The others arrived where Mari was. Everyone gathered to discuss, while heavy snow began to fall from the sky, having little choice but to take refuge inside the abandoned house, the rest of whose roof fortunately did not leak:
- Mari, you got phone signal, by any chance? I've already tried, but nothing yet - Bae asked.
- I can't use my phone either - Young-ho complained - that evil twin of yours surely ruined it on purpose...look, doesn't even turn on...
- Oh, come on, it's no big deal, probably doesn't have battery - Hee-hong said, inattentive.
Mari was looking for something in her pockets, while the two makeup artists tried to use their phones and catch some signal by raising them from one side to the other, but without visible result. The actress turned her back to the others, and looked at what she had in her hands, a bunch of six white tablets. She had the option of not doing this, but the truth was that, although it didn't seem like it, everyone had had a hard time because of the attack and subsequent confinement; she recalled last night, when Raon made someone get her to that office, and present her the options:
"This is for you, Kang Ma-ri."
"What are they?"
"The most potent I have. These last months won't be a problem…"
"I can't...All this...was...but I don't want to forget it. I want to be aware…I must be ready in case..."
"Remember then. But don't regret it later. Even so, your other colleagues..."
"They also deserve to decide…"
"I'll leave that up to you…huh, they're lucky tomorrow is their last day here…"
Mari hadn't yet decided whether to show them the tablets and tell them the whole truth, give them the power to decide whether or not they wanted to forget everything they had been through, or rather lie to them, making something up and convince everyone to swallow the meds willingly.
"What do I do?"
- Hey, Mari, what are you... -
Hee-hong was approaching her, so she took her tablet back into the pocket. The co-star put a hand on her shoulder as Mari put a finger on her mouth, so that she wouldn't say anything; her colleague could now see that she had five tablets in her hand:
- What's with that? Wait, don't tell me that...hey, look...I know this whole thing was...a horrendous experience for everyone, believe me I understand that. You know I don't like you, but there are other solutions, so please don't take those, okay?
The actress replied, seeing the misunderstanding:
- What?… No. I'm not gonna do that.
- So what are those for?
Mari knew there was no more time to lose, so she made her decision:
- They're for all of us... I already took one. Ah Ra gave them to me.
- The medic with pink hair? And what for?
- Hey, what are you guys gossiping about? – Bae asked from afar.
Mari looked at Hee-hong, who then answered:
- Girl issues, it doesn't concern you...
- Ok, as you wish. But I'm reducing your payroll once we get back...
Hee-hong snorted in frustration and turned back to Mari, who continued:
- Ok, listen, these are to cleanse our body...
- Oh really? Well, what nonsense...
- This is serious. She told me it was best that, upon returning to our world, we use these to kill any disease that didn't exist here. It's something preventive, you know...
- Bah, that's not necessary; besides, how they disinfected us in there was degrading enough…
- And that's why it's necessary. Because of everything that happened, that's why Ah Ra created these... think of how many germs there were at those barracks, how...Young-ho got sick.
Hee-hong remembered the sweat odor in some mats, and then the mold on the corners:
- Ok, whatever, I don't want to get sick anyway, give me that...
She swallowed one tablet. In a matter of minutes, while both continued, the co-star ended up falling asleep; Mari waited about half an hour sitting next to her, as everyone else gathered quite silent, waiting for the blinding rain to stop at some point, as twelve o'clock arrived. Once she waited long enough, she stood up and approached the others, with feigned urgency:
- Hey everyone...
The others turned to see her:
- I almost forgot. Dr. Yoo told me to give each of you one of these...
- What is it…? – Young-ho asked – I didn't think you got in Hee-hong's steps. - he added, smirking.
- No, you idiot, it's not that. They're to disinfect us; in case we brought any disease from there...
- What diseases? But if we...
- Yes, they disinfected you, Hee-hong told me.
- But what about her... - said one of the makeup artists... - you told Miss Jin about this?
- I'll give it to her once she wakes up, but take it quickly, it's better not to risk it. If we hesitate, there could be an epidemic.
- That sounds horrible – said the secretary.
- Yes, I know, here...
She gave each of them an amnestic.
- I already took it, so hurry up - she lied.
Each took a second or two to think about it, and then swallowed their meds; they remembered the COVID-19 pandemic, a memory still alive despite the years that had passed since the quarantines and mass testing throughout the country. After a few minutes, everyone fell asleep; in her heart, Mari felt terrible for having to lie like that, but knowing there was no better option besides wanting to regret not taking one herself, which she didn't.
