Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Not only the servants’ and maids’ eyes who followed the two of them to prepare the bath, but Min-ha could also feel the eyes of those who were still on the first floor flocked to them at once. Pressing her face to Seth’s shoulder in embarrassment, she opened her mouth.

“Let, let me down now!”

“I can’t do that.”

“I’m fine. I can walk alone now.”

“It’s because I’m still worried about you, so please cater to me for today.”

“….”

Seth, who gently refused her request, opened the big door in the corner of the second floor without hesitation and went inside.

The bedroom, several times more splendid and majestic than the room in which Min-ha was supposed to stay, was revealed. The color scheme, the atmosphere, and the gorgeous red and golden colors of the room seemed too much for a man to stay alone.

What caught her attention, in particular, was the bed… The bed with golden pillars and a red cloth canopy seemed to match the color scheme of the room. It was enough for five people to lie down.

Hugging Min-ha, Seth strode to the bed before lowering her, who was in his arms, onto the bed carefully enough not even to hear the sound of the duvet touching the skirt.

“…Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

When he replied with a smile, Min-ha also smiled.

Then, she observed the maids and attendants who followed them, opening the bathroom door and moving in a hurry. The servants carried buckets full of steaming water to the bathroom while the maids carried cleanly washed pajamas and towels.

When the bathroom was ready, the other maids brought wine and fruit in baskets full of ice. In addition, they also brought candles — replacing all the candles on the candlesticks in the room and placing a small table next to the bed.

After they had finished preparing for the bath and decorating the room, Pompa, who finally entered the room, set down a small bottle with an ointment bottle on the table next to the bed. Gathering all the attendants in the room, they all approached the two of them and bowed their heads.

“Then, we’ll take our leave. If you need anything more, please let me know.”

“I see.”

“…Thank you.”

After finishing their greetings, Min-ha glanced at Pompa, who was leading the attendants out. Pompa, who had been furious that she had been injured when she returned a while ago, seemed to be in a better mood now.

After the servants left, Seth muttered softly.

“This wasn’t what I meant…”

“Huh? What?”

At that, Min-ha looked at him involuntarily in a slightly bewildered voice. She could see slightly red ears and red cheeks. He even coughed out of nowhere.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“…Hm. No, nothing.”

He coughed again at her question and answered with an expressionless face. Seth, who returned to his usual appearance in an instant, approached Min-ha and held out his hand.

“Come on, hold onto me and get up. I’ll take you to the bathroom.”

“Yes? Ah, no. It’s fine, I can walk by myself.”

“Did you forget what I said earlier? I told you I’d take care of you.”

“No, I’m not a child. That’s all right.”

“It’s what I want to do, isn’t that okay?”

“…Ah, I see.”

In the end, even though she was embarrassed to see Seth insisting that he would lead her to the bathroom, Min-ha took his hand. Although it was not necessary, perhaps because she went through something big, his kindness was especially excessive today.

While she was shy, she did not feel particularly unpleasant so she meekly grabbed his hand and walked to the front of the bathroom.

Because the bedroom was so spacious, they had to walk quite a bit to get to the bathroom.

Standing in front of the bathroom where the hot steam leaked, Min-ha, who released Seth’s hand, opened the door and took a step inside, but immediately stepped back. It was because he was standing behind her as if he was about to follow.

“Maybe… it’s not, is it? Are, are you coming in with me…?”

“Isn’t it natural that we have to go in together for me to take care of you?”

“Oh…! What are you saying?! Are you really going to do that, you weren’t just saying it?”

“When have you ever seen me say empty words?”

“No, don’t come in! I’ll take care of it myself!”

‘He’s crazy, really…!’

Startled by Seth’s innocent voice, she pushed him away and closed the bathroom door.

Min-ha, who was left alone in the bathroom, blurred by the hot steam, took off her clothes with a red-faced face and went into a bathtub full of hot water. She then quickly rubbed her body with the foam on the table next to her and washed her hair, panting a little.

‘Come to think of it, he must have said that trying to make fun of me…’

Nonetheless, did he know how much her heart beat every time he said something like that with a cool, handsome face that she did not know whether it was a joke or not?

Quickly finished the bath, she vowed to tease him the same way soon.

As she wiped her body, Min-ha grabbed the white pajamas hanging on a wall near her and went outside. Seth, dressed in pajamas similar to herself, was already on the bed with wet hair. He was glancing outside with an expressionless face as he left the terrace open.

Maybe, he was not cold.?

Meanwhile, Min-ha, who was shivering in the cold wind, approached the bedside where Seth was sitting and spoke to him.

“Why are you doing this? Aren’t you cold?”

“…Oh, I just want to cool my head off a little bit. Sorry, was it cold? I should’ve shut the door.”

“Ah, yes. Thank you.”

