NOGEUROPTTA

XIII

Jungha's heart was light as he sat at the table in the Han household, smiling gratefully. "Thank you for inviting me, Noona," he said, the warmth in his voice evident.

Hyo-Joo, sitting across from him with a composed demeanor, met his eyes. "If you want to be with Younjung, there's a condition."

Jungha's confidence didn't waver. "I'll do whatever it is."

Hyo-Joo's expression remained serious. "You must stay with us and manage the hotel."

Jungha and Younjung exchanged a surprised glance. Before he could respond, Hyo-Joo continued, her voice firm. "And you must leave your brother."

Jungha's face fell, his disbelief turning to shock. "Are you joking?" he stuttered, searching her face for any sign of humor. But Hyo-Joo's stare was unyielding.

He turned to Younjung, his voice strained. "Younjung, this is a big issue. She's asking me to leave my brother."

Tears welled up in Younjung's eyes as she looked at him, torn between her love for Jungha and her loyalty to her sister.

Jungha took a deep breath, struggling to keep his composure. "Younjung, I love you very much, but In-Sung isn't just my brother. He's my mother, my father, my friend—he's everything to me. All my life, his happiness has mattered more to him than anything else."

He looked back at Hyo-Joo, his voice trembling with emotion. "And now you want me to leave him like he's some take-out delivery?" He stood up, shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Noona. You might own a hotel, but my brother is not just some rest-and-go."

As he turned to leave, Younjung grabbed his hand, her tears flowing freely. "Jungha..."

He looked down at her, pain in his eyes. "I'm sorry, Younjung, but nothing is more important to me than my brother—not even you."

With a heavy heart, Younjung released his hand, her sobs barely contained. Jungha started to walk away, his steps echoing his inner turmoil. Just then, Hyo-Joo stood up, gripping Younjung's hand tightly. "Jungha, wait."

Her voice stopped him in his tracks. He turned slowly, his face a mask of confusion and hurt.

Hyo-Joo's voice was cold as she dropped the bombshell. "You and In-Sung aren't even blood-related. You're just someone his dad picked up from the streets."

Jungha's world shattered with those words. He turned back, his face pale, eyes wide with shock. Younjung gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she stared at her sister in disbelief.

The room fell silent, the weight of Hyo-Joo's revelation hanging heavily in the air, leaving everyone stunned and broken.

Jungha walked home feeling a heavy weight in his chest, the words of Hyo-Joo echoing in his mind. As he trudged along, his sadness was palpable. Do-Hoon saw him from a distance and started to approach, but Jungha, lost in his thoughts, didn't acknowledge him and continued on his way to the restaurant.

When Jungha entered the restaurant, he saw his brother, In-Sung, diligently wiping down the tables. In-Sung glanced over his shoulder and noticed Jungha's presence. Without looking up from his task, he spoke, "Where have you been? I was asking everyone where you were."

In-Sung then turned fully towards Jungha, intending to offer him food. But when he saw the tears streaming down Jungha's face, he immediately approached him, concern etched on his face. "What happened?" he asked softly.

Jungha's voice trembled as he spoke. "Tell me the truth."

"The truth?" In-Sung repeated, confusion in his eyes.

"Are you really my brother?" Jungha's voice broke as he asked the question that had been tormenting him.

In-Sung chuckled lightly, trying to ease the tension. "Of course I am," he said, turning back to the table.

But Jungha pressed on. "Biological brother?"

In-Sung froze mid-motion, the cloth in his hand falling still. He turned slowly to face Jungha, his expression serious now. He walked up to him and gently wiped the tears from his cheeks. "Why is it so important now?" In-Sung asked, his voice gentle but firm. "I've raised you all your life, and now you're asking if I'm your brother. What am I, just some local guy who decided to take care of you for free?"

Despite the heaviness of the moment, Jungha couldn't help but laugh through his tears. "You always find time to joke, even now."

In-Sung pulled him into a tight hug. "Nothing really matters now. Biological or not, you're my brother. You will always be my brother."

Jungha hugged him back, the warmth and sincerity in In-Sung's embrace providing the comfort he desperately needed. "Thank you, hyung, for everything."

In-Sung patted his shoulder reassuringly. "That's what family is for."

In-Sung and Jungha sat at the table, the weight of their conversation hanging heavy in the air. In-Sung broke the silence, his voice soft but firm. "Tell me what really happened."

Jungha took a deep breath, steeling himself before he spoke. "Hyo-Joo unnie asked me to leave you," he confessed, his voice trembling with emotion.

In-Sung's heart skipped a beat, his worst fears confirmed. "And what did you say?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Jungha's eyes welled up with tears as he admitted, "I left Younjung."

Tears streamed down In-Sung's cheeks as he struggled to comprehend the magnitude of Jungha's sacrifice. He reached out to his brother, offering what little comfort he could in the face of such pain.

Jungha's own tears fell freely as he spoke, his voice choked with sorrow. "I'll just find someone else... but first, I'll make sure she doesn't have an older sister."

In-Sung couldn't help but laugh through his tears, a bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "That's right," he agreed, his voice tinged with sadness. "Who knows, I might end up having affairs with every beautiful girl's sister in the world."

But then, In-Sung's tone turned serious as he asked, "Did you really say no so bluntly?"

Jungha nodded, the weight of his decision evident in his gaze. "I did," he confirmed, his voice filled with remorse.

In-Sung's heart swelled with love and gratitude for his brother. "Do you really love me that much?" he asked, his voice breaking with emotion.

Jungha nodded again, his eyes brimming with tears. Without a word, he stood up and enveloped In-Sung in a tight back hug, his arms offering solace and reassurance.

In-Sung held onto his brother's hand, their bond stronger than ever in the face of adversity. In his eyes, there was a determination to do something he have never done again for 15 years.