* * *

For a fleeting moment, Jungwoo noticed the sadness washing over his brother’s face and the way his hand cherished the ring.

Choosing not to comment, he softly shifted the conversation.

“Jungin, you’ll have to wear your summer uniform tomorrow.”

Jungwoo, attempting to change the mood, still questioned whether Jungin truly needed to attend school.

But as a smile crept onto Jungin’s lips, he swallowed his words.

If it made his brother happy, Jungwoo wanted to support it, no matter what.

Besides, they had already removed their mother’s spies from the school—those who, under her orders, had quietly tormented Jungin and failed to protect him.

Thinking of Hyun Joowon, he clenched his teeth.

Hyun Joowon, Jungin’s former homeroom teacher, was now serving time for child abuse and attempted murder.

According to Jungseo, Joowon’s life in prison wasn’t easy.

Beomhyeon seemed to have already taken matters into his own hands before anyone else could intervene.

There was no one else who could have done such a thing.

Once back in the hospital room, Jungwoo frowned at the sight of a large figure sprawled on the sofa.

“How can a sick person roam around like that?”

Hearing the grumbling tone, Jungin looked up and widened his eyes at the man wearing a white cap pulled low.

“Are you feeling better now?”

“Jungseo hyung! When did you get here?”

Jungin dashed over, standing in front of Jungseo, who always spoke bluntly but treated him warmly.

A bright smile spread across his face.

“Why? Did you miss me?”

Jungseo’s hand ruffled Jungin’s hair roughly, making him giggle and nod enthusiastically.

“Yeah, I missed you.”

“…”

“I missed you so, so much, hyung.”

It had only been two days, but seeing Jungseo’s face filled him with such joy that it surprised even him.

Speaking honestly, he noticed a faint red tinge on Jungseo’s face.

“Hyung, are you hot?”

“Ahem. Damn it! Why is this room so hot? Are they trying to kill all the patients with heatstroke?”

Having just come in from outside, the room didn’t feel all that hot to Jungin.

Still, he noticed Jungseo’s reddened ears and said, “I’ll go adjust the air conditioning.”

“Don’t—ugh, just sit down.”

Gripping Jungin’s wrist gently, Jungseo muttered in a softer voice than usual.

“You’ll catch a cold.”

He kept clearing his throat, his face turning redder, like a ripened tomato.

Feeling awkward, he abruptly stood and headed for the fridge, grabbing a soda.

“Why is the weather so damn hot…”

“Hey, if you shake that—”

Jungwoo’s warning, spoken while slicing a mango, came too late.

As Jungseo, visibly flustered for some unknown reason, opened the soda after shaking it vigorously, black liquid erupted like a fountain, spraying everywhere.

“Damn it! What the hell?”

“Oh, for…!”

Beside him, Jungwoo, now drenched, closed his eyes tightly before glaring daggers at Jungseo, who looked equally bewildered at the mess he’d caused.

“Pfft…”

Watching them, Jungin tried to stifle his laughter but soon burst out, throwing his head back as he laughed loudly. His stomach hurt from laughing so much.

Wiping away tears of laughter, Jungin realized that he had started to adapt to the peaceful life of being loved as Lee Jungin.

Though he knew he shouldn’t crave this happiness, the sweetness of it was already too addictive. It might have been better if he’d never known such emotions.

Hiding his bittersweet feelings, Jungin smiled even brighter, as if to capture the preciousness of this moment and his brothers in his heart.

The day of discharge had finally arrived. After eating an early breakfast and freshening up, Jungin felt his eyelids grow heavy, prompting Jungjin to speak.

“If I’d known it would be like this, I should’ve let you start school tomorrow instead.”

Jungjin’s expression soured, seemingly uneasy about sending Jungin off without even sharing lunch.

However, Jungin didn’t want to take up more of his brother’s time.

Recently, Jungjin had been swamped with work, often reviewing documents late into the night, even while staying at the hospital. Jungin shook his head firmly.

“No, hyungs are busy, and I can’t skip school any longer.”

Not just Jungjin, but also Jungwoo and Jungseo were equally busy.

Besides, if it weren’t for Lee Jungin, a senior high schooler skipping so many days of school would’ve been unthinkable.

Sure, he only needed to meet the minimum attendance requirement, but a person had to have some conscience.

And at school… he might see Kim Beomhyeon.

The thought of Beomhyeon surfaced again, causing a surge of bitterness and frustration to well up inside.

Jungin clenched and unclenched his lips, putting the damp towel he’d used for brushing his teeth back into the bin before addressing his brothers.

“I’m going to get dressed now.”

“So what? Go ahead and get changed. Our baby wants hyung to dress him?”

