Chapter 83
Not many people knew that Choi Taeri was Choi Junghyeok’s son. Even those who did know didn’t show it in front of Choi Junghyeok. Though he was kind to patients, he was extremely sensitive and cold to those around him, so interns and nurses were reluctant to speak carelessly to him.
Moreover, if it was a story about Choi Junghyeok’s son, whose name alone could make one’s blood run cold, they wouldn’t want to bring it up and get scolded unnecessarily.
“I understand, so get out.”
After the nurse left, Choi Junghyeok slammed his fist on the desk once.
“Damn…”
He was busy with conferences and flights, and due to time differences, urgent calls from the hospital were mainly about patients. It was natural that no report came in since the pediatrics department head didn’t need to know about volunteer performance groups according to the hospital system.
But crimson anger surged within Choi Junghyeok. He clenched his mouth so tightly that muscles stood out on his jaw, then immediately called the social work office.
-This is Gi Jeong-ah from the social work office.
“This is Choi Junghyeok. What’s going on?”
Choi Junghyeok asked this question abruptly without any context.
-Chief Choi, that is…
“How does something like that come to volunteer at the hospital?”
His voice was so cold it was impossible to gauge his mood, but Choi Junghyeok revealed his discomfort by using the dismissive expression “something like that.”
-It was such a popular program that the PR office had already accepted, and they said they’d let us know who was coming after it was confirmed, but I had no idea Choi Taeri would end up on the confirmed team.
“Are you calling that an explanation now?”
-I’m sorry. I’m truly sorry, Chief. I should have told you in advance, but you were on a business trip to America…
Gi Jeong-ah kept apologizing though she had done nothing wrong.
Since Ji Inhui was also on a business trip to England, it would have been awkward to contact her. Since Choi Junghyeok, the pediatrics department head, wasn’t in the reporting line for the PR office or social work office, he couldn’t get angrier.
Choi Junghyeok tried to calm his uncomfortable feelings and continued speaking.
“Did this get reported to the chairman?”
The chairman was Choi Giseok, Choi Junghyeok’s father and Taeri’s grandfather. Junghyeok was confident he wouldn’t have allowed it. Choi Giseok had been more certain than anyone that Taeri, his first grandchild, would become a doctor from the moment he was born.
-Yes. The chairman told us to proceed that way. He said it would help a lot with hospital promotion.
“…I understand.”
Choi Junghyeok hung up the phone as if throwing it.
If Chairman Choi Giseok had permitted it, there was no room for reconsideration.
“Shit…”
The curse slipped out naturally.
Until now, he had pretended not to know. But if there was a performance at the hospital, he couldn’t not know about it. Junghyeok got chills just thinking about his son dancing and singing like a clown in front of others.
‘I should tell him to give up on his own.’
Choi Junghyeok hesitated as he tried to call Taeri. Choi Junghyeok didn’t have his son Taeri’s cell phone number.
But it would be ridiculous for a father to ask reporters or other family members for his own son’s phone number. Anticipating their gossiping, Choi Junghyeok soon changed his mind.
‘All sorts of things.’
Choi Junghyeok gripped some innocent documents tightly, then picked up the internal phone and called the chairman’s office.
“Is the chairman in? I’m coming now.”
Choi Junghyeok headed straight to the chairman’s office.
* * *
“Did father arrange for Taeri to perform here?”
As soon as Choi Junghyeok entered the chairman’s office, he shouted.
“You must have already heard.”
Choi Giseok looked at Choi Junghyeok with a cynical face. In his mid-70s complexion, there was no hesitation or doubt whatsoever.
“Why did you do that?”
Realizing he was no match for his father, Choi Junghyeok calmed his anger and asked calmly. Choi Giseok shot a sharp look at Choi Junghyeok.
“In our family, you’re the only one who hates his son. Do you expect me to take no action after seeing such family disgrace in front of me? You’ve done enough – leave Taeri alone. He’s already been on broadcasts and everything.”
“Hate him? If only Taeri would listen to me…”
“Taeyoung, Taejin, and Taeyoon, who are all inferior to Taeri, are all being protected by their parents while you alone torment Taeri, so though it’s late, I have no choice but to step in.”
“I am Taeri’s father!”
When Choi Junghyeok’s voice rose, Choi Giseok silently glared at him.
“Since you’ve run your household that way, you should pay the appropriate price.”
“So now you’re staging what I hate most?”
“What would people gossip about if our hospital rejected Taeri? I hate seeing our family become the subject of people’s talk.”
Choi Junghyeok looked at Choi Giseok in silence. In Choi Junghyeok’s childhood, he too had suffered pressure from his father Choi Giseok to become a doctor. When Choi Giseok was young, he was so frightening that it was difficult for anyone to stand properly before him, so no one could disobey his words.
Now he had achieved everything and was trying to give his son the same position, but Choi Junghyeok was very displeased with the old man’s whim of suddenly making a fuss after keeping quiet until now.
Moreover, there was no great reason for that whim. He was being stubborn because of his terrible obsession with a family that was perfect and harmonious “on the surface.”
This wouldn’t have happened if Taeri had gone to medical school in the first place.
“Father can afford to play such games now. Since all three sons became doctors. But I’m different. Don’t play such games again.”
Choi Junghyeok glared at his father Choi Giseok and left the chairman’s office.
* * *
The time he woke up hearing the alarm was 6:30. Juha let out a low groan “mmm” and got up from his seat.
