ITDW 54

“…Hyung.”

The car entered the garden.

“You said anywhere was fine.”

“…Still.”

“If there’s nothing you want, you should have at least clearly stated what you don’t want. Right?”

“…You never taught me that.”

Jaeri expressed his complaint in his own way.

“I’m teaching you now.”

The car parked smoothly in the parking lot.

“And even if you don’t like it. There’s still a lot to gain from here. Jaeri is an adult now, so let’s be a little more patient. Alright?”

“…Alright.”

The brothers got out of the car and began to walk through the garden that led to the main house. The pine tree garden, green all year round, looked gloomy. If snow had covered that greenness, it might have become a typically beautiful winter scene, but there were only trees nobly enduring the cold on the frozen ground. In Jaeri’s eyes, the green leaves looked ashen, making them seem rather pitiful.

Upon hearing the news that Jungyoon was coming, Chairman Kim had called Yoonjae. As a father, he wanted to ease the tension between the siblings. Jungyoon had said he suspected Madam Gye and Yoonjae, but Chairman Kim thought that while he did not know about Madam Gye, there was no way Yoonjae would have done it. He believed in his child.

The expressions of Chairman Kim and Yoonjae, who greeted the brothers, were slightly stiff. Jaeri, who entered behind Jungyoon, was a wreck. His eyes were swollen, both sides of his lips were cut, and his lower lip was swollen and cut; it was obvious to anyone that his hyung had given him a hard time.

Jaeri was a sensitive but gentle child. They wondered what big mistake such a child could have made to be made to cry until his eyes were that swollen, and how he had gotten the cuts on his lips.

Could it be that if you slap both cheeks in succession, the corners of the mouth tear and create such wounds? Yoonjae’s gaze persistently followed the corners of Jaeri’s mouth, and Jungyoon leisurely observed Yoonjae’s gaze.

Chairman Kim was just as surprised. On the other hand, a corner of his heart felt uncomfortable. Not long ago, he had told his eldest son to teach Jaeri how to speak because he was an adult now but could not speak well, and he did not know that he would shield the child in front of him but treat him so harshly behind his back. No, seeing how he had admonished the child for just letting his elbow touch the table before, he must have scolded him severely.

“How have you been, Father, noona.”

Jaeri cautiously greeted his family, who were looking at him with stunned expressions.

The family of four could not overcome the awkward atmosphere and immediately started lunch. They had originally planned to talk a bit before having lunch, but they had no idea what to say and could not get rid of the awkwardness.

Jaeri was just as uncomfortable. He naturally knew that the strange attitude of his father and noona was because of his appearance. But this state he was in was, contrary to their expectations, the result of a lovers’ quarrel with his hyung and having sucked his hyung’s dick, so a small sense of guilt arose.

Jaeri paid special attention to his posture and table manners during the meal. He does not like making mistakes at the main house.

Only Jungyoon, enjoyed a sense of leisure.

“Yoonjae, you don’t look so well.”

“…Not really.”

At Yoonjae’s short reply, Jungyoon said no more. However, Yoonjae had thought that if she said that, he would say something back or continue the conversation. Feeling a bit let down by the cut-off conversation, she eventually spoke up.

“Anyway, thank you. For this time.”

“Isn’t it a bit unethical to be thankful to me? By burying this matter, I’ve committed a sort of breach of trust.”

It was not a legally problematic breach of trust, but it was a self-deprecating expression of his failure to fulfill his duties as a Hanyoung executive, and also a warning that there would be no next time.

There was nothing wrong with Jungyoon’s words, so Chairman Kim could not say anything more.

In the bleak atmosphere, Jungyoon deboned a thick piece of sea bream and placed it on top of Jaeri’s rice bowl.

“…Thank you. I’ll, eat it.”

“You don’t eat it because it’s a hassle to debone the fish. You need to eat a balanced diet.”

“Yes….”

Jaeri took a spoonful of rice with the fish Jungyoon had given him and ate it.

“So pretty.”

