episode_0063

“Oh my. It’s open.”

“Y-yes.”

‘992?’

As soon as I saw it, the image of 992 came to mind.

The relentless critic who wakes me up from dreams.

He’s quiet now, but if I let my emotions take over, he’ll definitely appear and throw a punch of reason.

Why is 992 here?

“Answer me.”

Unfortunately, it was impossible to call out to 992 and question him.

No, the entire ego system is malfunctioning right now.

Where did all those egos go? There’s no sign of them anywhere.

“Let’s look inside the album first.”

Inside are the lost memories of half a year.

What Chae-won and I did, how our spring turned into autumn, it must all be captured here.

Show me, Chae-won.

Our childhood memories.

“Oh, these are photos from back then.”

As soon as I flipped the cover, Kang Hwi let out a hearty laugh.

The first page showed a photo of 5-year-old Chae-won.

Dressed in a cute dress, sitting on a piano chair custom-made for her, one hand on the keys and the other awkwardly drawing a V-sign with a shy smile.

“At that time, the host and some musicians came to watch the young lady play. Everyone was amazed at how well she played.”

“Is that so?”

Flipping through the pages, there were many photos of Chae-won hugging Shi-woo in the same outfit.

The two of them, forehead to forehead, embracing each other. Chae-won looked a bit flustered, while Shi-woo was smiling brightly.

I can’t remember any of these happy moments. Looking back at them with my eyes, I feel good but also confused.

“I was more attached to Chae-won than I thought, right…?”

I was young back then.

I didn’t know anything.

I can’t do that now.

It’s obvious that she’ll react from head to toe.

The reason why I can’t play pranks on Shi-woo these days is consistent with this.

“Here too…”

“But here…”

But as I flipped through the pages, a clear fact became apparent.

“Back off a bit…!!”

Jung Shi-woo. He stuck to Min Chae-won like glue for the past six months.

Did he forget that he’s her brother?

Look at Chae-won’s expression. Everyone is smiling, but it looks awkward.

“Wow, look at this.”

Shi-woo wiping rice off Chae-won’s cheek with his lips.

Shi-woo combing Chae-won’s hair.

Shi-woo hugging Chae-won as they sleep.

Shi-woo picking out clothes for Chae-won.

Shi-woo stroking Chae-won’s hair as she dozes off.

Shi-woo singing next to Min Chae-won playing the piano.

…Wait. Singing?

I don’t really like singing.

Is 6-year-old Shi-woo a different person from me?

He’s way too brave, beyond what I can handle.

“This is… a bit much.”

As I turned the pages, a heavy sense of guilt weighed down on my heart.

Because I was so strict with her, Chae-won passed away.

That’s why she held onto me at the airport, saying she wanted to get married.

Whether I was confused or not, Kang Hwi continued to reminisce about my and Chae-won’s childhood as he flipped through the album.

Shi-woo sprinkling water on Chae-won as she cries hanging on a tube.

Chae-won riding a kiddie ride at the theme park with Shi-woo.

The two of them licking ice cream held by each other.

Wiping the ice cream off each other’s faces.

Min Chae-won looking embarrassed, me smiling to reassure her.

Our time is passing like a panorama through the pages.

“At that time, the young lady was particularly shy. It was probably because Shi-woo was so proactive. He used to be like a general to her.”

Looking back at history from Min Chae-won’s perspective is mind-boggling.

A young child who knew nothing was turned into a girl by a prince who then left abruptly.

When they reunited, he was in a state where his soul had been taken by the piano.

No matter how hard he tried to reverse it, it was futile. As a price for selling his soul to the devil, he was cursed and unable to tend to his surroundings.

“Now you realize it?”

And in front of my despair, the one I didn’t want to meet appeared.

“You bastard.”

992, who had lost all sense of self and appeared alone in the silent inner world, slapped my cheek.

Using the anxiety and restlessness I had been pushing to the corner of my mind as weapons, he cornered me.

“You didn’t like Min Chaewon.”

No.

I liked Chaewon.

Just looking at these photos shows that.

How much did I like her to do this?

“Then why didn’t you stop Chaewon from leaving when you met again a year later?”

