#73

“……I’m sorry for speaking so harshly. I didn’t mean it. At first, I thought you would be just like everyone else, but after spending time with you, I realized that wasn’t true. You’re nothing like them. You’re not that kind of person at all.”

Lee Daon carefully apologized for his previous words, his voice hoarse—perhaps from crying too much, or from shouting. I smiled quietly at the return of his polite speech and gently stroked the back of his head.

“Thank you for thinking that way. Honestly, I was worried you might truly believe I was the same as them, so I feel a little relieved now.”

At my words, tinged with a faint smile, Lee Daon silently nuzzled his cheek against my shoulder. His face must have been damp from all the tears, yet he didn’t seem to mind in the slightest. But if he kept rubbing his face like that, the cold and moisture might cause his skin to chap or become irritated. Concerned, I tried to gently pull him away.

However, Daon tightened his arms around me, refusing to let go. The way he clung to me felt almost desperate. Sensing this, I patted his shoulder reassuringly, coaxing him by saying I only wanted to check his face to make sure he was okay.

Only then did Lee Daon hesitantly pull away from my embrace. But even as he did, his hand remained tightly gripping the hem of my jacket near my waist. I couldn’t help but chuckle softly.

“Let me see your face.”

I reached out with both hands, cupping Lee Daon’s cheeks and gently turning his face side to side to examine him. His skin was flushed red from all the crying, and his eyes were swollen. Unspilled tears still clung to his face, leaving his cheeks damp.

“I hope it doesn’t get chapped……”

Muttering in a small voice, I used the sleeve of my jacket to pat away the lingering moisture on his face softly. Lee Daon closed his eyes and quietly let me do so, like a wary stray cat that had finally decided to trust me and lower its guard.

“……Shall we head back now?”

As I quietly suggested that we head back, thinking his face looked more or less tidied up, Lee Daon slowly nodded. Seeing his acceptance, I smiled gently and took hold of his hand, which was still clutching my jacket. Then, I bent down to pick up the coat that had fallen to the ground and draped it back over Lee Daon’s shoulders.

As I skillfully helped him put his coat back on with just one hand, Lee Daon remained still, simply watching my face. After making sure the coat was wrapped snugly to keep out the cold, I slowly tugged on Lee Daon’s hand and started walking toward the house.

“Daon-ssi.”

“Yes.”

With each step, as the house grew closer, I quietly asked.

“Can I explain what I couldn’t earlier?”

“……You don’t have to. I don’t doubt you anymore.”

“I know. But I still want to. I think it’ll help put everyone’s mind at ease completely. So, when we get home, I’d like you to listen. Together with Gaon-ssi.”

“Alright. I’ll listen, President.”

Hearing my cautious yet earnest request, Lee Daon hesitated for a moment but eventually responded positively. Feeling relieved, I smiled and came to a stop in front of the house, then reached for the door.

“Gasp.”

“Ugh!”

As soon as the door opened, four members of Tartarus tumbled inside in a heap, while a little further away, Secretary Sung Yoojun stood watching the spectacle unfold.

“…….”

I blinked, at a complete loss for words, staring at the Tartarus members sprawled on the floor. Then, the fastest to react, Yoo Euiseo, scrambled to his feet, his face flushed bright red, and shouted.

“Y-You’re back!!”

“Ah…… Yes. We’re back.”

Although I reflexively responded to the greeting, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was really the right timing for such pleasantries. After all, I had just seen them at the house earlier……? As question marks floated above my head at the strange situation, Secretary Sung Yoojun strode toward me and spoke in a sigh-laced voice.

“Let’s all head inside first. It’s very cold out.”

I noticed his gaze flicker toward my damp shoulder and quickly moved forward, still holding Lee Daon’s hand. Just minutes ago, I wouldn’t have dared to reach for it, yet now, walking while holding it felt surprisingly natural. The garden, which had seemed unnecessarily vast and empty earlier, now looked beautiful again as if it had regained its charm.

It’s funny how people can be so fickle. The garden hadn’t changed at all, yet depending on the situation, it felt completely different. Chuckling wryly at my own thoughts, I pushed open the front door—only to find that the previously messy living room was now perfectly tidy.

There was no need to wonder who had cleaned it. Out of everyone who had stayed behind, the only one meticulous enough to do something like this was Secretary Sung Yoojun.

