SMNTCERR, Special Chapter 17: Syntax Error #3. 

   The once straight lips twisted in a mocking manner, but his cold eyes remained still. Jaeyoung took a deep breath as if he had just heard something pointless before speaking slowly, but with intimidation hidden within.

   “I’ve been patient this whole time because I see you as part of the family.

   Jaehong, ah, but there won’t be a second time.”

   “And if it’s not because of the family?”

   “Fund Manager [1] J, a hypothetical name, sexually harassed his engaged brother’s fiance before being murdered and sent to the emergency room.”

   “…”

   “Would you like to appear on TV?”

   Jaeyoung appeared to be unconscious. When Jaehong pulled back his chair slightly, his watchful eyes followed him immediately.

   “I’m already exhausted and annoyed, and you come here. Why?”

   The atmosphere seemed like it would explode if it continued like this, so Jaehong decided it would be best to tell the truth.

   “I came to cancel the wedding.”

   Jaeyoung frowned, and Jaehong looked straight into the eyes of his twin brother and said.

   “Step back before it gets messier than this, Jang Jaeyoung.”

   “What?”

   “Don’t get married.”

   “Why?”

   Jaeyoung’s face turned pale and surprised. While Jaehong spoke with a cutting tone.

   “You, you used to say that marriage is a ‘shackles’, right? Now, I don’t know why you’ve changed your mind, but does it seem fitting? Just a normal relationship or a wedding that everyone does.”

   “…”

   “Hey idiot, you stray dog, just because you’re given a leash doesn’t mean you turn into a house dog. Do you really think someone who has experienced freedom would willingly give up their single life? Not me. Stop doing things that don’t align with who you really are and go back to being the boss you used to be.”

   Jaeyoung sat listening with a tense expression before bursting into laughter when Jaehong finished speaking. This time, it wasn’t mocking laughter, but it seemed to be more genuinely amused laughter.

   “Do you think I’m the boss?”

   “What do you mean?”

   “Whether I get married or not, it doesn’t mean I’ll be single.”

   “…”

   “Don’t you understand? I’ve been wearing this ‘collar’ that says ‘Chu

   Sangwoo’ right here for seven years now.”

   “That’s exactly why I’m telling you to take it off.”

   “I have a tattoo too. Look.”

   “No. Don’t.”

   “Look, it’s really beautiful.”

   “I already told you no.”

   Jaeyoung made an attempt to show the initials of his partner’s name as a tattoo, so he had to restrain himself. The other party leaned back in the chair and lit an e-cigarette once again.

   “Okay, well… even though you’re doing something useless, you flew here for my happiness. That’s impressive. I’ll consider it a congratulations on our wedding.”

   “Agreed. Did I come here for nothing?”

   “It’s for my partner. Even if a nuclear bomb falls in the next five minutes, I can still organize a wedding by having someone officiate the ceremony immediately. You’re not the type of person who can ruin that.”

   The other party smirked with a nonchalant face and blew out smoke, Jaehong even forgot what he wanted to say for a moment.

   Jang Jaeyoung never once expressed a desire to get married, as if he himself didn’t want to get married to that extent, but because of the strong desire of his partner and because Jaeyoung himself didn’t want any problems with the other party, he reluctantly agreed to get married, which Jaehong didn’t like that image at all.

   “Have you ever wondered why he is so obsessed with getting married?”

   “It’s just his nature.”

   “Don’t you ever think that you are being used?”

   “Used? For what?”

   “For example, money.”

   Jaeyoung laughed and then sighed before reluctantly responding.

   “That kid has a lot of money, you know. You should see the amount he has saved up as capital for his wedding. It’s really scary…” Then he sighed again.

   Getting married is a business, and trusting the other party without considering the risks is something that should be prohibited. Jaehong, who knew Jaeyoung well and could analyze the benefits and disadvantages in joint ventures, sometimes the other party might change their mind, but because they didn’t see each other often, he didn’t notice.

   Jaehong just sighed at his older brother, not really thinking anything. He wanted to leave London and let him know and suffer, but his sense of responsibility kept him from doing so.

   “If I am confident that I can ruin the wedding, what would you do?”

   “You?”

   The indifferent gaze of Jaeyoung destroyed his pride.

   The fact that two people who went to the same university happened to be in a relationship was a common occurrence. If you date someone first, now the person next to you may be someone else. Love? Dating to understand each other? They are just faint images that can easily be shattered with a little external force.

   “Give me a chance, I’ll handle it myself.”

   That cute guy, the man who destroyed Jaeyoung’s main pride and turned him into a foolish person, Jaehong was blindly and unreasonably in love with him.

   Jaehong was confident that he could destroy that wrong understanding.

   “And while talking, there must be no one around.”

   “So, should I let you two fight each other?”

   It shouldn’t take long to relax like that, but Jaeyoung looked calm and quiet.

   Jaehong had previously destroyed wedding work after being caught having a relationship with the groom while undressing the bride, and there was nothing he couldn’t do. In fact, he was the most suitable man for this job. He just didn’t have much experience with dating anyone before. But for one-night stands, he had countless experiences. He had a talent for seducing the opposite party on the opposite night, whether they were playful, sophisticated, smart, or foolish, he had no exceptions.

   The couple had been dating for seven years, but from what Jaehong had seen from the people around them, at this point, all there was left was boredom and indifference. Jang Jaeyoung’s lover is only a man, a student who graduated from a prestigious Korean university, an engineer at a reputable company, who had the ability to estimate in an instant. If he saw someone getting married with deceit, could Jang Jaeyoung still remain calm?

   “You have misunderstood for a long time, Jaehong.”

   “About what?”

