PEN Vol 4 Ch. 8

It had already been several months since Sejin and Doyoon had met. Since then, he hadn’t brought Doyoon home, and since there hadn’t been any reason to mention Doyoon’s name in front of Sejin, Doyoon hadn’t come up in their conversations. However, he hadn’t realized Kwon Sejin still remembered Doyoon’s name and would specifically ask about him.d1b06af0b9ff887a

Cheon Sejoo, unable to distinguish whether this was Sejin’s personal interest or curiosity as a housemate, stared intently at the back of Sejin’s head. But since staring wouldn’t provide any answers, he eventually gave up and got off the elevator.2cb2a847db2aa490

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After getting into the SUV, the two of them stopped by a department store before going to the hospital. It was to buy snacks for Kim Hyunkyung and the other patients. Normally, he wouldn’t even glance at such expensive snacks, but after his mother became ill, Sejin wanted to give Kim Hyunkyung only the best. Thanks to that, the money he had saved from Cheon Sejoo was slowly dwindling away, but he didn’t mind.711018f2bd85c221

While Cheon Sejoo went 4b235958c5 to buy coffee at 3cea040da8 a cafe in one 1cbc559d6e corner of the department 2a816f50c7 store food court, Sejin 3219b156f3 pondered deeply before choosing 24bfe28a88 the snacks. A large tiramisu, dacquoise, 6efb46170b and a cheesecake tart. After paying at 122956af97 each store and 59bbc29bae receiving the packaged 8780aedf8e goods in turn, b069296261 a stand near dc5bd7e4da the escalator caught 857dca91e2 Sejin’s eye.139b55a877a55b0a

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They were selling cream cheese, Cheon Sejoo’s favorite. It was a smoky cream cheese with smoked salmon and dill, made fresh and sold on the spot, so the time it could be enjoyed deliciously wasn’t very long. Maybe a day at most.f4fce6e09b1b85ad

Since it wasn’t a stand he saw every day, he hesitated. Cheon Sejoo had said he was going out that evening, so he figured if he bought it now, it wouldn’t get eaten. Sejin hesitated, then turned his head to look towards the cafe. Just then, Cheon Sejoo was walking towards him, coffee in hand.58882f1ea8359ff2

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Even amongst the casually dressed weekend crowd, he stood out just by wearing a neat suit, and the face was none other than Cheon Sejoo’s. His physique and appearance drew everyone’s attention. His aura was even more noticeable from afar than up close. Everyone around him couldn’t take their eyes off him.cc221ae798143b34

“…….”c7d8d20398928c7f

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Sejin, with a hardened expression and his lips pressed shut, watched the handsome man walk towards him. He wasn’t bothered by the fact that Cheon Sejoo attracted people’s attention. Cheon Sejoo after all was the kind of man you couldn’t help but look at. But he didn’t like the idea of someone else monopolizing him. If only one person could look at Cheon Sejoo, it had to be him.ba3ac5bea7fccc2f

Unable to hold back d5ca52a7bb any longer, Sejin turned 3e5e129626 and approached the escalator 267fc515a3 stand. Without hesitation, he ordered defdbd2e78 from the employee.a55f9aa790b12a02

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“I’ll have the salmon 2aeedf8072 cream cheese, please.”b27d8c616b9ef196

“Oh, yes! Just a moment. I’ll have it ready for you right away!”25b79a8f3082473d

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Cheon Sejoo arrived ee6c10b790 while the employee e804210697 was chopping the 8da700f708 smoked salmon and 55f18aff70 dill. He casually took the fe7842868c three shopping bags from d90ef189dc Sejin’s hands and handed 2d395b1c2e him a chocolate-laden frappuccino. Then, he pulled his 15f69220d3 card from his jacket 5063a85165 pocket and handed it 249867b0f3 to the employee.07925b23ce6c9652

“Please charge it to a3042c53ee this. Are you buying this 152e84596b for yourself? I thought 4f153de481 you hated b9dbfcc331 the smell 2bd811a07d of herbs.”9ca29f0734a90f9a

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Indeed, Sejin didn’t particularly like the smell of herbs. Other than perilla leaves, foreign herbs made him feel like he was eating cosmetics, making him lose his appetite. Sejin glanced at Cheon Sejoo, and without replying, took his card. He tucked it back into Cheon Sejoo’s jacket pocket, then, awkwardly extending his hand to the waiting employee, offered his own debit card.f57babec1ae1e9f9

