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Anna never expected that, while waiting for Park Chan-yeol's call, his stepmother Ms. Han Yoon-soo would appear again in such a short time.
When she saw her waiting at the company entrance, Anna felt a bit at a loss.
"Hello..." Anna greeted cautiously and respectfully.
"Are you off work?" Han Yoon-soo asked, not using formal language, speaking as if to someone familiar.
Anna smiled awkwardly and nodded, saying, "Yes."
"Can I invite you to dinner, Anna?" Han Yoon-soo said.
Anna wanted to refuse, but she had no idea how long she had been waiting there, and since she really had nothing planned for the evening, she hesitated but eventually nodded and said, "Sure, Mrs. Han, thank you very much."
"Great, let's get in the car. I know a really good Italian restaurant."
"Okay."
Once they got into the car, Anna felt increasingly uncomfortable sitting in the back seat with Han Yoon-soo because she could sense Han Yoon-soo's gaze on her from the corner of her eye. When their eyes met, Anna could only smile awkwardly and then look away.
"Anna, are you working with the Running Man Production Team now? Are you with Brother Jae-seok?" Han Yoon-soo suddenly spoke up.
Anna was incredibly surprised and said, "Yes... but... Brother Jae-seok? Do you know Brother Jae-seok?"
Han Yoon-soo smiled and said, "Yes, we were classmates in middle school. By chance, I saw him a few years ago; after that, I've only seen him on television."
Anna was so astonished that she couldn't find words to describe it; what a wonderful coincidence this was—so coincidental it was almost eerie.
"Jae-seok is a really nice person, but back in middle school, because of his looks... the girls never really liked him. I never expected that he would become the most desired man to marry for women in the Republic of Korea now."
Anna smiled and said, "Yeah, Brother Jae-seok has always been my idol. My dream is to have a show where I am the chief producer and can invite Brother Jae-seok to host it, making it a highly anticipated program."
"Do you admire Yoo Jae-suk that much?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
Anna glanced at her and suddenly realized why Han Yoon-soo had brought up Yoo Jae-suk; perhaps she just wanted to find a common topic to chat about with Anna.
That was fine; it made things less awkward for both of them.
Anna nodded and said, "Yes, I really admire him. You know, when I was little, my father drank every day, and my mother wasn't around. Later on, I started watching a lot of Brother Jae-seok's shows. His way of handling life had a huge impact on me. Just think about how lucky I am—so many people like him, and I get to be someone close to him. Plus, there was one time when a female guest was giving me a hard time and almost knocked me off the Great Wall, but it was Brother Jae-seok who saved me. I will remember this kindness for a lifetime."
"Is it that dangerous when you film the show?" Han Yoon-soo asked with concern.
"Not really. That was just an exception," Anna replied with a smile.
"Do guests often give you a hard time? Is it tiring?"
Anna thought for a moment and said, "Actually, not many guests are difficult. They might have their little quirks, but the more famous the star, the better their personality tends to be. Working with them is much more comfortable. For example, Mr. Lee Jung-jae is just wonderful. You wouldn't believe how happy it is to see your recorded show being aired and loved by so many people. No matter how tiring or tough it gets, it's all worth it. Plus, we have quite a fan base overseas too—Thailand, China, Vietnam, Singapore... we have many fans there. China specifically bought our rights to create a Chinese version of Running Man..." As Anna spoke about Running Man, she became animated and excited.
Han Yoon-soo smiled with satisfaction.
The car did not head directly to the restaurant but instead stopped at a high-end brand mall that Anna had always hesitated to enter.
"Why are we here?" Anna asked in confusion.
"I found a few outfits I liked and wanted you to help me check them out," Han Yoon-soo said.
Anna could no longer resist her various inexplicable actions. "Okay," Anna replied with a smile.
"How have things been with Chan-yeol lately?" Han Yoon-soo asked as they stepped into the elevator.
Anna smiled lightly and sighed gently, saying, "He seems to be a bit busy lately, but we're doing well."
"Really?"
Anna nodded and replied, "Really."
Although Han Yoon-soo claimed to be shopping for clothes for himself, all the outfits were clearly meant for Anna to try on. She could tell that those clothes were not suitable for someone Han Yoon-soo's age; instead, they were more appropriate for girls in their twenties. They tried on one outfit after another, and as long as it looked good, Han Yoon-soo would buy it without hesitation, regardless of whether the clothes, shoes, and bags equaled Anna's salary for a quarter or even half a year.
Rich people are really different... Anna silently thought to herself.
Meanwhile, she had her eye on a Gucci bag, but upon seeing the price tag, she immediately put it back on the shelf.
"What's wrong? Do you like this one?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
"No... no, I was just looking," Anna replied awkwardly with a smile.
