Ilda sat close to Noona, so close that her heart raced. She wanted to reach out and touch Noona's soft hair but stopped herself. Every time Noona's gaze met hers, it felt as if the whole world paused.
Noona sensed the hesitation and offered a faint smile, her voice trembling slightly, "Ilda… you don't have to be afraid. I'm right here."
Meanwhile, Akin stood nearby, watching them. Every word, every glance, tightened a knot in his chest. He felt possessive, unwilling to let Ilda slip away.
Ilda realized she was falling, and Noona could feel the pull too. For Akin, the closer he watched, the more he felt pain and confusion. Their emotions intertwined, forming a complex web of love and longing.
"I… I don't want to lose her," Akin thought, stepping closer.
Noona and Ilda looked at him. Both felt the tension in the air but couldn't look away from each other.
Love, possessiveness, tenderness, and doubt—all intertwined, shaking the hearts of everyone involved.
Noona looked at Akin and Ilda, letting out a deep sigh.
"I have something I want to tell both of you. In my past life, Ilda and I were siblings of the same blood. She was the eldest princess, and I was the middle princess of the Tasia kingdom. When we were reborn, I retained the feelings I had at the time of our deaths in the previous life. I took the blame in place of my sister, and she was subsequently killed."
Noona noticed Akin and Ilda looking at her with surprise and curiosity. She tried to gather her words more clearly.
"I don't mean that in this life we have to be bound in the same way… being friends is enough. I just want you both to understand that the bonds from the past life truly existed, and I don't want anyone to suffer again."
Akin nodded lightly, trying to smile.
"I understand… Thank you, Noona, for telling us."
Ilda spoke with a gentle tone.
"Yes, Noona… I feel the same. We won't let the pain from the past hurt us anymore."
The three of them fell into a quiet moment, but the silence was filled with understanding and warmth.
Noona reached out and gently held Ilda's hand to offer reassurance.
"I'm glad you both understand… Even though it's difficult, I want us to move forward together, not let old memories destroy our current bond."
Akin looked at Noona with gentle eyes.
"We'll be by your side, no matter what happens."
Ilda nodded and gave a faint smile.
"Yes… We won't let the pain repeat itself. We'll create new memories together."
Noona felt warmth in her heart and exhaled in relief.
Everything seemed like a fresh start, yet traces of the past remained, teaching them to be stronger.
Noona lowered her gaze slightly, still holding Ilda's hand tightly.
"In my past life… Ilda was my elder sister, the eldest princess of the Tasian kingdom, while I was the middle princess… I lived under her shadow all the time."
Akin spoke softly, with full attention.
"And… how much does this feeling now relate to your past life?"
Noona took a deep breath.
"A lot… I remember trying to protect my sister back then, but in the end, she was killed. I… was in so much pain, my heart felt broken… When I was reborn, I still felt the remnants of that pain. Every time I see Ilda, it's like going back to that moment."
Ilda gently touched Noona's hand.
"I never thought… we would have to suffer together like that."
Noona gave a faint smile, tears welling in her eyes.
"But now… I want us to create a new story. Not just the old one… We'll have a chance to be together again."
Akin nodded.
"We won't let the pain of the past destroy us… We'll walk forward together."
A warm silence settled in. The painful memories began to lighten, and the hearts of the three were bound together tightly.