Ji Soo tightly gripped the map of the hotel drawn by the reception staff. Although she could search for directions online, she thought it would be better to be cautious as she was a foreigner here.

As expected, the hotel staff emphasized which alleys she should never enter while giving her directions.

[Actually, I don’t recommend a woman walking around alone at this hour. It can be dangerous.]

The pharmacy and convenience store were located a 5-minute walk from the hotel. Ji Soo determined that if she walked briskly, she could visit both places and return to the hotel within 30 minutes.

As soon as she stepped out of the hotel building, the fierce rain drenched Ji Soo’s pants. The umbrella was useless. It was so quiet that no sound could be heard except for the sound of the rain. Feeling an eerie atmosphere, Ji Soo naturally shrugged her shoulders.

‘It must be my imagination.’

She reassured herself that she felt that way because of the hotel staff’s warning. In the end, nothing happened until she overcame her fear, visited the pharmacy and convenience store, and bought the necessary items.

‘See, it was just an overreaction.’

Thinking that she should quickly give Joo Hyuk the electrolyte drink mixed with vitamins and the fever reducer, her pace quickened with a sense of urgency. Once she passed through this alley, the hotel would appear. Seeing the exterior of the hotel appearing in the distance, she felt relieved.

At that moment, a child suddenly jumped out in front of Ji Soo.

‘Oh my, you startled me. I almost dropped the umbrella and plastic bag.’

The child was looking straight up at Ji Soo, mumbling something. The child’s palms were facing the sky, and the fingertips were pointing towards Ji Soo.

[Give me money.]

It seemed the child was demanding money, but Ji Soo was momentarily dazed by the child’s very brazen attitude.

“No money, no money. Sorry.”

Despite Ji Soo’s polite refusal, the child stared at her with an intense gaze and showed no intention of leaving.

[There’s no way a foreigner would be walking around without money. I’m giving you an opportunity right now.]

“I don’t know Hindi.”

[An opportunity to do a good deed for someone you don’t know and attain nirvana. Are you going to miss this chance and just leave?]

Looking at the child who spoke only what they wanted to say with an expressionless face, a sense of dread suddenly washed over Ji Soo. The child’s height barely reached her waist, and their physique was small. With sunken eyes, unkempt black hair, and dusty, dirty clothes. The atmosphere they exuded was unusual.

Ji Soo bowed her head and walked diagonally to avoid the child. It was a mistake to think the child would not follow her after expressing her refusal.

The child, who boldly followed Ji Soo, suddenly placed their hand on Ji Soo’s handbag.

“What, why are you doing this?”

When Ji Soo shouted, the child’s eyes wavered for a moment. Still, the child, who regained composure, thrust their palm towards Ji Soo.

Thinking the child might follow her to the ends of the earth at this rate, Ji Soo put her hand inside her handbag, took out all the cash she could feel, and handed it to the child.

“Here, here, this is all the cash I have, so please don’t follow me anymore.”

[Thank you, may God’s grace be with you.]

The child joined their palms together and soon left Ji Soo.

Phew, thank goodness.

If she had known it would be this easy, she should have given the money right away. A hollow laugh escaped her lips at how ridiculous she was for trembling in fear even for a moment.

But then, a group of a dozen children, who seemed to have popped out from somewhere, surrounded Ji Soo. The children’s appearances were not much different from the child who had just taken money from her. They all stretched out their palms towards Ji Soo.

[Show kindness to me as well.] [I’ll give you a chance to do a good deed.]

The children repeated the same words to Ji Soo as if chanting a spell, with dry faces.

“I have no money now. No money anymore. Okay?”

Ji Soo tried to break through the group of children, but she ended up sitting down due to the children’s obstruction of pulling her clothes and reaching for her handbag. It felt like tears would burst out at any moment. She could have entered the hotel in a few minutes. She was only frustrated about why this was happening when she was almost there.

“That! Don’t touch that!”

When Ji Soo shouted, the cold gaze of the child rummaging through the plastic bag softened.

***

Despite not being in good condition, Joo Hyuk’s face was smooth. Sitting half-slouched on the bed, Joo Hyuk opened his mouth towards the doctor. The doctor, who had been examining the inside of his mouth closely, turned off the flashlight.

[Your throat is very swollen. It’s tonsillitis, and you need antibiotic treatment. It’s better to rest as much as possible and drink water frequently.]

The doctor, who explained fluently in English, took out antibiotics and mouthwash from the bag he had prepared and placed them on the bedside table.

The doctor arrived at the hotel an hour and a half later than the time he said he would come. Jae Ho was furious at the attitude of not even making excuses or apologies, but he couldn’t get angry because his superior was in front of him.

