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After four centuries, here she was again. Joong Gil recognized her as soon as he laid his eyes on her.
And this Ryeon was not just the same woman he had worked with for centuries. No, this was his Ryeon, the one who had once married him and together they had shared a life, however brief and stormy.
There was no need for any words between them, just a look. Joong Gil watched as Ryeon noticed that he was whole again. Not just the grim reaper Park Joong Gil, but the one who was once her husband in her past life.
Aside from the overwhelming feeling that filled Joong Gil’s chest, he felt stupid. How could he not have recognized her before? Even though he felt an itch in his mind whenever he looked into her eyes, he wasn’t able to remember her. Even when she carried that sad and gloomy gaze, even when he could see the pain in her eyes whenever she looked at him.
Looking at her after finally knowing the truth, Joong Gil felt as if his entire body was crying out for her. He wanted to reach out to her and finally look at her after so long.
But he couldn't. At least, not when he had problems to solve, problems that he himself had caused. As he looked at Ha Daesu, Joong Gil let Ryeon go.
—
All Joong Gil felt when he saw her again was pain. All he wanted was to be able to stand up, touch her face, and apologize for everything he had done over the past few years.
But he couldn't move. So he didn't extend his apology due to the fatigue that overcame him whenever he spoke.
But as soon as he saw Ryeon leave again, Joong Gil decided that this wouldn't be the last time they would meet. He was determined that this wasn't the end.
—
Every time Joong Gil saw Ryeon in the halls of Jumadeung, he had to muster all his self-control not to run to her and take her away from there. Her presence would overwhelm him whenever they were in the same room, even if those encounters didn't last five minutes.
His eyes always followed every little pink dot that appeared around the company, he was like a lost puppy looking for its owner, and no matter how much Joong Gil wanted to stop, he couldn't, especially when his memories hit him hard.
One day, while Ryeon, Ryunggu and Joong Gil met in the company hall, he couldn't help but say, "Team Leader Koo?"
Ryeon turned to the reaper and waited for what was to come, while the reapers on Joong Gil’s team waited expectantly for what their leader had to say.
“Good job,” Joong Gil said loudly, nodding his head.
The shock on the faces of every reaper who heard that was noticeable. They knew that those two leaders had been friendly with each other a long time ago, but that the relationship between them was terribly strained. Well, maybe not anymore. Many there even thought that the time their leader had spent in hell had messed with his mind.
Ryeon, on the other hand, showed all her confusion, and Joong Gil almost smiled when he saw her like that, keeping to himself what he really wanted to say to her, but couldn't in public.
—
They were silent in bed again when Ryeon looked at Joong Gil and saw that he was already watching her, “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I don’t know how to look at you any other way, Ryeon-ah” Joong Gil was sincere, watching her laugh.
“You should have gotten over it by now” Ryeon smiled, turning to him.
“Oh, I’m sorry, but I can’t,” Joong Gil began, stroking the woman’s hair, “You’ve had centuries to get used to looking at me, but I’ve barely had half a century.”
Joong Gil saw in Ryeon's eyes how much that touched her, tears soon appeared and the woman began to kiss him on the face repeatedly while apologizing.
He barely cared about her previous words, all Joong Gil felt in his body was complete happiness at having his wife back.
—
Joong Gil had Ryeon cuddled up to him as the two of them sat on the couch, each reading a book. Despite the harmonious atmosphere, Joong Gil had one question, “Ryeon-ah, why did you lie to me that time? When I asked if I was in your dreams?”
Ryeon glared at him, “You’re kidding, right?” But Joong Gil didn’t answer, which made the woman sigh and abandon her book, moving away from the man to sit up straight, “Back then you didn’t have your memories and I didn’t know what effects it would have on you if I told you the truth. Imagine the mess that could happen.”
“My pride would probably keep me from believing you at first,” Joong Gil began, nodding, “But my dreams would quickly break down any distrust I had of you.”
“Wasn’t it better this way?” Ryeon asked, “We don’t know what would really happen.”
“It may have been, but I spent ages being an idiot with you for nothing. I even strangled you once!” Joong Gil replied indignantly, pouting his lips.
Ryeon couldn’t help but laugh and kissed her husband’s cheek. “Joong Gil’s past mistakes are in the past , and what matters is from now on. Got it?”
Joong Gil quickly pouted, put down his book, and hugged Ryeon, “Yes, I get it.”
—
Ryeon could understand when Joong Gil looked at her that way because she looked at him the same way. Because two centuries of looking at a man who didn't recognize her was completely different from looking at one who remembered.
Sometimes she would look at him and he would look back at her, and without words, they would say everything. All the past they had shared, all the moments they had spent together, everything.
“There are still so many things I need to tell you,” Ryeon said after a while in silence.
“Me too,” Joong Gil replied, holding his wife’s hand, “But we have all eternity for that.”
The two looked at each other and smiled at the same time. In their eyes, the certainty that they would keep that promise.