episode_0013

‘What a liar….’

In reality, that point was strictly Dakota’s misunderstanding, but that was fine.

The important thing was that she had gone on a date disguised as a disciplinary action with Lager and got injured.

The atmosphere seemed to suggest that she was shamelessly planning to go out for a stroll on the first floor with a friend.

It didn’t sit well with him.

However.

But what should he say?

Should he mock her for knowing that she would do that, for looking so pathetic, for trying to intrude into his space with such weak intentions?

Or should he ask if she’s okay, given that she was involved in an accident, what the situation was, and express relief that she came back alive?

Even though he didn’t like her.

But he didn’t blurt out anything unpleasant either.

In the moment of hesitation.

“Let’s go to the 5th floor…. Room 514.”

She spoke first.

A cautious gaze. A voice that seemed to creep in unknowingly.

Come to think of it, she had mentioned it before.

─Dakota, what’s the misunderstanding….

Was it really a misunderstanding?

He gathered his weakening resolve and coldly retorted to her.

“I didn’t ask.”

“Isn’t it time to say thank you?”

“Why should I be thankful?”

There was no reason to be thankful. After all, the location of his hospital room was already known.

But it was strange.

If she was really restraining herself, shouldn’t there be actions like turning back to the 5th floor, or telling lies?

Even so willingly revealing her location and making time for just the two of them.

Was it pure kindness? Or confidence?

Unable to discern her intentions, he hesitated to answer.

“Well, we have to go chat.”

With a nonchalant expression, she lightly nodded her head and headed towards the cafeteria without looking back even once.

‘…What’s her motive.’

His mind was in turmoil, but he couldn’t just stand there foolishly.

First, let’s meet her.

Let’s confront her.

With a resolved mind, Dakota briskly headed towards the elevator. Riding the elevator to the 5th floor, he briefly admired the hospital’s white and clean view through the glass elevator outside.

[5th floor. The door is opening.]

Dakota’s footsteps as he descended from the elevator were somewhat hurried. He didn’t want to linger in the hallway, unsure when she might change her mind and return.

“514. 514….”

Checking the room numbers one by one with his finger, Dakota busily searched for room 514. If he had gone left immediately after exiting the elevator, he might have had more time, but he ended up checking up to room 505 by going right and realized he had misjudged the direction.

‘What a fool.’

Turning his steps back urgently, he rushed to the opposite side. He sprinted around the circular hallway centered around the main elevator. How much further did he run after passing the elevator.

Finally, he found room 514.

“Pant, pant….”

Breathing heavily, Dakota wore a satisfied smile on his face.

Carefully raising his hand, he knocked. But there was no response from inside.

Knocking again, calling out his name inside.

“G-Godin?”

Still no answer.

Did he get it wrong? He felt a twinge of doubt for a moment, but Dakota quickly dismissed that possibility. The reception and Chloe couldn’t both lie about the same room number.

Then, did he go to the bathroom.

My lips were dry for no reason. Deciding to call out his name one more time, I brought my lips closer to the door and called out his name a little louder than before.

“Godeun, are you there?”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“Eek?!”

The voice came from behind. Dakota, who was completely absorbed in his thoughts inside the hospital room, didn’t feel him approaching and let out a short, startled scream.

Lager, also startled, flinched at once.

“What, what is it?”

Suddenly faced with Lager from such a close distance, Dakota blushed and awkwardly cleared his throat before stepping aside next to the door.

“Um, I came to check on the patient’s condition and adjust the work schedule. Can I come in for a moment?”

“If it’s a quick talk, we can do it here.”

However, Lager’s response was indifferent. He seemed to be urging to get to the point and leave quickly.

He must be smitten with that girl. Dakota thought, feeling a bit gloomy.

“Nevertheless, since I’ve come this far, I’ll have to settle this in some way.”

Determined once again, Dakota replied to Lager.

“It won’t be a quick conversation. If you’re uncomfortable, we can talk outside the room, but I don’t mind.”

