24ES | Chapter 5.2

“…Sunbae, wake up. Please, wake up, sunbae.”

“Ugh… What is it…?”

Yesung groggily opened his eyes, reluctantly lifting his heavy eyelids, only to be met with Jung Hageon’s face right in front of him. Startled, Yesung scrambled backward, wrapping his blanket tightly around himself.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Wh-what the hell?! Why are you in my room?!”

“I came to wake you up so you can eat dinner before going back to sleep,” Jung Hageon replied calmly, completely unbothered by Yesung’s alarmed reaction.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

Dinner? That word triggered something in Yesung’s brain, and he instinctively reached out, patting the bed in search of his phone to check the time. But no matter how much he groped around, his phone was nowhere to be found.

Just as a frown began to form on his face, a large hand appeared in front of him, holding the missing phone.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Looking for this? Here.”

Caught off guard, Yesung accepted his phone from Jung Hageon and looked up suspiciously.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Why do you have my phone?”

“It was lying among the clothes you dropped by the front door, so I picked it up. Don’t worry—no one’s called, and you didn’t miss anything important.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His tone was casual, as if to say, Don’t even bother doubting me. Yesung shifted his gaze to his phone, and Jung Hageon turned toward the door.

“I’ll be waiting outside, so come out when you’re ready.”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Only after Jung Hageon left did Yesung check his phone. The lock screen was still intact, ensuring that Jung Hageon couldn’t have snooped even if he’d wanted to.

6:21 PM. He’d slept for nearly ten hours straight.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

With a sigh, Yesung set his phone down and left his room. The first thing he noticed was the pristine condition of the entryway. He distinctly remembered leaving it in chaos when he came home, yet now it looked spotless.

It must’ve been him. Who else could it be?

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Scratching the back of his head in mild embarrassment, Yesung made his way to the kitchen. The moment his eyes landed on the dining table, they widened in disbelief.

“This… What is this?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

It was a feast.

When Jung Hageon had said dinner, Yesung had assumed he’d ordered takeout. Instead, the table was covered with what was clearly homemade food.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Frozen in place, Yesung couldn’t take his eyes off the spread. Then, carrying a pot of steaming doenjang jjigae (soybean paste stew), Jung Hageon gestured toward a chair.

“Take a seat, sunbae.”

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Before he even realized it, Yesung found himself obeying, pulling out a chair and sitting down. His eyes fell on the bowl of rice in front of him, a perfectly packed mound of steaming white grains. Peeking up, he glanced at Jung Hageon, who had seated himself across the table.

“Did you… make all of this yourself?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The table featured not only doenjang jjigae but also a total of ten side dishes arranged neatly around it. Jung Hageon nodded casually.

“Yes. I made the rice, the stew, and the gyeran mari (rolled omelet). The rest are side dishes my mom sent me.”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

His tone was humble, as if he hadn’t done much at all, but Yesung was impressed. Back when he first started working as a doctor, he’d been full of enthusiasm about cooking his own meals to maintain proper nutrition. That phase hadn’t lasted long.

Returning home utterly exhausted, he barely had enough energy to sleep, let alone cook. It didn’t help that he had zero talent for it—Yesung was a complete disaster in the kitchen.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

He couldn’t even cook instant ramen properly.

Yes, the universe was fair. It had granted him intelligence and skill as a doctor but had completely skipped over culinary talent.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After countless failed attempts, he’d given up on cooking altogether. From then on, his meals had been whatever was fastest and easiest—instant noodles, prepackaged food, and takeout.

Yet here was Jung Hageon, a fellow doctor, casually whipping up home-cooked meals like it was nothing.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“You don’t cook like this all the time, do you?” Yesung asked, half in disbelief.

“Only on my off days. If I’m too busy, I just make do. But when I have time, I try to cook. Eating instant food or takeout all the time isn’t good for you.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

What the hell? Yesung couldn’t stop the expletive from forming in his head.

Mulling over Jung Hageon’s reasoning, Yesung begrudgingly admitted to himself that the guy was… disciplined. Not obsessive about homemade meals, but practical.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

As someone who had long since given up on the idea of balance, Yesung felt both impressed and a little defeated.

“Impressive,” he muttered. “It must be crazy trying to juggle all this with work.”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

Without waiting for a reply, Yesung picked up his spoon. It had been ages since he’d had a proper meal.

The first bite of steaming rice was heavenly, and the doenjang jjigae that followed was equally divine. Warm, comforting, and perfectly seasoned, the stew paired beautifully with the rice. The soft tofu and tender zucchini added just the right textures, and the crunchy kimchi—a gift from Jung Hageon’s mother—was the perfect accompaniment.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Wow…”

Taking a bite of the fluffy gyeran mari, Yesung couldn’t hold back a contented sigh. Across the table, Jung Hageon watched with a faint smile, finally breaking his silence.

