AOA 14

“You… this is…”

Baek Mugyeong frowned as if he were about to say something. I wondered if he saw something strange and turned to look behind me, but then I felt something running from my nose and panicked.

No way, surely that wasn’t snot.

I’d had mild rhinitis since I was little, so eating something hot sometimes made my nose run. Still, I didn’t expect this to happen in the dry air of an airplane. I tried to act like nothing was wrong and wiped under my nose with the back of my hand, only to see blood.

“Huh…?”

“Mr. Jeong Minchae?”

“Just a moment.”

I hastily covered my nose and looked for tissues. I remembered clearly that I had tucked some unused tissues into the seat pocket when I ate the in-flight meal earlier.

Just as I reached out, blood dripped between my fingers and onto the blanket, startling me. I froze, unsure of what to do, when a handkerchief was suddenly offered from beside me.

“Use this.”

“Thank you.”

This wasn’t the time to refuse. I took Baek Mugyeong’s handkerchief and held it to my nose. I’d had nosebleeds many times in my life. As a kid, I’d sometimes get them while growing, or after getting hit by a soccer ball. But this was the first time I’d bled like this without any clear cause.

“You shouldn’t tilt your head back, lean forward.”

I’d started tilting my head back, but straightened it after hearing Baek Mugyeong’s advice. For some reason, I felt incredibly embarrassed. Saying I overdid it because of the wedding didn’t make sense, I’d only skipped a couple meals.

Before the regression, I hadn’t been able to sleep on the plane or properly eat the in-flight meal, yet I never got a nosebleed. Maybe this time, it was because I’d finally let my guard down. The human body really is affected by the mind.

As I sat holding my nose, a flight attendant came over to ask if I was all right. Baek Mugyeong answered for me, explaining it was a nosebleed, and asked for a warm towel. Soon she returned with one and asked if we needed anything else before leaving again.

When I cautiously pulled the handkerchief away, the bleeding had stopped. I used the warm towel to wipe under my nose and the back of my hand. I also set aside the blanket that had blood on it.

“Thank you. But the handkerchief, there’s too much blood on it…”

“Just hand it back. I’ll take care of the washing.”

The handkerchief in my left hand was, to exaggerate slightly, soaked halfway through. But Baek Mugyeong was so firm about it that I had no choice but to give it back. He carefully folded it with the clean side out and tucked it into the inner pocket of the jacket on his lap.

“You missed a spot here.”

“Yes.”

I wiped where Baek Mugyeong was pointing, my lower jaw.

“Still not clean. One moment.”

He took the towel from my hand and wiped my chin himself. I regretted not just scrubbing it off myself, it was already too late.

“Your face looks fine now.”

Baek Mugyeong called over a passing flight attendant and asked for another towel. Soon, I received a new one, rubbed my face thoroughly, and cleaned my hands.

“Mr.,Jeong Minchae.”

“Yes?”

“Are you ill?”

“Sorry?”

“You nearly fainted at the banquet, and now you’re having a nosebleed.”

I was a beat late in realizing what he meant. It was a perfectly reasonable assumption, that these things were happening because I was sick.

But it was a misunderstanding. I was just tired and hadn’t eaten properly. Explaining that made my face flush. It felt embarrassing to be mistaken as sick over something like this.

“I’m not sick. I don’t have any chronic illnesses either. I even got a full medical check-up right before the wedding, they said I was healthy.”

I ignored the heat on my cheeks and answered confidently. Thanks to my biological father wanting to sell me for a high price, I’d undergone a thorough examination before claiming the name Jeong Minchae. Aside from not having manifested as an omega, I was perfectly healthy. The test I took at Baek Jaehan’s request said the same.

“So it’s just a matter of stamina. I see.”

Baek Mugyeong came to his own conclusion and turned his gaze away. His profile was solid as stone, but I couldn’t help but feel like he was looking down on me, though maybe that was just my own insecurity.

I used to work three rotating shifts at a factory, even did overtime and night shifts, and never once got sick. I’d even learned boxing.

My stamina had never been a problem before. I wanted to say that, but in this situation, it would just sound like a weak excuse, so I kept my mouth shut. Instead, I twisted the towel in my hands tightly.

