Evening arrived gently—
As if the world had decided to pretend nothing had happened.
A soft breeze slipped through the half-open window.
Light fell across the room.
Quiet.
Calm.
Ash stirred.
"…Ugh…"
Izumi, who had been sitting nearby, immediately looked up.
"…Ash?"
Ash slowly opened his eyes.
Confused.
Disoriented.
"…Izumi…?"
Relief washed over Izumi's face.
"…Yeah. You're back."
Ash blinked a few times, trying to focus.
"…What… happened…?"
Izumi hesitated.
"…You don't remember?"
Ash sat up slowly, holding his head.
"…I remember… something."
A pause.
"…A voice…"
His expression changed.
Suddenly serious.
"…Elizabeth."
The name hung in the air.
Izumi froze slightly.
"…You remember her name?"
Ash looked down at his hands.
"…Of course I do."
Silence.
"…She was my girlfriend."
Izumi didn't interrupt.
Ash let out a small, broken laugh.
"…She died two years ago."
The room felt heavier.
"…Car accident."
Izumi's eyes softened.
"…I'm sorry."
Ash shook his head slowly.
"…I couldn't accept it."
A pause.
"…I still can't."
His voice dropped.
"…She came back."
Izumi stayed quiet.
"…Not like before," Ash continued. "Not human."
"…But she was still… her."
A faint smile appeared.
"…She didn't want me to be sad."
Izumi's grip tightened slightly.
"…So she stayed."
The words hit harder than expected.
"…Even if it meant becoming something else…" Ash whispered.
A long silence followed.
"…She tried to protect you," Izumi said quietly.
Ash looked up.
"…What?"
"…That phone you threw."
Ash frowned.
"…I… threw it?"
Izumi nodded.
"…Your wallpaper."
"…It was her, right?"
Ash froze.
"…Yeah…"
His voice broke slightly.
"…That was her."
The truth settled between them.
Heavy.
Unavoidable.
"…Then…"
Ash swallowed.
"…You… killed her?"
Izumi didn't answer immediately.
"…I freed her."
Ash closed his eyes.
For a moment—
It looked like he might break.
But instead—
He nodded.
"…Yeah…"
"…That sounds better."
Silence.
Not uncomfortable.
Just… real.
_______________________
[Outside — Later]
The two members of the organization stood near the gate.
Waiting.
Watching.
"…You ready?" one of them asked.
Izumi glanced back once.
At Ash.
"…Yeah."
Ash gave a small nod.
"…Take care."
"…You too."
They stepped out.
"…Need a drop?" the leader asked casually.
Izumi shrugged.
"…Yeah."
"…Would be nice to not walk into another ghost on the way."
"…Reasonable."
They began walking.
After a few steps—
Izumi suddenly stopped.
"…Wait."
The two turned.
"…Where's the katana?"
A pause.
"…The one I used to eliminate that ghost."
The two exchanged a glance.
"…What katana?" one of them asked.
Izumi frowned.
"…Don't play dumb."
"…The blade—with the red stone."
Silence.
Then—
The leader spoke.
"…That's not possible."
Izumi's eyes narrowed.
"…What do you mean?"
"…A katana like that…"
He paused.
"…shouldn't exist here."
"…Explain."
A brief silence.
Then—
"…It belongs to a legendary exorcist."
Izumi didn't move.
"…An exorcist who vanished years ago."
"…Along with his weapon."
A chill ran down Izumi's spine.
"…So you're saying…"
"…That blade shouldn't have appeared at all."
Izumi looked at his empty hands.
"…Then what did I use…?"
No answer came.
________________________
[Evening — Izumi's Home]
The front door opened.
"I'm back."
His father's voice came from inside.
"…You're late."
"Yeah, stuff happened."
A pause.
"…Someone came to see you."
Izumi stopped.
"…Who?"
"…Videl."
His heartbeat skipped.
"…She said to call her."
Izumi didn't waste time.
________________________
[Phone Call]
"…Hello?"
"…Hey."
A small pause.
"…You're alive."
Izumi blinked.
"…That's a weird way to start a conversation."
"…You disappear, don't reply, and then randomly exist again."
"…Fair point."
A pause.
"…Wanna go for a walk?" she asked.
"…Now?"
"…Yeah."
Izumi smiled faintly.
"…Sure."
_______________________
[Night — Streets of Seoul]
The city lights glowed softly.
Cars passed by.
Voices filled the distance.
Videl walked beside him.
Hands behind her back.
Casual.
"…So," she said, glancing sideways, "you gonna explain why you look like you fought something?"
Izumi sighed.
"…Do I really look that bad?"
"…You look like you lost an argument with life."
"…That's accurate."
She laughed.
"…You haven't changed."
"…Neither have you."
"Rude."
"…Honest."
They walked in silence for a moment.
Comfortable.
"…You know," Videl said, "normal people travel and come back with souvenirs."
Izumi smirked slightly.
"…I brought trauma instead."
"…Wow. Very thoughtful."
"…Limited edition."
She laughed again.
"…Idiot."
A small pause.
"…You scared me, you know."
Izumi looked at her.
"…Why?"
"…Because you disappear like that."
Her voice was softer now.
"…And don't tell me anything."
Izumi didn't reply.
Because he didn't have a good answer.
"…I'm fine," he said eventually.
"…That's not convincing."
"…I'll work on it."
She rolled her eyes.
"…Do that."
They kept walking.
The distance between them stayed the same.
Not too close.
Not too far.
Unsaid things lingered.
Things from two years ago.
Things neither of them brought up.
