Precautions of a Snakepit - Chapter 67
“Ah, so nice. This must be heaven.”
“It’s an easy way to get to heaven.”
Won played along with the smirking Top Dog, and he continued his act.
“It’s not easy, it’s hard. That was a tear-filled sacrifice for me to get to heaven, wasn’t there?”
Won looked over at “Protector Choi” out of the corner of her eye. The patient was balding and was touching his head with a bitter expression.
‘Is this okay?’
“Don’t worry about it. Worry about me since that’s all you have time for.”
Won touched his forehead at Top Dog’s shameless attitude. She wanted to check how bad his fever was since the word “sick” came out of his mouth countless times.
It was lukewarm.
It wasn’t completely normal, but it wasn’t worth worrying about.
“You don’t have a fever, but you keep complaining.”
“Huh?”
He looked confused for a moment as if he didn’t expect her to check it with her hand, but then he smirked.
“I don’t get fevers because I’m good at regulating my body temperature.”
She wouldn’t know about animals, but humans regulating their temperature?
It didn’t make sense, so Won lost the willpower to argue back. Then, Top Dog made an outrageous demand.
“I want you to stroke my head.”
“For what?”
“Don’t you think my face is nice?”
“I thought I told you it wasn’t my favorite.”
“Really?”
He interjected, looking up at her.
“It’s still not?”
For a moment, Won was speechless, but she quickly regained her composure.
“Tastes don’t change so easily.”
“Did you hear that, face? You’re not good enough as it is, so we’ll need to work harder.”
Top Dog stroked his own cheek, acting as if he was talking to another person. Won wondered if his appearance reached any higher level worth of praise if it would need to be preserved as a cultural asset.
Honestly, it was understandable for him to be proud of it, but he was still a jerk. Target and Black Cat, the comparison group, don’t suffer from his arrogance. Even Dr. Madison, whom she dislikes the most, isn’t as arrogant about his appearance. Top Dog is the only one who is.
‘… I am the reason he is sick, after all.’
Sighing, Won patted him on the head. It was awkward, trying to stroke the head of a man who wasn’t a child, but a large, flirty man.
‘He looks good and has nice hair.’
Won expected it to feel like touching a dog’s hair, but it was surprisingly soft against her hand, despite its charcoal-black exterior.
“Tease people in moderation, especially when it is their physical features.”
Won was referring to making the bald patient uncomfortable earlier, and Top Dog laughed.
“Does it bother you?”
“What…”
“Do you want me to be a better person? If you think so, I’ll be better.”
“I don’t care what you do.”
“Don’t you want me to be a better person? Why bother saying anything if you don’t care? If you don’t care, you won’t bat an eye about it. I’ll take this as a green light.”
“If you say anything else, I’m leaving.”
If Won listened to any more, she might actually get up, so Top Dog shut up.
After a moment, he spoke with an apologetic tone.
“Don’t worry, that bastard messed with me, too.”
“How?”
“Breaking my character.”
“He’s not messing with you if he’s right.”
“By that logic, doesn’t that mean I’m also right?”
Top Dog’s retort left Won speechless.
‘I’m sure their relationship is close.’
Otherwise, the bald patient wouldn’t be so bold as to point out Top Dog’s character flaws. Won decided to stop drawing attention to their relationship.
Top Dog closed his eyes. His long, thick eyelashes were the only thing that softened his sharp features. Won was overcome with the urge to touch them and found herself reaching for it.
“It feels so good to be with my pretty girl.”
The words startled Won, and she pulled back her hand in surprise. She shrugged it off as if nothing happened.
“It’s because you are using me as your pillow.”
“I like it the other way around, too. I’ll be your pillow, so why don’t you lie down.”
Won was too stunned to speak, and as he tried to lift his head up, she pushed him back down.
“Aren’t you the self-proclaimed ‘sick’ bastard?”
“Really? Then I’ll have to become a fool.”
He rolled over onto his stomach, then wrapped his arms around her waist and rubbed his cheek against her.
“What are you doing?”
