Chapter 30
Confession, seriously.
What if Yeonwoo, who’s finally adjusted well and doing her part, gets scared and runs away?
It was still too soon.
Sajun continued walking slowly.
After changing in his room and heading to the ER, he found Yeonwoo had already arrived and was receiving a handover at the emergency station.
He spotted Choi Mansoo, exhausted and yawning repeatedly, trying to shake off his drowsiness.
Cheongbong’s one and only emergency room.
An irreplaceable asset to keep it running.
Sajun quickened his pace to join the handover.
An intern who had been dozing in the corner jumped up in surprise.
Sajun gently patted the intern’s head and shoulder.
Sure, just an intern now, but in a few years, this one would become a valuable talent for Cheongbong.
No way he should leave just after dispatch.
Yeonwoo smiled brightly at Sajun.
Her smile made Sajun’s heart pound almost painfully.
Something was definitely not normal.
*
The day after visiting Cheongbong where Yeonwoo was, Segwon dropped by his parents’ house to give a briefing.
The entire family was eagerly awaiting him.
“Where’s Ikwon hyung?”
“He’s on his way.”
“Should I wait and brief everyone together?”
“Segwon, can’t you see my neck’s getting longer from waiting?”
Their father, Ryu Eunpyo, rubbed his chubby neck dramatically.
To be honest, what was there to really say?
Segwon had visited Cheongbong partly to bring Yeonwoo some side dishes—but mostly to find out whether she’d heard anything about Seyoung.
Seyoung had been avoiding him so much lately that he could barely eat.
Food that used to taste like honey when eaten with Seyoung now tasted like trash.
Unaware of these thoughts, his parents and older brother stared intently at Segwon’s face.
Sitting on the living room couch, Segwon picked up a piece of fruit offered by their mother, Madam Ok Minhwa.
The grape, shaped like an eggplant, was so sweet it made his teeth ache.
The rest of the family crowded onto the couch around him.
“So the princess has no intention of coming back to Seoul at all?”
“Yap!”
Looking at his totally daughter- and sister-obsessed family, Segwon sighed but felt a hint of responsibility and prepared to speak.
After all, Yeonwoo ending up in Cheongbong was partly his fault, thanks to his big mouth.
“She’s eating so well and living so comfortably in that clean air and pure water—it’s enough to make me jealous.”
He started with a smooth tone.
“Really? Is she eating properly?”
Madam Ok’s eyes sparkled.
When Yeonwoo gets older, she’ll probably age as gracefully and elegantly as Madam Ok—though now she’s more like a wildcat.
“Of course. She finished off all the side dishes you made—those containers were empty! She even ate a whole pot of braised short ribs by herself.”
A little white lie never hurt.
Anyway, she had eaten a lot yesterday.
“And the landlady there tends a garden with such care. There’s no vegetable they don’t have. All organic, no pesticides, you know? Yeonwoo’s eating all that—man, I was really envious.”
Eldest son Ilkwon’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Verbal persuasion never worked too well on Ilkwon.
“And even if she came back to Seoul, could she really adjust to hospital life here? With her personality, it’d just be stressful. Sure, Grandma offered to open her a private clinic, but we all know that’s not realistic. Maybe if it were internal medicine—but surgery? No way.”
Knowing Yeonwoo’s personality, their parents and Ilkwon fell silent.
Even if she was their sister, Yeonwoo wasn’t your average crazy girl.
With her pretty face came an intensity that never did anything halfway.
Judging by their expressions, the parents and Ilkwon were remembering her past antics—it was complicated.
Segwon grabbed another grape.
Seyoung would love these.
As he pondered what to say next, the front door opened, and footsteps approached.
“Mother, I’m home.”
It was Ikwon—Segwon didn’t get along with him very well.
Tall and decent-looking, but whenever the topic of “the princess” came up, the guy lost his mind. Not great for conversation.
And since they worked at the same hospital, it was even more awkward.
“Welcome home. We just started. Sit down.”
“Yes, Mother.”
As Ikwon loosened his tie and unbuttoned his shirt collar, he seemed a little agitated.
“Go on, continue.”
Ikwon muttered to Segwon in a low tone.
Say the wrong thing now, and he might actually beat me to death.
“Well… nothing much, really. Yeonwoo’s doing great. She’s thriving in hospital life. Honestly, she looked miserable back in Seoul—her face was a mess. But now, she’s blooming—like a flower, really.”
“Flower, my ass.”
Ikwon scoffed and muttered something that sounded a lot like swearing.
He wouldn’t actually say “fuck” in front of their parents… right?
“Mother, don’t believe a word he says. I just got back from hearing something awful…”
He sounded too riled up to breathe properly.
Usually his phone never stopped ringing, but today it was strangely quiet.
Segwon glared at his silent phone, half hoping for a call so he could escape.
“Our princess, ahem, our Yeonoo is basically living as a slave right now.”
This idiot even called her “Yeonoo” all teary-eyed.
For fuck’s sake.
He might be my brother, but damn, that was revolting.
And seriously—Yeonwoo, a slave? She’s the last person who’d ever put up with that.
“What do you mean, a slave? Like, salt farm slave?”
Madam Ok’s voice shot up three octaves, and their father’s tiny eyes widened.
Ilkwon clenched his fist, his expression screaming, This better not be bullshit.
“Well, not quite that, but close. I think I need to go down there and check personally.”
“What in the world are you talking about?”
“Ikwon, where are you even hearing this? You’re driving me crazy. You trying to give me a heart attack?”
“Choose your next words carefully.”
The family began pressing in on Ikwon.
“One of my classmates is from Cheongbong. Turns out, his father is the hospital director. He even met Yeonwoo in Africa.”
Their father Eunpyo slapped his knee repeatedly, groaning, “Tsk, tsk.”
Madam Ok gently fed him a grape to shut him up.
“So? Isn’t that a good thing, if he’s your classmate?”
Ilkwon kept firing off questions, clearly frustrated.
If Yeonwoo saw all this, she’d probably swear never to return to Seoul.
“There’s a rumor that guy sent Yeonwoo to the countryside to work her like a slave. I need to check this myself.”
His expression was absurdly solemn.
This guy was insane.
Where the hell did he get this nonsense?
Segwon sighed quietly.
Yeonwoo looked perfectly fine—glowing, even.
Forget it.
“Fine. Go. Check it out. Hurry up.”
Their father, unwilling to risk upsetting his daughter himself, pushed Ikwon to go instead.
“Yes, Father. And if it’s true, I’ll submit my resignation and move to Cheongbong. I can’t leave Yeonwoo to suffer alone.”
His face now resembled that of a freedom fighter.
Was he saving the nation or something?
“Are you crazy? Aren’t you up for an assistant professor position next year? You’re gonna throw that away?”
Segwon jumped up. Everyone had lost their minds.
Sure, they all doted on Yeonwoo—but this was too much.
“Hmph…”
“……”
“……”
The family ignored Segwon’s protests and fell into serious silence.
What are you all contemplating now?!
Especially the eldest, Ilkwon—his face was the most intense.
He stroked his chin and sighed, like he was about to reach some grand conclusion.
No way… was he also thinking of quitting and going down there?
Segwon was speechless with shock.
“Ryu Ikwon.”
At last, the eldest spoke.
“Yes, hyung?”
“You go. To Cheongbong.”
This wasn’t “You go to Hawaii.”
It was beyond ridiculous.
Segwon was so dumbfounded, he couldn’t even laugh.
