Ela knew she was strong and would fight for herself—so she slowly dealt with her problems.
Soon, Ela and Jinho became very close friends. They built trust in each other, stood by each other in tough times, and talked about everything from studies to various aspects of life.
Jinho helped Ela understand, breaking down her cultural and language barriers. And Ela, seeing Jinho's courageous spirit and sincerity, became even more attracted to him.
Their friendship turned into a bond that grew stronger, overcoming surroundings and confusions.
One day, Ela was very tired from studying in the university library. Jinho saw her exhaustion, softly patted her shoulder with his hand, and said,
"Ela, take a break. Shall we go out for some tea together?"
Ela smiled faintly and said, "Okay, Jinho, I wanted to go with you."
They walked hand in hand to the cafe. While sitting, sipping tea and having small sweets, Jinho suddenly said,
"Ela, your smile gives me a lot of strength. No matter how difficult the situation, you never give up."
Ela shyly replied, "When I hear your words, I feel like I'm really some kind of superhero!"
These small moments strengthened their friendship even more.
Then Ela bid farewell to her friend and stood by the roadside. She tried to hail a taxi. Just then, Adris pulled up in his Audi. He was saying something in Korean, perhaps talking to someone on his car keys or phone. Ela's mobile phone fell onto the street. Embarrassed, she reached out to pick it up, and Adris looked at her in surprise.
Then Ela said,
"You've got some nerve! Why did you come here when you can't give me peace?"
Adris had a faint, gentle smile on his lips and said,
"I've come for your peace, Ela. But if there's so much unrest around you, I can't stay away."
A mix of anger and restlessness appeared in Ela's eyes.
"Do you know how much your unexpected presence annoys me?"
Adris was silent for a moment, then said,
"Still, I'll be by your side, no matter how much you pull away."
Scene Cut
In the silent corner of that large flat, Ela stood, her hands tightly bound at her waist, body trembling with fear. Adris slowly approached, an unusual intensity glinting in his eyes. With one hand, he began unbuttoning Ela's shirt, the soft fabric falling open. Ela's chest heaved, tears welled in the corners of her eyes, her voice quivering.
"Let go… I don't want to go to you," Ela sobbed, but Adris ignored her crying and slowly moved closer. His hand gently wrapped around Ela's waist, his lips descended to her forehead.
Ela's eyes held a strange mix of emotions—fear and pain, beneath which lay a surge of courage. She was fighting within herself, breathing heavily as if someone was draining her strength.
"I won't hurt you," Adris whispered, but Ela knew it wasn't true. She kept her hands tightly bound, determined to save herself.
In the soft shadow of the light, they slowly drew closer to each other. Adris's eyes held a strange mixed feeling, and Ela's fear-filled heart seemed to be drawn to him in a different way. Their breaths seemed to become one, and time seemed to stand still for a moment. Even the air seemed to quiet in their silence.
There were traces of tears in Ela's eyes, and Adris's hand gently touched her cheek. At this moment, the distance between them was zero—very close, but neither knew what would happen.
Then Ela suddenly couldn't stop her tears, her sobs catching in her throat. Outside the flat, silence spread with faint noises—perhaps a bird's call or the distant sound of a car. In that silence, Ela's silent pain seemed to deepen even more. The sound of the wind paused slightly, as if wanting to hold the moment.
Adris also heard that silence, but he couldn't say anything, only looked at Ela with sad eyes, carrying a complex mix of emotions.
Then Adris slowly took Ela's hand and gently kissed her forehead. With that soft touch, the waves of Ela's crying began to subside a little, as if her pain had lessened for a moment. Adris whispered softly,
"Be quiet, everything will be fine."
In the magic of that kiss, Ela's broken heart found some solace, though an unknown darkness still enveloped her within.
Then Adris, in a gentle voice, said in Korean,
"괜찮아, 내가 네 곁에 있어 줄게."
(Gwaenchanha, naega ne gyeote isseo julge.)
Meaning: "You'll be alright, I'll be by your side."
These words eased Ela's pain a little, and she slowly became a bit calmer.
The morning sun streamed through the large windows of the flat. Ela and Adris sat embracing each other, covered by a soft blanket. Their eyes were closed, their minds and bodies at peace. Although the city's murmur had begun outside, inside the flat, time seemed to stand still. For a few moments, they were just with each other, in silence and peace.
Ela slowly opened her eyes to see Adris still asleep. There was an unusual serenity on his face, like a peaceful soldier after a battle. Ela watched him silently for a while, an odd mix of feelings rising in her heart at his innocent expression—anger, pain, but also a strange affection.
She thought to herself, "This is the man who hurt me, but why does looking at him now soften my heart? Can this peaceful face truly be cruel?"
She quietly sat up, pulling a part of the blanket to cover Adris, then slowly got up and stood by the window. The sunlight cast a shadow on her face, and in her eyes, reflected the uncertainty of the future.
Adris slowly opened his eyes and looked at Ela, a faint smile on his face.
— Adris (softly): "Good morning… What shall we have for breakfast today, princess?"
