Bye-Bye

When I got off work and went down to the first floor, Choi Sung-hoon was standing in the center of attention.

The man I hadn’t seen in a long time was still dressed in a black suit that complemented his raised hair, and he was wearing the scarf I had given him. Choi Sung-hoon quickly found me and our gazes met.

I wanted to run up to him and hug him, but we weren’t dating yet, so I put up with it.

“Choi Sung-hoon, you have a good trip-…”

He approached without hesitation. I was unable to finish my greetings with a sense of dreadful intimidation.

I could smell the cold wind and the subtle scent of Alpha pheromone.

He grabbed my chin and turned it to the right and left. The eyes that looked at me slowly were colder than a midwinter cold wave. It was difficult to communicate in the dark, sinking atmosphere.

“Right cheekbones and left temple.”

He said exactly where I was hit.

“The blood vessels in your eyes have ruptured. It looks like your teeth are also hurt.”

“…”

“How much is your tooth shaking?”

“It’s just a little, but that’s okay.”

Choi Sung-hoon has a terrifying face and a ferocious aura, and I became a little nervous around him.

Everyone on their way home from work was staring at us with their eyes wide open. There was also a famous couple in this building.

Did we look like lovers in their eyes?

A chuckle came out.

“I guess you could now laugh.”

Choi Sung-hoon made a very scary impression.

He took off my horn-rimmed glasses and caressed my bruised eyes.

“It must have hurt.”

“…It’s, it’s okay. It’s not as bad as it looks.”

My heart was fluttering. Just like a candlestick in front of the wind.

“It must have hurt.”

It was only four words, but my eyes almost melted in an instant. It meant that tears were about to flow.

I had never cried other than physiological tears since the death of my family, but the word of concern on his lips made my nose stuffy and made me choked up. I bit the inside of my mouth and held it in.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t next to you at that moment.”

“It’s all right… On the contrary, I was relieved that Choi Sung-hoon wasn’t with me at the time. What if you got caught up in the moment and hurt yourself? Let’s stop talking about it and go see Picasso right away.”

I pulled on his arm. Choi Sung-hoon shifted his hand position when he grabbed my wrist. Everyone’s gaze seemed to be drawn solely to the hands we were holding together. I smiled a lot.

The limousine was parked in front of the building. We got on the back seat together, but Choi Sung-hoon ordered the driver to go to ○○ hospital.

“Hospital? Why? Did you get hurt?”

Did you fight a Chinese organization?

I was so distracted by my pain that I couldn’t look at it.

I checked on Choi Sung-hoon’s body. His chest was very tight as if it were a grater. I felt like I was touching a brick when I touched his forearm.

Choi Sung-hoon gently wrapped my hands that were touching him here and there at the time.

“I had no idea it was this bad in the photos. Don’t do anything until your face is healed.”

“I’ve already had treatment. The swelling and bruises make it look severe.”

“There’s a hospital that I often go to.”

“What about Picasso? The exhibition was not held until late at night.”

“We’re not going to see it.”

Ah…

I swapped my padding jacket and arrived in leather boots to see Picasso… It’s an outdoor date…

“We won’t go even if you look at me like that.”

Choi Sung-hoon was cold and I lost my energy. I pouted my lips and leaned as if digging into the sheet.

It was the first art exhibition in my life… After all, I don’t think this noble culture suits me.

I was just thinking about my position.

From the standpoint of the person I’ll be going with, it’s understandable that he doesn’t like me, who draws attention with a bruised face.

“I know it hurts even if you don’t move. You’re running a fever, and your eyes are bright red. Eating is difficult because your mouth is swollen. Let’s rest go to the hospital this week.”

Choi Sung-hoon speaks politely. He responded as if he genuinely cared about me.

That’s why I can’t help but nod my head.

Choi Sung-hoon held my hand and asked.

“Did you look forward to it a lot?”

“Yes, a lot…”

“…Let’s go next week.”

“It’s only available until the end of this week. I know everything.”

I know everything because I read the articles about it three times per day.

I’m so sad. I even bragged about it to Won-jo.

“…It has been extended by one week.”

“Really? Articles say it’s until this week.”

“It was decided today, so the article is still in the process… I heard it today because I know the director.”

Choi Sung-hoon smiled softly and kissed my forehead.

It’s an extension!

Since meeting Choi Sung-hoon, my life, which has always been unfortunate, seems to have only good things happen to it.

How is it possible for this person to have perfect personal connections?

I was so happy that I hugged Choi Sung-hoon’s neck and kissed him. Choi Sung-hoon kissed me briefly, grabbed my face as I was about to fall, and responded passionately.

* * *

“Is absenteeism trendy these days? What’s the matter with everyone?”

The manager, who was on the phone with the customer, became nervous and hung up the phone. And he apologized right away, even though it was early in the morning. I handed the manager a piece of chocolate that Choi Sung-hoon had given me as a  gift on a previous business trip.

“What’s wrong? Who has been absent from work again?

“Uh, Do you know Park Jin-cheol? I heard you were close with him.”

“I wasn’t close, but I know him.”

“He was absent without saying anything yesterday, but today he called and said he was leaving the company and asked me to throw away all his belongings.”

“Why? That bastard, wasn’t he just joined the company?”

“That makes me even more upset. How many times does the person in charge change here?”

I remembered Park Jin-cheol was standing in front of my house not long ago. I also recall him putting his hands in his pockets while staring at me with a poisoned face.

He suddenly disappeared and didn’t answer his phone, so did something happen? Any accident…

“They said he won a lottery ticket. I’ve always worked so hard on the lottery, but I’ve never won.”

When I heard them, it quickly dispelled any concerns I had.

Lottery ticket? Isn’t it a bit too much morally for such a bastard to win the lottery?

I doubt the guy who didn’t take the coupon stamps will buy a lottery ticket. It’s most likely just a rumor.

You should not believe rumors that circulate without supporting evidence. This was due to the fact that it could grow in size like a snowball as it was passed from mouth to mouth. When they talk about it, the phrase ‘Well, he might have won a lottery’ changed to ‘He won a lottery’ in an instant. That’s why I despise rumors.

“You know what, Manager Seo? There are two winners in the lottery this week. That’s 6.2 billion won per person.”

I suddenly lost my desire to work. Because of bruises, I still wear horn-rimmed glasses, and I can’t even eat the chocolate that my crush bought me. What exactly do you mean by winning a lottery? It’s so unfair.

So I complained to Choi Sung-hoon on my way home from work that day.

“There is an employee who is rude and unable to work. Initially, he quit his job two weeks after joining another company, then returned to the same industry and quit again in two months. Isn’t it funny?”

“Yeah, that’s funny.”

“But the reason he left is that he won a lottery. He got 6.2 billion. I think it’s really unfair. Of course, I’m not obsessed with money. Does it make sense for such an irresponsible person to win 1st place in the lottery? 6.2 billion.”

“…That’s, I don’t think so.”

Choi Sung-hoon, who had paused for a moment, frowned and consoled me.

“Who said that? He won the lottery.”

“Rumors.”

“Rumors should not be believed. He would have transferred to another industry of the same type. Is your mouth getting better?”

Choi Sung-hoon grabbed my chin and kissed me saying that he would check the inside, so my thoughts on Park Jin-cheol ended with that.

I haven’t heard any rumors about Park Jin-cheol since then, and he’s naturally faded from my memory.