Chapter 15.15

– My pajamas.

“I’m so excited to imagine you playing games in your pajamas.”

– Then do it.

“You do it. In a sexy voice.”

– How?

“If you moan while playing with your hands, I think I can leave here.”

Sang Woo didn’t say anything for a while. A look of bewilderment was on his eyes.

– I don’t want to talk about it.

“Why?”

– …I just did it, so nothing is coming out.

Jae Young, who didn’t expect it at all, couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Forgetting his fatigue after laughing for a long time, Sang Woo told him off that it wasn’t proper to laugh at a physiological phenomenon.

“Did you do it while looking at my picture?”

– What are you asking?

“I’m jealous, damn it. Which was it?”

– Stop teasing me.

“I’m serious. What picture did you look at?”

– …

“Hurry.”

– Several… Jang, I’m going to flip it and… I don’t really remember. I’m so embarrassed. Can I hang up?

“No way.”

Jae Young had Sang Woo explain what he did today, and he kept his eyes closed and listened while he was talking without hesitation.

He wished there was a program that read books with his voice. Then he’d listen to it every night and become well-informed. Wasn’t it because he only heard the voice and didn’t understand the content at all? Jae Young buried himself under the blanket without even changing his clothes.

– Are you listening?

“Yes.”

– Did you know that our call is over 50 minutes?

“No.”

– Recently, the phone time has been increasing. According to this pattern, there is a high probability of more than three hours after five episodes.

“Then… It’s not like we can’t… What?”

– Wouldn’t it be better to meet instead?

“…That’s right.”

– Are you sleeping?

“Ah…You.”

– I think you’re sleepy, just hang up and rest.

“Don’t hang up. Keep… Let me hear your voice.”

– Why?

“Keep…. Oh, my…inside.”

– I’m hanging up.

Sang Woo said so but he didn’t hang up the phone. It seemed that he accepted Jae Young’s nonsense and whining, even when he grumbled to himself. He fell asleep on the way without turning the lights off, so he couldn’t remember anything after.

⌘W

The next day, Jae Young was busy receiving condolence money from morning to evening. Even though the mortuary was set up far from Seoul, mourners continued to arrive. He was his nephew, and he was glad that the man he hated had died and he’d never see him again. Such labor was always welcome.

In the evening, the family ate in a miserable mood. When grandfather called him and talked for about half an hour, the sky already turned dark. It was then that he got a call from Jang Jae Hong.

– Where are you? I’m almost at the hotel.

“Are you coming?”

– I had nothing to do.

“Aren’t you going to offer your condolences first?”

– I’m going now. I’ll see grandfather first thing tomorrow, and it’ll be less hassle if I go with you and mother.

Jae Young thought it wouldn’t make much difference. Relatives hated him and kept him in check, but compared to Jae Hong, he was a nobleman. They openly ignored Jae Hong, who grew up with his father, and didn’t even think of him as a family member.

– You’re in front of the hotel, right? I can see you now.

Shortly after hanging up the phone, the taxi halted in front of Jae Young, and his twin brother got off.

‘I feel bad whenever I see you,’ he thought to himself, puffing cigarette smoke.

The two of them were the same height, appearance, and voice. When he was young, he couldn’t stand the fact that there was someone else just like him, so they fought a lot. However, they only resembled on the outside, while on the inside there was a huge difference. Everything else was different – personality, hobby, fashion sense, speech, and facial expression.

“Long time no see, Jang Jae Young.”

Jae Hong walked toward him, speaking stiffly. Wearing a basic black suit and tie that fit his body, he had a serious and strict impression. His hair, which was fixed by combing it on both sides based on the parting, was too greasy for Jae Young’s taste, and his accessories and shoes that he claimed to be classics looked old-fashioned if Jae Young would be honest. Who would even wear that in their 20s?

“Did everything go well?” Jae Hong stood by and asked.

Jae Young replied, releasing another batch of cigarette smoke to the other side of him, “It’s always a mess here.”

“Who got the position on the board? Aren’t you going back?”

“I don’t care about shit.”

After studying in Europe, his twin brother who started working in the financial world was ambitious and interested in social success. So, even though he was despised, he always showed up brazenly at family gatherings.

