Hearing President Dong bring back all the wounds he was trying to bury, made the pace of his memories run wild. All events repeated in order in his head with precision.
At that time, Dong Haru - his younger siblings still adorn Mino's life with his smile. At that time, Haru was still five years old.
"Oppa, are you really a doctor now?" asked Haru.
"Of course. Why?" asked Mino back.
"Then oppa can treat this pain in my chest right? Is not it?" Haru pointed at his chest which often ached without knowing the exact cause.
From there, Mino knew that the tightness in Haru's chest that he was complaining about didn't come from fatigue after actively playing, but from lung cancer. Mino was just an apprentice doctor at that time, couldn't just touch his brother's condition, especially when he was facing cancer. Unfortunately, the doctor whom he considered a professional instead raised his hand with Haru's condition.
"We can't do anything anymore, President Dong. The cancer has reached the final stage, although he looks fine. The cancer has spread, there's not much time. Rather than having surgery, it is better for him to spend time with the people he loves. The operation won't help much, it will hurt him even more. " Obviously an expert doctor.
"So? Hmmm, I understand. Thank you Doctor Im. " President Dong replied.
Mino did not accept the doctor Im's words, "Thank you? What for, dad? Thanks for not doing anything for Haru? Thank you for letting Haru die slowly? " Mino raved in the middle of his tears.
"Stop it, Mino. Let's take Haru home. " President Dong said to his wife.
"I will do it!" said Mino suddenly, making President Dong surprised.
"I will operate it!" he continued confidently.
"You're just a doctor who just graduated. Don't try to do things that are definitely impossible! " threatens President Dong.
"So, you're going to just let Haru go without any attempt to heal him? I'm not as coward as you, Dad. I will do it." Mino answered no less cynically.
"Hurry up and take Haru to the car!" President Dong passed Mino. Madame Dong walked into Haru's ward.
President Dong had been in the car for fifteen minutes but Madame Dong did not come. He picked up his cell phone and tried to call Madame Dong but instead connected to voice mail.
Suddenly a bodyguard came, "Sir, young master is doing an operation."
President Dong slumped his back against the back of the car seat. His eldest son actually brought his younger brother to the operating table. Mino did so after convincing his mother, but Haru died after Mino opened his body. Bleeding.
Mino unable to control his mother's tears, President Dong arrives and finds out what happened.
"I told you from the start, if your hand was only capable of taking other people's lives. DON'T BECOME A DOCTOR! " President Dong snapped.
Mino was silent. He did not have the right to speak, in fact he had indeed lost his little brother's life.
"You see? Thanks to you, we couldn't even bring her happiness at the last moment. " President Dong continued furiously.
"You're starting to not listen to my orders. You think I told you to take him home because I wanted to let him suffer? Surgery on the body and ultimately failing is even more painful! " President Dong took out his frustration on Madame Dong.
"Get off!" said President Dong as Mrs. Dong knelt down begging him for mercy.
"I'm taking my daughter home. You two are murderers! " he said cruelly.
Since then Mino has lived like he has no parents. He even left his neighborhood, his parents, friends and Aeri. Mino seemed to have no purpose, did not hesitate to scold the parents of the children he met in the children's ward. Haru's incident left deep wounds in his life.
His heavy breath caught in his chest at the memory of the incident. moreover, her chest would be more and more difficult to deflate when she remembered Haru's smile.
"Ehei, who is this? Yes! Dong Haru! You're so hot. " Mino teased as he passed the open bathroom where Haru was bathing accompanied by Madame Dong.
"Oppa! Nappeun oppa! " shouted Haru from inside.
President Dong has a pair of genius children. Mino finished his medical school in Washington in three years, and Haru was able to read and count at the age of five.
Mino's tears became increasingly unbearable, remembering what was actually adorable. His memory spun back to when he played football with Haru.
"Do not want. This is a girl, Oppa. Haru doesn't want to play football. " Haru sulked.
"Alright, come on." Mino said then. Mino turned his back to Haru and the little girl kicked the ball so it hit Mino's butt and laughed.
"Yes! Dong Haru! " shouted Mino.
Hearing Mino shout, Haru shouted back as he ran to avoid Mino's pursuit.
Another time, Haru was playing with Ms. Dong's lipstick when Mino found her in the mirror to see the look of her lips.
"Oppa?" he said in a surprised tone.
"What are you doing, Haru? Mother will be mad at you. " Mino teases Haru by scaring him.
"Don't tell Mom, oppa. Yes?" Haru persuaded with a face that was almost crying.
"I would if I got rewarded for keeping my mouth shut." Said Mino.
Haru glanced at the packet of chocolate bars lying on the table, "I have this, oppa."
"Chocolate?" asked Mino.
