Chapter 8
by GideonYundo rushed into the hospital room, calling Yun-woo’s name.
“Yun-woo…!”
Hyewan, who met his eyes the moment he entered, quickly pressed a finger to her lips.
“Shh!”
At her gesture, Yundo fell silent.
“Yun-woo just fell asleep,” she whispered, tiptoeing out of the room.
Yundo followed her, carefully closing the door behind them. It was a VIP suite, so no outside noise should reach inside. Hyewan watched Yundo’s worried gaze linger on the door before she asked, “Did you know Yun-woo had a sleep disorder?”
A deep frown creased Yundo’s brow.
“A sleep disorder?”
He had never heard that before.
“Couldn’t the lack of sleep have put a strain on his heart? When I can’t sleep, my own chest hurts. It feels like someone is tearing my heart out. I suffer from severe insomnia too, so I understand what Yun-woo must be going through.”
Hyewan continued calmly.
“When it gets really bad, I take sleeping pills, but I think Yun-woo just endured it. He seemed to think the adults would be displeased if he took them.”
Yundo, sitting on a chair in the hallway, rubbed his face with his hand.
He suppressed the rising anger.
He was furious at Chairwoman Kang Ok-seon for pressuring Yun-woo so relentlessly, and at his mother for failing to protect him. But most of all, he was consumed by an unbearable rage at himself—for only claiming to care for Yun-woo.
Why did it have to be…!
Even now, he was most furious with himself for feeling as if Hyewan had seen through his vulnerability.
Just as Hyewan was about to leave the hospital room, Madam Park arrived. Yun-woo was still asleep, undisturbed.
Yundo blocked Madam Park from approaching him.
“Don’t wake Yun-woo,” he commanded.
He dragged her out of the room. Left alone with Yun-woo again, Hyewan stood there, unsure of what to do. But Yundo had no time to spare for her.
Once they reached the lounge, he cornered Madam Park.
“Our youngest is in this state, and you went to a shaman’s ritual? What is wrong with you, Mother?”
“No, listen, let me explain—”
“Mother!”
Yundo cut her excuses short.
“Did you even know Yun-woo has a sleep disorder?”
“Sleep disorder? What are you talking about?”
“Yun-woo is your son, isn’t he? I was a bastard for not knowing, but you—you live with him! You see him every day! How could you not know what state he’s in? Is it because he’s not a child prodigy that you’ve paid him so little attention?”
This was the first time Yundo had ever raised his voice to Madam Park.
“Yun-woo suffered from insomnia for a long time, but he was too scared of Grandmother to say anything. You should have protected him from her making him feel like a burden!”
Madam Park finally lowered her head, unable to say a word.
“From now on, I will make all the decisions regarding Yun-woo. I’ll handle Grandmother, so you just focus on his health.”
“…Alright. I understand. I’m sorry, Yundo.”
“Say that to Yun-woo.”
He left the lounge, leaving Madam Park flustered and alone.
Yundo didn’t want to wake Yun-woo by opening and closing the hospital room door repeatedly, so he sent a message to Hyewan’s phone instead.
Let’s go. Come out.
Soon, Hyewan emerged, bag in hand.
“How did you get my number?”
“…”
“Did you have me investigated?”
“Wouldn’t it be weirder if I hadn’t?”
His voice was low and heavy. Hyewan stared at him for a moment, then dropped the subject.
The hospital elevator was packed. As they descended, it became so crowded that Hyewan was sandwiched between people. Seeing this, Yundo deftly nudged her against the wall, shielding her from the crowd.
He turned his back to the crowd, shielding her from being crushed. Trapped in his embrace, Hyewan’s gaze fell upon his broad, firm chest. She knew all too well how solid his pectoral muscles were, yet how soft his skin felt in contrast. A sudden wave of heat surged through her, leaving her unbearably warm. Feeling the flush spread to her face, she bit her lip and turned her head away.
