Irresponsibility Chapter 1.9

“……”

“I will not hurt you.”

Never. Releasing the white foot, Baek Geonhyuk met Joo Yeoun’s eyes. The pupils, stained with confusion, trembled minutely.

*

Baek Geonhyuk knocked and then slowly opened the door.

Joo Yeoun was hiding his body in a corner. He was staring intently at his feet with terrified eyes, looking as if he would scream if he took just one more step.

“Are you not going in?”

“……”

Without answering the question from behind him, Baek Geonhyuk just stared silently at Joo Yeoun, who was huddled in the corner.

Please move aside. Aish, really. Lee Hyungyu barely squeezed past Baek Geonhyuk, who was blocking the doorway, and entered the room.

“Mr. Joo Yeoun, I am here.”

And at that moment, Baek Geonhyuk witnessed the faint relief that appeared on Joo Yeoun’s face.

“I heard you might be showing symptoms of dehydration, so I came to give you an IV drip. Please sit on the bed.”

Joo Yeoun hesitantly came out from the corner and sat obediently on the bed.

With his gaze fixed on Joo Yeoun, who did not even look this way, Baek Geonhyuk touched his own cheek. Smooth skin with nothing to catch on was felt at his fingertips.

He glanced at the face of Lee Hyungyu, who was wearing thick glasses.

I look better. Baek Geonhyuk, tilting his head, leaned against the doorway.

It seemed Joo Yeoun was very startled by what happened yesterday. Even in his sleep, he was breaking out in a cold sweat and talking, looking as if he was having a nightmare. On top of that, he was not drinking water or eating food again, so in the end, I had to call Lee Hyungyu.

“Mr. Joo Yeoun, we are really trying to protect you.”

“……”

“It was something the Team Leader’s subordinate did on his own, so it has absolutely nothing to do with the Team Leader.”

His round pupils shook restlessly here and there. The sharp needle, the doctor’s face, Baek Geonhyuk, the needle again. They moved about dizzily.

“I am inserting the needle now.”

After confirming the needle being newly inserted into the back of his hand, which already had needle marks, Baek Geonhyuk stared blankly at the small face. Because he had been squeezing his eyes shut from the moment the needle approached his hand, his eyelashes and cheeks were trembling minutely.

“You really must not go outside. It is dangerous. If it becomes known that you are alive, Mr. Joo Yeoun, it is the end for all three of us.”

“……”

There was no answer to Lee Hyungyu’s words. Joo Yeoun, with the eyes he had squeezed shut now wide open, was only following the needle as it was pulled out from the back of his hand. Only after Lee Hyungyu’s hand, which had even applied a bandage, moved away, did he let out the breath he had been holding between his tightly shut lips.

Just then, Lee Hyungyu grabbed Joo Yeoun’s arm. Heok. Joo Yeoun gasped and shot his head up.

“You have to trust us.”

“Yes, yes….”

At the strong tone and the direct gaze, Joo Yeoun nodded his head several times. He had a completely terrified expression.

“Hyungyu.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who had been watching the scene, called out to Lee Hyungyu. Lee Hyungyu looked back at him, then let go of Joo Yeoun’s arm in surprise.

“Ah, I am sorry, Mr. Joo Yeoun.”

“Stop shoving that unpleasant sight in his face and come out.”

Following the low voice, Yeoun’s pupils moved slightly. Even from the corner of his eye, the huge man was blocking the doorway.

“This is the first time in my life I have been called ugly.”

“Have you not been born yet?”

Joo Yeoun cringed his body and only rolled his eyes. The doctor’s face, with an expression as if he had chewed on a bug, and the man’s face, with the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

‘I will not hurt you.’

The voice he heard yesterday came to mind. The rough sensation of his hand touching the sole of his foot followed. Yeoun, who was unconsciously pulling his foot toward himself, trembled and lowered his head when his eyes met the man’s.

*

The cast was removed. The arm that had been trapped in plaster had become a little thinner. The feeling of it being much lighter was strange, so Joo Yeoun would often look down at his own arm.

Just because the bone had found its proper place did not mean the treatment was completely over. He was told that he had to receive physical therapy consistently to be fully cured.

“Yes, please take it out.”

Joo Yeoun’s hand was pulled out of the paraffin.

“I will put it back in.”

The hand, coated with a film, slowly went back into the hot paraffin. Baek Geonhyuk stared blankly into the opaque liquid.

“I think it is too hot.”

“It is alrigh… Ouch, hot!”

Lee Hyungyu, who had been speaking softly, suddenly screamed. It was because Baek Geonhyuk had grabbed his wrist and plunged it into the paraffin machine.

“See. It is hot.”

Looking at Lee Hyungyu who was clutching his hand, Baek Geonhyuk said nonchalantly. Lee Hyungyu, overcome with emotion, shouted.

“No, of course it is hot if you suddenly put it in!”

