Chapter 4

“It feels like this is the only way I can feel at ease.”

Hyun Woo quickly fetched Chae Ah’s clothes from the neighboring house.

“Put these on.”

After tossing her the pajamas, he exited the room.

Almost immediately, Chae Ah’s voice came through the door.

-“It’s hard to change… Can’t you help me?”

“I’ll wait outside. Take your time.”

He knew it was difficult for her to change on her own.

But if he went back in now, he’d have to face her shocking state of undress again.

Already, her image was vividly imprinted in his mind, and tonight he might need to take care of himself once more alone.

-“Eek…”

However, as he listened to her prolonged struggles, guilt began to creep in late.

‘What exactly am I doing to an injured person?’ Hyun Woo sighed and knocked on the door.

“Chae Ah.”

-“Mmm… Yes?”

“Are you in a lot of pain?”

-“Yes… A little.”

“I’ll help you. I’m coming in.”

-“Eh?”

As she let out a questioning sound, Hyun Woo entered the room.

“You said you weren’t going to help before.”

Though he had braced himself, Chae Ah’s appearance was still quite violent-looking.

Her top was only half-draped because she couldn’t use her right hand properly, essentially leaving her half-exposed.

“Sorry. I overreacted earlier. Let me help you get dressed quickly.”

Despite having just finished bathing, her smooth skin kept drawing his gaze.

‘I’m just helping her. That’s all. Just helping.’

Hyun Woo averted his eyes while gripping Chae Ah’s pajamas.

Even without underwear, her chest dominated his attention with its imposing presence.

“Stand up straight.”

“Sure.”

Muttering the national anthem repeatedly in his head, he managed to dress her properly.

“How about the pants?”

“Just slide them on your legs.”

At least for the lower half, he didn’t have to look directly.

If he had to help her put on underwear too…

…a high school boy in his prime wouldn’t be able to resist.

“Alright, I’ll turn off the lights.”

“Are we really sleeping like this?”

“Go rest already.”

“Wait a second, please.”

Trying to hide his hardened lower body by turning off the light, but Chae Ah suddenly hugged him around the waist.

Fearing she would soon discover his predicament,

“Hey, that’s dangerous, let go.”

“Promise you’ll listen to me first.”

“I promise.”

He surrendered immediately.

With her arms sliding off, Chae Ah declared confidently,

“I won’t ask to play games.”

“You shouldn’t anyway.”

“Then show me you playing.”

“Why?”

“Because I can’t sleep.”

“Watch a stream then. You can handle your phone with one hand.”

“Yeah, but… watching you play might jog my memory.”

This wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

Still, he thought it would be better to let her sleep tonight.

“Isn’t the game we used to play something you can do alone?”

“Yeah.”

“Then show me briefly. Maybe it’ll bring back some memories. Please?”

“…Just for a bit.”

“Oh! You’re really going to do it? Thank you!”

Reluctantly, Hyun Woo sat in front of the computer.

“Is your head okay?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Worried, he turned back to see Chae Ah already lying down casually, waiting for him.

‘She seems perfectly fine.’

Amused, Hyun Woo chuckled softly and looked at the monitor.

“What should I show you…”

A gamer lifestyle cemented since childhood with Chae Ah.

The library alone had well over a hundred games.

“Not sure which one could help restore your memory though.”

“What was the last one we played together?”

“Monster hunting.”

“Then show me that.”

“Okay.”

Monster hunting was a game where you chose weapons, hunted monsters, collected materials, and crafted new equipment.

They were in the middle of the latest DLC, chasing the final monster when—

‘We’ll finish that once you’re better.’

For now, he entered a random quest, hoping to jog her memory slightly.

“Whoa…”

Chae Ah watched Hyun Woo play for a moment, then—

“Ah, you should’ve rolled there.”

…

“Sip, drink the potion now or you’ll get hit.”

Before long, she crossed her arms and started critiquing his gameplay with a tongue click.

That much was tolerable; if she remembered the game they played together, that was good enough.

However, when Hyun Woo made a mistake by being stingy with the potion and died—

“Ouch. If you had done a counterattack, you would’ve survived.”

“Hey.”

Unable to hold back, Hyun Woo turned to Chae Ah.

“Be honest with me.”

“About what?”

“Your memory has come back, hasn’t it?”

“No?”

“But you remember the patterns?”

“Yeah. Watching reminded me. That’s the monster you always failed to counterattack against, remember?”

“Siiip…”

Something felt off.

Hyun Woo paused the game and asked,

“Do you remember which class we were in last year?”

“2nd grade, Class 3?”

“And our homeroom teacher?”

“Can’t remember.”

“Both the name and face?”

“Yeah. I don’t even know if it was a man or a woman.”

Chae Ah seemed to only remember things closely related to ‘Hyun Woo.’

Could selective and specific memories exist like this?

Doubtful eyes met hers.

“Really. I don’t know why, but I only remember things related to you. I don’t even know our home password.”

“Now that you mention it…”

Earlier, Chae Ah had naturally entered Hyun Woo’s house using the password.

“Do you remember anything I hid?”

Just in case.

If she remembered everything about Hyun Woo…

And if she recalled finding the hidden bouquet meant for confessing…

She would still know how he felt.

“Um… something hidden? Like that adult game in the library that got exposed to me—”

“Stop. Don’t say it.”

Rushed to cut her off, Hyun Woo faced his past shame once more.

Yet, at least now he had a clearer idea of what Chae Ah remembered.

