Dream Breaker

Chapter 28

The hospital wanted to conduct a thorough examination of my body, which showed the same symptoms as Choi Kang-min, but I firmly refused.

'No way!'

I didn't want to spend my precious time for that person.

"Really..."

Even though I showed my dislike so clearly, Manager Seo Hye-joo was persistent. She kept trying to persuade me by offering expensive tests for free!

However, I only took a simple test and was discharged, using the excuse that I was busy.

"Hyung~!"

Choi Kang-hoon, who bought a lot of toilet paper rolls, saying he was going to have a housewarming party.

With that amount, it seemed like there would be some left even after using it until I left the dormitory a year later.

"Why?"

"I called you because you are amazing."

"......"

It was a four-dimensional reason, but it didn't matter now.

Praise.

I never thought that a casual word I usually overlooked would save me like this.

"But hyung."

"What again?"

"Will he be able to get better?"

"......"

I answered with silence.

'It's going to be tough.'

Choi Kang-min has no intention of waking up from his dream. Unless he can be awakened by the interference of reality, his death is as good as settled.

Sympathy?

I don't have that.

Even if I take out my personal regret and look at it objectively, Choi Kang-min is immersed in happiness and facing his end.

For him, the dream is reality.

"...Kang-hoon."

"Huh."

"How much do you trust me?"

"Um... Oh! I would believe it even if you said you were an alien!"

"I see!"

You trust me too much!

"But why are you suddenly asking that?"

"I had a dream in the hospital. You were wrongfully sent to prison in the dream."

"Me?!"

"And I became a lawyer to save you, who became the enemy of the world."

Another story of mine.

"......"

"......"

"...Bro? So, what happened after that?"

"I was assassinated by the criminal who framed you and sent you to prison."

"Ah...!"

"I'll tell you the rest of the story after we finish cleaning the house."

"Okay!"

It seems like it will be a fairly long story, even if it's adapted.

* * *

Choi Kang-hoon is quite cautious.

He dislikes it himself, thinking it makes him look less like a brave man, but others don't see it that way.

They say he's meticulous.

And thorough.

Far from being bad, they evaluate it very positively. This includes his father, who manages a large conglomerate tangled like a tangled thread.

"Be careful."

"Okay! I'll come to play again!"

After cleaning up the dormitory room, we ate together at a restaurant near the main gate of the Physical Education College and parted.

And a few seconds later,

"Young Master. Have you finished your work?"

"We have prepared the car."

A man and a woman dressed in common clothes respectfully greeted Choi Kang-hoon and spoke.

They look like a young married couple, but they are actually a pair of special forces escorts!

They are the people Choi Kang-hoon hired with his allowance.

"Let's go to the hospital."

"Yes."

There was something he wanted to check immediately because he felt uneasy.

On the outside, it looked like an ordinary sedan.

However, it is a custom-made product with various safety devices and amenities, including bulletproof glass.

Choi Kang-hoon sat in the soft back seat, looking out the car window, and muttered to himself in a low voice.

"I trust my brother. Always, forever..."

Kang Moon-soo, the neighborhood brother on whom he has been relying on since childhood, who is one year older, can be trusted unconditionally.

Why?

Their first meeting started with the elementary school student Kang Moon-soo's impulsive sense of justice.

He didn't just ignore it and stepped forward when he found Choi Kang-hoon being teased by his peers for being like a girl.

'He said that the inner side is more important than the outer side.'

At that time, Kang Moon-soo was too young to explain it intuitively, but instead, he showed it through his actions.

How?

Extinguishing a candle with bare hands!

Regardless of gender, anyone who isn't scared can do it, but if you hesitate in front of the candle, it gets hot and you can't touch it...

To the little kids who only learned from their parents and teachers that fire is dangerous, Kang Moon-soo, who extinguished the fire with his bare hands, was a real man!

Among the amazed children, Choi Kang-hoon was also included.

In other words,

"It's suspicious."

