p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"No masked man escorted Hwang In-ho as he returned to the recognizable parts of his facility./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Winding through chilling, echoing rooms, he walked, alone, rubbing his thumb over the smooth piece of card the owl man handed to him during their last handshake as thoughts bounded against his skull./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Morals were a strange thing, these thoughts said; a single encounter with a friendly, threatening man in a suit and a hidden face can rotate your entire world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"But he had been naïve. After 18 years of working as an officer in the most corrupt and least economical town in South Korea, he should have known a world inhabited by people, human people, can never be fair, never be free of prejudice and betrayal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"These thoughts clouded In-ho's vision, invading his every sense to such an extent that he thuds straight into a large figure. At first, In-ho, his mind elsewhere, is unfazed, until his location sinks in. No casual encounter can occur in dark, hidden tunnels in a police station. Stepping back and squinting in an attempt to identify the figure, In-ho distinguished the shadow of a middle-aged man squeezed inside the lowest-ranking uniform in the South Korean police. His blood danced like colourful Gonggi stones as his unfocused mind instantly identified the figure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"His old chief./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Hwang?", the figure questioned, apparently instantly recognising his old recruit. The former chief's focus alternated focus between In-ho and the direction he came from as he narrowed his dark, bead-like eyes, "what were you doing down there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's none of your business", In-ho uttered, stoic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The former chief squinted his eyes, glaring at In-ho and pressing his lips together, before shoving him out the way, sauntering in the direction In-ho had come from, the direction towards the masked men./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho didn't even turn around, refusing to give that snake a second thought. These rooms were probably used for briberies or drug deals. He was mostly terrified he'd get caught, and didn't want to stand in the darkness of those corridors for another style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd frankly, he didn't give a shit about whatever his former chief was involving himself in. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho's hands were still shaking as he stood before the door of apartment 132, fighting with a set of rusted, trembling keys as he finally span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spaninserted the right one into his home's ancient lock and emclicked /eminside the reserved space he loved, longing to sit alone and drink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"His beige walls were occupied by photos of his Mother, his brother, Jun-ho, and Police Force certificates, from when he was first enlisted in the academy in 1994, to his recent promotion as chief the year before. The small space was dotted with worn furniture, but empty of cans of alcohol and junk like others often were. He lived alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Heavy breathing filled the apartment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho's blood curdled as he slowly creeped inside, his eyes scanning every surface in search for the source of the sound. Perhaps another masked guard, with a rifle. Or the man in the owl mask. In-ho had thought he could trust them…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Muscles tense, padlocked in place, pupils darting around…until his tense, probing eyes settled on the image on Jun-ho sprawled out onto a run-down coach, his limbs spread in various directions. He looked like an intoxicated starfish. Jun-ho's muscles instantly released./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Laughing as his key emclicked /emin place, In-ho ambled behind his coach, pressing his hands into the scruffy material./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, what are you doing?", he chuckled, "aren't you meant to be on nightshift?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho's eyes flickered open, a smile stretching over his skin as he brushed greasy, dark bangs out of his worn eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Brother!", he exclaimed, trying to sound enthusiastic, but emitting rasps instead of words, "you caught me. You know how much I hate work. Always skipping"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho chuckled and shook his head, thumping down onto the coach next to Jun-ho and leaning back. Jun-ho hadn't missed a shift in the 2 years he'd been an officer until that day. Whilst forming the thought that Jun-ho must be seriously sick to be missing a day at work, In-ho noticed his bloodshot eyes, the raw, red scratches patterning his legs and arms, the layer of sweat coating his pale skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho's forehead tensed, his voice lowering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, are you alright?", he asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho simply shook his head and closed his eyes, collecting his flayed limbs and rearranging his body into a natural position./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm fine. My chief sent me home this morning, said I looked like I'd just watched a man slit his own throat, I was shaking or sweating or something. Didn't want to go to the house…emeomeoni /emwould freak"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""She would", In-ho confirmed grimly, "you're a mess"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"A mother, who ages with nothing except two sons, will worry about everything, as her children emare /emher everything; the only luxury in her life. Even if these sons grow successful, buying a real house, real food, real clothes, the mother would still be dominated by her worry for her everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho couldn't let this happen to himself, letting determination build throughout his life, letting it dominate his mind in the place of worry. Whilst other children's minds were occupied with games and fictional characters, In-ho's was blanketed with promises of mending the society that had wedged a bullet into his father's head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How was work?", Jun-ho rasped, his eyes resting. A light gust of guilt blew over In-ho's mind but quickly passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Fine, fine", In-ho said, dismissively, as a power overcame his mind and poured himself a shot. Jun-ho's eyes shuttered open slightly at the light, innocent emtinkling/em of glass and bubbling of liquid, a small smile sprouting across his sweating skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You're lying", he whispered, before lowering his eyelids. In-ho's hand began to quiver slightly as he knocked back the brown, burning liquid and poured another glass, dressing in a mask of nonchalance and humour/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What?", he laughed, his hand still quavering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Last time you drank that stuff was 4 years ago, after you went to that corrupt worker's strike attack. The one at the motor company?