Confucius has said, to return a grudge with honour, to return cordiality with cordiality.
Itâs not possible for Bright to return a grudge with cordiality â still presenting someone with his right cheek even after he has smacked his left cheek. Naturally, he will return a grudge with vengeance; return a dishonour with dishonour. Yet, this âhonourâ is hard to measure.
'Honour' refers to 'value,' meaning an equivalent worth, an appropriate payback. Now the question is, how much is âappropriateâ? Everyone has their own moral judgement. So some will understand it as âequivalentâ or âequivocal,â for example, âan eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a life for a life,â and also âusing violence to suppress violence.â Some disagree, because violence only breeds more violence, such as when someone who was sexually assaulted in their childhood becoming a criminal when they grew up, or when someone who was abused by their family when they were young would themselves lash out on their parents and kids themselves. When violence becomes the armour worn as the norm, kindness will no longer exist.
Hopkin, for his love and possessiveness, has modified Bright. So then will he have to enact the same on him, and also modify Hopkin himself? He himself clearly despises and hates all actions taken without regard for the freedom and independent will of a person, so he will never do that.
To repay a grudge with honour is not simple accounting, nor a simple mathematical equation. Such as when someone has stolen a hundred dollars. Besides returning the hundred dollars, they will also be additionally punished in accordance with their age and criminal record. Just a hundred bucks already complicates things so, what about if love was stolen?
To steal their love in revenge? Though he seems to have acquired it alreadyâŚ
To destroy what they care about the most? It seems to be himselfâŚ
This is still without considering any emotional impacts. Bright questions his mind, trying to work something out.
The scenes flash by in his mind. He plunges into Hopkin again and again until he cries; the exquisitely soft taste he felt in his mouth and lips; the temperature he felt when he took his hands; the nervous shiftings when he is afraid of him being furious; the jealousy he shows as he warns him to distance himself from other contestants; even that âI love youâ that just burst out of him all of a suddenâŚ
He wants to put up a bounty of 10,000 gold to become a phoenix and reincarnate or have a Buddhist monk chant mantras until his memories completely empty!
Why is he remembering it so clearly?! Men sure are scum, beasts whose thoughts are dominated by their lower parts, not one of them is a good person!
He must admit that his âlovingâ days spent with Hopkin have been the happiest and most comfortable time he has spent in this world. Look here, his escape plan was progressing well, his romantic life was fulfilling, he could easily take advantage of the benefits brought about by Hopkinâs social position, using his trust to pry suspicious eyes away from him, while enjoying his body and even scoring his heart for himself.
It is both making him feel adventurous and malicious while feeling sympathetic and terrified.
Even if the truth has been revealed to him now, Bright does not suspect a bit that Hopkinâs love for him is real. Though he towards Hopkin⌠Itâs not something he has given much thought about.
He doesnât dare to.
Agh! What a messy relationship!
The heavens do not grant him more time. As unwilling as he is, the rescue team removes the ruins above him carefully, creating a small pathway he can exit through, and saves him.
âBright!â
Hearing the familiar voice, Bright freezes for a moment. He pretends to be tired, opening his eyes barely, masking his unnaturalness with weakness.
Hopkin rushes close to him, keeping a distance of 2 metres, because the staff are checking on Bright. Heâs worried there might be injuries invisible to the naked eye like bone fractures or internal bleeding. Even if he wants to immediately lunge forth and hug Bright, he endures it.
Bright barely perks the corner of his lips upwards; his eyes remain half-closed. Hopkinâs face looks pale and unwell, probably not having had a rest for over a day. His lips are discoloured, but his pupils are bright, making his expression so lively it feels like watching the brilliant Milky Way when you look at it.
Brightâs chest seems to have been impacted by something.
For a moment, he does not remember their social position or hierarchy, nor their love-hate relationship of revenge, nor their entangled fate ahead of them.
He is only looking blankly into those pair of black, pure eyes that look as if infused with the glow of the stars.
