#56
“Don’t worry. It’s what I was going to give anyway. I just threw it in a bit early because they were getting impatient. In fact, I ended it with much less money. When they find out later, they’ll be so upset they won’t be able to sleep, but by then it’ll be too late.”
Though he spoke casually as if it were nothing, this world was one where the mere announcement of news could make enormous values of goods rise and fall. However, Jaeseong had no intention of explaining this to Eunhong. Eunhong didn’t need to know, and their standards for loss were different anyway…
In fact, Jaeseong had another reason for wanting to meet Eunhong. Even today, he had an enormous pile of schedules. He hadn’t pushed aside all those tasks just to brag about solving an already resolved issue. Wasting time was one of the things Jaeseong hated most.
Jaeseong raised his handsome eyebrows. He put down his teacup and looked directly at Eunhong.
“May I ask what you’re planning to do about the report you were going to file? I understand that’s why you visited the hospital.”
“…Report? How did you…”
Instead of answering, Jaeseong just looked at Eunhong with a quiet face. Eunhong stared into those inscrutable eyes for a moment before answering.
“As I said at the hospital earlier, I want to treat it as if it never happened.”
“May I ask why?”
For a moment, Eunhong wondered why Jaeseong was so curious about this. Han Jeongwook’s attitude, which seemed completely unaware of the fact that Jaeseong had invested capital in Han Jung Hospital and received omega information, also bothered him, contrary to what Jaeseong had said. But if he had to choose, he judged it was right to trust Jaeseong.
“It’s something I’d rather not remember. I just want to cover it up. The more it’s stirred up, the more I feel like I’ll remember.”
***
His fingertips mechanically twirled the pen. Eunhong was resting his chin on his hand, staring blankly at the monitor. The light from the monitor reflected white on the clear-framed glasses he wore to protect his eyes. The sudden conversation with Jaeseong had complicated his thoughts, but what really worried him was meeting Jaeha soon. It was clear that Jaeha had noticed he had lied and gone to the hospital, and Eunhong’s thoughts chased each other trying to figure out what to say if asked.
“Hong. Is the work going well?”
Shim AD knocked on the partition. He had a thick muffler wrapped around him and a bag slung over his shoulder. Eunhong blinked and looked at the clock. It was already time to leave work.
“Yes, the work is… it’s what I always do.”
“I don’t mean the company work, I mean the competition. Have you submitted it? Isn’t the deadline soon?”
“Oh… You were keeping that in mind? The deadline is close. I’m in the final stages.”
Grateful for the concern, Eunhong smiled awkwardly, and Shim AD made a hmm sound.
“Don’t forget. If you want to show me anything, contact me separately.”
And hurry up and go home. Shim AD left the office, dropping an affectionate nagging. Eunhong also stood up abruptly. Jaeha would be waiting… He had been so lost in thought he didn’t even know the time. Eunhong clicked his tongue, put his glasses away in the drawer, and slung his bag over his shoulder.
A sleek, dark blue sports car was parked on the roadside in front of the company building. Guessing who the owner was, Eunhong bit his lip. After checking if any team members were around leaving work, he carefully exited the lobby.
As Eunhong approached, the window lowered with a whirr and Jaeha poked his head out. As expected. Eunhong quickly got into the passenger seat, wary of being seen.
“This wasn’t the car you had this morning, was it?”
“I was coming from somewhere else.”
“Where else?”
Instead of answering Eunhong’s question, Jaeha just smiled. Eunhong had asked out of habit, but with no answer, it felt like he was prying, making him feel awkward. Moreover, seeing the smiling face reminded him of meeting Jaeseong earlier in the day, and at the same time, it reminded him of going to the hospital in secret.
“Do you actually work at your company?”
Jaeha laughed out loud at the blunt question.
“Our company’s sales are on the rise.”
“I’m sure they are.”
The car smoothly merged into traffic. Eunhong crossed his arms and leaned his head against the window. Though they were in the middle of rush hour traffic, it wasn’t particularly boring. He was softly singing along to the low music when Jaeha joined in on the last phrase, making Eunhong turn his head. Sensing his gaze, Jaeha curled up the corners of his mouth.
“What?”
Eunhong had been staring for no particular reason, but being asked why suddenly made him feel playful.
“Your voice is pretty.”
“……”
Jaeha seemed at a loss for words and wrinkled his nose bridge. Actually, the adjective “pretty” doesn’t quite fit. Eunhong leaned his head back against the window and stared ahead aimlessly.
‘Can I ask what you’re planning to do with Jaeha?’
His fingers, which had been tapping to the rhythm, suddenly stiffened. His mind, which had been blank, suddenly recalled what had happened earlier in the day. It must be because of Jaeha’s profile, which reminded him of Jaeseong’s sister.
