The two returned to Lee Seohee’s house when it was nearly midnight.
They received discharge approval from the doctor at 9 PM. The hospital administrative office had already closed by then.
In such cases, normally one would postpone discharge until the next morning, but Hyowoo said he wanted to be discharged right away.
He felt sorry for causing trouble to the hospital, but he didn’t want to spend the night hospitalized even in England. More than anything, he couldn’t let Lee Seohee sleep on the small, uncomfortable caregiver’s bed.
After consulting with the doctor, Hyowoo eventually went through the discharge procedures late at night.
When he came outside riding a wheelchair pushed by a nurse, Lee Seohee was waiting with his car parked at the entrance.
He tried his best to get into the car on his own, but his body still had no strength. He had no choice but to be held by him and get into the back seat.
“I contacted Gyeonwoo-ssi and Taeseo. I didn’t tell them you collapsed because they’d worry.”
Because too many things had happened in less than a day, Hyowoo only then realized he had forgotten to contact Korea.
Hyowoo slowly bowed his head toward him for taking care of even such minor details.
“Yes, you did well…… Thank you……”
On the way to his house, he read through the thick discharge documents containing treatment details and precautions one page at a time. Among them was also a pamphlet about anorexia.
Because it was late, there weren’t many cars on the road, so they arrived home quickly.
He opened the back seat door as if it were natural. Because Hyowoo needed his help to get out just like when getting in.
When he was held in his arms in what’s commonly called a ‘princess carry,’ Hyowoo’s pale face flushed hot.
‘It’s not like I’m some tragic protagonist in a movie… I’m really causing trouble in every possible way……’
He was embarrassed enough to want to crawl into a mouse hole if there was one. However, since he couldn’t walk, there was no other way.
Turning his gaze away to avoid making eye contact with him as much as possible, he obediently let himself be carried into the house in his arms.
Upon entering the entrance, a dog was sitting there.
It was Lee Seohee’s pet dog, Pie.
Its tail wagged happily when its guardian who had been gone all day returned, but as soon as it saw Hyowoo, Pie transformed. It began barking fiercely, showing strong wariness.
Pie was a Staffordshire Bull Terrier that resembled an American Pit Bull. Seeing a dog breed he’d never encountered before wrinkling its snout and growling menacingly, he couldn’t help but be frightened.
“Pie, sit.”
Flinch. When he unconsciously gripped Lee Seohee’s clothes tightly, he commanded Pie to sit shortly and firmly.
At that one word, Pie sat obediently in place as if it had never barked.
“Are you afraid of dogs by any chance?”
“N-no…… I like them.”
“Then would you like to greet Pie? This guy tends to be very wary of outsiders he’s meeting for the first time.”
After asking for understanding, he bent his knees to match Hyowoo and Pie’s eye level.
Hyowoo slowly extended his hand toward Pie, who was sitting with an expression mixing curiosity and wariness.
Pie was briefly wary of the extended pure white hand, but soon brought its moist nose close and sniffed— diligently smelling.
After sufficiently smelling, it seemed to have warmed up quickly, approaching Hyowoo’s side and wagging its tail gently.
“It seems to like you, Hyowoo-ssi.”
He praised Pie saying ‘good boy’ and recommended Hyowoo try petting Pie.
Pie’s short fur touching his fingertips was very soft.
‘Like velvet. It’s a completely different feeling from Saewoo……’
While petting Pie, his tension eased somewhat.
Confirming that Hyowoo’s expression, which had been stiff from feeling ashamed, had relaxed considerably, Lee Seohee also slightly raised the corners of his mouth.
After letting Hyowoo pet Pie to his heart’s content, he stood up and lightly stroked the small head, then said.
“Good boy, Pie. Should we go to bed now?”
As soon as the instruction was given, Pie ran up the stairs like a shot, and he also went up the stairs.
Upon arriving on the second floor, Lee Seohee entered the first room visible. Seeing the large room size and the custom-made large bed, Hyowoo naturally guessed this must be Lee Seohee’s bedroom.
“There is a guest room on the third floor, but the bed sheets have all been removed so it can’t be used. I’m sorry, but sleep in my bed tonight.”
When he tried to lay him directly on the bed, Hyowoo asked to be allowed to sit.
