The new year dawned.

The snow that began falling on the morning of December 31st had blanketed the whole world in white by evening.

On the last night of December, after dining at a fancy restaurant, the two headed to Juwon’s house.

As they chatted over beers, when it neared midnight, a spectacular fireworks show began at the large tower near Juwon’s home.

The two went out onto the balcony and, holding each other tight, watched the beautiful fireworks bursting in all colors.

Soon after, a countdown to the new year started on the tower’s large electronic display.

“5, 4, 3, 2, 1!”

Cheers could be heard from all around, along with the sound of firecrackers exploding.

With hearts overflowing with anticipation for the new year and love for each other, the two shared a kiss more passionate than anyone else’s.

And as promised, Ina went to Juwon’s father’s house for a meal on the first weekend of January.

As she stepped through the massive, heavily opening main gate, her heart was racing madly, but Ina smiled at the feel of Juwon’s hand tightly holding hers.

And the moment she saw Juwon’s father, she was reminded of his kind smile towards her when she was in 9th grade, bringing tears to her eyes.

Juwon’s father too was surprised to see Ina, now a proper young lady, but welcomed her with the same kind smile as 13 years ago.

But the happy moment was brief, as Ina faced the dilemma of whether to call Juwon’s father “sir” or “father”.

Noticing Ina’s discomfort, Juwon’s father considerately told her to call him “sir” for now.

Throughout the meal, the atmosphere was warm and friendly, and the father and stepmother were shocked to see hearts practically emanating from their usually stoic son’s eyes every time he looked at Ina.

The stepmother, Ae Ran, seemed completely taken with the cute and friendly Ina, even holding her hand tightly as the two were leaving and telling her to visit often.

The couple watched with pleased expressions as Ina smiled brightly and agreed.

After paying respects at Juwon’s home, the two’s feelings for each other grew even more serious, and their love grew even larger.

Time passed peacefully like that, and soon it was early February.

* * *

“You’re coming on a flight tomorrow afternoon?”

Ina said as they walked towards the subway station.

“Yes. My flight is at 1:20 pm tomorrow.”

Juwon replied.

Juwon was on a business trip to Shanghai, China today and was scheduled to return tomorrow.

“Okay. Dress warmly and take care.”

“Alright. Even if you miss me, just hang in there for one day. Okay?”

“Okay. Got it.”

Ina replied with a smile.

“As soon as I arrive tomorrow, I’ll stop by the office briefly and then leave early. I’ll come to your company in time for when you get off work.”

“Won’t you be tired?”

“Seeing you will cure my fatigue, won’t it?”

Ina giggled.

“Alright. I got it. See you tomorrow then.”

“Yes. Have a good day at work too.”

“Okay. I will.”

After hanging up, Ina wrapped her coat tighter and entered the subway station.

“Ah. It’s cold. So cold.”

Ina, who had just arrived at the office, quickly grabbed her mug and headed to the pantry.

She felt the need for a warm cup of tea.

“Ms. Daeri, you’re here?”

Eun Jeong and Sena, who were chatting in the pantry, greeted her.

“Oh. Good morning.”

Ina greeted them back with a smile and put a green tea bag in her mug.

And just as she was about to put the cup under the water dispenser, her hand suddenly slipped and the cup fell to the ground.

With a loud noise, the cup shattered and fragments flew everywhere.

“Oh my! Ms. Daeri, are you okay?”

A startled Eun Jeong approached quickly and checked on Ina.

“Are you hurt anywhere?”

Sena also asked in a surprised voice and looked over Ina’s body.

“Huh? No, I’m fine. My hand must have slipped.”

Ina replied in a flustered voice and quickly bent down.

“Oh, Ms. Daeri. You shouldn’t touch this with your hands. Wait a moment. I’ll get a broom.”

Sena said before quickly bringing a broom.

After stopping Ina who was about to clean up, Sena swept up the fragments herself.

“Oh, breaking a cup first thing in the morning… I’m sorry.”

When Ina spoke with an embarrassed face, Sena shook her head.

“Oh, well, these things happen.”

Eun Jeong, who was standing nearby, put a green tea bag in a new mug, filled it with hot water, and handed it to Ina.

“Ms. Daeri, here you go. Please use this.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

As Ina took the cup and returned to her seat, she felt strange.

Looking at the hand that had just dropped the cup, she felt an inexplicable chill.

But with many tasks to handle, she set aside the uneasy feeling and focused on work.

After writing reports for about an hour, Ina stood up to get approval from Manager Park when her phone rang.

Looking at the phone, she felt an ominous premonition.

The caller was Young Min.

Ina swallowed hard once and answered the phone.

“Hello?”

“Sister!”

As soon as she answered, Young Min called out to Ina in an almost shouting voice.

At that moment, the chilling feeling from earlier rushed back at a terrifying speed.

“Why… did you call? Young Min?”

As she asked cautiously, Young Min couldn’t answer immediately.

And soon, the sound of Young Min sobbing could be heard.

