It had been four days.
Four long, exhausting, confusing days in Jeju.
And nothing had changed.
Annie still hadn't given them an answer.
Every morning, she woke up early, did her usual routine at the elderly home, helped out like they weren't even there, and completely ignored whatever reason they came for.
To her, they were just… people staying around.
Nothing more.
Mi Na was already at her limit.
"You can't keep doing this," she said one morning, catching Annie just as she stepped out into the small garden behind the home.
Annie didn't stop walking. "Doing what?"
"Ignoring us."
That made Annie pause slightly.
She turned, her face calm but clearly uninterested. "I'm not ignoring you."
Mi Na frowned. "Then what do you call this?"
Annie looked at her for a second, then said simply, "Not my problem."
Mi Na clenched her jaw. "We didn't come all the way here for nothing."
"Then go back," Annie replied immediately.
No hesitation.
No sympathy.
Mi Na stepped closer. "You don't understand how serious this is."
Annie's eyes met hers, sharper this time. "And you don't understand how little I care."
Silence.
"If you can't deal with it," Annie added calmly, "leave."
That was it.
Mi Na stood there, speechless for a moment, before turning away in frustration.
From a distance, Ryan had watched everything.
He sighed quietly but didn't interfere.
He already knew pushing Annie would only make things worse.
By the afternoon, the mood had only gotten heavier.
Ji Ah sat outside, scrolling through her phone before letting out a long sigh.
"I have to go back to the city," she said.
Do Hwan looked up. "Already?"
She didn't even look at him. "Work."
Ryan glanced at her. "You should've said earlier."
Ji Ah stood up, brushing off her clothes. "I thought I could push it, but my manager won't let me breathe if I miss this."
She walked straight to Annie, who was helping one of the elderly women nearby.
"I'm leaving," she said softly.
Annie paused, then looked up at her.
"Okay."
Simple. But not distant.
Ji Ah smiled faintly. "Don't disappear again."
Annie didn't reply, but her eyes stayed on her a second longer than usual.
Ryan stepped closer. "Call when you land."
Ji Ah nodded. "I will."
There was a quiet understanding between the three of them.
No extra words.
Just familiarity.
Then the sound of a car pulling up broke the moment.
The taxi.
Ji Ah picked up her bag and started walking toward it.
Do Hwan quickly stood up and followed after her. "At least say goodbye properly. I thought we were already friends."
Ji Ah didn't slow down.
"Ouch," he added dramatically. "That hurts."
Still nothing.
She stopped.
But not for him.
She turned slightly, her eyes landing directly on Mi Na.
And her expression changed.
Sharp.
Clear.
"I hope Annie doesn't go back with you," she said, loud enough for everyone to hear.
Silence dropped instantly.
Ji Ah crossed her arms slightly. "I really don't like your character. It's bad."
She clicked her tongue. "Aish."
Mi Na froze, caught off guard.
Ryan's eyes flicked between them, but he didn't interrupt.
Annie just watched.
Quiet.
Ji Ah didn't wait for a response. She turned and got into the taxi like nothing happened.
The door closed.
And just like that—
she was gone.
The silence she left behind felt heavier.
That night, everything felt… off.
Maybe it was Ji Ah's absence.
Or the tension that had been building for days.
Either way—
someone brought alcohol.
Do Hwan opened a bottle first. "If we're stuck here, we might as well enjoy something."
Mi Na didn't argue.
Ryan didn't stop them.
And soon enough, the three of them were sitting outside, bottles scattered between them.
Annie stayed inside at first.
But eventually, she stepped out, leaning against the doorway, arms crossed.
Watching.
Do Hwan was already tipsy. "You know… this is not how I imagined my job would go."
Ryan scoffed lightly. "Same."
Mi Na stayed quiet at first, staring at the bottle in her hand.
Then she drank.
And drank again.
Until her silence broke.
"This is not fair," she muttered.
No one replied immediately.
She laughed, but it didn't sound right. "Do you know how long I worked for this?"
Ryan glanced at her.
Do Hwan went quiet.
Even Annie's gaze shifted slightly.
Mi Na shook her head, her voice unsteady now. "All my life… I worked for this position. Do you know what that means?"
No answer.
"I didn't have anything else," she continued. "Just this job. Just this chance."
Her grip tightened.
"And now… if this fails…" she let out a shaky breath. "I lose everything."
Silence.
Then she stood up.
Unsteady.
And walked straight toward Annie.
Ryan frowned slightly. "Mi Na—"
But she didn't stop.
She stopped right in front of Annie.
And for the first time—
her pride broke.
"Please," she said.
Quiet.
But heavy.
"Help us."
Annie didn't move.
Mi Na's voice cracked slightly. "This isn't just work for me. I can't go back empty-handed. I can't lose this."
Her eyes were red now.
"I don't care if you hate me," she added softly. "Just… help."
Everything went still.
No jokes.
No tension from ego.
Just truth.
Annie stared at her.
Long.
Unreadable.
Then her gaze dropped slightly.
Like she was thinking.
Or remembering.
No one spoke.
Everything waited on her.
But Annie said nothing.
She turned—
and walked back inside.
Just like that.
Mi Na stood there, frozen.
Then slowly, her shoulders dropped.
She laughed weakly, wiping her face quickly. "Yeah… I expected that."
Ryan stood up quietly, walking over to her. "You should rest."
Do Hwan didn't joke this time.
He just looked away.
The night settled again.
But something had changed.
Even if Annie didn't speak—
she had heard everything.
And that meant something.
Inside her room, Annie stood by the window, staring into the darkness.
Mi Na's voice echoed in her head.
"I can't lose this…"
Annie closed her eyes briefly.
Then opened them.
Her expression stayed the same.
But her thoughts didn't.
Because whether she liked it or not—
this situation wasn't as simple as she wanted it to be.
And deep down—
she already knew it.