Fated Beyond Chrono

She had returned to Earth on a rainy day. For some reason, the frequency of rain seemed to have increased. The news constantly highlighted the record-breaking rainfall.

Aria was staring out the window, watching the raindrops slowly trickle down the glass. It was hard to believe it was summer. The sound of rain in the silence felt heavier than usual—almost like the weight of the responsibilities she bore. Cheonwoong was sitting at his desk, sorting through something.

"Cheonwoong," Aria quietly called his name.

Turning his head, Cheonwoong asked, "What's up?"

Aria hesitated for a moment before speaking. "I've had this strange feeling since this morning, like something familiar has been following me around."

After pondering for a moment, Cheonwoong stood up. "Want to go for a walk? Being cooped up on days like this can make the feeling worse."

Aria hesitated but eventually nodded. She wasn't entirely sure what Cheonwoong had understood about her unease, but she agreed nonetheless.

Sharing a single umbrella, the two strolled through the neighborhood at a slow pace. The sound of raindrops hitting the umbrella filled the awkward silence between them. It wasn't like they hadn't spoken much before, but the time they'd spent together had been chaotic and overwhelming. Aria's sense of unease refused to settle.

"Cheonwoong, look over there," Aria said, pointing to the end of an alley. A figure holding a red umbrella stood in the distance.

Squinting, Cheonwoong muttered, "I don't know who it is, but they're definitely watching us."

He folded the umbrella and cautiously approached, with Aria following closely behind. But the person with the red umbrella didn't wait for them and slowly disappeared down the alley.

Cheonwoong quickened his pace, but by the time they reached the end of the alley, the red umbrella was gone. Instead, they found themselves in front of an old, abandoned house. The faded sign above the door faintly read "Cheonpoong Old House" (天風古宅).

"Cheonwoong, this place…" Aria trailed off, her voice uncertain. She had no memory of this place.

Cheonwoong silently opened the creaky wooden door, the sound eerily resembling a scream.

Inside, the house was filled with old furniture and layers of dust. Rainwater had seeped in, pooling on the floor, and the damp air clung to them.

Cheonwoong noticed footprints on the floor. "Someone was just here."

As Aria scanned the room, her eyes fell on a painting hanging on the wall. It depicted a woman with piercing red eyes that seemed unnervingly alive.

"This is…" Aria murmured, stepping closer. Suddenly, the woman's lips in the painting began to move.

"Leave," a voice whispered, audible only to Aria. She clasped her hands over her ears and stumbled back.

"Cheonwoong, didn't you hear that?"

Supporting her, Cheonwoong asked, "Hear what? I didn't hear anything."

Aria bit her lip and shook her head. "It's nothing. Let's just get out of here."

But Cheonwoong's attention was drawn to a symbol carved into the wall. "Aria, this symbol…" He trailed off, placing his hand on the wall.

The ground suddenly shook, and the wall cracked open, emitting a red glow from within.

"This place is dangerous!" Cheonwoong shouted, but it was too late. A massive shadow emerged from the wall and enveloped them.

When they opened their eyes again, Aria and Cheonwoong found themselves outside the abandoned house. The rain was still falling, yet their bodies were dry.

Clenching his fist, Cheonwoong said, "This isn't just some abandoned house. It's connected to something we don't understand."

Aria, her voice trembling, asked, "Then… what about the red umbrella?"

Cheonwoong didn't answer, his gaze fixed on the distant rain. The red umbrella was nowhere to be seen. But from that night on, Aria began hearing whispers from red eyes and shadows in her dreams.

Their encounter in the rain was no mere coincidence. It was the beginning of a deeper, darker mystery.

A week passed, and only a few days left before school reopened. Life returned to its usual routine: Aria stayed home, and Cheonwoong commuted to work. Everything seemed normal—until the day Cheonwoong's face turned pale.