Anyone could see how visibly uncomfortable he was, so instead of trying to start a conversation, Kang Min focused entirely on driving.
Their car pulled into a familiar parking lot. The Association’s affiliated hospital was especially crowded today.
Kang Min parked far from the main entrance and stepped out first. Lee Haru quickly unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the door.
“Ugh, it’s so hot today.”
Feeling like he had to say something—anything—Lee Haru began fanning himself and made a comment about the weather. Kang Min glanced down at him and casually used his ability.
“……”
A shadow fell across his face, and Lee Haru silently bit his lip. A red umbrella was floating above his head.
People in the parking lot turned to look. Lee Haru’s steps quickened almost to a speed walk.
Kang Min followed behind him without a word.
***
“He’s still refusing to see anyone… But we can’t just wait around forever, so let’s try again today.”
Kang Min had already contacted Ji Yeon-woo’s attending physician, Jin Sung-joon. After a brief greeting, Jin Sung-joon took the lead with a chart in hand.
“Is he eating at all?”
Lee Haru asked the question that had been troubling him.
He kept thinking about the past, when Ji Yeon-woo had rejected everyone but him, yet still hadn’t been doing well. Now that he was being shut out entirely, his concern had only grown.
“Barely. We’re lucky if he manages a single spoonful per meal. He’s basically stopped eating and drinking altogether. At this point, he’s surviving on IV fluids.”
Jin Sung-joon’s voice carried deep sorrow. What happened at Baeksong University was classified.
As a result, Jin Sung-joon didn’t know the full details of what Ji Yeon-woo had gone through.
Clearly, something traumatic enough to leave deep psychological scars had occurred, but with Ji Yeon-woo refusing to talk, all Jin Sung-joon could do was try to prevent his body from completely falling apart.
Knock, knock, knock—
“Guide Ji Yeon-woo, we’re coming in.”
Jin Sung-joon stopped in front of the hospital room and knocked lightly. No response came from inside.
He opened the door and entered first. Lee Haru hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Outside, the sun blazed at its peak, but the hospital room was dim. Heavy curtains covered the windows, and the only light came from the small lamp on the nightstand.
“You have visitors today. People you know well—Guide Lee Haru and President Kang Min.”
Even at Jin Sung-joon’s voice, the pile of blankets didn’t budge. He sighed quietly, then turned to look at Kang Min and Lee Haru.
Kang Min gave Lee Haru a light pat on the shoulder and gestured to Jin Sung-joon. It was a silent cue to leave things to him.
The soft sound of footsteps and the closing door followed. Before long, only Lee Haru and Ji Yeon-woo remained in the wide hospital room.
After a moment of hesitation, Lee Haru sat down beside him.
“Yeon-woo.”
“……”
No answer came again, but Lee Haru saw the blanket twitch slightly.
“I’m here. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? I should’ve come sooner… I’m sorry I was so late.”
It wasn’t that Lee Haru had avoided the hospital on purpose. He had just been waiting for Ji Yeon-woo to reach out first.
But seeing him now in person, guilt settled heavy in his chest. Ji Yeon-woo had no family, no lover, no friends.
He was basically the only one who could be considered a close acquaintance. There were other Guides who had been imprisoned with Ji Yeon-woo in Black, but he hadn’t met with any of them afterward.
Maybe, even if Ji Yeon-woo had pushed him away, if he had come and knocked on that door every single day, Ji Yeon-woo might’ve been able to get back on his feet a little sooner. That regret now swelled inside him.
“It’s really hot outside. Just five minutes of walking and you’re soaked in sweat.”
Instead of asking Ji Yeon-woo to lower the blanket, to show his face, or to say something, Lee Haru rambled about everyday things, one after another.
“I moved. It’s a bit farther from the old mansion. The neighborhood’s pretty similar though—lots of single-family homes spaced far apart.”
Even as he spoke, Lee Haru’s eyes moved constantly, scanning the hospital room. The humidifier was nearly out of water.
“Are you thirsty? Want a drink of water?”
Thinking this might be a good way to get Ji Yeon-woo to drink something, he went to the fridge.
