Lost

I usually adjusted my schedule, but sometimes there were days when I was so busy that I barely had time to sleep. It happened rarely, like a needle in a haystack, but these days were like that.[Sunbae, I think I’ll be a bit late todayㅠㅠ]As I was looking at the text on the screen, another message came in.[I’ll be home before nine. Please eat dinner without me. Sorryㅠㅠ]It had been over a month since he’d come home on time. I figured it was about time for things to explode, but surprisingly, everything had been running smoothly without any trouble. On particularly busy days, I barely received any messages. Just a few days ago, there was no contact all morning, and I only got a call in the late afternoon.This was probably normal, given that he had a job.“……”For some reason, I felt a little unsettled as I stared at the screen and finally replied.[Where are you?]The reply came over 30 minutes later.[I’m near the office. I got held up as I was leavingㅠㅠ]It was amusing how he got “held up”—such growth. I glanced at the clock, which showed seven, and decided to get ready to head out. I thought I’d wait nearby and maybe meet up for dinner when he was done.As I stepped outside and got on the bus heading toward his office, I noticed the weather was quite cold. Every breath I exhaled turned into a cloud of white mist. Since waiting aimlessly didn’t seem like a good idea, I decided it’d be better to wait somewhere warm.There was a café near the office that we had visited together not too long ago. I went there, ordered a hot coffee, and sat down. That’s when I spotted a familiar face. I squinted to make sure I wasn’t mistaken, but it was definitely Jung Woojin. He said he was near the office, so maybe he was here. It felt strange and coincidental to run into him like this. I almost approached him but stopped myself.If I called out to him now, I knew exactly how he would react.It looked like he was discussing something serious, so I decided to just wait quietly while sipping my coffee. I found a seat a little further away from him. The noise in the café and the distance between us made it hard to hear what he was talking about, but judging by his expression, it seemed serious.I killed time by browsing the internet and re-reading the texts Jung Woojin had sent me, but time seemed to crawl.Eventually, I looked up again, glancing at him sitting by the window. He alternated between listening and checking his phone or staring out the window. His coffee cup looked untouched. His face showed clear signs of exhaustion, likely from how busy he’d been lately.Was his face always this gaunt? I didn’t think so. There was a sharpness to his appearance now that made me frown slightly. When I saw him move, I instinctively flinched. Sitting here like this made me feel like I was spying on him.Well, I was spying.I watched as his long fingers tugged at the collar of his shirt, and I looked away. But soon enough, my eyes wandered back to him.I could see his lips moving as he spoke. He looked perfectly fine. I used to worry that he’d behave the same way outside as he did at home, but it seemed like an unnecessary concern.We usually went out together, so I rarely saw Jung Woojin alone. I had always been curious about how he acted when I wasn’t around, but it wasn’t like I could just show up at his workplace. Rumors about him being gay were already everywhere, and the idea of showing up there filled me with dread.Even if I had the nerve to show up, there was no way Jung Woojin would take it calmly.A year ago, or even just a few months ago, I couldn’t understand why he acted the way he did. But now, I didn’t question it much. I’d simply come to accept it as part of who he was. It was absurd to think that I’d grown used to the fact that he’d throw fits if I so much as looked at someone else.Now, I wasn’t sure what was normal anymore. Then again, who sets the standards for normal and abnormal? There’s no rule that says texting fifty times a day is excessive. It’s not abnormal to make a lot of calls and send a lot of texts, right?I stared blankly at Jung Woojin talking across the café and squeezed my eyes shut, opening them again. I felt like I was possessed by a ghost. I needed to keep my head straight. Before I could start questioning what was normal and abnormal, I had to remember that Jung Woojin’s behavior was excessive. That was a fact. But the more time passed, the blurrier those boundaries became.From other people’s perspectives, maybe I didn’t seem normal either. After all, the only reason I was having these thoughts was because Jung Woojin had been