LOYALTY

Confused

"Don't tell me. Are you in love with her or something?"

"What!? NO. Have you lost your mi-"

"I haven't seen you being so defensive either. You see her as a woman and not like your best friend's wife. Don't you?" Jae hi stepped forward challengingly.

"What do you even know about me? Stop before i-"

"Tell me little brother do you think she is beautiful?" Jae hi smirked as he could see Mujin becoming restless.
Oh, this so satisfying!!

"What kind of question-"

"Yes or No?"

"I can't believe I'm actually listening to your bullshit." Mujin spat as he tried to walk away from the conversation.

"Yes or No Mujin. Cause the more you try to distract me the more obvious it becomes." Mujin's steps halted. He felt exposed, naked, alarmed.

He wouldn't deny that the first time he saw her he felt mushy inside to see her striking features but let the feeling slide away as nothing. She had left him dumbfounded many times by her beauty. He simply gave it the name of attraction and thought of it as nothing big. He had liked her nature. She was understanding. She used to understand many unspoken things that he couldn't put into words. She was blunt. She spoke the truth and did not give a damn about wheather it would hurt him or not. Hurting someone for a mere moment was better than keeping them in the dark and feed them sweet lies. He liked her being ambitious. The spark in her eyes when she described how good it felt to give someone a cure to their problem had a strong pull to it.

He felt like it was his fault. Had he ever listened to any of his girlfriends that keenly? Did they ever try to talk about something like that either? No. Despite dating for months he never went to the next level of it that is Opening up about his feelings. He respected those women despite knowing their reason for being with him. He too was dating them for a casual play but he could never find a depth to their characters. Could he even blame them for it? He wasn't interested in knowing in the first place.

Now for the first time in his life except for his mother there was a woman he knew. Not just from the outside but it had deeper layers to it. For the first time in his life he was being genuine with a female. He wasn't taking her out on an expensive date and asking 'did you like the restaurant interior', Akira wouldn't have given it a single glance. He didn't bring her expensive gifts to impress her, maybe the food he would have prepared for her would have excited her more.

He didn't respect her just because she had done nothing wrong to him just like you don't have a reason to talk rudely to a stranger and they return the gesture. He respected her because he had started to admire her.

"I swear I-"

"When was the last time you were this agitated? When was the last time you tried to explain yourself to ME?" Jae hi whispered close to Mujin's face as the latter stood motionless.

"Think about it little brother cause the only time your smart ass brain doesn't work is when you think from your heart." Jae hi continued as Mujin made no effort to stop him. Mujin jerked back to realise the almost negligible distance between them. He clenched his jaw hard.

"I know you are trying to manipulate me into thinking that I have feelings for her."
He said through gritted teeth.

"Trust me brother, I don't need to manipulate you. The look in your eyes says it all." That was the last thing Jae hi said before he walked away feeling proud at the helpless state of his younger brother. He was happy to see Mujin buried under the weight of so many emotions who was otherwise the most unbothered and calm person.