Part 47

DESTINY

"It seems quite" Hyungwon commented as he parks his car near the entrance. 

"The group just made their official statement an hour ago. People will start coming soon" Kihyun replied. He watches Hyungwon closely. Instead of getting of the car, Hyungwon stares at the door blankly. "Aren't you going in?" 

"Why did I make that phone call, Kihyun? They have so many people who can help them" Hyungwon sighed. 

"I don't know why you do what you do, but it simply shows that you still care," Kihyun said as he smiles gently at the psychiatrist. 

"I care too much is the reason we ended up like this" Hyungwon scratches the not itchy back of his neck. "Wait," he said and get off of the car. He then goes to help Kihyun. "Make sure to stay close to me or Hoseok, ok?. If anything happens to you, Minhyuk will kill me. In fact, all of them is going to kill me. It's enough funeral for my family this month" he told Kihyun who just looking at him expressionless. "This is his first time going outside after the birth and you bring him to a funeral home. What the hell you are thinking, Hyungwon?" he mumbles to himself. 

Kihyun can't help but smiles a little at how Hyungwon is rambling to himself. He let the tall man wrap his arms around his shoulder as they entered the building together. "I think that's a reporter" he whispers to Hyungwon, trying to release himself from the latter.

"They don't know how Chae Si Woo looks like. It's ok" Hyungwon tighten his grip over Kihyun's shoulder. "Plus, I'm Chae Hyungwon now" he added and make a sudden stop. 'That's Hoseok. Wait here" he left Kihyun's alone outside the hall. 

"I thought I was delusional or something," Hoseok said as he walks to Kihyun. "Minhyuk let you out or you ask him to?" 

"It's Hyungwon, actually" Kihyun replied. "It's a bit unexpected. I thought he will ask Hyunwoo or Changkyun to company him here" 

"Honestly, among us...I personally think you are the only one who can help him open up" Hoseok smiles a little. "You are not a psychiatrist, but you are trained to ask all the right questions. I'm positive he will open up to you" 

"He is Chae Hyungwon. No trick will work on him" Kihyun sighed. "Can you show me where the washroom is? This little one is pressing on my bladder" Kihyun said as he rubs his baby bump to calm down the super active baby in him. Probably excited from seeing the outside world again.  

"Come" Hoseok walks with Kihyun to the end of the hall where the washroom is located. 

After bowing to his parents, Hyungwon stays kneeling in front of the altar. He stares at his parents' picture for a moment, hoping to feel something in his heart. But, nothing. "Both of you are probably not feeling comfortable with my presence...don't worry, I won't stay long. I won't be coming to the burial too" he takes a deep breath. "I am sorry I can't be who you want me to be. I sometimes wonder if we can be happy together if we meet under different circumstances, but... I was the one who chooses to leave. I was the one who gives up so easily... please forgive me for everything. I wish both of you rest in peace. I am sure Yeji can't wait to see her parents again" his tears suddenly drop. 

"Si Woo?" 

Hyungwon turns to look at the owner of the voice. It's his paternal grandmother. She's looking exactly how he remembers her but looking much older, of course. When his grandmother tries to reach out for him, he immediately stands up. 

"Si Woo-ah, I am so sorry," Hyejin said to her grandson, try to reach for his hand again. This time her grandson stays still. "I am very sorry, my Si Woo"

Hyungwon suddenly becomes overwhelmed over the touch and he ended up pulling his hand away. He left the hall in the rush and almost bump into Kihyun who is standing near the door. Luckily, Hoseok is reacting fast to prevent that matter. 

"You are not going to stay?" Hoseok asked. A little worried at how Hyungwon is dragging Kihyun away without saying anything. 

Kihyun just stares at the psychiatrist as the latter drives away from the funeral home. He wanted to ask where they are going, but, then he realizes they are heading to Hoseok's house. 

"Dr. Chae" Chessa nanny is surprised to see him. 

"Where is she?" Hyungwon asked as he entered the house. 

"I just put her to sleep" the nanny become more confused when she sees Kihyun walks in. 

