episode_0027

“Phew….”

Pure white smoke blowing out of the mouth. Nicotine seeps deep into the body. The rusty tar that hits your lungs as if awakening your spirit.

After letting go of the urge to smoke that I had been suppressing for a very long time (by my standards), I had already lit two cigarettes in one sitting.

“No, is it real money? You already smoked two?”

This is all because of Hong Seol. The frustration I felt because of that woman couldn’t go away, and without realizing it, I reached for the cigarette I had been holding on to so well.

Don’t blame others? Don’t you know the famous saying, ‘Don’t blame others for being flexible?’ Basically, if something doesn’t go well, it’s everyone else’s fault, and if it goes well, it’s all thanks to me. I feel so shabby if I don’t think like this in this harsh world.

Chic-

When I came to my senses, I found myself holding a lit cigarette to my mouth. Isn’t this the level of just holding it in for two days and then blooming all over again? Is there any point in enduring this? I think it would be healthier to smoke at my own pace.

“…If you go, you will be nagged.”

After burning three, I realized that I had to go back to Hongseol. It seemed that Lee Ji-woon’s brain had already reached the point where it wouldn’t work properly without nicotine.

Although Hong Seol is a bit annoying, he is still a patient, so you can’t believe he smokes. I wasn’t the type of person who couldn’t learn like this, so when did it start to become like this?

In times like this, you have to blame someone else who is flexible. What if Lee Ji-woon didn’t smoke? What if Hong Seol didn’t make me feel frustrated? Ah, I felt relieved. I think I could do 4 tries at once at this level.

“That’s Ebaji.”

I brushed off the cigarette ash and stood up from the bench I was sitting on. I tried to remove the smell by shaking out my clothes as much as possible, but if it comes off so easily, why have deodorant and why do I have Pex-Lise?

I thought about just going home like this. When they heard that it would take over an hour for the damn ambulance to arrive, didn’t they just pick up Hong Seol and race to the hospital? Since I waited until he woke up, I had already fulfilled my duty as a junior.

Okay, let’s go home. Still, I had to call because I might have to wait. Since you just woke up and are probably in a daze, it would be right to definitely contact you even if you leave.

[…Why is this phone call all of a sudden?]

“Senior. Are you feeling better?”

[……huh. Yes, thanks.]

“That’s a good thing. I have some business to attend to, so I’m going to go home. Is that okay?”

[Did you smoke?]

“Cool haha…!”

Can smartphones these days even smell the other person when talking on the phone? Or, was falling down and getting up really exciting? To Hongseol Shaman, who had become more irritable than before, hiding the fact that I smoked was like blocking the sun with my palm.

“No.”

[Isn’t it really true?]

“Yes, really.”

[Would you like to turn your head upward?]

Hong Seol’s unexpected words naturally lifted my head upward.

“Ah.”

There was a beautiful girl looking down at me from the hospital bed through the window.

You look very familiar. It almost felt like we were together just 5 minutes ago.

“….Since when did you see him?”

[From the time I smoked my first cigarette.]

“It’s been a long time since I last saw you. Just lie down.”

[I should have done that. But, I don’t know why, but I couldn’t take my eyes off it.]

“…..?”

Meaningful words. After a few seconds of silence, Hongseol let out his last words with a short sigh and hung up.

[Please come up. I have something I want to say.]

* * *

“…Why don’t you just come in?”

“If you go in, people will say it smells because it’s good for your eyes.”

I opened the hospital room door slightly, peeked out my face, and was talking to Hong Seol. Even from my nose, which was already soaked in cigarettes, the smell was so strong that it rose up through my body. If someone else smells it, wouldn’t it be no different from secondhand smoke?

Therefore, this was the minimum courtesy I could show Hong Seol. Because I know the feelings of non-smokers better than anyone else. However, Hongseol seemed to find it even more frustrating and just urged them to come in.

“It’s okay, Ji-woon. Even if you just come in.”

“You won’t call me a crazy person for chain-smoking in front of patients later, right?”

“…I’ll just think about it in my heart.”

“Such a piece of shit.”

Still, she definitely looks like she has something to say. Yes, if they ask you to come in, is there any reason to refuse? Still, I had to keep the smell to a minimum, so I slowly approached Hong Seol, wearing only my outerwear at the end of the hospital room.

