EPISODE 5: TREE 2
Why do you have such a look on your face?
Surely it is not because you don't wish to marry me?
No.
Then why…
I regret the choice I have made.
What do you mean?
As a military officer, my life will be spent guarding the border.
How can I leave you behind?
Your dedication is what made me fall in love with you.
What a lovely shade.
What are you doing?
I was wondering how you would look with red rouge around your eyes.
Please wipe it off.
The red suits you very well.
Why do you look at me with that gaze?
I love you.
MAY THE UNION OF THESE TWO FAMILIES BECOME A SOURCE OF HAPPINESS
Okay, let's begin.
Relax and think.
Then speak when you want to.
-Here. -It's here.
Here's the soil.
Now pull it out gently like this.
Good.
Okay.
We just need to do one more.
Okay, there we go.
Push it in.
-Okay. -Done!
DEAR WOO-JIN, WITH ALL MY HEART, HAPPY BIRTHDAY
I LOVE YOU FROM NA-YOUNG
Grow well!
Grow big and pretty, little one!
You can't open your eyes, okay?
One, two, three.
Ta-da!
This one's done.
-It's not too hot? -It's so good.
This is nice.
Yes.
Cheers.
That must have hurt.
This?
It doesn't hurt.
Look how much I've gathered.
Take that!
Let's go!
-Cheers. -Cheers.
-What? -It's snowing.
It is.
-How pretty. -So pretty.
-Woo-jin. -Yes?
There's this saying in this drama that I like.
When people enter their 30s,
they become trees.
-Trees? -Yes. Trees.
The important thing is who makes the flowers on the tree bloom.
Meaning your life can change depending on who you meet.
What does that mean?
What is this?
So…
So what I'm saying is…
can I be the one to make the flowers on your tree bloom?
I'll water it really well and give it plenty of sunlight.
I'm confident that I can help it grow
and bloom beautiful flowers.
I won't…
ever waver.
-Wait. -What?
What was that?
What was that? It's so wonderful.
My answer.
Thank you, Na-young.
Thank you even more.
I can drive, really.
Whatever.
You stayed up all night songwriting.
Come on. Get some sleep.
When you wake up,
the sea will be right in front of you.
When the song is finished, you'll be the first one to hear it.
Really? You promise?
-I promise. -That's a promise.
Time's up, right?
Mr. Kang Woo-jin.
Leave the thing in your pocket.
I don't know what you mean.
Do you think this will help you meet someone dead?
What do you know?
What on earth am I supposed to do, then?
Cheer up?
I have to live my life well if I don't want Na-young to be sad?
It's all bullshit.
Mr. Kang Woo-jin.
You don't know
what this pain is like!
You can't even imagine it.
Never mind, then.
There are plenty of ways to die.
Okay.
It's up to you later if you die or not.
You're right.
How can anyone know when they've never gone through it themselves?
Everyone just pretends to understand.
Saying it must have been difficult, it must have hurt.
But that's not what I want to know.
There's another reason, isn't there? Why you've unraveled to this extent.
Because I killed her.
I've killed Na-young.
I killed her!
PSYCHIATRY KOO RYEON, M.D.
KANG WOO-JIN, AGE 29 SINGER-SONGWRITER
I don't think Kang Woo-jin will be an easy case.
Did you find Heo Na-young?
Yes. We're with her in Kang Woo-jin's apartment.
Hold on to her. I'll head over there.
Please, help me.
I'm begging you.
Come on, how can you be so heartless?
How can she go when her husband wants to die?
I wouldn't if I were her either.
Mr. Choi.
Now is not the time.
I can save Woo-jin.
Let me save him.
Can you take full responsibility for that?
-Yes. -If something goes wrong,
Woo-jin will die.
I can do it.
Seeing you might make him worse.
That's impossible.
Kang Woo-jin said he killed you.
There must be another reason why Kang Woo-jin is like this.
Ms. Heo, I think you'll have to explain things to us in more detail.
It'll help us in saving Mr. Kang.
Ma'am, unwelcome guests are on their way.
Well.
What?
Would you look at that?
I told you something was off right around here.
Hey, there. Hand over the runaway soul and let's get on with our own jobs.
We're all busy people.
"Hey, there"?
I don't see a "Hey" or a "There" here.
-Mr. Lim. -Yes, ma'am.
-Can you hold them off? -Of course.
Why? Are you going to fight? Can't we talk this out?
