Vol 6 Ch 10

“…Because of you, I really am going crazy.”

 

His low sigh brushed against the nape of his neck, sending a shiver down Inseop’s spine. Slowly, Lee Wooyeon lifted his face and gazed at Inseop. Wooyeon’s face gradually approached, and his soft lips lightly touched Inseop’s before pulling away.

 

What’s happening?

 

Inseop blinked slowly. Wooyeon’s fingers, which had been gently caressing the nape of Inseop’s neck, tightened. The lips that had retreated returned once more.

 

“Hey! The car’s here!”

 

At that moment, the bathroom door opened, and CEO Kim walked in.

 

“Give me the clothes.”

 

Lee Wooyeon stood up and nonchalantly extended his hand. Manager Cha handed him a change of clothes.

 

“Change here and come out. You can’t let your body temperature drop.”

 

Wooyeon said, pulling the blanket off Inseop.

 

“I-I can do it. I can dress myself.”

 

Inseop desperately waved his hands, but Wooyeon ignored him.

 

That day, they went to the hospital and underwent every possible test. They were discharged only after hearing that everything was normal.

 

‘…Because of you, I really am going crazy.’

 

A low sigh accompanied by a kiss. It wasn’t a misunderstanding or a mistake. Did he think of it as a greeting? Families sometimes kiss on the cheek. But it was definitely on the lips here…

 

“Are you listening?”

 

The doctor’s question brought Inseop back to the present. He straightened up, replying, “Yes.”

 

“The auditory hallucinations you heard are likely connected to past events, indicating that your memory is slowly returning.”

 

Lee Wooyeon’s rebuke about what possessed him to jump into the lake that winter came only after all the test results were confirmed normal.

 

‘I heard a voice… I definitely heard it. Someone fell into the water and asked for help.’

 

When Inseop stuttered through his explanation, Wooyeon immediately brought him back to Seoul for a check-up.

 

“When will his memory return?” Wooyeon asked.

 

“I can’t give you an exact timeline, but seeing some changes compared to before is a positive sign. Has anything else happened? Any headaches, visual hallucinations, things like that?”

 

Inseop hesitated, glancing at Wooyeon, who was standing behind him with his arms crossed.

 

“Uh, could you step outside for a moment?”

 

“Why?”

 

The exact same response, word for word. Sometimes, Inseop felt a bit scared when his usually affectionate brother behaved like this.

 

“I have something to ask the doctor.”

 

“Ask here.”

 

Wooyeon, with his hoodie and sunglasses on, showed no sign of moving.

 

“Since the patient wishes, please step out for now.”

 

The doctor interjected, supporting Inseop’s request. Wooyeon tilted his head slightly. The doctor awkwardly cleared his throat and looked away. Despite being a well-mannered and kind-hearted celebrity, making eye contact with Wooyeon inexplicably sent a cold sweat down his spine.

 

“Please.”

 

Inseop bowed his head as he spoke. Wooyeon sighed.

 

“Alright, I’ll be outside.”

 

Only after he left did Inseop’s tense shoulders relax. Ever since the incident, just having Wooyeon nearby made Inseop so tense that his entire body ached.

 

“You said you had something to ask.”

 

The doctor began.

 

“Yes, doctor.”

 

Inseop placed his clenched fists on his knees and nodded.

 

“Excuse me, are you by any chance Mr. Lee Wooyeon?”

 

“No, I’m not.”

 

Lee Wooyeon answered without taking his eyes off the window. The woman, feeling embarrassed, hesitated before walking away.

 

F**k, what is he trying to talk about?

 

Lee Wooyeon bit his lip. The fact that Inseop couldn’t say whatever he had to say in front of him but could tell a doctor he barely knew infuriated him to the core.

 

I should just go in there and…

 

At that moment, the hospital room door opened. When their eyes met, Inseop flinched and widened his eyes.

 

That dumbfounded look… so fucking hot, damn it.

 

Lee Wooyeon swallowed his curses and approached Inseop.

 

“What did you talk about?”

 

“We talked about the dreams and the hallucinations I heard at the lake that day.”

 

“So, what dreams?”

 

When Wooyeon persistently pressed him, Inseop mumbled, “Just dreams.”

 

“What did the doctor say?”

 

“He said the same things as before. Rest well, don’t get stressed, take care of my head…”

 

Inseop listed the doctor’s advice one by one.

