To My Brother’s Friend - Chapter 29

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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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Chapter 29
The car came to a stop at a red light.
Kwon Yeol turned his head to look at her.
“….”
Between their locked gazes, a subtly charged atmosphere settled.
Unable to withstand that intensity, Hee-jo reached out with trembling fingers and brought a jujube candy to Kwon Yeol’s lips.
“Try this…”
Just as Kwon Yeol was about to accept it.
The slick, sugar-coated candy slipped through Hee-jo’s fingers.
With a soft thud, it landed on Kwon Yeol’s thigh.
Dangerously close to an exquisitely sensitive area.
‘Oh no…!’
Flustered, Hee-jo instinctively reached out.
She hastily picked up the fallen candy from his thigh, then fumbled for a handkerchief and wiped away the sticky residue.
Tap—
In that moment, Kwon Yeol’s large hand—the one not gripping the steering wheel—suddenly caught her delicate wrist.
“If you keep doing that, this is going to become a problem.”
At his low, gravelly voice, Hee-jo’s head snapped up.
The instant she met those dark eyes burning with dangerous heat, she finally understood what she’d been doing, and her face flushed crimson.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I was just trying to clean it up quickly….”
“Just finish feeding me the candy.”
He slowly released her wrist and adjusted his grip on the steering wheel.
…Otherwise, I might find myself craving something else.
“….”
Under his gaze, Hee-jo bit her lip.
Her throat felt parched.
Deep in her core, a sensation like thousands of petals scattering all at once surged through her.
Hee-jo cleared her throat and picked up the candy with trembling fingers.
The moment she carefully pushed it into his mouth.
The heat and wetness of his tongue wrapped around her finger with unmistakable intent.
“Ah….”
At the persistent sensation of him drawing her finger deeper, Hee-jo couldn’t help but release a soft moan.
In the cramped car, her body—restrained by the safety belt across her lap—trembled slightly.
The electric thrill radiating from her fingertips spread throughout her entire being.
Kwon Yeol slowly licked away the sticky sweetness clinging to his lips.
His gaze fixed on her glistening finger as he murmured softly.
“Delicious.”
He must have been referring to the candy.
So why did it feel so suggestive?
“The sweetness you give me seems quite pleasant.”
Kwon Yeol disliked anything sweet.
Knowing him well, I had never offered him sugary things.
“When have I ever given you something like that?”
“I don’t know.”
He left that ambiguous answer hanging as he turned his head away.
I, who had been staring intently at his profile, withdrew my gaze as well.
Desperately trying to recall where we were heading.
Otherwise… my attention kept drifting elsewhere, and I felt apologetic toward my brother.
“….”
The car glided smoothly along the pristine road, still carrying the lingering warmth between us.
* * *
The car came to a stop at a quiet Memorial Hall nestled on a mountainside, untouched by the noise of the city.
Passing through a corridor lined with urns, we entered the private room at the far end, where a study-like space appeared with mountain vistas visible beyond the large window.
This was where Hee-jae rested.
The room was immaculate, permeated with the cool scent of marble and the subtle fragrance of white lilies.
In this meticulously maintained space, I could feel Kwon Yeol’s guilt and tenderness toward his departed friend.
“Brother.”
Around the urn enshrined within a transparent glass case at the center of the room, fresh flowers bloomed vibrantly.
Surrounded by those flowers, Hee-jae smiled radiantly, as if he were the happiest person in the world.
“I’m here.”
Looking at my brother’s image in the photograph, I offered a tender smile.
“I’ve become a year older than you now.”
Facing the face of Hee-jae, forever frozen at twenty-seven, my nose tingled with emotion.
I quickly changed the subject.
I hadn’t come here to grieve, but to say hello.
“Brother, I… I’m getting married. To Kwon Yeol.”
The moment my words ended, Kwon Yeol, who had been standing behind me, stepped forward and placed something before the photograph.
It was a fountain pen.
