The Insider Ghost Ship: She Said, He Said

CHAPTER 28: He Said: About Chi Hong's Feeling Towards Song Hwa

Returning home from the hospital after an emergency call, Ik Jun had no difficulty choosing between sleeping and eating. It was four thirty in the morning, so he headed to the kitchen to make some nurungji for breakfast.

As he was eating by himself, he thought of that rainy early morning when he was sitting on the same spot and eating the same breakfast with Song Hwa. He knew she could still be sleeping at that hour, but he thought a text message would not hurt. She could read it when she wakes up.

Joheun achim. Nurungji for breakfast? Then, he took a photo of his bowl with some nurungji in it and sent it to Song Hwa. After doing so, he stood up to clear the table and wash the dishes so he could get some sleep himself. It was not yet five minutes after his message when his phone alerted.

I'd love some. But get some sleep. I know you pulled an all-nighter. And she was right.

I will. Najeunge. What about you? How long have you been up? It's quite early.

I pulled an all-nighter too. I'm finishing an evaluation report. How's U Ju?

He's in Changwon until next week. You should get some sleep too.

Ne. I'm almost done.

Arasseo. I'm off to bed. Do the same after you're done.

He did not wait for her reply to avoid disturbing her more than he already did. He wanted to tell her he would wait for her so they could go to bed at the same time, but that, he thought, might be pushing it too far. He would not want her to feel uncomfortable towards him again, and he would never allow things between them to get awkward once more. This was how she preferred it, this was how he would deliver it. Anything to make Song Hwa happy.

Anything...But what if what would really make her happy was someone else?

He cringed at the thought. Although he did not want to think much about it, he could not help doing so, because he knew way back when she had feelings for Jeong Won—and she could still have. Being in a relationship did not mean anybody else could not have feelings for them—someone could still be crushing on Gyeo Eul, as Song Hwa could still have feelings for Jeong Won.

And knowing that Chi Hong also have feelings for her did not help either. He had nothing against him, he was actually a good man. If Jun Wan did not pursue Ik Sun, he would conspire with all the matchmaking spirits and invoke all his powers and skills to make sure his yeodongsaeng would end up with him. That was why he knew he would have a tough competition on Chi Hong if he ever decided to pursue Song Hwa.

He was amused at himself when he realized how he almost missed and misjudged Chi Hong on that aspect. He was so into him for his sister, he did not care much that Jun Wan was already into Ik Sun during that time. Whether he did it to tease him or to protect his part in Song Hwa's life, it did not matter. What was important was he knew who he was dealing with and how Chi Hong is as a competition.

He believed he should not be taking this matter too seriously, but he also knew he should not be underestimating him. He should not let him know his weakness, and he must not let his guard down, which was what almost happened when he talked to him about what Ik Sun went through after her last failed relationship.

"Gyosunim, please believe me. Nothing's going on between me and Ik Sun. We're really just friends." He stated to end his story about his yeodongsaeng.

"Arasseo. I heard you. Jeez...." He answered as he playfully punched him in the arm.

"You have your band practice later today, right?" Was Chi Hong's response instead. He was not even surprised why would he ask that, and why would it be of concern to him. That was because he never thought that he might have feelings for Song Hwa. He should have answered him with another question, but he did not.

"May I stop by next time and watch you practice?" He continued.

"Sure, you can definitely come, but..." He answered. Then, it suddenly hit him. "You like Song Hwa, right?" He blurted out tactlessly. "I mean, you admire—" He continued, to rephrase what he previously said.

"Yes." Chi Hong answered simultaneously with his last statement.

He was dumbfounded. For a while he was at a loss for words. He did not know what his silence, stare and half-smile implied, but those were the best he could do at that moment. He was obviously caught off-guard. If it was not for the baseball in his hand, his guard would have completely fallen.

"I like her." Chi Hong continued, confirming his previous answer.

He was sure his brain shut off for a few seconds, sustaining the silence because of his inability to retort immediately. Again, if it was not for the baseball in his hands....

"Everyone likes Song Hwa." He replied after a few more seconds, as if his brain was just jumpstarted. And suddenly, nice words about Song Hwa came surging out, filling Chi Hong with information that could flame up his feelings for her even more. He was not sure if he was handling the situation wisely, so he decided to put an end to their conversation by bringing up Song Hwa's coil embolization. And it worked. It was like throwing him out of his office, only he did it to himself.

He did not know what Chi Hong's current status with Song Hwa is, since she was not the type that talks about her relationships in details. If she decided to allow him to pursue her, he could not do anything about it. Only she had a say on it. All he could do was hope that she would not even consider. Chi Hong is a good man, and Song Hwa could fall for her if he would be persistent enough.

Which was something he did not want to think about.

Seeing Song Hwa with another man was almost a common thing to him since she had had relationships before. Relationships with men he was not acquainted to nor even know. But with Chi Hong, it would be different. He knew him, he was acquainted to him, and it would definitely affect his view of him. He would not want to look at him in a negative way just because, like him, he has feelings for Song Hwa. That would be irrational and immature. At his age, he was way past that phase.

That was why, somehow, he believed that Song Hwa's move to Sokcho did him good, because she could stay away from Chi Hong as far as possible. Nobody else might have looked at it that way, but he did. And he was grateful for it.

And Chi Hong moving to a different hospital after he became a chief resident was also benefiting him more than anybody would think. That would mean he was farther away from Song Hwa and would more less likely to pursue a relationship with her.

Childish as it might seem, he wanted to rejoice at the thought. But no, of course, not at the expense of others, especially of a good man like Chi Hong.

But he also knew he should not be too calm and still about it. He literally had no grasp of the future—and Song Hwa—so anything could happen.

And if anything other than what he hoped for takes place, his world could come crumbling down.