S Chapter 45

Chapter 45

“Yeah. Why?”

Shin Jukyeong asked, his face brightening.

“……”

However, no reply came. Yang U-dam merely stared at him for a long time with his characteristic languid expression. It was almost as if he was appraising something. Shin Jukyeong couldn’t tell what he was thinking, as U-dam tilted his head and even furrowed his brows deeply. With his unpredictable actions, Shin Jukyeong kept forming question marks.

“Well—”

“How’s your body?”

Just as Shin Jukyeong was about to utter a word, U-dam cut him off. He narrowed his eyes and asked. It wasn’t a very pleasant voice, but the content was sincere. How’s your body? He couldn’t be asking about his current physical stats. Then… huh?

…Oh?! Could it be worry?! Is he embarrassed right now?! Shalalala, a ‘sucker for his younger brother’ filter was splendidly installed in Shin Jukyeong’s eyes.

‘Crazy. He’s cute.’

He was suddenly hit by a heart attack. He truly was his younger brother; his charm was no joke!

‘It’s a pleasant attack even if I’m hit first. Do it more! Wreck hyung’s heart even more!’

Shin Jukyeong nodded vigorously.

“I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt at all.”

Yang U-dam responded indifferently, “Is that so?” For someone who asked about his well-being, his attitude was incredibly unruly, but Shin Jukyeong didn’t care. He was simply happy. He felt proud, as if the trust between himself and his younger brothers had significantly increased. They say effort doesn’t betray you; if you keep knocking, the door eventually opens.

‘Let’s use this momentum to give him the gift. Then we can get even closer. Mm-hmm.’

Things had been going well lately. Shin Jukyeong, being human, felt his heart softening. When he smiled faintly, U-dam flinched. Soon, he rolled his eyes around and rubbed the back of his neck. He seemed to have a displeased expression. Then, uncharacteristically, he hesitated before blurting out an unexpected question.

“Do you still have lingering feelings?”

…Huh? Lingering feelings? What lingering feelings?

‘Hmm.’

Even after thinking about it, Shin Jukyeong didn’t understand what he was talking about, so he just blinked like an idiot. As a brief silence hung between them, U-dam, perhaps frustrated, added a supplementary explanation.

“About your ability, I mean. You went to that club to get it, didn’t you, Hyung?”

Perhaps worried someone might overhear, he didn’t forget the consideration of lowering his voice. Shin Jukyeong flinched at the suddenly closer distance. His mind wasn’t filled with ‘ability’ or ‘club’, but with other thoughts. It was really unexpected, but surprisingly important.

‘Did U-dam grow taller?’

Yes. It was about his younger brother’s growth. It was a subtle difference, but his gaze was slightly higher.

‘His body seems more solid too…’

Shin Jukyeong began to thoroughly scan U-dam’s body. The thin T-shirt made it easy to check. He had hoped it was just his imagination, but unfortunately, it wasn’t. His younger brother was growing. Like a beanstalk, rapidly.

‘He’s increasingly looking like a man.’

Especially his forearms and shoulder line. They seemed about 1.5 times thicker.

‘His physique seems to be forming nicely.’

It was the perceptiveness of a “brother-crazed fool.” He quickly caught even the smallest changes. If U-dam had known, he would have been disgusted, calling it perverted stalking. But Shin Jukyeong was serious. His younger brother’s development was extraordinary.

‘Indeed, teenage growth is terrifying. To be caught up to already.’

It was a self-assessment that forgot he, too, was a teenager.

‘…Should I be happy about this as his hyung, or sad?’

As he was deep in thought.

“Shin Jukyeong.”

“Urgh?!”

Yang U-dam suddenly grabbed Shin Jukyeong’s cheek. The grip was still strong. Shin Jukyeong was once again impressed.

‘Truly… this kid has good natural strength.’

As he was having such a bland thought, U-dam met his gaze. Long eyelashes fluttered close by.

‘Like butterflies. Pretty.’

“You’re not focusing, are you?”

His tone sounded accusatory, but his voice was as gentle as a spring breeze.

“I’m asking you.”

Yang U-dam smiled faintly and continued. Unlike his clear and innocent smile, it was strangely terrifying. U-dam even squeezed and released his hand, performing the humiliating act of pressing cheeks with thumb and middle finger on Shin Jukyeong’s cheek. It was a brutal scene where a thirty-year-old man’s pride was thoroughly violated.

“Ugh.”

“Idiot.”

“…?!”

‘Calling hyung an idiot?! No way! Me, with my over-specs, an idiot?!’

Whether Shin Jukyeong was shocked or not, U-dam didn’t care and continued to play with his face. Due to the strong grip, Shin Jukyeong’s lips puckered out like a goldfish. Ooh! He flapped his lips. Muffled sounds were a bonus.

“Uh-ooh…”

“You’re ugly.”

“…!”

