The man’s face was pale. No, it wasn’t just pale; it lacked any sign of vitality.

Not knowing when he got into this state, Lajin plunged her arm into the bathtub without realizing her clothes were getting wet.

“Why is this happening, Mr. Jiho?”

The water from his chest was neither lukewarm nor warm; it was cold.

He could easily wake up with such a disturbance, but he shook his head and did not open his eyes. Lajin, trembling, shook the man’s shoulders.

“Mr. Jiho.”

“……. ”

“Wake up, please.”

In a deep sleep, he didn’t even twitch. Although his appearance was unfamiliar, it seemed oddly familiar. Like déjà vu.

“What’s this? Why is it so strange?”

For a moment, a vague memory passed through Lajin’s mind.

Her father shaking hands with her before going to school. Her father, who collapsed when she returned home and never got up again. Stupidly, really stupidly, she had forgotten that. Lajin recalled the last day with her father.

“No, this can’t be.”

“……. ”

“Snap out of it, please.”

Lajin hugged Jiho’s shoulders tightly. Then, she tried to lift him out of the water. However, no matter how much force she applied, his large and firm body didn’t move at all.

“Oh, what should I do, Mr. Jiho?”

“……. ”

“119, 119.”

In the midst of chaos, she had placed him in his house, yet the address didn’t come to mind.

How did a seemingly healthy person she met this morning end up like this? It was unbearable to trouble someone exhausted from overtime every day.

Water droplets falling like washing one’s face. Eventually, Lajin burst into tears.

“I’ll somehow take you to the hospital.”

But first, she had to get him out of this cold bathtub. Leaving him here would only increase the risk of hypothermia. Lajin turned the shower lever to the hot direction without hesitation.

With a misty fog and pouring hot water, Lajin, who checked the water temperature with her hand, bit her lip. Then, without hesitation, she entered the bathtub.

“Just endure a little.”

Lajin raised his massive arm to her shoulder, held his falling arm, and lifted his back with all her strength.

Even though there was no place to rest the rock-solid upper body, she didn’t stop, and a huge whirlpool formed in the bathtub with every movement she made.

“Huff, Mr. Jiho, wait a moment.”

“……. ”

“Ask Ha-eun for the address. Uh, a call. I have to make a call.”

The sky was yellow, and her ears felt stuffed.

There was nothing she could do, and it was a mess, like a drowning rat. She was so powerless. Lajin wiped the water droplets from his chin and touched his forehead.

“I’ll be back soon.”

While Lajin sobbed and was about to turn away, the large hand moved.

“…Lajin.”

His voice, which was somewhat dry, was cracking.
Amazement, relief, and gratitude were intricately intertwined. Lajin, without looking around, tightly embraced his shoulders.

“Are you awake?”

“Ms. Lajin.”

“Are you okay? Where does it hurt? Why, since when? Was it like this in the morning?”

Lajin fired questions like a hail of bullets.

“When did you come?”

“A while ago. I came to drop off some things.”

“I thought it was a dream.”

His dry laughter was warm.

“Since when have you been like this?”

“I don’t know. About 30 minutes?”

Lajin looked into his eyes, gently caressed his cheek. Droplets that had clung to his forehead flowed down.

“It’s probably due to overwork. Let’s go to the hospital together.”

She begged him as if pleading to go to the emergency room, get tests, receive an IV, and even take a sick leave.

People collapse even if they are seemingly healthy from working overtime every day. Lajin presented every reasonable excuse she could think of.

“I’ll stay by your side. I’ll talk to the brand director to see if we can postpone the overseas trip… Huhuh.”

Lajin, speaking like a person completely malfunctioned, was suddenly overwhelmed with intense emotions.

Why did the image of her father overlap even though Jiho had just opened his eyes? Lajin couldn’t take her eyes off Jiho, fearing that something might go wrong.

Reddish engorged pupils, bangs completely covered with moisture, and lips turned pale blue. The sight of the large and giant man collapsing lifelessly was etched in her heart.

“It was so scary.”

Lajin, still trembling, patted Jiho’s face.

“I was afraid I might never see Mr. Jiho again.”

She held his hand, forcing a promise that he wouldn’t get hurt. When she did, Jiho’s eyelids blinked heavily.

“My temperature rose due to the annoying investigation. I didn’t know it was a real fever.”

“Has the fever gone down a bit? Or was it chills?”

Like a human thermometer, Lajin’s hands roamed Jiho’s forehead and neck busily.

“I took medicine, lay down with lukewarm water. Now I’m okay.”

“I didn’t know Mr. Jiho was in so much pain. I was just happy at the thought of dropping off my things. Huhuh.”

Covering her face with both hands, Lajin reproached herself repeatedly. Then, with a chuckle, his hand covered the back of her hand.

“If it weren’t for you, I would have almost drowned.”

He grabbed one of Lajin’s hands and lowered it.

“But… now.”