“Young Master, are you uncomfortable anywhere?”
“…Uh.”
“You haven’t opened your eyes for two days.”
“Two days?”
“Yes, the Chairman and the Executive Director were very worried as well.”
As Lee Dojun left, Han Woojin naturally sat down beside me and checked my condition. It felt like I had only talked with Cha Jaehyun in my dream for less than five minutes, but two days had passed in that time….
“…Secretary Han doesn’t look well either.”
“I couldn’t sleep. Nothing happened, so…it’s truly fortunate. You went through so much enduring it.”
His face was as haggard as Seo Hanryul’s. That’s strange. If I hadn’t opened my eyes for two days, shouldn’t my complexion actually be better? His usually radiant complexion was so dull I couldn’t even recall it, his face had an ashen tone, and his voice was hoarse, unlike usual. It was a disheveled appearance I could never have seen from him before.
‘Still, it’s fortunate.’
It’s really fortunate the flowerpot only grazed me. If what Cha Jaehyun said is true, if I die, it’s game over. If I hadn’t opened my eyes, I would never have been able to return to my world. Heaven must have helped me. Since Heaven gave me a chance, I must live well for the remaining time.
‘Still, he did tell me one important thing before leaving.’
“Young Master, recovery is important from now on. You need to get better quickly so you can do the studying you want, right?”
Han Woojin brought it up with a subtle smile, as if he knew everything in my mind.
‘You wish I’d been hurt.’
Han Woojin who knows Lee Dojun. Han Woojin who smiles harmlessly in front of me pretending to be a gentle sheep. Han Woojin who now even performs an ashen-faced act brilliantly.
I began to think that Han Woojin might be an even more dangerous person than Cha Taehan.
“Secretary Han, how did you get to know that person? I’m sure meeting at the orphanage was your first time.”
“…I’m truly sorry. After you were hurt, Young Master, the Chairman and Executive Director came, so your identity couldn’t help but be revealed. Everything is my negligence. And not being able to save you….”
“…Secretary Han.”
I’m sick of Han Woojin who only lies. There’s no relationship between the two of them at all, yet Lee Dojun leaving the hospital room at Han Woojin’s single word is completely absurd. Surely while I was collapsed, things I don’t know about happened between the two of them.
‘Ha, now that I think about it, it’s laughable.’
If Han Woojin is really the culprit…. If he handed over all the information to Lee Dojun, then ultimately because of that, I can’t go to America and I’m caught by Lee Dojun suffering this disgrace.
Even though every time he sees my face, he says he wants to go to America with me. Though Han Woojin is skilled at lying, whenever he brings up America his eyes seem to shine, so like a fool I thought there must be some sincerity in those words.
I’m a fool for giving my heart to a con artist. Seo Hanryul’s words might be right. Han Woojin is hiding malice worse than a knife inside. I began to think Han Woojin is far more dangerous than Seo Hanryul who curses at me openly.
Yes, from our first meeting I knew very well that Han Woojin was a dangerous person. But the degree of danger is gradually exceeding my expectations. It seems like the time has really come to distance myself from him.
“Secretary Han, you said you don’t have any secrets you’re hiding from me, right?”
“Young Master, you are the only person I serve.”
“I trust Secretary Han. Later, if something happens, the disappointment will be even greater because I trusted you. …Now leave.”
“…Young Master.”
“Why, do you have more to say?”
Instead of leaving, he suddenly lowered his face toward me. He bent his face down so far that his nose almost touched my stomach area as I lay in bed.
Looking at him hiding his face, he must be gradually losing control of his expressions. I will never fall for that hypocritical appearance he shows in front of me.
“Ha…. Young Master, everything will be alright.”
‘What?’
A sigh all of a sudden? It’s unusual for him to sigh in front of me. Is he getting irritated now because I’m pressing him so much? Perhaps the words “everything will be alright” might be directed at himself.
If it’s simply irritation, he’s looking down on me too much. I need to warn him. Not to look down on me anymore, and to leave.
‘I can’t delay any longer.’
“Right now, sighing in front of me….”
“…Please believe me. I only have you, Young Master.”
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
He suddenly grabs my hand and brings it to his cheek. An uncomfortable feeling began to creep up at his attitude, like a puppy wanting its owner’s touch. After grinding his teeth while playing the dog for Cha Jaehyun, now he’s volunteering to be a dog openly in front of me.
‘He must be in a hurry.’
“Even if you doubt me, it can’t be helped. Right now, there are no words I can give you.”
“….”
“Please wait just a little. I’m always thinking only of you, Young Master.”
“What do you want me to wait for?”
