#76
The thin eyelids rolled upward, following the dilated pupils. Hyun-oh fixed his gaze on Eunsol’s face, as if he couldn’t believe it.
Just moments ago, he had been pleading for Eunsol to open his eyes, but now that Eunsol showed signs of regaining consciousness, it felt like witnessing a miracle.
Swooosh—
Eunsol’s pupils appeared without warning. Hyun-oh abruptly stood up.
He knew he should press the nurse call button to summon the medical staff, but the machine sounds still emitted the same noise as before Eunsol opened his eyes.
Even if just for a brief moment, he wanted to call Eunsol’s name affectionately and express his apologies to him.
“…Lee Eunsol, do you recognize me?”
But the words that escaped through his trembling lips were quite different from what he had imagined in his mind.
Hyun-oh bit down hard on the flesh below his lip. Even though he had called him “Eunsol” with a tender voice when he was asleep, as if the time he had practiced was an illusion, he ended up addressing him in the same stiff tone as before.
Light gradually entered the eyes whose focus had been blurry. Following the slowly opening and closing eyelids, the jet-black pupils gradually stretched.
Hyun-oh’s Adam’s apple undulated. He waited patiently for Eunsol to take him into his field of vision.
During the countless nights when Eunsol couldn’t open his eyes, Hyun-oh had endured by scraping together the patience he had accumulated throughout his life.
Although his heart was beating rapidly as if it were racing, causing an undeniable vibration in his chest, Hyun-oh suppressed his impatient feelings.
Finally, it was the moment when the eyes he had been waiting so long for reached Hyun-oh’s face.
“Ah…”
A thin thread-like groan leaked through the parted lips.
The moment Hyun-oh’s figure appeared like an afterimage on the jet-black pupils, the dry eye area that had seemed parched became instantly wet, as if by magic.
Hyun-oh’s shoulders stiffened.
He couldn’t reach out his hand to wipe away the tears that had formed in Eunsol’s eyes.
Because the emotion revealed over the large eyes was clearly one thing.
…Fear.
Eunsol was currently more afraid of Hyun-oh than ever before. As if he had encountered a robber with a weapon in a deserted alley, Eunsol’s breathing rose, wheezing.
The inside of the oxygen respirator spread with misty breath. Hyun-oh tried to say something, but it felt as if a stone was lodged in his throat, and he curled his trembling fingertips into a ball.
“Hhh…”
Eunsol shrank his body like a terrified child, trying somehow to distance himself from Hyun-oh. Facing this sight, Hyun-oh’s thoughts halted.
Beep, beep, beep—
Following the irregular breathing, loud machine noises filled the spacious hospital room.
“Patient, have you regained consciousness?”
How many seconds had passed? Perhaps just a few.
The medical staff, noticing Eunsol’s abnormal reaction, rushed into the hospital room one after another.
‘Why is our child not waking from the coma, doctor?’
Sweat filled the creases on the attending physician’s forehead. It was because of the cold words Kang Ye-ryeong had delivered when she visited his office that morning.
Almost every day, Kang Ye-ryeong would come to him and press him about the exact cause.
For him, it was truly maddening. Although there were symptoms of a mild concussion, it wasn’t severe enough to remain unconscious for over a week. He had even researched papers submitted to academic journals by staying up all night, but couldn’t identify the exact cause.
‘Oh, I’m sure he’ll wake up today.’
‘Can I trust that?’
‘Of course, Madam.’
Because of this, the attending physician once again evaded Kang Ye-ryeong’s interrogation, relying on a thread of hope.
But a true miracle had occurred. Originally, a camera should have been installed to monitor Eunsol’s condition 24 hours a day, but at Hyun-oh’s request, he had created a temporary clinic as close as possible to the hospital room.
It was a distance from which he could run to Eunsol within 30 seconds if something happened.
“I’ll check the vitals first.”
The attending physician lightly bowed to Hyun-oh, who was standing like a totem pole next to Eunsol, and then examined Eunsol.
But Eunsol’s reaction was unusual. It was too intense to simply attribute to having regained consciousness after a long period of unconsciousness.
In particular, his heart rate was beating dangerously fast, causing the attending physician’s expression to become serious. Though there was the option of administering a cardiac stimulant, it was best to minimize the use of medication for the sake of Eunsol and the fetus in his womb.
