By Zephyria 
As I stepped out of the bathroom, I could feel the air in the house had distinctly changed.
Unlike the humid warmth of the bathroom, tinged with the smells of paint and soap, a commotion unique to a large family anticipating dinner was already brewing in the living room.
Haon, who was drying Yoon Seul with a towel, paused.
Cha Jeong-won was drying Yoon Byeol as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Strictly speaking, he was a first-time guest in this house.
From the moment he left the bathroom, Cha Jeong-won had become less talkative, but his hands had grown busier instead. He even took Yoon Seul, whom Haon had dried off, over to the sofa and sat her down. Then, he placed a towel under the children’s damp feet.
That wasn’t all.
“Do you have a hair dryer?”
“Huh? Yes, here.”
It seemed Cha Jeong-won intended to dry the children’s hair as well.
As if entranced, Haon fetched the hair dryer and handed it over.
“Hold still.”
At Cha Jeong-won’s words, Yoon Byeol rolled his eyes.
It was also Yoon Byeol who had obediently handed over the showerhead in the bathroom earlier at Cha Jeong-won’s single remark.
Yoon Byeol quietly bowed his head. Seeing this, Yoon Seul, as if needlessly competing, thrust her own head under the hair dryer Cha Jeong-won was holding.
With the twins cooperating so readily, the situation proceeded more smoothly than ever.
To the point where, at some moment, Haon’s hands were no longer needed.
“Did you finish all the snacks Oppa bought last time?”
“I’ll buy more.”
“Really?”
Whenever Cha Jeong-won answered, the children’s faces strangely shone even brighter. Haon found it both amusing and felt a pang in his heart.
That was originally something I should have been doing.
It was familiar to me, but it probably wasn’t for Cha Jeong-won.
He must be curious about the circumstances, but he didn’t ask. He just silently helped me.
It was embarrassing and I was grateful.
＊ ＊ ＊
Dinner was set more quickly than expected. When the smell of rice wafted into the living room, the children fidgeted first.
Out of habit, Haon gathered spoons and chopsticks and set out water glasses.
While busily moving about the kitchen, his mother added “Eat a lot” every time she placed a side dish plate in front of Cha Jeong-won.
His father, pushing his glasses up, seemed like he wanted to ask Cha Jeong-won this and that, but at his mother’s look, he kept his mouth shut.
It was a meal somewhat awkward, unlike usual.
In the end, the first to speak at the table was Yoon Woo-joo.
Before even taking a spoonful of rice, she subtly slid her phone screen toward Haon.
“I sent your allowance. Check it.”
Haon’s face instantly softened.
While bathing the kids, he had been worried about what Cha Jeong-won might think, but Woo-joo’s single remark deflated that worry powerlessly.
Knowing it was Woo-joo’s own way of showing sincerity also played a part.
“Why did you send so much?”
“Just because.”
Yoon Woo-joo turned her head, feigning nonchalance, and Yoon Tae-joo nodded lightly beside her.
“I sent some too.”
With his sister and then his brother sending money, Haon felt inexplicably happy and pushed the side dish plate toward Cha Jeong-won.
Tonight’s table clearly showed his mother had put in effort. The japchae glistened with oil, the braised tofu was perfectly seasoned, and the soup steamed hotly.
“Try this, sunbae. The braised tofu is good.”
Cha Jeong-won picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and nodded his head ever so slightly.
“It’s good.”
At that brief praise, his mother’s expression visibly brightened. Haon swallowed a hollow laugh inwardly. Still, he didn’t dislike that scene.
It felt like Cha Jeong-won’s mere presence changed the air in the house.
Amidst it all, the twins kept seeking Haon out.
“Oppa, water.”
“Hyung, I want some kimchi.”
“Oppa, this.”
As the children’s requests came one after another, Haon’s hands grew busy.
But there was someone else moving busily alongside.
Whenever Haon tried to get up, Cha Jeong-won would reach out first and pick up the water bottle.
If Yoon Seul dropped kimchi, Cha Jeong-won would quietly hand her a tissue; if Yoon Byeol spilled soup, he would slightly shift the bowl to change its position.
There were no particular words, but somehow it felt like Cha Jeong-won was tidying up everything on Haon’s behalf.
Haon felt strangely tense at the sight. Whenever someone sees my daily life too clearly, it feels like even the hidden corners are being exposed.
As the meal was nearing its end, Yoon Woo-joo put down her chopsticks and spoke as if tossing out a remark.
“Yoon Haon, stay over.”
Haon’s hand, holding a spoon, froze in place.
The original plan was to just eat and then head back immediately in Cha Jeong-won’s car.
