The man who had made such a loud entrance hurled the loudspeaker at Lee Cheol-gon. Smash! It struck the ground at his feet and shattered into pieces, startling him so badly that he shoved On Dae-sik aside.
As On Dae-sik staggered, losing his balance, the man stretched out a long arm and caught the frail old man by the back.
“Are you alright?”
The way he looked at On Dae-sik didn’t suggest they were strangers. And On Dae-sik, nodding in reassurance, seemed equally at ease—as if they knew each other.
“I think those two are working together—they’re definitely scammers!”
“Leave this to me and stay somewhere safe.”
Haru stared blankly at the man. Even at a glance, he had to be at least 190 centimeters tall. With skin as pale as wax and a face sculpted to perfection, he was impossible to look away from. As if the saying were true—that a man of heavenly beauty could empty your mind and steal your breath—Haru found herself holding hers.
The man, who had instantly subdued the tense atmosphere, erased his earlier gentleness and glared coldly at Lee Cheol-gon.
“W-what! Who the hell are you, you bastard?!”
Overwhelmed by the man’s presence, Lee Cheol-gon clutched his chest and glared, veins bulging in his eyes. He raised and lowered his scarred fists, grinding his teeth as if ready to fight—but whenever the man stepped forward, he instinctively backed away.
“You little punk, I asked who you are.”
“I didn’t come here for you, so shut up and get out.”
“What?!”
“I said get lost.”
Grinding his molars, the man rolled up his sleeves to his elbows, exuding an even rougher, more dangerous aura than Lee Cheol-gon. Then, glancing at Haru standing behind the obstruction, he casually pushed Lee Cheol-gon’s head aside with his fingertips.
“Don’t block the way. Move.”
The moment he tried to pass, a sharp scream rang out. Unable to contain his anger, Lee Cheol-gon had thrown a punch—only for his arm to be twisted mid-strike. The man’s confidence hadn’t been for show; he subdued the incoming fist with ease and kicked Lee Cheol-gon away as if he weighed nothing.
“M-My goodness!”
Kim Young-sook collapsed to the floor, crying out for her mother. She hadn’t even realized she was surrounded by police who had quietly approached—until their eyes met and her legs gave out.
“Damn it!”
Even with officers closing in on Kim Young-sook, Lee Cheol-gon sprang to his feet and bolted. Avoiding the detectives blocking the exit, he threw open a window—but was quickly seized by the waist. After a brief struggle, he was slammed against the wall.
“Lee Cheol-gon, you are under arrest for human trafficking and illegal organ trade. You have the right to remain silent—”
“You son of a bitch! You reported me, didn’t you?! I’ll kill you—I swear I’ll tear you apart!”
Realizing it was the man who had called the police, Lee Cheol-gon screamed at the top of his lungs. He kicked wildly in the air and spat in fury, but the man didn’t even bother listening. His attention was solely fixed on On Haru.
Unaware of this, Haru stood dazed, staring into empty space, murmuring under her breath.
“Human trafficking… organs…”
The horrifying words made her body tremble.
“Ms. On Haru, if you’d been any less fortunate, something terrible could have happened to you.”
As if he could see straight into her thoughts, the man stepped right in front of her and waved a hand before her eyes, checking whether she had fainted while still standing.
“Pull yourself together.”
“……”
Haru slowly regained her senses and looked straight at him. Her already chaotic thoughts were wiped blank by his dazzling appearance.
A face as flawless as a sculpture. Rare refinement. Deep, unreadable eyes.
She pressed her dry lips together and swallowed hard. His overwhelming beauty made her tense.
“Thank you. You saved me. But… who are you?”
“Ms. Cha Hyo-won. Your grandmother is waiting for you.”
Cha… Hyo… won.
At the sudden return of a name she thought had been completely erased, Haru froze.
“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about. Cha Hyo-won?”
Her grip tightened around her wedding dress. She forced a smile, pretending calm, but her fingers trembled so hard they turned white.
“That was your name before you met your adoptive father. Don’t you remember?”
“You must be mistaken. I’m On Haru.”
Dropping her gaze to the ground, Haru denied it.
“You used to be Cha Hyo-won. Try to remember.”
“How am I supposed to remember something from when I was five?”
“I never said you were five.”
