Incident (2)
My mouth ached where my lip had torn against my teeth. The tissue plugging my nosebleed made it hard to breathe, and the heavy stares from everyone burned like fire. It might've been better if I'd just passed out and been carted off to the hospital.
I flinched under Chief Choi's glare as he dragged out Lee Ji-yeon, who was shedding those pitiful tears. The office was a wreck, and the sidelong glances from the staff cleaning it up stung. Even the coworker who'd helped me up, asking if I was okay, got my eyes averted in shame. It felt like the whole world was condemning me. I learned the hard way just how terrifying it is to face people's resentment-laced stares.
*
Once things settled, Baek Ga-eun led me away from the scene. As we slipped out of the office, some employee tossed out a casual "That's just how it goes between men and women," but I had no comeback—just bolted like a coward. She settled me in an empty conference room where hardly anyone passed by. Without the crowd, I could finally breathe a little easier.
"…Oppa."
Baek Ga-eun spoke up. I didn't have the guts to meet her eyes, so I kept my head down. She shifted from across the table to sit right beside me.
"Oppa, look here. You feeling any better?"
She cupped my face, turning it this way and that, and our eyes locked. Baek Ga-eun stared into mine for a moment before murmuring,
"…You look a bit better now?"
"…Yeah, I'm okay."
She pulled a small tube of ointment from her bag and said,
"…Senior went too far, though. Hitting someone like that…"
I startled at the mention of Lee Ji-yeon, but she ignored it, squeezing some ointment onto her finger and gently applying it to my face. It stung a little as it soaked in.
"…There. All done."
Baek Ga-eun flashed a satisfied smile and tidied up. I was so grateful for how she was taking care of me without prying questions. She defended me, saying Lee Ji-yeon had overdone it, then asked calmly,
"…Oppa, you sure you don't need to go check on Senior?"
As a man, I should've taken responsibility, grabbed Lee Ji-yeon, and stammered some excuse. But I'd let her sweep me away night and day in a haze of passion, shirking duty like a prisoner numbly awaiting execution, distracting myself with anything else. When she said she wasn't pregnant, I'd felt relief mixed with panic—and that made me despise myself. What right did I have to face her with excuses?
But there's no such thing as pleasure without responsibility. If I took responsibility for Lee Ji-yeon…
"Oppa, these things happen when people date."
She cut me off, continuing,
"I don't know what went down with you and Senior, but in the end, nothing came of it, right?"
"…Huh?"
Baek Ga-eun peered into my eyes like she was reading my soul.
"Oppa, what's your deal with Ji-yeon Senior?"
The words wouldn't come. Lee Ji-yeon and I were ex-lovers, manager and celebrity, childhood friends. But we'd never properly cut ties—just dragged it out.
"…Are you dating? Engaged?"
Baek Ga-eun pressed. I answered reluctantly.
"…No."
She nodded confidently at my response.
"You're not dating now, not planning to marry—then why are you digging your own grave?"
I wanted to argue, but she was right. Hesitating, she added,
"…Good thing she wasn't pregnant. You almost got roped in for life."
I mulled over her words. What if Lee Ji-yeon had been pregnant? She might've really retired. The scandal with my client would've tanked my credibility. Hyeon Ha-yeon's and Baek Ga-eun's debuts could've been scrapped. Ha-yeon's family would've struggled more, her talents wasted. Baek Ga-eun might've lost faith in me, given up her dreams, and settled. CEO Choi had trusted me, pushing Ha-yeon's debut despite the odds and my past screw-ups.
Baek Ga-eun whispered, snapping me from my thoughts.
"Oppa, you're really lucky. …But as a man, shouldn't you tie up loose ends?"
"…Tie up loose ends?"
She leaned in close, her breath warm. The room filled with a sweet, cloying scent.
"…Senior's probably misunderstanding. Thinking you're deeply in love or something…"
"…What if we clear it up before it gets worse?"
It was a familiar fragrance. The sweetness flooded my lungs, leaving my head fuzzy and euphoric. I inhaled deeply, parting my lips to respond—
Bzzz…
A loud vibration jolted me. I flinched.
"Ack…"
Baek Ga-eun had pulled back, glancing sideways.
"…Phone's ringing."
