IBS - Chapter 76

"I’m not sick of you asking, hyung," Han Sol said clearly in a low voice. "I would get tired of you doubting Kim Gyuyeong, though... But I told you before. It won't do you any good if you find out who I like."

“Did you? I’ll be the one to decide that, so just tell me.”

Han Jinheon scoffed.

Before hearing who it is, there’s no impact, no feeling. Even if he finds out who it is, the situation will remain the same. 'It won't do you any good?' If he were the type to be scared by such a warning, he wouldn't be doing this in the first place. 

If he were a guy who got scared that easily, he wouldn't have stripped the pants off the boy who is supposed to be his brother.

Han Jinheon stared intently at Han Sol for a moment. His eyes slowly scanned the voluptuous lines of his body.

“Looking at you like this, it seems like I stripped you down to find out who it is.”

“……”

“That might not be a bad idea either. Tormenting you, Han Sol, until you talk.”

Even if it’s highly irrational and illogical, as long as it works. If the best option doesn't work, you use the next best, and if the lesser evil doesn't work, you use the worst. It would be nice if he answered when asked nicely, but if not, shouldn’t he at least make use of this body?

“Of course, if you’re willing to give me my Christmas present, we could have quite an enjoyable time.”

'Because I’ll scratch where you itch with all my heart and soul.'

He would scratch and scratch again. Perhaps to the point where the skin is gouged out. So that it might become more agonizing than relieving. So that he wouldn't be able to think of the person he likes, whoever it may be, in the slightest.

“So, who is it?”

His eyes, wide and round, darted from side to side. The wavering, gentle pupils told him that he was debating whether to speak or not. Sensing that he just needed to pull a little harder, Han Jinheon took off his shirt.

As his upper body, starting with his well-defined collarbones and composed of perfectly proportioned muscles, was revealed, Han Sol hugged the pillow even tighter. The face hidden behind it was noticeably red, like a ripe persimmon.

“Tell your Hyung.”

Han Jinheon coaxed Han Sol gently as if trying to win him over, and grabbed his underwear. Looking back, Han Sol had always taken them off himself, but today, Han Jinheon stripped him of everything from top to bottom. It wasn't that they were short on time, but he didn't feel mentally relaxed. His heart was exceptionally restless.

Han Sol abruptly grabbed Han Jinheon’s wrist and attempted to persuade him.

“Okay. I get it. At least let me wash up.”

“You can wash up after we’re done.”

To say it again, it’s not that they were short on time. He could give him all the time in the world to wash, but there was simply no reason to wash the prey he had right in front of him.

When his trick didn't work, Han Sol’s eyes darted around again. Han Jinheon didn't miss that moment and, after pulling the underwear off completely, dropped it outside the bed. What fell was practically a rag. The Alpha hadn’t controlled his grip and had simply torn it.

Receiving quite a shock, Han Sol stammered, his face paler than its usual complexion.

“W-what am I going to do if you r-rip my underwear…! What am I supposed to wear tomorrow!”

“Why are you worrying about something like that. We can just buy new ones.”

“……”

“However, that’s only if you tell me who it is. If you don’t and drag this out boringly, you’ll go without underwear. It'd be nice if you just wore a long padding coat.”

Unlike Han Jinheon, who was smirking mockingly, Han Sol’s pale face immediately flushed and he flared up.

“Who are you trying to turn into a pervert…!”

“So, stop trying to hide things pathetically and just talk. I’m not trying to forcibly stop you just because you like someone. As long as it’s not Kim Gyuyeong, there’s no reason to.”

Han Jinheon suddenly recalled Han Sol’s gaze as he looked at Kim Gyuyeong earlier. Only his attitude had been subtly different, his gaze had been bright and clear. 

It was even brilliant, as if he had met someone he had waited and longed for. To describe it in more detail, it was subtly different in texture from the gaze he had for him before he came to his side. 

Before, his eyes had blazed, blinded by possessiveness, but now they were cutely bright and clear.

As far as the Alpha knew, Han Sol didn’t show this kind of gaze to anyone but him. He had been the first, and Kim Gyuyeong, whom they had coincidentally encountered today, was the second. Or maybe he wasn’t the second. The guy Han Sol liked would have already taken the second spot.

“...Ah.”

By that logic, he arrives at the conclusion that he might not be the first. Han Jinheon hardened his expression into a frosty look, making Han Sol watch him warily. He clearly showed that his mood had soured.

He could be smiling and listening attentively to that guy, just as he does to him. He might even be acting cute. 

If that bastard is an Alpha, he could be clinging to him, saying his pheromones smell good. The mere thought that Han Sol's cute acts, which were reserved only for him, might have already been done for someone else made him feel suffocated. He clenched his jaw automatically.

“Hyung…?”

“I have to take back what I just said. I don’t know what kind of guy he is, but I have to stop you. I don’t know who you like, but I don’t have a good feeling about him.”

“But he’s a very trustworthy person…”

“Trustworthy? As if. You have terrible judgment when it comes to people.”

“It’s not terrible. Hyung, you don’t know anything…”

“Like you said, because I don’t know anything, I’m asking you to give me a hint. And I told you before, right? My goal is to hand you over to a trustworthy guy. And that comes with the premise that it has to be a guy I introduce you to.”

Han Sol, who had been chuckling to himself, became sullen.

“I heard you were already making a list of Alphas…”

“You heard from Dr.Kim? That’s right. I’m narrowing it down to the best Alphas possible, so you’d better get over those feelings of yours.”

“…I said I would. I said I’d just like him on my own and then get over it.”