‘…It’s definitely going to smell bad.’

Strangely enough, not even the slightest movement was visible on Hongseol’s face. Instinctively, I imagined a furrowed brow or irritated eyes, but there was no reaction to this level, so it was almost strange on my part.

No, it’s not like there is no way… No way.

“Senior. Are you covering your nose?”

“No (in a nose-blind voice).”

“….That’s the correct answer.”

It was Hong Seol, who shamelessly made noises as if nothing had happened. He wanted to say something face-to-face, but he seemed to only breathe through his mouth because he didn’t want to smell cigarettes again.

The sight was so funny, and the effort seemed incredible, that I had no choice but to suppress the rising corners of my mouth. I don’t know if Lee Ye-ji did that, but it was very difficult to hold back laughter when the old-fashioned and stiff Hong Seol did it.

“Are you smiling? (Nose blind)”

“I don’t smile (my nose is blind).”

“Dah, don’t copy me…! (Nose blind)”

“Truhz m~~(komaengmaeng)”

“This is really…! Ugh!”

She opened her nose in anger, but immediately raised her hand to her face at the piercing smell of nicotine. If you hate the smell of cigarettes so much, why did you call me here? If you have something to say, just call me.

“Not over the phone. I can’t feel the sincerity.”

“…You really don’t plan on being a shaman, do you, senior?”

I am confident that I will do well if I do “. Although I can’t see ghosts.”

Although Hongseol was slightly frowning, he seemed to be gradually improving and accepted jokes. The complexion also appears to be better than before. The injection seemed to be working, as his haggard face was gradually regaining its vitality.

“So, what do you have to say?”

I had no intention of staying in the hospital room for a long time. Because I was not Hong Seol’s guardian, nor was I a caregiver. From Hong Seol’s perspective, it would be more convenient if I disappeared quickly.

So I immediately asked for the main point. Well, I’m sure all Hong Seol had to say was thank you for taking me to the hospital, so I didn’t feel the need to be here.

However, strangely enough, Hong Seol’s expression looked quite determined. Did nicotine give him courage? The moment I tried to make a note in my brain that smoking in the world increases confidence without any foundation.

“….I was sorry.”

Those words were all scattered at Hong Seol’s word, turning into a handful of ash and flying away. When I came to my senses, she was already bowing her head to me.

The expression on his face as he raised his head from his lowered position seemed to contain guilt and sadness at the same time, without knowing why.

“…What is it?”

“Just everything. It waited until I woke up. He took me to the hospital when I collapsed. Despite my insistence, he made time for me on the weekend. …and even the fact that he went along with me despite my unreasonable demands.”

Was it because the nurse had given me the information? Hongseol, who said unexpected words, could not make eye contact with me and just fiddling with her wrist.

The wrist felt so thin and fragile that it felt like it would disappear at any moment.

“…It’s okay to apologize. I have no interest in receiving an apology from someone who is sick and bedridden, so I will only talk about it once they are fully healed.”

“…….”

“You’re showing signs of weakness right away, perhaps because you’re sick. The senior Hong Seol I knew wasn’t this weak person.”

“Ji-woon, I am actually…”

Before Hong Seol could finish saying, ‘You’re such a weak person,’ Hong Seol’s smartphone began to vibrate violently. Instinctively, I returned to the source of the sound, and in my field of vision, I saw a phone announcing a call from someone, showing off its presence.

The two letters written on the screen were enough to show off its presence.

“……Ugh.”

Hongseol could not help but shrug his shoulders and frown without realizing it. When I saw the only two words that appeared on my smartphone, ‘sister’.

The timing was such that I thought the call might have been made after receiving a call from the nurse that Hong Seol had woken up.

“Don’t you accept it, senior?”

“Uh, huh…? Yes… I should get it…”

Hongseol is nervous and stutters uncharacteristically. Honestly, knowing everything, I didn’t want to tell her to answer the phone. Because she already knew what an older sister was to her.

But, unfortunately, that was Hong Seol’s situation. This is not an area where I, a mere villain, can intervene, and it is an area that I cannot solve even if I want to.

