Waiting For Your Reincarnation

The soul-filled square faded away, revealing the back of a woman in a pure white sleeveless dress.

 

Her long, shiny black hair was the first thing Yeon-young noticed.

 

She sat down, dipped her feet into the lake, and watched the sun rise. 

 

The black night sky gradually changed colors one by one.

 

It looked strangely similar to a sunset.

 

From indigo to pink, pink to orange, and then a completely blue sky.

 

Yeon-young looked around carefully. She must have been sucked into a memory again.

 

‘I am used to this.’

 

It was not surprising for her to read memories this way. What was surprising was that she was seeing the world of Tanato through memories.

 

The lake in the forest where the woman sat was familiar. It was clearly the same place, only the structure of the trees had changed slightly.

 “The lake. It’s the same lake as the hot spring I went to with Mr. Ryu Won.” 

‘Could this be Ryu Won’s memory?’

 

She swallowed dryly as she remembered holding hands with Ryu Won in the square.

 

A moment later, someone broke the silence and approached her.

 

None of their faces were visible.

 

The woman smiled pleasantly, as if she knew who it was without turning around.

 “I like the sunrise in Tanato best, especially the pink sky.” “Why?” “I don’t know why I like it, maybe I just like this moment, it’s peaceful.” 

She dipped her feet into the lake and splashed around. Small drops of water splashed out of the lake.

 

The man sat down on her right side, casually, as if he was used to this routine.

 

Their arms were intertwined, but neither of them cared.

 

The woman rested her head on his shoulder, her long hair flowing.

 

Her flowing hair tickled his wrist, but he didn’t mind; he just rested his head on hers.

 

The sun-kissed blonde stood out against the black hair.

 “Peaceful.” 

Yeon-young understood why the woman had said she liked this peaceful moment.

 

Just touching heads and acknowledging each other’s presence seemed peaceful.

 

They stayed in this position for a very long time.

 

Trapped in her memories, Yeon-young could only watch from a distance.

 “Ah! I can go further today, I’ve practiced a lot by myself.” “You’re lying.” “It’s true…” 

The peaceful silence was broken by the woman. She slowly pulled her feet out of the lake and stood up.

 

She raised her slender arms and shifted her feet slightly as she spoke.

 

The man let out a low chuckle and rose from his seat.

 

He casually placed his hand on her shoulder and led her to dance.

 “Let’s see, shall we?” “One step to the right, then back in place. Then another step to the right, then back in place. Back in place.” 

The woman rattled off the moves from memory, and the man nodded and mimicked them. 

 

The woman was not lying when she said she had practiced.

 

She continued with the moves, slowly but steadily.

 “Next step?” “Turn to the right.” “Turn.” 

The man shouted

“turn”

at the same time, as if anticipating what she was about to say.

 

Holding the woman’s waist with his hand, he also turned once to the right.

 

A beautiful man and woman were dancing in secret in front of a clean, clear lake.

 

It was like a painting.

 “I also taught you the next step, remember?” 

The woman grabbed his arm, deep in thought.

 

As if he knew what to do, the man turned a full circle, this time in reverse.

 

At the same time, the man’s face, no longer obscured by the sunlight, became clearer and clearer.

 

His hair was curly, but well-groomed and syrupy blond.

 

Golden eyes, as transparent and intelligent as the world of Tanato.

 “I see him.” 

Yeon-young moved closer to them, shielding her eyes from the harsh sunlight.

 

This time her feet moved.

 

Like a camera coming into focus, the lovers were more clearly visible through the light.

 

As if drawn, Yeon-young noticed a small dot under the man’s right eye.

 “Mr. Ryu Won…” 

It was him.

 

* * *

 

 

Yes, this was Ryu Won’s memory.

 

The moment she realized it was him, the memory faded like a dream.

 

Suddenly, her ears were assaulted by loud ghost voices.

 

Ryu Won’s gravelly voice cut through.

 “The next step is to turn right.” “…….” “Yeon-young?” 

In front of Yeon-young’s eyes stood Ryu Won, no longer blonde but gray-haired like an arctic fox.

