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Dahyun hurried into the inn, the wind biting at her skin as she slipped through the door. The cold night air clung to her clothes, and her fingers ached from the chill. She let out a quiet breath of relief, grateful to have arrived before the storm broke. Snowflakes had already begun to swirl more intensely outside, a clear warning of the tempest to come.
"Welcome back, Ms. Seo," the receptionist greeted her warmly, her voice a comfort against the backdrop of the howling wind. She handed over the key with a practiced smile. "You came back just in time, the storm’s about to hit."
Dahyun returned the smile, though it barely reached her eyes as her mind drifted elsewhere. "I’m thankful for that, truly. Thank you."
With a polite nod, she turned towards the elevator, her boots leaving wet marks on the floor as she walked. She shook the snow from her jacket, the cold still clinging to her skin as she pressed the button to go up.
As the elevator doors began to close, a hand shot out, stopping them. "Just in time…" a voice murmured.
Dahyun's heart stilled. She knew that voice. The air seemed to thicken around her, her breath catching in her throat. Slowly, she turned her gaze toward the stranger, her eyes lingering on the floor as if she could delay the inevitable moment.
When she finally raised her head, her breath caught again. "Kae-chan…?"
The woman standing before her stiffened, her eyes widening in surprise. "Dahyun?"
The word hung in the air between them, laden with the weight of unspoken history. Dahyun could feel the rush of emotions bubbling beneath the surface—shock, confusion, and something else she wasn’t ready to confront. Her pulse quickened, a tremor of cold running through her body, but it wasn’t from the weather this time.
Kaede caught the elevator just as it was about to close. Her boots scuffed softly against the floor as she stepped inside, offering a polite nod to the figure already standing there. She settled next to her, eyes downcast, ready for the quiet ride. But then she heard it—a familiar nickname, whispered like a ghost from the past.
Her body stiffened. The nickname was one only her closest circle ever used. Her heart skipped a beat, and before she could stop herself, her lips moved.
"Dahyun?"
Kaede’s pupils widened as her gaze finally landed on the woman beside her. The air between them thickened, and for a second, everything froze. The quiet hum of the elevator felt like distant noise, their surroundings dissolving into the tension building in the space they shared.
Just as the weight of that moment threatened to crush them, the elevator doors opened again, and a group of people rushed in, shattering the fragile silence. Without thinking, Kaede acted on instinct. Her hand shot out, grabbing Dahyun by the waist and pulling her closer to her side, shielding her from the sudden crowd. Her fingers curled around the fabric of Dahyun's jacket, her grip firm, protective—too familiar.
Dahyun gasped softly, her wide eyes mirroring the shock Kaede felt. Kaede cursed herself for the reflex, her mind racing. She should let go, move away, but her body refused to listen. Her arms stayed around Dahyun, an unspoken reluctance to break the contact.
"Kae—"
"Which floor?" Kaede cut her off, her voice tight, almost desperate to avoid whatever Dahyun was about to say.
Dahyun blinked, seemingly processing the shift in the air. She swallowed before answering, "Floor 6."
Kaede sighed, a quiet sound of resignation. She didn’t dare meet Dahyun’s gaze. Her heart thudded loudly in her chest, and she hated how natural it felt, having Dahyun so close. How easily her body remembered the shape of her. But beyond the swirling emotions, a gnawing question dug into her mind, refusing to be ignored. Why was Dahyun here?
This wasn’t where she was supposed to be. This wasn’t when she was supposed to be.
Dahyun turned to her slightly, the weight of her stare impossible to ignore. "Are we… on the same floor?"
Kaede nodded once, still avoiding her eyes. Her thoughts churned, conflicting emotions battling for dominance. It was 1980, Tokyo. A time and place that Dahyun had no reason to be in. And yet, here she was, standing impossibly close, pulling at every thread of Kaede’s carefully constructed walls.
The feel of Dahyun against her side was too familiar, too right, and that terrified her. But beyond that, the bigger question remained: Why? Why was she here?
Dahyun fidgeted in her seat, her fingers twisting the hem of her jacket as Kaede stood before her, arms crossed, her expression sharp. The tension in the room was palpable, the air heavy with unspoken words. Each question from Kaede felt like a dagger aimed straight at her chest.
“Why did you even come here? Do you know the risk of time travel?” Kaede's voice was cold, each word cutting deeper than the last.
