Love is better than pain
6. Again, to him
The meeting ended past noon.
The Seventeen members gathered in groups of three or five, joking around, and left the conference room.
After Myeongho also quietly cleaned up his seat, he exchanged brief greetings with the other members and headed out into the hallway.
Siyeon also put her laptop away in her bag and stood up.
The feeling of relief of having successfully completed my first task
강시연
“What should I eat for lunch?”
It was at that moment that I was heading towards the hallway, muttering to myself.
강시연
"iced coffee..!"
A sudden pain. A sharp pain, like being stabbed with an awl, struck my stomach.
Siyeon stopped walking down the hallway.
강시연
'What the...is this..!-'
My body felt incredibly heavy, and with barely any consciousness remaining, I staggered to the end of the hallway, leaning against the wall.
Cold sweat was running down my face.
His face was pale and he was breathing heavily.
강시연
‘Should I go to the hospital… now… what should I do…?’
At that moment— a familiar voice was heard.
디에잇(명호)
“Kang Si-yeon?! Are you okay?!”
A clear, urgent, and all too familiar voice. Siyeon barely managed to raise her head.
A face appears in the blurry vision. Sharp eyes visible behind a hat, and an expression distorted with surprise.
강시연
"...Mr. Seo Myung-ho..?"
She called out to him faintly. The man who had saved her in China.
Why is he here...?
The demonstration was confusing. Was this a dream? An illusion?
And, the last memory before losing consciousness
Falling into Myeongho's arms, I felt the warmth of his arms wrapping around me.
디에잇(명호)
“Kang Si-yeon… Si-yeon!!”
Myeongho touched Siyeon's cold forehead and looked into her face. Her breathing was irregular, and her fingertips were as cold as ice.
디에잇(명호)
"shit..."
He looked around quickly.
Fortunately, the conference room hallway was mostly empty, and the staff had already gone out for lunch.
Without a moment's hesitation, Myungho carefully lifted Siyeon's body into his arms.
Her slender figure rested perfectly in his arms, and he hurried down the hallway.
He quickly moved to the underground parking lot, trying to remain unnoticed, even to his own car.
He opened the door and carefully laid the demonstration down in the back seat. He climbed into the driver's seat, grabbed the steering wheel, and took a deep breath.
My heart was beating fast.
디에잇(명호)
‘Why are you like this again…?’
He turned his gaze forward and started the engine.
The destination: the hospital. And from that moment on— Myungho's mind was filled with only one person.
Inside the car. A low groan shattered the quiet space.
강시연
“Ah… ugh…”
Siyeon, who had lost consciousness, carefully opened her eyes.
She looked up at the ceiling of the car, then looked around.
강시연
“Where… am I…? Uh… Mr. Seo Myeong-ho…?”
Siyeon sat up in surprise at the familiar face staring at her. Myungho quickly stopped the car, looked at Siyeon, and spoke.
디에잇(명호)
"I'm on my way to the hospital right now. I suddenly collapsed. Are you okay?"
강시연
“Hey, but… why, how… here…?”
My head was in a mess.
I remember just a moment ago being in the company hallway, and now I'm in the car.
There was a sudden break in the middle.
디에잇(명호)
“Don’t push yourself too hard, just wait. We’ll be there soon.”
Myungho turned back to the driver's seat. Then Siyeon suddenly shouted.
강시연
“Ahhhh—! Hospital, you don’t have to go to the hospital!! Really!”
Myeongho turned his head again as Siyeon's hand stopped him in surprise.
디에잇(명호)
"You're in a situation where you shouldn't go to the hospital, aren't you? Your face was all red earlier."
강시연
"That's... it's just because I can't eat. It's true. I'll be fine if I just eat... I don't need to go to the hospital..."
At Siyeon's words, Myeongho let out a short sigh, as if he was dumbfounded. But after she insisted, he finally quietly turned off the engine.
디에잇(명호)
“Are you sure it’s okay?”
강시연
"yes.."
Only then did the car become quiet. Siyeon looked at Myeongho again.
강시연
‘But… this person… how did he get here?’
As she continued to think deeply, a question suddenly flashed through her mind.
강시연
“…Why is Myeongho here…?”
강시연
'.....!!!! Wait, no way....'
Siyeon's eyes grew wider and wider
강시연
“No way… Mr. The8…?”
I asked cautiously, but my heart was already close to certainty. Myungho chuckled at her.
디에잇(명호)
"You know that now?"
디에잇(명호)
"I guess you really didn't know. I didn't even know you were working at our company..."
Siyeon blushed and opened her mouth in embarrassment, then closed it again.
강시연
“Oh, I, that… I had no idea… Really…!”
Myeongho looked at her like that, and slowly revealed the smile he had been hiding.
디에잇(명호)
“I know. If I had known, I wouldn’t have been able to act so naturally throughout today’s meeting.”
Siyeon covered her face with both hands.
강시연
‘What should I do… I’m embarrassed…’
Seeing her like that, Myeongho found himself smiling again without realizing it.