The entire village sprang into action alongside Shana and Haru, rushing Duyen back to the village in an emergency. Shana carried Duyen in her arms, breathless, running straight into the house with everyone close behind. She gently laid Duyen down on a thick fur mat and barked orders with authority.
"Hurry! Heat up more water—lots of it!"
The girls immediately obeyed, shoveling firewood into the massive boilers outside the house. Large water vents hissed as steam poured out, and the temperature inside the room rose rapidly.
Shana stripped off the ice-cold, soaking clothes clinging to Duyen's body and wrapped her in layers of warm blankets, all the while gripping Duyen's hand tightly, refusing to let go.
Haru sat at the head of the mat and began casting a spell. Her hand hovered over Duyen's forehead as faint, shimmering blue lights flickered into existence around them.
Suddenly, Haru frowned. She turned to Shana, her voice low and serious.
"Her brain… it's as if it's been through extremely violent shockwaves. Psychological damage. What she experienced was… pain akin to death itself."
Shana froze. Panic surged through her as she stroked Duyen's forehead—but something dawned on her. Something she wasn't ready to say out loud. Haru sensed it too.
In a soft whisper, she murmured, "It's like… she went somewhere very far away."
Shana nodded faintly, a hollow smile forming on her lips.
"Yes… she did."
But at this point, Shana didn't care what that place was. She was simply grateful—grateful that Duyen had come back whole, no matter what had happened.
Ever since she'd lost Duyen at the airport, Shana had discovered a fear she hadn't known she carried. And when she heard Duyen had disappeared again, her heart had nearly stopped. She'd panicked, searched everywhere—desperately.
Even if it meant going to the very end of the world.
Shana had always thought Mina was recklessly lovesick, irrational in her devotion. But now, she had to admit—was she really any different?
Suddenly, Duyen stirred.
Her cheeks flushed with warmth, and Haru exhaled in relief, pulling her hand back. Slowly, Duyen opened her eyes. She saw Shana, Haru, and everyone gathered around.
Her voice came out rough and hoarse.
"Shana… Sister Haru…"
Joy erupted instantly. Not just Shana—everyone inside and outside the house shouted in unison.
"She's awake!"
"What? Really!?"
"She's awake!"
The girls cheered noisily. Shana nearly broke down in tears. Duyen smiled faintly, then turned her gaze toward Shana, studying her intently—holding that look far longer than expected.
Something about that expression startled Shana. It felt as though Duyen had become someone else. Especially when Duyen tightened her grip on Shana's hand and said softly,
"Thank you, Shana… Thank you for always staying by my side…"
"H–Huh? You mean…?"
Shana, still crying, suddenly flushed red. Why did those words sound so… mature? So alluring?
Even the other women in the room were momentarily stunned before exchanging knowing smiles. Haru herself smiled gently as she brushed Duyen's forehead.
"…I think I'll give you two some privacy."
She stood up gracefully and waved the girls toward the door.
"Alright, everyone out. Let Miss Duyen and our lady have some heartfelt time together."
"H–Hey!" Shana protested, her face burning as she reached out to stop her. Too late.
Haru closed the door with a playful remark drifting back from outside.
"Make as much noise as you like—we won't judge."
"Wait—!"
But they were already gone. Shana was one hundred percent certain they were still eavesdropping outside.
Now only Duyen and Shana remained in the room, the air suddenly thick with awkward tension.
Duyen shifted uncomfortably—until she realized why. She was naked beneath the blankets. Embarrassment flooded her as a stray thought escaped her lips.
"Why am I…?"
It felt unreal—like she still couldn't believe she'd returned to the present. Shana tilted her head, flustered, then hurried forward when Duyen tried to sit up.
"Wait, Duyen—"
"It's okay. I'm fine."
But as Duyen sat up, she instinctively frowned and reached for her shoulder. There was no wound. Nothing at all.
A horrible nightmare…
Yet Shana had already noticed something was different. Her expression turned serious as she moved closer, her voice gentle and intimate.
"So… Duyen. What really happened?"
Duyen hesitated, unsure whether she should tell Shana about the most insane dream she'd ever experienced. But in the end—she did.
Under the flickering firelight of the hearth, the two girls sat shoulder to shoulder, hands clasped tightly as Shana listened in silence while Duyen recounted everything. Something seemed to click inside Shana as she heard about that strange, impossible journey.
