# Chapter 123
It was late at night when I opened my eyes. Yoon Taean had already left, and except for the occasional sound of water droplets, everything was as silent as a grave.
I picked up my phone to check the time and saw it was past eleven. My mind was clear, but I was too lazy to get up, and just as I was thinking I should sleep until morning and leaning my upper body back, it happened.
“I slept for quite a—”
Outside was pitch black, and all the lights in the hospital room were turned off, so nothing was visible. The phone screen’s light barely illuminated the room, and just when I thought no one was there, I felt a faint presence.
I flinched and immediately sat up. Because of my hasty movement, my right arm collided with the bed’s support, sending a sharp pain through it.
Ugh, letting out a shallow groan, I flipped my phone around and shined it on my surroundings, but there was no one there.
“…Was I imagining it?”
I thoroughly scanned the area just in case, but it seemed I had been mistaken as nothing had changed since before I fell asleep. I sighed loudly for no reason, then feeling a chill, I pulled the blanket up to cover my upper body.
I mean, who would visit at such a late hour? Thinking it was my imagination, I closed my eyes again.
I wondered if I’d be able to fall back asleep after waking up, but despite my concerns, sleep came over me before I knew it.
A gentle breeze. Even in my half-asleep state, I could feel my hair swaying. Momentarily wondering if I had left the window open, my facial muscles twitched at the somehow familiar sensation.
As I concentrated, the feeling became clearer, and a smile involuntarily escaped my lips.
“…Moon Seoheon.”
“……”
Even without looking, I could feel the hesitating touch. The hand that had been fiddling with my hair soon fell away, and my disheveled hair flowed back down.
“How did you know?”
“Who else would touch my hair like this besides you?”
With little movement, only silence returned from him. In the quiet atmosphere where only soft breathing could be heard, I slightly opened my eyes.
An auxiliary light on the table was turned on. It wasn’t bright enough to disturb sleep, but as if I had suddenly seen something bright, my eyes stung, and I covered them with my hand.
Soon the light disappeared, and when I lowered my hand, Moon Seoheon was standing in front of me as if shielding me from the light.
When our eyes met—the first time I’d seen him since coming here—I felt something indescribable. I was happy to see him, but an awkward feeling prevailed.
“Um… have you been well?”
I greeted him first, if only to break the awkwardness, but he didn’t answer. His expressionless, fixed gaze started to feel burdensome just as the hospital room door opened.
Kwak Junhee entered through the gently opened door. Seeing me, he paused his steps and quickly turned back to close the door.
Only then did I realize there were others in the hospital room besides Moon Seoheon.
Kwak Junhee, who had just entered, approached the sofa naturally as if he had been there all along, perhaps having just stepped out briefly. The rest of the main crew was sitting on that sofa.
I made direct eye contact with Byeon Seungha and Jung Hyoin, who had been looking in my direction. Next to them, Maeng Moa also appeared, eyes closed as if sleeping. Though he soon opened them due to Kwak Junhee plopping down on the sofa.
“Ah… I fell asleep without realizing it. …Huh?”
Maeng Moa, who had really been sleeping, let out a small exclamation when he saw me as he was rubbing his eyes and twisting his body.
“You’re awake?”
Soon, with his mouth corners lifted in a smile, he straightened his body and spread his hands wide, waving them slightly. At this greeting, I foolishly nodded.
Seeing my creaky head movement, Maeng Moa’s mouth opened slightly. A small sigh of disbelief was heard from beside him. It was Byeon Seungha, who had been sitting quietly and staring at me intently.
Feeling the subtle atmosphere since earlier, I turned my head here and there like someone who didn’t know what to do. Looking out the window, it was still night. Or rather, early morning now. When did these guys come in? And all together like this?
I knew I’d have to see them again sometime, but I was very flustered to meet them all together so quickly.
After glancing at each of them in turn, Byeon Seungha, who had been sitting, abruptly stood up and came toward me in one step. He slightly pushed Moon Seoheon, who had been standing in front of me, to the side, and then immediately extended his right hand to grab my face as if snatching it.
My heart leaped in surprise at the sudden situation of having my face seized.
Without even giving me time to calm my racing heart, Byeon Seungha’s hand, which had grabbed my face, gradually moved down and gripped my neck. Just as the surprise was fading and bewilderment was setting in, the reason I couldn’t protest about what he was doing was that no one was stopping him.
I rolled my eyes to look at Moon Seoheon standing beside me and beyond. Kwak Junhee, who was watching us with his arms crossed, and Jung Hyoin, who remained still in the same position, had expressions that seemed almost bored. Maeng Moa was squinting his brows with a strange smile, but that was it.
