By Zephyria 
“See you later, then.”
Yeon-rok watched with his mouth agape as Moon Gyeon-woo departed with a light step. He glanced around, but suspiciously, not a single person made eye contact, each diligently focusing on their work. Only Yeom Cheon-ho let out a low, soft chuckle.
“This is amusing.”
What exactly was so amusing…? Yeon-rok was starting to worry about being in the same space as his name partners. He was happy and relieved that his own relationship with his name partner had improved… but on the other hand, the relationship between the other three was spiraling downward, and every time he saw them, his heart and chest began to feel tight.
“Yeon-rok-ssi, are you uncomfortable?”
“Huh? No?”
Startled, as if his thoughts had been read, Yeon-rok denied it immediately. Yeom Cheon-ho simply gestured with his eyes toward the hand holding him.
“If you keep sitting like that and holding my hand, you might get a cramp. Come up onto the bed and lie down comfortably.”
Yeon-rok was currently sitting in a chair, leaning his upper body forward while gripping Yeom Cheon-ho’s hand tightly. As he had said, his back was indeed starting to ache. However, it felt quite embarrassing to climb onto Yeom Cheon-ho’s bed while people were constantly coming and going.
“I’m fine, really.”
“Hmm, I was planning to rest soon anyway.”
As if to demonstrate, Yeom Cheon-ho neatly organized the pile of documents stacked beside the bed. As if they had been waiting, Kim Jeong-seong quickly took the documents and handed them over to the secretaries. After closing the laptop and placing it on the table, he bowed politely.
“Then, you two, please get some deep rest.”
Following his lead, everyone filed out of the hospital room. With a sliding sound, the door closed, leaving only Yeom Cheon-ho and Yeon-rok alone. Now that the stage had been so blatantly set for them, Yeon-rok’s eyes wavered.
“Now, Yeon-rok-ssi.”
Yeom Cheon-ho pulled back the duvet and patted the spot beside him. Yeon-rok hesitated. Then, after a brief moment of thought, Yeom Cheon-ho shifted his body to the side to make an even wider space. Eventually, braving his embarrassment, Yeon-rok slowly approached.
“T-then, excuse me…”
Yeon-rok took off his shoes and climbed onto the bed. He wondered if it was okay to lie on a patient’s bed without washing up, but since physical contact was the most urgent priority right now, he decided to ignore it for the moment. As Yeon-rok lay down cautiously, Yeom Cheon-ho pulled the duvet over him and tucked him in neatly.
Fidgeting slightly, Yeon-rok held Yeom Cheon-ho’s hand and hesitated. Then, emboldened, he carefully slid his arm beneath the patient’s gown and hugged the other’s waist so their skin touched; his face flushed bright red.
“It certainly feels good to be in comfortable contact with you, Yeon-rok-ssi…”
From the moment they embraced, the end of Yeom Cheon-ho’s sentences trailed off strangely. When Yeon-rok looked up, he saw him blinking slowly before offering an apology.
“I’m sorry. I really am exhausted… I think I need to sleep for a bit.”
Then, his head slowly sank into the pillow, and his massive frame gradually relaxed beneath the duvet. Like someone who had been given a sedative, Yeom Cheon-ho fell asleep instantly, letting out deep, slow breaths. Yeon-rok remained frozen, breathing quietly and only moving his eyes.
‘He must have been really tired.’
It felt less like falling asleep and more like he had practically fainted. To avoid disturbing the other’s deep slumber, Yeon-rok behaved as quietly as possible. Having come straight up from Gangwon-do, Yeon-rok himself was tired and drifted off for a couple of hours, but even when he woke up, Yeom Cheon-ho was still asleep. Yet, the body temperature he felt through their joined hands was still chilly.
No longer sleepy, Yeon-rok subtly moved one hand to retrieve his phone. While he was browsing the internet for a while, a nurse stopped by to check his condition and change the IV drip. Even then, Yeom Cheon-ho only tossed and turned slightly. After checking Yeom Cheon-ho’s temperature and blood pressure, the nurse looked troubled.
“His condition isn’t improving quickly. It would be better to have more sufficient contact.”
“More sufficient contact?”
“Yes, more… sufficient contact.”
Only after the other emphasized it twice did Yeon-rok realize the meaning. Once the nurse gave a kind smile and left the room, closing the door, Yeon-rok turned his head to look at Yeom Cheon-ho.
From the moment a name manifests, the human body begins to produce unique chemical substances that didn’t exist before. Like hormones, these are indispensable for survival, and this is precisely why health depends on the contact between partners. In particular, it is said that the effect is better the closer the contact is to deep organs like the heart or brain. There was a reason why intimate physical contact was necessary.
