The Three baby mining brothers - Chapter 10

Whether it was luck or resilience, Yeoreum shook off his bout of illness after a deep sleep. The moment he got out of bed, he found himself clutching his head, overwhelmed by embarrassment at the thought that he had mistakenly assumed Yi-eon was tired of him.

The day Yeoreum and Jaehun had gone out together seemed like a distant memory, as Yi-eon’s affectionate behavior had made him forget it entirely. Since then, Jaehun had disappeared from sight, and Yeoreum’s routine returned to normal.

From that point on, Yeoreum started every morning with Yi-eon, spending the day together until they went to bed at night, never straying far from his arms. The large mansion felt even emptier than usual, as Yi-hon had left for an extended business trip not long ago. Time passed quickly, and winter deepened.

January 1st arrived, though it was neither special nor eventful. Like any other day, they ate an early dinner and fell asleep in the same room. The only difference that day was Yi-eon greeting Yeoreum with a “Happy birthday” when the bright sunlight woke him.

Although another year had passed, there were no parties or cakes. Perhaps it was because Yi-hon’s absence had stretched for nearly two months, leaving Yeoreum to spend the day quietly in Yi-eon’s arms.

Still, Yeoreum’s days were beginning to change. So subtly that he didn’t notice the contradiction between the familiar routine and its slow transformation.

“Hyung is coming back soon. Let’s have something delicious tonight,” Yi-eon said, ruffling Yeoreum’s hair with his large hand.

Even though the time apart from Yi-hon had only been a little over two months, it felt endlessly long. Now that his return was imminent, it felt like receiving a pile of gifts all at once.

“Okay,” Yeoreum replied.

The world seemed vast to the child. Sharing moments with his brothers stretched the once-constricted boundaries of his world. Oblivious to its limits, Yeoreum was preparing to put down roots in this expanding universe, always beaming with a bright smile.

Since it was the holidays, even Yi-eon, who usually left for work every day, stayed home. The house, now devoid of the housekeeper and Secretary Yoon, was filled with a warm, cozy atmosphere. After eating the breakfast and lunch Yi-eon personally prepared, the day rushed toward late afternoon.

“Just leave it there.”
“Yes.”

Seated side by side on the plush sofa in the spacious living room, they were watching a belatedly festive Christmas movie. The sound from the front entrance made them leap to their feet at the same time, unaware of their synchronized reaction. Together, they walked toward the source of the noise—Yi-hon’s voice.

Yi-hon, entering with two suitcases left at the entrance by the driver, froze in place at the sudden and enthusiastic welcome.

“What’s this?”

It was the first weekend of the new year, and their eagerly awaited reunion had finally come. Both pairs of shining eyes were locked onto Yi-hon.

“You’re back?” Yi-eon quickly grabbed his suitcases, while Yeoreum shyly clasped his hands and lowered his gaze.

Yi-hon resumed walking inside, as though the momentary hesitation had never occurred. Yi-eon stuck close to his side, pulling the suitcases along, while Yeoreum trailed behind them with quick steps.

“Why are you both out here?”
“Because we missed you. How could you not contact us even once?”

During Yi-hon’s long trip, they’d received no news about him, as neither had the courage to reach out first. They could only hope he was doing well.

“Do you know how much we waited? Han Yi-hon, you’re so coldhearted!”

Yi-hon headed straight for the study on the first floor. Naturally, Yi-eon, dragging the suitcases, and Yeoreum followed him into the spacious and tidy room, which had remained spotless despite Yi-hon’s absence.

Yi-eon shoved the suitcases into a corner and tugged Yeoreum onto the large sofa. They landed on it with a plop.

“I brought some clothes in the left suitcase. Take them out,” Yi-hon said, removing his coat and loosening his tie.

Despite his perpetually irritated expression, which might seem intimidating to others, Yi-eon was unaffected. Whenever Yi-hon returned from a trip, he would buy something to get rid of Yi-eon, who annoyed him like clockwork. This time, it was clothes.

“Really? Let’s see,” Yi-eon said, ignoring the suggestion to leave. He opened the larger suitcase with a light bounce in his step.

Yeoreum, still seated on the sofa, looked alternately between the standing Yi-hon and the crouched Yi-eon, now rummaging through the suitcase. He felt at ease in their presence, as though this environment had grown too familiar to feel awkward.

“What’s this? It’s too small. It’s not my size… Oh.”

Yi-eon pulled out a dark knit sweater that was clearly too small for him or Yi-hon. A knowing smile spread across his face.

