Seriously…

What’s her deal?

"…"

"…"

Baek Saeon watched Hong Heeju’s behavior in silence during a rare appearance at a social party with his parents.

Munch, munch, smack, smack—

Where had her manners gone?

He frowned instinctively.

The girl who had been flitting annoyingly around his line of sight had recently begun devouring her plate.

Hong Heeju chewed noisily, as if to show off, and made a point of swallowing with an exaggerated gulp.

"Ha…"

The most ridiculous part was when she opened her mouth wide to show its contents—Look, I really swallowed it!—as though reporting her accomplishment.

Then she held out a fresh plate to him.

"For me to eat?"

The child grinned brightly and nodded.

What was this, some kind of food taster service?

Her gentle eyes looked up at him earnestly. Was she doing this with some understanding, or was it just the simple meddling of a child? He couldn’t help but let out a short, incredulous laugh.

Seriously, what’s her deal?

Baek Saeon scowled, his expression sulky.

When he didn’t budge, Hong Heeju emptied another plate. Then another.

When the boy noticed her belly starting to puff out, he reluctantly took a bite, worried she might end up making herself sick.

The girl’s face lit up with a radiant smile before she toddled back to her sister.

Baek Saeon suddenly felt an itch at his neck and tugged at his bowtie.

The snack tasted good.

It was a treat forbidden to "Baek Saeon," but it was something he personally liked.

The crumbly texture between his molars felt bearable for the first time in ages.

***

When he reached the age for military service, Baek Saeon was deployed overseas to the Republic of Argan.

Being surrounded by who rose, who fell, who lived, and who died made his own flaws feel insignificant at times.

It was around then that he realized how useful it was to hide himself behind discussions of others—other people’s stories, incidents, and distant realities.

After all, his life had always been the result of living under someone else’s name.

If that was the case, why not use others' words to hide “himself” completely?

It was then that he resolved to become such a person.

The Republic of Argan was in the midst of war, plagued by religious conflict, civil unrest, and foreign intervention.

He left without hesitation, defying Baek Jangho’s objections. After completing his service, he immediately moved on to another war-torn region.

"Why on earth are you even here?"

One day, a war correspondent traveling with him asked, puzzled.

"Because this is the only place where I feel alive."

"What?"

"Where I can feel that my life is real."

"In this hell?"

"Because it’s hell."

His gaze was dry as it swept over the ruined land. Then, trouble struck when he accidentally filmed a prisoner torture session.

"Baek Saeon, Baek Saeon…! Damn it, stay with me!"

"Ugh…"

"You’re not dead yet, are you? If you’re going to die, do it after you’ve escaped!"

"Damn it, stop shaking me…"

"It’s now or never—run, damn it, run!"

One side of his face felt completely caved in, devoid of sensation. His sharp eyes were swollen blue, like he’d been stung by a wasp.

With the covering fire from U.S. soldiers, Baek Saeon managed to escape and collapsed as soon as he was safe.

Leaning against a rock, he spat blood pooling in his mouth.

The vast desert stretched out before him, the sun setting in the distance.

And then, suddenly, Hong Heeju’s face came to mind.

"…!"

It was so unexpected that his eyebrows furrowed in irritation. His battered face crumpled even more, and a dry, incredulous laugh escaped him.

Why now—

When he was pushed to the brink, so close to death—

Why was that clumsy little kid the one who came to mind?

How old would she be now? Over twenty, for sure.

The more he thought about it, the more absurd it felt.

Even so, he couldn’t tear his gaze away from the sunset.

From then on, every time the sun set, her face surfaced in his mind. His photo album began to fill with crimson sunsets.

Every single one of them was her face.

***

After several years, he set foot on Korean soil again.

Having spent so much time traveling through conflict zones like the Republic of Argan, Baghdad, Mosul, Samawah, Tikrit, Fallujah, and Erbil, time had flown by.

Returning to the main house, Baek Saeon immediately went out to the terrace and gripped the railing.

A heavy, deep breath escaped him, as if it had been waiting for this moment. Just as he had anticipated, stepping through the front door made his throat feel tight.

It was then that his dry, detached gaze came to rest on something.

"…"

A woman stood beneath a cherry blossom tree in full bloom.

With long black hair and a white dress, her face was that of a fully grown woman.

Delicate yet strikingly defined features, a slender yet unmistakably feminine figure…

"…!"

Baek Saeon’s brows furrowed slightly.