The face of the man sleeping as if dead still lacked a healthy complexion. Seeing someone who usually only showed a strong and composed side in this state made his heart ache. He wondered if Choi Hwan was doing okay; he had heard Hwan had an overseas schedule for a few days.
“CEO…”
Yeon-rok called out in a whispering voice, but the other didn’t budge. Even when he cautiously fiddled with the stubbly chin, it was the same. It was then.
“Ugh…”
Yeom Cheon-ho let out a groan. Startled, Yeon-rok pulled his hand away, but it didn’t seem like he had woken up. His thick eyebrows twitched, and a frown formed between them. Cold sweat began to bead on his forehead instantly. He seemed to be having a nightmare.
“CEO, CEO.”
Even as he called his name and shook his body, there was little reaction, showing how deeply he was sleeping. After some deliberation, Yeon-rok tried a kiss—something he had started doing frequently now that he was used to it. He waited a moment, but perhaps because their lips only touched briefly, it didn’t seem to have much effect. Just as he was considering calling the medical staff, a method suddenly occurred to him. Fortunately, since Yeom Cheon-ho was sleeping on his side, it seemed possible.
Yeon-rok let go of the hand he was holding and carefully moved to the other side. Lying against Yeom Cheon-ho’s back, he lifted the loose patient’s gown. A name shaped like a clover was visible on the broad back. He quickly placed his hand over the name.
Unlike ordinary physical contact, Yeon-rok flinched at the sensation that surged up instantly. Contact through the name was definitely more effective than just holding hands or kissing. Yeom Cheon-ho’s groans slowly subsided, and he returned to peaceful breathing. Yeon-rok let out a sigh of relief. As he kept his hand there, something came to mind.
‘I heard that if you have sex once… you can go up to a month without any contact. I wonder if that’s true.’
According to research, the body of a name manifestor produces more positive chemical reactions when sexually aroused. But sex. Doing that with one of the three of them…? Doing that? Could he actually do it?
‘Well, if someone’s health is that bad, I suppose I’d have to.’
Realizing he had unintentionally had lewd thoughts, Yeon-rok startled and looked around. His hand resting on Yeom Cheon-ho’s back suddenly felt sweaty. After clearing his throat, Yeon-rok brought over the thermometer to take a reading, and his face fell. The temperature was still abnormally low.
“I think it might have gone up a little more than before.”
Would it be better if he kissed the name? While he was seriously contemplating this, he heard a knock, and the medical staff entered pulling a cart. Hospitals usually check a patient’s condition frequently, but since Yeom Cheon-ho was a VIP, the frequency seemed even higher.
“Excuse me. I’m going to administer some additional medication.”
Watching the medical staff check Yeom Cheon-ho’s condition without much thought, Yeon-rok tilted his head. For some reason, the other’s face looked familiar. Where on earth had he seen that person…? Yeon-rok’s gaze shifted to the chest of the man who was opening a syringe package on the cart.
Internal Medicine: Kim Seo-won
As the memory returned, Yeon-rok’s eyes widened. Huh? That name, that person!
‘He’s the doctor I saw when I went to the hospital for my sprained ankle! That doctor who was talking to that suspicious billiard hall guy who seemed to be Yeom Cheon-ryul’s subordinate…!’
Of course, since it was the same hospital, it could be a coincidence that this person was assigned to Yeom Cheon-ho. However, Yeon-rok couldn’t shake the feeling of suspicion. He observed the other closely. Perhaps because he was being watched with suspicion, the doctor seemed unusually nervous. The fingers tearing the packaging were trembling slightly.
‘Of course, he might be nervous because it’s a VIP.’
But once a seed of doubt had sprouted, he couldn’t just let it go. After a moment’s thought, Yeon-rok chose to risk being seen as rude.
“Excuse me, Doctor. I have a question. Why isn’t the body temperature rising?”
“Pardon? Ah…”
As if he hadn’t expected Yeon-rok to speak, the doctor was extremely flustered before calmly explaining.
“Abnormal temperature regulation is a common problem experienced by flower name bearers who lack contact. Still, according to the chart, the temperature is gradually recovering.”
“I see. Ah, and also, the nurse mentioned earlier…”
As he kept talking, Yeon-rok intentionally climbed over Yeom Cheon-ho’s body to move across. He ended up rudely climbing over someone’s body, but it couldn’t be helped. To do this, he had to!
“She told me to have sufficient contact, but I’m not sure how to—ah!”