Chapter 31: Ryu Taesan

A week had passed.

The pain in my back had dulled, but it was still there—a constant, nagging reminder of everything that had happened. The doctors told me that it would never fully go away, that I would have to tolerate it for a lifetime. So I gave up on the idea of returning to normal.

Jihyo had taken over my care completely. She was growing up so fast, and sometimes, when I looked at her, I felt both proud and guilty. She shouldn't have to take care of me like this. But she wouldn't let anyone else help. Despite the palace being filled with staff members, she insisted on doing everything herself—preparing my meals, checking my medicine, making sure I was comfortable. She had always been my little sister, the one I protected. Now, she was the one protecting me.

After I was discharged, we moved back into the palace—the massive, cold place where I had spent my childhood. It felt more like a museum than a home, filled with echoes of the past. The grand halls and endless rooms only amplified the emptiness inside me. It was too big, too lonely.

That's why I offered Dohyun and his mother to move in with us.

At first, they refused.

Dohyun, as expected, was stubborn about it. "It would be awkward," he said. "It's your house, not mine."

But Jihyo wasn't having it. She practically forced them to agree, reminding them that we had always been like family since childhood. She didn't care about what other people would think, and she made sure they didn't either.

And so, our once-empty house became a little fuller.

That night, Dohyun and I sat on the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against our skin. It was one of those quiet moments where neither of us had to fill the silence with unnecessary words.

Then, after a long pause, Dohyun spoke.

"Taesan, don't you think Sera is facing a crisis?"

I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair. "Yes. The media is giving her too much attention. She's not used to it. She hates it."

Dohyun turned to look at me, frowning. "But she didn't expect this to happen, right?"

I hesitated, my fingers tightening around the railing. "She… wanted to break up with me before the news came out."

"What?!" Dohyun sat up straighter, his voice sharp with shock.

I nodded slowly. "She never got the chance to say it. But I knew."

Dohyun scoffed, shaking his head. "Don't tell me you dreamt about it."

I chuckled, though there was no real humor in it. "Actually, yes. I did."

He stared at me. "Taesan… that's not normal."

I shrugged. "I don't have an answer for it. Sometimes, I see things in my dreams before they happen. Sera thought she was making my life harder by staying with me. She didn't realize that without her, my life wouldn't mean anything."

Dohyun sighed, rubbing his temple. "Don't you find it weird? How can it be possible?"

I looked out into the distance, my voice quieter now. "I don't know. It's like… someone is ruling me."

Dohyun didn't respond right away. Then, finally, he said, "You should talk to her. She needs to hear from you."

I nodded. "I will. Tomorrow is a holiday. I'll see her the day after."

That night, I couldn't sleep.

And when morning came, I found myself waking up earlier than usual. My body was still weak, but I needed fresh air. I left the house, walking slowly, letting my legs take me wherever they wanted.

Before I knew it, I was at the park.

And then, I saw her.

The little girl.

She was sitting on the same bench where I always sat. The same mysterious girl who had appeared before me twice before.

She smiled at me, waving her tiny hand, motioning for me to sit beside her.

I didn't hesitate this time. I walked toward her, my heart pounding.

When I sat down, my voice came out firm, almost desperate.

"Don't go anywhere. Just answer my questions before you disappear again."

She tilted her head playfully. "What are your questions?"

I inhaled deeply, steadying myself. "Who are you?"

She smiled. "I'll answer that later."

I clenched my fists. "Okay. Then how do you know me? Last time, you called me by my name."

She didn't hesitate. "Because you are someone I always cherish. I know everything about you. But sometimes, what we see—what we believe—aren't always real."

My breath hitched. "What do you mean?"

She looked at me, her eyes filled with something unreadable. "I just wanted to change your fate. That's why I helped you."

I froze. "Helped me?"

And then, suddenly—it clicked.

My visions. The dreams I had. The ones that came true.

I stared at her, realization slamming into me like a tidal wave. "Wait… You did all of this. The future visions in my dreams. That was you."

She smiled but didn't deny it.

My hands trembled. "Who are you? Oh my god, I was ruled by you."

She giggled, but there was something soft in her expression. "You can say that. But I can't stay anymore."

I stiffened. "What?"

Her voice grew quieter. "Today is the last time we'll meet. But I'll always watch over you."

Panic rushed through me. "Wait—no. Tell me how this is possible. You're not human, are you?"

She looked at me with warmth, but also sadness. "I was once."

I swallowed hard, my voice breaking. "Then why did you help me?"

She reached out, barely brushing my hand. "Because sometimes, we do things without knowing why. And sometimes, we don't get all the answers we want."

I was shaking now. "Who are you?"

She smiled, her voice gentle. "You've worked hard, dongsaeng-ah. I'm so proud of you."

Dongsaeng.

My breath stopped.

