Chapter 176
As they removed their masks and took deep breaths, their tired eyes caught sight of Hyeon-woo standing in the middle of the hallway like a walking corpse.
One of them recognized Hyeon-woo. He had assisted with Hyeon-woo’s blood draw. After he whispered a few words to those around him, one of the men with white hair, who seemed to be of a respectable age, approached Hyeon-woo and spoke in a polite tone.
“Thank you, the surgery was successful because of you.”
Hyeon-woo’s foggy, dazed eyes began to clear at those words.
“…Successful?”
“Yes, we’ve confirmed that the new eyeball is detecting light and sending signals to the brain. It means the connection with the optic nerve went very well. The blood supply is also smooth, and at this rate, he should be able to quickly recover his original eyesight soon.”
Despite this, Hyeon-woo’s pale complexion showed no signs of improvement, as if he had suffered from a terrible nightmare. The doctor added with concern.
“You seem to have been very worried. Now, please relax and get some rest.”
“…What if you suddenly need more blood transfusions like before…?”
“No, it’s all over now. There won’t be any more emergencies. We just need to wait for the anesthesia to wear off.”
“…Anesthesia…? How long, how long will that take?!”
Startled by Hyeon-woo’s sudden reaction, his eyes flashing, the doctor stammered.
“Probably, probably no more than an hour or two… Wha-?!”
Before the answer was even finished, Hyeon-woo ran out of the mansion like a madman. Driver Yoon happened to be cleaning the windshield of the medical staff’s parked car. Hyeon-woo ran straight to him and shouted in a desperate voice.
“Mister, quickly! Please take me to my house, my house! Hurry!”
Hyeon-woo’s complexion was pale as he stamped his feet impatiently. Driver Yoon told him to follow and led Hyeon-woo to where the car was parked.
Although he didn’t know the circumstances, it was already past his usual quitting time, so it didn’t seem like it would be a problem to take Hyeon-woo out of the mansion. Moreover, it was hard to refuse Hyeon-woo’s desperate plea.
The car quickly left the mansion. Sitting in the back seat with his hands clasped on his knees and his head bowed, Hyeon-woo’s shoulders trembled as he prayed fervently for something.
Even Driver Yoon, watching this through the rearview mirror, felt the urgency. The car increased its speed even more.
One hour. One hour would be enough. Just one hour to see Jerome and come back. As long as he returned before Tae-geon woke up, it would be fine.
As these thoughts repeated in his mind, the car entered a familiar residential alley.
“Mister, please let me off here!”
At Hyeon-woo’s request to stop a bit earlier than the usual drop-off point, Driver Yoon applied the brakes. As soon as the car stopped at the curb, Hyeon-woo sprang out like a coil and ran towards a single-story house built with red bricks.
As Driver Yoon watched Hyeon-woo’s retreating figure open the sparsely-built gate and enter, his pocket buzzed with a vibration.
“Oh my, look at me.”
He had completely forgotten that he was supposed to take some of the medical staff to the terminal after the surgery was over.
Driver Yoon hurriedly started the car.
*
“Jerome!”
Hyeon-woo called out loudly for Jerome as he crossed the yard.
“Jerome!!”
The front door burst open, and Jerome ran out.
“…Daddy?!”
“Jerome!”
Jerome ran out barefoot and threw himself into Hyeon-woo’s arms. Jerome’s entire body was burning hot like a fireball.
Hyeon-woo managed to detach Jerome, who was crying loudly and refusing to let go, from his embrace and placed his hand on Jerome’s forehead to check his temperature. Jerome’s eyelids were swollen like sausages from crying so much, and the whites of his eyes were bright red with burst blood vessels. Red heat rashes had bloomed here and there below his neck. Just as the lady had said, it seemed like his already feverish body was covered in rashes from crying.
How much pain must he have been in? Hyeon-woo’s face contorted as if he was about to burst into tears himself.
“Daddy…! Daddy!!”
Jerome clung tightly to Hyeon-woo. Hyeon-woo hugged Jerome firmly in his arms.
“I’m sorry, Jerome. Daddy was late. You waited a long time, didn’t you? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Jerome.”
“…I kept waiting, why, why didn’t you come?”
“I’m sorry, Daddy is so sorry.”
As Hyeon-woo repeatedly apologized, he heard Jerome’s voice, barely holding back tears, in his ear.
“…Do you hate Jerome? Did you get tired of Jerome?”
It was heartbreaking.
“No! That’s not it, Jerome! How could Daddy ever dislike you!! I love you so, so much. I love you more than anything in the world!”
