Miracle Illusion

“This painting wasn’t meant to be used for a memorial photo.”One corner of his mouth lifted. The tears streaming down his cheeks felt so hot they might cause burns. Yeonwoo stood silently a step away.“I couldn’t paint my dad. I’m sorry.”The empty tombstone of his father looked lonely. Sungwoon wiped his tears with the back of his hand and spoke candidly. What was I busy with? I should have painted it earlier.“You can paint it now.”“……”He heard the sound of footsteps on the grass. Something was placed on the ground: a sketchbook and colored pencils. There were even more than fifty colored pencils.“You’re good at drawing.”“…What?”“It would be unfair to give only your mother a painting.”Yeonwoo opened the colored pencil case and offered it to Sungwoon. They were children’s colored pencils, not suitable for professional artists. Sungwoon let out a breathy laugh.“I really drew Mom just like she was.”“You know my mom?”Sungwoon, taking out a black colored pencil, asked curiously. Sitting on the ground, Yeonwoo nodded as he looked at the grave. Sungwoon tilted his head.“How do you know her?”“I saw her when I went to your house.”“My house?”“Yeah. Your mom cooked for us.”“You came to my house?”“Yeah. That’s how I know.”Come to think of it, Yeonwoo did know where his house was and even knew its layout. That meant I had invited Yeonwoo to my house, but I couldn’t understand why. Sungwoon never allowed anyone into his personal space. His eyes darkened as he pondered.“Finish the drawing quickly. It’ll get cold if you stay out too long.”Yeonwoo went behind the grave and started pulling weeds. Watching him, Sungwoon flipped a page in the sketchbook. He wasn’t confident, but he couldn’t leave just his mother’s gift on his father’s birthday.“……”Sungwoon’s hand stopped on the fifth page. His narrowed eyes reflected his mixed emotions. As he stared intently at the drawings from his lost memories, his eyes wavered.“I’m not just pulling any grass. Only the weeds.”Yeonwoo’s voice came from beyond the grave. Sungwoon looked up. He could see the back of Yeonwoo’s head poking over the grave.“Haa…”A sigh escaped his lips. No matter how much he flipped through, the same person appeared again and again. Even though they were rough pencil sketches, it was clear who they were. All the drawings were of Hong Yeonwoo.What are you, really?Sungwoon held the colored pencil in confusion. The fragments of his lost memories were larger than he had thought.“Dad, happy birthday.”“Sir, happy birthday.”No sooner had Sungwoon finished speaking than Yeonwoo added his words. The sheet of paper placed in front of the father’s tombstone was a drawing hastily made with colored pencils, but it looked quite good. Yeonwoo even clapped and praised him for the likeness. Sungwoon wondered if Yeonwoo had also seen his father but didn’t ask further. He didn’t want to know more.“I’ll come again next time.”“Me too.”“Why you?”“Let’s go. It’s cold.”Yeonwoo shamelessly changed the subject. Sungwoon chuckled in disbelief and sat in the wheelchair. Yeonwoo energetically pushed the wheelchair. The two mounds of graves behind them seemed to be bidding them farewell.“Is it cold?”“It’s fine.”“Your face is too pale.”“Yours is whiter.”“This is my natural color.”The two bickered meaninglessly as they walked along the country road. Catching a taxi when leaving Seoul was no problem, but now there were no cars in sight for the return trip. They would have to walk at least to the city center.“Shall we stop over there for a bit?”“Entering someone’s property is called trespassing.”“Churches are probably okay.”“Says who?”“God.”Yeonwoo smiled with his eyes. As a child, he had seen a sign at church that said, “God welcomes everyone.” Of course, when he went alone without his grandmother, he had fled in panic.“I’m not going.”“Let’s rest somewhere warm for a bit.”“I don’t like churches.”“Your parents went to church, didn’t they?”“How do you know that?”“Just do.”Yeonwoo energetically pushed the wheelchair towards the church. Sungwoon, too tired to argue, relaxed. The inside of the church was very spacious, and there was no one there. The lights were on, and there were countless long pews. It seemed the service had ended not long ago.“It’s warm.”“You commit crimes so casually.”