Good Night, Brother!

“I looked into rental options near the university, but the prices are just too high. We can’t afford a deposit for a lease, and while we applied for a dormitory spot, it’s likely he won’t get one.”

“…….”

“You’re his big brother, aren’t you? He’s going to be new to Seoul and won’t know his way around. You should help him adjust. Be a good hyung, okay?”

I moved to Seoul on my own when I was 20…

Frustrated, Eun-Hyun let out a quiet sigh, making sure it didn’t carry over the phone.

“Adjust? What’s there to adjust to? Seoul isn’t that different from Daejeon.”

“Not that different? I still get lost every time I go to Seoul!”

“I just mean, it’s all the same—people live their lives wherever they are.”

“Well, anyway, I’ll send Hi-Hyeon up to stay with you. I’m counting on you, Eun-Hyun.”

Realizing there was no room for negotiation, Eun-Hyun sighed heavily.

“…Fine.”

“Good. Oh, and make sure you dress warmly—it’s cold out.”

After the usual parental worry, his mom ended the call. Running his fingers through his hair, Eun-Hyun groaned.

“Ugh…”

His appetite vanished. Leaving the half-eaten chicken on the table, he sealed the leftovers and stored them in the fridge. All that was left was to gulp down his beer in frustration.

A new year dawned.

On a golden Saturday morning, Eun-Hyun was sprawled across the sofa, enjoying a nap. After working late the night before, sleep felt like a blessing.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

The doorbell jarred him from his slumber, and he frowned slightly.

Who could it be? I’m not expecting anyone. Maybe it’s a package? If I don’t answer, they’ll just leave it at the door, right?

He shifted to find a more comfortable position, turning onto his back and hoping the disturbance would go away.

Ding-dong. Ding-dong.

The doorbell rang again, followed by his phone buzzing on the table, vibrating loudly against the surface. Half-asleep, he scratched his neck absentmindedly and debated whether to answer the call or check the door first. After a moment of hesitation, he rose, grabbed his phone, and walked toward the door.

The doorbell had stopped ringing, but just in case, he unlocked the door. As it swung open, a gust of cold hallway air hit his face, clearing the remnants of sleep from his mind. At the same time, a familiar voice greeted him.

“Hyung, you really shouldn’t open the door without checking who it is.”

Standing there, with his phone in hand and a bright smile that deepened his dimples, was none other than Jeong Hi-Hyeon.

“…What?”

Still groggy, Eun-Hyun stared at his younger brother in disbelief.

“I told you I’d be coming today.”

“Oh… right. I forgot.”

The last time he’d seen Hi-Hyeon must have been during Chuseok two years ago. Back then, he definitely wasn’t this tall. Now, standing in front of him, Hi-Hyeon was towering. He must’ve outgrown his 179 cm height, as Eun-Hyun had to tilt his head slightly to meet his eyes.

“Are you going to let me in, or…?”

“Oh, yeah. Come in.”

Snapping out of his daze, Eun-Hyun stepped aside to let his brother in. Hi-Hyeon wheeled a suitcase into the entryway and neatly set it in a corner before stepping into the apartment.

“Is that all your stuff?”

“No, I shipped the bigger things. They should arrive next week.”

“Got it.”

With his younger brother now inside, the cozy living room, perfect for one person, suddenly felt cramped. Whatever had happened over the past year, it seemed Hi-Hyeon had grown in every way possible. Was this the dominance of Alpha traits? Feeling awkward, Eun-Hyun stood stiffly for a moment before gesturing toward a door.

“Uh, that’s your room. I got it all cleaned up.”

Thanks to his rushed effort, the room was equipped with a new wardrobe, bed, and desk, making it look presentable. Hoping to reassure his younger brother, he added:

“The bed, wardrobe, and desk are all new.”

“Thanks, Hyung.”

“Oh, uh, no problem.”

Did that sound too self-congratulatory? Embarrassed, Eun-Hyun scratched the back of his head. Searching for something else to say, he mumbled:

“So, uh… need anything else?”

“Oh, right. The door lock code is 1121—my birthday. Easy to remember, right?”

“…That’s way too simple.”

Hi-Hyeon frowned, his usually composed expression tightening slightly.

“You should change it. How about 11210927? Your birthday and mine combined.”

“What? That’s way too long.”

“…….”

Hi-Hyeon let out a long sigh, clearly dissatisfied. Has he always been this opinionated? Eun-Hyun smirked inwardly.

“Anyway… unpack your things and change into something comfortable.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll… be in my room.”

Running out of things to say, Eun-Hyun retreated to his room.

