Correction Chapter 11

“Why are you alone?”

“Ah, I overslept.”

“You must have fought with Youngmin.”

Shinwoo, who knew the twins best after their parents, knew the moment he saw Jungmin’s face that they had fought. Although not obvious, his slightly flushed cheeks were evidence of being hit.

Shinwoo lowered the hand that was touching Jungmin’s hair and stroked his cheek. Jungmin was startled by the warmth of his large hand but didn’t move. He didn’t say anything either. He was only afraid that Shinwoo’s hand would leave.

“It doesn’t look like it’ll swell. You’re bigger now, why are you still getting hit?”

“He’s… my younger brother. There’s nowhere else to hit….”

“…That’s true.”

Shinwoo shrugged and sighed.

“Don’t you need to ice it?”

“No. I’m okay.”

Jungmin smiled and subtly linked arms with Shinwoo. It was a common occurrence, so Shinwoo acted as if nothing was wrong, which emboldened Jungmin to cling even closer. And he slightly leaned his head on Shinwoo’s shoulder. It was warm and nice. His heart pounded, thump-thump-thump.

“But why are you here, hyung? Where’s your car?”

Shinwoo had gotten his driver’s license as soon as he turned 20, and his father, as if waiting for that moment, gifted him a car. A cool foreign car that suited him well, at that.

“Today’s my car’s inspection day.”

“Then you could have taken any other car at home or called the driver.”

“I just wanted to walk a bit.”

“Is something wrong?”

“No. Don’t worry.”

Shinwoo ruffled Jungmin’s hair again. It’s so nice. He thought it would be great if he didn’t have to go to school and could just stay like this. But the bus that arrived soon after prevented him from indulging in such wishful thinking.

“The bus to school is here. We need to go.”

I don’t want to. I want to stay with Shinwoo hyung. It would be nice to stay like this forever.

“Hyung, should I go to the same university as you? Or the same department?”

“What?”

“I’m good at studying. I think I could get in.”

Shinwoo laughed at Jungmin’s confident voice.

“Youngmin would struggle, but you could do it. But don’t you have anything you want to do?”

“No. You know. I don’t have any career aspirations.”

The bus passed by without picking anyone up. It’s okay. Another bus would come anyway, and even if he took that one, he wouldn’t be late.

Shinwoo listened quietly to Jungmin. If it had been any other topic, he probably would have told him to hurry to school, but because it was about his future, he listened seriously. He’s such a reliable and kind person, Jungmin thought.

“Like you said, hyung, there’s a shortage of people in pediatrics… And my parents would be happy if I became a doctor. Ah! And later, we could open a hospital together, hyung. You could be the director! And I could be a doctor on staff!”

“Not you opening it?”

“Eh, I can’t do such bothersome things. You do it all, hyung! Do everything! And take me with you. Okay?”

“Yeah, that would be nice too.”

Jungmin felt like he could fly at Shinwoo’s smile. The bus came again, and this time Shinwoo forcibly got Jungmin up. Jungmin, seen off by him, got on the bus and waved.

And as soon as he arrived at school, he told his teacher that he wanted to go to the medical school of Korea University. The teacher welcomed the news, and his parents, who heard the news that evening, couldn’t hide their joy. Youngmin had a sullen face, but it didn’t matter. Jungmin’s mind was already dreaming of entering medical school, where Shinwoo was, and strolling around campus with him.

Jungmin easily got accepted into medical school. He had always been a good student and managed himself well, so his grades weren’t a problem, and thanks to having a goal and running towards it without looking back, he was able to get accepted early admission to his desired school.

As soon as Jungmin heard the news of his acceptance, he ran to Shinwoo. Shinwoo was also overjoyed and bought Jungmin a meal. It was a first. The two of them eating together. He finally felt like he was on equal footing with Shinwoo.

“This place is good.”

The place Shinwoo took him was a barbecue restaurant near the university. Jungmin looked around curiously, examining the restaurant. The smoke-filled place was bustling with people.

“It must seem strange to you. Sorry. I should have taken you somewhere nicer.”

“Ah, no, hyung. I like it.”

Really. If I’m with you, hyung, I could even eat garbage if you told me to.