 

She felt herself snap out of her memories and back into reality.

 “Did you get your steps mixed up?” “…….” “Why are you looking at me like that, do you think I’m so handsome again?” 

Ryu Won didn’t seem to notice that Yeon-Young had peeked into his memory.

 

He just assumed that she had stopped dancing because her feet had gotten tangled.

 

So she hadn’t fainted.

 

Before she knew it, the night had passed and a crisp morning slowly dawned.

 

Yeon-young studied Ryu Won’s face as if admiring a painting.

 

I wonder what that emotion is.

 

Usually, when she reads someone’s memories, she follows their emotions closely.

 

But Ryu Won was different, and she felt strangely uncomfortable.

 

Unlike the others, she felt grumpy instead of happy, even though she’d caught a glimpse of him when he seemed happiest.

 

Yeon-young mentally organized the situation.

 

What she had just seen was Ryu Won’s memory.

 

The woman with Ryu Won was probably his mistress, judging by the atmosphere.

 

But who was she?

 

‘It could be me.’

This was the first premise that came to her mind.

 

Ryu Won always acted and spoke as if he knew Yeon Young.

 

He treated her like an old girlfriend.

 

But she had a strong feeling that it wasn’t her.

 

The chances that it really was her were much lower.

 

Not only did Yeon Young have clear memories of her life, but she also wondered why he didn’t tell her if she was right.

 

If the woman wasn’t her, then who was she? 

 

Was there more he couldn’t tell her, or had this whole thing with Yeon-young started with a lie?

 

She pressed her hand tightly against her heart.

 

Ryu Won’s expression became worried as Yeon Young clutched at her chest.

 

He pulled her away from the center of the square to a less populated area.

 “Is it bad somewhere? Shall we go to the center?” “Mr. Ryu Won.” 

Oddly enough, the sight of his uncharacteristically kind eyes calmed her fears.

 

He held up his ring finger and waited for her reply. 

 

One word, and he was ready to open a teleport to the center.

 

She fiddled with the end of her bracelet and looked at Ryu Won.

 “Ms. Yeon-young?” “…….” “Ms. Yeon-young.” “…….” 

When she didn’t answer again, Ryu Won opened the teleport out of suspicion. 

 

She touched Ryu Won’s ring finger to close the teleport.

 

He looked up at her, not knowing where to go. She bit her lower lip.

 

Ryu Won sat her down on a bench and crossed his legs under her, looking up at her.

 “Mr. Ryu Won.” “Yes, Ms. Yeon-Young.” “I don’t like to lie.” 

Ryu Won tilted his head at Yeon-Young’s sudden confession, as if wondering why she would say such a thing.

 

He put his hand on her knee. Yeon-young looked down at him, her eyes glistening. 

 “Have we met before in Tanato?” 

The song that echoed through the square stopped abruptly.

 

The spirits that had been dancing together in a tangle scurried away from the square, waiting for the next one.

 

Until then, Ryu Won hadn’t answered, his eyes wavering.

 

Pupils dilated in surprise, a shallow tremor, irregular breathing.

 

All signs of hesitation, or perhaps lying.

 

In that brief moment, so much of Yeon-young’s future flashed before him.

 

He hesitated to answer her. It became an unspoken reply.

 “Never mind, it’s nothing.” “Ms. Yeon-young…, I’m not lying to you or anything.” “Then Mr. Ryu Won should have just answered my question.” 

Ryu Won swallowed the questions directed at him.

 

‘How long had he been in the Tanato world?’

 

‘Who was that dress really for?’

 

‘What happened to the woman he danced with?’

 

The thoughts tangled like threads in her head, making her feel like an idiot. Her head felt dizzy.

 

She blurted out all her questions and said what she wanted most right now.

 “Let’s go back to the center.” 

Yeon-Young used her bracelet to open a teleport to the center. Ryu Won followed silently.

 

As she entered the teleport, Yeon-Young realized.

 

It would be difficult to bring up this story again for a while.

 

It was time to end the festival.

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