By Zephyria 
It was the following day.
Seo Yi-kyung went down to the first floor, had a late breakfast, and then received a check-up from the attending physician. The doctor disinfected the wound near Yi-kyung’s chest and applied ointment. He didn’t apply gauze like he had the day before.
“Fortunately, it doesn’t look like the wound will get infected, so I think you just need to endure it for a few days, even if it’s uncomfortable.”
Yi-kyung’s face flushed, as it felt like the “wound” being referred to was specifically the spot where Han Seung-jae had bitten him. However, he buttoned his shirt to hide it and rose from the bed.
As the physician stepped out first, Butler Do escorted him to the entrance. Yi-kyung headed toward the painting studio, passing by a sofa and table that had been newly placed in the space that had been empty for a while.
With every step, it felt as though the shirt was rubbing against the area where the ointment had been applied, but Yi-kyung didn’t have the mental capacity to worry about it.
Entering the painting studio, he slowly looked around the interior. Perhaps because he had neglected it, thinking it wasn’t his, canvases and art supplies were piled in one corner, and various gifts and items received from Jin Seon-yu were scattered in disarray.
Yi-kyung instinctively reached out with both hands and picked up a shopping bag with his right hand. Just then, the door opened, and Butler Do, who was entering with teacups, hurriedly set the tray down on the work table and tried to stop him.
“You should have called for me.”
“I can handle this much.”
Most of the things Jin Seon-yu had gifted were baby supplies. Accordingly, the boxes inside were small and light compared to the size of the shopping bags. And so was Yi-kyung’s body as he carried them toward the second floor.
Yi-kyung left the door wide open and walked forward, watching Butler Do bring up stacks of boxes. He opened a cover with his right hand, pulled out baby clothes, and approached the shelf. The areas that had been practically empty until the day before were gradually being filled. Many of the baby shoes lined up like a display shared similar colors. It was inevitable, as he was putting out gifts from both Jin Seon-yu and outside sources.
As the helpers continuously tore open wrapping paper to inspect the items and asked Butler Do, he would approach Yi-kyung to confirm before deciding on a location.
“Please sit and rest now. I am worried you might overexert yourself.”
It was incredibly distressing for Butler Do that Yi-kyung was moving his body without resting for a single moment. It was hard to even imagine what kind of punishment Han Seung-jae would hand down if Yi-kyung’s body were strained to the point of illness.
He wouldn’t be kicked out of the house, but it was already a situation where it had been discovered that he was keeping the canvas painted with the winter mountain instead of burning it.
Since he had already disobeyed Han Seung-jae’s words several times, if something were to happen to Yi-kyung’s health… Butler Do shook his head vigorously. The mere thought was horrifying.
“I understand. Everyone, take a break.”
Yi-kyung, who had been practically glued to the shelf, turned around and sat at the table. The helpers also closed the windows and left the room.
They went downstairs. Once the people who had been moving about the spacious room left all at once, only Butler Do and Yi-kyung remained. Because of this, the surroundings became rapidly quiet.
Butler Do pushed the tea he had poured in front of Yi-kyung and murmured.
“It seems you like this room.”
Yi-kyung, who had been holding his teacup and lightly blowing on it to cool the tea, paused. He then took a sip of the tea without neither confirming nor denying Butler Do’s words.
Butler Do’s observation wasn’t wrong. Moreover, since he spent so much time nearby, it wouldn’t be difficult to guess based on Yi-kyung’s behavior.
However, Yi-kyung felt awkward, as if his inner thoughts had been exposed.
Yi-kyung slowly looked around. Now it truly looked like a room for a baby. Although it would take more time before the baby entered the world, an astonishing amount of things had been prepared here in a single day.
Having found something he could call his own in a house where there was nowhere to rest comfortably, Yi-kyung had spent the entire day here in a state of excitement.
Butler Do looked at Yi-kyung with warm eyes. It seemed that Yi-kyung no longer needed his help. However, someone who would rely entirely on Butler Do and need him would soon be born. As Yi-kyung set down his teacup, Butler Do lifted the teapot to refill his empty cup and spoke kindly.
