Unrequited Love Thresher-Chapter 37: A Small Gift

“Ugh...”

Ha Giyeon flipped the café’s sign to “Closed” and slowly rolled his sore shoulders. The traffic had been jammed right at rush hour, so he’d barely made it to the café in time, and seeing the place packed with customers, he’d hurried to change and start his shift.

Feeling sorry toward the owner and Son Suhyeon for being late, he worked even harder—and today ended up being much more exhausting than usual.

‘I still have to study for the exams once I get home.’

He rubbed at his tired eyes and was heading toward the changing room when—clatter—his foot caught on a chair leg. Just as he was about to fall, Son Suhyeon reached out and grabbed him by the arm.

“Ah... Thank you, sunbae...”

“Watch where you’re going.”

Son Suhyeon let out a quiet sigh. Even though Giyeon had nearly smashed his nose, all he did was calmly say thanks. He was good at his job, but clumsy and careless when it came to taking care of himself, always looking one stumble away from disaster—Suhyeon couldn’t take his eyes off him.

He slowly released Giyeon’s arm and stared at him for a moment, then turned and headed into the changing room. Giyeon gently touched the spot where Suhyeon had grabbed him, then followed after him.

He was about to change clothes and grab his bag when he noticed a bulge sticking out of the front pocket—a phone case.

‘Ah...!’

He’d been so tired he forgot all about it—he’d meant to give it to Suhyeon. Giyeon reached for the zipper, then stopped himself.

‘But... how am I supposed to give it to him?’

He’d given gifts to his older brothers before. But if he handed them over directly, they’d just get annoyed or throw them in the trash right in front of him. After that, he started just leaving them on their desks.

The memory came back suddenly, and a wave of fear followed.

‘What if he doesn’t like it...?’

He didn’t think Suhyeon would toss it in front of him like his brothers had, but... what if he made that awkward face that said he didn’t want it? Just imagining it made him regret it.

Maybe he should’ve asked what Suhyeon liked first.

‘Should I just ask him now and buy a new one instead?’

He stood at his locker, clutching his head in indecision, when suddenly a large hand reached out toward him.

“Put this on your bruises.”

Suhyeon, still facing away, handed him an ointment tube.

“Oh, I’m fine, really...”

“Just use it. I brought it from home.”

“...Thank you.”

Giyeon accepted the ointment and gave a small smile.

It was already half-used and a bit flattened. Some people might laugh at a gesture like this, but to him, these small kindnesses made him smile more than anything else. Even the most expensive gift wouldn’t matter if there wasn’t any heart behind it.

Just knowing Suhyeon had thought of him—enough to bring this—made Giyeon want to cry. He held the ointment tightly and slipped it into his pocket. After a brief hesitation, he pulled the phone case from his bag.

“Um... Sunbae...”

“...?”

“It’s nothing big, but... you gave me your gym clothes, and let me stay at your place... and ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) now this ointment too... so I just wanted to say thanks...”

With his head bowed, Giyeon quietly held the phone case out to Suhyeon. It was just a small thank-you, a way to show appreciation—but the words wouldn’t come easily. His face flushed hot.

With his brothers, his heart had just pounded wildly. But this...

Suhyeon looked down at the phone case Giyeon was offering.

“You’re giving this to me...?”

“Yes. If you don’t like it, you can throw it away...”

Giyeon couldn’t bring himself to look up. Suhyeon stared, surprised, then slowly took the case from his trembling hands.

“......”

Had he really done anything worth receiving a gift?

Suhyeon found himself doubting, but the moment he looked at Giyeon’s red face and tightly clenched hands, the doubt vanished. How could he suspect someone who was shaking like this? And it wasn’t like Giyeon was the kind of person who expected anything in return.

Suhyeon examined the case, and when he saw the little white puppy on it, the corners of his mouth lifted.

‘He picked something just like himself.’

It looked like something a little kid would use—completely off from Suhyeon’s usual style. He rarely even used a phone case, and had no interest in cutesy things like this.

And yet Giyeon had chosen this and given it to him. The puppy with its tongue out, smiling—it looked just like Giyeon. White, cute, soft-looking...

“...!”

The intrusive thought hit him so abruptly that Suhyeon quickly turned away from Giyeon.

“No need to thank me or anything.”

“It’s not expensive... really, if you don’t like it, you can just—”

Giyeon kept repeating that it was okay to throw it away. Instead of answering, Suhyeon tore off the packaging and fitted the case onto his otherwise bare phone.

Then he held it up toward Giyeon.

