Chapter 118: The Engagement That Never Belonged to Him

After Hyunwoo’s one-sided proposal, everything progressed at lightning speed.

From the engagement date
to all the minor preparations—
everything was handled without him lifting a finger.

Like a doll being dressed up,
Seunghyuk was pushed into the engagement venue beside Hyunwoo.

Up until then, even looking at Hyunwoo’s face made anger boil up inside him.

He managed to keep his expression neutral only for the first part of the party.

But once he saw Hyunwoo surrounded by business associates,
Seunghyuk turned away without hesitation.

“Ha….”

He walked out onto the terrace, finally letting out a deep sigh.

Everything felt suffocating—
like this suit that didn’t fit his body.

This place was a different world,
and he felt like the ugly duckling thrown into a flock of swans.

A bitter smile crossed his lips.

Click.

“Oh.”

The terrace door opened.

Someone had entered.

Just what I needed…
Meeting someone alone would be bothersome.
If they asked unnecessary questions, it would be even worse.

Seunghyuk turned to leave—

“You…”

“…….”

But the person standing there was unexpected.

It was Hyunjin.

Hyunjin lifted his gloomy eyes and stared straight at him.

That stare made Seunghyuk flinch involuntarily.

“What?
Do you have something to say to me?”

“…….”

It wasn’t strange for Hyunjin to be here—he was Hyunwoo’s younger brother.

But unlike Chairman Jo Munhyuk, who openly disliked him,
Hyunjin always looked at him with an unreadable expression.

And now, he had followed him out to the terrace,
staring silently, lips shut tight.

Seunghyuk tilted his head, confused.

Then Hyunjin finally spoke.

“Can you… break off the engagement?”

“…What?”

“Can you break up with my hyung?”

“…….”

Hyunjin’s tone was desperate.

Seunghyuk frowned and stared at him.

Their relationship was complicated.

Once, Seunghyuk had felt something faint—something like interest—toward Hyunjin.

But that was brief.

When the disaster named Hyunwoo entered his life,
his relationship with Hyunjin grew distant to an unnatural degree.

So Hyunjin’s request was strange.

Maybe Hyunjin was saying this because he liked him—
but Seunghyuk instinctively knew it wasn’t that.

There wasn’t a shred of affection in Hyunjin’s eyes.

If anything, those eyes held the opposite.

The way someone would look at a lifelong enemy—
or a romantic rival.

“I’m really confused right now.
You’re not saying this because you like me, right?”

“…….”

“If not me, then… there’s only one person—Hyunwoo hyung.”

“…….”

“…Ha.”

Was it true?

Hyunjin liked his own older brother?

Not as family—
but romantically?

Seunghyuk let out a short, unbelieving laugh.

He knew such people existed—
but he never imagined it would be someone close to him.

Someone this close.

“Do you really think that makes sense?”

“…….”

“No…
thinking about it now, some things add up.
Hyunwoo hyung really has no idea, though.”

Memories surfaced—
moments when Hyunjin’s gaze toward Hyunwoo had seemed… odd.

But since Seunghyuk believed they were real siblings,
the thought disgusted him.

His expression twisted sharply.

“Does he know?
Does Hyunwoo hyung know what you think of him?”

“T-that…”

“How long do you think you can hide it?”

Snide words slipped out before he could stop them.

Back then, he thought he was just venting his frustration.

This ridiculous situation,
his helplessness,
his anger—
he simply took it out on Hyunjin.

Hyunjin burst out:

“You don’t know anything!”

“Me?
I know exactly what I’m seeing.”

The accusations came out far too easily.

If he had thought logically,
maybe he should have sympathized with Hyunjin—
they were both trapped in situations they didn’t want.

But he wasn’t thinking straight.

“…Just don’t tell hyung.
Please.”

“Ha.
And you think all you need is my silence?
What were you even thinking, you disgusting—”

“Ugh….”

Hyunjin bit his lip hard at the insult.

“You don’t even like hyung.
If you tell him you want to break up—”

“You think I haven’t said no before?
He’s not someone who listens to that.”

“…Don’t speak badly about hyung.”

“Why?
Hurts to hear someone insult the brother you’re so desperately in love with?”

