Chapter 41: Lie Low

The sterile white walls of the hospital room felt claustrophobic despite its spaciousness. Moon Woo-seok lay on the bed, his right arm encased in a cast, the dull ache pulsing through him. He exhaled sharply, shifting his gaze to the glass window of the door, where Choi Min-ho stood outside.

Min-ho was engaged in a serious conversation with the doctor, his brows furrowed, his lips pressed into a hard line. Woo-seok could tell it wasn't just concern—it was disbelief.

With a curt nod, Min-ho ended the conversation, murmured his thanks to the doctor, and pushed open the door. The slight creak of the hinges echoed in the silent room.

Min-ho plopped down onto the chair beside the bed, crossing his arms. "Alright, spill it. What the hell happened to you?" His tone was casual, but his eyes held an edge of worry.

Woo-seok hesitated, staring at his injured arm as if it held the answers he was searching for. Then, in a quiet voice, he muttered,

"I saw him."

Min-ho blinked. "Saw who?"

Woo-seok swallowed his Adam's apple bobbing. His fingers twitched against the blanket, a telltale sign of his inner turmoil.

"I saw him, Min-ho. I saw—" He paused, his throat tightening. Then, finally, he forced the words out.

"I saw my brother."

The air in the room turned heavy.

Min-ho stiffened, his fingers digging into the armrest of his chair. His heart pounded against his ribs.

"That's... impossible," Min-ho breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. He searched Woo-seok's face for any sign of deception, but all he saw was raw, unfiltered distress.

Woo-seok didn't answer. Instead, he reached for his phone and called someone.

"Take good care of Haneul," Woo-seok instructed in a low, grave tone before ending the call.

That was when it finally clicked for Min-ho.

His eyes widened. "Wait. You mean you saw Haneul's father?"

Woo-seok slowly turned his head toward him. His expression was unreadable, but his nod was enough.

Min-ho's breath hitched.

"Woo-seok," Min-ho whispered, but the name felt foreign on his tongue.

Woo-seok... No. That wasn't his real name.

Min-ho licked his lips, recalling the past—the secret that only a few knew.

Years ago, there were two Moon brothers—twins. But the elder twin, the golden child of the family, had fallen off a cliff mysteriously during a hiking trip and was never seen again. His disappearance left devastation in its wake.

Woo-seok's grandfather refused to accept it. His grief twisted into desperation, making him physically ill.

And then, in a cruel twist of fate, his parents had made a decision.

They gave his name to his surviving twin—they forced Woo-sung to become Woo-seok.

A replacement.

A shadow of the boy the elders mourned.

Min-ho clenched his fists. He had known Woo-seok—no, Woo-sung—since childhood. He had seen the pain he buried beneath his smiles, the way he shrank under the weight of expectations.

And now, the ghost of his past had returned.

How?

Min-ho gritted his teeth and muttered the name he hadn't spoken in years.

"...Woo-sung."

Woo-seok flinched.

Min-ho's voice softened. "Don't do this to yourself. It wasn't your fault. It never was."

But Woo-seok didn't look at him. His eyes remained distant, staring at the ceiling as if he could see the past replaying above him.

"If he's really alive," Woo-seok whispered, voice trembling, "then where has he been all this time?"

Min-ho tapped his fingers against the chair's armrest, his mind whirring with possibilities. Something didn't add up.

He suddenly narrowed his eyes at Woo-seok and leaned forward. "Wait a minute."

Woo-seok blinked at him. "What?"

Min-ho tilted his head. "You're not hiding something else from me, are you?"

Woo-seok sighed and ran his left hand through his hair. "I told you—I saw my brother."

Min-ho wasn't convinced. "That's not what I mean. I'm asking if Jin Yu-jin is blackmailing you."

Woo-seok's entire body stiffened.

That was all the confirmation Min-ho needed.

"F*ck," Min-ho muttered under his breath. "I knew it. That snake must've found something on you."

Woo-seok exhaled sharply, shoulders slumping in resignation. "Jin Yu-jin has pictures. A lot of them."

Min-ho frowned. "Pictures of what?"

Woo-seok gritted his teeth, hating the words that were about to leave his mouth.