"Okay, I'll keep it a secret from mother." Mino continued then took Haru's chocolate.
Her tears couldn't stop as she remembered all her memories with Haru.
"How, ma'am? Haru is pretty wearing it. " Mino showed his mother a yellow flower dress.
"This dress is still too big for him, Mino. Too old anyway. " Her mother protested when she saw Haru wearing the dress Mino had given her.
"I deliberately put it on to be used when he grew up." Said Mino who was satisfied to tease his sister.
"You haven't even grown up to try on those clothes, Haru. Forgive me. I'm sorry Oppa. " said Mino between his tears.
Mino buried him for the past five years, busy himself with various activities but it took his father less than five minutes to make him remember the memories.
A grip was felt on his right shoulder. Mino looked and found Taehyun, "Taehyun."
"I am fine. Don't worry about me and my father. " Taehyun strengthened Mino.
"Mino-ya ,aranghae." Seungyoon then came from behind Taehyun while giving a love sign and firing his hand that formed a gun at Mino.
"Stupid," he whispered.
"Right, is that okay?" asked Seunghoon next.
"Hmm. thank you." Mino answered. He was quite surprised, seeing his friends could find him, "How did you find me?"
"The psychiatrist said when your head is full, you will come here to clean up useless rubbish and then come back to like before" replied Seunghoon.
"Then where is he?" asked Mino, who did not find Jinwoo with them.
"He said he had important business at the hospital, so he told us to come first. He will catch up once the business is over. " replied Seungyoon.
"Taehyun, sorry." Said Mino then.
"Don't be sorry, idiot. I understand your reasons, so don't apologize. " Taehyun responded with a smile.
Seunghoon's cell phone rang so he immediately picked it up, but his face turned serious when he heard the other person's words, "I'll be right there, hyung."
"Where are you going?" asked Mino.
"Something happened with Seunghi, I have to see it." replied Seunghoon.
"We're in!"
* * *
Seunghoon was really worried about what happened to his younger brother, to the point that the other three held on tightly because Seunghoon was driving his car at high speed.
"Seunghoon-ah, if you want to die, just die yourself. I still want to live. " Mino patted Seunghoon's chest to bring him up.
"Hyung, I know you're worried, but, it's better if you reduce the speed of this car." Said Taehyun.
"I'm really worried about him, you know that right?" Seunghoon turned to them with his hands on the steering wheel without slowing down.
"Aiissh! Can't you be quiet? Don't disturb the concentration or we will really die. HYUNG! LOOK AHEAD!!" Seungyoon protested with a surprised face that something might happen next.
When Seunghoon looked back, a motorcycle was overtaking from the right side so that Seunghoon had to swerve to the left to avoid an accident. As Seunghoon looked to the left, his three friends simultaneously shouted as if they were on a rollercoaster ride.
"AAAAAKKKK."
Arriving at the hospital, Seunghoon parked his car carelessly and immediately threw his car keys at the security officers there. The three young men who were in the car, staggered out, holding on to the side of the car.
"Haaaahh. My knees are weak. " Seungyoon complained.
"Looks like my heart was left on the road earlier, I didn't feel the beat." Mino felt his left chest looking for the location of the heart and felt his heartbeat.
"I think I was reincarnated when he stepped on the gas pedal earlier." Taehyun was no less complaining.
"Really. I won't let Seunghoon bring the car again when he's with him." Mino chirps who stands in the middle of Seungyoon and Taehyun. The two children nodded in agreement with blank eyes.
When everyone was in full awareness, they immediately followed Seunghoon into Seunghi's special room. Seunghoon himself looked tense when he arrived at the front of Seunghi's room, Jinwoo was already standing waiting for him.
"What happened, Hyung? Where is she? Where is my Seunghiku? " Seunghoon was crazy because he didn't see Seunghi in his room.
"Why are you coming here?" Jinwoo asked when he found Seungyoon, Mino and Taehyun appeared panting.
"LEE JINWOO !!" Shouted Seunghoon who was annoyed that Jinwoo ignored him. He grabbed the collar of Jinwoo's medical coat to show his irritation.
"Oppa!"
Seunghoon froze. He recognized the voice. Seunghoon looked at Jinwoo who was also staring at him, slowly the lines of the smile from Jinwoo's face became clearer as if giving an answer to Seunghoon's question that he didn't say.
"Turn around. He's waiting for you from there. "
Jinwoo's words made Seunghoon slowly let go of his grip on Jinwoo's medical coat and then rotate according to the psychiatrist's instructions. He found a young woman in a light blue-and-white dress, obviously Seunghi's dress because he bought it. Seunghoon's eyes began to move up the face of the wearer and Seunghi saw him with a sweet smile on his face which looked like a peach blush, his skin was healthy and shining.
