Chapter 35: A Promise in the Dark

The dining room was dimly lit, the soft hum of the refrigerator the only sound breaking the silence. Seo-woo sat at the wooden table, his hand gripping a pen as he stared at the open notebook before him. His mind was racing, piecing together fragments of a story he had once read—the story he was now living.

His pen moved across the page, listing the names that had become tangled in his fate.

Moon Woo-seok – his ex-boss, the powerful CEO.

Kim Ye-joon – his childhood friend, the man who once ignored him.

Ryu Jung-woo – his younger brother, the one who had once despised him.

These three men had all been drawn to Yu-jin in the original novel.

But there was a fourth.

Seo-woo's fingers tightened around the pen as he tried to recall the last name, but his memories were blurry. He knew the fourth male lead was Japanese, a researcher who had moved to South Korea for his studies. He was dangerous, a psychopath who had attempted to poison Seo-woo and had tried to destroy Woo-seok and Yu-jin's relationship.

But his name...

Seo-woo closed his eyes, pressing his fingers against his temple as if that would force the memory out.

Suddenly, his breath hitched. A thought struck him like lightning.

What if this psychopath had been the one who instigated Haneul to poison the original Seo-woo?

His heartbeat quickened.

It made sense.

If this man had already harbored a twisted obsession with Yu-jin, he could have manipulated Haneul, convincing her to sabotage the original Seo-woo.

But there was no proof.

Not yet.

Seo-woo exhaled slowly and leaned back in his chair. "For now," he murmured, "I need to focus on securing a future for myself and my triplets."

Before he could close his notebook, a sudden window prompt appeared before his eyes.

[Do you want to see the clue regarding the fire accident that led to the original Ryu Seo-woo's death?]

(Yes) or (No)

Seo-woo's breath caught in his throat.

The fire...

The night the original Seo-woo had died.

The system notified him that he accomplished the special quest before going home.

He hesitated. His hands trembled slightly as he hovered over the options. His heart was telling him not to press it.

But his mind whispered, You need to know the truth.

With a deep breath, Seo-woo clicked "Yes."

Immediately, a wave of dizziness washed over him. His vision blurred, the room around him spinning like a whirlpool. He clutched his head, squeezing his eyes shut.

And when he opened them again—

He was somewhere else.

—

Seo-woo found himself standing inside a decrepit house. The air was thick with dust, and the faint smell of mold made him wrinkle his nose. The wooden floor beneath him creaked ominously, and through the cracked walls, he could hear the distant sounds of rustling leaves and chirping insects.

He peered through a nearby window.

Outside, towering trees stretched endlessly, their dark silhouettes looming over the house. The mountains.

This place... was deep in the mountains.

Where am I? Seo-woo thought, his pulse quickening.

Suddenly—

The door creaked open.

Seo-woo immediately crouched behind a dusty cabinet, his breath shallow. A young man in a white lab coat stepped inside.

The dim candlelight flickered against his glasses, casting eerie shadows over his sharp features. Seo-woo recognized him.

But from where?

A moment later, a phone rang.

Seo-woo's eyes widened as the man answered the call. He edged closer, straining to listen.

"Why are you calling at this hour?" the man asked, irritation in his voice.

On the other end, a voice chuckled darkly.

"Did you succeed in your research? How is he doing?"

Seo-woo stiffened.

"Of course," the man scoffed. "I've captured and tested him. Now, my research can progress... and at the same time, I can finally avenge my Yu-jin."

Seo-woo's blood ran cold.

Avenge?

What the hell did that mean?

The caller spoke again, amusement lacing their tone.

"Well then, Inoue Ren, congratulations in advance. If your research is successful, you'll change your medical history. Imagine proving how some men can carry children."

Seo-woo gasped.

Inoue Ren.

The name slammed into him like a punch to the gut.

The fourth male lead.

A researcher. A psychopath.

Seo-woo's stomach churned. This man had kidnapped someone—not just to torment the person, but to use that person as a test subject. But who?

