To My Brother’s Friend - Chapter 30

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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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Chapter 30
The rain continued to batter against the car windows with relentless fury.
Kwon Yeol, his face ashen, practically carried the limp Hee-jo through the Hotel Lobby.
The Hotel Manager recognized him instantly and rushed forward in alarm, but there was no time for pleasantries.
The Hotel Manager guided them to the exclusive VIP Room and immediately summoned the Hotel Doctor.
“It’s the flu. Her body was already weakened, and being caught in the rain was the final blow. Additionally, she appears to be under considerable psychological stress….”
The Hotel Doctor’s words cut through Kwon Yeol’s chest like a blade.
Psychological stress.
He knew all too well the source of the excruciating pain Hee-jo was enduring.
“Complete rest is essential. First, she needs to change out of those wet clothes and raise her body temperature.”
The Hotel Manager responded with quick understanding.
“I’ll bring dry clothes. Would you like me to send a staff member to assist?”
“No.”
Kwon Yeol, after a moment’s thought, parted his lips.
“I’ll change my fiancée’s clothes myself.”
Fiancée.
At that audacious word, the Hotel Manager’s eyelids trembled imperceptibly, but he quickly composed his expression with practiced ease.
“Understood. I’ll have everything prepared at once.”
The Hotel Manager bowed respectfully and withdrew with the Hotel Doctor.
Shortly after, fresh, laundered clothes were arranged neatly on the Living Room table.
The Hotel Manager did not venture inside, merely announcing his presence softly from beyond the entrance before disappearing.
Kwon Yeol, carrying the clothes, cast his gaze toward the Bedroom.
“….”
Observing Hee-jo trembling softly on the bed, her body still wrapped in soaked garments, he approached her without hesitation.
He removed the large blanket draped over her like a quilt and began carefully peeling away her wet clothes one by one.
Her skin beneath his fingertips burned with fever, and the delicate frame beneath felt as though it might shatter at any moment.
With gentle hands, Kwon Yeol quickly dressed her in dry clothes and laid her back on the bed.
Then, from between her trembling lips, a thin voice emerged faintly.
“I’m cold….”
Hee-jo immediately began shaking, pulling Kwon Yeol’s hand—the one tucking the blanket around her—into her embrace.
“Brother….”
Her slender fingers clung to his hand desperately.
Kwon Yeol’s gaze fell heavily upon her wet eyelashes.
“Don’t go….”
In that instant, his pupils dilated sharply.
Yoon Hee-jo never spoke to me in casual speech.
Which meant the “brother” she was calling out to now—
“Don’t go, brother. Stay with me… you said you’d be by my side….”
Hee-jo was searching for Hee-jae.
Her real brother, who had been dead for eight years—dead because of her.
“You should have taken me with you… You promised you’d always be by my side… Why did you leave me alone? You said you couldn’t even bear being home by yourself for a moment….”
Tears streamed endlessly down Hee-jo’s closed eyes.
“You’re a liar, Hee-jae….”
Yoon Hee-jo wept.
This girl who had never shed tears in any circumstance.
The girl who smiled even when in pain, who never showed her sorrow—
“I’m sorry for crying, Hee-jae. If I cry, it will hurt your heart, and you won’t be able to leave peacefully because of me….”
Hee-jo’s eyes began to redden and swell.
Her delicate shoulders trembled faintly before beginning to shake violently.
The sorrow and exhaustion that had accumulated layer upon layer behind her mask erupted forth, surging with fever.
Hee-jo, mistaking herself for Hee-jae and weeping to see him, appeared so fragile she might vanish into thin air at any moment.
Kwon Yeol’s insides twisted into chaos as he watched her.
A pain pierced through him as if a blade had slashed down his throat and finally lodged itself in the deepest recesses of his heart, crushing it.
“Hee-jae….”
Each time the name of the friend who had died in his stead fell from Hee-jo’s lips, his eyes burned with scalding heat.
“…I’m sorry.”
Hee-jo, mistaking Kwon Yeol’s words for those of Hee-jae, gripped his hand with all her remaining strength.
