Passion: Raga by Yuuji

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/58715164.

Rating: Mature
Archive Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Category: M/M
Fandom: Passion - 유우지 | Yuuji (Webcomic)
Relationships: Yuri Gable/Xinlu (Passion), Jeong Taeui/Ilay Riegrow
Characters: Xinlu (Passion), Yuri Gable, Jeong Taeui, Ilay Riegrow
Language: English
Stats: Published: 2024-09-05 Words: 4,072 Chapters: 1/60
 Passion: Raga by Yuuji
by Riegrow

Summary

Yuri Gable's first meeting with Ling Xinlu was the worst. Although it was to save Ling
Xinlu's life from being shot by Ilay Riegrow, Yuri Gable ended up shooting him on their very
first encounter. This incident leaves Ling Xinlu with the worst first impression of Yuri Gable,
but Yuri Gable feels nothing but pity and sympathy for him.

Quick-witted Ling Xinlu senses that Yuri has feelings for him, but he is rather taken aback by
Yuri Gable's oddly calm and straightforward reaction. As Ling Xinlu gradually realizes his
affection for Yuri, and understands that it is different from his feelings for Jeong Taeui, he
struggles hard to make Yuri his own...

In the main story, Ling Xinlu, who has fallen out of Ilay's favor while trying to get along with
Jeong Taeui, and Yuri Gable, who sends calm affection to him, are the focus. Yuri's
unwavering affection for Ling Xinlu, who struggles with his own emotional turmoil, is truly
admirable. No matter how hot-tempered the youngest son of the Linga family may be, he is
helpless against Yuri's soothing charm that wraps around him like water.

Credits go to Yuuji, Yuuji and only Yuuji! You can find the book contents through Ridibooks
or Bomtoon.
In Seringe.

He was so famous that even people who had never seen his face would nod their heads and
say, “Ah, him…” if you mentioned the youngest son of the Ling family. The Ling family was
well-known in the business world. Especially in Southeast Asian countries, where the ethnic
Chinese community held a strong grip on politics and business, there was hardly anyone in
power who hadn’t heard the name.

Ling Huolong, the head of the family, was over seventy but still more vigorous and
commanding than his eldest son, who was nearly fifty. His family doctor, along with others,
predicted that he would easily live past a hundred. He was not someone who would die
easily. From his youth until now, he had used any means necessary to grow his family larger
and stronger. He was a cold-blooded man, devoid of tears or sympathy. Many had tried to
harm him, whether by attacking him in broad daylight or sending hired killers after him.

Despite facing death multiple times in his youth, he had survived, growing stronger and more
ruthless each time. By the time he reached his fifties, no one dared to touch him anymore.
This cold, merciless man, who seemed devoid of human warmth, encountered something
unexpected around that time.

His eldest son, who was nearing thirty, had a son of his own, making Ling Huolong a
grandfather at a relatively early age. Not long after this, he visited a small mountain village
on business and met a girl not yet twenty. He fell for her at first sight and brought her back,
setting her up in a separate residence. It seemed she hadn’t willingly followed him, as he
stationed people around the house to prevent her from leaving until she became pregnant.

Bringing a woman into the family wasn’t unusual for Ling Huolong. Even if she was the
seventh woman to enter his home, it wouldn’t be surprising if there was an eighth or ninth
after her. He often brought women into his home on a whim, only to tire of them and cast
them aside quickly.

Though the young girl was exceptionally beautiful, she seemed no different. Ling Huolong
had encountered many women, famous for their beauty across China, and he rarely lavished
his affection on anyone for more than a few days before growing cold.

Everyone expected this young girl to follow a similar path. So, when months passed, then a
year, and Ling Huolong remained infatuated with her, ignoring all other women, people were
astonished. His ice-cold demeanor melted, and each time he visited her, his face lit up like a
boy experiencing his first love. The once cruel and detached man was now visibly
overwhelmed with love.

Everyone was shocked. The same man who had cut ties with his own parents when they
clashed with his will was now completely captivated by a young woman. So, when she gave
birth to a son, the whole family watched the situation with tension. The ones who were likely
the most anxious were the eldest son, who had already established himself in the family, and
the eldest wife, Ling Huolong's first spouse.
As expected, Ling Huolong was overjoyed to have a son younger than his grandson. He
doted on the boy, keeping him constantly in sight while at home. Though he loved his
grandson, he could not compare to the affection shown for his youngest son. If the boy’s
mother had been more ambitious and determined, she might have disrupted the power
structure within the family.

