ISOLDE

  That night, Lucy and I talked about a past life he carried with him. He didn’t want to admit he’d been such a terrible person, or even that he’d once been someone ordinary, but I didn’t care. I’d already decided to stand by him, no matter what baggage he carried. After all, he was my brother, and nothing would change that.

  He was mine, and I wasn’t going to back down. But that same night, I was forced to face something I’d never imagined—something I hadn’t seen coming.

  Later, after we’d gone to bed, something happened.

  I woke up in a completely unfamiliar place, with two adults by my side. Their gazes were warm, filled with a kindness I’d only ever felt with Lucy or my parents. But in that moment, I couldn’t make sense of what was happening.

  “Little one… Your name will be Nayeon-Seul. Kurogami Nayeon-Seul,” the woman in front of me said.

  The man, dressed in a white coat, added in a professional tone, “The delivery was a bit complicated, but ultimately successful. We’ll take her to the maternity ward now for tests to ensure she’s completely healthy.”

  “Alright,” the woman replied.

  I didn’t understand anything. Everything felt out of place. My movements weren’t my own, as if I were trapped in some kind of dream, unable to control my body. It was like everything was just beyond my reach—unfathomable, yet strangely vivid.

  The next shift was abrupt, like everything blurred and then snapped back into focus in a new scene. Now I was standing in front of the same two adults. The man was smiling at me.

  “Come on, little one,” he said, with a smile that might have been comforting if I could’ve felt anything.

  For some reason, my body obeyed and moved toward him. Even though I couldn’t feel it, I knew I was hugging him, just as my mind directed. The man lifted me up again.

  “There we go! That’s my girl. You’re pretty sharp for your age.”

  “Sweetheart, don’t make her walk—it could be dangerous,” the woman warned, her voice tinged with concern, but it didn’t quite reach me.

  “Haha, sorry, I just wanted to see if she was really that smart. I can’t believe she’s walking so well at just seven months!” The man set me down, leaving me with that same sense of absence.

  “Alright, let’s eat. The food’s ready, and it’ll get cold if we wait.”

  “Okay…”

  Once again, the scene dissolved into a hazy stretch of time, shifting to another moment, like an endless sequence. It felt like everything was in constant transition, yet so real. Even though I couldn’t feel anything, my eyes couldn’t stop taking in the details. And though I wasn’t able to truly experience the moment, an uneasy yet oddly satisfying sensation took hold of me.

  Now I was in what seemed to be a crib, with the woman in front of me feeding me with a spoon. Though I couldn’t respond, I accepted the food without resistance.

  “Is it yummy? Well, I guess so. You’re gobbling up this honey. You’re just like your dad.”

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  I didn’t know how to react. I didn’t even understand what those words really meant, but a sense of unease grew inside me, as if everything had some hidden purpose I wasn’t yet aware of.

  Just as the woman brought another spoonful of honey to my mouth, I woke up with a jolt. It was like tumbling down a staircase—the kind of fall where your body reacts before your mind catches up. My eyes snapped open, as if fear had slammed an emergency button in my chest.

  “Issy? Can you… get off me, please? You’re… crushing me,” Lucy’s voice came, muffled, almost faint. I looked down, and there he was. Or rather, I was squashing him.

  I scrambled off him immediately, clumsy and flustered.

  “Sorry. I just… had a weird dream.”

  “A weird dream? Well, I guess we all have those. I had one yesterday.”

  “Yeah? What kind of dream, Lucy?”

  “I was dreaming that I told you all about my past life and—”

  “No, that was real.”

  “Oh…”

  “…”

  “So, what kind of dream did you have? Giant octopuses? The Kraken King dragging you to the bottom of the sea to be piranha chow?” He grinned, flashing that teasing look he only used when he was trying to cheer someone up. He knew I was uneasy. And he was trying, in his own way.

  I didn’t blame him. So, as if I could convince both of us that I was fine, I gave him a forced smile. Just that.

  “No. Nothing that creative. It was… weirder. It was me. Or something like me, but different. Like I was a baby. But I’m not sure it was really me. And the strangest part? I didn’t feel anything. I was just… watching. And yet… it felt so real. Do you think that’s normal?”

  Lucy blinked, thoughtful, like his mind had to dig through his own memories to process what I’d just said.

  “Memories?” he asked, tilting his head.

  “I don’t know. They didn’t feel like memories. And how did you even jump to that?”

  “I don’t know,” he echoed. “I guess my own memories led me there. But, Issy… are you sure they didn’t seem like memories? You said it felt like you, but also not you. That’s weird. Really weird. Maybe it was just a dream with a different flavor.”

  “You really think so?” I asked. Not because I doubted him, but because I doubted everything.

  Maybe he was right. Thinking about it wouldn’t get me anywhere. What I’d seen was vague, confusing—a puzzle with no edges or corners. Trying to make sense of it was like reading a book with its pages glued together.

  And yet, I couldn’t let it go. It was foolish to jump to conclusions… but it was even harder to ignore it completely.

  “I believe it,” Lucy said. “But don’t take my word for it completely.”

  “How could I not? You’re my brother!”

  “Haha… Fair enough. Come on, let’s head down for breakfast. Mom and Dad are probably waiting for us.”

  “Dad? Isn’t he supposed to leave early to guard the King?”

  There were details I was clearly missing… or maybe I just wasn’t paying attention. I don’t know.

  “I don’t think so. Don’t you remember he started going in later? Guess it’s his new routine.”

  “Oh…”

  It was odd. Dad always left for work before dawn, at six sharp, and didn’t come back until midnight. We figured that out during one of our many “nocturnal adventures.” That time, Lucy tried to do water magic and ended up soaked from head to toe. The next day, he caught a cold and was sneezing nonstop. It was… pretty hilarious, if I’m being honest.

  After that, he got more careful with water magic. At least, he tried.

  Once we got to the kitchen, we walked in like always.

  “Good morning,” we said in unison.

  “Good morning. How’d you sleep?” Mom asked, setting two plates of salad on the table.

  “Fine, I guess.” I paused. “Why didn’t you guys come home last night?”

  “Oh… that…” Mom trailed off, her cheeks flushing slightly.

  Instinctively, I glanced at Lucy, searching for some hint, some clue… but he didn’t say anything. His expression, though, told a different story: he knew exactly what was going on. Of course. Mentally, he’s a man of… well, I don’t know how many years, but definitely older than us.

  “You don’t have to tell us, Mom,” Lucy said casually.

  “Huh? Oh, wow… sorry. And thanks. Now, eat up before it gets cold.”

  Dad wasn’t there, but I didn’t want to ask about it, and it seemed like Lucy wasn’t going to bring it up either.

  And with that, we started eating.

  But that phrase… “before it gets cold,” pulled me back to that dream. To that moment I couldn’t shake from my mind.

  Because, try as I might to ignore it, I knew something was happening to me. Something deep, strange, and… it was only just beginning. That dream was just the first step. The start of a sequence that, little by little, would reveal who I really am.

  Or maybe… who I was.