Minsu's body went rigid, her breath frozen in her chest. The man standing just beyond the gate was unmistakable. The sharp angle of his jaw, the slight furrow of his brows, the eyes that held a depth of familiarity she couldn't ignore.
It was someone from her past.
Someone she never thought she'd see again.
Hyowon tensed beside her, his hand instinctively moving toward his pocket—where she suspected he kept a weapon. His voice was low, cautious. "Who is that?"
Minsu swallowed hard. "I… I don't know." The words felt like a lie the moment they left her mouth.
The man tilted his head slightly, his gaze locked on her, unreadable. Then, without a word, he turned and began walking away.
Panic surged through Minsu.
"Wait!" she called, stepping forward.
But he didn't stop.
Hyowon grabbed her wrist before she could chase after him. "Minsu. Don't."
She jerked her arm away. "I have to know who he is! If he knows something about my aunt—"
"Minsu." Hyowon's voice was firm. "If he wanted to talk, he would have. Running after him blindly isn't going to get you answers. It'll just put you in danger."
Minsu clenched her fists. Every part of her screamed to go after the man, to demand the truth. But Hyowon's grip on her wrist had been steady, his words laced with reason.
Slowly, she forced herself to take a step back. The man had already disappeared into the shadows of the village.
The moment was gone.
But her mind raced.
Who was he?
Why did he look so familiar?
And more importantly—why did seeing him make her chest tighten with something dangerously close to fear?
Minsu stood frozen, staring at the empty space where the man had disappeared. The night air felt colder now, the distant hum of crickets the only sound filling the silence.
Hyowon's voice broke through her daze. "Let's go inside."
She hesitated, her feet itching to chase after the figure, but she knew Hyowon was right. If the man wanted to reveal something, he would have. And yet… why did she feel like she had just let something crucial slip through her fingers?
Without a word, she followed Hyowon back inside. The glow of the lantern flickered, casting long shadows against the walls as they sat down at the low wooden table.
Minsu ran a hand through her hair, exhaling shakily. "I know that man. I just… I don't remember how."
Hyowon crossed his arms. "It's possible he's from your past, but it's also possible he's watching you for another reason."
Minsu shot him a look. "You think he's involved in my aunt's disappearance?"
"It's too much of a coincidence that he appeared right after you found those letters," Hyowon said, his voice calm but serious. "And if he knows something, he won't just vanish. He'll be back."
Minsu's fingers brushed over the old parchment of her aunt's letter. The words replayed in her mind.
"The man who knows the most… is the one you must be most careful of."
Her stomach twisted.
Could that man be the one her aunt was warning her about?
Or was it someone else?
She exhaled, gripping the letter tighter. "Then we need to find out who he is—before he finds out more about me."
Hyowon's gaze lingered on her for a moment before he nodded. "We'll start with the villagers. If he's been around before, someone must know him."
Minsu nodded back, determination settling in her chest.
She was done waiting for answers to come to her.
This time, she would go looking for them.
The next morning, Minsu wasted no time. After a quick breakfast, she set out with Hyowon to the village, determined to uncover the identity of the mysterious man.
The streets were already bustling with early morning activity—vendors setting up their stalls, villagers chatting while carrying baskets of fresh produce. The familiar scent of tea and warm bread filled the air, but Minsu's focus remained sharp.
She approached the first shopkeeper she saw, an elderly woman selling vegetables. "Excuse me, halmeoni," she said politely. "There was a man near my house last night. Tall, sharp features, dressed in dark clothes. Have you seen someone like that around?"
The old woman frowned, thinking. "A tall man… Ah, there are many young men like that in the village."
Minsu fought back her frustration. "This one looked familiar to me, like I might have known him from before."
The woman squinted. "Can't say for sure, dear. But if someone unusual is wandering around, you might ask the tea shop owner. That boy knows everyone."
Minsu and Hyowon exchanged a glance.
Kim Hyowon sighed. "Looks like we're going back to my place."
They arrived at Hyowon's tea shop a few minutes later. He led her inside and poured her a fresh cup of tea before sitting across from her. "Alright, describe him again," he said.
Minsu set her cup down. "Tall, lean, but strong. His face was sharp… and his eyes…" She hesitated, a strange unease creeping up her spine. "They looked like mine."
Hyowon stilled. "Like yours?"
Minsu nodded slowly. "There was something familiar about him. Not just his face, but the way he looked at me. As if he knew me. As if—" Her voice dropped. "—as if we shared the same blood."
A tense silence settled between them.
Hyowon's expression darkened. "Minsu… are you saying he could be your family?"
Minsu swallowed hard. "I don't know. But if he is… that means there's even more to my past than I realized."
And it meant that whoever had taken her aunt—whoever had stolen away the truth—was even closer than she had thought.
Minsu's grip tightened around the cup, her thoughts spiraling. If that man was family, why had he never come forward before? Why now? And what did he know about her aunt's disappearance?
Hyowon tapped a finger against the wooden table, deep in thought. "If he's related to you, there has to be someone in the village who recognizes him. We should ask the elders—those who have lived here long enough to remember your parents and aunt."
Minsu nodded. "Let's start with the headman. He should know the people in this village better than anyone."
They left the tea shop, weaving through the crowded streets toward the headman's residence. His house was larger than most, its wooden structure well-maintained, a sign of his standing in the village.
The headman, an elderly man with a thin mustache and wise eyes, greeted them with curiosity. "Minsu, Hyowon. What brings you both here?"
Minsu took a breath. "I need your help. I saw a man near my home last night—tall, sharp features, dark clothes. He looked familiar, but I don't remember how." She hesitated. "And… he looked like me."
The headman's expression shifted, his brows furrowing in deep thought. "A man like that…?" He was silent for a long moment before his eyes flickered with something unreadable. "There was someone… but it was long ago."
Minsu leaned forward. "Who?"
The headman exhaled. "Before your aunt left, there was a young man who came to this village searching for someone. He didn't stay long, but his features… they match what you described."
Minsu's heartbeat quickened. "Do you remember his name?"
The headman hesitated, then shook his head. "No. But I remember this—your aunt didn't want you to meet him."
A chill ran down Minsu's spine.
Hyowon's gaze hardened. "Why?"
The headman's eyes darkened. "Because he was dangerous."
Minsu felt the weight of those words settle over her like a heavy fog. If this man had come searching for her once before… why was he back now?
And what did he want from her?