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墨書 Inktalez
Anna sometimes wondered what it would have been like if she had been in Han Yoon-soo's place back then.
After being mistreated by a man she disliked, even loathed, she was forced to marry him. Would she still have given birth to a child under such circumstances?
Sometimes, a chill would run through Anna's heart.
Brother Jae-seok said that Han Yoon-soo was inherently kind, and that was true; it was why she endured and gave birth to the child.
But Anna realized that deep down, she didn’t seem to possess Han Yoon-soo's kindness. As Andy had said, they were alike, having inherited their father's bloodline—selfish and cruel. If it had been her back then, there would be no Andy or Anna in this world now.
What right did she have to hate Han Yoon-soo? Perhaps, like Andy suggested, the one they should truly hate was their father—hate his filthiness, hate his despicableness.
On a winter night, not a single star could be seen through the car window.
Stars?
Anna let out a cold laugh; the stars were gone, and so was the moon. This season belonged to her, while the stars and the moon had fallen in love with the summer night sky.
When Han Yufei's call came in, filled with various curses directed at Anna, she understood that the truth had come to light.
"Anna Zheng, I will ruin you! This time you’re lucky; I want to see just how far you can go!"
"Alright, then you better watch closely." Anna smiled slightly—not with the joy of a victor but rather with a hint of wicked amusement. Since it was jealousy and since it made no sense to explain, why not let her become completely consumed by it? Was there any better revenge than this?
Since she wasn’t a kind person, responding to violence with violence felt quite exhilarating.
"Anna, there are some things we need to discuss. Come see me at SBS tomorrow." The call from Miao PD followed.
"Alright. Got it." Anna continued to smile, genuinely happy, as a reminder to herself that the road ahead was still long. She wanted to reach her dreams and could not afford to remain stagnant any longer.
Runningman was still a place she loved, a place where she had invested her heart and soul. This time, she would not give up because of others. Although this passion had been dormant for a while, when it reignited, it would burn brightly once again.
The best way to get back at those who dislike you is to live better than they do.
The best way to repay those around you is to take yourself and life seriously.
Regardless of the purpose, it seemed that Lady Luck had not abandoned her; Anna had not faced total defeat in this regard.
How long had it been since she last returned to SBS? This place she used to visit almost every day still had all its facilities intact, just with updated promotional posters. Not seeing any familiar faces made Anna feel somewhat relieved, as she still did not know what the final outcome would be.
"Miao PD." Upon entering Miao PD's office, Anna greeted politely.
Miao PD, who was organizing some documents, glanced at Anna, paused his work, adjusted his glasses, and said to her, "You're here. Have a seat."
"Thank you." Anna replied as she sat down.
"You seem to have lost quite a bit of weight these days, Anna."
Anna smiled shyly and said, "It's gotten cold, so my appetite has decreased."
Miao PD sighed deeply, thought for a moment, and then spoke up. "Regarding the matter between Han Yufei and you, has Brother Jae-seok already mentioned something to you?"
"Yes, I've heard a little."
"Although I still don't understand why you took the blame and left so decisively back then, it's good that the truth is finally out. So, what are your plans?"
"At that time, there were indeed reasons that were hard to express. And I wasn't sure if anyone could prove that I hadn't done it. So I could only remain silent. As for now..."
"Do you still want to come back?"
Anna bitterly raised the corner of her mouth and said, "I was so determined when I left that I don't even know what face to return with. Can everyone from Running Man still accept me?"
"After you left, many people asked me what happened. They were angry that you didn't tell the truth and just left in a hurry. If you really come back, you'll have to apologize properly and treat everyone to a few meals," Miao PD joked.
Anna smiled, recalling something, and asked, "What about Han Yufei?"
"Han Yufei was dismissed, and I've noticed that a lot of leaked content and rumors about recent shows have come from her. I really didn't expect to misjudge her after all these years. I didn't know she was that kind of person," Miao PD said with some regret.
"Leaking show content can hold her legally accountable," Anna said.
"Yes, but since she's already been dismissed, I didn't want to go too far. After all, being fired from Running Man means her future won't be easy," Miao PD replied.
"Okay, I understand," Anna said.
Miao PD stood up and said, "Alright, they're all in the studio now. You should go see them; it should be enough for you. Park Soo Eun has been scolding you every day."
Anna shrugged, feeling warm inside. "I haven't heard her curse in a long time; I kind of miss it."
"The Christmas holiday starts tomorrow. You can submit your re-employment documents after Christmas."
