No author's note today!!

*Eh? My head is being patted...*

I didn't know how long had passed since then. However, I woke up to the nice feeling of somebody patting my head.

"Byung...Hun...oppa..."
"You're awake?"
"Why did I end up sleeping too?"
"Even if you ask me why... I woke up because you elbowed me while half-asleep."
"Mi-mianhae!"
"Ahaha, don't worry about it. I was kidding."

*Jeez, he's so mean, but I'm a little relieved.*

"Hmm? Mwohya?"
"I'm just a bit relieved now sonce you look better now than before you slept."
"Ne, I hadn't really been able to sleep recently. The doctor told me I fainted because of overwork and lack of sleep."
"I see..."
"More importantly, Niel-ssi will be calling soon so get ready."
"What time is it now?"
"Before seven. Both of us slept about two hours."

*Even though I was supposed to take care of him, I ended up sleeping too...*

"So Hyun ah?"
"Mianhae, even though you're the one who's more tired..."
"Ani, gwaenchanayo. I felt considerably better after seeing your sleeping face."
"Looking at people's sleeping faces is in bad taste."
"You were drooling, and you talked in your sleep too."
"Jjinjayo?"
"Ani, I was just kidding." He looked at my face with a teasing smile.
"Nan niga shirheohae."
"Mianhae, himnaeseyo."
"Ya-Yah, don't tickle me! My clothes will get wrinked, ara?"
"Since you slept without changing, it's already too late. Anyway, you'll just get them cleaned, geuji?"
"Majayo, geureona..."

Knock knock!

"Byung Hun-ssi, agassi. May I have some of your time?"
"Niel-ssi?"
"Ne, he's probably calling us because it's about time for dinner."
"Aniya, sasilnun I'm not here to inform you that dinner is ready, but to inform you that a guest has arrived."
"A guest? Who's here at this time?"
"Who knows? I wasn't expecting anybody..."

"Byung Hun ah, are you here? How long do you plan to make me wait?"
"Please wait! Byung Hun-ssi has fallen sick..."
"It's noisy in the hallway."
"For some reason, I just have a bad feeling."

After he let out a small sigh, he fixe himself up and went towards the hallway.

"W-wait! I'm coming too."
"You stay here. It'll enough to have me as that sly samcheon's company."

*By sly samcheon? Could the guest be him?*

"Why are you making such a fuss in the hallway?"
"Byung Hun-ssi, jeosonghabnida."
"Ani, you're not to blame."
"It's as if you're saying that I just came in here and started making a fuss by myself."
"Joesonghaeyo, but this is exactly what I think."
"Hmph!"
"You just came into the estate even though I didn't have an appointment with you. Have you never heard that good fences make good neighbours?"
"Joesonghaeyo. However, it was for me to be worried and come running when I heard that the sajang fainted, wasn't it?"
"I apologize for worrying you. However, if you came running because you were concerned, you're rather late for late."

"Byung Hun-ssi, sasilneun he came in carrying this."
"Geugeo..."
"A photo for a marriage interview? As this photo is of a man, that would suggest you brought this here for So Hyun."

*A photo for a marriage interview? Why would samcheon come with a marriage interview for me?*

I could hear Byung Hun and uncle talking from within the room, and I almost spoke up.

"I was thinking of handing that over at the same time as coming to visit you..."
"You didn't say anything about that until Niel-ssi spoke up."
"The father of the man in the photo is inferior to the Lee, but adeul is still from a considerably large company. This is an enterprise that the Lee Corp hasn't involved itself in up until now, a marriage between So Hyun-ssi and him would've be geatly beneficial for the Lee Corp."

*In other words, samcheon wants to make me have a political marriage...*

"That will be unnecessary. Take responsibility for that and take it home juseyo."
"However, if you think about the Corp, a marriage between So Hyun-ssi and him..."
"You're being rather persistent. I don't want to say this, but why is it necessary for you to think about such things instead of me? Appa entrusted the entirety of the Lee Corp to me. Neo, aniya. WHy areyou trying to force the marriage when I have said it isn't necessary?"
"Geugeo..."
"Is there perhaps something that makes it necessary for you to have So Hyun marry the son of that company?"
"A-aniya, I simply thought it would be good... Then, as you seem to be in good health, I won't take up any more of your time."
"Ne, I haven't totally recovered yet, so I would like to rest soon."
"I apologize for the sudden intrusion."

I heard a set of footsteps were heading away as well as Byung Hun's sigh.

*Can I come out now?*

"Byung Hun oppa, just now..."
"Ne, seems like he came to see you under the pretext of checking up on me."
"I wonder why samcheon have a marriage interview for me?"

"Niel-ssi."
"Ne."
"Do you remember the details of the photo for the marriage interview?"
"Ne, I remember everything, including the company name and the name of son."

*I wasn't watching, so I don't know for sure, geureona... It wasn't a very long time, but he can remember all of it. As I thought, Niel-ssi is somebody appa and oppa can trust...*

"Okay, then look into the relationship between that company and that sly uncle. Even if this engagement would be beneficial to the Lee Corp, geu namja wouldn't advise an engagement unless it had some merit for him."
"Algessumnida. I'll start investigating immediately."
"If you find anything out, put it in the safe in my room."
"Algessumnida."
"Is it okay not to have it handed personally to you?"
"That sly samcheon is in the group too. We don't know who our enemies are, so I only give the key to people I ca trust, and everything I need is stored there."
"I see..."
"Then I'll investigate immediately. Please excuse me." Niel nodded respectfully and then hurriedly walked away from us.

"Oppa..."
"You don't have to look so worried." He hugged me firmly to erase my anxiety.
"Op-oppa! Other people will see..."
"I don't care. Your uneasiness is more important to me than worrying about what other people are seeing. Plus, I have no intention of handing you over to another man."
"Gomawo. I believe you."
"If you believe me, then I'll protect you from anything."

*When he said that, it's mysterious, but I really think that everything will be alright...*

"But it's mysterious. I tried giving up on you so many times, but now I can't even think of letting you go. It's like that time was all a lie."
"Don't let me go... All I do is worry you, but you're still the one I love."
"W-we have to go soon or dinner will get cold!"
"Gaja.... Mmph!"

I couldn't finish my words. The reason being that he had pressed his lips against mine.

"I'll believe in your words just as you believe in mine." I noticed that his eyes seemed uneasy.

*Oh, so he's worrying about me and Jin Young too...*

As if to tell him to trust me, I kissed him back. As we kissed, we forgot that we were in the hallway.

Preview

"You look pale. What will you do if you faint again like you did before?"
"The reason I look pale is because my stomach hurts when I think about where I have to go next."
"When you say where you have to go next..."
"I got a phone call early this morning, and now there is a whole list of places I have to go to."
"Hwaiting..."
"Why are you saying it like it's somebody else's problem?"
"Eh?"