My Brother's Friend Wasn't a Guy - Chapter 42

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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42.

“Ah, well, that is…….”
What should she say? Which answer would serve her best in this situation? Cheon Eun-jeong’s mind spun frantically as she weighed her options.
Then footsteps sounded—deliberate, unhurried, coming to an abrupt stop beside her.
Cheon Eun-jeong glanced toward the sound and drew a sharp breath.
“If you’re curious about something, ask me.”
Kang Hyun appeared without warning and sat down next to Cheon Eun-jeong, his face expressionless. She wanted to bombard him with questions the moment she saw him, but she held her tongue in front of Jin Ae-ran.
“Ha, so you tattled on meeting me. I see you two are quite close after all.”
Jin Ae-ran exhaled sharply as she studied Kang Hyun.
“Not particularly close. I was simply reporting the facts…….”
Unable to stop herself, Cheon Eun-jeong murmured timidly.
“Whatever you were going to ask her, ask me instead.”
Kang Hyun crossed his legs as he spoke, and there was something delinquent about his posture. Jin Ae-ran’s blood pressure seemed to spike; she let out a long, weary sigh.
“Fine, since you’re offering. What I wanted to know was whether Eun-jeong knew what you’d done and went along with it, or if she was an unwitting victim. If she didn’t know…….”
Jin Ae-ran’s voice caught with emotion, her chest heaving. After a deep breath, she continued.
“If she was an unwitting victim, then we’re obligated to compensate her in some way, aren’t we?”
“Of course she didn’t know. Have you forgotten what kind of person my mother’s son is?”
Kang Hyun answered without hesitation, and Jin Ae-ran’s eyes flashed with anger.
She stared at her insufferable son’s face, her emotions barely contained, and demanded an answer.
“If she didn’t know, how can you say you gave her a wallet as a gift? That means you knew exactly what you were doing!”
“Ah, that’s because she was kind enough to cover for me.”
Caught in the middle of their dispute, Cheon Eun-jeong’s throat had gone dry. She’d been sipping her coffee when Kang Hyun spoke, and she choked.
Cough—she quickly covered her mouth with a napkin to stifle the outburst, her eyes blinking rapidly in disbelief at what she’d just heard.
Had she misheard? Kind? Did those words really just come out of Kang Hyun’s mouth?
Jin Ae-ran’s gaze was sharp with suspicion, as if demanding proof of his claim. Cheon Eun-jeong could only manage an awkward smile.
Jin Ae-ran’s composure seemed to crumble; she let out a pained groan.
“If what you’re saying is true, then our side—the Mun family—should offer compensation in some form, shouldn’t we?”
“Well, yes, that would be appreciated. Since you have only money to give, why don’t we keep it simple and do it in cash?”
“You, you……!”
Jin Ae-ran finally let her fury show.
She swallowed the rest of her words, mindful of those around them, then gathered her bag, deciding she couldn’t stay any longer.
“We’ll talk about that later. Besides, you’ll soon…….”
Jin Ae-ran stopped mid-sentence, her expression hardening. Kang Hyun’s eyes narrowed.
“Soon what?”
“Nothing. Never mind.”
Jin Ae-ran’s alarm vanished as quickly as it had come. She rose to her feet and spoke to Cheon Eun-jeong.
“I really did hope you’d become my daughter-in-law. It’s a shame things have turned out this way.”
“I’m sorry, Mother.”
The word “Mother” reignited her irritation; Jin Ae-ran flinched, drew in a deep breath, and turned sharply away.
She left with measured, dignified strides, her posture impeccable despite the tension, each step echoing with an air of cold pride.
Only after she’d gone far enough did Cheon Eun-jeong speak.
“Can you really just leave things like that?”
“Why not?”
Kang Hyun’s eyes were strangely hollow as he answered. He dragged both hands across his gaunt face and spoke again.
“You only agreed to my proposal. I’ll make sure you don’t suffer for it.”
That touched her. It was enough to crack the image of him as a heartless, insufferable jerk that had been so firmly cemented in her mind.
“You’re actually quite a decent person.”
Kang Hyun frowned, as if hearing words he’d rather not have heard. So even praise annoyed him? Cheon Eun-jeong muttered in exasperation, then grew serious.
“What about Seo Yi-jin? There’s no problem there?”
At the question, Kang Hyun recalled what Jin Ae-ran had started to say.
‘Besides, you’ll soon…….’
What would come next?
“There shouldn’t be any problems.”
There shouldn’t be any problems. Kang Hyun repeated the words like an incantation, over and over.

