„I’m dancing… in the rhythm of the Latin Tango, in the blinding light of the reflectors from above, although there is so little light so suddenly. Even so, I don’t feel lost today, and this happens because I can listen to the rhythm of your footsteps in silence. Yes, in the rhythm of the same steps that guide me on the dance floor, letting me know I’m not alone here.

And it’s weird… this dance… this music I can hear around me. It seems like it has been born from sadness, like the red flowers thrown on the floor at our feet. No spectator is seen around. Only you and I are in the spotlight on a huge scene… the World Stage… into a perfect dance of lost love. It’s exactly the same as my breath that’s going away… step by step. This happens because of my heart that’s stubborn to stop beating and like you, the one I have always loved, will find a new partner with whom to dance this holy rhythm of life. Even so, I’m happy because… white flowers will be left on my grave by the one I loved for an entire life and who has been my Universe and my whole breath…”

***

…these could have been Dja Iun’s thoughts before death, looking at SolHi’s sleeping face while she was lying on that heap of earth… wet and cold. At least this is what SolHi preferred to think at that moment, knelt in front of the young man’s photo, which was left next to the fresh grave. She was crying… with her whole body while feeling the coldness of the earth touched by her left palm. Right next to her, a bouquet of white chrysanths was filling the air with a pleasant perfume… those flowers that had always been their favorite ones.

Eventually, when she could control her pain, SolHi looked at that Dja Iun, who was smiling at her from the photo, and told him, „I’m sorry, Dja Iun! I’m sorry that your life has been short because of me. It’s been short like the life of this red candle that I leave today on your grave.” After that, moving the candle further from the bouquet so as not to ignite the cellophane wrap, SolHi sat by the photo and looked in the distance.

Yes, SolHi looked in the distance at that moment… at the red horizon because of so much crying. Or maybe was it because her eyes were red because of the tears that washed them for so long? It might have been so because she suddenly compared that red horizon with a battlefield bathed by the blood of the one she cared about and who died so tragically. Yet, life was so eventually: some of us are dying, some of us are hurt, and others are just living their life as if nothing had happened. But not SolHi: she couldn’t continue her life as if nothing happened. It was impossible for her because of her memories and of the injured shoulder that she dislocated again in the accident. She also had wounds and scars on her face, neck, and arms, but they were minor and weren’t threatening her life. She could have even considered herself a lucky person eventually because that night two men sacrificed themselves in the name of the love they felt for her, allowing her to keep breathing.

And she was breathing, with her entire body at that moment. She was deeply inhaling the cold air of the horizon. Then, she looked to her right, took the photo from off the grave, and held it to her chest, whispering, „You know, Dja Iun, I still wonder if you are okay where you are now. Are you really fine there, Oppa? Are you really happier without us? Do you feel calmer there, more protected, and safer? Don’t you feel that you are missing us?” Questions that made SolHi burst into a cry eventually, holding the photo even closer to her chest while her mind asked answers to her questions… those questions that couldn’t be answered by anyone at that moment.

Or maybe those questions took a form in her mind because Fate wanted to play with her? It might have been so because SolHi heard Dja Iun’s voice in front of her so suddenly, „Hey, SolHi, why are you just staying like the mollusk on the shore? Let’s go! We have so many things to do today!”

With teary eyes, SolHi looked in front. Thus, she saw the young man squatting in front of her, about 1 meter from her, smiling as he always did in life. Then, he stretched his arm toward her, as though intending to help her to stand up. Yet, when SolHi touched his palm, the image of Dja Iun vanished…

This made SolHi close her eyes. She was sad. She was completely desolated. Yet, having her eyes closed, she saw an image from the past when they, two teenagers, were playing on the shore, running one after another. „A beautiful love story of two teenagers,” as others would have said if seeing that memory. Yet, it wasn’t love for SolHi… just a friendship because she had never dared to dream for more.

Nevertheless, she regretted this at that moment. She regretted that she had never told Dja Iun about her thoughts. She also regretted things she told him in the past. Yet, it was too late for everything and she could only tell him in the end, „You are so mean to me, Dja Iun! You only left and never looked back. Yes, I won’t cry as you have taught me. I’ll be strong and I’ll stand up again just to move further. However, this doesn’t mean I’m not upset with you.”

„Is it so?!” Another Dja Iun, who appeared so suddenly next to her, responded. This one stood to her left, not far from the fresh grave. He was mature at this moment, a hint that he knew what life meant and that it was hard to live. Even so, this new Dja Iun kept his cunning smile and the same innocence was sparkling in his eyes as it had sparkled in his glance when he was a child and when he was only with her. Then, he told her, „And… may I know why you are so upset with me again, Grunny?”

Without looking at this new imaginary friend, SolHi replied, „Because you simply walked away. And, even if I know that you have given up on your life to know me safely, I won’t ever forgive you for this. Do you know why? Because… this wasn’t your time to die, Dja Iun. At the same time, I won’t ever forgive myself for ignoring you so many times in the past when I pretended not to know about your feelings and not understanding them. I did it, however. I understood and I knew what you wanted. Yet, I’m so empty inside, Dja Iun. How could I have loved you when there is no place for love inside me?”