Stay back, Mr. Choi.
Go on, ma'am. Quickly.
-Will he be okay? -Don't worry.
I'll see you later.
Long time no see, Ryung-gu. Fancy seeing you here.
Ryung-gu?
I'm an assistant manager and you're senior staff, Mr. Lee.
Please address me as your senior. I'm offended.
We entered the company at the same time. Piss off.
-Get him. -I don't think you want to do that.
What? Why?
You must have forgotten
that I used to work at the Book of the Deceased Management Team.
I think it was about 80 years ago.
We told you to reap the souls of the pro-Japanese collaborators,
but you brought the souls of those in the Independence Army instead.
Thanks to me secretly helping you, the mistake was fixed.
But it was a disastrous mistake, nonetheless.
You little…
Damn it!
Come on, let go.
Ryung-gu!
We got an earful because of the runaway soul.
Don't you feel sorry for us?
-Not at all. -Not at all…
Hey.
Attack all at once.
My ear, ouch, my ear.
Get in, quickly!
Let's get in.
Quickly. Thank you.
What's up with the car?
It's a company car.
I asked for backup.
Because of this.
If you're tired, I can drive.
Let me just ask you right now.
Why does Kang Woo-jin think he killed you?
The day Woo-jin was born…
was the day his mother died.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY KANG WOO-JIN
Why should we celebrate the day
you killed your mother?
HAPPY BIRTHDAY SUNSHINE CLASS KANG WOO-JIN
Damn you!
Ji-yeon wouldn't have died like that if it weren't for you.
Dad.
You killed her.
You did!
Honey.
Ji-yeon!
DECEASED KANG JONG-SEOK
It's suicide, right?
Yes.
His mother died giving birth to him and his father killed himself.
Poor thing.
Are they going to send him to an orphanage?
I'm sorry I'm late. I'm your uncle, Woo-jin.
Yes. Let your uncle take care of things here.
You haven't eaten yet, have you? Let's go eat with Auntie, okay?
Don't worry.
You're going to live with us from now on.
This is your room.
Eat up.
That's a good boy.
-Happy birthday to you -Happy birthday to you
-Happy birthday, dear Woo-jin. -Happy birthday, dear Woo-jin.
-Happy birthday to you -Happy birthday to you
Make a wish.
Good job!
Shall we take a picture together?
-Yes. -Okay.
-That'll be nice. -Here we go.
Everyone together.
One, two, three.
Mom.
Dad.
Sis?
That must have been so difficult for him.
I can't imagine how he got through that.
It's my fault.
You don't have to look so hard for a way to live.
When the time is right, it'll come to you.
Caller 3328 says, "The sun will shine on the spot they left behind."
And Caller 2142 says,
"The most important thing from now on is that you try to love yourself
even more than that person who loved you."
We're getting more texts for Caller 0514 even now.
You're still listening, right?
In that case, instead of words,
I'll play a song for you, Caller 0514,
that encapsulates what everyone is writing to you.
Do you feel all alone?
Are you crying?
Then close your eyes
The blue skies will come to you
Have you lost your way?
Are you scared of the darkness?
Then close both your eyes
Hold my hand
You'll see the light
He said it felt like the song on the radio
was telling him not to do it.
Excuse me.
Could…
Could you teach me how to play the guitar?
Music was Woo-jin's only hope.
But now with his hand wounded…
He has nothing left.
When was your wedding?
We never…
had the ceremony.
Dad, you wanted to meet Woo-jin.
So how is he?
He's great and good-looking too.
So, you're a musician?
-Yes, sir. -I see.
I used to play the drums when I was young.
I completely forgot about that because of work.
Is that true?
But why did you stop?
Music doesn't put food on the table when you have a family.
It's just something you do when you're young and immature.
Don't you agree?
Yes, sir…
Leave music
as a hobby.
Dad!
Dad.
How could you say that?
You might be happy now, but it's just for a moment.
Reality is different!
I just wanted to see what he was like, but a no is a no.
An unknown singer?
How embarrassing.
Do you think I had you do ballet so you could end up with someone like him?
Mom!
Why didn't you pick up?
I left my parents' house.
I'll just live with you.
Grow up.
How can you live with me?
What?
You'll only be miserable being with me. That's how it's always been.
What are you saying?
Are you breaking up with me?
-Yes. -Why are you doing this, Woo-jin?
Woo-jin, no. I can't.
I can't live without you. Why are you…
-Go. -Woo-jin. Why are you doing this?
