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墨書 Inktalez
"More than a decade ago, my father and my uncle partnered to start a business in the production and processing of chemical raw materials. As the business grew, my father and uncle planned to expand the factory overseas, and so they opened the first branch factory in Beijing, China. At that time, China was actively attracting foreign investment, and the government was strongly supportive. Thus, the business thrived. However, humans are inherently greedy creatures, and even among brothers, thoughts do not always align. My father advocated for the installation of some environmental purification equipment at the branch factory in Beijing; otherwise, once pollution exceeded limits, there would be no long-term development. My uncle believed that such measures would incur too much cost, especially since the Chinese government did not prioritize environmental purification equipment at that time. Thus, the brothers' differences began to deepen little by little from that moment.
A few years later, as my father had predicted, due to worsening air quality in Beijing, the government started paying attention to regulatory measures and ordered factories to rectify their operations. At this point, their opinions diverged severely once again. My father believed they should comply with the government's rectification orders, while my uncle thought that since they had already made enough money, they might as well abandon the factory and return to Korea to seek other opportunities. Their heated arguments escalated from disagreements to blame and eventually to resentment.
One day, I still remember it clearly; the factory was temporarily shut down due to rectification issues. My uncle invited my father to discuss some matters in the factory office. My mother accompanied me to a makeshift basketball court beside the factory gate, watching me play basketball. We saw my father walk away and go upstairs until he disappeared from view when suddenly there was a loud explosion that lit up the entire sky with flames. My mother and I didn’t even have time to react before explosions began occurring one after another. Looking back now, I may never witness such beautiful and spectacular flames again.
My mother, small and frail, somehow found the strength to grab me and run outside. But what good was it? Another loud bang followed; I felt as if my insides were about to shatter as I was pushed away by a powerful blast of air. When I opened my eyes again, all I felt was intense pain in my face. My mother had shielded me with her body while she herself was bloodied and unrecognizable.
Anna felt a chill run down her spine as she recalled a similar story told by Park Chan-yeol long ago when they were in Beijing—only it wasn’t as tragic and lacked these lesser-known details.
Anna nearly lost her strength and clung tightly to the back of the sofa to steady herself.
"What is your relationship with Park Chan-yeol?" Anna asked.
"My uncle's name is Park Anqing; he has a son named Park Chan-yeol," Hogga said with a slight smile.
"Impossible," Anna denied. "How could it be? If you are... why doesn't he remember you after all those times you met? Why..."
Anna was astonished; she couldn't make sense of it.
"Because that explosion destroyed my face... By chance, with someone's help, I went to Germany for plastic surgery and got a new face. For some reason, my hair gradually turned white and I could no longer grow black hair. All of this is thanks to Park Anqing."
"So you've been fixated on revenge; you want retribution. But everything that happened back then was Park Anqing's fault; it has nothing to do with Park Chan-yeol."
"Who says it has nothing to do with him... Everything he possesses now was violently taken from our family. Therefore, I will take everything from him as well, including you."
Anna bitterly curled her lips. "I think you're mistaken; he already dislikes me."
"I want him to hate you; for every bit he once liked you, he should now loathe you equally. Only then will he suffer the most."
"So from the moment we met in Phuket, Thailand, this was all part of your plan?"
"No, Anna... discovering you was an accident, a catalyst that made my plan even more perfect."
"What..."
"Park Anqing took away the life of my loved one, took away my life... and took away Yura..."
"Park... Yura..." It had been so long since Anna had heard that name, yet all along, it remained like a spell that could not dissipate.
"Back then, it was Yura who saved me, but she was discovered by Park Anqing. To allow me to escape, Yura had to die."
"Sister Yura's death has also saddened Park Chan-yeol until now," Anna said.
Hogga smiled lightly, looking at Anna's face and then at the photo. Anna understood; the girl in the photo was Yura. This was the first time Yura's face appeared so clearly before Anna.
"This is... a photo of Yura..."
"Yes," Hogga said. "When I first saw Park Chan-yeol meet you in the convenience store, you were sleeping with your head on the table. The way Park Chan-yeol looked at you, seeing your face, I knew that turning you against him would be the greatest punishment for him."
Anna could hardly believe it; she never imagined that from that moment on, Hogga had already been watching her.
"You... have been monitoring me since then?"
"You could say that," Hogga replied.
