TWKH Ch 34

What should I say? Our Hyung is Shin Jehyun, and if you think of him as the nation’s son-in-law, would that come up? Just thinking about it made him feel like he might throw up. Jehyun, with a grimace, touched his cheek before shaking his head and said:

“It’s too embarrassing for me to explain. Just search for Shin Jehyun. Not Jaehyun, but Jehyun. We share the ‘Je’ character.”

Shin Jehyun? The name seemed vaguely familiar. Baekyung rolled his eyes and picked up his phone that was lying beside him. He went to a portal site and typed in Shin Jehyun, and the search results appeared.

Shin Jehyun MC, Announcer

Affiliation: KBC Announcer’s Office

Height: 183 cm

Weight: 70 kg

Education: Bachelor’s in Media Information from Korea University

Awards: 2020 KBC Entertainer of the Year

Father: Shin Cheol-yong (Current KBC Director, Anchor)

“Uh…”

Shin Cheol-yong? That was a name he had seen a lot. As Baekyung looked at his phone screen, he searched for Shin Cheol-yong again. The pictures that appeared confirmed it. Before he moved out, he had watched the KBC 9 PM news every day with his parents, and Shin Cheol-yong was that anchor.

“Wait a minute… Is this person your father then? Shin Cheol-yong, the anchor? I used to watch the news forum for three years when I was in high school…”

It was truly fascinating. The person he saw on TV was Jehyun’s father. Baekyung couldn’t hide his curiosity and scrolled through the screen.

He found articles with photos of Shin Cheol-yong and Shin Jehyun together, articles about them appearing on current affairs programs together, and family photos from Shin Jehyun’s social media. So, he was an announcer.

“No wonder, I thought your pronunciation was very accurate…”

“Pronunciation?”

Jehyun burst into laughter at his mumbling. Shin Jehyun was famous enough to be ranked number one as the nation’s favorite son-in-law in surveys, and Baekyung felt a little embarrassed for not having recognized him earlier. At the same time, he was slightly worried.

What if he doesn’t like me because I didn’t recognize him? He seemed to have a bit of celebrity disease from the look in his eyes… Although he felt sorry for Jehyun, to Baekyung, Shin Jehyun seemed a bit arrogant.

The way he looked at him when Jehyun was pushing him out earlier with a look that said, ‘I am the man who shares blood with Shin Jehyun,’ and the similar expression he made last time when Baekyung was leaving after borrowing a book, saying, ‘Are you leaving? I’m just coming in,’ were examples. Of course, these were Baekyung’s subjective judgments.

“There’s a family photo here, sunbae.”

“A family photo? Don’t tell me there’s a photo of me in there?”

Baekyung decided to acknowledge Shin Jehyun next time they met and clicked on an article.

The photo, directly from Shin Jehyun’s Instagram, showed Shin Cheol-yong, Shin Jehyun, and Jehyun’s younger sister, Shin Je-hee, standing side by side. They looked so alike that they unmistakably shared genes.

“No, you’re not in it.”

They aren’t excluding sunbae from family photos, are they? Baekyung, feeling a bit worried, turned the phone screen to show Jehyun, who nodded with a smile.

“Oh, that’s a photo taken when we went to watch Je-hee’s game. They really look alike, don’t they? Je-hee played really well that day.”

“Did you watch the game together? But why aren’t you in the photo?”

“Ah, I don’t like having my photo taken. I really hate that stuff.”

Fortunately, it seemed Shin Jehyun was the one being left out of family photos. Baekyung felt reassured. With a smile, he asked Jehyun:

“But you don’t look like your father at all. Do you look like your mother?”

“Yeah. Want to see a photo of my mom?”

Then Jehyun quickly opened his album and showed a photo of him with his mother. Baekyung was taken aback. They looked so alike that you could recognize the resemblance just by looking at their eyes.

As Baekyung blinked in surprise, Jehyun laughed as if he knew that would happen.

“It’s funny, when we meet relatives, they ask if Hyung and Je-hee were born by our father alone and if I was born by our mother alone.”

“You really do look alike. Your mother is really beautiful.”

“Yeah, my mom is beautiful.”

Jehyun looked at the photo of his mother with a pleased smile. Han So-young, Shin Jehyun’s mother, was one of Korea’s top documentary filmmakers. She mainly shot nature observation documentaries, which meant she was always busy traveling to remote places like the Arctic or Africa.

Watching his mother, Han So-young, fly towards her dreams even after having three children, Jehyun learned perseverance and an unyielding passion. Although he felt sorry to his father, the person Jehyun respected the most was his mother, Han So-young. She had strong convictions and never knew how to give up. Even now, she was in Antarctica filming a documentary about animal habitat destruction due to global warming.

“She’s in Antarctica right now, but when she comes back, let’s have a meal together. She’ll be really happy to see you.”

Come to think of it, Han So-young might have had some inkling about her son’s orientation. With that thought, past memories surfaced. After becoming an adult and moving out, whenever they met and had deep conversations, she would always tell Jehyun to bring anyone he liked to meet her.

Not a woman he liked, but a ‘person’ he liked. Since she knew how much meaning could be conveyed with just one word, it didn’t seem like she said it without reason. She already knew that her son was a little different from others.

A sudden longing for his mother, who was far away, welled up in him. Jehyun, while drinking coffee with Baekyung, sent her a message saying there was someone he wanted to introduce when she returned to Korea.

