Veil of Secrets (14)

Minsu's breath felt shallow as Madam Choi's words echoed in her mind. The past always comes back for what was left unfinished.

What did that even mean?

She clenched her fists, trying to steady herself. "Madam Choi, do you think… whatever my aunt was hiding, it has something to do with me?"

The old woman's gaze softened. "Child, I don't know what your aunt was protecting you from, but I do know this—she was afraid. And when someone like her disappears without a trace, it's never without reason."

Minsu exhaled, feeling a tightness in her chest. It wasn't just about her aunt anymore. This was about her parents too. About a past she had never questioned—until now.

Hyowon, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke. His voice was firm, steady. "Then we need to find out exactly what happened to them. The truth is buried somewhere, and I don't think it's as far away as we think."

Minsu nodded, determination flaring in her eyes. "If that man was looking for something, then someone else in this village must have seen or heard something. We have to keep searching."

Madam Choi sighed. "Be careful, child. Digging up the past always comes with a price."

Minsu met her gaze, unwavering. "I'm willing to pay it."

She stood up, Hyowon following close behind. As they stepped out of the courtyard, the village felt different. The same houses, the same dirt paths, the same quiet hum of daily life…

And yet, Minsu couldn't shake the feeling that something unseen was moving beneath it all.

She wasn't just uncovering memories.

She was waking up a mystery that had been waiting for her return.

As Minsu and Hyowon walked away from Madam Choi's house, the afternoon sun cast long shadows across the village. The air felt heavier now, thick with the weight of unanswered questions.

Minsu clenched her hands. Her aunt had disappeared without a trace. Her parents' deaths might not have been an accident. And a man—one who looked like her—had come searching for answers years ago.

It wasn't just a mystery anymore. It was personal.

Hyowon glanced at her. "Where do you want to go next?"

Minsu thought for a moment. "Let's go to old man Kang's house. He knows a lot about the things going around the village."

Hyowon nodded. "That's a good place."

But as they made their way toward the old man's house, something caught Minsu's attention. A figure stood at the far end of the street, half-hidden behind a wooden post.

Watching them.

She stopped. "Hyowon… do you see that?"

He followed her gaze, his expression darkening. The person, realizing they had been noticed, turned swiftly and disappeared down an alley.

Minsu didn't think. She bolted forward. "Wait!"

Hyowon cursed under his breath and ran after her.

The narrow streets twisted and turned, but Minsu was fast. Her heart pounded as she chased the shadowy figure, her mind racing with possibilities. Who were they? Had they been listening? Had they been following her all this time?

The figure turned a corner, and when Minsu followed—

Gone.

She came to a halt, breathing hard, eyes scanning the empty alleyway. Nothing but silence.

Hyowon caught up, his voice sharp. "Minsu, are you crazy? What if they were dangerous?"

Minsu shook her head, frustrated. "Someone is watching us, Hyowon. They know something."

She looked around again, but there was no trace of the mysterious figure. Just an unsettling stillness in the air.

For the first time, she realized—

She wasn't the only one searching for the past.

Someone else was searching for her, too.

Minsu's heart was still racing from the chase as she and Hyowon retraced their steps back to the main road. The realization settled in her chest like a heavy stone—someone had been watching them.

Hyowon ran a hand through his hair, frowning. "Whoever that was, they didn't want to be seen. That means we're getting close to something."

Minsu nodded. "But to what?"

They had already spoken to the headman, but his answers had been vague, as if he was holding something back. Madam Choi's words had added another layer of mystery, but now…

Now there was someone lurking in the shadows, someone who didn't want them digging any further.

Hyowon exhaled. "We should go back to the tea shop. Talk this through."

Minsu hesitated, her eyes drifting toward the alley where the figure had vanished. "No… I think there's someone else we need to talk to first."

Hyowon raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

She turned to him, determination in her gaze. "The old records keeper."

If there were any real answers about her parents' deaths, about the past her aunt had tried to protect her from, the village records might hold them.

And if someone was trying to stop her…

That meant she was finally on the right path.