The cold wind blows through her long hair as she stands by the pink car, staring intensely at Sunghoon.
She is still trying to understand the words he told her. She is trying to accept that he is not joking with her and that he wants to show her something to prove that their dreams are not imaginations, but contain truth.
"You still don't believe me, and you want your sister and friends to believe what you're saying?" he asks her, bracing his hand on the roof of the car as he stands by the passenger door. "I'm the type of person who hates lying more than anything in the world, so you can trust me."
Wonyoung looks dejected.
- You would have the right to mock me, laugh at me and humiliate me since I have hurt you so much in the past - she says in a sad voice.
- Let's not talk about this now. Just take me to the place I'm referring to. I'll prove to you that our lives are complicated and nothing is a coincidence - Sunghoon declares.
The girl nods, then opens the door and gets behind the wheel. The boy gets in next to her, fastening his seat belt.
- What is this place?
"My grandmother's house," he replies, and she shifts her gaze to him in surprise. "You'll understand when we get there. Go to the address I gave you."
The first half of the ride is in complete silence. Wonyoung turns on some music to kill the awkwardness, but as she approaches the street where the accident happened, something inside her snaps.
"I'm sorry I didn't help you back then, I'm sorry your friend died because of that carelessness. My heart still hurts when I think about it. I can't understand why I was such an idiot to listen to someone else and not myself and run away from the scene of the accident. I'll never forgive myself for that." Sunghoon remains silent, looking straight ahead. He purses his lips as if he would rather not say something that could hurt her. "You have an idea, right? You know who this person is, but you want confirmation from me." The boy shifts his gaze to her. "She was my best friend back then, but after that accident, I would rather not be close to her. She always tried to control me and envied everything I did.
- It's Somi, right? - Wonyoung glances at him briefly and with a sour expression, he nods. - I've been watching you for a long time, recently everything has come together. Her father is a prosecutor, so he covered up the fatal accident.
The nineteen-year-old girl tightens her hands on the steering wheel.
- If I could, I would tear out my heart to atone for what I did. I would rather not be a monster in your eyes. This is the greatest and only sin I have committed in this life. I regret it very much every day.
- None of us can turn back time, but we can atone for our mistakes by repenting and improving our lives. I see you're doing that, Wonyoung.
The teenager girl is in total shock when he says these words. While driving, she glances at him occasionally.
- Can you forgive me for this?
- Yes, because you were able to admit your mistake. A person's eyes are the mirror of the soul. Just look at you, you're not lying, you say it all from the bottom of your heart.
She feels her heart beating hard.
What had she done in her previous life to deserve to be loved by him, even though she had hurt him then too?
The satnav shows her that they are almost there. She pulls onto a forest road, wondering how anyone can live in such a place. There is a poor house here and there, and all around there is nothing but forest.
"Were you raised in the wilderness?" Wonyoung asks as he pulls up to a wooden house that looks like it might fall apart at any moment. "How does your grandmother manage here?"
- She loves this place, and she has a car that takes her everywhere - says Sunghoon, pointing at the over twenty-year-old car. - Maybe the conditions are hopeless for you, but it's a wonderful place, far from the hustle and bustle of the city.
Wonyoung family also lives far from the city center, but they are still among people.
- She has a car, so that's the most important thing. I was just wondering where she shops.
"Wonyoung, sometimes you can be really adorable in your stupidity," Sunghoon states as he gets out of the car.
At first, she covers it. She blinks rapidly, feeling her cheeks begin to burn with embarrassment.
He just called her stupid.
He leaves the car and watches the scene where an elderly woman hugs her grandson in greeting, looking incredibly happy.
- Grandma, this is my friend from college, Wonyoung.
The old woman shifts her gaze to the nineteen-year-old girl, and the girl smiles at her in a friendly way. She steps closer, and then the woman takes her hands, looking at her with shining eyes.
"You're so beautiful, honey, like a princess," she says. "I'd be happy to prepare a meal for you."
- Thank you.
Wonyoung doesn't hide the fact that she has two left hands, but she does everything possible to help her grandmother. She wants to look good in her eyes, since she's Sunghoon's only family.
