As soon as it got light, Muhae crossed the gate and headed for Jaegang District. No sooner had they climbed into the taxi than Joo-o shrugged off his jacket and fixed his hair.After I’d brushed it a few times, he’d gotten good at straightening his messy hair on his own. In no time he looked neat, his eyes shining as he held out his hand.“I want to see too.”“See what?”“The bracelet.”Though it was something Joo-o had caught, ever since Muhae snatched it back yesterday it hadn’t left his pocket even once.Joo-o’s hopeful face beamed at Muhae. Ever since waking up in the same bed, he’d seemed much happier than the day before.Every time he blinked, his curved lashes trembled above his bright eyes. Watching him, Muhae finally pulled the bracelet from his shirt pocket.When the pale metal landed in Joo-o’s soft hand, Muhae felt somehow that it would suit him too.“Wow. Look at this.”The bracelet was exactly as Olga had described. Her sketch had been rough, but the starburst engraving in the center looked like she’d drawn it from life, right down to the angle.If someone cherished it enough to remember a piece lost seventeen years ago so precisely, how had they ever lost it?‘They said something else was inside. That it wasn’t solid platinum, just plated—giving them one-tenth the weight, maybe?’A rumor I’d heard at the internal stop flickered through my mind.Well, whatever was inside that slim bracelet, it surely wasn’t a trick to cut down on platinum. More likely some hidden function. Rich folks often keep secrets in their jewelry.Maybe that’s why Olga had searched for it all this time and up until now.“It’s prettier in person.”As he’d said, the bracelet was better than expected. Clean, unisex design—no flash, but unmistakably luxurious.All that remained was to bring this to Olga and hear whatever story she had in exchange. Watching his hand, Joo-o passed it back, and Muhae wrapped the piece in a tissue and tucked it into his pocket.‘She said she’d be happy to see me bring it…’I’d done this out of an unnecessarily kind impulse. But whether Olga would actually leap for joy at receiving this gift from an ex was another matter.What meaning would it hold for her once its use was stripped away?As I clicked my tongue and turned away, the street outside grew familiar.The broad road, the alleys cutting through it. An antique-style café.“We’re here. Get out.”No sooner had he said it than Joo-o pressed his palms together against his chest and took a deep breath.He looked positively expectant. Already bracing for his crushing disappointment, I pinched my temple.…If he looked crestfallen, I’d load him up on meat. Stroke his hair a while, pinch his cheeks too.Once he felt better, I could scold him for butting in—maybe he’d think twice next time.Not the worst outcome. Joo-o gets meat, I get the information. Win-win, in a way.Clinging to that fleeting hope, I perched by the window where the light was good. I handed him the menu, and he made a tiny “hmph” of anticipation.“Just three items.”“Huh?”“Three, not counting drinks. Olga will sit with us, so don’t cover the whole table with plates.”I thought I’d conceded a lot, but Joo-o looked scandalized. Was he planning to order everything on the menu?“Three is enough?”“Yes.”“Anything I want?”“What sort of mischief are you planning now, asking that?”Without answering, he dashed off toward the counter. His true intent became clear when the server lumbered over carrying a massive dessert tray.“Are you out of your mind?”“One of each. Just one.”“Who calls an entire cake “one”?”“Lemon cheesecake, one. Earl Grey chiffon, one. Mixed-berry tart, one. That’s three.”A headache hit me. Feeling every curious glance, I wanted to grab that madman by the collar and shake some sense into him.Clenching my teeth, I forced a smile.“We’re not here to play. Box them up to go and eat them at home.”Even smiling, my face grew sterner, and Joo-o seemed to notice. He tugged the cheesecake box over to himself and nodded vigorously.Soon two cake boxes stacked up beside him. In under five minutes, six slices had dwindled to three, and by the time Olga arrived, only one and a half remained.Thank goodness it wasn’t a full tray—Joo-o could pretend to be normal again.“ You’re a bit late for our appointment.”“I don’t keep appointments. I just come out around this time to rest.”