eonni

This time, Joowon hesitates, lips pressed tightly together with a frustration Dongsik knows Joowon doesn’t know how to articulate. Instead, Joowon tugs at Dongsik’s hand on his—and Dongsik, as always, allows himself to be led.

He will always go where Joowon tells him to go.

Which is just as well, as he once again finds himself in his favorite place in the world, safe and warm: wrapped up in Joowon’s arms.

He sighs in contentment, leaning back against Joowon’s taller, sturdier frame as Joowon hooks his chin over Dongsik’s shoulder. “They look happy,” Joowon murmurs, his breath a warm gust of air tickling Dongsik’s ear.

Dongsik follows his gaze—and his mouth quirks in amusement. It isn’t the sound of kids he’s been hearing after all—although by the looks of it, they may as well be children.

Jihoon is barefoot in the sand, screaming in mock-fear as he runs for his life as Jihwa chases after him, brandishing her own shoe at him. It makes Dongsik grin at the all too familiar sight; there had been one too many times when he’d seen Jihwa going after her little brother like this when they were growing up, especially whenever she’d find out that Jihoon had been skipping school for his idol auditions and trainings.

Jaeyi squeals in delight as soon as she catches Jihoon, who realizes far too late that the two women have teamed up against him and Jihwa has in fact been leading Jihoon straight to her. It seems to be a team game of boys versus girls, Dongsik muses, as Gwangyoung himself is running away from Seonnyeo, yelling at her to go after her husband instead.

Dosoo—who until then has been hiding behind where Ohsub is designated with what Dongsik can only assume are babysitting duties, as Huimang intently builds her sandcastle under Ohsub’s watchful eye—swiftly rises and backs away in fear as soon as he locks gazes with his partner.

And with Jihwa’s leading battle cry, all three women begin chasing after Dosoo, as Huimang happily cheers her mother on and Dosoo loudly complains about his kid having a favorite parent.

“They are happy, Joowon-ah.”

Joowon’s arms tighten around his waist.

“Sometimes I can’t help but wonder if—I deserve them.”

Dongsik twists as much as Joowon’s tight hold on him allows to stare at him. “Yah, I’m the one you’re marrying tomorrow,” Dongsik mock-complains, correctly predicting the fond, exasperated way Joowon huffs at him in return. “Shouldn’t it be my approval you’re worried about?”

Callused fingers gently lift his chin for him to meet Joowon’s eyes.

“Because with you, jagiya, I never had any doubt.”

And that’s a damnably deadly combination: the low rumble of Joowon’s voice; his heated, half-lidded gaze; the endearment that is less affection and more wholehearted, indefatigable truth.

Dongsik is thankful for the way Joowon is holding him up because it never fails to make his knees weaken, like this.

“Such a turnaround,” Dongsik teases, not even bothering to hide his breathlessness, “from the way you doubted everything about me the first time we met, Inspector Han.”

He has made this joke a thousand times before, but somehow it doesn’t land today, judging from the way the light in Joowon’s eyes unexpectedly dims.

Dongsik turns to fully face him, forcing Joowon to loosen his hold on him. “Joowon-ah,” he says quietly. “What exactly is it that you think you don’t deserve?”

You deserve the world, Dongsik wants to tell him, and it pains me that I fall short in giving it to you.

That I fail in making you believe you deserve it.

Despite disentangling himself from Joowon’s embrace, Dongsik is still caged inside Joowon’s arms leaning on the railing on either side of him. Joowon doesn’t really let Dongsik go—he never does. That’s the one thing Dongsik has never doubted about Joowon, too: that he will never, ever be too far away from Dongsik.

It’s Joowon’s wordless reassurance that he will always come back—even when he gets lost inside his own head, like this.

Joowon’s lids fall close when Dongsik reaches up to cup his cheek, thumb caressing the soft, sensitive skin beneath his eyes. His bags aren’t as prominent and deep as they had been a year ago, when Joowon had been in such excruciating physical pain, despite fighting his best to hide it from Dongsik.

Ever since he almost lost Joowon that day, Dongsik doesn’t take for granted all the chances he has to touch Joowon like this, reassuring himself of Joowon’s vow that he will always be by Dongsik’s side.

Even at death’s door.

Joowon reaches up to take Dongsik’s hand and presses his mouth at the centre of Dongsik’s palm; Dongsik’s fingers curl inwards, wanting to catch and keep that searing kiss with him forever.