“It’s not a crime.”Their childish bickering continued, not befitting their twenty years. Yeonwoo pushed the wheelchair closer to the cross. Neither of them were particularly religious, but today felt different.Yeonwoo looked up at the large cross and prayed silently. Sungwoon watched him, wondering what he was wishing for so fervently.“Oh… there’s a piano.”“Can you play?”Yeonwoo’s face lit up at the sight of the piano in the right corner. Sungwoon, disinterestedly pushing the wheelchair, asked. Yeonwoo shook his head.“You can play.”“Me?”“Yeah.”“I can’t.”“You can.”“I said I can’t, what are you talking about?”Standing by the piano, they kept arguing. Bored from sitting too long, Sungwoon stood up. His upper thighs tingled, but it wasn’t unbearable.“What was it…?”Yeonwoo, sitting on the piano bench, looked up at the ceiling in thought. Stretching his legs and loosening up, Sungwoon sat next to Yeonwoo.“Hakuna Matata, maybe?”“Huh?”“Hakuna Matata.”“What about it?”“The song you played.”Sungwoon’s face twisted. Yeonwoo nodded confidently.“You think I played something like that?”“…Maybe. It was a similar name.”“I don’t play stuff like that.”Sungwoon spoke with the most serious expression. Hakuna Matata, really? He could play the piano, but that song was completely out of character for him. Yeonwoo, frowning in deep thought, suddenly clapped.“Summer.”“Summer?”“The title was ‘Summer.'”“Summer…”Sungwoon muttered softly. Yeonwoo probably meant Joe Hisaishi. A laugh escaped through his teeth.“Can you play it just once?”“Look at me. Do I look like I can play the piano?”“Your hands are fine.”“That’s oddly annoying.”Sungwoon shot Yeonwoo a sideways glance. Yeonwoo smiled awkwardly, his cheeks turning red. In the large, echoing church, the two sat side by side on the long piano bench.Ding-A clear piano note rang out. Sungwoon didn’t have the strength to press the pedal. He played with just his right hand. It wasn’t perfect, but that made the melody even more beautiful.‘It would be nice to listen to this while riding a bike.’‘Then let’s go.’‘…Huh?’‘Let’s go today.’“Ah…”As he pressed the final key, his head throbbed, and a ringing filled his ears. Sungwoon clutched his ears, curling up. Yeonwoo, alarmed, grabbed his shoulder, eyes wide.“Choi Sungwoon. Are you okay?”“Ugh…”His head pounded. His vision blurred as if submerged in water. After a long struggle, when Sungwoon finally looked up, his neck was drenched in cold sweat. Yeonwoo carefully wiped the sweat with a tissue from his bag.“…Hey.”“Are you okay?”“Can you ride a bike?”“……”“……”Sungwoon, his eyes bloodshot, asked in a hoarse voice. Yeonwoo’s eyes darted around.“…No. I can’t.”Yeonwoo shook his head, gritting his teeth. The fragments of memory that had pierced his brain didn’t belong to Hong Yeonwoo. Of course. Sungwoon nodded slowly, taking deep breaths.“Shall we go?”“Yeah.”With Yeonwoo’s help, Sungwoon got into the wheelchair. As they turned their backs on the cross and pushed the wheelchair, the sound of the wheels scraping the floor echoed through the empty church.⟡˖ ࣪Mid-February. The end of winter, but the wind was colder than ever. Stepping out of the warmly heated hospital room, the temperature dropped sharply. Spring would come suddenly, even after this. Sungwoon stared at Yeonwoo sitting next to him.“What?”“Just.”Yeonwoo visited the hospital every single day. The accident happened on Christmas Eve, and Sungwoon woke up about a month later, at the end of January. Despite hearing harsh words and shedding tears, Yeonwoo continued to visit the hospital until the end of February. Sungwoon found himself admiring him.“Hey.”“Yeah.”Yeonwoo answered, swinging his legs off the bed. They had become close enough to sit side by side on the bed. Yeonwoo, who had confessed his feelings, never demanded or wanted anything more than necessary, nor did he burden Sungwoon. Because of that, the fact that another guy liked him didn’t bother him as much as he thought it would. Adaptability was one of humanity’s greatest strengths.“Didn’t you go to your graduation?”“……”Yeonwoo’s eyes rolled. He looked like he’d been caught. Of course. Sungwoon leaned back, clicking his tongue.“You came here that day too, didn’t you?”“……”“Are you crazy? It’s a once-in-a-lifetime graduation. You should’ve gone there. Why come here?”Of course, graduation wasn’t a particularly important event for Sungwoon either. But it was definitely more valuable than daily hospital visits. Yeonwoo, drawing circles in the air with his outstretched leg, sniffled and asked.