I was suddenly stunned when I heard that question. Even though he was heard asking to confirm the truth, I was sure that he thought that Chunghee and I were really lovers. Actually, I couldn't clarify it immediately since Chunghee had not given a definite answer as to whether we were really in a relationship or our togetherness just because of pity and despair.

I felt ashamed in my heart. But slowly, there was disappointment creeping into my chest. I replied steadfastly, "No. He's someone's."

"Huh? Brother Kim, what do you mean?" he asked, confused.

I lifted my face, turned to the side to look at him, then replied, "But, in a moment he will be mine."

Hearing about this, Liam Seok chuckled. He smoked the cigarette in his fingers before replying, "I really don't know what you're talking about. But, one that I can see for real is ...." He paused for a moment, glanced at me with a serious gaze, then asked, "You love him, don't you?"

Looking at him in silence, I thought that that was far from being just the word "love". So I replied deeply, "I adore him."

Liam Seok smiled meaningfully. "But, you also know the risks for your family, right, brother?"

I fell silent. I knew what risk he meant that it left me speechless.

"Your father had other wills. You could run away from him long ago, but now how do you do that? Do you have a good reason for this?" he asked once again.

I lowered my gaze, then stood up. I rubbed the tip of the cigarette on the table, then threw the cigarette into the trash bin not far from where we were.

Not wanting to discuss this matter any further, I said coldly, "I got to go right away. He's alone, I will accompany him to wait there."

Liam Seok stood up too. He chuckled as if my words were really funny to him. He said, "Brother Kim, you never change at all. You always run away from reality but luckily you are a responsible person. I can only wish you both the best. You have never really fallen in love and I'm sure, that man must be the most valuable person to you."

Without responding to his words, I immediately left this place and headed to where Chunghee was sitting.

Once near him, I touched his shoulder gently, and asked, "Are you all right?"

He turned and said, "It will be my turn to come in soon."

Smiling, I sat beside him. "I'll come with you so I can hear the doctor's advice and try my best for you later."

He did not give any response and paused, staring straight ahead with emptiness in his shaded eyes.

I took a deep breath and was about to speak. However, before doing so, his queue number was called by one of the nurses on duty. I immediately helped Chunghee stand up and led him into the doctor's office.

When the door opened, the doctor smiled in a friendly manner, shaking our hands as an introduction.

Chunghee and I sat opposite the doctor. And, because Chunghee seemed reluctant to talk a lot, so I explained his current condition to the doctor.

He immediately asked Chunghee to do a CT scan. So, Chunghee reluctantly stood up, then entered a special room with the doctor. Since I couldn't come in with him, I could only wait at this place.

Twenty minutes later, both of them went out. Seeing them walk to the table where I was sitting, I immediately straightened my back.

As soon as the doctor sat down, I immediately asked anxiously, "How is it, doc? Can surgery be done immediately?"

Sighing, he explained, "It should be done as soon as possible, sir. But Mr. Park will have to do several stages of testing so we can know when he is ready to do surgery. It's just a moment. If you want to wait, I'll take some blood samples for the testing of the laboratory."

Hearing those words, I glanced at Chunghee who was lowered his head beside me. I gritted my teeth, thinking that I shouldn't keep letting it go like this, so I answered with certainty, "Just do it."

Nodding in agreement, the doctor glanced at Chunghee and asked, "Then, what about you Mr. Park?"

Chunghee nodded, but without expression on her face.

After that, the doctor immediately took Chunghee's blood sample and asked a nurse to bring the sample to the laboratory room for examination. While waiting for the results, the doctor asked, "Mr. Park, have you done a checkup previously?"

"Yes, I have."

"If I may know which hospital, sir?"

"Du-Ho Hospital, in Seoul."

The doctor smiled. "Oh, it must be Doctor Jeong. He's my friend. Since when did you do checkup there?"

"It's been a long time. I forgot," Chunghee replied briefly.

After talking for a while, a nurse brought the results. He immediately handed it to the doctor for observation.

The doctor frowned. He said regretfully, "We can't have surgery this week. The results don't show that Mr. Park's body is capable of undergoing surgery any time soon—"

Before the doctor finished, Chunghee interrupted, "See? I told you."

After he said that, he immediately stood up, and walked out of this room.

I was about to catch up with him, but the doctor suddenly stopped me, "Sir, wait." He said, "Just tell him to do chemotherapy. I saw the cancer cells in his brain were in the riskiest place. It would be difficult to remove the cancer cells in that area because they are so close to the motor nerves of his body. Many risks that could have occurred after the operation was done."

I was startled when I heard that statement, but I tried not to look panicked. "I'll tell him, doc."

"Yes, sir. That's what should be done."

After that, I immediately came out of this room to see Chunghee.

He sat down with his head lowered. I came over and squatted in front of him, trying to calm him down by the words, "Everything will be fine. You just need to do a checkup next week, okay? You have to that."

"I told you ... it's useless. The results will be in vain." He looked at me with teary eyes, then continued, "I would better wait for the day of my death at home."

Those were words that I didn't want to hear. After all this mess had happened, I would never allow him to do that to himself. It was the same as killing himself by his own hands slowly."

After all, no one knew how long that person would survive. As Liam Seok said that even people who suffered from cancer at stage four could recover, I considered that Chunghee had a better chance of being cured.

I was once too obedient to him, but now I didn't want to do that anymore. For the sake of his recovery, I would force him to obey my words from now on.

However, for now, because seeing him was so depressed, I didn't want to talk much about this and force him, so I could only say, "Chunghee, don't say things like that. Don't give up." Pausing for a moment, I continued, "All right. You're just exhausted, so I will take you to my apartment first to rest—"

"I want to go back to Sokcho," Chunghee interrupted.

"You said you're not feeling well, why don't you—"

"I want to go home to Sokcho! Do you hear me?!" Chunghee yelled that several people who were in this place immediately turned their eyes towards us. So, since I didn't want to be the center of attention in the crowd, I had no choice but to indulge her wish.

"Okay then. Let's go home."

I stood up and reached out to help him up. However, instead of grabbing my hand immediately, he said first, "But, there's something I need to do before going back there."

"What is that?" I asked.

He felt his coat pocket. As soon as he found something he was looking for, he immediately took it out and showed it to me, asking me in a gentle tone, "Where can I donate my money? I want to donate it to children with cancer."

Hearing that noble wish, I couldn't help but smile. I held his hand that held a card, then said in a deep tone, "There are many cancer foundations in this city. You can donate your money through their official link. But, just rest first, let me take care of it. After that, if you feel better about the next few days, we can immediately take care of all your documents."

After saying that, both of us immediately left the hospital to fly to Sokcho.

At least, today I knew his condition, so soon, I knew what I needed to do.

That was better than doing nothing.

After all, I used to act stupid just because I was accepted by him, and now I hoped this time was enough to pay for that mistake.

***