Ling Huolong was so deeply in love that he would have granted her every wish. However, the
young woman was quiet and timid, constantly wearing a sorrowful, anxious expression. She
feared that harm would come to her or her son. Perhaps she was wise, knowing that even
Ling Huolong could not fully protect her once the other wives’ schemes began.

Perhaps because of her reserved nature, or maybe because the older sons found it absurd to
compete with a mere child, the youngest son grew up safely, showered with affection and
called “Little Lord” by those around him.

The youngest son of the Ling family was famous even before he was born. As he grew, that
fame only increased, fueled by his father’s endless love. In the beginning, some mocked the
situation, sneering at Ling Huolong for losing his mind over a young mistress in his old age.
But as the boy grew, they began to admit, “It’s understandable why he dotes on him like
that.”

The boy, raised with boundless affection, was truly a lovable child. He inherited his mother’s
delicate and beautiful features, but also had a cheerful and kind personality, winning people
over with ease. He was not only cute but also thoughtful and intelligent, leaving many to sigh
and say, “Anyone would fall in love with such a lovely child.”

This was the youngest son of the Ling family.

Yuri Gable had heard rumors about this boy. Not in great detail, just general gossip. He had
heard that the boy had inherited his mother’s beauty and was intelligent enough to have been
accepted into UNHRDO with top marks despite his young age. He was also said to be kind
and polite.

But the moment Yuri Gable saw the young man, he thought, “Takes after his father, no
doubt.”

Yuri had met both the boy’s father and mother before. It was about ten years ago at Ling
Huolong’s sixtieth birthday celebration, though Yuri hadn’t been invited. He had visited the
Ling estate to meet the eldest son and had been swept into the banquet by chance. From a
distance, he had seen the young woman, barely in her twenties, who had caught the eye of a
man over fifty.

She was undeniably beautiful, with a youthful, innocent face that seemed out of place next to
her older husband. Her appearance was like a hydrangea wet with rain—melancholic and
pure, with a sadness that tugged at the heart.

As for Ling Huolong, even without the young woman at his side, he exuded such authority
that it was immediately clear he was the head of the house. He was like a giant tiger,
disguised as a man, sitting at the banquet table. Yuri had nodded to himself, thinking, “Yes,
this man is truly the master of this household.”

Now, standing before Yuri was the young man, who looked just like his father. At least, that’s
how it seemed to Yuri. He understood why people said the boy took after his mother—he had
inherited her exceptional beauty. However, while his mother resembled a hydrangea drenched
in a quiet rain, the son was more like a peony blooming under a golden sun. He was
charming, but with a dangerous brilliance.

It wasn’t just his appearance; the boy had also inherited his father’s atmosphere. While his
mother was like a delicate, timid flower, the boy radiated the fierce energy of a tiger. That’s
why Yuri felt an immediate sense of danger when he looked at him.

Perhaps the boy really was dangerous.

When Yuri briefly locked eyes with the young man, he felt as though he had been pricked by
a venomous needle. He couldn’t help but flinch.

“This is troublesome,” he muttered to himself.

A man walking a few steps ahead of him glanced back, as if asking what he had just said.
Yuri quickly shook his head, pretending it was nothing, and the man turned his attention back
to the front. He seemed too focused on the task at hand to be concerned with Yuri’s idle
words.

Yuri sighed. The German man walking ahead of him, currently facing off against the brilliant
young man, was also dangerously capable—so dangerous that Yuri disliked even referring to
him as “human.”

But the young man in front of them, though he didn’t flaunt it as openly, exuded a subtle,
dangerous aura as well.

Unfortunately for Yuri, his instincts were usually accurate. If they hadn’t been, he wouldn’t
have earned Kyle’s trust in this line of work.

He had been lucky so far. He wasn’t without skill, but he always thought of himself as
fortunate. Things generally worked out well for him, even in this current situation—searching
for the world’s most elusive genius, someone so difficult to track down that many had been
driven to their wits’ end. Yuri had been tasked with finding even a single hair of this hidden
figure, wherever they might be in the world.

His luck stemmed from his excellent intuition, which was now telling him that this situation
didn’t look good. If anyone familiar with these people were to see them here, they would
immediately agree: this was a very bad situation.

