-Taehyun-
Even though I am the youngest among the other four people but don't try to underestimate me. I am the most skilled at describing a situation in the business world that even any business observer cannot describe in detail. Even Seunghoon-hyung can't match my intelligence in this field, which is why his family's share price cannot be higher than the stock price of my father's company which is in second place, just below the Seungyoon family company. That's right, the Kang group company and the Kwon group company are The Big Three (Big3) company with the Choi group company at the top.
I run the company my grandfather founded, not because I just followed my father, Kwon Jiyong's wishes, but because I wanted to. Ah, I don't feel very good every time I say his name. Despite the fact that he is my legal biological father.
When I got home, there was no one I wanted to meet the most besides my mother but when I entered her room, I didn't find my mother there. When I was about to leave his room, a large frame at the end of the room took my attention. Walking closer to the large frame that had been in this room for twenty years, this frame was about the same age as mine and that fact made me feel angry.
What kind of woman are you, huh? You have made my mother suffer all this time. Even a photo of you still hurts her even though you are no longer in this world. "
I looked at the photo of the woman in the frame. She is my father's ex-lover, Yoon Eunhye. I don't know much about her because I don't want to make my mother sad, which I know the story of this woman's death that my father's friend found tragic.
20 years ago
"Why don't you want to do it? Why don't you want surgery? " Kwon Jiyong immediately raised his voice as soon as he entered the treatment room of his lover, Yoon Eunhye. He was crazy when he heard the doctor's explanation about Eunhye's surgery cancellation.
"Oppa, you get cuter when you get angry like this. Besides, I'm sick, instead of being cute all the time, you scold me. " Eunhye smiled with her lips that were no longer pink. Chemotherapy made her stamina fluctuate and even fell out her long hair to the point that she chose to shave all her hair, now Eunhye covers her head with a knit hat with many colors, today she wears a cream-colored knit hat.
Hearing Eunhye's words, Jiyong was silent and started walking closer to the bed where Eunhye was sitting, "Sorry." His words were short.
"It's hot outside making me want to eat ice cream. Oppa, let's have ice cream. Yes, Yes, Yes?" Eunhye changed her tone to be cuter to persuade her boyfriend to comply with her wishes.
Although he wanted to refuse, Jiyong did not have that ability. In the end, he let Eunhye master, "Chocolate flavor, right? Wait.
"Okay." Eunhye gave a cut to Jiyong.
It didn't take long, Jiyong returned with Eunhye's ice cream. At first they teased each other and were full of laughter, Jiyong even pulled Eunhye into his arms. But in just seconds, Eunhye's hands drooped weakly. The ice cream she was holding fell on the floor. There was no last word or goodbye, making Jiyong's chest feel very tight. He couldn't even cry over Eunhye's departure because of the tightness.
The door to the room slid, Choi Seunghyun and his three friends entered. Jiyong did not flinch with the arrival of his friends.
"Ah, sorry. We disturb you. " Tease Seunghyun.
Not seeing the reaction of the two people, Seunghyun returned his voice. "Is Eunhye sleeping?"
"How can he fall asleep and not realize the ice cream has fallen?" continued Seunghyun.
There was no response from Jiyong, the man still felt the tightness in his chest so he didn't know what to do other than stay in his place and embrace Eunhye who was lifeless.
"Yes! Kwon— "
Seunghyun was about to scold Jiyong for ignoring him, when Dong Youngbae pulled his shoulders back, "Hyung, Eunhye is gone."
Although whispering, Youngbae's voice was still heard by Jiyong. Like a slap, Youngbae's words finally broke his distress. The sound of Jiyong's sobs grew louder and filled the room. Youngbae, Seunghyun and Daesung moved quickly to separate the couple. Seunghyun grabbed Eunhye's body and laid her on the bed, Youngbae and Daesung carried Jiyong to the sofa in front of Eunhye's bed. Meanwhile Seungri ran out looking for a nurse or doctor to confirm Eunhye's condition.
Kwon Jiyong was really sad right now. He was feeling lost.
Seunghyun approached Jiyong. He patted his friend on the shoulder, hoping they would share the burden at this time.
"Hyung, can't Kiss Note return Eunhye? I'll give everything I have to the book as long as Eunhye returns. " Jiyong started rambling on, spilling the contents of his buzzing head from the heart to Seunghyun.
The tragic story I got from president Dong Youngbae when I met him and asked about that woman. My father is the saddest human being who tortures mother by keeping photos of other women in my mother's room. There is no other photo besides that of the woman in the mother's room.
