– A war between father and son, how spectacular! Is this Star Wars?
“There’s nothing spectacular about it. It’s just pathetic.”
– You know it’s pathetic?
“…”
– You’re pathetic. I shouldn’t be the one saying this since I helped you, but stalking Cha Jaehyuk because of your father and brother is fucking pathetic and creepy.
At the mention of doing it for seven years, Junghyun readily admitted it this time.
“I know it’s pathetic and creepy. That’s why I was reflecting and trying to stop.”
– Then you should have stopped before things got to this point.
“…That was my mistake. I didn’t expect my father to suddenly show up here. I was too complacent.”
– Lee Junghyun admitting he made a mistake?
At Yoonho’s skeptical tone asking if he expected him to believe that, Junghyun put down his water bottle and let out a long sigh.
“It really was my mistake. This was a complete miscalculation.”
– I’d like to believe that, but I already know that everything you do has an intention. You’re not someone who just makes mistakes.
“I really was going to stop. After meeting him at the bar last time, he seemed like a good person, so I decided not to see him again.”
– …You’re saying Jaehyuk hyung is a good person?
“He seemed like a good person.”
– That’s… a fresh interpretation… Well, he’s not a bad person. For an Alpha Wolf, he’s relatively reasonable and thinks normally. But regardless of how he appeared to you, he’s a scary person. And what that scary person hates most is deception. Don’t forget that he’s at the pinnacle among Alpha Wolves.
“I know.”
– If you know, shouldn’t you clean this up now? This isn’t just your neck on the line, but mine too.
“Don’t worry about that. Even in the worst-case scenario, I’ll make sure your name doesn’t come up.”
– Can you control that? Are there any secrets in this world? If he finds out you stalked him for over 7 years, even copying his hobbies, and that I was your informant, I’m really dead.
“I didn’t start surfing because of him.”
– What do you mean you didn’t? You even joined the surfing club because Jaehyuk hyung is a surfing maniac.
“I joined the surfing club because of Seojun.”
– That’s ultimately the same thing.
“No, it’s really not. Back then, I only knew his name. And even that was just because Jeonghoo kept talking about him so much it stuck in my head. I didn’t know he liked surfing, and I wasn’t interested.”
– …Well, you weren’t this twisted back then.
There was no need to stalk then. At that time, he was really just someone whose name Junghyun knew.
To be honest, if he had to choose between liking or disliking him, he would have leaned toward disliking.
Because he was sick of that name itself.
– Come to think of it, you were kind of cute back then… What fatal charm did Choi Seojun have to turn a kid into this?
“It’s not Seojun’s fault. I just… got messed up.”
– You were dumped while eating jajangmyeon and you can say that?
At the mention of that story again, Junghyun, who was just drinking water, burst into laughter.
“Ah, that was really unexpected. Even I found it a bit funny.”
– You found that funny?
“What else could I do but laugh? It was going to end anyway, and he still took me out to feed me until the end. That was kind of him, considering what I had done.”
– It’s a fact that you’re cunningly devious enough to make people lose interest in you, but I’ll admit your devotion to Choi Seojun is genuine. That’s what makes it more problematic. I don’t know how the marriage talk came up, but you still seem unresolved, and you’re going to marry Jaehyuk hyung in that state? Honestly, Jaehyuk hyung is fine. He wasn’t that deeply in love with Yeonwoo hyung. But you’re too sincere.
“There’s nothing to resolve. There was nothing between us to begin with, and I’m not human enough to be dragged around by such lingering attachments.”
– Is that really true?
“If anything, it’s good that I won’t have time to feel empty and lonely. I was just thinking about moving, so it’s great that I don’t have to look for a new place. And don’t worry about your situation. I’ve already dropped hints that I was dragged to work at a company with a senior from my college club who I owe a favor to. Since he knows we both surf, if we happen to run into each other, just go along with the story that Seojun and I joined together. He knows about Seojun too.”
That should make things add up. With the groundwork he laid, there shouldn’t be much suspicion.
Even if there is suspicion, there’s nothing to be done. There was no benefit for him to approach Jaehyuk.
– …And you want me to believe this was a mistake?
