Chapter 103
For a moment, Brandon’s faint smile disappeared. He looked down at Geon-woo with an expressionless face before putting on his polite smile again.
He already knew who Mitchell was living with these days. He heard that Geon-woo was quite a successful actor in Korea. He had heard it directly from Mitchell and also from his secretary.
It was natural to investigate Geon-woo’s background. Anyone who tries to form a connection with the Cronenwirth family needs to have their background checked.
A poor person with nowhere to go was fine, but a cunning person with ulterior motives was not welcome. Brandon, the eldest son of the Cronenwirth family, was cautious.
He knew that Mitchell, who was as meticulous as Brandon, would handle things properly, but matters involving emotions needed to be viewed from a distance to avoid trouble.
Especially since Mitchell had never kept someone by his side like this before.
Mitchell always needed to have a ‘person’ by his side. So he would bring in all kinds of trashy people and leave them around him. It seemed like it didn’t matter who was beside him as long as someone was there. He never showed more than necessary interest in the person next to him.
But this was the first time he had brought someone into his home, stayed with them all day, constantly contacted them, maintained a steady relationship, and even went as far as burning down someone else’s perfectly good house.
Mitchell had asked Brandon to burn down Geon-woo’s house, and it was Brandon’s people who had done it flawlessly.
At that time, Brandon didn’t even ask Mitchell why he wanted the house burned down. He just intuited from Mitchell’s request.
That ‘Bae Geon-woo’ was not just a ‘person’ who would pass by Mitchell’s side.
That’s why he looked into what kind of person Geon-woo was, but didn’t find any significant peculiarities. Apart from his older brother Bae Junman causing trouble, Geon-woo’s conduct was forgivable.
However, what was puzzling was that Geon-woo’s romantic interests were women. It’s not easy for sexual orientation to change from heterosexual to homosexual.
Brandon decided to meet in person the human his brother was so deeply infatuated with.
“Do you have no intention of going back to Korea at all?” Brandon asked Geon-woo sitting across from him, taking a sip of the coffee Mitchell had served. They had settled on the living room sofa and were now in full conversation.
“No, I have no plans to go back right now.”
Mitchell sat right next to Geon-woo, fiddling with the nape of his neck. His expression was more peaceful than anyone’s.
“Are you in contact with your father?”
Despite Brandon asking a sensitive question, Geon-woo answered immediately without any particular agitation.
“No, I’m not. My parents divorced when I was very young, so I don’t even remember his face, and I don’t particularly want to see him. Even if he were to appear before me, it would be the same.”
Although it was a simple question, Geon-woo had answered everything that could possibly follow.
“I see. What happened to your house was unfortunate.”
Brandon nodded and continued speaking.
“By the way, Geon-woo, do you need any money? This guy has been investing in various things lately and is broke.”
Brandon smiled, looking at his brother.
“Me?”
Mitchell also smiled, looking at his brother. He had been pouring money into his business ventures.
If someone else had called him broke, he would have thought it nonsense, but this was Brandon. He was a man who could consider Mitchell’s fortune pocket change.
“So, I’m saying I’ll give you some living expenses. It would be better for me, who is relatively well-off, to help you rather than you taking money from Mitchell, who is tight on funds.”
Mitchell looked at his brother with an expression of disbelief. Geon-woo looked at Mitchell, and Brandon leaned back on the sofa, observing the two alternately.
Brandon’s blatant mention of money was to gauge Geon-woo’s psychology first. To see if Geon-woo, a heterosexual, was hovering around Mitchell because of money.
If Mitchell was deeply infatuated with a fly attracted by money, he was prepared to step in himself.
“Don’t feel burdened. I’m trying to help Mitchell, not Geon-woo.”
Brandon smiled neatly, looking at Mitchell. Mitchell just clicked his tongue.
“I have enough to use. Well, it’s probably far less compared to you, Brandon.”
Geon-woo flatly refused. Brandon showed no particular reaction to Geon-woo’s bold words. Only his faint smile remained constant.
“And if you want to help Mitchell, give the money directly to Mitchell, not me. He’s already going around here and there for his business… Use that money to get Mitchell some staff. He’s really too busy with acting and business.”
Geon-woo’s gaze had already turned to Mitchell. Although he was speaking to Brandon, it ended up becoming a situation where he was grumbling to Mitchell.