"Pictures of me... and my older twin brother. Proof that I'm not the real Woo-seok."

Min-ho froze.

Woo-seok continued, his voice tight. "If the elders and the stockholders of Moon Company find out that I am not the real Woo-seok, they'll demand an explanation from my parents. They only knew that I was the one who died 4 years ago. They might even start a power struggle over the inheritance. I—" He clenched his fists. "I don't want to put my parents through that."

Min-ho leaned back, letting out a low whistle. "Damn. No wonder you've been acting off lately."

He added, "Those bastards were obsessed with the belief that the eldest son must always inherit the company, as was the tradition in many conglomerate families. You are twins so either of you can be the inheritor."

He rubbed his temples before giving Woo-seok a pointed look.

"Alright, I have to ask—did that psycho Jin Yu-jin try to make you his lover in exchange for keeping quiet?"

Woo-seok's face darkened. He didn't even bother answering—he just nodded stiffly.

Min-ho burst into laughter. "Oh my god. That man is completely insane!"

Woo-seok scowled. "It's not funny."

"Are you kidding me? It's hilarious." Min-ho wiped a fake tear from his eye. "He really thought you'd date him instead of just silencing him?"

Woo-seok just shook his head. "You're enjoying this too much."

Min-ho smirked. "Okay, okay, one more question."

Woo-seok sighed. "What now?"

Min-ho grinned mischievously. "So... did you two ever—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Woo-seok grabbed a pillow and threw it straight at Min-ho's face.

"Shut up!"

Min-ho's muffled laughter was barely contained behind the pillow. "I'll take that as a no."

Woo-seok groaned in frustration. "I swear, I'm going to strangle you."

Min-ho finally stopped laughing, but his expression turned serious again. "Alright, fine. Jokes aside—what's your plan?"

Woo-seok's face hardened. "I'm not just sitting around. I've been monitoring Jin Yu-jin's movements for a while now. My investigator has been tailing him."

Min-ho raised an eyebrow. "And?"

Woo-seok crossed his arms. "So far, no suspicious activity... except for one thing."

Min-ho leaned in. "What is it?"

Woo-seok's voice dropped to a near whisper.

"Jin Yu-jin has been meeting with a mysterious old man."

A chill ran down Min-ho's spine.

He had a bad feeling about this.

---

Meanwhile, Jin Yu-jin paced inside his luxurious house, his grip tightening on his phone as he furiously spoke to the person on the other end of the line. His jaw clenched, his patience wearing dangerously thin.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Yu-jin snapped, his voice sharp with barely contained rage. "I told you to make him paranoid, not to nearly kill him!"

The voice on the other end chuckled darkly, completely unfazed by Yu-jin's anger.

"I only gave him a little scare," the man said smoothly. "Aren't you the one who wanted him vulnerable? A little paranoia here and there wouldn't have been enough. Now that he's shaken up, won't he come running straight to you for comfort?"

Yu-jin's hand trembled in frustration as he pinched the bridge of his nose.

"You idiot," he seethed. "If he finds out I had any part in this, do you think he'll ever look at me again? You're ruining my plans!"

The man scoffed. "What's the difference? You were blackmailing him anyway. He already hates you."

Yu-jin took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay calm. "That's exactly why I planned to take things slow," he muttered, gritting his teeth. "I wanted to wear him down, make him need me. I was supposed to be his only safe place in this mess. But now? You've turned him into a cornered animal."

The man on the phone just sighed, unbothered. "You're too sentimental," he said lazily. "Besides, this was personal. My son used to work for him, but then they fired him for something he never did. You expect me to just let that go?"

Yu-jin's eyes darkened. "You acted out of personal revenge?" he asked coldly.

The man chuckled. "That's right. And now that I've helped you, it's time for you to return the favor. Don't forget about the money."

Yu-jin's face twisted in irritation. He despised being ordered around, especially by scum like this. But for now, he had no choice but to play along.

"Fine," he muttered. "I'll send the money. But from now on, you lie low. No more reckless stunts."

The man only laughed mockingly before hanging up.

Yu-jin exhaled sharply, staring at his phone screen with pure disgust.

That bastard.

