Chapter 4: The Weight of Repetition

A sudden sense of déjà vu washed over him.

Hyunwoo had heard almost the same words from Seunghyuk before his regression.

Of course, the situation back then had been completely the opposite.

“Choose.

Either cancel that damn wedding — or every disgusting thing you did to me goes public.”

Seunghyuk had said that, furious about being forced into marriage.

Naturally, the Hyunwoo of that time hadn’t even bothered to listen to such threats.

Even though Seunghyuk had been that angry, he’d still had no choice but to accept the marriage under pressure.

Recalling that memory, Hyunwoo swallowed dryly.

The situation was different now, yet Seunghyuk’s reaction felt eerily similar.

Was this some kind of butterfly effect?

After a moment of silence, Hyunwoo finally spoke again.

“…Let’s not make this hard.

You know that kind of threat doesn’t work on me.”

“Oh, I know.

But I still can’t accept it.”

“Ha…”

Hyunwoo knew all too well how stubborn Seunghyuk could be.

He could simply ignore him and pretend the proposal never happened, like before the regression — but he didn’t want to solve things by hurting him anymore.

Besides, he could feel Hyunjin glancing over at them from time to time.

Feeling uneasy, Hyunwoo asked,

“Alright, then what do you want me to do?”

“The part about you having a lover — that was a lie, wasn’t it?”

“What?”

“…As if I wouldn’t know if someone was hitting on you.”

“……?”

Seunghyuk muttered something under his breath, but Hyunwoo couldn’t quite hear it.

When he leaned forward to listen, Seunghyuk frowned and pulled back sharply.

Realizing his mistake, Hyunwoo straightened up immediately.

That was close.

Seunghyuk hated even the slightest physical contact with him.

Hyunwoo sighed out of habit and replied with a bitter smile.

“It wasn’t a lie.”

“…How am I supposed to believe that?”

“……”

So this is what it feels like to have no trust left at all.

Hyunwoo was speechless.

Even when he said he had someone else and wanted to let go, Seunghyuk didn’t believe him — his past sins had been too heavy.

Was this karma?

Hyunwoo pressed his fingertips against his throbbing forehead.

“Then… I’ll prove it to you later.”

“Prove it?”

“Yeah.

You’ll feel better once you see it yourself.”

“……”

Of course, there was no omega lover — but he’d have to find one soon.

At this point in the story, Hyunwoo had been completely devoted to Seunghyuk, so there weren’t many people around him.

Still, if he really tried, finding someone to act as a temporary lover wouldn’t be too hard.

“Fine.

I’ll look forward to it.”

Leaving those words behind, Seunghyuk exited the café.

There was something uneasy about the crooked smile on his face, but Hyunwoo forced himself not to worry.

If all went according to plan, he’d soon be able to cleanly settle things with Seunghyuk.

“Hey, hyung… are you okay?”

“Ah.”

Before he knew it, Hyunjin had approached, looking at him with concern.

Turning his head, Hyunwoo let out a quiet groan.

“I’m fine.

It’s nothing.”

“…Really?”

“Yeah.”

“……”

Hyunjin’s expression noticeably fell at the curt reply.

Hyunwoo watched him for a moment, then let out a small laugh and asked,

“When do you get off work?”

“Huh? Oh, it’s almost closing time!”

“Then finish up.

I’ll drive you home.”

“O-okay! Got it!”

Hyunjin’s face instantly brightened, and he nodded enthusiastically before dashing toward the counter.

The way his tail — or rather, his body — moved reminded Hyunwoo of a puppy wagging its tail for its owner.

Hyunwoo watched him quietly.

It was only natural that the story’s protagonist, Hyunjin, would seem lovable.

In this world, it wasn’t just the love interests who adored him — even the supporting characters were drawn to him.

Hyunwoo was no exception.

Sure, there were a few characters who envied or resented Hyunjin, but they were rare.

And Hyunwoo had long since made sure that any troublemakers who might hurt him were quietly removed from the picture.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

“Hyung! I’m done!”

“…Already?”

“Yep!”

He knew Hyunjin’s café closed earlier than most, but this seemed even faster than usual.

Suspicious, Hyunwoo gave him a look but eventually gave up and left the café with him.

Since the café was close to the office, it didn’t take long to get to the car.

Hyunwoo entered Hyunjin’s home address into the navigation system.

“Hey, hyung…”

“Yeah?”

“Are you… going to marry Lee Seunghyuk?”

“……!”

