When he first got to know The Mentor, he was amazed by how beautiful that man was. And he wasn't even ashamed to embrace his feminine side and express himself in the way he wanted to, not even caring about what others thought of him. He would tease, flirt, and then push away, insult and be funny about it—no one could ever get on his nerves. He was so feminine and yet so strong. How admirable.
Jared remembers wanting to hold The Mentor's hand, but he realized he was just a boy, and The Mentor needed a man. A real man.
He could only admire from a distance.
However, The Mentor wasn't arrogant; he was very humble and loving. He would hold Jared's hand and take him to the forest. They would talk and cherish the time they spent together.
Somehow, The Mentor took Jared to a secret beach.
A beach that only he knew about, and now he revealed it to Jared.
It was all because Jared told him that he also wanted to know what lay beyond the horizon. He wanted to have an opportunity to leave this small island and live as free as the birds in the sky.
That was why The Mentor showed Jared the beach, and right there, a yacht was stranded and stuck on the coral stone.
"What is that?" Jared asked, knocking on the body of the ship. It was iron. Could this really float on the water?
"Is this a ship?" Jared realized something.
"It's not just a ship, Rod," The Mentor said, showing his head from inside the yacht. He looked so excited. "Come here, let your eyes explain to you what this is."
Jared, however, felt worried. He turned his head toward the forest. "Charles, shouldn't we return by now? What if Cezar punishes us?"
"It's not Charles, Jared. It's [The Mentor's Name]!" The Mentor called out again. "Don't worry about that old fart. Come up here!"
Jared climbed the rock so he could jump onto the yacht, and The Mentor was right. The view from the yacht was very different from standing on the sand or ground. It wasn't the limited view blocked by trees and mist anymore—it was a wide-open horizon where the distance was so far, he couldn't see what lay beyond it.
Jared felt his knees shaking.
But The Mentor caught him before he fell.
"Careful, cutie. I know the unknown is scary. But only the brave have the guts to go there—and when they reach it, it's no longer scary," The Mentor smiled.
"We will go there, to the distance, with this yacht."
"Where? It's like endless! There's no end to that!" Jared sounded anxious.
"That's the point! Endless adventure together. It's about romance! Freedom! Love! About you and me cruising the universe together to the unknown and figuring out what's hidden beneath the horizon. Isn't it amazing?!" The Mentor made theatrical gestures—spinning and using hand movements as if he were dancing to the rhythm of his own words.
At that time, Jared smiled because he thought, as long as he was with this beautiful man, he didn't care where.
But now, Jared is just a potato peeler.
His brain is no longer heated. Only his fingers skillfully peel potatoes, and now he's very good at it. No one can do it faster. No one peels potatoes cleaner than Jared. But it's also an achievement that no one can celebrate.
Still, when he turns his head and finds Charles roaming behind him, busy preparing meals, the boy just looks another way—if not leaving the room entirely.
Why? Why is it so hard just to get a hello from you?
Am I so ugly?
What does it take to finally win your heart? No, not even your heart—just your attention.
Suddenly, someone pats his shoulder. Jared turns around, and his heart almost jumps out of his throat. A boy with blue eyes and blonde hair pats his shoulder. It's Charles!
"Cezar wants to talk to you," he says briefly and then leaves.
Jared leaves the potatoes and follows Charles to Cezar's office.
He is the general—the one who built this underground bunker and made the system work. He is the most powerful person in this place, as he is the one who runs it. Of course, his room is special. It has a sofa, paintings, the biggest work desk, and the most comfortable chair.
A painting of him wearing his military uniform with all of its medals hangs proudly, promoting how much he deserves respect.
This is the first time Jared has entered Cezar's office.
Charles bows before him. "He is here, General."
A man with white crew-cut hair and a body full of muscles, showing how much of a fighter he was when he was young, sits with his two legs resting on his desk and a cigar pinched between his lips.
"Thank you, Charles. You may wait outside," Cezar commands, and Charles obeys without hesitation.
After Charles disappears behind the door, Cezar stands behind his desk, observing Jared. His eyes are sharp and intimidating. Just being gazed upon by him makes someone feel stripped naked of their courage. Jared clenches his fists to trigger more strength so he doesn't feel intimidated by this man.
"You are assigned under E*n, aren't you?"
"I'm assigned under Charles Baxter, The Mentor," Jared corrects him.
Cezar laughs so hard his laugh wheezes out. He laughs for several seconds—something about it seems so funny that he has to sit back down in his chair to control himself.
