The room was hushed, the faint beeping of machines filling the silence.
Doctors stood beside Jihyun's bed, Minjoon tense at his side, while two officers lingered near the door.
A flicker. Jihyun's eyelashes trembled, his eyes struggling open.
His gaze wandered weakly, unfocused, before finding Minjoon.
His lips parted, a faint whisper escaping.
"Da...Dad"
And then his eyes closed again, sinking back into unconsciousness.
The doctor exhaled softly, turning to the police.
"He's waking up, but not fully conscious yet. It will take some time."
One officer nodded.
"That's fine. We don't want to involve him too much in this matter. We just needed a glimpse of his condition."
They exchanged a few notes and made their way out, pausing briefly in front of Minjoon.
"Mr. Minjoon," one of them said,
"The truck driver was arrested yesterday. And Minji has already talked. Given the situation, we're closing the case.
Mr. Taewon is pressuring us, so we'd like you to come by tomorrow if possible."
Minjoon's throat tightened, but he forced himself to nod.
"I'll come."
When the police left, the weight in the room only deepened.
That was when Taehyun entered, his arms full of neatly packed boxes.
He didn't give Minjoon a chance to speak, just grabbed his wrist and tugged him toward the small café down the corridor.
"Sit,"
Taehyun ordered, pushing him onto a chair before spreading the food across the table. He rolled up his sleeves, the veins on his arms showing as he set chopsticks in Minjoon's hand.
"Eat. I don't want to hear you say you're full anymore."
His voice softened only slightly.
"I made all of this myself. So start eating hurry up. Because of you, I've lost three kilos in a week."
Minjoon looked down, his hands trembling as he picked at the food. His eyes stung, his mouth unsteady as he chewed.
"How... how easily first Mom and now Dad left,"
he whispered.
"They didn't even think about me about Jihyun. Not once about how we're supposed to feel."
Taehyun froze. Then slowly, he set the chopsticks aside, cleaned his hands with a tissue, and lowered himself onto his knees in front of Minjoon. His head rested lightly against Minjoon's chest, arms circling his back.
"No matter how many people leave you,"
he murmured, voice low and rough,
"No matter how much it hurts I'll still be here. Next to you. I'll carry your pain myself."
His hand pressed gently over Minjoon's chest.
"I know it hurts here."
Then slid up to his throat.
"And here, everything you can't say aloud."
Finally, his palm brushed against Minjoon's damp lashes.
"And here where the tears you hold back make your pretty eyes heavy with disappointment."
Minjoon's tears spilled, blurring his vision.
"When I lost my dad,"
Taehyun continued, his tone steady but soft, "I was only fifteen. I was left with nothing no siblings, no relatives. Just me and my mother.
Even my father's business was taken from us.
The world forced me to grow up too soon. I saw people like me everywhere people carrying grief quietly."
His voice dropped lower.
"Even Taewon. You know he lost both his siblings in spirit, even when they were alive because of his own dad. I saw him live like an orphan in his own home, ignored by his father, feared by his father. The strongest man an Enigma of power but with a blank heart."
He cupped Minjoon's trembling face, forcing his eyes to meet his.
"So listen to me. We're all human.
There's no shame in crying.
No shame in breaking down, even when the world sees you as strong.
Cry if you want. Rely on me. Because the world is too busy to care but I'll always stay."
Minjoon's forehead fell onto Taehyun's shoulder. His tears soaked into the fabric as his voice cracked.
"Thank you for not leaving me.
For everything you've done"
They stayed like that for a while, time melting around them.
Finally, Taehyun pulled back, brushing his thumb under Minjoon's swollen eyes.
He helped him sit straighter, then forced a smile as he adjusted his sleeves.
"Enough now. You're my little chairman, remember?"
He gave a mock bow, teasing lightly.
"Mr. Chairman has to be strong. So eat, recover quickly because after this meal, we're going to the company. The employees are waiting for their leader. They've been crying for someone strong and someone a little cute too."
A fragile laugh slipped out of Minjoon.
He nodded, picking up the spoon again.
For the first time in days, he ate without being forced.