The air was still thick with the lingering scent of fireworks and firecrackers, clinging to the damp night like an old memory.

  The acrid smoke stung the throat, a sharp contrast to the crisp winter air. It was a scent that people either loved or hated—choking yet familiar, irritating yet comforting.

  For Park Tae-hyun, though, everything in this moment seemed… a little brighter.

  Not in some grand, cinematic way. Not the kind of love that poets would write about, where mountains eroded and the heavens collapsed in devotion.

  No, this was something more straightforward.

  Like a child with empty pockets stumbling upon a ten-thousand-won bill on the street.

  No policeman in sight. And a convenience store is just a few steps away.

  Even after dying once and waking up in someone else's body, the problems didn't end. There were still so many unanswered questions, so many unknowns. Some of them are lurking just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to rise.

  And him? His own personality had changed more than he realized.

  Looking back on his past life—Walking out of that orphanage with nothing but his own ambition, climbing his way up, refusing to look back.

  He remembered ignoring Doctor Im back then.

  Was it really because she had been so plain-looking five years ago?

  Or was it because he had been too obsessed, too arrogant, too full of himself in the world to notice anything else?

  Had she been in love back then? She must have been. Otherwise, why would she have kept that photo, cropped, hidden away in her wallet all these years?

  Back then, he hadn't even glanced at the scenery on the road.

  He had been too focused on reaching the top, pretending to be detached and invincible, when really, he had just been a bitter, lonely man hiding behind a mask of cool indifference.

  Now?

  Now he had died once. Came back in another man's skin. And with it came a strange sense of liberation—like a Military official stripped of his rank, suddenly free from the weight of power and expectations.

  But still, being secretly loved by someone, loved so much that it left a mark, loved to the point where it lingered, even after all these years—it was a good feeling.

  One that warmed him, even in the cold drizzle of the night.

  Doctor Im came back down in a hurry.

  She didn't meet his eyes as she took the bag from his hand, her fingers brushing against his for the briefest moment.

  She smiled. Didn't say thank you. She didn't need to.

  At this point, "thank you" would have been more inappropriate than "sorry."

  Tae-hyun just waved a hand.

  Turned around.

  Walked away, leaving nothing behind but his fading silhouette in the streetlight's glow.

  He would go back.

  Sleep.

  Wait for tomorrow.

  Because Tomorrow, would be better, different...... in a good way.

  Doctor Im stood there for a moment, watching him retreat.

  There was something different about him.

  Lighter, somehow.

  Like a burden had finally been lifted.

  Perhaps—

  Perhaps this was the right path for both of them.

  Letting go, rather than clinging to something that was already broken.

  She sighed.

  Life was unpredictable. After all, how could she have ever imagined that another soul now resided in her husband's body?

  That the man she had once loved in her youth—

  The man who had never even noticed her back then had returned to her most ironically.

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  Tae-hyun called another taxi.

  Then he stood near the entrance of the apartment complex, lighting a cigarette as he waited.

  His phone screen flickered with search notifications—

  A constant reminder that he still had unfinished business.

  He sighed.

  'Why the hell did he let that taxi driver go?'

  He should've asked him to wait.

  Now, on the night of New Year's Eve, calling a cab was nearly impossible.

  Ten minutes passed.

  Three cigarettes later, he started getting Impatient.

  The cold didn't bother him, but standing around like this was exhausting.

  Just as he was about to give up and start walking, a black car rolled up in front of him.

  The driver slowed down, peering out the window.

  "You need a ride?"

  The man had a broad, round face, a scruffy beard, and a black cotton coat that looked worn but warm.

  Tae-hyun exhaled, flicking away the last embers of his cigarette.

  "Yeah."

  "Hop in. I won't overcharge you."

  The driver grinned, his tone casual, almost friendly.

  Tae-hyun climbed in, rattling off the location of his bookstore. They settled on a price, and the car pulled away from the curb.

  The scent of plastic and leather filled the interior.

  A new car.

  Most people wouldn't take a brand-new car out for taxi work.

  "That place is kind of out of the way," the driver remarked, offering Tae-hyun a cigarette.

  Tae-hyun took it, rolling it between his fingers before lighting it.

  "Yeah."

  "You live there?"

  "The shop's over there."

  The driver clicked his tongue.

  "Business must be rough, huh? That shopping center's been dead for years."

  Tae-hyun smirked.

  "You're not a local?" His accent was off.

  Tongmyeong had its own dialect, distinct from standard Korean.

  "Nah, I'm from Gwangju. Been working here for a while."

  The driver took a long drag from his cigarette before exhaling through the cracked window.

  "Not going back for the holidays?" Tae-hyun asked.

  "Nah, wife and kids are home. I'm staying to make a little extra cash." The driver's voice was casual, but there was something in the way he said it something heavy, unspoken.

  Tae-hyun glanced at him.

  "You got kids?"

  "Four."

  Tae-hyun let out a low whistle. "That's impressive."

  The driver chuckled. "It was tough. The first one was a boy. Second one—another boy. I wanted a daughter, so we tried again. Third one? Another boy. Finally, fourth was a girl. Now I'm happy and content."

