With what mindset did I conduct the interview? With what mindset did I organize the interview materials?

With what mindset did I have a meeting with Team Leader Jang, and with what mindset did I handle the tasks I took on?

Ji Wan couldn’t remember anything.

As if she had spent the whole day in a daze, her memories of today were distant and jumbled.

Instead, what kept replaying in her mind was the call from the hospital.

The nurse had rarely spoken so gravely before, and she was afraid that all her worries had become reality while she was working.

“Haa… Haa…”

A little past 8 o’clock.

Ji Wan, who had finally arrived at the hospital, started running frantically as soon as she got out of the taxi.

Her breath was coming in gasps and her carefully arranged appearance was all disheveled, but Ji Wan paid no attention and moved her two feet with all her might.

By the time she reached the hospital room, her tightly tied hair had almost completely come undone.

“Dad…!”

Bang! Ji Wan flung open the hospital room door, searching for Dal Hyun with an expression full of worry that she hadn’t even had time to compose.

Dal Hyun, who had been sitting on the bed watching a daily drama, couldn’t hide his surprise at his daughter’s late-night appearance.

“Lee Ji Wan! I heard you were busy today?”

“Are you okay?! I heard you had a high fever! Has it gone down now?! They said there were side effects?! Or something else?!”

“No, you’re going to pass out. Have some juice first. The aloe juice you like is in the fridge.”

“Is aloe important right now?! I’m asking if you’re okay!”

Her attempt to ask about his condition ended up sounding more like she was scolding him.

This was all because she couldn’t rush to the hospital while claiming to be working, yet she was getting angry as if the sick person was the one at fault from the beginning.

Dal Hyun, as always, tried to calm his anxiety-ridden daughter first.

“I’m fine, really. The thermometer just showed a slightly higher number than usual. As soon as I got a fever reducer, it went right down.”

“You’re lying. I heard everything… I heard that all morning it wouldn’t go down and it almost became serious…”

“Did Nurse Seo say that? Geez, that person always exaggerates things. Maybe it’s because she’s a worrier by nature.”

Dal Hyun smiled broadly, his eyes almost disappearing.

What he was saying was probably a white lie, but seeing him smile so nonchalantly, it seemed his condition had returned to normal.

Only then did Ji Wan’s eyes, which had looked ready to cry at any moment, gradually regain their composure.

“Haa… really… I thought something might happen to you today…”

Ji Wan slumped down on the spot.

She must have run without stopping for so long, as her rapid breathing didn’t calm down for quite a while.

Dal Hyun, who had been staring at Ji Wan like this, reached out and opened the mini-fridge.

Roll, roll.

A bottle of aloe juice rolled towards Ji Wan, who had sat down.

“Stop saying such unlucky things and drink your juice.”

“Who gives juice by rolling it on the floor…?”

“You looked like you didn’t have the strength to come this far. Drink it quickly, regain your energy, and go home. You have to go to work.”

Because of that damn company, she couldn’t even act as a caregiver, and now work…

Though she thought this, Ji Wan couldn’t say anything in response.

Self-reproach here would only make the one who would feel more sorry predetermined.

Ji Wan took a deep breath, gathering all her worries. Then, with a long exhale, she let them all out.

It was impossible for all that anxiety to disappear with just one deep breath.

But from now on, she had to act as if it had all disappeared, just like Dad was trying to do now.

Ji Wan picked up the juice bottle that had fallen at her feet.

And just as she was trying to force strength into her weakened legs to stand up.

“Do you like sitting on the floor?”

Tae Sung’s leisurely voice was heard from behind her.

“Ah!”

Startled by the sudden appearance, Ji Wan yelped and sat back down.

“Oh my, I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Tae Sung chuckled and held out his large hand in front of Ji Wan.

Ji Wan, who had been looking back and forth between his hand and face, asked with a flustered expression.

“T-Tae Sung. You were still here…?”

“How could I leave when I was needed?”

“Right. You were needed. You were needed, but…”

“Did you resolve your urgent matter?”

Now that she recognized Tae Sung’s presence, Ji Wan finally realized what she had done today.

She had struggled so hard to hide the fact of her marriage from her father, yet she had dragged Joo Tae Sung to the hospital.

She must have been crazy earlier. The urgent situation must have impaired her rational judgment.

“Ah, so… you met my dad today, Joo Tae Sung?”

“That’s right. Finally.”

“And you greeted each other?”

“Of course.”

“Ah…”

It didn’t take long for what had been the most rational choice to turn into the worst mistake.

Joo Tae Sung’s relaxed eye smile was sheer terror to Ji Wan at this moment.

Just then, Dal Hyun’s excited voice further cornered Ji Wan, who was already flustered.

“They say the quiet cat climbs onto the stove first! Having such a fine son-in-law and not even introducing him to your dad!”

“S-Son… what?”

It was an unexpected turn of events.

To Ji Wan’s look that seemed to ask how this had happened, the person responsible for creating this situation smiled brightly.

“That’s how it turned out.”

