WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?

AS soon as Taeyang sat down on the bus, he slipped on his headphones, choosing the seat by the window. The headphones weren't just for music; they were a shield, a subtle way to avoid any unwanted conversation with whoever might take the seat next to him. It might seem standoffish, but Taeyang wasn't in a good mood. Small talk was the last thing he wanted, and if someone did try to engage him, he wasn't sure he could keep from snapping. Better to seem distant than to say something harsh.

The terrible mood he was in now was all because of the woman who called herself his mother. As music flowed through his headphones, memories of last night resurfaced in his mind—when she had shown up unannounced at his apartment.

===

"I don't know how you managed to convince Father to go along with this madness, but I'm not having it," the woman - Lee Miyoung declared the moment she stepped into the apartment. "You're going to call Jaehyun and tell him to pull you out of that show."

Taeyang didn't even bother to look at her. He just wondered how she kept getting the code to his apartment—he'd changed it three times already. Yet, somehow, she always found a way in. Whatever. With the survival program taking up the next three months of his life, he wouldn't have to deal with her at all during that time.

"Is this really what you want to do with your life? Performing for other people?" Her tone dripped with disdain, as if she were belittling everyone in the entertainment industry. "You're a member of the Taesung Group! Are you really going to tarnish the Lee family name like this?"

Taeyang almost laughed at her last remark. Rising from his seat, he stepped in front of the woman. Because of his height, he actually towered over the other. So, he was able to look her down.

"I don't know how many times I have to repeat myself since you seem to have trouble understanding, but I'm not going to do what you want. I'm participating in this survival program, whether you like it or not. If you have a problem with that, go ahead and complain to the old man."

The look on her face was one of confusion rather than anger. She probably couldn't believe Taeyang was actually standing up to her, much less saying these things. From her perspective, it was understandable—Taeyang had never talked back to her before. He had always tried to do what she wanted, just to earn a sliver of affection from her.

But that Taeyang was now gone. He had learned the hard way that this woman would never love him, never treat him like her other children from her current marriage. To her, he was just a blemish on her otherwise perfect life—a reminder of a failed relationship she desperately wanted to forget. That's why she was so determined to ship him out of the country, fully intending to do everything in her power to keep him from ever returning.

He laughed bitterly at himself, amazed that there was ever a time when he had sought this woman's love. How foolish had he been?

"And just so you know, my surname is Jung. If I were to ever bring shame to a family name, it would be the Jungs, not the Lees. Thankfully, your first husband doesn't seem to care about that, so why don't you take a cue from him and stop pretending you actually care? We both know you don't give a damn about me. Go back to your 'perfect' husband and kids. Meddle in their lives, not mine. You—"

Taeyang wasn't able to finish what he was saying because, before he could get the next word out, the woman's hand came down hard across his face. The slap echoed in the room, sharp and stinging, leaving a burning imprint on his cheek. The force of it startled him, but what shocked him more were the tears at the corner of her eyes.

Did he actually... hurt her feelings?

What a joke. He steeled himself, refusing to let it get to him. "Are you done? If so, there's the door—please see yourself out." He was about to turn away when he paused, adding, "Oh, and one more thing. If you try to interfere with my participation in this survival program, you'll find yourself on the wrong side of the old man. You wouldn't want that, right? It might just impact the money your children will receive from him. So, why not act like you don't know me? It'll save us both a lot of trouble. Don't you agree?"

Lee Miyoung shot Taeyang a sharp glare before turning on her heel and heading toward the door. He expected her to leave without another word, but she paused, glancing back at him.

"What happened to you?"

Taeyang didn't respond, simply staring at her with cold, emotionless eyes. When she received no answer, she stormed out of the apartment, her anger evident in every step.

Taeyang sank into his seat, staring up at the ceiling. After a moment, he muttered, as if finally answering Lee Miyoung's question, "I died and came back to life."

===

Taeyang shook his head, trying not to think about what happened. He was about to take a piece of candy from his pocket, but as he did so, his gaze just happened to meet a pair of amber-colored eyes.