“These are for Yeoreum.”

Yeoreum, who had been absently looking around the unfamiliar study, turned his gaze toward the mention of his name.

“For me?” he asked, his eyes widening.

Yi-eon smiled, nodding as he pulled out another bag from the suitcase. Half the clothes were Yi-eon’s size, and the other half were for Yeoreum.

Seeing the small clothes pile up, Yeoreum felt a mixture of astonishment and gratitude. Yi-hon buying something for him? It was almost unthinkable.

“What a thoughtful hyung. Bringing gifts, too,” Yi-eon teased, his eyes glinting with amusement as he looked up at Yi-hon, now loosening his shirt.

Yi-hon clicked his tongue, irritated, while Yeoreum held back the overwhelming emotion swelling in his chest and nodded quietly.

—

Yeoreum’s coming of age and Yi-hon’s return were celebrated simply and without much fanfare, blending into the flow of their daily lives.

When the short holiday ended, Yeoreum expressed his strong desire to Yi-eon: he wanted to attend college.

Though he didn’t say it outright, the implication was clear—he wanted a new tutor. He feared that continuing this way would lead to accomplishing nothing.

Yi-eon nodded and cupped Yeoreum’s cheeks, promising to find someone.

The new tutor, Yeonwoo, was vastly different from Minhyuk. With tightly curled hair, round glasses, and a heavy backpack, Yeonwoo was a student at one of Korea’s top universities, as Yi-eon had heard in passing.

Their lessons were intense, focusing on theory to fill gaps and solving mock exams to prepare for college. It was a far cry from the pace of Minhyuk’s sessions.

Yeoreum had long believed that he would never even start, let alone succeed, under Minhyuk’s guidance. This made him appreciate Yeonwoo’s swift and rigorous teaching style all the more.

He didn’t want to give up just because he was slower than others, nor did he want to be a disappointment to his brothers.

Fueled by a newfound passion, Yeoreum sometimes worked late into the night, driven by a desire to complete assignments in record time.

However, his study sessions rarely lasted through the night, as someone always found a way to disrupt him.

“Ugh… wait, just a moment…”
Yi-eon on lay comfortably on the bed in Yeoreum’s room. Yeoreum, completely naked, was perched on Yi-eon’s stomach. Yi-eon’s head was barely resting on the headboard, giving him a clear view of Yeoreum’s innocent face.
Yi-eon’s large hand was firmly planted on Yeoreum’s lower half, preventing him from moving anywhere else as he manipulated his erect member. Yeoreum held onto Yi-eon’s long nightshirt to keep from falling, his arms hanging down. The strange sensation in his head and the swaying of his hips made him feel like he was about to fall.

“It hurts… ugh, hmph…”
Summer couldn’t forget the day when these strange, ticklish, and frightening sensations began. Unlike Yi-hon, who never left his room or study, Yi-eon’s room was frequented so often that it seemed like it was always occupied. Perhaps it was because of Yi-eon’s frequent visits to Yeoreum’s room.
Yeoreum began studying after the new year, and his bedtime was pushed back by five hours. Because of this, Yi-eon, who was waiting for Yeoreum, would often lie on the empty bed and watch his back as he slept. Yeoreum’s face, which was always pale, seemed to be filled with patience that was about to burst.
‘Yeoreum, come here.’
‘Yes, just a moment.’
Yeoreum, who seemed like he wouldn’t come, finally got up from his desk after finishing his studies. He hung his cardigan on the chair and slowly climbed onto the bed where Yi-eon was lying. Yeoreum’s yawning face caught Yi-eon’s eye.

‘Come here.’
Yeoreum, who had been about to lie down on the soft bed, was soon sitting on top of Yi-eon with a strong force. Yi-eon could feel Yeoreum’s warmth, but he also liked the obvious posture. It was a recent preference.
Yi-eon looked at Yeoreum’s soft and embarrassed face and thought for a moment.
‘Didn’t you know?’
he wanted to ask, he could clearly imagine Yeoreum rubbing his face with his hands and saying he was embarrassed.
And then Yeoreum would probably do whatever Yi-eon wanted, without knowing anything. Yeoreum, his naive younger brother, was like that. However, Yi-eon didn’t want to see Yeoreum’s face crumple as he tried to recall knowledge he didn’t have.
‘Let’s see. Since we can’t go to the hospital, I’ll have to take care of it myself.’
Since the incident with Jaeheon, Yeoreum had been reluctant to go outside. It was more accurate to say that he was afraid.
Because it had been a short time, and he hadn’t been seriously ill, there had been no need to go to the hospital. Of course, if such a thing happened, they would call the doctor who visited the brothers every day, but Yeoreum didn’t know that.
Perhaps that was why the phrase “going outside” had become a terrifying sentence for Yeoreum. As brothers who knew him best, they did.

