Chapter 65: After Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall (4)

    TL: looloo

    Schedule: 4/Week Mon-Thu (switching schedules from Wed-Sat)

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    In the hospital room, the loud voice had startled a nurse who came in, but I sent her back outside.

    Still sobbing in my arms, I comforted Heena. Heeseong hyung briefly entered the room but then left, saying he would come back later, sensing the situation.

    After a while, as Heena calmed down a bit, she slowly lifted her face from my chest. Her hair was disheveled from the moment she arrived, her face streaked with tears, and her eyes were red.

    But still.

    She was the most beautiful, my girlfriend.

    "Feeling a bit better?"

    "Hic... yes..."

    "Good. The bathroom is right next to the door, want to go for a moment?"

    "Yeah... I''ll be back soon."

    After crying, her emotions seemed to have settled, and perhaps she was feeling a bit embarrassed. She covered her face with her hands, avoiding showing it to me, and entered the attached bathroom.

    A little later, she came out having tidied up her face and hair, and then we could talk calmly. Still, she seemed a bit anxious, sitting close to me.

    "Did this happen while you were helping the grandmother?"

    "Yeah. My mind was debating, but my body had already moved."

    "......"

    She bit her lip slightly at my response and held my hand tightly, as if asking me not to go anywhere.

    After a moment of silence, she spoke with a trembling voice.

    "It''s because... I told you to take the subway..."

    "Lee Heena."

    I interrupted her. It was okay to worry, to feel anxious, or to be angry with me, but she shouldn''t say such things, especially blaming herself like this.

    For the first time today, Heena showed me an angry face, and I, feeling a bit stern, spoke to her.

    "Don''t say that. It''s not your fault, and it''s not that it was the grandmother''s fault either. It just so happened that I was there, and I could help. That''s a good thing, right?"

    "...Right. I''m sorry."

    "Sorry? You''re just worried about me."

    No one was at fault; it was just a chance for me to save someone. Thinking like this was better for everyone, especially for my mental health.

    "Did you do well in the exam?"

    "Yes..."

    "That''s great. You worked hard. I''m proud of you."

    Even though she had composed herself in the bathroom, Heena''s eyes were still red, and she looked extremely downcast. Her hand kept holding on to my clothes.

    I stroked her hair and kept talking, trying to lift her spirits through conversation.

    "Anyway, getting into the same college this year would have been tough, so I''ll study more and try to apply to the same place as you."

    "Don''t push yourself too hard. There''s no need for that."

    Her response was weak, making me realize that cheering her up wouldn''t be easy.

    "But I still want to try. I''ve got plenty of time now. Oh, and since it''s just my arm that''s hurt, I can move around fine. How about a date this week?"

    Heena''s drooping head shot up as my words ended, and her voice rose.

    "No! Don''t even think about going anywhere until you''re fully healed!"

    "Come on, it''s okay."

    "Do you want me to get angry? Absolutely not!"

    I thought I had found the perfect way to cheer up Heena, but she flatly rejected it. It wasn''t just a simple refusal; her demeanor suggested she wouldn''t let me leave the hospital for a single step.

    After glaring at me with narrowed eyes for a moment, she clenched her fist as if she had made up her mind.

    "You''re staying here for a few days, right?"

    "Yes, ma''am. You can count on me."

    "No! Mom! Don''t go!!"

    Ignoring my protest, mom handed over the clothes and the pass, then left the room. She really left?

    Even though she trusts Heena, isn''t this a bit too much? I''m hospitalized here! Just a few hours ago, there was a touching hospital scene happening here!

    I looked at the door with resentful eyes, but no amount of staring would bring my mom back. I had no choice but to face Heena alone again.

    She looked at me with a resolve in her eyes that seemed unyielding. Was it necessary to be so determined over something so trivial?

    Sighing, I asked.

    "Let''s start with the basics. How exactly do you plan to help?"

    "Well, of course... I''ll, I''ll help you take off your pants..."

    Her face turned red as she stuttered in response to my question. Despite her bold declaration to help, her reaction was unexpectedly adorable.

    "Heena, I can take off my pants with one hand."

    Especially since hospital gowns are easier to remove.

    "But, but to stand and go?"

    "I can do that with one hand too..."

    I could sit if needed. Why was I having such an embarrassing conversation with my girlfriend?

    Only after hearing all this did Heena finally seem to give up, turning her gaze away.

    "Tch..."

    Why did she click her tongue as if disappointed? Should I have pretended to be helpless and let her do everything?

    No matter how I thought about it, that just seemed inappropriate. We hadn''t even had our first big moment together, and it wasn''t right to start like that.

    Discussing these matters with Heena in this cramped hospital room was already tiring me out.

    I had to take drastic action.

    "Heena, let''s set some rules."

    "Rules?"

    "I appreciate the help, but it feels a bit excessive. I can do most things on my own."

    "No. What if your injury gets worse? No, I refuse."

    She turned her head away, leaving no room for negotiation. I had expected this reaction. Although my injury wasnt severe, I was hospitalized due to an accident, and she had cried and worried a lot because of it.

    I needed something strong to persuade Heena.

    "Listen to me."

    Attention, please.

    "Think of it as practice."

    "Practice for what?"

    She tilted her head at my abrupt statement. Honestly, bringing this up right now might agitate Heena more, but it was necessary.

    Otherwise, she might soon follow me into the bathroom, whether I liked it or not.

    "For the future."

    "Huh?"

    "When we live together... we''ll need rules, right? Like dividing household chores, for example."

    "Uh...?"

    I trailed off and glanced at her cautiously. I thought the idea of living together would excite Heena.

    "......"

    Her reaction was nothing like what I had expected.

    Instead of being joyfully noisy, Heena nodded seriously, making me wonder if I had made a mistake.

    "You''re right. This room does have a studio apartment vibe. Shall we think about it together?"

    "...Yeah."

    Did I really mess up?