SELA - 8

“Calm down, just calm down.”

Sa-hee repeated this mantra to herself as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her face appeared unnaturally stiff despite her efforts to appear relaxed. Frustrated that her actions didn’t match her intentions, she resolved to regain composure.

Turning the lever, a refreshing stream of cold water gushed out. She washed her hands, using the chill of the water to sharpen her focus. She refused to forget how miraculous this second chance truly was.

“Hello.”

“Hello.”

The voice that interrupted her thoughts belonged to Ji-young, whose youthful tone matched her appearance. Ji-young hadn’t used the restroom but instead came directly to the sink, standing beside Sa-hee. From this angle, Sa-hee noticed Ji-young was slightly taller than her.

“If you’re his secretary, you must spend all day with Oppa Ji-hyuk.”

“Not all day, but most of it, yes.”

“I envy you.”

Sa-hee wasn’t sure how to respond. Offering a small smile, she dried her hands with a paper towel.

“We’ll probably see each other often from now on.”

“What?”

“I said, we’ll likely meet frequently.”

“Ah, yes.”

Ji-young’s innocent face broke into a bright smile. Though Sa-hee didn’t fully grasp her meaning, she nodded politely.

“I’ll head back first.”

“Okay, take care.”

After tossing the damp paper towel into the trash, Sa-hee left the restroom with a strange feeling. Ji-young’s words about seeing her often lingered in her mind, refusing to fade.

---

“The car’s here. Ji-young and I are leaving first.”

“Alright.”

“Say goodbye properly, will you?”

“Leave already.”

Seeing Ji-hyuk’s furrowed brow, Joon-young burst into laughter, clearly enjoying his friend’s irritation.

“Secretary Yoon, it was nice meeting you today. See you again soon.”

“It was nice meeting you too. Be safe on your way home.”

As Joon-young bid farewell, Sa-hee bowed politely. Ji-young exchanged a silent nod with her before turning away.

“Oppa, see you again soon!”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

Though Joon-young had been in the car for a while, Ji-young hesitated, reluctant to leave Ji-hyuk’s side. Only after Joon-young scolded her did she finally climb into the car.

“I’m leaving! Really leaving this time!”

Joon-young shouted loudly through the open window, drawing stares from nearby people. Ji-hyuk raised a hand indifferently, prompting the car to finally drive off.

Soon after, Song, the chauffeur, arrived in his car. Seeing the younger version of Song from two years ago brought a wave of nostalgia. Though she couldn’t express it openly, Sa-hee smiled warmly and greeted him.

“Chauffeur Song.”

“Secretary Yoon, hello.”

“You’ve been working hard.”

“It’s my job, nothing special.”

Song, who had started driving at such a young age, had always felt like a younger brother to her. Watching him confidently open the rear door of the car, Sa-hee felt a pang of warmth.

“Secretary Yoon, please get in.”

“No, it’s fine. Thank you.”

“Please, get in.”

“I have somewhere to stop by later. I’ll manage on my own.”

Staring at her refusal, Ji-hyuk regarded Sa-hee silently. She forced a smile, holding his gaze without flinching.

“Very well, then.”

Expecting him to add something more, Sa-hee was surprised when he simply climbed into the backseat. After closing the door, Song bowed respectfully, and Sa-hee returned the gesture.

The car departed swiftly, disappearing from sight within moments. Watching it vanish, Sa-hee slowly sank to the ground, burying her face in her knees.

After sitting there for a moment, she gradually rose to her feet and began walking aimlessly. 

She had returned to a specific day two years ago—dropped abruptly into the past with no home or anchor. Finding Ji-hyuk again was a relief, but the thought of navigating life from this point forward filled her with unease.

The most pressing issue was where to stay. While she could afford a few nights at a hotel with the cash she had, what would she do afterward? The only solution seemed to rely on her mother’s house, but the thought weighed heavily on her.

“Wait.”

Sa-hee stopped abruptly mid-step.

“If it’s two years ago…”

This was around the time she had lived independently. If everything else had reverted to the past, wouldn’t that apartment still belong to her?

