“Both of you are adults, so from now on, even if there are disagreements, it would be best to absolutely resolve them through words.”
After sternly rebuking the perpetrators who couldn’t speak even though they had mouths, Yeom Cheonho looked again at the ankle that was swelling in real-time.
“It seems to be at least a sprain, so you’ll need to go to the hospital.”
“Haah…”
Yeonrok sighed. Even in his eyes, it looked quite serious, judging by how hard he had kicked. When he tried to stand up with a groan, Yeom Cheonho stopped him before he could.
“Just stay still.”
Then he immediately slipped his arms under his back and legs and lifted him up. Even though he had already experienced this once before, Yeonrok was startled and grabbed onto Yeom Cheonho’s collar. Moon Gyeonwoo’s eyes watching that scene were not good at all, but he soon thoroughly concealed it and suggested.
“That’s right, Yeonrok-ah. When you’re injured like that, it’s better to use your leg as little as possible.”
“No, but…”
“Gyeonwoo-ssi is right. Look how swollen it is.”
Yeom Cheonho, ignoring Yeonrok’s request, answered indifferently and turned his body. He twisted his body this way and that trying to get down, but Yeom Cheonho’s arms didn’t budge. Eventually giving up, Yeonrok covered his face with his hands.
“This is really embarrassing…”
“Still, it should be less embarrassing than last time.”
Last time? Choi Hwan crumpled his face and muttered. Either way, as the person who caused the injury, he couldn’t just stay still, so he tried to follow Yeonrok out. When Moon Gyeonwoo also followed, Yeonrok screamed inwardly and stopped them. He didn’t want to drag all three along just for a sprained ankle. He was a person with social dignity too.
“Just you two stay home! Please!”
As Yeom Cheonho left for the hospital with Yeonrok like that, the two were left behind. Ms. Park, who had been watching all this commotion, clicked her tongue and cleaned up the spilled green tea and walnut cookies. Moon Gyeonwoo, who had been looking at the front door with a cold face, turned his head to Choi Hwan. Choi Hwan, whose mood was already low, picked a fight without hesitation.
“What are you looking at?”
“Your funny pathetic state?”
Choi Hwan flared up but held back for now. Actually, even when they were dating, Moon Gyeonwoo wasn’t really a compatible partner for him. Not only did he interfere with all sorts of things, but he often had aspects that horrified people. He acted endlessly affectionate, but his attitude was somehow unsettling. The position dispute was just an excuse to break up.
Not only Yeom Cheonho, whom he felt a wall with throughout their relationship, but the way his attitude completely changed as soon as they broke up also just creeped Choi Hwan out.
“It seemed like you were testing Yeom Cheonho, and now you’re hitting on Lee Yeonrok?”
“Hitting on? Ah, well… If it looks that way, I guess it is.”
Agreeing nonchalantly, Moon Gyeonwoo turned direction and pointed at Choi Hwan.
“What about you?”
“What about me!”
“You’re hitting on him too.”
At a loss for words, Choi Hwan suddenly got angry. It was the reaction typically shown by someone whose sore spot had been hit.
“What are you talking about? Who am I, who am I hitting on? It’s just… we’re just friends. I’m building camaraderie!”
“Right, you keep being friends from now on. I’d be grateful if you did.”
“What? What does that mean!”
When Choi Hwan questioned him, Moon Gyeonwoo openly sneered and left as if there was no more business. Only Choi Hwan remained in that spot, alternating between getting heated alone and being restless, his face turning completely red.
“…Ah, shit!”
He irritably ruffled his hair and soon let out a deep sigh. With a worried face, Choi Hwan bit his lips hard and took out his phone.
* * *
The hospital he was visiting for the third time this year already. The orthopedic doctor who had treated his arm last time gave a diagnosis with sympathy.
“Patient, it’s a contusion and sprain.”
Receiving treatment sullenly, when he checked his phone that had been vibrating constantly since earlier, Choi Hwan had sent a series of texts.
[Are you okay?????]
[Tell me right away when you get diagnosed]
[It really wasn’t on purpose]
[Should I get you another car?]
[When are you coming home?]