“How did you know?”“Know what?”“That I didn’t go to graduation.”“The homeroom teacher told me.”“You met the teacher?”“I talked to them on the phone.”“When?”“Last night.”“Ah…”Yeonwoo nodded nonchalantly. He was a hard person to read. Sungwoon sighed.“Why didn’t you go?”“Just because.”“Didn’t your grandmother say anything?”“Grandma doesn’t even know when graduation is.”“Grandma…”The childlike term made Sungwoon chuckle. Yeonwoo’s ears turned red in an instant.“Grandma.”“Grandma or grandma, same thing.”There was nothing wrong with using affectionate terms for family. Sungwoon quickly sobered and stared out the window. Tiny snowflakes were falling. The snowflakes that landed on the window melted quickly in the indoor warmth, turning into droplets.“Hey.”“Yeah.”“Are you leaving at eight today too?”“Yeah.”He glanced at the clock. It was dark outside, but it was only five o’clock.“Want to drink?”“Huh?”“There’s a convenience store in front. Let’s drink.”Sungwoon’s eyes sparkled. He didn’t remember much, but he had woken up as an adult. Today felt like a day for drinking. He grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist and jumped off the bed. Thanks to diligent rehab training, he could walk without much trouble now. He couldn’t run or do intense exercise yet, but walking was no problem.“Hey, patients shouldn’t drink.”“I’m getting discharged next month.”“I know. But you should drink after you’re discharged.”“Are you my future career counselor?”“……”“Come on. Get dressed.”Sungwoon threw a sweater over his hospital gown. He was too lazy to change. He put on a padded jacket over it, and Yeonwoo, who had been rolling his eyes, scratched his cheek awkwardly.“Hurry up. We only have three hours.”“……”Sungwoon grabbed Yeonwoo’s wrist and urged him. Yeonwoo, caught off guard, pulled out the padded jacket from under the bed. Sungwoon suddenly reached out. Yeonwoo’s eyes widened.“Hey. Take that off and wear this.”Sungwoon rummaged through his closet and handed Yeonwoo a large sweater. He forced the sweater into Yeonwoo’s hand and took off his padded jacket.“Hey. Don’t make that face.”“Huh?”“You have the perfect expression of a hunted deer.”“…What’s that supposed to mean?”“It’s not about the smell; your clothes are too thin. So just put this on, damn it. Do I need to sew your mouth shut or something?”Sungwoon let out a deep sigh and slammed his fist on the bed’s armrest. Yeonwoo, who had been looking pitiful as if he were about to cry, startled and clutched the thick sweater tightly.“When I first regained consciousness, all my senses were ridiculously heightened. Even my own body smelled terrible. The doctor, my aunt, everything reeked. The food smelled disgusting, the hospital smelled awful, and the meds smelled vile. Damn it, everything was just shit. It wasn’t just you.”“…”“So…”Sungwoon’s ears turned bright red as he avoided Yeonwoo’s gaze and looked around the hospital room. His neck was blotchy with a mix of colors, as if about to burst. Finally, a faint smile lifted Yeonwoo’s lips.“Sorry, about that.”The explanation had been too long-winded, but the abrupt apology was enough for Yeonwoo, who smiled prettily, understanding everything.“Let’s go out.”“Huh?”“You said you wanted to drink.”“…Damn it, let’s go.”Yeonwoo put on the sweater he was holding. Snowflakes were still falling as the two left the hospital room.“I didn’t even know non-alcoholic beer existed.”“Me neither.”“If you’re going to drink non-alcoholic beer, you might as well drink barley tea.”“It’s probably a different taste.”“Do they even sell this? Did you see the dust on it?”“Want me to wipe it off?”“You get told you have no tact a lot, don’t you?”“…”A non-alcoholic beer was in front of Sungwoon, and a regular beer was in front of Yeonwoo. Sungwoon sighed deeply as he nudged the unappealing gray can. He was close to being discharged, but couldn’t even have a can of beer. Yeonwoo’s stubbornness was impressive.“Alright. I’ll listen to Professor Hong Yeonwoo.”“Cheers.”Yeonwoo smiled sheepishly and suggested a toast. They had planned to drink at the parasol outside the convenience store but changed plans due to the cold. Inside the convenience store, looking out the foggy window, they clinked their cans together.