In the research room, a woman was dressed in a lab coat. Holding a small beaker in her hand, she wore goggles, protecting herself from the gas that suddenly exploded once she poured the content in the beakers into a cylinder. Looking at it carefully, she then set aside her items as she looked around the lab.
It was quiet. She hated the silence. Her gray eyes couldn’t help but dialate for a second. She sighed.
“Miss Ji?”
Hearing this voice, Ji Soyu turned around. “What is it?” Now grown up, she was a beauty of her own. With thin red lips and dark eyes, her long blonde-gray hair was tied back. Dressed in her white lab coat, she took off her gloves.
“Madam and Master are here.” The man looked down, evading Ji Soyu’s eyes.
Hearing this, Ji Soyu paused. Ah. Was it already this time of the year again? It came too soon. “Take them to the living room as always. Prepare all the refreshments as usual.”
“Yes, Miss Ji.” He quickly turned around and closed the door.
Ji Soyu took off her lab coat. Just as she was about to leave, a quiet sob escaped her throat and she rubbed her eyes. God damn it!
Even after all these years, it was as painful as before. Yet, she couldn’t even be angry. She couldn’t even be mad at the man who so easily ended his life, her brother who loved her and who she loved. She rubbed her red eyes, biting her lips.
When he left, Ji Soyu was broken. Even now she still was. It was just that as she was older now, it wasn’t as hard to hide her pain. Even after 15 years passed and she was already 21, time had not healed her, only intensifying the pain.
Now, things were different. Korea was coming back. Slowly but surely, the many vaccines and antidotes she made were finally handed to almost every survivor. Ji Soyu could still see into the future. But, she was also beginning to understand that what she was able to see was not the future of this current Korea, but a different one. For in her future, Min Yongjoon was still alive.
Even so, using this ability of hers, the government protected her. She became the leader of the researching team. While the zombies were still around, they were also beginning to disappear.
Along with it, people’s abilities were also disappearing. In fact, Ji Soyu was one of the ten people in Korea who still had her abilities.
If… If Lee Shinwoo was still here, she was sure that he would be happy for her and all that she had done to help Korea.
She smiled, as if trying to break away from the sadness in her heart, which was true. Enough of this. She still needed to meet Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang, her parents who adopted her once Lee Shinwoo brought her to them.
Ji Soyu rushed out of her researching room, a room specifically created by her. Her villa was allocated by the government and they even had people stationed to guard her. After all, they considered her a priceless diamond since she could see into the future.
“Mother, Father.” Ji Soyu lightly smiled as she walked down the stairs, staring at the two people who were already sitting down and waiting for her.
15 years passed, Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang were as timeless as ever. Except for a few wrinkles on their faces, it was hard to figure out their ages.
“Soyu.” Shin Hana called out as she lightly smiled. By her side, Lee Hwangyang sat and nodded his head, greeting her.
“I was a bit busy today researching the new virus and trying to make a vaccine.” Ji Soyu walked and sat ahead of them, reaching for a cup of milk tea as she took a sip. “I… Mother and Father, the government has agreed to my requests. They will make a monument for Brother and Brother Min.”
Ji Soyu clenched her hands together, biting her lips when she felt a burst of pain in her heart and her eyes trembled.
“Soyu, you’ve done so much during all these years. It is alright to take a break.” Shin Hana reached forward, softly caressing Ji Soyu’s face. Her voice was gentle and soothing, her eyes slightly red.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Ji Soyu softly laughed at her words. A hint of bitterness and sorrow was able to be discerned. “I have no time to rest. There are so many things that I have to do. I want to create the world he wanted to see with his own hands. If I continue at my speed, I’ll be able to get rid of all zombies before my death.”
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Ji Soyu clenched her hands. No one will know. In that moment, back then, she saw the future. The future of this world. She saw Min Yongjoon’s death, she even saw Lee Shinwoo’s suicide. But, she was unable to change a thing. She saw both of their deaths, but she was powerless to fight against fate. It weighed heavy in her heart, the power she didn’t have back then.
It costed her everything. Lee Shinwoo was her savior, a brother who loved and cared for her. Even Min Yongjoon was like that to her too. These two people were her beacon of light when she had been abandoned by everyone. These light of her’s, they were ripped away from her. But she couldn’t even be mad.
With Min Yongjoon’s death, Lee Shinwoo went mad. Ji Soyu remembered how the man would always flinch and look around, searching for Min Yongjoon’s figure. She remembered his desperation when he asked for Min Yongjoon to stop playing a prank on him. She remembered how much he had begged for Min Yongjoon to return, that he would love him forever and that he would give everything to him. The man’s cries were never returned.
In the end, he killed himself and his pain was transferred to everyone too. It was an endless cycle, a pain that never ended.
But Ji Soyu wasn’t mad. She would rather the man never live a life filled with the sadness from Min Yongjoon’s death.
“Don’t worry. I’m living well, Mother and Father. In fact, I feel better than before.” Ji Soyu smiled even as her eyes flickered. It was true. Now that she was older, the pain wasn’t as bad as it was before. Time wasn’t healing her, but it dulled the pain a little.
