CHAPTER 96……………………………………
Unlike earlier, when the room had been empty, this time Baek So-hyeok was already inside. He was sitting at the desk, picking up a neatly wrapped gift and a letter. Judging by the flush on his face, he looked quite happy. A small hum escaped him, and he couldn’t stop the corners of his mouth from rising.
“I don’t know who gave it to him, but he’s really happy.”
The way he looked flushed made him seem like a boy receiving his first gift from the girl he liked. The freshness of a boy experiencing first love radiated from him.
“So Baek So-hyeok actually has someone he likes. I always thought he was cold toward the opposite sex… but then again, he’s a teenager—he must have fallen in love at least once.”
This was something I had never realized while playing the game. I gradually approached Baek So-hyeok at the desk, curious to see if the letter indicated who it was from. Perhaps he liked a character I knew. The thought made my chest tighten.
“Even if Baek So-hyeok likes someone, it shouldn’t concern me, right? So why does my heart flutter like this?”
Even if he had liked someone in the past, there was no guarantee it still mattered. Based on what I knew, it was likely just a memory of a past affection.
“I’m probably just curious.”
Convincing myself subtly, I checked the letter in Baek So-hyeok’s hands.
“Who gave you this to make you so happy?”
Baek So-hyeok hadn’t heard me, so he naturally didn’t answer. I lowered my head to see for myself. The envelope had a familiar name written on it. And it was an entirely unexpected person.
To my little brother So-hyeok, Baek Woo-jin
The recipient’s name, Baek So-hyeok, was at the top left, and the sender, Baek Woo-jin, was written at the bottom right.
“Did I read that wrong?”
I rubbed my eyes, knowing it couldn’t be. Of course, the name already written didn’t change.
“So Baek Woo-jin really gave it? Both the letter and the gift?”
It was a sender I never could have imagined. Baek So-hyeok’s excitement wasn’t just about receiving a gift from an older brother—it was something else entirely.
“He’s been restless for days… was he planning to give something?”
Muttering to himself, Baek So-hyeok slowly unwrapped the gift. Inside the wrapping was a neat box.
“A familiar clothing brand logo. Must have cost a bit for a student.”
Inside the box was a subtly blue shirt, a color that suited Baek So-hyeok perfectly. It was formal without being overly conservative, ideal for everyday wear. His smile widened.
“Maybe he’s still young. Is it really possible to be that happy just from a gift?”
I had never seen him so openly joyful. It was refreshing to watch him show happiness without hiding his feelings. If a single shirt could make him this happy, I thought I should have bought it for him sooner.
“He’s a student, so it makes sense he’d be this happy with a small gift.”
“So that’s why he kept sneaking glances… cute.”
Baek So-hyeok pressed the shirt to his face as if savoring it, smelling it like he wished it carried a special fragrance.
“It’s new, so it probably just smells like fabric…”
Still, there was a persistent, almost obsessive quality to his behavior. It made me sweat slightly, as if I were peeking into a memory I shouldn’t see, just as Baek Woo-jin had once secretly hidden a photo of Baek So-hyeok in a book.
“Didn’t expect he’d be this happy over something so small, thinking it was a gift from a girlfriend or something?”
I asked, trying to change the mood, but my nervousness didn’t subside.
After holding the shirt to his face for a long while, Baek So-hyeok lifted his head with a slightly unsatisfied expression. He folded the shirt neatly as if it were brand new and opened the letter.
“He writes a letter, not just a card for family.”
I wasn’t in a position to scold, having done the same before. The letter, seen over Baek So-hyeok’s shoulder, was filled to the edges. It was about the size of an A4 sheet, and I wondered how someone sees their family daily yet had so much to say.
The letter, starting with “To So-hyeok”, went on to wish him a happy birthday. It was unusual that the envelope addressed to little brother So-hyeok only had the name inside. After that, the text seemed fragmented, as if the words were broken, making it unreadable.
“Is it because Baek So-hyeok’s memory isn’t complete? Or maybe the Planariant couldn’t read this memory?”
Though curious, there’s nothing more shameless than reading someone else’s private letter. Perhaps it was fortunate I couldn’t decipher it, as I might have made a mistake otherwise.
“Ah, so it’s a birthday gift. Even if it’s just a memory… happy birthday, Baek So-hyeok.”
According to his profile, Baek So-hyeok’s birthday was February 14. Being the day with the most confessions of the year, both in and out of the game, people made a fuss celebrating him. It was even more intense given his popularity and the coincidence of Valentine’s Day. For someone like him, the day seemed oddly mismatched.
“Also, receiving a gift twice might feel unfair, right?”
A petty thought, but true to my nature.
“What about the other gifts? Aren’t you going to look at them?”
A bulky package was barely visible under the desk, probably containing other presents. But Baek So-hyeok ignored them, focusing only on the letter.
“Come to think of it, Baek So-hyeok was touched by my letter. Maybe because it reminded him of when we were close?”
That made sense. The reason he was especially moved by my letter was nostalgia. While it was a positive thing for me, I felt a little empty.
“Why does he keep thanking me?”
Baek So-hyeok chuckled, muttering to himself. Even though the letter was long, he didn’t lift his eyes from it, rereading it multiple times.
“Why does Baek So-hyeok like him so much?”
I asked myself, a sudden ominous feeling washing over me. Whether it was truly ominous or just a flash of clarity, it hit me like a lightning bolt.
“Baek Woo-jin… Woo-jin.”
Baek So-hyeok kept whispering Baek Woo-jin’s name as he folded the letter carefully into the envelope, as if afraid to damage it.
“Ah….”
Then, as if revering something sacred, he kissed the envelope.
And the feeling was certain.
Baek So-hyeok liked Baek Woo-jin—not as a brother, but with romantic affection. It was unmistakable.
The floor collapsed in an instant, and the background swirled again. If the Planariant was trying to confuse me, the plan had worked. My mind raced: having already fallen into the trap, how would I get through the third floor? Thoughts froze.
Then I questioned whether what I had seen was real.
“What about Baek Woo-jin? How did he feel about Baek So-hyeok?”
The questions spiraled. Baek Woo-jin’s traces and Baek So-hyeok’s memories connected. Sometimes, my chest fluttered when dealing with Baek So-hyeok. I thought it was just the excitement of seeing the handsome man from the game in reality.
“But what if it wasn’t because of me, but because of the previous body’s owner?”
Even with a changed mind, the body might still act on its old habits. Memories of Baek Woo-jin’s lingering feelings surfaced one by one.
“Then why did Baek So-hyeok have to kill Baek Woo-jin a hundred times?”
I knew that love turning into hatred wasn’t as hard as one might think—but this was extreme.
“Brother, why are you doing this?”
The vision painted another new scene. This memory seemed recent; both Baek So-hyeok and Baek Woo-jin had grown taller.
“What did I do?”
Baek Woo-jin’s gaze was icy as he snapped at Baek So-hyeok. Even I, as a mere observer, could feel his sudden coldness.
“You don’t come home often, don’t answer my calls, and…”
Baek So-hyeok’s voice, trying to continue, cut off. Baek Woo-jin already knew what would come next.
“Are you upset because it feels like I’m putting up a wall between us?”
