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“Ack!”
Han Yoojin runs to get his fingers under cold water.
He spent over a decade preparing Yoohyun’s meals then microwaving his own. How can he still burn himself while boiling water?
Yoojin sighs, exasperated.
Yoo Myeongwoo peeks his head through the door. “Yoojin?”
“Ah, it’s nothing Myeongwoo.”
Myeongwoo comes closer. He spots Yoojin’s red finger and winces in sympathy. “Do you need a potion?”
Yoojin boggles at him. “Waste a potion for a little burn?” Myeongwoo’s eyes trail to the pot of boiling water. Yoojin tries to justify his incompetence. “I just… haven’t cooked in a while.”
“Do you want me to make you something?”
“No, thank you. I’m making instant ramyeon.”
“Instant!” Yoo Myeongwoo’s mouth gapes open. He moves to take the pot off the stove. “Yoojin, I can make you something if you’re hungry.”
“It’s really fine! I just wanted something quick.”
Yoo Myeongwoo backs off, frowning. “...You should at least use the kettle.”
“We have a kettle?”
Yoo Myeongwoo guides him through the kitchen appliances, more familiar with the home than Yoojin himself.
Yoo Myeongwoo boils the water for him.
“You’re really so helpful, Myeongwoo,” Yoojin wonders aloud, sincere and a little bit in awe.
For once, Yoo Myeongwoo doesn’t fluster or deny. He nods decisively. “Yes. So Yoojin should ask me for help if he needs it.”
“What are you talking about? You’ve already given me so many useful items.”
“But that’s what I decided to do on my own. You never ask me for help first.”
“That’s not true,” Yoojin denies immediately.
“Not enough,” Yoo Myeongwoo says. “I… I know you don’t want to take advantage of me, but I…” His face turns a little red. “I’m doing it willingly, so it’s not taking advantage.”
“Yoo Myeongwoo…”
Yoojin is shocked speechless.
Myeongwoo ducks his head. “Any, anyway, you shouldn’t eat junk food, so just ask me next time.”
There’s no way Yoojin will ever do that. But just to get that miserable look off of Yoo Myeongwoo’s face, he acquiesces. “If that’s what you want.”
“…Yes. I’ll, I’ll cook dinner tonight.”
“I’m in your care.”
“What are you doing?”
Just returned from playing with Peace, Bak Yerim stops at the dining table and peers at the documents Han Yoojin has been pouring over.
Or, more likely, she’s eyeing the candy bag he’s been snacking on.
He lifts his head and gives her an exhausted smile. “Just a few things for my business. My team is asking me to review the slogans and advertisements for overseas, but they’re all in English…”
Yerim looks at him, uncomprehending.
“I guess the team forgot to translate them.”
“Yeah?” She still does not understand.
“And I don’t speak English,” he says.
“Not at all?”
“Just a few terms. And a little online slang, I guess.”
“You didn’t study in school?”
“I dropped out.”
“Oh, right,” she says. “To take care of that loser.”
Yoojin laughs. “Don’t call Yoohyun that.”
Yerim checks over her shoulders then says again, “Not my fault he’s a loser. Ugly, too. Not like you, ahjussi.”
What an obvious attempt at buttering him up. Yoojin slides her the pack of candy. Yerim tears into it with delight.
He sighs, a little wistful. Yoohyun was never that excited about candy.
“Do you want my help?” she asks.
“I don’t have any more candy.”
“I’m asking sincerely.”
He waves his hand dismissively. “I’m sure you have better things to do.”
“C’mon, it’ll be practice for class!”
That makes him pause. Yerim sees the opportunity and pounces.
“I have translation homework for next week. I help you out, and it’s double the practice! And I bet this uses vocabulary used by hunters, too.”
“There are plenty of translation items in the hunting business,” he says.
She splays herself on the table. “C’mooon…”
“Yerim…”
“I really want to!”
“It’s not fun.”
“Of course it’s not fun. It’s homework.”
He gives in with a sigh. “And here I thought Yoohyun was the odd one,” he muses, smiling.
She slides into the seat next to him with a cheer.
“What does that idiot loser have to do with this?”
Yoojin recalls fondly. “Whenever I brought work back home, he was always asking to help out. To get work experience in advance, he said.”
“I guess he’s not so stupid after all,” Yerim says begrudgingly.
“Of course he’s not. Although,” he glances at her with a mischievous grin, “he has his moments.”
Yerim bursts out laughing.
As she begins translating, her voice still shakes with laughter.
“If it isn’t Mr. Hyung.”
Han Yoojin jumps so high that Kim Sunghan has to stabilize him when he comes back down.
He whirls around to find Moon Hyuna standing behind him, barely restraining her smile. Kim Sunghan, that traitor, doesn’t look surprised.
