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"Come sit down," Anna said.
Andy had no choice but to slowly put away his gun and cautiously take a seat across from Anna.
"Go ahead, state your terms," Andy said, looking at Anna, his gaze devoid of any emotional light.
Anna lowered her head, holding the Track of Establishing Governance in her palm. "It's for this thing that you've gone to such lengths. You've become something unrecognizable, neither human nor ghost."
"You wouldn't understand the thrill that power brings me. If I can't hold great power, I'd rather die. My life has been on an irreversible path since I was eliminated from the EXO selection. I can only keep moving forward, constantly acquiring; otherwise, I wouldn't even feel alive."
Anna shook her head helplessly. "No."
"What? Why?"
"Even if you had been selected as a member of EXO back then, you still wouldn't have been satisfied. You became a trusted confidant of Jin Yu Cheng from Century Group, and even with that immense power, you were still not satisfied. You will never be satisfied; you will always want more."
"Is there something wrong with that?!"
"You've ruined everything."
"Stop talking nonsense! What do I have to do to get that thing?" Andy could no longer hear anything Anna said. "I really regret bringing this crazy woman here; otherwise..."
"Otherwise, you would have definitely killed me and taken it, right?" Anna said calmly.
Andy smiled coldly.
Anna raised the corner of her mouth and placed two cups of tea in the middle of the table. "One of these cups contains ordinary tea, while the other has Cantharidin inside..."
Andy suddenly understood, revealing a smug smile. "Cantharidin...? It seems you know everything. No, she is so cautious; if she were still alive, you definitely wouldn't have discovered it. Unless..."
"She is dead. Yesterday morning, she coughed up a lot of blood, her face turned pale, and the blood pooled in her heart, causing her great pain," Anna said. "Before she died, she held my hand and said that no matter what my brother did wrong, I should forgive him. She already knew the medicine she took was poisoned; how foolish."
Andy laughed happily as he looked at Anna. "Sister, you should be very happy, right? I know you didn't truly forgive her. This way, you don't have to force yourself to smile at her every day. Do you know how disgusting it was for me to call her 'Mom'? We lived worse than dogs all our lives because of that woman."
"Yes. I should be happy," Anna said. "But why... why did it have to come to killing her? Can't we just pretend she doesn't exist? Can't we act as if she died the moment we were born?"
"Do you really think it's all my fault?! You should blame yourself! It's you and Park Chan-yeol!"
"What?"
"The first time I delivered the medicine, she noticed something was wrong with the pills. Why did she take them? Because she didn't want to live anymore! That old woman always thought your affair with Park Chan-yeol was because of herself. Fortunately, she still had a bit of conscience; she knew she owed us and wanted to make amends," Andy sneered.
Anna felt a chill in her chest. She clenched her fists tightly for a long time before releasing them, her knuckles turning white. Anna sighed; she understood that despite telling herself countless times that this Andy was no longer her brother, this time it was truly complete despair.
Anna lifted her head and looked at Andy. "Of the two cups of tea here, one is yours and one is mine. Only one of us can leave this room today."
"I have no interest in playing this boring game with you." Andy pulled out his gun again and aimed it at Anna's head.
Cat also aimed her gun at Andy. "I advise you to put down your weapon."
Andy sneered and said to Cat, "Hmph, you don't dare to pull the trigger."
"Why wouldn't I? Before coming to this room, our goals were the same. But from this moment on, they are different. You are here for your thing, while I just want to kill Jin Yu Cheng. As for Anna, you can't touch her in front of me," Cat replied.
"Heh, is it because of that dead man Hogga?"
Cat smirked, but it was cold. Andy saw the murderous intent in her eyes due to his words and realized she wasn't joking.
Andy awkwardly put the gun away. "If I can't get out of this room today, then no one inside will live to see another day."
Anna smiled and said, "Your net is too small; Jin Yu Cheng's net is much larger. The fish in your net have probably been swallowed by the bigger fish."
"Hmph, that old hag Han Yoon-soo, why did she have to die now? If she hadn't died, with your personality, you wouldn't dare to oppose me like this!"
"This is all thanks to you. You brought this upon yourself; you can't blame anyone else," Anna said.
"You've long since colluded with Jin Yu Cheng, just waiting for me to fall into this trap. With Han Yoon-soo as a bargaining chip gone, you really have nothing to fear," Andy said.
"Right now, you still have a choice. As long as you choose the tea without poison, I can guarantee you'll leave here alive with what you want," Anna said.
"I want other choices," Andy replied.
