Side Story 2
Side Story 2
Side Story. One Miracle and Two Funerals (2)
Mrs. Ju, who came out briefly to drink water at dawn, was startled to find Jae-young and pushed him into the room. After sleeping for a short time, getting up, taking a shower, and sitting blankly again, it was already lunchtime.
“If you’re ready, let’s depart. You… don’t take the wheel.”
Mrs. Ju put Jae-young, who had barely regained his composure, in the car and headed to the funeral home. The funeral home they arrived at shortly after was bustling with numerous mourners.
Although he had stepped down from his director position before dying, as the grandson of Chairman Han and a well-known figure in the business world, many people came to his funeral. However, how many of these people were truly mourning his death? Jae-young scanned the faces of the mourners.
“I wondered what was going on when he suddenly quit his job and started doing strange things, but it was because of his illness.”
“I was worried something might happen, but now I feel a bit relieved.”
Although they were dressed in ideal mourning attire, maintaining appearances, their conversations revealed they were just treating it as gossip. While not all funeral attendees maintain a solemn atmosphere, the fact that they didn’t even bother to lower their voices spoke volumes about the atmosphere of this funeral.
“Where’s his wife? Why is former CEO Han alone?”
“Unfortunately, he passed away on the day of her scheduled overseas trip. When the news of his death was delivered, she had already boarded the plane and couldn’t be contacted. It’s uncertain if she’ll make it back in time for the funeral procession.”
“It’s not like it was an accident, but a death from illness. It wouldn’t have happened overnight like that. That woman, really…”
“Who knows. She might have left on purpose. What’s certain is that she was already on the plane when the news arrived, so no one can openly criticize her for not attending the funeral.”
It was a bit surprising that she had just boarded the plane now, after acting like she was about to leave at any moment, but thanks to the delayed departure, she didn’t have to attend the funeral. Jae-young thought it was quite impressive.
Jae-young took off his shoes and entered. Han Tae-hyeop, dressed in mourning clothes, was holding the chief mourner’s position. At a glance, he looked devastated; he was indeed a man with excellent acting skills.
“…!”
However, the moment he faced Jae-young, that face slightly crumbled. He was one of the few people who knew about the child in the womb.
At the same time, he was also the person Jae-young least wanted to inform about it. Tae-hyeop reached out to Jae-young and spoke quietly.
“I think we need to talk. Shall we step out for a moment?”
“What about your position here?”
“Director Han is here, so it should be fine for a short while.”
It seemed that a cousin was holding the position in place of the immediate family, which was small in number. Tae-sung, who made eye contact with Jae-young, nodded slightly.
‘Ironically, the person Han Seung-hyun disliked so much is wearing the most funeral-appropriate face in here.’
Jae-young smirked. It was funny that his lifelong rival and nemesis cousin was better than his father.
“…Let’s go out.”
Jae-young nodded, curious about what he would say and not wanting to attract unnecessary attention at a place where mourning should be the priority. The two spoke at a spot slightly away from the memorial hall.
“…I’d prefer if you didn’t mention that.”
“Mention what?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
Tae-hyeop frowned and said. He had no patience for word games, especially when he was already displeased.
“…He wasn’t a son I particularly liked, but I at least want to let him leave quietly. He spent his entire life unable to escape people’s judgments; I don’t want him to be the subject of gossip until the very end because of pregnancy talk.”
“Anyone listening would think you’re a father deeply concerned about his son.”
Jae-young said with a sneer. Wanting to prevent gossip about Seung-hyun’s final moments? If he was the kind of person who could give such a warm reason, he should have at least visited frequently when he knew death was imminent.
“Just be honest. Say it’s because you don’t want to be embarrassed.”
“…Fine. Think that if you want. But it’s not wrong. If this gets out, it won’t be good for him, for you, or for me. No one will benefit.”
“…Although it wasn’t born, the child in the womb was also your grandchild. You don’t say a word about that child.”
