INT. HR'S ROOM – DAY
MS opens the door to the corridor and begins to come out.
MI-SOOK
We've finished now, my lady.
HR presses MS's hand as she passes her.
HYE-RYUNG
Thank you, Kim Mi-sook.
HR rushes back in and flies into Gwi's arms, trembling. MS closes the door behind her full of relief and love for the both of them.
GWI
It's all right, my love. I really am here.
HYE-RYUNG
I know that I'm being ridiculous. I know that I should be calm and happy and satisfied. I will be. I am. I'm just suddenly flooded with fear in some moments that you'll disappear again. Or that this might not be real. But you're here. I'll stop being silly.
(tries to smile)
GWI
Hye-ryung-a. There's no use pretending that you're not afraid if you are. I'm a demi-god again and I have more power than before. Playing happy when you're not is pointless.
HYE-RYUNG
(surprised, worried, embarrassed)
Does that mean you can hear my thoughts now?
GWI
(teasing)
Do you have thoughts that you don't want me to know about? Which ones might those be?
(kisses different parts of HR's face, her neck)
I sincerely hope they're the thoughts about me.
(kisses HR deeply, leaving them both breathless)
HYE-RYUNG
(coming out of her daze, can't look Gwi in the eye)
Please tell me you can't really hear my thoughts.
GWI
(laughs)
I can't. It doesn't quite work like that. But I will know if you're lying or trying to hide something. Fortunately for me, you're already fairly transparent so it's not too much of a change.
HYE-RYUNG
(ashamed)
I don't think my thoughts have been very virtuous for a while now. And I haven't had anyone to ask about it without you here.
GWI
What did you want to ask?
HYE-RYUNG
So many things. When you disappeared, I thought about you almost entirely. In comparison, I thought very little about my father and his death, even though I saw it, even though it was violent, even though you'd think I'd be deeply disturbed. And in fact-
(pauses, more quietly)
I can't say I didn't care about his death. I don't think I would feel so guilty if that were the case. It's worse than that. I felt relieved. I didn't realise that I was still scared of him until he was gone. But once I knew that I'd never have to see him again, I felt that a burden had been lifted from my shoulders. That's awful, isn't it? I can't think something like that about my own father, even if he did treat me abominably, even if he did abandon me, even if he nearly killed me.
GWI
My dear, how I missed you.
Gwi leads HR to sit down.
GWI (CONT'D)
Some people think that it is enough for a mother or father to simply bring a child into this world. And after that, the burden rests on the child to hold the parent in esteem, to support and cherish them, to respect and honour them, to obey them, and to do whatever is necessary to build up the family name in the way that the parents see fit. This, they believe, is how society is held together.
Though all those things are important for children to learn, even animals can outshine parents who stop there. If a parent only ever takes from you, hurts you, belittles you, slanders you, and uses you for their own gain, can you even call that person a mother or a father? I am closer in agreement to one of the first things you said to me about him. 'I have no father.'
It is natural for a parent to be ready to sacrifice for their child when real difficulty comes. It is a gift from the gods. That gift is meant to extend and be worked out into daily sacrifices for children. Though this is more difficult, it is the work of being a parent. Your father spurned that gift entirely because it didn't align with his ambitions. And he is now bearing the consequences for that rejection along with many other wrong choices.
If you feel relief that he is gone, that is because he made himself nothing more than a burden to you. I don't say there's any sense in thinking unkindly of him now. It is all over – you are safe and he is suffering. But there is also no sense in feeling ashamed of having a visceral reaction once the danger had passed. And there's no point lying to yourself. Frankly, you are safer now.
HYE-RYUNG
(smiles)
I've been waiting such a long time to hear what you would say about that. It's always so reassuring to know what you think. My tutors have been working so hard to give me more and more challenges, but it's never like talking with you. I've made a list actually of all sorts of things I've been learning and reading and thinking.
HR shuffles around some papers on the table.
HYE-RYUNG (CONT'D)
(chuckles, sheepish)
Actually, I have a lot of lists.
GWI
Good, we've got all the time in the world. Let's hear it.