Behind them on the beachfront below, there’s a resounding victory cry as Dosoo is successfully tackled to the ground, his own toddler jumping on his chest as she joins in on the game.

“Not fair!” Gwangyoung can be heard complaining good-naturedly. “Our team is outnumbered!”

“Then go make a son when it’s your turn to get married!” Ohsub can be heard yelling back to a resounding chorus of laughter.

“Joowon-ah,” Dongsik murmurs, “how can you think you don’t deserve them, when they’re your family too?”

“They were yours, first.”

Dongsik’s breath hitches when Joowon’s eyes flutter open to meet his.

“They’re here for you, first and foremost,” Joowon tells him softly. “Because it is you they loved first.”

Joowon’s lips brush along Dongsik’s knuckles as he speaks, the sensation a grounding counterpoint to the pang that shoots up Dongsik’s chest.

“I am simply someone they welcomed into the family because it is you they love, because your happiness is paramount to them—a sentiment that I fiercely share, given that I, too, love you.” Here Joowon smiles warmly at Dongsik, butterflies flying from Dongsik’s belly up to his heart. “And somehow, impossibly, you find yourself happy with me, and for that I will always be deeply, humbly grateful.”

It still takes Dongsik’s breath away when Joowon fills his personal space like this, foreheads touching and breaths mingling—close enough to bridge that hair’s breadth of a gap between their mouths. “Because of you, Lee Dongsik… I have a true family now, too.”

Dongsik would’ve kissed him by now, the way he has a thousand times before, like a sunflower drawn to never ending kisses from the sun. But Dongsik will not allow himself to be distracted at the moment because this—despite knowing Joowon from the inside out by now, he still doesn’t understand this.

“And what does all of that have to do with you not deserving any of it?”

Joowon’s gaze is assessing now, head tilted slightly to side, and Dongsik knows he hasn’t been able to stop the frustration from seeping into his tone. Dongsik has always been hyperaware of every single minuscule change of Joowon’s expressions, and he heartbreakingly recognizes this:

Contrite and apologetic, Joowon brushes his lips on the corner of Dongsik’s mouth—as if kissing Dongsik, too, is a privilege he can’t allow himself to deserve.

Dongsik feels like his heart is being squeezed from the inside.

“Because I haven’t earned it,” Joowon whispers. “I now have all this love from them—and from you—yet I haven’t earned any of it.”

Shamefaced, Joowon buries his face on the crook of Dongsik’s neck, even as he wraps his arms tightly around Dongsik’s waist to embrace him once again, holding on for dear life—frightened, it seems, that Dongsik will push him away this time.

Dongsik, meanwhile, is trembling from the scorching fury that erupts inside of him.

He’s been trying his best to not think of Han Kihwan these days, because the monster doesn’t deserve to be even spared a thought, but it’s the unavoidable conseqeunce of loving Han Joowon:

That everyday, Dongsik is reminded of the extent of Han Kihwan’s monstrosity through the damage he has done to his own son. 

How fucked up of a father do you have to be to teach your son all his life that love has to be earned?

The fabric of his shirt crumples as Dongsik feels Joowon’s fingers curl into fists on the small of his back, and it abates Dongsik’s boiling anger down to a simmer, Joowon’s touch grounding him as always to what is important to address.

Because Joowon doesn’t know, Dongsik realizes with a start.

Joowon doesn’t know.

Joowon doesn’t know that when they watched the music festival and Minjeong’s favorite song was being played by the band on stage, Jihoon revealed to Dongsik then that Joowon had once sought his advice, because Joowon saw Dongsik quietly weeping during the anniversary of Minjeong’s death, and Joowon had searched high and low for the already sold out tickets to the festival when Jihoon informed him of the event taking place on Minjeong’s birthday.

Joowon doesn’t know that Dongsik knows Joowon returns constantly to the morgue, both on the date of birth and date of death of Lee Geumhwa, offering his own gifts and prayers even though Joowon doesn’t believe in a god either, because it is Seonnyeo who always secretly assists him in bypassing the officers in charge who won’t allow him near Lee Geumhwa’s body, simply because he isn’t family.

Joowon doesn’t know that the caregiver in charge at The Forest Nursing Home once happily told Dongsik that they had been receiving a steady supply of tangerines for Kim Yeonghui from an anonymous donor, not knowing that aside from Kang Jinmook, Han Joowon was the only other person who knew that tangerines were the favorite fruit of Dongsik’s mother.

