For a moment, nobody moved.
Not me.
Not Seo-yeon.
Not even Tae-jun.
Across the street, under the yellow streetlight, the figure stood perfectly still.
And on their hand…
That faint green glow pulsed again.
Slow.
Quiet.
But unmistakable.
Seo-yeon whispered beside me,
"…That's definitely not normal."
I nodded slowly.
"No."
Inside the café, everything looked normal.
People chatting.
Coffee machines humming.
Soft music playing.
But outside that window, the night had suddenly become something else.
Something watching us.
Tae-jun lowered his voice.
"Do not react."
Seo-yeon blinked.
"You just told me someone with a glowing ring is staring at us."
"Yes."
"And you want me to act normal?"
"Yes."
She took a deep breath.
Then very calmly lifted her coffee and took a sip.
"…I hate this."
I kept my eyes on the window.
The green glow pulsed again.
But the figure still hadn't moved.
Almost like they were waiting.
Tae-jun slowly sat back down.
"That ring…"
Seo-yeon leaned slightly closer.
"What about it?"
"It shouldn't be here."
I frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Tae-jun hesitated.
Then shook his head.
"Nothing."
Seo-yeon immediately pointed at him.
"That was absolutely something."
Tae-jun sighed quietly.
"There are… different types of rings."
Seo-yeon raised an eyebrow.
"Different how?"
"Different abilities."
I glanced at Seo-yeon's gold ring.
"And hers?"
Tae-jun looked at it carefully.
"That one is rare."
Seo-yeon groaned.
"Everyone keeps saying that but no one explains why."
Tae-jun ignored the complaint and looked back toward the window.
The green glow flickered once more.
Still watching.
Seo-yeon whispered,
"Maybe they're just curious."
Tae-jun shook his head.
"No."
"Then what?"
"They're checking."
"Checking what?" I asked.
Tae-jun looked directly at me.
"If the rings react."
As if responding to his words—
Seo-yeon's gold ring warmed again.
She gasped quietly.
"Ji-hoon…"
"I see it."
The coin on the table vibrated again.
Tick.
Tick.
Tae-jun immediately covered it with his hand.
"Too fast."
Seo-yeon frowned.
"What?"
"The rings usually take longer to recognize each other."
I felt something strange in my chest.
Like pressure.
Like a memory trying to surface.
But again—
Nothing clear came.
Seo-yeon noticed my expression.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"Your face says otherwise."
"Just a headache."
Tae-jun studied me carefully.
"That's happening more often, isn't it?"
I didn't answer.
That was answer enough.
Seo-yeon looked between us again.
"I feel like I'm the only one here who isn't secretly hiding ten years of mysterious history."
Tae-jun almost smiled.
"Trust me. You're part of the mystery now too."
She sighed.
"Fantastic."
Outside the window—
The green glow suddenly disappeared.
Seo-yeon blinked.
"…Did they leave?"
Tae-jun slowly stood up and looked through the glass.
"They moved."
I turned.
The streetlight still glowed softly.
But the figure was gone.
Seo-yeon relaxed slightly.
"Okay good."
Then Tae-jun said something that ruined the moment.
"They're closer now."
Seo-yeon froze.
"Closer?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
Before he could answer—
The café door opened.
A small bell rang above it.
Ding.
A young woman walked inside.
Early twenties.
Dark coat.
Calm expression.
She glanced around the café briefly.
Then her eyes landed directly on our table.
Seo-yeon whispered,
"…Please don't tell me that's her."
Tae-jun didn't answer.
Which was answer enough.
The woman walked slowly toward us.
Every step calm.
Controlled.
Seo-yeon leaned toward me.
"Ji-hoon."
"Yes?"
"If her hand starts glowing, I'm leaving."
The woman stopped beside our table.
She looked at Tae-jun first.
Then at me.
Then finally at Seo-yeon.
Her gaze rested on the gold ring.
For a second.
Then she spoke quietly.
"Interesting."
Seo-yeon blinked.
"That's not a normal way to start a conversation."
The woman ignored her.
Instead she turned slightly and pulled out the empty chair beside us.
Then she sat down.
Without asking.
Tae-jun's voice lowered.
"You shouldn't be here."
The woman shrugged slightly.
"Neither should you."
Seo-yeon raised her hand.
"Okay, pause."
Both of them looked at her.
"Who are you?"
The woman studied Seo-yeon for a moment.
Then she answered simply.
"My name is Hae-in."
The name meant nothing to me.
But Tae-jun's reaction was immediate.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
Seo-yeon noticed.
"You two know each other too?"
Tae-jun shook his head slowly.
"No."
But his tone said otherwise.
Hae-in looked down at the table.
Her eyes stopped at the coin.
Then she looked at Seo-yeon's ring again.
"You found it recently," she said.
Seo-yeon frowned.
"My grandmother gave it to me."
"When I was a child."
Hae-in shrugged.
"The glow is still unstable."
Seo-yeon stared at her.
"Okay seriously, how many people know about this ring?"
Hae-in ignored the question.
Instead she slowly lifted her hand.
Just slightly.
Enough for us to see.
A ring rested on her finger.
Deep emerald green.
Soft light pulsing quietly.
Seo-yeon whispered,
"…There it is."
But something about the glow felt different.
Calmer.
Gentler.
Not aggressive like the violet ring earlier.
Hae-in noticed us staring.
"It reacts to connections."
Seo-yeon blinked.
"Connections?"
Hae-in nodded slightly.
"People. Memories. Bonds."
Tae-jun spoke quietly.
"The green ring."
Hae-in looked at him.
"You recognize it."
"Only from rumors."
Seo-yeon leaned closer.
"Rumors about what?"
Tae-jun hesitated.
Then said carefully,
"About rings that find each other."
Hae-in looked at me now.
Her eyes studying my face.
Longer than necessary.
Then she said something that made my chest tighten again.
"You're the one causing the disturbance."
Seo-yeon immediately pointed at me.
"See? I told you everything is somehow his fault."
But Hae-in didn't smile.
Her expression stayed serious.
"Your presence changes how the rings respond."
She paused.
"Which means something important is missing."
Tae-jun frowned.
"What do you mean?"
Hae-in slowly looked at the coin again.
Then back at me.
"Because there should be another ring reacting right now."
Seo-yeon blinked.
"What?"
Hae-in's green ring pulsed again.
Soft.
Quiet.
Her voice dropped to almost a whisper.
"But I can't see it."
She looked directly into my eyes.
"…Which means one of the rings is hidden."
A cold chill ran down my spine.
Because suddenly—
The headache in my head returned.
Stronger than before.
And somewhere deep inside my memory…
Something dark red flickered.
Just for a second.
Then disappeared.
Hae-in's eyes widened slightly.
"…There it is."