PTT - 45

There are days when you wake up earlier than usual for no apparent reason. For Baek Si-heon, today was one of those days.

With one team member suddenly out of commission, the weight on his shoulders as team leader grew heavier. Perhaps the sense of responsibility—having to do the work of two or three people on his own—had influenced his wake-up time.

After a hot shower and dressing in his suit, Si-heon found himself thinking about Ra-on. His mind had been unusually restless since last night. What would he say to her when they met today? Just as he pondered this, the phone on his bed rang.

At the sight of the name on the screen, he set down the wristwatch he’d been about to put on. “Yeon.” A single character that carried countless thoughts.

What urgent matter could she have so early in the morning? It didn’t take long for him to press the answer button.

The moment he heard her hoarse voice, all doubts vanished, and his expression hardened instantly.

“Give me your address, Yoo Ra-on.”

Though asking for the residence of a fellow NIS agent wasn’t proper etiquette, he needed to see her immediately. Without even touching the fruit he’d prepared for breakfast, he left the house right away.

He sent a message to Rock, asking him to cover his position since he’d be late for work, then stepped on the gas. Caught in rush hour traffic, frustration welled up to the brim.

Even though she insisted there was no need for him to come and asked only for sick leave, rational judgment eluded him. Baek Si-heon, who usually maintained a clear distinction between work and personal matters, made an exception for Yoo Ra-on. She was the unpredictable variable that threw him off balance.

“Hoo...”

As time passed, his anxiety deepened, and his brows furrowed. Si-heon tapped his fingers lightly against the steering wheel, waiting for the traffic light to change. His usual composed and gentle demeanor had vanished, replaced by sharp sensitivity etched across his handsome face.

What should have taken twenty minutes stretched into nearly an hour before the villa Ra-on mentioned came into view. After parking, he stepped into the elevator and pressed his eyes shut.

He was well aware that this level of concern far exceeded what was appropriate for a mere colleague. Yet, despite the risk of raising questions among his teammates, he needed to see her condition with his own eyes.

Finally, the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open.

Apartment 604. Standing before the door number Ra-on had mentioned in her raspy voice, Si-heon exhaled deeply and pressed the doorbell. From behind the door came faint sounds of someone approaching.

A minute passed without response, but he waited patiently, not rushing. Eventually, the door creaked open, revealing Ra-on’s grandmother, Soon-ae. Having already spoken with her over the phone, Si-heon bowed politely.

“Good morning, Grandma. I apologize for visiting so suddenly.”

“...Hmm, who might you be? I don’t recall seeing you before…”

“I’m Yeon’s colleague, Baek Si-heon. I heard she wasn’t feeling well and became worried.”

“Oh my, you work with our granddaughter? How shameful that I haven’t met such a distinguished person until now… Please, come in. I’ve been so worried because she suddenly wouldn’t open the door and said she was sick… This is such a relief, having someone like you here. Ah, and there’s some cut fruit somewhere…”

Soon-ae, looking slightly bewildered by the appearance of this unfamiliar man, opened the door wider. After neatly placing his shoes in the narrow shoe rack, Si-heon glanced around to locate Ra-on’s room.

“Is Yeon’s room over there?”

“Mm, yes, that way. I tried going in thirty minutes ago, but she refused to open the door, saying I shouldn’t come in under any circumstances. My heart was breaking just as you arrived, sir. Thank goodness… Oh, and there’s some peeled pear somewhere too…”

As Soon-ae clutched her chest and poured out her worries, Si-heon gently took her wrinkled hand in his. Tracing the marks of time etched into her knuckles, he smiled warmly to reassure her.

“The fruit isn’t necessary. She probably didn’t want you to come in because she’s worried you might get sick too. Please don’t worry too much and rest. I’ll talk to Yeon and see how she’s doing.”

“I know that, but still… thank you so much, sir. Please take good care of our Yeon. Seeing her unable to move, let alone go to work as usual, breaks my heart.”

Leaving Soon-ae seated on the couch, patting her knees, Si-heon stood before Ra-on’s door. Swallowing a sigh, he turned the doorknob. The dim interior, untouched by sunlight due to the closed curtains, greeted his eyes.

“...Did you come?”