He only responded briefly to her question, asking what he was thinking about.

Belatedly answering, Seth walked to the terrace and closed the door in a seemingly awkward and exaggerated manner before finally pulling all the curtains down. After lighting the fireplace in the corner of the bedroom, he returned to her side.

Min-ha, who was sitting on the bed, wiping her wet hair with a towel, said as she turned to him.

“By the way, Seth, where did you wash up? This is the only bathroom attached to this bedroom, right?”

“I rented the bathroom next to this bedroom for a little.”

“Huh? Was there hot water there, too?”

“…No.”

“So, you showered with cold water? Oh, my God! It’s already cold, you might catch a cold!”

Even though it was warm during the day, it was still cool at night.

Min-ha quickly placed her hand on Seth’s forehead and face in a fuss. Fortunately, he did not have a fever. Still worried, she then pulled the blanket from the bed and put it on his shoulder.

“Thankfully, there’s no fever. It must still be cold, so cover more blankets first.”

“No, it’s okay. This is all I need.”

Saying so, he gently pushed the quilt that she had covered and hugged Min-ha by the shoulders as he pulled her body closer to him. The distance was so close that her wet hair brushed his shoulder.

Min-ha said, pulling her body away slightly.

“If we do this, your shoulders will get wet because of my hair, and it’d be colder—”

“It’s okay since your body is warm. So, please stay like this.”

Seth didn’t care.

Rather, he pulled her wet hair closer to his shoulder and lightly brushed her hair. Thanks to this, she was attached even closer to his side. Min-ha rested her head between his neck and shoulder, feeling his hand stroking her head affectionately.

Tu-thump, tu-thump.

The sound of his heart beating loudly could be heard.

As she listened quietly to the sound, the comfortable and warm sound soothed her so she put her head closer to Seth’s skin to hear it closer.

‘…Huh?’

However, she could not hear his heartbeat any longer.

It was because Seth suddenly turned his body away. At that, Min-ha gazed at him, who got up from the bed with a hardened face, puzzledly. It seemed that he moved his steps and walked to the side table next to the bed.

Perhaps, feeling her gaze on him, he opened his mouth softly.

“…I think you should put some ointment.”

“Ah, I’ll do it.”

“No, I’ll put it on for you.”

Even if they said she was hurt, it was a scratch from running away from Rupert, so it was a wound that could be left alone. Still, Min-ha had no choice but to nod to Seth’s stubbornness to apply ointment.

He took the ointment bottle that had been placed on the bedside table in his hand and walked over to Min-ha, kneeling down on his knee. The next moment, he began to apply the ointment carefully to her leg.

Every time his fingers touched the scratches on her skin, she wanted to twist her body.

‘It’s not like I hate it or it hurts, but… it tickles.’

It was not because the wounds were tingling, though because her body and mind seemed to tickle with every touch of his finger. Each time his fingers gently brushed over her skin, Min-ha felt like her mouth was burning with strange tension without realizing it.

It was obviously nothing at first, but the moment she suddenly thought that his touch felt somehow strange, she became more and more conscious of it.

Feeling her heartbeat growing bigger, it was faster and louder than Seth’s heartbeat that she had heard a moment ago. Maybe, that was why she suddenly shuddered at his action, as his finger passed her feet as he brought two fingers to a scratch on her leg.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

She answered Seth’s question with a trembling voice and turned her head away. Once she became conscious, her thoughts kept flowing in that direction in the bedroom where there were only the two of them in the bedroom.

Min-ha thought that she was being ridiculous. She then suddenly felt embarrassed. It was because Seth’s face looked very calm as usual.

‘…Am I the only one who’s aware of this situation?’

No, obviously, his heart was beating fast a little while ago. Still, the expression on his face as he was applying ointment to her scratch was calm.

Feeling bitter, she glanced at Seth in frustration.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing…”

“Isn’t there something you want to say to me?”

“No, I don’t… Actually, the truth is…”

As she avoided his stare, Min-ha muttered in a low voice.

“Seth… Do you not think anything about this situation? I think I’m the only one who’s been conscious of it. Since it feels like it’s only me… I feel awkward, and my heart is fluttering.”

Although she did not mean to say it because she was embarrassed, Min-ha ​​finally confessed her feelings honestly. Hearing her words, Seth’s face, which had been listening quietly, became increasingly serious. Then, unexpectedly, he burst out laughing at the end.

Furious, she shouted at his reaction.

“What, what? What’s that reaction?”

“I don’t know if you’re really dull or if you’re pretending not to know on purpose.”

“Huh…?”

As he laughed bitterly, Seth put down the ointment bottle and got up. He went up to Min-ha before placing one of her hands on her shoulder. Meanwhile, his other hand rested on her back as he gently pushed her on the shoulder.