Anna smiled and said, "Alright." She took out a dagger and threw it onto the table. "Cut off one of your fingers. That way, I'll drink both cups of tea."
Cat frowned slightly; she couldn't figure out what Anna was trying to do.
Andy hesitated, "Perhaps, these two cups of tea have no poison at all? Are you trying to deceive me?"
"If you think that way, then please choose a cup, and we will drink at the same time," Anna said expressionlessly.
"One finger? Isn't that price a bit too Simple?" Andy questioned.
"There is flesh and bone. Our flesh and bone were given by Han Yoon-soo. Use your flesh and bone as Han Yoon-soo's burial offering. She should be able to rest in peace," Anna replied.
Andy scoffed coldly, "If I cut off my finger, you can choose not to drink the tea, can't you see that doesn't make sense?"
Anna stared into Andy's eyes, "You are mistaken because unless I die, I will never hand it over to you."
"Hmph, you really are stubborn. In some ways, we are quite alike."
Seeing Andy pick up the dagger, Cat spoke up, "Anna, you are committing suicide. Your dear brother will surely choose a safer way. Your life is no longer worth any hesitation for him."
"Shut up!" Andy shouted.
Anna shook her head and remained silent.
A smug smile crept onto Andy's face as the sharp blade sliced through, blood instantly staining the table. Andy trembled slightly from the pain, but he seemed extremely pleased. A piece of cloth tightly wrapped around the severed area, but the fabric quickly became soaked with blood.
"It's your turn," Andy said.
Anna raised both cups of tea and drank them down in one go. Before long, her lips began to turn pale, and she started coughing violently.
Andy was extremely happy, standing up and laughing wildly.
Andy laughed maniacally, "Haha, hand it over to me! Hurry!" But the next moment, he seemed to choke and collapsed to the ground. "You... you lied to me! You deceived me!"
Anna struggled to catch her breath, stood up, and said, "There is no poison in either cup of tea. The poisoned tea has already been poured out by me. The tea only contains a large amount of ACI, which causes severe coughing instantly. If you chose to drink the tea, at least I still had a reason to keep you alive. The dagger is covered in a large amount of Cyanide. ACI is used by Jin Yu Cheng to maintain vascular circulation, while that dagger covered in Cyanide is for his self-defense."
"Ah... you..." Andy could no longer speak; his eyes bulged out as if they were about to pop out, filled with terror. In his final moments, he clutched tightly at Anna's pant leg. Anna could not shed a single tear.
Cat put away the gun and walked over. "He wouldn't choose to take a fifty-fifty risk with you; you should know that."
"I know."
"Are you sad? After all, he is your brother."
Anna looked at Andy, who lay on the ground with a twisted face, took off her jacket, and covered his face. She sighed deeply, "My brother has long been dead."
"What about the explanation you owe me?" Cat asked.
"Follow me," Anna replied.
Cat followed Anna's footsteps to the closed door, gently pushing it open. Inside was Jin Yu Cheng's lifeless body, surrounded by vigilant security personnel and Kim Mi-kyung.
Seeing Anna enter, Kim Mi-kyung had just relaxed but then became puzzled upon seeing Cat following her.
"Anna, she..." Kim Mi-kyung began.
"Nothing's wrong." Anna interrupted her question, "Don't worry, I'll talk to her."
Kim Mi-kyung nodded and signaled for everyone else to leave. Cat glanced back and also turned to leave the room. Anna followed her steps into the courtyard, where the clouds parted again, and the moonlight flooded the entire area.
"When did he die?" Cat lit a cigarette.
"This afternoon," Anna replied.
"That really was a cheap way out for him," Cat said with a cold smile.
"Where have you been during this time?" Anna asked.
"I don't know, I can't remember. I just know that eventually, I came back here," Cat said.
"Hogga, did he catch some kind of illness?" Anna inquired.
"It's better if you don't know; after all, that guy doesn't want you to find out," Cat replied.
"Alright," Anna nodded.
Cat lifted her foot, intending to leave.
"Where are you going?" Anna asked.
"I don't know. I should be heading back to Germany."
“Korslev Town?”
Cat smiled, “Have you been there?”
“Yeah.”
“Then he should be very happy,” Cat said.
“I’m leaving,” Cat said.
“Can we meet again?” Anna asked.
“We,” Cat exhaled a puff of smoke and said, “it’s better if we don’t meet again. After all, not meeting means that nothing terrible has happened.”
“Okay. Take care.”
Cat’s figure disappeared into the night, like a black cat, leaving no trace.
