IPSTDS Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Sorry?

Did Seo Dowoong just apologize?

Even though he had clearly heard the words, Nahyuk could hardly believe it.

Seo Dowoong apologizing was something he had never even seen in Ruins Bloom. He was often described as someone who didn’t even know what an apology was.

And now, for him to apologize to Yoon Noah—the very person he loathed? Seo Dowoong would have to be insane to do such a thing.

…No, had he really gone insane?

Nahyuk tried belatedly to push Seo Dowoong away. But the man stayed silent and didn’t budge, as though he had completely lost consciousness.

Now that he noticed, Seo Dowoong’s forehead pressed against his shoulder felt burning hot. Hot enough that it wouldn’t have been strange if he was feverish.

Was it the fever clouding his mind that made him apologize?

“Seo Dowoong. Just step back for now.”

But again, there was no response. For someone who was always quick with his words, it seemed like he had really lost consciousness.

Nahyuk pushed at him again. Only then did Seo Dowoong’s body give way, toppling straight onto the floor with a heavy thud.

His face, flushed red, was frowning faintly even with his eyes shut. Lying there, he didn’t move at all.

Nahyuk crouched down and slapped his cheek a few times.

“Come on, wake up.”

Even though he’d struck with enough force, Seo Dowoong’s eyelids didn’t so much as twitch.

By the third slap, Nahyuk was convinced he wasn’t faking. Seo Dowoong, with his enormous pride, would never just sit still and take three slaps across the face.

Nahyuk laid the flat of his palm across Seo Dowoong’s forehead. It was blazing hot, so much so that he was impressed the man had hidden it all through dinner.

“What should I do.”

Should he just leave him here? Or should he contact someone close to him and ask them to take him home?

And then Nahyuk realized something. Seo Dowoong had no one around him.

His once closest friend, Yoon Noah, had been pushed away long ago. The person he’d dreamed of a future with, Kim Daon, he had already parted ways with.

As for anyone else… Nahyuk didn’t know if there was anyone at all. In the original story, no such figures were ever mentioned.

In the novel, if Seo Dowoong wasn’t meeting Kim Daon or being hounded by Yoon Noah, he was either working or sitting alone in his home.

He would sit in a dark officetel without even a light turned on, simply lost in thought.

“You really are pitiful, aren’t you.”

Of course, that didn’t mean Nahyuk felt pity for him.

Out of a sense of decency, Nahyuk decided at least to see him home. No matter how much he disliked Seo Dowoong, he wasn’t cold-hearted enough to abandon a sick man.

But before that, he thought it best to let Lee Kangil know. He didn’t want to give him any reason to misunderstand.

Nahyuk called Lee Kangil. Usually, even if he was at work, Kangil picked up after just two rings. But today, he didn’t answer.

Was something going on? Was he busy with work? It seemed like office hours should already be over.

But Nahyuk couldn’t jump to conclusions.

As a researcher, Lee Kangil had flexible hours. Sometimes he left early like a man of leisure, and other times he spent whole nights at the company.

Nahyuk tried calling several more times.

But since Kangil never picked up, he had no choice but to leave him a message.

He explained at length: today he had met with Yoon Taesik, but unfortunately Seo Dowoong had also been there. Seo Dowoong had suddenly collapsed, and Nahyuk was only escorting him home, so he shouldn’t worry. The message ended up quite long.

It was only because Nahyuk wanted to explain everything so there’d be no misunderstandings that it turned out that way.

By the time he sent the message, Yoon Noah’s chauffeur had arrived at the villa to fetch him.

“Young Master, the Chairman left quite some time ago, but since you hadn’t come out, I came to check.”

Speaking cautiously, the chauffeur then noticed the collapsed Seo Dowoong and gasped aloud.

“Y-young Master Dowoong? Are you alright?”

So Seo Dowoong seemed to know the chauffeur as well, just as he appeared close with Chief Song.

“I think he fainted from the fever. By the way… do you know where Seo Dowoong’s home is?”

“Yes! I often drove Young Master to his residence, so I know the place well.”

“……”

It might have been something Yoon Noah had arranged before, but Nahyuk still felt unreasonably embarrassed.

Just how often had Yoon Noah visited Seo Dowoong’s place for even the chauffeur to know the address?

He wanted to crawl into a hole if he could.

With an awkward face, Nahyuk spoke softly.

“Then, could you take him there?”

“Yes, I’ll carry him.”

“Please do. Thank you.”

The chauffeur, a fairly large man, easily hefted Seo Dowoong onto his back. Together, they walked out to the sedan parked in the restaurant lot.

They seated Seo Dowoong in the back, with Nahyuk sitting beside him. Nahyuk then called Dr. Kim to explain the situation—that an acquaintance had fainted from fever, and if possible, could he send someone over.