Lager seemed to hesitate for a moment, then opened the door and slowly walked into the room.

“Come in and close the door.”

Nodding lightly, Dakota watched Lager sit on the bed and clenched his fist in excitement.

“Got it!”

They say the beginning is half the battle, so he had already achieved half of his goal.

“As nonchalant as possible. Really professional. Just like usual…”

Repeating this mantra in his mind, Dakota glanced around the quiet hospital room. The facility itself was familiar to him as he had been hospitalized once before.

But the small TV stand in the room and the old-fashioned TV, along with the mini-fridge placed next to it.

The late afternoon sunlight streaming through the window and the view of the green academy campus outside.

The white bed, medical equipment, and the subtle air flowing in the room.

Everything was the same, yet everything felt different.

Of course, it was natural.

It was the first time they were alone together in a space.

Seeing Lager sit on the bed slowly, Dakota quickly approached and sat on the chair next to the bed, offering a fruit basket.

“It’s nothing special, but I brought some fruits.”

It was a simple arrangement. Apples, bananas, and a few grapes for a get-well gesture.

Lager accepted it and placed it in a corner, replying in a dry tone.

“Thanks. We’ll have it with ale when it arrives.”

He didn’t buy it for that purpose. Dakota’s doll-like face showed a hint of disappointment.

Lager deliberately avoided giving her an opening for further conversation, while subtly hinting at her to feel disappointed and back off on her own. She was indeed objectively beautiful, but that was as far as it went.

Just like there were no men who would love Cha Eun-woo for his outstanding looks.

Lager’s emotions when he looked at Dakota were just about that.

No matter how pretty she was, she couldn’t capture Lager’s interest.

Putting aside her disappointment, Dakota decided to get to the point.

“You know I have a full day of work scheduled for tomorrow, right?”

“I was wondering what to do about that.”

“Since I’ll be working with Chloe tomorrow, you don’t have to worry.”

Lager furrowed his brow at that.

“Who decided that without consulting me?”

“Are you suggesting that I should go to work all day tomorrow?”

“I said you’d be better by tomorrow.”

“It’s really strange, isn’t it? In a situation like this, shouldn’t we be grateful to the person who volunteers to take over the shift?”

As Dakota, he couldn’t help but wonder why it had to be like this.

In reality, he was forcing the issue. Strictly speaking, there was no need to take such measures. With more than one patrol team on duty during the weekend, he could easily adjust the team assignments at his discretion.

But.

But…

He didn’t like being stuck with these two people.

Even in this current situation, the way she would wait for her to return, even when they were alone in the hospital room, glancing at the clock multiple times.

Her attitude of diligently texting her even though she was right next to him.

He couldn’t stand it.

“Ael Chloe, is it because of her?”

Lager responded to that question with a clear expression of discomfort.

“Isn’t that a pointless question?”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“Do I have to answer?”

“Do you have a reason for not answering?”

A cold atmosphere settled between the two.

Finally, Lager let out a heavy sigh and looked at her.

“Yes. It’s because of her.”

Although he hadn’t been able to be honest with Ael yet, Lager also had a reason to go out with her tomorrow, regardless of his recovery from the injury.

For Dakota, who had no idea he was a character in a novel’s world, it was a story he could never do.

Tomorrow afternoon, Lager.

And Ael Chloe.

Had to go to a specific place.

Unable to logically justify the reason, he decided to come up with a decent excuse.

However, the excuse he thought was decent.

“I have to be out all day. I feel most comfortable being with him.”

To Dakota, it was a piercing statement.

Right on cue.

As the door opened and Ael walked in, it was the sound of knocking on the window.

“What do you mean by that?”

Ael Chloe looked at him with a puzzled expression.

As if she had heard something she shouldn’t have, Ael’s pupils trembled. Lager couldn’t bear that gaze, so he subtly turned his head and clenched his fists.

Something was going very wrong.