Dahyun flinched but forced herself to meet Kaede’s eyes. “I wanted to see you again…”
Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, but the weight of her confession hung in the air between them. Kaede’s eyes narrowed, and Dahyun pressed on, despite the growing knot in her throat. “At first, no one would tell me where you were. But eventually… they explained everything. That you’re a time traveler.”
Kaede let out a heavy sigh, her expression shifting into something unreadable, a mix of frustration and something deeper, something Dahyun couldn’t quite grasp. Silence fell between them, but in that quiet moment, Dahyun’s heart ached. She hadn’t realized how much she missed Kaede until she was standing right in front of her again. Seeing her after so long, after four months of painful absence—it was overwhelming.
“They told me you time travel when…” Dahyun hesitated, her words faltering. She glanced away, the next words sticking in her throat. “…when things get hard.”
The silence stretched out again, heavier this time. Dahyun dared a glance at Kaede, whose eyes were cast downward, her jaw tight as if holding something back. The weight of their breakup, the hurt, the unresolved tension—all of it lingered between them like an invisible wall.
“What are you doing here, Kae-chan?” Dahyun’s voice was quiet, yet the question carried the weight of everything she needed to know. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for an answer.
Kaede flinched at the nickname, her body stiffening as though the sound of it physically hurt. “None of your business,” she bit back, her tone ice-cold, walls firmly in place. “You need to go back to 2024 as soon as possible. It’s dangerous here.”
Dahyun felt a pang in her chest at Kaede’s response, the coldness more painful than she’d expected. Her eyes flickered to where Kaede gestured—her phone, sitting atop her luggage, completely out of place in 1980.
“If the hotel staff finds out about your things, they might report you to the police,” Kaede added, her tone practical, but distant.
Before Dahyun could respond, before she could thank her or say anything more, Kaede turned on her heel and walked out, the door closing with a soft click. The sound echoed in the quiet room, leaving Dahyun sitting alone, the silence settling like a heavy weight on her shoulders.
Her heart felt hollow, the warmth of seeing Kaede again quickly replaced by a cold emptiness. She stared at the closed door, her thoughts a tangled mess of emotions—relief, regret, longing, confusion. She’d come all this way, broken so many rules, just to see her again. But now, with Kaede’s absence filling the space around her, she couldn’t help but wonder if it had all been a mistake.
Dahyun’s eyes drifted to the phone on her luggage, the only reminder of the world she belonged to. But in this moment, even that world felt a million miles away. All that mattered was the space between her and Kaede—both physically and emotionally. And no matter how much she wanted to bridge that gap, it felt as though it was growing wider with every second.
Kaede sat in her room, the faint hum of the city beyond the hotel windows doing little to quiet her racing thoughts. Her mind replayed the moment over and over—Dahyun standing there in front of her, her eyes full of questions and that same familiar softness that Kaede had once known so well.
How could Dahyun have time-traveled here? Kaede had spent years perfecting her control over the strange ability that had first thrown her life into chaos, the power that had yanked her out of her timeline one fateful day without explanation. She’d been so lost back then, stuck in an unfamiliar world in her school uniform, confused and terrified. And now… Dahyun? Of all people?
“I want to meet you again.”
The words echoed in Kaede’s mind like a haunting melody. She rubbed her temples and muttered to herself, “Get a hold of yourself, Kaede. She’s not your responsibility anymore.”
But the weight of her words felt hollow, her heart betraying her even as she tried to dismiss the lingering concern. Kaede groaned and flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. She’d gone through so much to learn the rules of time travel—how to open portals, how to return using the old phone booths with the silver coins, the things she could bring and what she had to leave behind. Time travel wasn’t a game, and yet Dahyun had somehow managed to stumble into this dangerous world.
Kaede clenched her jaw, fighting the urge to get up. “Should I check on her?” she whispered to herself, already halfway to standing before forcing herself back down. “No… she’s fine. She can take care of herself. She’s probably eating better than I am.”
But as much as she tried to convince herself, her body betrayed her once again. Without even realizing it, she found herself standing at the door, her hand hovering near the knob. She glanced out into the dimly lit hallway, her eyes locking onto Dahyun’s door just a few steps away.
Her heart raced, each beat a painful reminder of the emotions she’d tried so hard to bury. It wasn’t her place anymore. She shouldn’t care. But the gnawing ache in her chest said otherwise.
