Chapter 22.2

Chapter 22.2

“Did you sleep okay?”

This became one of Min-gyu’s regular questions. Ever since he caught her crying from the pain not long after she had moved in, he made a habit of checking on her ankle every morning.

How did it feel yesterday? Did it hurt while you slept? The wording might change slightly, but he asked these questions every day, always with a serious expression as if he genuinely wanted to know.

In the evenings, he diligently applied heat packs and gave her massages. It was touching, considering that he was the one working hard outside all day while she mostly rested. His attentive care was almost overwhelming.

As their routine continued, three months quietly passed by.

It was a time marked by subtle yet certain changes. During this period, more and more of Yeon-ha’s belongings filled the house.

While some were things she had brought from her old place, most were items Min-gyu had bought specifically for her—like a mobile chair for easier movement inside, a small, cute lamp, and a neatly sized bedside table. The once sparse room began to take on the cozy atmosphere of a young woman’s bedroom.

Eventually, her cast was replaced with a protective brace, and she started physical therapy. Min-gyu adjusted his work schedule to accompany her, even changing his shifts to evenings if necessary. Though she insisted she could go alone, he wouldn’t hear of it.

Yeon-ha didn’t push back much, as she found herself liking his company.

It was strange how something so simple as having him by her side had become so normal in such a short time. She had always been used to doing things on her own, yet here she was, suddenly reliant on someone else.

Despite this, Yeon-ha tried not to overthink the nature of their relationship, which defied easy definition. After all, she had ended up in this situation out of desperation, with a “let’s see what happens” mentality. She had thought she would just stay until he asked her to leave, but now…

The day they visited her university together to submit her leave of absence form, with him actually paying her tuition, she became acutely aware of how unusual the situation was.

She felt a complex mix of emotions–guilt, gratitude, a sense of burden, embarrassment, and a lack of self-respect.

However, she couldn’t bring herself to say anything to him, even though he was doing far too much for her. Right now, she desperately needed someone, and paradoxically, Kwon Min-gyu was the perfect person for that role.

As long as he didn’t kick her out, Yeon-ha wanted to stay there a bit longer. But that didn’t mean she felt entirely at ease. After all, she was in a position where she was just relying on him without giving anything in return. She could only cautiously speculate about when she might eventually leave.

She had considered countless possibilities, but the moment their bodies first came together was something she had never imagined.

It happened one night when she woke up drenched in sweat from a terrible nightmare. She was so overwhelmed with fear that she felt like her life was in danger. Somewhere in the blurry haze before her eyes, Min-gyu appeared.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, his voice filled with concern. He gently pulled her into his arms, his warmth calming her as she trembled. He had rushed in, startled by the sound of her crying, but she was too overwhelmed to notice. The lingering horror still had a tight grip on her.

Looking back, it was clear she was going through some sort of emotional turmoil. It wasn’t just the nightmare—it was a deep sense of anxiety that she couldn’t handle alone. Back then, she didn’t understand what was happening to her; she was just pushing through, trying to survive.

Amidst it all, as flashes of black and white filled her vision, she instinctively reached out and pulled him closer. “Min-gyu…” she whispered, her voice barely audible. She vividly remembered his warm breath and the reassuring strength in his arms.

Yeon-ha sought comfort, so she buried herself deeper into him. At first, he hesitated, but then he slowly leaned into her. As she welcomed his comforting weight, a thought crossed her mind—’I’m glad I came here’.

“It’s okay,” he murmured, his low voice soothing her. As his lips gently brushed against hers, she felt a wave of relief.

That was how it all began.