“And his bodyguard,” Moon Hyuna says belatedly.
Kim Sunghan nods in greeting.
“What are you doing here?” Yoojin asks.
“I imagine the same thing as you.”
He can’t help but be doubtful. “Do S-rankers usually shop for clothes in person?”
She lifts an eyebrow. “Aren’t you here?”
“I’m F-rank.”
“More famous than some S-rankers,” she says. “And accompanied by an S-ranker.” She looks at Kim Sunghan.
“Two, actually.”
Bak Yerim bursts out of the cabin just in time. “Hi Noona!”
Moon Hyuna greets her back with a bright laugh and a playful headlock. Yerim comes out of it with her hair in absolute disarray.
Yoojin restrains the urge to comb her hair. What a coincidence that both his kids have curly hair.
“Ahjussi, look!” Yerim lifts the bottom of her skirt to reveal a short underneath. “No more panty shots!”
He starts to nod. “…No more? What do you mean, ‘no more’?”
She goes a little red. “Um. It wasn’t in public so it’s fine.”
He doesn’t know what to say to that, except maybe thank whoever is listening that there aren’t any photos lurking online of his kid’s underwear.
Moon Hyuna snickers. “I know that feeling. I’ve got a few good brands to recommend, actually. I’ll send links over on LINE later.”
Both Yerim and Yoojin nod thankfully.
Maybe instead of thanking whoever is listening, he should be thanking Moon Hyuna. Suspicious as she can be, she’s proved to be a great influence on Yerim.
As if hearing his benevolent thoughts, Moon Hyuna turns greedy eyes toward Yoojin. “In exchange…” she says leadingly.
He sighs. “Yeah, yeah. Let’s talk about it later.”
Moon Hyuna laughs. As everything with her, it sounds genuine. Yoojin wishes she could be a good influence on Yoohyun too.
While Yerim wanders over to choose more shorts-skirts combos, Moon Hyuna leans down to whisper in Yoojin’s ear.
“So you’re here to buy clothes with Bak Yerim?”
He glances at her. “I heard it’s popular with teenage girls.”
“All teenagers, I’d assume,” she says. “And do you know anything about teenage girl fashion?”
“Um… I know K-Pop fashion is popular…”
“K-Pop isn’t a fashion style.”
“It’s not?”
That’s answer enough.
She laughs into his ear. “Need some help with that? I’d wager I’m more experienced than you.”
“It’s been a while since you were a teenager,” he says, resolutely unimpressed.
“Just about a decade.”
“Isn’t that long enough? Surely Moon Hyuna has other things to do.”
“C’mon,” she says, laughing again. “I’m doing it for your favor, but it’s your kid that’ll get my help.”
“Aren’t you already friends with Yerim-ah?”
Moon Hyuna’s handsome face breaks into a smile. “Of course I am. Mr. Hyung, please rely on me a little.”
Whether Yoojin agrees or not, Moon Hyuna will help regardless. And yet, she’s still asking him. Damn it, she’s serious when she calls Yerim his kid.
Well, of course Yerim is his kid. But Moon Hyuna is not supposed to know that. What has Yerim been telling her?
Yoojin considers it.
“Fine, if it’s for ‘my kid,’” he says dryly.
Moon Hyuna wanders over to Bak Yerim, still laughing, and slings an arm around her shoulders.
Yoojin abruptly notices that Yerim’s ears have gone red.
Ah, right. S-rank hearing.
If there’s one thing Yoojin will forever dread, it’s having uncomfortable discussions with older relatives. Mrs. Park isn’t actually a relative, but she might as well be.
Han Yoojin just had to have the bad luck to encounter her. He already never leaves the house; why is it when he does he always has unpleasant meetings?
But he has a fair amount of respect for Mrs. Park, so he powers through the reminiscing and questions about his private life. He feels hyper aware of Kim Sunghan’s presence right behind him.
Inevitably, the question comes:
“And what of your brother?” Mrs. Park finally dares to ask. “I was so worried seeing all those articles about the two of you…”
“Aah,” he extends the sound. “It was all resolved. You don’t need to worry about us, Mrs. Park.”
“Is that so? Still, I can’t help but worry. You two have always been so close, I couldn’t believe a single thing about those articles. Just so you know, I told everyone and anyone that it was all complete nonsense!”
“Ah, um,” Yoojin dithers.
As she leans in with overwhelming curiosity, a muscular arm suddenly blocks off her path. Kim Sunghan, wearing a mildly intimidating face, cuts her off mid-sentence. Even Yoojin is surprised.
“Excuse us, but Mr. Han Yoojin is needed elsewhere.”
“Ah?” Yoojin says, startled.
