F99 (End)

Near the end of spring, Yeonho began working at the Platte Resort headquarters in Seoul. Unlike last year, when he had been dragged into the job without much interest, this time he actively learned about management, now that he had a spouse who would support him for life.

During that time, Siwoo’s parents continued to try various ways of reaching Yeonho. Siwoo’s father mostly contacted him through a lawyer, just as Yeonho had requested, but today, for the first time, he came in person, asking to meet face-to-face.

After work, Yeonho met him in the lobby. He blinked indifferently as he looked at the man, whose never-ending display of pride was repulsive. Despite his refined appearance, everything he said was pathetic.

“I don’t know what Siwoo’s been saying about me, but I think there’s been some misunderstanding. All I ever did was discipline him when he was wrong. What could he possibly resent me for? Why is a grown man so weak? Still, if it’ll make Siwoo feel better, I’m willing to offer an apology.”

Yeonho half-listened, then replied with a polite smile.

“Seems like your heart’s softened after the public opinion turned on your son following the broadcast. Or maybe you’re just scared because you think it’s your turn now? That your son might expose the abuse he suffered from you?”

Unfazed, the man shook his head without the slightest change in expression.

“I have nothing to be afraid of unless I did something wrong.”

“Mr. Kim. You should just cut ties with your son and accept whatever damages you’re sued for. There’s nothing to gain from provoking us like this.”

Yeonho didn’t see the need to listen any further. The man showed no sign of remorse. Of course, even if he had sincerely begged for forgiveness and pleaded for his son back, Yeonho still would never have let Siwoo go.

He knew it might come across strangely to others, but the truth was, beyond anger, Yeonho felt competitive toward this man who had tormented Siwoo his whole life. He was jealous of someone who had been there from Siwoo’s birth. It was unfortunate, but Siwoo’s father had the misfortune of crossing paths with someone completely out of his mind.

“No matter what you try, I won’t give your son back. You’d be better off giving up sooner rather than later.”

Yeonho knew this man would continue trying to reclaim Siwoo. It might turn into a long battle, but he was fully prepared.

He bowed politely, turned around, and spotted Siwoo stepping out of the elevator into the lobby. Yeonho quickly took his hand.

“Let’s go home. Our home.”

Siwoo had also begun working at the resort headquarters. He ended up working closest to Yeonho’s mother, and over time, the two grew quite close. Siwoo’s parents had attempted to approach her too, but she already heard about the family situation, she fully understood and sided with them. She also used the situation to her advantage.

Kim Yeonho, Joo Yeonho, and Joo Yeonho’s mother. Only these three people in the world knew the full truth, and they kept it secret. When Siwoo’s parents pleaded with her to return their son, she answered them like this:

“President Kim’s son took the life of my family’s eldest. Doesn’t it make sense that your son should now become our eldest? Tell me, am I wrong?”

She said something outrageous with perfect elegance and such calm conviction that it sounded entirely reasonable.

As they walked toward the parking garage, Yeonho turned to Siwoo.

“Let me ask just once. Your dad’s in the lobby. Do you want to meet him?”

Siwoo had already seen his father sitting on the lobby sofa earlier, but had walked right past him as if he didn’t exist. It was amusing to watch the man hesitate, unable to approach him directly in public.

“No. There’s no need.”

If Yeonho hadn’t been in his life, he would have powerlessly followed his father again, gone home, put up minimal resistance, and convinced himself it was good enough before falling asleep. But now, thanks to Yeonho, who gave him the courage to break free from that control, he pulled him closer and kissed the back of his hand.

As Yeonho opened the passenger door, he added,

“Even if you’d said you wanted to meet him, I wouldn’t have let you.”

Seated in the passenger seat, Siwoo flipped Yeonho’s hand over and kissed his palm.

***

At the start of summer, Siwoo and Yeonho took a vacation and flew to the United States. It was a trip to celebrate the anniversary of their relationship. Their destination was the region where Siwoo had lived for four years after leaving Yeonho.

While there, Siwoo told Yeonho about his life during those four years. He explained everything in detail, so Yeonho wouldn’t let his imagination wander off in the wrong direction. In doing so, he blocked any unnecessary fantasies and gently filled in the blank spaces of Yeonho’s mind.

They visited Siwoo’s old school, the home of his uncle where he’d lived under near confinement, and the bars he went to whenever he wanted to pretend to rebel. He invited Yeonho into those parts of his past that had already slipped away.

Yeonho followed him through it all, painting those missing years in his mind. He could clearly imagine the lonely, desperate Siwoo who had fought to survive each day.

The places where Siwoo had experienced the most pain weren’t exactly welcoming. Familiar buildings, weather, and smells brought back painful emotions. But each time, Yeonho noticed and pulled him into a warm embrace, whispering the same words again and again.

Thank you for holding on. Thank you for not choosing the easy way out, for enduring all that discomfort and misery just to come back to me.

In Yeonho’s comforting arms, Siwoo gradually erased his memories of loneliness.

On their last day before returning to Korea, Siwoo drove for hours with Yeonho beside him. Yeonho didn’t ask where they were going. He simply went along.

Eventually, they got out of the car and walked down a dim street, hand in hand. Yeonho deliberately ignored what was in front of him, keeping his eyes only on Siwoo’s back, as if the rest of the world were a blur and Siwoo was all that existed.

Then, suddenly, the blur sharpened. His steps stopped at the sight of a familiar face.

A man crawled over a pile of trash in front of a bar. He looked like a zombie, unable to control his own limbs. Was it alcohol? Drugs?

Siwoo noticed Yeonho’s unsteady breath and tightened his grip. Without a word, he stared at the man. The man, whose pupils were empty and unfocused, rose unsteadily from the trash heap and looked toward them. He seemed to recognize who they were, but couldn’t express himself properly.

After moving to the U.S., Siwoo had planted someone close to Seong Junyoung, who had been flaunting a life of indulgence. When that person mentioned a drug that could enhance sexual performance, Junyoung had taken the bait without hesitation, swallowing it eagerly.

He had even spent the last of the money Yeonho’s father gave him to buy more drugs. Without guardians, his drug-addicted life crumbled quickly.

Siwoo spoke in a quiet voice.

“You begged for the drugs, remember?”

People should be careful with their words. The arrows they fire at others always find their way back.

“You took them with your own hands. From start to finish, it was all your choice. Your fault.”

Yeonho looked at the brother Siwoo had prepared as his anniversary gift, a broken man crawling in trash, and despite himself, he smiled. His breath, which had been shallow and fast, finally calmed.

Watching the man get beaten by strangers, unable to recognize he’d been hit, then collapsing on a dirty sidewalk to sleep, Yeonho spoke with a soft, mocking tone.

“Poor thing.”

Back at the hotel, after a shower, Siwoo stepped out to find a large bouquet of hydrangeas held out toward him. Surprised by the unexpected gift, he smiled brightly and grabbed his phone.

He entered 080616 on the keypad to unlock it and confirm the date: June 16, by Korean time. The day he had opened up about his dark past to Yeonho and been saved. The day they had promised to love each other forever.

Yeonho was the one who loved hydrangeas. Siwoo was always the one who gave them. But today, it was Yeonho who had prepared them, and Siwoo who received them.

Siwoo had never cared much for flowers. Which made it only natural that he would grow to love the ones Yeonho loved.

That was the simplest way to explain their relationship. Kim Yeonho and Ju Yeonho. You are me. I am you.

“Yeonho, please be happy.”

He didn’t know whether he was saying it to Yeonho, or Yeonho was saying it to him. Whether it was him talking to himself, or to Yeonho. There was no need to tell the difference.

Fin.