As they left the shaman's shop, the faint jingling of the bracelet still lingered in Ji-ah's ears. The afternoon sun dipped low, casting warm golden streaks across the streets.
On their way home, Ji-ah's gaze wandered outside the car window—until something caught her attention. In the park, a small boy sat on the edge of the slide, his tiny shoulders trembling.
"Daeun, stop the car," Ji-ah said suddenly, leaning forward.
Daeun hit the brakes, puzzled. "What happened?"
"There's a boy over there… he's crying. Maybe we should check on him."
Before getting out, Daeun glanced at her. "Make sure you wear your mask, Ji-ah."
Ji-ah nodded quickly, pulling the mask over her face. They stepped out of the car and approached the boy.
Ji-ah knelt down, her voice gentle. "Hey… what's wrong, sweetheart?"
The boy sniffled, looking up at her with watery eyes. "I… I lost my mom somewhere here."
Ji-ah's heart tightened. She and Daeun exchanged a quick glance before spending the next hour searching the park, calling out, and asking around. Finally, they spotted a frantic woman rushing toward them—the boy's mother.
"Mom!" The boy ran into her arms. Relief washed over the woman's face.
"Thank you so much," the mother said, bowing slightly. "I don't know what I would have done without you."
Ji-ah smiled under her mask. "We're just glad he's safe."
They were about to head back to the car when the boy suddenly stopped, turned around, and ran back to Ji-ah. Tugging at her sleeve, he motioned for her to bend down.
"You really need to believe in yourself to live in this world," he whispered softly in her ear.
Ji-ah froze, her eyes widening slightly at the strange, almost grown-up tone in his voice. Before she could say anything, the boy skipped back to his mother, waving at them with a bright smile.
Daeun waved back, but Ji-ah remained still, her mind echoing with his words.
---
HDaeun's stomach gave a loud growl, making her scrunch her nose in embarrassment.
"I'm starving," she whispered, rubbing her belly.
Ji-ah chuckled. "Alright, let's find somewhere to eat before you faint on me."
They spotted a cozy little restaurant just down the street and stepped inside. The warm aroma of grilled meat and spices filled the air. Once seated, Daeun leaned closer and asked curiously,
"So… what did that boy say to you earlier?"
Ji-ah waved off the question casually, her tone light but guarded. "It was nothing. Forget it."
Daeun raised an eyebrow but didn't push further.
As their food arrived, Ji-ah noticed a group of girls at the table beside them glancing her way and whispering.
One of them frowned, tilting her head. "No way… that can't be Jisoo. Her style's way too plain for someone like her."
The other girl nodded in agreement. "Yeah, no way. Jisoo would never wear something like that."
They both giggled before leaving the restaurant.
Daeun turned to Ji-ah with a mischievous grin. "Wow… they just called your fashion sense worse than a celebrity's worst day."
Ji-ah simply smirked. "I don't care. I'm comfortable in my style."
They lingered over their meal, the conversation drifting toward their lives and what lay ahead. Ji-ah's eyes softened.
"I've decided… I'll live as Jisoo from now on."
Daeun chuckled warmly. "Okay, my darling. I'll be with you at every turning point, no matter what."
With full stomachs and lighter hearts, they left the restaurant and returned to Hyun-min's house. When the car rolled to a stop, Ji-ah hopped out and headed straight inside without looking back.
Daeun, however, paused for a moment. A strange feeling prickled at the back of her neck — like someone's eyes were on her. She scanned the street, but nothing seemed out of place. Shaking off the unease, she followed Ji-ah inside.
---
Inside the house, Jun-ha greeted Ji-ah warmly.
"Hi," Ji-ah replied with a polite smile.
"The breakfast was great," Jun-ha said casually. "Thanks for that. I'm going to get the groceries for the house."
Ji-ah nodded, and he headed toward the entrance in a hurry. But before he could step out, Da-eun appeared from the hallway, and the two collided.
Da-eun wobbled, about to fall, when Jun-ha instinctively caught her by the hand and pulled her against him. For a moment, there was a pause—just the two of them, frozen in place.
Then, without warning, Da-eun kicked him in the leg.
"Aaah—!" Jun-ha winced, startled. "What was that for? I saved you from falling!"
"I'd rather fall to the floor than fall into your arms," Da-eun shot back, folding her arms.
Ji-ah, who had turned around just in time to see it, couldn't help but giggle. "I'm sorry for her actions, Jun-ha," she said apologetically.
Just then, Hyun-min stepped out of his gym room, towel slung over his shoulder. "You people really like kicking others without a reason, huh?"
"I kick people who deserve it," Da-eun said coolly, "but for Ji-ah… I'm not so sure yet."
Jun-ha rubbed his leg with a pained expression. "You're… strangely attractive, you know that?"
Da-eun blinked. "What?"
"Jun-ha, bring some refreshments as well," Hyun-min ordered.
"Got it," Jun-ha replied, still nursing his leg. As he headed out, he muttered under his breath, "She's really something weird… and now I like her even more. What am I going to do?"
---
Ji-ah glanced at Daeun, who was still standing there with her arms folded and an annoyed look on her face. "You should go with him," Ji-ah said, nodding toward Jun-ha. "You kicked his leg earlier, remember? It might be hard for him to carry the bags alone."
Daeun's brows rose in disbelief. "Seriously?" She looked at Jun-ha, then back at Ji-ah, clearly unimpressed.
"Yes, seriously," Ji-ah replied with a teasing smile.
Daeun sighed dramatically, making a face like this was the biggest inconvenience of her life. "Fine," she muttered, dragging her feet before finally following Ji-ah's gaze toward Jun-ha.
Jun-ha was already walking away when Ji-ah called out to him, and Daeun reluctantly trailed after. He suddenly turned, his expression slightly puzzled. "And where exactly are you going?"
Rolling her eyes, Daeun crossed her arms. "Ji-ah asked me to help you. So, you're welcome."
A smirk tugged at the corner of Jun-ha's lips. "Coming with me, huh?"
"Don't flatter yourself," Daeun cut in quickly, her tone sharp but laced with just enough sarcasm to make it sting. "I'm only here because Ji-ah asked."
Jun-ha raised an eyebrow, but didn't respond—just continued walking, that faint smirk still lingering as if he'd gotten the better end of the deal.
---
To be continued
[End of chapter 10]