“That is why I also hope summer comes quickly.”
Wasn’t the person who would need Butler Do also the owner of this room? Thus, Butler Do simply felt a desperate desire to meet him soon.
* * *
Ding— Entering the bedroom, Yi-kyung shifted his hand, which had reached for the nightstand, and picked up his phone from under the pillow.
[Are you free tomorrow?]
Yi-kyung looked at the phone with the message from Jin Seon-yu and moved his fingers.
[Is something going on?]
As soon as Yi-kyung sent the reply, a response came back immediately.
[Gi-jun said he wants to apologize and asked me to set up a meeting.]
Jin Seon-yu stated the purpose without hiding anything. At that, Yi-kyung’s hand, which had been hovering over the screen, gradually slowed down.
An apology. Yi-kyung’s hand soon moved. There was only one thing he could think of. Was it about the time he went to meet Han Seung-jae with the pocket watch necklace? Other than that, he had no point of contact with Kwon Gwi-jun. If not that, there was nothing to apologize for.
[If it’s because of the pocket watch, I’m fine, so tell him not to worry about it.]
He was relieved that he hadn’t taken the item out and sold it to a stranger. Therefore, there was no need for an apology from Kwon Gwi-jun. Rather, he was glad he had given it to Han Seung-jae.
Back then, in his desperation, he would have sold it unconditionally without deeply considering who the other person was and without even receiving a proper price. Since that didn’t happen, it was safe to say there was no apology to receive from Kwon Gwi-jun.
[Then let’s just have lunch together. I haven’t seen you once since you were discharged.]
Yi-kyung pondered for a moment and sent back that he would. He thought that much should be fine. After all, it wasn’t as if he had to stay inside the house anymore.
Yi-kyung put the phone back down. Recalling the reason he had entered the bedroom, he opened the drawer in the nightstand. A bracelet and baby shoes were placed there neatly. He was no longer experiencing morning sickness. So, leaving the bracelet as it was, he took the baby shoes.
Now that a new space had been created, there was no longer a reason to keep them here.
It was when Yi-kyung opened the door and stepped out. Suddenly, the numbers on the elevator’s display changed.
Usually, no one came up to the second floor around evening, and even Butler Do had gone down shortly after leaving tea and refreshments for Yi-kyung.
Yi-kyung stopped in his tracks. Perhaps Butler Do was coming up to bring something else.
Yi-kyung’s fingertips twitched. It was because the elevator doors opened, and Han Seung-jae, with his cold eyes, revealed himself. He had changed into casual clothes.
Yi-kyung had fallen asleep while waiting for him yesterday. Because of that, he had subconsciously assumed today that Han Seung-jae would be late.
“What are you doing here?”
Yi-kyung stood there as if entranced until Han Seung-jae stepped out of the elevator. Had it already become that time? He had spent the entire afternoon organizing the room and changing the positions of items, so he hadn’t noticed how time flew. Moreover, he had forgotten while exchanging messages with Jin Seon-yu.
Han Seung-jae’s gaze slowly swept over Yi-kyung’s pale complexion, lingering on his slender eyebrows, rounded tip of the nose, and reddened lips.
“I was planning to put this in the room…”
Yi-kyung stepped forward and showed what he was holding. Only then did the baby shoes in Yi-kyung’s hand enter Han Seung-jae’s sight.
Yi-kyung slowly brushed past Han Seung-jae and entered the open room. He had been sitting at the table eating tea and snacks until a moment ago. Then, he suddenly remembered there were baby shoes in the bedroom and had gone in to retrieve them.
Step. Han Seung-jae entered the open room. The room, which had felt spacious while Yi-kyung was sitting alone, now felt cramped.
Han Seung-jae looked at the half-empty teacup on the table before shifting his gaze. He watched as Yi-kyung approached the shelf and gently placed the baby shoes.
Yi-kyung felt all his nerves concentrate on his back. Despite having waited so much the day before, now that he was actually facing Han Seung-jae, he struggled with what to say. However, Han Seung-jae’s voice from behind was faster.
“Is the bed a bit small for two people to lie in?”