The Three baby mining brothers - Chapter 8

Before Jaeheon arrived, Secretary Yoon stayed at the house every day to fulfill his role. However, after Jaeheon was hired, it wasn’t just the brothers who started leaving early in the morning—Secretary Yoon joined them as well.

 

Perhaps that’s why, after lunch, only the housekeeper who prepared meals for the child, Jaeheon, and Yeoreum would remain in the mansion.

 

It was less than a week after Jaeheon first suggested going outside the mansion. Though it was a short time, enough had passed for the seasons and weather to change.

 

The cardigan Yeoreum wore daily had long since disappeared into the dark depths of his closet, replaced by thick outerwear hanging within easy reach. The wind had grown sharp and cold, biting against his cheeks, so much so that he found himself anticipating the first snowfall.

 

Jaeheon began coming up to Yeoreum’s room almost daily to spend time with him. The reason was unclear. When Yeoreum asked if it wasn’t work time for him, Jaeheon would casually respond that it was his break.

 

It was a peaceful time, free from change. Yeoreum didn’t think about crossing boundaries or breaking implicit rules, but when he did unknowingly step over the line, he found himself unprepared for the consequences.

 

The days when Minhyuk, the private tutor, didn’t come gradually increased. On the days Minhyuk didn’t show, Yeoreum would ask Yi-eon for the reason, but Yi-eon would brush it off, saying, “Maybe he’s too busy.” Thus, Yeoreum never learned the details.

 

Seeing Minhyuk only once a week, Yeoreum couldn’t help but think Minhyuk might see him as some sort of consultation client. But Yi-eon’s soothing reassurances made it hard to voice his discomfort.

 

“What are you doing?”

 

From the second-floor railing, Yeoreum looked down at the wide space below. A plush sofa and a spacious table dominated the area, though whether it was a living room or a guest reception space was unclear. It was one of Yeoreum’s frequent spots after meals.

 

“Just looking outside… Are you going somewhere, hyung?”

 

Approaching Yeoreum, who was comfortably seated on the sofa, was Jaeheon, dressed in a thick jacket and holding a light envelope in his hand. Judging by his outerwear, he was ready to head out.

 

Yeoreum turned his head to look up at him. Perhaps because he had grown accustomed to spending time with Jaeheon, meeting his gaze no longer felt awkward.

 

“Yeah, just running an errand for the housekeeper.”

 

“Want to come with me?”

 

Though Yeoreum thought he was getting to know Jaeheon, he was still caught off guard by sudden remarks like this.

 

Yeoreum’s pupils dilated slightly, as if to say, Right now? It was certainly an unexpected situation.

 

Jaeheon, however, was unfazed by Yeoreum’s startled reaction, which he had grown used to seeing. Smiling, he grabbed Yeoreum’s arm and gave it a little shake, as if to pull him up.

 

“Let’s go eat something delicious while we’re out.”

 

Unable to resist, Yeoreum reluctantly got off the sofa. His movement felt half-forced, but Jaeheon’s cheerful tone made it hard to refuse.

 

What he had initially thought was a mere suggestion turned into reality in no time. Instead of worry, a sense of excitement began to build. Yeoreum was eager to see the world beyond the mansion’s walls, which had become a familiar yet confined space.

 

“Go upstairs, change your clothes, and wear something warm. It’s cold outside.”

 

Jaeheon pulled Yeoreum to his feet and gave him a gentle push toward the stairs.

 

Are we really going out?

 

With a dazed expression, Yeoreum began climbing the stairs, glancing back occasionally to see Jaeheon still standing below, watching him.

 

Yeoreum walked slowly to his room on the second floor. He grabbed the thick jacket draped over his chair.

 

Yi-eon and Yi-hon left for work at the same time every day. Jaeheon was the only person Yeoreum could talk to in the mansion.

 

Is it okay to leave without telling them? The image of Yi-eon smiling warmly and hugging him that morning flashed vividly in Yeoreum’s mind, making him feel uneasy.

 

“You’re ready?”

 

Jaeheon was waiting at the bottom of the stairs, fastening Yeoreum’s coat for him and buttoning it up, which Yeoreum had forgotten to do.

 

It was hard to gauge the weather outside without stepping into the garden. The mansion was warm and comfortable, leaving nothing to be desired.

 

“Is it cold outside?”

 

Yeoreum had gone out to the garden wearing thin clothes more than once, only to end up coughing from the chilly air. Since then, Yi-eon had insisted that Yeoreum wear thick clothing, even for short walks in the garden. That’s why there was always a heavy coat draped over his chair.

 

Strangely, Jaeheon didn’t head toward the large door leading to the garden. Instead, he turned toward the dining room, gesturing for Yeoreum to follow.

