[T/N] I apologize for grammar mistakes and incoherencies
Special Chapter 22: Syntax Error #8.
“One April Fool’s day, five years ago, there was this one time when he came knocking on the door and said there was a letter for me, but is there a man at the post office with such a handsome and charming appearance? I couldn’t resist and ended up kissing him without realizing it.”
“So, you mean he’s gone now, right?”
“Yes. He left just a minute ago.”
As I looked at the time on my wristwatch, I realized I still had 36 minutes left. There’s no time to waste. Especially now that Jang Jaeyoung is on guard duty.
Since the other party doesn’t understand indirect speech, the only option left is to directly suggest that we have sex. Jaehong took a sip of the wine left by Rint, then looked into the eyes of the man in front of him. Suddenly, those special pairs of black eyes flinched.
“Chu Sangwoo?”
“Yes.”
Jaehong remained silent for a moment before whispering quietly.
“Do you really think I came all this way just to watch the fish?”
“I heard that you came for a vacation on a hot holiday.”
“That’s just an excuse. I have another motive.”
The other party blinked two or three times. Then, they looked at Jaehong calmly, as if understanding everything.
“Actually, I have already figured it out.”
The unexpected response left Jaehong stunned.
“What?”
“That’s actually your goal, Jaehong. I’ve noticed it before.”
“Wh- When did you notice...?”
“When I got in the car, it took me 12 minutes. When you tried to come to my house but failed. I tried to guess why you wanted to go to someone else’s house. Then suddenly I felt suspicious.”
The young man clasped his hands and spoke together with a serious expression and posture like a detective, Jaehong blinked his eyes and didn’t know what to answer. Therefore, the other party’s face looked more confident. “You came to test whether I have the qualifications to marry
HyungJaeyoung or not.”
“Huh?”
“You checked my lifestyle, threw questions that evaluated my behavior, asked leading questions that could make me lose my cool, for example, words that are synonymous with breakup, and tested my instant reaction by assigning a task abruptly, which was to ask for help on how to take pictures. You evaluated my appearance in detail to assess whether I have a strong physique, and you judged my ability to deal with crises through an intense interview about personal life.”
“...”
“How did I score?”
The man in front of him guessed wrong with a calm and quiet expression, just thinking about where to start correcting this misunderstanding, Jaehong had already figured it out.
‘But if I don’t do anything, Jang Jaeyoung will have to marry this crazy person!’
He began to deal with the problem directly.
“I object to this marriage.”
“I’ve thought about it and it has to be this way. I can understand it myself.”
However, before he could say the powerful words he had planned in advance, ‘I don’t think I’ll give Jang Jaeyoung to you!’ the other party responded casually.
Jaehong gradually lost his determination and bravery, he had always endured every small or big crisis that had passed, but this time he really wanted to give up, the economist who had excelled in his job had always been unfamiliar with failure. While raising his hand to wipe his face, the other party burst out.
“If you object because I’m a man like you, Shin Jongsok and Shin Mihee, then please reconsider one more time.”
“Huh?”
“Whether it’s me or Hyung Jaeyoung, we didn’t choose our gender to be born like this.”
“Shin...No. Have you met my grandfather?”
His grandfather is a very stubborn man, and the older he gets, the more stubborn he becomes. That man will never allow his grandson to marry someone of the same sex, no matter how much he loves them. However, the man in front of him responds nonchalantly, without any hint of difficulty.
“I met him three months ago and gave him an invitation card.”
He thinks that Jaeyoung must have kept the wedding a secret because that old man, despite being over seventy years old, is still strong enough to go golfing abroad and is ready to swing a golf club at his grandson if he is not satisfied.
“What happened? For example, did you protest or something?”
“Although I was verbally violated in a severe way, I didn’t suffer physically. I happen to have good visual perception skills. And even though I am physically strong, he is still an elderly person, isn’t he?”
“...”
“Although I didn’t receive any blessings, I did receive a clear answer that he will join the event.”
“How do you feel about it?”
“He said he would create a commotion just by coming. I feel grateful already.”
The young man officially announced that he has overthrown the boss of Lasst and is now in a deep valley.
‘This is a completely crazy person.’
Jaehong cursed inwardly. Then the silence dragged on.
The other party looked at Jaehong with a face that seemed to say there is something else to discuss. Jaehong couldn’t predict what would come out of that unpredictable mouth. But the other party reached out politely to both sides.
I am confident that I will be a good husband to Hyung Jaeyoung.”
“Is that so?”
“Because it is highly possible for a gentle person to be a gentle partner. I always try to understand Hyung Jaeyoung and listen to him. If there are problems, we have annual satisfaction surveys to improve and the average score over the six years is about 99.83 in the first year.”
“...”
“In the third year, I got 99 points, which made the average score decrease significantly. Because it happened the day after we had a serious argument.”
The young man spoke in a detailed manner, like conducting an election campaign with a smooth voice. Jaehong held back his throbbing headache and let his opponent continue speaking.
“I misunderstood. I don’t dislike you, Chu Sangwoo, not at all.”
Then he stopped talking. Why? Even if it is someone unfamiliar, he wouldn’t object to the marriage just because he is not satisfied with the other person. Even if the person involved is different, Jaehong would still hinder the marriage.
‘Quite reasonable.’
It is not difficult to conclude that he interfered because he was afraid of Jang Jaeyoung’s misfortune, but in truth, Jaehong simply didn’t want to accept the reality that his twin brother loved Chu Sangwoo like a madman.
The other party still waited for an answer with a pleased expression, but Jaehong couldn’t say out loud that he wanted Jang Jaeyoung to live a carefree life like himself. Jaehong faced the unchanging gaze of that person and spoke.
“Both of you… you are fundamentally wrong. If Jang Jaeyoung is a bird flying in the sky, then Chu Sangwoo, you are no different from a mushroom growing on the ground.”
The other party pouted. Then he had a solemn expression for a moment before answering with frustration.
