Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: The Nightmare on Discharge Day
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#09
Rehab had finally wrapped up, and discharge day was right around the corner. By then, only three people were still visiting me in the hospital.
Mom, Dad, and Jun-woo.
Sure, a few others had come after that first visit, but I'd begged them not to return because I couldn't handle it anymore. The rest didn't need me to say anything—they just stopped showing up.
Jun-woo had the CSAT looming ahead, so he must have been swamped, but he stopped by my room every single day.
He'd drag me into studying together even though I hated it, bring tasty snacks and insist we eat them side by side, or pop in just to tell me about whatever happened that day...
He came up with excuse after excuse—enough that even the biggest idiot could see through them.
As I soaked in his warm kindness, feeling guilty all the while, I couldn't bring myself to turn it away.
If he hadn't kept coming, I would have crumbled completely.
One day while I was packing up to leave, Jun-woo showed up with a notebook listing all the places we should visit and foods we had to try after discharge. He explained passionately why we absolutely had to stick to the list, and the sight was so ridiculous that I burst out laughing, giggling uncontrollably.
Before I knew it, discharge no longer felt like a terrifying future where I'd have to show my changed self to the world. It had become something to look forward to—a fun adventure with Jun-woo.
#10
The long-awaited day of discharge finally arrived.
The hospital room, which had felt both short and endlessly long, was where I packed my bags with my parents while waiting for Jun-woo.
I'd told him not to bother coming since it'd be tough on him, but he wouldn't hear of it. He got mad at me, insisting it was a milestone he couldn't miss.
Thinking back on his grateful yet foolish determination made a big, silly smile spread across my face without me realizing.
But an hour passed the appointed time, then two, and Jun-woo still hadn't shown. I called him, worried something had happened, but he didn't pick up. Just as I tilted my head in confusion, Dad's phone rang. He answered, and his face went pale.
"...Yes? Jun-woo?"
Why would Dad get a call about Jun-woo?
As an eerie atmosphere settled in, I pushed down the creeping dread in my chest and looked at Dad.
"Seo-ah... Jun-woo's in a coma right now..."
I realized then that maybe, just maybe, I still hadn't escaped that hellish day.
#11
I heard why Jun-woo had collapsed.
Even after hearing it, I couldn't believe it.
Jun-woo—of all people—had gotten hospitalized from a fight.
He was athletic and built big, but he never bullied anyone. He hadn't even been in a real scrap before, and if he saw someone getting picked on, he'd step in to stop it. He was that kind of good guy.
Not a delinquent by any stretch, but don't mess with him. That was Lee Jun-woo.
And yet, he'd gone up against eight guys alone—and big time.
All because of me.
Rushing to the hospital where Jun-woo was admitted, I asked the doctor in charge. Apparently, when the Delinquents heard I was getting discharged, they started trash-talking me. Jun-woo tracked them down and fought like hell. They got hurt bad too, but Jun-woo ended up in a coma.
I wanted to die.
I just wept endlessly, over and over.
All I wanted was to live happily with Jun-woo.
Was that asking too much?
Was my greed too great?
Jun-woo, who'd never fought anyone, must have been terrified facing eight guys. Beaten so badly he fell into a coma—how much agony was he in?
I couldn't even imagine it. And the fact that I was the cause? Unthinkable.
As tears poured out so fiercely I could barely breathe, it hit me.
The reason Jun-woo got hurt when I said I knew everything about him.
He was wounded by my words and knew his feelings wouldn't be returned.
Even so, to protect me from falling apart, he pushed his own emotions aside.
Every turning point where Jun-woo changed—it always revolved around me.
I could never claim to know everything about him in this lifetime.
For me, he was always ready to change, and he had, time and again.
Whenever it involved me, Jun-woo would transform, growing up faster than I did to shield me.
And I'd taken it all for granted. That's just how he is, I'd thought.
You loved me and always protected me, but I realized it far too late.
How much did those words hurt you back then? Behind that smile you always wore while watching me, how much pain and worry were hidden?
I felt the same way about you, but I hid my feelings out of fear—of losing you or becoming less than we were. If only I hadn't lied so shallowly about knowing everything, if I'd just admitted my emotions sooner...
We could have made so many more memories, shared so much more joy.
