By Zephyria 
Seo Yi-kyung moved his fingertips. He quite skillfully manipulated the buttons, which he used to undo with one hand, using both hands now to help the attending physician check his abdomen.
Suddenly, Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes lingered on Han Seung-jae. They were emitting a rather piercing light. The physician’s gaze followed suit, and he spoke as if conscious of Han Seung-jae.
“This is for the ultrasound examination.”
At the physician’s words, Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes slid toward Seo Yi-kyung. He didn’t say a word. It seemed as though he didn’t even feel it was worth responding, but the physician added.
“Director Han, I will begin the examination.”
Han Seung-jae, still looking at Seo Yi-kyung, parted his lips heartlessly.
“Why are you telling me that?”
“Ah, ah!”
Flustered, the physician hurriedly turned his head toward Seo Yi-kyung and added urgently.
“I will begin the examination.”
Seo Yi-kyung nodded. Even without that, the physician’s pale, anemic face was becoming more pitiful as he struggled while moving toward the ultrasound machine.
* * *
After finishing the examination, Seo Yi-kyung fastened his shirt buttons. The physician told Seo Yi-kyung that the baby was healthy, but then, conscious of Han Seung-jae, he ended up saying the same thing to him as well. In the end, he was scolded by Han Seung-jae for saying the same thing twice.
The physician wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand. Seo Yi-kyung stood up, swinging both legs down from the bed.
“Thank you for your hard work.”
“Not at all. It is my job.”
The physician smiled with a look of relief.
“If you feel any discomfort at all, please contact me immediately. There is absolutely no need to be constrained by the time.”
Once Han Seung-jae left the room, the physician appeared very reliable, as if he had never been intimidated. Seo Yi-kyung turned and walked out through the open door.
Han Seung-jae and Butler Do were standing in front of the door.
Butler Do spoke.
“Lunch is ready.”
Han Seung-jae entered the dining room first. Butler Do, walking briskly, prepared his seat and then pulled out the chair for Seo Yi-kyung.
He neatly placed the plates delivered by the chef in front of the two men. Seo Yi-kyung looked down at his left hand and lightly clenched his fist. He then reached out and picked up a glass of water.
Throughout the time Seo Yi-kyung moistened his dry throat and tilted the shimmering glass of water, he felt no pain in his wrist. It seemed he had truly recovered now.
During that time, he had showered, eaten, and organized things with one hand. He had thought he had adapted quite well and didn’t find it inconvenient, but he felt anew that using both hands was indeed more comfortable.
Suddenly, Seo Yi-kyung’s eyes locked with Han Seung-jae’s.
“……!”
This was no time to be staring at his left hand, enjoying the freedom of being out of the cast. He hurriedly gripped his chopsticks and put a bit of rice into his mouth.
For some reason, Han Seung-jae’s expression turned unpleasant in an instant. He seemed to have been in a bad mood ever since Seo Yi-kyung had the cast removed. Just because Han Seung-jae didn’t speak didn’t mean the atmosphere radiating from his entire body was hidden.
While eating his soup, Seo Yi-kyung wondered if the reason Han Seung-jae was in a bad mood was perhaps because he was the one who had made him wear the cast. It might have been a baseless assumption. However, he couldn’t think of any other reason.
The reason the physician had spoken twice was because Han Seung-jae had blatantly revealed his displeasure. Above all, the physician’s skill in checking the baby’s health with the ultrasound machine was impeccable. Even the baby was doing fine.
However, Seo Yi-kyung could not voice these thoughts.
As the two finished their meal and left the dining room, Butler Do, who had been waiting, approached and murmured.
“Secretary Park went up to the second floor a moment ago.”
“I see.”
Han Seung-jae entered the elevator indifferently. Seo Yi-kyung took a place beside him. They arrived at the second floor quickly. As Han Seung-jae stepped out first, Seo Yi-kyung followed.
“Seung-jae.”
Han Seung-jae’s long legs, which were moving toward the study, came to a halt. He slowly turned around. Seo Yi-kyung held the closing elevator door and pressed the button.
“Shall I bring some tea to the study?”
Since it was said that Secretary Park had already headed to the second floor, he would be in the study. And Han Seung-jae would likely be working with him. Thus, Seo Yi-kyung was offering to bring tea for the two of them.