“When is your discharge?”“Early March.”“How’s rehab training?”“Almost done.”“Good to hear.”Yeonwoo smiled faintly. Sungwoon stretched his legs, feeling an odd stiffness. He had thought he’d be in a wheelchair for life when just taking a step made his legs wobble with electricity. It would take more time to return to his pre-accident state, but for now, he was satisfied. Big ambitions were a luxury.“Hey.”“Yeah.”“Isn’t it tough, coming here every day?”“It’s fine.”Yeonwoo took another sip of his beer. He was already halfway through the first can. Sungwoon, pretending to drink the bland non-alcoholic beer, preemptively pulled out a new one from the plastic bag.“Tell me the real reason.”“What reason?”“Why you come here every single day.”“…”Yeonwoo clammed up. His flushed cheeks were redder than his lips, possibly from just one can. Sungwoon rested his chin on his hand and gazed at Yeonwoo. He wanted to know if it was truly just out of affection or if there was another reason he couldn’t remember.“Just because.”“Just because isn’t an answer.”“Give me that.”“I think you’re drunk.”“No, I’m not.”Yeonwoo opened a new beer and drank it like water. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down. Sungwoon sighed softly. Despite the red patches forming on his pale neck, Yeonwoo kept drinking.“It’s snowing a lot.”“You’re drunk.”“The snow is beautiful.”Yeonwoo got completely drunk after just two cans of beer. His head lolled, his tongue slurred, and he occasionally hiccuped. Only Sungwoon, who hadn’t had a sip of alcohol, watched him in disbelief.“Do you want to go sledding?”“Sledding? Out of nowhere?”“It’s snowing, so we should go sledding.”“Are you… a kid?”Having a coherent conversation seemed impossible. Sungwoon answered gruffly, sipping his non-alcoholic beer. It was truly terrible. The conversation stopped. They both stared silently at the snowflakes swirling outside.“Hey. Hong Yeonwoo.”“Yeah.”A hiccup and a reply came simultaneously. Sungwoon subtly pulled Yeonwoo’s beer in front of him. Yeonwoo, unaware, pressed his finger against the snow-flecked window and smiled.“I decided not to go to university.”“…What?”Alcoholic beer definitely tasted better. After downing half the can in one gulp, Sungwoon made a satisfied sound. Yeonwoo’s slowly blinking eyes widened.“I talked to my homeroom teacher yesterday… and it just seemed better that way.”“……”“With my condition. And I can’t remember anything, so what’s the point? So, I decided not to enroll.”“……”“It’s just university. I can go next year.”“……”Yeonwoo’s eyelids trembled as he looked at Sungwoon. His pale face showed a mix of surprise and sympathy. Sungwoon couldn’t meet his eyes and lowered his head. His vision blurred, and his eyelids grew hot. He really hated crying. The accident must have messed up his brain.“You can always go back since you’re good at art.”To his surprise, Yeonwoo’s voice was calm as he comforted Sungwoon. Sometimes he seemed so weak, but at times like this, he seemed mature. The beer can crumpled in Sungwoon’s hand. His vision blurred, and his eyelids grew hotter.“Choi Sungwoon.”“…Yeah.”“It’s okay to cry.”“……”“…Don’t hold it in.”It hurts more. The last words were almost inaudible. Strangely, as soon as Yeonwoo finished speaking, tears burst forth like a broken dam. Sungwoon tried to scrunch his face and hold back the tears, but once they started, they wouldn’t stop.“…Hey.”“Yeah.”Yeonwoo’s hand, hovering uncertainly in the air for a long time, slowly patted Sungwoon’s back. Sungwoon, crying silently with his neck veins standing out, looked at Yeonwoo with bloodshot eyes. Yeonwoo quickly averted his gaze. Sungwoon let out a chuckle.“I don’t like guys.”“…I know.”“So I don’t like you.”“I know that too.”Yeonwoo answered slowly in a small voice. His long eyelashes trembled with each blink. Sungwoon downed the remaining half of his beer in one gulp.“Even if it’s hard, just stay friends with me.”“……”Yeonwoo’s head, which had been facing forward, gradually turned towards Sungwoon. Sungwoon smiled prettily, his eyes filled with tears.“I know it’s shameless and selfish, but still, just…”“……”“I have nothing left.”A tear rolled down his cheek. He quickly looked away but saw tears welling up at Yeonwoo’s chin too. Without anyone prompting them, both silently cried, their shoulders shaking.