“What nonsense!”
Choi Ian is Choi Jaeheon’s younger sibling. He’d recognized that since childhood and grown up that way. Because they’re family, he mustn’t have feelings beyond affection. Even knowing that, he was shaken by Vermouth’s words. Emotions he’d been pressing down for so long opened the door and revealed themselves.
‘No.’
He mustn’t harbor different feelings for his younger sibling. Ian’s parents who took in Jaeheon had asked him to become family. They raised him without discrimination from Ian and loved Jaeheon.
Become Ian’s, become our family.
Those words had brought Jaeheon to where he stood now, but they also became shackles. Sometimes when he looked at his younger sibling smiling, unaware of anything, his heart stirred. Because of that, there were times when he briefly distanced himself from his sibling. But that didn’t last long either.
Because their parents had passed away.
Because they were family, Jaeheon didn’t abandon Ian. Though he was young too, he worked part-time jobs to earn money and sacrificed for his younger sibling.
Because he’s the older brother.
He poured out overflowing affection. But was it really because they were family, because he was the older brother?
“Cough.”
Before he knew it, his strength had reached its limit. There was no more power left to scrape together. In the end, Jaeheon couldn’t beat Vermouth. At Vermouth’s light touch, Jaeheon collapsed right there on the spot.
“Hyung!”
Ian called out to Jaeheon and ran over urgently. Ian frantically examined Jaeheon and carefully laid him down. Then he placed his hand on his chest.
Warm energy formed on Ian’s hand and was soon absorbed into Jaeheon. However, while the external wounds were healed, the internal mess wasn’t resolved. Ian bit his lip hard with a pale face.
In front of Jaeheon’s crisis, his surroundings didn’t enter his vision. Watching such an Ian, Vermouth took off his outer garment and covered Ian’s head with it. Thanks to that, Ian’s actions weren’t visible to other people.
As soon as he registered that, Ian unhesitatingly pressed his lips to Jaeheon’s lips. His insides, which had been shaken from forcibly drawing out power, slowly began to calm down. Life began to return to Jaeheon’s pale face.
His vision, which had been blurred from burst blood vessels, also recovered. Only then could Jaeheon see properly in front of him. In the narrow, dark space, he could faintly see Ian’s face filled with worry. His trembling lips were moistly wet and darker in color than usual.
Only then did Jaeheon realize.
Jaeheon loves his younger sibling, Choi Ian. But it wasn’t love as family. When had he come to harbor and hide these feelings? It had been so long he couldn’t properly remember. But it was certain that he’d liked Ian since he was a young child.
He seemed to have liked him because he was small and white like soft rice cake, like a puppy. Then they came to live together, and as Ian grew up, his feelings gradually changed. Liking someone didn’t require some grand catalyst.
Jaeheon reached out toward Ian, who was shedding tears in relief. He wanted to wipe away the tears, but his hands were too dirty. In the end, he tried to lower the hand he’d raised, but Ian was faster.
“Hyung, hyung!”
Ian grabbed Jaeheon’s hand and cried as if his eyes would swell up. Around then, someone quietly lifted the clothes that had been over Ian’s head.
“He’s alive.”
It was Hong Seoyoon letting out a sigh of relief.
“Hey, is he okay?”
“Yeah? That’s a relief. But I don’t think I’ll be okay.”
“Why?”
“Why do you think?”
It was because Jaeheon had suddenly attacked Vermouth and made a mess of the surroundings. Yoon Taegyeom had also been thinking of joining if necessary, but the situation had already ended and all that remained was the cleanup.
“That’s your specialty!”
“Go die!”
Yoon Taegyeom shouted that and then glared at Vermouth, who was standing calmly.
“Was it necessary to go this far?”
“Oh my, aren’t you speaking to the wrong person? In this situation, I’m the victim.”
It’s even more annoying because he’s not wrong. Hong Seoyoon, who was listening to those words, even clenched his fists. Thinking that Hong Seoyoon would charge at this rate, Yoon Taegyeom swallowed a sigh and grabbed him.
“Hold it in.”
He’ll throw that bastard into dungeons like crazy from now on. Even if he says no, he’ll make him walk in on his own feet and torment him. That was all Yoon Taegyeom could do right now.
Ian felt relieved seeing his hyung safely recovered, but also felt puzzled by Vermouth’s actions. He’s not the type to do that. Why had Vermouth just stood by and watched Ian make physical contact to save his hyung?
Ian was curious about that the whole time. So before parting with Vermouth, he asked him.
“Why did you just stand by?”
“That’s because you love your family, don’t you? If they’re precious to you, they’re precious to me too.”
Liar. Ian thought that while looking at his shameless face. But it was also true that he was able to save his hyung because Vermouth hadn’t used ruthless methods. So just this once, he decided not to dig into Vermouth’s lie.
Ian left that place with his hyung.
Vermouth only wore an inscrutable expression while watching Ian and Jaeheon move away.
‘Why did I stand by?’
The reason was simple. Because he’d felt hesitation within Jaeheon. Even if he realized he loves Ian, he’s not the type of person to speak honestly. As a result of observing Jaeheon all this time, Vermouth judged him that way.
Then wouldn’t it be better to make Jaeheon aware of his own feelings? To create a rift in their loving family relationship. Sowing discord wasn’t his specialty, but judging by Jaeheon’s expression, it seemed to have had quite an effect.
Would Jaeheon choose to remain as family as expected, or would he sever that connection with his own hands? Either way, it seemed he would get the desired result. And Vermouth’s thinking wasn’t wrong.
The gate that had been floating over the Han River closed, and the people who had evacuated returned. Leaving behind several days of anxiety, peaceful daily life continued again. The same was true for Ian.
‘But can I call this peaceful?’
Ian thought that while looking at Jaeheon, who smiled and naturally pulled his hand away when their hands touched. After pressing their lips together to save him, Jaeheon began to distance himself from Ian.
On the surface he looked the same as usual, but differences showed in small things. Each time, it felt like something was surging up inside his heart.
‘Did I do something wrong?’
The kiss was nothing more than a simple medical act. Some might consider it an action done to show love, but it was different for Ian. While staying in Lancia for five years, he desperately tried not to attach emotion to this act. Because only then could he endure it.
