CH 60.1

Woo-hyun, who had no intention of changing his mind either way, approached her quietly. As he sat down at the edge of the bed, he could see Yoo-hwa’s back more clearly as she lay next to him. As he lowered his gaze, he could see her wounded heels in the dark. It was dark, but surprisingly, the light touched only that area and it could be seen clearly.

He didn’t see the wounds when Yoo-hwa collapsed, but only when he looked at her from behind.

Like Yoo-hwa’s letter, which he found only after parting ways.

The eyes that looked at the wound sank deeply. He squeezed the ointment on the tip of his index finger and applied it slowly over the wound. In the meantime, Yoo-hwa didn’t move at all. He put a band-aid over the wound, and the treatment ended in an instant.

Even though he had completed his goal, Woo-hyun sat there blankly and looked down. There was a different scent in Yoo-hwa’s room than when he stayed there. It was the scent he often smelled in her house. Because of that, he felt as if he was returning to the old house in the redevelopment area.

That time, when he was happy with Yoo-hwa’s sincerity that fiercely hit him but didn’t think it was a big deal.

That time, when he thought he told her the truth on impulse but actually told her because wanted to be comforted by her.

He could only see it now that he had taken a step back.

He showed himself completely to Yoo-hwa, to the extent that he wondered what it would be if it wasn’t love.

If he had known this earlier, would the outcome have changed?

Woo-hyun looked at the wounded foot with blurred eyes.

Besides the place where he put the band-aid, there were countless small wounds left. It was like the number of wounds he himself had given Yoo-hwa, so he stopped looking.

Woo-hyun’s gaze shifted from Yoo-hwa’s foot to her ankle, then up her calf, and finally to her face. He couldn’t see her face properly because she was sleeping sideways.

Woo-hyun wanted Yoo-hwa to look back, but at the same time didn’t want her to.

Because he thought he would say something he shouldn’t if he saw her face.

“If a wound is meant to get worse, it will get worse somehow.”

… Ask her what he should do to keep it from getting worse.

“If it’s meant to heal, it will heal somehow.”

… Ask her if at least one of the wounds he gave her had healed.

Because he thought he would say that and forget about the situation.

And…

Woo-hyun closed his eyes tightly, as if to stop his rushing thoughts. He frowned. Woo-hyun, who clenched his fists so tightly that the tendons on the back of his hands came out, stood up and quickly turned around. He moved like he was going to leave right away, but, surprisingly, he stopped as he grabbed the doorknob.

The hand holding the doorknob was full of strength. As he tried to open the door with all his strength, the last question he had been holding back felt like a death sentence.

… If there was a way not to let her go.

Woo-hyun’s expression as he looked at the closed door quickly crumbled away.

***

As soon as she opened her eyes, she checked the time. It took her a long time to get up because the weather, which was cloudier than usual, made her body heavier. She walked to the bathroom, thinking that she would only get lazier if she stayed there, and then stopped. She lowered her head and saw a band-aid on her heel.

Yesterday at dawn, she heard the sound of the door opening as she fell asleep. Even though she thought the approaching steps belonged to Woo-hyun, she thought it was a dream. Since she had a dream like this before. Woo-hyun went out after staying in the room for a while, and she fell asleep at the sound of the door closing.

It wasn’t a dream.

Yoo-hwa thought as she looked down at the band-aid.

Since when did he care about things like this?

No, he cared. Though he didn’t mean it.

She thought about taking it off, but she left it, thinking it would be better to have it while showering.

Yoo-hwa went straight into the bathroom, took a shower, and left the room after a brief cleaning of the bathroom.

“Good morning.”

Yoo-hwa, who naturally thought the presence she had felt beyond the door belonged to Woo-hyun, stopped in surprise at the arrival of an unexpected person. A lady she saw for the first time stood in front of the kitchen sink, wearing an apron, and greeted her kindly.

“Yes. Good morning.”

Yoo-hwa, who greeted her while being confused for a moment, looked at her with a suspicious expression and then recalled Woo-hyun saying that the housekeeper was going to come.

“Where is the landlord?”

She was going to mention Woo-hyun, but she thought the lady might not know his name and asked in a different way.

“He went out. He told me to tell you when you get up that he’ll be back after a while.”

“… Ah, yes.”

There was no need to tell her that.

Even though she thought that, she didn’t say anything.

“Do you want to eat?”

“Yes.”

After contemplating, Yoo-hwa gave a small nod. Yoo-hwa, who had naturally entered the kitchen, looked suspiciously at the housekeeper blocking her way.

“Do you need anything?”

“I’m going to eat.”

“I’ll give it to you.”

“No. I’m going to eat something simple, so I’ll take care of it.”

She was not used to people acting like this. Furthermore, the lady was older than her.