Joowon doesn’t know that Jaeyi had once pulled Dongsik aside and told him in no uncertain terms that it would be better for Joowon to accept his eligibility for citizenship in England so that he and Dongsik could get married there, because aside from the fact that their marriage would actually be legally recognized, it would also be safer for Joowon to be away from his father’s men in the National Police Agency, and that the only reason Joowon staunchly refused this logical solution was because he was determined to stay here in Korea for Dongsik.

Joowon doesn’t know that while he was recuperating in the hospital a year ago, Ohsub had called for an official meeting with all of the cops and detectives in their trusted Manyang circle—including Dongsik, even though he wasn’t a part of the force anymore—to inform them all of the constant danger Han Joowon was in as Han Kihwan’s men were determined to eliminate the son who destroyed his father’s fallen network, that this was the true hell Joowon once vowed he would go through, for Dongsik.

Joowon doesn’t know that Jihwa once went to Dongsik’s house in Okcheon lake alone, while Joowon was in physical therapy, and asked Dongsik—begged him, threatened him—to be a hundred percent sure of his feelings for Joowon, to be sure that Dongsik wouldn’t be stringing Joowon along, to be sure that Dongsik wouldn’t leave Joowon in the end, because Jihwa had just wrapped up the controversial case with The Community Safety and Traffic Bureau and she had burst into hysterical sobs in Dongsik’s arms because of everything she had found out—everything she discovered Jowoon had to go through—simply because Joowon chose to stay by Dongsik’s side.

Joowon doesn’t know that it was inside The Community Safety and Traffic Bureau that Dongsik unexpectedly found himself reunited with Park Jeongje.

Joowon is right—Dongsik is the one their family has loved first. But it is Joowon they now fiercely love more, because it is Joowon who needs that love more.

No one will ever love Joowon more than Dongsik. That much Dongsik is absolutely certain. But Dongsik also knows, as each member of their family has unanimously proven, that between the two of them, it is Joowon who loves better.

Joowon already deserves Dongsik’s love—and that of their family—a thousand times over. But that is not even the point Dongsik has to prove today.

Because Dongsik will not be like Han Kihwan. His love for Joowon will never be something Joowon has to earn.

So he gathers Joowon close and murmurs: “I’ve always wondered what it would have been like, had Yuyeonie fulfilled her dream.”

He feels Joowon stilling in his arms. Slowly, Joowon pulls back, his face carefully neutral to conceal the ever-present guilt he knows Dongsik doesn’t like seeing.

“I’ve always wondered what it would have been like to be the proud brother of one of the most brilliant minds this country’s judiciary will ever have the privilege of being served by.” Dongsik smiles at Joowon ruefully. “She was the only person in the history of Manyang to have been accepted in Seoul National University’s law department. It’s partly because of the way she set such a high intellectual standard that I’ve always been drawn to intelligent people.”

“I know,” Joowon says simply, making Dongsik grin.

Joowon watches with curious eyes the way Dongsik reaches inside the pocket of his pants to take out his mobile phone. Dongsik taps on the messaging app and opens the most recent message he had just received a while ago, which is the reason why he had been looking for Joowon in the first place.

He holds up the screen for Joowon to see, and Joowon’s brows furrow as he reads the message.

Hey, just arrived here in Busan. Case in Seoul demanded overtime work. I’ll be checking in at the hotel later. Is there anything you’d like to go over with me before the ceremony tomorrow, as the officiant?

He sees the way Joowon’s gaze flickers up the screen to look at the name on Dongsik’s contacts—and his eyes widen.

BROTHER-IN-LAW

“Thanks to you, Han Joowon,” Dongsik tells him softly, “now I will never have to wonder what it’s like to be the brother of a brilliant lawyer.”

Dongsik is ready for it, catching him as Joowon crumples against him, the skin of Dongsik’s neck becoming wet with Joowon’s tears.

“Hyung is a poor replacement for Lee Yuyeon,” Joowon tells him with a warbled whisper.

“No one will ever replace her,” Dongsik murmurs as he strokes Joowon’s hair. “There will never be anyone in the world like Lee Yuyeon. But you also have to admit, Joowon-ah…”

Dongsik pulls back, and he tenderly brushes away the wetness from Joowon’s cheeks. “There will never be anyone in the world like Kwon Hyeok, either. And if it weren’t for you, Joowon-ah, I never would have known what it’s like to have a brother relentlessly fight for me, too. To fight for my right to love you.”

