# Chapter 30
“Now that I think about it, you look a lot like Seol Jiho.”
Yeomin was currently tutoring. It was the third session with Jiwoong. The first session had been chaotic because of Jiho, and the second session had been chaotic due to a hangover.
Thanks to that, today was the first time Yeomin faced Jiwoong with a clear and calm mind.
While watching him solve problems, Yeomin automatically commented on how much Jiwoong resembled Jiho, which made Jiwoong put down his mechanical pencil with a thud.
“Take that back.”
“…Does it offend you?”
“Very much.”
“Okay, I’m sorry. Teacher made a mistake.”
Yeomin apologized. Only then did Jiwoong pick up his pencil again.
Since they’re brothers, of course they’d look alike. Although Seol Jiho looked more fierce and cold, while Jiwoong still had a rounder image due to his youth and baby fat.
‘I wonder if Seol Jiho looked like this when he wore a school uniform?’
Of course, I’m not curious. Really, not curious at all…
“Teacher, how did you get involved with something like Seol Jiho?”
As soon as he finished solving the problems, Jiwoong asked as if he’d been waiting for this moment. To solve problems this quickly—what impressive concentration.
Yeomin flinched. Something like Seol Jiho?
He had felt it on the first day of tutoring too. Jiwoong’s attitude toward Seol Jiho was extremely hostile.
It was different even from typical quarreling siblings. Almost like his relationship with Yeojin.
“Well. I’m not sure myself. When I came to my senses, I found myself like this.”
Living in Seol Jiho’s house and even tutoring Seol Jiho’s brother.
Yeomin shook his head and started grading. Jiwoong, who usually would be on his phone at times like this, was unusually inquisitive.
“Seol Jiho likes men, right?”
The unexpected question made Yeomin unconsciously apply pressure, causing the red colored pencil to snap.
Yeomin tried to continue grading.
“Well. I don’t know about that.”
“He’s been weird since he was young. Seol Jiho.”
“Jiwoong is talkative today. Are you getting comfortable with me now?”
When Yeomin said this with a smile, Jiwoong closed his mouth. Handling high school students is so easy, isn’t it? No matter how much they try to act like adults, kids are still kids.
Yeomin finished grading.
“You got one wrong. Good job.”
“I felt like I should get at least one wrong to seem human.”
“When you say things like that, you’re really similar to Seol Jiho.”
“…”
Yeomin laughed at Jiwoong, who glared at him with an offended expression.
There were exactly 5 minutes left in the tutoring session. It was awkward to start teaching again.
“We don’t have much time left, why don’t we just chat?”
“…I have nothing to say.”
“Then can I ask something I’m curious about?”
Jiwoong nodded. He resembled Jiho, but seemed nicer than Jiho.
Yeomin asked straightforwardly without any preamble.
“What kind of person is Seol Jiho?”
“…All of a sudden?”
Asking that all of a sudden? Jiwoong was puzzled.
But Yeomin was desperate.
“I feel like I need to know him to defeat him.”
Thinking about it, Yeomin was at a severe disadvantage. Jiho knew a lot about him, even things Yeomin couldn’t imagine.
But Yeomin knew nothing about Seol Jiho except that he was from the owner family of Ian Group and his junior in the department.
Shouldn’t he know what kind of guy he is, how crazy he is, to at least defend himself, if not counterattack!
Jiwoong, who had been wearing a bitter expression, snickered at Yeomin’s earnest attitude. As if he found Yeomin pitiful.
“It’s useless, teacher. You can never beat Seol Jiho, even if you die trying.”
“…”
“Seol Jiho is a real psycho.”
Jiwoong seemed to be saying it was already too late to back out.
* * *
‘I know Seol Jiho is crazy. I know it all too well… I just wonder how he became like that.’
But regardless of Yeomin’s burning curiosity, Jiwoong simply said, “Time’s up, teacher,” politely said goodbye, and saw Yeomin out.
Though he hated being told they looked alike, the brothers were very similar in their mysterious ways.
Yeomin returned home with increasingly complicated feelings. To that towering penthouse where that crazy guy lived.
Habits are truly frightening. Considering how short a time he had been staying here, it was remarkable how his feet moved on their own.
‘By the way, the landlord said she would check on the repairs and contact me, but why haven’t I heard anything yet…? I should call again tomorrow.’
“I’m back.”
Yeomin said weakly as he entered the house.
Though tutoring wasn’t hard, he felt unusually tired today. And tomorrow he had to go to his PC bang part-time job…
As the exhausted Yeomin put down his bag, something filled his vision.
A strong fragrance that assaulted his nostrils made him frown.
“What on earth is this…?”
“Date me, hyung.”