Yundo’s gaze caught the top of Hyewan’s lush, chestnut-colored head. Her gently sloping forehead, the bridge of her nose, and her tightly bitten lip…
Instinctively understanding the meaning of her gesture, Yundo’s throat went dry. The sudden surge of desire was instantly uncontrollable.
It felt as if they were the only ones left in the crowded space.
Just then, the elevator doors slid open, and a wave of people poured out. Yundo grabbed Hyewan’s hand as she tried to step out. Startled, she turned to face him.
“It’s late, but you still need to eat dinner. Let’s go together.”
“I’m fine,” she replied.
But Yundo ignored her and pressed the close button.
“You’re giving me a chance to act like the big shot here.”
He was reminding her of their previous conversation. While it was true he deserved to act like the big shot, that didn’t mean she had to eat dinner alone with Cha Yundo.
“The person who gets to act like the big shot is the one who decides,” she countered.
Truthfully, she hadn’t noticed it when she was alone with Yun-woo, but seeing his guardian, Yundo, and Madam Park in turn had brought her a sense of relief. It made her realize just how much responsibility she felt for Yun-woo.
As the tension bled out of her, Hyewan felt completely drained. Now that she thought about it, all she’d eaten all day was half a slice of toast at home and two cups of coffee in the hospital room. She wanted to eat in a place where she could actually relax, rather than just fueling up for survival.
“I really need to eat a proper meal today,” she murmured.
By then, the elevator had reached the parking garage, where a black car was already waiting. Seeing them, the driver quickly stepped out and opened the rear door.
Yundo looked at her. “Get in.”
Hyewan had a lot to say about this absurd situation, but she was too exhausted to argue. She simply got into the car.
Yundo drove her to a renowned restaurant. Its entrance, with the name inscribed in gold on black marble, looked like a door that wouldn’t open for just anyone.
A staff member led them to their table, where a chef in a crisp white uniform awaited. He greeted them with a warm smile.
“Welcome.”
Yundo gave a slight nod of his head and pulled out a chair for Hyewan.
“Sit.”
“Thank you.”
Hyewan had experienced omakase before, thanks to a friend who was an only child of a wealthy family, but the atmosphere here was far more oppressive, weighing down on her shoulders. The chef handed her the menu directly. Before she could open it, Yundo asked, “Is there anything you can’t eat?”
His question seemed to ease her tension, and she offered a faint smile. “You’re asking so early.”
Yundo’s brow furrowed. “Do you not like meat?”
“No, it’s not that. There’s nothing I can’t eat, and nothing I won’t eat.”
She could feel his relief. Though she didn’t refuse to eat any specific food, her appetite was so nonexistent that the end result was the same: she couldn’t eat. She chose not to mention that the smell of the food cooking only made her lose her appetite further.
By the time she finished the soup and the appetizer meant to whet her appetite, Hyewan was already full. When the gold-leafed Macarons arrived, she felt completely overwhelmed by the food.
Yundo, who had eaten his Macarons without losing his composure, asked her, “Don’t tell me you’re full already?”
Hyewan had expected a comment like Is it not good? but since he’d hit the nail on the head, she couldn’t even argue. He had noticed her eating speed slow down significantly the moment she started the soup.
“You’re just like Yun-woo.”
“Does Yun-woo also eat very little?”
“Have you never eaten with him at the main house?”
“Yun-woo always rushed out the door because he had another tutoring session immediately after mine.”
Setting down his chopsticks, he took a sip of wine.
“You graduated from law school. Is the reason you’re tutoring to prepare for law school?”
A slight frown creased her brow. “You did a thorough background check on me.”
He showed no remorse. “If I’m going to do something, I do it right.”
“You’re not wrong. To take the exam, a law school degree is essential.”
“With your grades, Ko Hyewan, you could have easily secured a sponsorship. Why choose the hard way?”
It was common for major law firms or conglomerates to invest in exceptionally talented aspiring lawyers. Hyewan, who had entered and graduated from the top-tier Hankuk University Law School with honors, couldn’t have been without sponsorship offers.
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