“…Hyung?”
“Long time no see.
Have you been well?”
“……”
Hyunwoo was smiling, though his expression seemed slightly awkward, as if embarrassed.
Was he feeling uneasy because of how coldly he had treated Hyunjin before?
But Hyunjin was too stunned to react properly.
“Why… are you here…?”
“What do you mean why?
I came to see my little brother.”
“……”
Standing before him was the Hyunwoo he had once longed for—the ideal image of a big brother he had dreamed about.
He looked exactly like the Hyunwoo from the past, yet his behavior felt like that of a completely different person.
This couldn’t be real.
Hyunjin still couldn’t forget the chilling gaze Hyunwoo had used to look at him.
Disgusting.
The moment he learned Hyunjin wasn’t his real brother, he had looked at him as if he were filth.
Whenever they crossed paths afterward, Hyunwoo glared at him like he wanted to kill him.
After graduating and leaving the main house, Hyunwoo had never visited or contacted him again.
So why now?
Why was he suddenly here?
Hyunjin’s mind spiraled in confusion.
“Sorry.
I came too late.
I didn’t take care of you when you moved out.”
“Uh….”
“It’s been a while.
Aren’t you going to invite me inside?”
“……”
Hyunwoo had come to Hyunjin’s home.
Only his mother knew this address—so how had Hyunwoo found it?
Then again, if Hyunwoo really wanted something, finding an address would be easy for him.
“…Come in.”
“Okay.”
Hyunjin reluctantly let him in.
His rented studio was chosen only for its proximity to school and his café job.
Because of that, the building was old and a bit shabby.
He’ll probably hate this kind of place.
Hyunjin nervously watched Hyunwoo, but Hyunwoo merely glanced around the tiny living room and room without saying anything critical.
“What… do you want to drink?
I have coffee and tea.”
“Coffee, please.”
“Okay.”
Hyunjin quickly boiled water and prepared the coffee.
Luckily, he had beans from the café—high-quality beans the owner insisted on using.
He sometimes took home small amounts to practice, which meant he could serve Hyunwoo something good today.
Come to think of it, becoming a barista was partly because of Hyunwoo.
Since his teen years, Hyunwoo had liked coffee, and young Hyunjin had watched him drink it with satisfaction, imagining one day making coffee for him himself.
And now, unexpectedly, he was achieving that old childish wish.
Hyunjin, flustered, carried the steaming cup over with care.
“Mmh… it smells good.”
“I roasted the beans myself.”
“What?
Really?”
“Yeah.”
He also mentioned he was working part-time at a café near school.
Hyunwoo reacted as though he already knew, but when he took a sip, he genuinely praised it.
“This is really good.”
“…Really?”
“Yeah!”
“……”
Seeing Hyunwoo nodding enthusiastically, Hyunjin felt his heart skip.
Maybe Hyunwoo had forgiven him.
Maybe he had only spoken harshly back then because he’d been young and emotional.
Maybe he came today to say that although things wouldn’t return to the way they were, they were still family, and they could see each other sometimes.
Hyunjin allowed himself a small hope while watching Hyunwoo enjoy the coffee.
“Hyunjin-ah, listen.”
“Mm.”
Halfway through the cup, Hyunwoo spoke gently.
Hyunjin tensed immediately.
“I’m sorry.
For what I said back then.”
“…Huh?”
“I don’t remember the details well… but I know I said some awful things.
I was young.
I didn’t mean any of it.”
“……”
He hadn’t meant it?
Hyunjin stared blankly.
Even if time had faded the memory, it had been deeply painful for him.
He had been rejected by the person he trusted more than his parents.
He had heard cruel words from the one person he had loved most.
He’d had nightmares for years because of it.
And now Hyunwoo claimed it wasn’t real?
Could he believe that?
“When I left the house, I actually wanted to take you with me.”
“…What?”
“But Father didn’t want that.
That’s why he told me you weren’t my real brother.”
“Ah….”
Only then did Hyunjin understand why Chairman Joo revealed the truth.
And the idea that Hyunwoo had tried to take him along—that was even more shocking.
Hyunjin’s eyes widened.
“Even so, I shouldn’t have said those things.
I’m really sorry.”
