The three brothers disappeared through the back exit, their footsteps fading into the distance. Taewoo stood in the hallway, his chest heaving, his face still flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and fury. He was going to kill them. All of them. Slowly. Painfully. And maybe with a little bit of creative revenge, just to make it interesting.
"Dr. Kang?"
Taewoo turned to find Dr. Kim standing behind him, his expression one of polite concern. "I've handled everything with security. The police are satisfied that the situation is under control."
Taewoo sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Thank you. And I'm sorry about... all of that. My brothers are..."
"Your brothers?" Dr. Kim's eyebrows shot up. "Wait, that was Kang Jiho? The K-pop idol? And the other two were your brothers too?"
"Yes," Taewoo said flatly. "Unfortunately."
Dr. Kim's face broke into a grin. "I had no idea you were related to celebrities! This is amazing! The hospital is going to be buzzing for weeks!"
Taewoo's shoulders tensed. "Please don't spread that around. I value my privacy."
"Of course, of course." Dr. Kim stepped closer, placing a hand on Taewoo's shoulder. "Don't worry, Taewoo. I'm with you. I'll handle everything. You can count on me."
Taewoo's eyes narrowed. He reached up, removed Dr. Kim's hand from his shoulder with deliberate firmness, and stepped back. "I appreciate the offer, but I can handle myself."
Dr. Kim blinked, his smile faltering. "I was just trying to help..."
"I know. And thank you." Taewoo's voice was polite but cool. "But I need to get back to work."
He turned and walked away, leaving Dr. Kim standing in the hallway with a confused expression. As he made his way through the ward, Taewoo could feel the weight of dozens of eyes on him. Nurses, patients, orderlies...all staring at him with expressions that ranged from awe to barely concealed excitement.
"Dr. Kang!" A nurse from Pediatrics rushed up to him, her eyes wide and teary. "You didn't tell us! Kang Jiho is your brother? The Kang Jiho? The one who sings 'Eternal Flame' and has that dance move where he..."
"Yes," Taewoo interrupted, his voice strained. "He's my brother."
"And the other two? The handsome one with the glasses and the one who looked like a model?"
"My brothers, Junseo and Doyoon."
The nurse let out a squeal that was entirely too loud for a hospital setting. "Oh my god! Your family is so beautiful! Do you have any other siblings? Are they all this good-looking? Is there a sister? Is she single? Are you single? I mean, not that I'm asking for myself, but..."
"Taewoo!" A voice cut through the chaos, sharp and urgent.
Taewoo turned to find one of the emergency room doctors rushing toward him, his face flushed with exertion. "Dr. Kang! The President is calling for you. He wants to see you in his office. Immediately."
Taewoo's blood ran cold. "Wait, wait, wait. Not that guy. Not..."
"Yes, that guy. Now. He said it was urgent."
Taewoo's face crumpled into an expression of pure dread. He knew exactly who "the President" was...and it wasn't the kind of president anyone would want to see.
The walk to the President's office felt like a death march. Taewoo took a deep breath outside the door, steeling himself for whatever fresh horror awaited him.
Maybe it's nothing, he told himself. Maybe he just wants to discuss hospital policy. Maybe it's a routine check-in. Maybe...
The door swung open.
And Taewoo screamed.
"AHHHHH!"
The scene before him was... not what he had expected. The hospital President...a tall, impeccably dressed man in his early forties...was seated in his leather office chair. But he wasn't alone. A young Omega man was straddling him, his legs spread wide, his shirt unbuttoned, his face flushed with exertion.
The President looked up, his expression one of mild surprise. "Oh! Taewoo! I forgot I called you. Sorry about that."
"Sorry?!" Taewoo's voice cracked. "You...he...the office...this is a hospital!"
The Omega scrambled off the President's lap, his face burning red. He grabbed his shirt, clutching it to his chest, and fled from the office without a word.
Taewoo stood frozen in the doorway, his brain struggling to process what he had just witnessed. The President, completely unbothered, adjusted his tie and gestured to the chair opposite his desk.
"Come in, come in. Sit down. We need to talk."
Taewoo stumbled into the office, his legs barely supporting him. He collapsed into the chair, staring at the President with wide, shell-shocked eyes.
"What... what was that?" he managed.