Seunghoon couldn't stop his tears when comparing Seunghi's current situation with Seunghi's situation when Seunghoon opened the door to the cursed room with his friends.
"Seunghi." Seunghoon whispered in a trembling voice.
"Oppa." replied Seunghi. The girl ran into Seunghoon's chest, hugging Seunghoon tightly. how much she missed her brother who was always with and protected her all this time.
Seunghoon hugged Seunghi back. He gently stroked Seunghi's long hair which was smooth and fragrant. Seunghoon can smell a strawberry scent from the top of Seunghi's head. Her happy tears could not be stopped. his face was slowly wet because the clear liquid kept dropping without permission.
"What took you so long? I almost died there. Sob. Don't you miss me? I really miss you, Oppa. " Seunghi sobs colored the emotion of Seunghoon who has been free to hug his sister without fear anymore.
"Sorry. Sorry, Seunghi. Forgive me." Seunghoon continued to say sorry and tighten his hug to Seunghi.
Mino walked over to Jinwoo and whispered, "Are you sure Seunghi is fine, hyung?"
"Seunghoon is the only person that Seunghi is most likely to meet at this time, but I'm not sure I will bring Seunghi together with president Ka—"
Jinwoo stopped his sentence when he realized Seunghi loosened his hug to Seunghoon. He was sure Seunghi was being shocked and chose to follow Seunghi's gaze. Now it's not only Seunghi who is surprised, the five young men are surprised to see someone standing at the end of the hall.
"Father?" Seunghoon said softly, Seunghoon's words actually made Seunghi hold tightly to Seunghoon's coat near his waist for fear.
Two bodyguards who were in charge of blocking president Kang and Mrs. Kang from visiting Seunghi returned to his position when Taehyun ordered the guards to step aside. With hesitation President Kang and Madam Kang walked closer to their two children but the shorter the distance between them, Seunghi tightened his grip and Seunghoon clenched his fists, preparing if President Kang would snatch Seunghi from his protection.
Seunghoon started to move Seunghi behind his body. The girl just peeked with a scared face. Seunghoon prepared for something bad to happen and Seunghi hid his face behind Seunghoon's back. Instead of trying to grab Seunghi like Seunghoon imagined, president Kang and nyonga Kang landed their knees on the cold floor of the Lee group hospital.
Seunghoon's eyes widen when he sees his mother and father doing that. Jinwoo, Seungyoon, Taehyun and Mino were no less surprised. They know the character of their father and their father's friends, so the attitude of President Kang kneeling in front of his son and daughter is not of the nature they know. The five spoiled ajushi have the same high self-esteem.
Seunghi, who was hiding behind Seunghoon, was confused because nothing happened or something that had harmed him had not happened, so Seunghi peeked back and found President Kang kneeling in front of them with Madam Kang.
Seeing his father and mother kneeling, Seunghi slowly stepped forward and stood parallel to Seunghoon, "Dad. Mother." call slowly.
Hearing the call from Seunghi, both President Kang and his wife were getting lowered and drowning their heads with heavy sounding sobs, as well as tears that dripped onto the floor.
"Father. Mother." called Seunghi once again, waiting for a response from his parents.
"I'm not your father, Seunghi! I'm not your father. A father will never have the heart to sin against his children. " The hoarse voice of President Kang indicates that he is very sad about the treatment he has done to Seunghi and Seunghoon.
Seunghoon turned his face to cover his sadness, but Seunghi? The girl with the rest of her courage walked up to President Kang and knelt down so that she could grab the faces of her mother and father. Gently holding her parents' faces after five years, wiping their tears for the first time.
"Don't cry, Dad. Don't cry, Mother. I understand. It is okay. I'm fine now. " He said softly with a smile
"Listen to me now, Father. You are my father and I am your son. Until whenever it will remain like that. I'm just serving the punishment you gave me, but it doesn't matter now, dad. Do not Cry anymore. I hope. My heart hurts seeing you cry. " Pinta Seunghi, the only daughter of the Kang family who was locked up for five years for being a family disgrace. It is inconceivable if Seunghi did not reach this strong level of being the daughter of the Kang family.
'It is not the right part to repay someone with violence, no matter what form it takes. Being a person who is forgiving will make you stop regretting the past. I studied it today. 'Jinwoo said to himself.
Seunghi chose to forgive knowing that over the past five years, President Kang must have cursed himself for his treatment of Seunghi a million times. Moreover, President Kang has cut his pride to kneel not only in front of his children but also in front of his children's friends. Because the father is still the father, will not really intend to hurt his own child.
Mino's cell phone sound made him step aside after seeing the name on his cellphone screen, "What's wrong, Jiseob? What? I understand. I'll be there soon. Prepare the operating room. "
Taehyun looked at Mino, he felt something unpleasant might be happening right now, "what's wrong?"