"I think you should leave early today," Kihyun said to the nanny with an awkward smile. The nanny grabs her bag and walks out of the house in an instant. "Wow, Hoseok really need to hire a new one. A more responsible one. How can she just leave like that?" he mumbles as he closes the front door. 

When Kihyun walks into the nursery, Hyungwon is picking up the sleeping Chessa from her cribs and hold her close to his chest. He just watches them for a moment. Hyungwon look like he wanted to hide Chessa in a box and put the box deep in his storage room. But, since he can't do that, he just holds her as tight as he can. Kihyun can hear Hyungwon is muttering something under his breath. It is hard to hear what he was saying so Kihyun move closer to them.

"It's ok. I love you.No one can hurt you" Hyungwon whispers to the sleeping baby repetitively. 

"Who will hurt her, Hyungwon?" Kihyun asked. Try to start a conversation as he takes a seat on the chair near the window. With his overly excited baby who can't stop moving from the moment he steps outside the hospital building, standing is kind of inconvenient to do. When Hyungwon didn't answer, Kihyun read between the lines and figure that Hyungwon was subconsciously hinting at his past. "But, don't you think people need to get hurt, so they can grow?"

"Some pain is just a pain, Kihyun. You know that" 

"Know what?" Kihyun is only trying to keep Hyungwon talking. He frowned when Hyungwon suddenly burst out laughing. A moment passed and Hyungwon starts crying. Then, he starts crying and laughing at the same time. It's kind of scary, actually. Kihyun didn't do anything. He just waits patiently for the psychiatrist to calm down by himself. The only thing he worries about is Chessa wakes up and throws a tantrum. But, the baby is too comfortable in her baba's arms to be bothered by anything.

"I had a sister" Hyungwon blurts out after a moment of silence. He still walking back and forth with Chessa in his arms. "I never talk about her because...I don't want to and people thought I was the only child. I am not. I had a sister, we are almost like a twin. Her name is Chae Yeji" 

Kihyun is surprised by the revelation, but he says nothing. 

"My sister was born with blood cancer. She is too young for any available treatment and my parents needed to be creative. My parents decided to conceived me just after four weeks she was born. It was a risky choice, but they did it anyway. My sister needed a cure and that's all matter. Mother only carried me for 24 weeks in her womb because my sister can't wait any longer. They took my blood and...I wasn't supposed to survive" Hyungwon take a sit on the floor and carefully hold Chessa in his arms. 

"So, that's why you don't have a thing for your birthday" Kihyun moves to join Hyungwon on the floor. 

"Too many possible deaths on that day, Kihyun. I don't think I should celebrate that" Hyungwon reach out for a pillow and put it behind Kihyun. "I don't think you should be sitting on the floor. It's cold" 

"This isn't about me" Kihyun replied as he gently smiles. Though on the edge of a mental breakdown, Hyungwon still cares about the people around him. "Tell me more" he unconsciously use the tone when he is speaking to Sang Wook. 

Hyungwon sighed as he looks down at Chessa peaceful sleeping face. "Well, we all survive my birthday. My sister is recovering well. So, does my mother. I grow well in neonatal care. Yeji is the firstborn and my parents almost lost her once so they pay a lot of attention to her, but, I was happy because Yeji likes me. She shares everything with me. When we were three, her cancer returned. I give her my blood, my bone marrow and we won the fight once again. When we were six, cancer comes back and it is more aggressive. I couldn't cure her anymore. Father and mother have to travel whole over the world to find her a new cure. One day Yeji got a fever, I told my grandmother about it. That time, she had her friend coming over and she told me to wait until they go home. I was supposed to inform my grandmother if Yeji getting worse, but I fall asleep. When I wake up, she's gone. My sister passed away under my watch" 

Kihyun is now understood why Hyungwon has been always sensitive about his suicide watch duty despite years of experience in the field. 

"My father is a man with a short temper. He gets physical when he is mad. I don't know why, but he blames Yeji's death on me. He beat me to the extend I needed to stay in the hospital. I was so confused at first, then grandmother told me about the truth of my birth. I was created for Yeji's cure. The moment I can't cure her, that's the end of my existence" 

Kihyun teardrop. A story of a child being abandoned by their parents is pretty much everywhere in this world. But, this is something different. It's just a pure heartbreak story with no happy ending. 

