IKC C11

Chapter 11

“Ah, fuck! Just shut up already!”

I ended up grabbing his mouth shut. This insane bastard—he kept mumbling even through my hand, and then—

“Uwah! Ow, ow!”

Seong Sehan licked my palm. I recoiled in horror, leaping back like I’d been burned.

“You crazy fuck…!”

I had been fighting so hard not to make a scene, yet he forced me into this disgrace anyway.

“I’m checking out of here.”

That one line silenced the entire room as all eyes whipped toward him.

“What?”

“What are you talking about?”

“Hey, Seong Sehan!”

And before anyone could stop him, he yanked out his IV needle. My whole body jolted, a scream tearing out of my throat.

“Sehan! The IV still had a lot left!”

“I’ll be fine.”

Even as Kang Robin tried to stop him, Sehan swung his legs over and climbed out of bed.

“Just rest until tomorrow at least. Why rush?”

Ignoring Wooshin, who tried to support him, he strode towards the wardrobe.

“Why would I need admission for a scratch on my arm? This place is suffocating—I can’t stay.”

“That damn kid…”

I’d hoped even Kang Robin would talk sense into him, but everyone just watched as he stripped off his patient gown.

Then suddenly, he froze.

“Ah… it hurts.”

Wearing nothing but briefs, he turned to look at me. His pale skin emphasized how chalk-white his face appeared.

“I think the anesthesia’s wearing off. Ow…”

He grimaced, rubbing at the bandages on his arm. I sighed before even stepping closer.

If only I had gotten hurt instead of him. At least then I wouldn’t feel so powerless, so furious, so damn helpless.

“Here—let me dress you.”

I snatched the trousers from his hand. Without shame, he simply held out a leg for me. A fleeting thought hit me—why was I, when he wasn’t even injured in the leg, dressing him like this?

Carefully sliding on his pants, zipping him up, buttoning properly, even fastening the belt tight.

And then—my eyes lifted to meet his brown ones. His soft, smiling gaze. The corner of his lips spread wide, smug.

“I like when Lee Taegyeong worries about me.”

“If you know I’m worried, then—”

I wanted to scold him to be cautious, but the words wouldn’t come. This wasn’t his fault.

Opening the wardrobe to grab him a shirt, I froze.

A ripped shirt, smeared with blood. The dizziness nearly knocked me flat. If the accident had been worse on set…

“You can’t wear this.”

“Then lend me yours. You’re wearing a t-shirt under that hoodie, right?”

“Huh—?”

Before I could respond, he tugged off my jacket, then lifted my arms, peeling my hoodie off in one go.

“Hey, that’s going to be tight on you…”

But he ignored me, yanking the hoodie over his head, pulling it down and fitting it just fine. Oversized to begin with, it looked natural.

I turned to leave but froze.

Both Kang Robin and Song Wooshin stared wide-eyed—not at him, but at us.

Caught in the strange atmosphere, I hesitated, and then Sehan slung his arm over my shoulders.

“Let’s go.”

“…Go where?”

Trying to resist, I planted my feet, but he only grinned victoriously.

“For burgers. Real homemade burgers.”

“Burgers…?”

“Yeah. I decided I’d go there with you—the first thing I’d do once we made up.”

My heart flared hot, breath catching. Hamburgers—my favorite food. Did he actually think of me, while looking at that place?

“Let’s go. I’ll take you.”

“I’m coming too.”

Kang Robin stood, striding out. Wooshin followed. Sehan tugged me straight into the elevator.

My mind stayed a storm even as we crossed the hospital lobby. Head lowered, walking blind… until shrieks and shutter clicks made me snap up.

Crowds surged forward, cameras thrust in our faces—before we’d even left the lobby.

Startled, I nearly stumbled, but Sehan’s arm tightened around my shoulder.

Wait—I was supposed to be protecting him. But the swelling crowd pressed in so fast, I barely remembered to breathe.

Two Perfect Puzzle members in public—worse, Seong Sehan himself—it drew fans like moths, even ordinary passers-by flooding forward.

Thankfully, suited security guards blocked off the crowd, escorting us into the parking garage without incident.

Still, too many pictures were taken.

“Sehan, put on the hood.”

His pale face shouldn’t be shown. I pulled the hood over him. He even bent down to help my reach.

From the side, muffled squeals erupted. A quick glance revealed women bouncing in place, hands clamped over their mouths.

…Of course. Fans were lurking even down in the garage.

It wasn’t until seated inside Kang Robin’s sedan that I finally breathed again.

“Well then. Let’s go get those burgers.”

Leaning back against the seat, I exhaled. Robin twisted from the driver’s seat.

“You look rattled, Taegyeong.”

“…Yeah. I didn’t expect this many people at a hospital.”

Answering dazedly, I felt Wooshin lean forward from shotgun.

“It’s something you’ll face yourself once you debut. You’ll get used to it quickly.”

“Haha… yeah.”

Except our group had failed straight at debut. We’d never felt this kind of storm of attention.

Even now—reborn into my second chance—I couldn’t be sure. Would we just become nobodies again, forgotten idols? Or would we finally stand in the spotlight?

And then—beside me, Sehan leaned into my shoulder, resting his head.

“…!”

His cologne was familiar, but my body stiffened. Distance, grown only in our time apart, made things clumsy now.

“Taegyeong.”

“…What.”

His voice low, his eyelids drooping. Sleep tugged at his face.

“I’m gonna tell Global’s CEO to fire our debut team manager.”

“Pfft. Sehan, why do you interfere like that?”

I kept my voice as gentle as I could. He stirred, lifting his eyes to mine.

“You want me to sit still? Watch while he yells at you, throws things? He still throws things, right?”

“…No. Nothing like that. I said it’s fine. Don’t worry about it, okay?”

“Really? Nothing at all?”

His breath, warm against my throat, had my nerves sparking like live wires.

“It’s fine. Really! Didn’t I say? Our album will drop before April. And in May… we’ll enter the idol survival show.”

“…What?”

His head snapped up, shoulder bumping me hard.

“You’re gonna enter the survival?”

Our eyes tangled, close, his brown irises glinting sharp in the dim interior light.

“Wooshin-hyung!”

Sehan leaned forward toward the front seat.

“Didn’t we already refuse that show?”

“Oh, right. We did.”

Sehan grinned, toothy and wild. My heart plummeted down my gut.

No way—No. Why would Perfect Puzzle ever need such a thing?

“Forget that. Focus on preparing our album,” Wooshin chided firmly, turning back.

I bit my lip—and blurted out something unnecessary.

“Sehan… I’m also looking forward to Perfect Puzzle’s next album.”

He sprawled back against the seat, eyes fixed on me. His brown gaze glittered—like he wanted nothing more than to swallow me whole.

“Taegyeong, this is going to be fun. Don’t you think?”

“…W-what will be fun…?”

A chill rose. But he only folded his arms, lips curled leisurely.

God. A bad feeling never lied. What was I supposed to do with this lunatic?

Closing my eyes, I turned to Robin. He was my only hope. Surely he wouldn’t risk Perfect Puzzle’s future by tossing them into some pointless survival show.

But then Sehan’s broad grin loomed beside me. My temples throbbed as I pressed my fingers into my brow.