Eun-kyung's mind was thrown into disarray. Panic and fear washed over her as she looked towards Ji-woo's motionless body on the ground, while Mr. Han's unsettling gaze remained fixed on her.
Her spirit form left her feeling helpless and lost. She scanned the growing crowd surrounding them, but no one dared to approach, instead capturing the scene through phone calls or videos.
With a sudden surge of determination, Eun-kyung approached Ji-woo, only to be violently thrown backward when she attempted to touch her. "What just happened, does it mean that I can't reenter her body," Eun-kyung exclaimed, her realization sinking in. Would she be trapped as a spirit forever?
In that critical moment, Hyun-ki emerged from the restaurant, the sight of the gathered crowd piquing his curiosity. He hurried towards the scene and discovered Ji-woo lying on the ground, injured from the accident. Reacting instinctively, he rushed to her side, unaware that a gun was pointed directly at him.
A gulp caught in his throat as he stared at the person whose gun was aimed his way. "Sir, she needs immediate medical attention," he implored, raising his hands in a gesture of surrender.
Mr. Han's laugh echoed like that of a deranged man. "Do you truly believe I will allow that? She ruined my life, and now I have nothing. I'll ensure I don't leave this world alone," he declared, his finger hovering over the trigger aimed at Ji-woo. But before he could act, Hyun-ki swiftly kicked the gun out of his grasp, letting the gun shoot into the air and lashed out, pushing him to the ground.
Chaos erupted as screams filled the air, and people scattered, fleeing the scene. Eun-kyung, unable to physically assist Ji-woo, called out her name in a desperate attempt to rouse her. Miraculously, Ji-woo stirred, her eyes fluttering open. Despite the pain evident in her expression, she managed to sit up, clutching her injured right leg.
"Ji-woo, forget about that! Your life is in imminent danger!" Eun-kyung exclaimed, bellowing in Ji-woo's ear. A jolt of fear ran through Ji-woo's body, causing her to flinch uncontrollably and hastily cover her ears. She looked up at Eun-kyung, her eyes widening with surprise.
"Who on earth are you?" Ji-woo questioned, struggling to gather herself and rise to her feet.
"You can see me?" Eun-kyung inquired, taken aback by the unexpected revelation.
"Are you some kind of weirdo? Of course, I can see you!" Ji-woo frowned, steadying herself and regaining her balance.
"It's me, Eun-kyung." Ji-woo looked at her in confusion and shock.
"There's no time for further inquiries. Ga-ram's father wants to kill you!" Eun-kyung urgently pointed towards the ongoing clash between Hyun-ki and Mr. Han. Her tone was filled with both concern and determination. "You must find safety," Eun-kyung implored, her voice tinged with desperation.
"I can't just leave him there," Ji-woo retorted adamantly.
"And do you honestly believe you're strong enough to help? The police will arrive soon," Eun-kyung informed, but at that very moment, Mr. Han managed to deliver a powerful blow to Hyun-ki's stomach, followed by a punch to his face. Hyun-ki collapsed to the ground, writhing in excruciating pain. Seizing the opportunity, Mr. Han reached down to retrieve the firearm.
"Time to put an end to your youthful and undoubtedly promising life," he sneered, his voice laced with malice, as he aimed the gun menacingly at Hyun-ki. Ji-woo's heart pounded in her chest, her fear and determination driving her forward.
"No!" Ji-woo's piercing scream echoed through the air as she sprinted towards Mr. Han, propelled by sheer adrenaline. With a burst of agility, she leapt onto his back, raining down a flurry of furious blows.
Mr. Han forcibly removed Ji-woo from his back, effortlessly tossing her aside, and forcefully pushed her to the hard ground. "Since you're so eager to go first, I shall gladly grant you your wish," he hissed sadistically, his laughter ringing with wicked delight much to Ji-woo's horror.
Eun-kyung, who had been observing the scene, crouched down, overcome with anxiety. "It's all over," she declared, shutting her eyes in anticipation of the ensuing events. To her surprise, she heard a grunt sound from Mr. Han.
As Eun-kyung eyes fluttered open, a breathtaking spectacle played out before her—a valorous U-jin standing resolutely in front of Mr. Han, who now lay sprawled on the ground, cackling maniacally. A swell of immense relief engulfed her, her lips curling into a radiant smile; just as she had anticipated, the protagonist always appear at the right moment. However, the battle was far from over, as out of nowhere, Diego appeared and jumped on Mr. Han, raining punches upon him relentlessly, while U-jin struggled to separate them.
In the midst of the chaos, Si-woo suddenly emerged, providing a sturdy arm for his shocked sister, Ji-woo, who was now weeping uncontrollably into his broad shoulders. Despite his own battered and aching form, Hyun-ki managed to summon his strength and approached them.
At long last, the police arrived, swiftly intervening to separate Diego and Mr. Han, much to the amusement of the onlookers, who found the entire scene rather comical. Meanwhile, Ji-woo, overwhelmed by her emotions, broke free from her brother's side and surged toward her boyfriend, her sobs echoing through the air. "Ji-woo?" he tenderly called out in question, his voice filled with concern. She nodded vigorously, finding solace in his comforting embrace.