He took out two bottles of water and turned back—only to find Ji Yeon-woo sitting up, the blanket that had been covering his head now lowered.
He looked even more haggard than the last time Lee Haru had seen him, and for a moment, Lee Haru was speechless. Jin Sung-joon’s words about him not eating properly suddenly felt all too real.
His cheekbones were sharply pronounced, and the bones jutting through his hospital gown were frail to the point of looking dangerous.
Lee Haru forced a smile and approached him. He set one bottle beside the humidifier and opened the other.
“Here, have some water.”
Ji Yeon-woo’s lips were dry and cracked like parched earth. Fortunately, he didn’t refuse—he took the bottle.
Lee Haru watched quietly as Ji Yeon-woo held a mouthful of water in his mouth, swallowing it down little by little.
“…Haru-hyung.”
Ji Yeon-woo broke the silence, still fiddling with the bottle. His voice was rough, and hearing it made Haru’s chest tighten. Gently, he reached out.
He set the bottle down on the floor and took Ji Yeon-woo’s cold fingers into his own. As if trying to chase away the unfamiliar chill, he slowly rubbed warmth into them with his thumb.
“It must’ve been really hard.”
Even Haru, who had harbored deep hatred for Black’s leader, had been shaken when the man took his own life. It wasn’t a quiet death, either—he’d split open his chest and torn out his heart while still alive.
It was the kind of thing that would be traumatic even in a movie. And they had witnessed it with their own eyes. Haru could still swear he smelled blood in the air.
If he had been that affected, how much worse must it have been for Ji Yeon-woo, who had far more complicated emotions tied to that man?
“From now on, I’ll come by often. If you ever need me, I’ll be there—anytime.”
Since that day, Haru had been healing, step by step, alongside Yu Je-hyun. It was strange, the way everything felt different when you weren’t alone.
There was no room for loneliness. His days were filled with thoughts of their shared life, and each moment turned out sweeter than he’d imagined.
And yet, sitting here now, he felt guilty. As if he’d been the only one allowed to move forward. A part of him wondered if Ji Yeon-woo’s life had been derailed simply because he existed in this body. Every time he thought of Ji Yeon-woo, something in his chest twisted uncomfortably.
If it hadn’t been him… maybe Yu Je-hyun’s heart would’ve gone to Ji Yeon-woo.
Haru had always believed Kang Min and Ji Yeon-woo were meant to be. But when Kang Min saw him, he barely reacted.
And so, whether anyone intended it or not, Ji Yeon-woo had ended up alone. The one person who might have heard his pain and helped soothe his wounds had simply disappeared.
It wasn’t Haru’s fault—but seeing Ji Yeon-woo today, so much more fragile than he expected, shattered the walls of guilt that had been quietly stacking up inside him.
Gripping his hand tighter, Haru poured his remorse into the gesture. Ji Yeon-woo gave him a faint, sorrowful smile.
“If you keep saying things like that… I might end up begging you to stay with me every day.”
Ji Yeon-woo gently touched the tips of Haru’s fingers, just as Haru had done for him. His fingers, tinged with a soft pink, were neat and delicate—just like Haru’s.
“Sorry for making you worry. I just… needed time to sort things out on my own.”
With a soft touch, Ji Yeon-woo eased Haru’s hand away, as if to say he could stand on his own now.
The calm look on his face made Haru slowly lace his fingers together.
“How about you? How’ve you been? Are you living alone in your new place?”
“…No. I’m living with Yu Je-hyun.”
“I thought so.”
Ji Yeon-woo gave a small, knowing nod, as if he’d expected the answer. Haru fiddled with his fingers for a moment, then asked cautiously.
“…Would you like to come over sometime?”
“Would that be okay?”
“Of course. I’ll cook you all sorts of good things.”
Ji Yeon-woo didn’t hesitate or refuse—instead, he accepted. Haru’s voice brightened a full octave.
Seeing that, Ji Yeon-woo’s faint smile deepened.
“I’ll come soon. Once I’ve recovered and gotten my life back on track.”
Today marked a turning point for Ji Yeon-woo. He decided he would finally begin taking steps out of the past. He’d spent so long sleeping as if dead, lost in thought. Now, he was ready to wake up.
