The Past

It must have been shortly after my father passed away—probably when I had just entered elementary school.

"Around eight years old. I don't remember clearly, but I do recall thinking he seemed like someone from another world... and I remember really disliking him."

"You had sharp judgment for someone so young. So, what happened?"

Yoon-hyuk seemed amused. Ha-young dug into her memories.

"My mom's friend suddenly needed help with something... cleaning, I think. A few days before, she asked my mom to come help at this vacation house."

Yoon-hyuk waited quietly for Ha-young to continue.

"I wasn't supposed to go, but since there was no one to watch me, she snuck me along."

Ha-young looked down at the dark forest. There was only blackness below, and it felt like the gondola had stopped mid-air.

"The owner's family arrived at the villa, and I spent most of my time hiding nearby during the day."

"Were you bored?"

"No. There was a valley, a big garden, lots to explore. It felt like I'd entered another world. I was more excited than bored."

As she spoke, forgotten memories came back vividly.

It was a beautifully arranged space, like every tree and stone had been placed with care. Other than the five members of the owner's family, there was no one else in that wide area.

Maybe that's why the memory feels like a dream. I think I forgot it for so long because it felt so surreal—like dreams that fade quickly.

Even from a distance, the owner's family seemed strange.

There was one boy around my age, and two older siblings with a noticeable age gap. But there was no conversation between them, no laughter.

Nice clothes, a pretty house, and people with empty expressions—like dolls.

"It wasn't just their looks that were odd."

"What? Were their personalities trash too?"

"Yeah."

Even though Yoon-hyuk, sitting across from her, was also a 'chaebol' (a rich heir), Ha-young's answer was firm.

"I overheard them talking... I was probably still small, but they looked really big to me. Maybe middle school or high school? They were plotting to kill their younger sibling. I thought it was a joke, but it wasn't."

"Damn. That's insane."

Ha-young frowned.

"But the younger sibling was kind of strange too. I told him—yeah, I probably looked weird just popping up out of nowhere in a place where no one else should be, giving strange advice. But..."

It felt different from that.

"I told him, 'Your brother is trying to kill you, so don't go into the water even if he tells you to.' That valley had strong currents. Even adults sometimes had accidents there."

"Yeah."

"But after telling me to get lost, he went right into the water like he was proving a point."

"So... did he die?"

She remembered clearly how anxious she'd been as he walked into the water. The image, the smell of that day, the temperature—it all came flooding back.

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"Hey."

"What?"

His eyes scanned me up and down. Even at a young age, I could sense his wariness.

"Are you... the one?"

"...So what if I am?"

The tension grew.

"I'm Seo Ha-young. I'm not a suspicious person. That tall guy with glasses is your brother, right?"

"What the hell do you want?"

"You don't need to know that! What I have to tell you is more important."

Even as she spoke, Ha-young hesitated, unsure how to say it. Your brother is trying to kill you—how could she just come out and say that?

It would hurt. But if she didn't say it, and he really did die...

"If your brother tells you to jump in the water later, don't do it."

The boy looked at her with increasing suspicion, scanning her from head to toe.

Only then did Ha-young notice the dirt on her skirt from sitting under a tree and brushed it off awkwardly.

"Well..."

"If you're not going to explain properly, then get lost."

"My mom said not to use bad words like that…"

"Want me to curse more? I said get lost."

"Look, your brother... he said he's going to drown you. He wants to kill you."

"..."

The boy didn't speak.

He was hurt. Shocked.

"I... I'm sorry."

Ha-young apologized, even though she hadn't done anything wrong. But the boy's response was unexpected.

"It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean? You don't care if you drown?"

"Yeah."

"You don't care even if your brother tries to kill you?"

"Yeah."

"Can you even swim?"

"No."

"Then what are you going to do? I can swim well, and even I wouldn't go in there. The current is too strong—adults have died there."

"I said mind your own business!"

The boy suddenly shouted. Ha-young flinched.

She tried a few more times to stop him, but all she got in return were harsh curses, words that only adults were supposed to say.

He's just bluffing, she thought. Like boys in my class who say they're not scared of bees, but then scream when one flies in.

He wouldn't actually go in.

She kept telling herself that, but her palms were already sweaty from anxiety.

But the boy's eyes were different. He really didn't seem to care. He wasn't bluffing like her classmates.

Even though her mom had told her not to get caught, she couldn't leave. She secretly followed them.

Hiding behind a big tree, she bit her nails. He wouldn't actually... right? I warned him so clearly... he won't jump in, right?

"If you're really part of our family, then jump in. I'll acknowledge you then, you coward."

The boy climbed onto a large rock without changing expression.

He's really going to jump. What do I do?

She panicked. Should she go get an adult? But the path was too long, and the boy was already on the rock.

SPLASH!

The sound of water roared.

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"So did he die?"

"He survived."

"You saved him?"

Ha-young met Yoon-hyuk's gaze. She couldn't bring herself to say the next words.

As a streetlamp passed behind him, shadows danced across his face, darkening and then lightening his features.

She remembered the face of that soaked boy from her memories. It overlapped perfectly with Yoon-hyuk's.

"Wait... that was you?"

"You remembered?"

Ha-young's mouth fell open slightly.

Just then, the gondola reached the bottom. Yoon-hyuk smiled brightly and held out his hand.

"Let's go, Ms. Seo Ha-young."

For some reason, she felt a little hollow, but also comforted.

So that was it.

She had saved Yoon-hyuk's life long ago. That's why he was helping her now. Because she was his savior.

A reason that made sense. She was glad she had listened to the story.

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After dropping Ha-young off, Yoon-hyuk returned to the office.

He had a lot of work piled up. It looked like he'd be pulling all-nighters until he returned to the company lodging.

As he worked through the mountain of emails into the early morning, he briefly closed his eyes.

He rested his forearm over his tired eyes. The exhaustion was real—but the corners of his lips curled into a faint smile.

After learning about the past, Ha-young's face had visibly relaxed.

"Your brother... he said he's going to drown you. He wants to kill you."

Yoon-hyuk remembered everything about that moment—her expression, her breath, the trembling of her eyelashes.

His first thought was: I need to report her. A trespasser.

But that didn't mean he didn't believe what she said. He knew it was true.

His brother had always wanted to kill him.

In-hyuk, who was seven years older, was simple-minded and violent. He had hated Yoon-hyuk from the moment he was born. To him and their sister, the youngest sibling was just someone stealing what should have been theirs.

"If you're really one of us, then jump in. I'll acknowledge you then."

He didn't hesitate.

If I die, I die.

If I don't, that bastard loses.

That was how eleven-year-old Yoon-hyuk learned to survive.

The water was cold. Deep. Just like the girl said, something seemed to keep pulling at his legs from below. He couldn't breathe.

Then, the surface of the water broke. Through the rush of bubbles, the girl's face suddenly appeared. Her cheeks were puffed up like a fish, but she looked frantic.

The trespassing girl reached out her hand. When he didn't take it, she looked frustrated and shouted something he couldn't hear, then let go of what she was holding.

A round float ring shot up past him. Her body followed closely behind.

Is she stupid? She's going to die with me. What an idiot...