Min Yugeon still hadn’t woken up, even as my discharge drew near.
They said he’d definitely regained consciousness. The surgical site was healing well, too.
…Then why won’t he open his eyes?
“What’s the problem…”
I gripped Min Yugeon’s hand tightly and gently stroked his white hair, which was loose today, unlike usual. The soft, fluffy texture pressed into my palm.
The longer he remained unconscious, the more deeply anxiety took hold of me. The medical staff explained that while this was rare, since he had already regained consciousness once, we shouldn’t worry too much and should wait it out. But they didn’t seem to be ruling out worst-case scenarios, either.
Lee Minha noticed that fact and had even fainted over it.
Again today, I stared intently at his firmly shut eyes, then let out a sigh. I stood and left the hospital room.
“Suho.”
Just as I stepped into the hallway and quietly closed the door, I heard the voice.
Lee Minha was standing there holding a bag—probably packed with more things, since Min Yugeon had been bedridden for so long.
She looked at me awkwardly and asked,
“You’re getting discharged soon, right?”
“Yes. Tomorrow afternoon.”
“I see…”
Lee Minha trailed off as she fidgeted with the bag strap, clearly hesitant. She had always been sharp and aggressive with Min Sanghan, yet around me, she acted completely the opposite.
“Suho, um… will you have a bit of time sometime soon?”
That guilt-ridden tone, like someone on trial. It was a behavior I’d repeatedly witnessed in the hospital, but never quite got used to. I tilted my head slightly, uncomfortable.
“Sometime soon?”
“Yeah. A few days ago, I totally lost it… I almost started blabbing right here. That’s not how I should’ve brought it up.”
Lee Minha bowed her head low.
…
Instinctively, I sensed that whatever she wanted to tell me was tied to the way she was acting now. Without hesitation, I nodded and made plans to meet with her.
It was when I returned to the ward where my hospital room was.
“Oh, you’re back.”
“Did your friend seem well?”
The two Security Force officers, now familiar faces, were there. They were assigned by Yeo Wonjin to watch over my room.
After giving them a polite nod, I didn’t enter the room right away but looked between the two of them.
“Thank you for everything. I thought I should say goodbye since I’ll be discharged tomorrow.”
I bowed slightly to them. I knew full well that guarding a post all day wasn’t easy work.
Ever since that incident where I suddenly had a seizure and caused chaos, the two had been treating me with extreme caution. Even a simple cough in the room would send them rushing in, and sometimes they’d almost call medical staff before I could stop them.
I really hoped this wasn’t because Yeo Wonjin had whispered in their ears again.
“Ah, that’s right—tomorrow, huh.”
“But, um…”
The officers exchanged confused looks.
“Um, Mr. Suho, has the Captain said anything to you?”
“Pardon?”
“We’ve received orders to continue providing protection until the remaining accomplices are apprehended. It’s both to safeguard you and assist with tracking them down.”
…?
This was the first I’d heard of it. I blinked, thrown off, and recalled Yeo Wonjin’s words.
“I intend to watch over you closely so that you’re never in danger again.”
…Was that what he meant?
“Please don’t feel burdened. Unless something unexpected happens, we’ll just stay near you without being noticeable. You can go about your life as usual.”
“Oh! And if you allow it, we’d like to do a quick check inside your house whenever you return, just to be safe.”
The two before me were apparently going to alternate shifts to stay close by. I nodded. I didn’t really have a reason to refuse this sort of consideration.
The remaining culprits had to be caught. Never mind whether there was someone pulling the strings or why they were after me—whoever did that to Min Yugeon didn’t deserve to breathe freely.
Attempted murder was a serious crime, after all.
The moment they were caught, they’d be exiled from the ship without question.
“Don’t worry. Even if they run, they’re probably hiding somewhere on the ship. It’s only a matter of time before we catch them.”
Maybe misreading the tension stiffening my face, the officer who tended to be more concerned about me spoke in a reassuring tone.
I looked at him and eased my expression just a bit.
***
“Mr. Suho, if you ever need support, please don’t hesitate to visit us again.”