Time passed as he immersed himself in a smartphone game, and the sun began to set. Feeling peckish after skipping lunch, he realized there wasn’t much food in the house. If he were alone, he would have settled for instant noodles or some other quick fix, but he couldn’t bring himself to serve something like that to his younger brother on his first day in Seoul. Still, the thought of telling him to figure out dinner on his own felt awkward, so he mulled over meal options.

Unable to decide, he finally knocked on Hi-Hyeon’s door. The act of knocking in his own house felt strangely foreign. When the door opened, he was greeted by his brother’s tall, grown-up frame, which still felt unfamiliar. Clearing his throat, he asked:

“Hungry? Should we order something?”

“Sure. Whatever you want to eat.”

“No, let’s order something nice to celebrate you moving to Seoul.”

“Hmm…”

“You like pizza, right? Should we get pizza?”

Hi-Hyeon lowered his gaze for a moment, then looked back up with a soft smile.

“…Sounds good.”

“I’ll order through the app.”

Wait, what kind of pizza does he like again?

“Do you like pepperoni?”

“Can we get bulgogi pizza instead?”

“Oh, sure, sure.”

Good timing—I was in the mood for bulgogi pizza anyway. Didn’t know Hi-Hyeon liked it too.

Relieved, Eun-Hyun placed the order. While eating, he brought up some household rules: keeping stocked side dishes, alternating weekly chores like washing dishes and cleaning, and other small arrangements. Hi-Hyeon listened with a gentle smile and nodded in agreement.

“Hey, Eun-Hyun, did you meet someone this morning?”

On Monday morning, as soon as he sat down, his supervisor, Assistant Manager Eun Soo-Ah, struck up a conversation.

“Pardon? Who would I meet in the morning?”

“I mean… well…”

Soo-Ah wrinkled her brows slightly and took a deep breath.

“I can sense Alpha pheromones. Didn’t you say you’re a Beta?”

“Oh… that’s probably from my brother. He’s an Alpha, and we’ve been living together since the weekend.”

“Huh… living together leaves that much of a scent?”

Soo-Ah tilted her head curiously. Since moving to Seoul, Eun-Hyun had picked up on the subtleties of pheromone etiquette. Most Alphas and Omegas used pheromone suppressants when necessary, as pheromones were considered something you only exposed to very close acquaintances. Knowing that Alpha pheromones could irritate Omegas, he cautiously asked:

“Does it bother you?”

“No, it’s faint, nothing unpleasant. Actually, it’s nice. Smells like a forest.”

Turning back to her laptop, Soo-Ah left Eun-Hyun mumbling softly to himself.

“Forest smell…”

The mention of a forest-like scent triggered a memory from when he was fifteen.

It was a crisp autumn morning when the school uniform transitioned from summer to winter wear. Barely making it on time, his friend Han Jin-Seo dropped his backpack onto the desk with a loud thud and slumped into his seat, panting heavily from his morning run.

After catching his breath, Jin-Seo frowned suddenly, leaned over, and sniffed Eun-Hyun’s shoulder.

“Han Jin-Seo, what are you doing? You’re not a dog.”

“……Jeong Eun-Hyun. What’s up with you?”

“What’s up with me?”

“You smell strongly of Alpha pheromones.”

“Alpha pheromones? Me?”

Clueless about what an Alpha’s scent was like, Eun-Hyun panicked, thinking he might smell bad, and sniffed the sleeve of his uniform shirt. Even tugging the neckline of his vest to check, he caught only the familiar scent of fabric softener.

“I don’t smell anything…”

“Well, you wouldn’t. You’re a Beta.”

“Is it a bad smell?”

“No, not bad. If I had to describe it… kind of like a forest. Hmm…”

Suddenly, Eun-Hyun remembered his younger brother recently asking if he smelled like a forest.

“Oh, my brother manifested as an Alpha recently. Maybe it rubbed off on me?”

“Is he a recessive Alpha?”

“No, he’s dominant. Actually, they said his pheromone levels are so high he’s considered a super-dominant.”

“……A super-dominant Alpha letting pheromones leak like this? Seriously?”

Jin-Seo scoffed and frowned deeply, clearly unimpressed.

“Well, he’s only ten and hasn’t been an Alpha for long. Maybe he’s still figuring it out.”

“Yeah, right. Dominant Alphas usually have perfect control from the start—like me.”

“Come on, he’s just a kid. Quit making a big deal out of it.”

Shrugging, Eun-Hyun brushed off the conversation. Jin-Seo gave him a lingering, skeptical look before turning his gaze out the window.

Contrary to his initial worries, it only took a few days for Eun-Hyun to grow accustomed to living with his brother.