(Arc 1 : The raven and the dragon)

"I'm sorry, Gwen Gwen. I didn't think my mother would do this."

"That's okay." 

calmly, Gwenval continue to eat sushi. 

"After all, your mother is a businesswoman. Her offer is non-binding, and the terms are quite attractive. If she hadn't done it today, you would have been the one to present me this contract. Look on the bright side: being an ambassador for Orchid Prestige will allow you to see me more often."

Ashlay paused for a moment, realizing what Gwenval had just said. How could he not have thought of that before? A sudden wave of joy washed over him.

"So you'll accept to see me after our dinner?"

"Hmm? Are you seriously asking me that?"

Gwenval laughed slightly. The question was pointless. However, he saw that the young man before him needed to be reassured.

Gwenval took a slice of salmon and put it on Ashlay's rice bowl.

"We're friends now, right? I didn't think I had to say it out loud."

Ashlay was very happy. He felt more determined than ever to score points with Gwenval. He nodded his head and ate the piece of fish the musician had given him with great enthusiasm.

Gwenval smiled at him. He had noticed that it was very easy to tell when Ashlay liked someone or something. It made him a bit childish, but the musician found it cute in a way. Apart from Kaelan, he had never known anyone so outgoing and energetic.

After that, the two young men continued to eat and talk.

"Gwen Gwen, what do you look for in your partner?"

"Well, well, well. Pretty straightforward."

"I'm curious! I'd like to take every chance I can."

"Ha! Ha! Ha! It would be too easy if I told you like that. Until today, I've devoted myself solely to music. No one has managed to attract my attention yet. Many have tried to approach me, but to no avail. Many weren't sincere either. Seeing that I wasn't receptive despite their attempts, they gave up. Others persisted, but fled when they learned of my brother's profession or simply met him."

"It's true that your brother seems very protective of you." Ashlay laughs nervously.

Ashlay remembered the few times he had a conversation with older Altaha and shuddered. He fully understood those who had fled.

"But I will not give up." He thought determinedly.

He imagined himself confidently in the favor of the eldest, who, with tears in his eyes, agreed to give him his brother's hand in marriage.

Gwenval smiled and shook his head at the young man's dreamy expression. He took a sushi and placed it in front of the young dreamer.

"Good luck." He wished him, laughing. "Also, I understand that you had a life before meeting me. But I won't lie, either. If you give me a very high number of exes, I confess that it would cool me down. And we are not together yet. Let's take some time to get to know each other. No need to rush."

"Not "yet"? So it's possible?"

"Calm down, Casanova."

Ashlay shook his head.

"No, I don't want keep something from you about this. That's true. I've had a few romantic experiences, but nothing serious. In fact... you're the first person I've ever met who's had such an effect on me." Ashlay confessed sheepishly.

Gwenval looked at the young man and see he was very serious. He turned to him to listen carefully. The musician did not believe in love at first sight, nor in eternal love, but he had recognized Ashlay's efforts and felt strangely comfortable with him.

"I know it's silly to talk about "love at first sight" when we've only known each other for a week, but I wanted to be honest. I am sure that other suitors have given you this kind of speech and that it must be tiring over time, but I wanted to say it anyway. If you give me a chance, I'll prove to you that I'm sincere."

Despite all the courage and determination he had put into the confession, Ashlay was extremely embarrassed. He was also afraid that Gwenval would think him a naive young man or a weird fellow, so he bowed his head in shame.

Gwenval said nothing for a long time. He picked up the bottle of sake on the table and filled Ashlay's glass. The latter raised his head, wondering what the musician was doing.

"As I said, we are already friends, right?" 

Gwenval began to speak calmly as he put the sake bottle back. 

"Since we are going to see each other more often from now on, you'll have enough time to show me your sincerity and your charms, don't you think, Ashlay?"

Ashlay opened his eyes wide. Did he hear right? Gwenval had just given him the go-ahead? He wanted to take the musician in his arms. Instead, he took the sake bottle and tried to pour alcohol into Gwenval's glass, but he stopped him. Ashlay did not understand why. Gwenval then poured water into his glass and raised it to Ashlay to toast.

"I'll take you home. You've been my driver for a good part of the week, it's the least I can do for you." The musician explained.

"Ah?" Ashlay was surprised and confused.

