Correction Chapter 114

After spending his rut like that, he was sick in bed for a full ten days. It wasn’t serious enough to be hospitalized, but since Jungmin could hardly get up, a worried Joohwan even called a doctor to the house and made a huge fuss.

When he sarcastically suggested that Joohwan should have gone around the neighborhood boasting about how two alphas were knocked out after spending a rut together, Kim Joohwan replied that he should have, looking rather proud of himself. The sight was so ridiculous that Jungmin laughed emptily.

After getting an IV drip and resting a bit, he was able to move his body. The first thing he did as soon as he got up was to send Kim Joohwan to work. For some reason, Kim Joohwan had stayed by his side for the entire ten days without even going to work.

‘Won’t you get fired from your company?’

‘If they fire me, half of the company’s market cap will disappear.’

He thought it was nonsense, but seeing his confident demeanor, it seemed he had something to rely on. But that was that, and work was work.

As Jungmin started nagging him again, Kim Joohwan finally got a confirmation from the doctor that Jungmin’s condition had improved, and only then did he start going to work the next day. That was yesterday. Of course, he came back from work at night with the doctor, checked Jungmin’s condition several times, and only then returned to his own home.

He considered asking him to stay the night… but honestly, he couldn’t imagine sleeping in the same bed with Kim Joohwan with a clear mind, except for when he was sick or in rut, so he just sent him away.

And today, Ms. Kim, the doctor, visited Jungmin’s house to check his condition and draw blood for a test.

“I could have gone to the hospital.”

“No, it’s fine. It’s a good excuse for me to get out, too.”

She, who spends all day at the research institute, was happy that she had a good excuse to go out, saying she should do this often. But Jungmin knew. This too was Kim Joohwan’s idea….

“Shinwoo hyung is….”

He probably called the doctor like this to prevent Shinwoo and him from meeting.

“Ah.”

At Jungmin’s question, Ms. Kim gave an awkward laugh.

“He’s undergoing treatment. It’s not a serious side effect… so please don’t worry.”

“I see. Ah, by any chance, when is he scheduled to be discharged?”

“We’ve decided to observe him for about another week.”

“I see.”

In truth, he could just ask Shinwoo directly. If he sent a message, he would get a reply. But for some reason, he couldn’t bring himself to do it.

He had thought many things would change if he slept with Shinwoo. And he had believed it would surely be for the better. However, expectation and reality were different. It was the opposite. His mood was continuously spiraling downwards.

He was terribly sad and depressed. And everything felt futile. It was childish, but back then… if he had just said that one thing he wanted to hear, would he not be feeling this way? It would have been really nice if he had.

“No…”

It was already in the past, spilled water. He had no choice but to accept reality. Jungmin sent Ms. Kim off and sat on the sofa, looking up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes, feeling the air of the quieted house.

“I need to sort things out.”

This is the wrong path. Jungmin thought that Yoo Shinwoo was surely becoming unhappy because of his own greed. The same went for Kim Joohwan. He was pointlessly having sex with him because of him… and worrying about him while he was sick. Of course, he himself seemed fine, but one could never know what was going on inside. What was certain was that he was being a nuisance to everyone.

“And… me too.”

Jungmin looked at his own hands. Thanks to the careful treatment and medication from Cal Front, the hand tremors had disappeared. As a result, he was gradually wanting to return to his original place. Becoming a doctor was something he had started to follow Yoo Shinwoo, but he had enjoyed it because it suited his aptitude. He couldn’t return to work right away, but he thought he should start preparing little by little.

Only now was he looking back at his abandoned self. He should have loved himself the most, but the one who had cast him aside most cruelly was none other than himself. He had to quickly start taking care of himself again before it was too late. If he didn’t, he might break down someday to the point of no return.

He looked around the house. He felt he needed to talk to Yoo Shinwoo and move out again. He would have to think about whether to go back to his family home or get a place near the hospital…. Since it was a decision about a new start, he thought he should be careful and serious about it. As Jungmin took a breath, he let out a smirk. It was because the whole house was filled with Kim Joohwan’s pheromones.

And that night, he got a call from his mother for the first time in a long while. It was to tell him that Youngmin was coming home for the first time after giving birth, so he should come to the family home and at least have a meal. Jungmin, wanting a change of pace and also wanting to see Youngmin and his new niece, readily agreed to go.

