It wasn’t in room V-004 but in the VIP ward lobby where Eunchan found Miro. As soon as he got off the elevator, Eunchan spotted Miro and hid the doll behind his back.
“Miro-ssi?”
Miro, who had been sitting blankly in a chair in the central lobby, quickly turned his head at Eunchan’s voice.
“E-Eunchan!”
Miro shot up from his seat and strode toward Eunchan. Thanks to the doll hidden behind his back, Eunchan stepped backward to avoid Miro, but Miro hugged Eunchan tightly first. Caught in Miro’s embrace in an instant, Eunchan squirmed in the uncomfortable position, but the tighter he struggled, the more forcefully the embrace constricted him. Eunchan put strength into his legs and waist to avoid falling backward and struggled to bear Miro’s weight.
“Wait a moment, Miro-ssi, wait…”
Over Miro’s shoulder, Eunchan’s eyes met with the hospital staff. In embarrassment and shame, he repeatedly called Miro’s name to try to shake him off, but Miro showed no sign of letting go anytime soon.
“Why are you so l-late? What were you d-doing before c-coming…”
“I came quickly though. First, let go of my arms and let’s go to the hospital room to talk.”
Ignoring Miro’s question thrown in a trembling voice, Eunchan answered that they should go inside and talk. He wanted to push Miro away immediately out of embarrassment, but unable to overpower Miro by strength, Eunchan soon began to coax him, saying he’d brought a gift.
“I bought you a gift, Miro-ssi.”
“Really?”
“Yes. You’re curious, right? Shall we go inside and open it?”
“Mm-hmm,”
Fortunately, it was effective. Miro, who had been burying his head in Eunchan’s nape and acting spoiled, gradually loosened his arms. Taking advantage of that moment, Eunchan held out the bookstore shopping bag to Miro.
“Hold this for me.”
“Okay. E-Eunchan, you have something behind your back too…”
Miro said in a small voice, as if he would hold the luggage hidden behind as well.
“I’ll carry this one. Let’s go.”
Grasping Miro’s hand with his empty right hand, Eunchan walked briskly toward the hospital room. Miro’s thin fingers quickly intertwined with his own hand. Having walked so quickly through the corridor as if almost running, Eunchan opened the hospital room door and first shoved Miro inside. And because Miro wouldn’t let go of his hand, Eunchan struggled to close the door with his gift-holding hand.
“Let’s go sit on the sofa.”
It would be nice if he’d let go of his hand now, but there was no sign of that happening at all. Eunchan eventually put down the gift on the sofa and took off the luggage bag on his shoulder.
“……”
“This is a gift for you, Miro-ssi.”
Miro stared intently at the wrapped gift. It looked exactly like a covetous gaze, so Eunchan told him it was a gift for Miro.
Then Miro smiled. He curved his eyes like a crescent moon giving off a soft light and made his brown eyes shine brightly. The shadow cast beneath his long eyelashes trembled and danced, overcome with joy. The smile that melted sweetly into his face like soft cotton candy was enchanting.
Entranced by a face so beautiful it was almost frightening, Eunchan blankly raised his hand. As he touched Miro’s cheek with his fingertips, he saw that beneath his eyes was flushed red with heat. His eyes were also moist, making him look exactly like someone who had just burst into tears moments ago.
“Did you cry?”
“A little.”
Was there something scary enough to make him cry? Eunchan hurriedly examined Miro’s body. There wasn’t anything particularly different from yesterday. His hair was still soft and a faint rose scent wafted from his body. Eunchan looked at Miro’s thin hand. His long, white fingers were as pretty as a pianist’s.
“You took off the bandage?”
“Yeah.”
His wrist was wrapped only with white gauze. Eunchan carefully examined Miro’s hands. He didn’t seem to have self-harmed, but strangely, his nails were mangled and irregularly torn up.
“Did you bite your nails?”
“N-no.”
“Don’t lie. Then I won’t give you the gift.”
As Miro clenched his fist to hide his nails and brazenly lied, Eunchan pretended to put the gift down on the floor.
“Yeah! I just did it for a m-moment… The gift.”
“What were you so scared of? Is it because of the stalker?”
“Yes, a s-strange person c-came to the h-hospital looking for me.”
“What, a stalker really came? Isn’t he crazy?”
It’s a hospital with a good security system, so if it was threatening enough for him to feel scared, how persistent must this bastard be? Eunchan covered Miro’s hand with his own and patted it.
“You must have been scared.”
“Yeah…”
Miro, who quickly closed the distance and burrowed into Eunchan’s embrace, mumbled a reply. Even while doing so, he reached out his right hand toward the gift. At that sight, Eunchan couldn’t help but smile a little.
“If it’s not urgent, I’ll keep staying here too.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He had a bag with luggage in it, and it was within commuting distance. Eunchan tucked Miro’s sideburns behind his ear and placed the gift in Miro’s hands.
