A cold breeze brushed against my face, thin as silk and sharp as memory, and suddenly I was reminded of the dream I had seen just yesterday—a dream that now clung to me like mist on skin, and as my eyes slowly blinked open to the waking world, I realized the sun hadn't yet stained the sky with color.
It was pale, untouched, fragile.
And something felt different.
Was it only my imagination?
Or had something quietly shifted while I slept?
A warmth pressed gently against my hand.
Fingers—someone's—soft and warm like a secret being shared.
My face was turned carefully, and through the slight blur of awakening, I caught sight of silver hair spilling from beneath the blanket—darker than I remembered, like moonlight mixed with shadow.
And with that glimpse, the past began to unfold.
Faded memories flickered alive, clearer now, and the room seemed to breathe with something familiar.
A gathering.
Not a big one—just a small cluster of warmth that had bloomed after my mom met Souh.
I remembered it like flipping through scenes too fast in a photo album—laughter, hurried conversations, the kind of chaotic peace that forces you to stay the night with no plans.
The memory brought a soft smile to my lips, like a feather brushing skin.
It made me feel at ease…
Like I wasn't lost in some endless dream anymore.
Then, a yawn interrupted my thoughts.
A lazy voice, half-asleep and grinning:
"I know I'm really pretty, but try not to stare so much, yeah?"
His teasing was muffled with sleep, and his eyes closed again as if he hadn't said anything at all.
But I couldn't stop staring at him.
His drowsy face had this glow—like the aftertaste of a sweet dream—and my own eyelids grew heavy just watching him.
And soon, I drifted into a soft, weightless sleep beside him.
—"Kai."
Cold water hit me like tiny needles, snapping me awake.
His laugh filled the room, playful and echoing.
"Wanna die or something?"
I frowned, half-annoyed.
"Okay, okay, sorry."
"Anyway—come on. I want to steal you away for a few minutes."
I was still half-asleep, but something in his tone made me follow.
And like that—without warning, without hesitation—he pulled me away from the warmth of the home, like a thief stealing the night itself.
We walked for a while.
The streets slowly grew unfamiliar.
The farther we went, the longer each alley felt.
Until the path came to an end… and a forest stood before us like a gate to another world.
My eyes caught a sign:
"Forbidden."
It was written in thick, dark letters.
I hesitated.
"Souh… the sign."
He didn't answer.
Just smiled.
"Don't be such a scaredy cat. I promise—it'll be worth it."
He led me toward a small hill, hand in hand.
The cold breeze wrapped around the mountain like a sleepy blanket.
The sky had begun to open—orange light bleeding through scattered clouds, golden threads unraveling.
It wasn't like the sun you see from your bedroom window every morning.
It was softer. Purer. Like something no one else had seen.
Then I saw his face—
Souh's profile, turned toward the sun.
His eyes reflecting that golden light, his expression gentle, distant, almost serious.
A hidden smile lingered on his lips like he was remembering something old, something sacred.
And just like that, my face burned.
My heart gave one sharp, rebellious beat—
A feeling I didn't recognize.
Or maybe… I had felt it before.
But never like this.
I quickly looked away, pretending I hadn't seen anything.
But in the corner of my eye, I caught him glancing over his shoulder—just once.
Then he said, quieter this time:
"Let's go."
Something was different in his voice.
It was calm—but distant, like his mind was already somewhere else.
He took my hand and quickened his pace.
His fingers around mine made my cheeks hotter.
I almost pulled away—
But before I could, something hit me hard from behind.
A shove—
Sudden, strong.
My hand slipped from his.
I was falling—
The trees spun around me—
And then, the ground rushed to meet me.
My head slammed against it, and everything went white.
The last thing I saw before the world flickered out—
Souh, running toward me, faster than anything I'd ever seen.
He paused for a breathless moment.
His gaze shifted—sharp and angry—toward the hill I had fallen from.
And then—
A deep red flooded my vision.
"Is that… my blood?"
I whispered it in my mind, like a secret I didn't want answered.
Darkness swallowed me whole.
Everything went quiet.
But even as I sank into the depthless silence,
I felt it—
The warmth of someone's hand,
pressed gently against my cheek.
---
지나간 목소리는, 내일의 속삭임처럼 공기 속에 흐른다. (Korean)
今日の夕暮れは,二人の沈黙を包み込んだ. (Japanese)
การพบกันนั้นเจ็บปวด แต่หัวใจก็ยังว่างเปล่า (Thai)
我们在黄昏中分离,却在黎明中重连. (Chinese)
E forse, tra oggi e domani, ci incontreremo nel silenzio. (Italian)
Porque incluso en la distancia, el destino susurra nuestros nombres. (Spanish)
And when the dawn comes, we'll know we were never apart. (English)