“This time, you pity me.”A sigh escaped Sungwoon’s lips. Yeonwoo bit his lip hard, tears streaming down without blinking. The fierce wind outside the convenience store rattled the windows.“Just cry, you idiot…”Sungwoon laughed and lightly hit Yeonwoo’s shoulder. Heavy tears fell, soaking his pants.“I’m not crying.”“You’re crying like crazy, damn it…”“I’m not crying.”Yeonwoo rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, never letting out a sob.“Hey. Stay here tonight.”“I’m fine.”“You’re drunk.”“No, I only had two cans.”“Do you even realize why I’m so dumbfounded right now?”Yeonwoo, who seemed fine, staggered and walked diagonally as soon as they left the convenience store. Sungwoon, barely catching him before he stumbled into the road, was genuinely grateful for his recovering legs.He put Yeonwoo’s arm over his shoulder and steadied his legs. Snow piled on their heads as they walked, their eyelids red from crying.“See? How are you going to get home like this?”Sungwoon clicked his tongue. As soon as they entered the hospital room, Yeonwoo naturally lay down on the spare bed, scratching his flushed cheeks before quickly falling asleep. The combination of alcohol and the temperature difference between outside and inside seemed to have made him drowsy. The thick padded jacket over his sweater didn’t look comfortable. After a moment’s hesitation, Sungwoon bent down to Yeonwoo.“Hands go, hands go.”Humming a snack commercial jingle, he took off Yeonwoo’s jacket. The shrimp-like curled position bothered him next.“Hands really go.”Sighing deeply, Sungwoon slipped his arms under Yeonwoo’s armpits and knees, lifting him. Yeonwoo’s frown deepened, but he didn’t wake up.“Sleep. Don’t wake up, just sleep.”Satisfied, Sungwoon smiled as he watched Yeonwoo sleep comfortably on the bed. After confirming his steady breathing, he quietly left the room. It no longer took an hour to wash up, so he returned quickly.“This is so uncomfortable…”The spare bed was too small for Sungwoon. His calves stuck out, and the narrow width made it easy to roll off unless he lay sideways. How did Hong Yeonwoo sleep here all this time? In the darkness, Sungwoon peeked at the bed. Seeing Yeonwoo sleeping soundly made him feel oddly proud. Sungwoon’s lips curled up.“……”The problem was what came next. He couldn’t fall asleep. Lying sideways, he faced the space under the bed. The spare bed was lower than he thought. Lost in such trivial thoughts, Sungwoon sighed softly.How did it come to this? His heart ached again. It felt like a sharp stone was lodged in his throat. This was why he hated silence. If he didn’t do something, he would think of his parents, who had left without warning.“Haa…”Sighs kept escaping. He sighed louder, fearing he would cry if he didn’t. His chest felt tight. His heart seemed to drop to his navel and then rise to his throat. With less than two weeks until discharge, the thought of going home terrified him. The stark silence of the house he had briefly visited with Yeonwoo was still too vivid and frightening.‘Son, try this.’‘I made a lot of your favorite side dishes.’‘Eat at home.’‘You need to eat breakfast to stay healthy. Stop eating bread.’His mother’s voice echoed in his ears. It was still so clear, but was it true that he would never see her again?‘I made bone broth for you. This should last through the winter.’‘Are you a bear? Why did you make so much bone broth?’“Uh…”A hazy memory suddenly invaded his mind. Sungwoon, who had been tightly closing his eyes, cautiously opened his eyelids. His mother, wearing a red apron, stood in the kitchen with a ladle, and Sungwoon looked at the pot as big as his body, sticking out his tongue. The kitchen felt both familiar and strange. It was the house he had visited with Yeonwoo.“Ah…”That pot was the one he had seen then. Right, bone broth. Mom had made bone broth. It must have spoiled by now. Should I throw it away? Can I even throw it away? It was the last food Mom made. Maybe I can still eat it. It was meant to last through the winter. Ah… How do I go home? How do I enter Mom’s room? How do I look at the family photos?