The torn school uniform lay in Seo-yeon’s hands, its frayed edges a portal to a distant memory. Her fingers traced the fabric as her mind conjured the image of a young boy teetering on the edge of a rooftop, his face a mixture of despair and resilience. Her heart raced, the vivid recollection stirring emotions she thought long buried.

“Is this… yours?” she asked softly, her voice barely more than a whisper.

Seok-ho’s silence was heavy, his gaze fixed on the uniform. When he finally spoke, his voice carried an undercurrent of confusion and longing. “Yes, it’s mine.”

Seo-yeon’s breath hitched. Without hesitation, she closed the distance between them, her arms wrapping tightly around him. The sudden embrace startled Seok-ho. He stood motionless, overwhelmed by a surge of emotions he hadn’t allowed himself to feel in years. Tears pricked his eyes, the weight of past wounds pressing against his chest.

As Seo-yeon sobbed against him, her body trembling, Seok-ho hesitantly raised a hand to rest on her back. The act of comforting her felt foreign yet natural. Then, as the moment stretched, something clicked. A memory—a name on the uniform’s tag—flashed vividly in his mind.

“Was that you… the Seo-yeon?” he murmured, almost to himself.

Seo-yeon pulled back slightly, her tear-streaked face meeting his wide-eyed gaze. She nodded, her voice catching. “Hmm.”

The silence that followed was thick with unspoken truths. Neither could look away as the realization settled: their lives had intersected long before this moment, tied together by pain and serendipity.

The Confession

Later, they sat on the sofa, the air between them still charged. Seok-ho broke the quiet, his voice low but resolute as he began to unravel the threads of his past.

“I’ve been through a lot,” he started. “After my parents died, I went to live with my aunt. She… hated me. Did everything she could to make my life unbearable. She compared me to her son, and when I surpassed him, she resented me even more. She wouldn’t let me study, wouldn’t let me succeed.”

His words faltered, his gaze turning distant. “But I couldn’t give up. I had to keep going. That day, when I saw you…” He looked at Seo-yeon, his voice softening. “I didn’t know why, but my heart raced. And when I saw you again, it felt like fate. I couldn’t explain it then, but now… I think I understand.”

Seo-yeon’s chest tightened as she listened. The pain etched on his face mirrored the ache in her own heart. Words failed her, so she reached for his hand, offering silent support.

They ate the ramyeon in contemplative quiet. The weight of shared and unshared memories pressed down on them both, unspoken feelings simmering just beneath the surface.

The Alibi

Morning brought determination. Seo-yeon stirred to find Seok-ho already awake, his expression sharp with resolve.

“What’s going on?” she asked groggily.

He looked at her, his voice steady. “I found a way to clear your name.”

Her eyes widened. Before she could ask, he was ushering her out the door. At the police station, Seok-ho presented meticulously gathered evidence—call histories, timestamps, and an airtight alibi—that exonerated Seo-yeon from the accusations hanging over her.

Hours later, the tension finally broke. Seo-yeon’s shoulders slumped with relief, though unease lingered. Whoever had framed her was still out there, and their motives remained a mystery.

The Day Off

Back at the house, the maids had prepared a meal. For a brief moment, the chaos of their lives felt distant as they sat down to eat. Laughter was absent, but a tentative calm settled over them.

From across the room, the secretary observed the duo. Her keen eyes didn’t miss the subtle shifts in their dynamic—the softened glances, the charged silences. Suspicion crept into her thoughts. Was this still a professional relationship, or had something more intimate begun to take root?

Seok-ho’s Training

That evening, Seok-ho returned to the gym, his focus razor-sharp. Each punch against the bag carried his determination. He wasn’t just training; he was preparing—for the unseen threats, for the shadowy figures behind Seo-yeon’s troubles, for the promises he’d silently made to himself.

Between sets, Seo-yeon’s face floated into his thoughts. She was more than just someone he was hired to protect. She was a connection to his past, his present, and maybe… his future.

One thing was certain: he would protect her, no matter the cost.