The revelation made his skin crawl.

A twisted experiment.

Seo-woo swallowed the bile rising in his throat. He turned his gaze toward the far side of the room, where a heavy wooden door stood slightly ajar. Something inside him screamed that he needed to look.

His feet moved before he could think.

With trembling fingers, he pushed the door open.

And what he saw inside a shattered person.

A thin figure lay sprawled on the cold, dirty floor. His arms and legs were covered in bruises, puncture marks, and dried blood.

Seo-woo was shocked to see the man who had been taken captive by Inoue Ren.

His face—

Seo-woo almost couldn't recognize it.

The original Ryu Seo-woo.

His once beautiful features were now gaunt and hollow, his eyes barely open, his lips dry and cracked. His breathing was weak, almost nonexistent.

The sight made Seo-woo's chest tighten painfully. His vision blurred with tears.

"Ryu Seo-woo..." he whispered, his voice breaking. He dropped to his knees beside him, his hands hovering over the frail body, afraid to touch, afraid to hurt him even more.

The original Seo-woo didn't respond.

He was too weak to move.

Seo-woo felt his heart shatter.

Was this what had happened to the original Seo-woo before he died?

This wasn't just an accident. This wasn't just a fire.

This was torture.

His breathing turned ragged, his hands trembling.

And then—

A weak voice, barely audible.

"...Help... me..."

Seo-woo's eyes widened.

Tears spilled down his cheeks.

His past self had suffered so much.

How could anyone do this to him?

Before he could say anything—

A loud crash echoed through the house.

Seo-woo spun around.

The door slammed open.

And standing there—

Was Inoue Ren.

A dark, twisted smile curved on his lips.

Seo-woo's blood ran ice cold.

And just like that—

Everything faded to black.

Seo-woo gasped as his surroundings blurred, the suffocating darkness giving way to the dim light of the dining room. His hands trembled as he braced himself against the wooden table, his breath coming in short, uneven bursts.

He was back.

The memories of the past few moments—or had it been longer?—crashed down on him like a tidal wave. The haunting image of the original Ryu Seo-woo, broken and bruised, left to suffer in that desolate place, sent shivers through his spine. The monstrous gaze of Inoue Ren flashed in his mind, and Seo-woo clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

His vision blurred.

Tears spilled down his cheeks before he could stop them.

A single sob escaped his lips.

And then another.

His body shook as he finally let himself cry.

The triplets' bedroom door creaked open.

Tiny feet pattered against the floor, and three small figures emerged, rubbing their sleepy eyes. The triplets, still dressed in their soft pajamas, blinked groggily, their delicate faces lit by the dim glow of the dining room light.

"Dad...?" Seo-min murmured, his voice thick with sleep.

"Why are you crying?" Seo-jun asked, stepping forward with concern.

Seo-jin didn't say anything, but his little hands clenched at the sight of his father shaking and crying.

Seo-woo lifted his head, his teary eyes meeting his children's worried gazes.

His heart ached.

Without hesitation, the triplets ran to him, wrapping their small arms around his waist.

Seo-woo sucked in a shaky breath as he felt their warmth, their innocence and love grounding him. He tried to wipe his tears away, but more kept falling.

"Dad?" Seo-min whispered. "Are you hurt?"

"Did someone make you cry?" Seo-jin demanded, his tiny fists clenched as if he were ready to fight whoever dared to hurt his father.

"Tell us..." Seo-jun murmured, clutching onto Seo-woo's sleeve.

Seo-woo let out a choked laugh between his sobs.

His children...

Even at such a young age, they were so concerned for him.

He wanted to protect them.

To keep them safe.

To make sure that no one would ever lay a hand on them.

Not like what happened to the original Seo-woo.

He couldn't find the words to answer them. Instead, he wrapped his arms around them, hugging them as tightly as he could.

The triplets, though confused, hugged him back.

Seo-woo buried his face in their soft hair, his body still trembling.

His emotions were a storm, but deep within that chaos, a new sense of determination began to take root.