Joowon’s eyes flutter close as Dongsik reaches up to kiss his eyelids, tasting the salt of Joowon’s tears on his lips. “Joowon-ah,” Dongsik whispers. “You’re not the only who has gained a family.”

He brushes their noses gently together as Joowon looks at him once more, those beautiful eyes glistening the same way the Busan sea reflects the incoming moonlight.

“Because of you, Joowon-ah… I am a brother once again.”

—

“What the fuck are you doing here?”

“This is where I’ll be working now, too. Looks like it’s your first day as well. Who knew we’d be back working together in a place like this, eh?”

“You expect me to believe that your parole officer just happen to coincidentally assign you to The Community Safety and Traffic Bureau as a glorified janitor?”

“… I may have—suggested it.”

“So who really sent you here? Did Jihwa send you in here to be my handler, to make sure I don’t get into trouble?”

“Jihwa-ya doesn’t know that I’m here. I didn’t even know you’d be here either—although I guess I should’ve expected it.”

“Then why are you here? Because I don’t believe for a second that you’re here for no reason.”

“I’m not here for you, Dongsik-ah. I’m here for Han Joowon.”

“… What?”

“They hurt my friend. And no one gets away with hurting my friend. That’s why I’m here for the same reason you are.”

“And what reason would that be, Park Jeongje?”

“… Vengeance.”

—

“What are you doing here?”

The smile Jeongje gives him is small and hesitant as he stands and gives an unnecessarily polite bow. “I just arrived this morning. Joowonie—Inspector Han—invited me.”

“I know,” Dongsik says impatiently. “I meant—what are you doing here sitting at the back?”

Jeongje blinks at him.

Dongsik sighs. “Joowonie reserved a seat for you up front,” he gestures gruffly. “You’re his best man, you know.”

“I do know.”

Jeongje is still gazing at him contemplatively, and it’s making Dongsik feel antsy and unsettled. “What?” he bursts out.

This time, Jeongje’s smile turns wistful. “A long time ago, whenever the thought of you getting married used to cross my mind… I’d always imagine that I’d be your best man.”

Dongsik looks away. “Things… changed.”

Jeongje’s reply is soft. “I know.”

He’s already walked past Dongsik towards his designated seat before Dongsik is finally able to unstick the words stuck in his throat.

“Park Jeongje.”

He stops.

Dongsik swallows. “You can return the favor to Joowonie someday,” he says haltingly. “He can be the best man to your future wedding, too.”

He can be your friend now, because I can’t be.

Not anymore.

He sees the way Jeongje’s shoulders slump for a moment, before he suddenly straightens, seemingly bracing himself before he looks back at Dongsik.

His smile this time is bittersweet.

“The only girl I’ve ever wanted to marry is now at peace,” he tells Dongsik. “And I am content with seeing her brother finally have the happiness he deserves, too.”

By the time Dongsik remembers how to breathe, Jeongje has already taken his seat up front, where he is happily welcomed by Jihoon.

A hand on the small of his back grounds him—the soothing gesture as familiar as his own heartbeat. He relaxes into the touch, relieved and grateful. The smile he gets in return is fond.

“Your best man has finally arrived,” he informs Joowon softly.

“I see that he has,” Joowon murmurs in return, pulling Dongsik close. He allows Joowon’s assessing gaze on him, easing Joowon’s understandable concern and wordlessly assuring him that Jeongje’s presence is welcome. “Yours is the one who hasn’t arrived yet.”

At this, Dongsik snorts. “When they say women take a long time to get ready, they weren’t kidding.”

“Yah, the nerve of you to complain when I’m doing all of this for you, you punk!”

Dongsik turns at that familiar childhood tone with a grin, which transforms into a sincerely delighted smile when he sees her. “Well, would you look at that! Our resident tomboy is unexpectedly a stunner when cleaned up like this! …Ow!”

Dongsik ends up hopping on one foot, clutching his shin that has just been kicked. “Yah!” he complains loudly. “Those heels are pointy!”

Jihwa straightens, smoothing her figure-hugging long gown with her bejeweled hands, and turns to Joowon with a raised eyebrow.

Joowon’s mouth quirks in amusement. “You’d have to forgive my uncouth fiancé, Jihwa-ssi.” He smoothly takes her hand and kisses the back of it, European-style. “You do look enthrallingly lovely today.”

Jihwa visibly preens in pride, even as a delighted blush colors her cheeks. “See, Dongsik-ah?” she huffs. “That is how you compliment a woman.”

