# Chapter 46
– Watched “Escape Mission from Cococo Island” together in the OO Cinema VIP lounge
– A CCTV captured the scene of them kissing (*photo attached)
After confirming the additional message from Secretary Yeom, Director Ahn’s concerns deepened.
‘That’s not love.’
‘Then why does it have to be love?’
‘Because ordinary people are more drawn to love.’
‘Why?’
‘Well, it’s familiar.’
‘Does hyung want to be in love?’
Jiho, who once asked him such questions… is now dating.
Of course, he himself was the one who had helped formulate the strategy for Jiho to have even a fake relationship with Yeomin. But back then, he thought it was all just the kid’s impulsive curiosity.
“Is he really dating? Huh, well…”
In the video Secretary Yeom sent, Jiho looked just like a normal couple on a date. Director Ahn found this version of his nephew unfamiliar.
Director Ahn remembered what Jiho had said to him when he was twelve.
That little boy, without shedding a single tear, as if he had no emotions at all…
‘Love and all that stuff is stupid.’
It was hard to believe those words came from a twelve-year-old.
At that time, Jiho’s eyes were cloudy, and his heart seemed impenetrable.
Like perpetual snow that never melts. So cold that it seemed like it would remain frozen forever.
‘You’ll end up abandoning everything just like Dad.’
After that, Jiho not only didn’t get a girlfriend but didn’t even make friends.
Because of this, Ian Group had taken Jiho to hospitals for all sorts of counseling and tests.
Though they always heard that there was nothing significantly wrong, Director Ahn was still worried. Because the young Jiho’s words had seemed so sincere.
After that, even when Jiho grew up and pretended to be socialized, mingling with society, Director Ahn thought he would never have feelings for anyone.
‘But what if such a Seol Jiho changes?’
After much contemplation, Director Ahn called someone. When the call connected, he chose his words carefully.
“…Jiwoong. About Jiho.”
– Why bring up Seol Jiho?
“He might really like that guy.”
Despite the abrupt statement, Jiwoong wasn’t flustered.
– Do you really think so, Uncle?
“I know him better than you and your sister because I follow him around every day cleaning up his messes. But I’ve never seen that expression before. How should I put it? The kid seems a bit…”
– …
“Different. No. He is different… when he’s with Yeomin.”
Even if he was deliberately pretending to be different, Jiho was definitely changing.
Perhaps he was gradually, diligently, or even unknowingly changing from the cynical twelve-year-old boy Director Ahn knew.
This fact made Director Ahn both happy and somewhat worried.
* * *
Coming out of the movie, Yeomin was completely drained. Of course, not just drained… his lips were also sucked.
‘My lips seem to have gotten thicker.’
While worrying unnecessarily while checking in the car mirror, the long day finally ended and they arrived home.
Yeomin went straight to the dressing room. As he was about to close the door to change clothes, Jiho suddenly squeezed through the door.
“What are you doing?”
Yeomin said sharply. Actually, it was because he was embarrassed to keep looking at Jiho’s face.
Because Jiho’s lips were also swollen just as much. Did we kiss too much earlier?
‘I’m the one who made them look like that, right?’
But the embarrassment was Yeomin’s alone. Jiho, still holding the doorknob, spoke askew. His expression showed some dissatisfaction.
“Fix that.”
“What?”
“Going in alone like you’re done with everything.”
Then he leaned his head on Yeomin’s shoulder from behind.
‘Why am I suddenly being scolded…’
And why is he acting like a pitiful rain-soaked puppy again?
“Do you have some kind of attachment issues or something?”
He was going to ask indirectly, but couldn’t think of any other expression so he threw a fastball.
“Hmm… I’ve never thought about it.”
“I’m asking if you’re naturally the clingy, sticky type.”
“Then I guess so, attachment issues. I keep wanting to cling to you and be sticky with you, hyung.”
Jiho’s hand, which slid inside Yeomin’s shirt like a snake, was cold.
Hiss! When Yeomin glared, the hand that had been stroking his back reluctantly dropped away.
Lingering regret dripped from Jiho’s eyes.
“I was just trying to help you change…”
“Stop talking nonsense and get out~”
The date was over, and this was the house where only Yeomin and Jiho lived. There was no need to continue this embarrassing and childish play anymore. Today’s business is over, customer!
But would it be Seol Jiho if he left so obediently?
“By the way, hyung-“
Jiho’s gaze, which was looking back regretfully, gradually drops lower. Below Yeomin’s lips, below his Adam’s apple, below his collarbone, below his chest, below his stomach, somewhere…
To that place where just someone’s gaze makes one’s spine chill.
“It’s troublesome that you’re so sensitive. Surely you don’t respond that quickly when other people touch you too? If that’s the case, I would be too anxious.”
After muttering as if genuinely concerned, he coolly walks out.
Yeomin had been completely got by Jiho.
“…Are you crazy, Joo Yeomin.”
Yeomin frantically pulled at his hair. Actually, he was so shocked when he got hard while kissing in the movie theater earlier.
‘He knew all that and deliberately followed me in to excite me again, didn’t he?’
With a flushed face, Yeomin locked the dressing room door very securely.