The dream that Kang Moon-soo, who had been his idol since childhood, suddenly talked about.

And in this dream, 'Choi Kang-hoon' also appeared.

Therefore,

'It's not an ordinary dream.'

Warning.

This word was the first thing that came to Choi Kang-hoon's mind.

Logically, there was no need to share the story of going to prison with him.

And it's specific.

"Young Master. We have arrived."

"Thank you. It won't take long."

"We'll wait in the lobby."

Choi Kang-hoon picked up his smartphone instead of heading to the reception desk of Elmorangs Hospital.

(Hello.)

As soon as he pressed the stored phone number, the other party answered.

"Hello, this is Choi Kang-hoon. I'm sorry for contacting you during work hours."

(Hello. But what's the reason for you, the younger brother, to contact me...?)

Manager Seo Hye-joo, Choi Kang-min's attending physician, asked him in a tone that sounded puzzled.

"I'd like to consult with you."

(Please make your question short as I'm busy right now.)

"Can I see you in person instead of talking on the phone? It's a sensitive topic. I'm on the first floor of the hospital right now."

(That's even more difficult...)

"It's about Kang Moon-soo."

(...That's a hard offer to refuse. I'll send someone to guide you to where you are.)

"Thank you for accepting my unreasonable request."

(It's okay. It's an extension of what I'm doing now. But can I know the content in advance?)

"It's about a dream."

(A dream?)

"It seems that he met my brother, Choi Kang-min, in a dream."

This younger brother was not as easy going as Kang Moon-soo thought.

* * *

"It's strange."

Am I indifferent?

Despite the terrible experience of having my arms and legs severed, my heart was excited an hour before going to the stable workplace(?) where I had a stable meal and bed, and I returned to my usual self.

Knock, knock.

After taking a deep breath, I knocked lightly in front of the office on the second floor of the gymnasium building, where I had promised to meet.

"This is Kang Moon-soo."

"Please come in."

The voice of the swimming director came from inside the room.

I don't know why, but the tone was slightly formal.

'What's going on?'

I carefully opened the door and entered, greeting him.

"Hello."

"Oh! You arrived on time."

"It doesn't make sense to be late since the dormitory is right next door."

"From my experience of teaching various athletes so far, being late has little to do with distance. What's important is the mindset to learn. Anyway, you arrived on time."

The swimming director welcomed me with a bright smile.

"What should we do first?"

"Ha ha! Your enthusiasm is great, but today we need to prepare essential personal items before training. First, let's buy a swimsuit that athlete Kang Moon-soo can temporarily use."

"Athlete..."

It seems too early for that title...

Wouldn't candidate be more appropriate?

"From now on, you are a proper swimmer. You should live with that in mind. For example, smoking, which is fatal to lung capacity, is prohibited. This includes secondhand smoking."

"Ah, yes."

It seemed that the director's enthusiasm was ahead of mine.

That's a good sign.

"I'd like to get a custom swimsuit for you, but we put it on hold since your body is not yet complete."

"My body?"

"You need to gain a little- a lot more muscle. Do you have any protein supplements at home?"

"No, I don't."

"I wish I could buy you meat, but my salary is not enough."

"It's okay."

I know from my own experience. If you squeeze an empty household, it will break down quickly.

"You can use this locker room. Remember the location."

"Yes."

I thought the athletes' locker room would be different, but it was the same locker room I had used with Song Seon-young.

'I wonder how she's doing...?'

I became a little curious about her well-being.

"Kang Moon-soo?"

"...Ah! Yes."

"Please focus on my explanation."

"I'm sorry."

"Currently, since you have no official records, you belong to the third group. The first group is the national team candidates, the second group is the college representative team, and the third group is the standby team."

"I understand."

"The facilities you can use will improve when you move up to the first or second group by having your skills recognized."

"......"

If I had met the national team director who taught Choi Kang-hoon how to swim, wouldn't I have been able to use the good facilities right away?

