By Zephyria 
“Ah… no.”
Just how long had he been watching?
It was true that his eyes had grown hot as he recalled the paintings he had seen in the painting studio, but he hadn’t actually cried. He had simply wondered what ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had been feeling while painting them. Moreover, he felt that there was no longer anyone left to help complete those paintings. As those thoughts crossed his mind, a momentary wave of sorrow had simply washed over him.
“I heard you went to the painting studio. Did you paint something?”
Seo Yi-kyung’s lips parted slightly. Butler Do’s face flashed before his eyes. What had he said? Regardless of the answer, he hoped the man hadn’t come to any harm.
“Yes.”
It was a stroke of luck amidst the misfortune. Compared to the pounding of his heart, the voice leaking out as he told the lie did not tremble.
Han Seung-jae’s gaze slid down to Seo Yi-kyung’s hand, which was gripping the railing. The white, slender fingers looked soft. Han Seung-jae grabbed the wrist where a blue bruise had formed.
“Ugh.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s lips opened slowly and then closed. It was clear that Han Seung-jae had noticed he was lying.
Pulling Seo Yi-kyung toward him, Han Seung-jae wrapped his free arm around Seo Yi-kyung’s waist. The cookies in his pocket were completely crushed. His large palm brushed down over the cardigan.
“I want to see it.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s waist trembled faintly. That tremor was more than enough to be transmitted directly to Han Seung-jae.
“I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of painting you’ll create.”
Han Seung-jae gripped Seo Yi-kyung’s bruised wrist tightly. As he did, the pale palm folded back, and a sharp pain flared up. Seo Yi-kyung’s fingers quivered. Han Seung-jae met his eyes with pupils as cold as ice.
“With a hand like this.”
* * *
Swoosh—
Narrowing his eyes, Seo Yi-kyung held his aching right wrist under the sink. Whenever he tried to move his fingers even slightly, excruciating pain followed without fail.
He had forgotten. He had completely forgotten what kind of person Han Seung-jae was just because he had been treated with a bit of kindness. Originally, Han Seung-jae had behaved with a certain level of courtesy and protocol in front of ‘Seo Yi-kyung.’ The fact that he had been considerate and pretended to be gentlemanly was most likely because ‘Seo Yi-kyung’ had not done anything to irritate him.
Seo Yi-kyung looked down at his hand, which had turned blue. He had to consider himself lucky that it wasn’t broken. Then, he shifted his gaze to the mirror. A pale face was frowning deeply. At this rate, it didn’t seem like his miserable future would change. In fact, the situation was already getting worse.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. Seo Yi-kyung turned away from the sink. Water dripped along his fingers. When he opened the door with his left hand, Butler Do was standing there, breathing heavily as if he had run.
“Director Han told me to come see you.”
Butler Do scanned Seo Yi-kyung thoroughly and then lowered his head. Butler Do’s expression darkened as he looked at Seo Yi-kyung’s blue wrist.
“Are you alright?”
Butler Do took out a towel and carefully reached out, watching the water flow down Seo Yi-kyung’s fingers. He gently wrapped Seo Yi-kyung’s slender hand in the towel. Despite this, Seo Yi-kyung’s brow furrowed slightly. Butler Do’s movements stopped abruptly.
“I’ll do it.”
Seo Yi-kyung grabbed the end of the towel and wiped the back of his hand, lightly drying only the moisture on the bones. In the meantime, Butler Do left the room and returned. He was holding a first-aid kit. He passed the side table where he set down the tray and approached the bed.
“Did you have a fight?”
Butler Do asked cautiously. A short while ago, he had been heading to the second floor with juice and sandwiches on a tray. Han Seung-jae had said he wouldn’t eat dinner, but he had been worried about Seo Yi-kyung, who wouldn’t leave his room.
At that moment, as Butler Do reached the second-floor stairs, Han Seung-jae approached him.
—He hasn’t eaten anything all afternoon. I’ll just deliver this and come right back out.
Toward the man showing the tray he was holding, Han Seung-jae had simply said, “Go on in,” with a void, emotionless face.
“…….”
When no answer came from Seo Yi-kyung, who was perched on the edge of the bed, Butler Do opened the first-aid kit. Watching him pull out bandages, Seo Yi-kyung spoke with a sigh.
“It’s no use even if you tell Father.”
As if his thoughts had been read, Butler Do paused for a moment before winding the bandage around Seo Yi-kyung’s wrist.
It wasn’t as if he hadn’t known from the start. Han Seung-jae was a man who loathed lying more than anyone. If he had lied, he should have at least avoided getting caught, but because the encounter had been so sudden, he hadn’t been cautious.
Click. At the sound of the door opening, Butler Do looked back and bowed. Only then did Han Seung-jae’s full figure enter Seo Yi-kyung’s field of vision.
Han Seung-jae’s gaze landed on one spot. The end of the bandage on Seo Yi-kyung’s wrist, which had not yet been knotted, was hanging down. Butler Do hurriedly straightened his back and reached out with both hands.