Ra-on’s low, raspy voice emerged as she leaned back against the headboard of her bed. She hadn’t wanted to show such a haggard appearance to Baek Si-heon of all people, but resisting his stubbornness was impossible.

“Haa…”

Si-heon sighed, running a hand through his tousled hair. He’d suspected her condition was serious during their call an hour ago, but it seemed worse than he’d imagined. Perhaps he should have picked up cold medicine from the pharmacy on the way. Pushing back his disheveled bangs, he moved toward the window.

“I’ll open the curtains a bit. The light might bother you.”

Pushing aside the dark gray blackout curtains, sunlight streamed in. With spring approaching, the morning rays were bright and strong.

Instinctively, Ra-on turned her head toward the wall. Her irises, accustomed to hours of darkness, protested painfully.

“Why are you doing this to yourself, Yoo Ra-on?”

Si-heon, having partially opened the curtains, pulled over a chair from the desk and sat down. Under the warm light, Ra-on’s face appeared pale.

Her cheeks were flushed with fever, her lips dry and cracked, and her eyelids more swollen than usual. As Si-heon scrutinized her features, he swallowed hard, overcome with unease. At least three days of medication and rest would be necessary for recovery.

Sensing his piercing gaze, Ra-on half-covered her face with her palm.

“...I’m sorry. But why did you come to the company? It’s already past your usual working hours.”

“How can we talk about work when you’re in this state? ...Hmph, I’ve handled the urgent tasks, so it’s fine for today. I’ve already informed Rock.”

“I originally intended to call Mabel, but I figured you’d find out anyway.”

She had wanted to hide her illness from Si-heon, but as her direct superior, concealing it was impossible. Deciding it was better to inform him directly rather than relay the information through Mabel, she made the call—but now felt guilty for causing trouble. Ra-on rubbed her face dry with both hands, biting her lower lip.

“...You did the right thing. You haven’t taken any medicine yet, right? And obviously, you haven’t been to the hospital.”

“It’s just a mild cold. Not the flu, so I’ll recover soon… But what if you catch a cold talking to me like this?”

“That’s not important right now. Look at your condition. First, let’s get something in your stomach, then we’ll go to the hospital in my car.”

It was still early for hospitals to open. Checking the time on his watch, Si-heon brushed his thumb across his lips thoughtfully. Taking fever reducers would help, but giving medicine to someone with an empty stomach wasn’t advisable.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door, as if sensing his thoughts. Both heads turned instinctively. Si-heon walked over and opened the door, finding Soon-ae standing there.

“Ah, sir. Is our Yeon okay? I made some porridge—it might be edible. She hasn’t eaten anything since last night, so her stomach must be empty…”

“Thank you. I’ll make sure she eats carefully. Grandma, please rest a little more.”

“Oh my, what am I supposed to do with this child… I wanted to add abalone for nourishment, but there weren’t any ingredients in the fridge.”

“...Grandma. Abalone isn’t necessary. Thank you. Don’t worry—I have Team Leader here.”

Si-heon accepted the tray from Soon-ae, which held a bowl of porridge, plum tea, and utensils. Though Ra-on responded from afar, Soon-ae peeked through the gap in the door, still visibly concerned.

“I plan to take her to the hospital later. I’ll make sure she eats well, Grandma.”

Reassuring Soon-ae with a kind and considerate tone, Si-heon closed the door. The porridge, still steaming from being freshly cooked, was neatly arranged in a ceramic bowl. Returning to his seat, he placed the tray on the bedside table.

“Let’s start with a meal. You need to eat before taking medicine.”

“...Are you sure it’s okay to skip work? I don’t want to cause trouble.”

“If you ask that one more time, I might scold you, Yoo Ra-on.”

Feigning a stern expression, Si-heon picked up the spoon. The porridge, filled with finely chopped carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and chives, emitted a nutty aroma despite lacking sesame oil.

The generous portion—enough to challenge even an adult male—spoke volumes about Soon-ae’s affection for her granddaughter. Blowing gently to cool it, Si-heon scooped a spoonful. It looked hot enough to burn the roof of her mouth otherwise.

“Ah.”

“...I can eat by myself.”

“Ahh, let me help.”