Chapter 11: Co-habitation Contract (3)

Minjoo received an explanation about her injuries. In simple terms, she had a mild concussion, a fractured clavicle, and a sprained ankle. The clavicle required surgery. Signing the consent form for the surgery left her feeling even more unsettled.

Although it was fortunate that the surgery was a minor one, she pondered who she would have had to seek consent from if it had been a major operation. It would have been awkward to ask someone from her newly formed connections, like Hye-kyung or someone from school or work, for help.

Lost in thought, Gihyun entered the room. The previous fierceness was gone. He approached Minjoo calmly and sat beside her.

“How are you feeling?”

“…I’m okay.”

“Did they schedule the surgery?”

“Yes.”

Gihyun sat in a chair, clasping his hands on his lap. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice.

“…I’m sorry for getting angry.”

He spoke with difficulty, which led to an awkward silence. Gihyun broke the silence with effort.

“You’ll need to be hospitalized after the surgery. You’ll also need outpatient treatment.”

The situation felt oddly familiar. Minjoo stared at Gihyun, recalling the winter afternoon when he had mentioned their contract.

“Let me help a little.”

This time, the beginning was different. While Minjoo blinked, Gihyun continued speaking.

“Stay at my place until you recover. When you’re discharged, you’ll have to go back and forth between home and the hospital, and the hill is difficult to walk on even when you’re not injured. The stairs in that building could collapse again.”

“I….”

“If you stay at my place until you’re fully recovered…. I won’t show up in front of you again.”

“……”

“I mean it.”

Gihyun spoke and then gave a wry smile. It was an expression of self-loathing, as he could only express himself in this way.

Minjoo recalled the Gihyun who had lingered around her for a year. She looked at him, who was even begging not to appear in front of her again.

Could this be an excuse to end their relationship? Even though she knew it might not be, her instincts sought comfort. She thought she needed to survive first. Her body was weak, and so was her heart. She needed someone.

Minjoo nodded at Gihyun. His face brightened a little.

***

Despite the persistent pain before surgery, the post-surgical experience was even more challenging for Minjoo. Unable to lift her right arm and with metal pins causing constant discomfort, even eating became a task requiring someone else’s help.

“Try this too.”

Today, Gihyun brought bone soup. The previous days featured beef porridge and pine nut porridge. He mixed the rice into the soup, stirring it until it was well blended, and carefully fed Minjoo spoonfuls, blowing gently to cool them. At first, Minjoo resisted, but Gihyun’s plea that he wouldn’t be able to do this once she recovered won her over.

Minjoo ate cautiously, accepting the food with a sense of dependency. The scene felt oddly intimate, and she questioned the nature of their interaction.

“Aren’t you busy with work?”

“Not really.”

“You missed the funeral because of me.”

“It’s true I didn’t go because of you, but honestly, I wouldn’t have gone anyway.”

The mention of his grandfather brought a cold edge to Gihyun’s voice. He continued to feed Minjoo, switching to side dishes with a softened expression.

After the slow meal, Gihyun tidied up and sat next to Minjoo for a briefing.

“I moved houses.”

“Oh, really?”

“It’s not the same house as before.”

Minjoo was indifferent to the specifics of the move. Her primary concern was the convenience of transportation for school. She hoped the new location wouldn’t make it overly difficult for Gihyun to drive her.

“You must have had a tough time moving.”

The comment was a reflexive gesture, like listening to young colleagues vent. Gihyun’s face brightened at Minjoo’s simple acknowledgment, reflecting genuine appreciation for her concern.

***

Gihyun arranged for a caretaker and visited daily, allowing Minjoo to remain immobile and comfortable throughout her hospitalization. Aside from Hye-kyung’s visit, who came back from her honeymoon and expressed her amazement, it was the most uneventful and restful time of Minjoo’s life. When the day of her discharge arrived, she found herself almost reluctant to leave.

After a painstaking effort to change clothes, Minjoo completed the discharge preparations without major issues. Gihyun brought a wheelchair, and Minjoo used it to get to his car. Upon reaching the vehicle, Gihyun opened the passenger door and handed her a large bouquet of blue hydrangeas. Taken aback, Minjoo accepted the flowers.

“Congratulations on your discharge.”

Gihyun added, “And belated happy birthday.”

Having forgotten her own birthday due to the injury, Minjoo looked at the abundant bouquet with a touch of emotion. The bouquet trembled slightly, a result of Gihyun’s visibly nervous hands. His apprehension of her refusal was clear, causing a pang in Minjoo’s chest.

Minjoo reached out and took the flowers. She inhaled their subtle fragrance, a welcoming scent that brought a smile to her face. Gihyun watched her with a steady gaze.