Won gasped, trying to pull away. A little lower, her belly, his head was facing…
“Mmm, good.”
‘What the hell?’
Won pushed Top Dog away with all her might. When he thought he accomplished his goal, he unwrapped his arms around her waist and obediently let her push him away, rolling off the couch. Won deliberately stomped on his arm as she stood up.
“Ouch.”
Pretending not to see him in pain, Won left the main hall.
‘That’s what he deserves.’
She didn’t want to give him a break.
As she stomped up the stairs, someone was coming down.
For a moment, she tensed. She was first relieved to see that the body belonged to a man, and was happier when she saw it was Black Cat.
“Gyeom.”
“Are you in a hurry?”
“No.”
“Then why don’t we go to the library together? Read a book or something.”
His invitation sent a chill down Won’s spine, knowing there was a reason for it.
“If we go, will you recommend some interesting books?”
“Interesting… I don’t know your tastes, so I’m not sure what would be interesting. I can recommend books that I’ve read and enjoy, if you don’t mind. I do have one in mind, though.”
“I’m curious to see what it is, so I’ll go.”
She followed Black Cat to the library. He browsed the shelves and pulled out a few books with some deliberation.
“I’m more interested in nonfiction than fiction these days, so these are good.”
Won lined them up on her desk and sat back in the chair.
‘Is one of these books the one you really want to show me and the rest are just tricks? Or are all of them a clue?’
It’s not like she can just take the first and last letter of the title and make a meaningful word or sentence out of it. It doesn’t make sense if she substitutes the alphabet.
‘Table of contents? What happens if I substitute the table of contents?’
As she flipped through each book, Black Cat, who grabbed his own book, sat down and started talking to her.
“Have you chosen what to read yet?”
“Nope. I’m not particularly drawn to anything, so why don’t you pick for me?”
“Well, in that case, you might want to read the summary, table of contents, or title and pick a book that appeals to you.”
Won tried calling SOS for a hint, but Gyeom didn’t do much. Dumbfounded, she stared at him.
She understood that he couldn’t tell her outright so as not to ar*use suspicion, but this is a situation where he at least has a crush on Won. So, even if the help is through moderate flirting, it’s not like it will be a problem…
‘Wait.’
Won rubbed her index finger against her lips. Black Cat may not have had a romantic experience, but he isn’t stupid, and there is no way he didn’t notice her request for help. For him to respond like that…
She flipped through the books, reading the summaries, titles, and tables of contents one by one. By the time she reached the fourth book, she spotted a familiar name, precisely where the author’s information and biography ended and the translator’s information began.
Dr. Lee Hudson
Dr. Lee Hudson’s interest in Korea was sparked by his grandmother, a Korean-American, and his father, who fought in the Korean War. He was drawn to the field of psychiatry at an early age after seeing soldiers suffering from the aftereffects of the war. He majored in psychiatry at the Graduate School of Medicine at A University in the U.S., and was a clinical professor of neuropsychiatry at A Hospital before returning to Korea. He served as an adjunct professor at the Graduate School of Neuroscience at H University, where he opened his own practice and continues to practice medicine according to his beliefs.
Won reflexively looked at Black Cat, reading a book without a care in the world.
She wondered if, after reading the ‘precaution for the closed ward’ sign, he looked into Dr. Hudson.
However, scouring the entire library for a clue, that he wasn’t even sure existed, was less realistic than trying to find a needle in a haystack.
She remembered seeing the name ‘Hudson’ at some point in a book, so that’s why she went back to the library the next day.
‘I can’t believe he remembered the name of a translator and found this.’
He had an amazing memory.
‘I’m glad he shared this.’
If it was Top Dog, he would have been drawing too much attention, but she was glad Black Cat was just sitting there reading a book. She gave him that nickname because he was like a cat burglar at night, but the more she learns about him, the more he is like a cat.
“Thank you, I’ll read this.”
Won sincerely thanked him and focused on the book. She flipped through the table of contents and found the ‘Words of Caution’ section.
‘If I go straight for it, I might ar*use suspicion…’
She decided to read the books in order.
Translator
