The building didn't feel quite as abandoned anymore.
Not after Ji-Ah had met the man waiting inside.
There was a small table in the corner, two old chairs, and a kettle sitting on a portable stove. The place was still dusty and worn, but somebody had clearly been using it.
Ji-Hoo pulled out a chair for her. "Sit."
Ji-Ah hesitated before sitting.
He poured her something warm from the kettle. "Tea?"
She looked at the cup. "It looks like tea."
Ji-Hoo gave a small smile. "It is tea."
"Good."
She carefully took it.
Ji-Hoo sat opposite her. For a moment, neither spoke.
Ji-Ah looked around. The old windows let in thin strips of afternoon light. Dust floated through them, making the room seem strangely peaceful despite its appearance.
She looked back at him. "So... you live here?"
Ji-Hoo immediately shook his head.
"No." He leaned back slightly. "I have a house somewhere around this area."
His eyes wandered toward the window. "I just come here sometimes."
"Why?"
He gave a tired sigh. "Because it's quiet."
Ji-Ah nodded slowly.
That made sense.
Then Ji-Hoo looked directly at her. "I want to tell you everything, Ji-Ah."
His voice had changed.
It wasn't mysterious anymore.
It sounded tired.
Almost desperate.
"But..." He lowered his eyes. "Please don't hurt Min-Ji."
Ji-Ah blinked. "What?"
"Please." He leaned forward. "I'm going to tell you everything. I promise. But please don't harm her."
Ji-Ah stared at him. "I don't want to hurt her."
Ji-Hoo looked at her. "I mean it."
"So do I." She placed the cup down. "I just want the truth."
Ji-Hoo slowly nodded.
"Okay." He took a deep breath. "The documents Min-Ji's parents gave you..."
Ji-Ah nodded. "The ones that were supposed to contain her real name, school records, medical records and everything?"
"Yes." Ji-Hoo looked down. "They weren't supposed to be what you found."
Ji-Ah frowned. "What do you mean?"
He hesitated.
Then finally said, "I exchanged them."
Ji-Ah went still. "What?"
Ji-Hoo rubbed his hands together nervously. "The waiter who bumped into you."
Ji-Ah's eyes widened. "...You?"
He nodded. "That was me."
She stared at him.
Suddenly, the memory came rushing back.
The waiter.
The apology.
The brief collision.
Her distracted mind.
Her phone.
Her key card. "You took my key card."
"I did."
Ji-Ah slowly leaned back. "I remember."
"I followed you earlier."
Ji-Hoo's expression became apologetic. "When you were distracted, I took the key card."
Ji-Ah stared at him. "And you entered my room."
"Yes."
"You searched through my things."
He lowered his head. "Yes."
Ji-Ah exhaled slowly. "That's a lot to admit."
"I know." He looked ashamed. "I found the medical documents."
"The ones I found in Min-Ji's wardrobe?"
"Yes."
Ji-Hoo nodded. "I exchanged them with the documents I had."
Ji-Ah's eyes narrowed. "Min-Ji told you to?"
"She told me to take them." He paused. "But I did more than she asked."
Ji-Ah frowned. "Why?"
"Because I wanted you to find out the truth."
That silenced her.
Ji-Hoo reached for the envelope.
He pulled out the photograph she'd seen earlier. The little boy.
The younger Min-Ji.
Ji-Hoo held it toward her. "What did you think when you saw this?"
Ji-Ah stared at the photograph.
"I thought..." She hesitated. "Either he's her younger brother..."
Her eyes lowered. "Or her son."
Ji-Hoo closed his eyes briefly.
Then sighed. "He's her son."
Ji-Ah's head snapped up. "What?"
"He's her son."
Her mouth parted. "The boy?"
Ji-Hoo nodded. "Yes."
Ji-Ah looked at the photograph again. "Five years old... His name is Park Tae-Hyun."
She looked at the medical bills. "So all of these..."
"Are his."
Ji-Ah's fingers slowly moved over the edge of the paper. "And you're..."
"My name is Park Ji-Hoo."
He pointed toward the photograph.
"Tae-Hyun is my son."
Then he paused. "And Min-Ji's real name is Park Seo-Rin."
