Chapter 493 – Within Dreams (4)

【I’ve never experienced love. 】

Se-Young, at the abrupt declaration from Baekyang, rubbed her sleep-infused eyes.

“Yawn, what’s this? Is a fledgling spirit spouting about love?”
【Including memories of my past life. 】
“Hmm, so. Love? What piques your curiosity?”
【It’s nothing significant. Does this moment not bore you? 】

Se-Young continued to sit with her knees drawn in, looking down at Si-heon beneath her feet and idly wriggling her stocking-clad toes.
What did Baekyang’s question imply? It seemed to ask something self-evident.

“I don’t feel the slightest bit bored.”

Who would detest witnessing another potential future of someone they were fond of?

“Where would there be room for boredom when my parallel universe self is so near? To me, this holds more fascination than any drama.”

Se-Young’s foot firmly pressed down on Lee Si-heon’s forehead. His brows furrowed as he lay beneath. Se-Young chuckled softly.

【But doesn’t an exterior world exist? 】
“I’m aware, but I can’t leave.”

Hence, she watched, lost in thought.

“Even so, I’ve learned a great deal.”

Se-Young candidly admitted, her fingers fiddling with a ring on her hand.

‘It’s like seeing light for the first time while exploring a cave.’

Starting from the revelation that Lee Si-heon was alive and his true identity was that of a king, to the events in the parallel world and Lee Si-heon’s origin. These past three years had yielded ample discoveries. Se-Young voiced her thoughts to Baekyang.

“It’s just the beginning.”

She spent three years relying on nothing but her heart, facing the salty sea breeze as she sat on the forecastle, seeking him out. Only now did she feel like she was truly moving forward. That was what Se-Young believed.

【I, too, wish to experience such passionate love someday. 】
“It’s possible. It might even be this fellow.”
【Haha, are you referring to Mr. Lee Si-heon? 】
“It’s distasteful, but he does have a knack for beguiling.”

He was so skilful it posed a problem.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Once the weekend concluded, the cycle resumed.
The moment ‘Lee Si-heon’ commenced his work routine, time started to tick again for Se-Young and Baekyang.

The relentless flow of work that surged starting from Monday. The reprimands from their superior. The pervasive, cutting tension. So on and so forth.
Even with the growing fatigue from the relentless grind, ‘Lee Si-heon’ seemed to persist doggedly.

“Do you always accept the work now?”
“…….”

Se-Young exhaled a sigh of pity and showed her irritation in front of ‘Si-heon’.

“I apologize. How could I possibly reject it?”
“It’s not that you’re at fault, Si-heon. But, ugh, seriously. Are you feeling alright?”

In the corner of Se-Young’s diverted gaze laid a clump of tissues, stained with blood.

How much must one be worked ragged to bleed from the nose? I found myself seriously contemplating suggesting resignation.

“I understand the situation…”

‘Se-Young’ cradled her elbow, flicking her fingers. Irritation was still etched between her furrowed brows.

‘Lee Si-heon’s’ position was decidedly tricky.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, both reprimanded from above and beaten down from below. ‘Si-heon’, as a successor, was an unfortunate case of incompetence, shouldering far too many burdens relative to his responsibility.

“Upon reflection, Mr. Si-heon, you erred this morning and were reprimanded by that bald man. The draft you handed me was riddled with typos.”
“I sincerely apologize.”

Shouldn’t you be resting, rather than apologizing?

“I’m not reprimanding you…”

Watching ‘Lee Se-young’ on the verge of an eruption, Se-young and Baekyang couldn’t help but chuckle. ‘Se-young’, unable to witness this, thumped her chest in frustration.

“Regardless, I won’t be able to assist you today. There are ancestral rites at home.”

‘Se-young’ renounced persuasion and imparted these words. No matter how you spin it, they were strangers. There was no spare time to aid him with his work today. Even surviving in this accursed spec market was an ordeal in itself.

