Chapter 8 A Stranger in the Rain

The sky began to turn orange-pink, small clouds drifting lazily along the horizon like a painting someone had carefully touched up as a gift.

Lee Seo-yeon took a deep breath, trying to sort the tangled thoughts fighting in their head. Everything had happened too fast, so fast there had been no time to brace for it.

Lee Seo-yeon smiled without realizing it. A strange feeling formed in their chest. It wasn’t fear, but an excitement they hadn’t felt in a very long time.

All the way back, Lee Seo-yeon replayed those words again and again. Perhaps the answer they had been searching for had been closer than they ever thought.

Time passed slowly, as if stretched out, every second filled with suspense, until the sound of a bell finally broke the silence.

On the old wooden table lay a sheet of paper. The handwriting on it was strangely familiar, as though they had seen it once in a dream.

“If this keeps up, we’ll need a new plan.” The voice was soft but firm enough to make everyone there turn and look.

A cool wind passed by carrying the faint scent of rain, as if nature itself knew something was about to change forever.

Footsteps drew closer, one step at a time, until at last they stopped before the same door. The silence that followed lasted so long they could almost hear their own heartbeat.

“Don’t worry. I won’t make a mistake this time.” Lee Seo-yeon murmured to themselves before stepping out to face whatever lay ahead.

“Are you really sure you want to do that?” the other person asked, raising an eyebrow. Lee Seo-yeon nodded slowly, with no hesitation left in their eyes.