Please, just go!
You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?
Woo-jin.
Woo-jin, open the door. Why are you doing this?
Woo-jin.
Why are you still here?
Woo-jin, I can't.
I can't live without you.
What are you doing here?
Can't you just stop thinking about everything…
and just tell me you want to be with me?
Can't you?
I really can't live without you.
I can't, Woo-jin.
I'm sorry, Na-young.
I lied.
I'm sorry.
YEONHWA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
PATIENT STATUS KANG ***-JIN, M/29
Woo-jin isn't here.
What if he's gone to try and kill himself?
Ms. Heo, he's probably okay.
Let's look for him.
Ma'am.
Ms. Heo. Let's go, hurry.
I don't see Heo Na-young.
What? Where did she go?
She was right here!
Find her.
Please, don't kill me.
Why is an already dead person asking me to not kill them?
Your life has already ended.
Please.
Please…
I'll escort you
to the afterlife myself.
I'm sorry I'm late.
Get out of my way.
I can't, not yet. I'm sorry, sir.
Ryeon brought you to Jumadeung.
She spoke highly of your talents.
I didn't oppose her then.
But to think there would come a day when you dared to defy me like this.
I'll buy us some time.
I'll be punished anyway. I might as well make sure this ends well.
FUNERAL HALL
Ms. Heo.
Mr. Choi!
Where have you been? I've been looking for you!
Something's happened. Mr. Lim…
Where?
Over there…
Jeez.
FUNERAL HALL
You're gravely mistaken
if you think this is the only price you'll pay for hiding a runaway soul.
Don't you agree…
Ms. Koo?
Let go of him.
His team manager is without her abilities.
He was only following my orders.
Mr. Lim! Mr. Lim, are you okay?
It's bearable.
From now on, the RM team will handle the soul, Heo Na-young.
-You cannot. -No.
If you take her, I'll file an appeal of how you obstructed the RM Team's work.
Obstruction of work…
Who is getting in the way?
Don't you know harboring a runaway soul is a far greater crime?
A Reaper's Guarantee of Responsibility.
Would that do?
Ma'am!
A Reaper's Guarantee of Responsibility… All to save a single suicide risk case?
Under the condition that she doesn't leave the hospital for the next 12 hours.
No, I'll give you two hours.
Fine.
If that's what you want, I'll accept your conditions.
Ma'am, you can't!
Why? What is it?
What's a Reaper's Guarantee of Responsibility?
It's a contract where the Reaper who receives help
must do whatever the Reaper, who is helping, demands.
They can't refuse
or run away.
I hope this is worth it.
A REAPER'S GUARANTEE OF RESPONSIBILITY
KOO RYEON PARK JUNG-GIL
Ma'am, a Reaper's Guarantee isn't even protected by the Company.
Not even the Director and her powers can void it!
What's the reason for doing all this?
Who knows what he'll demand in return?
What? Didn't you just call me heartless and ask me to help Heo Na-young?
Why are you doing all this?
Because we need to save Kang Woo-jin.
Even so…
Mr. Lim. You said you don't want the Risk Management Team dissolved?
Choi Jun-woong, what does our team do?
Save suicide risk cases.
Yes. So let's go find Kang Woo-jin.
Okay.
FLU! TAKE THE VACCINE TO COMBAT THE VIRUS
-Excuse me, have you seen this person? -No, I haven't.
-No? -No.
I'll go this way.
Sorry.
KANG WOO-JIN, AGE 29 SINGER-SONGWRITER
Excuse me, have you seen this person?
No.
No?
Damn, what do I do?
Woo-jin.
Na-young…
Na-young, Na-young.
You…
How dare you come here?
Na-young! How could you leave your mother behind?
Just let me say goodbye to her.
You killed her, didn't you?
My Na-young.
You killed my daughter.
You killed my daughter, didn't you?
Answer me!
Why did it have to be my daughter?
How could you leave your mother behind?
Don't you ever forget it.
You killed Na-young!
You killed her!
You're right.
I killed her.
You bastard!
-Bring back my daughter! -I killed her.
I…
I killed her.
Damn it, where the hell is he?
KANG WOO-JIN, AGE 29 SINGER-SONGWRITER
Ji-yeon wouldn't have died like that if it weren't for you.
Dad.
You killed her.
You did!
It's suicide, right?
Yes.
His mother died giving birth to him and his father killed himself.
It's my fault.