At that sound, Ina’s heart sank.

“What, what’s wrong? Young Min? What… happened?”

Young Min replied in a trembling voice.

“Sister, don’t be too shocked. Listen… Aunt was in a traffic accident on her way back from the bank…”

After that, Ina couldn’t hear anything.

Young Min’s voice faded away distantly somewhere as Ina dropped her phone.

Then she covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

“Ms. Daeri, what’s wrong?”

Sena looked at Ina like that and approached, then looked at the phone that had fallen on the floor.

From the phone, a voice could be heard urgently calling, “Sister? Sister?”

“Ms. Daeri, aren’t you going to answer the phone?”

Sena picked up the phone with a puzzled face and handed it to Ina.

Snapping back to her senses, Ina quickly put the phone back to her ear.

“Young Min. Tell me again.”

As she asked in a trembling voice, Young Min replied in a tear-filled voice.

“We’re at the hospital emergency room, and Aunt is… in a coma now. The doctor says they can only operate once she regains consciousness, so we’re waiting now.”

Ina raised her trembling hand to cover her mouth, but an unswallowed sob burst out.

“Sob.”

Tears began to fall from Ina’s eyes.

Sena’s eyes widened in surprise at this.

“Oh my, Ms. Daeri. What’s wrong?”

At Sena’s voice, Eun Jeong and Manager Park looked at Ina.

“Sister, so hurry… and come down. Sob sob.”

Young Min, now unable to hold back, cried out loudly as he spoke.

Ina collapsed into her chair and covered her eyes.

Tears kept falling beneath her palms.

“Hey, Seo Daeri. What on earth happened?”

Manager Park approached Ina with a surprised face.

As Sena put her arm around the shoulders of Ina who had collapsed and was crying, Sena’s eyes also turned red.

“Someone… seems to have been hurt.”

At Sena’s words, Eun Jeong, who had also approached, put her arm around Ina’s shoulders with a surprised face.

Manager Park looked down at Ina with a serious expression.

A little while later, in Manager Park’s car.

Manager Park firmly held the hand of Ina, who was crying with trembling shoulders.

Driving with one hand and holding Ina’s hand with the other, Manager Park spoke in a subdued voice.

“Seo Daeri, your mother… will be fine. So don’t worry too much and go take good care of her. Don’t worry about work and stay as long as you need. I’ll talk to the department head and get you as many days off as possible.”

“Sob, thank you.”

Ina choked out a reply while wiping her tears.

Due to crying so much in such a short time, Ina’s eyes were very swollen.

Manager Park looked at Ina with a pitying expression.

“If I could, I’d really like to drive you all the way to Yeosu… but this damned work. Curse it.”

“No… thank you so much.”

Manager Park looked once again with sorrowful eyes at Ina, who kept crying.

Soon after, Manager Park’s car arrived at the train station.

Stopping Ina who was about to take out her wallet, Manager Park personally bought a train ticket to Yeosu and placed it in Ina’s hand.

“Fortunately, there’s a train leaving in 30 minutes.”

“Thank you, Manager.”

Ina received the ticket while wiping her tears.

“Alright. Don’t worry too much… and call me when you get there. Okay?”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Manager Park hugged Ina once with a pitying look.

Ina bowed her head to Manager Park and entered the train platform.

Soon after, on the train, Ina stared out the window with a dazed, blank expression.

The train soon departed, and Ina called Young Min to say she was leaving now.

At Young Min’s tear-filled voice responding that he understood, tears began to fall from Ina’s eyes again.

After hanging up, Ina covered her face with her hands and began to sob again.

Suddenly, she was reminded of 13 years ago when her dad passed away in an accident.

That day too, after eating dinner as usual and doing homework, her mom’s phone rang.

Her mom answered the phone without thinking much, but suddenly her face turned pale and she dropped the phone.

And when Ina asked what was wrong as her mom started trembling, her mom just cried without answering.

When Ina answered the phone instead, the police informed her of her dad’s accident and told them to come to the hospital quickly.

Feeling her heart pounding like it would burst, she somehow managed to get her crying mom up and hail a taxi.

Sitting next to her trembling and crying mom, Ina also finally started to cry.

Arriving at the hospital like that, trembling as they went to the emergency room… her dad was already dead.

Hit by a drunk driver who fled the scene, her dad lay cold on the hospital bed, his whole body covered in blood.

Ina looked at her dad lying there with closed eyes, her face blank.

No, this… must be a dream. This can’t be real.

As Ina shook her head, her mom wailed and embraced her dad.

Blood stained her mom’s clothes too, and after crying for a long time, her mom fainted.

But why now… why were those scenes from back then suddenly coming to mind…

Ina, her shoulders trembling, bit her lip hard at the sudden fear that gripped her.

No, it can’t be…

Mom… Mom will be fine.

Mom won’t… leave me too. Absolutely not.

Tears fell from her closed eyes.

Feeling helpless and gripped by fear pressing on her heart, Ina cried endlessly.