A week had passed since the heartbreak. Suho still had moments when he cried or got lost in thoughts about Yerin. But Hauen was always there, comforting him, motivating him, and trying to distract him with random talk. Still, the pain hadn't gone away completely.
"Good morning!" Hauen's cheerful voice filled the room as sunlight streamed in, hitting Suho's chubby face. He groaned and turned on the bed.
"Wake up, teddy bear. It's already morning," she said with a smile.
He slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light. "Why so early? I slept late," he mumbled.
She sat on the edge of the bed and gently fixed his messy hair. "We're going to the hospital today, so wake up, Mr. Kim."
"Hospital? Again? Why?" he asked, burying his face in the pillow.
She chuckled. "We're meeting a new doctor about your therapy sessions."
He looked at her, doubtful. "You really think it's going to work?"
"Maybe," she said softly. "But we should try before expecting results, right? So yes, this is our first step."
He sighed and began to push himself up, his movements slow and heavy.
"Easy… don't rush. Wake up slowly," Hauen said, helping him sit up properly.
He rubbed his eyes and scratched his hair, still half-asleep. She smiled and handed him a cup. "Here, your morning tea."
He smiled softly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome… husband," she teased playfully.
He chuckled and took a sip. "Drink this while it's hot," she said. "I'll call Mr. Lee to help you to the bathroom, okay?"
He nodded. She picked up her phone and called, "Mr. Lee, please come to the bedroom."
A moment later, Mr. Lee entered. "Help him to the bathroom, please," she said.
Mr. Lee nodded, gently lifted Suho, and carried him to the bathroom, placing him carefully on the movable chair inside.
"Alright," Hauen said, standing at the doorway. "Finish your bathroom routine. I'll be in the room. If you need anything, just call me, okay? Don't hesitate."
He nodded, and she gave him a reassuring smile before stepping out of the bathroom.
After about half an hour, Suho called out, "Hauena… I'm done."
"Coming!" she replied, walking to the bathroom.
He was sitting on the chair, a towel wrapped awkwardly around his waist. Hauen bit her lip, trying not to laugh.
"Don't laugh," he complained. "You know I can't wrap it properly. Help me."
She smiled softly. "I'm sorry."
Turning her face to the side, she adjusted the towel properly around him. The awkwardness that once lingered between them had long faded. Suho had grown used to her presence, relying on her for almost everything these days.
She gently dried his hair with the towel, removing the extra water. Then she called Mr. Lee, who came in and carefully carried Suho back to the bedroom.
Hauen helped him change into clean clothes, fixing his collar neatly. "Hmm… done," she said with a proud smile.
"Let's have breakfast," she added.
He hummed softly in agreement.
At the hospital, Dr. Kwon studied the reports carefully and then nodded. "Hmm… the results look fine."
Hauen leaned forward, her eyes filled with hope. "So… is it possible for him to walk again, doctor?"
Dr. Kwon smiled warmly. "There's definitely a chance. He just needs the right treatment and consistent effort."
Suho looked uncertain. "But the previous doctors said I'd never walk again."
The doctor chuckled lightly. "Well, maybe they weren't specialists. From what I can see, the problem is below your knees. Your thigh muscles still have some response; that's a good sign."
Suho frowned slightly. "But… not much. I can barely feel anything."
"Mr. Kim," the doctor said kindly, "I'm telling you, you can walk again. It will just take time and patience."
Hauen's face brightened instantly. "How long will it take, doctor? And what's the treatment process like?"
Dr. Kwon glanced through the reports again. "It's hard to give an exact timeline, but I'd say anywhere from six months to a year, depending on how well the therapy goes."
"Really?" Hauen asked, smiling widely with relief.
The doctor nodded. "Yes. But I do wonder, why didn't you start treatment earlier? It's already been more than three months since the accident. If we had begun earlier, you might've seen some small improvements by now."
Suho lowered his gaze, guilt flickering across his face.
Hauen said softly, "Actually… we'd almost lost hope after the previous doctors' reports."
Dr. Kwon nodded understandingly. "You should always get multiple opinions. Anyway, since you're here, we'll start the treatment immediately."
He pulled out a small model and continued, "This treatment is called NMES, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation. It's a therapeutic technique where we use electrical impulses to cause controlled muscle contractions. The goal is to strengthen weak muscles and help them relearn their normal movements."
Both Hauen and Suho listened intently as he explained each step with patience.
"We'll first do a detailed assessment to evaluate muscle tone and the extent of the injury," he added. "Usually, we recommend three to five sessions a week, each lasting around twenty to thirty minutes. Let's see how quickly your body responds to it."
Hauen smiled brightly, hope flickering in her eyes. She reached over and held Suho's hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. Suho met her gaze and smiled softly back, a small but meaningful sign that maybe, just maybe, things were finally turning around.