Lying on the sofa, Jungseo teased, mimicking the tone Jungjin often used with Jungin.

Both Jungjin and Jungwoo, sitting across from him, looked at Jungin with nonchalant expressions, as if to say, “What’s the big deal?”

Letting out a long sigh, Jungin hesitated.

Sure, they were all guys and family at that, so changing clothes in front of them shouldn’t be a big deal.

But he still felt embarrassed about exposing his bare skin in front of them.

Ever since inhabiting Lee Jungin’s body, he’d noticed that no matter how much he worked out, he couldn’t build any muscle, making him feel even more self-conscious compared to his well-built brothers.

“What’s our youngest always so shy about?”

“Are you embarrassed that we’ll see you?”

Standing with his mouth shut, Jungin’s neck turned red.

Freshly showered and looking soft and clean, his brothers’ gazes softened as they watched him.

Quietly nodding to their teasing questions, Jungin looked at his brothers, whose faces were filled with mischief, and warned them.

“Anyway, I’m going in there to change, so don’t follow me.”

“I told you, hyung will help you dress.”

“Consider yourself warned! Especially you, Jungseo hyung. If you keep messing around…”

Jungseo, who had been kicking his legs lazily from the sofa, sat up, laughing brightly as he waited for Jungin to finish his sentence.

Sparkling with amusement, he asked, “What cute threat will you make this time?” Jungin met his expectant gaze and replied.

“I’ll only call Jungjin hyung and Jungwoo hyung ‘hyung-ah.’”

“What?”

Expecting to be threatened with punches or ignored, Jungseo shot to his feet at the unexpected answer.

“That’s actually not a bad idea. Lee Jungseo, hurry up and follow Jungin,” Jungwoo quipped, grinning.

Shooting him a sharp glare, Jungseo watched Jungin retreat into the inner room and then plopped back down.

No one wanted to be hated by the youngest, after all.

Click.

Jungin firmly locked the door and looked around a room he’d never entered before while staying at the hospital.

“So the VIP rooms even have spaces like this.”

Designed for guardians to rest comfortably, the room resembled a simple studio apartment, complete with a bed, refrigerator, and even a small kitchenette.

“Why didn’t my brothers use this…”

Seeing the spacious bed made Jungin feel guiltier about his brothers insisting on sleeping on the sofa next to his hospital bed.

They must have stayed alert, ready to act in case of one of his sudden attacks, sacrificing their rest for his sake.

Was this how all families acted?

Did everyone with blood ties show this kind of unconditional love?

Having never had a family before, Jungin felt a lump in his throat as he thought about his brothers.

‘If I were truly Lee Jungin… if I could keep living like this forever…’

His hands, which had been working to change his clothes, slowed.

Jungin gazed at his reflection in the mirror.

‘I don’t want to meet the real Lee Jungin. I… I don’t want to give this body back.’

His thoughts startled him, and he took a step back, his face paling.

Pressed against the corner, his breathing quickened.

“Get a grip.”

He’d promised himself he wouldn’t be selfish, but here he was again, indulging in such thoughts.

A crushing guilt swept over him.

‘How could I think of not returning Lee Jungin’s body? I’m insane. Absolutely insane, Choi Jungin.’

Shaking his head violently, he clenched his trembling hands into fists and bit down hard on the inside of his cheek.

Struggling to steady his erratic breathing, his eyes fell on a piece of dark furniture in the corner of the room.

At that moment, a creaking noise echoed in his head, and memories flooded in like a tidal wave.

“Ugh… ah…”

Clutching his head, Jungin squeezed his eyes shut as unfamiliar images burst forth, leaving him dazed. Among them was an old wardrobe he recognized from somewhere—a chilling memory from the orphanage.

“Get in there, Lee Jungin!”

“Please don’t, Jungin-ah. I don’t want to… I’m scared.”

“I told you to get in!”

“Ah… it hurts. What is this…?”

The sharp pain in his head brought with it scenes he couldn’t recall before.

Were these his memories or Lee Jungin’s?

Sweat beaded on his forehead as Jungin trembled, desperately trying to suppress the rising agony.

“Jungin-ah, I’m sorry. Please let me out…! Hyung….”

In the dark, a young Lee Jungin sat crying, curled up in fear.

The emotions surged through Jungin, as if he were reliving that pain himself.

Gasping for air, Jungin forced himself to endure the torment, his jaw clenched tightly.

“I… I need to visit the orphanage.”

Perhaps going there would help him make sense of these confusing memories.

He had to face it, sooner or later.

Maybe the assistant director would remember something about him and Lee Jungin.

* * *