Chapter 39 Part 1

Chapter 38.

The moment Chaeheon saw Hae Sol, Haein’s decision became crucial.

She had loved Han Jeong-min, and even when she was pregnant with his child, she grieved her own situation rather than resenting him. So, if she still had feelings for him now, Lee Jun could act accordingly.

“Han Jeong-min came looking for you, didn’t he? You were worried he might have found out.”

Haein just nodded silently.

“He told you not to have the baby, so you’re anxious about being found out… Do you want to reveal everything, or do you want to tell Han Jeong-min never to appear again?”

“That…”

Haein couldn’t continue speaking and closed her mouth again. Outwardly, she was frustratingly quiet, but inside, she was likely roaring with intense struggles.

“…I wish.”

Haein’s small voice was barely audible, and Lee Jun was about to ask her to repeat herself. But Lee Jun, noticing something, couldn’t open his mouth as he watched it. Haein’s tightly clenched fist was trembling with effort.

Only then did her situation truly sink in. Becoming pregnant had changed everything overnight. She had heard harsh words from the man she loved, and unable to endure it alone, she had asked her family for help and must have felt very sorry. And she must have thought her older brother broke up because of her… even though he had said it wasn’t true multiple times.

It felt as though he had peered into Haein’s troubled heart, so he couldn’t rush her for an answer.

“I want an apology.”

Haein spoke with difficulty. Repeating the words Lee Jun had just missed, she seemed to have made up her mind as she lifted her head.

“I want an apology for being treated like a fling, and for him acting like I was a problem when he found out I was pregnant. I don’t want Han Jeong-min to be Hae Sol’s father.”

A myriad of emotions flickered across Haein’s face. Lee Jun, seeing the betrayal she felt from having loved Han Jeong-min and the anxiety that gnawed at her whenever he showed up, rose to his feet. He quickly crossed the room, closed the distance to Haein, and soon raised a hand as if to cover her head.

“…Oppa?”

At the sudden physical contact, Haein merely looked up with her eyes, and Lee Jun awkwardly stroked her hair.

“So, what you want is an apology. I understand.”

Since he had heard what Haein wanted, there was no need to mention Han Jeong-min further. Whether it was because of Lee Jun’s words or the hand stroking her head, Haein’s expression softened considerably.

“What?”

Watching the hand that had just touched her head, Haein turned her head, pretending to fix her hair. Their relationship wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t overly affectionate either, so an awkward silence quickly settled. Lee Jun casually brushed his damp hair with his hand and headed back to the bed.

“I’m going to sleep.”

Normally, he would be doing his outsourced work or homework, but today he wasn’t in the mood.

“…Oppa.”

So, as he lay down in bed and was about to pull up the blanket, Haein didn’t leave; instead, she came closer to Lee Jun. Her steps were cautious, yet not secretive, and Lee Jun, still half-lying, watched her.

“You still like Chaeheon, don’t you?”

“…What are you talking about?”

Lee Jun looked up at Haein, unable to change his half-lying posture. But Haein, seemingly with no intention of letting him off the hook, pulled his arm, telling him to sit up.

“You said you broke up because Chaeheon went to study abroad.”

Haein, sitting on the bed beside him, stared intently into Lee Jun’s eyes, as if trying to read the truth in his gaze, no matter what he answered.

“You like him, don’t you?”

“It’s not like that.”

“Liar.”

Haein pouted.

“If you really aren’t anything, why were you acting so sensitive? Anyone can see there are lingering feelings. You, and him too.”

Haein, who had been pressing Lee Jun, preventing him from answering, seemed determined to put him in a difficult spot.

“You said you didn’t break up because of me, so why are you telling a lie that’s bound to be discovered?”

“It’s true we broke up because he was going to study abroad. But he didn’t go, and we run into each other often at school, so it’s become a bit awkward.”

It wasn’t a lie. It was true that encountering an ex-lover again was uncomfortable. It’s just that studying abroad was the main reason, and Haein’s situation was merely the second. Without mentioning such things, Lee Jun lay back down on the bed.

“Let’s say pretending Hae Sol was Chaeheon’s son was because of me. But don’t you think it’s even stranger that you’re drinking with him and all that?”

There was a lot Lee Jun hadn’t told Haein. He tried to hide it even more, fearing she might think they broke up because of her, but there were still things he couldn’t completely conceal. Haein had keenly noticed them. That he was constantly being swayed by Chaeheon.

“If you like him, just get back together.”

“Mind your own business.”

“He seems to like you too, so if you like him, just date him.”

“Haein.”

Lee Jun’s soft voice captured Haein’s ear. She looked, wondering if he was finally going to speak his true feelings, but Lee Jun closed his eyes and said,

“Turn off the light.”

“…”

In moments like this, they truly were siblings. As Haein slammed the light switch and left the room, Lee Jun opened his closed eyes.

“I…”

Lee Jun’s quiet soliloquy lingered in the spot where Haein had been sitting.

“I don’t really know Chaeheon.”

So, I wonder if I can fully trust him…

If Hae Sol were truly Chaeheon’s child, born to him, would he still have these worries?

Several days had passed since Lee Jun had seen the baby being held. It felt as though something might happen immediately, but both Lee Jun and Chaeheon acted as if they had completely excised that memory.

They both needed time. Knowing this, when they met in class, they would sit together, eat cafeteria food or dine out, and then part ways, only sharing time to that extent.

“It’s about time I made a decision…”

Chaeheon, who had parted ways with Lee Jun but was still at school, stroked his chin. The decision he was contemplating was about uncovering the secret Lee Jun was hiding. Sending someone to do it was his last resort, but even without that, he still had concerns.