Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 53: You Don’t Know Anything

About a week had passed since the incident at the library, and Ha Giyeon had begun to sense a subtle distance from Son Suhyeon.

“Sunbae, um... want to go get dinner together?”

“...I’m a bit tired today.”

Getting turned down for a meal once wasn’t anything strange.

“Sunbae, if you have time, could we talk for a bit?”

“Later... I’m busy.”

It was also natural to decline a conversation if one was busy.

“Sunbae, I—”

“Just a sec.”

And if you’re in the middle of something, you might have to put someone off.

Ring ring.

You might not be able to answer your phone.

But if it kept happening?

Ha Giyeon wasn’t an idiot. He might not have been especially quick on the uptake, but he wasn’t slow either. So of course, he noticed. That Son Suhyeon was avoiding him. And that it had ✧ NоvеIight ✧ (Original source) started after the encounter with Ha Dohoon at the library.

Gi-yeon watched him with growing unease.

When people found out Ha Dohoon was his brother, they usually fell into one of three categories. The first: those like Nam Taekyung, who tried to get close to him out of interest. The second: those who got jealous and picked fights. And the third: those who were uncomfortable and started distancing themselves.

It felt like Son Suhyeon was trying to put distance between them. He didn’t want to believe it, but it was the most likely reason.

So how did he usually deal with people like that?

He didn’t try to approach them. If someone found him uncomfortable, reaching out only hurt both parties in the end.

But what if that person was Son Suhyeon?

The one who’d helped him when he was in trouble. Who had made him smile. Who had covered his wounds. Who had brought change to his life. The first person to ever come close to him.

Could he really let go of someone like that so easily?

He knew he was shameless. Knew he was being greedy and pathetic. But he didn’t want to give up on Son Suhyeon. He didn’t want to go back to being awkward strangers. After seeing his warmth—how could he forget? If the person who gave him strength drifted away, he was afraid his entire world might collapse.

He didn’t know when he’d started relying on Son Suhyeon for comfort and support.

But one thing was clear. He didn’t want to keep growing more distant from him.

“We’ll be closed for two weeks for remodeling, so take a break during that time. Got it?”

The owner, who’d been talking about renovations for a while now, had finally made the announcement.

Rather than wondering what kind of part-time job to pick up during that time, the first thing that came to Ha Giyeon’s mind was that he wouldn’t be able to see Son Suhyeon—and that meant he had to act fast.

He was determined to hold on to him no matter what.

If he had done something wrong, he’d apologize. If there was something about him that made the other uncomfortable, he’d fix it. Just like Suhyeon had opened up about his family, Giyeon was prepared to share as well. Maybe... maybe then, even if it was just out of pity, Suhyeon would stay by his side.

He anxiously chewed at his nails while waiting for closing time. If he asked to talk afterward, Suhyeon might say he was busy. So it would be better to bring it up in the locker room.

***

Finally...!

Ha Giyeon flipped the “Closed” sign on the café door, then headed for the locker room with resolve. He’d finally gotten a small opening to talk to Son Suhyeon alone. When he walked in, Suhyeon was just getting started—he’d opened his locker and was untying his apron.

Opening his own locker right beside him, Giyeon began speaking casually.

“Good job today, Sunbae.”

“...Yeah, you too.”

“There were more customers than yesterday... but I’m glad nothing happened today. I’m still sorry about the other time.”

“Forget it.”

“No, really. Thank you for helping me that time.”

He expressed his gratitude, but Suhyeon’s face was hidden behind the locker door, so he couldn’t see it. Giyeon told himself things were going well and continued.

“What are you going to do during the two weeks off? If you’re not busy, maybe we could pick up a part-time job toge—” ƒгeewёbnovel.com

“....”

It happened then.

CLANG!

The sound of the metal locker slamming shut startled Giyeon into flinching and glancing over with a jerk of his shoulders. Son Suhyeon lowered his hand slowly from the locker and looked at him.

His eyes were cold—so cold that there was no trace left of their previous warmth. Seeing that look, Giyeon felt something was terribly wrong, and his body tensed with fear.