It seemed the root of all this trouble was the Asian man standing awkwardly between the two,
looking deeply uncomfortable.
Jeong Taeui, the only younger sibling of the genius they were currently searching for, and
Ilay Riegrow, the German with whom it was best to avoid close contact for the sake of
prolonging one’s life, were traveling companions. Until these two arrived on the island, Yuri
had been enjoying a relatively peaceful and tranquil time.

Almost a year had passed since he received the task to search for the genius Jeong Jaeui, who
had suddenly disappeared without a trace. He had scoured the world, traveling through all
sorts of remote areas, and had finally found a clue, leading him to this island with a certain
degree of confidence. Yuri, always cautious when it came to work, kept in mind the
possibility that Jeong Jaeui might not be on the island. However, he estimated with over a
fifty percent chance that Jeong was either hiding or being hidden here.

With the end of the mission in sight, Yuri was in a good mood. Although he wasn’t one to
show much expression, he had been quietly enjoying the leisurely and comfortable
atmosphere since arriving on the island. It wasn’t only because the mission seemed to be
nearing completion. After all, this was an island—an island surrounded by the vast, serene
sea that many would pay to visit.

Once this mission was over—once they found Jeong Jaeui—Yuri's contract with T&R would
also come to an end. He had already received documents proposing a contract renewal a few
days ago, and a few other companies who valued Yuri Gable’s skills had also expressed
interest in hiring him.

Yuri hadn’t decided yet whether he would renew his contract with T&R or move on to
another place, but regardless, he planned to relax on this island for at least a month after
finishing this job. The thought of days spent lazily floating in the sea, free of any work-
related burdens or worries, made him feel pleasantly drowsy.

But it was around that time, with the end in sight, that the two people arrived: Ilay Riegrow,
the younger brother of Yuri’s employer, and Jeong Taeui, the younger brother of their target.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Jeong Taeui.”

When Yuri had gone to meet them at Dar es Salaam Airport, he shook hands with the young
man and studied him closely, thinking, So this is the man known for his luck.

It was well-known in their industry that just a while ago, the infamous Rick had caused
chaos, tearing apart T&R’s intelligence division in his search for a certain someone, like a
tiger that had been shot but wouldn’t die. Everyone knew about it. People gossiped endlessly
—who had angered Rick so much, who had dared to disappear after driving him mad, and
what would eventually happen to that person.

It was only recently that Yuri heard they had finally found the person. Though it was an
interesting case, Yuri hadn’t paid much attention to it since it didn’t concern his mission.
However, he couldn’t help but take notice when he was informed that the two people at the
center of the rumors were coming to Seringe.

“Who? Jeong Taeui? Jeong Jaeui’s brother? And Rick’s coming too? …Are you sure he’s
arriving in one piece?”
It wasn’t unreasonable for Yuri to ask James that. The fact that the person Rick had been
searching for with such fury was still alive and well was unexpected. Like his brother, Jeong
Taeui must have been incredibly lucky. It was impressive that he had survived Rick’s wrath
unharmed.

In any case, the two men appeared at Dar es Salaam Airport looking perfectly fine, and Yuri
brought them to Seringe just a few days ago. However, it became clear that the supposedly
lucky young man wasn’t so fortunate after all. Or perhaps it was unclear whether to call it
good luck or bad luck, but Yuri was leaning more toward the latter.

Yuri already knew that Riegrow didn’t discriminate between men and women when it came
to physical relationships. So, when he witnessed them together that very day, he wasn’t
particularly shocked. Having an idea of what being involved with Riegrow entailed, Yuri
couldn’t help but feel pity for the young man.

But what truly surprised Yuri—and made him pity the young man even more—came
afterward.

It was a lazy afternoon, and Yuri saw the young man as he returned from swimming in the
sea. He was seated at a table in the courtyard, spinning a pen around his fingers while glaring
at a map that barely deserved to be called a map. Opposite him sat Riegrow, leaning back and
gazing intently at the young man. Riegrow’s eyes, narrowed like those of a cat basking in the
sun, never left the young man.

Yuri had a keen sense of intuition, and he could tell the young man’s situation with
remarkable accuracy. Simply put, the person with whom he would walk the rest of his life
was already set in stone.

For a moment, Yuri felt sympathy for him, but he quickly moved on. The young man was
cheerful and easygoing, and Yuri felt that no matter the circumstances, he wouldn’t be
unhappy. Bad luck didn’t necessarily mean one had to be miserable.

Yuri accepted this and resolved to wait until the young man was safely reunited with his
brother and his mission was over.

