Chapter 7: A Late-Night Confession

“Why are you meeting me at this hour?”

• Just once, please….

“…….”

I wanted to ignore him, but Seunghyuk’s voice sounded unusually serious.

Moreover, his breathing was rough.

Hyunwoo began to worry more and more about Seunghyuk’s condition.

Was he always this close to dying from assignment stress around this time?

Hyunwoo briefly recalled Seunghyuk during his college years, before they were married.

Seunghyuk had always been responsible by nature.

He was ruthless to people he considered enemies, but endlessly kind and warm to those he accepted, which made many people follow him.

Though Hyunwoo had never been one of them and had only observed from the side.

Anyway, he knew that Seunghyuk took on a lot of work in team assignments or practice during college, but he never imagined it could wear him down this much.

Before marriage, he had followed Seunghyuk around relentlessly, but they weren’t close enough for Seunghyuk to act spoiled toward him, so naturally, he wouldn’t have known.

But why did he come to see him now?

If it were Hyunjin, it would make sense.

In moments like this, the one to offer comfort should be Hyunjin, not him.

Or maybe he was shocked because the person he had clung to suddenly became cold and wanted to confront him.

Hyunwoo could only think of Seunghyuk’s strange behavior that way.

“Ha, seriously….”

After all, since he had sown the seeds, he must reap what he had sown.

Hyunwoo clicked his tongue and asked,

“Where are you now?”

• In front of your house.

“…….”

This bastard seems to have come on purpose.

Hyunwoo frowned and got up from the soft bed.

“Okay… wait, I’ll come out now.”

Still dazed, Hyunwoo hung up without waiting for Seunghyuk’s reply.

Then he headed for the dressing room.

He had just washed up but was in pajamas because he was about to sleep.

Hyunwoo unconsciously glanced at where his favorite clothes usually hung.

Then, letting out a small groan, he froze in place.

If it were his past self, he would have been excited that Seunghyuk had come first and tried to look nice despite the late hour, dressing up extravagantly.

Feeling pathetic for almost making the same foolish mistakes, unaware of shame.

“Ha… let’s just throw something on and go.”

Hyunwoo reached out and grabbed whatever outerwear he could find.

It turned out to be a dull-colored windbreaker he often wore for exercise.

But even such a plain-looking outfit was a brand item, probably expensive.

Satisfied with his unadorned self, Hyunwoo left the dressing room.

Outside, the night air was quite chilly.

Choosing the windbreaker turned out to be a good decision.

Hyunwoo tightened his collar and looked around.

He said he was in front of the house, but where was he?

The building was well-secured, so he couldn’t be inside—he should be nearby.

Hyunwoo searched for Seunghyuk, puzzled.

“Oh, Seung….”

“Ha, ha….”

“Hey, are you okay?”

Finding Seunghyuk, Hyunwoo rushed over.

Seunghyuk staggered under the streetlight.

“Hyung, Hyunwoo hyung….”

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Holding Seunghyuk, who seemed about to collapse, Hyunwoo frowned.

There was no smell of alcohol, so he probably wasn’t drunk.

After a moment’s hesitation, he asked,

“Do you want to go to the hospital? My car’s just a little way away.”

“…No. If I just stay like this for a moment….”

“…….”

Seunghyuk clutched Hyunwoo’s shoulder, breathing heavily.

A warm breeze brushed against his ear.

Thinking it was from Seunghyuk made the hairs on his body stand on end.

He bit his lips to restrain the strange feeling building up.

Before his regression, he had never been this close to Seunghyuk.

Seunghyuk had even hated holding hands with him.

So Seunghyuk’s current state was really bad—he had to lean on someone he disliked.

“I think the hospital would be better….”

“I’m fine… really.”

Seunghyuk stubbornly insisted, panting.

He always hated hospitals, going to school and work even with a high fever.

Hyunwoo recalled Seunghyuk before the regression and shook his head.

“Then rest a little at my house first.”

