When Your Pain Becomes Mine

Chapter 23: Chapter 23.

 

A Bar in Hannam-dong.

Gyeonhui looked at his shot glass with a severe-looking face.

“Would you like to have another drink?”

The bartender asked.

He tapped on the table silently, and the bartender filled his glass with whiskey again.

‘… I hope you don’t get involved in my life anymore.’

Her resentful voice hadn’t left his head all day.

“I don’t want to be involved with you either. Shit.”

He emptied the whiskey once and for all.

“Hey, stop drinking. You drank a lot yesterday too.”

Ojae was watching him drink and spoke with a concerned face.

“Leave it. This is all because of you.”

“… I really didn’t know that Chaekyeong would come.”

“Hah… I can’t believe you’re an assistant. Hah.”

Gyeonhui exhaled a long sigh of frustration.

“Ugh…”

At that time, Gyeonhui felt pain in his chest.

“What’s wrong? Does your chest hurt?”

“Get out of the way.”

Gyeonhui shouted while pushing Ojae.

“Ah…”

The pain in his chest continued for a while.

It wasn’t the pain from his chest.

“I really don’t want to be involved in your life either, but I have to because of this… This pain. Uh…”

He clutched his chest and spoke to himself.

However, the pain didn’t seem to be settling down, so Gyeonhui rose from his seat.

“Where are you going?”

“… I’ll come to give her a visit to quibble over why this happened to me.”

“What? Hey, settle down. You’re going to regret it tomorrow.”

“Get out of the way.”

He pushed Ojae roughly.

“Hey, Gyeonhui!”

Ojae tried to stop him, but he was already leaving the bar.

“Aww. Whatever.”

Soon, Ojae gave up on him and sat back in his chair.

“Give me a drink too.”

When Ojae ordered a whiskey, the bartender quickly filled a glass.

“Ku…”

Ojae, having just drunk the glass, scowled.

“Oh my. Why does he like to drink such a bitter thing?”

Ojae was about to get up from his seat, then returned and whispered to the bartender.

“Charge it to Mr. Woo’s account.”

***

In an alley near her place, Sun was ambling while talking on the phone.

“Did you really call me because you’re worried that I wouldn’t be able to find my place in my condition?”

“You suddenly left, how could I not worry about you? Did you pick up Labong too?”

“Yes, I’m going home now.”

Sun said while looking at Labong in her bag.

“By the way, is the doctor interested in you?”

“What, do you mean Dr. Park?”

She recalled Eunwoo’s bright smile.

‘Hahaha. You light up the world around you even when you cry.’

It was such a bright voice, accompanied by a smile. He made people at ease around him.

“He’s just a good person.”

“That’s great. Why don’t you date him?”

“What?”

“You said he’s a good person, right? Then you should. Please meet a good person this time.”

“Boss, thank you for worrying about me, but would you leave my private life alone, please?”

Sun responded with a smile.

“Then do it right. Stop making me worry.”

“Okay, I understand. I’m almost home.”

“I was going to end the call anyway. I’m just as tired and busy as you.”

Sun smiled as she watched her phone hang up.

Sun put her cell phone in her pocket and felt the small rock in her pocket.

It was the stone that Eunwoo had handed over to her in Spain.

“… Thank you, Eunwoo. For everything.”

She held the stone and whispered to herself.

“He has done so much for me, so I think I should buy him dinner. What do you think, Labong?”

While walking with a smile, she arrived in front of her house.

Sun slowly went upstairs, and she felt something chilly in the air. She stopped to see a dark silhouette standing there. It was a man in front of her house, waiting for her to come home.

‘Geyonhui….’

She could see his prominent nose and a clean jawline. Looking at his silhouette alone was enough for them to know that it was really him.

It was his face that came to her mind whenever she closed her eyes.

“Argh….”

He came… he was leaning against the wall as if he were intoxicated, and he exhaled a heavy sigh.

After a moment of hesitation, Sun turned her body around and quickly stopped.

‘… I can’t be dragged around like this forever.’

She thought that she had to get stronger.

She knew from experience that she could never solve anything just by avoiding it. She pretended to be okay and approached the door.

“Get out of the way.”

“Hm?”

Gyenhui was drunk while struggling to lift his head.

“Oh, Cheonsun.”

He smelt strongly of alcohol.

“What are you doing here? I’ve made myself clear. I told you not to get involved in my life.”

