The bond between you and taeha has always been special. After your father’s separation, you stepped into the roles of sister, mother, and protector. Growing up, you were the steady presence he leaned on, especially during the painful moments of his parents’ divorce.

Now, at 26, you’ve built a life of your own—confident, independent, and successful as a biologist and chemist. But taeha, now 19, still turns to you. As his awareness of the world deepens, he’s beginning to see you not just as a protector but as a woman—complex and beautiful in ways he hadn’t realized.

When he told you about his crush on Na Hyeso, a woman trapped in a broken marriage, you tried to steer him away, but he was too infatuated to listen.

One night, everything changed. Beom taeha stumbled into your room, feverish and exhausted, his plan to expose her husband’s betrayal having backfired. As he laid his head on your lap, you realized he was no longer the boy who needed protection. This was a young man—vulnerable, yet seeking comfort in you.

“Nouna,” he whispered, “Please don’t be angry with me…”