Chapter 19.1

Chapter 19.1

Before Yeon-ha could even process the weight of his words, Min-gyu continued, his eyes locked onto hers with unsettling calm.

“Is that what this is? Are you trying to die?”

‘What…?’

A cold shiver ran down her spine, her eyes widening as if she had seen something terrifying. She wanted to deny it, to say something—anything—but the words wouldn’t come. Min-gyu’s question felt like an accusation: Why would you choose to die here, in my presence? His voice echoed in her mind, dredging up a memory from some time ago when he had bluntly remarked that finding her collapsed would be a hassle. It stung, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

Was it the cold? The fear? Or had he struck a nerve she hadn’t even realized was there? Yeon-ha was visibly shaken, trembling without even noticing. Min-gyu cursed under his breath, then suddenly yanked the front door wide open.

In her dazed state, Yeon-ha still managed a feeble protest. “What are you—!”

But her words were cut off by another coughing fit. While she struggled to catch her breath, Min-gyu brushed past her into the apartment. The door, which had nearly closed, was hastily grabbed by Yeon-ha as she stretched out a hand to keep it from shutting. Min-gyu quickly scanned the room, then bent down to touch the cold floor, a wry chuckle escaping his lips.

“It’s freezing in here.”

Leaning on her crutches, Yeon-ha turned her head to glare at him, though it was far from intimidating in his eyes.

“Don’t go inside.”

“I’m not going in.”

He straightened up, looking at her with a mix of frustration and concern before letting out a heavy sigh. “Hey, Hwang Yeon-ha.”

“This is too much, don’t you think?”

“…What do you mean, ‘What’?”

“You’re sick, holed up here alone, not eating, not going to the hospital—what the hell are you doing? You’re wasting away, damn it…”

Min-gyu’s words, laced with frustration, left Yeon-ha silent. His irritated, almost rebellious demeanor made her feel even more disoriented. Her mind struggled to keep up, processing everything a beat too late. She thought she understood why he was making such a fuss, but at the same time, it didn’t make sense.

“…!”

When his large hand suddenly pressed against her forehead, she flinched. Unlike the warmth she remembered, his touch now felt cool against her fevered skin, making her breath hitch in her throat. The sound of the door, which she had barely been holding open, closing softly behind her was oddly final.

“Your fever is through the roof…”

His voice trailed off, jaw clenched as if he was holding back a curse. Then, with a voice much softer than before, he continued.

“We need to get you to a hospital. Go grab something to wear.”

“No.”

“What?”

“There’s no point in going to the hospital this late.”

Under the dim light of the hallway, she saw him let out a sound that was half a sigh, half an expression of helplessness.

“We can go to the ER. They’ll at least give you a shot when they see you.”

“This isn’t serious enough for the ER…”

As they continued this seemingly pointless exchange, she suddenly felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Just as she was about to say more, he glanced at her labored breathing and clicked his tongue in obvious frustration.

  *

True to his word, Min-gyu returned quickly after he left, ordering her to wait with a tone that brooked no argument. Barely fifteen minutes had passed when she wearily opened the door to find him holding out a large paper bag.

“Eat this, right now.”

“Thanks, but I can handle it on my own…”

“How do I know you won’t just let it sit there like that chicken soup?”

He added with exaggerated disapproval, shaking his head as if disappointed at the thought of the soup being abandoned. The soup he’d left at her doorstep without her asking. Just as Yeon-ha was about to retort, her eyes fell on the logo of a porridge shop printed on the bag, and she realized she was hungrier than she thought.

In the end, she did as Min-gyu insisted, eating the porridge in front of him. It was an awkward and strange scene—him leaning casually against the wall near the entrance, not even bothering to remove his shoes, while she sat at the small table, eating under his watchful eye. The narrow hallway made the rest of the apartment visible, which was a little uncomfortable, but aside from the mess, there wasn’t much to complain about.

The only thing that really bothered her was the way she could feel his gaze, even without looking up. As she slowly spooned the porridge into her mouth, she suddenly put her spoon down.

“Are you done already?” he asked, his voice tinged with concern.

“Yes.”

Yeon-ha nodded quietly. Despite feeling ravenous just moments ago—so hungry that the sight of the abalone-filled porridge had stirred an overwhelming appetite—she found herself unable to eat much. Her stomach felt uncomfortably full after only a few bites.

“I’ll eat more later.”