Does this guy spend each day researching new ways to shock Joo Yeomin? In that respect, I have to acknowledge his creativity. And his passion.
What was presented before Yeomin was a bouquet of red roses that must have contained over a hundred flowers.
A flower gift. Besides receiving one at graduation, this was the first surprise gift Yeomin had ever received. And to think it was from a male junior.
“…”
As Yeomin was too shocked to speak, Jiho continued without taking a breath.
“Let’s date. You’d like that too, right, hyung? Holding hands. Pecks. Kisses. And then se—”
“Wait, wait!”
When Yeomin pushed the bouquet aside, Jiho’s face was revealed.
If he had offered a bundle of cash instead, Yeomin might have been tempted. The flower smell was so overwhelming it made his head spin.
“You seem really out of it right now—”
“Aren’t you the one who’s out of it, hyung?”
“…”
…That’s right. I’m completely out of it.
The flower fragrance that was absolutely not to his taste, Seol Jiho suddenly confessing with a bouquet instead of a bundle of cash, Seol Jiho’s bright smile.
‘There’s no context at all! At least give me some warning!’
Of course, if there had been a warning, Joo Yeomin would never have returned here today.
“Anyway, I’ll make my feelings for you turn into love.”
For a confession… that’s a rather unsettling comment. Is this how people usually propose?
Jiho acted impatiently.
“Then from today, let’s be boyfri—”
“No. No, Seol Jiho. Calm down. That’s not it.”
Whoa, whoa. Yeomin grabbed Jiho by both shoulders to calm him down.
“Shhh… Take a deep breath, deep breath.”
It was like the posture of an owner trying to calm an overexcited dog.
“Why? Don’t you like the flowers? Maybe cash would have been better.”
That was quite insightful. I’ll admit it.
“I’ll go withdraw cash right away. Or there are gold bars in the safe, I could—”
“Seol Jiho, stop! Stop and listen to me.”
Jiho, who was about to dash off, reluctantly stopped at Yeomin’s restraint.
Lately he’d been like a fierce beast, but today he’s more like a large dog. Still exhausting, though.
Yeomin, massaging his temples, spoke in a clear tone that left no room for misunderstanding.
“I’m not going to date you.”
Jiho moved again, denying Yeomin’s words.
“I’ll bring something other than flowers.”
“No. No matter what you bring, I won’t date you.”
Yeomin declared firmly.
Of course, if he actually brought gold bars, Yeomin’s heart might change… being the money-loving monster that he was.
That’s exactly why he was speaking even more firmly.
“I don’t think of you as a romantic partner, Seol Jiho.”
“Then?”
“Huh?”
Yeomin was taken aback by the unexpected counter-question.
Jiho looked genuinely curious.
“Then what do you think of me as?”
In that moment of asking, Jiho looked just like a child with pure curiosity.
Perhaps he even seemed a bit nervous.
“You? You are…”
Yeomin couldn’t easily find an answer. He had never really thought about it properly.
No, perhaps the answer was already in his heart. He was just too embarrassed to say it out loud.
If he had to define it, to Joo Yeomin, Seol Jiho was…
A savior. A straw grabbed in desperation to survive. The best and worst choice. A mirage that could disappear at any time. A midsummer night’s dream.
All the words were too pathetic to say out loud.
Yeomin avoided Jiho’s eyes, which were sparkling with curiosity, and evaded the question.
“You? You’re my department junior.”
“…”
“And the person letting me stay in this house.”
“…”
“And the person who helped me earn tutoring fees.”
“Is that all?”
“Yes. That’s all.”
And that’s everything to me. Yeomin’s expression was completely nonchalant.
The bouquet in Jiho’s hand dropped with a thud. Scattered rose petals covered Yeomin’s feet.
“None of those seem like they’re very important to you, right?”
“They are important. How important they are. As important as a landlord.”
“Then who do you want to date, hyung?”
He didn’t expect that question. What’s gotten into him all of a sudden? Like an unbridled colt.
Yeomin was now tired of answering.
“I don’t want to date anyone.”
“You don’t like dating?”
“I’m not in a position to. I don’t have the luxury to like anyone.”
That was a clear fact.
He had never wanted something like dating, nor had he tried it. People around him had recommended blind dates, but to Yeomin, it only seemed like an extravagance.
Jiho stared at Yeomin as if judging whether he was lying. Yeomin deliberately stared back at Jiho without even blinking.
As if asserting his innocence.
“…”
How long had they been in this silent staring contest? The first to back down was Jiho.
“Keep your word on that.”
“…”
“Otherwise, I think I’ll be really angry.”
Whether Jiho’s words meant surrender or warning, Yeomin wasn’t sure.
But those words lingered in Yeomin’s heart for quite a while. Just like the intense scent of roses that had numbed his nose.
