Chapter 58: Things Left Unsaid

“We’ve arrived at our destination.”

The navigation system announced our arrival at the address I’d entered.

We hadn’t spoken a single word in the car the entire way here.

Partly because I didn’t want to hide how angry I was, and partly because I was too embarrassed to speak.

I’ve got years of driving experience, damn it.

If you count my past life, I’d been behind the wheel for well over ten years.

Not a single accident—an exemplary driver.

And yet now, I was someone who couldn’t even drive a car because I’d forgotten to get a license.

After climbing into the driver’s seat all full of confidence, only to swap places with Jaeyul at the wheel… the embarrassment was unreal.

My face nearly burned up.

Even now, my T-shirt still felt damp with sweat brought on by humiliation.

“All that anger just to come to a mart?”

“Be quiet.

You’re going to get properly scolded later.

Follow me.”

I put Poppy into the shopping basket I’d brought along and got out of the car first.

Coming to the mart really was the plan.

Honestly, I’d wanted to come alone and shop in peace, but I couldn’t leave the house, so I’d waited until Jaeyul came back.

He didn’t… actually lock me in on purpose, did he…?

…No. That’s ridiculous. I’m overthinking it.

“Is there anything you need?

You could’ve told me—I would’ve bought it when I came in.”

“It’d be easier to list what you don’t need.

And—my phone was missing, you know?”

“Oh, that….”

That was another strange thing.

I definitely had my phone when I left the Special Ability Center after the interrogation, but at some point it had vanished.

On top of that, there wasn’t even an internet connection in the house—no TV signal either.

So Poppy and I had just been sitting there blankly, staring at each other.

“Here.

You dropped it in the car earlier, so I picked it up.”

Suspicious. Very suspicious.

He said it with a perfectly straight face, so it didn’t seem like a lie—but I couldn’t quite believe I’d dropped my phone in the car.

It felt more like he’d taken it when he hugged me in that alley by the Center… but I had no proof.

Looking at that innocent face, I started wondering if I was just being paranoid.

“So, what are we buying?”

Jaeyul placed my phone into my hand, then hurried off to grab a cart.

He set Poppy inside after making sure only his head stuck out so he wouldn’t feel cramped.

Maybe he was excited about going out together—Jaeyul’s face held a constant smile.

I was supposed to keep acting mad, but Poppy kept looking up at me so cutely that I ended up kissing him without realizing it.

Looks like he’d gotten even more affectionate while we were apart.

So cute it hurts, honestly.

“…Grr….”

Suddenly, Poppy froze, stared at something, then ducked his head back into the basket as if startled.

I looked around, but there was nothing unusual…?

What a mysterious creature.

“Sun Jaeyul.

You seriously deserve a huge scolding from your hyung.

How do you go without cooking even once at home?

What’s the point of having a nice house if you don’t use it?

If you’re not going to live in it properly, why live somewhere so expensive?”

I started unloading all the scolding I’d been holding in while sweeping ingredients into the cart from the food section.

First, vegetables for basic cooking—one by one.

Then salad greens, spinach, asparagus—things good for breakfast.

Ah, and eggs too. Can’t forget those.

“…You saw?”

“Of course I did.

If you don’t eat properly when you’re young, your body’s going to suffer when you’re older.

And you—what’s with all that alcohol at home?

Don’t tell me you’ve been living on nothing but booze on an empty stomach?”

I picked up several kinds of kimchi for immediate meals, meat for jangjorim that Jaeyul likes…

Looks like I’d need to buy every seasoning too.

At this rate, it’d be faster to buy the whole mart.

I was tossing different seasonings into the cart—since there were literally none at home—when Jaeyul, who’d been silently pushing the cart and listening, finally spoke.

“That’s not mine.”

“What do you mean it’s not yours?

It’s in your house, so if it’s not yours—”

“You said you liked drinking.

So every time I thought of you, I bought one bottle at a time.

Turns out… that was our last conversation.”

“…….”

“I don’t know what kind you like, so I just picked ones that looked nice.

They were all for you.”

My noisy mouth shut instantly.

Now that I thought about it, it was strange.

Despite all the alcohol in the house, there wasn’t a single empty bottle anywhere.

And the variety was so wide that you couldn’t even guess a preference.

All of it… was for me.

“Should we get this soy sauce, hyung?”

“Huh?

Ah… yeah….”

The only things in that empty house—all of them meant for me.

Had Jaeyul really lived the past four years believing he’d see me again someday?

Truthfully, part of why I’d lashed out at him like this was guilt.

Because the way he’d been living—that mess—it was basically my fault.

If I hadn’t abandoned him back then.

If I hadn’t left.

He wouldn’t have lived like that.

Thinking about Jaeyul filling the house with alcohol while thinking of me made my heart feel… even heavier.

“I don’t even know how long it’s been since I last ate food you cooked, hyung.”

“Eat a lot.

I made jangjorim and a few side dishes too—don’t skip meals.”

It took a long time, but I finally finished cooking.

I’d smacked Jaeyul on the back and forced him to do laundry with the new detergent we bought, while I handled the food.

When I told him to do housework, do you know what he said?

‘Why bother? I just send laundry to the cleaners, and someone comes to clean once a week anyway.’

I couldn’t not hit him.

How much money does he think he even makes, wasting it on things like that?

I’ve earned the same salary—I know it’s not small.

But there’s no reason to throw money away on things you don’t need.

Well… when work’s exhausting, it is natural to not want to clean or do laundry.

I get that.

While Jaeyul cleaned and did laundry, I lined up ingredients across the kitchen and cooked everything in one go.

