By Zephyria 
The interior of the car was silent as it glided smoothly. For about ten minutes, In-ho drove without saying a word.
Of course, his mind was racing with various thoughts. He simply needed a moment to organize them before speaking calmly. Perhaps due to a lack of sleep, his thoughts weren’t flowing as sharply as usual.
“Sleep if you’re tired.”
In-ho spoke after glancing briefly at Haon. Haon, who had been staring blankly out the window, looked as if his eyes were about to close.
“I’ll wake you up when we arrive.”
He knew Haon would only get ten more minutes of sleep, but he figured it would be better to let him close his eyes and be comfortable. However, Haon didn’t seem to have any intention of sleeping and kept his eyes open.
“If I don’t wear them… will you really throw them away?”
Is he really that concerned about it?
In-ho suppressed a sigh, trying to understand Haon, who was so fundamentally different from himself.
“I would like it if you wore them, Haon.”
“I… I don’t need such expensive clothes. I have nowhere to wear them to.”
Perhaps emboldened by his drowsiness, Haon spoke his mind quite honestly. Focusing on the slow cadence of the voice, In-ho looked at him and spoke.
“You can just go around with me. We agreed to go to the aquarium, remember?”
In-ho hoped this would cheer him up a bit, but it didn’t seem to have much effect. If anything, it seemed to make his mood sink further.
Though Haon didn’t show it outwardly, In-ho read the subtle difference.
Scratching his forehead, In-ho wondered where he had managed to hurt him this time. Pathetically, no answer came to him.
“It might be a lot of money to you, Haon, but it isn’t to me.”
In-ho continued the conversation, consciously trying to be as careful as possible with his words.
“Then it’s only right that I spend my money. I’ve always liked buying clothes, and I give a lot of gifts.”
He added a bit of a lie to his words and stepped on the accelerator as the light changed. It wasn’t rush hour yet, so the roads were clear, but In-ho felt a strange sense of suffocation.
“Do you give things like this to everyone else too?”
Haon asked. Sensing this was the final question, In-ho paused to consider his answer.
“Yes. I’m like that with everyone.”
His deliberation did not last as long as some others’.
* * *
Haon shared the load of the luggage with In-ho. Since everything was for Haon, it was more accurate to say that In-ho was helping him carry the bags.
“When do you think you’ll be able to eat?”
In-ho, who had been watching the elevator display climb rapidly, shifted his gaze to Haon. He was only carrying the large shopping bag containing the winter coat. Because Haon had insisted on carrying the rest, he had been stripped of everything else.
“I think I can eat in about a week.”
Haon could have eaten something after five days, but he gave a generous estimate. For some reason, he felt like he would have even less of an appetite this time.
“Are you just going to drink liquids until then?”
“Yes, I’m used to it, so it’s okay.”
As soon as the words “it’s okay” left his mouth thoughtlessly, Haon bit the inside of his cheek. He had vowed to himself to avoid using that specific expression in front of In-ho.
“Tell me whenever you feel like you can eat. Even if it’s the middle of the night, it’s fine.”
Reluctant to see In-ho’s expression, Haon kept his head down and murmured, “Yes.”
Fortunately, the elevator doors opened just then, and he walked quickly toward the front door. He picked up his pace, fearing he might drop the heavy shopping bags.
“Don’t work today; just rest.”
In-ho spoke to Haon after he had put the shopping bags in his room and come back out. Having retrieved his phone from upstairs, In-ho entered the first-floor dressing room.
Haon stood quietly in front of his room, waiting for In-ho to emerge. Before long, In-ho came out of the dressing room carrying a shopping bag Haon hadn’t seen before. Judging by its size, it seemed to contain quite a few clothes.
“Go to bed early. The cleaner already came and went, so you won’t have anything to do.”
“Are you… going somewhere?”
In-ho was still wearing his coat. Seeing the car keys in his hand, it seemed he was heading somewhere far.
“I’ll be back soon. Just relax and rest.”
In-ho replied with a smile similar to his usual one. He waited a moment to see if Haon had anything else to say, and seeing him remain silent, he headed back toward the entrance.
“Thank you… for the clothes.”
In-ho, who had been walking while looking at his phone, turned around at the sound of the voice getting closer.
“I’ll wear them well.”
Haon, who had come out to the center of the living room, gave a small bow. He had suddenly remembered that he hadn’t properly thanked him after receiving the gifts and had rushed out.
“Thank you for accepting them.”
As Haon approached, the corners of In-ho’s mouth softened slightly. With a final light wave of his hand, he left the house.
I wonder where he’s going.
Left alone, Haon returned to his room, imagining the answer he hadn’t heard. He could guess who the man had gone to meet.
