When Your Pain Becomes Mine

Izakaya bar near the office.

"Ku…"

Ari sipped a glass of beer at once and roughly dropped the cup on the table.

"What a horrible guy. He has already met a new girl."

Ari roughly tore the Okonomiyaki Japanese pancake apart that came out as an appetizer, as if her anger wouldn't go away smoothly.

"It's rather good. Now you're on your own."

Eunyoung looked at Sun's face. She was just spinning the beer glass in place without saying a word.

"Are you not angry? You should have splashed some water at him."

"Water can't solve this."

Eunyoung intervened.

"Throwing water at him would be a waste. Oh, but he's just so annoying! Ahh!"

"Why does it drive you so crazy? Here's the person who should feel much worse about what happened."

When Eunyoung gestured to tell Ari to be quite, Ari looked at Sun's face.

Sun shrugged as if she were okay and filled her glass with beer solemnly.

"... I'm sorry, everybody. It's all because of me."

She smiled and apologized to them.

"No, don't have to. We appreciate that we've made it this far because of you. Don't you agree, Ari?"

"Of course."

Upon hearing Eunyoung's words, Ari agreed quickly.

"Would you two like to go to a workshop tomorrow to refresh ourselves?"

"It's totally cool. My friend went to Jeongsun and said the accommodation there was really great, but... It's expensive."

Ari looked at Eunyoung and said.

"I don't care. We only go there once in a while. Is there anything special to see in Jeongsun?"

"Yes. There are railbikes, and also a time capsule park. Let's go there! Please?"

Sun's face sank as Ari recalled the 'Time Capsule Park.'

She had been there before with Gyeonhui.

'When the flowers bloom on the coffee trees, let's visit again.'

With her arms crossed, she remembered what she had said to him.

"Hey, Sun, what's on your mind?"

Eunyoung, who was reading Sun's face, asked.

"... I'm all right."

Sun smiled awkwardly and answered.

Eunyoung calmly looked at Sun and nodded.

"We can figure out the workshop idea later, where should we go for the second round?"

"How about karaoke?"

However, Sun shook her head as if she didn't really want to.

"... I'm sorry, but I have to stop by someplace."

"Got a schedule tonight? With whom? A Man?"

Ari asked Sun some questions like a quick-firing gun. Then Eunyoung eyed Ari to stop her.

"If you don't have any, then that's fine. I just got curious because she suddenly said that she got a schedule."

"Are you going to pick up Labong?"

Sun nodded upon hearing Eunyoung's question.

"Labong? What is that? Do you have a baby?"

"You're crazy."

Eunyoung, couldn't listen to Ari anymore and threw a piece of fried corn snack at her.

"Why! What's up? You have to tell me everything."

"Well, forget it. Sun, why don't you go home."

"I will, and I'm sorry. I'll get up first."

She hurried to pick up her bag and rose from her seat.

"Awh…"

However, she stumbled, and her head started to spin because it had been so long since she had a drink.

"Are you okay?"

Ari was surprised and asked.

"Yes, yes. I'll leave."

Sun tried to pretend that she was okay and hurried out of the bar.

"... you poor thing."

Eunyoung looked at Sun out of sympathy.

***

The Veterinary Hospital.

"Hmm."

His shirt looked trendy with a thin knit, but he wasn't satisfied.

"Ruff! Ruff!"

Then Labong began to bark towards the entrance.

"... Oh, uhh. I'm so sorry. I had a meeting after work."

Sun said with a flushed face while struggling.

"I was just finished too. I had a lot of surgeries today."

Eunwoo lied to her about the surgeries that weren't even scheduled.

"Oh, thanks. I really appreciated this."

Sun returned his umbrella that she had borrowed this morning.

"It's okay to return it whenever..."

Eunwoo said once he received the umbrella.

"No. It was really useful. Thank you. Then..."

Sun awkwardly said it while trying to lift the cage.

However, it wasn't easy for her to walk because she just ran after drinking.

Eunwoo approached and lifted the cage with his other hand.

"I guess I'm going to deliver the puppy this time."

"Oh, no, it's okay."

"Well, let's go."

Sun looked at Eun-woo, walking in the lead and couldn't refuse his favor any longer. She said that she was fine, but it wasn't easy to keep her body balanced.

As Sun followed him, Eun-woo slowed his pace for her.

She was concerned that she might be walking awkwardly. She had met him many times before, but it was a different feeling now that she was walking with him.

Sun could not resist the awkwardness and broke the silence first.

"So, what brought you to Santiago?"

"Me? Well..."

Eunwoo scowled and thought for a moment.

"Oh, you don't have to tell me if it's a bother."

"...No. It's okay now."

Eunwoo smiled again and slowly started talking.

"I was given a blessing, but I couldn't bear it because It was too big of a burden for me to accept the gift at once."

Eunwoo's face sank a little.

It was the first time she had seen this look before.

"People stayed away from me, and they all blamed me too. That's why I walked. I wanted to empty everything from inside of me. Too much is as bad as too little."

When he said it, he smiled again as usual.

"I see…"

It was a brief moment, but she saw his pain hidden in his smile.

"How about you, Sun?"

"What's that…"

"Why did you walk?"

"... Well…"

Sun couldn't answer. It was a wound that she had never unpacked before.

No, it was a wound that she couldn't express or show to anyone.