“No, your assistance last time was invaluable. It’s my incompetence that’s the problem.”

But saying such things…
In ‘Se-young’s eyes, ‘Si-heon’s head seemed to have drooped like a puppy’s ears. This was her perception, at least.

Why on earth is it like this?

“……”

Now it’s even more bothersome because I can’t help.
‘Se-young’ suppressed the anger welling up in her chest and spoke to ‘Si-heon’.

“You’ll genuinely fall ill. I’m sorry I can’t do anything to help…”
“I think I’ll manage today; there’s not much left to do.”

Her words seemed to bring some comfort.

“Make sure to turn off the lights when you leave and don’t forget to swipe your card as before…”
“Yes.”

After ‘Se-young’ had departed, ‘Si-heon’, left alone, began to work overtime.

-Thump, thud, thump.

The desolate resonance of typing echoed within the silent room.
Lee Se-young sat at her desk directly across from him, watching ‘Si-heon’s face while idly twirling a ballpoint pen.

“You don’t look well, even though you rested yesterday.”
【I didn’t exercise or indulge in any stress-relieving hobbies.】

Thinking about it, it was rather peculiar. He didn’t exercise, yet his physique was quite satisfactory.
Aside from his slouched posture, his skeletal structure was robust, and his body seemed innately well-formed.
Had he diligently maintained his body during his school days? It seemed that this allowed him to cope with his grueling schedule, tantamount to a death sentence.

“But there must be a limit to what a person can endure.”

As she mumbled this, ‘Lee Si-heon’ rose from his seat, rubbing his eyes, and walked towards the bathroom.
His feet hit the floor heavily, his stride sagging. Through the semi-transparent windows, the silhouettes of people leaving work could be seen, and Si-heon’s eyes flickered dimly.
Lee Se-young noticed this subtle change.

“Hold on. He seems a bit off- Eh, what?!”

In an instant, Si-heon’s knees gave way. His mind snapped, all strength leaving his body and he collapsed onto his office desk. Papers scattered in a flurry around him.

– Thud! Clatter!

Se-Young jolted from her chair, startled. His head hit hard; could he be alright? The dark circles under his closed eyes looked severe.

“Shouldn’t we report this?”
【 Please limit involvement where possible. 】

Aware of this, Se-Young nonetheless reached first for her phone and glanced towards the door. The worn-out office workers, drained from their long day, didn’t give this scene a second glance.

Involvement should be curtailed, she knew. But that helpless pup of a man kept pricking at her attention.

“Sigh.”

Making her decision, Se-Young began dialing on her phone. Si-heon’s condition didn’t seem normal. The moment she punched in 119, a slight tremor ran through her body.

– Drip, drip, drip.

Shortly after Lee Se-Young made the call, paramedics arrived inside the company, triggering a brief stir among the employees.

* * * * * * * *

“Even so, working someone until they keel over!”

If even exhaustion is to be held accountable, sympathy would naturally arise. A file landed on Si-heon’s desk, who had his head bowed.

“Have you lost your mind?! If an article about this mistake goes up, you’ll be held responsible, you know?”

Manager Choi, whose nerves were frayed due to recent suspicions of his wife’s infidelity, yelled at Lee Si-heon, pacing back and forth agitatedly. This rant might reduce the workload falling upon him, but the malicious gossip directed at him was bound to proliferate. Probably being labeled as an overzealous nuisance, drawing parallels between his failures and his father’s, and so on. It was clear even without looking.

Despite the grave situation, wherein a mistake could cost a life, no one came forward to comfort him, having discovered the truth.

“Manager, our Si-heon looks quite worn out. Let’s call it a day here.”

Hollow words. Us? The middle-aged man who just spat out those words had, in reality, dumped countless tasks on Lee Si-heon. Only placating him to prevent an outburst, but such pacification would undoubtedly be packaged as a virtue, a part of his character.

All the blame funneled to one man.

“… Go in.”
“Yes.”

