I had always believed that everything in the world has a cause and a reason.
Because in the world I used to belong to, coincidences simply didn’t exist.
But now, when I can’t even understand the cause and reason for my own existence…
My world and my common sense collapsed together.
It’s a heartbreaking thing.
“Hmmm…”
When I looked into the mirror in front of me, a girl who looked like a child actress met my gaze.
When I tilted my head, she tilted hers in the same way.
Which meant, the cute girl in the mirror was none other than me.
It took eight years and three months to accept that simple fact.
‘I’m still not used to it though…’
Should I call it a past life?
The life I was used to and the life I now live are so very different.
For example, my eye level.
My gender.
Or maybe even my family relationships.
Everything from beginning to end felt so unfamiliar that adapting was no easy task.
Among all these, what I found hardest to adapt to was probably… my name.
“Seoa~. Wash your hands before dinner~.”
“…Okay~.”
Not Lee Seon, but Yoo Seoa.
Even the number of syllables and the surname had changed, and every time I heard it, it sounded strange.
Just the change of the name I was called by made it feel like I had entered an entirely different world.
Swaaah…
Even the child’s toothbrush in the bathroom had the name Yoo Seoa written on it, not Lee Seon.
The name Lee Seon didn’t exist in this house.
Even though this house was now my home.
Drip, drip.
Lost in thought, I washed my hands and shook off the water.
Then I stepped out of the bathroom and headed to the dining table in the living room.
All these series of actions were things done by Yoo Seoa, not Lee Seon.
The current me was living not as Lee Seon, but as Yoo Seoa.
“Try the soybean paste soup too, Seoa. It turned out really tasty.”
Living as Yoo Seoa meant I had to get used to being called by that name, too.
After all, Lee Seon no longer existed in this world.
[Executive Director Jeong Heebaek of Yeryeo Group Dies]
[Yeryeo Group Villa Robbery Tragedy… Executive Director Jeong and Wife Killed, Child Survives]
[Yeryeo Group: ‘Private Funeral… Focused on Family Recovery’]
These were old newspaper articles I had barely managed to find about the murder of Executive Director Jeong Heebaek.
And in the middle of the article, there was another deceased person mentioned, referred to as “Miss Lee.”
Only after reading the article that covered my own death did it start to feel real.
Ah… I really died.
Lee Seon no longer exists in this world.
I didn’t break down crying, but my strength drained from me.
But that was it.
There were no other emotions.
Even though it was about my own death, it felt like someone else had died.
Maybe this too was proof that I had truly become a different person…
“…Seoa. What are you thinking about, pausing while eating?”
“Oh, just… thinking about how the entrance ceremony is tomorrow.”
I answered my mom, saying I was a little nervous about going to school, and let the sentence trail off.
Because if she knew what I was really thinking, she would definitely be shocked.
There was no need to tell everything as it was.
After all, I’m still just an eight-year-old kid.
This is the age where playing at the playground suits me more than philosophizing about past and present lives.
There was no benefit in acting too grown-up.
“Unni, unni. Unni go school?”
“Yeah. Unni’s going to school tomorrow.”
“I want to go too!”
Hearing the voice of my three-year-old little sister, I smiled softly.
Then I coaxed her, saying she could go to school after she got a bit older.
“How old is our Seoyeon?”
“I’m three!”
“When Seoyeon turns eight, let’s go together.”
The way she opened her mouth and tried to understand my words was so adorable.
I really am… weak to little kids.
Maybe that’s why I couldn’t stop thinking about Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hayoon.
‘Even though I’m a little kid too, now.’
Anyway, that’s how I finally came to terms with the future.
For now, I’ll live as Yoo Seoa.
As for the lingering attachments I left behind in my past life, I’ll think more about those later.
***
Time passed faster than I expected.
It felt like only yesterday was the entrance ceremony, and before I knew it, I was in sixth grade.
My school life… honestly, I stood out a bit.
Well, it’s because my grades were too good compared to the other kids.
“Gold prize in the math competition! Yoo, Seoa!”
“…Thank you.”
Even though only my body was a grade schooler, I had become a top student among real elementary kids.
Was this how Gulliver felt in Lilliput?
For someone who had already graduated college in their past life, elementary school curriculum was far too easy.
Of course, my parents loved it.
After all, what parent wouldn’t be proud of a daughter who ranks first in the entire school?
Anyway, aside from my strangely outstanding grades…
I, who used to find the name Yoo Seoa awkward, had now become quite adept at playing the eldest daughter of this house.
When someone said, “Seoa, play with Seoyeon~,” I’d nod.
If Seoyeon couldn’t fall asleep, I’d grab a picture book and sit next to the bed.
It wasn’t that unfamiliar since I’d done similar things a few times in my past life too.
– Maybe taking care of kids is my fate.
“Seoyeon, did you pick a book?”
“Yeah. Read this one.”
“Oh, it’s the one with the cat.”
“Her name is Kkomuli.”
“Is that so?”
I took the book Seoyeon handed me and quietly opened the first page.
