A smile,almost

Bo Ah woke up to the steady sound of a heart monitor.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

Her eyelids felt heavy, her body numb, as if she had been pulled back from somewhere far away. The ceiling above her was white—too white—and the smell of antiseptic filled her nose.

Before she could move, a familiar voice broke into sobs.

“Oh my goodness—Bo Ah!”

A woman rushed to her bedside, gripping her hands tightly, tears streaming down her face.

“Are you okay? I thought something terrible had happened to you. You scared me so much…”

Bo Ah stared at the woman.

Her face was familiar. Too familiar.

Yet something felt terribly wrong.

“…Who are you?” Bo Ah asked quietly.

The woman froze.

“What?” she whispered. “Bo Ah, it’s me. Your mother.”

Bo Ah slowly pulled her hand back. Her heart began to pound.

“No,” she said, her voice trembling. “Who are you really? And… where am I?”

Panic flashed across the woman’s face. “Doctor! Doctor!” she cried, rushing out of the room.

Bo Ah’s eyes darted around the hospital room. The curtains, the window, the faint sunlight—everything felt wrong. Not unfamiliar, but unsettlingly known. Like a memory she hadn’t lived.

Moments later, a doctor entered, calm and composed.

“She’s awake?” he asked gently.

“Yes, but she’s confused,” her mother said anxiously. “She doesn’t recognize me.”

The doctor examined Bo Ah carefully, shining a light into her eyes.

“This is a temporary effect of the medication and exhaustion,” he explained. “Her vitals are stable. No brain damage. She just needs rest.”

Bo Ah didn’t believe him.

Everything felt too real to be a hallucination.

Hours later, she was discharged.

The drive was quiet. Bo Ah stared out the window as buildings passed by—streets she had never walked, yet somehow recognized. Her chest tightened the closer they got to their destination.

The car slowed.

Stopped.

Her breath caught.

A mansion stood before her.

Tall iron gates. White pillars. A perfectly manicured garden.

Her heart slammed violently against her ribs.

“No…” she whispered.

As she stepped inside, her legs felt weak. The interior was elegant, bathed in warm light. Marble floors. Crystal chandeliers.

And then—

Footsteps.

A young man walked down the grand staircase.

Tall. Broad shoulders. Perfect posture.

Handsome in a way that didn’t feel human.

Bo Ah froze.

Her blood turned cold.

That face…

Before she could speak, another presence entered her vision.

A woman.

Beautiful. Graceful. Her aura commanding the room without effort.

Bo Ah’s breath hitched.

Her mind screamed.

She staggered back, gripping the wall.

“This place…” Bo Ah whispered. “Mrs… this place looks familiar.”

Without waiting for a response, she ran outside.

She scanned the surroundings wildly—the garden, the driveway, the distant hills.

Everything matched.

Every detail.

Exactly like the world she had watched through a screen.

Her legs carried her back inside in a rush. Everyone stared at her, confused, alarmed.

She grabbed the woman beside her.

“Tell me,” Bo Ah said, her voice shaking. “Tell me right now—where am I?”

The woman frowned. “Bo Ah, what are you talking about?”

Bo Ah swallowed hard.

“Where is Kang Se Rah?”

Silence.

Then—

Mrs. In turned slightly, her expression puzzled.

“What are you asking?” she said. “She’s right behind you.”

Bo Ah’s body stiffened.

Slowly—so slowly—she turned around.

And there she was.

Kang Se Rah.

The woman she knew too well.

The powerful, beautiful lady from Our Happy Hour.

Standing right in front of her.

Alive.

Real.

Bo Ah’s vision blurred.

Her knees buckled.

And the world went dark.

A month ago

Kim Bo Ah pedaled through the narrow streets of the city, a delivery bag strapped tightly to her back. It was late afternoon, and the sunlight filtered weakly through the gray clouds above. She had just dropped off another order—her sixth of the day—and was heading toward the restaurant she worked at, weaving through traffic with tired legs and a blank expression.

This was her life now. Quiet. Repetitive. Boring.

Bo Ah had forgotten what it felt like to smile without forcing it. These days, her happiness came in borrowed moments—small flickers of comfort from fictional characters on glowing screens.

"I'm back," she muttered as she pushed the restaurant door open. The warm scent of grilled meat and soup greeted her, wrapping around her like a tired old blanket.

"Bo Ah! Good work today," her boss said cheerfully, waving from behind the counter. He was a kind man in his early fifties, with a soft face and a voice that never yelled. "No more deliveries for now. Take a break."

"Okay," she replied quietly, bowing her head.

She found her usual seat at the far corner of the restaurant, by the window. From her jacket pocket, she pulled out her phone, opened the streaming app, and tapped on the next episode of Moment With You. A gentle smile tugged at her lips—barely there, but real. The opening music played, and Bo Ah leaned forward, eyes softening. For the next few minutes, nothing else existed.

Then a voice interrupted her escape.

"Excuse me, miss?" a woman called out. "Can I get a menu?"

Bo Ah startled slightly, realizing she was still technically working. She quickly stood up, bowed politely, and walked over to the woman’s table. In one hand, she carried the food tray; in the other, her phone still played the drama quietly.

The woman looked curious, glancing at the screen. "What drama are you watching?"

Bo Ah blinked and hesitated, a bit shy. "Ah… Moment With You."

The woman’s eyes lit up. "I’m also a drama fan! Is there any drama I haven’t seen, though? I feel like I’ve watched them all."

Bo Ah looked at her for a moment—ten seconds, maybe more. It wasn’t often someone asked her something she actually cared about. Then, without even realizing it, she rattled off a few titles like it was instinct.

"Secret Life of My Secretary?"

"So Ah: Watched."

"Lovely Runner?"

"Watched."

"Moorim School?"

"Watched, watched, watched," the woman laughed.

Bo Ah’s eyes widened just slightly. For the first time today—maybe the whole week—she looked more than neutral. She looked… interested.

"I didn’t think anyone else liked Moorim School," Bo Ah said softly.

"It was chaotic, but in a good way!" So Ah replied, laughing again. "There’s something about the weird ones, huh?"

Bo Ah nodded. The conversation was short, but something about it lingered. It was rare for her to talk about what she loved with someone who understood. Even rarer to feel seen, even just for a moment.

...Maybe today wasn’t so boring after all....

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