Even If It’s Not Love

All kinds of worthless household items were spread all over the floor.
The only plate she had was broken, and the spoon was stuck in the sewer drain.

“Fucking bitch.
I have your ID card here, your ID! So you have to pay it back, right? Or will Miss Kim Yoo-hwa find that motherfucker Kim Yi-woon for me? Yes? Then I’ll go back quietly.”

Although it is illegal to exceed the interest stipulated by law, not everyone in society abides by the law.
In places that were far from the law and were not protected, illegality was observed like it was the law.
Just like she had to pay the 100% annual interest rate they decided on.

“Ha.”

Empty laughter leaked from Yoo-hwa’s lips.

The last time Yi-woon came to see her was a few weeks ago.
Yi-woon, who had been quiet for a while, suddenly came inside the house as if it were his own.
Yoo-hwa suppressed a sigh that was about to come out and looked at Yi-woon, an uninvited guest.

She wondered how much money he wanted this time.
She didn’t have a lot of money in hand.
While she was making calculations inside her head, Yi-woon overturned the bag he was holding.
A bunch of money fell off.
It was a huge sum.
When she saw an amount of money she had never seen since she was born, Yoo-hwa looked alternately between Yi-woon and the money.

“Is this enough?”

“…”

“For forgetting that day.”

“…”

“Let’s live in a good house, seeing only good things.
Then you can forget everything.”

Yi-woon spoke in a determined voice.
Saying that this should cover the wound.
As if the money was covering an old and worn-out floor.

“And when the money is all gone? Can you leave then?”

“…”

Yi-woon’s firmly pressed lips twisted terribly.
Yoo-hwa powerlessly approached Yi-woon and took the bag he was holding.
After shoving the money back inside the bag, she closed the zipper.

“I don’t know where this money came from, but please put it back in its place.
If you suddenly hold a lot of money in your hand, you will become crazy about it.”

“What is so difficult! Why can’t it be me? Why!”

Yi-woon, who seemed like he was about to cry, held Yoo-hwa’s shoulder as if he couldn’t take it anymore.
Extreme pain came from her shoulders because of the strength in his hands, but she endured it.

“How can you be so persevering? How can you be like that! Don’t you feel sorry for me? You can give me just one chance! Really, just one…!”

“…”

Yoo-hwa looked at Yi-woon, who had gotten on his knees, with tired eyes.

If Kim Beom-sik took away her mother and ruined her life, Yi-woon also isolated and ruined her as much as he did.
The moment she guessed that it was Yi-woon who sent the letters, she even had the spiteful thought that she wanted to kill him.
She got angry and cried, grabbing a blanket.

Even though she hated Yi-woon to death, she felt sorry for him at that crucial moment… Because of that mindset.

The childish desire to monopolize the person you like so that they don’t get along with other people.
She knew that there were unconditional feelings towards her under that ridiculous act.
It was as if a young bird woke up from its egg and blindly followed the first living thing it had seen.

However… She could not accept these feelings at all.

She had gotten out of a hell of violence and exhaustion and was trapped in a hell of loneliness, but… It was better like this.

“I’ve done everything I can.
I tried to meet people similar to you, tried to make up my mind, and even tried to get married.
I tried, but it didn’t work.
Even though that woman was carrying my child… Even so, I can’t think of anyone but you.
Only you…”

Hugging one of her legs, Yi-woon cried.
Silently, Yoo-hwa looked down at Yi-woon, who trembled and wept as if he was asking her to hold him.

She was dumbfounded.
She couldn’t believe he had a woman, and even a child, but brought that woman’s money and was crying in front of her…

“So you left that woman and came here? With this money? Is this money hers?”

Yoo-hwa’s face, which rarely showed any expression, crumpled.

“Kim Yi-woon!”

For the first time, Yoo-hwa called his name as if she were scolding him.
Then, surprised, Yi-woon lifted his head.
Yoo-hwa looked straight into his light brown eyes as much as he did.

“Go back.
To her.
Go and return the money, and when your child is born, go and take responsibility.”

“… Noona.”

Yi-woon seemed to be very shocked by Yoo-hwa’s cold look, which was completely different from before.

“… Noona.”

Yi-woon called Yoo-hwa pathetically, as if he were a child who had been disowned.

“So you did everything you could, and you even came here despite having a child.
What? Do you like me? Do you think that makes sense?”

“I was just trying to forget you.
You’re the only one for me.
It’s the truth.”

“Try putting yourself in my shoes.
How would you sound to me?”