Ji-Ah’s card payment had only been overdue exactly twice in her life. She hurriedly threw on some clothes while reminiscing about those times.

"Once was when I carelessly donated to a male cam stream..."

Starting with the most recent time, she had been quite generous with donations to handsome male internet streamers.

Frankly, it was a waste of money. This wasteful spending didn't initially go to internet streamers, but started with male idols.

In fact, being a fan wasn't a costly affair if done modestly. The problem was when it went to the extremes. At that time, Ji-Ah had no one to lean on and was veering endlessly into the extreme.

She wanted to stand out and share even just a few more words. That required a lot of money.

Even spending a lot had limits to interacting and empathizing. Her interest naturally shifted to smaller streamers. Those who had just started streaming with pretty faces were kind in proportion to the money spent.

"

Sigh...

Dammit!"

Ji-Ah hurriedly put on her shoes and dashed out with her eyes tightly closed.

Tadadadadak

…

She wasn't the same as she was then. Thinking she could just die in the morning, she found herself watching her favorite YouTube videos after eating lunch. Then, impulsively, she would donate if she liked them.

Like that, she stumbled upon Almond. Getting noticed for a large donation from the start was not a coincidence or a mistake. It was a pattern and a miracle at the same time. That miracle was what kept her alive and breathing. It pulled her back from the brink.

Ji-Ah gasped for air as she nearly tumbled down the stairs.

It would soon be lunchtime and the wait would be longer.

"

Sigh... Sigh...

The second time was..."

Her mind traveled back even further into the past to the root cause of it all. The time when she was with that bastard who drove her to the brink.

"... When that bastard said he needed money for his business."

That was the first time Ji-Ah had ever been behind on her card payments in her life. She would have been branded as a defaulter if it was further delayed.

Those who had never heard such words wouldn't understand the feeling of receiving a societal death sentence. The feeling of having their lover read out that death sentence.

Ji-Ah bit her lip as she ran down. The rough cement scraped her ankle and she bled. Her skin was frozen and swollen white, but she didn't realize it.

"Sigh... Sigh..."

Ding~~~!

"Welcome to Shilhae Bank. The ticket machine is inside."

She pushed through the bank's main door, pulled a ticket, and only realized it when she sat down to face the warm heater.

"!"

Sting.

Blood was dripping from her ankle. It was a larger wound than she thought. She had no immediate solution on what to do about it and decided to just leave it be.

Dingdong~!

"Customer number 32~"

When her number was called, she muttered words she often said like a spell at such times.

'I'm okay. I'm going to be okay. No matter what, I'm okay.’

***

Click...

At Ji-Ah's departed home, the old door lock smoothly slid open.

Upon entering, a small courtyard came into view. Ji-Ah's house was akin to the common hanoks in hillside villages. It had the structure of a hanok, but lacked the traditional elegance of one.

Instead of preserving the years gracefully, it was merely a house that grew old due to neglect.

Still, it was a familiar space for Ju-Hyeok.

"Ji-Ah, let's go eat."

He had become comfortable enough entering her home as if it were his own. Instead of calling her on the phone, he came by to fetch her on his way down.

"Ji-Ah~"

No response came.

'Huh?'

Ju-Hyeok tilted his head as he entered the house. It wasn't just the absence of any signs of life.

'Her shoes...'

The shoes neatly placed under the porch were now scattered as if someone had left in a hurry.

"Hmm..."

Knock. Knock.

Ju-Hyeok, just to be sure, also checked inside the rooms. As expected, she wasn't there.

"Why isn't she here?"

From outside the gate, Sang-Hyeon's shouting could be heard in the distance.

"Ah, yeah. She's not here! I'll call her. We'll eat by ourselves if she doesn't answer," Ju-Hyeok spoke casually.

'This is strange.'

He thought the situation was odd. It was almost unheard of for Ji-Ah to leave the house so early without telling him.

[Ji-Ah]

Even after he called, she didn't answer.

"Whatever... let's just go. She's not answering."

"It's a shame. We were going to Okangwoo's kimchi stew."

𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Sang-Hyeon licked his lips in anticipation and led the way down the hillside village stairs.

Ju-Hyeok left a brief message and followed him.

***

At that moment in Shilhae Bank…

"I'm paying off that bastard's debt?!" Ji-Ah exclaimed and stood up abruptly at the counter.

Other customers all turned to look at her, but Ji-Ah hardly noticed. Even if they all stood up and threw shurikens at her, it would be less shocking than what had just happened.

"Yes... your account has been temporarily frozen due to overdue loan interest payments."

"How can this happen?!"

Accustomed to such scenes, the employee explained the situation very calmly in stark contrast to Ji-Ah's outburst.

"You co-signed a loan. The principal has lost their ability to pay, so the debt has been transferred to you. You don't need to worry too much. If you start paying at least the interest now, the freeze will be lifted."

