Chapter 23: Miscalculated Poison

She couldn’t properly hear the various questions from the head of the Neuro-center.

“……Even so, the patient’s……”

Seohee only blinked her eyes slowly at the lengthening explanation.

Tap, tap, pitter-patter.

Raindrops struck the window forcefully.

Her gaze was stolen by the pouring rain.

‘I wish it would wash everything away. The inexplicable anxiety, the terror spreading its roots inside me. I wish they would fall away like the falling rain.’

Looking at Seohee, whose eyes were fixed outside the window, the head of the Neuro-center shuddered at the sudden memory of Leehyun’s pitch-black eyes.

The only daughter of J International, the wife of Gayun Electronics’ President Yoon Leehyun, and the daughter-in-law of Gayun Group.

Looking at Seohee, who exuded an unusually ethereal atmosphere today, the head of the Neuro-center briefly shook his head.

What did all those titles matter?

She was simply a patient, after all.

The face of the Neuro-center head, who had previously treated her with strictly professional caution, turned serious.

“Jin Seohee.”

As the Neuro-center head took a step closer, Aram stepped forward protectively.

“In order to find out the exact reason you collapsed, we must proceed with the examinations.”

No matter how skilled a doctor was, they couldn’t make a definitive statement without looking inside her head—whether it was a blood clot issue or a psychological one.

“……Yes.”

It was merely a reflexive answer.

The Neuro-center head cleared his throat and let out a deep breath.

At his questions about whether she had a splitting headache or blurry vision, Seohee shook her head.

The same went for whether she felt nauseous.

“The human brain is a highly delicate area. While it reacts strongly to external physical trauma, it is surprisingly vulnerable to emotions.”

He meant that emotional turmoil could act as a much greater stimulus to the brain.

Her clear brown eyes turned toward the Neuro-center head.

“That is why you must be careful with psychological limits.”

“Psychological…… limits?”

“Yes. When aversion reaches its peak, our brain pushes the threatening situation itself into the subconscious. It’s a type of defense mechanism.”

Subconscious and repression.

Did that mean she had erased her memories because she couldn’t endure the situation?

Her heavy eyelids moved slowly.

“How are you feeling?”

When the Neuro-center head asked seriously, Seohee spoke calmly.

“I’m scared.”

She didn’t know why, nor did she know what was causing it, but her throat went dry and her fingertips tingled.

“I want to be discharged.”

While she pressed her hand to her forehead, shaking her head, Leehyun walked in.

With a rigidly set face.

With hurried steps.

“Seohee.”

Calling her name.

At just that single word, her pounding heart settled.

The fear that had been sweeping over her with dizzying intensity vanished like a clear, sunny sky.

“Leehyun.”

Why did you only come now?

When she bit her lip until all the color drained from it, he gently rubbed over it.

Then, he cupped her cheek with one hand.

This warmth, this familiar peace, was so desperately needed.

The anxiety and dread that had choked her breath cleared away, and tears flooded the space they left behind.

‘I was really scared, Leehyun.’

As she rubbed her face against his palm while desperately swallowing her unspoken words, Leehyun quietly held her.

“I want to be discharged. I don’t want to stay here.”

Pat, pat.

Leehyun stroked Seohee with one hand and let out a sigh.

‘What if she is still unconscious?’

His heart had shrunk to half its size in panic, but he was relieved she had regained consciousness like this.

Even while thinking so, Leehyun couldn’t easily give an answer.

Discharge, discharge.

Veins stood out along his forearm beneath his shirt.

His black eyes turned toward the Neuro-center head.

The Neuro-center head, who had been quietly observing the situation, nodded as if it were for the best.

When Leehyun glared at the Neuro-center head anxiously, the doctor nodded seriously.

He had already been concerned because of the news, so perhaps this was for the best.

Leehyun gestured with his chin toward Seungho.

“Let’s go home, Seohee.”

Sitting in his chair with his legs stretched out over the desk, Dohyung wedged a white stick between his index and middle fingers.

Haa, seriously.

The more he looked at it, the more extraordinary of an item it was.

Dohyung’s eyes sparkled.

“This is top-grade.”

It wasn’t the kind of grade one could obtain just by throwing money around.

At first, there was only a single cigarette.

Thinking someone was playing with him, he crumpled up the paper, only to feel another sheet, as if they had anticipated his reaction.

A paper with a designated time and place.

The paper, which even listed detailed instructions, wanted only one thing from him.

To appear at a set time and place and deliver a black rose to a small child.

“One cigarette per black rose. I give you my word.”

Reading the neat handwriting on the paper, Dohyung let out a laugh, “Haha.”

Staring at the red writing at the very bottom, Dohyung’s eyes gleamed sharply.

