By Zephyria He knew better than anyone that he disliked Yoon Hye-an and hated flashy parties. The second time they met, when he appeared here, everyone was surprised…
‘I went because Choi Hong-seo was the guest that day.’
If that was true, then today, without Choi Hong-seo, he had no reason to be here.
“Are you completely recovered now? You don’t look sick from your face. Can I give you some alcohol?”
Handing Choi Hong-seo an empty glass, Director Kang looked at his complexion with a worried expression.
“Thanks to your concern, I’m completely fine now. Thank you.”
“Still, don’t overdo it. Let’s have just one drink with us. You’ll have to drink with other guests too.”
The day after collapsing in Lee Hae-sung’s rooftop, Choi Hong-seo had woken up in an unfamiliar hospital room. It was so spacious and comfortable that it was confusing to determine its exact purpose.
Fortunately, Yong-jae was by his side, and he was able to hear about the situation from him. He learned that it was a VIP ward at a general hospital in Gangnam, and that he had collapsed in Lee Hae-sung’s bathroom and was moved there.
‘But why the VIP room…’
‘Vice President Lee ordered it so.’
‘The Vice President?’
‘He probably felt responsible since a guest collapsed at his home. He said not to worry about the hospital bills and to get all the tests done here and stay until discharge. Was it the Vice President’s secretary? Anyway, someone like that contacted the company.’
‘What… tests?’
‘Ah, what was it called? Sepsis, or kidney, kidney… some kind of kidney disease, I think. They said they’d run urine tests, X-rays, and CT scans once you woke up.’
He had collapsed with the same symptoms at the ancestral shrine last time, and the doctor had given a similar diagnosis then. After various tests, the final diagnosis was that there was no particular abnormality.
It would be useless this time too.
Perhaps, it seemed that such symptoms were triggered when he strongly recalled past memories or emotions of being Choi Hong-seo.
Even if it wasn’t certain, looking at the common factors of the moments when the same symptoms occurred, there was nothing else to point to.
Of course, it was a ridiculous guess. But with his soul awakening in someone else’s body, there was nothing Choi Hong-seo couldn’t believe anymore. Even if he couldn’t tell others.
The test results, as expected, showed no abnormalities.
It wasn’t pyelonephritis or sepsis, as the doctor had suspected. Then, they suspected edematous pancreatitis, but that was also ruled out, the doctor explained very kindly to the VIP ward patient.
‘Patients and their guardians may feel anxious, but in fact, about 20-30% of fevers cannot be identified through tests. It’s not uncommon. In your case, we are concerned about the vomiting accompanying the fever, and the sudden onset of severe symptoms, but your body is healthy with no abnormalities. In the future, if you experience symptoms, don’t endure them; take antipyretics and rest immediately, or if it’s severe, come straight to the hospital.’
The fact that even in such an advanced medical world, 20-30% of fevers had no identifiable cause was somewhat shocking to Choi Hong-seo. In a world where even cancer, a representative of terrifying diseases for Choi Hong-seo, could be cured, it was astonishing that the cause of mere high fever and nausea couldn’t be found so often.
However, at the same time, it was also reassuring.
That there were parts of this world that science or medicine couldn’t explain, that remained undiscovered.
The fact that such an existence wasn’t just himself gave him a strange sense of relief.
Thus, Choi Hong-seo was discharged in two days.
Even if he wanted to express his gratitude, Lee Hae-sung hadn’t left a contact number with the company. The number for ‘Carrot Seller’ was saved in his phone’s address book, but of course, he couldn’t call.
Perhaps the hospital had been reporting to Lee Hae-sung’s side, because just before his discharge, his attendant had visited and delivered a flower basket. As a congratulatory gift for his discharge after only two days…
The card among the flowers, which were not flashy but bright, reflecting his taste, contained only the rather cliché phrase: ‘Congratulations on Yoon Hye-an’s discharge, and we wish you good health.’
Even to Yoon Hye-an, towards whom he felt no personal liking, rather closer to dislike, he had shown courtesy. At least, it wasn’t just calling an ambulance and leaving it at that, like last time. He had provided a VIP ward, paid all the hospital bills, and even sent a flower basket upon discharge.
Yet, the cliché message on the card, seemingly handwritten by a florist, made his heart ache.
He shouldn’t expect more. He knew he wouldn’t get it even if he did. That single, perfunctory line written by someone else felt like it showed the distance between him and himself, making his chest feel tight.
Still, he had carefully brought the flower basket and the card home and kept them…
After clinking glasses with the alcohol Director Kang poured, Park Dong-ha took Choi Hong-seo away from the table, saying he needed to greet other guests.
“It’s good that you can greet your acquaintances all at once this way. Even if you don’t remember, you won’t cut ties with people from your past.”
It was a logically sound statement, but Choi Hong-seo wasn’t particularly enthusiastic. His steps, following behind, naturally slowed.
Park Dong-ha, who had been leading the way, urged him to hurry, then, as Choi Hong-seo approached, he looked around and asked discreetly.
