[ FOUR YEARS AGO ]

You have to get out of here. 

Kim Sun had never been so fearful in her entire life. 

This was not the end she thought she'd see. When she decided to cut all ties, she expected it would be difficult; there were no guarantees of an easy way out. It was the consequences of her decision to get into this mess anyway. 

But she never thought it'd end this way. 

She was running through the narrow corridors, pushing past the people who were also running. They didn't want to get caught and neither did she.

"KIM SUN!"

The voice sent shivers down her spine. She had to get out of there; there was no turning back anymore. This life no longer suited her; it was best to just run away.

That's when the fire started. So did the shrill screams. 

She turned around and saw that a big fire erupted from the room she came from. It was massive and it started to spread around. Her shock froze her for a minute, before she realized she had to run.

But...he's in there.

"KIM SUN!"

The second call for her name sounded more terrible. She had a choice: she could go back and face him again, but that would mean she might never see daylight again. The second one seemed harsh: she could run.

It's what she wanted anyway, right?

"KIM SUN!"

She was pressed against the corner of the end of the corridor. The bright EXIT sign shone above her. As the patrons continued to run away from the fire, Kim Sun knew her next step. Heartless as it was, it was time for change. She had to make some sacrifices. 

She ran.

[ THE PRESENT ]

"...have you ever considered asking Sun Hee about it?"

"You think I haven't done that yet?"

Hyuk glared at Gook Doo. The latter shrugged his shoulders as he slurped his second cup of noodles. 

They were out of the station, having lunch after a strenous fight with local criminals. The detective duo happened upon a robbery in a local shop. It was fortunate that Hyuk and Gook Doo were in good condition; they managed to beat up the pesky criminals who stole from an old lady. After turning them over to the station, they decided to eat.

That's when the started talking about Sun Hee's case.

"Well, one thing's for sure," said Gook Doo, "That stalker of yours is well connected. How else could he have all those photographers and resources?"

"He's rich, you mean."

"Or he could be a gangster."

"That's stupid."

Gook Doo shrugged. "Anything's possible," he remarked, "You never know with these psychos."

Hyuk chewed his food slowly, trying to digest what Gook Doo was saying. The stalker was no longer just a criminal; he was a psycho. There was no arguing over that. Judging from all the things Sun Hee received, no sane person would do that. 

"Boy, your girlfriend attracts a lot of weirdos, huh?"

Hyuk glared at Gook Doo. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The other detective slurped his noodles. "Well, she's dating you."

"Take that back!"

The water continued to run from the tap. Fortunately, nothing blocked the drain; the water ran freely, non-stop. The bathroom light was closed, making it pitch black inside. The slightly ajar door shone bits and pieces of light, shinning it on the crumpled figure hunched by the tub.

There was shaking.

Sun Hee was drenched in both water and her own sweat. She hugged herself, shivering both from the cold water and fear. That voice echoed one too many times in her ear. 

"It's me, don't you remember?"

She bit her lip.

"I loved you so much."

The running water did not deafen the memories of the recent phone call. Sun Hee tried her best to block it out, but there was no point. Her past was finally catching up with her; she just wished it didn't happen like this. 

"Sun. Kim Sun."

"No...stop it. No."

Once she got the phone three hours ago, she threw it away in the bushes. Her body was too frozen in shock, she didn't know what to do. Her first instinct was to run, as she always did during those last years. But where would she go? And where was he? Instead of breaking down outside her apartment, she ran inside of her apartment and locked herself in. She closed the drapes, shut all the doors, and looked around. 

When she couldn't take it anymore, she locked herself inside the bathroom. 

Sun Hee wished she could drown her sorrows and worries in her bathtub. For a moment, she wished she could drown herself in the bathtub. 

Four years ago, when she finally broke free, she swore she'd start things anew. She thought there was no longer a threat of anything surfacing, that she was finally free from that situation. But alas, life was cruel and apparently, he was alive. 

He got out.

"You left me."

The memory of the fire came back to her. She held her head, trying to stop the tears from flowing. She could still hear the screams of the people inside that bar, but his scream rang louder. 

"KIM SUN!"

"No, no," she groaned, "No. I'm not Kim Sun. I'm...Kim Sun Hee."

Outside, she could hear her phone ringing, but she didn't want to answer it. 

"I'm not Kim Sun," she repeated, "I'm not Kim Sun."

"That's weird."

Hyuk looked at his phone, which was still calling Sun Hee's number. This was the nth time he called her the entire day and he still didn't hear anything from her. At first he thought she was busy with filming. She did say something about capping the mid-season episodes today. But when Jin Hae asked him if she finally came home, he was weirded out.

Why was Jin Hae asking him?

He closed his phone and looked up at her apartment. The detective decided to drive to her place right after his shift so he could check on her. He tried calling her before he could see if she was home. There was no answer.

But there was light in her living room. 

That's really strange.

He couldn't shake that odd feeling in his stomach, but he chose to be positive. Since the light was on, maybe she was inside. The detective got out of his car, shoving the phone in his pockets. 

