Love Born of Pity Chapter 37

Instead of being honest, Kwon Jiho, who chose to hide things, muttered that he didn’t know. He kept his gaze fixed on the window, afraid Do Yeonjae would catch his lie. Do Yeonjae already knew what Kwon Jiho was trying to hide, but he pretended not to know, finding his efforts amusing. In truth, he was mostly curious to see how things would play out.

“Director.”

“Yes.”

“…….”

“Why did you call me and then stay silent?”

Kwon Jiho fidgeted with his fingers laced on his thigh and parted his lips. He couldn’t remember what he wanted to say. It was difficult to distinguish what he could and couldn’t say.

“……Have you eaten?”

“Not yet. I was going to eat with Mr. Kwon Jiho.”

“……It’ll be late if we stop by the hospital and then go home. You must be hungry.”

“Mr. Kwon Jiho is.”

Even though he hadn’t eaten anything all day, Kwon Jiho didn’t feel hungry. He smiled awkwardly and shook his head, and Do Yeonjae asked if he had eaten lunch. It was a question asked knowing the answer, but Kwon Jiho, unaware of this, lied.

“I ate something light.”

“Oh, you did?”

“……A sandwich.”

After he carefully offered a specific menu item, Do Yeonjae replied indifferently, “Good.” As if they had promised, they remained silent until they arrived at the hospital. Kwon Jiho tried to calm his racing heart, worried about his lies, while Do Yeonjae pondered what to do with Kwon Jiho, who lied every time he opened his mouth.

Arriving at the hospital near 7 o’clock, Kwon Jiho unbuckled his seatbelt and sat for a moment. He had to wait anyway, since he didn’t know the room number. Do Yeonjae, staring at his remarkably obedient demeanor, told him Kwon Heeyeon’s room number.

“10th floor, room 1001.”

“Thank you… for transferring my sister to the hospital.”

“Really? Are you grateful?”

“Huh? Oh……. Yes. Of course……”

You don’t seem like it. At the low murmur, Kwon Jiho lifted his downcast gaze and met Do Yeonjae’s eyes. Do Yeonjae, with a cool gaze, only curved his lips into a soft, feigned smile.

“If Mr. Kwon Jiho says so, then I have to believe it.”

“……I’m truly grateful.”

“Alright, I’ll believe you since you say so.”

Kwon Jiho, accustomed to Do Yeonjae’s cryptic remarks, bowed his head. He opened the passenger door, gauging Do Yeonjae’s reaction, and was told to have a good visit.

“I’ll be back.”

“See her properly on the weekend, just say hello and come out today.”

“……Yes.”

Hesitating slightly, Kwon Jiho replied that he would, and before closing the car door, bowed his head once more. At Do Yeonjae’s gesture, he turned and hurried away. Entering the hospital, Kwon Jiho glanced back. Do Yeonjae’s driver-side door opened as if he was about to get out of the car. Afraid their eyes might meet, Kwon Jiho quickly slipped inside the hospital.

The elevator was empty. He pressed the button for the 10th floor and leaned against the wall blankly, then pressed his stiff eyes. His eyes were swollen; what if his sister found it strange? Thinking he should wash his face in the restroom before entering the room, Kwon Jiho sighed.

Where and how could he meet other people? If he met someone else and Do Yeonjae threatened or harmed that person as well, what would he do?

“……It’s difficult.”

His trembling voice echoed in the empty elevator. Kwon Jiho bit his lip, exhaled deeply, and shook his head. Now wasn’t the time for such thoughts. He couldn’t show this expression in front of Kwon Heeyeon.

The 10th floor was a restricted access area. Kwon Jiho, getting off the elevator, was flustered by the glass door blocking his way. A nurse, witnessing this, approached with a smile. The door opened easily when she tapped her card on the reader, but Kwon Jiho hesitated to enter.

“Are you Kwon Heeyeon’s guardian?”

“Ah, yes. Hello.”

“Your visit was scheduled, and I thought you weren’t coming because you were late. Let’s go in together. Kwon Heeyeon is the only patient currently admitted on the 10th floor. Come this way, I’ll give you an ID bracelet at the desk.”

Kwon Jiho followed the nurse to the office and briefly filled out some paperwork. He carefully pocketed the items the nurse gave him and bowed his head repeatedly, asking her to take good care of Kwon Heeyeon. Stopping in front of room 1001, one of the two rooms facing each other across the hallway, Kwon Jiho took a deep breath.

