In the Hospital Room — Side
"......"
"......A-are you thirsty? Should I go get you a coffee......?"
Lee Shinwoo, Lee Hyesun, and Han Gyeo-wool had gone, and the hospital room sank under nothing but silence. Awkward in it, Hwang Jiyoung carefully offered the words to Lee Hyunji.
"No. Let's just stay like this."
"......I'm sorry...... I came after you in such a rush......"
"I know. I remember. I know I was too lost in it, too. I should have been watching what was around me, but I forget, every single time."
Hyunji smiled, small and soft, and quietly took Jiyoung's hand.
"......Are you all right......?"
"......Hyunji......"
At that, Jiyoung's face crumpled and the tears began to fall. Hyunji only looked at her, quiet, the way one soothes without speaking, stroking Jiyoung's hand and letting the sobs come as they would.
"Aigoo. I know......"
"It's too cruel. Really. I did everything they told me to. I never once talked back. How could they......"
"I know......"
Hyunji waited her out, fidgeting gently with her hand, and little by little the sobbing began to fade.
"......*sniff*"
"Calmed down?"
"I'm sorry...... You're the one hurting more...... The baby, really......"
"It's all right. Honestly, when I first heard, it felt like I was falling straight into hell......"
"I'm sorry......"
"I mean it. Because Oppa...... he worried about me with his whole heart......"
"......He seems like a good person."
"He is. Such a good person. More than I deserve, so much it's almost too much...... Hnn. I miss Oppa already......"
Jiyoung watched Hyunji's lips shape the words, watched the color rise in her face, and asked,
"You like him that much? Honestly, if it were me...... I think I'd still be so angry I couldn't see straight......"
"It was a shock. But I made a mistake, too. I bought a test and then just forgot I had it......"
Hyunji went on, stroking the back of Jiyoung's hand.
"Don't forget the way I did. From the moment you go into the second week, you have to use one. No exceptions."
"Yeah...... I thought you only needed it around weeks two and three......"
"Mm. I guess it moves at a different pace for everyone. We learned something, right?"
"......The price was too high......"
"I told you, I'm really okay. And with the performance diet and how brutally we were practicing...... even if I'd found out, I think it might already have been too late."
"......Thank you so much for saying that......"
"That's why I'm quitting dance."
Jiyoung lifted her head, quietly wiping the tears from the corners of her eyes.
"You're not going abroad to study?"
"No. I actually decided a few days ago. I just hadn't told any of you yet. I didn't want to spoil the mood in the middle of practice...... I can't leave Oppa behind. Two years without him...... I wouldn't last a week. Just imagining it makes my chest go tight......"
"You like him that much?"
"Yeah. I'm happier at Oppa's side. And I...... I never want to go through something like this again......"
"......Hyunji......"
Jiyoung was sniffling all over again. Hyunji wiped the tears that had gathered, smiled that small soft smile, and spoke.
"I'm all right now. Really. Oppa said we can just try again...... The way he said it, like it was nothing at all...... it held me up...... And he never once let his sadness show, just so he could comfort me......"
"......Yeah......"
"He's a good person, isn't he?"
"I-I think so...... I talked with him a little today, while I was showing him around......"
"It's different, isn't it. Really. You felt it. That look."
"......Yeah. The way he looked at me...... it felt like I was standing there with every stitch of clothing gone......"
"That's the one. Isn't it wonderful? That look? It really makes you feel like you've gotten prettier."
"Yeah......"
"Do you like our Oppa?"
Hyunji turned that gentle gaze straight into Jiyoung's eyes, and a faint heat rose in Jiyoung's face.
"......I-I'm interested...... And he kept his promise, too......"
"What promise?"
"......The performance. He said he'd watch me...... I thought it was only politeness, since you were there."
"So your eyes met."
"Yeah...... He was really looking at me."
"Sounds like our Oppa likes you, too."
"......D-do you really think so......?"
"You saw it today. Even my mom......"
"......Honestly, the fact that she's your mother makes me nervous. I'm so scared......"
"Once you actually get close to her, there's nobody softer than my mom. Don't worry so much......"
Hyunji and Jiyoung held each other's eyes a moment longer, then quietly smiled.
"This reminds me of before."
"Yeah. Back then, too, when I got scolded by my mom and cried, you were the one who soothed me. And now... I'm the one who ought to be comforting you."
"She went too far that time, too. It was your first lead, our Jiyoung."
"......Yeah. I was so jealous of you......"
"Of me?"
"Yeah. She was frightening, but...... she came to every single one of your performances. And I knew how busy she was......"
"She did. But my mom wanted me to quit dance."
"You were the best of all of us, though."
"Well, I understand what Mom was thinking. She probably pushed me because they'd written me off as domestic-grade."
"......Does that still bother you? That was middle school, wasn't it?"
"Yeah. I think I understand it now. The way that teacher talked was harsh, but she still doesn't know the first thing about the work."
"That woman was seriously awful, too."
"Tell me about it."
Once they slipped into something close to old memories, the air between them softened, and so did Jiyoung's face. The gloom that had hung over her thinned, and as the talk turned toward things with a little laughter in them, Hyunji asked quietly,
"You okay now?"
"......I think I'm calming down a little."
"Don't worry too much."
"......Okay......"
"Nothing has to change from here. We can just live the way friends do. Like before...... Don't even dream of coffee runs and errands like that."
"......I will, though. When I think about it, not much actually changes. You all are a handful on an ordinary day. Always lying around the practice room—bring me water, hand me a towel."
