Chapter 89: The Gift That Fit Too Well

“Ah… well… I kind of ruined one of his shirts by accident once.

So I felt bad about it, and since we were already out, I bought him a new one.

That’s why it took a little longer than expected….”

Hyunwoo was clearly nervous, but he tried to sound calm as he delivered the excuse he had prepared beforehand.

It was a half-truth, mixed with a gentle lie.

In reality, the clothes were for Hyunjin’s birthday surprise.

But of course, he couldn’t say that now — not in front of Hyunjin himself.

A surprise isn’t a surprise if you announce it.

If he intended to make it obvious, he would’ve just taken Hyunjin shopping with him.

Hyunwoo glanced at Hyunjin with an awkward smile.

He really didn’t want Hyunjin to feel disappointed in Seunghyuk again because of this.

Cold sweat formed on his back.

“Then you could’ve just come back home after buying the clothes.”

“There wasn’t any food at home.

And I dragged him around without feeding him properly.

I couldn’t make him starve on top of everything else.”

“If that was the case, you should’ve taken me too.

Do you know how worried I was when neither of you returned?”

“Yeah… I’m sorry.

I didn’t think it through.”

Once again, Hyunwoo had ended up hurting Hyunjin while trying to explain himself.

Guilt pressed down on his chest.

He quietly reached out a hand.

Hyunjin, who had been sulking, immediately leaned his head forward.

He really looked like a big dog asking to be petted.

Hyunwoo let out a small laugh and ruffled his hair.

“Next time, let’s all go together.

You could use some new summer clothes too.”

“Mm… but I already have plenty of clothes.”

“Do you really think that counts as plenty?”

“…Yes?”

Despite being born into wealth, Hyunjin barely cared about material things.

Maybe it was because he grew up surrounded by adults who didn’t truly look at him.

He had learned how to shrink himself to avoid being a burden.

Feeling a small ache in his heart, Hyunwoo deliberately messed up Hyunjin’s hair even more.

Hyunjin’s eyes softened, and he smiled like a cat soaking in warmth.

“Oh, right. I got something for you too.”

“Huh? Really?”

“You said you have a lot of clothes already.”

“No— I mean— that’s not—”

Hyunwoo’s serious tone made Hyunjin flinch.

The reaction was so cute that Hyunwoo laughed.

“I’m joking, I’m joking.

Hold on.”

He got up and looked around the room.

The clothes for Seunghyuk had been delivered, but Hyunjin’s cardigan had been gift-wrapped separately.

Thankfully, Seunghyuk had brought it home for him.

Hyunwoo quickly found the gift bag and handed it to Hyunjin.

“Try it on.

Let’s see if it fits.”

“Wow…”

Hyunjin opened the bag and pulled out a soft pink cardigan.

The small sound of admiration escaped naturally.

Pink suited him especially well.

If he wore this while spending his birthday with Seunghyuk, it would be perfect.

But something felt off.

Now that Hyunwoo was looking closely, Hyunjin’s build seemed bigger than before.

He watched nervously as Hyunjin slipped the cardigan on.

“Hm. I like it.”

“……”

…He likes it.

That wasn’t the question.

The color looked beautiful on him.

No one looked better in pink.

But the fit—

“…It looks a bit tight. Should I exchange it for a bigger size?”

“No. It’s not tight.”

“…It is.”

“It’s not.”

“……”

Hyunjin held onto the cardigan like someone trying to protect treasure.

He clearly had no intention of giving it back.

Maybe Hyunjin just liked wearing clothes that fit perfectly to his body.

Hyunwoo tried to tell himself that and nodded.

“…Alright.

If you’re happy with it, then it’s fine.”

“Mm. I’ll wear it a lot.”

“……”

Seeing that warm smile, Hyunwoo couldn’t say anything more.

Fine.

Let him have it.

Still… Hyunjin had definitely grown.

Not in height, but in strength.

His frame had gotten broader.
His muscles firmer.

Hyunjin was an omega, but male omegas weren’t always delicate.

Many grew strong builds — sometimes even comparable to alphas and betas.

Hyunjin, despite his gentle face, had always been sturdy enough to wear the same clothing size as Hyunwoo, an alpha.

But now… Hyunwoo’s size looked tight on him.

The next size up would be Seunghyuk’s.

Clothing sizes matching the protagonist and the love interest.

That was… something.

“…Hm.”

Hyunwoo’s expression turned faintly troubled.

He thought he understood his younger brother.

Apparently, he still had a lot to learn.

“Are you hungry? I made porridge.”

“…You made it?”

“Uh… no. Seunghyuk did…”

“Seunghyuk?”

“Yeah. He made it before he left earlier.”

Hyunwoo remembered the last time he was sick — when he found warm white porridge waiting for him.

Just thinking about it made his chest tighten in a strange way.

“I’ll heat it up.”

“Okay.”

Hyunjin left the room, and Hyunwoo let out a quiet sigh.

“Oh… work.”

He checked the time.

It was already past 10 a.m.

He quickly picked up his phone from the bedside table.

A message from Jung-hoon had arrived.

Director Park, I heard you’re not feeling well today.
If you need any assistance, please let me know.

It seemed Hyunjin had already informed Kang, who must have passed the message along.

With that, Hyunwoo didn’t have to worry about the company for now.

He could rest, eat, and return in the afternoon if he felt well enough.

Relieved, Hyunwoo got out of bed and headed into the bathroom to shower.

He had sweated a lot during the night.

Time passed quickly, and at last, Hyunjin’s birthday arrived.

July 7th.

Friday.

The place Jung-hoon reserved was perfect.

They would dine in a high-rise restaurant overlooking the city lights, then enjoy tea and wine afterward.

“……”

Hyunwoo’s expression turned slightly conflicted.

After much thought, he chose to follow the original story.

He reserved a suite room for Hyunjin and Seunghyuk to spend the night together.

He had already sent Seunghyuk the message.

There was no reply, but Hyunwoo knew — Seunghyuk would not waste the chance.

This was concern for his younger brother.

It wasn’t hesitation.

It wasn’t regret.

He told himself this over and over.

“Director, weren’t you leaving early today?”

“Oh— right.”

Hyunwoo glanced at the time.

He was supposed to meet Seunghyuk before heading to the hotel.

Normally, Seunghyuk would handle preparations well on his own — but lately, his behavior had been unpredictable.

So Hyunwoo wanted to check in advance.

“Did the bouquet arrive?”

“Yes. It’s ready for you to take.”

“Thank you. You’ve worked hard.”

“Not at all.”

The bouquet was prepared.

The cake was arranged with the restaurant.

He had done everything he could.

“Then, I’ll be leaving first.

Tell everyone to finish their tasks and head home on time.”

“Yes, Director. Have a wonderful evening.”

The way Jung-hoon’s eyes sparkled was… suspicious.

He was definitely misunderstanding something.

Hyunwoo gave a strained smile and left.

He reached the parking garage, got into his car, started the engine, and entered the hotel address into the navigation.

The roads were clear this early, so he arrived quickly.

When he stepped out of the car, sunlight hit his skin — hot and sharp.

He raised his hand to block it.

It was already 31 degrees today.

And it felt even hotter.

Summer heat lasted too long.

The sun would set late.

If they wanted to see the city lights, it would be well past nine.

Which meant the dinner would need to stretch out.

Hyunwoo had planned to eat and leave early, but… it might not be so simple.

He sighed and hugged the bouquet closer.

People passing by stared discreetly.

He looked exactly like someone coming to the hotel to set up a romantic surprise.

Hyunwoo’s ears turned a little red, and he hurried inside the lobby.