Jae Young added with a frown, “Why did you come here? It’s pathetic.”

“I’m on vacation. I have the time, and I need to know what’s going on,” he replied as if it wasn’t a big deal.

They were so different, and only looked the same on the outside. After a long pause in conversation, Jae Hong broke the silence.

“How’s everything with you? You must have graduated,” he said.

“It’s nothing… I haven’t graduated yet. I really have nothing to say to you,” Jae Young replied curtly.

They weren’t that close. The two of them lived in the same house until they were 12, but they didn’t play with each other because of their different personalities. When Jae Young scribbled on the wall, Jae Hong read a book. Even if he learned the same foreign language, Jae Young showed a talent for speaking while Jae Hong read well. If Jae Young led a fight in the alley, Jae Hong was a steady model student. Even though he had a secret.

“Where do you sleep? If the room is spacious, let me sleep in.”

“Don’t be ridiculous and get a room.”

“It’s nice to sleep together after a long time.”

Jae Young threw his finished cigarette to the ground and crushed it with his soles, feeling that it wasn’t even worth swearing. After seeing his expression, Jae Hong added.

“It’s a joke, a joke.”

Then his phone rang in Jae Young’s pocket. He’d been working so far, but he took out the device irritably, wondering who it was calling him. Suddenly, his face turned blank when he looked at the screen.

Baby is calling!

In an unconscious response, his hand pressed the answer button and glued the device close to his ear. He almost called him by his name, but stopped in his tracks. Jae Hong was watching carefully from the side.

– Hyung.

He hurriedly lowered the volume thinking it was exceptionally too loud. His eyes met with Jae Hong’s. Jae Young strode past him and headed to the back of the building. Checking that no one was around, he put his phone back to his ear.

“Oh, why?”

Palpitating. He just got a phone call, but his heart was racing.

– I found an important bug and tested it today…

Sang Woo bragged about his achievements in a slightly excited voice. Blah blah blah, incomprehensible stories poured through his ears, but Jae Young didn’t interfere.

– The performance has improved a lot. If you come the day after tomorrow, I’ll download it on my phone and show you its progress.

“Really? Good job.”

– Yes. Honestly, I’m running out of time, so I’m not sure I can finish infinite mode and other features. I’m worried about that.

“You can take it out and release it.”

– I want to finish everything.

“Let’s think about it together the day after tomorrow.”

Jae Young closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. He was sorry for Sang Woo, but he wasn’t interested in the game at all now. He just wanted to hear his voice. Jae Young was too tired, sharp, and cynical.

– It’s actually an excuse.

Sang Woo, who had been silent for a while, suddenly spat out.

“What do you mean?”

– You can test it yourself and talk later, but I’m just calling to inform you.

“…”

His heart, which had been frozen hard because he was surrounded by people he didn’t like, melted. Sang Woo had a talent for shaking people’s hearts without even an ulterior motive. Maybe Jae Young came all the way here because of that.

– Are you listening?

“Yes.”

What would his grandfather say if he knew he was dating a guy? He suddenly thought. Would an ashtray come flying or would they try and lock him in a mental hospital? Maybe he’ll laugh it off and tell him to quit after playing around for some time. Keep the line.

Line. Their bloodline.

– I’m sorry to call you when you are busy.

Sang Woo was good at apologizing even though he did nothing wrong. Jae Young wondered if he was the one who held his head brazenly because he didn’t want to express ‘regret’ in the PC room.

“No, I’m not busy.”

– …

“…”

– What did you think after calling yesterday…?

Sang Woo asked a little slowly.

– So, I wanted to tell you not to be so sad. That’s my business.

Did he think he was sad because he came to a funeral? His thoughts were one-dimensional, too. It’s completely wrong, but Cho Sang Woo’s worries were rare. Jae Young replied, feeling a smile spreading on his face.

“It’s because I’m stressed. It’s okay because it happens all the time.”

– Who’s bothering you?

“Yes.”

– Who is it?

“What would you do if you knew?”

His smile grew wider. It was only the second day since he left Seoul. But Jae Young missed Sang Woo very much.