“…How?”
Yeoreum’s mind was racing. Was Yi-eon going to examine him? Once again, Yeoreum was captivated by Yi-eon’s words, which were without a single mistake. Yi-eon began to unbutton Yeoreum’s pajamas without saying a word.
‘I’m just checking if you’re hurt. It’s better if your brother does it than a stranger, isn’t it?’

As he completely unbuttoned the pajamas and removed them from Yeoreum’s shoulders, a sad expression appeared on his face. The thought of doing what he was doing with someone he didn’t know made him want to shake his head quickly and help Yi-eon.
‘Good.’
A pile of Yeoreum’s underwear and pajamas was gathered at one end of the bed. Yeoreum, who was completely naked, was in stark contrast to Yi-eon, who was covered in clothes. Yi-eon’s large hand ran down Yeoreum’s shoulder blade and down his body.

‘Ugh, ugh…’
Summer involuntarily let out a moan. As Yi-eon’s fingers touched places he had never expected, he felt a tingling sensation.
Yi-eon’s hand pressed firmly on Yeoreum’s protruding ribs and gradually moved downward. As he rubbed Yeoreum’s waist, which was about to fall over, he imagined the sweet scent of Yeoreum.
Yi-eon’s finger rubbed the stiff glans. It was a soft yet rough sensation. Just as he thought Yi-eon would take his hand away, he pulled Yeoreum towards him. Yi-eon’s waist straightened, and Yeoreum was drawn closer to Yi-eon, so that they were now face to face.
Yi-eon tapped Yeoreum’s buttocks twice with the palm of his hand. Focusing on the soft sensation, Yi-eon, unlike Yeoreum, noticed what Yeoreum was trying to do and slowly lifted his body to support himself on the bed with his shins.
Yi-eon helped Yeoreum put one arm around his neck. Soon, Yeoreum collapsed into Yi-eon’s arms, and he could clearly see Yeoreum’s dry back.
Yi-eon wrapped his arms around Yeoreum’s waist that was shaking, and inserted his finger between the flesh.
‘Why, why are you putting your hand there…?’
Yeoreum’s breath stopped for a moment and then he let out a deep sigh. The narrow and tight inner walls tightened as soon as Yi-eon inserted his finger.
He pushed his finger as deep as he could and began to swirl it around.
Yeoreum’s arms, wrapped around his neck, grew stronger. It was as if he was trying to strangle Yi-eon. He wriggled his body, trying to remove Yi-eon’s finger, which was in a place where it shouldn’t be.
‘Stay still.’
The hand that was wrapped around Yeoreum’s waist slapped his plump buttocks. His moan echoed in Yi-eon’s ears. In the gap, he inserted another finger, and the narrow inner walls gradually widened.
‘Ugh… enough… wait, I’m not ready…’
‘It’s over now.’
It was a place that had been forcibly opened without any reason. As he widened the inner walls by inserting and withdrawing his fingers, the moan that came out of Yeoreum’s mouth became weaker and weaker.
A sticky sensation ran down his fingers. Yi-eon removed his hand, supporting Yeoreum’s body, which was limp.
Naturally, it was Yi-eon’s job to clean up. The ‘examination’ that he thought would end in a day continued before bed and early in the morning.
Yeoreum was more afraid of going to the hospital than of his deteriorating health. He was even more terrified of being away from the eyes of others.
Yi-eon ran his hand down Yeoreum’s and removed it.
The child, exhausted, leaned against Yi-eon’s chest. The only sound in the late night was his rapid breathing.
Yi-eon pulled Yeoreum’s body, which was gradually slipping down, closer to his lower body and hugged him tightly.
‘Good boy,’ he said, patting Yeoreum’s back. The invisible rule that Yi-eon had set was taking shape.
‘I’ll clean you up. Go to sleep if you’re sleepy.’

Yi-eon gently laid Yeoreum on the bed, having moved an object that was bothering him. The boy’s eyes were already half-closed. His face, full of sleep, looked up at Yi-eon, ready to drift off at any moment.

