Ephphatha Chapter 24

“Hheup!”

 

In an instant, it felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over her, jolting her consciousness awake. Seul-ah gasped, swallowing a ragged breath, then exhaled it back out as she panted. She belatedly forced her heavy eyelids open. The ceiling, bathed in sunlight, filled her blurry vision.

 

“Huu, uh…”

 

She was still dizzy, and her chest burned, but she could tell that her condition had improved compared to before. She could even wiggle her fingers, meaning some strength had returned. Her body felt less feverish. She must have recovered somewhat while she was unconscious.

 

This should be enough to move. Determining this, Seul-ah gathered her strength, intending to go to the hospital as soon as possible. Just as she struggled to lift her upper body—

 

Thud. Something dropped from above her head. Dazed, she lowered her gaze and saw an unfamiliar reddish lump lying there.

 

What is this? As she groped around to pick it up, the blanket draped over her shoulders slipped off, exposing her bare body.

 

“Ah…”

 

Now that she thought about it, she had collapsed without even putting on clothes. A subtle chill seeped in, making her pull the blanket back up. Just as she picked up the fallen object, her eyes widened slightly.

 

This…

 

It was a familiar item.

 

Of course it was. She had touched it multiple times at the store and chosen the one that felt most similar. But why was it here…?

 

As she stared blankly at the lukewarm, damp orange handkerchief, the sound of footsteps dug into her ears. Startled, she turned her gaze toward the wide-open bedroom door. The sound was coming from beyond it.

 

“……”

 

Footsteps in a house where she lived alone. And in her hand was someone else’s handkerchief. A handkerchief she had given to a man who had a history of trespassing into her home.

 

As the thought of that man crossed her mind, she dreaded the possibility—only for him to appear suddenly.

 

“Good evening.”

 

No way.

 

Kwak Chi-gyeom entered the room, greeting her leisurely while Seul-ah remained frozen like a statue. As she blankly watched the unbelievable scene unfold, he closed the distance in an instant and reached out his hand. Before she could react, Chi-gyeom’s fingers touched her forehead.

 

“You’re finally starting to function like a human again.”

 

After lightly brushing over her forehead, he stuffed his hand back into his pocket and gazed down at her intently.

 

Still failing to grasp the situation, Seul-ah dumbly followed his gaze, realizing that he wasn’t looking at her face. His eyes were fixed lower, at the narrow valley between her breasts, barely concealed by her arm and the blanket.

 

“……”

 

She stared down at herself, then suddenly snapped back to reality. Hastily, she clutched the blanket to her chest. Unlike her frantic movements, Chi-gyeom remained completely still.

 

“Wh-what, why, you—why…”

 

“……”

 

“My house, why, ah… how…”

 

She couldn’t even form proper sentences, retreating to the far edge of the bed in a panic.

 

“Why…”

 

How was Kwak Chi-gyeom here? Why? How did he get in? She had changed the door code. Why was he here? Why? Why?

 

Her still-recovering mind throbbed painfully, and her breath came in short, erratic bursts. As she gasped in confusion, her eyes met Chi-gyeom’s again. His sharp, downward gaze felt as if it were stripping her bare. No—she was already bare.

 

Under his scrutiny, the sensation of the blanket pressing against her skin felt oddly unfamiliar. It wasn’t just because of his presence. There was something strangely refreshing about it. Why?

 

The last thing she remembered was shivering, drenched in cold sweat. Then why did she feel so… dry? Usually, no matter how much one wiped off sweat, a sticky residue would remain. But now, it felt like she had been completely cleaned—wait.

 

A realization struck her, making her head drop abruptly.

 

“……”

 

The blanket felt unfamiliar. It wasn’t her imagination.

 

She was wrapped in a different blanket. Her mother’s floral-patterned blanket, which she had washed thoroughly and stored in the closet after the funeral.

 

Why? Then where was mine?

 

Her breath hitched with a chilling realization. Stiffly raising her head, she saw Chi-gyeom jerk his chin toward the left. Following his gaze, she spotted her own blanket crumpled in the corner of the room.

 

“It was soaked, so I put it away.”

 

“That…”

 

Then… that means…

 

“Did you… see?”

 

She barely managed to croak out the words, and Chi-gyeom smirked meaningfully.

 

“Do you think I only looked?”

 

“……”

 

Seul-ah stiffened in shock as Chi-gyeom’s leisurely gaze swept over her.

 

“You’re not just a pretty face, my dear client.”

 

“Y-you…!”

 

A rush of heat surged to the top of her head. It was a different kind of heat from the fever she had been suffering from, but it made her just as dizzy. Her balance faltered, and she slumped against the bed’s headboard.

 

“Ugh…”

 

She panted heavily, trying to pull herself together, but her shaken body refused to cooperate. Clutching the blanket as tightly as possible, she forced herself to speak.

 

“G-get out… get out!”

 

“……”

 

“I said get out…!”

 

“Just as I expected.”

 

Ignoring her desperate shout, Chi-gyeom stepped toward the bed. Instinctively, she scooted back, but there was nowhere left to retreat.

