Chapter 1

Kai stared at the flyer pinned to the community board of his favorite cafe. “Ballroom Dance Classes: No partner necessary.”

“What are you looking at?” Asked Kai’s assistant, glancing behind her.

A smirk tugged at his lips. It wasn’t his thing, but maybe stepping out of his comfort zone would be good. Work had consumed his life since he’d launched his indie game company, and he needed a break from coding and deadlines.

“You interested in that?”

“Do me a favor and sign me up for a class.”

“Really? Well, you for sure need to destress more, and trying something out of your element may do the trick.”

“Hey, I wouldn’t say dance is completely out of my element, per se.”

“Sure.”

They both had a laugh and finished lunch as she made a note to sign him up.

*

A week later, he found himself in his first class. The place buzzed with conversation; music played softly in the background.

The instructor greeted people still coming in. When a woman with dark hair falling in soft waves over almond brown shoulders walked in, Kai’s attention refocused on the door. Her presence filled the room, though she was unaware of it. When their eyes met, something deep in Kai’s chest tightened. Her features were familiar. He recognized those dark brown piercing eyes. It was her.

Mia’s footsteps faltered once through the doorway. She hadn’t planned to attend, but something had nudged her to do so. Her gaze landed on Kai from across the room, and her heart stuttered. A quick flash of when they were kids running around their old neighborhood burst forward. Excitement stirred in her and something more.

“Kai?” she asked, crossing the room.

“Mia! Wow. It’s been… a long time.”

“I know, right? So how have you been? What are you up to these days?” Mai asked, taking a seat on the bench he had occupied.

Kai stared at her for a long moment, then cleared his throat. “I’ve been great. I run an indie video game company that’s local, and it’s doing very well, keeping me stressed and busy.”

He laughed nervously, rubbing his wet palms over his pant legs. “What about you?”

“Me? Well, I own a fashion boutique that’s also local. All my own designs, fusing native style fashion with dark undertones.”

“That’s great. I remember growing up you drew clothes a lot and I’m happy to see you sharing your Native background with others through fashion.”

Mai smiled. “So,”

“Everyone, let’s begin,” said the instructor.

They all moved to the dance floor. “Perfect! Now pick a partner!” She clapped her hands together as the music began, and Kai extended his hand toward Mia. Her hesitation was apparent, but then their fingers touched.

When their skin met, the world around them blurred for an instant. Kai’s heart raced; he saw a flash—himself chained in a dark room lit only by torches. Mia was there, though she was different. Her clothes were renaissance like and her expression was one of desperation. Then, it was gone, like a forgotten dream.

He blinked, steadying himself, but from Mia’s wide eyes, he knew she had felt something too.

For the rest of the lesson, they danced quietly, neither of them acknowledging the strange spark that had passed between them. Yet, it hung in the air, heavy with a weight neither could ignore. When the class ended, Mia turned to grab her bag, but Kai wasn’t ready to let the moment slip away.

“Hey Mia, we should catch up properly. Can I get your number?”

She paused, her mind replaying that strange moment on the dance floor.

“Sure. Let me hold your phone.”

After entering the number, they went their separate ways.

Later that Night

Kai fell asleep with Mia still on his mind. Even in his dreams, the visions came. They were in a forest, not in the present, but in some distant past. Running from someone, he had seen fear in her eyes, the urgency in their pace to escape, then fall from a cliff.

He woke up in a sweat and setup in bed, his heart pounding.

“What’s happening to me?” he said.

*

Mia sat at her apartment window, watching the rain drizzle down. Her tea had long since gone cold, her thoughts fixated on Kai. When she had touched his hand earlier, a flicker of a memory—or something more—had rushed through her. She could see herself in a grand hall, spinning in his arms, but Kai looked like someone else. She didn’t know where these visions were coming from, but the pull they created, the weight of it, lingered.

“I must be overworked, or was it the shock of seeing him? I had better get some sleep. Obviously I’m deprived.” She said.

A small chuckle escaped her before she settled down for bed.

***

The next day at work, Kai was distracted, his thoughts constantly returning to Mia and the visions he couldn’t shake.

“Kai, are you even listening?”

“Sorry Lily,” he muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

Lily’s eyes softened. “Did something happen in the dance class you took last night? Your eyes looked odd this morning when I asked you how the class went, and you mentioned you had run into a childhood friend.”

Her tone was light, but Kai knew Lily was digging for info.

He didn’t respond, which only made her lean in closer. “You know,” she said softly, “If you’re feeling... unsettled, maybe we should hang out this weekend. And I’ve been thinking—”

“Lily,” he cut her off, his voice gentle but firm, “I’ve got plans this weekend.”

She recoiled as if slapped, the disappointment barely hidden as she pulled back. “Right. Of course.”

Lily walked away, her smile fading.

He stared at the phone, Mia’s number staring back at him. He had to see her again.

Chapter 2

Despite the cafe’s hum of chatter buzzing around them, Kai remained focused on Mia sitting across from him. Her fingers toyed with the edge of her coffee cup, the same uncertainty he felt mirrored in her eyes.

