chapter 176[ side story ]

"Great!"

Fourteen-year-old Seo Hojin began jotting down today's tasks.

[January 30th

Finish math homework

Preview middle school 3rd grade curriculum

Wish brother a happy birthday!!]

He paused for a moment, pursing his lips.

His brother would surely be late again today, busy with tutoring or something.

Glancing at his notes, Seo Hojin got up, tucked money into his pocket, put on his padding, and headed out the door.

But soon enough, someone called out to him.

"Hey! You!"

He often encountered people he vaguely recognized on the street, mostly girls who knew Seo Hoyin.

"You're Seo Hoyun's brother, right?"

"Yes."

Seo Hojin scrutinized the person before him with narrowed eyes.

"Wow, you look just like when I briefly saw you a few years ago. Don't kids usually grow up fast? Or are they all different?"

Her words hit Seo Hojin's complex head-on.

"I'm Hoyun's high school classmate. Remember me?"

"What do you want?"

"Wow, look at that attitude. You really are Seo Hoyun's brother."

She squatted down, smiling at Seo Hojin.

"Tell him to contact me. Why isn't he answering?"

"Maybe he doesn't want to."

"Really, the genes don't lie."

As Seo Hojin retorted curtly, the girl looked awkward. Nevertheless, she forcefully pressed 20,000 won into his hand.

"Here, it's a bribe. Go buy something delicious for your brother, and tell him to contact me."

"...."

"Oh, forget it. Just tell him I miss him."

Seo Hojin hesitated at the sight of the money.

He was already short on cash, so it was a dilemma.

Seeing his hesitation, the girl maliciously chuckled and tapped Seo Hojin's hand with the money.

"Come on, take it quickly."

"...."

"It's cold today, so be careful on your way back."

Seo Hojin grabbed the girl's arm as she walked away to her friends.

Then, almost throwing the money, he turned and ran towards his original destination, ignoring the voices calling out to him from behind.

A similar incident had occurred before, and he had been scolded by his brother for accepting money recklessly from strangers.

Moreover, now that he was a bit older, he knew better than to accept things from people so easily.

"Sigh, sigh..."

Turning into the alley, Seo Hojin caught his breath as he slowed his pace when the path to the park came into view.

His brother, Seo Hoyun, was always a local celebrity.

He was handsome and popular among his peers, and he excelled in studies, earning praise from parents. He reached his peak when he passed the university entrance exam.

The surroundings were always crowded with people, and even to his younger brother, Seo Hojin, it seemed like his brother was moderately indifferent, occasionally arguing with their parents like a typical high school student.

But everything changed after the accident.

Even young Seo Hojin noticed that the current situation wasn't normal.

"Hmm."

He briefly regretted not just taking the money, thinking he could have bought something better with it, but pushing aside the slight regret, Seo Hojin entered the bakery he had planned to visit.

He was slightly surprised by the prices of the cakes displayed on the shelves. They were more expensive than he had thought.

Nevertheless, with the money he had, he could afford a small strawberry cream cake neatly arranged at the corner of the display.

Not knowing his brother's preferences anyway, Seo Hojin didn't hesitate further and pointed to one with his hand.

"Thank you!"

After placing his order, the bakery owner, in a good mood perhaps, gave Seo Hojin a slightly crushed cookie as an extra.

As he left the bakery with the cake box in hand, he quickly popped the cookie into his mouth. This time, the owner of the nearby flower shop spotted him and called out.

"Oh my, isn't that Hojin?"

It was someone who was close to his mother.

Why was he bumping into people like this today, when all he wanted was to quickly get back home?

"It's been a long time. Are you in 3rd grade elementary now?"

"I've graduated elementary school now."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

Seeing Seo Hojin's slightly weary expression as he responded, the flower shop owner was surprised. The child in front of her seemed much smaller for his age.

"A cake? Whose birthday is it today?"

"It's my brother's."

Trying to quickly regain her warmth and curiosity, the flower shop owner asked, but Seo Hojin just turned his gaze away and gave a brief answer.

"It's his birthday today, huh. Ahaha. Then take this flower too."

With a apologetic look, the flower shop owner picked out a flower from the nearby collection. The vibrant yellow flower was swiftly wrapped.

"It's pretty, isn't it?"

"...."

"It's the birth flower for January 30th. It's called a Calendula. It means friendship, you know?"

"No, thank you...."

As Seo Hojin shook his head vigorously, the shop owner chuckled softly, securing the flower onto the cake box and conveying the flower's meaning.

Seo Hojin rather liked the meaning behind the flower.

"Thank you."

