CHAPTER 20
“So… are you two together?” The question slipped out before Noeul could stop it.
Over the past three days, every member of the Jung family, along with Duri and Chung-Hee, had taken turns staying with him.
Every few hours, one visitor replaced another, leaving him almost no time alone.
Duri and Ji-Woo always arrived together. He had begun to wonder why.
“Huh? No!” Ji-Woo answered immediately. “Why would you think that?” He glanced at Duri with a grin. “No offense, Duri hyung. I like you… just not like that.”
Despite everything between them, Ji-Woo’s smile briefly softened the atmosphere.
For the first time in days, he sounded almost like himself.
Noeul felt an unexpected sense of relief.
Ever since waking up, Ji-Woo had barely spoken to him.
His answers had been short, his eyes distant.
Noeul understood why Duri never left Ji-Woo alone with him. His brother wasn’t ready.
Duri played along. “That’s okay,” he said with a shrug. “You’re not my type either.” Amusement flickered across his face. “Besides… I already like someone.”
Noeul blinked. The words unsettled him more than they should have. He was happy for Duri. At least he thought he was. Then why did they leave such a strange ache behind?
He forced a teasing tone. “A girl?” He laughed softly. “I can’t believe the pale little kid with freckles I remember grew up and actually fell in love.”
Duri covered his face. Even the tips of his ears turned red. “We’re not together,” he admitted quietly. “It’s… unrequited.”
Ji-Woo blinked at Duri, apparently surprised that he had finally said it aloud.
Noeul wasn’t sure what unsettled Ji-Woo more, that Duri had kept something from Noeul, or that he had chosen to reveal it now.
He couldn’t dismiss the thought as quickly as he wanted.
Had Ji-Woo really become closer to Duri than to him? He forced the feeling aside.
“So… who is she? Maybe I can help you.”
Duri stepped closer to the bed. “What makes you think I’d tell you?
” His voice dropped into a teasing whisper.
“You’re still on probation, hyung. You haven’t even apologized to Ji-Woo yet.
” His teasing faded. “When you finally talk to your brother… when you really try to fix things… ask me again. Then I’ll tell you. ”
Something in his voice caught Noeul off guard. Their eyes met. Neither looked away. Almost without realizing it, Noeul’s gaze drifted lower. To Duri’s mouth. Then to the tattoo winding beneath the sleeve of his shirt. To the silver ring through his lip.
The reaction wasn’t entirely new. It had flickered at the edges of his thoughts in New York, appearing in deleted messages and comparisons he had refused to examine. Until now, he had always pushed it away before it could take shape.
This time, he allowed himself to look. Not at the boy he remembered, but at the man standing before him. Tall. Confident. Broad-shouldered. Handsome.
Duri noticed and quietly enjoyed every second of it. Noeul had never allowed his interest to show so openly before. Now his eyes lingered. Studied. Wondered. A faint smile appeared on Duri’s face. Perhaps his moment had finally arrived.
Duri stepped back and picked up his car keys. “I’ll leave you two alone.” He glanced at Ji-Woo. “You brothers have a lot to talk about. Bis bald.”
The door closed softly behind him. Silence settled over the room. Ji-Woo remained standing by the window, his arms folded across his chest. Noeul didn’t know how to begin, and Ji-Woo offered no help.
Finally, Noeul spoke. “It’s been a while since we’ve really talked. How have you been?”
Ji-Woo didn’t answer. He kept looking out the window. Noeul’s expression fell. “I…” The words became difficult to say. “I’ve missed you.”
“Yeah.” Ji-Woo’s reply was barely audible. “Sure.”
Noeul took a slow, steady breath, forcing himself to swallow the sting of rejection.
He was here. That had to mean something.
He knew trust wouldn’t return overnight.
It would take time to repair what he had broken, if it could be repaired at all.
“It’s been hard for you,” he said. “Maybe we could just… sit for a while and talk?”
Without a word, Ji-Woo crossed the room and sat on the edge of a chair, leaving as much distance between them as possible. The space hurt more than Noeul wanted to admit.
“I know these past months have been difficult,” he began carefully. “I wanted to explain—”
“There isn’t anything to explain.” Ji-Woo’s voice was quiet. Cold. “You left.”
Noeul lowered his eyes. The conversation he had overheard returned to him.
Every ringing phone. Every night Ji-Woo had wondered whether he was alive.
Whatever pain Noeul had been carrying, Ji-Woo had carried his own.
And Noeul had left him to bear it alone.
He looked up again. “Not because of you, Ji-Woo.” He spoke in a near whisper.
“I want to fix this. I know I hurt you. I can’t change that. But… I want to try.”
Ji-Woo looked away. His face remained guarded, but beneath the anger Noeul caught something else.
Pain. Doubt. Hope. “This conversation is only happening because Duri hyung pushed me,” Ji-Woo admitted.
“That doesn’t change what happened.” He paused.
“And honestly… I don’t want excuses. But…
” His shoulders relaxed ever so slightly.
“Like Duri hyung said… holding onto all this anger isn’t helping either. ”
Some of the tension inside Noeul eased. He silently thanked Duri.
“I’ll give you one chance.” Ji-Woo finally looked him in the eyes. “But you have to prove it. With actions.” His voice remained firm. “I’m not ready to forgive you. Not yet.”
Tears gathered in Noeul’s eyes. He nodded. “That’s more than I deserve.” A faint, grateful smile appeared. “Thank you, Ji-Woo.”
Before either of them could say anything else, the door opened. “I brought coffee.” Duri stepped inside, three paper cups balanced carefully in one hand. The heaviness in the room eased, if only for a moment.