Eight Years Ago
The night was quiet, too quiet. The wind barely moved through the trees, and the moon was half hidden behind clouds.
A young girl, sixteen years old, stumbled behind a tall man who dragged her by the arm. Her white sleeve was soaked in blood, the cut on her arm still fresh from a sword. Her steps were slow, weak. She didn't cry. Her eyes looked empty, like she had already given up.
Jang Hyun said nothing. His grip tightened as they approached an old, forgotten well behind a rundown shed. The stone edges were cracked, covered in moss. Without any warning, he pushed her into it.
She hit the ground hard. The well wasn't deep enough to kill, but the fall still hurt.
Jang Hyun stood above, looking down at her. "That's your punishment," he said coldly. "You disobeyed me. Let's see if you can survive this."
Then he turned and walked away.
It was two days before anyone came.
Eun Sook had not moved much. Her body ached. Her lips were dry, and her cut had started to burn. But she didn't try to climb out. She didn't even call for help. She just sat there, knees to her chest, staring at nothing.
Her hair was stuck to her face. Her white robe was stained with dirt and blood. She wasn't even trying to survive.
Then, the sky opened up. Rain started to pour.
And then, someone jumped into the well.
The splash was loud. Water hit her face, but she didn't flinch.
It was a boy—around nineteen. He came up gasping. His clothes were soaked. His hair stuck to his face. He looked confused, not expecting someone else to be there.
He stared at her. She just looked away.
He backed into a corner, breathing hard, silent.
Hours passed. Neither of them said a word. The rain kept falling. The water kept rising, inch by inch.
Finally, he spoke.
"I thought I was alone down here," he said quietly.
She didn't answer.
"I wanted to die," he added. "I thought it'd be easier this way. Drown. Disappear."
Still, she didn't speak.
"Why are you here?" he asked.
Her voice was hoarse. "Punishment."
"Did you try to get out?"
"No."
He leaned back against the wall. "Funny… I wanted to die. But now that I saw someone else here, I'm not so sure anymore."
She didn't reply. But for the first time, her head turned slightly.
He noticed. "You're not scared?"
"I don't feel anything anymore."
It was silent again. The water was halfway up their legs now.
Then, the boy whispered, "I hate them. All of them."
She looked at him.
"I don't belong anywhere. I have no purpose in this life."
He met her eyes.
"What about you?"
She looked away. "I wasn't supposed to live this life. But I do. And it's hell."
The two of them stayed quiet for a while. The rain kept pouring down heavily. The water was rising fast. It was already at their chest level.
He moved a bit closer. "Let's get out of here."
She didn't move.
"We can't die like this. Not like this," he said. "Let's have revenge. Those who had wronged us don't deserve peace. They should be the ones down here not us."
She slowly looked up at the stones above. Her fingers trembled.
Together, they started climbing. He slipped many times, but she was stronger than he thought. She went first. When she got to the top, she didn't leave him. She found a long stick and pulled him up.
He almost passed out when he got out, coughing hard.
They didn't ask names. They didn't need to.
They sat under a tree, shivering, soaking wet. He took off his outer robe and gave it to her.
"I'll come back here," he said. "Whenever I feel like giving up."
She nodded. "Me too."
After that, they met there many times. Quiet meetings, short talks. They never told each other their names.
Threeyears later( Five years ago)
Wang Yul arrived at the Jang residence quietly. He held a small bundle of wildflowers in his hand, freshly picked and still slightly wet with morning dew.
A servant greeted him at the gate and asked for his name. Once he said it, the servant quickly bowed and led him through the large courtyard.
"She's at the back garden," the servant said, stopping by the stone path. "I will return inside now."
Yul nodded.
He turned and saw her.
Jang Eun Sook stood under the bare sky. Her black robe hung neatly over her frame, her long hair tied in a simple ponytail. Her arms were folded behind her back. She was calm, but something about her felt sharp—like a blade waiting to be drawn.
She didn't speak. Not until the servant walked away.
Yul took a step forward.
"I came to see you," he said softly, lifting the flowers toward her. "I—"
Before he could finish, a sharp sound cut the air.
Her sword sliced clean through the flowers.
The petals dropped at her feet.
Yul stared.
He took a shaky step closer.
She moved fast. Her sword pointed straight at his neck. The metal grazed his skin, leaving a thin red line. A shallow bruise.
Her voice was cold. Flat.
"Never appear before me again. The next time you do will be your last day in earth."
Yul didn't reply. He just stood there shocked and confused.
She lowered her sword.
He looked at her one last time, then turned and walked away—past the scattered flowers, past the silence, and out of her world.
---
The Present
Wang Yul opened his eyes.
He was in his room. The candle near his bed had almost burned out. His head ached. His mouth was dry.
He sat up slowly, still wearing the same clothes from earlier.
The last thing he remembered was her.
Eun Sook.
She had looked right through him at Cheongjeonghan inn. Like he wasn't even there.
After that, he drank with Jin. But none of it felt real. All he could think about was Eun Sook.
He wasn't happy. He couldn't even pretend he was.
Now, alone in the dark, he felt even worse.
He ran a hand through his hair and let out a soft breath.
No matter how hard he tried to forget her, she always came back to his mind.
And every time she did, it hurt more.