Time flew by.
While the misdeeds of Han Jiwoon and Chairman Han Sangjin were exposed to the world and they awaited the judgment of the law, Dojin gradually recovered his health in the hospital room provided by Jehoon.
Yoonwoo visited his room every day to care for him attentively.
Although Studio Yeon was busier than ever, Yoonwoo made sure to stop by the hospital to watch over Dojin immediately after work.
Today, Yoonwoo visited Dojin’s room with a bundle of his favorite fruits.
Sitting at a small table by the window, his movements as he peeled an apple were familiar, peaceful, and affectionate.
Dojin watched Yoonwoo with a loving gaze, accepting a slice of apple like a child.
“As expected, the apples peeled by you are the best!”
At Dojin’s words, Yoonwoo smiled softly.
On the TV, news regarding H Pharmaceutical played incessantly.
Even now, the screen showed a repeat of the interview Cha Joowon had given calmly a few days ago.
“Wow… I still can’t believe I was caught up in such a huge incident.”
Dojin said, munching on his apple with a look of wonder. Yoonwoo nodded as he watched him.
“I know. Still… I’m truly relieved that you weren’t hurt any worse or pulled in any deeper.”
Yoonwoo’s voice was filled with genuine relief.
He turned his head to look at the TV.
On screen, Joowon looked exhausted, as if he had stayed up for many nights, but his eyes were more vivid than ever.
Yoonwoo thought that his commitment to bearing responsibility for his past choices, staking everything he had, was exactly like the person he had once loved.
At that moment, Dojin saw Yoonwoo’s gaze directed at Joowon on the TV.
With a slightly pouting expression, he grabbed the remote and changed the channel.
However, on that channel, too, the celebrity news panelists were commenting on Joowon’s interview.
[And so, in the online communities lately, apart from the courageous image of former CEO Cha Joowon, there is endless praise for his insane visuals.]
A female panelist said in an excited voice.
[Not only the suit and tie he wore during the interview, but even the eyeglass frames he wore are reportedly sold out due to a flood of inquiries! A handsome face truly shines in any situation, doesn’t it? How can he be that handsome in such a tragic situation? His looks combined with the situation seem to make his decadent charm overflow.]
The other panelists joined in, piling on praises for his appearance.
Before the panelist could even finish, Dojin turned the TV off abruptly, looking even more piqued.
His pouting, sulky face was reflected in the darkened screen.
Yoonwoo couldn’t help but burst into laughter at his childlike jealousy.
“Heh heh… are you jealous right now?”
Yoonwoo asked, gently cupping his cheek.
“…I am not!”
Dojin replied bluntly, but his ears were already burning red.
“Cha Joowon is really a person of the past now, so why be jealous? Right now… my heart belongs to someone else.”
Yoonwoo whispered softly, looking straight into his eyes.
At those words, Dojin’s gloomy face brightened in an instant.
As if he had been waiting, he clung close to Yoonwoo, his eyes sparkling like a puppy.
“Really? Truly? W-who is that person who has your heart right now…?”
At his sudden, blunt question, Yoonwoo’s face flushed bright red.
“Th-that is…”
Just as Yoonwoo was about to open his mouth to speak in a trembling voice:
Bang!
The hospital door swung open violently, and a middle-aged man rushed in urgently.
It was a familiar face.
“Dojin!”
“D-Dad?!”
Dojin was startled by his father’s unexpected appearance.
He pouted with an expression mixed with joy at seeing his father and disappointment that such an important moment had been interrupted.
“No, what are you doing all the way here! Without even calling!”
Dojin’s father lightly tapped his son on the head and scolded him.
“You brat! Your father heard the news of you from Jeju Island and rushed over here, and this is all you have to say? Do you know how worried I was when I heard you were hurt…!?”
He couldn’t finish his sentence and sighed.
“So, what on earth happened? How are you feeling?”
Dojin grumbled but explained the whole story to his father.