“Maybe… I’ll just check on her,” she muttered under her breath, creeping out of her room with an exaggerated effort to remain quiet. She inched closer, her eyes fixed on Dahyun’s door as if expecting something to happen. Her focus was so intense that she didn’t hear the soft footsteps approaching beside her.
“Kae-chan?”
Kaede yelped, startled, her body jerking upright as she whipped around to see Dahyun standing right there, a mixture of confusion and amusement written across her face.
“What… what are you doing?” Dahyun asked, tilting her head, clearly amused by the sight of Kaede sneaking around.
Kaede’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she stammered, “N-nothing! I was… just about to head out. Get some food.” She fumbled with her words, desperately trying to act casual, but the heat rising in her face betrayed her.
Dahyun’s lips curled into a small smile, the kind that Kaede used to love seeing. “Really? Wanna go together? I’ve only been eating hotel food since I got here, and I’m not familiar with the area…”
Kaede’s heart skipped a beat. The offer was innocent enough, but it stirred something inside her that she’d been trying to suppress. She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. She couldn’t do this—couldn’t let herself fall back into that familiarity.
“No,” Kaede blurted out, a little too quickly. “I’ll go by myself. You… you should rest.”
Before Dahyun could say anything more, Kaede hurried down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest as she put as much distance between them as possible. Her mind raced, conflicted by the surge of emotions that had overwhelmed her in those few short moments. Why did seeing Dahyun again feel so… right and yet so impossibly wrong?
Dahyun stood in front of Kaede’s room, her heart pounding like a relentless drum in her chest. Every breath felt shallow, nerves twisting inside her. She swallowed hard, her knuckles hovering over the door for a moment before she finally knocked. The silence that followed stretched on painfully, her mind racing through a dozen worst-case scenarios before she heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching.
The door opened, and there she was—Kaede. Her casual clothes, perfectly fitting the 1980s era, looked oddly out of place on her, yet somehow exactly right. Dahyun felt her chest tighten at the sight of her ex-girlfriend. She had imagined this moment so many times, but now that it was here, she struggled to keep her emotions from spilling over.
“Hi, Kae-chan…” Dahyun’s voice was softer than she intended, tentative, as if one wrong word could shatter the fragile peace between them.
Kaede’s expression remained unreadable, her eyes scanning Dahyun without giving anything away. She didn’t respond, but the silence spoke volumes. It wasn’t cold, but it wasn’t warm either. It was a waiting silence, an invitation for Dahyun to speak.
“I… I brought champagne.” Dahyun lifted the bucket of ice in her hands, the two glasses clinking softly together. “Wanna drink it together?”
The weight of the past pressed down on Dahyun’s chest, making it hard to breathe. Memories of their breakup flooded her mind—the fights, the misunderstandings, the crushing guilt she carried. She knew it had been her fault. Kaede had needed consistency, stability, and Dahyun had failed to give her that. The breaking point had been that awful night after the office party. She’d gotten drunk, blacked out, and the next morning woke to find a picture of her hugging a coworker circulating in the company chat. It had been innocent, she hadn’t meant for it to happen, but the damage was done. Worse still, the guy hadn’t denied the rumors that she’d tried to kiss him.
The humiliation, the shame, the betrayal she hadn’t even intended. She remembered how she’d slapped him, her fury consuming her, and she’d left the company in disgrace. But none of that had mattered once she returned home to find the apartment empty, Kaede gone. The silence in that apartment had been deafening, a cold reminder of the heart she had shattered.
Dahyun had tried everything to get Kaede back. She’d left her old job, taken on a small position at a café just to scrape by, but nothing had worked. Kaede had vanished, and with her, a piece of Dahyun’s soul. The four months that followed were a slow descent into agony. Without Kaede, Dahyun’s life unraveled. Her sleep became erratic, she stopped caring for herself. Each day felt like dragging herself through a hollow existence.
In her desperation, she had tracked down Kotone, Kaede’s friend. It wasn’t easy—by then, everyone believed the worst about Dahyun. She’d gained a reputation as a cheater, a liar, and even Kotone’s cold gaze had confirmed how deeply Kaede had been hurt.
“She was wrecked, Dahyun,” Kotone had said, her voice sharp and unforgiving. “I watched her destroy herself with alcohol, and now you want to come crawling back and make it worse?”
The memory of that conversation still haunted her. Dahyun had been so desperate, so lost, that she had dropped to her knees in front of Kotone, begging for a second chance. She had pleaded, explained that she never meant to hurt Kaede, that she was willing to do anything to make things right. She had nothing left—no pride, no dignity, only the hope that somehow, some way, she could mend what she had broken.