“…Please wait just a little longer. I’m sorry, Young Master.”
What does he want me to wait for? I had decided never to waver. My heart begins to waver again at the sight of the man holding my hand to his cheek with his face deeply bowed.
Is this pitiful and desperate appearance a calculated look that says he’ll achieve his goal to the end? Or can I really believe his words that he’ll only think of me? If I can believe those words, why doesn’t he tell me the truth?
It’s so confusing.
When I tried to remove my hand from his face, Han Woojin gripped my hand tighter and wouldn’t let go. The cheek of the man who only seemed cold was very warm. The warmth of another person traveling up my hand feels awkward. I had no choice but to silently watch Han Woojin’s actions.
A man who spouts lies every time he opens his mouth. But seeing the man mercilessly shaken by a single word from me, my heart weakens again. I need to stay as far away as possible. I began to think I’m thoroughly caught by an existence colder and more calculating than a robot.
* * *
“Jaehyun-ah, you’re eating well, right?”
“Don’t call my name so disgustingly.”
“But I don’t want to.”
“Then I’ll call you Hanryul too. You need to experience how unpleasant it is to know.”
“Unpleasant? I wonder.”
Three weeks have already passed. The bandage around my head still hasn’t been removed, but the terrible pain I felt when I first opened my eyes on the first day has greatly improved.
My body is recovering quickly, the food comes out well, everything’s good—but the one tiring thing is that I haven’t had a moment alone for two whole weeks.
As if they had coordinated schedules with each other, they took turns sticking by my side volunteering as caregivers. Needless to say Seo Hanryul, but even Cha Taehan.
For the first two days or so, I thought that getting hurt once wasn’t so bad. I thought the day would come when the ugly duckling would receive this kind of attention and care.
I soon realized I had thought wrong. This was closer to surveillance under the guise of care. Even when eating meals and taking medicine, they’d stick right next to me confirming I ate everything, and whenever I tried to move around alone, they’d rush over like a shot to watch what I was trying to do—it was no small burden.
‘I think I’d be fine alone now.’
Also, with the excuse that staying only in the room wasn’t good, once a day I was forced to ride a wheelchair and go outside. Whoever went out with me, that time invariably became nagging time and my ears couldn’t help but get tired.
‘Ah…. I’m exhausted.’
Today is walk time with Seo Hanryul. He nags the most, and when I return from a walk it’s probably not my imagination that my head hurts even more.
“This is enough. Let’s go in.”
“No.”
“I’m the patient, why don’t you listen to the patient’s opinion?”
“The doctor clearly said to stay outside for about 30 minutes a day, you definitely heard that too, right? If you keep grumbling, I’ll tell your hyung everything.”
“….”
Petty bastard. After learning that I’m very conscious of Cha Taehan, whenever I say anything he annoyingly threatens to tell hyung everything.
“Don’t you have a schedule?”
“Why can’t you think that I cleared my schedule to come?”
“I’m fine, so please go and work.”
“It’s not something you need to worry about.”
“Ha….”
“And stop sighing. If you sigh all day long, when will you get better?”
He continued pushing my wheelchair tirelessly. It looks like he plans to fill the full 30 minutes today too.
“The weather’s so nice. You need to get better quickly so we can go on an outing.”
“That sounds like an outing.”
“When our Young Master is all better, we should go on a trip far away.”
The weather is nice though. The weather in June—in the park right near the hospital, various kinds of flowers were in full bloom. When I closed my eyes, the fragrant flower scent felt even more intense.
However, Seo Hanryul’s attitude was extremely cringeworthy. It’s not like he’s playing patient and guardian role-play with me. He seems very immersed in the guardian role.
‘Who can stop that.’
I wanted to say something, but I’d only lose out having to argue if I spoke, so I kept my mouth firmly shut. If I keep my mouth shut, he’ll get bored too and go back to the hospital room.
“…Thank you for opening your eyes. For two days I couldn’t sleep or eat…. It really wasn’t a life worth living.”
After playing house, he suddenly speaks in a serious tone from behind, words I can’t tell if they’re lies or truth. Moreover, as if he had promised with Han Woojin, he says the exact same line.
I’m the one who collapsed, so why couldn’t he sleep?
“If I died, wouldn’t that be better? You have nothing to lose.”
“…If you’re human, don’t say things like that carelessly.”
“….”
He couldn’t even sleep—thinking that’s ridiculous, I playfully said what was on my mind. And of course I thought Seo Hanryul would also playfully retort, ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ but he showed a completely unexpected reaction.
Among the countless times he’s gotten angry at me until now, I think this is the first time he’s been this serious. How should I interpret this situation?