He clenched his fists and grabbed his coat.

If Woo-seok was slipping away from his grasp, then he had to act fast.

"I need to go to the hospital to take good care of him."

---

The lingering warmth of their family dinner still filled the air as Ryu Woo-hyuk, Seo-woo's father, placed down his utensils and looked at his son with unreadable eyes. The lively chatter of their relatives had started to fade as people moved upstairs, checking their rooms for the night.

"Seo-woo," Woo-hyuk finally said, his voice firm yet not unkind. "Come see me in the living room. We need to talk."

Seo-woo's breath hitched slightly. He instinctively glanced at his children, who had been watching the exchange with wide, worried eyes.

"Dad..." Seo-jun tugged at the hem of his sleeve. "Are you gonna be okay?"

Seo-jin and Seo-min huddled closer, their little hands gripping him tightly. They knew. They had sensed the cold distance between their father and grandfather from the beginning.

Seo-woo swallowed his hesitation, forcing a reassuring smile. "Of course, babies. Don't worry, okay? Go upstairs with Aunt Ji-woo and get some rest."

Ji-woo crouched down and opened her arms. "Come on, let's go find the biggest, fluffiest bed."

The triplets hesitated before reluctantly letting go. But before heading upstairs, Seo-min turned back and whispered fiercely, "If Grandpa makes you sad, just tell me! I'll fight him!"

Seo-woo nearly choked on his own laughter, patting his son's head. "I'll keep that in mind."

With one last look, he stepped into the living room, where Woo-hyuk was already waiting, seated on the long leather couch. The air felt heavier here, the weight of unspoken words pressing down on them.

Seo-woo sat across from his father, careful to keep his expression neutral despite the slight tremor in his hands.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, to his surprise, Woo-hyuk broke the silence. "How have you been?"

Seo-woo blinked. Of all the things he expected his father to say, this was not one of them.

He hesitated before answering, "I'm fine... Even though my career is over." His fingers unconsciously traced patterns on his lap. "But those years performing on stage... I was happy."

Woo-hyuk didn't interrupt, but Seo-woo could see something in his father's usually cold eyes—a flicker of regret.

Seo-woo took a deep breath and continued. "And now, I have my three little babies. They've made my world meaningful and colorful, even in the hardest times."

His father exhaled slowly, the lines on his face looking deeper than before. "I was furious, you know," Woo-hyuk admitted. "That day when you said you wanted to be a singer."

Seo-woo stiffened, bracing for the usual disapproval. But what came next made his breath catch.

"I was not good at expressing my feelings to you or your siblings. I wanted you all to be disciplined, to be safe. I wanted you to live peacefully, away from the mess of the world." He paused. "But maybe I was too strict. Maybe I didn't show you that I cared."

Seo-woo's vision blurred.

His father's voice lowered. "I waited. I waited for you to come home. I waited for the day you'd tell me you regretted running away."

That was it.

The words he had longed to hear in his past life—the words his younger self had desperately needed.

Seo-woo clenched his fists, his body trembling. He had spent years seeking love, searching for belonging, believing he had been abandoned. But his father had been waiting for him all along?

The tears fell before he could stop them.

Woo-hyuk's eyes widened. "Seo-woo?"

Before he could say more, small feet pattered against the floor.

"Dad!!"

The triplets rushed in, their little faces filled with worry. They crashed into Seo-woo, their tiny arms wrapping tightly around him.

"Don't cry, Dad!" Seo-min sniffled, wiping his father's tears with his sleeves. "Grandpa's bad! He made you sad!"

Seo-jin and Seo-jun turned their heads sharply toward Woo-hyuk, their glares shockingly fierce for children.

Woo-hyuk looked... flustered.

Seo-woo let out a watery laugh, hugging his children close. "No, no, babies, I'm not sad." He took a shaky breath. "Your grandpa actually... supported me all along."

Woo-hyuk cleared his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the overwhelming emotions. He stood abruptly, adjusting his collar. "Tch. That's enough." He turned toward the hallway. "That's all I had to say. And... welcome back, Seo-woo."

With that, he walked away, his ears suspiciously red.

Seo-woo smiled through his tears, holding his children tightly.

He was finally home.