After this, her eyes started to shed bitter tears again. She had her head supported on her knees, which she held to her chest just as she held Dja Iun’s photo to her chest. And, while doing this, SolHi kept murmuring, „I’m really sorry, Dja Iun! I’m sorry that I promised I wouldn’t cry. But… I can’t. These tears are as stubborn as you are. They are running alone down my cheeks. I can’t control their flow, just as I can’t impede fear from sneaking into my soul because… I don’t know how to live this life without you, Oppa. I can’t live, moreover now when I know that you died because of me… just as it happened to Han YuSan.”

Eventually, SolHi looked at the imaginary Dja Iun, who was staying in front of her at that time, looking at her in amazement. And, seeing him, SolHi asked, „Tell me, Dja Iun: will you also take revenge on me?”

„To take revenge on you? For what?”

„Because you are a ghost because of me. Because you got into a cold and unknown world, paying for my sins and the sins of the entire world at the same time.”

„You are definitely silly!” Dja Iun told her, smiling. „Do you really think someone can hate you?”

„Yes. I’m sure of this. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have seen his ghost on cold nights when it’s raining and no star is seen in the sky.”

„His ghost? Whose ghost?” Dja Iun asked, squatting in front of her again.

In a shaking voice, somehow fearing, SolHi murmured and closed her eyes, „Han YuSan’s ghost. That’s why I’m asking you this again: how do you want me to pay for your death? I know how I pay for YuSan’s death, which is a worse punishment than living in hell. Yet, what will you ask for instead? My soul? My life? Or maybe… to go with you?”

SolHi kept silent again. She looked behind Dja Iun, who was moving away from her. And, through laughs, he told her, „You are silly, SolHi because there’s no hatred in this world for you.”

She didn’t believe his words. She knew it wasn’t so because she felt that hatred so many times on her skin… the hatred of people. She also felt their madness… with her heart. Yet, at that moment, looking at Dja Iun’s photo again, which she held at her chest all that time, she understood one thing: she wasn’t sure of anything at that moment: neither if she was guilty of something nor if she had to pay for this. Even so, she still felt guilty for still being alive when two souls died because of her. This made her feel so small and insignificant.

Eventually, looking to her right, she saw Dja Iun as she had seen him before the accident: he took his helmet off, smiled at her, and hugged her so warmly. Because of these memories, SolHi felt so suddenly that she wanted to relive the same night again. If it had been possible, she would have done everything to relive it again. Yes, she wanted to relive it, although this could have meant giving up on that priceless gift Dja Iun gave her that night: life.

Then, standing up and leaving the photo on the grave again, SolHi said, „I won’t go on the same path as you, Dja Iun. Even so, I promise that it will be warmer for you there than it has been here. Why? Because I’ll make them pay for your death… all the criminals that are guilty of this. I’ll make them pay, even if it means to always live with the cold inside me.”

After this, SolHi just walked away. She left the helmet on the grave next to the white bouquet of chrysanths. And, through the flowers and the tears she shed over the photo, she also left a hidden message there, „I won’t give up, Dja Iun. Not even if you ask me for this. I’ll fight until I die, but I will make justice for you. And, when I am back here, it’ll be only to let you know that your criminal has paid for his sins. I promise you this, just as I promise you that you’ll always be proud of me.”

While walking away, SolHi never looked back… even for a second. Behind her, only the white chrysanths talked with the wind, telling it secrets about a life that ended a few days ago. At the same time, both the wind and the flowers were telling Dja Iun’s story… The story of how he always smiled in life just as he smiled in the photo, but who got to the end of his road eventually… at the end of his love story, which he would have liked to have a happy ending… yet, it had a sad ending, in fact.

***

With his left leg in a cast, put on a pillow not to bother him, and with his blanket up to his chin, DooSan was sleeping. Not only did his closed eyes hint to others that DooSan was asleep, but also his calm and rhythmic breath, and that pleasant hissing that was heard around. It was actually charming to hear the hissing of his breath, so calm and rhythmic, while many days before that, he had had a fever and had been delirious. A nightmare that was left behind because the doctors were optimistic already about his recovery.

Eventually, when the fever was gone, the other analyses started to show better results too. He even started to open his eyes more often, and this was a good sign that he would recover soon. Yet, as time passed, DooSan didn’t talk to anyone. He only opened his eyes, from time to time, looked at those seen around him, saw that they said something to him, but didn’t answer to any of them. The man didn’t talk to anyone not because he didn’t want this, but because he didn’t understand what they were saying. He heard none of the words his friends and colleagues said, but he still knew that they were there for him, to show their support.

The silence never scared DooSan though. He seemed as though he didn’t realize this. For him, to open and close his eyes became a weird reflex. Yet, it was still a sign that he was alive. For the rest, let others bother why he was doing this or that. Then, slowly-slowly, he started to hear sounds. They were unclear at first, but he still heard them. Eventually, he heard everything that happened around him.