so busy lately. Of course, when you’re working, you should focus solely on work, but Jung Woojin had never done that before, and I’d become used to it. So, now that he was this busy…As I thought about it, something crossed my mind, and I checked my phone. I hadn’t replied to his last message, but it had been over an hour, and he hadn’t sent any follow-up messages.Given the situation, that was normal, but it still felt wrong to me.No, it was abnormal, right? Or was it?Suddenly, I felt a cognitive dissonance that made me frown. Just then, I heard a clattering sound. Instinctively, I looked up and found Jung Woojin staring right at me. At first, I thought it was a mistake. Why? Why was he looking this way? I sat there dumbfounded, and the realization that I’d been caught came too late. I panicked and tried to stand, but before I could get up, Jung Woojin abruptly rose from his seat.He looked more serious than he had just moments ago. Every time he blinked, the distance between us grew shorter.“Sunbae, why are you here?”“You’re here, but—hey, wait, stop—”Jung Woojin strode toward me, not breaking eye contact even as he pushed past chairs and tables, causing them to scatter.“I said go around! Go around!”“I was just meeting for work.”“Go around!”I desperately shouted, but the empty cup on the table eventually fell to the floor and shattered. The loud clatter drew the attention of everyone in the café. The cup had shattered right in front of him, but Jung Woojin didn’t glance down, continuing to walk straight toward me. He stepped on the broken glass and stopped right in front of me, speaking urgently.“I was meeting for work.”“……”“It’s just someone I work with.”“……”It was true that there was no clear line between normal and abnormal, but one thing was certain: Jung Woojin was not normal. I felt like an idiot for agonizing over such nonsense earlier. If I could, I would’ve disappeared right then, but that wasn’t an option.“Are you okay?”A concerned staff member approached and asked. I did my best to manage my expression and answered as nonchalantly as possible.“I’m fine.”Before I could finish speaking, Jung Woojin stepped between me and the staff. He pulled out his wallet and hastily handed them a fifty-thousand-won bill. The staff, startled by the large bill, looked down at the money, then back up at him with wide eyes.“I… you don’t need to compensate for anything, but… are you hurt anywhere…?”Before the kind employee could finish their sentence, Jung Woojin grabbed my wrist. I didn’t even have the energy to be shocked by this anymore. As I was being hurriedly dragged away, I could only give a silent, apologetic nod to the employee watching us with a confused expression.Jung Woojin continued to pull me along as we stepped outside the building. I didn’t care where we were heading; I just covered my face with my free hand. Seriously, who acts like this?“The person I was with… is someone my mother knows,” Jung Woojin finally said after coming to a stop. Lowering the hand I had used to cover my face, I found him staring at me anxiously.“We met for work.”“…”Of course I know that, damn it. Whether it’s for work or not, damn it… That’s not even the point… My frustration built up, and I could only let out heavy breaths before I calmed myself enough to ask.“Are you a tank?”“What?”“I asked, are you a tank? Damn it, I told you to walk around!”It’s not like you’re a tank that can only move straight! Just a few steps to the side would’ve done the trick! The memory of the toppled tables and chairs came rushing back, making my head hurt all over again.“Why should I walk around?”“Because there were—”“Huh?”“…tables and chairs in the way… You should’ve just walked around them, to the side!”I tried hard to speak calmly, but eventually failed and raised my voice again. When I shouted, Jung Woojin frowned.“I was startled.”“Why would you be startled?”“Why were you there, Sunbae? Weren’t you supposed to be at home?”That question caught me off guard, and I closed my mouth. I couldn’t even organize my thoughts on how to respond. Then I suddenly remembered the person he was with earlier and asked.“Hey, the person you were with…”“They’re someone I work with.”“Yeah, yeah, I get it. Enough with that already.”I don’t know how many times he’s said “someone I work with” in this short span. It was starting to give me a headache. I tapped my mouth with my hand to stop him from saying it again, and Jung Woojin grabbed my wrist once more.“Why are you here?” he asked.“Didn’t you just leave that person behind? Shouldn’t you go back?”“Did we have plans today?”