Hyeon-woo kissed Jerome’s forehead with a smack, smack.
“Daddy will never abandon Jerome. Daddy can’t live without Jerome. So don’t ever say such things again. It makes Daddy too sad. I felt like my heart was being torn apart, okay?”
Perhaps Jerome felt the sincerity in Hyeon-woo’s words as he suffered like the world was falling apart. Jerome, who had stopped crying by now, hugged Hyeon-woo tightly.
Embracing the warmth that burrowed into his arms, Hyeon-woo stood up. Jerome, with his arms around Hyeon-woo’s neck, nuzzled his face into his Daddy’s soft nape.
The gentle hand patting Jerome’s back soothed his anxiety. Jerome’s breathing, which had been a mess mixed with sobs, gradually became more regular. As his crying stopped and his excitement subsided, the effects of the medicine seemed to kick in, and Jerome’s burning body temperature began to lower bit by bit.
The sweet scent unique to children, emanating from Jerome in his arms, gently eased Hyeon-woo’s frayed nerves that had been pushed to the limit.
Hyeon-woo paced the yard for a long time, holding Jerome. During that time, the surroundings sank into thick darkness, and soon it became completely night. Tiny stars twinkled in the black sky.
Mrs. Kyung-ae, who hadn’t left her spot yet out of concern for Jerome’s condition, stood at the edge of the yard, watching the two with a tender gaze.
“Jerome.”
“Yes?”
Jerome lifted his head at the call and met Hyeon-woo’s eyes. Jerome’s face, which had been flushed red, had now regained its original color.
“Are you feeling a bit better now?”
“…Yes.”
There might have been a creaking sound from the old gate behind them, but as always, assuming it was just the wind, Hyeon-woo continued speaking.
“Daddy kept his promise, right? I came to Jerome before bedtime, so it’s not the fifth night yet, right?”
“……”
“Hm? Please say Daddy kept his promise. I rushed here to you like this, right? Right?”
Hyeon-woo pleaded with Jerome, making a face like a child about to throw a tantrum.
“…Okay.”
Hyeon-woo kissed Jerome’s cheeks twice with a smack, smack as Jerome reluctantly agreed.
“Without Jerome, there’s no Daddy. You’re all Daddy has, Jerome.”
“……”
“I love you, Jerome.”
At that moment.
“…Who are you?”
Mrs. Kyung-ae’s voice, asking warily towards the gate, made Hyeon-woo turn around hastily, his face filled with shock.
It was Tae-geon. Tae-geon was standing at the gate, dressed in a patient gown.
His two eyes, fully exposed, stared directly at Hyeon-woo, gleaming eerily under the moonlight.
The white bandage that should have been around his eyes was wrapped around Tae-geon’s neck, stained with red blood. With one of his leather slippers missing and breathing heavily, his appearance vividly portrayed how urgent his situation must have been.
Behind Tae-geon, Driver Yoon could be seen, looking restless.
Tae-geon, who seemed to be in pain even just keeping his eyes open, let out a low groan and squeezed his eyes shut. When Tae-geon’s eyes opened again, they inevitably aimed at Hyeon-woo.
His gaze, which had been scanning every corner of Hyeon-woo’s face, slowly moved to Jerome. As if examining their features, Tae-geon’s sharp eyes alternated between the two, lingering for a long time on Jerome’s blue eyes.
“Ugh.”
Tae-geon let out a painful groan, tightly closed his eyes once more, and roughly rubbed his eyes. The muscles in Tae-geon’s jaw bulged to their limit as he clenched his molars.
Soon, his glistening eyes were revealed again. Tae-geon’s furrowed brow, which seemed to indicate unclear vision, narrowed even further as he stared ahead.
With a confused face, Tae-geon muttered quietly.
“…I didn’t expect this to be the first thing I’d see with my eyes open.”
A smirk of indecipherable meaning formed and disappeared at the corner of Tae-geon’s mouth. Then, a voice colder than frost echoed through the air.
“Explain.”
Sharp eyes glared at Hyeon-woo as if they could burn him alive. The eerie gaze was breathtaking.
Hyeon-woo, who had been standing like a criminal, unable to say a word under Tae-geon’s oppressive presence, gestured to stop Mrs. Kyung-ae as she tried to approach him. Then, he spoke sincerely to Tae-geon.
“I’m sorry.”
“…Sorry…?”
Tae-geon asked back as if in disbelief.
“What are you sorry for?”
“……”
“……”
“Even with ten mouths, you’d have nothing to sa-”
“Speak!!”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
