As their time together diminished, Chaewon’s skin slowly grew pale. Seeing the difference between their intertwined fingers, hurt Minju more. The berserker then leaned her head on the mage’s right shoulder, as the two of them sat on the cold tiled floor of the tower, leaning their backs toward the walls made up of bricks.

“Minju.”

“Hmm…?”

“I love you.”

The warmth had left her body, the body she held hands with slowly faded into dust. She curled into a ball and buried her face on her knees.

She laughed, she cried, she pitied herself.

What happened to her stoned party members, and the woman suffering from the eternal sleep ailment, she had no idea. As soon as Chaewon disappeared into the abyss, she left that world and began jumping from world to world using her portal spell. Each world she went to, the person Chaewon never existed.

The world she came from was beyond anyone’s understanding, the world of origins. From where everything started, to where everything spanned to different worlds as they are now. No matter what she did to be able to return to that world, Minju is now forever lost to the plethora of universes.

Searching from world to world to find a suitable place she could live in, the mage then settled down in a universe resembling the one she came from. It was a peaceful universe, where magic doesn’t exist. Where life is ordinary, adventuring isn’t a job, and everyone could live and enjoy their lives to the fullest.

While she could still use her magic, she keeps it to a minimum.

Minju kept herself in a distance as much as she could, she watched everything unfold as if it was a historical movie. She watched the rise and fall of every civilization, historical events, and deaths of those respected in the current era. Hoping that one day she’ll be able to see or meet someone that could make her forget about Chaewon, the first and the only woman she loved.

The whole restaurant was filled with pop music tracks playing, despite having a few customers that one could even count on their fingers, the staff was still as energetic as ever, delivering the best hospitality towards their few loyal customers. The place was more on retro style, the lights, and even the jukebox in the middle. There were booths, tables, and counters, a perfect place for people looking for retro aesthetics.

In one of the booths, with chairs red in color, two girls presumably university students sat face to face.

“Hey, Chaewon. Did you know? There’s always a weird lady asking me to do sketches of you. I think you’re about the same age.” Her blonde hair that runs until her back was tied into a high ponytail as she faced her former neighbor, one with a long black hair she tied in a low ponytail, dressed in a white dress shirt and jean shorts. Kim Chaewon.

“Seriously, Sakura? Maybe I just look like her sister or something. Don’t jump to conclusions, many people in this world share the same faces. Just like how Yena, her girlfriend, and I are often mistaken as Yena in class.” The woman whom the blonde called Chaewon then leaned her back towards the booth’s backrest, she crossed her arms as she explained the instance to her intrigued friend whom she called Sakura.

“Chaewon that’s different!” Sakura protested, tapping both her hands at the table, enough for everyone in the restaurant to hear them.

“Really? I didn’t know!” Chaewon brushed her protests aside. “More importantly, Miyawaki… Did you bring ‘em?”  She leaned forward and whispered.

“Bring what?” The blonde raised a brow, upon seeing the pissed expression on Chaewon’s face, she immediately realized what the other was talking about.

“Ah, the results of my exams a year ago? Here you go.” She pulled out an envelope from the bag beside her and handed it to Chaewon.

“Thanks for this!” The latter then hid the envelope as if it was something illegal to be hidden.

“Seriously Chaewon, you should start studying. You’ll be a senior after this semester ends, how are you going to get by your internship if you’re going to continue being like this?” Sakura closed her bag and began to pack her things, Chaewon chuckled in response.

“Trust me bud. I can do it.” The blonde wasn’t sure whether or not to trust the younger’s smile, but she just did nevertheless.

“Where do you live now, by the way? Just wanna ask before I go home.”

“A-Ah, in my grandma’s apartment. She’s a bit strict, so I’m going now, bye-bye!”

She left in a flash.

“She just got kicked out of the house after not being able to pay rent five straight months, good thing her grandma took her in—wait, she doesn’t have a grandma!” Sakura sighed at the realization.

“Well, whatever she does, I’m sure she could do it. She’s Chaewon, the berserker I’ve always known.”

I’ve been here even from before these kinds of technology emerged, why am I still foreign to these kinds of things? Dressed in a pair of shirt and jeans, Minju sighed as she skimmed through a restaurant’s menu, and not being able to find what her stomach craves for, she leaves for another place.