“So,” Mia began, her voice low, “I’m not sure how to bring this up,” she glanced down, then back up, meeting his gaze. “I saw... something, when we touched.”

Kai’s eyebrows lifted. “Wait… you saw us, but not us now?”

“Oh, my God. Yes! Like a different time in the past.” She paused and took a sip of her coffee. “I’m not entirely sure, really…”

“It was strange, but familiar. A memory or... The feeling was indescribable, like the past had pulled me in.”

Mia bit her lip, her eyes flickering with the weight of unspoken words. “We were dancing, but not here. Somewhere far away, a long time ago. I was... someone else, but it felt like me. Does that even make sense?”

Kai exhaled slowly, relief washing over him. He wasn’t losing his mind. “I saw us in a dark room. Someone chained me, and later we fell from a cliff in a forest.”

“It was a past life it had to be,” Mia finished for him, her voice barely a whisper. The reality of their shared visions sank between them like a heavy fog.

The waitress interrupted, refilling their cups, and Kai forced a smile before turning back to Mia. “What does this mean? Why is this happening now?”

Mia shrugged. “I don’t know.”

Kai stared down at his coffee, his mind racing. He hadn’t thought about Mia in years. After they shared a kiss as kids, they’d gone their separate ways, their lives drifting apart like leaves on a stream. He’d never connected the dots until now.

“When we were kids,” he said slowly, “do you remember the last time we saw each other? After the... after we kissed?”

Mia nodded, her expression softening at the memory. “Yeah. We didn’t see each other again after that, did we?”

Kai shook his head. “No, we didn’t. But I think if we had—if we’d touched again, maybe all of this would’ve started back then.”

Mia frowned, absorbing the weight of his words. “So, you think us reconnecting now... it triggered something?”

“Maybe,” he admitted. “Or maybe we were always supposed to find each other again. Like this,” He said and touched her hand that rested on the table.

The idea hung between them. As they fell into silence, a new, stronger flash of memory hit Kai—this time, it was vivid and overwhelming. He was on a battlefield, armored and bloodied, and Mia—dressed as a healer—was by his side, pleading for him to hold on. Blood flowed from where her hands pressed a wound. It felt so real, the pain in his chest and her desperate cries echoing in his mind.

“Kai?” Mia’s voice pulled him back to the present, concern etched on her face. “Did you see?”

“Yes.”

He blinked, shaking his head to clear the fog. “It was clearer this time. I was... dying, and you were trying to save me.”

“I know I saw the same.” She pulled her hand from under his and rubbed it down her face, then pushed her hair back. “We need to figure this out.”

Before either of them could say more, the cafe door swung open, and Lily walked in. The instant she spotted them, she walked over.

“Hey, Kai! I didn’t know you’d be here.” She glanced at Mia, her tone turning polite but cold. “And you must be the childhood friend.”

Mia glanced at Kai, then back up at Lily. Her shoulders tensed when Lily slid into the seat beside Kai. “Yeah, I’m Mia. We were just... catching up. And you are?”

Lily’s eyes darted between them, suspicion flickering in her gaze. “I’m Lily. Catching up, huh? How nice,” she said with a tight smile. “So, Kai, did you still want to grab dinner tomorrow?”

Kai shifted uncomfortably, his gaze moving to Mia, who looked away. “I… I’ve already got plans tomorrow.”

Lily’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. “Right. Well, maybe another time then.”

Kai could sense Lily’s frustration, but he could only think about the urgency to figure out what was happening with him and Mia.

A deathly silence followed as the minutes ticked by. The sounds of mugs clinking and people chatting fell over their space.

“Well, I’m going to go. I will see you at work tomorrow, Kai.” Lily said, giving Mia a once over.

After she had gone, they sat quietly. Mia finally broke the silence.

“She seems nice…”

“Look, she’s just,”

“You don’t need to explain. So, what do we do now?”

Kai looked at her, feelings swirling to life within him. “We’ll figure it out.” He said.

When he reached for her hand, fully holding it this time, she held it back.

“Ok, where should we start?”

“Let’s look into a few things about shared vision, past life theories, things like that. I think that’s what’s happening to us, though I would have never been one to believe in this type of thing.”

“It’s getting late, let’s do that and talk tomorrow, ok?” she said.

Kai was reluctant to let her go and held onto her hand as they stood. “Mia… I,” yet another memory hit him.

In a distant past, Kai saw himself as a soldier, his armor dusty from battle. Mia stood beside him, regal in her flowing gown. They were fleeing a burning city, but soldiers blocked their escape. Kai defended her, but soldiers separated them, and he glimpsed her tear-filled eyes as they forcefully took him away.

*

Kai snapped back to the present, breathless.

“That was us again. Why is it always tragic?” she whispered.

He nodded. “You saw it too? I couldn’t protect you, and all the other times were…”

Mia wriggled free from his hand. “Let’s talk tomorrow. I need some time.”

