The Cruel Beast’s Desire - Chapter 6

“What kind of ridiculous…?”

“You’re speechless too, right? I was the same. I was so dumbfounded that I couldn’t say a word and just trembled. Like an idiot.”

“Is that even a sensible thing to say! Who was it that latched onto a rich woman and betrayed her first!”

Raising her voice, Ji-hye jumped up from her seat. Not satisfied with just that, she even thumped her chest with her hands.

“It’s already infuriating that he reappeared after seven years, but now he’s even playing the victim. Was Seo Yoonjae always such a shameless bastard?”

Was he?

Hayeon sighed softly.

“The person who threw the money envelope was that bastard.”

“I know… I received the money envelope…”

“You received it? Your parents snatched it and gobbled it all up.”

The more Ji-hye poured out the story, the more bitterly Hayeon smiled.

Even though she tried hard to erase it, the events of seven years ago were still vivid in her mind. Since the unexpected reunion this afternoon, she hadn’t been able to shake Yoonjae from her head.

As if representing Hayeon’s state, Ji-hye breathed roughly and raged.

“Let’s say you abandoned him, as he claims. Who in the world gives money to the person who betrayed them! Is that bastard really crazy?”

Ji-hye relentlessly spewed out harsh words one after another.

“He didn’t throw the money envelope because he wanted to throw money around. It was like, ‘Take this and get lost! And shut your mouth!’ But then who abandoned whom!”

“……”

“We shouldn’t have let it go like that back then. We should have properly confronted him or taught him a lesson.”

“I needed to have the mental capacity to do that… My body hadn’t even recovered, and my heart was…”

“Was hell.”

Both of them sighed at the same time.

There was a reason why they had no choice but to end things with Yoonjae like that back then.

Having received so many shocks in a row, Hayeon didn’t even have the strength left to resent him.

Her parents, thrilled by the sudden windfall, didn’t bother to care for Hayeon’s wounds; they were hardly ever home from that day on.

It was Ji-hye who took care of Hayeon then. And she had rushed over today as well.

She was such a reliable and grateful friend.

“The center… I should quit, right?”

“If that bastard seems to be up to anything, quit immediately. Model Kang Hayeon, there are plenty of places that want you! Have confidence.”

“Ji-hye, thank you.”

“Don’t get all mushy…”

The two of them smiled faintly and gazed at the city’s night view from the rooftop.

“But Ji-hye…”

After a long silence, Hayeon’s voice rang out sadly.

“No matter who abandoned whom… the end of love doesn’t change. Our Tantan too…”

Is no longer in this world.

Tears she had barely been holding back fell in large drops. Ji-hye hugged Hayeon tightly and patted her back.

It had been such a tiring day, but it was a sleepless night.

She went to work with a sense of unease, as if something was about to happen at any moment, but the sports center was no different from usual.

Today, Hayeon finished her morning class, wrestling with new members. It wasn’t like someone was chasing her, but Hayeon’s steps leaving the center were quick.

She had to donate blood, something she couldn’t do yesterday. As she entered the blood donation room, a nurse she had never seen before greeted her with a smile.

“Hello, I’m Jo Euna, the nurse assigned to the blood donation room since last week.”

Not in the mood to exchange pleasantries with anyone, Hayeon forced a smile.

She finished donating blood as usual, and it was when they were removing the needle that it happened.

“It’ll sting a little.”

Perhaps because it hurt more than usual, Hayeon flinched without realizing it. Red blood quickly seeped out from where the needle had been removed. The blood that flowed down her arm dripped onto the white T-shirt Hayeon was wearing.

“Oh my, I’m sorry.”

The nurse, who had said she was new, hurriedly wiped away the blood and applied a flesh-colored bandage.

“Please press down firmly with your hand for five minutes.”

“Okay.”

“But what should we do about the blood splattered on your clothes?”

It wasn’t a new shirt, but one she had worn enough. It wasn’t because it was pretty, but because it was so comfortable like a second skin from wearing it for so long, so she wouldn’t throw it away just because a few drops of red blood had splattered on it. It would be fine if she washed it clean.

If she had taken public transportation home, she would have received quite a bit of attention.

It was fortunate that Ji-hye was picking her up because there was an additional photoshoot for the Witch’s Wardrobe today.

If she was lucky, she might even get a new shirt.

[I’ve arrived. Take your time, don’t run, come slowly, very slowly, at a snail’s pace.]

Hayeon’s lips curved into a round shape at Ji-hye’s message that had arrived just in time.

[I’m done. I’m coming out now.]

After sending a message to Ji-hye, Hayeon put her phone in her bag.

“My friend came to pick me up. Don’t worry about it. It’s really okay.”

“Ah… that’s a relief. I’m really sorry, I’ll be more careful in the future.”

Hayeon watched the nurse, who had said she was new, let out a sigh of relief. Her face regained its vitality, just like when she had introduced herself as Nurse Jo Euna.

