Seungho was still very weak – to the point that he only had limited movements – and was running a fever, so he remained confined in that sofa, IV line still on, until his fever subsided at the end of the week. Byunghee, knowing that Seungho was getting better, decided to go back to work the day after Seungho woke up. He would just cook food for Seungho and leave it in the table before he heads out to work late in the morning. When he comes home late at night, Seungho will usually be sound asleep in the sofa.

The following week, Seungho was already up and about. Since the doctor told him that he was already good to go, Seungho found no reason for staying in Byunghee's apartment any longer and so he waited for the perfect timing to approach Byunghee to thank him and to bid his goodbyes.

Byunghee was sitting in the kitchen, eating his dinner, when suddenly Seungho approached him and gave him a 90 degree bow.

“Byunghee-ssi, I have been so much of an inconvenience to you for the past days and no words would be enough to show my appreciation for all the kindness you've shown to a stranger like me. Now that I am well and good, I think it's proper that I go and find a way to pay you back up to the last cent.. Just give me time until I find a job and earn enough money to pay you back.” Seungho was still bowing down as he spoke.

Byunghee got surprised with his sudden gesture and speech, but he still managed to keep his poise as he responded to Seungho's plea. “You think you can manage on your own? Your bruises still looks pretty bad. Why don't you stay here for the meantime? You mentioned that you're just about to look for a job right? Do you have a place to stay?” Byunghee, until now, is still surprised at how motherly he sounded towards Seungho. But he just can't help but worry about this man who seems to be homeless and battered.

Seungho was really happy with Byunghee's offer. He knows he didn't have any place to return to, and Byunghee's offer will be of great help if he wants to succeed on getting back on his feet and establishing himself. It was him being naïve or his innocence, but Seungho didn't doubt Byunghee's motives for making him stay in his apartment longer. Because no matter what his reasons are, it wouldn't erase the fact that Byunghee saved Seungho's life and he'll forever owe him for that.

Seungho didn't have second thoughts on accepting Byunghee's offer, since he wanted to grab this oportunity to give back to Byunghee by giving him his services. “Well, if it's OK with you I would like to stay in your apartment for a while until I get a job and earn enough money for me to get my own place.” Seungho said, still bowing.

Byunghee's heart softened at Seungho's politeness and kind words, but he maintained his poker face to conceal his soft spot from Seungho. He patted Seungho's shoulder and pushed him back gently to make Seungho face him. “Alright, relax man. I'm not buddha or something. I wouldn't mind you crashing here for the meantime.”

Seungho gave him a big smile and bowed to him again out of utter joy. “Thank you very much Byunghee! Thank you!” Seungho couldn't conceal the joy he felt knowing that someone is wlling to take him in for the meantime.

Byunghee, in the meantime, was careful not to show his emotions to Seungho; for at the end of the day, Seungho is still a stranger to Byunghee.

The following days were really difficult for Byunghee, for he was used to living alone for a long time. Having a company at home, a man for that matter, felt really awkward for him. But he tried to hide it from Seungho, since he insisted on him staying anyway. He just kept his distance by staying in his room when he's at home.

Seungho was keen enough to pick up Byunghee's hint of awkwardness, and so he made it a point to be out of his way at most times. He did the household chores without Byunghee's knowledge: cleaning the apartment, washing the dishes, etc. Seungho cooks food for Bunghee and leaves it in the table for Byunghee to eat in the morning and evening.

Seungho's efforts were left unnoticed at first. All Byunghee knows is that Seungho is living at home with him and that he's looking for a job. Little did he know that after he leaves for work in the morning, Seungho gathers his stuff – his resume, a bottle of water and a few bucks – and heads out to the city by foot to look for a job until late afternoon; and that Seungho still cleans and cooks for Seungho when he returns after his job hunt.

As weeks passed, Byunghee noticed how his apartment was getting cleaner by the moment. He came to appreciate his clothes being clean and neatly done, and how there's food in the table before he leaves and when he arrives in the evening. He wanted to thank Seungho for his efforts, but Seungho would either be somewhere out of his sgiht in the morning, or is already sleeping soundly at night. And so he just kept his gratitude to himself until he gets the chance to have a talk with Seungho again.

It was a fairly hot noon one day, and Byunghee was sitting on a taxi stuck in a traffic jam on his way to one of his 'client's' place. He was observing the passerbys on the street to ease his boredom when a familiar face came to his view.

It was Seungho.

He was drenched in sweat and was looking very exhausted as he gulped from his water bottle while he stood in the corner of the road. He was holding a brown envelope in his one hand, and a water bottle in another. After gulping on his water like a he hasn't drank for a day, he took out his handkerchief and wiped off his sweat. Then he started striding along that road until he was gone from Byunghee's sight.

He's probaly off to look for a job. Byunghee thought.

Byunghee was right, Seungho was looking for a job. But little did he know that Seungho headed out to look for a job everyday without eating breakfast...and that he was skipping his lunch because he didn't have money to buy himself food. Byunghee was unaware that Seungho's only meal everyday would be Byunghee's leftover dinner.

And Byunghee was unaware, because his very complicated work day will always leave him apathetic of how things work at home.

He thought he could just fill the cabinet and refrigerator and food, and Seungho would help himself to eat. But Byunghee was not aware of how timid Seungho is that he doesn't touch Byunghee's food unless he'll cook for Byunghee.

Things were like that for several weeks until Byunghee got a week off from work. His clients were out of town, so he planned on having fun for himself that week. He took off early morning on his first day off and went on jogging. He finished at 10 a.m., and was heading home. On his bus ride home, he saw Seungho walking down a certain street, looking more exhausted this time and drenched in his own sweat as he held a brown envelope in one hand and a water bottle in the other. He was just dressed in his shirt and jeans, and wasn't looking sharp for someone looking for a job. Byunghee got a bit suspiscious, and so he decided to follow Seungho. He got off the bus and followed Seungho without being noticed.