At his almost teasing tone, Haru squeezed her eyes shut before opening them again. He looked at her like an executioner placing someone on the scaffold—his deep-set eyes lowered, his dark gaze unreadable as he studied every change in her expression.
“Even so… I’m not Cha Hyo-won.”
She lifted her head, erasing the tension and gratitude from moments ago. Standing stiffly, she glared at him for prying into her past.
“You’ve got the wrong person.”
“We’ve already completed a grandparent DNA test.”
He showed her the result on his phone. The words ‘Cannot exclude a biological grandparent-grandchild relationship’ filled her vision.
Haru clenched her fists.
“Who gave you permission to run a test like that? That’s illegal.”
“Is it illegal for a grandmother to search for her granddaughter?”
“Not illegal—but you should have gotten my consent. And what did you even test?”
As she pressed him with pointed questions, the man turned his gaze to On Dae-sik.
“Sir, it seems you didn’t tell your daughter?”
His tone carried a hint of arrogance, as if emphasizing the legitimacy of the process.
“Dad… do you know this man?”
“He came by a while ago… said he was looking for a girl your age, so I gave him your toothbrush.”
“You did that without telling me? Why would you decide that on your own?”
“When I die… you’ll be all alone. Your grandmother is looking for you… how could I not send you?”
His weak voice, paired with a faint smile, struck like daggers. Even as she questioned him, what she didn’t want to hear most was his worry about leaving her behind.
“You might think you’re all grown up, but living alone is dangerous. That’s always been my concern. But now… I don’t have to worry anymore. Isn’t that a relief?”
“Then just live a long life, Dad. Stay with me… we can keep living like this.”
“Don’t exhaust yourself over things that can’t be changed.”
So… you’ve already given up?
The question she had always wanted to ask caught in her throat.
Lately, her father had been putting his affairs in order. Starting with old clothes, he had thrown away items filled with memories of her mother—things he could never part with before—as well as worn-out bedding. He kept only what he needed immediately.
So that when the funeral came, she wouldn’t suffer while sorting through his belongings. So that she wouldn’t be overwhelmed with grief. Day by day, he had been letting things go—and now, he was even letting go of the daughter he loved so dearly.
“I want to live with you for a long, long time, Dad.”
She had vowed not to show weakness in front of him, but as her last thread of hope vanished, Haru couldn’t hold back her tears.
“You know you’re the only family I have.”
“I know… I do. But… I don’t have much time left.”
On Dae-sik cupped her cheeks. He wanted to remain strong for his daughter, but he bit his lip, struggling to hold back his tears.
“They’ve been searching for you all this time. So go meet her… and live a good life, being treated with care.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Don’t be stubborn. It breaks my heart.”
“I’m going to live with you. I don’t know any grandmother. I don’t remember her. She’s a complete stranger!”
Haru shook her head vehemently. Since facing his impending death, her father had grown pessimistic—but she refused to be swayed by it. Steeling herself, she took a deep breath, trying to calm the heat raging inside her.
“Thank you very much for helping me. But I won’t go back to being Cha Hyo-won.”
“Even if you ignore your grandmother… what about your biological parents?”
“Why bring them up? They’re probably living their own lives just fine.”
Her voice cracked as emotion surged. To Haru, her biological parents were monsters—so dreadful she didn’t even want to remember them. There hadn’t been a single day without fear, not a single moment of peace.
The name Cha Hyo-won itself was pain.
“My only family is my dad. So don’t ever come looking for me again—”
“Ugh!”
On Dae-sik suddenly clutched his chest. Cold sweat poured down his face as it twisted in agony. He reached toward Haru, his hand grasping at the air as he gasped—then collapsed, losing consciousness.
“Dad!”
Haru rushed to him and gathered him into her arms, sobbing.
“Dad, you can’t pass out!”
She slapped his cheeks, trying to wake him, but his body had already gone limp. Panic-stricken, she shook him, clinging tightly as tears streamed down her face—when suddenly, the man lifted On Dae-sik from her arms.
“Your father isn’t going to die, so stop crying and follow me.”
The words Haru had longed to hear came from him as he sprinted toward the exit. With a forceful kick, he flung the heavy door wide open. Noon sunlight poured into the room, illuminating both him and On Dae-sik.
It looked like a hand of salvation.
