Chapter 10: Sleeping Together
Without warning, Haeyeong found herself in Taeseong’s arms, her lightly double-lidded eyes widening in shock.
From below, Taeseong’s prominent jawline looked even sharper.
More than the satisfaction of rescuing a doll, the shock that this man—who had just acted like he was going to devour her—was now holding her filled Haeyeong’s chest.
No matter what, we’re not the kind of people to end up in this kind of soft, romantic situation… right?
As that thought crossed her mind, her heart fluttered for reasons she couldn’t quite place.
That strange, unfamiliar feeling made her uncomfortable, and she squirmed lightly in his arms.
“Hey, put me down. Are you crazy?”
“You’re the crazy one.”
Regardless of her wriggling, Taeseong advanced steadily without a flicker of hesitation.
“Why did you even step in? It was dangerous. What if that stray dog had bitten you?”
Taeseong’s scolding tone made Haeyeong pout her lips.
He could’ve just said thank you… Did he really have to be so mean about it?
‘Seriously, what a terrible personality.’
Still, despite the sharp tone, his careful hands as he set her down made Haeyeong hold her tongue.
It didn’t seem like he was scolding her from the heart.
As soon as Taeseong placed her on the low platform in a hurry, Chairman Joo and Jincheon-daek surrounded her.
“Oh dear, what do we do! Haeyeong!”
“She’s bleeding, Chairman!”
As the two adults fussed, Taeseong gave calm instructions.
“Grandpa, please open the door to my room. Ma’am, can you find the first aid kit?”
Saying that, he once again picked up Haeyeong.
“Hey, I can walk on my own…”
Her skin was only scraped a little, but everyone was acting like she was seriously injured, making Haeyeong whisper in embarrassment.
“Keep quiet. You’re heavy enough already.”
“If I’m heavy… then you should just put me down.”
She retorted, but Taeseong didn’t respond.
He only shot her a sharp glance, as if telling her to shut up.
The inside of the house was as modest as the outside.
Clearly built for Chairman Joo’s nostalgia, the floor was covered in old yellow linoleum from the 1980s, and outdated floral wallpaper adorned the walls.
There were three rooms and one kitchen in the house.
Taeseong entered the room he always stayed in and gently set Haeyeong down on the floor.
Thanks to the butler, the heated floor was warm and cozy.
Having been exposed to winter’s chill for so long, the warmth relaxed both of them.
Soon, Taeseong straightened up and rolled up Haeyeong’s pant leg.
“Let me take a look.”
Her rolled-up pants revealed both legs, now visibly scraped.
Taeseong frowned as if the wounds were his own.
Thankfully, they weren’t too deep, but they definitely needed proper cleaning and medicine.
Just then, Jincheon-daek handed the first aid kit into the room.
“Young Master! Here’s the kit!”
She pushed the box inside without even removing her shoes, making Taeseong widen his eyes.
He had hoped to hand off the first aid to Jincheon-daek.
“Uh—”
“She got hurt saving your precious doll, Young Master. You do it.”
Having known Taeseong for a long time, Jincheon-daek saw right through him and gave her answer with a firm smile.
A smile that clearly said, ‘Don’t dump your responsibilities on me.’
Understanding immediately, Taeseong sighed lightly and nodded.
Since the room was small, he twisted his body to reach the kit and pulled it close.
His gaze briefly shifted to the rabbit doll on the floor.
Chewed up and soaked with dog slobber, the doll was a gift from his mother, one of his most treasured possessions.
No, not just treasured—essential.
Even at nineteen, the boy couldn’t sleep without it, pathetic as it might seem.
And Cha Haeyeong had found it for him, even injuring her knee in the process.
He should have been grateful—but his feelings were complicated.
Kindness feels welcome only when it comes from someone you want it from.
But this girl…
She wasn’t someone he wanted kindness from. She was someone he wanted out of his life.
Kindness from someone you want to push away—such contradictions stirred up a storm inside him.
Emotions swirled in his chest.
Forcing himself to ignore the discomfort, Taeseong opened the bottle of antiseptic.
