“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”
― Henry David Thoreau

“Could you help me reach the top shelf? I think the photo albums are there.”

Soojin reached high on her tip-toes, just barely grabbing the old leather-bound photo album that was stacked on top of various books and keepsakes. She had to keep herself from sneezing from the dust that had accumulated. Soojin made a mental note to clean this room next when she had free time in the next day or so. She had been trying her best to deep clean the apartment while she was here, because she knew no one else would.

Mr. Lee smiled as Soojin handed him the photobook and rejoined him at the small table in the corner. It was a tiny apartment and a little dirty, but it was cozy and warm. It fit Mr. Lee well, and Soojin didn’t hate being here.

“Let me show you how cute my children were back in the day. Can you help me with the pages?”

“I would love to.”

Ever since the Sungho incident, Soojin had been reassigned to ‘low-risk’ jobs by Soyeon. Soojin had argued against the woman, saying she was fine, but Soyeon wouldn’t budge. If Soyeon had her own way, Soojin would officially retire from the agency, so this was the closest thing to a compromise they could get to. Soojin still had debts to pay, so she had to keep working no matter what.

Mr. Lee was eighty-two with failing eyesight and a bright smile. He told Soojin that his wife had passed away ten years earlier from illness, and he had been living on his own ever since. He had two adult children, but they both lived abroad with their families. His daughter had contacted the agency two weeks ago, asking if they could have an employee spend the week with her father so he wouldn’t be alone during his birthday. Soojin was chosen and had been enjoying the last few days of winter with the kind old man. Her identity this time was as a student who was working with a senior citizen advocacy group. She got to wear normal clothes and pretend to be a regular twenty-something, and it was a relaxing escape for her. She never wanted to be trapped in gold and diamond chains ever again.

It was an easy job. Soojin helped Mr. Lee cook and clean, took him on walks, and listened to his stories. It was quite relaxing, and Soojin even found herself feeling comforted by the simplicity of the old man. She never had a living grandfather growing up, so she imagined Mr. Lee would have been a nice one to have when she was younger. He always smiled no matter what problems he faced, and Soojin wished she could feel that optimistic about life. She had been wallowing in self-pity for the past two, almost three months, and she hoped Mr. Lee’s attitude could somehow rub off on her. It was probably just a useless wish, though.

After looking through the photo album for an hour or so, they were enjoying a meal while watching the evening programming on Mr. Lee’s small television.

Mr. Lee liked watching the news while they ate, and Soojin didn’t mind it all. She liked that she didn’t have to speak much, and Mr. Lee seemed to like talking to someone who would rather listen. Not having to answer countless intrusive questions every time she was with her client was a blessing.

They were just finishing up their meal when Soojin heard a familiar name come out of the news anchor’s mouth.

“Actress Choi Taeha held a press conference this afternoon to thank the public for trusting in her after being falsely accused of fraud and forgery. She reaffirmed her trust in the justice system but dodged reporter’s questions about Park Sungho’s alleged crimes.”

Soojin froze for a moment as the words sunk in. The news report was less than a minute long, but it took her a few more to calm down again. It was a rude awakening, being once again reminded of the Park family while she was trying to move on with her life. Sungho was someone she wished she would never have to see or hear from ever again, and even though she had no hard feelings for Taeha, she still didn’t want to think of her either. It hurt too much, reminding her of what she had lost. Ever since that cold day in January, Soojin had tried to forget about the girl who had branded her heart. She hadn’t seen or heard from Shuhua in three months, and the news only mentioned her a few times in relation to Sungho’s legal troubles. Shuhua could be long gone for all she knew, leaving the chaos of Seoul for Jeju or Taiwan or even somewhere else. She hadn’t even tried texting Shuhua after the girl told her she never wanted to see her again, because even though there were days Soojin felt desperate, she knew Shuhua would never respond, and that would break her even more. Her fragile heart couldn’t handle rejection a second time.

Soojin was broken out of her memories by Mr. Lee’s attempt to stand up from his seat on the ground. Soojin went over to aid him and made sure he was steady before backing away.

“Do you help with need something?”

“I just remembered I bought something for you from the kind lady next door. I’ll go get it.” The old man took a moment to get himself balanced before hobbling over to his room. Despite his failing sight, he knew how to get around his apartment without much trouble.

Soojin took the time to clean up their plates in the sink and didn’t even notice the old man return before she heard him clear his throat behind her.

He was standing with his hands behind his back and a shy smile on his face.

“My wife used to love flowers, so I thought you would like them too. My daughter told me I should thank you for helping me this week.”

He moved his hands from behind his back, and held out the present in front of him. The red roses were a stark flash of color in the dusty beige apartment. The thorns had been clipped off, but the threat of the blood red petals was just as sharp and dangerous.

It was a kind gesture, but it only made Soojin feel even more upset than the news report. The sickly-sweet smell reminded her of a predatory smile and a cold grip. Soojin never knew she could have such a panicked reaction to something so benign, but seeing the roses made her feel like she was trapped again with no way to escape. It was like Sungho was taunting her from his jail cell.

You’ll never really be free of me.

Every morning she woke, she worried it would be the day Sungho would strike back. He would reveal her identity, frame her, or bring her down with him. So far, she hadn’t heard anything from him, but she always took a few extra seconds before answering phone calls from unknown numbers.

Soojin stared at the flowers in her hands. She hated the hold they had over her, the feelings of claustrophobia they created. It made her upset, but more and more, they made her angry.

She knew they would wilt in a few days, as they were cut from their roots. Sungho hadn’t sent them. They were just a gift from a gentle old man. They had no power over her.