After finishing their dessert, they finally got up. Since they had nothing urgent to do after cleaning up, they decided to go watch a movie in the evening. While Jehyun got ready, Baekyung had something to do.

“Sunbae, can I use your computer for a bit?”

“Sure, use it comfortably.”

“Thanks.”

Leaving a kiss on Jehyun’s cheek as he went to wash up, Baekyung entered Jehyun’s study. He sat down, turned on the computer, and the desktop wallpaper, featuring a warm photo of Jehyun with his sister, Je-hee, appeared. Shin Jehyun really loved his younger sister. Baekyung, feeling a bit put off by the family warmth, scrunched his nose slightly before moving the mouse.

Baekyung’s father was an authority in pediatrics but had a bit of a weakness when it came to computers. So, whenever there was something complicated to solve, Baekyung often did it for him. Unlike his brother Ha Jaekyung, who would procrastinate, Baekyung handled tasks day by day.

What Baekyung needed to do today was to order furniture from an overseas site. But, he wasn’t sure where he’d heard about it, the small-scale design furniture company run by a Swedish family didn’t have a mobile website, and even when trying to access the PC version on a phone, payment wasn’t possible. It could only be ordered via PC. Since Baekyung had no intention of going home today, he planned to complete the order using Jehyun’s computer before going to the cinema.

Whenever they played games together, they went to Baekyung’s place, so this was the first time he was using Jehyun’s computer. But just as Baekyung was about to open a browser window, a file tucked away in the corner of the desktop caught his eye.

[Human Exploration Report_Final_Real_Last_Really_End_ThisIsIt]

It was a file related to the mentorship class that Baekyung and Jehyun had attended together. The report they submitted at the end of the semester was the Human Exploration Report. Based on the report Jehyun submitted, Baekyung interviewed the professor, and Jehyun did the same with Baekyung’s report.

Baekyung got an A+, but he didn’t know Jehyun’s grade. He only knew through rumors and jeers from seniors that Jehyun had once again topped the class.

…What did sunbae write?

Since he couldn’t see the other’s report, Baekyung didn’t know its content. He only knew that Professor Kim smiled several times during the interview. He had also said, “Jehyun must really like Baekyung.”

Did he praise me a lot?

“……”

Baekyung, caught in a dilemma, glanced towards the door. Jehyun was in the bathroom. Since he said he was going to shower, it would probably take another 10 minutes for him to come out. The report was at most 10 pages long, so 10 minutes was more than enough to read it entirely.

Would it be okay to read it? Even if Jehyun found out he had read it, he probably wouldn’t be angry. On the contrary, might he ask to see what Baekyung had submitted with a laugh? That would be even better. After all, Baekyung had written a report that was almost like a panegyric for Jehyun.

If he asks, Sunbae would probably say it’s okay… With that thought, Baekyung double-clicked the file.

A small loading window appeared, running a program that was typical of Ahn Yiyoung—a document software notorious for crashing and showing “not responding” messages, with no improvement over time. Then, Jehyun’s report on Ha Baekyung appeared.

There was no set format for the report. Professor Kim preferred a very free-form exploration report, so some students even submitted drawings to represent their subject.

Baekyung had organized his report on Jehyun into sections, but Jehyun’s report was written in an essay-like style.

《Ha Baekyung. 20 years old. The first thing I felt when I met him was how much one’s appearance affects human relationships. I have a tendency to find much taller siblings adorable because of my volleyball-playing younger sister, and Ha Baekyung was exactly like that. His tall stature and build, combined with his seemingly innocent and pure face, were enough to lower my guard. I was interested in Ha Baekyung from the day I first saw him. After talking to him, I fell for him even more quickly. There were many common points between Ha Baekyung and me, our ways of thinking were similar, and since Ha Baekyung tried to accommodate me unconditionally, I was enchanted by how someone could be so angelic.》

Up to that point, Baekyung tilted his head at the strange nuance. Then, his eyes moved to the paragraph below, and he realized he had opened Pandora’s box.

《However, Ha Baekyung is actually a hypocritical person who hides a vicious nature under that innocent facade, embodying what one might call a ‘political talent parasite’ with an abundance of politician qualities.》

…What?

Baekyung opened his mouth in shock as if he’d been hit on the head. Innocent facade, vicious nature, hypocritical person, political talent parasite—those were unbelievable words strung together.

“Wait a minute…”

This can’t be… Baekyung shook his head in denial. He closed his eyes tightly, thinking he must be hallucinating, and slowly opened them again, hoping to see the correct content.

《…I have seen through Ha Baekyung how far a person can go in cunning for their own pleasure. He hides a dirty personality under his thick skin, behaving courteously and kindly to others while manipulating them…》

Click. Baekyung hastily moved the mouse to close the report.

His heart was pounding. No, no, no, it’s impossible. There was no way Shin Jehyun thought of him like this. He couldn’t have submitted such a document to the professor, something closer to a criticism or defamation.

Baekyung stood up abruptly and walked over to stand under the air conditioner, letting the cold air calm his heated face.

That must have been a report written when the two were misunderstanding each other. From the content, it was clear. At that time, Jehyun must have thought of Baekyung as human scum who played with people’s emotions, which might have led to such writing in anger. It was understandable.

Understandable…

His mind understood, but the shock from the blunt word choice was overwhelming.

“Ha…”

A sigh-like chuckle escaped Baekyung’s lips. He knew Shin Jehyun wasn’t always kind and nice; hadn’t he felt that firsthand when they fought? An angry Shin Jehyun could spew venomous words that could tear someone’s heart into pieces. So, he should understand…

Did I hate him that much back then?

