Ina sat in the sauna for a long time, completely absent-minded.

She had intended to find a place to live and a job before returning, but after leaving Taeyun’s house, all her thoughts had simply stopped.

“I don’t have a hobby of sleeping with women who’ve already been touched by other men.”

‘A woman who’s been touched by another man…’

In his eyes, that was exactly what she was now.

A woman who had slept with another man and given birth to his child.

It wasn’t wrong.

As the thought lingered, a bitter smile formed on Ina’s lips.

“Do you even know what that means when you say that?”

“I’ll deduct one million won each time. Try to repay it however you can. Who knows—maybe you have the ability to knock off a few hundred in a single night.”

She hadn’t known that was what he meant.

She hadn’t even realized he was suggesting that.

At the simple words I’ll help you, she had only felt grateful. She had never imagined that the words I don’t even want to look at you would hurt this much.

“Ha…”

Ina pulled her knees up and buried her face against them.

‘A hobby of sleeping with a woman touched by another man…’

She knew he had probably just thrown those words out to hurt her. But knowing that didn’t make the pain disappear.

It had been the one place she thought she could still rely on. Perhaps she had simply assumed too easily that he might help her.

From Han Taeyun’s perspective, she was probably nothing more than a cheap woman who had run away with another man and ruined herself.

Just then, the phone she had placed in front of her began to vibrate.

Ina picked it up and checked the screen.

“Ah… ahem.”

Clearing her throat, rough from crying, she pressed the call button.

“Yes, Grandma.”

“Have you eaten?”

“Of course. I’m not a child.”

Hearing Yeongja’s worried voice made Ina’s emotions surge.

Yeongja could tell how she felt just by hearing her voice, so Ina steadied her breathing, pretending as much as possible that nothing was wrong.

“Mom, Mom!”

Dahyeon’s voice could be heard too, as if she were right beside her.

Holding back her tears, Ina spoke.

“Looks like Dahyeon’s still awake.”

“Yes. Maybe because you’re not here. She seems a little lonely.”

“I’ll be back tomorrow anyway. Dahyeon, go to sleep early.”

“Okay!”

“And listen to Grandma.”

The child’s sweet voice rang in her ears.

A sad smile spread across Ina’s lips.

At that moment, she also heard Yeongja coughing.

The sound of the cough—growing worse and worse—made her heart feel heavy.

“Where are you sleeping tonight?”

“Don’t worry. I found a place to stay for the night.”

Afraid Yeongja would worry if she said she was staying at a the sauna, Ina lied.

She hadn’t even managed to repay a single won to Taeyun yet, and even the thirty-thousand-won fee for a cheap motel felt too expensive to spend.

“Take care of yourself, alright?”

“Yes. Please go to sleep. I’ll head back down tomorrow morning.”

“Alright, alright.”

After repeating several reminders to be careful, Yeongja ended the call.

The only person she could trust to leave Dahyeon with. The person who truly cared for her as if she were her own granddaughter.

When she ran away after learning she was pregnant, there had been someone who came to mind.

Director Ji Yeonsuk, the woman who had raised her since childhood.

At first, she had considered going to her. But if she went there, her location would likely be discovered immediately, so she couldn’t do that.

Suddenly remembering Yeonsuk, who had always cared for her, Ina felt a wave of longing.

Yeonsuk would surely have pitied her and helped her. But life had been so difficult just surviving that she hadn’t even been able to call once to ask how she was doing.

Just as she tried to organize her tangled thoughts, her phone vibrated briefly.

[Are you asleep?]

It was a message from Jinho.

Since it was late, he must have chosen to text instead of calling.

[Not yet.]

The moment she sent her reply, the “1” beside the message disappeared.

Ina stared blankly at the screen, waiting for his response.

Soon, another message from Jinho arrived.

[Did you find a place yet? If it’s too expensive, tell me. I can help more.]

Jinho brought it up carefully.

Even through the short message, she could feel his sincerity.

Just as Taeyun had said, she could have accepted help from Jinho.

Paying monthly rent would still be difficult, but if the deposit could be solved first, she would at least have some breathing room.

And since deposits are returned when you move out, she could repay him once Yeongja’s treatment was over.

The temptation to accept his help kept rising, but she couldn’t bring herself to do it.

[You really don’t have to. I’m okay.]

Suppressing her regret, Ina sent the message.

[I know you might feel burdened. But if you really can’t find anything, you can tell me.]

“……”

Taeyun and Jinho.

The two of them were strangely alike.

Every time she saw Jinho taking care of her, she was reminded of Taeyun.

As Ina stared quietly at the message, her eyes began to fill with tears.