"I know that perfectly well. Hehe. Our mama lion."
"Haah. Well, I walked out today without permission, so there probably isn't anything left for me to do there anyway."
"Maybe it's for the best. You wanted to quit, too."
"......I did. I just still don't know what I'm supposed to do."
"Let's not think too hard. We took on more than enough stress today."
"......Yeah. Thank you so much...... I'll do better......"
"And you don't have to worry so much, either."
"Yeah. I'm really okay now."
"No, not that...... Our Oppa."
"Ah......"
Color flooded Jiyoung's face all at once. Even so, fear plain in her expression, she murmured weakly,
"I'm a little scared...... The toy...... I heard it's intense...... Mom— no. From what Director Hwang said, it's on the level of abuse......"
"That's why I'm telling you. Our Oppa is absolutely not that kind of person."
"......Really?"
"Yeah. And...... i-if anything, I think I'd like that, too...... A r-rough Oppa...... Just imagining it is so dirty......"
"......What did you say?"
Hyunji had whispered it while looking quietly into Jiyoung's face, and Jiyoung flushed even deeper.
"I mean it. Anything—anything would be good...... If Oppa wanted it that way, I think I could do whatever he asked."
"Y-you like it that much......?"
"You'll wonder if a world like that even existed. It feels like you've been cheated out of your whole life until now."
"......R-really......?"
"Yeah. It's incredible. I'm telling you, it's enough to make you lose your mind. Give me even a little time and I want to do it, I want to see him, I want his hands on me...... Every moment my body goes looking for Oppa, like something in me is broken."
"*Gulp.* I-it's really that much......?"
"Really. Ahh, I don't even know how to explain it...... Just—you know."
"Yeah......"
"......You just stay still and do whatever Oppa tells you...... And before you know it, you're in heaven......"
"O-okay......"
"Oh. He really likes lingerie, so if you put a little extra care into your underwear, he'll like you even more."
"......Okay......"
"Let's go buy some together later. I want to get more, too. I can't wait to see him pleased."
Hyunji was staring up at the hospital ceiling, her gaze gone hazy and loose. Jiyoung swallowed again and murmured as if she couldn't believe it.
"......Right now I can hardly believe you're that same gentle little Hyunji."
"I mean it. I want to be even a little more to Oppa's liking. I feel like I'll go crazy if I don't get just a little more of that look, that touch......"
Hyunji's hazy face was growing redder by the moment, and Jiyoung's lips parted without finding a word to follow.
"I have to work at it from now on, too. I'll keep taking care of myself, keep paying attention, so Oppa comes looking for me even one more time...... The people he's met must all be beautiful...... And now our Jiyoung is here, too."
"Wh-what am I...... You're much prettier."
"You're pretty, too. Glamorous. You have things I don't."
"......Thank you......"
"So don't be so scared. Though, ugh, there are so many of us now that it's becoming a real problem. Haah."
"......R-really......? There are that many......?"
"Yeah. Just going by what he's told me. With you and Mom, I think it's about six now."
"That many......"
"We'll probably all have to get together and work out a turn...... I'm worried about how to even bring it up with Oppa. I'm worried about his body, too. Haah. And now that I'll have more time, maybe I should learn to cook."
Jiyoung stared, dazed, at Hyunji sighing yet again, then lowered her eyes and whispered,
"......Want to learn together......?"
"Of course. Anytime. That sounds fun."
"......Yeah...... So this is how far you have to go, if you want to be with a Multimale......"
Hyunji watched the embarrassed Jiyoung and smiled, quiet, as if she understood perfectly.
"I want to see him happy. You'll understand how I feel later, too. I hope he holds us soon. I want to talk about dirty things with our Jiyoung."
"......Y-you used to hate that kind of talk."
"What I hate is random men harassing me. This is talk about our Oppa."
"......Yeah...... I-I'm a little curious, too...... Since you like it so much......"
"Really. You don't have to worry. If anything, hasn't this worked out almost too well?"
Hyunji went on, quietly stroking Jiyoung's hand.
"I just want our Jiyoung to be truly happy now."
"......Hyunji......"
"If it's our Oppa, he'll make you happy more than enough. Oh—and Seolah already made a move, I think?"
"......What? Really? When?"
"You didn't know? I thought you'd noticed. You remember, at the bar, when Oppa stepped away to the bathroom for a minute."
"Without even telling you? That sly little thing."
"Well, I know she's a bit of a fox, but that much is cute. And it was something I wanted, too."
"What was?"
"......I want all of you to know this happiness, too. Especially...... I'm worried sick he might meet some strange woman out there, but if it's you, you're all pretty, and you're kind. I can stay with you, and we can talk about Oppa together...... Ah, and raise the babies together......"
"......Hyunji......"
By then, looking at Hyunji's shy face, there was no fear left in Jiyoung's expression, no dread—only a warm smile coming into bloom. Hyunji, satisfied by that, nodded and sank quietly into her thoughts.
"......Anyway, I wonder if Seolah and Miji did all right in the performance."
"They contacted me earlier, but I told them not to co—"
"Hyunji!"
"Are you okay?!"
In that instant the door banged open, and Im Seolah and Lee Miji burst in with their stage makeup not even wiped away.
"Ah, you scared me! You nearly frightened the life out of me!"
"......I'm sorry......"
"N-no, Jiyoung, I didn't mean that for you...... haah......"
Seolah and Miji came sniffling up to Hyunji, who had let out a long sigh, and hurriedly caught her hands. And as Jiyoung watched the three of them gradually fall into talk, a soft smile began to spread across her face.