#80

“……Alright, please help me.”

Recalling how I’d struggled earlier after refusing the housekeeper’s help, I decided not to turn down Lee Daon’s offer this time.

As I nodded heavily, signaling my agreement, he swallowed dryly and knelt on one knee before me. His trembling gaze fixated on the buttons of my pajama top as he reached out, his hand moving toward me at a snail’s pace, like a cautious turtle. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he began unfastening the buttons one by one.

He’s definitely faster than I was. I watched the buttons come undone, thinking absentmindedly about how much easier this was—until I noticed something odd. His hands were shaking.

Why? Was he feeling unwell again? Had his condition worsened?

Concerned, I mustered what little strength I had and reached out, placing my hand over his. At my touch, his fingers trembled even more before he flinched and looked up at me with wide eyes.

“P-President……?”

Hmm, he doesn’t seem feverish. Or is it just that my body is hotter?

I tried to gauge his temperature with my palm, but I couldn’t tell the difference. Frustrated, I frowned slightly, prompting Lee Daon to ask, his face laced with worry.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling worse? Should we just forget about the shower and head back?”

I lifted my gaze from his hand and met his eyes. He was much closer than I had expected—so close that if I moved just a little, our foreheads would touch. That thought lingered for only a moment before I instinctively leaned in.

Lee Daon’s eyes widened in shock at my sudden movement. He seemed frozen, his mind racing in confusion, before he finally shut his eyes tightly, as if bracing himself. Then, my forehead met his with a soft thud.

“Uh……?”

Startled, Lee Daon blinked rapidly, his eyes darting around as if struggling to focus. Then, in a flustered tone, he stammered.

“S-Sir? What are you doing?”

“……Checking your temperature.”

“Huh?”

“You were shaking. I thought you might be sick again. But I can’t really tell.”

I slowly pulled away, observing his face. His cheeks were flushed red, and he instinctively covered his mouth with his hand, murmuring something under his breath.

“……I embarrassed myself for nothing……”

“What?”

His voice was so soft I barely caught it. When I asked, he quickly waved his hands in denial.

“It’s nothing! More importantly, I don’t have a fever, so don’t worry!”

“But your face is red……”

“That’s just because it’s warm in here! It’s not a fever, I promise!”

“……If you say so. That’s a relief, then.”

I would feel even more guilty if Lee Daon had developed a fever, considering how reluctant I already felt about asking a sick person for favors.

Since Lee Daon didn’t have a fever and had already helped me undo the buttons that had been giving me trouble, I figured I could finally take a shower. I lifted myself from the edge of the bathtub where I had been sitting and took a step toward the shower, removing my sweat-drenched pajama top that clung to my body.

“I-I’ll go help Madam! The clothes are here!!”

Lee Daon, who had been watching my movements nervously, turned pale and bolted out of the bathroom the moment I took off my top. I stared at the closed bathroom door, wondering why he had reacted that way, then shook my head lightly to brush off the thought. I needed to focus on showering first. I could think about everything else later.

I took off the rest of my clothes and stepped under the shower, turning on the water at a warmer temperature than usual. After rinsing off the sweat, I dried myself and changed into the fresh pajamas that Lee Daon had prepared. However, my dizziness and unsteady body were extremely bothersome.

Barely managing to keep myself from collapsing, I somehow finished everything and stepped out of the bathroom. The housekeeper was nowhere to be seen, presumably having left, while Lee Daon stood at the door, fidgeting anxiously like a puppy waiting for its owner.

“Sir, you didn’t dry your hair.”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. I was too lazy to……”

To be precise, I didn’t have the strength to hold a hairdryer. But admitting that felt a little embarrassing, so I made up a different excuse instead. Hearing my response, Lee Daon frowned and spoke in a strict tone.

“That won’t do. You’re already sick—if you leave your hair wet, you might catch a cold. Please sit down, I’ll dry it for you.”

