When Your Pain Becomes Mine

"What more does she want me to do? This is outrageous."

"... For what? What did she say to you?"

Gyeonhui started to speak with a short sigh of frustration.

"She asked me to stop pretending that I have changed because a person who actually changed wouldn't know that they had changed."

"Oh... I can't argue with that."

"What?"

Ojae, who had not seen Gyeonhui's sharp gaze, continued.

"It's true. A real friendly person doesn't realize that he is kind to other people. Why? Because they just do what's natural for them, but a person who knows that he is kind to other people is the one who actually pretends to be kind because he did something that's not a real part of their personality."

"You're the one who told me to take care of her!"

Gyeonhui's soaring voice astonished Ojae.

"... I know. I know." Ojae quickly tried to agree with him.

"Ha... Why is it so complicated?"

"Honestly, you've changed a lot. Well, you're trying to change. That's clear. She just doesn't feel what has changed in your actions..."

"Why doesn't she know? I've changed a lot like this…"

"... Because she is afraid."

"What is she afraid of?"

"It's so scary to get hurt again… for her."

Gyeonhui quickly remembered his childhood after hearing Ojae's comment.

The memory of his mother abandoning him at the front door of the orphanage before leaving came to his mind.

It hurt him critically as if his head had been crushed. The memory of that day was so vivid to him like it only happened yesterday.

"Please. Stop..."

However, without realizing Gyeonhui's feelings, Ojae continued to speak.

"It might take a long time, but try to show her how sincere your actions are."

"I said, stop! Get out!"

Gyeonhui threw a file of paper that was sitting beside him and shouted at him.

Ojae exited the office like he was running away, but soon, he came back in, cleaned up the paperwork, and went out again.

'Bang.'

When Gyeonhui heard the door closing, the office grew very quiet.

'When you're all grown up, we'll meet again. You understand, Gyeonhui?'

Mrs. Shin's voice echoed through his ears.

"Ugh…"

His forehead was sweaty, and his c.h.e.s.t began to pound as if he had run a hundred meters. He plugged his ears with both his hands while clenching his teeth, highly distressed.

***

'Dripping.' Eunwoo filled up her glass with Soju. She was sitting down blankly and sipped the drink without hesitation. Eunwoo looked at her motionless and filled up her glass again.

"Why don't you ask?" Eunwoo asked.

"... ask what?"

"I know that I lied to you."

At his confession, she paused for a moment and replied, "... I'm sure you did it with a good purpose."

"Hmm."

Eunwoo sighed shortly and leaned over the bottle of Soju.

"... Mr. Woo asked me to do it."

Her eyes widened after hearing that Gyeonhuin had asked him to do such a thing. She couldn't believe that a man like Gyeonhui could ask someone to do something like that.

"I should have refused..."

Eunwoo recalled the day Gyeonhui visited.

***

"Where is she?"

When Eunwoo had seen Labong, he asked, concerned.

"Something is going on with her, so she is in the hospital."

"In the hospital?" Eunwoo seemed surprised.

"She inhaled some smoke."

"Where is the hospital?"

"Wait. You can go once you listen to me."

Eunwoo hearkened to him at his request.

"I'll tell you where the hospital is, but I would like to ask you a favor."

"What's that?"

"I would like her to think that you saved her."

"Sorry? What's..."

"If she knows that I've saved her, then it's going to be hard for her to accept it. She'll feel better knowing that you saved her. Let's just put it up that way."

"... What does that mean?"

"I mean nothing. I just think it would be better."

"Are you telling me to lie to her now?"

"That's why I said it was a favor. I know you don't like it, but it's good for her."

Eunwoo grew silent upon hearing Gyeonhui's suggestion.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Aren't you the one who told me to stop hurting her? I'm just trying to do what you told me to do."

Eunwoo sat still and looked at Gyeonhui's face. His firm expression showed his sincerity.

"Me telling her that I saved her will be a disadvantage to you."

"I thought so too, but sometimes, that isn't necessarily the case."

Gyeonhui recalled the moment when Eunwoo lost the ball on purpose when they played soccer.

"Are you going to do this favor for me or not? If you don't like it, then I'll just go, but you'll never know where the hospital is otherwise."

Gyeonhui raised his voice like all of this seemed awkward.

Eunwoo had thought about it for a moment before nodding slowly. He had realized that he needed to make sure that she was safe.

"... Great. I will send you the address."

Gyeonhui exited the hospital with a bitter expression.

A short time later, a message with the hospital address arrived at his cell phone.

***

"Hah…"

After listening to everything that happened from Eunwoo's point of view, she sighed deeply.

The endless questions made her mind even more uncertain.

"I'm sorry that I lied to you."

She slowly shook her head after hearing his apology,

"No, you don't need to be sorry. He's the one who pushes everyone to get what he wants. I'm sure that you would have been embarrassed too."

With her reply, Eunwoo smiled silently.

"It wasn't just that." Eunwoo stopped for a moment and sipped his drink. "I thought it would be a little advantageous for me too. That's why I'm sorry."

"... What's advantageous? What do you mean?"

She blinked and waited for his answer. Eunwoo's eyes became serious as he watched her.

"I think about you. All-day long."

His seriousness and his stare filled her eyes.

The unshakable frankness in Eunwoo's eyes instilled a conflict within Sun, making her eyes shake.

55. Don't you know my heart?

Eunwoo looked at her silently.

Her lips quivered because she couldn't find the right answer, and her gaze wandered. Her delicate fist that was repeatedly grabbing and shaking nervously caught his eye.

Eunwoo, who was smiling wryly, poured alcohol into his glass and said, "So be more careful. You make me worry a lot because you get hurt all the time."

Her eyes returned to normal upon hearing his further explanation as if what he just said was a matter of little importance.

"Oh, yes... That's right. I'm a bit careless. My friends, Eunyoung and Ari, also worry about me a lot. Hahaha."

Sun's smile was broader than usual and talked more as if to hide her awkwardness,

With her sigh of relief, Eunwoo showed a bitter smile on his face.

She gazed at the table, keeping her eyes fixed on the table.

She needed time to organize her mind because of her more complicated thoughts.

"Oh, my. I totally forgot that I had something to finish today."

Sun rose from her seat and said, seemingly in a hurry.

"I'll drive you."