While Bright is dumbfounded by those pair of eyes that are clearly different from normal, the medical staff finish their preliminary examination, informing them there is no major injury. The staff look at each other, all in disbelief over how someone could have been unfazed in such an explosion.
âWhat a miracle.â They say.
âCertainly, a miracle.â Hopkin shows a smile of relief, which reminds Bright of an adjective.
Saintly.
Bright used to be a volunteer in a church a long, long time ago. He happened to be there one time during an art exhibition themed around religion, so he took a look around. Historically, many arts of work would celebrate or revere Godâs loving nature and mercy on men. Oil painting artworks often depict His appearance and expression, His style and charisma. Within those works, God is clearly the protagonist, those who receive salvation are there to support, theyâre extras. They exist only to accentuate the grandness of God.
Yet there is one piece of art that Bright remembers especially well. God only has a silhouette in it, and He is bending down pulling a sinner out of rushing waters by his hands. The man is cuffed at both his hands and feet, heavy, as if there is a devil dragging him into the depths of the water. One of his hand is tightly holding onto Godâs, his other grasping onto his shoulder. An expression of gratitude and joy on him with a relief of escaping and a fear caused by being submerged deep within the abyss that has not subsided yet.
The expression of that person in the oil painting is actually being projected onto Hopkin.
Hopkin is looking at him like a person receiving salvation looks at God.
As if to say, thank you, God, for saving me. I shall ordain myself a lamb of God, to sacrifice myself to cleanse the sins of the mortals.
I will be able to destroy him easily, and revenge is no longer an issue.
The mere thought of it makes Bright shudder.
After confirming he has no major injuries, Hopkin canât help but leap onto Bright and hug him tightly. He sounds as if crying, âI thought Iâve lost you forever.â
Brightâs hand does not move at all. Itâs a good thing the others think he might not have the strength after just being rescued from a disaster, and nobody suspects anything.
There is nothing holding him back anymore. His bracelet is only there symbolically. Both Hope and the pet doggy are safe. Hopkin is defenceless against him⌠If he wanted to, he could easily snap the aristocratâs neck, take revenge on him, upend this forsaken place and leave it behind forever.
Hopkin is completely unaware of Brightâs killing intent. He sticks his face closely onto Brightâs, not concerned about the ashes and dust on his skin. Bright can feel a liquid streaming down where the skin of the two are tightly touching. It is warm but cooling, before becoming cold.
Itâs probably not drool, he thinks nonchalantly.
âSillyâŚâ You have never actually acquired me completely.
Bright sighs as he hugs Hopkin back, tightening gradually. His force is becoming greater and greater, as if he wanted to crush Hopkinâs bones. The latter does not appear to mind at all, even responding passionately. His fingers latch onto his clothes like a drowning person latches onto a floating log.
Bright feels a bit helpless. Though he canât see Hopkinâs expression from this angle, he can still feel the heat and passion from that emotion. His chest shakes again.
He does not fear a Shithead who toys with him, nor a Shithead who hates him, nor a Shithead acting perverted against him, but a Shithead that loves him.
While embracing his lover, Hopkin wants to kiss Bright, and naturally starts seeking his lips.
Theyâre in publicâŚ
Bright moves his head to the side a bit unnaturally, and as the other person looks at him in confusion, says, âIâm dirtyâŚâ He ate a lot of dirt in the explosion. His mouth is both dry and bitter.
Hopkin releases him, hurrying the medical staff. The rescue team continues to clean up the rubble. Currently Hopeâs corpse has not been discovered either. He leaves with Bright.
More troublesome things follow â Bright receives his nutrients and water, has further checks done on him, which confirms that he is fine besides some contusions and bruises that is fixed with some simple cream, and is recommended two daysâ rest by the doctor.
The show also receives the news and sends someone out for a visitation. Since the event did involve a popular idol and the possibility of contestants maliciously competing cannot be eliminated, the show is also concerned.