It was already way past lunchtime, and Seungho has been walking for hours already but it seems like he didn't have any plans on stopping. He kept on looking left and right, as if looking for something. Where is he planning to go??! He doesn't look like he's looking for a job in that outfit...what exactly is he loking for? Byunghee thought.

Seungho sat in a bus stop for a while and drank his water. After a few minutes, he started walking again until he came into a red district – which Byunghee recognizes very well. It was a street famous for being the source of different kinds of party drugs, and a famous meeting place for robbers. This made Byunghee more suspicious...

Is he on an illegal activities? Byunghee couldn't help but get nervous.

Seungho suddenly stopped and entered a creepy-looking stall, whose windows are tinted dark and covered with various flyers. Byunghee waited patiently for Seungho to come out as he ate a sandwich. After what seems like an hour, Seungho came out looking like he just lost all his money to a poker game. Byunghee was quite suspicious with Seungho's actions, so he just kept on following him. Byunghee checked his watch and got surprised when he checked the time: it was already 4 p.m., and Seungho didn't have anything to eat up to that time.

Gosh, this man sure has a lot of energy for someone who hadn't eaten lunch. Byunghee thought.

Byunghee just kept on following him until he noticed that they were already in a familiar road. They were already near Byunghee's apartment! Byunghee got surprised at Seungho's endurance, but it didn't wash out his suspicions on Seungho.

Not wanting to make Seungho aware that he's home, Byunghee climbed up the fire exit ladder that headed to his room's window. Once inside his room, Byunghee made careful steps so as to make sure that Seungho was unaware of his presence. He just observed Seungho's movements around his home that day, watching his every move through a camouflaged peephole in his door. To Byunghee's surprise, Seungho was just cleaning his apartment! After doing Byunghee's laundry, Seungho then cooked food for Byunghee.

And when there was nothing left to do, Seungho lay down and slept. Seungho remained sleeping until 9 p.m., and it seems like he didn't have any plans on eating. What the heck is with this man?! Does he even eat?! God, he did look like he lost a few more pounds since we met... Byunghee thought.

Byunghee didn't tell Seungho that he was off work that week, and so Byunghee decided to play-pretend to 'get home' at his usual time off of 10 p.m. He put on his usual 'work' clothes, climbed down the exit ladder and enetered the front door of his apartment. He just burst through the door, looked at Seungho who was now sitting at the sofa and smiling at him. Byunghe just smiled a bit and went straight to the kitchen and ate dinner. After having his piece, he went to his room without a word and locked it. Once inside, he immediately peeped through the peephole and watched at Seungho's next move.

What Byunghee saw next broke his heart. Seungo gathered what was left of Byunghee's dinner and ate it before he washed the dishes. Byunghee didn't know that Seungho can do something like that! Byunghee made sure that he bought food for the 2 of them every week, why was he doing this to himself? No wonder the stock of food ramians almost untouched every week.

Byunghee decided to follow Seungho the next day and got more surprised at what he learned. Seungho even skips breakfast, cleans the house and then heads out! At the end of the day, Byunghee felt really stupid and sorry for what he did. Seungho really was looking for a job all this time, and got refused a few times that day. Byunghee felt terrible for being suspicious of the man who had good intentions of just looking for a job, while playing the role of a 'house maid' for Byunghee. What made Byunghee felt more terrible was the fact that Seungho didn't touch Byunghee's food to feed himself! And so when the evening came, after Byunghee finished his dinner he went to his room and peeped through his camouflaged peephole to check on Seungho. Seungho was about to eat a spoon of Byunghee's leftover dinner when Byunghee stormed out of his room and approached Seungho.

Seungho got startled and stood up, letting go of the spoon of food.

“Is there anything you need Byunghee?” Seungho asked timidly, but Bunghee didn't respond. Instead he just pushed Seungho gently to sit in the chair as he busied himself with preparing some food.

Seungho was just watched silently, mouth slightly opened in shock as he watch Byunghee busy himself around. Seungho felt bad and scared, because he thought Byunghee got mad because he was about to eat his leftovers. “Byunghee, I'm sorry I was about to eat the left overs... I-”

Byunghee suddenly faced him with a big bowl of food and placed it in front of seungho.

“Eat.”

Seungho looke at him, startled. Seungho thought Byunghee was really pissed off for eating his food, and he was about to kneel down in front of Byunghee but Byunghee suddenly spoke.

“What are you waiting for? Dig in! You haven't had dinner, have you? Why are you eating the left overs when we have enough food for the two of us?” Byunghee ended his talk with a smile.

Seungho looked at Byunghee, surprised. How did he know? Seungho thought.

“From now on, we eat breakfast and dinner together, OK? You seem like you're losing a lot of weight despite the amount of food I buy for the 2 of us. I think I have to make sure you eat well, or else I might get scolded by that doctor if you get sick again” Byunghee said as he eyed on the bowl of food while he scooped some and ate. He didn't want to expose Seungho, and so he just pretended that he was concerned of Seungho losing weight.

Seungho gave out a big smile and nodded timidly. “OK. Thank you for your concern Byunghee.”

Byunhgee looked at Seungho in the eye and smiled. “Help yourslef and eat your heart out, OK? Everything is for the the 2 of us, so just eat. I don't want to hear your excuses, just eat and live healthy, OK?” Byunghe tapped Seungho's shoulder as he spoke.

Seungho couldn't help but sigh and smile in happiness at what Byunghee said.

Eating together quietly from the same bowl that night broke off all forms of awkwardness they had for each other.

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Writing this chapter broke my heart (T.T) It was really sad to imagine Seungho like this (T.T)