"Your father is critical. I will go now. Please call my father to meet me there. This time I don't want to be with Seunghoon, I need to feel safe and comfortable before doing surgery. " Mino glanced at Seunghoon who smiled unpleasantly at him.
"I'm coming with you." Jinwoo caught up with Mino who had left the place earlier.
"MINO!" call Taehyun. He ran to get closer to Mino.
"Are you sure you will?" Taehyun asked doubtfully.
Mino paused for a moment. Then he looked at Taehyun confidently, "I'm a little scared, but all this must be done. Not only for your father and you but also for all of us. " Mino explained. Jinwoo smiled proudly at Mino's choice, he patted his best friend on the back.
"Thank you." Taehyun said.
"Save those words when the operation is successful. Come on, hyung. "
* * *
The operation lasted two hours, but Mino still needed time to complete it because it involved the lives of his father and his best friend's father.
President Choi, President Lee and President Kang looked restless watching the operation from the television screen in the VIP waiting room. Seungyoon and Seunghoon looked seriously paying attention to Mino's hands in playing the surgical equipment they didn't know the name of. Taehyun looked nervous because his father was struggling with death but Jinwoo was more than restless, he paced back and forth then stopped and stared at the screen, then bit down at it and walked back and forth again. This attitude caught President Choi's attention.
"Lee Jinwoo!" call president Choi.
"Yes, president?" Jinwoo replied quickly.
"Your father is here with us, why do you look more restless than Taehyun? Did something happen? " investigated president Choi, who then stood up to Jinwoo.
"Why is he so sensitive?" Jinwoo whispered.
"I-that. my a-mm. " said Jinwoo stammered.
"He wouldn't be stunned if it weren't a big thing." Cut president Lee who followed president Choi approaching his son.
"Father!" he protested.
"Say it! what's going on? " President Lee emphasized.
Jinwoo began to tell him what was troubling him.
Mino and Jinwoo were on their way to the hospital in Jinwoo's car. Mino looked nervous but he tried to hide his anxiety from Jinwoo.
"Are you sure you're okay?" asked Jinwoo.
"Hmm. I am fine." Mino replied briefly.
"Really alright?" Once again Jinwoo asked which Mino answered with a nod.
Jinwoo didn't stop there, he returned to asking Mino a question, "Then why did you act like yesterday?"
"QUICK HYUNG! I'll tell you later. Now, step on the accelerator! Aiissh! " Mino protested, who was already furious to see Jinwoo had started the car engine but didn't even step on the gas pedal, instead asking the same thing over and over again.
Unlike Seunghoon and Taehyun who adhere to the principle of time is money, Mino relies on his patient's life on his punctuality. No one can guarantee whether if he is a second late, the patient will survive or not.
Jinwoo pressed the gas pedal and the car was already driving down the road towards the hospital where Mino was. He was ready to collect Mino's promise to tell him everything.
"Tell me, Dong Mino!" asked Jinwoo.
"My attitude yesterday was not only because my father mentioned Haru but also because of other things." open Mino.
"Other thing? What is that?" asked Jinwoo.
There was no answer other than Mino's long sigh releasing the burden.
"Dong Mino!" called Jinwoo, but Mino was still reluctant to open his mouth to tell him.
"I WILL STOP THE CAR IF YOU DON'T OPEN YOUR QUALITY!" Jinwoo threatened by raising his tone.
"I ASKED A BIG QUESTION ON KISS NOTE." Mino raised his voice, carried away by Jinwoo's emotions. Jinwoo stopped the car without prompting to make Mino's body slamming forward, lucky they were both wearing the seatbelt so they could still survive the impact.
Mino saw Jinwoo froze, he looked at his watch and worried again, "Hyung! run the car. I hope." Mino whines.
Jinwoo started his car again. After digesting Mino's words, he tried to be calm and returned to throwing a question to Mino, "What kind of question is that?"
Mino sighed, "I asked about a drug for ataxia."
Jinwoo turned his face immediately to Mino, "Yes! Dong Mino! Haaaa. " then looked back at the street.
"Sorry, hyung. I can't think straight anymore when it comes to Aeri, I just want Aeri to recover. " Sorry Mino.
"Does kiss note really answer your question?" asked Jinwoo curiously.
"Yes. The team I formed is looking for a drug called kiss note, I'm still waiting for their news. " answered Mino. Jinwoo took a deep breath and then sighed heavily.
The two presidents' anxiety increased after hearing Jinwoo's story, imagining all the possible risks of the worst luck for Mino.
"If Mino has used the answer, that means it could be Kiss Note." President Choi hung up the sentence.
"Taking the lives of both of them in exchange for good luck Mino." Connect President Lee.
CONTINUED.....