However, she wondered if she could talk to someone who didn't know about her.

"Humm..."

She tried many times, but she couldn't keep up.

It was a piece of baggage that she had never released, so she didn't know how to even start talking about it.

Eunwoo waited for her without saying a word.

He didn't rush and gave her enough time without questions, so she could talk about herself.

"Auhhh..."

She took a deep breath and slowly started talking.

"... To forget him."

Sun struggled to speak as if she were vomiting the words.

'I can't believe that it is still so hard for you to say this.'

Sun was still suffering from her wounds. Suddenly, she remembered the day she broke up with Gyeonhui.

'Wait until I contact you again.'

His words tied her into place like a leash. She could not even rebel like a well-trained dog.

"Huh..."

Several months passed, but that day still tormented her as if it were just yesterday.

Her feelings started thrashing about because of the old memories that had suddenly come to mind. Her eyes were getting hotter, and she was about to cry.

Sun paused for a moment and turned her head to swallow her tears.

"I'm so sorry."

She turned around and spoke powerlessly.

Eunwoo had been watching her silently and gently held her hand. He pressed her shoulder and sat on a bench beside the road.

Sun, sitting in her seat, lowered her head, fearing that he would catch her sad expression.

'Pung.'

She could hear the sound of a large umbrella popping open.

Eun-woo held an umbrella in her hand with a smile. The broad umbrella sheltered her body.

She could see that all of this was in consideration of her.

Sun hid her face in the shade of the umbrella, slowly shaking her head. The tears that she had endured for such a long time flowed silently down her cheeks.

23. Shaking Mind

When would this feeling stop?

Sun was barely holding herself together as she noticed her embarrassing situation.

This was already the third time that she cried in front of Eunwoo.

Sun quickly wiped tears away and checked her face.

Luckily, she hid under the umbrella, but she was so embarrassed. She just wanted to disappear if she could. However, since there was nowhere for her to go, she slowly lowered the umbrella.

Eunwoo sat beside her and looked at her as he pulled his earphones.

"Do you feel better?"

Sun slowly nodded upon hearing Eunwoo's question.

"... I am sorry… every time."

Sun said, without even correctly facing Eunwoo's eyes.

"You don't need to apologize all the time."

Eunwoo said with a warm smile. Sun exhaled for a long time, seemingly a little more relaxed after hearing his jokes. Eun-woo looked at her and started talking carefully.

"Your story... Is it about the guy from the other day?

"Yes? Oh... yes."

Maybe she was getting used to it? She could talk about it better than before.

"He's handsome."

"...It seems like it."

"It seemed like he was well-off with a lot of money."

"That's right."

"But I think he's horribly rude, isn't he?"

Sun burst into laughter upon hearing Eunwoo's words.

"I thought so. God is always fair."

"What do you mean?"

"He's handsome and has a lot of money, so he must have a few flaws to even things out."

Eunwoo responded in a playful mood.

"It's true for you too, Mr. Park."

"Really? Do I look handsome with a lot of money and a good personality?"

Sun nodded silently at his question.

"I feel good!"

His overreaction made her smile.

"Yap, yap."

At that time, Labong was in his cage and began to move about.

"Hey, do you want to go out of the cage?"

Eunwoo carefully pulled Labong out of the cage and placed him on the floor.

"Can he walk around?"

Sun asked with a concerned look.

"Yes, it's okay to walk a little. Light exercise is also good for his recovery."

Eunwoo said to Labong while fixing his gaze on him.

His warm gaze that looked like that of a baby seemed to melt Sun's heart. Labong was wandering around excitedly, before returning and hovering around Sun's feet.

When Sun reached out to him, Labong licked her hand.

"Labong loves you, Sun."

Eunwoo spoke with a smile on his face. Sun nodded and replied,

"... Sometimes it's amazing."

"What is?"

"That there is something that loves me like he does."

Sun looked at Labong with a smile.

"If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the fundamental difference between a dog and a man."

A little surprised, Sun looked at him, and Eunwoo continued with a smile.

"That's what Mark Twain said."

"Ah…."

"Labong also knows that you took care of him. These puppies are the only creatures that love people more than themselves in this world."

Eunwoo gently stroked Labong's back.

He was still limp, but Labong hovered around her as if he were feeling better.

Soon, a relaxed smile appeared on her face.

"Huh...."

She closed her eyes and exhaled.

"Thank you so much. You made me feel a lot better..."

"You light up everything around you."

"Do I?"

"No, you're the one who makes everything brighter."

"I don't think that is right to say to someone who cried three times already in front of you?"

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

"Isn't it a little unusual for you to feel better after nursing a crying person?"

"Maybe you're right. Hahaha."

When Eunwoo smiled broadly, Sun smiled along with him.

As the laughter stopped, a moment of silence arose.

"... It's time to go."

"Oh, I'll take you home."

"... No. I feel much better after crying. I'm sobered up too. I can go by myself. I would be so sorry if I caused you any more trouble."

Instead of answering, Eunwoo smiled and nodded slowly. She grabbed Labong and placed him in the cage.

"Thank you for everything you did today. Bye."

Sun departed away from him and walked with the cage. Eunwoo stood there and watched her walk away.

"Hmm, I'm handsome..."

Eun-woo smiled while touching his chin with his hand.

He stayed there, motionless until she disappeared.