"When a violent musth period begins, an elephant's temples swell, and sticky fluid flows between the folds of its skin."
Listening quietly, it was a truly bizarre thing to say.
"Their temperament becomes uncontrollably ferocious. Elephants that fail to control their emotions charge and attack whatever they see."
"…..."
"Director, you must be careful of the male."
I wasn't sure if he truly understood the meaning of musth, but I-yeon welcomed Gyu-baek's emotions as he rarely poured out such an academic tirade.
Even while offering his own warning, Gyu-baek stared piercingly at Kwon Chae-woo outside the window. It was fascinating that the child had taken an interest in something other than insects and encyclopedias.
But of all things, it had to be Kwon Chae-woo.
"When an elephant finishes preparing for love—"
Just as Kwon Chae-woo opened the front door and entered, I-yeon stuffed another round cookie into Gyu-baek's mouth.
Oomp, I see nothing at all.
* * *
"Gyu-baek didn't have any other intention behind his words."
I-yeon was heading to the hospital in an old truck with a
"The child has no manners, so when he calls someone a male—"
"I know it's not that."
"When he gets fixated on one thing, he'll do it his way even if it kills him."
"That's similar to me, then."
Suddenly, the hand gripping the steering wheel flinched. The gaze that had been fixed on her since the engine started. Kwon Chae-woo, curled up in the passenger seat, was staring straight at her.
"…Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, look ahead. Look ahead."
"I'm not the one driving, why do I need to do that?"
"If I get into an accident like this, you'll be at a loss too."
"Are you going to cause an accident?"
"Maybe!"
She raised her voice to peel away his gaze, tougher than UV rays. Even though the sun wasn't beating down on the right side, her ears felt hot for no reason. He let out a low hum from his vocal cords as if displeased, but obediently turned his head.
"I-yeon, I need an ID."
"…!"
It was a red light.
She missed the timing and pressed the brake somewhat abruptly, nearly slamming her chest against the steering wheel. If not for Kwon Chae-woo's arm that quickly slipped in between.
"Are you okay?"
Her soft chest was pressed against his arm, hard as iron. She couldn't lift her head, her face burning hot.
Of all things, her nipple had been pressed directly.
An electrifying heat surged through her like a current. As her nipple was rubbed and mashed, and her breast regained its bouncy lift, she instinctively pressed her parted knees together. Even in that instant, her lower region throbbed. It was an unfamiliar sensation.
"I-yeon, are you not feeling well somewhere?"
"No, no!"
I-yeon even shook her head fervently. Whether this intense feeling was hers alone, Kwon Chae-woo looked unperturbed.
"…Mr. Kwon Chae-woo, um, you're too close."
I-yeon pulled her body back as far as she could.
He had lunged forward, gripping the headrest of the driver's seat and blocking the steering wheel with his other hand. His dark brown eyes seen up close felt new.
"…..."
"…..."
Because of the close distance, she saw it even better. The moment his swaying pupils slid down and fixed on her lips.
I-yeon unconsciously wetted her dry lips with saliva.
"…But why do you suddenly need an ID?"
"…..."
"Mr. Kwon Chae-woo?"
"…Yes. I'm thinking about seriously looking for work."
He slowly lifted his gaze.
The eyes that met hers again were boiling viscously like a red cauldron. In an instant, the nape of I-yeon's neck became damp.
"My body is the only thing that's usable, so I should put it to use."
The man who had been forcibly holding I-yeon's gaze finally retreated at the sound of a honk—beep!
All he had done was return to his seat, yet the suffocating air scattered at once.
"I'll get a phone and bank account set up and work properly."
But the refreshing feeling was brief. Soon, I-yeon's heart started pounding heavily. It was a bad omen.
That kind of thing…… I don't have it, so what should I do.
* * *
"The progress is very good."
The doctor was stretching his neck to peer at the computer monitor. Inside the screen, it was packed with brainwave graphs and numerical values I-yeon couldn't recognize. The doctor rose from the wheeled chair and faced I-yeon.
