In South Korea, family ties and respect mean everything. I was the shy and quiet young brother. My older brother, by two years,Hyunwoo, was loud and outgoing. He was always surrounded by people who were fond of him. Including his best friend Minjae.
Minjae has been in our lives for a long time. To me, he was the guy who put me into a headlock just to ruffle my hair. The who would steal the last piece of fried pork at dinner. To be honest, I never hated it. Because Minjae was more than just my brother's best friend - he was my secret desire.
I never thought that he'd would see me. I was always in the background observing. But things changed when Hyunwoo left for his military service. One night, under the glow of Seoul's city light, he asked a question I expected.
"Why do you avoid looking at me?"
Not the wall that a built high is starting to crumble. Ever stolen glance, every word feels like a promise that we can't keep. Because in a culture where family and loyalty come first, loving Minjae might mean betraying the person who means everything to both of us.
But how do I stop myself when Minjae is the person I've always desired but yet can never have?