episode_0255

From the large building, Hong Soohee ran out, her face overflowing with joy.

He had only seen her once.

Yet, such a warm welcome wasn’t bad.

‘…Why is she dragging so many people along?’

Behind Hong Soohee, who had run over, several men poured out after her.

If one didn’t know, it would feel like sasaengs following an idol.

…Sasaeng fans of various age groups.

The men eyed him with wary, disapproving gazes.

Looking at their appearances, it felt like they might actually be in such a relationship.

Anyway.

He didn’t care about those gloomy guys.

Hong Soohee, who had shed her previous beggar-like appearance, looked healthy.

She had an impression befitting her age.

“Have you been well?”

“Yes! It hasn’t been long, but it feels like ages. Oh? You got a haircut? It looks much better~ You should’ve done it sooner.”

“……”

He offered one greeting, but she returned it with a rapid-fire volley.

Despite only a 10-year age difference, it was hard to keep up with her overflowing energy.

Seeing her bouncing up and down right in front of him, he knew for sure.

That Shia was truly innocent and demure.

If she had a tail, she would have wagged it without mercy.

He calmed down Hong Soohee, who was like a friendly puppy, and asked.

“Sergeant Kang… Is Incheol here?”

“Oppa? Just a moment.”

Hong Soohee conveyed something to one of the men who had followed her out.

The man immediately rushed off somewhere.

“Incheol Oppa will be here soon.”

Hong Soohee, smiling brightly, soon looked behind him and her eyes sparkled.

“Woah~ What is all this? Who are these people?”

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Calm down a bit. You’re distracting.”

“Okay.”

It was a relief that the kid still listened well.

He looked towards the large building and asked.

“What’s inside there?”

“Combat personnel live inside.”

“…Really?”

“You didn’t know! Incheol Oppa and most of the combat and scout teams went in there.”

At Hong Soohee’s words, he looked at Manager Seong.

“It is true. We prioritize combat, scouting, and technical personnel.”

“……”

“Why? Is something not to your liking?”

“No. I think it’s appropriate.”

“Hehe~ I think so too. Those who risk their lives and expend their talents for others should be treated accordingly.”

He agreed with Chairman Kim’s words.

If you want to employ people, you must give them corresponding treatment.

It’s natural to differentiate based on ability and role.

Even more so if lives are at stake.

It’s good for everyone to work hard.

But not everyone can receive the same treatment.

Working hard is a given; what matters is ‘doing well’.

He felt a faint sympathy for those living in poor conditions in the tent village.

However, he sent encouragement and support to those who risked their lives.

He confirmed that Konkuk University Shelter was doing well, even with the obvious things.

“Who is this grandfather?”

Hong Soohee’s curiosity shifted to Chairman Kim.

“He is Chairman Kim Daeho of Daesan Group.”

At Manager Seong’s reply, Hong Soohee’s eyes widened.

“Chairman? Not Sugyeong Unnie?”

“Hmm? Do you know Sugyeong?”

“Yes. She’s really good to me and my siblings. She told us to treat her casually, like an older sister.”

“Really? Sugyeong said that? Hahaha~”

‘That CEO Kim?’

It was a bit unexpected.

It was less so now, but if he only considered her first impression, it was unimaginable.

Chairman Kim also seemed very interested, as if he hadn’t known this story.

“I’m Sugyeong’s grandfather.”

“Aha! Hello~”

“Unlike someone, she’s very polite.”

…Look at this old man?

“Please continue to get along well with Sugyeong.”

“Yes~ Don’t worry. Everyone likes Unnie.”

“Really? Is that so? Hahahaha~”

“……”

Hong Soohee’s high energy and Chairman Kim’s easygoing nature harmonized.

Just by talking, they seemed to get along incredibly well.

If one looked at them superficially, they appeared to be a harmonious grandparent-grandchild pair.

Which made it twice as chaotic.

As the men who had followed Hong Soohee out watched them with curious eyes.

“Hyung-nim—!!”

“Oh.”

From a distance, Sergeant Kang was running over in a hurry.

He seemed to have tidied up his shaggy hair, and his appearance was striking.

Sergeant Kang, who had quickly approached, was breathing roughly.

“Gasp! Huff! Hy-Hyung-nim—Cough—”

“…You should have come slowly.”

“N-no. Gasp! Gasp!”

