『—A woman in her twenties was apprehended while attempting to defect to North Korea from the border region of Paju, Gyeonggi Province. According to police sources, Ms. Han, a woman in her twenties, was arrested just past midnight on the 12th after ramming the checkpoint barricade at the Unification Bridge and crossing the restricted civilian zone. She sped nearly three kilometers before she was taken into custody and handed over to the police...』

A man in a stiff white lab coat listened to the morning news as he prepared for consultations.

He hummed to himself as he neatly combed back his hair, which had begun to whiten. Following his morning routine, he set the kettle to boil, preheated the teacups, and finally checked his appointment schedule.

Every time he saw his calendar packed like this, he couldn’t help but think back.

The clinic that had started in a worn-down provincial building had since grown into a major practice with five therapists under him. This prideful achievement put him in high spirits once again today.

Now, let’s see... who’s the first appointment?

At that moment—bang!—the door flew open without warning. “You can’t just go in there like that...!” Nurses from the front desk rushed over in a panic, but the uninvited guest strode in with a large gift box wrapped in a bright red ribbon.

“Doctor, Seoryeong is here.”

“...!”

The doctor’s eyes widened, and his lined cheeks stiffened.

“You didn’t call ahead...”

“I wasn’t even sure you’d be here.”

Seoryeong burst into a radiant smile, genuinely delighted. Her face curved with a pretty, bright expression—but something about it felt off. The doctor, who’d known her since she was ten years old, immediately sensed the discord.

“People around me keep disappearing lately, you see.”

“S-Seoryeong...”

“Please sit down, Doctor. I came for a session.”

Seoryeong plopped down on the sofa without waiting. The doctor quickly masked his trembling hands and sat across from her with a composed face.

No one understood Han Seoryeong’s temperament better than he did. That’s why he knew it was wiser not to provoke her with a strong reaction. The best approach was to let her talk.

“Would you like some tea?”

“...Huh?”

“I brought you a gift.”

The wrapping was extravagant. Seoryeong untied the large red ribbon and opened the box.

Inside was a collection of premium teas: Famous Tea, Fruit Tea, Classic World Tea, Green Tea—all neatly packaged.

“The water’s boiling already.”

She walked over to the island counter at the edge of the consultation room and picked out a teacup. She moved as if she were in her own home. The doctor tugged lightly at his tie, feeling his breath catch.

“Your... your eyes... what happened?”

“They’re healing, apparently.”

She couldn’t take her eyes off the water as it bubbled in the kettle.

“They say it wasn’t incurable after all. Isn’t that funny?”

She let out a short laugh. It was a good thing her vision was improving—so why did she say it was funny?

Still, the doctor forced a slight smile. Building rapport was always the first priority, and setting a tone of empathy was key.

“Have you been doing well? How are things these days?”

“I’ve been job hunting. Gotta make a living.”

“And your husband?”

“He ran away.”

“...What?”

Seoryeong merely shrugged. She selected one of the tea sets, carefully unwrapped the packaging, and placed the teabag into a cup. When she poured hot water over it, a rosy color bloomed into the liquid.

“I did everything I was taught. I acted sweet.”

“......”

“Just like a puppy—gentle, affectionate, pretty.”

She continued, tidying up the rest of the tea bags.

“You know, Doctor. I really tried to live a good life. I cared for people, even when they were barely alive. It wasn’t productive in any way.”

“......”

“And look how that turned out.”

With graceful steps, she walked over and set the teacup before him. The doctor’s throat tightened. He clasped his damp palms under the table.

“So, what do you think went wrong?”

Her gloomy expression was pitiable—but to the doctor, it looked theatrical. He quickly sipped the warm tea to hide his face. There was no time to enjoy the taste.

“Why do people give birth to someone only to abandon them, love and then run away, cherish and then betray?”

“......”

“Why did you do it?”

Clink. The hand setting the teacup down faltered. When he looked up, Seoryeong was staring at him with icy eyes. Then suddenly, she smiled again—completely out of place.