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho blinked, trying to knock back his third shot silently, letting the nagging voices of morals, ricocheting off the sides of his skull, become silent, letting his mind quieten and body buzz with peace./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I must've just forgot I owned this stuff", In-ho laughed, loudly embanging /emhis glass against his glossy coffee table once his mind finally fell silent. Jun-ho just shrugged, squeezing his eyes shut, and began raking jagged fingernails over raw skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, stop", In-ho hushed, grabbing his brother's hand. He almost flung away from his brother's damp, pale skin in shock; dry and discoloured, Jun-ho's arm felt like tissue paper, and was dripping with blood from where his gnawed nails raked over its dry, thin surface. In-ho's mask of composure dropped to the ground as shock and horror overcome his face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho sat still for a moment, as if his state was a shock to him as much as it was to In-ho, lowering his gaze as his eyelids began to strobe uncontrollably./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I-I'll call a doctor", Jun-ho stuttered, attempting to push his paper thin, quivering body off the coach, damp patches of sweat in its wake./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho barely had time to cry out in protest before Jun-ho shuddered to his feet and slid one food in front of the other. Both brothers felt equally in pain as Jun-ho's knee bucked, his entire body collapsing as he emslammed/em his jaw harshly onto the coffee table and his instantly eyelids stopped strobing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Agency FB',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho's insides were ramen. Delicate, stringy, it emcrunched /eminto millions of tiny straw-like pieces whenever he moved. His hands hadn't stopped quivering since he watched his brother's unconscious body smash against the /In-ho squeezed his palms into his eye sockets, pushing away the memory that was continuously roaring through his mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The look of simple shock as Jun-ho discovered the very state of his own body. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Blood squirting out from under his jaw as it thudded in the stiff corner of the coffee table, dotting its shining surface with glossy red./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The worst part wasn't watching his brother's blood splatter; it was his hesitation to call an ambulance, knowing the cost of hospital admission, and still used to a world empty of money, of safety. The thought disgusted In-ho, summoning a new wave of bubbling thoughts on the unfairness and equality of his town. When he remembered what had happened earlier that day, this disgust only grew, redirecting towards himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir?", a light, polite voice inquired. In-ho slowly raised his head, meeting the eyes of a young women he recognized as the Hospital's receptionist. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"God, he was sitting in the Hospital? How long had he been there? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir?", the girl offered again, slightly more impatiently, "your brother, we-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho!", In-ho gasped, his head finally clearing as he leaped out of his seat, "is he…is he alright?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist simply sighed sympathetically, lowering her deep brown eyes. To another man, this woman would be beautiful; cute and short wavy dark hair, doe eyes with thick, curvy eyelashes, glossy, light pink lips. Not to In-ho. He only found beauty in fulfilling his passions, not in any other kind of desire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir, your brother has experienced a very serious kidney failure. If he doesn't receive a transplant within…", the lady pauses, pursing her lips, "…actually, come with me", she finished, flicking her bouncing hair as she broke eye contact, spun around and began strolling towards the Hospital's front desk. In-ho followed with legs of jelly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist sat down behind a glass counter in a starkly white, sterile space, and began neatly gathering sheets of paper. In-ho's worn, bloodshot eyes couldn't make out a single shape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Mr Hwang In-ho", she began, dropping any bubbly tone from her voice and adopting an emotionless deadpan, "your brother, Hwang Jun-ho, is suffering from End-Stage Renal Disease, more commonly known as end-stage kidney failure"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The ramen in In-ho's stomach began to boil, stretching and tightening around his chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Unfortunately, at this stage, Hwang Jun-ho has waited much too long without investigating his symptoms, so we cannot engage in simple treatments like dialysis. He will have to receive a kidney transplant", she finishes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho merely leans his side against the counter, speechless, lowering his gaze to the ground, wearing his usual mask of composure as emotions exploded inside him like fireworks, each hitting differently with equal amounts of pain. Anger, fear, helplessness and anxiety all took turns detonating throughout his body, releasing powerful sparks that twisted, fried and disintegrated his twisted anatomy. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How much is the surgery?", In-ho asks quietly. Of course, he didn't give a shit about the price, but, untrustful of himself to ensure that his mask remains intact, he tried to develop a normal hospital conversation in his mind. It acted as a handrail, something for his mind to grasp onto in his roller coaster of mental distractions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The girl lifted a sheet of paper. Her doe-eyes instantly changed, and her lips pressed together in trepidation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""With your insurance, ₩ 52,527,200", she almost winced, briefly glancing at In-ho apologetically, "The healthcare system is still suffering from Black Monday, so we need an upfront payment. Um, in cash"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho emptied his lungs, entirely ridding his body of air as he rubbed the tired skin under his eyes. 52 million won was less than 43 million away from encompassing his entire annual income./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Your sure that's with insurance?", he winced, despite knowing the truth. South Korea had been suffering ever since the economy unceremoniously crash landed, like a kite into a dumpster fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yes, I'm sure sir. Without the insurance, the operation would be 106 million won". /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Well thank God for insurance/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;". Another thought that sent memories spiralising, transporting him once more to a time when he would have been more likely to run away from an ambulance than call one if his brother fainted on his apartment floor. Of course, he would be living in more of a minuscule, concrete room than an apartment if that were the case./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho refilled his lungs with sour, sterile hospital air and sucked his life up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He would be poor, but he would have a brother. A laughing, talking, living brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""When do you need the cash by?", he asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist looks up from her desk in shock, probably not often being in a situation where someone can afford, or is at least willing to afford, to provide medical care to their relative./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Umm", she stutters, smiling nervously as she spreads papers around her desk, "we need it at least a day prior to the operation. But you're donating your own kidney, it can be only a few hours"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho instinctively snapped his hand, holding it on the skin above his own kidney. A part of himself, inside his brother. How poetic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho almost smiled thinly in relief- his brother will be alive! - when the receptionist's calm, friendly persona dropped, returning to a pitied wince./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir, one last thing…", she disclosed, "if your brother doesn't receive a kidney transplant within 7 days…he will die"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Winding through chilling, echoing rooms, he walked, alone, rubbing his thumb over the smooth piece of card the owl man handed to him during their last handshake as thoughts bounded against his skull./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Morals were a strange thing, these thoughts said; a single encounter with a friendly, threatening man in a suit and a hidden face can rotate your entire world./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"But he had been naïve. After 18 years of working as an officer in the most corrupt and least economical town in South Korea, he should have known a world inhabited by people, human people, can never be fair, never be free of prejudice and betrayal./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"These thoughts clouded In-ho's vision, invading his every sense to such an extent that he thuds straight into a large figure. At first, In-ho, his mind elsewhere, is unfazed, until his location sinks in. No casual encounter can occur in dark, hidden tunnels in a police station. Stepping back and squinting in an attempt to identify the figure, In-ho distinguished the shadow of a middle-aged man squeezed inside the lowest-ranking uniform in the South Korean police. His blood danced like colourful Gonggi stones as his unfocused mind instantly identified the figure./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"His old chief./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Hwang?", the figure questioned, apparently instantly recognising his old recruit. The former chief's focus alternated focus between In-ho and the direction he came from as he narrowed his dark, bead-like eyes, "what were you doing down there?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""That's none of your business", In-ho uttered, stoic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The former chief squinted his eyes, glaring at In-ho and pressing his lips together, before shoving him out the way, sauntering in the direction In-ho had come from, the direction towards the masked men./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho didn't even turn around, refusing to give that snake a second thought. These rooms were probably used for briberies or drug deals. He was mostly terrified he'd get caught, and didn't want to stand in the darkness of those corridors for another style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanAnd frankly, he didn't give a shit about whatever his former chief was involving himself in. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho's hands were still shaking as he stood before the door of apartment 132, fighting with a set of rusted, trembling keys as he finally span style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spaninserted the right one into his home's ancient lock and emclicked /eminside the reserved space he loved, longing to sit alone and drink./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"His beige walls were occupied by photos of his Mother, his brother, Jun-ho, and Police Force certificates, from when he was first enlisted in the academy in 1994, to his recent promotion as chief the year before. The small space was dotted with worn furniture, but empty of cans of alcohol and junk like others often were. He lived alone./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Heavy breathing filled the apartment./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho's blood curdled as he slowly creeped inside, his eyes scanning every surface in search for the source of the sound. Perhaps another masked guard, with a rifle. Or the man in the owl mask. In-ho had thought he could trust them…/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Muscles tense, padlocked in place, pupils darting around…until his tense, probing eyes settled on the image on Jun-ho sprawled out onto a run-down coach, his limbs spread in various directions. He looked like an intoxicated starfish. Jun-ho's muscles instantly released./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Laughing as his key emclicked /emin place, In-ho ambled behind his coach, pressing his hands into the scruffy material./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, what are you doing?", he chuckled, "aren't you meant to be on nightshift?