Seeing Sergeant Kang panting heavily in front of him brought a pleasant smile to his face.

Despite their short acquaintance, he welcomed him so warmly.

So, his hand naturally extended.

*Grab—*

“Has everything been alright?”

“Hoooh~ Yes! Have you also been well, Hyung-nim?”

It was a formal greeting, but it was enough.

He looked in good condition, and there was no shadow on his face.

He was adapting better than expected in this unfamiliar place—

*Thud thud—*

“Huh? N-Nuna?”

*Splat—!!—!*

!!!!!!!!!!!!!

A dynamic, crisp hitting sound burst forth.

As soon as he released the handshake, Sohee, who had appeared behind him, slapped him.

It was a slap so powerful that even he, standing nearby, was slightly surprised.

It seemed to be a full-swing direct hit, a proper critical strike.

Sergeant Kang, who had been hit defenselessly, not only had his head snap back but his body also reeled.

““““““……””””””

‘Oh, crap…’

Both he and Chairman Kim, and everyone nearby, held their breath.

Even the energetic Hong Soohee merely covered her mouth and her eyes widened.

At that moment, a biting tension, colder than the weather, lingered between the two.

“You bad bastard!”

*Thud! Thud!! Thud! Thud!!*

Sohee began to relentlessly pummel Sergeant Kang.

“Ack? Ack! Ah! Ah!! Nu-Nuna, wait—”

“Bad bastard! Bad bastard!”

“Ack! Nuna! Wait! Just a moment!”

“What? You told me to be well? You wished me well? Is that what you should say?! You bastard!”

Sohee, bursting with rage, wildly threw punches.

Perhaps not feigning pain, Sergeant Kang twisted and hunched his body…

But he couldn’t think of blocking and couldn’t even utter a squeak.

Because Sohee was shedding copious tears.

Seeing that, Sergeant Kang, who had opened his eyes wide, didn’t know what to do.

So, he kept getting hit.

“Ack! It hurts! It hurts!!”

“Didn’t you think about us who were left behind?! Didn’t you think about us who were waiting?! Do you know how surprised I was to hear you were alive! But you… how could you do this! Are we nothing more than that to you? You bad bastard!”

Sohee, who was always so spirited, was crying truly sorrowful tears.

Even her stiff way of speaking, which hadn’t changed much even after she gave up being a soldier, was gone.

Now, Sohee felt like she was showing her true self, raw and unadulterated.

The wild punches she threw were an explosion of suppressed emotions—

*Wham—!*

‘Oof…’

“Gah!”

…Sergeant Kang, whose shin had been properly kicked, jumped up, clutching his leg.

“W-wait, time out! Bone! I hit my bone—”

*Grab!*

*Smooch—*

“Mmph?!”

「Wooooooooah!!」

“Wow….”

“Hahaha….”

An abrupt, ambush kiss that startled everyone.

Sohee grabbed the back of Sergeant Kang’s head and slammed her lips onto his.

It wasn’t just rubbing lips; it was as if she was trying to tear them off.

Sohee, her face drenched in tears, wrapped her remaining arm around Sergeant Kang’s neck.

That gesture felt like she would never let him go again.

Perhaps because he understood her better than anyone.

Sergeant Kang couldn’t even lay a hand on such a Sohee and could only stammer.

To be beaten up, then suddenly be given a fierce kiss.

Sergeant Kang deserved to be hit a little more.

After the poignant kiss that felt a little long, it ended.

The two slowly parted their lips.

At a distance where their noses almost touched, Sohee bowed her head and choked back tears.

“…I thought you were dead… but I waited anyway. I… *hic*… I just felt like you… would… definitely come… find me… *sob*…”

“Nu-Nuna….”

“After I heard you were alive… I couldn’t even sleep properly… Waiting until today… was so… so hard….”

“……”

“…*Sniff*… You… you bad bastard… I missed you… *Waaah*…”

In the end, Sohee, who had lowered her head, silently shed tears.

Sergeant Kang, unable to do anything, was frozen like a stone statue.

“…I’m sorry.”

He was indeed a man with good intuition and sense.

With a single, soft word, he gently embraced the tearful Sohee.

“I was wrong.”

“*Sniff*… *Sob*…”

“I… I missed you too. Very much.”

“…Incheol… *Waaaaah~*”

*Squeeze—*

Sergeant Kang and Sohee embraced each other fully.

