Ch 67

It was a relief that Dr Rowoon was there. Ji-an, who had been reassured by the thought that everything was in harmony, felt pathetic for finding solace in such a thing.

But suddenly, why build an indoor garden? When had he ever said he liked flowers or plants? Of course, no one outright dislikes nature, but still. Why does this man have no middle ground?

“And this is…”

Mm, was this the reason? Because he didn’t know what Ji-an liked, he prepared everything just in case. It felt the same as when they had gone shopping together and returned home to find the overwhelming dress room. It reminded him of when Ideun had gone out to buy nurungji but came back with all kinds of street food instead.

“The ring needs an exact size…”

Listening to Ideun’s continuous words, Ji-an sighed in relief upon hearing that he hadn’t bought a ring because he wasn’t sure of the size. If it had been this man, he might have gone to every luxury store and bought rings ranging from hundreds to thousands in price.

I should just keep my mouth shut.

Or, instead of speaking vaguely, I should tell him everything precisely, one by one.

“And this is…”

Watching Ideun hesitating, as if gauging his reaction, yet still explaining everything he had prepared one by one, Ji-an bit his lower lip. It was a portfolio of available houses, so they could go through them together and choose. There was also a list of wedding planners, so they could handle everything all at once. As Ideun said this, Ji-an gripped his arm more tightly.

What am I supposed to do with this man?

“Ahjussi.”

“Yeah?”

“Be honest. You’ve never dated before, have you?”

“……”

So today, all he got to see was a flustered, awkward, and embarrassed Ideun. No matter what, at his age, how had he never dated? Not that Ji-an had any experience himself, but still…

“Can these be returned?”

After tapping Ideun’s arm twice, Ji-an walked toward the piled-up boxes. Opening the topmost box, which bore a clear luxury brand logo, his lips unconsciously pouted. Inside was an ivory-colored turtleneck knit, looking warm and cozy even at a glance. The moment his hands brushed against it, he was impressed by its softness and warmth, but he quickly lifted his head.

He locked eyes with Ideun, who was still standing there, watching him—right where he had been when he hugged Ji-an. Tossing the box aside, he opened another one and found a pair of pants that matched the knit perfectly. In the next box, there were sneakers.

Even though Ideun had already bought him plenty of clothes, and Ji-an had intended to return these, everything he pulled out of the boxes appealed to him.

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to tell Ideun to return them. Instead, as he gradually moved and unwrapped the packages, checking the contents, Ideun had somehow ended up standing right in front of him.

“Ji-an.”

“What?”

“Seo Ji-an.”

“Why…”

One after another, there were long cardigans to casually throw on, mules, and loungewear perfect for wearing at home. Not a single heavy coat. What he actually needed was a thick padded jacket. When he had been outside in the freezing cold, that was what he had longed for the most.

A luxurious cashmere coat might be light and soft, but outside, none of that mattered. What he needed was something thick and stuffed—whether with down, cotton, or synthetic fill—so puffy that he could practically roll around in it.

Ji-an had been setting a box aside when his movements came to a halt. Ideun had knelt in front of him. The moment he saw the small box in Ideun’s hand as he looked up at him, his heart pounded wildly.

It seemed a little too big to be a ring case. But in this situation, at this moment, there was only one thing Ideun could be about to do.

“Will you let me be part of your life and our baby’s life?”

The word “marriage” wasn’t in his straightforward words, but Ji-an’s nose stung with emotion. When Ideun opened the box, Ji-an’s large eyes welled with tears. Inside was a silver bracelet.

What caught his attention more than the two similarly sized bracelets was the smallest one, nestled inside the necklace.

Too small for either Ideun or Ji-an to wear. A size that only a very young baby could fit into.

“Ugh.”

A muffled, tearful complaint slipped from Ji-an’s lips. How was he supposed to reject something like this? A plain, smooth bracelet—designed with no sharp edges for safety—carried far more meaning than a diamond ring worth tens or even hundreds of millions.

Determined not to cry, Ji-an only sniffled as Ideun clasped the bracelet around his wrist. Ji-an stared at his own bracelet, Ideun, and the last bracelet still in the case. Then he picked up the biggest one.

He fastened it around Ideun’s left wrist, still kneeling before him.

Now, only the smallest bracelet remained in the box.

“You should put that one on our little snake yourself when you meet him later.”

