"Honestly, when I was a kid, I never dreamed of becoming one. But when the sky changed color… I knew I had to try harder. My parents divorced when I was twelve. Mom raised me and my brother on her own until she got sick with a chronic illness. We couldn't afford to keep her alive for long. Two years later, Dad got fired and drowned himself in alcohol.
That's when my brother made a choice. He signed a contract for me and said, 'Take care of yourself. I'm leaving the country to find work. When the time comes, I'll come back with enough money to set you up.'
The funny part?" My hands clenched tight, lips trembling before a sharp laugh escaped me. "He deleted his profile from social media and left me talking to a ghost."
"…Your brother… you mean he abandoned you on purpose?"
"It's been six years. He's still not back. But I don't need him anymore. I have money, fame, friends, while my so-called brother is practically a ghost. From here on, I'll build a new life, one of wealth and success. And if he's still alive, even if he doesn't recognize me, he'll see this face, the little brother he abandoned, smiling wider than ever."
"I get it," Iris said softly. "You're angry at him. But that doesn't always mean he abandoned you. He might have had his reasons."
"Then why would he leave me?" My voice shook. "Unless he thought I was dead weight. My living expenses, and our expenses were more than enough to drive mom worse. And let's face it, they could barely afford to raise two kids. Life's expensive, brutally expensive. In the end, they had no choice but to collapse under it. Pathetic, isn't it?" I sighed, trying to swallow the heat in my chest.
"Now that they're gone, I can say whatever the hell I want." i added.
"Woojin," Iris's voice faltered, thick with emotion. "I was just about to say sorry for your loss, but after you mentioned that..."
"I-I'm sorry. That was rude of me. I shouldn't have said any of that. You probably didn't want to hear it anyway."
"It's fine. Just forget about it. Sometimes people just need to let things out. And I'm here to listen, whenever I can. Honestly, your story… it's intense. People who've walked through hell and made it out. That's what makes them so damn cool."
"I don't feel like going back to the meeting," i said.
Iris gently brushed his fingers along my wrist. "Then fuck it, let me drive you. Just got a new ride."
"After dragging me all the way down here, you think I'd say no?" I slipped on K's glasses in mock disguise.
"Whoa~ Korean Clark Kent with his silly glasses trick. Not bad. Come on." He paid the bill with a quick swipe and led the way to the elevator.
When the doors slid open, a sleek black motorcycle stood waiting in the underground garage. Its body gleamed, the carbon-coated panels catching the fluorescent light.
"Holy! Chung-Hyun Onix69 Model? That's insane!" My eyes went wide. "One hundred and fifty million won!" I bit my lip, holding myself back from reaching out.
"Careful with the nails. I'll have to repaint if you scratch it," Iris teased as he swung onto the seat, shifting forward just enough for me to fit behind him. "Hop on. The seat's not hot." He winked, a crooked grin tugging his lips.
Seeing that, I jumped on without hesitation. Whirr! The wheels retracted, replaced by jet thrusters that lifted the bike off the ground.
"Wow! This is crazy!" I laughed, voice breaking with excitement.
"Hold on tight. This thing's got enough thrust to send you flying."
Before I could think, my arms wrapped firmly around his waist.