Haon quickly glanced at Cha Jeong-won.
Cha Jeong-won was expressionless to an odd degree. No fluster, no objection, nor any meaningful smile. He just sat there as if whatever happened didn’t matter.
“No, we should go after eating.”
At Haon’s refusal, Yoon Woo-joo added,
“It’s not Seoul here, so the roads get dark after sunset. The driver must be tired. Sleep in your room. I’ll take care of the kids, so they’ll sleep with me.”
Even so, the suggestion to stay the night here made his mind complicated, but Cha Jeong-won spoke in a very low voice, audible only to Haon.
“Yoon Haon’s room.”
Haon couldn’t understand why those words sounded so ticklish. Whether it was because he was more sensitive in front of people, he had to forcibly suppress his pheromones from rising uncontrollably.
“No, sunbae. We should go. We have tomorrow too…”
As Haon hurriedly tried to speak, Cha Jeong-won suddenly raised his own wrist.
It was the spot where the band Haon had made a fuss about was attached. Seeing it, Haon’s words cut off instantly.
Cha Jeong-won slowly rotated his wrist once and offered a very natural excuse.
“If I drive any longer, my wrist might start hurting.”
His tone was so placid it was even more annoying.
Before Haon could retort, the other family members also nodded in agreement that they should stay over. His mother was already poised to fetch bedding from the master bedroom.
In the end, Haon swallowed his aggrieved feelings and got up from his seat.
“I’ll go take a quick look around the neighborhood. You must feel stifled too, sunbae. Let’s at least get some coffee.”
Cha Jeong-won stood up immediately.
＊ ＊ ＊
Outside was decidedly dark.
Unlike during the day, the road in front of the house looked like black paper at night, and everywhere not lit by streetlights was dim.
Perhaps because there were no high-rise buildings, a knife-sharp, biting wind blew incessantly.
Maybe I should have changed into a thicker coat before coming out.
He thought about saying he’d go back in now to get some clothes.
Suddenly, warmth touched the tips of Haon’s fingers.
Heat seemed to spread gradually from the hand joined with Cha Jeong-won’s.
His pheromones mixed with the night air, becoming more distinct. Then Haon’s sweet scent followed, blending in, yet strangely not excessive.
“The wind is chilly.”
Saying that, he fiddled with Haon’s joined hand.
Unable to control the smile threatening to break loose, Haon covered the back of Cha Jeong-won’s hand with his other hand.
The posture was awkward since both hands were holding one of Cha Jeong-won’s, but it didn’t matter.
It was the familiar road in front of his house, but today it looked completely different.
“There’s a cafe I used to frequent around here. Shall we go there?”
As Haon guided the way and spoke, Cha Jeong-won nodded.
For a neighborhood cafe, it was quite tidy. Opening the glass door, the smell of roasted beans greeted them first, and small lights along the wall warmly illuminated the space.
Haon automatically started to call out “Boss,” but stopped in his tracks upon seeing the man who raised his head from behind the counter.
“Uncle?”
The man who had been turned away paused briefly, then turned around as if giving up.
“Oh, it’s Haon.”
Haon was dumbfounded. His aunt runs a kindergarten in Seoul. Haon knew that well.
But did it make sense for his uncle to be here, wearing an apron like the cafe owner?
“No, why are you here, Uncle?”
“Well, there are some circumstances.”
While brushing it off vaguely, his uncle also gave Cha Jeong-won a once-over.
That brief gaze was so precisely directed that Haon felt a chill run down his spine for a moment.
The next instant, his uncle’s eyes stopped on Haon and Cha Jeong-won’s joined hands.
Haon thought he should quickly pull his hand away, but simultaneously realized it was already too late. He had completely missed the timing.
“Are you here alone, Uncle? Where’s Aunt?”
Haon hastily added words.
It was to divert his uncle’s gaze, which was directed at Cha Jeong-won.
“Where’s Aunt? She’s in Seoul, right? It’s not even kindergarten vacation time.”
Then, his uncle fiddled with the apron strings.
“She came with me.”
“She came with you?”
Wondering what on earth had happened, his uncle shook his hand.
“I’ll tell you later once everything’s sorted. More importantly, you have someone with you too.”
His uncle said while looking at Cha Jeong-won.
It meant, was it okay to leave him isolated like that?
Cha Jeong-won’s expression was unperturbed. Only Haon’s mind grew frantically complicated.
Now that he’s seen this, he’ll tell Aunt, and Aunt will tell Mom, right?
Then Mom will tell Dad and my brother and sister…
“Haa.”
A sigh escaped first.
87 – NOT 87