Soo Min opened Yi Soo’s door with a troubled face and looked around the large room.

“Mom, what are you doing here?”

Yoo Mi followed Soo Min upstairs, seeing her climb the stairs which she rarely did.

“Yoo Mi, didn’t you say you wanted this room?”

“So what? Jung Yi Soo is firmly occupying it.”

Yoo Mi pouted as if to say why ask such an obvious question.

Yoo Mi always felt envious and hurt whenever she entered this room.

This room, which had been empty for several years, was perfectly decorated by an interior designer before Yi Soo moved in.

From the luxurious furniture to the wallpaper and curtains, everything had been touched by an expert’s hand.

Yoo Mi, who had only heard about Yi Soo’s existence, couldn’t help but feel jealousy and envy even before Yi Soo came to the house.

But on her first day in this house, Yi Soo showed no excitement upon seeing this room.

Yi Soo always easily got things Yoo Mi wanted but couldn’t have, without even seeming to like them.

So from the beginning, Yoo Mi found Yi Soo very annoying and disliked her.

“If Yi Soo leaves this house, it could become yours.”

“What! She’s leaving?”

Yoo Mi asked in surprise.

“It might happen.”

“Suddenly? Really?”

A pleased expression quickly spread across Yoo Mi’s face.

Yoo Mi, who had been standing at the door, went inside and flopped down on the large bed.

“I want to sleep in a big bed like this too.”

Yoo Mi rolled around left and right, then sat up leaning against the headboard, looking at the large TV hanging on the wall with a satisfied smile.

She turned her head to the side and looked at the walk-in closet inside.

Just the thought of moving her clothes, which were crammed into her wardrobe, into that spacious dressing room made her feel good.

“Mom, is it decided?”

“Your father needs to allow it, but Yi Soo is the type to do what she says she’ll do.”

“Did Yi Soo say she wants to leave? Then shouldn’t she leave? Dad listens to everything Yi Soo says.”

“I hope he allows it, but this is a different issue, so I’m not sure if he’ll easily permit it.”

Soo Min was worried about what conversation the two might be having right now, but also hopeful.

If Yi Soo had decided to leave, she wouldn’t give up easily.

She would surely get scolded by Won Jin for yesterday’s incident, but if it meant Yi Soo leaving the house, Soo Min felt she could endure that much.

Soo Min found herself secretly cheering for Yi Soo in her heart.

“Wow. I really hope she leaves. I want this room so badly.”

“Yoo Mi, be nice to Yi Soo for a while. Don’t irritate her unnecessarily. Understood?”

“What did I do to irritate her again?”

Yoo Mi pouted.

“Like yesterday. You were stumbling drunk and even broke the perfume.”

“Perfume? Oh my. Did I break that perfume?”

Yoo Mi was startled as if she knew nothing about it.

“That was really expensive.”

When she first learned it was a gift from Ji Ho, she had felt like breaking it.

But she really didn’t intend to actually do it.

“Well, that’s good. It’s not like I could have it anyway.”

“Aish. You really… If you drink like that again, I won’t let you off easy next time.”

Soo Min scolded Yoo Mi.

“I’m not sure how much Yi Soo will tell your father, but what do you think he’ll say if he finds out everything?”

“I was really upset yesterday. She received the perfume but lied saying they’re nothing.”

“But does that justify your behavior? You need to use your head. Tsk tsk. Ji Ho doesn’t know about you and Yi Soo, right?”

Soo Min asked with a slight sigh.

“Probably. I didn’t tell him. Why?”

“Whatever Yi Soo and Ji Ho are, are you just going to stay still like this?”

“Then what?”

Soo Min knew that Yoo Mi had liked Ji Ho for a long time.

She desperately wanted to match them up somehow if possible.

It wasn’t up to Soo Min’s wishes, but she didn’t want to see Yi Soo getting involved with Ji Ho either.

She already felt bad that Yi Soo seemed to take all the good things, and she couldn’t just watch Yi Soo take Ji Ho away too.

**

Ji Ho dropped Yi Soo off and returned home.

As he entered the quiet house, it didn’t feel real that Yi Soo had been with him last night.

When he opened the bedroom door where Yi Soo had slept, the blanket on the bed was neatly arranged, and the bathroom was also tidily organized.

It was as if no one had been there.

“She’s so tidy.”

Ji Ho, who had been staring at the empty space Yi Soo had occupied, sat down leaning against the sofa where Yi Soo had sat.

He closed his tired eyes, but for some inexplicable reason, his heart was pounding, making it unlikely he’d fall asleep easily.

He opened his eyes again due to the feeling that just wouldn’t calm down.

Just then, the phone on the table vibrated.

Ji Ho quickly straightened his upper body, which had been lying askew, and grabbed the phone with anticipation.

A fleeting disappointment crossed Ji Ho’s face as he checked the caller.

“Yes, Hyung Joo hyung.”

Kim Hyung Joo was Ji Ho’s cousin, a composer and producer who had worked as a senior producer at a major entertainment company until a few years ago before establishing his own company a year ago.

He was called a hit-making machine for his countless hit songs.

[Hey, Ji Ho. I just sent you the guide recording by email.]

“Oh, it’s done already?”

[Yeah. I worked hard for a few days because I wanted you to hear it quickly. I think it turned out well, but I’m not sure how you’ll find it.]

“I’m really looking forward to it.”

[I sent one more song in addition to what I initially prepared. Listen to both and let’s talk again.]

“Okay. I’ll listen right away and call you back.”

[Alright. I’ll be waiting.]

Ji Ho hung up the phone and headed to the room at the end of the living room hallway.