Dr. Kim readily offered to come himself. Nahyuk expressed thanks on Seo Dowoong’s behalf. Only after settling everything did a thought cross his mind.

“Do I really have to go this far?”

If Seo Dowoong weren’t sick, he wouldn’t have helped him at all.

But since Nahyuk himself had a frail body, he couldn’t easily ignore someone who was ill.

Still, he resolved to avoid Seo Dowoong firmly in the future, so that nothing like this would happen again.

And he thought it might finally be time to confess what he had left unsaid out of fear of Yoon Taesik’s anger. That he hadn’t done anything to deserve today’s praise, that it had been Seo Dowoong’s lie on his behalf.

Yoon Taesik would surely be disappointed. But if Nahyuk explained the circumstances well, maybe he could at least maintain a relationship where they occasionally exchanged greetings.

If he kept carrying on the lie just to avoid Yoon Taesik’s disfavor, then Seo Dowoong would have leverage over him.

And who knew how much he would torment him with it. The thought alone was horrifying.

With that decision made, Nahyuk let out a dry breath.

After everything that had happened, he felt terribly tired. If he didn’t stay alert, he might doze off right there.

Yawns slipped out one after another before he could stop them, and Nahyuk wished desperately they would hurry to Seo Dowoong’s officetel. He couldn’t afford to fall asleep now.

That was when he felt Seo Dowoong’s body leaning against him. Nahyuk pushed his head to the side with a finger.

But soon enough, his head tilted back onto him again. After repeating this three, four times, Nahyuk grew weary.

It seemed better to give up on pushing his head away. Nahyuk exhaled a heated sigh, almost like the fevered breaths Seo Dowoong let out.

…If only they would arrive soon.

Maybe he should just shove him under the seat. The impulsive thought was unexpectedly tempting.

Fortunately, before Nahyuk could shove Seo Dowoong under the seat, they arrived at his officetel. But the moment they reached it, an unexpected problem crossed his mind.

‘Security looks pretty strict. How am I supposed to get inside?’

As he paced near the entrance, wondering if he should show them Seo Dowoong’s unconscious face, a security guard actually appeared and greeted him.

“Young Master Noah! It’s been a while since you last came.”

“…What?”

“I was worried something might’ve happened since you hadn’t visited in some time.”

The guard looked well past fifty. An older man was speaking to him with a friendly smile.

Once again, Nahyuk was caught off guard.

Not only the chauffeur but even the man managing the officetel knew about Yoon Noah’s frequent visits.

At that moment, the guard noticed Seo Dowoong slung over the chauffeur’s back and shouted in surprise.

“…! I’ll open the door right away. Is he alright?”

“Yes, I’ve called someone to check on him. They’ll be here soon.”

With the guard’s help, they were able to enter Seo Dowoong’s officetel.

The place was incredibly spacious, but it had almost no furniture, and the few pieces there showed no sign of being used. It had no sense of being lived in at all.

The chilly air of the space seemed to suit Seo Dowoong.

The bedroom was no different. The only noticeable piece of furniture was the bed. With the chauffeur’s help, Nahyuk laid Seo Dowoong down.

“Phew, you’ve worked hard, Young Master.”

“Yes. I’ll stay until Dr. Kim arrives and then head back. What about you?”

“Then I’ll wait for the Young Master downstairs.”

Glancing at the clock, Nahyuk realized it was long past quitting time for him.

“No, it’s fine. You should just go home. It’s not far from here to my place anyway, I can take a taxi.”

“No, I can wait.”

Nahyuk shook his head firmly.

Back when he was an office worker, the thing he hated most was overtime. He figured it must be the same for this man.

“You really can go.”

“But…”

“If I can’t get a taxi or if something comes up, I’ll definitely call you. So please, just go home.”

At Nahyuk’s repeated insistence, the chauffeur finally gave in.

“Then I’ll head off. Please contact me later.”

“Yes, take care on your way.”

No sooner had he left than Dr. Kim arrived and examined Seo Dowoong. It turned out to be nothing more than a feverish cold.

He said a few days of rest would set him right again, then he too departed the officetel.

It seemed Nahyuk had done all he could. As for the project, it would be better to call later and tell him not to lie about it again.

Before leaving the bedroom, Nahyuk cast one last glance at Seo Dowoong lying on the bed.

Sweat from the fever had dampened his bangs, sticking them to his forehead, and his face was even redder than before.

“With that mouth shut for once, you almost look tolerable.”

It was a thought he let slip out unconsciously. Not that Seo Dowoong could have heard him—he had already fallen into a deep sleep.

But just as Nahyuk half-turned away, a hoarse voice came.

“…Don’t go.”