(Morning/Taekyun's residence)
Taekyun stood near the entrance, already dressed for work.
His black suit was perfectly arranged, his hair neatly styled, his expression as composed as ever.
Yet something was wrong.
His body felt unusually warm.
A faint feverish heat had settled beneath his skin since he woke up.
His rut was approaching.
He could feel it.
The familiar restlessness had already begun creeping into his body, though it hadn't reached its peak yet.
Taekyun quietly exhaled.
Both Haru and Taeha had left for school earlier.
Nayeon had also left nearly an hour ago.
The residence was slowly becoming quieter.
Taekyun reached for the door.
Just as he was about to leave
"Oppa."
He stopped.
Jina appeared from inside the residence, Seoah resting comfortably in her arms.
She quickly walked toward him.
"Oppa, you forgot your...."
She looked around.
Then blinked.
"Your phone."
Taekyun looked down.
His phone was still sitting on the small table beside the entrance.
He picked it up.
"Thank you."
Jina smiled faintly.
But when Taekyun turned toward the door again, she noticed something unusual about him and his pheromones.
He looked tired.
His movements were slower.
"Oppa."
Taekyun stopped once more.
"I might not come home tonight."
Jina's expression changed.
"Tonight?"
Taekyun nodded.
"Don't wait for me."
Jina stared at him.
"Is everything okay?"
Taekyun didn't answer immediately.
His eyes moved around the quiet residence.
For some reason....
He suddenly felt an unfamiliar heaviness in his chest.
As though something was missing.
Something that had been there for a long time.
Something he couldn't name.
His eyes fell on Seoah.
Taekyun reached out.
His large hand gently rested on the little girl's head.
He slowly stroked her soft hair.
"My rut is approaching."
Jina immediately understood
Her expression softened.
"Oh....."
She nodded.
"Don't worry, Oppa."
"I'll look after the children."
Taekyun looked at her.
"Thank you."
Jina smiled.
"You should take care of yourself too."
Taekyun gave a small nod.
Then he finally stepped outside.
The cool morning air touched his face.
But even the cold couldn't ease the strange heat spreading through his body.
He walked toward the waiting car.
Lihan was already standing beside it.
"Sir."
Taekyun nodded.
But before he could reach the car.
"Sir!"
Someone called from behind.
Taekyun stopped.
He turned.
One of the gardeners was hurrying toward him.
The older man looked unusually worried.
Taekyun frowned slightly.
"What happened?"
The gardener quickly bowed.
"Sir...."
He hesitated.
Then gestured toward the garden.
"Could you please come and see?"
Taekyun followed him.
They walked toward the far side of the residence.
The gardener stopped near a flowerbed.
Taekyun's footsteps slowed.
The three flowers were dead.
Their petals had completely wilted.
The bright colours that had made them beautiful had disappeared.
The flowers had turned dark.
Almost black.
Taekyun stared.
His expression changed.
"What does this mean?"
The gardener lowered his head.
"Sir...."
"I don't know."
"They were perfectly healthy yesterday."
"I checked them myself."
"But this morning...."
He shook his head.
"All three were like this."
Taekyun crouched slowly.
His fingers reached toward one of the flowers.
He touched the dead petals.
Cold, dry.
Lifeless.
Something inside his chest suddenly dropped.
His heart sank.
For a moment, he couldn't breathe properly.
Three flowers.
His fingers tightened slightly around one of the stems.
A strange dizziness suddenly washed over him.
Taekyun closed his eyes.
Why?
It's scaring me...
This isn't supposed to be like this.
His head began throbbing.
He slowly opened his eyes again.
The dead flowers remained in front of him.
Taekyun's brows furrowed.
His chest tightened.
He didn't understand.
He didn't even know why he suddenly felt as though he'd lost something.
Something precious.
But there was nothing.
Only emptiness.
Taekyun slowly stood.
His body swayed slightly.
The gardener immediately stepped forward.
"Sir?"
Taekyun raised one hand.
"I'm fine."
He looked at the three dead flowers one final time.
"Remove them."
The gardener hesitated.
"All three?"
Taekyun's jaw tightened.
"Yes."
"Remove them."
The gardener immediately bowed.
"Yes, Sir."
Taekyun turned away.
But his steps felt strangely heavy.
He walked back toward the car.
Lihan opened the door for him.
Taekyun got inside.
For several seconds, he simply sat there.
His gaze remained fixed ahead.
The image of those three dead flowers refused to leave his mind.
Three flowers.
Why all three?
He didn't know.
He only knew that seeing them had made something inside him hurt.
Something he couldn't explain.
Lihan entered the driver's seat.
He glanced at Taekyun through the mirror.
"Sir?"
"Hm."
"Are you alright?"
Taekyun looked out the window.
"Don't pick me up tonight."
Lihan immediately frowned.
