By Zephyria Seo Jeong-won trembled at Kwon Tae-hee’s chilling voice. He couldn’t be entirely sure, but if not that, where else could he find the cause of the sudden death? Unable to hide the suspicion that had already sprouted, Seo Jeong-won, who had been gazing at his composed face, averted his eyes first.
“I guess you’ve forgotten who has been doing everything you’ve asked for, Seo Jeong-won.”
“……”
“You’re more shameless than I thought.”
The monotonous voice echoed. Kwon Tae-hee, who chuckled as if dumbfounded, spoke again.
“You want to blame someone, and unfortunately, that someone turned out to be me? I’m a bit taken aback. Does it matter whether I lied or not? Either way, I was the best option for you, Seo Jeong-won. Who else would have helped you besides me?”
“……”
“Jeong-won, Seo Gyu-won didn’t die because of me, but because it was his time to die. Why are you talking as if a perfectly healthy person died? You know it’s not true, don’t you?”
Kwon Tae-hee reached out to Seo Jeong-won, who was trembling and unable to say anything as if his mouth was glued shut. He grabbed his flinching face with one hand, gently stroked his cheek, and pointed out the truth.
“Seo Gyu-won died because of the method he chose, not because of me. Do you understand? Did you understand properly?”
At the words devoid of any emotion, Seo Jeong-won collapsed again. He lay face down on the bed and sobbed for a long time. Only stifled sounds occasionally broke the silence. His pitiful and miserable state made one want to click their tongue. Did he really think Seo Gyu-won would get up perfectly fine? He was curious enough to want to lift Seo Jeong-won up and ask.
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The funeral was decided to be held in Seonam. Seo Jeong-won stubbornly shook his head at Kwon Tae-hee’s question of whether Seoul wouldn’t be better.
They decided on a hospital not far from the flower shop and transported Seo Gyu-won’s body, which was being kept in the mortuary. Seo Jeong-won had been sitting in a daze as if he had lost his mind, so Kwon Tae-hee took charge of most of the subsequent procedures.
“Seo Jeong-won.”
Kwon Tae-hee gently shook Seo Jeong-won’s shoulder, who didn’t respond immediately to his call. The eyes that had lost focus became clear for a moment. He hesitated for a moment, wondering if it was right to show Seo Jeong-won Gyu-won before the encoffining, as he was unable to escape from the shock.
“Will you say goodbye?”
“Ah, I… There’s no one to call…”
“……”
“Did anyone… come?”
Kwon Tae-hee sighed at the question asked in an increasingly smaller voice. If he had known he would be this out of it, he would have held back those words earlier.
“You won’t be able to see him again after the encoffining. That’s why I’m asking. Is it okay if you don’t say goodbye to your Hyung?”
“……”
“This is the last time.”
“Ah… I want to see him. I want to say goodbye. Please let me say goodbye.”
Kwon Tae-hee glanced over Seo Jeong-won’s attire as he got up to follow him, then took off the jacket he was wearing and draped it over his shoulders.
“After you come back, you need to change your clothes and prepare to greet the guests.”
“……Yes.”
Seo Jeong-won nodded. He took off the jacket that was covering his shoulders, handed it back to him, and went out of the funeral hall. He headed forward without knowing where to go. Then, he was grabbed and dragged by Kwon Tae-hee.
They took the elevator down to the basement. His body trembled, perhaps due to nervousness. As Seo Jeong-won crossed his arms and hugged his upper body, shivering intermittently, Kwon Tae-hee sighed and took off his jacket again.
“Don’t be stubborn.”
“……”
“Have you ever seen it before?”
“No. My aunt and uncle died in an accident, so… they said it would be better not to see it.”
He was worried about how to explain it if he didn’t understand what he meant, but Seo Jeong-won fortunately understood the meaning of the words quickly. Kwon Tae-hee nodded and moved his feet again. He arrived at the embalming room only after reaching the end of the hallway. When Kwon Tae-hee knocked on the door, a man who appeared to be in charge came out wearing a white gown.
“Will you be okay going in alone?”
“I’m okay alone. Executive Director coming in… I don’t think Hyung would like it.”
The muttered words scratched at Kwon Tae-hee’s nerves. Didn’t he urge him to say hello first when he woke up? Saying his Hyung would like it. The duplicity was absurd.
“Alright. Say goodbye and come out, I’ll be waiting.”
Seo Jeong-won passed by Kwon Tae-hee and followed the man inside. The door closed behind him. Seo Jeong-won followed the man’s voice telling him to come this way. On a cold bed in the middle of a small space, a person covered in a white sheet was lying straight.
