For the Sake of Lying - Chapter 3

As soon as Kanghyun answered, questions continued to follow. His expression hardened as if he were embarrassed. It seemed difficult to answer while chewing his good-looking lower lip. A drop of blood appeared on Yoon Do-young’s forehead.

Kang Hyun, who couldn’t see it, opened his mouth after a moment of silence.

“Cafe.”

“It’s only been a month since you started working there.”

“…Yeah.”

“What kind of person are they?”

“…Good.”

I felt like I was going to explode due to his short answers. With a soft smile, I asked again.

“Can’t you tell me in detail? Do you have a picture you can show me?”

“I’ll introduce them to you later.”

Kang Hyun looked around the hospital room with an awkward smile, avoiding eye contact. I grabbed his arm and asked.

“Why didn’t you tell me it’s been a month?”

A hint of sadness was buried in my words. Kang Hyun, looking embarrassed, stared at my face and pulled his arm out of my hand. After chewing his lower lip, he finally spoke, meeting my gaze.

“I thought you were busy. I wasn’t sure because our relationship slowly became more natural. This is the first time I’m telling anyone. No one else knows yet.”

He spoke calmly, his voice carrying a shallow breath.

“What about your condition? Why did you have such an accident?”

Yoon Do-young, seeming indifferent, kept his mouth shut in response to the question. Kang Hyun used to have a harsh tone, but his voice now felt cold, as if it had nothing to do with me.

“It’s okay… They say I’ll be able to manage in my daily life.”

Kang Hyun smiled, seemingly relieved by my words.

“Rest now. I’ll go.”

“Already?”

Yoon Do-young raised his upper body, wincing in pain. Kang Hyun quickly came over and gently laid him back down.

“Does it hurt a lot? Should I call the nurse?”

Yoon Do-young grabbed his sleeve, his voice full of worry.

“Can’t you take care of me?”

Silence filled the room as I held onto his arm, my voice trembling. I grabbed my chest, emphasizing the pain, and let out a pained sound. Kang Hyun was always there to fulfill my requests. Naturally, I expected a comforting answer, a smile on my face.

“Sorry. I have to go to my part-time job. Besides, they say you’ll be fine in your daily life. Be careful and move cautiously until you get better, and ask for help from a reliable assistant.”

Yoon Do-young’s straightened hair fell, his heart cracking at the calm words.

“Do-young, I’m already late. Take care of yourself. When you get discharged from the hospital…”

I held onto his hand, unable to speak. Trembling yet determined, I asked a desperate question.

“Will you come? Will you be there?”

“If the time is right… I’m sorry, but I have three part-time jobs these days. I promise to contact you. Rest now.”

Yoon Do-young lost strength in his hands. Speaking calmly to Kang Hyun, who hesitated and turned away, my voice had a softness mixed with coldness.

“Wear my coat.”

“No, I can take a taxi.”

I refused, turned around, and stared at Kang Hyun’s back. As the door closed, a feeling of emptiness engulfed my chest. It wasn’t as intense as when I saw the message about being in a hotel with a lover, but anger stiffened the back of my neck.

I closed my eyes, feeling the heat welling up around my eyes. I pressed my hand against my pierced chest, gazing blankly into the air.

I couldn’t even congratulate him out of politeness because he had a lover. No, I couldn’t.

***

Kang Hyun’s steps in the VIP room hallway were steady.

I stood in front of the elevator, pressing the down button. I took a deep breath as I waited for the elevator, which stopped on the third floor, to arrive.

Fortunately, Yoon Do-young’s accident wasn’t severe. They said the fractured ribs would heal in about a month, and it wasn’t a cause for worry as daily activities were still possible.

The agency would take good care of him, and his parents and grandfather would provide the necessary support. His maternal grandfather and mother, who were the president of a large company, and his father, a member of the National Assembly, would take care of him with utmost care. So, I just needed to focus on my own work.

Yoon Do-young’s voice, asking for care, echoed in my mind. The pain he experienced while holding his chest resounded in my ears. My feet yearned to return to the hospital room, but as I raised and lowered my heels nervously, a hand gently held my shoulder, causing me to reflexively turn around.

“It’s cold. Wear a coat.”

Yoon Do-young held out the coat, clutching his chest.

“Why are you out of bed?”

“I said I can manage my daily life, so I took a short walk. There’s no need to be so surprised.”

Yoon Do-young walked behind me, unsure of what to do with the coat draped over. I looked at him with a troubled expression and said, “It’s alright.”

“The weather is below freezing today.”

Just as the elevator doors opened, we simultaneously spoke.

“Take the next one.”

“I’ll join you.”

Kang Hyun smiled, feeling a little embarrassed. Yoon Do-young noticed and smiled back, observant eyes shining through the folds of his eyes.

“I… I should go.”

“I want to take you.”

“Sorry, I’m running late for my job. I’ll be in touch.”