“Don’t go, Hee-jae. Don’t leave me behind. Take me with you. Take me too….”
Hee-jo, pouring out the true feelings she had buried deep in her heart along with her tears, clutched his arm with desperate force and pressed her face against him.
As if refusing to let him go anywhere.
“….”
Finally, Kwon Yeol, lying beside her, pulled Hee-jo into his embrace and stroked her head.
“I won’t go. Not until you tell me to.”
He whispered softly against her ear.
“Sob….”
At his words, Hee-jo wept aloud in his arms.
Kwon Yeol comforted her in silence.
Outside, the sound of rain still poured down as if to swallow the world whole.
* * *
How much time had passed?
Blink. Blink.
Long eyelashes moved slowly.
Soon the thin line widened from top to bottom, and her vision began to return gradually.
“….”
Something dark and vast blocked her entire field of vision.
When Hee-jo tried to move, the thick, firm thing that had been holding her body tightly loosened its grip slightly.
“You’re awake?”
At the low voice resonating from above her head, Hee-jo lifted her gaze.
Her eyes, now focused, trembled widely.
“…Kwon Yeol?”
My startled gaze locked onto Kwon Yeol.
Yet he remained perfectly still, extending one large hand to press against my forehead.
“Fortunately, your fever has come down a bit.”
The moment his cool palm touched my forehead, I drew in a shallow breath.
The pupils of Kwon Yeol’s eyes looking down at me were slightly bloodshot.
As if he hadn’t slept a wink.
“How’s your body?”
“I… think I’m alright.”
At those words, Kwon Yeol’s eyes narrowed slightly.
“If you don’t tell me the truth, we’re going straight to the Hospital.”
At the mention of the Hospital, I inhaled sharply before speaking carefully.
“…My head hurts just a little, but I think it’ll be fine if I rest.”
“You’re not just enduring it?”
I nodded.
Watching my head move up and down slightly, Kwon Yeol cupped my cheeks in his hands.
“You’re not hungry?”
“No, not yet… What about you?”
“Neither am I.”
Then Kwon Yeol pulled me firmly against him by the back of my shoulders.
My nose bumped against his solid chest, and I let out a small sound without thinking.
“Did that hurt?”
“No, I was just startled…”
For a moment, I held my breath.
Kwon Yeol carefully lifted my chin, furrowing his brow as he examined my face closely.
“You’re not injured…”
But Kwon Yeol needed to verify it with his own eyes to feel reassured, so he meticulously inspected every detail of my complexion before slowly releasing me.
“I’m fine…”
“I’m not fine.”
I pressed my lips together.
His low voice and the intensity in his eyes revealed the concern he held for me.
“Really, nothing hurts? You’re not hungry?”
“Yes, I think I’ll be okay once I rest a bit more. But… what time is it?”
Suddenly, my face was buried against Kwon Yeol’s broad chest again.
While holding me, Kwon Yeol reached behind my back with his hand and checked the time on his phone.
“It’s just past 6:20.”
My eyes blinked rapidly.
“You don’t mean… it’s evening?”
“Yeah.”
At his casual response, my mouth fell open.
‘How long did I sleep?’
She hurried to pull herself upright.
“I’m so sorry—I’ve stolen your time because of me….”
But I found myself drawn back into his broad embrace as if by gravity itself.
Kwon Yeol felt the warmth radiating from my body and closed his eyes.
“If you’re that sorry, just stay like this for a moment.”
“Kwon Yeol….”
“I haven’t had a moment’s rest nursing the little one.”
My shoulders flinched.
“Little… little one….”
“What else would I call the little one? You eat like a bird, and you keep collapsing like this.”
His large hand enveloped my shoulders.
“From now on, let’s eat together as much as possible. I need to see with my own eyes whether you’re eating properly, Yoon Hee-jo with your delicate appetite.”
“You can’t do this. You must be busy….”
Kwon Yeol wrapped his long legs around me, holding me firmly in place as I struggled to slip free from his embrace, and spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
“I’m going to sleep here with you.”

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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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