Heeseung lay awake in his small apartment, staring at the ceiling as Moonhae's words echoed in his mind. The Memorabilia, the Kolektor, his forgotten past—it all felt too surreal, like he had stepped into someone else's life. But the power he had unleashed in the library had been real. He could still feel its lingering warmth in his veins, and it scared him. He had always known he was different, but now he was forced to confront just how different.
The moonlight filtered through the thin curtains, casting a faint glow over the room. His thoughts drifted to Jihoon, his best friend and the one person who had always been by his side. How long had Jihoon known about the Memorabilia? Had he kept secrets, too? And what about Moonhae? She had appeared out of nowhere, yet she seemed to know more about him than he knew about himself.
As if drawn by an invisible force, Heeseung sat up and reached for the notebook he kept on his bedside table. It was filled with fragments of his dreams—disjointed images, fleeting faces, and strange symbols that had haunted him for as long as he could remember. He flipped through the pages, his heart pounding as he realized that many of the symbols matched the ones etched on the ancient books in the library. The realization hit him like a cold wave: his dreams weren't just dreams. They were memories.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed. It was Jihoon.
"We need to talk. Meet me at the pier."
Heeseung hesitated. Something in the message felt off, but he couldn't ignore it. Throwing on a jacket, he grabbed his keys and left the apartment, the weight of the night pressing down on him.
---
The pier was quiet when Heeseung arrived, the sound of waves gently lapping against the docks. A fog had rolled in, casting an eerie atmosphere over the place. Jihoon was standing near the edge, his hands in his pockets, staring out at the dark water.
"Jihoon," Heeseung called out as he approached. "What's going on? Why did you bring me here?"
Jihoon turned to face him, his expression hard to read. "I didn't want to say anything earlier because I wasn't sure. But after what happened at the library…I think you deserve to know the truth."
Heeseung felt a chill run down his spine. "The truth about what?"
"About your past. About why the Kolektor is after you." Jihoon's voice was calm, but there was an edge to it that made Heeseung uneasy. "I've been doing research for months, following leads on the Memorabilia and the people tied to them. And I found something about your family, Heeseung."
"My family?" Heeseung frowned. He barely remembered anything about his parents. They had died when he was young, leaving him to be raised by distant relatives. "What does my family have to do with this?"
Jihoon took a deep breath. "Your parents were part of a secret order—protectors of the Memorabilia. That's why you have the power you do. It's in your bloodline. But something went wrong. The order was betrayed from the inside, and the Memorabilia were scattered. Your parents were killed trying to protect one of the most powerful artifacts. And now, the Kolektor is hunting you because he believes you have the key to finding it."
Heeseung's heart raced. "How do you know all of this? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
Jihoon looked away, guilt flashing across his face. "Because I wasn't sure. And because…there's something else. The Kolektor didn't just kill your parents. He's the reason you don't remember anything from your past. He erased your memories to keep you from finding the truth."
Heeseung stumbled back, his mind reeling. His memories—his whole life—it had all been manipulated? "Why would he do that?"
"Because you're the last link to the most powerful Memorabilia—an artifact that can control time itself. The Kolektor wants it to rewrite history, to bend reality to his will. And you, Heeseung, are the only one who can stop him."
The weight of Jihoon's words settled over Heeseung like a heavy fog. He had always felt like there was something missing in his life, something important. But now, faced with the truth, he wasn't sure if he was ready to embrace it.
Before he could respond, the sound of footsteps echoed through the fog. Heeseung tensed, instinctively reaching for the pocketknife he always carried with him.
From the mist emerged Moonhae, her face set in grim determination. "We don't have much time," she said urgently. "The Kolektor knows you're here. We need to leave, now."
Jihoon nodded, his expression serious. "We can't let him get to you, Heeseung. Not before you unlock your full potential."
Heeseung felt a rush of panic. "I don't know how! I don't even understand half of what's happening. How am I supposed to fight someone like him?"
Moonhae stepped forward, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to do it alone. We'll figure this out together. But first, you need to trust me."
Heeseung looked between Jihoon and Moonhae, his mind spinning with everything he had learned. Trust. It was a difficult thing to give, especially when his whole life had been built on lies and half-truths. But what choice did he have?
"Alright," he said finally, his voice steady despite the chaos inside him. "Tell me what I need to do."
Moonhae nodded, relief flickering in her eyes. "The first step is unlocking the memories the Kolektor tried to bury. They're the key to everything."
"How do we do that?" Jihoon asked.
Moonhae glanced at Heeseung, her expression serious. "There's a place—a temple hidden deep in the mountains. It's one of the few places left untouched by the Kolektor's influence. If we can get there, you might be able to access the memories he erased. But it's dangerous, and he'll be hunting us the whole way."
Heeseung clenched his fists, a newfound resolve rising within him. "Then we'd better get moving."
As they turned to leave the pier, the fog seemed to thicken, wrapping around them like a veil. Heeseung couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched, that the Kolektor's eyes were on them, even now. But this time, he wouldn't run. For the first time in his life, he would face the shadows head-on.