The person who got off the elevator was Director Lee. She was carefully supporting the small-framed body of a woman with a deeply pressed hat.

“Oh. My mother said she’s undergoing cancer treatment. At Hansung Hospital.”

Recalling Secretary Choi’s report, Kang-woo took a step back. Although he no longer paid attention to this director, he couldn’t shake off the uncomfortable feeling when he saw her.

A dry, expressionless face that couldn’t be considered human with hot blood flowing. None of the facial muscles moved significantly, and even the smile seemed mechanically restricted to the movement of the lips.

As he quietly followed them, a small sigh burst inside. It was you, Cha Kang-woo. Even while scheming all sorts of vulgar tricks in his mind, he pretended to be fine on the outside.

Perhaps because he was a similar type of person. Maybe there was more to it, making him attentive and polite.

Watching them return to the room with a bit of distance, he carefully observed the back hem of the Director’s mother, who walked with a ringed walker and leaned on her son’s arm.

The patient gown draped over the frail body of the grandmother, like a dry branch, fluttered lifelessly. Yet, even in the midst of this, the eyes looking up at her son radiated vitality.

With a wrinkled hand, she slowly pushed the walker. The mobile phone, which had precariously hung on the round container, fell to the corridor floor during the process.

“Just leave it. I’ll take care of it.”

She grinned and nodded.

The director let go of her mother’s arm and bent down. After checking if the screen was broken, she put it in her jacket pocket. In the meantime, the grandmother waved her arm like a child, grabbing her son’s arm with her lips shyly smiling.

“Are you okay?”

“Yes. I’m fine.”

Following them at a leisurely pace, Kang-woo couldn’t hear their conversation at all. However, just from the atmosphere, he could tell how devoted the Director was to her mother, just as Secretary Choi’s report indicated.

The hat entered the hospital room.

With a quick glance to check the lake and turning her steps, the phone rang.

⭐⭐⭐

Receiving Se-ah’s call, Kang-woo returned to the room immediately.

Se-ah was sitting on the sofa with a towel on her lap, and the dog was lying down. A neatly folded towel lay spread on the table.

“Where did you go?”

Se-ah’s eyes, tilted upward, met his gaze.

“Just a bit. It was stuffy.”

“Already? It hasn’t even been a day since you were admitted.”

“When did you come?”

Se-ah’s gaze went to the wall clock and then back to Kang-woo.

“Um, about 20 minutes?”

“You should have called right away.”

“I thought I’d be back in a moment. But it took longer than I expected, so I was worried and called.”
Casually uttered words of ‘worry’ caused his left mouth corner to lift sharply. Then, subtly, he sat down next to Se-ah. Naturally, he wrapped one arm around Se-ah’s slender shoulders.

“What are these things?”

“The towels they give at the hospital might not be enough. And Kang-woo is so particular, he might not use things others have used.”

Particular, indeed. He had a talent for saying piercing words in a charming way. As she continued what she was mechanically doing, he tousled her long hair down to her waist with his index finger. A faint scent of shampoo lingered in the air.

“Did you shower?”

“Yes. While I was there.”

“…….”

“I might have to stay for a few days, so I thought I’d need underwear and other necessities. I brought everything I thought I might need.”

For a moment, Se-ah paused her hand movements and gestured with her eyes to the opposite side of them. A trunk was sprawled open and abandoned, looking rather ominous.

Kang-woo, who had quietly stood up, closed the unzipped trunk and tucked it into a corner. Se-ah’s hands mechanically continued what they were doing.

“Need help?”

“I’m okay. I’ve finished.”

Building a precarious tower of towels on her lap, Se-ah moved only her lips. Finally, her small hand reached the last towel.

The fingertips were quite delicate. Even with a helper, she might not have done household chores.

“Where did you learn to fold towels?”

“When I was young, I watched my older sisters and imitated them. But do you really need to learn this?”

Having asked herself the question, she tilted her head generously. Well, if she hadn’t tried it herself, it could be that way. Once again, she gave a lenient answer and shook her head slightly.

Anyway, there was no time to be bored watching.

Now, she would show her somewhat expensive face. Holding the flesh-covered towel on the edge, Se-ah stood up from her seat. Only Kang-woo’s hand was left hanging in the air.

Se-ah opened the closet door, bent her knees, and sat down. Her toes peeked out of the slippers, wiggling playfully.

“Why are you barefoot again, especially in winter?”

“I wore socks, but it felt stuffy, so I took them off.”

“Good choice.”

“…….”

As if she intended to go into the closet. Unexpectedly, her head with a short haircut appeared.

“Done?”