At that time, Hee-jae had been close to Jung Ji-hyun, a university junior.
For her, whose hobby was collecting fountain pens, Hee-jae had set his sights on one of the pens that Kwon Yeol owned.
“Keep this one. I’ll buy it from you at full price.”
“Forget it. Take it now.”
“Where’s the fun in getting it that way? If I work hard to earn it, won’t Ji-hyun be even more moved? It suits her far better than you, so don’t use it—keep it safe. I’ll definitely come back for it soon.”
The voice of Yoon Hee-jae, laughing with such confidence, still echoed vividly.
But my friend never came to keep that promise, and the fountain pen had remained buried deep in Kwon Yeol’s drawer for eight years.
This pen felt like a fragment of the happiness that Hee-jae should have rightfully enjoyed while alive.
The moment I let it go, I would have to fully accept Hee-jae’s death.
To avoid that moment of completely accepting my friend’s absence, Kwon Yeol had clung to it desperately.
‘I hoped you would come and take it yourself.’
But now, having decided to take me as his wife, he finally let the fountain pen go.
Instead of waiting for a friend who would never return, I made the decision to protect his younger brother who remained by my side.
This was the testament to that resolve.
“I’m sorry.”
Kwon Yeol’s gaze grew heavy as he stared at Hee-jae in the photograph.
I won’t ask for forgiveness.
I know better than anyone that I don’t deserve it.
Instead—
“I’ll protect Yoon Hee-jo for the rest of my life.”
Even if I’m not by her side.
There were countless ways to protect Hee-jo even if she couldn’t see me.
Just as Yoon Hee-jae watches over her even now.
“So… rest easy. I’ll settle everything with you later.”
I recalled Hee-jae, who used to joke and threaten that he could never let anyone who tried to take Hee-jo away off easy.
He was the one who said he trained hard for that very moment, swearing that if even a single tear fell from his sister’s eyes, he’d beat that bastard half to death with his own hands.
“I’ll chase down anyone who makes Hee-jo cry to the depths of hell. Ah… but I think I’m going to cry. When I hear the word ‘marriage’ come out of our Hee-jo’s mouth.”
I wish he’d come back alive and grab me by the collar, driving me to my knees instead.
But Hee-jae in the photograph simply smiled brightly without answering.
‘I’ll repay this debt later. So for now… please watch over us.’
A marriage contract with a time limit—one year until it ends.
Yet as if by agreement, neither of them spoke of this fact aloud.
Hee-jae, watching over them from heaven, would already know.
So there was no need to speak of such a sorrowful farewell that would pain him.
The two of them gazed at Hee-jae’s photograph for a long time.
As if he understood everything, as if telling them it would all be fine.
* * *
The clear sky clouded over in an instant, and soon heavy rain began to pour down.
After eating rice cakes and drinking tea inside the Memorial Hall, the two had been leisurely strolling through the Memorial Park when the sudden downpour sent them hurrying toward the car.
But by the time they’d barely made it inside the vehicle, they were already drenched.
Hee-jo’s pale complexion grew even more ashen—her body had always been frail.
Kwon Yeol removed his wet jacket and retrieved a blanket he’d prepared in advance on the back seat, draping it over Hee-jo.
Along with the soft texture came the familiar scent that lingered in his car, enveloping Hee-jo completely.
“Let’s share it. You must be cold too.”
“You want me to share while I’m driving?”
“Then let me at least cover you first…”
“You never listen, Yoon Hee-jo.”
At his deliberately stern tone, Hee-jo couldn’t protest further and gripped the blanket he’d given her tightly in her hands.
Kwon Yeol turned the heater up to maximum, his brow furrowed.
Rain so fierce it seemed ready to shatter the windshield pounded relentlessly against the glass.
Driving through this downpour all the way to Seoul was impossible.
“We can’t move in this. There’s an Affiliated Hotel nearby—let’s head there for now.”

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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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