IPSTDS Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Nothing had even started, so what exactly was he trying to stop?

Nahyuk simply listened in silence as Seo Dowoong continued speaking.

“The night you collapsed, I was going to confess to Kim Daon. I was going to ask him to seriously date me.”

“…….”

“Because of you, I had to postpone it. But I’ll set another day soon.”

Nahyuk slowly nodded, lost in thought.

‘Will the confession scene be uploaded in the novel?’

Regardless of his personal feelings about Seo Dowoong, Nahyuk was still a die-hard fan of The Caged Flower.

Which meant he was extremely curious about the main couple’s confession scene.

How would Seo Dowoong confess?

Would he throw money around like usual?

And how would the ever-cynical Kim Daon respond?

If possible, Nahyuk wanted to see it unfold in person.

Of course, he knew full well how unrealistic that was.

Unless he somehow became Seo Dowoong’s secretary, there was no way he’d get to watch the confession in real life.

And if he got caught sneaking around, Dowoong would tear him apart.

Just thinking about it made his temples throb.

But then again, since he could see the uploaded novel chapters, he figured he could at least read the confession scene in text form.

And that, he decided, was enough.

Especially since he could barely handle the way Dowoong was glaring at him right now—as if he wanted to rip him to shreds.

Enough was enough. He needed to end this conversation and kick Seo Dowoong out.

“Seo Dowoong-ah, good luck with your confession.”

“…….”

“Make sure our Daon is happy.”

It was a genuine wish—nothing but sincerity.

But for some reason, Seo Dowoong’s face twisted again.

What the hell was his problem now?

Even when wishing him luck, he still wasn’t satisfied?

“If you’re done talking, can you leave now? You admitted that I’m terminally ill. I’m sick. I want to rest.”

“…….”

No response.

Seo Dowoong simply turned around and left the hospital room.

BANG!

And just like in the novel, he slammed the door shut on his way out.

Nahyuk collapsed onto the bed.

He wasn’t actually injured, but for some reason, he felt more exhausted than ever.

For the next few days, Nahyuk remained hospitalized, undergoing various tests.

Since the day he woke up—when Lee Kangil and Seo Dowoong had visited—not a single person had come to see him.

Surely, the news of Yoon Noah’s hospitalization must have reached his parents.

And yet, they hadn’t even called.

‘They acted like they could use Noah at Yoon Taesik’s birthday banquet.’

But now, since he was terminally ill, did that mean he was no longer useful?

The thought crossed his mind that they might actually welcome their disgraceful son’s early death.

Once, when they first held him in their arms as a newborn, he must have been precious to them… right?

But blood ties and shared surnames didn’t necessarily make a family.

Nahyuk had lived like a stranger to his own parents in his original world, too.

Still, knowing that no one cared wasn’t bitterness—it was just loneliness.

The stark white walls of the cold hospital room felt even more suffocating.

Come to think of it, when he was Lee Nahyuk, he had never received a hospital visit either.

How was it that both as Nahyuk and as Yoon Noah, his relationships were this messed up?

Maybe that was the reason he ended up in Yoon Noah’s body—because of some cruel, cosmic commonality between them.

Nahyuk let out a self-deprecating laugh and began packing his few belongings.

Before this isolation drove him insane, it was best to leave.

Even if he went back to Yoon Noah’s house, he’d still be alone.

But at least there, he had Chief Song (though they rarely spoke) and a beautiful garden to look at.

Nahyuk liked looking down at the garden through his bedroom window.

The garden at Yoon Noah’s private residence was immaculately maintained, almost like a public park facility designed for aesthetics and convenience.

Its perfectly manicured and clutter-free appearance gave him a sense of relief.

He had nowhere to lean emotionally, but at least he had one thing he genuinely liked.

As he soaked in the peaceful scenery, he found himself appreciating Yoon Noah’s freedom even more.

Even if loneliness was part of the package, that freedom made it worth it.

So what if he was a little lonely? He was rich, handsome, and free.

Once he was healthier, he should find something he wanted to do.

No—better yet, he should find someone to love.

Maybe then, he could overcome the loneliness.

Since his illness didn’t require hospitalization, the discharge process was quick and simple.

When he stepped outside, the one person who actually cared for Yoon Noah, Chief Song, was waiting for him.

Chief Song was the only one who had brought him his necessities while he was in the hospital.

“Young Master, you’ve been through a lot.”

“Chief Song, thank you.”

“……Ah.”

Song looked visibly taken aback, clearly unaccustomed to a polite Young Master.

Nahyuk settled into the backseat of the foreign luxury car that Song had opened for him.

“Young Master, we’ll be leaving now.”

“Yes, driver.”

“……Ah.”

Even the usually expressionless driver briefly looked uncomfortable.

All he had said was “Thank you.” “Yes.”—was that really so weird?

Exactly how unpleasant had Yoon Noah been for this much politeness to feel alien?

“Driver, please drive safely.”