I hated my father because he neglected my mother. Father never thought my mother was next to him. In fact, he called me a child who was born by mistake. They both got married because of arranged marriage. He called my birth a mistake because he was so drunk while sleeping with my mother. If he wasn't under the influence of alcohol, he wouldn't have been able to do it. So he said.
Mother always, every day, as long as she lives with her father to prepare all the needs of her husband alone, including food matters. But her husband never once lived with her, using what she prepared, eating what she cooked. Daddy prefers to use what this house maid prepared, eat what this house chef cooked. That man really makes me sick to see his behavior. If it wasn't because you loved him so much and wanted to be by his side even though he was treated like that, I would have taken you for a long time to leave that old man, not only that man but also this country.
All my attitude and harsh words, I learned from him.
I've never been close to him, not even once he played with me as a child. I even remember several times he refused my invitation to vacation. Only the mother did everything, she even took on the father's role just so that I didn't feel like I was missing a father figure.
My mom, Park Shinhye. His face was always smiling when he saw me, even though I knew that he was always hiding tears. Like my father who posted a photo of another woman, I did the same. I put a big picture of my mother, the only photo where my mother's smile looks sincere and carefree.
Me, Kwon Taehyun. The only son of Kwon Jiyong and Park Shinhye's forced marriage. I don't believe in such a thing as love brings happiness, because I never saw my mother happy even though she loved.
* * !
-Seunghoon-
I obeyed everything my father said because I had to protect someone. I have to continue to do my best at the company to keep my father nice to him. I want him to stay beside me even though my parents don't want him anymore. I want him to stay alive whether he is in good health or not.
They call me ambitious because there's nothing I can't achieve with my hard work and persistence.
Me, Kang Seunghoon. Son of the Kang family. Kang Daesung and Kang Jiyoung are my parents. I am a person who is good at lying to others, even myself for the sake of the person I am protecting.
Mino had just finished a liver transplant operation for a Thai patient when an intern walked in with a panicked face.
"Professor
Dong ... "
It didn't take long to digest what was happening because the nurses who came to him were nurses he had specially hired. Mino took a running step towards the source of his anxiety. He didn't stop saying the word 'no' in his heart like a mantra. Hopefully something bad doesn't happen.
"Aaacckk!" the sound of pain that sounded out even echoed in the hallway of the ward made Mino stop his run.
His breathing sounded rough because he had just run from the operating room on the 3rd floor to the ward on the 5th floor. For a moment his head buzzed violently, losing consciousness for a few seconds.
"Prof, are you okay?" someone brought Mino's consciousness back. Now he is running again to the source of the sound of pain. Mino slid the room door roughly, without hesitation he rushed his steps toward the bed where a woman was still screaming violently.
Mino was silent for a few seconds. Obviously he was in as much pain as this patient.
"Aacckk!" the same scream as before.
Mino grabbed the patient's shoulders tightly, "Aeri-ah… It's me, Mino. Just calm down. I am here. Breathe slowly. "
"Oppa…" Aeri's voice trembled, she raised her head and found Mino smiling bitterly at her.
The patient who made Mino run brutally in the hospital, the patient he worries more than himself, the patient is Jung Aeri. The woman who made him turn the wheel of his life, the woman who made him study all available medical science, Jung Aeri, that woman.
"What is wrong? Are you in pain? Where?" Mino gave a series of questions to his girlfriend with a face as calm as possible, he hid all his worries in front of Aeri.
"My hand ..." Aeri was still crying.
"My hands are starting to not move, oppa." continued Aeri.
Mino saw Aeri's whole body, the woman looked so weak and fragile. Mino even found a look of annoyance on Aeri's face, he knew that his lover was holding back resentment at the fate he was facing right now.
"It's OK babe. From now on I will be your hand. Calm down, honey. " Mino hugged Aeri who was still crying.
Aeri has perfect body proportions but now it's all useless because of the pain she suffered, "Sorry for bothering you, oppa."
"Shhh… Don't apologize, Aeri-ya. I'll find a cure for you, hold on a little longer. You can endure a little longer, right? " Mino's tears finally dripped while hugging Aeri. He could feel that her female body was very weak. Having the strength to scream like that was already one thing Mino was grateful for.
Mino hugged Aeri for a long time until finally the woman slept in his arms. Mino laid Aeri down and saw her for a while before finally leaving Aeri's room.
"Keep an eye on Miss Jung's condition. I'll be out for a bit, call me immediately if anything happens to him again. " Mino's message to the resident waiting for him outside.