Kim Mi-kyung walked over. Under the moonlight, the silhouettes of two individuals who had endured countless trials appeared particularly strong. There are many colorful birds adorned with feathers, but only those reborn from the flames can rise as phoenixes.
“This time, it’s really over. Leave the matter of Andy’s death to me. As for Han Yufei, she should be imprisoned by tomorrow. After all, leaking corporate secrets will become a stain she can never erase,” Miki said. “I don’t know what your father entrusted to you. He chose to trust you, so I trust you too.”
“Miki, after handling Mr. Kim Yoo-chung’s affairs, leave Korea and never come back.”
“No,” Miki said, “I will return.”
"Why?"
"I will come back occasionally to see you. After all, in Korea, you are the person I will miss the most."
Anna raised the corner of her mouth and said, "That works."
"And you, what are your plans for the future?" Miki asked.
"Me?" Anna said, trailing off. She looked up at the moon, which flickered in and out, and by midnight, a strange wind began to blow. "I should go charge my phone," Anna said.
"What?" Miki asked, confused.
"Nothing," Anna replied.
The men who were originally responsible for guarding moved Andy's body out and loaded it into a vehicle before quickly leaving. Anna watched the car drive away, feeling somewhat numb. She really couldn't cry for Andy anymore. She walked back into the house; on the table lay the severed pinky finger. Anna picked up a handkerchief and wrapped the finger in it, deciding to bury it next to Han Yoon-soo's grave.
We have lost so many things along this journey.
We constantly make choices, gaining and losing repeatedly, only to realize that as long as we do not take excessively, the total remains unchanged. We often complain about God's unfairness, but in the end, we understand that God is remarkably fair—so fair that there is no room for leniency, never biased. Those who gain too much will face consequences.
Perhaps Anna has lost so much now because it is a consequence of having gained too much.
"I'm leaving."
After saying goodbye, she didn't know when they would meet again. How many people had simply said a casual goodbye and never met again? Anna drove her car through the heavy humidity of the midnight hour; the windows were fogged up with moisture, forcing her to turn on the wipers to see clearly.
Too many passersby, those who will not meet again, have become mere passersby.
When one becomes a passerby, there are no longer reasons for longing or meeting. If there is another holiday, Anna should go to America again to see Mrs. Smith and Mr. Jack.
======== Six Months Later =========
"Anna! Director Zhao is looking for you!" Park Soo Eun rushed into the studio.
Anna acknowledged her. Her hair had grown to shoulder length, neatly tied in a ponytail, fresh and deep. Anna knew that the six-month agreement was coming to an end. Although Running Man had regained some momentum, her departure was not far off.
"Okay, I'll go over now," Anna said.
Driving her newly acquired second-hand car, which Andy had bought for her, Anna was on her way home. After selling that car, she donated the money to a nursing home in Busan.
Minister Kwon and Director Zhao sought Anna for a conversation. Although Running Man's ratings had improved during this time, both Minister Kwon and Director Zhao wanted Anna to continue working with them. However, Anna chose to adhere to the original agreement and leave.
Tomorrow was Monday, and it would be Anna's last time recording with the production team. She had already handed over some planned projects to Dong Wan. Dong Wan was very angry, but the reluctance and sadness in Anna's heart were feelings others could not understand.
It had been six months since Han Yoon-soo and Andy's deaths. The first email Anna received from Kim Mi-kyung arrived a month after she went to Australia. Since then, the tenth of each month became their day for exchanging emails.
Fate is truly remarkable; who would have thought that two people who were once at odds could become close friends? Meanwhile, Century Group had splintered into individual companies after Jin Yu Cheng's death. Shareholders with some power were eager to form their own factions, hoping to replicate Jin Yu Cheng's former glory. They would never know the price Jin Yu Cheng paid for that brilliance.
After handing The Track of Establishing Governance to that unremarkable man, Anna turned and left.
For a long time, Anna felt as if someone was watching her. The atmosphere of surveillance constantly hinted at a chilling presence. When she took this item from Jin Yu Cheng's hands, she was already prepared for such scrutiny and accepted it calmly. Perhaps it was genuine kindness or perhaps they realized Anna posed no threat; the watchful eyes around her gradually faded away.
Ding~ The sound of a text message came through, just as the traffic light turned red. Anna stopped the car and opened the message.
"The movie will wrap up the day after tomorrow, and I'll be back home soon. How are you doing?" It was a message from Park Chan-yeol, who was currently filming a new movie in China alongside Andy Lau and Jackie Chan. It was a big production, and as he got busier, his free time became increasingly scarce.
