章 5: For now, let's agree
I got up from the seat and was ready to leave when Seojun spoke up,
"How would you want us to react?" His words made me pause. "Were you hoping to see us break down in tears? We can do that. Were you hoping to receive a big hug with a lot of words saying how much we missed you? We can do that too."
His voice seemed to be hitching on my neck like he was right behind me.
"Hyung, we missed you so much that words cannot be used to explain our emotions. We missed you and wondered how to react if we were to find you in the future. The first thing to say and the first thing to do. We chose the best possible way to handle it by staying calm. Did we do wrong?"
I was lost for words.
I glanced at the people in the restaurant. Thank goodness they could not understand Korean, if not, we would've been immediately misunderstood as having 'that' sort of relationship. But that aside, we were already drawing too much attention to ourselves.
Those guys were eye-catching enough.
I finally turned and just as I thought, Seojun was standing right behind me.
"That's funny." I clutched my camera rope. "For you to miss someone who messed up your life so badly, you definitely have a couple of loose screws."
"And what if we do?" Seojin added, getting up to approach us. "I thought you had that figured out when we were younger. You know, we weren't like every other kid, that's why we had only you, Hyung."
"But..."
"Lorento." Seojin called and I flinched, feeling my whole body shudder at the mention of that name. I blinked twice, confused as to why I had such a reaction to the way he called me.
It was just the name he used to call me. What was different?
He stepped closer and placed his hands on my shoulders. He leaned down and whispered,
"Remember, you were the victim. We're the ones who owe you a great debt and not the other way around."
My eyes widened but then it sunk back in. I averted my gaze, thinking,
'Sure, I was the victim but it's thanks to my cursed fate it happened, and you two got dragged into it.'
Seojin moved back and smiled at me.
"Don't be too hard on yourself." He said. "Hyung, we still love you, no matter how many years have passed."
I stood still, my heart beating to a strange resonance. Loud and fast.
He was already old enough to have a girlfriend or wife even, he shouldn't say those words to another man so carelessly, even if it was me.
I covered my face with the back of my palms.
"You're no longer kids." I muttered. "Don't recklessly say those words."
"Hm? But we don't mind." Seojun added. "You're our one and only Hyung."
Now, it was getting embarrassing.
I turned around from them to hide my flushed face. They were so devilishly good-looking. I couldn't keep a straight face while listening to a confession from them.
What was I thinking? It wasn't even a confession like that. Why was my heart beating so fast?
"I understand." I said. "Thank you for still thinking of me after all these years." I turned around. "And thanks for the meal once more. I'll be on my way."
"Wait, Hyung." They suddenly held me back. "You don't have where you're staying tonight, do you?"
"I... I'll stay at a hotel." I said, getting a bad feeling about his inquisition.
"Then," he smiled. "Why don't you come with us? It's late. You can stay over at our place tonight."
I knew it.
"N-no, that's okay." I said. "I can... I can just go to the hotel across the street and..." I paused, seeing their expressions saddened so fast.
"Haah, why are you being so mean, Hyung?" Seojun said and sighed. "We haven't seen each other in 13 years. Won't you stay with us tonight?"
Hearing him say such a thing, I panicked. My face flushed. Oh my God, my heart couldn't stand it. Why did they have to grow up to be so good-looking?
It wasn't bad but if they came so close looking like that and having such expressions, I don't think I would ever be able to refuse their request.
"I... I'll stay with you tonight." I said, throwing my face aside.
'For now, let's agree. I'll leave first thing in the morning. They might say it's okay but I can't simply wash off all the years I've been living with guilt.' I thought to myself as I followed them out.
To be honest, what happened those years ago was neither our fault but it can't be dismissed that it was because I went to their house that day that 'that' happened.
And because of that... I couldn't quite live with myself normally. I got a trauma and a messed up future in return. I'm cursed.
These two... They should never get involved with me.
I met the twins 14 years ago when my grandmother took me with her to her cleaning job.
There was a big house just at the end of our street where a rich middle-aged man lived along with his two sons.
They rarely came out of the house so they weren't well known but if one was to see them once, they would never forget their faces.
And not to talk of how identical they looked. It was almost impossible to recognize them.
Thankfully, their eyes were different so it wasn't impossible. But even with the eyes, it was still difficult to differentiate who was who.
"Dong-dong, there's a garden down there." My grandma said to me. "Go wait over there. I'll be done in no time."
"Alright." I said and held my little camera in hand as I walked silently towards the garden.
It was quite big for an indoor garden and above it was a glass dome. It was beautiful.
As I marveled at the beautiful garden, I heard scuffles at one end. The leaves were moving, indicating a presence behind them.
'Is it an animal?' I thought and clutched my camera tighter.
If it was, I would very much like to take a picture of it.
I looked back to see if there was anyone and went deeper.
"Hello, is there anyone there?" I asked and pushed the leaves, only to see two boys standing side by side, without a word to the other. 'Are they the master's sons?' I wondered and just then, they turned around.
The fact that they looked exactly alike amazed me and without a word, I took up my little camera and took a picture of them.
They both stared at me with no expression on their faces and no words said.
I realized what I had done and quickly apologized.
"Oh, I'm sorry. You two looked so pretty and I like pretty things, so..." I felt awkward by the silence.
Their gazes were sharp, staring at me. Did I make them unhappy by taking a picture without their permission? Would they tell their father on me?
What if Grandma gets fired because of me?
So many random thoughts started playing in my head and I started blaming my stupid impulse when one of them said,
"You said... Pretty?"
"Uh, yes." I said and noticed his green eyes glimmer. "You're so pretty."
"Me too." The other boy pointed at himself. "Am I pretty?"
"Yes, you're both pretty." I said and suddenly started laughing. "So adorable."
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