Chapter 88: What He Thinks He Knows

How should I explain it.

“I actually experienced death once, and I’m living my second life after going back in time.

And the one who killed me… was you in the future.”

I can’t exactly say something like that.

Still, Jaeyul had always been sharp.

Maybe because he’d lived an unusually harsh life since childhood, he knew how to read the room without being told, helped with housework on his own, and never did things that hurt my feelings.

On top of that, he was smart, so it wouldn’t be strange if he’d been gathering suspicious details one by one and slowly approaching my secret.

“…What… do you think you know…?”

First, I needed to find out how much Jaeyul actually knew.

I asked carefully.

So that I wouldn’t make a mistake by opening my mouth recklessly first.

Suppressing my heart that felt like it might burst from the fear that he’d somehow figured out even the fact that I’d returned from the past, I spoke.

“Haa. I already checked everything.

Just looking at how flustered you are right now, I’m sure.

You’re really bad at lying, hyung.”

“…So then, what exactly…?”

Now my palms were sweating too.

Seeing how confident he was, it felt like I had to assume the worst-case scenario.

“Hyung… you didn’t actually go to school, did you.

You told me you graduated early, but in reality, you didn’t attend school at all, right?”

What… is he talking about now.

Because it was something I never expected, I even forgot to feel relieved.

“I know.

It must have been awkward to tell me you didn’t graduate high school.

But going in and out of gates just to survive isn’t something to be ashamed of.”

There was a time when I did tell young Jaeyul a lie like that.

At seventeen, not attending school would obviously seem suspicious, so I said I’d already graduated.

But still….

“B-but… why are you bringing that up now…?”

“Haa… it’s obvious.

You also started going in and out of gates from a young age, like me, didn’t you.

That’s how you learned how to pick out valuable items, and even found that newly discovered material this time.

Honestly… I’ve always wondered.

Why did you take me in when I was young.

Back then, you were only seventeen yourself.

How could you do something like that.”

It feels like… he’s seriously misunderstanding something.

For now, I should just listen.

“You took me in because you felt sorry and worried about a kid like me going in and out of gates, just like you did back then….

Then one day, while looking through your past records, I saw that you hadn’t even graduated high school, and I figured everything out.

That you lived just as hard a life as I did.

And that’s why you took me in.”

While listening to Jaeyul, my heart had already returned to its normal rhythm.

But because he was speaking in such a grave tone, I couldn’t show my relief.

What… kind of detailed misunderstanding is this.

“Uh… yeah….”

At this point, it seemed better to just turn the misunderstanding into the truth.

He’d given me a far more convincing backstory than I ever could have come up with myself, so why reject it.

I had planned to brush things off as coincidence if he asked about Petra, but maybe because he’s smart, even his delusions are detailed.

“Haa… I thought so.

That’s why I’m saying I won’t make you suffer anymore, hyung.

Don’t worry.

That kind of hardship won’t exist in your life anymore.”

He sounds… a bit too resolute.

But… it’ll be fine, right…?

“Hyung, what were you talking about for so long.

I waited to give you coffee, but you weren’t there, so I looked everywhere.”

After leaving the guiding room where I’d been alone with Jaeyul and sitting down at my desk, Irihyeon came trotting over, pulled over the chair next to me, and sat down.

I absentmindedly accepted the iced Americano he handed me.

“Ah, it wasn’t anything special.

Just… work stuff.

Why, is something wrong?”

I feel strangely self-conscious.

Even though Irihyeon didn’t speak with any particular emotion, it felt like I’d been caught secretly meeting someone behind a lover’s back.

Maybe it’s because I know how he feels about Jaeyul.

So I hurriedly changed the subject.

“Well… I need your help with something, hyung….”

Lowering his voice as if sharing a secret, Irihyeon whispered.

Judging by how troubled he looked, it seemed important.

“What kind of help…?”

I’m not an especially nice person, but I’m not the type to hold grudges forever either.

