ꜰɪɴᴀʟ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ . ꜱᴡᴇᴇᴛ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ¹

II. ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴏᴘᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴏʀ...

The pair reached the lift, where Sung-hyo pressed the button and the pair waited for the lift to arrive.

While waiting, a lady appeared, pushing a stroller and humming a nursery rhyme. Sung-hyo recognised her as Ms Im, making the girl bite her cheek and hope Ji-su wouldn't say anything to upset the woman. This was bound to be their first time meeting.

"I guess you just moved here," Ms Im said to Ji-su.

"Yes, I came just a week ago. Sorry I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm in Room 1510," Ji-su explained before bowing to the lady. "It's nice to meet you."

"Oh, dear!" Ms Im bent forwards to peer down at her stroller. "It's okay, Da-eun. She's just a neighbour."

"Sorry. I guess I was a little loud," Ji-su replied in a whisper before showing the guitar she was carrying on her back. "I might have a lot to be sorry about in the future, though."

"It's all right," Ms Im replied.

"How old is your baby?" Ji-su asked.

"My little princess is just one year old," Ms Im answered with a smile.

Ji-su bent down to give the baby a cheeky grin, "Hello!"

She froze when she realised the stroller was empty, a blanket tucked in as if the baby actually was there.

"Isn't she pretty?" Ms Im asked.

"Yes, she is," Sung-hyo nodded, helping Ji-su straighten up before she could say anything to upset the lady.

The lift dinged, announcing it had arrived. However, after the doors opened, Ji-su grabbed Sung-hyo's arm, keeping them where they were standing.

"Aren't you getting in?" Ms Im asked.

"Oh, I... forgot my wallet at home," Ji-su replied, quickly coming up with an excuse.

"I'll wait for you," Ms Im replied.

"No, it's fine," Sung-hyo insisted, noticing how uncomfortable Ji-su looked. "Go ahead. We won't keep you waiting."

The woman gave in, letting the lift doors close.

"What's wrong with her?" Ji-su muttered.

"It's all right. She's a kind person," a man in glasses and a suit said, standing beside the pair, waiting for the elevator too. "She lost her baby last year. They say her stroller rolled into the street when she wasn't looking."

"That's so sad," Ji-su replied, feeling bad for how she'd reacted toward the woman. Sung-hyo nodded in agreement.

"God sometimes gives us hardships that are hard to overcome," the man hummed. "But failing to overcome them doesn't mean you should be criticised or feared by others for it."

"Yes. You're right," Ji-su nodded.

"Everything is God's will. It's nice to meet you both," the man said, holding his hand out for them to shake. "I'm Jung Jae-heon. I live in Room 1506."

Ji-su slowly placed her hand in her pocket, but Sung-hyo shook the man's hand, smiling at him kindly.

"Am I being overly friendly?" Jae-heon asked Ji-su.

"No," Ji-su replied, shaking her head, "it's just that my hand reeks of cigarettes."

"Oh, alright," Jae-heon nodded.

"I'm Yoon Ji-su," Ji-su introduced herself.

"Park Sung-hyo," Sung-hyo waved, her other hand holding onto her drumsticks.