Apollo’s Heart

Chapter 143 – Scarred (2)

On his way home, Tae-jun felt his body flushing in the back of the car. His damaged ears and burns were annoying the hell out of him. He asked Manager Choi to inform him once Yuri arrived, then went into the bedroom. He took off his jacket and shirt, hung them on a chair, and threw himself into bed. Of course, he was exhausted.

He hadn’t had a second to rest ever since the hospital incident. He had to make deals to fight off Hye-seong, spy on Hyeon-ah and Sang-gu, and pulled all-nighters to come up with plans to bring catastrophe to In-bae Lee. His whole body ached. It had been so long since he had felt sick.  It was the first time ever since he found out about Hye-yeon Jin’s death.

Tae-jun closed his eyes to recollect his memories. He opened them at the sensation of a hand on his forehead.

“Are you okay?”

A voice that was weak but soothing asked.

It was Yuri, who was sitting beside and looking down at him.

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The eyes opened. Was it because they were soaked in the darkness that they were unreadable?

He looked way youthful with his hair cut short like a soldier. Yuri lifted her hand from his forehead. His intense fever had somewhat vanished completely.

“When did you arrive?”

It’s getting late. Yuri still looked at him with concern.

“It’s been a while. The fever was severe when I first arrived, but luckily Dr. Jung gave some antipyretics. He will be coming back for a check-up this evening. There is currently no sign of a fever.”

“Don’t be concerned. It happens once a while.” Tae-jun gradually elevated his body as he asked, “How was your encounter with Hyeon-ah Kim? I allowed it because you wanted to see her so much—”

Yuri murmured with an ambivalent face, “I should not have seen her just like you told me.”

“What did that woman say?”

“She told me what kind of life she had lived until now. What kind of hardship she went through because of President Jin, and how she was tortured.”

“Do you empathize with her?”

“No. I just could not understand her at all from head to toe as a person. Actually, I didn’t want to understand her. I don’t believe that being in pain gives you the right to harm others. There can’t be forgiveness or empathy if there is no understanding. Thus, I decided not to understand the woman. Never in my life.”

Tae-jun silently gazed into her eyes. She was a strong and stable woman.

Yuri tried to change the subject, “Oh, by the way, Dr. Jung left me this for you. I was asked to apply it when you wake up.”

It was an ointment for burns. Tae-jun reached out with an annoyed expression. “I’ll take care. Give it to me.”

“There are areas you won’t be able to reach. I’ll do it.”

“And you know where those areas are? I’m going to take off all of my clothes, and you’re okay with that?” he said mischievously.

Yuri was startled for a second but soon regained her composure. Whatever. He’s a patient right now. She decided not to avoid it.

“Yeah. Since when did we care about such a thing?”

Nonetheless, she regretted her words the very next instant. Tae-jun began to strip his clothes recklessly, with the eyes of a man who greedily desired her as always. Usually, she was the one who took her clothes off. Was it because this situation was otherwise? She was aware that she had to look away, but she could not make herself do so. Only from making eye contact, it felt as if the two were intimately fondling each other.

Yuri had to arduously suppress the urge to burst into tears. She was told Tae-jun was hurt, but she never expected his condition to be so disastrous. He was wrapped in badges all over his body. He had a thick one covering his waist, where Hye-seong’s bullet brushed through.

Tae-jun got completely naked and lay down in the bed. Yuri undid his bandages to apply the ointment. She could not help but sigh at the sight of the black and red scabs all over his skin. She held the ointment and stared at his injuries for a while.

“You are just going to keep staring?”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know you would be so hurt…,” she said frankly.

Tae-jun replied nonchalantly, “These burns are mostly first or second degree. They’ll heal soon.”

“You never complain about your discomfort.”

“…I learnt my lesson as a child. When I get injured or uncomfortable, the people around me get into trouble instead.”

She could never guess that this was the thought inside a strong, proud, and cold man. She cautiously applied the ointment on his injury. He twitched in pain whenever the cold substance touched his skin. She had never realized until now that Tae-jun had countless scars and cuts on his back.

Why does a man like him have so many injuries?

She unconsciously felt every single scar in sight as if she was feeling all the moments he lived that she did not know of.

Tae-jun groaned lightly.

She said carefully, “I’m sorry. Did it hurt a lot?”

Tae-jun let go of her grasp and lifted his body.

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