By Zephyria 
Side Story 5
He was a warm person, then and now. Sometimes, that quality felt frustrating. But that was strictly based on his own standards. Shin Jeong-min was someone who felt comfortable living that way, and if so, it was only right that he adjusted himself to him. And it was his job to ensure that such a man didn’t get hurt by the world. In a way, it was protection, but it was something different from that… yes, it was walking together as partners.
Though he didn’t know if the other would agree.
“Mister.”
A single word pierced the ears of Kim Ju-hwan, who had been smiling faintly while thinking of Jeong-min. Looking down toward where the word had come from, he saw a very small, frail child looking up at him with curiosity. Where on earth did this child come from?
“Mister.”
Should he answer? He didn’t lack knowledge of the local language, but thinking that the child would eventually give up and leave if he pretended not to understand, Kim Ju-hwan ignored him.
“Are you Dr. Shin’s friend?”
The child was clever. He had uttered a word that Kim Ju-hwan absolutely could not ignore. The words ‘Dr. Shin,’ heard so clearly, easily moved Kim Ju-hwan. He bent his body to meet the child’s eye level and wore an incongruous smile.
“Dr. Shin… are you talking about the cool Dr. Shin who works at the hospital over there?”
“Yes. The cool teacher. But you’re cool too, mister.”
“Thanks. But why Dr. Shin?”
Kim Ju-hwan wasn’t curious about the compliment to himself; he was curious why this little kid was asking about Jeong-min.
“Are you really friends with Dr. Shin?”
“Why do you think so?”
“My mom said she saw you and Dr. Shin going home together yesterday. It’s the first time I’ve seen the teacher take someone home. He told me not to come because the house is too small.”
The child made a pouty face, looking dissatisfied. Surely, the reason Jeong-min hadn’t invited the child wasn’t because it was small, but because he thought it was too humble for the child to visit.
“That’s not Dr. Shin’s house.”
“Then where?”
“His house is in Korea.”
He thought it was a bit childish, but in truth, it couldn’t be helped. Even for a moment, that place could never be Shin Jeong-min’s home. He wouldn’t let it be.
“Uh… the teacher said that too….”
At those words, Kim Ju-hwan bent his back again.
“He did?”
“Yes… the teacher said he has a house in Korea. Mister, have you been to the teacher’s house?”
“I have.”
“Th-then! Did you see the bride?”
“Bride?”
“I told the teacher I want to marry him, but he said no. He said there’s already a bride waiting for him at home.”
Ah, dear.
Kim Ju-hwan struggled to keep the corners of his mouth from curling up. It was because the child had a truly sad expression. If he said that the bride was him right here, the child would probably burst into tears immediately.
“Did you see her too, mister?”
“I did.”
“Is she pretty?”
“Not pretty, but cool.”
“I see.”
“Why do you like Dr. Shin?”
Kim Ju-hwan asked the child out of pure (?) curiosity. He was curious about how Shin Jeong-min had lived here and how he treated people. It would be great if he could know every single day of his life, but since he couldn’t, this was the only way to hear about it.
The child followed Kim Ju-hwan around, recounting tales of Jeong-min’s kindness. The child passionately expressed how much he liked Jeong-min every now and then, and each time, Kim Ju-hwan couldn’t help but show the leisure of a victor, even though he knew it was childish. However, since it was a child, he maintained a minimum level of courtesy and didn’t reveal that he was the bride until the end.
After finishing his business, he returned to Jeong-min’s lodging around 1 PM. Thinking he wouldn’t be awake yet, he opened the door carefully, but contrary to his expectations, Jeong-min was nowhere inside. Had he gone to the hospital? But he hadn’t seen him on the way. Just as he was about to call, worried that something might have happened, he heard a presence behind the crumbling house and went to check. Sure enough, Shin Jeong-min was fixing the electrical wires.
“What are you doing? That’s dangerous.”
“Ah, you’re here? The power suddenly went out.”
“I’ll look at it. Move aside. It’s dangerous.”
“I can check it better than you. This happens at least once a day.”
