Chapter 160
Translator: uly
Chapter: 160
Chapter Title: Once Again, Writer
Ding-dong!
The elevator doors slowly opened with a cheerful chime.
And there appeared Min A-rang, who seemed somehow tense.
Her forehead was beaded with sweat, as if she had rushed over.
Click.
But at that moment, one of the only two front doors opened, and a figure stepped out.
Two women who looked like mother and daughter appeared, as if about to head out.
“Hmm?”
“What’s wrong, Mom?”
But Min A-rang showed no interest in them whatsoever.
She strode right up to the front door on the opposite side and pressed the doorbell, paying no mind to the middle-aged woman’s eyes laced with subtle wariness.
-Who is it?
“It’s me, Oppa.”
-……You really came?
“I said I would.”
Unaware that the mother and daughter behind her were scrutinizing her intently, Min A-rang replied in a calm, subdued voice.
Soon, the firmly shut front door opened, revealing Woo Ji-hyun with a deathly pale complexion.
“You didn’t have to come.”
“Looking at you now, I’m glad I did. You look half-dead.”
“I’m sick, yeah. But not dying. See, I can walk around.”
“But why’s your breathing like that? Don’t tell me even walking is hard?”
“Can’t say it isn’t.”
Woo Ji-hyun smiled with a weary face.
Truth be told, even walking from the bedroom here had been too much.
His legs were trembling, even if it wasn’t obvious.
“I’ll help you.”
“No. I haven’t even showered.”
“It’s normal for a sick person not to shower. Just stay put.”
“You’re really coming in? I haven’t cleaned.”
“This is like a housewarming, all in one.”
Min A-rang smiled faintly and slipped inside.
She’d wedged her foot in first so Woo Ji-hyun couldn’t shoo her out.
Of course, she had no intention of leaving even if he told her to.
“A grown woman barging into a guy’s place like that? The world’s a dangerous place these days.”
“Even when that guy looks like he’s dying and groaning? Shouldn’t I be the one worrying about myself?”
“Fair enough.”
Woo Ji-hyun chuckled.
She looked slim, but Min A-rang had plenty of muscle—the kind they called “girl with abs.”
She hit the gym consistently, at least four times a week.
So Woo Ji-hyun laughed and threw open the front door wide.
“Just lean on me. I’ll handle everything.”
“This is my house, you know?”
“Once I’m in, it’s my space too. And I’m stronger right now, so quietly follow my lead. Before I make you.”
Min A-rang made a cute threat.
Swinging her empty arm dramatically as she spoke.
Woo Ji-hyun raised both hands in surrender.
“I give.”
“There you go.”
Min A-rang beamed at the pale Woo Ji-hyun and shut the front door.
But she had no idea.
The two pairs of eyes behind her had watched everything that had happened.
“No way she’s his girlfriend, right?”
“Doesn’t look like it, but they seem awfully close.”
“Hey!”
Smack!
Jeong Mi-ri twisted her face in pain from the solid slap on her back.
A sharp sting shot up from her back.
“Why’d you hit me?!”
“You should’ve settled it ages ago! What did I tell you? Good guys have women lining up for them. Girls sniff them out like ghosts!”
“……What was I supposed to do? Just ring the doorbell out of nowhere? Ask him out for drinks?”
“Ugh!”
Frustrated by her exasperating daughter’s response, she thumped her chest.
But that did nothing to relieve the choking frustration, like swallowing four sweet potatoes whole.
“And if he was interested, he would’ve signaled first. But there was nothing.”
“If there’s no signal, make one. That’s what skill is. You think back in my day only guys approached girls? Even in our time, if a woman wanted a guy, she went for it first. So why not you?”
“’Cause I take after you, Mom.”
“What?”
Her daughter brazenly blamed it on inheriting her traits, leaving her utterly dumbfounded.
But Jeong Mi-ri stood tall.
Half the blood in her veins came from her mom, after all.
“I’d rather die than pine away.”
“Let’s go already. Elevator’s here.”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
She stepped into the elevator with a face that had given up on everything.
But her gaze still lingered on Woo Ji-hyun’s front door.
Creak.
But she had no idea.
That Jeong Mi-ri’s gaze next to her stayed fixed on the same spot right up until the elevator doors closed.
* * *
Forcibly embracing the Woo Ji-hyun who tried to pull away, Min A-rang headed straight for the bedroom.
His breathing was growing rougher by the second, so she needed to get him laid down first.
She could feed him the porridge she’d brought right there on the bed.
“Isn’t this minimalism a bit too extreme?”
“I only need the basics.”
Min A-rang let out a hollow laugh at the bedroom, which had just a bed and a small table sitting alone.
At a glance, with the bathroom and dressing room, it almost passed for a studio.
“How do you not even have a TV in here?”
“I’ve got AC instead. And the TV’s in the living room. I can lounge on the sofa there.”
“At least you’ve got a sofa. And a dining table.”
“The place is so big, it felt too empty without them.”
“It still looks super empty.”
Min A-rang corrected him.
To put it kindly, it was minimalist. In truth, it was practically bare.
