Love Born of Pity Chapter 79

“It’s chilly, this is a problem. Weren’t you cold?”

“No, I was fine.”

Kwon Jiho endured a dull headache as he walked slowly. Instead of cutting across the garden, he went around the walking path. He was just worried, as there seemed to be no good way to avoid the guard’s eyes.

“Or, Mr. Jiho.”

“……Yes?”

“How about I roll around on the floor in the hospital room? While saying my stomach hurts……”

“……Will that work? On him…… something like that?”

It was true that the surveillance was looser than before, but it wasn’t loose enough for him to leave his post and leave him alone. He needed another way. A more certain way…… Does one even exist?

“Or what about a situation where I get hurt and need emergency treatment?”

At the softly whispered question, Hwang Gicheol shook his head in disgust.

“If that happens, the entire medical staff will gather here, and you won’t be able to take a single step out, don’t you think?”

Although he told the disapproving man that he wouldn’t do it, no better idea came to mind. Was there a place where a small cut would look like a major injury? Preferably enough to make that man panic. Kwon Jiho’s eyes fell on his own hand, which was gripping the railing.

“Mr. Jiho.”

“Yes?”

“Let’s think about it. Let’s not make a rash decision.”

“Ah, yes.”

It was the same after returning to the hospital room. His mind was blank, unable to come up with anything.

He had just been staring blankly out the window waiting for Do Yeonjae to get off work, but it was already lunchtime. Time passed quickly. He wished it would flow a little slower, since he hadn’t been able to come up with a plausible plan.

The sound of a trolley stopping came from outside the room. Hwang Gicheol smiled and wiped the table.

“You’ll be eating here, right?”

As Kwon Jiho approached, about to reply that he would, his expression contorted the moment the hospital room door opened. The smell of food mixed with the outside air seemed to turn his stomach, and he gagged and ran straight into the bathroom. Having thrown up the breakfast he had barely managed to eat a few spoonfuls of at Hwang Gicheol’s urging, Kwon Jiho retched until there was nothing left to come out.

“I must have gotten an upset stomach because I forced you to eat, what should I do.”

“Hic, no, it’s okay. I felt stuffy all along, so I actually feel better now that I’ve thrown up.”

Hwang Gicheol patted his thin back gently. Kwon Jiho, leaning weakly against the toilet as if all his energy had been drained, slowly picked himself up.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, washed his face that was so white it looked blue, and rinsed his mouth. By the time he finished brushing his teeth and came out, all traces of the food had been cleared away. Moreover, for some reason, the window had even been left open.

“Are you alright?”

Even the guard, who rarely initiated such conversations, spoke to Kwon Jiho with concern. Kwon Jiho nodded at him as he examined his pale face.

“I think I have an upset stomach. After breakfast…… I’ve been feeling unwell.”

“Mr. Do will be arriving soon, they said.”

“Ah……”

The news that Do Yeonjae was already on his way made him uncomfortable. He was coming home even earlier than yesterday. Since lunch was served, it must be around 12 o’clock. Isn’t he busy at work? Why on earth is he coming so early?

The uncomfortable time had increased. He was short on time to plot his escape, and now he had to worry about Do Yeonjae too. Kwon Jiho let out a deep sigh.

He couldn’t understand the reason for his early return. It wasn’t like he was taking extra care of him, or that they were doing something together. They were just in the same space. Kwon Jiho’s expression hardened as he climbed onto the bed and wriggled under the covers. He must have heard the report that he had thrown up, so he wouldn’t tell him to eat more. And he didn’t think Do Yeonjae would wake him up just because he was asleep.

“Your face is whiter than a sheet of paper. Yes, you should just get some sleep. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

“……Please wake me up when Director Do arrives.”

“Okay, I will. Should I turn up the temperature a bit?”

“No, right now…… I’m not cold.”

With the blanket pulled up to just below his nose, all that was visible were his eyes. Hwang Gicheol stomped his feet in frustration, seeing the broken capillaries around his eyes. He hadn’t reacted like that to the smell of food in the morning……. Was it because of stress? Since there was no way out, his anxiety must be making it hard for him to even eat properly.

Or… given the dream, and the fact that he was an omega, he could be pregnant. But the timing was too early for morning sickness…….

Pregnant omegas live their lives practically pickled in their alpha mate’s pheromones. It’s the only thing that helps, the more sensitive their disposition. But he couldn’t smell any scent on Kwon Jiho. Then again, there was no way he would leave an omega carrying his child like this. The probability that it was due to stress was high.

Hwang Gicheol tucked in the hand that was peeking out from under the blanket and stared intently at Kwon Jiho’s face, who had quickly fallen asleep. Just as he was about to lower the blanket that was pulled up suffocatingly high, the hospital room door opened.