Somehow, he couldn’t muster strength in his shoulders. Even if Jehyun had liked him that much, the sense of betrayal would have been great, but it saddened him to think Jehyun had seen him as such a vicious person. Even if it was for a moment, the fact that he was hated by him made Baekyung feel deflated.

Even though it was all in the past, remembering the time when he was shunned by Jehyun still stung his heart. So, Baekyung couldn’t help but think, could such hatred disappear in an instant? Maybe Sunbae still hates me deep down…

His broad shoulders slumped. Baekyung stood there, staring at the floor, feeling downcast.

“Baekyung, are you done?”

The one to wake him from his daze under the air conditioner was Jehyun’s kind voice. He had come into the study, his hair still wet from the shower.

“…Yes, I’m done.”

Did you hate me that much? He couldn’t ask that. If it had been positive content, he could have asked nonchalantly, but if Jehyun knew he had seen this, he would probably be embarrassed, so Baekyung couldn’t bring it up.

When Baekyung forced a smile and nodded, Jehyun looked at him quietly. Then, he approached, tilting his head as if something was off.

“What’s wrong with you? Are you sick? Should we stay home instead of going to the movie?”

He asked while gently touching Baekyung’s pale cheek with his warm, damp hand. That touch was so kind and warm.

Yes, Sunbae doesn’t think of me as a hypocritical, vicious human scum now. He thinks of me as cute, lovable Ha Baekyung.

But no matter how much he tried to think that way, the disappointment was hard to overcome. Looking into Jehyun’s worried eyes, Baekyung couldn’t help but hug him.

“Sunbae, I think I have a stomach ache.”

“What? We can’t go out then. Let’s stay home. Come here.”

As soon as he said he felt weak, Jehyun was startled and carried Baekyung, trying to assess his condition. But not wanting to be apart from him, Baekyung tightened his grip around Jehyun’s waist.

“Just a moment. Let’s stay like this for a bit…”

“Does your stomach hurt a lot? Can you not move? What should we do? Should I call an ambulance?”

Jehyun’s voice was full of concern and sympathy for Baekyung. There was no trace of distrust or disdain for a future politician.

Only then did Baekyung feel a bit relieved. Yes, it’s in the past. Sunbae must have forgotten to delete it. The real final file must be somewhere else. Comforting himself, Baekyung hugged Jehyun tightly.

🎮

“…Makeup too?”

Jehyun gritted his teeth and glared at Shin Jehyun beside him upon hearing this. Wasn’t this mentioned before? His eyes asked. Shin Jehyun replied with a bright smile, as if to ask what the fuss was about.

“Does anyone not get makeup for a broadcast? Or are you saying it’s not necessary? My brother, always so confident. Hahaha.”

At that carefree response, Boss, Chu Gaeul, and the staff around them, who were already getting makeup, burst into laughter.

How do I kill this guy? Jehyun glared at Shin Jehyun, who had instantly made him look like a narcissist, before finally sitting down with a sigh.

“Oh, but all three of you have such good skin that we only need to touch it up slightly. Your styles are so cool too, there’s hardly anything to fix. Especially Chu Gaeul, that aura! Really! You look great.”

Baekyung and Chu Gaeul, who looked a bit nervous, were already seated. The stylist in charge of them was very professional. She was complimenting Chu Gaeul and Baekyung once every minute, and no two compliments were the same.

“Aura? Oh my!”

Thanks to her, they were laughing every minute too. Chu Gaeul looked very pleased, her cheeks flushed and her smile not fading.

But when her eyes met Shin Jehyun’s in the mirror, she awkwardly stopped laughing, then gave a formal smile he’d never seen before. Jehyun realized that Chu Gaeul, who easily falls in love, had now taken a liking to his own brother.

He was on the verge of sighing. Why does she have such bad taste in men? Like Ha Jaekyung and Sangjae, Chu Gaeul always seemed to lose her mind over guys who were just good-looking on the surface. She was completely smitten.

“Hyung!! Where’s Team Leader Ahn Yiyoung…?”

To block the eye contact between the two, Jehyun deliberately raised his voice. Shin Jehyun, who was leaning against the wall with a cue sheet, finally looked away from Chu Gaeul and turned towards Jehyun.

“Oh, the team leader is in the next room. I’ll have you meet him before the broadcast starts.”

But as he spoke, he sneakily turned his head again, giving Chu Gaeul a playful smile.

That guy, really. Ignoring the stylist’s voice saying, “Oh no, don’t frown~,” Jehyun spoke to Chu Gaeul to divert her attention.

“Noona, Yiyoung… Team Leader Ahn Yiyoung isn’t a pot-bellied old man. Can you believe it?”

“What? Really? I thought he was around 47.”

“He’s… the same age as Hyung. I was surprised too.”

While answering, Jehyun bit his lip realizing what he’d said. How old is your brother? Chu Gaeul’s face showed curiosity.

No! The conversation was about to circle back to Shin Jehyun again. To steer the topic away, Jehyun brought up another point. He hadn’t seen those two guys for a while.

“By the way, where are Ji-woo and Matchum? Where did they go?”

Somehow, the entire first-clear party had gathered at the broadcasting station.

Actually, Jehyun had no intention of appearing on the broadcast. But the problem was hearing that Ahn Yiyoung was going to be there.

