Chapter 19.2

Chapter 19.2

She added the comment awkwardly, but Min-gyu didn’t say much in response. As she cast a glance at him, she began to rummage through the medicine bag beside her. It was filled with cold medicine, likely bought from a pharmacy on the main street that stayed open late. The thought of him rushing to get back quickly made her feel strange. Even with fast walking, the pharmacy was far—there was no way he could have returned so quickly without running…

She downed the pills with a gulp of the energy drink that had come with them. Taking her medicine seemed like the best way to recover quickly.

As she sifted through the bag that had held the porridge, she noticed a small juice bottle. It wasn’t something from the pharmacy—he must have picked it up from the porridge shop. The moment she noticed the glass bottle, she felt an unexpected craving for something fresh. Without thinking, she spoke to him.

“Did you buy this too?”

“Yes.”

Even before he finished his brief reply, her hand was already reaching for the juice. She quickly unscrewed the cap and drank it all in one go. Her sudden, almost frantic movements didn’t escape his notice—his eyes narrowed slightly.

“Want me to get more?”

“No…!”

She shook her head quickly as he began to stand up. He was always so quick to act—maybe too quick. Or maybe it was just that he was exceptionally decisive.

“It’s fine.”

As she wiped her mouth with her hand, he made a reluctant sound, caught in an awkward half-stance, watching her.

“…I can get back in no time.”

A small, involuntary laugh escaped her lips. It wasn’t meant to be a laugh, but it just slipped out. For once, the expression on his face didn’t seem so intimidating. At that moment, she wasn’t afraid of him at all. It wasn’t about him specifically—she felt like she wouldn’t have feared anyone right now.

She had reached a point where she felt like nothing mattered anymore.

“Thanks… I’m always relying on you.”

Min-gyu let out a deep breath, not responding to Yeon-ha’s mumbled words. Her gaze, which had been briefly directed at him, slowly dropped. Then, with a heavy sigh, he sank back down into his spot. The sensor light flickered back on, illuminating the cramped entryway, making it feel even smaller with his large frame occupying the space.

“Um… You don’t need to worry about anything.”

Yeon-ha’s words trailed off as she spoke in a roundabout way. Did he understand that she meant he didn’t need to worry about her dying here?

A silence filled the small space, broken only by the sound of the cold wind outside. In that silence, Yeon-ha coughed again, harshly this time. Min-gyu’s brow furrowed in concern, but she didn’t see it as she turned her head, covering her mouth with her hand.

She wanted to tell him he could go now, that he didn’t need to worry, but the words wouldn’t come out. She didn’t know why.

‘He’ll leave on his own,’ she thought, exhaling a shallow sigh and leaning loosely against the wall. She had always been cautious, distrustful, and wary of others due to her upbringing. But now, her judgment felt clouded. People’s vision narrows when they’re cornered, and here she was, in the same small space with someone she had only spent one day with, yet feeling an odd sense of comfort. Maybe it was something like relief, she thought.

At any rate, she didn’t want to complicate things right now. She wanted to focus on the simple sensations—the warmth of the porridge she had just eaten, the cool, tangy sweetness of the juice, the way her stomach felt a little more at ease, and the drowsiness that was slowly creeping in.

With a languid expression, she blinked, and then Min-gyu called her name softly.

“Hwang Yeon-ha.”

“Yes?”

She turned her head slightly, glancing at him from where she was sitting. The sensor light had turned off again, but the light from the living room illuminated Min-gyu’s serious expression. After a moment, his voice, a bit hoarse, broke the silence.

“Let’s talk.”

Yeon-ha hesitated for a moment before asking in a tired voice, “About what?”

The man, who had been quietly listening to her weak question, did something unusual—he hesitated. His hesitation was clear to Yeon-ha, even from a distance. What could he possibly want to talk about? The longer the silence stretched, the more anxious she became.

‘Could it be about money?’

The thought flashed through her mind. Just as she was beginning to feel more uneasy, he finally spoke, his tone slightly awkward.