That Night's Circumstance (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 12
Late at night, In Ho sat on the living room sofa and couldn’t bring himself to get up for a long while.
His head ached.
It was a headache of the century—the likes of which he’d never felt in his life.
“…If my head didn’t hurt, that’d be strange.”
Recalling everything that had happened that day, In Ho muttered to himself, words brimming with forced rationalization.
Yet his furrowed brow wouldn’t smooth out.
The throbbing in his head was utterly unbearable.
Eventually, he rose from his seat and headed toward the bedroom.
He’d normally try to endure it, but there was no sign of it letting up.
The moment he entered the bedroom, he immediately knelt before the nightstand drawer and began searching for medicine.
“There’s definitely some medicine in here somewhere.”
His hands rummaged hurriedly through the drawer.
Whenever Soo Yeon had trouble digesting food or came down with body aches from an exhausting schedule, she’d always pull medicine from this very drawer and take care of him.
Relying on that memory, he methodically searched through each compartment of the drawer.
Only after digging through the bottom compartment did he finally find a neatly organized bundle of medicine.
Spotting the label that read “headache,” In Ho sifted through the meticulously arranged boxes.
Just as he was about to hurriedly open the cap of the bottle he’d finally grabbed—
a memory from earlier that day suddenly flashed in his mind.
“Um…”
Right as he was about to step out of the hospital room, Myung Woo had grabbed his arm.
“If you’re not too busy, could you spare me a moment?”
Myung Woo had spoken to him with an expression full of difficulty.
Though annoyed and eager to leave right then and there, In Ho found himself reluctantly nodding—this side of Myung Woo was completely new to him.
They headed to the lounge together.
Myung Woo handed him a canned drink from the vending machine and spoke with visibly hesitant lips.
“You must’ve been really shocked when Hyung was suddenly hospitalized, huh?”
In Ho knew Myung Woo had forced those words out in an awkward attempt to ease the mood, but he remained silent.
Perhaps it wasn’t that he chose not to answer—it was more that he simply couldn’t.
He’d only inhabited Soo Yeon’s body for a few hours, and though he prided himself on decades of acting experience that let him perform confidently anywhere, portraying Choi Soo Yeon was proving far from easy.
In hindsight, the very idea of pretending to be Soo Yeon was absurd.
To the public, Seo In Ho was a prodigious actor seemingly born with innate talent, but in truth, he was far closer to a hardworking, diligent type.
Since his debut, he’d never once slept peacefully before a shoot—he always immersed himself in character research.
He’d invested countless hours and relentless effort into becoming one with his roles.
So much so that if he ever failed to fully embody a character despite all that preparation, it would’ve been strange indeed.
That was precisely why this felt so difficult.
Portraying Soo Yeon felt unnatural because he simply didn’t know enough about her.
He didn’t know when Choi Soo Yeon was happy or sad—not even the smallest detail.
How could someone like him possibly portray Soo Yeon?
That was why he couldn’t bring himself to speak.
Pretending to be Soo Yeon was limited to just keeping his mouth shut and listening—that was all he could manage.
As if expecting his silence, Myung Woo continued with what he needed to say.
“Things were… complicated.”
“…”
“Hyung’s a perfectionist, so he always gets stressed and tense during shoots—but today was especially rough for him.”
In Ho, who’d been staring off into space, abruptly turned to look at Myung Woo.
Myung Woo’s face reflected in In Ho’s slightly trembling eyes.
Frowning as if recalling the scene on set, Myung Woo continued,
“Because of what Hyungsoom said, I kept a close watch on him throughout the shoot. It seemed best to postpone filming, so when the NG happened, I stepped in the way I thought appropriate. But right after that, he just collapsed on the spot, saying his head hurt too much…”
In Ho clenched his tightly pressed lips.
A heavy sigh rose up to the base of his throat.
From Myung Woo’s explanation, it was clear In Ho’s hospital visit hadn’t been some reckless act driven by stage fright over his first performance.
“…”
“…”
In Ho blinked slowly, his expression suffocating, offering no reply.
This was the explanation he’d wanted to hear—
but from Soo Yeon herself, not Myung Woo.
Even though he knew little about her, he was certain of one thing:
Choi Soo Yeon wasn’t the type to feign illness just to avoid a difficult situation.
If anything, she was too straightforward—almost stubbornly so—precisely because she lacked cunning.
That was why he’d asked her outright:
Why had she suddenly come to the hospital?
Because if it were truly Choi Soo Yeon, she wouldn’t have come to the hospital without a plan, just to escape something.
Yet now, belated doubts crept in.
If she’d really answered that she was genuinely in pain…
Would he have been able to treat her less harshly then?
He briefly considered it, but no certainty came.
Because even if she’d truly been unwell and had no choice but to be hospitalized, deep down he’d genuinely wished she’d consulted him first—since it was his own body she was inhabiting.
In the end, he’d already decided what answer he wanted to hear from Soo Yeon—expecting her to justify herself.
All while never intending to understand her, no matter what she said.
It was an utterly selfish mindset.
In Ho felt another sigh well up to the base of his throat.
Only now did Soo Yeon’s words ring clearly in his memory.
“I tried my best, but it didn’t go well. Since it’s my fault we’re in this situation, please don’t blame anyone else.”
She’d clearly said those words.
She’d tried, but it hadn’t worked out.
In Ho squeezed his eyes shut, dazed.
Only now did her face and voice finally become clear to him.
Soo Yeon must have done everything in her power.
Even in this absurd situation where her body had swapped overnight, she’d tried her hardest to pretend to be Seo In Ho.