‘Right, I was roommates with Youngin hyung.’
Juha blankly looked at Youngin sleeping on the next bed, hugging his blanket like a doll. He had gone to bed around 10 PM last night to wake up early, but ended up talking unnecessarily with Yoo Youngin and thinking about various things, finally falling asleep around midnight.
Juha gathered his clothes while glancing at sleeping Youngin.
‘I need to get to the cafeteria by 7…’
He considered abandoning him and going alone, but Juha approached Youngin slightly. Youngin was sleeping so soundly it seemed like he would never wake up unless roused. Juha reluctantly shook Youngin gently to wake him.
“Hyung, Youngin hyung. Wake up. Let’s go eat.”
“Mmph, bastard, go eat by yourself.”
Youngin grumbled and cursed in a half-asleep voice.
“Huh? Junho hyung! Want to go to the cafeteria together?”
“Where? Where?”
When the word “Junho” came from Juha’s mouth, Youngin suddenly shot up and looked around.
“Just kidding. Let’s hurry and go eat.”
When Juha chuckled and teased him, Youngin’s face from just waking up turned bright red.
“This bastard really!”
“Hurry up and get up.”
Juha took the fuming Youngin to the cafeteria.
In the cafeteria, Taeri and Junho had arrived first and were getting their food.
“Taeri!”
When Juha called his name and ran over, Taeri welcomed him with a bright smile.
Meanwhile, Na Junho’s team members crowded around him with their trays. When Juha got his food and sat in front of Taeri, he suddenly noticed Na Junho and his team members. Unlike the team members chatting brightly in front of Na Junho, Yoo Youngin, who was on the same team, was standing a step away looking awkward.
‘Why is he like that?’
The Youngin who had excitedly chatted with Juha yesterday had disappeared, and he seemed to find his team members difficult. It was different from Youngin who had stepped forward from the beginning in the last team to corner Juha and make Jang Chaemyeong and Seo Eunwon nervous.
Even the other team members excluding Junho and Youngin were all young, in their late teens. Yet Youngin was being so awkward.
“Lee Juha, I’m right in front of you.”
Taeri pouted as if feeling left out.
“Ah, sorry. Did you sleep well? You didn’t cause a fuss hugging pillows with Junho hyung last night, did you?”
Juha teased him, recalling the night when he and Taeri were roommates in the penthouse during the early camp period.
“I installed a curtained partition between Junho hyung’s bed and mine.”
“…”
That was so like the thoroughly individualistic Na Junho. For someone who valued his personal space that much to have made all his team members sleep in one room during the last competition, it made Juha newly realize how desperate Na Junho had been then.
Even while sitting across from Taeri eating, Juha’s gaze kept going to Youngin. The young members chatted among themselves, Na Junho ate his meal seemingly uninterested in their conversation, and Youngin looked around nervously at them.
No matter how he thought about it, it was a strange scene. Meanwhile, Choi Musin suddenly sat in front of him and Youngin regained stability.
‘Are he and Choi Musin on good terms?’
Yoo Youngin and Choi Musin had been partners during the 1st competition death match. At that time Youngin was 2nd place and Choi Musin was 57th place, so they were worried, but it was memorable that Choi Musin came up through the revival round. Seeing the observant Choi Musin approach first like that and Youngin’s face brighten somewhat, there seemed to be no bad feelings at all.
‘I don’t know.’
Juha deliberately looked away and cut off his interest. They were on different teams now, so he had no time to worry about Youngin.
* * *
The practice days given for the volunteer performance were 3 days.
Team practice began immediately after breakfast ended. Though it seemed generous considering they didn’t need to learn new choreography, it was tight timing to create concepts and coordinate with new team members. Since one day had already passed, only two days remained.
When Juha entered the practice room chatting trivially with Taeri, he saw Nam Suchang who had secured a spot early.
Come to think of it, he hadn’t seen Nam Suchang during breakfast.
“Hyung, you came early.”
Juha and Taeri greeted him as they approached.
“Oh, you came?”
For some reason, Nam Suchang looked completely deflated.
“You didn’t eat breakfast, right? Aren’t you hungry?”
“I don’t usually eat breakfast. Haha.”
Nam Suchang answered with an awkward laugh. Come to think of it, he hadn’t added “hyung” before his sentences.
“Mm, yes. What about Munseok hyung?”
Juha nodded without much thought and looked around. Since they were teammates on the same team, it was natural for them to move together, so it was a common question.
However, as soon as Nam Suchang heard the name “Munseok,” his face turned pale.
“Mu-Munseok, well, who knows?”
“Why are you stuttering like that? Hyung, are you sick somewhere?”
Taeri, who was beside him, asked Nam Suchang with a puzzled expression.
“Oh, it’s Musin. Musin, welcome.”
Nam Suchang changed the subject and hurriedly approached Choi Musin. After that, Go Suhyeok, Baek Cheonsan, and Jo Munseok entered the practice room.
‘Why is he like that?’
While Juha was puzzled by Nam Suchang’s attitude, Taeri confirmed that all team members had arrived, then warmed up by rotating his neck and shoulders. Choi Musin, Go Suhyeok, and Baek Cheonsan, who were similar in age, seemed to have become close as they stuck together dealing with Nam Suchang. Even among the younger members, Nam Suchang seemed anxious as he glanced at Jo Munseok.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
