Zane
Suddenly, he hugged me, pressing his face against my chest. I flinched — I hadn't expected him to do that.
I simply placed my hand on his head and patted it gently until the stitches were finished. Once the doctor was done, I let him go.
"Zane, I'll come with you. My assistant is on leave, and I can't drive with this injured hand," he said.
I sighed, first lifting Nico off the bed and then helping Viktor to his feet. As we left, the doctor gave us a strange look, but I ignored him.
Of course, Viktor paid the hospital bill himself.
We returned to the building, and I remembered that Viktor lived on the same floor as us, so there was no need to ask for his address. He went into his apartment, and Nico and I stepped into ours.
The first thing I saw was Ken lying on the sofa, pressing tissues against his wound.
"Ken!" I rushed to him. His injury wasn't as deep as Viktor's, but it still needed stitches.
"Ken, let's go to the hospital right now," I said, trying to help him sit up. But he refused to move.
At that moment, Nilo ran to Nico, hugging him tightly. After their reunion, the two of them came running to me and wrapped me in their tiny arms.
"My boys, I'm so glad you're safe. I won't leave you alone anymore," I promised.
They giggled together, and I pulled out the first aid kit. I knew Ken wouldn't go to the hospital, so I cleaned and stitched his wound myself after numbing it. I had learned this skill but never thought I'd use it. Once I finished, I bandaged him, helped him to the guest room, and tucked him in. The moment his back hit the mattress, he fell asleep. He was in pain, but still, he was such a good friend. I covered him with a blanket and quietly left the room.
Sitting on the floor with Nico in my lap, I asked softly, "Let me see your cheek, baby."
He showed me the red mark.
"Dad, that man slapped me when he found out I emptied Arin's bank account."
Yes, Nico was skilled at hacking. He had targeted Arin's account, but he hadn't done anything wrong.
I applied ointment to his cheek. Nilo, too, reached out with his small hand to rub Nico's face.
"Babies, are you hungry?" I asked. They both nodded at once.
"Okay, I'll make kimchi fried rice."
The boys sat at the kitchen table, watching me cook. Their giggles filled the kitchen, warming my heart.
Once the food was ready, I checked on Ken, who was still asleep, then sat with the boys at the dining table. I served them and myself. Just as I lifted my spoon, the doorbell rang. I set it down and went to open the door.
"Viktor! What happened?"
"Nothing. I'm hungry. Did you make something to eat?"
Seeing his face, I couldn't refuse. I nodded, and he rushed inside, sitting at the table with us. I served him too, but he just looked around instead of eating.
"Viktor, what happened to your arm?" Nilo asked.
"I got injured. It's nothing much," Viktor replied.
As I ate, I noticed his hand tremble when he tried to hold the spoon with his injured right hand.
I got up and sat beside him. "You should've said you're struggling with your hand." I scooped up food and fed him myself.
He stared at me intently, our eyes locking.
"Don't look at me like that," I muttered, taking a bite myself. But when I realized I'd eaten from the same spoon I had just used to feed him, I quickly looked down.
I fed him again and took another bite.
"Wow, this is delicious! It's my first time eating such good homemade food," he said.
"Don't flatter me so much. I'm not that great a cook," I replied while washing dishes.
When I was done, I found him watching cartoons with Nico and Nilo, looking completely at ease. His eyes grew heavy with sleep.
"Viktor, I think you should rest. Go sleep in your apartment," I suggested. The kids wouldn't let him rest if he stayed here.
"Can I rest here? Nico and Nilo are sleepy too. We'll all sleep together. And if you want to sleep with me, that's fine too."
There it was again — his endless flirtiness.
"Why do you want to rest here when your apartment is right next door?" I asked.
"Why are you so cruel? Can't you see I'm all alone at home? No one takes care of me. And here, with my wife and kids, I finally feel happy. Yet you're telling me to leave? What kind of wife are you?"
Huh? Did he just call me his wife… and the boys his kids?
My eyes narrowed sharply at him.
"Nico, Nilo, let's go to sleep. Show me your room,' Viktor said, clearly trying to change the subject.
Both kids showed him the room and went inside to sleep.
I was exhausted too, so I pulled a pillow and an extra blanket from the cupboard, put the pillow on the sofa, and lay down under the blanket. Closing my eyes, I finally let my body rest.
But then—
"Ughhh~~ Yes, give me more~" I heard myself saying, my hands wrapped around someone's neck.
"Babe, your insides are clenching me so tightly. It feels so good," a deep voice answered.
Who was this person?
And what was I doing with him?
It wasn't reality. It felt like a dream — vivid, warm, confusing. The images were blurred, the body in front of me faceless, but the sensations felt real.
That man leaned down and pressed his lips against mine. The moment he kissed me, my eyes snapped open—
And I found Viktor sitting right beside me while I was still lying on the sofa.
But… wait. I did feel the softness on my lips just now.
Don't tell me… Viktor kissed me while I was asleep?
"What… what did you just do to me?" I asked, sitting up quickly, pulling the blanket tight around me, my guard instantly raised.
Viktor tilted his head, that same sly smile tugging at his lips, as if he'd been caught red-handed but didn't care at all.