“You’re better off scolding me like Shin Jongsok. I’m not so foolish to the point where I can’t even stand listening to your insulting words.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Don’t pretend to not know or not point it out. You assigned one side as a bird an animal and the other side as a mushroom, which is not even a plant.
Do you have a reason for it?”
If Jang Jaeyoung is a beautiful bird, then you Sangwoo are no different from a penguin. Are you satisfied now or not?” “Yes.”
Jaehong took a breath and continued speaking.
“Look, you’re a person who seeks a structured life, while Jang Jaeyoung is emotional and enjoys chaos. So why would both of you think about getting married? Just because opposites attract.”
“...”
“What I am saying is that Jang Jaeyoung is emotionally unstable, and also messy.”
The man in front of him listened to Jaehong until the end before responding indifferently.
“You may be an open-minded person who enjoys making decisions and embracing new challenges, but your choice of words can be harmful. And the phrase ‘messy personality’ is highly subjective. If that’s the case, I wonder what
‘clean personality’ means.”
“Does he not even clean his own room? Are you, Chu Sangwoo, the one who takes care of everything? How do you divide the household chores?”
“His lifestyle may not be organized, but I feel it’s okay, as I can handle the household chores easily while Hyung Jaeyoung struggles with them. If we were to quantify the difficulty level, it’s like a balance. And according to the second law of thermodynamics, the world naturally progresses from order to disorder. Making a mess in the room is just a natural human tendency. It’s not a flaw to be criticized.”
‘Is he really trying to justify different people being together in this extreme way?’
Jaehong looked at the man in front of him and thought of the dragon that guarded the princess’ castle.
“Both of you are too different...”
“The two assumptions, ‘different personalities’ and ‘incompatibility,’ don’t imply a simile [3]. And for example, the strong attraction between protons and electrons, which are oppositely charged, or a chessboard with black and white squares that visually attract attention. It’s a natural phenomenon. Chaos and cosmos [4] are two separate relationships.”
“...”
You must reconsider whether we are suitable for each other, take your time.”
The young man spoke negotiably, Jaehong sat listening attentively and was almost persuaded, but he remained calm. This is the last obstacle. If Jaehong gives up, Jaeyoung will have to marry this man, there is no avoiding it.
“I think there are many other people who are more suitable for you than
Jang Jaeyoung. Why does it have to be him?”
“Jaehong, you are someone who cannot be persuaded. If that’s the case, I will go to the next level and so you listen carefully.”
The once indifferent gaze of the young man was filled with a definite determination, and he spoke clearly and sternly, as if delivering a formal speech.
“I am someone who has achieved goals through competition. It does not make sense for me to listen to just two words from someone I don’t know well, and to give up the greatest joy and happiness that has been bestowed upon me.”
“...”
“In another 175 days. No matter what happens. I will marry Jang Jaeyoung. Even if you try to obstruct, you will surely fail. It is better for your mental health to prepare good wishes.”
Jaehong tried his best to maintain a calm expression, but he felt uneasy in his heart. He couldn’t speak at that moment and had transformed into an opponent fighting against Jaeyoung, while being in a situation where the man in front of him was giving orders.
‘This guy, if Soloman tells him to leave Jang Jaeyoung, Sangwoo would most likely tear him apart. So boring!’
Although he was frustrated with the unexpected lack of progress, he himself was familiar with striving for victory in competitions. He did not want to lose in any situation. Jaehong squeezed his last bit of strength and spoke with determination.
“You haven’t answered why it has to be Jang Jaeyoung.”
“I like Jang Jaeyoung.”
The answer that came back in less than a second was entirely different from the conclusion and all the words spoken up to this point. It was surprisingly simple, without any logic or reason.
If you try to look, there may still be many people who can provide much greater happiness for you, Chu Sangwoo.”
“That’s not possible.”
“How do you know? You have never tried dating other men.”
“It’s not necessary.”
“Take me for example! I have the appearance that you Chu Sangwoo likes, dress in the style that you love, and have a similar personality in seeking stability. Don’t you think so?”
The man in front of him revealed an anxious gesture, clenched his fists, focused his brows, and spoke in a tense manner.
“I am bisexual, and I feel that what I just heard is you making a proposition towards me. Please be careful with words and actions that can be misunderstood.”
‘I can’t read the atmosphere much, so let’s set some boundaries.’
Jaehong forcefully restrained his desire to grope the other party and spoke.
“Yes, I am courting you.”
“Huh?”
“Didn’t Jaeyoung tell you that I am gay?”
“That kind of matter...”
“I like men, and I am also interested in you, Chu Sangwoo.”
The young man’s eyes widened like coins, and the corners of his mouth were open as if to knock the back of his head. No matter what was said, the face that used to hide emotions would now show a little bit of joy to Jaehong.
Jaehong glanced at the small wristwatch, there is still 22 minutes left, which may seem short but also long, the opportunity has not disappeared, there is still a ray of hope.
“You haven’t taken your eyes off me for a while.”
He slowly stretched his chest and leaned back on the chair.
“Don’t you want to know if being twin siblings means we have the same style in bed?”
________________________________________.
[1] Visual motion perception skills. In this context, it refers to the clarity of vision while the head is in motion, or Dynamic Visual Acuity:
DVA, is one of the tests for obtaining a driver’s license.
[2] Thermodynamics, in physics, studies the relationships involving heat, temperature, work, and energy. The second law of thermodynamics refers to the increase in entropy or the dissipation of energy in a closed system, which can be explained in various ways. One of them is that heat cannot naturally flow from a colder to a hotter body.
[3] Simile, a term in logic, refers to things that are equal, in this case, Sangwoo means ‘different personalities.’ It does not mean ‘incompatible personalities’ and is therefore not a simile.
[4] Chaos = disorder, without order, Cosmos = complete order.
Special Chapter 23: Syntax Error #9.
Chu Sangwoo’s eyes sharpened, seeing the other side’s tense expression, he thought of slapping the face again, but the subject turned to the side and looked at the floor.