Ela turned her face and looked out the window for a moment. Then she slowly said—
— Ela: "I don't know… Today morning feels very unfamiliar…"
Adris sat up a bit, his voice soft, and said—
— Adris: "Let me cook today… Kimchi fried rice in Korean style, and special green tea for you."
Ela looked at him in surprise. There was a hint of annoyance in her expression, but also a flicker of curiosity in her eyes.
— Ela: "You cook?"
— Adris (smiling): "I learned for you…"
A silence descended between them then, but it wasn't heavy—rather, it was filled with the possibility of a new beginning.
Ela slowly got out of bed, her sleepy eyes surveying the room. Then, wearing a light white nightgown, she walked towards the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, brushing her teeth, she looked at her reflection.
There was still restlessness in her eyes. Her hair was messy, but it had a natural beauty.
Looking at herself, she whispered—
Ela:
"What have you done, Elia… You didn't want this."
Her voice held guilt, fear, and a strange internal struggle.
Suddenly, from behind, through the gap in the door, Adris said—
Adris (in Korean):
"넌 지금도 예뻐 보여."
("You still look beautiful.")
Ela stared at her reflection for a moment, saying nothing—just slowly, tears welled up in her eyes…
Then she lowered her head and continued brushing her teeth.
After finishing brushing, Ela slowly washed her face and dried it with a towel. When she came out of the bathroom, she saw Adris in the kitchen, wearing a large T-shirt and holding a coffee cup.
Adris turned around and smiled faintly.
Adris:
"I'll make breakfast today. You sit down, don't just watch—just trust me a little."
Ela was silent for a moment. Then she slowly came and sat at the kitchen table.
Ela:
"Trust? You broke that a long time ago…"
Adris paused slightly, then said—
Adris (gravely):
"I know. But I'm trying… for real this time."
The aroma of breakfast—omelet, toast, and hot coffee—began to spread. But the unseen, heavy atmosphere within the room seemed to resonate even in the silence.
Ela's eyes were on the window outside, but her mind was elsewhere—remembering that old life, those innocent days. This soft morning now felt like a fleeting peace before a storm.
A quiet, deeply emotional start to the morning.
Then Ela slowly went to her room. She opened the wardrobe and took out her clothes one by one—she had class today, so she needed to dress neatly. She chose a beautiful white blouse and a navy blue skirt. After putting on her clothes, she stood in front of the mirror and applied light makeup—a little kohl on her eyes, natural lip gloss on her lips.
Leaving her hair gently open, she slung her bag over her shoulder.
There was confidence in Ela's eyes today, but her heart was trembling a little inside—a new day, a new class, new challenges.
Then Adris came to the door, holding a coffee cup and car keys.
Adris:
"Come on, I'll drop you off at the university today."
Ela (with a slight look of annoyance):
"No, it's fine. I'll take a taxi."
Adris (with a calm gaze):
"Whatever you prefer… Just be careful."
Ela said nothing and opened the door, stepping outside.
The morning breeze touched her face, as if telling her—today marks the beginning of a new chapter.
Then Ela suddenly stopped and turned back to Adris. There was a kind of hesitation in her eyes, but her voice was firm.
Ela:
"You know, I'm trying to get my life together. Please, don't mess up my life again."
Adris was silent for a moment at her words. Then he smiled faintly—but even within that smile, there was a kind of pain.
Adris (softly):
"I only wanted… to be by your side. But alright, I understand your position."
Ela lowered her eyes once, then nodded and started walking straight.
Behind her, Adris stood—silent, still.
A new day began, but the scent of old feelings seemed to linger in the air.
Ela was walking towards the university, books and bag in hand. Suddenly, she felt someone staring at her unpleasantly. She looked back—an unfamiliar man, wearing a grey jacket, stood at the corner of the street. There was an ominous smile in his eyes, as if a sinister plan was swirling in his mind.
The man slowly began to approach Ela, his eyes never leaving her for a moment.
A shiver ran down Ela's spine. She felt something very bad was about to happen.
Just then, a black Audi suddenly pulled up in front of her—the door opened.
From inside, Adris's voice:
Adris:
"Ela, get in. Now."
Ela didn't hesitate for a moment and got into the car. The car sped away, leaving the strange man standing behind, a cold smile on his lips—and a strange madness in his eyes.
Ela's heart was trembling, but she sat quietly. Adris looked at her from the side and said—
Adris (in a serious tone):
"Don't assume everything around you is harmless. Some people roam like shadows… just waiting for an opportunity."
After this incident, Ela understood once again—her life would never be normal again.
Scene:
Ela arrives on campus. From a distance, a man watches her suspiciously. A short while later, Adris pulls up in his black Audi. He knows who the man is—and also knows that the man hasn't just been staring, there have already been multiple complaints against him from female students.
Adris rolls down his car window and says in a cold voice,
"I need to talk to you… Get in."
The man hesitates, but there was something in Adris's eyes that couldn't be ignored. He gets into the car. The destination was an abandoned building outside the city.
There, Adris made the man sit in front of him and simply asked,
"Do you know what she is to me?"
The man was about to say something, but before he could, Adris said in a slightly cold voice—
"Don't look at any other Ela in