The place Lee Jae Ho brought Yoon Da Jung to was a cafe on the outskirts of Gyeonggi Province. Perhaps due to being in the suburbs, there wasn’t a single customer at any table.

Could it be that Lee Jae Ho had reserved the entire place?

Yoon Da Jung looked around briefly before shaking her head. Even for a famous actor, that seemed too excessive.

“Let’s talk today.”

An air of noble dignity emanated from the perfectly styled man, as if he were shooting a suit photo spread. Sitting askew with his legs crossed, the man casually touched between his eyebrows as he spoke first.

“After spending such passionate time together.”

“……”

“Have you perhaps thought about how I felt when you disappeared without a word?”

Her gaze, which had been wandering here and there to avoid looking at the man, finally settled on her own sneakers. Yoon Da Jung curled her toes inward even more.

“I made it clear that there would be no end for me, for us.”

“……”

“And you seemed to agree through your actions, Yoon Da Jung.”

“……”

“We promised to go camping together next time and stargaze. Why did you run away? Was it all lies?”

Bristling at the word “lies,” Yoon Da Jung clenched her fists.

Lee Jae Ho was the one who had lied. From the very beginning, that encounter was a lie, yet he had the audacity to paint her as the liar. Moreover, just the day before, Yoon Da Jung had clearly expressed her wish to end things here. It was Lee Jae Ho who had thoroughly ignored that.

“I can’t end it.”

The man said with an arrogant gaze.

“We’re not just flirting anymore. We’re going to be lovers. Starting now.”

Yoon Da Jung, who had been listening silently, could no longer hold back and opened her mouth.

“Are you always this self-centered?”

The man’s gaze poured directly onto her face.

“Do you not listen to others at all? I clearly said I wanted to end it. That I was going to stop. Why do you ignore what I say?”

“……”

“And you keep coming to find me. I said I don’t like it. I don’t want to see you anymore. Why do you keep making me uncomfortable?”

“What’s the problem, Yoon Da Jung?”

Jae Ho also frowned slightly.

“Why are you pushing me away? I really don’t understand, so explain it to me.”

“……”

“Don’t spout nonsense about suddenly disliking me overnight when you tremble just from making eye contact.”

“……”

“You’d better answer properly.”

The man, uttering words far from kindness, drank his coffee without hiding his irritation. This was exactly the image of the celebrity Lee Jae Ho that Yoon Da Jung had imagined. Self-centered, cold, somewhat irritable, and ill-mannered.

The man who used to smile with crinkled eyes even at silly jokes had vanished like a mirage.

“I told you before. That when the trip ended, I would return to reality.”

“Where is your reality?”

The man pressed on, giving her no room to breathe.

“Tell me. A 16-pyeong half-jeonse apartment? Your father’s remaining debt of over 200 million won? The nursing home medical bills? You know I can solve all that reality too easily.”

He hadn’t meant to say it like this. He should have gently conveyed that out of care for her, he wanted to share her burdens and had looked into her circumstances. But unable to control his momentary emotions, Jae Ho’s voice took on a sharp edge.

It was too difficult to maintain composure in front of Yoon Da Jung, who kept trying to run away.

“How could you……”

Yoon Da Jung’s face filled with shock.

Even if she could guess about the apartment, giving him the benefit of the doubt, she had never once mentioned her father’s debt. It was a miserable reality she absolutely didn’t want him to know about. She never wanted to show her life, which was far below average, not even average, to the man living the most brilliant life.

Yoon Da Jung’s eyes turned red with shame.

“Did you… deliberately investigate everything about me? You knew it all? What else do you know? Why did you…!”

“Do you even know how much interest that private loan has? How long are you going to take to pay it off with those measly payments? Why are you being so stubborn about something that could be solved just by telling me? You’ve had so many chances to say something.”

Yoon Da Jung’s eyes shook uncontrollably.

“I wanted to wait until you trusted me enough to open up, but the price of that waiting was you running away. I couldn’t see you for a week because of those trivial things I could do for you.”

“!”

“So, Yoon Da Jung.”

Jae Ho paused for a moment and looked directly at Yoon Da Jung.

“Just stay by my side without any worries. I’ve already taken care of that damn 200 million, so you won’t be getting any more calls about it.”

“……”

“Live beside me doing what you do best. Smiling prettily. That’s all you need to do.”

Yoon Da Jung’s clenched fist began to tremble.

“That’s nice.”

Yoon Da Jung forced out words through a voice thick with moisture.

“I should have said it earlier, right? Ask you for money. Since you like me, just 200 million to pay off my debt. Another 500 million to buy a house and a car. A few more hundred million to buy luxury goods and live extravagantly……”

“Yeah.”

“!”

“Do that.”

“Lee Jae Ho!”

“Is the conversation over then? Can I come sit next to you now?”

“N-no, Lee Jae Ho.”

Yoon Da Jung glared at him with reddened eyes.

“Why would I ask you for money? And why are you giving me money in the first place?”

“That’s…”

“Is it… some kind of payment?”

In that moment, Jae Ho’s face contorted beyond recognition.

“What?”

“There’s no such thing as a free lunch in this world.”

Yoon Da Jung, utterly miserable, lashed out with whatever words came to mind, hurting herself in the process. But it was Jae Ho who was truly hurt by that expression. A crack appeared in the man’s eyes.

“Fine… whatever.”

The man slowly opened his mouth.

“If you insist on thinking that way, then do so. Whatever it is, I can’t let you go, so I won’t tolerate any more talk of leaving.”

