Chapter 54 Part 1

Chapter 53.

After the car came to a gentle stop, Lee Jun unbuckled his seatbelt. He felt awkward but was about to thank Chaeheon and get out when Chaeheon grabbed his shoulder.

“Stay a little longer. If it’s awkward, I’ll put on some music.”

Watching Chaeheon put on music, Lee Jun hesitated, then gradually shifted to find a comfortable position. He figured that if he left after having already pulled Chaeheon in and kissed him, he’d be even more self-conscious the next time they met.

As he leaned back against the passenger seat, Chaeheon touched the audio controller and lowered his hand. Soon, a gentle song flowed out, softly capturing Lee Jun’s ear.

Chaeheon had chosen a classical piece. Lee Jun unconsciously focused on the song, then, feeling like he’d heard it many times before, he looked down to check the title. When he recognized it, he instinctively frowned, and Chaeheon burst out laughing.

“Sleep well.”

Lee Jun stared at Chaeheon with incredulous eyes. What kind of lullaby was this? He wasn’t Hae Sol. It was absurd, but better than an exciting dance track, so Lee Jun turned his head away.

Lee Jun slowly lowered his eyelids. He wasn’t trying to sleep, but just to relax his body for a very short while…

Suddenly, without warning, Chaeheon’s hand ran through Lee Jun’s hair, and Lee Jun froze, looking at the window. His gentle touch softly stroking him and Chaeheon’s affectionate gaze at Lee Jun were dimly reflected in the glass.

“Sleep even a little. I’ll wake you up.”

His low voice resonated, stirring Lee Jun’s heart. It was that same gentle whisper Chaeheon used to use with him long ago. It was just like the times he would softly touch him to help him fall asleep. Back then, he would always drift off under Chaeheon’s touch…

“I have to go.”

Lee Jun refused, his eyes firm.

“That’s a shame.”

“If you’re trying to put me to sleep, give up. I’m leaving.”

As Lee Jun picked up his bag as if he was truly going, Chaeheon reached out toward the door, seemingly about to get out with him.

“No. Don’t get out.”

It was already kind enough that he’d driven him home. So Lee Jun told him not to get out and quickly exited the car.

Since Chaeheon still didn’t leave, Lee Jun glanced at the window, gave a light wave, and turned away. He knew the car wouldn’t leave until he did.

Sure enough, after a few steps, he heard the car start to move, and Lee Jun stopped and looked back.

Now, he felt he could clearly predict Chaeheon’s movements; it was both familiar and yet novel.

“He’s really nice.”

“And he likes Lee Jun a lot.”

At the sudden voice, Lee Jun turned his head and, at the same time, spotted Han Jeong-min, becoming wary.

“What is it?”

“What do you mean? Is this your first time seeing a person?”

“So why are you here?”

Because of Han Jeong-min’s sudden appearance, just like their previous meeting in the park, Lee Jun’s gaze quickly swept towards his house and back. Han Jeong-min, noticing his glance, reacted with a smile that pulled at the corners of his mouth.

“We met by chance last time, and it’s the same this time. Is it okay for us to meet so often?”

Lee Jun frowned at Han Jeong-min’s smile. More than not wanting to see him often, a doubt arose: was this encounter really a coincidence? Han Jeong-min’s expression was different from last time. Unlike before, when he acted genuinely surprised, this time he seemed to be waiting for something, making Lee Jun quite suspicious.

“You said your house was around here, didn’t you? I came here because I know someone.”

“Is that someone me?”

“……”

“It seems like you came to see me.”

Han Jeong-min fell silent, and then his smile changed. It wasn’t natural, but rather an artificial-looking smile, and Lee Jun sensed a strange atmosphere from him.

“You’re quick-witted.”

Han Jeong-min slowly, yet menacingly, approached, sweeping his gaze over Lee Jun.

“Let’s talk somewhere quiet.”

Despite his insolent tone, Lee Jun couldn’t refuse. He simply followed behind Han Jeong-min.

The place he went was a narrow alley In Front of Lee Jun’s House. Lee Jun, who had expected him to go to a park or some other public space, glared at Han Jeong-min with raised eyes.

“Why are you coming here?”

“Because I’ve been here about twice, it’s familiar to my eyes, so I like it.”

Han Jeong-min answered, nonchalantly looking around.

“It’s narrow and smells… But I have to walk down a street like this to meet my dear Haein, don’t I?”

As he mentioned Haein’s name, Han Jeong-min and Lee Jun’s gazes met directly.

“Why didn’t you tell me she was your sister? If you had, I would have been even happier to see her.”

“Why would I tell you something like that for your benefit?”

“Then you shouldn’t have shown up at all.”

“Your faces resemble each other,” Lee Jun calmly retorted to Han Jeong-min’s biting tone.

“If you don’t know why I appeared, then you’re foolish.”

“So you did meet me on purpose, after all. And you used Chaeheon to do it.”

Han Jeong-min nodded, as if pleased that his guess was correct, then tilted his head to meet Lee Jun’s eyes.

“But does Chaeheon know?”

“If you want to say something, go ahead.”

At Lee Jun’s calm reply, Han Jeong-min straightened his tilted head and ran a hand over his forehead. With one hand on his hip, an unmistakable feeling of displeasure emanated from his entire body.

“You’re right. There’s nothing I can’t say.”

Han Jeong-min stood squarely facing Lee Jun, meeting his gaze.

“I am curious to see how Chaeheon would react if I told him that Lee Jun used him to meet me.”

“Stop with the pointless talk and get to the point.”

“I don’t think there’s any need to be so hasty.”

Lee Jun consistently retorted without expression, while Han Jeong-min faced him with a smile. From the moment Han Jeong-min revealed he knew, neither of them tried to force a closer interaction.

“I thought there would be something important to discuss regarding the child Haein gave birth to. Well, that’s a matter to be resolved with Haein, and the reason I came to see you, ‘hyung-nim’…”

Han Jeong-min rolled his eyes sideways, pretending to look elsewhere, then brought them back.

“Since you deceived me, I came to see what kind of expression you would make. But you figured it out faster than I expected, so it was a little anticlimactic.”

“There’s nothing to discuss with Haein. I’m raising Hae Sol.”

“You’re his uncle. Why are you saying an uncle will raise the child?”