Runaway Secretary - Chapter 52

CHAPTER 52

Haesin’s eyes widened.

“God, then this is not the right time. Shouldn’t you go to the hospital?”

“As I said, I’m here for a purpose, so I’m gonna hold up a bit.”

Now that it had come to this, it was right to finish what needed to be done before leaving.

“Seriously, how bad of a guy are you?”

“I thought you knew I was a jerk.”

Haesin laughed, then glanced at the phone in his hand.

“Do you realize you look at your phone way too much for someone like that?”

Taeheon raised an eyebrow.

“If you’re done eating, let’s move.”

“Would you mind if the next course is at the same place as my previous date?”

Taeheon stood up silently from his seat and put on his jacket.

“Stop talking like that and let’s go to the hospital. I’ll come with you.”

“Why do you care?”

“I need an excuse, and I’d look ridiculous if I drank tea at the same place as that Choi Soohyun from before.”

Haesin raised her chin proudly as she spoke.

“You said she’s your secretary, so at least I have the excuse of going to the doctor with you, so I can justify it to my father. My dad doesn’t know that you have a girlfriend. I’ve already made a lot of concessions, don’t you think?”

Haesin walked ahead of Taeheon.

Taeheon had been thinking about storming out for the umpteenth time earlier, but complicated thoughts were a luxury. All he wanted to do was get to Yeonseo.

Without hesitation, Taeheon headed to the hospital, not even realizing that he had Haesin in the car beside him, and began to think only of Yeonseo’s safety.

His mind wrestled until the moment he opened the door to her hospital room; he lamented the fact that her frail body had to undergo surgery.

No, this feeling couldn’t possibly be just mere desire. If it were just that, his steps towards her wouldn’t be so heavy.

He wanted to run, but he also wanted to stop.

He was trying to confirm something, and was also refusing to confirm it.

All the while, Taeheon’s body sought out Yeonseo, as if he were being dragged to the edge. His steps were quick and decisive.

He could see Yeonseo’s toes on the bed and the fluffy blanket that covered her.

Yeonseo gradually seeped into his world, coloring it with her presence.

Every cell in Taeheon’s body tingled with the overwhelming emotions he encountered.

This moment was etched in his memory, clear and vivid.

It was a moment that meant something to Han Yeonseo and Woo Taeheon.

Her face was slightly swollen as she looked at Taeheon in surprise.

In that moment, she also felt pain. Taeheon’s world revolved solely around Yeonseo.

The realization that nothing else mattered but her from the beginning settled on his heart like a heavy burden.

Perhaps, this was what the world called love.

The prospect of a new situation shook him. Taeheon had never wanted something like that.

Feeling entirely restless, tormented, and childish, fixating on one person was irrational and inefficient…

If this was the kind of love the world was talking about, he wanted to reject it.

However, as if there was only one path, Taeheon continued to walk towards her.

He had a strong premonition that no matter how he walked, he would eventually reach Yeonseo.

It wasn’t something he could easily go away from.

This feeling of wanting Yeonseo was strange and painful…….

Taeheon wanted to put on a stop to it.

Yet, he felt overwhelmed by the realization that he was completely filled with Han Yeonseo.

“How are you feeling?”

 He said, wanting to keep his distance, wary of the Yeonseo who had shaken him to the core.

*

Yeonseo groaned at the dizziness and stomach pain that hit her as soon as she woke up from the anesthesia. She can’t believe that as a nurse herself, she didn’t realize the severity of her illness.

Urinary catheters, IV bags, and a pulse oximeter were attached all over her body. She had heard that recovery would take quite some time due to peritonitis, so she spent hours in the recovery room before being transferred to her hospital room.

The room Hyunyoung led her to was a luxurious VIP room. Taeheon, who had provided her with this excessively lavish room, was nowhere to be seen.

She felt a pang in her heart at his absence, even though she didn’t want to show her swollen face. Despite what felt like a long time passing, only four hours had passed since she spoke with Taeheon on the phone.

“Ms. Yeonseo, you shouldn’t be sleeping.”

Thinking that Yeonseo was closing her eyes to sleep, Hyunyoung interrupted. Because she had undergone general anesthesia, Yeonseo had to stay awake for a few hours. This was to help her breathe spontaneously and prevent any adverse effects on her lung function.

“Yes. I won’t sleep.”

“Then you need to keep your eyes open…”

“They are open.”

“Don’t lie, and open your eyes wide enough for your pupils to be visible.”

Yeonseo reluctantly opened her eyes wider to resist the encroaching drowsiness. Thud. The door to her room opened, and footsteps could be heard. Due to the layout of the room, the door from the bed was not visible, and there was a bit of distance.

Who could it be?

Along with curiosity, there was anticipation and fear of whether it was Taeheon or not.

It was Taeheon, his face showed signs of worry for a moment, and another woman behind him.

Her face seemed familiar, and as Yeonseo thought carefully, she remembered. She was the granddaughter of Han Soo Jung, the chairman of Hansu Heavy Industries, who was set to meet Taeheon today. The realization dawned on her.