Since Chu Gaeul had agreed, he just needed one more person to make the shoot happen so he could see Ahn Yiyoung behind Shin Jehyun’s back. If he sneaked into the filming area and said they were in the same party, he might be allowed to observe without being chased away.

So, Jehyun had coaxed Baekyung, who looked like he could be an actor, into going to the broadcasting station under the guise of being his guardian. But despite his attempts to hide it, Baekyung had noticed Jehyun’s curiosity about Ahn Yiyoung. In the end, Jehyun fell for Baekyung’s “Just me…?” look.

Once it was known they decided to appear, and with the news that Ahn Yiyoung would be joining, even Contempt and Matchum said they would come to the broadcasting station. They wanted to see Ahn Yiyoung’s face too.

Unlike when he sharply refused Jehyun’s participation, Shin Jehyun was generous in allowing them to observe the broadcast since Jehyun, Baekyung, and Chu Gaeul had already decided to appear. Thus, all five members of Countess’s first-clear party gathered at the broadcasting station.

They had greeted each other earlier, but now the two were nowhere to be seen. At Jehyun’s words, Chu Gaeul raised her eyebrows, only now noticing the absence of Shin Ji-woo and Kang Yoon-je.

“Yeah, they’re not fighting, are they? The atmosphere was off earlier.”

“The atmosphere was off?”

“Yeah, Ji-woo was getting annoyed. Didn’t you see?”

He hadn’t seen. Shin Ji-woo was small and didn’t stand out much. Shrugging his shoulders in ignorance, Gaeul hummed, then rolled her eyes.

“Well, they wouldn’t fight after coming all this way, would they? Maybe they’re out looking around. But can we just wander around here with necklaces?”

Didn’t they hear Contempt talking about some music show being filmed in the studio next door earlier?

“Oh, maybe that’s it.”

He had successfully changed the topic. Jehyun responded nonchalantly, and a staff member listening to the conversation shook the ID hanging around their neck.

“Yes, yes, with this, you can walk around here. After makeup, you have some free time, so you can look around. You won’t be able to go into the music show, though; they’re filming next door too. That’s for ‘Documentary Four Days.'”

“Oh, I like that show. Who’s there? Is it a celebrity?”

“Not a celebrity, but CEO Do Juwon will be there. Do you know Do Won?”

Jehyun was familiar with Do Won. It was a company leading the next-generation energy market, with the second son of Do Dam Group as its CEO. They were doing well in the electric vehicle business, recently growing rapidly to the point of rumors about acquiring Do Dam Group. Maybe appearing on the show was to quell rumors of family disputes. Upon hearing this, Chu Gaeul exclaimed in surprise.

“CEO Do is next door?! Wow, I’ve hit the jackpot today.”

CEO Do Juwon had appeared on broadcasts quite often, so his face was well-known. Even Jehyun, who kept up with political and economic news, knew Do Juwon’s face; he had a face more like an actor than a businessman. He was tall, and on days when his photos came out well, one might think they’d clicked on the entertainment section by mistake. He had such a distinctive aura. There was even talk of him having a fan cafe, which meant he was quite popular.

“Why, are you a fan of CEO Do?”

Shin Jehyun asked with a smile, aware of this. Chu Gaeul, as if forgetting her eye contact with Shin Jehyun earlier, nodded while laughing in her usual way, almost choking. Jehyun felt relieved at her unpretentious attitude.

“I’m a fan in many ways. First, he’s the one who multiplied my investment several times… and well, many other ways. Many.”

As she said “well,” Chu Gaeul made eye contact with the female staff next to her and they both laughed. Just from that, one could guess what she meant by “many other ways,” and the staff burst into loud laughter.

In that warm atmosphere, only Baekyung kept his mouth shut.

“Noona, aren’t you making your face too bright?”

“Ya, look at Do Juwon’s face. Do you know how he looks?”

“I do. He’s handsome.”

He’s handsome, huh? Baekyung’s expression subtly hardened.

“And Do Juwon isn’t just handsome. His voice is also unbelievably good. But more than that, I admire his beliefs, his way of living.”

“You’re a bit late for that.”

“Aha, really! It’s not an excuse, it’s true! Do Juwon is such an amazing person. I mean, not just his looks, but his thoughts.”

Chu Gaeul’s voice was sincere as she defended herself. But whatever the thief or whoever was thinking, it wasn’t Baekyung’s concern. The only thing echoing in his mind was what Jehyun had just said.

“You should go get his autograph then. Mi-kyung, finish up quickly for her.”

“Oh, you can go now. There’s nothing much left to do.”

“Really? Then I’ll go quickly!”

Excited by the mention of Do Juwon, Chu Gaeul stood up and left the waiting room. But even then, Baekyung was lost in thought.

The acknowledgment of Do Juwon’s handsome appearance by Jehyun reminded him of what he read last week.

“His impressive face was enough to lower my guard.”

That sentence and what Jehyun had just said gave Baekyung a realization. Shin Jehyun seemed to have a weakness for handsome faces, which was a big problem.

Baekyung had never considered himself gay. Given his strong sexual desire for Shin Jehyun, he could be considered homosexual, but since he’d never felt that way about other men, he hadn’t labeled himself as homosexual or bisexual.

But what about Shin Jehyun?

Shin Jehyun might be innately homosexual. He might feel sexual attraction to other men besides Baekyung…

“Are you ticklish?”

As Baekyung suddenly frowned, the stylist touching his hair asked. “No,” Baekyung said with a forced smile, shaking his head, and then looked at Jehyun in the mirror.

