Except for the fact that her memory had returned, there weren’t many places that were seriously injured, and she didn’t want to lie in a hospital that was of no help in treating stress-induced headaches.

Seo-yoon, who leaned her head against the car window, contemplated for a while, took out her phone, and dialed Jung-hye’s number.

—Yes, Ji-an.

Before the first call was even disconnected, a soft voice came through.

It was the first call since the sudden visit to the store, confessing that she knew about the adoption.

There had been no separate contact with Jung-hye for several days after that day.

It seemed like Jung-hye was leaving her alone, seeing that she was confused because of the memories.

“Mom.”

—Why does your voice sound so weak? Are you eating well and going around?

“Yeah, what about Mom? Nothing’s wrong at home?”

Calling her mom, a title that now made her throat tighten just by thinking about it, she carefully smoothed out her trembling voice.

—No. Is there anything you want to eat? It’s the day our daughter comes home tomorrow. Mom will prepare a lot of delicious food.

“Mom, can I come a bit later?”

—…You still don’t want to come home?

“No! It’s not that.”
With her back straightened firmly, Seo-yoon raised her voice and filled it with laughter.

“I want to go on a trip with the president. Just because my mind is complicated. I want to go to Jeju Island, see the sea, and eat delicious food. Can you allow it? Hm?”

“Oh, Jeju Island? How many days are you planning to stay?”

Whether it was due to the awkward acting or not, Jung-hye’s tone brightened considerably.

“About a week. I might come back earlier.”

“Oh, my, your dad would be so upset if he knew. Call your dad first. Got it?”

“Yeah, got it.”

“After a week, you’re coming home, right? Mom will be waiting.”

“…Of course.”

“Have a good time and come back.”

“Yes.”

After finishing the call safely, Seo-yoon wiped her eyes that had become blurry. While Seo-yoon, who had half-opened the car window, faced the cold wind and wiped away tears, the sedan that had been working diligently turned into a residential alley.

Kang-hyun, who parked the car in front of the massive gate akin to a castle wall, unfastened his seatbelt first.

“Don’t get out.”

A chilly voice, completely different from a little while ago, grabbed Kang-hyun.

Kang-hyun stopped his hand that was about to pull the door handle and looked back at Seo-yoon.

“I’m in pain. How can you be alone?”

“I’ll be alone.”

“Seo-yoon.”

“Being with you is more difficult and uncomfortable. Why don’t you understand? Or are you pretending not to understand?”

The complicated feelings after the call with Jung-hye turned into a sharp form again.

“Stay like I don’t exist.”

“Rather than staying like I don’t exist, just disappear.”

Seo-yoon, who spat out words that hadn’t passed through her mind, was about to get out of the car but closed her eyes tightly.

Seo-yoon, who had sighed deeply and slouched her shoulders, turned her head.

Kang-hyun’s gaze towards Seo-yoon was simply calm.

“Oppa, my condition is like this now.”

The painfully twisted wrinkles around Seo-yoon’s eyes were red.

“I hate you so much, oppa. It’s terrible to weigh you against my parents. If I choose you, I lose my family, and it’s not easy to give that up.”

Although she resented Kang-hyun greatly, it didn’t mean she didn’t love him.

Excluding the four years that existed solely as Seo Ji-an, it would be difficult to find a moment when she didn’t love him.

However, now, with hatred mixed into her blind love, the desire to live as Seo Ji-an, not Han Seo-yoon, was a bit heavier.

When she heard Jung-hye’s warm words about waiting at home, a vague thought crossed her mind.

A week might be a time to sort out Kang-hyun.

She was afraid of when and how Kang-hyun’s love might change.

She feared that if his briefly shown love ended, she might once again become an affectionate doll, trapped somewhere.

But her parents would continue to gift infinite love until the predetermined time to part ways arrived.

The problem was that, for the sake of that happiness, discarding Kang-hyun with her own hands was too heavy a task.
Seo-yoon felt that she couldn’t discard him unless she hated him to death. So, she wanted to resent him endlessly.

“All the time, I keep thinking… it would be better if you… left first. That thought keeps coming out.”

So, it would have been better if she had worn herself out with countless curses and left.

It was a malicious sentiment hidden deep somewhere, lurking and emerging.

“Because of you, I dislike myself. It’s so confusing, tiring, and difficult.”

“Your birthday is this weekend.”

“What?”

“Four years ago, no, it’s now been five years. Five years ago, I forgot your birthday.”

Seo-yoon blinked her teasing eyes, counting the dates.

“I’ll come on that day. Before that, I’ll try not to come.”

“…”

“I know what you mean by your words. I don’t want to break up.”

Kang-hyun, who held Seo-yoon’s hand after a long time, lightly touched her cheek in his small palm, just as he often did.

“I said I pitied myself, but why do you keep trying to distance yourself?”

He looked extremely anxious.

Three days remained until Seo-yoon’s birthday, and during that time, Kang-hyun tried to keep himself busy. He didn’t want to make Seo-yoon, who said she would find it difficult to run to his Seongbuk-dong house at any moment, more miserable.

Returning to the chaotic company after the summoning investigation of Chairman Tae Seok-gyu by the prosecutor, meeting with directors, and catching up on delayed work, Kang-hyun was scheduled to meet Prosecutor Jang Yeon-seok to discuss the direction of the investigation.

“According to Prosecutor Jang, Gu Se-jun has more plausible evidence than expected, so it might be possible to arrest Chairman Tae Seok-gyu…”

Seok-won’s unclear words droned on from the side.

While waiting for the car to be brought by the valet parking after having a meal near the prosecutor’s office, Kang-hyun looked at the crosswalk in front of him.

Did he think he just had to cross because the crosswalk was there?

Unconsciously reaching into his pants pocket with his hands, Kang-hyun stood there, wondering if Seo-yoon was doing well, if she wasn’t scared alone. Perhaps she was in pain. He extended his leg unconsciously with such thoughts.

Maybe he thought he just had to cross because the crosswalk was there.

Before he knew it, the cars that had received the signal rushed past Kang-hyun, who had unknowingly descended below the sidewalk block.

Screech—.

When Kang-hyun, who couldn’t bring the car under his vacant gaze, was about to step down one more time, the driver, who had just started to slow down and come out, saw the person and pressed the brakes.

“Team Leader!”

Bang, a loud horn echoed, and startled Seok-won grabbed Kang-hyun’s arm.