By Zephyria 
Ju-hwan patted Jeong-min’s shoulder a couple of times and then gripped it tightly once. He gripped it so hard that the shoulder remained sore for a long time.
As Ju-hwan left the room, the smile vanished from his face. He glanced back at the sight of Jeong-min sitting blankly and then walked leisurely down the dark, empty corridor.
✽✽✽
“Sigh.”
Jeong-min checked his phone and rubbed his face with his hands. There was still no contact from Kim Ju-hwan.
He didn’t know what kind of bet it would be or what the method would be. However, Jeong-min waited. Firmly believing that he would win the bet Kim Ju-hwan mentioned, he calmly proceeded with the preparations for departure. He also finished writing the emails to his parents and Young-min, which were to be sent once he stepped onto foreign soil.
While writing the emails, he was terrifyingly calm. He simply wondered if he had this much to say. Having finished almost all the preparations, Jeong-min called Su-han.
─ Yes, Jeong-min.
His voice had improved much more than before, but it was still somewhat drained. He had no way of knowing what was currently happening within Su-han’s family. Since Su-han also didn’t want to tell Jeong-min, he didn’t ask. However, it didn’t seem like the situation was improving at all. In that situation, Su-eun would be gradually breaking down, and Su-han would have to prepare to take and protect Su-eun and flee, so he must be struggling more than one could possibly imagine.
“By any chance, can you have dinner with me today?”
─ Of course.
“Okay. Then let’s go on a date.”
─ A date?
It was understandable that Su-han reacted this way. This was the first time Jeong-min had ever used a word typically used between lovers. It was also a line Jeong-min hadn’t said in a very long time, and he felt slightly embarrassed that the recipient was Su-han, so he fanned himself with his hand. It was a relief that Su-han couldn’t see this. If he had, he definitely would have teased him.
“Why are you so quiet? If you don’t want to, forget it.”
─ No. There’s no way I’d hate it. Yes, a date. We’ve never had one. Let’s do it.
Jeong-min almost said that this might be their last date in Korea, but he held back. Su-han probably felt the same. Since they couldn’t have a ‘real’ leisurely date, they decided to have a light dinner at a hotel restaurant located halfway between Jeong-min’s and Su-han’s homes.
He intentionally sought out a private space since there might be prying eyes. Arriving first, Jeong-min looked down at the night view of Seoul, and rather than thinking it was beautiful, he thought about how he would soon be leaving this place. He never imagined he would leave this country like this. He wondered how a person’s life could turn out this way.
“Jeong-min.”
The door opened and Su-han entered. Jeong-min stood up and waited until the manager closed the door before approaching him.
“Su-han Hyung.”
Jeong-min first examined Su-han’s face. From the dark circles to the rough skin, he could tell just by looking at his face that he hadn’t slept properly for several days. Of course, there were times he couldn’t sleep during major surgeries, but with emotional distress added to it, his face couldn’t help but look worse.
“Have you been well?”
“Hyung….”
“Can I hug you?”
“Of course. Come here.”
At Su-han’s cautious request, Jeong-min smiled bitterly and quickly embraced him. Then, he stroked his head as it rested on his shoulder.
“Su-han Hyung. Ji Su-han. You’re really strong. You’re doing well.”
“I don’t want to hear those words from you…. But I like it.”
Su-han rubbed his face against Jeong-min’s shoulder like a spoiled child. Feeling his hair tickle his cheek, Jeong-min smiled slightly and held his face. Then, he kissed him.
Su-han seemed surprised by the sudden action, but he soon grabbed Jeong-min’s waist and kissed him deeply. It was a desperate and urgent kiss.
Since the two of them had no time, they had to confirm each other’s existence this way. As their lips parted and they gasped for air, they looked only into each other’s eyes.
“We… can be together from now on, right?”
This was the first time he had met Su-han since that phone call.
“You’re trusting me and following me, right?”
That’s why Su-han seemed to want confirmation once more. To think that such a sight felt cute…. Jeong-min felt he was doomed. It seemed his heart had now completely tilted toward Su-han.