  Tae-hyun nodded, taking another drag.

  "You don't seem like the type to favor sons," he remarked.

  "I don't." The driver grinned.

  "I just like kids. Wanted a big family."

  There was an ease to the way the driver spoke—an openness that felt rare.

  It was comforting, in a way. Like talking to an old friend on a long, quiet night.

  "I'm not old-fashioned, nor do I favor boys over girls. I just like children and want to have more, haha."

  As soon as the topic turned to his children, the driver started talking more.

  "The youngest one hasn't even had their birth registration sorted out yet. When they start school, we'll have to pay the fees and get it done. By the way, what kind of store do you run?"

  "A bookstore."

  "How's business?" The driver asked, jumping topics without much thought.

  "Not very good."

  "Yeah, these days you can buy pretty much all the books online, and there are always discounts."

  Up ahead, the road narrowed to a single lane due to an accident. The traffic police had set up a blockade, diverting cars slowly past the scene.

  Fortunately, it was late at night during the New Year, so traffic was light, and the delay wouldn't be too long.

  "It's really unlucky to get into an accident on New Year's."

  The driver exhaled a smoke ring. His tone carried the air of someone used to giving opinions, almost like a manager assessing a situation.

  Park Tae-hyun leaned back in his seat, adjusting his posture for comfort before asking,

  "Is this a new car?"

  "Yeah, my son got it for me."

  Park Tae-hyun smiled slightly, surprised. "How old are you? And your son?"

  "Hehe." The driver squinted, "My son—he works hard. These days, ambition isn't limited by age. As long as you have hands, feet, and a brain, and don't let bad luck drag you down, you won't stay poor."

  "That's true." Park Tae-hyun nodded in agreement.

  Honk! Honk! Honk!.....

  A car behind them honked repeatedly, clearly impatient to get moving.

  "Ugh, Stop Honking..."

  The driver, with a bit of a fiery temper himself, leaned out of the window and shouted at the car behind them.

  But instead of backing off, the honking only grew louder, almost tauntingly.

  "Hey!"

  The driver pretended to open the car door as if ready to step out for a "friendly chat."

  Just then, the traffic officer up ahead motioned for the cars in their lane to move forward. The driver awkwardly sat back, restarted the car, and continued driving.

  "Business is slow tonight." The driver sighed.

  "I should've just gone home to see my wife and kids."

  "It's fine," Park Tae-hyun muttered noncommittally.

  He noticed the noodle shop they had just passed was still doing decent business. Most of its competitors had closed for the holiday, so even with lower demand, it was getting more customers than usual.

  Earlier, he had struggled to find even a cab.

  "Ah, life's tough." The driver shook his head. "I can't afford to take a break, though. I have to pay my kids' tuition fees every month. I work during the day and drive at night—it's exhausting. Even cigarettes, I can't afford to buy the good ones."

  'Your cigarette… seems fake....how strange.'

  Park Tae-hyun pulled out his own pack, took one, and absentmindedly twirled it between his fingers.

  "But at least technology makes things easier now. I can video call my wife and kids before bed every night, see their faces even when I'm not home." The driver's expression softened as he spoke.

  Park Tae-hyun closed his eyes slightly. He wasn't tired, but he also had no interest in chatting.

  Still, even without any encouragement from him, the driver kept talking.

  It was New Year's, and he was alone in a city far from home. Of course, he felt lonely.

  The conversation meandered—from his kids' names and schools, to his parents, to the traditions of his hometown.

  Eventually, Park Tae-hyun leaned against the window and murmured, "Ajusshi, please drive faster."

  The car was barely going 50 km/h.

  This was an elevated highway.

  He wondered if the driver was deliberately going slow just to prolong the conversation. But he had no desire to be someone's confidant tonight.

  "Hey, it's a new car. I'm still getting used to it, so I don't want to drive too fast." The driver caressed the steering wheel. "It's not an expensive car—not even close—but it's a gift from my eldest son, so I have to treasure it."

  "I plan to keep driving it for work for a few years. When my son finds a girlfriend, I'll buy him an apartment. For now, I have to make the most of what I've got. I don't want my eldest to have to take care of the younger ones. That wouldn't be fair. It was my choice to have more kids, so it's my responsibility to raise them. As long as I can still work, I'll keep going. I won't be one of those parents who bring kids into the world and then abandon them."

  Park Tae-hyun frowned slightly.

  Something about the driver's endless monologue was starting to irritate him.

  He lit his cigarette and took a deep drag.

  "Ajusshi, seriously, please go faster."

  He missed the cold silence of his mortuary freezer. He should've just asked Dr. Im to drive him home.

  "Relax, young man, it's New Year's. We were meant to share this ride. No need to rush fate. I get it, I get it. I've been driving for years—"

  Park Tae-hyun flicked the ash from his cigarette.

  He forgot to roll down the window.

  A small ember landed on the car's interior.

  And then—

  A hole, the size of a thumb, burned through the door panel.

  The cold night air seeped in through the tiny gap.