"…You still remember?" Izumi asked suddenly.
"…What?"
"…Two years ago."
She stopped.
Just for a second.
"…Yeah."
That was all she said.
Nothing more.
Izumi smiled faintly.
"…Good."
She started walking again.
"…Don't get the wrong idea."
"…I won't."
"…Good."
But her voice—
Wasn't as firm as she wanted it to be.
________________________
[Outside Videl's House]
"…This is me," she said.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…Thanks," she added.
"…For what?"
"…For showing up."
Izumi smiled slightly.
"…Anytime."
She turned—
Then stopped.
"…And Izumi?"
"…Yeah?"
"…Don't disappear again."
A small smile.
"…I'll try."
She nodded.
Then went inside.
Izumi stood there for a moment.
"…That was… nice."
Then he turned.
And walked back.
________________________
[Late Night — Izumi's Room]
The room was dark.
Silent.
Izumi lay on his bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
"…Two years…"
The memory replayed.
That day.
That confession.
Her silence.
"…Still waiting, huh…"
He chuckled softly.
"…Pathetic."
But his eyes—
Didn't laugh.
Sleep didn't come.
Only thoughts.
Then—
His phone rang.
"…At this hour?"
He picked it up.
"…Goutham?"
The screen glowed in the dark.
Incoming call.
From him.
At night.
After everything.
Izumi's expression changed.
"…Why now…?"
He answered.
"…What happened?" Izumi asked.
A pause.
"…Nothing right now," Goutham replied.
Izumi frowned.
"…That doesn't sound reassuring."
"…Yeah, I figured."
Silence lingered between them.
Uncomfortable.
Heavy.
"…Meet me tomorrow," Goutham said.
"…That's it?"
"…Yeah."
Izumi's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…You called me at midnight just to say that?"
"…If I explained it now, you wouldn't sleep at all."
"…Bold of you to assume I'm sleeping anyway."
A faint exhale came from the other side.
Almost like a tired laugh.
"…Just come," Goutham said quietly.
Then—
The call ended.
Izumi stared at his phone.
"…He's hiding something."
The silence in his room returned.
But it didn't feel the same anymore.
"…Tomorrow, huh…"
He placed the phone beside him.
Closed his eyes.
But sleep—
Still didn't come.
__________________________
[Next Morning]
The sky was pale.
The kind of morning that felt unfinished.
Izumi stood in front of a small café.
"…I barely slept…"
His voice carried quiet frustration.
He ran a hand through his hair.
Eyes slightly tired.
"…This better be worth it."
"Oi."
Izumi turned.
Goutham stood there.
Hands in his pockets.
Unusually serious.
"…You look worse than me," Izumi said.
"…Thanks."
"…So, what's this about?"
No jokes.
No teasing.
Goutham walked past him.
"…Come."
"…That's not suspicious at all."
They walked side by side.
The streets were normal.
People laughed.
Cars passed.
Life moved on.
But between them—
Something was off.
"…Alright," Izumi said, breaking the silence. "You dragged me out here. Start talking."
Goutham stopped.
Slowly turned toward him.
"…We're in trouble."
No hesitation.
No build-up.
Just truth.
Izumi didn't react immediately.
"…Define 'trouble.'"
Goutham exhaled.
"…You remember that train incident."
"…Hard to forget."
"…Since then…"
He paused.
"…Things haven't stopped."
Izumi's eyes narrowed.
"…What do you mean?"
Goutham looked at him directly.
"…We're getting involved."
A beat.
"…With ghosts."
Silence.
"…That's not new," Izumi said quietly.
"…No," Goutham shook his head.
"…I mean after that."
Izumi froze slightly.
"…You're saying…"
"…Yeah."
Goutham's voice lowered.
"…They're showing up."
"…More frequently."
A chill crept in.
"…That's not coincidence," Izumi muttered.
"…Exactly."
Goutham stepped closer.
"…It's like…"
He hesitated.
Searching for the right words.
"…Like we've been marked."
Izumi didn't interrupt.
"…Or pulled into something," Goutham continued.
"…Something we weren't supposed to be part of."
Izumi's mind flashed back—
The message.
The organization.
The third man.
The katana.
"…This isn't random…"
"…No," Goutham said.
Then—
He spoke slowly.
Clearly.
"…Our fate…"
A pause.
"…is changing on its own."
The words hit harder than expected.
Izumi looked at him.
"…That sounds like something my grandfather would say."
"…Yeah?"
"…Yeah."
A brief silence.
"…Speaking of that," Goutham said.
Izumi blinked.
"…What?"
"…I called him."
Izumi froze.
"…Your grandfather?"
"…Yeah."
Izumi's expression shifted.
"…You mean…"
"…Yeah."
Goutham's eyes were serious.
"…An exorcist."
Silence.
"…You didn't tell me that," Izumi said.
"…You didn't tell me about your grandfather either."
"…Fair."
A pause.
"…When is he coming?" Izumi asked.
Goutham looked ahead.
"…Soon."
That one word carried weight.
"…And trust me…"
His voice dropped slightly.
"…If he's coming all the way here…"
He looked back at Izumi.
"…Then this isn't something small."
The wind picked up slightly.
The city remained the same.
But for them—
Everything had already changed.
Izumi exhaled slowly.
"…Guess this trip just keeps getting better."
Goutham smirked faintly.
"…You wanted adventure."
"…Not like this."
"…Too late now."
Silence.
Then—
"…Yeah."
Izumi looked ahead.
"…Too late."
Somewhere far away—
Something shifted.
Something unseen.
Watching.
Waiting.