Chapter 15
Baek I-hae came to her senses after the emergency treatment was complete.
‘Is this… a hospital?’
Blinking through a hazy fog, her mind felt sluggish. She vaguely recalled someone carrying her on their back, rushing noisily, but now the surroundings were eerily quiet.
‘Patient gown. My back doesn’t hurt as much anymore.’
And, most importantly, she was in a private room.
She knew it was rare to get a private room right away, even for an emergency patient.
She couldn’t help but wonder if this was secured with money or through the intimidating aura of a gangster.
Carefully sitting up, Baek I-hae felt something brush against her hand and turned her head.
“Seo Do-gyeom?”
She’d thought she was alone.
Seo Do-gyeom was slumped over the edge of the bed, his head resting on his arms. He must have been sleeping in that uncomfortable position.
He could’ve just gone home to rest properly.
‘Was he staying here to watch over me?’
His gesture of staying by her side wasn’t entirely unwelcome.
Her eyes fell on his hand, still marked with the imprint of her teeth. She reached out to rub the spot gently, feeling a pang of guilt for the lingering marks she’d left from biting so hard.
In that moment, someone swiftly grabbed her wrist. The culprit was Seo Do-gyeom, who had just sat up.
“Are you okay?”
“Weren’t you asleep?”
“I woke up.”
She hadn’t been that loud, yet he’d woken up.
This was the same guy who wouldn’t budge no matter how much she tried to wake him for breakfast last time. What an absurd guy.
“Did you bring me to the hospital?”
“No. Father put you in the car and brought you here. He’s talking to the doctor now.”
“I see.”
“…They treated you, but they said there might be a scar.”
He hesitated, unlike his usual self. So that’s what he’d been gearing up to say.
Baek I-hae reached out, almost instinctively, to touch her back. When she flinched from the pain, Seo Do-gyeom grabbed her hand.
“Don’t touch it.”
“Sorry. Wait, why am I apologizing? It’s my body. Anyway, it’d be nice if there’s no scar, but if there is, what can I do?”
As long as Seo-yeol wasn’t hurt, that was what mattered. It was already done, and blaming someone wouldn’t change anything.
Baek I-hae decided to accept the situation calmly. At least it wasn’t a visible area like her face, which eased her worries a bit.
“Are you okay?”
This time, it was Seo Do-gyeom who seemed to be gauging her reaction, thrown off by her nonchalant response. Baek I-hae started to nod but paused.
She rubbed her chin thoughtfully.
“Hmm, there might be one problem.”
“What?”
“What if, later on, someone I like sees my body and thinks it’s gross?”
She mumbled that it might hurt her feelings a bit, and Seo Do-gyeom’s expression hardened into something fierce.
“If some bastard thinks that, don’t even bother with them. I’d oppose it anyway.”
“Idiot, how am I supposed to know if they’ll think that or not?”
“I can tell.”
Seo Do-gyeom spoke with such earnest conviction that Baek I-hae burst out laughing.
“So, what, I need your permission to get a boyfriend?”
“Yeah.”
“You’re not my dad. But you do feel a bit like an older brother. The way you try to protect me is kind of dependable.”
Seo Do-gyeom gazed at her as she laughed so hard tears welled in her eyes, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
[Baby Gangster, Seo Do-gyeom, is pleased with Baek I-hae’s reaction.]
‘Huh? Since when did he start calling me by my name instead of some side character’s?’
She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when it had started.
Baek I-hae figured it must have just happened naturally as they grew closer, brushing it off as no big deal.
“You’re staying in the hospital for now. I’ll come by often.”
“What?! But what about the beach tomorrow?!”
“With your condition? No way you’re going to the beach.”
Was Seo Do-gyeom always this sharp and unyielding?
Baek I-hae pouted, her lips jutting out in protest. In response, Seo Do-gyeom reached out and pinched her lips.
“…?!”
“No duck faces. Listen to me. I’m saying this because I’m worried about you.”
“Hmph.”
“Don’t make weird noises either.”
It wasn’t a weird noise—it was her trying to be cute.
His hand fell away with the warning laced with concern. When her best attempt at charm didn’t work, Baek I-hae let out a sheepish cough.
“There’ll be reliable guys guarding outside, so you don’t need to worry about safety. Nothing like what happened with Chai Ryeong will happen again.”
She nodded, almost entranced by his confident words.
Soon after, Seo I-heum arrived, having finished consulting with the doctor, and he too recommended she stay hospitalized for the time being.
The emergency treatment had gone well, but the burns were severe enough that further care should be done in the hospital.
Baek I-hae nodded obediently.
‘It’s not like it’s my money being spent, so whatever.’
