IBS - Chapter 2

“If sucking on straws here suits you better, then so be it.” he said.

(t/n : "sucking on straws" = doing nothing productive and just leeching off others.)

That crude remark didn’t fit the refined atmosphere at all, making me clear my throat awkwardly. I hastily turned my head, covering my mouth with a tissue. I couldn’t believe it. Han Sol said that? Who was the one who said such a thing?

The man remained silent, watching me intently with restless eyes as he slowly removed his black leather gloves. What appeared next were lettering tattoos on his middle and ring fingers.

‘UNA IN PERPETUUM’

The moment my gaze fell on it, goosebumps prickled all over my back. I gasped without realizing it, my mouth hanging open.

Crazy! No way!

I know the person connected to that tattoo. He's the second male lead of this novel and Han Sol's step brother, the Alpha, Han Jinheon.

My guess couldn't be wrong, and it makes no sense that I wouldn't know him. The author always mentioned his finger tattoo to establish his presence whenever the second male lead appeared, and as someone who loved the second male lead, I liked that detail. More than anything, the only character with a tattoo was Han Jinheon.

This is truly insane. I'm going crazy!

My heart pounded wildly. I hadn’t even cared whether this possession was a dream or reality, but now, facing the sub-lead, I couldn’t help but question which it was. If it was a dream, I silently vowed not to let it pass.

Han Jinheon was coming just to catch Han Sol? Han Jinheon had always seen Han Sol as a nuisance—so why?

“I had Secretary Song prepare your things, so you just need to come with me to Seoul as is,” Han Jinheon said to me, who was still stunned by the unbelievable situation.

I felt a premonition that the leisurely life I’d been enjoying in Jeju was about to come to an end. I never thought the conclusion would come with Han Jinheon himself coming to get me instead of me leaving alone.

"There’s nothing to worry about. Father didn't specifically seek you out or send me to get you."

"......"

"Which also means I have no intention of sending you to Father right away."

"......"

"For the time being, stay in Hannam-dong instead of the main house. Oh, and don’t worry, I’m not asking you to come in and suck mine."

"Cough!"

He was saying such risqué things so casually. Even if they were step brothers, shouldn't they be careful with such words? What kind of conversations did these brothers usually have?

Han Jinheon twisted his eyebrows at my continued silence and asked, as if dealing with a strange person,

"Are you in the middle of a silent meditation?"

"Ah, no..."

"Then why are you so quiet? Don't tell me you're reflecting on your actions?"

Not that either. I'm just trying to figure out how to deal with you, Han Jinheon-ssi.

It was impossible to treat him with the kind of energy Han Jinheon knew Han Sol to have. But treating him with my own energy was also problematic. I might go from being a peculiar guy to a crazy one. It was obvious that if I looked at him, who was a perfect embodiment of my preferences, I wouldn't get angry; instead, I'd just drool.

But a good excuse just came up. Reflection. I could just live quietly under the pretext of reflecting, right?

"I am reflecting. I did do wrong, after all..."

Since I'm the villain, I did bad things, and if I did bad things, I should reflect.

Han Sol is a character who caused trouble and made mistakes from beginning to end. Although he ends up going to America and dying, I sometimes wonder if he really made such big mistakes. 

Part of it is my ignorance from not having read Han Sol's full story. As they say, the arm bends inwards, I find myself defending the character I've transmigrated into. I can't help it. Without a considerable amount of positive thinking, it would be hard to live as Han Sol.

As I put on a gloomy face and used a dejected voice, Han Jinheon showed a subtle smile. It was the same mocking smile as before.

Is this not working? In my anxiety, I clasped my two hands together under the table. My hands and feet grew cold from tension. The heater in the cafe was working fine, but the temperature of my body, reflected in the man's dark eyes, plummeted.

"Reflecting."

Han Jinheon quietly repeated my words. As his eyebrow twisted up further, my anxiety grew.

"If I knew you'd act this pathetically, I wouldn't have bothered coming."

"......"

"Get up. Let's go."

He checked his wristwatch and stood up first.

I thought Han Sol was quite tall and lanky, but I was mesmerized by the significantly broader and taller back of this Alpha. Then, led by his nod that told me not to just stand there foolishly but to follow, I obediently followed him.

Like a bee drawn to a fragrant flower, I followed the handsome man and thought,

Is it right to go like this? Should I say no?

The worry that momentarily occupied my mind ended anticlimactically as Han Jinheon practically shoved me into the car. At that moment, I knew instinctively. The real beginning of my life as Han Sol was right here, right now.

***

Waking up even before my alarm, I quietly slipped out of the room and headed to the kitchen.

The owner of this spacious mansion, decorated in a modern French style with monotone interiors behind imposing walls, was Han Jinheon – Han Sol's step brother and the sub-male lead of this novel.

