Hiii, hru? Idk if ur taking requests but can i request a ryung-gu from tomorrow x fem grim reaper who's the directors daughter (so she kinda handles some work for her) so he calls her sunbaenim out of respect (and to hide the fact he is inlove w her) even tho she tells him him to call her noona and after they finally get together (they're also connected with the red string) they hide they're relationship but they fail miserably cuz ryung-gu is too obvious
Srry if it's too long or if ur not taking requests but i love your writing and hope ur not busy take care byee<33
✧:･ﾟThe Tip of the Threads → Lim Ryung-gu x reader ˚₊· ꒰💫꒱
꒰ 命 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘 ꒱┊ Due to a shortage of reapers in the suicide prevention unit, the Director's daughter is assigned to a special mission. However, there is a challenge: Lim Ryung-gu.
꒰ 命 𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ꒱┊ Lim Ryung-gu x fem!reader
꒰ 命 𝐆𝐄𝐍𝐑𝐄 ꒱┊ fluff, comfort, ex lovers to friends, friends to lovers again, happy ending.
꒰ 命 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆𝐒 ꒱┊ mention of anxiety, death, depression, suicide, fighting, insults, possible trigger for some readers (?). English is not my first language! I apologize in advance for any grammatical and/or spelling mistakes.
Sunbaenim (선배님) is a Korean honorific term that refers to someone older or experienced, indicating respect and recognition of hierarchy.
꒰ 命 𝐀/𝐍 ꒱┊ I'm on a "project", so to speak, with the goal of answering all the Asks sent to me. I recently opened a taglist, so if you want to be added to it, let me know in the comments. :)
I shake my leg frantically while gazing at the vast view outside the window. I felt a bit nervous, but I was more fearless than anything else. My eyes remain fixed on the door of the large, modern office when I hear someone enter.
I watch as my mother walks in with her usual sweet smile on her lips. She hands me the small box of flavored milk, gently ruffles my hair, and sits at her main desk. She observes me patiently as I approach her.
"What brings you here again, dear?"
"You know very well what I want."
A nearly bored sigh escapes her lips. She momentarily stops writing the paperwork, putting the pen down to give me her full attention.
"We've already talked about this—"
"Okay, Mom! I know, but please, hear me out this time."
I pause for a few seconds, waiting for her reaction. When I notice she's listening, I continue.
"I've already helped many new recruits from various divisions here at Jumadeung. Now, I want to help more grim reapers, but in the field. I want to help save souls, Mom."
I plead, feeling too tired to argue. For the past few months, I've been feeling somewhat useless at Jumadeung. People have always seen me as "the director's daughter," and that has always bothered me. I wanted them to see me as someone who worked hard to get where I am, someone who contributes to the greater good through capability and teamwork.
That's why, for months, I observed all of Jumadeung's teams and divisions and realized that one needed help more than the others. The suicide prevention division lacked new recruits, people willing to go out into the field to help those in need.
However, due to all the prejudice against the team's only members, no one wanted to join something like that. But not me. Since the team was established, I've admired them, even if I never had the chance to express it.
Now, I feel I owe it to the company and to all those who need my help, regardless of external criticism.
"My daughter, I've already explained this to you. The suicide prevention team is no easy task. Aside from being a time-consuming and specialized job, I don't want you to feel frustrated by all the criticism, even though I don't give credit to baseless words."
"I don't care about them. I don't care about criticism, Mom. I can handle it, I promise. If I can't, I give you my word you'll never have to let me into the field again."
She seems to consider my words, looking deeply into my eyes. My words might have been a bit extreme, but I know I won't regret them in the future.
"... Alright. I'll send the proposal to Miss Goo Ryeon."
A sincere smile crosses my face, my heart racing with happiness. I bow quickly in gratitude, a sigh of relief and joy escaping my lips.
I place the box on the small table, dust visibly swirling around me, but I’m sure I’ll get used to it. Carefully, I take my belongings out of the box and sit down in my chair.
When I lift my gaze, I notice everyone watching my every move, perhaps waiting for an announcement or just intrigued. Goo Ryeon is the first to break the silence, her always calm and peaceful voice filling the room.