When did Kim Sunghan become his manager? Yoojin checks his phone, to no new message.
Mrs. Park flusters. Her face pales under Kim Sunghan’s sudden S-rank pressure. “Ah, yes, yes, don’t let me keep you…” she says.
Kim Sunghan nods and puts a hand behind Yoojin’s back. He begins to lead him away.
Yoojin cranes his neck around and hurriedly says, “Goodbye Mrs. Park, it was nice seeing you again!”
“Yes, yes…”
Her goodbyes and well-wishes vanish in the background as Kim Sunghan forces Yoojin to walk away.
Yoojin’s mind twirls with anxiety as he tries to guess what happened. Did he sense someone following them? Did a dungeon break nearby? Is something wrong with Yoohyun?
Once they’re out of his old neighbor’s view, Kim Sunghan slows down and drops his hand. Yoojin finally realizes what happened.
He laughs into a sigh and resumes his walk to his original destination. “You didn’t need to do that,” he says.
Kim Sunghan doesn’t answer, so Yoojin glances over his shoulder to see he looks a little upset. Kim Sunghan generally has a tight grip on his emotions and how he presents them, so Yoojin can’t help his surprise. This is the sort of reaction he’d expect from Yoohyun, not Kim Sunghan.
“She’s one of our old neighbors,” Yoojin feels the need to explain. “When Yoohyun and I were little, she came over to babysit a few times. She even offered to take us in after our parents died. But, you’ve seen her personality. I couldn’t let her have access to Yoohyun.”
“And you?” Kim Sunghan says.
“I was old enough to go work anyway, so I could provide for Yoohyun,” Yoojin continues.
“Were you older than Bak Yerim?”
“Hmm… Just about, I think.”
Kim Sunghan’s ensuing silence says it all. Even Yoojin is aware of his own hypocrisy.
“Anyway, she’s not a bad person. She’s just not very aware of what she’s saying.”
“That’s no excuse,” Kim Sunghan says.
Yoojin laughs; he agrees, but she still played a part in raising him.
Then, Kim Sunghan says, “Should we come up with a code?”
“A code?”
“So that next time you can signal to me to interrupt. Otherwise, it’s too hard to say when you’re uncomfortable.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“…I know a little sign language, actually.”
They come up with a code. Han Yoojin makes sure to use it to exhaustion, but Kim Sunghan never complains once. Weird.
The sound of fighting fills the dungeon. The A-rank giant crab is sending shockwaves through the sandy area. Yerim is laughing.
Han Yoojin watches his two wards and one bodyguard from a safe distance away, keeping a careful eye on the monster’s rank. They were going to practice using Yoojin’s skill, but the monster turned out to be too weak. He regrets asking for Sung Hyunjae’s presence.
Speaking of that bastard, he’s not even fighting. He stays by Yoojin’s side — in order to let Kim Sunghan practice. Supposedly.
Since when has Sung Hyunjae been lazy?
There’s a loud sound; Yerim dodges out of the way of an attack, only to do a double-take when she realizes the shockwave is directed toward where Yoojin and Sung Hyunjae are.
“Oops!” she shouts. “Sorry ahjussi!”
Dismissing her worry with a smile and a wave, Yoojin prepares his defensive item.
Just as the blast is about to reach him, Yoojin is grabbed by the waist and lifted in the air. It’s Sung Hyunjae, neatly jumping to safety while carrying him with one arm. He resists the urge to hit his chest, annoyed with that self-satisfied smile.
They land with the soft sound of Sung Hyunjae’s heels clicking. He doesn’t let go of Han Yoojin, arm tightening around his waist.
Yerim is already getting scolded by Yoohyun. Even from afar, he can see them beginning to play-fight.
“I’m hurt. I was right there, yet Han Yoojin didn’t ask for my protection.”
Yoojin struggles a little in his hold, playing up trying to get out of it. He knows there’s no way he’ll be able to. His goal is to annoy Sung Hyunjae, but the bastard just looks more amused. There’s something a little cold about his expression.
Yoojin slumps with a loud sigh.
“It’s as if Han Yoojin is asking to be hurt,” Sung Hyunjae seems to enjoy talking to a wall. “Why else would he ignore me so much?”
“Because you’re annoying,” Yoojin grumbles under his breath.
Amazingly, that bastard’s expression lightens. Yoojin jolts a little as he realizes it; was Sung Hyunjae genuinely asking?
And here he thought that bastard unable to feel sympathy. He must be worried about Yoojin losing his worth before he can make use of it.
“Why would I ask for help?” he complains. “Whether I ask or I don’t, you’ll do it anyway.”
There’s a beat, then Sung Hyunjae’s smile creases pleasantly. He has the expression of someone watching a particularly cute kitten bumbling around. He says, “Yes, you’re right, as usual.”