“When things blow up this much, you have to quickly prepare to clean up. You don’t know anything. Since we supposedly got to know each other while surfing, even if he becomes suspicious later, just say I tricked you. And honestly, he thinks you’re an employee at your surfing shop, right? If he didn’t figure it out after investigating me thoroughly, he’ll only know when he sees your face, so we just need to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
– Hey, this isn’t just about saving yourself. Ah, really, why did I pick up this Chihuahua pup…
“Mad dog” has been my nickname since childhood so I’m used to it, but Mosasaurus, Megalodon, and now Chihuahua? That’s fresh.
“What’s with Chihuahua?”
– You didn’t know? Your nickname behind your back is ‘Chihuahua from Hell’.
“What’s with that B-grade horror movie title of a nickname?”
– You bite anyone.
“I don’t bite unless provoked.”
– But you still bite.
“That’s their own doing.”
Suddenly his hyung fires back as if agreeing with Junghyun.
– Right, getting bitten after provoking a normally peaceful person is precisely reaping what you sow. You understand that well, yet you do this? Why provoke Jaehyuk hyung who was minding his own business? What did he do wrong? If you had any brains, you’d bail out while you still can.
With both Juwon and Yoonho—probably the two people who know him best in the world—giving the same advice in succession, Junghyun fell into thought.
In some ways, stopping now might be better. It would be good to turn back while he still could.
But he didn’t particularly feel like doing so.
After all, he had his own insurance in place.
“…I understand your concerns, but what you’re worried about probably won’t happen.”
– There are no eternal secrets in this world.
“Even if I’m found out, it won’t be a problem.”
– What makes you so confident?
“Because it’s a marriage of mutual necessity anyway.”
– …By any chance, is Jaehyuk hyung rushing into marriage because of Yeonwoo hyung?
Junghyun didn’t bother answering Yoonho’s speculation, who knew all about that family situation.
He didn’t know the answer to that yet either.
“I don’t know about that. And it doesn’t matter either. All that matters is that right now, he needs me, and I’ve already caused trouble so I need to clean up after myself. Once we’re married, I’ll do my best to give him whatever he wants. If he wants a surfing mate, I’ll be one. If he wants to go rock climbing, I’ll go. If he wants someone like Seo Yeonwoo, I’ll be like that. That’s the best I can do now and the price I have to pay.”
– He’s not the type to forgive you later.
“Then there’s nothing I can do. That’s beyond my control.”
– What if Jaehyuk hyung develops genuine feelings for you? What about the betrayal and hurt he’ll feel afterward?
“That won’t happen, you should believe me. And even if it does, someone like him will be fine. He’ll probably be okay. He’ll just think he met one annoying person and consider it a good life experience before moving on.”
– Wow, you’re truly a villain. You really don’t know how scary that hyung can be.
“I’ll have to deal with that too.”
– You’ll definitely regret this someday.
“I already do.”
– And you’re still going through with the marriage?
“I just want to do it. Something really pissed me off.”
– You’re risking your life because you’re angry?
“That’s the kind of temperament I have, that’s why I live like this.”
– It’s good that you know, at least…
With Yoonho’s voice sighing deeply, Junghyun could clearly picture him leaning back on the sofa, massaging his neck.
Despite his words, it felt like he was very worried.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ve planned this to some extent. And for now, keep your distance from him too. I’ll be his main surfing partner going forward, so you probably won’t run into him often, but even if you do, we’re just college seniors and juniors who work at the same company. That way, even if things are discovered later, you can get away.”
As Junghyun repeatedly emphasized that this was the only option now, Yoonho finally let out a long sigh.
– Haah… You and Jaehyuk hyung getting married… It seems so mismatched it makes me want to throw up, but in some ways, you also fit together so well… Ah, I feel really strange. I hate that I find this both awkward and ridiculous yet also incredibly entertaining.
“It will definitely be thrilling.”
– Yes, it’ll be exceptionally exciting. So, you’re going surfing with Jaehyuk hyung now?
“Yeah. He was excited about finding a surfing mate.”
After putting the water bottle down on the table and heading back to the window, Junghyun heard Yoonho laugh as if he had expected this.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
