Ding-dong.

While Seong-ho and Gyeong-eun were watching TV, the bell rang.

"Who could that be at this hour?"

Gyeong-eun tilted her head and looked at Seong-ho.

She was asking him whether anyone was due to come by the house.

Following Gyeong-eun's gaze, Seong-ho looked toward the entrance where the bell had rung and shook his head.

"I've no idea who it is. Wait here a moment."

Seong-ho rose and went to the intercom.

—Who is it at this late hour?

When he picked up the intercom and asked who had rung the bell, an unexpected voice came from the other end.

—It's me.

Seong-ho considered for a moment why the owner of that familiar voice had come to the house, then answered.

—You've come, Brother. Wait just a moment.

Setting down the intercom, Seong-ho told Gyeong-eun, who was looking at him with curious eyes, who the visitor was.

"The second brother's here."

"The second brother?"

At the news that Sang-jong had come, Gyeong-eun wore a puzzled expression and tilted her head.

And she rose to follow Seong-ho as he walked to the front door to let him in.

Seong-ho paused a moment as he answered Gyeong-eun's question.

"Who knows? Seems he's got something he wants to say."

Standing alongside Gyeong-eun, Seong-ho headed for the entrance with her and sorted through, in his head, the reasons he'd just considered.

And among the several reasons, he was able to find one.

So that's it.

Seong-ho thought he knew why Sang-jong had come.

And the moment he saw Sang-jong's face, he was certain.

"Brother. What brings you here in the middle of the night?"

"Did you know?"

At Sang-jong's abrupt question at the door, Seong-ho guided him inside and said,

"Come in first."

When Seong-ho told him to come in, Sang-jong strode into the house without hesitation.

And to Gyeong-eun, standing off to one side and looking at him with strange eyes, he said,

"I'll be gone soon, so no need to bring out tea."

Without even waiting for Gyeong-eun's answer, and without coming all the way in, Sang-jong stood at the entrance…