***
The rain began to lighten up, signaling that it may soon stop.
Sun struggled to walk through a dark alley, soaked in the rain.
Slowly, she looked up and noticed the veterinary hospital that had not yet closed.
Her steps were slowing down, but soon they had stopped completely.
“Hah…”
She had to stop by to take Labong, but she couldn’t move her feet.
She was unsure how to explain why she suddenly canceled her appointment.
However, it was not something that she could solve by avoiding it, so she slowly started walking again.
As she approached the door, she saw her disheveled self in the window.
She quickly tried to wipe the drops of water from her hair and clothes with her hands, but it was worthless.
Finally, she just gave up doing so and opened the door carefully to enter.
‘Ring, ring.’
She saw Eunwoo, taking care of Labong when she came into the hospital.
After Eunwoo recognized her, he smiled and rose from his seat. Soon, he opened his eyes wide, astonished that she was soaked from the rain.
“… I’m sorry.”
She bowed her head and apologized without making eye contact with him.
The dripping rain fell from her hair to the floor.
Looking at her pale expression, Eunwoo looked at her silently.
“Something happened all of a sudden… I had to go…”
The more she spoke, the more her expression darkened.
She shook her head and slowly started speaking again.
“No, actually… I met Gyeonhui today.”
She struggled to speak like it wasn’t easy for her to do so.
Eunwoo silently looked at her calmly and waited for her to continue.
“… I felt like I had to go to him when I heard that he was so sick, so I canceled the appointment with you to go to him.”
Sun felt so sorry to even say this to him, so she mumbled the end of her sentence.
“… I’m sorry if you felt bad.”
Looking at her silently, Eunwoo turned and stepped inside of his office.
“Hah…”
Sun dropped her head with a heavy expression.
A short time later, when Eunwoo returned to her, she noticed that he was holding a large towel in his hand.
Eunwoo approached her without a word and dried her hair with a towel.
“You’re going to have a cold.”
Eunwoo wiped her wet hair and said it with a sweet tone.
“Dr. Park….”
Sun raised her head and looked up at him.
Eunwoo smiled and nodded as if he was okay.
However, she couldn’t face his smile, so she dropped her head again.
When he wiped her hair with the warm towel, her mind started wretching again. However, she didn’t want him to see her crying again and quickly lowered her head.
Eunwoo looked at her for a moment without saying a word and covered her face with the large towel.
Eunwoo continuously dried her hair with a soft touch.
***
The rainy alleyways in the dark.
Gyeonhui was looking inside the hospital from his car parked on the side of the road.
Through the raindrops on the windshield, Gyeonhui could see Eunwoo drying her wet hair.
“Hmm, hmm.” Watching them in the car, Ojae cleared his throat in embarrassment. “Gyeonhui, why don’t we go home?” Ojae was embarrassed and asked.
However, Gyeonhui was only watching the two of them silently.
Gyeonhui looked at the red scarf in his hand.
Ojae was looking at his bitter expression and started speaking in sympathy.
“Gyeonhui, don’t be in such a hurry with her. She came to you when you called. There’s still a chance.”
However, Gyeonhui just shook his head slowly.
“… I don’t think I can see that expression from her anymore.”
Her empty eyes looked calm when she was with him, but he could see that her pain was hidden behind.
When Ojae noticed Gyeonhui’s thoughts, he started speaking carefully.
“Let’s go back home and take a break. You’re not in good condition right now. Let’s think about this later once you get better.”
However, Gyeonhui seemed to be already clearing his thoughts with his eyes closed.
There was only silence in the car for a while.
After a while, Gyeonhui opened his eyes again and slowly started speaking.
“… Send them out.”
“Huh? What?”
Ojae reiterated Gyeonhui’s question.
“The Kids Fan Office, send them out.”
Ojae’s expression darkened as he spoke again.
“… Gyeonhui… I know you’re angry, but don’t do business emotionally.”
“I’m not angry at anyone.” His voice calmly subsided.
“Then why are you doing this…” Ojae asked him again in doubt.
“I’m finally letting her go…”
His eyes were empty as he struggled to speak.
72. Full of thoughts about her.
“I’m glad that we didn’t go to the night market tonight in this weather.” Eunwoo smiled and said gladly.
However, she was still so sorry for him, so she only nodded without saying anything.
“Well, drink some hot tea.”
Eunwoo was smiling, and he gave her a cup of tea.
“It’s a chamomile. It will make your body warm and relaxed.”
“… Thank you.” The scent of the delicate herbal tea relaxed her mind a little. “… I’m very sorry today if you feel bad.”
“Hmm.” Eunwoo nodded slowly, looking at her while she was apologizing to him. “It was a bit disappointing.”
“… I’m sorry.” She lowered her head and apologized.
“But I appreciate you because it was not easy to talk honestly about what you truly think. I feel like I’m getting a little closer to you as a friend, so thank you.”
Eunwoo looked at her with a light smile.
“… Thank you.”
She struggled to speak with a slightly sunken face.
At the moment, she felt a chill because of her wet clothes.
Eunwoo saw her and her trembling shoulders. He started speaking again.
“I think you should go home quickly, take a shower with warm water, and go to sleep. Otherwise, you’re going to have a cold.”
Hearing Eunwoo, she nodded and rose from her seat. “Thank you always for what you’ve done for Labong and me.”
“I feel like we’re not close enough because you keep saying ‘Thank you.’ Real friends don’t say ‘thank you’ as much.”
She smiled at his playful voice. “I’ll go home now.”
“Be safe. I’ll see you later.”
Eunwoo smiled and watched her go.
Luckily, he could still see her leave since the rain had stopped.
“Hah…”
A sigh of relief leaked from his mouth.
“… I worry about you. I worry when you get sick or when I don’t see you too.”
Eunwoo mumbled to himself as he watched her in the distance.
A bitter smile came to his face.