Bright answers, âI entered the building, entering into fights with some people. I did not see Hope. And then the whole place blew up. I was lucky that I was near a weight-bearing wall, and I also dodged quickly. I only ended up buried in a pocket underground.â
After unrelated personnel have all left the place, only Bright and Hopkin remain in the room. Bright is a bit nervous. He acts like he normally does, holding Hopkin in his embrace, waiting quietly.
Hopkin is probably extremely tired. He touches Brightâs lips lightly before falling into deep slumber next to him, leaving Bright alone to face all the mess in his own mind.
The feeling of the touch between the lips feel both familiar and not. Itâs familiar because theyâve done it countless times. He is well-acquainted with Hopkinâs touch, scent and taste already. Itâs unfamiliar because of his mental state. He is a bit repulsed and anxious, a bit ashamed, even also a hideous bit of happiness, and also a bit of lament for how low he has fallen.
After Bright is rescued, without any prompts Hopkin commences a violent operation of vengeance. He studied Hopeâs kidnapping in detail, especially focusing on where the explosive came from. And as expected, he discovered clues pointing to the perpetrator.
It has to be said that once Hopkin is serious, he is truly unstoppable. The currents churn and twist, the wind howls and blows. Even Detective smacks his mouth as he is secretly impressed by how smart and sly, how quick and alert he is. From the pieces of corpses of the scene and the remains of the explosive, he has worked out the version of the bomb and locks onto several suspects, interrogating them one by one. He manages to pull up suspects following the trail of clues.
The result is both unexpected and as expected.
The one behind it actually turned out to be Butler, who the Inner City residents trusted the most, who is also Piersâ father. The motive was simple â to help his son win the Championship. Once the most threatening number 199 was eliminated, all that would be left were no match for him.
Detective remarks, âpreviously I found out that factions of the Outer City have managed to infiltrate the show to a greater extent than our expectations. So it turns out it was not just the military but also the Butler there. This is reasonable, given his son is participating in the show. Theyâre blood relatives after all.â
Detectiveâs attitude is representative of the attitude of most Inner City aristocrats. While they are displeased Butler has made a move on a possession of the Inner City residents, they are still tending towards simmering down and letting it go. Certainly, Butler will have to pay a certain price, but he did work his whole life for Inner City. Even if it isnât meritable thereâs still all the effort put in and it will not do to agree lightly to punishing him. They have clearly not sufficiently realised, or rather, not care even if they have discovered, exactly what Bright means for Hopkin.
Hopkin is expressionless, his voice cold, âwhat does Director say?â
âDirector says the person who made the bomb has committed suicide. There is no proof this is linked directly to Butler, nor proof that number 56 did it, so it does not constitute malicious misconduct.â
Of course, he doesnât care. The show has just received a large amount of investment.
Hopkin is silent. The curly-haired Detective sees his expression cooling further and further, and says, âIâll follow-up on the aftermath of the scene of the explosion. Iâm also worried that the body of the hostage has not been discovered. Letâs hope itâs dead and everything is over, so that it isnât used to threaten number 199 afterwards.â
âMy gratitudes.â
Bright sees that Hopkin has already been looking at his smart hip for a whole day, and persuades him, âdonât work so hard. Letâs eat first.â He makes a whole table of dishes, to celebrate his survival, his luck in this predicament, and his silver lining.
Hopkin squeezes the crease between his brows as he deals with his negative emotions, so that it doesnât spoil the mood between the two.
âIâll show him at the next competition.â Bright pours some soup for Hopkin as he says in an intentionally uplifting tone.
Hopkin chuckles, saying, âhe will not live to see that day.â
Authorâs notes: Bright both loves and hates Hopkin. He will definitely take revenge for the affair with the chip, but he is still a kind person underneath, and his revenge will be one with restraint. The first reason is that he is born like that, and he will defend his own moral baselines; the second is that he has also developed feelings for Hopkin even if he wasnât willing, so he is conflicted.