And now, here she was, standing in front of Kaede’s door in 1980s Tokyo. Kotone had eventually told her about Kaede’s time-traveling, how she’d found a way to escape to timelines where Dahyun didn’t exist. The pain of hearing that had been unbearable, but Kotone had offered her one last glimmer of hope.
“Bring her back,” Kotone had said, her eyes softening just slightly. “To the home she keeps pretending she doesn’t miss. Bring her back to you… but don’t break her heart again.”
As the haze of alcohol lifted, Dahyun slowly became aware of her surroundings. The warmth of the bed, the familiar scent of Kaede’s skin, and the weight of Kaede’s body pressed against her—it all hit her at once. They were tangled together under the covers, Kaede's breath hot against the nape of her neck. The memory of the night before was blurry, clouded by the champagne they had shared, but the pieces she could recall made her heart sink.
She hadn’t meant for this to happen—not like this. The guilt gnawed at her as she replayed fragments of their drunken kisses, their whispered words. She had come here to explain herself, to finally tell Kaede the truth, and in the chaos of emotions and alcohol, things had escalated far beyond her control. Now, lying in bed next to the woman she once loved so deeply, she couldn’t tell if she had made things worse.
Dahyun shifted slightly, hoping to slip out of Kaede’s hold, but Kaede's arms instinctively tightened around her, strong and unyielding. Dahyun cursed inwardly, her legs still weak from both the alcohol and the intensity of last night. Kaede’s grip was firm, almost possessive, as if letting go was the last thing she intended to do.
Kaede stirred beside her, and Dahyun held her breath, hoping she wouldn’t wake up. But it was too late. Kaede's eyes fluttered open, half-lidded and sleepy, but focused on her. Dahyun’s pulse quickened under the weight of that gaze.
Before Dahyun could speak, before she could even attempt to explain or apologize, Kaede shifted on top of her, pinning her to the bed. The move was so swift and effortless that Dahyun froze in place, her heart hammering in her chest.
“K-Kae-chan—” Dahyun’s voice came out in a shaky whisper. She wanted to talk, to find some way to salvage whatever had been broken between them. “Let’s-”
But Kaede cut her off, her voice low and commanding. “Don’t say anything.” Her words were soft but firm, leaving no room for argument. “Just stay still.”
Dahyun tried to protest, but before she could get another word out, Kaede leaned down and kissed her. The kiss was slow, deliberate, and overwhelming. It wasn’t just a kiss—it was Kaede’s way of shutting down every protest, every ounce of guilt, every apology waiting on Dahyun’s lips.
Dahyun felt her body go weak beneath Kaede, her mind torn between the guilt that threatened to consume her and the way her heart still ached for the woman who held her captive. There was an undeniable comfort in Kaede's touch, but beneath it all, there was a lingering tension—a weight of unresolved pain that neither of them had truly faced.
As Kaede deepened the kiss, Dahyun’s thoughts spiraled. Was this forgiveness? Or was it just another moment of vulnerability they were both too afraid to confront?
After hurriedly putting their clothes back on, both Kaede and Dahyun found themselves sitting on opposite sides of the bed, the silence thick with unspoken words and heavy emotions. Kaede’s expression was unreadable, her gaze fixed on the floor, while Dahyun fidgeted with the fabric of her shirt, a storm of thoughts swirling in her mind.
Just then, the silence shattered as Dahyun’s stomach growled audibly, breaking the tension. She flushed, embarrassment creeping across her cheeks. Kaede’s lips curved into a faint, teasing smile, a flicker of warmth in the chilly air. "Hungry already?"
Dahyun shifted awkwardly, letting out a soft laugh, her heart racing. "Of course... it’s time for brunch." The lightness of her voice felt like a fragile bridge over the chasm of their shared pain.
Kaede paused, considering the moment, her brow furrowing with thought. "Let’s get some food?"
Caught off guard, Dahyun blinked, surprised by the invitation. "Sure!" she replied, a mixture of hope and hesitation igniting within her.
"The snow’s still falling," Kaede said, standing up and moving toward the door. "We can grab an umbrella from the receptionist." She picked up her coat and hat, adjusting them with practiced ease. "Do you need a coat?"