[I have to go to my schedule now but make sure to show me your injury later]
Yeonrok scoffed and only sent a single-word reply ‘ㅇ’. After receiving all the treatment, even while limping, he kept some distance from Yeom Cheonho. He didn’t want to be carried again. He even defiantly got crutches. When he left the examination room, Kim Jeongseong kept glancing at his watch and carefully said.
“Yeom Cheonho-nim, it’s difficult to postpone the schedule any further…”
“Mm, I understand.”
Having been on crutches a few times before, Yeonrok, who was moving skillfully, asked in surprise.
“Weren’t you off work?”
“There are documents I need to personally transfer for security reasons, so I just came home briefly for that.”
Come to think of it, during the earlier commotion, Kim Jeongseong had been going back and forth to the study. Yeonrok felt grateful for the act of taking care of him by making time despite being busy.
“If you’re busy, you don’t have to take care of me like this.”
“Didn’t I tell you? Yeonrok-ssi is my precious person.”
Yeonrok’s cheeks reddened slightly as he subtly observed the other person’s expression. After kissing last time, Yeom Cheonho’s attitude hadn’t changed much. Always affectionate and kind, but that’s all. Yeonrok was surprised at himself for feeling disappointed by that.
Disappointed? Wasn’t it as if he was expecting some special treatment from Yeom Cheonho? As if, as if… he had some feelings for the other person.
“Then please hurry and go.”
Yeonrok, who bit the inside of his mouth once to come to his senses, urged him on. Yeom Cheonho, who rubbed his eyes as if tired, let out a small sigh briefly.
“I really don’t feel like leaving an injured person behind. If you have any more discomfort, make sure to tell me right away.”
“Yes, I will. But…”
“Yes?”
“President, please take it easy with work too. You really look tired.”
Since meeting Yeom Cheonho, he had never seen a time when he wasn’t overworked. With the desire to recharge his energy, Yeonrok at least held his hand tightly. Vitality returned to the face that had been shadowed with fatigue.
“Thanks to your worry, I feel energized. I understand. I’ll take it easy.”
No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t seem like he would take it easy… Yeonrok worriedly watched Yeom Cheonho and Kim Jeongseong leave. Yeonrok waited with Park Chungseong, lingering at the hospital entrance for Jeong Boeun to bring the car.
“It would be rude to say this, but Young Master seems to be really unlucky.”
“I think so too…”
They were having a somewhat sad conversation when Yeonrok made an “Oh?” sound, and Park Chungseong reacted sensitively.
“What’s wrong?”
“No, I think I saw a familiar face.”
He wasn’t certain, but he seemed like that man who had been hit by Yeonrok’s golf ball when he went to play screen golf before. Yeonrok’s eyes sharpened.
Actually, ever since hearing the childhood story from Yeom Cheonho, he had been constantly suspicious of that man. Recalling how he had suspiciously disappeared immediately, no matter how he thought about it, he seemed like Yeom Cheonryul’s person. If that were the case, he couldn’t just overlook it. Yeonrok had very bad feelings toward Yeom Cheonryul. Not only Yeom Cheonho but also Moon Gyeonwoo had been harmed by him, so he was clearly an enemy.
“You saw a familiar face?”
“Really, just a moment…”
Yeonrok moved his steps hurriedly with Park Chungseong, trying not to lose sight of the other person. That person was walking while having a conversation with some doctor. Yeonrok, who stuck close to the corner, looked around. He tried to listen to the conversation, but the distance was too far. In the meantime, the other person finished the conversation and disappeared somewhere.
“Ah…!”
Was that man really him? He thought he was pretty good at remembering people’s faces, but the distance was too far, and without certainty, Yeonrok went after the doctor who was left alone for now. Only Park Chungseong asked Yeonrok, bewildered.
“Young Master, who are you looking for?”
“Well…”
Yeonrok pondered. He wasn’t even certain, and he thought he might just be creating unnecessary work for Yeom Cheonho, who was already severely overworked. About to give up and turn back, Yeonrok moved his steps briskly. There happened to be a vending machine in the direction the doctor was going. Yeonrok, who quickly walked ahead, checked the doctor’s face and name tag while pretending to choose a drink.
Internal Medicine Kim Seowon
Still, just in case, after firmly memorizing the doctor’s face and name, Yeonrok said to Park Chungseong.
“No. I must have just mistaken. Let’s wait for Boeun hyung. Let’s go quickly.”