Ji-Ah stared at him. "Park Seo-Rin..."
Ji-Hoo nodded. "That's her real name."
Ji-Ah looked down at the documents. "So Min-Ji... Isn't her real name."
"No."
Ji-Hoo shook his head. "She changed it because she wanted to enter Ha-Joon's family."
Ji-Ah's expression hardened. "She changed her identity for money?"
Ji-Hoo looked away.
"Yes." He gave a bitter little smile. "She wanted a different life."
He swallowed. "And she decided we were part of the life she wanted to leave behind."
Ji-Ah's heart sank. "You mean she abandoned you?"
Ji-Hoo didn't answer immediately.
His silence was enough.
"She left." His voice became quieter. "Me and Tae-Hyun."
Ji-Ah looked at him. "She left her own son?"
Ji-Hoo nodded.
"She wanted money." He rubbed his palms against his trousers. "She sends money sometimes. Enough to help with Tae-Hyun's medical bills and school."
Ji-Ah looked at the documents. "So you're not completely broke."
"No." He shook his head. "We manage."
His eyes lowered. "We're not wealthy. We're somewhere in the middle."
Then he gave a small, sad laugh. "But she wanted more."
Ji-Ah didn't know what to say.
She had been so angry with Min-Ji.
And she still was.
But now that anger had become something heavier.
Disappointment. "She told you to come to Canada?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Ji-Hoo's expression tightened. "She needed me to do something for her."
Ji-Ah immediately understood. "The man I heard."
Ji-Hoo looked at her. "Yes."
Her heart sank. "So you were the voice."
"I was."
Ji-Ah stared at him. "What did she ask you to do?"
Ji-Hoo looked down. "I can't tell you everything yet."
"Why?"
"Because I don't want Tae-Hyun involved."
Ji-Ah nodded slowly.
That, at least, she understood.
Ji-Hoo's voice trembled slightly. "She's not ready to come back."
Ji-Ah looked at him. "After everything?"
"She's convinced herself that money will solve everything."
He swallowed. "But it won't."
For a moment, the room was silent.
Then Ji-Hoo spoke again. "Tae-Hyun asks about her."
Ji-Ah's expression softened. "Every day?"
"Almost."
He smiled sadly. "He asks when his mother is coming home."
His voice cracked slightly. "I always tell him she went out."
Ji-Ah's eyes lowered. "And that she's coming back."
"Yes." He looked toward the floor. "He's only five."
A small smile appeared on his face. "But he still believes me."
Ji-Ah's heart ached.
She looked at the medical bills again. "So these are all his?"
Ji-Hoo nodded.
"Min-Ji sends money for them."
Ji-Ah looked at him. "And you still want her back?"
His answer came immediately. "Yes."
Ji-Ah blinked. "After everything she's done?"
"She's still his mother."
His eyes became glassy. "And she's still the woman I love."
Ji-Ah said nothing.
Ji-Hoo leaned forward. "Please, Ji-Ah."
His voice was quiet.
"You're the only person who can help."
Ji-Ah looked at him. "Help with what?"
"Expose her."
He took a shaky breath.
"Get her out of that family." His eyes lowered. "Then maybe she'll come home."
Ji-Ah stared at the photograph.
The little boy was smiling.
Completely unaware of the mess surrounding his mother.
She slowly picked up the photograph. "I'll try."
Ji-Hoo looked at her hopefully.
"But..." She hesitated. "Can I see Tae-Hyun?"
Ji-Hoo froze.
For a moment, he simply stared at her.
Then his expression softened.
"Yes." He stood. "My house isn't far."
Ji-Ah gathered the documents carefully and placed them back into her bag.
She stood as well, adjusting the strap over her shoulder.
Ji-Hoo reached for his coat. "Come with me."
Ji-Ah nodded. "Okay."
They walked toward the door together.
Before stepping outside, Ji-Ah glanced back at the old building.
She had entered thinking she was looking for a criminal.
Instead, she'd found a husband waiting for his wife to come home...
And a little boy waiting for his mother.
She tightened her grip on the bag.
Whatever Min-Ji was hiding, Ji-Ah knew one thing now.
She wasn't going to uncover it just for revenge.
She was going to uncover it because someone was waiting for the truth.