𝗦𝗨𝗡 & 𝗠𝗢𝗢𝗡 | ᴬᶰ ˢᵒᵒᴴᵒ 『English Version』

Chapter 36

Last Chapters

The scent of disinfectant and the quiet hum of voices filled the physical therapy center. Hyeori walked in with her backpack slung over one shoulder, her school uniform looking slightly out of place among everyone's workout clothes.

Her eyes didn't have to search long. She spotted Sooho almost immediately. He was in the middle of an exercise with Mr. Kang, his physical therapist—a man with a stern face but a kind demeanor.

Sooho was gripping parallel bars tightly, his body tense as he tried to lift one leg to the side. His jaw was clenched and a bit of sweat ran down his temple. Hyeori swallowed hard; watching him push himself like that always filled her with a mix of concern and pride.

She knew just how badly he wanted to regain strength in his legs and back.

When Sooho lowered his leg, his muscles trembled before finally stilling. That's when his eyes met hers. A tired but warm smile spread across his face.

"Hey," he managed to say, his voice a little breathless. "You're here."

Hyeori walked over and placed her backpack on an empty chair. She returned the smile—gentle, to calm him. "Hey, baby. Mr. Kang. Am I interrupting?"

Mr. Kang shook his head. "Not at all, Hyeori. Sooho's just finishing this set. Maybe seeing you will give him an extra push."

Sooho huffed, trying to catch his breath. "Or make me forget how to count... How was school, love?"

"All good," Hyeori replied, eyes locked on him, noticing the tension in his shoulders and how he leaned on the bars. "And you? How's that leg?"

"Getting there," Sooho said, breathing deeply before starting another rep under Mr. Kang's watchful gaze. "It's more stubborn than I am, I think."

The therapist nodded. "Focus on the movement, Sooho. Slow and controlled. Feel the muscle working. Three more."

Each lift was a battle. Sooho's leg shook halfway up, and he gritted his teeth, his knuckles white from how hard he held onto the bars. Hyeori bit her lip, resisting the urge to move closer. She knew she had to support him from a distance, to let him have this moment.

She gave him a little nod when he looked over, maybe seeking some encouragement.

When he finished, Sooho exhaled like a whistle and leaned forward, resting his forehead on his forearms.

"Good," Mr. Kang said, jotting something down. "Rest a minute. Then we'll move on to supported squats."

Hyeori stepped forward and handed him his water bottle without saying a word. Sooho took it with a slightly shaky hand.

"Thanks, beautiful..." he murmured after a long sip, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His eyes found hers, filled with raw sincerity. "This is... tougher than I thought it would still be."

"I know," Hyeori said quietly, brushing his hair back and wiping some sweat from his forehead, taking the bottle from him. "But you're doing amazing. A little more each day."

He nodded, eyes bright. Her words seemed like something he could cling to. "Seeing you here... it helps. More than you know."

Mr. Kang returned and pointed to a nearby machine. "Ready for squats, Sooho? We'll start with low weight like last time."

Squats were always a challenge. Even with the machine helping support him, Sooho's knees ached with each bend, and his still-weak back protested. Hyeori watched each slow movement with aching empathy as sweat soaked through his shirt.