SMNTCERR, Special Chapter 23: Syntax Error #9. 

Chu Sangwoo’s eyes sharpened, seeing the other side’s tense expression, he thought of slapping the face again, but the subject turned to the side and looked at the floor.

“You’re Jaehong. You have a perfect exterior, but it seems like inside, you are a pretentious and ungenerous person.”

“…”

“Rude, disordered, immoral, stubborn, cannot be reused, like an improperly separated eggshell in wet trash…”

“…Aren’t you speaking too harshly?”

“Where is the harshness? You have a hidden motive towards the man who is going to be your brother-in-law, but you don’t want to be blamed for it, right?”

Fortunately, no one around here knows Korean. Jaehong felt confused because this was the first time in his life that he had been scolded so harshly, but now that he had come to this point, he couldn’t back down.

“If the bodies attract each other, does it matter if you become your brotherinlaw or not?”

Bonobos may not be like that, but human society has norms that need to be maintained.”

“Just keeping it as a secret is enough, isn’t it? You yourself are interested in me, right? You said it yourself that you like me because my style is different from Jang Jaeyoung, isn’t it?”

“Your overthinking imagination is just as heavy as mine.”

The man in front of him smirked, saying that Jaehong is a truly funny person.

“You are Jaehong, not Jang Jaeyoung. Even though you have the same last name, you are different people, you know.”

The other party, who seemed to be thinking logically, was actually speaking without understanding the situation. While it seemed that he considered cause and effect, when the topic was Jang Jaeyoung, he displayed an attitude similar to non-religious fanatics, the young man placed his hand forcefully on the table and stood up abruptly. Then, he looked down and stared at Jaehong coldly.

“I promised to take you on a trip for two hours, but I’m really sorry that I couldn’t keep that promise.”

“…Are you leaving now?”

“Yes. If you want to go back to your country safely, then don’t tell Hyung

Jaeyoung about today and book the earliest flight.”

“Wait. You, Chu Sangwoo!”

Jaehong’s call was lost and dispersed in the air, as the man assessed his words and turned away like that.

While Jaehong was contemplating whether he should follow after him or not, the man returned. The other party stood in front of the table, took a deep breath, and looked down, staring at Jaehong.

“I see you as a foreigner in this city, so I thought of letting it go, but it bothers me all the time…”

“Really?”

“You have to differentiate between ‘different from each other’ and ‘different from one another.’ And use it correctly. Different styles, different from a dog and a cat, different people, different points. Not points that are wrong from each other. If you’re using the Korean language, you should know this much.” [1] 

“…”

“Farewell, Eric Jang.”

The man said goodbye in a Korean-accented English, as if disappearing into the wind, leaving Jaehong sitting alone, floating like a lost soul for a moment.

‘Fuck you.’ 

He rubbed his confused face and leaned back as if exhausted. Then, weariness seeped out. As he slowly reflected on various things that happened from the moment he exchanged business cards with that man until the moment the other party left, he felt even more tired, after a quick analysis. The conclusion was simple.

It’s been a failure from the beginning, he thought of ways to create a romantic atmosphere with that man but there was no way, not even one way. For Jaehong, the other party was like a door with no knobs and it was like indigestible artificial food.

‘Well, if you’re not comfortable, I wouldn’t have let it happen from the beginning.’ 

He just realized that when the line disconnected, the answer was on Jang Jaeyoung’s seemingly impervious face. It was as if saying try looking at it closely. Jaehong’s eyes were closed off with correctness until the end, wasting time and energy with useless matters.

‘Why did I come all the way here? I could have let those crazy people marry and live happily together.’ 

At that moment, even the end of the table where he gazed had passing shadows.

Where did Sangwoo go?”

Jang Jaeyoung threw the suspicious wig, which seemed to have been found from somewhere, onto the table and sat down on the vacant chair. The other party was wearing a suit, both the top and bottom looked new, and Jaehong exhaled before responding.

“He got bored, so he ran away.”

