Night was falling over Seoul. Glass towers glittered under the last rays of dusk, each window reflecting the artificial lights already taking over. The city still stirred, as if unaware of fatigue, as if it never needed to sleep.
Cho Se Ra parked her car in the small, tight lot of her residence. She remained still for a few minutes behind the wheel, her hands clenched, her mind stuck in the heaviness of the day. The silence inside the car weighed down, interrupted only by the distant hum of engines and the steady rhythm of her own ragged breathing.
She eventually got out, gently closed the door, and lifted her eyes to the exterior stairs leading to her apartment. Her legs carried her reluctantly, as if each step represented an extra weight to bear.
Inside, the air smelled of still-warm tea and the pages of an open book. Hwang Mi Ra, seated on the sofa, looked up from her reading when the doorbell rang. She placed her book on the coffee table and went to open the door.
— Well, well… she sighed upon seeing her friend's face. What took you so long? Come in, quickly. The little one's already asleep. She was waiting for you…
Se Ra, her hair tousled, her face marked by exhaustion, slipped off her shoes in silence.
— I had to take the car to the mechanic, she murmured. I… had a little accident.
Mi Ra frowned, following her to the couch.
— Nothing serious, I hope?
Se Ra sat down heavily, as if her entire body refused to carry her any longer. She shook her head faintly.
— No… not really. What's serious is… what the doctor told me about Na Bi.
The little girl's name made Mi Ra narrow her eyes. She sat beside her, curious, worried.
— So? Have they finally found the cause of the seizures?
Silence fell. Se Ra stared straight ahead, her lips pressed together, her gaze empty. Slowly, tears began to fill her eyes.
Mi Ra leaned forward, impatient, her heart beating faster.
— Se Ra… talk to me.
Her friend's voice trembled as she uttered the word that burned her from the inside.
— Leukemia…
Mi Ra blinked, as if she hadn't understood. Her breath caught.
— What…?
Tears finally streamed down Se Ra's cheeks, uncontrollable. She covered her face with one hand, her other fist clenched on her knee.
— No, but… no, it's not possible! protested Mi Ra, shaking her head as if to erase the thought. She's only six! She's barely learning to read, to run, to understand the world… How can this be possible?
Se Ra did not respond. Her shoulders slumped, her sobs shaking her body. Then Mi Ra drew her into her arms and held her close, rubbing her back gently. She, too, held back her tears, but her voice was meant to be steady.
— We'll find a solution… do you hear me? We'll find a way, Se Ra.
But the words sounded hollow in the heavy silence.
Na Bi's room was bathed in soft light. The child slept peacefully, rosy cheeks, little hands resting against her pillow. She looked like an angel fallen from the sky.
Se Ra entered quietly, her heart breaking at this innocent face. She sat on the edge of the bed and gently stroked the girl's hair.
— I will do everything in my power to heal you, my darling… everything…
Her tears fell, one by one, onto the sheets. Mi Ra stood in the doorway, silent, watching the scene that was tearing her apart as well.
She finally approached, placed a hand on Se Ra's shoulder, and gently guided her to stand.
— Come… It's time for you to rest. You've done enough for today.
But Se Ra, her eyes fixed on her sleeping niece's face, resisted for a moment longer. As if looking away meant abandoning her.
— Look at her, she whispered, her voice broken. She knows nothing about all this… How am I going to tell her? How will I find the strength?
Mi Ra squeezed her arm, her own eyes glistening with tears.
— You'll find it. Because you have no choice. And I'll be there, every second, to help you.
So Se Ra finally let herself be guided out of the room, her heart heavy as a stone, her steps dragging as if leaving a sanctuary.
The sun rose slowly over Seoul, gilding the building façades in a warm glow. In the already busy streets, workers hurried, clutching their jackets against the morning chill. The city awakened, panting, like a well-oiled clock.
In an apartment at the heart of the business district, a thin wisp of steam rose from a cup of black coffee on a table. Not far away, a slightly open safe revealed the discreet gleam of a luxury watch. Kim Jae Hyun, sitting with natural elegance, picked up his cup and took a sip before returning his attention to the contents of the safe.
Beside him, Ahn Woo Jin, his loyal right-hand man, held a tablet, consulting it with focus.
— So, what do we have today? asked Jae Hyun, setting down his cup to pick up the watch between his fingers.
Woo Jin scrolled through the screen of his device with his fingertips, unfazed.
— Not much. A videoconference at ten o'clock, and a business lunch at one.
A satisfied smile stretched across Jae Hyun's lips. His dark gaze fixed on the watch's gleaming face.
— Perfect, he murmured. That will give us time to visit the accounting department. It's been a while since our last inspection.
He rubbed his hands together like an impatient player before taking another sip of coffee. Then, rising with poise, he grabbed the jacket laid over the nearby chair.
— Let's go.
Without another word, he crossed the room with determined steps, Woo Jin on his heels, a faithful shadow ready to follow.
On the other side of the city, the soft morning light enveloped a small, unassuming house. Behind its walls, the atmosphere was entirely different: fragile, tinged with worry and hope.
Inside the apartment, Cho Se Ra stood near the door, her expression anxious. A few meters away, Yoo Na Bi was slowly picking at her breakfast, her gaze distracted. Not far off, Mi Ra, Se Ra's best friend, leaned against the wall, arms crossed.
— Come on, you're going to be late, said Mi Ra in a gentle but firm voice.
Se Ra sighed and turned toward her, her eyes bright with fatigue.
— Thank you so much… Take care of her, please. I'll be back late. I need to find a part-time job. It won't solve everything, but at least… it will get us a little closer to the sum for her treatment. And… all these debts that are crushing me.
