What is the probability of an opportunity that once escaped your hands landing in your hands again? Maru thought that it would be lower than what people commonly thought of as ‘extremely low’. It probably had around the same chances of a leaf on the ground suddenly flying up due to a gust of wind and landing on the same spot again.

When he let go of the opportunity in his hands, he had no regrets. He knew that it was an opportunity that wouldn’t return to him again, but he choose to have more time to look after himself rather than becoming successful through that opportunity. He tried his best to find his reason for living in the military and had become quite successful. He couldn’t gouge out Han Gaeul from his life entirely, but he managed to put some distance. His effort to become just an ‘acquaintance’ from being in a close relationship and to make her accept that Han Maru was not a part of her life was quite successful. He was now able to imagine a life without her.

Although he was empty-handed, he felt refreshed. The crux of his life, which had been swaying until now, had been set upright again. The gap that was his purpose in life remained empty after becoming vacant due to removing her from his life, but he gained the strength to proceed forward. He realized that he could still breathe in a life without a purpose. As he had talent,...