Irresponsibility Chapter 1.4

Moreover, whenever he hears a knock, he becomes a fool. His mind goes completely blank, and he cannot think at all.

Knock, knock—.

Just like now.

“Oh, you did not hide.”

Since he had been standing on the mattress, he could not even hide, and all he could do was crumple to the spot.

His heart pounded as if it would explode. What if he hits me for looking suspicious? I have not even done anything yet.

Joo Yeoun, with terrified eyes, backed away little by little. Baek Geonhyuk glanced at the hand clutching the bedsheet and said.

“They say it is best to lie still for a fracture.”

The approaching feet, the large hands, the man’s face…. Joo Yeoun’s gaze shifted frantically. At some point, his back was pressed tightly against the headboard of the bed.

“Huuuh…!”

As his breathing grew increasingly rapid, the moment he took a deep breath, a pain as if piercing his body shot through him. Joo Yeoun grimaced and curled his body into a ball.

“I am not coming closer.”

Breathe. Slowly. Speaking softly, Baek Geonhyuk walked with about a foot of distance from the bed. As he neared the headboard, the curled-up body slowly tilted to the opposite side. He only stopped fleeing when he had paused with the nightstand between them, but because his body was already tilted so much, he tumbled and fell sideways.

“……”

Baek Geonhyuk lightly rolled his lips, bit down, and then released them.

“…You did not eat much.”

He changed the subject and looked at the porridge bowl on the nightstand. It was instant porridge, so the portion was not large, yet it was almost untouched.

“Huuuh, I, I am sorry…”

“Ah. That is not it, I was just wondering if the porridge was bad.”

That was really all it was. He was just thinking if it would be better to give him something other than porridge, but Joo Yeoun looked back and forth between the porridge bowl and Baek Geonhyuk and backed away a little. The hand he braced behind him drew closer to the edge of the bed.

Baek Geonhyuk clicked his tongue inwardly. It would be better to leave quickly than to scare him even more.

He placed the newly microwaved porridge on the nightstand and then turned around. He was holding the porridge bowl he had given him in the morning.

He thought about adding something like, “It is a little hot,” but he quietly closed the door and left. It was because he was worried that Joo Yeoun, who had retreated to the very edge of the bed, would really fall off.

He deliberately made his footsteps audible as he headed to the kitchen. He also turned on the water in the sink for a moment, then stared blankly at the half-eaten porridge bowl.

He soon scooped up a spoonful of porridge with the spoon that was resting on the bowl and tasted it. Then he tilted his head.

“It is not bad.”

It seems instant porridge is also made well these days. It tasted quite decent, but in truth, his palate was a bit dull, so he could not be certain.

The man, with his hands on the sink, stood there and pondered deeply. His broad back was bent in a curve as he looked into the bowl.

*

The next morning.

Baek Geonhyuk opened the door, holding a tray in one hand. His gaze went straight to the nightstand. The porridge, with no sign of having been eaten, was cold. He turned to the side and asked.

“Did you sleep well?”

“……”

He had managed not to crawl under the bed, but Joo Yeoun had chosen a different spot this time. He was huddled in the space between the nightstand and the wall, with a blanket pulled up to his chin.

To think he could fit into that narrow space. He is much thinner than I thought.

Whatever it was, he had to eat something now. Baek Geonhyuk swapped the tray he had brought with the one he had left the previous evening. Then he took a few steps back.

“Eat breakfast.”

Only after Baek Geonhyuk had moved to the doorway did Joo Yeoun cautiously get up, observing his surroundings.

His wary expression turned blank the moment he checked the tray. White rice and golden-brown grilled pork belly. The food placed there instead of the usual bowl of porridge was unexpected, even in his terrified state.

“Want some kimchi?”

Because Baek Geonhyuk leaned his body from behind him to look, Joo Yeoun was startled and took a step forward.

He felt like he was being chased. It felt as if the man behind him would grab the scruff of his neck at any moment.

Pressing down on his wildly beating chest with his casted hand, Yeoun hurriedly picked up a spoon. The man only leaves after he has taken a spoonful. The spoon, held awkwardly in his left hand, charged straight for the plate.

However, there was no way that spoon-feeding with his left hand in a rush would go well.

The man was still watching him from behind. There was no urging of any kind, but Yeoun anxiously bit his lip.

To make matters worse, the pork belly was cut into large pieces, each appearing to be about half a strip, which made it even more difficult. After several attempts, he finally managed to get a piece of meat onto the spoon, squeezed his eyes shut, and brought it to his mouth.

Clatter.

But unfortunately, Joo Yeoun only put an empty spoon in his mouth. The pork belly had fallen onto the tray with a thud before it even reached his mouth.

“Hmm.”

He heard a rumbling sound from his throat from behind. It seemed he had gotten annoyed with waiting. Then he would start punching or kicking.

“Hic…!”

Yeoun’s terrified eyes widened. The only thought he could have was that he had to eat quickly. So, with his bare hand, he snatched a piece of pork belly and shoved it into his mouth.

