Chapter 27
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 27
Chapter Title: Feverish Embrace and Hidden Schemes
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"Hey! Yoon Dojin! Snap out of it!"
A frantic voice reached me faintly from afar.
"Just hold on a sec!"
Footsteps faded away, accompanied by the sound of someone rushing around the house.
It wasn't long before something huge and fluffy draped over me.
"Stay still. You'll warm up in no time."
Someone pressed right up against my back.
My whole body was hypersensitive from the chills, so the unfamiliar weight and body heat hugging my lower back felt incredibly annoying.
'Who's this clingy pest?'
That's what I thought, but I lacked the energy or will to push them away.
Still, the warmth gradually seeping in along my spine felt nice.
My body started to thaw bit by bit.
'Just a little longer. Just a bit more.'
Unconsciously, I flipped over.
And wrapped my arms around whoever was clinging to my back.
My face naturally slid past their shoulder and buried into a pale nape.
"Wha—hey...!"
Dojin's sudden move cut off my breath.
'What the? I was the one hugging him.'
My mind went blank, and I just blinked in shock.
His firm arms locked around my waist, refusing to let go.
'Holy crap. Yoon Dojin hugged me first.'
My hands, hovering in the air, soon found their way to his broad back.
I carefully wrapped my arms around Dojin.
The guy who usually shoved me away was now burrowing into my embrace, panting softly—it was so adorable I could die.
I hugged him back and slowly patted his back.
"What a hopeless idiot."
My touch grew endlessly tender without me realizing.
Then he burrowed deeper into me, tightening his grip around my waist.
The pressure squeezing my ribs made it hard to breathe.
"Hey. Can't breathe. Loosen up a bit."
I was just nudging his shoulder to get some air when—
Dojin yanked my waist roughly toward him.
"Ugh."
Our faces came dangerously close, almost touching.
His long lashes and sharp nose filled my vision.
His lips, which would've pushed me away normally, hung open vulnerably.
My throat went dry.
My gaze locked onto his red lips without thinking.
'He wouldn't even know right now.'
Some entranced thought flashed through my mind.
I slowly lowered my head.
'Just a little.'
'We've already done so much, right?'
'So...'
Right before my lips could meet his.
The moment the gap narrowed ever so slightly—
"Hey. What're you doing."
Dojin's closed eyes snapped open.
In the darkness, his intense gaze met mine head-on.
"Huh???"
I desperately hid my shock and plastered on a serious face.
"I-I mean, you weren't breathing! I was debating CPR."
"...I was breathing just fine."
"How would you know! You're burning up!"
I raised my voice to cover my guilt.
"I almost called 119, but you kept mumbling you hated it, so I held off."
"I said that?"
Dojin let out a short, incredulous breath.
I was on pins and needles, worried he'd call out my kiss attempt as too obvious.
I quickly changed the subject.
"What project had you grinding so hard you collapsed? I haven't seen your face in days."
"Oh. Group project. Two people bailed."
"What? Aren't they insane? Third-years pulling that crap?"
"Yeah. Must have no future."
Dojin muttered while slowly rubbing his stiff neck.
"Anyway, it's done. Time to head to my room."
Dojin pressed against the floor to lift his heavy body.
But after days of all-nighters, his legs were total jelly.
"Ugh."
The moment he stood, he lost balance and swayed badly.
"Hey! Careful!"
I lunged forward on reflex and steadied his waist firmly.
His solid weight slumped onto my shoulder.
"God, you're heavy. All that useless bulk."
"...Sorry."
"Whatever. Let's get you to your room. You can't even walk alone."
I slung his arm over my shoulder and moved carefully.
Dojin, who would've freaked out normally, quietly accepted my support.
The second we reached his room, I laid him on the bed.
His body sank into the mattress like it was collapsing.
Dojin closed his eyes and breathed raggedly.
Cold sweat beaded on his pale forehead.
I stood by the bed, anxiously checking on him.
"How're you feeling? Bad flu? Want me to grab meds from the convenience store?"
"Yeah, just a cold, I think."
Dojin rasped out painfully.
"No meds needed. Sleep should fix it."
"You sure no meds? You're scorching."
"Yeah. Just cover me with the blanket."
I pulled the folded blanket over and tucked it meticulously up to his neck.
The cold sweat on his pale forehead kept bothering me.
I went to the bathroom, soaked a towel in cold water, and brought it back.
Gently placed it on his hot forehead.
"Cold..."
Dojin frowned and murmured.
"Stay still. Gotta bring the fever down."
His hot hand slowly overlapped mine holding the towel.
I thought he'd push it away, but instead, he pressed my hand firmer against his forehead.