Shin Hana smiled, her eyes glazing as they turned red. “Fifteen years ago, he left us on this day. Perhaps, even when he was letting go, he also wanted us to live in peace, thus, he left behind a letter for your father and I. He also left a letter behind for you.” Shin Hana reached into her purse, bringing out a folded paper that was carefully protected.
Ji Soyu looked at the paper in Shin Hana’s hand, eyes glued upon it. She didn’t know this.
“We came here to give you this.” Shin Hana handed the paper to Ji Soyu. “Our time is also limited, especially with your father working in the government.” She exhaled a small breath, “Soyu, please take good care of yourself.”
“Don’t worry about us. Even though you are busy, Min Hosung and the others still visit us often.” Lee Hwangyang smiled lightly.
“Then, I won’t send you off.” Ji Soyu held the papers in her hands, watching as Shin Hana and Lee Hwangyang stood up and left first. As the door closed, she found that her hands were shaking as she held the papers.
She slowly opened the letter up.
‘My sweet little sister, by the time you read this, perhaps you’ll already be grown up. I wonder if you still look as cute as before.’
Ji Soyu smiled at these words even as her eyes reddened. It was just like him.
‘I never thought that something like this would happen. I never imagined that life would go like this. But some things in life can’t be prevented. I’m sorry for the pain I’ve caused you, my sweet Soyu. I remember when I first picked you up, when I first brought you into the family, I remember everything clearly. Back then, I was completely taken over by your simple ‘brother’.’
Ji Soyu sniffled, tears pooling in her eyes as she looked at the writing that was unbridled. Stupid brother. Just that was enough for his guards to fall.
‘I really loved you. You treated me like a brother, and I also treated you like a sister. No. We are brothers and sisters. Forever, that still stands. It is only that I was selfish. You see, I couldn’t bear the pain, I couldn’t bear him not being by my side. I tried so hard to rationalize myself because of you. I couldn’t leave any of you behind.’
‘But it was hard. Like my whole being was addicted to him, as if he was a drug, my addiction couldn’t be cured. The longer I stayed without him, the closer I was to losing my mind. In the end, I succumbed. I chose to end my life in spite of everything.’
‘I knew that you were able to see my pain, something that I tried to hide from you. I also know that you tried to make me stay, but in the end, you chose to let go. Not because you gave up, but because you didn’t want me to suffer. Soyu, you are strong and also stubborn. No matter what, please take good care of yourself. I tried to do my best, but I wasn’t able to live without him.’
Ji Soyu held back her tears as she silently read the letters. Sitting on the sofa, in the empty and large living room, her figure trembled as she tightly grasped onto a few papers.
‘I wonder how Korea is like now. Knowing you, perhaps you already have everything solved. Right?’
“Yes, I solved as much as I could, brother.” Ji Soyu knew that Lee Shinwoo would never hear her reply, but she answered still.
‘I know that you will definitely say you have everything solved, if not, what you could solve. I won’t worry because I know that you’re taking good care of Mother and Father. Are you still sad?’
“Of course. I never spend a day without thinking of you and the way you left us. I spend every day wondering how life would be like if both you and Brother Min were still alive. I always think about the future that we could’ve had.” As Ji Soyu spoke, her voice trembled and cracked. It felt as if he was standing before her, even though she knew that he wasn’t.
‘Don’t be sad forever. I’m sorry for hurting you. I’m sorry that I was incompetent. I’m sorry for being greedy and selfish. But I do not regret my decision. Perhaps people will blame me for causing you all to be hurt. Everyone always said that when one takes their lives, they are being selfish for not thinking about the pain they caused others. But for me, the pain I went through was also unbearable. I wanted to choose my own happiness, even if it meant being selfish. Thus, while I apologize, I don’t regret anything.’
‘Soyu, take good care of yourself. Don’t push yourself too hard. Even back then, you sometimes pushed yourself too hard. Enjoy your youth. And also, make sure to bring me some wine when you visit Yongjoon and I.’
‘From your handsome brother, Lee Shinwoo.’
A teardrop slid from her red eyes as Ji Soyu’s voice rose and lowered, “Yes, brother.” After this, a sob escaped her throat as she clenched the letter, lowering her head with her body shaking. Heavy gasps and sobs escaped her as tears ran down her face.
It was just like him, everything was just like him. Ji Soyu had never blamed him. She had no right to blame him when he was also hurting.
Ji Soyu carefully set down the paper in her hand, and with her right hand, she wiped away her tears.
Why was she crying? It wasn’t supposed to be sad. She should be happy for him. Perhaps at this time, he was already spending a life with Min Yongjoon, even if it was in another life. Thus, with her red eyes, she smiled in the end.
She shouldn’t be sad.
At that moment, her phone rung. As she looked down, the name Ruby popped up on the screen.
“Hey.” Ji Soyu’s voice was still raw from her crying before.
