Eun Chae found herself wandering in a distant mind.

Although the season was the same winter as the present, there was a stark difference in humidity and dryness she could feel on her skin. She felt a chill from her heart, along with a sense of falling somewhere, as if she were riding a roller coaster. Then, Eun Chae realized that this was a dream.

Somewhere along the line, she merged with her dream self along with the rustling noise. She was sitting in the living room, dressed neatly in her uniform. The moment she felt her body stiffening with extreme anxiety, a thunderous scream struck her ear.

“Can’t you keep your mouth shut?”

It was Chairman Song Myung Hwan’s voice. Following the sound, Eun Chae quickly turned her head. To prove it was a dream, the firmly closed master bedroom door came into her hazy vision.

“How… how can you not even make an excuse?”

It was the voice of her longing mother. It was close to a pitiful sob.

The moment Eun Chae instinctively tried to rise, her path was blocked. It was because the chairman’s secretary, who had been standing in the middle of the living room, stood in her way.

Even if she glared with sharp eyes, the secretary faced her with a calm face, not feeling threatened at all. The man didn’t say anything, but she could feel it. It was a warning not to move.

Eun Chae could not move. She had been under control since childhood, and it was a habit ingrained in her body.

Like a fool.

“Where are you going?”

Her mother’s rising voice finally cracked.

“Drop it! Won’t you drop it?!”

There was a metallic sound from Chairman Song Myung Hwan’s mouth. It was threatening.

At that moment, Eun Chae, who suddenly rose to her feet, pushed the secretary blocking her way with all her strength and ran. As soon as she flung open the master bedroom door, a dizzying scene entered her eyes. Chairman Song Myung Hwan was about to strike the cheek of her mother, whose complexion was clearly sick, with his hefty hand.

Even though she knew it was a dream, Eun Chae trembled with uncontrollable rage.

“……look.”

Chairman Song Myung Hwan frowned, perhaps not hearing it well.

“Just touch it. I’ll kill you!”

The moment Eun Chae was about to leap forward, the secretary who appeared from behind grabbed her shoulder.

Chairman Song Myung Hwan snorted and gestured to take her out. The secretary dragged Eun Chae out like a sack with both hands.

“Drop it. I said drop it!”

“You’ll be late.”

As Eun Chae was being dragged out, she sighed. She shot a look at the secretary as if to ask if being late was the problem right now, but the secretary didn’t care. She was dragged out and loaded into the car.

Then there was a brief blackout. Time in dreams passed quickly.

The living room came back into view. A glowing sunset was visible beyond the window. It seemed like she had come home from school. As Eun Chae crossed the living room, she suddenly felt an urge to run away.

When she opened the master bedroom door straight away, Eun Chae felt as if all the blood had drained from her body.

Her mother was lying motionless on the floor.

She fell into a deep sense of despair again. Again, she felt a change in humidity. Eun Chae knew she had woken from the dream. But the despair remained.

She blinked her eyes. A strange ceiling entered her blurred vision due to tears. A blurry silhouette intruded into it.

“……Mom?”

She blurted out unconsciously, her mouth bitter. As her vision gradually became clear, what was captured in her eyes was not her mother.

“……Kwon Ki Joo……?”

It was him. Eun Chae laughed bitterly. The tears that had pooled welled up, and finally flowed down her cheeks.

Eun Chae fell asleep again as if she had fainted.

((())) ((())) ((()))

Ki Joo stood stiffly beside the bed, staring at Eun Chae’s tearstreaked face. After covering her bony shoulders with a blanket, he quietly left the room.

He stepped barefoot onto the terrace connected to the living room. When the cold air hit his still wet body, he felt a chill.

Using that as a catalyst, Ki Joo brought his fingers to his lips out of habit. He drew in a breath as if savoring the smoke of a cigarette, then let it out and lowered his arm.

He stared blankly at the cloudy sky after the rain.

A little time must have passed then. He heard a rustling noise from behind.

When Ki Joo twisted his shoulder and looked back, Eun Chae was standing there.

Whether it was to stammeringly put forward the excuse that she was momentarily out of her mind because she obediently accepted his kiss. Or whether it was to maintain her composure calmly.

Ki Joo was unable to predict which response she would choose. It made sense since Eun Chae’s face was a blend of confusion and calm.

Their gazes intertwined fiercely, and it was Eun Chae who first looked away. As she picked up her clothes, crumpled on the sofa, she spoke.

“I’ll go, now.”

With that, she went back into the room, pulling up the fallen blanket.

Ki Joo followed her movements with his eyes. As Eun Chae entered the room, he stared fixedly at the door in her stead.