Hari cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "Sorry, but could you please scan these for me so I can pay and go?"
"Oh, of course," he replied, shaking off the moment. He moved to the register, still aware of her presence, and began scanning the items.
"That would be 25 000 won." Jin-wook said as he continued to gaze at her but he seemed to be unsure of something.
Hari paid and left.
Jin-wook hesitated for only a heartbeat, then acted on impulse. He rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Hari from behind.
"Excuse me! Excuse me! What do you think you're doing?" she exclaimed, twisting lightly in his grasp.
"Can we stay like this… for a little while?" Jin-wook's voice was soft, almost pleading, yet steady.
"For a while? Are you crazy? Get off me!" Her hands pressed against his chest as she finally freed herself and spun to face him.
Her eyes searched his, disbelief warring with something else she couldn't quite name. "Hey… I don't even know who you are, and you can't just do this to anyone."
"Anyone?" he echoed, his expression sharp but tinged with hurt. "How can you pretend not to know me? I didn't recognize you at first, your hairstyle threw me off but it's you."
"I… know you?" Hari's voice cracked. "Should I know you?"
"You've waited so long, and I've been gone… and still, you pretend I'm a stranger." His words were calm, but there was a quiet intensity beneath them.
"I—You're crazy. I'll pretend this never happened," she said, turning sharply and walking away.
"Hey! If you keep following me, I'll… I'll call the police!" she called back, her voice sharp but trembling.
She moved quickly, glancing over her shoulder with a mixture of frustration and panic. Her legs carried her faster, though her heart beat slower.
Jin-wook stared at his phone, heart tightening with every unanswered call. He had called Harin again, hoping to hear her voice, but the line went straight to voicemail. His thumbs hovered over the screen, hesitating, before sending yet another text.
No reply.
Jin-wook stood outside Hari's house, the envelope clutched tightly in his hand. He pressed the doorbell again, hoping someone would answer, but silence greeted him.
Finally, Mrs. Kang appeared, approaching him at her front door with a puzzled expression.
"Hello," Jin-wook said politely, bowing slightly.
Mrs. Kang's brows furrowed. "Who are you?"
"I'm Yoo Jin-wook… Harin's friend," he explained.
Her eyes widened slightly in recognition. "Oh… you didn't find her inside?"
"No, no one answered," he admitted.
"Oh, maybe she's gone out," she said thoughtfully.
Jin-wook extended the envelope toward her. "Ah, I see… Could you please give this to her?"
Mrs. Kang took it carefully, studying the envelope with a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "Alright… I'll make sure she gets it."
"Thank you. Then… goodbye," he said, bowing once more before turning and walking away.
As she entered inside, Mrs. Kang paused mid-step, a thought suddenly striking her.
"Wait… did he say Hari, not Harin? But he wouldn't have asked for Harin… maybe I misheard."
She shook her head, walking briskly to Hari's room setting the envelope gently on the desk then stepped out, the door closing behind her.
Hari stepped into her bedroom, the warmth of the shower still clinging to her skin. On the desk lay an envelope she hadn't opened yet, its presence heavy in the quiet room. She sank onto the edge of the bed, her fingers brushing its smooth surface, and let out a soft, almost reluctant sigh.
"What is this…?" she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible.
Her gaze lingered on the envelope but with a shake of her head, she finally leaned back, letting the envelope rest beside her. I'll look at it in the morning, she thought, closing her eyes for a brief moment.
Hari's mother's voice rang sharply from downstairs.
"I'm off!"
Hari, just finished dressing, looked up from the envelope lying on her desk. She took a deep breath and nodded.
"Alright," she murmured, her fingers trembling slightly as she picked it up.
With careful hands, she opened it and her face shifted, unreadable at first, then broke into shock. She didn't pause. Gripping the envelope tighter, she bolted toward the front door, leaving the house in a rush.
Tears blurred her vision as she ran, the wind whipping her hair across her face. Her feet carried her toward Jin-wook's family store before her mind could protest. She barely noticed the world around her, only the pounding of her own heartbeat.
When she arrived, she stopped for a moment to catch her breath. Her eyes immediately found him. Jin-wook was busy, helping his mother with a stack of boxes, but the instant Mrs. Yoo spotted her, she called out Jin-wook, and he turned.
Time seemed to slow. Their eyes locked, the world falling away around them. Then, without thinking, they ran to each other, and Jin-wook's arms wrapped around her as if he could hold all the confusion, the worry, the absence, in that single embrace. They stayed like that, breathing together, the silence speaking louder than words.
"I knew you'd feel something when you saw that letter and a picture… but why did you pretend not to know me?" Jin-wook asked softly as they finally sat outside the store.
Hari shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. "H-huh? Actually… there's something I need to tell you… I-I…" Her words faltered, caught somewhere between confession and fear.
Jin-wook's hands held her shoulders gently. "Hey… why are you crying?" His worry softened the edges of his tone.
"I…I have to go," she whispered, pulling herself away. Her feet carried her forward before she could stop, leaving him behind.
"Huh? Wait… Harin!" Jin-wook called, reaching out, but she didn't look back.
Alone in her bedroom, Hari sat down the floor, Harin's photograph clutched in her hands. Her voice was barely audible as she spoke to the image.
"Why didn't you tell me you had a boyfriend? I don't even know how to explain to him that I'm not you, that we were twins… I don't know if I should tell him or not. He looked happy seeing you, no me, and I… I don't want to hurt him."
Her words hung in the air, uncomfortably honest, as a soft knock or rather, the absence of it was ignored. Her mother entered the room without hesitation, interrupting the confession, and froze when she saw Hari crying.
"Have you seen my blue…?" she started, her voice trailing off as she realized. "Hey… what's wrong? Are you crying?"
Hari's tear-streaked face remained turned toward the photograph.
"No… your jersey is in the laundry," she replied quickly, voice catching.
"Why is it there? I remember washing it…" Her mother frowned, confused.
"I… I wore it the other day," Hari admitted, her shoulders trembling.
Her mother shook her head and lightly tapped her back. "Hey, why would you wear my clothes without asking?"
"Mom! That hurts!" Hari cried, the small sound catching in her throat.
Her mother stepped back, hands raised in mild frustration. "Are you really crying? I didn't hit you that hard."
"I told you, it hurts," Hari said, her voice breaking, heavier than before.
Mrs. Kang shook her head, a soft, almost exasperated smile tugging at her lips. "When did you start being such a crybaby?" she muttered to herself as she left the room, closing the door gently behind her.
Hari sat there, head bowed over the photograph, letting the tears fall freely.