By Zephyria 
In the meantime, Lulu, perhaps having had a change of heart, squirmed and stood up. The sensation of soft fur slipped smoothly out of Eun-ha’s hand. Eun-ha watched as the cat leaped down from the bed with light steps. Then, as he happened to turn his head, his gaze was caught by a pair of eyes watching him. Discovering Yeon-jun staring intently at his face—though he wasn’t sure for how long—Eun-ha shifted his eyes around awkwardly.
“……Why?”
He asked, pulling his chin back slightly. However, instead of answering, Yeon-jun gave him a subtle, inscrutable look, then simply shook his head slightly as if it were nothing. Then, he asked.
“Aren’t you hungry?”
“Not really.”
“Do you want some dessert?”
“……If that’s what you want to feed me, then do it.”
He no longer felt any particular excitement toward the man who tried to push food on him every chance he got. As if that were the answer he wanted, Yeon-jun stood up without hesitation. Saying he would go rummage through the kitchen, he strolled out of the room. On his way, he didn’t forget to give Lulu, who had already settled on the sofa, a tender pat.
Watching that display of affection, Eun-ha felt a bitter taste on the tip of his tongue. He watched the receding figure, and once the man disappeared beyond the door, he flopped back. He tightened his mental grip. To make sure he didn’t act impulsively again.
As he lay on the bed staring blankly at the ceiling for a while, the boy returned carrying a tray filled with various snacks and fruits. Every single item reflected Eun-ha’s tastes. Though he didn’t show it, Eun-ha felt a bit better. Even he thought it was a ridiculously one-dimensional change in mood. From that point on, he didn’t feel the need to keep his mental grip so tight.
While he half-heartedly picked at the snacks, the conversation naturally shifted to the traces left throughout the room. Eun-ha spent time looking at various things: drawings the boy had made as a child, trophies from competitions, and graduation albums.
No matter what he asked about, the boy chatted away without holding anything back. Eun-ha enjoyed that time. It felt like they were in a normal relationship.
However, things became a bit awkward when, following the graduation album, the boy brought out a family album to show him photos from his childhood. This was because Baek Ju-hee, his family member, appeared frequently throughout the album. Whenever a photo of Baek Ju-hee in her mid-to-late teens entered his field of vision, Eun-ha desperately averted his eyes. As if pretending not to notice. Not that doing so would make the past disappear.
What was more troubling was that he vaguely remembered having spent similar moments like this through Baek Ju-hee in the distant past. He felt certain he had looked through the family album like this before. He couldn’t remember the specific details, though.
“At this time, I was dragged along by my sisters against my will……”
Eun-ha pretended to focus on whatever Yeon-jun was saying while sinking into his thoughts. Should he mention this? It wasn’t a topic he had any particular reason to hide, and he had no intention of hiding it, but staying silent made him feel uncomfortable, as if he were lying. He felt even more so because he believed this was a matter he couldn’t keep quiet about forever.
But how should he explain it? That he had dated your sister when they were young? That he had come in and out of this house at least ten times? It was a past he had lived having almost forgotten, and it seemed too serious and grand. A past he had almost forgotten. Strictly speaking, it was a truly insignificant past to Eun-ha.
“Hyung?”
While he was momentarily lost in thought, he heard a voice calling him. Coming back to his senses and straightening his gaze, he saw a face staring intently at him with his head tilted far to the side. Too close. Eun-ha immediately covered the handsome face with his palm. He gently pushed him away and let out a low sigh. As expected, keeping quiet felt too unsettling.
“…Listen, Yeon-jun.”
“Yes.”
“I think there’s something I need to tell you.”
He fidgeted with his shoulder uneasily. He avoided the gaze of the boy who was looking at him with curious eyes, asking what it was. After carefully organizing his words, he opened his mouth as if pushed by the lengthening silence.
“…The thing is. Actually, I’ve been here before.”
“Here?”
“Yeah.”
“Where…… the amusement park?”
“……No. Not that.”
They had been looking at a photo taken at an amusement park when the boy was seven. Shaking his head, Eun-ha kneaded the edge of his shoulder with an even more complicated state of mind.
“…I mean this house. Here. I’ve been here before, a long time ago.”
He could clearly feel the gaze piercing his cheek. Seeing as there was no particular response, it seemed to mean he should keep talking. Leaving that focused gaze behind, he cleared his throat.
“…Actually, my family home isn’t that far from here.”
He felt he should start with that. That he had actually lived near here a long time ago. He had never mentioned it before because he couldn’t find a reason to bring it up.
“Is that so?”
“Yeah. It’s a bit less than a ten-minute walk from here.”
“…….”
“…And you know I’m the same age as your second sister.”
“Yes.”
“……Well, we knew each other back then. We went to the same school. We were even in the same class once……”
“…….”
“……We got to know each other like that in middle school, so I used to come here to hang out often.”
“Does that mean you were friends with my sister?”
It was a clear voice. Eun-ha, who had been staring at his own knees, looked up at Yeon-jun, whose tone was steady without any fluctuation. Looking at his face, it didn’t deviate much from his usual expression. It meant he didn’t seem particularly shocked or surprised.
It was an unexpected reaction. He had thought the boy would react more dynamically. Asking if that was really the case. Saying he had no idea. Asking why he was only mentioning such an important fact now.
After observing Yeon-jun for a while in the face of this unexpected calmness, Eun-ha realized he was waiting for an answer and nodded. He felt there was no need to go as far as saying they had dated. It was too long ago, it happened when they were children, and they hadn’t done anything particularly grand.
“Well…… you could say that. But honestly, it was a long time ago, so I don’t remember it well. I only found out by chance that you were her brother. Once I knew, I just thought it was a really strange coincidence……”
“…….”
“Anyway, it’s no big deal, but I thought it would be weird to come all the way here and say nothing. Like I was deceiving you for no reason……”
“You don’t remember much?”
He was rambling as things came to mind. Startled by the question that suddenly cut in, Eun-ha searched his memory.
“……I guess so?”
“You said you came here often.”
“…I did, but it was so long ago. It’s already been over ten years.”
“What grade in middle school was it?”
“Third year.”
“Then I would have been eight years old.”
“…I guess so.”
“And I’m the son of this house.”
“…….”
“Since I was in first grade of elementary school, school would have ended very early.”
“……?”
Eun-ha stared blankly at Yeon-jun. He didn’t understand the context all of a sudden. Just as he was becoming puzzled by the flow, which felt like a game of Twenty Questions, the boy met his eyes. With clear pupils of an unknown meaning.
“Then, wouldn’t it be possible that you’ve crossed paths with me too?”