Jaeri lowered his head a little out of an unknown embarrassment. A strange silence fell. Chairman Kim and Yoonjae were literally at a loss for words. They did not look at Jungyoon overtly, but in their minds, they were all thinking the same thing: ‘What is this? What is that behavior? That psycho….’

Jungyoon smiled brightly and spoke.

“Our Jaeri, grow up quickly, graduate from university, and help your hyung out.”

Yoonjae tensed her shoulders at the sense of déjà vu. Jaeri swallowed what was in his mouth and answered with a small “Yes.” Jungyoon looked at Chairman Kim and said.

“I plan to keep Jaeri by my side and continue to raise him. He’s smart, quick-witted, and understands everything without me having to point it out in words.”

Yesterday he said I was foolish, frustrating, clueless, and that I only understood things when told. He’s saying the complete opposite, so Jaeri was a bit bewildered.

“Right. You should teach him well so the youngest can help with the company’s work too. Jaeri will have a hard time if he has to do all the studying his hyung tells him to.”

Chairman Kim replied appropriately. He had noticed something strange in Jungyoon’s attitude. He could not pinpoint exactly what that feeling was, or where it stemmed from, but he got the impression that Jungyoon cared for Jaeri very much in his own way, and did not want anyone’s intervention in that affection.

Jungyoon and Yoonjae had things to sort out between themselves. After the meal, the other family members discreetly made themselves scarce.

“If you have something to say, say it quickly and let’s get this over with. I’m tired.”

Jungyoon said, sitting on the sofa, and Yoonjae let out a sigh and sat down next to him.

“Haesung Law Firm, Mom said she would pass it on to me.”

“Why are you telling me that.”

Jungyoon asked indifferently, leaning back on the sofa.

“I’m saying I won’t compete with you for Hanyoung, oppa, so to me.”

“You can’t inherit Haesung. Your maternal grandfather, he’s a conservative old-fashioned man. It might be different if your uncle had a flaw, but he’s doing well. First of all, your mother won’t be able to inherit it.”

“So, if I help Mother.”

“Wake up. After seeing you work, I have no intention of using you as my subordinate in the future. To think I would keep you in check, that’s a bit too arrogant.”

“…Oppa, I’m different. There are many kinds of leadership, and I know you might scoff at me for not handing over that person as you said, but that’s my leadership.”

Jungyoon scoffed, just as Yoonjae had said. He sat up from his slouched position and stared at Yoonjae with a sharp gaze.

“What, are you talking about something like benevolent leadership, servant leadership? I don’t know…, you can’t prevent or solve problems, and while pretending to protect someone, you say it’s not your fault, someone else did it, you can’t say who. I told you, you should have just taken all the blame.”

“Oppa, I.”

“Hear me out. You can’t win people over with such a pathetic sacrifice. Not holding that person accountable, I guess that was the candy you were dangling, but you didn’t even treat your own person like a professional, so where do you get off talking about leadership? There’s a limit to how much you can piss someone off with dog logic just because they’re listening.”

Yoonjae could not offer any rebuttal. It was not that she did not know, and she was aware of it herself, but her face flushed. And Jungyoon was also genuinely expressing his disappointment in his sister. It was not meant to be a deliberate insult.

The siblings’ conversation ended quickly.

Throughout the meal, and after the meal during tea time, and until they went home, Yoonjae did not say anything separately to Jaeri. In the past, she would have openly said something to Jungyoon upon seeing Jaeri’s pained face, or given Jaeri a heads-up separately. Like telling him to contact her if he was having a hard time, or that she would do something for him. Yoonjae just played it safe.

On the way back, the brothers decided to play basketball together for the first time in a while and headed to the Han River Park. After parking, Jaeri went to the back of the car and took out a basketball and two pairs of sneakers from the trunk.

There was no one on the basketball court. Occasionally, a few bicycles passed by on the adjacent bike path. The wind blowing from the river was cold, and the chill of winter enveloped everything.

The brothers warmed up a bit, and after playfully passing the ball back and forth for a while, they soon began to move vigorously. Not only Jungyoon, who had a great interest in basketball, but also Jaeri, for some reason, fought with all his might not to lose the ball once he got it. When Jaeri, who was shorter than Jungyoon, lowered his body and awkwardly did a crossover dribble, Jungyoon watched from a short distance, making an effort not to take the ball from his little brother.