Lee Si-heon’s voice was now nearly as cold as a machine’s.

Working numbly, moving like a slave. The IV drip, though temporary, was surprisingly effective. His fatigue, momentarily clouded, stirred his ungreased body into motion.

“Incredible.”
【 Indeed. 】

Both Se-young and Baek-yang, who had been watching, let out sighs almost in unison.

As the time to clock out drew near, Se-Young, who had been observing Si-heon since the break of dawn, approached him.

“Mr. Si-heon.”
“Ah, yes.”
“How is your body feeling? I recall you mentioned something about it.”

Had she missed her chance to address the issue yesterday? Her countenance was riddled with concern.

“I apologize.”
“Again, you apologize.”

Perhaps it was inevitable. Se-Young, murmuring inwardly, suddenly leaned in close.

“Ah, Mr. Si-heon. I can’t take it anymore.”

Taken aback, Si-heon’s face tightened into a hard mask and he tensed his shoulders.

“Buy it for me.”
“Pardon?”
“You remember our conversation about alcohol last time. Buy it now.”
“Ah, yes, of course!”
“Today has been particularly stressful. Do you have time for dinner tonight?”
“Well, I suppose…”

His overtime had been cancelled. Si-heon left his sentence unfinished. Se-Young gave a single nod, clasped her handbag, and seized Si-heon’s arm.

“Let’s head straight there. I’m thinking of taking a leave day tomorrow.”
“Pardon? Ah, yes.”

It was clear he was feeling pent up. He must have been under a fair amount of stress. Observing this, Se-Young’s eyes widened in a coy smile. She was finally about to forge a connection, she thought, reveling in the moment.

Si-heon, seemingly pulled along by Se-Young, soon directed his steps towards a nearby bar. The two, conversing with the bartender as if they were regulars, took a seat where they would be least likely to be noticed. Observing Si-heon, who was visibly on edge, Se-Young sighed.

“Shall I order some snacks? What would you like?”

Lee Si-heon, evidently lacking experience in such informal drinking settings, appeared ill at ease. There was much to be taken care of. Se-Young ordered a few simple snacks, followed by three bottles of chilled soju.

*Pop.*

The soju cap spun off. Se-Young, offering a glass, immediately made her request.

“Now, cheers. Let’s not hesitate, drink it all at once.”

Si-heon, hesitating slightly, extended his glass, and the two clinked their drinks together. The bitter liquid was like a magical elixir. Regardless of being an office worker or a freelancer, it offered a momentary escape from all thoughts.

*Gulp.*

One shot down. Then two, then three. It wasn’t long before a bottle of soju was emptied. Si-heon, who had relied on alcohol numerous times to soothe his worries, found it going down surprisingly easily, likely because it was being poured by a beauty.

Observing this, Se-Young whispered to herself,

“He’s good with kids, isn’t he?”
“Because his body and mind are in need. It’s that point when he needs the touch of another. And Si-heon, in this world, isn’t entirely sane.”

Psychiatric treatment was necessary, but it was never an easy path. In this day and age, depression and similar conditions were commonplace. Treatment wasn’t easy to come by, and most importantly, people often failed to recognize their own symptoms. It was exasperating because there was no easy way to explain this to him. Still, he had Se-Young from the other world. A sense of pride gleamed in Se-Young’s eyes.

*Pop.*

By the time the second bottle of soju was emptied,

“That bald fucker, isn’t it a dick move to give kusaree?”
“Ah, haha. Yes.”

Se-young finally received a response worth its name.
Bolstered by alcohol, both of them were able to fully express their emotions, engaging in a momentary exchange of words.

“Doesn’t it feel like hell?”
“Mmm, yes, it does feel like hell.”
“Alright. I’ll have to discuss this with you tomorrow.”
“Ah.”
“It’s a joke. But really, why do you look so shockingly drained?”

Because his spirit was completely drained.
Nonetheless, drinking was a pleasant affair. It had been many years since he felt this way.
Si-heon took another swig of his drink.