"So, you’ve wanted to join the team for a while now?"
She looks at me with a hint of suspicion, perhaps a trace of judgment behind her eyes, but she quickly relaxes, settling comfortably in her chair.
"Welcome, Miss Yoon," she says, offering me a faint smile. "But know that we have a lot of work to do."
I smile enthusiastically. I’m ready for whatever comes my way.
I glance at Mr. Choi beside me, who greets me with his cheerful and sweet tone. As I laugh at his enthusiasm, my eyes meet those of Lim Ryung-gu. He simply nods in greeting, not saying a word.
Lim Ryung-gu was a familiar face to me. I’m nearly a hundred years older than him, so I was there when the slender young man with brown curls walked through Jumadeung’s doors, completely scared and confused.
The first time I saw him, I immediately knew he would be my downfall. My breathing quickened, my heart skipped a beat, and I became utterly lost in thought whenever I was near him.
For years, I tried to get closer to him, but his cold, neutral gaze always kept me at a distance. He never spoke more than conventional phrases or polite greetings that further pushed me away.
Still, I never stopped trying. I always treated him as kindly, warmly, and respectfully as possible, careful not to overstep his boundaries.
I watch him as he skillfully and quickly works on the computer. He’s grown a lot since joining the team. I can’t help but notice his soft strands, now dyed blonde, falling subtly over his forehead, as his tongue grazes his reddened lips in a sign of deep concentration. He’s beautiful.
My thoughts are interrupted by the sharp, synchronized sounds of our phones vibrating on the table. We all look at each other, and I can feel the nervousness starting to flow through me. My first mission.
"Alright, ma’am, the person in question is Min Taekwon, twenty-three years old." Ryung-gu’s soft yet firm voice fills the room as he explains the basic details of the case.
"Okay, let’s go. We need to move." Straightening my posture, I follow the others, leaving last.
"Don’t be nervous, sunbaenim. It’ll all be okay." Ryung-gu slows his steps as we leave the office, whispering comforting words to me. I try not to let my surprise show as I smile at him gratefully.
"Thank you." He doesn’t respond, but his gaze glimmers with an unfamiliar feeling as he walks away, acting as though nothing happened.
I carefully observe the youthful-looking man lying unconscious on a hospital bed. His body is covered in bruises that send chills down my spine. He had undoubtedly endured tremendous pain for his skin to take on such a greenish-purple hue.
I sigh, intrigued, diverting my gaze to my new teammates, who were seriously assessing the situation.
“What happened to him?” I ask, genuinely curious, my voice betraying a mix of curiosity and pity.
“He had an accident while trying to save his sister from drowning in a river. Apparently, she was being chased by a man who pushed her into the water in an attempt to kill her. He probably fought with the man, but the guy fled, and the sister ended up drowning,” Ryung-gu explains, his gaze filled with pity. I could tell he sympathized with the man’s pain of losing someone so important.
“They were twins abandoned at an orphanage when they were children, but his sister was adopted by a British family who lived in Korea for a few years before deciding to return to their home country. This separated the siblings, and they lost contact over the years,” Goo Ryeon elaborates, giving us insight into the root of the problem so we could approach the situation with a deeper understanding of the man’s life.
“He didn’t know his sister’s whereabouts but searched for her for years, even without knowing she was in a foreign country,” she continues as we all listen attentively. “He recently managed to find her after years of searching, as she had returned to Korea to attend a prestigious university.” She sighs, her next words heavy with sorrow, adding a weighty, knowing atmosphere to the room.
“But unfortunately, he lost her so quickly, making the years he spent searching for her feel like a futile effort.”
My chest tightens at the man’s heartbreaking story. Someone so young should be enjoying life, not carrying such unbearable pain that was beyond his control.
“Wow… that must have been so hard for him. I don’t know if I could handle it alone after living my life with someone identical to me,” Mr. Choi says, shaking his head, as though trying to picture the situation from his perspective.
I nod, agreeing with his words. “Being brutally separated from the only person who truly understands you in such an unfair world must be too heavy a burden to bear,” I whisper softly, my tone lined with a quiet anguish, as if the situation evoked a strange and nostalgic ache in me—something I almost understood on a deeper level.
