Chapter 3
His hand didn’t move any further.
A deep sigh escaped. It wasn’t from her—it came from him.
“Stop.”
When she opened her eyes, she saw him sitting up.
She was stunned. This had never happened before. To heat things up and then just step back…
Did he not even want to be intimate now? The thought that she was just such an object to him made her lower lip tremble with shame and despair.
“I’m fine. When it’s time for someone to go, they go.”
Grandmother Kim In-ja held Yoon-seo’s hand tightly.
Yoon-seo’s eyes were wet, red, and she couldn’t speak.
Grandmother Kim had been her pillar ever since Yoon-seo started volunteering at the nursing home—gently comforting her lonely, heavy heart.
Not long after Yoon-seo got married, her mother-in-law, In-hye, began taking her to the nursing home. “Volunteer, appear in the media—that’s what supporting your husband means,” she’d said.
In-hye had visited a few times afterward, showing her face briefly. But Yoon-seo continued volunteering faithfully.
She had grown close to Grandmother Kim and the other residents, forming bonds like true family.
Recently, Grandmother Kim’s health had deteriorated rapidly. The doctor had said she didn’t have much time left.
“But still, I was so glad to meet our kind-hearted Yoon-seo in person.”
“Grandmother…”
“Thank you for becoming like family to me.”
Yoon-seo bit her lip and lowered her head. She wanted to say she was thankful too, but a hot lump rose in her throat, blocking her words.
Her grip on the elderly woman’s hand tightened. With her other hand, Grandmother Kim stroked Yoon-seo’s hand gently.
“Yoon-seo, you must be happy with your real family, now.”
Yoon-seo lifted her reddened eyes. She had never spoken about family before, yet Grandmother Kim seemed to understand even the things left unsaid.
“No, grandmother—you should live a long time.”
When she finally spoke with trembling lips, Grandmother Kim smiled quietly.
“When I’m gone, take care of my things for me.”
Yoon-seo shook her head. She couldn’t promise that—not while the woman was alive, healthy, speaking clearly, and still bright.
“Not much—just the clothes I wore when I got married, and these glasses.”
Grandmother Kim’s wet eyes caressed Yoon-seo with kindness.
“When you face hardships or pain, put on these glasses and look at others. You’ll see things more clearly.”
Yoon-seo had nothing to say, so she bit her lips.
“Don’t torment yourself too much. Don’t jump to conclusions too early. What you think may not be the truth.”
The grandmother patted her back as if she knew everything.
“Take care of yourself.”
Tears poured from her eyes in that moment.
She realized then: Grandmother Kim had actually passed away last month. Yoon-seo hadn’t been there, only coming after receiving notice, witnessing her after she had already passed.
“Don’t go, grandmother. Don’t leave me.”
Yoon-seo clutched the fabric of her robe. But the grandmother’s face was already fading, becoming transparent.
“Thank you… for everything.”
“Please… you can’t leave me like this, grandmother!”
The face vanished completely. Yoon-seo’s eyes shot open.
The first thing she saw was the ceiling of her room. Her sweat-soaked body felt a chill. She remembered that morning, attending the flower-arranging class and napping briefly.
“Grandmother…”
She had come to see me, and she left without a goodbye.
The thought brought fresh tears. The warm, gentle grandmother—Yoon-seo could still feel the touch of her hand.
Lying there quietly, trying to calm her pounding heart, her phone rang.
She picked it up, furrowing her brow as she saw the caller.
“Yes, Director.”
It was the nursing home director. Yoon-seo had taken a break from volunteering after Grandmother Kim’s death.
[Oh, madam. How have you been? I’m calling because Grandmother Kim left some belongings and she wished for you to keep them. When can you come by?]
Yoon-seo’s eyes widened. Why now, of all times?
The belongings fit in a small box. She had picked them up immediately but hadn’t opened them until she got home.
In her study, she carefully opened the box.
Inside were a neatly folded hanbok and a small box.
It was just as Grandmother Kim had said in her dream. Yoon-seo wondered again—was this really her, coming from the afterlife to see her?
The hanbok was so delicate and beautiful that it immediately reminded her of the grandmother. She hugged it, burying her face in it, and felt as if the grandmother’s scent lingered.
After a moment, she folded the hanbok neatly again and opened the small box. Inside were the glasses. They were round, like an antique.