With a mocking smile,
Seunghyuk stepped closer.

Hyunjin glared at him, furious.

“Still, Hyunwoo hyung’s better than you.
At least I chased after an alpha—
not a blood-related sibling.”

“Stop… stop it!”

Hyunjin shook his head, shouting.

He looked wrecked—
attacked by the person he least wanted to hear it from.

Seunghyuk scowled, deeply uncomfortable,
and turned away.

“For the record,
it’s not that I don’t want to break off the engagement.
I just can’t.”

“…….”

“So go beg the hyung you’re in love with.”

With a contemptuous look,
Seunghyuk turned to leave.

Hyunjin grabbed his arm desperately,
but Seunghyuk slapped the hand away coldly.

“God, you’re exhausting.
Don’t ever contact me again.”

“Wait—”

“……!”

He stepped out of the terrace—
and someone was standing right in front of him.

“…Hyunwoo hyung?”

“…….”

Hyunwoo looked at him with a blank expression.

Nothing.
No anger, no sadness… nothing.

Did he hear us?
If he did—how much?

Seunghyuk’s heart hammered like a guilty criminal caught in the act.

“If you’re done talking, let’s go.”

“O-okay.”

Dazed, Seunghyuk took the hand Hyunwoo extended.

As they walked away,
he glanced back.

Hyunjin looked like a puppy left out in the rain,
staring at the two of them.

“…….”

Turning away,
Seunghyuk followed Hyunwoo back into the hall.

After the engagement party,
Seunghyuk began feeling strange whenever he looked at Hyunwoo.

He thought it was disgust—
the aftertaste of learning Hyunjin’s “truth.”

But it wasn’t quite that.

The sensation was different.

Still, he forced it down.

Joo Hyunwoo was the man he hated.

He couldn’t forget that.
He shouldn’t forget that.

He repeated that to himself countless times.

November 1st.

At last, he married Hyunwoo and moved in with him.

When he first stepped into the newlywed home,
he felt surprisingly… nothing.

The furniture and interior were clearly his taste,
yet he felt indifferent.

What bothered him more
was how on edge he became whenever Hyunwoo came near.

It felt uncomfortable,
so he ended up snapping more than he intended.

“…Alright.
Got it.”

“…….”

And every time he spoke harshly,
Hyunwoo looked hurt.

That expression—
oddly—
didn’t feel bad.

Back then, resentment overshadowed everything else.

He vented his anger little by little,
and each time,
it felt like some pressure was releasing.

By the time he realized how twisted everything had become,
he’d already accumulated plenty of “karma.”

Then came the day Hyunwoo broke routine.

He always returned home on time—
until the night he got promoted to director.

He said he was having a drink with his secretary, Junghoon.

Seunghyuk pretended not to care,
but he listened carefully.

And then, playing indifferent again,
he waited for Hyunwoo to come home.

But Hyunwoo was late.

Very late.

Too late.

It was nearly midnight.

Seunghyuk, sitting in the living room, frowned.

This is too late, even for a celebration…

He had seen Junghoon—the secretary—once.

A big, intimidating man.

Seunghyuk had privately felt relieved.

Someone like that wasn’t Hyunwoo’s type at all,
so even if they drank together,
nothing would happen.

Still, he felt anxious.

He stood up and began pacing the room.

Beep, beep… beep beep, beep.

“……!”

The sound of someone inputting the door lock code.

His head snapped toward the entrance.

“Ugh….”

“…….”

Having forgotten to go back to his room,
Seunghyuk froze where he stood.

And then—

Hyunwoo entered the living room,
and their eyes met.

Hyunwoo blinked slowly.

“…You shouldn’t be here….”

He mumbled, voice small.

Even from afar, the smell of alcohol was strong.

How much did he drink?

Seunghyuk frowned before he could stop himself.

Hyunwoo let out a small laugh.

“You’re annoyed even in my dreams….”

“…Hyung.”

Seunghyuk approached to support him—
Hyunwoo was clearly not thinking straight.

But as soon as he got close,
Hyunwoo suddenly reached out.

“……!”

Seunghyuk’s eyes widened as Hyunwoo collapsed forward—
straight into his arms.