“I’ll wait for you…,” Yeoreum mumbled, rubbing his eyes, seemingly forgetting that he was naked. Yi-eon smiled and went into the large room to get a towel.
Despite Yeoreum’s words, he was already fast asleep when Yi-eon returned. With nothing covering him, a certain raw sensuality lingered, especially around his lower body.
Yi-eon moved slowly to Yeoreum’s side and began to clean him with a towel. He considered putting pajamas on him but decided it was better to leave him as he was, so as not to wake him. Instead, he covered him with the blanket.
Despite being an adult by age and law, his body was still small and thin, like a child’s. Had he ever taken care of someone like this before? Yi-eon often found himself chuckling at the thought of caring for Yeoreum.
Yi-eon pulled the blanket up to Yeoreum’s neck and stood up, supporting himself on the bed.
That was when someone knocked twice and opened Yeoreum’s room door. There were only two people in the house who could do that, and one of them was already asleep in Yeoreum’s room.
“Hyung?”
“What is it?”
Yi-hon had entered the room as expected. However, he couldn’t hide his surprise at seeing Yi-eon standing next to the bed. As he looked down at Yeoreum, who was presumably lying under Yi-eon’s tall figure, he couldn’t help but be taken aback.
“What’s that bag?”
Yi-hon slowly closed the door behind him. It was ridiculous that all three of them were in Yeoreum’s room, the smallest room in the house. Yi-eon looked up at Yi-hon, who was standing in front of the door.
Yi-hon was carrying a white paper bag. It was a different kind of bag from the ones he’d seen in his suitcase, and Yi-eon was curious. When he asked what it was, The other didn’t answer but simply walked closer.
“You, again,”
Yi-hon approached Yeoreum’s bedside and removed the blanket. The boy, who always had his pajamas buttoned up to his neck, was lying naked. It was an unusual sight.
Yi-hon had noticed a strange atmosphere in Yeoreum’s room as soon as he entered. There was even a faint, unpleasant smell, and Yi-hon had been frowning since then.
“I didn’t do anything.”
He threw the blanket back onto Yeoreum and turned his gaze to Yi-eon who simply shrugged as if to say, ‘What happened?’
Yi-hon ran his hand through his hair and let out a sigh he couldn’t hold back.
He placed the paper bag on the table and sat down on a chair crossed one leg and stared at Yi-eon, who was sitting at the foot of the bed.
“What’s that?”
Curious about the heavy paper bag, Yi-eon got up and went to Yi-Hon. When he opened the bag, it was full of thick books.
“What are these books?”

“Secretary Yoon bought them.”
“Secretary Yoon?”
Yi-eon began to take the books out of the paper bag and put them on the table. There were thick books on literature, calculus, and practice problems, all in various colors. They were all textbooks for college entrance exams.
Yi-eon burst out laughing. He bent over and held his stomach, laughing uncontrollably.
Yi-hon leaned on the table, covered his head with his hands, and sighed. Yi-eon didn’t stop laughing until he looked up.
“Hyung must have told you to buy them. But Secretary Yoon just bought textbooks.”
Yi-eon wiped his tears and started laughing again. He was about to cry from laughing so hard.
There was no way the secretary would buy textbooks for college entrance exams. Someone must have told him to do it, and he knew exactly who it was.

It hadn’t been long since Yi-hon had returned home from his long business trip. Him, who didn’t talk much with Yeoreum, had brought more presents for him than for Yi-eon.
Yi-eon couldn’t stop smiling at the unexpected turn of events. It was a pretty good turn of events. It was so good that he felt like crying over all his previous failures.
He sat down on the empty chair in front of the table where Yi-hon was sitting. He crossed his arms and shrugged.
“I like Yeoreum, but I think I like Hyung even more.”
“Is that what you call showing affection?”
Yi-hon shook his head, still looking down. Yi-eon could clearly see the bored expression on his face.
However, Yi-hon’s gaze was fixed on Yeoreum, who was lying far away. The cold air was being warmed by human warmth.
“Then why don’t we have a housekeeper yet?”
Yi-hon spoke in a quiet voice. His gaze was still fixed on Yeoreum, who was covered in a white sheet.
“Because of Yeoreum.”
“What?”
Yi-hon turned his head. It seemed like nothing could change his mind.
Even though they knew that one person couldn’t do all the housework, laundry, cleaning, and cooking for such a large house, there was still only one middle-aged woman who Yeoreum called “Auntie” working at the house.
A few months ago, after Jaeheon had left, they had tried to hire new helpers. But it hadn’t worked out. Secretary Yoon had brought people to the house who seemed to meet the requirements, but it never worked out.
Most of them were men. Strong, healthy men who could do the physical labor while the ‘aunt’ focused on cooking.
Yi-eon had told him to only bring men. Secretary Yoon was puzzled. If they were going to be working closely with the family, wouldn’t it be better if they were women? But Yi-eon’s expression was calm.
Eventually, a middle-aged man who was much shorter than Yi-eon but had a large build came to work at the house. He seemed to have done all kinds of hard labor, as he had a lot of white hair.
Since Yeoreum didn’t leave his room very often, he only met the man after Yi-eon came home from work.
He had been on his way to bring Yeoreum downstairs when he saw the helper. The man was carrying a huge pile of laundry, and his face was barely visible. Yeoreum, forgetting that Yi-eon was next to him, took a step back.

