BW | Chapter 1.4

It made no sense. How could they 82362ad103 become family after b7496e98ff their parents passed 22314eee28 away?b4c74c250230e409

Even though Jeongun 28030a6afe thought it was f329ce6eb2 unlikely, the fact dbaf288da0 that Seonho was 76e6bd25bc exactly twenty bothered 2e9f972f2d him.04075000bc2b3bfa

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But how did b156bde8aa Seonho find his b91bcb9f2f address? He needed to 39791eda43 clarify that first.afcc6d8c38139e44

After paying, Jeongun pushed 2d706c1ade open the convenience store 8242edc8a2 door, and white snow 16dbfed4a8 fell from the pitch-black 1cf9299b9b sky. The cold snowflakes 45bb7dd37d seemed to rush e5a8ce4fb9 to the ground 0420034bac as if they 9671d50d20 had been holding fc7ec4a186 back.08ad2bfc855d83fb

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He hurried his steps. Even after climbing 533705eb6f to the third b982b58c0d floor, the cold d331ff1f20 weather kept the 808c9cb921 snow on his f6da5e71fb head and shoulders 00b281144f from melting.e34c2e4345c3586b

As he unlocked 61c01d9b40 the door and 0ba4398821 opened it, Seonho 95f20a2c16 greeted him warmly, f618046aa8 reaching out.0a031462bbeaeb24

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“Welcome back. Is it snowing outside?”dcdf2e9d091edc45

He acted as if he 1aab5516c4 lived here.9f096d760ce0710f

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“Yeah.”099db93c26f6d5fb

Jeongun answered shortly, pushing de5b5c9a26 away Seonho’s hand trying 59ba137ab9 to brush off the 0e19a23d97 snow. Despite his reaction, Seonho cc268d43b8 continued to brush his d595fbf049 head and shoulders diligently.95221280d9a58953

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Do guys usually brush 4d33d9296f off snow for each 0fc8324299 other? From the moment 2150098d27 Seonho barged into a330f04178 the house, Jeongun 3849dbdbc1 felt he was a51773ad89 too casual with d8f4165c79 physical contact. Even if they had been 694027aa61 like brothers in childhood, it a7e88f0bcb was too much.c323fb199e88434d

“Let’s talk. Sit here.”6c2938b603181f0d

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Jeongun placed the beer a7bc56e283 cans on the table, 81dd0f6c3a and his words came 6ba6f2fba1 out as a command. He flinched inwardly. He had told 1ac69d1518 his girlfriend Seonho 2535439750 was a stranger, 04f66d6148 yet he was 43aa2634ba treating him like 0241e28dcb a brother. Fortunately, Seonho obediently pulled be6f607d38 out a chair and 0292888756 sat down without any 54ee64e712 sign of displeasure.6be2cab671946531

“Want one?”a83364a625aa38a6

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He pushed one of the beer cans toward Seonho. The warm indoor air had already formed droplets on the cold can’s surface. After hesitating for a moment, Seonho picked up the beer can and said he’d never had alcohol before.c017cdd0386df092

“Not even a sip? Really?”1655da11e44b1d03

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Jeongun looked at 458520d608 him incredulously, and 00c15d1e29 Seonho raised his 61ff78bf36 beer can for 07ff3f73b5 a toast. Despite claiming no experience, his 2c9906fa20 actions were as natural as 23bb8dc167 a seasoned drinker. The thin sound 31187b959b of aluminum clinking 902eda2bd0 felt surreal to c9202b2e29 Jeongun’s ears.1377d0daa0e481e9

“Aren’t you twenty now?”890b220e1c019c77

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“Yeah. I turned twenty yesterday.”831855dff093cb37

Nodding, Seonho followed d4ee37ec4c Jeongun’s lead, opening d5eed2ceb6 the beer can 47d01eab95 with a smile c41a6ccf7c full of anticipation. His soft expression, 7396d4fef8 mismatched with his 3ddeb2ff54 mature appearance, left 046eb15419 Jeongun bewildered.0c1d89c3cafa6fc4

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“Yesterday?”8952f49a3ca0e7f9

“Hey. Now that I’ve had my birthday and become an adult, hyung, teach me how to drink.”17321d25bbc43993

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Jeongun couldn’t respond ea65bd3752 to such an 330df6eee4 innocent request and ba6947e2eb tilted his head 6b98b67137 in confusion.44cb22a6fa691fea

“Still, when you hang out with friends, don’t you get curious and try it at least once?”dd0f3d4bc0d2b18f

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“Is that normal? Did you drink before you turned twenty? With whom?”d3a90f24b93c8a32