“Is there really a need to call something that wasn’t even born a child?”
As he said this, a slight look of relief appeared on Tae-hyeop’s face. Relief that the child wasn’t born. Surely his wife would be thinking the same thing.
“…I didn’t expect anything from you.”
“It’s better not to be born at all than to be born into unhappiness. You’ll understand when you’re older.”
“It might have been unhappy by your standards, but I…”
“Besides, children between alphas are more likely to die in the womb than to be born. Isn’t it better that the child died before growing more and suffering?”
His tone, which strictly considered only gains, losses, and reality, showed no trace of emotions like sadness, regret, or remembrance.
Talking is probably more hurtful. Jae-young sighed softly and said,
“…I have no intention of talking about it. Professor Kim isn’t the type to spread such information either, so if we just keep the hospital quiet, it shouldn’t spread.”
“You’ve thought well. For the deceased’s sake…”
“Don’t say it’s for his sake. It’s disgusting.”
Jae-young turned away without waiting for a response. Given that the hospital director and Chairman Han were close friends, and Seung-hyun’s information was top secret even within the hospital, this matter was unlikely to spread.
Even if it did get out, it would only be treated as mockery and gossip rather than remembrance, so it was better to keep it to himself. Exhausted, Jae-young dragged his feet, walking aimlessly.
“This is…”
Walking in a daze, he found himself in front of the hospital room where Seung-hyun had been admitted. Just yesterday morning, Seung-hyun was in that place. Now, only an empty bed remained.
“…”
The person who should naturally be there wasn’t. Even seeing the memorial photo hadn’t made it feel real, but now the sense that Seung-hyun was really gone washed over him.
Whether because no one was using the room, or perhaps due to the consideration of the ward staff who had seen his face for a while, suddenly there was no one left near the hospital room except Jae-young. Without even the strength to stand, Jae-young sat down right there, burying his face between his knees.
What should I have done differently? It wasn’t a problem that could be solved, but at least it could have been prevented from becoming the worst.
The memory of their last conversation being a mess kept coming back to him. He thought that the perceptive Seung-hyun would have known it was out of concern, but he wondered if perhaps, with his fever-addled mind, Seung-hyun hadn’t had the luxury of such thoughts.
Their last outing together, their last conversation, it was all a mess. If he had known it would be the last, he wouldn’t have acted that way. The emotional words thrown carelessly, assuming there would naturally be a next time, left a bitter taste.
‘No, even if it wasn’t the last, such words…’
Looking back now, there were facts he had been avoiding, not wanting to know. Perhaps because not knowing was easier on the mind, because he didn’t want to break the precarious daily life they were maintaining, he had turned a blind eye.
Even though he wasn’t completely unaware of what was causing the unease, the fact that he didn’t try to resolve it made him think that perhaps, instinctively, he had anticipated this outcome.
Tears rolled down his cheeks, dripping onto the floor. It was somewhat fortunate that he didn’t show this crying face in front of others.
Even if they were just mourners maintaining appearances, he hoped they would think only of Seung-hyun today. Even though they weren’t saying only good things now, he didn’t want to add more gossip fodder at this place.
But at the same time, he thought, if not at his funeral, where else could he cry? It upset him that even his parents wouldn’t cry for him, even if it was meaningless to the departed.
The fact that he was the only one who could cry for both the child and Seung-hyun, yet even he couldn’t stand proudly in front, the fact that their relationship ended up being neither family nor lovers, felt painfully real.
No matter how much he regretted it now, he couldn’t have a legal relationship with a dead person, so they would forever remain strangers. There were hardly any photos taken, so all that remained were memories that would eventually fade.
If there was nothing to legally bind them, at least their hearts should have been firm, but in the end, it all came back to regret. Jae-young couldn’t get up from that spot for a long time after that. He remained seated even as his phone vibrated in his pocket several times, only lifting his head when Jaesung came to find him.