After informing Joo Hyuk of the dosage of the antibiotics, the doctor soon left the hotel. It had been less than 10 minutes since he arrived.

Only after the doctor left did Jae Ho start grumbling in earnest.

“As a person, if you’re late, you should apologize. While taking all the money like that. Do you have a conscience or not? Managing Director, it would be better for you to eat a little and then take the antibiotics before going to sleep.”

“…I will.”

“I ordered pasta to be safe, although I’m not sure if it will suit your taste. I thought spicy food wouldn’t be good for your throat.”

“It doesn’t matter what I eat. Manager Hwang, you should also go in and rest now.”

“Yes, Managing Director. Then, please rest comfortably.”

Jae Ho, who had the happiest face of the day, grabbed the doorknob to leave, when,

“But why isn’t Han Ji Soo here?”

“Ah! About that.”

When about 10 minutes had passed since Ji Soo left to buy medicine, the doctor arrived at the room. Even if he told her to come back now, it would be a complete waste of effort anyway. Since she had already left, it would be better for her to buy something while she was out, so he didn’t bother to contact her. She would be back soon, and once she came and rested, that would be the end of it.

“She…went out for a bit.”

“At this hour? What could she possibly have to go out for at this hour?”

“That’s because…”

If he told the truth, it was obvious that Joo Hyuk’s disapproval would follow, so Jae Ho was just wasting time, unable to do this or that.

“Manager Hwang, I’m asking you right now.”

“Managing Director, she insisted on going to buy your medicine and drinks… so I had no choice but to let her go and come back.”

“Manager Hwang.”

“Yes, Managing Director.”

Joo Hyuk’s voice was low and ominous.

“Are you in your right mind?”

“Pardon?”

“Even if you had to go, you should have gone, but you let a woman wander these streets alone at night? Don’t you know that it’s a dangerous area as soon as you leave the hotel grounds?”

Joo Hyuk shouted loudly. I heard his tonsils were quite swollen, but it seemed unrelated to his shouting. Jae Ho tightly closed his eyes and shook his head.

“I’m sorry, Managing Director. Han Ji Soo insisted so strongly that I’ll go out and look for her now.”

“Forget it. Manager Hwang, don’t do anything and just eat the pasta here with me, understand? Try leaving even a single strand behind.”

“Yes… Managing Director.”

Jae Ho, who had become a frightened mouse, followed Joo Hyuk closely, but the room door slammed shut loudly in front of his face. Left alone, Jae Ho was torn between whether he should eat all the pasta that would come as room service or not.

***

Joo Hyuk, who borrowed a large umbrella from the reception, learned from the staff that Ji Soo had asked for the location of the convenience store and pharmacy. He left the hotel without hesitation. The world was already engulfed in deep darkness. Thinking of Ji Soo wandering alone in a place like this made him feel suffocated.

Who asked her to buy medicine for me? Doesn’t she know that making people worry like this is more of a nuisance?

He wanted to angrily scold her if she were in front of him, to make sure she never did this again, but the emotion that surged more strongly was worry.

He didn’t know where Ji Soo was now. Joo Hyuk kept calling her cell phone while searching for her with sharp eyes. But she didn’t answer despite him calling several times.

His heart was pounding violently. His instincts kept making anxious noises. The fact that someone who should have returned long ago had not come back was definitely strange, that something was going wrong. However, Joo Hyuk shook his head as if trying to shake off the ominous thoughts.

Nothing will happen. Nothing. She’s a woman who, although naive, also has a smart side. Whatever it is, she’ll have gotten out of it well.

Joo Hyuk ran towards the alley where Ji Soo was likely to have gone. But there was no sign of people, let alone Ji Soo. It was natural. If there were people walking on this pitch-black street in the middle of the night, wouldn’t that be strange in itself?

“Han Ji Soo! Han Ji Soo!”

Joo Hyuk raised his voice and called out Ji Soo’s name, but.

There was no answer.

“Han Ji Soo!”

Please answer. I’m telling you to answer.

It was hard to breathe, as if a heavy brick was pressing down on his heart.

‘Stop driving people crazy and please, show up quickly and smile foolishly.’

The rain, which had become even more violent than when Joo Hyuk left the hotel, was pouring down to the point where the umbrella was useless. Joo Hyuk’s clothes were already soaked with rain, and his vision was obscured to the point where he couldn’t see nearby.

At that moment, Ji Soo’s smiling face filled Joo Hyuk’s vision.

‘Am I starting to see things now?’

That’s what Joo Hyuk thought. However, upon hearing the voice that followed, Joo Hyuk’s thoughts changed.