"When will you come to see me, Eve?"
Tears blurred my vision as my chest rose and fell. Red stained my hand. But, when I looked up to see at the man's face...
All there was... was a smile. A longing smile.
He didn't seem to care that the spear that pierced his chest was in my hands.
"Come soon... I'm waiting."
------
"Ji-eun! Ji-eun! Wake up! It's New Year."
The voice of Ruixi pulled me out of my dream as my eyes fluttered open. I raised my head from between my arms.
Saliva spread on my desk and across my cheek.
"You sure do have a good sleep during office hours."
I groaned, wiping at my cheek with the back of my hand, only to make it worse by smearing more saliva across my face. The grogginess from the dream clung to me, the weight of that lingering smile refusing to fade.
My chest still felt tight, as if the spear wasn't just in the dream.
Who was he? Why was I having that dream?
"Shut up, Ruixi," I mumbled, pushing myself up. My neck ached from the awkward position I had fallen asleep in, and the harsh fluorescent lights above didn't help.
Ruixi, ever the persistent tease, leaned on the edge of my desk, her lips curled into a smirk. "You drool in your sleep, you know that? What were you dreaming about? Something R18?" She waggled her eyebrows.
If only I could smack the sh*t out of this woman.
I stared at her, my mind replaying the man's smile, the blood, the words "Come soon… I'm waiting."
A chill crawled up my spine.
"No," I said, shaking my head. "It wasn't... that."
Ruixi frowned at my tone, her teasing mood faltering. "You okay, Ji-eun? You look like you've seen a ghost or something."
I forced a smile, brushing it off. "Just tired. Didn't sleep well last night."
Ruixi squinted at me, unconvinced, but didn't push further. "Well, try to wake up fully, sleepyhead. There's a New Year's party downstairs in the lobby. Free snacks. Thought you'd wanna know."
She walked off, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I stared down at my hands, half-expecting to see blood staining them, but there was nothing.
Just my trembling fingers...
"Come soon…"
The words echoed again in my mind, and for a moment, I swore I could hear his voice, soft yet urgent, like he was calling me from somewhere far, far away.
I pressed my palms to my temples, trying to shake the feeling. It was just a dream. Just a dream.
But deep down, I couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't.
RING! RING! RING!
My phone vibrated on the desk as I gathered my thoughts and picked it up without checking the caller ID.
"Hello! This is Han Ji-eun. Who are you?"
"Your husband, idiot. Were you sleeping during office hours again?" A familiar voice pierced my ears through the other end of the phone.
"Wei! I was tireeedddd." My lips curved upwards as I whined.
"Pfft! Are you coming home tonight?" Wei asked as my smile grew wider.
Remember Ji-eun, you have to lie like a professional. If Wei catches you, all suprise will be flooded over by the holy waters of Nile.
"No, Wei. I wanted to. There's this party in lobby. I have to attend. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, Dumbo. Work comes first. Enjoy! I'll head to sleep. Happy New Year!"
"Same to you, hubby dearest. Mwah!" I giggled, ending the call.
"Happy New Year, indeed," I mumbled, holding the phone close to my chest as my heart raced.
The guilt tugged at me a little. I have never lied to my husband.
Wei's voice had been so soft, so trusting. It made me hesitate for a second—should I really go through with this surprise? But then, I shook my head.
Of course, I should. I wanted to see his face light up when he saw it. It would be straight out of a fairytale!
"Ji-eun!"
I flinched as Ruixi's voice cut through the air. She was standing a few feet away with our other colleague, Min-ah, both of them with mischievous grins plastered across their faces.
"Hubby dearest? Really? And a mwah on the phone? Aren't you just the cutest little wife!" Ruixi teased, mocking my tone.
"Shut it, Ruixi," I muttered, throwing my red scarf over my shoulder and grabbing my bag. "Not all of us are single forever."
"Oh, please! You act like being married turns you into a blind idiot or something," Ruixi shot back with a smirk.
Min-ah stifled her giggles.
"Whatever. I'm leaving," I said with a sigh, waving them off.
"What about the lobby party?" Min-ah finally piped up. "They're giving out those fancy chocolate baskets this year."
"Not interested," I said, already halfway to the elevator. "You two enjoy yourselves."
I'm coming home, Wei.
-------
As I descended to the street, the cold New Year's air hit me like a wake-up call. My breath fogged in front of me as I made my way toward the boutique gift shop a few blocks away.
The streets were alive with people, all rushing to celebrate and children racing down the pavement. Laughter and fireworks echoed in the distance, making the atmosphere feel warm despite the chill.
I entered the shop. It was just as I remembered—small, cozy, and packed with delicate little trinkets.
My eyes landed on the box I had been saving up for: a custom watch I ordered to be engraved with "Forever, Ji-eun & Wei."
The store clerk handed it over, carefully wrapping it in gold paper. My chest felt warm as I held it. This was going to be perfect.
Wei had always wanted a watch like this. But, we were struggling to meet ends and he gave it up for us that time.
As I stepped out of the shop, clutching the bag tightly, the cold wind swept through the street again.
The crowds had thinned, leaving only a few stragglers making their way home or to late-night parties. I made my way past them to the zebra-crossing to hurry back into the warm arms of my husband.
That's when I saw them.
Across the street, standing under the warm glow of a streetlight, was Wei. My Wei.
And he wasn't alone.
There she was... a woman with long, sleek black hair cascading down her back. Her hand was on his shoulder, and her head tilted just slightly as she looked up at him. I watched as my eyebrows wiggled in confusion.
Didn't he say he was sleeping at home?
Wei leaned down.
Their lips met.
I froze. The bag slipped from my fingers, the watch clattering against the gravel road. My chest felt like it had been pierced... not by a spear from a dream, but by something far worse.
My vision blurred. I couldn't move. Couldn't breathe.
The world spun around me, and before I could react, the blaring horn of a truck shattered the air.
The last thing I saw was Wei pulling away from the kiss, his eyes locking onto mine from across the street.
Then, nothing as I faded into... blackness.
"Come soon... I'm waiting."