And he glanced back slightly. It was to show that he had eaten.

The man whose eyes he met did not have an angry face. He looked back and forth between Yeoun’s fingers and the pork belly with an unreadable expression, then finally nodded.

“You can just wash your hands after eating, what of it.”

After letting out a cool voice, he opened his mouth again.

“Is it a bit big for you to eat? Should I cut it for you?”

“……”

Joo Yeoun, with his lips greasy, glanced at him with a frightened expression. He could not hear what he was saying. The only anxious thought was, why is he not leaving?

Yeoun, whose expression was contorted as if about to cry, picked up another large piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth. His fingers stung from grabbing it with his bare hand, but he could not even feel that sensation. All his nerves were focused on what was behind him.

Click. Hearing the sound of the door closing, Joo Yeoun cautiously looked back. His cheeks were slightly puffed up because his mouth was full of meat.

The man who was as big as a door was nowhere to be seen. He finally left. Yeoun moved his jaw in relief. With every chew, savory oil and juices burst out, but for Yeoun, it was an ordeal. He had no capacity to taste it, and chewing and swallowing the food was just something he did because he was told to.

Yeoun squeezed his eyes shut and moved his Adam’s apple. The lump of meat, chewed roughly, filled his throat and went down with difficulty. His brow furrowed automatically from the pain.

*

It was that afternoon when Baek Geonhyuk found Joo Yeoun lying on the floor.

“Joo Yeoun?”

He immediately approached and, grabbing the shoulder of Yeoun who was curled up on his side, laid him on his back. His face was deathly pale, and he was breaking out in a cold sweat, which looked serious. His body was cold, too.

Moreover, Joo Yeoun did not startle or tremble even when he touched his body. It meant he was in too much pain to even register it.

With a hardened expression, Baek Geonhyuk called Lee Hyunkyu. After a brief explanation of the situation, a calm voice came back.

—I am on my way now.

“How long will it take?”

Baek Geonhyuk asked quietly, his gaze fixed on the face contorted in pain.

—I am on my way, so it should take about 15 minutes.

It was a relief that Lee Hyunkyu was on his way. If he had started from the hospital in the city, it would have taken at least 40 minutes.

After hanging up and roughly stuffing his phone into his pocket, Baek Geonhyuk picked Joo Yeoun up in his arms. The weight was too light for an adult male, and a shallow wrinkle formed on his brow.

Perhaps feeling the sensation of his body being lifted, his closed eyelids trembled. Worried that he might have another seizure at the sight of him, Baek Geonhyuk spoke in a quiet tone.

“I will put you on the bed.”

Joo Yeoun furrowed his brow and bit his lip hard. His eyes remained closed.

Baek Geonhyuk carefully laid the thin body on the bed and massaged his arms and legs. His gaze keenly examined the body. There were no external injuries, and although he was wheezing, his breathing was also normal.

“Where does it hurt? Huh?”

“……”

Joo Yeoun just groaned and said nothing. Baek Geonhyuk’s gaze turned to the clock. Not even three minutes had passed.

Lee Hyunkyu entered the room only after he had looked at the clock for the seventh time. He seemed to have run up, judging by his panting, but Baek Geonhyuk did not give him a moment to catch his breath and said.

“No external injuries, breathing is normal, but his body is cold.”

“Hoo, let me take a look.”

Baek Geonhyuk stepped aside. Lee Hyunkyu wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve and then gently shook Joo Yeoun’s shoulder.

“Mr. Joo Yeoun. It is the doctor. Where are you uncomfortable?”

“It seemed like he was in too much pain to even speak.”

Baek Geonhyuk, standing behind, added an explanation. But unlike before, Joo Yeoun moved his lips right away.

“Huuuh, stomach… here.”

“Your stomach hurts? Where, here?”

“Aack…!”

Following Joo Yeoun’s hand pointing to his solar plexus, Lee Hyunkyu lightly pressed on the spot. At that, Joo Yeoun drew up his knees in pain. Tears streamed down from the reddened corners of his eyes.

“Looks like he has indigestion.”

Lee Hyunkyu muttered and asked Joo Yeoun again.

“When did it start hurting?”

“A while ago…”

“After eating breakfast?”

Watching Joo Yeoun nod, Baek Geonhyuk made a strange expression.

He can have a conversation with Lee Hyunkyu.

“Team leader. How much porridge did Mr. Joo Yeoun eat in the morning?”

The thought that had briefly surfaced vanished at Lee Hyunkyy’s question. Baek Geonhyuk blinked and answered.

“He did not eat porridge.”

“Then?”

“Pork belly.”

As he spoke, Baek Geonhyuk’s gaze turned to the nightstand. “What?” Lee Hyunkyu asked again, and his gaze also turned in that direction.

Seeing the pork belly with white, solidified grease, Lee Hyunkyu was speechless for a moment. The pork belly that had suddenly appeared in his line of sight was absurd.