relations to chapter 138 & 307

Ae-ri barged into the room, seeing the bed empty, the curtains blowing and the window opened. "Minseong." She muttered, turning and dashing out of the room, looking for her brother.

She asked nurses and looked around the hospital, coming out to the small garden the hospital had. The glass doors slid open automatically as it detected her presence, she finally caught a glimpse of Minseong.

He was still waiting for Johan, sitting in the basking sun by the glass balcony. "Minseong!" Ae-ri appeared right in front of him in a split second, grabbing his shoulders. "What are you doing here?!"

Minseong's eyes were wide, a confused and surprised look on his face. "J-Johan...?" Was all he could muster out. Ae-ri shook him once harshly. Minseong winced. It felt like his collarbone was cracking.

Ae-ri seemed to have noticed his pain too, slowly letting go and pulling her hands back. Why had she gotten so mad in the first place? She felt conflicted, angered and disappointed with herself.

It wasn't the fact that she had to run around the whole hospital just to search for Minseong. It wasn't the fact that Johan pushed her away. She wasn't trying to take her worries out on him.

What scared her was Minseong ever disappearing. Johan leaving as if she meant nothing.

She backed up, staring at Minseong's shoulder in guilt. "Sorry. I wasn't thinking rationally..." She slowly adjusted her position and sat beside Minseong, seeing his pained and fearful eyes that avoided her.

She scowled, worried. " Did I hurt you?" She rubbed his shoulders, leaning forward to catch his gaze. He finally looked at her, " No... I'm okay." He gave a small and reassuring smile.

Ae-ri choked on her breathing, " I'm sorry, Minseong." She bit her lower lip to stop her jaw from shaking and teeth from chattering.

" Johan won't be coming from now on."

" What?"

"Johan won't come."

She knew Johan was one of Minseong's only friends and form of company apart from her, being locked up in this form of prison was probably draining him too.

"I'm so sorry, Minseong."

She slowly pulled her knees nearer to her chest, her hands resting on the back of her neck as she lowered her head, sobbing into herself. Her hair fell gracefully to the side, covering her expression from Minseong.

All he could hear was her voice.
"... Don't be, sis." He could do nothing but watch her cry. He wasn't even capable of supporting himself.

"Sis, would things be better if I never existed?" Minseong spoke, his expression serious and genuine, not even the slightest hinder in his words.

Ae-ri slowly turned to him. How could a 6-year-old even say this? "Don't ever say that again. Is it because it looks like I'm suffering?" She asked, hurt evident in her words.

"Minseong, don't ever blame yourself. This is the fault of the people who gave us life and couldn't take responsibility."

Perhaps Johan's parting had hurt her more than she had anticipated.

That's why, as she watched his final tournament, watching as he defeated his old friend and gave him the same embarrassment he had suffered, she felt nothing.

She no longer had any strings attached to someone she didn't matter to. She knew it was childish to think this way, she was supposed to be matured after all. She watched until the end, even as he left the ring, his back once again turned on her.

He probably wasn't even aware that she was attending this just to watch him. The more she thought about him, the more she realized that the whole time, she was the only one who opened up. Naive? Maybe.

But she truly did care for him and did what she could to support both him and Minseong.

"Minseong." Johan called out, slowly pushing the hospital door open. He was surprised to see that even after three years, he was still here. While it was expected, it was unfortunate, truly.

Minseong turned to him, jolting. "Hyung!" Minseong grinned, his eyes brightening. Johan closed the door behind him, walking over with a smile. He had already started the God Dogs during this time, he was curious as to where his noona was.

Johan placed a small teddy bear by Minseong's lap, a keychain actually. "When you recover and go to school, you can hang this on your bag." Johan spoke, though it seemed like Minseong didn't really believe it, still returning the gesture with a smile.

" Hyung, I haven't seen you for so long." Minseong admired the keychain, seeing it hold a 'have a speedy recovery!' sign in its arms. "... Yeah. Things happened." He replied, a sigh from his nose as he observed Minseong's condition.

He seemed to have gotten worse than the last three years. His cheeks were almost sunken in, he looked thin and his hair was messy. He had eye bags around his eyes too, his legs lumpy. He is only nine.

The door burst open, there was Ae-ri with some snacks. "Hey hey! Minse... ong..." She paused at the sight of Johan. Her aura seemed to darken, causing a tense atmosphere.

" Who let you in? " Her voice was icy cold, her heels clicking against the floor as she placed the snack on Minseong's lap and turned to Johan who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

Johan held a poker face. "Noona." He greeted, a word he hadn't said in a while. Ae-ri glared down at him. He had grown much taller, larger and fiercer. She couldn't even recognize him anymore.

"Sis! Don't you remember him?" Minseong grabbed Ae-ri's hand, shaking it excitedly. She hadn't seen him this happy in three years. "Oh... Minseong, you let him in? It could've been dangerous." She gave a small smile to Minseong.

She grabbed the snack she had bought for him, chips, breaking the seal on the bag and handing it to him. "I need to talk with him, so wait for me, okay?" She grabbed Johan's hand, leading him, or dragging him out.

Here they were, back in the hospital's garden. The scene was still familiar, a sense of nostalgia and memories flooding him. He had always visited Minseong here, playing with him when his condition wasn't as bad..

Now, they both stare at the sky, the glass panel that had clearly been polished daily now rusted around the balcony, and the flowers that used to be in full bloom were now nothing more than dead bushes.

To be fair, the hospital had been busy with more patients they must've forgotten this garden existed. Ae-ri thought back on how she used to tower slightly over the small boy, now it was the opposite.

(Ae-ri is around 167cm.)
She stared straight ahead, pushing the thoughts of old memories aside. "What brings you back?" She crossed her arms in the cold breeze.

Johan was pretty unresponsive, staring at the ground instead of the sky. His hair was unkept and visibly poorly cut. "My mother is losing her eyesight, so she was admitted into this hospital."

Ae-ri scoffed lightly. "Sorry about your mother." She spoke in well regards, awkward silence befalling them again. "Noona. Join God Dogs." Johan extended his hand to her.

But she looked upset, brows furrowing. "You... Joined a gang?" Ae-ri observed his expression.

"No. I created one. I lead God Dog." Ae-ri seemed to only get more mad, smacking his extended hand away.

"Why? You know I hate fighting, yet you still invited me. Worse, you disappeared for three years just to start this?" Ae-ri held disappointment in her tone.

"You wouldn't have to have done this if you continued staying with me." She turned, about to leave when Johan reached out and grabbed her shoulder.

"You aren't any older than me, Ae-ri. You couldn't even support yourself yet you tell me to have stayed?" Johan pulled his hand away with a sneer.

Ae-ri clenched her fists by her side. "So what? I took you in when you had nowhere to go, you just got all bratty going through puberty." She scoffed, slamming a fist on the balcony railing. The shape of her fist was imprinted on the cold metal, leaving a dent.

Johan stood there. It isn't a decision he would regret. He got to see how they were doing, asked the question he wanted and got his mother to a hospital.

Ae-ri on the other hand was mad. Completely offended, actually. But she didn't bother with the likes of him anymore, going back to Minseong's room.

"That damn brat..." She cursed under her breath. "I hope we don't meet anymore."

bonus: they do meet again 😉