Epilogue #1 (Part 1)

“Oppa.”

A small and cute voice rang in Jiwook’s ears. 

A small smile appeared on his lips as he sat at his desk. Turning his head slightly to look towards the door, Seowoo was peeking her head in, blinking her large eyes.

She was holding the gray rabbit doll she always carried around.

“Come in.”

Given permission, Seowoo entered the room with a bright smile.

“What are you doing?”

“Homework. Don’t you have any?”

“Nope!”

Seowoo vigorously shook her head. She had just started elementary school and attended a different school from him. Since they couldn’t attend the prestigious school for chaebol family members together, Seowoo’s school was quite a distance from home, so Yoonrim usually took her there every morning.

“Remember that assignment I gave you last time?”

“Um…”

With her cherry-red lips pursed, Seowoo’s black eyes darted around. It seemed like she hadn’t done her homework.

Since she still couldn’t properly read and write yet, Jiwook would occasionally assign her homework and help her with it. Though he was still young, he could help with that much.

“Go get it. Let’s do it together.”

“But can we play afterward?”

“We’ll do the homework and then play.”

“But your mom is coming over in a little while…….”

The corners of Seowoo’s eyes drooped. Myeong-hye had told her not to play with Jiwook, so the only time she could come to his room was when Myeong-hye was out.

“Oppaaa, please?”

Seowoo pleaded with Jiwook, who was hesitating. Checking the time, Jiwook closed the book he had been reading.

“What do you want to play?”

“Hide and seek!”

While there were plenty of toys in the room to play with, Seowoo most loved playing hide-and-seek with him.

“Then, since going downstairs to the 1st floor isn’t allowed, we’ll hide only on the 2nd floor.”

Seowoo smiled brightly and vigorously nodded her head. The only places she could hide on the 2nd floor were Jiwook’s bedroom and the study. She couldn’t go into the study that his father used.

Despite the limited options, she looked incredibly excited.

“I’ll be in the hallway counting to 20. Hide well.”

“Okay!”

As Jiwook left the room, Seowoo stealthily followed behind him.

“1, 2, 3, 4…”

Jiwook’s voice echoed through the 2nd-floor hallway. As the numbers increased, her heart raced, and laughter kept bubbling up. Pretending to go somewhere else, Seowoo quickly slipped under the desk in Jiwook’s study. She remembered how Jiwook had had a hard time finding her the last time she hid here.

“19, 20! Here I come!”

As the sound of searching came from a distance, Seowoo hugged the rabbit doll even tighter to her chest.

“Where are you hiding, Yoon Seowoo?”

Jiwook’s footsteps gradually faded away. It seemed he had gone to the bedroom.

“Hehe.”

Seowoo couldn’t help but laugh at how well she had hidden here. Just in case her laughter leaked out, she covered her mouth with her small hand. Determined to startle him when he came into the study, Seowoo focused on his footsteps.

That’s when it happened.

Thud.

The sudden sound of the door opening startled Seowoo, and she silently counted to three before abruptly standing up from behind the desk.

“Over here……!”

Contrary to her expectations of Jiwook, Myeong-hye was standing at the door. 

Seowoo was shocked to the core by Myeong-hye’s chilly gaze and dropped the rabbit doll she had been holding onto the floor.

“What are you doing here?”

“…”

She had been harshly scolded the last time for playing with Jiwook, so Seowoo remained frozen.

‘If I know you sneak into Jiwook’s room one more time, I’ll hit you with a stick.’

Gripped by extreme fear, Seowoo’s delicate hands began to tremble.

“Get out, now!”

The sharp command, resonating through the room, caused Seowoo to stumble backwards in terror, and she ended up tripping and falling to the floor.

“Ahh!”

The piercing cry echoed in the room, and Jiwook rushed in.

“Mom!!”

Myeong-hye approached the fallen Seowoo and grabbed her small hand.

“You dare sneak in here without knowing your place.”

Myeong-hye grabbed Seowoo’s wrist and dragged her out of the room. A surprised Jiwook stepped in front of her.

“I-I asked her to play.”

“Jiwook, have you finished your homework? Did you do it all today?”

“…….”

As Jiwook didn’t answer, Myeong-hye’s forehead furrowed instantly. Seowoo had planned to play quickly, but Myeong-hye had arrived earlier than expected and caught them.

“You must have disrupted his homework too. I guess I’ll have to hold your mom accountable for not taking care of her daughter.”

As Myeong-hye tried to pass by, Jiwook knelt down in front of her.

