Things are getting better. Gradually.

There might be an after-party for the event, and Jihyun promptly visited Woojin’s house at dinner time.

“You went with Woojin? I looked for you for a long time. It seemed like your friends and your mother were looking for you. Oh, by the way, Mrs. Jo Youngmi also came.”

As Jihyun spoke while stirring the delivered rice with a spoon, Soo-young kept nodding.

“If you came with Woojin, you should have called and let us know. Oh, by the way, Mrs. Jo Youngmi came too.”

Youngmi scolded her sister as if reprimanding her.

“What would change if I called? My condition is not good just by coming out of the house, and because of the long-distance travel by car, Woojin’s voice, which is not in good condition, was rough.”

As soon as Jihyun scolded her sister this time, she looked at each other and exchanged glances.

“You two are making strange expressions again!”

Woojin, as if annoyed, dropped the spoon and said.
Jihyun and Sooyoung’s heads dropped simultaneously. A ghost, it’s a ghost.

“Feeling uncomfortable? Should I call the doctor?”

In response to Jihyun’s words, Woojin stood up and replied.

“It’s fine. You two eat. I’ll go inside.”

Although there was concern about Woojin’s condition, both Jihyun and Sooyoung found him very impressive for willingly leaving his home and coming all the way there…

Moreover, considering he even got out of the car to greet her.

“Saturday traffic must have been terrible, and it probably took an extra hour. It’s truly a remarkable improvement. Was it okay when you came home?”

“I just kept drinking water. How about you?”

“My throat got dry, that’s all. It would have been better to drink warm water… There was only bottled water in the car, right?”

“Yes.”

“Anyway, why did you go all the way there? Thank you very much, Sooyoung.”

“Ah… Haha… I didn’t really do anything. On the contrary, I got scolded for not coming home today because I attended the event. But now, thanks to you treating me as a benefactor, it feels awkward.”

After dinner, Jihyun, who volunteered to take her home, was sent off first. Sooyoung sneaked into Woojin’s room.

Looking down at him lying on the bed in silence, the blanket suddenly fluttered up.

Startled, Sooyoung took a step back, and he, with his eyes still closed, opened his lips.

“Do you want to lie down next to me?”

Contrary to Woojin’s nonchalant words, Sooyoung blushed to her ears and shouted in surprise.

“Wh-What? Um, where should I lie down?”

“You wanted to read a book lying down next to me back then, right? Did you hope for that?”

“Oh, no, not really?”

“Even if not, lie down. I won’t do anything.”

“What do you mean?”

“Whatever you imagine.”

“Uh! Ugh!”

As Sooyoung exaggeratedly fanned herself and recoiled, Woojin reached out toward her. His eyes were open now.

When she met his sparkling pumpkin-colored eyes, Sooyoung, without realizing it, lowered the hand fanning herself and grabbed his hand.

As soon as her hand was caught, Woojin pulled her towards him.

Startled, lying next to him, Sooyoung tried hard to breathe and managed to maintain some distance between them.

“Breathe and lie down comfortably. If I fall asleep, wake me up and leave.”

Woojin, still holding her hand, spoke with his eyes closed. Somewhere in her breathless soprano, Sooyoung, with a worried expression, asked.

“Is it very uncomfortable? Aren’t we supposed to meet at the hospital tomorrow, like last time?”

“No.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“How do you know?”

“Back then, it was because of a cold, and now it’s because of a fever. The cause is different.”

“Why did you get a fever?”

“…I heard a cow crying.”

“Huh? What cry?”

“That senior and your mom passed by the car I was in. It would have been better if they just passed by… but they stood there talking for a long time.”

“Oh. So you got mad because of that?”

“Yeah.”

To be honest, he wasn’t angry just because he heard the cow’s voice. He was annoyed that she was having a friendly conversation with her mom.
As for himself… even if he were to meet Sooyoung’s mom later, could he have an ordinary conversation, smiling as if nothing happened, and chatting as if everything was fine?

He had no confidence that her mom would treat him kindly… He didn’t have the confidence. Unaware of Woojin’s feelings, Sooyoung felt his anger was unreasonable and resembled that of a child.

So she expressed her thoughts with just one word, saying, “You’re childish.”

“Tsk!”

“Tsk? Didn’t I tell you not to meet that cow? Wasn’t that it? But you met her again, and I got dragged there. Even though I’m not there… am I going to get scolded? Won’t I?”

“She just gave me tickets to meet her friends. She said Senior So would make an audiobook and write a novel, but you keep ignoring it. It seemed like a pointless activity. So, I thought seeing what I’m doing there might change your mind.”

“Why does his mindset matter if I’m not going to marry him? Why is his mindset important?”

When Woojin spoke harshly, Sooyoung began to playfully tease him with a subtly sarcastic tone.

“Oh my? How would I know if I’m going to marry Senior So or not?”

“What?”

Woojin suddenly sat up, and the hand he was holding was already released.

“Do you have thoughts of marrying that guy?”

“Hehe, it’s a joke, a joke. Oh, I can’t say certain things to Mr. Seol Woojin. I’ll marry Mr. Seol Woojin. Don’t worry.”

Then suddenly, Woojin’s long eyelashes fell halfway down. Simultaneously, the corners of his mouth also drooped.

She thought he would like it if she said she’d get married. What’s with that expression…

“That won’t work.”

Suddenly, he said gloomily.

“Why not?”

“Do you have to ask why?”

Woojin lowered his head. Supporting her head with both hands, Sooyoung mumbled.

“Are you worried that the plane might crash again?”

“I said it’s different.”

“Then who will I marry? Senior So?”

“That’s not allowed. Find someone else.”

Woojin lay back down and said, “That’s not allowed.” Realizing that she was lying down, Sooyoung, trying to create some distance, found herself hanging off the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know anyone other than Senior So and Mr. Seol Woojin. But if Mr. Seol Woojin is not allowed, there’s only Senior So, right?”

“…Then, ask me to find a good person for you. Seol Ji-hyun has a lot of friends. There might be a decent guy among them.”

“Isn’t it inappropriate for me to lie down next to you like this and say that now?”

Then Woojin fell silent. He had nothing more to say because her words were right.

After a while of silence, Woojin quietly said, “Right now… Right now, I’m having a hard time. Right now…”

“Okay, stop now. Sleep. Give me your hand.”

When Sooyoung lightly patted Woojin’s hand, he hesitated for a moment but tightly grasped her hand.

“Ah… it’s warm. Mr. Seol Woojin’s hand is so warm.”

Hearing Sooyoung’s murmuring voice, Woojin slightly shifted his body to the side.

After a while, he moved slightly again… and once again, a little…
Finally, when her shoulder touched his shoulder, Woojin quietly closed his eyes. The breath he had been holding in was finally relieved.