Chapter 85: Honest Conversations

“…What the hell… no, that’s ridiculous, Team Leader Oh?”

Hearing such a shocking comment, I almost let out a string of harsh words.

There are limits to joking around, and this was way past it.

“You two cooking together is like newlyweds playing house. Isn’t it?”

Oh Seonggyu, as if he’d found some amusing spectacle, poked the side of Ueden sitting next to him and rambled on with nonsense.

“Well… I can’t really say that it isn’t.”

Even Ueden, who normally didn’t indulge in such chatter unlike Park Bomyeong or Oh Seonggyu, agreed with the nonsense.

“Wait! You… you two are brothers?! That… that’s impossible…! How could the youngest and him be brothers? Their last names are different!”

Park Bomyeong seemed shocked by some strange detail.

Judging by the rest of the team not reacting, it seemed everyone else already knew.

Why didn’t Park Bomyeong know? Is he subtly being left out too…?

Apparently, they call Jaeyul the youngest.

Maybe they’ve been doing that since working together as a team.

He doesn’t exactly look cute, but calling him the youngest gave him a slightly endearing vibe.

In private, everyone’s titles and names were being thrown around carelessly.

“There’s a backstory. Jin Sehyun changed Jaeyul’s diapers and raised him.”

“…Can we just sit down and eat? You said you were tired, but you sure are good at nonsense.”

“How can I eat with my mouth shut, you brat?
Let’s go. I want to see how extravagantly you guys are going to eat, calling all these people together.”

Oh Seonggyu was the worst.

Teasing as if there were untold stories about Jaeyul and me, but never revealing the details, so Park Bomyeong clung annoyingly, demanding to know.

Oh Seonggyu probably didn’t even know exactly how we ended up living together.

“Wow… you must have worked hard preparing this, hyung. Everything looks delicious.”

As we sat around the table, someone’s voice hit me like a blow to the back of the head.

It was Lee Rihyun, praising my effort.

Thinking back, it felt strange.

When teasing Jaeyul and me about our strange relationship, Lee Rihyun never showed any particular emotion.

He just smiled faintly at Oh Seonggyu’s antics, not spoiling the mood.

I didn’t even feel uncomfortable because his expression was so natural.

The Lee Rihyun I knew wasn’t like this…?

Not only did he dislike me, but he also knew Jaeyul’s feelings. And yet he was acting like this…?

“…Ah, yes…. Eat quickly. You must be hungry after waiting so long.”

“Before that… I have something to say. Since we’re all here, I’ll say it now.”

Before starting the meal, Lee Rihyun spoke cautiously.

His expression was slightly stiff, but there was no negative emotion in his face.

“Sehyun hyung, I’m really sorry for everything so far.
I… acted territorial for no reason… And even though it wasn’t a guiding problem, I made it seem like it was, which caused trouble. I’m sorry.”

Was this… a hidden camera? I had no idea how to react.

‘What’s he up to this time…?’ the thought nearly rose up my throat, but I held it down.

Even Hwang Jiyu and Im Chan looked at Lee Rihyun in shock, as if they hadn’t expected it.

“…It’s okay. I’m just glad the misunderstanding’s cleared.”

“Let’s get along from now on. And I’m sorry for putting the team in danger when I suddenly collapsed at the gate… I’ll pay more attention to my health in the future.”

Was this what Jaeyul was talking about earlier? That Lee Rihyun wasn’t originally like this.

From what I saw now, he was completely different from the Lee Rihyun I knew.

He spoke sincerely, owning up to his mistakes without any trace of malice…

Maybe… he really had changed? Perhaps after being scolded by me, he realized messing around further wouldn’t help.

Or maybe he regretted his actions after seeing Jaeyul get hurt.

“If you’re really sorry, then do well on the next mission.”

Jaeyul said it bluntly, but it was a clear decision.

Lee Rihyun would continue working as part of the team.

“Alright, let’s put the past behind us and eat! Whenever a new team forms, there are always incidents and accidents.
For a team like you guys, this is a great start. Just keep going like this!”

Oh Seonggyu ended the tense atmosphere at the right moment.