Han Yoon-soo picked up the bag and said, "But I think it's nice. Let's buy it." With that, he headed to the register to pay.
Anna could feel her inner turmoil over the stark wealth disparity and the extreme excitement of the sales clerk...
After handing everything over to be taken to the car, Han Yoon-soo said, "Let's go eat."
"Okay, let's go," Anna replied.
Why is this happening? Sitting in such a high-end revolving restaurant, Anna felt somewhat uneasy. They say everything has its reasons; so what could be Han Yoon-soo's reason for being so nice to her? Is it really just because he feels a connection with her? Or is there something else? If she were to suggest splitting the bill later, this meal would definitely cost half a month's salary... No way, she didn't seem like that kind of person. But why?
"Is it good?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
"Delicious," Anna said, and while it truly tasted good, her heart was pounding anxiously.
"This herb-roasted salmon, I think this is the best place in Seoul to have it. You should eat more," Han Yoon-soo said.
"Okay," Anna could only agree.
"By the way, Anna, you mentioned last time that your brother is in Italy? Is he doing well?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
Anna smiled faintly, lost in thought, and replied, "My brother, he's very smart. He can do well."
"Your brother, Andy?"
"Yes."
"Andy... Anna... These don't sound like Korean names; they seem more like Western names. Quite unique."
"Yeah, many people wonder if we grew up in America. But actually, I've only been to the U.S. once in my life, and I came back after less than a month," Anna said with self-deprecation.
"Who gave you those names?"
"My grandmother said it was my mother who chose them. She left us something very unique," Anna's smile turned a bit bitter.
"If your mother hadn't passed away, why didn't you try to find her?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
Anna thought for a moment and said, "I wanted to look for her when I was younger, but later... I got used to it and stopped thinking about it. Besides, if she wanted to see us, she would naturally come looking for us. If she doesn't want to, why should I disturb her life?"
"What if she has her reasons?"
Anna pondered for a long time, then smiled lightly and said, "Yes, maybe she has her reasons. But no matter what those reasons are, she shouldn't abandon her own children, right? Those who abandon have no right to seek out what they've already forsaken; those who are abandoned have even less right." As Anna finished speaking, she glanced at Han Yoon-soo and noticed her expression was unusually sad. She quickly retracted her words and said, "I'm really sorry for bringing up such unhappy things."
Han Yoon-soo smiled stiffly and said, "No, it was I who brought it up."
Perhaps interactions between people require these seemingly useless conversations. On the way back, it was clear that the two felt much more natural, chatting and laughing about still trivial topics. But finally, the previous awkwardness was gone.
The car stopped at the apartment building.
"Do you live here?" Han Yoon-soo asked.
"Yes, but it's temporary. I will be moving back to my own home soon. When that happens, please come over as a guest," Anna said with a smile.
"Sure, I will personally cook something delicious for you then," Han Yoon-soo said.
"Really? That would be great."
"By the way, there's one more thing," Han Yoon-soo said as she opened the trunk of the car and pulled out all the items they had bought today, stuffing them into Anna's arms.
"What is this?" Anna was taken aback.
"These are all gifts for you."
"What? This is too much!" Anna tried to put them back in the car, but the door had already closed. She couldn't free her hands to open it again and when she attempted to return them to Han Yoon-soo, she was dodged away.
"Just accept it; consider it a gift for our acquaintance," Han Yoon-soo said.
"But this is too precious, and..."
"Anna," Han Yoon-soo interrupted her, saying, "your presence is already the most valuable gift. You must be with Chan-yeol; you absolutely must."
"Madam..." Anna was completely stunned.
Han Yoon-soo smiled lightly, turned around, opened the car door, and got in. As she rolled down the window, she said to Anna, who was standing there, "I'm leaving, goodbye."
After saying that, the driver started the car and disappeared at the entrance of the apartment.
For a long time, Anna remained in a daze, looking at the pile of luxury goods in her arms. It would be a lie to say she wasn't happy; no woman could be indifferent to such things. However, receiving these items so easily made her feel uneasy. No wonder Han Yoon-soo had insisted on taking her shopping; it turned out they were meant for her. Anna had thought Han Yoon-soo wanted her to try them on before giving them to another girl similar to her.
In this world, there is never anything good or bad without reason.
Whether this situation was good or bad, Anna couldn't say for sure.
To claim that she was unhappy with suddenly having so many things she had never even dared to dream of would be too pretentious. But honestly, these bags and clothes were rarely suitable for any occasion she could wear them to. She couldn't possibly wear high-end custom clothes to work; she'd be laughed at.
Anna shook her head, sighed, and turned back toward the apartment building.
Arriving at the door, she set down her things, fished out her keys, unlocked the door, picked up a bunch of items, moved inside, and closed the door behind her.