Hastily, Kangyun stepped into the elevator, pressing the button to close the doors.

“I’ll call you.”

“Take care and go.”

“Take care of yourself.”

“Thank you for coming.”

I pressed the button for the first floor as Yoon Do-young’s helpless farewell echoed in my ears. Raising my head absentmindedly, I waved from the level of my chest as the elevator doors closed. Kang Hyun also waved back. Soon, the elevator doors shut, and Yoon Do-young disappeared from sight.

“Haa…”

I covered my face with both hands, feeling the weight of his pain even though I was the one injured. It weighed heavily on my heart, hurting intensely. My mind felt empty, but the coat on my shoulder provided warmth, reminiscent of its owner.

He was so precious. He treated everyone with kindness, yet remained surprisingly distant. He rarely initiated conversations unless necessary, intentionally keeping a chilly demeanor towards those who approached him out of obligation.

But only for me. Only for me, someone he had known for a long time, did he act this way, as if giving his all.

Exiting the open elevator doors, I tucked my arm into the coat’s hem. Walking through the lobby, I unknowingly stopped in front of a large mirror.

Untidy hair. A black knit tee and loose-fitting pants. The luxurious coat on top.

A bitter smile escaped my lips, observing my unbalanced appearance.

I sent a message saying I was at a hotel with my lover. Who would meet their lover at the end of the year looking like this? And at a hotel, no less. I took a weak step forward.

He gave me his scented coat, and I wrapped it around myself, hugging it close. The coat, one size too big for me, felt as comforting as ever.

“Ah…”

I was concocting a futile story about having a lover, and I was so distracted that I couldn’t even congratulate him on winning the grand prize. I could return the coat through the agency, but I had to offer my congratulations. As fellow actors…

I laughed bitterly, pushing the thoughts aside.

How could Yoon Do-young and I be on the same level as actors? He started as a child actor and, after returning from his hiatus, quickly rose to become a leading actor. Meanwhile, I was just a struggling actor, barely landing supporting roles and mostly playing extras due to being forgotten.

I took out my smartphone and hovered my finger over the keypad to send a greeting once more. But there, right in front of me, was a congratulatory message.

Kangyun: I watched the awards ceremony.

Of course, I knew it would be you.

Congratulations.

I read it and sent it, but then I turned off the screen. I wanted to send something else. I let out a heavy sigh and forced myself to keep walking. As I stepped out of the hospital, the coldness that I hadn’t noticed wrapped around me, even with the coat on. I raised my collar, shielding the back of my neck, and headed towards a nearby bus stop. I stood in the farthest corner, farther away than I knew.

I shook my head and waited for the bus. The bus passed by as I tapped my toes on the sidewalk block, but I didn’t even notice. As I was about to send a second message, my phone vibrated.

I missed the bus again. I just needed to take the next one.

As soon as I checked the message, my head turned. When I looked up at the top floor of the hospital where the VIP room was located, I heard another vibration.

Yoon Do-young: Come again later

I got on the bus and sat down to quickly type in my answer.

Kangyun: Rest. And Congratulations again.

It was lovely. I typed and erased the last part and just hit send. A reply came soon.

Yoon Do-young: My chest hurts so much every time I move.

Kangyun: Call the nurse.

I quickly checked the message, but there was no reply. I turned off the screen and put the phone in my pocket. Leaning against the backrest, I closed my eyes and let out a long sigh.

***

Yoon Do-young, hanging on the large window of the VIP room, let out a shallow sigh upon receiving Kang Hyun’s message. It was the usual short answer, but today it made him nervous.

Being unwell, he naturally informed the nurse, but she couldn’t understand why he felt so sad. Another sigh escaped his lips. He sat on the bed, gazing at Kang Hyun’s departing bus. Even as the bus turned into a tiny toy-like figure and disappeared between the buildings, he continued to stare blankly at the spot. In the room filled with silence, only the occasional moan accompanied Yoon Do-young’s sighs.

His attention was drawn back to his smartphone as he heard the message tone.

Kang Hyun: What did the nurse say?

The focus returned to Kang Hyun’s message, and his eyes sparkled. He quickly tapped on the keypad, his fingers moving so fast they became a blur.

“My heart hurts.”

When I asked with a face that said it didn’t hurt at all, a nurse came over and helped me.

“Please lay down and I will tell the doctor.”

“Is it supposed to hurt like this?”

The nurse’s eyes were full of questions at Yoon Do-young’s question, which came out with a sigh. As far as she knew, Yoon Do-Young was in a mild condition that allowed him to go about his daily life.

“Each patient’s case of pain is different.”

As soon as I heard the nurse’s answer, I hit the keypad so fast I couldn’t even see my fingers.

Yoon Do-young: It hurts even when I breathe. It hurts even when I stay still, and the pain intensifies when I move. The nurse said I’m unwell.