When Your Pain Becomes Mine

Chapter 56 - 56.

***

Silence filled the car as Ari closed her mouth. When they entered Seoul, Ari opened her mouth again.

"Are we all going home like this?"

"What else do you have in mind?"

"How about going for a drink since we all feel down?"

"Liquor?"

Eunyoung asked, furrowing her face.

"Eunwoo also helped us a lot today. We owe him; besides, it's a Sunday tomorrow."

After hearing Ari's words, Eunyoung glanced at Sun to see her reaction.

"I'm..."

"How about it, Dr. Park?"

Ari quickly asked Eunwoo when Sun seemed hesitant.

"I'd like to." Eunwoo looked in the rearview mirror and replied.

"Dr. Park, are you sure? You'll have to drive home." Sun asked him, seemingly worried.

"I'll call a designated driver."

Eunwoo looked at her with a smile on his face, so Sun couldn't stop him.

"Oh yeah! There's a great place that I know with an outdoor area where you can take Labong."

Ari suddenly picked up her phone, excited.

"Well, I think we're going to see each other a lot in the future, so I'm going to create a group chat this time."

Ari searched for Sun and Eunyoung in her friend list and invited them first.

She then searched for Eunwoo's name but accidentally sent an invitation message with only the name "woo."

"Ta-da! I've invited everyone."

Ari posted a message in the chat room with her words as if she were providing voice support.

'Dingdong.'

Eunyoung's phone notification sounded like a bell. It also pinged on Sun's phone as well, causing it to vibrate.

"I'm going to be chatting like a storm in the future, so you'd better turn off your notifs."

After that, Ari's first message in the chat room popped up, which said, 'It's our first meeting. How about Soju and spicy chicken feet? I recommend Grandma's Restaurant.'

"Go ahead and respond to yourself," Eunyoung said while glancing at Ari.

"How responsible am I to do everything alone? Eunyoung, you're blessed to have such a great staff member like me."

"Whatever."

Eunyoung said in a ridiculing tone. Sun and Eunwoo looked at each other and exchanged smiles.

***

After Gyeonhui left the cart bar, he walked toward the road.

'You also love Sun, that's why you're sick.'

"... It's ridiculous."

He shook his head with his eyes closed over Ojae's words that continued to linger.

He didn't believe in love anyway, but he never imagined that it would happen to him. Regardless, the pain in his c.h.e.s.t was still sore.

'Your pain is proof that love actually exists in this world.'

Ojae's comment came to his mind once again; Gyeonhui patted his c.h.e.s.t roughly in frustration.

"Hey, Gyeonhui!"

Ojae called out his name from behind. However, Gyeonhui pretended that he couldn't hear him and went out near the road.

"Taxi! Taxi!"

He reached toward the taxi cabs that were passing by, but the busy taxis didn't stop for him.

"Hey! Come with me."

Ojae, who was tired of following him, breathed heavily. Meanwhile, several taxis passed by, but they didn't stop for them at all.

"Hey, Gyeonhui, why don't we have just one more drink?" Ojae asked with a triumphant smile.

"I don't want to."

"... Why?" Upon hearing his words, Ojae carefully recoiled.

"I've stopped drinking."

"Since when?"

"Now."

With Gyeonhui's response, Ojae could not speak anymore. He only felt apologetic as he glanced at him.

Then, his phone vibrated.

Ari had mistakenly invited Gyeonhui.

"She's so careless."

He tried to press the exit button to leave the chat room without hesitation.

However, in his mind, he remembered Sun with Eunwoo. Something clicked in his mind as he remembered them laughing, talking, and staying close together. His imagination spread within his head quickly as if he was crazy, and his whole body was overwhelmed. It didn't take him long to figure out what this was. He tried to suppress his uncontrollable emotions.

"... Is it jealousy?"

He smiled bitterly after hearing the changes in his emotions, which he couldn't understand.

"What is it?" Ojae couldn't resist his curiosity as he asked.