And I silently vowed that I’d start working out seriously from now on.

After that, I didn’t speak with Baek Mugyeong again. When we arrived in Cebu, it was already well past 10 PM local time. We were greeted by a hotel staff member and got into a limousine.

Baek Mugyeong had been busy even before we got into the limousine, checking his phone and making calls repeatedly. It continued during the ride.

He spoke in English, using so many technical terms that I couldn’t understand even a quarter of it. I didn’t know who he was talking to, but it seemed work-related.

It wasn’t my business, so I leaned against the seat and closed my eyes. Words drifted into my ears again. Apparently, the person on the other end had recently undergone major surgery and was in treatment. Baek Mugyeong’s voice was so gentle, I could feel his concern for them.

Before the return, I’d heard a rumor that Baek Mugyeong had promised to marry someone while he was in the U.S., but they broke up when he moved back to Korea. I couldn’t confirm if it was true. Honestly, I hadn’t cared then and still didn’t now.

Maybe that person was why Baek Mugyeong resented this marriage. If he loved someone else and had to marry someone else because of his grandfather, it made sense.

That wasn’t a bad thing for me. It meant we wouldn’t be having sex or interfering in each other’s lives. Ideally, we’d just get divorced at the right time—but he had said divorce wasn’t up to him. So it would be another show-window marriage like before.

As I sorted through my thoughts, I dozed off. I only woke when Baek Mugyeong shook me after we arrived at the hotel.

“We’re here.”

“Ah, okay.”

I had fallen asleep with my face pressed to the window and quickly straightened my posture. Looking around, I saw the limousine had indeed arrived at the hotel entrance.

I must’ve been possessed by a sleep demon. The limousine was comfortable, sure, but I didn’t expect to pass out so completely.

While I was still dazed, Baek Mugyeong got out first and opened the door for me. He didn’t say anything, but his gaze seemed to hold a trace of disdain. I silently got out of the limousine.

Baek Mugyeong handled the check-in. Watching him speak fluent English with the hotel front desk gave me a strange feeling.

Before the return, I hadn’t thought much of it, but today I keenly felt that Baek Mugyeong was eight years older than me, a real adult. He was skilled, composed, and confident in everything he did. I even felt a little envious.

Would I be like Baek Mugyeong when I turned thirty?

While I was lost in thought, Baek Mugyeong handed me an envelope with the card key to the hotel bungalow.

“Mr. Jeong Minchae. This person will escort you to the bungalow. Please follow them.”

“Uh… and you, Director? Where are you going?”

I already knew, but I asked as if I didn’t.

“I’ll be staying in a main building room. Do you remember we agreed not to interfere with each other?”

“Yes.”

“From here on, we’ll go our separate ways.”

“Understood.”

I nodded without question. It was our honeymoon, but we’d already confirmed this was an unwanted marriage, so separating now didn’t matter.

“I’m in Room 1106. If anything happens, contact me.”

“Nothing will happen.”

And just like that, it didn’t. Before the return, we’d returned to Korea without incident.

I gave a slight nod to Baek Mugyeong and followed the staff.

The bungalow at the beachside Cebu hotel was situated directly above the sea.

My memory was a bit hazy, but I was pretty sure this was the same one we stayed in before the return. The large bungalow, somewhat isolated from the main building and other bungalows, was quiet and pleasant.

Once the hotel staff helped move my suitcase and I gave them a tip, I was finally alone. I went straight to the bedroom without looking around the bungalow or touching the welcome food.

Even though I had slept on the plane and in the limousine, my eyelids were heavy. I changed into something comfortable from my suitcase and flopped onto the bed.

The moment my head hit the pillow, sleep overcame me completely.

Before the regression, I had barely left the bungalow during our six-day, five-night honeymoon. I ate room service, dozed in bed, and spent time quietly watching the sky and sea.

But this time, I tried to stay active. I had breakfast at the hotel cafeteria in the main building, swam in front of the bungalow, took a nap after lunch, got a full massage, wandered around the hotel lobby, had dinner, and took a walk along the beach before wrapping up the day.