Correction Chapter 68

“Jungmin…. Be honest with me.”

His older brother, who had rushed over to the house, spoke as if trying to persuade Jungmin, struggling to maintain his composure. But honestly, Shin Jungmin had nothing to say.

“Hyung-nim, I have nothing to tell you.”

“If that’s not the case, then why did the Heonjae side suddenly say they want to break off the engagement….”

“I don’t know either.”

Frankly, Jungmin was the one who felt wronged. Although they had only known each other for about a month, he had done his best at the hospital and had also tried his best during their two or so dates outside.

If there was a problem, maybe it was that they hadn’t had sex even once. Just when they had promised to do it during her heat cycle, he was suddenly notified that the engagement was off.

“There was really no talk at all?”

“No, there wasn’t. I’m bewildered myself. I don’t know why she’s suddenly acting like this.”

“Why don’t you try calling her.”

Jungmin sighed and made the call as his brother suggested. Naturally, he was blocked. Jungmin put the phone on speaker for his brother to hear the tone.

“It seems they’ve really ended things on their side. I tried calling several times before you arrived, hyung-nim… but I couldn’t get through. I don’t sense any intention of talking to me at all.”

“I see, so that’s how it is……”

His older brother seemed very disappointed. He must have had all sorts of plans laid out that involved connecting with Heonjae Mulsan. Being used as his brother’s chess piece wasn’t exactly pleasant, but he still felt sorry. It felt like this all happened because he was lacking in some way or another.

“I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing? Honestly, I want to be angry. What on earth are you lacking that she would suddenly—!”

“Honey, calm down. And brother-in-law, you really don’t need to say you’re at fault like he says. In fact, they are the ones being rude…. It must mean a better match is waiting for you. Don’t be too heartbroken, brother-in-law.”

“I’m fine.”

His only concern was his mother. It was understandable that she would be deeply upset, with her son’s engagement being broken off for a second time. True enough, she had been silent since a while ago, clutching her head and sighing continuously. His sister-in-law looked at Jungmin and gestured for him to go upstairs, indicating she would handle things. Jungmin bowed to the adults, stood up, and went up to the second floor.

“Oh, you’re here?”

Youngmin was lying on the bed, playing a game on his phone.

“Go to your own room.”

“I came to comfort you.”

“Is that the posture of someone who’s here to offer comfort?”

“Right, good point.”

Youngmin chuckled sheepishly, turned off the game, and sat up straight on the bed.

“So, what the hell happened? Why did she call it off?”

“It’s not exactly a broken engagement. We didn’t have a ceremony, and it wasn’t publicly announced.”

“Shin Jungmin, even so, everyone in this circle probably knows. Heonjae Mulsan has probably already received a lot from us, right? Our family isn’t just any ordinary family. But for them to throw all that away and decide to break it off? Something must have happened, and it must be something huge.”

“I don’t know what that ‘huge thing’ is, but I doubt it has anything to do with me. I didn’t do anything that would cause something like that to happen.”

“Are you, by any chance, impotent? Can’t get it up?”

Jungmin threw a cushion at a serious-looking Youngmin.

“Ow, why!”

“You crazy bastard. Even if we’re brothers, let’s be careful about what we say.”

“No, I mean, other than that, why would she dump you? I’m not just saying this because you’re my brother, but where else in this circle can you find an alpha like you right now? The number of omegas lining up to marry you is insane, and she dumps you? Is that Park Sungjin, or Jungjin, or whatever her name is, crazy? Or did she meet some hotshot host alpha? And they eloped?”

“Youngmin… let’s stop talking about it. It’s already over between us, I don’t want to be curious anymore, and I don’t want to gossip with unconfirmed stories.”

“Ugh, you’re so high and mighty! Seriously!”

Youngmin thumped his chest and flopped back down on the bed.

“Anyway, our mom has such a tough fate. She only has two kids, and neither of them can get properly married.”

Putting himself aside, Youngmin had dug his own grave, so he seemed oblivious to how ridiculous that statement sounded. Jungmin didn’t bother pointing it out. He didn’t want to fight with his younger brother.

“Forcing a connection that isn’t meant to be… is useless.”

Jungmin said this with a bitter smile. Wasn’t that a fact he had learned painfully since he was young? A fact he had learned firsthand through several experiences.

“Oh? Jungmin.”

And one of those experiences was walking out of the hospital where Jungmin worked. Shinwoo, too, seemed surprised to see Jungmin and paused for a moment before approaching with his usual gentle smile.

