I need to go back a day to explain why I suddenly visited Baek Ye-rin’s house.
That day, I first received somewhat bad news from Dad.
“Mom fell down the stairs?”
“Yeah. She fell backwards and twisted her ankle while trying to regain her balance. It looks like she needs to be hospitalized for about two weeks.”
Upon hearing that, I reflected on the memories from my previous life.
No matter how much I thought about it, something like this didn’t happen during this time in my past.
‘Maybe I shouldn’t fully rely on my memories from before the regression…’
Well, it was just last year that I skipped cram school and confidently declared to Mom that I would become a composer.
The timing was pulled forward by a whole two years, so it was highly likely that the future would be completely different from what I remembered.
And yet… I knew of one future that wouldn’t change no matter how much I struggled.
After finishing school, I immediately headed to the university hospital where Mom was supposedly staying.
Curiously enough, Mom wasn’t in the hospital room but in the outdoor rest area on the roof.
“Is it okay to be here?”
“Being stuck in the room all the time can actually slow down recovery.”
Mom smiled faintly as she replied to my question.
Then she turned to someone who had been sitting beside her and chatting since a while ago.
“Is this the person you’ve been talking about?”
“Yes, this is my son.”
“So you’re Ryu Won…”
The woman smiled slightly as she called my name.
The miracle of regression.
It gave me another chance to achieve my dream, for which I couldn’t help but be grateful.
But human greed truly seems to have no end.
If only I had returned one year earlier…
“I’m Ye-rin’s mother. I didn’t expect to meet you like this.”
You could have been saved…
Today, I faced a future I absolutely could not change.
It was the death of Baek Ye-rin’s mother, “Lee Yeon-hee.”
My meeting with Ye-rin’s mom continued in the outdoor rest area.
“Did you know me?”
“Of course. Ye-rin talks about you a lot. How could I not know?”
“Ye-rin…?”
“She says you’re a genius composer and she respects you greatly. I’ll leave it at that though, since saying more might make her hate me.”
“There’s more?”
I scratched my head.
It was unclear what she meant, so I decided to let it slide.
Then…
“Are you… very ill?”
“Yeah. The doctor said I won’t live much longer.”
She talked about her impending death with such calmness that it left me flustered.
“I’m sorry.”
“Hm? What are you apologizing for?”
“If you look at it one way, I’ve deprived you and Ye-rin of time together. So I’m sorry.”
Baek Ye-rin became a busy singer after debuting.
Her life now is one that a regular middle schooler would never imagine.
And it all started because of my greed.
Even if Baek Ye-rin would have become a singer without me during this period, what’s happening now is entirely because of me.
Even if Baek Ye-rin’s mother wanted her daughter to be a singer, I still stole their precious time together.
“You’re wrong. Thanks to you, we’ve been able to see Ye-rin’s amazing performances. And you’re always yelling to reduce Ye-rin’s schedule, aren’t you?”
That wasn’t exactly false…
But it was something I felt was naturally my responsibility.
“It’s something I must do.”
“I think there’s nothing natural in this world. In the first place, it’s all thanks to you that Ye-rin has gained such immense love from the people. So, I’m really grateful to you.”
Her words made me smile bitterly.
“No, that child would have gained everyone’s love even without me. You raised her so well, it makes it impossible not to believe.”
After hearing my words, Baek Ye-rin’s mom chuckled for some reason.
“Saying that makes me feel thankful… and a bit relieved.”
Relieved?
Before I could ask what she meant, a familiar voice called out nearby.
“Here again?”
Turning, sure enough, Baek Ye-rin was approaching.
Seeing me, Baek Ye-rin didn’t seem surprised or confused.
It was as if my presence here was entirely natural.
“You’ve already gotten close to Won?”
That was all she said.
Seeing her reaction, it felt… a little eerie.
…
“Mom is hospitalized, so I came to the hospital.”
