Chapter 10 - THE FINAL LEDGEROne year later, deep in the mountains outside Seoul, the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, painting the valley in soft shades of pink and white.
The Kang estate—once a fortress of armed guards, iron gates, and paranoia—now stood with its iron gates wide open. The perimeter walls had been torn down, replaced by terraced gardens, stone pathways, and a sprawling community center funded entirely by the newly restructured Kang Foundation.
On the veranda of the main house, Kang Min-jae sat at a rustic wooden table, sipping black coffee. The cold, dead look in his eyes was gone, replaced by the quiet, grounded warmth of a man who had finally earned his peace.
Footsteps echoed softly behind him.
Eun-ji walked out onto the veranda, carrying a tray of fresh pastries, followed closely by a laughing seven-year-old Yuna running across the lawn to chase a butterfly.
Eun-ji set the tray down and slid into the seat opposite Min-jae, resting her chin in her hand with a playful smile.
“You’re staring at the ledgers again,” Eun-ji teased, nodding toward the thick leather-bound notebook on the table.
Min-jae closed the book with a soft thump, sliding it away. “Not ledgers,” he corrected. “Just reviewing the balance sheet.”
“And what does the balance sheet say?” Eun-ji asked, raising an eyebrow.
Min-jae reached across the table, taking her hand in his, feeling the warmth of her skin against his calloused palm.
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“It says we’re richer than we’ve ever been,” Min-jae said quietly, looking out across the valley where children laughed in the distance. “And for the first time in my life... every single debt has been paid in full.”
Eun-ji smiled, leaning across the table to kiss his cheek as the spring wind carried the scent of cherry blossoms across the mountain, finally washing away the last traces of the blood and the shadows.