“You’re Jaehong. You have a perfect exterior, but it seems like inside, you are a pretentious and ungenerous person.”
“...”
“Rude, disordered, immoral, stubborn, cannot be reused, like an improperly separated eggshell in wet trash...”
“...Aren’t you speaking too harshly?”
“Where is the harshness? You have a hidden motive towards the man who is going to be your brother-in-law, but you don’t want to be blamed for it, right?”
Fortunately, no one around here knows Korean. Jaehong felt confused because this was the first time in his life that he had been scolded so harshly, but now that he had come to this point, he couldn’t back down.
“If the bodies attract each other, does it matter if you become your brotherin-law or not?”
“Bonobos may not be like that, but human society has norms that need to be maintained.”
“Just keeping it as a secret is enough, isn’t it? You yourself are interested in me, right? You said it yourself that you like me because my style is different from Jang Jaeyoung, isn’t it?”
“Your overthinking imagination is just as heavy as mine.”
The man in front of him smirked, saying that Jaehong is a truly funny person.
“You are Jaehong, not Jang Jaeyoung. Even though you have the same last name, you are different people, you know.”
The other party, who seemed to be thinking logically, was actually speaking without understanding the situation. While it seemed that he considered cause and effect, when the topic was Jang Jaeyoung, he displayed an attitude similar to non-religious fanatics, the young man placed his hand forcefully on the table and stood up abruptly. Then, he looked down and stared at Jaehong coldly.
“I promised to take you on a trip for two hours, but I’m really sorry that I couldn’t keep that promise.”
“...Are you leaving now?”
“Yes. If you want to go back to your country safely, then don’t tell Hyung
Jaeyoung about today and book the earliest flight.”
“Wait. You, Chu Sangwoo!”
Jaehong’s call was lost and dispersed in the air, as the man assessed his words and turned away like that.
While Jaehong was contemplating whether he should follow after him or not, the man returned. The other party stood in front of the table, took a deep breath, and looked down, staring at Jaehong.
“I see you as a foreigner in this city, so I thought of letting it go, but it bothers me all the time...”
“Really?”
“You have to differentiate between ‘different from each other’ and ‘different from one another.’ And use it correctly. Different styles, different from a dog and a cat, different people, different points. Not points that are wrong from each other. If you’re using the Korean language, you should know this much.” [1]
“...”
“Farewell, Eric Jang.”
The man said goodbye in a Korean-accented English, as if disappearing into the wind, leaving Jaehong sitting alone, floating like a lost soul for a moment.
‘Fuck you.’
He rubbed his confused face and leaned back as if exhausted. Then, weariness seeped out. As he slowly reflected on various things that happened from the moment he exchanged business cards with that man until the moment the other party left, he felt even more tired, after a quick analysis. The conclusion was simple.
It’s been a failure from the beginning, he thought of ways to create a romantic atmosphere with that man but there was no way, not even one way. For Jaehong, the other party was like a door with no knobs and it was like indigestible artificial food.
‘Well, if you’re not comfortable, I wouldn’t have let it happen from the beginning.’
He just realized that when the line disconnected, the answer was on Jang Jaeyoung’s seemingly impervious face. It was as if saying try looking at it closely. Jaehong’s eyes were closed off with correctness until the end, wasting time and energy with useless matters.
‘Why did I come all the way here? I could have let those crazy people marry and live happily together.’
At that moment, even the end of the table where he gazed had passing shadows.
“Where did Sangwoo go?”
Jang Jaeyoung threw the suspicious wig, which seemed to have been found from somewhere, onto the table and sat down on the vacant chair. The other party was wearing a suit, both the top and bottom looked new, and Jaehong exhaled before responding.
“He got bored, so he ran away.”
His lip corners smiled with satisfaction. Jaeyoug lifted the wine glass of that man and examined it to make sure there were no traces of imbibing before raising his hand to fix his hair. Even though he followed because he was uncomfortable, the other party revealed a calm smile.
“You met my man. How about it?”
“Not normal.”
“He’s cute, isn’t he?”
“Cute?”
The man’s voice that insulted him as a pretentious person, even though he was not even worth a shred, still echoed clearly in his ears.
“Compared to before, you’ve become much gentler.”
“Weak... gentler?”
“You are like a cat that thinks it’s a snake, only sometimes it goes back and forth a lot, but he’s not a bad kid. Don’t dislike him.”
“...”
“After you get married, I will correct the misunderstanding and officially advise you again.”
“So you want me to agree to be misunderstood for another six months.”
“What about it? He’s not your husband.”
Jaehong took a continuous breath, feeling like he was running back and forth on the palm of Jang Jaeyoung all day. He encountered too many shocking things today that it wouldn’t be easy to recover from.
Suddenly, Jaehong thought of the most unbelievable thing he had heard today.
“But... Did you really tell Grandfather?”
“Um.”
“You’re crazy.”
“That day, I thought I might as well plan a funeral.”
Jaeyoung wiped his face with an irritated expression.
“How was it? Did you both get hit?”
“Just me, I got slapped once.”
“That’s why, he is already the best.”
“I thought the same way, but when Sangwoo saw me get slapped, he seemed really shocked. That gentle and delicate boy got so angry that I couldn’t forget it. He screamed loudly like a mad Doberman... Grandfather rubbed his neck as if his blood pressure increased, while Mother cried, and in the meantime, the clay figurine flew and hit the table, causing it to break. And then there was shouting and screaming...”
“...”
“But even in that situation, it ended well. It seems like he’s not as violent as before, it’s a good thing that the kid is not inclined towards violence.
Otherwise... I don’t even want to think about it.”
It’s an image that just the thought of it makes the head spin. Jaehong hardly knows anyone who doesn’t bow when they see their grandfather. Their grandfather was used to having power over others, and he was a person who used his emotions to the fullest with anyone, but for some reason he refused to lose to the imagined image of that man, even when facing your grandfather with just a single word.
“How did you manage to court someone like that?”