“I have news about the item you asked me to find. I think you’ll need to offer a good reward.”“Can I expect positive news?”Olga pulled the opposite chair closer and looked at me with a faint hope. Her reaction surprised me a little—she must have thought I’d never locate the bracelet.“So, who has it now?”“A mercenary got it and sold it to a fence. Not too long ago.”“…I’m sorry I was vague about that part. Honestly, I thought failing to find it would’ve been acceptable.”“For someone like that, you held on a long time.”Olga’s face went bittersweet. Though she didn’t speak, her expression was undeniably hopeful.“After a few more hands, it ended up in Sakdal.”“Sakdal… That complicates things.”“And that’s where this fellow found it.”I nodded at Joo-o and pulled the bracelet from my pocket. Following my gaze, Olga saw it and her eyes widened.For a moment she stiffened like a statue of salt. The sudden appearance of the bracelet left her speechless.“It’s your bracelet, Olga.”Only when Joo-o confirmed it did she slowly lift her hand to the table.Thud. The platinum piece fell into her palm. She stared at it, unable to grip it, for a long moment.“I never expected to find it so easily.”“It wasn’t easy.”“When I searched on my own, there was literally no trace.”Her approach was obvious without deep thought. She probably scoured jewelry shops, then pawnshops, over long intervals.If you frequent the same places too often, people notice you’re hunting for something. So she must have pretended to buy random trinkets, searching passively for seventeen years.“Maybe someone pickpocketed it long ago.”“…No. It must have vanished into the black market from the start.”Gently caressing the bracelet, Olga spoke in a hushed voice. Her look was nostalgic, but not all joy.After a deep breath, she whispered:“Young people don’t know what happened in Solar City. After the accident, no one went back there for months. Two or three months later, a mercenary offered to escort us to the ruined city—but by the time we returned, everything was gone.”In the sunlight streaming through the window, the circular metal gleamed softly. Even the ring on Olga’s finger, which usually went unnoticed, began to stand out.“You know, this bracelet belonged to my deceased love. He hated wearing anything—rings, bracelets, anything. He only tolerated his linked watch. So the bracelet was okay.”That was why the design was so plain. The jewelry-averse owner shared a ring-and-bracelet set instead of matching rings.“But when I found his body, the bracelet was missing. I was sure someone had taken it.”“So…”“Yes. That’s why I said I’d lost it. No one would follow that mercenary to reclaim found loot. As expected, many mercenaries risked their lives in the burnt-out city, hoping to scavenge something unusual.”“…”“At last, I learned one mercenary had it and returned to Goryeo City. I guessed the bracelet went there too.”Olga gazed distantly out the window. Late morning, the street below brimming with life, she sat like dusty glassware in a display.“Most survivors scattered to nearby Comfort Zones, but I came here hunting that bracelet—and stayed.”“To keep looking?”“No. I didn’t vow to stay until I got it. It just happened. It was like—while I was away, my home and people vanished.”A heavy silence settled over the three of us. Even Joo-o, usually unfazed, shut his mouth and watched her.“But thank you. I didn’t expect much when I asked, but I never imagined I’d really get it.”Her words trailed off as she slipped the bracelet onto her right wrist. The thin band bore the starburst engraving at its center. She brought her left hand to it—and then, click. The little bump on her ring fit perfectly into that starburst.Vrrrr- Her link watch buzzed, as if receiving data from somewhere.Olga glanced around the quiet café and tapped her watch.Beep-.―Olga, my…A stranger’s voice began to play at a hushed volume. Startled, she stilled.―Olga, my love. I promised you long ago that I’d wear this bracelet always, except ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) when washing. If you hear this, I’ll no longer exist in the world of matter. I wanted us to stay together forever—but alas.Olga’s face had gone stark white. She’d expected some function in the bracelet, but never a final message like this.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.