"Feels cool. Your hand."
His half-lidded gaze looking up at me was so tender my whole body stiffened.
I averted my eyes and tried to pull my hand free.
"Let go now. I gotta go."
But Dojin gripped my hand a bit tighter.
"Just a little longer."
"You need sleep to recover."
"Your hand's cool. Helps me sleep."
'What's with him? The fever making him bold today?'
I sat awkwardly on the bed's edge, hand trapped in his.
Soon, his ragged breathing evened out into steady rhythm.
The strength in his grip melted away.
Only then did I gently tuck his hand under the blanket.
How long had I slept?
My eyes snapped open.
The room was still dark.
I groped by the bedhead for my phone.
The screen showed 9 PM.
Sitting up, the dizziness from earlier was gone.
Guess it wasn't full-blown flu.
Probably exhaustion and stress piled up from three sleepless nights.
With tension gone, my stomach growled loudly.
"Might as well eat."
I slowly got up, opened the door, and headed to the living room.
The kitchen was unusually noisy.
Turning toward the clattering, I saw a familiar back.
"Oh, you're up? Feeling better?"
Sea turned at my presence.
"Seems okay now?"
"Good. Honey, I was just about to wake you for food. Honey."
The moment I saw her outfit, I doubted my eyes.
She wore a cute pink frilly apron totally out of character, repeating "honey."
"Honey? Why... what's going on? Am I dreaming?"
My flustered reaction got a playful retort from Sea.
"Oh my, honey. Dinner first? Bath first? Or... me first?"
"Crazy. Where'd you get that from?"
"Tch, boring guy. Fine, dummy."
She pouted and turned back to the pot.
"Wait. So what are you doing?"
"What else? Making porridge for my honey."
"Honey, seriously? But can you even make porridge?"
She scoffed at my skepticism, brandishing the ladle proudly.
"Ha? Oh, right. You've never tried my cooking."
"One bite and you'll faint."
"Common sense says rich girl who can't even handle ramen water won't be a great cook."
"Shut it and sit."
Sea plunked a steaming bowl on the table.
I eyed it suspiciously, spooned a bite.
"..."
"See? Told you."
I stared at her wide-eyed.
"What? Why's it taste good?"
Her shoulders twitched at my reaction.
"R-Really? It's that good?"
"Yeah. Seriously good."
Her lips twitched upward.
"W-Well. Internet recipes are everywhere. Just followed one."
"Tons mess it up even with recipes."
I kept praising sincerely.
"You got real talent for this."
"...!"
Her face flushed to her ears instantly.
"S-Stop it!"
"What? It really is good."
"Ugh, whatever! Eat it all and clean up!"
Unable to handle the embarrassment, she stomped off to her room.
Once the door shut, I quietly set down the spoon and frowned.
It was disgustingly bad.
Classic chaebol heiress who can't cook.
But dissing food made with care is taboo.
Especially from a girl.
Hard lesson from childhood spankings by my big sis.
Never speak the truth, no matter what.
I gripped the spoon again.
'Not that inedible, though?'
I chugged water and silently scraped the bowl clean.
"Chairman. Is this sufficient?"
In the Hanul Group Chairman's office.
A slim young man stood rigidly before Han Hyun-soo.
His short-cropped hair and neat suit looked sharp.
"Yes. From today, you're Sea's old fiancé."
The Chairman flipped through papers indifferently.
"Don't let it slip."
"No worries. I'm confident in my acting."
The man bowed with a relaxed smile.
The heavy door shut as he left.
Only the Chairman and his secretary chief remained.
"Chairman."
The secretary stepped forward cautiously.
"Why hire an actress and have her disguise as a man?"
The Chairman set down his coffee cup.
The dull clink echoed in the quiet room.
"To let her know I have your weakness gripped."
"My weakness, sir?"
"Yes. That way, Sea will play along in the play I set."
The Chairman leaned deep into his chair.
"Then why the disguise?"
"Plus, Sea's sharp-eyed."
"Indeed."
"She'll spot it's a woman the moment she sits."
An amused smile played on the Chairman's lips.
"If I sent a real man as her 'fiancé,' she'd douse him with water, flip the table—expose the lie to protect Dojin, consequences be damned."
The secretary nodded in understanding.
The Chairman's eyes gleamed with interest.
"Sea likes Yoon Dojin more than I thought."
"..."
"Yoon Dojin might be more of a wildcard than expected. My daughter Sea won't want him knowing she lied, not lightly."
He tapped the table lightly and added softly.
"Maybe this'll make Sea, who wanted to hide her claws and live tamely, bare her real fangs."
Gazing slowly out the window, the Chairman murmured.
"Let's watch and see."