The wind moved slowly across the Han River, carrying the quiet smell of rain and cold metal from the bridges above.
Streetlights reflected across the water like broken pieces of gold.
Seo-yeon stood beside me, arms folded tightly, watching the man in front of us with clear suspicion.
I couldn't blame her.
Because I felt the same way.
The stranger stood only a few steps away now.
Calm.
Almost relaxed.
Like he had simply been waiting for this meeting to happen.
And somehow… that bothered me more than if he had attacked us.
Seo-yeon finally broke the silence.
"Okay."
Her voice carried the kind of patience that meant it was about to run out.
"You two clearly know something I don't."
She pointed between us.
"Either someone explains what's happening, or I'm walking away."
The man chuckled softly.
"That might be difficult."
Seo-yeon raised an eyebrow.
"Why?"
His eyes drifted briefly to the gold ring on her finger.
"Because things rarely let you walk away once they've chosen you."
Seo-yeon immediately hid her hand behind her back.
"Great. Another mysterious sentence."
She looked at me.
"Ji-hoon, please tell me you understand what he's talking about."
I shook my head.
"Not yet."
The man watched us both quietly.
Then he sighed.
"That's unfortunate."
"Why?" I asked.
"Because this conversation would be much shorter if your memory had returned already."
My jaw tightened.
"You keep saying that."
"Because it keeps being true."
Seo-yeon rubbed her temples.
"Fantastic."
She pointed at him.
"You say you know Ji-hoon."
Then she pointed at me.
"He says he doesn't remember you."
Then she looked at the river.
"And somehow this entire situation involves a glowing ring, a military file, and my grandmother."
She turned back to him.
"So let's start simple."
"What's your name?"
The man studied her for a moment.
Then he gave a small nod.
"Fair question."
"My name is Min-jae."
The name echoed faintly in my mind.
Min-jae.
Something about it felt familiar.
Like hearing a name from a dream you can't fully remember.
Seo-yeon narrowed her eyes.
"You don't look like a soldier."
Min-jae shrugged casually.
"That's because I'm not one anymore."
"Convenient."
He smiled slightly.
"You'd be surprised how convenient survival can be."
I stepped closer.
"If we fought in the same war, I'd remember."
Min-jae tilted his head.
"That depends."
"On what?"
"On how thoroughly they erased you."
Seo-yeon froze.
"Erased?"
Min-jae glanced at her.
"You read the file, didn't you?"
Her silence answered the question.
He nodded slowly.
"Then you already know the important part."
She shook her head immediately.
"No, actually I don't."
"Why is Ji-hoon in a photograph with my grandmother twenty years ago?"
"Why does the military have a project with his name on it?"
"And why does everyone keep acting like this ring is the most dangerous thing in the city?"
Min-jae listened quietly.
Then he sighed.
"That's a lot of questions."
Seo-yeon crossed her arms again.
"Welcome to my evening."
The wind picked up again, pushing faint ripples across the river.
Min-jae rested his hand casually against the railing.
That's when I saw it clearly.
The mark around his wrist.
A thin circular scar.
Like something had been worn there for years.
Seo-yeon noticed it too.
"…What happened to your wrist?"
Min-jae glanced down.
"Oh."
"This?"
He turned his arm slightly, studying the faint ring-shaped scar.
"An old habit I had to give up."
Seo-yeon frowned.
"That doesn't explain anything."
Min-jae looked back at us.
"No."
"But it explains enough."
My eyes narrowed.
"You had a ring."
He didn't deny it.
Instead he smiled faintly.
"Once."
Seo-yeon looked between us again.
"Wait."
"You mean like this one?"
She raised her hand slightly.
The gold ring caught the streetlight for a moment.
Min-jae's expression changed.
Not fear.
Not surprise.
Something quieter.
Recognition.
"Yeah," he said softly.
"Something like that."
Seo-yeon stared at him.
"…You're telling me there are more of these things?"
Min-jae shrugged.
"I'm telling you that the world is bigger than you think."
She sighed loudly.
"This is exactly how every horror movie starts."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Horror movie?"
"Yes."
"Mysterious strangers."
"Ancient secrets."
"People with memory loss."
She pointed at my head.
"You're basically the main character with tragic backstory energy."
Min-jae laughed.
"Tragic backstory energy."
"That's a new one."
Seo-yeon groaned.
"I'm serious!"
"You two are talking like you're in some secret society."
Min-jae leaned against the railing.
"Well… not a society exactly."
"That doesn't make me feel better."
The river surface shifted again.
For a brief moment the reflection of the streetlights stretched strangely across the water.
Like a circle forming and breaking apart.
Seo-yeon noticed it again.
"There it is."
Min-jae glanced at the river.
"You can see it too?"
Seo-yeon looked surprised.
"…You mean I'm not imagining it?"
"No."
He looked thoughtful.
"That's interesting."
"What is?"
"Most people can't see it."
Seo-yeon frowned.
"See what?"
Min-jae didn't answer immediately.
Instead he looked at me.
"Your headaches started tonight, didn't they?"
I stiffened.
"How did you—"
"Because that's how it begins."
Seo-yeon stepped closer to me.
"Ji-hoon?"
"I'm fine."
Min-jae smiled faintly.
"You won't be for long."
The peaceful moment along the river suddenly shifted.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
Just a small change in the air.
Min-jae straightened slightly.
His eyes moved toward the dark road behind us.
Seo-yeon noticed immediately.
"…What?"
Min-jae sighed.
"Well."
"That didn't take long."
I followed his gaze.
Three black vehicles had quietly stopped near the entrance of the river road.
The doors opened slowly.
Seo-yeon whispered,
"Those are the same men from the café."
Min-jae nodded.
"Of course they are."
She looked at him.
"You knew they would come?"
"They always do."
I looked back at him.
"You could have warned us earlier."
Min-jae smiled calmly.
"Where's the fun in that?"
Seo-yeon stared at him in disbelief.
"You're joking right now?"
"A little."
The men began walking toward us.
Slow.
Organized.
Too confident.
Seo-yeon stepped closer to me.
"…Ji-hoon."
"I see them."
She looked at Min-jae.
"You're not helping."
He shrugged.
"I never said I was on your side."
My eyes narrowed.
"Then whose side are you on?"
Min-jae looked at both of us.
Then he gave a quiet answer.
"That depends on what happens next."