Chapter 74: Unspoken Worries

“Did you guys eat?”

“…….”

Seunghyuk walked into the dining room without saying anything, took out a cup, and filled it with water from the dispenser.

Then he placed the cup in front of Hyunwoo with a quiet tap.

Without another word, Seunghyuk walked around the table and sat down beside Hyunjin.

Receiving both of their gazes, Hyunwoo forced an awkward smile.

“Yeah, we ate as soon as we got home.”

“Ah… yeah? I guess I slept for a long time, huh?”

“You were tired, so it makes sense.”

“Haha….”

Hyunwoo awkwardly laughed and raised a spoonful of porridge to his lips.

The savory warmth spread through his mouth, and even though he hadn’t felt hungry, his appetite returned.

It was at just the right temperature—easy to swallow and comforting.

“…….”

But being stared at so closely from the front began to feel embarrassing.

At first, he thought they were staying close so he wouldn’t feel lonely, but the way they stared—like they were observing him—made him feel increasingly uncomfortable.

“Ahem, I’ll eat and go in on my own, so… you two should get some rest.”

“…….”

“You guys have exams tomorrow, right? You should study.”

“…….”

Even though Hyunwoo spoke carefully, neither of them moved.

Seeing them stay seated like that made him tense up involuntarily.

“Hyung.”

“Mm?”

“The results from today’s tests will come out next week.”

“Ah… really?”

“Yeah.”

Hyunjin’s words made Hyunwoo flinch before he forced himself to nod casually.

He kept eating the porridge.

Everyone had pushed him so insistently to get checked, but Hyunwoo had a hard time believing anything was actually wrong with him.

Aside from feeling a bit more tired than usual, there was nothing concerning.

He’d just been caught in the middle of the pheromone frenzy between the two Alphas.

Plus, the effects from being attacked by Cha Kwon-oh’s pheromones yesterday still lingered, so the hospital had made a big deal out of it.

Hyunwoo thought about it carelessly as he continued eating.

“…Thanks for the meal.”

After hesitating here and there, Hyunwoo finished the porridge and set down his spoon.

Right away, Hyunjin stood up.

“I’ll clean up, Hyung.”

“No, I’ll do it.”

Hyunwoo waved his hand.

Hyunjin had been the one to buy the porridge—he couldn’t make him clean up too.

Hyunwoo hurried to pick up the empty container, but Hyunjin was already gathering the rest of the trash.

“I said I’ll do it.”

“I’ll just throw this away real quick.”

“…Honestly.”

Hyunjin eventually took the container from Hyunwoo’s hand and cleaned everything up efficiently.

Hyunwoo shook his head as he watched him.

“Thanks.”

“It’s nothing. Seriously.”

“…….”

Hyunjin smiled so foolishly gentle.

At the hospital he had been furious—practically yelling at Hyunwoo to get checked.

Completely different from his usual mild behavior.

Hyunwoo felt strangely embarrassed remembering Hyunjin’s angry face and cleared his throat.

“Ahem… Lee Seunghyuk. Let’s talk for a bit.”

“Yes.”

“……!”

Hyunwoo meant to speak to Seunghyuk about what happened with Cha Kwon-oh, but Hyunjin reacted immediately—like a cat with every hair standing on end.

Hyunwoo quickly spoke.

“It’s about what happened yesterday. That’s all.”

“Can’t I listen too?”

“Mm….”

Seunghyuk likely didn’t want to talk about the fight in front of Hyunjin.

Sure enough, when Hyunwoo glanced at him, Seunghyuk’s expression tightened faintly.

Hyunwoo turned back to Hyunjin.

“I’ll be quick. Okay?”

“…….”

And bringing up Cha Kwon-oh in front of Hyunjin wasn’t something Hyunwoo wanted, either.

Hyunjin didn’t need to know anything about that psychopath.

Hyunwoo had already protected him from that once.

He nodded to himself and went into the room with Seunghyuk—feeling a bit guilty as Hyunjin stared after him like a drenched puppy.

He should make this quick.

Tap.

The door closed.

Hyunwoo faced Seunghyuk with a frown.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

“What do you mean?”

