In his previous life, he did not like buying lottery tickets. He believed that it was impossible to win these things.
However, he remembered seeing the lottery results the day after byungho had passed away.
He had a photographic memory and could clearly recall the winning number. A single ticket would win him eight hundred thousand dollars. He bought a total of seventeen tickets.
In other words, the six dollars eighty cents he just spent on the tickets would become more than thirteen million dollars tomorrow.
He kept the tickets securely and took his remaining money to the supermarket nearby. He asked the attendant uncomfortably. “Are there any fruits I can buy with thirty cents? Anything will do.”
He had wanted to spend all of his money on the tickets, but a single ticket cost forty cents and hence he was left with this change.
The employee at the counter responded kindly. “Thirty cents... is that all you have?”
“Yes!”
“I see. How about an apple? Though cheap, they are quite big and fresh. They usually cost a dollar fifty but are on sale today.”
“Sure.” taehyung paid and received the apple.
His pocket was truly empty now.
He held the apple and lifted his head towards the sky. He muttered softly to himself. “Soon, there will be milk and bread!”
Taehyung returned to the hospital with the apple in his hand but failed to see Jennie standing hidden behind a corner a few steps away.
Jennie had been on her way back from the toilet when she saw taehyung. She did not know that taehyung had sent byungho to the hospital earlier and was making a second trip back.
Jaewon was being discharged today. Jennie had thought about taehyung's affection for jaewon and believed that he would surely come here to take him home.
Thus, she had especially waited and as expected, taehyung was here!
She brought her phone out and took a photo of taehyung's back view.
She immediately sent the photo to jungkook, accompanied with these words: [CEO Jeon, jaewon is being discharged today. I was strolling along the streets when I coincidentally saw taehyung entering the hospital...]
After sending the message, she approached the supermarket which taehyung had come out from. She brought out two hundred dollars and spoke politely to the employee at the counter. “This is for you. Earlier, what did that long-haired, acne-covered, fat man buy here?”
The employee accepted the money and responded with a smile. “You mean the chubby man dressed in sportswear? He spent thirty cents on an apple.”
“Only thirty cents?” Jennie asked her in confusion.
“The man said that it was all he had.”
“He has always been poor. How could there ever be a comparison between us?” Jennie sneered.
“You do appear to be much more well off than him,” the counter lady chimed in politely. After all, she had taken her money.
“What do you mean by ‘appear’? I am the young lady of the Kim Group, while he’s just a beggar on the streets!” Jennie lifted her chin and walked away arrogantly.
The counter lady glanced at her receding back in disdain. Who was this person? There was something wrong with her head.
Jennie deliberated over the information she had obtained and wrote another message to jungkook.
[CEO Jeon, tae spent his last thirty cents to buy you an apple full of love. You can’t look down on his gift.]
After keeping her phone away, she smiled mockingly.
It sure wasn’t easy to betray taehyung whilst maintaining the image of a good sister.
She naturally could not use any words to insult or scold taehyung since this would surely attract jungkook's dislike.
The apple taehyung bought was definitely meant for jaewon. She wondered how jungkook would feel when he found out that the apple was given to another man.
Furthermore, the apple only cost thirty cents. How cheap of him!
She was subtly implying that taehyung was a poor, low-class man.
Now, all she needed to do was to wait and watch a good show!
...
Right then, taehyung's eyes swept past the side of the hospital entrance and he noticed jennie's lurking figure. A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes.
In his previous life, he had been locked up in the Jeon Villa the day jaewon was discharged. He had used all his might to escape from the villa and come pick him up.
This was because jaewon had sent him a message saying that he missed him.
He had believed him and thought that he wanted him by his side during this difficult moment.
In the end, jennie had anticipated his thoughts and secretly informed jungkook about it.
Jungkook had smashed open the hospital room to see him and jaewon embracing. Recalling his heartbroken expression and his pale complexion at the time...
Unfortunately, he had been indifferent to his plight, and even stupidly begged jungkook to allow him and jaewon to be together.
However, jaewon at that time had declared that he only saw him as his brother-in-law and coldly thanked him for coming to pick him up...
Afterward, he was forcefully brought back to the Jeon Villa and was locked in the guest bedroom. He wasn’t allowed to take even a single step out ever!
Jungkook's heart injury also worsened post that.
Coming out of his reverie, taehyung brought out his phone. As expected, there was a message from jaewon saying that he was being discharged today, and wanted him to visit him.
In his previous life, this message had moved him greatly. However, right now, he only felt repulsed.
Taehyung held the apple in his hand as he entered the elevator and pressed the button for the third floor.
jennie was a diligent person. She followed taehyung persistently and only stopped when she saw that lift carrying taehyung stopped on the third floor.
Jaewon's room was on this floor. Voila!
At the Jeon Villa, jungkook glanced at the second message from jennie.
He stood on the balcony, staring coldly in the direction of the hospital.
A bodyguard dressed in a blacksuit came there to report to him. “Boss, the person following Mr. Kim... has lost sight of him.”
“Useless!”
“Apologies! I will immediately send someone to go look for him...”
“No need. taehyung is at XX Hospital.” jungkook clenched his fist tightly. His expression was dark and menacing. “We’re going there immediately!”
...
Taehyung walked down the long hallway and knocked on one of the doors before entering.
Inside the hospital room, Choi Group’s director, byungho and his chauffeur laid on separate beds. IV drips hung by their bedsides.
Originally, he wanted to place them in separate rooms. However, byungho asked for otherwise.
The chauffeur, choi jihun, had worked for him for decades now. The two of them were good friends and had nearly died together. This incident only deepened their friendship further.
“Mr. Kim, we’ve really troubled you. You had to make multiple trips to complete our hospital admission.” Byungho said humbly.
Prior to completing their hospital admission procedure, taehyung had informed him of his identity. “Director Choi, there’s no need to stand on ceremony with me.”
He lifted the apple in his hand. “I could only bring this along while visiting you. To be honest, I’ve invested all my money currently and don’t have any spare cash. I didn’t want to cause trouble for myself by borrowing from anyone. I hope the two of you won’t laugh at me.”
He would never tell him that he was poor.
The chauffeur, jihun, was moved by his gesture. “To think that Mr. Kim thought about a driver like me. You’re not someone who respects the rich and steps on the poor. Your sincerity alone is more than sufficient for me. Please give the apple to the director.”
He smiled. “After so many years of friendship, I’m sure he would much prefer to share the apple with you.”
Byungho watched taehyung, his eyes bright with admiration. “You’re right.”
He glanced at his IV drip. “Mr. Kim, although your gift is light, your heartfelt sentiments are more than enough. Since it’s inconvenient for us with this IV drip, could I trouble you to wash the apple?”
His words indicated that he was accepting taehyung's sincerity.
“Of course.” Taehyung opened his bag and retrieved the fruit knife. He entered the bathroom and washed the apple and the knife. He came back and peeled the apple before cutting it in half. He handed one half to each of the men.
Crunch, crunch...
The two of them really took the apple and ate it.
As taehyung watched the two men who were already in the second half of their lives, he could not help but feel some sympathy for them.
Byungho noticed his kind gaze and asked him with a smile. “Mr. Kim is a giant among people. Your investment surely isn’t small. I’m sure your difficulties will only be temporary.”
“Thank you.” I invested a grand sum of thirty four dollars.