“I…”
“But don’t worry anymore.
Even without blood, you’re still my brother.
Always.”
“……”
Hyunjin was stunned—he never thought he would hear such words.
But strangely, he also felt a tiny sting of disappointment.
Confused by the odd churn of emotions, he turned away.
“You probably need time to think.”
“Uh….”
“Let’s meet again soon.”
“……!”
Hyunwoo, having finished his coffee, stood up.
Hyunjin looked up at him in panic.
“W-wait!”
“Hmm?”
Hyunjin sprang up without thinking and grabbed Hyunwoo’s sleeve.
Hyunwoo stared at him in mild surprise.
“I… I missed you.”
“…Hyunjin-ah.”
“I really… really missed you.”
Tears streamed down Hyunjin’s cheeks.
His vision blurred instantly.
Seeing Hyunwoo walking away again—it terrified him.
Even if Hyunwoo’s words were lies, even if he was just teasing again, none of it mattered.
If he could just stay near him like before, Hyunjin would accept anything.
“I missed you too, Hyunjin.”
“…Yeah… Hyung.”
Hyunwoo wrapped his arms around him and patted his shoulder.
His eyes seemed distant, unfocused—as if he were seeing someone else.
But Hyunjin didn’t care.
He focused only on the fact that they had reunited, that things seemed good again, that he finally had his Hyunwoo back.
For a while, life felt like a dream.
The Hyunwoo who returned was kinder than ever before.
Hyunjin lived days filled with unbelievable warmth.
Hyunwoo-hyung
What time do you finish work today?
I’m on the afternoon shift, so I finish early.
At 5!
Hyunwoo-hyung
Then want to have dinner together?
Yeah!
On days he had no classes, Hyunjin finished work early and often met Hyunwoo for meals.
Grinning at Hyunwoo’s messages while hiding behind the counter, Hyunjin straightened up when a customer approached and quickly tucked his phone away.
“Welcome—oh, Lee Seunghyuk?”
“Hey.”
As always, Seunghyuk entered with a calm, unreadable expression.
He often stopped by for sweet drinks.
Hyunjin nodded lightly toward him.
“You don’t have class today?”
“I have one elective.”
“Oh.”
So that’s why he was here.
Hyunjin had no classes today, so he started work early, but Seunghyuk still had one left.
“I don’t want to go home yet, so I’m going to do some assignments here.”
“Got it.”
Hyunjin glanced at the laptop Seunghyuk always carried and nodded.
Though the café wasn’t near campus, Seunghyuk lived nearby, so he often came after class to work.
“What do you want today?”
“Hmm…”
Seunghyuk looked up at the menu.
Despite his cold appearance, he was incredibly sensitive to caffeine and couldn’t drink coffee at all.
Hyunjin still remembered freezing up the first time he had seen that ice-cold face order a sugary iced chocolate.
“…Just iced tea.
Large.”
“Okay, I’ll make it.”
Hyunjin smiled as he accepted Seunghyuk’s card and stamped his drink coupon despite the usual refusal.
Then a huge wave of customers rushed in.
Office workers on break tended to arrive like a tide—then disappear just as quickly.
Hyunjin hurried to make drink after drink.
“Whew…”
After the rush calmed, the evening shift worker arrived.
Hyunjin greeted them and went to change into his going-home clothes.
“I’m heading out now.
See you tomorrow.”
“Yep, bye.”
He suddenly realized he hadn’t discussed the meeting location with Hyunwoo.
Just as he pulled out his phone—
“You heading home now?”
“……!”
Seunghyuk had approached without a sound.
Hyunjin jumped and looked at him.
“Uh, yeah.
I have… plans.”
“Yeah?”
“Mm, I’ll see you tomorrow—”
Just then, someone else called his name.
“Hyunjin-ah!”
“……!”
From a distance, Hyunwoo waved as he approached.
Hyunjin stared in shock.
“Hyung?”
“Surprised?
You weren’t answering, so I figured you were busy and came early.”
“Oh… right.”
Feeling happy, Hyunjin smiled brightly.
But Hyunwoo’s head turned to the side.
“Who’s that?”
“……”
It was the first moment Hyunwoo and Seunghyuk’s eyes met.