#79

“All of a sudden?”

“Yes.”

At Secretary Sung Yoojun’s question, I slowly nodded. Seeing that, he carefully brushed my hair aside and asked.

“May I ask why you feel that way?”

I hesitated for a moment at his question before cautiously opening my mouth.

“Yesterday, Daon-ssi was the one who stayed outside longer, and he was the one dressed more lightly, but I’m the one who ended up much sicker. It just made me think…… is this what people mean when they say being young is an advantage?”

“…….”

“Oh…… Not that I’m upset about being sicker than Daon-ssi, or that I think he should be worse off than me or anything like that…… It’s just…… I honestly wondered if immunity in your twenties and immunity in your thirties is really this different……”

As I weakly mumbled my words, I heard the sound of suppressed laughter beside me. Of course, the culprit was none other than Secretary Sung Yoojun. He was doing his best to stifle his laughter, his shoulders shaking slightly.

“It’s probably less about age and more because you’ve been extremely fatigued, sir.”

“That’s not very convincing when you already laughed your heart out.”

“My apologies…… Ahem. I’m sorry.”

At his apology, I sluggishly rolled my fever-heavy eyes to look at him.

“It’s fine. If it’s funny, just laugh. You look better when you’re smiling anyway……”

I had said something amusing, so what was there to feel guilty about? Mumbling that, I saw Secretary Sung Yoojun smile gently as he reached out a hand.

“Get some more rest. I’ll try to finish work as early as possible today.”

“Okay……”

“Madam has arrived, so if your condition worsens, please make sure to tell her.”

“Yees……”

As I quietly responded to his concerned request, Sung Yoojun’s large palm covered my eyes. Then, he gently moved his hand, coaxing my eyelids shut. I obediently closed my eyes at his touch.

After that, I kept waking up due to the fever, only to drift back into sleep again. I had no idea how many times it happened. Then, at some point, I woke up again and saw Lee Daon sitting on the chair beside my bed, looking at me.

“……Daon-ssi?”

Dazed, I called his name, and Lee Daon quickly leaned toward me.

“Are you feeling awake? How’s your body?”

My body? How was my body? At his question, I slowly blinked.

Thankfully, I felt much lighter than before. The pounding headache had eased considerably, and the IV had been removed since it was no longer in sight.

“I’m fine. I’ve gotten much better.”

“……That’s a relief.”

At my response, Lee Daon let out a sigh of relief. I watched him murmur softly to himself and suddenly wondered why he was in my room when he was supposed to be sick.

“But why are you here, Daon-ssi? How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine. My fever went down after getting a shot.”

“Still, you should be lying down until you’re fully recovered.”

At my gentle admonition, Lee Daon lowered his gaze slightly.

“I just…… I woke up and wanted to see you.”

“You wanted to see me?”

“Yes.”

Lee Daon hesitantly nodded, glancing at me with a somewhat downcast expression. Was he feeling unsettled because he was sick and alone? Well, even people who are usually fine tend to feel vulnerable when they’re ill……

As I tried to understand the reason behind Lee Daon coming here, a knock sounded at the door.

“Yes, come in.”

At my quiet permission, the door slowly opened, revealing the housekeeper entering the room, holding a tray with a bowl on it.

“You’re already up. I brought some porridge—would you like to eat?”

“Ah…… yes. I’ll have some.”

As I answered, I slowly pushed myself up. Seeing this, Lee Daon slid an arm under my back to support me. Even the small motion of propping my pillow against the bed’s headboard and leaning on it made me feel dizzy. I let out a faint groan and pressed a hand to my forehead, prompting Lee Daon to speak in a nervous tone.

“A-Are you sure you’re okay? I think you should lie back down……”

“You need to eat before taking your medicine. It will help your body recover.”

The housekeeper spoke in a firm voice as she handed the tray she was holding to Lee Daon. As he took it, she reached under the tray.

When she pulled something from beneath, I heard a clicking sound, and suddenly, the tray had legs. It wasn’t just a tray—it was a bed table. I watched in fascination as the tray transformed, and the housekeeper took it back from Lee Daon before setting it down on the bed.

