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“Family can be difficult, can’t they?” she says, a soft sigh in her voice. “But it’s good to have family. It’s hard to be alone in this world.”

After my mother leaves, I look for my father, finding him still in his office, smoking a cigarette by the open window.

“About your shares of Joah,” I begin. “I want them. As my inheritance.”

His expression doesn’t change except for an infinitesimal lifting of his brow.

“I’ll do whatever it takes.” To save Joah. To save my mother.

“CEO Cha’s nephew,” he says, blowing out a long stream of smoke. “He’s still asking about you.”

I close my heart to Nathaniel. He can’t help me now.

“I’ll meet with him,” I say. My father won’t sell his shares to KS, not if he’s giving them to me.

“I’ll have Secretary Lee send over his information.”

My father walks me outside the gate, where Secretary Lee waits to drive me back to Seoul. “I’d say you’re like your mother, but you’re much smarter, Sori,” my father says. “You know how to make the right deals. No...” I look up to find him studying me, a calculating look in his eye. “You’re much more like me.”

In the back seat of the car, I text Hyemi again.Are you okay? Please answer. I’m worried.

Nathaniel still hasn’t responded, but that’s not surprising. My phone pings with a message from Secretary Lee, containing details about CEO Cha’s nephew. I plug in Cha Donghyun’s number.Donghyun-ssi,I write,this is Min Sori. My father gave me your number. I hope this isn’t too forward, but I’m interested in meeting you.I feel numb, my heart like ice.

Three minutes later, I receive a response.I didn’t think you’d reach out. I’m so happy, Sori-ssi. Are you free Wednesday?

Wednesday is the launch of Nathaniel’s song.

I text back,I’m free.

“We’re back with our guests, Tsukumori Rina, Lee Byeol, and the trendy model turned variety show queen, Min Sori, who also made an appearance on last night’s episode ofThe Sea Prince!”

Byeol sniffs. Sun’s drama has overtakenSpringtime Blossomas the show with the highest number of viewers in their shared timeslot.

The recording proceeds very much like the previous episode, with the three of us answering a question from a caller. This time, it’s a boy asking advice on how he should confess to his older sister’s best friend, who’s a grade above him. Rina and Byeol squeal at the forbidden love—an older girl, his sister’s best friend!

I’d also be caught up in the romance except that the numbness from before persists. It’s like I’m seeing and hearing everything from underwater.

“And now for the game portion of our episode,” Woori exclaims excitedly. “Like our previous episode, each contestant will call the most famous person in their phone!”

“It’s no question who you should call, Sori-ssi,” Woogi says, skipping the other guests entirely.

It takes me a full minute to realize what he’s saying. He meansNathaniel.

It never occurred to me that they might have decided to have a follow-up episode for this reason alone, to take advantage of Nathaniel’s and my newfound popularity as a variety show couple.

“Won’t her boyfriend be jealous?” Lee Byeol quips, referring to my “Boyfriend” from the previous episode.

They hook up my phone, which luckily blocks the actual number, otherwise they might recognize it.

Am I really about tofakea fake relationship with Nathaniel?

The phone rings and rings and rings.

Then there’s an audible click and an automated voice message plays, the same that had played earlier when I’d called Hyemi.

I’m too weary to feel embarrassed. I’m also slightly relieved.Nathaniel and I haven’t spoken since our fight, and I don’t know if I want the first time to be on a public radio show.

“I can call someone!” Byeol say brightly. She calls the same costar from before, but now they’re clearly on more friendly terms, as they speak casually, in banmal.