When Your Pain Becomes Mine

When she arrived home, she let out a long sigh.

She wasn't feeling good and cried in the cold air. Her head was getting dizzy.

"Huh."

The weary Sun first pulled Labong out of the cage.

Perched on a warm blanket, Labong still looked at Sun with frightened eyes.

"Did you eat enough? Did you sleep well?"

Labong looked at her still without an answer.

"It was an incredibly hard day today. I don't even know how the day went."

Sun continued to complain while giving food to Labong.

"Oh..."

Sun picked up the dog food bag and frowned at the pain in her fingers. When she saw her fingertips, she noticed the cute bandage that Eunwoo had attached.

"... He's funny, isn't he?"

Sun smiled and lay herself down as she watched Labong.

"But... I really appreciate him."

Thanks to his help, she was able to walk to the end. However, there was not much that changed in reality. Gyeonhui was still mean, and she was still same the person she always was in front of him.

"Why is it so hard..."

She lay on one arm and closed her eyes.

Gyeonhui's encounter, the forced kisses, and the events of the day passed like phantasmagoric lights. Her eyes closed, but his memories did not disappear.

"Huaw."

A long sigh cut through the air. Then, all of a sudden, her finger felt a tickle.

Slowly, she noticed Labong l.i.c.k.i.n.g her injured finger.

"Labong..."

Labong, who had come out of the cage for the first time, licked her wounds. Labong was attentive as he was treating her wounds.

Although he was a speechless animal, she could feel that he was attending specifically to her. Labong looked at her for a moment, and then dragging his injured leg, he placed his face on her arm.

A small weight was felt on her arm. The feeling of being cozy was more comforting than anything in this world.

"... Thank you."

Sun smiled and gently stroked the sleeping Labong.

***

The next morning, inside Gyeonhui's car heading to the company.

"Hwahh."

Gyeonhui was in the back seat exhaling continuously.

"You've had a cold. Did you take some medicine?" Ojae glanced over while driving and asked.

"The medicine! Medicine! I'm taking it every day, but I'm not getting any better! Then why do I take the medicine!" he replied with anger.

He already took the medicine yesterday morning and went to the hospital and got a flu shot. Nevertheless, his body showed no signs of improvement.

'It must've been her.'

"I'm sure she was acting pitiful on that day."

When she was in shock, she was unable to make any rational judgments. She was a woman who would walk home in the rain.

"Hah... seriously."

In the end, it was useless for him to take the medicine.

"Turn the car around."

"Why?"

"Turn the car around!"

At his command, Ojae turned the steering wheel without knowing the answer.

***

'Kids Fan' Office Entrance.

"Well, it's all set," Eunyoung said as she finished registering the fingerprint reader at the entrance.

"It's c.u.mbersome, but it's set up to prepare for any hassle."

Sun and Ari nodded because they knew what Eunyoung was insinuating.

"But do we really need to do this?"

"Of course. Didn't you see it yesterday? What if he comes back when you're alone?"

Eunyoung once again checked that the fingerprint reader was working well and went inside.

Then they heard a knock on the door.

The monitor showed Ojae's face staring back.

"Who is it? That guy?" Ari asked, in doubt.

"Hello. I'm from Consencio. I'm Kwon, Ojae. An assistant. "

Ojae introduced himself first, as if he had been asked a question.

"Oh..."

Sun remembered Ojae's face after having seen him a few times. When Sun tried to stand up, Eunyoung blocked her.

"Stay still. I'll fix it."

Eunyoung went to the front of the monitor and opened the speakerphone.

"How can I help you?"

"Oh, can I see Sun?"

"No. She isn't here."

"Oh, is she not here?"

"No."

"Then give this to her please."

Ojae showed a paper bag in front of the door camera.

"What's that?"

"Just tell her that Mr. Wu sent me."

Ojae went up the stairs after he put the envelope at the door to make sure he had fulfilled his instructions.

When the monitor confirmed that Ojae had completelyexited the building, Eunyoung quickly opened the door and brought in the envelope.

"What's up?"

Ari asked.

"It's cold medicine?"

Eun-young looked at Sun, perplexed.

"... Cold medicine?"

Sun was a little surprised and hurried. The bag contained a variety of cold medicines. From general cold medicines to medicines that were limited to hospitals, and there were many different types, too.

"You've got a cold?"

"Me? Oh, no." Sun smiled casually.

"Why is he doing this, he has never done this before?"

Eunyoung shook her head and returned to her seat. When Sun returned to her seat, she looked at the medicine and thought about it.

Sun lied about her cold because she didn't want Eunyoung and Ari to worry about her. But she struggled with the cold symptoms that had already started. She had a fever and was dizzy.

"How... did he know?"

She was concerned about his incomprehensible behavior.

***

Around lunch time, near the Kids Fan office.

"Do you feel better?" Ojae was waiting in the car, looking at Gyeonhui lying in the back seat

"... Didn't she take the medicine?" Gyeonhui said in a sour voice.

"I wouldn't take it. What if the medicine has something in it?"

Ojae mumbled to himself, but it was heard by Gyeonhui.

"What?"

"Oh, no. Why didn't she take it?"

"You..."

"Hey! It's her!"

Ojae cried out just as he saw Sun coming out.

They were going to lunch, and the three of them walked arm in arm with each other.

"... What the hell? Why does she look so well?"

She smiled and walked with everyone. Gyeonhui frowned.

"The cold... Isn't it you who actually have a cold?"

