Love is better than pain

23. People who disappear, people who are left behind

— Hospital. A ward in a university hospital.

No name, no contact information, no other information was left behind.

I deleted everything and quietly went to the hospital. A white hospital gown, a quiet room, and endless rounds of chemotherapy.

My whole body was numb, and my lips were parched. The pain... I couldn't get used to it.

강시연

"....ah.."

I missed Myeongho so much.

Unable to find him, Siyeon quietly opened the YouTube app.

"The 8 Fancam" "Seo Myung-ho Paris Fashion Show" "SEVENTEEN Interview"

I searched them one by one, seeing his name, his smile, his eyes again.

On screen, he was shining as always.

***

The person I will never see again…

Today, too, you shine the brightest in the world.

Siyeon hugged the screen and closed her eyes.

No tears flowed—but a silence, even more painful, quietly settled over her.

Paris, France. Day 3 of the fashion show.

After finishing his last schedule, Myeongho took a deep breath and quietly exhaled.

Finally finished. I'm going back to Korea tomorrow.

디에잇(명호)

“I wonder what Siyeon is doing…”

I entered the hotel room, clearing my head with that one thought.

Arrived in the room, late at night. Myungho threw himself onto the sofa and turned on his phone, which he hadn't checked in hours.

There were many other notifications, but from Siyeon...

No notifications. No texts. No calls. No KakaoTalk... nothing.

디에잇(명호)

"...That's strange."

His lips curled up, but soon he formed a familiar smile.

디에잇(명호)

“I have to do it first.”

At that moment, I opened KakaoTalk.

The demonstration's profile window. That familiar window— had changed into something unfamiliar.

(Withdrawn member)

디에잇(명호)

"… …what."

At that moment, a notification from the Seventeen group chat rang.

(Woof)

(Woof)

Messages came in, one line at a time. There was one truth within them: Siyeon had quit her job.

Myungho's hands began to tremble quietly.

디에잇(명호)

“Without saying anything…?”

I made a quick phone call.

The number you have dialed is not available—

A moment of silence. And then—the phone slipped from my hand and fell to the floor with a thud.

Myungho knelt down and sat there.

디에잇(명호)

"…doesn't exist."

Without saying a word, without contacting anyone, without leaving any trace.

The demonstration quietly and completely disappeared from his world.

Tears fell before consciousness could even begin to see them. Crying so hard I couldn't even breathe. Pain crushed my chest.

디에잇(명호)

"...This...this...isn't it...."

Myeongho buried his face in the spot and sobbed.

That one sentence, "It disappeared," brought the world down.