It was Young-min.

Ina, who had gotten up from the bed, tapped her waist and answered the phone.

“Hello?”

-Oh, elder sister. I’m walking to the subway station now, and it might take about an hour. Should I buy anything?

“Huh? No. We have beer and everything here, so just come.”

-Okay. Got it. Your boyfriend is there too, right?

“Uh… Yeah.”

-I’m really curious. It’s the first time I’m meeting elder sister’s boyfriend.

Listening to Young-min’s somehow excited voice, Ina glanced at Juwon, who was looking at his phone with an indifferent expression.

Startled, Ina quickly averted her gaze.

“Yeah. Okay. I got it. We’ll be waiting. Take your time.”

After hanging up, Ina quickly got up from the bed.

“He says he’ll be here in an hour. Get up. We need to tidy up a bit here.”

Juwon reluctantly got off the bed.

A moment later, after tidying up the main bedroom, Ina came out and double-checked Young-min’s room before entering the living room.

“Later when our Young-min comes, you have to be nice to him. Okay?”

“Depends on how that guy acts.”

“Oh, really!”

Ina hit Juwon’s arm with an exasperated expression.

* * *

About an hour and ten minutes later, the doorbell rang.

Ina jumped up and walked to the front door with a welcoming face.

When she opened the door, Young-min hugged her tightly with a bright smile.

“Elder sister! It’s been so long.”

“Yeah. It really has been a while.”

“How long has it been…”

Young-min, who was speaking, was startled by the large figure that suddenly appeared behind Ina.

Looking up, he saw a tall, sculpture-like man emanating a dark aura, staring intently at Young-min.

Wow… Amazing! For real! He’s so handsome!

As Young-min gaped, looking up at Juwon before him, Juwon spoke with a displeased expression.

“I think that’s enough hugging…”

At the chilling words from the sculpture’s mouth, Young-min reflexively broke off the hug.

Then he stared at Juwon’s face with a dazed expression.

It was like the expression of Romeo falling in love at first sight with Juliet.

Juwon furrowed his brow at that face that looked ready to kneel down any moment.

“Introduce yourself! Greet him!”

Sensing the strange atmosphere, Ina quickly snapped her fingers at the dazed Young-min.

Startled back to his senses, Young-min looked back and forth between Ina and Juwon.

“Young-min, this is my boyfriend Lee Juwon, who’s the same age as me. Say hello.”

“Ah. How do you do, elder brother?”

Young-min bowed 90 degrees and greeted energetically.

“And this is my younger cousin Kim Young-min. He’s 25 years old.”

“Hello.”

Juwon greeted briefly with a nod.

“Elder brother! It’s really nice to meet you.”

Young-min suddenly stretched out both hands and grabbed Juwon’s hand.

Surprised by the sudden action, Ina’s eyes widened.

“Since you’re elder sister’s boyfriend, can I call you elder brother?”

Juwon responded in a calm voice to Young-min’s adoring gaze, like looking at an idol.

“Well… I’m not your elder sister, so…”

“Ahaha! Our elder brother! Your humor is totally my style!”

Young-min laughed and shook Juwon’s hand vigorously.

As Young-min shook his hand intensely, Juwon gave a chilling smile, and Ina quickly detached Young-min’s hand.

“Let’s not stand here like this. Let’s go inside quickly.”

Ina pushed the two men’s backs and led them into the living room.

“Wow, it’s my first time seeing elder sister’s boyfriend, and I never imagined he’d be this cool… Elder sister, you hit the jackpot!”

Young-min sat on the sofa and looked up at Juwon admiringly.

“The jackpot was mine, not Ina’s.”

Juwon answered, naturally putting his arm around Ina’s waist.

Ina, startled, gave an awkward smile and gently removed Juwon’s hand.

“Young-min, we should have dinner. What do you want to eat? Is there anything you’re craving?”

At Ina’s question, Young-min looked at Juwon.

“Elder brother, what do you like? I eat everything well, so let’s have what elder brother likes.”

Ina read love in Young-min’s eyes as he spoke, looking only at Juwon as if Ina didn’t matter at all.

Oh no, oh no… Kim Young-min, are you completely smitten?

As Ina shook her head helplessly, Juwon looked at Young-min with an expressionless face.

“I’m fine with anything, so let’s have what Young-min wants.”

At the words ‘Young-min-ssi’, Young-min jumped in surprise and waved both hands.

“Elder brother! Why ‘Young-min-ssi’! Speak comfortably. I’m 4 years younger than you.”

Young-min said with a bright smile and a puppy-like expression, as if he would offer his hand immediately if Juwon said ‘Hand!’

Then Juwon crossed his arms and said.

“Alright? Then I’ll speak comfortably. Hurry up and choose the dinner menu. Our Ina must be getting hungry by now.”

After a moment of silence, Ina turned her head to look at Juwon.

Ina’s face turned red at the sight of him showing his unrestrained loving side even in front of Young-min.

But suddenly Young-min burst out laughing.

“Ahaha! Our elder brother! You’re such a romantic! Elder sister! You must have saved a country in your past life!”

Young-min laughed like a girl and hit Ina’s arm.

Then Juwon reached out and grabbed Young-min’s hand, saying.

“You shouldn’t hit our Ina. And I probably saved the country. Maybe I was an independence activist in my past life?”

At Juwon’s words, Young-min looked at him again with a dazed face.