Jaehong asked with curiosity, and Jaeyoung, who had always spoken with a tense face, burst into laughter.
“I can’t tell you everything. If I wrote it in a book, it could fill four volumes.”
The other party leaned back in the chair and placed both hands under their chin with a slight smile.
“Was it a good time? He always wore a black hat every day and kept complaining, but he was so adorable. As I continued to follow him, he eventually became my boyfriend.”
“And now, when you realize it, he’s about to become your husband?” “That’s right.”
Jaeyoung smiled and confirmed.
“I’m trapped. Even if I let him win, by the time I turn eighty, he’ll probably still be complaining while I clean his dentures here next to me.”
“...”
“If I were born again, maybe I would follow him to the next life too.”
If it had been before he met that man, he would have probably laughed and mocked the other party for speaking too much, but Jaehong immediately agreed with him.
“That’s awful.”
“I don’t know, but in this world, there’s still a ‘chain’ that has been attached to my neck and it feels good.”
Jaehong could feel that his face was stiff, the dark corners in his heart felt a slight lack of emotions gradually emerging. Jaehong considered it normal for the boasting of the “people who have” to be a common thing. If Jaeyoung showed a happy expression and boasted about his salary or the size of his house like everyone else, he probably wouldn’t feel anything at all.
About things like the hidden picture of memories, a story that made tears burst like a comedy, the sudden smile that appeared for a moment, or a way of speaking filled with confidence that made him very annoyed, Jaehong chose words that would make Jang Jaeyoung feel bad and want to retaliate with a smile.
“Your fiance has a cute smile.”
“...”
“Although his personality may be a bit strange, his face is handsome.”
“Handsome?”
Jaeyoung, who had been smiling until just now, looked grim and spoke up with a scary face, and Jaehong wanted to curse him, but he resisted the smile.
“He looks just like my dentist, so much so.”
“Oh, really? I was really surprised. I thought you were going to say Sangwoo was like that too.”
“...”
“If other men are handsome, what’s the point? Seriously, what are you coming here for, trying to act all clever and all.”
Jaehong looked out the window without pretending and ignored those hurtful words. Meanwhile, Jaeyoung lifted the wine bottle and spun it while reading the label.
“You ordered some items to use here, can I take them?”
“Do as you please.”
“I have to buy some meat to feed him. During the time I did not see him he became a thin and pale vampire.”
Not just a vampire, that person is more annoying and tough than you can imagine. It seems that Jang Jaeyoung, who entered the room holding hands with that man, had already paid with his own feet and rationality as a reward.
Jaeyoung sat silently for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table before asking without hesitation.
“Are you going back now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Stay a bit longer, have some fun before going back, there are many beautiful beaches here.”
“It must be like that.”
Originally, he had planned to return home after achieving his goal, but after experiencing a terrifying failure, he ran out of strength so he thought he should take a break. In those various beaches, there would probably be handsome men sunbathing somewhere who could help fill Jaehong’s emptiness, even if only temporarily.
Jaeyoung grabbed a piece of cheese to have before packing up the food and wine. Then he called the waiter to come and pay, himself paying before Jaehong could stop him. Then he shifted his gaze back to Jaehong again.
“Let’s walk together slowly, where did you book the accommodation?”
“Are you going to send me? Who said he was busy?”
“Well, it’s about that. And I have something I need from you.”
“What?”
“The outfit you’re wearing, take it off for me. And the perfume too.”
“...”
“We’re betting, right? Isn’t that right?”
Jaehong couldn’t remember for a moment what they had gambled on.
“Get up quickly. If you don’t tell me where you’re staying, then I’ll take you wherever.”
“You crazy people.”
Jaeyoung smirked at the insult coming out of the mouth of Jaehong as a compliment, while Jaehong slowly got up from his chair. Jaeyoung then strode quickly towards the exit.
‘You just have the same genetics, isn’t it... or is it?’
He pondered the words of that man. At the same time, he felt that his older brother looked different today, as if he had lost something important, and perhaps because of that, the back of the other party looked strange and unfamiliar.
“Jang Jaeyoung.”
“Why?”
When looking at Jaeyoung, who turned back with an unsmiling face, Jaehong felt a subtle difference between them without realizing why. It might be because the place where he used to stand alone was now divided into two. Jaehong couldn’t understand why he felt as if the man who used to hide his anxieties under a comfortable exterior had gone to another world. From now on, the other side would not shake or fall apart, causing conflicting and resentful feelings to coexist in Jaehong’s heart.
“Hurry, I am gonna go find Chu Sangwoo.”
Jaehong, who was completely defeated in the game, took a deep breath and followed Jaeyoung quickly. As they were about to leave the restaurant, they heard a loud announcement from the speakers on the ceiling. [Attention customers on the 15th floor, please. Currently, the customer’s travel bag named Eric, Jang, Eric, Jang, has been left at the counter. Kindly come and retrieve your luggage, thank you. Repeat announcement, the travel bag...]
Jaehong glanced at his twin brother before bursting into laughter.
________________________________________.
[1] ‘Different from each other’, and, ‘different from one another.’ In the original, when Mr-Jaehong talks about differences, he usually uses the words, 틀리다, “teulrida.” throughout, which is the actual meaning of the word. This is, wrong/twisted/deviated/twisted/distorted, etc. As for the word, “different from one another.”. It really has to be the word, 다르다, “daruda.” As for the point of difference, it has to be, 차이점. ,
“Chaeejeom.”. No, 틀린, 점, “teulrinjeom.”
Special Chapter 24: Syntax Error #10.
In the quiet and serene residential area, a black sedan appeared on the road lined with cypress trees.
The car slowed down before stopping in front of a two-story blue-roofed house. As soon as the car door opened, it revealed a graffiti image on the wall, depicting a black snake and complex lettering. Inside the garage, various sports and luxury cars filled the space, with a white SUV already parked in the middle slot.
The black car squeezed into the right-hand slot in one go. The car door then opened violently.