“Yah, what is this, Han Joowon-ssi? You’re not even married yet and you’re already flirting with someone who’s also already taken?”

Joowon turns to smirk at her. “I would never be foolish enough to presume that either you or Jihwa-ssi would ever have eyes for anyone else, given that you both already have the finest partner in each other.”

Dongsik stares. What?

Jaeyi’s smile is radiant, complemented by her elegant updo and the shimmering make-up that lights up her face. “Knows how to compliment women and intelligent to boot.” Jaeyi arches a perfectly plucked eyebrow at Dongsik. “You’re marrying up with this one, ahjussi. You know that, right?”

Dongsik has always been aware of that, yes.

He isn’t aware of this.

“Your seat is already reserved at the front as Dongsik’s best woman, Jihwa-ssi,” Joowon informs her with a smile. “And as Jihwa-ssi’s partner, your seat is of course reserved beside her, Jaeyi-ssi.”

Dongsik is openmouthed in shock as both women walk down the aisle—holding each other’s hands. “When did—” he sputters, “how did—”

Utterly gobsmacked, he looks despairingly at his husband-to-be—who only blinks innocently back at him.

“You knew?”

“You didn’t?” Joowon smirks. “Why do you think the jewelry I gifted them for this occasion were a matching set?”

Dongsik’s mouth opens and closes soundlessly for a moment. “Han Joowon,” he finally settles on, “how many secrets are you keeping from me?”

“None of it was a secret,” Joowon informs him wryly. “You were just blind and dense.”

“Yah!”

“Considering Joowonie here proposed to you three times before you finally had the mind to accept, Lee Dongsik-ssi, I definitely have to agree.”

Dongsik glares, suddenly being reminded that this is unfortunately one of the consequences of having a sibling. “I can get another officiant for today, you know.”

Hyeok smirks back at him. “No, you won’t.” He points at Joowon. “Your fiancé here already paid me to be here.”

“Your rates are exorbitant,” Joowon deadpans, making Hyeok grin as he claps a hand on Joowon’s shoulder.

“Looks like all your guests are already here,” Hyeok observes as he looks around the beachfront venue and glances at his wristwatch. “We can start the ceremony soon.”

“Not yet.”

Hyeok blinks at Joowon’s firm tone. He looks questioningly at Dongsik, who smiles serenely back at him.

“We’re waiting for a very special guest,” Dongsik explains.

Hyeok furrows his brows as he quickly goes over the notes in his hand. “I don’t see anyone in this guest list who isn’t here yet,” he mumbles to himself. He peers at Dongsik. “Just how important is this ‘special guest’ that we’re risking starting the ceremony late?”

“Very,” Dongsik answers enigmatically, grinning at the exasperated look Hyeok throws his way at his cryptic answer.

“We’ve only been able to confirm this guest’s presence last night,” Joowon reveals as he shares a meaningful look with Dongsik.

Hyeok looks back and forth between them. “Why so late, though?”

“It’s—” Jowoon hedges, “a spur of the moment invitation.”

Whatever frustrated protest Hyeok is about to say is derailed as their attention is caught by the doors to the venue suddenly opening.

Dongsik brightens. “He’s here!”

Hyeok’s mouth drops open in utter shock. “… Abeoji?”

Joowon seems to be holding his breath as the guest of honor approaches them, his remarkable presence filling the venue the way light fills a room. The man looks at Hyeok first—and then at Joowon.

His smile is warm and comforting—like the hearth of a home. “My sons,” he acknowledges simply.

Dongsik turns to Hyeok, who looks utterly shell-shocked. “Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Dongsik prompts him gently.

“I—” Hyeok swallows; it’s the first time Dongsik has ever seen the normally unflappable prosecutor this rattled. “I would like everyone to meet my father. Kwon Seungjo.”

The elderly man places a hand on his chest as he bows deeply, which everyone rushes to return. “Wholesale fruit provider, at your service,” Seungjo straightens with a twinkle in his eye. “Although I believe I was invited here to provide a different service.”

Hyeok looks completely panicked, both at being in the dark as the son and as the ceremony’s officiant, and Dongsik takes pity on him. “My family is Catholic,” he explains, “although I haven’t been a practicing Catholic for a long time.”

Hyeok looks at him in utter confusion; it seems like Dongsik’s explanation fails to clear anything up.