“…”For crying out loud, why does this guy not get it? It’s not like it’s the first time we’ve had trouble communicating. Why was I even questioning whether or not he was abnormal?“Jung Woojin.”“Are you mad?”I clenched my teeth and called his name, which made him look up at me with a pitiful expression. I briefly considered hitting him but shook my head instead.“I’m not mad, and no, we didn’t have plans today. I just came out to have dinner, that’s all.”“Alone?”“…”That simple question made my blood boil again. I came out to have dinner, waited there, and you can’t even figure out that I was waiting to eat with you?“I was waiting there to have dinner with you.”“With me? Then why didn’t you tell me?”“If I did, would you have stayed put?”“Well, if you’d told me, I would’ve come to get you.”“Which is exactly why I didn’t—”Before I could finish, Jung Woojin suddenly pulled me into a tight hug. Startled, I looked around to see if anyone was nearby. Thankfully, no one was. But where even were we? Judging by the elevator nearby, we were inside a building, meaning someone could appear any moment.“I missed you,” Jung Woojin whispered.“First, go finish your work,” I replied.“I was really going to leave early tonight.”“I get it. Just… make a call. Call them and say you’re leaving now.”I was starting to feel suffocated by how tightly he was hugging me. I patted his back, urging him to let go, and he finally loosened his grip. But he still wouldn’t let go completely, so I had to push him away by his shoulders.“We’re outside.”“I know.”“Then make the call, I’m telling you.”“Later. I really missed you.”Anyone would think we hadn’t seen each other in days. He spent half an hour whining by the door this morning, worrying about how much he would miss me.Jung Woojin buried his nose in my neck and started rubbing his lips against my skin. Just as I let out a sigh, I heard the sound of an elevator. My heart sank. Stiffly, I turned my head to see someone stepping out of the elevator, their eyes widening in shock at the sight of us.We briefly made eye contact, and the person awkwardly averted their gaze before quickly walking out of the building. I glanced back and, when our eyes met again, I instinctively closed mine.“…Hey.”“…”“Hey, Jung Woojin.”“Why don’t you call me Woojin?”“…”Woojin, my ass… I frowned, but what was the point of getting worked up now?“Where are we, anyway?”“I don’t know.”“Then why did you come in here?”“I wanted to hug you, but I knew you’d get mad if I did it outside, so I just walked into the nearest place.”I see… Well, I should be grateful for small mercies. At least he didn’t hug me in the middle of the street. Trying to think positively, I raised my hand to hug him back. As soon as I did, Jung Woojin lifted his head and said:“You’re going to kill me.”“……”At my low murmur, Jung Woojin paused and made a distressed face, his head hanging down. If I moved just a little, our lips would touch.“Now hurry up and make the call.”“Why do you keep telling me to call?”“You left someone behind; you should at least let them know if you’re coming back or not.”“They probably left on their own.”“Do you want me to hit you, or will you just do it?”At my words, Jung Woojin finally let go of me and pulled out his phone to send a message. Watching him, I added:“Shouldn’t you call instead?”“I don’t know their number.”“But you said they work with you.”“Today was the first time we met.”“…”I was at a loss for words. You left someone you just met alone like that? From the look on his face, it seemed he understood my shock, and he hastily explained:“Someone else was supposed to come. They probably arrived by now.”“Don’t people dislike you?”If someone like Jung Woojin were my colleague, I would absolutely hate it. But Jung Woojin seemed completely unconcerned about how others saw him.“I have something to say.”“Wait a minute.”I frowned as he looked up after sending the message.“You didn’t cause trouble again, did you?”This had happened more than once, so I asked with dread, and he shook his head.“It’s not like that.”“Then what? Did you buy something weird again?”“Did you see it?”“What?”Jung Woojin, who had been shaking his head to deny it, suddenly widened his eyes and asked. I blinked in disbelief. Should I be relieved that he hadn’t caused trouble, or should I be angry about whatever it was he bought this time?“What did you buy?”“……”Realizing his slip of the tongue, Jung Woojin shut his mouth. Seeing that, I asked, half expecting the answer:“You bought handcuffs again, didn’t you?”“……”“You bought something with a lock on it, right?”