Nahyuk added in a light-hearted tone, an attempt to ease the awkwardness both Song and the driver were feeling.

“……Yes, Young Master. Please fasten your seatbelt! We’ll be departing now.”

For such a small gesture, the driver’s tone lifted noticeably.

Nahyuk simply replied, “Yes.” and clicked his seatbelt into place.

Just as the car began moving, his silent phone vibrated for the first time in days.

The caller was Lee Kangil.

He had been busy with research and had left a message earlier saying he wouldn’t be able to visit.

• Wildcat. You getting discharged? I’ll deliver your meds later. ❁´◡`❁

The emoji that didn’t suit Lee Kangil’s message was funny. Nahyuk unknowingly let out a small chuckle.

He hadn’t had the chance to talk more about the medicine, and he was curious—until when would Kangil willingly hand over the experimental drug?

If he continued taking the drug, would he really be able to recover?

The situation that had felt suffocating now seemed to be resolving itself fairly well.

Maybe because he had left the stifling hospital, his heart felt at ease.

As Nahyuk, whose heart had become calm, started to nod off, the last thing he saw was the traffic light turning red.

As he felt the car come to a stop, he fell into a deep sleep.

His blurry vision started to clear.

The first thing that became clear in his vision was greenery.

‘I definitely fell asleep in the car… but why are there trees?’

Along the iron fence, neatly trimmed trees were planted at regular intervals.

And in front of them, there was a wide sports field.

Right after that, a strange sound reached his ears.

Beep—.

For some reason, it was an unfamiliar whistle sound, the shouts of children, and the sound of running footsteps.

A lukewarm breeze blew, carrying a faint smell of sweat.

As he blinked, boys running around the sports field came into view.

There were kids playing dodgeball, kids racing—various sports were being played.

Everything about it looked just like a schoolyard.

And Nahyuk, as he looked at the warm, sunlit schoolyard, found it unfamiliar but somehow nostalgic.

Back when he was in school, he had rarely stepped out of the classroom.

Because of his timid personality, he had been subtly ostracized.

In his memories, there had never been a schoolyard this beautiful.

At that moment, a voice was heard nearby.

“Should I dye my hair too?”

It was a familiar but unwelcome voice.

Nahyuk turned his head toward the owner of the voice.

To his surprise, Seo Dowoong was sitting right beside him.

But he wasn’t dressed in his usual three-piece suit. Instead, he wore a white school uniform.

‘A school uniform?’

And that wasn’t the only strange thing.

The Seo Dowoong sitting next to him looked noticeably younger.

His cheeks were fuller, as if he hadn’t completely lost his baby fat yet.

His sharp eyes, which usually had a cold edge, appeared softer and more relaxed.

Of course, that didn’t mean he looked childish.

Even without smiling, Seo Dowoong had an aura that made him hard to approach.

And yet, he was captivating.

Nahyuk found himself unable to look away from this boyish version of Seo Dowoong.

“Yoon Noah. How do you think I’d look if I dyed my hair?”

Seo Dowoong’s gaze, which had been fixed on the schoolyard, suddenly turned toward him.

At that moment, a lukewarm breeze blew past, making Dowoong’s hair sway gently.

His eyes were locked onto Nahyuk, as if he wouldn’t look away until he answered.

The stare was uncomfortable.

It was probably because of those dark eyes.

Looking into those deep, unreadable pupils, it felt as if his every thought was being laid bare.

Including the fact that he wasn’t actually Yoon Noah—that he was Lee Nahyuk.

“But now that I think about it, dyeing suits you better than me. You’re small and pale.”

“Hey, fuck off. It’s not because I’m small, it’s because I’m handsome. I look good in anything.”

His body answered on its own.

It was probably Yoon Noah speaking.

So this was… a dream showing the past of Yoon Noah and Seo Dowoong.

There was no other way to explain it.

‘I’m seeing Seo Dowoong through Yoon Noah’s eyes.’

After exchanging words, Noah and Dowoong began to laugh.

Seeing Dowoong, dressed in a short-sleeved summer uniform, laughing freely, there was nothing but refreshing warmth in his expression.

It was a stark contrast to the cold voice he had now.

They must have been close during this time.

“But why dye your hair all of a sudden? Who were you looking at when you said that?”

At Noah’s question, Seo Dowoong pointed toward the schoolyard without hesitation.

There, a group of boys was playing dodgeball.

And among them, one boy stood out immediately.

He was tall, but his frame wasn’t particularly broad.

He was the last one standing on his team, effortlessly dodging every ball that came his way.

His movements were quick, and every time he moved, his smooth, silky hair swayed lightly.

His hair was a bright brown color.

“Who’s that?”

“I don’t know. But his hair is shiny. It’s pretty.”

Seo Dowoong couldn’t take his eyes off him.

Yoon Noah didn’t seem to recognize the boy, but Nahyuk realized immediately.

‘That’s Kim Daon.’