On a cold winter night, the wind blew gently. An unpleasant dampness dripped onto Do-hwa’s cheek. As droplets accumulated, rain began to pour. Do-hwa was feeling empty inside as he stared blankly into the air, unaware of the rain.
It always rains when things get tough…
He gradually felt his breath becoming difficult and his mind becoming foggy. How long had he been in this state? He sensed someone’s presence. Thinking he should get up now, he tried to rise but slumped back down.
“Are you okay, seonbae?”
Min-jun appeared, who was getting soaked in the rain. Do-hwa was startled as he quickly wiped away tears with the back of his hand and composed himself, wanting to hide his situation from Min-jun.
“Why did you come all the way out here in the rain? I was about to go inside soon…”
Do-hwa’s voice was choked with emotion, trailing off. Min-jun looked at him as he noticed Do-hwa’s subdued expression.
“What’s wrong with your face? Are you hurt?”
Min-jun stooped down to Do-hwa’s eye level. Despite Do-hwa’s attempt to conceal it, his cracked lips and swollen cheeks couldn’t be hidden. Min-jun’s brow furrowed deeply.
“Was it that guy, the one you mentioned?”
At Min-jun’s astute guess, Do-hwa’s pupils flickered and then softened.
“Oh, uh, no…”
“But it makes sense.”
“In that Aglio e Olio, there were shrimp, right? I have a shrimp allergy. That’s why.”
He fabricated a story to hide the truth, claiming to have a shrimp allergy when he didn’t actually have one.
“So, where did that person go?”
“Jio hyung?”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know. I lost track too.”
Do-hwa leaned against the wall and struggled to stand up. In that moment, his vision blurred, and he swayed unsteadily. Just as his body began to lose balance, Min-jun reached out and caught him.
“Ah!”
Do-hwa felt a subtle mix of floating in the air and comfort, captivating him with an unusual sensation.
“I can… walk… on my own.”
“I’m cold, so please help me.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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ꕥꕥꕥ
After arriving at the underground parking lot, Min-jun opened the passenger door and helped Do-hwa sit down. Do-hwa emitted a faint groan and tilted his head slightly, but he didn’t fully awaken.
“…”
Min-jun touched Do-hwa’s cheek. He felt the warmth emanating intensely from his fingertips. Min-jun soon shook his head vigorously, initially gazing at Do-hwa as if entranced.
“It’s more serious than I thought.”
In a low murmur, he strapped Do-hwa in with a safety belt and covered him with a blanket. After closing the door, he moved to the driver’s seat. He immediately turned on the heater and picked up his phone, dialing a saved number.
[Young master?]
A voice filled with confusion came through the phone.
“Jane. There’s someone I need you to investigate.”
[Is it related to the current ‘operation’ in progress?]
Min-jun hesitated for a moment, but soon nodded with a composed expression.
“Yes.”
[Whom shall I investigate?]
“Na Jio.”
[Which institution does this person work for?]
“He’s a university student majoring in Theater and Film at Korea University.”
[A university student?]
“He’s just a regular person.”
[Why do you want this person investigated?]
“I need the information by 9 a.m. tomorrow.”
Min-jun skipped over minor details with a hint of annoyance.
[W-what are you planning to do?]
“He made me angry.”
Min-jun’s pupils became colder than ice.
ꕥꕥꕥ
As Do-hwa opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sun-drenched ceiling. He realized he was in Min-jun’s house, facing a somewhat familiar room. However, the sensation enveloping his body felt too firm and warm to be just a blanket. As Do-hwa moved his head to investigate the source of this feeling, he saw Min-jun, who had fallen asleep.
“Ahh.”
Do-hwa was caught off guard as he instinctively shifted backward, but soon realized that Min-jun’s arms were firmly supporting him. He was perplexed as to why Min-jun, who had always been reserved, was now holding him. Do-hwa was feeling embarrassed and wanting to escape, but he was afraid of waking Min-jun if he moved too much, so he found himself stuck while facing him.
Min-jun looked truly beautiful up close. From his long eyelashes to his straight nose and full lips, he seemed like a perfectly sculpted figure created by a god. Coupled with his sweet pheromones, it brought a sense of comfort. As Do-hwa was enveloped by his scent, Min-jun’s hand trembled before gliding down Do-hwa’s back. There was a surge of energy in his movements.
“Are you awake?”
Min-jun gently opened his eyes. Despite clearly just waking up, his expression was perplexed. Their faces gradually drew closer, almost to the point where their lips might touch accidentally. Do-hwa tilted his head to avoid a disaster. Then he noticed he was wearing pajamas. He could faintly smell body cleanser, and it seemed Min-jun had even washed him and helped him change.
“How’s your body? Has the fever gone down?”
“Fever?”
“You had a fever all night.”
