So-Hee remained the exact same girl Kim Jin-Woo remembered her to be, as if she had evaded even the flow of time itself.

“You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for this day,” she whispered softly. “I’ve missed you, my little Jin-Woo.”

It was the exact same sweet voice that had sung to Kim Jin-Woo like a lullaby, back when he would lie down with his eyes closed in the narrow tunnels after a hard day’s work. At that time, it was the only source of comfort that had been granted to him.

But he could no longer find comfort in her warmth, because he now knew that it had all been built on lies. Perhaps that was the reason why he had been able to reunite with her with such a nonchalant expression.

No, the truth was that he didn’t feel fine. His shattered memories and longing pierced sharply into his chest. It was as if dozens of awls were piercing into his heart.

But nevertheless, the look on his face remained cold and expressionless. The path he had walked thus far was far too rough for him to be pained by just that. He had suffered too much to cry out just because of that. He was already wretched and in tatters.

“Why…” Instead of voicing his resentment, he questioned her coldly....