“Do you think you can eat on your own? If it’s too difficult, I can help.”

“No, it’s fine. I can eat by myself.”

It’s not like I’m completely unable to move—I’d feel a little awkward letting someone feed me. With that thought, I picked up the spoon resting on the table. The housekeeper smiled gently and removed the lid covering the bowl. Warm steam immediately rose, revealing the smooth and delicate porridge inside.

“It’s hot, so make sure to cool it down before eating.”

“Yes.”

“Would you like some too, Daon-ssi?”

“Oh, no, I’m still full, so I’m fine.”

At Lee Daon’s refusal, the housekeeper nodded and quietly left the room. I watched her retreating figure for a moment before lowering my gaze and slowly scooping up some porridge. However, whether it was because of the fever or the body aches, lifting the spoon felt surprisingly exhausting.

If I had known it would be this difficult, I would have just accepted her offer for help. I deeply regretted turning down her kindness and tightened my trembling grip on the spoon.

“……Should I help you?”

I must have looked really unwell because Lee Daon cautiously offered his assistance.

“No, it’s fine. You’re sick too—I can’t ask that of you.”

“I told you, I’m fine now. My fever’s gone, and I only have a bit of a cough and runny nose. So don’t worry about me.”

Hearing his reassurance, I hesitated briefly before letting out a small sigh and nodding. To be honest, finishing the meal alone seemed impossible.

“Then…… I’ll take you up on that offer.”

As I held out the spoon, Lee Daon rose from his chair and took it from me. He then perched on the edge of the bed and began feeding me small spoonfuls of porridge, blowing gently to cool it down before handing it to me. As I quietly accepted each bite, the bowl was emptied in no time.

Once I finished, I let out a satisfied sigh and leaned back against the headboard. The warmth in my stomach spread through my body, making me feel drowsy. While I basked in that comforting sensation, Lee Daon cleared away the bed table and handed me some medicine and a glass of water.

“Here, please take this.”

I placed the pills in my mouth first, then swallowed them down with the water he offered. After I drained the cup, he took it from my hands and asked.

“Do you want to lie down again?”

I hesitated, unsure of what would be best, when a knock came from the door.

“Come in.”

With my permission, the door opened, and the housekeeper entered, carrying a fresh set of bed sheets.

“You must feel uncomfortable from all the sweat.” 

Only then did I realize how damp my pajamas and blanket were from perspiration.

“……I should wash up and change into fresh clothes.”

“Your fever has gone down a lot, so a light shower should be fine. I’ll change the sheets and blankets while you’re washing up.”

“Alright, thank you.”

With that, I pushed the blanket aside and attempted to get out of bed. But as soon as I sat up, a wave of dizziness hit me. My head spun, and I lost my balance, swaying slightly. Lee Daon, who had been standing nearby, quickly reached out, steadying me by the arm and waist.

“I’ll help you.”

This time, I didn’t refuse his assistance and leaned on him for support as we moved toward the bathroom. He adjusted his steps to match mine, walking patiently by my side. Normally, it would’ve taken only a few steps to reach the bathroom, but today, it felt like such a long distance.

Still, after some effort, we finally arrived. I sank onto the edge of the bathtub, exhaling a weary breath.

“Wait here for a moment. I’ll bring you some fresh clothes.” 

I slowly nodded, watching as he stepped out of the bathroom. Once he left, I started unbuttoning my pajama top. He’d be back with my clothes soon, but since we were both men, it wouldn’t be a big deal to be shirtless in front of him…… That’s what I thought, but my hands were weak from exhaustion, and my fingers kept slipping.

After struggling for a while, I barely managed to undo two buttons before giving up. My hands fell limply to my sides just as Lee Daon returned, carrying the change of clothes.

“I’ll leave your clothes he— What’s wrong?”

“My buttons…… I can’t seem to undo them properly……”

I blinked slowly, trying to clear my blurry vision as I spoke. At my words, Lee Daon fell silent.

“……Should I help you?”

After a long pause, he finally asked in a hesitant tone. I slowly lifted my head to look at him—he seemed strangely tense.