As soon as the co-signing was mentioned, Ji-Ah's face turned pale.

"Sigh."

People clicked their tongues.

“Tsk tsk…”

How did it come to this…? Hadn't the adults always warned them to never co-sign? It was a fast track to ruin one’s household. Co-signing meant one was a fool.

Yes, that fool was her. She was that crazy woman!

Ji-Ah wanted to shout this to her past self.

However—

'No. I didn't co-sign for no reason.'

She came to her senses. It made no sense that she had to repay someone else's debt just because she had co-signed, at least not in this case.

"No. There seems to be some misunderstanding."

"Huh? But it's clearly correct..."

"No. That person can pay. He works at Great Planning!"

Employees of major corporations could obtain loans more easily than moderately successful private business owners. Why? Because they had regular salaries.

Ji-Ah had seen with her own eyes that her ex-boyfriend worked at Great Planning. They said that he couldn't pay? That made no sense.

"He even transferred there as an experienced hire. His salary must be at least ninety million won. Why can't he pay?"

"In such a case, the original debtor should be able to pay."

"Right? In that case, he should be the one paying. That's what the contract stated."

"We'll look into it."

A moment later, confusion filled the face of the employee at the counter.

"Is that person perhaps Lee Kyung-Ho, the CEO?"

"?"

CEO? No? He was just a manager.

This thought almost slipped out and a forgotten memory surfaced.

"Ah..."

That was right. It was that.

"Your company has been established..."

There was a time when he dreamt of such a future with her. Suddenly, a luxuriously woven white silk fabric fluttered before her eyes. An illusion? A hallucination? It didn't last long.

Dang~

A large bell rang and everything vanished.

Ji-Ah unwittingly clutched her stomach. It hurt as if it was tearing apart. It probably wasn't real pain, yet it felt real to her.

The employee noticed her pale complexion and continued to speak, "Are you alright?"

"Ah... Yes," Ji-Ah responded and wiped the cold sweat from her forehead.

"The loan is not under Lee Kyung-Ho's name, but under the company he established. You co-signed for that company's loan. Although you don't have shares, you are listed as the CEO. And currently, that company is unable to repay."

Lee Kyung-Ho had the ability to pay, but his company did not. Yes, that would make sense. The plans he had for that company had all gone awry.

The bank employee continued to explain how certain laws had recently changed among other unknown topics, but Ji-Ah could hardly hear anymore. Just hearing the initial explanation, she had no choice but to accept the verdict handed to her.

"So how much is the debt?"

The debt had clearly come back to her.

"Originally, it was one hundred forty million. Now, eighty million won remains."

Had Lee Kyung-Ho paid off sixty million? It wasn't a small amount, but it wasn't an amount he couldn't pay either.

"Ah... really..."

She clutched her stomach again as another wave of pain surged. Her head spun from the pain, but she got up.

"I understand."

Ji-Ah sensed that everything that could be done at this counter was finished. She got up, gathered her bag, and returned to the entrance.

Whether her feet were moving her body or her body was dragging her feet, she didn't know. She didn't even realize how she was walking. Was the path to the bank's entrance always this long?

It felt like the whole world was tilting, asking if she could make it.

Her balance shifted and couldn’t correct itself. She collapsed.

Thud!

It felt as if her whole body shook. Her stomach hurt as if it was being torn apart. From deep within, she could hear someone crying.

“—!”

It was the sound of a child crying out. She was speaking while crying so sorrowfully that it was indiscernible.

"Ah."

Eventually, the scream that had been swirling in her spilled out.

"Ah... Ahhhhhh! Huhuhu..."

She tried to cover her mouth with her hand, but it was too late to stop what had already overflowed.

"Ah, are you a student? Are you okay?"

An elderly woman with white hair approached her.

"Oh! You're bleeding a lot from your leg? It's too painful in winter, isn't it? Hey, you there! Police officer, help this lady—"

Did she think Ji-Ah had just fallen and sat down?

The woman called for the security guard standing in front of the bank for help.

Click.

Ji-Ah summoned all her strength to grab the woman's hand.

"I'm okay."

"Are you really?"

She tried to stand up again, but collapsed.

‘Yes, surely I'm okay. I'm fine. Look at my leg. It's just a little blood. It's alright.’

"Oh dear. Ah, it seems you're not okay?"

However, it wasn't just blood that was flowing. Tears soon hit the ground, pouring out.

"Ah... miss?"

The woman, alarmed, examined Ji-Ah’s complexion.

Ji-Ah’s hand clenched the bottom of the woman’s top.

"I... I think I'm not... okay..."

Her vision blurred as if receding into an old memory.

The employees behind the counter and the security guards at the entrance rushed over.

Tadadadadak...!

Numerous footsteps rang out as they ran toward her.

Thump!

With another thumping sound, the world went dark and she momentarily ceased feeling the pain.