For a while, Ji-ha stood by quietly and comforted me.

He understood all the emotions I felt even without saying a word.

As I felt Ji-ha’s touch, my heart gradually calmed down.

Perhaps aware that I was concerned about the gazes of Ji-ha and Ho-jin’s side, he said he would go down to the funeral hall first and greet the mourners.

He added that I should take my time to compose myself and come down slowly.

Looking at my reflection in the restroom mirror, I let out a sigh.

My makeup was a mess due to tears, and I muttered, “Ugh… it’s a mess, really.”

I was fortunate to have Ji-ha. If he hadn’t been there, I would have spent the day in terrible agony.

Unable to cry freely, I would have been lonely, guarding the funeral hall while forcibly holding back tears.

Ji-ha’s silent gesture of sweeping his hand over my back was more comforting than a hundred words.

It felt like he empathized deeply with my sorrow more than anyone else…

Perhaps he had experienced the pain of losing his precious family first.

As the intense emotions subsided, I recalled a story Ji-ha had shared before.

“Come to think of it, didn’t you say your mother passed away suddenly?”

I heard that his mother had been seriously ill for quite some time.

Of course, the external knowledge about the relationship between him and Mrs. Oh, intertwined with his connections with Ho-jin, was well-hidden.

Suddenly, curiosity about Ji-ha arose in me.

Why does Ji-ha want revenge on the Ho-jin Group?

I have clear targets and motives for revenge, Ji-han and Seo-rin.

So, is Ji-ha’s target for revenge indeed Mrs. Oh and Ji-han, the ones taken by Ho-jin?

“I should ask him later.”

Now, Ji-ha might be able to tell me the reasons for his revenge.

After leaving the restroom and heading towards the funeral hall, someone blocked my way.

When I raised my head, Ji-han, whom I didn’t know how long he had been waiting, was looking down at me.

“…?”

As if he had been waiting for me for a while, Ji-han spoke, “Can we talk for a moment? I have something to say to you.”

He looked awkward, as if there was something he really wanted to talk about.

If it were the usual, he would have grabbed my wrist without hesitation.

But his gaze, silently staring at me, felt as if he were gauging my mood.

It was strange for Ji-han, who usually didn’t care about my feelings, to act like this.

Nevertheless, even if that were the case, I had no intention of having a peaceful conversation with him.

I wished he would disappear from the funeral home right now.

“I have nothing to say.”

Due to the sensitivity I had all day, words blurted out, sharp and cutting.

I turned away from him and pressed the down button of the elevator.

Was he thinking this was an appropriate situation for a conversation?
I was annoyed by Ji-han’s shameless and selfish behavior.

The elevator doors, which soon arrived, opened, and I was about to step inside.

Unexpectedly, Ji-han grabbed my wrist.

“Let go of this.”

“Just a moment.”

“I don’t want to face you even for a moment.”

I shook off the arm he grabbed. I didn’t have any room in my heart to give him even a moment.

However, Ji-han, as if he had no intention of backing off, just bit his lower lip.

His complicated emotional state was evident in his unsettling expression.

“I have to go back to the funeral. Please stop.”

Even though we entered the elevator, Ji-han was pressing the button outside, preventing the doors from closing.

I had neither the strength nor the emotional capacity to wrestle with him in the elevator like this.

Sighing, I looked at Ji-han blocking my way.

“Yeah, there’s no way this person has changed.”

His brief attempt to consider my feelings seemed to be a misunderstanding.

It was a brief moment when he seemed to be thinking about me.

“I didn’t come all the way here because of my public image.”

His voice, resonating heavily in my ears, stopped me in my tracks.

“You may think of me as someone heartless, shedding no blood or tears. The hand I reached out in the hospital wasn’t out of sympathy.”

“…”

“It was because I was concerned about you.”

“What?”

Ji-han’s unexpected words caught my attention.

He stared at me as if it were genuine.

Now, not even a smile came to my face.

Did having Intec in his hands give him the mental space to talk like this?

I was astounded by Ji-han’s elaboration of his absurd words.

“It’s probably not the time when Mr. Ji-han cares about me.”

“…”

Shouldn’t he be preparing for the imminent future rather than bothering with me?

It was a conversation that was no longer worth listening to.

“I have to go down. Take your hand off the button.”

Reading my unwavering determination not to engage in a conversation, Ji-han let go of the button.

Then, the elevator doors slowly closed.

Late at night, approaching midnight, the usually quiet funeral hall was noisy from the entrance.

“Why do I have to go back alone?”

I moved towards the place where a woman’s voice, questioning and accusing, echoed.

I saw Ji-ha, looking displeased as he glared at someone.