Their next stop was a pizza restaurant. Hansol was free to eat as much as he wanted. Even though pizza was loaded with calories, the professor ordered one topped with spinach, to make the meal a little more balanced.
Just then, an unexpected phone call completely changed the atmosphere. The smile disappeared from Minjun's face. Whatever he had heard, it was serious enough that he had to leave immediately.
As he hurried away, his wallet fell to the floor. Hansol picked it up and could not resist taking a quick look inside. There, he found an old photograph of Minjun as a teenager. He looked incredibly handsome, and surprisingly adorable. Standing beside him was a beautiful woman who appeared to be his mother.
When the professor returned, Hansol innocently asked about the picture in his wallet. Minjun immediately snatched it away and scolded him for looking through someone else's belongings. The moment the words left his mouth, he realised he had raised his voice over something trivial. Feeling guilty, he quickly apologised.
The damage had already been done, though. Hansol could not shake the feeling that something was seriously troubling Professor Bae.
Meanwhile, at Seoul airport, a young man arrived in Korea after spending many years overseas. Not long afterwards, he entered a luxurious mansion, where he was reunited with his father after completing his studies abroad. His father expressed surprise that he had managed to graduate without any problems. The young man simply smiled. To him, it was only natural. After all, he was the son of the chairman of Baecha Construction, the most prestigious construction company in South Korea.
A moment later, he asked to see someone. That person was none other than Bae Minjun.
As soon as the two brothers faced each other, the tension in the room became unmistakable. Their father quickly stepped in to calm them down, reminding them that they had not seen each other in five long years. The young man, Bae Dogyun, wasted no time provoking Minjun.
During dinner, Dogyun proudly boasted about working on an important international project, emphasising how valuable the experience had been for his career. He deliberately talked about everything he had learned overseas, clearly trying to mock Minjun, who had studied only in Korea and had never gone abroad.
Eventually, Dogyun declared that he was ready to learn how the family company operated. His father had already promised to let him join the business, and after working so hard to meet his expectations, Dogyun fully intended to become the next president of Baecha Construction.
Once dinner was over, Dogyun cornered Minjun for a private conversation. The professor made no effort to hide how unhappy he was to see his younger brother again. With a smug smile, Dogyun confidently declared that he would inherit the company. Someone like Minjun, a bastard child, had no right to inherit anything.
Minjun remained unfazed. He replied that someone with such miserable academic records, who had barely managed to graduate, was hardly qualified to run an entire corporation. Sooner or later, their father would realise that, and make the decision that was truly best for the company.
Dogyun once again reminded Minjun that he was nothing more than an illegitimate child. Their father still carried guilt over the mistakes of his youth, which was the only reason he had accepted Minjun into the family.
"That's all you'll ever get," Dogyun declared. "Stop acting like you're part of this family. You'll never inherit the company, and you'll never get revenge for your mother's death."
Back at the professor's apartment, Hansol admired the countless awards and certificates decorating the room. Looking around, he realised that every bit of effort he had made to win over such an incredible man had been worth it.
A little later, Professor Minjun stumbled through the front door. The moment he saw Hansol, he collapsed into his arms. Hansol immediately noticed that the professor had been drinking. His body was trembling, and it was obvious he was going through something painful.
At that moment, Hansol knew exactly what he needed to do. He wrapped Minjun in a comforting embrace and promised him he would not have to face his hardships alone. No matter what happened, Hansol would stay by his side.
The next morning, as birds chirped outside, Professor Bae woke with a pounding headache. When he tried to apologise and explain what had happened the previous night, Hansol gently stopped him.
"Everyone has things that are difficult to talk about," he said with a smile. "You'll tell me when you're ready. I don't think I'll have to wait very long."
With that settled, Hansol announced that it was time for the next part of his special recovery plan. Today's treatment for his boyfriend was a relaxing trip into the mountains.
Unfortunately, after hiking for quite a while, Hansol's legs were trembling from exhaustion. Minjun offered to carry him, but Hansol stubbornly refused. Today, he was the guide, and with such beautiful weather, there was no way they were turning back.
Their next stop was a large restaurant that appeared to specialise in vegan food. Hansol's meal did not contain a single piece of meat. Even so, he happily finished every bite, declaring it both delicious and incredibly healthy.
Later that afternoon, they visited a library to spend some quiet time reading together. Before long, poor Hansol had completely fallen asleep from exhaustion. Even though he insisted he was not tired, Minjun smiled and decided it was time for them to head home.
Hansol hurriedly pulled out his schedule to check what activity they would do next. Before he could continue, Minjun gently stopped him.
He thanked Hansol for staying by his side through everything. Thanks to him, he finally felt like himself again. Now it was his turn to be the guide. There was someone important he wanted Hansol to meet.
Their destination was a cemetery. Standing before a gravestone, Professor Bae quietly introduced Hansol to the only family he had left — his beloved mother, An Yeonwoo.