“He was discharged?”

It was a path he had to take in a hurry after the drinking session ended. It was still difficult to control the intoxication that had risen to the top of his head, and the words of the doctor on duty made Seung Jun even more dizzy.

“Where did he say he was going?”

“I don’t know that either. He said he would take a taxi. I was going to contact you separately, but he didn’t want that, so I couldn’t contact you.”

The doctor lowered his head as if he was sorry, but he could not be blamed for this. The doctor cannot stop the guardian from taking the patient away.

‘So, is that how you’re going to leave in the end.’

After that incident, there was no other contact from Hyo Young. If it were her usual personality, there should have been a commotion by now. That part was strange, but Seung Jun could not be distracted by it for long.

In his heart, only the sight of Yu Min screaming and Seol Ah’s cold appearance remained. It was burning like a fire in his heart that would not go out.

“You go in first.”

Seung Jun told the driver when he returned to the car. The driver was surprised and opened his eyes wide.

“Where are you going now?”

“I have somewhere to stop by.”

“Then get in. I’ll take you.”

“No, I have someone to meet separately. Please go.”

Originally, Seung Jun used to drive himself to the hospital or Seol Ah’s house. However, he could not do that now because of the alcohol.

He took a car driven by the chauffeur to the hospital, but he did not want to do that to Seol Ah’s house.

As the driver hesitated and left, Seung Jun immediately got into a taxi.

He didn’t know if she would be there or not. He was just going recklessly. Just like always.

After stating the destination, Seung Jun closed his eyes. The sensation that had been poking his head all day long seemed to be subsiding a bit now.

*

“Does your stomach not hurt?”

“No, it doesn’t hurt, but I’m not hungry either. It’s weird.”

Yu Min was lying on the bed, leaning against it powerlessly.

Lying down all day, he couldn’t sleep at night either. So strange thoughts kept coming to mind.

‘Was I too much? Is he really not coming now?’

‘No, you shouldn’t do that to Mom. That’s the man’s fault.’

‘But he was nice to me.’

Yu Min deliberately acted more mean-spirited. To see what would happen. However, Seung Jun did everything Yu Min told him to do without getting angry even once.

‘Who is that man? Why is he being nice to me?’

He wanted to ask Seol Ah, but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. So when he asked, “Do you hate that man, Mom?” Seol Ah didn’t answer.

I guess she doesn’t really want to talk about it.

Seol Ah had a lot of things she wanted to hide. Sometimes Yu Min found it frustrating, but he still didn’t ask. Because he hated seeing his mother sad more than being frustrated himself.

“They say your stomach is healing well. The inflammation level has also gone down a lot. You can sleep here tonight and may be discharged tomorrow.”

Seol Ah conveyed the good news. Yu Min’s face brightened.

“Really?”

No matter how good the hospital was, it could not be better than home. Yu Min wanted to go home as soon as possible.

“Yes. So let’s sleep one more night.”

“Oh, Mom.”

Yu Min turned to lie facing Seol Ah.

“I want to sleep with Kongkong.”

Kongkong was the teddy bear that Yu Min always slept hugging. Seol Ah was a little surprised. Why couldn’t she bring that for him until now? And why didn’t Yu Min say anything?

“You should have told me earlier.”

“It’s far from home. It’s close here.”

Seol Ah stroked his head with her hand, looking at Yu Min who was smiling maturely.

It hurt her heart that he was always enduring because of his poor mother. A child who looks after his mother’s needs first before asserting his own desires. She was grateful for that, but it was also bitter.

“I’ll bring it right away. Wait.”

“Okay, Mom.”

Seol Ah, who kissed Yu Min’s cheek as he smiled, quickly got up from her seat.

Thinking that she should bring a few more things Yu Min needs while bringing Kongkong, Seol Ah left the hospital.

The hospital was ten minutes away from home. Still, it was a bit scary because it was an alley. Walking slowly while looking around, she screamed in surprise at something passing by quickly in front of her.

“Oh my gosh!”

Looking closely, it was a black cat. She was more surprised because the color was black.

Seol Ah took a deep breath again and took a step.

But in front of her eyes, she saw something black again.

‘What, another cat?’

Unlike earlier, it doesn’t run away even when someone approaches. And it’s too big for a cat. What is it? It happened to be in front of the small gate of Seol Ah’s house.

‘Why can’t I even pass by?’

Seol Ah, who stopped, saw the black figure sitting with its head down.

It was a person.

Moreover, it was someone Seol Ah couldn’t possibly not know. Very familiar.

“Vice President.”

When there was no response, Seol Ah put her hand down on his shoulder. The firm shoulders were like a rock. The lowered head shook.

“Vice President!”

Seung Jun slowly raised his head.

Since when was he here? He couldn’t remember. He vaguely remembered getting out of the taxi and standing in front of here.

“Why are you sitting here like this? Go home.”

Seol Ah quickly clenched the hand that had gripped his shoulder. She had to go in quickly. Yu Min was waiting.

However, Seung Jun seemed to have no intention of moving as he sat there, slowly closing and opening his eyes.

“Vice President.”

“Am I that hateful to you?”

Words slowly leaked out of Seung Jun’s mouth.

