Minjae leaned against the edge of his desk, the teasing smirk fading as his expression softened. His sharp features, usually so intimidating, seemed almost gentle as he regarded Jihoon.
"How have you been, Jihoon?~" he asked, his voice quieter now, lacking the usual playfulness.
Jihoon froze at the question, his body tensing as he avoided Minjae's gaze. "Why do you care?" he muttered, his tone defensive. "It's not like we've been keeping in touch."
"That's not an answer" Minjae said, his voice still soft but firm.
Jihoon shifted uncomfortably, his eyes fixed on the floor. He didn't want to talk about his struggles, didn't want to open up to the man who had left him behind all those years ago. The memories of his past, of Minjae walking out the door and never looking back, were still too raw.
"I'd rather we didn't do this," Jihoon said finally, his voice tight. "I don't want to have any kind of… relationship with you."
Minjae's expression faltered, the pain in his eyes flashing briefly before he quickly masked it. But Jihoon had seen it—the hurt, the regret. It made his chest tighten uncomfortably, though he refused to let himself feel guilty.
"Is that really how you feel?" Minjae asked, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant.
Jihoon didn't answer, his lips pressing into a thin line.
For a moment, the air between them was heavy with unspoken words, the tension thick enough to suffocate. Then, to Jihoon's surprise, Minjae stepped closer. His movements were slow, deliberate, as if he were approaching a scared animal.
He reached out, his hand brushing gently against Jihoon's head. The touch was so soft, so unexpected, that Jihoon froze in place.
"You've been through a lot, haven't you?" Minjae murmured, his voice filled with something Jihoon couldn't quite place.
Jihoon's face flushed, and he quickly stepped back, his panic bubbling over. "D-Don't touch me!" he stammered, his heart racing. But in his haste to put distance between them, he misstepped, his heel catching on the edge of the rug.
He felt himself falling, the world tilting as his balance gave way.
Before he could hit the ground, strong arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him back up with ease. Jihoon gasped, his hands instinctively clutching at Minjae's shoulders as he found himself pressed firmly against his stepbrother's chest.
Minjae held him tightly, his arms steady and protective, as if he had no intention of letting go. Jihoon's breath hitched, his face heating even more as he realized how close they were.
"Careful" Minjae said softly, his voice low and steady. "You're not as graceful as you used to be."
Jihoon glared up at him, though the effect was somewhat ruined by the way his face was still flushed. "L-Let me go" he muttered, his voice lacking its usual sharpness.
But Minjae didn't move. Instead, he tightened his hold ever so slightly, his chin resting lightly on Jihoon's head. "I've missed you, Jihoon," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
Jihoon's body stiffened, his breath catching in his throat. He didn't know how to respond to those words, didn't know how to process the raw emotion in Minjae's voice.
"Every day..." Minjae continued, his tone soft and almost pleading. "I've missed you desperately. I thought about you more than you'll ever know."
Jihoon's hands, still clutching at Minjae's shoulders, trembled slightly. His mind raced, caught between the warmth of Minjae's embrace and the lingering bitterness in his heart.
"Why are you saying this now?" Jihoon whispered, his voice shaky. "You left. You didn't look back."
Minjae's arms tightened around him, his breath warm against Jihoon's hair. "Because I was a coward," he admitted, the words heavy with regret. "I thought I was protecting you by staying away. But I was wrong. I should have been there for you, no matter what."
Jihoon's chest ached at the sincerity in Minjae's voice. Part of him wanted to push Minjae away, to cling to the anger and hurt that had kept him going all these years. But another part of him—the part he tried so hard to ignore—felt something else entirely.
"Minjae…" Jihoon began, his voice wavering, but he couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence.
Minjae pulled back slightly, just enough to look down at Jihoon. His silver hair framed his face, his dark eyes searching Jihoon's expression with an intensity that made Jihoon's heart race.
"You don't have to forgive me" Minjae said softly. "But I'm not going anywhere this time. I promise."
Jihoon looked away, his emotions swirling in a chaotic storm. He didn't know if he could trust those words, didn't know if he could trust Minjae again.
But for the first time in years, he didn't feel so alone.
Minjae finally released Jihoon from the embrace, though his hands lingered just a moment longer than necessary before he stepped back. He tilted his head slightly, studying Jihoon with a look that was both curious and amused.
"So-" Minjae said, his voice regaining its teasing edge, "you still haven't told me. Why do you need the money so urgently? You said you didn't want to work for me, yet here you are."
Jihoon stiffened, the question hitting him like a cold splash of water. He hadn't planned on telling Minjae the truth—not now, maybe not ever. "It's… nothing important" Jihoon mumbled, avoiding Minjae's gaze. "Just some debts I need to pay off."
Minjae raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by the vague answer. "Debts?" he echoed, his tone skeptical. "You expect me to believe that without an explanation?"
"It's none of your business-" Jihoon snapped, his voice sharper than he intended.
Minjae's expression shifted, a flicker of something darker crossing his face. "Jihoon" he said firmly, "I know it has to do with your ex."
