JD 43

“What now, you’re the boss?”

Grandma gave a baffled look. Then she narrowed her eyes and slowly scanned the massive man from head to toe.

Hakyung felt more embarrassed than anyone by her overt stare. He hadn’t explained that the boss wasn’t a young lady from Seoul but a grown man, which was clearly his fault—but even so, that stare was a bit too intense…

Worried that Muheon might take offense at being scrutinized like that, Hakyung hurried to introduce him.

“Yeah… Grandma, this is my boss from the company I work at.”

“I’m Lee Muheon.”

Muheon bowed his head politely after Hakyung’s introduction. His deep voice resonated through the small room once again.

“Oh… I see. My goodness, come in and have a seat! You must’ve had a rough time bringing Hakyung all the way here!”

Snapping out of her daze at his greeting, Grandma gestured eagerly to the spot beside her. Muheon didn’t refuse—he lowered himself to the floor. Hajo, displaced by this, scurried over to sit beside his older brother.

Even seated, the man who had nearly touched the ceiling while standing didn’t appear any smaller. His overwhelming presence made even Grandma and Hajo’s eyes quiver slightly.

“So you’re the boss? Of Hakyung’s company? There are two bosses?”

She rattled off a series of vague questions, unsure who she was even asking.

Hakyung, who had just been yelling at Grandma to go to the hospital, suddenly clammed up like a mollusk. In his rush to come here upon hearing she was hurt, he’d completely forgotten he’d never revealed the true identity of his boss.

And now, Grandma had just realized this man was that boss. Hakyung hadn’t considered how shocked she might be.

His head drooped lower and lower. He had gone on and on about how great things were with the boss but hadn’t mentioned a word about who or what he really was.

“I’m the only boss.”

“Huh…?”

“Let’s get you to the hospital. Hakyung’s been really worried.”

The same grandma who never listened when her grandchildren begged her suddenly gave in quickly.

“Well then, boss, could you help me up? These little piglets’ll drop me on my head trying to carry me.”

Grandma clucked her tongue, clearly disapproving as she looked over her petite grandchildren. The river dolphin clan was already known for being smaller than other dolphin clans, but next to this Seoul boss, the contrast was impossible to ignore.

Her clucking made the two Kang siblings puff out their cheeks in indignation. After all, Grandma herself barely topped 150 centimeters and was adorably tiny.

“Climb on.”

Muheon turned and offered his back.

Startled, Hakyung insisted that he would carry Grandma, but Muheon ignored him.

From the back of the man who might be a company president—or maybe a gangster boss—Grandma beamed brightly.

His back was so comfortable she said it felt like riding in a limousine, and she even tapped his sturdy shoulders playfully.

And… well, Hakyung knew firsthand just how firm and comfortable that back could be—wait, no, not that!

Normally, Grandma hated accepting help from others. But here she was, eagerly accepting Muheon’s kindness.

A bead of cold sweat ran down Hakyung’s back as he followed behind the two.

Beside him, Hajo hurried along and let out a loud, impressed, “Wow!” as they neared the car.

“This thing’s crazy expensive…! Hyung, your boss must be seriously rich!”

“Hey, Kang Hajo! What are you doing? Hurry up and come here!”

“Okay, okay. But seriously, that car’s worth at least 300 million won! I’m just amazed.”

Even as Hakyung tugged him along, Hajo couldn’t take his eyes off the car.

Hakyung gave him a light smack on the forehead and glanced at the boss.

Muheon had never been overly showy about the car, but still—what if Hajo’s fussing annoyed him?

But to Hakyung’s relief, Muheon didn’t react at all, instead focusing entirely on safely helping Grandma into the car.

“Get in.”

Once he’d even checked her seatbelt, Muheon gestured to Hakyung.

Hakyung quickly climbed into the passenger seat.

At some point, Hajo had also settled into the back beside Grandma.

He wasn’t making noise like before, but he was bouncing his feet like he could burst with excitement any second.

The exterior alone had impressed him, but the interior? Next level.

Compared to the village chief’s old van, the seat material alone made him want to drool.

Hakyung sighed softly at his foolish little brother’s antics.

“What’s with the sigh?”