Next to me, her small chubby hand was fiddling with my arm.
“Kkomuli cried. Meow, meow.”
“Unni, why does the cat keep crying?”
“Hmm… maybe she’s hungry?”
“…I’m hungry too.”
“But Seoyeon, you already ate.”
I chuckled slightly at Seoyeon’s short grumble and was about to turn the page of the book.
That was when I heard the sound of Mom starting to do the dishes, and along with it, the sound from the TV in the living room reached my ears.
“The memorial service for the late Executive Director Jeong Heebaek of Yeryeo Group was held this morning.”
My hand, which was turning the page, stopped for a moment.
Familiar names came through the emotionless voice of the announcer—Jeong Doyoon, Jeong Hwayoon.
I hesitated as I kept hearing news about familiar people, and eventually walked out to the living room.
The announcer, who had a neat impression, had already moved on to another news segment.
Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate, familiar faces kept appearing in the footage.
“Yeryeo Department Store, formerly part of Yeryeo Group’s distribution division, recently separated its hotel business to establish an independent corporation, Yeryeo Hotel. At the launch ceremony…”
“…They’ve grown so much already.”
Jeong Hwayoon on the screen was quietly walking in a neat suit, and Jeong Doyoon was staring straight ahead without a hint of distraction.
Their eyes were not much different from the past.
It felt like their childhood selves had simply grown up.
“Who are they?”
Seoyeon, who had followed me without me noticing, looked at the TV following my gaze.
“Just… people I know.”
I answered vaguely, unable to take my eyes off Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon on the screen.
…Why do they linger in my mind so much?
“Hmm… boring.”
Only after Seoyeon went back to her room did I return to mine as well.
But first, I finished reading the book to her until the last page.
At some point, as Seoyeon blinked absentmindedly, she let out a soft snore and fell asleep.
…Was I still holding on to regrets?
As I quietly watched the sleeping Seoyeon, I found myself drifting back into thoughts of my past life.
Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon’s faces wouldn’t leave my mind.
Of course, there’s nothing I can do right now.
I’m not in the NIS, I have no authority to investigate.
I’m just a student now.
A minor.
Just a regular 13-year-old girl.
Still, separate from my current situation…
The scale inside me slowly began to tilt toward wanting to do something if I ever had the chance.
I still remembered all the information I had gathered in Yeryeo Group’s secretarial office clearly.
“…Should I give it a try?”
It didn’t take long for me to make up my mind.
I didn’t want to leave everything about the deaths of Jeong Heebaek and his wife, and my own, buried like this.
First of all, I needed to get into Yeryeo Group.
If I dig for information again inside Yeryeo Group, I’ll probably be able to find out who killed the Jeong Heebaek couple—and me.
My personal guess?
It’s likely the same person involved in the Colombian drug distribution.
“If someone tried to kill me once, there’s no reason they wouldn’t try again…”
The people who broke into the villa long ago clearly intended to kill Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon too.
The fact that they stayed even after murdering the Jeong couple proves it.
I think someone gave them an order to wipe out the entire Jeong family.
Since Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon are still alive, that someone probably still feels the same as they did back then.
They might be lying low, waiting for another chance after their first failure.
“I just need about 10 years of peace. Hopefully that’s possible.”
Now that I’d made up my mind, the calculations weren’t too hard.
Time needed from college graduation to getting a job at Yeryeo Group.
Then, the time it’d take to approach Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon and earn their trust.
I was confident.
It’s the kind of work I’d done my whole previous life.
And now, I didn’t even need to bother hiding my identity, so in a way, the conditions were even better.
Finishing what my past self couldn’t—
That was the sole reason why I, Yuseoah, decided to pursue a career at Yeryeo Group.
Once I uncovered the truth behind everything, I’d just live a normal life with a regular paycheck.
“Studying… just in case. I should do it…”
Trying to lay out a life plan for the next 10 years all at once was overwhelming, but it gave me peace of mind.
For now, I just needed to stay at the top of my class.
And so, middle school…
“Seoah, are you preparing for science high school?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… I thought so.”
High school…
[Congratulations on your acceptance to Korea University’s freshman admissions—]
“I got in.”
“W-What? Really?”
“Unnie, that’s amazing!!”
And finally, university…
“Unnie, can I toss your graduation cap?”
“Hey, I’m the one graduating, not you.”
The 10 years I had planned passed by slowly, yet quickly.
Still, I built up a strong résumé.
In the end, everything went according to the plan I made when I was 13… so I guess it worked out.
“Seoah, look over here!”
After the graduation ceremony, Mom stood beside me holding a bouquet, and Dad clicked the shutter three times in a row from a distance.
Seoyeon kept looking around, curious.
Maybe because she’s still in high school—the campus seemed fascinating to her.
And after all the graduation photos were taken, I told my parents:
“I’m going to move out.”
Mom was shocked, Dad was surprisingly calm, and Seoyeon was speechless.
That marked the end of my 10-year plan.