‘It’s not my style to interfere in other people’s relationships, and I don’t mean to pressure you, but…’
Jaeseong had said he was frustrated. Like any ordinary siblings, he disparaged his brother with harsh words. He said he was an idiot, and that he was pathetically interfering because it seemed like nothing would work out if left alone. He said he was embarrassed and sorry for asking like this, as if he had been waiting for Eunhong to manifest. He called himself an inevitable snob.
‘You’re not a snob, noona. I would have asked too. We must be pretty close for you to ask.’
‘You know too. You can’t be just friends anymore. You two.’
Eunhong’s expression hardened slightly at the words that they couldn’t be friends. It seemed Jaeseong’s sister already knew about the strange cohabitation they had started.
‘That’s…’
‘Do you know why Jaeha isn’t working for the group and is running such a small company like a hole-in-the-wall shop? You don’t believe that nonsense about it being his dream or something, do you?’
Jaeseong touched his forehead. After sighing shallowly a few times, he carefully brought up the story of their grandfather.
‘Our chairman. Jaeha is his only weakness in the world. He’ll soon find out about your manifestation. Then… he might interfere shamelessly and make excuses.’
‘It’s been a long time since I’ve seen grandfather. Is he in good health?’
‘He’s so vigorous, you wouldn’t believe it. When he finds out you’ve manifested, he might even have you kidnapped and force you to get married. He’s not the type to listen even if you say it’s not interfering.’
‘That’s a bit scary…’
‘I’ve already interfered too, but… Ah, you need to understand this too. How long has Jaeha been following you around saying he likes you? That persistent guy, for as long as 20-something years… 22 years? 24 years? How old were you when you met?’
‘Wait, wait a minute.’
Eunhong, who had been awkwardly laughing while listening to the common sibling criticism, suddenly raised his hand.
‘Since when, you said?’
A finger touched his cheek. The small contact suddenly drew his gaze, which had been staring blankly at one spot. Eunhong had to blink several times to focus.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?”
The road was completely jammed. The view was filled with the red light of taillights. Jaeha had his hands crossed on the steering wheel, leaning slightly, and had been watching Eunhong for quite a while in that position. He had finally touched him because Eunhong hadn’t noticed his gaze at all.
“Why did you bring out this car when it’s so jammed?”
Straightening his posture, Eunhong changed the subject. It was nothing special, but Jaeha burst into laughter again.
“I was trying to flirt a bit. But it failed.”
This time, Eunhong burst out laughing. The brazen words were cute and funny, and he found it ridiculous that he didn’t dislike it. How had he not known all this time? As he was laughing, shaking his shoulders, he suddenly shifted his gaze to the warm touch covering his left hand. Jaeha had covered the back of Eunhong’s hand, which was resting on the seat.
The car was slowly following the wave of slow-moving traffic. Jaeha’s gaze was fixed ahead, concentrating on driving. At a glance, it seemed like he had casually placed his right hand on top of Eunhong’s without thinking.
As the outside light poured into the dim car, orange and red lights alternately caressed Jaeha’s facial contours as they passed. Like the warmth of his hand covering Eunhong’s with a rustling sound, Jaeha’s pheromones settled lightly in the car.
Five fingers slowly crept between Eunhong’s. Perhaps because of the warm body temperature rubbing against his skin, he felt goosebumps. Unable to shake it off or move, Eunhong just stared ahead quietly.
All his nerves were concentrated on his left hand. Afraid that even a twitch would reveal his tumultuous feelings, he remained as still as a mouse. Then Jaeha interlocked their fingers, gripping tightly.
“……”
His palm throbbed with a fluttering pulse, and small hearts started blinking on the watch. At the low beeping sound, his eyes involuntarily went to it. Jaeha’s large hand, completely covering his own, had white tendons standing out.
Their pheromones mixed in the narrow car. The drug-like pheromones circulated in their blood vessels, and their hearts started pounding. Eunhong slightly lifted his wrist, trying to pull his hand away. If he couldn’t free his hand, he thought he should at least turn off the watch. At that moment, a small scar on Jaeha’s hand, which had been lifted along with Eunhong’s, caught his eye.
It was autumn, just before entering high school. Jaeha had been sick for a long time. Strange symptoms had plagued him, and he had suffered from a fever and cold for two months. For a while, Professor Choi had always been present at the house. At the time, they thought he had just caught a bad cold due to a weakened body, but looking back, it must have been a manifestation fever.
Because of that, Eunhong had gone to school alone during the second semester, but for some reason, his memories of that time were fragmented. One of the few clear memories was related to that scar. It was a night when he was reading a book with only a reading lamp on in a dark room. Jaeha had burst in, flinging the door open.
