The night started to fall and there was no sign of Mark yet. Jinyoung waited for him and realised too late that he had hurt Mark deeply. Sangchul had had a go at him once he had found out how Jinyoung had confronted Mark. That night, Jinyoung could not sleep.
He felt like he had not existed, the next morning. He was dizzy and his heart was heavy with guilt. Only his responsibility to watch the children and his small hope that Mark might come back kept him going.
He was so impassive that the kids whined, complaining why he would not play with them and asked him where Mark was too often for his comfort.
In the afternoon, Hwaja stormed into the yard with two police officers on each of her sides. She was as angry as the day before. Sangchul met them in the yard with apprehension.
"Where's that thief?" she demanded, looking around. "Bring him out. Either he gives it back to me or I'm going to put him behind bars. Where's he?"
"You're Park Sangchul, right?" one of the police officers asked just for confirmation. "Lim Hwaja here has informed us about the theft and we need to take Mark Tuan to the station for a few questions since Mrs. Lim is confident that he committed the theft."
Sangchul broke into a sweat and was afraid Mark's sudden disappearance was going to complicate the matter. "He's not here anymore. He left. He had an argument with my nephew and left."
"That bastard, he's run away? Then I'll never get back my jewel!"
"How's he related to you, Mr. Park?" another police officer spoke for the first time.
"He's my nephew's friend."
The officer noted that down before asking another question. "Where does he live?"
This was a question Sangchul could not answer. He fidgeted and the prolonged silence was just as awful as telling the truth.
"Yes, Mr. Park? You don't know?"
"We gave him the shelter because he had nowhere to live. But I can assure you he didn't steal that pendant. He never asked for anything from me. He's someone like that. And he hasn't run away. As I said, he just had a quarrel with my nephew, got upset and left. Please, consider again, officer. I'm sure he didn't-"
"You're just covering for him!" Hwaja spat. "Will you compensate me on behalf of him then?"
"Mrs. Lim, let me talk with Mr. Park for a moment," the police officer quietened her before turning to Sangchul. "Could you give us a description of Mark Tuan? Or if you have his photo, that's better."
"We don't have any photos of him, officer."
"Then please describe him," said the police officer and another had his notebook ready to draw the picture.
Sangchul started, in a resigned tone, to give a description of Mark. Hwaja's presence prevented him from lying. He could only hope that Mark would be away and safe even if he was not going to be proven innocent.
Jinyoung just watched the whole scene with a mild interest. Nothing he was seeing troubled him more than the thought that he had wronged Mark did. His head was messed up and clouded with that guilt alone. He wanted to see Mark again.
Another two days had passed and nothing in particular had happened. Jinyoung would sit on the bench in the yard for long spacing out. It had been four days since Mark had left but Jinyoung felt like it had been an eternity. He was starting to get used to living in regret.
He had not taken Byeol out for a walk for days. He had been negligent and today, however, he must walk Byeol.
"Byeol, come out," Jinyoung called, rapping at the bowl of dog food. Byeol ran out of its house, something rolling along its steps before spinning and coming to a stop. "What were you playing with?"
Now that he could look properly at the object, the sight of a small red box, which the object was, escalated his heart. He let Byeol have the food and approached the dog house to grab the thing.
His hands were shaking as he opened the velvet box to find a ruby pendant rimmed with diamonds, still intact inside. He shut the box and clutched it tight before rushing into the house.
"Samchon! Samchon!" Jinyoung shouted, more out of excitement than the need to shout. His uncle came out of his room alert. "Samchon, here. Look at it. It's the pendant."
Incredulous, Sangchul checked the inside of the box and a vast relief ran across his face as he saw what was inside. "Where was it?"
"Inside Byeol's house. It was Byeol. I remember he was playing with her that day," Jinyoung said, all in one breath. "Samchon, I made a huge mistake. I was wrong. I didn't trust Mark."
Mark's words haunted him again. The regret he felt now was more severe than before. Now that he knew the truth, it hurt him to imagine how Mark must have felt then. He had not stood up for Mark and in fact, had accused him. He made Mark leave. He told him to.
"What's done is done," Sangchul said, "If he comes back, apologise to him. Learn from the mistake, Jinyoung. Don't be so upset. We need to clear this matter first. Go and fetch Hwaja now." He told Jinyoung the address and Jinyoung left at once.
Hwaja did not believe Jinyoung when he told her the news. She followed him to his place and when she saw her jewel with her own eyes, she was still sceptical and checked it in case it was a fake. Only then she was satisfied since it was indeed hers.
"Are you sure it wasn't him who hid this inside the dog house?" she said, stll a trace of suspicion in her voice, which enraged both Jinyoung and Sangchul.
"You do remember you were playing with Byeol that day, right?" Jinyoung asked in sarcasm. "Wasn't it your fault that you didn't zip your bag and didn't notice even when the whole box was taken out?"
"Jinyoung, stop," Sangchul said. "Hwaja, now that you've got it back, please withdraw the charges against Mark. As soon as possible."
"That's fine," she agreed.
When she was gone, Jinyoung complained, "Unbelievable. She didn't say anything akin to 'sorry'. Because of her, Mark left! And she looked not at all concerned!" But deep down, he knew it was because of him that Mark had left.
