Chapter 2
It was a casually thrown comment out of disbelief.
Jaeyoon’s face, which had been serious until now, instantly contorted. His brow furrowed deeply, his tightly closed lips trembled, and then he bowed his head. Tears streamed down like a broken faucet onto his fists, which were clenched so tightly that veins protruded.
Flustered, Jaeha hastily pulled out some premium tissues he had received as a housewarming gift and kept for decoration.
“Hey hey, you didn’t even flinch when I cursed at you until now, so why are you crying over a joke like this?”
“Hic, hyung.”
“Ugh, I’m hearing a whole year’s worth of ‘hyung’ today.”
At the tearful address, Jaeha grimaced and retreated to the corner of the sofa. Despite Jaeha’s obvious distaste, Jaeyoon only revealed sadness beneath his swallowed emotions.
“If hyung hadn’t, *sniff*, taken that medicine… *hic*… it wouldn’t have gotten that bad.”
“No, did you take medicine? Why are you suddenly blaming me?”
Jaeha asked again, unable to follow his brother’s train of thought, but what he received in return was the sincerity reflected in Jaeyoon’s reddened eyes.
“Hyung, this time I’ll do better.”
I’ll protect you no matter what.
Jaeyoon’s whispered voice was unfamiliarly solemn. The weight of emotion his brother displayed was no joke, too heavy to be dismissed as a bad prank or hidden camera. In the end, Jaeha surrendered to Jaeyoon’s seriousness.
“Alright, alright. Let’s say you did regression or whatever.”
“You don’t have to believe me. I’ll protect hyung anyway.”
“Sure, sure. Whether it’s regression or a time machine, I’ll believe you, so go wash your face and come back. Let’s eat breakfast.”
Jaeha stood up, holding the packet of ramen that had caused this commotion. As Jaeha stood at the sink, Jaeyoon approached soundlessly and spoke in a nasally voice.
“Hyung.”
“Jeez! What is it?”
After living alone for a few days, Jaeha was startled by Jaeyoon’s presence so close without making a sound. Seeing Jaeha’s frightened reaction as he stepped back, Jaeyoon’s eyes once again filled with moisture.
“Hyung…”
“Haah…”
By now, Jaeha had grasped the situation through several conversations with Jaeyoon. With ramen packets divided between both hands, Jaeha awkwardly embraced Jaeyoon and patted his back. Despite the stiff, robotic movement that couldn’t be more awkward, Jaeyoon desperately hugged Jaeha back and pleaded.
“Hyung, I was wrong. Don’t push me away. I’ll listen to everything you say.”
“Yeah. Okay. Then. Just. Go sit over there.”
Even with Jaeha’s awkward request, Jaeyoon promptly did as he was told. However, his gaze remained fixed on Jaeha.
Though Jaeha was often called slow-witted, being stared at like this made him uncomfortable. If he told him to look away, Jaeyoon would silently approach to hug him, hold his hand, or at the very least grab the hem of his shirt while carrying on with all sorts of dramatic behavior, so he had no choice but to endure the discomfort.
‘I’ll just make ramen.’
His brother’s strange behavior might be due to alcohol, or frustration from failing to get a job. Or maybe he had such a deep dream that he was still delusional in reality.
Either way, thinking it would get better with time, Jaeha decided not to dwell on it too deeply and was about to tear open the ramen package.
“Hyung.”
He wasn’t sobbing, nor was his voice loud.
It was a normal call of “hyung,” yet somehow it weighed heavily on Jaeha’s chest. Only after taking a deep breath could Jaeha answer casually.
“What.”
“I want to eat kimchi stew that hyung makes.”
The urge to throw the ramen packet at Jaeyoon and tell him to just eat that suddenly surged. Jaeha glanced at Jaeyoon, who was giving him puppy eyes despite his large frame, and held back once more.
“It takes about an hour. Let’s just have ramen.”
“I’ve been waiting for years. Waiting an hour is nothing.”
It seemed his brother intended to continue with this regression concept.
Thinking that if he was pursuing an acting career after his job failure, he’d be willing to actively support him, Jaeha opened the refrigerator to take out the kimchi container. At the same time, Jaeyoon, who had approached without notice, grabbed the kimchi container first.
“Hyung, be careful. You’ll hurt your wrist.”
It wasn’t a scornful or scolding tone. The caring voice with added tenderness instantly shattered Jaeha’s barely maintained patience.
“Ah, fuck! I really can’t take this!”
“Hyung, why are you suddenly like this?”
“Hey, get out! I don’t want to be your brother anymore! Go find yourself a new brother right now!”
“I can’t do that. No matter what anyone says, Jaeha hyung is my brother. Don’t abandon me, hyung.”
“Hey, you crazy bastard! Can’t you see I’m getting goosebumps? Cut it out!”
Going along with it once or twice was enough. Jaeyoon being kind to him was not only unfamiliar but brought an unbearable sense of rejection.
“Hyung, don’t push me away. I did wrong.”
“Yes, it’s all your fault, so please just stay away from me!”
“Hyung, please. Just until safety is secured. Let me protect you until then.”
While wondering how long he would keep this up, Jaeha’s eyes lit up at the thought that this actually had an end. As Jaeha calmed down, Jaeyoon partially loosened his arms.