Just as the chaos seemed to quiet down, Eun-woo, breathless and apologetic, finally made his way to the scene. "Sorry, I came late. My car broke down," he explained, though his words went unnoticed by the bystanders, who remained fixated on Ji-woo.
Soon, an ambulance arrived, but Ji-woo, who had endured enough hospital visits, adamantly refused to go. Instead, the ambulance personnel provided her with oxygen to help her regain her composure and also bandaged her right leg. They then carefully lifted Hyun-ki onto a stretcher, taking him to the hospital due to the severity of his injuries.
The boys carefully escorted Ji-woo back to her home, promptly informing Chae-young about the accident. The news struck Chae-young so profoundly that she nearly collapsed, prompting Si-woo to step in and tend to her fragile state. In the meantime, U-jin, Diego, and Eun-woo lingered in Ji-woo's room, providing gentle support. Diego tenderly massaged Ji-woo's right leg, offering comfort before reaching their decision to depart.
Diego harbored a deep desire to stay by Ji-woo's side, but she reassured him with unwavering conviction that she would be alright. Just before their departure, Ji-woo caught U-jin's attention, beckoning him to remain, as she wished to discuss something significant.
U-jin, driven by an innate curiosity, approached Ji-woo with an inquisitive gaze fixed upon her. "She's here," Ji-woo whispered, delicately gesturing towards the vacant space beside him.
A flicker of confusion crossed U-jin's countenance as he glanced back and forth between the empty void and Ji-woo. "She didn't return to her world," Ji-woo clarified, unravelling the mysterious situation.
Eun-kyung interjected with frustration, "Why are you informing him, even though he can't possibly see me?" Her question hung in the air, but Ji-woo paid it no mind, entirely focused on her conversation with U-jin.
"We don't know why she's still here, but I believe the accident affected both of us. She can no longer inhabit my body as she previously could," Ji-woo elucidated, shedding light on their peculiar predicament.
U-jin contemplated the vacant space beside him before inquiring, his tone tinged with concern, "Are you scared?"
Eun-kyung stared at him with wide eyes, her trembling lips rendering her speechless. Ji-woo, perceptive to Eun-kyung's unease, relayed the information to U-jin, her unwavering gaze unmoved by Eun-kyung's piercing glare.
"Don't be, We will find a resolution to this situation," U-jin reassured her with unwavering conviction.
Ji-woo then produced her phone and handed it to U-jin, prompting him to play a video. U-jin complied, his expression transforming as he absorbed the contents of the video.
Upon the conclusion of the video clip, Eun-kyung couldn't help but notice the inquisitive gaze that U-jin directed at Ji-woo. Naturally, his curiosity prompted him to inquire about the source of the clip. "Where did you get it from?" he questioned, genuinely intrigued. Ji-woo, maintaining her composure, responded calmly, "Hyun-ki gave it to me and mentioned that Mun-hee assisted him in obtaining it."
U-jin's annoyance was evident in his voice as he questioned her further, "So, let me understand this clearly. You never made any attempt to end your life, nor did you confide in anyone about it?"
Ji-woo, feeling the need to defend herself, explained, "No, I didn't have any tangible evidence, and I believed that it might have been a figment of my imagination that someone had pushed me off. I thought it was simply an accident, that I had slipped off by myself."
Understanding the situation clearer, U-jin remarked, "So that's why you told me not to feel sorry because you never attempted suicide. You could've just expressed your suspicions to me."
"I didn't know how... I never intended for things to transpire this way. I..." Ji-woo's words were interrupted by U-jin's interjection.
"But it did, Ji-woo," he declared firmly.
Attempting to reconcile the situation, Ji-woo pleaded, "Let's not allow this to tear us apart. I apologize, okay?" She awaited his response, and though U-jin muttered something unintelligible, she couldn't quite make out his words.
"What did you say?" she probed inquisitively.
With unwavering determination evident in his voice, U-jin unveiled his plan, "I shall bring this evidence to the attention of the police and release it to the press tomorrow. Brace yourself for some favorable news." He made a motion to depart, only to hesitate upon hearing Ji-woo engage in conversation, even though her words were not directed towards him.
"Why are you staring at me like that?" Ji-woo questioned Eun-kyung, puzzled by her intense gaze.
Ji-woo realised why, confessed, "Yes, I knew about every action you took when you were in my body, including everything that transpired between the two of you." Her eyes shifted between Eun-kyung and U-jin. Eun-kyung stumbled over her words, and U-jin's expression remained blank.
Feeling compelled to speak, Ji-woo asserted, "I have something to say. I shall not offer apologies for any perceived impropriety in my actions. I was aware of my desires, and I relentlessly pursued them. I firmly assert that my decisions were morally sound!" He said with conviction before the left.
Shocked and taken aback, Ji-woo blinked in disbelief, exclaiming, "Thank goodness he never reciprocated my affection during my zealous pursuit of him!" She then glanced at Eun-kyung, who wore an absolute radiant smile as she fixated on the spot where U-jin had disappeared.
Ji-woo's heart nearly skipped a beat as she warned, "Do not be deceived by his amorous and sweet-talking words; he is a very dangerous man to fall in love with" Ji-woo cautioned, while Eun-kyung couldn't shake off a haunting sense of familiarity with that cautionary advice.