Well, even if she ate or not, she won’t die. The price of taking a bite of the ambrosia. Everyone in their party then was able to take a bite of the ambrosia, aside from one that is Chaewon. Which explains the reason why her body needed an elixir to heal, and she wasn’t immune to the curses of Makai.

“It’s raining.” Why does it always rain at night, such a pain.

If using magic wasn’t seen as something impossible in this world, she could’ve put a stop to it in an instant as a conjurer-level mage. But as she is trying to not be seen, she have decided to take the normal approach of people towards it, Minju took out her umbrella and opened it.

“Good thing it’s not that strong.” Looking up at the night sky as the rain dropped bit by bit, she heard something that she just couldn’t ignore.

“Jesus, why am I broke these days?” A voice that she knew so well, a voice that no matter how thousands or millennia of years pass, she won’t ever forget. In front of her, standing in front of a restaurant while looking at the menus outside, there is she. Eyes that she won’t ever not look at. The face that she has longed to see since the last time saw it—from the world of origins. It was the spitting image of the berserker she once loved.

But this can’t be… Once Makai devours a soul from the world of origins…

There’s no way that they’ll be able to appear in new worlds.

She was here in this world.

It was a world different from those she has traveled into, she knew that they weren’t supposed to exist because of the rules of Makai, but they are here. She swore to never converse with the people of this world, to stay as a spectator—but there was no way she could ignore the woman in front of her, the mage knew she had to talk to her.

“Excuse me, would you care to join me for a meal? Don’t worry, I don’t mean any harm, it’s just that this place only takes two customers.”

She’s letting herself get drenched in the rain? She moved closer to be able to share the umbrella with her.

“Are you serious? The meal in this place is expensive! A university student like you could go broke if you get a meal for two in this place!” She exclaimed.

They have the same expression. It made Minju giggle, the way that the woman took a step back in shock the moment she asked her question.

“Don’t worry, it’s fine. I have plenty of money from work.”

“Really? Then… why not. This is a rare opportunity and… I’m also hungry.”

The restaurant had a full wooden interior, on the ceilings were paper lamps decorated with intricate designs, the wooden chairs had red cushions, and on the tables were plates faced down, beside a set of chopsticks. The staff wore black double-ed jackets, trousers, and red half aprons. They were pleasant looking, and the process of how each dish is prepared is seen in the middle, very much like live cooking.

“Just as I thought, it’s really nice in here.” Minju watched her admire the whole restaurant’s ambiance, it was cute—at least to her.

“I’m Minju, and you are?” Minju offered her hand, which the latter accepted.

“Kim Chaewon, a Psychology junior in Ilshin University. It’s nice meeting you, Minju.”

Even their name was the same. Minju didn’t want to suspect about anything related to Makai in this world, but she couldn’t help but think. What if’s and memories of her distant past started to cloud her mind, what if something happened to the world where she came from after she left. She shook her head as if to rid her mind of those thoughts.

“They did something about the elders, that’s for sure.” Minju became too careless to have let her thoughts slip out, her eyes met with Chaewon’s who was then curious about what she was talking about.

“Dragons and demons? Makai? Are you into RPGs?” Chaewon tilted her head in curiosity, the former just smiled at her in response.

“No, don’t mind me. I…” Minju immediately thought of what the artist said the day before—about her story being quite amusing, something that goes along the lines of her being a possible aspiring author. “I’m currently planning to write a novel about those. I know it’s embarrassing, so just forget about everything I said that you heard.” The mage laughed, but the young woman in front of her didn’t take it.

“Why would you laugh about something you’ve been wanting to do? I feel envious. I can’t even do the things I want.”

It reminded her of that one memory from before, the first time that she met Chaewon in middle school, they were from different buildings and classes but they met a lot because they were a pair. It was the one memory that she would never be able to wipe off from her mind because the feelings she felt that day were no joke, thrilling and exciting.

Before being able to get their adventurer’s license, and be able to join guilds, aspiring adventurers need to enter a special school situated on a secluded island for two years and to get passing marks. The school was a huge old castle that used to house a monarch of sorts, but then it went down after a revolution that killed the royal family, the people then moved into another place and created the Country of Iz in the process.