The owner of the car, Chu Sangwoo, in a very bad mood, locked the car and closed the garage door with a remote control. He quickly strode towards the entrance of the house, not even noticing the neighbor who was waving to water the plants. After changing into indoor shoes, he went straight to the kitchen, rinsed a glass, and drank quickly.
At that time, the orange-striped cat, his rival, walked insolently through the flap door next to the entrance. Normally, they would have exchanged glances, but Sangwoo was too preoccupied with other matters to feel annoyed with the cat.
‘I am interested in you, Chu Sangwoo.’
Jang Jaeyoung’s twin brother, Jaehong, manipulated Jaeyoung’s innocent nature in order to create an opportunity for him to be with Sangwoo. He tried to provoke Sangwoo openly, knowing that he was associated with morally questionable people. Sangwoo had imagined being in a relationship with two lovers of the same sex, but these two scenarios were purely speculative.
“What should I do?”
Things that have already happened cannot be changed, and the problem is that after this, after returning from work, Jaeyoung will ask with a bright smile if he had a good time. If Sangwoo refuses, the other party will surely ask for the reason. At this point, Jaehong’s attempts to interfere will go awry…
[i. “Keep it a secret.” ii. “Tell the truth.”]
He had to carefully predict which option would cause the least harm based on the information he had.
Previously, Sangwoo had received an offer to meet secretly behind his boyfriend’s back three times. He was lucky to have escaped twice because Jaeyoung had something going on that day and did not ask any suspicious questions. However, there was one time he was caught. Jaeyoung grabbed a baseball bat and Sangwoo had to call the police to prevent his boyfriend from committing a crime.
‘It’s better to keep it a secret.’
But is that possible? Sangwoo couldn’t lie to Jaeyoung, even about the smallest things. He had never lied before, and if those kind and gentle eyes ever looked at him, he would have no choice but to speak the truth.
“It’s not my fault.”
After pondering for a moment, he immediately thought of Jaeyoung’s words that stuck in his mind.
‘Try to think from my perspective.’
Sangwoo, who does not have any siblings, therefore hypothesizes about clones and simulates similar situations. And soon after, he is overwhelmed with anger as he imagines the clone figure tempting Jaeyoung in a place where Sangwoo cannot see, making it difficult for him to bear. Sangwoo quickly ends the simulation.
“Fuck!”
His gaze, which used to be fixed on the ceiling, slid down to the wall.
[Chu Sangwoo ♥ Jang Jaeyoung]
The fabric sign on the wall captures his attention. It’s a sign that has been hanging for five years since it was made, and now the color has faded. They have moved houses several times, but Jaeyoung always keeps it and hangs it in the living room.
The day Jaeyoung accepted the marriage proposal. Sangwoo still vividly remembers the moment of pure delight when Jaeyoung saw the fabric sign sticking out from the back of a car and smiled with embarrassment, from that day until now. Whether it’s legal matters, financial issues, opposition from the other partner’s family, bizarre obstruction of cooperation or any other obstacles, he has dealt with them fervently or endured them patiently, and finally, in another 175 days, he will achieve his goal.
The picture hanging next to the poster <Veggie Venturer 2> is a large-sized likeness of Jaeyoung. Two years ago, they participated in a fun activity in an exhibition featuring graphic design works that Jaeyoung joined as a commentator. It was an activity where they had to draw each other’s faces without prior preparation and submit the works, but only Jaeyoung’s picture was selected and received an award. Jaeyoung consoled Sangwoo, who was disappointed.
‘Wow. My Sangwoo is the best, an artist, like Fauvism [1], clear as day,
Abstract Expressionism [2], isn’t it…’
It was the first time he received positive feedback about his artistic abilities, but even then, Sangwoo was still hesitant. So, Jaeyoung scanned his picture, enlarged it magnificently in silk screen print, and hung it on the wall.
Under the frame is a four-tier bookcase, with the first and second floors filled with literature and comic books that Jaeyoung reads, while the third and fourth floors contain instructional manuals that Sangwoo reads. Jaeyoung almost never touches anything in Sangwoo’s area, but he has secretly hidden a spy wire on the fourth floor. Sangwoo thinks that the book between <How to Marry Your First Love.> and <Perfect Parenting: How to Discipline Babies and Toddlers.> is really a bit of an eye sore.
<Blood Types and Human Relationships.>
Whenever Jaeyoung wants to annoy Sangwoo, he opens that particular item and reads it out loud for everyone to hear. Sangwoo has accidentally dropped that odd item quite a few times, but each time Jaeyoung has helped increase sales by ordering it internationally, so he has lost interest in it for many years.
Next to the bookcase is a large cork board with Polaroid photos and photos of dolls arranged in a pattern, with lightbulbs interspersed with pins.
The oldest photo is of Sangwoo when he was still a student, taken while coming down from a hill at an amusement park. Sangwoo’s face looks normal, but Jaeyoung has turned his face sideways and buried his forehead on Sangwoo’s shoulder.
The most recent photo is a photo taken by colleagues at a year-end party last year when Sangwoo was promoted. In the photo, Sangwoo is smiling while hugging a bouquet of red roses, while Jaeyoung is hugging him and kissing his cheek.
In addition to that, there are also photos from Jaeyoung’s master’s graduation, photos from Christmas parties with acquaintances, group photos, family photos of Sangwoo with Jaeyoung included, photos of various relaxing places such as sports fields, parks, and tourist attractions. As for other digital photos that have not been printed, he backs them up and stores them in the highest quality on cloud and hard disks.
‘Protecting this relationship to this extent, cherishing these memories.’
Jaeyoung must feel really bad about this, so Sangwoo can only prove that he has never wavered even for a split second with Jaehong, the only person he loves in this world, and since that conclusion was first established, it has never been changed.
It was right at that moment that Jaeyoung called. Sangwoo answered with great nervousness.
[Sangwoo, where are you?]
“...Home.”
[Are you at home? Jaehong said he wants to talk to you.]