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho's eyes flickered open, a smile stretching over his skin as he brushed greasy, dark bangs out of his worn eyes. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Brother!", he exclaimed, trying to sound enthusiastic, but emitting rasps instead of words, "you caught me. You know how much I hate work. Always skipping"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho chuckled and shook his head, thumping down onto the coach next to Jun-ho and leaning back. Jun-ho hadn't missed a shift in the 2 years he'd been an officer until that day. Whilst forming the thought that Jun-ho must be seriously sick to be missing a day at work, In-ho noticed his bloodshot eyes, the raw, red scratches patterning his legs and arms, the layer of sweat coating his pale skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho's forehead tensed, his voice lowering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, are you alright?", he asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho simply shook his head and closed his eyes, collecting his flayed limbs and rearranging his body into a natural position./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I'm fine. My chief sent me home this morning, said I looked like I'd just watched a man slit his own throat, I was shaking or sweating or something. Didn't want to go to the house…emeomeoni /emwould freak"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""She would", In-ho confirmed grimly, "you're a mess"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"A mother, who ages with nothing except two sons, will worry about everything, as her children emare /emher everything; the only luxury in her life. Even if these sons grow successful, buying a real house, real food, real clothes, the mother would still be dominated by her worry for her everything./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho couldn't let this happen to himself, letting determination build throughout his life, letting it dominate his mind in the place of worry. Whilst other children's minds were occupied with games and fictional characters, In-ho's was blanketed with promises of mending the society that had wedged a bullet into his father's head./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How was work?", Jun-ho rasped, his eyes resting. A light gust of guilt blew over In-ho's mind but quickly passed./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Fine, fine", In-ho said, dismissively, as a power overcame his mind and poured himself a shot. Jun-ho's eyes shuttered open slightly at the light, innocent emtinkling/em of glass and bubbling of liquid, a small smile sprouting across his sweating skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""You're lying", he whispered, before lowering his eyelids. In-ho's hand began to quiver slightly as he knocked back the brown, burning liquid and poured another glass, dressing in a mask of nonchalance and humour/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""What?", he laughed, his hand still quavering./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Last time you drank that stuff was 4 years ago, after you went to that corrupt worker's strike attack. The one at the motor company?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho blinked, trying to knock back his third shot silently, letting the nagging voices of morals, ricocheting off the sides of his skull, become silent, letting his mind quieten and body buzz with peace./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I must've just forgot I owned this stuff", In-ho laughed, loudly embanging /emhis glass against his glossy coffee table once his mind finally fell silent. Jun-ho just shrugged, squeezing his eyes shut, and began raking jagged fingernails over raw skin./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho, stop", In-ho hushed, grabbing his brother's hand. He almost flung away from his brother's damp, pale skin in shock; dry and discoloured, Jun-ho's arm felt like tissue paper, and was dripping with blood from where his gnawed nails raked over its dry, thin surface. In-ho's mask of composure dropped to the ground as shock and horror overcome his face. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Jun-ho sat still for a moment, as if his state was a shock to him as much as it was to In-ho, lowering his gaze as his eyelids began to strobe uncontrollably./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""I-I'll call a doctor", Jun-ho stuttered, attempting to push his paper thin, quivering body off the coach, damp patches of sweat in its wake./span/p
div style="mso-element: para-border-div; border: none; border-bottom: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho barely had time to cry out in protest before Jun-ho shuddered to his feet and slid one food in front of the other. Both brothers felt equally in pain as Jun-ho's knee bucked, his entire body collapsing as he emslammed/em his jaw harshly onto the coffee table and his instantly eyelids stopped strobing./span/p
p class="MsoNormal" style="border: none; mso-border-bottom-alt: dotted windowtext 3.0pt; padding: 0cm; mso-padding-alt: 0cm 0cm 1.0pt 0cm;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;" /span/p
/div