"Oh, uh…"
I fumbled for my phone. It was Lee Ji-yeon. No sound came through at first.
"…Hello?"
"…Where are you right now?"
Her voice was calm now, settled.
I glanced at Baek Ga-eun and said,
"…I'm, uh, in a conference room."
"…You're not with that bitch Baek Ga-eun, are you?"
I startled, pulling the phone closer and shrinking away.
"…No."
"…I'll be home. Come over."
"…Got it."
The line went dead the second I replied. Before I could stew, Baek Ga-eun spoke up.
"…Oppa, you have to go somewhere?"
"Huh? …Yeah, think so."
She stared at me, then rummaged in her bag and handed something over.
Baekil Comprehensive Hospital
A business card.
"…What's this?"
"…If you ever need to go, I'll smooth things over. Just head here."
I was so thankful for Baek Ga-eun going this far for me. She'd nursed my broken spirit, and now she was even pointing me to a hospital for whatever came up… I hadn't done a thing for her, just kept taking, and it made me feel awful.
"…Thanks so much. I'm sorry, I keep mooching off you…"
"…It's fine. We all help each other out."
She smiled brightly, shooing me off. I thanked her over and over as I fled the conference room. Even indoors, the air felt fresher, clearing my head. I swung by the office for my car keys and headed to Lee Ji-yeon's place, pushing the pedal while thinking of her favorite bread.
*
"What're you doing? Gonna do it or not?"
"…There."
The tearful girl from before was gone; now she eyed me coldly, and it caught me off guard.
"Want me to do it for you?"
I blocked her as she reached for my pants.
"N-no! Wait, just a sec!"
"Hurry up."
I stared at the small container in front of me.
Kim Cho-in
My name was on it.
"…Hah."
Lee Ji-yeon sighed shortly at my sluggishness, then lunged. I barely held her off.
"H-hospital! Let's go to the hospital!"
"…What?"
I finally convinced her, and we headed out. I'd texted Baek Ga-eun; she said she'd already talked to them—just call the hospital. Lucky she was my client. They told me reception would handle it; come straight over.
"Baekil Comprehensive Hospital?"
Lee Ji-yeon griped about the choice but came along quietly. For discretion due to her celebrity status, they offered a private exam, but she refused—turns out she'd already tested and gotten a clean bill of health, 100%.
…I was floored by Lee Ji-yeon's thoroughness. In the end, I was the only one clutching a little cup, slinking into the collection room alone. After an embarrassingly long solo session, my face burned as I handed it over sheepishly. They promised results in a few days. We headed back to her place.
On the silent drive home, Baek Ga-eun's words echoed. Lee Ji-yeon and I weren't dating, weren't engaged. Time to end the ambiguity and tie it off cleanly.
Back home, I sat her down seriously.
"…Ji-yeon, we're not really dating…"
Before I could finish, furious Lee Ji-yeon pounced, wringing multiples of the required sample out of me before I could escape.
*
Drained dry, I headed home when sudden rain poured down. Thunder rumbled—looked like a soaker. I thought about showering and finally meeting the goddess; plenty of time left. I grabbed a long-chilled beer from the fridge and chugged. The cool fizz soothed my parched throat.
Rumble…
Thunder boomed outside. With such a freak downpour, tons of folks must be soaked. I slumped onto the sofa. What a brutal day. Retirement rumors, babysitting Hyeon Ha-yeon's meltdown, getting pummeled by Lee Ji-yeon, comforted by little-sis Baek Ga-eun…
…And then milked to the bone by a Ji-yeon who'd bounced back scarily fast. Her iron will impressed me, but perpetuating this vague relationship hung over me. I'd barely broached it today before punishment.
"Hoo…"
I sighed deeply, nursing the rest of my beer and staring out the window. Black clouds blanketed the sky, sunset making it pitch dark.
Ding-dong—
The doorbell rang.
Ding-dong—
Whoever it was wouldn't quit; it grated.
"…Coming!"
Crack-boom!
I set down the beer and rose just as thunder flashed the room bright.
…That thunder's no joke.
Bang-bang-bang—
Now they were pounding like they meant to break the door. I was pissed.
Beep.
"Who keeps—huh?"
Hyeon Ha-yeon stood there, drenched to the skin.
"…Oppa."
Rumble…
Thunder flashed once more.