“Cha Kwon-oh. Why did you hit him?”

“…….”

Yesterday, Hyunwoo had been too focused on Seunghyuk’s injuries to mention it.

But Seunghyuk hitting Cha Kwon-oh had escalated the situation.

If not for that, Hyunwoo could have comfortably pressed charges by now.

Hyunwoo clicked his tongue and stared at Seunghyuk.

Seunghyuk’s expression twisted even more than when Hyunjin wanted to listen in earlier.

“How could I just stand there? After what that bastard did to you?”

“You still should’ve restrained yourself. You can’t just act without thinking.”

“…Ha.”

“You even got hurt again. Just like with that stalker last time. You need to think about yourself too.”

As he spoke, it turned into nagging naturally.

But he wasn’t wrong.

And Seunghyuk needed to fix that reckless side of him.

This Seunghyuk was far from the gentle, rational protagonist he was supposed to be.

Standing in front of Hyunwoo now was a beast.

Thinking that someone like this would end up with Hyunjin was terrifying.

Hyunwoo shook his head.

“Anyway, don’t worry about hitting Cha Kwon-oh. I’ll make sure he can’t press charges.”

“No way…”

“…….”

“You’re going to overlook what he did to you just to protect me?”

“That’s…”

As expected, Seunghyuk understood too quickly.

Hyunwoo sighed with a bitter look.

“I don’t have a choice. If I don’t, they’ll come after you.”

“Don’t worry about me. Just press charges.”

“How could I do that?”

Seunghyuk only fought because Hyunwoo had been helpless.

Hyunwoo couldn’t just abandon him.

And the idea of the protagonist going to prison for hitting a side character—that was absurd.

Still, Seunghyuk insisted stubbornly.

Hyunwoo waved his hand in frustration.

“I’ve already decided. Just accept it.”

“…….”

Seunghyuk’s lips tightened into a thin line as he stared at Hyunwoo with dissatisfaction.

Hyunwoo ignored the look and turned toward the door.

“Well then—”

“Wait.”

“……?”

Hyunwoo turned back, confused.

Expecting the same argument, he prepared to ignore it.

But Seunghyuk spoke something unexpected.

“Joo Hyunjin asked about Cha Kwon-oh.”

“…What?”

Hyunwoo’s eyes widened.

Why would Hyunjin ask?

He shouldn’t know anything.

Seunghyuk continued calmly.

“Guess he heard something when you collapsed.”

“Ah….”

Right. Hyunjin had gone to the hospital.

He was also the one who first received the call from the police station.

So he could have learned something then.

“Damn it.”

Hyunwoo had done everything to stop Hyunjin from getting involved with Cha Kwon-oh.

Because nothing good came from knowing that villain.

Even in the previous life, Hyunwoo had tried desperately to keep them apart.

He ran a tense hand through his hair.

“He asked me if I knew Director Cha well.”

“What did you say?”

“I said I didn’t.”

“…Good.”

Hyunwoo let out a sigh of relief.

He just had to make sure Hyunjin stopped being curious.

If they ever met face to face, it would be a disaster.

“Why do you hate the idea of Joo Hyunjin knowing Cha Kwon-oh so much?”

“What? Well… He’s just not a good person.”

“…….”

“And Hyunjin has no reason to ever work at the company anyway.”

Hyunwoo waved it off vaguely.

No need to explain.

Seunghyuk wasn’t asking deeply—just casually curious.

In the past timeline, Hyunwoo had carefully ensured Hyunjin never ran into Cha Kwon-oh.

Even blocked Hyunjin from attending the wedding.

Not that Hyunjin had wanted to be there.

His lover marrying his own brother—of course he wouldn’t.

Hyunwoo gave a faint bitter smile and glanced at the door.

“So make sure you’re careful in front of Hyunjin too. Okay?”

“…….”

“Hm?”

But Seunghyuk didn’t answer.

Hyunwoo blinked.

Then Seunghyuk spoke, brows furrowed.

“Is Joo Hyunjin really that important to you?”

“…What?”

Hyunwoo stared, startled by the unexpected question.

He slowly repeated the words in his mind.