It was more slurred than usual. And the smell that emanated from his whole body, which she couldn’t miss. Seol Ah frowned.

“Did you drink?”

“I had a meeting.”

Seung Jun closed his eyes tightly and opened them.

He doesn’t really enjoy drinking. It’s not that he can’t hold his liquor though. Except for business drinks, he rarely drinks privately and instead enjoys drinking coffee.

For him to be so drunk like this. Seol Ah could tell without seeing that it must have been a very difficult and arduous occasion.

“You have to go. Go home and rest. Why are you here?”

“You didn’t answer.”

Seung Jun said, still not budging an inch.

“My question.”

Seol Ah turned her head to the side.

She was the one who wanted to drink. The suffocating life that always constricts her throat. The endless work, Yu Min who is waiting for her, and now Seung Jun who suddenly appeared.

They were all suffocating her from all sides, and there was nowhere for her to escape.

“I don’t want to talk to a drunk person. If you have something to say, say it after you sober up. Please leave now.”

“If I wasn’t drunk, when would you have talked to me? You pushed me away like I was some kind of germ. Both you and Yu Min.”

Seung Jun said, staring into the void.

“Even if I match everything and treat you well, both the mother and son push me away just the same.”

“Don’t curse Yu Min. That child has no fault.”

Seol Ah’s eyes swirled with a reddish hue.

“Who wouldn’t stop someone talking like that to their mother? If you want to curse, curse only me.”

Seung Jun smiled silently.

He didn’t want to curse anyone. The one he most wanted to curse was himself.

Lifting his eyes, he looked at Seol Ah. Her face against the streetlight was so dark that it looked like something out of a horror movie.

“Are you going in?”

“I came to go in. Yu Min asked me to bring something. I have to go back quickly. Please move.”

Only then did Seung Jun lift his heavy body.

Seol Ah quickly unlocked the door and went inside. But before she could close the door, steady footsteps followed behind her.

Seol Ah looked at Seung Jun who had followed her inside with an absurd face.

“What are you doing now?”

“I’m tired.”

Seung Jun was covering one side of his face with his hand.

“And I don’t have a car.”

“Why don’t you have a car? Call home and tell them to come right away.”

What kind of behavior is this for someone who lives in a house with many live-in drivers? Seung Jun, as if Seol Ah’s words didn’t even reach his ears, went into the room and lay down.

“Seung Jun!”

The old way of calling him came out without knowing it.

When they went to the hotel together, when they pressed their bodies together and deeply inhaled the scent inside each other.

Seung Jun didn’t want to ruin the mood by calling her “Department Head”.

So only then did Seol Ah call Seung Jun by his name. Then, as if in response, he would bite her lips more firmly.

“Do you know how many times I put you to bed? But you won’t even let me sleep once?”

That was when they spent the night together at a hotel by mutual agreement. It’s not like this where he barged into her house unilaterally.

Moreover, they are not in any kind of relationship now.

“Don’t do this. Don’t regret it after you sober up.”

Seol Ah said to Seung Jun, bowing her body and growling. Then Seung Jun raised the corner of his mouth.

“I can worry about that after I sober up. And won’t you worry if I sleep outside? I could get hurt.”

“Why would you sleep outside? I told you to go home.”

“My legs hurt.”

Seung Jun turned over, telling a blatant lie.

Seol Ah thought for a moment and then grabbed one of Seung Jun’s hands. With both hands, she pulled his hand with all her might.

“Get up. Come on! I have to go out. Yu Min is waiting!”

Right now, Kongkong was not the problem. How can she let this man sleep here?

But no matter how much she pulled, Seung Jun didn’t move. It was because the difference in strength was too great.

“Seung Jun!”

It was when Seol Ah shouted.

The moment Seol Ah’s arm lost strength, her body was pulled to Seung Jun who was exerting force in the opposite direction.

Thud.

Her body collided with Seung Jun’s.

In a fluster, Seol Ah’s body ended up being tightly embraced in Seung Jun’s.

There was a brief silence.

Only then did Seung Jun quickly get up. Lifting Seol Ah’s shoulder with one arm, he spoke in an urgent voice.

“Are you okay?”

Seol Ah couldn’t say anything.

Although it was a short moment, her heart also thumped when she fell on his chest. Even though they were wearing clothes, the feeling of facing each other’s bodies was also unfamiliar and erotic.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Seung Jun checked Seol Ah’s body. He didn’t look like a drunk person.

“No, I’m fine.”

Seol Ah brushed off Seung Jun’s hand and stepped back.

Silence flowed again.

Seol Ah quickly turned around and picked up Kongkong. And she also packed a few things Yu Min would like.

“I’ll get going. Yu Min will be waiting.”

“I’ll sleep and then go.”

Seol Ah spoke without even looking back at Seung Jun.

“Do whatever you want.”

Seol Ah hurriedly left the house.

She could tell without saying it.

How hellish the day must have been for him, having to forcibly drink alcohol he didn’t even like very much.

A tiring and suffocating day. Seung Jun, who had been forced to drink and was exhausted, hugged Seol Ah as if a child was looking for its mother.

Even without saying anything, Seol Ah hugged him more tightly that day because he looked like a pitiful beast.

Seol Ah put more strength into her returning steps for fear that the same thing might happen today.