The nurse I’d run into a few times while visiting to ask after Ji Sung-hyun said this with a serious tone. She’d been startled to see me at the hospital and had gently suggested counseling during my stay. She seemed genuinely concerned about potential psychological aftereffects.
I tugged the corners of my mouth into a small smile at her worried expression.
“I’ll keep that in mind. Thank you for your concern.”
“Oh, not at all. Please make sure to take good care of yourself.”
After listening to various precautions and reminders, I exited the hospital building and looked back.
Thoughts of Min Yugeon—who I never once got to speak to before leaving—took up most of my mind.
I’d still come see him daily, of course, but even so, it was hard to tear myself away.
“……”
Reluctantly, I began walking, slowly surveying my surroundings.
True to their word, today’s assigned Security Force officer wasn’t visible—not even a single strand of hair in sight.
I had no idea where they were hiding, but it was impressive. They must’ve started tailing me from inside the building.
Suddenly, I remembered how Sun Woosung had once trailed me pretending not to be part of my group just to dig into something suspicious.
Invisibility definitely helped coax culprits into letting their guard down.
“Seo Suho?”
A voice called out—at an unexpected moment and from an unlikely place—bringing me to a halt.
I widened my eyes slightly and lifted my head.
As if it were staged, there stood Sun Woosung near the hospital’s main entrance, squarely in my line of sight.
It looked like he’d been on his way in and stopped upon spotting me.
Blinking, I met his gaze and spoke.
“Colonel?”
“What are you doing here?”
Sun Woosung, uncharacteristically flustered, strode toward me.
His expression was so unguardedly surprised that I couldn’t help but feel rattled too.
“You said it wasn’t because you were unwell or anything, just that you needed a few days’ rest.”
Frowning, he questioned me once he was close enough.
Searching my memory, I let out a short sigh.
“Ah…”
I had sent Sun Woosung a message saying I might need to put the project on hold for a few days. While I figured Min Sanghan’s secretary would pass the word along, I thought it best to notify him myself just in case.
Sure enough, Sun Woosung had immediately replied asking if I was injured or sick—probably thinking I’d gotten hurt again, considering I’d once twisted my ankle. I brushed it off at the time, telling him it was nothing, never imagining we’d run into each other like this at the hospital.
“Your face…”
“……!”
Sun Woosung slowly reached for my face.
His touch was so feather-light I couldn’t tell if it actually made contact, but that cautious gesture sent a tingling sensation not only across my skin, but deep into my chest.
Staring hard at the still-faint bruise on my face, he then shifted his gaze to the cut above my brow. His eyes gleamed with a familiar, unreadable intensity—just like the first time we met.
“Who did this?”
“…What?”
“These aren’t injuries from a fall or an accident. Someone did this to you.”
I had to admire his perception. He’d probably suffered enough wounds himself to spot the difference instantly, but still—it was impressive in its own right.
“It’s nothing serious.”
Compared to what happened to Min Yugeon, my injuries truly were nothing. I gently tried to lower his hand from my face.
But instead, Sun Woosung pulled me closer, scanning every visible part of me—from the nape of my neck to my wrists—with razor focus. His cold, black eyes felt almost mechanical, like I was being analyzed. The grip on my forearm wasn’t exactly gentle, either.
“Tell me the truth.”
His voice dropped dangerously low. The barely restrained edge in it made my lips clamp shut on instinct.
“What happened to you?”
“……”
“Seo Suho.”
Like I could say anything good. Lowering my gaze, I debated whether or not to answer him. His grip tightened ever so slightly.
“…This isn’t the place for that conversation.”
Eventually, I spoke in a quiet voice, meeting his eyes. It wasn’t like I couldn’t tell him, but talking about being kidnapped right in front of a hospital full of patients didn’t feel appropriate.
I was just about to suggest moving somewhere more private when I suddenly paused and looked back and forth between him and the hospital building.
“But Colonel, weren’t you here on some kind of errand?”
“I was about to stop by for something minor.”
His response came with a chilling firmness.
“Nothing more important than your condition right now.”