The noose thrown by 992 tightened around my neck, suffocating me.

I couldn’t refute.

I had completely forgotten Chaewon’s desperate plea to marry me.

I, I…

Why can’t I remember?

Why do the memories that should have been happy disappear and not come back?

I remembered the day I found the Acodia doll and the day we went back home and ate seaweed soup together.

I remembered when Chaewon suggested we get married when I returned home after half a year.

In between, an infinite void was left.

It was cut off as if deliberately severed, eerie.

“It’s fine anyway. Chaewon was also thinking of giving you up. That’s why she went back to Austria quietly.”

Then what about the letter left by 0?

The courage instilled by 0’s ego?

Has Min Chaewon’s heart changed over the 14 years?

“These precious items, including this album. You’ve never seen them before, right? If they were important, would they have been hidden like this?”

I was suddenly scared.

Just as 992 said, I had only seen this album for the first time a few weeks ago.

“Kang Hwi.”

“Yes.”

“Where have these items been until now?”

I closed my eyes tightly, hoping that 992’s words were not true.

“Weren’t they by the head of the bed?”

By the head of the bed? I don’t remember seeing them?

“You said they should always be kept close, so you put them there yourself.”

“… Oh. I don’t remember seeing them though?”

“You probably didn’t know because they were in a box. You haven’t opened it since Miss 26 arrived.”

“Ah.”

I remembered.

There was a white box.

It was placed naturally as if it were part of the hotel interior.

That son of a bitch, 992. Another scam.

My inner world was more silent than ever.

You ran away dirty and disgusting, 992.

Min Chaewon still likes me.

For 14 years, from the age of five, she has liked me.

To the extent of always keeping precious memories by her side.

I was the bad one.

Chaewon did nothing wrong.

There is no need to ask why she went back to Austria.

It was because I didn’t have the courage.

I never contacted her first, never asked for her number.

Chaewon always appeared in front of me by chance. I just considered that lucky and hesitated.

Like an idiot.

Will I leave again this time?

If I must return, I will definitely bring Jung Siwoo with me.

Even if it means skipping a few days of attendance.

“If something happened, it’s better to check it out yourself.”

A year will pass quickly. That day will come if I wait.

Above all, I had been keeping an eye on the news of the Min Seokhyun couple, so I already knew that nothing major had happened to Chaewon’s family.

Our professor, who was friendly with them and often went to their house, will stay in Korea for the next three years.

If something big had happened, he would have flown there immediately.

“I really messed up….”

To sum it up.

Chaewon remembered me for 14 years.

She kept waiting, wanting to meet me.

She was fully prepared in body and mind.

Her determination to marry me never wavered.

It wasn’t that Min Chaewon simply couldn’t convey her feelings to me out of embarrassment.

I had no room for leisure.

It showed in her expression and gestures.

There was no way she didn’t know it was Chaewon.

Whenever there was a chance, she would find a way to sneak in and be with me.

Jung Siwoo, who was obsessed with the piano, pretended not to be and was in a defensive stance.

He was afraid of breaking his routine.

Chaewon must have been frustrated.

Hoping I would have some free time,

hoping she would look back at least once,

she came to me unexpectedly all year round,

always watching over me warmly.

But I, who was captivated by Min Chaewon, had completely forgotten those memories.

That’s why I didn’t tell her first.

Her precious memories. Chaewon’s everything.

…I really,

loved the piano more than Chaewon.

“… I’m really trash.”

“Yes?”

I pretended to ignore Kang Hwi’s surprised gaze.

There was no way to respond to her expression.

‘This can’t go on.’

This life is a miracle given by Chaewon, a chance to return the love she gave me.

I will do whatever it takes.

I must do my best to ensure that the image of Min Chaewon inside Jung Siwoo is not tarnished.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘I’m sorry. Really… I’m sorry….’

I’m sorry for not remembering.

I’m sorry for burning with love and letting go easily.

I’m sorry for putting my life on the line for the piano and not succeeding.

I’m sorry for everything. So,

no matter what happens in the future,

‘I must make Jung Siwoo say it with his own mouth, that he loves her more than the piano.’