episode_0254

***

“You seem to have been under a lot of stress recently.”

A doctor in a white coat said.

“Yes?”

“It’s an imaginary pregnancy. My menstrual cycle became irregular due to stress, and I associated it with that and started thinking that I was pregnant.”

“Ah….”

Shin Jeong-ah pursed her lips.

“Live without stress. I also eat well.”

The doctor said something extremely obvious.

Is that how you make money by saying these obvious things? Shin Jeong-ah thought for a moment.

“Anyway, I must have been very worried, but it would have saved me an hour. And pay attention to things like birth control.”

“Contraception?”

When the patient asked again, the tired-looking doctor pressed his hand to his eyes and said,

“If you came here because you were worried about pregnancy, it means you are having a relationship, right? I’m still young, but if I neglect contraception and get pregnant, my boyfriend will have to take responsibility as well, so I’m saying that we should be careful with each other.”

“Ah… yes, thank you.”

Shin Jeong-ah left the hospital, saying hello with an expressionless face.

As she left the hospital and walked down the street, she kept repeating what the doctor said.

‘Is your boyfriend responsible?’

‘Is your boyfriend responsible?’

‘Is your boyfriend responsible?’

‘Is your boyfriend responsible?’

‘Is your boyfriend responsible?’

It felt like I had found a solution to a frustrating situation.

***

Shin Jeong-ah smiled.

It wasn’t the refreshing smile he showed to In-ho, nor the bright smile he showed when welcoming Yoon Sia at home.

It was a twisted smile that I showed in a dark park one day.

“Unexpected. I thought I would get away with it at least once.”

But Yoon Sia did not tremble in fear like she did that day. Rather, he was calm.

“I think I knew everything, so why are you explaining it?”

Shin Jeong-ah glared at Yoon Sia, who was sitting in front of her with her arms crossed.

His venomous gaze scanned his entire body.

“There was more data I researched while putting off class… It’s a shame.”

Yoon Sia looked truly disappointed and grabbed the phone again.

It appears that there was a lot of other material in addition to the screenshots.

“So… what do you want?”

“Are you planning on asking me for something?”

When Yoon Si-ah asked innocently, Shin Jeong-ah made a sound of astonishment.

“If you came here to tell me and not Inho, I think it’s right to think that you have something you want?”

Jeong-ah was still speaking respectfully, but she did not hide the unpleasant feelings mixed in with those words.

“It’s not about making demands, it’s about giving an opportunity.”

Hearing Jeong-ah’s words, Yun-shia’s somewhat relaxed face hardened.

“Opportunity?”

When Shin Jeong-ah, who could not stand it, raised her voice slightly, several eyes turned to her for a moment.

“Yes, opportunity.”

“What opportunity?”

“An opportunity to be honest with Inho.”

Yoon Sia explained.

However, Shin Jeong-ah seemed to not understand what she meant, so she just looked at her with her eyes wide open.

Phew, Yoon Sia let out a small breath and added an explanation.

“Because it will be less shocking to Inho if you speak honestly than if I tell you.”

“…To In-ho?”

“Yes, to Inho. You don’t know how Inho is feeling right now, right? You think you just need to be next to Inho.”

Yun Shia drank the rest of her drink with a bitter expression.

“But, sister.”

Shin Jeong-ah intervened.

“Why are you meddling in other people’s affairs like this? Unni and Inho are just a tutor and a student, right? But why do you do this?”

“If I say it’s a joke, will you understand?”

“I honestly think you like Inho, right?”

It doesn’t suit me though. Shin Jeong-ah blurted out her words.

“If you want to have Inho all to yourself, I think it would be best to let Inho know what your sister found out…”

“Why are you doing this? Personality? You’re doing something pointless. You might end up in a bad situation like last time, right?”

“Oh, something like that? Are you the type of person who grew up in a happy family and lacks nothing? That’s why you pity men and stuff like that, right?”

Shin Jeong-ah said while clicking her fingernails together, and Yoon Sia took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

It felt like it was suppressing some emotion rising from deep within my heart.

“You know. Just because life is a gutter doesn’t mean people are always out of order, right?”

Yoon Sia opened her eyes.

“I don’t know how weird your family life is, but… it’s true that the reason you live the way you are right now is not in yourself, but in the environment you find yourself in…”

Yun Shia was speechless.

“…….”

Shin Jeong-ah was the same.

Yoon Sia, who had been silent for a while, opened her mouth again.

“Giving you a chance… is a kind of guidance. I’m giving you a chance to fix this whole mess. Obviously you were twisted and misaligned… but I think you can get back on track.”

The possibility may not be high, though. Yoon Si-ah didn’t bother to add an afterword.

“…….”

“I mean… I hope that someone who works hard will have that much luck, right?”

Yun Shia gazed slightly into the distance.

“And In-ho is trying hard to live, I know this well as I watched him from the side.”

Yun Shia drank her drink again.

I felt like my throat burned because I talked a lot.

“It may just be a lie to you, but Inho is suffering right now, unable to do either this or that. So, if you are thinking about Inho, tell me the truth.”

“…….”

“You asked me earlier if you like Inho, right? That’s right, I have a little crush on Inho. It’s getting bigger little by little.”

Yoon Sia declared as if telling a big secret.

“So, I will do whatever it takes to make Inho happy and help him follow the right path. And this is the first action.”

Yoon Sia poured the remaining drink into her mouth.

She took her phone and bag and got up.

Shin Jeong-ah raised her head and looked up at her.

“He won’t be this kind from the second action.”

It was a strong warning.

“Today’s class… will be difficult. I hope the situation is resolved by the next class.”

It’s next Monday.

After saying those words, Yoon Sia left.

***

Shin Jeong-ah was frozen like a stone statue and could not get up from her seat.

She put her thumb to her mouth.

Slowly, tap your thumb nail with your front teeth.

I’m shaking, and my legs are shaking a little as if I’m anxious.

And the intensity becomes stronger.

“Fuck, fuck….”

“If I tell you the truth… I will be abandoned again…. Fuck… I know everything… Even though I know everything…”

What was so unfair? Shin Jeong-ah’s voice, which kept swearing, was filled with deep anger.