Chapter 4: Hidden Heartstrings

...After returning home from his encounter with Song Yun, Woo-seok’s excitement quickly turned into something much more dangerous. That evening, as he sat in his quiet, dimly lit room, a sharp pain shot through his chest. His breath became shallow, and his vision blurred. Woo-seok knew what was happening—his heart condition, arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia (ARVD), was flaring up again....

...This wasn't the first time he'd experienced this. Since childhood, Woo-seok had lived with the knowledge that his heart was weaker than others. The taunts of his classmates echoed in his mind: "Weak heart, weak soul." Those cruel words had driven him into a shell, making him the icy, cold man he was today. He had built walls around himself, isolating his emotions from the world to avoid the pain of rejection and ridicule....

...That night, as the pain overwhelmed him, Woo-seok collapsed, unconscious. For the next few days, he remained bedridden, attended to by the best doctors his wealth could afford. Despite the care, his mind kept drifting back to Song Yun. It was strange how this woman, who had barely entered his life, now occupied his thoughts even in his weakest moments....

...Meanwhile, Song Yun’s life went on as usual. She was oblivious to the turmoil Woo-seok was going through. Her days were filled with university lectures, hanbok practice, and physics classes. After school, she helped her father with household chores, her life unaffected by the man who was suffering silently....

...When Woo-seok finally recovered and returned to work, his usual cold demeanor had returned. However, there was an unusual sense of urgency in his actions. He called his assistant and asked, "What's the schedule for today?"...

...The assistant replied, "Sir, you have two meetings pending. When would you like to schedule them?"...

...But Woo-seok wasn’t interested. Instead, he asked, "What's the schedule of Song Yun?"...

The assistant hesitated, confused. "She might be at her university, sir."

...Without waiting for further explanation, Woo-seok commanded, "Bring the car. We’re going to Seonwal University."...

..."But sir, the meetings—" the assistant began to protest....

..."I SAID TELL THE DRIVER TO BRING THE CAR NOW!" Woo-seok's death glare silenced any further objections....

..."Okay, okay, sir," the assistant stammered. "As you say."...

...Outside the university, Woo-seok waited for two hours with a bouquet of flowers and a box of cute dumplings. He sat in the car, rehearsing what he might say to her, his normally composed demeanor now a bundle of nerves. He had never waited for anyone like this before, let alone with flowers and dumplings. It was almost endearing how out of place he seemed, like a little boy on his first crush....

...Finally, the school bell rang. Students began pouring out of the university, and there she was—Song Yun, looking as graceful as ever. Woo-seok’s heart pounded, not from his condition, but from the sheer sight of her. He started blushing hard, his face turning as red as the roses in his bouquet....

...But before he could gather the courage to approach her, Nam Ju, a fellow student, appeared beside Song Yun. "Song Yun, would you like to go home together with me?" Nam Ju asked with a friendly smile....

..."Okay," she replied with a nod....

...Panic surged through Woo-seok. He couldn’t let himself be caught staring like a lovesick puppy. In a hurry, he scrambled back into the car, running cutely like a rabbit trying to hide. "Driver, take the car far away, now!" he ordered, sinking into his seat to avoid being seen....

...As the car sped away, Woo-seok couldn’t help but peek out the window one last time. Song Yun glanced in his direction, and for a moment, their eyes met. Woo-seok’s heart skipped a beat—this time, not from his illness but from the thrill of almost being caught....

...He leaned back in his seat, a small, shy smile playing on his lips. He might not have had the courage to speak to her today, but there would be another chance. He was determined to make sure of it....

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