'Who's to blame?'

It's my fault for not trusting my younger brother.

* * *

As I began my full-fledged athlete life, I woke up in the morning, left the dormitory, and ran around the outskirts of the sports college.

Do I like to exercise?

Not at all. If I had time, I would prefer to sleep more without sweating.

"Whew! Whew!"

However, the reason I forced my sleepy eyes open and ran was simple.

'I need strength.'

How pathetic was I when I was unilaterally bullied by Choi Kang-min, who transformed into a magical boy?

I can't forget the resentment of that time.

"Just a little more...!"

Although exercising like this doesn't mean I can fly in the sky, it's the same for magical boys.

There are no humans as fast as light in reality, not dreams. If I just improve my stamina, I won't be easily defeated.

Power!

It has risen to be a new value that I should pursue from now on.

To grow such strength, exercise and willpower alone are not enough.

In other words,

"Please give me a lot!"

"Ha ha! Student, eat a lot."

It is necessary to consume various nutrients in sufficient amounts, more than the daily recommended intake.

'I was lucky.'

This place is a sports college. Since there are many students and athletes for whom health management is important, the campus cafeteria offers a balanced diet considering nutrients.

Lastly,

"Kang Moon-soo."

"Yes."

"Have you ever learned swimming from another coach?"

"No, I haven't."

I did learn a little from a girl with long legs who was a talented swimmer!

I receive guidance from a sports coach, although it's not a sport like Taekwondo or martial arts.

"...Your posture is surprisingly well-formed. It seems better to focus on building your body now rather than making minor posture corrections."

"Yes."

"I'll make arrangements for you to use the campus gym starting the day after tomorrow at the latest. And for the next few days, I will accompany you and teach you how to use the muscles and exercise equipment needed for swimming."

"Understood."

One by one, the things that had been put off due to part-time jobs have been put in place.

Regular exercise.

Healthy eating.

Sufficient sleep.

On weekends, the campus cafeteria doesn't open, and I don't have money in the water, so I needed another supply route for food.

As a result,

"Hello, Manager Seo Hye-joo!"

From the dawn of the first weekend without going to work, I went to the hospital.

"I remember Kang Moon-soo didn't like the tests. I didn't expect you to contact me first."

"Ha ha! It's the weekend today! I have a lot of time."

If you provide all three meals, I'm willing to take the test all day!

"By the way..."

Manager Seo Hye-joo, who opened her eyes wide, looked me up and down.

"Is there a problem?"

"No. It's only been a few days, but your body has improved since I last saw you."

"Ha ha! Thank you."

I was gaining weight like a sponge soaked in water, changing day by day.

And most of that weight was muscle!

I did hear a warning that if a person who didn't exercise suddenly overexerts themselves, they could hurt their back, but so far, there have been no problems.

"It's a good judgment. You've collapsed twice in a short time."

"You've looked into it."

"Ah! Don't take it the wrong way. It's just that I, as a doctor, looked at the patient's medical records."

"I understand."

I wasn't upset.

On the contrary, I liked Manager Hye-joo's interest in me, which made me feel respected as a separate 'personality,' like Choi Kang-hoon's praise.

"So I became curious."

"What is it?"

"There was a common point in the two cases when Kang Moon-soo collapsed. There were patients who had collapsed first with the same symptoms. Song Seon-young and Choi Kang-min."

"...It's a coincidence."

The atmosphere, which had been friendly, suddenly became serious.

"Is it really a coincidence?"

"......"

"Your aptitude is for being a shaman. Is there nothing that comes to your mind?"

"Not at all."

I have nothing to say.

"This is a matter of a person's life. I would appreciate it if you could answer honestly."

"Manager. What answer do you want to hear from me?"

"Medical expenses."

"I have nothing to say... What?"

"When Choi Kang-min recovers, I will give all the medical expenses to you, Kang Moon-soo."

"......"

"......"

"How much is it?"

Suddenly, I had something to say!

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