Han Jinheon. The sub-male lead of this novel and Han Sol's older step brother, an Alpha, was the heir to HANQ Group, one of the leading conglomerates in this world, and currently served as the Executive Director of HANQ Construction.

One might wonder how someone only thirty-five was already an Executive Director, but it was possible because he was an Alpha who was perfect in almost every way – be it studies, sports, or fighting, a true all-rounder. With such strong backing, how could his title be an issue?

His appearance was also perfectly flawless. He was closer to a beautifully sculpted statue with golden proportions, a man for whom compliments like "handsome" and "dashing" suited him better than anyone.

If I had to look for a flaw, like finding a needle in a haystack, well, it would be his cold personality. It's hard to read his expressions or figure out what he's thinking, which sometimes makes conversations scary or awkward.

He was the type with a mischievous streak hidden beneath a calm demeanor. He could be incredibly indifferent to me to the point of seeming harsh, then suddenly be affectionate, and then, while being affectionate, he’d enjoy teasing me subtly, making me fume at least once a day. He was a person in whom maturity and childlike aspects coexisted.

Perhaps the original Han Sol would have aggressively fought back to avoid losing, but for me, it was just a fluttering sensation. I couldn't even get angry looking at his handsome face, which perfectly fit my preferences.

Anyway, it's already been half a month since I've been staying with him.

The sole reason I woke up early and moved about diligently, even while yawning widely from lingering morning sleepiness, was to prepare breakfast for Han Jinheon, who was still fast asleep.

I had arbitrarily thought that an Alpha like Han Jinheon would be out exercising from dawn or wouldn't eat breakfast at all, but he was the complete opposite. Far from exercising from dawn, he was busy sleeping, and far from skipping breakfast, he absolutely had to have at least toast and coffee.

If it wasn't an elaborate meal, it wouldn't be bad if I prepared it. Grateful just for him showing that handsome face in this cozy house, I had offered to make him breakfast as a way to repay his kindness.

Han Jinheon had found this kindness of mine suspicious.

‘Are you planning to feed me something expired? Or perhaps poison me?’

‘Why would I do that! Absolutely not! I’m just trying to do something as a sign of my reflection…’

He found it unconvincing, asking why I was reflecting in such a way, but he eventually accepted, telling me to do as I pleased. And so, for about half a month, I've been consistently preparing breakfast, diligently performing my duty with occasional lateness but no days off.

It would be a lie to say I don't regret it. I was too overwhelmed by his handsome face. I could have just relaxed, but why did I volunteer to make breakfast and suffer for it?

"Haa."

I let out a small sigh while deliciously frying bacon on a heated pan. Breakfast is one thing, but there's another problem: my living situation.

How long do I have to stay here? I didn't transmigrate to live under Han Jinheon's thumb.

Originally, I wanted to move out and find my own place. Han Jinheon only said I should stay for a while, not forever, so I planned to leave when the time was right.

However, Han Jinheon said that Han Dongsik would not be pleased if he knew. Furthermore, if he knew I was alone rather than by his side, I could be immediately dragged back home or forcibly sent to America. He firmly warned me that staying quietly by his side for self-reflection was the way to go.

Who was Han Dongshik? He was the father of Han Jinheon and Han Sol, and the chairman of HANQ Group. He currently resided in the main house in Seongbuk-dong with Han Sol's mother, Lee Geumyoung. 

He was furious with his irresponsible second son, Han Sol, whose actions had damaged the group and, personally, severely wounded his pride, making him grind his teeth despite Han Sol being his son.

I hadn't met him even once, so I couldn't really grasp how terrifying he was. However, Han Jinheon, who growled at me not to blow things out of proportion, was more frightening for the moment, so I had complied, saying I understood.

There was no other way. I could tolerate other things, but I hated the idea of going to America, where I didn't know what would happen to my life. I also disliked the thought of living at the main house, where I would become exhausted from constantly being wary of him.

But now, people's hearts are truly fickle. After half a month, I'm not so sure. It sounds funny even to me. As my mind became comfortable and my body relaxed, other thoughts naturally came to mind. Should I try leaving this house soon? Could this be what Han Jinheon meant by "for a while"? Thoughts like that.

I still enjoy admiring that handsome face. I'm the ultimate "face-lover," someone who can eat just by looking at a pretty face, but everything has its limits. Seeing the same face every day has lost its thrill.

To be frank, Han Jinheon is a forbidden fruit, isn't he? There's no way anything can happen between us, so what's the point of having feelings?

Suddenly sensing a presence, I turned my head and saw Han Jinheon. He looked impeccable, unlike someone who had just woken up, and was staring intently in my direction.

Why is he so handsome? That face isn't human; it's on a celestial level.​