"Okay, got it. Thank you, Miao PD," Anna said.
"Go ahead; I still have some things to take care of here. You head to the studio first."
"Okay."
Preparing herself to be scolded, Anna steeled her resolve and pushed open the studio door. She never expected that everyone present would be stunned; Dongwan, who had been waving a pen around in the air, dropped it with a thud. They all stared at her, as if they had seen an alien.
"An... Anna..."
Park Soo Eun, who had just finished a call with an artist and hung up, was the first to react. After calming herself down, she set the phone down and sat in a chair by the table, arms crossed, giving Anna a glare.
"Oh, isn't this the Anna who doesn't reply to texts or answer calls? What brings you here today? Feeling generous enough to check on us?" Park Soo Eun said sarcastically.
"Anna, you're here? Is it because the truth has come out, so Miao PD decided to rehire you?" Zhang Yuanxiao asked excitedly as he stepped forward.
Anna nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes."
"Hmph, you were so determined to leave before. Now you come back without saying anything, acting like you're so important. This isn't just a game; you can't just come and go as you please," Park Soo Eun said.
Dongwan also looked upset and said, "Anna, regardless of the circumstances, you shouldn't have left without saying a word. If you had revealed the truth earlier, this wouldn't have happened."
"I'm sorry, everyone." Anna bowed deeply.
"Is saying sorry enough...?" Park Soo Eun did not accept her apology.
"There were reasons I couldn't speak at that time. I truly had my struggles. I'm really sorry," Anna said, feeling guilty.
"Pitying yourself here won't help," Park Soo Eun turned away and stopped looking at her.
Anna realized they would be angry but didn't expect Park Soo Eun to be this furious. Zhang Yuanxiao and Liu Quan Town, both newcomers, were also unsure of what to do.
Dong Wan walked over, as he understood the personalities of Anna and Park Soo Eun quite well.
"Anna, don't pay attention to her. You don't even know who she is. After you left, she was worried sick. The moment she heard you might come back yesterday, she was overjoyed," Dong Wan said loudly on purpose for Park Soo Eun to hear.
Upon hearing Dong Wan's words, Anna finally felt relieved and smiled.
"Hey, who are you talking about? Who was worried and who was happy?" Park Soo Eun inadvertently revealed herself.
"I didn't mention you; why are you so agitated?" Dong Wan replied.
Park Soo Eun knew she couldn't argue her way out of this and shot them a glance.
Dong Wan winked at Anna, who understood the cue and quickly ran over to hug the awkward Park Soo Eun tightly.
"Hey, let go! Who do you think you are to hug me?" Park Soo Eun exclaimed.
"Oh, dear sister, please forgive me. I really know I was wrong. Can't I just apologize? If you keep this up, I really won't dare to come back."
"What do you mean you wouldn't dare? You're so impressive," Park Soo Eun retorted, though her tone had softened considerably.
"How about I treat you both to a meal as an apology?"
"Just one meal and you think that will settle everything?"
"Then how about two meals? If not, three meals will do. Is that okay?"
"That's more like it, but it has to be barbecue!"
"Mm, definitely."
Anna said with a smile, and Park Soo Eun finally revealed a smile.
"No matter what, as long as you come back. If there's a next time, I won't let you off easily," Park Soo Eun said.
"It definitely won't happen again," Anna replied with a smile.
"I'm just glad you two made up. I really thought Sister Park was going to give Anna a beating," Liu Quan Town said, catching his breath and laughing.
"Sit down, you two," Dong Wan said.
Anna released her embrace of Park Soo Eun and sat down in her long-missed seat.
"I really miss this place. Even though it hasn't been long since I left, I truly miss it," Anna said, looking at Zhang Yuanxiao. "By the way, Yuanxiao, thank you so much. If it weren't for you, I might have had to bear that accusation forever."
Zhang Yuanxiao smiled shyly and said, "It was just a coincidence. I heard that you left because of the plagiarism issue, so I thought about how you had discussed your creative project with me a long time ago. I mentioned it to Miao PD, and once we checked the timing, we realized it wasn't you who plagiarized, so... heh, what a coincidence."
"Anyway, it's all thanks to you," Anna said. "I really appreciate it."
"But what kind of deep grudge do you have with Han Yufei that it ended up like this?" Dong Wan asked.
Anna sighed and said, "I really want to know where I offended her."
"It can't be..." Liu Quan Town said mysteriously.
"What?" Everyone looked at him in surprise.
