An Unwanted Reunion
"I hate you."
Those were the first words I heard when I recalled my past life.
Hearing that from the girl I liked was a massive shock.
So massive, in fact, that it triggered the memories of my previous life.
What could possibly be so shocking to a kid who wasn't even ten years old? How does getting rejected by a girl make someone remember their past life?
It was absurd, but it was the truth.
Before I could even open my eyes and gather my bearings, she spoke again.
"So don't come near me anymore."
I turned my gaze toward the sharp voice. Standing before me was a girl who was pretty by anyone's standards.
"Because I absolutely despise stupid people."
Her look of utter disgust and contempt was almost fascinating. She couldn't have been more than ten or twelve, yet she was capable of making a face like that.
As I stared at her in wonder, the girl snapped at me.
"Answer me."
"Ah."
Right. She was talking to me. Realizing this, I replied.
"Okay."
"No matter how much you cling to me... wait, what?"
The girl's eyes widened at my response.
"I'll do that."
"...What did you say?"
"I said I'll do that. I won't show up in front of you, let alone come near you."
I offered her a bright smile.
"We good now?"
"..."
It was just a simple conversation. I didn't care what my current self had been like before.
Once I regained the memories of my past life, chasing after a tiny, pretty girl felt pointless.
The flood of my past memories was simply too overwhelming.
So, I did exactly as she wished.
I really did.
But looking back now...
I think that was the moment everything started to go wrong.
Glossy black hair.
It was so meticulously maintained that it didn't just flow; it felt like pure silk. Letting her hair cascade down her back, she seemed fully aware that her pale skin was her greatest asset, styling herself to emphasize it.
What accentuated her pale skin even further were her features.
She possessed a cold impression, as if snow might fall around her even in the dead of summer. Her eyes were piercingly cool, and she carried an aura that suggested she would never deign to smile.
With a countenance wrapped in frost, she was not someone easily approached.
Yet, every passerby couldn't help but steal a glance at her. It was inevitable. A woman of such breathtaking beauty was a rare sight indeed.
She was beautiful.
Her alluring, sophisticated aura—as if loveliness itself had taken human form—turned even her icy demeanor into a charm that maximized her appeal. When she lightly brushed back her hair, the onlookers unconsciously let out soft gasps of admiration.
"Hmm."
With a low hum, the corners of her eyes twitched slightly.
Her gaze was locked onto the back of a young man who was running away like a madman in the distance.
Sigh.
Watching him, she let out a deep sigh. Looking thoroughly exhausted, she pinched the bridge of her nose with her delicate, jade-like fingers.
"...Seriously."
It had always been like this, but watching him flee at the drop of a hat never failed to irritate her.
"How can he run away without a single shred of hesitation?"
If he saw her, he should at least say hello. What was the point of just bolting?
Though she found it absurd, a faint smirk played on her lips.
The crowd around her flinched at that slight smile. When even a hint of amusement touched her normally expressionless face, her beauty became almost violently striking.
However...
"I went out of my way to come see him..."
The onlookers flinched once more as her expression shifted. This time, it wasn't out of awe for her beauty.
It was because she looked terrifyingly ominous.
"...And he runs away again?"
CRACK.
A sharp sound echoed from her clenched fist.
"Just wait until I catch you."
It seemed she would have to put a leash on him once and for all this time. Just as she made up her mind to move—
"...Lady Moyong?"
At the voice from her side, the woman turned her head. Standing there was another beauty, though with slightly tanned skin compared to her own.
Dang Ye-ran was staring at her with wide, surprised eyes.
"Oh."
Identifying the speaker, the woman instantly smoothed her expression. The terrifying face she had been making just a moment ago vanished like an illusion, replaced by her usual calm demeanor.
"Lady Dang. It has been a while."
"...What brings you all the way here, Lady Moyong?"
"Ah."
A smile graced the woman's lips once more.
"...I heard the person I'm looking for happens to be here."
"..."
Hearing those words, Dang Ye-ran unconsciously swallowed hard.
Was it just her imagination? For some reason, it sounded to her as if the woman had said, "I heard the person I need to kill happens to be here."
"Anyway, since I've come all the way to Sichuan, I should pay a visit to the Dang Clan. I will see you later. Right now, that bastard... I mean, that gentleman is a bit more urgent."
"Pardon? Wait—"
Dang Ye-ran tried to speak, but the woman had already vanished from the spot.
"..."
Watching the empty space where she had just stood, an inexplicable sense of anxiety began to well up in Dang Ye-ran's eyes.
Damn it.
I ran.
Ah, crap!
Cursing inwardly, I kept running. I sprinted for a long time, weaving through the massive crowd. My body hadn't fully recovered, and my bandaged arm screamed in protest, but I didn't stop.
"Kid, why on earth are you running like this?"
Yoo Chun-gil floated beside me, looking utterly baffled, but I was in no position to answer him. Taking another step was far more important than explaining the situation.
"Is she a girl you know?"
Did I know her? Of course I did, damn it. I knew her all too well.
I'd rather not know her, though.
It would have been a million times better if I didn't. The fact that I knew her so well was the real problem.
Why is that crazy chick here?
A woman who should be busy doing her job back in Yoryeong... why did she travel all the way to Sichuan?
I tried to think of a reason as I ran.
...No way.
Then, the words she uttered the moment she saw me flashed through my mind.
"Found you."
