The Country Life Diary of a Gangster's Secretary-Chapter 136

He glanced around the hospital room in a daze.

After getting into Lee Hyuk’s car that day, his memory was a blur. He must have briefly lost consciousness because the next thing he remembered was waking up in this luxurious private hospital room, dressed in a hospital gown.

"Hyesung."

Suddenly, the door to the hospital room slid open, and Hyesung quickly sat up, momentarily forgetting his pain, driven by the hope that it might be Lee Hyuk.

But it was Sungjin who entered the room instead.

"Director."

Sungjin waved as he approached.

"How are you feeling?"

"I’m okay. The doctor said it’s just some bad bruising, nothing serious."

"Still, since you’re already here, take the time to rest and fully recover."

Sungjin stocked Hyesung’s refrigerator with vitamin drinks he had brought.

"You really are something else, though. How did you think of going in there alone? When I saw that recording go live, I almost fainted from shock. What would we have done if Lee Hyuk hadn’t woken up in time?"

Apparently, it was a stroke of fate that Lee Hyuk had regained consciousness just as Hyesung was sneaking into the Yushinpa hideout. After hearing from Sungjin about what had happened, Lee Hyuk immediately tried to contact Hyesung but couldn’t reach him. Right around that time, Yoo, the secretary, informed him that the recording had gone viral online. Sensing that something was wrong, Lee Hyuk called Ahn Ki-baek, who then spilled the beans on everything Hyesung had been hiding.

Ahn Ki-baek, of course, had asked for a generous sum in return for the information, proving once again that he was as crafty as ever. Lee Hyuk had suspected something when Ahn Ki-baek had been so forthcoming with information. But, given that it ultimately saved lives, there wasn’t much to complain about.

"And that bastard Lee Hyuk, too. I told him not to go, that I would handle it, but the moment I stepped out to take a call, he disappeared. And then he tore open the wounds we worked so hard to stitch up."

Sungjin clicked his tongue and shook his head.

"How is he doing now?" Hyesung asked hesitantly.

"He’s been holed up in his room ever since the doctor scolded him, maybe reflecting on his actions. But shouldn’t you know better than me? You’re in the room right next to his."

At this, Hyesung flinched as if something had struck a nerve.

Sungjin, with his sharp intuition, didn’t miss this reaction.

"What’s going on? Did you two have a fight?"

"No, not at all. Why would we fight?"

"Exactly. So why does it feel like there’s some awkward tension between you two? Honestly, Lee Hyuk should be here with you, not sulking in his room. After all, it’s thanks to you that everything got resolved so quickly."

Hyesung could only muster a faint smile in response to Sungjin’s words. It was true that they hadn’t fought. In fact, since arriving at the hospital, Hyesung had spent most of his time sleeping.

He had told Sungjin that it was just bruises, but the truth was more complicated. He had been suffering from exhaustion and malnutrition. Because he hadn’t been an omega for long, the stress had also thrown off his pheromone levels, leading to further complications.

After finally recovering enough to visit Lee Hyuk’s hospital room a few times, he quickly realized the timing was never right.

Prosecutors and investigators were constantly in and out of Lee Hyuk’s room, and Lee Hyuk was busy with work, spending all day on the phone or his laptop.

On the rare occasions when they did speak, Lee Hyuk would only ask about Hyesung’s health, and nothing else. Then, the ringing of Lee Hyuk’s phone would cut their conversation short, and Hyesung would leave the room, half-forced by Lee Hyuk’s insistence that he should focus on his own recovery.

"And how’s the company?" Hyesung asked, changing the subject.

"Oh, well, it’s starting to run smoothly again. The board members who were talking about removing the CEO have gone quiet, and some of the companies that withdrew their contracts are requesting meetings again."

Still, it would take time to fully recover. Even though Taesung had been cleared, the damage done wouldn’t just disappear overnight.

Just then, Sungjin’s phone rang. He answered it briefly before standing up to leave.