“Little snake?”

“…Yeah. Our little snake.”

He hadn’t meant to call it that, but in his dreams, he had met that black snake twice already, and by now, he had started calling it “little snake” without thinking.

In reality, the snake had been huge, far bigger than himself—so thick and long that he couldn’t have wrapped both arms around it. But the image burned into his mind was of the little snake hiding in the bushes, about to leave him.

“Is that the baby’s nickname?”

Nickname… He hadn’t thought of it that way, but no other name came to mind. Maybe because he had been calling it “little snake” to himself all this time? As Ideun asked, Ji-an nodded.

“Hello, little snake.”

As Ideun, still kneeling, pulled him into a hug, his face naturally rested against Ji-an’s stomach. Hearing his soft whisper, Ji-an sniffled again.

It felt like just yesterday that he had been overwhelmed with pessimistic thoughts.

Not long ago, he had thought of this extraordinary man as someone belonging to the heavens.

And now, at the peak of winter’s chill…

It was no longer just the two of them.

There were three of them.

“And the old woman… I’ll meet her soon.”

After a brief pause, Ideun spoke with difficulty. Ji-an, understanding what kind of misunderstanding he had and why he was doing this for him, reached out to stroke his hair as he kept his face pressed against Ji-an’s stomach.

The grand and extravagant proposal ended awkwardly with a knock on the door. If no one had interrupted, they might have ended up clinging to each other, sobbing. But right after the second knock, the hospital room door opened.

“Excuse me.”

The door swung open, and Ji-an immediately turned his gaze toward the entrance at the familiar, steady voice.

Secretary Lee stepped inside, followed by several others. Ji-an quickly grabbed onto Ideun’s shoulders, but the man, still kneeling and hugging his waist like it was his lifeline, didn’t budge.

Instead of pushing him away, Ji-an resorted to lightly punching his shoulders in frustration.

Get up. Get off me. Move. Hurry up and let go…

“I brought some light refreshments.”

Ji-an barely managed to keep his balance, but he simply stood up. Holding onto Ideun’s hand, who still refused to let go of the arm wrapped around his waist, Ji-an gave an awkward smile.

“I’m… I’m fine. What about Grandma? She must have been really startled.”

“The chairman is fine.”

Does everyone have to act like this when working for Grandma? Ji-an felt embarrassed by Secretary Lee’s rigid, emotionless voice, much like Secretary Baek’s, and fiddled absentmindedly with the back of Ideun’s hand. Just this morning, he had yelled at Ideun for forgetting to bring the snacks Grandma had packed. He hadn’t expected to be sent off like this at all.

Feeling awkward about being cared for, Ji-an stood still like a stone statue. But when he saw the overwhelming amount of food laid out before him, which was far too much to be considered a simple meal, he turned to Secretary Lee.

“I wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I prepared an assortment. If you have any preferences, please let me know, and I’ll make adjustments next time.”

This is a hospital, right? It’s a VIP suite, sure, but still a hospital.

The room was filled with decorative flowers creating a warm and comfortable atmosphere, along with stacks of luxury-brand gift boxes—gifts Ideun had prepared. And at the center of it all, on the table in front of the sofa, was a meal that went beyond a seven-dish spread, possibly exceeding an eleven-dish feast.

“Clear pollack soup, spicy fish stew, steamed crab, grilled short rib patties, nabak kimchi, white kimchi…”

As each dish was uncovered, Ji-an instinctively named them one by one. White rice, multigrain rice—there were so many different kinds. And these weren’t just packed meals; they had been freshly prepared and carried over. Even the flawless plating was overwhelming. Ji-an remained standing in the same spot by the living room, where he had first greeted them, unable to move.

“Well then.”

As if his only purpose had been to deliver the food, Secretary Lee began tidying up, preparing to leave. The words “Huh?” escaped Ji-an’s lips before he realized it.

“After your meal, leave everything as it is. We’ll return tomorrow morning and clean up.”

Wait, they’re not planning to do this three times a day until I’m discharged, are they?

“For breakfast, prepare a simple porridge and brunch. Decaffeinated coffee.”

Standing there with his mouth agape, Ji-an was at a loss for what to do. But Ideun naturally guided him to sit on the sofa, making him quickly shake his head. The distance from Grandma’s house to here wasn’t exactly short. And once again—this is a hospital.

