DI Ch 90

“Depression?”

“Yes. … Hyung, you knew all along, so why are you surprised?”

“Who’s surprised.”

Tae Seong-je smiled with a blank expression on his face as if he hadn’t been surprised at all. But it felt like he had been surprised.

“Well… Anyway, the medication I used to take was just for mild depression.”

We had agreed to be completely honest with each other, except for my special situation. When he admitted that he had seen all my medical records, I wasn’t particularly surprised. But I was a little taken aback when he realized that I hadn’t been taking my prescribed medication for a while. Nevertheless, I answered honestly when he asked why I hadn’t been taking it.

“I stopped taking it in February because I thought I’d be fine without it… Uh?”

He squeezed my cheek before I could finish speaking. When a sense of unease briefly crossed my face, he began to mercilessly pinch my cheeks.

“Are you a doctor? Who are you to judge that on your own? I’ve never met a punk like this before. I’ve been living without common sense until you came along. I’m grateful, very grateful. Huh?”

“Ah, hyung, ah, ah!”

I made a single wrong comment, and I got thoroughly scolded. Thanks to that, I had to go around with two large band-aid on each cheek. The attending physician I met that day was so surprised by the size of my wounds when he saw my face.

I even received psychological counseling, but the medication had no effect on my body, so it felt like it was all in vain. Still, if my treatment process brought him comfort, there was no reason to refuse, so I did everything I was asked to do.

It might be due to my mood, but the pain seemed to decrease. Well, maybe it was because I was with Tae Seong-je, or maybe the counseling wasn’t as bad as I had thought. Either way, the decrease in pain was a positive outcome.

There was one more change. He no longer felt the need to hide anything from me. For example, he didn’t bother to hide his back from me anymore when changing clothes, and he even introduced me to some of his trustworthy subordinates.

Even when he had no reason to doubt my safety, he insisted on accompanying me whenever I went out. But after a month of staying at the hotel, Tae Seong-je has not left my side even once. Even during appointments with the doctor and counselor, he was there under the guise of being my guardian. When I said I would go for a short walk by the sea or even go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, he followed me every time.

Of course, I’ve had seizures before, and I’ve been on medication again, bumping into things and almost falling asleep in the bathroom due to the insane amount of drowsiness that comes as a side effect, so I could understand his unusual attitude. However, with him being so busy, I was more worried about him not leaving my side.

The first week was great. Really great. But as the atmosphere that the cold-faced subordinates exuded turned tense and they became increasingly restless, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Despite his assurance not to worry, I was definitely more worried than convinced.

“Young master. It’s over. wake up.”

“Huh?”

“Hold my hand, like this.”

I could barely raise my upper body as the hand gently pulled me up. I’m sleepy… I looked blankly at my legs, hanging limp like a corpse. Then he gripped my cheek and lifted my head. Ah, his hand was warm.

“I don’t know if this is dating or raising a kid.”

“Dating…”

“Ha.”

The warmth of his hand was comforting, and I closed my eyes, leaning my cheek into his hand.

“Aren’t you hungry? Let’s eat.”

He asked me if I was hungry already when I just ate… Then I remembered that the hotel said there was a spa facility in the hotel and that I wanted to go there, so I came down right after breakfast the next day.

“Oh, I’m cold.”

I shivered as the chilly sensation touched my forehead. I had fallen asleep again, and the surroundings had changed. I stretched my body, still feeling a bit disoriented. It was quite convenient that we were given a private room larger than most hotel rooms just for using the spa facilities. I could even lie down on the couch like this without anyone complaining.

“Get up.”

Except for one person.

My eyelids kept drooping as I adjusted my posture as if I had poured medicine into my head. When I finally opened my eyes, I saw a lavish marble dining table set up with a sumptuous feast.

Just smelling the food made me feel healthier. I didn’t complain, but I could almost believe that my body would turn into healthy food if I ate only such things. …And with these supplements here, I’m doing a good job of nourishing myself.

“Young master. Drink some water.”

I nodded my head and reached out to take the glass of water but hesitated for a moment. He gestured for me to take it, so I did.

“…Hyung, did you behave this way in front of the staff too?”

A mischievous smile spreads across his indifferent expression. It was even more absurd that he shrugged his shoulders and pretended not to notice.

“What should I do there? Wouldn’t they think it was strange?”

“What? It’s just a title.”

