Fifth Vital [EN]: Chapter 337

338. Truth

The fingers holding the photo trembled violently, and his startled heart pounded relentlessly.

“……!”

He had never met him in person, yet the child’s face in the photo felt strangely familiar.

“This can’t be.”

The reason was unsettling: the child bore a striking resemblance to him in his youth.

The letter’s detailed contents seemed to coalesce into this single, undeniable photograph.

“Ha! This child is…….”

He was fixated on Seung-woo’s image, staring blankly at the photo for what felt like an eternity.

“Seung……woo. His name is Seung-woo. Seung-woo!”

Lee Young-hoon remained motionless, repeating the child’s name for over two hours, lost in thought.

Then, jolted back to reality, he grabbed his car keys, cell phone, the letter, and the photo, and rushed out of the house in whatever clothes he was wearing.

Click-

The important project he was working on at the company completely slipped his mind.

The only thing that mattered now was meeting Kim Sun-min and Seung-woo in person.

He frantically dialed the cell phone number provided in the letter, but the call wouldn’t go through.

-The number you have dialed has been restricted from receiving calls at the customer’s request.

* * *

Our Hospital-

“Thanks to Seung-woo, I got to enjoy some delicious ‘Mom is an Alien’ ice cream.”

“I know, right? The name’s a little weird, but it’s so sweet and good. Doctor, did you have any ice cream?”

Team Leader Choi, clearly pleased with the treat, asked Tae-kyung as she emerged from the doctor’s office.

“It’s okay. I had some earlier.”

Tae-kyung, about to begin her ward rounds after passing the reception desk, glanced into the medical office to check on Seung-woo and went inside.

“Seung-woo? You’re not sleeping?”

The child, who had been lying on the bed and told to rest, was now standing in front of the ice cream freezer, clutching a piece of paper.

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing…….”

“Why? Do you want to draw?”

Seeing Seung-woo holding drawing paper, Tae-kyung assumed he wanted to sketch.

“No. It’s not that…….”

“It’s okay, you can tell me.”

“Can I put the drawing on the ice cream freezer door?”

“On the freezer door?”

Seung-woo nodded slowly.

“Of course, you can put it on. But can I ask why you want to put the drawing on the freezer door?”

“That’s…… for my sister.”

“Your sister?”

“Yes. I don’t want my sister to see the ice cream.”

“She can’t see it?”

Tae-kyung was puzzled, but Seung-woo’s next words clarified everything.

“I don’t want her to see it. My sister went to save ‘Mom is an Alien’ [a popular brand of ice cream]. If she sees so much ice cream here, I think she’ll feel bad.”

“……!”

Seung-woo was worried that Kim Sun-min might visit the hospital and be upset by the sight of the overflowing ice cream freezer.

He was concerned about hurting his sister’s feelings after she had worked so hard to get him the ice cream.

‘Seung-woo didn’t eat any ice cream. He said he’ll eat it later.’

Come to think of it, Seung-woo hadn’t touched a single ice cream even after Kim Gun-hyung left. Now it made sense – he was abstaining for his sister’s sake.

“You were worried about your sister?”

“Yes. I was worried.”

“You’re so kind, Seung-woo.”

The child’s love for his sister was truly touching.

“So, you didn’t eat the ice cream because of your sister?”

“……Yes.”

“You like ice cream. It’s okay to eat it.”

“No.”

Seung-woo shook his head.

“I want to eat the ice cream my sister gives me first. Is that okay, Teacher?”

“Of course. Of course, it is.”

“But you know what? Please keep it a secret from Grandpa.”

“Okay, Teacher will keep it a secret from Grandpa. Shall we put the drawing on the freezer door and go to sleep?”

“Yes.”

Relieved, Seung-woo finally drifted off to sleep after carefully attaching all his human body drawings to the freezer door with Tae-kyung’s help.

* * *

Five o’clock in the morning.

The 24-hour meat restaurant was bustling with activity as employees cleared tables after the late-night customers had left.

“Excuse me?”

Another employee called out to Kim Sun-min, who was diligently working among the table clearers.

“The boss wants you to get ready and come to the counter.”

“Now?”

“Yes, he said to come now.”

“Ah, okay. I understand.”

Kim Sun-min, having finished her task, carefully folded her apron and headed to the counter.

“Sun-min, you worked hard today.”

The boss handed her an envelope containing her daily wage.

“Aren’t you going to take it?”

“It’s not that, but the work isn’t finished yet.”

“You’re only working for one day today, and if you do the cleaning, you won’t be able to get up tomorrow because you’ll be sick. I’m fine, and the aunties here have been working for a long time, so they’re okay, but it’s too hard for you.”

“I’m okay…….”

“I’m not okay. You’ll collapse if you do the cleaning with that frail body. Just do this much.”

“Thank you.”

After spotting Lee Young-hoon’s sister in the apartment complex, Kim Sun-min couldn’t bear to stay there any longer and decided to come to Seoul.

She worried about running into her again, but her longing for Seung-woo was overwhelming.

However, she chose the meat restaurant over Our Hospital to honor her promise to Seung-woo.

She had promised to buy him ice cream and couldn’t return empty-handed. Plus, she needed to repay Tae-kyung for the medical expenses.

Having spent all her money on transportation, Kim Sun-min found a one-day job through an app and came to this meat restaurant.