Just then, Haeyeong’s playful voice reached his ears.
“A grown man who can’t sleep without a doll?”
Taeseong’s hand hesitated.
He lowered his gaze slightly, then met Haeyeong’s eyes and replied with deliberate bluntness.
As if trying to keep his earlier vulnerability hidden.
Even though he knew this answer would leave her flustered.
“My mom gave it to me. When I was really young.”
“Oh…”
As expected, Haeyeong’s face scrunched up just a little.
Taeseong gave a faint chuckle.
Do I have a nasty hobby of enjoying others’ discomfort? he wondered as he continued.
“My dad died, and before my mom left for the U.S., that was her last gift.”
“Why did she…?”
As Taeseong unexpectedly opened up, Haeyeong hesitantly asked, curiosity overtaking her initial reaction.
Watching her go from embarrassed to intrigued, Taeseong applied the antiseptic a little rougher than necessary.
As if saying, ‘If you want to know, then endure the pain.’
“Ow! Hey! Be gentle!”
“She left. My mom had a dream.”
“A dream?”
“Yeah. To be a film director.”
Taeseong answered indifferently.
It was a painful memory from his childhood, something he didn’t talk about—not even now.
And yet, for some reason, in front of Haeyeong, the words flowed out so easily.
“She chose love over dreams, but after my dad died in an accident, she left to chase her dream. I wasn’t helpful to that dream, so I got left with my grandpa.”
“I see…”
Haeyeong nodded, not with pity, but as if deeply contemplating.
“My mom died early, and my dad raised me and my brother. Then there was a fire, and my dad died saving us.”
Taeseong’s hand froze as he reached for the ointment.
“My grandma took us in after that. We moved to Pohang.”
Haeyeong spoke evenly, as though recounting an ordinary memory.
She usually avoided telling this story.
Words had power—whenever she shared it, she’d always have nightmares.
But strangely, she wanted to tell Taeseong. Even if nightmares came, it didn’t matter.
Maybe that’s what comfort meant when you’re nineteen.
Not saying soft things like “Are you okay?” or “That must’ve been hard,” but rather sharing the raw wounds of your life.
Clumsy and awkward, but all the more meaningful for it.
Taeseong listened closely but said nothing.
Instead, he gently applied ointment to her knee and carefully placed gauze over the wound.
For the first time, peace settled between the two.
One hour later.
After treating Haeyeong’s wounds and eating lunch prepared by the butler’s family, Jincheon-daek received a phone call.
Her daughter had collapsed and was being rushed to the hospital.
She needed to head to Seoul urgently as her daughter’s guardian.
Chairman Joo, seeing her off, began preparing to go with her.
He told them they’d be staying alone together, which made Taeseong protest.
“What? You’re leaving? Just the two of us staying here?”
“Well, what can I do? Her daughter collapsed. She’s my longtime housekeeper—of course I have to be with her.”
“Then take us with you!”
“This trip was for you and Haeyeong to bond. No way, kid!”
“Sigh.”
“What’s that sigh for?”
“I mean, aren’t you at all worried about leaving a young man and woman alone together?”
Taeseong tried to provoke the Chairman.
But he wasn’t someone easily swayed.
“Try worrying me for once in your life!”
Chairman Joo clicked his tongue and glared at Taeseong.
Just then, Haeyeong stepped in.
“Don’t worry, Grandpa. I even got Taeseong’s precious doll back. Do you think I’d do anything bad to him?”
She spoke with a polite smile, hand on her chest.
“Hohoho! Exactly! Still, if that rascal bothers you, tell me, Haeyeong. Got it?”
“Of course, Grandpa.”
This time, Haeyoung even bowed her head with a delicate, graceful posture.
In her full “Nongae returned alive” mode, Taesung’s gaze sharply targeted her.
As if the peaceful moment from just an hour ago had been an illusion, the two of them returned to their usual selves.
But that wasn’t even the real problem.
The true issue only revealed itself once evening came.
“What? We have to sleep in the same room?”
“With her?”
“With him?”
The boiler had broken down, and now they were faced with the massive problem of having to share the smallest room for the night.
