Correction Chapter 126 - Side Story 2

“Gasp, it’s really Kal Front?”

“Huh? Didn’t you say the suppressants were coming tomorrow?”

“I know, right.”

“But even so, the scale is too large, isn’t it?”

Everyone stared blankly at the convoy of trucks, bewildered. Unable to enter the narrow alleyway completely, the trucks parked one after another on the roadside. Presently, a man jumped down from the front truck. Upon identifying the man’s face, Jungmin was at a loss for words in his bewilderment.

Kim Joohwan, so this is why you didn’t call!!

“Sunbae.”

As soon as he saw Jungmin, he smiled and approached.

“What are you doing here?”

“I brought everything you said you needed, sunbae. I came in person to collect the payment for the suppressants while I was at it.”

Jungmin’s head throbbed. He felt like the bread he had eaten earlier was giving him indigestion. No, in fact, it wasn’t such an unpleasant feeling. This was… a ticklish feeling. What is this, am I happy to see this guy in this situation?

“Sunbae.”

At Kim Joohwan’s voice, Jungmin lifted his head. For a moment, Kim Joohwan’s face came into view with extreme clarity. This guy is really in front of me. It was unbelievable. Just as he felt like it wasn’t reality, Kim Joohwan reached out, grabbed Jungmin’s arm, and pulled him in. As if being sucked in, he was instantly in his arms. Of course, since he wasn’t an Omega, it wasn’t a picture of being completely enveloped, but it probably looked like the kind of pose friends would strike in a happy hug.

“That’s harsh. Aren’t you happy to see me?”

The scent of Kim Joohwan’s pheromones at the tip of his nose, and the cologne he often wore, touched him, and Jungmin’s mind snapped back to reality. He pushed Kim Joohwan away.

“Hey, you surprised me.”

“Sunbae.”

Kim Joohwan was pushed back slightly but approached again, and this time, Jungmin took a step back.

“Stop, let’s talk first. No, let’s start with introductions.”

Feeling the many people around them staring at the two of them in confusion, Jungmin sighed and gathered the relevant people to introduce Kim Joohwan. Everyone was grateful and amazed that the CEO of Kal Front was here. Kim Joohwan also exchanged greetings with them, but his gaze remained fixed on Jungmin, who tried his best to ignore it.

“So, is everything you brought suppressants?”

“No. I heard that the medical facilities and environment are very poor, so we plan to start building a hospital next to this medical center starting tomorrow. The materials for that are loaded on the trucks.”

“A hospital?”

“Yes, we’ll be building a hospital about three stories high, and this will be carried out under an agreement between this country and Kal Front, so you don’t have to worry. It won’t take that long either. It’s a prefabricated building, so it will be completed in about ten days.”

He had thought it was a massive undertaking, but it was even more tremendous than he had imagined. He had expected that Kim Joohwan wouldn’t just bring suppressants, but to this extent… He had talked about the suppressants a month ago, so did this mean he had been preparing all this time?

“And I heard that food and daily necessities are very scarce, so I brought a lot. It’s late today, so you can check it tomorrow.”

“Thank you so much.”

Everyone thanked Kim Joohwan with all their hearts. And they had every reason to. No matter how much they had volunteered to come here, life here wasn’t exactly comfortable. Jungmin’s heart also felt at ease at the brightened smiles of his colleagues. Then, he suddenly met Kim Joohwan’s eyes again.

“Sunbae.”

As he approached again, Jungmin took a couple of steps back this time.

“Ah, you must be tired from the long journey, so you should rest. Mister Ha, could you please show him the way? I’m not done with my consultations yet.”

“Ah, yes. I understand.”

“Well then, see you later.”

Jungmin couldn’t meet Kim Joohwan’s eyes and quickly went back into his room and closed the door. Is it because it’s been a while? Why is it so uncomfortable? His chest felt heavy. This feeling is unfamiliar.

But he had no time to think about the cause of this feeling now. There were many patients waiting, and the days here were short… Jungmin quickly sat down and focused on his work.

✽✽✽

“Haa…”

He couldn’t concentrate at all during the consultations. Was it because he had felt Kim Joohwan’s pheromones after a long time? It felt as if his pheromones were constantly hovering around him.

“Mister Shin. Please go home. Please.”

The nurse said with a troubled look on her face. Well, it was to be expected. If he didn’t go home, it would be difficult for the nurse to go home too… Jungmin apologized, tidied up his desk, and stood up.

“Mister Ha went to Haban earlier. He got a call that there was an emergency patient.”

“Haban… it’ll take two hours just to get there…”

“It can’t be helped.”

