Anger and fear always came hand in hand. Ga Eul had to juggle between these emotions on her own while trying not to act suspicious. She had become paranoid and skittish. Every single sound. Every person that accidentally bumped into her, her brain automatically assumed it was Hong Joon. Between fight or flight, every time she would find herself choosing the latter. Sitting by the sublime Santorini beach, Ga Eul was stuck in her head, trying to rationalize her thoughts and actions. They were all in the water, but she had decided to stick on land. She had used fatigue as her excuse for acting strange after yesterday's dinner, but sooner than later that excuse wouldn't stick out anymore.

If there was anything Ga Eul was sure of, it would be that she had to keep his messages a secret. They were non-stop since yesterday and she had to keep her phone on mute, to not attract attention. Yi Jung's words on the jet were a true threat. She didn't want to imagine how ruined Hong Joon would get. It wasn't sentiment that kept her from telling the truth, but Ga Eul hoped to keep her hands clean. She wanted everything behind her when she left. She didn't want guilt tainting her nights.

She held a jacket close to her chest despite the agreeable weather. She was trembling. He had stopped texting her, but the nagging feeling that he was watching her left her in fear. She took measured breaths to calm her down. Squeezing her eyes against the sun, she could see the silhouette of Yi Jung approaching her. He sat on her chaise long, dripping wet. He looked at her with perplexed eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay? We could go home right now if you're not feeling well." He said, drying himself off.

"It's nothing. Don't worry." She replied, with a soft smile.

Yi Jung stretched his arm, placing the back of his hand on her forehead.

"I think you might be a bit sick." Yi Jung frowned.

"Come on, let's go to the hotel." He said, putting on a shirt.

He balanced Ga Eul as she tripped when she stood on her feet. He refused to let go of her until they arrived at her room.

Ga Eul took a shower and changed into her pyjamas as Yi Jung left her.

Yi Jung might've been right, she thought to herself as she rested her tired bones on the bed. She was sick. She took refuge under the blanket, trembling in the cold and fear.

A knock on her door made her get up, and she used the wall to assist her.

"I got a medical kit from the reception." Yi Jung said.

He helped her get in bed again. He looked very worried, Ga Eul realized through hazy eyes. She hadn't noticed she was that tired until her vision started becoming blurry. Her head was exploding in pain, her bones turned into mush, and the trembling didn't stop. Her shaky hands held Yi Jung's to comfort him, but that somehow made him uncomfortable. He withdrew his right away. She wanted to ask why he did that, but the words couldn't come out of her mouth. As the minutes went by, Yi Jung came and went out of her room a lot. He would put a cold wet cloth on her forehead despite her protests then he would argue on the phone a lot. She couldn't understand what was happening, only that he was mad. He would take her temperature every thirty minutes and each time he would curse underneath his breath. He gave her a couple of pills, and she obediently obliged. That was all she remembered before the trembling increased and she couldn't open her eyes.

She heard voices fading out of her ears now and then when she gained momentary consciousness.

When she did sleep, her nightmares began. Distorted images of Chun Ja and Hong Joon filled her mind. Sometimes it was she who killed Chun Ja then others it would be Ga Eul that was getting killed. There was a particularly terrible one of Hong Joon.

They were at the vacation house and he was following her. She was hiding under Chun Ja's bed, muffling her sobs with her palm. She heard his approaching footsteps as he entered the room. He had a knife in his hands and was calling out for her. But before he could get her, Yi Jung came out of nowhere trying to save her. She wanted to warn him about the knife in his hands, but it was too late. She heard the knife going into Yi Jung's chest as Hong Joon stabbed him. So violently that blood splattered everywhere. Her shaky hands were tainted with his blood.

She saw Yi Jung's unconscious body a few inches from her from under the bed. Hong Joon was crouched on the ground as he stabbed him over and over again.

She was screaming so loudly, but she couldn't hear anything. She wanted to save Yi Jung, but she couldn't move her muscles. She was trying so hard.

