I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega - Episode 219

I Possessed a Terminally Ill Omega – Episode 219

Seo I-Kyung looked around the garden while blowing on his hot tea to cool it. After staying in the room for so long, sitting in the sunlit garden seemed to make his weak body feel somewhat better.

Seo I-Kyung lowered the teacup he was holding. The cup had already emptied. Han Seung-jae, who drank faster than Seo I-Kyung, was already on his second cup.

As Seo I-Kyung put the teacup on the saucer, Han Seung-jae indifferently stood up.

“Let’s go back inside.”

He had already sent Butler Do and the doctor away so that Seo I-Kyung could drink tea comfortably without worrying. They had been drinking tea alone together for a while. Han Seung-jae had shown consideration in his own way.

“Seung-jae.”

Han Seung-jae’s upper body turned slightly. He looked down at his hand that Seo I-Kyung had grabbed. The small white fingers carefully let go. Seo I-Kyung had unconsciously grabbed Han Seung-jae’s hand when he stood up, leaning on the table.

Belatedly releasing Han Seung-jae’s hand slowly, he opened his mouth.

“I want to stay a bit longer.”

If he asked Han Seung-jae to go in first, would he agree? Moreover, as the sun was setting, tree shadows were forming. Seo I-Kyung really wanted to sit here a bit longer.

“Then do you want to have dinner here?”

Han Seung-jae lifted his gaze from his hand that Seo I-Kyung had been holding. Seo I-Kyung blinked.

“Is that okay?”

It was a bit early for dinner. However, Seo I-Kyung hadn’t eaten much since he had been sick. And eating in the garden might stimulate his appetite.

“Why would that be difficult? There’s nothing that can’t be done.”

Han Seung-jae said indifferently as he sat back at the table and took out his phone. It would be better to change to something more substantial than just having a sick patient drink tea. Shortly after he finished a brief call, Butler Do and the chef who had been inside came out.

Seo I-Kyung stared blankly at the nutritious porridge placed before him. He had struggled to eat in the morning due to lack of appetite, but being outside made him feel hungry.

Seo I-Kyung grasped the concave spoon. As he lifted a little porridge, he hesitated for a moment. Han Seung-jae had leaned forward, bringing him closer to Seo I-Kyung.

Unlike the large dining table inside, the table in the garden was small. Not all of Han Seung-jae’s side dishes could be placed. The chef had carefully selected dishes to put in front of Han Seung-jae before leaving.

“……”

Seo I-Kyung had been leaning back in his chair, looking around while drinking tea, so he hadn’t thought about how small the table was. Only the teapot and two teacups had occupied the table. But when he pulled his chair closer to eat the porridge, he naturally got closer to Han Seung-jae. However, it would be awkward to now lean back in the chair holding the porridge bowl.

Seo I-Kyung took a spoonful of porridge. Han Seung-jae’s low voice came from across the table as he also leaned forward. Don’t get indigestion like yesterday. He was looking around at the side dishes in front of him with a calm gaze.

“Eat only as much as you can.”

Seo I-Kyung nodded. He slowly put the spoonful of porridge in his mouth. Although it was the same porridge he had eaten in bed, it seemed to go down easier eating outside.

Seo I-Kyung’s gaze briefly touched on Han Seung-jae. He was holding chopsticks, but they were clean as if unused.

The dinner time was earlier than usual, and Han Seung-jae didn’t seem to have any intention of eating in the first place. Yet why wasn’t he going inside? As these thoughts occurred to him, Seo I-Kyung became conscious of Han Seung-jae sitting leisurely close by. Their eyes met frequently as he looked at him.

“…I’m finished.”

As Seo I-Kyung put down even the water glass on the table, Han Seung-jae stood up and walked away. Seo I-Kyung slowly raised his knees.

The rustling leaves cast shadows on Seo I-Kyung’s face. He was lost in thought for a moment with a pale complexion.

When he overheard Secretary Park’s phone call, Seo I-Kyung thought Han Seung-jae would go to Min Ra-hyun. He didn’t know why he had such a thought, but just thinking about it made his legs give out and he collapsed to the floor.

Han Seung-jae, who was walking in the garden, turned back. Seo I-Kyung slowly took a step. There was no change in Han Seung-jae. No sadness or sympathy showed. Moreover, he was still by his side, enough to make Seo I-Kyung feel relieved.

***

Shhhh-

Cold water poured heavily over broad shoulders. Han Seung-jae, having finished his shower, turned around. He put on a robe and left the bathroom.

He saw Seo I-Kyung lying on his side in bed. He had wondered how long he would sit outside in that condition, but it seemed his energy had already run out.

Han Seung-jae sat on the edge of the bed. Yet Seo I-Kyung remained as he was, eyes closed. He had showered first and fallen asleep without even drying his hair. Han Seung-jae brushed aside the hair sticking to Seo I-Kyung’s forehead with his fingers, checking for a fever. The heat felt much less compared to the day before.

Han Seung-jae withdrew his fingers from Seo I-Kyung’s forehead. He thought about waking him to lie down properly but decided it might be better to let him sleep a bit more. He gazed at Seo I-Kyung sleeping with his back against the headboard for a while.

