What did he say back then?
He’d hinted that he was tired of chasing after someone who didn’t love him back, so from now on, he’d open his heart to someone who treated him well and genuinely liked him.
It was bait—he’d laid the groundwork to make Hong Seong-jun think he liked him, just to stop him from treating him like garbage.
But now, looking back, it seemed like he could get revenge on Hong Seong-jun without having to pretend to like him at all.
[Now that you mention it, you’re right. I kept feeling like I was doing something awful to you. That bastard’s the type to touch your body first while claiming he wants to know your heart.]
That part hadn’t even crossed his mind. But the body’s rightful owner was right—Hong Seong-jun was exactly that kind of guy.
If he asked him to prove he loved him, he might shamelessly demand all kinds of things. Just recalling the glimpses from those memories—how ruthlessly he’d pushed the body’s owner—was enough.
Just imagining Hong Seong-jun taking control of this body at will sent shivers down his spine.
Then… is it okay for me to just follow my heart?
Not in a million years would he ever feel anything for Hong Seong-jun. Right now, all he could think about was that fiercely handsome face with silver hair.
The fever that had been coming down with the IV drip was starting to rise again. He flapped his hand in front of his face until it made a loud fluttering sound, and then he felt the body’s owner fall into silence.
[……]
It’s not like I’m trying to take advantage of this just to fulfill my own desires or anything…
Even as he said it, it didn’t sit right. He’d tried to steer the conversation in another direction, but it had only revealed his true feelings.
What do you think, Haru? Do you think it would hurt Hong Seong-jun more to see me falling for someone else?
The body’s owner didn’t speak for a long while after that. Lee Haru anxiously chewed on his lower lip while waiting for an answer.
He had already promised to help him get revenge. And he wasn’t the type to go back on his word once it was given—so he had to follow through.
But no matter how hard he tried, the idea of pretending to love Hong Seong-jun in front of Yu Je-hyun felt impossible.
It was something he couldn’t bring himself to do—and if Yu Je-hyun saw it, he would undoubtedly be hurt, too.
But if he told Yu Je-hyun the truth, he’d have to explain everything: that he wasn’t really Lee Haru, but Kim Min-hyeok from another world, and that after an accident, he’d ended up in this body.
There was no guarantee Yu Je-hyun would believe him—and even if he did, it still posed a problem.
From Yu Je-hyun’s perspective, it might look like he’d been deceived all along. After all, ever since he’d arrived here, he’d been pretending to be Lee Haru.
I really don’t want to see Yu Je-hyun angry or disappointed in me.
Besides, even though the mind inside was his, the body wasn’t. And when it came to romantic feelings, appearance played a huge role.
Even he hadn’t been immune to Yu Je-hyun’s handsome looks.
There was no way to show Yu Je-hyun his original appearance, but if he ever got curious, he’d have to be honest.
Still, the fact that he looked completely different in his original body worried him.
…This is so hard.
He never thought falling in love would be this difficult.
His thoughts were swirling so much it made his head throb. Without thinking, he raised a hand—but it was the one hooked up to the IV, so he used the other to press against his forehead.
His hand felt warm, but since his forehead was burning hot, the touch still felt relatively cool.
As the silence dragged on, his exhausted body began slipping into unconsciousness. If not for that voice pounding in his head at the last moment, he really might have drifted off for good.
[I think it’s better to do it your way.]
…Really?
Even as he asked, he couldn’t help worrying about what he would say if the body’s owner objected. After all, the original Lee Haru knew Hong Seong-jun better than anyone—and his hatred for him ran deeper than anyone’s.
If the original Lee Haru insisted the original plan was the only surefire way to get revenge, he would’ve had no choice but to go along with it.
[Yeah. I don’t want you getting hurt because of my grudge. And even if we went through with that kind of revenge, it would just leave a bad taste in my mouth.]
His chest tightened at those words, full of genuine concern. To someone else, it might look like he was the one backing out of a promise he’d made.
But the body’s owner hadn’t distorted his intentions—he’d simply thought about what was best for him.
…How am I ever going to repay you for this?