Even if it looked like a luxury hotel suite, a hospital was still a hospital.

“Understood.”

As if his opinion wasn’t needed at all, Secretary Lee left after finishing his conversation with Ideun. Ji-an placed a hand on his forehead.

This family… they’re kind of scary. Even speaking up feels terrifying.

A face so perfect, cold, and unapproachable that it was unforgettable at first glance. A tone of speech devoid of warmth or kindness, cutting straight to the point, blunt to an extreme.

It was the kind of presence that made one think it was better not to speak at all.

And yet, underneath it all…

He knew why Grandma had sent this. He couldn’t refuse. She was the one who had held his hand tightly as he sobbed uncontrollably after hearing about Ahjussi’s parents. Despite the deep wrinkles on her hands, they had been warm and gentle as she continuously stroked his own.

She had patted his back as he hiccupped from crying, telling him to rest while she prepared some snacks for him to take home. So he had quickly gone to sit by the window. The softly lit garden had been too beautiful. It was the perfect spot to organize his emotions while maintaining a comfortable distance from Grandma. She must have needed time to sort out her own thoughts and feelings as well.

He had felt drowsy then and eventually fallen asleep. But he had woken up to Ideun’s voice, sharp and filled with pent-up resentment. That was when he realized there was a huge misunderstanding between Grandma and his uncle. And at the center of it all, stirring up the worst of it, was Secretary Baek.

Sure, Ideun always got lost in his ridiculous delusions, wandering into the most bizarre conclusions, but the real cause of everything was clearly Secretary Baek. Between Grandma and Ideun, between Ideun and himself—it was Secretary Baek who had made them despise each other.

But just like when he had eventually given up and let Ideun into his heart, once the misunderstanding with Grandma cleared up, the hatred and resentment melted away like cotton candy. Now that he knew where his negative emotions should truly be directed, he felt lighter.

“Ahjussi…”

“What do you want to eat first? Clear soup would be a good start, right?”

When Ji-an looked at Ideun, he saw that he had also picked up his utensils. This wasn’t a meal prepared just for Ji-an—it was meant for both of them. The misunderstandings hadn’t been completely resolved, but just seeing Ideun ready to eat made Ji-an feel a little more at ease.

***

Of all things, he actually got to hear the phrase, “What kind of madness is this?” spoken out loud.

“You couldn’t hold out for a few days, and now the hospital room looks like this?”

Even though Ji-an hadn’t eaten much, he had finished a decent dinner. He then spent the remaining time assembling a LEGO car that Ideun had brought. By the time the last nurse had come in for a final vital check around 10 p.m., Ji-an’s eventful day had come to an end.

Early the next morning, a nurse’s visit woke him up. Secretary Lee arrived at the hospital’s scheduled meal time. Ideun had his fill with brunch while Ji-an was about to finish assembling the LEGO set from the night before—when Rowoon appeared.

“Watch your language. The little snake is listening.”

“Hah…”

It wasn’t even that harsh of a curse. And everything Rowoon said was true. Yet, Ideun immediately shut him down, making Ji-an wonder if this was the same man who had been flustered just moments ago in front of him. On top of that, Ji-an never thought he’d hear the word “little snake” come out of Ideun’s mouth.

“Ji-an, how are you feeling?”

Rowoon seemed to have given up on conversing with Ideun and instead turned his gaze toward Ji-an. Ji-an fidgeted with a LEGO piece and quickly nodded. Enveloped in Ideun’s pheromones, he had slept deeper and more peacefully than he had in a long time, making his body feel lighter than usual.

Even his cough and runny nose seemed to have improved.

“Daily blood tests must be exhausting, right?”

It’s just a little blood. What’s so exhausting about that?

What was more annoying than the blood tests were the constant interruptions from nurses checking on him at all hours. They were careful not to disturb him, but to someone used to being alone, those little things were irritating. Especially not knowing when someone might suddenly walk in.

“Hospital life must be tough too.”

Ji-an glanced up briefly, looking between Rowoon, who was reading his chart, and Ideun, who stood next to him with his arms crossed and a frown on his face. The motion lifted the cuff of Ideun’s suit sleeve slightly, revealing the matching bracelet they had put on each other earlier. Ji-an instinctively touched his own left wrist with his right hand.

Even though he was touching cold metal, his heart felt warmer than ever.