Amid all the chaos, there was a middle school girl whom no one cared for. She was too old to be looked after, yet too young to be left alone at such an age.
Her awkward age made it impossible for her to fit in anywhere. There was a place designated for young children at the joint funeral, but it seemed ridiculous for her to be there. On the other hand, standing next to the parents engaged in a physical struggle with reporters was also not an option.
So, Dajeong crouched on the emergency exit stairs, eating a triangular kimbap.
Although occasionally people passed by, it was generally quiet without much commotion. It took Jaeho two hours to finally locate Dajeong.
“Dajeong-ah.”
“Oh, Seonghyeon oppa.”
The emergency exit stairs echoed like a cave. A silent echo reverberated softly.
“Why are you sitting here like this?”
“I have nowhere else to go.”
Jaeho also had nowhere to go. He sat down next to her and spent time in silence. It was an atmosphere where even entering to pay respects was impossible.
He would probably mourn inwardly on the emergency stairs. They were good guys.
Brushing off his thoughts and trying to erase the memories of the accident, he struggled. Fire. Smoke. The pungent gas. Chaos.
When such thoughts overwhelmed him, he still found it hard to breathe. Jaeho lightly tapped his cheeks twice.
“…You know. I think our oppa probably wanted to become an actor.”
Dajeong’s calm voice resonated like flowing water along the emergency stairs. Jaeho listened silently without affirming or denying. He knew. He knew that Seonghyeon was preparing to become an actor.
It was something only Jaeho knew until the end.
Whether to go to medical school according to his parents’ wishes or to honestly confess and choose the Department of Theater and Film, Seonghyeon couldn’t make a decision until the end. He excelled academically, making it difficult to choose acting.
He was good at acting, but he said he didn’t want to miss a stable life. Although his parents wouldn’t oppose until the end, it was a time when he couldn’t find a clear answer for himself.
Nevertheless, he practiced the script occasionally, and Jaeho sometimes helped.
“Our oppa has a script in his luggage.”
“Yeah.”
“If he became an actor, he would have done well, right? He’s good at everything, our oppa.”
“He would have.”
Jaeho nodded. He genuinely believed that. There was nothing Seonghyeon couldn’t do. The only thing he couldn’t achieve was living a long life.
“I’ll do it for him.”
As half of the accident was still at the fire scene, Jaeho didn’t immediately understand Dajeong’s words. After a moment of silence, Jaeho asked.
“Do what for him?”
“Acting.”
Naturally, Dajeong said.
“Our oppa wanted to be a person who gives hope. Because he’s our friend. Achieve that dream for him. I think you can do it.”
“Why would you say such a thing…”
“It suits you. You’re handsome, your voice is nice, and you’re smart.”
Dajeong turned her head and looked at Jaeho. Time stood still for a moment.
What kind of talk is she making, knowing nothing?
Jaeho swallowed his dream along with a dry swallow. It was somewhat inconvenient to discuss dreams in such a place. Hundreds of deaths were arguing and shouting across the emergency stairs. It was a dismal place where death suited better than dreams.
Moreover, thinking of his struggling mother, having a stable job was the right choice. Jaeho never planned to bring out his dream throughout his life.
“Oppa, take off your glasses.”
At that moment, Dajeong’s white fingers approached Jaeho’s forehead.
“Look at this.”
The soft fingers, like puppy fur, touched and then fell away for a moment. The part of the forehead where the fingers had touched felt hot, as if burnt by fire. The sensation was unfamiliar, and Jaeho squinted his eyes slightly. It was electrifying to the point of being unbearable.
“I thought you would look even better without glasses.”
Dajeong handed Jaeho the glasses she had taken off.
“Go without glasses. Don’t hide your handsome face.”
“Ah.”
At that moment, with a bang, a group of adult men poured into the emergency stairs. Dajeong, startled, tried to stand up, but stumbled and Jaeho supported her.
“What are these guys doing! Won’t they leave this alone? Are they all journalists?”
“Hey! You trash. What are you doing here at the funeral home?”
“What does a congressman do! If you’re just going to take pictures, leave!”
Suddenly, a brawl broke out, and there was no separate arena. Concerned about Dajeong’s safety, Cha Myeongsuk began to squeeze through the gap and come down. Jaeho let go of Dajeong’s arm, and she looked at him for a moment.
“Oppa, if you become an actor, I’ll be your number 1 fan.”
It was a noisy scene, but her voice penetrated my ears like a separate sound. Jaeho nodded his head, as if determined, and said,
“Dajeong-ah. I’ll go home when the 49th day for Wujeong arrives. I have something to say.”
He had bought chocolate for you.
“I’ll talk about Wujeong. I’ll definitely go home on the 49th day.”
It meant he had asked me to do it for you.
It was time to return countless praises that Yoon Woojeong had said about his younger brother over time. Dajeong and Jaeho exchanged glances, greeted each other, and quickly parted ways.
And Jaeho didn’t keep the promise.
**
As usual, Oh Chaewon, who was half lying on the sofa, sat up abruptly. Looking at Kim Team Leader with trembling eyes, she said,
“W… What did you just say?”
“I mentioned that Yoon Dajeong purchased folic acid.”
My Step-brother Is Obsessed With Me (Female-dominant)
A gentle female protagonist vs pitiful in the early stage, and a sick male protagonist in the later stage
Cheng Songer transmigrated into the body of a vicious cannon fodder female supporting character with the same name as her in a female-dominant novel.
In the original story, the cannon fodder female supporting character was inhumane, committing domestic violence, gambling excessively, being lustful, and even wanting to sell her stepbrother to a brothel for money.
As luck would have it, she just happened to transmigrate at this time.
Seeing Cheng Qingzhi biting his lip, enduring the tears in his eyes, looking pitiful, her heart softened.
She stuffed the money back into the Madam’s hand and reached out to him.
“Brother, come home with me.”
