Na Eun, who came home late after working overtime, turned on her computer again while drying her wet hair with a towel.

As she was rubbing her tired eyes and reviewing newly uploaded web novels, Na Eun’s mother, Mrs. Kang, came in carrying a tray with warm milk.

“Drink this and go to sleep. Don’t take medicine before bed.”

“I’m so tired today, I think I can fall asleep right away.”

“Then go to sleep right away. Why are you staring at the computer again? Don’t you look at it all day at work?”

“It’s not just me. All other companies are like that.”

Mrs. Kang looked at her daughter with pitying eyes and sat on the bed.

“Have you met Woo Jin again?”

“No, not yet.”

“Do you still like Woo Jin?”

“Yes.”

“I wish you wouldn’t see Woo Jin.”

This was the repeated repertoire lately whenever she came home. Na Eun answered indifferently, keeping her gaze on the computer.

“Can’t you see? You used to like Woo Jin before, Mom. You said he was handsome and from a rich family.”

Mrs. Kang had no words in response to her daughter’s remarks. She really did feel that way before. As the youngest grandson of Sung Ha Group, he was flawless in looks and intelligence.

But now the situation was different. Even if it was Sung Ha Group, the thought of her daughter taking care of a lifelong blind person made her feel like her heart was breaking even in her sleep.

When Na Eun said she wanted to study abroad in America, Mrs. Kang actively agreed, thinking this would be a chance for her to distance herself from Woo Jin.

But as soon as she returned to Korea, she went to see Ji Hyun, and went to see Woo Jin… Why was she so desperate to keep entangling herself with that family?

She couldn’t understand her daughter willingly walking into a life of hardship. It’s not like Woo Jin was the only man in the world…

“I understand why Mom changed her mind. I think I’d feel the same if I were you.”

Na Eun said calmly as she drank the milk. Her daughter’s words made Mrs. Kang feel even worse. It was frustrating that her daughter wouldn’t give up her stubbornness even while saying she understood.

“If you understand how I feel, then give up on Woo Jin.”

“I can’t do that. I had a boyfriend in America. He even proposed to me. But I still can’t forget Woo Jin. What can I do? I need to be by Woo Jin’s side.”

“What’s so good about always fighting and crying like that?”

“I don’t know. When I’m with him, it feels like I’m constantly being pricked by thorns… But you don’t throw away an expensive rose just because of the thorns, right? You just consider it a characteristic of the rose. I guess that’s what Woo Jin is to me.”

“Oh… this is upsetting.”

Mrs. Kang left the room carrying the tray, thinking she should start another 100-day prayer.

Na Eun watched her mother’s retreating back, let out a small sigh, and turned off the computer.

− What are you going to do if you keep staying in your room? I heard there are people called activity supporters who can help. If you apply for that…

− Who asked you to look into that for me? Get out!

Woo Jin, who had become noticeably thin from not eating, had only his eyes enlarged. Those eyes that couldn’t even function properly were sparkling intensely.

− Seol Woo Jin! It’s been over a year already! How long are you going to be stubborn!

Although she drank the milk and lay in bed, Na Eun couldn’t fall asleep as memories of her time with Woo Jin kept coming to mind, only giving her a headache.

I did it for you. For you.

Na Eun bit her lower lip hard. Even if her methods were wrong because she was young, Na Eun believed she had done her best for Woo Jin.

She couldn’t understand why he was shutting himself in his room and killing himself when he came from a rich family and had people willing to help him all around if he just wanted it.

Even if it was guilt towards his father, it’s not like he did it on purpose. To Na Eun’s eyes, it seemed like he was just making excuses out of fear.

However, when she saw Woo Jin a few days ago, he had gained weight and looked remarkably handsome. He had a different kind of maturity compared to his high school days.

At first, they greeted each other and the atmosphere was good. The conflict started after she presented him with a new cane as a gift – one that folded inwards rather than in three sections.

She thought he was now using a cane and going outside. Since he was writing under a pen name and had published, she naturally assumed he was engaging in social activities.

But that wasn’t the case. Woo Jin was still afraid, and he didn’t give Na Eun even a small chance to help him.

