The hospital garden was quiet.
Too quiet.
The sun had disappeared hours ago, leaving only the soft glow of the hospital lights spilling across the paths.
Yerin sat beside Do-hyun on a bench, her eyes fixed somewhere in the distance.
Neither of them had said much in the last few minutes.
They were both exhausted.
Two days.
Two nights.
Almost no sleep.
And yet neither of them wanted to leave.
Yerin's eyes slowly became heavier.
She blinked several times, trying to stay awake.
Do-hyun noticed.
"You should sleep."
"I'm fine."
"You've said that about twenty times."
She gave him a tired look.
"I'm not counting."
"You should."
She almost smiled.
Almost.
Then her head slowly tilted toward him.
Do-hyun looked down.
"Yerin?"
No response.
She had fallen asleep.
Her head rested against his shoulder.
Do-hyun sighed quietly.
He didn't move.
A few minutes later, a doctor approached.
"Mr. Choi?"
Do-hyun looked up carefully so he wouldn't wake her.
"Yes?"
The doctor lowered his voice.
"There's been some progress."
Do-hyun immediately became alert.
"Ji-hoon?"
The doctor nodded.
"His condition has improved slightly. His responses are becoming more consistent."
Do-hyun glanced at Yerin.
She was still asleep.
"Is he still critical?"
"He is still under observation, but we're more hopeful than we were yesterday."
Do-hyun nodded.
"Thank you."
The doctor walked away.
Do-hyun looked at Yerin again.
She hadn't moved.
He could have woken her.
He didn't.
She had barely slept since the attack.
For once, he wanted her to rest.
So he stayed exactly where he was.
Morning
A few hours later, Mrs. Choi arrived at the hospital.
She walked into the waiting area carrying several bags of food.
She immediately noticed her son.
Then she stopped.
Do-hyun was asleep against the back of the chair.
Yerin was sleeping with her head resting on his lap.
Mrs. Choi's expression softened.
A small smile appeared on her face.
She didn't say anything.
Instead, she quietly walked toward Yerin's mother.
"Good morning."
Yerin's mother looked up.
"Mrs. Choi..."
"I brought breakfast."
She placed the bags on the table.
"You should eat something."
Yerin's mother looked toward Yerin.
"She's exhausted."
"I know."
Mrs. Choi glanced back at her son and Yerin.
"Let them sleep."
She sat beside Yerin's mother.
"How are you holding up?"
Yerin's mother gave a tired smile.
"I'm trying."
"I know."
Mrs. Choi gently held her hand.
"Then try a little less today."
Her words made Yerin's mother smile through her tired eyes.
For a while, they simply talked.
Nothing about the attack.
Nothing about the hospital.
Just small things.
Anything that could distract them for a few minutes.
Eventually, Mrs. Choi walked over.
She gently touched Do-hyun's shoulder.
"Do-hyun."
He slowly opened his eyes.
"Mom?"
"Wake up."
He looked down.
Then immediately realized Yerin was still sleeping on his lap.
His eyes widened slightly.
He carefully shifted.
Yerin stirred.
Her eyes opened.
She looked around.
Then looked at Do-hyun.
Then at where she had been sleeping.
Her cheeks immediately warmed.
She slowly sat upright.
Neither said anything.
Mrs. Choi smiled.
"Good morning."
"Morning," Yerin murmured.
Do-hyun cleared his throat.
"Morning."
Mrs. Choi pretended not to notice their awkwardness.
"I brought breakfast."
Yerin shook her head.
"I'm not hungry."
Do-hyun immediately looked at her.
"You need to eat."
"I'm really not."
"You haven't eaten properly since two days."
"I'm okay."
"You're not."
Yerin sighed.
"Do-hyun..."
He picked up a small piece of food.
"Just eat."
She stared at him.
"No."
"Yerin."
"No."
Mrs. Choi watched them for a moment before quietly smiling.
Do-hyun finally held the food toward her.
Yerin looked at him in disbelief.
"Are you seriously going to feed me?"
"If that's what it takes."
She sighed.
"You're impossible."
"And you're stubborn."
She reluctantly opened her mouth.
Do-hyun smiled slightly.
"See?"
"Don't look so proud."
He gave her another bite.
After a few moments, Yerin finally asked,
"Did the doctor say anything?"
Do-hyun's expression softened.
"Ji-hoon showed another positive response."
Her eyes immediately lifted.
"Really?"
"He isn't in as critical a condition as before."
Yerin released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"Thank God."
Her shoulders relaxed.
For the first time in days, she felt like she could breathe.
Later that morning, Yerin's mother approached them.
"You both need to go home."
Yerin immediately shook her head.
"Mom—"
"You need a shower."
"I'm fine."
Her mother gave her a look.
"Yerin."
Yerin sighed.
"We'll come back."
"Go rest for a few hours."
Do-hyun nodded.
"Okay."
Yerin looked at him.
"You need sleep."
She sighed.
"Fine."
They left together.
The drive home was quiet.
Neither had much energy to talk.
When they finally reached their room, Do-hyun walked inside.
He looked at the bed.
Then at the bed again.
And without saying anything, he collapsed onto it.
Yerin stared at him.
