Heavy Rain Chapter 55

Fortunately, Haejin simply gave a nonchalant nod as usual. Lately, it had become increasingly difficult to tell what he was thinking. For now, the mere fact that a refusal did not come from those lips allowed Lyle to breathe a heavy sigh of relief.

The weather turned to continuous rain once again. Because of this, the short changes of pace in the inner court became difficult. Instead, Lyle invited Haejin to a dining room within the mansion. Out of the many dining rooms, this one was small in scale but decorated to give off a warm feeling.

“….”

“Do you have something to say?”

Today of all days, as soon as Haejin sat down, he stared intently not at his own bowl but at the one placed in front of Lyle. Having habitually tensed his spine, Lyle asked while trying his best to hide his agitation.

He wondered if the boy was perhaps offended by him pointedly eating the stelline soup.

“You seem to like stelline soup.”

With a face that was still indifferent, Haejin asked him a question as if puzzled for the first time. Looking down at the soup in front of him in turn, Lyle barely managed to answer.

“…I suppose so.”

In truth, Lyle did not particularly like this food. It was simply a unique dish his mother liked, nothing more and nothing less.

Even Haejin, who gazed at this food with affection, had sought a different soup today, yet Lyle stubbornly kept the stelline in front of himself. At any rate, there was a sense of worth in having insisted on a soup he didn’t even like for over a week. It was because Haejin had asked something first, even without him initiating the conversation. Of course, the person who asked seemed as though he wasn’t even waiting for an answer.

When they ate, the servants who would usually wait on them did not move about the table either. This was because Lyle, clearly remembering what Haejin disliked, gave instructions every time.

For a long while, only the sound of cutlery clinking quietly echoed, and then Lyle noticed that Haejin was absentmindedly rubbing his left knee.

“….”

For now, he quietly continued his meal while glancing sideways at the boy’s left leg. The place where Haejin was hurt was specifically near the ankle. However, Haejin had been required to come outside for recent meals. He wondered if perhaps there was too much strain on the leg.

Lyle, who had been secretly clenching and unclenching his fists under the table in anxiety, waited for the right moment. Just then, the boy quietly set down his spoon as if he had finished his meal. Swallowing hard, Lyle cautiously opened his mouth.

“By any chance.”

“Yes.”

“…Do you have any thoughts of going to a hospital?”

“….”

As if wanting to gauge his intentions, Haejin merely stared blankly at Lyle. For a start, the fact that he didn’t run away immediately at the mention of a hospital was positive. However, not knowing what kind of storm might be beneath that expressionless face, he added hurriedly.

“Because it seems like your leg is hurting.”

“Ah.”

Only then did Haejin realize that he had been absentmindedly stroking the area near his knee.

Come to think of it, he did feel like the pain that used to be only in his ankle had moved up to his knee lately. It seemed it was also because his posture had become twisted while trying not to put weight on the ankle.

Suddenly, the warning the doctor had cautiously given the last time he went to the hospital came to mind. Along with the habitual anxiety that followed the thought of a hospital.

Perhaps Lyle might want to demand a different kind of examination from Haejin. Since they had only done a simple kit test last time, did the risk of pregnancy not still remain?

If Haejin said he wouldn’t go this time either, how exactly would Lyle act? Would he drag him to the hospital by force?

“I will give it some thought.”

“…Alright.”

Haejin spoke while staring directly at him, but Lyle merely nodded. A subtle sensation washed over Haejin again, but he soon calmly brushed it away.

“….”

The weather grew increasingly chilly. As he sat huddled on the sofa placed close to the window, the temperature could be felt distinctly. Looking out at the dark exterior, Haejin counted the dates. In about a month and a half, he might be able to leave this mansion.

The inner court where he had eaten with Lyle was visible in his sight. It was dark and hard to see, so he wanted to open the window, but the window remained fixed and would not open. It seemed it was ventilated sometimes when he was away, but it was a strange thing.

He was deeply pondering the proposal Lyle had made this morning. As his leg throbbed again, he quietly massaged his ankle with his hand.

He didn’t want to become completely unable to walk. Because after leaving this mansion, there was a place he had to visit by walking alone. Therefore, it would be good to visit a hospital once before it was too late.

Furthermore, although he had acted as if testing Lyle, Haejin was also worried about pregnancy. It would be a good idea to confirm for certain that there was no life for which he had to take responsibility.

However, thinking of the hospital made his heart vibrate violently. He kept remembering the day he went to confirm his parents, who had already grown cold.

Around the time when his accumulated breaths became unbearable, Haejin barely managed to recall his mother’s star soup.

A special soup eaten on a special day. Yet, a mother who never refused if he said he wanted to eat it even on a non-special day. Above all, the warm food she made for him for the very first time on the day she brought Haejin home.

Recalling the clusters of small stars, Haejin closed his eyes desperately. He listened to the sound of the bleak night wind tapping on the window. The breaths that had piled up as if to burst his lungs slowly found their place. Having calmed his mind quietly like that for a long time, Haejin finally made a difficult decision.

Shall I… try going to the hospital?

The next morning, to the Lyle who had arrived without fail, Haejin said quietly that he wanted to go to the hospital. After a brief silence, Lyle said he would make arrangements so they could go immediately during the day.

Realizing he was going outside after a long time, Haejin moved busily as soon as he finished his meal. He decided on the clothes to wear and washed his body with care. Because he was also afraid of the coming situation, he tried moving his body as if he were intentionally busier.

Having finished his shower and even gotten dressed, Haejin returned to the bedroom. As he opened the door and stepped in, a plush rug softly wrapped around his bare feet. This rug, which had clearly been only around the bed, had increased in range day by day, and finally, the entire room had become such a rug paradise.

Did people usually fill the floor with rugs like this when winter came? Until then, it had been difficult to even get a proper towel, let alone a rug, so Haejin just assumed this was the usual system and moved on without much thought.

He had just entered the bedroom when a bell rang from outside the drawing room. Thinking it might be Mark, Haejin turned his body quickly and answered.

“Yes.”

However, while his left foot was moving, it happened to get caught on the thick rug. It was a natural consequence that his knee gave way and buckled.

“….”

Fortunately, it didn’t hurt. He had tumbled because of the overly plush rug, but thanks to that rug, he wasn’t injured. Because of the peculiar situation, Haejin tried to get up with a slightly frowning face.

“Jin!”

Just then, Lyle’s startled voice hurriedly approached from behind.

“Uh….”

“What’s wrong? Is your leg hurting?”

Why was Lyle in the mansion at this hour? He was under the impression that the man had gone to work after eating an awkward breakfast with him.

Because the situation was puzzling, he was just staring blankly when Lyle’s face instantly hardened. Only then did Haejin, realizing he was in a state of having fallen on the floor, try to get up calmly. However, the sudden floating of his body was faster.

“Ugh…!”

“Don’t worry. I told you I wouldn’t do anything.”

As he flailed reflexively, Lyle spat out the words as if biting them back. Then, with a very urgent stride, he moved quickly outside. Haejin had no choice but to hurriedly grab his shoulders and try to dissuade him.

“Excuse me.”

“Is it very painful?”

“…I can walk.”

“….”

Only then did Lyle, realizing the boy was not in a situation as urgent as he thought, cautiously stopped his steps.

Haejin watched for a moment as those blue eyes turned toward him, filled with an unknown emotion. Once again, Lyle’s pheromones brushed past the tip of his nose. As if he were so agitated that his control over his emotions was not working well.

It was an undeniably awkward situation. As if letting out a sigh, Haejin explained the situation calmly.

“I just fell for a moment. I lost my footing because the floor was too soft.”

“….”