Shinwoo grilled the samgyeopsal himself and gave Jungmin a piece at a time. Maybe because Shinwoo grilled it for him, the meat felt like it was melting in his mouth.

“Your parents must be happy, right?”

“Of course.”

“What about Youngmin?”

“He doesn’t care.”

It was true. And actually, Jungmin hadn’t seen Youngmin much recently. That was understandable, since Jungmin was busy studying, and Youngmin rarely came home.

“He’s not thinking of going to college?”

“I don’t know.”

“You’re the older brother, you should know.”

“He doesn’t think of me as his older brother, so what….”

Should I not talk about Youngmin…? Jungmin muttered to himself and took another piece of meat. Shinwoo placed a new piece of meat in the empty spot, and his mood brightened immediately.

“Tell Youngmin to take it easy.”

“Huh?”

Wondering what he suddenly meant, Jungmin looked at Shinwoo.

“What do you mean?”

Does he know that Youngmin is meeting any alpha he can find? No, he probably knows. But because he hadn’t said anything, Jungmin thought he’d given up to some extent, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Shinwoo’s expression was bitter.

“I saw him downtown a while ago. He was with some alpha… It was a different one from the alpha I saw a month ago. Or was it? Was it different from the alpha I saw two weeks ago?”

Shinwoo clenched his fist as if he wanted a drink, then drank a glass of water. It was Jungmin who wanted a drink. He said he saw him downtown, but Shinwoo probably kept hovering around Youngmin. It was true that Youngmin kept changing the alphas he was meeting a month ago, two weeks ago, and just recently.

“Tell him not to play around too much… There are still plenty of good days ahead, why is he so anxious to have so many relationships already…? Even you, his older brother, haven’t had one yet.”

“Don’t compare me to him.”

“Haha.”

When Jungmin glared, Shinwoo laughed and drank another glass of water before starting to grill the meat.

Why is he suddenly bringing this up? This isn’t the right place to talk about this. This is my and hyung’s time.

“Youngmin said he’s going to get married right after graduation. He said he’s looking for a good alpha….”

Shinwoo’s hand, which was grilling the meat, stopped.

“…Is that so.”

Shinwoo’s face darkened. But after a few seconds, he smiled slightly and shook his head.

“Your father would introduce him to a good alpha and help him get married if he just stayed put, so why is he doing that?”

“…Like you, hyung?”

“No.”

A firm answer.

“I’m not a good alpha. I’m not the right alpha for Youngmin. He can meet and marry a much better alpha than me. He has to.”

“Hyung, what are you saying? You’re such an amazing person! I’ve never seen a cooler alpha than you! You’re smart! Handsome! Your personality is perfect! How can you say that? To me, you’re more precious than Youngmin!”

He was so angry that he ended up speaking his true feelings. Jungmin fumed, then quickly covered his mouth as he ruminated on what he had just said. His face burned hot. Shinwoo stared at Jungmin with surprised eyes, then scratched the bridge of his nose with an embarrassed look.

“You’ve grown up. Jungmin. You even know how to flatter.”

It’s not flattery… It’s the truth….

“Thank you. It boosts my alpha pride a bit to hear you say that.”

“Hyung… Don’t say things like that. If I… If I were an omega, I would… I would… have tried to marry you, hyung. There’s no omega who dislikes you.”

Like a broken faucet, he poured out the true feelings he had kept locked up until now. It was a confession, and he hoped Shinwoo would recognize it as one… Or not…

His feelings were complicated, but the water had already spilled, and he felt like, ‘Whatever happens, happens.’

Does he know how much courage it took to say that? Shinwoo listened seriously to what Jungmin was saying.

“Jungmin, you….”

Shinwoo muttered, slightly lowering his head and avoiding eye contact.

You…? He waited for the words that followed.

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Those weren’t the words he wanted to hear. But he had to be satisfied with that. For now… While he was still pre-awakened, he would be satisfied with this.

“Right? So, be good to me.”

Jungmin spoke with exaggerated confidence. Shinwoo laughed.

“Yeah, yeah, this hyung will be good to you. I’m buying this meat today!”

“That’s a given!”

He yelled without realizing it, and Shinwoo stroked his hair, telling him to calm down.

Yeah. I’ll be satisfied with this for now.