─Should I come too?

Jungmin paused just as he was about to press the engine start button. He had been on the phone with Kim Joohwan, who had called just as he was leaving the house. He had told him he was going to his family’s home and not to come over in the evening, and that was his response.

“What are you talking about? Why would you go?”

─Wow, that’s harsh. Don’t you think it’s about time I started greeting your parents? You’re trying to dine and dash again.

No, how could this guy say such things so naturally and shamelessly? There were times when listening to him made him think, ‘Did I really do that?’

─I’m kidding. I’m just worried.

He was about to say something, but Kim Joohwan’s voice immediately turned serious, and hearing it, Jungmin felt he couldn’t even get that one word out, so he cleared his throat.

“I’m fine. You must have received a report. My fever’s down… and my body doesn’t feel sluggish anymore. I wouldn’t even be driving today if I weren’t okay.”

─Get a designated driver.

“I said I’m fine.”

─I’m not the one who’s fine, that’s why.

“Oh, so I guess I feel even better then. What does you not being fine have to do with me?”

─Wow, is that something to say to the person who nursed you for ten days? Really.

“The main culprit who made me lie in bed for those ten days has a lot to say.”

─You really don’t lose a single argument. Just give in a little.

“Why don’t you give in a little?”

─Sunbae, the very fact that you’re out like that right now is me giving in.

Jungmin was about to ask what he meant by that, but he suddenly got the chills and stopped.

“Let’s hang up now. I need to get going.”

─You really don’t need me to come?

“I said I’m fine. Uh… if something feels a little off, I’ll call you.”

Jungmin made the first move, thinking that if he didn’t at least say this, the guy would keep calling and sending messages. That was all it was. But why did it feel so embarrassing?

─You have to call me first.

“Not 911?”

─…You know what I mean.

It sounded like he was telling him to prioritize him over Yoo Shinwoo. But why? What do you have to do with me? We were nothing more and nothing less than a relationship where we just have sex when needed, but why… at some point, did I start prioritizing this guy in everything? Jungmin questioned it for a moment, then stopped thinking. And only after saying he would do so about a hundred times was he finally able to end the call.

✽✽✽

“Jungmin!”

“Whoa~! Shin Jungmin!”

As soon as Jungmin arrived at the house, not only his mother but also Youngmin greeted him warmly. Youngmin was supposed to be the guest, but it was understandable since it had been almost half a year since Jungmin had been home. He hadn’t wanted to show his unhealthy state to his family. It was also the first time he had seen Youngmin since hearing the news of his pregnancy. Youngmin, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time, was the same as ever, and his mother had aged a little in the meantime.

“Mother.”

“My goodness, how long has it been? What happened to your face? Why have you lost so much weight?”

This was him at his healthiest… if she had seen him when he was suffering from the drug’s side effects, she would have fainted.

“I wasn’t feeling well.”

“Where? Do you not need to go to the hospital?”

“I’ve been going to the hospital. And it’s not a serious illness, so don’t worry. I’m eating well, and I’m exercising too. Ah, Shin Youngmin. It’s been a while.”

“Yeah, you heartless twin brother, you.”

He had hated him. He was a brother he truly hated, one he couldn’t cast aside because they were of the same blood, one he resented and was jealous of. But he didn’t know why he was so happy to see Youngmin now. Perhaps blood is really the thickest.

“Where’s my new niece?”

“Listen to you. ‘New niece’.”

“It’s true, isn’t it?”

“Well, that’s true.”

While their mother was preparing the meal, Youngmin smiled and led him to the room where the baby was sleeping. He said that since he would be staying at the family home for a while, their mother had beautifully decorated Youngmin’s old room into a baby room.

When he opened the door and went in, the room was filled with the smell of baby powder. He didn’t know how this scent could evoke such nostalgia every time he smelled it. On a cute little bed in the middle of the room, a tiny angel was lying and sleeping.

“Wow, she’s really small.”

“Right? I was surprised too because she’s so small. But they say she’s healthy.”

“That’s a relief. Is it a girl?”

“Yeah, how did you know?”

“Because she’s pretty.”

“Hehe, of course she is, since she takes after me.”

“That’s right. Maybe because she takes after you, she’s really pretty.”

Youngmin’s new husband was handsome, but not pretty. As he was thinking this, he felt a gaze on him and lifted his head to see Youngmin staring intently at him.