Chapter 0

Prologue

“I know why I came here,” said the girl without any trace of expression on her small, chubby face.

For three days, she had been confined in a dreary room, unable to properly bathe, and boarded a rattling van.

Her stomach growled with hunger, and her appearance was as shabby as the tattered clothes wrapping her small figure. The girl kept her eyes wide open throughout the ride.

Some time had passed since she was thrown into a place surrounded by white wallpaper. She refused to rest even a bit; her stiff neck showed no sign of loosening.

Facing a psychiatrist clad in a white gown, the girl only nibbled at her chapped lips as the pen scratched on paper.

“I got into a fight with the kids at the orphanage but came out unscathed. I didn’t even cry…”

“I see.”

The doctor scribbled something with a silver pen.

“But you seem quite hurt and in pain too.”

“This? Not really.”

“These wounds are not that big of a deal. I found it rather funny that the teacher reacted excessively to something this petty. That teacher must be a weakling…”

“The kids I hit got hurt much more.” She added smugly.

“How many did you hit?”

“Five.”

“….”

“I broke one kid’s arm, knocked another one down, kicked one in the butt, choked one, and tripped another.”

The child spoke, folding each finger one by one. It was an oddly matter-of-fact tone.

“I see. How did you feel when your friends were crying?”

“It was funny.”

“Why was it funny?”

The doctor’s hand paused. The child, without taking her eyes off the silver pen moving silently, continued speaking.

“Because they were crying about being hurt. Real fools. That’s something you endure, not cry about. That’s how you become healthier. They say bones, when broken and mended, become stronger.”

“….”

“I purposely hit my kneecaps with branches to make them stronger. That way, later on, my knees become as tough as iron.”

For the first time, pride appeared on the previously emotionless face.

“Martial artists train like that, you know. Want me to show you my kneecaps?”

“You want to be a martial artist when you grow up?”

“No.”

“Then why do that kind of training?”

“….”

The kid, chatting away like a bird, suddenly went silent. She grinned as if the question was something she’d never considered.

The doctor waited for her to speak up.

Do they teach ballet at the orphanage these days? The doctor wondered.

She looked strangely polished, with a posture that was as fancy as a rich kid’s. She had a doll-like quality with her detailed features and long lashes.

“I can’t let it go because it’s all I got. I keep at it and I must not forget it. Now that I’ve got no mom, no dad, no hometown, letting go of what I’ve learned with my own hands would be too lonely.”

It was a vague statement, but the doctor got it right away.

“I like what is mine.”

For a moment, a spark flickered in the eyes that appeared dull until now.

“I don’t have something like that yet, but when I become an adult and really find someone precious, I’ll give up everything. I’ll take good care of him and cherish him a lot.”

“Quite noble of you.” The doctor chuckled at the child’s bold remarks, even referring a person as “it.”

“And I’ll never let him go.”

“Huh?”

The doctor, scribbling something on a sturdy file, lifted his head a beat late. The conversation had started to go off track around that point.

“He’s mine.”

“….”

“I’ll never let him leave my side. If he tries to go, I’ll grab him again. If he runs away, I’ll chase him down and make sure he stays with me.”

The child’s hungry eyes burned with intense longing.

Oh boy… The doctor fought the urge to massage his forehead desperately.

“Kid, no matter how much you like someone, it doesn’t mean you can have them the way you want.”

“Why not?”

The child tilted her head incredulously.

“People, love, you can’t just possess them one-sidedly. It might be hard to understand now, but truly cherishing someone isn’t about the concept of ownership.”

“But what I want is just one thing. I want what’s mine, and I want something of my own to never go away–the only thing in the world that I can call mine.”

The child was stubborn, desperate even. And surprisingly, she was seeking love determinedly.

Perhaps it was because she was grappling with emotional poverty. Instinctively, the doctor knew how to find what the child needed. His keen sense was akin to that of a hunter.

The doctor momentarily set down his pen and met the trembling gaze of the child.

“Well then, it seems you need to learn a few things.”

“What things?”

“Someday, when you meet someone you like, you must learn not to make mistakes. Being too aggressive might scare them away. We often permanently lose the ones we love with even the smallest mistakes.”

The child raised a cute hand to cover her face. Just the thought of someone leaving seemed to pinch at her heart. No… I can’t lose anyone else anymore.

“So, when dealing with people, you must always be careful.”

Satisfied with the child’s reaction, the doctor leisurely sipped his tea.

“Does that mean I should hit my kneecaps more?”

He sprayed out the tea he was sipping with a whoosh. His chin and clothes were now messily wet. Regardless, the child’s eyes shone brightly.

“You can’t break something precious. If your legs become stronger, what if they leave again?” He said, coughing at the end.

“….!”

“I have to be the one to do the catching. Even if they leave, I can always bring them back.”

A momentary, subtle change flickered across the face that had been blank throughout.

“I’ll be the one to catch them.”

The child’s eyes held a slightly strange and determined glint.

After that initial meeting, the child, Han Seoryeong, visited this place once a month. There wasn’t a single day without her getting in trouble, leaving her body bruised.

Then, at some point, she began participating in gymnastics competitions, showcasing her talent.

However, an unfortunate incident in high school led her to drop out, and her college entrance exams ended in failure.

As an adult leaving the orphanage, she reluctantly jumped into the job market. Even then, occasional counseling sessions continued. If in-person visits were difficult, they’d resort to simple phone calls.

Overcoming deficiencies, Seoryeong became an adult, obtained a massage certification using skills honed in gymnastics, and worked as a nursing assistant for a while.

She spoke of the challenges of the job but appreciated the stability of the modest, regular paycheck, allowing her to live a simple life.

However, life is an unpredictable realm.

“Doctor, I’m getting married next month.”

The child who returned after several years held a folding cane for the visually impaired in her hand. But her expression was as bright as if she had the whole world.

A happiness that couldn’t be seen in her childhood now covered her entire face, radiating joy. She shyly smiled, extending a wedding invitation with the fragrance of flowers into the air.

“Finally, you found your person!”

Shouting in surprise, the doctor noticed tears welled up in her eyes.

“Please be happy.”

However, the next time he saw her after the wedding was on the 9 o’clock news.