Chapter 51
"So high, so high~"
"......"
After taking one of the pieces of underwear Hyunwoo offered me and putting it on, I found myself being lifted high into the air by him.
I thought he'd just pick me up like a cat as usual, but Hyunwoo lifted me way up.
Given the height difference, Hyunwoo could clearly see up under my skirt, but I didn't feel embarrassed.
"...Is it fun?"
"Yeah. Isn't it fun for you, Minseo? It's high up."
"Hah..."
More than that, I was mostly dumbfounded that he was treating me like a newborn and pulling this kind of stunt.
Yeah... I was an idiot for being flustered, even for a moment, by that handsome face and gentle voice.
Hyunwoo would never see me as a romantic interest.
I firmly reminded myself of that once again, and managed to look stern.
"Want me to put you down...?"
When I didn't react, Hyunwoo began asking cautiously.
When I quietly nodded, he set me on the floor with an extremely apologetic expression.
"I love you, Minseo..."
Then Hyunwoo stroked my head as usual.
I hated this simple-minded self of mine, whose heart was melting at that pleasant touch even in this situation.
"Just this once... Don't treat me like a baby, okay...?"
"Yeah. I love you."
ㅡ Kiss.
"Aaaah?! Are you crazy...?"
As he apologized again, Hyunwoo pulled me into his arms with one hand and kissed me on the forehead.
It was so sudden, and his unexpected action made my eyes widen in surprise.
"But it's okay to kiss you anytime, right?"
"The forehead is different, the forehead...! I told you that before..."
"Got it. I love you, Minseo."
ㅡ Kiss.
With another apology, Hyunwoo kissed me on the cheek this time.
I hated that sly grin he was wearing instead of an apologetic expression right now.
He was so irritating I wanted to punch him right in the face...
Today, he was so much more shameless than usual that it felt overwhelming.
"...Did you really have to kiss me again?"
"You're cute. And you're wearing new clothes, and they suit you."
"Is that so...?"
Now that he'd actually called me cute, maybe I didn't dislike it...
Objectively speaking, I was cute right now. Right?
Even if the outfit I was wearing happened to be a maid uniform... that was a little questionable...
"Anyway, if this gets soaked with sweat too, I won't have anything to wear... so don't cling to me too much."
Worried as Hyunwoo pulled me back into his arms and held me close again, I warned him once more.
On top of that, Hyunwoo hadn't even showered yet, and his slightly sticky skin was rubbing against mine...
Ugh... Ugh... Save me...
"Then, want to go out with me today? We can buy some clothes, too."
"Huh...? I can go out?"
"But with me. Just in case, hold my hand tight. If that's the condition, I should let you go out sometimes. You must be bored and cooped up, too."
I got excited for a moment at the thought of being able to go outside...
But when you looked closely at those conditions, wasn't this less an outing and more of a walk?
Well, I did want to get some fresh air and have a little fun outside, if I was going out anyway...
"Yeah...! I'll be good! I'll hold your hand tight the whole time...!"
ㅡ Nodnodnodnod
I nodded my head vigorously, showing my complete agreement.
Hyunwoo pressed down hard on my head for a moment, then stroked it this way and that.
Soon he took his hand away, grabbed a towel, and went into the bathroom.
"Wait just a bit. I'll be out after a quick shower."
A little later, I heard the water turn on.
To ease my boredom while waiting for Hyunwoo, I turned on the TV for a moment.
The noon news happened to be on.
"Today.........the doll murder......identity......"
ㅡ Swoooooosh!
From the footage, it seemed they were reporting that the identity of the doll murder victim had been revealed.
The story wasn't really triggering my trauma anymore, but it still put me in a bad mood, so I used the remote to turn off the screen.
Should I be grateful that I couldn't hear it properly over the sound of Hyunwoo showering?
But how does he even shower to make that much noise?
"......?"
When I looked at the bathroom door again, it was wide open, even though Hyunwoo had definitely gone in and closed it.
Beyond it, I could see Hyunwoo completely naked, lathering body wash over his toned body.
And a little lower...
Ugh... I saw something I shouldn't have...
"Close the door while you shower..."
"Huh? I definitely closed it..."
"D-Don't come over...! I'll close it for you... Turn around! Cover yourself first...!"
Hyunwoo walked toward me, his sudsy lower body completely exposed.
Only after I shouted did he realize and turn around again.
ㅡ Slam!
"Hoo... hoo..."
I hurriedly shut the door and sat down on the floor, panting.
It's okay... It was an accident. An accident... Sometimes you think you closed the door, but you didn't shut it all the way, and it opens, right?
It must've been something like that...
"Gaaahhh..."