“I’ll use it. Thanks.”

Giyeon stared at the phone case, eyes wide. Unlike his parents or brothers—who either threw away his gifts or ignored them—Suhyeon actually used it.

He’d always wondered what it would feel like to see someone use a gift he’d given. He thought it’d make him cry—but instead, the corners of his lips just kept rising.

“...Let’s go.”

Suhyeon passed him and quickly exited the changing room. One hand covered his face, now flushed to the point of bursting.

Watching Giyeon smile so brightly, Suhyeon found himself thinking something else entirely. Not “cute,” but—

‘Beautiful...’

So much so that if he kept looking, he might not be able to stop himself from reaching out. He had to look away fast.

Seeing Giyeon so happy, Suhyeon nearly smiled along with him.

“...?”

But then Giyeon suddenly rushed out, and Suhyeon followed after him.

By the time he stepped outside, the cold night air had cooled Suhyeon’s face. Giyeon came out, locked the door, and began walking quickly—but Suhyeon slowed his own pace to match.

“......”

Giyeon’s smiling face kept flashing in his mind. Suhyeon finally opened his mouth, saying the first thing that came to him.

“Are you studying well for your exams?”

“Uh... I’m not sure. It’s been a long time since I took one—well, I mean, it’s my first one since starting high school.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

Suhyeon had also taken a year off school—so this was his first test in a while too. And it was the senior-year exam he’d been studying so hard for.

“But I’m kind of looking forward to club activities once exams are over.”

“What’s there to look forward to? It’s just reading books. You’ll be bored.”

“Even so... It’s my first time joining a club...”

What he was looking forward to wasn’t the reading or studying. It was the time spent with Suhyeon during those club hours that made his heart flutter.

“You don’t want to do a club with your friends?”

“Huh...?”

“Most people do it with their friends.”

“Oh, I don’t have any friends, so it’s fine.”

Giyeon said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. Then, realizing what he’d just admitted, he flinched. But it wasn’t like it was a lie, so he stayed quiet.

Suhyeon’s eyes widened slightly, but he quickly smoothed his expression. In his mind, he thought back to Nam Taekyung, who he’d seen in the teacher’s office.

If Giyeon said he had no friends, then that was the truth. He even seemed a bit surprised by his own words.

‘So Taekyung really wasn’t a friend.’ freēwēbnovel.com

He wanted to ask about the incident in the faculty room, but decided against it. He didn’t want to ruin the mood. He just wanted Giyeon to keep smiling like this.

At the bus stop, Giyeon hesitated as the bus approached. Then he turned to Suhyeon and said,

“I’m glad you’re in the club.”

With that, he gave a small bow and hopped on the bus.

Suhyeon stood frozen in place for a long time. He replayed the words over and over, wondering if he’d heard wrong. Then he finally raised his phone.

[Son Suhyeon sunbae: Me too.]

“...!”

Ha Giyeon read the message, face going red as he pressed his forehead to the phone screen.

He said he was glad I joined the club. Maybe it was just a thank-you for helping fill out the roster—but still, how could a single “I’m glad” make him feel this happy?

It was practically the first time in his life someone had said they were glad he existed.

Maybe that was why... Son Suhyeon had started to mean something bigger.

What should he do... He felt like he was going to like Suhyeon more and more.

For the first time, Giyeon walked home with light steps and a light heart.

At least, until he opened the door and was met with an unexpected scene.

“What is all this...?”

Shopping bags were piled up in his room—and Ha Dohoon had burst in, fuming.

A scab was crusted over his lip as he stormed toward Giyeon.

“Hyung...? What happened to your face—”

“Who the hell hit you?”

What the hell was this now?

***

“Ugh, he won’t even answer his damn phone.”

Choi Mujin scowled deeply. Not only had Ha Giyeon texted that he’d gone ahead, but now he wasn’t even picking up his calls. After all the clothes Mujin had bought for him, the kid just left like that—yeah, he was pissed.

But more than that, he couldn’t stop thinking about the bruises on Giyeon’s back.

He hadn’t expected Ha Dohoon to beat him like that, and that shock hit hard. But strangely, it wasn’t just shock—it was overwhelming rage.

So what if Ha Giyeon got hit by his brother? It was a family matter. Mujin was just an outsider.

And yet... he couldn’t accept it.

More than being unable to interfere, it was the fact that Ha Dohoon had hit Giyeon that infuriated him. Reason didn’t matter anymore.

Choi Mujin headed straight for Ha Dohoon’s house.