Upon seeing the monster hunting game, she recalled the monster’s pattern.

And the adult game exposed last winter break came to mind quickly too.

‘Maybe she doesn’t remember anything around the time of the accident.’

Perhaps only memories related to the confession were erased.

* * *

Lost in thought, he couldn’t concentrate on the game.

Repeatedly dying to the same pattern—

“Haaam…”

Chae Ah gradually quieted down and was now yawning.

When he died to the same pattern again,

Without looking back, Hyun Woo quietly closed the game.

“Huh? Why did you turn it off?”

“Just… It’s getting boring.”

Telling her the truth—that he was thinking of her—would have been fine.

But habitually, Hyun Woo made up an excuse.

It was a hard habit to break after living this way since childhood.

“Is it because I’m not playing with you?”

Chae Ah innocently questioned, unaware.

Hyun Woo chuckled and replied,

“Let’s go with that.”

It wasn’t entirely wrong either.

Since childhood, Hyun Woo had played almost every game with Chae Ah.

-“Is this the level we’re supposed to clear?”

-“Yeah, it fits our level.”

-“There’s no need to be so clumsy…”

-“Huh?”

-“…Let’s try again.”

A gamer’s pride formed during those times, rarely quitting until clearing the game.

But now, Chae Ah yawned lazily while he indulged in pointless pride.

“Time to really sleep. It’s almost midnight.”

“Turn off the light for me…”

“This is my room. Go sleep in the guest room.”

Chae Ah visiting Hyun Woo’s house was common.

There were plenty of spare rooms, and the one next door was practically Chae Ah’s dedicated space.

“Why keep kicking me out? This is my spot.”

“No, it’s not. You even left dolls in the guest room.”

“…I don’t remember.”

Claiming she remembered everything related to Hyun Woo,

Was it due to drowsiness?

Or was she pretending not to know?

Chae Ah insisted that Hyun Woo’s bed was her spot.

“I’m sleepy too. Go already.”

“Then carry me over.”

Hyun Woo silently stared at the casts on her hands and feet.

Admittedly, moving was tough for her.

“I’ll help you up. Let’s go.”

It wasn’t far.

Just helping her would suffice.

“No… Then pick me up and move me.”

“What are you talking about…?”

However, Chae Ah tightly wrapped herself in Hyun Woo’s blanket like a roll.

As if saying, “If you want to kick me out, carry me princess-style.”

Wanting to resolve their earlier tension,

He wanted to send this stubborn blanket-roll to the guest room quickly.

‘Where should I grab her?’

He feared accidentally touching the wrong place.

“I’ll just sleep on the floor then.”

Deciding to give up, Hyun Woo thought about using the bathroom tonight as he rummaged through the closet for a blanket.

“Isn’t the floor hard?”

“It will be.”

“That’s inconvenient then. You’re the host here.”

“Then you sleep on the floor?”

“I’m the patient.”

“What are you trying to pull?”

Hyun Woo glared at Chae Ah.

This senseless banter reminded him of their childhood days.

Teasing each other while playing.

“Come on, get on the bed too.”

…Cancel that thought.

The atmosphere suddenly became intense.

“Why are you acting weird today?”

“What do you mean?”

“You’re saying things you normally wouldn’t. Grabbing onto me…”

Hyun Woo paused momentarily.

Even if she forgot the memory of planning to confess,

Didn’t the feelings of liking him remain?

Yet asking outright, “Do you like me?” felt awkward.

“You keep acting like a kid and leaning on me.”

He phrased it carefully.

“Me?”

Chae Ah furrowed her brows slightly.

She murmured, as if pondering whether she truly acted that way.

Finally lifting her eyelids, she looked at Hyun Woo seriously.

“Because I feel safe this way.”

“…What?”

“To be honest, I’m scared when you’re not around. Even your parents seem strange, and I don’t know how I interacted with others.”

Only then did Hyun Woo realize.

It was natural.

Confused with no memories,

Holding onto the one clear person was inevitable, wasn’t it?

…

Click.

Silently turning off the lights,

“Will just being beside you suffice?”

He quietly lay down next to Chae Ah and closed his eyes.

Rustle rustle.

The warmth from Chae Ah covered him as the blanket slid over.

“Yes. Just being here is enough.”

“Alright. I’ll stay beside you tonight.”

“…Thank you.”

“Sleep tight.”

Hyun Woo maintained a distance where the blanket wouldn’t slip off.

Possible because the bed was spacious.

“You’ll fall off like that. Come closer.”

Chae Ah tapped the empty space beside her.

“Don’t worry and sleep.”

“Can I hold your hand?”

“…No.”

Please stop.

Thump thump thump.

His heart raced wildly just lying next to her.

Getting any closer might expose his condition.

“If you hold my hand, I’ll sleep quietly.”

“What will you do if I don’t?”

“I’ll chatter incessantly.”

A trivial threat indeed.

If he ignored her and stayed silent, Chae Ah would likely fall asleep soon.

Snugly.

“Fine.”

Hyun Woo held Chae Ah’s hand.

Whether he believed this would reassure her,

Or if he was unconsciously fulfilling a hidden desire,

Was unclear.

“Goodnight, Hyun Woo.”

Regardless, Chae Ah quickly fell into a deep, rhythmic sleep.

“…I tried to avoid holding hands once, but…”

Caught firmly by the hand, Hyun Woo tossed and turned sleeplessly for a long while.