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Agency FB',sans-serif;" /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho's insides were ramen. Delicate, stringy, it emcrunched /eminto millions of tiny straw-like pieces whenever he moved. His hands hadn't stopped quivering since he watched his brother's unconscious body smash against the /In-ho squeezed his palms into his eye sockets, pushing away the memory that was continuously roaring through his mind./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The look of simple shock as Jun-ho discovered the very state of his own body. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Blood squirting out from under his jaw as it thudded in the stiff corner of the coffee table, dotting its shining surface with glossy red./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The worst part wasn't watching his brother's blood splatter; it was his hesitation to call an ambulance, knowing the cost of hospital admission, and still used to a world empty of money, of safety. The thought disgusted In-ho, summoning a new wave of bubbling thoughts on the unfairness and equality of his town. When he remembered what had happened earlier that day, this disgust only grew, redirecting towards himself./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir?", a light, polite voice inquired. In-ho slowly raised his head, meeting the eyes of a young women he recognized as the Hospital's receptionist. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"God, he was sitting in the Hospital? How long had he been there? /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir?", the girl offered again, slightly more impatiently, "your brother, we-"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Jun-ho!", In-ho gasped, his head finally clearing as he leaped out of his seat, "is he…is he alright?"/span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist simply sighed sympathetically, lowering her deep brown eyes. To another man, this woman would be beautiful; cute and short wavy dark hair, doe eyes with thick, curvy eyelashes, glossy, light pink lips. Not to In-ho. He only found beauty in fulfilling his passions, not in any other kind of desire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir, your brother has experienced a very serious kidney failure. If he doesn't receive a transplant within…", the lady pauses, pursing her lips, "…actually, come with me", she finished, flicking her bouncing hair as she broke eye contact, spun around and began strolling towards the Hospital's front desk. In-ho followed with legs of jelly./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist sat down behind a glass counter in a starkly white, sterile space, and began neatly gathering sheets of paper. In-ho's worn, bloodshot eyes couldn't make out a single shape./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Mr Hwang In-ho", she began, dropping any bubbly tone from her voice and adopting an emotionless deadpan, "your brother, Hwang Jun-ho, is suffering from End-Stage Renal Disease, more commonly known as end-stage kidney failure"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The ramen in In-ho's stomach began to boil, stretching and tightening around his chest./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Unfortunately, at this stage, Hwang Jun-ho has waited much too long without investigating his symptoms, so we cannot engage in simple treatments like dialysis. He will have to receive a kidney transplant", she finishes./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho merely leans his side against the counter, speechless, lowering his gaze to the ground, wearing his usual mask of composure as emotions exploded inside him like fireworks, each hitting differently with equal amounts of pain. Anger, fear, helplessness and anxiety all took turns detonating throughout his body, releasing powerful sparks that twisted, fried and disintegrated his twisted anatomy. /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""How much is the surgery?", In-ho asks quietly. Of course, he didn't give a shit about the price, but, untrustful of himself to ensure that his mask remains intact, he tried to develop a normal hospital conversation in his mind. It acted as a handrail, something for his mind to grasp onto in his roller coaster of mental distractions./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The girl lifted a sheet of paper. Her doe-eyes instantly changed, and her lips pressed together in trepidation./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""With your insurance, ₩ 52,527,200", she almost winced, briefly glancing at In-ho apologetically, "The healthcare system is still suffering from Black Monday, so we need an upfront payment. Um, in cash"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho emptied his lungs, entirely ridding his body of air as he rubbed the tired skin under his eyes. 52 million won was less than 43 million away from encompassing his entire annual income./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Your sure that's with insurance?", he winced, despite knowing the truth. South Korea had been suffering ever since the economy unceremoniously crash landed, like a kite into a dumpster fire./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Yes, I'm sure sir. Without the insurance, the operation would be 106 million won". /span/p
p class="MsoNormal"emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Well thank God for insurance/span/emspan style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;". Another thought that sent memories spiralising, transporting him once more to a time when he would have been more likely to run away from an ambulance than call one if his brother fainted on his apartment floor. Of course, he would be living in more of a minuscule, concrete room than an apartment if that were the case./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho refilled his lungs with sour, sterile hospital air and sucked his life up./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"He would be poor, but he would have a brother. A laughing, talking, living brother./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""When do you need the cash by?", he asks./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"The receptionist looks up from her desk in shock, probably not often being in a situation where someone can afford, or is at least willing to afford, to provide medical care to their relative./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Umm", she stutters, smiling nervously as she spreads papers around her desk, "we need it at least a day prior to the operation. But you're donating your own kidney, it can be only a few hours"./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"Hwang In-ho instinctively snapped his hand, holding it on the skin above his own kidney. A part of himself, inside his brother. How poetic./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"In-ho almost smiled thinly in relief- his brother will be alive! - when the receptionist's calm, friendly persona dropped, returning to a pitied wince./span/p
p class="MsoNormal"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;""Sir, one last thing…", she disclosed, "if your brother doesn't receive a kidney transplant within 7 days…he will die"./span/p