"There is a problem?"

"You can drive, Gwen Gwen? I used to see you coming and going in a cab or with Monroe, so I thought..."

"My car has been in the shop for a while. I have to pick it up next week."

After a cheerful toast and dessert, it was almost time to leave the restaurant. Ashlay had to leave for a moment to take an important phone call. Meanwhile, Gwenval received a message on his phone. Seeing the sender's name, he opened the message and began to read its contents carefully. He clicked on a link to a calendar that listed several dates. He quickly compared some of these dates with his personal schedule, and after a few moments returned to the message to continue reading.

When Ashlay returned, Gwenval quickly closed his mailbox, locked his phone, and turned it over on the table. The young entrepreneur was taken aback by the sudden gesture. He had just enough time to see the top of the mail.

"A black, yellow, red logo... It reminds me of something..." It was familiar to him.

"Let's go. My mother already paid. If you want, we can go somewhere to digest."

"It would be a great pleasure, but another day. I have to finish something today."

"All right." Ashlay replied, disappointed inwardly.

As promised, Gwenval took Ashlay home. It was a very nice and large two-story house in a modern style, located in a quiet and chic neighborhood.

Soon after, the musician ordered a taxi and the two young men said goodbye to each other. Ashlay suddenly felt empty. Everything had gone quiet so quickly.

When he returned home, he sat down on his sofa and leaned back to fix the ceiling. He sighed as he thought about his day with Gwenval and everything that had happened this week. He was afraid to wake up and realize it was all a dream.

A tingling sound broke the silence. Ashlay picked up his phone and opened the email he had just received.

"Oh? That's it! It's that logo!" He realized.

Ashlay thought that the logo on his email was similar to the one on Gwenval's, but he could not be sure.

But the young man quickly dismissed the idea.

"No, no. No, that's not possible. Gwen doesn't seem to be the kind of person who would be interested in that." He tried to convince himself.

Ashlay, remembered the day before. It's true that Gwen didn't look like a mere musician when he subdues Park Dae Jung.

"He said that he had been doing taekwondo for a long time. And on his shoulder, was it a tattoo? A birthmark?.. Did I imagine it?"

Aside from the fact that Gwenval knew how to fight, it was his possible tattoo that intrigued Ashlay the most. Trying to remember as best as he could, Ashlay let his mind wander. A completely soaked Gwenval, straddling on a criminal. Effectively immobilizing him. Added to that, a tattoo on the back that would make him look like a sexy gangster. It was such a dangerous and attractive facet of the musician.

As his imagination took over, Ashlay felt the heat rise inside him, and before he knew what it was, a slight bulge formed in his pants.

The discomfort in his crotch brought him back to reality. He rushed to the bathroom and forgot everything else.

An hour later, he leaves the bathroom with only a towel around his waist. From head to toe, his muscles were perfectly toned. But what attracted the most attention was a huge scar, similar to a dragon, that ran down his left arm to his neck.

Ashlay retrieved his phone from the living room. He had received another text message with that black, red, and yellow logo.

After reading it for a few seconds, his face lit up. He then confirmed his presence at the event that the tricolored organization was preparing. Then, went to get dressed before heading to his office.

____

As for Park Dae Jung, his attendance at the Turquoise event was not reported. Officially, what happened at the hotel was due to a technical incident.

Unofficially, he was arrested for aggravated harassment of Gwenval and was awaiting trial.

After a thorough investigation, it was found that Park Dae Jung had been suffering from depression and severe anxiety for several years. He had less and less visibility and contracts. He also failed to attract the younger generations, causing him to have a severe inferiority complex.

Feeling powerless, he began using unidentified illegal substances and blamed his loss of success on young musicians. Since Gwenval was one of the most popular, Park Dae Jung became obsessed with him and attacked him.

Given his mental and physical condition, as well as his connections and a very competent lawyer, there was a good chance that Park Dae Jung would end up in a psychiatric hospital.

On the police side, Lioren and his team were doing everything possible to find out where Park Dae Jung had brought the drugs, but it was very difficult because he had given very little information and refused to say anything more.

Gwenval gradually returned to the normal rhythm of his life. Kaelan and Hao Ming did the same. Ashlay had begun to think of a plan to seduce his dear emerald eyes musician.