"Take care on your way."

"Take care on your way."

Remembering his parents who always emphasized manners, Seo Hojin politely bid farewell and turned away with a slightly overwhelmed heart.

As he briskly headed home... he realized he hadn't paid and turned back towards the flower shop.

"Poor thing."

He overheard the conversation between the shop owner and a worker.

"Since their parents passed away in a car accident, the older brother has been raising the younger one alone."

"Oh, really?"

Seo Hojin's feet froze as he listened.

"Ah, but what can you do? No matter how hard the older brother tries, having parents or not makes a difference."

"It must be difficult."

"Then, the older brother will have a hard time raising the younger one alone."

Standing quietly, Seo Hojin briefly lowered his gaze, then quickly resumed walking.

"...Oh!"

The adults talking noticed him and were surprised by his sudden appearance.

"Why did you come back? Can I help you with something?"

Seo Hojin took out crumpled money from his pocket and placed it on the counter.

"I didn't pay."

"Ah! I see."

The flower shop owner chuckled awkwardly. Seo Hojin's chest sank at the sight.

"But you could've just taken it. It's a gift from that lady—."

"It's not much different."

"Huh?"

Seo Hojin straightened his neck and met the flower shop owner's eyes, speaking firmly.

"Whether the older brother raises me or the parents raise me."

With that, he turned and walked out. Despite the murmurs behind him, Seo Hojin closed his ears.

Then, by the park's trash bin, he pulled out the flower neatly inserted into the cake box and tossed it away.

"Annoying... Seriously."

Feeling irritable, he trudged home, and in the distance, he saw Seo Hoyoon's back.

"Hyung—!"

Feeling unexpectedly happy to see him home early, he hurriedly approached, but just then,

"I told you not to fucking contact me."

Seo Hoyun was on the phone, expressing anger. Seo Hojin unknowingly hid behind a wall.

"Do people have no conscience? Talking to a kid and bringing up money?"

"...."

A few days ago, Seo Hojin had to face a smiling relative and avoided thinking about that time after the accident, when he was briefly entrusted to them. Frankly, he didn't want to recall it.

"Is your brother home?"

Anyway, the relative, smiling and mentioning his brother, suddenly asked if he was eating well lately and if there was anything he wanted to buy.

It felt uncomfortable.

Seo Hoyun, with a smirk, brushed his hair back, then threatened in a low voice.

"Enough. Show up around my brother again. I'll show you what a real bastard is."

Seo Hojin squatted down and absentmindedly tapped the cake box. The call continued.

"I'm going to regret this?"

Seo Hoyun laughed as if he were amused.

"The thing I regret most in life is entrusting Seo Hojin to you guys for even half a year."

Then he hung up abruptly, breathing heavily. Frustrated, he took out a cigarette from his pocket, put it in his lips, and cursed.

"Damn assholes."

Today was supposed to be filled with good things because it was his birthday.

But the person in question just stubbornly smoked his cigarette with a bewildered expression on his face.

Seo Hojin peeked out with only his eyes, observing him for a moment before grabbing the box and standing up.

"Hyung!!"

"...Huh."

Seo Hoyun was slightly taken aback and took a step back.

At the same time, he quickly dropped the barely finished cigarette on the ground and stomped on it with his foot. Scatterring the surrounding air with his hand was just an extra.

"When did you come?"

"Just now."

Seo Hoyun looked at Seo Hojin with innocent eyes, then sighed in relief and scratched the back of his neck with one hand.

"Seo Hojin, did you finish your homework before wandering around?"

"....No."

"Confident, huh?"

Seo Hoyun grabbed Seo Hojin's cheeks and pinched them.

Feeling the painful sting along with the pungent smell of cigarettes, Seo Hojin quickly pushed his hand away and gently rubbed his cheeks. Seo Hoyun chuckled as he watched.

"What's with the cake?"

"It's your birthday."

"Oh."

He clearly forgot. Even though he always made sure to remember others' birthdays.

"Well, where's the money?"

He was about to say he saved up half his allowance, but stopped himself.

He endured even when his friends ate tteokbokki and Picachu tonkatsu, without asking for anything. Because he couldn't bring himself to ask his brother, who worked hard and supported himself with part-time jobs, for an increase in his allowance.

Even now, he felt embarrassed and ashamed of the process of buying the cake, so he didn't want to talk about it.

So, he pushed his brother's back and urged him to go home.

"But, Hyung. Do you like strawberry cream cake?"

As they rode the elevator and arrived at the door, Seo Hojin asked his brother, who was opening the door lock, without looking at him.