Yoojin digs his elbow into his rib. Sung Hyunjae doesn’t react.
“Are you trying to tickle me?”
“Ugh.”
Bastard. Why does he look so pleased?
Today is a bad day.
Yoojin knows it as soon as he wakes up.
He dreamed about Yoohyun’s childhood. But his first thought, as he woke up, was toward his Yoohyun, cold and still.
As he lays in bed, Yoojin lifts his hand to eye level.
His hand flexes, alive and warm, tinged pink with life.
Yoohyun, too, is alive.
If he had to freeze every time he thinks about his brother, Yoojin would never get anywhere. He goes on his day as usual.
“Hyung, are you okay?” Yoohyun asks him at breakfast.
“Mh?”
“You just look a little…”
“Tired? I went to sleep a little late, that’s all. Don’t worry, Yoohyun.”
“…Yes, Hyung.”
Yoojin’s poker face might not be as good as he thought, because Kim Sunghan and Bak Yerim both ask after his well-being just a few minutes into meeting up. At least, no one else seems aware that anything is different from usual.
Then, he meets Moon Hyuna, who takes one look at him and raises an eyebrow.
“Trouble in paradise, Mr. Hyung?” she asks.
Yoojin groans loudly.
Yoo Myeongwoo spends their entire lunch together glancing at Yoojin discreetly. When he leaves to head back to his forge, he even says, “Please rely on us a little more,” then disappears with those mysterious words.
Peace and Chirpie stick to his side the entire day, barely straying far enough to play with their toys.
In the late afternoon, Yoojin reclines on his couch with a long sigh. He’s absolutely exhausted, but every time he dares to close his eyes, a dungeon lit by purple flames haunts his mind. Maybe his [Resist Fear] skill is broken.
His phone chimes. It’s a message from Sung Hyunjae.
Don’t break just yet ^^
Bastard. Yoojin blocks him.
Yoohyun comes home early. He doesn’t even remove his shoes before speeding to Yoojin’s side.
“Hyung.”
“Take off your shoes.”
Yoohyun goes back to remove his shoes, then cosplays as an ominous statue by Yoojin’s head. Yoojin’s exasperation is tinged with a good amount of fondness.
He sits up and pats the space next to him. Yoohyun sits down so their thighs touch.
Yoojin sighs and gently pats Yoohyun on the back. “What’s wrong?”
“Hyung, you’re the one who’s upset.”
“Are you sure?” He gently touches the frown in between Yoohyun’s eyebrows.
Yoohyun’s face relaxes, but his aura doesn’t abate. “Hyung, don’t joke.”
“I’m not upset.”
“You are.”
“I’m not.”
“Hyung.”
Yoohyun sounds genuinely stressed.
Yoojin relents. “I’m fine, Yoohyun-ah. Look, how can I not be? I have you right here.”
He wraps his arm around Yoohyun’s back and jostles him gently. Yoohyun leans into his side, curling his back so he can comfortably fit his head on Yoojin’s shoulder. So sticky. Yoojin quickly presses a kiss into his brother’s hair and shifts so he can hug Yoohyun with both arms.
Sensing the compressed heat source, Peace jumps to join them, curling on Yoojin’s lap. Even without looking, Yoojin can feel Yoohyun and Peace’s instant animosity.
Are they glaring at each other again? A puff of laughter escapes him.
“Haa, you two…” he sighs, amused.
“Hyung, whoever bothered you, I can take care of them.”
Those are dangerous words. “No one bothered me. I woke up like this.”
“So you are upset.”
“Ah… well…” He lifts his eyes to the ceiling, struggling. “A little. But how can I stay upset when I have you here?”
“Hyung can ask for a hug whenever he wants.”
How entirely self-motivated; Yoohyun seems to be asking for his own benefit. Yoojin can’t help but laugh.
Considering how miserable he’s been all day, the way his mood has near-instantaneously lifted is a miracle.
“Maybe I should,” he says quietly.
If only every bad memory could be comforted with the heat and weight of his brother’s body.
Yoojin feels like he’s drowning most days. He may not feel the anxiety that comes with grief, but the rest sticks with him, threatening to resurface at every moment. So he distracts himself with those that surround him. He takes care of them because that’s the only thing he can do.
Because one day they will repay him.
Yet.
Yoohyun, still, lives.
Warm, with cheeks the color of life and good health, and satisfied with sticking himself to Yoojin’s side.
Maybe he doesn’t need to blind himself.
Maybe he will one day be able to confront the enormity of what happened that day.
One day.
But not today. Today, Han Yoojin stays by his brother’s side.
Yoojin presses his mouth into his baby brother’s hair, and closes his eyes to rest.