The Agony of My First Dalgeori
The day my soul possessed this body, dalgeori hit me right away. I'd figured something like this might happen eventually, waking up in a woman's body and all.
"Urgh... hngh."
Lies. I'd never once thought about periods. Sure, it was inevitable, but I'd never worried about it. Why would a guy ever stress over something like that?
"My lady, I know it's hard, but you need to get up."
It wasn't until Hwaya uttered the word menstruation that I even registered I was having my period. Once I realized this unfamiliar pain was menstrual cramps, suddenly everything started to bother me—like noticing a wound only after seeing the blood. The sour stench of blood seemed to vibrate through my whole body, and between my legs felt sticky and wet, like I'd spilled something viscous.
"Hic... hnghk..."
The pain kept forcing these shallow breaths out of me, and maybe because of that, my head throbbed relentlessly. Hwaya insisted I get up, so I tried forcing myself, but my body just wouldn't cooperate.
"Hwaya... I... I really can't get up."
Even lying still felt like needles rolling around inside my gut. Trying to sit up added this tearing pain around my waist, like something was ripping me apart. Any strength I mustered just drained away. I'd heard somewhere that humans can only feel one kind of pain at a time—total bullshit. I was feeling every damn type all at once.
"Staying like this isn't good for your health. Especially since you're bleeding so heavily, my lady."
I curled up against the floor, pressing hard on my aching belly with my hand. Pressing on your stomach sometimes eases tummy aches, right? I clung to that slim hope and squeezed. Even if it didn't help, it beat just lying there suffering—might as well grasp at straws.
Hwaya, watching me pitifully from the side, let out a small sigh. Then her expression hardened with resolve, like she'd made up her mind.
"Just bear with it a little."
With that, her hands gripped my shoulders and forearms. Just bear with it a little...? Hwaya, no, right? Before my ominous premonition could form words, my immovable body was pulled upright by her and propped into a sitting position.
"Guhhh! I said it really hurts! It hurts!"
The wave of pain made me snap at Hwaya, screaming until my voice cracked like someone desperately holding back tears. She was definitely being as gentle as possible, but that didn't make the pain vanish. I knew she was doing it for my sake, but I was still pissed. At least I'd managed to sit up somehow—time to catch my breath.
"My lady, I'm sorry."
Sorry...? A question mark popped up in my head at her sudden apology. But before I could sense anything off, Hwaya had already slipped her arms under mine, locking her hands behind my back.
By the time I realized what was coming, I was already scooped up into her arms like a baby. I felt my sweat-soaked body break out in fresh cold sweats.
"Hwaya? No, wait! Let me rest a bit first. Just a little!"
"..."
I begged her with everything I had. My head pounded with every word, but who cared? The pain from standing up scared me more.
"I yelled because I was startled, okay? For real. So please, just—"
My pleas fell on deaf ears. Hwaya silently lifted me to my feet, effortlessly, without even bracing herself.
"Nghp... nhhk..."
My vision blurred as tears streamed down my cheeks, but buried in her shoulder, I swallowed the sobs. I was too embarrassed and frustrated to cry out loud. Every woman goes through this, right? It probably wasn't even that bad—no reason to wail or throw a fit. It was just scary because it was my first time, a totally new kind of pain.
But it hurt. My body reeked, my head spun and nauseated me, my insides kept cramping, my pleas were ignored, she hauled me up anyway. And when she did, something gushed out like I'd messed up big time...
"I... hngh... told you it hurts..."
It was so pathetic. The resolve not to cry from moments ago crumbled—I needed to bawl my eyes out to feel better.
"I... hngh... just wanna... rest a little..."
So I cried. I yelled. I threw a tantrum.
"Hwaya..."
"Yes, my lady."
"When you picked me up... something leaked out. What if I messed up because it hurt so bad?"
And yet here I was, leaning on her, begging for help.
"It's okay."
