Even though it was unpleasant, Jeong Taeui couldn't just leave a hungry guest without feeding him. He no longer had any appetite, but he still sat down on the chair across from his uncle at the dining table.
"This is called a simple meal."
He smiled when he saw the dishes placed on the table, a bowl of rice, a bowl of seaweed soup and two or three side dishes.
"What do you expect from a poor unemployed youth? Only in your army are there delicacies."
"Of course. If you train hard and the food doesn't meet your needs, there will be internal chaos. But that's not the army."
"Yes, but I heard it's no different from the army. It's just more self-reliant than the army."
"However, people eager to get in have lined up all the way to the other side of the world. The name is also very nice, the United Nations Human Resources Training Organization."
"I can't remember such a long name."
The uncle talked while eating.
"It's been a long time since I've had such a simple meal, it's delicious."
Jeong Taeui sighed and picked up his spoon when he heard his uncle praising and complaining at the same time. Even though he didn't feel like eating anymore, he probably had to eat a few more bowls of rice before he could stop.
Jeong Taeui was eating his soup when his eyes suddenly stopped at the pair of chopsticks moving in front of him. He had thought about it for a long time but the way he held the chopsticks was very beautiful. Just like his brother.
Jeong Taeui thought as he looked up at his uncle. He looked polite and gentle. Just like his brother.
Well, how could it not be? Genetically, this man was the two brothers' father, even if he didn't resemble his uncle at all.
"His third death anniversary is next month, right?"
Even though he didn't say his name, Jeong Taeui soon realized who he was talking about.
"Yes, the 20th of the lunar month. Are you coming?"
"It must be difficult."
Thinking back, the last time he saw him was at his father's funeral. After that, he never came to the anniversary of his death in the following years. But Jeong Taeui knew that he was a busy person, so there was no other way.
Even though he was an annoying guest to Jeong Taeui, the fact was that he was always sought after in any country.
"I don't know when he'll be back, but if he does, I'll tell him to call you, okay?"
Even though he knew that if it was urgent, it would be easier for his uncle to find him directly, Jeong Taeui still spoke up. Of course, if it was something that would harm his brother, his uncle would definitely never be able to find him.
"No…. I don't have that much time."
He quickly finished a bowl of rice, mumbling while wiping his mouth with his fingertips and staring at Jeong Taeui. At that moment, the ominous premonition that he had forgotten arose again.
"Jeong Taeui."
"Uncle… I don't know what you're looking for him for, but you know that he and I are very different, right? Even if you showed me the chemical formulas that Jaeui solved when he was 5 years old, I still wouldn't understand."
Jeong Taeui quickly interrupted before Jeong Changin could say anything. His eyes slightly curved as if he found something interesting.
"You and Jaeui, you knew that one of you was my child, right?"
Even though those words were unexpected, he never thought that his uncle would say them in such a situation. Jeong Taeui looked at his uncle and sighed.
"Well, not one of them, but both of them are your sons. Genetically. I know. But what about that."
This wasn't a big secret. He had heard it from his father when he was young. He didn't know if he had thought about whether the two of them were old enough to understand what he had said, but he sat them down and talked to them slowly. His physical condition didn't allow him to have children, so he asked for help from his uncle and had the two of them.
Nothing changed after that day. Dad was still his dad, and uncle was still his uncle. However, at that time, dad also told the two brothers, 'So, if one day your uncle says something strange, that's okay, so listen to him.'
Not necessarily because of what dad said, but the two brothers listened to him very much. Except for the occasional trouble, he was still a kind and cheerful uncle. But my father in heaven. He said strange things more than once or twice.
"No, not both, just one. Before you were born, because your father knew you were twins, he said he would give me one of you. So at first, as soon as you were born, you two were supposed to be separated and live like cousins… But you two were so attached to each other as soon as you were born that I gave up on separating you two, and that's how you two escaped separation."
Dad, look. Aren't you still saying strange things? As Jeong Taeui stared blankly at his uncle, his uncle immediately emphasized.
"I told you the truth."
Even though he looked suspicious, he wasn't the type to lie. Besides, he had this feeling… what was it? Did his father not want to tell his two children directly that he had offered one of them to his younger brother? Yes, that strange word must have been this. Thinking back, his father had been silent for a moment before adding softly.
"Dad, I don't like it. Can I be a disobedient son?"
He laughed loudly. His father and he had a huge age gap. The age gap between his father and him was only three years less than the age gap between him and Jeong Taeui.
So, instead of an uncle, he felt like he was more like an older brother. The uncle laughed loudly and stood up, approaching Jeong Taeui. He looked at the uncle who suddenly appeared before him suspiciously.
*Pop*
Jeong Taeui clutched his head as he received a blow from his uncle.
"Little brat, I worked so hard to get you discharged from the army, and you didn't even say thank you. Isn't that unfilial enough? I'll beat you up some more."
"Ouch! Ah! Ouch! It hurts, uncle! It really hurts!"
Even the way he hit was just like his brother. It was better for his brother to be this guy's son. It sounded like his brother was someone who had nothing to do with violence because of his indifferent personality, but when his hand patted his back when he was sitting there like a lost soul or when he patted his cheek to wake him up, it was just like this.
He knocked Jeong Taeui down, then calmly rubbed his hands and sat down as if nothing had happened. Jeong Taeui rubbed his head and grumbled grumpily.
"I still have a long time to do my mandatory military service, but I thought I was discharged smoothly…. Did you help me?"
"Yes. Jaeui told me. That his brother was covered in injuries, both physically and mentally devastated, and was crying in the army."
"....Physically and mentally exhausted…?"
He almost lost his life at the military hospital, and the colleagues around him also caused trouble, so he was very tired… but even now… … he didn't want to remember those things anymore.
The problem started when he was assigned to the same unit as the people he had the worst relationship with in the military academy. In the end, he actually almost killed someone, he almost lost his life, he was discharged and now completely cut off all ties with that person. Now he doesn't want to think about it anymore and there's nothing to think about.