“Stupid Seol Woo Jin. I’m ready to dedicate my whole life for him… And he doesn’t even realize that…”

Na Eun took out a pill from the drawer and swallowed it. It was medication prescribed for severe insomnia after she went to America.

In the past, just half a pill was enough to easily fall asleep, but these days half a pill wasn’t nearly enough. Though she took the medicine, it seemed like she wouldn’t be able to fall asleep easily tonight either.

When Soo Young saw Woo Jin’s hand, she gasped. Last time his arm was bandaged, and this time his hand was bandaged.

“Did, did I put something in the wrong place again? I put everything back where it belonged…”

Hearing Soo Young stammer, Woo Jin said nothing. After all, it was because of her that he got hurt.

He absolutely refused to go to the hospital, so in the end, Dr. Kang Hyung Min brought tools and stitched him up at home.

No matter how much Soo Young thought about it, she couldn’t remember putting anything in the wrong place, but seeing Woo Jin’s hand tightly bandaged, she kept asking.

“Did I put something in the wrong place? What did you trip over again? Huh?”

“You put everything in the wrong place. Everything.”

Especially your body. Are you a cow or a horse in heat, wanting to ride in his car all the time? When you’re not even dating?

As Woo Jin said this with blazing eyes, Soo Young interpreted his gaze completely differently.

− If you put things anywhere one more time, forget about the long-term work contract.

Terrified by that look, Soo Young asked in a small, shrunken voice.

“You just got a little hurt again, and wrapped it tightly with a bandage, right? Right?”

But Woo Jin’s answer was ice cold.

“My hand is like this, so I can’t go for a walk today.”

“Huh? It’s not like you hurt your leg, why can’t you go for a walk?”

“Do you know how many things I have to be careful about just to go outside once? And now all that attention is on my hand, so do you think I can walk properly or not?”

It was the lamest excuse ever. Seeing him give up on walks after only going out for two days, the guilt Soo Young had been feeling until just now completely disappeared.

“Then I’ll go home too.”

Woo Jin’s eyes flashed at the sudden statement.

“What?”

“I come here because we agreed to go for walks, so if we’re not going, I have no reason to work here today.”

“You…!”

Soo Young deliberately walked towards the entrance with heavy footsteps.

“Hey!”

Though she heard a rough voice from behind, Soo Young opened the front door and went out without looking back.

She pressed the elevator button and waited. Soon, with a ding sound, the elevator doors opened.

Just as she was about to step into the elevator, suddenly something heavy was placed on her shoulder. Then she felt heavy breathing on the top of her head.

Whether she was pulled back or stepped back herself, Soo Young took a couple steps backwards.

“…You… damn…”

Woo Jin huffed, unable to contain his anger even while breathing heavily.

“You sly fox… damn…”

“Look who’s talking, you raccoon…”

Grateful that he had come out and grateful that he had stopped her, Soo Young retorted with a chuckle.

“Since you’re already out, let’s go for a short walk and come back. Okay?”

“…You’re not going to leave?”

“If we go for a walk.”

“You really, I won’t let you off easy.”

Even as he said this, his bandaged hand fumbled to press the elevator button. It opened right away as if no one had been using it.

Soo Young carefully entered the elevator while still held by Woo Jin.

As soon as they came out of the building entrance, he hurriedly searched for his phone.

“The alarm, I didn’t set the alarm.”

But his phone wasn’t in his pocket. It seemed he had left it behind in his rush to come out.

With one arm holding Soo Young’s shoulder as if to prevent her from running away, and the other hand searching various parts of his body, Soo Young wrapped her arm tightly around his waist as she watched him.

“Let’s just walk ten steps. Just ten steps.”

Whether because of her words, or because of her arm tightly holding his waist, Woo Jin took a step in the direction Soo Young was heading without saying anything.

Soon, Soo Young’s characteristic soft low voice could be heard from below.

“One… two… three… four… five… six…”

Just then, the sound of a yellow kindergarten bus stopping and the clear voices of children could be heard.

“Mom!”

“We’re back!”

“Grandma!”

