Downstairs, Doyoon was already in the kitchen, animatedly telling the story to anyone who would listen.
"You should have seen his face!" Doyoon gasped between fits of laughter. "He was so embarrassed! I've never seen him that red!"
Junseo, who was behind the counter making coffee, raised an eyebrow. "You walked in on him in the shower? Doyoon, that's a violation of privacy."
"Privacy?! He's my brother! I've seen him naked before!"
"Not like that," Junseo said dryly. "He was doing something private. You shouldn't have..."
"Oh, relax, Junseo. He'll get over it." Doyoon waved a dismissive hand. "I'm just saying, he's not as asexual as he claims to be. I saw the evidence with my own eyes."
Their mother, who had just entered the kitchen, frowned. "What evidence? What are you talking about?"
Doyoon's grin widened. "Taewoo was..."
"DOYOON!" Taewoo's voice rang out from the doorway. He was dressed now, his hair still damp, his face still flushed. "If you say another word, I will end you."
Doyoon held up his hands in mock surrender. "I was just saying you looked handsome today, brother! Nothing else!"
"You were not..."
"I was! I swear!" Doyoon was still grinning, but there was a mischievous glint in his eyes that said he was far from done. "No need to get defensive, Taewoo. We're all family here."
Taewoo glared at him, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wanted to punch his brother. He wanted to scream. He wanted to disappear.
Instead, he took a deep breath, turned around, and walked back out of the kitchen.
"Taewoo-yah!" his mother called after him. "Don't you want breakfast?"
"I'M NOT HUNGRY!" he shouted back, already halfway up the stairs.
In his room, Taewoo collapsed onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. His phone buzzed on the nightstand.
He ignored it.
It buzzed again.
He snatched it up, ready to throw it across the room.
But the message on the screen made him freeze.
D.M.: I heard you had an eventful morning.
Taewoo's blood ran cold. He typed back: How do you know about that?
D.M.: I have my sources. Your brother has a very loud voice.
Taewoo: Are you stalking me?
D.M.: I prefer to think of it as being... vigilant.
Taewoo: That's the same thing.
D.M.: Semantics.
Taewoo stared at the screen, his rage momentarily forgotten, replaced by a familiar, wary tension. How did Dante know about the incident with Doyoon? Who was his source? Did he have someone watching the house?
D.M.: You're thinking very loudly again. Relax. I'm not going to hurt you.
Taewoo: Stay out of my head.
D.M.: Can't. Too interesting.
Taewoo: I hate you.
D.M.: You keep saying that. It's getting repetitive. You should come meet me. We need to talk. I can pick you up.
Taewoo: No. Absolutely not. I don't want to see you again.
D.M.: You will eventually. We have unfinished business, Kang Taewoo.
Taewoo stared at the screen, his heart pounding. Unfinished business. What does that mean? What does he want from me?
He typed: What unfinished business?
But the response never came.
Taewoo waited, staring at the screen, his mind racing.
What does he want from me?