Chapter 29: Alliance

Hyun-woo slowly closed his eyes and then opened them again.

In front of him stood a sea of people — so many that just looking at them made his head spin.

The land of dreams and fantasy? More like the land of madness.

Hyun-woo let out a deep sigh.

“Hyung, hyung! Let’s go in already, yeah?”

“…….”

Hyun-woo folded his arms and looked quietly at Hyun-jin, who was tugging on him excitedly.

His younger brother looked nothing but cheerful.

To think he had to spend his precious day off at an amusement park of all places.

He’d planned to enjoy a peaceful day at home with a cup of hand-brewed coffee.

His face twisted in displeasure, and seeing that, Hyun-jin tilted his head.

“Hyung, what’s wrong?”

“…It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

“Okay!”

Beaming, Hyun-jin led the way.

But Hyun-woo glanced at him uneasily — lately, his brother’s pheromones had felt strangely uncomfortable.

He’d never liked floral scents much, but Hyun-jin’s pheromone had always been fine — soft and subtle, especially since Hyun-jin, being a dominant type, could control his scent well.

So why was it bothering him now?

Was it aftereffect from the rut he’d gone through earlier?

He decided he’d better go to the hospital for a check-up soon.

“Hyung, careful.”

“Huh…?”

Just as the crowd pushed forward, Seung-hyuk grabbed his arm to steady him.

Hyun-woo turned in surprise — a familiar scent brushed past his nose.

It was Seung-hyuk’s pheromone.

Oddly enough, that scent calmed him.

Maybe because it was similar to his own.

Feeling his nausea ease, Hyun-woo nodded slightly.

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing.”

“…….”

Seung-hyuk replied flatly, still holding Hyun-woo’s arm as they continued walking.

Because of that, Hyun-woo ended up walking with Hyun-jin clinging to one side and Seung-hyuk on the other.

Why are we walking like this?

Even if he was caught between two people who had feelings for each other, this was too much.

Hyun-woo frowned and sighed.

I knew I shouldn’t have come.

But he hadn’t been able to say no to Hyun-jin’s pleading face.

His head throbbed.

“Hyung! Let’s ride that one!”

“…That one?”

Hyun-woo followed the direction of Hyun-jin’s pointing finger.

Up above, a massive ride swung violently through the air, packed with screaming people.

His face turned pale instantly.

Why would anyone pay to ride that death machine?

He just couldn’t understand it.

While he stared dumbly at the ride, speechless, Seung-hyuk said casually—

“Hyung can’t ride that.”

“What? Really?”

“Just look at him. Sensitive type — definitely the kind to throw up.”

“…….”

Thanks for pointing that out.

Hyun-woo shot him a glare.

Still, thanks to Seung-hyuk’s words, Hyun-jin gave up on the killer ride without fuss.

He looked around instead.

“Hmm, then what should we ride?”

“How about this one?”

“Oh, that sounds good.”

“…….”

From behind, Hyun-woo quietly watched the two of them lean close together over the guide map.

At least this way, they’d get closer.

He nodded in satisfaction.

“Oh, right. Let’s go there first, hyung.”

“Where?”

Hyun-jin pointed toward a souvenir shop.

Amusement parks were full of them, and the most eye-catching items were, of course, the headbands — cat ears, bunny ears, all kinds of bright, fluffy designs.

“Uh, I don’t—”

“Hyung, this one will look so good on you!”

“Wait—”

Before he knew it, Hyun-woo was dragged into the shop and had a headband shoved onto his head.

When he looked in the mirror, he saw a pair of black cat ears perched there.

“…….”

“How is it? Looks good, right?”

Hyun-jin grinned proudly.

Hyun-woo just stared at him for a moment — then reached out.

“Then you wear this.”

“Ah!”

He placed a headband with two tiny foxes — soft brown fur and all — on Hyun-jin’s head.

It suited him perfectly.

“Really? It looks good on me?”

“Yeah.”

Unlike Hyun-woo, who looked mortified, Hyun-jin beamed happily.

So much for revenge.

Hyun-woo ended up chuckling despite himself.

‘…Ah, right.’

