While Hemi was doing everything she could to persuade Mrs. Young Ja, trying to grasp even a thin thread that might connect her to the truth of that foggy night, Min Soo was sinking into another world.
There, in an abandoned playground long forgotten by time, he sat on a rusted iron swing. The harsh creaking it produced with every movement sounded like the very scream his throat could no longer release.
Min Soo lifted his eyes toward the sky; there were no stars to offer hope, no moon to soften the weight of darkness. Black clouds gathered as if they were a physical manifestation of the storm inside his mind.
He inhaled the cold air deeply, feeling it slip into his lungs and then into the depths of his soul, extinguishing the flames fed by doubts lurking in every dark corner of his mind… a mind that had never stopped betraying him.
"Who am I?" he whispered as the cold touched his cheeks.
In that moment, he realized the universe was vast enough to contain his loss, and that every person in this life has a path to walk, no matter how twisted or dark it may seem.
And he thought that his tragedy, despite its heaviness, might be nothing more than a passing story compared to the pain of others.
Life is a turning wheel; he was now at the bottom, but he was still breathing, which meant he still had another chance to taste life… even if it tasted like pure bitterness now.
And although screens everywhere—phones and televisions—were flooding with the news of Woo Jin's severed head found in a filthy corner of the metro station, Min Soo chose at that moment to close his ears to the noise of the world and listen only to his heartbeat.
He remembered Hemi's words:
"You carry the purest heart in your chest."
How could such a heart—one that cries at the sight of a sad fictional scene—commit such a horrific crime?
"No… it wasn't me."
He whispered it with shaken certainty, fighting with everything left inside him just to stay alive.
Min Soo decided to forgive himself.
He wrapped his arms around his body, hugging himself in a gesture that mixed pity and strength. He began gently patting his shoulders, like a mother calming a frightened child, then whispered in a trembling voice:
"I trust you… stay strong. You've recovered before, and you will recover again. These hallucinations are not destiny, and that damned bird… I will kill it inside my mind before it kills me."
A bitter patience filled his insides, but he had made his decision. He would not let the swamp swallow him further.
He thought of his music group, of the teammates who endured his episodes, his absences, and his long silences. The new album was not just a music project… it was a piece of him.
For Min Soo, music was nourishment for the soul.
At that moment, the silence was broken by hesitant footsteps on wet ground.
He slowly raised his eyes.
Familiar features began to form in the dim darkness.
Warmth softened the harshness of the black clouds.
He whispered to himself:
"Hemi…"
Then he lowered his head, as if silent regret was eating away at his soul.
Hemi approached with steady steps and glanced at him briefly.
He did not look well at all.
She sat on the swing beside him in heavy silence, then took a deep breath as frustration filled her expression.
Min Soo's eyes trembled, fixed on the ground.
Then his voice came out calm, cautious:
"Are you angry with me?"
A few seconds passed without an answer.
"No…"
She sighed softly.
"It's my fault."
Min Soo lifted his gaze toward her, his eyelashes fluttering in confusion.
Hemi added:
"I break into your house without permission… and intrude on your privacy."
She paused, then continued in a lower voice:
"No matter how close I am to you… you are still an adult man."
But her angry eyes said the opposite of her words.
As for Min Soo, he wasn't listening as much as he was drowning in her gaze.
"Hemi… I didn't mean it."
He looked away.
"I'm just going through a rough time."
Then he got down from the swing and walked behind her, gently pushing it.
"Hemi…"
The swing rose slowly with a faint creaking sound.
"Do you remember the first time we came to this park?"
She smiled faintly.
"Yes… I remember."
She laughed softly, recalling the memory.
"You carried me on your shoulders and we jumped over the school fence."
She turned slightly toward him.
"Even though we got beaten that day… it was still one of the happiest days of my childhood."
Min Soo continued pushing the swing slowly.
"We didn't even have enough money for food."
He smiled with faint nostalgia.
"I remember your stomach making loud sounds from hunger."
Then he pointed toward a distant corner of the park.
His eyes lit with longing.
"There was a guitarist standing there."
Hemi laughed softly.
"Yes… I begged that guitarist to let you sing with him for five dollars."
She shook her head childishly.
"Your voice attracted everyone, but he was very stingy. He earned more than a hundred dollars, and in the end he gave us only five."
Min Soo laughed openly this time.
"Do you still hold a grudge against him?"
She smiled.
"Of course."
Then she added, crossing her arms:
"He exploited you."
Silence fell for a moment.
Then Min Soo said quietly:
"You know, Hemi…"
He hesitated slightly.
"That was the first money I ever earned in my life."
He lowered his eyes to the ground.
"And I earned it for you."
Hemi's heartbeat quickened without her will.
And he continued in a hoarse voice:
"You exist in every beautiful memory I have."
Her expression froze for a moment.
Then her cheeks turned red quickly, and she looked away.
"What's wrong with you today, Min Soo?"
She said it in a flustered, louder tone than she intended.
"I said it's not your fault… there's no need to apologize."
She quickly stood up from the swing and turned away, avoiding his eyes.
"The weather is cold… we should leave."
She walked away immediately before hearing his response.
But Min Soo gently held her shoulder to stop her, then took off his black coat and placed it over her shoulders.
He adjusted it around her calmly.
"Are you warm now?"
Her eyes widened slightly.
She swallowed dryly, trying to control her breathing and racing heartbeat.
Suddenly…
A muffled sneeze came from behind her.
She quickly turned and looked at his face.
His cheeks were red, and his nose was running from the cold.
She stepped toward him unconsciously and reached to touch his forehead, but he instinctively leaned back.
She frowned and lightly hit his shoulder.
"Bend down, you tall guy."
Min Soo slowly bent down.
She placed her hand on his forehead, then his cheek.
His body temperature was high.
For a very brief moment…
She was close enough to feel his breath.
She looked up at him without thinking.
Their eyes met directly.
She blinked once…
Then again…
And quickly pulled her hand away before removing his coat, which was slipping down because of his height.
"Put your coat on properly."
She said nervously.
"You're really sick."
Then she added with a soft pout:
"Didn't you dry your hair like you usually do before sleeping?"
Inside him, something was quietly collapsing.
He had spent the night under the rain, unaware of the cold, while his mind fought a desperate war to prove his impossible innocence.