She was a couple of years older than Yeonseo and had a sophisticated urban look. She wore a blue suit with pants and she casually rolled up her sleeves, representing a cool and confident demeanor.

She thought her title as the CEO of a startup suited her well with her aura of authority and grace.

Why did they come here together?

More than anything, it was embarrassing to show herself like this to a stranger. Yeonseo pulled the sheet over herself.

“How are you feeling?”

Yeonseo hesitated, her eyes flickering, then bowed her head.

She should have confronted him more strongly. Appearing with Haesin was a behavior that hurt Yeonseo twice.

It felt like he was mocking her. She was too miserable to even utter a word.

“They said the surgery went well, so you should try to recover and let me know if you feel uncomfortable.”

“Yes. I’ll tell Secretary Kim.”

You can now leave with that woman.

She turned away from him, refusing to meet his eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’m Haesin. I came with Taeheon because he said you were undergoing surgery…. Did I intrude?”

“No, not at all. Thank you for coming.”

Even in thanking Taeheon’s blind date without enthusiasm, she felt even more wretched.

Hyunyoung took the fruit basket Haesin brought. The fact that she had the mind to buy something like that and Taeheon had allowed it to happen, was painful.

“I think you can leave now since my condition is stable.”

Yeonseo finally said, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. Her hands clutching the sheets turned pale.

She had exerted so much force that blood refluzed in the IV line.

Yeonseo’s insides throbbed and ached as if she would vomit blood. It wasn’t just because of the surgical pain. Taeheon’s indifference as he stared at her intently felt like thorns piercing her skin.

Haesin, who was awkwardly smiling, seemed to know everything about her situation, making it hard for Yeonseo to catch her breath.

“Please leave, Sir Taeheon. I request the same from you, Miss Haesin.”

“I didn’t come here lightly. I made a mistake. I felt a bit guilty.”

“What?”

“I have no hard feelings. I hope for your swift recovery.”

Haesin smiled and nodded her head.

Even after Haesin left, Taeheon remained motionless. Some unknown emotion grew in his eyes, but the shocked Yeonseo didn’t have the energy to read it.

“I think you should leave now.”

“If you’re in pain, don’t hesitate to call the medical staff immediately.”

“…Just go.”

Before Yeonseo’s voice could fully reach him, Taeheon turned his back.

The sounds of Taeheon leaving, the door closing, followed in succession. Yeonseo rubbed her feverish forehead and pulled the sheets up a bit more.

“Secretary Kim, you should go out and get some rest, too.”

“But I should stay by your side.”

“I won’t sleep. I just want to be alone.”

“Alright. I’ll come back in 20 minutes.”

When Hyunyoung left the room, a lonely silence settled in.

The area near her heart hurt more than the surgical site. Her partially gassed abdomen tightened her lower abdomen so much that it felt like it might burst her heart.

Did he really have to come with her?

What did Taeheon want from someone like me?

If he her wanted submission, he already had it. Ever since Yeonseo had admitted to liking him, Taeheon had the upper hand.

And Taeheon was someone who couldn’t give Yeonseo what she wanted. Knowing this from the start, she couldn’t blame him. So, she believed it was right to endure everything alone.

But still…

“It hurts so much.”

I’m not happy.

Should I just end it? I know that I couldn’t stay by his side without hurting, but this is still too painful.

Yeonseo wasn’t sure if she had the strength to continue to loving him, knowing full well it would just end in vain. Taeheon said it was up to him to end it, but she’d never agreed.

It was such a painful day that she wanted to throw herself out the window. Even crying became difficult. With numb eyes, she started undoing the knot of love by herself.

***

The sharp pain in her abdomen and shoulders from the lingering effects of the gas hadn’t subsided, but Yeonseo moved around the hospital room, feeling more relieved than a few days ago. After all the tubes and connections were removed from her body, she felt noticeably lighter.

As an excuse for her recovery, she thought about stepping out into the hallway. Then, as she quickly erased the thought of Taeheon, who hadn’t shown up at all since, she opened the door to her room.

A woman she had never seen before stood at the door, holding a red paper bag that seemed to be a gift.

She appeared to be in her early thirties. She exuded a calm demeanor. Her airy dress and high heels, coupled with neatly tied long hair, gave off a vibe similar to Taeheon’s blind date partner.

However, her manner of meeting Yeonseo’s eyes exuded more sophistication than freshness. Yeonseo tensed up. Somehow, this guest seemed to have come for something unfavorable.

“I came without notice. You are Han Yeonseo, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

“I’m Woo Taeseon.”

Taeseon held out her hand. She was Taeheon’s older sister. Yeonseo’s premonition of something ominous turned out to be true.

Yeonseo shook Taeheon’s pristine hand. She pulled away early, uncomfortable with the heat of her hand.

“I am Han Yeonseo.”

“May I come in?”

Taeseon closed her eyes and smiled.