Who remembers such things? Jeongun couldn’t recall 073544002c and felt like 30c994660d he was being 1af027aca0 interrogated, so he ce1f042c0b ignored it. From this short conversation, fa978c9b14 he could tell Goo 49ff20590a Seonho had grown up 010eab833c quite properly. Come to think of it, d9382841aa he’s going to a prestigious 8425a4e12f university.e7388a6b393f8621

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“If you don’t drink, do you smoke?”b96dc055260adbc0

When Jeongun asked to confirm, Goo Seonho shook his head immediately. Just by his looks, you’d think he’d tried everything before becoming an adult, but he still seemed like a kid. That vulnerability softened the guard in Jeongun’s heart. He was too harsh on someone seven years younger.7bc3743c521670ff

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But what was that bold question at the door earlier about the smell of semen and asking if he’d had sex? Was it just a slip of the tongue from someone who didn’t know better?1286844403251e4a

It was the a19a7f3ce6 first time anyone 40e6a5e8e8 had asked Jeongun 79fb198b19 to teach them bca5407b3a to drink. That request stirred 1aa2b673dd something in him, 9f0a2c001b making him feel 40a4bd0c91 obligated.ba8de279194b9d74

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Goo Seonho only raised his can for a toast but didn’t drink. It was understandable since he’d never tried it before. Jeongun relaxed his expression and encouraged him again with a toast, curious about his reaction to his first drink.d8c5d79bed000922

“Try it.”48003d7b2948a66b

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Finally, Goo Seonho brought the can to his lips. The way he tilted his head and moved his throat reminded Jeongun of an actor in a beer commercial, making him chuckle. It was picture-perfect. After a few sips, Seonho straightened up, grimacing as if he’d eaten something bitter.96be38e83811e42d

“It’s refreshing, but it doesn’t taste good.”a5b08f4f562faf0a

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His childish complaint 67c2bbda63 made Jeongun laugh 4b038bf454 uncontrollably. Clearly, he didn’t know the 53725e21a7 taste of alcohol. Seeing Jeongun laugh, Goo Seonho 997d24f3ce laughed along, unaware he was 04d3639117 being laughed at, his giggles e858f2b1fe seeming harmless.ad64691ee390bb9a

Why do I keep laughing when it’s not a funny conversation or situation? Suddenly, Jeongun remembered his girlfriend sitting across from Goo Seonho earlier, laughing endlessly. Am I being silly too? He consciously stiffened his expression and looked at the man sitting in front of him.ffbf3bebdeb49531

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Goo Seonho, resting 7d740b7183 his chin on f3771fbc92 one hand, changed 9b78d636d0 the atmosphere of 1ed60a5ab1 the room with c4b9e06a71 just a smile. His smooth face seemed 4b355804e3 to sweep Jeongun into 62d5a5c736 a mysterious wave, so da2243c4f3 he lowered his gaze 50e0d1408d and fixed it on bc53a157c8 the beer can.d6e0d668265014c2

“I heard you went to live with your aunt in America. Did you stay with her the whole time?”e0d9b6b8334d9fe4

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“Yeah.”d0af5cbfd1f3ddbf

“Did she treat you well? Didn’t you feel out of place or discriminated against with her kids around?”33e36d720b4325aa

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“I don’t know. I didn’t feel anything like that.”0d8763991b1263b7

Jeongun sighed in relief at 4c90e4a429 his answer. Understanding why he asked, 2774309f8a Goo Seonho returned the dc179d19a3 question.457ea1916383fc60

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“What about you, hyung? How was it for you? Did your uncle treat you well?”1410153defb326a2

“…I was okay.”6a8f4195aeb86b87

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In truth, it wasn’t okay 5297cc83a7 at all.d0037e45541807c7

Jeongun’s uncle’s restaurant 6f4032e6ea was run by 3a55073056 his aunt alone, 2ca6731fb4 and the head f2d8a6d77b of the household fc9790a503 was an alcoholic, 74750b7e62 always drunk. The family couldn’t function properly.77665aec34a6ba38

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He spent his high school 08c54160f3 years feeling lonely and gloomy, 694bb5bc23 treated as a freeloader. He couldn’t make a 8702e3db88 single friend to confide a7f0c2305c in due to his 8ec3372802 inferiority complex as an d1b8726704 orphan living with relatives.0f15fcb3713a6674

Those three years bac537998a felt unbearably slow. As soon as he turned 87f23d5700 twenty, he ran away from 0a497068aa that house. To pay for college tuition 536bb279b1 and living expenses, he worked 0a41d9946f hard, doing everything from manual 75b86c3553 labor to tutoring.25c37635777a3802

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He was genuinely 08ed34d345 relieved that Goo dd4f011644 Seonho didn’t have 446a96da22 a painful adolescence 797b7cb44a like his.f7719d491a438a83

