Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 475

Vitality Five – Episode 476

Episode 476: The First, Lee Jungbon

“What is it?”

Nurse Lim Jeong-suk asked, her expression curious.

“What else could it be? It’s about the twin brother, Jun-hyun.”

No matter how much she pondered, she couldn’t figure it out. Among twins who looked identical, even down to their clothes, how had Taekyung managed to identify the sick child?

Taekyung was usually good with kids, but this felt different.

She had been flustered by the child’s lies and hadn’t even been able to locate the grandparents, yet Taekyung had figured it out. It was amazing.

“It was a gamble.”

“A gamble?”

“Yes. I just picked one of the two.”

Seeing Taekyung nod, Nurse Lim Jeong-suk gave him an incredulous look.

“That’s impossible.”

“It’s true. Since the odds were 50/50 anyway, I talked to the kids and guessed that the one who seemed more agitated was Jun-hyun.”

“Then, why did you ask the guardian and me to leave the room?”

“I needed a little setup to help the kids concentrate. I convinced them by saying I was a secret magician working at this hospital. That’s why I went to the patient waiting area to talk to them in the middle of it all.”

“A magician? You mean the director said something like that?”

She could believe it if it were Lee Chan-hee, but it was hard to imagine Taekyung saying such a thing.

“You have to do anything to connect with the kids.”

“Still, a magician. Really!”

“Don’t laugh. I was serious. I even showed the kids some magic tricks.”

“Really? Can you show me some magic too?”

“I can’t do that. It’s something only kids can see, not adults.”

Taekyung laughed with Nurse Lim Jeong-suk and headed up to the ward. And so, the twins’ difficult treatment ended on a sweet note.

* * *

-Residential area in Seoul

In an alley lined with old houses, a healthy man in his 30s was running in the early morning air.

The beads of sweat on his forehead showed that he had already completed his workout.

Clang-

“Hello.”

He entered a small convenience store on the roadside and greeted the owner, who was busy organizing the merchandise.

“Good morning.”

“Jungbon is here?”

“Yes, boss. I’m here.”

“You’re like an alarm clock.”

Looking at the clock, which pointed exactly to 6 a.m., the kind-looking male owner laughed heartily.

“Are you running again today?”

The female owner, who had come out from the living quarters to prepare breakfast, handed him a cup of cold water and continued, “Oh my! Look at all that sweat. Here’s some cold water, drink it up.”

“Thank you.”

Lee Jungbon gulped down the cold water, his Adam’s apple bobbing.

The cold water after an hour of running was incredibly refreshing.

“It’s delicious. It’s really good.”

“It’s just cold water, what’s so delicious about it?”

“No, it’s really good.”

“How would someone like you, who has never exercised in his life, know that feeling?”

“Oh, so you know?”

“Of course, I used to do aerobics like crazy to lose weight.”

“Well done. Really.”

Lee Jungbon responded appropriately to the bickering couple, as if it were a daily occurrence, and then turned to the vegetable section.

“Should I make dried pollack soup?”

He put a bunch of fresh green onions and a small carton containing ten eggs into his basket, then hesitated for a moment.

“Should I use bean sprouts?”

Looking at the packaged bean sprouts and the dried pollack on the shelf, a sharp voice popped into his head.

‘Bean sprout soup. I want bean sprout soup. Bean sprout soup is the best for a hangover!’

As if the sound was echoing right in front of him, Lee Jungbon shuddered and picked up a bag of bean sprouts.

“Boss, I’m ready to pay.”

“Green onions, bean sprouts, eggs, and ion [electrolyte] drinks, that’s 14,500 won, but I’ll give you a 500 won discount, so it’s 14,000 won.”

“No, boss. Keep it all.”

Lee Jungbon took out 15,000 won in cash and placed it on the counter. The boss then put a thousand won in the bag.

He knew that Lee Jungbon wouldn’t accept it if he gave it to him directly.

“Oh, it’s okay. Even if I give you a 500 won discount, it won’t make a difference to my wife and me.”

“That’s right.”

The female owner, who had come out of the kitchen again, agreed with her husband.

“It’s not because 500 won is a small amount, but we’re grateful for your loyalty in coming to this small store instead of going to a big mart [supermarket].”

“That’s right. These days, everyone tries to go to big marts to shop; who would want to come to a place like this?”

“You don’t have to give me a discount…”

“It’s just our way of showing our appreciation to our regulars, so don’t worry about it.”

“That’s right. It’s not just you. We give this much to all the neighborhood regulars.”

“And take this and eat it with your sister. The kimchi turned out really delicious this time.”

The female owner put a container of freshly made kimchi into a black bag.

“How can I keep getting so much?”

Lee Jungbon’s expression was apologetic, although he didn’t take the container out of the bag he was holding.

“Jungbon! I’ll be upset if you say that.”

“That’s right. I’ll be upset too.”

The owners jumped up at his apologetic expression, asking what he meant.

“Don’t say such things. The occasional side dish is nothing compared to you saving my husband’s life.”

Last summer, the male owner, who was alone in the supermarket, had suddenly suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed.