The teenager sets out the food on a small table, and when everything is ready, Sunghoon calls her into his room, wanting to show her something. The old woman urges her to go to her grandson, so with her consent, Wonyoung joins him.
Her eyes widen in shock as he hands her an old photo.
"Amazing, isn't it? Aren't those our faces that you remember from your dreams? Because that's how I see us," he declares.
The brunette girl puts her hand to her mouth, looking with shock at the black and white photograph that looks ancient, damaged, and partly faded.
- Where did you get that, Sunghoon?
- Would you believe me if I told you that I recently found this under the floorboards in my room? And there was something else with the photo - he says, pulling a sword from the closet that looks like it might be valuable. - The photo was in plastic, as if someone wanted it to last as long as possible. Someone who used this sword - he adds.
When he hands it to her, she feels its weight as if it were actually real — it's definitely not a fake!
- How did you find out there was something under the boards in your room?
He looks at her for a long moment, looking as if he's wondering if he should say this.
- It's like you connected with me in a dream and showed me this.
- Me?! - Wonyoung puts a finger to her chest. - I told you that in my dream?
- Yes, your past life...
The teenager girl pales, wondering what this was all about. So why didn't she dream about it? Was this supposed to be a subconscious message just for Sunghoon?
***
Sullyoon gets out of the taxi and goes to the gate, ringing the intercom. She is worried about Niki's condition and wants to see for herself how he is feeling.
The housekeeper opens the door for her, recognizing her.
- Good morning, I know Niki is not feeling well. I spoke to him. Can I go to his room?
The woman nods, seeing a glimmer of hope in Sullyoon.
- I hope you can get him to eat something. He's been locked in his room since last night. He won't open the door to anyone. His parents are out of town, and we're distressed about him.
- Did something happen to make him behave like this? Maybe he's really sick and doesn't want to cause you any problems?
The housekeeper shakes her head, looking at the eighteen-year-old with a dejected look.
- It's not like when the young master is sick, then it's unbearable, and we nurse him twenty-four hours a day. It's about the fact that the date of death of someone close to him is approaching.
Niki hates it when anyone talks about his brother. Only Wonyoung and Sullyoon know about the tragedy from the past.
- I understand, I will get to him and talk to him.
The girl runs up the stairs to the first floor and heads towards the door behind which is her crush's room. She knocks on it, and when he doesn't answer, she says:
- Niki, it's me, Sullyoon. Since I came to you, can we talk?
It's even more than a surprise when he doesn't answer her, but she hears the key turning in the lock, and then he lets her in.
Navy-blue walls and curtains in the same color make the room dark, but it seems to suit him. Niki loves dark colors, he feels best when there is no sun outside and it is cloudy.
The twenty-year-old boy lies back down on the bed, ignoring the fact that he has a visitor.
"What's going on?" Sullyoon crouches down next to him, looking at him with worried eyes.
- I just needed to be alone, away from people, that's why I didn't come to class.
- Are you in a lot of pain? - With this question, the boy focuses his gaze on her. He looks at her with those sad eyes, showing how mentally tired he is.
"Tomorrow is the anniversary of my brother's death. I just realized how much I miss him, how much I need him," he says, tears welling up. He puts his hand over his face, shielding himself so Sullyoon won't see him cry.
The girl places her hand on his shoulder, trying to understand his pain.
- You can cry if you need to, you can do it with me. You can tell me everything that's on your heart. I'm your friend, I'll always listen to you, and I will support you - she tells him in a gentle voice. - You don't have to suffer alone, I can take your pain if it helps you.
Niki removes his hand from his face and, his cheeks wet with tears, turns his face towards her again, looking shocked by the words she has just told him.
- Why would you take away my pain? No friend would do that, it's too much - he says.
She smiles slightly, mysteriously.
- But I'm a special friend, Niki. When I care about someone, I'll do anything to make them feel better - she states bravely.
Sullyoon is not only sweet and loving, but is the most caring person she knows.
- Can you stay with me for a while? - he asks. - You're making me feel better.
"That's precisely what I came here for," she replies, smiling again.
The eighteen-year-old girl realizes that she will never win his heart, but she still wants to be with him as long as possible.
His suffering makes her suffer along with him, so how can she just leave him?