Even though I kept trying to forget, the image kept replaying itself in my mind, tormenting me.
The sight of him coming toward me, his sudsy body swinging...
"Aaaaaaaaaaagh!"
It felt like my brain had been infected with a virus and attacked.
Like some hacker had set 'Hyunwoo Shower Cam.avi' to play on my desktop without my knowing?
I was the only platform suffering from an unsolicited delivery.
ㅡ Knock knock.
As I was suffering like that, I heard a knock from the other side of the door.
"...I love you. I really love you, Minseo..."
Hyunwoo had finally realized what he'd done and was apologizing as if reflecting on his actions.
But this scene felt really weird...
I'd accidentally seen him shower because he hadn't closed the door, and now he was softly telling me he loved me...
What even was this?
"I love you too... for shouting at you like that..."
If I weren't a man, this would look like one of those strangely romantic situations.
But in the end, it was two men doing this, so it had turned into a comedy skit.
My heart was not at ease at all.
Anyone selling eyes that haven't seen that...?
And not even normal, but swinging around covered in foam made it even more fucking awful...
I didn't want to see it... I didn't want to see it...
"...Shall we go...?"
In the end, I had no choice but to suffer through that nightmare until Hyunwoo finished showering. As soon as he came out, I stared hard at his face to erase the memory.
Cover that memory with another memory... I have to seal away that horrible monster...
Only after standing off against Hyunwoo for a full three minutes did the image of his shower scene finally begin to fade.
I forcibly snatched Hyunwoo's hand and hurried him along.
"Let's go...! Hurry!"
Though I wasn't too happy about going out in this outfit...
It was practically my first time going out in a week...!
If you didn't count the time I went out to die, it was my first time in two weeks!
It would've been a waste to just buy clothes and come back, so I planned to drag Hyunwoo along no matter what if I saw anything fun.
"You look excited. Happy to go out after so long?"
"Yeah! There's nothing to do when I'm stuck at home..."
"...I love you. Since we're already out, let's go around to a bunch of places."
In the end, Hyunwoo gave me the go-ahead to do this and that and have fun.
At those happy words, I unconsciously squeezed our joined hands a little tighter.
Walking while holding hands was a little inconvenient... but I could easily put up with that much.
"By the way, are you okay going down the stairs?"
As I cheerfully descended the stairs, Hyunwoo's words suddenly caught me off guard.
When I came to my senses, I was standing in the middle of the staircase.
When I saw the exit outside, that same sense of disconnection from last time began to envelop my body again.
"Ugh..."
Just like then, an unknown warmth squeezed my throat... covered my eyes, numbed my nose, and blocked my ears.
Soon my vision turned red, and I felt my whole body trembling, seized by fear.
Did I still feel guilty about stepping outside... about leaving the paradise I'd worked so hard to find?
"Minseo. Are you okay?"
Even amid those sensations, Hyunwoo's voice and the warmth of our joined hands seemed to maintain a soothing coolness.
Like a signpost guiding me and telling me this way.
Before I knew it, that small trace of Hyunwoo had become moonlight illuminating my path, gently surrounding me.
I felt as though I could stand unharmed under Hyunwoo's protection, even in a hell where my very existence seemed ready to melt away.
"Hyunwoo..."
Of course, even so, I still didn't have the courage to walk down the stairs I couldn't see on my own...
"Hold me... Carry me down..."
In a trembling voice, I calmly searched for Hyunwoo and asked him for help escaping this fear and trauma.
If Hyunwoo was my messiah, my savior, he could easily rescue me even as I trembled in this hell.
Jimin would have a hard time making it all the way here, even if I looked for them.
...Come to think of it, she never came at all. She said she'd come visit.
Did Jimin get scared because Hyunwoo acted so possessive and rough with me back then, and now won't come over anymore...?
That made me a little sad.
"We're here. You can open your eyes now, Minseo."
"Really...? We're really there?"
"Yeah. Or you can stay in my arms. Just so you know, I'm carrying you bridal-style, so I can see everything under your skirt."
"...Put me down."
At Hyunwoo's words that we'd made it down the stairs, and his little joke, I slowly opened my eyes.
Contrary to my expectations, my vision was surprisingly normal.
Not a red background or hot surroundings, but the scenery I'd seen a week ago and a cool breeze welcomed me.
ㅡ Whoooosh!
Even though it was summer, the cool weather made my legs and chest feel cool...
But this outfit... it's children's clothes, so why are my collarbones exposed...?
"How is it...? Are you feeling a little better?"
Hyunwoo asked how I was doing, watching my expression.
His uncharacteristically nervous expression even seemed a little cute.
"I'm fine. Let's go!"