Embarrassed by this, Ina urged the two men to go out, saying they should leave soon.

The three people who came out debated what to eat, and headed to a beef rib restaurant after Young-min said he wanted to eat meat.

Looking at the deliciously grilling beef ribs, Young-min ordered a bottle of soju.

When the waiter brought the soju, Young-min quickly opened the bottle.

“Elder brother. Let me pour you a glass.”

Ina smiled contentedly as she watched Young-min pour politely, supporting his right arm with his left hand.

“Please give me a glass too, elder brother.”

As Young-min immediately held out his glass with a bright smile, Juwon poured into Young-min’s glass and then into Ina’s glass.

“It’s the weekend, but don’t drink too much.”

Ina nodded at Juwon’s kind words.

“Elder brother. Let’s have a drink.”

As Young-min raised his glass with a smile, Juwon and Ina also raised their glasses.

“Keuuu”

Juwon chuckled as he watched Young-min and Ina making the same expression and saying ‘Keuuu’ after drinking the soju.

They really are cousins, even their expressions are the same.

Young-min put down his soju glass and made a wrap with a piece of well-cooked meat, pickled onions, and a little wasabi, then held it out to Juwon.

“Elder brother, please try this.”

Ina laughed at Young-min’s actions, constantly firing love bullets as if it were some kind of love stick.

But judging that Juwon would feel burdened if he accepted even the wrap, Ina reached out her hand, but at that moment, Juwon took the wrap from Young-min and put it in his mouth.

Oh, what’s this?

Ina wore a surprised expression, and Young-min smiled brightly with joy.

After Juwon finished eating the wrap and wiped his mouth, Young-min said with sparkling eyes.

“Elder brother, can’t you make just one for me too? Hehehe.”

At that moment, Ina, feeling somehow tense, glanced at Juwon.

Juwon looked at Young-min, who was mercilessly firing hearts at him, and instead of answering, he picked up a lettuce leaf.

And he made a wrap exactly the same as the one Young-min had made and handed it over.

Young-min jumped up, deliberately grabbed Juwon’s wrist, and brought it to his mouth.

He opened his mouth wide, put the whole wrap in his mouth, and made the happiest expression in the world.

“When elder brother makes it, the meat seems to melt in my mouth. Hehehe.”

Perhaps Ina was now an invisible person who couldn’t be seen in Young-min’s eyes.

“Shall we eat deliciously by ourselves now?”

Juwon said in the most roundabout expression possible that there would be no more wrap-making.

“Yes, elder brother. I’ll eat a lot.”

Fortunately, Young-min understood well and answered as he picked up his chopsticks.

Throughout the meal, Young-min kept asking questions to Juwon as if he had so much to be curious about, and Juwon showed the generosity to answer briefly at an appropriate level.

This felt like the two of them were on a blind date and Ina was tactlessly intruding.

But nevertheless, Ina was grateful to Juwon for answering consistently.

“Ah. I’m full! Elder brother. I really enjoyed the meal.”

As they left the restaurant, Young-min bowed 90 degrees and greeted.

“You don’t have to keep calling me ‘elder brother’ like that. Just call me ‘hyung’.”

“Really? Hyung? Can I call you that? Hyung?”

Young-min asked in a happy voice with sparkling eyes.

“You’ve already called me that twice now.”

Juwon answered in a dry voice as he started walking, and Young-min exclaimed with delight.

“Wow! Hyung! I’m an only child, so having a hyung was my wish, and now it’s come true? Hyung! Juwon hyung! Let’s go together!”

Young-min wagged his tail and ran to stand next to Juwon, who silently looked at him.

‘What’s with this guy… Does he have a motor in his mouth? Why does he talk so much?’

And Ina, watching the two from behind, quickly covered her mouth as she was about to burst out laughing.

Juwon’s disgruntled expression and Young-min looking at him with happy eyes were too funny.

So Ina walked, biting her lips tightly, between Juwon who was enduring with the word ‘patience’ written all over his face, and Young-min who seemed possessed by a ghost that died from not being able to speak.

As they were walking home and came across a coffee shop, Young-min quickly linked arms with Juwon and said.

“Hyung. I’ll treat you to coffee for dessert. Let’s have coffee before we go.”

Instead of answering, Juwon looked down at Young-min who was firmly linking arms with him.

‘This guy… His friendliness is no joke.’

Young-min smiled brightly at Juwon, who was looking at him with narrowed eyes.

Ina, who was about to laugh again at that sight, barely held it in and quickly linked arms with Juwon on the opposite side.

“Okay. Honey. It’s chilly out, so let’s have a warm coffee before we go.”

Juwon, who had been wearing a displeased expression, reluctantly nodded at Ina’s soft voice.

“Alright. If you want to drink, we’ll drink.”

Then he gently unlinked arms with Young-min and interlaced fingers with Ina.

Even after going to the coffee shop, Young-min continued to chatter endlessly, attacking Juwon’s cochlea.

As if he really liked Juwon, he poured out endless stories, calling him ‘hyung, hyung’, from his daily life to stories about the company he just joined, his favorite baseball team, and so on.

Seeing Juwon’s soul start to leave his body after a while of non-stop talking, Ina, feeling it wouldn’t do, quickly brought up another topic with Young-min.

Only then did Juwon let out a short sigh and crunch on the ice in his coffee.