Her father didn't come back inside immediately.
Minutes passed.
Each second stretched painfully.
Seo-yeon stood slowly.
Her legs felt weak.
But she moved anyway.
She walked toward the door.
Quietly.
Carefully.
She opened it just enough to see outside.
Her father stood in the driveway.
The man stood across from him.
Calm.
Patient.
Dangerous.
She couldn't hear everything.
Only fragments.
"…not avoiding it…"
"…just need more time…"
"…you've already had time…"
Her father wasn't free.
He was still trapped.
The accident wasn't the cause of his suffering.
It was only one possible ending.
If she had saved his life…
Then she had also saved his struggle.
Her fingers tightened around the doorframe.
She couldn't undo this.
She could only face it.