YEONHWA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
WE MAKE A HEALTHY HOSPITAL FREE FROM VIOLENCE!
You killed her, didn't you? My Na-young.
You killed my daughter.
You bastard.
You worthless piece of shit!
I can drive, really.
Kang Woo-jin!
I told you.
Even if you die like that--
What do you know?
Do you know how hellish it is to be alive and breathing?
What it feels like to lose everything?
I know.
MAY THE UNION OF THESE TWO FAMILIES BECOME A SOURCE OF HAPPINESS
How it feels like your heart is so tattered,
there is nothing more to be torn.
How no matter how much time passes,
you can't seem to forget, and the memories just become clearer.
Woo-jin.
It's just as painful for the dead.
So get it together, Kang Woo-jin.
If you die like this,
even if an eternity passes, you'll never meet Heo Na-young again.
-Never. -Shut up.
Heo Na-young is dead and you are alive.
-Accept it. -Why?
Why do I have to accept it? Why?
I killed Na-young.
I hate myself…
so much.
I'm a monster. I should never have been born.
So why should I accept it? Why?
Because you survived.
Because Heo Na-young saved you.
Woo-jin…
Before a car crash, people instinctively turn the wheel to their side.
But Heo Na-young swerved to your side to save you.
Why?
I'm nothing…
Why would she do that for me?
Because she cared about you.
Because she cared about you more than she did for herself.
So she saved you.
Na-young.
Woo-jin.
Woo-jin!
Let go.
Please, let go of me!
Just let me die, please.
Woo-jin, no.
At this rate, Kang Woo-jin will die.
I'm holding you to what you said before.
Yes.
Save him.
I'll make sure you two meet again.
Yes.
-Na-young. -Woo-jin.
That day.
I should have been the one to drive.
I shouldn't have let you go like that.
It's all my fault. If it weren't for me…
Oh no…
It must have hurt so much.
You shouldn't have met me…
It's all my fault.
No.
Woo-jin.
The happiest moments in my life
all came after I met you.
I wouldn't have been on this earth if I hadn't met you.
You saved me that day, you know?
This time, I'll save you.
So please, live.
Let me go knowing that you'll be okay. Will you do that?
How…
How am I supposed to live by myself?
You won't be alone.
We'll be waiting together.
No.
No, Na-young, please.
Woo-jin, look at me.
We don't have much time.
You'll wait for me there, and I'll wait for you here.
And when we meet again
I want you to bring me the most beautiful flower
from your tree.
Can you do that?
Okay.
Don't cry too much,
and let's be brave and wait, okay?
No matter how long I have to wait,
I'll only ever love you.
Yes.
Me too.
Live fully, for both of us.
Okay.
I'll live a full life
for both of us.
What a nice husband you are.
KANG WOO-JIN, AGE 29 SINGER-SONGWRITER
Ma'am?
Ma'am!
Ma'am, Ms. Koo.
Ms. Koo! Ma'am!
If it weren't for the RM Team…
You guys saved both of us, me and Woo-jin.
It's nothing.
Thanks to you, I can go now, knowing he'll be okay.
Have a safe trip.
Okay.
Thank you.
I think there's something in my eyes.
They'll meet again one day.
Are you crying?
No.
-You are. -I'm not crying!
Okay, then.
You came to me in silence
And cried for a long while Before saying to me
"Farewell"
"Let's stop this now"
Numb, I looked back
Drawing the us of yesterday
But when I came back
You were gone
Tell me it's not true
Tell me you'll be back
I hoped that
Our radiance
Would turn Into a flower that never withers
I got the report.
I heard there was some friction between your team and Ryeon's.
She obstructed the work of the Escort Team.
It's important to follow the rules,
but don't you think you could have been more flexible?
All souls have stories.
Why should they be an exception?
This case didn't require your presence,
so why did you choose to go?
I wanted to see for myself the people they were trying to save.
Is that so?
So what do you think?
I despise them more than ever.
Why do you think so?
I can't understand why they choose death so easily,
when it only takes a few words
to give them the will to live again.
Think of how they must be feeling to choose death
because no one ever said those few words to them.
I can guarantee you
that there isn't anyone anywhere who chooses death easily.
Ha Dae-su, the head of Hell, has filed a complaint again.
He begged us to reduce the number of souls in Hell.
First, the afterlife is bursting with souls, and now Hell…
So I've had this plan in mind for a long while.