You could say it only had the bare necessities.
There wasn’t a hint of any interior work done.
“It’s not really my place, so I didn’t feel like decorating. Plus, I live alone anyway.”
“Like a bachelor widower.”
“At my age, that fits. Back in my parents’ generation, guys my age were old bachelors.”
“You throwing shade at me now? Calling me old too?”
Min A-rang shot a glare at Woo Ji-hyun, who was slouched against the bed.
But after so many attacks—frequent and relentless—she didn’t flare up like she used to.
“Nah. Just honestly owning my situation.”
“No girlfriend at all, huh. Not a trace. Doesn’t your mom come by?”
“Mom’s got her own life.”
“Yeah, right. Bet it’s ’cause you don’t want her to.”
Woo Ji-hyun didn’t answer.
He just gave a faint smile.
“I’ll heat up some porridge.”
“Not hungry.”
“You need something in your stomach for the meds.”
“I already took what was in the kit. I always keep emergency stuff handy.”
Woo Ji-hyun pointed to the first-aid kit on the dining table.
He’d been living independently long enough to always have basics stocked.
Of course, the hospital was ideal, but when he could barely move like now, stabilizing with meds first was best.
Then head to the doc once he felt better.
“On an empty stomach?”
“One banana?”
“Whew.”
Min A-rang let out a sigh of partial relief.
Better than totally empty, at least.
Bananas had decent carbs for fruit.
“If you’re gonna nag, just go.”
“Didn’t say a word. Just sighed. Lie down. Don’t pass out right away.”
“Too uncomfortable to sleep.”
“You look comfier than ever to me. That beard’s no joke.”
Min A-rang grinned, pointing at his chin.
A world away from his usual neat, clean image.
“Someday if you see my bare face, I’ll say the same to you.”
“That day’s never coming.”
Min A-rang shook her index finger side to side like a declaration.
Then she headed straight to the kitchen and heated the porridge.
She’d portioned it into pairs for easy eating, so she popped one in the microwave and stashed the other three in the most visible spot in the fridge.
So Woo Ji-hyun could grab them easily on his own.
“What’s this? Thought you couldn’t sleep from being uncomfortable.”
Min A-rang came back with a tray holding the microwaved porridge, the side dishes she’d brought, a spoon, and chopsticks. She froze in disbelief.
Woo Ji-hyun was out cold in the bedroom, snoring softly.
His face slick with sweat from the fever.
“He really must be hurting bad.”
Min A-rang looked sympathetic.
She’d felt the intense heat from his body while helping him.
So she set the porridge down, opened the first-aid kit, pulled out the thermometer, and checked his temperature.
“Fever’s not too bad, thank goodness.”
Min A-rang breathed a sigh of relief.
Lower than she’d feared.
But he was still sweating buckets, so she grabbed a towel and wiped his face.
She pulled the blanket up to his shoulders.
“Mmm.”
“Guess Oppa’s human after all. Thought you were some iron man with how well you take care of yourself. Hehehe.”
It was so rare to see him sick that Min A-rang chuckled as she said it.
But she didn’t stop wiping his face.
“Man, your awareness sucks. About time you noticed. Or are you just scared? Huh? That it?”
She set the towel down and playfully tapped Woo Ji-hyun’s lips.
Then she smirked.
He looked pitifully ill, but it was nice getting to touch him freely like this.
Who knew when she’d get another chance.
“After all those hints, and you still don’t get it. Maybe the kids are right—should I just pounce?”
She stroked from his lips up to his cheek.
Her patience was fraying, her heart tipping toward her friends’ advice amid the endless wait.
But right then, Woo Ji-hyun grabbed her hand.
“No matter what, that’s a no.”
“Wha—huh? Y-you were awake?”
“Yeah, just woke up. Right when you started talking about pouncing.”
Her face flushed beet red, burning hotter than ever.
Anyone seeing her would think she was the one with the flu.
But unfortunately, she couldn’t bolt.
Woo Ji-hyun had her hand gripped tight.
“Didn’t plan to string you along. Just been cautious ’cause of the age gap. Like you said, wasn’t fully sure. If things got awkward between us, that’d be its own mess.”
“Coward after all.”
“Coward? Nah, prudent. A relationship’s huge—for you and for me. But you sure? Dating me means no other guys down the line.”
“So you better step up, Oppa. Keep my eyes from wandering.”
Woo Ji-hyun flashed a grin.
Pure confidence.
“That’s my specialty. Good at other stuff too, but body’s shot today, so……”
“Sleep it off first. We’ll talk once the cold’s gone.”
“Mm.”
At her words, Woo Ji-hyun fell asleep again like a light switch flipped off.
But this time, Min A-rang didn’t grumble at the sight.
She just wore a deeply satisfied smile.
“Huh?”
Gazing at him with loving eyes, Min A-rang suddenly looked puzzled.
Woo Ji-hyun’s smartphone on the bedside table lit up with three letters: Eomuni.
Probably set to silent so as not to disturb his rest.
Min A-rang fidgeted anxiously, then made up her mind and carefully picked up the phone before heading to the living room.
“H-hello?”