A skull-bomb exploded on Shin Jukyeong’s face. Ugly… No, he had never heard someone call him ugly in his entire life. Really.

‘Hyung, really, this is the first time. Huh?’

His heart sank at the sudden insult. It seemed he didn’t look like a cool hyung in his younger brother’s eyes.

‘Ugh, damn it. This won’t do. I need to bulk up. …Hmm. It’s okay. My growth plates are still open.’

From now on, rigorous self-management was in order. Just as he made that firm resolution, U-dam pressed him for an answer. Only then did the earlier question come to mind.

‘Ah, now that I think about it, U-dam thinks I went to the club to get an ability, right?’

He realized he hadn’t cleared up the misunderstanding. But it was awkward to explain everything in detail. He couldn’t exactly say he went to catch him.

“Huh? Uh-huh.”

So he answered vaguely.

“What?”

Whoops. Was that too insincere? Shin Jukyeong hastily added. In summary, he no longer had lingering feelings for an ability, and he had no confidence in becoming a Hunter, so he was giving up.

“And… something more important has come up.”

He was so flustered that he even said something unnecessary. Shin Jukyeong clicked his tongue, hoping U-dam hadn’t heard. But his younger brother was persistent.

“Something important?”

He raised an eyebrow, demanding an answer. He had a hunch that if he continued to talk, he would only spill more unnecessary information. He couldn’t let that happen.

“Ah, actually!”

Shin Jukyeong clapped his hands. It was a ploy to forcibly change the atmosphere. More crudely put, it was a cheap trick.

“U-dam, do you know any good restaurants at that intersection over there? I have plans this weekend, and I don’t really know much about those things. Please recommend something not too spicy and with few polarizing opinions.”

He strenuously changed the subject. Wasn’t his effort admirable? He desperately wished U-dam would just let it go this time, but U-dam, as if he wouldn’t fall for it, once again became a question mark serial killer.

“Plans?”

“Yeah.”

“With whom?”

He didn’t know why he was so persistent. He considered telling him but worried that the birthday surprise might be exposed. After much deliberation, Shin Jukyeong just said it was someone he had recently met. Then, U-dam’s expression changed strangely.

“A guy?”

He crossed his arms and tilted his head. His voice was quite unpleased. …A guy? If he was asking about gender, then yes, it was a guy, so Shin Jukyeong nodded. Well, it was a bit ambiguous to call that little sprout a ‘guy’, but still.

“You two are… meeting? At the intersection?”

“Huh? Oh.”

“Friends?”

It felt like he was being interrogated under pressure. Shin Jukyeong scratched his cheek with an awkward expression.

“Something… like a friend.”

Upon hearing the answer, U-dam let out a “Ha!” and snorted. He even pulled out his trademark “smiling but not smiling” look. Look at him, his mouth is smiling but his eyes are cold. What’s going on? Why is he acting so haughty again?

‘Did I make a mistake?’

Shin Jukyeong, flustered by the utterly unpredictable emotional line, blinked, full of question marks.

While Shin Jukyeong was bewildered, U-dam was consumed by a deep sense of betrayal. Shin Jukyeong, that slutty bastard! The guy who recuperated for four days after getting hurt at the club, what? The first thing he does after recovering… Ha!

‘It’s damn ridiculous.’

U-dam forced a crooked smile. So, giving up all the effort he’d put in his whole life to go on a date with a guy who’s “something like a friend” (underline that part!) is more important now? And he even specifically asked him for restaurant recommendations? This damn— bastard. U-dam’s eyes went dead black. The corners of his lips twitched.

‘Is he doing this on purpose to make me jealous?’

The possibility wasn’t entirely zero. Shin Jukyeong was infatuated with him, after all.

‘It’s not even funny. Jealous? Who, me?’

He hoped Shin Jukyeong wouldn’t have such absurd expectations. What kind of idiot would waste precious emotions on such a pure-hearted slut?

‘I’m the fool for caring.’

There are no second chances for someone who failed to manifest an ability once. That goes for Shin Jukyeong too. No exceptions. With an already damaged body, Shin Jukyeong cannot become a Hunter.

However, if he were as strong as his master, there might be a way to help him, so U-dam had intended to ask. Even if not a full Ability Manifestation, something similar… At least, to treat the side effects.

It wasn’t that he was specifically worried about Shin Jukyeong. It was just annoying how he kept getting hurt, and ridiculous how he messed himself up trying to protect U-dam… so he thought he would ask.

“……”

But what was the point now? That bastard was already a top-tier slut whose head was filled with thoughts of playing around with a guy. He even blurted out with his own mouth that it was “important.”

‘And… something more important has come up.’

Important? Is dating important enough to give up a dream?

‘And what was all that talk about liking me and sticking to me? Seriously, his lower half is cheap, so cheap.’

Guess you can’t fix vulgarity, huh?