"... Hey, Ojae."

Instead of answering, Gyeonhui called Ojae.

"What if … And this is just me speaking hypothetically, but what should I do if I really love her?"

Ojae looked silently into Gyeonhui's eyes.

Ojae couldn't feel any sarcasm while looking at his earnest eyes.

"Follow your heart."

"Follow my heart?"

"Yes, even if she abandoned you, that's still the best answer," Ojae responded with a bitter smile.

"What if I don't want to be without her?"

"Then, you have to catch her."

"What I'm trying to say is that I don't want anyone to take her away."

"Then, take care of her."

After hearing Ojae's words, Gyeonhui took a deep breath. He nodded slowly, seemingly clearing his thoughts.

"Do you want to have another drink?" Gyeonhui asked.

"Huh? Oh, yes. That suits me."

Ojae wondered if Gyeonhui had suddenly changed his mind, but Ojae replied quickly, so he wouldn't miss the opportunity of another drink.

"Good. Let's go."

"Really? You're the man!"

Ojae tried to step back to the cart bar. However, instead of following him, Gyeonhui sent a message and didn't move from where he stood.

"What are you doing? Don't you want to go?" Ojae asked in doubt.

"We're going to have a drink at a different place."

"Where?"

"You'll know if you just follow me."

He reached out to the oncoming taxi, silently. Just like that, a taxi stopped in front of them.

***

Sun sat beneath a shabby sign that read, "Grandma's Fire Chicken Feet."

They were sitting on an outdoor table, so Labong hovered around the chair like he was excited.

"Labong, you need to stay calm here."

Labong sat with his tongue out as Sun reached out and stroked his head.

"It's so great to see him. Does he really understand what you're saying?"

When Eunyoung looked at Labong, Sun smiled.

"Grandma, give us chicken feet for three people and some rice balls. I'd like to order some soju too!"

Ari seemed to be a regular here as she poured out the order without hesitation. Sun, who was stroking Labong, looked around.

Although it was late, the shabby dining room still had a lot of guests.

"It seems this place is really famous, isn't it?"

"Sure. Grandma's a master of chicken-foot. This place was on air once. Wait a minute."

Ari searched the video and photos that appeared on the broadcast on her phone to post it in the chat room.

"Oh, the food looks great."

Eunyoung said as she saw the photos on the post.

"Of course, would I ever take you to a bad place?"

Eunyoung seethed after hearing Ari's words, for she was giving herself too much credit.

Eunwoo also wondered about the posting because of their reaction, so he looked at his phone.

However, there were no messages on his phone.

"Ari, I think I wasn't invited."

"What? I don't think so. Wait a minute."

Ari again searched for Eunwoo's name and invited him.

"Can you see it now?"

At the same time in the chat room, she typed a message, 'Can you see it now?'

"Yes, I can see it now."

"But why are there five members?" Sun asked after confirming the number of people in the chat room.

"Did you invite the wrong person?" Eunyoung asked, in doubt.

"No, I did not. I've definitely searched the right names."

Ari contemplated the name in the chat room as if to prove her innocence.

"Look at this. Sun, Eunyoung, Dr. Park, and..."

She counted four people, and all the names in the group chat should have ended there. Ari opened her eyes unbelievably and confirmed the names once more.

"Oh my god!"

Suddenly Ari covered her mouth with her hands, seemingly surprised.

"Why? Who else did you invite?" Sun giggled and asked Ari.

"That's…"

Ari's face turned pale and could not answer, only biting her lip.

"Did you invite your ex-boyfriend?" Eunyoung said jokingly.

"Why? Who is it?" Sun asked. Ari looked at Sun with a sad expression and slowly began to tell her,

"... I invited Mr. Woo."

"What!?"

A stunned Eunyoung screamed. After all, Sun was surprised to see the list floating in the chat room. There, Gyeonhui's name was clearly visible.

Then, with the sound of a car door opening, a man stepped into the room.

Tall, eye-catching, handsome...