The Choi Brothers

🍵Chapter 10🍵

Reaching the park by 00:27 AM, Yeonjun spotted Yeji sitting on the swing, her silhouette illuminated by the faint glow of the street lamps. She looked up as he approached, her face a mix of relief and anxiety. Yeonjun removed his hood, offering her a warm smile, which she reciprocated, though it was tinged with apprehension.

"Hey," Yeji greeted softly, standing up from the swing.

"Hey," Yeonjun replied, his voice gentle. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"Oh no, not at all. I'm sorry for asking you to meet on such short notice," Yeji said, a hint of guilt in her tone.

"Don't worry about it," Yeonjun reassured her. "But you sounded pretty urgent on the phone. What's going on? Are you okay?"

Yeji sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly. "I don't know how to tell you this," she admitted, her voice wavering.

Yeonjun tried to lighten the mood. "You can try using your mouth."

Yeji managed a small laugh, swatting his arm. "No wonder where your brother Soobin gets his smart mouth from."

Yeonjun rubbed his arm, chuckling. "That brat didn't get it from me. He was born with it, and honestly, I learned it from him."

"Yeah, right." Yeji managed a small smile, but her worry soon returned. Yeonjun's expression grew serious again. "Is everything really okay?"

Yeji smiled faintly but her expression soon turned serious again. Yeonjun noticed her hesitation and guided her back to the swing. "Come on, sit down," he said, taking a seat on the swing next to hers. "You can talk to me."

They sat in silence for a few moments, the cool night air surrounding them. Yeji took slow, deep breaths, seemingly gathering her thoughts. Yeonjun watched her patiently, knowing better than to rush her. The night was still and quiet, the occasional rustle of leaves adding to the serene atmosphere. Yeji kept staring at the ground and Yeonjun kept staring at her.

After about fifteen minutes of silence, Yeonjun checked his watch and gently broke the silence. "Yeji, I need to head back by 1:15, and it's already 12:48. Can you please tell me what's going on?"

Yeji hesitated once more, her hands gripping the chains of the swing. But then she sighed deeply. "My eldest brother, well, he... he's looking dates for me." she stammered out, her words barely above a whisper.

Yeonjun's heart clenched as he stood there, grappling with the unexpected weight of Yeji's revelation. His feelings for her, which had been buried under the guise of friendship, now surged to the surface, making it harder to process everything she had just said.

He had harbored a crush on Yeji since high school but had never acted on it, fearing the complications with her twin brother, Hyunjin, his best friend. Now, faced with her distressing news, he felt utterly lost for words.

He didn't know how to respond, so he blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Oh."

Yeji looked at him in disbelief, her eyes searching his face for a more substantial reaction. "Just... 'Oh'? That's it? That's all you have to say? Nothing else?"

Yeonjun, caught off guard, met her gaze with confusion. "Well, how was I supposed to react?" he asked, his voice tinged with frustration.

Yeji blinked rapidly, her expression shifting from confusion to irritation. "Dates, Yeonjun. Dates as in potential matches for me. It's kind of a big deal, you know. At least, show some reaction that shows you actually care?"

Yeonjun sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know what a date means, Yeji."

"And all you could manage was an 'oh'?" she said, her voice tinged with hurt.