It would be better to knock, right? Kwon Jiho raised his hand and knocked twice, waited a moment, and then opened the door. The room was spacious. There was even a separate space for the patient and the accompanying guardian. Kwon Jiho entered, impressed despite himself. The caregiver was nowhere to be seen, and Kwon Heeyeon, sitting on the edge of the bed, greeted him.

“You were awake? It must have been hard moving hospitals. They said the treatment starts tomorrow.”

“Yeah, you’re late.”

“Really? Did you eat?”

“What time do you think it is? Of course I ate.”

Affectionate questions were followed by indifferent replies. Kwon Jiho, unable to approach closer, sat at a table in the corner, his eyes darting around. Should he say he’s leaving? Would it be better to say he’ll see her properly on the weekend? As he was constantly weighing his options, Kwon Heeyeon stood up.

“Wait, I’ll help you up.”

Kwon Jiho moved quickly. Just as he grabbed her arm to help her up—

“Disgusting……!”

Slap! Kwon Jiho’s hand, swatted away, instantly reddened. Kwon Jiho froze, looking bewildered, while Kwon Heeyeon turned her head away, biting her lip.

“……Ah.”

“…….”

“Ah, sorry. I was going to use the restroom, but I didn’t get a chance, so my hands…… I didn’t wash my hands. I’m sorry. I’ll go wash them quickly.”

“It’s fine. I can move by myself. Don’t fuss.”

Kwon Heeyeon shuffled her feet. Plopping down across the table where Kwon Jiho had been sitting, she sighed irritably. The questions she had wanted to ask him became tangled in her mind.

Kwon Jiho, after standing blankly for a moment, came to his senses and moved. He went into the restroom, washed his hands thoroughly, and his face, which he checked in the mirror, was pale. Washing his face with cold water, he tried his best to interpret the word “disgusting” that Kwon Heeyeon had uttered simply.

Leaving the restroom, roughly drying his wet hair, Kwon Jiho sat down in front of Kwon Heeyeon with an indifferent expression.

“How’s the new hospital?”

“You can see for yourself. What could be inconvenient here? They have everything. Doesn’t it seem bigger than the house we used to live in? It’s a VIP room. It’s amazing that I’m in a place like this. It’s so nice, it’s amazing. Really.”

“……That’s good. I’m fine as long as you’re fine.”

“But, brother. This place seems too expensive. Isn’t the caregiver’s fee quite high too? The caregiver said so. She said she charges a bit more. She said you take such good care of me.”

Kwon Jiho, looking at Kwon Heeyeon’s face as she suddenly brought up money, averted his gaze, unable to bear her penetrating stare.

“Don’t worry about money, things like that.”

“How can I not worry? You’re struggling alone. They say I should be good to you, so how can I not worry? How did you even pay the hospital bills? How did you pay for the caregiver? What kind of work do you do? I’m curious. Where and how do you earn that much money?”

“I’ll… take care of it. You just focus on your rehabilitation and recovery……”

“Where did you get the money, brother? Where do you work……? Even staying in a multi-person room would be a burden to pay for, but look at this place. I’m in a room that looks like it’s for a company chairman. ”

“…….”

“Even if you didn’t sleep, eat, or spend any money and only worked, you wouldn’t be able to afford the caregiver fees, let alone the hospital bills. They said there haven’t been any missed or late payments. What kind of work are you doing that allows you to cover all of this? How?”

Kwon Jiho sat like a criminal in front of Kwon Heeyeon, his head bowed, as she asked sharply, her voice tinged with a metallic edge.

“Did you really sell your body, brother? Did you find a sugar daddy?”

“……What?”

“Did you use that money to pay for my hospital bills and caregiver fees? Ah, was that CEO who came to the hospital and said he had a lot of dealings with you… a pimp? Was what he meant by helping… this? Is it true? Were you selling your body to take care of me?!”

Kwon Jiho’s body began to tremble. Hiding his hands under the table, he mumbled as if in a daze,

“What are you talking about?”

“Who asked you to sell your body to save me?”

“……Heeyeon.”

“Did you think I’d thank you for saving me even if it meant doing that? Don’t you… don’t you think? How could you do such a thing? Did you think I’d never find out? If you were going to do that, you should have just let me die, why did you go so far…… Did you want to hear me thank you?”