“……”He didn’t answer, but I knew without even needing to see. Not long ago, I had found a few handcuffs and adult toys and threw them all away. He’d thrown a fit about how I could throw them out without telling him. I also remember seeing shackles with chains attached, but I hadn’t been able to find where he hid those.“I didn’t buy them to use…” he started to explain.Hearing that only made me more exasperated.“Then why the hell did you buy them?”“They’re just emergency supplies.”“Emergency, my ass! You might as well build a bunker!”Frustrated, I shouted at him. Jung Woojin looked up at me.“Why didn’t I think of that?”“What?”“Can I really do that?”“…”I didn’t even have the energy to respond to his serious question. I turned away in disbelief, and he followed me, laughing.“Sunbae, I’m kidding.”Even though he said that, this was Jung Woojin we were talking about. I wouldn’t put it past him.“From now on, you have to get my permission before spending money.”“I’m planning to buy some land in the middle of nowhere before the year ends. Can I still do that?”“You get 50,000 won a month as an allowance, so you can save up for it.”“How much? 50,000 won?”I could hear him gasp in shock behind me.＊ ＊ ＊After dinner, it was past 11 PM when we got home. Thankfully, he had tomorrow off. I changed clothes, quickly washed up, and came out to find that Jung Woojin was nowhere to be seen. I checked the living room and the kitchen, but he wasn’t there either. Heading to the study, I found him rummaging through the desk drawer.Noticing me, he flinched and froze as I asked:“What are you doing?”“When did you get here?”“Just now.”Seeing him hurriedly close the drawer, I sighed inwardly. Emergency supplies, huh? I guess I’ll let it slide. Even if I throw them out again, he’ll just buy more.Pretending not to notice, I asked, “What was that thing you wanted to talk about earlier?”Jung Woojin came closer and reached out to run his fingers through my wet hair.“I’m thinking of quitting my job.”“What job? The one you’re working now?”Startled by his sudden announcement, I widened my eyes. Jung Woojin lowered his head and nuzzled my neck.“When?”“Next month, probably.”“Is it okay to quit so suddenly? Have you told your mom?”“Yes, that’s why I’ve been so busy lately.”I had thought he was busy because work was piling up, but it seemed I was wrong. How long has he been planning to quit? There hadn’t been any signs… I didn’t know why he suddenly decided this, but it didn’t seem like I could stop him now.Well, if I told him not to, he’d probably listen… but…“What are you going to do after you quit?”“Do I really need to work?”“What?”His lips, which had been rubbing against my neck, slowly moved up behind my ear. He lightly bit my earlobe and then released it before raising his head with a serious look.“People work to make money, right?”“…”“But I already have a lot of money.”That much was true. I couldn’t argue with him, so I just nodded, feeling uneasy. He continued:“So, is there really a need for me to work?”“You’re just going to loaf around?”“Can’t I? I don’t know when I’ll die, but all I do is work and hardly spend any time with you. It’s killing me.”It wasn’t that he had been enduring all this time. He had already broken down, long before I realized it. Still, I hadn’t expected him to decide to quit so suddenly.I wasn’t sure if this was the right thing to do, but I couldn’t bring myself to oppose him either. After all, he was right to some extent. People work to earn money, and if you already have enough, why force yourself to keep working? It’s not like this was his dream job; he was practically forcing himself to do it.“…….”Jung Woojin tilted his head, only to stop and look distressed at the sound of a low voice. Their lips were so close that just a slight movement would make them touch.“Hurry up and make the call already.”“Why do you keep telling me to call?”“If you left someone there, shouldn’t you at least let them know whether you’re coming back or not?”“They probably left on their own.”“Do you want to get hit or just do it willingly?”At my words, Jung Woojin finally let go of his folded arms and took out his phone, starting to type a message. I continued watching him and said:“Aren’t you supposed to call?”“I don’t know their number.”“Aren’t they someone you work with?”“I met them for the first time today.”“…….”I was at a loss for words. He left someone he just met today and came out by himself? Reading my expression that probably screamed, “Are you out of your mind?” Jung Woojin hurriedly added, as if to explain:“Someone else was supposed to come, too. They should’ve arrived by now.”