As soon as Choi Yoon left the restaurant with the lunchbox, Kim Ye Rin took off her apron. Then she came out from behind the counter.

The dining customers asked with puzzled faces.

“Ye Rin, where are you going?”

“I suddenly have an urgent matter. I need to go to Seoul for a bit.”

“It won’t be easy to pass through the checkpoints right now…”

“I’ll try to plead my case.”

She had no intention of pleading. There was no time, and even if she tried, the chances of passing smoothly were slim. She planned to sneak out secretly.

Leaving behind the neighbors who were trying to say more, Kim Ye Rin went upstairs and grabbed the packed bag she had prepared in advance. She came down quickly.

The neighbors were looking at her with somewhat bewildered faces.

She wanted to shake hands with each of them and say goodbye while looking them in the eye. Even if they realized she was a shapeshifter, maybe they would turn a blind eye.

Her heart that had wavered for years shook again. She suppressed it and smiled as if passing by.

“Well then, enjoy your meal.”

When she left the restaurant trying to remain calm, Kim Ye Rin ran into Ji Chun Bae who was just entering the yard.

Ji Chun Bae put down the sack of rice he had been carrying on his back.

“I brought rice. Open the storehouse door. I’ll put it in. …Where are you going?”

“Perfect timing. I was about to stop by your house.”

“Is something wrong?”

Kim Ye Rin took an envelope out of her bag. She firmly pressed the thick envelope containing the letter she wrote yesterday and her bankbook into Ji Chun Bae’s hand. She didn’t let go and held on tightly.

“I have a favor to ask. Could you pass this on to Seo Jung?”

Ji Chun Bae pulled back slightly, but didn’t shake off her hand, and made a startled face.

“What is this?”

“It’s a letter and some pocket money for Seo Jung. In case he needs money after I leave here.”

Ji Chun Bae hesitated.

“Leave? Where to? But there’s a state of emergency right now…”

“I’m going to sneak out. I’m not going through the checkpoint.”

There was a moment of silence.

The sound of customers laughing and chatting could be heard from the restaurant.

There was the clattering of dishes being stacked as they were cleaned as always. Someone also seemed to be entering the kitchen to do the dishes in Kim Ye Rin’s absence, turning on the water.

For a moment, Kim Ye Rin wanted to give up everything.

Put down her travel bag, laugh it off saying this was all a joke and she had no intention of leaving.

But giving in like that would only lead to condemnation and death in the end.

She wasn’t entirely unaware that it would come to this eventually. How foolish to hope a mere protest could overturn policy. Though she tried to ignore it, it was bound to happen someday.

Choi Yoon’s involvement only hastened the timing of her departure a bit.

Ji Chun Bae’s startled face slowly hardened. He muttered.

“Ye Rin, you…”

“You once said, when you fell in love with a human woman, you wanted to cut off your wings. That you wanted to stand before her pretending to be human.”

Ji Chun Bae stared intently at her without blinking.

Kim Ye Rin gazed at the large crow wings sprouting and flowing down behind his shoulders, somewhat dry but perfectly intact in the morning sunlight.

“I’ve chosen the path you didn’t take.”

Kim Ye Rin didn’t let go of Ji Chun Bae’s hand, and Ji Chun Bae didn’t push her hand away either. The envelope crumpled between their clasped hands.

Ji Chun Bae’s face slowly contorted. His voice came out trembling.

“Why did you do such a thing?”

A dark, deep shadow fell over Ji Chun Bae’s kind eyes and quickly became distinct. It was fear. The fear Kim Ye Rin had faced countless times.

“Now they’ll find out everything. When they find out… You fool, why did you disguise yourself, what were you trying to do…”

“I just wanted to cook so badly.”

Though knowing it was futile, Kim Ye Rin repeated.

“I couldn’t run a food business with my monster identity.”

The tendons in Ji Chun Bae’s neck tensed as if swallowing something welling up. He spoke as if vomiting.

“You fool. Then why, when you’re in this situation, did Choi Yoon bring you to the center of the protest. If it weren’t for him, we would have kept protesting to abolish the full inspection. Helping Choi Yoon only put you in danger… And I didn’t even know…!”

“It’s okay, sir. It’s okay.”

“I’m saying you’ve thrown away your life, don’t you understand…”

“It would have ended up like this even without Choi Yoon. It’s better this way. Rather than exhausting ourselves with futile protests, now that Choi Yoon is here, at least the full inspection won’t go in a completely bad direction. That alone is fine.”

Ji Chun Bae’s mouth moved as if to say something. Kim Ye Rin hoped he wouldn’t cry. If he did, she felt her resolve would truly crumble.

“I’m a criminal anyway. One way or another, I have no rights. I gave them up with my own hands.”

“Don’t say that. You just wanted to do what you loved.”

Kim Ye Rin thought she should make the request she had prepared. But her voice wouldn’t come out well. She squeezed the envelope they were holding together. She barely managed to say:

“Sir, don’t give this to Seo Jung right away… When Seo Jung finds it strange that I haven’t returned. Give it to him then.”

Ji Chun Bae put the envelope in the inner pocket of his outer garment. He glanced at the restaurant briefly, then looked back as if resolved.

“What are you taking to travel?”

“My truck.”

“Is it where you always park it?”

Kim Ye Rin nodded.