The words on the other side of the line felt like a clear sky in the middle of the day, but all that came out were his breaths disappearing.
[Did you hear that? Jaehong said he will come to the house.]
“Darling, are you coming?”
[No, it’s just him alone.]
“Why? I don’t like that person.”
[Hey, come on. Be nice to him a little, he’s still my sibling.]
“I told you I don’t like him! Don’t let him come, please...”
[I’ll be coming back soon. I have few meetings to talk about work, just this.]
“No, I don’t want to!”
Sangwoo was frustrated, but the call was cut off before he could say anything. Jaeyoung, being pure-minded, trusted his younger brother who was no different from garbage.
After that, Sangwoo called Jaeyoung twenty times, but the other party did not answer. The best option left was to send a message, but in this situation, it was too risky to express it in writing. This matter concerned siblings, not anyone else. He had a premonition that this time it wouldn’t just end with attempts to harm with a baseball bat.
‘We only have to talk.’
The aquarium incident shocked him so much that he tried as much as possible to avoid seeing that man again. However, Jaehong was Jaeyoung’s only sibling, the person he trusted to take care of his assets and be responsible for 33.33% of the family members he invited to the wedding. Convincing Jaehong to realize his mistake and send him back to England before Jaeyoung noticed anything was the least damaging option.
Sangwoo opened the wardrobe and looked for a suitable outfit for the conversation.
“Sangwoo, are you there?”
When Jaehong knocked on the door, Sangwoo was in a knee-length down jacket and wore football socks under his long jeans. He also had skiing gloves on both hands. Since it was mid-summer, sweat dripped profusely, but he didn’t want to unnecessarily provoke the other party’s sexual desire. He had to cover his exposed skin as much as possible. As soon as he opened the door, Jaehong was taken aback.
“Oh, sorry, I got startled.”
That man had such a tall and imposing figure that his head almost touched the doorframe, just like Jaeyoung. His well-groomed suit looked impeccable, but inside, there was a demon that wanted to lead Sangwoo astray.
They stood about two meters apart, observing each other. Sangwoo analyzed the opposing party with sharp eyes, while Jaehong looked at Sangwoo without flinching, with eyes that showed no signs of fear. The one who looked away first was the visitor, and Jaehong coughed twice before taking off his brown sandals. As the other party prepared to put on the shoes at the entrance of the house, Sangwoo quickly blocked him.
“Take off your shoes. No footwear allowed.”
The sandals had the letter “J” written on the front, indicating that they belonged to someone. The man slowly took off his sandals.
“Open the shoe cabinet and look for a pair with the label ‘G1’.”
The other party grabbed a pair of guest sandals and put them on as instructed before walking into the living room. Sangwoo maintained an appropriate distance and slightly gestured towards the sofa.
“Please sit on the far right and do not stand up or move without my permission.”
Sangwoo poured water into a glass and placed it in front of the other party along with a coaster. He then sat down at the end of the sofa, two spaces away from Jaehong, and a moment of silence ensued as the other party didn’t say anything. Sangwoo had to be the one to break the silence.
“Jaehong.”
“Please speak.”
“Let’s make peace and put this behind us.”
“...”
“You don’t want to lose your brother for a moment of sexual desire right now. If you admit your mistake and promise to cut off all ties with me. I will try to handle this situation.”
He heard a snort from the side. Sangwoo slowly turned his head to the left and found Jaehong covering his mouth, suppressing laughter. He hadn’t noticed this before, but these siblings had a similar habit of laughing. Sangwoo momentarily glanced at the familiar smile before quickly looking down at the floor again.
“Sangwoo... It seems like you love only one person with your whole heart, right?”
“Yes. Besides Jang Jaeyoung, I see other people as mere paper. So stop trying to be close to me.”
“Is there anything good about Jaeyoung?”
Sangwoo looked up and accidentally locked eyes with Jaehong.
Strange, he had always thought the other party had no charm, just a neat appearance. But this man he encountered again was different in some way. His confident posture and slightly upturned corners of the mouth drew his gaze, and his eyes had angles that made it difficult to look away. He didn’t want to be like this, but his gaze kept being drawn towards him.
‘Crazy. That’s Jang Jaeyoung’s younger brother!’
Sangwoo slapped his cheeks and forced himself to turn his head back.
“Don’t ask anything strange. I apologize. And I promise that from now on, I won’t look at you with impure eyes. Then I myself will try to tell Hyung
Jaeyoung what happened today in the least incorrect way.”
“Sangwooya.”
The man ignored Sangwoo’s words and called out a familiar name. Sangwoo felt strange and couldn’t respond immediately.
“Chu Sangwoo?”
“...”
“I am calling you.”
Just being called twice, but in that moment, Sangwoo’s heart started beating violently. At the same time, he felt so disgusted horny that he had to grit his teeth.
________________________________________.
[1] Fauvism, a style of painting, emphasizes the use of bright colors and intense contrasts. It reintroduced the use of lines in a new way, with simple forms and preferred colors such as green, purple, brick red, and orange. It originated and was popularized only in France.
[2] Abstract Expressionism, a movement in art that emerged in the
20th century after World War II. Artists in this movement developed an Americanized form of painting influenced by certain aspects of the Cubist and Surrealist movements. They used techniques to create images based on personal visions.
Special chapter 25: Syntax Error #11.
“Strange, why aren’t you responding?”
“...Okay… Why?”
“For you, Chu Sangwoo, you only have Jang Jaeyoung. Are you sure?”
“I just spoke about the same important issue a moment ago.”
“If you speak again, will you die?”
That man... Did his voice always sound sexy like this? Actually, it’s just that Jaehong has a different way of speaking, but it sounds like Jaeyoung, right? Well, it must be because he’s been driving in the car all the time, and the surrounding museum sounds were so loud that he couldn’t concentrate.
Sangwoo wants to hear the other side’s voice more than this.
“If the two of us are stranded on a deserted island, even then, will you think of Jaeyoung and fight for him?”