Unaware of how his face looked, Suhyeon spoke with a flat expression.

“You don’t need to work part-time.”

“...What?”

“Your parents would probably prefer you focused on studying rather than wasting time doing something that just upsets you.”

“...”

“Does your brother even know you’re working here? Would he sit by if he found out?”

He turned to look at Giyeon, who hadn’t said a word. But then, he couldn’t continue. Because there was no expression on Giyeon’s face. A face he’d never seen before. It looked as if he’d been hurt—or betrayed.

His lifeless eyes stared at the floor for a long moment, then slowly moved. Giyeon pulled his bag out of the locker and began packing up. Watching him move in silence, Suhyeon suddenly felt a wave of unease.

As Giyeon slung his bag over his shoulder and made to leave, Suhyeon opened his mouth in a panic.

But Giyeon stopped walking—and turned around.

“...!”

Suhyeon stared, dumbfounded, forgetting the apology he’d been about to say. He had expected him to look upset. That much was fair.

But instead, Giyeon was smiling.

It was a smile, but the corners of his mouth trembled awkwardly, and his eyes were curved—trying desperately to hide their sorrow. It was the kind of face you made when you were holding something back.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it sounded that way. I’ll be more careful from now on.”

“...No, wait—”

“But, Sunbae... you don’t know anything about me.”

Saying that, Ha Giyeon bowed deeply—and walked out of the locker room.

Left behind, Son Suhyeon stood frozen, unable to go after him. Then he ran his fingers through his hair.

He’d messed up. And this time, it was clearly his fault.

***

Ha Giyeon burst out of the locker room like he was running away—and started sprinting down the street.

He didn’t know where he was going. Anywhere that wasn’t that street they used to walk together was fine.

“Haa... Haa...”

He ran until the taste of bile filled his mouth from the roughness of his breath. The place where he finally stopped was a small park. There weren’t even working streetlamps. Just some rusted-out exercise equipment sitting alone. The atmosphere was eerie, but none of that registered with him. Just like the park, his vision felt like it had gone pitch black.

He bent over and leaned on a worn bench, catching his breath. The harsh sound of it—proof that he was still alive—rang in his ears unpleasantly. His eyes, darker than the night, stared blankly at the ground without focus.

Once his breathing settled, Son Suhyeon came back into his mind.

His words, his actions, his face, his voice, his gaze.

Giyeon recognized it immediately. It was the expression people made when they didn’t want to be associated with him. Not a single one of the people who looked at him that way had ever treated him the same afterward.

Maybe the things Suhyeon said weren’t all that shocking. Maybe they were just logical.

But still, it hurt. It felt like being betrayed by someone you believed in. He felt like he could cry at any moment. But even now, his eyes only turned red—no tears came.

He wanted to cry. But the tears wouldn’t come, and that made it worse. What Suhyeon had said just kept stabbing into him, over and over.

“Must be nice, being well-off. I bet his life’s easy.”

“I’m jealous, sure, but doesn’t it feel like he’s kind of a waste, considering all he’s got?”

“When I see kids like that, I feel hopeless. Like, when will we ever live like that?”

People who didn’t know anything about him but kept whispering based on how he looked or where he came from. Expecting things, then getting disappointed, then mocking and walking away.

He thought he’d gotten used to it—but he hadn’t.

Since deciding not to give his heart to his brothers after returning to the past, this was the first relationship he’d formed. The first time he’d spoken honestly to someone and felt comfortable being himself. Maybe that’s why it hurt so much.

Son Suhyeon never asked him for his heart. Giyeon had given it on his own—and fallen for him.

He’d clung to someone who already found him uncomfortable. How disgusting must that have looked?

He was no different from the version of himself who used to hover around his brothers. Absolutely revolting.

Giyeon felt sick.

Nothing had changed.

He was still trapped in that same old fragment of the past. And in the end, he’d once again meet a miserable, meaningless death—just like before.

“Nothing’s changed at all.”

He had to be alone again.

No more hurting others. No more being seen.

He would live in hiding, in a place where no one knew him.

Giyeon repeated it to himself, again and again—etching it deep into his chest.