[S1] 5- "His Comfort"

[A/n: It's how Taeyeon looks in the plot & picture credit goes to the ownEr!]

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Jungguk had bought him new clothes, but Taeyeon had been lying in bed for two days already, so he was too embarrassed to say anything. Jungguk, however, had noticed. He boiled a large pot of water, but after searching all around, he couldn't find a suitable bathtub for him.

When bathing himself, Jungguk never made such a fuss. In summer, he would simply go to the small pond at the foot of the mountain at night. The water there was crystal clear, and he didn't have to worry about anything unclean.

If it was too cold in winter, he would just grab a wooden bucket and pour water over himself without much care.

But things were different with Taeyeon now. He couldn't just stand by and watch while he bathed. What if he slipped or hurt himself? That wouldn't do. He needed to get a proper bathtub so Taeyeon could sit safely without worrying about having nothing to hold onto.

The water quickly came to a boil, and Jungguk made a prompt decision to head out. Although the moon was already high in the sky, most people had shut their doors but hadn't gone to bed yet.

He took a shortcut, walking quickly for about the time it takes to burn half a stick of incense and went to the carpenter's house. Originally, he had planned to buy one, but the carpenter wasn't interested in money. Instead, he offered a trade: "I heard you caught a wild pheasant last time. My wife just gave birth recently and could use some chicken soup to build his strength. If you can get me another one, not only will I give you the bathtub, but I'll make you two wooden tables as well. How about that?"

It was actually a very good trade, but Jungguk thought to himself that he didn't need wooden tables right now. What he really lacked was a helping hand. After a moment of hesitation, he said: "I don't need the tables. But Hwan hyeong, could you help me dig a pond? I'm planning to build a small one near my house."

The area around the 0ld Yeon family's home was picturesque, with mountains and clear water. The surrounding land was all his, and if he could cultivate it fully in the future, it would be quite valuable. However, Jungguk's current goal was much simpler-solving the issue of food and clothing first, and thinking about wealth later.

"Sure, if you bring me a pheasant, I'll handle the whole thing for you." Most men in the village were honest and straightforward. While there were some who weren't reliable, Carpenter Hwan and his wife were childhood sweethearts, and his greatest virtue was how much he doted on his wife.

Even at the cost of such an effort, he was determined to get his wife something good to eat— truly a model husband.

Jungguk finally managed to get the bathtub. Originally, he had planned to borrow it for one night and make another himself after chopping wood tomorrow. But since the carpenter had insisted, he didn't hold back and took it outright.

When he returned home, Taeyeon was helped down from the bed. At this moment, his eyes were covered with a strip of white silk, and the candlelight didn't seem to affect him. Beneath the silk, only his prominent nose and pale lips were visible.

Jungguk paused for a moment, surprised. "You were fine before I left. Didn't you just eat? I thought your complexion had improved."

Hearing this, Taeyeon looked puzzled. "What?" He had no idea his complexion had worsened.

Jungguk glanced around and finally spotted the culprit: the unclosed window. At night, the mountain air was naturally chilly, and the open window was directly facing the bed. The cold wind had been pouring in— no wonder his lips had turned pale!

Since he hadn't fully recovered yet, his energy had only partially returned. After Jungguk had left, the temperature in the house dropped, causing Taeyeon's body temperature to fall as well. With a sigh, Jungguk urged him to take a bath to drive away the chill. Later, he planned to light a fire to warm the room.

The spring rains had long passed, and summer was just around the corner. This was the cool drizzle that often came at the end of late spring.

Taeyeon removed his outer, slightly soiled clothing, leaving only a thin inner garment. His attire didn't appear to be of high quality, and Jungguk figured he must have come from an ordinary family before his amnesia.

He didn't question it further. Guiding him into the water, Jungguk let him sit in the bathtub with the thin garment still on. Placing a towel beside him, he instructed: "When you're done washing, drape this over yourself, and I'll help you out."

He closed the door, turned, and went outside to wait. In a low voice, he said: "Go ahead and wash up. Call me when you're done."

Jungguk shut the wooden door to the inner room, but this wasn't a moment to be idle. He grabbed some pre-chopped firewood and a small knife, carefully carving the pieces. He was making small decorations for the house, placing them where Taeyeon could easily reach.

If Taeyeon could eventually move around on his own despite his blindness, he surely wouldn't want to spend his days confined to bed.

Time passed, though it was hard to tell how much. The sound of water inside was faint. Only when Jungguk thought the water might have cooled did Taeyeon's soft voice call out: "Jungguk hyeong.." The voice was barely audible.

Jungguk finally opened the wooden door and was met with the sight of Taeyeon. Of course, Taeyeon wasn't aware of this. From Jungguk's perspective, Taeyeon's body was still steaming from the heat of the bath, his cheeks flushed, and the previously pale lips had returned to their normal color.

His lower lip was slightly full, while the upper lip was plumper, giving off an air of detachment when his eyes were covered. Such lips looked cold and indifferent when not smiling, but would likely bloom like peach blossoms when they did.

Jungguk responded with a quiet "Hmm," tugged lightly at the hem of Taeyeon's clothing, and guided him back to the bed. Taeyeon leaned back against the bed, while Jungguk busied himself with other tasks. Outside, rain began to fall, and the chill seeped into the room.

Jungguk lit a fire, leaving the window half-open to let the air circulate. He planned to extinguish the fire once Taeyeon fell asleep, delaying his own rest until then. The rhythmic sound of rain outside mingled with the crackle of the firewood inside. Taeyeon leaned against the bed and drifted off to sleep.