She woke up with a scream. She was shouting so loud, her body soaked in sweat.

She looked around her and Yi Jung was on a chair beside her bed. He held her as she cried. Everything is okay, he kept whispering in her ear as she shook.

Due to Ga Eul's fever, they had to cut their trip short. When they were on the flight home, she started gaining a sense of the world around her, and they told her how sick she was. She was going in and out of sleep the entire flight with each of them taking turns checking up on her.

When they did arrive home, Yi Jung insisted on taking her back to his place to keep an eye on her. Ga Eul didn't have any energy in her to protest. She knew she was in no condition to fight back or take care of herself.

Jan Di came along with the two of them as she settled Ga Eul on the bed in the guest room. She could hear Yi Jung and Jan Di talking outside the door, but she couldn't make up any of the words. Instead, she fell asleep again. This time, she didn't have any nightmares. She was awoken by Yi Jung and Jan Di giving her her medicine or Jan Di feeding her some porridge before drifting off to sleep again.

By the next day, she was feeling a whole lot better. Enough to get her out of bed. She was still feeling the lingering effects of her sickness but it was bearable.

She found Yi Jung in the kitchen making breakfast.

"Good morning." She said, creeping up on him.

"You're awake. Oh, thank God." He said as he compared her temperature with his.

"The fever's gone." He drew a breath of relief.

"How are you feeling? Better?"

"Yes, thank you so much. I'm sorry for cutting the trip short."

"Don't. Everyone was so worried about you. I have to call Jan Di. She made me promise." He said before Ga Eul cut him off, taking him in a hug.

"I'm sorry." Ga Eul murmured in his neck as she held him tightly. She was sorry about so many things.

"It's okay, Ga Eul. It's not a big deal." He held her tightly.

"I didn't think you would be able to join me for breakfast." He said as he served her tea.

"Me neither." She smiled.

"How long have I been out?"

"Since the beach, so that's about two days and a half."

"I am sorry."

"Can you stop? We're not strangers. We take care of each other, okay?"

"You're right." She grinned.

They were interrupted by the sound of the doorbell ringing. When Yi Jung went to open the door, he came back with Jan Di. She rushed to Ga Eul's side and hugged her then took a seat beside her.

"I was so worried. You were very sick, honey." Jan Di sighed.

"Maybe the change of weather did that." Ga Eul shrugged.

"All that's important is that you're okay now."

Ga Eul looked up at the clock hung on the wall.

"I'm getting late for my shift. I'll eat my breakfast quickly then we both could go."

"What are you talking about? You're sick. You're not going anywhere. I'll cover for you today. You can stay here while Yi Jung takes care of you."

"You can't be serious. I'm fine now. I can't impose on Yi Jung forever. I'll be okay." Ga Eul replied, taking Jan Di's hand.

"I won't hear it. Yi Jung and I have already decided. Your living arrangement is already been dangerous enough yet we let you be. Now that you're sick we won't let you be. It's for your safety and our peace of mind."

Ga Eul sighed, "It's fine. You guys are are right."

"See, I told you I can convince her." Jan Di told Yi Jung.

"But I still want to go to work today. Please. I can't stay inside all day doing nothing. You have to compromise." Ga Eul argued.

"It's a deal, then." Yi Jung said.

Ga Eul was grateful they let her go to work because she felt like going crazy with fear. Luckily enough, no one snooped around her phone while she was out of it. She wasn't of much help at the restaurant, but at least she was doing something other than driving herself to madness with anger, fear or both. It was a busy day, and despite a couple of dizzy spells, Ga Eul stood on her own two feet until the end of the day. Still not feeling brave enough to go back to Yi Jung's penthouse, she went to the workshop to distract her mind.

When she arrived, she was surprised to see Jin Woo. She hadn't seen him in months. He looked so different. Like an adult.