Before anyone could say more, a sharp, repetitive beeping sound filled the air. Ryung-gu pressed a button on his watch, glancing at Goo Ryeon as though silently explaining himself. She merely nodded, granting him permission to leave.
Before turning away, his bittersweet gaze meets mine, and I feel an inexplicable internal suffocation. I wish I could understand why my body reacted so strangely to his presence—his mere existence seemed to stir sensations in me, both foreign and oddly familiar.
“Alright, we’ll stay here until he wakes up. We need to ensure he doesn’t do anything rash while we’re not watching,” Goo Ryeon says, prompting Mr. Choi and me to nod in agreement. We then disperse to wait in the corridor outside Min Taekwon’s room.
A few hours had passed since we arrived at the hospital, and it was already the afternoon of the following day. When we heard that Min Taekwon had woken up, we stayed on high alert for any suspicious movements he might make. Still, all of us couldn’t hide our surprise at the way he cheerfully and politely interacted with the nurses and doctors, looking as if he had just awakened from a rejuvenating beauty sleep.
“Isn’t this a bit strange? He just lost his sister and went through a severe accident trying to save her, yet here he is, smiling brightly at the staff,” I comment, confused by the situation, unsure if I’d ever be strong enough to maintain such a convincing facade.
“... We all have different ways of dealing with pain, and some people try to escape their mind’s oppression by hiding their struggles,” Ryung-gu’s low voice suddenly answers from behind me, sending shivers down my spine as his calm tone reverberates within me.
“Oh!... Good morning, Ryung-gu.”
“Thank goodness you’re here, Mr. Lim! Hey, you wouldn’t mind grabbing some coffee for us, would you?” Mr. Choi speaks in a drawn-out, tired tone, practically begging Ryung-gu with puppy-dog eyes as he shifts uncomfortably in the hospital chair.
“He’s got a point; after sitting here for hours doing nothing, a little boost would be nice. Miss Yoon, why don’t you go with him to help carry the coffee back?” I glance between Ryung-gu and her, nodding silently before walking alongside him out of the hospital.
The walk wasn’t long since the café wasn’t far from the hospital. A quiet silence settled between us—not uncomfortable, but perhaps cowardly, as neither of us seemed brave enough to start a conversation.
I still felt that strange sensation whenever I was near him, and I could sense he felt it too. Even though his rigid posture betrayed no emotion, something about him made me believe there was much more beneath his stoic exterior.
We stood in line until it was our turn to order, Ryung-gu stepping up to place the request.
“Three Americanos and one pineapple-mint tea, please.”
I looked at him in surprise as we walked to sit and wait for our order. Ryung-gu gazed at the passersby outside the window, his expression distant, leaving me wondering what was on his mind. Without realizing it, I had been staring at him, lost in thought.
“How… how did you know I don’t like coffee?” I finally asked, breaking the silence. His eyes widened slightly, and I could see the faint flicker of surprise behind his composed demeanor. He seemed to wrestle with his thoughts, perhaps asking himself the same question I had just posed to him.
But then, after a moment of pondering, he met my gaze confidently, his tone clear and smooth despite the inner turmoil he likely felt. “You always decline whenever a coworker offers you coffee, sunbaenim. And you keep tea bags in your desk at the office, so I guessed that was your favorite flavor.”
This time, I was the one struggling to stay calm. My heart raced uncontrollably, and my face flushed slightly. It was strange to think he had noticed such trivial habits of mine, but it was proof of his attentiveness toward me. I sighed, a faint, embarrassed smile forming on my lips.
“You know… come to think of it, we’ve worked together for so many years, long enough to consider ourselves close. You don’t need to be so formal with me, Ryung-gu. You can call me Noona—I don’t mind skipping the formalities, you know.”
For the first time in years, Ryung-gu showed something I had never seen before—a faint blush spreading across his face. It made him even more attractive, and the fact that he tried to hide it by forcing a cough and averting his gaze, all while maintaining his composure, was both endearing and unforgettable to witness.
Before Ryung-gu could respond, his name was called, signaling that our order was ready.
