"How... long... have you been, um. Sitting on. This?"

"The... urge to redecorate your house, specifically? Um. Mostly I've avoided thinking about it because it felt like... overstepping..." Fidget.

"Oh." He summons a small ice knife and starts fiddling with it and tossing it up in the air without looking at her. "I see." Fiddle fiddle. "...I wish you hadn't. I'm sorry I made you feel like you had to."

"... I don't think it was you?" she offers. If it was anyone it was her, or maybe her shitty ex, if for some reason she's trying to absolve herself of personal responsibility. Hideyoshi... tolerated this kind of thing, but. ... Tae-gun seems like he actively enjoys watching her bounce around excitedly acting like she's queen of the world. "I think this one's my fault, actually."

"Okay." Fiddle fiddle. Unconjure knife. Clear throat. "Sorry, I didn't mean to bring the mood down, keep doing what you were doing, it was good."

"No, don't apologize, I think that was actually really - good and useful to say? Um. If I think about this as not an imposition upon you, but. ... Something you like seeing, too?"

Blink blink. "Hye-jin-ah, I like seeing you happy." He's certain he's mentioned this before!!!

"Okay, well, there's saying that and then there's - 'Watching you prance around as self appointed queen of the house is fun'!" she defends. "There are - lots of ways that I can be happy, and some of them can get on people's nerves, or overstep their boundaries, or - whatnot."

"...well if you get on my nerves or overstep my boundaries I'll tell you?" He thinks he's been pretty good about boundaries over their entire relationship though so he's still not entirely unconfused about this. He can take this in stride, though.

She takes his hand and gives it a squeeze, nodding. "Okay. Um. ... I'll probably still want reassurance that you're - fine with this and having fun and that this is okay? So, um. ... Please be patient with me, Tae-gun-ah."

"Okay." He kisses her forehead. "I am fine with it and I don't have anything else to do with this needlessly huge house and I like seeing you happy."

"Yeah. Okay."

Then it can be back to gleefully house plotting!!! Actually, instead of dampening the mood, the conversation seems to have done the opposite. She - can just. Do things! And he'll like them! And he'll like seeing her do them and have opinions! This is great!

It is eventually interrupted by a notification, which. ... Fills her with concern and trepidation, honestly.

Hey can I check you over at some point today, make sure you're healing okay?

I trust whoever had you because damn five hours is a fast turnaround and my contacts say you gave a kickass tip, but

A girl can worry, okay?

Oh. That's fine, actually.

"Ji-woo-sunbae wants to check me over and make sure I'm okay," she tells Tae-gun.

"...oh. Did Quasar release the info that you're out of the hospital?" That'll make people suspicious of her power but then again it's kind of hard not to be.

Yeah of course.

What's the information on my release? I thought officially I was transferred to Quasar's facilities.

You have been!

As far as the rest of the world knows you're still in intensive care.

But not you?

Darling, I saw your X-rays. You can't hide that shit from me.

We're gonna try and cover your tracks as best we can.

So! Please come see me today, and we'll all say I did it. :)

Sounds good.

And, um. Thank you.

Anytime!

For you, I mean. Other dumbasses gotta get in line.

... Giggle!!!! (Slightly watery giggle.)

He hasn't been reading over her shoulder but he's tilting his head curiously (and with a tiny bit of alarm) when she looks up at him.

She shows him, of course.

"It's. Really sweet?"