Chapter 01
Who Are You?
Knock, knock—
Someone tapped on the glass wall.
Yeonhee, who was just about to leave work, stopped.
When she turned around, she saw the hand of a woman wearing a black suit through the small opening in the glass wall.
A customer?
This place was Damcheongwon, <Hearing, Healing>, a place where people listened to other people’s stories.
Because it was also called “the graveyard of all secrets in the world,” the identities of customers were completely protected by the opaque glass walls.
That was why Yeonhee usually recognized people by their hands.
Through the small opening in the glass wall, she could only see the customer’s hands and lips.
The long, white hand she saw now was a hand Yeonhee knew.
The woman silently pushed a business card through the opening.
On the card was the large JS Pharmaceutical logo, made with a combination of gold and silver colors.
Under it, a name was written in a stiff font.
[Sun Hyo-in / Chief Secretary to the Chairman]
Chief Secretary Sun.
She had come again this month without fail.
Around this time every month, JS Pharmaceutical delivered a regular donation.
They said it was a donation given because Yeonhee’s parents had worked as researchers at JS Pharmaceutical for a long time and were recognized for their achievements.
But that was only the official reason.
Yeonhee thought differently.
As soon as JS Pharmaceutical discovered the Yeongong Virus, they developed the Yeon Patch.
If attached to a place where the pulse could be felt, it created a state similar to the feeling of love.
It was an innovative medicine.
But at the same time, it was an unstable drug with severe side effects that could even lead to death.
When cases of side effects increased, JS Pharmaceutical recalled all Yeon Patches and silenced the families of those who died from the side effects with donation money.
Just like Chief Secretary Sun was doing now.
Yeonhee smiled bitterly and pushed the business card back outside the opening.
Chief Secretary Sun skillfully took back the card and handed over another paper.
It was the transfer statement showing that the donation had been sent.
“Um, I appreciate it, but… you really don’t have to come here every time. Seriously.”
“I only do what I am ordered to do from above. It is just one of my duties. Ah, that does not mean I dislike coming here.”
Chief Secretary Sun’s mouth was smiling, but her tone was sharp.
She did not like Yeonhee.
It was rare for JS Pharmaceutical to personally deliver the donation statement to a recipient.
And there was absolutely no reason for the Chief Secretary to the Chairman herself to come.
The only reason was…
“Go and check with your own eyes whether that girl is doing well. How her life is, whether she is suffering or having a hard time, whether running a business alone is bearable. Come back and report everything without missing anything.”
Because the chairman she served had given her a strict order, she had no choice but to visit every month.
Instead, every time she came, she made sure to show how uncomfortable she was.
“How have things been lately?”
“I have to ask because it is part of the procedure.”
“Lately?”
Yeonhee paused for a moment before slowly continuing.
“I guess… it feels like my twenty-seven years of life are tightly gathered together on my shoulders.”
After saying it out loud, her shoulder actually felt heavy, so she started rubbing it with one hand.
“What? What do you mean?”
Chief Secretary Sun answered indifferently, as if she had no desire to understand.
…Of course you wouldn’t understand.
You hate me.
Beyond the opaque glass wall, Yeonhee felt like she could see Chief Secretary Sun’s sharp eyes.
But there was nothing she could do.
It was something she had to endure every month.
“No, it’s nothing. Nothing is happening. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow.”
Yeonhee gave a self-mocking smile.
She realized her life was quite boring.
When Yeonhee answered gloomily, Chief Secretary Sun seemed to feel better.
She spoke in a warmer tone than before.
“That is why I come every month. Our chairman has such a kind heart that he cannot stand seeing a donation recipient living isolated like this.”
“You really don’t have to come…”
“Well, there is no point asking anything else. The answers will probably be the same as last month. I will come again next month, so there is no need for a separate goodbye, right?”
Clang—
When Chief Secretary Sun left, Yeonhee finally let out the sigh she had been holding.
“Ah… I don’t know anymore!”
There were no reserved customers anyway.
She should just go home.
She stood up from her chair and stretched.
Unlike ordinary office workers, Yeonhee’s commute home took less than a minute.
That was because her living space was attached right beside Damcheongwon.
Maybe because she was more tired than usual today.
She did not want to do anything.
Yeonhee barely forced her heavy body to move, took a shower, and collapsed in front of the TV.
“Sigh… I’m tired. So tired.”
She turned on the TV and changed channels randomly.
Then she stopped when she saw an action movie that had been a huge hit several years ago.
She remembered her childhood friend Doyoon, who had been her friend for twenty years, recommending it several times when it was released.
Leaving the movie playing, Yeonhee picked up the donation statement Chief Secretary Sun had given her.
Fifty years ago, a virus with an unknown cause spread across the entire world.
At first, no one noticed anything strange.
The only thing that happened was that more and more people suddenly told their lovers they wanted to break up or divorce.
People simply assumed the world had become too harsh to love someone.
However, as the number of people who could no longer feel love toward their partners increased, people slowly began questioning it.
Why could they not feel love?
JS Pharmaceutical, the largest pharmaceutical company in the country, continued research for years.
Finally, they discovered the virus.
When people felt love toward their lovers, a certain hormone was released.
The virus was suppressing that hormone.
The person who conducted the research named it the Yeongong (戀空) Virus.
The character 戀 meant longing.
The character 空 meant emptiness.
It meant that the heart that should long for another person had become empty.
People who carried the Yeongong Virus and could no longer naturally feel love were called Yeongong-in (戀空人).
Inside the wrists of Yeongong-in, a small horseshoe-shaped scar was engraved like a mark.
Because of this, anyone could easily identify virus carriers.
On the other hand, people without the virus were called Yeonin (戀人).