***

Time flowed mercilessly, and the moment came for Lee Jin to bid Kang Hyun farewell. She spent her last night at Cheongchuk-je.
Of course, only Lee Jin knew this deadline she’d set for herself—it was a fact no one else was aware of.
In a sense, she should have said goodbye the moment she’d finished the pottery and handed it over, but Lee Jin had stubbornly stretched out the time for a full month.
“Here, this is for you.”
“What is it?”
Kang Hyun accepted the box Lee Jin offered, his expression confused.
“A gift of gratitude for my employer?”
Lee Jin answered with playful laughter in her voice. When Kang Hyun opened the box, a tea cup set appeared inside.
“I sent you more than the amount we originally agreed on.”
There had certainly been a fixed fee stipulated in the contract for making the pottery. Kang Hyun had paid considerably more than that. Lee Jin was bringing this up now.
“You finished it much faster than the deadline, and the quality of the work is exceptional.”
Kang Hyun spoke as though paying a bonus was only natural. Lee Jin laughed, as if she’d known exactly what he would say.
“Still, taking it without giving anything back felt a little presumptuous. So I made this for you—please accept it.”
“Did you make this yourself?”
“Yes.”
Kang Hyun took one of the cups from the box and examined it carefully. The teacup, with its winter landscape engraved against a blue glaze, delighted him immediately.
“It’s beautiful. I’ll use it well. Though it’s winter?”
“Oh, I just… when I saw the blue glaze, I wanted to paint snowflakes.”
Lee Jin gave that explanation, but the truth was she’d thought of his birthday falling in winter and wanted to make this gift—a birthday present she couldn’t give him any other way.
After they’d tidied up, it was time to retire for the night.
“Go wash up.”
Lee Jin poked at his chest as she spoke.
“What’s this? Since when are you so forward?”
Kang Hyun broke into laughter, and Lee Jin responded with a petulant expression.
“If you keep teasing me, I won’t say things like that anymore.”
“Okay, I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
He continued apologizing with laughter still in his eyes, while Lee Jin pushed firmly at his back, urging him toward the bathroom.
Pushed into the bathroom, Kang Hyun touched his lips—still curved in a smile—and exhaled slowly.
Was he overthinking? Had he taken his mother’s words too seriously? Finding nothing unusual in Lee Jin, he deliberately tried to shake off the strange unease.
After washing, they reached for each other without hesitation, lips meeting, breath intermingling.
As they grew absorbed in the caress of soft skin and the act of drawing each other close, warmth bloomed between them.
You’re far too sweet. As Kang Hyun drew her in like savoring nectar, shame flooded her cheeks with color.
“Ah, no—not that…”
At her words asking him to stop, his eyes only grew darker, and as he thrust upward desperately, she cried out beautifully.
His body, drenched in heat, refused to be satisfied and drove harder, chasing deeper pleasure.
“Ah, ah…”
Kang Hyun didn’t stop—not until her voice grew hoarse, not until she was pleading with him to finally cease.
As they reached their peak, they clung to each other.
If only time could stop here. If only he could keep her in his arms forever. Kang Hyun smiled bitterly as the fleeting thought crossed his mind.
He was terrified of himself—of how he was spiraling. Like a car with failed brakes, he was hurtling forward into what felt like inevitable collision.
And yet, because Lee Jin was in his arms, he told himself it was all right.
Even after she fell asleep, Kang Hyun couldn’t bring himself to loosen the arm around her waist, as though she might vanish otherwise. And so the day faded away.

The next morning arrived like any other.
They woke late, had breakfast, finished their preparations, and sat in the living room sipping coffee while gazing out at the garden.
The view of Cheongchuk-je’s garden never grew tiresome, no matter how long one stared. The sky was clear, clouds drifting slowly, and the well-maintained trees and grass swayed gently in the breeze.
“There’s something I need to tell you.”
Lee Jin broke the peaceful silence of the morning. Kang Hyun nodded, inviting her to speak.
Then she said it plainly, her expression calm.
“Let’s break up.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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