“Ugh…”Tears flowed again. He had never cried so much in his life. Sungwoon covered his eyes with the back of his hand and cried silently. He was afraid to go home. The thought of wanting to die took over his mind again.He should have died then. Surviving alone was the greatest hell, and he was painfully realizing it. Part of him resented his parents for leaving him behind. No matter how much he pretended to be an adult, Sungwoon was still only twenty.He heard rustling from the bed above. Sungwoon quickly closed his mouth and pretended to sleep. Tears that had flowed to the bridge of his nose remained there, but he didn’t wipe them away. He didn’t want to show his ugly crying face.“Choi Sungwoon… Are you asleep?”Yeonwoo, who had sat up, called Sungwoon cautiously. Sungwoon pretended to sleep, breathing regularly. When he felt he might gasp, he held his breath. Fortunately, Yeonwoo didn’t notice.“Why are you sleeping there…”Yeonwoo stretched his legs out of bed. Not knowing what he was going to do, Sungwoon couldn’t stop him, and it would be strange to open his eyes now after pretending to sleep.“Hmm…”Yeonwoo, who had come down from the bed, stood barefoot next to Sungwoon. After standing there for a long time, seemingly contemplating something, Yeonwoo suddenly rolled Sungwoon over. Sungwoon, now lying on his back, frowned involuntarily.“Will this work?”Of course not, he thought. Yeonwoo, like Sungwoon had done earlier, slipped his arms under Sungwoon’s armpits and knees.“Huff… It won’t work.”It was almost laughable. There was no way it would work. The difference in height and build was too great. Yeonwoo, unable to try multiple times for fear of waking him, couldn’t budge him. Disappointed, Yeonwoo sat down on the floor, seemingly thinking of another way. His intense gaze made Sungwoon’s face feel hot even in the darkness.“Choi Sungwoon.”A long time passed, but Yeonwoo didn’t do anything. Sungwoon, considering pretending to wake up, froze at Yeonwoo’s soft voice.“Sungwoon.”His voice trailed off. It was the same as usual, but with a different emotion mixed in. Sungwoon’s heart began to race. He didn’t know why. It felt like secretly watching something he shouldn’t. He bit the inside of his cheek.“You’re sleeping well.”A faint laugh was heard. Yeonwoo, sitting on the floor hugging his knees, looked down at Sungwoon, who was pretending to sleep. He couldn’t see well in the dark, but he kept staring intently, unaware of the passing time.“It didn’t snow on Christmas.”The random comment made Sungwoon hold his breath. His stomach churned. His heart raced so fast it felt like it would stop. Yeonwoo gently brushed Sungwoon’s bangs aside. The hair that had been tickling his forehead no longer felt uncomfortable.“Grandma didn’t go to work that day. We both kept waiting.”Yeonwoo continued in a voice tinged with moisture. It was too late to pretend to wake up now. Sungwoon listened intently, trying to breathe quietly.“Whenever there was a noise outside, I’d run out, and then run out again… like that… waiting until Christmas passed.”His voice wavered as if he was holding back tears. Sungwoon couldn’t understand what he was saying, but it made him cry. He rolled over, pretending to turn in his sleep. Tears streamed down his temples as if waiting for their chance.“Why don’t you remember me…”In the end, he broke down into sobs. Yeonwoo, who hated showing his tears so much, cried uncontrollably as if he had been disarmed. Worrying about waking Sungwoon came next. Overwhelmed by his emotions, he sobbed deeply, struggling to breathe. Why don’t you remember me… Why… The muffled words pierced Sungwoon’s ears. His wide-open eyes darted around.“It’s okay…”Yeonwoo’s voice cracked after crying for so long. His hands moved quickly, as if wiping his tears. Sniffling, Yeonwoo spoke bravely, then slowly lay down on the floor. On the cold, hard floor, he lay facing Sungwoon and spoke softly.“Just…”His voice trailed off, too faint to hear clearly. Yeonwoo fell asleep again, curling up like a shrimp, facing Sungwoon on the cold floor.“……”Finally, Sungwoon opened his eyes. His face was soaked with tears. He didn’t know why. His heart felt like it was being torn apart. What memories had he lost, and what were the shared memories that only Yeonwoo had? The frustration of not knowing was maddening.‘Just… don’t remember.’Faint but clear, he had heard it. The last words Yeonwoo had said with a choked voice. Sungwoon’s dark eyes deepened. He stared at the ceiling for a long time, then quietly got up when Yeonwoo’s breathing became regular again.