In the real world, Kang Cheol reads up on W. He visits Yeon-joo at her hospital and kisses her. He then goes to Seong-moo's house, where he learns about his creator's bitter past, which provided the inspiration for his character. Cheol confronts his creator in the flesh, asking the latter to draw his family's killer so he can have a happy ending. When Seong-moo refuses, claiming the murders were just a plot device to make him stronger, Cheol shoots him.