Hwaya patted my back soothingly. Every touch made my body jolt, ripping pain through my gut.
"It's not weird. Every woman goes through it."
The warmth from her embrace and her gentle hands weren't bad at all... No, actually, I loved it... loved it a ton. My body ached, but my mood was good.
Only after a long time being comforted in her arms could I stop crying. Once I calmed down, I finally noticed my state. Red bloodstains blotched my thin white sleeping skirt everywhere, and the bedding was covered in big and small crimson spots. I knew next to nothing about periods, but lying there soaked in blood didn't seem healthy.
And yet I'd thrown every kind of fit and tantrum over the pain... I wanted to die of embarrassment.
"My lady, how's the water temperature?"
"Lukewarm, I think."
Now, with Hwaya's support, I was in the warm room, dipping my hand into a basin of mixed hot and cold water to check the temp. Up to here, it was pretty much routine.
"Hey, Hwaya?"
"Yes, my lady."
"Why... aren't you giving me clothes?"
She hadn't handed me the usual thin bathing garment. More precisely, she'd sat me bare from the waist down on a wooden frame.
"Can't I just soak in the water like normal? This is embarrassing..."
"My lady, during dalgeori, it's not good to submerge your body in water."
"Then at least give me clothes..."
Checking the water temp stark naked from the hips down made my face burn so hot it felt like it'd explode. Even when changing clothes, she'd adjust my outer layers but let me handle underwear myself—I'd never been fully exposed like this. Having just my lower half bare felt so awkward; I squeezed my legs together tight and clasped my hands over myself, but these tiny hands couldn't hide my pale thighs completely.
"My lady, cleanliness is always important, but you must be especially careful during dalgeori."
Hwaya squatted in front of me with the basin of lukewarm water. Her squatting put her gaze right at my most private spot.
"Normally, a woman your age would handle this alone."
She set the basin down and grabbed both my knees... What? Where are you grabbing? My knees?
Strength started flowing gently into her hands on my knees.
"But since you have no memory of it, this is like your first time. I'll teach you hands-on."
"W-wait just a sec! Hwaya, this really isn't right."
I pushed back hard against my knees starting to part. Giving my body any tension made my insides sting and ache, but was that the issue right now? I was about to lose something way more precious.
"Tell me... yeah, just tell me! I'll do it myself!"
"I'm sorry, my lady."
But no matter how hard I tried...
"It's better to learn it properly from the start."
"Hwayaaaa!!"
I couldn't overpower Hwaya, and my legs spread easily left and right. Ignoring my scream like it was nothing, she continued, gently pouring water there bit by bit.
"During dalgeori, avoid water that's too hot. You don't need to wash deep inside—just clean the outside well..."
She explained not just washing techniques, but precautions during periods, how to use something called a gaejim, and all sorts of common knowledge I needed. But my head was too preoccupied for her voice to sink in properly.
I have no idea how the rest of the day passed. Hwaya kept drilling dalgeori precautions into me like rote education, saying she'd be busy starting tomorrow and away often. I had no appetite, so after starting dinner with Sohwi for the first time from my side refusing food. The doctor said lying down all day wasn't good, so I forced myself to sit propped against the wall until bedtime.
But the pain didn't ease at all. If anything...
'My lady, dalgeori usually gets worse from the second day.'
Hwaya's words as she prepared my bed and left only piled on the worry. It was tough now—tomorrow would be worse? Guess it was prep for my mindset, but it just scared me and weighed me down.
My body was exhausted enough to sleep, but the cramps kept me from deep rest. I twisted this way and that, seeking a less painful position.
As if changing positions would fix the pain churning inside. I figured I'd writhe all night until morning.
Then something warm settled on my belly. A huge, cozy warmth—and the pain, which showed no sign of fading, started to subside. My consciousness sank with it.
As I drifted off, I dreamed of napping in the sunlight, cradled in a fluffy ball of pure white fur.