Chapter 3.1: Fate Over Coincidence (3)

“…Hey. Do you only read books?”

Jung Heesung looked at Dohyun with a slightly tired expression.

When Dohyun said he was coming to visit him, Jung Heesung honestly expected a little more.

It was the first time he would hang out with a child, so he tossed and turned all night, thinking about what to do.

But the next day, Dohyun, who visited Jung Heesung, sat down on a chair and opened a thick book.

And the same sight continued for several days after that.

“Isn’t reading a book fun?”

Jung Heesung lowered his head with the book in his hand.

Not fun.

Really not fun.

But with such an expression, it was impossible to tell the truth.

“No… yes, it’s fun. Wow, how fun this is. Wow…”

Dohyun grinned at the soulless answer. He was going to ask him to play with Kayla if he gets bored, but since it’s fun, it didn’t seem necessary.

Dohyun, who had never hung out with other people, did not know how to play.

Books were the only ‘fun thing’ Dohyun knew.

“Why do you like books so much?”

“It’s fun.”

Jung Heesung was a little curious about Dohyun. Jung Heesung’s younger brother was the same age as Dohyun, but rather than sit quietly and read a book, he would rather go out and play.

Wouldn’t all children be like this, not just Jung Heewoon?

“My brother hates books.”

“Do you have a brother?”

Dohyun showed a little curiosity at Jung Heesung’s words.

When Dohyun showed interest, Jung Heesung’s face blushed.

“Uhm. He’s the same age as you, 8 years old. His name is Jung Heewoon.”

“I didn’t know you had a younger brother.”

He’s the younger brother of this older brother

Dohyun, who had been imagining his older brother as a child, quickly gave up. He couldn’t really imagine it.

“He’s really cute.”

“I don’t think he would be very cute if he looked like you.”

“…Aren’t you being too much?”

At those words, Dohyun giggled.

But after laughing for a while, he became increasingly paler.

How on earth did he hold it in until now?

After 30 minutes of playing around, Dohyun’s already white face turned whiter.

“Brother… Okay, stop for a minute…”

Jung Heesung scratched his head guiltily, seeing Dohyun’s face, which looked completely exhausted, unlike a moment ago.

“Did I talk too much?”

Dohyun nodded with a tired face.

“Sorry. I can’t stop once I started talking about my younger brother.”

Dohyun shook his head slowly. Dohyun, who struggled to come to his senses, answered.

“It’s fine. You must be on good terms with your brother.”

At those words, Jung Heesung hesitated. Dohyun looked at him as if the strange reaction puzzled him.

His face, which shone with many emotions while talking about his younger brother, turned sullen in an instant. At that dramatic change, Dohyun asked in bewilderment.

“What’s wrong?”

“My brother hates me.”

Dohyun couldn’t understand what he was saying.

Although he has a childlike side, Jung Heesung was a good person.

To the extent that Dohyun thought several times how nice it would be if Jung Heesung was his older brother.

Dohyun, who was secretly jealous when Jung Heesung excitedly talked about his younger brother, found it difficult to understand Jung Heesung’s younger brother.

It was difficult.

“Why?”

“That… no. It just happened.”

It bothered him a little that the other didn’t answer properly, but since he didn’t want to talk about it, it’s hard to ask him about his family situation.

Instead, Dohyun decided to ask.

“Then why does the older brother love your younger brother so much?”

At that, Heesung laughed. It wasn’t his usual playful smile, but a warm and affectionate smile that even made Dohyun tickle.

“Have you ever seen a newborn baby?”

“No.”

“I never liked babies. I thought they were loud and noisy. But since my younger brother was born, I did not know I would feel this way once I saw him.”

Jung Heesung paused for a moment before continuing.

“I have seen nothing so pretty in the world. Of course, the baby was just born and was red, small, wrinkled, and just ugly. But his soul was so pretty.”

Dohyun’s face slightly frowned at the sudden word.

What soul?

Jung Heesung continued talking when Dohyun’s expression darkened a little, wondering if the older brother he became close to for the first time was a member of some cult.

“It sounds strange, but it’s true! At that moment, I really saw his soul! In the light of forsythia, small and shiny things shimmer. What else could it be other than his soul?”

Dohyun nodded with a serious face.

Not everyone who’s a member of a cult was bad.

Dohyun decided to accept him even if the other was a cult member, so he could put his mind at ease.

Jung Heesung, unaware of Dohyun’s thoughts, was a little moved by Dohyun’s way of listening without thinking that his words were strange.

“I realized it the moment I encountered such a thing. I can’t help but love him.”

Dohyun forgot what he was thinking and stared blankly at the intense affection in those words.

“I haven’t seen him once since. In fact, I think I would love him even if I hadn’t seen him.”

Dohyun’s lips protruded a little at that clear emotion. The sad feelings that he pressed down on while listening to his words came out randomly.

“But you said he hates you.”

Dohyun widened his eyes because his own verbal attack startled him. Seeing this, Jung Heesung smiled broadly.

“That’s okay. I still have a younger brother who likes me.”

“Yes?”

“You are my brother, too. Right?”

Dohyun’s heart thumped.

He felt ashamed. He wondered if the other had noticed that he was jealous earlier.

“…Yes.”

He was happy.

Oddly enough, he had already felt an attachment to the other from the moment they first met.

Even though it hadn’t been that long since, a deep bond and intimacy flowed between them.

Dohyun’s heart was filled with excitement.

Maybe this was what ‘family’ was. He thought so.

Dohyun’s broad smile quickly brightened up the surroundings.