She turned on the lights and walked into the living room. Looking up, she was nearly startled into sitting on the floor.
"You... how did you get here?!" Anna leaned against the wall behind her, her heart racing.
There sat Hogga in the middle of the small living room, a disposable cup filled with spilled water on the coffee table already containing many cigarette butts.
"I've been waiting for you," Hogga said.
Anna met Hogga's gaze and felt a dangerous aura emanating from him for the first time under the light. The thought of 'run away' surged back into her mind.
However, before Anna could turn around, Hogga stood up directly and pinned her against the wall. "Where are you going?"
In such close proximity, Anna was startled and caught a whiff of his strong alcohol breath. "You've been drinking? You're not sober right now; I don't want to talk to you. Wait until you..."
"I am very awake now." Hogga's face slowly moved closer.
Anna wanted to push him away, but it was futile. She raised a hand to strike his face, only to be caught by Hogga, firmly restraining her behind him. When she tried to hit with her other hand, the same fate awaited her. Thus, she found herself in a stiff embrace.
"Want to hit me?" Hogga smiled. Before Anna could react, he collided with her, causing her back to slam against the wall behind her, blurring her vision.
"What do you want?! What do you want from me?!" The lack of space between their bodies made Anna desperately try to resist. Ignoring the pain in her wrist, she attempted to kick, but being wedged between the wall and Hogga rendered her immobile. With no way out, like a trapped beast, Anna bit down hard on Hogga's shoulder, the metallic taste of blood filling her nostrils.
Hogga chuckled lightly. "I... just wanted to hug you." After saying this, he relaxed his grip and shifted into a genuine embrace, holding Anna gently.
Anna was at a loss for words. After a long moment, she finally released her bite and noticed a bloodstain on Hogga's shirt where she had bitten him. Hogga was indeed acting strangely, making Anna feel a certain danger. However, all that tension seemed to vanish now; his calm breathing brought no oppression or threat, making her resistance feel out of place.
"What’s wrong with you today? What happened?" Anna asked softly.
"Hogga..." he began but seemed hesitant to continue.
"What is it?"
"Nothing... just let’s hold each other for a while, just for a bit," Hogga replied. After a long pause, he called out again, "Anna..."
"What is it?" Anna asked.
"Earlier I told you I would be leaving for a while. Later, I briefly returned home and saw you looking for me at Cat's Paw Bar," Hogga explained.
"Was that really you? Why were you hiding?" Anna was surprised.
Hogga did not answer Anna's question but continued, "Anna, can you tell me why you were so anxious to find me back then? Why?"
"I don't know..." Anna couldn't provide an answer because Hogga remained an uncertain presence in her life.
Maybe, but just maybe. Hogga, you once said that there is no absolute good or absolute bad in this world. So what about you? What kind of person are you? You, who have helped me so many times, are now 'good' in my eyes. You don't know that, despite my constant resistance, I have developed a certain trust in you—a trust like that of an older brother or a father. Will there come a day when the 'truth' you speak of will cause everything to collapse and disappear completely?
The night is particularly quiet. After tonight, it seems winter is approaching. Will winter still feel as long as it always does, as if it will never end?
"Thank you, Anna." After saying this, Hogga left. Anna did not see his expression as he departed. All along, Anna thought Hogga was incredibly strong and resilient, but on this night, he revealed a hidden weakness.
Anna chose to leave the house. Although, as Hogga said, returning to her own home might not be safe, she was not oblivious. She clearly realized that Hogga's emotions had undergone a qualitative change—one that Anna could not bear.
She sent Hogga a text message: "I've moved back. Thank you very much during this time." There was no reply to the message. Instead, Anna felt a bit lighter in her heart.
However, the commute to work became distant again. Whether it was squeezing onto the subway or driving through the congested areas of Seoul, it was an extremely painful experience.
Rushing into the lobby, she checked the time and saw she was already two minutes late. In the studio, everyone was seated quietly. The disheveled Anna, having rushed in eagerly, attracted many curious glances.
"I'm sorry for being late," Anna bowed in apology.
Miao PD seemed somewhat displeased but thought it would be better to talk to her alone later and didn't say much more. "Sit down quickly; at this rate, your salary for this month will go down the drain," Miao PD said.
"Yes, Miao PD," Anna replied and hurriedly took a seat next to Dong Wan.
"There are just over forty days until Christmas. How are your ideas for the Christmas program coming along? Let's share them and discuss," Miao PD said.
Dong Wan smiled happily and said, "I have some ideas but I'm not sure if they will work."
"We won't know until we say them," Miao PD replied. "Dong Wan, why don't you go first?"
Dong Wan confidently opened a file on his laptop and said, "What I was thinking is similar to a hidden filming segment where the members and guests dress up as Santa Claus and go out on the street to complete tasks. Based on how quickly they are recognized, we can determine conditions for the final game segment—like adding time or some leisurely options."
