Minsu's breath grew shallow as the man's words settled over her like a suffocating fog. Her fingers curled into her palms, her body trembling—not from fear, but from the weight of the truth she was about to hear.
The hooded figure took a step closer, his voice low and steady. "You were never meant to come back here, Minsu. Your aunt made sure of that."
Minsu stiffened. "What do you mean?"
The man exhaled slowly, as if choosing his words carefully. "This village is cursed. For generations, it has been surrounded by a dark force—an entity that demands sacrifice. Every year, a young girl is chosen. And when your time came…"
He paused, watching her reaction.
Minsu's throat was dry. "What?"
"Your parents tried to protect you. They refused to let you be taken, and for that, they paid the price."
Her entire body froze. "No… they died in a car accident."
The man shook his head. "That's what they wanted you to believe. But it wasn't an accident. It was a punishment—a warning to those who would defy the ritual."
Minsu's vision blurred as memories of her childhood flashed before her. The warmth of her parents' embrace, their laughter filling their small home—only for it all to be ripped away in an instant.
She took a shaky breath. "Then… my aunt… she knew?"
"She knew everything," the man confirmed. "She took you away that night, far from this village. She erased every trace of your past, hoping you would never return. But fate is cruel, Minsu. No matter how much she tried to protect you, destiny always finds its way back."
Minsu felt as if the ground beneath her had disappeared. "Then… she's in danger because of me."
The man nodded. "They have been hunting her for years. She was the last line of defense between you and them. But now that you're here… the village knows. The entity knows."
Hyowon's voice was quiet but firm. "What do they want from her now?"
The man's gaze turned solemn. "Not her. You."
Minsu felt the blood drain from her face.
"You are the Forsaken Key," he continued. "The one who was meant to be sacrificed long ago. And now that you have returned, they will come for you."
A cold shiver ran through Minsu's spine. Her entire life had been a lie. Her parents had died protecting her, and her aunt had spent years running—just to keep her safe.
And now… it was all falling apart.
Hyowon took a step forward, placing himself slightly in front of her. "Tell us how to stop this."
The man hesitated, then finally said, "You cannot run from destiny. But you can change it. If you wish to end this curse… you must uncover the truth of this village, of the entity that feeds on it."
Minsu swallowed hard. "And how do I do that?"
The man's eyes darkened. "You must go to the shrine at the heart of the forest. That is where it all began. And that is where you will find your fate."
Silence hung heavy between them.
Minsu's fingers tightened into fists as she tried to process everything. The entity, the sacrifices, her parents' deaths—everything had been leading to this moment. But before she could ask another question, the man spoke again.
"There's something else you must know," he said, his voice carrying a strange heaviness. "You are not the only one tied to this village's fate."
Minsu frowned. "What do you mean?"
The man hesitated for a moment before reaching into his robes. He pulled out an old, worn scroll tied with a red string. "This is the record of the forsaken. Every child meant for sacrifice has their name written here."
A chill ran down Minsu's spine as the man carefully untied the string and unrolled the scroll. The parchment was ancient, the ink faded in some places but still legible. Her eyes scanned the list, heart pounding—until she found her own name.
Im Minsu.
It was real. It was true.
She felt a wave of nausea, but before she could react, something else caught her eye.
Another name.
Her breath hitched.
Hyowon.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Minsu turned to Hyowon in shock, but he didn't look surprised. His expression remained unreadable, his hands clenched at his sides.
"You already knew," Minsu whispered.
Hyowon finally met her gaze. "I had my suspicions."
The man watched their exchange in silence before speaking again. "You are not the first ones chosen. There was another before you. A man who looked just like you, Minsu."
Minsu's entire body tensed. "What?"
"He lived long ago, yet he was the key to this village's curse. He tried to fight against fate, just as you are now. And because of that… he was erased."
Minsu swallowed hard. "Erased?"
The man nodded grimly. "His existence was wiped away, as if he had never been born. But the entity never forgets. The cycle continued, and now, it has brought you back in his place."
The air in the shrine felt suffocating.
Minsu's mind raced. If this man—this past version of her—had failed, then what chance did she have?
And Hyowon… he had been meant to die, too.
Her voice was barely a whisper. "Why us?"
The man exhaled. "That is for you to find out. But know this—your fate is not entirely sealed. The past was erased, but the present is still yours to shape."
Minsu stared at the names on the scroll, her heartbeat loud in her ears.