He’s a skilled team leader, knows the timing perfectly.

If the team’s relationship could improve this much after the awkward start at the gate, I wouldn’t mind.

Whether it’s true peace or just a façade, it doesn’t matter.

As missions pile up, relationships among the team members would only strengthen.

“I’ll help.”

I almost dropped the dish I was washing on him, startled.

I thought no one was behind me, but Lee Rihyun appeared silently.

With so many people and dishes, washing alone would take ages.

Naturally, there was a mountain of dishes.

While other team members drank in the living room, I entered the kitchen to clear some of the mess, and Lee Rihyun had quietly followed.

“…It’s fine… you…”

Talking to him alone was so awkward.

Even in the open space, it felt like being trapped in a closed room.

“How can you manage all this alone? I may not be great, but I won’t get in your way.”

Lee Rihyun began washing dishes naturally.

Only now did I regret leaving the group momentarily.

Perhaps because I doubted whether his apology was sincere.

“What I said earlier, about wanting to get along with you… it’s true. I think I was too childish. You probably noticed, but I like Jaeyul. So… I got jealous seeing you two close.”

I was shocked. Did he somehow read my mind? Lee Rihyun revealed his feelings while washing dishes.

I didn’t expect to hear it so directly.

Hearing him so honestly, I couldn’t argue.

…Lee Rihyun likes Jaeyul…

Confirming what I already suspected gave me a strange feeling.

I silently took the washed dishes and placed them on the drying rack.

“I won’t let it happen again. So… let’s get along, hyung.
If you’re like an older brother to Jaeyul, then you can be like that to me too.
Treat me like a younger brother.”

Lee Rihyun looked at me and smiled.

Seeing that smile, I wondered… had I been too narrow-minded?

Everyone makes mistakes and poor choices.

Did I judge someone I barely knew too quickly? He might genuinely reflect and live differently in the future.

His smile was so genuine it made me think so.

“…Alright. Got it.”

Sigh… fine. I’ll take it at face value and trust him, for now.

Whether I trust Lee Rihyun or not, it doesn’t matter.

If we’re working as a team, it’s better to maintain a polite, smiling face at least.

“Hey, then let’s talk comfortably. That’s the first step to getting closer.”

“Y-Yeah… okay.”

I just hope… he never betrays Jaeyul’s trust.

From what I saw, he seems sincere.

Anyway, it feels like a troublesome issue has finally been resolved, making my mind a little lighter.

“I never believed Seon Jaeyul was a B-rank. He stood out so much even at the academy.”

“It wasn’t just the academy. Even when the youngest was in our team, he ran around like he was on a walk whenever we entered the gate. That’s why he never seemed tired.”

As the drinking went on, team members talked more.

Hearing stories about Jaeyul I didn’t know naturally drew my attention.

I worried he might have lived alone, without friends.

But knowing he had someone with him made me feel relieved.

“That’s nonsense. And how old are you, still the youngest?”

“Once the youngest, always the youngest! Ah! If you marry before me, I’ll let you escape the youngest title! Or I’ll call you hyung!”

Park Bomyeong, red-cheeked from drinking, made a careless suggestion.

I thought… hmm, I don’t think Park Bomyeong will marry anytime soon… looks like Jaeyul will soon have an older sibling.

“By the way, Jaeyul, what kind of person do you like? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you date since the academy.”

With talk of marriage, the topic shifted to Jaeyul’s ideal type.

“Why ask that?”

“What do you mean? Back at the academy, it was chaos—Alpha, Beta, Omega, male, female, all living in dorms. But who ever saw Seon Jaeyul dating? Nobody.”

Ah, I know too. Academy life was wild, like a jungle.

Most of them were kids, countless couples formed and broke up… every night, well… I better not say.

Listening to Hwang Jiyu, who knew him from the academy, everyone went silent, staring at Jaeyul.

Since living with me, had he dated secretly…?

Jaeyul seemed embarrassed by all eyes on him, scratching the back of his head as he spoke.

“I….”

But why… were his eyes on me?

The short pause made my lips dry, my fingers restless.

When Jaeyul finally spoke, I jumped up instinctively.

“My hyung.”