I carefully analyze the environment, observing each detail of the simple yet cozy decor. The various framed photos with two smiling children's faces were spread throughout the entire house. The soft scent of lavender and the meticulously arranged surroundings were almost satisfying to see.
Five days had passed since Min Taekwon was discharged from the hospital, but despite his brief rest, he chose not to follow the doctor's note, returning to work early at his job as a photojournalist.
Obviously, he wasn't mentally stable enough to return so quickly to his routine environment, causing him to have a psychological breakdown after seeing the knife on the dining table in the office where he worked. He locked himself in the bathroom to try to calm his panic attack. We disguised ourselves as employees of the company, so Ryung-gu managed to get into the bathroom to try to help him, but didn't get good results when Min Taekwon simply emerged from the bathroom with his usual forced smile, with even more percentages of the app falling into the reddish color.
Goo Ryeon then sent Mr. Choi and me to Min Taekwon's apartment, hoping we could find something about him that would help us get closer and understand him even more.
I decided to search his room while Mr. Choi searched the rest of the house. Like the rest of the apartment, everything was perfectly clean and organized, probably he has some tendency towards cleanliness or something like that.
I searched through his drawers, wardrobe, boxes, but all I found were things related to his work or personal documents. It's strange to imagine that he spent so much time dedicating his life to his job, without being able to focus his mind on anything else without succumbing to dismay.
I sighed despondently after an incessant search with no results. I sat on the bed to gather my thoughts. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, but as I tried to pick it up, it slipped from my hand, falling to the floor.
I crouched down to pick up the phone and answered the call. Ryung-gu's voice seemed like just background noise to me as I carefully observed the eye-catching black leather padded folder underneath the bed.
— Hello? Did you guys find anything? - Ryung-gu asked curiously, his voice showing anxiety because of my silence.
— Um… Ryung-gu, I think I found something. - I spoke slowly, picking up the folder and placing it on the bed. I put the phone next to me on speakerphone so I could check the contents of the folder calmly.
— Well? Did you find anything useful that we can use? - Ryung-gu asked again, but I still didn't give him any answer. This time, though, the reason was much more serious. I felt my throat tighten as my eyes widened in shock.
With trembling hands, I hesitantly held the Polaroids. From the blurry image, I imagine it must have been taken very quickly, and from the distance, definitely in a discreet manner. In all the photos, I could see Min Taekwon's sister doing something totally unaware that she was being watched.
Drinking coffee in the afternoon with friends, doing grocery shopping, going on a date with a young and handsome guy. Everything—everything—she did in her daily life was in that folder. My stomach churned in a strange way, and this was definitely bad. I felt a deep anguish invade my being, and tears threatened to overflow in my eyes as my breathing became irregular. This was hitting me more deeply than it should, and I didn't know why.
Looking deeper, unfortunately, I found even more evidence of this grotesque act. There were dozens of screenshots from her social media, with photos and locations she passed through, all annotated on sheets attached to each print. There was a small notebook the same color as the folder, I see a well-crafted handwriting and I can only think about how scheming this guy is, and it makes me nauseous.
In the content of the small notebook, there were notes about times and places, explaining all the content of the photos. He also wrote thoughts about how much he thought she had grown and become healthy, how much he hated her “petty” boyfriend, according to his notes.
A pressure takes over my head, and feeling dizzy and disoriented, I try to get up from the bed but end up stumbling and hitting my head on the floor. Mr. Choi rushes into the room upon hearing the sound of my head hitting the ground, “HEY! NO! Please, wake up. Stay with me—please…” that's the last thing I hear before losing consciousness completely.
“Hey, wake up.” A male voice whispered softly beside me, his fingers gently caressing my scalp, which made me open my eyes. My eyelids slightly contracted due to the bright light hitting my face.
With my vision still a bit blurred, I tried to focus my gaze on the slender young man beside me, a tender smile appearing on his face, bringing a nostalgic sense of comfort.
“Dear, we need to go. We don’t have much time.” He spoke, and after everything finally took shape in my field of vision, I realized it was Ryung-gu lying beside me on a small patch of lush grass in the middle of a vast field of roses.
The face definitely belonged to Ryung-gu that I knew, but he looked different, with more natural hair and clothing very old-fashioned, like from the Joseon Dynasty, very similar to the one I was wearing, though his clothes were more worn out.