Only Jungguk remained awake, seated by the window. He picked up a sturdy tree root and began carving it. He worked on it for a long time, gradually shaping it into a smooth, beautiful cane.

The branch was meticulously polished, and at the top, he crafted a handle. By the time he finished, the sky had gone completely dark, and it was well past midnight.

Seeing how late it was, Jungguk tidied up everything. He extinguished the fire that had been burning for hours and carried the ashes to the kitchen. Once the room had aired out, he shut the windows, placing the newly finished cane by Taeyeon's bedside.

With everything done, Jungguk finally lay down on his floor mat and went to sleep. He fell asleep quickly. After such an exhausting day, it only took moments for him to drift into a deep slumber.

However, Taeyeon suddenly sat up halfway, as if sensing something. He fumbled around the edge of the bed for a while until his hand brushed against the cane. A warmth filled his heart, and he murmured softly: "Thank you, Jungguk hyeong..."

Having been saved and cared for so attentively, Taeyeon couldn't quite understand why, but in his fragmented memories, no one had ever treated him this well. When he recalled the scars covering his body, it felt as if they were a grim testament to a past he'd rather not remember. Even though he couldn't recall anything now, an inner voice warned him not to seek those memories. It was better to forget and immerse himself in this new environment.

These thoughts ended quickly. Taeyeon could sense that his eyes could now open fully, but it seemed as though some kind of barrier veiled his vision, leaving him blind. He dared not make any large movements, choosing instead to lie back down to avoid disturbing the person nearby.

The night was cool, and the next morning, Jungguk woke early as usual and cooked porridge.

On this day, Taeyeon was helped out of bed by Jungguk. The pain in his body had long vanished, and his wounds were healing well. He no longer needed bed rest and sat at the table. The morning breeze blew through the window, gently rustling the white cloth covering his eyes and stirring his hair.

Taeyeon held his bowl and ate slowly. He only managed half a bowl before setting it down. Jungguk, worried that Taeyeon might be holding back out of politeness, found it hard to believe that someone his age, in the prime of growth, could have such a small appetite.

After some thought, he retrieved some white sugar from the cupboard. "Is it because plain porridge doesn't have much flavor? Does it taste too bland? How about I sprinkle some sugar on it?"

Most children liked sweet porridge with sugar, and it was understandable for Taeyeon, recovering from a long illness, to have a muted sense of taste.

Taeyeon chuckled at his words and quickly shook his head. "No, really, I can't eat anymore..."

But Jungguk wasn't entirely convinced. Taeyeon ended up eating another small half bowl with the sugar, this time truly full to the brim. Morning meals weren't something he could eat much of, so when Jungguk went outside to work on reinforcing the chicken coop, Taeyeon stayed seated, quietly waiting. The morning ground was damp, and the yellow earth was slightly sticky and moist from the dew.

Taeyeon sat quietly on the chair, dressed in white, appearing as if his spirit had wandered to another realm. The sound of wood clinking against wood filled his ears— it was delicate work, requiring patience.

Before long, the sun rose higher, and Jungguk brightened up. "You should spend more time in the sun. It's too chilly inside much better out here."

"Alright." Taeyeon stood up, holding the cane Jungguk had made for him the previous night. He tapped it around cautiously as he walked.

Seeing his slow pace, Jungguk took a moment to explain: "The Yeon family courtyard is pretty big. I plan to clear out this soil-plant vegetables on the left side of the yard and grow flowers on the right. If you walk straight ahead, you'll reach the courtyard gate. Outside that corner, I'm thinking of making a pond. But I'll have to fence it off, otherwise, it'll be too dangerous. If you go past the gate and head further back, you'll find the chicken coop."

"Mm..." Taeyeon mused over Jungguk's ambitious plans. Did he really intend to handle all of this on his own?

"If you're planting vegetables, I can help," Taeyeon offered earnestly. He couldn't let him do everything by himself. He may not be able to see, but he can still pitch in.

Jungguk wasn't one to mind hard work, his tone relaxed. "To be honest, it used to just be me here, and I wasn't this meticulous. My Abeoji was a scholar who hoped his son would make something of himself. But in the end, the officialdom ruined him. Now, I've decided to live a simple, honest life. Being poor has its own kind of happiness."

"But now that I've found you, it feels like fate."

Due to his own reasons, Jungguk was unwilling to give up on Taeyeon. "I'll always look after you. You can think of yourself as my Abeoji's third son."

Although Jungguk²⁰ was only two years older than him, his words struck a chord with Taeyeon¹⁸. However, the notion of becoming someone's "son" felt a bit odd for Taeyeon. Instead of agreeing outright, he simply responded, "Mnn. From now on, we're family."

Living in a place as serene as this, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, even without memories, life felt joyful. The natural surroundings seemed to relax the soul, and Jungguk believed in this deeply. He'd already made plans for how they would live from here on out.

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[A/n: I'm finally back with a long update (over 2280 words!) after a long wait. I know you've all been patiently waiting, and I'm grateful for your enthusiasm. I'll try to update regularly from now on, aiming for at least one or two parts at a time. I appreciate your feedback, so please keep commenting and liking the plot! I've also included a picture of the protagonist on Pinterest, and I'll share another one in the next part. Thanks for your support, and I'll see you soon! Take care, guys ♡.]

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