PASSION Chapter 4 Part 10

Chapter 4 Part 10

Instead of begging, he just got thoroughly scolded.

While mercilessly grabbing and pulling Tae-ui's cheeks, his uncle repeated several times "Oh you fool, oh you idiot, how did you end up like this first thing in the morning on joint training day?" And each time, Tae-ui dutifully answered "I know, I'm telling you I know."

What saved Tae-ui as he rubbed his cheeks that seemed to have stretched a meter was someone who entered the instructor's office just then.

"Instructor Jung Chang-in. Are you busy? ...You look busy. May I interrupt briefly?"

The person who spoke calmly smiling was Deputy Director Rudolf Gentil, his uncle's direct superior.

When he entered, his uncle immediately released Tae-ui as if nothing had happened and shook his head.

"What interruption, I'm finished. ...You can go now."

Though his stomach twisted slightly seeing his uncle put on a stern instructor's face and speak so solemnly, Tae-ui wisely bowed his head slightly and withdrew without comment. Turning around, he met the Deputy Director and bowed again. As he was about to leave with just a silent bow, the Deputy Director's gaze poured down on him.

"Ah yes, this young man is your nephew, right?"

Though speaking to his uncle, his gaze remained fixed on Tae-ui. Tae-ui who had been about to leave paused. It was awkward to just leave pretending not to hear when they were talking about him. His uncle nodded smoothly with a smile.

"Yes, that's right."

"Hmm. So this young man is Researcher Jung Jae-ui's brother."

"Yes, Jae-ui is the older brother and this is the younger one. Though being twins there's no age difference."

"Hmm. I see. This young man..."

The Deputy Director's gaze turned to Tae-ui as if seeing him anew. Though they had briefly greeted like an entrance report when he first came here, the man had been busy then and they barely exchanged a few words. Tae-ui had comfortably let it pass thinking such greetings with high-ranking people were usually like that anyway.

While clearly feeling the Deputy Director's gaze examining him from head to toe, Tae-ui sighed internally.

His brother must really be famous. Though he was used to it by now, such blatant staring had been rare since becoming an adult.

"But if you're here, what about your brother?"

The Deputy Director suddenly asked. Only realizing after a few seconds that the words were directed at him, Tae-ui went "Ah" and stammered briefly.

"My brother will be fine without me."

Making the most neutral answer, Tae-ui glanced at his uncle. They weren't a married couple or patient and caregiver - it wasn't like being apart would cause any problems, yet he had to hear such strange questions.

His uncle who had been watching from the side finally cut in when his eyes met Tae-ui's.

"Just because they're twins doesn't mean they always stay together. Well, even apart, the bond between brothers remains connected anytime."

"Ah, yes, that's true."

Though the Deputy Director nodded, he carefully examined Tae-ui.

Tae-ui swallowed a sigh thinking this man must also be trying to find differences from Jung Jae-ui.

Though it couldn't be helped having a famous brother, his brother seemed especially famous within this organization. Really now, everywhere he went it was Jung Jae-ui this and that - it was starting to get tiresome.

His uncle gestured as if telling him to leave now and spoke to the Deputy Director saying "Come to think of it, we received contact from Headquarters' Second Military Affairs Division..." and the Deputy Director immediately turned his attention to those words.

Tae-ui bowed and left the instructor's office.

By the time Tae-ui emerged after being called to the instructor's office right after the morning commotion and getting scolded, regular morning hours had already started. Though he wouldn't get harsh words from the instructor for being somewhat late to regular hours since everyone in the branch would already know the situation, if he skipped entirely he would definitely get double the punishment.

Ah... he didn't want to go in. Come to think of it, his current regular hours were weapons engineering. The news about him possessing a gun would have spread as much as it could, so that strict weapons engineering instructor would definitely give him an earful. He might even get hit with the Colt.

Tae-ui looked outside with a heavy heart. Since the instructor's office was on the ground floor, he could see outside from the corridor. The weather was very nice. That made him even more depressed.

As he walked slowly toward the elevator, he passed by the office. Tae-ui slowed his steps.

