Na-ri just sat there, staring at the screen like a statue.
The news anchor's voice played on, but her eyes were fixed on one thing — the date.
Saturday, April 15th, 2023.
She blinked. Once. Twice. The numbers didn't change.
"This… this doesn't make sense," she whispered.
Her fingers gently touched the TV screen as if it would disappear, like a dream.
But it didn't.
The news was still playing. The weather forecast was still being announced. Everything felt so normal.
Too normal.
Na-ri slowly stood up and walked back to her room like a sleepwalker. Her legs felt light, almost as if they weren't hers.
She opened the door and stepped into her bathroom. The air smelled like her usual lavender bath salts. Her favorite ones. The ones she hadn't used in years.
She didn't question it.
She turned on the tap and filled her Jacuzzi. Warm water swirled with bubbles. The gentle sound filled the silence around her. She slid in slowly and leaned her head back.
"What a weird dream…" she muttered. "That felt… too real."
She closed her eyes. But her mind didn't relax. Instead, flashes of the hospital came back.
The sound of the monitor beeping. The cold voice of the doctor. Minji screaming. Her grandfather's tears.
"No," she whispered to herself, shaking her head. "It was just a nightmare. Just a very bad dream."
After a long soak, she stepped out of the bath, dried herself, and dressed into a clean outfit. She dried her hair and brushed it and style it into a quick bun. She just wanted to feel... grounded. Like this was real.
She made her way to the sitting room.
It was huge.
A large white leather sofa frame in gold sat in the middle. The walls were lined with gold-framed paintings. There was a tall glass shelf filled with awards and photos. A wide chandelier hung above, sparkling in the sunlight that poured through the massive windows.
Everything was just as she remembered. Or was it?
She paused at the entrance.
There he was.
Her grandfather — Chairman Kang Hyun Bin — sitting on the couch, legs crossed, a bright smile on his face.
No wheelchair. No nurse beside him. Just him, sitting tall, like the man she knew in her childhood.
"Na-ri!" he called out, turning his head with excitement. "You're awake. Come, come! Look at this!"
She walked toward him slowly, still staring like she'd seen a ghost.
He patted the spot beside him. "Did you see the news? Empire Group just rose to number two in the whole country for real estate! Number two, Na-ri!"
She forced a smile and sat down, still watching him. For some reason she already knew this.
He chuckled proudly, eyes fixed on the TV. "Just in time too! The company's 70th anniversary is coming up in a few days. We'll make it a grand celebration. Hah! All these years of hard work finally paying off!"
His laughter filled the room. It was loud and hearty. The kind of laugh she hadn't heard in a long time.
Then suddenly, a maid walked in carrying a tray of medicines and water. She was walking fast, not watching her step.
Na-ri's eyes widened.
She gasped softly — there it was.
A mopstick was lying right in front of the maid's path.
In her mind, the scene played out too fast — the maid trips, screams, falls to the floor. A loud thud. Blood. Screams. Pain.
Na-ri jumped to her feet without thinking.
She rushed forward and kicked the mopstick aside just in time. The maid blinked and stepped forward without noticing a thing.
"Thank you, Miss Na-ri," she said with a small bow and walked over to the chairman.
Na-ri just stood there, breathing heavily.
Her hands were slightly shaking.
"How… How did I know that?"
She hadn't seen the mop earlier. But the memory… it felt like something that already happened.
She sat down again, trying to calm her racing heart.
Chairman Kang glanced at her. "Are you alright, dear? You look pale."
She forced a tiny laugh. "I'm fine, Grandpa. Just… tired. Didn't sleep well."
"Hmm," he said with a small nod. "Get some rest then. You young people never sleep early these days."
She nodded and stood up again. "I'll go lie down for a bit."
As she walked back to her room, her mind spun with questions. None of this was adding up.
Then her phone buzzed.
It was Tae Joon.
She stared at his name on the screen.
They weren't married. Not yet. Back in 2023, they were still dating.
She answered with a hesitant voice. "Hello?"
"Hey babe," his voice came from the other end, cheerful. "You sound sleepy. Did I wake you?"
"No, I was up."
"Good. I wanted to see you today. Let's go on that aquarium date we talked about. And then afterward, let's try that new barbecue place near Han River. I've heard lots of good things about it."
Na-ri froze.
Her eyes widened.
She'd heard this before.
Not similar words. The exact same words.
The tone. The pauses. Even the little laugh he gave after mentioning the barbecue.
"I— I have to go," she stuttered and ended the call quickly.
She sat down on her bed, her mind spinning.
What's going on?
Was this all really a dream? Or… something else?
Her chest rose and fell rapidly.
Everything felt too familiar.
Too planned.
Too real.