“I’m just… embarrassed by my brother.”

Hakyung mumbled, his voice barely audible.

Muheon gave a soft chuckle.

“Why? He’s just like you.”

“Huh? Me?! What do you mean?!”

Hakyung snapped up at being compared to Hajo.

Where on earth were they the same? He was taller, better looking—he started rattling off rebuttals, his pouty lips absolutely adorable.

Muheon reached over and gently ruffled his hat-covered head in silent agreement.

Otherwise, Hakyung would definitely spend the whole ride to the hospital puffing his cheeks like a pufferfish.

Though truthfully, he was just like his brother.

Back when Hakyung had burst into the house, Muheon had quietly followed—externally calm, but internally startled.

Inside the house had been a high school-aged Kang Hakyung with wavy pink hair and a cap.

High school Hakyung and the original Hakyung had both stared right at him—it had been surprisingly surreal.

Of course, the original Hakyung was cuter and more lovable by far.

Still, Muheon had found himself growing fond of the rest of the family too.

Imugis, hatched from eggs and left to survive on their own, didn’t usually have what you’d call ‘family’…

He figured this was a chance to experience something like childhood play-acting.

And if the players were Kang Hakyung’s family, then it wasn’t bad. Actually, it was kind of nice.

And giving Hakyung a little debt to hold over him? That wasn’t so bad either.

Despite all these thoughts swirling in his head, Muheon drove on with a calm expression.

They arrived at the regular orthopedic clinic. As expected, everything Hakyung had scolded Grandma about came spilling from the doctor’s mouth too.

“Oh my! Ma’am, look at this! The bone’s cracked clean through! If you’d waited, it would’ve split all the way!”

“Oh come on, you’re exaggerating!”

“Then how else do you think it’d stay in place? You’re out in the fields every day!”

With nearly thirty years of history between them, the doctor and Grandma argued freely and without reserve.

Everyone around—staff and patients alike—just went on with their business. This sort of scene was clearly a daily occurrence.

Only the Kang siblings stood there, faces pale, on the verge of tears.

“S-so what should we do? Surgery? Does she need to be admitted?”

“No, not that serious. By the way, Hakyung, when’d you get here? Thought you moved to Seoul for work.”

The doctor grinned at Hakyung.

He still remembered when the boy had shown up with a busted forehead after jumping off seaside rocks.

And now here he was—grown, responsible, and dependable. It was both impressive and heartwarming.

“Yeah, I came down real quick because I heard Grandma got hurt.”

“Good thing you did. If you’d waited a bit longer, she might’ve needed a full month in a cast.”

At that, the dolphin siblings gasped in unison and instinctively patted the tops of their heads in alarm.

Grandma snapped at the doctor for scaring her grandkids again, but he just calmly went off to prepare the casting materials.

With him gone, Hakyung turned toward Grandma in a huff.

“See?! The bone is cracked! You do need a cast!”

“Oh hush, it’s just a little crack!”

She barked louder to hide her embarrassment and glared at Hakyung.

He shrank back slightly under the sudden stare.

“And you, you little piggy.”

“Me? What about me?!”

“Your boss—an older woman? Huh? You rotten brat, you think that big ol’ hunk of a man looks like a woman to you?!”

“Boss is super handsome, obviously not!”

As the topic turned to Muheon, Hakyung’s face flushed bright red.

Grandma just shook her head, helpless in the face of a grandson in love.

“You really like him that much?”

“Y-yeah. A whole lot.”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake…”

She let out a disbelieving chuckle.

He’d brought home this huge guy, and now he was fawning and wriggling around like a love-struck teen—unbelievable.

But it was obvious: Hakyung was head-over-heels.

Still, as his blood kin, Grandma couldn’t help but think he deserved better.

She smacked him hard on the back.

It’d been a while since she’d hit him, and it hurt. His eyes stung a little with tears.

Worse, she hit a spot he couldn’t even reach to rub.

As Hakyung whimpered from the sting, Muheon stepped into the treatment room and gently stroked the his small back with a large hand.

“Where’s there even room to hit someone this small?”

The boss’s quiet protest made Grandma’s eyebrows scrunch into a knot.

They were both being ridiculous.