7.
‘We managed to revive her somehow, but I can’t guarantee anything if we don’t operate quickly.’
Wooyeon slid down and collapsed in the hospital corridor. The doctor’s words kept coming to mind, and Wooyeon covered his face with his trembling fingertips.
Even when he closed his eyes, the image of his mother being carried to the intensive care unit on a moving bed kept coming to mind. There was no vitality in his mother’s haggard face, and several tubes were inserted into her body. From his mother’s appearance that didn’t feel like a living person, Wooyeon smelled death, and even at this moment, he felt like a monster for thinking about intensive care unit costs. Wooyeon leaned against the wall and cried loudly like a child without making a sound.
It was his mother who protected him when he was young. Wooyeon thought it was now his turn to protect his mother. He had to get money somehow. Thinking of the surgery costs, Wooyeon only felt lost. Where would he borrow that large sum of money? From Choi Seokwoo? Just imagining it made his throat feel blocked.
Wooyeon held his long neck and shed tears while staring into space.
It wasn’t that there was no one to call. Wooyeon recalled the black business card that the male assistant had given him at the ‘Night of Sponsorship.’ When he put his hand in his padding pocket, there was a small piece of paper.
DE Trading Choi Jongwan.
Wooyeon looked at that name written in the center of the black paper, then flipped it to the back. Indeed, on the back were his office number, his secretary’s cell phone number, and finally that person’s cell phone number.
Wooyeon wiped the tears flowing down his cheeks with his other hand. The purpose of that person who had an underling take Wooyeon home and hand over the business card would probably be clear. But if it meant he could save his mother… What he wanted from Wooyeon were things that were nothing compared to his mother’s life.
Wooyeon picked up his phone with his cheeks still wet. And after entering his phone number, he hesitated for a moment. Come to think of it, there was one more person. Someone he could call.
Wooyeon thought of him, the richest person he knew.
It was ridiculous. Even Wooyeon knew they weren’t in a relationship to call about this kind of problem at this dawn.
Holding his phone, Wooyeon lowered his head. However, even at this moment, Wooyeon seemed to be out of his mind now, hoping for his kindness and warmth given from a superior position as if it were natural. Once he thought of Jeonghan, he didn’t have the courage to call anyone else. Even though it seemed like a stranger would be better for this kind of thing, Wooyeon somehow kept leaning toward Jeonghan.
Wooyeon, who raised his head again, erased the number he’d barely entered. And when he moved to contacts, his name was visible right on the first screen. He didn’t know what he was thinking. It was something he thought was crazy, but this time Wooyeon pressed Jeonghan’s number without hesitation. The phone quickly made a connection sound, and Wooyeon was listening to it with his head deeply bowed.
Don’t answer, don’t answer, don’t answer…
It was a crazy thought. If Jeonghan didn’t answer this, then he could call the number on the business card at that time. Wooyeon hoped Jeonghan wouldn’t answer the phone, but on the other hand, he hoped he would answer.
Time that felt like eons passed, and it was about to move to voice message saying he couldn’t answer the phone. There was a clicking sound from beyond the phone, and it seemed like his breathing could be heard.
「Sunbae.」
“Ah…”
Somehow his mouth wouldn’t open. What could he explain? That his mother needed surgery? Could he borrow surgery costs? All of it felt like things he couldn’t say to Kwon Jeonghan. Wooyeon held his phone and just cried without being able to say anything.
「Sunbae, are you drunk?」
“No, no. It’s not that…”
Even though Jeonghan wouldn’t be able to see, Wooyeon shook his head while holding his phone. Tears were mixed in his voice denying that he was calling because he was drunk.
「Where are you now?」
Wooyeon felt relieved and scared at the same time. But it was already something irreversible.
“Hanshin Hospital… In front of the intensive care unit…”
He must be crazy. What relationship did he have with Kwon Jeonghan to make this kind of call? If Jeonghan asked why, he’d have to talk about his mother, and how would Jeonghan, listening to this at dawn, think? Wooyeon despaired countless times even during that short time before he answered.
「Got it, stay there.」
Jeonghan’s low voice settled heavily.
