Chapter 112: The Truth I Realized Too Late

Just by looking at him, it was obvious.

Right now, that guy Won Jitae— even if you told him “an apple is red,” he would question whether it was really red.

So it felt like everything had to be explained step by step—why the apple peel turns red and what principle lies behind it.

“Well, anyway, Saetbyeol… ever since she was young, she always got perfect scores on tests and even ranked first in the whole school.”

Now, as a college student, she was attending one of the most prestigious universities in Korea.

“I told you before, right? My mom’s a teacher, so she was against me doing sports.”

“Yeah.”

“My mom liked it more when my sister brought home perfect test scores than when I did well in competitions. The biggest reason I became more passionate about volleyball was because I liked it, but I can’t ignore that reason either.”

“Because you wanted recognition?”

Wooju nodded.

That didn’t mean his family wasn’t harmonious.

His mother simply wasn’t fond of sports, but aside from that, she raised both siblings with love and care like any other parent.

Wooju knew that well.

Even so, not being supported or acknowledged in the dream he pursued by choice inevitably created a sense of lack.

Even if he couldn’t recognize it when he was younger, now that he had grown up, he could clearly understand it.

“Recently, Coach called me in and said that sometimes it doesn’t look like I’m enjoying volleyball.”

“It’s probably because of those desires,” Wooju added quietly.

“So I thought about it. Even so, why do I still like volleyball and keep pushing myself so hard?”

“Yeah.”

“I think it’s because of you.”

Jitae’s head snapped up in surprise.

A soft, gentle smile had formed on Wooju’s lips.

Now he understood why Coach Kim had mentioned that friendly match.

That time was when Wooju had been constantly with Won Jitae during the filming of Living Together as Two.

And if someone asked Wooju when volleyball had felt the most purely enjoyable, he would answer without hesitation—

The time he spent on the court with Jitae.

“When I was with you, things like recognition or proving myself didn’t matter. I could just be myself.”

Even when he stared endlessly at that empty vessel he thought could never be filled, as long as Jitae was by his side, that emptiness didn’t bother him at all.

Jitae didn’t fill that void with something else—

He was someone who made Wooju realize that it didn’t need to be filled at all.

“I didn’t realize that back then, so I just thought I liked training with you and selfishly called you my rival. I never once thought that could hurt you.”

At that moment, Wooju slowly picked something up from beside him and placed it on the coffee table.

It was the magazine featuring both of them.

“You said you learned something important in life because of me… but it’s the same for me too.”

“…Wooju.”

Jitae looked like he might break at any moment, his lips slightly parted.

Wooju gently placed his hand over the back of Jitae’s hand.

“The one who actually needed you… was me.”

He slowly tightened his grip.

Their hands overlapped firmly, without any gap.

No matter how perfect someone seems, they are bound to have emptiness.

To resolve that, you either fill that void—

Or you learn that the void doesn’t matter.

Just like Wooju had done for Jitae.

And just like Jitae had done for Wooju.

“Wooju.”

“What.”

“I like you.”

Jitae covered his eyes with his free hand.

“I really… really like you. There’s no one else for me but you.”

With a trembling voice, the emotions he had been holding back poured out like a flood.

“No matter how you see me or think of me, it doesn’t matter. I’ve always liked you, I like you now, and I’ll keep liking you.”

People say life is long, but becoming someone important to another person—someone truly cherished—is surprisingly difficult.

Especially for Jitae, who never received the love he should have from his own parents.

He thought something like that would never happen to him.

But Wooju told him—

That it was because of him.

That he needed him.

Tears slipped past his large hand, unable to be fully hidden.

Jitae bit his lip as if trying to hold them back, yet he kept repeating that he liked him.

“I’m going to hear all the confessions I’ll ever get in my life from you.”

Wooju slowly stood up from the sofa and moved in front of Jitae, who was crying.

Even then, Jitae didn’t let go of his hand.

“Why does a grown man cry so easily?”

He had cried before too.

Well, back then Wooju had basically made him cry, so he couldn’t really say much.

Wooju opened his arms wide and pulled Jitae into a tight embrace.

Naturally, Jitae buried his face in Wooju’s chest.

His cap fell to the floor, revealing his soft, fluffy hair under the light.

This time, Wooju didn’t hesitate.

He gently ran his fingers through Jitae’s hair.

He didn’t question why he wanted to touch him or hesitate like before.

“I only cry in front of you.”

Jitae tightened his arms around Wooju’s waist.

Even when he couldn’t play sports anymore, even when his mother cried in front of him in the hospital—

He had remained composed.

Not a single tear.

He accepted everything calmly.

But the first time his suppressed tears burst out was when he watched Wooju playing in an overseas league.

The moment he saw his face, he broke down crying.

It startled Sunhyeok, who had been there with him at the time.

Because Sunhyeok kept asking why he cried so much over a volleyball match, Jitae ended up honestly telling him everything about Wooju back then.

That’s why Sunhyeok knew so much.

“It’s all because of you.”

“Yeah… I’m sorry.”

The warmth between them was comforting.

For the first time, Wooju realized just how warm a person’s body could be.

The distance they had once kept so naturally had long disappeared.

Now, it felt like they had never been apart.

Time passed.

Eventually, the sound of sniffling stopped, and Wooju’s shirt was no longer getting wet from tears.

Only then did Jitae calm down.

“If you’re done crying, let go.”

“…No. I don’t know when I’ll get a chance like this again.”

Jitae shook his head, rubbing his face against Wooju’s chest.

“What are you saying.”

Wooju had no choice but to use force.

He pushed Jitae’s shoulders, but Jitae held onto his waist tightly and refused to let go.

“Hey! What if my back breaks? Are you taking responsibility?”

“A person’s back doesn’t break that easily.”

“Hey, what are you doing? How long are we staying like this!”

“If you’re trying to comfort me, then do it properly till the end. Don’t you have any sense of mood?”

Pretending to hold his waist, Jitae sneakily touched around Wooju’s back.

While satisfying his own desires by feeling the firm muscles under the clothes, Wooju struggled to peel him off.

“Talking about mood… hugging a grown man who’s crying is already a big deal for me.”

But in a battle of strength, the stronger one always wins.

There was no way Jitae could win against someone who had trained for years and was still an active athlete.

“Ah! Fine! I’ll let go! Just pick up my cap!”

Even as his grip loosened, Jitae desperately asked for his cap.

“Why the cap?”

“I need to cover my face. I… I look ugly because I cried.”

Not to mention, he hadn’t even properly showered.

Compared to Wooju, who smelled fresh from body wash, he was sure he looked a mess.

“Bullshit.”

Wooju finally pried him off and pushed him onto the sofa.

Even in that brief moment, Jitae used his quick reflexes to cover his face with both hands.

“…Put your hands down.”

“Let me keep at least a bit of dignity.”

“You cried your heart out and now you’re talking about dignity?”

The soft and emotional atmosphere from before had completely disappeared.

“It’s my last remaining dignity.”

“Don’t make me use force again.”

Even at that strong warning, Jitae didn’t budge.

His small face was completely hidden behind his hands.

Wooju’s patience was running thin.

Kang Wooju, a typical Korean, wasn’t known for endless patience—

And as an athlete, he had a strong competitive nature.

After thinking for a moment, Wooju suddenly moved.

Jitae was still mumbling that he would uncover his face if Wooju picked up his cap—

But instead, Wooju slowly sat down on Jitae’s thigh, pressing down slightly to restrain him.

“…What are you doing?”

Jitae’s thigh twitched.

Then he slightly parted his fingers to peek through, his eyes darting around.

“If you don’t put your hands down, you’re not leaving this house.”

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