Chapter 120: The Gate Closes

My departure time was 18:00 the following day. My mother, completely exhausted from crying, stayed one night at my place before returning home. She insisted on following me to the airport, but I barely managed to send her back by persuading her several times to go rest, promising that I would keep in touch. I didn’t know whether she went home or to a hotel after that.

I planned to handle the formal resignation procedures after leaving Korea. This was because I wanted to avoid people contacting me or coming to find me. To be honest, I was also afraid of Do-yun finding out. I hoped that by the time he returned from his business trip, I would no longer be here. I spent my remaining time writing a handover report and picked out a small gift as an apology to A-young, who would suddenly have to take over my workload.

I barely ate lunch. Time flew by even while I was just lying down staring at the ceiling. I stood up sluggishly around 2:30 PM and left the house.

I got into a taxi with two trunks I had packed haphazardly. Fortunately, there was no traffic, so I arrived at the airport in less than an hour. However, as soon as I entered the airport, my phone rang loudly. Checking the screen, it was Seung-hee. After hesitating for a moment, I answered, and a sharp voice pierced through the phone.

<Hey, where are you?>

Her voice was so shrill that I reflexively flinched. I glossed over it habitually.

“Just out and about.”

<Don’t play games. Are you leaving the country?>

“…Did you hear it from Mom?”

Seung-hee fell silent for a moment before screaming.

<Why are you being so extreme! You should have come home and talked things through slowly!>

Seung-hee was agitated, which was unlike her. Conversely, seeing her get angry on my behalf made me feel strangely calm. I let out a hollow laugh and replied.

“Noona, talking won’t change anything… You heard it all. I’m not Dad’s son.”

<…….>

A moment later, I heard the sound of her grinding her teeth.

<Even so, you brat. How do you think the people left behind feel when someone they’ve lived with for over thirty years suddenly says they aren’t family and runs away? Who’s talking about DNA right now? Are you really going to cut ties with us forever?>

I was a bit surprised. I never expected Seung-hee to say something like that. Honestly, while I was acting composed on the outside, I hadn’t thought deeply about what came next. I only had the vague idea that I had to go far away. Meanwhile, as I didn’t answer, she asked back with an anxious tone.

<Choi Seung-hyeon, are you listening?>

“Yeah.”

<It’s just because you’re in shock right now. You’re in such an emotional state that you can’t judge things properly. So, come back home immediately.>

It seems like you’re the one being the most emotional right now…

“I’m not in shock, Noona.”

<Shut up, yes you are.>

I burst into a short, dry laugh.

“Actually, I’ve known for a very long time. That I wasn’t Father’s son.”

<…What?>

“To be honest, I was always terrified, trembling every day about when I’d be caught. But after saying it with my own mouth, I actually feel more at ease.”

The other end of the line went quiet.

“I’m sorry. The reason I acted like a jerk when we were kids was probably because I was jealous of you.”

<Hey, you…>

“I’ll be in touch.”

She asked urgently.

<Are you doing this because you never plan on coming back to Korea?>

“Well… even if I hadn’t come clean to Grandpa this time, Father was planning to send me abroad anyway. He said it’s disgusting to look at my face.”

This time, Seung-hee truly lost her words. She didn’t seem to know how to react. I said calmly.

“Well, that doesn’t mean I’ll never come back. I’m just going to travel for a while. Don’t worry, Noona, you can come visit whenever you miss me.”

I said this even though I knew perfectly well that Seung-hee had no time to go on trips. After a long pause, Seung-hee replied with a voice mixed with anger.

<…Tell me if you need money.>

I chuckled.

“Thanks.”

I hung up the phone. As soon as I did, the strength left my legs. I stumbled and sat down on the nearest chair, staring blankly at the busy people moving past me for a long time. In this space, everyone except me seemed to have a clear purpose. Even though this was something I had thought through and decided on, my chest felt strangely hollow, as if a hole had been punched through it.

“Maybe it’s because I’m getting older…”

I scolded myself several times. This was the right thing to do.

Leaving the Haewon family far behind and living alone while keeping my health and assets intact—I had successfully achieved that goal. It was a situation worthy of a toast.

Just then, the final call for passengers boarding the flight to Canada echoed through the announcement system. I thought not much time had passed, but looking at my watch, an hour and a half had already slipped away. When I went to check my luggage, I was almost the last in line, despite having arrived early. I watched my suitcases drift away on the conveyor belt and walked toward the departure gate with a dazed expression.

But then, another call came. This time, it was from an unknown number.

“…Hello.”

<Why aren’t you answering my calls!>

I thought my eardrums were going to burst. Surprisingly, it was Do-yun. When I didn’t answer out of shock, Do-yun spoke urgently.

