Love Beyond The Clouded Memories

Chapter 4: Stirring Emotions

Hangyeom woke up with his entire body aching. He had gone to bed early the previous night, right after dinner. The painkillers had made him drowsy, and after taking his medicine and carefully applying ointment to his wounds, he had fallen into a deep sleep, drifting off almost immediately.

He thought that a full night's rest would ease the soreness, but instead, he felt even stiffer today. It was as if he had been hit by a truck. His muscles groaned as he pushed himself up from the bed, and he stretched in an attempt to loosen them. Reaching for his towel and a fresh set of clothes, he decided to keep his shower light—he didn't have the energy for anything more.

As he stepped out of his room, he noticed another yellow note stuck to the door. The handwriting was familiar, slightly messy but legible. This time it read:

There's breakfast for you on the table and fruit in the refrigerator. Make sure to eat, and just leave the dishes on the table. Take your medicine and rest. - Jungha

Hangyeom couldn't help but smile at the note. The tone was as direct as always, but knowing Jungha had taken the time to make him breakfast and leave this message warmed his heart. It was clear Jungha was still worried about him, given that he hadn't woken him up for work and had left food out for him.

Making his way to the kitchen, Hangyeom lifted the cover off the plate. There, neatly prepared, was a meal of rice with miyeok-guk (beef seaweed soup) and an assortment of banchan (side dishes). He usually didn't eat such heavy food for breakfast, preferring something light like eggs, steamed chicken, or salad. But after four days living with Jungha, his appetite seemed to have shifted. His stomach growled in response, and the sight of the warm food was more tempting than ever. Still, he restrained himself, deciding to wash up before diving into the meal.

After a quick shower, where he carefully avoided his injuries, Hangyeom sat down at the table, eating with more enthusiasm than he expected. Being in pain seemed to make him even hungrier than usual, and the meal was comforting, each bite warming him from the inside.

Despite Jungha's note telling him to leave the dishes, Hangyeom couldn't bring himself to do it. After finishing, he brought the plates to the sink and washed them. It was the least he could do after Jungha had taken the time to prepare everything.

Remembering the fruit mentioned in the note, he opened the refrigerator. His eyes lit up when he saw a large bowl, filled with neatly cut strawberries, apples, mangoes, grapes, and kiwi. His heart swelled at the sight—Jungha had even gone as far as to cut the fruit for him.

'He probably guessed I don't know how to cut fruit properly,' Hangyeom thought with a wry smile. He had come here expecting to fend for himself, to grow up and become more independent, but here he was, still being spoiled in his own way.

Carrying the bowl to the living room, Hangyeom switched on the TV and returned to his room to grab his medicine and ointment. Settling into the couch, he absentmindedly watched the morning programs while carefully applying ointment to his wounds and changing the bandages. He occasionally reached for a piece of fruit, savoring the sweetness that momentarily distracted him from the dull ache in his body.

While watching TV and nibbling on the fruit, he tried to call Jaehan several times. Each attempt, however, ended with the same frustrating result—poor signal. And when a connection did go through, the other end never picked up. The mounting frustration gnawed at him, but he knew there wasn't much else he could do right now except wait.

It was a quiet, peaceful morning—his only task now was waiting for Jungha to return home for lunch, as they had agreed the day before. Though his body still ached, there was something calming about the simplicity of this village life. The slower pace had begun to feel comforting, and he found himself appreciating the quiet care Jungha put into making sure he was comfortable.