By Zephyria 
“Sit here. I said I’d clear this up, but I haven’t finished organizing yet. Sorry…”
Jin Seon-yu pointed to a round table. Seo Yi-kyung set down the box he was holding.
Jin Seon-yu walked quickly, picked up a blanket fallen on the floor, and tossed it onto the bed. He then hurriedly picked up other items scattered wherever his toes touched. However, after doing this a few times, he stopped and turned back to the table.
“I give up. It doesn’t even look cleaner.”
“I’m fine. More importantly, you’re hungry. Let’s eat this first.”
As Seo Yi-kyung opened the box, a sweet scent wafted out. However, perhaps because it had taken so long to get here, the stacked pancakes had cooled and stuck together. This time, Seo Yi-kyung’s expression sank rapidly as he offered a short apology.
“It’s okay. I’m so hungry right now that I can eat anything.”
Perhaps because his eyes were swollen, Jin Seon-yu lowered his head and peered into the box as if he couldn’t see clearly. Beside the pancakes, syrup was contained separately. Cherries were also neatly packed in a container. However, there were no utensils to eat them with.
“Wait a moment.”
Jin Seon-yu stood up and walked around the room. Soon, he lifted the blanket, found his phone on the bed, and called for the helper.
Before long, there was a knock, and the door opened. She placed a teapot and teacups from the tray she was carrying onto the table. Empty plates and forks were added.
The helper lifted the teapot and filled the cups. In the meantime, Jin Seon-yu grabbed a pancake with a fork and placed it directly on Seo Yi-kyung’s plate. After the helper opened the door and left, Jin Seon-yu placed a pancake on his own plate.
Seo Yi-kyung lifted a teacup and pressed it to his lips, then glanced at Jin Seon-yu, who was eating a pancake, and asked.
“By the way, what happened to your face?”
It didn’t look like he had been hit by his Hyung; to anyone, those were eyes swollen from crying.
With that face, Jin Seon-yu mumbled as he ate the pancake. He drizzled syrup over the pancake and topped it with a cherry.
Suddenly, the cooled pancakes took on a quite appetizing gloss. The sweet aroma rapidly filled the room.
“That bastard Gi-jun, he really hates me.”
Was he talking about Kwon Gwi-jun, not Ham Gyu-ho?
Jin Seon-yu’s fiancé is Gyu-ho. And in the original story, the two got married. It was certain, as Jin Seon-yu had even entered the wedding hall while pregnant. It was clear that Jin Seon-yu’s heart belonged to him, but Ham Gyu-ho did not feel the same. He showed a strong aversion toward the two older brothers above Jin Seon-yu.
Jin Tae-won and Jin Seok-young were by no means easy people. In particular, their way of expressing affection toward their younger brother, Jin Seon-yu, was quite twisted. Above all, it was inevitable since Ham Gyu-ho was seeing other Omegas. However, he couldn’t say that out loud.
“Did something happen? You said you were going to meet him.”
Setting down the teacup, Seo Yi-kyung picked up a fork and brought it toward the pancake in front of him. Jin Seon-yu spoke listlessly.
“I met him.”
“….”
“I actually thought he wouldn’t come even if I called him.”
Seo Yi-kyung put down his fork.
With puffy eyes, Jin Seon-yu muttered.
“Because he always ignored everything I said.”
Seo Yi-kyung nodded instead of answering. He chose to listen without interrupting Jin Seon-yu.
“Still, I figured I just had to make a show of it for Gyu-ho and my eldest Hyung. I thought it would be better than someone I don’t know at all, like you said. So after thinking about it, I contacted Gi-jun. And he actually showed up.”
* * *
Kwon Gwi-jun is a long-time friend of Ham Gyu-ho, but the two have opposite personalities. Kwon Gwi-jun was born without affection and was expressionless. He always looked down on Jin Seon-yu coldly. That was why Jin Seon-yu vaguely believed that Kwon Gwi-jun hated him.
Still, since he was tight-lipped, Jin Seon-yu thought it wouldn’t be bad to try once. At the very least, he wasn’t the type of person to go around blabbing everywhere. Perhaps Kwon Gwi-jun would refuse. Deciding it wasn’t worth agonizing over, Jin Seon-yu abruptly sent a message.
[Can you spare some time?]
And as an hour passed, Jin Seon-yu gradually resigned himself. As expected. He really does hate me.
But then, a reply came from Kwon Gwi-jun.
[Tomorrow at noon, Lael Hotel Lounge.]
Before Jin Seon-yu could even reply, another message popped up. It was a map of the Lael Hotel. He didn’t know why it was so short and concise. Furthermore, he didn’t ask why. Maybe he could explain when he went tomorrow.
The next day, Jin Seon-yu spent his energy shaking off the second brother, Jin Seok-young, who insisted on coming along. After barely managing to secure a seat at the Lael Hotel Lounge, Jin Seon-yu exchanged messages with Seo Yi-kyung.
[I’m out to meet Gi-jun now.]
[Have a nice date.]
A date. That’s ridiculous. If he had seen Kwon Gwi-jun in person, he wouldn’t be able to say such things.
