The person standing by the sink was not Jisung.
It was someone else.
A woman.
She looked to be in her mid-to-late twenties, with a calm yet slightly tired expression, like someone who had seen more of life than most people their age. Her hair was loosely tied back, a few strands falling over her face, and there were faint traces of paint on her sleeve—like she had come straight from work.
Her eyes landed on Yeon-hwa.
And froze.
"…Yeon?"
Yeon blinked.
"…Do I know you?"
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then suddenly—
She rushed forward and pulled him into a tight hug.
Yeon completely froze.
"Wha—HEY—?!" he panicked, arms awkwardly hovering in the air like he had no idea what to do with them. "Who are you?! Why are you hugging me?! Is this a scam?!"
The woman let out a small, emotional laugh—half relieved, half overwhelmed.
"It's me," she said softly. "It's Ryou."
"…Ryou?" Yeon repeated slowly.
The name meant nothing to him.
At least… at first.
Then—
A distant memory.
A conversation.
"You had an older sister… but she's gone now."
His eyes widened slightly.
"…Wait."
Ryou pulled back just enough to look at him properly, her hands still on his shoulders.
"I'm your sister," she said gently. "Your older sister."
Silence.
Yeon stared at her.
"…I have an older sister?"
"…Wow," Ryou said, blinking. "They really erased me that well, huh?"
Yeon's brain struggled to process everything at once.
"You're serious?" he asked. "Like—actually serious? This isn't some weird prank?"
Ryou laughed softly.
"No prank. Just… a very messed up family situation."
She stepped back slightly, giving him space.
"I didn't 'die,' Yeon," she explained. "I left."
Her expression shifted—still calm, but heavier now.
"Our parents arranged a marriage for me," she continued. "It was… not a good situation. Not safe. So I ran."
Yeon's brows furrowed.
"…Ran?"
"Yeah," she said with a small shrug. "Best decision of my life."
She smiled a little after that—this time, more genuine.
"I finished my studies on my own. And now…" she gestured lightly to herself, "I work in animation. I do art. That's always been my dream."
Yeon blinked again.
"You… actually followed your dream?"
"Shocking, I know."
"And… the marriage?"
"Gone," she said simply. "So is the version of me they tried to force me to be."
There was a brief pause.
Then she added, a bit more casually—
"And I'm openly lesbian now, so I doubt they'd welcome me back anyway."
Yeon stiffened slightly at that.
Old beliefs tugged at him.
But strangely—
They didn't feel as strong right now.
Not when he was looking at her.
Not when she was standing here, real and alive.
"…Oh," was all he managed to say.
Ryou watched him carefully for a moment, as if expecting a stronger reaction.
When it didn't come, she smiled faintly.
"…You've grown," she said.
"I didn't even know you existed," Yeon replied.
"Fair point."
They both let out a small, awkward laugh.
Then Ryou tilted her head slightly.
"…What were you doing just now?" she asked. "You looked like you were arguing with invisible ghosts."
Yeon froze.
"Oh—uh—nothing."
"…That was not 'nothing.'"
"…I was… practicing a speech."
"In the bathroom?"
"Yes."
"To the mirror?"
"…Yes."
"With hand gestures?"
"…Yes."
Ryou stared at him.
"…You're a terrible liar."
"…I know."
There was a pause.
Then, without really understanding why—
Yeon sighed.
"…Okay, fine."
He looked around quickly, then leaned in slightly.
"…I think something's wrong with me."
Ryou raised an eyebrow.
"That's a strong opening."
"I'm serious," Yeon said. "Something happened today."
And just like that—
The words came out.
About the awakening.
About the mark.
About the system.
About the rank.
"…S+++," he finished quietly.
Ryou went completely still.
"…You're joking."
"I wish I was."
She studied his face carefully.
Then exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah. You're not joking."
There was a brief silence.
Then—
"Well," Ryou said, crossing her arms lightly, "that's… a lot."
"You're taking this very calmly," Yeon pointed out.
"I left an abusive marriage, got disowned, and built my life from scratch," she replied. "At this point, my younger brother secretly being an overpowered Dream Hunter is not the strangest thing I've heard."
"…That's fair."
Another pause.
"…You're not going to tell anyone, right?" Yeon asked.
Ryou looked at him.
Then smiled.
"Of course not."
Something about the way she said it—
Calm.
Certain.
Warm—
Made something in Yeon relax.
He didn't fully understand it.
He barely knew her.
And yet—
"…I trust you," he said quietly.
Ryou blinked.
Then smiled a little more softly.
"…Good," she said.
A few minutes later, the two of them walked back out of the restroom together.
Yeon immediately spotted Kim and Jake waiting near a table.