In any case, they all had attitudes suggesting they would just watch whatever happened.
The hand gripping my neck applied pressure. It wasn’t enough to cause pain, but the feeling of the hot hand pressing against my skin was suffocating.
“What are you doing?”
“Stay still. If you don’t want to get hurt.”
“What are you saying?”
When the threatening voice pierced my ears, I answered irritably without realizing it. It wasn’t unusual for Byeon Seungha to be temperamental, but I was naturally annoyed when he showed up out of nowhere and started choking me. And telling me to stay still if I didn’t want to get hurt? This very action was already hurting me—what nonsense was that?
Even as I thought this, I understood that he was showing this aggressive attitude because of something that had happened with Yoon Taeho.
Even if I wanted to respond kindly, my mood was slightly soured by the attitude of the other guys who seemed content to just observe. No, should I call this feeling hurt?
As I stared at him, meaning for him to let go, not understanding what he was trying to do, I heard something opening with a clatter. Looking toward the sound, Moon Seoheon, who had somehow gone over there, opened the refrigerator and took something out.
“……”
It was a small bottle drink that fit perfectly in his hand. Even with the label covered, it was unmistakable—carrot juice, the only drink I couldn’t stand.
Why that…? Surely the refrigerator only had the side dish containers that mother had brought. When did they put that in there? I wondered if these guys had brought it.
I would gratefully accept it if it was a get-well gift, but they should know I hate carrot juice? Frowning at this strange thought,
Moon Seoheon soon approached me and opened the bottle. Then, as if sending a signal to Byeon Seungha, who was still holding my neck, he briefly glanced at him. Receiving the eye signal, Byeon Seungha grabbed my shoulder with his other hand. It wasn’t my right side wrapped in bandages due to the fracture, but my perfectly fine left shoulder, yet the strong grip made me groan, “Ugh.”
“No, what the hell are you doing?”
When I shouted in anger, Byeon Seungha’s grip on my shoulder loosened slightly. The emotion similar to anger that had been in his eyes seemed to diminish a bit.
“Taeho.”
At that moment, at the sound of Moon Seoheon’s voice calling me as if whispering, I turned my head sharply and glared at him. Even if the others didn’t, shouldn’t you at least stop this?
Moon Seoheon narrowed his brows at my imploring gaze. Shadows caused by his eyelashes flickered below his staring eyes, as if trying to confirm something. Only then did I realize that Moon Seoheon’s condition was a bit strange.
Unlike his slightly stiffened face, his pupils trembled, and soon his eyes widened.
Are you sick somewhere? As a shallow concern arose, my body went limp at the same time Byeon Seungha pulled me. He forcibly raised my upper body with strong force and pushed my body against the wall. The bed made a creaking noise in reaction.
My shoulder that hit the wall hurt. He seemed to be controlling his strength somewhat because I was a patient, but it still hurt, so no good words came out.
“Hey! Can’t you see I’m injured? I need to rest!”
If you came to visit, you should just greet me properly and leave, why are you acting crazy? Even as I got angry, I shouted loudly due to some instinctive fear, and Maeng Moa, who had been quietly watching, wiped his forehead with a troubled expression and said:
“Wow… it seems real. So has it changed now?”
I blinked several times at those words. I didn’t completely understand, but I realized these guys had noticed something. Could they have discovered that I’m not Yoon Taeho?
As the question disappeared, my head cleared as if I’d been doused with cold water.
“It’s still… unknown.”
Moon Seoheon muttered lowly in response to Maeng Moa’s words.
This time, as I looked at him with trembling eyes, Moon Seoheon bent his upper body and approached me. He was close enough that I could feel his breath.
Pinned against the wall, I squirmed my restrained body, but I couldn’t possibly overpower Byeon Seungha with my strength, so I was completely trapped.
“Let go of this, and let’s talk.”
“……”
As I reluctantly relaxed and sighed, Moon Seoheon, who gave a bitter smile, grabbed my chin. His cold fingers pulled my chin to make my lips part.
No way… Before I could even glance at the drink Moon Seoheon was holding as suspicion grew, the bottle’s mouth touched my lips and tilted. Unable to do anything about the liquid suddenly rushing into my mouth, I had no choice but to open my mouth wide and gulp it down.
Despite that, some liquid escaped, flowing down my chin and soaking my clothes. Seeing it staining Moon Seoheon’s hand holding my chin and Byeon Seungha’s hand, I barely managed to swallow the curse that was about to emerge.
