Translator: Elisia
Editor/Proofreader: Wojo
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Strangely enough, even though something like this had happened, the police never showed up.
“No, I no longer have that kind of power.”
When I asked Yang Hye-in just in case, she simply shook her head and answered like that.
Well, that made sense.
In the past, it was said that she could dismiss the police or doctors who came to the hospital, but that wasn’t due to Yang Hye-in’s personal power—it was the power of the Chairman behind her.
“…Should we report this to the police?”
Yoo Ha-neul, after some hesitation, asked again.
“I think we probably should.”
Yang Hye-in replied like that.
We were on the mountainside, surrounded by dense trees on both sides, yet surprisingly, the police arrived early.
“So, you’re saying the reason you broke the window was to save the kidnapped girl?”
Even after hearing the whole story, the police, still in disbelief, asked again.
“Yes.”
“The kidnapper was Chairwoman Choi Na-kyung of the Eugene Group, right?”
“Yes.”
“And the kidnapped victim is her daughter, Ye Sara?”
“That’s correct.”
When the police double-checked their notes, Yang Hye-in calmly answered.
“…”
After confirming the situation again, the two young officers exchanged glances, shrugging at each other.
It felt like they were silently asking each other—
“Does this make sense to you?”
“No, not really.”
—Although they said nothing aloud.
“…We’d like to hear more details at the station. Would that be alright?”
“Yes, that’s fine.”
“Senior.”
Seeing that Yang Hye-in, who had done nothing wrong, was willing to go to the police station, So-hee chimed in.
“It’s fine. This is just a necessary procedure.”
“That’s right. It’s standard to hear both sides of the story in cases like these…”
“…”
So-hee looked a bit irritated, but she didn’t lose her temper.
She knew the officers hadn’t done anything wrong.
…Not yet.
Choi Na-kyung had already once used her wealth to cover up the suspicions surrounding the wounds found on Sara’s body.
Of course, it wasn’t Choi Na-kyung herself who did it directly, but the power behind it clearly came from Chairwoman Choi Na-kyung.
Now that things had escalated this much, there was no way they could let it slide, but Choi Na-kyung would still resist.
Yoo Ha-neul thought as much.
“…What about us?”
“If you can accompany us as witnesses, we’d be grateful.”
“Then we’ll come along too.”
“What?”
When Yoo Ha-neul said this so confidently, the reporter, who had been busy taking photos despite the police’s attempts to stop her, was startled and exclaimed.
However, when Soo-ah looked at her, she sighed and raised both hands in surrender.
One of her hands still held a hefty camera, so she quickly lowered them again.
“Well, since your employer said so, I have no choice.”
She sighed deeply as if the ground would sink beneath her.
*
In the end, only the group that came later was able to leave the police station.
It didn’t seem like they were going to arrest Yang Hye-in immediately, but she was still the person who had seen and heard the most during the incident.
The investigation dragged on for a while.
“Senior, she’s not going to be arrested, right?”
“She probably won’t be.”
It wasn’t Yoo Ha-neul or Soo-ah who answered So-hee’s worried murmuring, but the reporter.
“I’ve had my share of visits to the police station, so I have a rough idea. Well… she might face some consequences later. After all, she did smash someone else’s car. And that someone happens to be one of the richest people in the world.”
As the three of them listening grew more worried, the reporter shrugged and added,
“But still, the police do pay attention to public opinion. Even if she doesn’t get off completely scot-free, I doubt she’ll go to prison. Unless there’s a top politician involved, rich chairpersons like that don’t get full coverage in cases like these.”
Then, scratching her head, she continued.
“So, you know… don’t worry too much. And besides, that young lady lying there has more money than almost anyone. When she wakes up, don’t you think she’ll do something for the person who tried to save her?”
That’s what she said.
Not everyone could go to the police station.
After all, Sara was here.
Given that she had just been the target of the Chairwoman’s kidnapping attempt, they couldn’t leave her alone in the hospital.
We’d just experienced what happened when Sara was left alone at school earlier today.
None of us were foolish enough to repeat that mistake.
The reporter and Yoo Ha-neul went to the police station, while So-hee and Soo-ah took Sara to a nearby hospital.