"There you are!" Kim said. "You disappeared for—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Jake blinked.
"…Who's that?"
Yeon rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"…Uh."
How was he supposed to explain this?
"I… have news," he said.
Kim narrowed his eyes.
"That tone scares me."
Yeon gestured toward Ryou.
"This is Ryou."
A pause.
"…And?" Jake asked.
"…She's my older sister."
Silence.
"…You don't have an older sister," Kim said.
"Apparently I do," Yeon replied.
Ryou gave a small wave.
"Hi."
Jake looked between them.
Kim looked like his brain had stopped working.
"…We left you alone for ten minutes," Kim said slowly. "TEN MINUTES."
"And you came back with a whole sister?!" Jake added.
"I didn't buy her!" Yeon snapped.
"…Are you sure?" Kim asked.
"I'm leaving."
Ryou laughed softly.
And just like that—
Things somehow got even more chaotic.
Just as things were starting to calm down—
They weren't.
Because Yeon-hwa suddenly checked the time.
"…Oh no."
Kim looked up.
"What?"
"We need to leave," Yeon said quickly, already grabbing his drink. "It's getting late, and if I'm late and dumb in physics, my life is officially over."
"That's a dramatic way to say you're scared of your dad," Jake said.
"I am not scared," Yeon snapped, standing up.
"…I am deeply cautious."
"Same thing," Kim muttered.
Ryou chuckled softly, picking up her own drink.
"I'll walk out with you guys."
"Yeah, let's go before something else weird happens," Yeon said.
(A terrible mistake. He should not have said that.)
They started heading toward the exit, Yeon slightly ahead, clearly in a hurry.
"Careful," Kim called. "You're going to run into someone again."
"I will not—"
THUD.
"…run into someone again."
Silence.
Yeon slowly looked up.
And there he was.
Han Jisung.
Again.
For a solid three seconds, nobody moved.
Then—
"…This has to be the fourth time today," Jisung said calmly.
"…I was just thinking that," Yeon blurted out.
They both paused.
Blinking.
Realizing.
"…Wait," Yeon said slowly.
"…You said that out loud," Jisung replied.
"…You also said it out loud."
"…I know."
"…This is weird."
"…Very."
Behind Yeon, Kim was barely holding in his laughter.
Jake had completely given up and was openly grinning.
Ryou, meanwhile, was quietly observing everything with interest.
Yeon internally screamed.
WHY. IS THIS HAPPENING. TO ME.
"I—uh—sorry," Yeon said quickly, stepping back. "Again."
"At this point, I think you're doing it on purpose," Jisung said, crossing his arms slightly, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone.
"I am NOT," Yeon said immediately. "If anything, I'm trying very hard not to."
"…And yet."
"…And yet," Yeon echoed weakly.
Another awkward pause.
Yeon could feel his heart racing again.
Why is it doing that? Stop it.
Jisung glanced past him briefly, noticing the others.
"…Friends of yours?" he asked.
"Yes," Yeon said quickly. "Very normal friends. Who don't exist. Let's go."
"HEY—" Kim protested.
Jake waved.
"Hi."
Ryou stepped forward slightly, giving a polite smile.
"Nice to meet you."
Jisung nodded in acknowledgment.
Then his gaze flickered back to Yeon.
For just a second—
Something sharper.
More observant.
Like he was noticing something… off.
Yeon stiffened.
Does he know?
No. Impossible.
Right?
"…You should watch where you're going," Jisung said after a moment.
"I will," Yeon said immediately. "Starting now. From this exact moment. No more bumping."
"…Good."
"…Good."
Neither of them moved.
Kim leaned toward Jake and whispered,
"Are they going to stand there forever?"
"Probably," Jake whispered back. "This is their fourth interaction. It's a developing relationship."
"I can hear you," Yeon snapped.
"Good."
Yeon turned back to Jisung, forcing an awkward smile.
"…Okay, bye."
"Bye."
Yeon turned—
Then immediately almost walked into the door frame.
"…I'm fine," he said before anyone could speak, pushing it open and stepping outside.
The others quickly followed.
The moment they were out—
Kim burst out laughing.
"FOUR TIMES," he said. "FOUR TIMES IN ONE DAY."
"I don't want to talk about it," Yeon muttered, covering his face.
Jake grinned.
"I think it's fate."
"It's NOT fate."
Ryou smiled slightly, glancing back toward the café.
"…He seems interesting."
Yeon froze.
"…No."
"Yes," Kim said.
"No."
"Yes."
"NO."
Ryou laughed softly.
And as they walked off into the evening—
Yeon could not shake the feeling—
That this wasn't going to be the last time he ran into Han Jisung.
Not even close.