Soo Young gulped down the bottled water next to Woo Jin. Her throat hurt from sitting beside him all day reading books.

At first, she thought it was nice to read books she liked and not have to clean, but now she missed the mop. The grip was really nice too.

“Read faster. How can you stop there?”

Soo Young felt her temper rising at the irritation from the man who seemed so comfortable just listening, but she calmed herself seeing the respirator attached to his nose.

This man is not normal… He’s a patient… You don’t fight with patients…

She cleared her throat and started reading the book again, and Woo Jin closed his eyes and listened to her voice.

“Mark laid a round, fluffy rug on the floor, smiled gently at her, politely closed the door, and went outside. It was fascinating and somewhat reassuring that things that could never happen in Korea occurred so naturally in foreign countries. Because she wasn’t treated like a loose woman. Yu Jin quietly knelt beside the bed and looked at Do Hyun’s face. His face was drenched with what might have been tears or sweat, as they said he had cried. Yu Jin took out a soft towel and carefully wiped his face…”

At that moment, lunch arrived.

Hooray! Seol Ji Hyun had ordered meals for the caregiver too, so Woo Jin’s meal and Soo Young’s meal came in side by side.

Soo Young opened the side dish lids and gasped.

Salmon at the hospital? The salmon she thought she could only eat at buffets was elegantly placed in the center of the tray.

“What?”

Woo Jin asked, focusing on her breathing.

“Oh my, there’s salmon. Is this really a hospital? In your meal, Seol Woo Jin… Um… There’s none? Probably because it’s a patient meal. Your food has rice and some kind of seaweed soup? That soup, steamed egg, some kind of vegetable… Oh! Pan-fried meat! And… What’s this? Salad? Anyway, it’s all laid out from left to right.”

“Take it away,” Woo Jin said with a frown.

“What?”

“Not in the mood.”

“You need to eat well to get better! You told me that yourself. You said you need to eat well to recover.”

“I don’t like hospital food.”

Soo Young sighed, seeing him being stubborn like a child.

“Seol Woo Jin. Do you know what the grandfather with many lawyers and the CEO uncle like best about me being by your side? That you’ll eat when I’m here, even though you usually just sleep and don’t eat when you come to the hospital. But if you don’t eat like this, what does that make me?”

“You met grandfather?”

“Huh?”

She had clearly told him this morning that she was late because she met his grandfather… Was his memory failing now too?

“I told you this morning, didn’t I? That I met your grandfather who has many lawyers.”

“I don’t know. I was out of it this morning. I’m not right after getting injections.”

She thought he was awake since his eyes were open, but was he dozing off with his eyes open? Was he making a fuss because he wasn’t in his right mind?

She inadvertently thought that he shouldn’t get those injections, but then figured the doctor must know what he’s doing.

“Just eat three spoonfuls. If you don’t eat, I’m leaving.”

“Stop with that threat. It’s tiresome.”

“Really? You mean it? Then I’m really going?”

Woo Jin hesitated for a moment, then grumbled roughly.

“…Damn it…”

He fumbled for the spoon with a clatter, but didn’t forget to be stubborn.

“If I eat, you have to finish that book today.”

“Huh? This is nearly 300 pages long! My voice will get hoarse!”

“Then I won’t eat.”

As he was about to put down the spoon again, Soo Young hurriedly said,

“Ah, okay, okay. I get it, so eat first. But ten spoonfuls instead of three.”

“That’s not fair!”

“I’m reading until my voice gets hoarse, but you can’t eat ten spoonfuls for me?”

Though he wondered why his eating was for her sake, he didn’t dislike those words.

Woo Jin held the spoon, turned his head towards her for a moment, then slowly started scooping rice.

Seeing him put the rice in his mouth, Soo Young smiled contentedly and placed a piece of meat on top of his rice.

Of course, she took one for herself too.

“An audiobook?”

When Woo Jin fell asleep after lunch, Ji Hyun came looking for Soo Young.

At first, she thought he came to see Woo Jin, but he just confirmed his brother was asleep and said he had something to tell Soo Young.

“Yes. Woo Jin mentioned it briefly before, but I was too busy to listen properly then. Since meeting you, Soo Young, our Woo Jin’s concentration has wavered, and he’s not editing manuscripts well, so my work has piled up. Haha.”

