Good Night, Brother! - Chapter 9.8

When I saw him, all alone, with those deep, sorrowful eyes. How could I have walked away?

It wasn’t pure altruism. She had wanted to avoid the guilt of doing nothing. But seeing how Yi Hyeon had grown into the perfect son, the kind of child every parent would dream of, she’d thought it had been worth it.

Now, she wasn’t so sure.

Her thoughts drifted to Eunhyun. He’d always been the sensitive one, overthinking even the simplest things. For him to take such a risk—to gamble everything on this relationship was hard to fathom. Had the weight of their secret been etched into his face all this time? His gaunt appearance today made her heart ache.

I didn’t even ask how he’s feeling… whether he’s eating well… or if he’s struggling with morning sickness.

The regret hit her like a wave. Her eyes landed on the bowl of peaches sitting on the counter, ripe and fragrant. Eunhyun loved peaches. She could’ve at least peeled one for him before they left.

And then, she remembered the dream.

The golden peach, so vivid and surreal. She had handed it to Eunhyun in the dream.

Could it have been a premonition?

A chill ran down her spine as the memory of that dream resurfaced with startling clarity.

Eunhyun and Yi Hyeon returned to Seoul in a daze, the journey a blur.

Yi Hyeon’s forehead, where the box had struck him, continued to bleed intermittently. Though he insisted it was fine, Eunhyun dragged him to the emergency room. The wound needed one stitch—a harsh reminder of the chaos they’d left behind.

By Monday, the routine of work returned. Eunhyun found himself sandwiched in the crowded subway, heading to the office. His thoughts were plagued by the events of the weekend.

How long will Dad stay mad this time? Weeks? Months? Or maybe… forever?

The thought made his chest tighten. When he arrived at work, his mind was far from his tasks. Fatigue dragged him down, and he made small but noticeable mistakes. At one point, he even nodded off at his desk.

Eunsoo Ah, his perceptive coworker, watched him closely. She’d already guessed his secret and now couldn’t understand why he looked so troubled. To her, an unplanned pregnancy wasn’t the scandal it used to be.

He’s got someone who clearly adores him, given the expensive ring he’s wearing. What’s the big deal?

Though curious, she decided not to pry. Eunhyun’s unique mix of sensitivity and aloofness made him a challenging person to approach.

After a grueling day, Eunhyun returned home, exhausted. He found Yi Hyeon asleep at the kitchen table, his head resting on folded arms.

“This kid… Why does he look so pitiful?” Eunhyun muttered, sitting across from him.

For a moment, Eunhyun allowed himself to take in Yi Hyeon’s peaceful face. He looked so young, his cheek still soft with traces of boyhood. The sight stirred a pang of guilt.

How could I have expected him to take responsibility for something like this?

Eunhyun’s eyes fell to the stitched cut on Yi Hyeon’s forehead. Gently, almost instinctively, he reached out to trace the wound with his fingers. The thought of a scar marring his brother’s flawless skin made his heart ache.

“This is ridiculous… Your pretty face…”

His touch stirred Yi Hyeon from his slumber. The younger man blinked up at him, a sleepy smile spreading across his face.

“Hyung, you’re back?”

“Why were you sleeping here?”

“I must’ve dozed off waiting for you. Did you eat dinner?”

“Yeah. Did you?”

“Mm, I did.”

Yi Hyeon’s voice was still thick with sleep, and his demeanor was unusually gentle. When Eunhyun pulled his hand away, Yi Hyeon caught it, pressing it to his cheek like a child seeking comfort.

“Hyung.”

“What?”

“I’ve been thinking about yesterday… and I’m sure Mom and Dad will come around.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Eunhyun snapped, frowning. “You’re way too optimistic.”

“I’m serious. I’ve got a good feeling about this.”

What good feeling? After what just happened?

Despite his skepticism, Eunhyun stayed silent. The conviction in Yi Hyeon’s voice, however baseless, was strangely comforting.

All of their parents’ love and attention seemed to be directed at his younger brother. That’s what Eun Hyun had once thought. He resented his parents for it and harbored childish jealousy toward Yi Hyeon. In his heart, he labeled his parents as the perpetrators and blamed them without restraint. But when he shifted his perspective just slightly, it became clear—there were no perpetrators, only victims.

Poor, pitiable Jeong Yi Hyeon.

Only after ten years had passed could Eun Hyun genuinely feel compassion for Yi Hyeon, who had lost his birth parents.

Despite the growing affection he felt for his younger brother, the words that tumbled out of Eun Hyun’s mouth were hopelessly inadequate.

“Why would you care about what Mom and Dad think? You were the model child. If anything, I’m the one who paid attention to their moods more.”

But Yi Hyeon, always perceptive, already knew. He knew that Eun Hyun, despite his soft heart, always spoke with sharp, thorny words. Taking both of Eun Hyun’s hands and pressing them to his cheeks, Yi Hyeon teased back with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

“I was worried they’d hate me and throw me away~.”

“Hey, Jeong Yi Hyeon! Don’t say things like that!”

He’s always saying the most outrageous things with that pretty mouth of his.

Yi Hyeon gently placed Eun Hyun’s hands back on the table before stepping behind him. His hands moved to massage the shoulders of his older brother, who had undoubtedly been overworked at the office. As Yi Hyeon kneaded Eun Hyun’s stiff shoulders with skillful hands, Eun Hyun relaxed, letting his body melt into the soothing touch.

The massage soon drifted lower, and Yi Hyeon’s hands found their way to Eun Hyun’s flat stomach. A warm, honeyed voice whispered softly in his ear.

“How’s our baby today?”

“Who are you even talking to?”

“To both of you. They say it’s good to talk to babies often.”

“…….”

“Hyung, what should we name our baby?”

“Their name?”

The idea of a name startled him. At first, Eun Hyun hadn’t even wanted to acknowledge the baby’s existence. Then he had been preoccupied with how to “deal” with it. Naming the baby hadn’t crossed his mind. Now, he was reluctant, worrying that naming the child might make it harder to let go if his parents ultimately refused to accept the situation.

“Do we really need to? We can just call them ‘the baby.'”

“Wow. Seriously, Hyung. That’s so cold.”

“…We’ll give them a proper name when they’re born anyway.”

“Even so, don’t you know every baby has a nickname these days?”

“…….”

“How about ‘Euni’?”

“Euni?”

The unfamiliar suggestion lifted one of Eun Hyun’s eyebrows.

“Euni, one letter from Eun Hyun and one from Yi Hyeon. It’s the name I thought of for our baby a long time ago.”

When on earth did Jeong Yi Hyeon start fantasizing about having a baby?

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