During the car ride, there was no conversation. However, the tension from a year ago was absent. Minjoo held the flowers and enjoyed the passing scenery.

The car slowed down and entered the parking lot of an officetel. Minjoo tilted her head, observing her surroundings. It was a familiar neighborhood. The university building she attended was visible, suggesting that, if her legs were functional, she could easily walk to school from here.

Gihyun stopped the car, retrieved the foldable wheelchair from the trunk, and gently lifted Minjoo, carefully placing her in the wheelchair. He then carried her to the elevator.

As Gihyun pressed the elevator buttons, Minjoo asked, “When did you move here?”

“In March.”

That was around the time Minjoo started university.

“…So you’ve been working here since then?”

“This place was just a residence.”

Although it might seem trivial for a wealthy person to own another house, Minjoo wondered if the purchase was somehow related to her.

The elevator doors opened, and Gihyun unlocked the door to the new apartment. A familiar face, the caretaker from Gihyun’s old house who had cared for Minjoo, greeted them enthusiastically.

“Minjoo! It’s been so long. How did you get hurt like this? Make sure to eat plenty of healthy food.”

Once the greetings were over, Gihyun gently lifted Minjoo again and carried her to the innermost room. As they moved through the house, Minjoo noticed the warm, wooden furnishings and decor, creating a cozy atmosphere, in contrast to the modern decor of the old house.

After settling Minjoo on the bed, Gihyun finally relaxed. He adjusted the pillow behind her and covered her legs with a knee blanket.

“Take your time exploring the house. Rest for now. I’ll head to the office.”

“Okay.”

“If you want anything to eat, let the caretaker know. And if you need to go out, contact me.”

“…Okay.”

“I’ll be in touch.”

With that, Gihyun left, leaving Minjoo alone.

It was only then that Minjoo fully grasped that she was once again living with Gihyun. The last time they had a sort of “contract” involving a pregnancy, but this time it felt like a cohabitation agreement, albeit one that was meant to end eventually.

She wondered if this was truly the right course of action. Her mind was a tangled mess, and a headache began to set in. Minjoo closed her eyes and sat still, while the aroma of cooking wafted through the room. Everything around her seemed peaceful, as long as she didn’t think about Gihyun.

***

Even though it was called a discharge, life was no different from when she was hospitalized. The only change was that the female nurse who used to help with dressing and bathing had been replaced by a caretaker. Since Gihyun was ready to help if the caretaker wasn’t around, Minjoo had no choice but to accept the caretaker’s assistance.

Today, Gihyun picked Minjoo up and placed her on the living room sofa from the morning. The reason was that staying in just one room was stifling, so he wanted her to at least look at the view through the window.

While Minjoo spent a leisurely morning, Gihyun brought food on a tray. He sat next to the sofa and stirred the savory abalone porridge with a spoon. While cooling the porridge, Gihyun attempted conversation.

“What are you going to do today?”

There was nothing specific to do. Minjoo thought for a while and spoke without much intention.

“Just. Trying to figure out how to handle assignments.”

“What assignments?”

“Because being absent doesn’t mean getting points for free. It seems that attendance points will be filled if I submit a medical certificate, but there are many things that need to be replaced with assignments.”

“Then you don’t need to go to school?”

“There’s a handwritten report. I have to go later for that.”

“I’ll take you.”

“I can go by myself. It’s close…”

“If you don’t accept help like this, won’t I end up lingering around because of regrets? I need to make taking care of you difficult so that I can quickly get rid of this.”

It was typical of Park Gihyun. Minjoo nodded with a look of disbelief. Only then did Gihyun scoop the porridge and feed it to Minjoo. Even when Minjoo just accepted and ate, Gihyun’s gaze was fixed on her.

After thoroughly scraping the bowl clean, Gihyun got up and headed to the kitchen. Although it would be the caretaker’s job to do the dishes when she arrived, Gihyun seemed to be organizing things by turning on the water.

Minjoo, leaning on the sofa, looked at Gihyun’s back. The man she once loved. The man who once tormented her. Now, a presence revealed every single day. A man who was unforgettable. He evoked dual feelings.

Gihyun, who had wiped his hands, turned his body. Their eyes met. Minjoo felt awkward as if she had been caught staring. She turned her head away. A classical guitar was placed decoratively next to the window.

“You played the guitar?”

She changed the subject unnecessarily. At Minjoo’s personal question, Gihyun approached with eager steps and picked up the guitar.

“I learned.”

“When?”

“Recently.”

“Did you like the guitar originally?”

“Not really. But if it’s something you might like, I tried to do it.”