Mino walked towards the parking area, he took off the doctor's coat and threw it into the trash he saw. He opened the car safety lock and immediately got in, started the car engine then pressed the gas pedal until the car drove out of the parking area. Mino was venting all his restrained emotions, including all of Aeri's screams that buzzed in his head. I don't know where Mino made his car go but his speed began to decrease when his past was spinning back.
8 Aeri tapped on the nurse station's table to get the nurses' attention, her mood was not good and it was clearly reflected in her voice, "Did you see Doctor Dong?"
"Professor Dong? Looks like I was at the hospital café earlier. " A nurse who had just entered the station answered.
"What? Huh, seriously! " Aeri sneered. After saying thank you, Aeri walked towards the elevator to catch up with Mino.
Aeri's body proportions are absolutely perfect, too perfect for the medical profession. Her beauty became a byword among hospital employees, she was even nicknamed the goddess of Soowon Hospital, and this goddess was the prima donna of the heart department's pride. Jung Aeri is a cardiologist at the same hospital as Mino.
Aeri entered the hospital café, her eyes combing the contents of the café looking for Mino. Meanwhile, Mino easily found Aeri who made him smile seeing the annoyed expression on his lover's face. Aeri found Mino and immediately went to his desk.
"Why are you smiling?" Aeri asked in an annoyed tone.
Instead of answering, Mino tugged the corners of his lips even more to smile.
"Dong Mino-ssi!" Whenever Aeri was annoyed, she would use the suffix -ssi behind Mino's name.
"Aren't you embarrassed? Sit down first. " Mino patted the chair next to him for Aeri to sit down, still smiling and that made Aeri even more annoyed.
"Oppa!" Aeri's voice rose, he even stomped his right foot a sign that he was not kidding. However, it just annoyed Mino. He stood up and grabbed both shoulders then led Aeri's body to sit on the chair that Mino offered earlier.
"Take it easy, honey." Mino said softly as he stroked the back of Aeri's hand.
"Oppa, be a little serious. Don't go on like this, you are a doctor. Don't because you can finish it in a short time and then you can take it easy. You can use your extra time on other patients. You never change, you did the same. Your exams finish faster even your answers may be all right, but you even come out when the bell rings and your answer is deliberately wrong. You gave in to me. I do not like." Aeri grumbled in front of Mino.
Mino smiled again at every word that Aeri put out, for him Aeri's scolding was like a melodious sound of a music box that pleased her feelings. Even Mino wanted to do anything he could to listen to Aeri's nagging.
"I want to kiss you right away, Doctor Jung." said Mino.
Suddenly Aeri felt that her face was hot. Aeri was embarrassed, "Oppa! Listen to me."
"Ha ha ha. I listen to you, Aeri-ya. "
Aeri stretched out her hand to take Mino's ice Americano glass, when her hand had managed to grab the glass suddenly Aeri's expression changed. To his surprise, his hand could not pull the ice Americano towards him. Even though the glass contained only less than half of it, Areri reached out with her other hand to slide the glass towards her and began to sip the contents of the glass.
Mino noticed the change in Aeri's face because this wasn't the first time Aeri couldn't do something so light. He had seen it before.
First. When Mino saw Aeri in the hallway of the hospital, he always tried to tease her lover. This time he intended to surprise Aeri, but it wasn't there to startle Aeri. Suddenly Aeri lost her balance and made her fall. Not because of the stagnant water or because Mino touched him but because of himself. Mino wanted to help him immediately when he heard Aeri's words, "Ah. Is it because today I had so many surgeries that my knees were weak and made me fall? "
Aeri muttered then stood up and cleaned her trousers, then walked again as if nothing had happened.
Second. When they had dinner together at Aeri's apartment. Suddenly Aeri dropped all the cutlery she was holding while walking towards the kitchen. As if deliberately released by him.
Similar events were repeated several times, even more frequently. Aeri's symptoms led Mino to a suspicion that led to a rare disease. Hoping that the pain Aeri is suffering from is not the disease she expected.
For several days Mino tried to find pain with the same symptoms but in the end he met his senior fellow doctors to seek other opinions about Aeri's symptoms. Mino arrived at the room with a nameplate stuck to the door, doctor Jung Hongseok, sp.s, knocked on the door and began to open when he heard a voice from inside asking him to enter.
"Oh? Mino. What is wrong?" Hongseok raised his head to see Mino enter, he directed Mino to sit on the sofa opposite his desk.
"Hyung…" Mino calls Hongseok with a confused face.
