Chapter 342
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 342
[Where are you?]
[Blind date failed again.]
Woo Gyeong-un let out a deep sigh as he looked at the texts he’d sent Seo Ho-jin a few hours ago, then crawled into the club room. Usually, that jerk would have instantly sent back a half-assed reply like ‘lol’ or ‘congrats,’ but there was nothing but radio silence.
“Senior Gyeong-un, you’re here again?”
Gyeong-un, who had been sprawling across the entire sofa for a while, felt a strange sense of unease. He sat up halfway and asked a junior who had dropped by to kill time before a date with his girlfriend.
“…Hey, why isn’t Seo Ho-jin around? I heard he was going to be camping out here even during break. Where’d he go?”
“Oh, Ho-jin? I think I saw him heading to the department office earlier.”
“Not the library?”
“I think there’s some student council business today.”
In university, Seo Ho-jin was famous for two things.
Being as handsome as a celebrity, and having a truly nasty temper.
With skin so pale it looked like it had never touched the sun, ebony hair, and a cold gaze, anyone seeing him for the first time was overwhelmed by his aura. People used to whisper all sorts of things behind his back—that he was the son of a chaebol family, or that he was an aspiring actor.
But those rumors died down soon enough. Instead, they were replaced by the label "total jerk." It was because Seo Ho-jin had revealed his true nature.
Woo Gyeong-un actually liked that about him.
Even if Ho-jin acted like a prick to your face, he didn't discriminate, and he was the type to work hard for what he wanted. Of course, the fact that he was annoyingly good at his studies was a bit irritating.
If there was one mystery that remained unsolved, it was why Seo Ho-jin, who always calculated his gains and losses so thoroughly, had volunteered to be the department representative.
“Why would a senior do that? It’s summer break, for God’s sake. Can’t he just handle it with an announcement?”
“How should I know? Someone probably messed up again. He looked like a total demon. You should probably stay out of his way if you can, Senior.”
The junior shook his head and turned his attention back to his phone.
There was an incident last year that made Seo Ho-jin even more famous, but to those around him, it was less important than the mystery of why he was the department rep.
Gyeong-un flopped back onto the sofa and grumbled.
“Ugh, no way. The story I have today is legendary. I need to knock back a few drinks while I tell it.”
“Senior, really…”
The junior gave him a look of pure exhaustion and left coldly to meet his girlfriend.
After scrolling through social media and various chats for a while longer, Gyeong-un suddenly stood up and grabbed his bag. He made his way to the department office. When he cautiously opened the door, he saw the back of a head leaning against a tower of major-specific textbooks piled on a desk.
“Hey, Seo Ho-jin. Why aren’t you answering?”
Gyeong-un walked over slowly and nudged the tip of Ho-jin’s shoe with his foot.
“……”
“Today isn’t the only day, so pack your bags. You’re basically done with the exam you were prepping for, so you can study tomorrow. I was seriously pathetic at my blind date today. I don’t think I can talk without a drink, so let’s go disinfect our throats with some soju. That place we went to last time had great snacks, where was it—”
He expected a "shut up," or a "you're pathetic, but fine."
By now, there should have been some kind of reaction, but it was too quiet.
Gyeong-un, who prided himself on being Seo Ho-jin’s closest friend among their classmates, sensed something was wrong and leaned down to check on him.
“Ho-jin?”
Then, Ho-jin, who hadn't moved an inch until now, sat up groarsily. The area under his eyes was dark, his cheeks were flushed as if he had a fever, and he looked thinner.
He looked undeniably like a patient, which startled Gyeong-un.
“……What.”
“Oh, shit! Do you even look like a person right now?”
“…What about it.”
After the Legal Education Eligibility Test in July, Ho-jin had blown off their dinner plans, saying he was going to eat meat with his brother. Gyeong-un thought he might have some breathing room then, but he’d been frantically busy again writing law school personal statements and preparing for interviews. It seemed he had finally hit his limit.
“Are you okay?”
“Do I look okay?”
“What about the hospital?”
Ho-jin waved his hand dismissively, pushing Gyeong-un’s face away, and pulled out another book.
“Forget it. I took some medicine.”
“Oh, so our Ho-jin’s goal wasn't to be a lawyer, but a doctor? You should’ve said so sooner. I had no idea. Since when did you know soooo much about the human body? Look, an injection is the quickest fix when you’re sick. Unless you’ve already picked out a grave with good feng shui, you should go now.”
