By Zephyria 
He continued to run on the treadmill, set slightly faster than usual, for over an hour. It wasn’t that he wanted to exercise; he just didn’t want to think about anything. Since there was nothing better than running when he wanted to stop the chaos in his head, Jeong-min just ran and ran. And just as his legs began to tremble, he slowly stopped and gasped for air.
“Huff… huff….”
As Jeong-min stared at the sweat dripping onto the floor, he became irritated by the thoughts flooding back.
Yu Shin-woo…. Hyung had returned to Korea. At first, he thought it was a dream. Or rather, he hoped it was. But after reviewing the conversation with his hyung several times, he realized it was reality, not a dream. Since then, he didn’t know why his heart felt so restless and complicated, like a fool.
“I sorted it out….”
This feeling—that even if he stayed by hyung’s side, he would never be rewarded… and above all, that it would be a nuisance to hyung, so he decided to put it to rest.
After he went to America, he had seriously worked on clearing his feelings, and with the passage of time, he thought he wouldn’t feel anything even if he met him. He was mistaken.
To think the human heart was such a trivial thing. No. He was probably just surprised because it was sudden. He was probably overthinking because he was glad to see him. His heart would soon grow numb and harden.
“Whew….”
Jeong-min wiped his sweat and stepped off the treadmill. He wanted to do some weights, but he had spent too much time on the treadmill. It was time to return to the hospital, so he headed to the locker room.
“Dr. Shin.”
A fellow doctor tapped Jeong-min on the shoulder. Since the gym was close to the hospital, he thought there might be people he knew, but he didn’t expect to run into someone so suddenly.
“Ah, Dr. Han.”
“Did you come to work out?”
“Can’t you tell by looking?”
“Haha, so prickly. By the way, a new doctor arrived today. Did you say hello?”
Ah, right. Today was the day that person was appointed and started work. He had completely forgotten.
“No. Not yet.”
“They’re an incredible beauty. They really look like an Omega. Truly delicate-looking.”
Honestly, the level of his speech was appalling.
“What do Alpha or Omega have to do with looks? You could get reported if you make comments like that.”
“Ah, I should be careful these days. I get it, I get it.”
Jeong-min left his colleague, who was grumbling that he was too prickly, and after showering in the shower room and changing in the locker room, he headed to the hospital.
It was already the beginning of summer. It was still cool, but thick clothes had mostly disappeared. Soon, people would be seen wearing short sleeves.
For some reason, there was no fine dust today, and the sky was clear. Enjoying that air, Jeong-min breathed in and out. Yes, whether Shin-woo hyung appeared again or not, what he had to do now was welcome the fiancé who arrived today. He couldn’t show a bad side from the first impression.
✽✽✽
“Hello. I am Park Seong-jin.”
He could see why his colleague had called him an incredible beauty. With light brown hair, a beauty mark under the eye, fair skin, and a pleasant scent… an Omega who looked as if he had been painted stood before him. Looking so popular that it was surprising he hadn’t found a partner yet, the Omega smiled brightly at Jeong-min and held out his hand, and Jeong-min shook it in greeting.
“I am Shin Jeong-min.”
“I look forward to working with you, Shin Jeong-min sunbae.”
The Omega beamed. The smile was so bright that Jeong-min felt a sense of guilt for a sin he hadn’t even committed.
“Young master. How is he?”
After introducing Park Seong-jin, Jeong-min’s sister-in-law approached him softly and asked about him.
“Still… we’ve only exchanged a single greeting. But the first impression isn’t bad.”
“He’s skilled and has a great personality, so his reputation among his peers is excellent. Above all, isn’t he truly beautiful? I wonder where such a blessing fell from. Young master, you must hold onto him. Got it?”
“Haha. Yes.”
When his sister-in-law shouted “Fighting!”, Jeong-min gave an awkward smile. It seemed she wanted to marry him off even more than his mother did, which made him both grateful and sorry.
While Park Seong-jin finished his introduction and headed back to the ward, Jeong-min escorted him. At first, silence flowed, but starting with a word Jeong-min offered to break the awkward atmosphere, they gradually began to get to know each other.