 

“And also, what else did he say?”

 

Inseop rummaged through his pockets and took out a piece of paper.

 

“He said to eat well and get plenty of sleep. To let my brain rest. Not to watch TV or use my phone before bed. And no computers, either.”

 

“In the middle of all that, you wrote it all down?”

 

Seeing the memo written in clumsy Korean, Wooyeon almost forgot his anger and burst out laughing.

 

“Yeah… Is that bad?”

 

…He’s ridiculously cute, even with no memory and no plan.

 

Wooyeon took a deep breath and snatched the paper from Inseop.

 

“This is confiscated.”

 

“Why?”

 

“So I can memorize it too.”

 

It was a lie. He planned to use it for some late-night gratification.

 

As they waited for the elevator, Inseop began fidgeting with his clothes and glancing nervously at Wooyeon.

 

“You know…”

 

“……”

 

Wooyeon pretended not to hear. Inseop, looking slightly troubled, called out softly, “Wooyeon-ah.”

 

“What?”

 

“I have a favor to ask.”

 

“Not the doctor, but me?”

 

His voice came out snarky.

 

“Never mind, forget it.”

 

Inseop quickly shook his head.

 

Such a kind-hearted fool.

 

“What is it? Just tell me.”

 

Wooyeon said as they stepped into the elevator. While Inseop hesitated, a crowd of people got on at the next floor. Wooyeon stood with his back to the crowd, shielding Inseop against the wall. Hidden by Wooyeon’s broad shoulders, Inseop could only see his face. Their breaths mingled dangerously close through the gap in their clothes.

 

“What favor?”

 

Wooyeon bent down and asked in a whisper only Inseop could hear. Inseop, his head hung low, couldn’t bring himself to respond. From the 5th floor to the basement level 4, Wooyeon had to repeat the same question five times.

 

“…You really wanted to come here?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

Lee Wooyeon let out a small sigh through his nose. The request Inseop had barely managed to voice was to be taken to an aquarium.

 

“I didn’t know you liked fish so much.”

 

Lee Wooyeon said as he walked behind Inseop, who had pulled his cap down low. It was midday on a weekday, so there were hardly any visitors.

 

“You jump into a lake to catch fish.”

 

“No, it’s not that. I really heard it… the voice. The doctor said it was related to my memory, right?”

 

“Don’t talk about other men in front of me.”

 

A cold voice interrupted. Inseop turned around, startled.

 

“Enjoy watching your favorite fish. Just don’t jump into the lake again.”

 

Lee Wooyeon teased playfully.

 

“….”

 

But that’s not it.

 

Inseop felt a bit wronged but kept his mouth shut.

 

‘Dreams are expressions of the unconscious. If the same person keeps appearing, it’s likely related to your memories.’

 

When Inseop mentioned that the same person appeared in his dreams every day, the doctor had responded that way.

 

‘Is there anything more I can do to help?’

 

Inseop wanted to recover his memories as quickly as possible. More than the frustration and anxiety, he didn’t want a repeat of what happened the other day.

 

‘You said the same person appears repeatedly?’

 

‘Yes.’

 

Inseop nodded quickly.

 

‘A family member or friend?’

 

‘…Uh, no. It feels like someone I’m dating.’

 

Inseop answered in a small voice after hesitating. He couldn’t remember the person’s face or voice. But the emotions and atmosphere in the dream felt that way. Tender, heart-pounding, …happy. When they held hands, an overwhelming feeling would swell up, making his throat burn.

 

‘I, it’s not certain, but it seems that way. …Maybe.’

 

Inseop was worried about what if Lee Wooyeon was listening outside. If he knew Inseop was dreaming about a lover he wasn’t even aware existed, he would surely be disappointed.

 

‘It would be best to meet that person directly. That could be very helpful. Are you in contact with your partner?’

 

‘No.’

 

Inseop shook his head. That part was strange. If this person was so important that they appeared in his dreams every night, why couldn’t he contact them? They would have been contacted somehow at the time of the accident. …Did they break up?

 

‘Hmm. Then do you remember anything else? A symbolic object, place, or feeling.’

 

The moment he heard the word “place,” Inseop thought of the aquarium. It was where he first saw that person in his dream. What did they talk about here? Surely….

 

Startled by the sound of fingers snapping, Inseop looked up.

 

“What are you thinking about so hard?”