However, he hadn’t expected this complication.

“Well, you found him. No matter how hard I searched, I couldn’t track him down. Thanks to
you, I finally get to meet my hyung again.”

Watching Jeong Taeui stare directly at Riegrow as he said this, Yuri clicked his tongue
inwardly. Although his face remained as impassive as ever, he was actually feeling quite
awkward.

He had sensed someone following them.

Ever since they arrived on the island, someone had been subtly approaching them. Even if
Anna, the sharp-eyed owner of the inn where they were staying, hadn’t hinted that her
normally distant cousin had asked about new guests, Yuri would have picked up on it. He had
been on the island long enough to notice the subtle signs of a presence that hadn’t been there
before.

Who was this unknown person following them? Since they had arrived, it was likely they
were targeting Riegrow, Jeong Taeui, or perhaps even Jeong Jaeui, who had just begun to
reveal himself. Logically, it seemed to be someone aiming to steal away Jeong Jaeui, who
was highly valuable, or an enemy of Riegrow, who had no shortage of foes around the world.

After obtaining a list of people who had entered Seringe around the same time, Yuri
recognized a name: the famous youngest son of the Ling family. This triggered a memory
that the Ling family had been interested in Jeong Jaeui’s exceptional intellect. Yuri concluded
that their target was likely Jeong Jaeui.

Many people were after Jeong Jaeui, and the Ling family wasn’t the only powerful group
pursuing him. Though caution was necessary, Yuri didn’t think it was something to be overly
concerned about.

But still—he hadn’t expected this.

“Hey, kid. This one’s mine. Don’t you dare get any ideas.”

Hearing Riegrow’s low, threatening voice directed at the young man, Yuri, expressionless as
ever, discreetly glanced between the three of them. Yuri was both perceptive and intuitive,
and he wasn’t clueless enough to be unable to grasp what was happening. But even so, he felt
a lingering sense of disbelief.

“Of all the strange and bizarre things I’ve seen in my life, I never thought I’d witness
Riegrow and the youngest son of the Ling family fighting over a man.”

Yuri had seen all kinds of things in his lifetime, so he wasn’t exactly shocked, but it was still
a little absurd.

Men who could have any beautiful woman in the world, yet here they were, creating this
ominous atmosphere over a completely ordinary young man who seemed no different from
anyone else.

As Yuri stood there, an onlooker who no one paid any attention to, he thought to himself, I’ve
seen it all.

But Yuri wasn’t the only one feeling bewildered. Jeong Taeui, the man at the center of it all,
was looking at them with a more troubled expression. His gaze was mostly focused on the
youngest son of the Ling family, as if he hadn’t fully grasped who this person truly was. His
look suggested that he was wondering if the person before him was the same one he knew, as
if he had been blindsided by this turn of events.

Yuri glanced at the youngest son of the Ling family again.

He is beautiful, Yuri thought. Despite the sharp, piercing eyes and expressions hidden
beneath his charming, sweet smile, the boy was outwardly striking. He had the kind of face
that could captivate both men and women, given the chance.

But Yuri knew better than to be fooled by appearances. A tiger wearing a human mask didn’t
make it any less of a tiger.

That young man, Jeong Taeui, seemed like someone who’d be fairly perceptive in such
matters, but apparently, that wasn’t the case. Or maybe he was so mesmerized by the
youngest son of the Ling family’s smiling face that he completely missed it… Judging by the
atmosphere between the three, it seemed more like the latter.

Yuri found himself in an awkward situation, even before they had located their actual target,
Jeong Jaeui. If this ridiculous situation continued to drag on, it would certainly cause trouble
in the near future.

He wanted to immediately contact the Ling family and say, “Come and take your precious
golden child back,” but now he realized that wasn’t going to be easy either. He wasn’t sure
how much the Ling family understood about this situation, but it seemed like they were
aware that their precious youngest son was causing trouble somewhere. Given the numerous
bodyguards they had provided, they clearly knew something.

Yuri checked the gun hidden inside his jacket. The sniper’s gun barrel, aimed at their heads
from afar, prickled the back of his neck, asserting its presence. The threat was clear: if you so
much as touch our young master, we’ll blow your brains out.

It seemed Yuri’s wish for a peaceful resolution was not going to come true. Just then, the
youngest son of the Ling family pulled out a gun and pointed it at Riegrow.

"Riegrow. I’m going to shoot."