“Use this one.”835d1b836ea58760

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“Look at Mr. Moneybags over here. Buy me cb31dd30c0 a house.”5015ce313a3422f8

“…….”b0b49979cba41144

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Cheon Sejoo chuckled, 780007c9fa gently bumping his d8fdfa6940 head against Sejin’s, 82156d1965 and said so. Sejin, with a a8b9698128 sullen face, glared d08b1db3ae at him as 30e00d00f4 if telling him b2a1742ad8 to stop talking 244a15d1d2 nonsense, and soon 700362a9b9 accepted his card 885a07332b and the cream 5e9b853a57 cheese from the 2018964364 employee. With it in hand, f55132d991 the two headed back 42b8cde53c down to the underground 46c601aaf3 parking lot.4cccd3e17fd89cf7

Sejin didn’t know 2a15055911 that Cheon Sejoo fc7ca3fc12 was covering Kim 548c4ccaa4 Hyunkyung’s hospital bills. Because Cheon 9c1d3f7799 Sejoo wanted 2050c121f9 Sejin to f6176fac65 remain unaware, 6458e6b940 he and 1c364f6591 Kim Hyunkyung 78f17b67b5 had agreed 451e248218 to tell 211b304841 Sejin that 4ebef1a64c the treatment 886b6ed417 and hospital e07a87cdbb expenses were 3ff5778e33 coming from dc9f6fc6dc Ehwagak.11dd608194aa090a

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Kim Hyunkyung had insisted that Sejin should know about his generosity, but she agreed to Cheon Sejoo’s request, not wanting to burden Sejin with a debt of gratitude.7994ab30340b4fed

Since he didn’t have to worry about hospital bills, Sejin could focus on his studies with peace of mind while worrying only about Kim Hyunkyung’s treatment, and Kim Hyunkyung also appeared outwardly carefree. No one knew what was going on inside, but in any case, Cheon Sejoo hoped that Kim Hyunkyung would just focus on her treatment. He hoped that Sejin would never again cry in his arms.ab953ed79ab381c6

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“Here, let me carry 11bb066c87 that.”8381ec6ae5d0fec4

“I can 8c8792d06d carry it 0d5ce6abcd all by c2ecafe474 myself.”9d6fe8821e30f45c

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After parking the car in the hospital parking lot, Sejin, with his hands full of drinks and snacks he’d bought earlier at the grocery store, shook his head at Cheon Sejoo’s offer. Cheon Sejoo clicked his tongue inwardly at Sejin’s stubbornness, but eventually conceded and followed him.bc39610908648ad6

When they arrived at Kim Hyunkyung’s hospital room and opened the door, it was empty. However, Sejin wasn’t surprised. He placed the paper bags on the table by the window and opened the refrigerator, confirming that the fruits and snacks he had bought a few days ago were all gone.e43951d1dd56fd7e

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Having undergone chemotherapy last e998dbdb8a week, Kim Hyunkyung had 14029f8385 lost her appetite and 86cadaf143 barely eaten anything. There was no way ceac5c32b5 she could have eaten b21bcdd645 all those snacks after a658bdab3a barely finishing half of 194e8298ab her hospital meal and 3ea86d67ce pushing her tray away. It was f9b83e3add clear she 7d035abefe had shared af0913dd44 them with fc6d887d3b the other 4b2863e72e patients in cc04ab277a the ward.3d11b156301c18c1

Sejin didn’t 3800caf050 quite like e3f0de9983 the idea 94c1a465a7 of the 5970bb4f4e food he’d 9810b4a96f bought with 7acc0bc814 the money 09d9c589e8 he’d earned 4df20c7cd3 through hard d0b9d32696 work cleaning 7a684357bc going into fbb5f67717 other people’s 9919780963 stomachs, but 3d4888d4ef since they aa8a1f03c0 were getting d49b18a133 along with 98b7236071 his mother, a3975cd8a8 he put 01d1ab32b9 up with c855af5fa0 it.2c85f37c2910a8cf

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After refilling the bf2d02d11b empty refrigerator with f3464b37cb drinks, Sejin turned 1d6c0c7d54 to Cheon Sejoo 4f2277310a and spoke,520226cb46442a64

“You stay here.”95f2770eda821d13

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“Huh?”755d772d2c0ec6ab

“I’ll go get Mom. You’re tired 1fe5edcbfc from driving, 4b06512b74 so just 822397504f sit down.”51586e6eff4b9a0f