“Don’t people hate you?”If I had to work with someone like Jung Woojin, I’d really despise it. But Jung Woojin didn’t seem to care at all about his reputation.“I have something to say.”“Wait a second.”Jung Woojin finished sending the message and looked up, making a face. I frowned as I asked:“You didn’t do something stupid, did you?”Having seen this before, I asked with disdain. Jung Woojin shook his head.“It’s not that.”“Then what is it? Did you buy something weird again?”“You saw it?”“What?”His eyes widened as if he couldn’t believe what I’d just said. I blinked in disbelief. Should I feel relieved that he didn’t cause trouble, or should I be angry that he bought something absurd again?“What did you buy?”“…….”Realizing he had slipped up, Jung Woojin clammed up. Watching him, I asked hesitantly:“Did you buy handcuffs again?”“…….”“Did you get another lock or something?”“…….”Even though he didn’t respond, I could already tell. Not too long ago, I had thrown out some handcuffs and other adult toys, which caused a huge commotion when he found out. I also remembered seeing some shackles with chains, but I couldn’t figure out where he hid them.“It’s not for use….”Jung Woojin said defensively. I couldn’t believe it.“Then why the hell are you buying it?”“They’re just emergency items.”“Emergency, my ass! Just build a bunker instead!”I shouted in frustration, and Jung Woojin looked up at me.“Why didn’t I think of that?”“What?”“Can I do that?”“…….”I stared at him, too tired to respond to his ridiculous question. As I turned away, Jung Woojin followed me, laughing.“Sunbae, I was just kidding.”He said that, but this was Jung Woojin we were talking about—he might actually do it.“From now on, get my permission before you spend any money.”“I’m going to buy some land in the wilderness before the end of the year, is that okay?”“Your allowance is 50,000 won a month, so save that up and buy it.”“Fifty thousand won? Seriously?”I heard Jung Woojin gasp in shock behind me.＊ ＊ ＊After dinner, I came home past eleven. Fortunately, I didn’t have work tomorrow. I changed my clothes, took a quick shower, and looked around. There was no sign of Jung Woojin, so I went to the study. There, I saw him rummaging through the desk drawer.Startled by the sound of my approach, he flinched. I asked:“What are you doing in there?”“When did you get here?”“Just now.”I sighed inwardly as I watched him hastily close the drawer. He claimed they were emergency supplies, so I let it slide. Throwing them out would be pointless since he’d just buy more anyway.Pretending not to notice, I asked:“What was that thing you wanted to talk about earlier?”Jung Woojin approached, slipping his fingers through my damp hair.“I’m thinking of quitting my job.”“What job? The one you’re doing now?”His sudden declaration caught me off guard, and I widened my eyes as I asked. Jung Woojin lowered his head and pressed his cheek against the nape of my neck.“When?”“Maybe next month.”“Can you quit so abruptly? Have you told your mom?”“Yes, that’s why I’ve been so busy.”I thought the mounting work pressure had finally gotten to him, but it wasn’t that. When did he plan to quit? There hadn’t been any signs. I didn’t know what had triggered this sudden decision, but once he made up his mind, it seemed like there was no changing it.Not that he wouldn’t listen if I asked him to reconsider, but still…“What are you going to do after you quit?”“Do I really have to work?”“What?”His lips, which had been brushing against my neck, now started moving toward the back of my ear. He nibbled my earlobe gently, then lifted his head and said seriously:“People work to earn money, right?”“…….”“But I have plenty of money.”That was true. I couldn’t argue with that logic, so I nodded reluctantly. Jung Woojin continued:“So, is it really necessary for me to work?”“Are you just going to lounge around and do nothing?”“Can’t I? Life’s too short to be apart all the time, working endlessly. It feels like such a waste of time.”I had thought he was handling everything well, but it turns out he had already hit his limit without me knowing. Still, I didn’t expect him to suddenly decide to quit his job.I wasn’t sure if this was okay, but a part of me sympathized with what he was saying, so I couldn’t respond right away. After all, the whole point of working is to make money. If you already have enough, why bother working? It wasn’t like this job was his dream; he was doing it out of obligation.Burying his face into the bed, Sehwa bit his lip, but the moans escaped regardless. When Jung Woojin began thrusting again after finishing, Sehwa felt like he was on the verge of losing consciousness.