Because throughout lunch, Han Seung-jae hadn’t eaten much.
Han Seung-jae turned his body fully from his slanted position to face Seo Yi-kyung. Seo Yi-kyung was gesturing as if he might step back into the elevator at any moment. Han Seung-jae looked at the watch on his wrist out of habit and parted his lips. I’d like to do that too, but…
“Now is a bit inconvenient.”
“……?”
Seo Yi-kyung’s doubt lasted only a moment. Han Seung-jae spoke, letting his wrist, which he had been looking at, hang low.
“Let’s go out for some fresh air this evening.”
Seo Yi-kyung’s lips parted slightly. However, his words failed to become sound and scattered. Meanwhile, Han Seung-jae turned and walked away.
Seo Yi-kyung took his hand off the elevator button he had been lightly pressing. He had been referring to the tea for Han Seung-jae and Secretary Park to drink while working. However, it seemed Han Seung-jae had misunderstood it as Seo Yi-kyung asking to have tea together.
Step, step. Seo Yi-kyung headed toward the bedroom. He could have corrected the fact, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it.
As Seo Yi-kyung entered the room, the vibration of his phone sounded repeatedly. Buzz—he picked up the phone lying on the nightstand. He answered the call from Jin Seon-yu and walked out through the terrace door.
“Did you just wake up?”
[I woke up a while ago. I sent you a text.]
Jin Seon-yu’s voice over the phone sounded sullen. There was no strength in it.
“I left it in the room, so I only saw it now.”
Answering thus, Seo Yi-kyung tilted his head.
“Why does your voice sound like that? Are you sick?”
[Sick? I’m just sorry.]
Seo Yi-kyung perched on a terrace chair.
“Still, I feel like something must be hurting.”
[Why? Now that you mention it, my whole body does ache. My older brother hit me yesterday, right? Huh?]
“He didn’t hit you. He probably did it because he was worried.”
As Seo Yi-kyung continued speaking, he lightly looked around the garden. Considering the series of actions Jin Seok-young had taken while carrying Jin Seon-yu on his back yesterday, it would be strange if Jin Seon-yu’s body didn’t ache.
Seo Yi-kyung felt responsible for not taking better care of Jin Seon-yu because Han Seung-jae had been outside the hotel at the time.
[Did Hyung really not hit me?]
“Yes. I’m telling you he didn’t.”
[Alright. If you say so, Yi-kyung, then it must be true. But why does the back of my head feel so tingly and sore?]
“You drank too much wine.”
Jin Seon-yu’s voice over the phone paused for a moment. Seo Yi-kyung listened quietly to Jin Seon-yu’s shallow breathing.
[You know. There’s something I’ve been wanting to ask.]
The previous day, Jin Seon-yu couldn’t hide his excitement at being out for the first time in a long while, and he had drunk so much wine while venting his anger at Jin Tae-won, who had kept him locked in the house. So, Jin Seon-yu brought up the words he hadn’t been able to say.
[You being in that house… are you really okay?]
Hadn’t Seo Yi-kyung told Jin Seon-yu to paint a picture for him, saying he would leave this house? Although silence had seeped into the conversation at Jin Seon-yu’s words, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t noticed the meaning behind them. Furthermore, after the attack by Seo Dong-hu, when they met in the hospital room, it wasn’t a situation where such things could be discussed. Since they were both so shocked, neither had the capacity for it.
“Well, you see…”
Seo Yi-kyung’s voice, sitting on the terrace, spread out very softly.
* * *
Swoosh—
Seo Yi-kyung stood inside the shower booth and let the hot pouring water hit his entire body. Afterward, he turned and took out a bathrobe, slipping his arms in. He then tied the belt with both hands and approached the mirror.
The moisture clinging to his hair swept across his thin eyebrows, passed his temples, brushed his pale cheeks, and flowed down beneath his slender chin. Seo Yi-kyung wiped the water pooled in his hollow collarbones with a towel.
Where the towel had swept over, a long scar remained, still unerased.
“I can’t see the bite marks?”
Seo Yi-kyung stood slightly on his toes and brought his upper body closer to the mirror. However, the marks Han Seung-jae had left had vanished without a trace in the meantime.