He helped me to stand up, holding my hands tightly and pulling me deeper into the field. He ran ahead of me, looking back with a bright, gentle smile—something very different from what I was used to. I ran after him, trying to catch up, but suddenly he disappeared from my sight through a dark door standing still in the middle of the field.
Suddenly, a chill ran through my body; the sky that was once bright and clear was suddenly cloudy and dark. I felt a fear weighing on my heart, tingling and trembling in my hands and legs. I swallowed hard, and before I could process anything, my legs walked on their own towards the dark.
It was dark. It was night. Some lanterns faintly illuminated the cobbled street, some drops trickling from the roofs of the houses after the rain had stopped just a little while ago.
I was standing in the middle of a narrow, small street, overwhelmed by curiosity and awe as I looked around. Hearing frantic footsteps, I looked to the side where Ryung-gu's robe disappeared around the corner.
I ran desperately after him but found nothing, yet I felt like I shouldn’t stop. The footsteps that had been ahead of me, at that moment, I felt them behind me, but I subconsciously knew they didn’t belong to Ryung-gu’s steps.
I tried to run even more, knowing my legs didn’t have much strength left after traveling such a long distance. I wasn’t paying attention to where exactly I was running because I just had the feeling that I needed to do this.
Totally scattered and disoriented, I ended up getting cornered in a dead-end street, surrounded only by some ancient goods from merchants. When I stopped, the noise that was chasing me did the same—a shadow hovering over me. My eyes closed, and a solitary tear fell, my body trembling uncontrollably.
I turned slowly, and before I could see the face of the one chasing me, a stunning pain seared into my abdomen. The blade glimmering under the bright light of a full moon reflected in my eyes as I fell to the ground.
I didn’t know if my vision was blurred by the pain or by the tears, but even with my limited vision, I could see my assailant suddenly move when another blade from a sword grazed his right arm.
With the dizziness I felt from the lack of air in my lungs, I couldn’t process much of what was happening around me, but I could see when the assailant managed to flee abruptly.
Seconds later, strong arms gently lifted me into his lap, which would be a comfortable position if I weren’t in so much pain.
“N-no! No, no, no! Please, open your eyes… please…” As I heard his voice, the thought that I would miss his sweet and eloquent tone that I loved so much quickly crossed my mind, almost as if someone was thinking for me.
“Dear— I’m sorry! I’m sorry for leaving, but please, stay with me just this once…” he tried to speak through tears, but his irregular breathing and the tears wetting his face prevented him from speaking clearly.
I placed my hand over the one he was trying to stop the bleeding with, gently caressing his hand with my thumb, filled with pain mixed with tenderness.
“I—I… I…” My voice was weak and very faint, and Ryung-gu cried even more upon hearing it this way.
“No— p-please. Don’t say anything, I—I’ll get you out of here.”
Making the maximum effort I could, I held his face while wiping his tears, his tears now mixed with a crimson red of my blood.
“I… I love you… I… I’m so sorry.”
— Look, I don’t know. I just got here, and she fainted, so I brought her here immediately. - Mr. Choi’s voice was filled with desperation as I felt him pacing back and forth.
— Calm down, she’s already waking up, look there. - I heard Miss Goo Ryeon trying to calm him. I slowly opened my eyes and only then realized that I was lying on the sofa in one of Jumadeung’s rooms, but my attention was redirected when I felt fingers gently caressing my right hand.
— It’s okay, stay calm. - Ryung-gu helped me sit up slowly, supporting a hand on my back as he let go of my hand to wipe away the tears that were running unnoticed down my face. My eyes fixed on Ryung-gu’s gaze, which held a mix of emotions I couldn’t describe but definitely touched my heart. Even as he futilely tried to wipe them away, the tears wouldn’t stop falling. Memories of the dream I had flooded my mind, but I couldn’t express my emotions in words, not physically.
Internally, I felt an overwhelming desire to hug him, and I couldn’t even distinguish why. How can I say it was just a dream when all the emotions felt so vivid on my skin?
