Even though she might have been away for twenty years or more, or even hundreds of years, it felt familiar as if she had lived here until yesterday.

The hard cement floor felt beneath her feet. The noisy honking of cars. The crowd constantly bumping shoulders. Everything that ordinary people living here might find annoying felt dear to her.
Until now, her attention had been focused on the outside world. However, as she turned around the corner and absentmindedly glanced back, the reflection in the building’s glass window shifted her focus elsewhere.

Liz looked at her face. And then, she scanned her attire.

At that moment, the joyful feeling disappeared in an instant.

‘Why now of all times?’

Among the lonely periods in her life, this was an especially lonely time.

Tsk.

Liz bit her tongue and stared down at herself. The name tag on her school uniform was visible.

An unfortunate name.

Since there were hardly any times when she was called by that endearing tone. Not even by the owner of that name.

Maybe this could be the last appearance of her past life, so she thought about calling the name once.

She took a breath. However…

“……!”

The name was called not by herself but by someone else, in a much warmer and affectionate tone.

Liz slowly turned around.

A man, wearing clothes with the same color as hers, was smiling brightly and waving at her.

With high-degree glasses and a uniformly handsome appearance, he was a man whose looks did not fade.

She recognized this man. No, she knew this guy.

“You… you…”

He was the culprit who made this time the most unforgettable time.

And, he died not long after this time.

“Sorry. Did you wait long?”

However, in her dream, he was still alive. He spoke, laughed, and lived.

Even though she knew that meeting the deceased in dreams was relatively common, she thought,

‘This is a really strange dream.’

She just stared without saying anything. The man, thinking that she was still upset, apologized again.

“I’m really sorry. Next time, I’ll come out first and wait for you.”

Next time…

At the mention of the word “next time,” Liz’s eyes regained their original size.

Suddenly, a strange impulse arose.

“Are you hungry? I’ll buy something delicious as an apology.”

As he said that and reached out his hand, she shook off his hand and said,

“There won’t be a next time.”

Since it was just a dream, and it was just a ghost, she thought it would be okay. She said again,

“There won’t be a next time.”

“Why?”

He looked at her with a puzzled face. Brown eyes visible beyond the glasses were clear and innocent like crystal.

She was suddenly speechless.

“Well… because…”

“Because I died?”

“……. ”

He asked with an indifferent expression.

The look in Liz’s eyes expressed astonishment. Even though it was a strange dream, it was quite bizarre.

He knew that he had already died in the world Liz knew. And he thought that it wasn’t a problem at all.

“I told you. I don’t think death is the end.”

He approached her closely and reminded her of the contents of the will he left behind.

“I’m starting now.”
The smoothly curved eyes behind the glasses created a faint sense of familiarity.

She felt like she had seen him somewhere before. However, before she could think it through, something happened.

Without any warning, his lips approached hers.

She couldn’t move her body as if she were pressed by scissors. Only her eyelids barely twitched. So, just as his lips were about to touch hers when he came close, she tightly closed her eyes.

“……!”

She thought there would be nothing good about an unwanted kiss. But… it was good. Soft and sweet.

It didn’t feel strange at all.

At that moment, Liz opened her eyes wide.

And, she saw.

Sakaman outside the window, the dim candlelight, and… a man savoring her lips sweetly.

Hersis.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

The lips parted.

The rocking chair, freed from Hersis’s grip, finally began to move. As if releasing a held breath.

“…When did you come?”

Liz asked. Her voice was still puzzled and not fully awake from sleep.

Hersis replied, “Ten minutes ago.”

“Why didn’t you wake me up a little earlier?”

“I was watching because your peacefully sleeping figure was too beautiful.”

It was praise that could make sleep disappear. In a negative sense.

“Don’t tease me.”

Liz asked with a slightly tilted head while moving her body. It was to get up from her seat.

However, before both feet could touch the ground, Hersis’s hand went under her waist and knees, lifting her off the chair.

Even with the added weight of the amniotic fluid in her belly, which would be quite heavy, he showed no signs of difficulty.

He gently lowered Liz onto the fluffy feather bed across the room. Then, he sat down at the edge of the bed.

“Why don’t you lie down?”

Liz asked with a puzzled expression.

“I have to go out again.”

“Why?”

“There’s something I need to take care of.”

“Is it related to Lord Ishar?”

Hersis smiled faintly in response to Liz’s question.

“Yes. It seems like we need to conclude matters related to Lord Ishar.”

“It will be fine. Lord Ishar is innocent. The real culprit will be caught soon.”

She thought it was an appropriate response to the situation. However, his facial expression subtly stiffened.

‘What’s going on?’

She wondered if there was more incriminating evidence that had appeared during this time. At least, that was the most reasonable thought Liz could come up with at the moment with her imagination.

“What about Cain?”

Hersis quickly smiled and slid his gaze down the bulging curve revealed by the blanket.

“Is he sleeping?”

“It seems so. It’s quiet.”

“If you touch him, will he wake up?”

“What if he does? It’s okay.”
When the baby is born, I might want to retract these words, but for now, the sensation of the baby responding to his touch felt good. It was because she felt the realization that she had finally become a close-knit family with the man she loved.

Hersis moved his hand over Liz’s belly. It was a very gentle touch.

Cain immediately reacted!

Hersis let out a pleasant laugh. His handsome lips drew a curve, and his eyes gracefully curved as well.

In that moment, Liz understood!

Who the old friend in her dream resembled.

It was this man.

Despite having completely different appearances, she felt strangely that the two of them looked alike.