Chapter 7
***
After descending the marble staircase, I found myself in a spacious living room. After passing about three rooms lining the corridor, the kitchen came into view. I thought we’d naturally go in there, but Hajin’s feet headed toward the dining room across from it.
My momentary surprise at the enormous space—easily accommodating ten people—and the luxurious interior was quickly overshadowed by the food covering the table, leaving my jaw hanging open. Hahyun pulled out a chair with a satisfied expression.
“How is it? Since you’ve refused food for so long, I didn’t know what you’d eat, so I just ordered everything!”
“Good job. You need to eat something to survive.”
More than Hahyun’s insane remark, I found it even more shocking that Hajin agreed with him. Did they think the three of us could eat all this? Well, the brothers were equally crazy—that’s probably why they’d kidnapped and imprisoned a perfectly normal model. I inwardly swallowed a sigh and sat in the chair Hahyun had pulled out.
As I settled in, Hajin walked around the table with a regretful expression and sat across from me. As if they’d made some agreement, Hahyun took the seat next to me and flashed a victorious smile.
It was pure comedy watching them act so methodically at the dinner table when they’d been fighting over who would bring water and who would give a massage.
By the way, since Yoon Juwon had been starving for so long, was it even safe for him to eat all this food right away? As I pondered this, a ding-dong sound came from somewhere.
“Oh? The porridge must be ready. I was heating it in the microwave in case it got cold during delivery. I’ll go get it.”
As Hahyun went to get the porridge, Hajin pushed a bowl of soup toward me.
“First eat something liquid, then take a spoonful of porridge, and after that eat whatever you want.”
I picked up the spoon and was about to scoop up some soup without thinking, but then I hesitated. I recalled a scene from the original story where Yoon Juwon, after starving for so long, had developed an eating disorder and was surviving on IV fluids.
I can’t let that happen again…
When I put a spoonful in my mouth, sure enough, my stomach rejected the food.
“Hyung, why did your expression suddenly change?”
Hahyun’s eyes drooped.
“Hyuuuung… should I call a doctor?”
“No, Hahyun-ssi… I’m just very confused right now. I want to know why I’m like this. Why can’t I eat when I’m so hungry?”
Hahyun’s eyes narrowed when he heard my words. I should have noticed the change in his expression and stopped talking, but foolishly, I kept going recklessly.
“I want to know exactly what happened.”
Hahyun blinked a couple times as he stared at me.
“Do you really want to know?”
“I-I just thought maybe I was sick since my stomach feels so uncomfortable.”
“It’s probably because you haven’t eaten in so long. You even refused IVs, so we had to tie you down to get nutrients into you. But, hyung…”
“Yes?”
“Since you’re the one who refused food, why are you asking me if I’d know why you refused? Would I know or not?”
His cold expression and icy tone made my heart shrink.
Hahyun’s words implied that Yoon Juwon’s deterioration to the point where he couldn’t eat was entirely Yoon Juwon’s fault, and that he’d done nothing wrong. There was even an implication that he’d been trying to help.
I swallowed a sigh and decided to salvage the situation by appeasing Hahyun on his level.
“Ah… I don’t know if I refused food or if I was sick somewhere.”
Hahyun tilted his head to the right. It seemed like a “Why would that…?” reaction. Hajin, who’d been watching us, stepped in.
“You must be scared. Not knowing exactly what condition you’re in and having your body reject food. Isn’t that what you mean?”
Hahyun finally nodded.
“Ah… I thought… his memory had come back and he was blaming us.”
With a serious expression, Hahyun added that whenever Juwon hyung found something slightly displeasing, he’d blame everything on them. I waved my hands earnestly.
“That couldn’t be it. Why would I blame the people who helped me?”
Hahyun looked at me and smiled faintly. His expression, now cleared of suspicion, was much more pleasant to see. Afraid of giving them another opening, I smiled along with Hahyun and unconsciously took another spoonful of soup. My habit of reaching for food when feeling awkward at company dinners had surfaced again. The brothers’ eyes widened as they watched me.
“A-are you okay?”
“How’s your stomach?”
When I’d eaten earlier, it felt like death, but now it was fine. Just to be sure, I took another spoonful. When nausea rose immediately, I quickly drank some water, which settled it. It seemed like my body was gradually adapting because I had the will to eat.
“I think I can eat a little this way, even if not much. That’s fortunate.”
