I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega - Episode 195
I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega – Episode 195
Late at night, Seo I-kyung sat up in his hospital bed after tossing and turning. He had fallen asleep briefly in the evening, but after waking up, he couldn’t fall back asleep.
Seo I-kyung approached the window, pulled back the curtain, and looked outside. Throughout his stay in the hospital, he had been sleeping when sleepy, receiving treatment from the attending physician at scheduled times, and eating good food, so his physical condition was improving compared to before. However, being confined to this hospital room was a bit uncomfortable.
Since he said he wouldn’t go home, Han Seung-jae had truly confined him to this hospital room. He even posted people in front of the door. At first, Seo I-kyung thought it was out of concern that Seo Dong-hu might come looking for him, but Seo Dong-hu could no longer come, could he? Yet Han Seung-jae still kept people posted at the door.
Seo I-kyung turned his head and stared at the screen. More precisely, he was looking at the door beyond it. Since Han Seung-jae had already visited earlier, he probably wouldn’t come today. So should he go out for some night air? A walk might make him feel a bit better.
‘It’s probably difficult.’
The chances of it being allowed were low, especially after encountering Han Seung-jae during the day. And if he insisted, it would be those guards who would suffer.
Seo I-kyung opened the window slightly, as if trying to soothe his complicated feelings, and looked down blankly. Perhaps because it was late, there were noticeably fewer people coming and going compared to during the day.
How long had he been like that? Suddenly, Seo I-kyung turned around. There was a sound from beyond the screen.
Seo I-kyung blinked. Had he heard wrong?
Seo I-kyung took out the pocket watch from his hospital gown pocket and checked the time. It was almost midnight. The attending physician had come when Seo I-kyung was having dinner, checked his wound, changed the bandages, and then left. So there was no reason for him to visit at this hour.
He thought he must have been mistaken. Just as Seo I-kyung’s gaze was about to return to the window, he heard the sound of the door opening. Seo I-kyung’s fingers, gripping the pocket watch, stiffened.
Just by the steady footsteps, Seo I-kyung could immediately tell who had entered the hospital room. The smooth, consistent gait. It was then that Han Seung-jae’s figure appeared before him.
Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes looked at Seo I-kyung standing by the window as he took a step forward. Seo I-kyung closed the cover of the pocket watch he was gripping and put it in his hospital gown pocket.
‘I thought he wouldn’t come…’
However, with each blink, Han Seung-jae was getting closer. His broad shoulders draped in a suit, holding a half-folded envelope in his hand.
“The light was on.”
Han Seung-jae seemed to be speaking while observing Seo I-kyung’s changing expression. He said something unprompted, then sat on the edge of Seo I-kyung’s bed.
“Couldn’t sleep?”
As he said this, Han Seung-jae placed the envelope he was holding on the bedside. Seo I-kyung, who had been staring at this scene while maintaining a certain distance, observed Han Seung-jae’s cold eyes and asked:
“…Have you been drinking?”
“A little.”
No matter how you looked at it, it didn’t seem like he had drunk just a little. Even at home, Han Seung-jae often enjoyed high-proof whiskey. Come to think of it, hadn’t Han Seung-jae said earlier that he was going to see Executive Director Jin? Had they had a gathering at Sangaru today?
Han Seung-jae continued indifferently:
“Next time, let’s go eat together.”
“…”
“Well, I’m not necessarily saying we should drink, so there’s no need to be scared in advance.”
Seo I-kyung found it difficult to gauge his own expression. He just kept staring at Han Seung-jae in front of him, unable to take his eyes off him. But the same was true for Han Seung-jae.
Han Seung-jae pointed with his finger at the envelope placed at the head of the bed. Seo I-kyung’s eyes slowly moved there. On the surface of the partially unfolded envelope, the Chae-eon Foods logo was embossed.
Han Seung-jae’s low voice resonated:
“How about keeping some distance from Jin Seon-yoo?”
Somehow it seemed like he was asking for Seo I-kyung’s opinion, but in reality, it was probably telling him not to meet Jin Seon-yoo. Is that why Seon-yoo couldn’t come to the hospital all this time?
Seo I-kyung turned his head to look at Han Seung-jae and slowly opened his mouth:
“So, did you prevent Seon-yoo from coming?”
“That’s not possible.”
Han Seung-jae’s eyebrows changed subtly. There was likely only one reason why Jin Seon-yoo couldn’t come. It was closer to Jin Tae-won preemptively blocking him, fearing that Jin Seon-yoo might mess things up since Seo Dong-hu’s incident hadn’t been settled yet. It wasn’t difficult to guess such a thing.
“…!”