He would not let history repeat itself.

He would not let his children suffer as the original Ryu Seo-woo had suffered.

He would protect them.

No matter what.

Even if it meant facing the monsters from the past.

Even if it meant confronting the people who had destroyed the original Seo-woo's life.

He would do whatever it took to ensure his children's happiness.

As he held his triplets close, a sudden warmth wrapped around him from behind.

His breath hitched.

It was gentle.

Comforting.

Like a silent promise.

Like a farewell.

Seo-woo didn't turn around, but he knew.

He knew who it was.

A soft whisper, almost like a breeze, brushed against his ear.

"Protect them."

Seo-woo swallowed the lump in his throat.

"I promise," he whispered back.

The warmth lingered for a moment longer—

And then, it was gone.

Seo-woo closed his eyes.

The original Ryu Seo-woo...

Wherever he was now, Seo-woo prayed that he had found peace.

And that in this life—

Seo-woo would fight for the happiness that had once been stolen from them.

---

Seo-woo woke up with a yawn, blinking blearily as the soft morning light streamed through the curtains. His body ached, the exhaustion from the previous night still clinging to him. He had fallen asleep with the triplets, their tiny arms wrapped around him, their warmth his only comfort after the emotional turmoil he had gone through.

He glanced down at the messy "yo" (traditional Korean mattress) beneath them. Seo-jun, Seo-min, and Seo-jin were still sleeping soundly, their small faces relaxed and peaceful.

Seo-woo smiled faintly.

For a moment, he just watched them.

Their soft breathing.

The way Seo-min clung to his sleeve.

The way Seo-jun had kicked his blanket away.

The way Seo-jin snored just a little.

His heart ached.

"I have to protect them. No matter what."

Just as he was about to carefully move and stand up—

Knock. Knock.

Seo-woo's entire body tensed.

Who could that be this early?

He carefully untangled himself from his children, making sure not to wake them, and ran his hands through his messy hair before quickly straightening his clothes.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped toward the door.

Knock. Knock.

It wasn't an aggressive knock, but something about it felt off.

His fingers hesitated on the doorknob for a second—

Then, he turned it.

As the door creaked open, Seo-woo's breath hitched.

His eyes widened.

And then—

He gasped.

---

At Starlight Entertainment

Moon Woo-seok sat at his desk, flipping through the agenda for today's meeting. His schedule was packed, as always, and he had no time for distractions.

He had just sorted his documents and was about to stand up when—

The door slammed open.

Woo-seok froze.

Yu-jin.

The man waltzed in without knocking, his lips curled into an infuriating grin.

Woo-seok narrowed his eyes.

"Where are your manners?" Woo-seok asked coldly, adjusting his cuffs as if Yu-jin's presence was nothing more than a mild annoyance.

Yu-jin ignored the question completely, his grin widening as he strode toward Woo-seok's desk.

There was something different about him today.

Something unsettling.

Woo-seok remained seated, arms crossed, watching as Yu-jin reached into his coat pocket—

And pulled out a small stack of photographs.

Thump.

Yu-jin dropped them onto the desk.

Woo-seok's expression didn't change.

But his fingers twitched.

Slowly, he reached forward and flipped over one of the photographs.

And for the first time in years—

Moon Woo-seok flinched.

Yu-jin chuckled, eyes gleaming.

"You're good at hiding your emotions," he said, tilting his head. "But even you couldn't control that reaction just now, huh?"

Woo-seok's jaw tightened.

His mind raced.

How did Yu-jin get these?

Who gave them to him?

How much did he actually know?

"...What do you want?" Woo-seok finally asked, his voice low and controlled.

Yu-jin leaned closer, his face mere inches away.

And then, with a slow, deliberate smile, he pointed directly at Woo-seok's chest—

"You."

Woo-seok's entire body froze.

Yu-jin's smile widened.

"I want you."

A dangerous silence fell between them.

Woo-seok, for the first time in his life, didn't know how to respond.