“What am I supposed to do…”He lifted Yeonwoo onto the bed. His body was already cold. Sungwoon covered him up to his neck with the blanket and added his own jacket on top, just in case. Yeonwoo’s pale face was swollen from tears. Sungwoon turned his back to him and quietly left the hospital room. Everything was confusing.⟡˖ ࣪“Spring must be coming soon.”“It’ll be March in a couple of days.”Discharge day was approaching. Yeonwoo, who had been visiting the hospital daily for over a month, had made the room his own. Flowers adorned the windows, and the floor was spotless.“You’re getting discharged next week.”“Yeah.”“You’ve been through a lot.”Yeonwoo smiled as he looked out the window. Watching him absentmindedly, Sungwoon turned away the moment he saw his smile.“You’ve been through more.”“It’s good that you’re recovering quickly.”“Quickly? It was damn slow.”Despite his words, Sungwoon thought the same. The doctor had joked that youth was the best medicine, seeing Sungwoon recover so quickly.“It’s warm today.”Yeonwoo, pressing his face against the window, mumbled. The weather forecast had said it would be spring-like for a while. Sungwoon wrapped his hand around his neck, thinking for a moment before speaking.“Wanna go out?”“Now?”“It’s only three.”“What do you want to do?”“There’s gotta be something to do.”Being cooped up for over a month made him restless. While they occasionally left the hospital together after his legs recovered, it wasn’t enough.“Hurry up and get dressed. Let’s go out.”“Huh? Oh… okay.”Yeonwoo hurriedly put on his jacket. Waiting with his hands in his pockets, Sungwoon noticed the neatly folded wheelchair against the wall. His dark eyes sparkled.“Hey. My legs hurt.”“Huh?”“I want to go out in the wheelchair. Push me.”“If it hurts, you shouldn’t go out. Should I call the doctor?”Yeonwoo seemed ready to believe anything Sungwoon said. Watching him fumble without even buttoning his jacket, Sungwoon smirked.“No, I’m just a bit weak. I can use the wheelchair.”“Still.”“Push me.”“…Alright.”Yeonwoo’s face was filled with worry. His gaze flicked to Sungwoon’s legs. Even though they had healed, Yeonwoo still looked concerned, which made Sungwoon smile. He shamelessly unfolded the wheelchair and sat in it. It felt strange to be in it again. He didn’t want to imagine how pitiful he must have looked back then.“Ready?”“Yeah.”Yeonwoo quickly moved behind the wheelchair. With a grunt, he pushed it forward. Sungwoon, with only the back of his head visible to Yeonwoo, silently smiled.“It’s warm.”“Yeah, it’s really mild.”As soon as they stepped outside, a breeze blew. It wasn’t the biting wind that cut through the skin like before. The gentle breeze, heralding spring, brightened their faces.“Let’s go to the park.”“The one we went to last time?”A ten-minute walk from the hospital led to a park with a lake. It was a popular spot for walks and had beautiful scenery. They had visited it together just a few days ago. Remembering how Yeonwoo enjoyed watching the fish in the lake, Sungwoon slowly stood up.“Why are you getting up? Is it uncomfortable?”“Hey.”Sungwoon’s face was full of mischief as he called Yeonwoo. Confused, Yeonwoo looked at Sungwoon’s legs, ready to head back to the hospital.“Sit here.”“…What?”“Hurry.”Yeonwoo frowned at the unexpected request. Sungwoon grabbed his thin wrist and pulled him into the wheelchair. Yeonwoo immediately tried to get up.“What are you doing?”“Sit.”“No. Why should I?”“Just once.”“No, I…”He couldn’t finish his sentence. Sungwoon pushed the wheelchair forward, causing Yeonwoo to grab the handles for balance.“What are you doing? Stop it.”“You always pushed me.”“That’s because you were hurt…”“Just stay still. It’s comfortable and nice to look around in this.”Sungwoon’s voice was playful. Yeonwoo, now in the wheelchair with a healthy body, blushed and looked for a chance to jump out, but the footrest made it difficult.“I’m fine now. I’ve seen enough. Let me down.”“We haven’t even reached the park yet.”Yeonwoo’s voice was urgent. As they crossed the road, the park entrance came into view. Sungwoon, ignoring Yeonwoo’s pleas, pushed the wheelchair harder. Realizing Sungwoon’s smile, Yeonwoo sighed and stopped struggling.“It’s harder than I thought. You must have had a tough time.”“That’s why I want to get off now.”“Hey, focus on what I’m saying.”“……”“You’re really bad at Korean, aren’t you?”“…Not that bad.”