back, the difference between ‘him’ and ‘Baek Seohan’ was so stark it was strange he hadn’t realized it sooner.

Of course, the appearance of this persona was sudden. In all the time he had spent with Baek Seohan, he had never seen a hint of it. But wondering why the personality had formed or why it had surfaced now was useless.

Dohun only needed to focus on one thing.

‘He’ is the only being who can pull me out of this pit. Dohun’s eyes glinted with a chilling light as he thought of ‘him.’

In truth, if Seohan had thought about it a little more, he would have realized he didn’t need to worry so much.

The reason Lee Dohun’s health declined toward the end of Never Ending was simple. He wasn’t fed properly, his body was overworked, and his environment was harsh. On top of that, the original ‘Baek Seohan’ had a severe sadistic streak and was often violent. It would have been more surprising if he was healthy.

But the current Lee Dohun was different.

He was provided with balanced meals every time. Though he was confined and shackled, his living quarters were more comfortable than a five-star hotel, filled with high-end furniture.

While ‘Baek Seohan’ occasionally surfaced and caused trouble, it was nothing compared to the actions in the novel.

“Baek Seohan.”

Naturally, he was in perfect health.

Seohan stared blankly at Lee Dohun, who looked no different than yesterday. He couldn’t help but notice the solid, almost threatening muscles. The feeling that one punch from this man would send him to the afterlife remained unchanged.

‘I feel like I’m dying if I skip a meal for a day.’

Suddenly, Lee Dohun felt like a being from a different world.

Seohan set the tray down. He turned the utensils toward Dohun and sat on a small stool a short distance away, but the man—who supposedly hadn’t eaten for a day—didn’t even look at the food. He just stared at Seohan.

It was incredibly stifling. Seohan tried not to scowl as he met the gaze, but… he had to look away after only a few seconds. His courage was still too small to face that sharp stare head-on. His best effort was to look away naturally, trying not to make it too obvious that he was avoiding him.

He expected Dohun to demand an explanation for yesterday’s events the moment they were face-to-face. After all, it was a situation anyone would find bizarre, and Seohan felt the same.

But Lee Dohun hadn’t said a single word after first calling his name. It was too bold to be the behavior of someone keeping quiet because they thought the other person was crazy. Usually, people try to avoid eye contact with a madman as much as possible.

“……”

“……”

An awkward atmosphere lingered. He wouldn’t eat, and he wouldn’t speak.

Since Dohun wouldn’t open his mouth, Seohan had no idea how to start the conversation. The suffocating silence made him feel faint.

In the end, it was Seohan who broke. Maintaining the smiling face of ‘Baek Seohan’ as best he could, he spoke first.

“I heard you were looking for me.”

“……You.”

Lee Dohun, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke. Seohan swallowed hard at the low tone. The tension that had been building up to his throat began to overflow. His heart pounded violently.

His gaze was fixed on Dohun’s lips. What would he ask next? His identity? Or if he had a split personality? Whatever the question, it was clear that Seohan had no proper answer to give him.