Three days into the trip, Seoul no longer felt unfamiliar—but it still held corners Ana hadn’t seen, quiet streets that didn’t belong to the noise of tourists or students.
That afternoon, the group had drifted apart again, wandering through a less crowded district lined with older shops and narrow lanes.
Yeon had stopped at a boutique nearby, pulling Jeon along with her, while Ed and Kel followed Ana without really saying it out loud.
Ana walked slightly ahead, her pace steady—but then… she stopped.
Not because she saw something.
Because she felt it.
A presence.
Familiar.
Too familiar.
Her eyes shifted slowly across the street—and then froze.
A man stood near the edge of a small bookstore, partially turned away, speaking to someone on the phone.
Tall.
Composed.
Purple hair catching the light in a way that didn’t look natural—yet didn’t feel strange either.
But it wasn’t that.
It was his eyes.
When he turned slightly— black.
Deep.
Unchanging.
Ana’s breath caught.
For a second— time didn’t move.
“…No way,” she whispered under her breath.
Because she knew him.
Not from this life.
From before.
Aris Veyron The boy who used to stand beside her like a shadow.
The one who never left her side.
The one who felt more like a brother than anything else.
And behind that connection— another name surfaced in her mind.
Master Kael Veyron Her mentor.
The man who trained her.
Who taught her how to think… how to fight… how to survive.
Aris was his son.
Which meant— This wasn’t a coincidence.
Ana took a step forward before she could stop herself.
Then another.
Her heartbeat was steady—but her thoughts weren’t.
He shouldn’t be here.
Not here.
“Hey—Ana?” Ed called from behind, noticing her sudden movement.
She didn’t respond.
Aris ended his call and turned fully this time— and their eyes met.
Directly.
There was no recognition in his.
Of course there wasn’t.
To him— She was a stranger.
But to her— It felt like seeing a ghost walk back into the world.
Aris’s gaze lingered for a second longer than normal, his brows narrowing slightly—not because he recognized her, but because something about her felt… off.
Familiar in a way he couldn’t explain.
“…Do I know you?” he asked calmly.
Ana stopped a few steps away from him.
So many answers.
None she could say.
“No,” she replied quietly.
A lie.
But the only possible one.
Aris studied her face carefully, like he was trying to place something just out of reach.
“…Strange,” he murmured.
Before the silence could stretch further— Ed stepped in.
Not aggressively.
But close enough.
“Is there a problem?” he asked, his tone light—but his eyes weren’t.
Kel moved beside Ana as well, his presence sharper, more guarded.
“…Who is he?” Kel asked, not taking his eyes off Aris.
Ana didn’t answer immediately.
And that— was enough.
Ed noticed.
Kel noticed.
That hesitation.
That look in her eyes.
Not confusion.
Not curiosity.
It was Recognition.
Something they had never seen her give to anyone else.
Aris glanced between the two of them, then back at Ana.
“…Friends?” he asked.
Ana nodded once.
“Something like that.” Kel’s jaw tightened slightly.
Ed’s expression didn’t change—but his posture did.
Subtle.
Possessive.
Aris gave a small nod, then stepped back slightly—not retreating, just creating distance.
“…Then I won’t interrupt,” he said.
But before he turned away— his eyes flickered back to Ana one last time.
“Still,” he added quietly, “you feel familiar.” And then he left.
Just like that.
No drama.
No answers.
Only questions.
Silence followed for a second.
Then— “…Who was that?” Kel asked immediately.
Ana didn’t look at him.
“I don’t know.” Another lie.
Ed let out a small breath through his nose.
“You don’t know him,” he repeated slowly, “but you walked toward him like you did.” Ana turned this time, her expression calm again.
“I thought he was someone else.” Kel didn’t believe it.
Not fully.
“…You’ve never looked at anyone like that before,” he said quietly.
That line hit sharper than intended.
Ana’s eyes flickered for a second.
Then steadied.
“You’re overthinking.” She turned and started walking again.
Ending the conversation.
But behind her— Ed and Kel didn’t move immediately.
They both looked in the direction Aris had gone.
Different thoughts.
Same feeling.
Unease.
“…I don’t like him,” Ed muttered.
Kel’s voice was colder.
“…Me neither.” A pause.
Then— “Stay close to her,” Kel added.
Ed glanced at him.
“…I was already planning to.” And somewhere— in another part of the street— Aris had stopped walking.
Just for a second.
He looked back once.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
“…Who was she?” he murmured to himself.
Because for the first time in a long while— something didn’t make sense to him either