The meaning was clear.
They would not restrain Ji Eun anymore.
Even if it meant...
Chaos.
Scandal.
Damage.
Kate finally spoke again, her voice softer now, almost weary.
"If we push her further…" she said, "she might do something drastic."
She didn't elaborate.
She didn't need to.
They had both seen enough of Ji Eun's unpredictability to know...
That wasn't an empty concern.
Silence followed.
Then...
Park Hyun Woo took a slow step forward.
Not aggressive.
Not defensive.
Just… deliberate.
"You believe stepping back will protect her?" he asked calmly.
Song Minkyu didn't hesitate.
"I believe," he said, "that forcing her will destroy her."
A pause.
"And possibly us with her."
Hyun Woo studied them both.
The parents.
Not as obstacles.
But as people who had already chosen their line.
Then...
He spoke.
Quietly.
"Stepping back will not protect her."
His voice was calm.
But absolute.
"It will only remove the illusion that anything is holding her in place."
Kate looked up at him, her brows slightly furrowed.
"What do you mean?"