「Wait without crying.」
Then the call ended. With trembling hands, Wooyeon lowered his phone that had ended the call. The phone with its shattered corner screen in tatters resembled himself. Tears flowed down from Wooyeon’s eyes again. Occasionally the attending physician and nurses from the intensive care unit busily went back and forth in the corridor, but no one paid attention to Wooyeon.
“…Sunbae.”
When Jeonghan’s voice was heard, Wooyeon raised his head. Wooyeon was curled up against the hospital corridor wall with a business card in one hand and his phone in the other. Jeonghan was breathing heavily as if he’d run up.
Even at this moment, Wooyeon felt a strange sensation at the fact that he’d run up at dawn for him. Jeonghan bent his knees and sat down in front of Wooyeon, meeting his eyes.
“Sunbae, look at me.”
When large hands wrapped around Wooyeon’s cheeks and wiped the tears wet on his cheeks, tears poured out from Wooyeon’s eyes. It felt like he was comforted by Jeonghan’s warmth. His eyes shining wet with moisture followed Jeonghan like a puppy.
“Sorry… Sorry. You’re the only one, the only person I could think of…”
“It’s okay. You did well doing that. It’s okay.”
“Mom…”
Wooyeon couldn’t continue speaking and placed the hand holding the business card on Jeonghan’s shoulder. Jeonghan caressed his cheeks and touched his hair as if soothing and comforting Wooyeon. Wooyeon felt Jeonghan who appeared like this was so kind, his heart swelled even at this moment, and so he even felt guilty toward Jeonghan.
I’m using you…
Swallowing those words he couldn’t bring out of his mouth down his throat, Wooyeon continued to cry. Jeonghan’s body heat caressed Wooyeon’s ears and nape, and the warmth that brushed from his arms to his wrists soon caressed Wooyeon’s lightly held palm. The business card rustled between his palm and Jeonghan’s thumb.
“I heard about your mother from the doctor on my way here. It’s okay now.”
Jeonghan’s words that seemed like nothing shook Wooyeon. He had been the one thinking about grabbing and shaking Jeonghan, but instead he was being shaken.
Jeonghan slowly stroked his eyelashes that were trembling and spitting out tears profusely. Jeonghan slowly, and with a gentle touch, moved the crumpled business card inside Wooyeon’s palm to his own hand.
“What’s this?”
“…I was going to call.”
Jeonghan raised his hand and shifted his gaze to the black business card caught between his index and middle fingers. His cold gaze slowly confirmed the business card, and then it went back into Jeonghan’s hand.
“But you didn’t?”
Wooyeon just kept shedding tears and nodded his head. Seeing that, a faint smile spread across Jeonghan’s face. Jeonghan caressed Wooyeon’s hair, ears, and cheeks again.
“You called me first?”
Wooyeon nodded his head again. Jeonghan put the business card he was holding in his hand into his coat pocket with a satisfied expression.
“It’s all okay now. First, get up.”
Jeonghan caressed both of Wooyeon’s cheeks, then grabbed Wooyeon’s arm and lifted him up. When Wooyeon, who had shed tears until just before becoming dehydrated, staggered, Jeonghan sat him on the waiting chair placed next to them.
Why was he so kind? It was a kindness Wooyeon couldn’t handle. He’d never received this kind of kindness in his life. That might be why more tears came.
“At this rate sunbae will get sick. Stop crying.”
Below Wooyeon’s knees, Jeonghan kneeling said while wiping Wooyeon’s tears. From Wooyeon’s eyes looking down at Jeonghan while sitting in the chair, tears still dripped drip drip drip. And at that moment, the semi-transparent automatic door opened and several people walked toward the intensive care unit.
“Seo Wooyeon-ssi?”
Led by an elderly doctor, four doctors were standing. Jeonghan, who had rubbed and wiped Wooyeon’s cheeks one last time, stood up from his spot, and Wooyeon also stood up from the chair. The doctors bowed to Jeonghan in greeting, then approached Wooyeon.
“I’m Park Jooyong, Vice Director of Hanshin Hospital. How much you must have worried.”
Wooyeon was frozen and couldn’t say anything. A surgery consent form was held out in front of Wooyeon who was standing still while sobbing.
“I will personally perform the surgery. I’ll do my best to get good results.”
“It’s okay now.”
Jeonghan said in a low voice and held Wooyeon’s hand. When Wooyeon turned his head to look at Jeonghan, Jeonghan smiled and nodded.
