F38

Today, he intended to hold back from showing Yeonho the affection he usually lavished on him. He had no intention of going back home like this. He knew it was greedy, but he didn’t want to leave Yeonho alone with his stepbrother for even a minute. Seong Junhee had effortlessly taken over the position of the house’s owner and pushed him aside as nothing more than a visitor, a third party. Siwoo planned to quietly observe the relationship between Yeonho and Seong Junhee.

There was a knock on Yeonho’s bedroom door. There was no answer, but Seong Junhee simply opened the door and walked in. Siwoo’s nerves were taut. Fortunately, Yeonho didn’t have the habit of sleeping naked. Aside from the times he fell asleep after sex, he was the type who always wore proper pajamas to bed.

With his chin raised arrogantly, Siwoo lowered his gaze and watched them from outside the door.

“Yeonho, it’s me.”

Seong Junhee reached toward Yeonho. The back of his hand brushed Yeonho’s pale cheek. Siwoo, his nerves sharpened like a blade, prayed desperately.

Please, don’t hug him the way you do with me every morning. Please.

Yeonho stirred awake, shifting under the covers. He reached up to the hand on his cheek and grasped it, then wrapped his fingers around Junhee’s wrist. Every small movement made Siwoo’s heart race, only to plummet again.

Yeonho let out a deep breath with his eyes still closed, then pushed the hand away and opened his eyes. He rubbed the cheek where Seong Junhee had touched him and sat up groggily.

“Hyung? Why the hell are you wearing so much cologne?”

“You said you liked this scent.”

“Not anymore. Let’s change it. One of my friends said it smells like an old man’s perfume.”

Siwoo finally felt relief wash over him. He couldn’t help but feel ridiculous for doubting Yeonho. When Seong Junhee tried to pull him into a tight hug, Yeonho pushed him away with both hands and spoke firmly.

“But why didn’t you call or text before coming?”

“I sent you a message. You’re the one who didn’t check it.”

Yeonho grabbed his phone and checked the messages.

“How was I supposed to see it when you sent it in the middle of the night, old man?”

Grumbling like any other younger brother, Yeonho checked the time, then suddenly turned his head. He locked eyes with Siwoo, who was standing just outside the door with his hands in his pockets. Siwoo straightened up from his slouched position and greeted Yeonho with a smile and a slight bow.

“Did you sleep well? I’m heading out now.”

“Oh, right. You’re here?”

“Should I make breakfast for your brother too?”

What kind of setup is this? Yeonho smiled awkwardly and waved brightly. Then he looked back and forth between Siwoo and Seong Junhee, tilting his head in confusion at the unexpected pairing standing in front of him so early in the morning.

The official reason for Seong Junhee’s sudden appearance was a “family meeting.” With just the two of them as members, it could still technically count. Siwoo, playing the part of the housekeeper, was present as well. Even with Junhee around, Siwoo washed rice, cooked it, and cleaned up just like usual.

“Please, help yourself, hyung-nim.”

He politely served soybean paste stew to his older brother-in-law and shamelessly sat down at the table with them. Siwoo usually had breakfast with his parents at home, so the only reason he ever cooked in the kitchen here was for Yeonho. But today, he picked up his spoon too. He needed an excuse to eavesdrop on this so-called family meeting.

Seong Junhee spoke in disbelief.

“If you needed someone to cook and clean, you should’ve told me. Why would you hire your school senior?”

“I posted a job notice on the school board and followed proper procedures.”

Yeonho smoothly supported the backstory Siwoo had created on his own, lying without so much as blinking. Siwoo nodded and added to the lie.

“It’s more comfortable than tutoring. Suits me better.”

After tasting the stew Siwoo had made, Seong Junhee had no choice but to admit it did suit him, and he stayed quiet.

And then he finally revealed the real reason for this mini family gathering.

“I’m moving back to Seoul next month. Let’s live together in this house.”

“Okay, but why here? You can go back to the main house. I’m going to visit often during break anyway.”

The “house” Yeonho referred to was the family home, where their parents lived. Because the school and the house were far apart, he lived alone, but the family home was also in Seoul.

In truth, despite what he said, Yeonho had only visited the family home twice during the break. He had been far too busy dating and having sex with his boyfriend.

Seong Junhee continued.