Yet she didn't look surprised. She simply rested her head against Duyen's shoulder. Pressing her face into the hollow of Duyen's neck, she whispered sadly,
"…So, Duyen… you hate me, don't you? Because of me, you had to—"
"No. Don't think like that," Duyen cut in quickly.
But Shana lifted her head, staring at Duyen with tear-filled eyes, before turning away in shame.
"Back then… I was naïve. Foolish. Nothing like I am now. I didn't understand what love was. I drowned myself in fleeting desires without caring about the consequences. Even with Kaya…"
A tear fell to the floor. Duyen immediately wrapped her arms around Shana's back. Shana trembled as she cried, clutching Duyên's hands tightly. This time, Duyen was the one soothing her.
"Shana… I don't hate you."
"That's just you saying that…"
"No. I mean it."
Duyen gently turned Shana's face toward her.
"Neither Kaya nor I hate you. Not at all."
"Duyen…"
Shana could feel the sincerity in her words.
Perhaps that strange transformation had changed something within Duyen. It was as if she'd gained clarity—understanding everything at once.
And yet, she was still Duyen.
Suddenly, she said,
"Shana… I love you."
The words came so abruptly that Shana couldn't process them at first.
But then Duyen leaned in—without hesitation—grasped Shana's hand tightly and kissed her. For the first time, Duyen was the one who took the initiative.
Shana was still in shock, but she let her emotions guide her. Her body relaxed, and the two of them kissed deeply beneath the flickering firelight. Even those eavesdropping outside could sense the heat and intimacy filling the room.
Their lips parted reluctantly, just long enough to catch their breath. Shana's eyes were hazy with desire. She couldn't believe what had just happened.
And when her mind finally cleared, she almost felt foolish—for ever doubting this. They had slept together before. Kissed. Touched each other countless times. But this kiss from Duyen felt like everything had begun anew.
"…I love you too, Duyen. I love you so much."
Duyen smiled softly.
"Yes. I know. And I love you too."
Hearing those words come from Duyen's mouth—no matter how many times—Shana never got tired of it. They sent a pleasant shiver through her entire body. Still, Duyen carrying herself like this made her feel a little shy.
Shana turned her face away.
"Oh? So you know that yourself too? I guess I've spoiled you too much, that's why you've become so full of yourself."
Duyen immediately panicked. She thought Shana was genuinely upset and rushed to apologize.
"No! I mean it! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it like that!"
Shana burst out laughing. Duyen was still the same—still that slightly silly girl.
"I was just joking…"
She paused for a moment, as if something had crossed her mind.
"By the way, that girl named Luna you mentioned… what does she look like?"
"Ah—Luna, Luna, she…! She—"
Duyen, who had been brimming with excitement just seconds ago, suddenly froze. She couldn't continue. Her eyes darted around in confusion—because she couldn't remember Luna's face anymore. Or rather, all that remained was a name and a vague voice echoing faintly in her mind.
Shana smiled knowingly and lifted her gaze toward the sky beyond the window.
"…Like the moon, right? Sometimes clear, sometimes blurred?"
Duyen unconsciously followed the direction of Shana's gaze and saw only a crescent moon half-hidden behind thin clouds.
Luna… and the moon?
She didn't quite understand what Shana meant by that. Then Shana let out a soft giggle and joked,
"Loving you really is dangerous. One careless moment and you might get kidnapped. Every time, you end up entangled with a new girl—each one stranger than the last… Hmph."
Duyen laughed awkwardly at Shana's teasing and muttered without thinking,
"Well… it's not always women."
"Huh?"
Shana's eyes suddenly widened, a strange smile spreading across her face as she turned to look at Duyen again.
"Not always women? So there's another guy involved too?"
A chill ran down Duyen's spine. She wasn't sure whether it was from the cold—or from that smile that didn't quite look like a smile at all.
She realized she still hadn't told Shana about the monk named Kaneko—the man she had met in her dream.
…Though perhaps he no longer existed in this world anyway. It had been so long.
Duyen propped her chin on her hand and smiled faintly.
"Who knows?"
---
Before Mina, Yu, Dao, and Nayeon stretched an endless, empty field of snow. Vast and silent, it seemed to go on forever. The flatness, paired with the howling wind, made the stillness unsettling in a strange, eerie way. They stared at one another, stunned. This was the last thing they wanted to see.
