“Yes, hyung. We just finished. Ah, Daeyoung passed and I passed too! Yes… Yes? Right now?”
I was looking down at an ant crawling on the sidewalk block when Dongwoo tapped my shoulder, so I looked up.
“Seongheon hyung is asking if he should buy us lunch again?”
He could just contact me directly—asking through Dongwoo instead made me not want to go.
‘Does Seongheon hyung treat all his younger brothers well?’
Thinking about how well hyung had treated me, his younger brother, that question came to mind, but… seeing hyung being friendly with Dongwoo made me feel somehow disappointed.
“I’m fine. I have to go to Dad’s orchard.”
“Ah… Hyung, Daeyoung says he can’t today. He has to go to the orchard. Yes. Ah… Then I’ll do that. Yes.”
I glanced at Dongwoo after he hung up. Thinking hyung must have canceled the appointment since I said I wasn’t going, I looked at my phone. Wondering if maybe hyung would message me.
But my phone was quiet, and then I heard Dongwoo’s words.
“Seongheon hyung says he can come in 20 minutes. He’ll drop you off at home first, then go eat with me.”
“Huh?”
“If you can go too, let’s go together.”
“…N-no.”
I’d already said I couldn’t go, so changing my words late would be unseemly. I thought it would be a day of continuous refreshment, but there was a sweet potato right in front of me.
“Should I ask hyung to buy something? Daeyoung, does hyung like things like gopchang too?”
Not knowing my feelings, Dongwoo was choosing what menu to eat. I just answered that he eats everything well, and just pretended to play a game while looking at my phone.
I thought about just taking the bus and going alone, but out of spite I waited for hyung. Feeling a bit betrayed by hyung who became close with Dongwoo so quickly, even though he’d known me longer.
‘I’m disappointed by everything.’
Still, I thought hyung considered me the most special among his younger brothers, but I felt intimidated thinking that might not be the case. A few days ago hyung even kissed the back of my hand—would he do that for Dongwoo too?
Dongwoo was brushing off near his shoulder, so while pretending to brush it off for him too, I smacked the back of his hand that looked annoying.
*Smack!*
“Ow! Why’d you hit me?”
“While brushing it off. Didn’t know.”
“Seems like you did it on purpose.”
“No.”
Since Seongheon hyung said it would take about 20 minutes, when the time was almost up we waited looking at both sides of the road.
“Huh? Daeyoung, doesn’t that look similar to hyung’s car?”
“No, it’s glossy. Hyung’s is matte.”
“Ah, right. Did you get the pure gold key from hyung?”
“No. I haven’t seen him since then. I should ask today.”
“Surely, he’ll give it to you, right?”
“Of course, hyung has lots of money.”
“Well, my dad said that too. That Seongheon hyung’s family is probably the richest in this area.”
“That much? Hmm… They must live frugally unlike how they look.”
Not as empty words, but Jongsik ajeossi really always wore similar clothes. Except for the house and car, just looking at his clothes, he was no different from any other neighborhood ajeossi. Even the clothes my dad wore looked more expensive.
“Daeyoung, real rich people originally don’t show it on the outside. They go around shabbily.”
“By that logic, our house is nouveau riche level.”
“Our house is quasi-chaebol level. You saw the hole in the work pants, right?”
“Yeah, hehe.”
“Among my sweatpants, there isn’t one without holes in the knees.”
“I’ll buy you a pair of sweatpants too when I buy the smartwatch.”
“Thanks.”
Strengthening our friendship and exchanging a few words like that, we didn’t even realize we’d been waiting at the bus stop for close to an hour.
I’d made appointments with Seongheon hyung several times so I knew—this hyung was absolutely not the type to be late for appointments. He always arrived early and waited in advance, so it was strange.
“This is weird. Dongwoo, call him.”
“You do it.”
“You made the appointment. You should do it.”
“You’re closer with hyung. Do it for me.”
Right, since Dongwoo also acknowledged that I was closer with Seongheon hyung, I decided to do it. Although Dongwoo exchanges contact with hyung too, he must still be uncomfortable.
I searched through my call list, pressed ‘Seongheon hyung’ and put the phone to my ear. *Ring ring—* the signal sound rang a couple times, then someone answered.
But it wasn’t hyung’s voice.
“Hello?”
—Ah, hello? Are you acquainted with this phone’s owner?
“Yes? Yes. He’s a close hyung.”
—There’s been a traffic accident right now and he’s being emergency transported, so please come to XX Hospital. Please also inform this person’s guardian—
“What? Right now, what did you…”
For a moment my mind went blank as if I’d been in the traffic accident. Even though the other person was saying something, I was so shocked I dropped my phone, and Dongwoo picked it up and continued the call instead.
‘Tra… ffic accident?’
Does this mean Seongheon hyung was hurt so badly he couldn’t answer the phone?