“Just shut up, will you…”
Running a hand through his hair in irritation, he picked up his pen and started scribbling again.
Seeing as he still has the energy to swear, maybe he’s fine.
Gyeong-un grumbled sarcastically, but seeing Ho-jin’s pale face, he went to the corner of the office and turned on the electric kettle to brew some of the mountain of green tea bags that no one ever touched. He figured getting something warm into his system might make him look a bit better.
“You're a freak, man. Who’s going to say anything if you rest? Your schedule is inhuman. If you still feel like crap after a nap, you’re going to the hospital tomorrow. Is it because of what those idiots in our department said? If they run their mouths, I’ll just cover for you with my handsome face.”
The fact that there was still no response made it seem like he really was in bad shape.
Just as Gyeong-un was tearing open a tea bag and turning off the kettle, he turned around.
“Actually, forget it. I’ll take you myself, so… Huh? Hey! Hey!! Seo Ho-jin!!”
Ho-jin’s body slowly began to tilt, and then—
Crash!
He collapsed to the floor along with his textbooks.
“Hey! Hey, Seo Ho-jin!!!”
Gyeong-un rushed over, shoved the books aside, and checked Ho-jin’s consciousness.
No matter how much he shook him or tapped his cheeks, those tightly closed eyes showed no sign of opening. The skin Gyeong-un touched felt like a furnace.
Gyeong-un’s heart hammered against his ribs.
“Oh, man! You stubborn idiot!”
Even as curses poured out of his mouth, his trembling hands were already calling emergency services.
He barely remembered how things unfolded after that. By the time he came to his senses, he was in the ambulance, and before he knew it, he was following them into the emergency room.
“What is your relationship to the patient?”
“Ah, I’m, uh, I’m his friend.”
“Then can you contact his guardian right now?”
“I’ll, I’ll try.”
“Please, as quickly as possible.”
No matter how hard he tried to calm down, his head was spinning. At the same time, he felt stupid for wasting time in the club room and was furious at himself for not dragging Ho-jin to the hospital immediately.
He took Ho-jin’s phone to try and do something, but his mind went blank when he saw the lock pattern.
After agonizing for a moment, he pressed the emergency call button. He’d heard some of Ho-jin’s family circumstances by chance and hoped there might be an emergency contact saved. It was a desperate move.
[My Brother]
“There is one!”
Thankfully, a contact was registered, and the call went through.
The problem was that the person on the other end wasn't picking up.
“Ugh, damn it! He’s not picking up! Is my friend really going to die like this?! Seo Ho-jin isn't going to die, right?!”
“Please step back, you’re in the way!”
“No, wait a second!!”
Ho-jin remained unconscious, and the call still hadn't been answered.
He had been kicked out by a nurse and was biting his nails in anxiety, attempting his 37th call, when—
[Yeah, what.]
“…Huh? Hello? Finally! Are you Ho-jin’s brother?”
Even though the voice was cold, Gyeong-un felt a wave of relief.
“Ah, I’m not a weirdo, I’m Ho-jin’s college friend! That’s not what’s important! We’re at XX Hospital right now! Why didn't you pick up the phone?!”
As he blurted out the hospital’s name and practically begged him to hurry over, a calm response came from the other side.
[—I’m on my way.]
The call ended, and Gyeong-un trudged over to the row of chairs at the ER entrance and slumped down.
“Phew… what a mess… This is a new low for Woo Gyeong-un’s life.”
The strength drained from his body after the unprecedented experience. He leaned his back against the wall and buried his face in his hands. Only one thought was circling in his head.
Please let him be okay.
And one more.
I hope his brother gets here fast.
Ho-jin, still unconscious, was moved around for various tests.
While Gyeong-un was watching him with a heavy heart, the area near the entrance became noisy.
“—Isn’t that Ho-yun?”
“…No way, why would he be here?”
Following the voices, Gyeong-un saw a man walking in with long strides. In an instant, the intrusive thoughts that had been clouding his mind evaporated.
He’d thought he would never see anyone more handsome than Seo Ho-jin in his life…
Is he even human?
Ever since the incident that made Seo Ho-jin even more famous at university—the rumor spreading nationwide that his brother was a famous idol—Gyeong-un had seen photos of Seo Ho-yun in passing and thought, ‘As expected of Ho-jin’s brother. He’s damn handsome.’ That was the extent of it.
But seeing him in person was beyond what words could describe.