About being kidnapped by Han Jiwoon, taking the dangerous drug, and being able to escape the crisis thanks to Yoonwoo.
As his explanation went on, his father’s expression grew stiffer and stiffer.
“…So, thanks to Chairman Choi’s help, those guys were all caught. I’m fine now.”
When Dojin mentioned Chairman Choi, his father’s expression changed subtly.
He looked at Dojin and then at Yoonwoo without a word for a moment, then turned his head, seemingly trying to hide his complicated state of mind.
Just then, the hospital door slid open again, and a familiar voice was heard.
“You brat, you should have at least called once you were feeling better…!”
It was Dojin’s grandfather. He still had a stern expression, but there was a hint of relief in it.
His gaze turned toward Dojin’s father, who was standing in the hospital room.
Their eyes met in the air.
A heavy, awkward silence stretched between them, as if it had been going on for a very long time.
After a long while, Dojin’s father spoke first. His voice was low and dry.
“…Have you been well, Father-in-law?”
“…Hmm. Have you been well, too? It’s been a long time.”
Chairman Choi also responded shortly, with an awkward cough.
A sense of distance and awkwardness caused by unresolved bitterness still lingered between them.
Dojin’s father hesitated for a moment, then turned his body and said:
“…It’s enough to see that you’re healthy. I’ll be going now.”
He bowed lightly to Chairman Choi and tried to leave the room.
Right then, Chairman Choi coughed again and blocked his path.
“What’s the rush? Ahem. Stay… and have a cup of tea.”
His voice was still stiff, but instead of the sharp anger of before, it seemed to be mixed with complex emotions that had been buried for a very long time, and perhaps even a faint regret.
Dojin’s father hesitated for a moment, then gave a small nod and followed Chairman Choi out of the room.
A long time later, Dojin’s grandfather returned to the room alone, his eyes looking a bit red.
He sat quietly in the chair next to Dojin’s bed and watched him in silence for a long while.
Then, he spoke softly to Yoonwoo.
“I’m sorry, but could you step out for a moment? I have something to discuss with my grandson.”
Yoonwoo felt the weight in his voice and sensed that something significant was about to be said.
He nodded quietly and left the room.
As the door clicked shut, Chairman Choi sat deep in the chair by the bed.
He remained silent for a very long time before finally opening his mouth.
“…For a very long time… I could not forgive my daughter, your mother.”
His voice was trembling faintly.
“When she ran away from home following that guy I opposed, I… I tried not to think of her as my daughter anymore. I could have helped her meet a much better Alpha… but she wouldn’t listen to me.”
He stopped for a moment to catch his breath.
“But… when I lost her because of my greed and my stubbornness… I don’t know how much I regretted it. When I heard she had died while protecting you, I… because of my hatred for you, I couldn’t bear to see you or your father. Because I thought you were the ones who took my daughter away from me.”
Tears welled up in his eyes.
“But this time… when I almost lost you, I was… so afraid that I would repeat the same mistake. You probably still hate me, but… I must say this. I am sorry. I am truly sorry, Dojin. Because of me… for causing you to lose your mother… I am truly sorry.”
Seeing his grandfather apologize sincerely with red eyes, Dojin felt tears welling up in his own eyes.
Just as he had lost his mother, Chairman Choi was a father who had lost his only daughter.
Dojin felt he could now understand, if only a little, the weight of that sorrow.
“…I… I don’t know if I can fully forgive you yet.”
Dojin confessed his honest feelings. His voice was still trembling.
“I… I hate myself too much, and to be honest… I still hate you, too. But… I won’t forget that you worked hard for me this time. If it weren’t for you, I might not have been able to protect my precious person… Yoonwoo. I am truly grateful for that.”
He said with sincerity.
“And… thank you for apologizing. I am also sorry… for having been mean to you all this time.”
Thus, although they did not perfectly erase the scars of the past, they were able to let go of at least a little bit of the hatred and resentment that had been knotted tightly in their hearts for such a long time.
