"Ms. Seo Haeyoung, please go in now."
The assistant director wearing a headset gave the signal. Haeyoung slowly started walking.
Three large cameras capturing her from a distance moved backward in sync with her pace.
The filming could have felt unfamiliar, but Haeyoung wasn't nervous.
Where the assistant director pointed stood a grand house.
The yard was surrounded by pretty lights and garland decorations.
The neatly trimmed lawn looked almost unnaturally perfect,
and in the center stood a picture-perfect red brick house.
"So this is the place."
A stage for Haeyoung — a place that would allow her to live a life different from the one she had before.
Without hesitation, Haeyoung opened the door.
The first thing that greeted her was the strong scent of a diffuser.
Next, she noticed a false wall set up along the side of the room.
It looked like it was made of mirrors in the middle, but behind it, dozens of cameras were probably rolling.
They would capture every movement of her hand, every twitch of her lips,
weaving them into a story and spreading it to the world.
"Yes, watch closely. Every single thing I do."
She passed through the entrance and slowly climbed the stairs.
Several people were already seated.
"Hello."
"Hello."
At the awkward exchange of greetings, Haeyoung replied with a bright smile.
"Should I just take any available seat?"
"Yes, yes—over here..."
Haeyoung walked toward an empty seat—specifically, the one between Minji, who looked at her in shock with wide eyes, and Seongjun, who sat beside her with an unconvincing smile.
"I'm Seo Haeyoung. Nice to meet you."
She turned her head and looked directly at Seongjun.
He stared back at her, stunned, as if he couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Haeyoung tilted her head slightly.
"Hm? Haven't we met before?"
With the kindest expression she could muster, she lifted the corners of her lips into a bright smile.
Seongjun blinked, unable to nod or shake his head.
"Oh dear, I guess not. I didn't mean to make things awkward. I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine…"
Leaving the confused Seongjun behind, Haeyoung turned her head toward Minji.
Minji, too, was staring at her blankly—as if she'd seen a ghost.
You're already this flustered? But I've only just begun. Fix your face.
---
Chhhk.
The subway doors closed with a hiss and the train pulled out, accompanied by the usual noise.
Sitting in her seat, Haeyoung fidgeted with her phone, her expression tense with worry.
[Haeyoung, are you sure Seongjun said he'd be here by 11? He's still not here… I think he's going to be late.]
She reread the message that had just arrived.
[Mom, just wait a little longer. He's probably driving. I'll try calling him again.]
After sending her reply, Haeyoung tried calling Seongjun again.
It was her 14th attempt.
Click.
Finally, the ringing stopped.
"Seongjun, why haven't you been answering your phone? Don't tell me you're still asleep."
"Seongjun? Seongjun?"
— Yeah.
His voice was thick with sleep.
Even without seeing him, she could picture him with his face buried in a pillow.
Haeyoung bit her lip hard.
"How can you still be sleeping? What about our plans? You promised to take my mom to the hospital today."
— Why are you so annoyed the moment I pick up?
"Because it's already past the time we agreed on, and you're still in bed…"
The person in front of her glanced briefly at Haeyoung.
She quietly picked up her bag, stood from her seat, and moved to a corner of the subway car.
— Who's sleeping? I'm not.
Anyone could tell he was still half-asleep, but Haeyoung decided to let it slide.
Seongjun had always been unusually sensitive and irritable when it came to sleep.
Rather than argue over something so trivial, it was better to make sure Seongran didn't have to wait too long.
"Okay, I'm sorry for snapping.
Mom's still waiting. If you leave now, we'll just barely make the appointment in time, so we need to hurry.
You know if we miss this, we'll have to wait a long time again."
— Haaah…
There was a long silence.
Had he fallen back asleep?
Should she push him again?
But what if he got annoyed and snapped back— "Why are you nagging me again?"
Worse, what if he got upset and decided not to come at all? That would be a disaster.
Just as she was about to speak, his voice came through the phone again.
— Do I really have to go?
"What?"
— She's not even my mom. Why am I the one doing your filial duty for you?
"But…"
He had no idea how much her mother cared for him.
It had already been six years since Haeyoung and Seongjun started dating.
Over the course of that long relationship, Seongran had grown fond of him—treating him with warmth and genuine care.
"Seongjun, I know it's a tough time for you, but don't skip meals. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. And Haeyoung, make sure you're looking after Seongjun, okay?"
Even when she wasn't in good health herself, Seongran always worried about Seongjun.
Her mother had carefully packed side dishes, bundle after bundle, just for him.
Seongjun had even sweetly asked for braised short ribs from time to time.
And yet now, how could he act like she was "just" Haeyoung's mother—only when it was inconvenient?
Even putting all that aside, if he was going to say no, he should have said it much earlier.
When Haeyoung handed him 200,000 won for gas, he had smiled wide and accepted without hesitation, saying of course he could take her.
He shouldn't have agreed so easily.
"That's why I asked you in advance. I told you I had an important meeting today, so I couldn't go."
— That's your problem, not mine.
"…Fine. I'll take care of it myself next time.
Just for today—please. I have no one else to ask."