"Ga Eul, I haven't seen you in a while. How are you doing?" He asked, pulling her in an awkward hug.

"I'm doing okay, but what about you? You look great. Is that a stubble I'm seeing?" She asked.

"Hey, don't be too harsh. I'm going for a look." He chuckled.

"Seriously, though, how's everything?" She asked.

"I'm doing great. University is beating my ass, but other than that it's fine."

"I'm happy for you." She said, giving his arm a light kick.

"You know, Ga Eul, I have been coming here in hopes of seeing you. Don't you think it's about time you leave this shit hole? I have a special place for it in my heart too, but sometimes you have to let these things go. I can put in a good word for you with the old man. I'm sure he could squeeze you in." He said.

"Thank you, Jin Woo. Truly. But, I'm happy here. No one's here most of the time, so I can be my own boss. Again, thank you for asking."

"No need for thanks. I didn't come here just to recruit you." He said, smiling. "I have a piece of junk here with me that's in a desperate state, but since you like these things, I brought it here with me." He said, gesturing to a state-of-the-art metal cluster of a motorcycle.

"You have to be kidding. That's too much. Even for me."

"Come on, you'll have fun. It used to be great until I got it fucked in a crash. That wasn't the only thing that got fucked in that crash." He said, pointing out the huge gruesome scar running along his forearm.

"That must've hurt."

"Not as much as losing this baby." He replied as he unloaded its remnants on the ground in a cloth.

"Look, I'll see what I can do, but I can't give any promises."

"You're the best." He replied, grinning. "I'll pay you for sure."

"Don't be ridiculous. We're friends."

"At least let me help you."

"That you'll do. I won't be able to handle this all alone."

Ga Eul's mind wandered off away from Hong Joon as she worked on her new mission along with Jin Woo. He kept telling her all about his future plans, and how things were going in the other workshop. She couldn't help but feel jealous of all his ambition. If there was anything she admired about Jin Woo, it would be that he knew how to live life. Better than anyone she had ever seen.

He was planning to work full-time in the other workshop after his graduation since the old man had taken a particular liking to him. He kept gushing about his girlfriend, and that he was saving already to buy them a house to settle down in. He knew what he wanted in life and wasn't afraid to love. Ga Eul wondered what that would be like. To live carelessly and freely. To Love without restraints. How she wished things could be different. How she wished she could be different.

After she got tired enough, she said her goodbyes to Jin Woo and took the bus back to the stop closest to Yi Jung's penthouse. She was let in surprisingly easy into the building as if Yi Jung had given special orders about her. Which he of course did, knowing Yi Jung. She opened the door to find Yi Jung sitting in his living room, watching a movie. Ga Eul took a seat beside him on the couch, releasing a sigh.

"How was your day?" He asked as he gently placed her head on his shoulder and planted a swift kiss on her hair.

"Tiring. And yours?" She asked.

"Boring."

"You win. Nothing's worse than being bored."

"Yes. If I have to spend another second around single-minded imbeciles, I'll shoot myself."

"Don't. I'll have to clean up so much after that." Ga Eul replied, yawning.

"What's on your mind, Ga Eul?" He asked softly. So she told the truth. Some of it. She told him about her talk with Jin Woo and her jealousy.

"At least when you take over the museum, you would know in your bones that it was your destiny. But I don't have that. I don't have that flame in my heart to keep me warm, you know?"

"I understand, but do you think that would give your life meaning?"

"Not meaning, but at least I would be useful. I would be something."

"Jin Woo is good at living life because he's enjoying every second of it. That's a talent not many possess. Finding your so-called passion could make your life easier, but it won't change how you feel inside. What you need, Ga Eul is something much harder to obtain. Well, it's something we should both obtain."

"What's that?"

"Jin Woo's talent. Now when you told me, I also felt jealous. I want to live a life without thinking about the past."

"Me, too. Maybe we could practice together. It makes perfect."

"Yes, it does." He replied grinning.