"[The Mentor's Name], you idiot! You believe in this boy so much you throw yourself away?!" He continues laughing.
"What's so funny?"
Cezar gradually stops laughing and wipes his tears. "What's so funny? Hmm…" He thinks as he takes a drag from his cigar. "I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that [The Mentor's Name] stands up for you so much that he throws away every offer I've made for him—only to wait for a boy who just wants to spend his life peeling potatoes."
"Sir, I'm not peeling potatoes. I'm fighting for my love!" Jared bravely barks at the General who owns this bunker.
Cezar claps his hands, as if giving a standing ovation after watching an amazing play. "Wonderful. A fighter of love. That means you're willing to give up everything for your love, true?"
"I will! You can test me!" Jared says, unwavering.
"Then, who do you love?"
"Charles. He's the one that I love!" Jared declares without hesitation.
Cezar grins widely, about to laugh at something, but he holds himself back. He's had enough laughter for now, and Cezar has excellent self-control. "Then, how much are you willing to do to win his love? What would you sell for his love?"
"Everything! I'd give my life away if that's what it takes!" Jared says without a hint of doubt.
"You both are very similar—both simps. However, you're both chasing something that isn't looking at you. Isn't that stupid?" Cezar squeezes the bridge of his nose as if he's a growling tiger.
"Fighting for love isn't stupid, sir!"
"Relax. I'm not asking for your life. All you want is Charles, isn't it?" Cezar asks.
"Yes. He's the one that I want. More than anything!"
"How about [The Mentor's Name]? Doesn't he matter to you?" Cezar swings his hand with one raised eyebrow.
"He can take care of himself. And me—I'm going after what I want!" Jared's answer is firm and bold.
"Then, let's exchange. You tell me the location of the beach where [The Mentor's Name] keeps his yacht, and I will give you Charles's love," Cezar smirks, knowing his plan will work.
That's all? All he wants is the yacht's location?
But isn't that confusing? Who is this General? Why is he so powerful that he has control over Charles's feelings?
"How?"
"Believe me or not, I have power over everyone here. If I tell them to drink toilet water, they would do it. Want proof?"
"Yeah! Show me proof!" Jared's eyebrows furrow; he doesn't believe it but is ready to be proven wrong.
Cezar calls Charles to enter his room, and Charles does.
"Jared, I know your story. You've been chasing this boy for weeks, haven't you? Because of this boy, you abandoned your important specialized task just to peel potatoes—but he still doesn't care about you," Cezar smirks, and Jared looks down in embarrassment.
Cezar finds it funny. "Now, don't be embarrassed. You should be proud because it shows how much you've fought for your love. Too bad Charles is too stubborn to appreciate it, isn't he?"
No one speaks a word. Jared feels embarrassed for reasons he can't explain, and Charles just stands there, blank, as if he's a machine.
"Now, Charles, hold Jared's hand," Cezar commands, and Charles does it without hesitation.
The touch of Charles's hand on his—something he had only wished for in dreams—something he thought would never come true… apparently only took one simple command from Cezar.
Who is this man?
He is damn powerful.
"Now, Charles, look at Jared and smile at him. Make sure he knows you're in love with him," Cezar gives another command.
And Charles does.
Finally, the love he has been chasing stops running away, and for the first time, Jared feels seen.
How could this be?!
Cezar… he must be a god!
"Now, if I tell him to love you as his boyfriend… or even husband, I just need to command him. But it will come with an exchange," Cezar smirks as he leans back in his chair.
"Tell me! I'll do anything!" Jared tightens his grip on Charles's hand.
"Tell me where [The Mentor's Name] hides his yacht," Cezar gives Jared a sharp, ambitious glare.
His yacht.
Should it really be his yacht's location?
Could it be something else?!
Why his yacht?
"Remember, Rod…" The Mentor told him once, "don't tell anyone about this yacht."
But… it's for Charles! For the love he's been waiting for!
"Tell me where the location is, and Charles is yours!" Cezar repeats impatiently.
Should he betray The Mentor—the one who's guided him all this time, the one who protected him, the one he looked up to, the one who was always there for him?
Shall he give it away… for Charles?
"You don't want to? Then, Charles, don't ever respond to him!" Cezar scolds, his face glowing red as wine, veins visible across his forehead.
Charles's smile disappears, and he lets go of Jared's hand, walking away.
The one he looked at, the one he always waited for… he starts to lose him again. Rejected. Abandoned.
Before Charles leaves the room…
"Wait!"