The day he started to hear sounds around him, DooSan finally opened his eyes and looked around. At first, he saw the white ceiling and the walls. This made him cook his nose, although he didn’t know why he did that. He even told himself, „The same hospital ward. I’m tired of it.” Yet, even if he started to hate the hospital and that white ceiling, he was able to at least fall asleep, something he could only dream about before. Why? Because, after he started to work as a prosecutor, it was damn difficult for him to take a day off. Because of this, Prosecutor Han DooSan was dreaming of resting, but he never imagined that he’d consider that rest boring and that it killed him inside.

„Something damn weird in my opinion,” DooSan thought. Then, he remembered that before YuSan’s death, he could sleep for days without being tired of sleeping. However, being in the hospital and lying on the bed, he felt that sleeping wasn’t as funny as he had thought before. That’s why, he started to dream about something else: about being discharged from the hospital, although he has just regained his consciousness.

Suddenly, DooSan became attentive when he realized that someone was holding his left hand. Looking over there, he saw SolHi sleeping with her head over her right arm while still holding his hand. And, seeing the uncomfortable position in which she was sleeping, DooSan understood that she had probably spent another night taking care of him. This made him smile and whisper, „At least I can take advantage of something while I’m in the hospital: I have such a nice nurse only for me.” After that, he looked at the nightstand where he saw a small vessel with water and a white towel over its edge, something that hinted to him that he had had a fever that night.

„Something that I hate already,” he thought. He wasn’t talking about the fever, but about the fact that she hadn’t slept again that night. And… there was something more that bothered him: the fact that he clearly remembered that she had also suffered in that accident. Actually, even if DooSan had forgotten this, he would have remembered this right away he would have seen the bandage on her left arm, the aid bands on her forehead and chin, and the small cuts that were seen on her arms and neck. At the same time, it bothered him her cry because, even if he hadn’t heard the sounds, he had still seen her crying while staying in front of the window.

The fact that he had seen SolHi crying let DooSan understand something after he regained consciousness, „Iun Dja Iun wasn’t as lucky as we had been.” This made him sigh again because he remembered the moment of the impact, right after he turned left to avoid the truck, which hit Dja Iun’s motto after this. And, before hitting that heap of earth and then losing consciousness after falling into the ditch, he clearly heard the sounds of something metallic hitting another metallic object.

At that moment, because of the madness heard around and because everything happened so fast, he didn’t realize what kind of sound he was hearing. Yet, after regaining consciousness, he realized that the sound he had heard that night was made by the truck dragging Dja Iun’s motorcycle, and because Dja Iun’s body hit the truck’s hood and then the asphalt, just as he heard the squeak of the brake pedal stepped to the brim by the truck’s driver.

These memories made DooSan sigh again because he understood that Dja Iun had sacrificed his life for SolHi that night. „I’d been lucky too because I was with her. Thus, I can consider SolHi my guardian angel.” After that, closing his eyes again, he remembered the moment he’d been taken out of the ambulance and when the paramedics were running along the hospital’s hall. Then, he remembered that the doctor told him, „Stay awake! Do you hear me? Patient, don’t fall asleep! Answer if you hear me!”

DooSan didn’t remember the face of the doctor who yelled these words at him. Even so, he sighed again. He did that when remembered the pain he felt inside when he heard those words because he wanted to answer the doctor but he had no power. He also had a headache at that moment because of the blinding light used by the doctor to check the pupil dilation. And, as though the light bothered him at that moment too, DooSan frowned again.

„It’s been a nightmare for sure. Yet, I hadn’t been alone then,” DooSan murmured when he remembered that after the doctor checked the pupil dilatation and then told the paramedics to take DooSan to the emergency room, he looked around and saw SolHi. She was on a stretcher not that far from him, fighting with the paramedics who were trying to impede her from getting off it and approaching DooSan. Eventually, she’d been forced to lay on the stretcher again when she lost her force after the injection one of the paramedics put her.

Not this memory hurt DooSan the most: that he had seen her struggling with the paramedics, but because of the wounds seen on her face, neck, and arms, and that her clothes were soaked with blood. Yet, it wasn’t her blood, he knew that at this moment because if it had been hers, she wouldn’t have been able to stand up from the hospital bed so quickly. „It had probably been my blood or of Dja Iun,” DooSan murmured, opening his eyes again.

Opening his eyes, DooSan saw the moment of the impact again. He clearly remembered that heap of earth he’d been about to hit frontally. That’s why he turned left, right before hitting it, suffering the most after the impact. Thus, because of the power of the impact, he’d been thrown off the motorcycle, rolled on the heap of earth, and fell into the ditch eventually while SolHi remained to lay on the fresh soil. And, remembering this, DooSan gnashed his teeth and touched his chest again because the pain he felt at that moment was still so alive. He also felt dizzy after this, as if he was rolling over that heap of earth into the trench at that moment.

