11 Years Ago.

“Dad?”

Ji-an’s eyes widened when she saw In-hwan standing by the sink as she left her room.

He was busily preparing breakfast, moving with such careful precision that there was no sound from the kitchen. Ji-an hadn’t noticed anything until she entered the kitchen.

“Come on, eat before you head to school.”

In-hwan placed a small earthenware pot of bubbling stew on the round table where they always ate.

It was kimchi stew, packed full of pork — Ji-an’s favourite.

In fact, what she loved most was the kimchi stew made by her father.

Next to the stew were four fried eggs and some seaweed – one for Ji-an, one for her grandmother, one for her younger brother Jimin, and one for her father.

“Wow, it looks so good!”

Ji-an beamed as she hurried over to the table, her eyes crinkling into a smile.

“I could have done it myself.”

“I’m starting work late today, so I thought I’d show off my cooking skills.”

Whenever In-hwan wasn’t home, it was Ji-an’s responsibility to make breakfast.

This meant that she had to wake up at least an hour earlier than usual to get her little brother ready for school and prepare a meal for their sick grandmother before leaving.

“Hehe. Dad, should I scoop the rice?”

“I’ll do it. Just sit down and relax.”

Ji-an nodded with a smile. With all her time taken up by studying and filling in for her absent mother, Ji-an only ever allowed herself to be a child in front of her father.

She was happy simply eating with him and even happier when her favourite kimchi stew was on the table.

Watching her father serve her rice made her feel like it was already a perfect start to the day.

“I should probably wake Jimin up soon.”

“Don’t worry about it. Just eat. I’ll take care of him.”

Soon, a bowl of steaming rice was placed in front of her. The savoury aroma of sesame oil drizzled over the kimchi stew filled the kitchen, making her mouth water.

“Thank you for the food!”

Ji-an clasped her hands together in gratitude, picked up her spoon, and took a large mouthful of rice.

In-hwan tore a piece of kimchi and placed it gently on top of her rice as she did so.

Ji-an’s eyes curved into a smile as she looked at her father, and she popped the bite into her mouth.

In-hwan gazed at his daughter quietly.

She was only fifteen, a second-year middle school student.

She was his precious little girl, the kind of daughter who wouldn’t even harm a fly.

Since his wife passed away, Ji-an had taken on the role of mother from a very young age.

Although she must have longed to be pampered like any other child, she had always endured hardship, and In-hwan couldn’t help but feel sorry for her.

The only thing he could do for her was prepare breakfast on days when he could go to work a little late.

Even then, with mounting hospital bills for his elderly mother and younger daughter, he could only manage to make a simple kimchi stew with pork shoulder.

“Dad, it’s so good.”

“Eat as much as you want.”

“No one makes kimchi stew like you. The meat’s delicious too.”

Seeing Ji-an give him a thumbs-up and smile brightly, pleased with the extra meat he had added, In-hwan felt a small sense of relief.

At least today, he could send her off to school with a hot meal, despite the cold winter air. That alone made him feel a little more at ease.

“Dad, if you get the weekend off, let’s go out with Jimin. And Grandma too.”

“Wow, that sounds great. Where should we go?”

“Hmmm, think about it, Dad. Anywhere you want.”

“All right.”

Ji-an nodded brightly, her face full of joy. After sitting across from his daughter for breakfast for so long, In-hwan couldn’t help but smile with happiness.

***

“Ji-an… what do I do…”

It was just before her final lesson of the day was due to start. When her teacher suddenly entered the classroom and called her out, she didn’t think it was anything important.

What followed was something she had never even imagined.

“Your father…”

Even after calling her out, the teacher couldn’t bring herself to finish the sentence.

Without grabbing her coat or changing her shoes, Ji-an ran out of the school.

She ran straight to the scene that the teacher had mentioned.

Fire engines and ambulances were parked along the street outside the university where the accident had happened.

Whether from fear or the bitter cold, Ji-an’s thin body trembled like a leaf in the wind.

Without thinking, she pushed her way through the crowd gathered at the scene, moving closer to the building.

“No… no…”

The sight before her felt surreal, as if her mind refused to believe it.

The building was completely blackened and still spewing thick, dark smoke into the sky. It was a disaster beyond words.

It was on the verge of collapse, making it impossible for anyone to enter.

“Dad…”

Ji-an muttered under her breath as she rushed past the makeshift barricade.

A firefighter quickly grabbed her to stop her.

“Miss, it’s too dangerous right now. You can’t go in.”

“My dad is inside. He’s still in there.”

“That’s why. Please just wait here for a moment.”

“No! Please call him for me! His name is Yoo In-hwan. I’m begging you.”

