Seven Lives, One Love

"I'm going to explore this park a bit!" Yoonah called out to her assistant, already striding away from the crew.

"Alright! Just be back in an hour!" her assistant replied, waving her off.

Yoonah hummed in acknowledgment, her focus already shifting to the vibrant scenery around her. She wandered aimlessly, taking in the beauty of the park she hadn't seen since her graduation. It felt surreal to be back, and even more so to see how much it had changed.

As she strolled further, she came across a large fountain nestled in the heart of the park. The water cascaded gracefully, creating a soothing melody that seemed to blend with the rustling of leaves and the chirping of birds. She decided to sit on a nearby bench, letting herself bask in the tranquil atmosphere.

The park seemed almost magical in the morning light, the sun casting a warm glow through the trees and creating patterns on the ground. She reached into her bag, intending to pull out her phone to search for more about the book that had kept her up all night. But before she could, something unusual caught her attention.

A man stood by the fountain, a bottle clutched tightly in his hand. His posture was tense and his face partially obscured by his hair. Yoonah squinted, noticing the way his shoulders trembled slightly, as though he had been crying.

Normally, Yoonah would have minded her own business. She wasn't the type to interfere in a stranger's affairs, especially when she had work to focus on. But today, for reasons she couldn't quite understand, she felt drawn to him. There was something in the way he stood there—isolated, vulnerable, and oddly familiar—that tugged at her heart.

She hesitated for a moment before standing up and walking over to him. The sound of her footsteps made him glance up, his expression hardening when their eyes met.

"Hey... are you okay?" she asked gently, her voice soft enough to avoid startling him.

The man's gaze flickered back to the fountain as he replied curtly, "Yeah."

His tone was cold and dismissive, but Yoonah didn't back down. "Are you sure? Because no one drinks at 10 AM and cries next to a fountain unless something's wrong."

"I'm fine," he repeated, wiping his tears.

"Alright, if you say so," Yoonah muttered, shrugging her shoulders before turning away and returning to the bench. She sat down, intending to brush off the encounter, but her thoughts kept drifting back to the man by the fountain.

There was something about him—his cold demeanor, the hollow look in his eyes, the way he seemed so utterly lost—that didn't sit right with her. The fact that he was drinking this early in the morning only added to the puzzle. It wasn't just sadness or anger radiating from him; it was something deeper, a kind of despair that tugged at her curiosity.

Yoonah unlocked her phone, trying to distract herself by continuing her search for the second volume of the book she'd been obsessing over. But no matter how hard she tried to focus, her gaze kept flickering back to him.

He hadn't moved much, still standing by the fountain, staring into the cascading water as though it held all the answers he desperately needed. His shoulders slumped, his posture speaking volumes about the weight he seemed to be carrying.

A strange sense of déjà vu began to creep over her, the kind that sent chills down her spine. She couldn't explain it, but something about this moment felt eerily familiar. It was like she had seen this scene before, or perhaps lived through something similar in the past.

She was about to stand and approach him again when she noticed someone running toward him.

"Hyung!" the newcomer called out, his voice breathless from exertion.

Yoonah watched as the young man, slightly shorter and clearly concerned, skidded to a halt in front of the stranger.

"I finally found you! Why didn't you tell me where you went?!" he demanded, panting heavily.

The man by the fountain didn't even glance at him, his voice flat and detached as he replied, "Because I didn't want to."

The younger man's expression softened with worry as he took in the scene—the bottle in his hyung's hand, the unmistakable redness of his eyes, and the traces of tears still on his cheeks.

"...Hyung," he said softly, his voice tinged with concern. "Why are you drinking right now? You never drink. And you're crying too. What's wrong? Please, just tell me."

The older man stiffened, his grip on the bottle tightening. "First of all, I'm not crying," he muttered defensively, hurriedly wiping at his face as though that would erase the evidence.

Yoonah watched the exchange from her bench, her heart tightening inexplicably at the raw emotion in the younger man's voice.

"Let's just go home," the older man finally said, his voice low as he began walking away, his shoulders hunched.

The younger man hesitated for a moment before following behind, still pestering him gently. "Hyung, please. I just want to help. Talk to me."

Their voices faded as they disappeared down the park's winding path, leaving Yoonah sitting in silence. She let out a soft sigh of relief, glad that someone was there to take care of him. At least he wasn't alone, even if he seemed reluctant to accept help.

But as much as she tried to shake it off, her thoughts kept returning to the man. His broken expression, his sharp yet weary words, the way he carried himself—it all lingered in her mind like an unfinished sentence.

"Why am I even worrying about a stranger?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head as if that would dislodge the strange unease she felt. "It's none of my business. He's gone now, and I've got more important things to focus on."

She picked up her phone again, determined to focus on her search. "Now, what was the name of the book again? Memories, right?"

Even as she tapped at the screen, the image of the man by the fountain lingered in her mind. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, she couldn't shake the feeling that their paths had crossed for a reason.

After a few minutes of scrolling, Yoonah finally found what she was looking for: the second volume of the book that had kept her up all night. The cover caught her attention immediately. It had the same dark, mysterious design as the first—swirling shades of black and gray, accented with faint golden lettering that glinted like whispers of hidden truths.

She stared at it for a moment, her finger hovering over the screen. Something about the cover sent a shiver down her spine. It was as though it was calling to her, daring her to uncover the secrets it held.

Yoonah hesitated. A small part of her wondered if diving back into the story was a good idea. After all, the first volume had left her sleepless, consumed by questions she couldn't answer. Did she really want to get pulled in deeper, especially when she had a full day of work ahead?

But the curiosity was too strong. The name "Wonwoo" echoed faintly in her mind again, as if urging her forward. With a sigh, she tapped the purchase button.

"Well, it's not like I can stop now," she murmured to herself, watching as the download progress bar crept across the screen.

As the book downloaded, her thoughts began to wander. What would she find in the second volume? Answers to the questions the first had left unanswered? More twists and turns to keep her on edge? Or perhaps something entirely unexpected?

Yoonah shook her head, trying to temper her expectations. "It's just a story," she reminded herself, though the words felt hollow. There was something about this book that felt different, almost alive, as if it had a will of its own.

When the download completed, she stared at the screen for a moment longer, her heart beating a little faster than she cared to admit. "Alright," she muttered, steeling herself. "Let's see what happens next."