By Zephyria 
Despite saying he’d arrived at the hospital, the only one who opened the door and entered the room was Hong-ju. It was a face I saw almost every day at the first-floor cafe of the company building, and it was quite nice to see him after a while. Above all, it might be because his atmosphere was completely different from the dark-faced thugs I dealt with tirelessly.
“Where’s Mu-gyeong?”
“He’s on a quick call. He bought some things, so he’ll bring them in later.”
I wondered what amazing things he’d bought that he couldn’t even be asked to carry them in for a moment. It’s already been over two years since that guy, who had not a shred of interest or affection for people, changed like this. During that time, Mu-gyeong had never wavered and seemed to be living a very stable life. And it showed on the outside.
“…….”
The same went for Hong-ju. Whenever we met, he used to read the room and didn’t know how to lean on others. Now, he’s quite accustomed to the care of people around him.
Do people really change like that when they find their true match? If they exchange a stable heart, can they become like that? The thoughts I occasionally had while watching Mu-gyeong and Hong-ju gradually turned into curiosity.
Then, what about me? Am I a bottomless pit, so no matter how much heart I pour in, it’s useless? Or can I also live with that kind of stability?
Avoiding Hong-ju’s worried eyes, Min-ho slowly turned his head. At the end of that gaze, naturally, was Won Gyu-oh. I met the dark eyes that had been staring at me for who knows how long. My heart sank for some reason at that unwavering gaze.
“Hyung, why are you staring at Hong-ju-ssi like that?”
Even hearing a voice that bordered on an interrogation, my bewilderment was greater than any unpleasantness. Why did I naturally think that the one to fill my hollow heart would be Gyu-oh? And why, at the same time, did a sense of relief spread, thinking, ‘If it’s Won Gyu-oh……’?
“……His eyes are refreshing. Since I only see dark-faced bastards.”
Min-ho tried his best to hide his confusion and pretended to be nonchalant. Out of habit, his hand brushed the air as he tried to touch his glasses frame. Embarrassed by his fumbling hand, he scratched his eyebrow and spoke to Hong-ju.
“Thanks for coming. I’m a bit embarrassed since I’m not that critical a patient.”
“Still, you’re hurt. If you had surgery, it means you were seriously injured……”
Min-ho was weak against these kinds of sudden, pure emotions. At the gaze and voice filled only with worry, he found himself making excuses.
“The surgery was just because of some tears. I’m just staying until it heals.”
“……I see. Does it not hurt? I heard it aches more when it’s cold.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine.”
Opposing answers were directed at Hong-ju simultaneously. Min-ho, who had said he was fine, turned his attention toward Gyu-oh, who had said he wasn’t.
“Please kick Viper out. My fever is rising because of him, and my stitches are tingling.”
“……Should I stay here?”
There was sincerity in Hong-ju’s words as he took a step closer. Ah, with an expression like that, I can’t even refuse. As I stammered in embarrassment, Gyu-oh intervened.
“You can’t, Hong-ju-ssi. That’s a mismatched set. Look closely. It’s these two, and those two.”
Gyu-oh circled his finger twice in the air. The pairs were him and Gyu-oh, and Mu-gyeong and Hong-ju. Setting aside the fact that the other side was a couple, I had no idea why Cha Min-ho and Won Gyu-oh were so naturally linked.
“Who told you to link us?”
Gyu-oh completely ignored the sharply retorted words and kept his gaze only on Hong-ju. Despite not being the one injured, his explanation was quite accurate.
“The surgical site isn’t incredibly painful, but it seems it doesn’t close immediately. He says it aches when he moves.”
“Ah.”
Seeing him nod at those words again, my will to attack completely vanished. While the two guests on the sofa and the patient on the bed continued their conversation from a distance, the door swung open.
“Hey.”
Along with a tone like a real gangster, I saw a gloved hand waving. Despite coming to the hospital room, he hadn’t even greeted me yet. Then again, there was no reason to be particularly upset. Among guys who didn’t know how to care for each other warmly, the mere fact that he visited was already special treatment.
Seeing Gyu-oh stand up quietly, I was certain it was about work.
“What is it? Tell me here.”
As I suddenly intervened, a face finally appeared beyond the door.
“The patient should just focus on absolute stability.”
Mu-gyeong pointed to the sign written at the entrance of the hospital room. For several days, simply because I was wearing a patient gown, I hadn’t heard a single thing about work. How far it had progressed, whether there were any setbacks in the contract acquisition preparations. I felt I’d be at peace only if I knew the details. But they wouldn’t give me a single hint.
“I told you to talk about work here.”
As if Min-ho’s shout wasn’t even audible, Gyu-oh hurried out of the hospital room.
“Those bastards.”
It seemed Min-ho’s voice, cursing something through the closing gap of the door, followed.
Even as they walked out of the room, Mu-gyeong kept his gaze on the phone screen. Only after Gyu-oh had walked a short distance away from the room did he speak.
“What is it?”
“I think we’ve caught the tail.”
“Really?”
Because it was the news I’d been waiting for more than anything, my voice grew loud without me realizing. Gyu-oh, covering his mouth and checking the room once, stood close to Mu-gyeong.
“Where is he?”
The place Mu-gyeong told him was a distance that could be reached within 30 minutes if they left immediately.
“He seems to be hiding while wandering around the factory complex. Anyway, it’s in this vicinity.”
