Namgung Ryeo said he was sick of An Hwiseong, and he didn’t come often. But those firm steps were of someone with a definite destination.

I started to follow Namgung Ryeo without realizing it. The white tiger tapped my chest with its front paw, grumbling.

[Dash]You were just worrying needlessly about that woman, why are you following her again!

Ah, I think so too. But I can’t leave her alone, can I?

“It’s dangerous to walk alone in a strange place, at a late hour.”

[Dash]Tsk, really this meddlesomeness.

The white tiger clicked its tongue but closed its mouth in agreement with my words. I quickly followed Namgung Ryeo, walking through the mysterious street. But as I chased her for a while, a strange feeling overcame me.

“Eh? This road looks familiar.”

[Dash]Aren’t all roads similar?

“No. This road really looks familiar. Like I’ve been here before.”

The street where I stood felt as familiar as if there were a picture of it in my mind. Without realizing it, I stopped following Namgung Ryeo and turned around.

“If you go down this alley and walk straight, you will find a secluded empty lot…….”

As I walked like I was possessed, the houses around me gradually decreased. And finally, when I stopped, there was a house in front of me.

A gray roof that had changed, a black hole with no door, a wall where rats could jump out, and a desolate garden with only sparse weeds.

The white tiger jumped out of my arms and walked lightly around the house.

[Dash]It’s a ruin. From the looks of it, it has been a long time since people lived here.

But I couldn’t be as calm as the white tiger. I stared at the house, mumbling.

“It’s here.”

[Dash]What is?

“Our house. It was here.”

[Dash]What?

It was a very strange experience. Since I regained consciousness, I did not have the consciousness of this body’s original owner, Lee Yeon, so I felt as if the existence called Lee Yeon did not exist in this world.

But at this moment, a memory I had never been aware of flooded over me like a flood.

I began to stumble backward.
“Ah, I must go back…….”

[Dash] Wait, Yeona! There!

Even as the white tiger called for me, I ran frantically. I couldn’t see what was in front of me, or who was there.

“My home. Who am I? Where is this?”

Everything was mixed up confusingly. That was the moment I tightly shut my eyes.

“Yeona!”

A large hand grabbed my shoulder forcefully. I was so startled that I tried to shake it off without knowing who it was, but the person grabbed my wrist and lightly spun me around, pinning me against the wall.

My heart pounded. I stared wideeyed at the face of the man standing in front of me.

Man?

Yes, he was clearly a man.

His eyes, which I had not seen in years, were gentle and calm. His hair, longer than when I last saw it, was loosely tied below his shoulders. His broad shoulders cast a shadow over my face.

“Yeona.”

His deep voice, which I hadn’t heard in a long time, sent a thrilling sensation throughout my body.

I opened my trembling lips. Despite the years of separation, I greeted him as if I had just seen him yesterday.

“Aah, my lord.”

Once the words escaped my mouth, cold sweat trickled down.

My lord? Am I allowed to call him my lord?

‘I disappeared from his side like running away, without explaining properly.’

Thinking about our notsobeautiful farewell, I hung my head. Then, his large hand brushed my cheek and he grasped my chin to lift my head.

In his huge palm that could cover my whole face, I suddenly felt the difference in time between us.

“Why are you hanging your head? I want to see the face I haven’t seen in a long time, show it to me properly.”

His touch on my jaw and cheek made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. It was an instinctual fear of something beautiful and strong.

Suppressing the urge to run away, I managed an awkward smile.

“Hhow are you here?”

“Is that important?”

“That is…….”

“You’re trying to avoid me because you know I’m waiting?”

“…….”

There’s no reason to run away.

But there was no particular reason to meet either.

I didn’t even know how to explain this complicated feeling.

Danmokbi’s face came closer. I was taken aback and lifted my head only to see his black eyes, very close, taking in my face entirely.

Without taking his eyes off me, he asked the question I feared the most.

“Why did you leave my side?”

“…….”

How could I forget the memory of that day?

The day I realized that I was nothing but a burden to Danmokbi, I left him behind to follow Jegalsega, even though Danmokbi said it didn’t matter if I was of no help, he just wanted me by his side.

‘How can I summarize that feeling in a single word?’

So I just tightly closed my eyes.