"Here, take this and get the tests done," Dr. Kwon said, handing her a form. "We'll begin the sessions from next week. Is that fine?"
"Of course, doctor. We're ready," Hauen replied with a bright smile.
"Good then," he nodded, returning the smile. "Get these tests conducted, and I'll see you both soon."
Hauen stood up and bowed politely. "Thank you, Dr. Kwon. I'll make sure to get everything done today."
Dr. Kwon smiled, handing her the papers. "Take care, both of you."
Hauen gently pushed Suho's wheelchair out of the cabin, the papers neatly folded in her hand. As they moved through the corridor,
"See? Didn't I tell you you'd walk again like before?" Hauen said, her voice brimming with hope.
Suho smiled faintly. "This is the first good news I've heard in months."
Her heart softened at that. She reached over and ruffled his hair gently, making him groan.
"Don't worry, teddy bear," she teased. "From now on, you'll only hear good news."
He smiled, a real one this time, and for a moment, the heaviness between them lightened.
After completing the prescribed tests, Hauen decided to take him to a cozy restaurant nearby, one with soft lighting and quiet corners. It had been ages since Suho had gone out for a proper meal or even felt like doing so.
As they settled down, Suho looked around, nostalgia flickering in his eyes. "Last time I came here was with Yerin. I brought her here for a date," he said quietly.
Hauen's expression changed. "Enjoy the meal, Mr. Kim. Do you really have to remember your ex all the time?" she said, unimpressed, stabbing her fork into the salad.
He smiled faintly, eyes lowering. "I can't forget the moments I spent with her."
Hauen leaned forward slightly, her tone sharper now. "Don't forget the memories, just forget her. She doesn't deserve you."
He sighed. "You don't understand, Hauena… if you'd ever loved someone, you'd know the pain."
Her heart skipped a beat. She held his gaze. "And how do you know that I've never loved someone?"
He looked at her, a little caught off guard, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "You told me, remember? You said you never had a boyfriend or dated anyone before."
She looked at him calmly. "Yes, but that doesn't mean I never loved someone."
His eyes widened, genuine surprise flickering in them. "Ohh… damn. So you also got a love story? Who was it? What's your story?" he asked, leaning in with playful curiosity.
She took a slow bite of meat, chewing thoughtfully before answering, "Why? I don't want to share it."
He pouted a little, smiling. "That's unfair, Hauen. You know everything about me, but you're not telling me about your past, even after knowing me for months?"
She smiled faintly, her gaze dropping to her plate. "It's a boring one. I liked someone… but that person was already taken. So yeah, my love story ended before it even started."
"Oh no…" Suho chuckled. "That guy's unlucky."
"Unlucky?" she asked, arching a brow.
"Of course," he said. "He missed a girl like you."
Her heart skipped, but she masked it with a faint smirk. "He's not unlucky. I am. He loved his girl so much that he never looked at anyone else."
"Exactly!" Suho said, leaning back. "That's what makes him unlucky. Guys like that end up losing people who would've loved them better, for example, me. look at me how suffering alone. Maybe he's also regretting it now. You should check on him again; maybe you have a chance this time."
Hauen just stared at him, her thoughts screaming at how this idiot had no idea she was talking about him.
"What if he refuses to accept me?" she asked quietly.
"He shouldn't," Suho said quickly. "And if he does, tell me. I'll talk to him myself and make him understand how lucky he'd be to have you."
She gave him a look, a mix of disbelief and amusement. "And you really think he'll accept me if my ex-husband goes to him and tells him how worthy I am?"
He froze, blinking, completely thrown off. His lips parted to defend himself, but no words came out.
She laughed softly, shaking her head. "You know what? You should just finish your meal and forget your ex before giving anyone love advice."
He groaned. "I'm not that bad," he said, his voice softening. "I just… loved one person. Only one, in my entire life. I gave everything I could, and still..." he paused, a bitter smile curving his lips, "still I failed to keep her."
Her smile faded. She glared at him, pointing her chopsticks at his face. "You know what? If you talk about Yerin again like some broken poet, I swear I'll leave you to suffer alone and go back to my crush."
He looked down, his lips forming a small pout. "I told you before to leave, but you didn't listen. Now I've gotten used to you, and you're threatening to leave me?"
Her anger melted instantly. She set her chopsticks down, guilt softening her tone. "I'm sorry… it just slipped out. I didn't mean to hurt you."
He looked at her quietly, his voice calm. "No, really. You should go back to your crush. I'm serious."
She stared at him, now truly irritated. "Yah, Kim Suho—"
Before she could finish, he smiled and picked up his chopsticks again. "Okay, okay. First food, then therapy, then your crush," he said casually, stuffing a mouthful of rice into his mouth.
She couldn't help but laugh, shaking her head.
He chewed, glancing up at her with a teasing glint in his eyes. "By the way… what's your crush's name?"