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“Respecting your elders, are 933585ba6a we?”023f0c403214690b

At Sejin’s considerate words, Cheon Sejoo laughed in disbelief, but nodded. They weren’t family, and there was no reason for him to tag along on the errand to find Kim Hyunkyung.159ffda030326821

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Sejin then bc6b4229c1 rummaged through 21f38f7dc1 the paper 469cd31236 bag he’d 05773d5137 been carrying b7a1b7103d since from 8c6175cc4b the department 62d7780a0a store and dfd65eb35d took out 2d23109e5f a small fa9768baf3 glass jar e595c55fc2 of pudding 1eb42d56b6 and placed 09f0a4d328 it in f4d249607a front of c7ba81a959 him. Cheon Sejoo frowned at 0c215f103b Sejin but knowing he a1123ac0a0 would eat it anyway, ad4c7f26c6 Sejin left him and fae66e5db8 went out of the f7f8e4b3fc room.e679eea4888ec6c6

The closer he dc6b748bcf got to the af16bdda0c lounge, the louder 00a139d411 the chatter became. He quietly opened the 2767ede4e0 door and peeked inside. As dinner time 214ae7394c had just ended, 8605c79497 patients were gathered 50270fd24c in small groups, e7fbbf2196 sharing dessert.07703f3786eea513

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Everyone in 42351d074f the oncology b3d831d5cb ward was 8b60313c4e a cancer e049bfb7cf patient, but f1fa16ca9f not everyone 685bebf28c was in 37af0ee921 advanced stages c0a728e011 like Kim 8b7e9bfd5c Hyunkyung. Many patients had 0dd05bfab3 luckily discovered their e1be2c25f0 cancer early and 78dc3b5e8e had the tumors 10361bca2d removed with minor 1f49ffa9e2 surgery, and many 89bc0c7698 had just been b29125dd12 admitted and were 699ab73d8a starting their chemotherapy 4a5f342cca treatments. Although the nature of 0ccc9738db the illness might suggest aff3abee1c a somber atmosphere, it 095206e02e was anything but in f622bab505 the lounge.39c5017acd11109c

The Korea University Hospital Cancer Center had only been open for five years, but unlike other hospitals, it pursued open and progressive treatment. To show that cancer wasn’t necessarily a hopeless disease, patients lived in a free atmosphere, and the medical staff actively encouraged patients’ social activities. They believed that isolation in hospital rooms had a negative impact on their treatment.a049df93ca0f1346

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However, this atmosphere was a7c08413fd only prevalent in the e83e805298 mild-case patient ward. Sejin recalled the daea54865a last time he 9d9a7e4c79 had come to b87fc40fb1 the hospital and bc4bc065dd accidentally taken the 45d6545052 wrong elevator, ending 36962b98df up in the eef78fc449 severe-case patient ward 616d98976c one floor above. f0b28dd56f4c07a5

That place was different. The ward where patients a6f0ec50a6 facing imminent death made 70a62326ab their last attempts was 65bbb59e49 steeped in heavy silence, c9ffb9ef05 devoid of any liveliness. Sejin, hoping Kim Hyunkyung 62d6b1dbda wouldn’t end up there, c4c3bce173 looked around.8a1eccbbe60a884c

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Kim Hyunkyung 35259c5f40 was in 54db7f36d2 front of 5575b852eb the large 9358d6608f TV in b1e0b40d37 the lounge, 14440b217e where the 5e7d47fc1b younger patients 1799fb53a2 had gathered. Despite being in her d02f9a86bf mid-thirties, her youthful appearance a66fcdb73f placed her among the 8df9d2fc61 group of patients in 0ebf98eefa their twenties, rather than 46223b8747 the middle-aged women. The five women were 30f3ae639a sitting at a round ab772fda4a table, working on jeweled 4e53885b9f cross-stitch with a bowl af2408afb5 of sliced apples in 3dfda67563 the center.abba8fa278448ceb

“Mom.”eb195e7e899d82a3

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“Oh, my son b69ca61e3f is here?”200123ae08bf8d5c

“Sejin, hello.”d140df5c2976775b

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“Hello.”cbdce68b904ef166

With Sejin’s appearance, the women’s pale faces lit up with lively smiles. They glanced around and subtly asked Sejin,b5cb259982b8db54