"No, I shouldn't think like that. I must be strong, and alert. All of this...I shouldn't be overconfident. What I went through should help me continue forward. I'll be ready."
She sat at the edge of the house, while continuing her lonely reflection:
"I am more grateful than ever for what I have here; I feel more at peace with what I've done in my career, and I even understand better where Raon came from... I don't hate her anymore, but I pity her. I hope she finds her way home, like I found mine."
The actress took out her cell phone; supposedly, Raon had sent this Hae Goo Joon to modify the device so that it had much greater power and range than normal. So, she then tried to call her mother, turning out the device wasn't out of coverage but, on the contrary, the call would normally connect, the waiting tone ringing until in a few seconds, someone answered:
- Mari? - someone asked, waiting to continue - Is... that you…? Are... you there, daughter?
Upon hearing that voice again, the actress could not help but collapse into tears, as she thought for too long she would never see her again. Her experience made her realize she loved her very much, and that she wasn't yet ready to let her go; she swallowed, and tried to talk without breaking down:
- Hello mom, it's me...
- Where the hell have you been, huh? Did you want to kill your mother with anguish?! You ungrateful, spoiled girl!
- I'm sorry, Mom! Sorry for being a bad daughter! I swear I didn't want to...!
The woman became less aggressive, and with those words her heart fell to the floor. She began to fear the worst:
- But what are you talking about, darling? What happened? Did someone hurt you? If someone touched you I will make them pay...
The actress knew that she couldn't resort to telling him the truth; not yet:
- I really don't know...uhm... I woke up here recently. I can't remember anything…
- It's okay, okay... - the mother replied - Just... tell me where you are...
- I... well, it's a hill... wait a minute... - she said, making false pauses - this place... I remember... do you remember where we met Mr. Bae...sometime ago... for the first scene?
- Sometime? But that happened... it's okay, stay where you are, your dad and I are going there.
- Is he fine?
- He can't talk now... don't worry love, our daughter is going to be fine, okay?
- Yes, yes darling, yes, she... she's fine, I get it. Give me the phone... Mari, can you hear me?
- Dad... - she said, unable not to cry with nostalgia.
- I'm going there. I swear I won't let this happen again; it's my fault for neglecting you...
- No, no dad, that's not true. You did nothing wrong…
- Don't worry. I'm getting up the car, I'll be with you soon.
- Okay dad, I will wait.
They both hung up, and the actress wiped away her tears, melancholy. Soon she fell asleep as well, slipping into Raon's coat, and now snoring as much as the others, who had yet to wake up from the deep sleep. The snowfall continued, and hadn't stop in the slightest when an electric blue Peugeot reached the top of the hill, rolling to a stop in front of the dilapidated ruin; two people, a man and a woman of mature age, hurriedly got off in Mari's direction, who was still deeply asleep; it was someone else who did wake up, totally disoriented, looking at the others lying down around her:
- Daughter… - the woman said crying, caressing Mari's face.
- It's my Mari, thank heaven... - the man uttered, looking up.
- Mari, wake up, we're here – her mother said, touching her cheek.
The actress was already freeing herself from Morpheus's clutches when the three involved heard someone scream from inside the house. They didn't even have time to ask what it was when a skinny girl, still drowsy, slowly walked to them, looking fearfully, startled when she saw both her bitter rival Kang Ma-ri and her parents over there:
-Who are you, girl? – asked Mr. Kang, intrigued.
- I know who you are... - said the mother - Jin Hee-hong, is it really you? They said that…that you died in the…we attended her funeral, darling, don't you remember?
- Died?! My funeral?! What are you talking about?! – Hee-hong asked in fright.
- Hey, Miss Jin – the man said – I'm Kang Ma-ri's father. And this woman is my wife, her mother.
Mari looked at Hee-hong with amused pity, still sitting.
– She's Mari, your filming partner, do you remember her? - the mother asked.
- Kang Ma-ri...yes, I do remember...but, sorry, what movie you refer to? The director…Mr. Bae…he…
- Okay - said the man - we are here to help, we will take you to the city, okay? – And he murmured to his wife – They clearly need medical help...
- Could you help us with the others, Miss Jin? – said the mother – Take Mr. Bae to the car, my husband will help you.
So it was.
Still confused, they picked up the director and sat him on the back seat, sitting right next, feeling too tired to move. Seeing this, Mr. Kang didn't insist, and he let her rest. Mari then stood up and hugged them both:
- I missed you so much... - she said through tears.
- Okay, okay. Everything is fine now – said Mr. Kang – It's fine, you're fine.