I'm Han Siyoon. I'm twenty-five.
Unlike most people, I live a quiet, boring life.Every day is the same for me.I wake up in the morning, prepare myself for work, head to the office, and come home again.Until I fall asleep, I sit in front of the TV.
It's boring, isn't it?
But even if it's boring, it's my daily life.
Today, though, I took a day off from work.
It was just past noon when I stepped out, deciding to go to the market. The sun was blazing overhead, and the city buzzed around me as usual—honking cars, clacking footsteps, the occasional impatient shout from somewhere far off.
I was crossing a particularly busy road when I heard it.
A voice.
A girl's voice, clear and bright, calling out from the other side of the road.
"Siyoon..."
I turned my head instinctively. There, running toward me with a wide smile, was a familiar face.
Yeah… It was Jung Haerin.
Her presence lit up the chaos of the street—like the world dimmed a little to let her shine.
But—
In a second…
A truck sped through the red light. Tires screeched.
It hit her.
There wasn't time to scream. Not even to react.
Her body lifted into the air. For a split second, she seemed to hover in slow motion, like a doll drifting helplessly in a cruel dream.
Then she slammed onto the pavement.
I froze.
I couldn't move. Couldn't speak.
And then I shouted—"Haerin...!"
I ran toward her. My mind spun in chaos.No... No... No... It can't be. Please...
My hands were trembling as I lifted her into my arms. Her head lolled back. Blood was already pooling on the asphalt beneath her.
She had lost consciousness.
My eyes filled with tears.
There was no time to think. I rushed her to the nearest hospital. The doctors took her immediately to the emergency room.
The doors closed.
And all I could do was wait.
[Flashback — July 30, 2015]
Back then, according to Haerin's request, I went to meet her father.
It was at a small, quiet restaurant in the morning. I had arrived just on time, but Haerin's father was already seated.
He noticed me and waved with a smile.
"Hey, Siyoon… here..."
I walked over quickly.
"Oh, Uncle… I'm sorry. I'm late."
He smiled reassuringly.
"No, no. You arrived at the right time. You're even five minutes early. Just sit here."
"Thank you, Uncle."
He waved a hand to call a waiter.
"Hey, waiter..."
The server brought menus.
"What will you order, sir?" the waiter asked politely.
I ordered a cold coffee. Haerin's father asked for a hot one.
As we sipped our drinks, he struck up a conversation.
"So, Siyoon. You and Haerin go to the same school, right?"
"Yeah, Uncle."
We talked a bit more, the mood light and polite—until his tone shifted.
"Then what do your father and mother do?" he asked casually.
"Hmm... They are no longer in this world, Uncle."
His face showed a trace of sympathy.
"Oh... I'm sorry."
"It's OK, Uncle. They died a long time ago."
"Then whom do you live with?"
"No one… I live alone, Uncle."
He blinked, surprised.
"Huh… Really!?"
"Yeah, Uncle. After the death of my parents, I lived with my grandpa, but now he is also no longer in this world."
He nodded slowly.
"I see… You're living quite a hard life."
"It's not that hard, Uncle. My parents and grandpa left behind their savings. It's quite a lot. So I can live without any hard time."
"I see… Your family was quite big. Then Siyoon… Can I ask you another question?"
"Yeah, Uncle. No problem."
"How much do you love Haerin?"
I paused.
"Huh… It's hard to answer. I can't tell how much I love her. But I can tell you that I can do anything for her."
He set his cup down and looked me straight in the eyes.
"Really? Then Siyoon… Leave her. Break up with my daughter."
I stared, stunned.
"S-Sorry, Uncle? What do you m—?"
He cut me off.
"You see… You don't have anyone behind you now. Even your future is unsure. So, as a father, I can't give her to you."
"But, Uncle. There is also probability that I can become something in the future."
"But as a father, who will give their daughter to someone with just a probability? You don't want her future to be bad, do you? If you don't want that, then just leave her."
I had no words.
He was right.There's no guarantee in my future.
So, if I really wanted her to be happy… I had to let her go.
The next day at school, I couldn't face her.
I avoided her. I couldn't meet her eyes.Because if I did… I'd have to break her heart.
So I ignored her.
The next day, too.
She tried to talk to me, tried to find me—but I hid. I avoided every hallway, every moment she might appear.
A whole week passed.
On the seventh day… she was waiting outside my house.
I was shocked to see her. My chest tightened.
I wanted to cry—but I didn't. I kept my expression blank and walked past her like she wasn't even there.
"What are you doing, Siyoon?" she asked softly."Why are you ignoring me?"
I stopped. My back turned to her.
I had no choice anymore.
"You see… We shouldn't meet each other anymore. We should part our ways."
"And why is that?"
"There is no need to tell you that."
And then I walked inside.
She didn't say another word. She just stood there… watching.
I didn't look back.
Once the door shut behind me, I couldn't hold it in anymore.
Tears spilled silently down my face.
Present Time
Haerin's operation ended.
Her parents arrived shortly after and rushed to her room.
A while later, her father came back out to the waiting area.
He walked up to me and said quietly—
"I heard you saved our daughter. Thank you..."
Then he extended an envelope toward me.
"You can leave now."
I glanced at it—money.
I smiled bitterly.
"So… money is everything."
I handed the envelope back without another word and left.
There was nothing else I could say.
I didn't even go to the market. The sun had already started to set. As I walked back home, every step felt heavier.
The road was packed with people, but I felt utterly alone.
When I finally reached my house, I walked straight to my room in silence.
And—
Wham!
I slammed my fist into the wall.
Pain shot through my knuckles.
"Why...? Why? If it wasn't for me, that wouldn't have happened to her. It's all because of me."
Bang! Bang!
Wham!
I kept hitting the wall. My fists, my tears—they wouldn't stop.
And then—
The black watch on my wrist began to glow.
It was a watch my father had made.
He was a scientist. After he died, my grandpa gave it to me, saying it was important.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice echoed from it:
[The Past Watch has been activated.][You can now use the basic feature of the watch.][You can go back 10 years into the past.]
[Do you want to go? Y/N]
I froze, staring at the screen.
I didn't know what this was. I didn't understand how.
But I didn't hesitate.
I whispered—
"Yes."
[The host has selected to go to the past.][You will be transferred to the past in 5 seconds.]
"What the...!?"
[5][4][3][2][1]
Flash!
A blinding light surrounded me.
When I opened my eyes…
I was no longer in my room.
I was standing in front of a beach. The salty breeze hit my face.
The waves rolled in.
Whshhh.Fwoosh.
And then—
A familiar voice called from behind me.
"Siyoon..."
Yeah…
It was her.
I turned slowly.
Haerin was running toward me again.
My eyes welled up with tears.
She was alive.
To be continue...