* * *
Yeonwoo always turns off his phone when going to meet Munbeom.
At first, he did this out of fear that Jonghoon would find out about their meetings, but later it became a natural habit.
Knowing that this relationship would eventually end, he didn’t want anyone to disturb them during their time together. Because of the phone he had turned off for such a simple reason, he didn’t receive the call right away.
As always, it was an unremarkable day.
But accidents tend to happen suddenly on such ordinary days.
‘His blood pressure suddenly dropped and he went into shock. We’ve provided emergency treatment, but his pheromone levels are continuing to decrease, and our hospital facilities aren’t adequate. Yeonwoo, we need to move your father to a larger facility with better equipment. And this is just a worst-case scenario, but if this happens one more time, then…’
Unable to finish the sentence, the doctor tried to comfort Yeonwoo. He was trying to encourage Yeonwoo, who might be left alone if the worst-case scenario came true.
He was a good person. Everyone at that hospital was good. If Yeonwoo had been in their position, he might have ignored a patient whose guardian couldn’t be reached in time during an emergency.
No, thanks to them, his father had survived once again. Though his face was pale and he was on a respirator, he was still breathing.
Thank goodness, truly thank goodness.
It was fortunate that Jonghoon was with him when he finally turned on his phone and received Junseok’s call. Thanks to that, he could immediately go to the hospital in Jonghoon’s car.
Yeonwoo felt like he was underwater the entire time.
The familiar people who rushed over when they saw him and their words went in one ear and out the other. Jonghoon took care of everything on behalf of Yeonwoo, who was clearly not in his right mind. The hospital staff and Junseok seemed bewildered by Jonghoon’s sudden appearance and assertiveness, but everything was clarified when Yeonwoo said, “He’s my father.”
After putting out the urgent fire, Jonghoon returned to Yeonwoo and groaned.
“My goodness, my mind is all over the place.”
Sitting in a chair in the hospital corridor, Jonghoon glanced at Yeonwoo beside him. Nervously shaking one leg, he quickly turned to face Yeonwoo.
“But things went smoothly because I was here. What could you have done alone?”
“…”
“A few thousand won would be nothing for an immediate transfer and surgery. You know this better than anyone, right? Since you’ve been watching everything from the first surgery until now.”
His boasting, as if he had been waiting for this moment, wasn’t funny at all, but Yeonwoo couldn’t deny it either.
Jonghoon stared at Yeonwoo, who showed no reaction, and casually dropped his words.
“…Let’s go to one more matchmaking meeting. You can’t use a bank anyway because of your private loans. The money for the immediate surgery expenses will come out of my pocket. If we take out the deposit for the house you live in, well, we could somehow cover it with that.”
“…”
“I know someone I’ve been indebted to for a long time, and they seem likely to arrange a good meeting, so go there once. You have a decent face and you’re a dominant omega, so if you catch a good guy, that’s your ticket to fortune. Pay off all your private loans, no more worries about your father’s hospital bills, and yeah, you won’t have to see me anymore either.”
Jonghoon continued speaking rapidly while lightly tapping his thigh.
“You must be sick of a father like me. Let’s end all our connections with just one good effort. What do you think? There’s nothing more to consider. What else can you do if not this?”
There was nothing he could do. But it wasn’t funny that the person who created this situation in the first place was talking like this. Of course, what was even more ridiculous was Yeonwoo’s position, having to just listen to these absurd words.
“…I’m only twenty-one.”
In response to Yeonwoo’s words that came out like a sigh, Jonghoon averted his gaze as if feeling guilty.
“That’s why you’re sellable. Young, pretty, and dominant.”
“…”
“Being born with good looks is also a blessing. You should be grateful for that much.”
It wasn’t funny at all, but a short, dry laugh escaped him involuntarily. Yeonwoo quietly observed Jonghoon’s profile as he avoided eye contact, and muttered as if to himself.
“We really don’t look alike at all. That’s my only consolation.”
“…You don’t have to put it like that.”
