I've Been Possessed, But What If I Get Pregnant First? - C29
#29
“Welcome.”
As we passed the lobby and headed to the hotel lounge, a neatly uniformed staff member approached Kwon Taebeom and me and asked,
“Do you have a reservation?”
“I made a reservation under Cha Yuwon.”
“I will guide you this way.”
I was a little surprised to find out that he had even made a reservation, as I thought dining out was a sudden decision. And under my name too. I knew Kwon Taebeom was constantly paying attention to my meals, but I was newly grateful. I smiled slightly as I looked at his back leading the way.
Then I turned my head towards the people looking our way. Everyone was wearing nice clothes and looked natural dining at the hotel lounge. I suddenly felt embarrassed and avoided their gazes.
Faded jeans that had turned white in places, a blue hoodie. And a backpack that looked like a turtle shell. My appearance seemed out of place here.
In contrast, Kwon Taebeom looked more dashing than anyone else here. With the constantly comparing looks, my head kept dropping lower. I entered the VIP room with my head hung low, following the staff’s guidance.
“I will prepare it right away.”
I came to my senses at the sound of the staff leaving the room. I had lost focus until Kwon Taebeom finished ordering.
“What’s wrong? Are you sick somewhere?”
“No. Just….”
‘Just not sure if I belong here.’
I don’t know why I’m suddenly having these thoughts. Maybe I really don’t suit Kwon Taebeom after all? Maybe I’ve been too greedy all this time? Such thoughts kept coming to mind.
As I chewed my lower lip with gloomy thoughts, Kwon Taebeom reached out his hand. Detaching my tortured lips, he said with deliberately stern eyes,
“Your lips.”
“Ah….”
“Whew. They’re bleeding.”
I thought it stung a little, but in the end, I saw blood. When I stuck out my tongue and lightly pressed my lower lip, I tasted a metallic flavor on the tip of my tongue. Kwon Taebeom’s gaze landed on my tongue and quickly returned.
“Stop tormenting your lips. That’s why they’re not showing any signs of healing for days.”
Kwon Taebeom, rubbing his forehead, pointed to my bag with his chin.
“Ah….”
“You’re not listening again. Did you apply it even once today?”
“I forgot.”
Only then did I remember the lip balm he had given me a few days ago. A factory worker who even prepares lip balm. Who calls this person an obsessive factory worker? Maybe a caring factory worker.
With such silly thoughts in my mind, I thickly applied the nearly new lip balm to my lips. When the lip balm touched the bleeding part, my body flinched.
“Apply it frequently, and don’t peel your lips from now on.”
“Yes.”
When I obediently nodded, Kwon Taebeom’s deeply furrowed expression softened for a moment. He let out a small laugh and carefully wiped the smeared end of my lips.
Tsk…. Does he really see me as a child? My mood improved for a moment, but then I remembered the people’s gazes and drooped again like clothes soaked in rain.
“I will prepare the appetizer first.”
A freshly baked bread was placed next to the creamy mushroom soup. The warm and savory aroma wafted, making me feel hungry belatedly. My stomach was really churning and I didn’t feel well, but strangely, it got better when I was with Kwon Taebeom.
Tilting my head in curiosity, I picked up the spoon. With a slightly rushed greeting of ‘Let’s eat,’ I reached out to the bowl containing the soup.
“Ah, hot-“
With a clanging sound, a burning heat was felt on the back of my hand. I dropped the bowl, spilling the soup, and the hot soup soaked the back of my hand. Kwon Taebeom, who was sitting across from me, immediately stood up.
“Cha Yuwon!”
The bowl must have been heated along with the soup to keep it warm for a long time. Not knowing that, I grabbed the hot thing with my bare hands. The hand that got burned from the spilled soup as I dropped the bowl felt hot. Startled, I tried to roughly rub it with my hand, but Kwon Taebeom grabbed my wrist and stopped me.
“Stay still.”
Kwon Taebeom carefully wiped the back of my hand with a wet handkerchief. Seeing the blisters slightly forming on my reddened hand, his expression darkened. The staff, who approached at the commotion, asked me if I was okay. Kwon Taebeom, with his gaze fixed on me, requested a cold wet towel from the staff and made me stand up.
“Get up.”
Ah. Now that I look, my clothes were a mess too. It seemed the hoodie had become a mess when the soup spilled, but the clothes were thick, so there were no injuries.
“Ah, it’s okay. I didn’t even know it got on me. I’ll just wash this at home.”
“You really don’t listen, you know?”
Kwon Taebeom looked down at me with a chilly gaze.
