The boy looked back at Ho-jin, his face giving nothing away. "I think you got the wrong guy," he said. "That isn't me."

"But..."

The wooden door closed right in Ho-jin's face, and the click of the lock echoed through the empty hallway.

For a while, Ho-jin stayed there looking at the paint coming off the door. He had been certain for a moment that he knew who the boy was because those eyes looked so familiar.

Eventually, he turned around and went down the stairs. More than anything, he just wanted to get out of the building.

—

Ho-jin went back to his apartment first and changed his clothes, then took the bus to Miryeong Institute. After everything his body had been through the night before, even walking across campus hurt.

He went straight to the cafeteria and found his project group. The place smelled of ramen and fried pork, and Tae-min, Joon, and Sang-woo were sitting at a table near the windows.

As soon as Ho-jin approached, relief showed on all three of their faces. After what had happened with the bouncers the night before, they had apparently wondered whether he would even make it back. That relief did not last long before curiosity took over.

"Ya, what happened?" Tae-min asked. His eyes went straight to the bandages on Ho-jin's face. "Whoa, did they put those on at the hospital?"

"Did they beat your ass, hyung?" Sang-woo asked. "Give us the details."

Joon opened his mouth to speak, but Ho-jin beat him to it. "Bastards!"

For a moment, the cafeteria went quiet. Conversations stopped at the nearby tables, and several students turned toward him.

Ho-jin took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Then he leaned over the table and lowered his voice so no one else could hear him. "I got the shit beaten out of me," he said. "I woke up in some stranger's room that looked like a swamp. How the hell could you guys just leave me behind like that?"

No one answered. In fact, none of them seemed to have the courage to say anything. Tae-min looked up at the ceiling while Joon kept his eyes on his empty coffee cup, both of them obviously feeling guilty.

Ho-jin turned to Sang-woo. "If you hadn't pissed those guys off for no reason, I was gonna pay for everything," he said. "You ruined our whole shooting schedule!"

Sang-woo said nothing.

"We'll do the group presentation together, but I'm not going out to take photos with you guys anymore," Ho-jin said. "Do whatever the hell you want."

Joon finally raised his head from his cup. "Then how are we gonna do the presentation? We're seniors. We can't fail this project!"

"Call me the day before the deadline," Ho-jin said. "I'll come over and put our work together. But everyone takes their own photos from now on because you guys got my camera smashed to pieces. Now I have to buy a new one!"

Sang-woo crossed his arms. "So what are you gonna shoot now?"

"None of your damn business anymore, Sang-woo."

—

The Siseon Media Group was based in a corporate building in the middle of Sangam-dong.

At the front desk, Ho-jin asked for Chief Creative Officer Cha In-soo. He was directed down the hall, and once he reached the office, he opened the door and went inside. Before saying anything, he bowed deeply. "Chief, I broke my camera while I was taking photos for a school project," he said. "I really gotta take some time off from work."

In-soo was sitting behind his desk. He leaned forward for a better look at Ho-jin's face. "What happened to you?" he asked. "Why's your face completely wrecked?"

"I fell during the school project shoot, sir," Ho-jin said.

In-soo sat back and looked over the bruises and bandages on his face. "You don't really look like you just fell," he said. "But whatever. Go down to the equipment room and take any camera you want. You can use company gear until you buy a replacement."

"I actually need a camera for my school project, sir."

"Then take one that works for your project." In-soo looked amused. "I only have one favor to ask. Don't fire the shutter like a machine gun. I know you love that rapid-fire shutter sound, but you wear the camera out faster. Don't do that to company equipment."

Ho-jin laughed, a little embarrassed that In-soo even knew about that habit. "It always amazes me how you know everything about everyone, sir." He bowed again. "I really don't know how I can thank you."

In-soo waved him toward the door. "Just go get it."

—

Ho-jin went down to the basement and entered the equipment room, where metal shelves ran along the walls.

After walking through the aisles for a while, he chose a camera. He signed the checkout form on the clipboard, packed the equipment into a camera bag, and left with it.

The bus ride home seemed to take forever. Once he got inside his apartment, the first thing he did was go to his desk and put the new battery on the charger.

His clothes went onto the bedroom floor before he headed into the bathroom and turned on the shower. When the hot water reached his bruises, the pain made him wince.

Bruises covered his ribs and stomach, and his whole body hurt whenever he moved.

After the shower, Ho-jin dried his hair with a towel and returned to the bedroom to check the battery. The indicator on the charger was still red.

Only then did he realize he was hungry. He went to the kitchen, took a bowl of cold bibimbap from the fridge, and sat down at the table.

With nothing around to distract him, his thoughts went back to the young man from the apartment.

Eight years have already passed. I really need to forget about that kid, he thought. He was thirteen back then, and I was nineteen. He must be twenty-one now.

Thinking about those years brought back what had happened in high school, including the last words the boy had ever said to him.

"I will make you pay for pitying me."

Remembering it made Ho-jin feel awful. He put his chopsticks down and looked at the wall in front of him. "Where is Moon Ji-hun, and what is he doing right now?" he muttered.

He picked up his glass and drank some water, but his thoughts soon returned to the host bar and his broken camera. After putting the glass back on the table, he said, "Nonhyeon. I'm not done with you."