<Hyung, stay right where you are!>

“How do you even know where I—”

<Just stay put, no matter where you are!>

It was almost a scream of desperation. Without realizing it, I came to a dead stop just before entering the departure area. I could hear his ragged breathing through the phone. He seemed to be running somewhere in a hurry. I listened to it for a moment before opening my mouth.

“Um… Do-yun. Sorry for not answering. But aren’t you in the middle of a meeting?”

The sound of his heavy breathing continued. Reflexively, I looked around the departure area, but I couldn’t see anyone who looked like Do-yun. Feeling both relief and disappointment at the same time, I said.

“I was busy, so I couldn’t pick up.”

<Don’t lie to me.>

Judging by the tone, he seemed to know exactly where I was. The sound of him running grew even louder through the phone. I lowered my head slightly and spoke.

“I… want you to live proudly without feeling restrained by others. I think that’s what’s best for your happiness.”

<Who are you to decide my happiness for me?>

“…I’m sorry for saying something like this.”

But just then, someone grabbed my shoulder roughly and spun me around. There stood Do-yun, his face flushed and gasping for breath. His summer suit jacket was completely soaked with sweat. I was so startled I nearly collapsed on the spot.

“How are you here…?”

“The work finished earlier than expected… but as soon as I arrived at Gimpo Airport, Noona contacted me. She told me to catch you because you were running away from home.”

He said as he shoved his phone into his pocket. Intense heat radiated from Do-yun’s entire body. He looked like someone who had just finished a marathon. He looked as if he might vomit up his own heart at any moment, yet even in that state, he didn’t forget to grip my shoulders so hard that my light blue short-sleeved shirt felt like it might tear. He growled.

“What is this all of a sudden… What is happening? Why are you doing this?”

“I’m sorry, this was the only way.”

<Who said they wanted to hear an apology!>

As Do-yun yelled, the people around us flinched and stared. I felt a bit embarrassed. However, Do-yun didn’t care about the people around him at all.

“Where are you going? Why are you going? Why are you leaving, Hyung? No, I’ll persuade Grandpa and Father. You don’t have to leave. No, if it absolutely has to be that way, I’ll be the one to leave.”

I gave a bitter smile.

“Why would you leave? You’re the son of that house. It’s right that I leave. Everyone is just going back to the positions where they were originally supposed to be. Don’t worry about it too much.”

“Don’t worry about it too much?!”

Do-yun gripped both of my shoulders as if he were going to crush them. I twisted my body slightly in pain, but the strength of his grip only grew stronger.

“…How can you say something like that to me?”

His voice trembled.

“Was my heart, my confession, nothing to you, Hyung?”

Finally, moisture welled up in his brown eyes. Damn it, I was trying to avoid this exact sight… I closed and opened my eyes tightly and said expressionlessly.

“I’ve thought about it for a really long time, and as I thought… being like that with you is impossible.”

At that, Do-yun’s face went blank. I dared to add one more thing.

“You’re just my younger brother.”

I felt the strength gradually drain from the hands that were gripping me so tightly. He had a look on his face as if the world had ended. After a moment, tears that had pooled in his eyes streamed down his face silently. Do-yun couldn’t even let out a single groan; he just stared at me.

Seeing that face felt like a knife to my heart. Do-yun, unable to even think of wiping his tears, stared at me blankly and spoke.

“…Then it’s because of me.”

“How is it because of you?”

“Because I made you uncomfortable, you told Grandpa on purpose. So that you could naturally break up with me…”

Do-yun bit his lip hard. It seemed he felt a sense of betrayal because he had intended to take my secret to the grave, yet I, the party involved, had suddenly dropped the bomb and was leaving for a foreign country as if nothing had happened. It was only natural. But then, Do-yun spoke.

“You can pretend you didn’t hear it. No, just forget everything I said. It was all a joke.”

“Do-yun.”

“It was a lie, so please don’t go…”

The last words came out almost as a plea.

I swallowed hard. Taking a small breath, I recited the lines I had practiced in my head several times.

“Back then, you were too young, and there was no one around to support you… That’s why my insignificant kindness felt so large to you. Now, you’re someone who has everything, so you’ll have many people around you, and you’ll be able to meet many people much better than me in the future.”

“Hyung…”

He looked at me with a face that couldn’t believe the words coming out of my mouth. I drove the final nail in.

“Your feelings are a misunderstanding. So… be happy with someone else.”

I quietly removed his hands. And just like that, I walked into the departure gate. I didn’t look back once—not during the bag check, the immigration process, or until I sat in my airplane seat. It was because I felt like I would be caught crying if I did. My vision was blurry and my head ached so much I could barely see. The pain even reached my temples because I was clenching my teeth so hard.

As of today, my escape plan, which I had prepared for nine years, had come to a successful end. It was a happy day.