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Right. How easy must it have been for thugs playing in the water to investigate his background? Moreover, this wasn’t Taein’s first time. When he had ignorantly taken out a loan from <Hope Loans>, he had heard similar words from Jang Ihwan. It was when Eundo had just been born.
‘Our hyung is good at lying too. That kid isn’t your brother, you gave birth to him, didn’t you?’
What he had produced then was a hospital record. Hospital records that others couldn’t obtain were copied in black and white and placed before his eyes. Among the countless threats Taein had received from Jang Ihwan, he especially couldn’t forget the threat he received that day. It felt like he had brought a baby who could barely hold up his neck in front of Jang Ihwan, and he felt self-loathing.
If only he had been a little smarter. No, if it hadn’t been Juhang.
Even if he regretted the loan itself belatedly, it was already past, and he just had to live his future.
Having such memories, he wasn’t particularly surprised that Yoon Donghwan had found out his information.
However, it bothered him to say unnecessary things in front of the child. With what feelings had he initially made Eundo his younger brother? He didn’t want to be exposed because of some man. Taein’s eyes reached Eundo. Earlier, in front of the pork cutlet restaurant, he had also seen an upscale restaurant, but his feet had headed here first. His situation of having to feed him a 6,500 won pork cutlet even on a day like today. And his nerves were becoming sharp because of Yoon Donghwan.
“What.”
“Let’s talk about that between us.”
Taein muttered while looking only ahead.
“Between us?”
“Yes.”
“…Don’t tell me the kid doesn’t know?”
Not knowing the details, Yoon Donghwan spoke while severely scrunching one cheek.
Of course he doesn’t know. Because he hid it. Later, when he learned that fact, when there would be nothing to regret, then he hoped adoptive parents would tell him his story. Right now, Eundo only knew him. And since that would last for several years, hiding it was the priority for now.
He thought it would be hard to adapt if he knew the person who gave birth to him had sent him for adoption.
Because Eundo was sensitive, he would cry more and think more about terrible parents.
Taein recalled what he had gone through and tried not to pass such things on to Eundo alone.
He wanted to somehow remain as his hyung until time flew by.
To Yoon Donghwan, who quietly muttered “Doesn’t the kid know either?” and “I thought it was just the title,” Taein just nodded once. Taein kept his eyes on Eundo and told him to chew thoroughly. Right next to them was the counter, and the table was wide for the space, so Eundo heard their conversation on and off. He could see Eundo sulking while chewing his pork cutlet.
It wasn’t because he was upset or angry, but such expressions would appear when his body was uncomfortable or when he was tense.
“It’s okay. Eat.”
When his hyung kept saying it was okay and to eat, Eundo’s mouth gradually moved faster. Occasionally his eyes would turn toward Donghwan, but his wariness gradually faded. It was thanks to Donghwan tactfully keeping his mouth shut. Taein felt a small gratitude toward such Donghwan. From his sudden appearance to everything he had said to Eundo and him was displeasing, but after knowing it was something the child didn’t know, he seemed to extremely save his words.
Or not.
Taein, who looked to the side, also sent his eyes to the pork cutlet that had somehow been placed in front of Donghwan.
He didn’t know when it had all been cut, but it was cut into large pieces. Donghwan was eating with both elbows on the table. Hadn’t he also not eaten jjajangmyeon earlier? Well, quite some time had passed, so he might have gotten hungry. And he seemed to have been wandering outside continuously. A small laugh came out at Donghwan, who had become quiet while eating. He eats better than the kid.
Perhaps noticing that gaze, Yoon Donghwan quickly turned his head.
Wiping his mouth with the tissue beside his plate, he asked like this.
“Why are you staring? Do you have business?”
“…No.”
“When I tell you to look, you don’t look, and when I’m doing something, you stare like this…?”
It just happened to turn out that way every time. Though Taein felt somewhat wronged, he didn’t make excuses. He felt like if he said “that’s not it” and explained the whole story, it would look even stranger. He just slowly turned his eyes forward.
In front, Eundo was eating while looking around.
Knowing he was an ajusshi who wouldn’t harm his hyung, he was paying more attention to passing staff and things like clocks.
Taein successively scanned Eundo’s plump cheeks, neck, and ears that were slightly red at the tips.
“So.”
“……”
“When are you going to tell me?”
Yoon Donghwan, who had leaned his upper body forward, spoke right next to Taein’s ear.
“What you’re hiding from me. Other things. When are you going to tell me?”
“…There isn’t anything more.”
“Really? Then you can tell me everything I ask without lying?”
“Yes.”
“Right… so you’re saying that.”
One ajumma who had approached the counter could be seen praising Eundo, saying “Oh my, how cute.” Eundo often heard such appearance compliments and knew well what he should do. The child put down the fork he was holding and first greeted the ajumma. The sound of him clearly pronouncing “Thank you” echoed around. “Oh my, the child’s features,” and the ajumma behind her also approached Eundo.
“His features are no joke. Dad…?”
And those eyes turned toward Taein. Whenever this happened, Taein would specifically add words like “He’s my hyung, I’m his hyung” to prevent words like “dad” or “parents” from coming out of people’s mouths. This time, she had directly said “dad,” so it couldn’t be helped. Still, he needed to correct it.
“Ah, we’re brothers….”
