Illusion Blind Date - Chapter 35

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#Episode 35

“A patient came to the Emergency Room with a laceration on their hand. I stitched it up with five sutures.”
“…….”
“I did it carefully so it wouldn’t come open.”
Spring lowered her gaze, worrying her lip between her teeth.
“Spring.”
He exhaled slowly, his brow creased as if that wasn’t what he meant to say.
There was something stifled in his expression—a mixture of frustration and tender concern as he studied the wound.
Spring tried to smile reassuringly, covering her aching jaw with her hand.
But he didn’t smile in return. He swept back his dark hair and released a heavy sigh.
“Come here.”
Taemun gestured for Spring to step closer.
As she shuffled forward hesitantly, the familiar scent of him drifted over her—a fragrance she’d grown somewhat accustomed to by now.
It was cool, like a breeze through a deep forest.
Eyes as dark as ancient woodland turned toward her.
“I don’t like it when you get hurt.”
Those words alone sent her heart tumbling in ways she couldn’t control. She swallowed hard past the tightness in her throat and held his gaze steady, letting their eyes lock.
……Ah, so he really does care for me.

“I like you, Spring.”

Playful words murmured beneath the cherry blossom trees, speaking of his affection for her.

“What do you think of me?”

Gazing at her with eyes hotter than embers.

“I couldn’t sleep last night.”

He’d held back so many words, his expression full of things left unsaid—and now she finally understood what he was trying to tell her.
All those signals, all those looks he’d been sending her way.
Even someone with poor instincts couldn’t have missed it.
He’d told her she was beautiful no matter what he did, and somehow he’d heard she was hurt and came running—if she didn’t understand by now, she’d be a complete fool.
He watched her intently, his eyes cast downward at an angle, observing how her expression shifted moment by moment.
Thump-thump-thump-thump.
Her heart felt like it might burst free from her chest entirely.
“Regardless of all that, you still deserve to be scolded.”
A large hand approached her face. Her chin lifted gently.
“Does it hurt?”
His lowered eyes examined her left jaw with careful attention.
“It was just a glancing blow. The patient wasn’t really trying to hit me—it just happened that way…….”
“Anywhere else you got hit.”
“No, nowhere else.”
He continued to touch gently around the scraped wound, then slowly withdrew his hand.
His chest rose and fell with measured breaths.
In his dark eyes, an unshed intensity flickered and danced.
“I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“Don’t get hurt. It upsets me. Do you understand?”
“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind.”
Spring answered and smiled. A tingling warmth blossomed across her chest like heat shimmer.
It felt like her affection for the professor would only deepen from here on.
Was this what love felt like?
Neither of them had confessed their feelings explicitly yet, but they were clearly both rushing forward with the same heart.
That realization trembled through her, filling her with joy.
For Spring, who’d spent all her time single by equal parts choice and circumstance, spring itself had finally arrived.
And her boyfriend was this handsome and wonderful.
“Han Spring.”
Spring caught himself mid-thought—about to stretch beyond his limits—and tensed at the sound of Taemun’s voice.
Taemun’s expression had turned remarkably grave.
“Yes, sir.”
“Do you know what matters most to a practitioner?”
“The hands.”
“Right, you understand. You didn’t subdue that drunk with words alone, did you? If you throw around power carelessly and injure your hands, what then? Those are your livelihood.”
“I apologize. I’ll be more careful going forward.”
“Every time you want to fight, set aside the Sucho set and practice. You need to feel how difficult it is to suture with healthy hands—that’s the only way you’ll truly respect them.”
“I’ll be careful.”
Satisfied by Spring’s genuine answer, Taemun finally softened his stern expression.
“At least you take the hit and learn.”
…….
“And there was nothing else?”
“No, sir. Nothing.”
That was everything related to the patient. So Spring had answered honestly—but Taemun’s narrow eyes narrowed further with suspicion.
“You met the police, didn’t you? Did that blind date man show up?”
Who on earth was spreading such rumors?
Kim Youngoong. Had to be.
“It looked like the other officers came to the Emergency Room because of the drunks.”
Spring deliberately didn’t mention that Taemun himself had called him out. There was no point in doing so.
“That’s all?”
“Yes.”
After several seconds of silence, Taemun perched on the edge of the table and withdrew something from his coat pocket.
……What was that? What was he about to do?
Taemun suddenly grabbed Spring’s arm and pulled him close, drawing him between his legs.
Spring’s eyes flew wide as he stared up at Taemun in shock.
Taemun’s face was inches from his own.
“Let me see your face.”
He spoke while examining Spring’s wounded cheek.
Professor. I’m not used to situations like this.
Trapped between Taemun’s thighs, Spring found himself flushed and breathless, holding Taemun’s gaze.
He was reaching for the ointment.
With his large hand, Taemun carefully held Spring’s small face steady and began applying medicine to the wound.
“Does it hurt?”
In Taemun’s eyes, blue flames flickered as he looked down at Spring.
It seemed less like concern and more like anger directed at the patient who’d marked Spring’s jaw.
“N-no, sir.”
Spring remained still, blinking, as Taemun continued his careful work.
But Professor, my wound isn’t that large. Are you planning to apply ointment to my entire face?
His face, hovering so close to Spring’s, was grave and focused.
Just a little closer, and the angle would be perfect for a kiss.
Spring deliberately avoided his gaze, letting his eyes drift downward, pretending not to notice the professor’s lips.
I really do like him quite a lot.
If I can tolerate being fussed over like this and not feel annoyed, that’s saying something.
And honestly, which woman could resist a man like this when he sets his mind to seduction?
As Spring’s thoughts began to drift away, the door to the Doctor’s Office suddenly swung open.
Creak.
“Oh! ……I-I didn’t see anything!”
Bang!
The door to the Doctor’s Office slammed shut again.
“Hey, Lee Roun, wait. Don’t come in yet, I’m telling you—not right now.”
Chief Park Jaehong’s half-delirious voice echoed from the corridor outside.
Startled, Spring flinched backward, but Taemun caught his arm with a cautionary grip.
Rising from the table where he’d been perched, Taemun straightened to his full height.
“I’ll contact you later. Thanks for your work today.”
With a soft laugh, he pressed a medicine container into Spring’s hand.
“Apply it after you wash your face.”
……Yes.
With that, he left the Doctor’s Office, unhurried and composed.
And he just leaves me here to fend for myself.
Spring collapsed into the chair with a dazed, vacant expression.

