Episode 5
Hyesoo didn’t want to be controlled by Seah anymore.
“You’re a shameless person who doesn’t know gratitude—and even treats a human life like it’s nothing.”
“…”
“And you’re a cheater. The world needs to know that the man you’re cheating with is your own brother.”
Hyesoo took out her phone and brought up the contacts for reporters.
“Now, it’s your turn to lose everything, Seah.”
She pressed the call button and turned her back to them.
She was ready to destroy everything. Her steps were firm.
She was about to open the door when—
—“Hello?”
A voice came from the phone.
Hyesoo began to speak as she opened the door.
“Yes, I’m—ugh!”
Before she could finish saying she was Seah’s manager, something stabbed into her back.
A burning pain spread instantly.
She collapsed on the floor in shock.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Seah’s cold voice came from behind.
Then the object was pulled out of Hyesoo’s back.
“Aaagh!”
It hurt even more when it was pulled out.
While Hyesoo screamed in pain, Seah grabbed her phone and threw it on the ground.
Hyesoo managed to turn her head and saw Seah on top of her, holding a sharp knife.
Hyesoo tried to get away, but Seah stabbed her back again.
“What? You called me cheap?!”
Seah screamed so loudly that Hyesoo’s cries couldn’t even be heard.
Seah pulled the knife out again—then stabbed her again, and again.
“You’re just my shadow. How dare you talk like that?”
Hyesoo’s screams slowly faded.
“Did a shadow think it could outshine the light?”
“…”
“Are you insane?”
Seeing Hyesoo almost silent, Seah leaned in and whispered in her ear:
“Just shut up and die quietly, Ji Hyesoo.”
Her mouth curved into a cold smile as she spoke, covered in blood.
Hyesoo’s mind began to fade.
“Se—Seah!”
The last voice she heard was Jaehyo’s.
His panicked voice calling out to Seah sounded so desperate.
“Th-there’s so much blood…”
Realizing what was happening, Jaehyo quickly pulled Seah off her.
Hyesoo felt a little lighter and closed her eyes.
“Quick—we need to wash up.”
“…Oppa.”
“I’ll take care of this. You just go wash up.”
“This”…? The word he used to describe his wife—who had been with him for five years—was heartbreaking.
Even now, all he cared about was Seah.
“You didn’t do anything, okay? Understand?”
Jaehyo’s words tore Hyesoo’s heart to pieces.
She felt a rage she couldn’t describe—he didn’t care she was dying.
How…
How could you do this to me?
As her consciousness faded, a single tear fell from Hyesoo’s eye.
Their voices started to fade. A buzzing filled her ears.
Then there was silence.
So empty.
She had never planned a grand ending to her life… but she never wanted to die like this either.
Her life had ended in the most meaningless way. Hyesoo felt completely empty.
It’s my fault.
She couldn’t forgive Seah or Jaehyo for betraying and killing her.
But even more, she couldn’t forgive herself.
I was such a fool.
She remembered how she had trusted them and gave them everything without question.
Idiot. Stupid.
She cursed herself, but it was too late—her life was already over.
What can I even do now…?
Then, suddenly, a new scene appeared before her eyes.
Ah…!
It was the day she had bumped into someone and fallen over.
Hyesoo, looking at herself fallen on the floor, realized what moment this was.
Of all times…
It was the day she first met Seah.
“Are you okay? I’m so sorry.”
Seah reached out with a kind voice to help Hyesoo up.
That day, Hyesoo had just finished a demo recording job and was leaving the studio.
Seah had been entering at the same time.
They hadn’t seen each other and bumped into each other.
Hyesoo’s bag had fallen, and all her things scattered on the ground.
Seah looked embarrassed and quickly helped pick them up.
Then, her hand touched Hyesoo’s music notebook.
It was open because it hadn’t been closed properly in the bag.
Hyesoo’s handwritten sheet music was visible.
While returning everything else, Seah kept holding the notebook for a while.
Just as Hyesoo was about to ask for it back—
“Wow, this song is amazing.”
Seah began humming the melody with her clear, pretty voice.
Hearing that voice, something stirred in Hyesoo’s mind.
She thought, If anyone ever sings my song… I’d want it to be her.
Watching her past self, enchanted by Seah’s voice, Hyesoo thought:
I was such an idiot.
She hated her own innocent face—not knowing Seah’s true nature.
Why are you acting for Seah, not for yourself?
She suddenly remembered what Danwoo had told her.
Ironically, she hadn’t realized it until he said it.
If I ever get another chance, I want to live for me.
Not for others—for Ji Hyesoo.
And just like that, her final memory ended, and everything went black.
“…Yo?”
“…?”
“Excuse me?”
Suddenly, Hyesoo’s hearing returned.
She heard a voice and opened her eyes.
It wasn’t just her hearing. She could smell the fresh scent of late summer. She could taste a bit of mint from a candy in her mouth. She could feel the cloth bag in her hand.
And—
“Are you okay?”
She saw Seah in front of her, looking worried.
Everything had come back.
What… what’s happening?
Hyesoo instinctively touched her back.
There should’ve been blood—but there was no pain, no wound.
Why?
She couldn’t understand what was going on.
As she struggled to make sense of it, Seah touched her shoulder.
“Are you okay—?”
Startled, Hyesoo yanked herself away.
Seah looked confused by the sudden reaction.
Hyesoo’s hand trembled with anger.
How dare she touch me…
She couldn’t hold back the rage.
Just as she was about to grab Seah’s hair, something caught her eye.
That notebook…
In Seah’s hands was the notebook she used to write songs in—five years ago, before meeting Seah.
After Seah used all the songs inside and released them, she had burned the notebook.
So why is it here…?
Noticing Hyesoo staring at the notebook, Seah quickly pulled out a pen from her pocket.
“Wait a second!”
She scribbled something in the notebook and handed it to Hyesoo.
“Contact me, okay?”
Then Seah smiled brightly, waved, and walked into the building.
Hyesoo finally looked around.
“This place…”
It was Tom Studio—the place where she used to do demo recording jobs.