F30

To explain why he couldn’t go to the train station, Yeonho called Junyoung. There was no need to lie unnecessarily, so he figured he could just leave out the details and give a simplified explanation.

Like his deceased brother Seong Junhee, Seong Junyoung was attached to his younger sibling, despite not being related by blood. After losing his eldest brother, still feeling awkward with his new father, suffering inexplicable resentment from his mother, and living in a tense environment plagued by insomnia, Yeonho’s only real support had been his second brother, who was close in age.

That didn’t mean he was emotionally dependent. It wasn’t like he couldn’t live without his brother or anything like that. But Junyoung didn’t seem to realize that.

He was family. The closest person, and because he was family, there were things Yeonho couldn’t bring himself to say to him. Sometimes he was annoying enough to want to punch, but still comfortable and like a close friend. That was Yeonho’s definition of brotherhood, and Seong Junyoung fit that definition perfectly.

“I was about to head out, but the tire was flat. Yeah, seriously. So I don’t think I can drive my car. I can’t come get you. It’s too much of a hassle going back and forth, so let’s just meet at the resort. I’ll finish filming quickly and head over. You take a taxi to the resort, okay? Eat lunch on your own. Yeah, let’s have dinner together.”

After giving a plausible enough excuse, Yeonho hung up before Junyoung could start complaining. Then, in a completely different tone from the one he’d used with Junyoung, he turned to Siwoo and asked,

“What should we eat for lunch? I’ll eat whatever you like, no questions asked.”

Siwoo, hearing Yeonho’s sweet voice laced with affection, felt like he’d become Yeonho’s fling. He experienced the odd sensation of both losing a lover and stealing someone else’s at the same time.

He even imagined just turning the car around and driving back to Seoul. But even if he kidnapped Joo Yeonho right now, that wouldn’t make Yeonho his again, nor would it change the fact that Seong Junyoung was Yeonho’s brother.

Siwoo knew that in order to stay by Yeonho’s side, he had to compromise to some extent and accept reality. Still, after enduring hell for years to come back to Yeonho, his thoughts kept circling back to the beginning.

Why should I be the one to let go and compromise? We promised to love each other forever.

***

They returned to the resort earlier than planned. Since he hadn’t told any lies, Yeonho didn’t bother pretending to come in separately at a later time to deceive Junyoung.

Yeonho confirmed that Junyoung had already taken care of the flat tire and murmured, “As expected.”

Beside him, Siwoo was devising a plan to rear-end their car tomorrow by following them as they drove together.

He had no intention of hiding his presence from Seong Junyoung, so he followed Yeonho to Room 315. Naturally, he also planned to join them for dinner. He didn’t trust himself to endure letting Yeonho be alone with Junyoung for more than an hour. At most, maybe an hour.

Yeonho, after entering Room 315, pulled Junyoung out into the hallway.

“Hyung, come here for a sec. I want you to meet someone.”

“What? You brought a friend here?”

“He’s not a friend.”

Siwoo stood face-to-face with Seong Junyoung, eyes narrowed like a cat’s, scanning Yeonho’s closest confidant from head to toe. He already knew a fair bit about Junyoung from social media and mutual acquaintances.

The real Junyoung didn’t look much different from the photos he’d posted online. He was slightly taller than Yeonho, with well-groomed features. He gave off the unmistakable aura of someone who had meticulously maintained every inch of himself with money. Not exactly a face that would stick in your memory, though.

That said, Siwoo had heard through the grapevine that Junyoung didn’t have the best reputation. But if bad rumors were the standard, no one could compete with Kim Siwoo, so he didn’t plan to judge anyone based on unverified gossip.

“Hello.”

Siwoo extended his hand for a handshake. As Junyoung, caught off guard, automatically reached out, Siwoo shook his hand quickly and then pulled away, handing him a business card.

“I’m here from Namyeon Construction for a pre-resumption safety inspection. I’m staying in one of the fourth-floor lodgings.”

“Can I check if that’s been cleared with our head office?”

“Yes, go ahead.”

Siwoo nodded with a smug look, staring down at Junyoung. He didn’t care whether his lie was discovered or not. Junyoung looked back and forth between Siwoo’s face and the card, confused, but eventually pocketed it, intimidated by Siwoo’s confidence.

Next to them, Yeonho was opening a capsule toy he’d just pulled from a vending machine. He had no intention of admitting that he’d already verified Siwoo’s story, and without a word, shoved the ugly toy inside the capsule into Junyoung’s hands.

“Here, take this.”

“Oh, thanks. Really, thank you.”