Belatedly recognizing the situation, tears welled up, and in front of my blurred vision I saw a road where the snow hadn’t melted yet. He must have had an accident while driving on a road like this. While coming to pick us up…
“Sob… sniff…”
“Hello? Just a moment. You said XX Hospital, right? We’ll go right there.”
Dongwoo was busy both supporting me as I cried with my head down and answering the call. Then he told me to wait for a moment and went out to the roadside to start catching a taxi. Fortunately, since it was in front of the driver’s license test center, he could immediately catch a taxi someone was getting out of.
“Daeyoung, let’s get in the taxi quickly.”
“H-hyung… hyung… sob.”
“Hyung probably wasn’t badly hurt. Calm down. It’ll be okay, I’m telling you. Driver, please go to XX Hospital.”
The elderly driver seemed to drive leisurely at first, but when my crying grew louder, perhaps thinking something terrible had happened, he started speeding recklessly. Sometimes going through some village instead of the road, and when the light turned yellow, he didn’t stop but unconditionally stepped on the accelerator.
Dongwoo, who had been comforting me at first, also seemed to get scared and grabbed the interior handle with a hardened expression. His driving skills really dried up our tears. I also stopped crying in tension and was gripping the interior handle for survival.
Passing through a rice paddy ridge where you’d wonder if there was even a road, suddenly making a sharp L-turn, and just when I thought we were entering someone’s yard, he quickly slipped through the side road next to it and rejoined the main road.
‘Ha… scary.’
Dongwoo also seemed to have similar feelings as he looked at me while curling up his body. Clearly when we got in the taxi the estimated arrival time was 40 minutes, but we arrived at the hospital in 25 minutes.
“We’re here. Seemed like something big happened so I drove a bit fast.”
Just looking at the driver’s appearance, he seemed like he’d walk around the neighborhood leisurely, but his driving style was completely different. Even now he was saying “Let’s see~” while rummaging for a long time to slowly take out change, and 2 minutes passed during that.
“Th-thank you.”
I got out holding the change with trembling hands. I learned something from this opportunity—I shouldn’t cry carelessly in taxis.
*Ring ring—. Ring ring—.*
Entering the hospital entrance, I called Jongsik ajeossi. But he didn’t answer, so I eventually called Jongheon hyung, and fortunately he said he was at the hospital lobby.
Looking around in confusion, I desperately waved my hand when I saw Jongheon hyung approaching.
Jongheon hyung usually didn’t talk much and only wore dark-colored suits, so he was difficult to approach. Unlike warm ajeossis, he was like a real adult so I usually couldn’t even make eye contact, but now he was more reliable and welcome than anyone.
“Hyung!”
“Daeyoung.”
“What do we do. Seongheon hyung, the accident, sob…”
“Calm down, he received treatment in the emergency room.”
“Emergency room!?”
My eyes widened at the words emergency room. Tears that welled up rapidly rolled down my chin. Rather, Jongheon hyung, who was hyung’s family member, reassured me.
“He’s not badly hurt, he’s getting examined. You don’t need to worry too much.”
“B-but, hyung…”
Jongheon hyung patted my back while looking at Dongwoo standing next to him. Dongwoo bowed and introduced himself as a friend.
First, Jongheon hyung told us to sit in the waiting room, then went back into the emergency room. Since he smiled while going, I felt a little relieved.
“Will Seongheon hyung be okay?”
“His real brother is that calm, so he’ll be fine. Are you that worried? Anyone would think you’re the real younger brother, Daeyoung.”
“Because we’ve always been together since we were young…”
“Well, Seongheon hyung seems to take care of you more than Daesu hyung. He even bought me food so I’d be close with you.”
“…Because of me?”
“Of course because of you. Why would Seongheon hyung take care of me when he has nothing to gain?”
“Is that so.”
“When we talk on the phone too, he only asks about you so honestly it’s a bit burdensome.”
Since hyung contacted Dongwoo separately, I thought he regarded Dongwoo and me on equal footing, but it seems not. I don’t know why knowing this fact makes me feel relieved.
After some time passed, I saw Gangjin hyung and Daesu hyung entering the hospital. The hyungs also seemed very shocked and asked about Seongheon hyung’s condition as soon as they saw us.
“I only saw Jongheon hyung so I don’t know. Seongheon hyung is getting examined now.”
“But how did you guys know to come to the hospital right away?”
“Actually, today…”
At Daesu hyung’s question, I answered gloomily that Seongheon hyung had an accident while coming to pick us up. My head kept turning toward the floor. Because it seemed like it was because of me.
“Hey! You should just come home on your own! Why do you make Seongheon come pick you up and create this mess?”
I knew I’d eventually hear this reproach. Since Dongwoo had heard me refuse next to me, he knew my grievance, but the hyungs didn’t know the detailed circumstances.