Not only this village, but all the surrounding villages and tribes lacked medical facilities, so business trips to neighboring villages like this often occurred. At first, they were unfamiliar and wary, but now they were gradually accepting them, so it was a good sign… but on the other hand, he was worried that the medical staff would get exhausted from this.

“Sunbae.”

“Ah.”

When he opened the door and went out, Kim Joohwan was leaning against it.

Startled, Jungmin blinked and looked up at him, and Kim Joohwan smiled.

“You look like you’d completely forgotten.”

His mouth was smiling, but his eyes were not. His subdued pheromones and gaze… Sensing that something was amiss, Jungmin couldn’t move forward any further. In the meantime, Kim Joohwan reached out and grabbed Jungmin’s hand tightly.

“Where is your lodging, sunbae?”

“My lodging?”

“Yes.”

“Why my lodging?”

“Then where do I sleep tonight? Do I sleep here? Or on the street?”

“No… you can sleep at a hotel…”

Ah, right. There was no way there would be a hotel here, and the only shabby hotel in the city was a four-hour drive away.

“Let’s go.”

More than anything, Kim Joohwan didn’t seem to have any intention of going alone, even if there was a hotel right in front of him. Jungmin nodded.

“Let go of my hand first. We have to walk. It’s about a 30-minute walk.”

“Why should I?”

“Hey. Kim Joohwan.”

Kim Joohwan squeezed Jungmin’s hand even tighter, as if to make a point. He felt a pang of pain, but Jungmin didn’t let it show and accepted everything Kim Joohwan wanted to do. It seemed he wasn’t in a good mood right now.

But it was Kim Joohwan who was the first to show signs of surrender. He relaxed his grip and affectionately intertwined his fingers with Jungmin’s.

“If it hurts, tell me it hurts.”

“It doesn’t hurt.”

“Let’s go for now. I have a car.”

“Hey, the road is bad, the car will get all damaged.”

“Then I can just buy a new one.”

“No, we can just walk…”

“Sunbae, can’t you just do as I say? To be honest, I’m in a fucking shitty mood right now, you know?”

Wouldn’t you be. Resigned, telling him to just do as he pleased, Jungmin was dragged by Kim Joohwan’s hand and got into the jeep parked in front of the hospital. The car rattled noisily all the way, but the two of them didn’t say a word, as if by prior agreement. Even though it was an old jeep, it was still a car, and they arrived at a distance that would have taken 30 minutes to walk in 10 minutes.

Jungmin’s lodging was in a slightly secluded place from the village at the entrance of the mountain. The nearest house was a few hundred meters’ walk away. There wasn’t a single light in the vicinity, and it wouldn’t have been strange if a wild bear came down right then and there, but there was no way there would be any life on a mountain with nothing but this withered soil. In fact, it was amazing that there was a house here at all. Of course, that house was worse than a studio apartment… and maybe, to put it in Korean terms, it felt like a stable… a thatched-roof house? No, it seemed worse than that.

It was an old and flimsy house that could barely provide shelter from the rain, but he had gotten used to it after being there for a few months.

“Wear slippers, the floor is a bit rough, so you might hurt your feet.”

Jungmin pressed the entrance switch that he had installed himself. The house, illuminated by a flickering light, was truly embarrassing to have a guest in. No, more than anything, it must have been difficult for him to get here, so wouldn’t it be better for him to rest in a slightly more comfortable place? Jungmin thought. He pointed to the only decent single bed and made an awkward excuse.

“You see? There’s absolutely no space for two grown men to lie down here. How about going to a hotel now? No. Or the hospital might be more comfortable.”

“You’re going too, right, sunbae?”

“Huh? No? Why would I. I have to work tomorrow too. This is my home-.”

It was in an instant. The moment Kim Joohwan grabbed Jungmin by the collar and threw him onto the bed.

“Ugh!!”

He had said it was decent, but the springs were old, and for a moment, there was an impact on his body and head. It was hard enough to absorb that shock, but Kim Joohwan’s pheromones poured down on Jungmin.

“Home? Why is this your home, sunbae. Your home is in Korea. Not here.”

He brought his face close to kiss him. Jungmin quickly turned his head. Then Kim Joohwan released even more pheromones, pulled Jungmin’s chin, forced his mouth open, and thrust his tongue inside. It was a rough and ignorant kiss, as if he were going to eat him alive.

No, he could feel his anxiety. It was different from the leisurely kisses he had shared with Kim Joohwan until now. Jungmin resisted with all his might. He pushed him away and even hit him with his fists. But he didn’t budge. More than anything, he couldn’t win against a dominant Alpha’s pheromones.