“This is the new housekeeper. Say hello… Yeoreum.”
Yeoreum’s consciousness faded as he nodded slightly. Yi-eon, standing beside him, managed to catch him just before his head hit the floor. Relieved to find him breathing, Yi-eon cradled the boy in his arms and carried him upstairs.
A doctor, summoned by Yi-eon, diagnosed Yeoreum with a mild concussion. After assuring him that Yeoreum would be fine with some rest, the doctor left the mansion.
When Yeoreum woke up the next day, his memory was blank. He simply believed he had gone to bed early. Yi-eon stroked Yeoreum’s head, pretending not to notice the blank slate that was his mind.
Naturally, he never called the bulky housekeeper again. He told secretary Yoon to find someone new and put the incident behind him.
However, whenever a new housekeeper arrived, Yeoreum would faint or tremble excessively. Once, when he wasn’t home, the housekeeper, Chun-ja, had to call the doctor in a panic.
Dr. Kim, who frequently visited the mansion, diagnosed Yeoreum with post-traumatic stress disorder. Yi-eon knew exactly what had caused it, but he didn’t tell the doctor. After all, he was just a doctor.
If the helpers were causing problems for Yeoreum, all he had to do was remove them. With that simple solution, Ion continued his life peacefully until Yi-hon returned from his business trip.
In the meantime, secretary Yoon and the driver, Park, started helping with the household chores, as they were being paid generously. It was forced labor, but they had no choice.
“I think I know why.”
Yi-hon, of course, knew about the incident with ‘Jaeheon’. He just kept quiet about it. He never imagined that he would have to come all the way to Gwangju, a three-hour drive from Seoul, because of an incident involving a housekeeper.
Yi-eon knew it. The boy thought that every new housekeeper would be like Jaeheon. He was sure that they would force him into a situation where he couldn’t refuse and take him away. He was so scared that he unconsciously avoided them.
“Take good care of him, too.”
he really didn’t know. With those words, Yi-eon turned away, dismissing the speculation in his mind.
Yi-hon got up to leave the room. He had come to deliver a stack of books, and there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
“When is the article coming out?”
Yi-hon stopped at the door when he heard Yi-eon’s sudden question.
Yi-eon was still sitting comfortably in the chair, looking up at him.
“Soon, I think.”
He finally realized what Yi-eon was talking about. But he didn’t turn around.
“Oh, I really hate it. I’ll have to watch Yeoreum with you. Maybe that will help.”
Yi-eon stopped there. He probably would have said something more sarcastic, but Yi-hon had already left the room.
He returned to his study on the first floor. There were still unpacked boxes piled up, but he didn’t feel like unpacking them.
He sat down in the soft armchair. Although it hadn’t been that long since Yeoreum had moved into the house, it felt like a year had already passed.
He had never expected to see the terrified expression on the faces of the people who greeted him when he returned home. It was the first time he had ever seen such a shocked expression. And he never thought he would be thinking about a child while driving three hours from Seoul to Gwangju.
He couldn’t get the image of Yeoreum crying and asking to take a bath with him out of his head. The image of the young boy standing naked under the bright lights was so vivid that he couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.

It was ridiculous that he was starting to care about this, but he couldn’t deny it. If there was a problem, he would deal with it. If there wasn’t, he would just wait for Han Yi-eon to lose interest.
“……”
But even as he thought that, he found himself telling secretary Yoon to buy things for Yeoreum.
Han Corporation, which Yi-hon had inherited when he was still a high school student, was known for its construction business. There were Han-branded apartments everywhere you looked.
He had become the chairman of the company at a young age, right after his father’s death. Unlike the older chairmen who were often seen on the news in suits with gray hair, Yi-hon was young and handsome, which attracted a lot of attention. At first, the weight of his position had been heavy on him, but now he was used to it.