The Next Life (다음 생에 만날래)

The Date

Growing up different from normal kids, I was never one to seek out comfort in other people. With no memory of my parents, and barely any acquaintances, let alone friends, I mostly kept to myself. As life progressed, things changed, and I met Wendy, and then I met Sooyoung. After the six-month relationship ended, however, I was convinced that I would be destined to be alone, to never confide in another with any feelings more than friendship. After all, what sane person alive would actively throw themselves into my weird, haunting, at times dangerous world?

It turned out that, in fact, it wouldn't be a living person.

Her head felt slightly cool as it rested under my chin, like a solid ball of wind, a small chunk taken from the chilly December air around us. Her body fit into mine like a puzzle piece, like it had finally found its rightful place. It was a strange feeling, hugging something that gave off no heat nor coldness, and didn't retain my own heat in any way. And yet, with my arms wrapped around her small frame, my heart beating loud enough for the two of us, it felt so right.

"Forgive me for disturbing the silence," Jisoo's voice came muffled, breaking the tranquillity of the moment, "but I must ask, did your friend say anything of me earlier? Of us?"

She pulled away from the embrace, sliding her hands down from my neck to caress my arms. As she looked up at me, she tilted her head a little, expectantly. I had to remind myself to reply, getting lost in her brown eyes that seemed to sparkle in the moonlight.

"She, uh, said she could tell how much you care about me, despite..." I decided against including her brief comment on Jisoo's demeanour. "Also, she said you told her everything? About the deal and all?"

"I would hardly say it was everything. I merely provided answers where she had questions, and that entailed explaining our initial arrangement to..." She shook her head. "It is of no importance. Not anymore."

The topic of conversation sent my thoughts down a spiral, leading to the realisation that today was the last time I would ever see her. "And... now she's gone. Forever, I guess." The words left a bitter taste in my mouth which mirrored the tightness in my chest. I let out a soulless scoff as I averted my gaze to nothing in particular, off to the side.

The aversion was short-lived, however, as I felt a tepid hand on my cheek. Jisoo turned my head to face her once more, looking at me with an expression not dissimilar to that which was worn by funeral attendees as they gave their condolences. "If luck and fate are on your side, you may very well cross paths once more, one way or another."

"You're talking about reincarnation?"

She nodded as her thumb traced the skin of my arm. "From what I've gathered from my interactions with beings such as Mago and Jang Manwol, I at the very least know that when one traverses the bridge across Samdo River, their memories begin to leave them, until nothing but a blank slate is left at the end. It is all I can do to assume that this design would be to allow for one's soul's seamless transition into their next life."

"So what you're saying is, I might run into her reincarnated into a baby at some point? Or I might go my entire life without such luck, and only reunite with her soul after every memory we shared in this life is long gone?"

She let out a soft sigh, her eyes darted downwards briefly. "I'm afraid I cannot answer that."

"And that means I had another life, or multiple, before this one, that I can't remember?" My mind flashed back to the dreams I had which seemed to be from Prince Hyensuk's perspective. "Like, say, the Prince?"

Her eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked up at me, a soft smile forming on her lips. "As I have stated, I do not care if you are him or not. Whatever history he and I shared is merely that, a history long since past, and ought to be forgotten. Moreover, if you do not recall, the scoundrel was turned to nought but smoke by my own hand."