We can't ignore the fact
that a significant number of suicide cases enter Hell.
So what if we reduce that number by preventing the suicides of these people?
No. Those people have already missed their chance.
Why should we give them another chance at life?
By stopping their death,
they live out the lifespan they were given.
Wouldn't that help restore the balance
between the afterlife and Hell?
We can't do that.
Now, now. The "Risk Management Team," as I've named it for now,
will be run by a few selected Reapers.
If it works, we'll add more people.
If it doesn't, you'll get your way, of course,
and the team will be dissolved.
Who do you plan on having to manage the team?
I have a candidate in mind for the team manager position.
I heard there's a Reaper who specializes
in escorting the souls of criminals from the Land of the Living.
I've heard she's one of the best in the Escort Team.
You don't mean…
Yes.
Koo Ryeon.
You haven't forgotten your pledge, have you?
How will you have me fulfill it?
I can use it on whatever I want.
Are you sure you can handle it?
What are you doing?
You're just in time.
I'm writing the disciplinary report. Come and help me with the ink.
What is this, Joseon Dynasty?
Who writes disciplinary reports with a brush?
The Director is very old-fashioned.
She says you need to write it by hand to show that you really mean it.
WITH ALL MY SINCERITY, I WRITE
Ma'am.
What?
Can I ask you something?
What crime did Mr. Kang Woo-jin commit in his past life
that he lost so many loved ones?
One's karma from the past life has nothing to do with people's deaths.
Then is it because of fate?
THIS REFLECTION IS WITH ALL MY HEART
It's not fate either.
A person's lifespan is decided by when they'll die of natural causes.
There is such a thing as fate,
but it's entangled in a complicated web of cause-and-effect.
And there are countless choices and results that follow them.
I SHALL GO FORTH WITH A CLEAN AND PURE HEART
As for the truck driver who caused the accident,
if it hadn't been for the company that made him work non-stop,
and pressured him to work faster to the point he hadn't slept in days
then he wouldn't have dozed off at the wheel.
Then Ms. Heo could have lived out the years she was supposed to have.
So other than natural causes,
deaths are caused by a myriad of outside factors like crimes or accidents,
not karmic debt incurred in people's past lives or fate.
So Mr. Kang Woo-jin…
AND CONTINUE THIS NEWFOUND PURITY
It was a series of coincidences.
But the good thing is,
no matter how many times those two are reborn,
they will meet again in the end.
Is that what you call destiny?
People who are destined to be with each other are connected
by a red thread beyond their souls.
Unless they break that thread themselves,
they will meet that person again, no matter how many times you are reborn.
By breaking the thread themselves…
do you mean suicide?
Yes.
They are punished by severing those tied to them
by destiny.
That seems harsh.
To lose all of the ties to the people who were supposed to be in your life,
and never see them again, even in your next life.
You've seen it for yourself,
but it's not sad only to the person left behind.
It's the same for those who leave.
WITH WHAT HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED TO ME
So…
I believe you must love and care for those who are around you
during your short stay in the Land of the Living
as someone who has a tomorrow to live.
KOO RYEON
I think I've been taking this too simply until now.
How have the two of you been able to do this all this time?
It's painful, even when I tell myself that it has nothing to do with me.
Have you gotten used to it?
No.
Even after centuries, I still hate to see people
torn apart by death,
and in so much pain.
EPILOGUE
I still draw you in my mind
The way your eyes looked When they looked back at me
Even as I try to erase it
It only deepens even more
When you cried as you left me,
I realized this summer was over
You know
How I feel
Tell me it isn't true
Tell me you'll come back
I hoped that
Our radiance
Would turn Into a flower that never withers
Tell me it isn't true
Tell me you'll come back
I dream that
We, so dazzling,
Become a blossom that never withers
Tell me
I'm waiting for you
There
Forever
I'm waiting for you
At home, all alone.
I'm there in that spot
Waiting for you
I'm waiting for you
At home, all alone
Thank you.
Lee Young-chun. Age 91. A senior citizen living alone.
Are you really a Grim Reaper?
Don't you want to spend your last day in a meaningful way?
Why don't you stick to what you can do?
Instead of holding on to something you can't do.
I keep regretting the choice I made that day.
No one can be special before death. Nor should they be special.
Don't ever show yourself in front of me again!
You expect me to just stand by and watch when he's in that much pain?
What can you do when you can't even watch
his last moment?
Please.
Subtitle translation by: Jung-in Park