“Isn’t being busy a good thing?” Brandon retorted, crossing his legs. Brandon, who had thought he could get a glimpse of what kind of person Geon-woo was, was still unable to grasp him. It was because Geon-woo kept talking about things that were off-point.
“Being busy isn’t good.”
This time, it was Mitchell who answered, not Geon-woo.
“Because I’m busy, I don’t have time to be with Geon-woo. We need to spend time just the two of us.”
Mitchell lowered his eyes and smiled playfully towards his brother. Brandon also snorted, looking at his younger brother.
It wasn’t a particularly special conversation, but it was for Geon-woo.
Geon-woo’s face, which had been responding well to Brandon’s provocations until now, suddenly turned bright red. His ears and even his neck turned alarmingly red.
It was nothing special. But Geon-woo didn’t know why it was so embarrassing to hear Mitchell say he wanted to be with him. Geon-woo had to take a deep breath to calm his racing heart.
“You’ve startled Geon-woo. Why do you keep bringing up strange topics?”
Mitchell scolded Brandon while looking at the blushing Geon-woo. He was reprimanding Brandon even though he was the one who had said something strange.
“I’m sorry, Geon-woo. I said something unnecessary.”
Brandon, who might have felt a bit unfair, didn’t bother to argue.
“No, it’s okay…”
Geon-woo spoke in a small voice.
After realizing that Brandon already knew about Mitchell’s sexual orientation, Geon-woo unconsciously leaned towards Mitchell. Then Mitchell strongly embraced Geon-woo, pulling him into his arms. Geon-woo’s face hit Mitchell’s chest, but he didn’t forcibly pull away.
After a moment, he naturally separated himself. Still, the heat that had once risen to his face didn’t easily disappear.
Just then, Mitchell’s phone rang. Mitchell took the phone out of his pocket and looked at Brandon while checking the caller.
“The timing is impeccable. I was wondering why this person would contact me now.”
He didn’t answer the call.
“I wouldn’t know.”
Brandon just smiled.
The phone rang several more times, but Mitchell didn’t answer. When he turned off the power completely, this time Brandon’s phone rang. The caller who phoned both of their phones was the same. It was Brandon’s secretary.
“Why don’t you answer it, considering their effort?”
When Brandon offered his phone to Mitchell, Mitchell firmly shook his head. The reason for the call was simple.
It was Brandon’s small ploy to talk with Geon-woo alone.
“I’ll answer, but I’ll do it here. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Suit yourself.”
Brandon didn’t back down at all.
“Yes, it’s me.”
Mitchell snatched Brandon’s phone and answered the call. His expression gradually hardened as he focused on the conversation. Then he sighed and glared at Brandon.
“Mitchell, what would I do to Geon-woo? Trust me a little.”
Mitchell generally didn’t trust people, but he did trust his brother. Brandon didn’t try to manipulate Mitchell’s private life or surroundings under the guise of protecting him. He let Mitchell do everything in the direction he wanted. To an excessive degree, even.
He wasn’t the type to do shabby things like using money as bait to break them up.
“Geon-woo, I’ll be back after taking this call.”
Geon-woo was surprised when Mitchell suddenly changed his mind after saying he would take the call here. Wondering what he had heard to make him do this, Geon-woo quickly nodded.
“Okay, take your time with the call.”
Mitchell nodded with a stern face and got up. He gave Brandon a sidelong glare before entering the bedroom. He didn’t close the door, but Mitchell’s responding voice was gradually fading away.
“I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by forcibly creating this situation.”
Brandon apologized, bowing his head slightly like Geon-woo had done. Geon-woo’s eyes widened at this unfamiliar gesture from the blonde American.
He apologized, but he hadn’t said the main point yet. Geon-woo was curious about what he was trying to say.
“Mitchell and I are family, even if we don’t share blood. It’s a well-known story that everyone in the world knows.”
He opened with a self-deprecating remark.
“I love my brother very much. Much more than you might think.”
He paused for a moment and exhaled deeply. Brandon uncrossed his legs and leaned his upper body forward.
“So…”
Brandon’s face still had a smile. His voice lowered as if to say that what he was about to say was real.
“You must not leave Mitchell without Mitchell’s consent.”
