Double Junk - 194

Seonhwa and Miss Flower squatted down in front of Ajin, who was sprawled on the floor, barely holding himself up. Their faces were full of concern. Ajin had been crying non-stop for nearly an hour. Seokju, who had appeared silently, stood a few steps away, biting his lower lip anxiously.

“Why is he crying so much?”

“Are you hurt somewhere? Hmm?”

Seonhwa gently patted Ajin’s back, while Miss Flower tapped his arm awkwardly with her rough hand. Ajin couldn’t give a proper answer and just shook his head, continuing to sob uncontrollably.

“Ugh, sniff, hic, sob, sniff…”

After crying for a while, Ajin finally looked up and stared at Miss Flower. He still couldn’t believe she was there in front of him. He felt joy and relief, yet at the same time, unease. It didn’t seem real—how could they meet again? It felt impossible, almost dreamlike.

His trembling hands fumbled to find hers, and he grasped them tightly. But even then, he couldn’t form words, tears dripping down his face instead.

Sweat beaded on his forehead and temples. Sitting in the hot kitchen, crying for over an hour, had taken its toll on his already warm body. Miss Flower worried he might develop a fever at this rate.

“Oh my, look at all this sweat. Should I get some ice?”

Miss Flower groaned as she started to stand, but Ajin wouldn’t let go of her hand.

“Let go for a second. What’s gotten into you?”

She tried to shake off his grip, but Ajin clung to her hand tightly, his tear-streaked face tilting up toward her. He shook his head furiously, tears rolling down his red, swollen eyes and dripping from his thick eyelashes, which looked heavy with moisture.

Miss Flower sighed in exasperation, knitting her brows. Just then, Seokju stepped closer.

“I’ll bring some ice.”

Seokju moved to get a cup, and Miss Flower sat back down next to Ajin.

“Say something, will you? If you don’t speak, how are we supposed to comfort you? You’re 27, for crying out loud, and all you do is keep your mouth shut and bawl like a baby.”

Seonhwa also sat down on his other side.

“Yeah, Ajin, tell us what’s wrong. If you don’t say anything, how can your mom and aunt help you?”

At their coaxing, Ajin took a big, shuddering breath. His shoulders jerked as he hiccupped between breaths. After a few moments of struggle, he suddenly lunged forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Miss Flower’s neck.

“I missed you. I missed you so much, sob, so much…”

“…Ajin?”

“I really… missed you so, so much.”

“Well, goodness. I missed you too,” Miss Flower replied, chuckling softly as she patted his back. She exchanged glances with Seonhwa, mouthing, What’s wrong with him? Seonhwa could only shrug, equally clueless.

Regardless, Ajin clung to Miss Flower, almost collapsing against her. His head spun, his vision blurry from the heat and exhaustion, but he just hugged her tighter and tighter.

When Miss Flower had died in their past lives, Ajin had asked the Dragon King for one thing: to meet Miss Flower again in his next life. He didn’t care whether he was reborn as a pampered young master or a crippled outcast. None of that mattered, as long as they could meet again.

And now, here they were—not just reunited, but as family. She was his aunt. It was such a perfect relationship that it overwhelmed him. Burying his face into the crook of Miss Flower’s neck, Ajin began crying again.

Later, Ajin drank a glass of orange juice filled with ice, gulping it down quickly. He had already emptied one glass and was on his second. Crying so much had left his throat parched, and the heat only made it worse.

As he set the glass down, Seokju quietly refilled it for him. The sound of the ice cubes clinking against each other echoed softly.

“Haa…”

Ajin let out a long sigh, his sniffles tapering off. Then, he scrunched up his nose and sniffed like a child, making both Seonhwa and Miss Flower giggle.

Miss Flower pushed a thick slice of roll cake toward him. As Ajin picked up his fork, he glanced at her. His persistent gaze made Miss Flower rub her cheek awkwardly, muttering, “What’s with that stare? You’re going to burn a hole in my face.”

Miss Flower explained that she ran a large café in Jeju Island. She had originally studied business management with Seonhwa, but found desk work unbearable and had fled to Jeju. Since then, she had been running her café and living there. Baking pastries and cakes was one of the few things she genuinely enjoyed, and it made her work fun.

While eating the roll cake, Ajin thought he didn’t like the idea of her working in a kitchen or living in such a remote area. But when she described baking as something she loved, he found himself unable to say anything.

As Ajin regained his energy with the roll cake, Miss Flower and Seonhwa chatted away.

“Our dad was so old-fashioned. He insisted that every girl’s name in the family had to include the word ‘flower.’ That’s why I’m Seonhwa and my sister’s Miss Flower.”

