Jake wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished his morning training session. The physical exertion from practicing swordsmanship and meditation left him both tired and invigorated. Despite his exhaustion, he pushed on, feeling the subtle signs of progress.
His Basic Swordsmanship skill was nearing a breakthrough, much like his meditation practice had earlier shown promising results. The thought spurred him forward—every step he took was one step closer to his goal.
Today, Jake had more than training on his mind. After wrapping up his routine, he planned to visit Jin-Woo's room, hoping to spend time with him and further the delicate plan he had been crafting—getting closer to Sung Jin-Woo and ensuring Lee Joo-Hee's place in his life.
Back in his hospital room, Jake quickly showered, the cold water refreshing his aching muscles. After changing into casual clothes, he was ready. He glanced at the mirror, fixing his hair briefly before stepping out into the corridor. His heart felt lighter today, the progress in his training giving him confidence, and the thought of seeing Jin-Woo again strangely lifting his spirits.
As he neared Jin-Woo's room, however, Jake noticed a slight commotion outside the door. A nurse was speaking with a doctor, their voices low but just loud enough for Jake to overhear. He slowed his steps, casually leaning against the wall as he caught snippets of their conversation.
"His physical condition has improved significantly," the nurse was saying, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and surprise. "We might even be able to discharge him soon. It's astonishing—someone with his rank recovering this fast? Normally, hunters need at least three weeks to recover completely, sometimes more."
The doctor nodded in agreement, flipping through the chart in his hand. "Yes, his recovery has been remarkable, especially considering the injuries from that dungeon incident. Two weeks is unheard of for most people, even for those with healing abilities. But Mr. Sung seems to defy expectations."
Jake's chest tightened slightly as he listened. Of course he's recovering quickly, he thought, a small smile tugging at his lips. He's the protagonist of this world, after all.
He had noticed subtle changes in Jin-Woo's physique during his previous visits, but today he felt something was different. With a deep breath, Jake pushed open the door and stepped inside.
What Jake saw when he entered the room caught him completely off guard. Sung Jin-Woo was in the middle of an intense exercise routine, his upper body glistening with sweat. He was wearing nothing but a pair of snug, blue boxers with white trim, which clung to his body and accentuated the results of his rigorous training. The sight stopped Jake in his tracks.
His gaze was immediately drawn to Jin-Woo's well-defined pectoral muscles, each ripple a testament to countless hours of dedication. The sheer strength that Jin-Woo's physique radiated left Jake stunned for a moment, admiration flickering in the back of his mind. He's always been strong in the story, but seeing it up close like this... Jake couldn't help but marvel at the hero he had revered from the Solo Leveling novel.
But then, Jake's eyes unintentionally traveled downward, lingering on the way Jin-Woo's boxers clung tightly to his body, drenched in sweat and leaving little to the imagination. Jake's heart skipped a beat, and before he could stop himself, a surge of heat rushed to his face, his cheeks burning with embarrassment. His thoughts raced, Why didn't I knock?! What was I thinking just barging in like this?!
The sight of Jin-Woo's sweat-slicked physique, both enviable and undeniably striking, mixed uncomfortably with the lingering instincts of Lee Joo-Hee's body. A strange combination of emotions stirred inside Jake—part admiration, part awkwardness, and something else he didn't want to examine too closely. He gulped, unable to tear his eyes away, feeling a tugging confusion that left him momentarily frozen. This body, Lee Joo-Hee's instincts... they're messing with me, Jake thought with a pang of frustration. I shouldn't be reacting like this.
Suddenly realizing he had been staring too long, Jake's thoughts jolted back to the present. The sudden intrusion had startled Jin-Woo, who froze mid-curl-up, his face flushing red with embarrassment. For a second, neither of them moved, caught in an awkward silence. Jin-Woo, clearly surprised, quickly grabbed a towel from the nearby chair and wrapped it around his waist, his eyes wide with shock and an almost sheepish look on his face.
"Joo-Hee!" Jin-Woo stammered, a mix of embarrassment and surprise flooding his voice. "What are you doing here?"
Jake felt his own cheeks redden, the heat spreading from his neck to his face. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to barge in on you like this. I was just coming to check on you."
Jin-Woo scrambled to pull on a shirt, his movements hurried and awkward, almost comical in their urgency. "No! NO! It's fine. Really. I just didn't expect anyone."
As Jin-Woo adjusted his clothes, Jake settled awkwardly into a seat in the corner, trying to hide his nervousness. The whole situation was incredibly awkward yet oddly endearing. Watching Jin-Woo fumble to regain his composure, Jake couldn't help but find the moment funny and a bit wrong. I didn't get flustered when my friends and I changed after playing soccer, he thought, clenching his hands in frustration at this ridiculous predicament.
Once Jin-Woo managed to get his shirt on, he plopped down next to Jake, his face still flushed but now sporting a shy smile. "Thanks for coming by. I appreciate the visit, you know."
Jake nodded, trying to maintain a casual demeanor despite the lingering embarrassment. "Of course. I'm glad to see you're doing well. But don't overexert yourself—though I'm sure you already know that." He added the last part with a teasing smile, attempting to lighten the mood.
Jin-Woo chuckled softly, the tension easing a bit. "I'll take it easy. I'm just trying to exercise during my free time."
Jake instinctively thought, Lies, I know you're exercising because of your daily quest. It was a fleeting distraction, one that barely helped him shake off the memory of what he had seen moments ago.
The two continued their conversation, both still blushing as they discussed Jin-Woo's recovery and future plans. The air in the room was thick with an awkward atmosphere. Each pause felt like a brief eternity, filled with unsaid words and stolen glances. Jake felt a mix of warmth and unease, unsure of how to navigate the burgeoning friendship.
As Jake prepared to leave, Jin-Woo walked him to the door. "Thanks for stopping by, Joo-Hee. It really means a lot."
Jake smiled warmly, but it felt a little forced. "Anytime, Jin-Woo. I'll see you soon."
The words came out quicker than he intended, and he felt a flutter of nervous energy. Why am I acting like this?
Just as he was about to step out, Jin-Woo hesitated. "Uh, wait—"
Jake turned back, heart racing, wondering if he had forgotten something. "What is it?"
"I just wanted to say... um, I didn't think you'd just walk in like that," Jin-Woo said, his voice trailing off, his face turning an even deeper shade of red.
Jake's own embarrassment flared anew, his mind racing as he stumbled over his words. "Yeah, well... I thought you'd be—uh, you know, dressed and stuff. I mean, not that it's a bad look or anything!" He winced, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth. Why did I say that?!
Jin-Woo raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile creeping onto his lips. "So you think I look good... like that?"
Jake's face turned beet red. "N-No! I mean, ye...? I mean, you know... in a very, uh, manly way?" He attempted to flex his feminine and slender arms, but the gesture only made him feel more ridiculous. Get it together, Jake! he scolded himself internally, wishing he could disappear into the floor.
Jin-Woo chuckled, clearly amused by Jake's flustered state. "I'll keep that in mind for next time."
Jake's eyes widened, and he couldn't help but stammer, "N-No! I didn't mean it like that!" He turned on his feet and hurried out of the room, mortified. Why did I have to say anything?
As he left the hospital, Lee Joo-Hee's body instinctively replayed the entire scene in his mind. The unexpected encounter had been both embarrassing and oddly uplifting. Despite his initial discomfort, he felt a weird growing emotion toward Jin-Woo. The path ahead was filled with challenges, but now he was more determined to never embarrass himself again in front of others.