“…At your house?”

“Yeah.”

“…….”

Ah, that might be worse than the hospital.

Hyunwoo scratched his head.

“If you don’t want to… say so.”

“I’ll go.”

“Okay….”

Thus, Hyunwoo ended up letting Seunghyuk in.

It didn’t feel real, so he closed his eyes briefly and opened them slowly.

Of course, Seunghyuk had never been here.

They hadn’t experienced sweet dating before marriage, so there was no way he’d been to each other’s houses.

Hyunwoo began to worry about Seunghyuk’s taste mismatching entirely with his house’s decor.

No, why bother? He didn’t even want things to go well with Seunghyuk anymore.

Hyunwoo clicked his tongue and turned around.

“Sit here. I’ll get you something to drink.”

“Yes.”

After confirming Seunghyuk sat obediently on the sofa, Hyunwoo walked to the dining room.

Although it would normally be a place for proper meals, this one had been neglected for a long time.

He opened the fridge, hoping to find something, but there was nothing suitable to drink.

He didn’t live in a lifestyle-accurate “Gwanggong” way—he just rarely drank anything but water or beer at home.

But he couldn’t give alcohol to someone unwell, and plain water felt too plain.

Hmm, Hyunwoo turned his head, thinking.

Ah, he had stacked gifts from the company in the cupboard.

Maybe there’s something suitable.

He opened the cupboard.

“Oh.”

After rummaging through several gift boxes, he found some high-quality tea bags.

Since Seunghyuk looked pretty bad, a warm tea might help.

He brewed the tea in a mug and returned to the living room.

“Here, drink this.”

“…Thank you.”

Seunghyuk, who had been looking around, took the mug Hyunwoo handed him.

His gaze lingered on the tea.

“Black tea.”

“It’s hot, so be careful.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Hyunwoo carefully sat beside him, keeping some distance.

Fortunately, the sofa was long.

“This… is the black tea I like.”

“Oh, really?”

Hyunwoo pretended not to know.

Of course, he knew Seunghyuk liked black tea, even his favorite scent and brand.

Even without interacting much, living together for five years made it impossible not to know.

But before regression, did Seunghyuk even know what he liked?

Hyunwoo chuckled bitterly at his futile thoughts.

“Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Still, this life wasn’t too bad.

Even hearing Seunghyuk say thank you was nice.

Hyunwoo smirked.

“Feeling better now?”

“…Yes.”

Indeed, Seunghyuk’s complexion had improved compared to earlier outside.

Hyunwoo looked at him sipping tea calmly, relieved.

“You… having a hard time lately?”

“…….”

He had said he had many assignments, but looking this exhausted seemed odd.

Or maybe there was another reason.

He wondered if he was being nosy.

But it was too late now.

Seunghyuk quietly stared at the cup and answered.

“I often have nightmares.”

“Nightmares?”

“Yes.”

Asking what kind of nightmares would be really nosy, so Hyunwoo held back.

Honestly, he couldn’t believe he was having an ordinary conversation with Seunghyuk.

It was so simple—sitting beside him, worrying about him, Seunghyuk confiding struggles.

He had thought he’d never be able to do this with Seunghyuk.

Returning to the past and deciding to not give up on him made it possible.

Hyunwoo gave a wry smile.

“If you’re feeling better now….”

“Hyung.”

“Yeah?”

He was about to send Seunghyuk off before another blunder, but Seunghyuk called him for some reason.

His face was so serious that Hyunwoo tilted his head.

“Why?”

“I have something I’m curious about.”

“About me?”

“Yes.”

Hyunwoo was a little hesitant.

Seunghyuk being curious about him—he had no clue but nodded.

“What is it?”

“You said before… that you don’t love me anymore.”

“Oh, I… did.”

“Do you still feel that way?”

“……!”

“Really… do you have no feelings for me now?”

“…….”

Asking like that is unfair.

Hyunwoo muttered inwardly, gripping his hands tightly as if to crush them.