Kim Sun-il’s younger sister, Yu-jin, resembled a princess.
Only instead of a dress, she wore a hospital gown.
While possessing Sun-il’s regal nose, her head was disproportionately small.
Moreover, the hospital bed was so high that even with her legs crossed, Yu-jin’s feet didn’t touch the floor.
Around her feet, numerous gifts were piled up.
Clothes, beautifully wrapped snacks, dolls…
These were the elements that made Yu-jin look like a real princess—though in truth, the girl only clutched one very worn-out teddy bear.
‘Still, it’s a relief.’
Sua felt reassured.
Yu-jin, despite her confusion, hadn’t tried to leave the room. The proof was in her eyes, which remained fixed on the screen.
It was good news indeed: it meant that she was willing to watch Episode 8.
At that moment, Seo Yeon-joo spoke up.
“Weren’t we all so worried when we heard how severe her condition was? I thought she’d collapsed and wouldn’t even be able to watch the drama.”
“It’s true,” Kim Yu-han said. “Closing one’s heart can paralyze the body. By the way, Sun-il, what would you have done without Sua’s ingenuity?”
“You’re right. Now that I think about it, that’s true.”
Kim I-seo’s words made Seo Yeon-joo nod.
It wasn’t easy to persuade Yu-jin, who’d shut herself off. Even Yeon-joo alone couldn’t have managed it. Luckily, other actors soon joined in. If they hadn’t, Yu-jin might not have left her hospital room at all that day.
Naturally, Sua’s contribution was significant.
“Well, I might have prayed,” said Sun-il calmly.
Sua suddenly remembered the past. For a brief moment, Sun-il had once knelt in front of her. At the time, she thought, ‘How far would he go?’ But now, it was clear: Sun-il would do anything for what he cherished most.
Sua scratched her head.
“I always thought that if the drama was successful, everything would automatically work out fine. I never expected anything like this to happen.”
“Of course your heart hurt because I didn’t mention you much. You probably thought I lied to and betrayed you.”
“It’s making me feel conflicted.”
Even if she hadn’t done anything wrong, it was odd—this was the first time Sua realized that success and happiness weren’t directly connected.
Kim Sun-il spoke up.
“You don’t need to apologize. If you hadn’t done your best, I might not have come to this realization. And then we would not have filmed Episode 8. The drama wouldn’t have been completed.”
Suddenly, Mystic noticed that despite his worn appearance, Sun-il was different from before. The difference was clear: Sun-il no longer had the sharp sensitivity that once pricked out like thorns.
Noticing Mystic’s gaze, Kim Sun-il continued.
“You should all think deeply about happiness.”
“Happiness?”
“Yes. Just doing that seems to change things immensely. Now we have clear goals, and what to do is more definite.”
It seemed a bit embarrassing for Sun-il, so he added a few words hastily as an excuse.
“I once wanted to say this to someone, and thinking about it now, I feel like I’ve been reborn.”
“Well, look at you, talking like that now?”
Seo Yeon-joo chuckled softly.
“And stop trying to gauge the situation around us. Don’t hold back so much. When you feel like it, just say it.”
Kim Sun-il also laughed.
“You’re right. I’m not anything special.”
“I’ve known that for a long time. So, from now on, stop acting too tough. Spend more time with your sister. Be happy.”
“Yes, that’s what I’ll do…”
Even though Sun-il was smiling, his voice lacked strength, because ultimately, it all depended on whether his sister would enjoy Episode 8.
Kim I-seo tactfully shifted the topic.
“It’s about to start soon. I believe that once it’s over, there’s no doubt that Sun-il’s present will also be delivered.”
A new teddy bear was still waiting to be handed to Yu-jin, untouched among all the gifts heading her way.
Sua and Yeon-joo both nodded simultaneously.
“That’s right. Let’s watch Episode 8.”
“Let’s expect something great. It’s the climax, after all.”
At that moment, the staff began calling out one by one.
“Episode 8 broadcasting starts now!”
“The community and the official website are already in an uproar!”
