Heavy Rain Chapter 73

“The reason I suggested we talk is because focusing on things you feel comfortable with makes it easier to regulate. Naturally, the pheromones you release subconsciously are more natural.”

“Ah.”

Haejin, too, had often experienced his subconscious emotions erupting outwardly. At such times, the pheromones contained much more natural and clear emotions than the clumsy ones he was currently putting out.

Watching Haejin as he fell deep into thought, Lyle lowered his gaze once more. He was an Alpha who had almost never bowed his head in his entire life. Yet, in front of this boy, he naturally found himself looking at the floor—at the floor where the boy’s faint pheromones lay limply.

He couldn’t bring himself to say that he needed positive pheromones in this situation. Wasn’t it a situation where he should be grateful for even clumsy pheromones filled with rejection?

Furthermore, there was no suitable conversation topic to request of Haejin. Family was the first thing that came to mind as a topic he might like most. And that was a story Lyle did not dare to bring up first.

“So just say anything, whatever you want to talk about. I will listen closely.”

“Even if you say that so suddenly…”

“If it’s difficult, small things like your favorite food or a book you read are fine. The important thing is to recall subconscious emotions.”

At his long explanation, Haejin let out a faint sigh. The sound of the sigh was certainly so faint it was barely audible. However, every time that sweet breath leaked out bit by bit, Lyle had to suffer through the impulse to strangle himself.

It was just as he was about to give up, thinking this was enough for now.

“…When I went to the study the other day, I read a fairy tale book for the first time in a long while.”

“…”

The tone of Haejin’s voice as it flowed out calmly was quite dry.

“It was a book with many animals in it.”

Lyle’s attention was snatched away, as if bewitched, by that face frowning slightly while recalling the contents of the book.

Haejin continued to ramble on about truly trivial and useless things. It was as if he were unfolding a story reluctantly. Even so, at those pheromones that had become a bit more natural than before, Lyle felt a sensation in his gut as if something were surging up.

“I clearly remember reading it all day long when I was a child, but I felt strange because the contents were shorter than I thought.”

Listening to that voice flowing out softly, Lyle fell into silence without realizing it.

As if this dreamlike situation might flee at any moment if he were to open his mouth.

𓂃ﾟ ⋆ ﾟ ☂︎ 🍂༄˖°

Haejin’s day to go back to the hospital returned.

Lyle had instructed the hospital to prepare even more thoroughly than before, keeping the boy’s movements in mind. Thanks to that, the hospital was in the middle of busy preparations for the first time in a while.

His heart yearned to carry him to the car like last time, but he couldn’t lay a hand on him recklessly. Lyle was watching for a gap to intervene if the boy showed any signs of struggle. It would have been good if he would at least ride a wheelchair, but he reportedly expressed his refusal to Mark, saying it seemed excessive.

However, when Haejin walked out of his room, something strange caught his eye. The clothes Haejin had chosen as his outing attire today were familiar.

It was the same outfit the boy had worn on the day Lyle visited him to ask a favor. Comfortable clothes with wide legs for both the top and bottom.

Perhaps it was a mistake. However, once he became conscious of it, he couldn’t help but be bothered by it.

“…Is everything ready?”

“Yes.”

Haejin could not understand why Lyle had come to pick him up again when he was just going to the hospital. Not that it was a situation worth arguing about. After all, no matter what car he rode in, it would be Lyle’s property.

Moreover, Haejin just tried to scatter his doubts. Occasionally, when he thought of the question why, a small box hidden in his heart would swell as if it were about to burst. Since he didn’t have the energy to gather up the emotions that might burst out, it was better to pretend not to know.

“Let’s go.”

Haejin said he didn’t want to eat breakfast, perhaps because he had no appetite at the thought of the hospital. Thanks to that, Lyle’s nerves were extremely sharp. He was making a vow that he must check the amount the boy ate after they returned safely from the hospital.

Maybe that was why the clothes he wore were even more bothersome.

“…”

“…”

While walking to the car, an awkward air lingered between the two. Because the air touching his skin felt as though it had turned completely cold now, Lyle sent his gaze back toward Haejin’s clothes.

Come to think of it, why was he dressed so thinly?

“Do you have something to say?”

Perhaps his gaze was too persistent, as Haejin turned his head and asked. Lyle, who had reflexively turned his gaze away as if burned, had to choose his words with great care for a brief moment.

He had to be careful because if he showed too much excessive interest, it would clearly be obvious that something was strange.

“…No.”

“…”

Despite his clumsy excuse, Haejin turned his head forward again with indifference. In the silence that dominated them once more, Lyle silently swallowed his dry saliva.

For several days, they had to spend such very awkward times. One hour every evening—it was the time barely permitted to Lyle. Though if he were lucky, they could eat breakfast together.

During that time, Haejin was busy choosing useless conversation topics in his own way, and Lyle put effort into preparing things he could give to Haejin, even if only a little.

However, the things he occasionally brought up were all things Haejin did not need. It was even more difficult because he had never seen a person who didn’t need buildings or cash until now. Since Haejin said no, he couldn’t force it further, which was only frustrating.

So this time as well, he eventually had to leave Haejin at the hospital quietly.

𓂃ﾟ ⋆ ﾟ ☂︎ 🍂༄˖°

While signing documents, he suddenly thought of Haejin again. Specifically, the clothes the boy was wearing.

It definitely seemed to be that outfit he had seen not long ago. In fact, under normal circumstances, it wasn’t that strange to wear the same clothes twice. Unless it was a special order Lyle had placed.

When he realized that Haejin hadn’t even received proper clothing until then, Lyle had ordered that clothes be provided more than generously. So that he would never have to wear the same outfit twice again.

He had also told Mark to have the clothes Haejin wore once laundered but moved elsewhere. So that the boy could find and wear new clothes to his heart’s content.

But why was he wearing the same clothes?

From the moment he recalled it again, he could no longer postpone this question. Had something gone wrong again with the items being provided to Haejin? Or were the clothes being provided not to his liking at all?

Unlike him, Haejin must have lived a life where wearing the same clothes twice was nothing. So it could be a trivial matter.

However, he felt a bizarre sensation to the point where he couldn’t concentrate, so he couldn’t stand it.

“Prepare to go to the mansion.”

He immediately pressed the intercom to call his secretary. At his abrupt command, the secretary soon ran into the office. It seemed he guessed that something big had happened.

“The mansion, you say?”

“When does Jin’s treatment end?”

“There was a message that it would take about two more hours.”

“I must go to the mansion in the meantime.”

Despite his bewildered face, the secretary calmly readied the car. Because Lyle didn’t say he was leaving for good but that he was going and coming back, he knew there was no need to clear today’s entire schedule.

As they returned to the mansion as quickly as his urgent heart, the surprised servants ran out. Mark was currently accompanying Haejin to the hospital.

“Call the servant who manages Jin’s dressing room.”

“Yes, Master.”

Even with puzzled faces, the servants moved busily. Not wanting to give them a moment’s gap, Lyle headed straight for Haejin’s room. Just as he arrived at the drawing room of the boy’s room, a servant was hurrying toward him.

Lyle, passing him without hesitation, flung open Haejin’s dressing room.

“What is the matter, Master?”

“…”

Lyle barely managed to hold back a sigh of relief that was about to come out. It felt as if his vision, which had been stained red, was only now returning to normal. Contrary to his fears, Haejin’s dressing room was in a normal state. When he entered unexpectedly, the servants were also in the middle of diligently cleaning Haejin’s drawing room.