Jihoon's heart skipped a beat, his eyes snapping up to meet Minjae's. "What are you talking about?"
Minjae crossed his arms, leaning back slightly as if to make himself more comfortable. "I know about him. The drug addict who stole your money and left you to deal with the consequences. I also know you've got loan sharks breathing down your neck because of it."
Jihoon stared at him, stunned. He hadn't told anyone about his situation, not even his closest friends. The fact that Minjae knew made his stomach twist with both anger and confusion. "How do you…?"
Minjae smirked, but there was something softer behind it. "What, you think I haven't been keeping an eye on you all these years? I might have left, but I didn't just forget about you, Jihoon."
"You've been watching me?" Jihoon's voice was incredulous, a mix of disbelief and anger.
"Of course!" Minjae said simply, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I've made sure you were safe, even if I couldn't be there in person. But-" he added, his smirk growing, "I didn't know you swung the other way. That was a surprise."
Jihoon's face turned crimson. "W-What?!"
Minjae chuckled, clearly enjoying Jihoon's flustered reaction. "I mean, it's not like I'm judging or anything," he said with a shrug. "Love is love, right? But I have to admit, I never would've guessed. You were always so shy around people."
Jihoon's fists clenched at his sides, his embarrassment quickly morphing into frustration. "You don't know anything about me," he said through gritted teeth.
"Don't I?" Minjae replied, his tone teasing but with a hint of seriousness. "I've seen more than you think, Jihoon. You've been through hell, and it's not fair. That's why I'm offering you a way out."
"I don't need your pity," Jihoon shot back, his voice trembling slightly.
"It's not pity," Minjae said, his tone softening. "It's responsibility. I should've been there for you before things got this bad. Let me help you now."
Jihoon turned away, his emotions swirling in a chaotic storm. He hated how easily Minjae could get under his skin, how his words both infuriated and comforted him at the same time.
"Fuck...you-" Jihoon muttered, his voice barely audible.
Minjae chuckled again, that deep, rich sound that made Jihoon's chest tighten. "Maybe-" he said. "But you're stuck with me now."
Jihoon didn't respond, his hands trembling as he tried to steady his breathing. He hated how vulnerable he felt under Minjae's gaze, how his stepbrother seemed to see through every defense he tried to put up.
But more than that, he hated how part of him didn't want Minjae to look away.
The room fell into an uneasy silence, the tension thick in the air as Minjae's question lingered.
"How's Father?" Minjae finally asked, his voice quieter than before. His confident demeanor wavered for the first time, and Jihoon could see a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.
Jihoon's expression hardened instantly. He straightened his posture, his jaw clenching as if bracing himself. "Father?" Jihoon repeated coldly, his voice laced with bitterness. "He's dead. He died five years ago."
Minjae froze, his body going rigid. "What?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.
Jihoon crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing as he looked away. "He had a heart attack. The doctor said it was from all the stress. He was so angry all the time. You know how he was."
The weight of Jihoon's words crashed into Minjae like a tidal wave. He took a step back, his usually steady hands clenching into fists at his sides. His expression darkened, a shadow passing over his features as regret and guilt washed over him.
"I didn't know," Minjae said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "I didn't think… I thought I had more time."
"Time?" Jihoon snapped, his voice sharp. "You thought you had time? You didn't even try to come back! You just left us to deal with everything on our own. You abandoned him. You abandoned us!"
Minjae flinched at Jihoon's words, but he didn't argue. He lowered his head, his shoulders slumping as the weight of his mistakes pressed down on him.
"I wanted to come back" Minjae said after a long pause, his voice filled with regret. "But I was too much of a coward. I didn't know how to face him. I thought it would be better if I stayed away."
"Better?" Jihoon's voice rose, his anger boiling over. "For who? For you? Because it definitely wasn't better for us! He died thinking you hated him, Minjae. And now it's too late for you to make amends."
The words hung heavy in the air, cutting through the silence like a knife. Minjae's jaw tightened, his usually confident demeanor completely shattered.
"I'm too late..." he muttered, more to himself than to Jihoon. His voice was barely above a whisper, but the pain in it was unmistakable.
"Yes, you are," Jihoon said, his tone icy. "And don't expect me to help you apologize to him, because you can't. He's gone."
Minjae's shoulders sagged, and for a moment, Jihoon almost felt sorry for him. But the anger and resentment in his chest were too strong to ignore.
"Mother's still alive," Jihoon said after a long pause, his tone still cold but less biting. "She's living here in Seoul. But don't think for a second that I'll help you make things right with her either. That's something you'll have to figure out on your own."
Minjae looked up at Jihoon, his eyes filled with a mix of regret and determination. "She's here?" he asked softly.
"Yes," Jihoon replied, his arms still crossed. "But don't expect her to welcome you back with open arms. She suffered too, you know. You leaving wasn't just hard on Father. It hurt all of us."
"I know," Minjae said, his voice quiet but resolute. "I know I can't change the past. But I want to make things right, Jihoon. I need to try."