When I started High School, My Childhood Friend, who had suddenly become distant and cold, was harassed by a stranger. I stepped in to help, and as a result, from the following day, My Childhood Friend's behavior became unusual. - Chapter 9

“I’m home.”

Around 5 p.m., Natsuki returned from shopping and went to the living room, placing the groceries on the table.

In the living room, his parents were relaxing, watching a movie.

“Welcome back, did you get everything?”

“Yeah, is Natsuha around?”

“I don’t think she went out today. She’s probably playing games in her room.”

“Alright, thanks.”

Natsuki took out a piece of cake meant for Natsuha and put the rest of the groceries in the refrigerator. He then headed upstairs to the second floor, where the bedrooms were, and knocked on Natsuha’s door.

“Natsuha, I’m coming in.”

“Sure, come in.”

Just as their mother had predicted, Natsuha was immersed in her video game. She loved playing games and would do so whenever she wasn’t hanging out with her friends.

“Oh, you brought cake! Thanks.”

Natsuha reached for the cake, but Natsuki lifted it just out of her reach. Being taller, he made it impossible for her to grab it, even when she jumped.

“The money, 511 yen.”

“Oh, come on, just treat me this time… Besides, you don’t spend money, do you? You don’t hang out with friends or buy games.”

“I just don’t feel like treating you, and you still haven’t paid me back from last time. So I’ll collect it all now.”

“Ugh… How about 1,000 yen? It’s a nice round number.”

“It’s not enough, but I’ll let it slide this time.”

Natsuki took the 1,000 yen and handed her the cake and a fork. Natsuha’s face lit up with a smile.

“Mmm, this is the best. I love the cakes from this place.”

“Natsuha, what’s your current weight?”

“Mmph, don’t worry about it! I’m still growing!”

Unable to hold back, Natsuha took a bite on the spot, pressing her hands to her cheeks with a look of delight.

“So good.”

Having given her the cake, Natsuki turned to leave the room, but Natsuha stopped him.

“Hey, big brother, play games with me.”

She invited him as she usually did. Normally, when Natsuki had nothing else to do, he would agree. But today, he just didn’t feel like it.

“No, I’m fine. I’m going to relax in my room.”

“…You’re acting weird today, big brother. Did something happen?”

Not wanting to worry his family, Natsuki forced a smile. But it seemed that Natsuha had already figured out something was off.

“…I didn’t want to, but I ran into my ex-girlfriend at the shopping mall. That’s all.”

“Oh, right. You broke up with her… But just seeing her wouldn’t make you look so down, would it?”

Before he realized it, his emotions had crept onto his face, making his sister even more concerned.

“Would you want to see the face of a boyfriend who cheated on you, Natsuha?”

“I wouldn’t know; I’ve never had a boyfriend… but I’d probably never want to see him again.”

“In short, it’s like that.”

“Oh, so your girlfriend cheated on you.”

Although he’d phrased it indirectly, Natsuha stated it plainly. She gave him a light punch in the stomach, which surprised him more than hurt him, making him step back a little.

“You really have changed, big brother. You’re still sentimental, but you used to be outgoing, always with friends, playing outside. When did that change? Was it around the time you took a break from school? When you started going back, you were already different. I like you as you are now, but it worries me.”

“…Sorry, Natsuha.”

“Don’t apologize. Just smile genuinely sometimes. If you’re struggling, say so. It’s okay to show weakness… I don’t know what exactly happened, but—”

“Wouldn’t it be uncool for a brother to do that?”

“It’s not uncool at all. Pretending everything is fine is what’s uncool. Trust those who matter, and don’t lie.”

Natsuha said this while clutching his shirt.

Natsuki had never shared his true feelings with Natsuha before. So, she was saying what she could think of. But her words struck him deeply.

“…Don’t you trust me, big brother?”

“Of course, I do. I trust you completely. You’re my precious sister.”

“I see… If not me, at least trust someone you care about. If you don’t, you’ll lose more than you think. And for the record, I’m already half fed up with you.”

The words “someone you care about” made Natsuki think of Shizune. He had always trusted her. During middle school, when he retreated into his shell, it was Shizune who reached out and helped him.

(…It would be rude to doubt her.)

“…Yeah, I will.”

Natsuki said this and patted her head. Natsuha released his shirt and stepped back.

“I… really love you as my brother.”

“Yeah, me too.”

With that, Natsuki left her room.

Jihoon let out a low chuckle, his hand settling lazily on his hip as he shifted his weight. The casual movement made the towel around his waist flutter, briefly exposing a glimpse of his toned, sun-kissed thigh. Haein’s gaze followed the motion instinctively, a natural reaction to movement, before she caught herself. Her breath hitched. Oh no. Her eyes darted back to Jihoon’s face, only to meet his knowing, amused stare.

