Welcome to Dungeon Hotel Chapter 314 - Side Story 1. An Ordinary Romance (9)

Side Story 1. An Ordinary Romance (9) 

 

Han Woohyun couldn’t respond, as if something were stuck in his throat. 

 

She’s mistaking me for that “someone” right now.

 

The situation felt cold and harsh, but hearing the breathing on the other end of the line made him feel unsure of what to do.

 

Because he didn’t want this call to end.

 

Because, in this moment connected by the call, he couldn’t feel any of the frustration from earlier.

 

People who are desperate are the ones who tend to lose their way.

 

[Don’t say anything.]

 

Fortunately, the signpost was provided from the other side.

 

[Just listen.]

 

The words slurred, as if she were drunk.

 

So you’ve been drinking until this hour.

 

You miss someone.

 

Thinking that, he felt pathetic for crouching down over a single misdialed call.

 

But even that thought didn’t last long.

 

He was afraid he might miss her words while having such thoughts.

 

Han Woohyun held the phone and quietly listened.

 

Then, as if regretting the outburst, a long sigh came through the line.

 

[First, first of all…]

 

A rustling sound was heard.

 

Did she actually write down what she wanted to say?

 

Or is it just the sound of her clothes brushing?

 

Han Woohyun crouched in front of the apartment’s main entrance, staring across the dark street.

 

If you were standing over there, what would you look like?

 

I could vividly picture the way you’d hesitate, weighing the words you wanted to say, biting your lip, wetting it with your tongue for no reason, and finally opening your mouth.

 

Maybe it was because he’d imagined it so many times.

 

Maybe it was because all those emotions were coming through the voice on the other end of the line.

 

[First of all… there was something you said that was right—that I made you sick of me.]

 

The words slipped out as he cleared his throat for no reason.

 

Han Woohyun clenched his teeth.

 

[Yeah. Just like you like posting photos on SNS, as if it’s just a habit, a routine, something everyone does and you want to do too, I also—]

 

“….”

 

[I also wanted to experience dating. I also wanted to like someone. That was indeed my starting point. But that’s not all there is.]

 

A fleeting thought crossed his mind, wanting to stop this strange call right now.

 

Can I really listen all the way through to someone confessing to me in this voice?

 

And if even this voice ends, won’t I feel even more pitiful?

 

But he couldn’t help leaning closer to the phone, listening more desperately, like a worshipper hearing the voice of a deity.

 

[I liked you too.]

 

To hear those words just once.

 

Han Woohyun, normally unaffected by the cold, shivered and wrapped one arm around his other shoulder.

 

His head bowed.

 

[I liked that, unlike me, you were so interested in others, and I liked that you expressed it without holding back. I never thought the dates you suggested were silly. Even though going to an amusement park in our uniforms was awkward, I—]

 

“….”

 

[Being with you wasn’t bad. I don’t know what it means to do the things a ‘girlfriend’ should do—saying ‘I love you’ every day, using nicknames, decorating messages, stuff like that. I just liked you, and if that wasn’t enough, then what can I do?]

 

A slightly pounding voice came through the receiver.

 

Han Woohyun became curious about the face of the person this call was originally meant for. 

 

But it was probably for the best that he didn’t know.

 

Because if he had known, he’d want to find them somehow. 

 

[I’m sorry my feelings weren’t enough. If that really hurt you, then I apologize. So—]

 

“….”

 

[So you apologize to me too.]

 

“….!”

 

Han Woohyun raised his head. 

 

It was surprising that he only now realized the other person was crying.

 

He realized that surely, it wasn’t tears over missing some random guy at this hour.

 

Junghyo had wanted to say this.

 

‘Apologize to me.’

 

[Just because my feelings weren’t enough doesn’t mean I couldn’t be hurt. No matter what our situation was, you hurt me. I know everything—that you confessed to her before you told me you wanted to break up.]

 

Han Woohyun clenched his cold fists.

 

The trembling voice gradually grew steadier.

 

As if the words “apologize” had become the turning point.

 

[And you used my feelings too. You said you liked me more, that losing you would mean losing something precious, and you made it sound like I was the one doing something wrong—I know that.]

 

“….”

 

[Apologize to me…]

 

The other person’s voice was still trembling, but there was none of the hesitation from before.

 

[You wronged me. So… apologize.]

 

But then, in an instant, that strength flickered out like a candle in the wind.

 

The voice, seemingly confused, had lost its way.

 

[You said you liked me… so why… why did it suddenly turn out like this?]

 

“….”

 

[Why…Did you suddenly change?]

 

“….”

 

[When you said everything was fine… was that a lie from the start? Or… did it stop being fine at some point? Really…]

 

“….” 

 

[Did I really make you become like this?]

 

“….” 

 

Feeling the voice breaking, Han Woohyun furrowed his brow.

 

He felt as if he was crumbling along with it.