"Hyesung, I’ll come by again. Make sure you get plenty of rest."

"Okay."

Sungjin gave Hyesung a light, affectionate pat on the head before heading out.

A little while after Sungjin left, lunch was served. The luxurious meals that appeared daily made Hyesung wonder if hospital food was always this extravagant.

After finishing his meal, Hyesung decided to check on Lee Hyuk’s room. As expected, Lee Hyuk was busy, engrossed in work.

Hyesung sighed softly before returning to his own room. Not long after, a nurse came in.

"I’m here to change your bandages."

"Okay."

Hyesung’s hands were covered in cuts from when he had desperately tried to saw through the ropes binding him.

"This might sting a little."

The nurse carefully began to disinfect each wound, taking her time. Hyesung had noticed before that his nurse was very meticulous. As he watched her work, he finally spoke up.

"You don’t have to be so gentle. I’m sure you have plenty of other patients to attend to."

"Huh? Oh."

The nurse smiled kindly.

"It’s just that I was told to be extra careful with your wounds because your skin bruises easily."

"…Who told you that?"

"Your guardian."

Hyesung knew exactly who she meant. There was only one person who could be considered his guardian here.

"So, what’s your relationship with him?" the nurse asked, catching Hyesung off guard.

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to pry. It’s just that your guardian is also a patient, but he’s been taking such good care of you."

"Taking care… of me?"

The unfamiliar term caught Hyesung by surprise, momentarily distracting him from the sting of the disinfectant. The nurse, noticing his confusion, widened her eyes.

"You didn’t know? He’s been making sure your meals are specially prepared, and he stays by your side every night while you sleep. I’m always surprised when I check on you in the early morning and find him there."

The nurse chuckled softly as she wrapped a fresh bandage around his hand.

She went on to talk excitedly about how she had never seen anyone stay by a patient’s side all night before in her years working in the ward. It was clear she assumed Hyesung knew all of this already.

Hyesung could only remain silent, his lips pressed tightly together. The newly wrapped bandages throbbed slightly under the nurse’s gentle touch.

"Don’t worry; your wounds are healing well. And don’t forget, you have a pheromone test scheduled for today, right?"

"Yes, I was just about to go."

While exhaustion and malnutrition could be resolved with rest and proper nutrition, Hyesung’s biggest issue now was his unstable pheromone levels.

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Due to the stress and physical strain he had endured, his pheromone levels were fluctuating wildly again, bringing him back to where he started when he first manifested as an omega. This instability wasn’t good for his health and could potentially cause complications later, including difficulties with pregnancy.

Although Hyesung wasn’t particularly concerned about having children, the risk of long-term complications was real.

To stabilize his pheromones, the doctor had recommended not just medication, but also exposure to his partner’s alpha pheromones. The idea was that being around his partner’s pheromones would help his own levels stabilize more quickly.

The doctor had clearly remembered Lee Hyuk, who had been by Hyesung’s side when he first came to the hospital, which is why he had suggested this method.

However, Hyesung hadn’t brought it up with Lee Hyuk yet. He didn’t want to burden him, knowing how busy he already was.

What excuse should I give the doctor? Hyesung wondered as he entered the consultation room.

"Hyesung, how are you feeling today?" the doctor asked.

"I’m feeling much better now that I’ve had some rest," Hyesung replied.

"That’s good to hear. By the way, it seems like you’ve been following my advice and talking to your partner?"

"Excuse me?"

Hyesung had been preparing to explain that he hadn’t mentioned anything to Lee Hyuk yet, but the doctor’s next words surprised him.

"Your pheromone levels have stabilized significantly since your initial test when you were admitted. The improvement is too pronounced to be just from the medication, so it seems like you’ve been receiving your partner’s pheromones regularly."

Hyesung listened in stunned silence. First the nurse, and now the doctor—everyone around him seemed to be talking about things he wasn’t aware of.