Chapter 18

When Sunwoo woke up again, the sky outside was ablaze with the colors of the setting sun.

"I'm so hungry..."

Was it because there was another life growing inside him? It felt like hunger always hit him the moment he opened his eyes. Sunwoo rubbed his stomach, which was growling in protest, and left the bedroom.

He needed to eat something.

"Mr. Choi Sunwoo, you’re awake."

"Ah!"

Sunwoo screamed at the sudden voice.

A woman in a suit was standing by the door with a gentle smile. She appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties.

"Oh my, I must have startled you. I’m terribly sorry."

The woman bowed her head apologetically, genuinely looking regretful.

Sunwoo clutched his pounding chest.

"No, it’s okay. Uh, who are you?"

"Oh! I am Baek Soonhee, the housekeeper in charge of managing everything in the house. You can just call me Housekeeper Baek."

The woman introduced herself with a modest bow. A housekeeper? That was a job title you’d only hear about in a really big mansion.

Of course, considering this was where Kang Jinwook lived, it made sense.

"Oh, um, I’m Choi Sunwoo."

Sunwoo also bowed and introduced himself, though he momentarily wondered if this was the right thing to do.

"Yes, Mr. Choi Sunwoo. I’ve been informed by the Executive Director that you will be staying in this room from today. If you need anything or have any requests, please feel free to reach out to me."

Housekeeper Baek smiled kindly as she spoke.

"Have you been here this whole time?"

Sunwoo indirectly asked if she had been standing outside his door while he was sleeping.

"I heard you were unwell, so I stayed nearby just in case something happened."

Housekeeper Baek replied politely.

"Oh… Thank you."

Sunwoo, who had initially suspected that Kang Jinwook had ordered her to watch him to prevent him from escaping, smiled sheepishly.

"Did you rest well? Are you feeling better? Did you come out because you needed something?"

"Uh, yes, I’m better now. I just... got hungry."

Led by Housekeeper Baek’s gentle questioning, Sunwoo admitted his hunger. He felt a bit embarrassed. He had planned to just head to the kitchen for something to eat, not expecting anyone to be waiting for him.

Housekeeper Baek’s eyes widened.

"Oh! You must be hungry! I’ll prepare a meal for you right away. Could you please wait just a moment? I’ll come to get you as soon as it’s ready."@@novelbin@@

She bowed her head respectfully as she spoke, which only made Sunwoo feel more awkward.

"No, there’s no need for that... I can just wait in the kitchen."

"Is that so? Then I’ll escort you."

When Sunwoo waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, Housekeeper Baek smiled again and led the way.

Sunwoo trailed behind her as they walked down the corridor, which was lined with doors on either side like a hotel hallway.

Through the slightly open doors, he could see beds and cabinets, indicating that these were all guest rooms prepared for visitors.

After walking down the corridor for a while, they arrived at a dining room that was as spacious as the living room where Sunwoo had first met Kang Jinwook.

The long dining table could easily seat twelve people, and the elegant, French-restaurant-inspired décor was both sophisticated and beautiful.

"Please have a seat here."

Housekeeper Baek indicated a spot with a good view of the sunset. Sunwoo glanced around the dining room before settling at the end of the table.

The chair was large and plush, which made him feel a bit out of place. He would have been content with a simple four-person table in the kitchen, but this was clearly a space meant for hosting guests.

"Is there anything specific you’d like to eat?"

"Um... if it’s okay, I’d like some fruit and salad, please."

Feeling a bit awkward as he looked around, Sunwoo answered Housekeeper Baek’s question. After a moment of hesitation, he added another question.

"Is the Executive Director not here?"

"No. The Executive Director mentioned he would be late today, so you may go ahead and eat."

Housekeeper Baek kindly explained, assuming that Sunwoo was only asking because he wanted to have a light meal while waiting for Kang Jinwook.

Of course, Sunwoo’s inquiry wasn’t because he intended to wait for Kang Jinwook. He was just curious about where he had gone after leaving him here.

"Oh, no. It’s just that my stomach feels a bit unsettled. I thought fruit and salad would be easier to digest."

Not wanting to reveal his pregnancy, Sunwoo replied vaguely.

"Why does your stomach feel unsettled?"

A cold voice suddenly interrupted. When Sunwoo turned his head, he saw Kang Jinwook, who Housekeeper Baek had just said would be late, standing right at the entrance to the dining room.

With his tall frame clad in a black suit and his arms crossed, Kang Jinwook exuded an air of intimidation. His perfectly groomed hair added to the stern impression, causing Sunwoo to frown slightly.