Ojae asked carefully.

"Hah...This is crazy."

When he saw her, he felt like he had a cold.

But he didn't understand why it didn't work out when he took the medication and had flu shots. Now, he couldn't tell if it was his own pain or hers.

"... Go. We can't be late for the general meeting."

At Gyeonhui's command, Ojae had just started up.

It was at this moment that Sun walked away from the group and started staggering as if she was dizzy.

"Ugh."

At the same time, Gyeonhui frowned over his severe dizziness.

"... I knew it was her."

As he watched her, he realized that this cold was not his.

"Hey! Are you okay?"

Amazed, Ari asked Sun.

"Oh... It's okay. I'm wearing high heels today for the first time in a long while."

Sun smiled and pretended to be okay. But he could see the same pain at that moment. The pain was so strong now!

"... You're so sick… but how could you..."

He was so dizzy he could not take even one step forward.

His head was hanging because of his soaring fever, and his whole body was powerless. Still, Sun was smiling and pretending to be okay.

"... Hey, you guys go and eat." Sun said with a slightly pale face.

"What? Suddenly why?"

"I suddenly would like to go to the bathroom. I have no appetite anyway."

"Are you sick?"

"No, I'm fine. I'll just be taking a break."

"Hmm. Okay. I'll buy you something."

Eunyoung sent Sun away and entered the restaurant. Sun slowly stepped back into the office, seemingly exhausted.

"Hah. How can you stand it?"

Gyeonhui twisted his lips while staring at Sun in disbelief.

"What should we do now? Should we leave?"

Ojae asked.

"... Yes."

So they wouldn't be too late for the general meeting, they had to leave now.

Then the world turned upside down from the sudden dizziness in Gyeonhui's head.

"Ugh."

He heard a bang as if he had hit something with his head.

In the shock of dizziness, he exhaled a gasp for air.

"Ah... ahhh. Ah..."

"Why, what's wrong? Hey, Gyeonhui! Gyeonhui!"

Surprised, Ojae rushed to ask.

"... To her."

"To her what?"

"... Something happened to Sun..."

He struggled to speak and hurried to get out of the car.

Soon after, he staggered and began to run toward the office where she had disappeared a short time ago.

17. Someone Else's Woman

As he hurried down the stairs, he could see Sun falling with his eyes.

"Choensun!"

He supported her head in a hurry.

"Wake up! Choensun!"

He patted her several times, but she was distracted.

Her whole body was as hot as a fireball, and her face was red like a tomato.

"No, what's going on!?"

Ojae had followed behind and could not keep his mouth shut in amazement.

"What are you doing? Go ahead and walk up and start the car. Come on!"

"Okay, okay."

Ojae stepped back and fell over while shouting. But soon he got up again and rushed toward the car.

"Cheonsun, Cheonsun!"

He shouted many times, but her weak body fell limp in his arms.

He began to climb the stairs while holding her in his arms.

***

The corridor outside the room in the hospital.

The anxious Gyeonhui sat in a chair, carrying her and smoothing his crumpled suit.

A short time later, the door of the room opened, and as the doctor came out, he rose from his seat.

"How is she doing?"

"There's an abrasion on her forehead, but it's not a big concern."

He looked at the doctor as he explained.

"But why is she unconscious then?"

"Because she's sleeping now."

"What?"

"She has lost her health to a cold. She pushed herself too much. She'll need to take a break. Well. That's all."

After seeing all the test results, the doctor bowed and walked away to another room.

"... She is sleeping."

He looked outraged.

He looked at Sun through a small window at the door.

In her deep sleep, Sun lay down rigid.

"By the way, how do you know that she was in danger?"

Ojae asked, seemingly doubtful.

"I told you, I feel her pain."

"Oh... It was real."

"What? So you didn't believe me this whole time?"

"Oh, yes, but it's so amazing to see it. Wow… I can't believe this can happen."

Ojae scoffed as if he didn't think this was real.

"Hold on. Are you okay?"

Ojae scanned Gyeonhui and asked.

"What?"

"You've been dead for a while, but now you're fine?"

In Ojae's words, Gyeonhui took a look at his body.

The cold symptoms disappeared all over, and the headache that seemed to come on like a jack hammer disappeared as well.

"What happened to me?"

He looked back at the situation while trying to recall.

He could feel all her pain until she went down the stairs.

"I felt her pain until she lost consciousness."

At that moment, his head flashed.

"Oh, I don't feel her pain when she loses consciousness..."

He shared all the pain she felt while she was conscious, but when she was unconscious, he felt nothing because she could not feel the pain, either.

"It's really ridiculous."

It was hard to believe, but he had to believe it because it was actually what was going on.

"Oh, what do we do now?"

Ojae asked, as if he had forgotten something.

"What?"

"You have a general meeting today."

"Ahhh…"

Today was the general meeting day for the first quarter earnings announcement.

It was the first general meeting since the inauguration of the CEO.

"Should we leave the sick person behind?"

Ojae carefully asked, looking at Gyeonhui's eyes.

"... Get in touch with 'Kids Fans'."

"Oh, that's a great solution."

Ojae looked him admiringly and immediately pulled out his phone.

"Hmm."

He looked at Sun through the small window. He didn't want to leave her alone, but there was no other way.

"Oh..."

At that moment, Sun began to feel the cold symptoms and headache again.

Until a little while ago, his body was fine, but now, it began to get heavier.

"Oh. Now she is waking up..."

He frowned and looked at Sun.