NLFSD Chapter 22

Chapter 22

 

Lee Jiwoon, who had still been stiffly frozen, was startled by the invitation to come home.

Am I not going to get beaten up? Isn’t a secretary with a cold expression going to drag my belongings out and kick me out the door? Isn’t anything like that going to happen? What’s going on here?

“Dinner…?”

“That’s right. I’d like to hear everything in detail over a meal.”

“Ah… alright.”

The chairman was like the sky to him—a towering adult figure making a suggestion. There was no way he could refuse. When Jiwoon awkwardly bowed his head, Seo Taecheon drove the nail in.

“We’ll visit you together in Pyeongchang-dong tomorrow.”

“Alright then. I’ll be off now. I have another appointment.”

Chairman Seo stood up. Jiwoon bowed deeply and sent him off. Only after a few minutes did he come to his senses and realize the gravity of the situation.

Wait, I’m heading toward divorce and now I’ve met the mother and the father…? Is this really okay?

“Um… I didn’t just stir up unnecessary trouble, did I?”

Jiwoon cautiously asked, gauging Seo Taecheon’s reaction. Taecheon shook his head.

“No. When we ran into him earlier, it would’ve been difficult to lie about our relationship. Even if we had lied, something similar would’ve happened again before long. It was better to just tell the truth.”

“Well, that’s true, but still…”

Jiwoon couldn’t stop thinking about the way Taecheon had said, “He’s my omega,” instead of saying, “He’s just my temporary spouse,” or “a fake partner who showed up out of nowhere.”

Honestly, it was a heart-thudding, romantic phrase. He wondered if his life expectancy had just dropped a little.

My omega. My omega… My omega…

As Jiwoon was going over the earlier moment again in his head, the meal tray arrived.

“Mr. Seo Taecheon. It’s mealtime.”

It seemed it was already time for the hospital meal. Jiwoon took the meal tray meant for Taecheon and placed it on the table.

“Director, please eat.”

But Seo Taecheon’s hand movements as he picked up the spoon were awkward. He barely managed to scoop some soup with his right hand, but couldn’t manage the chopsticks for the side dishes.

“Huh…? Come to think of it…”

This guy’s left-handed. But he injured his left wrist, so it must be hard for him.

“You can’t really eat with your right hand, can you?”

When Jiwoon asked, Taecheon nodded.

“Yes. My right hand… isn’t very good.”

Then he tried to pick up a quail egg with his chopsticks, but with his clumsy movements, the egg kept slipping away. It was a pitiful sight.

“Um… would it be okay if I fed you?”

“You, Assistant Lee?”

“Yes. I… I would.”

Jiwoon swallowed hard and answered carefully. It was simply because he thought he should help an injured person. That’s what he wanted to believe.

“If you don’t mind, I’d appreciate it.”

Taecheon awkwardly accepted Jiwoon’s offer.

“Then, um… I’ll feed you one bite at a time. Just get ready to eat.”

“I will.”

Jiwoon scooped an appropriate amount of rice with a spoon and leaned toward Taecheon. As Taecheon opened his mouth to take the bite, the distance between them suddenly shrank.

His deep-set features and handsome facial lines filled Jiwoon’s view, and his heart started pounding.

Why is he this good-looking while eating? This face is seriously overwhelming.

“Here… have some braised quail eggs too.”

“Yes.”

Jiwoon carefully scooped up the dish and brought it to Taecheon’s lips. Like a baby bird, Taecheon gulped down the quail egg.

Whoa… this is surprisingly rewarding.

Having no younger siblings or little cousins, this was Jiwoon’s first time feeding someone, and as he did it, he found it kind of fun. Is this why people enjoy parenting?

Wait, hold on. The person I’m feeding isn’t a cute baby or small animal. He’s a full-grown adult alpha with a big build.

“Want some anchovies?”

Nod.

“You should eat some greens too.”

Nod.

“One spoon of soup.”

Wow… feeding a handsome guy while staring at him up close like this—it’s kind of nerve-wracking but fun.

Without realizing it, Jiwoon was smiling brightly as he focused on feeding. And he didn’t notice that Seo Taecheon’s eyes were completely captivated by that very smile.

As night deepened, a calm settled over the hospital room. After Seo Taecheon clumsily washed with one hand, Jiwoon dried his hair with a towel and applied lotion to his face.

His fingertips trembled slightly as he touched Taecheon’s face. Running his fingers along those handsome features wasn’t exactly good for Jiwoon’s heart. So, with an exaggerated clap and a loud voice, he tried to snap himself out of it.