"Sir?"
"I'll return myself."
Lihan hesitated.
"But your rut....."
Taekyun's eyes remained fixed outside.
"I know."
"That's why I said don't pick me up."
Lihan became quiet.
Taekyun leaned back against the seat.
The heat inside his body was slowly increasing.
His rut was definitely approaching.
He could feel it.
And yet....
The thought of being alone tonight didn't bother him.
Normally, he preferred it.
He always had.
But today.....
Something about the empty residence felt different.
As though he were meeting something.
"Book me a hotel room."
Lihan nodded.
"Yes, Sir."
Taekyun's voice remained cold and calm.
"But no one else."
Lihan paused.
He looked at him through the mirror.
Taekyun's eyes were closed now.
"No one."
"I'll stay alone."
Lihan nodded slowly.
"Understood."
The car began moving.
The residence slowly disappeared behind them.
Taekyun opened his eyes one last time.
Through the window....
He could still see the garden.
The gardener had already begun removing the three dead flowers.
For some reason.....
Taekyun's chest tightened.
He looked away.
The car continued toward the city.
[Eunoia]
Haneul sat alone on the bench.
His body was curled slightly forward.
His hands covered his face.
But nothing could stop the tears.
They had been falling continuously.
For what felt like hours.
Every time he thought about what was going to happen, his chest tightened again.
He was going home.
He should have been happy.
He should have been excited.
But how could he possibly be happy when the price of returning was forgetting everything?
His parents.
His sibling.
His life.
The sound of approaching footsteps slowly reached him.
Haneul didn't look up.
He already knew who it was.
Doyeon stopped in front of him.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Around them, several officers stood watching.
Every single one of them knew what was about to happen.
Doyeon lowered his eyes toward the small omega.
His expression remained calm.
But his heart was anything but.
"Haneul."
Haneul's shoulders trembled.
Doyeon's voice was quiet.
"Let's go."
A long silence followed.
"It's time."
Haneul slowly lifted his head.
His face was wet with tears.
His beautiful eyes were swollen and red.
He looked at Doyeon as though he were looking at the only person left in the entire world who could save him.
"Please....."
His voice broke.
"I can't."
Doyeon's heart clenched.
Haneul shook his head.
"I don't want to forget."
"I don't want to forget anyone."
The officers exchanged glances.
Doyeon immediately lowered his gaze.
He couldn't allow them to see what those words had done to him.
"Haneul...."
"Please."
Haneul's voice became desperate.
"I'll go back."
"I promise I'll go."
"I won't cause any trouble."
"I won't tell anyone about Eunoia."
"I just....."
His lips trembled.
"Please don't take my memories."
Doyeon stood completely still.
Then he turned his head toward the officers.
"Leave."
The officers immediately looked at him.
Doyeon's voice became colder.
"All of you."
The Chief Medical Officer hesitated.
"Officer Doyeon, the procedure...."
"I know the procedure."
His gaze sharpened.
"I said leave."
One by one, the officers stepped outside.
The enormous doors closed.
Only Doyeon and Haneul remained.
For a moment, there was complete silence.
Doyeon slowly crouched in front of him.
Haneul looked at him through tear-filled eyes.
Doyeon reached out.
His fingers gently closed around Haneul's arm.
"Let's go."
Haneul didn't move.
Doyeon tightened his hold slightly.
Not enough to hurt.
Just enough to tell him that he wasn't alone.
"Trust me."
Haneul's lips trembled.
He didn't understand why Doyeon's voice sounded so different.
So broken.
But before he could ask.
Doyeon slipped something small into the pocket of Haneul's hoodie.
Haneul didn't notice.
His mind was too overwhelmed.
Doyeon slowly helped him stand.
"Come."
Haneul followed.
His steps were unsteady.
His tears never stopped.
[Memory Transfer Chamber]
The room was enormous.
At its center stood a large circular platform surrounded by glowing rings.
Countless silver lines ran across the floor.
Above it floated a complicated structure of crystal and metal.
It looked less like a machine....
And more like a doorway built by an entire civilization.
At the far end of the chamber stood a transparent wall.
Beyond it, several officers watched silently.
Haneul stopped.
His eyes moved around the room.
He understood.
This was it.
The end.
Doyeon stood beside him.
At the center of the platform was a tall man wearing a white scientific coat.
His name was Dr. Seon Jiho.
He was Eunoia's leading dimensional scientist.
The only person authorized to operate the Interworld Passage System.
The machine capable of opening a temporary path between two universes.
Dr. Jiho looked toward Doyeon.
Doyeon gave him a slow nod.
The scientist immediately understood.
Doyeon had already spoken to him.
Everything had been arranged.
Everything had been planned.
And every single thing they were about to do.....
Was against World Law.
Dr. Jiho glanced toward the observation window.