As if to prove it, he fiddled with it a bit more, and soon the lightbulbs inside the house flickered on.
“Done.”
Seeing Jeong-min’s proud face, Ju-hwan thought he was cute. On the other hand, he thought that if Jeong-min’s family saw this, they would surely shed tears. How anxious and worried they must be, seeing their son, whom they raised so preciously, diving into such a rugged path on his own.
“Where did you go?”
“Yes, I visited the site. I think the first floor will be finished today.”
“What? Is that possible?”
“I told you. Everything was already made, so we just need to assemble it.”
“Ah… really, sometimes it’s just amazing.”
“What is?”
“Just… everything in the world.”
Jeong-min said that with a smile.
“You seem to be in a good mood.”
“I am. I feel good.”
Before they knew it, the two were walking through the parched forest. Naturally, and side by side.
“I think I made the right choice becoming a doctor.”
The reason he chose the path of a doctor was because of Yu Shin-woo. It was a path he chose without hesitation because he wanted to be with Yu Shin-woo, but surprisingly, it suited his aptitude, and he felt a sense of reward. It would be no exaggeration to say that the time he was forced to quit due to drug side effects was the hardest period of his life. A sense of emptiness and helplessness washed over him, as if the very meaning of his existence had vanished. That was how much the work of a doctor suited him.
“So, to be honest, I was actually afraid of returning. That’s why I came here… and I think it was a good choice. It would be a lie to say it wasn’t hard, but I’ve learned enough here to overcome that hardship.”
“You left a cool tiger bride in Korea, so of course you should.”
At Kim Ju-hwan’s words, Jeong-min came to a dead stop. Jeong-min blinked, and then his face flushed a deep red as if it were about to explode. Seeing this, Kim Ju-hwan couldn’t help but be surprised. It was the first time he had seen Jeong-min make such a face.
“Where did you hear that?”
“My little future rival said so. He asked if Sunbae had a bride in Korea.”
“Ah… th-that.”
Jeong-min covered his face, flustered. Oh, god. He wanted to pin Shin Jeong-min down right here and have sex. No. He didn’t want to leave this man outside. He wanted to take him back to Korea immediately and lock him up.
But you don’t want that. In that case, neither do I. Kim Ju-hwan pulled Jeong-min close and kissed him. Jeong-min also readily opened his lips and accepted him. They leaned against a tree, kissing and touching each other for a long time. With the lingering regret that they couldn’t do more, they simply pressed their lips together and gazed into each other’s eyes, enduring the excitement.
“As you know, Sunbae, my life was decided from the moment I was born.”
Kim Ju-hwan didn’t talk about himself often. He always acted as if what was visible was everything. That was why Jeong-min found it surprising that he was telling his life story (?) like this. And he hoped he would tell him more. He felt that he, too, should now get to know Kim Ju-hwan.
“From the moment I opened my eyes and perceived the world, I had to show perfection as the successor of Cal Front without lying. I have no siblings, but there were plenty of people eager to pull me down. Even my parents didn’t protect me. They threw me into a tiger’s den and showed me harshness, telling me that I could only become the Cal Front successor if I survived there. Well… I didn’t hate it. Fortunately, I was born with a competitive streak, so I actually enjoyed all those situations and broke through the difficult paths my parents gave me as if they were quests. But there was a downside. In truth, I have no great affection for my work or my home. I do it because I have to, and I do it because it’s doable once I try, and there’s nothing else I want to do. Um… to put it simply, it was a life like a black-and-white movie. You were the one who splashed color into my life, Sunbae.”
Kim Ju-hwan said, interlocking his fingers with Jeong-min’s. This sly bastard… how can he say such embarrassing things so nonchalantly?
“After meeting you, Sunbae… I started thinking that it was a good thing I was born as the successor of this family. While preparing everything this time, that thought became even stronger.”
He had thought, Everything about my birth and being here is all for Shin Jeong-min. But he didn’t tell Jeong-min that much. Jeong-min’s face was already exploding like a volcano, and he felt that if he said more, the man might run away.