It was late at night.
[Around ten]
The house was quiet, wrapped in deep silence, but Haneul was still awake.
He lay on the bed beside Haru, her small body curled against him, breathing softly in sleep.
His eyes were open.
The dream refused to leave him.
No matter how much he tried to push it away, the words from his nightmare replayed again and again in his mind.
You'll lose a child.
His chest tightened.
"No I won't,"
He whispered.
He pulled Haru closer, holding her tightly as if afraid she might disappear.
He bent down and pressed a gentle kiss to her head, lingering there.
"I won't,"
He repeated, more firmly this time.
His heart felt unbearably full fear, love, desperation all tangled together.
Just then,
The faint sound of a car reached his ears from outside.
Haneul froze.
Slowly, carefully,
He slipped out of bed and walked toward the window.
He looked down.
Taekyun had just stepped out of the car.
A servant took the keys from him.
Taekyun held his coat in his hand, his movements heavy as he walked inside.
Haneul turned back to Haru and looked at her sleeping face.
"I'll talk to him,"
He murmured softly.
Downstairs,
Taekyun entered the house.
He placed his coat on the couch and walked into the kitchen.
He poured himself a glass of water and drank it slowly, staring ahead, completely lost in his thoughts.
Nayeon.
His mother.
Everything from earlier churned in his mind.
He didn't even notice Haneul coming down the stairs.
Haneul stood a few steps away, hesitating. His fingers twisted into the sleeves of his clothes, rolling the fabric nervously as he gathered the courage to move closer.
Taekyun finally turned.
"You're still awake?"
He asked.
Haneul looked at him and gave a small nod.
"You came late tonight."
Taekyun nodded.
"I had some work left."
Haneul nodded again.
Taekyun hesitated, then asked quietly,
"Are you still not feeling okay?"
Haneul looked up at him and took a step closer.
"I'm fine,"
He said softly.
"I…... was waiting for you."
Taekyun studied him more carefully then
and noticed it.
Haneul's pheromones were disturbed.
"Is everything okay?"
Taekyun asked.
Haneul moved closer, his lips trembling.
" I'm scared,"
He whispered.
"Too scared."
He reached out and hugged Taekyun.
At first,
The hug wasn't tight just enough to overcome his hesitation.
Then his arms tightened around Taekyun as if he couldn't stop himself anymore.
Taekyun froze.
For a moment,
He forgot everything else his anger, his exhaustion, his problems.
"What are you scared of?"
He asked gently.
"Did something happen?"
Haneul's tears slowly fell.
"I don't want to go back,"
He said.
"I don't want to lose Haru."
"I don't want to die."
Taekyun's brows knit together in worry.
What suddenly got into you?
"Why are you saying this?"
Haneul looked at him, voice shaking.
"You have to protect us,"
He said.
"No matter what."
"You'll protect me and Haru."
Taekyun's heart fluttered painfully.
It felt like he was standing alone in complete darkness.
Haneul.
Haru.
Jina.
Nayeon.
Everyone depended on him.
The burden on his shoulders grew heavier.
He nodded slowly, lifting his hand to rub Haneul's head gently.
But inside, a single thought echoed endlessly.
And me?
Who is going to look after me?
I'm not that strong.
Why is everyone relying on me so much?
Haneul slowly pulled away and looked at him with tear-filled eyes.
"Can you help me find my brother?"
He asked softly.
"Please."
Taekyun went still.
"Brother?"
He repeated.
Haneul nodded.
"My older brother Jiwon."
The name burned.
Taekyun's heart tightened sharply as he looked at Haneul.
"Let's talk..."
"Please,"
Haneul cut in.
"Please hear me tonight."
"I really want to tell you."
Taekyun exhaled slowly.
No matter what,
He would hear it.
He nodded and held Haneul's hand.
It was trembling and cold.
He led him to the study.
[The story of jiwon]
Inside,
Haneul sat down carefully.
Taekyun sat across from him, steadying himself.
I'll hear it.
I won't react.
He's not the one responsible.
Haneul took a deep breath.
"You know I'm from Eunoia, right?"
Taekyun nodded.
"My hyung came to this world four years ago by mistake,"
Haneul said.
"Because of my uncle."
Taekyun looked at him.
"Uncle?"
Haneul nodded.
"My parents died in an accident,"
He continued.
"Jiwon hyung and I were too young at the time."
"Our car's brakes failed.....
The bridge was broken.
My dad took a turn without knowing."
His lips trembled.
"My mom opened the back door… and my hyung pushed me out."
"I was too young to understand what happened."
Haneul took a long breath.
Taekyun looked down.
"I was scared,"
Haneul said.
"The ambulance, the police, everything."
"But my dad's brother took us in.
My uncle raised us well.
He gave us everything we needed."
"He was a scientist.
He worked for a famous research company in our world."
"He studied different worlds.
Different things."
"One day,
The company found a way to escape to another world."
"People started leaving Eunoia.
But they never came back."
"My hyung wanted to learn,"
Haneul said hesitating.
"He wanted to be like my uncle."
"But he made a mistake.
He didn't tell my uncle anything."
"And One night….. he vanished."
Haneul's tears fell.
"We searched everywhere,"
He whispered.
"He was the only one I had left."
"My uncle searched too until he found out my hyung escaped by mistake with another worker to this world."
After that,
"My uncle was suffering from a chemical reaction.
He told me some things about this world but not everything."
"I used to cry a lot,"
Haneul said faintly.
"So he used to teach me."
"But then my uncle passed away."
"A month before I came here."
Haneul's hands shook.
"I got lost. I went to the lab.
I read my uncle's books."
"And I came to this world to search for my hyung."
"I really hope I find him."
"He's the only family I have from that world."
"I really want to see him."
Taekyun's heart broke as he listened.
"What if... you don't find him?"
He asked quietly.
Haneul looked at him with shining, tearful eyes.
"I will,"
He said firmly.
"I trust you."
"You'll help me, right?"
Taekyun's jaw tightened.
"Why do you think I can?"
He asked.
"What if I can't?"
Haneul held his hand tighter.
"Because I know,"
He said.
"I trust you."
"I promise,"
He added.
"I won't leave you or Haru ever."
Taekyun nodded.
He didn't tell him the truth.
That the brother he was waiting for was already gone.
"Let's go,"
Taekyun said quietly.
Haneul nodded, holding his hand as they went upstairs.
At Haru's room,
Haneul smiled faintly at Taekyun and closed the door.
Taekyun stood there for a moment.
Then he walked toward his own room.
His heart ached.
What kind of life is this?
Why am I so stuck?
What am I supposed to do?
Everyone around him carried such miserable lives.
That he had completely forgotten his own.