“I’ve heard a lot about you, sunbae. There are fans of yours among my peers. They said the paper you published this time was truly excellent. Since it was a paper strictly for Omegas, I thought you were in the Omega Department at first. I was so surprised when I heard you were in Internal Medicine.”
“Alphas basically cannot go to the Omega Department.”
“That’s true. That’s why it was refreshing. For an Alpha to research the Omega body in such detail… there aren’t many people who openly write about how much Alphas need to strive for Omegas.”
“Is that a compliment?”
“Of course. Seeing that is what made me decide to get engaged to you, sunbae. I thought, ‘If it’s this person, he will truly cherish me.’ Even if it is an arranged marriage… if it’s someone I’ll spend my life with, it’s better to have someone who respects me, even if there is no love.”
No love, huh…. He knew this was the timing to say that it wasn’t true, that he would love them now. But for some reason, the words were stuck in his throat. He didn’t know why it was so hard to even say a hollow phrase.
“I think we’ll be crossing paths a lot both privately and professionally… I look forward to it.”
Park Seong-jin held out his hand to Jeong-min again. If the previous one was a greeting as doctors, this one was perhaps a greeting as future partners. Jeong-min intended to readily take the hand. He felt that even if he couldn’t do it with words, he could show it through actions. However….
The phone in his pocket rang.
“Ah….”
“Ah, please take the call. It could be an urgent page.”
Thanks to Seong-jin’s consideration, Jeong-min was able to check his phone. It wasn’t a call. It was a message. Moreover, it was from an unregistered number.
[Jeong-min, it’s Shin-woo hyung.]
[After meeting you again,]
[I’ve opened a phone line after coming to Korea, and you’re the first person I’m contacting.]
The heart that had been stopped began to throb once again.
I wanted to call, but I figured you’d be at the hospital. When are you off? Shall we grab a meal together sometime? There’s so much I want to tell you. Text me when you’re free, and I’ll call.
He didn’t hesitate. After apologizing to Park Seong-jin, he turned around and quickly pressed the call button. Throughout the ringing signal, his heart beat with the same rhythm and speed. To the point of dizziness…
─ Hello?
“Shin-woo hyung.”
Only then was he able to stop his feet, which had been moving hurriedly toward somewhere.
─ Ah, Jeong-min. Aren’t you working?
“No. I’m on a short break. And you…?”
─ I see. I’m unpacking right now. My luggage arrived in Korea yesterday.
“Luggage?”
─ Yeah, I’ve completely moved back to Korea now.
“Really?”
─ Yeah. But it’s just temporary housing for now. Once I decide on a house to live in, more stuff will come from the US.
“I see.”
─ Anyway, I can’t believe I’m actually talking to you on the phone.
Me neither… He hadn’t thought he’d be able to talk to hyung like this again. Jeong-min rubbed his face with his hand for a moment and suddenly saw his own reflection in the glass door. He thought he was fully grown and that only aging remained… but talking to Yu Shin-woo made him feel as if he had returned to being the twenty-year-old Shin Jeong-min.
─ Let’s grab a meal once things settle down. My treat.
“Let me buy.”
─ Now, now, a younger brother should eat what his hyung buys. Where do you get off trying to stage a rebellion?
“What on earth are you talking about?”
─ I’m joking, kid. Well, I guess it’s about time I got treated by you too. I’m looking forward to it.
“Anytime. I’ll be waiting.”
─ Make sure to save my number.
“Of course.”
After ending the call with Yu Shin-woo, Jeong-min went straight to the smoking room to have a cigarette. He needed to calm his abnormally racing heart.
“Whew…”
He had no desire to start over with hyung now. It was impossible, and he wouldn’t destroy himself by harboring vain hopes for something that couldn’t happen. Therefore, he decided to keep the doors of memory, which were trying to open again, firmly shut.
Instead, he would create a new box. If possible, he would return to being just hyung and dongsaeng, create plenty of happy memories, and forget the past. Jeong-min believed it would certainly be possible. So, he quietly waited for Yu Shin-woo to contact him. However, the contact came two months later, when full summer had arrived.