I blinked at him in surprise. Somehow, he reminded me of Lee Gaon. No, considering they were twins, it made sense that they resembled each other. While I was lost in thought, Lee Daon looked at me with concern and spoke again.

“Do you not have the strength to walk to the chair? Should I carry you?”

As he reached toward me, seemingly ready to pick me up, I hastily shook my head. My sudden movement made my head throb, but preventing myself from being carried was the bigger priority.

“I-I’m fine. I can walk by myself.”

Hearing my urgent refusal, Lee Daon studied me carefully, as if assessing whether I was really capable of walking on my own. After a moment, he seemed satisfied with what he saw and nodded.

“Alright, then. Please sit down. I’ll go get the hairdryer.”

Following his instructions, I obediently walked to the chair and sat down. Before long, Lee Daon returned with the hairdryer and positioned himself behind me.

“I’ll start drying your hair now.”

With those words, warm air brushed against my damp hair. His hands, surprisingly gentle, moved through my hair as he dried it. The warmth of the air and his touch felt pleasant, making me unconsciously close my eyes and smile faintly. Seeing this, Lee Daon asked in a voice tinged with amusement.

“Are you enjoying this?”

“Yes.”

I answered without the slightest hesitation, and in response, I heard Lee Daon chuckle softly. The clear sound of his laughter made me open my eyes. Through the mirror in front of me, I could see Lee Daon meeting my gaze with his own.

“What is it?”

“Nothing…… It just feels a little…… different.”

“Different? Are you talking about me?”

“Yes.”

I nodded slowly in response, and Lee Daon let out a soft hum before hesitantly speaking.

“In what way?”

“Well…… you just seem a bit gentler? Kinder? Even your tone has softened……”

I struggled to put my thoughts into words, my feverish mind working hard to process them. Hearing my honest impression, Lee Daon’s eyes curved playfully.

“I’m glad you feel that way. I was trying to be. It looks like I’m doing a good job.”

His response, filled with mischief, made me widen my eyes in surprise. As he placed the now-switched-off hairdryer on the vanity, he gently cupped my chin and tilted my head back.

Before I knew it, the crown of my head was resting against his stomach as I gazed up at him. Our eyes met, and his were filled with a warmth that was almost overwhelming.

“You said it yourself yesterday. That you were going to keep treating me kindly, make me hopeful, and never betray that hope. I didn’t want to keep snapping at and being rude to someone who would say something like that to me.”

“……”

“I want to do as much as I can for you…… No, even more than that. I want to cherish you. I want to take care of you. That’s how I want to be with you from now on.”

I stared at Lee Daon, momentarily taken aback by his sincerity. Then, slowly, a smile spread across my lips.

“Thank you.”

As I spoke, I lifted my hand. Seeing my intention, Lee Daon leaned down so my fingers could easily reach his head. I gently ran my fingers through his coarse hair, stroking it softly. His face lit up with happiness, completely content as I petted him.

Seeing that expression, I wanted to keep stroking his hair for a thousand, even ten thousand years, until he was fully satisfied. But with my current condition, keeping my hand raised for too long was exhausting. Inevitably, my hand started to drop.

“Are you feeling weak?”

Lee Daon quickly caught my falling hand and asked in a worried voice. I gave him a small nod, being honest about my state.

“Let’s get you to bed. You should rest more.”

With that, he wrapped an arm around my waist and carefully helped me stand.

Leaning on him, I trudged toward the bed with difficulty. Whether it was because of the medicine or the strain of moving while sick, I felt incredibly tired and drowsy. As soon as I lay down, Lee Daon tucked the blanket around me.

“You should get some rest too, Daon-ssi.”

My voice was thick with sleep as I spoke, but instead of responding, Lee Daon simply sat down on the chair beside my bed.

……What? Was he planning to stay here? He should get some rest, too.

“Daon-ssi.”

“I’ll stay just a little longer. Please, let me. I want to be here.”