Chapter 3.2

Chapter 3.2

“I have nothing to do here. Just like you said, I sleep all the time.”

Sometimes, I even wonder if something’s wrong… Min-gyu looked at her slightly dejected face and spoke slowly.

“What’s the problem with that? You’re still not fully recovered, so you need to sleep a lot. It just means you’re still healing.”

“…Is that so?”

“Of course. Stop worrying about useless things.”

Honestly, she felt there might be more to it, but Min-gyu’s firm words gave her some peace of mind. Yeon-ha nodded slowly.

A subtle silence fell between them. Yeon-ha glanced at him and gently set her spoon down, prompting an immediate reproach.

“You didn’t finish.”

“Yeah… I just don’t have much of an appetite. It’s delicious, though.”

She had eaten about half, but it seemed that wasn’t enough. Feeling guilty, she mumbled an apology, and Min-gyu frowned disapprovingly.

“No need to apologize.”

He quickly finished the rest of her meal in a few bites. Yeon-ha watched him quietly.

She wanted to help with the cleanup, but Min-gyu wouldn’t even let her bring the dishes to the sink, glaring at her until she retreated. Eventually, she was chased out of the kitchen and returned to the living room after brushing her teeth. She didn’t feel like staying in the room.

The spacious living room with large windows had no furniture, not even a TV. Yeon-ha sat on a thin mat on the floor, leaning loosely against the wall. Min-gyu had suggested going outside for some fresh air if she got bored, but she didn’t feel like it.

‘The weather is really nice.’

Last night had been stormy, but now it seemed like spring had fully arrived, with bright sunshine outside. Listening to the clinking of dishes in the background, Yeon-ha blinked slowly, feeling drowsy again.

‘I shouldn’t sleep…’

She felt that if she slept again, Min-gyu would think poorly of her. Despite her efforts to stay awake, the overwhelming drowsiness made her body go limp.

Maybe I should just lie down for a bit… Yeon-ha eventually, without much shame, lay down on the mat. The hard floor was noticeable but didn’t bother her. As soon as she closed her eyes, she felt incredibly comfortable. Any resolve to wake up soon was quickly forgotten as she drifted into a deep sleep.

—

“Why do you sleep so deeply?”

Yeon-ha, putting on a thin cardigan over her long-sleeve shirt, paused at Min-gyu’s comment. It was early evening, and he had suddenly suggested going out for some fresh air. She wondered what he meant.

“You sleep without moving an inch. Sometimes, I check to see if you’re still breathing.”

“…”

So that’s what he meant. Probably a joke, she thought, letting his words pass through one ear and out the other as she glanced at the mirror in the wardrobe. What was supposed to be a short nap had turned into another two hours of sleep.

Min-gyu had woken her up, carrying her to the bed without her noticing. She had slept soundly through it all.

After waking up, while Min-gyu busied himself with some chores in the yard, Yeon-ha did the ankle exercises the hospital had recommended. Recently, she had been keeping her phone off most of the time, but she turned it on to look up various things, specifically part-time jobs.

She wasn’t confident about standing for long periods yet, but when push came to shove, she knew she could handle it. While she appreciated Min-gyu’s efforts to ensure she didn’t lift a finger, she knew she couldn’t continue like this forever. She had already received more than enough of his care.

Speaking of which…

‘Isn’t it warm now?’

Having not gone out much, she had lost track of the weather. Should she take off her cardigan? Standing there, Yeon-ha pondered for a moment. The wardrobe by the bed was filled with both her and Min-gyu’s clothes. At twenty-one, an age where she should be more interested in fashion, their combined wardrobes still didn’t fill up the closet. Neither of them had many clothes. The cardigan she was wearing was something she had worn over her school uniform until her senior year.

Due to her weak health, Yeon-ha had started school a year late and taken the college entrance exam at twenty. Throughout her three years of high school, she had worn the same outer garment during the transitional seasons. She looked at her expressionless face in the mirror, her gaze meeting Min-gyu’s as he crossed his arms.

“…Let’s go.”

She finally decided to keep the cardigan on and spoke, causing him to tilt his head slightly.

“You’re going out like that?”

“Why?”

“You’re always complaining about being cold.”

He teased her about not giving her a hug if she complained about being cold, but then rummaged through the closet and pulled out a slightly thicker coat for her. Yeon-ha hesitated for a moment before taking it silently and putting it on over her cardigan. Only then did Min-gyu look satisfied.