Joo-Hee wiped the sweat from her brow and cheeks as she basked in her "hard-earned" victory. Kang Ho approached with a congratulatory nod before turning to Min Jae to give a quick lesson about avoiding getting distracted during a fight.
Joo-Hee couldn't help but smile as she thought, 'I'm sorry, Min Jae… but thanks for letting me win.' The fatigue from the sparring match seemed to melt away, replaced by a sense of joy and pride that carried her spirits higher than usual.
As they stepped off the stage together, another pair of hunters took their place. Joo-Hee watched their match attentively, eager to pick up new tricks, all while discreetly healing herself.
Not forgetting her manners, she also offered to heal Min Jae. They chatted briefly, and she made sure to clear the air, hoping he wouldn't hold a grudge for the little trick she pulled earlier. Thankfully, Min Jae just laughed it off, shaking his head in mock frustration.
Almost an hour passed before the day's session finally wrapped up. As soon as they were dismissed, Joo-Hee hurried back to her room, heart quietly fluttering with anticipation. She had made up her mind to visit Jin-Woo's room, hoping to spend just a bit more time with him.
Back in his hospital room, she quickly showered, the cold water refreshing her aching muscles. After changing into casual clothes, she was ready. She glanced at the mirror, fixing her hair briefly before stepping out into the corridor.
Almost an hour passed before the day's session finally wrapped up. As soon as they were dismissed, Joo-Hee hurried back to her room, heart quietly fluttering with anticipation. She had made up her mind to visit Jin-Woo's room, hoping to spend just a bit more time with him.
Her heart felt lighter today, the progress in her training giving her confidence, and the thought of seeing Jin-Woo again strangely lifting her spirits. As she neared Jin-Woo's room, Joo-Hee took a deep breath as she opened the door and stepped inside.
What she saw when she entered the room caught her completely off guard. Jin-Woo was in the middle of an intense exercise routine, his upper body glistening with sweat. He was wearing nothing but a pair of snug, blue boxers with white trim, which clung to his body and accentuated the results of his rigorous training. The sight stopped Joo-Hee in her tracks.
Her gaze was immediately drawn to Jin-Woo's well-defined pectoral muscles, each ripple a testament to countless hours of dedication. The sheer strength that Jin-Woo's physique radiated left her stunned for a moment, admiration flickering in the back of her mind.
'He's always been natty and muscular in the story, but seeing it up close like this...' she couldn't help but marvel at his muscles. But then, her eyes unintentionally traveled downward, lingering on the way Jin-Woo's boxers clung tightly to his body, drenched in sweat and leaving little to the imagination. Her heart skipped a beat.
Before she could stop herself, a surge of heat rushed to her face as her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Her thoughts raced, 'S-Shoot..! What was I thinking just barging in like this and not knocking?!'
The sight of Jin-Woo's sweat-slicked physique, both enviable and undeniably striking, mixed uncomfortably with the lingering instincts of Lee Joo-Hee's body. A strange combination of emotions stirred inside Jake—part admiration, part awkwardness, and something else he didn't want to examine too closely. He gulped, unable to tear his eyes away, feeling a tugging confusion that left him momentarily frozen. This body, Lee Joo-Hee's instincts... they're messing with me, Jake thought with a pang of frustration. I shouldn't be reacting like this.
Suddenly realizing she had been staring too long, her thoughts jolted back to the present. The sudden intrusion had startled Jin-Woo, who froze mid-curl-up, his face flushing red with embarrassment.
For a second, neither of them moved, caught in an awkward silence. Jin-Woo, clearly surprised, quickly grabbed a towel from the nearby chair and wrapped it around his waist, his eyes wide with shock and an almost sheepish look on his face.
"J-Joo-Hee!" Jin-Woo stammered, a mix of embarrassment and surprise flooding his voice. "W-What are you doing here...?!"
Joo-Hee replied as the heat spread to her cheeks, "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to barge in like this. I was just coming to check on you!" Jin-Woo scrambled to pull on a shirt, his movements hurried and awkward, almost comical in their urgency. "NO! No! It's fine. Really. I just didn't expect anyone..."
As Jin-Woo adjusted his clothes, Jake settled awkwardly into a seat in the corner, trying to hide his nervousness. The whole situation was incredibly awkward yet oddly endearing. Watching Jin-Woo fumble to regain his composure, Jake couldn't help but find the moment funny and a bit wrong. I didn't get flustered when my friends and I changed after playing soccer, he thought, clenching his hands in frustration at this ridiculous predicament.
Once Jin-Woo managed to get his shirt on, he plopped down as he sat on the hospital bed, his face still flushed but now sporting a shy smile. "J-Joo-Hee, please come in. i have finished getting dressed.."
Jake nodded, trying to maintain a casual demeanor despite the lingering embarrassment. "Of course. I'm glad to see you're doing well. But don't overexert yourself—though I'm sure you already know that." He added the last part with a teasing smile, attempting to lighten the mood. SLOT
Jin-Woo chuckled softly, the tension easing a bit. "I'll take it easy. I'm just trying to exercise during my free time." SLOT
Jake instinctively thought, 'Lies, I know you're exercising because of your daily quest.' It was a fleeting distraction, one that barely helped him shake off the memory of what he had seen moments ago. SLOT
The two continued their conversation, both still blushing as they discussed Jin-Woo's recovery and future plans. The air in the room was thick with an awkward atmosphere. Each pause felt like a brief eternity, filled with unsaid words and stolen glances. Jake felt a mix of warmth and unease, unsure of how to navigate the burgeoning friendship. SLOT
As Jake prepared to leave, Jin-Woo walked him to the door. "Thanks for stopping by, Joo-Hee. It really means a lot." SLOT
Jake smiled warmly, but it felt a little forced. "Anytime, Jin-Woo. I'll see you soon." SLOT
The words came out quicker than he intended, and he felt a flutter of nervous energy. Why am I acting like this?SLOT
Just as he was about to step out, Jin-Woo hesitated. "Uh, wait—" SLOT
Jake turned back, heart racing, wondering if he had forgotten something. "What is it?" SLOT
"I just wanted to say... um, I didn't think you'd just walk in like that," Jin-Woo said, his voice trailing off, his face turning an even deeper shade of red. SLOT
Jake's own embarrassment flared anew, his mind racing as he stumbled over his words. "Yeah, well... I thought you'd be—uh, you know, dressed and stuff. I mean, not that it's a bad look or anything!" He winced, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. Why did I say that?!
Jin-Woo raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile creeping onto his lips.
"So you think I look good... like that?"
Jake's face turned beet red.
"N-No! I mean, ye...? I mean, you know... in a very, uh, manly way?"
He attempted to flex his feminine and slender arms, but the gesture only made him feel more ridiculous.
'Get it together, Jake!' he scolded himself internally, wishing he could disappear into the floor.
Jin-Woo chuckled, clearly amused by Jake's flustered state.
"I'll keep that in mind for next time."
Jake's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but stammer, "N-No! I didn't mean it like that!"
He turned on his feet and hurried out of the room, mortified.
'Why did I have to say anything?'
As he left the hospital, Lee Joo-Hee's body instinctively replayed the entire scene in his mind.
The unexpected encounter had been both embarrassing and oddly uplifting.
Despite his initial discomfort, he felt a weird growing emotion toward Jin-Woo.
The path ahead was filled with challenges, but now he was more determined to never embarrass himself again in front of others.