Love for Love's Sake - Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Cha Yeowoon was perplexed.
Tae Myeongha had taken the lead and was walking faster than usual. Cha Yeowoon thought he must want to quickly return to his grandmother’s hospital room. Considering how startled he was today, it was understandable.
What he didn’t understand was the current situation.
“Senior, why are we here…?”
The emergency stairs were dimly lit. It was reminiscent of the place where Cha Yeowoon and Tae Myeongha had awkwardly kissed. At the time, there was a reservoir outside with willow trees spreading their roots. Tae Myeongha had looked at Cha Yeowoon with difficulty and had repeatedly avoided his kisses.
Now, as Tae Myeongha stood in front of Cha Yeowoon, he seemed tired. Fatigue showed in his disheveled complexion.
However, his eyes were focused on Cha Yeowoon.
“Sen…”
The moment Cha Yeowoon, suppressing his unpleasant expectations, called out, Tae Myeongha steered him against the emergency door. The metal door made a hollow clang.
Their lips met without a moment for Cha Yeowoon to be shocked. He was astonished by the hastily pressed lips. He embraced Tae Myeongha. The stairs leading up and down looked inexplicably dangerous. He had a ridiculous worry that if he didn’t hold onto Tae Myeongha securely, he would stumble and fall.
They kissed longer than ever. Now, embracing Tae Myeongha’s body, overlapping their bodies, and tasting his mouth–all of it felt more familiar.
Tae Myeongha, who used to seem new and strange, had become natural. His voice, scent, and kisses were now part of his daily life.
After the hurried kissing, Tae Myeongha breathed heavily against Cha Yeowoon’s neck. As Cha Yeowoon swept Tae Myeongha’s back and looked at his complexion, Tae Myeongha bit his lips as if he had made a mistake.
The shell, which had always covered the deepest flesh, had peeled away, revealing its wounds. Right now, Tae Myeongha seemed closer than ever.
Tae Myeongha also seemed to know what Cha Yeowoon was feeling. The sound of rain seeped into the quiet emergency exit.
Cha Yeowoon questioned why this was happening.
Although he had tried to understand it as a result of Tae Myeongha’s grandmother’s collapse, it didn’t quite make sense. Tae Myeongha couldn’t seem to find comfort, despite the doctor’s repeated reassurance that it was normal for someone her age.
If Tae Myeongha was his usual self, he would have tried to reassure both his grandmother and Cha Yeowoon. There was something going on. Even if Cha Yeowoon asked, he wouldn’t tell him.
When Cha Yeowoon hugged Tae Myeongha so tightly that it was hard to move, static electricity seemed to spread along the muscles.
There was a deeper side to Tae Myeongha that he didn’t show, even when he would approach first and hold out his hand. It was an unknown that Cha Yeowoon couldn’t possibly guess. However, that too was entirely pleasing.
Age, gender, appearance, in fact, none of it mattered. They were fragments, particles. The composition was okay no matter what. What Cha Yeowoon loved was the existence formed when they came together.
Even if there was someone with the same face or spoke similarly, if it wasn’t Tae Myeongha, he wouldn’t have fallen so deeply.
“I love you.”
Tae Myeongha’s entire body tensed. Cha Yeowoon didn’t let go of Tae Myeongha, who faltered as if trying to retreat.
Cha Yeowoon knew it was a mistake. His confession just now seemed to have made Tae Myeongha cower. Despite knowing that, he didn’t say or do anything to rectify it.
He didn’t want to pretend like it was nothing. It wasn’t a heart that would disappear or become dull after rejection.
The shadows of raindrops on the glass window at night flowed down the stairs.
Tae Myeongha turned his head toward the window. The raindrops reflecting on his cheeks seemed like tears. Although Cha Yeowoon knew Tae Myeongha’s cheek would be dry, he wiped it.
“Regardless of what senior thinks, I love you.”
There was nothing else. No one else. No one had ever made Cha Yeowoon love like this.
For Tae Myeongha, he would do anything.
“Whatever you do to me…”
If this wasn’t love, then what was? Cha Yeowoon asked himself.
Tae Myeongha, speckled with rain shadows, was looking at Cha Yeowoon. The one who saved, liked, and loved.
“…Too.”
Tae Myeongha muttered something, but there was no time for Cha Yeowoon to understand. It was because his collar was being grabbed.
They were kissing so quickly that Cha Yeowoon’s back was pushed against the iron door again, making a noise.
The distant sound of an ambulance siren echoed, mixing with the rain as it hit the glass window.
* * *
“Be careful going up. I told you I’ll carry you.”
Despite my scolding from behind, my grandmother energetically climbed the hill.
“Why carry me when both of my legs are fine.”
After my grandmother slept like a dead person at the hospital and recovered, she had been sulking ever since the taxi ride. Since the hill was steep, I suggested carrying her on my back. However, she detested it. I knew she found it awkward to be treated like a sick patient, but I felt uneasy.
“Why is Grandma so stubborn? Can’t you even listen to your grandson’s request? You’re taking painkillers for arthritis. I’m worried, so just let me carry you this time.”
“It’s because I’m like you. Your stubbornness.”
It was because I had inherited my grandmother’s stubbornness. I forcefully swallowed what I wanted to say. Perhaps she was distressed, but she continued to behave childish.
[ Countdown: 12:02:15 ]
Seeing this made my nerves tighten involuntarily.
“Just rest for today and don’t do anything.”
“But I have to help pick apricots.”
I thought the situation would improve once we got home, but my grandmother’s casual remark brought back tension. Cha Yeowoon was silently listening to the confrontation between me and my grandmother.
“Ah, you collapsed yesterday and now you want to pick apricots. The apricots have all fallen because of the rain.”
“Did you see it?”
“Yeah. I saw it.”
“Did you go to the place where I was going to pick them?”
“Grannie, we’ll go pick them for you.”
For the first time, Cha Yeowoon intervened. My grandmother, who had been busy arguing with me, gently blinked at Cha Yeowoon’s words.