"It's certain that So I-yeon's presence or absence determines the patient's sleep. It's likely a psychological issue, and there could be various reasons related to this."
It was a confirmation kill with no corner to escape. She could only swallow dry saliva.
"The fact that the patient only remembers So I-yeon's face could also be a hint."
Beyond the transparent wall, Kwon Chae-woo in a patient gown was lying down with dozens of wires attached to his head. Today, the examination had been conducted with I-yeon lying down together with him. Having just woken from sleep, he groped the empty spot beside him before looking precisely beyond the glass wall.
"This is just my speculation from here on, but the patient may have received some extreme shock before the accident—"
Who? Mr. Kwon Chae-woo?
At that time, I was the one who received the extreme shock……
The doctor paused for a moment and looked at her heavily.
"He may have been hypnotized while in a vegetative state."
"…What?"
I-yeon responded blankly, furrowing even her eyebrows.
"It's just that the patient doesn't remember. During the two years without consciousness, his unconscious may have accumulated things he heard knowingly or unknowingly."
The doctor kept rubbing his chin with his crossed arms.
"A patient who just regained consciousness said such a thing."
The doctor's black eyes met So-yeon's.
"Please don't wake up."
"…!"
It felt like being hit hard on the head. She lowered her gaze to keep from wavering and clenched her hands tightly. Her pulse pounding like a hammer made it hard to breathe properly.
I-yeon had spoken to Kwon Chae-woo endlessly while he lay there. Confirming, demanding, begging, she had hoped he would remain asleep forever.
"That…, that Sleeping Beauty syndrome—"
"Klein-Levin Syndrome."
"Yes, that one. Is that syndrome completely curable?"
"There's no specific treatment method, so I believe So I-yeon's role is most important for now."
An nameless sense of responsibility pressed down on her chest. Had the wish she prayed truly flowed into him?
To feel this way toward someone she believed without doubt to be a murderer.
Shadows gathered under I-yeon's eyes. On one side, the desire for revenge smiled, and on the other, guilt raised its head.
"By any chance…, didn't you notice anything strange about the patient?"
At that, the doctor tilted his white coat and put his hands on his hips.
"Usually, this syndrome is accompanied by symptoms like aggression, hypersexuality, and behavioral abnormalities. Has he caused similar problems at home?"
"…..."
Her pupils shook like a paper boat pushed by a wave. Too many things surfaced.
"…Behavioral abnormalities and hypersexuality?"
"It's not a symptom found in all patients. Still, if it seems like symptoms are appearing, please let me know."
"…..."
"It would be difficult to live in the same house in that condition."
In an instant, Kwon Chae-woo's actions passed by like a revolving lantern.
"What kind of things are behavioral abnormalities?"
"It refers to actions where the thought process is abnormally erratic. Because of that, emotions, feelings, and desires become exaggerated into compulsion, excitement, and sexual desire."
It was exactly as the doctor said.
He had broken the second-floor door and door lock, torn into raw chicken, ejaculated or kissed out of nowhere, and climbed to the top of a 30m tree without any equipment.
Also, he showed excessively aggressive reactions whenever Hwang Jo-yoon, whom he'd just met, called I-yeon's name.
'I thought it was just his nature. But what if all of that… could be symptoms of the illness?'
She couldn't explain it, but I-yeon felt somehow empty.
Presently, the doctor tapped on the glass window. The medical staff who understood the signal began removing all the wires attached to Kwon Chae-woo. The doctor watched closely as Kwon Chae-woo slowly rose from the bed.
"There are no patients who don't rely on medicine."
She, who had been looking only at her feet, raised her head.
"The patient… clearly needs So I-yeon, so he will definitely cling to you. It won't be something seen for just a few years, that short. Are you prepared?"
The doctor's gaze fixed on I-yeon seemed to say he knew everything.
Suddenly, the fact that this person too was Kwon Gi-seok's eyes and ears struck her anew. That her lies were being quietly watched by that man.
"But I dare sympathize with the patient more."
The doctor recited gloomily with his neck tilted.
"Because the patient will have to beg So I-yeon for his entire life."