The two did not rest until their ears were filled with the sound of sneakers rubbing against the urethane court floor, the thumping sound of the basketball, the sound of the ball hitting the rim or passing through the net, the sound of cheering after a goal, and panting breaths.

The brothers stole the ball from each other and steadily scored points. Jaeri mainly made 3-point shots from outside the 3-point line, while Jungyoon mainly made 1-point free throws. The position Jungyoon played when he was on a team was small forward or power forward, and he could freely execute various types of shots from anywhere, whether under the basket or on the outskirts of the court, in any situation. The fact that he only threw free throws was him going easy on Jaeri.

Beads of sweat formed. A heat that had been hidden deep inside seeped out. Jungyoon stood close to Jaeri and blocked him. Jaeri tried to find an opening with a pivot play to avoid losing the ball, but it was not easy. Even when Jaeri faked a direction, he did not fall for it. He had no choice but to throw the ball out once and catch it again. Of course, he immediately followed and tried to steal the ball again.

He could not dribble here, get past his hyung’s guard, and get to the front of the basket. In that moment, Jaeri’s eyes saw an empty space. It was a chance to extend his arm through the opening and make a 3-point shot from that spot.

The moment Jaeri extended his arm, Jungyoon hugged Jaeri tightly from behind. The ball flew toward the basket, and Jaeri lost his balance and teetered. Clang—. The basketball hit only the rim and missed.

As if there was a thorn at the end of Jungyoon’s breath, his breath brushing against the nape of Jaeri’s neck was scratchy. Jaeri was also breathing heavily, but being in Jungyoon’s embrace made him breathe even more heavily, and his heart beat even faster. The cold temperature of the air and the hot temperature of their breath mixed dizzily.

“…You hugged me, hyung, I could have made that shot, but my wrist snap was off at the end.”

When Jungyoon tried to let Jaeri go, Jaeri quickly grabbed his hands and kept them on his own waist.

“Still, I like it….”

“Jaeri lost.”

“Yes.”

He cleanly accepted the result. Sweat trickled down the nape of Jaeri’s neck, and Jungyoon found even the smell of that sweat fragrant. His body scent was like a fresh green apple, and also like soap. Jungyoon took a small breath of the sweet scent that was rising hotly.

“Hyung’s wish, I’ll grant it for you.”

Jaeri said magnanimously, still panting. Jaeri had no worries. It was a game where he had nothing to lose anyway, since there was not much he could do for his hyung. Jungyoon said what he had been thinking from the beginning.

“You’ll have to suck on that pretty dick for me all night, my Jaeri.”

“……”

The breath mixed in the low voice that reached his ear was hot. Jaeri momentarily closed his legs. He could imagine himself so well, caught by the persistent him. Heat was already starting to rise between his legs.

The sun was slowly setting. Before, he had only thought the color of the sky tinted by the sunset was lonely, but now, the colors of red and blue, subtly mixed to form a long band and cover the clouds, looked romantic.

“Hyung… my heart is beating so fast. Can you feel it?”

Jungyoon’s hand moved to Jaeri’s left chest. His heart was beating fast. Thump, thump, thump.

“It’s beating really fast. At this rate, it’s one hundred and eighty beats per minute.”

“I’m happy.”

At Jaeri’s sudden words, Jungyoon was momentarily breathless.

“…I’m glad.”

The sun set and the sky turned red. Under that sky, the lover brothers held each other tightly.

Although there had been his hyung’s declaration-like words, he had not expected this kind of atmosphere at all, at least not after returning home. The working lady’s note was on Jungyoon’s desk in his study.

Vice President, I found this under Mr. Jaeri’s bed while cleaning his room, and I am reporting it.

Jaeri did not feel resentful or wronged by the lady. It was a rule in this house that if any suspicious item was found on Jaeri, it was to be reported immediately to Jungyoon. But the problem was why, of all times, why now, today….

Jungyoon lifted a huge dildo with his fingertips. He looked at Jaeri.

“What is this?”