“I……”

“Since we’re on the topic, let’s do it.”

The man, having instantly regained his composure, spoke in a cold voice.

“I’ve gotten you an officetel near the hospital for an easy commute. 34 pyeong. It should be decent enough. And I’ve prepared a car too, so get rid of that old compact car and drive the one I’m giving you.”

Unable to find words to respond, Yoon Da Jung could only tremble her lips.

“Take it. Take it and.”

“……”

“Then now. Shall we sleep together, Yoon Da Jung?”

“What did you say?”

The man with broken eyes calmly continued speaking.

“I mean let’s go to a hotel and do it once. Why. You understood, didn’t you?”

“Wh-what are you…!”

“You have to give back as much as you received. I didn’t know you were a woman who calculated so well.”

Unable to bear listening any longer, Yoon Da Jung abruptly stood up.

Without thinking, she grabbed her bag and headed for the entrance. The conversation with the man had been the worst. Somehow, the more they talked, the worse it seemed to get.

The spring-like time shattered like a fleeting dream.

“Stop.”

But after just a few steps, the man grabbed her wrist.

“Let go of this!”

“Let’s go to a room with mirrors while we’re at it.”

“Lee Jae Ho!”

The man gripped Yoon Da Jung’s wrist even tighter as she kept trying to pull away. A spark flickered in his eyes.

“You don’t seem to remember what kind of expression you make when you sleep with me. You seem to have forgotten all the things you said. I’m going to show you.”

Both their eyes were filled with wounds that could belong to either of them.

“You need to see how ecstatically you enjoy it, so you can never say you’re leaving again. See for yourself. What kind of expression you make when you cling to me.”

“That’s…!”

Finally, tears poured from Yoon Da Jung’s eyes. An indescribable wave of misery and shame washed over her.

“Let go… Let go of this… You… you’re really, really too cruel……”

Yoon Da Jung struck his chest with the hand holding her bag. The man, solid as stone, puffed out his chest as if telling her to hit him as much as she wanted.

“Let’s be clear. You’re the one who brought up payment.”

“……”

Jae Ho strode out of the cafe, pulling her by the wrist.

“We’re going to a hotel. To settle accounts.”

**

The Truth Investigation Committee was rocky from the start. Although they had gathered to share the same pain, conflicting interests eventually led to factions. The victims’ families, unable to unite easily, each had loud voices but couldn’t bring those voices together.

Yoon Jong Soo, Yoon Da Jung’s father and one of the operating committee members, prioritized investigating the truth behind the fire and diligently went back and forth between the police station and newspaper offices. But all his numerous attempts were blocked. Even after quitting his job to devote himself fully, he ended up back where he started.

Her parents fought often, and Yoon Da Jung hid in her room, existing as if she didn’t, with the lights off.

The living room, which had always been filled with laughter, became as desolate as a barren desert, and no one laughed anymore. It felt as if laughing inside the house was a sin, and gradually everyone closed their mouths.

After Woo Jung’s 49-day memorial service ended, the family moved far away as if fleeing. And Yoon Da Jung became a high school student.

Yoon Da Jung’s high school years, which could have been the prettiest time of her life, were a gloomy gray. Although she had many friends in middle school due to her characteristically bright personality, after moving, she deliberately closed off her heart and made no friends.

She let her high school years, which should have been busy with college entrance exam preparations, flow by like water, thinking: Death is a parasite. It swells itself by sucking the life out of those left behind.

Her father, who became the committee chairman, visibly wasted away attending rallies constantly, and her mother hugged her brother’s photo and cried whenever she had a moment. Though still alive, looking closely, they were all dying.

She didn’t want to be devoured.

‘Which university do you want to attend, Yoon Da Jung? What’s your dream? Writing “teacher” seems just a formality.’

Her 3rd-year homeroom teacher, who showed some interest in Yoon Da Jung, asked about her future plans. Yoon Da Jung found herself answering without realizing it.

‘…I want to save people.’

‘Medical school? But, as you know, for medical school, your grades…’

The homeroom teacher hesitated while checking Yoon Da Jung’s grades. Yoon Da Jung was a fairly good student, but not outstanding enough for medical school. Yoon Da Jung soon realized the meaning of those words and nodded.

‘Ah. I’m sorry. I know my grades. I’ll just go anywhere I can…’

The homeroom teacher suggested an alternative in a kind voice.

‘How about nursing school? I think you could manage that.’

The following year. As Yoon Da Jung, who had entered nursing school, gradually regained her brightness and adapted to college life, her father Yoon Jong Soo came home after a rally and spoke to Yoon Da Jung sitting in the living room, as if entranced.

‘Our daughter. You were definitely in middle school…’

It was the first time in a long while he appeared sober without a hangover.

Time had passed, and the middle school girl had become a college student. Why was this obvious fact suddenly so shocking?

Looking around the old apartment, not even half the size of their original home, with despairing eyes, Yoon Jong Soo spoke again.

‘We… No, I have… lost everything. I wanted to resolve Woo Jung’s resentment, but I only accumulated debt and didn’t even see my daughter grow up.’

Yoon Da Jung said it was okay.

A habitual phrase. Everything will be alright. Don’t worry.

‘I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Yoon Da Jung. Woo Jung. I’m sorry for being such a failure of a father.’

Yoon Da Jung pondered for a long time over her father’s tears she saw that day. What did they mean? But she couldn’t ask further. A few days later, Yoon Jong Soo was found hanging from a coat hanger, his body cold.