It’s the second night

Episode 10

It was already the second time asking the same question.

When she woke up in the hospital and started talking nonsense, a question was asked.

“Do you really not remember anything? Not even a little?”

Was the question asked hoping she would remember? Or was it hoping she wouldn’t?

It was unclear.

“Why? Do you also think I faked it?”

“Faked it?”

“Seo Taejo said so. He said losing my memory might be an act.”

At that, Yoo Donghyuk’s forehead creased deeply.

“What did he say? That crazy bastard.”

He held his cigarette so tightly that it was almost crushed. Just as he was about to swear more—

Rrrrrrrr—

Yoo Donghyuk’s phone rang.

Frowning, he took out his phone and checked the caller. Then, he glanced at the stone steps leading to the mansion. It was a signal for her to leave.

Without hesitation, she turned away. As she walked, she heard Yoo Donghyuk’s voice behind her.

“Yes, sir. Chairman.”

Chairman?

“I just got home. I ate dinner outside. Thank you for your concern.”

—Seo Dowoo, the chairman?

“Yes?”

His voice, which had sounded so cold earlier, now melted smoothly.

“I don’t mind at all. Taejo and Haein’s engagement… Yes, she’s very heartbroken.”

Curious about what they were talking about, she decided to listen further.

“June? If that’s what Madam Lee wants, we have no reason to refuse.”

June? Was this about a wedding after all?

Feeling uneasy, Juheung quickly stepped up the stairs and entered the mansion.

Behind her, Yoo Donghyuk’s voice continued.

“That’s fine with us. Then let’s set a date for the meal—”

Juheung quickly shut the door. She leaned against it, sighing.

This was bad.

Things were getting complicated.

She had shouted at Seo Taejo, saying she would never marry him.

Before things got worse, she needed to meet Taejo’s mother and settle this.

Yes. That’s what she had to do.

With that thought, she hurried up to her room.

***

The collapse of Ino Training Center lasted eight days, until the last two victims’ bodies were recovered.

The police retrieved most of the bodies within three days. With the families’ consent, a joint funeral was held for the victims.

Seo Taejo attended the funeral.

Wearing a black suit and a neatly tied black tie, he held a white chrysanthemum.

He walked forward and placed the flower before Juheung’s portrait.

After a short moment of silence, he gazed at the photo of her.

Her fair face, as delicate as a newly blooming flower, made his chest ache.

How did we end up meeting here again?

If I had only cared about my own desires… If I had only focused on my own happiness…

At the very least, you wouldn’t be lying here like this.

You wouldn’t have gone through such horror.

A flood of regret washed over him.

Closing his eyes tightly, Taejo stood there a little longer.

Click. Click.

The sound of camera shutters echoed around him.

Among them, some were reporters taking pictures of him.

But most people were simply pressing the shutter, not even knowing who he was.

They just wanted a good image for the news.

Thanks to that, the Seohyun Group’s PR team would have their hands full.

Taejo never liked causing a scene like this.

His face hardened slightly as he stepped down from the platform.

A middle-aged man in a well-fitted suit approached him.

It was Yeom Jinho, Director of the National Intelligence Service’s 1st Bureau—

A mutual acquaintance of both him and Juheung.

He had also been Taejo’s former boss.

With his hands tucked into his pockets, Director Yeom glanced around before speaking.

“You came after all?”

Without even looking at him, Taejo walked toward the victims’ families.

“Was I not supposed to?”

“No, it’s not that…”

Yeom Jinho let out a bitter sigh, rubbing the back of his head.

“I just… didn’t think you would.”

At those words, Taejo stopped walking. His sharp gaze turned toward Yeom.

“I came for her.”

His voice was just as cold.

Yeom nodded slightly, as if he understood.

“You and Juheung… You were best friends since high school. But at the National Intelligence Service, you had to act like complete strangers.

You were the White. She was the Black.”

Taejo had been an intelligence officer—a fact even his parents didn’t know.

After being scouted during his military service, he spent seven years as an agent.

Following the nation’s orders, he had to live and die as they commanded.

Since his face was classified information, even after returning to university, he made sure to keep his identity completely hidden.

So pretending to be just a casual acquaintance with a fellow NIS officer? That was impossible.

Yeom knew that better than anyone. That’s why his expression was filled with pity.

” If we hadn’t separated you two back then, maybe you wouldn’t be standing here full of regrets.”

Taejo cut him off.

“Regret?”

This wasn’t regret.

Regret is when you fail to forget someone completely.

But Taejo never forgot. Not even 0.0001%.

That’s why he had forced himself to shut everything off.

He had spent years gripping tightly onto a switch that he refused to let turn back on.

All he could do was hold onto his guilt—toward a girl who never even knew his real name.

So from now on…

Just like he had done all this time, he had to accept that she was gone. He had to keep the switch off.

And eventually, with time, he would become numb.

Yeom, however, didn’t stop. He kept following Taejo, casually continuing his comments.

“But it was real love, wasn’t it?

You covered her tuition with a special scholarship. Reserved seats for her at the library day and night. Brought her hot meals. Walked to her with an umbrella whenever it rained.

How could she not have fallen for you?”

The government had been watching.

They had labeled Juheung as a surveillance target.

In the end, they interfered.

“Love? What love? It’s not like we were dating.”

Taejo’s eyes turned ice cold.

Yeom let out a smirk.

“Yeah, I know. Just a mutual understanding.”

Then, as if to tease him further, Yeom patted Taejo on the back.

“But still… you loved her.”

Taejo clenched his jaw.

Because, in the end, that was the reason for their separation.

Because he loved her.

Because the state had noticed.

Because of that, he had been forced to let her go.

And Yeom, fully aware of that painful truth, was deliberately pushing at the wound.

“She never saw your real face until the very end, did she? She was truly the perfect agent.”

A pair of black-rimmed glasses. A mouthpiece. A slightly different hairstyle.

That was all it took.

But Taejo had also changed his posture, his speech, his tone, his entire way of being.

To Juheung, he had been a completely different person.

Even so… here he was. Standing in front of her portrait with his real face.

“…So now, maybe, she can finally recognize you—”

“Wait a second.”

Midway through Yeom’s words, Taejo’s eyes shifted toward the entrance. His expression darkened.

There was no way…

Dressed in a black funeral suit, Yoo Haein had just walked inside.