Chapter 24.1

Chapter 24.1

“…What are you talking about?”

“You’re still not fully healed. Don’t want your ankle acting up again, do you?”

He motioned toward her ankle with a nod, and Yeon-ha responded firmly.

“It’s fine now. This is good enough.”

Her sharp answer left him staring at her in silence. She was already thinking up a comeback in case he said something else that didn’t sit right with her.

“If you say so.”

Min-gyu nodded, getting up without any further hesitation. She watched, a bit dazed, as he disappeared into the bathroom. A faint sigh escaped her.

That night, like always, Min-gyu held her close, asking her about this and that—what her exact work hours were, how she handled lunch, how much she made per hour. Then, suddenly, he asked if he could pick her up after work tomorrow if the timing worked out.

“There’s no need.”

Yeon-ha replied immediately, without much thought. She’d be finishing earlier than he usually got off work, and even if that weren’t the case, she could get around just fine on her own now. She expected the conversation to end there uneventfully.

“So cold.”

His curt voice drifted out in the darkness, tinged with a hint of disappointment she hadn’t anticipated. Oh… She flinched, trying to catch a glimpse of his expression, but before she could, his hand gently pressed against the back of her neck, pulling her closer to his chest. Her head rested back against him, powerless.

His low voice rumbled in her ear.

“We live together now… You could at least try to get a little attached.”

What? Yeon-ha couldn’t see his face, only lying still in his warm embrace, her breath shallow. She couldn’t help but replay his words in her mind. Did he still think she didn’t care for him?

‘Even so, asking him to pick me up feels like too much.’

She didn’t sleep well that night, tossing and turning, convinced it was just nerves about work tomorrow. She quietly tried to soothe her uneasy heart, resolving to put her all into it.

However, despite her firm resolve, Yeon-ha only lasted three days at the café before quitting.

The problem she’d worried about with her ankle had resurfaced. From the first day back at work, her foot and calf had swollen noticeably. It was uncomfortable and warm to the touch, but she brushed it off, thinking it was just from standing for the first time in a while.

But it didn’t get better. She even had to cancel the birthday dinner with Min-gyu, who had already given her a gift, saying he had something to do, only to surprise her with a dinner reservation.

“…Sorry. I’m not really sick, just tired. I just want to rest,” she said awkwardly. As always, he didn’t say much in response. He just replied, “Then you should rest,” as if he already knew how she felt.

She slept like a log that night, but the next day at work, the problem became clear. It felt like she had regressed to right after her surgery. Her whole foot throbbed, and it hurt to stand. Maybe it was the tension of learning something new, but she felt like she was using every muscle in her body. She endured six hours, completely exhausted, and finally left the café, only to find Min-gyu waiting for her without warning, and she couldn’t hold back her tears.

“Why did you come? I told you not to.”

“I was just on my way home, and the timing worked out.”

Even though she snapped at him, he responded calmly. She hurried her steps home, trying not to show her pain, feeling too proud to admit she was hurting. She skipped dinner and went straight to bed.

By the third day, she had a full-blown cold. Her body felt like it was sinking into the bed, too heavy to move.

“I’ll call them for you. No, I’ll go tell them you’re sick.”

“It’s fine…” she muttered, barely managing to shake off Min-gyu, who was glaring at her, and headed to the café. Her pale face didn’t go unnoticed, and the boss asked if she was sick, but she shook her head. She tried even harder to be cheerful, to smile more.

Yeon-ha had always been known for her bright and cheerful personality. It wasn’t an act; it was just who she was. But there was a part of her that felt like she had to try a little harder, like she had to prove something. Even without parents, even though she had to help out at a restaurant instead of playing after school, she wanted to show that she was still loved and happy. Looking back, that’s probably what it was.

That day, she was sent home an hour early. Her boss, noticing her pale complexion, kindly told her to rest over the weekend. Feeling uneasy, Yeon-ha headed straight to the orthopedic clinic. When she explained the situation with a downcast face, the doctor, who had performed her surgery, looked equally serious.

“I told you before, even though the bone healed, everyone’s recovery is different. In the worst cases, some patients end up needing another surgery.”

“Re-surgery?” The unexpected suggestion filled her with fear. The doctor explained that it would be best to wait a few more months before taking on any strenuous work. While walking or light jogging for rehabilitation was encouraged, standing for long hours like this was not ideal. There was no point in continuing medication, he added, as time would be the best healer. Hearing this, Yeon-ha felt a wave of emotions rising in her chest.

That very night, she collapsed into bed and spent the entire weekend lying down. By late Sunday afternoon, she dragged her heavy body to the café, deciding it would be better to explain things in person rather than over the phone.