“Wa-wait, Woojin, Jungwoo, ah, ugh! Just, just, let me, ah…!”Even when he tried to speak, only moans came out. He couldn’t manage to form a complete sentence. With each thrust, his body was pushed upward, causing his head to bump against the headboard. After a couple of bumps, Jung Woojin grabbed his body and pulled him back down.Sehwa, who had been clutching the sheets, lowered his hand to grab his own now-leaking member, dripping with precum. But before he could even start stroking, his wrist was seized. His hand was forcibly pulled upwards, and with Jung Woojin pressed tightly against his back, he couldn’t move at all.“Let go, my hand, please… ugh, ah, aaah!”In the end, tears he didn’t want began to flow. Every time Jung Woojin thrust so hard it felt like his skull might rattle, Sehwa felt torn between two conflicting thoughts—he was either going to die from the overwhelming pain, or from the pleasure that blurred his vision. Either way, he was certain he might die.“Are you crying?”“Ugh, ah, aaah, ahh!”“Does it feel that good?”Woojin’s low voice sounded in his ear. There was nothing else to hear but the wet sounds of their bodies meeting and Woojin’s voice.“Just, wait a moment, please… ugh, hold on, ah, ah, ugh! I’m… I’m gonna come…!”As his body shook uncontrollably, something snapped when Woojin bit down on the back of his neck. Sehwa felt like all the blood in his body was rushing backward. He couldn’t control his trembling, his body heaving in deep gasps as the climax dragged on endlessly. His body flipped over.Although Sehwa could feel Woojin looking down at him, his vision was too blurry to focus. His hands were still restrained, preventing him from moving. His body was taut with tension, trembling all over, and the deep pressure inside him slowly withdrew.Sehwa shuddered and shook his head. At this point, he didn’t care if he cried out or not—it didn’t matter anymore.“Not yet, ah…!”The shaft, which had fully withdrawn, slowly began to push back inside. He could vividly feel his inner walls stretching. Jung Woojin, still holding his wrists, guided his hands to wrap around his own neck while softly licking the tears from his wet eyes. As Sehwa barely opened his eyes, his body started shaking again. He no longer knew if they were coming or going. Every time his inner walls were scraped and rubbed, it felt like all the nerves in his body were catching fire.Even though nothing came out, the never-ending climax left him doing nothing but throwing his head back and crying.＊ ＊ ＊A faint voice echoed near his ears. As Sehwa slowly regained awareness, he realized it was Jung Woojin’s voice. When he stirred, something gently brushed against his head.“So I only need to come in the morning?” Jung Woojin asked.Sehwa tried to roll over completely, but the pain was so intense that a groan escaped his lips, forcing his eyes open. He winced, furrowing his brow, and turned his head. He saw Jung Woojin sitting by the bedside, talking on the phone.“Then let’s finish everything today,” Jung Woojin said.“Damn it…” Sehwa cursed under his breath, feeling like his whole body had been hit by a truck. Jung Woojin gently pushed back the strands of hair that had fallen over Sehwa’s face and asked softly,“Are you okay?”“…”Why does my throat hurt so much? It felt scratchy, like I had swallowed shards of glass. As I rubbed my face into the pillow and closed my eyes again, Jung Woojin slipped under the covers.“Who is it?”“It’s Mom. I think I need to go out for a bit later.”“Weren’t you going to rest?”“Yeah, that’s what I said.”When I opened my eyes at his irritated tone, I saw Jung Woojin looking at me with a face full of complaints.“But I think this will be the last time for now.”“Are you quitting?”“Yes. How’s your body? Yesterday was pretty rough, wasn’t it?”“……”Damn, does he even realize what he’s saying? As I remembered what I had momentarily forgotten, curses slipped out of my mouth. Seriously, who acts like that after not doing it for a while? Is this guy even human? I glared at him with my face scrunched up, and Jung Woojin pretended to look pitiful.“It’s because you’re too cute when you act like that.”“You wanna die?”When I let out a chilling threat, Jung Woojin yelped, then laughed. Usually, things were pretty normal—we’d clean up, talk a bit, and fall asleep. But occasionally, he would pounce on me like he was a man on the verge of death. Even though I’d end up exhausted and sore for days, seeing him lying next to me, laughing, made it hard to stay mad.“When are you going out?”