Even after that, Hyun Woo’s phone continued to buzz with a barrage of messages.

“It seems Hyun Woo has a woman. Suspicious. Are you dating these days? If that’s the case, we’ll let it slide. Honestly, spill it. You have to introduce her to us to avoid complications. I know everything.”

How can messages be this noisy?

Instead of replying, he sent back an aggressive emoticon for the first time to Sori.

[Ji Tae: Using emoticons! The man of few words, Hyun Woo!] [Young Min: He must have a girlfriend.]

Usually, these doctors were reserved and tight-lipped. But in this chat, they were particularly noisy.

[Ji Tae: Who is she? Tell us.] [Young Min: You must send these to your girlfriend too, right?]

Then a flurry of emoticons with hearts followed.

So Young Min, you crazy guy.

[Ji Tae: The quiet ones are always the worst with their women.]

I wonder if they know they’re becoming a nuisance.

Hyun Woo wanted to curse out loud but restrained himself and turned off his phone’s screen.

He was getting slightly worried about Sori, who hadn’t been exercising for long.

‘Overreacting just because I let her off work early.’

Hyun Woo, who had been watching her, slowly approached Sori.

He leaned against one of the windows made of special glass, his broad shoulders and the contours visible through his dress shirt.

“Ah, when did you get here? I didn’t hear anything.”

Startled, Sori froze with a slice of paprika in her mouth.

“Just now.”

It seemed the music had drowned out any outside noise, including Hyun Woo’s approach.

“You came back earlier than expected?”

He had said around 11, but it wasn’t even 10 yet, so it was an earlier return than planned.

“I was worried you might cause trouble at home.”

“Me? I’m always careful.”

Hyun Woo looked at her with a ‘really?’ expression, scrutinizing her face.

He wondered if she was really okay or if she might be up to something alone at home.

Worry and concern were not alien to him, like a parent who couldn’t focus at a meeting thinking of a child left at home.

Sori’s movements on the stepper began to slow down.

She hesitated, wondering whether to continue or get off.

Her cheeks flushed pink as if she had applied makeup, reflecting both the night view and Hyun Woo in the window.

Hyun Woo watched her intently.

Everything felt a bit odd now, especially since hearing Sori’s confession earlier.

At the hospital, all residents acted similarly around him, and at home, he was seen as something like a dorm supervisor…

He had thought she was just nervous around him.

Sori, whose face would redden, ears would get hot, and neck would flush in his presence.

It was because she liked him.

This realization occupied his mind anew, surprisingly.

He had never paid much attention to someone’s confessions of liking him, nor had he felt the weight of such feelings.
But why was it?

As he began to sense her feelings, his own heart felt a bit strange too.

Things he hadn’t noticed before were becoming visible, and a certain heaviness in his heart… Was this burden?

What kind of feeling was this?

Thanks to the stepper, Sori and Hyun Woo were almost eye-to-eye. Sori quickly chewed and swallowed the paprika she had in her mouth.

Watching her intently, Hyun Woo remarked impassively.

“You look just like a little squirrel.”

“Huh? Squirrel?”

Just then, a strong beat played, and Sori seemed to miss the gist of his words.

Her munching resembled a squirrel hoarding acorns in its cheeks. He felt an urge to pull her cheeks.

“Who tries to exercise like this?”

“……”

Strange thoughts kept seizing his mind, making his tone sterner.

“Even the preparation is all over the place.”

Hyun Woo glanced downward and nodded towards her feet.

He was pointing at Sori’s white bare feet, which looked pale under the bright light.

Small and white feet.

“You shouldn’t come into this room barefoot. Wear sneakers. What if you hurt your feet?”

“Ah…….”

Realizing she was barefoot, Sori gave a sheepish laugh and bit her lower lip.

Hyun Woo fully grasped her embarrassment and awkwardness in that awkward laughter.

“Right. I should prepare my sneakers first.”

Again, Sori chuckled and was about to step off the stepper.

Hyun Woo suddenly extended his hand.

As if to help her down, he held out his hand. Sori bit her lip, looking at his hand, then hesitantly took it.

Carefully stepping down, she stumbled slightly.

“Ah!”

Quick reflexes led him to catch her swiftly.

“I knew this would happen.”

He lightly chided her. Effortlessly holding her steady, he said,

“I’ll teach you one by one soon.”

“No, it’s fine. I’m not really into this kind of exercise.”

“Haven’t you heard from Ji Woo?”

It was unlikely she hadn’t heard about Hyun Woo’s reputation as a personal fitness coach, even better than most trainers.

“I did, but…….”

As she was about to express her reluctance with fearful eyes, he looked straight at her, causing her to swallow her words.

“You need to exercise. You have to build up your stamina.”