Jungmin blinked his eyes several times, wondering if it was really Yoo Shinwoo. He thought it might be a hallucination, but seeing him looking a little more mature than in his memory, he laughed to himself, thinking there was no way he could imagine something in such detail.

“Shinwoo hyung.”

“So this is the hospital where you work. Ah, right. This hospital is under the Shinsung Group. I’d forgotten.”

“That’s right. I ended up working here somehow.”

“Didn’t you hear a lot of talk about nepotism?”

“Of course I did. But what can you do? I’m competent.”

As Jungmin said this with a shrug, Shinwoo laughed out loud and patted his shoulder.

“You’ve really changed a lot. And for the better.”

Since he was someone Jungmin had spent a long time with, if he saw a change, it must be true.

“But hyung, why are you at the hospital? Are you sick?”

The reason he was able to meet Shinwoo was because he had come to the internal medicine department. Seeing that he had been treated directly by the professor, it could be something serious, so he was cautious about asking.

“Ah, no. Professor Kwak here, he’s a professor who helped me out a lot when I was in the States. So I just stopped by to say hello. And I also had some body aches, so I got a check-up while I was at it.”

“I guess the monk can’t shave his own head, after all.”

At Jungmin’s words, Shinwoo laughed again and patted his back.

“Since we’ve run into each other like this, how about a cup of coffee? Do you have time?”

“I can. For about 30 minutes….”

Jungmin took Shinwoo to the coffee shop on the second floor of the hospital. Fortunately, there weren’t many people, so it seemed they could talk comfortably.

As Jungmin came back with iced americanos and sat down, Shinwoo stared intently at him. The gaze felt burdensome, so Jungmin looked away and asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Just thinking you’ve grown up well. Our Jungmin.”

“Hyung…. I’m 30 years old. Don’t treat me like a kid.”

“But isn’t it strange? To me, you still look just like you did in middle school.”

“Why middle school, of all things?”

“Hmm… because that was a time when we could live without thinking about the future?”

What Yoo Shinwoo said was right. Back then, they had thrown everything away—whether it was being an alpha or omega, or future dreams—and the three of them just played to their hearts’ content, happy and chattering away.

“It really is strange. Seeing you here.”

“It’s strange for me too. I never thought I’d be able to see you again, hyung.”

The moment the words left his mouth, Jungmin regretted them. It felt like it could be taken the wrong way, so he quickly added on.

“No. I didn’t mean it like that! It’s just… after we parted ways like that, I never thought we’d be able to talk again. That’s what I meant.”

“I won’t misunderstand it that way. Look how many years have passed; of course that would have become the past. I don’t think it’s the present. Rumor has it you’ve been seeing a ton of omegas?”

“Uh….”

He wanted to say no, but since it was true, he couldn’t lie. Jungmin gave a difficult nod.

“I also heard you have someone you’re about to marry soon.”

“Um….”

It seemed he hadn’t received the updated information yet.

“We broke it off.”

“What? Broke it off…?”

“It’s a bit embarrassing to call it a broken engagement, since we weren’t even officially engaged…. But the other party wanted to act like it never happened, so we decided to do that.”

“Ah… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you sorry, hyung? It’s fine. We weren’t that close anyway.”

“Still… relationships are like that. And if you were close enough to get married, it could have definitely been a destined connection. A relationship you thought would work out has been broken, so even if it was just a brief encounter, you’re bound to feel some disappointment.”

Jungmin thought the gentle comfort was just like him. And he was right. It wasn’t heartbreak, but there was a sudden sense of emptiness. When he went to work the day after being notified of the breakup, she had already submitted her resignation and disappeared, so he couldn’t even see her face one last time. No matter how casual their relationship was, he naturally felt a tinge of regret, wondering if they couldn’t have at least parted with a smile. Well, if she was scared he would confront her and ask why she broke it off, it was understandable… but on the other hand, seeing how she tidied everything up and fled like a fugitive, it did make him think that she was the one who did something wrong.

“Don’t worry. A good connection will come along. There will definitely be someone who will love you.”

What are the chances that the person I like will like me back? What are the chances that I will love the person who likes me? Yoo Shinwoo also knew that this thing called “destiny” was harder to find than a miracle, but for now, those were the only words of comfort he could offer Jungmin.

“But hyung, you….”

“Yeah?”

“Ah, Dr. Shin!”

Just as he was about to ask if he was seeing anyone these days, a doctor entered the cafe and called out to Jungmin.