“Where did you guys go? Did you see Do Juwon? Noona went to check him out. How was it? Is he even more handsome in person?”

And Jehyun was now asking Contempt and Matchum, who had returned, about Do Juwon again!

Baekyung felt thorns pricking his heart. He didn’t like Jehyun showing interest in another man. His mood soured. He wanted to get home, hug Jehyun, and dispel this uneasy feeling, regardless of the broadcast.

However, Shin Jehyun mentioning another man’s name didn’t end there.

🎮

“Oh, it was really unexpected. Still feels strange.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, who would’ve thought Ahn Yiyoung would look like that.”

Jehyun chuckled with surprise.

They were on their way home. The final broadcast would only be about 20 minutes, but the filming took 4 hours. It took longer because everyone was fumbling since it was their first time on TV.

The filming was enjoyable. Jehyun had only learned today how well his brother could speak. He knew he was an announcer and good at talking, but he hadn’t realized how smoothly and dominantly he could lead a conversation. This was because Jehyun had never watched any of Shin Jehyun’s broadcasts before.

Anyway, even though it took some time to warm up, the filming ended smoothly in a friendly atmosphere. Because they couldn’t mosaic just one person’s face, they decided to go on without it, which meant after the broadcast, it would be revealed that Jehyun plays Caplet, but since Caplet was now legitimately ranked 9th in PC bang occupancy, it was fine.

After moistening his dry throat with the water bottle provided by the broadcasting station, Jehyun continued speaking.

“Anyway, I can’t curse Ahn Yiyoung anymore. Seeing his face, the curses just don’t come out.”

As Shin Jehyun had said, Ahn Yiyoung had a very decent-looking face. He was so decent that he even looked handsome at first glance. Moreover, his attitude was so gentle, kind, and mature. Jehyun and his guild members almost suspected if he had used a body double. It was hard to believe even after seeing it with their own eyes.

With such an ordinary face in front of him, the sarcastic thought of ‘if you’re going to run the game this badly, why not just shut down the server?’ completely vanished. Jehyun had to politely ask Ahn Yiyoung to take good care of Caplet, like meeting an in-law.

Most of the things he had vowed to say to Ahn Yiyoung when they met didn’t come out of his mouth. He only suggested adding a movement skill for the chain swordsman on behalf of the silent Contempt and pointed out a few bugs he knew about.

In truth, 98 out of the 100 proposals he had in mind were indirect criticisms of Ahn Yiyoung, and Jehyun couldn’t bring himself to mock even someone who seemed like a kind and decent adult.

Remembering Ahn Yiyoung listening seriously to his opinions about the chain swordsman, Jehyun chuckled again. Then, noticing Baekyung had been quiet, he asked with concern.

“Are you okay, Baekyung? Are you sick? Not feeling well?”

“No, I’m just a bit tired.”

Baekyung smiled at the kind question. It was his usual smile, but inside, Ha Baekyung was stained with irritation.

Today had been a complete mess. Not only Do Juwon but also the annoying Ahn Yiyoung had gotten on his nerves. He had heard Ahn Yiyoung’s name countless times since the start of the filming. If he could, he’d erase the letter ‘ㅇ’ from the world, even if it meant becoming Habaek.

Anyway, the reasons to hate Ahn Yiyoung had increased by about 32 today. Baekyung suppressed his anger while recalling the meeting at the filming location.

Ahn Yiyoung seemed to have come to the broadcast with the intention of seducing someone. If not, why would a developer, who should be short on sleep, come out all dressed up?

Even if he had come in sweats and slippers, it would have been understandable, but he showed up in a neat suit, wearing glasses with no apparent purpose, and even with cologne. It was natural for Shin Jehyun to be interested in Ahn Yiyoung given this unexpected appearance.

Jehyun bombarded him with questions, curious about Ahn Yiyoung, and contrary to his expectations of a socially awkward person, Ahn Yiyoung talked smoothly, even having a friendly conversation with Jehyun. Seeing this was so irritating… Just thinking about it made his stomach churn.

No, calm down.

The broadcast was over. He’d never have to see Do Juwon or Ahn Yiyoung again, so he didn’t want to look unsightly in front of Jehyun over this. Baekyung sighed internally and, aware of the taxi driver’s presence, gently touched Jehyun’s fingertips on the seat.

“Sunbae. Do you want to sleep at my place tonight? I don’t like sleeping alone when I’m tired…”

With that weak plea, Jehyun smiled as if finding him cute and met his eyes. Shin Jehyun had a habit of nodding without thinking when Baekyung acted vulnerable.

“Okay, I’ll pat you to sleep.”

With that small response, a smile appeared on Baekyung’s lips too. Feeling better, he was about to ask Jehyun about tonight’s dinner menu.

“But Ahn Yiyoung, that guy…”

The annoying name came out of Jehyun’s mouth again. Instantly, irritation surged to Baekyung’s head, and he grabbed Jehyun’s wrist firmly.

“Sunbae.”

With a force that couldn’t be ignored, Shin Jehyun raised his eyebrows. “Hmm?” At Jehyun’s inquisitive look, Baekyung spoke in a subdued voice.

“Can’t we stop talking about that?”

He really didn’t like hearing another man’s name from Jehyun’s mouth. He didn’t like Jehyun showing affection towards Contempt or Shin Ji-woo, let alone mentioning other miscellaneous people’s names.

At Baekyung’s chilly question, Jehyun blinked in confusion before bursting into laughter.