He slowly lifted his foot, taking small steps toward the stairs, inching closer to the photo. With gloved hands, he gently caressed the picture, and in his eyes, a warm light finally appeared. It seemed he remembered something and withdrew his hand.
"Anna" followed his pace. "So what do you want to do now? Jang Bo-Yeon said you have to negotiate with Park Group tomorrow."
"There's no need to rush; the story isn't finished yet... Jiang Zhenyuan, don't you want to know about her?"
"You know where she is?"
"She is where she should be."
"Where she should be?"
"Hogga smiled lightly. "With her dear mother and brother."
A rumble echoed in Anna's mind. "Is she already dead?"
"She should have died long ago; she has lived far too long."
"Was that car accident your doing?"
"Anna," Hogga looked at her, "do you remember when I asked you if I would kill for you?..." Hogga chuckled. "When I asked you that, you didn't say a word. Anna, you're too insecure. Even if Andy hadn't approached me, I would have done it anyway."
"It was really you... then... what about the artist Miss Choi? Was that also you?"
"That's right."
Hogga smiled, but Anna completely broke down. She had never imagined that one day she would be associated with such bloody matters, all because she bore a resemblance to another person.
"Hogga..." Anna spoke in a daze, feeling something was off again. "No, Park Yoon-chun... How should I address you..."
"I still prefer you call me Hogga. Park Yoon-chun has been dead for over a decade," Hogga said.
"You approached me because my face is similar to Yura's, right..."
"You resemble her, yet you don't."
"What?"
"Your personalities are different. Yura always treats everyone around her gently. She tolerates everything. But Anna Zheng, I know you have your own resoluteness deep down. Once understood, it becomes different."
"Then why can't you let me go? Park Chan-yeol has already looked down on me as you wished; why won't you let go?"
"Because it's still not enough."
"What?"
"The negotiation tomorrow will take place in this house. I hope that you will live in this house tomorrow, and from now on, until I die."
"Are you crazy? I don't want to be Yura's shadow, nor do I want to go mad with you here. I will tell Park Chan-yeol about your identity and your conspiracy," Anna said, turning to leave.
"You can go," Hogga replied.
Anna paused but did not turn back.
"If you leave, I will make sure Park Chan-yeol has nothing. If you agree to my demands, tomorrow, I won't push him to the edge."
"Do you think I would believe you?"
Hogga stepped down and walked to the study, retrieving a folder and placing it in Anna's hands.
"Take a look; this is the shareholding of Park Group that I currently hold, along with the shares owned by Park Chan-yeol. There’s only a slight discrepancy. After Midnight, more shares will come into my possession. Whether you accept it or not depends on you."
Anna glanced at the densely packed numbers and text on the folder, confirming what Hogga had said. Checking the time, it was already 8:20 PM. She closed the folder and set it aside, continuing toward the door.
"Where do you want to go? The driver will be waiting in the car to take you. Otherwise, before Midnight, you won't even have enough time to reach your destination," Hogga said, effortlessly maintaining control of the situation.
Anna hesitated, but she knew that if she stubbornly refused to use the car now, she would truly miss her chance to try.
She didn’t respond and stepped outside; indeed, a car was waiting. She clenched her fists but still got into the vehicle, heading toward where Park Chan-yeol was.
This massive puzzle was finally being unveiled; the roots of trouble had been planted from the very beginning, or rather, this trouble had started taking root over a decade ago with that great fire. The seeds of hatred had not been turned to ashes; instead, they had become more resilient and determined due to the baptism of flames.
No matter how many years ago it was, whether it was Park Anqing who caused everything, he is already dead, and the cause and effect of it all ultimately has nothing to do with Park Chan-yeol. She still does not want to see him bear the consequences of the previous generation. She also does not want to watch him endure the pain caused by Anna's recklessness.
If Anna is an innocent party, then Park Chan-yeol is also extremely innocent.
He knows nothing and still believes that his brother has died, thinking everything is just an accident. At his young age, he once immersed himself in simple sorrow and remembrance.
If Park Group is a sin, then simply making the sin disappear would suffice. Park Chan-yeol, who only wants to bear everything for his family and father, does not know that the darkness behind it all makes him ultimately innocent.
Once again, it is that traditional Korean courtyard, the main door slightly ajar, warm light shining through the paper-covered windows.
Anna cautiously pushes the door open. The courtyard is empty, eerily quiet. As she wanders around, a familiar figure steps out from inside the house.