Like most of the mages in training then, Minju was often dressed in a white ruffled blouse, and a four-buttoned skirt, under a black flowing robe with her family’s crest—a fox, as her brooch. She was not only popular because of her family, the Kim family of Mages, but also because she was the genius in her year. A genius because she’s able to cast spells while omitting the chant, which is something a higher leveled or experienced mage can only do as it requires a lot of concentration.

Chaewon was a rather rebellious student despite one of the promising students in her year, she was continuously praised in the institution, while her family does the opposite as being born a berserker in the family of divas is considered as a bad omen by the elders. She uses twin blades as her weapon, her armor wasn’t that much, but a pair of brass greaves, and a pauldron on her right shoulder above her black dress shirt.

They’ve heard about each other’s names before this meeting, and have already seen their faces during assemblies, but they never had any other encounter other than that until the events of the ogre attack in the academy.

The first time their paths crossed was when ogres attacked the castle, Minju got out of her class earlier than the others as she already knew what they were going to talk about, and even demonstrated a better example than what the professor could do. Chaewon got locked out of the training grounds and had nothing to do but to stay in the library and do some readings for her general classes as punishment.

“Aren’t those… Ogres?! I knew it, they should’ve believed Eunbi’s fortune instead of throwing her to the cells for a night!” The berserker was on the third floor of the library but when she saw the creatures entering the school grounds through the window, she immediately slid it open and jumped down to the grounds. Not aware that someone had followed her when she jumped—Minju.

“Damn, I’ve already killed a lot, but it’s like there’s no end to them.” Chaewon wiped the blood off her face as she took a brief rest before planning to attack the mob again.

“Leave it to me.” She saw a light that came from behind her when she turned her back, there she was. The genius, mage-in-training Minju, holding her wooden staff adorned with five elemental jewels. The wind felt hot, and all of a sudden, the ogres began to burn in flames that originated from their bodies.

“Minju?!” Chaewon knew about her, she was always the talk of the other students in her class. The genius mage who can cast spells without chanting—or something of the sort.

“Chaewon, don’t you dare move, or the field spell will recognize you as an enemy.” The mage warned, but the berserker noticed how the area behind her was open to all attacks.

“I don’t care if my body burns, you’ll die.” Chaewon ran to the area behind Minju to watch her back.

“What are you doing?!” The mage exclaimed, but all she heard was a laugh.

“Don’t worry, I’m good at what I’m supposed to do. Combined with my first-hand experience against creatures like this.” Through one of her sub spells, she was able to take a peek of what was happening to the berserker behind her, the fire that covered the berserker’s body through the field magic dissipated and only left a few marks on her body.

“Then I’m counting on you to watch my back until the academy’s staff arrives.”

“I won’t let anyone get near you, just relax and keep casting your spells.”

At that very moment, as they fought together, everything felt perfect. Chaewon was able to cover Minju’s back, and so was the other. As if they were meant to be on the same team, or even just a pair. The mage was in awe of how Chaewon was different from the berserkers she has seen and observed before, she wasn’t barbaric like the others, the way she fights and she slices through her enemies with her blades were so graceful, it was like she’s dancing instead of fighting.

She began to doubt if she was really fighting alongside a berserker or a new type, her attacks were rash and consecutive but it was the way she moved. Chaewon made it look like the battlefield is her stage, and the ogres are her dance partners—that she discards and kills.

It wasn’t that long until the staff arrived and cleared the area of the creatures, they were scolded by the headmaster but still thanked them for halving the number of the ogres that invaded the academy. After the long hours of scolding from the staff, Chaewon and Minju decided to eat their dinner together. Under the only light in the dining hall that was only opened for them, the whole room felt different, despite having the usual brick interior, and flags of each of the seven countries placed under the huge arched windows placed rather high.

“As a berserker, you’re good. On top of that, you’re a girl. It didn’t feel like you were a berserker at all.” Minju took a spoonful of her meal filled with a cup of rice, and vegetables.