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“Does it suit your taste?”

“…You’re seriously telling me you made this?” Yesung asked, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Unfazed, Jung Hageon nodded. Yesung clicked his tongue softly, muttering under his breath.

“You take cooking classes or something?”

Support us by visiting our official site at lilyonthevalley.com

“No. I just watched my mom and picked it up. Then I started experimenting when I moved out.”

“Recipes?”

Visit Lily on the Valley to read full chapter without gibberish

“The internet.”

Damn overachiever.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Suddenly, everything about Jung Hageon made sense. He wasn’t just good at his job; he was annoyingly competent at life in general.

As if sensing Yesung’s inner monologue, Jung Hageon tilted his head, looking slightly amused.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

“Does it really taste that good?”

“…Yeah,” Yesung admitted reluctantly, scooping up another bite of doenjang jjigae.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Jung Hageon’s eyes widened, clearly surprised by the compliment, before a soft chuckle escaped him.

“Glad to hear it,” he said, placing a piece of spicy squid on Yesung’s rice.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Yesung froze for a second, watching the younger man’s expression. The gentle smile, the way his eyes crinkled slightly at the corners—it was oddly disarming.

And just like that, Yesung revoked his earlier thought.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

Nope. I take it back. He’s dangerous.

For a brief moment, Yesung had almost forgotten Jung Hageon’s previous confession and the awkward rejection that followed. But now he remembered.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

This guy was clever—using food as a weapon.

Even so, Yesung didn’t reject the squid. He placed it in his mouth and chewed, savoring the flavor.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

The food didn’t do anything wrong, after all.

As Yesung continued to eat, he found himself unwinding in a way he hadn’t in ages. It was a rare, satisfying meal that marked the start of what would surely be a complicated cohabitation.

Read the complete chapter at Lily on the Valley without random text

***

The day Yesung returned to the hospital after finishing his day off was a Friday. Although not as busy as weekends, it was undeniably one of the busiest weekdays.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

And sure enough, emergency calls flooded in as soon as he arrived at work.

“Sunbae! A 14-year-old male with an abdominal stab wound. The glass shard is large and lodged pretty deeply! ETA is about 1 minute!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Got it! I’m on my way now!”

This was already the third call from Park Joohyuk today alone. As Yesung sprinted down the stairs, he couldn’t help but think that it might actually be easier to just camp out in the emergency room.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

When he hurried into the ER, the scene was a flurry of activity. Medical staff moved around busily, and Yesung wove through the sea of people to head to the treatment room.

“What’s the patient’s vitals?” he asked, catching his breath after arriving safely in the treatment room where Park Joohyuk was waiting. The patient was still wearing a school uniform.

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Luckily, the glass is still lodged and hasn’t been removed, so the blood pressure is at 110/90, and the pulse is at 130. For now, he’s relatively stable.”

“What happened?”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“A broken glass shard is lodged in his left abdomen. It’s fairly large and seems deeply embedded. Considering the location, there’s a high possibility of liver damage. The slightly distended abdomen suggests intraperitoneal bleeding is likely too!”

Listening to Joohyuk’s report, Yesung quickly pulled on latex gloves and began assessing the patient’s condition. The most severe injury was the abdominal wound, but there were also scratches and bruises scattered across the body. The injuries didn’t seem ordinary.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

‘Could this be…?’

As a chilling thought crossed his mind, Yesung’s expression turned serious. But he quickly refocused and shouted instructions to the medical team around him.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Let’s get a central line (C-line) in place first! Start antibiotics as well. Intern, bring normal saline (N/S) right away!”

“Yes!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What about the patient’s guardian?!”

As Yesung deftly secured a vein, he glanced around for the guardian. A nurse who was hanging an additional IV pack on the line responded.

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“They’ve been contacted and should be on their way!”

Yesung’s gaze shifted to Joohyuk. “Dr. Park, what about blood packs? Have you prepped for any we might need now, aside from what we’ll use in the OR?”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes! I requested them as soon as I heard about the patient’s condition. They should arrive shortly.”

“Doctor! The patient’s BP is dropping!”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

No sooner had Yesung started looking for the blood packs than the patient’s blood pressure began to plummet. His abdomen rose and fell with labored breaths, likely causing a ruptured capillary and subsequent bleeding.

Biting his lip, Yesung raised his voice. “Intubate and set another C-line! Bring me an IO needle!”

For the best reading experience, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Yes!”

“Hurry up with the fluids! Where’s that normal saline? I need a 7mm endotracheal tube and gauze! Gauze!”

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“N/S is here!”