The officers were watching.
Then he looked back at Doyeon.
Doyeon's expression was unreadable.
"Begin."
Dr. Jiho nodded.
Haneul looked at Doyeon.
"What happens now?"
Doyeon looked at him.
"You'll lie down."
Haneul's eyes filled again.
Doyeon's fingers curled at his side.
"It won't hurt."
Haneul slowly stepped onto the platform.
Then he lay down.
The moment his body touched the cold surface, his breathing became uneven.
Doyeon stood beside him.
Haneul reached toward him.
"Doyeon...."
Doyeon immediately looked down.
"Yes?"
"If....."
Haneul swallowed.
"If I forget you.... my parents, and everyone..."
Doyeon froze.
Haneul's eyes were already overflowing.
"Will you remember me?"
Doyeon couldn't answer immediately.
His throat tightened.
He slowly looked away.
"Yes."
Haneul's lips trembled.
"Then...."
He closed his eyes.
"Please remember me."
Doyeon looked at him.
His heart broke silently.
"I will."
That was the only promise he could give.
Dr. Jiho moved toward the machine.
A thin metallic device was placed around Haneul's wrist.
The machine immediately activated.
A soft blue light spread across the room.
Haneul gasped.
His fingers clenched.
Then,
The memories began flooding through his mind.
His childhood.
His family.
His first day in Eunoia.
The people he had met.
The streets.
The buildings.
The food.
The laughter.
The pain.
"The lose of parents."
"The accident. "
The happiness.
"First escape for his brother."
And Doyeon.
Everything.
The quiet conversations with Doyeon.
Doyeon stood frozen.
He had seen this process before.
But never like this.
Never with someone he maybe loved.
Haneul's body trembled violently.
Doyeon's eyes burned.
But he didn't move.
He couldn't.
Because the officers were watching.
The process continued.
One hour passed.
Then another.
Haneul's consciousness slowly faded.
His breathing became quieter.
His eyes closed.
The machine finally stopped.
Dr. Jiho looked toward Doyeon.
"Finished."
Doyeon stared at Haneul.
"Is he...."
"Unconscious."
Doyeon stepped closer.
He touched Haneul's forehead.
"Haneul."
No response.
Doyeon looked at Dr. Jiho.
"Now."
The scientist hesitated.
"Are you certain?"
Doyeon's eyes sharpened.
"Do it."
Dr. Jiho immediately activated the secondary system.
A translucent screen appeared.
TEMPORARY COGNITIVE ACCESS RESTRICTION
Doyeon stared at it.
This was the only way.
He had discovered a flaw in the memory-erasure system.
The system did not distinguish between erasing a memory and blocking access to a memory.
Doyeon had spent days working with Dr. Jiho to exploit that weakness.
He had not erased Haneul's memories.
He had hidden them.
For one hour.
One hour was all they needed.
The system temporarily locked Haneul's memories connected to Eunoia.
Not destroyed.
Not removed.
Simply inaccessible.
For one hour.
Doyeon looked at the timer.
59:59
The countdown began.
Doyeon turned toward the observation window.
"Bring them in."
The officers entered.
Doyeon stepped away from Haneul.
The officers immediately began their examination.
The first officer approached.
"Haneul."
Haneul slowly opened his eyes.
He looked confused.
His gaze moved around the room.
Then he saw Doyeon.
His expression softened.
Doyeon's heart nearly stopped.
But he quickly controlled himself.
The officer continued.
"Do you know where you are?"
Haneul looked around.
"No."
"Do you know what Eunoia is?"
Haneul frowned.
"Eunoia?"
He shook his head.
"No."
The officer asked again.
"Do you know who officer Doyeon is?"
Haneul looked toward the scientist.
"No."
Dr. Jiho remained expressionless.
"Do you know who your parents are?"
Haneul's expression became confused.
"My parents?"
He shook his head.
"I don't know."
The officer nodded.
"Do you remember your childhood?"
Haneul looked down nervously.
"Do you remember this world?"
"Do you remember the World Court?"
Haneul shook his head trembling.
"Who you're?"
"Let.... me go."
"Taekyun....where..is he."
But the officers continued.
Question after question.
Haneul answered none of them.
Not because he had forgotten.
But because he couldn't access the memories.
He was nervous trembling with fear.
The system had hidden them.
Finally, the officer turned toward Doyeon.
He gave a slow nod.
"Memory removal confirmed."
Doyeon lowered his eyes.
"Good."
The officer stepped away.
"The passage may now be opened."
Dr. Jiho moved toward the central control system.
The machine began to activate.
Doyeon looked at the clock.
The timer was almost finished.
00:03
00:02
00:01
The system released its hold.
Haneul blinked.
Suddenly,
Everything returned.
His eyes widened.
He remembered.
Everything.
His parents.
His sibling.