* * *
Yeomin was making up for the tutoring he had postponed because of the last date.
Jiwoong suddenly asked.
“Teacher, did you sleep together?”
“You’re asking if I slept well yesterday? Yes, I slept well-“
“I’m asking if you slept with Seol Jiho.”
“Kuh-luk!”
Yeomin, who was drinking an organic juice in front of Jiwoong as he solved problems, ended up spitting juice all over the workbook.
“Ah… disgusting.”
Yeomin’s face turned red and blue.
“What you just said-“
“Did you sleep together? With my brother. Not just sleep, but sex-“
“Enough! Stop right there!”
Usually he calls him ‘Seol Jiho’ just fine, but in times like this, Jiwoong’s intention in using ‘my brother’ was obvious. Are you deliberately trying to stimulate my conscience?
“Stop talking nonsense and solve the problems.”
“Don’t tell me it’s not happened yet? That’s surprising. When I saw you two eating together last time, Seol Jiho had that look like he’d devoured you five times over.”
Ah. My neck is throbbing. What did I just hear? Yeomin was flabbergasted.
“You haven’t even dried the wet ink on your head, and you’re saying such strange things? Should I have a parent-teacher conference?”
“Is that an invitation for a formal meeting with the parents?”
…It was nearly impossible to verbally overpower this brazen eighteen-year-old. It only raised Yeomin’s blood pressure.
“Just hurry up and solve the problems.”
Though Yeomin made threats, Jiwoong showed no intention of listening. His slick behavior was exactly like his brother.
“Didn’t I warn you before? Be careful of Seol Jiho.”
“I’m being careful, you know.”
“Is that why you’re going on such cozy dates?”
“…”
Of course, it was a deliberate date knowing that Ian Group was monitoring them. But how did Jiwoong know about that fact…
Yeomin’s face turned red, and he even stumbled over his words.
“What kind of… se-secrets don’t exist in this household?”
“There’s someone in the family with a loose mouth.”
At that moment, Director Ahn’s face naturally came to mind. Yeomin tried hard to manage his expression.
“Anyway! You just focus on studying hard. If your grades drop, I’ll be fired.”
Especially since Jiho only wished for him to quit tutoring. Who knows when and for what reason he might cut off the tutoring.
But Jiwoong was firm.
“That won’t happen.”
“…”
“My grades won’t drop, I said.”
“That’s good confidence.”
Yeomin knew that Jiwoong quite liked him both as a person and as a teacher.
‘Ah, whatever. What kind of lesson is this?’
Today’s lesson is over. Yeomin closed the workbook. A question rose on Jiwoong’s face.
Yeomin asked with his chin resting on the workbook, staring directly at eyes that looked exactly like Jiho’s.
“Let me ask you something.”
“What?”
“About Seol Jiho. What kind of person is he?”
“…Let’s just continue the lesson.”
As Jiwoong tried to open the workbook again, Yeomin stopped him. It was a quick hand movement like a card shark.
“You were going to tell me last time but stopped. Think of it as giving me a previous exam question and tell me a bit. Give me an example at least. Or give me multiple choices!”
“…”
“I just can’t figure out what kind of guy he is from just looking. But now you seem to know.”
“…How annoying.”
Jiwoong’s ears turned red as he sighed. But he soon returned to his usual indifferent expression.
“I don’t know what you’re trying to do with him, what your ulterior motives are, but.”
“Ulterior motives? That’s offensive.”
“Whatever it is, quit while you still can.”
Jiwoong advised sincerely. There wasn’t a hint of joking in his tone.
Yeomin found it absurd that he asked to be taught what kind of person Seol Jiho was, and instead got this warning.
Jiwoong added without a hint of humor:
“Seol Jiho is a crazy bastard.”
“I know that much.”
“He’s probably never liked anyone? He has no emotions. He doesn’t know what love is.”
Unexpectedly serious words came out. Jiwoong was more serious than when solving mathematical essays.
Yeomin snorted at the word ‘love,’ which he didn’t expect to hear from Jiwoong’s mouth.
“I still don’t know what love is either~”
“I’m not joking?”
“Do you know a bit, Jiwoong? Aww~”
“Aish, really! You asked and now you’re like this!”
Jiwoong getting angry just seemed cute to Yeomin. There’s definitely a fun aspect to teasing him.
‘But the more I think about it, the funnier it gets. Seol Jiho doesn’t know love.’
“I admit Seol Jiho is strange, but he doesn’t seem that emotionless? He bothers me so much.”
“That was major TMI just now.”
That was a slip of the tongue.
Jiwoong looked at him and Jiho as if they were a pair of cockroaches.
Jiwoong warned once more with an unpleasant face:
“Run away while you still can. Seol Jiho just needs a toy right now.”
“…”
Yeomin couldn’t mock or casually dismiss those words.
‘What if it’s already too late to run away?’
If Jiho needs a toy to keep him from being bored, then Yeomin needs the wealth that Jiho possesses.
Isn’t it a fair business transaction if they give each other what they need?
The very fact that he was thinking this way… isn’t this proof that it’s already too late for him to back out?