   “That’s why I didn’t let you meet Sangwoo until now. Not because I was afraid that he would fall in love with you.”

   Jaehong felt like his thoughts were being read. Jaeyoung stared at him and continued to speak.

   “I don’t like that kid looking at other people. If you show up, he will have to look at you with surprise, and I’m sure I won’t feel good… So, I just avoid it.”

   “…”

   “Instead of thinking about seeing that situation in the ceremony, it would be better to deal with it and finish it.”

   Jaeyoung asked with a relaxed posture.

   “How long do you need?”

   “What do you think?”

   “I will let you meet one-on-one, whether you want to bribe or tease, it’s up to you.”

   He wondered if he had heard correctly.

   “Are you serious?”

   Jaeyoung paused with a neutral face, not seeming to be playing around, just like when he allowed Jaehong to create chaos in our long-lasting relationship without any responsibility. Jaehong seized the opportunity without hesitation.

   “Until midnight tonight.”

   “You rascal has no conscience.”

   “…”

   “You haven’t seen him for a whole week. How dare you hold on until dawn?”  Jaeyoung opened his mouth wide, afraid that it would tear before he could speak again.

   “I’ll give you two hours, do whatever you want.”

   “Two… hours? Do whatever I want?”

   “Or not.”

   Jaehong reached out for the other arm as if to stand up and pulled him back down onto the chair.

   Deceiving an engaged man who has been dating for a long time within a twohour period. Although it’s not easy, this is the only way to destroy Jaeyoung’s firm belief in his loved one.

   “Understood.”

   Immediately, Jaeyoung relaxed.

   “Conditions.”

   “What?”

   “No touching. No, don’t get closer than fifty centimeters.”

   It’s a narrow-minded condition, but just accepting it is enough… If avoiding getting close is the condition, then just make the other party come closer, isn’t it? Jaehong has deceived foreigners with his eyes without saying anything countless times.

   “Prohibited from using computers, prohibited from requesting or repairing any machinery equipment.”

   Even though I may not understand the purpose, it is not a difficult condition.

   Jaehong waits for the next words.

   “Prohibited from forcing with any alcohol that Chu Sangwoo refuses.”

   Jang Jaeyoung, who had previously said to do as I wish, gradually added more restrictions before my turn arrived.

   “No response, huh.”

   “What?!”

   “If you violate even one condition, you will die by my hands. Understand?”

   “I know.”

   “And I’m saying this for your own good…”

   “What?”

   “Don’t think he’s easy because he looks cute? Well, that’s a black belt martial artist and a captain in the reserve army of the army. He runs very fast.”

   “…”

   Jaeyoung picked up the phone, and after the background image of the sea appeared, he opened the contact list and dialed the latest number. The loud volume made the sound of waiting for the call be heard outside slightly. Jaehong didn’t have the leisure to eavesdrop on phone conversations with villagers, but he subtly moved his chair closer and listened with great curiosity.

   The waiting tone lasted three times before the call was answered.

   [Hello.] 

   The sound at the other end of the line sounded solid like a stubborn person, but Jaeyoung didn’t react as if this sound was normal.

   “Sangwoo, I’m starting work now. I have to go to work for a while.”

   [What kind of work?] 

   “It seems that the project we agreed on that Glenn will take care of will be handed over to me according to the client’s request. He scheduled a meeting to pass on the documents and explain them to me before going on vacation.”

   At the end of the line, Jaehong quietly picked up his coffee cup and tapped the edge of his lips, but his attention was focused on the side.

   [If I suspect that you don’t want to burden yourself and sneak out to play, Then I must do the same too, right?] 

   “So in other words you have a deep imagination.”

   Jaeyoung grabbed the phone, squeezing it tightly in his hand.

   “Sangwooya, my little brother, Jang Jaehong.”

   [Oh, ‘that person who looks like an old man’, what else?] 

   “I don’t know about that. He’s secretly listening to our phone conversation right now, you know.”

   […] 

   “Seems like he is here on vacation.”

   [Wait, earlier you said you were meeting Eric.]

   “Although it’s hard to believe, they’re both here.”

   [Exactly, it’s just an accidental encounter?] 

   “Uh, um.. I have to go to the company, so could you show him around here a bit?”

   [Really? Should I introduce myself?] 

   Finished with a question concealed by excitement, Jaeyoung’s face appeared slightly absent-minded. It seemed that normally, he would enthusiastically introduce Jaehong as well. Jaeyoung gritted his teeth and spoke.

   “Of course, I’ll introduce him. It’s my ‘little brother’ here for love, and also,

   ‘family’, just like you.”

   [Then why did you say he didn’t want to come until now?] 

   “That’s my business.”

   [Okay, when should I go out to meet him then?] 

   As soon as he heard the young man ask anxiously, Jaeyoung replied with a slightly dissatisfied manner.

   “Yeah.”

   [How can I go now? Shouldn’t I get ready first?] 

   “What do you need to prepare? Do you want to do makeup?”

   [We need to plan the travel itinerary in advance.] 

   Jaeyoung’s previously gloomy expression slightly eased.

   “I told you, the downside of love is being too kind-hearted. Just taking him to see the places he should see is enough.”

   [I wonder if following the local way of life can fulfill the expectations of tourists.] 

   “There’s a tour package you arranged for when your parents and sister came.

   Uncle.”

   [At that time, there were five people in the group. If we include me and you, there would be seven people.] 

   “Myself.”

   [Huh?] 

   “Jaehong said he’ll handle himself. Come here first.”

   […] 

   “Come just as you are. No need to change clothes. I won’t comb my hair.”

   [Send the location via text message.] “Click.” And the line was cut.

   ________________________________________. 

   [1] Fund Manager. 

    

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