Knowing Brother-Chapter 60

The purpose of Choi Seol-woo meeting Ha Yeong-seo was to ask for advice on what evidence was needed for the lawsuit and to pay part of the attorney’s fee directly to the lawyer’s office. Then, it was concluded that he could just come and pay the money later. Seol-woo simply answered.

“It’s okay. I’ll just listen to what evidence is needed and go. But why did your father ask to see Dae-young’s family?”

“If you’re going to ask for advice, it’s right for Dae-young’s family to join in, so I guess he contacted me without telling me. And, my father said that it’s right for us to pay for the lawsuit. He’s going to say that too.”

“Your parents paid the attorney’s fee...?”

“Yeah. If you think about it, it’s because of me that Dae-young drove Kang Jong-hyuk out. And... he got into a fight with Kang Jong-hyuk... because he insulted us for dating?”

I didn’t show that screenshot to anyone... Choi Seol-woo tilted her head as she wiped the sweat off her face. Ha Yeong-seo added an explanation.

“I heard from my homeroom teacher. The lawyer also said that it would be helpful if you submitted that as evidence, so I asked for a screenshot from you.”

“I told you that I wouldn’t make it public because I was worried you’d be shocked.”

“Really? Were you being considerate of me? Seol-woo, I’m touched... But it’s better to make sure that I win... I won’t see it, I won’t see it! Anyway, my father said he’d pay all the costs of this appeal. So...”

“Um, pay all the costs?”

Choi Seol-woo raised his head, doubting his ears.

“My father said he’d do that. This whole incident started because Dae-young and I dated.”

“......!”

A pain that felt like a hole was being drilled in the middle of his chest came over him. The true nature of that pain was a sense of deprivation. As he tried his best to keep his expression straight, the office door opened.

“Daughter, what are you doing? Oh, that smart and handsome guy? Come in. Let’s talk.”

Ha Yeong-seo’s father was tall and had a friendly face. He had a neat hairstyle, a thick wristwatch, and well-ironed clothes. His mother also had a lot of money flowing from head to toe.

As soon as he entered the office, Won Dae-hyun was sitting at the consultation table reading the lawsuit documents. He was wearing a T-shirt from a prestigious business school that everyone wanted to get into, and he glanced at Seol-woo. His only greeting was a glance to check Seol-woo’s behavior.

The consultation table was too small for the lawyer and two families, so Seol-woo sat on the sofa by the wall. Ha Yeong-seo’s parents spoke to him in a friendly manner.

“You said that Yeong-seo’s company asked you to come for an audition? Yes, you look just like the person they would like.”

“Is that so?”

“I heard your father is far away. He must be working in the plant business, right?”

“......Yes.”

Choi Seol-woo couldn’t help but notice Won Dae-hyun’s expression. He lived with him in the two-story house and he knew that those words were fake. His face flushed at the sidelong glances flying past the documents. How could someone become so shabby in an instant... ... .

“Dae-young’s mother said we should all have dinner together after the consultation. Why don’t you go with her while you’re here?”

He was surprised and bewildered that the cold lady had suggested dinner first, but he couldn’t help but compare the look she was giving him. He didn’t want to go to a place he wasn’t invited to. As soon as Seol-woo answered in a crawling voice, “No, I have an appointment,” a scream was heard from the table.

Ha Yeong-seo, who was looking at the documents, opened her eyes wide.

“Oh, five hundred and thirty? Dad, you didn’t get caught, did you?”

“Oh. This lawyer is so responsible and meticulous. [N O V E L I G H T] He’s someone I know well, and there’s a reason why Dad asked me to do it.”

His chest felt heavy and stuffy. Choi Seol-woo couldn’t take out an envelope with a bank logo in front of them.

If only my body was normal and my parents’ wallets weren’t always empty. If only I weren’t struggling with old debts.

If only I wasn’t a high school freshman wearing a school uniform and carrying a backpack.

I could work harder than stealing other people’s phones or doing second-hand shopping.

... ... I want to do well for them. I want to be more helpful than anyone else.

Won Dae-hyun’s eyes scanning Choi Seol-woo’s belongings made her breath catch even more. Just as she was contemplating whether to just avoid this time bomb-like place, the door opened like a shower.

Won Dae-young and his mother came in. Ha Young-seo’s father looked at Won Dae-young and asked with a surprised face.

“You said you had an appointment?”

“I’m just going to take a quick look at Seol-woo’s face.”

Won Dae-young must have changed his clothes after school, because he was dressed in casual clothes. He was wearing a white T-shirt, a beige shirt, and shorts. With his confident physique, he gave off a much more mature vibe than his older brother sitting at the table. With his hair done up, it was obvious to anyone that he was going out to a place where the opposite sex would be. Ha Yeong-seo was also awkwardly glancing at Won Dae-young.