***

As they stepped out of the Doctor’s Office, Taemun spotted Chief Park Jaehong blocking Lee Roun with his massive frame.
“Chief Park Jaehong.”
Taemun approached them and called out to the Chief.
“What are you doing?”
“Huh? Oh, it’s nothing at all.”
Park Jaehong couldn’t quite meet his eyes, clearly deflecting.
Though Taemun felt a pang of sympathy for him, he’d made up his mind to clear up the misunderstanding for Spring’s sake.
“You heard that Spring was struck by a drunk patient in the Emergency Room?”
“What? Was he badly hurt?”
The Chief asked, startled.
“He’ll have some bruising by tomorrow. For now it’s just light scratches, so I applied some ointment. We’ll have to wait and see.”
Taemun’s gaze drifted slowly toward Lee Roun, standing beside them.
Lee Roun, who rarely showed any change in expression and was usually composed, kept glancing back toward the Doctor’s Office, clearly at a loss.
‘What’s gotten into him?’
Taemun’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“Ah, I didn’t know that myself… I’ll make sure to look after him properly.”
Taemun withdrew his gaze from Lee Roun and fixed it on the Chief.
Watching the Chief scratch his head awkwardly, Taemun drove the final nail home.
“Don’t jump to pointless conclusions. And go check on him. Make sure he knows not to pull any reckless stunts like that again.”
“Yes, understood. He acts like a mad rabbit sometimes, so…”
“Who’s going into the Harvest Surgery today?”
“Ah, I’m scheduled to join the Department Head’s surgical team, and for the Professor’s surgery, third-year Oh Seungtae and Cha Jimun will be going in.”
“Put Choi Yungun in instead of Cha Jimun.”
“Yes, I’ll arrange that.”
“Then get going.”
“Wait, Professor!”
As Taemun turned to leave, Lee Roun called out to him urgently, stopping him in his tracks.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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