"What's wrong, Mino? Do you have a problem? " Hongseok moved and now sits opposite Mino.
"What diagnosis can you give when it comes to motor nerves?"
"Lots. Don't play dumb. You know about that. More specifically, what are the symptoms? " Hongseok smiled a little but returned seriously to hear the symptoms that Mino will give.
"One time he could not reach items that were nearby, suddenly fell for no reason, dropped things he was holding suddenly, he could not even move and lift a plastic cup containing less than half. Everything is done on reflex. " Mino listed all the symptoms in detail.
Hongseok began to think about the possible diagnoses he could give, "What about the scale of the incident? Often or only occasionally? "
"At first it was only occasionally but getting here the more it happens."
"Who?" As if he had received a diagnosis, now Hongseok wants to know who experienced it.
"Eh? There are other diagnoses, right, hyung? Not that'?" Mino asked.
"Who is he, Dong Mino? Who has the symptom? We have to act fast. " Hongsoek didn't answer Mino's question, he wanted to know more about the owner of the symptoms.
"Uri Aeri, uri Jung Aeri." Mino replied weakly.
"Don't joke, Dong Mino." Hongseok hopes that Mino got the name wrong but from the serious look on his face, it seems like he heard it right.
"I wish I was joking about this but—" Mino's words cut off, making Hongseok gasp.
Suddenly he couldn't think straight, his chest began to feel full. Hongseok tries to calm himself down, keep him thinking clearly about this. He looked at Mino, "Bring him to me, not as a younger brother but as a patient who needs help."
"Hurry!" Hongseok's yell makes Mino startled and immediately stands up. Mino walked out and rushed to find Aeri.
Mino found Aeri at the nurse station joking with several nurses, he grabbed Aeri and invited her to speak elsewhere. At first it was difficult to ask Aeri to see her brother on the grounds that she didn't want to be lectured on about her health, but Mino had no other choice. He said that their meeting had something to do with Aeri's health. Finally, the two of them sat in front of Hongseok, Aeri's brother.
"Lying on the bed, Aeri-ya."
"Why? I'm fine, Oppa. I eat three meals a day, drink health tonics and don't drink alcohol nor skip unhealthy snacks as you command. " Aeri refused to lie on the bed because she felt that her body was fine, especially since her sister was a neurologist, not an internal medicine specialist.
"Just lie on the bed, Jung Aeri. This is an order. " Hongseok insists.
Even with a frown, Aeri still followed her brother's orders to lie down on the bed. Hongseok stood up and started doing an external examination on Aeri.
"Since when did you start losing your balance so often?" Hongseok asked while still checking Aeri.
"Eh? Oppa know? From where?" asked Aeri in surprise.
"Brat. Just answer my question. "
"The last few weeks. At first it was only occasionally but lately I have fallen easier for no reason. I think it's because I'm too tired but lately I'm not that busy. This is quite strange right, Oppa? " Asked Aeri.
Hongseok didn't answer. He finished the final examination and then sat in his chair and Aeri sat on the chair next to Mino's chair. Mino glares seriously at Hongseok, trying to dig up the answers he can get. Hongseok who understands only nods faintly, making Mino gasp.
"What is your diagnosis for me, Oppa?" asked Aeri lightly.
"Spinocerebella Degeneration, Degenerative Nerves or Ataxia." Hongseok answered with a flat face.
"Don't be careless doctor Jung Hongseok. You have to give me some additional tests to get the diagnostic accuracy. You can sue you for malpractice! " Aeri was uneasy after hearing her brother's diagnosis. He started to panic.
"I'm just tired. I know well the condition of my body. " Connect it.
"You're not 'just' exhausted, Aeri. There is something more than that. " Mino started to speak up.
"You're not on my side?" Aeri was surprised to hear Mino's words.
"You have to do the maintenance, honey." Mino's voice softened, he looked at Aeri with a pleading look.
"Do not want!" Aeri refused, he stood up and walked out of Hongseok's room.
Mino catches up with Aeri, while Hongseok sighs while leaning against the back of the chair. Mino grabbed Aeri's arm to hold back his lover's pace.
"We'll do additional tests to get an accurate diagnosis, okay?" persuaded Mino.
"I am fine. Why don't you believe me? " Aeri let go of Mino's grip on her arm and walked quickly again. He just wanted to get to his room immediately but why didn't he also arrive at his room?
"Aeri-ya ... We have to make sure." Mino matched his steps with Aeri.
"I'm just exhausted not Ataxia, Mino." Refuse again.