Seeing the snow-covered courtyard, Anna stands at the door, clearly surprised.
“Anna...”
“Sehun...”
Sehun is taken aback and quickly looks around; no one has noticed Anna's arrival. He doesn't even bother to put on his shoes properly and rushes over to her, pulling Anna into a vacant room behind the courtyard and closing the door.
Anna feels a bit bitter; she has become someone so unwelcome.
“Sehun, doesn’t EXO have any activities?”
"We are also on holiday for Christmas. I didn't go home; I came to be with Chan-yeol, saying that we need to negotiate tomorrow... By the way, Anna, how did you get here?"
"I... can't I come?" Anna said helplessly.
Sehun smiled apologetically, "It's not that you can't. It's just that many people under Uncle Park An-kyung believe that his death is related to you. If they find out you're here, it could be bad."
"What?" Anna was taken aback.
"I'm not too clear on the details either, but on the day Chan-yeol got engaged, something happened in the church."
"What happened?"
"Well, the doors inexplicably closed, and for some reason, everyone lost consciousness. When we woke up, Uncle Park An-kyung was missing. After searching for a long time, we found out he had died in the snow. His clothes were removed, and since he was in a coma, he froze to death."
"Frozen to death..."
"Yeah, according to the surveillance near the church, a person with silver hair took Uncle Park An-kyung away... Later, someone anonymously sent photos showing you talking with that person... and there were many of them."
Anna smiled helplessly. No wonder Hogga let her come to find Park Chan-yeol so easily; he had already determined that Park Chan-yeol's trust in Anna had completely collapsed.
She finally understood why Park Chan-yeol said, 'I hate you.' She also understood why his gaze towards her was so cold.
She had no way to argue as she stepped into the trap set by Hogga, unable to break free.
“Sehun, if I say it's not me, would you believe it?” Anna asked.
“I also think you're not that kind of person, but Anna, why do you have so many connections with that person? Isn't that too coincidental? What about Chan-yeol? What should he think? Moreover, I heard Jang Bo-Yeon say that you admitted to knowing that Park Yoon-chun. Do you know he is Chan-yeol's brother? The brother who was thought to have died many years ago?”
“Yes, I admitted it... it's too coincidental...” Anna said helplessly. “Between us, no matter how this ends, it's destined that we can't be together again. The harm has already been done. Even if the misunderstanding is cleared up, it will be hard to erase.”
“How could this happen? Everything was fine before; how did it come to this?” Sehun sighed.
“Sehun, please help me. I need to see Chan-yeol.” Anna glanced at the time; it was already past nine. She grabbed Sehun's arm. “Sehun, time is running out. I must see Park Chan-yeol. Please help me.”
The depth of love is matched by the depth of hate. Once love and hate transform, it becomes frantic. The more trust there is, the more loathing follows; once trust is lost, it turns into full armor. No matter how vicious the words are at this moment, they seem justified. It's like having disgusting garbage on your hands, wanting to throw it out of sight and into the flames.
A person's cultivation is only limited by not having touched the bottom line. Below that line lies the most unmasked fury.
The room was small and dimly lit, but outside the window, the snow made everything appear white and bright.
The door opened with hesitant footsteps. Anna turned around to see Park Chan-yeol's weary face; the flickering light couldn't hide his deep indifference and distance.
Park Chan-yeol walked in and closed the door without any intention of coming closer. He had thought countless times about how to start a conversation but ultimately just offered a polite bow as a greeting. In this Christmas Eve setting, such a greeting felt out of place.
“Hello,” Anna said.
Park Chan-yeol stood in place; although they were in the same room, there was a vast distance between them. “Speak up; what do you want from me?”
"Tomorrow, are we going to negotiate?" Anna asked.
Park Chan-yeol smiled coldly. "He told you."
Anna did not deny it; she nodded and said, "Yes... but it's not what you think. I really didn't know he was your brother."
"It doesn't matter anymore, Anna Zheng. Nothing matters anymore."
"The negotiation tomorrow is pointless. If we can't come up with a strategy, it's all in vain because he will acquire another share tonight, and then..."
"You came here just to tell me this?"
Anna was stunned, unsure of how to continue.
"I appreciate your goodwill," Park Chan-yeol said as he turned away from Anna. "You can leave now. Don't show up in front of me again."