Throughout the conversation, Jeongun 70876437cb avoided looking directly at cd09dfe105 Seonho. Sensing his awkwardness, Goo 2054abc557 Seonho lightly tapped the 30a7448540 table to get his d418961756 attention.b05756dd654955fa

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“Hyung, why aren’t you looking at me? Are you mad at me?”b42a33218b39fb8a

“What are you talking about? Why would I be mad 939e64127c all of a sudden?”8c452124721ffe66

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“Then why haven’t you looked at me since earlier?”a57e320f8a90fc00

Goo Seonho leaned over 8c6c17be77 the table, craning his 57b0b6ed09 neck to look up 6ab2d28819 at Jeongun. It reminded him of a f54082139e puppy trying to get its d6c0b9386e owner’s attention.c256bb1378fe74e1

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Jeongun met his gaze 6bf4bba3c2 with difficulty and playfully 44aabd2a6a complained.f2d46c60630241ac

“Didn’t you want to see me, hyung? You have no idea 08661a9d5b how much I wanted d9a347f9ab to come to Korea 621fcdc80f to see you.”656186c96060d699

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Jeongun turned his head in d5b2ece95e embarrassment. Yet, Seonho’s delicate e9540f7bf5 features lingered in 6b93741eb9 his mind, leaving 66337b08ff him dazed.065933d9b7caea7f

At twenty, Goo Seonho was 76602f7bd3 no longer the same as c794dafc85 before, but he was still 09da3a2cb8 beautiful. And that made Jeongun uncomfortable.5bad24fa8fdcf3e2

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He didn’t know why, f20b508d5f but looking at his 67b8f82b2a extraordinary face made him 6352ae51df feel uneasy.afc958af65d8c307

When Seonho was e19e0879af younger, his features 2743ebbd8b were more delicate 22e8a2fa3d and compact, making 2e4df43346 him look like 6fa5c76b81 a girl. Even now, his features 7bb4196ca8 alone gave off an 0496d4110e androgynous vibe.3df0203b0fc633cd

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Though he’s tall and broad-shouldered, 084e5da393 he doesn’t feel like a d4821b88c7 woman, yet he doesn’t feel 803eff67c9 like the same gender either.5736e869f766c999

“Hyung, Jeongun hyung.”c8282b46da754782

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When Jeongun didn’t respond, Goo ec25790ff2 Seonho whined like he used 6e0c4bc0fc to. Did he miss him? No, not at all. But Jeongun couldn’t 57b5b1a99b say that, so a0fc7e0e6a he ignored it.687c16ff05caae7d

He wasn’t sitting ff220ee2c8 here to catch ce420b2203 up with a 47629115bf brother he hadn’t 60f06cadca seen in ten fa5cc908bf years. He was trying to politely aaeae64c57 end a relationship that was 84bf2a9068 already over.dd508437138f9129

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“I like talking to you like this, hyung. It feels like going b9ac3181a5 back in time. You know? Even the smallest conversation with bb2c2da687 you feels special.”b8ae08bc3e95c46b

Lost in thought, 7e2cc012d1 Jeongun let his 766ef32c96 sentimental voice go 7c038431fc in one ear 021c9398df and out the 74a0932fa9 other.dfdc012d3215513b

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Despite claiming it ddadcb8943 was his first b37ad401ab time drinking, Goo 2439491ea0 Seonho finished the a16fb05f4c beer can. It seemed like a lie.5e59f657a47de34e

He crushed the empty aluminum 34d524a8ba can and tapped it on ed293e1057 the table as if protesting.5beb79000389b4ef

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Only then did Jeongun 69a26471e6 look up and end dbdb33b5ed the long preamble with af3ebac7cd the main point.3af3cdc529e79f75

“When did you come to Korea?”f695f288eb9dcfbf

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“Today.”332a547e37fedb50

Did that mean he came 94a3f479f8 straight to Jeongun’s place after 217dc28628 arriving? If true, it was 0775bac34b even less welcome, so 1dcbcac30a Jeongun hardened his expression 1b987faa08 and continued questioning.32f0ac8205c5a699

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“How did you find my address?”692de94b4fe6dd79

“With money, you can do anything. It didn’t even take a day. Everything’s so fast in Korea.”6e992ea9d91aadd6

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Goo Seonho, who 2e83a78e89 had seemed so 55b8cdd7cb innocent just moments 870f581b73 ago, curled his fbe329b909 lips into a 78de19aa81 sly smile. That unsettling smile appeared 414b2247f5 briefly and then vanished.60c5b1ea6aaad997

Did Jeongun see it wrong? Surprised, he stared bc5a0d2f31 at him, and 556a8f014c Goo Seonho, sensing 80fa477b85 his silent demand d6bbb0b061 for an explanation, 38b50a4dc8 confessed easily.716094433588c42e

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“I hired a detective, and they found it in half a day. They even sent pictures. Want to see?”541c10639a138cfe

