MWM Chapter 2

Haena’s soothing tone, gently dissuading Sunok with repeated assurances of “It’s fine,” was as warm as honey.

Gazing at the soft crinkles around her eyes, Soyi felt a sudden surge of emotion welling up inside her.

“It’s back now, so it’s all good. I’m really okay, Hwejangnim.”

With a single gracious word of forgiveness, the pitch-black world brightened in an instant.

‘Her beauty must come from her kind heart.’ Overwhelmed with gratitude, Soyi saw Haena standing before her like an angel.

“Thank you for understanding, Agassi. Thank you so much.”

Her mother bowed repeatedly, almost prostrating herself, expressing gratitude over and over. Soyi followed suit, dipping her head low.

“Thank you.”

As she murmured softly and slowly raised her gaze, her eyes met Haena’s.

Haena flashed her a radiant smile.

In that instant, Soyi felt a sense of relief—if she had caused a misunderstanding, she was glad it was with Lee Haena. After all, Haena had brushed off something that could have easily angered her.

With a face that seemed to subsist on dew alone, her character was genuinely kind. Untouched by the world’s cynicism, she seemed incapable of harsh words or cruel actions.

Soyi was certain Haena was the kindest person in the world.

She had no idea that this trivial conviction would shatter in less than a day.

It was past 5 p.m. when a staff auntie asked Soyi about her mother’s whereabouts.

“Soyi, do you know where your mom is?”

“Mom?”

“Yeah, I can’t find her anywhere.”

Understanding that it was time to prepare dinner, Soyi leaped from her desk in the staff quarters, abandoning her studies.

“I don’t know where she is, but I’ll go look for her.”

She sprang into action, but finding her mother in the sprawling estate wasn’t easy.

She searched every corner—the main house, the annex, the garden, the storage sheds. Finally, her gaze settled on one spot.

Her mother was following someone.

Soyi opened her mouth to call out, but the question caught in her throat. As if entranced, she trailed after them.

“I’m sorry.”

The first thing Soyi heard upon reaching a roadside far from Seonamjae was her mother’s subdued voice. Another voice followed, sharp in her ears.

“You said that earlier, so you can stop now, Ajumma.”

The refined voice belonged to Haena.

Two hours ago, Haena had left with Sunok, but now she was back at Seonamjae, having called Soyi’s mother out.

‘Why…?’ The question formed in Soyi’s mind, answered by Haena’s soft, deliberate words.

“I have no intention of wearing something a thief touched. How could I, when it’s been tainted by filthy hands? It’s bad luck.”

“Agassi, as I said before, it wasn’t stolen. My daughter found it on the floor and meant to return it, but she missed the timing…”

“People always make excuses when they’re cornered.”

Glancing at the earring in her hand, Haena shifted her gaze to Soyi’s cowering mother.

“I just said I won’t wear it. So it’s as good as gone, isn’t it?”

“…Sorry?”

“So I need some kind of compensation. Since I can’t buy another one, you’ll have to pay me in cash.”

Her clear voice was unyielding, leaving no room for argument. Soyi’s mother, eyes shadowed, stared at the earring in Haena’s hand and spoke weakly.

“How much is it…?”

“One hundred million won.”

“…What?”

“It was imported from France. A signature edition by a famous designer—impossible to get now.”

Her mother’s face turned ashen with shock.

“Agassi… that kind of money is… it’s too much for me to come up with…”

“I know. Someone like you wouldn’t have that kind of money.”

Haena’s tone was understanding, yet she showed no sign of backing down.

For a moment, her face contorted in a grimace, and she let out a sigh.

Then, with a sharp clack, the earring in her hand hit the ground.

“So what should we do?”

Before her mother could respond, her eyes darted to the ground. Fearing scratches on the earring lying on the cement, she reached to pick it up—

“Stop.”

Haena’s calm command froze her mother in place, mid-motion, knees bent as if kneeling.

Haena surveyed the scene, like an artist admiring a painting, and began to walk with measured steps. Click, clack—her heels stopped leisurely.