“Are you calm now, hyung?”
“Whew… So when exactly will this safety be secured?”
Even though everything was already perfectly safe right now.
“At least a year.”
“Get lost, you jerk! I can’t stand even a day!”
“Hyung, calm down. I’ll try to shorten it as much as possible. Though cutting it down to half a year might be difficult.”
“Drop the act already!”
No matter how much Jaeha shouted, Jaeyoon didn’t budge. It was impossible to escape from Jaeyoon’s embrace, who seemed to have developed solid muscles in just a few days. After struggling for a while and tiring himself out, Jaeha blamed the heavens.
He felt genuinely wronged, thinking he had lived a fairly good life, only to be given such an ordeal.
When Jaeha showed signs of calming down, Jaeyoon released his arms. Without any energy left to fight, Jaeha sat down at the dining table as Jaeyoon quietly placed the kimchi container next to the sink.
To not give up on kimchi stew even in this situation.
“…Stubborn bastard.”
“Hyung…”
As irritation radiated from Jaeha, Jaeyoon became restless. Seeing Jaeyoon anxiously hovering around, Jaeha threw a dishcloth at him. Jaeyoon caught it without even looking and stared at Jaeha, not knowing what to do.
“Sit down, will you? I’ll make the damn kimchi stew.”
“Thank you, hyung. I won’t bother you. I’ll just sit here quietly and watch.”
“Yes. Please do that.”
Exhausted from dealing with Jaeyoon, who would get anxious and rush over at the slightest word, Jaeha decided to conserve his words.
As Jaeha took kimchi out of the container, he was simply bewildered by Jaeyoon’s overprotectiveness and focus on something as simple as making kimchi stew.
* * *
“Eat up.”
When Jaeha put down the kimchi stew, which he’d made by carelessly throwing in ingredients, Jaeyoon looked deeply moved.
“Ha… kimchi stew made by hyung.”
Having lost his appetite after squabbling with his brother since morning, Jaeha didn’t sit at the table. Keeping his distance while watching from in front of the sink, Jaeyoon’s reaction was quite a sight.
“It’s exactly as I remember. It’s really delicious, hyung.”
“You ate this just last week, so if you don’t remember, you must have hit your head.”
Despite Jaeha’s jab, Jaeyoon stared at the bright red kimchi stew with eyes full of emotion, as if looking at a masterpiece painting. After a long while, he carefully picked up a spoon and scooped up the broth first.
After taking a sip, he choked up, and his nose wrinkled as if trying to hold back tears. Unable to bear the sight, Jaeha turned his back. Though out of sight, the sound of Jaeyoon slowly swallowing food alternating with sobs sent chills down his spine.
‘When Monday comes, I’ll either take him to the hospital right away or kick him out. I can’t live like this.’
To distract himself immediately, Jaeha rummaged through the refrigerator.
After scanning the oddly remaining food ingredients, Jaeha took out eggs and milk that was slightly past its expiration date. He put the ingredients in a bowl, added salt, and quickly chopped and added vegetables that were on the verge of wilting.
Wondering if Jaeyoon would also consider using a knife dangerous, he glanced back and met Jaeyoon’s eyes, but his brother was just overcome with emotion and tears.
Whether his brother was crying or not, Jaeha mixed all the ingredients and poured them into the frying pan.
Sizzle.
He folded the eggs as they cooked into soft curds over low heat, shaping them.
Though he had started making it just to kill time, he was quite pleased with the appealing yellow rolled omelet that formed as he used up the refrigerator ingredients.
Too lazy to cut it, he broke it into pieces with the spatula, placed it on a plate, and put it on the table. Jaeyoon’s moist eyes welled up even more.
“Did, did you make this for me?”
“…Don’t make me waste food. Just. Eat quietly.”
“Okay, I understand. I’ll eat quietly.”
Understanding that Jaeha’s warning was serious, Jaeyoon pulled the rolled omelet and kimchi stew close and quickly devoured them. Seeing the heaping rice disappear in an instant, Jaeha refilled Jaeyoon’s bowl, but he disliked the sight of his brother getting emotional and teary-eyed again.
Reflexively, Jaeha raised the rice paddle and hit Jaeyoon’s forehead, but Jaeyoon took it without complaint and grinned as he scooped up a large spoonful of rice. In any other situation, this would have sparked the 666th sibling fight with room to spare. Seeing Jaeyoon happily eating with the rice paddle mark reddening on his forehead made Jaeha feel strangely apologetic.
He felt awkward, as if he had mistreated a starving brother.
“Eat slowly. There’s more rice… Huh? Where are you going?”
Jaeyoon, who had been happily eating his hearty meal just a moment ago, stiffened and headed toward the door. Standing at the door, Jaeyoon looked somewhere and listened intently, causing Jaeha to also listen.
A very faint piano sound. Even today, someone was diligently playing, making mistakes on some passages.
“Ah, they only play for about 30 minutes, so don’t worry about it.”
“I’ll be right back.”
“Huh?”
“It’s okay, hyung. This time I’ll definitely protect you.”
“…From what? The noise from upstairs?”
Unlike Jaeha, who felt embarrassed even as he spoke, Jaeyoon was only solemn.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