Three bottles.

“It was tough.”
“Well… it was tough. But everything is, isn’t it?”

Four bottles.

As he got increasingly intoxicated, Si-heon’s inner turmoil started spilling out amidst the escalating gibberish.
It all began with his family situation, his education, and the stories he had heard from those around him.

“…My father was a Member of Parliament. He’s incarcerated now. You probably know. He was incredibly well-known.”

Considering the multitude of scandals he was involved in, it was hardly surprising that his name never missed from the list when the gates of political controversies were flung open.
Se-young was, of course, familiar with the name. The man was so infamous that he was a constant feature in news and community chatter.
His reputation was further amplified given that he was a politician renowned for his clean-cut image and eloquent speech.

“Yes well. It’s my fault.”

That couldn’t be true. Although sins of the father do often fall upon the son, it’s not always fair to say so. Se-young took another gulp of his drink.
Si-heon’s confessions continued, indirectly reaching Se-young and Baekyang.

The prestigious S University, which he had earned through his own efforts, was now being suspected of being a part of some corruption scandal.
People who dug up Lee Si-heon’s personal information even went as far as finding his work email to hurl abuses at him.
Having inherited his father’s mistakes, it was no wonder he had become so timid.

“It’s not your fault.”

Se-young’s words were met with a faint smile from Si-heon.

“That’s the first time I’ve heard that.”

Perhaps it was because Lee Si-heon seldom ventured outside.
There was no reason to blame him for anything.

“During my university days, at least, I was somewhat content. I had my own university after all… I believed that having put in the effort, I deserved some reward.”
“I see.”
“Yes. But, all that was denied. Everywhere, even here…”

There would still be a lot of people unaware of the whole situation.
If he could muster confidence and interact with those around him, perhaps more people would empathize with him.
Yet, the reason Lee Si-heon seemed so paralyzed was probably due to the minority who were outright abusive.

“Why can’t you decline a request?”
“Because, I still want to try hard.”

As the conversation continued, it became more and more heartrending.
Only now did he understand why he had initially felt a puppy-like vibe from him. His character was gentle, but his gentleness evoked sympathy.

For Se-young, who was wearied by the monotony of society, Si-heon appeared oddly unique and fascinating.
Who would think that such a person still existed in today’s world.

Neither greatly distorted nor bent, the chrysalis-like demeanor, striving to assert itself, was fragile yet admirable.

A tipsy ‘Se-Young’, her cheeks subtly flushed, mumbled,

“But it’s still difficult, isn’t it?”

Five bottles in, ‘Si-heon’, eyes slightly unfocused, gripped his glass tightly, uttering in a voice choked with emotion,

“… Yes. Yes, it is.”

His eyes blurred and shimmered as if on the verge of tears. Se-Young, in silence, lifted the bottle and refilled his glass.

A clear liquid traced a path down her cheek. Se-Young chuckled lightly, “Finally drunk, are we?”

“Oh, hold on…”

To ‘Si-heon’, who was flustered, trying to wipe away his tears, Se-Young spoke with stern tenderness,

“Just drink. If you need to cry, then cry. It isn’t the first time I’ve seen men shed tears.”
“…”
“Don’t bottle it up, it’s not good for you. I don’t see you like that. You’re a kind-hearted, somewhat gullible junior.”

The long-forgotten warmth of another human made Si-heon’s hand tremble.

“I heard the first snow is on its way?”

People at the adjacent table idly chatted. The air, slightly thick with drunken heat. The first snow was falling. Intoxicated patrons, cameras in hand, headed outside.

Yet, the two of them didn’t bother to check the weather outside. They clinked their glasses together and continued to down their drinks.

“Hey,”

Se-Young, now speaking casually, broke the silence. The formalities were now irrelevant.

“This liquor is a bit bitter, don’t you think?”

Se-Young, shaking her soju glass, giggled. That beautiful smile was destined to radiate warmth to the person across from her.