His lip corners smiled with satisfaction. Jaeyoug lifted the wine glass of that man and examined it to make sure there were no traces of imbibing before raising his hand to fix his hair. Even though he followed because he was uncomfortable, the other party revealed a calm smile.

“You met my man. How about it?”

“Not normal.”

“He’s cute, isn’t he?”

“Cute?”

The man’s voice that insulted him as a pretentious person, even though he was not even worth a shred, still echoed clearly in his ears.

“Compared to before, you’ve become much gentler.”

“Weak… gentler?”

“You are like a cat that thinks it’s a snake, only sometimes it goes back and forth a lot, but he’s not a bad kid. Don’t dislike him.”

“…”

“After you get married, I will correct the misunderstanding and officially advise you again.”

“So you want me to agree to be misunderstood for another six months.”

“What about it? He’s not your husband.”

Jaehong took a continuous breath, feeling like he was running back and forth on the palm of Jang Jaeyoung all day. He encountered too many shocking things today that it wouldn’t be easy to recover from.

Suddenly, Jaehong thought of the most unbelievable thing he had heard today.

“But… Did you really tell Grandfather?”

“Um.”

“You’re crazy.”

“That day, I thought I might as well plan a funeral.”

Jaeyoung wiped his face with an irritated expression.

“How was it? Did you both get hit?”

“Just me, I got slapped once.”

“That’s why, he is already the best.”

“I thought the same way, but when Sangwoo saw me get slapped, he seemed really shocked. That gentle and delicate boy got so angry that I couldn’t forget it. He screamed loudly like a mad Doberman… Grandfather rubbed his neck as if his blood pressure increased, while Mother cried, and in the meantime, the clay figurine flew and hit the table, causing it to break. And then there was shouting and screaming…”

“…”

“But even in that situation, it ended well. It seems like he’s not as violent as before, it’s a good thing that the kid is not inclined towards violence.

Otherwise… I don’t even want to think about it.”

It’s an image that just the thought of it makes the head spin. Jaehong hardly knows anyone who doesn’t bow when they see their grandfather. Their grandfather was used to having power over others, and he was a person who used his emotions to the fullest with anyone, but for some reason he refused to lose to the imagined image of that man, even when facing your grandfather with just a single word.

“How did you manage to court someone like that?”

Jaehong asked with curiosity, and Jaeyoung, who had always spoken with a tense face, burst into laughter.

I can’t tell you everything. If I wrote it in a book, it could fill four volumes.”

The other party leaned back in the chair and placed both hands under their chin with a slight smile.

“Was it a good time? He always wore a black hat every day and kept complaining, but he was so adorable. As I continued to follow him, he eventually became my boyfriend.”

“And now, when you realize it, he’s about to become your husband?” “That’s right.”

Jaeyoung smiled and confirmed.

“I’m trapped. Even if I let him win, by the time I turn eighty, he’ll probably still be complaining while I clean his dentures here next to me.”

“…”

“If I were born again, maybe I would follow him to the next life too.”

If it had been before he met that man, he would have probably laughed and mocked the other party for speaking too much, but Jaehong immediately agreed with him.

“That’s awful.”

“I don’t know, but in this world, there’s still a ‘chain’ that has been attached to my neck and it feels good.”

Jaehong could feel that his face was stiff, the dark corners in his heart felt a slight lack of emotions gradually emerging. Jaehong considered it normal for the boasting of the “people who have” to be a common thing. If Jaeyoung showed a happy expression and boasted about his salary or the size of his house like everyone else, he probably wouldn’t feel anything at all.

About things like the hidden picture of memories, a story that made tears burst like a comedy, the sudden smile that appeared for a moment, or a way of speaking filled with confidence that made him very annoyed, Jaehong chose words that would make Jang Jaeyoung feel bad and want to retaliate with a smile.

“Your fiance has a cute smile.”

“…”

“Although his personality may be a bit strange, his face is handsome.”

“Handsome?”

