Correction – Chapter 78

Author: nicotine

The research lab was instantly plunged into a somber mood. The cause of all this, Shin Youngmin, simply brushed it off and left, saying he had a date.

“Wow, that’s a new level of epic.”

“No, isn’t he seriously insane? Why get tested if you’re not going to imprint?”

“What are we going to do? I feel so bad for Mr. Shinwoo.”

“Honestly, I wanted to hit him.”

The researchers were gathered, badmouthing Youngmin, but Jungmin paid them no mind. In fact, he was thinking it was a relief a knife fight hadn’t broken out on the spot. Of course, he would have been the one holding the knife.

“You’re Dr. Shin, right?”

A researcher approached and sat across from Youngmin.

“Hello. My name is Kim Ari.”

The woman, who greeted Jungmin with a pretty smile, was one of the researchers and introduced herself as having cared for Yoo Shinwoo since he was in England.

“Actually, I’ve heard a lot about you and Mr. Youngmin from Mr. Yoo Shinwoo. He said you were really good younger brothers.”

“Haha…. I guess he won’t be thinking that anymore.”

“It has turned out that way.”

Laughing awkwardly, Jungmin and Ari let out a deep sigh.

“Hyung… will he be okay?”

“He said he wants to be alone right now, so he’s in his hospital room by himself. But just in case, our people are monitoring his condition from outside the door, so you can rest assured.”

“That’s a relief.”

“Um… Dr. Shin, you’re an alpha, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I see.”

As if confirming a kill, Ari showed a slight hint of disappointment.

“Is there a problem with me being an alpha?”

“Ah, no. That’s not it. It’s just that… sometimes twins have similar pheromones. That’s why. But if you’re an alpha, there’s no possibility in the first place.”

Ms. Kim Ari apologized. Jungmin accepted her apology and stood up from his seat. It was because he felt he shouldn’t be here any longer. Even more so now that he knew this was the reason the researchers had been glancing at him.

He wanted to give them hope, and he wished he could save Shinwoo hyung, but he was, unfortunately, an ‘alpha’.

‘Sunbae, would you like to take a pheromone matching test too?’

The words of Kim Joohwan, who had disappeared at some point, came to mind. He had said it as if he knew this would happen.

“Ridiculous bastard.”

Even if he got tested… even if he beat the 0.0001% odds and had a high match, alphas of the same gender can’t imprint, so wouldn’t that just make things harder for both of them? So, let’s not plant any false hope. Shinwoo hyung is having a hard enough time. He couldn’t torture him with hope again.

✽✽✽

Jungmin didn’t go home even when it was time to leave work. Youngmin would be at home, and if he saw Youngmin now, he felt like he would spew harsh words, so he checked into a hotel near the hospital and just lay on the bed.

His mother, worried, called several times, but he didn’t answer. He just sent a single text saying he had an emergency patient and couldn’t go home today, and was about to turn off his phone when a call came in.

It was from Yoo Shinwoo. For a moment, he hesitated, unsure whether he should answer the call. He was suddenly terrified, wondering if he even had the right to take this call. But he wanted to. He wanted to hear his voice.

With a trembling finger, Jungmin pressed the call button.

“He…llo.”

─ …….

There was no sound. Jungmin gripped the phone tightly in his hand and pressed it closer to his ear.

“Shinwoo… Shinwoo hyung.”

─ …….

“Hyung… Shinwoo hyung….”

Please, say something. Please.

─ Jungmin….

Hearing Shinwoo’s voice, he could finally breathe again.

“Hyung, are you okay? Hyung….”

─ …Save… save me. Please.

But that was only for a moment; he felt the sensation of his heart stopping again. Jungmin shot up from his seat. With trembling hands, he quickly looked for his wallet. He had to go to Shinwoo right away.

“Are you hurt? Where does it hurt? The doctor? The researchers? Are they not there? Hyung!”

─ Save me….

Ah, Shinwoo wasn’t physically hurt right now. His heart was hurting. His heart was dying, and that’s why he was asking to be saved.

This was something a doctor couldn’t heal. He had to overcome it himself, or at the very least, have someone by his side. And right now, Shinwoo was looking for Jungmin. For Jungmin, there was no reason to refuse. In fact, it was what he wanted more.