Heat bloomed across her cheeks, her embarrassment impossible to hide. It’s not like I meant to look. It just happened! she thought, mortified. But his smug expression made it feel as though he’d done it all intentionally, like he’d planned this moment to fluster her. Feeling trapped, Haein quickly averted her eyes, her voice unsteady as she stammered, “W-well, just… make sure to dress properly next time.”

Jihoon smirked but didn’t reply. Instead, his tone softened as he asked, “What about you? Why are you out here so late?”
“I couldn’t sleep,” she replied quickly, eager to shift the focus away from herself.

“Why not?” His gaze lingered, making her feel exposed in a way that had nothing to do with her pajamas.

“I took a long nap during the day,” she admitted, her words coming out more defensively than she intended.

“Ah,” he said with a nod, his smile returning. “Well, that explains it.”

Their conversation drifted into a stilted, awkward rhythm, the kind of small talk that neither wanted to end but neither knew how to sustain. Jihoon, half-clothed and half-amused, was reluctant to let the moment slip away, but he struggled to find something meaningful to say. Before he could, Haein spoke again.
“What about you?” she asked, curiosity slipping into her voice despite herself. “Why are you out here?”

“I got home late,” he replied easily. “I was working, lost track of time. Thought I’d take a moment to enjoy the night view before heading to bed.”

Haein blinked, caught off guard by the answer. He takes time to enjoy night views? She had always seen him as someone consumed by work, someone who never paused long enough to notice anything outside his schedule. It felt strange to be discovering this side of him now, after their relationship had ended.

“Well,” she said quickly, brushing her thoughts aside, “I’ll leave you to it. Enjoy the view.”

“You don’t have to leave just because of me,” Jihoon said, his tone gentle but insistent. “I’ll go back in.”

“No, really,” she replied, shaking her head. “I was about to head in anyway.”

She turned to go, determined to slip away without further conversation, but his next words stopped her mid-step.

“Who were you talking about earlier?” he asked, his voice calm but pointed. “The person you said you’d meet this winter.”
Her heart dropped, a wave of panic crashing over her. He heard that? How had his hearing suddenly become so sharp? Her mind scrambled for an explanation, one that would steer him away from the truth.

“A-a friend,” she stammered. “A friend studying in France. They’re coming back then.”

Without waiting to see his reaction, she fled into her room, closing the door firmly behind her. Leaning against it, she let out a long breath, her heart racing in her chest. Had he overheard the rest of what she’d said? The part where she’d been talking to her unborn child? No, surely not. If he had, he would’ve pressed her further. She exhaled again, reassuring herself that her secret was still safe.

The next morning, Haein prepared for her meeting with meticulous care. Her makeup was flawless, and she chose a fitted Chinese-collar blouse paired with a sleek skirt. Though the outfit felt slightly formal, it seemed appropriate for a first impression. Better to be too polished than too casual, she reasoned.

Her nerves prickled as she entered the company building. Despite being the owner’s daughter, she was virtually unknown here, unlike her stepsister Sena, who had been a regular presence since their teenage years. Haein had always kept her distance, preferring to remain in the background.
At the elevator on the fifth floor, Woo-young was waiting. He greeted her with a playful smile, lightly tapping her shoulder. “Relax. You’ve got this,” he said.

Haein offered him a faint smile in return, though her heart was still racing. Together, they entered the meeting room, where two people were waiting: a middle-aged man and a younger woman who appeared to be in her early thirties. Both greeted her warmly.
“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Haein,” the man said with a smile. “I’m Park Seung-yoon, the marketing team leader.”

“Nice to meet you, Team Leader,” Haein replied, bowing politely.
The woman introduced herself as Shim Eun-jin, an assistant manager. Despite her youthful appearance, there was a certain maturity to her demeanor that prompted Haein to bow even more respectfully.

The conversation started lightly, with Seung-yoon easing Haein’s nerves. Over a cup of herbal tea, her initial tension began to dissipate.

“Well, let’s get to the point,” Seung-yoon said after a while.

“As you know, this photoshoot is being funded by an external investor.”

“External investor?” Haein asked, tilting her head in confusion.
Woo-young flashed her a sheepish grin. “Yeah, I might’ve forgotten to mention that…”

Seung-yoon nodded. “The investor isn’t just funding the project—they’ll be overseeing it directly. They should be arriving soon.”

Before Haein could process the implications, the door opened. A man stepped in, and her body went rigid.

“Allow me to introduce myself,” he said, his voice steady and composed. “I’m Yoon Jihoon, the investor and client for this project.”

Haein’s eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t move. Jihoon, unfazed, met her gaze evenly, as though he’d expected this reaction.

Across the room, Woo-young stiffened. Jihoon’s sharp gaze flicked to him, and a tension crackled in the air. The unspoken animosity between the two men was palpable, their rivalry hanging thick in the room. Haein, caught between them, could only wonder how this tangled mess had come to be.