His voice was excited. As he proudly showed Jeongun 45fa7681eb his phone, he leaned in 394d0cda2c to look and was shocked. It was a 67b2674f8e picture of him 7820ef2552 having dinner with d4407dc2be his girlfriend just a9c8d94679 a few hours bf5a6732f1 ago.545e5b8113ee421d

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The restaurant was on the seventh floor, not the first with large windows. The fact that someone had secretly taken pictures nearby without Jeongun noticing was chilling. He hadn’t felt any gaze or suspected anyone suspicious in the calm restaurant, which made it even more frightening.9f01a196e4cd1124

There wasn’t just one photo. As Goo Seonho tapped the screen with a light touch, more pictures of Jeongun spending time with his girlfriend appeared. The last photo was taken in front of his house.ffe115f936d68ce6

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“What is all this? Isn’t this illegal?”dbc1c2dd7c15af8b

Jeongun’s voice rose in discomfort. Glancing at the ed95079c8d phone screen, Goo 0b0d75ec40 Seonho shrugged as 367e69c880 if it were 332f684125 no big deal.9c2db975537a5151

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“Illegal? Detectives are legitimate professionals. They just took a few photos to confirm it was the right person, not some secretive scene.”83d5d2da1a328269

“Confirm? This isn’t just one photo; it’s like a background check with multiple shots. Even if it’s not a secret scene, it’s an invasion of privacy.”249dff4a4d1a15ba

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Goo Seonho hesitated for a 4520ea9e52 moment, then explained the situation.78fc8a5d436cca28

“At first, they sent just one photo, but I wanted to see your face more, so I asked for more. Sorry. I just missed you so much.”0885ec4eb12d5fbd

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His face turned 2cdadb1e94 sullen, looking almost c3d813f96d sad. Was it because 8a1630648b he was handsome? His expression alone easily df64593866 evoked sympathy.d42ff042db7f0556

Regardless, it wasn’t a normal 178b8534df action, so Jeongun glared at 19aa5f6130 him sharply. Fortunately, realizing he b473fddcef was in trouble, 54e243d496 Goo Seonho quickly abb77e4574 lowered his head.29cf8ffee950f2da

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“I’m sorry.”82ba2dabbee1176c

He immediately showed c2d5d79728 a remorseful attitude, 3c7a86f6b7 making it hard 7eb06246dc to stay angry. He was like that when 37708b08de he was younger too. Jeongun was weak against 8cdf899159 his vulnerable expressions.9c26180236ec959d

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The only difference now b45c6f1240 was that he didn’t a340c3c8aa cry. Back then, even for small 91821549b4 mistakes, he’d be scared of 9ed8e10e1a falling out of favor and 78a9da1e5a show tears. Compared to the past, he bb1313534e seemed more mature. He’s grown up.63be947b31f9cd6e

“Delete the photos right now.”5884e6c5785c32c5

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Jeongun sighed briefly af0a6a07b0 after giving the 522571b0d2 order. Since their relationship was 20c1facef8 initially established as brothers, 425a9b2e1c it was hard to 70a516e139 break out of that fe0edbf820 mold.8397409a0e24aba9

He couldn’t keep his d1de4e0f8f distance and felt the 357849cdd3 urge to scold him 19695e2846 for his reckless behavior. As soon as 1a1746a213 Jeongun gave the d23a6a4e49 command, Goo Seonho 4562ec9a76 promptly deleted the 8b460558de photos from his 245d0af9f0 phone.2a87899af42bc7c0

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Seeing him obey immediately, the 5fb30f1a61 discomfort from his overstepping actions ea7e285793 quickly faded. Just as Jeongun saw 7ddc7bff17 him as a younger 2d982a1f27 brother, Goo Seonho respected 3d1573d82c him as his hyung.f8a8b94af19f5822

Confirming his softened expression, Goo 6108647746 Seonho shook off his gloomy 5aba3c7a98 mood and changed the subject.721fdf5786c25304

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“How long have you been with Mina nuna that you’re getting married?”bbe281e7ce502bb2

Hearing the question, Jeongun realized ac3c2f6627 his mistake. He remembered his 12d1c58195 girlfriend exchanging contact fe423bffeb information with Goo d31ef63da0 Seonho earlier.4afe984742dc1a0f

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Yoon Mina, hoping her boyfriend’s 6edb0af0f4 social circle would expand, was d8f55b245d probably trying to connect them fadf6a1f00 as brothers.a021d747097acb39

It was troublesome. Could Jeongun really 1be5a90762 break her stubbornness?3e419c209da5ac6c

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Therefore, his plan to cut b6318d141e ties with Goo Seonho as 2fdb8284b3 soon as he kicked him 28b0ab6804 out tomorrow morning seemed unlikely.7266872a6d313365