Mongmong Psychology 3
"hello-"
The scenery I always see. The people I always see. The place I always stay. Even if one person disappears from my life, my daily life remains strangely unchanged.
“Good morning, Miss Yeoju. How about Taehyung?”
“I heard you’re out of town today. You’re going to the police station?”
As soon as the female protagonist finished speaking, her coworker shook his head from side to side. "Anyway, you've worked hard, really. Who else are you meeting today?" Despite the routine, he sighed as if he couldn't quite adapt, sat down in his swivel chair, and focused his gaze on the female protagonist. He cleared his throat.
“But… Miss Yeoju.”
"yes?"
“Between Taehyung and Yeoju….”
Ah, please answer that phone. At the mention of both names, the heroine, clutching her pitiful cell phone, ran out of the room and into her own clinic.
-🤍-
"Who's following me?" Yeo-ju closed the door to the examination room after checking. She stood still, staring at the dead screen of her phone, before finally calling someone. As the lengthening connection tone continued, she placed her bag in her storage drawer and sat down on the chair in front of her desk, stamping her feet.
And finally, when the connection is disconnected,
“Report of survival.”
“That’s wonderful. I won’t forget.”
“Still on the way?”
“It hasn’t even been five minutes since you got off.”
Oh, I see. The heroine, who had been staring at the minute hand on her watch, continued speaking. "People are looking for you, asking where you went."
“I said I went to work.”
“Yeah. That’s what I said.”
Ah, how am I going to get through today? I won't be able to see Seol Yeo-ju. As soon as I finished speaking, Yeo-ju snorted. Since when did you miss me so terribly? Seriously…
“By any chance… you’re taking care of me like this right now,”
“….”
“Is it pity or sympathy?”
About someone who recently went through a breakup.No response came from the female protagonist. For some reason, a chill lingered. Only Taehyung's small breathing filled the silence. More like a sigh than a simple breath.
The heroine only stroked the tips of her innocent fingernails. Not hearing a reply, she wondered if he truly cared for her with such affection. If he truly cared for me with such intentions, it seemed a bit odd for her to see her friend in that way.
“….”
“….”
“….”
“Speak sense, really.”
Taehyung's voice was raised, his voice laced with nervousness. For a moment, the two of them froze. Yeoju remained silent, only biting her lip repeatedly. Only after Taehyung assured her he'd contact her later did she hang up.
The heroine stared at the disconnected call screen. She glanced at the caller's name, Taehyung, and then threw the phone onto the table. This behavior seemed to reflect the complexities of her feelings.
-🤍-
“It’s been a while, Jiwoo-.”
“Hello, Seonsaemi….”
A blushing boy, clutching a cute dinosaur doll, burst into the clinic. He's a regular client of mine, and his name is Kim Ji-woo. As soon as he met my eyes, he cautiously took my index finger. The soft, smooth texture felt quite pleasant against his fingertips.
As I bent my knees to meet the child's gaze, Jiwoo still looked embarrassed and avoided eye contact. Jiwoo's mother, standing beside him, didn't look too pleased. Her lips opened and closed repeatedly, as if she had something to say. Having roughly guessed, I decided they needed a place alone, so I dragged Jiwoo to the playroom right next door.
“Jiwoo, do you want to play here for a bit?”
“…What about Seonsaemi?”
“I’ll be back soon~ I’ll just have to wait a moment.”
I placed a few lollipops in Jiwoo's small hands and stroked his head. A smile quickly spread across his face. "Oh, so cute." I watched Jiwoo's back as he headed toward the trampoline, then headed to the clinic.
“Which do you prefer, coffee or tea?”
“Oh, I just need water.”
I've always felt that Jiwoo and his mother look exactly like each other, with their bright smiles. This is what they call a "bungeoppang hat."
“….”
“Please speak comfortably. It’s okay.”
"…ah."
He seemed nervous. After several reassurances that he was okay, he finally opened his mouth... Well, what I heard next...
“The child’s father… found out.”
"…yes?"
“…You know. I was the one who opposed Jiwoo coming here.”
“….”
Where was that smile from earlier? Jiwoo's mother's face was filled with anxiety. I'd heard countless stories about Jiwoo's father before, so I had a rough idea of his state of mind. Whenever he drank, he would resort to violence, not only with his children but also with his wife.
I'm getting a divorce soon.At those words, a distorted smile appeared on Jiwoo's mother's face. Despite the corners of her lips trembling as if forced, voices continued to be heard.
He's not a role model for Jiwoo at all. It's all his fault that Jiwoo got sick, and that Jiwoo ended up here with a broken heart. I wonder why they dragged this divorce out for so long.
“…It’s better, Mother.”
“….”
“So, you’re not coming anymore?”
The mother nodded silently and opened her mouth. "I'm afraid my father will come looking for me, so I'm going somewhere else. I just came to say thank you for loving Jiwoo so much."
-🤍-
“Hey, Teacher Seol. Aren’t you going to eat lunch?”
“…Not really, I don’t have any thoughts-“
Since I last saw Jiwoo, I've been completely lost in thought. I've known him for nearly two years, and I've grown quite attached to him. When I first arrived, he was gloomy and sullen, but seeing him smiling as I left made me happy. I feel like he's been a real help.
Jiwoo didn't know today was the last, but if he ever found out, he'd like to meet up at least once—he thought. And that wouldn't be long... Kim Taehyung, suddenly resurfaced amidst his various thoughts. He seemed quite angry earlier. Should I call first? But... he's working too... and he said he'd call first.Rrrrrrrr-
Amazing. Amazing. This must be some kind of telepathic connection. How did you get a call at this exact moment?
"…huh."
“Lunch.”
"yet."
"You?" I asked, and he said he didn't have time. So I said the same thing. He said he just finished counseling a former criminal... and he said he was already feeling drained. Well, that makes sense. Dealing with criminals isn't usually an emotional drain.
“Then now I have to have another consultation.”
“I’m going to take a break.”
Oh, really? Just as I was about to end the call with a dry, sparring exchange... she brought up the topic from earlier. I thought she'd say we'd talk after work, but she said she had something she wanted to say.
“Is it okay if I talk now?”
Of course. But wait, I need to move. I looked around and confirmed it was lunchtime, so no one was there before I headed toward the emergency stairs. I carefully opened the emergency exit, went in, leaned back against the corner wall, and once again put my phone to my ear. Suddenly, Kim Taehyung asked me gently, "Is it okay now?" I answered, "Yes, tell me now."
As expected, he took a deep breath and then began to speak.
“It’s not sympathy or pity or anything like that.”
“….”
“I’ve never felt that way about you.”
“….”
It's strange to feel that way just because you broke up, right? Isn't it? When he asked me, I just nodded slowly without answering. Then, I started wondering...
“Then, what is it?”
"…what."
“…Why are you suddenly doing something you’ve never done before?”
You've been so concerned about the person you're dealing with, since yesterday. As I said that, I kept walking up and down the stairs, wondering what I was talking about. I tried my best to act calm... but it's not easy.
But in the midst of all that… I hear laughter. And it's a hollow laugh. He chuckles as if he's dumbfounded, and then what I hear is…
“Are you pretending not to know, or are you really not?”
"…what?"
“Or are you just clueless?”
“…I’m a bit dull.”