[Contest] Destiny

3. Short flashback

강다니엘

In the end, this is where we came from

김여주

There's no other place like here

I was wondering where to take Daniel, who wanted to talk, and ended up bringing him to my house. I thought it would be difficult to talk in a noisy space with music playing, so I thought this place would be perfect.

It was cold outside and I felt a little bad that the room wasn't warm, so I took out the yuzu tea my mom had made for me when she came up to Seoul.

Daniel began to examine every corner of the room as if he'd stumbled upon a new and novel space. Then, he gazed intently at a photo of himself and his mother taken before they came up to Seoul, before he cautiously spoke.

강다니엘

I don't know what happened to your father.

I felt my hand, absentmindedly stirring the teaspoon, tremble slightly, but I quickly closed my eyes to maintain my composure.

Dad... I hate that guy. I've never had any affection for him. Not once.

김여주

If you knew, would you just sit still and do this?

The sharp answer slipped out of his mouth. "No, no," Daniel said, as if he had no more to say.

I met Daniel when I started elementary school. Because of my timid personality, I had trouble adjusting to school life, but Daniel was the one who saved me.

강다니엘

I'm Daniel!

Although our personalities were different, as we spent time together, we gradually became more and more like each other, and just when we were starting to feel awkward without each other, we heard the shocking news that Daniel had transferred schools.

When the words that I had to go because of my father's company work came out of those small lips, that was probably the day I cried the hardest since I was born.

That was when I was in the second year of middle school.

We haven't seen each other since then. Daniel, who always said he'd contact me, hasn't responded at all. I've lived in a prison-like house for six years, waiting for calls and letters that never arrive.

The year I started college, I finally escaped my father, who had been terribly tormenting me and my mother. The night I ran away, my mother cried and said to me, "Let's just forget the past from now on." That was probably when Daniel slowly disappeared from my memory.

김여주

Why are you suddenly doing this?

From the moment we first met, Daniel's family was wealthy. I don't know the details, but Daniel's father was said to be running a large company, and even before he transferred, he said he was moving to Seoul to expand the company.

But why? Why are you doing this when you could easily be working for your father? I asked calmly, trying to suppress the urge to question him.

강다니엘

I am...

Daniel trailed off. He seemed to have something to say, but he washed his face dry as if it wasn't easy. I could instinctively sense that it wasn't something I should say.

김여주

Okay. If it's a reason you won't understand even after hearing it, you don't have to say it.

강다니엘

...sorry.

A heavy air hung in the air for a moment, and no one broke the silence. What should I say? Where should I begin, what should I say, and how should I speak? Could we bridge this gap, this time we've been apart? No, would that even be permitted?

At that time, it was Daniel who spoke first.

강다니엘

..I think I'll keep coming back for a while.

김여주

Are you asking me to pay you back?

강다니엘

....

김여주

I'm sorry, but I don't have that kind of money, and I have no reason to. I won't pay you back.

강다니엘

..I know. For now, yes.

With that, Daniel, perhaps uncomfortable with the silence that had returned, said, "I'm going to go now," and stood up. I also rose to greet him. After briefly gazing into my eyes, Daniel forced a faint smile and said, "See you later," before leaving the house.

That awkward, strained laugh seemed somewhat bitter, but in the end, I couldn't say anything.

I don't hate you. I just hate this moment. I hate this dirty reality where I can't be happy even though we went through so much trouble to meet.