“By the way, what happened that day?”
“That day?”
“The day you collapsed.”
“……”
“They wouldn’t even let other guests go near the bathroom… and the Vice President didn’t show up afterward either. Did you, by any chance, go to the hospital with him?”
Watching Choi Hong-seo’s expression, Park Dong-ha asked cautiously. He seemed anxious, as if afraid of hearing a ‘yes,’ or that Lee Hae-sung had left the other guests and followed Yoon Hye-an to the hospital.
“I didn’t come to my senses until the next morning, so I don’t remember what happened that day.”
“Did the hospital staff say anything? If someone like Lee Hae-sung appeared at the hospital, wouldn’t there have been talk after you woke up?”
“I didn’t hear anything like that.”
Choi Hong-seo shook his head and replied.
After being discharged, he had kept his phone turned off. Although medically there were no specific abnormalities, his body, which had suffered from a high fever all night, needed recovery. Park Dong-ha had probably called him multiple times during that period.
“…Is that so?”
Only then did the anxious look on Park Dong-ha’s face somewhat disappear.
He had answered the questions truthfully, but he thought it was better not to mention that he had been admitted to a VIP ward and that all the hospital bills had been paid. He wasn’t obligated to report everything to Park Dong-ha.
“He said you collapsed in the bathroom and were taken to the hospital, and after that, the Vice President didn’t show up… The Vice President’s secretary or butler, or someone, apologized on his behalf and said to enjoy the prepared food and drinks, but the mood was ruined, and the party fizzled out. When someone collapses and is taken to the hospital, it’s hard to have fun eating and drinking at a party where the host is absent.”
“……”
“So I thought maybe the Vice President followed you to the hospital… but that’s not it?”
Park Dong-ha seemed determined to clarify that point. His sideways glance at Choi Hong-seo was quite earnest. He had been unsure about Park Dong-ha’s interest in Lee Hae-sung, but today it seemed certain. This was definitely not just general curiosity about a chaebol.
“There’s no reason for him to go that far. He probably just had another urgent matter to attend to. He’s a busy person.”
“Right? If they were close, maybe, but he wouldn’t have followed you to the hospital. If he had, there would have been rumors at the hospital, but since there’s no talk, it means he didn’t.”
“That’s right…”
Park Dong-ha seemed completely relieved, a faint smile appearing at the corners of his lips. Park Dong-ha couldn’t hide his emotions, appearing so honest that he seemed almost innocent.
It was difficult to watch him, so Choi Hong-seo subtly averted his gaze.
“I heard from Yong-jae Hyung that the test results were also normal?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s nothing wrong, but you don’t remember, and you collapse for no reason… so people suspect you. How can there be no abnormalities at the hospital when someone collapses like that? Isn’t that doctor a quack?”
As he spoke, Park Dong-ha resumed his movement, which had stopped. Choi Hong-seo grabbed his arm as he turned away.
“The fact that there are no abnormalities means there’s no specific illness… It doesn’t mean I collapsed with a lie.”
“Who said you did?”
“That’s how it sounds to me when you say that! What kind of skill do I have to make my fever rise to 42 degrees on purpose?”
“Your fever rose to 42 degrees?”
Hearing him ask that, it seemed his suspicion was somewhat true, but Park Dong-ha showed no intention of admitting it. He then shook off Choi Hong-seo’s hand that was holding his arm.
“I never said you collapsed as a lie. It’s just that because the test results keep coming back normal, it gives people room for suspicion.”
“……”
He had nothing to say.
No matter how much Choi Hong-seo insisted he wasn’t Yoon Hye-an, his social status was Yoon Hye-an.
Pretending to have amnesia, faking a collapse. The reason people saw the current Yoon Hye-an that way was due to the past Yoon Hye-an’s actions. And now, Choi Hong-seo had to bear that responsibility.
“Whether you remember or not, the past you is still you. Even if you don’t remember what kind of person you were, others’ memories remain the same.”
“……”
“Honestly, when you woke up and lost your memory… of course, you were the most surprised and confused, but it was equally bewildering for those around you.”
“……”
“Not everyone can accept it as easily as Yong-jae Hyung. It’s not just memory loss; your way of speaking, personality, even your tastes… you’ve become a completely different person. Isn’t Yong-jae Hyung the unusual one?”
Resentment was increasingly mixed into Park Dong-ha’s voice.
“Right. You must be confused too, I was too sensitive.”
“……”
“This is what’s different from the old me, isn’t it?”
“……Yes. You seem like a completely different person, and I can’t adjust.”
Park Dong-ha was now glaring at Choi Hong-seo. He looked like a child on the verge of tears from anger and injustice.
Choi Hong-seo brought up a question he had wanted to ask Park Dong-ha for a while.
“Do you want me to go back to how I was? Do you prefer the old me?”
His eyes were still burning with emotion, but Park Dong-ha forced the corners of his lips up, laughing painfully.
“Yes, I much prefer you staying as the old you.”
Then, he turned back and quickly walked towards a gaudy table.