"I'm doing well. I hope everything is going smoothly for you too," Anna replied.
The red light turned green, and Anna started driving again.
The room was still that old but tidy little place. The housing prices in Seoul were too high, and Anna still couldn't afford to buy a house here. Plus, she would be unemployed starting tomorrow, and she had no idea when her next job or income would come.
She cooked some rice and made a simple soybean paste soup. The kitchen was filled with steam and aroma, quiet and plain. This past six months of uneventful days were the most satisfying times for Anna.
Busy every day with the show's ratings, she would return home, eat some simple soup rice, take a hot shower, and sleep until dawn.
Of course, there were nights when she woke up crying, curled up at the head of her bed with her knees hugged tightly until morning. However, such moments had become increasingly rare—from happening every day to once a week, and now it was hardly once a month.
It seemed that time was indeed the best medicine for healing everything.
Ding dong~~ The doorbell rang.
Anna put down her spoon. "Who is it? Coming!" she called out as she quickly walked to the door.
"Brother Kwangsoo?" Anna saw Lee Kwang-soo standing outside with a lunchbox in hand, smiling brightly. "What brings you here at this time?"
"I brought you some egg rolls and side dishes made by my mom," Lee Kwang-soo said as he walked in without any hesitation. Smelling the aroma of food in the house, he asked, "Are you cooking?"
"Well, there's rice and soybean paste soup," Anna said as she took the lunchbox from Kwang-soo's hands and placed it on the table. Opening it up, she saw that it looked delicious and fragrant, definitely better than what she could make. "Hmm, it looks really good."
"It tastes even better," Lee Kwang-soo said with a proud smile as he sat down at the table. "Go serve yourself some rice; I haven't eaten yet either. I'll join you."
"Just serve it yourself; it's in the rice cooker. The soybean paste soup is still on the stove; I need to turn it off," Anna replied.
"Alright." Kwang-soo, still looking cheerful, stood up to find a bowl and served two bowls of rice, placing them on the table.
After a long day of work, they were both hungry and ate quickly. With food in their stomachs, their moods brightened considerably. It was almost seven o'clock, but the outside was still bright. The scorching sun, even as it set, painted the western sky a fiery red, making it seem even hotter than during the day. However, as the evening breeze began to blow, it alleviated the heat that had lingered throughout the day.
"Tomorrow's recording will be the last one," Anna said.
"What?" Lee Kwang-soo exclaimed in surprise. "Isn't Running Man's viewership ratings back up? Why are you leaving?"
Anna smiled and said, "I promised before—six months, regardless of how things went, I would leave."
Lee Kwang-soo fell silent; his previously bright expression dimmed.
"Why do you look so unhappy?" Anna teased lightly. "I'm not dying or anything. Besides, leaving when everything is getting better on Running Man means I won't have any worries; my guilt will be lessened too. Mr. Choi Min-ho has performed really well since joining; you all have found a new direction, which is great. Dong Wan will do a great job with the show's creativity."
"Wow... you make it sound so easy," Lee Kwang-soo said.
"Having endured such tough times, nothing will be difficult from now on, right?" Anna replied with a smile.
"Six months ago, Aunt Han Yoon-soo suddenly passed away, and Andy also left unexpectedly. I've asked you about this many times, but you never told me," Lee Kwang-soo said, his tone tinged with sadness.
"It’s all in the past. Besides, I’ve thought for a long time about why it turned out that way. How can I tell you something I don’t even understand myself?" Anna maintained her smile.
Kwang-soo nodded. "Have you told anyone else about your resignation?"
"The people from the Production Team already know, and Brother Jae-seok and Jung Kook will find out after tomorrow's recording," Anna replied.
"Alright," Kwang-soo said.
After sitting for a while and helping Anna wash the dishes, Kwang-soo left. Anna quietly stayed in the room, watching a replay of Running Man while sorting the trash. The benefit of having gone through too many hardships is that one becomes calm about everything; the downside is that one becomes numb to it all.
Carrying the trash, she walked to the bin downstairs, sorted the garbage, and as she was about to throw it in, a series of whimpering sounds from a dog made Anna stop in her tracks. In the dark corner behind the trash can stood a dirty, starving Big White Dog, nothing but skin and bones.
Anna calmly looked at it. The dog stood there too, ceasing its whimpering and staring blankly at Anna with bright black eyes. They locked eyes for a moment, but ultimately, she chose to turn around and leave...
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