"Could it be that Han Yufei likes Brother Kwangsoo, and that's why she wants to get rid of Anna?" Liu Quan Town said.
"Tch." Everyone looked at him with disdain.
"I was just making a random guess," Liu Quan Town replied.
"What have you been doing lately? You seem to have lost a lot of weight," Park Soo Eun said. "You're really like a fairy; no matter how much you eat, you don't gain weight. I'm so jealous."
"Who knows? Maybe there's some kind of monster living inside me," Anna joked.
"Also, why haven't you been answering our calls or replying to our texts? Do you not consider us friends anymore?" Park Soo Eun interrogated.
"It's because I was afraid I might let something slip, and at that time, I didn't know Zhang Yuanxiao could help prove it, so it was hard to explain," Anna said.
"But, Sister Anna, you're really lucky. Tomorrow is the Christmas holiday, so you can take a break right away," Zhang Yuanxiao said.
"Yeah, Miao PD said to come back after the Christmas holiday to submit the re-employment documents," Anna replied.
"During the holiday, you'll just happen to catch Sister Jihyo and Brother Gary's wedding," Dong Wan said.
"That's great! Then I won't have to take leave to attend the wedding; otherwise, there would really be no one working on Running Man," Park Soo Eun added.
Just then, a phone rang, interrupting their conversation. Anna looked at her phone and saw an unfamiliar number on the screen.
"I'm going out to take a call; you all continue chatting."
With that, Anna took her phone and left the studio.
"Hello? Who is this?" Anna asked.
"This is Jang Bo-Yeon."
Anna's heart sank, and she calmed her emotions. "What do you want?"
"I want to talk to you about some things."
"If it's about Park Chan-yeol, I think there's no need for that anymore. You should know how much he hates me now."
"The Park Group is facing a critical point the day after Christmas."
"That has nothing to do with me."
"How can it not be related to you?!" Jang Bo-Yeon's tone began to get agitated.
Anna coldly smiled, "When I wanted these matters to be related to me, you told me not to show up again. Now that I say these things have nothing to do with me, you pull them back onto me. Jang Bo-Yeon, what exactly do you want from me?"
"Brother Canlie, it's all because of you that things have turned out this way. It's because of you that the Park Group has become like this. How can you still say it has nothing to do with you?"
"You've lost your mind."
"If it weren't for you, Uncle Park An-kyung wouldn't have died so quickly. The Park Group wouldn't have suffered a fatal blow before Brother Canlie had fully taken over. You deceived Brother Canlie so badly. Anna Zheng, you really have a wicked heart."
"What are you talking about?" Anna was confused. "If you're saying that Mr. Park An-kyung passed away because I obstructed your engagement ceremony, then..."
Before Anna could finish her sentence, Jang Bo-Yeon finally broke down and cried out in desperation, "Anna Zheng! Why are you still pretending to be innocent and unaware of everything? It was Brother Canlie who said not to let Uncle Park An-kyung's people find you; otherwise, you would have died hundreds of times by now! It was he who said not to trouble you! He said just treat each other as strangers! Do you know how much pain he is in? Do you know?!"
Anna simply could not understand what Jang Bo-Yeon was trying to express.
On the phone, there was a sound of crying, and Anna held her phone dazedly, listening to the sobs, feeling somewhat numb. Perhaps this kind of crying was something she often did for herself in the deep of night.
After a long while, Jang Bo-Yeon spoke again. "Anna Zheng, do you know someone named Park Yoon-chun?"
In a world that is not very vast, moving left or right can lead to encounters or missed opportunities, just a step away.
In real life, trust or melodrama, love and hate are also just a step apart.
Judgment Day will eventually come. When reality tears apart dreams and throws the bloody remnants before our eyes, how many people can still look on fearlessly without closing their eyes, watching their dreams slowly crumble in their hands?
Tomorrow is Christmas, Christmas Eve. Anna hides at home; this winter is still so cold. Holding her phone, from the moment the sky began to brighten until now, the outside has turned into a gray haze.
In the old house with poor sound insulation, she can vaguely hear the celebratory music for Christmas drifting in from somewhere.
Looking around, Anna feels a chill run down her spine. When did she start losing so many things?
Perhaps this world does not harbor as much malice as it seems, but its complexity makes Anna feel deeply trapped. People say she is smart, yet she still has not grasped the intricacies of it all or seen through the mysteries.
It is time to accept true baptism. Whether facing the evil Satan or awaiting Jesus' salvation, Anna realizes that this time has truly come for all truths to be revealed.