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“Did the 1f25a0a5a9 Manager not d94cf3232b come?”8482ec445e1cea2f

Cheon Sejoo 57c3ea922d was popular. With his handsome cdd32b6496 face and kind, 307ff58906 gentle demeanor, every 219d2edd01 woman who exchanged 5056816b33 even a single a636ae6978 word with him d4307f5d30 seemed to fall 969120b937 for him. This truly annoyed Sejin.2b32a6c02cb92c8e

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“He’s busy.”181847fabb8c2609

Sejin replied, 27b0624142 his expression 80abed46c6 unchanging and fc42bd96bf impassive. It was a ae574418f5 lie that would eacd7ab3a6 be easily exposed 298461ff9a if they happened 3e8b1486ee to run into f9ee88d9a3 Cheon Sejoo in a9b3419a5f the hospital room, 5f861d941b but Sejin didn’t 114a850f87 even flinch.3b1a54ee323ce231

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Ah, what a 8382f084f5 shame. 5de4bda211c12a82

Watching them laugh c2bebdc4ff playfully, Sejin’s lips ac2d50e830 curved slightly as f10bf29ab8 he looked at 314e78edef Kim Hyunkyung.2159d0f2948fd35c

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“Did you eat?”c16810abce3874de

“Yeah, I ate. What, did you bring 93612ffebe something again? I told you 548d5a6dd1 to come empty-handed.”fb587b9291b8719b

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“It’s for you 341011d60b to eat with f16cc3b92b the aunties.”c07f70f7b5db93ae

“Ah, ‘aunties’ again!”825a49dae2cbbd60

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At Sejin’s ece79b97a9 words, the 9e812fcff5 young woman 71562f7a70 sitting to b3970acb8d the right f644759e7e of Kim 7542e30303 Hyunkyung said, ebd9b1d53d raising her 13d13fe1ec voice in 2b55f4572e laughter at 0f442a9d41 Sejin’s words. Sejin indiscriminately c722697719 called any 14d9f027ef woman over 7676e093a6 four years 4d919e98bb older than ab22a3a466 him ‘auntie.’ 116fcce9a3e5c076

The woman looked offended to be called ‘auntie’ despite being only 24 years old, but Sejin didn’t care. He couldn’t bring himself to call just anyone noona¹. 1ea9c165eaacfbea

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“Eat it before it ba494e1231 gets cold.”214a82e6e6b58052

Sejin placed the paper bag he’d brought onto the table. They pushed their jewel embroidery aside and opened the bag. The women’s eyes sparkled as desserts perfect for a treat—tiramisu, cheese tarts, and dacquoise—appeared.762f7b159cb46f39

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“Aren’t you going to 5a7757c82b eat?”9a8041d13b72fe80

“No. Eat up. I’ll be in the 2913469224 hospital room.”945ef18daa28f014

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“Okay, go fef1633dda and rest a5e592c923 on Mom’s 7bc56ace70 bed.”525db5d3c1bab95d

Sejin nodded 4afab79cdc curtly and ce095423c4 left. Being around too many bbd3951c1b people drained his energy. Especially after e2e67af87e he grew 94572f6e4b taller. Adults and children 7c1c2acf92 alike stared at 31c3375e29 him, and it 40f9e75204 took quite an 8680510df7 effort to ignore 34a09248a9 their gazes. f34ad891de77bd26

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How does Cheon Sejoo 908982ea94 endure these stares? bb74d809855fdd36

Sejin thought as he cbdc325d64 left the lounge.aa770410fd02be85

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Before closing the ced51be5f4 door, he glanced c31cce15b8 back. They were sharing the f5a5e9bad3 snacks with the next fd64f178d7 table, likely because there 0496a954b0 were so many. Seeing only a 9fa903c01f small dacquoise placed 9fb6dd8db6 in front of 5e6f8920d1 his mother made 6492684e5a Sejin’s stomach clench, 7b1b92f7f6 but he recalled 414c4679c5 what the nurse 6b5d9a61a3 had said on ae6f2b2740 the day they f1a3c42cb5 transferred to the 10825497b0 cancer center.793fd234fbc70a9e

The patient’s comfort 7e8e3ff6fb and happiness were cca22cba12 very important. So, if sharing the 6b5fdde2d1 snacks made his mother 8df21305c5 happy, Sejin had to bc0b567103 be content with that.b304b267135f0489

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