Before I could say anything to him, I was interrupted by Mr. Choi’s dramatic sobbing as he sat down next to me, resting his hand on my shoulder.
— Please, don’t do this again! You scared me half to death. - I smiled faintly at him, returning the squeeze of his hand on my shoulder.
— It’s all okay now. I mean, as much as it can be… what I found in there was at least disturbing. - They all nodded silently in agreement that they were aware of the situation.
— What you found was just the tip of the iceberg. - Miss Goo Ryeon spoke cautiously, choosing her words with care. — Mr. Choi and I will handle this for now, but you need to pull yourself together, Miss Yoon, this situation was clearly too stressful for you. Lim Ryung-gu, can you stay with her here in Jumadeung? We need to deal with this situation as quickly as possible, but we can’t work with you in this state.
— Yes, ma’am. Please keep us updated on everything that happens. - Ryung-gu responded, watching Miss Goo Ryeon and Mr. Choi leave to deal with the situation.
As soon as they left, I tried to get up, determined to clear all the doubts in my mind. However, I was quickly stopped by Ryung-gu, who gently held my arms, making me sit back on the sofa.
— Where do you think you’re going? You need to rest, you’re not okay at all. Do you know how worried I was about you? - I stayed silent, his words catching me off guard. — I mean, all of us were really worried about you. You just passed out and almost hurt your head.
— I’m already feeling better. I… I need to handle something, so I think it’s better if you don’t stop me.
— Then I’m coming with you. - He stood firmly in front of me, looking at me with concern, reminding me of his tear-streaked face in my memories. I remembered, Ryung-gu…
I quickly walked out of the elevator leading directly to my mother’s office. The first place I thought might be helpful was the library of past life memories records, but nothing was listed in the system about my past life, nor Ryung-gu’s. The boy followed me, confused but not questioning anything. Despite looking confused, I felt a distant glimmer of knowledge behind his eyes.
As a last resort, I imagined that the only person who could help us was her. Mysterious and quiet, but she was the only one who knew everything that happened in Jumadeung.
I didn’t bother knocking on the door, just pulled Ryung-gu inside quickly, startling him a bit with my anxious actions.
— Mom, we need to talk. - She looked at us a little surprised, and a bit of anger appeared on her face, but her expression relaxed when she saw our joined hands. She got up from her chair, letting out a slight sigh before speaking:
— So the moment has come... Please, make yourselves comfortable. - she gestured to the sofa, sitting down in front of us.
— What’s going on, Noona? You got weird since you saw those pictures. - Ryung-gu squeezed our joined hands a little tighter.
— Mom, Ryung-gu… While I was unconscious, I had a dream. Actually, it was a memory, possibly from my last past life. - They both listened attentively, Ryung-gu more curious and my mom patient.
— In this memory, I saw Ryung-gu. And we were... Together. But then everything went dark and cold, and it was so real. The blade, the blood, the crying... It was so real to have just been a dream. - I felt Ryung-gu shudder beside me, releasing my hand as he ran a hand through his hair, leaning his elbows on his knees, sighing heavily.
— Dear, I think it’s time to tell you an old story. A long time ago, there was a young lady and a young man. This lady was the heiress to a powerful fortune from a foreign family who came to Korea to establish power relations. The boy, on the other hand, was a poor boy, but very intelligent and sharp. Through a chance meeting they had, they ended up falling in love from a young age and kept their relationship a secret for a long time. They were soulmates separated by fate. - I listened intently to everything, but I glanced away as I noticed tears streaming down Ryung-gu’s face, which he tried to hide behind his hands.
— The lady’s family, discovering her involvement with someone from a lower class, found it unacceptable. It would be a shame for the family’s reputation if they knew about such barbarity, they thought. However, a rival family, hearing these rumors, took advantage of the moment of weakness during one of the lady’s escapes, and cruelly exploited the situation, brutally murdering the young lady.
— You... You knew about this, Ryung-gu? - I swallowed hard, waiting for the response from the taller figure beside me. His face was completely taken over by tears, sobs and gasps accompanied his disjointed speech, my heart squeezing with the sight, my own tears following down my face.
— I- I didn’t know it was you. My memory was confused; I was afraid to say something and have you hate me. Forgive me, Jagiya. I couldn’t risk you forgetting about me, hating me.