“Really? I’m a cursed child of our family, they are all divas. I was the first child to have been born in the family as a berserker.” Chaewon sighed after taking a sip from her cup of wine, “Unlike knights, and runic knights, they can focus their skills and have their class changed to a Paladin or a mage.” She rested her cheek on her right palm as she looked at the mage in front of her eating her meal.

“Though, I wonder why runic knights don’t have seals. Even if they decide to become mages, they won’t have the same sealed life like us.”

“It’s because runic knights can only use a single element, they are considered lower than regular mages, and won’t reach even half the amount of mana we have. That’s why runic knights rarely turn into mages, no guild accepts them.” Minju explained.

“Really? I wish I was just born a normal person.” She rubbed the back of her neck before leaning backward to her backrest, “Minju, do you really want to become a mage?” The berserker asked.

“Of course. It’s fun, and it feels amazing whenever I can master a new spell.” Minju excitedly answered, she even placed her utensils down and clasped her hands in amusement.

“You’re so lucky, you get to do things that you want. I can’t even do the things that make me happy.” As a mage, Minju could see through most of the people she talks to, and at that moment, she knew that Chaewon wasn’t lying. She never wanted to be a berserker, and yet she was good at it.

“Anyway, thank you for accompanying me tonight for dinner. If it’s not much, can we always eat together starting tomorrow? I always see you eating alone, and… I often eat alone too.” Her invitation lit Minju’s face up. The students often avoid sitting with her as she had always been put on a high pedestal after almost being on the same level, or even higher than most of their professors.

“I’m not forcing you, okay? You can say no if you want to—”

For the first time, someone was going to eat with her after she left their house for the academy.

“How could I say no? I finally have someone to eat with.” Her smile was enough to lit up the slightly dimmed dining hall—at least to the other.

When Minju blinked, she was surprised to see Chaewon’s hand in front of her face, moving randomly as if trying to get her attention. She shook her head to the realization that her consciousness drifted to somewhere deep within her memory again, worried if she might have blurted out a few things again, she asked the woman in front of her.

“Did I say something weird again…?”

Chaewon chuckled, “No, you just started staring at my face, and… you kinda smiled. But you looked cute though, just felt weird.” She began avoiding her eyes.

“Ah, sorry about that. You kind of really reminded me of my old friend.” Minju’s curiosity grew as to why the woman in front of her was carrying a packed duffle bag at this hour, she then closed her eyes and used one of her spells, omitting the chant as she always did. She saw what thoughts filled Chaewon’s mind. It felt intrusive but she still did.

I wonder where I’ll sleep tonight? I can’t at the bus station, it’s raining. It’ll probably be packed.

Should I rent out a room in an internet café again? Uhh, but I can’t afford to spend more money.

Does she have a free space in where she lives? Maybe she could let me—nah, she probably won’t.

Minju sighed upon hearing the last one, she’s been living alone in a two-bedroom condominium unit by herself for years now. And seeing someone like her, there was no way she could say no. Even if this Chaewon turns out to be a bad person, she could always freeze, burn, or shock her to death with her magic. It was that easy.

“Let’s see, you’re carrying a packed duffle bag. You’re wandering the streets at this hour instead of being home and studying… If I’m not mistaken, are you looking for a place to sleep? If you are, then my doors are open.” Her elbows on the table, and her fingers crossing against each other as she invited Chaewon to live in her house. Just like how the Chaewon she knew invited her to always eat with her back then.

“How’d you know—I mean yeah… I am looking for one.” There was no denying it, even if she tried to hide it, she felt that the woman sitting in front of her have already read her.

“I actually live alone, and I’ve been looking for a roommate. Maybe if you’d like… Well, not that I’m forcing you, ahh… You can always say no.” The way Minju’s fingers suddenly started moving with her trembling hands, and how flustered her face was, made Chaewon feel a bit assured that the person she was talking to would do her no harm.

“I’ll take it! How much are your rates per month?”

She was glad to see how enthusiastic Chaewon was on her offer, it reminded her of how happy she was when she had her first friend in the academy. Just back then, it was given to her for free, she decided that it would be good to repay her this time.

“I just need someone who’ll accompany me. For free, for as long as you’d like.”