"That sounds great," Anna agreed. "This way we can interact with the public."
Miao PD nodded and said, "This is good, but what about the final segment? Do you have any good ideas?"
"I'm still thinking about that; everyone can help me brainstorm," Dong Wan replied with a smile.
"Not bad," Miao PD said. "Is there anything else? Zhang Yuanxiao, Liu Quanzhen, you two arrived later, do you have any good ideas?"
Zhang Yuanxiao and Liu Quanzhen looked troubled and said, "We... haven't thought of anything yet. Sorry, Miao PD."
Having only been with Running Man for a couple of months, they were still unclear about some basic things, so it was normal not to know how to plan a show. Miao PD did not blame them.
"That's fine, but if you come up with any good ideas, just let me know, understood?" Miao PD said.
"Got it, Miao PD."
Miao PD looked at Han Yufei, then at Anna, and said, "Anna, why don't you share your thoughts?"
Anna smiled and said, "My idea seems to fit perfectly with Dong Wan's concept."
"What is it? Tell me!" Dong Wan said excitedly.
Anna opened a document on her notebook and said, "I was thinking of using the theme from the Marvel comic 'X-Men' for the final game segment, featuring a 'Chase Battle' game. My setup is that Brother Jae-seok is Professor X, Jung Kook is Magneto, and Sister Jihyo is Model Woman... setting various abilities..."
Everyone present found Anna's idea very innovative, and they believed the outcome would be great. However, Miao PD began to frown more deeply and his expression turned serious. "Anna."
Miao PD interrupted Anna's speech.
"What’s wrong?" Anna asked in confusion, looking at Miao PD's serious face.
"Anna, did you come up with this on your own?" Miao PD asked.
Anna nodded naturally and said, "Yeah."
Before she finished speaking, Han Yufei stood up looking extremely sad and said, "I... I need to go to the bathroom..." She seemed to be crying as she turned and left the studio.
"What happened?" Everyone was confused.
Miao PD sighed and also stood up, saying to Anna, "Come with me for a moment."
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Anna stood up, while Dong Wan and the others looked at her with a mix of curiosity and concern.
"Okay." Anna agreed and followed Miao PD into his office.
"Close the door." Miao PD sat down at his desk and said to Anna.
"Okay." Anna had a bad feeling in her heart and timidly closed the door.
"Have a seat." Miao PD said.
Anna complied and sat down across from the desk.
"Anna, there’s no one else here. Let me ask you again, is this idea for the Christmas Special really your own?"
Feeling a bit anxious from the question, Anna replied, "Of course it is."
"Well, to be honest with you, many days ago, Han Yufei had already privately approached me about the Christmas Special. Coincidentally, what she told me is almost identical to what you said."
"Miao PD?" Anna frowned as her strong sense of pride made her emotions hard to control. She said, "Are you implying that I plagiarized Han Yufei's idea? Do you think so little of me?"
"Anna, that's not what I mean. It's just that the creativity of a variety show is its soul, and stealing someone else's idea is one of the most contemptible actions. I have to say, I was somewhat biased from the start. And look at Han Yufei's performance today; how am I supposed to think?" Miao PD was also confused.
Anna was not confused; she instantly connected all the previous fragments of memory and realized that she had unknowingly fallen into a trap set by Han Yufei. No wonder, no wonder she had been seeing Han Yufei discussing something with Miao PD these days. No wonder she had run into her at the studio during lunch. How did she manage to get her hands on the files that were clearly password protected? Anna had remained silent today, waiting for Anna to reveal her idea first, then pretending to be heartbroken to solidify the accusation of plagiarism against Anna.
Anna smiled helplessly, "No wonder... heh."
"Anna, it's fortunate that Han Yufei didn't say anything publicly; she only mentioned it to me privately. Otherwise, both of you would find it hard to stay here," Miao PD knew. He also understood Anna's capabilities and the recognition she had earned over the past two years, as well as her contributions and efforts for Running Man and everyone involved. However, regarding today's incident, he could not make a hasty judgment. Regardless of which side was at fault, it would be a fatal blow to that party and a lifelong stain. Therefore, he could only remain calm and try his best to defuse the situation.
"Miao PD, I swear I didn't do it; I was framed. Do you believe me?"
"Are you saying that Han Yufei did it on purpose? Why would she? Do you have any grievances between you two? And regardless of the situation, Anna, what we need is evidence."
"Grievances... I don't think so." Anna shrugged helplessly, "I really don't know or understand what grievances we might have."
"Alright, let's not bring this up anymore. I'll talk to Han Yufei shortly to see what she thinks before making a decision. You can go out for now."
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