She even grinned widely, thinking it was actually nice to skip school. Seeing her reaction, Seo I-heum sighed and patted her head gently.
“I heard what happened from Do-gyeom. Don’t do reckless things like that again.”
“Got it. Thanks for worrying about me, sir.”
First Seo Do-gyeom, now Seo I-heum worrying about her.
It didn’t feel half bad to be cared for as a guest, and she flashed a bright smile with her eyes. But then, someone gently tugged her arm, pulling her away from Seo I-heum’s touch.
The culprit was Seo Do-gyeom.
“…What’s that about?”
Seo I-heum frowned at Seo Do-gyeom’s unexpected move. Still, Seo Do-gyeom replied with a calm expression.
“Didn’t you say to keep a tight leash?”
No, more accurately, he spouted nonsense.
‘A leash out of nowhere…? Oh, he’s talking about that time.’
Why bring it up now? She shot Seo Do-gyeom a questioning look, but he was too busy locking eyes with Seo I-heum in some silent standoff.
Watching the two exchange wordless glances, Baek I-hae pouted again.
‘So they’ve got their own secret communication, huh? Leaving me out like that is just mean.’
Unbeknownst to Baek I-hae, Seo Do-gyeom’s actions stemmed from a subtle possessiveness, a flicker of jealousy. Of course, Seo Do-gyeom himself was just as unaware of it.
The hospital life was remarkably comfortable.
“Delicious food! So relaxing! Quiet! Peaceful!”
In a private room, there was no one to worry about, and the organization members stationed outside the door would drop by regularly, bringing whatever she needed without her even asking. Food, of course, but also comic books and gaming consoles! On top of that, the meals served in the private room were so meticulously prepared, they felt downright luxurious.
Baek I-hae, humming a little tune, entertained the cheeky thought that she could happily live here forever.
“Ugh, but maybe lying around and eating all day is catching up with me? I think I’ve put on a bit of weight.”
Sitting on the bed, she noticed a slight roll of belly fat and let out a wry chuckle.
“The only perk of waking up in this body is the looks. I’d better take care of it!”
And so, she resolved to take a walk around the hospital’s rooftop garden for some exercise. Sure, someone might scoff and say that hardly counts as exercise, but for Baek I-hae, anything beyond breathing was a workout.
“Hey, guys, I’m just going for a light walk, okay? If I go with you, everyone stares, and it’s embarrassing.”
The only hitch was the organization members standing guard, acting as her escorts. They seemed to have picked the least intimidating-looking ones, but still…
“Let’s be real, they don’t exactly scream ‘normal.’ They look like they’re here to shake down a debtor.”
If she went up to the rooftop with these guys, everyone would probably scatter in fear.
At her request, the guards exchanged uneasy glances. They couldn’t outright refuse her, though, and seeing their hesitation, Baek I-hae flashed a bright smile.
“I won’t tell the boss! And you can just hang out near the rooftop entrance, right? That way, you can keep an eye on anyone coming or going.”
“Well, that’s true, but…”
“Please? I just want to walk and clear my head a bit. I’m not saying I’ll leave the hospital or anything.”
“Hmm, alright. But just for a little while.”
“Thank you!”
Having wrangled their permission, Baek I-hae hurriedly slipped on her slippers and headed for the elevator.
It was a bit annoying knowing they’d be waiting at the rooftop entrance, but at least they wouldn’t be trailing her every step. Feeling a small surge of freedom, she stepped into the rooftop garden and gasped in delight.
“The breeze! The outdoors! The sunlight! It’s amazing!”
She’d always thought she was fine being a homebody, cooped up indoors, but it turned out people really did need sunlight to thrive. Humming softly, Baek I-hae began strolling through the quiet rooftop garden.
It was morning, so Seo Do-gyeom and Seo-yeol would be busy at school right now.
“Maybe I’ll tell Seo Do-gyeom to pick something up on his way here later. Donuts, maybe?”
Every day, he showed up with his hands full of gifts for her—usually desserts, since she reacted most enthusiastically to those. He probably stuck to them for that reason.
“He’s got this subtle, thoughtful side, doesn’t he? Like with Chai-ryeong, and even with this whole incident.”
She recalled the gentle hand that had ruffled her hair. Why did she keep replaying that moment in her mind, knowing full well he was destined to belong to someone else?
Baek I-hae quickly shook her head.
“He’s not mine.”
They could be close, sure, but he’d never be her lover or her family.
She forced a smile. Deliberately, carefully, she pushed him beyond the line she’d drawn. Because if she didn’t push him away, she’d end up abandoned. That was the hard-learned lesson of Baek I-hae’s life.