“Oh, you really hate Ahn Yiyoung, huh. Alright, let’s talk about something else.”

Why didn’t he think it was jealousy? Baekyung was slightly disappointed by Jehyun’s innocent thoughts but tried to comfort himself. It’s because I’ve cursed Ahn Yiyoung too much usually. So, he must think I just hate him. That’s it. After rationalizing, Baekyung smiled, intertwining his fingers with Jehyun’s.

“Okay, that sounds good.”

“Hmm, what should we talk about then…”

Baekyung openly hating Ahn Yiyoung was so cute to Jehyun. With a smile still on his lips, Jehyun pondered.

What should we eat for dinner tonight? Should I suggest sushi? While thinking this, he suddenly remembered Do Juwon, whom he had glimpsed in the broadcasting station’s lobby.

There was a sleek SUV parked in front of the lobby. It was Do Juwon’s car, and it was the first model Jehyun was considering since he was thinking about buying a car. It was equipped with a battery developed by Do Won for Shin Hyeong electric cars, making it much safer with a significantly lower risk of fire than other cars.

Baekyung would be interested in cars too, right? After all, if he bought a car, Baekyung would be the one sitting beside him most often. Deciding to discuss it with him, Jehyun opened his mouth.

“Did you see Do Juwon’s car earlier?”

Just as he was about to ask, Baekyung turned his head sharply, cutting him off.

“I said let’s talk about something else?”

“…”

It was a sharp voice. What’s this? Jehyun blinked, puzzled. Did I miss something? But even after going over the conversation, he hadn’t done anything wrong. The topic Baekyung wanted to change was about Ahn Yiyoung, not Do Juwon.

But why… are you getting irritated with me? Jehyun frowned and asked.

“Why are you getting irritated?”

“…I’m not irritated.”

However, Baekyung’s voice, denying it, was full of annoyance. Jehyun was surprised because this was the first time he’d seen Baekyung like this since they fought in high school.

Did I do something wrong today? But Jehyun had acted as he usually does, hadn’t irritated or bothered Baekyung. And Baekyung was the one who had first reached for his hand, yet he suddenly seemed like a different person, showing signs of being upset, which was very confusing.

…Thinking back, Baekyung had been unusually quiet today. He was like that in the waiting room and during filming, only responding to questions without initiating conversation. Even after getting into the taxi, hadn’t he been silent until now? With that in mind, Jehyun asked with a face full of concern.

“Are you not feeling well? Are you really sick?”

He was worried that Baekyung might be hiding the fact that he was sick because he was concerned Jehyun would worry. Maybe he was sick even before the filming started, and they should go to the hospital. But the response he got was just a sigh.

“It’s not that I’m sick… No, let’s just go.”

Their eyes met, and Baekyung looked away, lowering his gaze, as if trying to gloss over something unclear.

Something’s up. Whatever it was, it seemed to have upset him quite a bit due to something Jehyun did.

Anyway, from the way he was acting, Baekyung didn’t want to talk about it, but Shin Jehyun didn’t like that. Even among friends, if something was bothering someone, it should be resolved through conversation right away, let alone between lovers where there should be no secrets.

Feeling uneasy, Jehyun gently touched the back of Baekyung’s hand. A serious voice came from him.

“Did I do something wrong? If you don’t tell me, I won’t know.”

Baekyung kept his mouth shut. His chiseled cheeks looked puffed up, making him look cute. Jehyun smiled inwardly and whispered to him again.

“You’re not going to tell me? Baekyung, I’m completely lost here. Tell me.”

“…No, it’s not that Sunbae did something wrong.”

Just as Baekyung couldn’t resist the temptation and was about to speak, the driver’s phone rang, and he hurriedly answered it.

“Oh, Yeobong. I’m heading back now.”

At the driver’s sharp voice, Baekyung closed his mouth again. Great timing. Jehyun stretched his lips into a smile, looking forward, and then whispered into Baekyung’s ear.

“Let’s talk after we get out. I’m sorry if I did something wrong.”

“…No.”

It seemed like his mood lightened at Jehyun’s sincere apology, even though Jehyun didn’t know what for. Baekyung lowered the corners of his eyes and shook his head, sticking out his lips slightly, looking young and cute. Jehyun chuckled and gently squeezed then released his hand.

“…”

Baekyung, in turn, opened and closed his hand, still feeling the warmth from Jehyun, trying to calm himself down.

Jealousy was a feeling he should bear on his own. Shin Jehyun hadn’t done anything wrong, yet Baekyung was behaving like a child, getting annoyed and sulking, demanding comfort. That was something only a five-year-old would do.

Once they got out of the car, he’d talk maturely. He’d say he felt jealous, but since Jehyun only had eyes for him, it was okay. Baekyung sorted his thoughts in his head.

“Thank you.”

The car stopped at the officetel, and they paid for the taxi and got out. They naturally pressed the button for the 14th floor on the elevator, heading to Baekyung’s place.

“Aren’t you going to tell me?”

Jehyun asked this when the elevator was passing the 3rd floor. Baekyung, feeling embarrassed, fidgeted with his neck, hesitating until they passed the 10th floor, then spoke.

“Actually… I felt jealous because Sunbae kept talking about other people, so my mood got bad.”

“…Huh?”

His cheeks turned red. It was embarrassing since it was the first time for something like this. Baekyung, as if rapping, spoke quickly while opening the door.