“Wouldn’t it be better to rest lying down?”
“I already slept for 14 hours at the hospital. If I keep lying down, my back will hurt too. I’ll sit.”
His face flushed pink again at the thought that he had fallen fast asleep again with him nearby. He hastily turned his head for fear of being caught.
After gently seating Hyowoo on the bed, Lee Seohee placed soft pillows behind Hyowoo’s back and waist.
When he faintly felt his scent from the sheets and blanket, a warm energy permeated his skin.
“If you’re uncomfortable at all, tell me. I have other pillows and cushions too.”
While watching him take care of him attentively, Hyowoo hesitated and barely opened his mouth.
“Um… please let me know when the hospital bill comes out……”
During the discharge procedures, he had heard the explanation that the hospital bill would be charged by mail later.
‘If it’s Seohee-ssi, he’ll obviously just pay it himself without even telling me……’
He had been a burden all day, so he couldn’t let him shoulder the hospital bill too. It was a remark made with care in its own way, but he stopped covering him with the blanket and laughed out loud.
“No, you’re worried about the hospital bill in this situation?”
“Of-of course……”
“Don’t worry about such trivial things. You don’t think I can’t even pay for your hospital bill, do you?”
“That’s not what I meant……”
“I know. What you mean.”
Hyowoo looked at him awkwardly as he smiled brightly, saying not to really worry about the hospital bill.
Before continuing ‘Even so…’, he naturally changed the subject.
“More than that, aren’t you thirsty?”
“Yes, a little……”
He left the room with the door open, saying he’d be right back.
Alone, Hyowoo took a breath and looked around the bedroom.
The furniture with simple and concise design and the arrangement considering traffic flow created a comfortable space that wasn’t stuffy, fully revealing his personality and taste.
While carefully examining the room, Lee Seohee returned.
However, the glass in his hand contained finely crushed ice pieces instead of water.
‘Wasn’t he going to get water?’
Hyowoo blinked while alternately looking at his face as he pulled a chair next to the bed and the glass. Seeing that bewildered appearance, Lee Seohee smiled gently and said.
“It would be difficult if you choked like at the hospital.”
He added that it would be better to eat by gradually melting ice instead of water. At his delicate consideration, Hyowoo’s face reddened once again.
Sitting in the chair, he took out one small ice piece from the glass and carefully brought it between Hyowoo’s dry lips.
Normally he would have insisted on eating it himself, but now he was so tired it was hard to even move a finger.
He obediently opened his mouth as he was given.
The finger that lightly touched his lips and tongue tip was warm unlike the cold ice. The small ice piece quickly melted into water in his mouth. When he swallowed that water, he put in another one.
After eating 5-6 pieces like that, Hyowoo wiped his lips with the back of his hand.
“I think I’m okay to stop eating now. Thank you.”
Perhaps because he had received an IV and taken in fluids, his complexion that had been pale was much better than when he was at the hospital.
Lee Seohee, who had placed the glass on the table beside the bed, finally brought up the question he had been holding back.
“What brought you to London?”
In an instant, Hyowoo’s expression stiffened.
“You didn’t come to stop the arranged meeting, did you?”
“……”
“Then, did you come to tell me about your constitution? Because you were worried I’d keep blaming myself?”
Of course he wanted to tell him directly that it wasn’t his fault. He had also missed him unbearably.
But that wasn’t the real reason he came to England.
‘Before confessing my feelings, I have to finish the story I couldn’t tell that day…… I can’t keep acting spoiled because of Seohee-ssi’s kindness……’
Yet his lips wouldn’t part easily.
‘How will Seohee-ssi react? He won’t hate me, but… won’t he feel burdened……?’
He was afraid.
Suddenly the surgery scar throbbed, and he clutched his lower abdomen with both hands.
As he hesitated, seeming about to answer or not, biting his lower lip tightly, he who had been quietly gazing at Hyowoo stood up from the chair.
“You must be tired, so rest comfortably tonight. Let’s talk about the rest tomorrow.”
Toward him who was about to leave the room saying he would sleep in another room, Hyowoo quietly opened his mouth.
“…Six people……”
At the voice as small as a whisper, Lee Seohee stopped in his tracks.
“In my third year of high school… by six people… I was… raped……”
