“Yulli, please.”

Listening to the imploring voice, Yulli once again plunged into the darkness.

⭐⭐⭐

After a while, the bubbling sound was heard again. This time, it was not the voice of one person but several. Sometimes, urgent shouts were mixed in.

…Ah, it’s noisy.

Feeling a throbbing sensation in her head, Yulli furrowed her brow and tilted her head. At that moment, a distinct voice flowed into her ears.

“Unni! Unni, wake up, please?”

This voice is… Yuri?

Why is Yuri here?

Just like before, the heavy eyelids didn’t easily open. After several attempts, the bright light slowly seeped into her eyes. With great effort, blinking, the blurry vision gradually became clear.

“Unni.”

The first face to appear was Yuri’s, which seemed like it would burst into tears, and behind her was Ahn Yeo-sa. The first thought that came to mind was, ‘Why are these two here?’ She hadn’t told them the address of the officetel… Did Father inform them?

Then she realized that the place she was in was not the bedroom of the officetel. Yulli looked around with a puzzled expression.

“Where is this?”

“It’s a hospital. Unni, you couldn’t wake up for two days.”

“Me?”

“Yeah. Jooho oppa found you and brought you to the hospital. It could have been a big problem if he hadn’t brought you to the hospital early.”

At the mention of Jooho’s name, Yulli frowned. However, thinking that Yuri believed it was due to pain, she hurriedly called a nurse. When the nurse arrived and pressed the bed button, Yulli was made to sit up, and the nurse thoroughly examined her condition.

“The pulse is normal, and the body temperature has dropped a lot. Once the results of the blood test come out, the attending physician will explain directly. For now, since stability is the top priority, please don’t leave the room.”

After the nurse left, Ahn Yeo-sa handed a cup of water to Yulli.

“Don’t drink too much even if you’re thirsty; just wet your lips.”

“What happened?”

Yulli asked while receiving the cup from Ahn Yeo-sa. However, before Ahn Yeo-sa could answer, Yuri quickly interjected.

“The fever was severe. Anyway, Unni, if Jooho oppa hadn’t brought you to the hospital early, it could have progressed to pneumonia. You can thank him later.”

According to Yuri’s explanation, early on Sunday morning, Jooho received a call. Since he couldn’t reach Yulli, he asked if they were together. Given that he had received such a call on Friday night, he was worried about Yuri as well.

When he couldn’t get in touch continuously, Jooho canceled all his Sunday seminar schedules and came up to Seoul. When Yulli wasn’t at her home or the main house, it seemed he had come to the officetel. There, he found Yulli in a state of high fever, unable to regain consciousness.

“Yulli, please.”

Was that voice…?
It seems like nonsense heard in a dream. The protagonist of the poignant voice was Jeho. However, he wouldn’t have brought her to the hospital out of genuine concern. It must be because she still has some utility value.

“Where is Father?”

“He’s at the National Assembly now because there’s an emergency session. I should let him know that you’ve woken up.”

Congressman Chae would know why Yulli collapsed. Since Assistant Kim would have reported what happened. Congressman Chae might be resentful. After all, his daughter fainted from a trivial matter.

That’s right, Father. Collapsing from such a trivial thing…

Yulli chuckled bitterly, twisting her lips. Then, because her lips were so dry, they cracked, and blood oozed out.

“Unni, are you okay?”

Seeing blood coming from her lips, Yuri brought tissues and pressed them against Yulli’s lips. Yulli accepted the tissues, lifting her head.

“It’s nothing, I’m fine.”

No, Yuri. Actually, I’m not okay. Bleeding from the lips is nothing. I can’t even make a sound because the pain is as if my heart is tearing apart.

But it just lingered inside, and I couldn’t utter a word. Yuri and Mrs. Ahn didn’t know about Yulli’s secret relationship with Jeho. Even if they knew, Yulli couldn’t bring herself to say it due to embarrassment.

―There is a woman who keeps catching my eye and bothering my heart.

Looking back now, it was an extremely arbitrary statement. If she had been more attentive, she would have easily noticed that she approached just to use her, even if she didn’t have any feelings.

Yulli couldn’t stand herself, who was fooled by lies and fluttered alone. At that moment, she recalled what Congressman Chae had said.

“That day was my birthday. He told me to come in early in the morning and then met that guy outside.”

When Congressman Chae found out that his wife’s heart was full of her ex-lover, did he feel the same betrayal?

Now that she felt like she could understand her father’s feelings, it was maddening.

“Unni.”

At that moment, Yuri, with a surprised expression, snatched the tissue from Yulli’s hand. Unknowingly, Yulli had bitten her lips, and the cracked area grew larger, causing more blood to flow.

“It won’t do, Unni. I have to apply ointment.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it won’t do if you do that.”