It wasn’t a threat or a warning. It was simply an advance notice of what was about to happen.
His voice, calm and dark like his eyes, conveyed that fact. At the same time, Riegrow’s gaze
narrowed sharply.

Dangerous.

A warning light flashed in Yuri’s mind.

At that moment, Yuri had to make a decision. Would he cross the Ling family, or would he
trigger something even worse?

There hadn’t been a choice in recent times that had sparked such a massive conflict in such a
short time.

But once Yuri made his decision, he acted swiftly.

He pulled out his gun and fired. Aimed at the precious youngest son of the Ling family.

Bang —the shot rang out, loud in Yuri’s ears as the recoil of the gun transferred to his hand.
The silencer he had attached beforehand muffled the sound, producing only a dull noise as
the gun fired.
At the same time—

Without a scream or a groan, the young man looked at Yuri with a slightly surprised
expression. As if he was seeing Yuri for the first time, as though a rock lying on the ground
had suddenly fired a gun. His surprised gaze quickly turned to one of fury. His eyes blazed
with anger, as though reprimanding the audacity of someone who had dared interfere with his
plans.

Yuri flinched ever so slightly, barely noticeable to anyone else. Was this how it felt to
accidentally anger a ferocious beast?

“I’ll fucking kill you.”

Yuri sighed inwardly, feeling that things weren’t going to go smoothly from here on out.
Meanwhile, Riegrow, who had been saved by Yuri—not that anyone, not even Yuri himself,
thought of it that way—muttered nonchalantly.

“Yeah, if I hadn’t shot the young man’s wrist and made him drop the gun, he would have
really shot Riegrow. And then Riegrow would have killed him, not even considering the
terrifying retaliation from the Ling family that would follow. After all, Riegrow was the type
to casually do something reckless like that.”

Yuri, doubting whether what he had done was really the right move, replied bluntly.

“Take on those dangerous tasks yourself. I have no desire to make enemies of the Ling
family.”

Riegrow glanced at Yuri and snickered. Shooting the Ling family’s precious youngest son
and then saying that—it was ridiculous even to Yuri.

“It’s too late for that.”

“No, I risked my life for this.”

Yuri could distinctly feel the sniper’s gun, which had been ambiguously aimed at one of the
three of them, now fixed squarely on his head. One twitch of the trigger finger, and he would
be saying goodbye to this world.

...Not that he’d feel particularly regretful.

There was nothing he would miss, no lingering attachment, and if he were to die in this place
where the deep blue sky blended into the jewel-like violet sea, he felt he could die content.
He couldn’t ask for more than to be buried in such a beautiful sea. But whether fortunately or
unfortunately, it seemed that this wish wouldn’t be fulfilled today. Even as the young man’s
terrifying gaze bore into him, Yuri didn’t feel the sensation of a bullet piercing the back of his
head.

“What the fuck? You wanna die, asshole?”

An unexpected curse flew from the young man’s pretty face. It wasn’t just an idle threat—his
gaze was so cold it seemed he really might kill Yuri. As Yuri fumbled for something to say,
bearing the full weight of the young man’s fury, Jeong Taeui asked the young man in a
concerned tone.

“Xinlu, are you hurt badly?”

At that moment, as if nothing had happened, the young man’s harsh expression melted away,
becoming that of a sad, pitiful puppy. It was so blatant that even Yuri, who was watching
from right in front of him, was taken aback.

“It hurts, Hyung. I think my wrist is broken. It hurts so much.”

His trembling voice sounded like he might burst into tears at any moment, and Yuri simply
shut his mouth.

Ah, so that’s how it happened.

If such a delicate flower were to shed tears, there would hardly be a man who could resist—
even if that flower was a man.

As Jeong Taeui approached to check the young man’s wrist, Yuri lowered his gun. He could
sense the distant presence of the sniper, still aiming. Jeong Taeui probably knew, too, that the
sniper’s true target was him.

Yuri, for now, became an observer, watching the three of them. Specifically, he kept his eyes
on the young man—Ling Xinlu.

He had been ready to kill Jeong Taeui if necessary. If he couldn’t have him, he wasn’t going
to let anyone else have him either. The look on his face was that of an arrogant, domineering
ruler.

“I was going to forcefully take him with me. If I couldn’t, I was planning to take his corpse
instead.”

Muttering to himself, as if still debating what to do, the young man smiled at Jeong Taeui. It
was a cute, sweet smile, just like always.
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