Chapter 29
Yeonwoo suppressed a burst of laughter and said,
“Then shall we get going?”
Sajun didn’t seem to think anything was odd about the bike. His attention was clearly elsewhere.
“Yeonwoo, did you lock up properly?”
“There wasn’t really much to lock up.”
“Didn’t you leave the living room terrace door open last night?”
Yeonwoo tilted her head.
Now that he mentioned it, she vaguely remembered leaving it slightly ajar for ventilation and not closing it.
“I knew it,” Sajun said and stepped back into the gate.
Yeonwoo, who had parked her bicycle, quickly followed after him.
He crossed the yard and walked over to the terrace, firmly shutting the living room door that had been left open about a handspan.
After confirming from outside that it couldn’t be opened again, Sajun turned around.
“From now on, make sure to shut it tight.”
“Yes, I will.”
“Then let’s go.”
He flashed a light smile at Yeonwoo, and his face looked radiant.
As expected, good looks really did make a difference.
Even last night, under the soft moonlight and streetlamps, his face had been dazzling. Now in the morning sunlight, his flawless features were just as mesmerizing.
“Why? Is there something on my face?”
Sajun rubbed his face with his large hand as Yeonwoo nodded without resistance.
“That’s strange. I checked the mirror.”
“It’s your handsomeness.”
“…What? Hahaha.”
He burst into loud laughter, as if finding the old-fashioned joke incredibly amusing.
The sound of his laugh was pleasant, and Yeonwoo found herself staring for a while.
Their gazes locked once his laughter faded.
Sajun stared at her intently without looking away.
His dark eyes slowly narrowed, wandering over her face—eyes, nose, mouth—and then returned to her eyes.
His brow furrowed gradually.
Is he thinking about how hard he’s going to work me today?
After a long pause, he finally opened his mouth.
“I know I’m a terrible guy…”
There it is.
Yeonwoo figured her guess had been right.
“Please work me hard! I’ll give it my best!”
“….”
Sajun looked at her as if she had said something ridiculous.
Didn’t expect such a cheerful reply, did you?
“I don’t know what I’m trying to do by keeping you around… Let’s go, or we’ll be late.”
“Yes, sir!”
Yeonwoo got on her bike.
Sajun, who double-checked the front gate, also mounted the questionable bicycle—if it could even make it to the hospital.
“Go ahead. I’ll follow behind.”
“Okay. But are your legs okay? I can give you a ride on the back…”
“I’ll give you a ride next time. Let’s go.”
“Yes!”
With a smiling glance, Yeonwoo started pedaling.
Worried about Sajun’s leg, she rode slower than usual.
When she glanced behind her, Sajun shouted in warning,
“Eyes front! You’ll hurt yourself if you fall.”
“Yes.”
He picked up speed and rode up next to her.
Creak creak.
The bicycle made a terrible noise.
“Guess I’ll have to buy a new bike, huh?”
“Yes. I don’t think that one’s going to last.”
“Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”
“No, it’s just… I think the bike’s about to snap.”
The old bicycle was too fragile to support someone as tall as him.
“I found it in the storage room. Fixed it up because I wanted to ride together.”
Together.
That one word made Yeonwoo’s heart skip a beat.
The countryside wind felt refreshing.
Even though the smell of manure soon hit her nose, it didn’t bother her—perhaps thanks to the fresh scent of Sajun’s skin lotion.
“This is good exercise. I should’ve started riding earlier. I’m going to get a new one when I go into town today.”
The bike—possibly a Samchuly—looked bulky and heavy rather than sleek.
Even though it looked alright under Sajun, with its rusty frame and peeling paint, the spokes were so fragile it wouldn’t be surprising if they snapped at any moment.
Ring ring, ring ring.
He rang the bell attached with a spring mechanism.
Yeonwoo responded by pressing her rubber horn.
The sound of the bells, mixed with Yeonwoo’s laughter, echoed along the country road.
The commute had never been this exciting and joyful.