 

Past the dining table, they reached a large door in a smaller adjoining space. Judging by the supplies stored there, it was likely a pantry or storage area.

 

“We can’t use the front door, so we’ll go out through the back door connected to the dining room. Is that okay?”

 

Apparently, the grand door leading to the garden was the main entrance. Only the brothers used it, their cars coming and going through that entrance. Everyone else in the mansion, including the staff, used the back door through the dining room.

 

For Yeoreum, this was a new discovery, and while the smaller door wasn’t as grand as the main one, it wasn’t lacking either. Still, the unfamiliarity of the space made him hesitant as he followed Jaeheon.

 

When the door opened, a lawn stretched out before them, similar to the garden. Yeoreum’s heart raced as he stepped outside, the mansion’s towering walls seeming especially high today.

 

“is there Anything you feel like eating?”

 

Jaeheon slung an arm over Yeoreum’s shoulders, snapping him out of his nervousness. Despite the feeling that this might be wrong, Yeoreum’s feet kept moving.

 

“Whatever you want to eat, hyung.”

 

Perhaps because he didn’t know much about the outside world, Yeoreum thought it best to go wherever Jaeheon suggested.

 

Jaeheon entered the code on the door’s keypad, an odd requirement for leaving the mansion.

 

“Go on ahead.”

 

With a cheerful beep, the door swung open, revealing a road lined with cars speeding past.

 

Yeoreum stepped out cautiously. The mansion, which could easily pass for a private estate, sat high up. Turning his head, he saw a steep downhill road, with houses resembling the brothers’ mansion scattered throughout the area.

 

A wealthy neighborhood, no doubt. That was the only thought filling Yeoreum’s mind.

 

“Let’s take care of the housekeeper’s errand later. Since we’re out, let’s eat first.”

 

They began descending the steep hill. For Yeoreum, everything felt surreal—the abrupt outing, his own steps, everything.

 

They eventually arrived at a small Western-style restaurant. Yeoreum ordered a pork cutlet, while Jaeheon chose udon.

 

According to Jaeheon, it was a place he used to frequent with his brother during their school days, though his brother hadn’t been particularly fond of it.

 

He brought me to a place filled with family memories. With that thought, Yeoreum stuffed his mouth full of food.

 

Seoul was vast, filled with people and cars. Following the streets, Jaeheon confidently led them to a large supermarket. While Jaeheon filled a bag with various items, Yeoreum busied himself wandering around, unable to contain his curiosity.

 

It was one of those moments when curiosity about things one had never seen before began to bloom. After eating until they were stuffed and moving nonstop, the little energy they had left was quickly running out.

 

At that moment, the place Jaehun took Yeoreum to was a café. Although they had entered thinking they’d drink something warm, the thirst he felt upon entering led him to order a cold juice instead.

 

“Are you tired?”

 

The one sitting across from Yeoreum and staring at him was Jaeheon.

 

“No. I’m fine. It’s fun.”

 

“Really? That’s a relief. I was worried I’d dragged you along when you didn’t want to come.”

 

Jaeheon, who had worried that he might have forced Yeoreum to come along despite him being tired, rested his chin on his hand and sent him a concerned look. Unlike Yeoreum, who was awkwardly sipping his drink, Jaehun was drinking a warm latte, looking at Yeoreum who sat across from him. Though Yeoreum seemed merely uneasy, there were unspoken emotions flowing beneath the surface.

 

“I’ll go grab some tissues. Just keep drinking.”

 

Yeoreum simply nodded and watched Jaeheon’s retreating figure as he walked away to get tissues. Then, he began stirring his mango juice with the thick straw, waiting for Jaeheon to return.

 

This was an unfamiliar place. While it was fun, the lingering discomfort that came after the initial experience was something he couldn’t suppress. He didn’t want to create situations that he’d have to hide from his brother, and he didn’t have the courage to reject Jaeheon’s suggestion either. Frustrated with his lack of resolve, he felt a sigh rise within him. He had decided to express his desire to go home when Jaeheon returned.

 

Just then, the sound of someone roughly pulling out a chair made Yeoreum, who had been staring blankly downward, lift his head. Naturally, he assumed it was Jaeheon returning with tissues.

 

The hand holding the straw, which had been stirring circles nonstop, came to an abrupt halt.

 

“…?”

 

It was Yi-eon, wearing a neat yet comfortable dark suit. Seeing someone he hadn’t expected to encounter here, Yeoreum’s lips parted in surprise.

 

Yi-eon exaggeratedly widened his eyes and smiled in response to Yeoreum’s muttered reaction.

 

“You’ve gotten good at calling me hyung now.”