“Hyung, of course I trust you. But I’m not just following you. I’m going so we can be together. So you have to be with me too. You remember the promise, right?”
Jeong-min took Su-han’s hand and kissed the back of it.
“I promise. I’ll definitely keep that promise.”
This time, Su-han kissed the back of Jeong-min’s hand. The two of them leaned their foreheads together and smiled. Only now were they both at peace. He felt like he could truly do anything. Soon, the ordered food arrived, and the two sat facing each other and talked.
“Su-eun will meet that guy first at Gimpo, take a flight, go to Japan, and then transfer to New Zealand.”
“So New Zealand was decided.”
The original destination was the US, but it seemed they left that as a decoy and chose New Zealand as the final destination.
“I’ll buy the plane tickets in the morning. I’ve already asked a friend who works at the airline. I’ve already purchased the tickets for those two, but I booked them under different names. I plan to change the names right before check-in.”
Normally, this would be impossible, but it seemed he had handled everything.
“Those two have prepared so thoroughly that there won’t be any major problems as long as they leave Korea. The immediate problem is us.”
That was true. Leaving the country might be easier for them than for Ji Su-eun. The problem was after arriving in New Zealand. They would settle down somehow, but it would take a lot of time to get there. That’s why Jeong-min thought preparing funds was the priority and asked Kim Ju-hwan.
Jeong-min thought about how much he should reveal. He could have kept it a secret, but he didn’t want to create secrets that Su-han didn’t know.
“Su-han Hyung.”
Seeing how Su-han spoke so troubledly, there was a high possibility that his family had blocked all the siblings’ funding sources just in case.
“Don’t worry. Just in case, I’m preparing.”
“What?”
“I have plenty of money. Some I received from my father… and even though my salary as a doctor was low, I’ve saved everything I’ve earned so far, so it’s enough for the two of us to settle in New Zealand. The problem is that I can’t move it overseas immediately… so I’m resolving it with some help.”
If he won the bet.
“It’ll work out.”
“Help? From whom?”
“Ah, you’ll know him. I asked Kim Ju-hwan. He’s someone who can distribute funds abroad. Additionally, he has wide connections in the airline industry, so he said he’d help you, me, Su-eun, and his partner just in case, and even said he’d lend a private jet if necessary.”
Jeong-min spoke as if it were no big deal. However, Ji Su-han’s face gradually stiffened.
“Kim Ju-hwan?”
“Yes. The one who came to the hospital before.”
“That man said he would help?”
Ji Su-han spoke as he put down his fork and knife. His expression became more serious than expected.
“Ah, if you’re worried that Kim Ju-hwan might be talking about it, it’s fine. His personality is foul and trashy, but he’s tight-lipped. No, it’s not that he’s tight-lipped, but he doesn’t care about things he’s not interested in.”
“…Why on earth did you ask Kim Ju-hwan for help?”
“As far as I know, he’s the most capable person among those we can get help from right now? I know why you’re reacting this way. I thought about it enough. Still, I thought it would be better to get help.”
Ji Su-han said nothing to Jeong-min’s words. Jeong-min didn’t know. He didn’t know why Ji Su-han was so sensitive to Kim Ju-hwan’s name. Because he was the only one who had seen that look in his eyes when they met at the hospital.
“Did he demand anything?”
“Demand?”
“A person like that wouldn’t just do it for free.”
As for the bet… it would be better not to mention it. He felt this should inevitably remain a ‘secret.’
“He said he’d just do it. He said he felt bad for us. He said he’d help readily.”
At Jeong-min’s words, Ji Su-han thought silently. Then, he rubbed his face and nodded.
“Right. You must have thought it through before asking Kim Ju-hwan for help.”
“…I’m sorry for not consulting you first, Hyung.”
“No. I’m not angry or anything. You don’t have to apologize. It’s just that I feel so incompetent.”
“That’s not true. It’s just that the situation is moving too quickly. And this isn’t your fault either. Just think of it as an inevitability.”