The man nodded towards Seo Jeong-won and then offered a silent prayer for the deceased. Then, with careful hands, he gently lifted the white sheet a little.
“You can come closer and say goodbye.”
The man stood quietly on one side of the embalming room and waited. Seo Jeong-won bowed his head to him and took a long breath. The sound of stifled sobs echoed pathetically as he forcibly swallowed his tears.
“Hngh, hngh, hngh.”
Seo Jeong-won, who was roughly wiping his soaked eyes, couldn’t bring himself to approach the bed and stood blankly before finally taking a step.
“Hyung……”
Seo Gyu-won looked more comfortable now than when he was asleep in the hospital room. He was always frowning there.
“I’m here.”
He thought he would have a lot to say before coming in here, but once he stood in front of him, his mouth was shut tight as if glued together. Seo Jeong-won reached out his hand towards the peacefully sleeping face and carefully stroked his cheek. Things that had been welling up fell in drops without him blinking.
“…I’m glad we said hello back then. Right?”
His tearful voice trembled. At the same time as his face, which had been trying to smile nonchalantly, crumpled, his legs, which had been standing firmly, finally gave way. Seo Jeong-won knelt on the floor and leaned his forehead against the bed frame. Sobs leaked out from between his tightly clenched teeth.
Why do all the precious people leave his side forever? Seo Jeong-won rubbed his tearfully wet face against his shoulder and spoke again.
“Goodbye, Hyung.”
That was all he could say. He only repeated the same words, saying goodbye. He reached out and groped for Seo Gyu-won’s arm, then tightly gripped his dry hand. He had never let go of anything on his own, so he didn’t know how to let go of his Hyung, whom he had been stubbornly holding onto, and it was only difficult.
These farewells were always too one-sided, so he always had to suffer for a long time because he hadn’t properly prepared his heart.
“Hngh, hngh, just… why did you do that? Think about me a little, hngh, please. If you leave like this, we, we can’t… we can’t see each other again, why did you do that? Hngh, why……”
Seo Jeong-won, who was crying sadly, rubbed his eyes roughly and shook his head.
“No, no. No.”
He was worried that Seo Gyu-won might not be able to leave if he heard his resentment.
“It’s okay, I… I’m okay. So, hngh, yeah. Goodbye. Goodbye, Hyung.”
Only sorrowful sobs echoed weakly. Seo Jeong-won, who had been sitting and wailing for a long time, staggered to his feet. He stood for a long time, trying to imprint the Seo Gyu-won he could no longer see into his eyes with his bloodshot eyes, before finally turning his body.
Seo Jeong-won, who was drooping and walking listlessly, turned around once more while holding the doorknob. Each step left a lingering attachment. After hesitating several times, he opened the door. Kwon Tae-hee, who had been waiting in front of the embalming room, widened his eyes in surprise at the sight of Seo Jeong-won, who was a mess and soaked.
“Jeong-won.”
“I said goodbye… to him.”
With those mumblings as the end, Seo Jeong-won’s pupils rolled back. Kwon Tae-hee barely caught Seo Jeong-won, who was collapsing as if sliding down, in his arms and bit back a curse.
“Seo Jeong-won, Seo Jeong-won!”
The loosely closed eyes did not open any further. Hot breath leaked out through the slightly opened gap. Seo Jeong-won’s skin, which he hurriedly checked with his hand, was as hot as fire.
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Seo Jeong-won was moved twice, from the emergency room to the hospital room. A blood test was mandatory to find the cause of the sudden high fever. As soon as he finished the admission procedures, the doctor in charge came to the hospital room. He diagnosed Seo Jeong-won’s current condition as acute gastritis due to stress and said that there was one more piece of news to know.
“The hCG level is high. It is presumed that you are pregnant, but our hospital does not provide treatment for male Omega, so it would be good to visit a nearby obstetrician and gynecologist to check.”
“Wait a minute. Did you just say pregnant?”
“Yes, it’s not accurate, but it is based on hormone levels. We used safe medicine that pregnant women can use, so you don’t have to worry. If the fever doesn’t go down, please tell the desk.”
Kwon Tae-hee composed himself from the surprised look and nodded. Kwon Tae-hee’s gaze, who had been standing by the bed, reached his dry stomach.
Pregnancy, when on earth. Kwon Tae-hee, who was going back in time, suddenly realized.
“Heat cycle.”
He didn’t expect anything because the Heat that he experienced for the first time after the onset subsided without even filling a day. Kwon Tae-hee covered his mouth to avoid showing his delight on the outside. Seo Jeong-won was pregnant. Another reason was created why they inevitably could not let go of each other.