At that moment, Seo I-Kyung stirred and grasped Han Seung-jae’s hand. More accurately, he just covered the back of Han Seung-jae’s hand.

Han Seung-jae’s gaze slid to that spot. No strength was transmitted from Seo I-Kyung’s hand. He could easily pull his hand away from the light touch made in sleep. However, Han Seung-jae left his hand where it was.

Every time Seo I-Kyung grabbed his hand, he felt as if he was pleading or clinging to him.

There were people who tried to grab Han Seung-jae’s hand or trouser leg whenever they wanted to ask for something. But at those times, Han Seung-jae would coldly shake them off without hesitation.

Now, he wanted Seo I-Kyung’s hand to keep touching him.

***

After noon passed and lunch was eaten, Seo I-Kyung, who had been staying on the second floor, came out of the elevator. He approached the sofa and sat down.

How long had he been there? Footsteps approached Seo I-Kyung.

Butler Do said:

“A guest has arrived.”

Seo I-Kyung turned his head as if he had been waiting. He smiled as he looked at Jin Seon-yoo waving his hand.

“Welcome.”

It had been quite a while since Seo I-Kyung had been sick. During that time, Jin Seon-yoo had offered to visit several times, but Seo I-Kyung had always declined.

“Are you feeling better? You seem to have lost more weight.”

Seo I-Kyung generally lacked fat, with only his belly slightly protruding. Butler Do placed some refreshments in front of him.

“Have you had lunch?”

Seo I-Kyung asked this while grasping the teacup. Jin Seon-yoo shook his head.

“Not yet.”

“Then instead of drinking tea, shall we go to the dining room?”

Seo I-Kyung put the teacup back down. He was about to call out to Butler Do as he watched him walk away. Jin Seon-yoo waved his hand.

“It’s okay. I don’t feel like it now. I’m supposed to eat with Gi-jun a little later.”

Seo I-Kyung’s gaze, which had been on Butler Do, slowly shifted. He could confirm again through Jin Seon-yoo’s mouth that he hadn’t misheard.

“My younger brother keeps preventing me from going out, so I used Gi-jun as an excuse a few times.”

As it happened more frequently, Jin Seon-yoo, worried that his second oldest brother might try to verify, asked Gwon Gi-jun to say they had met if called. However, unexpectedly, Gwon Gi-jun’s response was to suggest they meet for real. When Jin Seon-yoo seemed to hesitate, Gwon Gi-jun added decisively: You’ll be able to go out comfortably using my name in the future.

“So, I agreed to meet.”

Jin Seon-yoo’s expression was calm as he recounted the series of events. As Seo I-Kyung took a sip of tea and lowered his cup, Jin Seon-yoo looked around as if conscious of their surroundings. Confirming there was no one passing by, Jin Seon-yoo got up from the sofa and sat down next to Seo I-Kyung.

Seo I-Kyung’s doubt was momentary. Jin Seon-yoo’s expression, which had been calm and nonchalant until just now, changed to a rather serious one.

“You know.”

In turn, Seo I-Kyung also put down the teacup he was holding on the saucer, as if focusing on Jin Seon-yoo’s words. Seo I-Kyung’s body tilted slightly.

“Why are you being so hesitant?”

Jin Seon-yoo said:

“You know how strange my brothers are, right?”

Seo I-Kyung nodded. Both of them had an unusually special and different affection for Jin Seon-yoo, their younger brother. But weren’t Jin Tae-won and Jin Seok-young both acting out of concern for Jin Seon-yoo?

“Do you think Gi-jun could handle my brothers?”

Seo I-Kyung asked gently:

“Why did you think that?”

“It’s not a sudden thought, but as my brothers’ interference keeps getting worse, I wondered if things might improve if I met someone.”

And Seo I-Kyung finished the thought:

“And you think Gwon Gi-jun would be good for that?”

Jin Seon-yoo scratched his head vigorously and confessed his true feelings.

“When I talked to you on the phone that time, you said…”

A shadow of eyelashes flickered under Seo I-Kyung’s eyes. And at Jin Seon-yoo’s next words, Seo I-Kyung belatedly felt as if the heat from the hot tea was moving from his chest to his cheeks.

“You said the person who came to mind when you thought you were dying was your husband.”

Seo I-Kyung raised his hand and brushed his heated right cheek to cool it down. Jin Seon-yoo lowered his body as if surprised.

“Why is your face turning red? You’re not sick, are you?”

Seo I-Kyung lowered his hand and turned his head to stare at Jin Seon-yoo.

―You know, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask. Are you really okay… staying in that house?

Seo I-Kyung could well imagine what Jin Seon-yoo was worried about. And at that time, because they were talking on the phone and couldn’t see each other’s faces, he was able to show his honest feelings. Plus, it was Jin Seon-yoo, not someone else.

―About that… when I thought I was dying that day, the person who came to mind was Seung-jae.

Finishing his recollection, Seo I-Kyung corrected the wrong statement with a flushed face. Face to face like this, he felt embarrassed.

“When did I say husband? I said Seung-jae.”

Jin Seon-yoo’s eyes widened.

“That or this, it’s the same thing, isn’t it?”