“I’m going to start teaching at your university.”

“What? Really? Starting next semester?”

“Yeah, a general education course. I’ll still work at the main office, but teaching and working from this house will be more convenient.”

Yeonho didn’t find it particularly surprising that his older brother was becoming a university lecturer. Junhee had majored in hotel management and completed his master’s coursework. He was set to inherit the family business and was the kind of elite who could do anything.

What did surprise him was that Junhee was going to teach at his university. Of course, it was likely that he had chosen the school on purpose.

If Siwoo hadn’t existed, Yeonho wouldn’t have hesitated to live with his brother. They had a large age gap, so they rarely fought, and Junhee always accepted his bratty outbursts. He was a gentle, understanding adult who truly loved his little brother.

Yeonho met Siwoo’s gaze and paused in thought before nodding.

“Sure. This is your house, hyung. I have no reason to say no.”

Siwoo also fell silent in thought. To be honest, the idea of Yeonho living alone with his stepbrother made him really uncomfortable. But he had no right to interfere. They’d grown up as brothers for 13 years, with a twelve-year age gap. Junhee was practically a father figure to Yeonho.

Still, he couldn’t shake the twisted desire gnawing at him. He wanted to take even the place of Yeonho’s brother. He wanted to be his guardian, to be the only one who could protect him.

It was a desire too selfish to say out loud.

Junhee left first, saying he had to stop by the main office. Siwoo, the housekeeper who’d sat through the family meeting, had already made up his mind about what to do next.

“I’ll get us a new place. Let’s move out of this house.”

“Isn’t it a bit weird if I completely move out too? It might look like my brother kicked me out, or that I’m running away because I don’t like him. The optics aren’t great.”

Yeonho replied with an awkward smile. Siwoo understood completely and couldn’t argue with it. He himself couldn’t even sleep over every day and had to go home to his own parents. He wasn’t in a position to demand independence from Yeonho alone.

He could never say it bothered him just because Junhee was his stepbrother. If he did, Yeonho might be disgusted by the ugliness in his heart and end the relationship.

“Then let’s do this. I’ll get a new place, and from now on, let’s meet there. Stay with me as much as you can.”

“Should we? That sounds good. Should we look for a place together? We can split the rent.”

Yeonho had a bit of a fantasy about half-living with his boyfriend in a tiny one-room apartment like most students. He sounded excited, but Siwoo gently pinched his soft cheek.

“No need. What money do you have, baby? I’ve been freeloading at your place this whole time anyway.”

“Oh come on. Just because you’re a year older doesn’t mean you’re suddenly a grown-up. If I’d just held back that one time…”

Remembering the time he’d leaked in front of Siwoo, Yeonho let out a silent scream.

While Yeonho brushed his teeth, Siwoo grabbed a spare card key from the drawer in the shoe cabinet. Once Junhee came in and out, the door lock code would likely change, and Yeonho might not share the new one out of respect for his brother’s privacy. Losing his only way into the house Yeonho and Junhee would be living in was something Siwoo couldn’t accept.

Yeonho had developed a new daily habit, just like brushing his teeth, checking Siwoo’s body for bruises. While kissing him, he would lift Siwoo’s shirt to examine his sculpted torso, making sure there were no fresh marks. He never forgot to kiss the old scars every day.

His lips trailed closely down from Siwoo’s shoulders, past his arms, undoing his watch to check his wrist too. Even though he already knew there were no new red lines, he always counted the marks on Siwoo’s wrist one by one, afraid that they might have increased without him noticing.

After the wrist inspection, Siwoo would lean down with a sweet expression and offer his head.

“Give me a compliment.”

“Good boy. So pretty.”

The more Yeonho became Siwoo’s emotional anchor, the more he felt Siwoo’s love growing absolute and unconditional. From Yeonho’s point of view, everything was going exactly the way he wanted. He was heading toward a perfect, complete monopoly.

But if he was going to be this shameless in taking ownership, he had to take full responsibility. He had to constantly remind Siwoo that he was irreplaceable. So every day, in a trembling voice, he shyly confessed his love.

“All these new feelings I’m discovering are because of you. There are so many things I want to do only with you. You’re my first. And probably my last.”

It was for Siwoo’s sake, but also for himself, for the part of him that wanted to own Siwoo completely.