She’d poured every effort she could into avoiding any situation that might harm him—even if it meant enduring the intense scrutiny of countless people, something she’d never experienced before in her life.
Yet all he’d done was harshly reprimand her for being hospitalized without consulting him.
“Haah…”
In Ho couldn’t hold back the sigh rising within him.
Only now did he realize how thoughtless he’d been.
He knew Myung Woo, standing before him, awaited a reply—but he couldn’t utter a word.
He felt trapped in a flood of tangled thoughts.
After a long pause, filled with hesitation, he finally asked a question that was already too late.
“…Was it… really that hard for her?”
“…Yes. She seems a bit better now, but back on set earlier, she looked truly awful—even the staff were shocked. That’s why she came to the hospital.”
In Ho clenched his jaw shut and squeezed his eyes tightly closed.
Hearing Myung Woo’s words only doubled his guilt.
Even though Soo Yeon wasn’t there, he couldn’t lift his head—as if she were watching him.
“I don’t know why Hyungsoom is so angry, but Hyung had his reasons too. So please calm down a bit and don’t be too hard on him.”
Even after Myung Woo repeated those words, In Ho could only let out deep, heavy sighs.
Whether that counted as a response or not, Myung Woo offered a polite nod and left him alone.
He didn’t know how long he’d stayed rooted in that spot.
Burdened by conflicting emotions, it took In Ho a long while before he could finally move.
He wanted to go to her hospital room—but he didn’t.
The memory of Soo Yeon’s last expression stopped him.
Right now, his wife was probably so deeply disappointed that she wouldn’t want to see even a strand of his hair.
Giving her space to collect herself seemed, belatedly, like the only way he could show her care—rather than barging in to apologize impulsively as his nature would dictate.
So he’d come home aimlessly, yet thoughts of Soo Yeon refused to leave his mind even for a moment.
In Ho irritably ran his fingers through his hair and opened the cap of the headache medicine bottle he held.
But the moment he did, he let out another deep sigh.
“Why so many pills gone…”
The large bottle held fewer than ten pills.
In Ho stared blankly at the bottle.
No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall taking headache medicine that often.
Which meant these were all…
He dropped heavily onto the bed with a thud.
Then he fixed his gaze on the vanity mirror across from him.
“Just how long have you been living with this headache?”
He asked, looking at Soo Yeon’s reflection in the mirror.
Though the question was meant for Soo Yeon, there was no Soo Yeon here to answer him.
It was suffocating.
And just as overwhelming, a long, unbearable night began for In Ho.
***
His body felt heavy.
Even in sleep, the thickness of his fatigue was so dense it felt impossible to bear.
In Ho barely managed to pry open his eyelids under this unfamiliar, oppressive condition.
Even sitting up straight felt difficult.
Whether it was due to the headache that hadn’t lifted since dawn, or because he hadn’t fallen asleep until twilight—
his condition was worse than yesterday’s.
Because of it, he’d completely forgotten the hope he’d held right before sleep—that after a deep rest, his body might return to normal.
Pressing firmly on his throbbing temples, In Ho checked his phone.
The first thing visible on the screen was the four digits indicating it was past noon.
Since he’d barely fallen asleep after 5 a.m., waking up at this hour wasn’t surprising.
But aside from shoot days, he always tried to stick to an early riser’s routine, so oversleeping left a bitter taste.
“What a mess… truly.”
In Ho muttered in a voice full of lament.
Everything—down to the smallest detail—was a complete mess.
That thought alone seemed to drag his already heavy condition even lower, so he forced himself up from the bed.
What’s done was done.
Moping here, clutching his head and sighing, wouldn’t change a thing.
In Ho repeated that thought to himself over and over.
He needed to hypnotize himself into believing it.
Otherwise, he feared he’d be swallowed whole by a helplessness too deep to escape.
Shaking his head, he headed toward the bathroom.
He planned to wash up quickly and go straight to the hospital.
Today, he absolutely wanted to deliver the apology he’d failed to give yesterday.
As he hurriedly moved with that intention, a loud ringing stopped him in his tracks.
The unfamiliar ringtone suggested it was a call to Soo Yeon’s phone.
In Ho unplugged the charger he’d left connected overnight and checked the screen.
Instantly, his brow furrowed.
“Seriously, why does she keep calling every single day?”
The name displayed on the screen was his own mother—just like yesterday.
Male lead fell into her trap — and shattered when she walked away
This is also on my reread list!
This one is a slow burn, but when it burns, it burns hard.
Definitely worth a read, y’all!
The story follows a thousand-year-old seductive spirit who, on a bet, sets out to charm the male lead—a once-promising but unfortunate cultivator.
But just when she succeeds in making him fall for her, she heartlessly leaves, driving him to madness.
Determined to find her at all costs, he captures her, keeping her by his side no matter what, even if she hates him.
I love this kind of trope—I enjoy watching the male lead suffer in agony.
The ending drags a bit with unnecessary filler, but that’s fine.
As long as I enjoy the beginning, I’m good.
Intro
As an enchantress, Su Heng possesses captivating eyes and charming beauty, easily manipulating the joys and sorrows of living beings at her fingertips.
But to enchant a god, making him taste the bitterness of love’s separation, long-lasting resentment, unattainable desires, and inability to let go…
Do you dare?
Su Heng assists a divine lord in his cultivation, aiming to make him experience all the sufferings of love, so that he can attain the Great Dao.
Only after being chased down from the heavens by the divine lord, confined and completely possessed by him, does she realize how successful she has been.
The once gentle and polite youth has transformed into someone she no longer recognizes.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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