He didn’t know what to say.

The doctor adjusted the papers in his hand before looking at them.

“There’s no need to admit him to the hospital,” he said calmly. “But make sure he eats properly and gets enough sleep.”

Han Tae nodded once.

Outside the hospital, Yun quietly spoke while avoiding Tae’s gaze.

“You can leave. I’ll go on my own. My house is nearby.”

Tae stared at him for a few seconds before opening the passenger door of the car.

“It’s okay. Get in.”

The entire ride was silent.

Instead of driving toward Yun’s neighborhood, Tae stopped in front of a small restaurant glowing under warm yellow lights.

As they sat down, Tae looked at him.

“Do you want to eat anything?”

Yun shook his head weakly.

“It’s okay… I don’t want to eat right now.”

Tae’s expression didn’t change.

“Seriously,” he said quietly. “Do you want to eat anything?”

Yun’s fingers tightened slightly under the table. For some reason, Tae’s voice made it impossible to refuse.

“…Fine. Order anything.”

Tae ordered kimchi jjigae and four bowls of rice.

When the food arrived, Tae ate only one bowl before pushing the other three toward Yun.

“Eat.”

Yun stared at the bowls in disbelief.

“Three?”

Tae simply looked at him silently.

That alone was enough to make Yun lower his head and start eating.

By the time he finished, his stomach felt painfully full.

After dinner, Tae drove him home.

The car stopped in front of a tiny old house hidden between narrow alleys. The roof looked worn out, and the walls seemed fragile enough to collapse with one strong storm.

Tae stepped out of the car slowly, his eyes fixed on the house.

“…This is your home?”

Yun nodded casually.

“Yes.”

Tae frowned slightly.

“Do you have anything to eat at home?”

Yun hesitated before replying honestly.

“No. I ran out of groceries. I’ll buy some tomorrow.”

For a moment, Tae said nothing.

His eyes slowly scanned the tiny house once again before he quietly got back into the car and left.

The next morning, loud noises outside woke Yun up.

Confused, he stepped outside and froze at the sight of boxes and grocery bags piled near his door.

Vegetables. Meat. Fruits. Instant food. Rice.

A tall man dressed in black stood beside them.

Yun blinked in confusion.

“May I know who you are?”

The man looked at him calmly.

“Are you Lee Yun?”

“…Yes.”

“I’m Kim Joo.”

The man pointed toward the groceries.

“Chairman Haan Tae sent these.”

Yun’s eyes widened slightly.

“…Why?”

Kim Joo answered immediately.

“Because you have malnutrition.”

Yun stared blankly, not knowing how to react.

Before he could stop him, Kim Joo had already started carrying the bags inside.

“It’s okay, I’ll keep everything inside,” Yun said quickly.

Kim Joo nodded once before leaving quietly.

After the man disappeared, Yun stood alone in the middle of the room.

His heart suddenly began beating strangely fast.

His face slowly turned red.

“…Do I have a fever?”

He touched his cheek in confusion.

After organizing everything Tae had sent, Yun got ready for work.

On weekends, he worked at a café during the day before heading to the convenience store at night.

For the first time in a long while, he actually ate breakfast before leaving home.

Strangely enough, his body felt lighter than usual.

And without realizing it… he looked happier.

The café was peaceful that morning.

Unlike before, Yun worked with energy instead of dragging himself around half-asleep.

Minho, the café owner, noticed immediately.

“Did something good happen?” he asked with a smile. “You seem to be in a good mood today.”

Yun quickly shook his head.

“No. Nothing happened.”

Minho laughed softly.

“If everything’s fine, then that’s good enough.”

The bell above the café door suddenly rang.

Yun turned around automatically—

And froze.

Haan Tae had entered the café.

For some reason, Yun’s heartbeat instantly became unstable again.

Tae glanced around before his eyes landed on Yun behind the counter.

“You work here too?” Tae asked. “I thought you only worked at the convenience store.”

“At night,” Yun replied quietly. “On weekends, I work here. Sometimes I tutor too.”

Tae frowned slightly.

“Why are you working this much without sleeping?” he asked. “Do you have debt?”

Yun lowered his eyes before silently nodding.

Tae didn’t ask anything else after that.

Instead, he looked at the menu for a moment.

“Iced americano,” he said calmly. “Extra cream. Three sugar cubes.”

Yun looked up in shock.

For some reason, Tae didn’t look like someone who liked sweet drinks at all.

After preparing the coffee, Yun placed it on the table quietly.

Tae looked at him.

“Sit.”

Yun blinked.

“…What?”

“Sit with me until I finish drinking.”

Yun hesitated before slowly sitting across from him.

But Tae didn’t start any conversation.

The silence between them wasn’t awkward… just strangely calm.

After a minute, Yun quietly spoke first.

“Thank you.”

Tae lifted his eyes slightly.

“For what?”

“The food… and the groceries.”

Tae simply shrugged.

“It’s nothing.”

After finishing his drink, Tae stood up and walked toward the exit.

Before leaving, he turned slightly.

“Bye. Let’s meet at college tomorrow.”

Yun silently nodded.

The moment Tae disappeared through the door, Yun’s heart started racing again.

His face slowly became red.

He still didn’t understand why.

Minho leaned against the counter with crossed arms.

“Are you close with that guy?”

Yun quickly shook his head.

“No. I’m not.”

Soon, the café became crowded.

Most of the customers were girls, all coming just to see Minho. With his soft smile and handsome face, he looked almost unreal—like an angel walking around casually among humans.

By six in the evening, the café finally closed.

As Yun prepared to leave, Minho grabbed his keys.

“I’ll drop you home.”

Yun immediately refused.

“It’s okay. I’ll take the bus.”

