Doctor Choi Daeho – Chapter 1
On the international flight to Incheon,
The passengers were all exhausted from the long flight of over ten hours. The cabin was quiet.
The only sound cutting through the darkness was the constant hum of the plane.
Whoooom.
Among the seats filled with passengers of different races, there was one seat where the reading light was on.
The passenger was a young man in his late twenties. Clearly East Asian.
He was tall, over 180 cm, with sharp features and fair skin—a rare, healthy-looking handsome man.
His intense, burning eyes carried a strong will and determination.
The young man was looking at a single photograph under the reading light.
A family photo.
In it, a boy around seven or eight years old stood in front of his parents, smiling widely with two fingers raised in a peace sign.
The boy’s expression was innocent and pure, smiling like a carefree child.
“Those were good times…”
The young man murmured softly.
At the bottom of the photo, the boy’s name was written:
Choi Daeho
“It’s been a while since I took you out.”
Click.
Daeho lightly flicked his fingers, muttering casually.
That was it.
He put the photo away and turned off the reading light.
The monitor showed roughly three hours left until landing.
“Maybe I’ll sleep a little more.”
Daeho murmured and closed his eyes.
At that moment, a small child appeared along the narrow aisle.
“Wooong?”
Daeho reflexively turned toward the voice.
A little boy, about three years old, stared directly at him. His chubby cheeks made him irresistibly cute.
Daeho smiled at the unexpected encounter.
“Well, look at this. A little prince.”
“Who are you, mister?”
The child asked innocently.
For a moment, Daeho’s expression soured.
“‘Mister’? Seriously?”
He couldn’t accept being called that.
At the same time, he lightly waved his hand.
A lollipop appeared.
“Ta-da.”
“Wow!”
The child’s eyes sparkled at the sight of the candy.
Riding the moment, Daeho asked casually,
“Do you know who I am?”
“Hyung-ah. Not mister, Hyung-ah.”
The boy’s eyes were still fixed on the candy.
Satisfied with the answer, Daeho handed over the lollipop.
“Alright. Here’s a gift.”
“Thank you… Daddy.”
The child grabbed the lollipop and went back the way he came.
Such a bright, cheerful kid.
Daeho, drawn to his innocence, followed the boy with his eyes.
He soon met the gaze of a man in his early forties seated diagonally behind him.
The man had been watching the child carefully. He smiled warmly at Daeho and gave a silent thanks.
He picked up the little boy onto his lap and asked gently,
“Seungmin, where did you get that?”
“Mister… no, Hyung-ah gave it! Yay!”
Seungmin waved the lollipop repeatedly, trying to imitate Daeho’s candy trick.
The father responded with exaggerated playfulness, reacting to his son’s antics.
“Oh! It disappeared! Wow, now it’s back?”
Seungmin beamed, satisfied.
But Daeho noticed something odd—Seungmin’s smile looked a bit tired.
Up close, his cuteness could hide the signs, but seeing him again, Daeho caught the unusual signs.
‘It’s a long flight,’ he thought.
“Another occupational hazard,” Daeho muttered, shaking off the thought.
He looked ahead again.
He glanced at his empty hands and lightly waved.
Shak.
Another lollipop appeared as if by magic.
But Daeho didn’t smile fully this time.
“Why is this candy such a problem?”
He murmured bitterly, recalling some memories.
A nearby male passenger glanced over and asked curiously,
“That’s candy magic? Are you a magician?”
“No. I just carry a few as emergency treats.”
“Emergency candy?”
“My friend always had candy in his pocket, so he was very popular. I do the same.”
The passenger smiled softly, imagining the scene.
“He must be kind and amazing.”
“Who?”
“The person you just mentioned.”
Daeho’s tone turned sharp.
“No, that’s the most stubborn, independent guy you’ll ever meet. The strongest lone wolf on earth.”
“Oh, I see… haha.”
