Chapter 5

“It’s been a while.”

“…!”

Linus quickly pulled his hand away from me, as if I were something dirty. I let out a small laugh and sat up. His eyes were shaking. He looked at my face carefully.

“It’s been five months for me, but for you, it’s been five years.”

“You can’t be…”

“You said you’d protect her with your life.”

I remembered the words Linus once whispered to that woman.

“You said I’m nothing like Jang Hyunji, and you’d never confuse us. But now you can’t even recognize me.”

He could tell I was someone different right away. You’re shining, Hyunji. My Florence.

Linus’s pale face turned even whiter. He was smart. The moment he saw me awake, he must have realized it.

The real Florence, missing for five years, had returned.

Jang Hyunji’s soul, which had been inside Florence’s body, was gone.

One body, one soul.

If the real Florence came back, then where did Jang Hyunji go?

I was about to tell him the truth with a smirk, but then Linus suddenly grabbed me by the collar and pulled me close.

“Why did you come back? Where is Hyunji?”

“Kh… kuh, I… I can’t breathe…”

He was choking me hard. I hit his hands, but they didn’t move. Damn it.

“Did she disappear because you came back? Did you steal her body?”

“This is MY body!”

Steal it? Who stole from who? I shouted angrily. Then I used all my strength to push him away and caught my breath. Linus looked down at me like I was a bug. I knew that look.

You always looked at me like I was nothing.

I never hurt you, but you ignored me and looked down on me.

Just because I loved you.

“This has always been my body. That woman was the thief. Your love stole my body! Now the owner is back. Shouldn’t the thief leave?”

“…So if you disappear, she’ll come back?”

“AHH!”

Just as I could breathe again, he grabbed my neck.

“Give her back! Bring her back right now!”

“Kh… kuh…”

He was holding tight, but he didn’t strangle me too hard. Of course not. If Jang Hyunji comes back, she’ll need this body. If he still believes she’ll return, he can’t hurt it.

“Right now…!”

I saw pain in his eyes even as he glared at me. I couldn’t help but smile.

It felt good.

“What’s wrong? Can’t kill me?”

His jaw tensed. I smiled wide.

“You said you’d kill me. Why not now?”

“No one wanted you to come back. Bring her back now!”

“I know.”

This was too funny to hold back.

“No one searched for me! But I just took back what was mine! I don’t need permission to take back my own body!”

His fingers started to tighten again. But it didn’t hurt.

That weak grip couldn’t kill a child. I was sure now—he couldn’t kill this body.

Linus asked me to give it back.

He said I stole it. My head burned with anger. I finally let out the words I had been holding for so long.

“Give it back? That woman who stole my body is a thief, and you—sleeping with her in my body—makes you a rapist! A thief and a rapist. What a perfect couple you two were, Linus.”

“…”

“How did it feel? Sleeping with a stolen body? Was it nice? Were you happy?”

“You… how dare you…”

“Too bad your beautiful love is over now.”

Yes, it’s over. Linus understood what I meant.

Jang Hyunji would never come back.

He’d never see the woman he loved again.

Because I was back.

His grip loosened. I didn’t miss the chance—I kicked his stomach hard. Normally, that wouldn’t move him, but he was in shock. He fell back. I wrapped myself in the blanket.

A thin blanket wouldn’t protect me from him, but I had learned something.

Refusing him with this face, this body—that would hurt him.

See? He’s still looking at me, but he can’t hide the pain.

Linus clenched his teeth. I could hear the grinding. His eyes were filled with hate. A normal person might faint from facing a sword master’s killing intent, but he couldn’t release that energy now.

He couldn’t let this body die. If it did, his last hope would be gone.

His sad, tragic love made me laugh.

What a beautiful love, Linus. Truly beautiful. You and her shared something so perfect.

“Where… where is she? Hyunji?”

“…You already know.”

“Damn it. Bring her back to me. Now. Or else…”

“Or else what?”

“…”

“You know, Linus. Just like I returned to my place, she returned to hers.”

To a life waiting for death.

To nights of pain and suffering.

To the burning fire that melted her skin and stole her family.

To the nightmare where she scratched the walls till her nails ripped off.

Every word made Linus’s handsome face fall apart.

“You think killing me will bring her back? Go on, try.”

“If I kill you…”

His black eyes were empty. He was really thinking about killing me. But he didn’t move.

This was fun.

“You’ve become more human, Linus. Maybe your love for that thief was real after all.”

“…”

“Even if you’re a thief and a rapist, your love was… beautiful.”

I smiled wide.

His pain helped me breathe a little easier.

“Just wait. Who knows? Maybe one day, like before, she’ll steal my body again. Maybe she’ll miss you so much, she’ll push me out and return. Maybe your sad love will move the gods, and they’ll throw me away again…”

But she can’t come back, Linus.

“Only if this body stays alive, of course.”

“…Hyunji…”

He called out her name like he was looking at her—not me.

This must be torture for him. Her body was alive, but the woman he loved no longer existed. A sudden, cruel loss. He covered his mouth with his big hand and broke down.

I looked down at him.

You must have been so happy, whispering love in my stolen body. It felt good to throw me into pain and live in love together. But now, everything is back in its right place.

Jang Hyunji will soon die.

Even if I die, no one will ever take my body again.

Never.

But I couldn’t tell Linus that. If he knew for sure she wouldn’t return, he might kill me right away. The only reason he didn’t choke me to death was because he still had a small hope she might come back.

I have to keep that hope alive, or I’ll die.

If not… Linus will kill me.