Ji-Soo sat on the bench, uniform slightly wrinkled, short bob brushing her cheeks, bangs revealing the faint birthmark on her temple. Fah, side ponytail swaying, licked the ice cream Ji-Soo had silently handed her.
Suddenly, Ji-Soo's phone buzzed. She picked it up.
"Unknown…" she muttered.
She answered.
"Ji-Woo!"
The voice came sharp, cutting through the quiet afternoon. Ji-Soo froze mid-breath. She knew it. Impossible to ignore.
"…Ha-Rin?" she whispered.
"Yes. It's me," the voice hissed. "I know who you are. I know you're Ji-Woo. Don't think you can hide. Don't even try running, or you'll regret it."
Ji-Soo's grip tightened on the phone. Her short bob bounced as she abruptly stood and bolted, skirts flaring, bangs slapping her forehead, the faint birthmark flashing under the sunlight.
She didn't stop—not even when she collided with a student. "Sorry!" she shouted over her shoulder, keeping her stride sharp and frantic.
Fah jumped to her feet, ice cream forgotten, panting. She looked after Ji-Soo in shock.
Min-Ju, who had been standing nearby, saw the chaos and rushed toward Fah. "What happened?" he demanded.
Fah panted, pointing down the path. "Ji-Soo just… started running. I don't know what happened!"
Before she could say more, Min-Ju turned and ran after Ji-Soo.
"Wait! You too?" Fah shouted, confused. "I'm calling Mrs. Han!"
Ji-Soo had already reached the school gate, slowing slightly as she panted, hands on her knees. Min-Ju caught up to her, out of breath, eyes filled with concern.
"What happened?" he asked.
She looked up at him, chest heaving. "Ha-Rin… Ji-Soo is in trouble. I need to go to Seoul," she said, voice trembling but firm.
Min-Ju blinked, then straightened. "But you can't go alone. I'll come with you."
Ji-Soo shook her head slightly, still panting, but didn't argue. She had no energy for words—just urgency, fear, and the need to keep moving.
Min-Ju glanced at her, expression softening. "Then let's go. Together."
--
Ji-Woo returned home from school, her steps quiet and careful. She had hidden the faint cut under her brow—nobody noticed. Jibok might have, but he wouldn't ask. Eun-Woo, ever the over-caring one, would have fussed endlessly.
Passing Mrs. Kim in the living room, Ji-Woo said lightly, "My day was fine. Classes, homework… nothing unusual."
She headed toward the staircase, trying to keep her pace normal.
The doorbell rang. Ji-Woo paused instinctively. Mrs. Kim sighed softly and went to answer it.
Her eyes widened as she opened the door.
Ji-Soo… no, the real Ji-Woo was standing there, tired but alive, eyes locking with Mrs. Kim immediately.
Without thinking, Mrs. Kim stepped forward and wrapped her in a hug.
"My child… you came back," she whispered, voice shaking.
Ji-Woo didn't hug back at first. She let Mrs. Kim hold her, fists curling at her sides, school skirt neat. Then, quietly, tears slipped down her cheeks.
From the staircase, Ji-Soo had been coming down. She froze, stunned. Her eyes widened, heart skipping. She hadn't expected this—hadn't even known Ji-Woo was alive.
At the same time, Min-Ju entered the house, eyes catching Ji-Soo's briefly. He wanted to move closer, but hesitated, confused by the scene.
Ji-Soo's gaze shifted back to the girl by the door. Ji-Woo was crying softly, letting Mrs. Kim hold her.
Finally, Ji-Soo descended the stairs fully. Their eyes met. Shock rooted her to the spot.
Ji-Woo's voice trembled, caught between relief and emotion. "You… you're alive."
Ji-Soo's hands went slightly to her mouth. Her chest heaved. She had no words. She could only stare, shocked, as the girl she thought lost—her mirror of herself—stood alive before her.
Ji-Soo's chest heaved. She couldn't stop the tears.