“Please refrain from strenuous exercise today. Don’t lift anything heavy with the arm you donated blood from. You might feel dizzy for an hour or two.”

“Ma’am, I’m someone who gets my blood drawn and stored every three months. I know all the precautions.”

“Ah… but it’s our policy to inform you.”

Hayeon could feel the passion of a new employee from Nurse Jo. She looked to be around the same age as herself, but Hayeon envied the passion and vitality that she didn’t have.

Was that why?

“Isn’t it hard working at the hospital?”

The words that she had never said to the blood donation room nurses she had met every three months for seven years suddenly popped out.

“Ah, what I mean is…”

“I find this job rewarding.”

Hayeon couldn’t see any signs of hardship on Nurse Jo’s face.

“Blood donation is a noble act. It’s something that not just anyone does, even if they know about it. That’s why I really like working in the blood donation room.”

The rookie nurse gave a textbook answer.

“Kang Hayeon-nim, you’re doing something really amazing.”

But she didn’t know anything. She didn’t know that Hayeon wasn’t donating blood with a noble purpose.

Normally, she would have ignored it and moved on. But strangely, today she couldn’t pretend she didn’t hear it.

“I’m not donating blood with such a noble purpose.”

“Yes?”

“I’m drawing and storing my blood to save myself.”

So, don’t think of me as a good person as you please. Because I have absolutely no intention of living that way.

She swallowed the words she couldn’t bring herself to say with a bitter smile and left the blood donation room.

Was it because she came out too quickly?

“Ah!”

“Ouch.”

Hayeon collided with a child she hadn’t seen.

Even in this situation, she instinctively pulled the child, who was falling backward, into her arms. The body that had lost its balance the moment it collided with the child fell to the floor with the child. Hayeon instinctively wrapped her arms around the child to protect her from getting hurt.

After taking a moment to catch her breath, Hayeon looked down at the child in her arms. Eyes widened in surprise looked up at Hayeon. The child’s clear eyes were so transparent that a faint smile leaked out.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere? Did you bump into anything?”

The child shook her head.

Hayeon slowly got up. After standing the child up straight and smoothing out her adorable dress, Hayeon looked at the child once more.

She didn’t seem to be hurt anywhere, but Hayeon was concerned about the child’s pale complexion.

“Ieum-ah!”

The hospital hallway echoed loudly. A middle-aged woman ran towards the child.

“I told you not to run!”

“I was trying to show you that I can find my way alone.”

“I know. I know our Ieum is smart. But you can’t collapse again like last time if you run like this. It’s only been a few hours since you were discharged.”

The child’s lower lip jutted out. The woman looked at Hayeon, who was standing next to her, and bowed her head.

“I saw you help the child up. The child was excited after hearing good news… I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

Hayeon looked down at the deflated child. She was concerned that the child’s mood, which had been good after hearing good news, had sunk.

“Excuse me…”

The child pulled on Hayeon’s clothes and looked up at her.

“Huh?”

“There’s… blood here.”

A small hand pointed to Hayeon’s arm.

Blood was seeping out from where the needle had been inserted to donate blood a little while ago, and the flesh-colored bandage was completely stained with blood.

“Oh my, what should we do?”

The middle-aged woman, who appeared to be the child’s guardian, was at a loss, wondering if Hayeon had been hurt because of the child.

Tears quickly welled up in the child’s clear, large eyes.

“Did I hurt you?”

“Huh? Ah, no.”

Hayeon pressed down on the bleeding area with her hand.

“It’s because I just had a shot and came out.”

Large teardrops fell from the child’s eyes.

“Really. This bandage is for where they took the needle out.”

This time, the child pointed to Hayeon’s T-shirt.

“Your clothes are covered in blood too!”

The child suddenly burst into tears. Hayeon was at a loss, not knowing what to do with the crying child. The woman next to her held the child in her arms and looked at Hayeon cautiously.

“You’re not feeling well, but I’m sorry. I’ll compensate you for the medical expenses or the ruined clothes, anything.”

“No, this is…”

She didn’t know where to start or how to explain to clear up this misunderstanding. But as the child’s crying grew louder, she felt like her brain was going blank.

“Kang Hayeon-nim, you haven’t left yet?”

It was Nurse Jo. A savior had appeared.

“I’m glad I ran into you, ma’am. Please explain to the child. That the blood here isn’t because of her.”

“Yes?”

Her words were all jumbled up.

The child in the woman’s arms was still crying sadly.

“She bumped into the child and the child misunderstood that she was bleeding because of her.”

“Oh my, the bleeding hasn’t stopped properly. Please come back this way.”

Nurse Jo took Hayeon back to the blood donation room. She removed the blood-soaked bandage and disinfected the area.

“You’ll get a bruise. This time, please press down firmly with your hand.”

“More than that, please explain to the child.”

While Hayeon was being treated again, the child’s crying stopped, but her large eyes were still filled with tears.

“It’s my fault. I didn’t stop the bleeding properly.”

“Um… blood…”

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