firefighter

66.

A faint glimmer of light seeping through a crack in the curtains awakens someone. She seems to have been in a deep sleep, tossing and turning for a long time before finally waking up. Her face is somewhat hazy, yet relaxed.

"Hmm..."

강유빈

...uh...?

강유빈

When did I get to the office... uh...

Yubin frowned briefly, her neck and shoulders stiff from having been lying on the small sofa. She carefully stretched and occasionally tried to recall the film's interruptions, but her memory remained hazy, leaving her with an uneasy feeling.

강유빈

cell phone...

As I wake up, I have a habit of checking my phone first, so I unlock it without thinking and check the accumulated notifications one by one.

A considerable number of notifications had piled up, but as always, they were mostly games, ads, and the like. Yubin's hands, slightly dispirited, scrolled down, speeding up, and soon, just as she reached the very bottom of the notification window, her fingers stopped. A KakaoTalk notification, unusually absent, caught her eye, brightening her face.

강유빈

Eeeeek...!!! Who is it?

As her body relaxed, Yubin stretched and checked her KakaoTalk message. Her fingers froze, as if she'd seen something she shouldn't have, and her pupils trembled slightly. What appeared on her panicked phone screen was,

민윤기

"I didn't know where you lived, so I took you to the office. Take care and I'll see you at your next appointment."

강유빈

...eww...

강유빈

Aaaah ...

Meanwhile, in the hospital reception room on a languid morning, the faint smell of disinfectant wafting through the air, a small commotion breaks out as another man slaps the forehead of a man slumped over in a waiting chair.

강의건

Hey, who's sleeping like that at the hospital desk?

민윤기

I'm tired, that's why. I'm tired...

강의건

It's almost midnight, but what on earth did I do yesterday that I'm still awake?

민윤기

It's been a while since I've put in some effort.

Yoon-gi twirled his left arm, showing off his strength to Ui-geon. Then, a cracking sound was heard and a scream of "Ah!" escaped him. Ui-geon sighed, as if he'd known it.

강의건

You said you hurt your left arm, so take care of yourself!!

민윤기

Ah, I got it...!!!! I got it, let go!!!

After lightly applying a headlock, Yi-Geon made a face like "Eww-" again and then released his arm.

강의건

You said you'd be back in a day or two. Are you getting any good advice these days?

민윤기

I've only been there once, what can I expect?

강의건

What, still?

민윤기

I don't know. The teacher seems like a nice person... but I wonder if it's what I thought.

강의건

Why? Is the counseling method not good?

민윤기

...Rather than that...

민윤기

I feel like I shared too much too quickly...

강의건

...What does that mean?

Yi-geon asked again, unable to understand the words, but Yoon-gi kept his mouth shut and shook his head. Then, he clicked his fingernails together and stood up as if nothing had happened.

민윤기

Well, you'll figure it out as you go. It's not like I've only been doing it for a day or two...

강의건

What the heck, bland.

Biting his lip, Yi-geon turned around, glancing back and forth between the elevator and his phone. He walked around the desk, as if waiting for something. As he was walking back, a call came through on his phone, just in time.

강의건

"Oh, oh, sis! I'm on the first floor now."

강의건

"Shall we go up? Okay, I got it. Let's go now!"

Eui-geon's expression brightened as he ended the brief call in a cheerful voice. As Yoon-gi hurriedly packed his things and prepared to move, Eui-geon lifted the bag from Yoon-gi's arm and spoke.

강의건

Hey, what do you think?

강의건

My nephew.

민윤기

Didn't you just give birth the other day?

강의건

Yeah, the day before yesterday. They said he's in the neonatal ward and visits are allowed starting today.

민윤기

baby...

강의건

Sister said she was waiting for me, so let's go quickly.

민윤기

Oh, uh.

Thanks to the doctor who immediately looked for my sister as soon as I got off the elevator, I was able to quickly connect with her. I felt both unfamiliar and envious of my friend, who was sticking close to the neonatal ward, observing her nephew.

강의건

Wow, where did all my sister's genes go?

강의건

Look at those small handsㅋㅋㅋ They're so cute...

The sight of Ui-geon looking at his nephew through a glass window, not knowing what to do, and the sight of the baby smiling so cutely made even the onlookers feel happy.

But a corner of Yoon-gi's heart, watching it, felt a pang of sadness.

민윤기

...

Please, you,

I hope you grow up well without any accidents.