By then, Jeong Doyoon and Jeong Hwayoon had each risen to executive director positions at Yeryeo Trading and Yeryeo Hotel.
My choice was Jeong Hwayoon’s Yeryeo Hotel.
“…It’s been 24 years.”
That was the first thing I said when I passed the public recruitment at Yeryeo Hotel.
There weren’t any particular emotions beyond that.
I decided to save any sentiments for after everything was over.
***
“Ms. Yuseoah, you’re new here, right?”
“Yes.”
“Then why does your report look like this?”
“…May I ask what you mean?”
“It’s too well organized. How could a new hire write a report like this?”
Maybe thanks to my past life’s experience,
My second time in the workforce was relatively smooth.
Although I was a new hire, I worked like an experienced employee, so the feedback about me was good.
At least until now, it was a meritocratic society.
“Thanks to Yoo Seo-ah organizing the data, the morning meetings are so easy.”
“Thank you.”
Hotel reservation reports, customer satisfaction statistics, event logistics review.
By adding my own touch of ‘care,’ there was never any significant friction.
Still, my motto was to take things step by step.
Because rushing would only lead to tripping.
Until I caught the eye of Jeong Hwa-yoon, I had to be extremely cautious.
Before I knew it, it was 10 minutes until the end of the workday.
As always, I finished organizing my inbox, checking the schedule, and saving the files for tomorrow’s meeting.
“Oh, Seo-ah, leaving right on time again today?”
“Yes.”
“Ah… I’m jealous.”
“…Hang in there.”
“Thanks, even just hearing that helps.”
And like that, I left my fellow new hire with a bit of encouragement and headed home.
As usual, I walked back to my officetel.
But for some reason today, I was craving something sweet.
So I stopped by the convenience store right in front of the building.
Ding-ling
“Welco…me.”
***
As the convenience store door opened, the slight breeze came in with a woman who unconsciously caught one’s eye.
The tired part-timer stammered for a moment, probably because of that.
Long brown hair flowing down, slightly upturned eyelashes.
A neatly shaped nose and lips.
She had the kind of looks that could easily be someone’s first love or a heartbreaking crush.
Her body line was so smooth and proportionate that it was hard to describe her with just the word “pretty.”
To put it crudely, everything was perfectly in place — where it should go in and where it should stand out.
Her appearance had a magnetic force that drew attention just by being there.
Even knowing he didn’t have the slightest chance, the part-timer kept glancing over at her.
A gaze that could easily be misunderstood.
No — that would definitely be misunderstood.
Soon, the woman brought a basket full of various types of ice cream to the counter.
The subtle scent that came with her made the part-timer’s breath falter a little.
“Um, could I get a bag too?”
“…12,900 won.”
A strange sensation, like his face had turned red, made him lower his head.
Then came the sound of a plastic card being tapped.
[Payment completed. Have a nice day~]
The POS system’s cheerful voice hurried the part-timer along.
He grew unnecessarily nervous.
He was already tense, and now it felt like time was moving in slow motion.
But as he handed over the bag with the various ice creams…
Smile.
“Thank you. Take care.”
That smile, with her eyes crinkling, blew away all the nervousness and tension he had felt.
Time, which had been crawling, now seemed to stop altogether.
Only a while later did the part-timer, who had unknowingly been frozen in that moment, realize time had resumed.
It wasn’t until the rustle of paper and the shadow of the woman had completely left that he came to his senses again.
“…M…”
For a second, he wondered if he had nodded off.
That’s how dreamlike her appearance was.
He silently scolded himself for not having the courage to ask for her number.
It was the kind of beauty you might only see once in your life.
His heart ached.
Both physically and emotionally.
Rustle, rustle.
Every time she took a step, the ice creams in the convenience store bag rustled against each other.
Maybe she bought a bit too much — but still, she’d eventually eat them all after putting them in the fridge.
She considered it saving future hassle.
When she finally stepped into the elevator in her officetel, it was already 7 PM.
A perfect time to prepare dinner.
It should’ve been the perfect time…
“…Unni…?”
“Seoyeon, what are you doing here…?”
Even before opening the door, she ran into trouble.
The familiar high school girl sitting squatted by her front door was the main reason.
A face that hinted at a story.
It was easy to guess why she came here instead of going to her own house.
After much thought…
She decided to start by handing her one of the ice creams from the bag.
After all, sweet things were the best remedy for stress.
Rustle.
“Want one?”
“Yeah.”
Seoyeon took the shark-shaped ice cream bar, and she entered the door lock code with a beep beep beep.
The door finally opened, and Seoyeon naturally followed her inside.
Somehow, she expected that.
“Did you fight with Mom again?”
“…It wasn’t a fight.”
“Then?”
“She just went off on me. I’m the victim.”
“If you tell me honestly, I’ll let you stay for a few days.”
“…I got caught secretly withdrawing money from my savings.”
“So, it wasn’t running away — you got kicked out.”
“I-I left on my own! And I still have the money!”
“There’s such a thing as attempted crime, you know.”