[Text me when you arrive tomorrow. I’ll come pick you up at the station. Sleep well.]

Before she could reply, another message from Jinho appeared.

Ina wiped her eyes and tapped out a short response.

***

“If this place doesn’t work either… there’s nowhere else left to look.”

The landlord spoke with an awkward expression.

She had arrived early in the morning and had already waited for two hours.

With barely any money and still trying to be selective, there weren’t many places she could choose from.

Due to Yeongja’s chemotherapy and hospital visits, however, Ina had hoped that the house would at least be clean.

The lower the price, though, the harder it was to find somewhere clean.

Since she had to raise Dahyeon as well, safety was important too.

It seemed that today would end in failure again.

“You’ll probably have to choose from the places I showed you.”

“Thank you for taking the time to show them to me.”

“I’d like to help adjust things since your situation is difficult, but even then the rent might only go down by about fifty thousand won. Think about it and contact me.”

With only that to say, the landlord left first.

Ina continued walking along the narrow alley.

The hill was far too steep to travel easily with Yeongja, whose knees were weak, and little Dahyeon.

“Ha…”

When she sighed, white breath drifted from her lips.

She needed to secure a house first before she could even start looking for a part-time job nearby.

Because of the housing problem, nothing else could be settled.

She had come to Seoul and searched for housing several times already. Yet even now, nothing had been decided.

The situation only felt more suffocating.

“The house, the hospital, everything needed for treatment. I’ll take care of all of it.”

Those words Taeyun had said suddenly crossed her mind.

If he would just help find a house.

No—if he would simply arrange the hospital.

If Han Taeyun decided to move even a little, the hospital appointment could probably be moved up.

He had even said he would cover the treatment expenses.

Had he meant it?

Or had he simply lashed out in anger after seeing her ask for more money?

“How pathetic.”

Ina let out a self-mocking sigh.

Even after hearing those cruel words, she was still thinking about asking him for help again.

If someone mocked her for having no pride, she would have nothing to say in return. But that only proved how desperate her situation truly was.

Even if those words had not been sincere—

What kind of reaction would he show if she said she would accept?

“……”

Ina unfolded the train ticket she had placed in her bag.

It was a KTX ticket departing at 9:50 p.m.

The current time was 11 a.m.

She decided she would think about it a little longer.

Her gaze lowered quietly.

***

It was already 5 p.m.

Should he just go home?

Or go play squash again today?

Taeyun let out a troubled sigh.

He couldn’t focus on work at all.

After returning from the United States, Taeyun had worked relentlessly without a single day off until he became accustomed to company operations.

Since resting would only fill his mind with useless thoughts anyway, he had decided it was better to bury himself in work.

But today, ever since arriving at the office, he hadn’t managed to focus for even ten minutes.

“What a headache.”

Taeyun reached out and opened the drawer.

He took out a headache pill, tossed it into his mouth, and swallowed it with a sip of water.

The pain in his head was intense.

And the reason for it was Yoon Ina, who had come to his house yesterday.

“Please help me.”

Her trembling voice as she knelt at his feet.

Her tightly clenched fists, the knuckles turning white.

And her shabby appearance.

The image of her in that miserable state was burned into his mind.

Seeing how exhausted she looked had suddenly reminded him of something Ina once said to him.

“Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“Sometimes I think about something.”

“What kind of thought?”

It was something she had said during their first trip together.

“My life has been so hard that sometimes I wonder why I was even born. But then I think… maybe all those hardships were just so I could meet you.”

The image of Ina chattering happily while resting in his arms came back to him vividly.

Leaning back in his chair, Taeyun closed his eyes.

“There’s something called the law of the total amount of happiness. Brother, have you ever heard of it?”

“No. That’s the first time I’ve heard it.”

“They say everyone has a fixed amount of happiness in life. Since I’ve never really been happy until now… maybe it means only happy things are left for me from now on.”

For a moment, it felt as though her voice was echoing right beside his ear.

Just then, the phone lying on the desk began to vibrate.

Taeyun reached out and picked it up.

The moment he saw the caller ID, his eyes sharpened.

Pressing the answer button, he brought the phone to his ear.

Even after he answered, she said nothing.

After waiting quietly for a moment, Taeyun raised one eyebrow slightly and spoke first.

“If you have nothing to say, hang up.”

His cold voice echoed through the office.

“No. I do.”

“Then get to the point.”

She fell silent again.

Her hesitation was obvious.

Just as he began to suspect something, her trembling voice finally came through.

“About the proposal you made yesterday… is it still valid?”

The moment he heard her words, Taeyun’s face turned cold.