[If you do not follow instructions, it won’t end with a suspended sentence this time.]

Damn it.

“Is this a threat, or what?”

“I’m a madman too for actually going along with this.”

At first, he had tried to ignore it.

But the single cigarette—the very first one delivered under the guise of an advance payment—was the problem.

Since it was so hard to get on the market, he had quit for a while.

Looking at it was enough to make his throat tighten.

“To think I’d see this in South Korea.”

The more he looked at it, the more extraordinary it was; Dohyung paced around the room in excitement.

“Whether it’s a black rose or a white rose.”

His murmuring voice was sharp, but soon relaxed into a languid tone.

“They gave me a gift like this just for delivering a measly little thing?”

“I don’t know who this bastard is, but it’s hard for me not to do as I’m told if they’re like this.”

“Haa, shit.”

“What should I do?”

An animal lured by bait had nothing left to lose.

“What’s next?”

“Is there nothing else now?”

As if he would do absolutely anything if he could get just one more cigarette, Dohyung stared at the paper for a long time.

***

The discharge proceeded rapidly.

Supported by Leehyun, Seohee boarded the VIP-only elevator, and Seungho, after instructing Aram on the discharge procedures, boarded the elevator with them.

“Representative, the reporters have all withdrawn.”

Thanks to JBS setting up camp, quite a few other broadcasting stations had gathered as well.

Gayun Group’s public relations team was working on deleting any mention of the words ‘violence’ and ‘assault’ altogether, and the secretaries under Seungho’s command were manipulating JBS and HBN stocks.

“……Leehyun.”

As soon as the elevator doors closed, she felt suffocated.

Following the red lit-up buttons with her eyes, her heart tightened painfully.

Force entered her hand gripping the handrail.

When she grabbed Leehyun’s forearm with her other hand, he slowly turned his head.

Seohee.

“Does anything hurt?”

His touch as he checked her forehead was warm.

There was no fever.

Leehyun turned his body completely.

Even with his black eyes right before her, her focus kept slipping.

“What’s wrong?”

That was the thing.

Why was she acting like this?

Seohee faltered as if taking a step back.

She was anxious, uneasy, and felt as though her body might tilt at any moment.

As she gripped Leehyun’s forearm like a lifeline, he leaned down.

The illuminated buttons were blocked, and in their place, eyes as black as a midnight sea filled her vision.

“Shall I hold you?”

Her rapidly beating heart slowed down, and her forehead, which had been breaking out in cold sweat, cooled.

“I’m…… okay.”

Leaving only those words, she slowly closed her eyes, feeling his hand gently sweeping through her hair.

Seohee wrapped one hand around Leehyun’s waist.

At that, he flinched slightly before pulling his body even closer.

Seohee was half-leaning against Leehyun’s shoulder, remaining completely still until the elevator came to a halt.

***

Standing and looking out the floor-to-ceiling window at the falling rain, Jihoon’s eyes were serene.

The hand holding his whiskey moved slowly.

“Was a single rose not enough?”

“Why is there no contact?”

“Why isn’t there any reaction?”

“It’s… beautiful, Jihoon.”

Her trembling eyelashes, her red lips, and the brown eyes staring back at him.

Jihoon was delighted by everything about her.

“Indeed. It’s truly beautiful.”

You, Jin Seohee.

Unable to believe she was standing before him, he had closed and opened his eyes several times.

He swallowed the urge to grab her trembling shoulders and the desire to bite into her snow-white neck by biting his own lips.

Because she was real, not an illusion.

Because she was a precious treasure upon which he didn’t dare leave even a single scratch.

She had to remain exactly as she was from the beginning.

By his side.

For a long, long time.

“You said it was beautiful.”

“You whispered that by my side, Seohee.”

“I sent something you liked.”

“Since I can’t be with you, I wanted you to look at the flower first. I told you I would join you soon.”

Jihoon swallowed his whiskey, wondering if the message he left hadn’t reached her properly.

“Where did it go wrong?”

“Is the delivery the problem? Or is Yoon Leehyun the problem?”

The clear sound of ice shifting in his whiskey echoed beautifully.

[This is in front of Gayun Hospital. Allegations that President Yoon Leehyun assaulted his wife……]

Even before the reporter could finish his sentence, a loud shatter erupted first.

The glass leaving Jihoon’s hand struck the monitor forcefully before falling.

Watching the whiskey and shards flow down the wall, Jihoon raised his eyebrows in displeasure.

“Assault. Assault, of all things.”

Yoon Leehyun’s side is not safe.

A piercing light flashed in Jihoon’s eyes.

“That is why you should have stayed quietly by my side, Seohee.”

He shouldn’t have let her go back then.

Jihoon bit his lip, swallowing his bitter regret.

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