Chae Jinyoon watched her sister, who was grinning from ear to ear, beaming with happiness.
"You two seem to be very close."
The way she was with the boy who claimed to be her boyfriend... Arms intertwined, bodies close, an intimacy he'd never imagined seeing in Nayun with anyone.
His eyes narrowed slightly as his mind processed the scene.
"Right, I need a moment to take it all in."
He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, as if trying to recalibrate his mind after being unconscious for so long. When he opened them again, his gaze landed directly on me.
Jinyoon assessed me for a few seconds before continuing.
"What exactly did you do to win my sister over?"
His tone wasn't hostile, but it carried the curiosity of one who was asking:
"How is that possible? You didn't use something to manipulate her mind, did you?"
He was trying to understand. Nayun, his little sister, the one who used to only care about training until her hands bled, was now leaning comfortably on a boy, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before I could reply, Nayun grumbled and punched him lightly on the arm.
"Why do you talk as if it's impossible for someone to like me?"
"That's not what I meant."
"It's just that... you've never shown any interest in dating, always putting training above everything else. Seeing you , so comfortable with someone, caught me off guard."
Nayun snorted and leaned even closer to me, as if to prove a point.
"Well, things change, oppa. I was thirteen at the time. And I've changed. And Theo..."
She turned to me with a soft smile before continuing:
"...He's someone very special to me."
For a moment, silence reigned in the room. Jinyoon watched us, and I could see in his eyes that he was not only absorbing the situation, but analyzing his sister's every word.
"I know it sounds strange, and I understand your concern."
I kept my tone firm but respectful. If my sister came and introduced me to a boyfriend out of the blue, I'd probably react the same way.
"But I really like Nayun. It never crossed my mind to play with her feelings."
Jinyoon's eyes softened slightly when he heard my words.
He let out a sigh, but this time there was a small smile on his lips.
"At least you seem to be telling the truth..."
Running a hand through his hair, he looked me in the eye and added:.
"If you hurt my sister, even after spending months in a coma, I'll find a way to hunt you down. Understood?"
His tone was half-serious, half-joking, but the message was clear.
I replied without hesitation.
"I promise to do everything I can to make sure that never happens."
I approached and held out my hand for a firm shake.
Jinyoon didn't hesitate to shake it, a gesture of mutual acceptance.
Nayun rolled her eyes.
Jinyoon laughed softly before leaning back on the pillows, finally seeming to accept reality.
"Well... I guess I need some time to get used to it."
"It'll be quick, you'll get used to it quickly."
He watched her, then looked at me and finally let out a long sigh.
"Yes... Something tells me so."
Shaking his head slowly, as if still trying to convince himself that it was real, he looked at Nayun again, this time with a softer expression.
"Anyway, I'm happy for you, Nayun. I'm glad that, even in my absence, you've moved on."
Her eyes widened slightly, surprised by her brother's sudden acceptance.
Jinyoon let out a small laugh.
"Yes, really. I'm not going to act like those overprotective brothers in soap operas. If you've found someone who makes you happy, then I'm happy for you."
Nayun's lips curved into a genuine smile, her eyes sparkling for a moment.
Jinyoon turned her attention to me.
"That doesn't mean you're free from accountability, Theo."
I raised an eyebrow, curious.
"I still don't know anything about you. Where you live, what you do, what your real intentions are with my sister..."
"Oppa, he's already said he likes me!"
"That's not good enough."
Jinyoon narrowed her eyes slightly. It wasn't a threatening expression, but the firmness of someone who took the family's protection seriously.
"How do you like it? For real, or is it something fleeting? Do you intend to be by her side for the rest of your life? Or are you just living on automatic?"
I stared at him, absorbing his words. He wasn't wrong. Even though Nayun had never asked me anything , I knew that sooner or later I would have to open my heart completely to her.
Tell her who I really am, my plans, my fears, my ambitions, my desires, my pain... Everything.
So, without hesitation, I answered:
"I love her. I want you by my side, even if it's for the rest of my life. Decades, hundreds, thousands, millions or billions of years, no matter how long it is, I still want you by my side, so don't worry about me leaving your sister."
My voice came out firm, with no room for doubt.
Jinyoon studied me for a moment before nodding slowly.
"Well... Then I guess we can talk more later. When my head doesn't feel like it's going to explode."
Nayun felt her face heat up at my statement, shrinking slightly in embarrassment. But her eyes didn't wander from me for a second.
Trying to disguise it, she turned to her brother and joked:
"You'd better. Otherwise, you'll end up sleeping again, and if that happens, I'll pour cold water on your face."
Jinyoon laughed and leaned back against the pillows.
But before he could completely relax, Nayun let go:
"Ah! Oppa! Can you keep my relationship with Theo a secret? I haven't told Dad or Grandpa yet, hehe!"
Jinyoon massaged his forehead in exasperation. He stared at his sister.
His gaze seemed to say:
"If you haven't told anyone, then why did you tell me?"
Receiving that look, Nayun turned her face away while pretending to whistle.
I could only feel sorry for my brother-in-law. He'd only just woken up, but his impetuous sister clearly didn't intend to give him a break.
"You're impossible, Nayun. Better said, you're unbelievable! But all right, I'll do what you want."
The atmosphere finally lightened. Nayun relaxed beside me, and the initial tension seemed to dissipate.
Suddenly, the door to the room opened and a group of nurses and doctors entered, ready for a battery of tests on Jinyoon. The sound of footsteps, the rustling of clipboards and the noise of devices being prepared filled the room.
"Looks like my peace is over..."
Jinyoon muttered, resigned.
I took a step back, watching as the medical team began to examine him. Nayun was still holding my hand and, looking at me, smiled softly.
"Thank you for making my dream come true, Theo. I'll be forever grateful for everything."
I squeezed his hand back.
"Gratitude? No need, Nayun. Just having you with me is enough. We're boyfriend and girlfriend and, in the future, we might even share the same surname. For me, that's the least I can do for the girl I like."
And with that, we let the doctors do their work, while we watched, watching with our hands intertwined behind us, so that no one in the room could see.