I remembered how the calm and professional staff had turned pale as soon as they saw the dragon tattoo.

“It’s just that you’re the one with the dragon on your back and you should be the young master, so it’s still kind of weird.”

“Haha.”

He laughed naturally when I pointed out that he should be the son of a gangster.

I grumbled silently, and he began lining up the medication I needed to take next to my meal. There were quite a few pills. It felt like all my energy was draining away. However, since they were all good for my body, there was no reason to refuse. The only medication I didn’t want to take was the antidepressant I had to take in the morning and evening.

“Why? Don’t you want to take it?”

“No.”

“You’re lying again.”

He spoke with a serious expression.

“Seo Seung-won. What promises did you make with me?”

“No lying. Take the medicine properly. Don’t skip counseling sessions.”

Tae Seong-je silently stretched out one finger as I mechanically recited the words that were in my mouth. Ha, really.

“…Not scratching my forearms.”

I unconsciously lowered the hand that was trying to scratch my arm. But suddenly, his finger went up again. I reluctantly opened my mouth as his finger tapped repeatedly.

“Absolutely no drinking.”

“I’ve told you many times; it’s a warning, not a promise.”

Unlike his harsh words, Tae Seong-je approached with a soft smile and rubbed the tips of our noses.

“Do you think I should save an organ just in case my lover’s body falls apart?”

“No…”

I was scared of his jokes… Whenever I thought about drinking, I was immediately warned off, which made me feel discouraged. Abstaining from alcohol wasn’t as difficult as I thought.  I was constantly sleepy, leaving no room for negative thoughts, so the pain completely disappeared. The usual fever that had always been there was gone, and even my almost cold body temperature felt unfamiliar.

However, it didn’t mean I was satisfied with the present. The cold sensation in my hand felt distant. Just moments ago, I was speaking energetically, but I quickly felt drowsy again. The side effects of alcohol can be somewhat pleasant, but the side effects of the medication are truly unbearable.

I gulped down cold water to try to come to my senses. Despite my concerns, I couldn’t live like this forever just because of someone else’s worry. I hadn’t been able to study properly, and I couldn’t even enjoy myself. If I started classes like this, I wouldn’t be able to take classes properly, let alone take exams.

“Anyway, don’t play around like that outside.”

My eyelids blinked slowly as he yawned and mumbled.

“Then is it okay inside?”

“…”

The touch of his toe on my calf suddenly woke me up. Even though I was wearing a gown, the contact was on bare skin, so the atmosphere became strange immediately. Suddenly, my mouth filled with saliva, and I couldn’t swallow it. Did he mean that? Come to think of it, it had been quite a while since we had done it.

“Um. Inside, not here…”

I cleared my throat as my voice croaked. I took a step back, rubbing my burning neck. Tae Seong-je smirked mischievously.

“Is it really that important when there was no one listening?”

“This is a matter of ethics and conscience.”

I raised my head, applying some pressure to my neck. I wondered if it was just pent-up desire. Even though it was a private room, it was still a massage parlor.

“…What kind of nonsense are you saying now?”

I hadn’t been talking nonsense earlier, had I? I was momentarily overwhelmed, then stopped myself. His confused expression was so genuine that it didn’t seem like he was joking. What was it then? Was I just mistaken? Did I imagine it? Did I wake up from a dream? Then why does it still feel…sensual?

The skin peeking through the gown seemed almost surreal today, smooth and glowing with vitality. His well-defined and prominent muscles cast intriguing shadows on his tanned body, making him undeniably provocative. I couldn’t decide where to place my gaze; my attention remained firmly fixed on his chest.

It seemed like he had become sexier since we sunbathed at the beach together a few days ago. I don’t know what’s going on in his mind, but he’s been working out so hard lately, and it has clearly improved his physique. He was always attractive, but now he appeared even more captivating.

Whenever I woke up, he would be working out in the room with a treadmill and exercise equipment he had brought from somewhere. His skin glistened with sweat as the dragon writhed gracefully, like a finely chiseled rock that had been delicately sculpted.

… Wait, was it me who was sexually frustrated?

I was startled and quickly averted my gaze. Instead, I saw a spread of nourishing foods. Well, these could be good for stamina, right? Yes, that’s it. I’ve been eating too many good things lately. Not to mention that it was not even Tae Seong-je, and the idea of me being sexually frustrated was simply not a funny joke, especially with the medication making me drowsy and out of sorts.