 

“D-don’t come any closer…”

 

Seul-ah curled herself into the corner, but her reaction wasn’t just out of embarrassment.

 

– “I don’t think he is someone you can trust so easily.”

 

Alongside her shame was fear of the mysterious man before her. A fear far greater than when she had first met him at the funeral.

 

When the mattress dipped under his weight, her heart sank along with it. Pressing her fist against her erratically beating chest, she nervously stared at Chi-gyeom, who sat at her feet.

 

– “Han Ji-seon and Chae-young’s deaths are suspected to be linked to Kwak Chi-gyeom.”

 

Her mother had committed suicide. Aunt Chae-young had died in an accident. Or at least, that was what she had believed. But Seo Han-seong had suggested a connection between their deaths and Kwak Chi-gyeom.

 

Chi-gyeom’s car had been at the scene of both their deaths.

 

Why?

 

“If you’re feeling well enough, get ready to go to the hospital.”

 

“……”

 

“If you die, what’s going to happen to the safe?”

 

There was a link between her mother and Kwak Chi-gyeom—Ephphatha. But Aunt Chae-young had nothing to do with it. Then why? Why?

 

– “So, Ms. Seul-ah, I have a favor to ask of you.”

 

– “……”

 

– “Get closer to Mr. Kwak Chi-gyeom and relay any information about him to me.”

 

– “W-what… why me…?”

 

– “In return, I will take full responsibility for investigating the deaths of Ms. Han Ji-seon and Ms. Jung Chae-young.”

 

– “……”

 

– “The cause of death might change.”

 

The cause of death might change… That meant it might not have been suicide or an accident.

 

Then… did Mom not take her own life but was murdered?

 

Mother, who was always lonely. Mother, who worried so much about being left alone that she involved Ephphatha and Kwak Chi-gyeom.

 

Within Seul-ah, her mother’s existence split into two.

 

The lonely mother had a reason for suicide, but the latter did not. If she had gone to such lengths to ensure her daughter’s safety, she wouldn’t have left this world. More than anything, she must have known that staying alive was the best thing she could do for her daughter. Why hadn’t she thought of that?

 

Was it because the grief of losing her mother was too overwhelming? Because she understood her loneliness? Because she had already once let go of life?

 

Perhaps all of that was just a convenient excuse.

 

In the end, had she simply turned a blind eye to survive?

 

No matter how much she thought about what had already happened, it would only wear her down, both physically and emotionally. Because she was weak. Because it was hard to endure. Because accepting reality and making a compromise was the easiest and safest option. Because she had no other choice. Because she was alone.

 

So maybe she had just wanted to do as Kwak Chi-gyeom had said—marry a decent man, gain recognition from her mother’s side of the family, and live without loneliness. It seemed like that might make her feel a little less alone.

 

Without even knowing what had happened to her mother.

 

“Hic…”

 

“Ah, what a damn mess every single time.”

 

Chi-gyeom leaned back on his hands, tilting his head to the side. Even through her tear-blurred vision, Seul-ah could feel his sharp glare.

 

“You seem to be misunderstanding something. I just saved your damn life. A mother and daughter pair, seriously… fuck.”

 

“P-please leave, hic, just leave…”

 

“If you have a brain, try using it. After all the trouble I went through nursing you, do you think I’d do something like that? Do you have any idea how valuable you are, how carefully I need to handle you? Huh?”

 

“……”

 

“So it was just a joke, just a joke.”

 

As Seul-ah paused in wiping her tears and lifted her head, Chi-gyeom shamelessly tapped his temple with his index finger.

 

“Even those Ephphatha bastards don’t need to know about this.”

 

“……”

 

He smirked at Seul-ah, who was scowling, then got up from the bed.

 

“Looking at you, it seems like you can go to the hospital on your own. But if you can, I’d recommend calling Seo Han-seong.”

 

“……”

 

“If you call him looking like that, your wedding will be pushed up by at least three months.”

 

“…Get out.”

 

“Yes, yes, this fool is leaving.”

 

Chi-gyeom lazily replied, grabbed the damp handkerchief, and strolled out of the room just as carelessly as he had entered. Seul-ah, who had been holding her breath and listening intently, only moved after the sound of his presence completely disappeared. She wrapped herself tightly in the blanket before carefully stepping out of bed.

 

Her legs were weak, trembling as she barely managed to reach the door. She peeked her head out cautiously, surveying her surroundings. Only after confirming that Chi-gyeom had indeed left did she lean against the wall in relief.

 

Judging by the circumstances, his claim of nursing her wasn’t a lie. Otherwise, her body wouldn’t be this clean, and she wouldn’t feel this much better.

 

But she couldn’t be grateful. The humiliation of exposing herself and her suspicions about him tangled into a chaotic mess, leaving her mind momentarily blank.

 

What was she supposed to do now?

 

– “So… getting closer to Kwak Chi-gyeom means…”

 

– “It’s exactly what you think, Ms. Seul-ah.”

 

Holding her throbbing head, gasping for breath, Seul-ah barely managed to steady herself.

 

First, she had to take care of her body. Hospital first. With sheer determination, she forced herself to take a step forward.