Then laughed softly.
"You really missed your bed, didn't you?"
Do-hyun's voice came muffled through the pillow.
"Very much."
Yerin smiled.
Her eyes were still swollen from crying.
"You're acting like you've returned from war."
"I've spent two nights sleeping on hospital chairs."
"Fair."
He turned his head toward her.
"Don't laugh."
"I am absolutely going to laugh."
He smiled slightly.
She walked toward the closet.
"I'm going to shower."
"Good."
Yerin stopped.
"Was that supposed to be an insult?"
"No."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Good."
Then she disappeared into the bathroom.
Do-hyun waited until the door closed.
His expression changed.
The tired smile disappeared.
He reached for his phone.
He opened the messages.
The photograph.
The warnings.
The information about Ji-hoon's attack.
He read everything again.
One detail kept bothering him.
The people blamed for the attack weren't supposed to be there.
Someone had wanted them to be seen.
Someone had wanted the blame to fall on them.
Do-hyun opened the photograph.
Their fathers.
Standing together years ago.
He zoomed in.
There was something in the background.
A building.
A sign.
A date.
He wrote the information down.
Then searched through the files he had saved.
Nothing.
He tried another detail.
Still nothing.
His phone vibrated.
A message.
You're looking in the wrong place.
Do-hyun stared at it.
He typed:
Then where should I look?
The response came quickly.
Ask your father.
His jaw tightened.
Before he could reply, the bathroom door opened.
Do-hyun immediately locked his phone.
Yerin walked out with damp hair.
She glanced at him.
He looked completely normal.
Almost.
But Yerin noticed the phone in his hand.
Then the way he quickly placed it beside him.
She didn't say anything.
Instead, she walked toward the vanity.
"Everything okay?"
Do-hyun nodded.
"Yeah."
She looked at him through the mirror.
"You look suspicious."
"I'm exhausted."
"So am I."
She continued drying her hair.
Do-hyun watched her for a moment.
He knew she had noticed something.
But neither of them said anything.
Not yet.
By afternoon, they returned.
Yerin immediately went to see Ji-hoon.
His condition remained stable.
She sat beside him for a while.
Do-hyun stayed outside.
He kept thinking about the message.
Ask your father.
He wanted answers.
But every answer seemed to lead to another question.
And now Yerin's father had to leave the country for several years.
The timing bothered him.
A lot.
That night, Yerin found Do-hyun sitting alone in the hospital garden.
She walked toward him.
"You're hiding something."
He looked up.
"No."
"You're a terrible liar."
He sighed.
"Yerin..."
She sat beside him.
"What are you investigating?"
He looked away.
"Nothing."
She stared at him.
"Do-hyun."
"I'm just trying to understand what happened to Ji-hoon."
"That's not all."
He remained silent.
She leaned closer.
"You've been acting strange all day."
"I'm tired."
"So am I."
She folded her arms.
"And I'm still here."
Do-hyun looked at her.
Yerin's expression softened.
"Tell me."
He looked down.
"I don't want to put more pressure on you."
"You don't get to decide that for me."
He sighed.
She waited.
Finally, he unlocked his phone.
"I received some messages."
Yerin's expression changed.
"What kind of messages?"
"About Ji-hoon's attack."
He showed her.
Yerin read them.
Her eyes widened.
"They're saying the people blamed for the attack weren't supposed to be there?"
"Yes."
"And someone deliberately put them there?"
"That's what it looks like."
Yerin looked at him.
"Who sent these?"
"I don't know."
"Do they know who attacked Ji-hoon?"
"Maybe."
She looked back at the phone.
"What else?"
Do-hyun hesitated.
"There was another message."
"What did it say?"
He looked directly at her.
"It told me to ask my father why."
Yerin went silent.
"Your father?"
"Yes."
She stared at him.
"Why would your father know anything about Ji-hoon's attack?"
"I don't know."
"Do you believe he does?"
Do-hyun didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Yerin's expression changed.
"Our fathers."
Do-hyun looked at her.
"What?"
"They're connected to this somehow."
"I think so."
Yerin swallowed.
"Then what are they hiding?"
"I don't know yet."
She looked away.
For a few seconds, neither spoke.
Then Yerin quietly asked,
"Do-hyun..."
"Yeah?"
"Was our marriage really just a coincidence?"
He froze.
The question stayed between them.
Neither knew how to answer it.
Then—
Do-hyun's phone vibrated.
Both looked down.
Another message.
Do-hyun opened it.
His face immediately changed.
Yerin noticed.
"What?"
He turned the screen toward her.
The message contained only five words.
Don't tell her yet.
Yerin's heart dropped.
They stared at the screen.
Someone knew.
Someone knew they were looking.
And whoever it was...
was watching them.
Yerin slowly looked at Do-hyun.
"Who sent this?"
Do-hyun didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the message.
Then Yerin whispered,
"They know."
Do-hyun finally looked at her.
"Yes."
Neither of them moved.
The hospital lights glowed behind them.
Inside that building, Ji-hoon was still fighting for his life.
And somewhere beyond those walls...
someone was watching the two of them uncover a secret they were never supposed to find.
...To Be Continued...