Just as I thought that rising so quickly couldn’t be good, I found myself breaking the surface, breathing in air.
“What, what, how…?”
I stamred incoherently. As I turned my head, I truly saw a beach. A place I knew.
“It’s Woljeong-ri.”
Am I really in Korea? Tears suddenly welled up at the sight of my hotown’s sea that I hadn’t seen for so long. This is grandmother’s house.
“Yes, child.”
“Eek!”
I scread as I turned around, coming face to face with soone who shouldn’t be here.
An elderly man on a white horse was watching , his body half-erged from the water. The sa old man who had saved in Clara’s cave. The one Lucita’s butler had called ‘The Great Abyss’.
“Sir, how, how are you here…?”
He chuckled at my confused voice. The horse made a whinnying sound and rubbed its muzzle against my cheek. It must be recognizing from our previous encounter.
“Oh, I’m happy to see you too. Wait, I’m not wearing a life jacket. Don’t push…”
The horse gave a small neigh, clicked its teeth, and quieted down. It seed to understand. The old man waited until my greetings with the horse were finished before speaking.
“Didn’t I tell you to rember the sea?”
“I… I didn’t know it would be Korea’s sea.”
“You hadn’t forgotten it from when you were very young?”
“…That’s part of it too.”
The old man smiled gently at my honest admission and patted my head a couple of tis. His face was warm and familiar, like a grandfather looking at his grandchild. Seeing his face always reminded of the precious people I’d left behind in Korea. Grandfather, grandmother, mom, dad…
Co to think of it, I’d been saved again.
“Sir, why are you so kind to ?”
“Because I cherish all children.”
“I’m… twenty-four. Third year in university after taking a gap year. I’m too old to be called a child.”
“You’re still a child to .”
The old man grabbed by the scruff of my neck and, with surprising strength, placed on the horse. Without a saddle, it was very uncomfortable. The thought ‘How does one keep balance like this?’ briefly crossed my mind before disappearing.
“Sir, back then, in the cave…”
“Hmm?”
“You told rembering the sea would be my salvation.”
“That’s right.”
“What did that an, exactly?”
The old man looked at . His blue eyes shifted colors like the ocean itself, now reflecting sunlight with warm, clear waves.
“Because you rembered, I could help you.”
“Help ?”
“You wouldn’t want that boy to cry, would you?”
I imdiately knew ‘that boy’ ant Liam.
Ah, right. I had fallen into the Thas. Liam must be crying terribly. I briefly worried that he might try to follow Roo and Juliet’s example.
“Really now. Where does such courage co from in one who hasn’t even lived a hundred years?”
Sir, our lifespan only goes up to a hundred years…
“I just… got annoyed at letting the Black King’s will destroy the world. I can be quite stubborn, you know.”
“You foolish child, throwing yourself away like that?”
The old man scolded sternly, pinching my cheek. Though gentle for him, it was still forceful enough to make my cheek feel like it might co off.
“I’m-I’m sorry.”
“What good does apologizing to do?”
Then he asked :
“You need to go back.”
I can go back?
I forgot I was on horseback and nearly jumped up in surprise, falling back into the sea with a splash. The horse showed its irritation as the old man pulled back up with a sigh.
“Wasn’t I dead?”
“Now, now.”
“…I can go back?”
“Of course, if you wish to.”
I could return. I could see Liam again.
He must have handled everything well. He must have driven away the Black King. Even as I thought this, my heart ached rembering Liam’s crying face. I felt sowhat pathetic being happy about returning after what I’d done.
“When I go back… I won’t do anything like this again.”
“That’s well thought out.”
“And I’ll tell Liam I love him more often.”
“Good.”
The old man took the horse’s reins. With a “Hiya!”, the horse whinnied and leaped high into the air, then plunged straight toward the water’s surface.
As I scread at this unexpected roller coaster ride, he patted my back reassuringly.
“The door still remains. Rember that.”
“Door?”
Before I could ask more, I was pulled above water.
I could breathe again. The horse and old man were gone. The cold winter air struck my face as I coughed up the brackish river water. Soone grabbed in a desperate embrace and began muttering repeatedly.
“Dear God… Thank you…”
He must have been giving artificial respiration while waiting after pulling from the river. My ribs felt slightly sore. Liam kept patting my back (seemingly unconcerned that I was vomiting water on his clothes) until I had expelled all the water. I could only surrender myself to his ministrations. I caught a faint whiff of his familiar scent.
Liam Moore, it’s you.
My voice was terribly hoarse and trembling. I hadn’t been prepared to et him so suddenly, and couldn’t help feeling flustered.
He always saves like this, pulling back to life. He’s surely the type who would climb down a rope after even if I fell into so bottomless pit.
“Jane, are you conscious? Are you alright? The Black King is gone, everything’s resolved… You’re safe now.”
Liam began frantically telling the news.
Wait, I just opened my eyes. I slowly raised my arms to hold his cheeks. Let’s set aside my surprise at my right arm moving without issue for now. Liam was looking at , soaked with tears and river water.
“Liam…”
His lips trembling, Liam hesitated for a mont before forcing his mouth into sothing resembling a smile. His expression was such a ss I couldn’t tell if he was crying or laughing. Looking at this man trying to smile just to reassure , completely unaware of how his face looked, I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
“I’m sorry.”
I spoke with my raw voice, though my throat hurt from expelling so much water.
“Jane.”
Liam called my na in surprise. Perhaps he was shocked that soone who’d just escaped death would apologize first. But I really wanted to apologize before anything else.
“Just… I’m sorry. I did wrong. I knew I shouldn’t have done it.”
Liam closed his eyes tight and pressed his cheek against my hand. This man who was always warm felt ice-cold. What would he have done if I had already sunk to the bottom of the river? Why did he throw himself into these cold, pitch-black waters? I wondered.
“…I was so scared, Jane.”
Yes, you’ve seen my death far too many tis.
I seem to have left an indelible wound on you. It’s as if I’ve taken a branding iron with my na and seared it into your heart. I threw myself away for the world’s sake, knowing I truly might not return this ti. My return is pure fortune.
When I pulled him closer, he willingly fell into my embrace. This man several tis my size crumpled himself up and buried his face in my shoulder. Though he was trying to appear composed, Liam’s trembling hadn’t stopped. As I gently stroked his back, I whispered:
“I won’t do anything like this again.”
“…Mm.”
“I won’t make you worry anymore.”
“Mm, alright.”
“…I love you.”
“Mm. …Mm?”
He had been responding docilely, but suddenly lifted his head in surprise. He stared at with wide rabbit eyes, not understanding. That even this expression looked lovable to – I must be mad, I thought.
“No, it’s just. While falling, I suddenly thought.”
“Thought what…?”
“Ah, that I should have said ‘I love you’ more often.”
Having resolved to die, these regrets only ca as death approached. Now I understand why they say to live a life without regrets when you die.
Liam quietly pondered my words.
“I had the sa thought.”
“About loving ?”
“That’s always true.”
Liam Moore cleared his throat. I couldn’t tell if his bright red ears were from the cold or from what he was about to say.
After much hesitation, he took both my hands and struggled to speak.
“Jane Osmond.”
What could he be building up to with such suspense?
The thought was better left unfinished. Following his words, I lost all ability to speak, my mind going blank.
“…I fell for you the mont I first saw you. You are my first love, and there will never be anyone I love more than you.”
Ah.
“Will you marry ?”
Really, you…
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