When the dizziness was gone, DooSan opened his eyes again. Then, he looked at SolHi when she moved in her sleep. She even turned her face to him and a strand of hair fell over her face. And, slowly moved by her warm breath, the strand of hair was rhythmically moving up and down as if it was a light feather.

This made DooSan smile. Then, he stretched his arm toward SolHi’s face, intending to move the strand of hair away, but hesitated, eventually. He hesitated because he was afraid to wake her up. Later, seeing the aid band on her forehead, DooSan couldn’t control himself anymore and touched it. Doing this, DooSan sighed, releasing the stress he felt inside because he saw that it was an aid band used for protection only. Then, he murmured, „She’s fine and this is all that matters.”

The moment SolHi felt someone touching her forehead she opened her eyes. Yet, she didn’t understand who had touched her because DooSan had his eyes closed and his arm was lying next to her. For a second, she even thought that she didn’t hear his breathing, and she was right in thinking so because DooSan, afraid to be caught red-handed, kept his breath. Yet, such „drastic precautions” weren’t necessary because SolHi didn’t realize he was aware already. She only stood up and carefully looked around, thinking that someone entered the ward while she was sleeping. Seeing nobody there, SolHi frowned and thought that she had probably had visions because she slept so little in the last few days. Then, looking at DooSan, who was calmly „sleeping,” she slowly bent over him and touched his forehead.

„He at least doesn’t have a fever anymore. Thank God! After the nightmare night I had yesterday, with the fever that was now high and then low, he seems like an angel now while he’s asleep.” After that, SolHi covered him with the blanket up to his chin again because it was moved aside. Then… she intended to leave the ward.

The moment DooSan grabbed her arm SolHi winced. Then, she looked in amazement at him because she didn’t think that he was awake. Thus, looking at him and seeing his lucid glance, she understood that he had probably awakened long ago. Because of this, she slowly bent over him and, carefully looking into his eyes, she murmured, „You weren’t sleeping.”

„Mmmm. I woke up not long ago.” SolHi smirked because his answer didn’t convince her. She even squinted at him, also because of this, sitting on the chair with her arms folded over her chest. „What now?” DooSan asked her in amazement.

„Nothing. I was just trying to understand how far your cunningness could get. Yet, not being able to „read” you this time, I say to answer this question: have you just awoke? Or wasn’t you sleeping at all? And… when did you exactly wake up?” Then, staring into his eyes, she waited for the answer. Yet, seeing DooSan pursing his lips and looking through the room but not at her, she suddenly hissed through her teeth, „It seems to me that you awakened a long time ago. So, Han DooSan: how much did you see from what I did?” She insisted on finding out an answer from him.

„The forehead… the blanket and… the hand?” DooSan murmured.

„Everything then. Yes, you saw everything, but you preferred to play the „fool,” SolHi slowly growled, bothered by the fact he deceived her again.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

„Why the „fool”? I was just trying to play the role of the sick person, who I am actually, while you were fulfilling your role - of my pretty nurse.”

„Really? I? Your nurse? Only in your dreams, Han DooSan. And… say thank God for being in a hospital bed right now. Otherwise, I would have twisted your neck just to show you how much I like to be fooled or others to try to take advantage of me,” she growled, pretending to punch him.

„That’s not fair,” DooSan innocently whispered, making SolHi stare at him in amazement.

„What exactly?”

„The fact that not even when I’m sick you don’t stop scolding me. I just… need help. I don’t think it’s so hard for you to return this favor to me.”

„A favor? Which one?”

„That I’ve been with you in that race?!” DooSan murmured. Then, realizing that he had talked too much, he suddenly looked at SolHi, analyzing each grimace on her face. His words suddenly turned SolHi sad as though they reminded her about the accident. This made DooSan feel bad and say again, „Don’t take it personally! I was just trying to play the role of the spoiled child.”

„If you are spoiling yourself this way, this means you are fine now,” SolHi said, grinning. After that, she stood up. Then, before leaving the ward, she told him, „Listen to me carefully, Han DooSan: forget everything you’ve seen that night and live! And… stay away from everything that will happen from now on. It’s not a favor I ask, but an order.”

The coldness felt in her voice and that sparkle of hatred he saw in her glance made DooSan frown. „To stay away from what?” He suddenly asked.

„You understood exactly what I meant. So, don’t make me repeat it! And… bye!” After that, she turned her back to him and left the ward, not paying attention to DooSan, who shouted behind her:

„Ia, Ian SolHi, where are you going? What do you want to do?” SolHi didn’t answer any of his questions, something that made DooSan gnash his teeth eventually. „This woman will drive me crazy one day, I swear. Otherwise, I can’t explain what’s in her mind. Or what, does she think she’s a chameleon or what? Now she’s cold with me, then she’s warm or turns her back to me without telling me at least what she tries to do. Not that she hadn’t done this before, but…”

Eventually, DooSan kept silent. He did that when he understood that he won nothing if he kept mumbling while nobody heard him. Yet, it didn’t mean he was happy because, on the one hand, he was away from SolHi, who seemed to have completely lost her mind and stopped listening to him, and on the other hand it was the broken leg that kept him a captive in that hospital ward, not allowing him to follow her.