Watching Seo Ho-yun walk toward the nurses while brushing his hair back—a gesture similar to Ho-jin’s—Gyeong-un finally snapped back to his senses, approached him, and shouted.
“Brother!”
“……?”
“Brother, they said your brother is, uh, suffering from exhaustion, probably! I heard the detailed test results aren't out yet.”
Seo Ho-yun gave him a brief glance before speaking to the nurse.
“I’m Seo Ho-jin’s guardian. Could I get an explanation of the situation?”
“Ah, please wait a moment. The doctor will be with you shortly.”
As the nurse passed by, Seo Ho-yun just stood there, looking down at his brother. The sound of his fingers tapping against the bed rail seemed distinct even in the noisy ER.
Just as Gyeong-un was debating whether he should offer some words of comfort, the doctor arrived.
“Is this the first time he’s fainted?”
“Since he became an adult, yes. When he was younger, he collapsed several times due to severe fevers.”
“Any underlying conditions?”
“None.”
“For now, the basic tests and CT scan didn't show anything major, but I recommend a more thorough examination just in case. If you’d like, we can proceed with the admission process now.”
“Yes. Please do.”
Seo Ho-yun seemed incredibly calm while talking to the doctor.
Gyeong-un was just shifting his eyes, feeling like it wasn't the right time to butt in, when another man with a friendly impression appeared, as if tagging in for the doctor.
“You should take this.”
The man quickly drew the curtains as if to block the view of others and handed Seo Ho-yun a phone. Taking it, Seo Ho-yun turned his gaze toward Gyeong-un.
“Ho-jin’s friend?”
“…Huh? Oh, yes!”
Gyeong-un stammered in sudden embarrassment, but Seo Ho-yun simply extended his hand for a businesslike handshake, his expression unchanging.
“Thank you for contacting me. I’m Ho-jin’s brother, Seo Ho-yun.”
I didn't want to realize they were brothers through this kind of vibe, too.
They look so damn much alike. Gyeong-un thought as he dazedly shook his hand.
“I’m Woo Gyeong-un, his college friend…”
“You’re the one who called the paramedics, right, Gyeong-un?”
“Ah, yes. Well, we were together in the department office and…”
“I see. Was he okay then?”
“He looked pale and unwell. We chatted a bit, though… I didn't think he’d just keel over like that. Oh, and! I didn't call because I knew your number; it was just in his emergency contacts!”
Seo Ho-yun nodded as if he understood.
“If it weren't for you, Gyeong-un, it could have been serious.”
“Oh, no. It wasn't that much…”
“Manager.”
The man next to him must have been his manager; he pulled a wallet from his back pocket and pressed a business card into Gyeong-un’s hand.
“I’ll make sure to repay you. And if anything else happens in the future, please contact this number.”
“…Okay.”
Gyeong-un stared at the three characters of the name and the phone number printed on the card, then looked at the silent Ho-jin and muttered.
“Um, but… Ho-jin hasn't woken up yet… Will he be okay?”
“He’ll be fine.”
“Should I stay here too?”
The corners of Seo Ho-yun’s mouth, which had been a straight line until now, lifted slightly.
“No. You must have been very shocked, so go home and get some rest. I’ll stay.”
“……”
“Don’t worry too much. I’ll contact you if anything happens. Manager, could you see him out?”
“Sure!”
The well-built manager put an arm around Gyeong-un’s shoulder and led him outside.
“The company will reward you later. If you have any questions, the number at the bottom of the card—”
Gyeong-un let the manager’s endless chatter go in one ear and out the other. He looked back one last time to see Seo Ho-yun giving a polite nod before closing the curtains again.
Gyeong-un, who was just a friend, had been a mess of tears and snot, but the biological brother had remained composed the entire time.
He seems impressive, but…
He knew they were the same age, but perhaps because Ho-yun had started his harsh professional life early, he felt strangely alien.
His way of speaking, his attitude.
“…—And just in case, don’t go posting this on the internet anywhere—”
Is he not that worried about his brother?
Gyeong-un felt a bit uneasy as he left the hospital with the manager.
* * *
Swish.
“Fuck.”
As soon as he sent Ho-jin’s friend away and closed the curtains, his breathing became ragged. With trembling hands, he barely managed to steady himself by grabbing the head of the bed.
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
He collapsed into the folding chair, rubbing his face harshly as he spat out curses.
“It’s okay, it’ll be okay.”
This is nothing…
“It’s okay…”
But what if it’s not?
“……”
…What do I do then?