Even though I hurried, it was late by the time dinner was finally ready.

“It’s nice having food smells in the house, hyung.

And hearing a person’s voice too.”

My chest tightened.

Something must really be wrong with me.

At Jaeyul’s words, something surged up deep inside again.

I couldn’t help picturing him sitting alone in this house.

Jaeyul—and Poppy—just blankly sitting in the living room with no TV signal.

…Because I wasn’t there.

I shook my head hard, trying to chase away the spiraling thoughts, and spoke in a lighter tone.

“By the way, Jaeyul—

You didn’t actually blow up my shop, right?”

Back when I got arrested in Gangwon, he’d said something like that.

That he’d destroy everything because it annoyed him.

If he was hiding our connection on purpose, he wouldn’t go blowing things up behind the scenes… right?

“…….”

“…You didn’t, right?”

…Why aren’t you answering?

“Not just that.

I took care of your place in Gangwon too.”

“W-What?

How did you even know about that place?”

Jaeyul set his chopsticks down and looked straight at me.

“You don’t have to do that kind of work anymore.

I can take care of you.

So don’t run some guiding office or anything like that.”

This was another unfamiliar side of Jaeyul.

Not the kid who’d been joking around while doing chores—

But a stranger, sitting across from me.

I understood exactly what he meant.

But… I couldn’t accept it.

Even if we were laughing together now like nothing had happened, that didn’t erase the past.

“Jaeyul.

You’re grown up now, so I’m saying this—

We should live our own lives.”

I wasn’t angry.

I really wasn’t.

I just wanted to make him face reality.

“Our own lives…?”

“Bluntly speaking… we’re not real brothers.

That doesn’t mean you’re not important to me.

But shouldn’t we live where we belong, in our own places?

You’re not a kid who needs my care anymore.

And this house is your achievement.

I don’t intend to live off you.”

More accurately… my role was over.

I’d taken Jaeyul in because I felt sorry for a child who had no one.

Then I stayed to watch over him until he awakened his abilities and could stand on his own.

Now that he no longer needed that care, my role was finished.

Jaeyul could walk the path he chose.

And I could finally enjoy the freedom I never had in my past life.

I was capable enough to protect myself—there was no need to burden him by staying close.

I didn’t know exactly how strong Jaeyul had become, but four years was more than enough time to learn how to control his power.

Honestly, I’d thought he might’ve gone down a much darker path.

That he’d grown to hate the world that abandoned him—and hate me for abandoning him too.

But the Jaeyul I reunited with was living a surprisingly normal life.

Well… there were still years before ‘X’ was supposed to appear.

Maybe he’d fall into darkness someday.

But for now, Jaeyul no longer needed my protection.

All that was left was for time to pass.

I could cheer him on from a step away, as he destroyed the world freely without caring about anyone’s eyes—and that would be enough.

“…I see.

If that’s what you think, hyung… then there’s nothing I can do.”

Jaeyul’s shoulders slumped.

He stood up from his chair and left first.

Seeing the rice bowl he hadn’t even finished made my heart sink again.

I should’ve at least waited until he finished eating.

“Haah… I really am a terrible hyung….”

I hate myself.

So much.

How can someone with thoughts this shallow even call himself a hyung?

“Hyung….”

After lingering around me for a long time, Jaeyul finally spoke carefully.

“Hm?

What is it…?”

“…Could you stay the night?

It’s already late.”

“…Whine….”

Ah…

Jaeyul’s face when he spoke to me, and Poppy’s face in his arms—

They overlapped.

For no reason, I saw the face of thirteen-year-old Jaeyul.

Pity welled up inside me.

“The house is so big…

I can’t really sleep when I’m alone.”

My eyes fell on the row of pill bottles lined up on the living room table.

All sleeping pills.

Did he really need something that strong just to fall asleep?

Come to think of it, even back then, Jaeyul used to have nightmares and couldn’t sleep well….

And I knew from experience at the Center.

Killing monsters endlessly, watching colleagues die day after day—

It’s not something you can endure sober.

Thinking that Jaeyul was living through that made it hard to coldly tell him I was leaving.

And even if I did leave his place, I had nowhere else to go tonight anyway.

“…Alright.

I’ll stay tonight.

So go wash up—I’ll play with Poppy.”

At my answer, both of their faces brightened.

Jaeyul handed Poppy over to me.

“I’ll be quick, hyung.

Let’s have some wine together.”

“Okay.”

He really was… still the same, in some ways.

The way Jaeyul’s expression relaxed instantly was just like the kid from my memories.

While he went to shower, I played tug with Poppy using a chicken treat.

Maybe because it’d been so long, he played with extra enthusiasm.

I’d been at it for a while when—

“Hyung.”

Seems he really wasn’t lying about being quick—

Before long, Jaeyul’s voice came from behind me.

“Huh?

You’re done already—”

I’d been sprawled out on the sofa, but when I sat up and looked toward his voice, my throat went dry.

“I washed up fast so you wouldn’t wait.”

Drip. Drip.

Water slid from the tips of his barely dried hair, tracing down his smooth cheek…

Down his neck…

And into the shallow valley between his firm chest muscles.

Broad shoulders.

Bulging arms.

A chest that filled the space at a glance—and clearly defined abs beneath.

Gulp.

It was strange.

I’d seen Jaeyul’s body countless times before, but now it felt unfamiliar—like seeing it for the first time.

My throat and lips went dry.

I couldn’t look away.

“Hyung.”

Jaeyul began walking toward me.