All this made him growl in the end, „Wonderful, Han DooSan! You fell into your own trap! For being stupid!” Yet, it was too late for regrets or to change something.

***

Getting out of the ward, SolHi met Iun Marie. As soon as the two women saw each other, they cooked their noses and looked elsewhere because that meeting wasn’t something pleasant for any of them. They not only would have liked not to see each other ever but they also hated each other to death. A normal behavior for both of them because one of them was the mother of the two men involved with SolHi and who, according to Marie, suffered because of her while SolHi was the „butcher” in the eyes of everybody.

Yet, as she wasn’t in the mood for a fight, at least not that day, SolHi decided to pass by Marie and move away. She couldn’t do that eventually because Marie stopped her by grabbing her by the arm. After that, without looking at SolHi, she said through her teeth, „We have to talk!” And, turning her back to SolHi, she headed in the same direction from where she had come.

„Damn it!” Murmured SolHi. „It’s exactly what I needed: to talk to the „mother-in-law,” although I have nothing with Han DooSan.” Yet, understanding that she had no choice but to do that, she followed Marie without saying anything else, although her hands and lips slowly shook because of nerves.

***

After leaving in front of DooSan’s ward, SolHi and Marie went to the hospital’s cafe. There, sitting at one of the tables, they stood in silence for a very long while. And maybe they would have stood like this for longer if SolHi hadn’t stood up eventually and gone to buy some coffee. She didn’t even ask Marie what she’d have liked to drink and she did that because they weren’t friends to treat each other kindly. They were rivals and, like any other rivals, they did only what they wanted as SolHi did that day.

A few moments later, SolHi put a cup of coffee in front of Marie and one in front of her. After that, she sat down on the same chair she had stood before, and, paying no attention to Marie, she sipped from her coffee. Yet, although she seemed at all interested in what her rival did, SolHi kept an eye on Marie, whom she saw staring at her like an eagle at the prey he wanted dead. Yet, Marie’s glance didn’t bother SolHi that day because it wasn’t the first time they saw each other alone or treated each other like enemies.

Even if SolHi wasn’t afraid of Marie, she decided to keep silent until Marie decided to talk. Yet, she had to wait for long until Marie finally said, „Leave DooSan alone! I won’t repeat this, Ian SolHi!”

SolHi smiled. Then, confident, she said, „Why should I do that?”

Her words amazed Marie a lot, who stared at her for a while. Then, in a shaking voice, Marie asked, „What?”

„What you heard! I don’t intend to leave anybody alone when it hasn’t been me who has looked for this approach. More than this, I’m sure you are aware of the fact that it has been Han DooSan who has done everything to be close to me. He even moved to my apartment. With a „dirty” purpose I think, a reason I’m sure you know. Even so, I don’t think this bothered you - to know that your youngest son lives with a woman who isn’t his wife. I even think that’s something that worked for you too.”

SolHi’s words made Marie shake with all her body. She was outraged because although all that SolHi said about DooSan was true and that he had looked for her, Marie considered a calumny the rest, especially what SolHi said about her - that Marie was interested in that proximity between SolHi and DooSan. Because of this, she eventually shouted, „Ian SolHi!” Thus, she made all the clients look at them in amazement. They even started to whisper to each other, wondering what could be the reason for the argument between the two women.

SolHi didn’t seem disturbed at all by Marie’s reaction. She only continued to sip from her coffee, smiling. Then, when she considered that it had been enough to leave her „rival” to boil, she calmly told Marie, „Yes, I know that’s unpleasant to hear when someone is telling you the truth in your face, prosecutor Yun Marie, but… ah, no, former Prosecutor Yun Marie!” SolHi said the last part of the sentence in a mocking tone, outlining each word. She did that to show the woman in front of her that she wasn’t afraid of her and that she wouldn’t allow her anymore to treat her like trash as she had been doing in the last seven years. Then, leaning with her chest over the table, SolHi stared straight into Marie’s eyes, who watched her with hatred and told her, „Actually, I’m so surprised to see you here, Mrs. Yun. Why? Because you told me and not only once that you preferred not to see me.”

„Let’s say I have had no other choice than to come here, once I’ve found out that you are still around my son.”

„Actually, it’s in reverse. If you don’t believe me, you can ask DooSan. I’m sure he won’t deny this.”

Marie ironically grinned. „I see you’ve grown up a lot, SolHi! You even started to show your fangs.”

„Of course! I had the best of the teachers in the world to learn this: you, and the rest of the world too. And, as I’m a good pupil, I’ve learned every single lesson you’ve taught me.” Saying this, SolHi felt she was shaking inside. She felt hatred for the women in front of her, who hadn’t lost a chance to humiliate and make her suffer, although she wasn’t totally convinced that SolHi was guilty.

