By Zephyria 
After dropping Haon off at the shop, In-ho headed to the hospital instead of home. It was the hospital established by the Hansung Group and where his primary physician worked. It was also where Hyo-jung’s father, an acquaintance of In-ho’s, served as the hospital director.
“I’m coming in.”
Hyo-jung gave a light wave as she opened the door to the patient room with a knock. She had come to see him immediately after her consultation, having heard the news that In-ho had arrived at the hospital.
In-ho was lying not on the hospital bed, but on a long sofa. A long IV drip was inserted into one of his pale arms.
He neither looked surprised nor welcoming at Hyo-jung’s appearance. Having heard the click-clack of her heels echoing from the hallway, he had already anticipated that she would open the door.
“Still having trouble sleeping these days, I see.”
Accustomed to In-ho’s lack of greeting, Hyo-jung nonchalantly sat on the opposite sofa. Due to the interior of the VIP room, which rivaled a luxury hotel, the two looked as if they were in a high-end lounge.
“I was sleeping until just now.”
“Ah, I woke you up. Oh dear, I’m so sorry.”
Hyo-jung shrugged and offered a half-hearted apology as she took off her heels.
“I thought my feet were going to die.”
Whether she had come to see In-ho’s face or just to take a break, she settled herself comfortably on the sofa and leaned back. Since they had known each other since they were very young, she didn’t mind showing her bare feet.
“Why do you work in shoes that hurt?”
“It’s my first time wearing them. They were a gift, so I just tried them on.”
Grumbling that she couldn’t wear them at all, she tied back her wavy hair in a tight ponytail.
Hyo-jung was in her mid-thirties, a woman who exuded the aura of a charismatic career woman. Even without heavy makeup, her distinct features gave her a strong impression.
“I heard you came to get a new prescription for suppressants.”
Hyo-jung asked In-ho what was wrong. For someone receiving an IV, In-ho’s complexion looked good.
However, since his physical condition rarely showed on the surface, it was difficult to gauge his state just by looking at his face.
“You don’t usually take suppressants often. So why do you need stronger ones?”
When no answer came, she continued her questioning. She had heard that In-ho asked for something twice as strong as the suppressants he usually took. This was despite the fact that his pheromone levels were stable as usual. If that were the case, there was no need to force a change to suppressants that were bad for the body.
“From what I saw, the ones you were previously prescribed were already quite strong.”
“Take it out.”
Cutting Hyo-jung off, In-ho held out the arm with the IV. It seemed he wanted to stop the infusion.
“Just take the whole thing. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
Hyo-jung made a gesture of zipping her lips, but In-ho ignored her and simply shook his arm. Knowing he would likely pull it out himself and make himself bleed if left alone, Hyo-jung eventually removed the IV for him.
After adjusting his sleeve, In-ho stood up from the sofa and opened the refrigerator. He took out two bottles of drinks, neatly lined up with their logos facing forward, and returned to the sofa.
“Thank you.”
Hyo-jung chuckled as she saw In-ho had brought one for her without being asked, and she quenched her thirst with the cold juice. He was incredibly rude, yet he had good manners at times like this.
“Did you lose weight? Your face looks a bit gaunt.”
Hyo-jung narrowed her eyes as she carefully examined the face of In-ho, who had sat back down on the sofa. He was still strikingly handsome, but his jawline seemed a bit sharper. Was there something on his mind?
“You’ve gained some weight, Noona.”
She wondered how he knew, as her weight had indeed increased slightly recently. Hyo-jung glared sharply at In-ho, shelving her feelings of concern for him. She was already stressed about the weight gain.
“I know. I’m going to lose it.”
“You look good now. Don’t lose it.”
Though the words were delivered carelessly in a languid posture, the fact that it was him made her feel better. It was because he was the type of guy who never spoke empty flattery. Honestly, that’s why it was impossible to hate him.
“You seem to be in a pretty good mood?”
Hyo-jung continued to scan In-ho, who was lying on his side and gazing out the distant window. Normally, he would have kicked her out for being annoying, but today, the conversation was lasting longer.
“It’s not bad.”
“Oh, you’re not even denying it.”
She looked at In-ho with admiring eyes and let out a wide yawn.
Though she was the daughter of the hospital director, she was an ordinary doctor suffering from overwork just like everyone else. Of course, the house and car she owned were distinctly different from colleagues with the same salary, but she was relatively modest.
Perhaps because she was more down-to-earth than other chaebols, Hyo-jung was almost the only person In-ho would initiate a conversation with. Though they didn’t exchange long dialogues, she was nonetheless a quite close presence to In-ho.
“Noona.”
“What.”
“What do you have to do to like someone for a long time?”
Cough—Hyo-jung, who had choked on her juice, bolted upright. She hurriedly calmed her coughing and told In-ho to say that again.
“I asked what I have to do to like someone for a long time.”
In-ho looked at the intensely reacting Hyo-jung with a calm expression. He looked annoyingly composed after saying something so shocking.