Han Seung-jae, who had been sitting on the edge of the hospital bed all along, stood up. He slowly walked towards Seo I-kyung, who was maintaining distance. Seo I-kyung’s back was almost touching the window. There was nowhere to retreat.
Han Seung-jae stretched out his long arm. Seo I-kyung thought his fingertips were approaching him. However, Han Seung-jae merely closed the open window.
The cold night breeze had been ruffling Seo I-kyung’s hair, who was wearing only a thin hospital gown.
“If it’s because the hospital room is stuffy, wouldn’t it be better to go home now?”
Han Seung-jae seemed to have guessed everything – Seo I-kyung walking in the hospital corridor, opening the window and looking outside.
Seo I-kyung felt Han Seung-jae’s refined features getting closer little by little. As he leaned his upper body, his somewhat low voice was heard right in front:
“You can paint in the studio, drink tea in the study, walk in the garden.”
A faint shadow appeared under Seo I-kyung’s eyes, with his long eyelashes lowered. Han Seung-jae really seemed to be persuading him seriously. Even in the original story, Seo I-kyung had never seen him list several options to someone.
Seo I-kyung sensed the scent of white wood mixed with the sweet smell of alcohol from Han Seung-jae, who was now closer than before.
“Wouldn’t that be better than here?”
“At home.”
Seo I-kyung’s lips moved slightly. Han Seung-jae’s gaze fell on him as he was about to continue speaking. Seo I-kyung’s voice came out as if breaking:
“…Min Ra-hyun is there.”
Seo I-kyung wasn’t uninterested in painting in the studio, looking at rare items in the study, or walking in the garden with blooming flowers and trees.
Apart from all that, wasn’t Min Ra-hyun at Han Seung-jae’s house? So Seo I-kyung couldn’t feel comfortable anywhere.
“…”
An inexplicable silence flowed between the two. Seo I-kyung judged that Han Seung-jae hadn’t heard him because his voice had come out trembling.
Revealing his inner thoughts wasn’t intentional. It was just that the words he had pushed deep into his heart, suppressed, and kept hidden flowed out unknowingly, momentarily enchanted by Han Seung-jae’s words.
Maybe his reason had faded since Han Seung-jae’s sudden visit at this hour. He didn’t want to talk to him anymore.
Although it seemed he wouldn’t be able to sleep, it wasn’t difficult to lie in bed, close his eyes, and pretend to sleep. Then Han Seung-jae would probably leave too. To that house where Min Ra-hyun was.
Seo I-kyung moved his steps. However, Han Seung-jae grabbed Seo I-kyung’s arm and then slowly loosened his grip. But he never let go enough for Seo I-kyung to leave his side.
Seo I-kyung, looking up, curled his fingers. A strange light flickered in Han Seung-jae’s eyes. Perhaps he was thinking of Min Ra-hyun. However, as if blocking Seo I-kyung’s thoughts, Han Seung-jae said. If that’s the case.
“Let’s go home.”
***
Seo I-kyung looked at Secretary Park who had entered through the opened hospital room door. Han Seung-jae received clothes for Seo I-kyung to change into from him.
“Have the car ready.”
Secretary Park answered that he understood and left the room. Han Seung-jae put down the shopping bag containing the clothes on the bed.
“…?”
Seo I-kyung didn’t understand Han Seung-jae’s actions. However, Han Seung-jae wasn’t the type to kindly explain situations.
As Seo I-kyung hesitated, standing still, Han Seung-jae unbuttoned Seo I-kyung’s hospital gown with both hands. Seo I-kyung tried to raise his hands to stop him, but instead ended up grabbing Han Seung-jae’s hand. Seo I-kyung felt Han Seung-jae’s bony hands were cool.
As the buttons came undone, the bandages tied around Seo I-kyung’s chest were revealed. Han Seung-jae’s cold gaze seemed to touch him briefly, then he put a knit sweater on Seo I-kyung.
The hospital room door opened, and Seo I-kyung came out with a jacket draped over his shoulders. The sturdy men who had been in front of the door were nowhere to be seen.
Walking down the quiet hospital corridor, Seo I-kyung felt anxiety creeping into a corner of his heart. Throughout the elevator ride down to the first floor, Han Seung-jae didn’t say a word. Only the weight of his hand on Seo I-kyung’s back was felt.
As Seo I-kyung came out of Haseon Hospital, Secretary Park opened the back door of the sedan as if he had been waiting. Seo I-kyung got into the car with eyes full of hesitation. He glanced sideways at Han Seung-jae sitting down next to him. Seeming to sense the gaze, Han Seung-jae turned his head and said:
“When we get there, see for yourself.”