“… I also do not want to do that either.”

He said the words slowly as if he were exhausted. His words once again struck Sun’s heart.

“… That’s great. Then, get out of the way.”

“… But I can’t do that anymore because you’re sick all the time.”

“… What do you mean?”

Sun asked again as if she misheard him, and since it was unbelievable.

“… Why are you sick all the time…”

The more she heard his voice, the more her eyes shook.

She remembered that he gave her medicine through Ojae. Sun struggled to pretend to be okay and casually started talking again.

“… That has nothing to do with you even if I’m sick or not.”

Drunk, he lost his balance and fell forward.

She instinctively reached out and caught him.

“Gyeonhui!”

Sun continued to call his name, but he couldn’t wake quickly.

“Aw… Wake up Gyeonhui!”

She continued calling his name many times, but he couldn’t even open his eyes properly. She couldn’t leave him in the hallway, nor could she get him inside.

Actually, she shouldn’t do so.

Then, he suddenly embraced her.

“Don’t do this, please.”

She tried to push him away.

“… Cheonsun…”

He hugged her and called her in a low voice. Sun was stunned by his voice as if she were paralyzed.

“… Don’t get sick.”

Unexpected words leaked from his mouth.

Unbelievably, Sun’s eyes widened.

“… If you get sick, I’m sick too.”

His voice hovered in her ears.

His drunken, heavy breath slowly shook her heart.

.

1. A Broken Heart.

The next morning, after falling asleep from heavy drinking, he opened his eyes.

“Ugh.”

He had to scowl because of the terrible headache.

He thought that he might be killed by excessive drinking.

He felt like he was in the air when he stretched his feet out all the way, thinking that he wouldn’t drink ever again.

“Huh?”

He looked up and noticed that his feet were sticking out of a small bed.

It was not his room.

“Where the hell is this?”

He looked around.

In a small room, he noticed tiny character dolls.

Then the door opened, and Sun entered.

That was when he realized that he was in her place.

“Why am I here…”

After recognizing Sun, he asked, a little surprised.

“Why are you asking me? Here.”

It seemed that she stayed up all night, so she was tired. She gave him a cup of water with an expressionless face.

His stomach was soothed by the warm water.

“I’m sorry, but I have to go to work. I’ll go out before you.”

Sun, dressed in a coat, put her hand on the door handle.

“Wait a minute.”

After hearing his word, her hand stopped before she could open the door. However, she quickly calmed down and said, seemingly determined.

“There is nothing to eat here. If you’re hungry, then go to the restaurant a few blocks away from here.”

“Don’t go, wait a minute.”

“… I told you. I have to go to work.”

Sun left the house after uttering those words.

‘Bang.’

When he heard the door closing, he scowled.

“She is like someone else.”

Back then, she would request a day off, so she could stay with him. Now, she often ignored him.

“Ouw…”

He scowled and closed his eyes because of his hangover.

He couldn’t get up because of his massive body.

He had to rest a bit more.

***

Kids Fan Office.

“Eunyoung, what do you think about this? Does this go with the ‘healing’ concept that Mr. Choi asked?”

When Sun arrived at the office, she presented the concept that she had planned.

A scene of Santiago in watercolors. It looked oriental and authentic at the same time.

“When did you do all of this… No, you didn’t stay up all night, did you?”

Eunyoung asked with anxious eyes.

“… Umm? No, I just couldn’t sleep last night.”

It was true.

She couldn’t go to bed because that man was staying with her.

“… How about it? Does it look okay?”

When Sun was about to think about him, she suddenly changed the subject.

“… Hmm, give a bit more time to think.”

Eunyoung seemed a little unhappy with her plan. Sun’s small shoulders sank weakly.

“Cheer up. We still have time.”

Eunyoung patted Sun’s shoulder and returned to her seat.

“Ugh….”

Sun scowled as if she were tired.

‘… I wonder if he’s gone now?’

It was already past 10 o’clock.

When she thought about him, it naturally led her to her memories last night.

‘… Don’t get sick. If you’re sick, I’m sick too.’

She had never heard of him saying anything like that before.

No, it was so unusual for him to say such a thing like he was not the guy Sun had known.

“… Go back to work. Work.”

Sun tried not to think about him and moved her gaze to the monitor. However, her hands stopped on top of the keyboard for a while motionless.