And in that moment, she began to fade.

I lunged forward, reaching for her, but my fingers grasped at nothing.

She was gone.

The cold wind hit me hard, but all I could feel was the crushing weight in my chest.

She had called me dongsaeng.

She was my sister.

Ryu Jia.

The sister I had lost, the sister who had died.

She had been with me this whole time.

She had been watching over me.

And now, she was gone.

I lowered my head, my whole body trembling.

And then, silently, I cried.

A day had passed since that morning in the park—since I saw her. Since I realized that, all this time, I had never been alone. But today, my thoughts weren't on that. Today, my thoughts were on Sera. I woke up to the soft buzz of my phone, my eyes still heavy with sleep. The moment I saw the notification, however, I was wide awake.

Sera.

She had texted me early in the morning, asking me to meet her before class. I sat up instantly, rereading the message, searching for something between the lines. Her words were simple. But the way they felt—wasn't. Something was wrong. I could feel it. Her usual texts had a warmth to them, even when she was upset or teasing me. But this one? It was too formal, too careful. My stomach twisted slightly. I already knew what she was thinking. And yet, even though I had sensed it coming, even though I had already dreamt about it—it didn't make it any easier. Still, I didn't wait. I got dressed quickly, ignoring the slight ache in my back as I left the house. I had been planning to meet her today anyway. I needed to see her. But now? Now, it felt urgent. The moment I stepped into the coffee shop, I saw her. She was sitting by the window, her hands wrapped around a cup that she hadn't even touched. Her posture was tense, her shoulders slightly hunched, her eyes lowered as if she was lost in thought. She looked serious. Too serious. I knew what this was. I knew what she had decided. But still, I calmed myself. I couldn't let my emotions take over. Not yet. So I forced myself to act relaxed, to keep my voice light, as if I hadn't already figured everything out. I slid into the seat across from her and leaned back slightly, meeting her gaze with a small, knowing smile.

"You want to break up?"

She blinked. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes widening in shock. She stared at me, and for a second, I could see the flicker of confusion in her gaze—the way she was wondering how I had realized it before she even said anything. But she didn't ask. She didn't question it. Because deep down, she knew that I knew her better than anyone. She took a slow breath, her fingers tightening around her cup. Then, finally—she said it.

"Yes."

The single word was soft, almost fragile. And yet, it hit me like a punch to the chest. Even when I expected it, hearing it hurt. But I didn't react right away. Instead, I just looked at her. At the way her eyes flickered with hesitation, at the way she avoided meeting my gaze for too long. At the way she was hurting while trying to push me away. She wasn't doing this because she wanted to. She was doing this because she thought it was the right thing to do. But she was wrong. And I wasn't going to let her go that easily.

I didn't react right away. I let her words settle. I could see the way she was trying to compose herself, the way she was forcing herself to stay calm, to make it seem like she wasn't affected by this. But I knew her too well.

I leaned forward slightly, my gaze steady. "Why?"

She hesitated for just a fraction of a second. Then, she exhaled softly and spoke.

"Because it's the best for us."

My jaw tightened. The best for us? She continued, her voice steady. Too steady.

"I don't deserve you, Taesan."

I clenched my fists under the table.

"I gave you pain. For me, you almost died."

My breath hitched, but I didn't say anything.

"Since the moment everyone found out about us, people haven't stopped talking. I hear the whispers, the rumors, the judgments. I know you don't care, but I do. It's stressful, and I can't tolerate it."

Her fingers were gripping her cup so tightly that her knuckles were turning white. But she wasn't done. She took a deep breath and said the words that hurt the most.

"I'm going to study in the UK."

My entire body went cold. She had decided all of this without telling me. She had made her plans, made up her mind, prepared herself for this breakup—all on her own. She never even asked me how I felt about it. She never gave me a choice. She had already decided for both of us. Her voice didn't waver, not even once. She had thought about everything. Everything except me. I sat there, silently listening. Not interrupting. Letting her say every last word. And when she finally stopped, when there was nothing left for her to justify, I let the silence stretch between us.

Then, finally, I spoke.

"Fine."

She blinked.

I smiled faintly, but it didn't reach my eyes. "You've already decided. If it's good for you, then do it."

Her fingers twitched slightly, but she said nothing. I leaned back, exhaling slowly. "You wanted to break up with me before. Now you're finally asking for it. I think you just can't tolerate me anymore."

I forced out a small chuckle, but it felt hollow. Then, I looked her straight in the eye and said, "Okay. Let's break up."

Her lips parted slightly, as if she was about to say something—maybe to take it back, maybe to explain herself further. But I didn't let her. I held up a hand, cutting her off.

"Don't."

She froze. I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced myself to smile again. "Let's break up. Best of luck for your future."

And before she could say another word, I got up and walked away. I didn't turn back. Not even once.