She just hoped this happiness would last.
✦✦✦
Riding ahead and behind, the commute on old bikes from the storage room left their legs sore—but it still felt like a good decision.
Though it couldn’t compare to Yeonwoo’s nimble and cute bicycle, Sajun still found his own bike admirable for managing the trip.
“I’ll head in first, then.”
“Yeah, go ahead.”
Yeonwoo parked her bike at the ER’s back entrance and ran into the building.
Sajun parked his beside hers and walked toward the tall zelkova tree.
At the smoking area, he habitually pulled out a cigarette and stared with narrowed eyes at the spot where Yeonwoo had disappeared.
Step, step.
From the parking lot, Jang Chanwoo spotted him and waved as he approached.
Sajun turned his thoughts away from Yeonwoo and looked at Chanwoo.
“What’s this? You’re already riding bikes around?”
Looks like he had seen them arrive.
“You’re the one who signed me off as fully recovered.”
“I did. But I didn’t tell you to go all out like that.”
“….”
“Did you ride in with Yeonwoo? Side by side? Man, that’s romantic. Should I join in?”
As if.
Sajun knew Chanwoo hated exercise more than anything. A bike ride? No way.
“I heard Dr. Bi is getting a bike too. Would be fun if the three of us commuted together.”
He was testing the waters.
Commuting together on old bikes—it was obvious what was going through his mind.
“I think I’ll join the Yeonwoo fan club.”
When Sajun casually dropped that line, Chanwoo’s eyes widened.
“You’re insane…”
He had spent all night thinking.
Was what he felt for Yeonwoo just a crush?
He couldn’t define it clearly yet, but he had decided to be honest with his feelings from now on.
“Wow, Ryu Ikwon’s in trouble.”
“What’s Ikwon got to do with this? He’s not even here.”
Sajun frowned.
“I heard he’s coming to Cheongbong soon?”
“Let him. Good for me.”
Easy to say.
But wasn’t that just more proof of how much Ikwon cared about his little sister?
“You better do a good job. I’m against friends turning on each other over women.”
Sajun let out a short sigh.
There was still a long way to go.
Yeonwoo still thought he was just a work-obsessed guy who pushed people too hard.
So even if he had feelings for her, would she even notice?
Even last night, after dinner, they sat on the terrace drinking beer under the night sky.
They talked about various hospital matters to cool off a bit, and Yeonwoo kept yawning until she finally started nodding off.
Sajun ended up lending her his shoulder and sitting there for nearly an hour before going back in.
He got to admire her sleeping face up close—that was the highlight. But that was all.
“Anyway, why are you here so early?”
Chanwoo, who usually came in at 9, had arrived surprisingly early.
“A lonely man’s got to find something to do.”
“Go get to work.”
“If you’re smoking, give me one too.”
“Why are you being so clingy? It’s pathetic.”
Sajun stepped away from him.
“Harsh. Took you long enough to notice.”
Chanwoo gave him a gloomy look, then cracked a silly joke, making Sajun cringe.
“Shut up and get to work.”
“You really are fully healed, huh? Heartless bastard.”
“Stop whining. Here—take this and get lost.”
Sajun handed him the entire cigarette pack and walked off toward the building.
He could hear Chanwoo muttering behind him, calling him cold and unkind, but he ignored it.
“Beom Sajun!”
“What?”
Apparently muttering alone wasn’t enough—Chanwoo ran up to him, panting.
“You got something to say?”
Sajun narrowed his eyes.
“….”
Chanwoo grinned like he was plotting something mischievous.
Creepy guy.
“If you’ve made up your mind, just go confess already. With that face and body, no way she’d turn you down. If all else fails, you and I can go to the reservoir.”
“What reservoir?”
“I hear lots of pretty ladies go there. Thanks for the smokes.”
Waving the cigarette pack, Chanwoo disappeared.
Sajun stood there for a while, turning Chanwoo’s words over in his mind.
“Just go confess already.”
