Life, Once Again!

Chapter 833. Sequence 10

When he opened the door, the first thing he saw was Gaeul standing there with her arms crossed. Go on, talk to me – she was standing there like a guard and didn’t look like she would make way if she wasn't given a plausible explanation. Maru took his shoes off and went inside before lifting her up while she was staring at him. Although she struggled, it was bearable. When he put her down on the sofa, she hurled herself at him immediately.

"You're not going to say anything?"

"I'm just having you listen comfortably, without standing up. I'm going to have some water, would you like some?"

Before he could even look at the kitchen, she quickly gave him some water in a cup. She poured a cup on the spot and gave it to him. It seemed that she was really curious. It wasn’t surprising. After all, they were visibly awkward with each other. If they didn't act like they were close at all, she might have urged them to become closer, but the two of them practically ignored each other as though they were meeting after a big fight, so Gaeul must have felt nervous as well.

"To get straight to the point, I am in a relationship where I can never become friends with Kang Giwoo even if I die and come back to life again. It doesn’t matter what he thinks of me. I don't have any intention of becoming close to him."

"Did you two get into a fight? You said you were friends."

"It's basically a form of courtesy when I call him a friend."

"Then why did you act close to each other back then?"

"Because while we may never become friends, we can't exactly become enemies either. There's you too. Though, it'll probably be difficult to pretend to be friends from today on."

"You were never friends in the first place?"

"Never."

He wasn't distancing himself from Kang Giwoo simply because he was an evil guy. In life, people were bound to come across situations where their benefit would lead to the misfortune of another. It was an inevitable choice, and even if that led to other people receiving damage, Maru would be able to understand it. After all, ordinary people would not choose to sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. If such a decision was placed in front of him, Maru would choose the option that benefited himself and the people around him. If his decision ended up damaging someone completely unrelated to him, he might feel sorry but would not hesitate in his decision because of that. If Kang Giwoo's environment allowed him no choice, and if that was what caused the incident, Maru would have looked at his circumstance and understood with that in mind. He would have emotionally criticized him, but that would not become a hindrance to forming a relationship with him.

However, not only was Kang Giwoo's decision against his choice, it wasn't even a desperate one either. It was simply for entertainment. To stave off his boredom, he stomped on the fingers of a man who lived off the wages he earned every day. He didn't even do it himself. He had someone else do it. It was unreasonable violence and meaningless suffering. Giwoo said that it was a mistake and that he had changed, but nowhere in his grand speech did he mention anything about being sorry nor about apologizing or repenting. Those long list of words were all ultimately just self-justification. The man who had been injured without a clue because of him had been erased from his speech. He was practically saying that stains could be washed away. Maru could feel relieved. He was worried that there might be a good side to Giwoo that even his abilities couldn't see through, but fortunately, Giwoo was pure evil just like before. He had grown up to be just the man he was going to be. Not in a good way; in a bad way.

"About the things I am going to start telling you now, I don't want you to believe all of it. Just take what you would. After all, when it comes to judging a person, your own experiences are much more important than other people's judgments."

Maru told her about the things with Giwoo in the past. She looked to be in disbelief when she heard that Giwoo ordered a so-called 'friend' to stomp on the fingers of a person completely on purpose.

"Is that true?"

"What I'm telling you now is the confirmed truth. There's a bit of my opinion mixed in there, but it is true that such a thing happened. I checked it myself."

"How can a person do that?"

"From his words, it was just an immature prank, and he says he's fixed his ways and is living a proper life, but I can't believe him. Of course, there is a possibility that he had really changed. He might actually have repented his wrongdoings and has resolved to live a proper life. However, what I saw from him was that he had changed for the worse."

"I can't believe that Kang Giwoo did something like that."

"Like I said, don't believe my words entirely. The Kang Giwoo in your mind might be closer to the truth."

She looked at her phone with a serious expression. She seemed to be thinking about whether to call him and ask. After fidgeting with her phone for a long time, Gaeul just sighed.

"I don't think I should call him and ask."

"Good thinking. Even if you call him and ask, nothing would change. Whether he admits to it or not, your conclusion will be that he's a good person right now."

"Giwoo was a really good guy at the shooting set."

"Then keep believing in that. You're going to be seeing him for a long time, so you can't treat him awkwardly."

"You made me feel iffy because you said that."

"That's why I was trying not to tell you. After all, it is you who would be in an uncomfortable position regardless of the outcome."

Maru poured some water for her, as she might be feeling thirsty. She emptied the cup in one go.

"The Kang Giwoo I saw was someone who didn't walk past a staff member in trouble and would help them out. He always arrived at the set first and greet everyone cheerfully. At get-togethers, he would liven up the mood even if it meant making fun of himself. There is probably no one among the set who hates him."

"That's how you should act too. Just like how you always have been."

"I want to do that, but I think I'll see Giwoo differently in the future. Like what you said, I'm going to be working with him, so I won't show it on the surface. There are many people who are staking their lives on the drama after all. I can't have my personal problems influence the shoot. However, I will definitely be wary of him if I have to meet him in private in the future."