She has wandered in this fog for far too long. Humans are indeed highly adaptable creatures; after spending so much time in the mist, she has forgotten her original intention of wanting to find a way out. Her eyes have adapted to the haze and have blinded her heart.
Anna looks at her phone and dials that long-unused number.
It connects quickly.
"Hogga... No, Park Yoon-chun..." Anna spoke in a calm tone, but her voice was slightly hoarse from a whole day of silence.
On the other end of the phone, there was only silence.
"Everything that happened was done by you, right?" Anna asked.
A light laugh broke the last bit of hope in Anna's heart.
"This is Park Anqing, Park Chan-yeol... they owe me."
This was the first time Anna heard the name ' Park Chan-yeol' from his lips. A chill ran down her spine as she realized that Hogga had never referred to this name before.
"It really is you... Why me? Why choose me?"
"You knew a bit earlier than I originally planned."
"Everything was planned by you. Starting from Phuket Island, from Japan, everything was your plan?"
Another brief silence followed, and then Hogga softly spoke, "I wanted to spend Christmas Eve with you. I'll come to pick you up."
"No, I don't want to see you again."
"There are many things you might want to know. I was planning to tell you."
"Don't tell me; I'd rather never know."
"You're really heartless; I didn't expect that. However, there's someone who wants to meet you."
Anna felt a tightening in her heart. "Who?"
"Jiang Zhenyuan... hasn't he been looking for her all along?"
"Jiang Zhenyuan..." Anna felt her scalp begin to tingle.
"Just wait at home; I'll be there in ten minutes."
A massive web, dense and dark, suffocating. It felt like being choked, as if countless black insects were crawling up her feet, inching up her ankles, slowly covering her entire body.
The car ride was silent, with only the usual music swirling around, accompanied by her tumultuous thoughts and emotions.
The vehicle drove further into the remote areas, as if they were about to leave Seoul. In the courtyard surrounded by iron fences, there seemed to be no sign of life. The melted snow did not cover Gray's European-style villa. Although the lights were bright, the absence of people and sounds made it eerie.
Upon opening the door, she was greeted by Gray's black and white decor. At the back of the living room, a wooden staircase branched off in two directions leading to the second floor. On the wall of a small platform hung a large photograph, the only splash of color in the house, which appeared somewhat strange.
"Welcome to my home," Hogga said as usual, as if nothing had happened.
At first, Anna found it odd, but after thinking it over, she realized everything was within his expectations. Perhaps he had long anticipated such a day; why would there be any change?
Anna stood there dazed, her gaze and energy inexplicably drawn to that photograph. The girl in the picture looked to be in her teens, smiling brightly and purely, without a hint of impurity. She was the only color in this house and also the only color in Hogga's life.
"Do you know who she is?" Hogga poured a cup of hot water and handed it to Anna.
Snapping back to reality, Anna found she could no longer view this person as she once did. Her brows furrowed as she glanced at the cup of water, showing no intention of accepting it.
Noticing her reluctance, Hogga smiled gently, set the cup aside, and then walked over to sit at the table filled with delicious food.
"Come eat," Hogga said.
Anna did not move; she did not know what to do or what to say that would be right. She could not grasp what role she played in this huge upheaval.
"Let's eat first. After dinner, I will tell you everything you want to know," Hogga said. He looked at Anna calmly, and their eyes met in a subtle contest. Clearly, Anna was losing this battle; from the very beginning, she had never held a dominant position but had simply been swept along.
Anna slowly walked to the table and sat down.
"Hurry up and eat; the food is getting cold," Hogga smiled.
Anna picked up her knife and fork. Although she had not eaten for a day, the food felt like wax in her mouth. She frowned, mechanically stuffing food into her mouth, her throat already losing coordination. Suddenly, she choked, a sharp pain shot through her throat, and her eyes turned red.
Anna patted her chest, and after a while, the painful sensation gradually faded away.
When she came to her senses, Hogga had already put down his knife and fork. He sat quietly, holding a wine glass. He took a sip, frowned slightly, then hurriedly placed the glass on the table, nearly spilling the red wine.
"I always wanted to share a quiet meal with you at times like this. But it seems you can't eat anymore," Hogga said.
Anna looked at him. "Why? Why exactly? Can you tell me now?"
Hogga smiled slightly; his gaze held the same cold light as when they first met. He stood up and walked to the center of the living room, standing quietly.
Anna also stood up and walked behind him, following his gaze to look at the large photograph together.
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