SolHi was sure that Yun Marie never cared if she was guilty or not. All that mattered to her was someone to pay for her beloved son’s death. And SolHi wasn’t wrong in thinking so because, soon after this, Marie told her, „Do you think it hasn’t been my right to do this? Eventually, my child died because of you that night while you…”

„Yeah, you are right: Han YuSan died that night while I survived. Yet, although you weren’t sure that I was guilty of his death, you did everything to prove it. You even used the power you had to make sure you’d succeed in this. How? Manipulating the evidence. Something that didn’t help you too much eventually. Even so, you did that. Why, Yun Marie? Why did you do that? Only because you had that power?”

„I still can do that, Ian SolHi, and I’ll do it. I won’t stop until I see you far away from DooSan.”

SolHi smirked, weirdly in Marie’s opinion, who frowned. Moreover, Marie started to shake visibly when SolHi said, „I wish you luck, Yun Marie.” Then, still smiling, SolHi sipped the last drops of coffee from her cup. „Yet, I doubt you’ll make it. Why? Because Han DooSan is as stubborn as you are and he won’t ever listen to you.”

„Of course, he won’t listen to me because… you took care of this,” murmured Marie with hatred.

„He’s not a dog to make him „listen” to me,” SolHi ironically said. „He’s able to think on his own, in case you haven’t noticed this yet.”

„Yeah, I know very well who my son is. You don’t need to tell me this. At the same time, I know that men are weak and DooSan is a man, weak in front of you.”

„And you are wrong again, Yun Marie. Why? Because you haven’t ever known your son for sure. You have no idea who Han DooSan is and what he can do. Do you know why I’m so sure of this? Because he hasn’t tried to kill me only once. He did that twice.” SolHi said that, staring into Marie’s eyes, who suddenly shuddered. Even so, seeing her rival stunned, SolHi didn’t feel mercy for Marie. She wanted to hurt her more and more as Marie had hurt her. That’s why, to give her the last shot, SolHi said, „He not only tried to kill me, but he also saved me, not only once, and this makes me think.”

„ My son’s actions make you think? You?”

„Yes. Why? Because… I can’t explain how a man, who has sworn so many times before to see me dead, saves me. And not only this: he moved to my house. To my own house, looking for evidence, which he won’t ever find.”

„Why are you so sure of this? Everything can happen in this life.”

„You are actually right: life is unpredictable. Yet, in my case, that evidence, which you are so insistently looking for, doesn’t exist. Or… who knows, now when he lives with me he can „plant” it to be found later. Even so, it’s not something to bother me.”

„Why? Aren’t you afraid anymore?”

„Exactly. Since long ago, by the way. I stopped being afraid of you the last time you came to see me in jail, Yun Marie. You told me that day that if I was released from prison, I might be killed in the street. This made me stronger and brought me here… next to you, watching each of your steps, and blowing down your neck.”

„This can change any moment.”

„Are you threatening me right now?”

„Yes, and it won’t be a threat any more if you don’t leave DooSan alone.”

„Then, allow me to do the same, Marie - threaten you. And, to make myself understood, I’ll tell you this: if you keep interfering in my life without being sure of my guilt, I assure you that I won’t stay calm. On the contrary, I’ll turn myself into a Doberman and I won’t stop until I see you crawling at my feet. You know I can do that. And, if you don’t want me around DooSan, take care of this without involving me in this. How? Simple: convince Han DooSan to leave my house and leave my team alone. It’s your only chance to stop seeing me.”

„Something you know already that might not happen. You are who said that DooSan is stubborn.”

„And? Why should this be my problem? I’m not bothered by DooSan’s presence in my house or around me. Not the same I can say about you. So, good luck, Yun Marie: you’ll need because… you are who said this - Han DooSan is as stubborn as a donkey. You’ll have a really hard time convincing him. And, as I’m a busy person, I’ll go now. I don’t have time to waste explaining obvious things.” After that, SolHi stood up and passed by Marie.

She stopped after a few steps when Marie said, „Did someone tell you that you have no heart, Ian SolHi? You are exactly like seven years ago when you have taken my son from me. Now what, to take revenge, you have decided to take the only son I still have? Something you would have managed to do a few days ago if…”

Slowly gnashing her teeth, because Marie’s words reminded her about the accident, SolHi looked at her and said, „I didn’t force him to be there. DooSan wanted this. More than this, Han DooSan wasn’t meant to be where the accident took place. Yet, he had been there. Why? Because he came with us, telling Dja Iun and me that he didn’t want to be left behind. Even so, I’m not that sure if it would have served for something if he hadn’t been there because… I have the feeling that we’ve been the target that night. Han DooSan and I. Yet, instead of us, someone else died.”

Marie suddenly stood up. Then, looking straight into SolHi’s eyes, she asked, „What do you mean by… you and DooSan were the target? Whose target?”