Chaewon’s face lit up the moment she heard the last part, “Then let me do the housework!”

“If that’ll make you feel at least then please do so.”

The dinner was soon served, Minju watched Chaewon eat—those little things reminded her of the past. From when they used to have meals in the middle of the forest, under the trees, under their umbrellas in the desert, or the riverside. Whether or not this meeting was meant to be, it made Minju feel a bit happier than before. The mage then noticed an unusual ring on Chaewon’s left ring finger, it was something she have seen before—and touched, even.

It was identical to the ring that Chaewon always wore in her expeditions. The silver exterior, the huge amethyst, the intricate design, and carvings, there was no way she could be mistaken about it. She stopped herself from acting rash, she knew that it will be up to no good. That was the same ring where she sealed Chaewon’s memories back in the tower.

“That ring.” Minju pointed her right index towards it, “Where’d you buy it?” She asked, not to arouse suspicions.

“Oh, this? My friend, Sakura gave it to me. She told me it was mine, though I don’t know when I lent it to her.”

“Is her name… Miyawaki Sakura? Is she working part-time as an artist?” It was slowly coming back to her, how their old teammates looked like, and how Sakura, the assassin and alchemist, looked like. The artist she often met had the spitting face of hers, she was a fool to not remember this sooner.

Chaewon nodded to her question, for some reason, Minju felt relieved that the Sakura she knew was with Chaewon the entire time, which confirms that the person in front of her, is indeed the Chaewon she knew, but how? That is something she couldn’t comprehend even in all of her knowledge from the world of origins combined. The person in front of her had no recollection of their supposed last moments in the tower.

Arriving at one of the tallest condominium towers in the city, Chaewon could finally understand why the woman was okay about her living in her house for free. In the lobby was a massive branched fixture filled with different crystals the glistened along with the lights it shone, it had an intricate design that one could easily notice that it wasn’t just some regular chandelier, that it was its only kind in the whole world. Attendants were bowing and greeting them left and right, which was quite unusual to Chaewon.

They arrived at the elevator, and the moment the doors closed, Chaewon felt a slight twinge on her head. It didn’t hurt as much but was enough to make her close her eyes and shook her head. Minju noticed her sudden movements, she observed the amethyst ring on her peripheral and noticed how it slightly glowed.

Is the seal trying to break itself?

The sharp pain grew, and Chaewon suddenly fell on the floor, both her hands on her head as she screamed in intense pain. Minju wasn’t aware as to what was causing it, but what she was seeing was the exact same scene she once saw before, when someone is about to fall into an eternal sleep ailment.

She knelt beside Chaewon, she heard a few words she was mumbling.

“Makai is a scary place. I don’t want to go back there anymore.”

“Minju please come back.”

Minju felt a shock that went down to her body, she knew she had to do something.

While minding if the elevator would stop at any floor soon, Minju materialized a small wand on her left hand, she took a deep breath as she cast one of the healing spells she knew of. She slowly calmed down as the wand vanished into thin air.

“Chaewon, are you okay?” Minju saw the surprised look on her face, it was as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

“M-Minju… is it really you?”

Realizing what had happened, the mage immediately pulled her close, which the other then returned by wrapping her arms back. It’s been years since the last time they saw each other, the last time they held hands, and shared a kiss. Tears began to fall on Minju’s cheeks, finally back on her lover’s arms.

“Minju… It’s been a while, I guess.”

The two stood up from the cold platform, the berserker held her mage’s hand tight, not even planning on letting her go again. When the doors opened in the topmost floor of the tower, Chaewon was greeted by a hallway adorned with a navy blue carpet, and a few plants beside each pillar. Yellow lights illuminated the hallway along with the glistening ornate brass chandelier in the middle.

Chaewon followed Minju as she walked past different numbered rooms with wooden mahogany doors until they stopped at the one with the numbers 5001. The younger then pulled out her key card and slid it on the machine beside the door, and the doors immediately opened. It left Chaewon in awe as it was her first time encountering such technology, her reaction made Minju laugh.

