Chapter 5

　　It won’t come off? Saebom blinked, processing his shocking statement. “Yours too, Mr. Ryu?”

　　It was true. She grabbed his ring and pulled, a wave of disbelief washing over her. It wouldn’t move. Not his ring, not hers. Her eyes widened as she stared up at him. “How is this possible?”

　　“My thoughts exactly. Is this even logically possible?” He ran a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed. Strangely, the gesture made him look a little sexy. No. This is not the time for that. Saebom, who had been staring as if mesmerized, shook her head to clear the thought.

　　“You’ve tried soap, right? Soaking it in cold water? Using a string to get it off?”

　　“I haven’t gone that far, but from the sound of it, there’s no point. It’s clear nothing will work.”

　　At first, she had just thought it was pretty. Now, seeing it stuck to her finger like a shackle sent a chill down her spine. Saebom looked at him, her expression tearful. “So what do we do now?”

* * *

　　Strapped into the passenger seat, Saebom glanced at him. He had casually ushered her into his car and was now driving, heading somewhere. Fiddling with her ring, she finally broke the silence. “So, where are we going?”

　　“To get the rings cut off.”

　　“What? Cut off?” Saebom’s eyes widened.

　　“If they won’t come off, we have to cut them. We can’t just keep wearing them.”

　　His decisive response left her mouth slightly agape. Cutting them off was the logical next step, but after hearing they were worth a fortune, it felt like a terrible waste. It would be perfect if only it wasn’t stuck. Saebom licked her lips as she looked down at the glittering diamond.

　　“We’re here.” A short time later, Jihun parked his sports car in front of a fire station and gestured for her to get out.

　　Saebom followed him inside. It was her first time in a fire station, and the experience felt surreal. A firefighter drinking coffee at the entrance approached them with a curious look. “How can I help you?”

　　“Our rings are stuck,” Jihun explained calmly. “We were hoping you could cut them off.”

　　“Ah, please come this way.” The firefighter led them to a round table.

　　I can’t believe I’m at a fire station because of a ring. Saebom sat down hesitantly. Another firefighter glanced at her left hand.

　　“Oh, is your wedding ring stuck?”

　　“What? Wedding ring?” Saebom’s eyes shot to Jihun’s before she jumped up, waving her hands in frantic denial. “No! We’re not… we’re not together!”

　　At her vehement protest, Jihun let out a small chuckle. “Why deny it so strongly? Are you ashamed of me?”

　　“It’s just embarrassing that they’re getting the wrong idea.” Being mistaken for a newlywed couple was mortifying. Saebom blushed and cleared her throat. Just then, a firefighter approached with a palm-sized ring cutter.

　　“Huh?” The firefighter’s face clouded with bewilderment as he tried to make the cut.

　　Is something wrong? Saebom watched him fumble, a knot of anxiety tightening in her stomach. A chill crept up her spine. “Um… is there a problem?”

　　“Just a moment. Let me try again.” The man tilted his head and pressed down hard on the cutter. Strangely, the ring didn’t so much as scratch. Grunting with effort, the man let out a long breath, sweat beading on his forehead. “What in the world…?”

　　As he wrestled with the stubborn ring, an older firefighter came over. “What’s going on?”

　　“They came to get their rings cut, but this thing just won’t break.”

　　“Is the cutter busted?”

　　“No way. It was working fine just yesterday.”

　　An invisible tug-of-war with the ring began. But even when all the firefighters in the station gathered and combined their strength, they couldn’t cut it. Saebom watched the huddle of men debating over the ring and forced a strained smile.

　　“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

　　“This is driving me crazy. Why won’t it cut?”

　　Everyone clucked their tongues as they stared at the pristine, unscratched diamond. Haha. Saebom’s gaze shifted to Jihun, who was watching from a short distance. He looked just as bewildered as she felt.

　　“What on earth is this thing made of?”