"Not really."

"...."

At Seo Hoyun's sharp answer, Seo Hojin's eyebrows furrowed. If he had just taken the money, he could have bought a really big chocolate cake.

Watching it all from above, Seo Hoyun chuckled and opened the door.

"I'll start liking it from today."

With only a glimpse of his eyes, Seo Hojin nodded vigorously as he saw his brother's face.

Seo Hoyun took out the cake and lit the candle in the middle of the kitchen table. Seo Hojin's heart fluttered at the sight.

But no matter how long he waited, Seo Hoyun just stared at him without lighting the candle.

"...What's up?"

"Sang 'Happy Birthday' for me."

"No way."

"Hurry up. The candle wax is dripping."

Muttering something under his breath with a grimace, but eventually succumbing to Jin-sang's insistence with awkward clapping, Seo Hojin began to sing.

"Happy birthday to you~. Happy birthday to you~."

"...."

"To the one we love... Anyway, to you~."

"Hey, you forgot the 'to the one we love' part."

"Happy birthday to you~!"

With a chuckle, Seo Hoyun leaned towards the cake, blowing out the candles with a whoosh of air.

"Did you make a wish?"

"Oh, but I won't tell you."

"Who's asking?"

Seo Hoyun grumbled, ruffling Seo Hojin's hair roughly before bringing over a plate and fork, cutting a piece from the most appetizing part and offering it to Seo Hojin.

"Thanks. I'll enjoy it."

That way, Seo Hojin could receive his brother's heartfelt thanks. It had been a hectic day, but with that one word, everything felt okay.

As he took a small forkful of cake into his mouth, the sweetness filled his palate.

After a few more bites, he felt it was the right time to ask the question he had been curious about all this time.

"Hyung, by the way."

"Hmm?"

"Do you have a girlfriend?"

Like the girl he saw earlier...

As Seo Hojin blinked with a creamy cheek, looking at him with big eyes,

"What?"

After a moment of silence, Seo Hoyun burst into laughter.

"Seo Hojin, are you already interested in that kind of thing at your age??"

"...What are you talking about!"

Quickly correcting the misunderstanding, but Seo Hoyun kept laughing.

"Hahaha, oh, are you already going through puberty? You've grown up so fast?"

"I'm not!!"

Even as Seo Hojin's ears turned red and he protested, Seo Hoyun didn't stop laughing.

After laughing for a while, Seo Hoyun covered his eyes with one hand and chuckled.

"Alright, alright, if you ever like someone, be sure to tell your brother, okay? Hmm?"

"Hey, hey, if you ever have a crush, make sure to tell me, okay? Hmm?"

"..."

"Ah, it's been a while since I laughed so hard... My stomach hurts."

Seeing his brother already sulking and refusing to meet his gaze, Seo Hoyun picked up a strawberry with his fork and lightly tapped it against Seo Hojin's lips.

Seo Hojin hesitated but eventually accepted it.

"Is it good?"

"...Yeah, it's good."

Seo Hoyun, who was once again patting Seo Hojin's head, got up and tidied up the place.

Anyway, he thought he gave his brother a pretty decent January 30th.

"Hey, bring your homework."

"..."

Even though he couldn't do that for himself.

.

.

.

That night. Seo Hojin went to bed early but woke up in the middle of the night.

He heard the sound of water running.

Rubbing his eyes halfway open, when Seo Hojin stepped out of his room to find his brother, he stopped in his tracks.

Seo Hoyun was standing in the bathroom where the light was leaking, clutching his arm.

It was where the scar was.

"Damn, it hurts like hell...."

As Seo Hojin watched him, he quickly went back to his room and slipped under the covers.

Occasionally, Seo Hoyun had nightmares. When that happened, he would turn on the water in the bathroom and endure the pain alone.

Seo Hojin's role here was to pretend to be asleep, oblivious to everything.

He knew that was the maximum consideration he could offer.

'Fool....'

That's how his brother always was.

No matter what happened, he either hid it from him or pretended not to know.

So Seo Hojin became even more curious.

'But I asked earlier if he had a girlfriend.'

He was there for Seo Hoyoon, but was there anyone to be there for him?

Seo Hojin pondered under the covers.

Despite his efforts to fall asleep, memories of the flower he threw away in the trash can came flooding back.

'Hyung.'

A round, fully bloomed yellow flower.

Honestly, it didn't suit Seo Hoyun.

'Does Hyung know the meaning of the flower on his birthday?'

Seo Hojin hoped that Seo Hoyun's birthdate and the meaning of that flower were not just a coincidence.

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