“It’s almost finished.”
He rattled off words that weren’t asked for, as if to signal that he would finish up and leave immediately. After finishing with a piece of surgical tape, Butler Do grabbed the first-aid kit in his haste. Because of that, the open kit tilted, and the contents spilled all over the floor. Bandages, scissors, disinfectant, ointment, and surgical tape rolled around.
“I-I’m sorry. I’ll clean this up right away…”
Seo Yi-kyung, who had been sitting on the bed, stood up. Bending his upper body next to the flustered Butler Do, he reached out with his left hand and grabbed the surgical tape rolling across the marble floor.
A pair of long legs stopped in front of him. Seo Yi-kyung slowly lifted his upper body.
“If you’re done, leave.”
Han Seung-jae had been looking straight ahead. However, his words were directed at Butler Do.
The room was filled with air so cold it felt like it was slicing through skin. Just by Han Seung-jae standing there, the atmosphere changed in an instant.
Holding the first-aid kit in both hands, Butler Do hesitated for a moment, but there was no other way. He looked at the pale-faced Seo Yi-kyung once and turned around. It felt as if he were walking on thin ice.
“Please call me if you need anything.”
It sounded as if he were telling Seo Yi-kyung to let him know if he needed help. Click. The door closed, and only the two of them remained in the room.
“Your hand?”
The voice that broke the silence was so low it sent shivers down the nape of the neck. Seo Yi-kyung gripped the surgical tape in his hand.
“I can move my fingers.”
Seo Yi-kyung stood stubbornly with his back straight. However, he couldn’t hide the trembling of his fingertips. Han Seung-jae looked down at the bandaged wrist and spoke nonchalantly.
“I’m looking forward to it. To see what kind of painting you’ll show me.”
* * *
……Click. After closing the door and stepping out, Butler Do stood there for a moment with a face full of worry, fearing that something might happen. Nevertheless, the closed door did not open.
Butler Do moved his reluctant feet, his eyes clouded with anxiety. Director Han’s violent tendencies were alarming. It was the wrist for now, but what would happen if he became even more severe?
Perhaps because he was worrying excessively, the image of Seo Yi-kyung coughing up blood after being hit by Han Seung-jae flickered before Butler Do’s eyes. He couldn’t guarantee that such a thing wouldn’t happen.
This was no time to be complacent. From the moment he first met the young master, he had served him with all his heart. Sometimes like a father, sometimes like a friend.
The young master never showed even the smallest bit of distress to the outside world. He was someone who simply shut himself in the painting studio for days on end to paint, swallowing everything inside.
If left like this, something even worse might happen. As if having made a decision, he walked down the stairs.
* * *
It was the following day.
Clink. Seo Yi-kyung dropped the chopsticks he was holding. Butler Do quickly bent down and picked up the chopsticks from the floor. He then instructed a helper to bring a new pair.
However, Seo Yi-kyung picked up his spoon, scooped some rice, and put it in his mouth. His small lips chewed slowly.
Whenever he was eating, Han Seung-jae didn’t speak to him. Seo Yi-kyung ate very slowly. It was as if he were trying to prevent Han Seung-jae from speaking.
Fearing that Han Seung-jae might send Butler Do away, Seo Yi-kyung quickly spoke to him.
“Please give me some more soup.”
Butler Do stood beside Seo Yi-kyung, filled the empty bowl, and changed the plates. Plates containing small portions of food were placed before him.
Secretary Park approached Han Seung-jae, who was gripping a water glass. Han Seung-jae’s eyebrow shot up.
He looked at Seo Yi-kyung once, stood up, and answered the phone. As the sound of Han Seung-jae’s conversation grew distant, the tightness in Seo Yi-kyung’s chest gradually loosened.
Dropping the spoon, Seo Yi-kyung gripped his right wrist with his left hand. His fingers were twitching in spasms. Butler Do hurriedly pushed up the cardigan Seo Yi-kyung was wearing. The bandaged wrist was more swollen than the day before.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, Seo Yi-kyung pulled down his cardigan and hid his right hand under the ceramic dining table. His eyes briefly met those of Han Seung-jae, who was dressed in a suit. Han Seung-jae turned his head and continued walking. Only then did Seo Yi-kyung lean back into his chair.
Butler Do brought an ice pack, placed Seo Yi-kyung’s trembling arm on the table, and applied a cold compress.
“It’s swollen this much, and you kept enduring it?”
Beads of sweat had formed on Seo Yi-kyung’s forehead. He hadn’t slept a wink all night because of the fever. He had simply pulled the blanket over his head and waited for morning to come.
“We can’t leave it like this. We must go to the hospital first.”
Butler Do’s face was nearly ashen. As if to ease his worry, Seo Yi-kyung moved his fingers.
“It’s not that bad.”
However, his eyes involuntarily contorted from the surging pain.