“Ji-an!”

At that moment, Jae-hyung rushed over after spotting her.

He worked with In-hwan, and Ji-an had often seen him; he was like an uncle to her.

“Uncle… Is Dad inside? Is he still OK? Right? Where is he now?”

“I’ll go and check right away. Just wait here for a moment.”

This confirmed that In-hwan was still trapped inside the building.

The situation couldn’t have been more desperate.

“You have to come out, okay? You and Dad have to come out together. Promise me. Please…”
“I will. I promise. Uncle promises.”

As soon as she saw someone she recognised, Ji-an finally broke down in tears.

Unable to cry out loud, she trembled and sobbed. Jae-hyung gently comforted her before rushing into the building.

Watching him disappear into the smoke-filled wreckage, Ji-an prayed desperately.

“Please, let nothing happen. Please let me see my father’s face again soon.”

***

But that desperate prayer was shattered.

When she was asked to identify the body, Ji-an stood frozen in front of the white sheet, unable to move.

The moment she pulled back the sheet, her worst fears would be realised.

Her hands trembled violently as she hesitated repeatedly.

Finally, she gripped the edge of the cloth and slowly pulled it down.

“…!”

The moment her eyes met what lay beneath, tears welled up in her eyes.

“Dad… Dad…”

She stepped closer to In-hwan, who lay motionless under the sheet, and gently caressed his charred face.

“Why are you like this? Wake up, okay? Dad, please… wake up…”

Helplessly, she stroked his lifeless face as tears fell endlessly from her eyes.

The fire had been massive, shaking the entire city.

It broke out in a university building, and it took firefighters nearly five hours to extinguish it completely.

Many were injured and many more died.

Jae-hyung, who had promised Ji-an that he would come out with In-hwan, was also trapped inside when part of the building collapsed.

Ultimately, he didn’t make it out either.

Her father rushed into the flames without hesitation to save others.

Inside, he even handed his oxygen mask to someone else.

As Ji-an stroked his face and body, unable to believe that all warmth had left him, she found that everything she touched was cold and unyielding.

“We were supposed to go out this weekend, remember? How could you leave me behind? Please… wake up! You can’t do this!”

Just this morning, they had been sitting together, sharing breakfast and smiling.

In-hwan’s voice echoed in Ji-an’s head, reminding her of how he had insisted on making breakfast for her that day.

Holding onto his unresponsive body, Ji-an sobbed uncontrollably.

***

A joint memorial altar has been set up in honour of the victims of the fire.

Nine firefighters, including Ji-an’s father, lost their lives in the blaze.

As the eldest son, Jungho was expected to serve as chief mourner. However, as he could not be reached, Ji-an took on the role herself.

The president and numerous high-ranking officials came to pay their respects, and more mourners continued to arrive.

When In-hwan’s mother, Gyudeok, heard the news, she fainted.

Jimin, who was too unwell to attend, insisted on staying by Ji-an’s side anyway. She was frightened by the prospect of being alone.

In a way, they were fortunate. Since In-hwan’s body had been recovered intact, there was no need for DNA testing to confirm his identity.

“…”

Ji-an sat in a daze, her eyes vacant as she stared into nothingness.

It felt like the entire world had turned grey.

She had cried so much that her tears had dried up long ago.

“Unni…”

Jimin, sitting beside her, gently shook Ji-an’s arm.

Only then did Ji-an slowly turn to face her little sister.

Jimin had been born with a weak heart and had already undergone two heart surgeries.

Ji-an couldn’t even begin to imagine how devastated their father must have been, having to leave behind a sick mother and a daughter in such a fragile state. The thought alone crushed her heart.

“My little sister can’t catch a cold…”

For Jimin, who was in such poor health, even a simple cold could be dangerous.

Ji-an carefully pulled Jimin’s coat tighter around her frail body.

After three long days, exhaustion was evident on Jimin’s face.

“Aren’t you hungry?”

“I’m okay, but I’m sleepy.”

Perhaps it was the late hour. With her eyes heavy with drowsiness, Jimin rested her head on Ji-an’s lap and rubbed her face against her sister’s leg.

“Get some sleep.”

Ji-an took the blanket that was draped over her shoulders and tucked it around Jimin.

Jimin soon fell asleep, breathing softly in her sister’s embrace.

As she gently patted her sleeping sister’s back, Ji-an’s gaze quietly shifted to her father’s portrait.

His smiling face stared back at her, and once again, tears welled in her eyes.

Sniff.

Hot tears streamed down her reddened, chapped cheeks, stinging from the cold.

She had no strength left to wipe them away and they simply continued to fall.

Then, a large shadow was cast over her face.