Jonghoon, who had been grumbling that there must be some resemblance if you looked closely, closed his mouth. The silence that followed was extremely uncomfortable.
It was only after staying up all night that they could prepare to transfer his father. During that time, Junseok must have noticed something strange about Jonghoon, as he worriedly asked Yeonwoo if everything was okay.
It wasn’t okay. Although Jonghoon was worse than a stranger, Yeonwoo didn’t see the point in telling Junseok that, so he just calmly replied, “Yes.” Yeonwoo kept his mouth shut after that, and Junseok couldn’t continue the conversation.
As soon as admission procedures were completed at the large hospital in Seoul, they began examinations all over again. Jonghoon grumbled, asking why they needed more tests when they had brought the examination papers from the previous hospital. Complaining nonstop about unnecessary additional costs, the man finally shut his mouth tactfully, perhaps becoming aware of Yeonwoo’s continued silence.
Since it was such a large hospital with many patients, the waiting time between each test was long.
Jonghoon received a call from somewhere and left his seat, while Yeonwoo never left Younghwa’s side. Younghwa’s condition was serious, with him on a respirator, but Yeonwoo, sitting quietly beside him, also looked pitiful.
Medical staff passing by asked if he was okay, and Yeonwoo responded with a delayed “Yes.” After giving this answer five or six times, the examinations ended, and the day had already darkened. The news they heard when the examinations that had taken a full day were completed was devastating.
“The patient’s condition is not good. He doesn’t have the strength to go directly into surgery, and even if it succeeds, it’s uncertain whether the patient will regain consciousness. For now, raising his pheromone levels is crucial. The first goal is to raise the levels to this point within two weeks. Surgery comes later.”
While Yeonwoo immediately understood the explanation, Jonghoon couldn’t accept it. More precisely, he seemed overwhelmed by the cost of the treatment needed to raise those pheromone levels. The surgery alone cost thousands, but this pheromone treatment was over a hundred per day.
“He’s just lying there breathing, and it’s eating up money.”
Jonghoon was apparently in significant pain watching his money go out, as he didn’t even consider the feelings of the doctors or nurses. Since pheromone treatment itself is very expensive and the prognosis is often poor, they didn’t say anything directly, but their expressions weren’t pleased.
So Yeonwoo deliberately spoke in a clear and distinct voice.
“I’ll do as you advised, doctor. Please take good care of my father. If additional measures are needed in the meantime, please do everything without worrying about the cost.”
Though he heard Jonghoon take a sharp breath right beside him, Yeonwoo didn’t care.
‘Please save my father, doctor.’
Perhaps sensing the desperation in his words, the doctor looked back and forth between Yeonwoo and Jonghoon before nodding.
As soon as they left the consultation and entered the corridor, Jonghoon glared at Yeonwoo. His face turning red and blue, he looked like he wanted to pour out curses right away, but somehow swallowed them. Instead, he seemed about to punch the wall, but apparently decided to accept the situation and nodded.
“Fine, let’s do what you want. It’s good if we can save someone who’s almost dead.”
The man’s face was ugly as he spoke words he didn’t mean.
“But you know you have something to do in return for what I’m doing, right?”
“I know. So go and pay the money.”
“…”
For general illnesses, payment could be made after treatment was completed, but it was different for trait-bearers. The treatment was not only expensive, but in some cases not covered by insurance, so about half of the final cost had to be paid in advance for proper treatment to begin.
Despite knowing this, Jonghoon seemed reluctant to move, his lips twitching before he finally spoke up.
“In return, you need to come live at our house from now on.”
“…”
“If I leave you alone, I don’t know where you’ll go doing omega things. Stay put at least until the next matchmaking meeting. We don’t want to leave traces here and there…!”
Leaning his face close to Yeonwoo’s, Jonghoon asked in a threatening manner.
“You’ll go to the matchmaking, right? You won’t talk nonsense there, right? Promise me clearly right here.”
Yeonwoo looked at Jonghoon who was glaring at him.
Did he really need to attend that matchmaking meeting to resolve the private loan? A debt he had shouldered without even knowing.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