He flopped down onto the bed and rubbed his heavy eyelids. He was sleepy, but he didn’t want to fall asleep just yet. He wanted to stay awake until In-ho returned.
Hating the heavy silence, he turned on the TV. With In-ho gone, the house felt even wider and quieter.
Crawling under the covers, Haon flipped through the channels, glancing occasionally at the shopping bags neatly placed on the floor. Lacking the energy to organize the clothes, he postponed it until tomorrow. As he lay on the bed, his weakened body felt even heavier.
Blaming his own frail stamina, Haon looked at the energetic celebrities on the TV with envious eyes. There were so many wonderful people in the world.
To Haon, who had lived his entire life in a cozy rural village, the scenery and people of Seoul—where everything moved so quickly—felt like a marvel. He felt as if he were the only one stagnant in a well filled with muddy water.
Click. After staring blankly at the bright screen, he suddenly turned off the TV. It was because he had thought of that man, who possessed a beauty as striking as the celebrities on the screen.
“Haa…”
He had finally realized who the owner of the clothes was. He hadn’t wanted to know.
The man was far more handsome and radiant than he had imagined. The clothes he was currently borrowing suited that man far better. Even this spacious bedroom and magnificent house would have looked like they belonged to that man when he lived here.
I probably look like someone who’s just crashing here to anyone who sees me. Haon’s sigh deepened.
Bzzz—.
Wriggling his feet under the covers, Haon looked around at the loud vibration.
He wondered what the sound was, only to realize it was the vibration of his new phone. He was a bit startled because the vibration was louder and clearer than his old one.
“He… hello?”
He pressed the unfamiliar, wide screen to answer the call. In his haste, he forgot to check who the caller was.
Are you busy?
A deep voice came through the hard plastic of the phone. The moment he heard it, the strength left Haon’s body. It was Seong-gu hyung’s voice.
“No, I’m not busy. Not busy at all.”
He answered while shaking his head, terrified that the call might end. His brother’s steady voice instantly put Haon’s heart at ease.
If you’re not busy, why don’t you call me? It rained a lot; weren’t you worried about your brother?
“Ah, I was going to call, but I forgot… I’m sorry.”
Perhaps Haon’s sincerity reached him even in a short apology, as the scolding didn’t continue. He only let a hint of disappointment show.
I waited and waited for your call, so I ended up calling first again. You do it from now on.
“I know. I’ll definitely do it. Thank you for calling first.”
Right, anything new?
Sitting on the plush bed, Haon glanced around the spacious room and swallowed hard. There were so many things he hadn’t told his brother.
He had planned to confess everything throughout the night once he returned to the countryside. That he had manifested as an Omega, that he was suffering from strange heat symptoms, and that he had received great help from a kind and wonderful person. He had intended to tell him everything without exception. After completing the promised three years and returning.
Haon.
But a variable had emerged.
I’m listening, so take your time.
Clutching the phone, Haon pulled the blanket up to wrap around his body. Hearing his brother’s voice while he was exhausted in both body and mind made his buried emotions feel as if they were about to break through a wall.
This was why he only wanted to talk to his brother when he was in a good mood. Because of that, he kept missing the chance to call.
“Just… I feel a bit strange.”
He answered, biting his lip and swallowing a wet breath. Seong-gu hyung, who waited patiently through the long silence, calmly continued his questioning.
For no reason?
There was no way there was no reason. However, Haon tried his best not to look into his own heart. As someone accustomed to avoidance, he wanted to bury the dizzying, drifting emotions until they faded. Just as he had endured the hardships of life in Seoul while waiting for his memories of his grandmother to dim.
Think carefully about what the reason is and tell me. I’ll help you with everything.
Seong-gu never rushed Haon, who had been slow in everything since he was a child.
As a young boy, Haon was slow to learn the alphabet and was the kind of child who would be the last to say what he wanted because he was too busy reading other people’s reactions. No matter how much love the villagers and his grandmother poured into him, Haon’s timid personality remained unchanged.
That had always weighed on Seong-gu’s mind. He worried about what joy Haon would find in this long life if he had absolutely no desires. He feared that if he lived without any greed, he might simply follow the family members who had passed away before him.
“I…”
After a long silence, Haon cleared his raspy voice and rested his chin on the blanket. He hated himself for being depressed even in such an undeservedly luxurious situation.
“The person I like… doesn’t like me…”
He feared that if he continued to be greedy like this, he would be severely punished. Every person Haon had ever desired in his life had left his side early.
“I think… he just feels sorry for me.”
Despite that, Haon could not organize his emotions. They had already grown too large to be hidden or suppressed.