Thunder cracked. A sudden downpour, not in the forecast, began to fall fiercely. He had no umbrella, and there were no taxis. Knowing he would be soaked to the bone, Jungmin didn’t hesitate and ran to the hospital.

The researchers were startled to see Jungmin. He tried to briefly explain the situation and go in, but a researcher said that Jungmin being completely wet could be bad for Shinwoo, so Jungmin quickly changed into the clothes they gave him.

When he entered the hospital room, Jungmin felt a sorrow so deep he wanted to collapse on the spot. Shinwoo hyung was slumped on the floor, leaning against the bed, crying.

He never thought he would see that expression on his hyung’s face again. Again….

“Hyung….”

Jungmin walked slowly and embraced him. He never thought he would embrace him like this again.

“I’m sorry…. I’m so sorry….”

“Jungmin….”

Shinwoo hugged Jungmin back.

“What do I do? I don’t know what to do anymore. My body and heart were broken at the same time today, so should I just keep living like this….”

“What are you talking about. Hyung, you have to live. You have to love and succeed to show the world why it shouldn’t have missed out on someone like you. So don’t say such weak things.”

When was it that he had said those words?

‘…Why are you so weak? You’re a strong person. Just because you got your heart broken… think of all the love you’ll have in the future….’

‘Who would ever love me? I’m just an alpha in name only. An alpha with azoospermia…. Even I think… it’s absurd…. I understand why Youngmin would hate it.’

This situation, so similar to that day, was painful. He thought something like this would never happen again. But what hurt more was that he couldn’t speak with the same confidence as back then.

Because now Jungmin felt… that there was nothing he could do but hold him like this.

‘If I awaken as an omega, I’ll marry you, hyung. I’ll marry you. I don’t need children. I just need you.’

“I wish it had been you…. If you were an omega… I wish it had been so.”

No. This was different from back then. The Shinwoo of that time didn’t want it. Shinwoo hadn’t looked at Jungmin and told him to become an omega. But the Shinwoo of now was saying this. Jungmin’s mind snapped into focus.

“Hyung….”

Jungmin looked at Shinwoo’s face. He stroked Jungmin’s hair and smiled sadly.

“That can’t happen, can it. I’m sorry. I know how cruel these words are to you, but I have to say them. I’m sorry for being so selfish… I’m sorry. I….”

That’s right. Shinwoo hyung, how could you say something so cruel to me. Knowing that those are the words that would hurt me more than any other words in this world, how could you.

“So that was why….”

At Shinwoo’s low mutter, Jungmin stared at him with blank eyes.

“Your pheromones felt uniquely calming. Look at this. No matter how many suppressants you’ve taken, I can feel your pheromones. But isn’t it strange?”

Shinwoo buried his nose in the crook of Jungmin’s neck and inhaled. The ticklish sensation made Jungmin flinch slightly.

“Your pheromones are fine. Even though they’re alpha pheromones, I don’t feel any repulsion. They don’t suffocate me. I thought it was strange. But thanks to Youngmin, I found out why. It’s because you two are twins, isn’t it?”

‘Sometimes twins have similar pheromones. That’s why. But if you’re an alpha, there’s no possibility in the first place.’

He remembered what the researcher had said. During the day, Jungmin had thought that. That he was an alpha and his pheromones wouldn’t match, so it was impossible. But if… what if the pheromones did match…, if he could just be of help to him, he just had to become an omega, right?

‘I can give you the medicine anytime, so please feel free to tell me. I’ll send you the one distributed in Germany, not the one in Korea.’

‘Right, thank you for saying that.’

‘No, I’m not kidding. Any kind of medicine sunbae needs… I can get it all for you. I’ll even make it for you if you want.’

With a loud clap of thunder, Kim Joohwan’s leisurely smiling face flashed through his mind.

“Hyung….”

It feels like everything is flowing according to a plan, as if it were all laid out, to the point where I think this might be a trap you’ve set.

“Yes, Jungmin.”

But I will gratefully step into that trap.

“Shinwoo hyung….”

I don’t know what you wanted.

“I’ll become one. I… I’ll become an omega, whatever it takes.”

If I can get what I want, I can give you at least that much.