When he opened the door, there was a large wooden desk with a large monitor and speakers on it, and a digital piano placed on one side of the wall.

Ji Ho turned on the computer, opened his email, and played the guide recordings of the two songs Kim Hyung Joo had sent.

One was a lyrical ballad starting with soft piano accompaniment, and the other was a ballad with a sad melody reminiscent of farewell.

Hyung Joo, who had always thought Ji Ho’s tone was unique, suggested singing to Ji Ho after establishing his company.

At Hyung Joo’s suggestion, Ji Ho casually sang one movie insert song, and when the movie became a big hit, the OST also became very popular.

After that, Hyung Joo continued to create songs that suited Ji Ho’s tone, and Ji Ho excellently performed them, with each released song becoming hugely popular.

However, Ji Ho didn’t want his face and name to be known.

It was his grandfather’s wish for Ji Ho to participate in company management instead of his father, who chose the path of a lifelong researcher, and Ji Ho also didn’t dream of becoming a celebrity, so he followed his grandfather’s wishes.

Therefore, he could only be evaluated by the public solely based on his singing skills.

After listening to the songs, Ji Ho called Hyung Joo with an excited expression.

“Hyung, both songs are so good.”

[Really? I’m glad you like them. When do you want to come to the recording studio?]

It was the preparation for this year’s first single.

When Ji Ho first received Hyung Joo’s proposal, he started singing out of curiosity about something he had never experienced before.

Hyung Joo also persuaded Ji Ho, saying there was no need to feel pressured.

Although the start was casual, Ji Ho, who began to show ambition afterwards, even learned composition with Hyung Joo’s help and started making his own songs.

Thanks to that, Ji Ho had to spend an incredibly busy year last year.

“I’ll go tomorrow, hyung.”

**

Soo Min, who had been sitting anxiously in the living room, jumped up at the sound of the front door opening.

“Are you coming now?”

Soo Min deliberately spoke in a bright voice as she examined Yi Soo and Won Jin’s expressions.

There was a long band-aid stuck on Yi Soo’s left cheek.

She could easily imagine how much Won Jin was holding back his anger, seeing his precious daughter’s face like that.

Soo Min was tense.

Soo Min spoke again to the two who were keeping their mouths shut and not answering.

“Should I prepare dinner now?”

“No. You go to the room and talk with me.”

Won Jin spoke to Soo Min without relaxing his stern expression.

Soo Min swallowed dry saliva at his chilly voice.

“Yi Soo, go upstairs and rest.”

“Yes, Dad.”

Yi Soo went upstairs without even glancing at Soo Min.

When she opened the door, the room was tidied up so cleanly that no trace of last night could be found.

Except for the scent that still lingered despite ventilation, it was as if last night’s commotion had been neatly cut off with scissors.

She was about to lock the door but left it open, feeling reassured that her dad was home.

Won Jin kept apologizing to Yi Soo as if it was all his fault that she got hit.

“This will never happen again in the future.”

Won Jin spoke to Yi Soo as if making a promise.

When Won Jin started living with Yi Soo again 5 years ago, he was happier than anyone else.

When he had to send young Yi Soo, who wanted to live with her mom after the divorce, to Hye Jin and stayed alone, that loneliness and disappointment were indescribably great.

“It’s not like I wanted you to remarry, Dad. Living as Yoo Mi’s dad was your will, but I don’t want to live as Yoo Mi’s sister. I don’t feel like they’re my family. Honestly, to me, they’re just the lady living with you and her daughter. For me, family is only you and Mom.”

Yi Soo coldly revealed her inner feelings that she had never expressed before.

Soo Min’s title had changed from Yoo Mi’s mom to just ‘that lady’.

Yi Soo spoke meanly on purpose, knowing Won Jin would feel uncomfortable hearing it.

Whenever Yi Soo had to unavoidably use the term ‘stepmother’, she felt as uncomfortable as if there was a thorn stuck in her throat.

In fact, even such trivial things were too much for Yi Soo to bear.

So when this opportunity came, she wanted to leave the house no matter what.

She felt sorry for her dad who trusted her, but she didn’t want to pretend to be okay and endure anymore.

She really wanted to escape now.

Won Jin’s sighs deepened on the way home.

Yi Soo’s true feelings, which he learned for the first time, were a shock to Won Jin.

He felt heavy-hearted, thinking he had given another big wound to Yi Soo, who already had many scars from her parents’ separation and divorce since childhood.

Yi Soo felt sorry for Won Jin, who was blaming himself and suffering, but she pretended not to notice, thinking it was something they had to go through anyway.

Yi Soo entered the dressing room and saw herself wearing Ji Ho’s clothes in the mirror.

“I have to return this again.”

And not just that.

The umbrella and the borrowed 20,000 won too.

“I should show my gratitude somehow.”

She said she would return as much as she received, but how could she possibly repay exactly the same?

It was nonsense from the beginning.

Things that had been suppressed momentarily while meeting her dad suddenly invaded Yi Soo’s mind.

As if they had been waiting until now.

“It’s because it’s you.”

“That you’re special to me.”

Ji Ho’s sweet voice kept ringing in her ears like tinnitus.

His slightly incredulous expression, as if to say ‘Didn’t you know?’

His eyes saying ‘Please understand now.’

“Don’t you know?”

Of course I know. You kindly told me everything.

Just thinking about it made her heart pound.

Like this, could she deceive herself and Ji Ho by saying it’s not true?

Yi Soo let out a long sigh.

Just then, a text message alert rang.

The sender was Seo Ji Ho.

−10 minutes.

Yi Soo tilted her head after checking the message.