* * *

“Ugh, you’ve lost it. Totally lost it, Choi Jungin.”

Jungin bustled about, hurriedly drying his dripping wet hair with one hand while brushing his teeth with the other.

Sure, inheriting Lee Jungin’s life meant no money worries ever again, but slacking off on studying like this?

It was a one-way ticket to repeating the school year.

Terrified by the thought, he’d been pulling all-nighters for three days straight.

He’d only meant to nap for ten minutes.

So why, oh why, did he wake up in bed?

Could Lee Jungin have had sleepwalking tendencies?

Somehow, the lightness in his body had made him spring awake—only to see it was already well past 8:20 AM.

Rinsing his mouth, Jungin stumbled out of the bathroom and nearly tripped on the doorstep.

“What do I do!”

Barely catching himself by grabbing the doorframe, he clutched at his pounding heart.

There were only 30 minutes left until class began.

The new penthouse he’d moved into was farther from school than his old place in Saun-dong.

The drive to school took about 15 minutes, so there was no time to waste.

Worse still, if it were only him being late, he wouldn’t have minded so much.

But Ki Beomhyeon was waiting in the underground parking lot.

There was no way Beomhyeon would leave without him, even if it meant both of them being late.

Growing more anxious, Jungin dashed out of his room with a flurry of noise.

“Hey, careful not to trip!”

“Ugh, hyung! I’m so late! Why didn’t you wake me up? You know when I need to leave for school!”

Jungjin, staring at Jungin’s puffy face with a guilty expression, sighed.

He’d known the kid had been burning the midnight oil studying.

He just hadn’t had the heart to pull him out of his blanket cocoon after Jungin mumbled he needed just five more minutes.

Earlier that morning, Jungjin had spent ten minutes staring at Jungin’s soft, pale face before quietly leaving the room.

Now, he avoided Jungin’s accusing gaze as he handed him something.

“You looked so tired. But here, I made this for you to eat on the way.”

Looking down at the three-tiered lunchbox, Jungin tilted his head at the red juice bottle Jungjin handed him alongside it.

“This? Jeongwoo made it for you this morning before he left.”
“But I’m late.”

With no choice, Jungin chugged the juice while simultaneously jamming his feet into his sneakers.

“You’re heading to the hospital after school, right?”

Jungin froze at the word “hospital.”

Family. He had family now—real family.

So why had they stayed away for over ten years?

Biting his lip, Jungin shook his head, trying not to dwell on the newly discovered existence of his paternal grandmother.

“I’ll go alone.”
“You can’t go alone. Let me come with you. I’ll pick you up after school.”

Coincidentally, the hospital where his grandmother was admitted belonged to the Hyun Group Foundation.

It was the same university hospital where Jungin had spent many days hospitalized himself.

To think she had been so close all along—what a cruel twist of fate.

“No, I just want to meet her by myself. I’ll feel more comfortable that way.”

“…Alright. But at least let me drive you there. You can meet her alone once you’re there. Deal?”

Understanding Jungjin’s concern, Jungin quietly nodded.

“There’s my good kid.”

Jungin handed the empty juice bottle back to Jungjin, waved, and headed out after straightening his sneakers.

“I’m off! See you later, hyung!”

“Alright. Don’t rush, okay? I told Driver Kim not to speed either.”

“Got it!”

For Jungjin, his brother’s safety was far more important than some school records.

Holding the heavy lunchbox in one hand, Jungin left the house.

[Basement Level 1]

Stepping out of the elevator, Jungin dashed toward the underground parking lot.

He spotted a black sedan waiting just ahead and quickly climbed in.

“Hah… Huff… Sorry! I didn’t make you late, did I? My bad, Driver Kim.”

“It’s alright. Catch your breath first.”

“I’m fine too. Let’s head out now.”

As Jungin gulped down the water Beomhyeon handed him, he glanced at the other boy.

While Jungin fretted over the time, Beomhyeon looked utterly unbothered.

“Whew, I can finally breathe. I was studying last night, and when I woke up… I was in bed! And it was already 8:06!”

Jungin’s despairing retelling of his morning made Beomhyeon smile faintly.

“Is that why your hair’s still wet?”

Beomhyeon reached out, lightly brushing his damp hair, before pulling a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Could you raise the air conditioner’s temperature, please?”

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m fine, really…”

“You catch colds easily. Wet hair and cold air don’t mix well.”

With gentle hands, Beomhyeon dried Jungin’s hair.

“Wait. I don’t have sleepwalking, right? How could I have no memory at all? You slept next to me—you’d know.”

The mention of sleeping together made a rustling sound come from the driver’s seat.

Beomhyeon glanced at Driver Kim’s suddenly stiff jaw, then turned back to Jungin with a silent laugh.

“Do I really have sleepwalking?”

“No, you don’t. You were just really tired.”

“Good… I was worried.”

Jungin didn’t have sleepwalking.

What he did have, however, was an older brother who cared for him deeply.

Last night, Beomhyeon had studied with Jungin over the phone.

At some point, Jungin’s mumbling of English words had turned into soft snores.

Smiling, Beomhyeon had been about to hang up when another voice came through the phone.

[Baby, you can’t sleep here.]

Jungin’s brother’s tender words were followed by the sound of rustling as he likely moved Jungin to bed.

Beomhyeon had stayed on the line, but just as he’d been about to end the call, Jungjin spoke again, this time in a far more serious tone.

• He’s doing fine at school, right?

Jungjin clearly knew by now that Jungin and Beomhyeon had reconnected.

After all, Driver Kim worked for him.

With a heavy sigh, Jungjin had added:

• I’m sure he’s okay with you around, but don’t stay on the phone with him too late.

“Yes, sir…”
– And… thanks for saving him back then. I mean it.

The call had ended, and Beomhyeon had realized Jungjin’s attitude toward him had softened, even if just a little.

“Wow, did hyung really make all this?”

Jungin’s awe snapped Beomhyeon out of his thoughts.

Looking at the stacked lunchbox on his lap, he murmured, “Seems so.”

Noticing Beomhyeon’s gaze, Jungin grinned and began chatting about his brothers.

“I even had juice earlier. JeongWoohyung made it with apples and carrots before he left for work.”

Jungin popped a cherry tomato into Beomhyeon’s mouth, the sweetness surprising him.

“This is good too.”

“I already had breakfast. Just eat.”

“But aren’t you hungry? You eat so early, and I can’t finish all this by myself…”

As expected from the weight of the lunchbox, it was filled with an impressive variety of foods—fruits, beef rice balls, egg roll kimbap, tofu sushi, and sandwiches.

“Can’t finish it all, so you’re giving me some?”

“…You caught me.”

Jungin smiled, his eyes curving gently like crescent moons.

Walking to school felt as exciting as heading off on a picnic.

After finishing his lunchbox, he snapped a picture and sent it to Jeongjin before staring out at the rain-streaked sky.

And then, it happened.

“…Lee Jungin?”

* * *