“You worked hard today. I thought you wouldn’t be able to handle the work since you were just a temporary worker, but you’re meticulous and efficient.”

“No, I didn’t do much.”

“What do you mean you didn’t do anything? It must have been tough with the customers flooding in since last night. By the way, Sun-min, don’t you have something you forgot?”

“Forgot?”

“How can you leave out the most important thing? Are you going to leave this behind?”

The boss held up a shopping bag containing a plastic bag, revealing the ‘Mom is an Alien’ ice cream for Seung-woo.

The previous evening, Kim Sun-min had asked the boss for a 5,000 won advance before starting work.

It was an unusual request from a temporary worker he’d never met before and likely wouldn’t see again, but the boss had granted it without question.

Upon learning that she needed the money to buy ice cream for her younger sibling, the boss, touched by her situation, had added a little extra to her wage envelope.

“How can you leave this behind when it’s the most important thing?”

“Thank you. I almost left without it if it wasn’t for you, boss.”

“I packed it with plenty of ice so it won’t melt. Go now.”

“Yes, thank you for taking care of me today. I’ll come back with my younger sibling to eat meat later.”

“Don’t come later, come soon. I’ll treat you to the most delicious meat.”

“Yes, boss. I’ll definitely come.”

Kim Sun-min bowed to the smiling boss and left the store to go to the hospital.

“Thank you. Driver.”

Shortly after, Kim Sun-min arrived at Our Hospital, where Seung-woo was staying.

Has he been eating well? Has he been crying in a strange place? What if Seung-woo isn’t there?

The worries that had plagued her mind washed away like a tide as she hurried toward the front gate.

“Welcome. Are you here for a consultation?”

“No. I’m here to see Seung-woo.”

“Yes?!”

The receptionist, thinking she had misheard, looked up at Kim Sun-min’s face and immediately recognized her.

“Oh……!”

“I’m Seung-woo’s sister. I’m here to see Seung-woo.”

“Ah. Yes. Just a moment.”

“You’ve come. Kim Sun-min.”

Tae-kyung emerged from the emergency room as the receptionists were flustered by Kim Sun-min’s unexpected arrival.

“The director is here.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kim Sun-min bowed deeply to Tae-kyung, so low that her hat nearly fell off.

“Our Seung-woo is…….”

“You want to see Seung-woo, right? Follow me.”

Tae-kyung picked up the fallen hat and led Kim Sun-min to the medical office.

“S, Seung-woo…….”

Kim Sun-min quietly opened the door and followed Tae-kyung, carefully sitting on the bed as she gazed at the peacefully sleeping Seung-woo.

Was he crying? Was he being mistreated because she left him in a hospital full of strangers? The moment she saw Seung-woo, she knew her worries were unfounded.

Seeing his peaceful expression, she knew he was doing well in the hospital.

“I’m sorry, Sister.”

Kim Sun-min stroked Seung-woo’s face, tears streaming down her cheeks as she repeatedly apologized.

“Seung-woo has been doing well in the hospital.”

Tae-kyung, who had been quietly observing them, handed her a tissue and continued softly.

“He eats well, draws well, and the school teacher and the grandma and grandpa upstairs often come to spend time with him. He’s even made new friends.”

“I’m really sorry.”

“No. More than that, it’s not time for Seung-woo to wake up yet, so how about we move to my office?”

“Yes.”

Kim Sun-min carefully covered Seung-woo with the blanket, stroked his face once more, and rose from her seat. Then, a familiar drawing caught her eye.

“He draws very well.”

Tae-kyung said to Kim Sun-min, who had stopped to admire the drawing on the refrigerator.

“Seung-woo has a very deep affection for his sister.”

Amidst the refrigerator covered in human body drawings, there was one titled ‘My Beloved Sister.’

Kim Sun-min, overwhelmed with emotion, barely managed to compose herself and followed Tae-kyung to the doctor’s office.

Click-

“Ah! Did you get ‘Mom is an Alien’?”

“Yes? Ah. Yes. I bought it.”

“First, it’s best to put it in the refrigerator here so it doesn’t melt.”

Tae-kyung placed the ice cream in the office refrigerator and offered her chrysanthemum tea.

“It’s warm tea.”

“Thank you.”

Kim Sun-min took a sip of the tea, seemingly calming herself. After a moment, she initiated the conversation.

“You must have been very surprised that I left Seung-woo at the hospital without saying anything, right?”

“Yes, not only me but all the staff were surprised and wondered what was going on.”

“You must have been. Did Seung-woo give you a hard time?”

“No. Seung-woo is smart, considerate, and, most of all, a very warm-hearted child. Even though this was a strange place, he said his sister told him to wait at the hospital, and he was doing well.”

“I think Seung-woo is doing well because the teacher and staff are taking good care of him.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. I’m fine. You may have already noticed, but I live with Seung-woo.”

Kim Sun-min, now more relaxed, began to share her story.

“Seung-woo lived with his grandmother until two years ago. Then, his grandmother passed away due to a sudden illness. She didn’t have time to take care of herself because she was raising Seung-woo, so she didn’t even know she was sick.”

“It must have been hard for your grandmother.”

“Yes, it must have been really hard, but she never showed it. And actually, Seung-woo is…….”

After a moment of hesitation, Kim Sun-min steeled herself and revealed the truth about her relationship with Seung-woo.

“He is my child.”