Correction Chapter 55

Abandoning family. Betraying a parent’s expectations. Hurting someone…. It was clearly that kind of act.

So he agonized over it. The reason he couldn’t give Soohan an immediate answer to his request was because someone would definitely get hurt and struggle because of this. So Jungmin met no one and contemplated it alone. Soohan only sent texts saying he would wait. Then, Jungmin suddenly realized something.

Perhaps this very hesitation was the answer.

It felt like he had never once lived for himself. He had tried to meet his parents’ expectations, he had to clean up Youngmin’s messes, and he had to be conscious of the world’s eyes. He even had to concede and inevitably give up on his feelings for Shinwoo. He had desperately wanted things, but had nothing in his hands.

Yes, he never thought he would have this kind of hesitation after Shinwoo. That he would develop a hesitation that allowed him to discard something for the sake of something else…. He hadn’t even expected it.

At that point, Jungmin didn’t delay his decision any longer. There was no time. He had to hurry. First, he called Soohan.

“Hyung.”

─Yeah….

Fear and worry were laced in Soohan’s voice. Along with a lack of confidence. Perhaps because he had already made his decision, that voice sounded cute to him. What am I going to do with this hyung. What to do, indeed, I’ll have to support him for the rest of his life. And I have the confidence to do it.

“What’s with your voice. It’s not like you’re receiving a death sentence.”

─How did you know? That’s exactly how I feel right now.

“…I’ll go.”

─What?

“I said I’ll go. Both you and I are recognized for our skills, so we’ll do well as doctors wherever we go. I’m not telling you to take responsibility for me. This is my decision.”

─Jungmin-ah.

His voice was much more lively than before. It seemed he had poured the water of life on him. What a relief. That his choice had saved one person.

“Wait, it’s not over yet. Just one thing. Promise me.”

─Just say it. Anything…. I’ll promise anything.

Soohan’s voice was already full of tears.

“Don’t let me go. You… you can’t let me go. Hyung. Got it? In return, I won’t let you go either.”

He tried not to cry, but Jungmin also teared up.

─Never… I’ll never let you go. Jungmin-ah. Jungmin-ah…. Where are you now. I’ll come pick you up. I want to hold you.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Take care of Sooeun-ssi first. I have to move quickly, too. I need to get things in order. So… I’ll call you later.”

─Jungmin-ah…. I really don’t know what to say to you. Jungmin-ah… Shin Jungmin.

“Don’t cry. Now, hyung, we’re going to a battlefield. We have to keep our wits about us.”

─Right. Right… Thank you. I love you. I love you. Jungmin-ah.

His chest felt warm. Once he made the decision, all the emotions he had blocked off dug deep into his heart. He could feel how sincere Soohan was, more desperately than before. Jungmin hung up the phone and thought.

The day Sooeun-ssi originally planned to leave is next week. Fortunately, the plane tickets haven’t been canceled, he’d heard. But moving on the same plane is risky. It would be better to move on flights before or after hers if possible. That way, he felt he could protect Sooeun-ssi and her partner even if they were in danger. There were only five days. What should I do….

“Haa….”

Packing his own luggage now was impossible. In the worst-case scenario, he might have to leave the country as if fleeing, with nothing but his passport.

It wasn’t that he had no assets, so if he had them, he could live abroad without discomfort. Is there anyone I can ask for help to transfer the money?

If only there was someone who had an overseas bank account…. Jungmin wracked his brain.

“Ah.”

Then, Kim Joohwan suddenly came to mind.

“Crazy….”

The man was a double-edged sword. An even more terrible situation could arise. And yet, he was the only person who came to mind right now. Jungmin couldn’t bring himself to press the call button right away and stared at the screen for a long time before unblocking the number and pressing call as if he’d made up his mind.

─Did you unblock me?

That was the first thing he said upon answering.

“Kim Joohwan, help me.”

Just those two words. After a few minutes of silence, Joohwan told Jungmin the location where he was.

✽✽✽

The place where Joohwan was was an outdoor bar set up near the Han River. A quiet place with a nice atmosphere where you couldn’t see anything dirty. Exactly the kind of place Jungmin would like.

In the uppermost private room of that bar, Joohwan was sitting leisurely. The area was filled with Omegas emitting seductive pheromones, but Joohwan didn’t even glance at them, just having a drink while looking out the window. He looked like a relaxed beast of prey that had everything.