On her mother’s hand.

“Ah…”

A faint cry of pain escaped her mother’s lips. Her hand, crushed under Haena’s heel, grew dirty, blood beginning to bead.

The sound of grinding pressure mixed with her mother’s groans, pounding in Soyi’s ears.

‘She was waiting for this.’ The realization hit Soyi like a bolt.

It was unmistakable—deliberate. Haena hadn’t come just for compensation. It was as if she’d returned to Seonamjae to orchestrate this humiliation.

As Soyi stepped forward to intervene, her eyes met her mother’s.

Her mother’s pitiful expression, shaking her head, stopped her. ‘Don’t come closer.’

‘How can I stand by? This is horrific.’

What Soyi had thought was low and cruel was nothing compared to what followed.

“Oh, my mistake.”

Haena, who had deliberately stepped on her mother’s hand, released the pressure and smiled casually. She picked up the earring, now scratched and tattered, and, with a look of disgust, flung it farther away.

“Pick it up.”

“…What?”

“If you don’t pick it up right now, you’ll owe me one hundred million won. So hurry.”

Her mocking laughter, watching Soyi’s mother scramble awkwardly toward the road, sent chills across Soyi’s skin.

Seeing her mother move frantically, Soyi shouted in desperation.

“Mom! No!”

The moment she cried out, a piercing ringing stabbed her ears.

What followed felt like wandering through a dream.

In the blink of an eye, a car sped by. In the blink of an eye, her mother lay on the road.

In the blink of an eye, Soyi was at her mother’s side.

“Mom.”

Her voice, raw and trembling, was drowned out by the thundering of her heart. Amid the cacophony, her mother’s faint whisper broke through.

“It’s okay.”

“…”

“It happens. Let it go, understand.”

“…”

“Then it’ll all be resolved.”

Only then did Soyi truly understand. The words her mother spoke to her were a mantra she repeated to herself.

“Hey, kid, are you okay?”

Someone tapped her shoulder, and Soyi slowly turned.

“I called 119. Are you okay?”

The passerby’s voice sounded muffled, as if underwater. Soyi’s gaze darted aimlessly.

Among the shocked faces staring at her, Haena was nowhere to be found.

***

Her mother lingered in the hospital for three days before passing away.

After losing her mother so senselessly, Soyi couldn’t accept reality for a long time. Her mind was a blank void, too shattered to even consider the cause.

After the funeral, Soyi returned to Seonamjae—the only place she had to go. The realization made her heart ache with despair.

She spent days sitting in a corner of the courtyard where her mother often passed, staring into space. At times, she searched frantically, as if she could escape reality.

But no matter where she looked, her mother wasn’t there.

One day, after countless fruitless searches, the memory of her last day with her mother swept over her.

“You woke me up so early when I could’ve slept ten more minutes.”

“Sorry, I got confused.”

“Now I’m wide awake because of you.”

Her mother’s gentle face, stroking her head and apologizing, telling her to sleep more, flickered faintly in her mind.

Soyi stared at the phone clenched tightly in her hand. Soon, the chat with her mother lit up the screen. Her fingers typed, and the messages were sent.

[Mom, I’m sorry. Really sorry.]

[Sorry for being grumpy.]

[Sorry for snapping.]

‘Sorry for picking up the earring.’

The words swirling in her mind nearly reached the keypad but stopped short.

Slowly, Soyi turned her head toward the gate in the distance. A vision of Haena greeting Sunok warmly shimmered before her.

Haena hadn’t shown her face for days.

Whenever she had a moment, Soyi climbed to the rooftop of the staff quarters, staring at one spot. She watched the grand gate, checking who came and went, waiting for one person.

Excluding school hours, she spent all her time there.

One day, two days, a week passed. Finally, the person she’d been waiting for appeared.

The moment she saw Haena, Soyi’s heart plummeted. In the hollow void of her chest, fiery emotions swirled chaotically, a tempest of rage and grief.

Soyi ran toward Haena and kept running.