[It was hard stopping Seok-young Hyung from making a fuss about coming along this morning.]
[Ah, he’s here. I’ll contact you again.]
While clutching his phone and messaging Seo Yi-kyung, Jin Seon-yu looked at Kwon Gwi-jun approaching under the guidance of a staff member. With sharp features, he was dressed in a clean suit.
In contrast, Jin Seon-yu was dressed casually. It was practically whatever he had picked up and put on.
Since he was meeting his classmate Kwon Gwi-jun and not Ham Gyu-ho, he hadn’t paid much attention to his attire. However, Kwon Gwi-jun looked so different from how he appeared at school. His features were the same, but perhaps because of the suit he was wearing, the vibe was completely different.
—Why did you come out looking so concerned?
This is why it really feels like a date, just as Yi-kyung said.
—I came out while working.
At Kwon Gwi-jun’s concise tone, Jin Seon-yu muttered.
—Ah, work… then since you’re busy, I should speak quickly. You see.
Just as Jin Seon-yu opened his mouth to state his business, Kwon Gwi-jun took the menu from the staff member who approached and began to order.
—What are you going to eat? Order first. I have to go back in immediately after eating.
See. He really does hate me. It wasn’t that he made time for him, but rather that he met him since he was already out for lunch.
Jin Seon-yu couldn’t bring himself to put the meat in front of him into his mouth, as he was gauging when to bring up the topic to Kwon Gwi-jun. Then, his eyes met Kwon Gwi-jun’s, and he blurted it out.
—I have a favor to ask you.
—I heard from Gyu-ho.
—What?
Jin Seon-yu’s hand, which had been slicing the meat, stopped abruptly. His face froze as Ham Gyu-ho’s unexpected name came up.
—That you said you wanted to try meeting me.
—Gyu-ho said that?
His heart pounded at the fact that Ham Gyu-ho knew he was meeting Kwon Gwi-jun. It felt as if he were committing a crime.
But thinking about it, hadn’t he told Jin Tae-won in front of Ham Gyu-ho, right before Seo Yi-kyung’s house, that he would try meeting Kwon Gwi-jun? Since he already knew, was it really a crime?
But then, why did Kwon Gwi-jun come out even after Ham Gyu-ho mentioned it?
—Why did you come out after hearing that? And what did Gyu-ho say? What did he tell you? Huh? What did Gyu-ho say?
As Ham Gyu-ho’s name flowed out incessantly, Kwon Gwi-jun let the knife he was holding drop.
—Gyu-ho isn’t interested in you. Do you still not know that?
* * *
…Tears suddenly welled up in Jin Seon-yu’s eyes as he looked at the cold pancakes. Flustered, Seo Yi-kyung looked around. He brought a box of tissues from the desk and placed it on the round table.
“He came out just to hurt me. I’m telling you, he hates me. I’m sure of it.”
Jin Seon-yu pulled out a tissue and rubbed his eyes. Then he moved the fork and put a pancake in his mouth. He chewed the pancake greedily, as if trying to swallow his tears.
“….”
Seo Yi-kyung groaned while watching this. But then again, it wouldn’t be right to tell him the contents of the original story. He might find it strange.
“By the way, why are you locked in your room?”
As if she knew Seo Yi-kyung was coming, even the helper he encountered at the entrance had said that Jin Seon-yu couldn’t come down due to some circumstances. With red eyes and swollen cheeks, Jin Seon-yu swallowed the pancake he had stuffed in his mouth and answered.
“Gyu-ho… after I said I’d meet him again.”
Somehow, he felt he didn’t need to hear the rest. Jin Tae-won must have done this. He was truly a man whose expression of affection for his brother was excessive. He could have just told him the truth, but he was trying hard not to hurt him.
Kwon Gwi-jun also seemed to be speaking to make him realize reality rather than to hurt him. Still, seeing Seon-yu in tears left a bitter taste in his mouth.
Seo Yi-kyung looked at the cold pancakes.
Knock, knock.
Just then, a knock was heard. Seo Yi-kyung, who had been looking at the round table, turned his head back.
“Yes.”
When Jin Seon-yu answered, the door opened, and the helper who had greeted Seo Yi-kyung on the first floor poked her head in.
“A friend of yours has arrived outside.”
Jin Seon-yu looked at Seo Yi-kyung sitting in front of him. He had sent a message with the address and mentioned to the helper that a friend would be visiting. Because of that, she had guided Seo Yi-kyung straight to Jin Seon-yu’s room as soon as he arrived.
“He’s already here.”
At Jin Seon-yu’s words, the helper slowly shook her head, and just as she was about to speak, Jin Seon-yu’s next words popped out faster. His eyes grew wider than before.
“No way, did Gyu-ho come?”
Before the helper could even answer, Jin Seon-yu jumped up and ran past her downstairs. The helper’s expression darkened rapidly as she watched him. He should have covered his eyes…
Seo Yi-kyung slowly stood up. He followed her downstairs as she began to walk hurriedly. It was when they had descended one flight of stairs. Suddenly, Jin Seon-yu’s voice echoed loudly.
“Kwon Gwi-jun? Why are you here?”