Soo Young wondered if he was saying it was her fault that Woo Jin couldn’t work now, so she lowered her gaze to Ji Hyun’s feet for a moment before raising it again.

“But when I heard your voice reading the book, it was really good.”

“Oh? You heard me reading?”

“Yes. I heard it yesterday evening.”

She hadn’t even noticed Ji Hyun coming while trying to put Woo Jin to sleep. He could only leave work once Woo Jin was asleep.

“Our publishing company also produces audiobooks. Usually professional voice actors do it, but Woo Jin says their voices feel cloying if he listens to them for too long. For readers like Woo Jin, a plain voice like yours seems to fit better. So I’d like to try producing with your voice too. The pay would be 200,000 won per hour.”

“What? How much?”

“Oh, is that too little? Honestly, famous voice actors charge up to 1 million won, but since you’re still a beginner, we’ll raise it gradually based on sales performance.”

Ji Hyun said with an apologetic expression, but Soo Young felt breathless at the amount, which was much larger than she had thought.

200,000 won per hour, and not just for one day? Even high school supplementary classes only pay 35,000 won per hour. And this is 200,000 won just for reading a book?

“I’ll do it!”

Soo Young suddenly grabbed Ji Hyun’s hand and exclaimed.

The sound was so loud that Woo Jin stirred.

Soo Young quickly went to him and gently stroked his chest area covered by the blanket.

That touch was so affectionate and ticklish, like a mother putting a child to sleep, that Ji Hyun stared blankly at his brother and her.

Not just a godsend… A match made in heaven?

As soon as she confirmed Woo Jin’s breathing had evened out, Soo Young came back to Ji Hyun’s side and whispered softly.

“When do we start?”

As Soo Young asked eagerly, Ji Hyun answered with a gentle smile.

“First, it would be good if you have an interview with the audiobook production PD, learn about pronunciation correction and vocalization, and then start recording.”

Hearing the details, it didn’t seem like such a simple process.

Do I even need pronunciation correction? She realized that 200,000 won per hour doesn’t come easily.

Still, reading books and making money. Where else could you find such a sweet job? She couldn’t help but smile.

“First we need to select the books for audiobook production. We’ll have to discuss that with our planning team… Once they’re selected, I’ll give them to you first. Read them once or twice.”

Ah, so I have to read books I’ve already read? It’s more fun to read books I haven’t read before. But thinking of the money, she nodded, holding back.

“Woo Jin will probably be discharged tomorrow morning.”

“Yes. His breathing sounds much better.”

“Of course, we’ll calculate and deposit your overtime pay and nursing care fees.”

“Ah, yes.”

The corners of Soo Young’s mouth lifted slightly. At this rate, it seemed she could make a fortune quickly.

She thought she should recommend babysitting to So Ra, who always said she wanted to do part-time work besides being a full-time housewife.

But only for rich families.

They say you get thinner after being in the hospital, and it really seemed like his collarbone was sticking out more.

But why is that collarbone so sexy…

That person knows his collarbone is pretty. That’s why he always wears V-neck sweaters like that.

While Soo Young was lost in thought about his collarbone, Woo Jin was deliciously chewing the chicken gangjeong she had bought.

After eating bland hospital food, the chicken gangjeong mixed with all sorts of seasonings couldn’t be more delicious.

Until now, even after being discharged from the hospital, it took several days for his appetite and strength to return.

Staying in the hospital was that physically and mentally draining.

Especially the characteristic smell of disinfectant that lingered in his nose even while sleeping didn’t disappear for days even after coming home, making him nauseous whenever he ate anything.

But for some reason, this time in the hospital, he didn’t notice that smell much.

He only smelled Kim Soo Young. He could only focus on that scent.

Maybe because she nagged so much beside him, even the doctors and nurses didn’t touch him carelessly like before and gave injections through the IV.

Even when taking his blood pressure, she put on the cuff.

Woo Jin slightly raised the corners of his mouth as he heard the nurse praising her for doing it well and Soo Young’s laughter.

Had he ever been this comfortable in the hospital before…?

Even when leaving the hospital and coming home, he came in his right mind in Seol Ji Hyun’s car.

It was possible because Soo Young was beside him, but he didn’t say thank you.

