As they stepped out of the tower complex, Kang Woo looked at Min Seok limping beside him.
> "Oi, you still limping like an old man?"
Min Seok groaned.
> "It's the damn stairs, not my age!"
Kang Woo sighed.
> "Alright, alright. Come here."
He placed a single finger on Min Seok's knee.
Flash.
A pulse of warm golden light.
Min Seok blinked.
> "...Wait."
He kicked the air.
> "I–I don't feel pain anymore."
> "W-Whoa! I haven't felt this light in decades!"
Kang Woo shrugged.
> "Try not to die of excitement."
---
Returning Home
That evening, they returned home.
The house was quiet, filled with the smell of food cooking in the kitchen. The gentle hum of the fridge. The wooden clock ticking like always.
Kang Woo stepped in first, Hajin behind him — looking younger than ever. Claire, Ji Hoon, and Min Seok trailed in.
From the kitchen, a familiar voice called out:
> "Is that you, dear? Took your time again—"
Yunhee stepped out, wiping her hands on a towel.
Their eyes met.
For a second, it was ordinary.
Then—
The memory thread inside Kang Woo's chest began to glow.
It pulsed like a heartbeat.
Then shot forward—
—straight into Yunhee's chest.
---
The Truth Revealed
Yunhee gasped, holding her heart.
Her eyes widened, pupils trembling.
Memories…
Flooded in.
The cherry blossom valley.
The wedding dress.
The villagers.
The altar.
Kang Woo's hand holding hers.
Then... blood.
Screams.
A burning village.
And death.
Her knees buckled.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
She stared at him with trembling lips.
> "K-Kang Woo…?"
> "My Kang Woo…"
He took a step forward.
She ran.
And hugged him tightly, crying like a girl in love for the first time all over again.
> "I remember."
> "I remember everything!"
> "The altar… our vows… and how I… how I died before I could even say 'yes.'"
Kang Woo stood frozen, arms slowly wrapping around her.
His voice cracked.
> "It… was you… this whole time?"
She nodded against his chest.
> "My name is Yunhee... in this world too."
> "Even death… couldn't keep us apart."
Silence.
The living room was dead still.
Claire's mouth was wide open.
Min Seok's hand was halfway to his cup of tea but frozen in midair.
Ji Hoon looked like someone just told him math was a living organism.
No one could speak.
Even Hajin had that look on his face: "Wait… what the actual—"
---
The Frozen Reactions
Min Seok was the first to blink.
> "Okay."
> "Okay. What the hell is happening?"
Ji Hoon pointed between his mom and dad with his fork.
> "M-Mom?"
> "What do you mean you remember a past life?!"
> "Are we... part of some weird historical drama?!"
Kang Woo didn't even say anything.
He was just… staring at Yunhee like she might disappear if he blinked.
She turned toward them, her eyes glassy but smiling.
> "Don't you remember?"
> "Two years ago, I told you all about that dream I had."
Ji Hoon blinked.
> "The one where you were in a village?"
> "Yeah, and I said I met someone who felt so familiar... We fell in love, but…"
She looked down, holding Kang Woo's hand tightly.
> "We couldn't get married."
> "I thought it was just a dream..."
> "So I tried to forget it."
A soft tear slid down her cheek, but she smiled.
> "Turns out, it was a memory waiting to come home."
---
Everyone Processing... Slowly
Claire stood and slowly walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge, pulled out a bottle of cold water, and poured it on her head.
> "...Yup. Still not dreaming."
Min Seok leaned back and looked at Kang Woo.
> "You married your past life's wife again in your current life… and you didn't know?"
Kang Woo shrugged.
> "She cooked too good. I was distracted."
Ji Hoon?
He just faceplanted on the table.
> "This is too much lore for a Tuesday."
Just as the emotions were beginning to calm, the front door opened.
Click.
In walked a young woman — long dark ponytail, headphones still hanging from her neck, gym bag slung over one shoulder.
> "I'm back!"
She paused when she saw… everyone.
Her mom, red-eyed and holding her dad like it was the end of a K-drama.
Min Seok looking like a ghost.
Claire dripping wet from fridge water.
Ji Hoon face-first into the dinner table.
And one stranger in ancient robes sitting on the couch like it was totally normal.
She blinked.
> "...Did I miss a cult meeting?"
---
The Story Dump
Ji Hoon popped his face up, now semi-conscious.
> "Oh, hey sis."
> "Welcome to... I don't know how to describe this anymore."
He stood up and pointed at Kang Woo.
> "Dad's a literal god."
Then pointed at Hajin.
> "This man is from another world."
Then at Yunhee.
> "Mom just remembered her past life through a memory fragment from a celestial tower."
Then at Claire.
> "Claire is traumatized."
Claire gave a thumbs up while still processing reality in the corner.
> "I'm good."
Min Seok snorted.
> "You're not."
---
Who's the Guy in Robes?
The daughter dropped her bag.
> "Okay WHAT."
Yunhee blinked and wiped her tears, suddenly realizing something.
She looked toward the man sitting calmly in ancient robes with that peaceful smile.
> "Wait… who is this?"
> "The one in the... historical drama outfit?"
Kang Woo turned, then smirked.
> "Ah, that's Hajin."
> "You remember? I told you about him."
> "He's my little brother from Murim."
Hajin stood up and gave a polite little bow, calm as ever.
> "It's an honor to meet you, niece."
The daughter just turned around, walked into the hallway, and whispered:
> "I need 14 years of therapy. Minimum."