The suite had settled into stillness after Mirae's question, the faint hum of the air conditioner filling the silence. Joon-ho rested his elbows on his knees, his gaze steady on the woman beside him. Her question hung there between them — not just curiosity, but something heavier, fragile.
He drew a slow breath before answering. "Mr. Choi's recovery was slowed by more than just age. When Do-jin punched him, the fall aggravated an old injury. Years ago, he hurt himself hiking, and the scar tissue never fully healed. That weakness made the strain worse, and that's why he wasn't bouncing back quickly."
Mirae's lips parted, the memory of that terrible day flashing bright: the sound of impact, the sight of Mr. Choi hitting the ground, staff scrambling too late. Even now, shame prickled under her skin for sharing a stage with the man who caused it.