 

“……”

 

“Not very entertaining, though.”

 

 

—

 

Born in the peak of summer, Yi-eon became a small presence whose existence was not welcomed, let alone celebrated, as he grew older.

 

The eldest child, destined to inherit the family business, grew more upright and conformed to the adults’ wishes with each passing day, leaving no need for a substitute who might interfere. In fact, his very existence was treated with wariness.

 

Perhaps it was luck, or perhaps it was misfortune, but this child of early summer grew up in complete opposition to the adults’ expectations. He pursued what he wanted and never did what he didn’t want to do.

 

The family pulled him down, limiting his opportunities to spread his wings.

 

As a result, the reputation and standing of the eldest child, the heir to the family business, only grew more prominent and unshakable.

 

With the youngest child growing up alone, even his parents didn’t show much interest in him. At most, he occasionally spent time with his older brother, but his companions were mostly friends of his own age.

 

The child born on a sweltering day walked a different path, to the point where it became hard to discern his true self.

 

Neither his brother, his parents, nor the household staff understood him.

 

So, the child created a family of his own to fill the void. To him, it was a way to compensate for his lack, but to outsiders, it was seen as a mere hindrance.

 

As the child continued to walk his own path, his sole remaining family member, his older brother, realized it was too late to understand or accept him.

 

For them, this moment marked despair.

 

Yeoreum stared at Yi-eon in disbelief.

 

His pupils dilated larger than usual. Yi-eon’s expression showed no hint of surprise, making it hard to dismiss their meeting as a coincidence.

 

Despite the abundance of empty seats in the café, Yi-eon sat directly across from Yeoreum. That alone dispelled the possibility of coincidence.

 

“Did you come out with Jaeheon to have some fun?”

 

His voice was lower and colder than usual. Mingling with the soft music playing in the café, it sounded calm yet unnerving.

 

Yi-eon leaned back comfortably in his chair. His posture was relaxed, creating a physical distance from Yeoreum, who sat across from him.

 

The boy, lips pressed tightly together as if glued shut, nodded slowly. He wanted to explain that they had simply come out for fun, but Yi-eon’s unwavering gaze robbed him of words.

 

Anything he said would feel like a lie. Nothing he explained could change the fact that he had sneaked out today.

 

“…With hyung.”

 

“Was it his idea to go out?”

 

“……”

 

Should he say he followed on Jaeheon’s errand? But he had also agreed, so he couldn’t shift all the responsibility. His mouth clamped shut, and his gaze kept falling downward.

 

“You knew you weren’t supposed to go out, didn’t you?”

 

The music playing in the café sped up, but Yi-eon’s voice, in contrast, was slow and deliberate.

 

“Hmm? Yeoreum-ah.”

 

Deep down, he might have already known. The reason he couldn’t leave through the front gate, the ropes he had seen tied thickly when he first arrived at the mansion—it was all clear to him now.

 

It was reality, whether he admitted it or not.

 

“Ah, you’re here, hyung?”

 

While Yi-eon’s one-sided gaze pinned him down, Jaeheon’s voice cut in. Jaeheon, holding a tissue in hand, smiled. With his lips curved upward, he bowed slightly toward Yi-eon.

 

It was odd. Jaeheon showed no sign of surprise at Yi-eon’s sudden appearance.

 

Yi-eon, who had been lounging comfortably in his chair with arms crossed, leaned his head back, letting Jaeheon enter his line of sight naturally. Jaeheon’s smile didn’t waver.

 

Like stepping on pure white snow that turns dirty over time, it was something once beautiful but now unbearable to look at.

 

Knowing what it had once been, Yi-eon smiled brightly, let out a sigh, and shook his head as if in resignation.

 

“Maybe I’m too nice for my own good. What do you think, Jaeheon?”

 

“You’re so kind yet so cruel.”

 

Jaeheon placed the tissue on the table. The two exchanged words quietly, like ripples on a calm sea.

 

Unlike Yeoreum, who had expected to engage in a long conversation, Yi-eon soon rose from his seat.

 

“Will you take him back in? I’ve grown quite fond of Yeoreum, and I think we could make great brothers.”

 

Jaeheon’s words followed him. At some point, the tissue he had been holding was so crumpled it was unrecognizable. Yi-eon cast another glance at Jaehun before quickly shifting his gaze away. His face betrayed no emotion, making it easy to predict his next words would be far from pleasant.

 

“You don’t need to come to work anymore.”

 

His words carried weight. There was no way Jaeheon couldn’t understand. The scrape of the chair being pushed back filled the air.

 

“You, come with me.”

 

Yeoreum hurriedly got up and trailed after Yi-eon as he walked away from the table.