Then he remembered why they were even here.

It wasn’t just for fun — it was to help his brother and Seung-hyuk get closer.

He glanced at Seung-hyuk, who was silently standing nearby.

“Pick one for him too.”

“…Me?”

“Yeah.”

Hyun-jin looked reluctant, but under Hyun-woo’s urging, he finally picked one out.

“Wanna wear this?”

“…….”

It was a brown puppy-ear headband.

He seemed to choose at random, but it actually suited Seung-hyuk well.

Seung-hyuk just stared at it silently before turning his gaze to Hyun-woo.

“What? You’re not gonna wear it? Don’t tell me you’re backing out.”

“…Fine.”

With a reluctant sigh, Seung-hyuk put it on.

The floppy ears bounced as he moved, making Hyun-woo snort.

“Pfft.”

“Don’t laugh.”

Unable to help himself, Hyun-woo burst into laughter.

Seung-hyuk frowned and glared at him.

“Hyung, let’s take a picture!”

“A picture?”

“Yeah!”

Once they paid and stepped outside, Hyun-jin took out his phone.

All around them, people were taking selfies with matching headbands.

Hyun-woo’s face instantly soured.

To think this humiliation would be captured on camera.

If anyone at the company saw it, the office gossip board would explode.

He sighed heavily.

“You two take it.”

“Aww, come on. Just one together, please?”

“Haa….”

He sighed again — long and deep — and eventually gave in.

Standing beside Hyun-jin, he muttered under his breath.

“Hey, you too.”

“…Okay.”

Dragging the equally reluctant Seung-hyuk over, they posed for the photo.

For some reason, Hyun-woo ended up in the center.

All he wanted was to finish quickly.

“Hehe.”

“Happy now?”

“Yup!”

Hyun-woo had no idea that Hyun-jin planned to crop out Seung-hyuk and use the photo as his profile picture.

He just smiled faintly, glad to see his brother happy.

“I’ll go buy some drinks. You two wait here.”

“Huh? I’ll come with you—”

“It’s hot. Just stay here.”

“Hyung….”

Hyun-woo quickly disappeared.

Buying drinks was just an excuse — he wanted to give the two of them some alone time.

Maybe he’d stop by the restroom too, just to take longer.

Grinning, he walked away.

“…….”

Hyun-jin silently watched Hyun-woo’s back as he walked off, then slowly turned to Seung-hyuk.

“Lee Seung-hyuk.”

“…What?”

He was still staring in the same direction, expression stiff.

“Let’s talk for a bit.”

“…….”

Seung-hyuk nodded slightly.

They sat down together on a nearby bench.

“You’ve noticed, right?”

“…….”

“That Hyun-woo hyung is trying to set us up.”

At those words, Seung-hyuk’s face hardened.

He didn’t deny it, though — he’d already sensed it himself.

“I don’t know why he’s doing it, but he probably wants us to date.”

“…Seems that way.”

“What?”

“Nothing.”

“……?”

Hyun-jin didn’t know, but Seung-hyuk did.

He understood exactly why Hyun-woo was acting that way.

But there was no reason to tell him.

“Go on.”

“Well… what I wanted to say is…”

Hyun-jin hesitated, then lowered his voice.

“Just like how Hyun-woo hyung doesn’t see me as a romantic interest, you don’t like me either, right? Given how he’s pushing us together.”

“…….”

“But maybe we can use that.”

“Use it?”

“Yeah.”

Hyun-jin nodded firmly.

Seung-hyuk looked at him quietly.

There was a new light in Hyun-jin’s eyes — one that hadn’t been there before.

Hope.

For a moment, Seung-hyuk remembered another time — Hyun-jin’s tear-streaked face shouting in agony.

‘It’s all your fault! Because of you, hyung died!’

They had both been wrecks back then.

Thinking of that, Seung-hyuk finally spoke.

“Alright. Let’s do it your way.”

“Good. Then we’ll talk details over text.”

No need to face each other too often, after all.

Hyun-jin smiled faintly.

Understanding the unspoken part, Seung-hyuk smirked back.

He was the same.

And so, a strange alliance was formed.