"I love you, Jun-woo."
I whispered my belated truth, a confession no one could hear anymore.
#11
♪♬♪♬♪♬ How long had I sobbed before collapsing? I opened my eyes to the sound of my phone ringing beside my head.
The moment I did, it wasn't some unfamiliar hospital ceiling staring back at me—it was a familiar one.
This was definitely the ceiling of the house where the fire had broken out.
Unable to make sense of it, I blinked over and over. Then I glanced at my phone, blaring noisily even before I opened my eyes. The name on the screen made my heart pound like it would burst.
[Jun-woo Bastard]
"Jun-woo's... definitely in a coma, though...?"
None of it made sense, but desperate to hear his voice, I carefully answered.
"Hey, Han Seo-ah... You begged me to wake you up, so why'd you take so long to pick up? Get up already..."
His voice was still husky from just waking up, but it was so wonderful, so longed-for.
Hearing Jun-woo's voice in my ear unleashed my emotions like a faucet bursting open.
"J-Ju-nu-woooo... Y-you, sob, a-are y-you, sniff, o-okay...?"
#12
"...? What? Why are you crying?"
This was baffling.
My childhood friend had thrown a fit about needing a wake-up call since she was on duty early today. I'd forced my heavy eyes open and called her with effort, only for her to answer sounding like the world was ending, sobbing and asking if I was okay. It made zero sense.
"J-Jun-woo... Sob, this isn't a dream, right...?"
"No, it's not a dream—what, did you have a nightmare? What's wrong?"
Did she dream I died or something?
She was always telling me to drop dead whenever, but now she'd had some dream where it seemed like I was in trouble, and here she was crying, her voice all lispy from just waking up, calling for me. For a second, it felt kinda cute.
Cute? What the hell, brain.
Not awake yet, huh, Lee Jun-woo.
"Hey, hey, Han Seo-ah. Stop crying and snap out of it. Whatever it was, I'm fine. Totally fine."
"...Sniff. Really...?"
She seemed to be calming down a bit, sniffling and showing that vulnerable side.
Morning destruction-level cuteness overload. Too much to handle this early.
"Yeah. Your big bro here's super, totally, abso-freaking-lutely fine, so quit it. You're on duty—you gotta head out early. Hurry and get ready. Let's meet up."
"Mhm. Let's go together, promise. I'll text when I'm ready."
"...? Okay. I'll get ready too and hit you up."
After hanging up from that tearful morning call, I lay back on my bed, pondering.
What the heck? Her period? Too early for that, though?
No clue what had gotten into her all of a sudden.
Normal Han Seo-ah would've gone:
"Argh, Lee Jun-woo! You were in my dream, annoying!"
Grinning mischievously and teasing me the second I showed up in one. Not bawling like some drama queen worrying about me.
"Ugh... Hearing her cry first thing in the morning..."
Of course I'd worry too, Han Seo-ah.
#13
After washing up and slapping on some light lotion, I checked my phone. Messages from Han Seo-ah were flooding in.
I said it again: flooding. Not just arriving—pouring.
📱 Texts from [hsa] - All done washing up! - Jun-woo, you still? - When you coming out~ -(Crying bunny emoticon) - Holding my breath till Jun-woo comes... - Starving, grabbing some toast! Text when you're out! - Still? (Bunny peeking from behind wall emoticon) - Hurryyyy... "What... the?"
Seriously, what?
Was this the Han Seo-ah I knew?
Normally:
- Lee Jun-woo when you coming out~!!
She'd fire off one text, get impatient, and show up banging on my door. This eagerly waiting, practically begging version? Unfathomable.
And she was even doing that cutesy lispy thing. Made me think she'd finally lost it.
Whatever it was, I couldn't keep her waiting. I rushed to get ready.
"Jun-woo~ No breakfast?"
"Oh, yeah! Skipping today, Mom!"
"My goodness, what's gotten into you~?"
I couldn't exactly say,
ㅡHan Seo-ah's acting weird.
Mom sounded shocked—I always made time for breakfast, even if it meant being late to school—but with my phone still buzzing nonstop in my pocket, there was no way I could eat.
Damn it, Han Seo-ah, why are you doing this all of a sudden!!!