Damn it.
She had said that with a terrifying smile.
Which meant...
She came to find me?
She traveled all the way to Sichuan just to find—no, to catch me?
But how?
How did she find out? I was sure I had covered my tracks perfectly. I made sure she would never know.
Moreover...
I even had a talk with her clan leader.
I had grit my teeth and negotiated with that terrifying old man, so...
That crazy girl shouldn't be here!
The one thing that absolutely should not have happened had just happened.
Where should I go?
Where the hell could I run? I scanned my surroundings frantically. An alley? Going down an alley probably wouldn't help.
Actually, in the first place...
Is there even any point to this?
I knew running away like this was futile. But I had to run. My survival instincts were screaming at me to do so.
I need to hide first.
Hide first, think later.
Just as I decided that and tried to pick up the pace—
"Oh?" Yoo Chun-gil murmured in admiration.
Immediately after—
Whoosh!
"Urgh?!"
My body was snatched by something and lifted into the air.
I was flung into a side alley. Before I could crash and roll on the ground, I quickly executed a breakfall.
"Oh?"
The moment I landed, a sweet voice brushed against my ears. I frowned.
"You didn't roll?"
"..."
She sounded genuinely surprised that I hadn't tumbled. I slowly raised my head.
Standing in front of me was the woman, looking down at me with her arms crossed and her eyes narrowed.
I stared at her and managed to speak.
"Lady Moyong..."
At my words, she smirked.
"It has been a while, hasn't it?"
The moment I saw that smile, shivers ran down my spine. It was real. It was really that crazy chick.
She took a light, graceful step forward, and I instinctively backed away. I tried to turn around, but my back hit a wall. It was a dead end.
Ah, damn it. Is even luck against me today?
But I immediately shook my head.
...No, it's not that luck is against me.
She must have engineered this entire path to lead me here. I was certain of it.
Then, she spoke.
"My clever little raccoon couldn't possibly not know. You're acting strange today."
She tilted her head.
"You already know you can't escape now that I've come this far."
"..."
She was right. I knew. But I had run anyway.
As she kept drawing closer, my hand drifted to my waist. Ah, crap. I didn't even bring my sword.
"I've heard so many things on my way here. I have a mountain of questions to ask you."
As the distance between us closed, her scent drifted over. It was a fragrance I was sick and tired of by now.
"But I suppose I should say this first, shouldn't I?"
She smiled brightly.
It was an insanely beautiful smile, but all I felt looking at her face was sheer terror.
"I missed you. Did you miss me too?"
Any other man would have died of excitement hearing those words. But not me.
"...Why are you here?" I asked.
"You should be in Yoryeong, Lady Moyong. What brings you to Sichuan?"
I knew exactly what kind of lunatic she was to feel any sort of flutter in my heart.
"Why ask? You already know the answer."
"...I'm asking because I'm desperately hoping I'm wrong."
"I came to see you. I went through so much trouble to find you, so you should praise me a little."
"Ah, damn it."
I had hoped otherwise, but my shitty intuition was never wrong.
"You came to see me? All the way from Yoryeong to Sichuan?"
"Mm-mm. No, that's not quite right."
Her hand reached out. Her slender fingertips lifted my chin.
"From Yoryeong to Anhui. From Anhui to Henan. And from Henan to Sichuan."
"..."
Cold sweat broke out at her words. The route she just recited was the exact path I had traveled.
"You certainly got around. You even caused quite a stir along the way."
"...I had my reasons for that..."
"I'm sure you did. You're not the type to move without a reason. But you see..."
The hand holding my chin slid down, then moved toward my eyes.
"What is this about the Sword Saint's successor?"
"..."
I squeezed my eyes shut.
"And what is this about Cheongwol Gate? What is up with these eyes?"
She pried my eyelids open, forcing me to look at her.
"Where did your pretty brown eyes go, and what is this blue?"
Her gentle voice carried a trace of rising heat. I remained silent.
Now that I was cornered, I had to use my brain, but...
...Nothing is coming to mind.
My mind was completely blank. What was I supposed to do? Every time I ran into her, this always happened.
As I maintained my forced silence, Moyong Yeong-sun's eyes narrowed.
She reached into her robes and pulled out a letter.
"Well, whatever. If you won't talk, I can just find out myself."
That was even more terrifying. She thrust the letter toward me.
"...What is this?"
Why a letter all of a sudden? As I stared at the paper with a puzzled look, she added,
"When I told Father I was going to see you, he asked me to deliver this to you."
"What?"
My eyes narrowed.
"Yeong-sun, did you meet my father—"
BOOM—!!!
Creeeeak...
"..."
Without moving my head, I rolled my eyes to look to the side.
A pale hand was embedded deep in the wall right next to me.
Cracks radiated outward from her fist like a spiderweb, and stone dust rained down as if the wall might collapse at any second.
Then...
"...Hey."
A voice dripping with murderous intent enveloped me.
"I told you not to call me that, didn't I? Do you want me to rip your tongue out?"
Moyong Yeong-sun glared at me with a savage expression.
"...My apologies."
I barely managed to squeeze out the apology.
Moyong Yeong-sun. Age twenty.
A direct descendant of the Moyong Family, one of the Five Great Clans.
Renowned as the greatest beauty of Yoryeong due to her stunning looks.
And...
...Wow, this crazy chick is really something.
She was my first love, and my ex-fiancée.