There stood the grown-up Hong Heeju.

For a moment, he felt dizzy at the sight of her transformed appearance.

The graceful curve of her neck, her long arms and legs, the narrow waist leading into gently widening hips—none of it belonged to a child anymore.

Just then, as if scanning her surroundings, she suddenly stuck a straw into a pack of soju.

"Well, isn’t that something."

His eyes narrowed into thin slits.

As Hong Heeju took a long sip through the straw, her cheeks hollowed slightly.

"Only picking up bad habits, I see."

But soon, she scrunched up her face and stuck out her tongue.

"Ugh—!"

Without realizing it, the corners of his eyes softened into a deep curve.

For some reason, his mouth felt sweet.

If he’d had a piece of candy in his pocket, he would’ve unwrapped it immediately.

Baek Saeon lazily swept his tongue across his damp lips, as if regretting the absence.

She drinks bitter things, and I crave something sweet.

Wasn’t it almost as if their roles had been reversed?

Only then did it finally sink in—he was home.

***

Baek Saeon rose to fame quickly, cementing his position in the public eye.

Around that time, Baek Jangho passed away due to old age. Living past a century, his life was as tenacious and unrelenting as his personality.

"Bring her… bring my daughter-in-law, Gyu-jin…"

On the brink of death, Baek Jangho tearfully called for his daughter-in-law.

It was obvious what he wanted to confess.

A coward to the end.

Was he planning to confess now? The thought struck Baek Saeon as utterly laughable. Leaning in close, he whispered into the old man’s ear.

"Father."

"…!"

It was the first time he’d ever spoken the word aloud.

"Don’t think about asking for forgiveness. Just go quietly."

The dying man’s dim eyes flickered for a moment.

"You taught me yourself what happens when words are misplaced."

"…!"

"So bear that weight to the end."

Baek Saeon lowered the old man’s eyelids.

"When your position becomes vacant, many things will change."

"W-what do you… mean…"

"I’ll start by dredging the riverbed of the fishing spot."

"…!"

"Regret not covering it in cement while you had the chance."

Baek Jangho died with his jaw locked tight.

Afterward, Baek Saeon took over his responsibilities, all the while secretly collecting information about the family.

Baek Jangho, Baek Uiyong, Sim Gyu-jin…

He had no intention of living as "Baek Saeon" forever.

Perhaps because of his years abroad, the house no longer felt suffocating. He now knew how to leave on his own terms.

The more weaknesses he uncovered, the more fame he gained, the more leverage he had against them.

But to ensure he wouldn’t be overpowered again, he needed one thing: power.

Power to surpass even Baek Uiyong, the current frontrunner for the presidency.

So when the government extended a recruitment offer, he accepted without hesitation.

That is, until Hong Inah showed up with her ridiculous threats.

[The wedding tomorrow—I can’t go through with it. Cancel it.]

Her words were incomprehensible. How could she say such a thing when the wedding was just a day away?

[I can’t marry someone whose identity is uncertain.]

Baek Saeon frowned as he read her written words.

"I’m not marrying you out of love, either."

[If you help me, we can call it off.]

"Why should I do that?"

He flicked his Zippo lighter open and shut, his voice indifferent.

"It’s not just Representative Baek Uiyong who dreams of using media power to climb the ladder."

[This isn’t a request. It’s a threat.]

"A threat?"

[I’ll expose your secret.]

He stared at her as he lit his cigarette. As the acrid smoke filled the air, Hong Inah coughed, but he didn’t care.

Expressionless, he muttered, "Even after everything, you still don’t get it, do you?"

"…!"

"That ear of yours must not hurt as much as I thought."

His icy gaze was accompanied by a faint, mocking smile.

Hong Inah trembled, then quickly resumed writing. Meanwhile, he simply chewed on the cigarette filter between his teeth.

[Where is the real Baek Saeon, and who are you?]

"Ah."

The way he murmured was utterly detached.

[Aren’t you afraid of this story being revealed to the world?]

"Not really."

[You’ll lose everything you’ve gained.]

"It’s all just speculation anyway."

[Evidence can always be created.]

"So, what, are you here to pick up some stray hairs from the floor for a DNA test? You’ll regret it."

He leaned his chin on his hand, feigning boredom.

[If Heeju can successfully marry the third son of Samhyun Electronics, I’ll—]

Suddenly, the cigarette ash fell from the filter onto the paper.

With a sharp movement, he snatched the note from her hands, his expression darkening.