She left then. The bell above the cafe door echoed the sound of her retreat.

Chapter 3

Mia scrolled through article after article about past lives, reincarnation, and shared visions. She rubbed her tired eyes. Words like soulmates, cycles of love, and destined reunions floated in her mind. She thought about the visions they’d both experienced—lovers torn apart over and over, across lifetimes.

Could it really be true? Are we destined to find each other in every life but fated to be torn apart? The thought weighed heavily on her. She closed her eyes a moment, then texted Kai.

Mia: “I’ve been researching like crazy. It’s mind-blowing. We need to talk for sure. Still meeting at 7?”

Within moments, her phone buzzed with his reply.

Kai: “Same here. Yeah, 7. Can’t wait to talk more.”

***

Kai flipped through the last few pages of a book on reincarnation when Lily came into his office.

“Kai?”

He looked up, his brow raised in question. “Yeah?”

“Are you free for dinner tonight? We haven’t tried that new Korean place we’ve been talking about.”

“Sorry, Lily, I’ve already got plans, remember?”

“Right… with Mia?”

Kai stared at her for a moment, then stood, gathering his things, rifling through his bag for his keys. His frown deepened. “Weird, I can’t find my keys.”

“Really? Well, I can drive you then. I was heading out, too. Where do you need me to drop you?”

Kai glanced at his watch.

“Ah ok, if it’s not too much trouble… it’s a boutique around the corner from the cafe I was at last night.”

“Alright, that works. Let’s head out.” She said.

Moments later, they settled into Lily’s car. The hum of the engine filled the silence, but the tension was palpable.

“You know...” Lily began, her eyes on the road, her voice calm but firm, “It’s been a long time since you and Mia last saw each other. Are you sure about picking things up again? People change.”

Kai shifted in his seat. “Yeah, we’ve both changed. But that’s why it’s important we talk. It’s not about picking up where we left off. It’s about where we are now.”

Lily’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “I get that, but... we’ve been close for years, Kai. I’ve been here for you—through everything. Doesn’t that mean anything?”

Kai sighed and turned to look out the window.

“Yeah, it does, but not what you want it to mean. We are friends and colleagues… nothing more.”

“Friends, colleagues? I’ve learned so much about you, your culture, even your language. I’ve put in the effort to be there for you.”

“I thought you had a genuine interest in the Korean culture, so I thought that was all for yourself. And I appreciate all your hard work in the company,” he said carefully, “but it doesn’t change the way I feel.”

Lily’s breath hitched, her composure cracking.

“You know I’ve loved you this entire time.”

Kai turned toward her, concern lining his features. “Lily—”

Her tears fell silently as she pressed harder on the gas, her hands shaking. The car jerked suddenly as it veered off course. “Lily, slow down!” Kai reached for her, trying to steady the wheel, but the car swerved violently.

“Stop! You’re going to—” Kai’s voice was drowned out by the screech of tires against the road.

With a deafening crash, the car slammed into the guardrail. Glass shattered around them as the vehicle spun out of control. The world blurred before going dark.

***

Mia paced around her boutique, her eyes flicked toward the door every few minutes. The evening light filtered in through the shop windows, casting long shadows. Her phone sat on the counter, untouched except for the occasional glance to see if she’d missed a text. Kai was already over thirty minutes late.

Unable to wait any longer, Mia picked up her phone and dialed his number. It rang four times before someone finally answered, but it wasn’t Kai’s voice on the other end.

“Hello? Who is this?”

“This is the Kurt County Hospital. Who am I speaking with?”

“This is Kai Baek’s girlfriend,” she lied, knowing they didn’t give information to just anyone.

“The patient of this phone has been in a car accident…” the person on the other end said, then the phone went dead.

“Hello!”

She grabbed her keys and purse before running for the front door.

*

Mia rushed into the hospital, her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way to the ER desk. “Kai… Baek... I need to see him. Is he—?”

“Mia?”

She turned, her eyes filling with tears. Kai stood there, a small bandage on his forehead and his left arm in a sling. Relief washed over her. Her body moved before her mind could register the action. The next moment, she embraced him tightly.

“I thought—I was… so scared.” She whispered into his shoulder, her voice trembling.

Kai hugged her back. “I’m okay, just a little banged up.”

“What happened?”

“I was in a minor car accident. Lily, my assistant—the one you met at the cafe—she was driving and lost control of the car.”

“Your assistant? I thought… never mind. Is she alright?”

“Yeah, a broken collarbone and a few scrapes, but she’ll heal up and be fine,” he reassured her.

They stood in silence for a moment, both realizing how close they had come to being torn apart again.

Kai smiled softly, his eyes locking with hers. “I know we’ve just reconnected, but I feel this pull between us and… I don’t want to let you go.”

Mia smiled back, her heart swelling. “I know it’s crazy, but neither do I. Let’s fight for our happy ending this time together.”

They shared a quiet moment, letting their foreheads touch before walking out of the hospital, side by side.