Scene 1: The Frigid Distance in the Car
[Location: Jin's Car, Driving Away from the Park. Late Afternoon.]
The interior of the car was heavy with silence, far denser than the cold air outside. Jin drove quickly, but his focus wasn't on the road; it was turned inward, where a storm of remorse and jealousy raged. So Hye had stopped looking at Jin. She sat quietly, pressed against the side, her ears still ringing from Jin's brief, harsh command.
When Jin had forcibly pulled her towards the car, she had only tried to resist once.
SO HYE: (In a low, angry whisper) You can't do this! Leave me alone!
But Jin had held her wrist firmly. His grip wasn't painful, but it was unyielding—a physical barrier that could not be crossed.
JIN: (Without looking at her) I said, we are leaving.
He released her wrist and went straight to the driver's seat. Now, in the car, Jin's deep, exhausting sadness was so palpable that So Hye could feel it, even as she tried to ignore it. His eyes were red, and his brow was furrowed in weary tension. He looked like a man who had faced his worst fear and resolved to stop it at any cost, even if it meant breaking his own heart in the process.
SO HYE'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: (His eyes… he probably didn't sleep last night either. But that doesn't mean he gets to drag me around like a criminal! How rudely he spoke to Hyun Soo!)
Jin braked suddenly, turning a corner.
JIN: (Softly, eyes fixed on the road) Jacket.
SO HYE: (Startled) What?
JIN: (His voice slightly raised) Zip up the jacket. I don't want to hear you complain about the cold.
It was a small thing, but it was their first direct conversation, and So Hye's months of pent-up anger erupted.
SO HYE: (Shouting) Why do you always tell me what to do? What to wear, who to meet, when to smile! You are not my guardian, you're just… you're a tyrant! Did you not see how upset Hyun Soo was? You humiliated him!
Jin slammed on the brakes. His eyes were closed, and he leaned his head against the steering wheel. This wasn't anger; it was complete devastation.
JIN: (His voice muffled, almost inaudible, filled with self-loathing) Yes. I humiliated him.
Scene 2: Remorse and a Broken Melody
So Hye, trembling from her outburst, was taken aback by Jin's sudden surrender. She had never seen him so vulnerable. When she moved closer, she saw that his eyes were glistening. Jin took a deep breath, lifted his face, and looked at So Hye with deep, painful remorse.
JIN: (In a slow whisper, his voice broken) I'm sorry, So Hye. I shouldn't have yelled at you. I shouldn't have been rude to Hyun Soo either. It's just… it's just…
He couldn't speak. He lightly thumped his fist on the steering wheel. The sadness in his eyes was so clear that all of So Hye's anger instantly melted away. This was not just jealousy for Hyun Soo; it was the real, immense pain of loss.
SO HYE'S INTERNAL MONOLOGUE: (He looks like I just shot him. Why did I yell at him? I made him cry. Did I just inflict more pain on the one person who has always looked out for me?)
So Hye felt tears welling up in her own eyes. She immediately regretted her words. Jin was always rigid and controlling, but he only did it to protect her (at least, that's what he told himself).
SO HYE: (Gently, with remorse in her voice) Jin… I… I shouldn't have called you a "tyrant." I'm sorry. I was angry.
Jin slowly shook his head. He tried to force a smile of sadness, but it only turned into a tragic, painful expression.
JIN: (Wiping a tear) No. You are right. I am a tyrant. I just... I can't let you go.
He pressed a button on his phone. A melancholic, old, slow piano tune began to play through the car's speakers. It was a melody that So Hye had sung alone last night, a broken tune symbolizing her emotional distance from Jin. He had secretly recorded her singing.
SO HYE: (Surprised) That… that's my song.
JIN: (Seeing that he couldn't hide his emotions) Yes. I know you're not happy. I can't do anything about that. But… (He turned to her, his sorrow almost a physical thing) …can you just stop for a little while? Can you just give me a little more time? I can't bear to make you sadder than this song.
He looked like a beggar, stripped of all his power. So Hye remembered the beautiful moment she had shared with Hyun Soo that afternoon, then looked at the immense pain on Jin's face, and immediately felt bad for treating Jin this way because of Hyun Soo.
SO HYE: (Softly, relenting) Alright, Jin. I'll wait.
Jin closed his eyes, a wave of relief washing over his weary face. To the tune of this broken melody, the car slowly continued towards the mansion, where both knew their battle had only just begun, but for the first time, Jin's deep sadness and remorse had softened So Hye towards him.