"Mr. Park Anqing's matters have nothing to do with me, whether you believe it or not," Anna said.
Hearing this, Park Chan-yeol laughed coldly. He suddenly turned around and stared at Anna, stepping closer to her. "Anna Zheng, when did you meet him? You know in your heart. You deceived me so well; you're really something."
"I met him a long time ago, but I truly didn't know anything. He never told me anything. Chan-yeol, please believe me."
"Those photos—photos of him at your house, eating with you, laughing, taking Peter to the doctor... I was so foolish not to notice anything. He was there when you were in America. You returned to Korea, and he came back too. Anna Zheng, how am I supposed to trust you? You say he told you nothing, so how do you know so much about tomorrow's negotiation? Anna Zheng, tell me. Tell me."
Anna truly couldn't explain it; if it were her, she wouldn't believe it either. With so much evidence laid out before her, she was left speechless.
"I know that no matter how I explain myself now, you won't believe me. I just want to ask you, do you have confidence in tomorrow's negotiation?"
"Anna Zheng, what do you want?" Park Chan-yeol found it hard to understand.
"Chan-yeol, there are some things you don't know from over a decade ago. Why your brother, who was clearly dead, suddenly returned, Sister Yura's death, and the factory explosion."
"What are you trying to say?" Park Chan-yeol felt a flicker of emotion.
"Do you understand why he hates you so much, hates your father?"
"What do you know?"
"Chan-yeol, everything happens for a reason. The factory explosion over a decade ago was planned by your father. Sister Yura died trying to save your brother."
"That's impossible," Park Chan-yeol denied it.
"Think about it, Chan-yeol. After all these years, your relationship with your father has been like this. I don't believe you haven't had any doubts. You must have questioned him at some point, which is why you've distanced yourself from him, right?"
"Even if that's the case, what can I do? He is my father; I can't change that. I know all too well the hidden history behind Park Group, but there's nothing I can do."
"Chan-yeol... do you really have to hold onto Park Group? Even knowing the things behind it, you still feel you must do this, right?"
A moment of silence descended, waiting for the final answer.
After a long while, Park Chan-yeol seemed to sigh, "That's right, I must protect it."
The last remaining crack in Anna's heart was completely sealed. There was no light, only towering walls, dark and devoid of hope.
"I understand," Anna said.
Since this is what you want, I will do my best to help you achieve it. After all, I owe you too much. This time, I will repay everything and give you what you desire most, so we will be even.
Meeting you in March, longing is suitable for morning and evening.
Longing smiles brightly, the bond begins unnoticed.
Quietly looking back, I have already come to know you.
Knowing each other is hard to keep, snow falls endlessly without release.
The piercing wind is chilling, the frost lies thick.
When will I see you again? It has become a time not to be remembered.
－－－－－－Midnight Lullaby.
"I’m leaving. Take care of yourself."
Stepping out of the room, Anna walked on the snow, leaving the silent courtyard behind her, crunching the ice beneath her feet and breaking the stillness. It was Christmas Eve, and there was no snowfall; a bright moon hung in the sky, its light cold and clear. Checking the time, it was almost midnight. When the midnight bell tolled, everything would truly come to an end.
In youth, treat those you love gently; regardless of whether that relationship turns to hatred or estrangement, at least don’t let it be something you look back on years later with an unbridgeable sense of regret weighing on your heart.
The car retraced its path, the tire tracks identical to those from before, returning to the ancient castle where everything would ultimately conclude.
Life is a cycle of comings and goings; although many times it feels like drawing water with a bamboo basket—ultimately fruitless—having tried and confirmed things means that when it comes time to make decisions, there will be no regrets.
She opened the door and sat in the center of the living room, waiting for the birds to return to their nests.
"Welcome back," Hogga greeted her as usual. As expected, there were no surprises, no unexpected outcomes.
"You knew this would happen," Anna said.
"Sort of. It's just that you returned a bit late," Hogga replied as he stood up. "Midnight is almost here; there's a church not far from here where you can hear the midnight bell."
"Park Anqing is dead. Why can't you let go?"
"Because... the hatred hasn't faded. The pain I've endured over these years needs to be repaid little by little from them... You should go to sleep now; your room is the first one on the left at the top of the stairs, and it's already been prepared. Tomorrow, there will be a good show." After saying this, Hogga turned back to his room, smiled at Anna, and closed the door.
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