“Did our puppy have a good day?”

Startled by the sounds of children and adults greeting them, Woo Jin’s steps came to a halt.

Knowing he was sensitive to sounds, Soo Young didn’t forcefully lead him and just stood still where he had stopped.

Soon the bus left and as the children and adults dispersed, everything became quiet again.

Soo Young quietly looked up at Woo Jin, who was standing still like a statue. Unexpectedly, he had raised his head and was looking at the sky.

The deep blue sky, and beneath it his sharp jawline and long neck, somehow hurt her eyes.

A cool breeze announcing the arrival of autumn gently caressed Soo Young’s jet-black bob hair and Woo Jin’s light brown hair as it passed by.

Soon, Woo Jin’s face, which had been turned towards the sky, slowly lowered.

Seeing moisture in his large golden pupils, Soo Young was momentarily lost for words. His already sparkling large eyes were shining like jewels in the light.

For some reason, tears welled up in Soo Young’s eyes as she looked into his eyes.

“Shall we go home now?”

When Soo Young asked quietly, Woo Jin nodded silently. The two returned, holding each other, covering only a few steps from the entrance.

Na Eun’s face, watching these two from afar, twisted into an ugly grimace.

The list of bookstores where Braille storybooks to be published this month would be stocked wasn’t very long. While pondering how to properly market Braille books, the door to Ji Hyun’s office suddenly burst open without a knock.

“No, you can’t just go in like that…”

Ignoring the employee following behind, Na Eun walked up to Ji Hyun’s desk with clicking heels.

Startled, Ji Hyun gestured to the troubled-looking employee that it was okay, and stood up from his chair.

“Na Eun. What brings you here without notice?”

“Oppa. Does Woo Jin have a girlfriend?”

Seeing Na Eun’s pupils trembling, Ji Hyun silently looked at her for a moment before calmly asking.

“Why?”

“I thought Woo Jin still couldn’t go outside. That’s why we had a huge fight when we met after 8 years. But today I saw him coming out arm in arm with some young woman? Who is that woman?”

“Woo Jin came out? He came out of the building?”

Ji Hyun asked back with an even more surprised expression than when Na Eun had entered. He knew about the walk condition, but he didn’t expect it to become a reality.

“He came out. Who is that woman? Is she an activity supporter?”

“No. She’s a housekeeper.”

“A housekeeper? Why would Woo Jin need a housekeeper?”

“They’re about the same age, so they became close.”

Na Eun replied with an expression of disbelief.

“Oppa! Are you in your right mind? You should have assigned him an activity supporter, why a housekeeper? And a young woman at that?”

She was disappointed to hear that he still couldn’t go out for 8 years, but on the other hand, she was also glad.

She thought that only she could save him. Only she could help him.

But how many days has it been? He who said he couldn’t go out came outside. And with some girl at that.

“Originally there was another person working as the housekeeper, but she hurt her back so her niece is filling in for her.”

Even as he spoke, Ji Hyun wondered if it was okay to just say this much, but seeing Na Eun’s expression now, he couldn’t say anything more.

“But, what was that position?”

He couldn’t know exactly what position they were in when they came out, but recalling how they were sleeping holding each other on the sofa, he could guess roughly.

When Ji Hyun remained silent, Na Eun asked in a trembling voice.

“…Are they… dating?”

“It’s not like that yet.”

“Yet?”

“Na Eun.”

“Does that girl know about Woo Jin? Does she know as much as I do? How can you leave such a girl in that house when she can’t do anything for Woo Jin?”

Just bringing him outside was already something no one else had been able to do, but Ji Hyun couldn’t say anything.

He couldn’t hurt again the girl who had left wounded but eventually returned unable to forget Woo Jin.

To calm Na Eun down, Ji Hyun slowly picked up the receiver of the phone on his desk and said,

“I’m sorry, but could you bring two cups of tea here? Thanks.”

“Oppa!”

As Na Eun cried out unable to hold back, Ji Hyun extended his hand to her with his characteristic kind expression, gesturing for her to sit down.

It would take a long time to calm down a child with a fiery temper just like Woo Jin.