After two and a half weeks, the day Jin-Woo had been waiting for finally arrived. The morning sun filtered through the hospital room's window, casting a warm glow over the space. Fully recovered, Jin-Woo felt the surge of strength returning to him, thanks to both the System's enhancements and his own resilience. Today, he was finally being discharged.
As he dressed and packed his belongings, Jin-Woo found himself reflecting on his time in the hospital. It had been a strange mix of rest and introspection, but one constant had been Lee Joo-Hee. Her frequent visits had made his recovery more bearable, her presence always comforting, though she'd often tease him, making his time in the hospital far from dull.
A knock on the door pulled him from his thoughts, and a nurse stepped in, holding his discharge papers. "Mr. Sung, everything is in order. You're free to leave whenever you're ready."
"Thanks," Jin-Woo replied, signing the papers with a smile. The nurse nodded and left, leaving him to finish up.
As he stepped out of the room and into the hospital lobby, Jin-Woo spotted Joo-Hee waiting for him, leaning casually against a pillar with a playful smile on her face. "Finally! The great Sung Jin-Woo graces us with his presence outside the hospital walls," she said, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm free," Jin-Woo replied with a grin, walking up to her. "You missed having someone to pester, huh?"
Joo-Hee crossed her arms, pretending to pout. "Well, it was either that or being bored out of my mind. What would I do without my favorite patient?"
"Don't worry, I'll give you a full report on all the ways you've 'helped' me," Jin-Woo teased back. "I bet you'll miss bossing me around."
She laughed, falling into step beside him as they walked toward the hospital exit. "Just remember to take it easy, Mr. Sung. The gates aren't going anywhere, and neither is your body if you keep pushing too hard."
Jin-Woo rolled his eyes, but smiled. "I get it, Omma," he teased, the term rolling off his tongue in a playful tone.
Joo-Hee shot him a mock glare. "Omma? Oh, so now I'm your mother? Just for that, I should add an extra week to your rest period!"
They both laughed as they stepped outside, the fresh air filling Jin-Woo's lungs for the first time in what felt like ages. It was good to be out, and even better to be bantering like this.
As they neared the street, Joo-Hee's expression softened, and she glanced at him with a teasing glint in her eye. "Now that you're all recovered, I guess I don't have an excuse to visit you anymore," she said with a dramatic sigh, feigning disappointment while giving him a sideways glance.
Jin-Woo blinked, caught off guard. His face flushed slightly as he stammered, "You can still visit, you know. At my apartment. Jin-Ah's there too—she'd love to see you. So, uh… yeah."
Joo-Hee chuckled at his sudden flustered response, her eyes narrowing in playful suspicion. "Oh? So it's me you want to see, huh? Not Jin-Ah?"
Jin-Woo opened his mouth to respond but found himself at a loss for words, his ears turning pink as he struggled to defend himself. "No, I mean... of course I want to see you too, but—"
Joo-Hee burst out laughing, unable to keep up the act any longer. "Relax, Jin-Woo. I'm just messing with you." She gently nudged his arm. "But you know, it's nice to hear you admit it. I'll keep it in mind."
He scratched the back of his neck, still flustered but grinning. "Yeah, well... thanks for visiting me so much. I mean it."
Joo-Hee smiled warmly, the teasing fading into something softer. "Of course. I'll always make time for you, Jin-Woo."
As they stood by the curb, a cab pulled up. Jin-Woo opened the door but hesitated for a moment, turning back to Joo-Hee. "You'll visit, right? Not just for Jin-Ah."
Joo-Hee smirked. "We'll see, Mr. Sung. Keep that charming attitude up, and maybe I'll show up just to keep you in check."
With a wave and a final smile, Jin-Woo slid into the cab. As it drove off, he glanced out the window, watching Joo-Hee grow smaller in the distance. His heart felt lighter than it had in weeks, and though he was eager to dive back into his training and the dangers of the gates, the memory of her laughter stayed with him, echoing softly in his mind.
Joo-Hee stood on the sidewalk, hands tucked into her pockets, watching as the cab carrying Jin-Woo disappeared into the distance, swallowed up by the chaotic flow of city traffic.
The familiar sounds of honking cars, distant chatter, and the hum of the urban sprawl filled the air around her, but her mind was elsewhere—drifting somewhere between relief and a strange sense of longing she couldn't quite put into words.
Two weeks, she thought, letting out a slow breath. It had only been two weeks since Jake had transmigrated into this world, taking on the role of Lee Joo-Hee, and yet, so much had changed. I'm really close to Jin-Woo now, Jake mused, feeling a mix of satisfaction and amusement at the progress.
Becoming Jin-Woo's close companion had been part of the plan, but even so, the naturalness of their bond surprised him. They had developed a comfortable rhythm—teasing, joking, but also sharing moments of genuine connection. It was almost too easy, and for that, Jake was grateful.
But even as he reflected on how well things were going, something tugged at the edge of his consciousness, an odd sensation he hadn't felt in days. Suddenly, a sharp pang pierced through his mind, disrupting his thoughts and causing him to stop mid-step.
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[Quest: Strengthening Bonds. +30 EXP, +3 Intelligence. gained.]
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Jake blinked in surprise, staring at the glowing message. The system? Now? It had been so quiet lately that he'd almost forgotten it was there.
For the past few days, he'd been training, practicing with the sword, and developing his skills, but no system notifications had popped up during that time. He had even begun to wonder if something had gone wrong with it. So it's not broken after all, he thought, a smirk tugging at his lips.
"Of course, the system would choose now to make its presence known," Jake muttered under his breath. "Just when I was starting to think it was defective."
The faint blue glow of the notification faded, leaving Jake standing on the sidewalk with a mix of amusement and mild irritation. Strengthening Bonds, huh? It seemed even his system had been keeping track of his growing relationship with Jin-Woo, rewarding him for something as simple as friendship.
But Jake knew better—he was well aware that every connection, every bond, could shape the course of events in this world. Jin-Woo was no ordinary person, and being close to him would inevitably alter the trajectory of both their lives.
Still, it was strange how the system seemed to take note of even the most subtle shifts. The quest rewards—extra experience and intelligence—felt almost symbolic, as if the system acknowledged that emotional connections were just as important as physical strength. Jake couldn't help but laugh softly at the thought. Who knew building friendships could literally make me smarter?
Jin-Woo's departure, however brief, stirred something within him. It was more than just the end of a hospital stay; it felt like the beginning of a new chapter. For both of them.
As the cab turned the corner and vanished from sight, Joo-Hee—Jake—let out a soft sigh, her smile lingering even as a hint of melancholy touched her heart. There was still much to do, and the road ahead was far from easy. But for now, there was a sense of peace, a rare moment of calm before the storm.
"Bye, Jin-Woo," Jake murmured softly, the words carried away by the evening breeze. "You better take care of yourself, or else this world will crumble in the face of danger."
With one last glance at the empty street corner where Jin-Woo's cab had disappeared, Jake turned and began walking again, blending into the crowd as the city pulsed around him. People moved in every direction, lost in their own lives, their own stories, unaware of the powerful forces at play in the shadows.
Jake's thoughts drifted as he navigated through the bustling streets. He could feel the weight of the system hovering over him, watching, calculating, and quietly influencing the world around him.
But for now, it was silent again, content to let him walk his path without interference. Maybe it's waiting, he thought. Waiting for the next moment when it will push me forward.