It would be strange to stick his head in the office without any business. Still, it would be nice if he could wash away his gloomy feelings by seeing Shin Lu even briefly. But without any business he would have nothing to say.

However, today it seemed there was someone who took pity on Tae-ui's gloomy heart.

As Tae-ui was passing in front of the office as slowly as an ant, he could see a beloved face coming around the corridor corner ahead. Perhaps returning from the bathroom, Shin Lu who was walking while putting away a handkerchief he had just wiped his hands with opened his eyes wide seeing Tae-ui. Then he smiled happily.

"Brother Tae-ui. What brings you here at this time? Haven't you gone to regular hours?"

"Hm? Ah, I was about to go. Just had something at the instructor's office. ...The weather is really nice today."

Though it was nice being together, they always lacked topics. Not knowing anything about each other meant no common subjects, nothing to say. So he could only bring up topics like the weather.

"Yes. But according to the weather forecast, it will cloud over from evening. They say it will rain tomorrow and the day after. Then clear up the day after that."

"Yeah. When it clears up it would be nice to go walking by the beach again."

"Shall we?"

Shin Lu readily nodded at Tae-ui's casually dropped words. Tae-ui internally shouted hurrah and from that moment began eagerly awaiting that day when the weather would clear.

Shin Lu looked at the instructor's office Tae-ui had just come from and tilted his head slightly.

"But what suddenly at the instructor's office... ah."

Suddenly his face clouded.

"Come to think of it, I heard there was big trouble this morning. Are you alright, Brother? Is that why you were called?"

In this small building, even Shin Lu couldn't not know about something that had spread through the whole branch.

As Shin Lu approached asking with a worried tone, he looked so tender and lovely that Tae-ui stared at him entranced.

Seeing that pure and beautiful face brought considerable comfort to his heart. His chest felt warmly loosened.

"Mm, just a bit. It was nothing. Were you okay?"

Come to think of it, though Support Staff had different living areas from members, they shared one place - the cafeteria. Though normally there was no occasion to meet Support Staff except when visiting the office for business, during meal times they would not uncommonly run into each other in the cafeteria.

Suddenly his heart sank belatedly.

What if Shin Lu had been in the cafeteria then? What if he had gotten caught up in that violent fight? What if he had gotten hurt by flying stone fragments or wood pieces?

Without realizing it, Tae-ui reached out and grabbed both of Shin Lu's shoulders. Shin Lu looked up at Tae-ui with a puzzled face and tilted his head.

"Brother...?"

"Hey. You don't run into members unless something comes up right? Except the cafeteria?"

"Hm? That's right. Even for the cafeteria, I tend to finish meals early so I go when it's quiet. For lunch and dinner too, I eat first before members finish their regular hours... so I rarely run into other members even in the cafeteria."

Hearing those words and thinking about it, indeed he didn't seem to have ever seen Shin Lu in the cafeteria.

To Shin Lu who answered readily though not understanding why, Tae-ui let out a breath of relief and spoke seriously.

"Listen. The European branch members are here now right? And among them there are some people who shouldn't be associated with. Really dangerous people. So--"

Tae-ui explained carefully, not too detailed but enough to understand. Shin Lu soon seemed to realize what Tae-ui was trying to say and nodded.

"Though I wouldn't run into European branch members anyway, I'll still be careful. Thank you for worrying, Brother."

Shin Lu smiled brightly. Seeing that flower-like smile suddenly made Tae-ui shy and he quietly released Shin Lu's shoulders. The soft sensation was somewhat regretful.

"It's nothing. Of course I'd worry. You're..."

Tae-ui closed his mouth mid-sentence. He couldn't finish the words. Whatever he added after would become embarrassingly hot-faced words.

Silence flowed briefly. Though it was a somewhat shy and awkward silence, by now even this kind of silence wasn't unpleasant.

Shin Lu who had been looking down at his feet suddenly glanced up to check Tae-ui's expression, then quietly reached out to take Tae-ui's hand. Tae-ui startled and unconsciously curled his hand. With that motion, those beautiful fingers entered his palm.

"...Eh, hehehe..."