What did I…
I turned my head to avoid his cold eyes. I bent over and wiped the food on the chair.
Ugh, such a waste.
I felt sorry for the soup that I spilled without even taking a sip. The tissue was soaked wet, so I reached out my hand to find a new one, and Kwon Taebeom snatched my hand.
“Ah.”
Suddenly my view flipped and my toes left the ground.
“Ta-, Taebeom.”
I struggled, telling him to let go. Nevertheless, Kwon Taebeom tightened his grip on me and silently left the room. As we left the VIP room, more gazes stuck to me than when we entered.
The gazes mixed with curiosity and contempt felt blatant. I habitually bit my lip, then remembered his words at the artificial strawberry taste touching my tongue. In the end, I released my tightly bitten lips and buried my face in Kwon Taebeom’s embrace.
Every time I took a deep breath, I faintly smelled his pheromone scent. My heart, which had been pounding anxiously, began to calm down. He wrapped his arms around my trembling head and left the lounge with quick steps, heading somewhere.
At the beeping sound of a machine, I detached my head from his embrace.
“Executive Director.”
“I did first aid for now, but blisters have formed. Will there be scars?”
“I will check the condition first. This way for now.”
Blinking my eyes and hugging his neck, Kwon Taebeom patted my back, telling me not to worry. He set me down on the sofa, and a doctor in a white gown examined my hand. The doctor, carefully examining the blisters on the back of my hand, said to Kwon Taebeom standing next to me,
“It seems to be a second-degree burn. If you manage it well, you don’t have to worry about scars, but it may be a bit uncomfortable for a few days.”
Then he rubbed an alcohol cotton swab on the back of my hand that the nurse handed him. The doctor spoke as if advising me,
“Don’t use force and stay still.”
I was scared of the pointed needle he picked up after putting down the tweezers. He’s going to poke the back of my hand with that sharp thing without anesthesia?
I really don’t like this.
I looked at Kwon Taebeom, asking him to do something. But he silently looked down at my reddened hand, ignoring my gaze. Unable to eat, in pain, and even Kwon Taebeom ignoring me. Tears welled up and rose from inside. Then Kwon Taebeom, letting out a deep sigh, quietly covered my eyes.
Using that moment, the doctor carefully grabbed my hand. Although all my senses were focused on my hand due to my covered vision, it didn’t feel as painful as I thought. Still, I couldn’t relax, not knowing when the sharp needle would prick the back of my hand.
“You need to breathe, don’t be too tense.”
Kwon Taebeom quietly whispered in my ear.
“Y-, yes….”
“It doesn’t hurt.”
At his patting, I slowly exhaled and relaxed my tense body. How much time had passed? When Kwon Taebeom’s hand covering my eyelids fell, the treatment was all finished.
“Then I will see you tomorrow. Just in case, I will deliver the precautions once more through Manager Park.”
“Thank you for your hard work.”
The doctor, with a faint smile, took his house call bag and left the room with the nurse. When I made a sad face at the bandage wrapped tightly around my hand, Kwon Taebeom picked me up.
“My feet are fine though….”
I only hurt my hand a little, but my feet were fine. But I grumbled at him for picking me up like carrying an object.
“You need to eat.”
“Earlier, that’s why….”
I was a little hungry, but I didn’t want to go back there again. When I was about to shake my head, saying it’s okay, I heard a sound from inside the room and turned my head.
“Whoa.”
There was soup. The soup that I couldn’t eat earlier because I spilled it. When I looked at Kwon Taebeom, he laughed and shook his head lightly.
“Taebeom, hurry.”
I swallowed my saliva and urged Kwon Taebeom. He shuddered slightly and let out a soft laugh.
“Taebeom…?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.”
Kwon Taebeom, rubbing under his chin and turning his head, hugged me tightly and entered the dining room.
“Thank you for your hard work, I will handle the rest, so you may leave now.”
“Then, please call me again if you need me.”
Kwon Taebeom sent away the staff who tried to prepare the meal, seated me in a chair, and moved himself.
“I can do it-“
“I want to do it for you.”
He touched the back of his hand to the container with the soup, then placed it in front of me.
“Shall I feed you?”
“Ah, no. I’ll eat well.”
I already knew he was kind, but I was momentarily dazed by his blatantly caring demeanor. I shook my head vigorously, picked up a spoon, and took a sip of the soup.
“It’s delicious!”
It tasted as good as the savory aroma. I quickly finished a bowl of the smoothly swallowed soup. As my sore stomach gradually calmed down, the corners of my mouth softly rose.