Chapter 18: Wednesday’s Invitation.

“Yesterday, Grandfather gathered the older brothers and gave them an earful, so everyone stayed in the main house until late.”

“They’d already broken up by the time you came in, though. He asked me if I knew anything.”

“So what did you tell him, noona?”

“I told him you need to actually know something to answer questions like that. I said he should stop worrying about pointless things and just go to sleep.”

Apparently satisfied with how that moment had gone, a smile quickly spread across the woman’s face.

Shin Joowon let out a quiet chuckle, mirroring his sister Shin Joohee, who looked the most like him among all his siblings and was exactly ten years older.

Unlike his two older brothers, who had envied and harassed him for monopolizing Chairman Shin’s affection and excessive trust, Shin Joohee had always been a good sister who took attentive care of him.

The age gap and her years studying abroad meant they hadn’t had much time to grow close, but considering that, they shared a fairly strong bond.

Shin Joohee could have easily resented and tormented Shin Joowon too.

Chairman Shin, the most influential figure in the family, adored blood relatives to an extreme degree while still distributing rewards strictly according to ability and performance.

Naturally, she had to struggle fiercely just to survive, and she could have envied Shin Joowon—who received overwhelming affection without doing much—dozens of times over.

But Shin Joohee cherished her only younger brother, especially one ten years her junior.

After earning Chairman Shin’s recognition for her abilities and climbing to a fairly high position through her own efforts, she even supported Shin Joowon both materially and emotionally.

“I really don’t understand why they live so pathetically at their age. They should put that time into working harder.”

Muttering disdainfully, Shin Joohee shook her head.

Though he didn’t show it, Shin Joowon agreed with her to some extent.

Someone who had never once lost the top rank in school, swept every award in competitions and contests, and later impressed Chairman Shin with solid business ideas was bound to be an eyesore to his brothers.

Driven by insecurity and inferiority, they had harassed Shin Joowon relentlessly.

As a child, deliberately tripping him was routine, and they had even tried to frame him as a delinquent at school through baseless accusations.

They had once gone as far as leaking malicious rumors to reporters.

Of course, since Shin Joowon had done none of those things, the ones punished by Chairman Shin were the two brothers instead.

“Anyway, be careful. You never know when they’ll try something again.”

“Yes, yes.”

Shin Joohee shot him a look at his halfhearted response before leaving the kitchen.

After taking another sip of the ice-cold coffee that numbed his insides, Shin Joowon leaned against the island counter just as she had.

“…….”

So they’re planning to make a move again….Shin Joowon sipped his coffee, lost in thought.

Even during his year of traveling abroad, his brothers had contacted him regularly under the excuse of checking in, all while obsessively watching and guarding him.

At least back then, being outside Korea meant they couldn’t openly interfere, but now that he had returned and started attending school, they might act in earnest again.

Chairman Shin was quite curious about Shin Joowon’s campus life, and his brothers would stop at nothing to gain his favor.

Still, it was all within his control, so nothing serious should happen—

“…….”

No. There was Jin Yooha.

He imagined a situation where his brothers learned he’d grown close to some junior who had appeared out of nowhere.

There was a strong chance they’d start digging into Jin Yooha’s background before Shin Joowon even did.

Even if Chairman Shin learned about Yooha, explaining that he was just a junior he’d helped out of pity due to financial hardship would likely avoid major issues.

Jin Yooha… yes, Jin Yooha.
The Jin Yooha who had delayed his return home last night.

The Jin Yooha who had landed a clean hit on him, then pretended to know nothing with an innocent face.

If there was a problem, it was that Shin Joowon wanted to torment him a little more.

“Damn….”

Thinking of that peacefully sleeping face made his stomach churn again after he’d barely settled it with coffee.

He drained the rest of the cup in one go, took several deep breaths, and only then managed to leave the kitchen.

Returning straight to his room, Shin Joowon flopped onto the bed without ceremony.

He planned to laze around like this until lunchtime around noon.
But his rest didn’t last long, as the phone on the nightstand vibrated several times.

Shin Joowon lightly propped himself up and checked his phone.
Below the large time displayed on the lock screen, message notifications were stacked.

[Jin Yooha: Hello, sunbae, this is Jin Yooha]

[Jin Yooha: I’m really sorry about yesterday]

[Jin Yooha: Thank you for taking me home]

The moment he saw the name “Jin Yooha,” Shin Joowon’s lips curved crookedly upward.

