Chapter 16.1

Chapter 16.1

Yeon-ha flinched at the sudden heat rising in her throat. She barely knew this man and their interactions were anything but smooth. Still, the roughness in his voice seemed to carry a hint of concern, as if he had noticed just how unwell she was.

“Yes,” she said, trying to sound calm.

But then a wave of dizziness hit her, causing her to stagger. She didn’t have time to steady herself before her vision went blurry. Min-gyu quickly caught her as she started to collapse.

What’s happening to me?

In his arms, Yeon-ha struggled to stay conscious. The room spun, and her stomach churned. She barely managed to push herself away from him as she heard his voice asking if she was okay.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes… I’m fine.”

Her pale face told a different story, and Min-gyu scoffed.

“You’re a terrible liar.”

In the end, she ended up in the taxi he had called, heading to the hospital together. Min-gyu brushed off her protests about wanting to go alone.

“If you pass out, who am I supposed to collect the rent from?”

There was nothing more to add. It was almost funny how, despite everything, Yeon-ha felt oddly reassured by the man sticking so close. It made no sense, especially since she’d been avoiding him, but there it was. If she collapsed again, at least she wouldn’t look too pathetic with him around. But—

“When does rehab start?”

As the man grilled the doctor with questions, Yeon-ha felt more awkward than reassured. He was standing behind her, looking like he was her personal bodyguard. That part was fine, but—

“Why…”

She gaped as he casually handed over his card at the payment counter. Yeon-ha tried to give her own card, but his large hand stopped her. The warmth from his hand against hers felt strangely foreign. As he returned her card with a casual smile, she snapped.

“Why are you paying?”

“Got plenty of money.”

“Seriously?”

She stared at him, stunned, and he shrugged. “Let’s just go eat.”

***

After leaving the hospital, they went to a nearby Seolleongtang* place for a late lunch. It was Yeon-ha’s first decent meal in a while. He took care of the bill again, and she decided to let him handle it. She’d sort out her share of the rent and medical bills later.

*Seolleongtang – ox bone soup

She should have been handling it herself, but—

‘I might be short on cash.’

With the meal set before her, Yeon-ha hesitated. She picked up her spoon only after catching his impatient look. The warm soup was a welcome comfort.

It was delicious.

‘Just eat and figure it out later.’

Famished, Yeon-ha decided to focus on her meal. The silence between them lasted until he set his spoon down first. Even though she was eating quickly, she hadn’t finished half her meal yet. He watched her closely, not bothering with his phone or anything else. His intense gaze was a bit uncomfortable, but she finished her meal and reached for her water. Only then did he finally speak.

“Your name is Hwang Yeon-ha, right?”

He seemed to be confirming what he’d heard at the hospital. Yeon-ha nodded.

“I’m Kwon Min-gyu.”

He introduced himself without being asked. Yeon-ha already knew his name from the contract months ago, so she stayed quiet. Min-gyu asked again.

“You said you were taking the college entrance exam, or… well, it’s over now. You’re nineteen, right?”

“…How do you know about the exam?”

“Your grandmother told me. She said you’d definitely get into XX University.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Yeon-ha felt her eyes well up. Her grandmother who always boasted about Yeon-ha’s academic prowess and her inevitable admission to XX University. It wasn’t to pressure her but a way to express her regrets about not being able to afford a proper academy and her pride in Yeon-ha. She bit her lip, determined not to show her emotions in front of Min-gyu.

“I’m twenty. I’ll be twenty-one soon.”

It was a detail she didn’t have to mention, but she said it with a hint of defiance. She wanted to make it clear she wasn’t just a kid to be taken seriously. The difference between nineteen and twenty was significant. Min-gyu raised his eyebrows slightly at her firm tone.

“You don’t look it. What did you do to end up like this?”

“What?”

“Did you get into trouble or something?”

Yeon-ha frowned at the unexpected question. When she explained that she had started school a year late due to her health, Min-gyu finally nodded, understanding. He then asked if she had any chronic illnesses, to which she shook her head. T

he truth was, she didn’t know for sure. She’d just accepted her grandmother’s words as they were. Min-gyu shrugged exaggeratedly.

“Well, that makes us the same age.”