“You’ve done a lot.”

“Not as much as you, sir, who’s been outside this whole time. I’ve prepared warm baths in both your private bathroom and the second-floor one. Please, both of you, warm up first before continuing any discussions.”

Always so thoughtful. I offered him a small smile of gratitude before shifting my gaze to Lee Daon, who was staring down at the floor.

“Daon-ssi. Let’s follow Secretary Sung’s advice and warm up first.”

Having been outside in the bitter winter wind with barely any layers, Lee Daon’s body had grown noticeably cold. He’d catch a cold at this rate—I needed to send him upstairs as soon as possible. But just as I was about to do so, I realized something.

Lee Daon wasn’t letting go of my hand.

Startled by Lee Daon’s unexpected action, I instinctively gave my hand a few light shakes, hoping he would let go. But rather than releasing me, his grip remained firm, causing our joined hands to simply sway in sync with my movements.

At this point, it was impossible not to understand his intentions.

“Do you not want to let go?”

As I let my hand drop slightly and asked, Lee Daon slowly nodded in affirmation. I hesitated, momentarily troubled, before coming up with a solution—one that would allow him to keep holding my hand.

“In that case, should we just bathe togeth—”

“No, absolutely not.”

“Not happening!”

“Not a chance.”

Before I could even finish my suggestion, everyone in the room—except for Lee Daon—immediately rejected the idea. And they didn’t stop at mere words; they actively moved to pry our hands apart.

Lee Daon, unwilling to let go, struggled to keep his grip, but against multiple people, his resistance was futile.

“This is—!”

“I’ll take Daon upstairs!”

Just as Lee Daon, now visibly frustrated, was about to protest, Lee Gaon swiftly intervened. Without giving him a chance to speak, Lee Gaon clamped a hand over his mouth and began dragging him toward the staircase. Lee Daon wriggled in defiance, trying to break free, but once Yoo Euiseo joined in, his fate was sealed. He had no choice but to be pulled along.

Left standing there, I could only stare blankly as Lee Daon was forcibly escorted upstairs by his twin brother and groupmate. While I remained in a daze, still processing what had just happened, Jung Hosu, who had been watching quietly beside me, finally spoke up.

“President, sharing a bathroom with someone else isn’t exactly a good idea.”

“Huh? Why not? Daon-ssi and I are both men, anyway. It’s no different from going to a public bathhouse……”

“Don’t think of it that way. It’s completely different.”

Jung Hosu made his stance clear, his expression stern. Overwhelmed by his forceful tone, I found myself nodding instinctively.

If Jung Hosu had been the only one objecting, I might have dismissed it as just a personal preference. But the fact that even Sung Yoojun and Nam Yisol silently supported his opinion made it difficult to brush off so easily.

When you’re the only one with a different opinion, even a belief you never doubted before starts to feel uncertain. I felt that realization hit me hard as I turned and headed toward my private bathroom.

Truthfully, though I hadn’t mentioned it, giving my coat to Lee Daon had left me just as cold as he had been. Even after stepping into the warmth of the heated house, the chill still clung to me. It was clear that soaking in hot water as soon as possible would be the best course of action.

After entering the bathroom, I undressed, quickly rinsed off, and then slipped into the tub of warm water that Sung Yoojun had thoughtfully prepared.

At first, the water felt a little hotter than usual. I assumed it was just because my body had gotten so cold. But as the warmth gradually seeped back into my limbs, I realized something else—Sung Yoojun had likely done this on purpose, knowing I’d need the extra heat to shake off the lingering cold.

Seriously, he’s always so meticulous……

Thinking that, I leaned my head back against the edge of the bathtub, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Just then, Sung Yoojun’s voice called out from outside.

“Sir, I don’t think you should soak for too long today. You might catch a cold.”

“Alright. I’ll get out now.”

Hearing the concern in his voice, I didn’t hesitate to step out of the tub. After finishing up, I grabbed one of the light indoor outfits provided in the bathroom and put it on.

“Here, please wear this.”

As I stepped out, toweling off my damp hair, Sung Yoojun—who had been waiting for me in the room—held out a cardigan. It looked at least twice as thick as the ones I usually wore. Without protest, I slipped it on, and as if it were the most natural thing in the world, Sung Yoojun guided me toward a chair.

Before I could even process it, he had already picked up a hairdryer and begun drying my hair.