"Executive Director, you’re here."

Housekeeper Baek hurriedly approached Kang Jinwook and bowed.

Kang Jinwook brushed past Housekeeper Baek and strode towards the table where Sunwoo was seated.

"Just… I just woke up."

Growl. Growl.

No sooner had Sunwoo finished speaking than a loud rumbling emanated from his stomach.

‘Oh, come on!’

Sunwoo looked down at his protesting stomach, his eyes filled with embarrassment and frustration.

For a brief moment, the corner of Kang Jinwook’s mouth lifted in a smirk.

"Doesn’t sound like your stomach’s upset."

He didn’t miss the opportunity to throw in a teasing remark.

"…"

Sunwoo glared at Kang Jinwook with a sullen expression.

Since they were no longer in a superior-subordinate relationship, he had nothing to lose!

"Then I’d also like to request something mild and non-smelly, please."

But Sunwoo quickly lowered his gaze and quietly added to his order. Inwardly, he prayed that his nausea wouldn’t act up when the food arrived.

Given that Kang Jinwook already had the wrong idea about him being sick, he didn’t want to make things worse by actually throwing up in front of him.

"Understood. Please wait just a moment."

Housekeeper Baek responded courteously before leaving the dining room.

"You said you’d be late. Don’t you have work to do?"

With just the two of them left, Sunwoo looked up at Kang Jinwook standing before him and asked in a sarcastic tone.

"So, you think you’re free now that I’m no longer your boss?"

"Yes."

At Sunwoo’s immediate response, Kang Jinwook’s lips curled into a crooked smile, a dangerous glint in his eyes.

"But your resignation hasn’t been processed yet."

As expected, Kang Jinwook’s words were anything but welcome.

What? Why hasn’t it been processed yet?

"You ran off before it could be handled, didn’t you?"

Kang Jinwook casually explained, as if he had read Sunwoo’s mind when he glared at him in disbelief. But what did that have to do with processing his resignation?

Seeing Sunwoo’s dumbfounded expression, Kang Jinwook gave him another irritating smirk.

"After dinner, we’re heading to the hospital."

"Why the hospital?"

"We need to find out what’s wrong with you. We’ll run tests from head to toe to figure out what’s causing your symptoms and determine the best course of treatment."

The sudden, alarming declaration struck Sunwoo like a bolt of lightning.

"N-no, that’s really not necessary."

Sunwoo stammered in shock.

"Not necessary? What’s not necessary? I need to know exactly what’s wrong with you, how severe it is, so stop arguing and let’s go to the hospital."

Kang Jinwook shot back with a fierce gaze, his tone leaving no room for negotiation.

"I don’t need it! I’m not getting any tests! Please, I’m begging you, just leave it alone."

But Sunwoo couldn’t back down. A hospital? Tests?

That would inevitably expose the fact that he was pregnant. He absolutely couldn’t let that happen, so he had no choice but to stand his ground.

Why is he acting like this? Shouldn’t he be focusing on the main character instead of meddling with me?

But Kang Jinwook, unfazed by Sunwoo’s rising panic, continued.

"Choi Sunwoo."

His voice was low and threatening as he glared at Sunwoo with eyes that seemed ready to devour him. But this time, Sunwoo stared right back, refusing to be intimidated.

Sunwoo’s mind raced. There had to be a way to avoid going to the hospital with Kang Jinwook! What could he say to make him give up?

"Then why don’t you tell me yourself? What exactly is wrong with you?"

The biggest problem was that Kang Jinwook believed Sunwoo was terminally ill. To ensure his safe resignation, Sunwoo had deliberately let him believe that.

He figured no one would hold onto someone they thought was dying.

But that was a miscalculation. Instead, Kang Jinwook had become more insistent on keeping him close, driven by who knows what misunderstanding.

‘Of all times, why did we have to run into each other when I was at the edge of that railing…’

He had only gone for a walk because he couldn’t sleep and had already eaten some fruit. Yet Kang Jinwook had appeared at just the wrong moment, leading to this whole mess.

Now it seemed like admitting he wasn’t terminally ill might be the better option. Sunwoo thought carefully.

‘What condition could cause nausea, loss of appetite, and even fainting?’

As Sunwoo racked his brain for a similar condition, he finally recalled a story setting from a novel.

He couldn’t remember exactly which novel it was from, but that wasn’t important right now!

"I have a stomach ulcer!"

Sunwoo was so relieved to have found a plausible excuse that his tone came out almost cheerful.

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