How did it turn out like that…!

Sensing that things had gotten out of hand, Ji Wan grabbed Tae Sung’s wrist.

“Sh-Shall we go out and talk for a moment?”

“Woohoo, so proactive. My daughter! Good! Push forward like that!”

Dal Hyun whistled obliviously.

This was truly driving her crazy.

* * *

In the quiet emergency stairwell of the hospital.

Ji Wan slid down with her back against the wall.

Although she still seemed to have a lot on her mind, she first expressed the feeling she needed to convey most urgently.

“Haa… First of all, thank you so much. For helping today. If it weren’t for you, Tae Sung, I would have been helpless no matter what happened.”

Tae Sung responded in a calm voice to reassure Ji Wan.

“Nothing happened. The fever was quickly brought under control.”

“Still, having someone there in a situation where you don’t know what might happen is different from being alone. Really, thank you. I’ll never forget this kindness, even if I die.”

Although these few words couldn’t fully express her gratitude, Ji Wan truly intended to remember today’s events for the rest of her life.

Since her father’s hospital life began, she had to bear all trials alone, and Tae Sung’s helping hand felt like salvation to her.

“You say you’ll never forget even if you die, I’m honored.”

As if fully feeling that sentiment, Tae Sung spoke with a gentle smile.

Ji Wan quietly looked up at him, and her lips moved as if she was about to say something, but then closed again.

“Whew…”

And then she just let out a long sigh.

What was she trying to say after her sincere gratitude that made her hesitate so much?

Tae Sung, reading the unease in her whose inner thoughts were so transparent, brought up the second main point himself.

“Are you worried? That I might have mentioned our marriage?”

Ji Wan, who had wanted to ask exactly that, widened her eyes and asked.

“Um, how much did you say?”

“Well… to sum it up, I’m being called son-in-law.”

“I saw the conclusion earlier. Did you tell everything? Even that I got married secretly?”

“No.”

“Then how did you explain it? You didn’t reveal everything about the contract marriage because of hospital bills, did you?”

Ji Wan’s series of questions, which she kept asking anxiously, were full of hope that the answer would be no.

At times like this, being contrary was Tae Sung’s favorite hobby, but he decided to restrain himself for her sake, considering how difficult her day must have been.

“I said we were old friends.”

“Old friends?”

“Social friends who know each other’s circumstances.”

“Did you really only say that?”

“Yes.”

“Then why does he call you son-in-law?”

“I guess he liked me.”

Seeing him answer so plainly for once, it didn’t seem like he was lying.

Ji Wan finally let out a sigh of relief and dropped her head onto her knees.

“Whew, thank goodness. I was so scared thinking you might have told Dad everything…”

Her shoulders slumped.

Tae Sung’s eyes narrowed at the white nape of her neck exposed between her disheveled shirt.

It was an inappropriate stimulus for the situation and should have been ignored, but.

“How could I do that when I’ve barely been allowed to stay in the same house? Don’t worry, I’ll explain to the apartment residents before it reaches your father’s ears.”

Tae Sung gently consoled her and moved a little closer. It was a position where he could see her nape well.

Unaware of this, Ji Wan continued to speak in a muffled voice with her head still lowered.

“I should be used to it by now, but I’m still anxious about Dad. They say if the caregiver is strong, the patient will be strong too… I guess I’m not cut out to be a good caregiver.”

Words of weakness she had never spoken to anyone before.

This was clearly coming out because there was someone to listen to her.

Ji Wan knew that this person wasn’t the right one to confide in, but she couldn’t stop the lament she had already begun.

“Like earlier, you know? Dad was the one who had a hard day, but he was comforting me. I realized it then, but what’s the use of realizing after I’ve already shown my weak side? It’s too late.”

“…”

“I must be the only caregiver who gets cared for by a cancer patient. I might be making things harder for Dad. Knowing this but not being able to change it is really the worst, but…”

“Stop.”

At that moment, Tae Sung’s quiet voice halted Ji Wan’s lament.

Ji Wan, who hesitated for a moment, slowly raised her head to look up at Tae Sung.

Tae Sung, meeting her eyes that looked ready to cry at any moment, spoke words that could sound cold.

“It’s meaningless self-reproach. Whipping yourself like this won’t make your guilt disappear. Nor is it anxiety that can be soothed by someone else’s comfort.”

For a moment, Ji Wan’s eyes wavered slightly.

How could he see through her inner thoughts so clearly – her desire to lessen her guilt, her wish to be comforted?

Yet Tae Sung’s words that it was useless became a sharp truth that struck Ji Wan’s core.

Ji Wan quietly closed her parted lips and turned her gaze away from Tae Sung.

She was afraid that if he saw her expression, which had already become clouded, it would make her look even more pitiful.

Right at that moment.

A gentle warmth descended on Ji Wan’s head.

The touch that calmly stroked her hair was so tender that it belied the coldness of his words just moments ago.

“So, Lee Ji Wan.”

Tae Sung continued his interrupted words.

“Just ask me to hold you instead.”