“Seriously, he was too much. Giving daughters names like that in this day and age.”

“Well, thanks to her blowing up about it, my name turned out a little better, right? Imagine if a company president was named Miss Flower—it would’ve been a disaster.”

“You’d better be grateful.”

“Of course!”

Seonhwa patted Miss Flower’s shoulder, laughing. Still, Miss Flower frowned deeply, as if annoyed by the memory.

Just then, Ajin, with cream smeared at the corner of his mouth, murmured in a hoarse voice, “What’s wrong with Miss Flower? It’s such a pretty name. It sounds like a name given to someone deeply loved.”

It was something he had always wanted to tell her—that her name was beautiful and must have been given by someone who cherished her dearly. He had meant to say it in their past lives but never got the chance.

Seokju wiped the cream from Ajin’s mouth with his thumb. In return, Ajin scooped up a big piece of roll cake with his fork and offered it to Seokju, who hesitated before reluctantly taking a bite under Seonhwa and Miss Flower’s watchful eyes.

Miss Flower stared at Ajin, her gaze unwavering. Her eyes reflected his image, shimmering slightly.

“My name is pretty? A name given with love?”

“Of course.”

“Oh, really? Seonhwa, your son’s acting a bit… strange, don’t you think?”

Miss Flower did not take her eyes off of Ajin as she spoke. Seonhwa was hitting her thighs with a slap, acting all excited.

“Right, right? It looks bad, doesn’t it? Oh, I’ve been so worried about this lately, I can’t even sleep well. My skin has become all dry. I’m going to the dermatologist tomorrow. Want to come with me?”

“I have no interest in that. People should live in harmony with nature.”

“You’re so boring.”

“Go with Mijin.”

“Mijin’s not interested in that either. Mijin is more like you than me. Sometimes when we talk, I get confused if I’m talking to you or Mijin.”

Seonhwa tilted her chin. She clicked her tongue, making a sound with her mouth. She looked strangely lonely, and as she did, Ajin put down his fork and spoke.

“Dermatologist… should I go with you, Mom?”

Seonhwa blinked a few times before bursting out in laughter.

“Look at my son, how lovely. How did he grow up like this? Even though I gave birth to him, it’s still amazing. Our house doesn’t have a character like him.”

“It is amazing.”

Miss Flower nodded, as if agreeing, and smiled. Seokju also gave a faint smile.

The chatter continued. Mostly, Seonhwa and Miss Flower were chatting, while Ajin and Seokju were listening. How much time had passed? Ajin, who had eaten half a roll cake by himself, called out to Miss Flower with a serious look.

“Aunt, no, Miss Flower.”

“Why?”

“Have you gone to the hospital?”

“What?”

“Go get checked. Your chest, your heart, those kinds of things.”

Ajin looked like he was nervous but at the same time completely sure. His tone suggested he was certain that something was inside Miss Flower’s chest. Miss Flower raised one eyebrow in surprise at his sudden recommendation for a health check.

“Why is he like this all of a sudden?”

“Quickly. No, let’s go now.”

Ajin wiggled his butt as if he wanted to go with her. Seokju, who was sitting next to him, pressed his thigh down. Ajin looked at Seokju as if asking why, but Miss Flower waved her hand in the air.

“Ugh, enough. If it’s about the hospital, I’m sick of it. I have a checkup every time, so don’t worry.”

“Still—”

Ajin opened his mouth again, but Seonhwa added in.

“Yeah, Miss Flower had heart problems when she was young, so she spent a lot of time in the hospital.”

“Spent a lot of time? You little brat.”

“Her face turned completely black back then, like… ugh…”

Seonhwa pulled her chin inward as if it was unpleasant, but then gently patted Miss Flower’s shoulder. Although she said it with a shiver in her voice, it was easy to tell how much Seonhwa had worried about Miss Flower back then.

“So? Is it all better now?”

Ajin asked urgently, his eyes wide. Miss Flower casually nodded.

“Yeah, it’s fine. That was a long time ago.”

“Are you healthy now?”

“Yeah, I told you. That was ages ago. Oh, I had a checkup earlier this year. Since I’m older now, they told me to be careful with sweets. Other than that, I’m fine.”

Miss Flower’s eyes narrowed before opening again. Ajin stared at her intensely.

The hospitals of today are nothing like the hospitals from my past life. I unintentionally went through various checkup rooms, and the machines were amazing. After a few photos, even my bones are completely visible.

In this world, there’s no way Miss Flower wouldn’t be healthy. Besides, she said she had a checkup this year. Therefore, in this life, Miss Flower won’t die of heart disease.

Ajin’s lips curled into a smile.