NOVEL NEXT #41
#41
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“Why are we turning this way?”
Eunhong, who had been staring out the window with a gloomy expression, asked. The car had already left the highway towards Seoul and was heading in a direction unfamiliar to Eunhong. It had been a while since they changed course, but Eunhong was slow to notice.
“This road leads to the East Sea, right?”
“Yeah. Remember before we left, I said we should go see the sunrise?”
“That’s right. I laughed because it was so unlike you to suggest watching the sunrise.”
“Mhm, and we still have some vacation days left.”
Jaeha smiled broadly, aware of Eunhong’s gaze.
“Let’s pitch a tent by the beach, make a bonfire, and grill some meat. Then we’ll watch the sunrise in the morning. I’ll even roast marshmallows for you. I’m good at it.”
Jaeha adjusted the dashboard to turn up the music volume and increased the speed. He opened the sunroof, brightening the car interior. The scenery outside passed by quickly. Eunhong felt somewhat cheerful and laughed weakly. Jaeha really knew his mood intuitively and how to change it.
He felt sorry for letting his mother know about his manifestation and the accident in that way. But what’s done is done. From now on, he’d just have to do better… As he continued thinking about last night, he suddenly remembered his mother’s strange expression and tilted his head.
“What? What are you thinking about?”
Eunhong, who had been slouching, straightened up and turned to look at Jaeha.
“I just had a thought. I think Mom might have noticed something. I’m not sure what… but it feels like Mom knows something. I have a weird feeling about it.”
Isn’t it strange? I don’t know what it is either…. Eunhong frowned and sought agreement from Jaeha. Jaeha bit his lip. Eunhong got the same feeling from Jaeha’s expression. The feeling that he knew something…
“Did you think that too? That Mom…”
Jaeha shook his head.
“How could your mother know anything? It’s not like she has superpowers…”
Eunhong huffed and turned his gaze back to the window. Jaeha watched him cautiously and then asked quietly.
“Do you remember anything from Christmas…?”
Eunhong furrowed his brow and pressed his head. No. I don’t remember anything. He muttered, then suddenly turned his face to glare at Jaeha. Jaeha flinched involuntarily at the heat pouring from the side.
“Why, why are you looking at me like that?”
When he asked timidly, a resentful question burst out as if Eunhong had been waiting for it.
“You said you went on a blind date on Christmas. You disloyal jerk.”
“Who said that? That I went on a blind date.”
“Mrs. Ham was bragging about how you got all dressed up and went out, and she even told me I should start dating too.”
Everyone in Lee Jaeha’s family seemed to be afraid he might die a virgin. Starting with Professor Choi, Mrs. Ham, and even the grandfather he hadn’t seen in a long time. His sisters were no better, if not worse.
“Were you upset that I went on a blind date?”
Eunhong’s mouth fell open. He’s confessing!
“Our Bunhong was upset thinking I went on a blind date. I’m somehow touched.”
“Why is the conversation going in that direction?”
“Don’t worry, there’s probably no alpha as pure as me. Ah… I’m not pure anymore now. How did I end up like this, huh?”
Jaeha’s eyebrows twitched as he focused on driving, looking ahead. Unlike his frowning eyes, his lips were smiling.
Eunhong’s expression crumpled. So did you go on a blind date or not? As he grumbled, Jaeha smiled broadly.
Fine. Go on lots of dates. There must be a line of omegas from the political and business world who are of marriageable age waiting for you, why don’t you start issuing number tickets? Eunhong banged his head against the car window and moved as far away from Jaeha as possible. Hmph, when I enter my stable period, I’ll go on blind dates too. With alphas. I’ll issue number tickets too. You’ll have to line up if you want to see me too, got it?
As he was muttering to himself in a trance, the phone in his pocket vibrated. When he took it out, it was an unknown number with a Seoul area code.
“Hello?”
“Is this Ban Eunhong?”
A sharp voice came through the receiver. Eunhong responded in a slightly tense tone.
“Yes, this is Ban Eunhong. Who is this?”
“This is Han Jeongwook, head of the Secondary Gender Medicine Department at Korea University Hospital.”
“……”
He was too surprised to speak. When Eunhong didn’t respond, the other party urged him.
“Mr. Ban Eunhong? Can you hear me?”
“Yes, please go on. I’m listening.”
Eunhong unconsciously glanced out the window to check where Jaeha was. He didn’t want to share the incident related to his manifestation with Jaeha. After confirming Eunhong’s personal information and some details, Han Jeongwook continued in a dry tone.
“As you know, such incidents are common during gender manifestation. In cases like this, the hospital has an obligation to report to inform the victim, which is why I’m contacting you. In your case, Mr. Ban Eunhong, many pieces of evidence observed during the examination point to circumstances of gender-based sexual crime exposure…”