Within moments, dizziness washed over him. The room seemed to tilt. He could barely understand what was happening to him.
Panicked, Yeo Jun turned toward Joon Hyunk, who was standing right at his side, and gasped, "Something's happening to my hand—it hurts—"
Before Joon Hyunk could respond, Dr. Soo Min quickly stepped forward. Her calm voice cut in, reassuring yet firm:
"It's okay, Yeo Jun. Don't panic," the doctor said gently, resting a hand on his shoulder. "This discomfort will pass in just a few minutes. Try to lie down and relax your mind, alright? Everything will soon settle on its own."
Following her words, Yeo Jun lay back on the bed. The doctor then turned to Joon Hyunk, quietly advising, "If too many people remain in the room, it will only disturb his mind further. I'll step out for now. Please stay by his side. If there's any emergency, call me immediately."
With that, she left.
As soon as the door closed, Yeo Jun's anxious voice broke the silence. "Joon Hyunk… the doctor said it would get better, but it's not. The pain is getting worse. It feels like I'm burning up with fever. My vision—it's blurring. Everything is spinning."
Joon Hyunk's chest tightened at the sight of him trembling. He immediately understood: Yeo Jun's body was not handling the medicine well, and panic was making it worse.
To comfort him, Joon Hyunk reached out, running his fingers gently through Yeo Jun's hair. "It will be alright, Yeo Jun. Don't be afraid," he whispered, his voice steady. Then, placing his palm softly on Yeo Jun's forehead, he checked his temperature—it was alarmingly high. His skin was burning.
Worry washed over Joon Hyunk. He remembered the doctor's earlier warning: Many patients can't tolerate this medicine. Their panic only worsens the side effects, making the treatment harder for them.
But Joon Hyunk couldn't let that happen to Yeo Jun. This was only the first dose—four more were still ahead. His heart clenched at the thought of how much Yeo Jun would have to endure.
Determined, he carefully held the same hand where the cannula was placed, rubbing it lightly to reassure him. With his other hand, he stroked Yeo Jun's hair, whispering softly, "Don't worry. This pain will pass. Just hold on a little longer, Yeo Jun. You're not alone—I'm right here."
Yeo Jun's eyes burned with tears. He closed them tightly, forcing himself to calm down. Slowly, exhaustion pulled him under. The IV drip from earlier, combined with the injection, made his body heavy, and within moments he drifted into sleep.
Joon Hyunk stayed still, letting him rest. Once he was sure Yeo Jun was asleep, he gently slipped his hand free and carefully pulled the blanket up to cover him. Not wanting to disturb his rest, he moved to the sofa across the room. From there, he sat quietly, watching Yeo Jun sleep.
It was past 9 p.m. Neither of them had eaten dinner. But Joon Hyunk didn't care—he just wanted to be near in case Yeo Jun woke up needing something. Sitting in silence, his own fatigue caught up with him, and before long, he too dozed off on the sofa.
Throughout the night, nurses entered quietly from time to time, checking Yeo Jun's vitals. Everything remained stable for the moment. Fortunately, this was Joon Hyunk's hospital, so every necessary resource was within reach.
By morning, Joon Hyunk awoke and quickly got ready. A little later, Yeo Jun also opened his eyes. Though his body still ached with fever and heaviness, he was slowly returning to normal. Soon, breakfast was delivered to their room, and they shared the meal together in silence.
But their relief didn't last long. Later that morning, Dr. Soo Min returned. Without removing the cannula in his hand, she prepared another dose from the same blue liquid vial and injected it once again.
The moment it entered his veins, Yeo Jun's body tensed. His arm, already sore from the previous day, throbbed sharply. Every small movement sent waves of stabbing pain up his hand. The fever, which had only just begun to settle, spiked again.
He lay quietly on the bed, eyes closed, fighting through the pain. He didn't want to worry Joon Hyunk any further—but Joon Hyunk, watching him, could see the struggle written all over his face.
By afternoon, the doctor returned to check on Yeo Jun. Seeing his vitals stable, she smiled warmly and said,
"You're surprisingly brave, Yeo Jun. Honestly, you're the first patient in my career who has managed to handle this treatment so well. Most people can't even tolerate the very first injection without breaking down."
A little later, she administered the third injection through the same cannula. As soon as the medicine entered his bloodstream, the familiar process repeated itself—Yeo Jun's fever spiked again, his eyelids grew heavy, and soon he drifted into sleep, unable to fight it anymore.
Watching him rest, Joon Hyunk quietly worked on his laptop, completing office tasks while making sure not to disturb him. In the evening, after finishing his work and dinner, he too lay down for a while.
The next morning, when Yeo Jun slowly opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Joon Hyunk seated on the sofa, working once again. The moment Joon Hyunk noticed him awake, he immediately closed his laptop and rushed to his side.
"How are you feeling, Yeo Jun?" he asked softly.