　　Thirty minutes later, Saebom emerged from the fire station and held her hand up to the soft moonlight. A ring that couldn’t be cut with industrial tools—she couldn’t begin to imagine what it was made of. As she stood there, lost in thought, Jihun gestured to her. “Let’s go.”

　　“What?”

　　“Get in. We have somewhere to be.” He tapped his wristwatch as if to say they were short on time. Giving in, Saebom climbed into the sports car. “Where are we going this time?”

　　“To the shop where I bought the rings.”

　　With that, Jihun took the wheel. The shop where he bought the rings? Buckling her seatbelt, Saebom stared at him with wide eyes.

* * *

　　“This is impossible…”

　　Overwhelmed with shock, Jihun blinked rapidly. The shop that had been here just a few days ago had vanished without a trace. He surveyed the empty alley, pressing a hand to his forehead. Unless he had dreamt the entire thing, this was definitely the place. It was right here. Where did it go?

　　Jihun stood there, mouth agape in disbelief.

　　“What’s wrong?” Saebom asked, coming to his side.

　　“It’s… gone. The shop.”

　　“What do you mean, the shop is gone?”

　　“I’m sure I bought the rings at a shop in this alley, but it’s completely disappeared.”

　　Did I really dream it all? Jihun rubbed his eyes and stared at the alley again. But the memory of choosing and buying the rings was far too vivid. There’s no way. He left the alley and headed to a nearby cafe.

　　“A ring shop?” The man who appeared to be the owner stared at Jihun with wide eyes.

　　“Yes. I remember a jewelry store in the alley over there. I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

　　“That’s impossible,” the man said, tilting his head. “There’s never been any kind of shop in that alley.”

　　“What? Really?”

　　“Really. I’ve been doing business here for over ten years. I’ve never heard of or seen a shop like that.” The owner was now looking at him as if he were the strange one.

　　Given the man’s certainty, Jihun gave up. No one would believe him. He said his goodbyes and left the cafe, where Saebom, who had been waiting outside, trotted over like an eager puppy.

　　“What did the owner say?”

　　“He said he’s never heard of a shop like that. That there was never a jewelry shop in that alley to begin with.”

　　“Really? But are you absolutely sure you bought the rings there?”

　　“Positive. I bought them at a shop that was right here.” Jihun retraced his memories. He had gone to the store on the recommendation of a man from a recent charity party, who had described it as a handmade jewelry place becoming popular among celebrities. Jihun still clearly remembered him saying the quality surpassed most luxury brands. “I even remember the shop’s name.”

　　Wolha. It meant ‘under the moon’.

　　Repeating the name in his mind, he recalled stepping inside. The shop, tucked at the end of the alley, had a classical, almost otherworldly atmosphere that didn’t fit a high-end jeweler. He remembered the red bamboo blind at the entrance and the strange smell of incense usually burned at a temple.

　　“Welcome. How can I help you?”

　　“Ah, yes. I’d like to buy a pair of rings.”

　　He remembered being struck by how handsome the young man who greeted him was. Come to think of it, there had been something odd about him. The hands that retrieved the rings from a red display case were as wrinkled as an old man’s. Jihun had looked from the hands to the man’s face, and the young man had simply smiled brightly.

　　“Is something wrong?”

　　“No, it’s nothing.”

　　He’d wondered if he’d seen it wrong, but the wrinkled hands, in such stark contrast to the man’s youthful face, kept drawing his gaze. Hiding his confusion, Jihun had pointed to a beautiful pair of rings. “I’ll take these.”

　　“An excellent choice. They will suit the woman you’re gifting them to very well.”

　　The comment had felt ridiculous. These rings were just a prop, a tool to feign a relationship with some nameless woman. After paying, Jihun had pushed aside the red blind to leave.

　　“May you meet your fated match.”

　　That’s what the man had said. And that was all he could remember.

　　Returning to the present, Jihun looked down at the ring on his left hand. A vanished shop and a ring that wouldn’t come off. What is going on? He shifted his gaze to Saebom, who had approached him, his face a mask of disbelief.