 

“Nothing. I’m just looking at the fish.”

 

Inseop quickly turned his gaze to the tank and answered.

 

“What kind of fish did you want to see?”

 

Lee Wooyeon asked as he stood beside him.

 

“Just… all of them. …This and that.”

 

Inseop couldn’t bring himself to tell Wooyeon that this was a place he might have come with someone who could have been his lover. For some reason, it felt like he shouldn’t.

 

“Look over there, the shark is eating a penguin.”

 

“What?”

 

Inseop was startled, his eyes widening. Lee Wooyeon laughed, saying, “Just kidding,” as he shoved his hands into his pockets.

 

“Don’t do that.”

 

The mere thought of such a cruel scene made Inseop wince and frown.

 

“What’s the big deal if it gets eaten a little? Haha. If a shark’s hungry, it might eat a penguin.”

 

His usually composed and mature younger brother often joked around like this. Normally, it was hard to believe he was the younger one, but during these moments, his boyish side showed, making him seem endearingly cute… though usually, it was just troublesome.

 

A large white shape brushed past the round tank. Inseop hurried over to the tank, exclaiming, “It looks like a dolphin.”

 

“It’s a beluga.”

 

Lee Wooyeon said, coming up close behind Inseop.

 

“Cute.”

 

When Inseop touched the glass of the tank, the beluga met his gaze and seemed to greet him. A look of delight spread across Inseop’s face.

 

“It’s so cute. It seems to recognize people. It’s really smart.”

 

“Still, it’s just a fish.”

 

Another cold comment. Inseop turned around, puzzled, only to see Lee Wooyeon smiling warmly at him. The beluga had already disappeared to the other side of the tank. As Inseop lingered in front of the tank, looking disappointed, Lee Wooyeon grabbed him by the shoulders and pulled him away.

 

“What’s so fascinating about them?”

 

Inseop was a bit flustered by his brother’s childlike attempt to regain his attention.

 

“Just… it’s interesting.”

 

Lee Wooyeon chuckled softly.

 

“You find a lot of things interesting, don’t you? Just like before.”

 

Inseop felt a strange sense of déjà vu at Lee Wooyeon’s words.

 

“Hey, Wooyeon-ah.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Have we been here together before?”

 

“No.”

 

Inseop felt relieved at Lee Wooyeon’s answer. Right. That doesn’t make sense. The person in the dream was definitely….

 

“We’ve been to the aquarium near Samseong Station once, but I brought you here today because this one’s new. Why, don’t you like it? Should we go back there?”

 

“No, it’s fine.”

 

Inseop quickly shook his head. It must be a coincidence. They were close friends, close enough to go see the New Year’s sunrise together, so it wasn’t strange for them to visit an aquarium….

 

“There’s really not much difference between here and there.”

 

Lee Wooyeon said with a smile, almost to himself. “A fish tank is a fish tank, after all.”

 

A chill ran down Inseop’s spine. What did he just say? The person back then had said the exact same thing….

 

“What are you doing?”

 

Lee Wooyeon asked, raising his cap slightly when Inseop stood still and didn’t follow him.

 

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling sick?”

 

“No, I’m not sick. Hey, Wooyeon-ah….”

 

Just then, two women approached from behind Lee Wooyeon.

 

“Excuse me, are you Lee Wooyeon….”

 

Without turning around, Lee Wooyeon grabbed Inseop’s wrist and began walking in the opposite direction.

 

“Excuse me, wait a minute!”

 

The women called out urgently, but Lee Wooyeon paid them no mind.

 

“They’re calling you.”

 

“In Korea, if strangers talk to you on the street, it’s one of two things: a cult or a scam.”

 

“What?”

 

“Next time someone talks to you, just ignore them.”

 

The women didn’t seem like cult members or scammers. They looked quite respectable. And they weren’t looking at him, but at Lee Wooyeon… and they knew his name.

 

Just like in that dream.

 

Inseop stopped dead in his tracks. It was the same as back then. The women had followed, and that person had grabbed his wrist, hiding in a corner with playful eyes, looking back at him.

 

“Why? Are you that disappointed you can’t look at the fascinating fish?”

 

When Inseop just stood there, Lee Wooyeon, taking his silence as agreement, smiled mischievously like a boy.

 

“Let’s come back another time.”

 

Inseop couldn’t bring himself to respond.