Startled, Hyunwoo froze and turned toward Hyunjin.

The boy in the passenger seat looked gloomy, his face shadowed like wet earth.

The dim light of the underground parking lot cast soft shades across his pale skin.

So it’s finally come.

Hyunwoo swallowed hard and gripped the steering wheel tightly.

“Hyunjin, that’s…”

“Sorry for eavesdropping.

It was quiet in the café, so I… heard a little.”

“……”

Even now, Hyunjin looked apologetic — like he was the one who’d done something wrong.

When really, if anyone should be angry for having their lover stolen, it was him.

He was just too kind for his own good.

Hyunjin had been like that even before the regression.

Even as he looked at Hyunwoo with sad eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to ask for Seunghyuk back.

Feeling guilty, Hyunwoo sighed softly.

“…Don’t worry.

I’m not going to marry Seunghyuk.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

When he said that, Hyunwoo glanced over — and Hyunjin’s face already looked much brighter.

Hyunwoo reached over and gently ruffled his hair.

“Were you worried I’d actually marry him?”

“Y-yeah.

A little.”

Hyunjin’s face turned faintly red.

Avoiding his gaze, he mumbled,

“I… I’d rather you didn’t get married at all, hyung.”

“Haha, but I have to someday.”

“I guess…”

Hyunjin’s smile turned small and bitter.

Hyunwoo patted his head again, a little firmer this time.

In truth, Hyunjin wasn’t Joo Hyunwoo’s real brother.

People called them half-brothers, but they didn’t share a single drop of blood.

Joo Hyunwoo was the son of Chairman Joo Moonhyuk’s late first wife, while Hyunjin was the child of his second wife — conceived with another man.

The second wife had been pregnant with Hyunjin when she married the chairman, and he had known about it.

It was a political marriage anyway, and both had agreed to keep the secret forever.

So Hyunwoo and Hyunjin had grown up believing they were half-brothers.

Back then, they hadn’t been on bad terms.

As time passed, Hyunjin became interested in things unrelated to business, and for some reason, his mother Nayeon never pushed him to compete with his older brother.

Hyunwoo had just found it odd.

Then, around age sixteen, during puberty, Hyunwoo learned that he and Hyunjin weren’t related by blood at all.

Hyunjin, too, found out the truth a little later.

“Hyung…”

“Don’t touch me!”

“……!”

From that moment, their relationship deteriorated rapidly.

In that cold, loveless household, Hyunwoo had been shocked to learn that the one person who seemed to care for him — his little brother — was actually a stranger.

He’d been at a sensitive age, but still, taking out his frustration on a younger boy had been wrong.

After possessing this body, Hyunwoo had made it a priority to fix his relationship with Hyunjin.

Whatever the real Hyunwoo had felt — the shock, the betrayal — none of that was his burden.

Though his growing affection for Seunghyuk had later strained things a little, it had never gotten as bad as in the original novel.

“You should marry someone you love someday too.”

“M-me?”

“Yeah.”

“I… don’t think so.”

Hyunjin shook his head.

Hyunwoo looked at him, worried.

Was he already giving up because of what he’d seen between me and Seunghyuk?

Come to think of it, even before the regression, Hyunjin had started drifting apart from Seunghyuk around this time.

Not this time.

I won’t let that happen again.

Hyunwoo clenched his fist.

Before Hyunjin could push Seunghyuk away and get entangled with some random side character, he needed to steer the story back on track.

Hyunjin, this time… I’ll make sure you’re happy.

Resolving himself once more, Hyunwoo lowered his hand and patted Hyunjin’s shoulder.

Hyunjin looked up at him, startled.

“Come to think of it, when you were little, you used to throw tantrums saying you wanted to marry me.”

“T-that was ages ago!”

“Hmm, was it really that long ago?

Let’s see, the last time you said that was…”

“D-don’t, hyung!”

Flustered, Hyunjin’s neck turned red as he shouted.

Hyunwoo laughed and dropped his hand.

“Haha, alright, alright.

I won’t mention it to the person you actually end up marrying.”

“Hyung, seriously…!”

“I said okay.”

Watching Hyunjin get all worked up made Hyunwoo laugh even harder.

Then he started the car and drove off smoothly.

The car exited the underground parking lot.

Hyunjin turned to the window, still sulking, staring outside.

You don’t even know how I feel.

Unaware of that, Hyunwoo just hummed cheerfully beside him.

Once again, Hyunjin held in feelings he couldn’t tell anyone and let out a long, quiet sigh.