“I sleep a lot.”

“…….”

“Come to think of it, I’ve slept a lot before, but I’ve never seen Director sleep.”

Taejun couldn’t open his eyes. If he opened them, if he opened them and faced her, he felt like he would distort his face.

What should he do with this harmless and lovely woman now?

“Director. Haven’t you had a difficult time? Wasn’t there someone who supported you during those tough times?”

It was probably the day she witnessed the affectionate scene between Yang Heewook and Choi Hyunji at the airport. She asked with a weakened voice. Taejun now properly understood the meaning behind that question. His heart ached.
I heard that you suffered a lot of abuse while growing up at your aunt’s house. Having grown up without receiving love, you, more than anyone else, must have been thirsty for affection. You probably couldn’t pass by those who showed you love without reciprocating, or even wanting to give more than you received. You, who accept the world as it is without filtering, with kindness, must have sincerely believed in the goodness of others every time.

“Tell me.”

Struggling to speak while choking up, he asked Soeun.

“What do you want to talk about?”

“Any topic.”

“Just something from when you were young.”

“…….”

“How did you live?”

How did you live?

How difficult was it?

Now he seeks answers about your past that he should have asked long ago.

What, how did you overcome everything alone to come this far?

“I think Han Soeun must have had a childhood too.”

He wanted to comfort those times that were elusive.

Soeun, with a weakened voice, responded with a smile.

“There’s not much memorable.”

“Nothing at all?”

As he repeatedly asked, Soeun, with a slight exhale as if something came to mind, said faintly.

“When I was young, I think I had an older brother I liked.”

“Brother?”

“No, no. I think it was an older sister.”

Conscious of him who showed jealousy even for trivial matters, Soeun quickly changed the subject.

“An incredibly handsome brother, no, sister. Anyway, I don’t remember the face at all. It seems like they were from a really wealthy family, a son, no, a daughter? We played hide-and-seek in a huge house.”

Taejun closed his tightly shut eyes even more. Even though he was still, the beating of his heart became intense. His eye area felt hot and dizzy.

Her voice, which had surfaced again, sank a little.

“…Later, my aunt told me that my dad caused an accident while driving drowsy, and that brother’s parents got hurt.”

It’s our story.

Certainly our story, but a powerless story of that day when we couldn’t do anything.

“Since I didn’t have a mom, my dad must have had a hard time. Working during the day, taking care of his daughter at night. He must have been very tired. If I had been a daughter who listened a little better, a daughter who quietly slept without bothering my dad every day, then my dad wouldn’t have been tired, and there wouldn’t have been such an accident. Then, that brother’s parents wouldn’t have been hurt.”

No.

It’s not your fault.

He wanted to shout it out, but Taejun couldn’t move. If he made a sound, it seemed like tears would come out before the words.

“Anyway, that brother, no, sister played with me despite going through such a painful experience. So even now, it hurts my heart. I can’t remember the face or the name, and I can’t find it again, but anyway, I hope that kind brother lives well without getting hurt again, healthy and well.”
Unable to withstand the depth of emotions, the stream that represented his feelings flowed downward. Taejun quickly turned his head to hide his face.

“I don’t know if that incident at the time influenced my frustrating personality. Whenever I see someone in pain, I keep thinking that I have to do something. It would be great if I could save someone in pain, and if there’s something I can give, I want to give it. That’s why I feel like I’ve become someone who fixes machines.”

And so, you arrived here.

Your tragedy that crossed over affected me deeply.

I was living a life finer than the truth.

Now, what should I do?

“Is there no difficult time for you? Who was the person who supported you back then?”

You asked me that day. I couldn’t answer.

You don’t know. The person who was in front of me at that time was you. You will never know that you were my only comfort, small and insignificant.

The biggest mistake I made at that time was relying on you without permission.

Tormenting and hurting you, feeling satisfaction and gaining peace from it.

I shouldn’t have become someone who gave you bad memories.

How should I compensate for my mistakes that you don’t remember?

When Taejun turned his head away, Soeun lightly changed the heavy atmosphere, seemingly burdened by the mood, and concluded the old story with a casual voice.

“Anyway, I remember playing hide-and-seek with that brother, no, sister. I think we played hide-and-seek for a long time, like two or three hours, but it was amazing that the brother found me every time.”

Taejun lifted his eyelids with difficulty. He briefly looked at Soeun, who was smiling beautifully, and then closed his eyes again. The moment lingered as if time stood still, and her clear eyes remained like jewels embedded inside his eyelids. Taejun embraced Soeun’s waist.

Those who don’t cry for themselves cry for each other.

The game we played wasn’t hide-and-seek but a treasure hunt.

It was a memory like a treasure that penetrated the gap of tragedy.