Thankfully, Joowon also steps up. “I, too, was baptized Catholic by my mother, as you already know,” Joowon says softly. “Dongsik and I talked last night, and we agreed that it is customary in the Catholic practice for the couple to have a godparent in their wedding ceremony.”

Joowon turns to Hyeok’s father and bows. “Kwon Suengjo-ssi—” he stops and quickly collects himself, “that is to say, abeoji—thank you, for agreeing to be our godfather.”

Hyeok’s eyes are wide as Joowon finally turns to him.

“I know that all of this is just ceremonial,” Joowon tells him softly. “But with abeoji as our godparent, this makes us—”

“—godbrothers,” Hyeok finishes breathlessly.

Joowon takes a deep a breath as he steps closer to Hyeok, who is looking at him like he has just performed a miracle. “A year ago, hyung, I was told that—in the hospital, you were not considered my family.”

Hyeok’s lips are quivering, his eyes glistening with tears that are starting to well up.

“I know that it is a long and arduous legal process, but…”

Joowon trails off as he meets Seungjo’s eyes, wordlessly asking for his approval.

Seungjo nods in assent, and Joowon swallows.

“As you know, my mother is deceased,” Joowon begins shakily, “and my father is serving several life sentences in prison. Which are both grounds for—”

“—adult adoption,” Hyeok finishes with a trembling smile. He turns to his father. “Really, abeoji?”

Dongsik’s heart feels like it’s swelling with the unabashed hope in Hyeok’s voice.

Seungjo claps a hand on Hyeok’s shoulder. “If there’s anyone smart enough and driven enough to make it happen, it’s you, my son.” Seungjo smiles at him. “You have always wanted a brother. Now, you can finally make that happen.”

Hyeok looks utterly devastated in the best way, and he squeezes his eyes shut before he once again turns to face—his brother.

“Joowon-ah,” Hyeok says, and it’s the only thing he can say, words completely failing him.

Joowon smiles at him softly. “Hyung.”

Dongsik looks back and forth at them, waiting, before he sighs in exasperation. He places a hand on the small of Joowon’s back and gives him a gentle but firm push.

Unprepared, Joowon stumbles forward—right into Hyeok’s arms.

“Hyung,” Joowon complains, awkwardly patting Hyeok’s back as Hyeok sobs onto his shoulder. “You’re ruining my tuxedo.”

“I’ll pay for the dry cleaning, you brat,” Hyeok returns without heat as he pulls back, smiling brilliantly at Joowon.

Joowon’s mouth quirks. “Does this mean I don’t have to pay you for your services anymore?”

Hyeok grins widely. “On the contrary, this just makes it easier for me to sue you when you don’t.”

Dongsik laughs as Joowon is once again hoisted into Hyeok’s bear hug much against his will, but he can clearly see that Joowon is smiling. He’s too distracted by the heartwarming sight that he hasn’t realized Seungjo has sidled up to him.

“Looks like you’re my son now, too.”

It’s that simple statement that knocks the breath off Dongsik’s lungs, striking straight through his heart like the bull’s eye of a gunshot.

And in that moment, the faces of Lee Hanoh and Nam Sangbae overlap with the smile Kwon Seungjo gives him as he says to Dongsik:

“You can tell Joowon that he doesn’t have to pay for the tangerines anymore.”

—

A beautiful piano piece begins to play, one that Dongsik recognizes by heart.

It’s one of his favorite pieces of Yuyeon’s original compositions, pre-recorded by Joowon playing the piece himself—the only person Dongsik will ever trust to interpret his sister’s music.

The guests all rise as they turn to face the two of them, the happiness for both of them clear on all of their faces.

“Thank you, Lee Dongsik,” Joowon tells him softly, “for giving me the family I never had.”

Dongsik looks ahead at the altar at the end of the aisle, where Kwon Hyeok and Kwon Suengjo are waiting for them.

His newfound brother—and father.

“And thank you, Han Joowon,” Dongsik returns, “for giving me back the family I lost.”

Joowon looks at him. Dongsik smiles.

He takes his hand—and they walk down the aisle together.

—

Also posted at AO3

Once again dedicated to @eonni92, because I can never hope to make up for brilliance of her multiple gifts, but I can still try, to the best of my ability, to return her generosity—for no other reason than she truly deserves the world ❤️

This story is a direct sequel to ash, and exists in the same universe as the thing with feathers, leave out all the rest, circles, and the sentence. And while this story can be enjoyed on its own, perhaps the full impact can only be truly felt when the references to previous stories are known and understood.