Brother, Dear Brother - Chapter 25
Brother, Dear BrotherWhen Sunggyu awoke, he smiled upon seeing Woohyun sitting by his bedside but his smile soon faded when he saw the solemn look on Woohyun's face. Woohyun's eyes were red as if he had been crying. Sunggyu figured that something must have happened. He sat up and reached out to Woohyun, holding the boy's hand.
"Woohyun, what's wrong?" he asked full of concern.
Woohyun raised his eyes to look at him but remained silent.
His lack of response worried Sunggyu. "Woohyun, what happened?"
Silent tears strolled down Woohyun's cheeks. Sunggyu grew into a panic not knowing what was wrong. He quickly pulled the boy into his embrace, trying to console him.
"My father..." Woohyun began trying muffled sobs. "He's dead. They found his body."
Upon hearing Woohyun's words, Sunggyu froze for a second. "I'm so sorry," he said, while holding Woohyun.
Outside the door detective Lee quietly walked away.
"Sunggyu," said Woohyun, when his tears had finally subsided. "Can I ask you something?"
"What's wrong?" Sunggyu asked.
Woohyun looked at Sunggyu and hesitated. There was a troubled look upon his face.
"Is there something troubling you?" Sunggyu asked, noticing the boy's hesitation. "Whatever it is, I'll help you."
Woohyun contemplated a moment. "What would you do..." he began. "If one day you found out that someone you cared about was not who you thought they were? Would you forgive them for lying?"
Sunggyu looked at the boy. "It depends on their reason for lying."
"I see," said Woohyun. "Then let me be honest with you."
Sunggyu waited for the boy to speak.
"I...I have an illness," he admitted. "Sometimes when I get really angry I become a very violent person and do things I normally wouldn't do. Even my own brother calls me a monster."
Sunggyu did not seemed surprised by Woohyun's words. He already knew what the boy was like when he was angry. He had already witnessed it once. He patted Woohyun gently on the head. "Don't be silly, you're not a monster, far from it."
Their moment was interrupted by a knock at the door. They looked to see a nurse pushing in a food cart. It was only then that they realised that it was dinner time. Upon seeing the pair, the nurse left two sets of food for them.
"Enjoy," said the nurse with a smile before she left the room.
"Come on," said Sunggyu. "You must be hungry."
Woohyun obliged.
In the middle of the night, after placing a tender kiss on the sleeping figure's forehead, he walked out of the hospital room and closed the door.
Under a starless sky on a remote hill, three figures stood in front of a grave stone.
"Father, I've come to visit you," said one of the figures as he laid flowers and incense. "I have done what I swore I would do. May you rest in peace."
After paying their respects, the three figures turned around to leave, only to find themselves confronted by a lone figure with a gun pointing at them.
"So, you really are the new leader of the Ishimi clan."
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