My relationship with Irihyeon hadn’t been great—no, it had been pretty bad—but I didn’t intend to keep acting prickly over it.

Since he’d changed, I would treat him accordingly.

“Could you… help set up a date between me and Jaeyul.

That bastard keeps saying he’s busy and dodging me, so I never get a chance….”

“…Huh.

A date.

That’s ridiculous.

How am I supposed to get involved between you two.”

“You just have to call that bastard out.

If you suggest grabbing a meal, he’ll listen, at least.

When I say it, he draws the line so sharply every time.

Please push him just once, okay.”

Now he’s even making a teary face while begging.

This is really awkward.

Isn’t there a saying about not getting involved in other people’s love lives.

If it goes well, you break even, and if it goes wrong, you get blamed.

And it’s Irihyeon and Jaeyul, of all people.

To be brutally honest, no matter how much Irihyeon reforms… I don’t like it.

“I think that would be difficult, Irihyeon.

I don’t think me getting involved would help.”

When I hesitated, his expression darkened even more.

Does he really like Jaeyul that much.

Why does he look so desperate.

Even so, no is no.

“Hyung… do you like Jaeyul.

Is that why you don’t want me and Jaeyul to work out…?”

What kind of absurd nonsense is this now.

“That’s ridiculous.

Don’t say things like that.

There’s no way.”

My voice rose without me realizing it, and noticing everyone in the office looking my way, I hurriedly lowered it.

He’s really coming up with all kinds of bizarre misunderstandings.

“Honestly, if that’s not the case… there’s no reason you can’t help, right.

Hyung, just once.

You only need to get him to come out for a meal.

I swear I won’t ask for anything more than that.”

If I rejected him outright here, it felt like that misunderstanding would solidify into fact.

It feels like I’ve stepped into a trap that’s hard to escape.

Whether Irihyeon intended it or not.

There’s only one answer I can give.

“…Haa.

Just once.”

I really don’t feel good about this.

Objectively, it’s just a light dinner, but setting something like that up without even asking the other person feels wrong.

And on top of that, it’s that Irihyeon and Jaeyul.

Our Jaeyul, who I cherish more than anything… haa.

My imagination keeps running wild.

A scene where Jaeyul comes in holding Irihyeon’s hand and says, “Hyung, I decided to marry Irihyeon.”

Just thinking about it makes me sigh.

“Agent Irihyeon, how many times have I told you not to write reports like this.

You should at least state what rank the gate was and what kind of monster appeared.

Even if it’s just a formality, you need to follow the basics.

Redo it.”

But watching Jaeyul scold Irihyeon from afar makes those thoughts seem like nothing more than imagination after all.

I don’t know if it’s because of their personal relationship as friends, but he’s particularly strict with Irihyeon.

After getting his report rejected, Irihyeon returned to his seat with a sigh that sounded like the ground might cave in.

Well.

Maybe setting up one meal really doesn’t matter.

Can a single dinner really change someone’s feelings.

If they’re meant to be, they’ll end up together no matter what.

And if not, a hundred or a thousand meals together would still be pointless.

Looking at Jaeyul now, it feels like the latter is far more likely.

I took out my phone and sent Jaeyul a message.

[If we don’t have a dispatch tomorrow, want to eat out for dinner.]

I rewrote it countless times before finally hitting send.

Not long after, a reply came back immediately.

[Where.]

[Why tomorrow.]

[What about today.]

[Should I make a reservation.]

[What do you want to eat.]

…That brat Jaeyul.

Are you that sick of home cooking.

He reacts to the word “eating out” like Poppy does when she hears the word “food.”

Having to lie to someone like this makes my heart feel heavy.

Maybe that’s why I couldn’t reply right away.

Is this really the right thing to do.

After a long time agonizing, I finally sent a message.

[I’ll make the reservation.

Just don’t forget we’re eating out tomorrow.]