The Huma Hospital.


    The sounds of medical equipment, the smell of alcohol disinfectant, pale lighting, and the deathly


    silent corridors created a stark atmosphere.


    " Take it easy."


    Harsh, pitiful screams reverberated through the sterile ward.


    The nurse, who was standing by, couldn''t even bear to watch.


    The man lying on the hospital bed held a tiny photo tightly with his gruesome burned fingers.


    "Stephie... Stephie..."


    "Your vocal cords are damaged. Even surgery can''t fully restore them. You need to avoid speaking


    as much as possible. Endure it," the doctor, unable to bear the sight, whispered softly.


    "Okay."


    He buried his head in the pillow and quietly endured the pain as the doctor treated his terrible


    injuries.


    "How could he bear it?"


    "Why does such a handsome man have to suffer so much?"


    "His survival is a miracle."


    As the doctor left the ward, he sighed.


    "He has multiple burn injuries , and the pain from the second -degree burns can reach level I0. This


    will greatly affect his sensory perception. Even if he survives, his perception of pain will be


    numb." The doctor observed Steven through the window.


    He was lying on the bed while barely hanging on by a thread.


    "Stephie..."


    He slowly loosened his grip and gently wiped the bload-soaked photo.


    His eyes were soft.


    "Wait for me...


    "T''m sorry..."


    It was my fault for making her wait too long.


    I hoped she wouldn''t me me.


    "Mr. Lincoln Senior has instructed us to keep him in the hospital until his condition improves. Once


    he''s better, bring him back."


    "Mr. Lincoln, you can''t leave!"


    "Beep..."


    The hospital rm went off. The doctors and guards were distracted by the fire rm.


    Steven, wearing a baggy hoodie and cap, limped out of the hospital while enduring the pain in his


    body.


    Blood seeped through his injuries due to the premature movement.


    No one knew how much pain he was in.


    But he didn''t want to make Stephie wait any longer.


    "Stephie..."


    He didn''t know how he managed to leave the hospital or muster the strength to reach Stephanie''s


    building.


    However, it was empty there.


    "That poor family. Both of the parents died and left only their daughter alive. I heard she was in


    a for a long time and then went to live with rtives after waking up."


    Upon hearing what the neighbors said, Steven turned and ran away with red eyes.


    RêAdt??St chapters at Novel(D)ra/ma.Org Only


    His wounds were hurting.


    He was at risk of infection.


    Still, he couldn''t let Stephie face the pain of losing her parents alone.


    "Stephie..."


    Finally, he saw Stephie at the school gate.


    "Ah!" But the way she looked at him was as if looking at a stranger.


    "Stephie..." His hoarse voice, unfamiliar even to himself, drove him to near despair.


    Stephie didn''t recognize him.


    "Who are you? Stop following me! Help!" Stephanie thought he was a pervert. She ran away


    screaming for help.


    Steven stood numbly with his outstretched hand frozen in mid-air.


    He hid in an alleyway while panting heavily and hitting his own head.


    Why... Why had even his voice changed?


    Why did he scare Stephie?


    Why didn''t he die?


    "Stephie..."


    From that day, Steven would secretly follow Stephie every day.


    He would watch her go to school,e home, and carefully followed Michael. He would watch how


    her eyes were full of only him.


    "Stephie, I don''t me you."


    He would whisper gently during his unending fevers, soothing her even though she couldn''t hear it.


    He wouldn''t me her for forgetting him.