[Repay me? What are you talking about? I’m the one who dragged you here from another world without even asking. And you’ve been suffering nonstop since you got here. Besides, you weren’t wrong about anything. That bastard Hong Seong-jun—he’ll totally lose it when he sees you and Yu Je-hyun getting close. This kind of revenge will hit him even harder.]
Lee Haru blinked rapidly. Even so, he felt the sting behind his eyes and rubbed them.
[Get some sleep first. You’ve been holding on just to talk to me, haven’t you?]
I’m not that sleepy.
[Liar.]
With that final worry off his chest, his eyelids grew heavier, just as he said. As his vision faded to black, his body felt like it was sinking deep into the bed.
He was being pulled into a distant, hazy place. But then, with a sudden chill running down his spine, Lee Haru’s eyes snapped open.
Just moments ago, he’d been sinking into sleep—but now, the drowsiness had completely vanished.
[What’s going on? Are you okay?]
His voice carried clear concern, startled by Lee Haru’s abrupt shift in behavior. Haru sat up in bed.
His eyes were wild, trembling violently, and his hands were shaking like leaves.
I… I don’t know…
It was an unfamiliar sensation—like the icy edge of a blade had been pressed against his throat. Goosebumps spread across his skin, and no matter what he did, the trembling wouldn’t stop. His teeth clattered noisily from the force of it, and the body’s owner urged him to press the call button.
[Call the medical staff! Something’s seriously wrong with your body!]
If the original Lee Haru had a physical form, he would’ve pressed the button himself. The fact that Haru didn’t move an inch despite his warning only made the dread worse.
[Hurry! What’s going on with you all of a sudden?]
He had already said it was okay to stop pretending to love Hong Seong-jun. He had even told him to go ahead and show just how well things were going with Yu Je-hyun, the man he actually liked.
Just moments ago, Haru had clearly lit up at those words. And now? Now he looked like he’d seen a ghost, trembling like a leaf with a face drained of all color—it was impossible not to worry.
[Kim Min-hyeok! Snap out of it!]
“…Ah.”
Only when the body’s owner called his real name did Lee Haru come to his senses. A sharp sting in his hand drew his attention—somehow, the IV needle had been ripped out of the back of his hand.
He had been shaking so hard, he must have unconsciously yanked it out.
Still trembling, Lee Haru moved his hand and pressed the call button. Just as the voice inside had said, something was definitely wrong with his body.
What else could explain this sudden, overwhelming chill and the suffocating sense of dread that had seized him without warning?
“Guide Lee Haru.”
It wasn’t long after the button was pressed that Jin Sung-joon entered the room, eyes immediately scanning him with a calm, focused gaze.
“Give me the tools for bleeding control.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
Taking the disinfectant and gauze from the nurse who followed him in, Jin Sung-joon immediately began treating the back of Lee Haru’s hand.
His expression darkened as he looked into Lee Haru’s eyes—completely unfocused and distant.
“Guide Lee Haru, can you hear me?”
Lee Haru gave a faint nod. He still couldn’t figure out where this fear had come from, and it left him deeply shaken.
He had held his own even after nearly dying at the hands of Black’s leader. But now, after a peaceful conversation with the body’s owner, these symptoms had appeared out of nowhere, and his fingertips were still trembling.
“It seems like you’re experiencing some severe psychological aftereffects. I’m going to administer a sedative for now. After a good rest, you should feel better.”
At Jin Sung-joon’s instruction, the nurse prepared the sedative. Jin Sung-joon personally inserted a new IV needle into the back of Lee Haru’s hand.
With his help, Lee Haru lay back down on the bed. As the medicine traveled through his veins, the tremors slowly began to subside, just as the doctor had said.
Still, I feel uneasy.
His physical condition might have improved, but emotionally, everything was still in turmoil. Even as the sedative began to drag his mind into darkness, the anxiety lingered.
“There will be nothing for Guide Lee Haru to worry about. Just get some rest.”
Jin Sung-joon’s voice was reassuring—but for some reason, the only image that came to mind was that mischievous smile Yu Je-hyun wore when he teased him.
Yu Je-hyun… Nothing’s happened to you, right?
🧍🏻♀️ if something happened to my boy im throwing hands. not that it’d do anything but im throwing them anyway