Now that Yeongong-in made up more than half of society, the ability to feel love became the privilege of Yeonin.
The amount of money JS Pharmaceutical provided as support was quite large.
It was enough to live without doing another job.
That was why Doyoon was confused when Yeonhee said she wanted to open Damcheongwon.
“You want to start a business where you only listen to people’s stories?”
“Yes! I want to listen to people’s stories. I believe there is ‘love’ inside the stories where people cry and laugh.”
“Will people really come? You only listen.”
“Of course. People are usually only interested in their own stories.”
“But Yeonhee, you already receive support money. Do you really need to work? If you’re just bored at home, help at my cafe.”
“No. I want to eat desserts. I don’t want to make them.”
Yeonhee smiled slightly as she remembered her conversation with Doyoon.
They often argued, but he was a precious friend who had stayed by her side for twenty years.
At that moment, a man’s voice came from the TV.
An actor was asking another person with an extremely sad expression and a heavy voice.
[Why did you have to do that? ……Why did you make that choice?]
It was a scene from a movie where he asked a person who betrayed their organization for the reason.
But watching it, Yeonhee also wanted to ask.
Why did you have to do that?
Why did you make that choice?
……Mom, Dad.
Why did you leave only me behind in this world?
Twenty years ago.
In front of a large brown building, Mom and Dad were looking around as if searching for someone.
At the top of the building was a sign that clearly said:
<Truth Orphanage>
But because children were running around and playing in the yard, most people thought it was an elementary school.
“Yeonhee! Over here!”
After standing in front of the entrance for a while, Mom and Dad found Yeonhee and waved their arms happily.
“Listen carefully to your parents and have fun, okay?”
The orphanage director crouched down to match the height of seven-year-old Yeonhee and spoke kindly.
Yeonhee nodded once and ran toward the entrance.
Today was the day she was going to her parents’ workplace!
Her steps felt lighter than ever.
She knew her parents were busy because they worked as researchers at a large company.
But recently, they had been visiting less and less often, so Yeonhee had been upset.
Instead of explaining why they had no choice but to leave her at the orphanage, Dad promised her that he would take her to the research center at the end of the month.
And today was that day.
Because her parents said they worked at a very big company, Yeonhee expected they would go to a huge building reaching high into the sky.
But Mom and Dad walked through alley after alley.
Finally, they arrived at an old gray building where most of the paint had peeled away.
“This is where Mom and Dad work. This is our research center. Isn’t it amazing?”
Dad said proudly.
Even though Yeonhee usually did not smile much, she smiled brightly.
It was different from what she expected.
But after hearing Dad’s words, it really did look amazing.
“Yes! It is so cool! I want to work here too!”
“Really? Then this will be the place where Yeonhee works in the future, so let’s go inside quickly!”
The inside of the building was much cleaner than the outside.
The research center was on the third floor.
But because the building was so old that it did not even have an elevator, the three of them walked up the stairs.
Yeonhee let go of her parents’ hands and quickly climbed the stairs.
Then she saw a small sign.
“De… The Way, Research Center!”
“The Way Research Center. That is how you read it.”
Mom corrected her gently as Yeonhee, who was still unfamiliar with Korean letters, struggled to read the sign.
“Mom, what are we going to do here today?”
“Today? Hmm… Should we do everything Yeonhee likes?”
“Okay!”
That day, they really did everything Yeonhee liked.
They explored every corner of the research center that Yeonhee was curious about.
They ate the food and desserts Yeonhee loved.
They even looked at clouds together, something Yeonhee enjoyed doing.
Dad even placed flowers Yeonhee liked all around the research center.
Yeonhee secretly wondered if today was actually her birthday.
“What do you want to do now?”
“Hmm… Now… read me a book!”
“That book?”
“Yes, that book.”
Yeonhee’s favorite book.
<Alice in Wonderland>.
Especially, she loved reading this book with Dad.
Because the two of them had their own special way of reading it.
Dad would read the lines of the other characters, and Yeonhee would answer as Alice.
“The Caterpillar asked Alice. Who are you?”
Dad leaned close to Yeonhee, who was lying with her head on his lap, and asked.
Because she had eaten delicious food and played all day, Yeonhee’s eyes slowly began to close.
She opened her eyes wide, trying not to fall asleep, and recited Alice’s line.
“I don’t know… Everything feels confusing.”
“Alice said she didn’t know, but the Caterpillar did not listen. And he asked again. Who are you?”
Sadly, her eyelids kept falling.
Dad’s lap felt like it was sinking endlessly underground.
Yeonhee tried hard to keep her eyes open.
Through her half-open eyes, she faintly saw Mom and Dad.
Dad holding the book <Alice in Wonderland>.
Mom sitting at the desk and writing something carefully.
I can’t sleep…
Present
“……Ah, no!”
Yeonhee suddenly sat up, covered in cold sweat.
She hurriedly looked around.
Again…
Was it that dream?
It seemed she had fallen asleep on the sofa while watching the movie last night.
On the TV that she had not turned off, the 1951 classic animation <Alice in Wonderland> was playing.
So that was why she dreamed of that day.
Still looking blankly at the TV, Yeonhee leaned back on the sofa and tightly closed her eyes.
She wanted to continue dreaming about her parents.
Then a familiar line came from the TV.
It was the scene where the Caterpillar asked Alice who she was.
[Who are you?]
Alice answered that she did not know anymore because her size changed several times a day.
But the Caterpillar did not care and asked again.
[Who are you?]
Yeonhee thought the Caterpillar’s persistent question sounded like it was directed at her.
……Who am I?
Yeonhee rubbed the scar on the inside of her wrist and whispered.
I am a Yeongong-in (戀空人) who cannot feel love.