"That's why, to break Hongseok-hyung's diagnosis you have to do additional tests." Mino didn't want to lose, he was determined to make Aeri do additional tests and treatment no matter what.
"DONG MINO!" Aeri shouted but didn't make the slightest sound. This incident shocked both of them. Aeri covered her mouth with both hands. Mino pulled and asked Aeri to shout again but no matter how strong the scream was, no sound came out.
"Aeri ..." Mino tried to pull Aeri into his arms but Aeri brushed Mino's hand, he turned and ran away from Mino.
In the midst of his escape, Aeri passed out because he kept trying to get his voice out. Mino, who was still standing in his place, immediately ran to see his woman drooping. He embraced Aeri's body, "Aeri-huh? Jung Aeri! "
Since that incident, Aeri began to believe in her sister and Mino's diagnosis. He followed the advice of his two closest people to undergo further tests and the results were exactly as expected. Ataxia. Ataxia is able to make the sufferer unable to control the work of the motor nerves including the motor nerves of the vocal cords. Aeri was treated intensively after the diagnostic results came out.
Spinocerebellar Degeneration is a degenerative nerve disease or commonly called ataxia. This disease attacks the cerebellum and spine causing motor nerve disorders. Patients will lose control of their motor nerves gradually and the physical condition will get worse over time.
Many suspect that this disease is caused by a virus but in fact Ataxia can occur due to heredity or gene mutation. Anyone has the possibility to get Ataxia. Ataxia sufferers will not lose their intelligence and can still understand their situation. Ataxia is a very serious disease.
The most dangerous condition of Ataxia is when the motor nerves stop working suddenly, it is very risky for the patient if he laughs, cries, drinks and eats and even breathes. The patient may suddenly stop breathing the air, which can cause the patient to die if no help is given immediately. There is no right way to cure Ataxia, due to damage to the back brain tissue and spinal cord. Ataxia is a rare, incurable disease and no cure has been found.
* * *
His resentment at the incident made the car speed fast. Mino and his car arrived at the parking lot of the Lee family hospital. He deliberately steered his car here to meet Jinwoo. Mino rushed to Jinwoo's room, without knocking on the door, Mino immediately entered and dropped his body on the soft sofa in Jinwoo's room.
"Let me sleep for a while, today is tiring." Mino put his left arm just above his eyes which were starting to close.
Jinwoo looked at his best friend for a moment then put down the book he had previously read, he walked closer to Mino and sat on the single sofa, "Did something happen with Aeri?"
Mino did not answer Jinwoo's question, but Jinwoo's question made his eyes feel hot. He tried to hide his tears from Jinwoo but Jinwoo wasn't called a psychiatrist for no reason. Jinwoo quickly realized that something was happening with Aeri so that Mino had to keep his breath as light as possible so as not to be caught.
"You can sleep here as long as you want. I will make a visit, in an hour I'll be back. You don't have to wait for me if— "
"Aeri's hands are starting to stop functioning, hyung." Mino's voice trembled, he was still trying to hold back his tears from Jinwoo.
Jinwoo sat back down, his body limp at Mino's words for a moment. Then Jinwoo reached out his hand to firmly grip Mino's arm, he was trying to make Mino calmer by giving strength. There was nothing Mino needed more than the existence of someone who could give him the strength to stay alive.
"I've come to Germany to get the latest knowledge about Ataxia medicine, to China for herbal remedies that can be used. In fact, I flew to America and Japan to find the possibility I missed something about Ataxia there. It's 2041 but a cure for Ataxia hasn't been found. Isn't the world teasing me, hyung? " Mino raved about his current state. He then got up and sat looking at Jinwoo with wet eyes.
Jinwoo could see Mino's disappointment at the circumstances that were not on his side.?
"Why only Ataxia hasn't found a cure yet, hyung? Why haven't scientists in Germany, Japan and even America found a way to cure it, hyung? Why, hyung? Why?" Mino ducked and his hands tightly gripped her hair. He even screamed because he couldn't do anything.
"I can't cry in front of him, hyung. It's too painful to cry. " Mino cried again.
"I can't live without it, hyung. You know that. I don't want to lose him. " Mino's cry became even more. Jinwoo could only listen to all of Mino's words without intending to reply, at least that was what he could do right now.
One thing is beginning to prove, that lives cannot be bought or exchanged for the abundance of wealth and power they have.
* * *
"Take care of your health before you feel pain. Appreciate that health before everything is worthless, because there is nothing you can do if you are sick even though your wealth is abundant. Because life is not something you can buy and sell. " - Dong Mino -