*Clap! Clap clap clap clap!*

Starting with someone’s applause, clapping erupted from all directions. And…

Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!

Starting with someone’s playful shout, everyone chanted together.

Kiss! *Clap!* Kiss! *Clap!* Kiss! *Clap!*

At everyone’s fervent request, Sergeant Kang, his face flushed scarlet, met Sohee’s gaze.

“……”

“……”

「Ooooooooh!!」

In the end, responding to everyone’s request, the two shared another deep kiss.

‘…Should I have come sooner?’

The thought that came to him right after witnessing their reunion was one of apology.

He hadn’t realized they would display such intense emotions.

He had told Sohee, who had suppressed her feelings and endured, to wait…

Even though he hadn’t known, he had done something quite regrettable.

While he was thinking that, Incheol approached him.

“…I think I’ll just go back.”

“No. You can’t. I won’t accept it.”

Incheol grumbled about coming for nothing, but there was still a hint of joy in him.

“Nuna felt sorry for you, Hyung, and missed you terribly.”

“…She did?”

This was the first he was hearing of it.

He hadn’t specifically asked about or dug into everyone’s past, but…

“You saved her life twice, and… Hyung was really good to Nuna.”

“Hoo?”

“Everyone was scared of her and avoided her, calling her a witch, but you were kind to her, so Nuna especially cherished you. Though neither of you knows it yourselves.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s because both of you are dorks when it comes to romance.”

*Puhaha!*

The candid assessment from the guy who used to be his subordinate and soldier was quite sharp.

“Who’s a dork?”

“Ack!”

“It’s been a while.”

“…Hyung.”

Incheol’s voice tightened slightly.

Sergeant Kang, who had approached with Sohee, silently hugged Incheol.

“You’ve had a tough time, haven’t you?”

“……”

“Thank you for being alive. You held on well.”

“…Hyung….”

Incheol tightly shut his mouth.

But he couldn’t stop his eyes from turning red.

“Sergeant Kang-nim. It’s been a while.”

“Reporter Kim-nim?”

“Yes. Thanks to you, Sergeant Kang-nim, I saved my life and was able to come here.”

“What day is it today?”

Sergeant Kang, who had also exchanged greetings with Reporter Kim, couldn’t fully express his joyful emotions.

“Incheol.”

“Yes.”

“Yes?”

“Ah… Hah hah….”

The sight of both of them responding to Miri’s dad’s call was simply comical.

Awkwardly scratching their heads, both sighed softly.

“…Should we go back to our old ways?”

“Oh, right….”

“Old ways?”

At his question, they both laughed awkwardly.

“Big Incheol, Big Kang.”

“Little Incheol. Little Kang.”

“Big Kang and Little Kang… Ah, I remember. It’s pretty good.”

He grinned and nodded, but their reactions were clearly not enthusiastic.

“Sigh…”

“Hey. Why are you sighing? You’ve gotten lazy.”

“Wow… Where’s your conscience? After all, I’m more… than Hyung…”

“What, you punk? Are you completely crazy?”

“Ah, what’s with you! Hyung, you’re a civilian. A civilian.”

Their intense joy was brief; they soon began to bicker with familiar ease.

It was a natural sight, showing at a glance how close their relationship was.

The sight of the two, like foolish brothers, was put in order the moment Miri’s family appeared.

“It’s been a while, everyone.”

Miri’s dad greeted them warmly, but no one paid him any mind.

Instead, they were horrified when they saw Miri’s mom and Miri.

“Huh? No way?”

“Uncle Jonghoon actually got married?”

“What? Choi really got married?”

“Wasn’t that a lie?”

“Y-you people, seriously!”

The people who had rushed over immediately surrounded Miri’s family.

“Hello~ I’m Miri’s mom~ This is our daughter~”

“……”

People’s eyes widened.

Someone pulled at their hair, and someone else denied it.

“N-no way….”

“What’s ‘no way’?”

Miri’s dad, grinning, couldn’t hide his victorious smile.

Then, those who knew him began to protest vehemently.

“Your wife is too beautiful!”

“Hahahaha! Are you jealous?”

“Hey, Choi! This is fraud!”

“Mister. Be honest. Didn’t you hypnotize your wife?”

“W-what are you saying! You people, really?!”

“The baby is so pretty! So cute!”