Joohwan took another sip, then saw Jungmin reflected in the window, smiled, and put down his glass. He then gestured for everyone in the room to leave.

“…I didn’t know a place like this existed.”

“It opened last week.”

“Really?”

Jungmin offered a perfunctory remark and sat down opposite him. Joohwan pulled an empty glass and placed it in front of Jungmin.

“It feels like it’s been a long time since I’ve had a private drink with you like this, sunbae….”

“Is that so….”

Thinking about it, it really had been a long time. So long he couldn’t even remember……. Jungmin found it awkward to be alone with Joohwan and did not welcome it.

He liked to drink, but when he drank with Joohwan, he strangely felt like the taste of the alcohol was ruined. Just a feeling of wanting to get away quickly. It was the same now. However, he was here to ask for a favor, so he felt he should cater to Joohwan’s tastes. Just as Jungmin looked at the full glass and was about to down it in one shot, Joohwan stopped him.

“Sunbae, if you drink alcohol like it’s poison, the person pouring it for you isn’t pleased.”

“…Give it, I can drink it.”

“Forget it. You didn’t ask to meet like this just to drink with me, did you?”

A tone that said he already knew everything. But Jungmin couldn’t gauge how much he knew.

“Do you need to help Ji Soohan, or do you need to help Ji Sooeun?”

As expected… he knew everything.

“…Both.”

“Both, you say…. Then this will be quite a big deal….”

Joohwan smiled and lit a cigarette. White smoke billowed out, and he leisurely crossed his legs and looked at Jungmin.

“And me.”

Joohwan’s eyebrow twitched.

“I want to go with them, too.”

“…You’re joking, right?”

“No, I’m serious. So give me a hand. I’m leaving the country next week.”

“Why?”

“Sooeun-ssi is… worr-!”

BANG!!

Before he could finish his sentence, Joohwan shot up from his seat and flipped the table over. He then approached Jungmin and grabbed him by the collar.

“Where do you keep lying? Did you think I wouldn’t know? That you and Ji Soohan are sleeping together?!”

“No! Kugh, no. With hyung, it’s not that kind of relationsh-!”

“I saw it with my own two eyes, where do you get off lying. Sunbae. I didn’t think you were like this, but you’ve gotten quite brazen lately.”

“Let… go…! Can’t… breathe…!”

As if on cue with his words about not being able to breathe, Joohwan pulled him even tighter. As his airway constricted and Jungmin’s lips turned pale, he finally tossed Jungmin onto the sofa.

“First Yoo Shinwoo, now Ji Soohan. The way you chase after Alphas puts an Omega in heat to shame. If you had become an Omega, sunbae, you would have become the greatest femme fatale in the world. What a waste.”

“Say what you want. Help me.”

“Do you think I’ll help you?”

“I’ll do anything. Please…. Help me. Ridiculously enough, you’re the only person I can ask for help. As you know, my family has eyes everywhere, and word will get back to them somehow. But you’re different. That’s why I’m asking. Please.”

Seeing Jungmin bowing his head and begging, Joohwan was seized by an impulse to kill him. He didn’t know why he felt that way, but he felt a horrifying thought to break his neck right here and now and display it in his room, feeling estranged from himself.

An unbearable anger welled up from his entire body. But the more that happened, the calmer Kim Joohwan became. Joohwan thought. Until the cigarette filter burned all the way down. Then, at the moment the last ash fell, he smiled brightly.

“Alright. I’ll help you.”

“Kim Joohwan.”

“In return, I have one favor to ask, sunbae.”

“…Anything… just say it.”

“Don’t act like you’d offer up your body. It looks cheap. I’m not interested in an Alpha’s body anyway.”

“What do you want?”

“Instead, let’s make a bet.”

“A bet?”

“Since your preference for Alphas seems to be a matter of taste, let’s set that aside. I’ve become curious about Ji Soohan. Sunbae. Do you trust him, no matter what happens? That ‘Alpha’?”

“…I trust him.”

“Then I’ll bet on the opposite outcome.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“You’ll find out soon enough. You just have to wait for my call. The moment you win the bet, sunbae, I will have a private jet loaded with gold coins sent up into the sky for you.”