„I have no idea, for the moment. Yet, I’ll find out, and not because prosecutor Han and I had that accident, but because Dja Iun deserves this. So, instead of reproaching me with such things, you should go to that unlucky man’s grave, who died because of us, and tell him how grateful you are because your son survived when he sacrificed himself for us. More than this, if you want to reproach someone because DooSan was there that night, reproach him. Why? Because… neither Dja Iun nor I asked him to be there. We tried to impede him, but he decided to come with us. This makes him the only guilty person for his tragedy.” After she said this, SolHi left.

Looking behind SolHi, Marie gnashed her teeth. After that, squeezing her fists, she said, „You don’t even know how much I regret that you haven’t been on the same motorcycle with the one who died, Ian SolHi. Thus, we would have been happier and calmer, and my son, YuSan, would have been avenged. Yet, there’s never too late…” After that, taking her purse, Marie left the cafe in a hurry. She had a single thought in her mind at that moment: to get rid of SolHi once and for all. And, to make it, she had to convince DooSan of this first.

***

Stepping out of the company car, which she left in the Prosecution’s parking lot, SolHi slammed the door. She was anxious and extremely nervous, even if an hour passed since she met Yun Marie at the cafe shop. She even felt that she was burning inside. Because of this, she suddenly hissed through her teeth, „Damn you all!” After that, she headed toward the entrance to the Prosecution Building.

After a few steps, SolHi furiously looked at Yoon Suk when he caught up with her. He, although noticed SolHi’s sour face, said nothing because he understood that she probably argued with someone if she was in that mood of fighting. Yoon Suk only asked her, „How does Prosecutor Han feel?”

„Better! He’ll be discharged in a few days.”

„That’s good news because the other one…” Seeing that SolHi turned sad again, he kept silent. SolHi even stopped for a few moments, powerfully biting the lower lip. „I’m sorry, sombe! I was just…” Yoon Suk tried to excuse himself. He even slapped his mouth after this.

Sighing, SolHi said, „It’s not your fault anyway. You said only the truth because… Dja Iun wasn’t as lucky as we were. Yet, let it go and tell me that the truck’s driver said something!”

„No, sombe! He keeps playing the fool. And, he also insists that he apparently fell asleep at the wheel that night, and because of this…”

„He fell asleep at the wheel? Bullshit, Yoon Suk! I clearly remember that it wasn’t like that. Right before losing my consciousness, I saw him trying to run away.”

„I don’t say you aren’t right, sombe. Yet, we can’t prove it.”

SolHi burst into laughter. „What do you mean by… we can’t prove it? I testified, Yoon Suk. I clearly said that it wasn’t an accident and that someone ordered our death. More than this, if Han DooSan and I are still alive, it’s just a miracle.”

„Tell me something new! Yet, without evidence…”

„Do you want me to also bring the evidence?! All right then: I’ll find the evidence for you, Yoon Suk. I also make justice for us if others don’t do anything for this.” After this, outraged, SolHi turned her back to him and hurried to the door.

„To get insane, no other!” Yoon Suk hissed through his teeth, entangling his hair more than it was already. „I really can’t understand this woman! Another one, in her place, after meeting Death, would have stood calm. She looks for it instead and won’t stay calm until she doesn’t find it.” Then, he followed her at a quick pace.

***

„I said no, SolHi,” Kan shouted. After that, he threw a fail on the desk to show his anger.

„Why, sombe? I can…”

„A no means a no, Detective Ian. Why? Because those who are involved in a case cannot investigate it. You are the victim, for God’s sake, as Prosecutor Han is, who’s on the hospital bed right now because of your stupidity.”

„And the other one is in the grave,” SolHi growled through her teeth. „That’s why, because I am a victim in this case, I’m the most interested to prove that it wasn’t an accident. The truck was coming straight toward us. I remember this.”

„Prove it then! Something damn difficult in my opinion because we don’t have evidence, SolHi! It’s your word against the driver’s word. And…”

„Wait a minute! What are you talking about, sombe? Why do you say we don’t have evidence? Of course, we have it: Dja Iun’s dash cam! Even if it was destroyed in the accident, the record…”

„A dash cam that doesn’t exist, SolHi!”

„It doesn’t exist? Why not, Inspector? I’m sure it was there because Dja Iun always had a dash cam. The same had the motto on which DooSan and I were. What about that camera?”

„It’s been completely destroyed in the accident,” Yoon Suk murmured. „We tried to recover the record, but… it’s been impossible.”

SolHi suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Thus, she took everybody by surprise, making all of them squint at her for a while. Then, when she had been able to control herself, she said, „I’m the only one whom all this seems suspicious? Dja Iun’s dash camera - is gone. Our camera - broken and „without the possibility of recovering the data.” What about the truck’s dash cam? Don’t tell me he didn’t have one!”

„SolHi, I think you should calm down,” Yu said, approaching her. After that, touching her shoulder, he tried to calm her down. „There is madness all around because of the accident already. Especially, our bosses ask us for results and punish the guilty ones. This can cost you and Prosecutor Han the career.”

