Knowing Brother-Chapter 41

"Wow! Won Daeyoung, the birth of a new rookie!! You, you little bastard, are amazing...!"

The coach, overwhelmed with emotion, embraced Won Daeyoung. Seolwoo, holding the chocolate like a love letter and his heart pounding, went down the stairs.

Surrounded by applause and countless people, Daeyoung seemed far away.

There were even a couple of girls handing him gifts. At that moment, Seolwoo had a vague premonition. Something like this would happen eventually. Daeyoung would drift away, surrounded by others, receiving gifts from girls, and he, Seolwoo, would be relegated to just another ordinary friend...

The heart of the fourteen-year-old boy who simultaneously realized love and separation felt bitter.

However, all negative thoughts were washed away by Daeyoung’s smile as he ran through the crowd towards Seolwoo.

“Did you see? I was crazy today, right? You coming to cheer me on made it a new record, Seolwoo. Wow......!”

Daeyoung, drenched in excitement, looked like the most handsome person in the world. To avoid his awkward expression being noticed, Seolwoo struck Daeyoung on the head with the chocolate he had been hiding like a love letter. As Daeyoung’s attention shifted to the chocolate, Seolwoo responded.

Yeah, you were crazy. Crazy amazing.

Daeyoung, having just met with the event officials, was the last to enter the shower room.

He mentioned some resistance, as people had questioned whether he should be in the high school division since he was a year older. Officially, he was still a middle school student, so the competition organizers seemed to have a headache. While the coach was arguing loudly with the coaches from Gyeonggi Middle School, Daeyoung hummed a tune and entered the shower.

Whether the results were canceled or not, he had set a new record and completely crushed the spirits of the other athletes, which made him feel good. While Daeyoung was showering, Seolwoo lay on the bench outside the shower booth, fiddling with Daeyoung’s smartphone.

A little while later, he heard the door open. Seolwoo turned towards Daeyoung’s direction. He was about to throw the clean towel he had brought in.

"Hey. Towel."

"Don’t worry, I’m good."

"Ah, damn it. This is a clean towel. Take it!"

Daeyoung bent down to grab the towel Seolwoo threw. At that moment, the bath towel wrapped around his waist shifted slightly. Seolwoo’s face turned pale as he quickly turned his head.

What’s that?

He saw something he had never seen before. It was more than just odd. It looked like something that belonged to a creature from the wilds of the Serengeti, not a human civilization.

‘How the hell does that thing even work?’

He couldn’t have mistaken it. It wasn’t so much that it had any functional purpose related to reproduction, but it seemed more like a tool created for intimidation or threat. It was so wrong in its shape.

The shock lingered even after he got on the bus. Seolwoo reflexively avoided Daeyoung’s arm when it draped around his shoulder, asking if he was okay.

His heart was racing, which was already a problem. He had become so tense, afraid his emotions might show. He jerked his body away from Daeyoung.

Daeyoung looked puzzled. He sniffed his own clothes, then tilted his head.

“I showered, though? I smell like flowers?”

“...Grow your hair out. You wouldn’t know because you’ve never had to experience it, but it’s really itchy.”

Seolwoo made an excuse, blaming his short hair, and Daeyoung chuckled mockingly.

“Does our Seolwoo like long hair?”

“Shut up.”

But Daeyoung, despite being surprisingly insensitive in some areas, was quick to catch onto things related to his group. When he noticed Seolwoo was visibly uncomfortable with his touch, he paused for a few moments, then seriously brought up an old story, showing his discomfort.

“Seolwoo. You remember that thing that happened in the hospital when Won Daehyun spied on us? And the cringey stuff we did on the stairs at my house? That was all a mistake.”

Daeyoung emphasized once more.

“I was half out of my mind dealing with my dad’s problem back then. It’ll never happen again.”

His expression was so serious, and with his father’s issue being mentioned, Seolwoo couldn’t just joke about it.

“You’re my most trusted friend. Don’t think for a second that it’s making you uncomfortable.”

What’s the point of saying that now? You made me fall for you.

Only an hour or two had passed since Seolwoo had admitted his special feelings, and hearing Daeyoung’s words made his heart more conflicted. However, Seolwoo shot back with a cold expression.

“Why are you trying to explain? Just grow your hair out.”

The attraction he felt created a sensitive reaction to Daeyoung’s body, and his overly heightened senses mistakenly interpreted the strong stimulation from Daeyoung’s naked body as disgust. But Seolwoo only thought he was rejecting the male body.

It made sense since that image of the dark and grotesque shape stayed with him, even after he tried not to think about it.