Strange enough, the gate was open.

"She forgot to lock it?" 

Cautiously, he entered the complex. Looking around, he saw nothing worth the worry or investigation. He did see a few slippers scattered around. When he looked up, he noticed that her door was slightly ajar. 

What in the world?

Remembering that one time her stalker got the best of them, Hyuk wasted no time and got inside. 

"Sun Hee?"

There was no answer; his heart raced. 

"Sun Hee?" he called out again, "It's me."

The detective heard water rushing from her downstairs bathroom. He walked towards the ajar door and the lights. Hyuk saw that the actress left the water running on her sink. When he stepped on the tiles, he realized the floor was soaking wet. 

Where was she?

"Sun Hee?"

Detective Lee didn't usually panic, but the silence in her apartment was freaking him out already. Quickly, he proceeded to the living room to look around for signs of her presence: an irritated laugh, a squeal...anything.

His eyes then noticed her bedroom, which was shut close. 

Please be in there, he thought, rushing towards the door. Closing his eyes and fervently hoping that she was in, Hyuk pushed open the door.

There he the hunched figure of Kim Sun Hee sprawled on her bed, barely dressed, wrapped in a towel, and soaking wet. He didn't know if she was conscious or not; she didn't move. Her hair, usually perfect, was all around her. 

"Sun Hee."

She didn't budge.

Hyuk approached her bed, climbing on it, and touching her. Her bedroom was freezing cold already and yet here she was, barely clothed. Only the towel protected her from the cold air. It was no wonder she shivered; Hyuk was thankful though. It was a sign she was alive. He looked for a blanket.

"Sun Hee."

There was a slight movement. He saw her head move at the sound of his voice. Hyuk didn't let go of her shoulders as he tried to wake her up. 

"It's me," he said. 

Finally, Sun Hee turned to look at him, her eyes still in a daze. They were red and bloodshot, signs that she either lacked sleep or she cried. That caused him to worry. 

It took her a second to realize it was him.

"Hyuk?" she asked, trying to recognize him from her personal haze, brushing off her hair.  Now that Hyuk got a better look at her, he saw that she was paler than before. Her skin also broke out some goosebumps. 

She shivered violently.

"I'm...c...cold."

"Of course you are," he remarked, standing up and lookng for a blanket. He spotted one on her bean bag. Immediately, he laid it out and wrapped her around it. "Look at you, you only have a towel, sweetheart." She sat up as he tucked her in the blanket. As he wrapped her, Hyuk noticed that she was staring at him with that sort of expression. 

Dread?

"What happened to you?" he asked, "I called you and you never answered."

"You did?"

"Where is your phone?"

At the mention of her phone, Sun Hee became paler. 

"Phone?"

"Sun Hee, what's happening to you?" he asked her. His hand touched her forehead. "You're clammy, Sun Hee. Are you okay? Are you sick? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?"

"No!" she exclaimed all of a sudden, the towel slightly falling. Hyuk had to re-adjust her blankets to cover her body again. The cold, however, did nothing to deter the look of alarm in her eyes. He couldn't understand it: why was she so scared?

"Sun Hee?"

She buried her head in his chest, surprising Hyuk. This was definitely weirding him out, but he couldn't say anything. All he could do was wrap an unsure arm around her shoulder (which was trembling).

"Did something happen at work?" he asked, "Did your director scream at you? Do you want me to talk to them? What happened?"

No answer.

"Sweetheart?"

She looked up at him. 

"Will you accept me if you knew everything about me?" she asked out of nowhere. 

"What?"

"If you really knew me," she said, "Will you still accept me?"

"Sun Hee, where is this coming from?"

"I just need to know, Hyuk."

Her bloodshot eyes had tears welling up in them. His heart went out to her despite the fact that he couldn't understand. 

"Of course I will," he told her, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear, "Why wouldn't I?"

She looked like a child as she laid in his arms. Her weight was taking its toll on his arm, but Hyuk didn't care. He cradled her in his arms, racking his brains for this sudden outburst. What did she mean when she asked?

"You promise?"

"I do."

Sun Hee gazed at him with tears in her eyes. 

"Kim Sun is different from Kim Sun Hee," she began, "I...I'm not who you think I am."

"What do you mean?"

Her lips were trembling. Whatever Sun Hee wanted to say, she couldn't. Fear was evident in her eyes. Hyuk held her hand. 

"Sweetheart, you can tell me anything." 

She was staring at him with such intent, Hyuk felt like she could burn his soul if she wanted to. opened to speak, but no words came out from it. Instead, she just clutched on to him tightly, mumbling "I'm sorry." The detective was dying to know what troubled the actress so much, but judging from the tears, it seemed as if she wasn't capable of saying anything. 

All Hyuk could do was just hold her and hope he was enough to comfort her. 

"And that's enough for today! Thank you so much for your hard work!" 

The director bowed at his cast and crew as they clapped, eager to finally end the day. They finally filmed the middle episode, which meant everyone deserved a break. Given the high ratings of the show, the director it was only right to give the audience something to anticipate. The productionc crew planned an intentional break to keep everyone wanting more. 

