The previous night's rain still lingered over the morning sky, leaving the streets damp and the air cool. The atmosphere in the Café was calm. Ha-rin was already behind the counter, her mind seemed to had wondered off as she stirred the cup of coffee.
"You should be careful with that pendant." The man's voice from yesterday echoed in her mind again and again, even haunting her rest. Her eyes were heavy. Everyone could clearly tell she didn't have enough sleep the previous night.
Why would a stranger say something like that? The question kept ringing in her thoughts.
"Hey." Soo-Jin called her attention as she stood in front of her, with her arms crossed over her chest. "You've been stirring that coffee for a full minute."
Ha-rin immediately looked down. "Oh." She cried. "The coffee had long been mixed."
"Right." Soo-Jin eyes narrowed as she stared into her eyes. "What's going on with you?"
"Nothing," She quickly said.
"Something happened yesterday, didn't it?" Her sister asked. Ha-rin hesitated but then let out an inaudible sigh.
"Do you ever feel like something is familiar, but you don't know why?"
Soo-Jin's eyebrows rose with her sudden question. "That sounds like the start of a horror story."
"I'm serious." Ha-rin cried, leaning against the counter. "That man who came yesterday…when I touched his hand, I suddenly saw something." Soo-Jin's expression shifted slightly.
"Saw what?"
"I don't know exactly," Ha-rin admitted. "It felt like a memory. But not mine."
Soo-Jin was quiet for a moment before reaching out, lightly tapping Ha-rin's forehead. "You're overworking again." Ha-rin groaned at her accusation.
"I knew you'd say that."
"Because it's true." Soo-jin replied as she handed her a fresh cup. "Drink this and stop thinking too much."
Ha-rin reluctantly took the cup but deep down, she knew that moment wasn't just an imagination. It had felt more real than anything else.
The atmosphere at the Moonlight Cultural Foundation was much more serious. And in one of their private research rooms, was a man. He stood in front of a large display board filled with historical documents, photographs, maps and old texts.
Everything connected to one event: The Joseon Palace Coup.
He adjusted his glasses slightly while he studied the materials. Soon, he heard footsteps echo as it approached him. "Professor Seo." The voice called as it entered.
Seo Do-hyun is a historian known for his deep obsession with unresolved historical mysteries. He instinctively turned to the door with a polite smile and found Hyun, nearing him.
"Ah, Mr. Lee. It's been a while."
"Yeah but for now, I have a request from Director Kang." That immediately caught his attention.
"A request?" Hyun-woo nodded.
"He wants you to re-examine the records related to the palace coup."
Do-hyun's eyes lit up. " That case again?" He exclaimed.
"It seems something has come up." Kang added. Do-Hyun glanced back at the board.
"That incident has always been incomplete." He mumbled, stepping closer to one of the documents. "The Crown Prince survived an assassination attempt, yet shortly after, he vanished from history."
Hyun-woo remained silent as Do-hyun continued thoughtfully. "And the girl who saved him…" His gaze intuitively moved to a printed image of the portrait.
"The guard's daughter." His lips lined in a faint smile " Had nothing recorded about her. No name, family record nor burial site." He went on. "It's as if she was erased."
Hyun-woo carefully asked. "What if she wasn't?" Do-hyun slowly turned.
"What do you mean?"
Hyun-woo didn't answer directly. Instead, he placed a photograph on the table. A picture taken discreetly. It was Yoon Ha-rin, standing behind the café counter. Do-hyun picked it up, his face curved in confusion.
"…Who is this?"
"Someone Director Kang wants you to look into."
He carefully studied the photo. At first glance, she looked completely ordinary but then, something caught his attention. His gaze involuntary shifted to the pendant around her neck. His expression slightly changed.
'Where did you find her?" He finally asked, marveled at the similarities.
"Around"
It was already late in the afternoon when Ha-rin stepped out of the café. Her arms stretched above her head. "I'm taking a break!" She exclaimed.
"Don't disappear," Soo-jin called from inside. Ha-rin casually waved and trod off down the street. The rain had long stopped, leaving the air fresh. She had decided to take a short walk, to clear and refresh her mind. But as she turned a corner suddenly bumped into someone.
"Oh—sorry!" She pleaded. The man steadied her gently.
"It's alright." He said. She looked up and for a moment, she felt relived it wasn't him, the man from yesterday. The man standing in front of her had a warm, calm presence. Completely different from Jae-min's cold intensity.
"I should've been watching where I was going," she said.
"It happens," he replied with a small smile. His eyes lingered on her for a second longer than necessary. Not in a rude way but more like, curiosity.
"I'm Seo Do-hyun," he said.
"Yoon Ha-rin." They exchanged a brief, polite nod. But as Do-hyun stepped back, His gaze dropped to her pendant. The crescent moon.
Just then, it flickered in his eyes, a brief moment of recognition or perhaps, something darker. "You shouldn't walk alone too often," he suddenly said.
Ha-rin blinked. "What?" She looked confused. She seemed to have herself, meeting wired people lately. Her gaze digs into him but Do-hyun just smiled again. Gentle, and almost reassuring.
"Just a suggestion." He said and walked away. Ha-rin stood there, slightly confused. Her eyes followed him till he finally disappeared into the distance.
"Why does everyone keep saying strange things…?" She lightly touched her pendant and a cold chill ran down her spine.
Just across the street, Do-hyun stopped in his tracks. His expression slowly faded. The warmth his eyes carried, quickly disappeared. He looked down at his hand and in a split second, a faint image flashed in his mind.
A sword, Blood, Moonlight and a girl stepping in front of someone.
Do-hyun's fingers slightly curled. "Interesting." He smirked.
A quiet smile formed on his lips. Not warm or kind this time. Something had awakened and unlike Ha-rin. He wasn't entirely unaware of it. He had recognized her the moment he saw the picture. Her true nature and who she was.