Chapter 41. A Moment of Peaceful Coexistence (1)

Translator: Lili

“Don’t get the wrong idea—I’m not doing this because I care about you.”

“…”

“Whether you meant to or not, you did save my life once. I’m just repaying that debt.”

Rowoon’s expression hardened slightly. That unfamiliar discomfort rose again, an unsettling nausea twisting in his gut. It felt like motion sickness—something he had never experienced before.

“No matter how much of an asshole I am, I wouldn’t just ignore someone dying in front of me. I would’ve done the same for anyone else, so stop being difficult and just stay put.”

He had a thousand things he could say to counter Sera’s nonsense, and the grip she had on him was laughably weak. And yet, he couldn’t push her away.

“…Let go of me. Fuck.”

“Acting all high and mighty,” Sera scoffed, but she immediately released him without hesitation.

For some reason, her utter lack of attachment to the action made him feel even worse. She placed a fresh ice pack on his forehead and walked out without another word. Rowoon exhaled in relief, barely registering the fleeting sense of freedom—only for the door to swing back open a second later.

“Hey, eat this before you go to sleep.”

Sera held out a tray. Steam rose from a bowl resting on top. He gave her a blank stare, and she spoke as if stating the obvious.

“Can’t you tell? It’s porridge. I made it myself, by the way.”

“You… made porridge?”

Rowoon’s eyes widened in shock. It was surprising enough that Sera could even cook. But the fact that she had made something for him? That was outright baffling.

“It’s not poisoned or anything, alright?”

Misinterpreting his silence, Sera’s face twisted in irritation as she placed the tray on the nightstand.

“The professor said you should eat something when you wake up, so I made it. Do you really think I enjoyed standing around stirring porridge just so you could eat it?”

“…”

“Are you just going to lie there staring? Are you ignoring my efforts?”

Still thrown by the situation, Rowoon slowly pushed himself upright.

The idea of Sera making food for him was still unbelievable, but regardless of whether she had spit in it or laced it with something, he figured it was better than starving. He hadn’t eaten all day, and his body felt completely drained. 

He took a spoonful of the porridge.

It was plain rice porridge, nothing special. But it was warm, and the texture was soft—she must have stirred it for a long time.

“…”

Something about it felt… strange.

As a child, he had been at the age where a mother’s care should have been natural, yet his mother had neglected him to the point of cruelty. As an adult, he had fought tooth and nail to secure his place in the world.

Rowoon had never experienced being taken care of by someone else. Even this trivial act of kindness felt foreign.

It wasn’t something he had ever consciously thought about.

‘So why was it bothering him now?’

Lately, Sera had been disrupting the neat order of his life. She was irritating, uncomfortable to deal with, and yet—before he knew it, he would always end up caught up in her pace.

He wanted to escape from all the chaos she brought. It was a raw, instinctive sense of danger.

“That’s enough. Get out.”

He abruptly set his spoon down, the metal clanking loudly against the bowl. His voice was cold as he shoved the tray aside. Some of the porridge spilled over the edge.

“What?”

“You’re annoying. Leave.”

Sera stared at him, clearly baffled. Seeing her usual hostility flare up again almost felt reassuring. Smirking, Rowoon decided to push her buttons further.

“You think I’d be grateful just because you brought me this? If anything, it pisses me off. So stop acting ridiculous and get lost.”

Sera’s eyes flashed with anger. She looked like she was about to slap him, and Rowoon clenched his teeth in anticipation.

“…I get that you’re irritable because you’re sick, but maybe read the room before snapping at people? You’re barely worth a damn right now, you idiot.”

But instead of lashing out, Sera took a deep breath, visibly calming herself.

“If you don’t finish that porridge, I won’t leave, no matter how much you beg.”

“…”

“You almost died, and now you’re acting all high and mighty? If you’re so great, then don’t go collapsing in front of people in the first place. You made me deal with your mess, so quit being ungrateful.”

Rowoon’s pupils wavered.

‘Why do you even care about me?’

He wanted to ask. But unless someone put a gun to his head, he would never say those words out loud.

Instead, he gritted his teeth and picked up the spoon again. If the fastest way to get rid of her was to finish eating, then so be it. The soft clatter of utensils filled the silence.

As Rowoon continued eating, Sera settled into the recliner by his bedside, busy tapping away on her tablet.

For the first time, the two—who had always been at odds—shared a moment of strange, peaceful coexistence.

***