He didn’t want to admit that he was relying on her this much. She was just faithfully playing the role of manager, that’s all.

“Oh right, I can’t come tomorrow.”

At Soo Young’s words, Woo Jin was about to bite into the chicken gangjeong but stopped and raised his head.

His golden pupils, shining in the dining table light, were asking her the reason.

Thinking that those unseeing eyes spoke so well, Soo Young said quietly,

“Tomorrow is the anniversary of my father’s death, so I have to go to the memorial service.”

At her words, he remembered that he had never attended his father’s memorial service or ancestral rites even once.

“…Have a safe trip.”

Though he said the greeting, he put down the chicken gangjeong he had picked up back on the plate.

“Eat well even when I’m not here. Don’t starve. Okay?”

Then Woo Jin answered with a grim expression.

“If you’re that worried, then come. Why worry if you’re not coming?”

“Again, again, again with the sulking. Do you think I don’t want to come? Mom will be lonely if she goes alone. It’s not like we’re going somewhere nice… I have to go with her and snack at rest stops along the way so Mom feels less lonely.”

“Who said what?”

“…Do you want to come with us?”

Soo Young asked subtly. Woo Jin exclaimed in shock.

“Are you crazy?”

“Geez, was that question so outrageous to receive such a response? Do you attend a school, Seol Woo Jin?”

“School?”

“A school that teaches how to speak rudely to others.”

As she said this, Soo Young imagined how much this would upset Seol Woo Jin.

He’d think he got paid back in words for his deeds, right? Ah, this way with words.

However, Woo Jin crossed his arms with an expressionless face and said,

“I was born with it, no need to attend school. You should know by now, right?”

Thinking her way with words still wasn’t up to par, Soo Young stabbed the chicken gangjeong with her fork.

The fork must have pierced through the chicken and hit the plate underneath, as Woo Jin’s face scrunched up at the squeaking sound.

“That’s an expensive plate. Be careful.”

“Tch! Using even expensive plates. Such a spendthrift.”

As Soo Young grumbled while chewing the chicken gangjeong, Woo Jin sighed.

This woman is not a woman. She’s a high school boy.

But, why on earth…?

“It probably won’t happen, but if I go, your mom would see me too, right? Would that be okay? She might faint if she knows I’m visually impaired?”

Though he couldn’t see, he spoke while trying to gauge her reaction. Soo Young answered coolly,

“She already knows so she won’t faint. And is that something to faint over?”

“You told her?”

Woo Jin’s voice rose in surprise.

“Yes. I told her before.”

“What did she say?”

He tried to gauge her reaction again.

“She didn’t say much? She just seems to think you need a manager because you can’t see. She hasn’t been touching me coming here since then.”

At her words, Woo Jin’s mouth opened slightly. Shouldn’t he probe further…?

“Seol Woo Jin.”

“Hm?”

“Later, when we can go on longer walks, come visit my house. I’ll buy you something delicious. There’s a place called Fox in my neighborhood that makes great rice bowls. They deliver too, and it’s really delicious. They have over 20 types of rice bowls. I’ve tried 12 so far, so if I eat 8 more, I’ll have conquered their menu. Originally I only had 4 more to go, but they added 4 new menu items, you know? Tch.”

However, Woo Jin was silent. Come visit my house… He had never heard such words even in middle or high school.

Though he hung out with others, not a single friend had ever invited him to their house.

Na Eun always came to Woo Jin’s house, but Woo Jin had never visited Na Eun’s house.

“Oh right, for your reference, my house is much smaller than here. So you have to walk carefully. There are a lot of things to bump into. I tried practicing walking in the house with my eyes covered once? But I bumped into so many things that my knees were all sore afterwards.”

“…Why did you do that practice?”

“Well, just…”

Yeah… Why did I do it… There wasn’t really a reason. I was just curious about how Seol Woo Jin would feel at home.

Soo Young stared intently at Woo Jin’s eyes. Those golden pupils that met her gaze accurately despite not being able to see…

They looked brown in dark places, but in sunlight or under lights, those pupils were unmistakably golden.

Like something you’d only see in comics…

“I was just curious about you, Seol Woo Jin.”

Looking straight into those eyes, Soo Young said softly.