„The career? Are you serious now, Inspector? A man died that night. More than this, someone tried to kill DooSan and me, and the guilty ones are considered us? Why? We did nothing illegal that night to deserve all this.”

„Of course, you are guilty,” said A Rim, making SolHi furiously look at her. „You participated in an unauthorized race. This is illegal.”

„Illegal? Race? What the hell are you talking about?”

„She’s talking about the speedometer of Dja Iun’s motto, Nuna. The investigation demonstrated that he had about 250 km/h that night.”

„SuJin, the truck came straight toward us. At full speed, by the way. Dja Iun increased the speed because of this. If he hadn’t done this, not only one person would have died that night, but two - I and prosecutor Han. They tried to kill us. Why am I so sure of this? Because he did nothing to avoid the impact. He didn’t step on the brake pedal. It’s why he simply blew Dja Iun.” SolHi shouted. While yelling all this, she felt she didn’t have air while the tears were bathing her cheeks.

„I’ll go crazy, no other,” Kan suddenly shouted. „You say this, the driver says something else. He says you suddenly appeared in front of him and he couldn’t avoid the impact.”

„He is lying, sombe!”

„Do you think we haven’t investigated this? We did that, SolHi. Thus, we found out that there was no plaque with the warning „Road on work” as you said. Why am I so sure of this? Because I checked the truck’s dash cam myself. When he entered that road, there was no sign and…”

„Now comes my question, sombe,” SolHi said in a shaking voice, suddenly wiping her tears. „If he says he’s innocent, why did the dash cams vanish? Why? I tell you why: because those cameras recorded his crime. There, in those records, the signs were clearly seen as the accident. That’s why someone took care of them to vanish from earth’s surface, and this is damn suspicious in my opinion.”

„Detective Ian is right,” Yu suddenly said. „When the squad cars and the ambulances got to the crash site, the plaques with „Road on work” were still there, on the other side of the road.”

„You see? This means the driver is lying,” SolHi shouted.

„Wait a minute,” SuJin murmured, making everybody turn toward him. „The record of the truck’s dash cam: in that video, there is the moment when it enters on the road, but not the moment of the accident.”

„What?!” Kan shouted. „How is this possible?”

„It’s possible in case they manipulated the evidence. Something we can’t prove now. Or…”

„Or, SuJin?” Insisted Yu, looking at his son.

„Or the memory card, which the police took from the crash site, was changed after this. This means that the original is gone now and forever.”

„You see, sombe? You didn’t believe me,” whispered SolHi, disappointed.

„The problem isn’t that I haven’t believed you, SolHi, but the fact that we couldn’t prove what you say. At least we couldn’t prove it until now. That’s why, Yoon Suk: pay a social visit to the truck’s driver and try to make him talk about this! A Rim, check his account! I feel that he might have received some money as an „inheritance.”

„I’ll take care of the surveillance cameras then. Who knows?! We might be lucky and find some witnesses,” said SuJin.

„Exactly what we need,” said Kan, winking at the boy.

„Then… I’ll check the crash site,” SolHi confidently said. After that, she approached her desk, intending to take the gun from the drawer.

She squinted at Kan eventually when he put a pile of paper in front of her. Then, at all bothered by her killing glance, Kan told her in a demanding voice, „What you’ll do is recycle this pile until we are back. With the scissors and not with the machine.”

„Sombe!”

„What? I want to hear nothing from you, and Yoon Suk will take care of you not to leave this office or he’ll pay for your deeds. Did you understand me, Yoon Suk?”

„Very clearly, sombe!” Yoon Suk replied in a cheerful voice. He even greeted Kan as though they were military, something that drove SolHi crazy. She even intended to throw something at him. Yet, she couldn’t scare Yoon Suk, who smirked at her, letting her know that he was in charge at that moment.

Eventually, when SolHi wanted to follow Kan and Yu, Yoon Suk stepped in front of her, blocking her way. This made SolHi growl through her teeth at him, „Move aside!”

„Of course not! Why? Because, if I let you go, I’ll be left bald by Detective Kan when he’s back and sees that you aren’t here. So, sombe: be a nice girl and return to your desk.” After that, pushing her from behind, the young detective made her return to her place. Then, still smiling, after he forced her to sit down, Yoon Suk whispered into her ear, „Cut it in very small pieces, sombe! Why? To enter the trash can!” Then, slowly tapping on her shoulder, he grinned at her again, making SolHi stare like a pitbull at him.

Yoon Suk’s „shamelessness” made SolHi understand that not even he was on her side at that moment. That’s why she kept staring at him, throwing arrows with her glance while looking at Yoon Suk, who was sitting at his desk at that moment, pretending to work, although he kept smiling. This made SolHi angrily whistle eventually, „Traitor!” Yet, understanding that she had no other choice than to do what Kan demanded her to do, she started to cut the paper with the scissors and tried to calm down at least a little. If not, she was sure she was more than able to set fire to the entire building.