36.
An unfamiliar ceiling. But as he kept looking at it, it somehow felt familiar. That’s because most hospitals had similar designs.
Haseo slowly blinked, trying to recall his memories. The last thing he remembered was Director Choi Mujin’s surprised expression. He was usually composed, so seeing such an expression was a first. What could have surprised him?
‘I hope it was because of me.’
He harbored such a wish, but it soon dissipated. Because he remembered why he had collapsed.
‘He probably thinks I betrayed him.’
Haseo let out a soft sigh and raised his upper body. An IV needle was inserted in one arm, while the other was free. He rubbed his face with his free hand and looked around. There was no one inside.
This gave him time to organize his thoughts. Choi Mujin was a thorough person, so he would have investigated the cookies Haseo ate. And he might have searched the room.
‘My phone.’
He had hidden it under the sheet, but it wasn’t hard to find. He could have hidden it in a safer place. But Haseo didn’t. He walked on a precarious line without considering his own safety.
‘Why?’
He didn’t want to think about it. He had never liked anyone except his grandmother before. But now, those feelings began to stir for the first time, and the target was Choi Mujin. That’s why he always acted clumsily, even knowing it was dangerous if discovered.
“He won’t forgive me.”
He unconsciously muttered and then covered his mouth with his hand. Fear that he felt belatedly began to consume Haseo. If he were to meet Choi Mujin again, how would he explain? Would explanations even work? But since he was brought to the hospital, would Choi at least listen to his explanation? All sorts of thoughts cluttered his mind.
‘I’m scared. So scared.’
Haseo pulled out the needle from his arm with trembling hands. Blood gushed out from the suddenly removed needle, but he roughly wiped it with his sleeve. Then he forced his unresponsive body to stand beside the bed. He almost fell over midway but somehow managed to hold on.
I want to run away. Haseo walked towards the door as if entranced. He wanted to open the door, leave the hospital, and hide somewhere nobody knew. Then he wouldn’t have to see Choi Mujin. With such thoughts, he was walking when suddenly he stopped in his tracks.
‘What about grandmother?’
Haseo held his hands tightly and trembled. What would happen to his grandmother if he disappeared? The thought made his chest cold. Even if it meant being beaten to death by Choi Mujin, he shouldn’t run away from here. He slumped down on the spot and curled up.
‘Grandmother.’
Why was life so arduous and difficult to live? Haseo raised his hands to cover his ears. The sound of his frightened heart pounding reverberated through his body.
‘Grandmother.’
He missed his grandmother who always embraced him and told him she loved him. Tears from his wet eyes soaked his cheeks. He cried for a long time, his body trembling without making a sound. His head hurt and was in pain, but he considered it a deserved punishment. So he cried and cried more.
While crying, he heard someone urgently shouting. With his ears covered, he couldn’t hear clearly, but it seemed like they were looking for a doctor. Looking up while sniffling, he saw something big and black through his blurry vision.
“Lee Haseo. Why are you crying?”
From the voice, he knew it was Choi Mujin. He needed to say something, but no sound came out. As his lips just trembled, a large hand touched his cheek. The unusually cold hand felt refreshing, and Haseo leaned his cheek into it. Soon after, the doctor arrived.
“Mr. Lee Haseo! Oh my, what happened?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.”
“F-first, let’s move him back to the bed.”
No sooner had those words fallen than Choi Mujin lifted Haseo up. Choi Mujin laid Haseo, who was limp like a wet towel, back on the bed.
“My goodness, why did you pull out the needle?”
The doctor examined Haseo, who was lying obediently, and wiped away the blood.
“The blood vessel burst. Fortunately, it’s not serious.”
The doctor pressed firmly on the still bleeding wound to stop the bleeding.
“In the future, if you want to remove the needle, press the bell above the bed. Someone will come right away.”
Despite the quite gentle voice, the tears didn’t stop. Haseo reached out his hand towards Choi Mujin, who was standing nearby. Choi Mujin then grabbed Haseo’s hand.
“Something’s wrong with him.”
“He’s probably like this because he cried too much without eating properly for two days.”
“It’s not because of the drug?”
“The amount in one cookie wasn’t as much as you might think.”
“So what should we do now?”