“I will only go on vacation with Jaeyoung.”
“If Jaeyoung is not home for a year, will you patiently wait for him?”
“Just take a temporary leave and he will come back.”
“If Jaeyoung is fired and returns all his assets to society, will you still be with him?”
“Yes.”
“Even if he becomes a beggar with no money at all?”
“I don’t care. We will just limit extravagant spending habits. I can support him with my income.”
“Wow, that’s amazing.”
“Wait. And why do I have to answer these questions, every single question?”
Suddenly, Sangwoo, who was unintentionally waiting for the next question, felt his heart race. He felt too familiar with the pattern of the conversation, to the point where he joined without realizing it. Wait, did he just talk to a man like that easily? His face turned red as if he had done something he shouldn’t have.
“If Jaeyoung hasn’t taken a shower for half a year and comes to ask for a hug...”
“It’s fine now!”
Sangwoo tried to hide his discomfort and dismiss it.
“Why do you have to bother me?”
“Bother? I just asked a few questions.”
Sangwoo opened his mouth, ready to retort, before looking at the floor in confusion. The creature that normally never appeared in Sangwoo’s vicinity suddenly emerged from its hiding place. Then it walked hesitantly in front of the sofa. That little mouse jumped onto Jaehong’s lap and curled up in a ball.
The man seemed to be doing something inappropriate.
“...Huh, why is the cat you just met acting like this?”
The other person picked up the creature and tried to put it down, but the animal resisted and snuggled closed, making Jaehong hesitate. However, he used his index finger to gently stroke the space between the cat’s eyebrows. It was surprising because this had become Jang Jaeyoung’s habit.
“...”
Sangwoo lowered his gaze. Then he began to observe the man who couldn’t see someone’s eyes well until now.
A gray summer suit that was formal and refined. His forehead was exposed due to the pushed-back hair, and the atmosphere suited a gentleman. The way he spoke was heavy and elegant. All of this seemed to indicate Jaehong, but now the distinct difference appeared before his eyes.
There were three pierced holes on his left ear, the ring finger on his left hand was empty, although the faint trace of a removed ring remained, and there was still a faint scar on his right hand from a cooking accident three years ago.
The other person wasn’t the pale Jaehong, but an imposter, Jang Jaeyoung!
Sangwoo quickly used his brain.
[i]. Jang Jaeyoung was testing the sincerity of my answers. It’s highly possible that Jang Jaeyoung knows about the incident that Jaehong is trying to cover up.
ii. Jang Jaeyoung appeared in Jae Hong’s outfit without any signs of
anger or annoyance. There is a high possibility that the relationship between Jang Jaeyoung and Jae Hong is friendly.
Therefore, it is highly possible that Jang Jaeyoung and Jaehong collaborated and tested me from the beginning.]
“Hey, want to play something else?”
Sangwoo felt angry, but instead of immediately retaliating, he came up with a better revenge plan. He took off his gloves and placed them on the table. Then, he slowly unzipped his feather coat. The loud noise caught Jaehong… no… Jaeyoung’s attention and he turned to look beside him. Sangwoo took off his feather coat and placed it on the neighboring seat, revealing his naked body. Jaeyoung paused his hand which was stroking Visual Base.
“Why did you suddenly... take off your clothes?”
“No matter what, I had to take them off anyway.”
Jaeyoung blinked quickly, showing a confused expression, as if he forgot he had to act.
As he moved closer, sitting one seat away, he could smell an unfamiliar fragrance wafting in. The closer he looked, the more he could clearly see the distinct differences— a man who always smiled up to his eyes, with wrinkles around them, a man with constantly tanned skin, regardless of whether it was summer or winter. He was truly foolish to think that the other party was someone else from the beginning.
“Jaehong.”
“Yes?”
Jaeyoung stepped back a little and knelt down. Then, he used his foot to kick Sangwoo’s leg. Sangwoo exerted force to resist the push and held onto the leather sofa to avoid being pushed off. Meanwhile, the animal let out a cry and jumped down to the bottom.
“Do you know when Jang Jaeyoung will come back?”
“Right now. Immediately. In an instant... he will come in abruptly.”
“Then it’s bad. Did you lock the door before coming in? If he sees it, he might misunderstand us.”
“Well... then we shouldn’t let him misunderstand, right?”
“Yes. It is highly possible that both of us will be killed if caught. So, we have to take risks together.”
At that moment, Jaeyoung’s once tense face had changed. A smile appeared in his eyes, which were once filled with fear and hesitation. The corners of his mouth dropped and he raised a smile on one side. Jaeyoung turned his head back before bursting into laughter and making eye contact with Sangwoo again, cigarette in one eye and teasing conversation.
“Ah. So Chu Sangwoo, you also know how to gamble.”
“...”
“I didn’t even know I had such a function.”
It seemed that he was caught in excessive acting. Sangwoo was enjoying himself, so he felt regretful that this teasing had to come to an end like this. On the other hand, Jaeyoung’s eyes were shining as if he was having the most fun in the world.
Jaeyoung leaned back on the sofa, his posture different from before, his high-quality silk cloth looking mesmerizing and showing signs of wear above his knees.
“Chu Sangwoo.”
The low and soft voice made Sangwoo raise his head. As soon as Jaeyoung flicked his finger, he immediately obeyed as if under a magic spell. As Sangwoo walked slowly on his knees closer, Jaeyoung raised his hand to lightly pat his cheek with a playful face.
“Do you want to play with me?”
“...Yes.”
“If I do something for you...what would you do for me then?”
“...”
“If you give me a blow job, I’ll think about it.”
“I’m not very good at that.”
Sangwoo smirked, he was the one who started teasing first, but before he knew it, Jaeyoung caught up. Could he really not defeat an expert like him?
“Move closer.”
Jaeyoung flicked his finger and licked the corners of his mouth, slowly and teasingly, as Sangwoo struggled to swallow his saliva and leaned in towards the other side.