At my words, Hajin’s eyes welled up with tears, and Hahyun clapped his hands, rejoicing like a child. With encouragement to try this and that, more food piled up in front of me, but I couldn’t eat any of it. After having just a bit of soup and porridge, I felt full. I could tell how shrunken my stomach had become.
After finishing, I unconsciously tried to get up but staggered. Just before I hit the floor, Hahyun firmly grabbed my waist.
“Even if it’s a bit uncomfortable, you’ll have to be carried by us for the time being.”
When I grimaced at those words, Hahyun spoke again in a cold voice.
“…Why? Don’t you like it? Is it weird? Why do you look like you don’t like it?”
Hahyun’s eyes were sharp as he examined me carefully.
“No! It’s not that I don’t like it—I just feel like I’m troubling you too much. I must be heavy.”
Hahyun tilted his head as if he didn’t understand and turned to Hajin.
“Hyung, is carrying Juwon hyung difficult for you?”
“No?”
“See? Hyung says it’s not difficult either. You don’t need to worry about that.”
“Okay.”
Hahyun stood beside me and, using the same method Hajin had, carried me up to the second floor.
How did I end up like this? Why do I have to be carried in the arms of men I just met? I was on the verge of tears from sheer frustration.
***
Hahyun laid me on the bed and left the room, not returning for a long time. Hajin was the same.
Is today’s schedule over? Please let it be…
I gazed out the window while praying earnestly. The yellow moon in the dark night sky was vivid. As I stared blankly at it, I began wondering if this was all a dream.
What’s the point of thinking about it? It’s not like I can find the answer…
My head ached from being tense all day. Just as I was closing my eyes with the intention of sleeping, I heard Hajin’s voice outside the door.
“Juwon, I’m coming in.”
I don’t understand why he’s announcing it when he’s going to enter anyway. Looking toward the door, I saw water dripping from Hajin’s hair—he’d just showered. When his hair was neat, he looked mature, but with it disheveled, he seemed much younger.
Come to think of it, could Seo Hajin actually be younger than my real age? Now that I thought about it, I’d been so focused on surviving that I didn’t even know their ages properly.
I considered asking while Hahyun wasn’t around but decided against it, afraid of creating unnecessary misunderstandings. Hajin came closer, placed his hand on my forehead, and asked:
“Going to sleep?”
“Yes. I’m a bit tired.”
“You should wash up before sleeping. We’ve been taking turns wiping your body, but you couldn’t properly wash, so you must feel uncomfortable, right?”
“…”
Shocked by the revelation that they’d been wiping my body, I was momentarily stunned. It felt as if my body had been stripped naked and cleaned by their hands.
Since I was tied up, it’s natural they’d clean me. Besides, this body isn’t mine anyway—it’s Yoon Juwon’s body, so it doesn’t matter to me if they saw it naked.
But what if they offer to wash me? It’s not like I can’t move at all… Let’s not think such unpleasant thoughts.
“It must be hard, but shall we try to get up? You can handle the rest…”
“No! All I’ve done today is exercise my mouth, so what would be hard? I’m not tired at all, so I’ll wash up!”
My intention was to say I’d wash myself, so he should quickly take me to the bathroom. However, Hajin nodded at my words and shamelessly began undressing me one item at a time.
Is he crazy? Are his ears broken?
“Um, excuse me…”
I was so startled I just trembled, not knowing what to say or how to say it. Even though this body wasn’t mine, the consciousness inside it was, making the situation unbearable.
Before I knew it, my clothes had been removed, leaving only my underwear. I desperately clutched at it. Hajin looked at me with an expression that seemed to ask why I was acting this way.
“So… I… I mean… no…”
“Why are you trembling? Are you not feeling well?”
Hajin looked at me with eyes full of concern. Avoiding his gaze, I pondered how I could wash myself with my own hands. I didn’t have much time to think since I needed to speak before Hahyun arrived. I decided to trust my instinct as a writer and just blurt out what came to mind.
“Hajin-ssi, you might be confused by my sudden change, but please understand. I’ve lost my memory, so I’m seeing you for the first time today. How would you feel about getting naked in front of someone you’re meeting for the first time?”
The point of my words was that we were “meeting for the first time,” and the hidden meaning was “take your hands off me.” However, Hajin just smiled mysteriously and kept his mouth shut. He patted my thigh. My whole body shuddered every time his fingertips touched me.