Staring at the plain text messages, he imagined what expression Yooha might have had while sending them.

Was he timid and awkward, nervously watching for a reaction like he did in person?
Or was his ugly true nature peeking through beneath that innocent exterior?

Instead of replying immediately, Shin Joowon simply stared at the screen.
He had a feeling Jin Yooha would make another move.

[Jin Yooha: I’m so grateful that I’d like to at least treat you to a meal]

[Jin Yooha: Would you be free after Strategy Theory on Wednesday?]

[Jin Yooha: If not, I can adjust to a time that works for you]

The messages that arrived in succession a few minutes later were exactly what Shin Joowon expected.

Coffee, then a meal—how unsophisticated.
Suppressing his scoff, he recalled his Wednesday schedule.

Playing along with Jin Yooha’s scheme wouldn’t be difficult. If it brought him one step closer to seeing Yooha’s true colors, he was more than willing.

[Are you feeling okay? Any hangover?]

Before anything else, Shin Joowon checked on him while wearing the mask of a perfectly kind and considerate senior.

The read receipt vanished the instant he sent it, and the image of Yooha anxiously watching the chat made a smile bordering on mockery slip out.

[Jin Yooha: No, I’m fine thanks to you]

[Jin Yooha: My stomach doesn’t hurt and I slept well]

So the cheap wallet wasn’t just a concept… Sending stiff messages without even a single emoticon—was that really his thing?

Thinking blandly, Shin Joowon replied. Warm words that didn’t match his cold, expressionless face appeared on the screen.

[That’s a relief^^ I was worried]

[Wednesday works]

[I have a 2 p.m. class after Strategy Theory, so I’ve got time]

Once again, the read receipt disappeared immediately.

[Jin Yooha: Then I’ll treat you to lunch that day]

Yooha’s reply came so quickly Shin Joowon wondered if he’d even finished reading.
What exactly was Jin Yooha—who trembled over paying for two five-thousand-won drinks—planning to buy him?

Amused, Shin Joowon replied with a lifted smile.

[Sure^^ See you Wednesday]

[Enjoy your weekend]

[Jin Yooha: Yes, thank you]

After scanning the stiff message one last time, Shin Joowon tapped Yooha’s profile.
It was still completely blank—no photo, no status message—as if he were deliberately hiding himself, which only deepened the sense of unease.

‘Fine. Let’s see how long you can keep that up.’

Turning off the screen, Shin Joowon lay back down on the bed.

What would normally feel like a sweet weekend break felt strangely unsatisfying today.

All he could think was how much he wanted the weekend to end already.

He found himself wishing for Wednesday—the day he’d see Jin Yooha—to come as soon as possible.

****

It was the day Yooha had a lecture with Shin Joowon.

Unable to tell whether his trembling heart was from anxiety or anticipation, Yooha tossed and turned all night and woke up before his alarm.

He finished getting ready for school early, but the fatigue lingered, weighing heavily on his body.

Arriving on campus earlier than usual, Yooha headed straight to the lecture hall.

Given the early hour, the medium-sized classroom was still empty.

Without bothering to look around, Yooha immediately took his seat.

He usually sat on the left side, somewhere in the middle rather than too far front or back, and today was no different.

As soon as he sat down, Yooha did something he normally wouldn’t—he took out his phone.

Today was the day he planned to buy Shin Joowon a meal, so he wanted to look up potential places in advance.

Since he rarely ate outside campus, the only nearby places he knew were a pasta restaurant he’d visited once and a cheap gimbap shop.

“Haah….”

Even after searching hard for good restaurants near Korea University, Yooha couldn’t narrow anything down since he didn’t know what Shin Joowon liked.

Maybe it would be better to just ask him….

After putting his phone down and rubbing his eyes, Yooha realized the classroom had grown quite noisy.

Watching students chatting in small groups and greeting each other warmly, Yooha felt a faint, very faint sense of envy.

Just as he was about to pick up his phone again—

“Hi, Yooha.”

Shin Joowon greeted him casually, lightly tapping the corner of Yooha’s desk.
When Yooha looked up and recognized him, his eyes widened with surprise and delight.

“Hello, sunbae….”

“Yeah, hi.”

After quickly straightening himself and bowing slightly, Yooha received Shin Joowon’s greeting, complete with smiling eyes.

Still wearing his backpack as if he’d just entered, Shin Joowon sat down beside Yooha without hesitation.

As Yooha stared at him, still visibly startled, Shin Joowon tilted his head slightly.