Before he knew it, Min-jun’s hand reached Do-hwa’s forehead, saying, ‘Your fever has gone down a lot.’ He then released his arms that had been wrapped around Do-hwa’s back and sat up.
“Yesterday, I brought you home and called the doctor. It was a high fever caused by the aftereffects of the heat cycle. With the cold weather and getting caught in the rain, it seemed to worsen.”
“Did you nurse me all night, then?”
“Not all night.”
Though he answered like that, fatigue was evident on his face. Despite feeling sorry, there was an indescribable warmth between them.
“Thank you.”
So he expressed as much gratitude as he could.
“What are you thanking me for?”
Min-jun’s eyes sparkled with a smile. Do-hwa turned his head away, afraid that if he looked at Min-jun any longer, his heart would start acting strangely. There was a wall clock there.
“Oh, it’s already two o’clock?”
He had vaguely thought it was morning, so it was surprising to find out it was already afternoon. No wonder the sunlight seemed so bright.
“Yes. If you’re tired, you can sleep some more.”
“Sleep more… Is it already this late?”
Do-hwa muttered in disbelief as he realized how quickly time had passed.
Do-hwa was bewildered as he felt around his face and found a bandage near his mouth. At the same time, thoughts of Jio’s harsh face and the punch he had thrown flashed through Do-hwa’s mind. But more painful than the physical wounds were Jio’s words.
‘You being with someone will only make them unhappy. Even Cha Min-jun will end up in trouble.’
The anxiety he had suppressed burst forth like flames, dragging him into dark memories.
‘Do-hwa, there are many beautiful things in the world. Feel the blue sky and the vast ocean.’
His late father had been very affectionate. When Do-hwa performed poorly on tests, his father would encourage him, and if he was bullied by classmates, his father would go and scold them. His father was like a giant tree, protecting Do-hwa.
At the age of fourteen, during the winter, Do-hwa and his father went to see the sea to celebrate the New Year. Little did he know that it would be the last trip with his father…
On their way back from seeing the sea with his father, they were involved in a car accident. The overturned car and his father’s blood-covered face, which had embraced him, lingered in his mind. The memories continued, leading to the funeral home. His mother was shouting as she blamed Do-hwa.
‘Na Do-hwa, it’s all your fault! You… You killed him, you devil!’
Do-hwa felt suffocated.
“Seonbae, do you have a fever again?”
Min-jun, who had been worried, gently cupped Do-hwa’s cheeks. His touch was big and sturdy, pulling Do-hwa out of the mud pool of his past in a rush.
“No, your fever has gone down a lot, and your cheeks, which were swollen last night, have gone down now.”
“Oh… um… that’s a relief.”
“Is it difficult to move your mouth?”
Min-jun’s gaze was fixed on Do-hwa’s small mouth. Do-hwa fidgeted as he was feeling self-conscious.
“No, I’m fine.”
Although the bandage felt uncomfortable and the wound stung, it wasn’t too difficult to speak.
“Just to be safe, please eat porridge until today.”
“Yeah…”
“I guess I shouldn’t have suggested going to the movies.”
“It’s not your fault.”
Min-jun honestly knew Cha Min-jun wasn’t quite normal, but he didn’t want to make him feel guilty. After all, Jio wasn’t exactly the gentle type, and it was his own fault for provoking him unnecessarily. It felt easier just to blame himself. Do-hwa’s eyes were clouded with sadness.
“Then let’s go wash up now.”
Min-jun takes Do-hwa’s hand with determination to thoroughly cleanse his face.
“No, I’ll do it myself.”
“It’s risky to do it alone with the wound. Plus, if water gets in, it’ll sting.”
Min-jun hesitantly lifted Do-hwa’s upper body, causing a slight pain in his abdomen. It was the area where Jio had ruthlessly kicked him. However, the pain wasn’t severe enough to immobilize him, so he swallowed it silently. Min-jun gradually shifted their position as if preparing to lift Do-hwa up.
“Min-jun, I can walk.”
Since entering this apartment, such incidents have become commonplace, but Do-hwa still can’t get used to them. Being held like this made him feel strangely like a baby, which was perplexing as an adult experiencing a baby’s sensations. More than anything, he couldn’t understand why Min-jun was so strong. He didn’t seem inclined to back down easily.
“Stay still, Do-hwa.”
Even calling out his name as they moved towards the bathroom. Do-hwa wanted to question why Min-jun was calling him by his name so casually, but he doubted Min-jun would listen even if he pointed it out. He felt like he was just three years old, unable to argue.
When is the schedule upload of this translator-nim? I’m looking forward to it sm 🥰 ty for this chapter
Hello. |˶˙ᵕ˙ )ﾉﾞ I don’t have a set schedule for uploading chapters of this novel yet. I’m still working on translating and editing it. 👩💻 Thank you for your patience and reading.
Man oh man I hope Do-hwa’s situation gets better soon 😭