Where are we even going? And why are we stuck here like this?
Dao put her hands on her hips and sighed, her voice tinged with mild reproach.
"So—who was it that insisted on driving into that creepy tunnel, huh? Now we've fallen into this place, the car's completely wrecked, and… this is where we end up."
No one needed to think hard to know who she was talking about. But Mina wasn't angry at what Dao said. She didn't regret driving straight into the tunnel—but if only she had held the wheel a little steadier…
"I'm sorry," Mina said quietly. "I don't know why I drove like that. This shouldn't have happened."
For someone as cold and reserved as Mina, saying those words wasn't easy at all. Dao immediately regretted her sarcasm. She instinctively wanted to retort—but with the tension still lingering between them, all she could do was turn away, her voice lowered.
"…Forget it. What's done is done."
Yu, however, didn't share their attitude at all. She calmly stated the opposite, pointing ahead—toward a vast forest far in the distance, lying beneath the massive blanket of snow.
"No. We've arrived at the right place."
Everyone followed her finger, eyes widening in shock. Nayeon almost screamed, her voice trembling from the cold.
"Hey… don't tell me we actually have to go to that forest? On foot? From here? That'll take us until night!"
Dao sighed, hands on her hips.
"I guess I can't even call this plan insane anymore. It's not like we can go back anyway."
She pulled out her phone—no signal, as expected. She shrugged.
"Right. Of course. As if things couldn't get any worse."
But Mina wasn't someone who gave up easily. They had followed Yu's guidance for an entire day to get here. Was Shana really in that forest? Was Duyen?
Even if Mina wasn't completely sure, just thinking about Duyen was enough to keep her going. She frowned and scanned the surroundings, searching for something…
…Or someone.
Suddenly, something appeared in their line of sight—something that absolutely shouldn't have been there. Like finding water in the middle of a desert.
A black carriage trimmed with gold lay beneath a dim, flickering streetlamp. Two large black horses stood before it, their eyes pitch-dark like ink.
And someone was sitting atop the carriage roof—a figure small, about the size of a middle schooler.
Nayeon nearly shouted,
"Hey—do you guys see what I'm seeing?"
Dao couldn't believe her eyes.
"A carriage??? You've gotta be kidding me. Why would there be a horse-drawn carriage in the middle of nowhere like this?"
Mina didn't care why it was there. To her, it was practically their only chance.
"Let's go," she said firmly, already walking toward it. "To the carriage."
All four of them approached together. With every step, it became clearer—this wasn't a hallucination. The carriage was real. And so was the person on it.
"Well, well. It's been a long time since I've had new visitors," the person called out cheerfully.
Still perched atop the carriage was a young girl wrapped in layers of thick leather coats, wearing a black beanie. At first glance, she looked like a boy—but on closer inspection, she was unmistakably a girl.
"Let me guess," she said. "You want a ride to that forest, right?"
The group froze, staring at the strange girl. Mina, however, focused only on the question.
"You can really take us there?"
"Of course!" the girl exclaimed. "It's been my job for hundreds of years!"
Mina nodded, a strangely triumphant smile spreading across her face—like she had just reached the final step toward reclaiming her love.
But Dao immediately stepped in front of her, her voice wary.
"Mina, no. Let's talk this through. Someone just randomly shows up in a place like this? That's obviously a scam."
Before Mina could respond, Yu spoke up in her flat, robotic tone.
"Honestly, freezing to death in the snow or dying inside a warm carriage—there's not much difference."
Dao snapped back, "With your...Urg! Personality, you could say that anywhere!"
Meanwhile, Nayeon simply sighed.
"Well… she's not wrong. Either way, we're dead."
The strange girl burst into laughter, clearly enjoying their pointless argument.
"Your suspicions are reasonable. And of course, I won't be giving you a ride for free either."
Mina stepped forward, completely ready to negotiate.
"So what do you want? Money? How much? I can pay anything. I don't have much cash on me right now, but I can give you part of it first, and once we're done here, you'll get the rest."
The girl clicked her tongue and shook her head.
"No, no. I do love money—but I don't need it right now. Let's see…"
Her eyes slowly traced Mina from head to toe, then stopped at her hand.
A sly smile curled across her lips.
"I want that," she said softly. "That ring."