At that time, Lee Jungbon, who had stopped by the mart to buy some ingredients, saw him and performed CPR, and the owner regained consciousness.

The owner went to the hospital for a checkup and has been doing well ever since.

The female owner considered Lee Jungbon her benefactor for saving her husband’s life and occasionally shared side dishes with him to show her gratitude.

“I didn’t do anything great, but thank you for sharing side dishes every time.”

“Saving someone’s life is not a great thing? Then what is? I can’t thank you enough, even if I thank you until I die.”

“Stop bothering the busy man. Soonmi will be upset. Go quickly.”

“Yes, he had a big drink yesterday and even ate a lot of ice cream here. Go and take good care of him.”

“Did this guy drink again? I’m sorry.”

The owners laughed heartily at Lee Jungbon, who was embarrassed by his sister’s story, saying it was okay.

“Then I’ll be going now. Have a good day and sell a lot.”

“Okay, Jungbon, you have a good day too.”

Lee Jungbon left the mart and headed straight home.

He lived on the second floor of a multi-family house and went inside.

The small house with two rooms and a kitchen was neatly organized and clean.

He put the groceries he had bought on the small table, took a shower, and then started preparing breakfast.

He made a spicy bean sprout soup, fluffy steamed eggs, and prepared the kimchi that the mart lady had given him.

Lee Jungbon, who was in his early 30s, lived with his 21-year-old sister.

His parents had passed away in an accident around the time he graduated from middle school and was about to enter high school.

A perfectly ordinary and happy family had collapsed in an instant.

The young Lee Jungbon had no choice but to hold his younger sister’s hand and move from one relative’s house to another.

After moving from one relative’s house to another, he started living separately with his sister in the winter of his 19th year, right before graduating from high school.

He could no longer live with his relatives, who were not well off, and he wanted to live comfortably with his sister without being conscious of others.

He secured the deposit [down payment] with the money he had saved from working part-time and started living together in a basement apartment.

Lee Jungbon was a student who was good at studying and sports, had a good personality, and was good-looking.

His homeroom teacher actively encouraged him to go to college, even mentioning a scholarship, but he refused.

It was because he wouldn’t be able to support his younger sister if he went to college.

On the day his parents passed away, Lee Jungbon made a promise during the funeral.

He would take good care of his younger sister. He might not be able to provide her with material wealth, but he would at least give her everything that others did.

From then on, Lee Jungbon’s world revolved around his younger sister.

He enjoyed studying and had a dream he wanted to pursue for a long time, but he went to work in a factory for his sister and saved money.

He didn’t hesitate to work night shifts when he had time, and he always came home in time to take his sister to school.

He decided to live like this only while his sister went to college and got a job.

Fortunately, his sister grew up bright and cheerful without any bitterness, and she studied quite well and went to a good university.

Lee Jungbon was proud of his sister, and his younger sister respected her brother the most in the world and considered him a wonderful person.

The siblings were the only family in the world, but they were relying on each other and living bravely.

“Jungmi, wake up!”

Lee Jungbon, who had turned off the gas on the boiling bean sprout soup pot, called his sister in a loud voice.

“Lee Jungmi!”

When there was no answer, he knocked on the door and entered the room.

“Hey! Jungmi! You little rascal. Aren’t you going to get up quickly?”

As he entered the room, his younger sister, who was sleeping against the wall, barely opened her eyelids.

“Ah! Oppa, why are you waking me up so early? I want to sleep more because I drank yesterday.”

“Is drinking something to be proud of! Get up quickly; you told me to wake you up early to go to the library because of your presentation today.”

“Ah! That’s right! Presentation!”

Lee Jungmi, startled by the mention of the presentation, got up quickly.

“I can’t believe I almost forgot if it wasn’t for you, Oppa. I told the others to come early, and I almost was late.”

“That’s why I told you not to drink too much, right? What! This smell!”

Lee Jungmi concentrated on the aroma wafting from beyond the door and sniffed.

“Did you make bean sprout soup?”

“Yes, I made it because you were craving it yesterday.”

“As expected, my brother is the best!”

“Shut up and go wash up, then come and eat and get ready to go out.”

Lee Jungmi, who got out of bed, washed up and sat at the table to eat bean sprout soup.

“Wow! It’s really amazing. It feels like my stomach is finally being relieved.”

“You little thing has become quite the drinker.”

“What drinker? Oppa, are you leaving already? What about rice?”

“I have a class at the academy [private educational institution] today.”

“That’s right! Oppa, you have a class today, right? Did you eat? Eat even a spoonful before you go.”

“I ate while making the rice. And I’m on a diet, so I’m watching what I eat.”

While his sister was washing up, Lee Jungbon finished preparing to leave for work.

“Oppa, it’s late today, so come home early.”

“Why? Do you have plans today?”

“No. I have a delivery job tonight, so lock the door well and sleep. Got it?”

“Oppa? Wait a minute!”

Lee Jungmi stopped eating and got up from her seat, hurriedly calling Lee Jungbon.

“Why?”

“About the delivery part-time job… Can’t you stop doing that now?”