After saying goodbye, Yun boarded the last bus heading toward his neighborhood.

The streets became emptier the farther he went.

When the bus finally stopped near his area, Yun got off and started walking home through the dark narrow road.

Cold wind brushed against his face.

Then—

From far away, he noticed someone standing in front of his house.

Because of the darkness, he couldn’t see the person clearly.

Yun slowed down unconsciously.

Step by step, he moved closer.

And the moment he finally recognized the figure standing there—

His entire body froze.

Like ice.

His hands trembled violently as fear slowly filled his eyes.

The evening streets were already dark by the time Lee Yun got off the bus.

Cold wind brushed against his face as he walked through the narrow road leading toward his house. The neighborhood was quiet except for the distant barking of dogs and the weak flickering of old streetlights above him.

Then—

He stopped walking.

Someone was standing in front of his house.

Because of the darkness, Yun couldn’t see the person clearly at first. But as he slowly stepped closer, the figure finally moved beneath the dim light.

And the moment Yun recognized her—

His entire body froze.

His breathing became uneven while his hands trembled slightly beside him.

A woman slowly smiled while looking at him.

“Hey, son,” she said casually. “How’s life going? Have you been?”

Lee Yun said nothing.

He only stood there silently like a statue.

The woman tilted her head slightly before speaking again.

“I heard your grandmother died,” she said. “Is it true?”

After a few seconds, Yun quietly nodded.

Something unreadable flashed across the woman’s face before she sighed dramatically.

“Then how are you living all alone?” she asked. “Do you want to come live with me?”

Yun immediately shook his head.

The woman suddenly laughed sarcastically.

The sound made Yun’s chest tighten painfully.

“Still stubborn, huh?”

Without waiting for permission, she pushed past him and entered the small house.

The moment she stepped inside, her eyes slowly wandered across the old furniture, cracked walls, and dim lights.

Silence filled the room.

Yun quietly stood near the door without speaking.

Then suddenly—

“Can you lend me some money?” she asked casually while turning toward him. “I’m in a tight spot right now. I’ll definitely pay you back later.”

Yun’s expression slightly stiffened.

“I don’t have any money.”

But she ignored his answer and started opening drawers carelessly.

“What are you doing?” Yun asked quietly.

“You must have something hidden somewhere.”

She continued searching through the room messily while muttering to herself.

Yun quickly grabbed her wrist.

“Please stop,” he said weakly. “I really don’t have money.”

But she shoved his hand away roughly.

Then finally—

She found a small bundle of cash inside one of the drawers.

Her expression instantly darkened.

“What the fuck is this?” she snapped. “Only fifty thousand won?”

“I need one million won!”

Yun stared at her in disbelief.

“One million?” he repeated quietly. “Where am I supposed to get that much money?”

His voice slowly started shaking.

“You abandoned me with grandmother,” he continued. “She took care of me for sixteen years.”

His eyes slowly reddened.

“You never came to see me even once.”

The woman’s face hardened immediately.

“And now you suddenly come here asking me for money?”

Yun clenched his trembling fists tightly.

“You left me with debt… and I’m the one paying it off every single month.”

His breathing became heavier.

“I’m already struggling just to survive.”

For the first time—

His calm mask finally started cracking.

“But somehow I was still managing…”

His voice became quieter.

“And now you came back just to make my life harder again.”

SLAP.

The sound echoed loudly across the tiny house.

Yun’s face turned to the side from the force.

A red mark slowly appeared across his cheek.

“You dare talk back to me?” she snapped angrily.

Even after being slapped—

Yun still didn’t cry.

His eyes remained empty.

The woman grabbed the money before storming out of the house without another word.

The door slammed shut behind her.

Silence.

Complete silence.

For several seconds, Yun simply stood there motionlessly.

Then slowly—

His knees gave out.

A broken sound escaped his throat as tears finally started falling uncontrollably.

He covered his face while crying harder than before, his shoulders shaking violently inside the dark empty house.

That night, he went to bed without eating anything.

Curled beneath the blanket, Yun slowly closed his exhausted eyes.

But sleep did not bring peace.

In his dream—

Voices surrounded him.

Laughter.

Mocking.

Cruel.

Someone threw water at him.

Another person shoved food onto the floor while others laughed loudly.

“Pick it up.”

“Hurry up.”

“Disgusting.”

Young Yun’s trembling hands picked things up silently while everyone watched him like entertainment.

Then suddenly—

Darkness.

A small locked room.

Cold.

Lonely.

Yun started banging desperately against the door.

“Grandma…!”

His breathing became uneven.

“Grandma!”

No answer came.

Only darkness.

“Grandma…!”

Suddenly—

Lee Yun woke up violently.

His entire body was covered in sweat.

His breathing was shaky as he quickly sat up from the bed.

For a few seconds, he looked around the dark room in panic before realizing it was only a dream.

A nightmare.

Again.

Yun pressed one trembling hand against his face before slowly drinking water.

But no matter how hard he tried afterward—

He couldn’t fall asleep again.

Morning arrived quietly.

Without eating breakfast, Yun got ready and left for college.

His body felt exhausted.

The red mark on his cheek was still faintly visible beneath his pale skin.

As Yun walked through the university gates, he suddenly heard footsteps stop in front of him.

Han Tae.

Tae’s sharp eyes immediately noticed the bruise on Yun’s cheek.

His expression slowly darkened.

Without saying anything, Tae stepped closer.

Yun slightly froze.

Then gently—

Tae lifted his hand and touched Yun’s cheek carefully.

His thumb slowly brushed against the wound.

The touch was unexpectedly warm.

Yun’s breathing instantly became unstable.

Tae stared at the faint bruise silently for a few seconds before quietly asking,

“…What happened?”