— No, it's not that. You just think I'm the easiest one to dump things on. You think I'm just some jobless guy with nothing better to do, don't you?
"What are you talking about all of a sudden? That's not true."
— Not true? Then why do you keep treating me like your errand boy?
"Why would I ever look down on you? I know how hard you work—practicing day and night. If this audition goes well, it'll be your screen debut. Seongjun, you're an amazing actor—"
— Are you mocking me right now?
"What?"
No matter what she said, Seongjun seemed to take it the wrong way.
When had it started?
At some point, he stopped hearing her words for what they were.
Specifically, it seemed to begin when Haeyoung started earning money.
Maybe it made him feel small—maybe it highlighted how little progress he'd made.
But even so, it's not like Seongjun had been working hard either.
He had left the theater company four years ago…
He barely even bothered to go to auditions anymore, and when she suggested he try getting a part-time job, he'd snap at her, telling her to be quiet if she didn't understand.
Even the rent for his current place was being paid by Haeyoung.
It wasn't that she resented the money—it was the wasted time that upset her.
Time Seongjun was throwing away without a second thought.
"So… you're not going to go?"
— I don't know. Minji also asked me to change a lightbulb for her today.
At those words, her heart suddenly went cold.
Minji.
That girl.
Seongjun's friend of ten years.
Too pretty, too cute—Minji had always been a point of friction in their relationship.
"You're going to break your promise to me because of Minji?"
— Who said that? I'll go, alright? I'll go.
"…Thanks. You need to leave as soon as we hang up."
"You have to leave now, or you'll be late. Call Mom once you get there—"
"Ugh, I've got it handled. I'm hanging up."
The call abruptly ended. Haeyoung stared blankly at her phone.
When did our relationship become like this?
I'm the one bending over backwards, and Seongjun's the one getting angry.
It wasn't always like this.
Her mouth tasted bitter. But she quickly pushed those feelings away.
Seongjun's just struggling so much preparing to be an actor.
Once things go well, he'll be the kind and gentle Seongjun she knew before.
It's not like they'd only just started dating.
The more difficult it gets, the more she had to quietly stand by his side.
He said once he was settled, they'd get married.
Seongjun, thank you.
I'm sorry for getting angry when I'm the one asking for favors.
Haeyoung sent a message to Seongjun.
After that, she felt completely drained.
He'll get to the hospital on time, right?
Yeah, I have to trust Seongjun.
Just as she thought that, the subway sign displayed the name of the station where she needed to get off.
Trusting Seongjun, Haeyoung stepped off the train.
---
The morning had passed in a blur.
She had just finished a meeting and was about to leave the conference room when her phone vibrated.
[Mom]
For some reason, seeing those two words on the screen gave her a bad feeling.
— "Seo Haeyoung?"
A low, slow voice spoke on the other end.
— "Your mother was found unconscious on the street. We've taken her to the emergency room. To proceed with further examinations, we need a guardian's consent, so please come to S Hospital immediately."
The words "found unconscious on the street" and everything that followed barely registered in Haeyoung's mind.
She rushed out, hailed a passing taxi, and ran breathlessly to the emergency room. Until she arrived, she couldn't understand anything.
By her mother's bedside, a stranger in a suit stood up when he saw Haeyoung. There was no time to thank him.
All Haeyoung could see was Seongran lying there, pale as death, hooked up to a respirator.
"Is… Mom going to be okay?"
"It seems she fell down a hill. We took her to the hospital as soon as she was found, but there's significant bleeding in her brain. We need to monitor her condition closely."
The man added more details, but they were all hopeless words.
Seongran was taken away on a stretcher for further tests.
Her body, weakly trembling, looked as if she were already dead.
The long series of tests continued.
Seongran was admitted to the intensive care unit.
Hearing the doctor say that the worst could happen, Haeyoung felt her mind and heart go completely blank.
She collapsed in the hospital corridor, filled with the smell of medicine and unpleasant odors.
Passing patients and their guardians glanced at her, but didn't linger long.
Haeyoung picked up her phone. The ringtone stretched on.
Beep, beep, beep—
The longer it rang, the harder it became to breathe.
When the automated message said the call couldn't be answered, she put the phone down.
Almost immediately, a message arrived. It was from Seongjun.
[I can't take the call right now.]
[Where are you?]
Her fingers trembled, and the message took a long time to write because of all the typos.
It was probably for the best that Seongjun hadn't answered the call. Her throat felt so tight she wouldn't have been able to say a word.
[At home.]
[How's Mom at the hospital?]
[I called, but she said she'd go to the hospital alone. Let her be. Mom needs to learn to manage by herself. You're being too dramatic.]
Dramatic? It was because she wasn't dramatic that Mom waited for so long.
Unable to wait any longer, Mom tried to hail a taxi by herself, but ended up tumbling down a hill. She was already struggling just to climb the stairs—it was an inevitable outcome.
Knowing how Mom has been lately, he let her go to the hospital alone? So that's why her mom—
She is lying in the intensive care unit.
Her hands and feet had grown cold. They were so cold that she felt as if they weren't her own, but rather the fake hands and feet of a mannequin.