we met again

Present Time – Hospital

Reyan snaps out of his thoughts and, in a hushed voice, says, "Thank you." Then, he closes his eyes again.

"Now, I'm finally at peace… I've made it back."

About four months after that incident, Reyan returns to work. This time, he works at a different place and seems somewhat happier. His new job is going well, and in the meantime, he even finds himself a girlfriend. After work, the two often go out—sometimes to a café, sometimes to a park. Life seems to be going well.

But one evening, after dropping his girlfriend off at her home—

"Alright, I should get going now."

"Bye."

"Bye… Take care."

"Of course. You too."

It's around 7:30 PM. The streetlights flicker on as Reyan puts on his earphones, plays a song, and starts walking. His mind is elsewhere, lost in the music, when suddenly—he feels something. A strange force.

Placing his hand over his chest, he slows down and kneels on the pavement. He pulls out his earphones, sitting still in silence.

"This pain… I haven't felt it in so long… But this time, it's worse… unbearable."

People walking by glance at him, some even whispering among themselves, assuming he's crazy. But no one stops to help.

After a few moments, the pain subsides on its own. He takes a deep breath.

"Damn, I really thought this was going to kill me… Thank God it's gone."

He reaches for his earphones, about to put them back in—when suddenly, a voice calls out.

"Reyan..."

His eyes widen as he quickly looks around.

"Huh? Did… did someone just call my name?"

There's no one. Nothing unusual.

With a smirk, he mutters to himself, "No… It must have been my imagination."

Shrugging it off, he puts his earphones back in and continues walking. But just a few steps later—

"Reyan…"

He stops dead in his tracks.

"Again? I definitely heard it this time… Is this coming from my earphones?"

"Reyan? Are you ignoring me?"

A chill runs down his spine. The song is still playing in his earphones, yet the voice is crystal clear.

He hesitantly turns around. "Who… who just called me?"

And then—his surroundings begin to shift. The streetlights dim. The people around him… their faces start to vanish.

"What… What the hell is happening again?!"

"Reyan, I've been waiting for you..."

Reyan's breath catches in his throat. "W-Who are you?! Where are you speaking from?! What do you want from me?! And how do you know my name?!"

A soft chuckle echoes around him.

"Haha… What are you saying? We know each other, don't we?"

"No! I don't know you at all! Whoever you are, stop this nonsense and show yourself!"

"Oh? So eager to meet me?"

"Yes! Stop playing games and come in front of me!"

"Well then… why don't you come to me instead?"

Reyan, now visibly shaken, yanks off his earphones. He takes a hesitant step forward, moving toward the source of the voice—

But then—faceless figures begin to block his path. The same people who were walking the streets just moments ago now stand motionless in front of him, staring with empty, featureless faces.

A familiar terror grips Reyan's chest. His mind flashes back to the time loop—when the Faceless Man had killed him 20 times.

The horrifying memories come flooding back. His steps falter, and he instinctively starts backing away.

"Oh? What's wrong…? Are you scared?

I thought you had changed, Reyan… But I guess I was wrong. You're still the same loser."

Reyan clenches his fists but says nothing. He turns and starts running—

Only to find more faceless figures blocking his escape.

"What… What do they want from me now? I already broke the loop, didn't I? Then why… Why is this happening again?! — Fighting one faceless man was hard enough… but now there are so many. How the hell am I supposed to defeat them?!"

The eerie laughter returns.

"Hahaha… You really haven't changed at all, Reyan. Come on, don't be scared. They won't harm you… After all, you know how to fight, right? And even if something happens, you can always go back in time… Isn't that right?"

Reyan mutters under his breath, "Go back…?"

"No… This isn't a loop. This feels… different. But strangely, none of them are attacking me. They're just standing there, surrounding me. Are they trying to keep me from leaving?

What should I do? Should I move toward that voice… or stay put?"

He closes his eyes for a moment, trying to think.

But the voice interrupts again.

"Come on now, don't just sit there in silence. Do something. Or else I'll have to call you a loser again."

Reyan clenches his jaw.

"Loser…?"

Something about that word stirs his memory. He's heard this voice before.

But where?

Why can't he remember?

"Who the hell is this?!"

Frustrated, he shouts, "Listen up! Whoever you are—STOP this right now! Or else, you won't like what happens next!"

"Oh? A threat?"

"Yeah. Take it however you want. But I'm telling you, end this now!"

"Not a chance."

"If you want it to stop, you'll have to stop it yourself. Don't expect me to do it for you. After all… this is all happening because of you, isn't it? You're the real curse here, Reyan."

Reyan scoffs, smirking slightly. "Oh yeah? And who the hell are you to say that? Hiding like a coward, afraid to show your face—like a new bride too shy to meet her husband!"

The voice goes silent for a moment.

Then—

"You should be glad I'm letting that slide… Otherwise, your head would be rolling at my feet right now."

Reyan chuckles. "Oh? So words actually get to you, huh? I thought you'd be used to it by now."

"You've heard it before, haven't you?"

The voice sharpens. "Enough. You've crossed the line."

"Line? What line?"

"The line you cross when you step beyond your limits."

Reyan smirks again. "Oh, really? Then crossing limits must be a good thing—because the further you go, the more you discover about yourself. Unlike you, who just hides in the shadows, too scared to even see your own limits."

A pause. Then—

"I see… So you're really that eager to meet me?"

Reyan smirks wider. "Why not? Let me finally see that ugly face of yours."

"Heh… Alright then."

Suddenly—he hears footsteps. Slow at first, then growing louder.

Reyan turns toward the sound.

And then—the faceless figures begin to glitch. Their forms distort, as if their very existence is breaking apart.

"What's happening to them? Their faces…?"

A strange, high-frequency noise fills the air.

"What is this sound?!"

And then—out of the faceless crowd, a dark figure emerges.

Reyan's eyes widen.

"It's… It's him."

The shadowy figure steps closer.

"Nice to see you again… LOSER... Or should I say Partner?"

Reyan stiffens.

"Eh? You? Finally we met again huh!!! I had completely forgotten about you."

The figure chuckles.

"It's not your fault. People always forget after they've been 'helped.' Isn't that right?"

Reyan exhales sharply, then smirks.

"Yeah… right."