Hyo-jung, doubting her own ears, soon calmed her surprise and crossed her arms. Now that she thought about it, it was absurd.
“You’re asking me, a divorcee, that?”
It seemed he had come to the completely wrong person, but knowing In-ho’s personality, she let it slide for now. She knew he had no one else to share such stories with.
“Just give me any answer. I didn’t ask with high expectations.”
This is why he has no people around him, Hyo-jung thought, clicking her tongue, though she couldn’t hide the curiosity in her eyes.
“Do you have someone you like?”
“Yeah.”
“…Really?”
She was even more surprised by the answer, which came back with frustrating ease. To think that Seo In-ho had someone he liked. She couldn’t believe it even after hearing it directly.
Hyo-jung clapped her hands and asked what kind of person it was. She was curious about everything: their job, family, age, and most importantly, their trait. Just how special of a person could they be?
“Just answer me.”
However, that rude bastard seemed to have no intention of telling her. Hyo-jung looked disappointed and stopped prying further.
“Well, I guess you should try to see a lot of the other person’s strengths. And just overlook the flaws to some extent.”
“And.”
That was the end of what she had to say, but In-ho listened intently. Startled by this unfamiliar sight, Hyo-jung had no choice but to say this, even though she knew In-ho would hate it.
“You really like this person, don’t you?”
In-ho bypassed the answer with silence again. His cold eyes sharpened, as if he didn’t like Hyo-jung’s raised voice.
“I can’t believe I’m actually hearing this from you.”
Regardless, Hyo-jung, who had nothing to lose, chatted excitedly.
“I thought you’d just keep meeting people lightly until you died of old age, but what on earth is this.”
Her eyes sparkled like a drama viewer as she urged him to tell her more. She was inducing him to speak on his own, fearing he would simply leave if she pried too much.
“Is it bad to be light?”
In-ho murmured as if talking to himself and turned his gaze back to the window. It didn’t seem like he was asking for an answer, but Hyo-jung didn’t miss the opportunity.
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
The juice in the glass bottle she held sloshed. Hyo-jung slowly shook the bottle, set it on the table, and observed In-ho’s reaction.
“But avoiding it because you’re afraid of things getting deep is a problem. Because you might miss out on a good person.”
His gaze, which had been toward the window, returned to Hyo-jung. In-ho did not look away even after she finished speaking. He simply sat in a languid posture, tilting his head slightly and tapping the lid of the glass bottle. Tup, tup.
Hyo-jung also stopped the conversation, which was barely different from a monologue, and looked at In-ho for a moment. For someone asking if a light relationship was okay, he looked quite serious. First of all, the fact that he was even having these worries felt like a giant leap forward for In-ho.
Hyo-jung wore a gratified expression, as if watching a child take their first steps. In-ho whipped his head away, as if that smile bothered him.
“Ah, is it that person? The one you said couldn’t eat.”
She asked, suddenly remembering a phone call she’d overheard In-ho having. Had he said they couldn’t eat for several days after a heat cycle ended?
Seeing that he didn’t deny it, it must be true. Curiosity added to Hyo-jung’s long eyes. That meant… they were a recessive Omega.
“You said you’d bring them to the hospital. I’ll take a look, so make an appointment and come.”
“Later.”
“Why, do they not want to go to the hospital?”
In-ho gave a large shrug and lay back down on the sofa. She expected him to ignore her again, but an unexpectedly honest answer returned.
“Because I think they’d hate it.”
At his low confession, Hyo-jung’s eyes widened again. She was surprised so many times today.
“You really become cautious when you actually like someone.”
“How sweet,” Hyo-jung hummed teasingly and slowly prepared to leave. She had only stopped by briefly to check on In-ho’s condition, so she had to return to her post soon.
“But In-ho.”
After fixing her shoes, she started to wrap up the conversation. Though he looked a bit gaunt, a consistent shadow still hung over In-ho’s brilliant face.
That shadow, hidden behind his handsome features, was even more legible to Hyo-jung as a doctor. Having seen many sick people, she could easily recognize a broken person. Though, in truth, it was likely because she had known him for so long since childhood.
“Not everyone finds hospitals as uncomfortable as you do.”
Speaking in a serious tone, she stood up from the sofa and looked down at In-ho. In contrast, the black pupils looking up at her were full of boredom.
“Your makeup is smudged, Noona.”
“You jerk.”
Vowing never to worry about him again, she headed for the door. Behind her, as she walked away click-clack, In-ho left one last word.
“If you happen to meet them, don’t say anything weird.”
Hyo-jung, who had opened the door, paused and turned around.
“You said you weren’t bringing them.”
“I might see them eventually. Even if it’s not at the hospital.”
Was he planning to see them for that long? Hyo-jung felt a shiver go down her spine imagining the unfamiliar situation of In-ho introducing his lover. Of course, she also laughed.
“Sure, I hope it goes well.”
Leaving a light word of encouragement, she took one last glance inside the room before closing the door. She looked briefly at In-ho, who was lying on the sofa despite the wide bed, and then quietly closed the door.