 

Did I really make everything like this?

 

Really?

 

[No. Still… still, apologize to me.]

 

“….”

 

But a much smaller, more delicate voice found strength.

 

As if squeezing out even the tiniest bit of strength from within, it looked exhausting, but still, the extinguished candle flickered back to life.

 

Feeling that, he was overwhelmed by a swirl of indescribable emotions.

 

[Still, I’m not someone who should be treated like this. So—]

 

“I’m sorry.”

 

Han Woohyun opened his mouth.

 

Unable to bear it any longer, he opened his mouth.

 

Even though opening his mouth would reveal his identity to the other side, he chose to forgo that part.

 

“It wasn’t your fault.”

 

[….]

 

“I apologize.”

 

The moment he said those words, he felt the other person’s heavy breathing gradually subside.

 

A rustling sound.

 

A sob.

 

A steady breathing.

 

A hint of emptiness also lingered.

 

But most of the sounds were refreshing and exhilarating.

 

An overwhelming urge to ask where they were surged within him.

 

I’ll go.

 

But that was the end of the phone call.

 

[Okay. I understand.]

 

Tuk.

 

The call hung up.

 

Even knowing that, he remained crouched, clutching the phone, for a long moment.

 

The silence that followed her voice wasn’t as despairing as he had imagined.

 

Realizing that, he stood up from his spot.

 

‘It’s not because of you.’

 

The moment he heard those words, he remembered his steadying breaths and saw Jinsoo stepping out of the entrance.

 

“I’ll just take the bus. My account number is…”

 

“Jinsoo-ya.”

 

“Why?”

 

He didn’t stop Jinsoo, who was staggering in front of him.

 

He didn’t even pat his shoulder.

 

He said what he wanted to say.

 

“You can’t live like me.”

 

“…What?”

 

Jinsoo’s brows furrowed.

 

While sitting on the sofa, perhaps from the alcohol kicking in more, his eyes grew even hazier.

 

Han Woohyun picked up the cigarette pack that had fallen on the floor, tossed it into the nearby trash can, and spoke to Jinsoo.

 

“Don’t come by with side dishes like you’re giving out charity. No—don’t come at all, no matter what you’re bringing. If you really want to live differently, then do that. But don’t… don’t show it to me. We…”

 

He bit his lip. 

 

He measured the words he wanted to say, hesitated, bit his lip, then wetted it with his tongue for no reason, before finally opening his mouth.

 

“Let’s live without seeing each other again.”

 

I won’t ask you to apologize.

 

Because even an apology wouldn’t offer any comfort.

 

Did I do this to you?

 

Did I ruin everyone around me like this?

 

There was no need to answer that question.

 

Still, even so, that doesn’t mean you have the right to ruin me.

 

He brushed past Jinsoo, who was opening and closing his mouth as if trying to say something, and stepped inside the doorway. 

 

The security guard greeted him.

 

He asked, glancing suspiciously at Jinsoo, “Are you family?”

 

Only then did he turn to Jinsoo, who had followed him back into the front door, and shake his head.

 

“I don’t know him.”

 

* * *

 

‘It was me who got your call that night.’

 

There was no time to explain what he meant.

 

Soon, the substitute driver arrived at the bar, and Minji, as if she had been waiting for that moment, completely lost control of her body.

 

Han Woohyun hung up the phone and crossed the street toward the two of them.

 

“Ughhh…”

 

Strapped in the middle of the back seat as if to keep her from falling over, Minji was buckled up while Junghyo and Woohyun sat on either side of her. 

 

“Where should we go?”

 

The driver’s voice came from the driver’s seat.

 

“Through Uijeongbu to Gangnam, please.”

 

After telling the driver their destination, Junghyo wrapped an arm around Minji to keep her from slumping over and carefully tucked her coat around Minji’s lower body. 

 

Minji muttered.

 

“Ugh… I feel like a zombie being taken away…”

 

“So you do understand. …Then don’t bite. It hurts.”

 

“I miss the feeling of skin.”

 

“I want to… curse.”

 

Junghyo let out a sigh and placed her bag on top of the coat. 

 

Then she glanced over at Han Woohyun. Seeing that, Woohyun reached a hand toward her.

 

“…”

 

He looked desperate—like a puppy that knows it’s done something wrong.

 

Junghyo quietly stared into Han Woohyun’s eyes in the darkness.

 

‘I thought you didn’t smoke.’

 

She remembered Han Woo-hyun standing in the dark, holding a pack of cigarettes.

 

And the way he coldly smashed her phone. 

 

Maybe that was a part of the “bottom” Han Woohyun didn’t want to show.

 

So then…

 

‘It’s not as bad as I thought.’

 

“Hmm…”

 

By the time Minji’s breathing had evened out, Junghyo hesitated for a moment before taking his hand. 

 

It was warm.

 

In the darkness, Han Woohyun’s eyes trembled slightly.