“According to the real-time ratings, it’s already at 29%!“
Actually, Sua thought the real-time rating was 100%.
Because the entire team of Special Mobile Unit 808 production, along with the single viewer, Yu-jin, had their eyes sparkling.
At least in this moment, it felt like her entire world was focused on the same thing.
And the climax broadcast began, capturing the attention of everyone Sua held dear.
◈◈◈◈◈
“Kim Yu-han, do you hear me?”
Episode 8 began by soothing the itch that had been bothering people all week.
Lee Kang-cheol was checking the archive room when he lost communication. During a car drive, the radio suddenly connected.
“Kim Yu-han! Respond!”
yelled Kang-cheol, sensing something ominous.
“I’m sorry, senior.”
But the reply was calm.
“I couldn’t catch him with my own hands. I should have planned it better, more cautiously—but I let my emotions get the better of me. I made a mistake. I’m sorry.”
“…Kim Yu-han?”
Finally, Kang-cheol realized the truth.
“Kim Yu-han, what happened? Tell me the current situation!”
Sensing that something significant had happened, Kang-cheol asked various questions, but Kim Yu-han only stuck to what he had to say.
It wasn’t a will.
Just a few stubborn words of advice. He told Kang-cheol to focus on the mission as usual, nothing more.
“You will catch him this time too. Just like always. Do it neatly.”
“Kim Yu-han! Answer me! Kim Yu-han! That’s an order!”
It was then that the production team noticed that they were all concentrating.
“Looks like they’re all paying attention, right?”
“Yeah. I was worried about whether they’d focus or not.”
Thankfully, Yu-jin was thoroughly engrossed in the drama.
Truth be told, the conditions were quite poor. This was to be expected, since it was a rush job.
Everyone except Yu-jin had to stand, and their legs and backs ached. Meanwhile, they had to remain silent so as not to break Yu-jin’s concentration.
But no one complained.
Rather, everyone was delighted.
What started for Kim Yu-jin, Sun-il’s younger sister, turned into something for everyone when they realized it. The warmth they’d forgotten amidst busy realities filled their hearts.
Meanwhile, the drama continued nonstop.
“Kim Yu-han!”
No response. The radio communication was completely cut off.
Hoooom—!
Kang-cheol’s vehicle entered a long tunnel.
“…”
Everyone on the production team unconsciously swallowed hard. Kim Sun-il’s face was soaked in sweat. It was understandable. The real highlights were about to begin.
That’s when it happened.
“Ah…?”
Sua noticed the problem first.
As others followed her gaze, their expressions grew serious. Something seemed wrong with the younger sister’s condition.
Yeon-joo immediately rushed to check on Yu-jin.
The way Yu-jin’s head wobbled weakly wasn’t normal. It seemed she was struggling to hold herself upright.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
But her voice was soft and weak, like sleep-talking. When Yeon-joo checked her forehead, it was burning hot.
“This…”
Yeon-joo pursed her lips and whispered.
“…We should take her to the hospital right away. This doesn’t seem like the time to watch a drama.”
“No.”
Surprisingly, Yu-jin herself replied firmly.
“I want to watch it till the end.”
Even in her weak voice, she emphasized every word clearly.
If this had been any other situation, she would have been picked up and rushed to the hospital without a second thought. But now, everyone hesitated because Yu-jin was spitting out each word with intense focus.
As if she valued this more than her own life.
“I always hoped that my brother would do well and be happy, but I couldn’t do anything for him. I didn’t know how to help, and sometimes I even doubted him.”
“Yu-jin, we should go up first…”
“But I really have to watch it till the end. It’s not a big deal, but that’s precisely why I want to see it through. This is the only thing I can do for my brother.”
Her pronunciation was deliberate and careful.
Her determination was significant.
The production team fell into deep thought.
Though the determination to watch to the end for her brother’s sake was commendable, the most important thing was still her health. Could she keep going in this state?
Just as they thought this, Yu-jin swayed. They all thought the same thing: it was not possible.
Then, unexpectedly, something happened.