His mother pointed to the seat next to Ha Yeong-seo, saying, “Sit together,” but Won Dae-young shook his head with a smile and sat down on the sofa. Won Dae-young put his arm around Choi Seol-woo’s shoulder and asked quietly.

“Did you plan on sitting here alone?”

While the lawyer continued talking, Seol-woo whispered so that the table wouldn’t hear.

“I didn’t know your family was coming. I originally planned to ask Ha Yeong-seo something, so we were just going to meet. We’re close friends, so it’s a bit weird to let Yeong-seo do this.”

He made up an excuse to hide the mention of the attorney fee. Won Dae-young nodded his head expressionlessly.

“You came to take care of Hayoungseo instead of me.”

His gaze briefly stopped on Seolwoo and then moved to Hayoungseo. He added an excuse, thinking she might be angry at him for lying to her when he hadn’t contacted her all afternoon.

“I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d be busy...”

“Why are you nervous? I told you I wouldn’t care about that anymore, hyung. It’s okay.”

“.......”

“Why is your body so hot? Did you run? In this heat?”

“I thought I’d be late.”

Won Daeyoung’s finger popped out of his philtrum. Ugh. It was a gesture to scold him for overdoing it. His affectionate voice warmly enveloped his stiffened inside. He asked her about her next schedule.

“You want to have dinner with those people?”

“Are you crazy? I didn’t even think about coming here. I thought you’d be alone, so I stopped by for a bit. I’ll go out with you when you leave.”

He meant that he came during the appointment because he was afraid that Choi Seol-woo would feel embarrassed. Choi Seol-woo mustered up the courage to make the offer.

“Then do you want to have dinner with me? I’ll finish talking to Yeong-seo quickly.”

Although it was impossible to hand over the money to the lawyer’s office, he wanted to hand it over privately. However, when Won Dae-young returned, his eyes unexpectedly had a coldness to them.

“...No. I’m sorry, so you don’t have to do that. I have to go back to the appointment. The new girls from the academy will be here later.”

“.......”

A cool and fragrant smell came from his smiling face. Only then did Seol-woo realize the reality.

Even if he confessed his feelings while handing over an envelope, those feelings would come back as an empty echo along with the money... ... .

If Won Dae-young asked about the source of the money, he would have nothing to say. The money would go back to Mrs. Choi through Won Dae-young’s hands in vain, and the heart that had been bravely conveyed would also be destroyed without exception.

Money that I know too well to convey.

Heart that I know too well to convey.

Frankenstein dared to dream that he could be happy.

After delivering the captured copy and finishing the consultation, Choi Seol-woo got on the subway alone. Ha Young-seo’s family and Won Dae-young’s family got into a foreign car and went to have dinner together, and Won Dae-young turned around and disappeared into the crowded streets. He sat alone on the exercise equipment in the gym until the sky and the school uniform turned purple.

Still, Choi Seol-woo would stay on his closest side.

He said that he must be sick if he was sick.

The next day, Seol-woo was beaten by Mrs. Choi. He confessed that he did it because he wanted to buy expensive clothes, and handed her an envelope containing 1.97 million won, saying that he was wrong. Mrs. Choi cried and hit her back. She called the store where she bought the laptop and made a fuss, but there was no way she could get a refund.

Mrs. Choi brought a 30cm ruler and told her to hit her palm five times. Mrs. Choi barely hit her twice and gave up. I felt even more guilty and ashamed when I saw Mrs. Choi crying while holding Seol-woo, saying sorry.

I lay down on the desk and sobbed, then poured out the pills. They were pills that I didn’t know when I would be able to stop taking, and maybe I would never be able to part with them.

There were only such things in the empty room. A medicine bottle. A cork dartboard full of holes. Won Dae-young’s old uniform stolen from the used clothing collection box. Jenga scattered on the desk. A red whistle. An envelope of cash that I never gave him.

Confession? Will I be able to do it if this Jenga tower is built all the way up?

There were two wooden sticks on the desk. One stick that said, ‘Won Dae-young beat Kang Jong-hyeok up like crazy’ and another stick that said, ‘Won Dae-young said he would be obsessed with me’. Choi Seol-woo picked up a name pen. He placed another stick that said, ‘I came to the lawyer’s office in the middle of an appointment because I was afraid I would feel discouraged’.

He looked at the three Jenga sticks lined up next to each other and buried his face in the uniform pants he had stolen. Won Dae-young’s body scent was faintly mixed in between the smell of fabric softener and dust. He opened his mouth and bit the clothes. After a while, he raised his head and a few drops of water were soaked through the black fabric.

I hate losing more than dying, so I never make things that I treasure.

It was the first time I had collected something like this, the first time I had been in crazy pain because of someone, the first time I had been punched, the first time I had run like that under the sunlight.

You were my first time in everything, my Dae-young.

“You punk. You’re going to get punished for dating me, you know that? If we do, I’m going to torture you so much that I won’t have sex with you, you punk....”

A small smile spread under the stand light.

- End of Part 2 <Android> -