“Soyu?! Are you alright? Why does it sound like you’ve been crying?” Ruby’s voice was loud with worry. Time had done her well. Ruby was now older. She was as beautiful as back then, perhaps even more now. Currently, she was visiting Australia with Landon. The two had been traveling together for a while now, especially as they wandered far and wide, visiting many shelters.
“I’m fine.” Ji Soyu whispered. She was fine. She had always been fine.
“Don’t be too sad, Soyu. Even if we had stopped him in time, us saving him wouldn’t have done anything. He needed to save himself. Even if we forced him to stay, even if we tried to show him that the world was still beautiful, everything was already meaningless to him. Forcing him to live would have only made him even more insane.” Ruby consoled.
Ruby was with Ji Soyu when she realized what Lee Shinwoo was going to do. Unfortunately, they were too late to stop him. By the time they arrived, his blood had dyed the grave red. Broken and shattered, Ji Soyu could only let go.
“I know.” Ji Soyu couldn’t hide the trembling of her voice. “But still, I sometimes imagine how life would be like if I had gotten to say farewell to him face to face before he decided to leave.” Just once would have been enough. That would have been enough for her closure.
Ruby sighed on the other end of the call. “You’re still young, please don’t tire yourself. Landon and I will be coming back soon.”
It was funny to think how just fifteen years ago, the zombie apocalypse had taken the world by a storm. Now, after all the lives that had been lost, no one was afraid of the zombies anymore. Even with zombies still around, the world was returning back to its past. Of course. Min Yongjoon had sacrificed himself for Korea, killing his mother who had become a zombie along with himself. But others had profited from his actions. Thus, Ji Soyu was on the path to make everything known.
“Of course, Ruby. I have to take good care of myself. I haven’t finished all of my tasks yet.” There were still so many things that she needed to finish. Ji Soyu had no time to rest.
“Landon and I will be back soon. Promise. This is our last stop this year and then we will be coming back to Korea. Have you been in contact with Max and Jiyoung? What about Hosung and Jinsook?” The sound of her voice was a bit broken. Ji Soyu could hear Landon’s voice in the background.
“They’re all well. Jonghyung is already ten years old now. Even Dyx is already five.” Ji Soyu laughed as she thought about these two people who were already so old now. It made her feel old. In fact, a lot of time had passed. She was old now.
“They’re all so old now. Max was always yelling at me, telling me to settle down. Well, I am getting old now. However, there’s no need to settle down. I might as well spend my time helping other people out.” Ruby’s loud voice then yelled, “Landon! Get the door!” Her voice was further away from her phone but the sound was still clear to Ji Soyu.
“Ruby, I’ll be ending the call first. There are still some things I have to finish.” Ji Soyu folded the letter and slipped it into her pants. She stood up as she began to walk upstairs.
“Ahh, alright. Remember to eat and sleep well. Landon and I will be coming back every soon.” Ruby said goodbye first.
As the phone turned off in her hand, Ji Soyu lifted her head, walking up the long stairs.
As she walked through the long hall, she turned right, staring at a door that was carefully locked. Placing her thumb upon the scanner, the door opened with a small click. Ji Soyu walked inside.
In the room, everything was kept neat and tidy. Ji Soyu looked around with a small smile, her lips trembling. She had kept everything. Every award, every picture, everything that Lee Shinwoo and Min Yongjoon once owned. In this room, everything was kept just like before.
She walked over to grab a small box, opening it up as she put the letter into the box. As she turned around, she looked at a picture. In that picture, the six year old Ji Soyu was hugged by both Lee Shinwoo and Min Yongjoon, the two man kissing over her head. Looking back, it made her heart tremble in pain.
“You know, you saved me. I owe everything to you. Now that you’re gone, I’m going to take care of everyone that you love. I’ll create the world that you wanted. And maybe… if there is another lifetime, I wish to be someone by your side. It doesn’t matter who, I will always help you just like now.”
The box closed.
Along with it, she sealed her words, imprinting it into her heart.
After more than 35 years, a woman appeared back at the grave. Her face was showing signs of aging, her hair had long since turned gray.
She looked at the grave of two men who had been her world, the two whom had took care of her and shown her that love existed in all types of forms.
Why should she mourn when the two had returned back to each other’s arms?
Though selfish it seemed, he was broken without his other half. That was the best way.
She only regretted. Regretted that she wasn’t able to help them as much as she should’ve.
As she closed her eyes, she still smiled. But she had fixed the world, putting it back into place once more. Thus, she had at least finished one of their tasks. Only, she didn’t get married like what they once told her.
But that was alright.
She could leave that for when she met them once more.
Life and death, accomplishments and regrets, she had experienced it all. Bitter and sweet, salty and sour, she had wandered this world.
In the end, it was time to say goodbye. She hoped that she would be able to meet them again. As she poured a bottle of wine onto the ground, her voice was filled with hope.
“My beloved brother, let us meet once more.”
Who is cutting onions here …HUH!!!! 🧐
Thanks for the chapter ❤️