Several tests were done, due to the head trauma and the fact that she had been kidnapped and rescued, but the diagnosis was that there was no serious physical harm.
Still, she was given an IV drip.
“…”
A brief silence followed.
Everyone seated there looked at Sara’s face.
Perhaps because of the ordeal she had just gone through, even in sleep, her expression didn’t look very peaceful.
Her pale face was damp with cold sweat.
“…By the way.”
It was So-hee who broke the silence.
“Your name is…?”
“…”
Come to think of it, Soo-ah was probably the only one who knew the reporter’s name.
“Is that really important?”
“I don’t know what to call you every time I need to address you…”
“Hmmm.”
At So-hee’s words, the reporter shrugged and replied.
“Lee Yoo-kyung. It’s Lee Yoo-kyung. And when you call me, use ‘Reporter’ instead of my name.”
“…”
The person who introduced herself as Lee Yoo-kyung didn’t seem to be bothered by the situation.
No, rather, it seemed like she was looking forward to something.
Especially when she glanced at Sara’s sleeping face, that emotion became clearer.
“…Hah.”
A faint sigh was heard.
Yoo Ha-neul guessed that it was probably Soo-ah’s sigh.
*
Everything in front of me was pitch black.
Not figuratively—there really was nothing I could see.
Not only could I see nothing, but I couldn’t hear or feel anything either.
I was just alone in this empty black space.
What happened?
Right, I was kidnapped by Choi Na-kyung.
No, Sara was kidnapped.
For some reason, Sara lost consciousness, and I woke up.
…This is just like that first moment.
Back then, Sara was unconscious.
I went to school for a while, but Sara remained asleep until Choi Na-kyung finally came to see me.
So, maybe.
Maybe this time too, if I don’t find Sara, she’ll stay asleep forever.
But how?
I don’t know exactly what Sara did while I was inside her consciousness.
But I believe she tried her best.
For her life and for me, who was struggling.
She just couldn’t imagine what kind of person Choi Na-kyung was.
That’s understandable.
Who could have imagined someone like her?
Even I, who knew a bit of the game’s setup, didn’t fully understand what kind of person Choi Na-kyung was.
…
Choi Na-kyung no longer holds such influence over Sara’s memories.
Of course, she still occupies a large part of Sara’s past, but from now on, her friends will slowly cover those memories with new ones.
Yes, maybe there’s a way to ask those friends for help too.
When I wake up, maybe I should ask them to hold me, to kiss me.
But, for how long?
I may have to leave this body someday, but until that day, I don’t know how many times I’ll have to find Sara.
Memories, when repeatedly triggered, can become dull.
If I keep finding Sara this way, one day, I might not be able to bring her back, even when I’m the one fully in control of this body.
That can’t happen.
This body isn’t mine, it’s Sara’s.
The life lived in this body isn’t my life, it’s Sara’s.
Sara must live her own life.
So—
So this time, I had to find Sara.
Just as she came to find me every time I waited in her subconscious, now it was my turn to wake the sleeping Sara.
“…”
I closed my eyes.
Some might say there’s no point in closing your eyes in a place where you can’t see anything anyway.
But this is just a step to help me focus.
Just as I carefully recall my own memories, I need to recall Sara’s memories in detail.
I revived the sensation of retracing Sara’s memories.
Like feeling my way through them with my hands, I carefully traced her memories.
Into the memory that Sara cherished the most.
Yes, that memory would be good.
…In the distance, a faint light appeared.
I took a step toward that light.
With each step, the light grew brighter.
When my vision was eventually bathed in white, I opened my eyes.
What I saw before me.
What lay in front of me—
Was just the room I always remembered seeing.
“…”
The room I always faced in my memories.
On the bed, Sara was sitting.
“Sara…?”
I called out to her, but Sara didn’t respond.
I slowly walked toward her, and then—
I realized Sara wasn’t alone.
Next to Sara, much smaller in stature, was another Sara.
Sara doesn’t have a younger sister.
More importantly, the person in front of me wasn’t young enough to be a version of Sara I wouldn’t remember.
The smaller Sara, supported by the older Sara, didn’t seem much younger than her current self.
…That Sara was wearing the same clothes I used to wear in Sara’s memories.
The clothes of a vampire.