“He really looks a lot like dad.”
“There’s a feeling of this dad too, but his face is the spitting image of that dad.”
One child and two adult men. Taein had never sat in such a composition and was momentarily flustered. The ajummas had naturally seen him and Yoon Donghwan as a couple. Taein’s face instantly heated up. He said no, but the ajummas only said what they wanted to say and turned their backs. The sound of card payment could be heard, and the ajummas quickly left the restaurant. They seemed to be people who had workplaces nearby.
“Dad? No way? He’s hyung.”
Eundo was saying “He’s hyung” to the ajummas passing by the window with a puzzled face.
“Funny ajummas.”
Yoon Donghwan, who seemed to be in a bad mood, also added words from the side.
His tone was different from when he had said to Eundo in a picking manner “Should I be your dad?” When he joked around, he would carelessly cross lines, but he seemed unable to tolerate other people joking. Eundo was already continuously muttering something like an echo to the ajummas who had disappeared.
“Eundo’s dad went to earn money… Hyung also goes to earn money….”
Who was he talking to?
Taein’s eyes, which had been staring at Eundo, went down weakly.
Money, money. Parents also went to earn money, and hyung was always away from home because of money. Whenever he did anything, he told Eundo that they needed a lot of money, so he was going to earn money, going to see the boss, so such words had become familiar in Eundo’s mouth. Taein sighed a sigh that only he knew. Beside him, Yoon Donghwan was only spitting out complaints like “Wow, he says such things, what do I look like? Funny ajummas.”
He wanted to get outside quickly.
* * *
“Where are we going?”
“Why are you asking such things? Do you have somewhere to go?”
“Yes.”
“You have somewhere to go? Where, are you going to put the kid in a motel?”
“…No. I was going to go to a motel.”
“What, with what I lent you?”
“…Yes.”
“Then how many days can you stay?”
“I’ll figure that out myself.”
“Hey… there are things you can figure out and things you can’t. If you go to a motel with thirty, how many days can you stay? Have you done the math?”
“…If I find work now—”
“Tsk, looking at you, you have no thoughts. Did you live in vain in Juhang?”
“……”
They were passing in front of Juhang’s only entertainment district. The building right in front of this intersection was the hotel where Yoon Donghwan was staying. As soon as the car got the signal, it quickly turned direction. Taein was driven to the wall and couldn’t even refute such words from Yoon Donghwan. He had always lived diligently, but things hadn’t gone well. They hadn’t gone well and had come to this situation. But who could he appeal to?
It was the weight of life that only he had to bear.
Even if Yoon Donghwan looked down on him, that too was his share to bear.
He was even already in debt to him.
As soon as they entered the hotel basement, two big guys in black suits popped out from somewhere. Yoon Donghwan got out of the car without holding the steering wheel anymore, as if familiar.
“Get out.”
Then an unfamiliar suit entered through the diagonally opened door. He greeted Taein saying “Hello” in a sloppy posture. Taking his place in the driver’s seat was quick. Because of the stranger who had suddenly occupied the side, Taein got out of the car without time to think. He immediately opened the back seat door and groped for the legs of Eundo, who was sleeping comfortably.
“Kang Eundo. Eundo.”
Outside was a bright afternoon with sun, but the basement was dark like night. Eundo thought night had come and was only saying things like “Hyung, Eundo will sleep…” like sleep talk. Rather than waking him up more, it seemed better to carry the child.
“Eundo, just a bit.”
However, the child’s head was attached to the door on the opposite side. It didn’t seem like the angle would work to put his upper body in to carry the child. Taein tried to pull Eundo’s legs, who was only talking in his sleep. He thought if he came down even a little like that, he could carry him.
Suddenly the opposite door opened and Yoon Donghwan appeared.
“You’ve raised a kid for several years and can’t even do this.”
“…No.”
“Hiding that you’re the dad… can’t even take care of the kid… why did you leave him at a facility….”
Muttering something to himself, Yoon Donghwan lifted Eundo and slung the child on his shoulder like baggage.
“No, don’t treat the kid like that…!”
He quickly went around to the back to get to Yoon Donghwan, but he was already passing through the hotel basement entrance. There seemed to be a door right in front. Taein also passed through the transparent glass door and followed the direction Yoon Donghwan was going.
“Give him to me now.”
“No parental qualifications, no parental qualifications.”
“…I understand, so give him to me.”
“Answer me. Why did you leave the kid?”
“…If you were in that situation with the house… would you take the kid with you…? Not knowing when Jang Ihwan might cause trouble with the kid, that….”
Though he hadn’t said much, the grievances of several days quickly rushed over. Taein said up to “that…” and then closed his mouth.
This was the first time he had tried saying such things. He had always only recited them in his heart and had never grabbed someone to speak complainingly. There was no one to listen, and he wasn’t used to revealing his weak parts either. Taein only spat out an “mm” cough and lowered his head.
His hand was still touching Eundo’s foot even in that moment.
“The kid can’t breathe… if you carry him like this….”
At those words, Yoon Donghwan’s eyes went downward. The forehead revealed between his parted bangs was particularly pale. It was partly due to the white lighting in front of the elevator, but his skin seemed naturally fair. Donghwan swallowed once and looked ahead. The elevator had come down to the basement floor.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
