It was 1:13 a.m.

Heavy rain poured from the dark sky, and thunder echoed through the silent night. The bridge was completely empty.

A young woman stood at the edge of the bridge. Her clothes were soaked, and the cold wind brushed against her face. She looked down at the rushing river below.

Slowly...

She took one step forward.

Just then, a man appeared out of nowhere.

He moved as fast as lightning.

His eyes were unlike anything she had ever seen—a deep golden amber that glowed softly, like sunlight refusing to fade even in the darkest night.

Without saying a single word, he rushed towards her.

But instead of pulling her back...

He pushed her into the river.

Splash!

The water swallowed her within seconds.

The man stood still, staring at the river with a painful expression.

After a long moment, he whispered,

"Forgive me... This is the only way to save you."

A flash of lightning lit up the bridge.

When the light disappeared...

So did he.

Chapter 1 – Four Years Earlier

The warm smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the small café.

The morning rush had already begun.

Customers chatted with each other while soft music played in the background. Cups clinked against saucers, and the sound of the coffee machine echoed through the shop.

"One caramel latte and two blueberry muffins!" the cashier called out.

"I'm on it!" a cheerful voice replied.

A young woman quickly picked up the tray and walked towards the waiting customer with a bright smile.

"Here's your order. Enjoy your meal."

"Thank you," the customer said with a smile.

After serving the table, she let out a quiet sigh and wiped a few drops of sweat from her forehead.

"Busy already?" her best friend teased as she walked over with two empty cups.

She laughed softly.

"It's only nine in the morning. We still have the whole day left."

"Don't remind me," her friend groaned dramatically.

The two girls couldn't help but laugh.

Just then...

The small bell above the café door rang.

Ding...

Without looking up, she smiled politely.

"Welcome."

A tall man walked into the café.

His calm expression and quiet presence caught everyone's attention for a brief moment before they returned to their own conversations.

Before the heroine could take a step forward...

Another employee quickly walked past her.

"I'll take this one," she said with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

The young woman didn't say anything.

She was already used to it.

Her best friend, however, wasn't.

She rolled her eyes and muttered,

"There she goes again..."

The other employee walked confidently toward the mysterious customer."

"Good morning, sir. May I take your order?"

The man didn't even look at her.

His gaze slowly wandered across the café...

...until they stopped on the young woman standing beside the counter.

For a moment...

Neither of them looked away.

The other employee noticed it immediately.

Her smile faded.

She turned back and called out,

"Hey! Your table needs cleaning. Go do your job instead of standing there."

Before the young woman could answer, her best friend stepped forward.

"Seriously? She was about to serve him first!"

The other employee crossed her arms.

"So what? I got here first."

"You always do this!" her friend snapped.

The café suddenly became quiet.

Every customer turned to look at them.

It was almost 11:37 a.m.

The sun shone brightly through the café windows, its warm rays lighting every corner of the room.

Every customer turned to look at them.

The young woman quickly stepped between the two women.

"Please, dear... stop," she said gently, holding her friend's arm. "We know how she is, right? It's not worth arguing."

Her best friend frowned.

"But she always does this! She keeps taking your customers as if she owns this place."

"It's okay," the young woman replied with a small smile. "Let's just get back to work."

The other employee quietly walked away to prepare the coffee, but she couldn't hide the jealousy in her eyes.

The young woman returned to serving the waiting customers as if nothing had happened.

"Here's your cappuccino."

"Thank you."

She smiled warmly at every customer she met.

A few minutes later...

The black coffee was placed on the mysterious man's table.

He reached for the cup.

Before taking a sip...

His eyes quietly followed the young woman as she moved around the café.

She laughed with an elderly customer before helping a little child pick up a spoon that had fallen onto the floor.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"...Just like before."

He whispered so softly that even he could barely hear his own voice.

Then he calmly picked up the cup...

And took his first sip.

The rich aroma of black coffee filled the air.

His gaze drifted toward the café once more.

The young woman was still busy serving customers, wearing the same warm smile no matter how tired she looked.

For a brief moment...

His expression softened.

He quietly placed the empty cup back onto the table.

"He stood up, placed the money on the table, and quickly walked towards the exit".

Without another word...

He walked out of the café.

The small bell above the door rang once again.

Ding...

The young woman instinctively looked toward the entrance.

But all she saw was the door slowly closing behind him.

"...Strange," she murmured.

For some reason...

She felt as though she had forgotten something important.

The black car was already waiting outside the café.

As soon as the man got in, the driver quietly started the engine.

For a few moments...

Silence filled the car.

Finally, the man sitting in the front passenger seat glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

"You've been coming to that café for seven months."

No reply.

"You order the same black coffee every single time."

Still nothing.

After a brief pause, the assistant asked carefully,

"...Is there something special about that place?"

The man turned his gaze toward the café window.

The young woman was still inside, smiling as she served another customer.

A faint smile appeared on his lips.

"...Drive."

The assistant understood.

No more questions were asked.

The black car slowly disappeared into the afternoon traffic.

The afternoon sun slowly faded behind the clouds, while another mystery quietly began to unfold.

The last customer quietly left the café.

The young woman wiped the final table clean before taking off her apron.

Another long day had finally come to an end.

"Good night!" her best friend called with a smile.

"Good night. See you tomorrow."

She stepped outside.

The cool night breeze gently brushed against her face, washing away the warmth of the busy café.

The streets were quieter now.

Streetlights stretched across the sidewalks, casting soft golden light onto the empty road.

She let out a slow sigh.

"My feet are going to hate me tomorrow..."

A small laugh escaped her lips as she continued walking home.

No matter how exhausting the day had been...

One thought always made her smile.

"I'm almost home."

A few minutes later...

She stopped in front of a small apartment building.

She unlocked the door as gently as she could, hoping her little brother had already fallen asleep.

The moment the door opened...

Tiny footsteps rushed across the room.

"Sis!"

Before she could even react, a little boy threw his arms around her.

She almost lost her balance before laughing softly and hugging him back.

"I'm home."

"I missed you..."

His small voice was muffled against her shoulder.

She closed her eyes for a brief moment, gently stroking his hair.

"I missed you too."

He finally looked up at her.

"Sis... you look tired again."

She smiled as if nothing was wrong.

"I'm okay."

"You always say that."

For a second...

She couldn't find the right words.

Instead, she gently pinched his cheek.

"You're becoming too smart."

He giggled.

Then his smile slowly disappeared.

"Sis..."

"Hmm?"

"Our school is having a parents' meeting next week..."

He lowered his head and nervously played with the edge of his shirt.

"...Will you come?"

The room became silent.

She looked into his hopeful eyes.

For a brief moment...

She remembered every parents' meeting she had attended alone.

Every time the teachers looked around...

Looking for a mother.

Looking for a father.

But only finding...

An older sister.

Her heart quietly ached.

She slowly knelt until they were at the same height and gently held his little hands.

"Look at me."

He slowly raised his head.

"I'll be there."

His eyes widened.

"Really...?"

She smiled, her eyes filled with warmth.

"I promise."

"No matter how busy I become..."

"No matter how tired I am..."

"I will always be there for you."

His lips trembled before a bright smile spread across his face.

He hugged her as tightly as his little arms could.

"You're the best sister in the whole world!"

She hugged him back even tighter.

A tiny tear gathered in the corner of her eye.

Not because she was sad...

But because she wished their parents could have seen how much he had grown.

She quickly wiped the tear away before he could notice.

"As long as you're smiling..."

"...I'm already the happiest sister in the world."

The little boy smiled brightly.

"Then I'll study hard!"

She laughed softly through her tears.

"And I'll work hard."