“You kept talking about Do Juwon and Ahn Yiyoung… Even during filming, you were laughing and talking with Ahn Yiyoung. That made me hate him even more. And then when we were supposed to change the topic, you brought up Do Juwon’s name again… I couldn’t help feeling bad. It’s not Sunbae’s fault though, sorry.”

As they entered the entrance and took off their shoes, a small laugh came from behind. Curious, Baekyung glanced back to see Jehyun laughing while frowning as if he couldn’t help it.

The flush on Baekyung’s face spread from his cheeks to his ears and down to his neck. Did I look ridiculous? Is he mocking me? Do I look like a fool? Worried, Baekyung bit his lip and asked:

“…Is it funny?”

“No…”

Jehyun shook his head immediately, but he couldn’t stop the laughter from escaping. He approached Baekyung, unable to contain himself, and hugged him. Hiding his face against Baekyung’s shoulder, Jehyun kept laughing. Ha ha, the clear sound of his laughter spread.

“Sunbae…”

Baekyung felt like he could die of embarrassment. It seemed like Shin Jehyun was looking at him like a child. I shouldn’t have said anything. I should have just pretended nothing happened… Standing there embarrassed, unable to say anything, Jehyun finally looked up after some time. There were tears of laughter at the corners of his long, sleek eyes.

“Ah, really. Why is Ha Baekyung so cute? So that’s why you were quiet all that time?”

Baekyung had been less talkative from the time they were preparing for the recording. Jehyun had thought it might be because he was nervous about appearing on TV, but it turned out Baekyung had been silent out of jealousy since the mention of Do Juwon.

When Chu Gaeul came back after getting an autograph and taking a selfie with Do Juwon, talking about how handsome he was, might that have bothered him? Baekyung, who couldn’t even properly say he didn’t like it and just kept his mouth shut, looked adorable. Overwhelmed with affection, Jehyun tightly hugged his waist, looking up at him.

“But in my eyes, you’re the handsomest.”

“Don’t make fun of me… You said Do Juwon was handsome four times…”

But Baekyung seemed genuinely upset. He glanced at Jehyun with a pout, looking so wronged and pitiful.

I’m going crazy. What is this guy? An angel sent by the dog god or something? Jehyun tried to hold back his laughter as his lips threatened to spread into a wide grin. He put his hands on Baekyung’s rosy, flushed cheeks to soothe him.

“You were counting that? Then I’ll say it five times for you.”

At those kind words, Baekyung flinched and bit his lip. It seemed like he didn’t want to be treated like a child, yet there was a hint of expectation. Jehyun’s dark eyes met Baekyung’s brown ones filled with passion.

“Our Baekyung’s forehead is handsome…”

Saying that, Shin Jehyun lifted his heels and kissed Baekyung’s forehead.

“And your eyes are handsome…”

A light kiss landed at the ends of his gentle eyes.

“And your nose is handsome…”

His lips touched the sharp tip of his nose.

“And here is handsome…”

The fourth kiss on his cheeks, which had been tense with sulkiness, had Baekyung’s expression softening. He’s cute. Feeling tickled inside, Jehyun gently stroked his cheeks. Then, tilting his head, he touched near Baekyung’s lips.

“And your lips are handsome, so why be jealous?”

With a playful eye smile, Jehyun kissed his well-shaped lips. Baekyung, who had been keeping his mouth shut, opened it with a short sigh when Jehyun licked his lips.

Holding Jehyun’s waist with both hands, Baekyung tilted his head to the side. Their tightly pressed lips parted slightly, wet tongues intertwining. Baekyung felt dizzy with the excitement rising from deep within, changing his posture.

“Huht, haa.”

Thud, Jehyun hit his head on the shoe rack while turning, frowning. However, Baekyung was engrossed in the kiss like a madman. His breath was cut off by the endless kiss.

Baekyung’s brown eyes were clouded with excitement through the half-closed eyes. Jehyun felt a shock at the sensation of their hardened members rubbing against each other through their pants due to physical arousal he couldn’t control. If they continued like this, he might come in his underwear. Sensing the crisis, he pulled his head back, giving Baekyung a series of light kisses.

Peck, peck, the kisses signaled the end of the deep kiss, and Baekyung’s eyebrows furrowed into a frown. He clearly looked disappointed, but Jehyun didn’t want to hurt him in such a place without any preparation, so he pretended not to notice and stepped back.

“Sunbae…”

“Haa, are you feeling better now?”

As their lips parted, Baekyung called out to Jehyun with a sullen voice, a stark contrast to his attitude earlier. It seemed like all his tension had eased. Only then did Jehyun feel relieved, reaching out to ruffle Baekyung’s hair from where he had been stroking his cheek. He spoke kindly.

“Next time, don’t get upset by yourself, talk to me. I’ll be careful too.”

“Yes…”

Unlike Baekyung, who had acted like a child getting irritated over Jehyun talking about other men, Shin Jehyun was showing a very mature attitude. Feeling slightly guilty, Baekyung reflected on his actions.

When playing games, Jehyun seemed to have a mental age not much different from his own, but he was still four years older. Realizing the age difference while nodding, Jehyun, who had been looking up at Baekyung with a satisfied expression, continued.

“But think about it, Baekyung. If that’s not a healthy reaction, wouldn’t it be better for you to take it easy? You shouldn’t feel like this every time I talk to other people.”

“…What?”

What are you talking about? Not fully understanding Jehyun’s words, Baekyung frowned and asked.

“So…”

Then Shin Jehyun, while opening the inner door and entering, repeated what he had just said. His voice was gentle, thinking Baekyung hadn’t heard him properly.