Mu-gyeong took over the trouble of contacting the men he’d assigned to tail Son Pro. He told Gyu-oh to focus entirely on nursing Min-ho back to health. Listening to Mu-gyeong calmly relay the gathered information, Gyu-oh gauged the distance in his head.
“It’s close.”
“You can catch him before sunset.”
Truthfully, Gyu-oh wanted to track Son Pro himself. When he found out the man had fled the abandoned warehouse like a rat, he had almost followed him immediately to beat him half to death. However, as if knowing Gyu-oh was agitated, Mu-gyeong consistently delegated the work to others. Moreover, he hadn’t shared much of the process.
“I can’t just not go. You’re dead, you piece of shit.”
“Forget it. Just stay put.”
Naturally, Mu-gyeong stopped him again. But having heard that Son Pro was on the verge of being caught, Gyu-oh’s blood boiled; he couldn’t stay still.
“No. I have to catch him with my own hands. Who the hell does he think he is, messing with us? I’ll make him pay.”
As Gyu-oh muttered with eyes blazing as if he might bolt out at any second, Mu-gyeong gave him a crooked look.
“Just asking because I’m curious. You two…”
“What.”
“Did you sleep together?”
Gyu-oh was so shocked he couldn’t even answer. Wasn’t this Hyung selectively perceptive? He didn’t give a single second of attention to things that didn’t matter, so how did he hit the nail right on the head like this? Gyu-oh stared blankly with wide eyes. Taking that as an answer, Mu-gyeong let out a smirk. A look of ‘I knew it’ followed.
“I thought the atmosphere was awfully fishy.”
“…I didn’t say yes.”
While he wanted to admit it immediately and ask for help, he knew Min-ho wouldn’t appreciate that. He continued his futile acting.
“No wonder. It was strange that Cha Min-ho brought you up.”
Of course, that one sentence threw everything into disarray. Gyu-oh had been wondering what was going on inside Cha Min-ho’s head anyway. Just how had he talked about him in front of other people? Closing the distance and stepping close, Gyu-oh pressed him relentlessly.
“What. What did he say?”
“You’re not curious about the fact that you didn’t sleep together?”
“….”
As Gyu-oh lost his words and his lips twitched, Mu-gyeong chuckled softly. He glanced at the hospital room door, seemed to ponder for a moment, and then spoke.
“He said it’s a pity to let you rot at the company.”
“….”
“And that you’re too good of a guy to keep being entangled with us.”
The shock was greater than if Min-ho had simply told him to take a vacation and rest. It was because Min-ho’s sincere worries, as relayed by Mu-gyeong, came through so clearly.
“I wondered why he was being so embarrassing, worrying about such things between brothers.”
“…What is that Hyung thinking.”
Too good? If anything, between Won Gyu-oh, who did nothing but act like a loose cannon, and the rational, diligent Cha Min-ho, shouldn’t Gyu-oh be the one considered ‘too good’ to be with? He really does dig too deep into useless things sometimes.
Over-censoring himself and blaming himself more than necessary was Min-ho’s habit. He hadn’t been like that before. Perhaps it was because his responsibilities had increased, or because of a nature he couldn’t openly reveal anywhere, but at some point, he had become defensive.
“Even though he’s had a headache because of you, I don’t think he’s ever said that out loud.”
“Hyung, tell me as a friend. Do you think he finds me burdensome?”
“Probably? But being burdensome and disliking someone are two different things.”
Gyu-oh felt a pointless surge of rebellion at the nod that came without hesitation. Honestly, he was suppressing his desire to push further and further. He was holding back eight times out of ten and only pushing twice. But shouldn’t he be allowed to do that without it being burdensome already?
“Don’t push him too hard.”
“….”
The hand patting his shoulder held a fair amount of sincerity. Even though the relationship between the men who lived like sworn brothers had changed strangely, Mu-gyeong acted as if he were indifferent. Perhaps that was the maximum amount of consideration he could give, or perhaps he also wanted Min-ho to be stable and thus chose not to interfere.
“He’s a guy who’s lived a hard life, so he has no leeway, none at all.”
That was what Mu-gyeong always added whenever he defended Min-ho. The little leeway he had was further depleted thanks to Son Pro. For both Hyung and Gyu-oh. The conclusion shifted once again toward the irritating nuisance. Glancing at the time, Gyu-oh met Mu-gyeong’s eyes.
“I don’t want to see him struggle either.”
“….”
“I’ll handle it well on my own.”
He spoke with a slight snap, but no particular answer came from Mu-gyeong. Normally, he would have scolded him for being overconfident. Gyu-oh thought that whether this was support or indifference depended entirely on how he handled it.
“Anyway, take good care of Min-ho Hyung while I’m gone.”
Shrugging, he immediately turned toward the hospital room. When he flung the door open, he saw the two of them sitting side-by-side on the edge of the bed, talking.
“Min-ho, they caught that piece of shit’s tail.”
He spoke, forcing his sunken voice upward. Min-ho, who had been staring at him without any change in expression, whispered to Hong-ju while covering his mouth. Of course, it was loud enough for Gyu-oh to hear everything.
“See. I told you Viper is rude. Look at how he’s subtly dropping honorifics.”
“I called him Min-ho Hyung! You heard that, right?”
As expected, Hong-ju honestly shook his head.
“I have no one on my side anywhere, how sorrowful, truly sorrowful.”
While muttering that, Gyu-oh’s hands were hurried in grabbing his jacket. Through the open door, he heard Mu-gyeong enter late, handing over fruit and roll cakes to Min-ho. The quiet hospital room became lively, which at least allowed him to feel relieved.