“Open it.”
But he didn’t know if he’d like it. Eunchan scratched his head in embarrassment. Miro untied the ribbon and slowly peeled off the wrapping paper. Soon, white ears popped out.
He absolutely couldn’t watch. When he was buying it, he definitely thought it would suit him well, but now that he’d actually put it in his hands, he was afraid of the reaction he’d see, no matter how innocent Miro was. He felt like he’d be scolded for what kind of gift this was to buy at his age.
Eunchan covered his eyes with one hand and waited for Miro’s reaction. However, even after several minutes passed, there was only the sound of wrapping paper crinkling, and Miro didn’t say anything at all. Unable to contain his curiosity in the silence, Eunchan lowered his hand and opened his eyes.
“…You like it that much?”
He thought Miro would be looking at him with pathetic eyes, but on the contrary, Miro had a face like he was going crazy with joy as he repeatedly stroked the rabbit’s belly and fondled its ears.
“It looks like Eunchan.”
“No it doesn’t.”
The pale white thing looks exactly like you. Swallowing his words, Eunchan got up. He had to ask the hospital staff if a really strange person had actually visited, and if so, what their appearance and characteristics were like.
“This is also a gift. I’m going to quickly ask the hospital people something and come back, so look at this while you wait.”
He took out the books he’d bought from the shopping bag and placed them on the sofa. Miro held the doll in his arms and grabbed Eunchan’s wrist.
“L-let’s go together.”
“I’ll be right back.”
He was planning to make a phone call while he was at it. Eunchan was only able to leave the hospital room after handing even his luggage bag to Miro. As soon as he came out to the VIP lobby, he saw men in black suits. When he made eye contact with a man who had a radio in his ear, the man approached first, offering a greeting.
“Hello, Eunchan-ssi.”
“Hello.”
He knows my name? Eunchan hid his surprised feelings and greeted the man.
“I’m Lee Hyungseop, in charge of security here. Has Miro-ssi calmed down?”
“Yes, well. I heard a strange person entered the hospital.”
“Yes. I actually had something to tell you about that. May I escort you inside?”
The man told Eunchan he would guide him to the lounge.
“No. I need to go back in soon. Is it a long story?”
The image of Miro sitting blankly in the lobby wouldn’t easily leave his eyes. Anxious about being away from Miro’s side for long, Eunchan pointed to a corner of the lobby and suggested they talk there.
“No. Then let’s go over there and talk.”
Instead of the lounge, Eunchan and the man stood side by side next to the emergency stairs and got straight to the point without pretense.
“Did you see that strange person?”
“When I came up to the VIP floor after receiving the report, he had already disappeared.”
“What about the CCTV?”
“We checked it. He wore a hat and mask, so facial recognition is difficult.”
The man handed over his phone, asking if he’d like to see the stalker’s appearance captured on video. Eunchan took the phone and looked at the screen. A person of not very tall height and build, with wide strides. It seemed more likely to be a man than a woman.
The stalker, holding something wrapped in a plastic bag, slowly walked around the empty lobby once. Soon encountering a cleaning employee who appeared pulling a cart, the stalker turned around and walked out toward the stairs.
“Did this staff member see him?”
“They only remember the black hat and long clothes. They said it seemed like a man.”
“I’ll take a picture for a moment.”
“Yes, please do.”
Eunchan took out his phone and photographed the screen.
“I thought the VIP floor would have better security than the general wards…”
“Today there were people going through admission and discharge procedures, and many people coming to visit patients, so it was a chaotic situation. I apologize.”
“Ah, no.”
It’s a place where outsider entry is natural. Eunchan decided to abandon the thought that it would be safe. No matter how many bodyguards there were, it would be useless if he was already attacked.
“We’ll also continue to monitor and watch the situation. I apologize.”
“No. Please do.”
Having finished the conversation, Eunchan sent the man off. With several matters piling up, his head was complicated. First, he’d secure Miro’s safety from the stalker and then handle it slowly, and as for the lawyer, he’d get help from the boss and Hyungsik…
Eunchan connected his phone to the portable battery charger he’d brought. As it charged, the power began to turn back on. He called the boss, whom he’d been avoiding until now. There was nothing to be intimidated about with the boss anymore.
— Hello.
After a few rings, the connected call had somewhat noisy surroundings.
“It’s Eunchan. Where are you, boss-nim?”
— Why? Didn’t you say you were going to see the lawyer about work today? Did you go well?
— Ah, you need to cut the blue ribbon, what are you doing!
Along with the boss’s voice, the voices of people around him could be heard directly. He went to play hwatu again. Eunchan stroked the side of his forehead and answered.
“What’s so good about going when you just lose money every time?”
— Be quiet, so how did your work go?
“I heard you used a lawyer’s business card.”
Eunchan opened the emergency door, went inside, and sat down on the descending stairs. The cold chill of the stairs cooled his hot body heat.