“If you’re going to react this abnormally every time I’m with other people, especially men, wouldn’t it be better to adjust your mindset?”

…Abnormally jealous?

He thought he might have misheard, but earlier, Shin Jehyun had said it wasn’t a ‘healthy reaction.’ The sentence explained twice made it clear. It meant that Baekyung’s jealousy was an abnormal response stemming from an unhealthy psychology.

“That…”

What do you mean?

His words caught in his throat. But Shin Jehyun seemed unaware of the issue as he went into Baekyung’s kitchen to drink water. Looking at his back, which seemed much smaller, more delicate, realistic, unnecessarily objective, and moral compared to himself, Baekyung approached him and asked. He wanted to ask casually, but after being treated as abnormal, his voice raised unintentionally.

“Sunbae, what does ‘abnormally jealous’ mean? Are you saying the feelings I had weren’t normal?”

Jehyun was taken aback. It was the sharp tone from the taxi again. Even if he wasn’t angry, it was clear from his voice that he didn’t take kindly to what Jehyun said.

Did I speak too bluntly? Though he felt a slight regret, Jehyun thought it was necessary to address this for a long-lasting, healthy relationship with Baekyung. Reflecting on today’s events, it seemed so.

Do Juwon’s name was just mentioned as a topic of conversation. He hadn’t met him or gone after him for an autograph like Chu Gaeul did. The same with Ahn Yiyoung. Shin Jehyun and Ahn Yiyoung only talked about the game; there was no personal conversation. Yet, this reaction seemed overly sensitive.

Shin Jehyun’s approach to love was extremely rational and healthy. However, he didn’t know what Baekyung’s views on love were. They had never discussed such topics even after all their conversations.

It seemed today was the day to talk about Baekyung’s views on love. Jehyun silently took a seat at the table and gestured to the opposite side.

“Shall we talk while sitting?”

“…”

The expression that had softened from the passionate kiss now seemed stiff again. Jehyun found Baekyung’s pouty eyes cute but started to speak.

“Listen without misunderstanding.”

At that preamble, Baekyung tensed. That was the kind of sentence one uses when they’re about to say something that might be misunderstood. What was he going to say? Baekyung listened intently, his fists clenched under the table.

“It’s just my subjective opinion, so you don’t have to take it too seriously. But I think you should consider it. Don’t take it the wrong way.”

That sounded a bit like an old-school, paternalistic comment. According to an interpretation of office speak he’d seen online, it meant ‘I’m about to say something unpleasant, so listen without getting angry.’

“Okay.”

Hearing that his jealousy was ‘unhealthy’ and ‘abnormal’ had twisted Baekyung’s feelings. He mentally commented on every word Shin Jehyun said.

Shin Jehyun was the man Baekyung adored, but he was also the Healer who had once frustrated him with his sharp choice of words. He could make Baekyung cry with just a few words if he wanted to. Preparing himself, Baekyung listened as Jehyun began to speak seriously.

“We’re not just dating for a day or two, right? So, if you can’t control your mind to the point where you’re getting jealous over every little thing and even getting irritated with me, don’t you think there will be a lot of trouble between us in the future?”

Jealous over every little thing? Mind control? Trouble?

Baekyung felt his head buzzing. However, Shin Jehyun, oblivious, continued.

“I didn’t do anything with Do Juwon, and I didn’t exchange numbers with Ahn Yiyoung, I just talked with him, right? But if you get this upset over that, there will be a lot of issues in the future. Once I graduate and start working, I’ll be interacting with more men. If you get jealous every time, wouldn’t that be a negative for your life, Baekyung? So, let’s take it easy and think comfortably.”

“…”

He couldn’t even begin to argue. Baekyung felt a mix of hurt, sadness, and a bit of anger welling up from deep within.

Is that right? Is it right for him to say that when we haven’t even been dating for a year? Aren’t we at the stage where we should be jealous and possessive? He couldn’t understand.

What should I ask? Clenching and unclenching his fists, licking his dry lips, Baekyung, after a long hesitation, met Jehyun’s eyes and said:

“…Sunbae, I have a question.”

“Yeah.”

“So, what you’re saying is… if I kept saying Do Juwon was handsome and had a friendly conversation with Ahn Yiyoung, you wouldn’t be jealous? …That’s why you’re calling this an abnormal emotion?”

Jehyun’s words could only be interpreted that way. If he wouldn’t be jealous in a situation where Baekyung would, then he must think Baekyung’s jealousy was excessive, suggesting his mental state wasn’t healthy.

And as if confirming that speculation, Jehyun nodded casually.

“I wouldn’t be upset enough to get irritated with you over that. It’s not like you held hands or kissed someone else…”

Baekyung calmed down a bit with the calm explanation. Listening to Jehyun, his thought system appeared very ‘normal’ and ‘healthy.’ From his words, it seemed he could generously understand actions necessary for normal social interactions, showing a mature attitude.

Was the four-year age difference this significant? Baekyung felt immature for feeling such vulgar jealousy just because he saw Jehyun talking with someone else. This seemed to be a difference based on social experience. It wasn’t that Shin Jehyun didn’t like him.

“…Then…”

Shin Jehyun definitely likes me. But even thinking that, there was an unresolved anxiety in his heart. Still, Baekyung wanted Jehyun to be jealous when he was being close with others. So, to get a definitive answer, he asked Jehyun, using the words he had just said as an example.

“If I were to hold hands or kiss someone else, would you be jealous then?”