The hospital room was quiet.
Only the sound of the machine next to Sohee was beeping at regular intervals.
‘Beep—… Beep—…’
"Sohee, you're not going to wake up today either?"
Jimin gently stroked Sohee's hand.
The doctor said Sohee was fine, but Jimin couldn't do anything because she hadn't opened her eyes yet.
"We... decided to travel together... to France... to Japan... to Taiwan...
Are you listening?"
Jimin continued to talk to himself while sitting next to Sohee, who was lying quietly.
At that moment, Sohee's hand moved slightly.
Flinch-
"S... Sohee, are you really... really listening?? Sohee... Sohee!!! Doctor Haejin!! Quickly!!!"
"Ugh... Uh!! I'll call the doctor right now!!"
Jimin was surprised and continued talking to Sohee, wiping her hand and forehead.
"Sohee, can you hear me? Can you hear me? Say something, please..."
"..... Listen....."
"S... Sohee!!!"
Sohee finally opened her eyes.
Jimin held Sohee's hand and shed tears of joy.
"Everything is fine. I think you just need to rest now, until the wound heals."
"Thank you, thank you, teacher."
Sohee was lying down looking at the ceiling.
His eyes were open, but their focus was somewhere far away.
After the attending physician left, Jimin sat next to the bed.
His hand was holding Sohee's hand.
“There’s Noh Chang-ki...”
Jimin opened his mouth.
“I'll finish it.”
As soon as those words fell,
Sohee's fingers trembled slightly.
"…no"
Sohee's voice was faint at first, as if she had no strength.
But as my breathing quickened, my emotions began to intensify.
“No.. No.. No!!!!!”
Jimin raised his head.
“Sohee-”
“I have to do that!!!!”
The ringer string shook.
The electrocardiogram briefly fluctuated.
“That person... That person is me...”
Jimin got up from his seat and grabbed Sohee's shoulder.
“You can’t even stand now!!! ...Stability is the top priority...”
",,,,"
“I can’t hurt you again.”
“Then what am I?”
Sohee took a deep breath.
"What on earth can I do with myself? Am I someone who must be protected until the end?!!!!!"
Jimin's expression fell for the first time.
“That’s not what I meant...”
“Then why are you making decisions without me again!”
Tears poured from Sohee's eyes.
It was a face where everything I had been holding back exploded at once.
“Why do you always try to finish it for me! Why do you always do it when I’m not around...”
Jimin couldn't hold on any longer and hugged Sohee.
“Then I...
“How can I make you happy, Sohee?”
Jimin's voice trembled.
Although his heart ached as if he was going to suffocate, Jimin just hugged Sohee.
Sohee raised her head in his arms.
"Happiness? That's never been a thing for me. Ever since the day my parents died when I was young... happiness has been a luxury for me."
"No, Sohee, it's all..."
"No, I guess you've come to realize that you're more than enough for me, that love is a luxury for me."
Since that day,
Sohee didn't leave the hospital room and just looked out the window.
And he didn't say anything.
Jimin was by her side, but there was no word between them.
Time passed, and Sohee's wounds gradually healed.
Meanwhile, Jimin made a firm decision.
“I think that if Noh Chang-gi dies, So-hee will stop too.”
Haejin was silent for a moment.
“I don’t think that’s what Sohee wanted.”
"I have to do it. If I don't... I can't keep Sohee by my side...
Whatever Sohee thinks
I have to protect Sohee and keep her by my side."
That night, Jimin made a phone call to someone.
"Who is this?"
“Come out. We’ll settle this tomorrow.”
"Who attacked first? I'm not feeling well right now, so let's settle this in one go."
"If you use a foolish trick... you know?"
"Hahaha!!! Who would dare say such things, to come out and show off our Hwayang's honor?"
Behind the curtain, Sohee heard the call.
Her expression didn't change. But something else was flashing in her eyes.
.
.
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Continued in the next episode >>