"Even though Kang Giwoo might have changed for the better?"

"I believe in my eyes and my intuition, but I believe in your words just as much, Maru. No, in some sense, I sometimes rely on your words more than my own judgments. The Han Maru I've seen is definitely not a person who would talk about nonsense. Also, I think you're warning me by telling me all this after trying not to tell me until now."

Maru did not say anything as he looked back at her staring as she stared at him. Be careful of Giwoo, stay away from him; I actually hope you don't get involved with him at all – such words were all unnecessary. She knew what she had to do. She walked on a tightrope between reason and emotion and arrived at an answer that Maru wanted her to. When she said that he would not say nonsense, he felt thankful, but at the same time, heavy.

"I'll watch over Giwoo for a little longer."

"Go ahead."

"If I actually confirm that the actions he showed in front of other people is all just pretense and that he's a completely different person inside, I would go up and say something to him."

"Say what?"

"That he should not live his life like that."

"Call me when you do. I'd love to watch from the side."

"I'm very serious right now, you know? An actor I've been respecting quite a bit might actually be human trash. I have a kissing scene with him, you know? I'm already at a loss on how to set my emotions at that time."

"You can't help it. Work is work."

Gaeul stood up abruptly before glaring at him.

"Is that what you should be telling your girlfriend?"

"What can I do? You can't quit the drama midway."

"You're such a bad guy."

"Since it's like this, do you want to retire and become my wife? I will make you touch nothing harmful except water, laundry, and vacuum machines."

"You aren't proposing to me right now, are you?"

"I think it's something similar."

"For a moment, you looked like an even worse guy than Kang Giwoo."

She pouted, making her lips look like that of a bird. If he told her 'peck me,' he felt like he might not be able to see her for a while, so he held it in.

"Do you even plan on accepting if I do it properly?"

"Try doing it properly first. I can decide when the time comes."

"You know a friend of mine called Dojin, right? His girlfriend proposed to him while dancing, and man, she looked cool. The times we live in say that a man buying a wedding ring and proposing is old-fashioned. What do you think?"

"Not even worth considering."

"I thought you'd say that."

Maru put his arm around her shoulders. Although Gaeul resisted for a little bit, she eventually smiled and put her arm around his waist.

"You really can't see what people are thinking on the inside. I never knew that such a proper-looking man has a history like that."

"Everyone's like that."

"That sounds like you too have a secret that might get you in trouble if exposed, huh?"

"Not just one. I have about five."

"How about you tell me one? I'll forgive you for that crappy proposal if you do. You share a secret with me in exchange for giving you a chance. Don't you think it's a good deal?"

"Was my proposal that crappy?"

"Can you imagine what my mom would tell me if I tell her about it?"

"Mr. Han, I think you need to have a deep talk with me?"

Maru covered her lips with his. Just as he was about to start twisting her lips for fun, her hand on his waist suddenly pinched him.

"Don't you try to gloss this over."

"How strict."

"I have to be this strict if I want to live with you."

"But isn't it unfair for just me to reveal my secret? If it's about the proposal, I can just do it properly again next time."

"Fine. Then I'll tell you a secret too."

She took her hand off his waist and took a step back.

"I have a precious friend. But other people can't see her. I don't know if she's a ghost or a fairy. She's a cute little rabbit, and she always consoles me and says good things whenever I have a hard time. Though we fought recently and she disappeared."

After saying those words, she smiled and waved her hand in the air.

"Actually, forget that. I said something unnecessary. I can't exactly call it a secret when no one's going to believe it."

"I believe it though."

"Don't. I was just absentminded. How can there be something like a ghost or a fairy in this world? Not only that, she looks like a rabbit. I mean, ghosts come in white cloths, and fairies are supposed to look like Tinkerbell."

"It might be a rabbit. Small and cute but unrelenting when it comes to words and not wanting to lose. I'm sure she thinks about you a lot and cares for you. She must want you to become happy above everything."

Gaeul looked back at him, flabbergasted.

"How did you know?"

"Know what?"

When Maru pretended to be oblivious, she thought for a moment before chuckling as though she understood.

"You're thinking that the rabbit is like me, aren't you?"

"I said I believe she exists."

"You clearly don't. I just said it as a joke, so don't be so serious."

I know you're not lying – Maru replied inwardly.

"Then I guess I must tell you a secret of mine too."

"You're going to tell me?"

"That was the deal. It's an extremely important secret. Don't you go around telling anyone else."

He gestured to her to come closer. Her face became closer. Maru put his hands around his mouth and whispered into her ears.

"I loved you in my previous life and the life before that."

"What the heck is that."

"I'm serious. This is like revealing divine secrets. Even the best fortune tellers won't be able to tell you something like this."

She frowned before hurling herself at him, saying that she needed to hit that mouth of his. Maru told her to hit his lips with her own, and Gaeul attacked him with her lips after declining once.