42 Silly and Cute

"Visiting hours is until 5:00 p.m. so Min Chae-ah, you can go home first. Gun-oppa told me to wait for him here." Yeo Ri said to Min Chae as they walked to Hyuk's ward.

He was in a stable condition now so he was moved to the normal ward. It had three beds but Hyuk didn't have any neighbours and occupied the room all by himself. Jin Goo had been the one who paid for it, as if he had already expected Yeo Ri and Gun to use the two empty beds for themselves.

"Okay~ be careful, Yeo Ri-ah," Min Chae replied. She couldn't stay long anyways since she needed to help out at home.

"Do you want to greet Hyuk-oppa while you're here?" Yeo Ri smiled. She never really had a chance to properly introduce Hyuk to Min Chae despite their long friendship. It was a shame that Jang Mi wasn't around. She wanted to show off Hyuk to her two best friends.

"...Sure," Min Chae hesitated for a while before agreeing.

"We're here~" Yeo Ri announced happily as they stepped into the ward. Hyuk was staring at the mounted television in a daze, looking extremely bored. His phone was charging at his side. Judging by the red battery mark on the screen, it seems like he had been on his phone for too long and had to plug it up as it ran out of battery.

Seeing Yeo Ri come in, Hyuk sat up in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to visit you, of course," Yeo Ri smiled playfully. Yeo Ri went straight to his side and held his hand. "How are you today, Oppa?"

"Fine," Hyuk replied briefly. His eyes darted to Min Chae who was standing awkwardly a few meters away from his bed.

"Ah, Min Chae-ah, you can sit over here," Yeo Ri pulled out a chair and gestured Min Chae to come over.

Min Chae hurriedly shook her head. "No need, I need to go soon anyways. Um, Hyuk-...oppa, it's nice to meet you," Min Chae bowed her head hastily. Hyuk's eyes were sharp, and even when he was covered with bandages he still looked very intimidating. Even Min Chae who was usually quite fearless felt scared.

"Min Chae? Ah, Yeo Ri's friend," Hyuk furrowed his eyebrows in a thinking manner and then nodded, recognising her. "This little brat talks about you all the time. Thanks for taking care of our Yeo Ri."

Perhaps spending time in the hospital had mellowed him somewhat. Though he looked intimidating, he talked in a calm manner. Min Chae almost couldn't believe that he was the same person as the one in the rumours. That being said, there was also nothing 'silly and cute' about him. She wondered if Yeo Ri saw him that way because she often looked at the world with a pure and innocent rose-tinted gaze.

"Yes, no, I mean—I'm happy to be her friend," Min Chae stuttered. She looked at Yeo Ri with a pleading gaze, "Yeo Ri-ah, I'm gonna go now. See you tomorrow."

Min Chae waved goodbye at the her friend before making her escape hastily. Within a split second, the two were suddenly left alone.

"Oppa, you scared her off," Yeo Ri glanced at Hyuk with a pout.

"What? What'd I do?"

"Hmph."

"This brat... hey, why are you suddenly getting angry?" Hyuk sighed exasperatedly. He pulled Yeo Ri closer and gave her a peck on the lips. "I'm sorry, okay? Now, are you happy?"

Yeo Ri blushed. He was so sweet to her now to the point where she didn't know how to handle it. The sudden change in his behaviour towards her caused a strange mixture of indulgence and discomfort to brew in her heart. On one hand, she was glad that they were getting along, but on the other hand, it was hard getting used to such tender loving care from Hyuk who used to keep her at arm's length.

"Nm," Yeo Ri made a sound in reply. In any case, in regards to Min Chae... it wasn't his fault for looking like he was going to break someone's bones at any given moment, after all.

She leaned in for another kiss shyly which he readily reciprocated. After all that had happened, Yeo Ri had discovered that she rather liked kissing Hyuk, finding it rather pleasant and special. And since they both enjoyed it so much, it would always take a while before they stop.

"Oppa." Yeo Ri broke away from their kiss for a moment.

"Hm?" Hyuk replied noncommittally, distracted by her reddened lips.

"I'm glad I had my first kiss with you," Yeo Ri rested her head on his chest, hugging him loosely so she wouldn't aggravate his injuries.

—Perhaps that was why she was fine with acting like this with him, she mused; it was the one intimate thing left that she still had control over.

Hyuk froze. A while later, he returned her hug, burying his face into her hair.

"Mm."

He didn't know if he should feel guilty or happy. With a little bit of both mixed into his feelings, he kissed her head several times.