When the old man left to use the washroom, Soojin took the flowers and walked back towards the kitchen. Her grip on the flowers tightened as she made up her mind.

He doesn’t control you anymore.

Soojin was her own person now. She might have been mourning a relationship that had never fully blossomed, but at least now she knew what she wanted. She wanted so much it hurt, but that pain was only proof that she had finally found herself. Her scars, no matter how deep, proved that she was real.

She took one last look at the flowers before tossing them into the trash bin and shutting the lid. For the first time in months, she felt free.

“Did you like them?” Mr. Lee asked after he hobbled back to the kitchen. He smiled brightly at her with his unfocused eyes. She felt guilty, but only for a moment. What he didn’t know wouldn’t kill him, she reasoned. She did it for herself, in the end. It was the first thing she had ever done just for herself.

“They were lovely.”

She took the trash out later that night, tossing it unceremoniously into the dumpster. After that, she didn’t spare the wilting roses another thought.

Soojin didn’t expect the letter Soyeon handed her when she visited her at the agency for a quick check-in the next day. She had assisted Mr. Lee to a doctor’s appointment that morning, and she had time to burn before she had to him home.

“This came for you this morning. It’s not signed.” Soyeon said cautiously. They both knew what the other was thinking, and their eyes met before falling onto the crisp letter Soyeon passed to her.

Soojin’s hands shook despite her nonchalant expression, and she slowly opened the letter with the sharp letter opener that Soyeon had handed her.

The card was thick and glossy, with embossed gold leaf framing the nondescript greeting message on the front. She opened the card with numb fingers, worried what would happen once she read the contents of the letter.

Inside the letter was a pressed stem of lavender, and somehow seeing the beautiful purple shade made Soojin feel a little more at ease than she was before. She had expected blood red, not purple.

As she read the looping writing that was revealed after she moved the dried lavender, she felt herself sag with relief. Soyeon was still leaning forward, trying to get a good look at the letter from the other side of her desk, but she was too short to get a good glimpse.

Soojin finally finished reading the words after a few moments and brought the card back down from her eyes.

“Who is it from? What does it say?” Soyeon asked worriedly. Soojin was comforted by Soyeon’s concern; it wasn’t often that someone showed true care for her.

“Don’t worry too much, Soyeon. It’s not from Sungho, if that was what you were thinking.” Soojin reassured, knowing her friend’s mind was already going a mile a minute with her assumptions.

“Then who sent it?”

Soojin let out a regretful sigh.

“Someone I owe an apology to.”

It had been a while since she had stepped through the large entrance doors of the Park mansion, but they still didn’t lose their intended effect. It was grand, and Soojin couldn’t help but be impressed by the architecture. The mansion really was a masterclass on the blending of modern design and traditional Korean beauty. In another life, she could see herself admiring the building from afar, rather than dreading it from within.

Soojin took her time to approach the courtyard, appreciating the small changes she could see throughout the house. After Jinhyung passed away, the decorations and details within the house were dark and morose, but now they shined with bright colours. It seemed like a new beginning had emerged within the Park household along with the spring weather.

Soojin quietly took her seat at the wrought-iron table at the centre of the courtyard and waited for her host to join her. She could see that the stone pathway had been reassembled after it was dug up by the police, and had even gained some new decoration.

“It’s so lovely to see you again, Soojin.”

Soojin heard Taeha’s voice as the older woman approached the table. She was dressed in a beautiful blush-pink wrap dress, fitting for the warming weather. Soojin felt underdressed in her own off-shoulder sweater and jeans, but she felt more comfortable than when she had to wear the designer clothes Sungho chose for her.

Taeha sat down gracefully, smiling at Soojin as she settled in.

“You as well.” Soojin said with her own timid smile. Taeha’s presence was still just as regal and intimidating as ever, even after everything she had been through. “I see you’ve replanted the garden.”

The countless roses that covered the garden had been removed and replaced with a variety of local flowers, from azaleas to magnolias. It gave the garden a more natural look, much less artificial than the rows of roses that once filled the grounds. Soojin liked the change.

“I’m tired of roses these days. They are too cliché, don’t you think? I wanted something refreshing.” Taeha said playfully, and Soojin appreciated the other woman’s resilience. Losing both an ex-husband and son in a few months period would break a normal person, but Taeha was stronger than she seemed.

“I agree.” Soojin said as she took in the new scent of the garden. Instead of nauseating sweetness, the garden smelled like morning dew and freshly tilled dirt. It was comforting.

Soojin took a moment to gather her courage as Taeha set out the tea. She wanted to do this right.

“I—I want to apologize. For everything I did. I’m sorry for deceiving you.”

Taeha’s eyes were sharp as she listened to Soojin’s apology, but her next words came out softer than Soojin had expected.

“I forgive you, Soojin. I won’t say I wasn’t upset by the truth of the situation, but I also understand my son’s hold on people. You deceived me,” she said as she dropped a sugar cube into her cup, “but you also helped prove my innocence. I’m grateful for that. Many others would have just taken the money and ran away.”

In any other circumstance, Soojin would have taken the money and ran. But meeting Shuhua had changed everything for her. She wasn’t just living to survive now. Soojin bowed to Taeha, thankful for the older woman’s firm but forgiving ways.

“Thank you for your forgiveness. I won’t make you regret it.”

They spent the next few minutes catching up, and Soojin could almost pretend this was just a normal pleasant visit with her mother-in-law, rather than whatever complicated relationship existed between her and Taeha. Maybe in another world, with different decisions, Taeha wo