“This guy is a complete quack.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who openly badmouthed the doctor, looked back at Joo Yeoun as if asking if he did not agree.

“Heuk….”

The small face was a mess of tears as he sniffled.

Baek Geonhyuk glanced at the still-slender fingers, even while covered in paraffin. He did not know if it was because of his unstable state, but Joo Yeoun seemed to be sensitive to pain.

To a kid like that. Baek Geonhyuk’s gaze, lost in thought, sank coldly.

“Mr. Joo Yeoun, I will put it in again.”

“……”

The film-coated hand fidgeted in the air. His gaze immediately went to that seemingly hesitant hand.

“Do you want to stop?”

Baek Geonhyuk tilted his head and met Joo Yeoun’s eyes. Joo Yeoun flinched and shrank back, looking at him warily.

Shall we stop? Only after he said it again did he hesitantly nod his head.

The tears that filled his eyes overflowed with even a small nod. Baek Geonhyuk, who had been looking at the teardrop poised at the tip of his chin, soon turned his head to look at Lee Hyungyu.

“Pack it up. Do it tomorrow.”

“Pardon?”

Listening to their conversation, Joo Yeoun thought. So I am getting treatment again tomorrow.

“Huuuh….”

The sorrow that burst out was a small sound, like a breath. But the man immediately turned around and gave his attention to Yeoun.

“Hmm? Not tomorrow either?”

Yeoun blinked his eyes wordlessly. The tears that had welled up flowed down helplessly. Trickle.

Contrary to Baek Geonhyuk’s thoughts, Joo Yeoun was not crying because the treatment was painful. It was hot and scary to have his hand in what felt like candle wax, but he could endure it. Because he had heard of it before and knew it was a form of treatment.

However, he had a premonition that once the physical therapy was also over and he had fully recovered, something truly terrifying would happen.

Even after his escape attempt, they had not gotten angry at him. The man, too, treated him carefully. Their words and actions of not harming him were consistent.

But the problem was, even if his head made that judgment, his body continued to be afraid. He was completely dominated by his emotions rather than reason.

It was scary for his body to heal completely, and he wanted to avoid physical therapy as well. The fear that had risen to its extreme made him dull and powerless.

“Alright. Let us do it the day after tomorrow, then.”

Baek Geonhyuk, who had been watching the face with reddened eyes, said agreeably.

“I am the attending physician, though?”

“And I am the guardian.”

“He will only get better if he consistently receives physical therapy.”

“Is there not anything else besides this? It is too hot.”

“……”

Lee Hyungyu was ultimately left speechless.

What is he trying to do? While he had plunged his own hand into the paraffin so easily. Moreover, had Baek Geonhyuk ever so much as batted an eye when someone groaned in pain? For him to get serious, it had to be something on the level of a gunshot or a stab wound.

Lee Hyungyu also felt for Joo Yeoun, but an attitude like that was not helpful for recovery at all. Lee Hyungyu spoke in a firm voice.

“No treatment is comfortable.”

Baek Geonhyuk frowned and observed Joo Yeoun. However, when the wet pupils rolled toward him, he put on a playful air and mouthed the words, ‘Then should we just not do it?’

“Mr. Joo Yeoun. Then let us continue the treatment the day after tomorrow.”

Joo Yeoun nodded his head. His face, as he glanced at the paraffin, was still terrified. If he had whined that it hurt, Baek Geonhyuk’s attitude would have become firm as well, but because he was just shedding tears without a word, it was difficult.

“We have to finish it all that day. Understood?”

“……”

Before he could even get an answer, a huge wall abruptly blocked his view. Lee Hyungyu had a dumbfounded look, but the person whose eyes he met was nonchalant.

“…I will be going now. Please rest well, Mr. Joo Yeoun.”

Lee Hyungyu moved one step to the side and bowed his head.

Joo Yeoun hesitated and gave a silent nod in return. Because he had rubbed his tears with the back of his hand, both his cheeks were smudged with wetness.

Once Lee Hyungyu left the room, silence fell. It was a familiar occurrence. Joo Yeoun originally did not open his mouth much, and even more so with Baek Geonhyuk.

Baek Geonhyuk, too, could not easily strike up a conversation with Joo Yeoun when they were left alone. Because Joo Yeoun would become much more tense without Lee Hyungyu.

“Then get some rest.”

Baek Geonhyuk quickly turned around and left.

The door slowly closed. Joo Yeoun did not let his guard down until he had completely disappeared.

The man was menacing even with his back turned. His entire body was like that. Darkly tanned skin, brawny arms with bulky muscles, rough hands, a tall stature, a broad back, large feet. There were no weak points in any part of him.

He was an opponent who would completely crush your will if you made him an enemy. That was a big reason why he did not try again after the escape attempt that had ended in failure.

Honestly, it was not the worst situation for an escape either. He was not tied up, and his physical condition had recovered a lot.

But….

Rustle-.

‘…….’