“Hahaha. All done!”

He had done his duty as a spouse, so now it was time to sleep. A lot had happened that day, and he was feeling pretty exhausted.

Jiwoon pulled out the guardian’s extra bed and got ready to lie down. It wasn’t the most comfortable option, but there weren’t many choices, so he naturally prepared to sleep. Then, Seo Taecheon turned on the nightlight and spoke.

“Don’t sleep over there. Come up here.”

“Sorry?”

“Let’s sleep together up here.”

“But that bed… it’s kind of small for both of us.”

At home, their bed was so huge they could roll around in it, but the hospital bed was much smaller in comparison.

“Still, it’ll be better than sleeping on that cot. Come on up.”

“If it’s really okay… then alright.”

By now, lying with Seo Taecheon had become a habit. Plus, he knew his back would ache if he slept on the cot, so Jiwoon sat up.

“Here we go.”

But once he actually climbed into the bed, the space felt extremely tight.

“Uh… I don’t think we can lie straight.”

“Then let’s lie on our sides.”

“Okay.”

So both of them turned onto their sides at the same time—but instead of facing outward, they ended up facing each other. Their faces suddenly came into full view.

“Oh.”

Their faces were way too close. Close enough to feel each other’s breath.

Unconsciously, Jiwoon swallowed dryly. Tension filled the air and his fingertips grew cold. He didn’t have the courage to meet Taecheon’s eyes, so he lowered his gaze. His brown lashes trembled slightly.

“……”

“……”

Silence fell. Lee Jiwoon felt like his face kept heating up, and though he wanted to cool it down, he worried that it would show how nervous he was.

“…Aren’t you going to sleep?”

“I will. Just wanted to make sure you were asleep first, Assistant Lee.”

Seo Taecheon murmured lowly. His voice was overly deep and mellow. Lee Jiwoon gripped the thin blanket tightly.

Ugh. I’m going crazy. He says he’ll sleep once I do.

“Then… I’ll go to sleep first. Sweet dreams.”

Left with no other option, Lee Jiwoon squeezed his eyes shut and pretended to be asleep. After keeping his eyes closed for a while, his body, worn out from the intense stress, gradually began to relax.

Mmm… I’m seriously sleepy now. Oh… so tired.

Lee Jiwoon was sucked straight into sleep.

He thought he might have heard a faint chuckle from somewhere, but he was too sleepy to confirm.

The next day at noon. Seo Taecheon received a final diagnosis of “no issues” from the test results. Since Lee Jiwoon had already called his team leader to say he’d be taking a day off, he was able to accompany Seo Taecheon on his discharge.

Their car had been towed due to the collision, so the two of them took a taxi home. And the moment they opened the front door, Lee Jiwoon made a declaration—something he’d been thinking about the entire ride from the hospital.

“Don’t do anything!”

“…What do you mean?”

“You’re a patient right now, Director. Absolutely no housework, no physical effort, no work—just lie still and rest.”

“Huh?”

“Here, come with me.”

Lee Jiwoon dragged Seo Taecheon to the master bedroom and made him lie down on the bed. Then he sternly warned him not to even think about getting up.

“Today’s meals, laundry, dishes, all the house chores—I’ll do everything.”

“You don’t have to go that far…”

“Shh! Just lie down and get some rest. I’ll take care of everything like I’m invincible.”

With a grand gesture, Lee Jiwoon exited the master bedroom. Exactly five minutes later, the sound of a plate shattering echoed through the house.

Moments after that, the microwave beeped repeatedly, and an alarm rang from the washing machine, indicating an error.

…What is he doing?

Seo Taecheon tried to peek outside, but Lee Jiwoon rushed over and blocked the door.

“Director! I told you to stay in bed!”

“…It looks like there’s smoke coming from behind you, Assistant Lee…”

“Ah! Right! The porridge!!!”

Lee Jiwoon dashed to the oven microwave. In the induction zone, an unidentified gray liquid was boiling and emitting soot, while from the oven below, thick black smoke rose like a demonic burp.

“…Is everything really okay?”

“Yes! Just go back inside!”

After destroying the kitchen under the guise of cooking and breaking dishes while pretending to do the washing, Lee Jiwoon moved on to organizing clothes. Entering the dressing room, he flung open the wardrobe.

“What is this.”

In one corner of the wardrobe, a row of black gowns was hanging. Dozens of them.