“You’re here, Mr. Do.”

“When did he fall asleep?”

“It’s only been a few minutes. Not long, so he’s probably not sleeping deeply, should I wake him? He asked me to wake him when you arrived, anyway.”

“No, it’s fine. Was he like this in the morning too?”

To the low question, Hwang Gicheol immediately answered no. He had said he didn’t want to eat, but he hadn’t gagged at the smell like he did just now.

“I made him eat, saying he shouldn’t skip breakfast, and I think he got sick from being forced to eat. I was the one who persuaded him when he said no.”

“From tomorrow, if he says he doesn’t want to, leave him be. Don’t force him to eat.”

“……Yes, I’m sorry.”

At the gesture to leave, Hwang Gicheol turned around. He left with the guard who had been standing near the door. Only after all signs of presence had vanished did Do Yeonjae move. He approached the bed as quietly as possible.

He gently pulled back the blanket that had been drawn up to his eyes and checked the peacefully sleeping face. He furrowed his brow seeing the skin with broken capillaries from just one bout of vomiting, how fragile he was. His lips, always smooth, had been chapped ever since he was hospitalized, with scabs of blood here and there.

“Ha.”

Is he already having morning sickness? The attending physician he spoke with on the way to the hospital said this could be a symptom of morning sickness. Typically, morning sickness starts around the 5th week of pregnancy, but in sensitive cases, it can come much earlier.

Or, as Hwang Gicheol said, it could be an upset stomach. He always got indigestion after being forced to eat, so maybe it was the same this time. He was lying on his side, and his neat forehead was revealed between the strands of hair that had shifted to one side. Do Yeonjae’s hand rubbed the lukewarm skin.

He was troubled about when he should tell him about the pregnancy. Since he had experienced a miscarriage not long ago, wouldn’t it be better to tell him once he entered a stable period? In fact, more than worrying about when to announce the pregnancy, he was more worried that he would be able to eat less and less.

“Kwon Jiho.”

He had never been so engrossed in something in his life. His life had been smooth, without any ups and downs. There had never been a being in his life who made him worry as much as Kwon Jiho.

As he gently stroked the haggard cheek, the corner of his eye twitched. It seemed he wasn’t sleeping deeply and was about to wake up. At the touch of the hand gently stroking his lukewarm cheek, the eyelids that had been resting heavily finally lifted, revealing hazy eyes.

The eyes, which blinked slowly, not fully awake, squeezed shut again. The sound of even, soft breathing spread.

Do Yeonjae suddenly felt that everything was peaceful. He believed that Kwon Jiho, who was struggling to hold on, would also find everything stable after just a little while.

♬⋆.˚

It’s Friday. Time, which had seemed to stand still, finally flowed on. As if God himself were helping him, Do Yeonjae said he was going on a business trip to a provincial area today. It was only for a day, but Kwon Jiho was noticeably relieved.

If Do Yeonjae found out from the company that he had run away, it wouldn’t take even 10 minutes for him to get to the hospital, but it was a different story if he was in the provinces. It would surely take at least a few hours for him to get back.

“I’ll be late today.”

“……Yes.”

“If you don’t want to eat, don’t force yourself. If there’s something you want to eat, tell me. I’ll have it sent to you.”

“……Thank you.”

At the obedient reply, Do Yeonjae’s hand touched Kwon Jiho’s right ear. It wasn’t that he could hear as well as he used to when he was fine, but just the fact that he reacted to sound immediately made him think the medicine’s effect was remarkable.

“Take a walk, and be good.”

“Yes……. Travel safely.”

“I will.”

At his usual appearance and attitude, Do Yeonjae smiled and walked away. The farewell he had always received felt special today for some reason. Was it because his discharge was coming up?

What kind of expression would Kwon Jiho make if he told him their relationship was going to change from now on?

Do Yeonjae took one step out of the hospital room, then turned back again. The gaze that had been fixed on the tips of his toes rose to meet Do Yeonjae’s. Transparent, light brown eyes like glass beads. His pretty and gentle face tilted out of habit.

Unable to resist the lips that parted slightly to ask what was wrong, he gave him a light kiss, and his shoulders jumped as if surprised. The flushed cheeks and the eyes that looked like they were about to cry held his gaze until the very end. Do Yeonjae had the silly thought that he wished it would become night in the blink of an eye.

Leaving his reluctance behind, he left the hospital room without another word of goodbye. Through the gap of the gently closing door, Kwon Jiho’s face was gradually hidden.

When Do Yeonjae, after a tedious journey of switching between cars and planes, arrived in Busan.

As if he had been waiting, Kwon Jiho ran away.