He hadn’t liked it and just tossed it to his brother in a joking way. It wasn’t the first time, so of course Junyoung knew. But for some reason, Yeonho’s cheek stung. He turned to look forward and saw Siwoo glaring at him like he wanted to kill him. It was the same murderous look he’d had earlier, when he’d nearly driven the car off into the sea.

Something told Yeonho that this time, all three of them might actually die. In a panic, he quickly pulled another capsule out of his pocket and opened it. A cute toy he’d wanted came out, but he handed it to Siwoo without hesitation. Only then did Siwoo, who had been sulking like a hungry baby, look up at him sweetly as if someone had finally put a bottle in his hands.

***

Throughout dinner, Siwoo used every possible trick and excuse to get between Yeonho and Junyoung. After the meal, he generously allowed Junyoung to have two hours alone with Yeonho.

Truthfully, he didn’t think he could handle more than one hour, but since Yeonho had given the ugly toy to Junyoung and the cute one to him, he decided to tolerate one extra hour as a special favor.

Exactly two hours later, just as promised, Yeonho planned to go to Siwoo’s room. Until then, he opened his laptop and began sorting the photos taken that day. Immersed in work, he casually informed Junyoung that he didn’t intend to share a room with him tonight.

“Hyung, sleep in a different room tonight.”

“Why?”

“I’ll be working all night. If that bothers you, I can go to another room to work. Just go to bed even if I’m not around.”

“Okay, sure.”

Junyoung, who usually would’ve grumbled loudly, surprisingly accepted Yeonho’s request without resistance. He was too preoccupied scrolling through the accounts of people he followed on social media.

“Yeonho, that guy’s face looks familiar. I got a good look at him during dinner, and I’m sure I’ve seen him before.”

“The guy from Namyeon Construction?”

Yeonho referred to Siwoo with a deliberately distant, indifferent tone. But despite his aloofness, he was very interested in what Junyoung had just said. It might not be much, but it could offer a clue to help unravel things between him and Siwoo.

“If you remember how you know him, tell me too.”

“I’ve never heard his name before, but I’ve seen his face in my feed. Someone definitely posted a photo with him. I just can’t remember who.”

“You’ve got over a thousand friends. How are you supposed to remember a friend of a friend? You only remember him because he’s handsome, right?”

“Hey, he’s not exactly handsome. It’s just… his nose is memorable.”

Junyoung, whose appearance had been meticulously curated with procedures and plastic surgery, stubbornly downplayed Siwoo’s looks. Yeonho didn’t agree with his assessment at all but let it slide.

“That’s the height and shape you’re aiming for, huh?”

“If the post had been tagged, I would’ve messaged him to ask where he got his nose done. Still, I didn’t take a screenshot. I’ve got my pride.”

“I don’t think he’s had anything done. His face didn’t look artificial.”

“He’s definitely had work done. You don’t get that kind of face without spending money.”

“No. And regardless, why are you talking about someone else’s face like that?”

Yeonho’s tone grew unconsciously disdainful.

“Hey, found it.”

Junyoung spoke up just then. Yeonho, still wearing his glasses and focused on his laptop, glanced at him briefly. He was dying to know what kind of photo it was, but afraid of revealing his emotions in front of Junyoung, he kept quiet.

Junyoung had found a picture of Siwoo posted 42 weeks ago on the account of a friend studying in the U.S. He sent the friend a DM.

How do you know the guy in this photo with you? I had dinner with him today.

While waiting for a response, he stretched his arms and got up from bed. Passing behind Yeonho, who was still working, he boiled water in the kettle. Using tea bags he had brought himself, he made two cups and naturally placed one on Yeonho’s desk. At night, he always made Yeonho tea to help him sleep.

“Thanks.”

Not long after, Yeonho fell asleep with his head resting on the laptop. Junyoung, who had secretly slipped a sleeping pill into the tea, quietly removed Yeonho’s glasses and dragged his limp body onto the bed.

“Pretty little brother. Where do you think you’re going? You’re sleeping with me.”

***

If you’re certain you’ll see the person you love again, waiting isn’t that hard. But without that certainty, time feels painfully slow.

Siwoo stood by the window, waiting for Yeonho. There were five minutes left until the time Yeonho had promised to come. Those five minutes, filled with uncertainty, passed more slowly than the five years he had spent absolutely sure Yeonho would return to him.

And before he knew it, it was already ten minutes past the promised time.

“…It’s not like I actually believed he’d come to me.”

He had spent the last two hours enduring horrific thoughts. He told himself it didn’t matter what the two of them were doing during that time and forced himself to be patient. But from the moment the promised hour struck, he no longer had any reason to wait.

Fiddling with the wine he had prepared for Yeonho, Siwoo grabbed the master key and left the room.