If this continued, not only Seowoo but even Yoonrim would be in trouble. He didn’t know if it was possible since she was already so upset, but he had to stop her somehow.

“Mom, wait! No, I meant to do the homework later, so…”

“Didn’t I tell you not to lie to your mother?”

Her precious son, who was usually so honest, would only start lying when this little girl was involved.

How dare she make my son kneel! 

Myeong-hye was overcome with an unbearable rage towards Seowoo.

Her menacing eyes turned towards Seowoo.

“Are you okay?”

At that moment, Jiwook suddenly startled and grabbed Seowoo’s left hand. Blood was dripping from the back of her hand.

It was unclear when she had started bleeding. Red blood soaked the floor along the path Seowoo had taken.

“Uh, Mom. Seowoo is hurt, I think we need to go to the hospital!”

Seowoo seemed quite shocked by Myeong-hye’s sudden appearance.

Instead of crying, Seowoo was just trembling pale as a ghost. 

“Don’t tremble so much. It’s not like you’re going to die from this.”

But even as Myeong-hye looked at her like that, she didn’t blink an eye. Seeing that, Jiwook pulled Seowoo’s hand away from Myeong-hye’s grip, grabbed a towel nearby, and wrapped her small hand.

“I’ll scold her when we get back from the hospital. Please, just let me take her to the hospital. Please…”

Even Yoonrim, who had rushed in at the loud noise, knelt at Myeong-hye’s feet. Holding Seowoo in her arms, she opened her trembling lips.

“Madame, I’m sorry. I failed to watch over my daughter… Please, just let me take her to the hospital. I beg you…”

Myeong-hye let out a sigh, rubbing her throbbing forehead. With reluctant permission granted, Yoonrim carried Seowoo and left the room.

***

Even though it was already well past bedtime, Jiwook was still pacing around his room.

He was worried about Seowoo’s condition after going to the hospital, but he had no one to ask. He had been scolded harshly by Myeong-hye, and had to stay holed up in his room doing homework for the rest of the afternoon.

“Ha…….”

Jiwook let out a deep sigh. He had turned off the lights to avoid being caught by Myeong-hye.

Should I go and check on her for a moment? 

But if he got caught, it would only make things more difficult for Seowoo.

Not only Seowoo, but Yoonrim had also been lectured for a long time in Myeong-hye’s room after returning from the hospital.

The problem was the bottle cap embedded in the sculpture he made during art class. As she fell, it had cut the back of her hand.

“Oh.”

The scene of blood dripping came back to Jiwook’s mind, and he shut his eyes tightly. It seemed quite deep. 

In his hand was the gray rabbit she had dropped earlier. He remembered her saying she always hugged this while sleeping.

“This won’t do.”

He couldn’t sleep with so much worry. Jiwook resolved himself and got up from bed. Quietly leaving his bedroom, he headed downstairs. 

As he stepped outside, the cold air brushed his cheeks. The staff quarters where Seowoo stayed was a short walk along the garden.

“Is she asleep?”

Given the late hour, she might already be sleeping.

How should I call out to her? 

A million thoughts raced through his head as he walked to the staff quarters. Arriving in front of the building quickly, Jiwook walked through the entrance and down the hallway.

“…….”

But to his surprise, there were many more rooms than he had expected. Jiwook stood there blankly, looking around.

“Ah…….”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at his own foolish assumption that he would easily find her.

Maybe I should just go back. 

Hesitating in the dark corridor, Jiwook was about to turn around when-

Click.

Suddenly, the door opened, startling Jiwook. He quickly crouched behind a potted plant, hiding. Just then, the figure of Seowoo emerging from the restroom came into view. He jumped to his feet when he spotted her.

“Seowoo.”

Jiwook’s soft call made Seowoo pause just as she was about to enter her room.

“Yoon Seowoo!”

His voice was barely above a whisper, and the tiny body turned toward him. Her left hand was wrapped in a tight bandage, and when he saw it, his eyes sank low.

“Yoon Seowoo!”

“O… Oppa?”

Seowoo looked around in confusion. As Jiwook came out from behind the plant, a look of delight spread across Seowoo’s face as she recognized him.

“Opp-!”

Quickly approaching her, Jiwook hastily covered Seowoo’s mouth with his hand. Overjoyed, she had raised her voice a bit too much.

If anyone heard…

With his hand still over her mouth, Jiwook whispered in a low voice.

“Let’s go outside for a moment. Okay?”

If they talked in here, they might get caught.

Seowoo nodded eagerly, blinking her large eyes. Jiwook took her hand and led her outside.