Dahyun hesitated, watching Kaede's movements as if they held the answers to all her questions. The air felt heavy with unspoken tension. As she stepped closer, her voice came out softly, laced with concern. "You’re trying to ignore things again, aren’t you?"
Kaede froze, her back to Dahyun. "If you need a coat, I have an extra—" she began, her voice trailing off, quieter now.
"Kae-chan…" Dahyun’s tone was gentle yet firm, drawing Kaede’s attention back to her.
With a long, weary sigh, Kaede stared down at the coat in her hands, its fabric suddenly feeling weighty with all the words she couldn’t find. "I’m sorry..." she murmured, still avoiding Dahyun’s gaze. "I wanted to take you out for brunch, to apologize… I should’ve listened to you first. I’m... I’m sorry."
Dahyun stepped forward, her heart aching at Kaede's vulnerability. "It’s okay—"
"No." Kaede shook her head, guilt heavy in her voice. "It’s not okay. I hurt you."
Dahyun felt a pang in her chest and gently cupped Kaede’s face, tilting her chin up to meet her eyes. "We hurt each other, Kae-chan," she said softly, her thumbs brushing against Kaede’s cheeks. "But I hurt you too. We both did things we regret."
Kaede’s eyes brimmed with conflict, her guilt threatening to pull her under. "But I did way more—"
Before Kaede could spiral further, Dahyun squeezed her cheeks gently, interrupting her thoughts. "Let’s stop comparing our pain," she said, her voice steady yet filled with raw emotion. "We both hurt deeply. We love each other deeply. That’s just how it is…"
Her hands moved from Kaede’s face to rest on her shoulders, offering comfort, reassurance. "What matters now is that you’re here... with me. And we’re going to work on this together."
Kaede opened her mouth, the lingering guilt ready to spill forth, but Dahyun silenced her with a kiss. This kiss was different—slow and tender, rich with everything left unsaid. Kaede melted into Dahyun’s touch, her heart swelling with a mixture of relief and hope.
In that moment, the snow falling outside felt distant, and the world beyond the room faded away. All that mattered was that they were together again, however fragile the moment felt. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could find their way back to one another, hand in hand, as the storm outside began to settle.
Kaede and Dahyun walked side by side through the soft, falling snow, the shared umbrella casting a cozy shield over them. The world around them felt peaceful, the crunch of snow beneath their boots and the quiet of the streets giving them space to finally breathe together. Dahyun’s hand, warm and steady, was interlaced with Kaede’s, a small but significant reminder of what they had regained.
“You know…” Dahyun’s voice broke the gentle silence, her tone light but carrying a trace of vulnerability. “When you weren’t with me... I kept forgetting my umbrella. I’d find myself stuck in one place, caught in the rain without one, just waiting.”
Kaede glanced at her, a faint smile playing at the corners of her lips. “Now you won’t have to worry about that anymore,” she replied softly, her voice carrying a promise. “The umbrella will always be here when you need it.”
Dahyun’s heart warmed at the words, her smile growing as they approached the familiar red phone booth. It stood like a portal, the next step in a journey they had both been unsure they’d ever make together again. She looked at Kaede, her eyes filled with a quiet hope. “Let’s go home?”
Kaede stepped inside the phone booth, turning to face Dahyun, the soft glow of the city lights making her eyes gleam. For a moment, they just stood there, face to face, close enough to feel each other’s breaths. “I’m already home,” Kaede murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.
Dahyun felt the weight of those words sink into her chest, wrapping around her heart. Home. It wasn’t a place anymore; it was the feeling of Kaede beside her.
The sound of the phone booth door opening snapped Kotone’s attention away from her watchful stance. A knowing smile spread across her face as she saw the two of them, hand in hand, stepping out of the booth together.
“Thought you’d never come back,” Kotone teased, her smile warm but a little relieved.
Kaede glanced at Dahyun before replying, a soft smile of her own forming. “It’s hard not to... when your home is waiting for you.”
Dahyun’s heart skipped a beat at Kaede’s words, their hands tightening around each other in unspoken understanding.
Kotone, ever the lively one, clapped her hands together, shaking off the cold. “Either way, welcome back, you two. Let’s get out of here, grab something good, and celebrate, huh? How’s that sound?”
Dahyun couldn’t help but smile at the thought of the three of them together again, finally free from the shadows that had been hanging over her heart. She looked at Kaede, who smiled back, the tension from earlier starting to dissolve.
"Yeah," Dahyun said, her voice soft but steady. "That sounds perfect."