“When you face hardships or pain, put on these glasses and look at others. You’ll see things more clearly.”
What exactly would she see more clearly?
Yoon-seo carefully held the glasses and put them on.
She had never worn glasses before. Her eyesight had been her one true blessing. She had used up all the luck she could have had for good vision.
The glasses felt heavy on her ears and nose.
Yet, her vision was no different.
“Madam, would you like a snack, or—oh!”
At that moment, Madam Kim knocked and entered, stopping in her tracks.
Their eyes met.
‘She’s so beautiful, anything suits her. Even these strange glasses look good on her. Someone so pretty and kind-hearted, yet she rarely smiles. If she were my daughter, I’d fuss over her and make sure of everything.’
“Daughter?”
“Yes?”
Madam Kim’s eyes widened.
“Didn’t you just say that?”
“Excuse me? I didn’t say a word.”
‘What? I couldn’t possibly hear her thoughts.’
Yoon-seo, startled, removed the glasses. The whispering stopped immediately.
In the afternoon, she had a skincare treatment at the hotel—a place she visited regularly like the massage parlor.
“Sorry, I’m a little late.”
“No problem. Shall we depart immediately?”
Her mind had been tangled, so she had dawdled while getting ready, lost in thought. Driver Oh, as always, waited for her cheerfully.
Starting the car, he glanced back and asked,
“Madam, haven’t you been volunteering lately?”
“I should, but my mind’s been preoccupied.”
“I see. So you won’t go this Saturday either? Our little one keeps asking to go to the amusement park.”
“Yes, I’ll rest this week as well. Please enjoy yourself. You must be tired from working even on weekends.”
“No, this is my job. Haha.”
Driver Oh laughed. Yoon-seo suddenly thought of the glasses. Could they really show the hearts of others?
She slowly took them out, looking at Driver Oh. But since she saw the back of his head, she couldn’t read his thoughts like before.
The car stopped briefly.
“Driver Oh.”
She called him deliberately. He turned slowly to look at her.
“Yes, madam?”
‘Ugh, how annoying. Why call me while driving? Always late when going somewhere. I have to meet Miseon afterward, and now we’ll be late again.’
“Yes?”
“Yes? What did you say?”
“Nothing.”
She answered absentmindedly, startled.
He turned forward and drove on.
“Madam, the glasses suit you. But they look old-fashioned. Is this style in fashion?”
“Oh, I received them as a gift. By the way, what will you do after work today?”
“After work? Go home to see my wife and kids. Haha.”
Yoon-seo knew his wife wasn’t Miseon.
“Oh, I see.”
“If we go to the amusement park this Saturday, it’ll be a big mess. I’m a bad dad, huh?”
The car stopped again.
“Which park?”
Yoon-seo looked forward and asked.
“Everland. They’ve wanted to go for a long time. There’s a big zoo, too.”
‘Zoo? You’re lying—because of you, Miseon has no time. Good thing that old lady passed peacefully. Otherwise, he’d think Saturday still has a schedule.’
A shiver ran down Yoon-seo’s spine. Driver Oh’s thoughts were beyond her imagination.
“Oh, I see.”
She forced a small smile. Then Driver Oh spoke again.
“Will you continue volunteering at the nursing home?”
“Yes, that’s…”
“I worry because it seems traumatic. If you want to keep volunteering, maybe somewhere else would be better. External volunteering at the nursing home is only on Saturdays anyway.”
“Is Saturday a problem?”
“No, it’s not that. I just worry about you. Haha. On Saturdays, you need to be with the president too.”
‘Damn it. Listen to me, woman.’
The car moved on again.
Yoon-seo felt a chill down her spine.
After finishing her treatment and crossing the hotel lobby, she spotted Seung-woo approaching with his secretary, probably returning from an errand.
There was no alternative route.
She swallowed hard, waiting for him to get closer.
“On your way from treatment?”
He asked, as if he knew her schedule. She nodded.
“Yes.”
“And meals?”
She hadn’t eaten yet—planning to do so at home.
“If you haven’t eaten, let’s go together.”
“Yes?”
“To the second-floor restaurant.”
He said it, walking toward the elevator as if no response was needed.
Yoon-seo followed, suddenly remembering the glasses in her bag.
‘What could his thoughts truly be?’
It was the question she most wanted answered.