Ji-Woo opened her arms. Ji-Soo didn't hesitate this time. They embraced, a long, trembling hug. Ji-Woo's hands checked her, holding her gently.
"Are you okay?" Ji-Woo asked, soft and steady.
Ji-Soo nodded repeatedly, still clutching her, tears sliding freely.
Behind them, Min-Ju watched, confused, unsure what to do, while Mrs. Kim quietly closed the door, a soft click marking the new, fragile peace.
For a moment, only the three of them existed—Ji-Woo and Ji-Soo, finally reunited, the tension of months dissolving into the quiet embrace.
The four of them sat in the living room. Mrs. Kim.
Ji-Woo, Ji-Soo, and Min-Ju—each in their school uniforms. The room was quiet, the air heavy with relief, shock, and lingering confusion.
Mrs. Kim leaned back slightly, exhaling a soft sigh of relief. Her eyes softened as she looked at the two girls.
Ji-Soo, with her long hair, wide-eyed and shocked; and Ji-Woo, with her short bob, quietly smiling, still holding onto the fragile thread of comfort.
Min-Ju sat stiffly, still processing, his hands clasped tightly on his knees.
Ji-Soo finally broke the silence. "Where… where have you been?" she asked, voice trembling slightly.
Ji-Woo met her eyes and spoke softly. "I've been… with your mom."
Ji-Soo blinked. "Your mom… knows that you're not really Ji-Soo?"
Ji-Woo nodded. "Yes. She knows now."
Min-Ju furrowed his brow. "Wait… I'm confused. Guys… what's happening? How did you end up living each other's lives?"
Ji-Woo sighed, glancing at Ji-Soo, her eyes soft but serious. She leaned back, hands folded neatly in her lap.
Then, her voice dropped low, almost hesitant. "It all started…"
And in that moment, her words began to draw them back, as the memory unfolded—the flashback beginning to explain everything.
The present blurred. The living room, the uniforms, the quiet—it all softened, and the memory unfolded.
It was that night, the night Ji-Woo had gone missing.
Ji-Soo was walking home from school, her long hair bouncing as she skipped along the quiet streets, the cool night air brushing against her face.
She hummed softly to herself, feeling lighter than usual, until something caught her eye.
There, slumped near the alleyway, was a familiar figure.
"I… Help," Ji-Woo whispered weakly, her voice trembling, barely audible in the still night.
Ji-Soo froze for a heartbeat, she hesitated what if it was a trap. "Who are you? do you need help?"
She ran forward instantly, kneeling beside her.
Her hands shook slightly as she inspected her, checking for injuries. Panic rose in her chest.
Without a second thought, she scooped Ji-Woo into her arms.
"I've got you… I'll take care of you," Ji-Soo murmured, carrying her swiftly toward her house.
When Ji-Woo woke the next morning, her eyes met Ji-Soo's. The room was quiet, sunlight filtering softly through the curtains.
The sight of Ji-Soo, sitting patiently beside her bed, made Ji-Woo's chest tighten.
"I… I don't know what happened last night," Ji-Woo began, voice small. "Everything feels… wrong. I don't understand my life anymore…"
Ji-Soo listened, her long hair falling around her face, nodding slightly. "You don't have to explain everything right now. I'll help you. For now, just rest."
Ji-Woo's eyes darted around nervously. ''..... can I stay here. I don't want togo back."
Ji-Soo shook her head. " Let me take you home safely later. You need a moment."
''You don't understand. I don't want to go back. I came to ask you to switch lives with me'' Ji-Woo said suddenly Ji-Soo paused and looked at her.
''No way! Not ganna happen I am sorry'' She said softly.
Ji-Woo hesitated, struggling against herself.
She wanted to refuse, but the exhaustion and fear were stronger.
She finally nodded reluctantly.
That was when it happened.
As Ji-Soo escorted Ji-Woo toward the street, the accident came without warning.
A car swerved violently, and Ji-Soo lunged forward instinctively, trying to push Ji-Woo out of harm's way.
But she was too late.