Two slender fingers slipped through the corner of Sangwoo’s mouth, lightly pressing against his tongue, causing his intestines to churn. Jaeyoung gazed at Sangwoo, teasingly inserting his fingers deep into his mouth and slowly pulling them out, as if knowing exactly how he felt.
“I asked if you would allow my cock to enter here.”
Sometimes, Jaeyoung, who used to be a theater actor at the university, wanted to play a role with Sangwoo, such as...
It seemed that today the other party wanted to play the dominant role. As the play seemed to be about to begin... Sangwoo had to act as if his boyfriend had turned into Jaehong.
While Sangwoo sucked on Jaeyoung’s fingers, he slowly climbed onto his lap, holding Jaeyoung’s wrist and teasing his tongue along his index finger.
“What are you doing?”
Jaeyoung pretended to ask innocently, but his eyes, which looked at
Sangwoo, were covered with an overwhelming desire that could not be hidden by acting. Sangwoo placed his free hand on Jaeyoung’s chest. Then slowly moved down to the tightly squeezed waist, and passed through the area between the legs slowly until his fingertips touched something hard like a stone.
“So, if you tell me to stop, I won’t continue.”
“...”
“If so, then I have to measure the size of your cock first because my mouth is relatively small, Jaehong.”
Jaeyoung raised an eyebrow, looking somewhat dissatisfied with those words. Sangwoo slowly touched the other person cock through the fabric of his pants with his wet fingers. Normally, Jaeyoung would immediately plunge and strip him, but this time he sat still and couldn’t move.
“What are you doing? We have to hurry before Jang Jaeyoung comes.”
“That is it.”
Jaeyoung hugged Sangwoo tightly around his waist and pulled him closer.
Sangwoo took a deep breath as he was embraced, and at that moment, Jaeyoung’s hand brushed against his backside before roughly grabbing a handful of his hair. Then, he heard a stifled sound.
“Just when you think that you are about to have secret sex with someone other than Jaeyoung, are you excited?”
“Yes. It’s the first time I’ve ever cheated.”
“...”
“Actually, having sex with another man is also a first for me. Or rather,
Jaehong, you are my second man.”
He waited for a response, but Jaeyoung remained silent and motionless, as if indicating that he should handle it himself.
Sangwoo began unbuttoning from the top, wanting to quickly remove the shirt clinging to his amazing body. His movements became faster and more impatient, but Jaeyoung didn’t cooperate at all.
“Seems like you’ve wanted to cheat all along.”
He heard a chilly voice coming from above, causing Sangwoo to be slightly startled before meeting Jaeyoung’s terrifying face.
He chuckled. Even when role-playing, he could still curse without flinching, but now it seemed as if Sangwoo was actually committing a sin. Sangwoo tried to erase the traces of his smile and placed his hand on the button again.
“Not like that. But if we try it and it turns out good, it might be worth it.”
“Oh... so if it’s good, we’ll continue?”
“There is one time already. Will there not be a second time? Next time, I’ll sneak off on my own when Jang Jaeyoung goes to work outside the office.”
When he said something intentionally provocative, Jaeyoung laughed coolly, giving Sangwoo a teasingly good feeling that only a man who couldn’t possibly know which way the reaction would go could provide. Sangwoo leaned in and whispered close to Jaeyoung’s lips, making his cool gaze seem as if it was about to kiss.
“I’m really in the mood. Help me out here.”
He grabbed the other party’s hand and pulled it down, but then Sangwoo’s hand was immediately pushed away.
“Don’t be too much.”
The cold, gloomy voice came out with the sound of teeth clashing against each other. That was a signal to stop this game. However, Sangwoo didn’t want to stop because even though they had been together for 7 years, Jaeyoung had always provoked Sangwoo, and the opposite case had hardly ever happened. He didn’t want to miss this opportunity that had come by chance.
“Why are you angry, Jaehong?”
“That’s enough.”
“I understand. I’ll let you fuck me if you want.”
Sangwoo moved his hand to the waistband of the other party’s pants to ease the heavy arousal, but Jaeyoung swept away Sangwoo’s wrist and pushed him in the chest, causing Sangwoo to fall off the sofa. Jaeyoung breathed in and out forcefully. Then he quickly grabbed the glass of water on the table and drank it.
‘Is this something to be angry about?’
Sangwoo thought for a moment before concluding that it wasn’t. he to imagine the situation in reverse and reached the same conclusion. It was just a game. No matter what Sangwoo said, the truth was that his loved one was Jang Jaeyoung. He had never cheated and would never do so in the future. Sangwoo could still remember when they were playing. No matter how nonsensical Jaeyoung’s words were, he would still endure it, even if he said not to play. Jaeyoung always did what he wanted, but when it was Sangwoo, why couldn’t he do the same?
Sangwoo felt the limitations of his own creativity and decided to mimic the words he had heard from Jaehong today.
“I want to try having sex with you, Jaehong.”
“Keep your mouth shut.”
“I wonder if the two of us have the same style...”
Before he could finish speaking, Jaeyoung placed the glass he was holding on the table and threw it, causing a terrifying sound as the glass shattered and the shards fell onto the floor.
Sangwoo surveyed the opponent’s hand first with surprise, luckily it seemed that he wasn’t injured. Jaeyoung stared at Sangwoo as if he wanted to strangle him with his eyes without realizing it.
“Uh... look what you’ve done.”
Because they were peacefully enjoying their break, Sangwoo forgot that his partner could become stubborn when angry.
“How many times do I have to tell you to shut up!”
“Just playing around.”
“Mister...”
Jaeyoung bit his lip but didn’t say anything, the level of Jaeyoung’s anger was probably at a 7.5. It had been a long time since Sangwoo had seen the other person so furious, since he misunderstood and ran away from home five years ago. Jaeyoung gritted his teeth and spoke softly.
“If you want to play, play something else.”
As soon as the other party finished speaking, he turned around abruptly and walked up to the second floor without giving him a chance to respond.
‘Are you overreacting…’