When Your Pain Becomes Mine

"Let's go for lunch!"

Sun opened the door and went inside while saying in a cool voice. However, the smell of the food stimulated the tip of her nose.

"What is this wonderful smell?"

Sun had asked while sniffing.

"You're here. "

Ari sat down with a glass of water in her hands while munching on a Soondae and stir-fried spicy rice cake.

"This is... What's that?"

Sun opened her eyes in amazement and asked,

"I've been craving this since last night." While Ari answered, she placed the food in her mouth.

"No way! It's not even lunchtime yet."

"When did we ever care about that?"

Eunyoung also seemed unconcerned.

"Are you mad because we ate before you returned to the office? I've got yours here. Come on." Ari spoke after she handed a toothpick to Sun.

"That's not it, hah... it's because Dr. Park will buy us all lunch today."

"What? Why are you telling me this now?"

Ari shouted while putting her chopsticks down on the table loudly.

"I forgot to tell you because of the meeting this morning. He said that he's almost here now."

"It's okay! I can eat more."

Ari smiled, seemingly unconcerned.

At that time, Eunyoung pinched Ari's arm.

"Ouch! Why did you pinch me?"

Eunyoung ignored Ari's words and started speaking as she gazed at Sun.

"I can't go. You two should just go to lunch together."

"Why would I do that? We've decided to eat together."

Sun said, embarrassed.

"So you're just going to send him back? You should at least have lunch with him."

"Hah..."

"Where are you going to eat?"

Eunyoung asked.

"... I haven't decided yet."

"How about a homemade burger restaurant on the first bas.e.m.e.nt floor? The atmosphere there is good, and their food is delicious."

"Oh..."

Sun recalled the homemade burger house she had visited last time.

"That sounds good."

Sun nodded with a smile of relief.

At that point, Sun's cell phone rang, and it was a text message from Eunwoo.

"He's here. I'll go home after lunch."

"Sure. See you tomorrow."

When Sun went out, Ari looked at Eunyoung as if she were dissatisfied.

"Why did you pinch me?" Ari looked at Eunyoung while pouting her lips.

"To let them spend some time together."

"Oh..." Ari nodded as if she understood.

"That's why life-experience shouldn't be ignored."

"Hah..."

When Eunyoung left, Ari breathed a deep sigh.

"... Why don't you get a man for yourself then, if you know everything about life?"

Ari shook her head while moving her tongue about in her mouth.

***

The first floor in the bas.e.m.e.nt of Consencio.

After arriving before her, Eunwoo straightened his clothes by reflecting his figure on the window of the shop. He looked outstanding while wearing a simple shirt and cardigan.

"Did I come too early?"

Confirming the time, Eunwoo waited for Sun and slowly stepped forward.

"It's amazing."

There was a particularly large assortment of select shops that displayed their brands on its platform.

Eunwoo was looking around and picking up his favorite notes and writing instruments. That was when he found a familiar doll.

It was a puppy doll that Sun designed.

The cloaked dog was holding his trail markers in his mouth.

Eunwoo's phone rang while he was looking at the doll with a smile.

Eunwoo, obviously thought it was from Sun; he smiled and checked who the caller was.

"Chakyeong…?"

Eunwoo's face seemed skeptical to be in contact with this person after such a long time.

"Dr. Park!"

He turned his head, smiling brightly as he saw her running toward him.

Smiling, Eunwoo placed his phone in his pocket and waved towards her as she ran.

He had a smile on his face.

***

Gyeonhui was in the elevator, and he was lost in his old memories.

"Gyeonhui!"

One day in autumn, Sun waved at him with a bright smile. Then she ran and offered him a lunch box that she prepared for him.

"Try this."

The three-staged, high-stacked lunch box contained grilled short-rib, skewers, and kimbap.

It looked too good to simply be eaten away. He could see how much effort she had put into it.

When he hesitated to eat without lifting his chopsticks, she picked up a piece of kimbap.

"I hope you like it."

Her face was full of caution. He was so reluctant to eat it because of his complicated feelings.

"Well, open your mouth..."

When Sun repeatedly pushed out the kimbap towards him, Gyeonhui reluctantly tried to open his mouth slightly. At that moment, her fingers let go of the kimbap. His mind sank when he saw her finger that had been cut with a knife.

The fact that she was injured was more distressing than her devotion to preparing the lunch box for him.

"What's that?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing."

Sun smiled awkwardly and covered the bandage with her thumb.

His mood sank even more.

"Are you making a big deal out of this because you were injured in preparing this lunch box for me?"

"No, that's not..."

She hurriedly dropped her hand and accidentally let the kimbap slip away from her hand.

The kimbap that fell was literally flipped, spilling all the ingredients onto the floor.

'... This is not… what I wanted… to happen...'

He just wanted to tell her to be more careful, so she wouldn't get hurt.

However, like the spilled kimbap, he could not change what had already happened.

"I'm sorry. I'll clean it right away."

She smiled casually and cleared the kimbap that fell to the floor.

He could see the scars hidden behind her expression. As she continued, he stomped onto the floor, unable to finish the rest of the meal.

'Ring.'

After hearing that the elevator had arrived, he returned to reality at a frightening pace.

He shook his head as if he were trying to shed his old memories into pieces. After a few steps, the Kids Fan's office caught his eye.

She should be in there.

He paused at the door for a moment and soon swung it open.

'Bang.'

Ari opened her eyes wide and rose from her seat, recognizing the serious face that was about to enter.

"Oh, Mr. Woo."

He didn't even look at her; he was too occupied in looking for Sun. However, she was nowhere to be seen inside the office.

"Where is Cheonsun?"

"She took a half-day off today." An embarrassed Ari replied.

"A half-day off?"

"She said she's going to the Pet Fair."

He tilted his head upon hearing Ari's answer. He had never heard of her being interested in it.

'Maybe it's a good thing.'

It was less embarrassing for him to leave the chocolates on her seat rather than to give them to Sun.

"Where is her seat?" His tone suddenly changed.

"It's in front of you."

He checked her seat and dropped the bag he had brought onto it. That large bag occupied the table.

"Hmm. Then... Take care."

He coughed awkwardly and exited the Kids' Fan office.

"Hah..."

As soon as he came out of the office, he sighed.

He felt like a different person because he was acting out of the ordinary. He even felt a sense of shame.

He just wanted to get out of this situation quickly.

Due to the sudden surge of fatigue in him, he decided to leave work in a hurry and headed to the bas.e.m.e.nt.

After getting off the elevator, he noticed a homemade burger house that was crowded for lunch.

He had never eaten there before. However, people always crowded it, so the restaurant used to catch his eye once a while.

He caught sight of a familiar face as he tried to turn his gaze without much attention.

She was smiling while holding a hamburger in a crowded restaurant.

'... She looks so peaceful.'

Unlike him, she was laughing; Gyeonhui burst a smirk.

Then, as the man who was obscuring his vision passed by, he could see the face of Eunwoo, who sat across her.

They were both smiling and chatting while picking up food for each other.

His face gradually waned.

'... That's outrageous...'

As Gyeonhui looked at them, he turned around and headed to the parking lot, seemingly offended.

However, at that moment, something seemed to have come to his mind.

"Pet Fair…"

A little while ago, he remembered a conversation he had with Ari.

He turned again and looked at the two of them.

"No way… a pet fair with him… and taking a half-day off?"

His face was wrinkled, naturally.

Soon after, a hard-headed face began to approach the two of them.