“How are you planning to sneak out? Around the back of the mountain? Or…”

“Towards the reservoir.”

Ji Chun Bae sighed. He rubbed his face once with his rough, calloused hand.

“I put up a double fence there yesterday. The village chief was so worried about shapeshifters coming and going.”

“I have tools in the truck, so I can pry open the joints and slip through.”

“Let’s go together. I’ll help you. It’ll be hard alone.”

Then he reached out his hand.

“Give it here. I’ll carry it for you.”

Before Kim Ye Rin could refuse, Ji Chun Bae snatched her bag. His eyes widened. He looked surprised and distressed.

“Is this all your luggage? Why is it so light? You’ve lived here for years.”

Kim Ye Rin smiled silently.

They left the yard and entered the side path. Ji Chun Bae, who was leading the way down, kept stopping.

He seemed to want to ask. If this was the only way. If she couldn’t stay longer. If there was anything he could do to help.

But in the end, he said nothing. He seemed to know this was for the best. That Kim Ye Rin’s choices had always been limited.

When Kim Ye Rin looked back for the last time on the way down, the restaurant bathed in the lush greenery of a May afternoon shimmered unrealistically, like a brilliant dream.

As if the decision to nest here in the first place had been unreasonable.

It took quite a long time for Choi Yoon to go through all the documents.

He took photos of important pages with his phone, and decided to come back and review the rest if needed later.

Speaking to Han Seo Jung, who was organizing the documents into boxes and pushing them into a corner, he said:

“What does Ye Rin think about you living here alone?”

“Of course, elder sister is always telling me to live with her.”

“Pack your things.”

Han Seo Jung turned around with a puzzled face.

“It’s dangerous here. If you’re not going to school and will be alone here anyway, stay with us.”

“It’ll be hard for elder sister if I go. She’s always fussing about doing this and that for me. She’s already busy enough with filming and whatnot.”

“I’m helping with the restaurant work. I’ll do more.”

Han Seo Jung stared at Choi Yoon. Choi Yoon said again:

“The road up here is too dangerous. There’s not even a proper path. The grass is so overgrown you can’t see ahead. Look at the house. It’s perfect for hiding fugitives. I mean shapeshifters could come.”

“But there’s no extra room at the restaurant.”

“What do you mean no room? You can sleep with me. Pack what you need. Let’s go.”

Han Seo Jung seemed hesitant.

Choi Yoon picked up a gym bag lying on the floor and pushed it into Han Seo Jung’s arms.

“Pack up and come out.”

The sun was already setting.

Choi Yoon cleaned up the lunchboxes scattered haphazardly on the wooden porch. Compared to Han Seo Jung’s lunchbox which was clean except for the carrots picked out, Choi Yoon felt sorry towards Kim Ye Rin for not touching his at all. But he had no appetite whatsoever.

After neatly packing the lunchbox containers into a bag, he called Kim Ye Rin.

He needed to tell her he was taking Han Seo Jung with him. Kim Ye Rin had also witnessed the police firing a few days ago, so she would gladly agree, but he still wanted to get her consent.

But she didn’t answer. The ringtone just kept going.

Is she busy?

He checked the time. It shouldn’t be a particularly busy hour for customers.

He was about to try calling once more but gave up.

“Let’s go.”

Confirming that Han Seo Jung had come out with his bag slung over one shoulder, Choi Yoon took the lead.

The path down was overgrown with vegetation, constantly obscuring their view. Choi Yoon parted the grass and broke branches to clear the way, helping Han Seo Jung come down safely.

Han Seo Jung seemed somewhat awkward about this whole situation.

It made Choi Yoon increasingly angry. Han Seo Jung shouldn’t be in a place like this. He’s not even fully grown yet. He shouldn’t be alone in a place like this.

I should have paid more attention. I should have realized earlier why Han Seo Jung was coming and going from Kim Ye Rin’s house, sharing household items.

He felt a vibration in his back pocket.

Thinking Kim Ye Rin might be calling back after seeing the missed call, Choi Yoon slowed his pace and checked his phone.

But it wasn’t Kim Ye Rin’s call on the screen. It was a text message notifying of a deposit.

Large sums of money were being deposited into Choi Yoon’s account one after another under Kim Ye Rin’s name. The vibrations stopped after the amount Choi Yoon had deposited was filled.

Choi Yoon stopped abruptly and stared at his phone. He heard Han Seo Jung’s voice asking what was wrong beside him. He didn’t have the presence of mind to answer.

What is this? Why is she returning it?

Just as he was about to call, another message came through. It was from Kim Ye Rin.

[Due to personal circumstances, I will be leaving the restaurant for a while and unable to cooperate with filming. I apologize. I am returning the amount I received.]

Personal circumstances? So suddenly?

Could it be…

His hand gripping the phone tightened.

…Is she running away?

Suddenly, he felt his clothes being lightly tugged. Han Seo Jung was gripping the hem of Choi Yoon’s shirt. His face had turned pale blue as he stared fixedly in one direction. Following his gaze, Choi Yoon caught his breath.

Under the shadow of a tree, a man was standing still.

Their eyes met.

Vertically elongated, bird-like pupils.

The shapeshifter whose wanted poster was plastered at every village entrance, who was still causing an uproar on the internet, was right there before his eyes.