“Then you naturally met Mom and exchanged greetings.”
“Right.”
“Really?”
“I don’t think you’re lying. I believe you always.”
Baek Ye-rin smirked faintly.
Even so, there was a sense that she didn’t fully trust what I was saying…
“I’m leaving now. I originally planned to visit Mom briefly.”
Anyways, it was about time to go.
Plus, I wasn’t rude enough to intrude on their time together.
“I’ll see you out to the main entrance.”
“Alright…”
“?
But somehow, it turned into a natural scene with Baek Ye-rin walking me out.
“Would you like to come over to my place tomorrow?”
As we were about to part ways, I heard something unexpected.
With a faintly nostalgic smile…
“There’s something I want you to listen to…”
Facing that smile, I found myself nodding unknowingly.
“Did you bring him back well?”
“Yeah.”
After dropping off Ryu Won, Baek Ye-rin returned to her mother’s hospital room.
Recalling the boy she had just conversed with, Baek Ye-rin’s mother, Lee Yeon-hee, said:
“He seems like a good kid, this Ryu Won.”
“Of course.”
“Right. Now I understand why our daughter fell for him.”
Hearing that, Baek Ye-rin didn’t reply.
She just smiled faintly.
This silence…
There’s no need to explain, right?
That’s enough.
As long as her daughter has found something precious now, that’s enough.
“Ah, since it’s the weekend, should we visit together tomorrow? I feel like talking more with that boy.”
“Are you interfering in our relationship, Mom?”
“Stop teasing me already!”
And so, they continued their friendly conversation…
“Ugh!”
Pain strikes unexpectedly, regardless of such trivialities.
“Mom!”
“Ye-rin, I’m fine…”
“There’s no way you’re fine! I’ll go and get the doctor!”
Lee Yeon-hee could only watch as her daughter urgently rushed out of the room.
It truly was…
Heart-wrenching in a different way.
*
“Would you like to come over tomorrow?”
Even after lying down in bed, the words I heard from Baek Ye-rin before we parted kept echoing in my mind.
Why did she insist on inviting me over to her place?
Especially when her mother was hospitalized, leaving her home entirely to her…
This kind of situation definitely spurs the imagination, but…
“I have something I want you to hear.”
I couldn’t help but recall her expression from before we parted.
Whatever it was, it didn’t seem to be something ordinary.
And due to the changes in the future brought on by me, I couldn’t really guess what it would be.
Still…
“Anything would be fine.”
All I had to do was do whatever I could.
The next day, I found myself in front of the apartment building where Baek Ye-rin currently lived.
Truthfully, she could move into a much better house at a moment’s notice.
Between the royalties and RT Entertainment’s support…
Baek Ye-rin was currently the flagship star and face of RT Entertainment.
Even if they didn’t intend to, there was no way they wouldn’t take care of her. Especially since Kang Beom-jun is detail-oriented in these matters.
Actually, the hospital bills for Baek Ye-rin’s mother, Lee Yeon-hee, were covered by RT Entertainment.
It was just that the person herself had no intention of leaving this place.
Likely, it would stay this way in the future.
With that thought, I called Baek Ye-rin at the entrance, and she immediately opened the door.
I entered her place with a somewhat awkward expression.
“Er… sorry to intrude.”
“Make yourself at home. It’s just me here anyway. Oh, right, did you eat lunch?”
“You specifically told me not to.”
Of course, the moment I stepped inside, I could smell something delicious.
I had been secretly looking forward to it ever since you told me not to eat lunch.
After all, the Baek Ye-rin I know is an incredible cook.
In my past life, she once participated in a cooking competition and beat a famous Michelin-starred chef.
So, I decided to confirm…
If that story was genuine or not.
And the result was…
“How is it?”
“Damn… it’s tastier than what my mom cooks. I hate myself for not being able to express it any other way.”
“At least you like it, right? That’s a relief.”
I felt a little guilty towards my mom.