“First, he needs to stop crying.”
The doctor said this.
Choi Mujin looked down at Haseo crying. He had seen many people cry before, but Haseo was unique among them. He was shedding tears profusely, looking utterly sorrowful, yet making almost no sound. After watching this, he pulled a nearby chair and sat by the bed.
‘This feeling is strange.’
His crying, as if suppressing it inside, contained sadness. What could be so sad? While it was true that Ryu Jiho was the one who made the threat first, Haseo was the one who complied. Although he didn’t yet know why Haseo ate the cookies himself. According to Choi Mujin’s standards, Haseo had already crossed the line.
The boy from the bottom who had nothing gave up many things to become Director Choi. Among them were people Choi Mujin had trusted.
‘But people change.’
Everyone does. They tend to move for greater benefits and under greater threats. He wasn’t blaming that. Choices were up to each individual, and if it was wrong, they would pay the price. The same applied to Haseo.
Choi Mujin suddenly recalled Park Dongsu’s call before coming to the hospital. After finishing the cleanup, he reported by phone and asked:
“Director, what are you planning to do with Mr. Lee Haseo?”
What to do? Choi Mujin couldn’t answer Park Dongsu’s question immediately. He closed his mouth for a moment and thought. Director Choi of Isaac Finance had never let betrayers go unpunished.
“If he betrayed, he should be punished.”
“I see. Shall I prepare?”
“Do that.”
Choi Mujin said this and hung up. And he immediately rushed to the hospital where Haseo was.
‘Yes, this is right.’
He had no intention of making an exception. But seeing him sitting on the cold hospital floor, crying as if his eyes were melting, took his breath away. Haseo couldn’t answer when Choi Mujin asked why he was crying. And he cried as if he was about to lose his breath.
Choi Mujin brushed Haseo’s damp forehead with his hand. As the hair that had been sticking to his wet skin was pushed back, his expression became more clearly visible.
“Lee Haseo.”
“Huu.”
When he called his name firmly, Haseo began to hiccup. Crying while hiccupping made him look even more comical. Choi Mujin put his hand under Haseo’s back and lifted his upper body. Having not eaten properly recently, he was ridiculously light for an adult man.
“Lee Haseo.”
Choi Mujin called Haseo’s name and patted his back. It was the first time in his life he had done such an embarrassing act. But it was quite effective. The body that had been shaking like crazy due to hiccups gradually calmed down.
The tears stopped too. After watching Haseo sniffling and inhaling through his nose, he handed him a tissue. Haseo blew his nose with it and wiped his eyes. His eyes, already red and swollen, became a mess as he rubbed them hard. Haseo held the damp tissue tightly and looked at Choi Mujin.
With a strange expression, Haseo’s lips trembled as he barely squeezed out his voice.
“Am I now…”
Haseo paused there, seemingly choosing his words. After a while, he continued.
“Going to die?”
At those words, Choi Mujin couldn’t help but laugh softly. With a swollen face that looked like a frog, and he was saying such things.
“What if I said I would kill you?”
He didn’t really want to kill him. Choi Mujin was just curious about Haseo’s reaction.
“…I know this sounds shameless, but could you spare my life?”
Choi Mujin crossed his arms and met Haseo’s gaze.
“Why should I?”
“I don’t, I don’t want to die yet.”
“Even though you betrayed me?”
“I’ll pay for my sins somehow. But I can’t die like this. If I’m gone, my grandmother will die.”
Would the hospital properly care for his grandmother without a guardian? Why would they when there’s no benefit? Haseo didn’t believe in others’ goodwill. People might reduce rent a bit or share food they made. But when it got bigger, most were reluctant to show goodwill.
There were occasionally kind people, but Haseo didn’t want to bet his grandmother’s life on such a slim chance. That’s why, even staggering, he slid down from the bed. It happened before Choi Mujin could stop him.
Haseo put his hands together on the floor and bowed deeply. He lowered his head and banged it on the floor.
“Please, please spare my life!”
“Huh.”
Choi Mujin was taken aback seeing Haseo like this.
“Please spare me.”
In the meantime, Haseo banged his head on the floor again. He hit it so hard that the sound was loud. Yet he didn’t scream even once.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