Realizing this, she immediately decided to check.

“Taxi!”

Spotting a passing taxi, Sa-hee waved it down. Fortunately, it stopped right away.

“Thank you. Please take me to Hojae-dong.”

The car smoothly set off toward its destination. The soft hum of the radio tickled her ears as familiar scenery blurred past the window. Her heart raced inexplicably.

---

Stepping out of the taxi, Sa-hee was overwhelmed by the unchanged neighborhood. A sense of nostalgia washed over her, triggered by the familiar sights.

Walking up the alley lined with villas and officetels, she took in her surroundings. The garbage bags under the utility poles, the cats napping under parked cars, and the students walking ahead with backpacks—all were the same as they had been two years ago, filling her heart with bittersweet emotion.

Lost in thought, Sa-hee eventually arrived at the villa where she once lived.

Memories of her frugal days on the first floor, without even security bars, resurfaced. Though it now felt nostalgic, returning here still carried risks.

Standing before apartment 102, she carefully entered the remembered passcode. Pressing the final star button, she heard a soft beep. Realizing the door had unlocked, she nearly leapt with joy.

Opening the door, she stepped inside. The interior was dim, and she paused to let her eyes adjust while removing her shoes.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…

As her vision cleared, strange shapes began to emerge in the darkness. Two or three black masses loomed ominously. Startled, Sa-hee instinctively stepped back, but one of the figures lunged forward and yanked her close.

“Ugh…!”

Thrown to the floor in an instant, Sa-hee looked up to see the dark shapes rise, taking on human forms. In the faint light filtering through the curtains, their eyes gleamed eerily. One of them grinned widely, revealing sharp teeth, and spoke in a voice that seemed to sizzle with menace.

“Long time no see?”

“Turn on the lights.”

At the man’s command, another presence stirred. Soon after, a soft click illuminated the room.

Blinded momentarily by the sudden brightness, Sa-hee squinted before looking up at the man. His grinning face seemed oddly familiar.

“You remember me, don’t you? We’ve met before.”

“…Who are you?”

“Don’t recognize me? That hurts.”

Dressed entirely in black, the man crouched down, lowering himself to Sa-hee’s level. His eyes gleamed unnervingly as he stared directly at her.

“I still vividly remember your pretty face.”

He reached out and grabbed her chin with a grip so strong that no matter how much she struggled, she couldn’t break free.

“Thanks to your useless older brother, I’ve had quite the headache.”

His leering grin made her skin crawl. Unable to bear looking at him any longer, Sa-hee mustered all her strength to pry his hand off her. Only then did he release her chin. Her entire body trembled uncontrollably.

As the man stood up, two burly men appeared behind him. The three intruders loomed over Sa-hee, their gazes pressing down on her. Though she tried to steady herself and glare back, fear gripped her heart. Alone in this house, if they decided to harm her, there was no telling what might happen.

“Tell Yoon Cheol-woo—wherever he’s hiding—that if the payment isn’t made by next Wednesday, I can’t guarantee what I’ll do. Got it?”

Yoon Cheol-woo was Sa-hee’s older brother. Her suspicions from earlier were now confirmed: these men were debt collectors chasing her brother.

“Don’t think about running either. Or else, we’ll go after your mother next. Understand?”

“Don’t you dare touch my mom. Lay a finger on her, and—”

“Worry about yourself, you stupid girl. If Yoon Cheol-woo doesn’t pay up, we’ll start selling off whatever’s valuable—and you’re first on the list.”

“…”

“Judging by your reaction, I see you understand. Smart, just as I thought. I like that.”

The man tapped her cheek mockingly before bursting into laughter with his henchmen. Sa-hee bit down hard on the inside of her cheek to endure the humiliation. Reacting would only provoke them further; she had to stay calm.

“We’re leaving. Take care, sweetheart.”

With a final taunt, the man kicked her neatly placed shoes aside and turned to leave. The three intruders exited, and the door clicked shut behind them.