Another chapter, but this one's really very short. It's kind of like what happens 'behind the scenes'. A little 'bromance' here, but lets just treat it as a bonus chapter, still being related to the story :)

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It was the smell of vanilla musk, one of the scents that she was fond of. The room was just a regular study with a rosewood desk, a leather chair and a two-seater sofa. On each cabinet, books and documents were arranged neatly in order from tall to short. Soo Bin looked desperately on the table for a piece of lingering sentiment, but found none. He expected to see photographs of his hyung’s loved ones confined in expensive picture frames, but the furniture was clear from any obstructions. There weren’t any decorations, only the bland mixture of black and maple brown that colored the interior of the walls.

“Soo Bin,” Shin Hyun finally voiced, gathering the courage to ask of a last request to the person who might never be able to forgive him in this lifetime. After giving it a last long thought, he continued. “I have a favor to ask from you.”

He knew it was coming. A man that he had not seen in years would not just invite him to a reunion dinner without an aim in mind. He was waiting for it all along, guessing all night what his mighty hyung would ask from him. Financial help would be his first assumption, but Soo Bin quickly tossed the thought aside after seeing that Shin Hyun was quite well off albeit not as rich as he expected him to be. Shin Hyun was not a greedy man, he understands that trait.

“What is it?”

“Promise me that you’ll fulfill my wish first, dongsaeng.” 

Soo Bin grunted under his breath while settling down on the sofa. He was getting suspicious, but curiosity got hold of him. He had wanted to be careful but since when did his hyung get so secretive? Finally, a silent nod accompanied his reluctant agreement.  

“I promise.”

A sigh escaped the elder’s lips, tired and worn out. “Take care of my daughter for me.”

“What?” The shock couldn’t be hidden from his reply. From the glass window, he looked down to spot the girl that resembles Na Young so much in a way that he thought she was her exact replica during her younger days. She was charismatic enough to have caught the attention of his five boys.

“Are you going somewhere, hyung? Perhaps a long business trip or something?” he turned to face Shin Hyun, in hopes of clearing the unnecessary confusion forming in the back of his mind.

The man looked up, trying so hard to hide his emotion. Whatever happened to the hyung that greeted him so warmly just now? That facade was gone, the figure standing in front of him was like Macbeth, who've lost all hope in living. Soo Bin gasped in shock when his ‘brother’ tried to open his mouth to speak, but ended up coughing so hard that his upper body was bending down in more than ninety degrees.

Rushing to his side, Soo Bin helped his hyung up without trouble. During their childhood together, it was always hyung who helped him back on his feet whenever he fell down. Now, the younger was returning the gesture, probably for the first and last time.

Min Shin Hyun withered like a flower past its prime time. His rough palms were revealed when pulling away from the comfort that he had needed. He proceeded to keep a fairly far distance from his old friend, standing near the door.

“I will be on leave from work to spend some quality time with her starting from the week after next. Your family is welcomed to join us if you want.” He said coldly.

Turning the cold brass doorknob, Min Shin Hyun exited the room without another word.

The stain on his hand, it couldn’t be…blood, can it?

It took a few minutes for Soo Bin to conclude what he was afraid to accept.

The hyung that he had adored since young, the man that was both his friend and brother, the person that supported him with happiness yet brought unhappiness was dying.

And he knew that his time was almost up.