ACTSV chapter 164

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“Thank you again for helping. The room’s bigger than last time, too…”

“Don’t feel like you owe me for this. It’s because of me.”

“There’s nothing we could do about the situation, but collapsing wasn’t exactly your fault. Thanks to you, I’m living comfortably, and having a bodyguard here feels really reassuring.”

It was true that being at the mansion and now in the hospital was because of Wonbeom’s situation, but Jingyeom knew that beyond that, none of it was his fault.

Just the fact that Wonbeom was covering his hospital bills made Jingyeom deeply grateful.

The thought of repaying it all felt overwhelming.

“Well, if that’s how you feel.”

“But isn’t it more dangerous for you and Soohyuk hyung? Jinwoo and I are safe here, but aren’t you guys at greater risk?”

“You worry too much about other people.”

Wonbeom frowned slightly, as if bothered.

Although there weren’t many people around him, Jingyeom’s connections with Jinwoo and Soohyuk were unusually close.

‘…Should I just get rid of them?’

A dangerous glint flickered in Wonbeom’s eyes for a moment.

The thought crossed his mind that he could find some excuse to send Jinwoo and Soohyuk far away, leaving him alone with Jingyeom.

What if he bought a house with a big garden where Jingyeom could do everything he wanted?

He could even prioritize setting up activities that kept him at home.

‘He mentioned wanting to swim once… A house with a pool should do.’

Wonbeom mentally mapped out the layout of a house where he and Jingyeom could live together.

Since a large dog would be too much for Jingyeom, he pictured giving him a small dog, one that would keep Jingyeom from leaving by claiming it needed constant attention.

“Don’t worry about us—just focus on getting better.”

At Wonbeom’s unexpectedly brusque words, Jingyeom broke into a smile.

“What’s so funny?”

“It just sounded familiar. My health matters to me too, you know. I have to be well to even worry about others. So right now, I’m doing my best, and that’s why I still have room to worry about you guys.”

At Jingyeom’s confident reply, Wonbeom lifted the corner of his mouth in a faint smile.

“Why not channel some of that energy into something more productive?”

“Something productive? Like what?”

“…Is there anything you want to do?”

Jingyeom tilted his head, caught off guard by the sudden question.

“A dream? What’s my dream…”

Jingyeom hesitated, his brow furrowing as he grew serious, clenching his lips tightly.

After a long pause, he looked at Wonbeom with intense eyes and said in a solemn voice:

“There’s just too many.”

Wonbeom almost thought Jingyeom had no dreams, given his troubled expression, but was surprised by the answer.

Wonbeom chuckled and encouraged Jingyeom to share them all.

“I’d like to win the lottery and pay off all my debts, then move to a house with a garden, and get a dog. A brown puppy! Aren’t they adorable?”

‘You’re cuter, though.’

Wonbeom didn’t say it aloud but nodded, showing he was listening.

“And I want to get a driver’s license so I can drive a bright red sports car along the coast of Jeju Island. Also… I want to travel a lot. There are so many beautiful places in our country to see, and I want to explore abroad, too.”

Jingyeom’s eyes sparkled as he shared his dreams, which didn’t seem to end.

He kept talking, animatedly, but his tone gradually softened.

“But… honestly, even if I can’t do all of that, I just want Jinwoo to be happy. I want him to live freely, doing whatever makes him happy.”

Though his voice wavered with the edge of tears, his face was bright.

Wonbeom muttered to himself, wondering why Jinwoo was always at the end of it, and asked:

“Is that all?”

“…There’s more, but I’ll stop here. It’s too much, right?”

“You can tell me everything.”

Wonbeom had been quietly listening, not wanting to interrupt Jingyeom’s gentle chatter.

He was mentally organizing every single thing Jingyeom had mentioned, planning how to fulfill each one.

He knew he lagged behind Soohyuk and Jinwoo in Jingyeom’s affections, so he would make up for it with time and money, working his way into Jingyeom’s heart with consistent efforts, no matter how small.

He felt a bit like he was losing his mind over these thoughts, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.

Actually, it felt refreshing, like a break from his usual routine, although he would have preferred it if Jingyeom’s last wish hadn’t involved Jinwoo.

“Having a lot of dreams is a good thing. It’s much better than living aimlessly. As you work through them one by one, time will pass, and someday you’ll be older.”

Wonbeom took Jingyeom’s hand in his own.

As Jingyeom counted off his wishes, folding one finger at a time, his small fist ended up encased in Wonbeom’s larger hand.

“It’d be even better if I were with you through all of it.”

“…”

“It looks like you already knew. Did I ever tell you?”

Wonbeom thought back but couldn’t remember expressing his feelings directly.

Sure, he’d hinted at them, but he never expected Jingyeom to pick up on it.

He had just thought Jingyeom was scared.

“This isn’t a confession. I’m just letting you know, indirectly, where my heart is at right now.”