Minju’s room was huge, it was all painted in white, and had marble tiles. It felt a bit empty, despite the room having a huge window with a view of the whole city, there were little to no appliances in her living room. There was only a television and a set of couches, other than that, there was none. On the rightmost part of the room was a small kitchen filled with wooden shelves and cabinets. On the left-most part of the room were two rooms the one beside the window had no tags, and the one nearest to the door had a tag, written—Minju.

Chaewon immediately placed her bag on the couch before jumping on the long one to lay herself down. Minju sat on the other couch adjacent to the one that the older occupied.

“Minju, can you come here?” Minju stood up and walked towards her, before she could even kneel to her height, Chaewon pulled her down to the couch, beside her on her arms.

“Are we finally going to spend our lives together?” The berserker asked as the mage snuggled closer to her.

“This timing is too good to be true, let’s wait a bit before we finally celebrate.” Minju closed her eyes as she laid her head to rest on Chaewon’s shoulder while listening to her breathing.

“I think so too. I’m dropping out of university tomorrow, can you help me train and regain my old body back? This vessel seems to be too weak for me.” Chaewon raised her free arm, the woman on her arms then saw how thin her arm was. There was barely even any appearance of strength to it.

“What about your family in this world?” Minju asked, the other chuckled in response.

“This vessel, she grew up longing for a family. Her grandfather is only sending her money enough for school and her food. She’s as good as alone.”

“Really…? It’s up to you then.”

“Studying about how the mind works doesn’t suit a berserker like me too, so yeah. Might as well drop.”

Under the dim lights of the living room, the two shared laughs about the stories that Minju had. The stories of how she got by as she watched the human civilization in this world flourish. The stories of her with the people she crossed paths with and went on an adventure with before the dawn of technological advances. Her travels in the different lands bore many stories of the ancestors. Chaewon enjoyed seeing the enthusiasm in Minju’s eyes as she told her those memories of hers, wishing deep inside her that she should’ve been with her in those journeys.

The sunlight entered the room through the small slit in between the curtains, it directly went into the faces of the two that slept in each other’s arms in a soft pure black couch, and it woke the two of them up, giggling as their eyes met. It was something that Minju thought she wouldn’t experience again, feeling butterflies in her stomach as she gazed through Chaewon’s eyes.

“I’ll cook something for the both of us.” As soon as Minju stood up, Chaewon pulled her back to sit beside her on the couch.

“Just sit down, you’ve always at cooking. Let me do this for you, okay?”

“Wow, that hurt.”

“Minju may be good at casting spells, and everything about magic. But her hands can’t handle cooking very well. Do you remember how you almost killed Yujin after you made a porridge out of a poisonous mushroom? She would’ve died if it wasn’t for Hyewon’s healing magic.” Chaewon explained as she stood up and made her way to the kitchen, she took two pieces of eggs from the fridge, and two thick-cut bacon from the freezer.

“I know you haven’t relaxed that much since you came into this world. It’s alright, you should take a rest.”

Chaewon had just finished setting up the rice cooker when she felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist from the back, Minju followed her to the kitchen.

“I’ve been in this world for so long, can we go on a… what do they call it again? Day? Diet?” Her muffled voice as she spoke with her face buried on the back of Chaewon’s shoulder made the other laugh, even more at the mistake that she just made.

“You mean a date? Not that I’m bragging but before I got my memories back, I’ve gone to numerous dates already.”

Surprised, Minju freed Chaewon from her grasps, and when the older turned to look at her, she saw the mage’s furrowed eyebrows and glaring eyes. Minju’s staff adorned with elemental jewels materialized on her hand, Chaewon noticed the small blue runic circle forming in front of her, and the drastic change of the temperature in the room, it became cold.

“Minju! Calm down!” The berserker raised her hands to signal a stop as she tried to stop the mage from what she was about to do.

“I never went to dates despite the many invitations I got from my suitors and you went to some? This is unacceptable.” Small particles of ice began surrounding Minju as the runic circle grew bigger, she took a deep breath before speaking of the spell.

“Blizzar—”

The ice particles began to melt, and the runic circle faded. Minju’s face went beet red as she felt Chaewon’s lips against hers, and her left hand cupping her right cheek. Her body froze as she felt the older’s hand on her back, pulling her body closer to hers. It was as if her whole body melted at the action, and