‘This seems…’
The attending physician glanced at Hyun-oh. There was no issue with Eunsol’s heart. This led to the conclusion that Eunsol’s current physical responses were strongly related to his psychological state.
‘Oh dear.’
Even the pheromone levels, which had been within the safe range, showed signs of exceeding the normal range. Eventually, the attending physician had to make a judgment for the patient’s benefit.
“It seems the patient is… quite startled to see you, guardian. How about waiting in the lounge, at least until he can regain some composure?”
The attending physician’s lips trembled slightly. Although he was trying to force a smile, when his eyes met the frosty gaze, his knees buckled involuntarily.
He had thought that devoted marital relationships and love among the wealthy families were scenes that only appeared in dramas and movies.
For the past week, he had felt like a journalist closely covering what a real-life wealthy couple’s relationship was like.
They weren’t just any wealthy family, but the Chairman of the TH Group, known to everyone in South Korea, and his husband. The story of a group chairman personally nursing his spouse, who couldn’t regain consciousness, had become a regular topic of conversation in the VIP ward.
Although everyone was being silenced because the hospital could be affected if information leaked incorrectly, it was nearly impossible to prevent those working within the VIP ward from talking among themselves.
‘He’s totally like a drama’s main lead. Looks, background, and even devoted love for his spouse.’
The face of the head nurse who had said this with blushing cheeks still lingered in his mind.
‘It seems there’s a different backstory from what’s being shown.’
If Hyun-oh had been the affectionate spouse that the medical staff had observed, it would make no sense for someone who had regained consciousness to be so terrified.
“Chairman. Please.”
The attending physician mustered courage once more. He judged that if Hyun-oh continued to stay here, it would not only be difficult to properly examine Eunsol’s condition but would also negatively affect the patient. Recalling Kang Ye-ryeong’s cold face, his mouth dried up like dry kindling onto which a spark had been thrown.
“…Please inform me as soon as he’s better.”
Hyun-oh barely parted his lips and moved his body. It wasn’t easy to move his feet, as if someone was grabbing his ankles.
Looking down at Eunsol’s face with closed eyes, he had imagined countless times. How Eunsol, once conscious, would react to seeing him.
He hadn’t expected Eunsol to send him blindly affectionate gazes like before.
He had only hoped… that as his spouse, Eunsol would feel at least some reassurance when waking from the brink of life and death.
Because the sense of debt, of not being by his side when he needed him most, was suffocating.
It was a mistake to have coveted the opportunity to make amends.
“Haa…”
Only after the door closed behind him did Hyun-oh’s chest heave greatly. Even though he had exhaled a long breath, it didn’t feel refreshing at all.
Rather, he had to consciously inhale and exhale to the extent that cracks were about to form in his vision.
“Chairman! I heard Eunsol has awakened…”
Kim Myungjun also had to set up a makeshift office in the room next to Eunsol’s hospital room. Since his boss had no intention of leaving this place, he too was forced to become a guardian spirit of this place.
He had rushed over upon hearing the news that Eunsol had finally awakened, but seeing Hyun-oh’s face, he was struck speechless.
He had thought Hyun-oh would be the happiest person. After all, Hyun-oh had cared for and monitored Eunsol with utmost devotion.
In the midst of work, he had even called a professional caregiver and received training, so Kim Myungjun was repeatedly surprised, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, to see Hyun-oh skillfully performing caregiving duties.
But why… was he now standing like someone who had been rejected? He couldn’t understand.
“…Are you alright?”
Kim Myungjun had no choice but to swallow back his original words and ask about Hyun-oh’s well-being.
The person who had been stronger than anyone else showed signs of being on the verge of collapse when it came to Eunsol, causing Kim Myungjun considerable concern.
“…Myungjun.”
At Hyun-oh’s continued voice, Kim Myungjun’s eyes widened. Although they had called each other by name more often before graduating from university, after joining Hyun-oh’s company, Kim Myungjun had thoroughly treated him as someone he served.
Hyun-oh too had severed their once friend-like relationship as if it were natural.
Yet now, he had brought out the old form of address. This meant that Hyun-oh was currently not just pushed to the edge of a cliff but on the verge of falling.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
