Author POV

“We should just tell her the truth. I can’t do this anymore,” the woman cried softly.

You shifted in your seat. Your hair was covering your face and you were half awake.

You had fallen asleep at your father’s bedside after crying and had woken up to hear Chaerin and Madame Park walk in.

“We can’t, it’s up to appa to tell her. Let’s wait a while longer,” you heard Chaerin comfort her.

“This secret was what made it become like this! The longer we don’t tell her, the more she’ll resent us…”

“Eomoni, what will you say? Are you just going to apologize and tell her you’re not her mother? How you’re not my mother? I won’t have it. If it ever comes down to it, I’ll tell her,” Chaerin said decisively.

Your heart shook. What were they saying?

Your fingers curled and gripped the sheets beneath your hands.

“The poor child has suffered through so much, she needs to know.”

“And she will,” your elder sister promised. “But now isn’t the time. It’ll be too much for her. Eomma died while trying to protect her and appa is like this because of the same reason. She’ll feel guilty. Let’s wait until appa wakes up to tell her.”

You bit the inside of your cheek, hard. “You’re here,” you stood up and looked at the pair with indifferent eyes. Madame Park and Chaerin gasped and looked at you in shock. There was no doubt whether or not you had heard their conversation. “I’ll take my leave now.”

Without waiting for a reply, you grabbed your bag and left.

Walking down the hallway, you ran into Chanyeol. He gave you a smile and made a move to place a hand on your shoulder, but you pushed him away. “Rinnie?”

“I need to go,” you muttered. “I… won’t be coming back here again. Don’t look for me ever again.”

Chanyeol looked at you in alarm. “Saerin, what’s wrong? Why are you being like this?”

Your eyes hardened and you looked up at him. “Did you know too?”

“What are you talking about, I—“

“I can’t be here anymore, I have no right. I have to go.” You turned around and started walking away. However, Chanyeol angrily pulled you back and shook your shoulders.

“What the hell are you doing? Say something that makes sense!”

You sighed with relief. So he didn’t know either. You shrugged his hands off of yo