“…What does that mean?”

“It means I’ll confess for real later. Just think about it then and give me an answer. Right now, just focus on getting better.”

Jingyeom frowned, clearly displeased.

He had already told him earlier not to worry about them and just focus on recovering, yet here he was, dropping a huge bombshell like this, only to say the same thing again.

His words were all over the place.

“…I need to use the bathroom.”

Jingyeom hesitated, biting his lower lip and shutting his eyes tightly as he tried to get out of bed.

‘Ah, idiot!’

Not knowing what to say, he’d tried to flee to the bathroom, but it dawned on him he couldn’t move by himself.

If there were an aid nearby, he could’ve grabbed onto it, but Jinwoo had moved it far away earlier.

Seeing Jingyeom look so pitifully at the aid, Wonbeom stood up to fetch it but then raised an eyebrow and smirked.

“Huh?”

A hand suddenly slipped under his armpit, startling Jingyeom, who quickly looked up.

Pain shot through his ribcage as his body was lifted abruptly.

“Hy-hyung!”

“Yeah.”

“Put me down!”

“Alright.”

Wonbeom lifted Jingyeom as easily as if he were a child.

But his technique was all wrong. Jingyeom grimaced in pain, grabbing onto Wonbeom’s arm and squirming as his ribs and armpits throbbed.

“Ouch, it hurts!”

Wonbeom stopped mid-step at Jingyeom’s pained outcry.

Slowly, he lowered him until Jingyeom’s feet touched the ground, releasing some of his grip.

Finally, with his feet on the floor, Jingyeom hurriedly dropped his arms and rubbed the sore spots.

In just that brief moment, the pressure from Wonbeom’s strength had been so intense he felt as if his ribs might break.

“Ugh… ow!”

“This way doesn’t hurt, does it?”

Watching Jingyeom wince, Wonbeom bent slightly, this time supporting him under his thighs and lifting him up.

Jingyeom, now with an elevated view, instinctively wrapped his arms tightly around Wonbeom’s head to keep from falling.

“Can’t you just carry me normally?”

“This is normal enough.”

“It’s not, at all!”

“I carried Jinwoo like this last time too.”

“But the position’s different!”

Jingyeom protested, exerting strength into his arms.

He still didn’t seem entirely conscious of the fact that Wonbeom was carrying him, preoccupied instead with his aching ribs and armpits.

“As long as it works.”

With one eye partly covered, Wonbeom made his way to the bathroom.

Once there, he set Jingyeom down in front of the toilet, who immediately began rubbing his sore spots and shot Wonbeom a glare.

“You brought me here because I said I had to go, so why are you looking at me like that?”

“What’s wrong with my eyes?”

Jingyeom averted his gaze with a blunt response.

“Thank you for bringing me.”

If he’d had the aid, he could’ve made it here without all this pain.

But still, he couldn’t forget to express his thanks since Wonbeom had helped him.

Jingyeom had come here only to avoid Wonbeom, yet now they were both here, making his attempt meaningless.

Since he was already here, he decided he might as well actually use the bathroom.

He faced the toilet, grabbing his waistband, but still felt Wonbeom’s presence behind him.

He turned his head slightly.

“…Aren’t you leaving?”

“What if you fall? I’ll wait.”

“There’s nothing to trip on here, so could you please wait outside…?”

Wonbeom left the bathroom at Jingyeom’s awkward request, albeit reluctantly.

Even though he was shameless, Jingyeom didn’t want him watching while he used the bathroom.

However, despite leaving, Wonbeom didn’t shut the door.

“…Could you close the door, too?”

“So many requests.”

Wonbeom raised an eyebrow, then shut the door.

Jingyeom tightened his grip on his waistband, letting out a forceful exhale.

Why did his comment about “so many requests” make him so annoyed?

‘So shameless!’

He couldn’t help but feel a nagging suspicion that Wonbeom was enjoying seeing him flustered.

After he was done, Jingyeom held onto the support bar beside the toilet, moving to the sink to wash his hands thoroughly.

When he looked up, he saw his pale face in the mirror.

He blinked slowly, staring into his own eyes.

‘…A confession, he says.’

Wonbeom had said it wasn’t a confession, but how could it not be?

Jingyeom bit down on his lower lip, then released it, his lips already flushed red.

He sighed softly.

So much was on his mind, and now Wonbeom had added another layer to his worries.

Though Wonbeom had said to give an answer later, Jingyeom already knew what he’d say.

‘At this rate, I really won’t be able to contact anyone anymore…’

He owed Wonbeom so much, so even if it was just to repay that debt, he’d keep in touch.

But if he rejected Wonbeom’s feelings, he wondered if it would be difficult afterward.

Maybe it would be better to say something before Wonbeom became even more attached.

But on the other hand, he had no idea how to bring it up, leaving him frustrated.

‘It’s not like he’s actually confessed yet. I guess I can just think it over until then.’

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