Nurses and patients from Yu-jin’s floor started showing up one by one.
It didn’t matter that there was no doctor. Yu-jin’s illness was a mental one, and attaching an antipyretic IV whenever her fever increased was enough. This time was no different. In the nurses’ hands were drip stands and fluids.
“…”
The production team could only look on in amazement.
The nurses quickly attended to Yu-jin but didn’t leave. Instead, they subtly stayed nearby and said softly,
“Yu-jin! Let’s watch together after so long!”
“I didn’t know how much I missed Yu-jin! No, it’s our fault. We were too absorbed in the drama.”
“We just stopped watching too. Today, seems like Sun-il is the main focus? Our precious older brother of Yu-jin.”
“…”
Yu-jin didn’t reply to any of it.
Instead, she turned her eyes back to the screen.
Drip, drip, drip.
The antipyretic IV dripped at regular intervals. Meanwhile, Special Mobile Unit 808 continued without pause.
“Kang-cheol! Can you hear me?”
Ha Yoon-jin’s (Seo Yeon-joo) voice spread out.
“Yes, loud and clear! Pursuing the criminal now! But, Kim Yu-han’s radio isn’t responding. Do you know what’s happening?”
“Kim Yu-han is trapped in a burning warehouse.”
“…What? Then…!”
Everyone held their breath.
“Ignore Kim Yu-han. We’ll send someone from our side, there’s no need to worry. Focus on capturing the criminal!”
The climactic scene in the drama.
Yu-jin tightly hugged the old teddy bear. Without a single movement, she absorbed everything happening on the screen.
At the same time, Sua felt the warmth from the people in the inpatient ward and saw the gleam of anticipation in Yu-jin’s eyes.
It was an unusual scene.
This was the highlight of Special Mobile Unit 808, but curiously, despite the screen, only one person was looking at it. Everyone else watched Yu-jin, the one girl watching the drama.
And then.
Gradually.
“You got that? That guy! This is the only chance to capture him forever!”
Very slowly.
The girl’s vision began to fade into white.
.
.
.
.
.
The girl sensed a disconnection.
A completely white space, with nothing but herself and the screen.
It was strange. In the midst of such a crowd, how could she suddenly end up alone here? Uncertain between dream and reality.
“You got that? That guy! This is the only chance to capture him forever!”
…Had time stopped?
The screen stopped at Seo Yeon-joo yelling.
Suss—
Instead, something else moved. The white space surrounding Yu-jin began to take form.
Yu-jin immediately recognized it.
“Playground?”
She couldn’t mistake it. It was the place she visited every day, but at the same time, it was a place where she’d never truly fit in.
But the scene before her felt awkward.
It was a part Yu-jin had forgotten, replaying vividly. There she was, all tears, dragged along forcefully by Kim Sun-il, with the determined look on his face.
A younger Yu-jin whimpered.
–Brother… those people are so scary…
–Brother won’t win even if he goes… they’re so many…
–I’m fine…!
The screen restarted at that moment.
At the same time, Yu-jin felt something odd.
The determination on Lee Kang-cheol’s face after finalizing his decision and the face of young Sun-il grabbing her wrist were identical.
Both had a very clear goal.
“Understood.”
–I get it.
“But.”
–However.
“I’m going to Kim Yu-han.”
–I’ll go. I can’t overlook the fact that they hurt my sister.
It was then Yu-jin finally realized.
Thinking back, her brother before her mother abandoned them was always full of things he wanted to do. And after doing them, he’d laugh heartily with her.
Even on the day he declared revenge and ended up being hit back, his eyes had puffed but still sparkled with joy.
Sun-il had regained that look.
It also happened to be the face Yu-jin had longed for so much.
“Big brother.”
One step.
Two steps.
The girl moved toward the screen.
“Yes, it’s right. It’s our big brother.”
Her movements were light, no longer wobbly.
Quietly, Yu-jin pulled out the IV drip from her arm.
The fever reducer was no longer necessary. The hope of seeing her brother change was already coursing through her veins everywhere.