"I read and search about healing a lot after that. That's when I come across this mind healing thing, I become obsessed about it and that obsession makes me who I am today" Hyungwon smiles weakly. "Father is so mad at me that mother needs to hire a nanny to take care of me. She needs to send me somewhere far so the father can calm down. Remember the grandmother I told you?"

"The one you said raise you?" Kihyun asked as he wipes his tears. 

"Yes, she's not my relative. She is just my nanny. A lonely old woman needed money to survive. But, she loves me" Hyungwon smiles at the picture of her in his mind. "Mother pick me up after she passed away. I was six when I leave the house, I was 16 when I returned. Nothing's change at home. I am still the reason for Yeji's death. A few weeks later, my mother sends me to boarding school. I was depressed, going through puberty and got lost in the path of life. Apparently, despite everything, I am still my father's son. I inherit his aggressive trait and I don't want it. So, I left and I rebuilt myself. At first, I thought they would look for me....but, I find out their business is getting better. Their life is better without me and I was happy without them. Though we are living in the same country, weirdly, we never cross paths with each other" he exhales a heavy breath. "Why did I make that phone call, Kihyun? Why did I make it when my grandmother can do it herself?"

"I'm aware that some people said you have no heart because you seem to have an emotional detachment from your surroundings at times, but, this proves they are wrong. You have a heart and it still cares very much" Kihyun replied, hoping it helps Hyungwon feel better. "Do you know that Hoseok has been searching for the JJ Group heir for months? It was requested by the Chairman himself" he continued when Hyungwon said nothing. 

Hyungwon shakes his head. "He only talks about his work with Minhyuk. This is going to be like the soap opera we watch on tv, isn't it? An unknown heir shows up out of nowhere to save the day" Hyungwon turn to look at Kihyun. 

"If it does, will you do it? Will you return to save your family legacy?" Kihyun asked. 

"I know nothing about business, though. Instead of saving it, I might bring the company to its doom" Hyungwon hold Chessa closer to his chest. "Chessa is the happiest baby I ever met, Kihyun. She smiles all the time. Do you think she will be treated right when she grows up?" 

This is the first time Kihyun ever heard insecurity in the psychiatrist's voice. The latter always sounds so confident despite the absurdity of his words or suggestion at times. 

"All I want is to keep seeing her smiles despite how older she gets. Do you think that's too much of a wish?" 

"She will be a heartthrob, Hyungwon. Plus, she has brothers and sisters who will fight anyone who harms her. Though, I am not sure about Sang Wook getting into a fight for her. But, the Lee-Im sibling will be for sure" Kihyun said as he smiles gently, trying to stop himself from tearing again.

Both are unaware of the baby monitor camera that recording everything in the room.

Somewhere in the hospital, in the funeral home... Minhyuk and Hoseok are watching everything that happened in the nursery on their phone.

 Hyungwon is far more scarred and broken than they ever imagine him to be. 

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hazhatt #1
Chapter 98: male population is increasing thanks to hyunwoo and kihyun
yellowtulip123 #2
Chapter 98: aaaaa kinda sad when the baby was not a girl, but the last sentence really make it up haha. finally dasom is back. thank youuu for the update
Sunflower_Heart
#3
Chapter 98: Yeay!!? The baby is here!!!
hazhatt #4
Chapter 97: Thank you for the updates XD
Sunflower_Heart
#5
Chapter 97: I'm so happy while reading this chapter. Thank you so much for your update
Neny_haneul
#6
Chapter 96: thank you for the update!! another baby is coming yeayy 😁
yellowtulip123 #7
Chapter 96: omg omgg there's an update and is the baby girl's coming??? thank youuu so much for the update. really need to re-read again so i remember the feel haha anyway thank youu so much for coming backk
Grabila #8
Chapter 96: Can't believe it that there is an update in 2023! Welp yaye I missed it and very happy you're back
Sunflower_Heart
#9
Chapter 96: Yeay you're back with new update.

Yeay too for the new baby
Yha-mhine #10
So touching.. ❤