Se Ra's voice trembled slightly. Mi Ra stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.
— We'll manage. Don't worry. I'll pick her up from school on time. You can count on me.
A weight seemed to lift from Se Ra's chest. She wrapped her friend in her arms, holding her tightly, as if drawing the strength she lacked.
— Thank you, she whispered.
— Go on, go, Mi Ra repeated with a smile.
Se Ra nodded and stepped out the door, leaving behind the scent of warm coffee and lingering worry.
Mi Ra turned to Na Bi, determined to lighten the mood.
— Sweetheart… have you finished your breakfast yet?
The little girl lifted her big, bright eyes to her, full of energy despite her fragility.
— Not yet… she replied in a clear voice.
— Then hurry up, we're going to be late! Mi Ra said cheerfully, as if turning the moment into a game.
A childlike laugh rang through the room, fragile but sincere, breaking the weight of worry for a brief instant.
*****
The Axion Finances skyscraper stood proudly in the morning light, its fifty-seven floors reflecting an almost intimidating shine. The silver logo inlaid on the glass façade commanded silence and respect from anyone daring to look up at it.
Inside, the lobby gleamed with icy modernity. Cho Se Ra advanced with measured steps, clutching her bag tightly. Her heels clicked lightly on the polished marble, the sound echoing subtly through the vast space. She sighed, pressed the button for the 16th floor, the accounting department. Her pre-employment internship wasn't over yet, but weariness already weighed on her shoulders. The elevator's soft beep sounded, and she stepped in, her tired eyes fixed on the illuminated panel lighting up floor by floor.
****
In the afternoon, in a luxurious restaurant, Kim Jae Hyun fixed his gaze on his counterpart. His features, perfectly chiseled, carried an almost disturbing coldness. His dark hair impeccably styled, his thin lips pressed into a stern line, his black, merciless eyes… Everything about him exuded a mix of control and threat. Sitting with ease, legs crossed, he tapped his fingers idly on the table as if every wasted second were an offense.
To his right, Woo Jin, his loyal assistant, stood upright, impassive, hands folded in front of him, observing the scene like a detached spectator. Two empty wine glasses and untouched dishes still lay on the table, silent witnesses to a negotiation that was going nowhere.
Jae Hyun finally looked away to check his watch. An annoyed sigh escaped his lips before he lifted his head.
— So, what do you say? he asked, his voice sharp as a blade.
Across from him, Bae Sung Ho furrowed his brows, his hands clenched on the table.
— Two billion won? That's far too much for such a weak stock…
Jae Hyun's expression didn't change in the slightest. He rose with calculated slowness, each movement radiating cold confidence.
— Then we have nothing more to discuss, he said in an acidic tone. Put the bill on my account.
Without a backward glance, he slid his hands into his pockets and headed for the exit, Woo Jin at his heels.
— Wait! Bae Sung Ho almost shouted, springing to his feet.
But Jae Hyun barely paused, his neck taut, shoulders still straight.
— I'm sure we can still negotiate…
The businessman resumed his walk, as if his words had crashed against an invisible wall. The restaurant's butler hurried to open the door for him, and he stepped out without looking back, leaving behind an aura of power and disdain. Bae Sung Ho ran a nervous hand through his hair, frustrated.
Outside, a sleek black car waited at the entrance. The valet rushed to open the door for Jae Hyun. He settled into the backseat with the nonchalance of someone who knows they dominate the world. Woo Jin took the keys, got behind the wheel, and the sedan glided away in a muffled purr.
At the same time, in the accounting department of Axion Finances, Se Ra let out a quiet yawn. She had just filed a dossier and quickly closed a confidential window on her screen. Her heavy eyelids betrayed her, and her exhausted body gave in: she slumped gently onto her desk, her steady breathing blending with the rhythmic hum of keyboards and printers that filled the room.
---
In the elevator, Kim Jae Hyun stood upright, his face closed, every muscle in his body tense with irritation. His dark eyes fixed on an invisible point, and his hands, clenched in his pockets, betrayed restrained agitation. The failed negotiation still weighed on his shoulders, a dull frustration mixed with impatience.
— Fifteenth floor, he ordered sharply.
Ahn Woo Jin nearly jumped, his fingers hovering hesitantly over the button for the 57th floor. He cleared his throat and finally pressed 15. The elevator began to move, gliding smoothly. Woo Jin stole a glance at his boss, aware of the mix of frustration and icy control radiating from him.
A few minutes later, the elevator opened onto the accounting department. The artificial ceiling lights bathed the room in a cold white glow, making computer screens and neatly organized papers glimmer. Jae Hyun advanced slowly, his perfectly polished black shoes clicking lightly against the polished floor. Each step seemed to measure the room's silence, imposing an almost tangible presence.
Woo Jin stayed back, attentive to the slightest reaction, while the employees, surprised by this sudden entrance, held their breath. Jae Hyun's gaze swept across every desk until it landed on a figure slumped over hers, head resting on her arms. His black eyes shone with a mixture of curiosity and threat.
— So… sleeping instead of working? he asked, his voice calm but loaded with tension.
Se Ra jumped, her heart racing. Strands of hair falling over her face, she pushed them quickly behind her ears, trying to mask the panic overtaking her.
— My apologies… she murmured, eyes still fixed on her screen, unable to lift her gaze.
Jae Hyun furrowed his brows, surprised. A flicker of hesitation crossed his face, imperceptible but enough to reveal a trace of confusion.
— You? he asked finally.
Se Ra felt her blood boil in her veins. Her fists clenched on the edge of her desk, her breathing quickening. The voice, the tone… she recognized it immediately. She narrowed her eyes, a mix of disgust and anger rising within her.