Eunoia.
The court.
The punishment.
The five years.
His breath caught.
"Doyeon...."
Doyeon immediately looked at him.
Haneul sat up.
Tears suddenly filled his eyes.
"I remember."
Doyeon's heart stopped.
Haneul looked around.
"I remember everything."
Doyeon immediately stepped toward him.
"Quiet."
Haneul froze.
"The officers...."
Doyeon's eyes moved toward the observation window.
"They're watching."
Haneul understood.
His lips parted.
"You...."
Doyeon gave him a look.
"Not here."
Haneul stared at him.
Then he suddenly understood.
Doyeon had done something.
Something dangerous.
Something illegal.
"You didn't...."
Doyeon immediately placed one finger against his lips.
"Don't."
Haneul's eyes filled again.
Doyeon lowered his hand.
"Listen to me."
Haneul nodded.
"You have one chance."
Doyeon's voice was quiet.
"When you return...."
"Act like you don't remember."
Haneul's eyes widened.
"For at least a week."
"The system will be monitoring you."
"They'll be watching your behavior."
"They'll be checking whether your memories truly disappeared."
Haneul swallowed.
"So I have.... to pretend?"
Doyeon nodded.
"Yes."
"Don't mention Eunoia."
"Don't mention me."
"Don't mention your family here."
"Don't tell anyone."
"Doyeon...."
Doyeon looked away.
"There's something in your hoodie pocket."
Haneul immediately touched his pocket.
His fingers found something.
"This?"
"Read it when you're there."
"Not before."
Haneul nodded.
Doyeon looked at him for a long moment.
Then his expression softened.
"Take care of yourself."
Haneul's lips trembled.
"Will I ever see... you again?"
Doyeon didn't answer.
Instead, he stepped forward.
He pulled Haneul into his arms.
Haneul froze.
It was the first time Doyeon had hugged him like this.
Doyeon's arms wrapped tightly around his small body.
His eyes closed.
Just for a moment.
He allowed himself to feel everything he had spent years hiding.
The fear.
The love.
The pain.
The helplessness.
The knowledge that this was probably the last time.
Haneul slowly wrapped his arms around him.
"Doyeon...."
Doyeon's chin rested briefly against his hair.
"Go home."
His voice almost broke.
"Your children are waiting for you."
Haneul cried silently against his chest.
"Thank you."
Doyeon's arms tightened.
Then he slowly released him.
"Don't thank me."
Haneul looked up.
Doyeon gave him a faint smile.
"Just live."
He reached up and gently wiped away Haneul's tears.
"Live the life you wanted."
"Love your family."
"Be happy."
Haneul stared at him.
"Doyeon...."
"Go."
Doyeon turned away.
Because he knew that if he looked at Haneul any longer.
He wouldn't be able to let him go.
The Interworld Passage began opening.
The enormous chamber filled with light.
A circular gateway appeared in front of them.
Beyond it....
Was another world.
Another universe.
Another life.
The air changed.
Haneul could feel it.
Something familiar.
Something warm.
His heart began beating faster.
Home.
Doyeon stood behind him.
"Haneul."
Haneul turned.
Doyeon looked at him one last time.
"Remember what I told you."
Haneul nodded.
"One week."
"Then you'll be safe."
Haneul's fingers tightened around the mysterious object in his pocket.
"Don't forget to read it."
"I won't."
Doyeon nodded.
Then he stepped back.
Haneul slowly turned toward the passage.
One step.
Then another.
The closer he came....
The stronger the feeling became.
He could almost feel them.
Taekyun.
Haru.
Taeha.
His family.
His home.
Haneul's tears began falling again.
But this time....
They were tears of happiness.
He stepped toward the gateway.
The light surrounded him.
Just before he disappeared completely, Haneul looked back.
Doyeon was still standing there.
Alone.
Haneul smiled through his tears.
Doyeon looked at him.
His heart shattered silently.
"Goodbye, Haneul."
The passage closed.
The light disappeared.
And Haneul was gone.
Doyeon stood in the empty chamber.
For a long time....
He didn't move.
He stared at the place where Haneul had disappeared.
The person he had loved quietly.
The person he had protected without ever asking for anything in return.
The person who would now return to the man he had loved all along.
Doyeon slowly lowered his eyes.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
At least....
Haneul was going home.
That was enough.
Even if Haneul never remembered him.
Even if the world never knew what he had done.
Even if he could never confess the feelings he had carried for five years.
Doyeon had one comfort.
Haneul was finally going back to where he belonged.
And somewhere beyond the boundaries of Eunoia....
A small omega was crossing between worlds.
Returning to the man who had spent five years believing he had lost him forever.
Returning to two children who had grown up missing the mother they could barely remember.
to a home where three flowers had just died....
And to a man whose heart had never truly learned how to forget.