Jaeyoung, who had been smiling until just now, looked grim and  spoke up with a scary face, and Jaehong wanted to curse him, but he resisted the smile.

“He looks just like my dentist, so much so.”

“Oh, really? I was really surprised. I thought you were going to say Sangwoo was like that too.”

“…”

“If other men are handsome, what’s the point? Seriously, what are you coming here for, trying to act all clever and all.”

Jaehong looked out the window without pretending and ignored those hurtful words. Meanwhile, Jaeyoung lifted the wine bottle and spun it while reading the label.

“You ordered some items to use here, can I take them?”

“Do as you please.”

“I have to buy some meat to feed him. During the time I did not see him he became a thin and pale vampire.”

Not just a vampire, that person is more annoying and tough than you can imagine. It seems that Jang Jaeyoung, who entered the room holding hands with that man, had already paid with his own feet and rationality as a reward.

Jaeyoung sat silently for a moment, tapping his fingers on the table before asking without hesitation.

“Are you going back now?”

“I don’t know.”

Stay a bit longer, have some fun before going back, there are many beautiful beaches here.”

“It must be like that.”

Originally, he had planned to return home after achieving his goal, but after experiencing a terrifying failure, he ran out of strength so he thought he should take a break. In those various beaches, there would probably be handsome men sunbathing somewhere who could help fill Jaehong’s emptiness, even if only temporarily.

Jaeyoung grabbed a piece of cheese to have before packing up the food and wine. Then he called the waiter to come and pay, himself paying before Jaehong could stop him. Then he shifted his gaze back to Jaehong again.

“Let’s walk together slowly, where did you book the accommodation?”

“Are you going to send me? Who said he was busy?”

“Well, it’s about that. And I have something I need from you.”

“What?”

“The outfit you’re wearing, take it off for me. And the perfume too.”

“…”

“We’re betting, right? Isn’t that right?”

Jaehong couldn’t remember for a moment what they had gambled on.

“Get up quickly. If you don’t tell me where you’re staying, then I’ll take you wherever.”

“You crazy people.”

Jaeyoung smirked at the insult coming out of the mouth of Jaehong as a compliment, while Jaehong slowly got up from his chair. Jaeyoung then strode quickly towards the exit.

‘You just have the same genetics, isn’t it… or is it?’ 

He pondered the words of that man. At the same time, he felt that his older brother looked different today, as if he had lost something important, and perhaps because of that, the back of the other party looked strange and unfamiliar.

“Jang Jaeyoung.”

“Why?”

When looking at Jaeyoung, who turned back with an unsmiling face, Jaehong felt a subtle difference between them without realizing why. It might be because the place where he used to stand alone was now divided into two. Jaehong couldn’t understand why he felt as if the man who used to hide his anxieties under a comfortable exterior had gone to another world. From now on, the other side would not shake or fall apart, causing conflicting and resentful feelings to coexist in Jaehong’s heart.

“Hurry, I am gonna go find Chu Sangwoo.”

Jaehong, who was completely defeated in the game, took a deep breath and followed Jaeyoung quickly. As they were about to leave the restaurant, they heard a loud announcement from the speakers on the ceiling. [Attention customers on the 15th floor, please. Currently, the customer’s travel bag named Eric, Jang, Eric, Jang, has been left at the counter. Kindly come and retrieve your luggage, thank you. Repeat announcement, the travel bag…]  Jaehong glanced at his twin brother before bursting into laughter.

________________________________________.

   [1] ‘Different from each other’, and, ‘different from one another.’ In the original, when Mr-Jaehong talks about differences, he usually uses the words, 틀리다, “teulrida.” throughout, which is the actual meaning of the word. This is, wrong/twisted/deviated/twisted/distorted, etc. As for the word, “different from one another.”. It really has to be the word, 다르다,

“daruda.” As for the point of difference, it has to be, 차이점. , 

 

 

“Chaeejeom.”. No, 틀린, 점, “teulrinjeom.” 

 

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