Chapter 47: I Will Protect You

“Hyung, look at me.”

“Hyun-jin….”

“I don’t blame you, hyung.
I really don’t.”

“……?”

Hyun-jin spoke in a calm tone.

Hearing something he had never expected, Hyun-woo looked at him in confusion.

Hyun-jin reached out and took Hyun-woo’s hand.

With a gentle smile, he continued.

“Why would I blame you?
It was Lee Seung-hyuk who did wrong.
Right?”

“Uh… yeah, that’s right.”

“You hated how he acted, didn’t you?”

“…….”

Those were words Hyun-woo himself had once said, yet hearing them now made him feel strangely unsettled.

Still, before Hyun-jin could notice something was off, Hyun-woo quickly nodded.

A satisfied expression spread across Hyun-jin’s face.

“I trust you, hyung.”

“That….”

“So I’ll protect you.”

“…….”

Why did those words feel so unsettling?

Hyun-woo thought the look in Hyun-jin’s eyes was oddly bright—almost eerie.

Just then, Hyun-jin’s pheromones suddenly flared.

His emotions must have been stirred.

The scent of an omega’s pheromones should have felt sweet, but for some reason, it felt sickening.

Hyun-woo covered his mouth without thinking.

“Ugh….”

“Hyung!”

“I’m fine….”

“Your body still isn’t well.”

Hyun-jin looked at him in worry, then got up.

He turned toward the door.

“I’ll bring some porridge so you can eat in bed!”

“…Yeah, thanks.”

As soon as Hyun-jin left the room, Hyun-woo finally felt like he could breathe again.

He must really be unwell if he couldn’t even tolerate an omega’s pheromones properly.

To think he had become this weak.

Hyun-woo let out a deep sigh.

If Chairman Joo Moon-hyuk saw him like this, he wouldn’t even have the strength to talk back.

When I get back from the hospital, I’ll rest all weekend.

Hyun-woo promised himself.

No matter what happened, he would do nothing and just lie around at home.

But that resolve was nothing more than a luxury.

“I’m going to the hospital with you!”

“What?”

“…….”

After barely eating breakfast and washing up, Hyun-woo prepared to head to the hospital.

When he said he needed to go, both Seung-hyuk and Hyun-jin clung to him like barnacles, insisting they would go too.

Seung-hyuk even grabbed the car key first and was already blocking the front door like a guard.

Hyun-woo rubbed his aching forehead.

“No, I can go alone.”

“But you need a guardian—”

“Since when are you two my guardians?”

“…….”

If anything, it was the opposite.

Hyun-jin shut his mouth at that sharp retort.

“At least you need someone to drive.”

“It’s fine. I can drive again now.”

“…….”

After silencing Seung-hyuk too, Hyun-woo shrugged.

“I’ll be right back.
So both of you stay here and behave.”

“…….”

“…….”

He reached out and ruffled both of their heads.

They frowned as if unhappy, but neither avoided his touch.

Hyun-woo chuckled.

“But hyung, you’re still not feeling well….”

“He’s right.
It’s dangerous to go alone.”

“I’m not that weak.”

What did they think he was, someone who just collapses on the street?

He snapped back, offended—but they still looked dissatisfied.

But Hyun-woo could not compromise.

He had already disrupted their relationship enough.

He couldn’t ruin their weekend too.

This time, he needed to give them space together.

With firm resolve, he spoke again.

“Got it?
Spend today together.
Have a good time.”

“Hyung….”

“See you later!”

Before they could cling again, Hyun-woo hurried out and headed toward the parking lot.

Since things had come to this, he wouldn’t go home all day.

After the hospital, he’d take a quiet walk somewhere nice, read at a café—refresh his mood.

Humming, he reached for his car key.

“……?”

No matter how much he searched his pockets, the key wasn’t there.

Right.

Seung-hyuk had taken it.

A chill ran down his spine.

Beep-beep!

“……!”

The car lights flicked on and the door unlocked.

Startled, Hyun-woo turned around.

“You two…!”

Seung-hyuk got into the driver’s seat with the key.

Hyun-jin casually sat in the back.

“What are you doing?
Get in.”

“…….”

So shameless.

Hyun-woo was speechless.

“Ha….”

Too exhausted to even be angry, he got in the car.

“At this rate, I’ll forget how to drive.”

“I’ll just drive for you.”

“…….”

“I—I can drive too, hyung!”

“…….”

That is not something to compete over.

Hyun-woo glanced at Hyun-jin’s bright, innocent expression through the mirror and shook his head.

“You brought the whole parade today, I see.”

“Haha….”

With his arm extended for examination, Hyun-woo laughed awkwardly.

Behind him, Seung-hyuk and Hyun-jin stood like two stone pillars.

Their presence alone made the room feel small.

“Let me see your arm first.”

The doctor removed the gauze with a serious expression.

The wound had healed well—he hadn’t needed bandages lately.

He hadn’t even bothered disinfecting at home.

“It healed nicely.
You don’t need gauze anymore.”

“Thank you.”

“You said you were too busy to visit on weekdays, so I worried—but it seems you took good care of it yourself.”

“Ah… haha.”

The doctor smiled warmly.

Hyun-woo avoided his eyes.

In truth, he never really disinfected it himself.

He always came home exhausted and passed out immediately.

The wound should have festered, considering his lifestyle.

But every morning when he woke, the bandage was clean and he could faintly smell disinfectant.

Someone had unwrapped it and re-bandaged it while he slept.

There were only two possible culprits.

They were watching from behind him, silently.

“You’re all set.
Just avoid getting it wet for a while.
And stay away from alcohol.”

“…….”

At the mention of alcohol, Hyun-woo felt two sharp gazes stab the back of his head.

Who knew a single drink out of frustration would haunt him this badly.

He prayed they wouldn’t tell the doctor.

“Thank you for your work this past month.
Hopefully we won’t need to see each other again.”

“Isn’t that a bit cold?”

“That’s how surgeons say goodbye.”

The doctor answered firmly.

Hyun-woo laughed, bowed, and left.

The two followed behind him, as always.

How was he supposed to deal with these two now?

As he wondered, Hyun-jin came close.

“Hyung!
Since you’re all healed, let’s go eat something delicious!”

“Something delicious?”

“Yeah!
My treat!”

“What?
What kind of older brother gets treated by his younger brother?”

Hyun-jin pouted.

“Hey, I have money too.”

“Sure, sure.”

“Really!
I got paid yesterday—”

“What?”

“Oh….”

He froze as soon as he realized he slipped.

Hyun-woo’s gaze sharpened.

“You’re still working at that café?”

“Uh, that’s….”

“I told you not to this semester because it’s dangerous, didn’t I?”

“It’s not… that dangerous.”

“You say that after being harassed by a stalker?”

“…….”

Hyun-jin shrank, head lowered.

Why did he keep doing what he was told not to?

Hyun-woo was about to continue scolding him—but suddenly stopped.

There was only one reason he would keep working.

Because Chairman Joo Moon-hyuk had cut off his allowance.

Hyun-woo asked carefully, voice tense.

“Did your father stop giving you money?”

“Hyung, that’s….”

“When did he stop?
How long has it been?”

“…….”

Hyun-jin’s silence was the answer.

Hyun-woo pictured the chairman’s arrogant face and scoffed.

He didn’t want to support a child that wasn’t his?

Yet he still wanted to use him?

Rage churned inside Hyun-woo.