“She looks so soft… Can I poke her?”

“I want to bite her just once….”

“It’s truly a relief the baby resembles your wife.”

“Indeed. That would’ve been a disaster.”

“Y-you people!!”

*Puhahahahahahat~!*

In front of the building, which had become a place of reunion, loud laughter continuously erupted.

The three reunited people and one family.

Thanks to them, the atmosphere was warm, soft, and gentle.

Especially Miri’s dad, who had kept his promise with the people he had been with.

Perhaps it was because he could keep his promise to show each other their families.

He was beaming with a wide smile, yet his eyes were glistening with tears.

And people celebrated and rejoiced as if it were their own matter.

They also seemed to be trying to fully enjoy the good feelings and emotions they had completely forgotten for a while.

Such joyful commotion also drew the attention of unrelated people.

Soon after, those who heard about the situation also nodded with faint smiles.

While everyone was busy sharing their emotions, Sergeant Kang approached.

“Hyung-nim. Thank you very much. For many things.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Sergeant Kang, who was speaking, was holding Sohee’s hand.

‘…They’re holding hands interlocked?’

He had just witnessed what people commonly called lovers holding hands.

“…Thank you, Seonghan-ssi.”

Sohee’s face, which was dyed scarlet, looked both fresh and awkward.

“You can speak comfortably now.”

“Huh?”

“You were speaking comfortably to Sergeant Kang just now.”

“……”

*Hehehe~*

Was he being a bit mischievous?

To rescue Sohee, who couldn’t say anything and just bowed her head, Sergeant Kang stepped forward.

“B-but what is all that?”

“Huh? Oh, that.”

He grinned, looking at the cargo in the truck bed that Sergeant Kang pointed to.

“Bridal gifts.”

“……Huh?”

“They’re Sohee’s bridal gifts.”

“Se-Seonghan-ssi…!”

*Puhuhu~*

Sergeant Kang also seemed flustered, his eyes shaking widely.

“The room might need to be quite large and spacious.”

“H-Hyung-nim.”

“……”

He stopped, fearing Sohee might die of embarrassment if he continued.

“I brought a few things for the three of them, and some gifts.”

“Ah.”

“Well, Sohee and Incheol can sort it out together.”

“Th-thank you.”

Sergeant Kang, who had bowed in greeting, immediately began to organize the atmosphere.

And, with practiced ease, he instructed people to start bringing the luggage inside.

Regarding this, people moved with practiced ease again.

As expected, Sergeant Kang, though young, possessed ‘leadership’.

He felt like he had grown a bit more since they parted ways in Yeongdeungpo.

He gave the impression of having matured further through difficult times.

‘……’

Seeing Sergeant Kang, Incheol, and Sohee together, it felt like they were finally complete.

With the three of them together, the atmosphere felt incredibly natural.

And Reporter Kim, who was constantly pressing the camera shutter button among the crowd…

“Are you disappointed?”

The old man suddenly made an abrupt remark.

“About what?”

“I heard you told them to move here to meet them?”

“Who said that?”

“How could I not know when I can hear everything they’re saying?”

“…Heh.”

It was an out-of-the-blue question, but the old man’s words were correct.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t disappointed.

But.

“It’s alright.”

“Really?”

“What do you want to hear, old man?”

“It’s just that your eyes look so wistful.”

*Pfft—*

“This fellow is funny.”

“……”

He subtly replied, watching the people quickly moving the luggage.

Especially for the old man who had been lonely all day.

“It’s alright.”

“Hmm.”

“It feels like everyone has found their rightful place again.”

…At least, that’s how it seemed to him.

“You….”

“So it’s alright. Besides, it’s not like I won’t see them again.”

“Hmm? That’s true. Hahahaha~ You’re right.”

“Stop with the idle chatter now, and—”

“There you are. I’ve been looking for you for a while.”

Suddenly, an old man appeared.

“What brings you here?”

“Stop wandering around needlessly. More importantly, my mouth is so bored.”

“Tsk! You darn old geezer.”

“Hmph. If you have any, hand them over quickly. I’ll accept them as a friend’s fee… Hmm?”

The old man, who had been speaking casually with the other old man, narrowed his eyes as he looked at him.

“…Who are you?”

“……”

Like the old man, like his friend.

‘…Is this a senior center…?’

It was the moment his impression of Konkuk University Shelter was about to change.