‘This is it. If he doesn’t explain properly this time, I’ll be the one to end things!’
She thought to herself.
[Star Icon]The place where the car stopped was the Han River bank, where they once cooked and ate ramen together.
From where they had sat side by side on the stone steps, Kang Ju Won, with his eyes deeply set, looked at Oh Hye Ju.
“Firstly, I’m sorry. Especially bringing this up when you’re hurt.”
He had struggled deeply to bring up this topic.
Shamans, vengeful spirits, ghosts; are these even believable in the 21st century?
He used to be cynical about couples who broke up due to horoscope compatibility and sighed when hearing stories of people choosing their child’s birth date based on fortune telling.
Because he was deeply skeptical, the series of events that were unfolding were hard for him to believe.
Having met the Shaman Ha In directly, he wondered how Oh Hye Ju would react.
If he suddenly said he went to a temple and talked about spirits, grudges, and whatnot, how would she see him? If their roles were reversed and she was the one hearing this, she might think he’s gone mad.
However, no belief stands strong in the face of fate. Hearing the news of Oh Hye Ju’s fall right after visiting the temple made the Shaman Ha In’s warning feel very real.
Kang Ju Won began to take the words of the Shaman Ha In seriously. He thought that if he was careless and something happened to Oh Hye Ju, he would never forgive himself.
“It’s going to be hard to believe.”
If he was going to spill everything, he should do it without leaving anything out. And to do that, he had to start with the hard parts.
Resting one arm on the steering wheel, Kang Ju Won began softly.
“I had a woman I loved.”
He started talking about a woman whose name he couldn’t easily mention in front of anyone.
Their first meeting, the breakup, the stalking, and her death.
Even though a considerable amount of time had passed, the memories, still sharp and painful, flowed from Kang Ju Won’s lips. It seemed hard for him to recall, as he paused several times, but Oh Hye Ju patiently waited.
During their lengthy conversation, Oh Hye Ju showed surprise only twice. Once when he talked about Hye Rim’s death and secondly when he mentioned suffering from nightmares for over ten years.
The rest was generally calm, so Kang Ju Won could finally finish his entire story.
“So, you’re saying the spirit of Won Hye Rim could be a threat to me?”
“It sounds ridiculous. I understand. Even if you don’t believe, there’s no other option. I’m not even sure myself if I should believe this.”
Kang Ju Won thought he would be considered mad. In a world where taxis fly in the sky, the idea of a spirit seems laughable.
But, surprisingly, Oh Hye Ju was calm.
“I get what you’re saying. After hearing from you, everything that seemed odd now makes sense.”
“Do you believe me?”
“I kind of do believe in such things. Superstitions, afterlife, stuff like that.”
Oh Hye Ju laughed a little and nodded.
Actually, Oh Hye Ju had some trust in shamanism. She didn’t have faith as in religious beliefs but didn’t completely dismiss it as nonsense either.
It was because of Cheon Da Hee, who had a shaman for a mother. Da Hee’s mother, Choi Gyu Nyeo, was a renowned shaman who received her spiritual calling in her early thirties.
Da Hee, embarrassed by her mother’s profession, hadn’t told Oh Hye Ju about her mother’s identity even after becoming roommates. Oh Hye Ju found out about her mother by sheer chance.
After returning from a relative’s house and suffering from unidentified hives, Da Hee brought Oh Hye Ju a talisman out of concern.
When she handed over the talisman, Da Hee made Oh Hye Ju promise not to tell anyone that her mother was a shaman, warning that if word got out, the consequences could be dire.
“My friend… her mother is a shaman. So, I know a bit. My friend says that when a shaman speaks, you should disregard the good things but take note of the bad.”
“Isn’t it usually the opposite?”
“That’s the norm for regular people. Among the shaman community, there’s an unwritten rule. Most shamans are like merchants; they only say good things and send you on your way. When reading fortunes or compatibility, they generally interpret things positively. But if a shaman says something really bad, you shouldn’t ignore it.”
It’s a relief not being considered mad, but hearing that makes me even more anxious.
So, should I genuinely trust what Shaman Ha In said?
Kang Ju Won, who had lived his life as a rationalist, felt confused.
“I don’t believe everything blindly, but for now, we should assume the worst-case scenario and discuss it.”
“Alright, understood.”
“But before that, I have one question. Why did you act like that in front of my father earlier?”
She was asking why he concealed the fact that he was her boyfriend.
Exactly, why did I do that?
Facing Oh Hye Ju’s direct gaze, Kang Ju Won felt diminished.
To be honest, I wasn’t in my right mind. How could I be when the shaman’s warning about Oh Hye Ju being endangered was becoming reality?
Due to Ruby, who wasn’t fully aware of the situation, saying ambiguously that “Oh Hye Ju had fallen down the stairs and got hurt,” Kang Ju Won’s anxiety peaked.
While rushing to the hospital, all he wished for was for Oh Hye Ju to be safe. He was ready to give up anything for that.
He thought their breakup was the worst, but it wasn’t. The real worst was the realization that Oh Hye Ju wasn’t safe.
With that mindset, when Kang Ju Won reached the hospital and suddenly met Su Cheol, he was at a loss for words.
He lacked confidence and couldn’t be assertive.
“I am Oh Hye Ju’s boyfriend. Please leave her to me.”
How could he possibly say that when he’s the one posing the most danger to her?
“In dramas, they usually break up in situations like this, but I don’t think Kang Ju Won is that clichéd of a man.”
Struggling to find words, Kang Ju Won remained silent. Oh Hye Ju asked him once more.
“So, what’s your conclusion?”
Male lead reborn without memories — but he still falls for her.
The person he finds displeasing in this life turns out to be his cherished wife-master in previous life…
Xie Zhi and Fang Xianxing who had known each other for less than three days through a blind date sat in the same car in front of the civil affairs bureau. They had a disagreement and failed to get married.
Xie Zhi immediately took out his phone, slid through his contacts, and randomly selected the next marriage candidate.
The woman snatched his phone and hung up. Looking at his phone wallpaper, she awkwardly changed the subject: “An ancient painting, eh? It looks pretty good, it’s just that the person in the painting looks a bit like me.”
When he heard this, he sarcastically mocked her for being so delusional, completely unaware that, the person in front of him was the reincarnation of Wen Ru, the famous prime minister of Yuan Shun whom he most admired…
The female CEO who doesn’t want to get married with a divorce agreement in hand × The male archaeological researcher who will only get married if he’s sure he can get divorced