"Good job today, Sun Hee!" praised the director.

Sun Hee blushed and bowed politely. "Thank you for teaching me," she said, "Also, Gong Ha Jin-nim was such a big help. She taught me a lot."

"Ah Sun Hee, you've done well on your own," said the lead actress, smiling at her, "You gained your fans because you are incredibly talented."

"Yeah, you're a good detective," chirped in Lee Tae Jin, the lead actor, "I guess it has something to do with the guy you're dating huh?"

Sun Hee's blush reddened. All she did was smile.

"All right everyone, pack up and get resting," said the director, "I want everyone to be back in two weeks. In the meantime, enjoy your break. Everyone deserves it. But don't forget to memorize your lines and practice your tears. We've only got four episodes left to film."

Everyone cheered as they bowed and thanked each other. Assistants flocked over to their respective actors and actresses; Sun Hee's team busied over her. Jin Hae was just over the corner, fixing her schedule. After discussing photoshoots and potential schedule additions, it was decided that Sun Hee was free for the next two weeks. She was to take a break.

"You deserve it," said Jin Hae, "I'll have the driver take you home now."

Sun Hee thanked her friend and bowed to everyone. With the rest of her bodyguards and staff in tow, Sun Hee proceeded to the awaiting car. Once she got inside, she checked her phone and saw a text message from Hyuk. 

I hope you're feeling better.

Her little breakdown two nights ago struck him hard, she guessed. Since that night, the actress noticed how he was constantly texting her, calling her. That night, he literally handled her with care as he tucked her in. She couldn't help but feel embarassed whenever she remembers how almost she was, but Hyuk being Hyuk, he did not pay attention to this detail. He treated her well and watched as she dozed off. 

To be fair, that breakdown was uncalled for. She couldn't help the rush of emotions, especially when she had a good idea who her stalker was. 

But she couldn't tell Hyuk.

I need some air, she thought.

The actress directed the driver to take the nearest exit. Her bodyguards seemed flustered with her sudden detour, but they didn't say a word. Sun Hee guessed they were used to her sporadic decisions. She knew the one place to go to clear her mind. She would have to ask everyone in the car to give her some space; she sincerely hoped they would.

She needed it. 

And she wanted to go to the place where it all ended.

The empty lot overlooking a river was quiet at midnight. 

Sun Hee asked her mini crew to wait for her at the parking lot. At first, they resisted, insisting they should go with her. But the actress said she just needed this break to clear her head; otherwise, she would throw a fit. 

That got them to listen. 

It's been four years since she set foot in that place. A robust and lively building used to stand in the middle of the lot, which still had remnants of the accident that happened years ago. It was a wonder why no one wanted to rebuild the old high-class lounge; probably because people sensed the "sins" that occured in that place. 

She was naive before, she admitted. Young and eager to seek fame, she didn't know what she was doing.

And she thought she was in love. 

When the mudang her mother brought at home told her that love has been elusive in all of her lifetimes, Sun Hee chose to break that reading. It was one of the many unpleasant readings from her mother's fortune teller friend (she also said Sun Hee was destined to be alone, but for some reason, fate is fighting it). She chose not to be boxed in readings. 

That was how she ended up in that place. 

Sun Hee closed her eyes. Despite the emptiness, she could still hear the merriment: the laughs of the women, the clinking of glasses, and the deals made under the faded lights. Before, she never thought of these are bad, but now that she thought about it, she was a young girl dragged in the world of adults. Would it have happened if she didn't leave home too soon?

But she wouldn't be where she was now. 

"You're going to be big, babe!"

He was the reasons why she was closer with fame, whether she liked it or not. He was the one who used connections to find her a job that landed her to her dreams. It was him. 

And she didn't repay the favor. She couldn't anymore.

The nights of x deals and the possibility of lost lives -- it was too much for Kim Sun. She could be famous, but could she really bear that on her shoulders? It was for that reason that she killed Kim Sun and returned as Kim Sun Hee. 

It has to end here, she thought, I'm going to tell Hyuk. I'm going to tell him. 

The past was dark, but it was better than living in the dark. Sun Hee knew that only Hyuk could shed the light. He promised that he would accept her, no matter what her past was. She could only hold on to that promise; whether he stayed or not, it was his decision. She had to put a stop to things. 

With a deep breath, Sun Hee made her way back. 

She stopped.

"I knew you'd come back," said a deep, husky voice. 

Her eyes widened in shock as she stared at the tall figure in front of her.

It was him.

A/N: I made an error with Hyuk's sister's name in "Going Home." Jin Hae is Sun Hee's friend and Jae Eun is Hyuk's dongsaeng -- just for clarification! Ugh haha the names got me all confused. I'm too distracted with a lot of stuff plus BTS GOING TO BILLBOARD. GAAAH. I can't even. But I hope you guys are all right. Thank you so much for the support and I'm sorry if I didn't reply to some of the comments! :D

Nearing the end! Hooraaay! :D