The President chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "Oh, you know. Just a little... stress relief. Hospital administration is very demanding, Taewoo. You wouldn't understand until you're in my position."
"I don't want to be in your position," Taewoo said weakly. "I don't want to be anywhere near your position."
The President laughed again...a warm, genuine sound that was entirely at odds with the scene Taewoo had just walked in on. "Relax, Taewoo. We've known each other since primary school. Remember when you used to follow me around like a lost puppy?"
Taewoo's eye twitched. "I did not follow you around. We were in the same class."
"You followed me everywhere. You even joined the same club as me. The Gardening Club. You hate plants."
"I was trying to be nice," Taewoo muttered. "You were the only person who didn't make fun of me for being small."
The President...whose name was Lee Seokjin, but whom everyone called "Mr. President" because of his father's connections...leaned back in his chair, a fond smile on his face. "Ah, the good old days. You were so cute back then. All big eyes and pouty lips."
"I am not cute," Taewoo said flatly. "I'm a doctor."
"A very cute doctor," Seokjin said. "Anyway, I called you here because I heard about the... incident today. With your brothers."
Taewoo's face flushed. "I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again."
"Oh, I'm not mad." Seokjin waved his hand. "Actually, I think it's hilarious. Kang Jiho causing a scene in my hospital? Pure entertainment."
"It's not entertainment. It's a security risk."
"Security risk?" Seokjin snorted. "Taewoo, this is the most exciting thing that's happened all month. Usually, the most interesting thing that happens here is someone trying to sneak a cat into the ICU."
Taewoo pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're not taking this seriously."
"I'm taking it exactly as seriously as it deserves," Seokjin said. "Your brothers are celebrities. People love celebrities. This is great PR for the hospital."
"I hate you," Taewoo muttered.
"You don't hate me. You've never hated me. Remember when we were in university and you had that terrible breakup, and I let you cry on my shoulder for three hours?"
"I was drunk."
"You weren't drunk. You were sober. You cried. You told me I was your favorite person."
Taewoo's face went red. "I was going through a difficult time."
"You were going through a difficult time, and I was there for you. Like I always am." Seokjin's expression softened, just slightly. "So when I heard about the chaos today, I thought, 'That poor kid. I should check in on him.' And I did. And here we are."
Taewoo stared at him, something warm and unfamiliar flickering in his chest. Despite everything...the ridiculousness of the situation, the trauma of walking in on... whatever that was...Seokjin had always been there. Annoying, chaotic, completely unprofessional, but always there.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "For checking in."
"Anytime." Seokjin grinned. "Now, tell me everything. Your brothers. The nurses. The chaos. I want every detail."
Taewoo sighed, the tension slowly leaving his shoulders. And then, to his own surprise, he started talking. He told Seokjin everything...the hospital visit, the spying, the explosion in the office, the awkward conversation with Dr. Kim.
Seokjin listened, his eyes sparkling with amusement. When Taewoo was done, he leaned back in his chair and laughed.
"Taewoo, Taewoo, Taewoo. Your life is a mess."
"I know," Taewoo groaned.
"A beautiful, hilarious mess."
"Thank you. That's very helpful."
"Anytime." Seokjin's eyes glittered. "You know, if you ever want to get revenge on your brothers, I have some ideas. I have connections. I could make their lives very difficult."
Taewoo's eyes narrowed. "What kind of connections?"
"Oh, you know." Seokjin waved a hand vaguely. "I know people. People who know people. People who know how to make things disappear."
"Seokjin..."
"I'm kidding." Seokjin winked. "Mostly."
Taewoo shook his head, a reluctant smile tugging at his lips. "You're impossible."
"Impossibly charming, you mean."
"I mean impossible."
"Same thing."
Taewoo stood up, stretching his aching shoulders. "I should get back to work. Thank you for... listening."
"Of course." Seokjin's expression turned serious. "But seriously, Taewoo. If you ever need anything...anything...you call me. Understood?"
Taewoo nodded, something warm settling in his chest. "Understood."
He turned to leave, but paused at the door. "Seokjin?"
"Yes?"
"Please, for the love of God, keep your 'stress relief' out of the office. I don't want to walk in on that again."
Seokjin's laughter followed him down the hallway. "No promises!"