“Mafia used to poison traitors by lacing their tea, you know.”

“...!”

It felt like all the blood drained from his body. His hand hovered shakily near his neck.

Her large, beautiful eyes—untouched by makeup—looked dull and blank. But her gaze remained steady from beginning to end.

That part hadn’t changed since she was a child. When she wanted something, she would get it no matter what it took. The doctor’s lips trembled.

“Y-You...”

“You made me a schizophrenic patient on paper. If not for that, I’d be in prison right now.”

“Khk...”

“Are you scared?”

“I-I...”

Suddenly, the doctor gritted his teeth and shoved Seoryeong away, scrambling to his feet.

Even a trace amount of poison could dissolve the internal organs. Feeling a twisting pain in his abdomen, he staggered for the door.

But his legs buckled before he could take more than a few steps. He collapsed with a thud.

“Doctor, don’t show your back to me.”

Seoryeong spoke as she slammed her knee into his spine.

“Guh...!”

“Who told you to do it?”

“I-I don’t know either... Arghhh...!”

As she pressed her weight into her knee, he screamed. Seoryeong shoved her forearm into his open mouth and cranked the TV volume up to full blast.

“Mmhh...!” 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

“I have to know. I think it’s related to my husband. I’m sorry, but when it comes to him, I lose all reason.”

“...Mmm...”

At last, when she withdrew her arm, he lay there drooling and gasping for air.

“I... I don’t know exactly. I was just asked a favor...”

“What kind of favor?”

“They... they wanted to see your medical records.”

Medical records? Seoryeong tilted her head, expressionless.

“So you forged the doctor’s statements too?”

“...Th-They said it would never hurt you—”

“Sorry, but I got caught trying to defect to the North the other day.”

“...!”

“You’ve been caught red-handed.”

The doctor, as if finally resigned, let his body go limp. Seoryeong lifted her knee and slumped onto the sofa like she, too, had grown tired. Then she picked up the tea and chugged it without the slightest concern.

The man stared at her in horror. The muscles around his eyes spasmed.

“You... you...!”

“So then, who exactly were they? What organization were they from?”

She wiped her damp lips with the back of her hand. It was only then the doctor realized—he’d been played. Utterly played by this insolent patient.

Or maybe, all the misunderstanding and fear he’d stockpiled over the years had finally snapped. He massaged his throat and spoke with a broken voice.

“...I don’t know if it was meant to reassure me, but they said they were from some kind of national agency. There were no proper business cards. Later, they gave me one printed at a print shop.”

A print shop or a publisher... Seoryeong muttered, her breathing shallow and rapid like a starving bird. Her chest ached like it had been punched, even though she hadn’t been hit. Maybe it was because... she still wanted to believe in Kim Hyun.

Who would take a random errand service’s word at face value? Who would just... believe them? Maybe she’d been holding onto that foolish certainty without realizing.

But after hearing the NIS’s evasive responses and now this testimony # Nоvеlight # from her doctor, she couldn’t keep lying to herself anymore. The denial she’d clung to was now unraveling.

They’d spun a spiderweb this intricate—and she was the only one who hadn’t seen it.

She’d been so goddamn stupid.

Seoryeong raised her arms and covered her face.

Defeat crashed over her.

Kim Hyun. You really did lie to me...

And you really left me.

This wasn’t a disappearance. You left me.

“...You were the one who taught me how to wear the mask nicely.”

“Y-Yes...”

“In that case, today’s our last session.”

“What do you mean...”

Fatigue bore down on her shoulders. Her defection attempt and twenty-four hours of detainment—it had only been a few days ago. Now alone, she needed to look for a new job, and she still had to find her husband.

“I’m going to shatter the mask now.”

“...!”

She had wanted to live kindly. She had wanted to be loved. But there wasn’t a single thing in her life that had been real.

If even her happiest memories—her marriage—had all been part of someone else’s plan...

Then love, and trust, were just pathetic, shitty lies.

The only thing in this world untouched by deceit was her own twisted, bare self.

“Goodbye, Doctor.”