— How could you, Ryung-gu! You’ve been ignoring your feelings, our relationship all because of pure fear?! - At this point, we were both standing facing each other, both with confused and mixed emotions, not knowing how to express ourselves in the face of such sudden revelations.
— Please, calm down! - My mom spoke in an altered tone, making me shift my attention to her. — He’s right, my daughter, you didn’t let me finish the story. When you arrived here in Jumadeung, the first thing you asked for was to forget your pain. You chose to follow this path, and if Ryung-gu reminded you of your past life, the thread that connects your souls could break, as it would be considered a breach of the pact.
The shock took over my body, and by impulse, I sat down crying on the sofa. All I could do was cry. For relief, for sadness, for fear. Arms instantly surrounded me, Ryung-gu’s warm breath comforting not just my skin but also my inner self. I needed his embrace, I needed him.
— I think I should leave you alone... - I heard the office door close, feeling more at ease in Ryung-gu’s presence alone.
— I’m sorry, Ryung-gu! I’m sorry for forgetting about you... I’m sorry for not doing enough. It must have been hard for you to bear all alone this time.
— It’s not your fault. Never apologize for something that was beyond your control. I understand why you did it, and I don’t blame you, it was just your way of dealing with the pain.
— Thank you for not forgetting me, Ryung-gu. - I hugged him as close as I could, wrapping myself in his warmth and forgetting all worries, remembering all the moments from the past when his arms were a comfort to me. All the times he wiped my tears, helped me deal with family issues even while facing his own difficulties. He was always there for me and for me, and now the time had come for me to return all the love and care he had given me since our past lives.
— No matter how much time passes or how many lives we have, I’ll never let our thread disconnect, you hear me? - He held my face, looking deeply into my eyes with a burning gaze. And after so many tears of pain and longing, I finally allowed myself to lovingly unite our lips. It was calm, gentle, and sweet, wrapped in love and nostalgia, our need and thirst for each other feeding the desire to be united, connected.
— He what? - I asked completely stunned by such revelation.
— Exactly. - Goo Ryeon affirms Mr. Choi’s statement, who looked as surprised as I was. - Min Taekwon was actually stalking her for months, completely distorting his admiration for your sister into a pure, unhealthy obsession. He was stalking her without revealing his identity, but when he found out she was going to get married and move back to Europe, he killed her brother-in-law. When her sister went to offer condolences at the memorial she made by the river for her ex-fiancé, he confronted her, revealing his true intentions, and in the rush and adrenaline of the moment, he tried to attack her. She tried to defend herself, but because he was much stronger than her, she ended up stumbling, and both of them fell into the river.
— She didn’t survive, but he did. When he woke up, he felt strong regret for what he had done, so he wished to go with her.
Ryung-gu and I stared at each other in shock at the true story that Goo Ryeon told us.
— So, he was the real culprit behind everything all this time? - Ryung-gu asked, for the first time appearing so surprised.
— He eventually turned himself in to the police after realizing his apartment had been ransacked. There’s nothing more we can do; it was his choice. - Mr. Choi explains, sitting down in his chair.
— Wow!.. I was expecting everything except something like this. I guess not everything that appears is the truth.
— Yeah... - Goo Ryeon returns to her desk, probably writing about the case to file away.
— But changing the subject, you two have been looking pretty happy lately. Did Mr. Lim finally accept your love for Miss Yoon? - Joon-Woong leans his hands on his chin, looking at our direction with a smile. Ryung-gu takes a step back, clearing his throat awkwardly, going back to his desk. I follow the same steps, sitting down embarrassed at my desk, my face hot and probably very pink.
— Don’t worry, you make a great couple! I’m sure Mrs. Goo Ryeon agrees with me, isn’t that right, boss? - He speaks jokingly, receiving a warning look from Ryung-gu and only silence from Goo Ryeon, who just shows a small, discreet smile.
— Quiet down, kid. Lost your mind or something?! - Ryung-gu throws a pen at Joon-Woong, who complains, rubbing the spot where he was hit.
— Hey, I’m just messing around. No need to be aggressive, okay?!
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