Now, with eyes that looked like they could burst into tears at any moment, he was pouting his rose-colored lips.

Unlike Han Sol, who had cast his gaze downward, Han Jinheon glanced up at the ceiling, leisurely turning his head as well. Only then did he look at Han Sol’s small nose and ask indifferently.

“That’s something you obviously have to do. Who is it? Let’s talk.”

“...Hyung.”

“Yes.”

“...It’s you, Hyung.”

The smooth, unwrinkled forehead gradually contorted. As Han Jinheon narrowed his eyes and showed a reluctant reaction, Han Sol's gaze, which had been fixed on him, plummeted back to the ground.

He had said the same thing not too long ago. When he made the offer on the condition that he would scratch his itch.

‘It’s you, Hyung. I like you, Hyung…’

He was spouting such absurd nonsense. Han Jinheon had no intention of being swayed. He could see right through Han Sol’s tricks. 

'So he's avoiding my questioning with this nonsense. He must be curious how I would react to those words.'

“Ha.”

Then he recalled a similar instance and let out a dry laugh. It was similar to when he had joked about bearing his child if he became an Omega. 

Would a guy who could say something like that without hesitation be unable to say ‘I like you’ just to get on his nerves? It was a sufficiently suspicious attempt.

'He must be curious how a big brother would be shaken if his little brother said he liked him. And however I’m shaken, that appearance would become a weakness he could grab and manipulate.' But that was only possible if they were actually brothers.

The pitiful guy unfortunately doesn’t know. The fact that they are not brothers. He had no desire to tell him, but in situations like this, he perversely wanted to tell him the truth. He became curious as to how Han Sol would react.

But he had to hold back. It wasn't something he should say rashly, swayed by a momentary emotion.

'Since I've already read your trick, I hope you'll come up with a different method.' 

Han Jinheon replied indifferently with a rather considerate look in his eyes.

“Stop trying to change the subject with that nonsense, then stop.”

“It’s not nonsense. I’m telling you because you were curious, so why…”

“I’m grateful you’re telling me because I was curious, but you shouldn’t be messing with people in a situation like this.”

“I’m not messing with you. I like you, Hyung. I like you, Han Jinheon, you!”

The corners of his eyes reddened as Han Sol threw the pillow he was holding. He then tried to quickly crawl under the duvet, but he couldn't even properly lift the bulky and heavy blanket. He ended up just struggling with his thin body, fumbling for the edge of the duvet under his hips.

In that time, Han Jinheon, having moved the pillow, carelessly brushed back his messy hair. His response to Han Sol was even more careless.

“You might as well have said a plausible person like Secretary Song or Secretary Jeong. That would be more realistic than mentioning me.”

“Are you saying me liking you isn’t realistic? But I do? I like you? Huh?!”

'I like you! I said I like you!'

Han Jinheon considered covering his ears against Han Sol, who was shrieking his head off, forgetting he was naked, but decided to use a more definite method. He gathered Han Sol's thin wrists above his head and pressed them into the sheet.

As his arms were raised, revealing his entire body, Han Sol didn't know what to do and hurriedly scrambled to bring his legs together toward his abdomen. His previous fiery energy was now subdued, replaced by embarrassment.

Han Jinheon understood Han Sol’s reaction. It made sense, as this was his first time in such an environment. Not at home but in a hotel, and not in a dark room but under bright lights, completely exposing his pale body. 

The situation, where everything was revealed without concealment under the bright lighting, was considerably burdensome.

Besides, he was at least wearing pants, but Han Sol was stark naked.

“Come to think of it.”

Han Jinheon mulled over one thing that had been strangely bothering him, and after reaching a conclusion he was pleased with, he started a new topic.

“I once debated whether I should punish you every time you called me ‘you’, but I gave up because it didn't seem like you'd listen.”

“……”

“Is it because we’re on a bed? Or is it because you and I are doing this kind of thing? Hearing it now, it doesn’t sound so bad.”

“……”

“I’ll allow it only at times like this, so try calling me ‘you’ every now and then.”

As if dumbfounded by Han Jinheon’s smooth talk about how timid defiance was rather cute, Han Sol just moved his lips agape before mumbling in a completely drained voice.

“That’s not what’s important… You’re not supposed to be paying attention to that…”

Han Jinheon had a sense of déjà vu, feeling as though he had seen the expression that just crossed Han Sol's face before, but he didn’t think deeply about it and let it go. 

He took in the pink-tinged skin with a mysterious gaze, then brushed his own genitals against Han Sol’s thighs, which he had easily occupied between his lean legs. At the deliberate contact, Han Sol’s lower body twisted slightly.

“Then what’s important? What should I be paying attention to? Ah.”

Han Jinheon, who had been watching Han Sol's sensitive reaction without missing a detail, feigned ignorance and said.

“Let me be clear, whoever you like, it’s not their fault. The fact that you like someone without considering your own position and current situation is what’s wrong. It’s a matter of controlling your emotions.”

“Are you saying I’m not allowed to like anyone? That I shouldn’t like anyone?”

“Didn’t I tell you? As long as you are by my side, you must not like anyone else. Han Sol, you need to control this fickle heart of yours.”

Han Jinheon pressed the center of Han Sol’s chest firmly with his index finger. At least, you must not like anyone other than the Alpha I choose for you, he added in a low warning.

The white face, across which an unknown emotion had flickered, was soon covered in confusion.

“Why? What’s the reason…?”

“……”

“Why is it that I’m not allowed to like anyone when I’m by your side…?”​