The morning felt ordinary, just like every other day
Sa Yuk woke up before sunrise, the quiet of the city still wrapped in sleep, the world outside his window painted in pale blue light that hadn't fully decided to become morning yet. Walking had become his habit over the years, a silent routine that helped him breathe before the noise of life took over. The streets were almost empty, touched only by cold air and soft light, and every step he took echoed gently in the stillness
That was when he first saw her
She walked past him without a word, her eyes fixed ahead as if her thoughts were somewhere far beyond the road in front of her. For a brief second their shoulders almost touched, close enough for him to notice the calm expression on her face, but neither of them looked back. She continued forward and so did he, two strangers crossing paths in a silent morning
To Sa Yuk she was just another person in the city
He didn't know that this small, quiet moment would stay with him longer than he expected
Days passed normally, filled with classes, conversations, small jokes with friends, late night scrolling on his phone and ordinary routines that made up a simple life. Nothing felt different, nothing felt unusual
Until one night
His friends dragged him to a nightclub, insisting he needed to loosen up and stop living like an old man. He refused at first but eventually gave in, not because he wanted to go, but because it was easier than arguing
The music inside was overwhelming, lights flashing across faces that were half visible and half lost in shadow, people laughing loudly as if the night belonged only to them. It felt like a different world from the quiet mornings he loved
After a while one of his friends drank too much, and the cheerful energy around the table slowly shifted into something heavier. The friend's smile faded and he began talking about a girl he had loved for years, someone who had just rejected him that very night. His voice shook slightly as he tried to laugh it off, saying he only wanted to understand her, to know why she always felt so distant
Then suddenly he stopped speaking
"She's here," he said quietly
Sa Yuk followed his friend's gaze across the crowded room
And his heart skipped
It was her
The same girl from the morning walk, the same stranger he had crossed paths with days ago, yet this time something felt different. She wasn't smiling, she wasn't talking, she wasn't even moving much. She was simply standing there, watching
For a moment he felt like she was watching him
Without fully understanding why, Sa Yuk stood up and walked toward her. Up close she looked even more familiar, as if he had known her longer than he actually had. He greeted her casually, trying to start a normal conversation, mentioning the loud music, joking awkwardly about how crowded it was
She didn't respond
She only looked at him
Her silence wasn't rude, it wasn't angry, it was simply distant, like she existed in a space slightly separate from everyone else. The longer he stood there the more uncomfortable he felt, and after a few minutes he stepped back with an embarrassed smile, convincing himself he had imagined the strange feeling between them
Maybe she just wasn't interested
Maybe he was overthinking
The night ended quietly after that and everyone returned home, the noise fading behind them as if it had never existed
When Sa Yuk lay down on his bed exhaustion quickly pulled at him. His body felt heavy and his mind slowly drifted into sleep
Just before losing consciousness he thought he heard something
A faint voice
Someone calling for help
He opened his eyes slightly and listened, but the room was silent. The darkness felt normal, nothing out of place, so he assumed it was just his imagination and turned over
Sleep took him
That night he dreamed
He saw the girl again
She was struggling, her body held tightly by someone standing behind her. The figure was covered in shadow, its face impossible to see no matter how hard he tried to focus. Sa Yuk attempted to move toward her, to shout, to do something, but his body refused to respond. It was as if he wasn't really there, as if he was only watching
The unknown person slowly turned toward him
Though the face remained hidden the voice was clear
"Did you give up already?"
The words echoed around him, not loud but heavy, sinking deep into his chest
Suddenly Sa Yuk woke up, gasping for air
The room was dark and empty
His heart pounded as confusion filled his mind. A strange thought crossed him, one that felt both familiar and terrifying
How could he fall asleep… when his wife needed his help
He sat up slowly, frozen in place
Wife
The word felt real
Too real
Yet he couldn't fully remember why
Somewhere deep inside him memories were beginning to move, like something buried under years of silence slowly trying to rise to the surface
And he didn't know yet that the past he had forgotten was already closer than he imagined