In the story, Yoon Dong-gun, who naturally becomes close to Hong Seol, learns about her sister and gains her favor by solving the problem. In other words, this is something that will be resolved someday without me having to step forward. Of course, it is said that I am ruining the flow of the original work, but there is a high probability that the main story itself will not change.

“…Hello?”

Hongseol answered the phone with a trembling voice. She was waiting for an answer from the other side with a very anxious expression, like a child about to be punished who bursts into tears right before it happens.

[are you okay?]

Several questions and answers followed like a relay. Hongseol only continued to give short answers like ‘yes’ and ‘no’, and as time passed, it felt like their conversation was slowly becoming more familiar, like any other sister’s.

It seemed like my worries were simply unfounded. Anyway, my younger brother collapsed and was hospitalized, so why should I say anything for nothing? I quietly gathered up the outerwear I had brought with me, intending to make room so I could talk on the phone comfortably.

[You’ve become a lot weaker, Seol-ah.]

Yes, until I heard that.

The unbelievable words spoken in a hard tone made me unconsciously make eye contact with Hong Seol.

She must have been informed of her circumstances and physical condition by a nurse. Although it wasn’t a serious illness, her physical condition was clearly red, and she would have been advised to take rest for two to three days.

It was to the point where I couldn’t believe my ears as to how he could shamelessly say something like that without actually seeing the situation.

[Are you going to school tomorrow?]

“Ah.. I’m still not feeling well…”

[it hurts? really? To the point where I can’t go to school?]

“It hurts… but I… I mean…”

[Think carefully before speaking, Seol. What my sister has been saying all along. Thinking through everything as much as possible.]

“…….”

What on earth is so important? Why does Hong Seol have to be forced to be so perfect?

I already knew about her family, but the question that went too far made me grit my teeth. I wanted to grab the phone right away, but I was holding it in to avoid getting involved with Hong Seol as much as possible.

[Are you not answering?]

“…….”

[I don’t know why, but it looks like Seol is a little confused. Is it perhaps because of the junior he said he was with?]

“Oh, no! Sister, that’s not at all…!”

[That junior. Could you change it?]

Hongseol’s gaze, which was facing the wall, slowly turned to me along with her sister’s question. However, she shakes her head as if that could never happen. Hongseol motioned to me as if to pretend she wasn’t there, but she started to open her mouth again, as if trying to play it off.

“I changed my phone.”

It was too easy for me to snatch the smartphone from her delicate hands.

Of course, at first, the plan was to build a complete wall between Hong Seol and his family situation. Because this was Yoon Dong-gun’s problem to solve, not mine.

But the situation now was a little different. It seemed like he had already confirmed my presence and contacted me, but if I left him there, there was a high chance that things would turn out even more strangely.

At this time, the priority was to eliminate as much misunderstanding as possible with my sister and appeal to the public that I was harmless. That way, something unfortunate, such as that crazy woman coming to visit me, won’t happen.

Yeah, that’s definitely what I meant to do.

[Could it be that something happened to our Seol?]

So, how long will Hong Seol have to suffer from that woman?

Until you can build a relationship with Yoon Dong-gun, spend a long time with him, break down the wall in your heart, and open up the truth to each other?

How many months, no… how many years will it take to get there?

So what happens to Hong Seol so far? How much pain and suffering will I have to spend the rest of my time with?

A day in heaven is short, but a day in hell is even longer. As someone who went through that process of pain, patience and suffering, it was the bitter truth of the world that I knew painfully.

Days when I was denied anything I wanted to do and was only focused on studying. When I was a new employee, I was always pressured to be perfect. A society that was chained with the shackles of light. My parents passed away leaving behind such a burden. My childhood, when no one could lend a helping hand.

My past already knew the extent of that pain.

“It can’t be. Nothing happened.”

[okay? That would be a relief.]

Emotions came flooding back, but that was the end.

I had to be cool. To avoid a bad ending. To save my ass. And for my life to start anew after the story ends.

I had no intention of being foolish and getting involved with Hong Seol and getting caught up in trouble.

In order to save Eungko, you must always look far away. Look at the forest, not the trees.. Draw the big picture.. Lee Ji-woon.

[If Seol has touched the body or is threatening anything, I will definitely do it…]

That will never happen, sister.

“You’re being so different, really.”

Ah, I said the opposite. Damn it.