“Later. What do you want for breakfast?”“I’m going back to sleep.”I had no idea what time it was, but I was too drained to get up. I figured I’d just sleep a bit more and then decide whether to wash up or eat.“I’ll be back before lunch.”“……”The gentle touch on my head made me drowsy again. As I was drifting off, something brushed against the corner of my eye. I struggled to open my eyes, and there was Jung Woojin right in front of me.“Think about what you want for lunch.”As I blinked slowly, Jung Woojin kissed the corner of my eye again, then brought my hand out from under the blanket and pressed his lips to my fingertips.“I’ll give you a massage when I get back.”I couldn’t help but smirk, wondering if he’d get too excited and start demanding we do it again while giving the massage. Amused by my sleepy smile, Jung Woojin said something again. I was too drowsy to catch it properly, but it was probably something like “I love you.”＊ ＊ ＊I had no idea how much time had passed after I fell back asleep. From far away, I could hear my phone vibrating. I listened to it for a while before opening my eyes, and the vibration stopped. My eyelids were too heavy, and I was about to drift back to sleep when the phone rang again.Rustling around under the covers, I sighed. Ignoring it wasn’t working; it kept ringing, stopping, and ringing again. Was it Jung Woojin? I didn’t get why he’d call so much instead of just coming home. Eventually, I forced my heavy body up and reached out, groping the bedside table until I found the phone that was ringing loudly.“Just come home. I’m here.”I sighed and spoke without even checking who it was. But Jung Woojin’s voice didn’t come from the other side. All I could hear was loud, unintelligible noise. Confused, I pulled the phone away from my ear and checked the screen. It was indeed Jung Woojin.— Hello!Then, I heard an unfamiliar voice from the phone. I put the phone back to my ear, frowning in confusion.“Who is this?”— Oh, I’m from management. I work with Jung Woojin.“Yes?”— Um, well… You should probably come to the hospital.The hospital? For a moment, I thought I misheard. Was I still half-asleep? I couldn’t tell if this was real or a dream, so I looked around. It was the room I had fallen asleep in.— Hello?“The hospital?”— There was an accident at work…As the person explained how a piece of equipment had fallen on Jung Woojin while he was working, I couldn’t get a word out.I had no idea how I even got to the hospital where Jung Woojin was admitted. When I arrived, I saw a few familiar faces. They greeted me and explained the situation, but I couldn’t understand a word they were saying.Apparently, some equipment fell on him, and he lost consciousness for a short while. He had been brought to the hospital, but fortunately, he regained consciousness, they said. That had been three hours ago, and he was undergoing further tests now. Only then did I check the time.It was 3:40 p.m. They told me they had been calling me repeatedly, but I hadn’t answered. My ears were ringing. They reassured me over and over that he seemed fine and there was no need to worry, but I couldn’t even sit down. I stood frozen in place, like a nail had been driven into the ground, when the door to the hospital room opened.When Jung Woojin walked in, people swarmed around him like clouds. They were asking if he was really okay, when the test results would come out, and things like that. I stood there quietly, listening from the back. Only when I came to my senses and tried to approach him did our eyes meet.With a pale, tired face, Jung Woojin looked at me for a moment, then naturally turned his gaze away. He answered their questions, said he was fine, and then walked out of the room with the nurse.And that was it.＊ ＊ ＊They said that the impact had caused temporary memory confusion. I was told he would be staying in the hospital for monitoring and that visits were restricted, so I had no choice but to leave.Even after I returned home in a daze, I stood in front of the door for a long time. Memory confusion? What does that even mean? Does that mean he doesn’t remember me? Even though we made eye contact, it seemed like Jung Woojin didn’t recognize me.Why? What on earth is happening? Why can’t I get my head straight?It felt like I was on drugs—my vision was spinning, and my mind was foggy. I broke out in a cold sweat, then started shivering as a chill ran through me. I knew I needed to pull myself together and do something, but I couldn’t move. Even if I could, I had no idea where to begin.Just then, my phone vibrated again.