The more he tried to ignore it, the more it kept coming back! They say it’s the "polar bear effect," but for Seolwoo, it was the "monstrous effect."

The shock, awkwardness, and surprise he felt were all bottled up and labeled as ‘discomfort.’ Of course, he had to feel uncomfortable. His heart was racing, but just thinking about that body made his stomach churn. Around the same time, he figured out the real use of the "classic and comfortable Durax" he had seen fall over the fence in the yard, and the thought that Daeyoung had used it made Seolwoo’s emotions spiral.

‘How ridiculous. I can’t believe I liked that filthy bastard. And it’s the same male?’

But it wasn’t like he preferred females, either. His feelings of romantic affection were uncertain except for Daeyoung, and the idea of sex seemed pitiful. How had he been so easily taken by this guy? It angered him.

‘Do I want to ruin my life, Seolwoo?’

Fear of being found out, the unconscious rejection of Daeyoung’s body, the gender boundary between them, their immature age, and Daeyoung’s serious line about being his most trusted friend... All of these things came together and made Seolwoo reach this conclusion.

I like him. I’ve started liking him. So what?

Just forget it.

The current relationship, where silence communicates and they are always on the same side, makes the most sense.

They say the chemical hormone-driven period of love lasts only 3 years. Over time, the feelings would fade, as if they never existed. So, I’ll just keep my distance for 3 years, enough to not lose myself. Whenever I feel like hugging or wanting him, I’ll think ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ of the "monstrous effect" and "classic and comfortable Durax." That will surely be the most effective way to rid myself of these romantic feelings.

But Seolwoo didn’t expect this.

He didn’t expect that Daeyoung would appear in his wet dreams, long past the 3 years he had promised himself.

If he had known how painful it would be to stay close to him sometimes, he might have left him much sooner.

After entering the same high school, before he even knew it, before becoming close to Ha Young-seo...

September 2013

End of the Month Report:

Malfunctions: 5 times, no abnormal results from EEG.

Second semester final exams: Average of 90.2 in Korean, English, and math, 93.6 if excluding math.

—————————*———

[Sports] Gyeongil Middle (3) Won Daeyoung 1st place in the Autumn National Track and Field Competition (Middle School Division) 🎉

“Report your physical condition every day. That way, if a malfunction happens, you can quickly run to the nurse’s office or leave early.”

“Why do I need to report to you, then?”

“Of course, you report to me. Who else would you report to, the homeroom teacher?”

“Ha... Why are you so curious about my average score? It’s private.”

“You’ll feel good if you see it. Just tell me, I’m your brother.”

“......”

With 100,000 won in pocket, Mrs. Choi was struggling with the plan to buy Seolwoo a smartphone on the same terms as the one she bought for herself, with a 3-year contract. Seolwoo, unable to bear it, decided to work part-time during the summer break. Daeyoung was skeptical. Was the kid, who could malfunction if overexerted, really going to work part-time?

The next day, Daeyoung immediately withdrew his competition prize money and bought him the phone. The condition was that he should never work part-time again and report his physical condition daily.

After struggling with inner conflict, Seolwoo accepted it, thanked him briefly, and opened his phone’s memo to type “Yakuza debt: 1.15 million won.” However, he would soon forget about that debt entirely.

Daeyoung, following Seolwoo’s wishes, grew his hair out and ditched the buzz cut. He also quit smoking overnight. The coach had warned that smoking could not be reported to Mrs. Choi or punished, and the athletes couldn’t join if they were caught smoking. Daeyoung had finished with that problem.

He wanted to set a better record.

He needed to run better than anyone to make up for his year-long absence and to establish his position at Gyeongil High. No one respects friends or colleagues without skills. Daeyoung wanted to become someone no one could easily touch. That way, even Seolwoo, who had the bizarre label of "anemic boy," would be safe within his circle.

For Daeyoung, being at the top in any social situation was vital, and the competition results were directly tied to survival.

After being selected as a hopeful athlete, Daeyoung went abroad for training with the support of the Athletics Federation. There, he set personal bests in both the 200m and 400m.

Seolwoo could now maintain a fake family background with even less information than before. His close connection with a senior athlete from a prestigious Gangnam apartment became solid proof.

The staged world they built for the audience of their school and the world was flawless. They were friends connected by keeping each other's secrets. In a world full of "fakes," they silently agreed on this.

Same side, heaven or hell, together.

That was Seolwoo.

Had he ever been shown affection to the point where he worried about his marker pen making a hole in his body?

Some might have been shocked and fled, but not Daeyoung. For him, it was the opposite. The strong, impulsive instinct inside him made it more thrilling and exciting.

Seolwoo. Definitely the most unique person in my life. frёeωebɳovel.com