The Rift Between Memories

Midnight January 22, 2024, it is raining hard on a not-so-busy street in Seoul. A young woman, sprawled on the road, drenched in blood and water, glances at her surroundings, till a young man comes into view, he is visibly nervous and in a panic.

The young man approached her, crawling "Uh...uhm...don't worry the ERT are here, you'll be fine and everything will be alright."

The ERT upon examining her, shouts "Over here, this one is still alive hurry!" She then closed her eyes and lost consciousness.

(6 Hours Earlier) 6 PM, January 21, 2024, at the OB resident's quarters, The Asian Medical Center of Seoul (AMCS)

After changing out of her scrubs, Hyeong Ji-yoo (Yong Jee Yu), the senior 3rd-year OB resident, was about to leave with two others to unwind after the busy day they just had.

Ji-Yoo is a twenty-nine-year-old Obstetrics resident, in her third year of training. She is of average height and an hourglass figure. Her diamond-shaped face has two beautiful round eyes, sparkling with life and fun, accentuated by straight eyebrows. Her small pointed nose is difficult not to notice, beckoning plump red lips, and a tapering jaw. Her shoulder-length black hair and smooth alabaster skin, are a testament to a life of plenty.

Dressed to party, Ji-yoo and Drs Gil and Bang were about to exit the quarters, when Dr. Bang bumped into the junior first-year resident Seung Seo-yeon (Song So Yon). The tall stack of papers she was carrying, is scattered on the floor, she kneels to pick up the papers.

Dr. Gil shouts at the junior resident "Watch where you're going, why did you even bring those papers here? Shouldn't you be accomplishing them at the records department?" The other doctors in the resident quarters were startled

"You could have gotten ink on my dress," Dr. Bang said and hit Seo-yeon on the head

Seo-yeon stands up after picking a few pieces of paper. Still in her pink scrub suit, her hair is a mess from wearing an OR cap the whole day, said "Miahnhae" and bowed to the two seniors.

Ji-yoo sighed, "Common stop that already, she said she was sorry".

Dr. Gil is irritated that Ji-yoo is defending the junior "You are a lucky little wench; be thankful your savior Ji-yoo is here".

"Yeah, why do you keep defending this one?" Dr. Bang agreed with Dr. Gil

Ji-yoo just smiled and pushed the two outside, "Common go already wait for me at the parking lot."

After they left, Ji-yoo looked at Se-Yeon, who was picking up the scattered papers, she kneeled and helped her pick them up. "Didn't I tell you not to do this here?" then lightly flicks her junior's ear

Seo-yeon rubbed her ear "Ah! Miahnhae, all the tables were already occupied so I brought the papers up here" she explained while she continued to rub her ear

Ji-yoo gave out another sigh "Will you stop apologizing, you did nothing wrong okay, we're going to a bar would you like to join us later?"

Seo-yeon bows to her senior "Gomawo, but I need to finish this today or I will be scolded again"

The two stood up once all the papers were collected, Ji-yoo handed over the scattered papers she collected "Well okay, but if you change your mind, just call me so I can reserve a seat for you" She pats Seo-yeon's shoulders and leaves.

Seo-yeon placed the stack of papers on the table, sat down, and gave out an audible sigh as she brushed her hair to the side.

Dr. Won Ji-ah (Won Jee Ya), is a second-year resident. Won Ji-ah, is of average height and with a boyish demeanor. Her short hair compliments her oval-shaped face, Her squinty eyes reveal an easygoing individual. A button nose and thin red lips complete her looks. She leans over to Seo-yeon and says, "I envy Dr. Hyeong not only is she kind, beautiful, and smart...her family is also very rich"

Seo-yeon looks at Ji-ah "I like Dr. Hyeong because she is good to her juniors, that is why I can endure whatever those bullies do" She sighs again and then starts to write.

At the same time, somewhere, in a small, run-down dimly lit room, Lightning begins to flash followed by the rumble of thunder. A man looks at the mirror as he fixes himself. The man hums as he fixes his tie "Finally, after waiting so long, they made the call. I need to spruce up to impress my girl. She'll be very happy once I tell her the good news. I have a job again!" He exclaimed while raising both arms in the air as a sign of victory.

He got his jacket and was about to go out but a sudden downpour stopped him "Really? Just when I'm in a hurry" Without an umbrella the man runs to his car

When he got there, an old man was trying to steal his car's side mirrors "Get back here! Give me back my mirror" He shouted to the old man who bolted as soon as he arrived. Having no choice, he boarded the car and drove off.

In a Noisy and Crowded Bar, in a booth, Choi Hyun-woo (Choi Yun Wu) looks at his watch and then looks at Ji-yoo "Why are we waiting for her? Let's just start"

Hyun-woo, A twenty-eight-year-old third-year Anesthesiology resident. Tall and medium build, his black hair neatly parted in the middle falls slightly past his squinty eyes. His pointed nose demanded an aura of respect, while his wide lips were perfect for imparting knowledge. He is the straight-A student of the group, strict and by the book, snobbish, and looks down on people he thinks to have a low IQ, a perfectionist, and a stickler for the rules.

Ji-yoo answered Hyun-woo "You guys can go ahead; I'll wait for her"

Hyun-woo comments "Why did you invite Seung? This is for seniors only"

Jeung Sang-ook (Jung Sang Uk) hears what Hyun-woo said, interrupts "You know her, she is the hero of the juniors"

Mr. Prim and Proper Sang-ook, a thirty-year-old third-year surgery resident. He always wears formal clothes that go well with his medium and slightly muscular build. His short hair was always brushed up, revealing two observant big round eyes on top of a straight nose. His full lips are always on the verge of cracking a joke. Despite being the joker of the group, deep inside he is an analytical person, always weighing the odds, before making a decision.

Dr. Gil frowning at the two men said "I am Hurt...you keep looking for Seo-yeon when I'm right here. Besides she needs to finish all those charts before she can even think of going home"

Dr. Bang who was visibly irritated with Seo-yeon changes the topic "Let's not talk about someone who is not here" turns to Ji-yoo "When did the two of you start dating?"

Sang-ook coolly answers "Two weeks ago"

"Why don't you give her a kiss?" Dr. Gil suggested

Dr. Bang agreed "Yeah just a little peck would do"

"You guys are wasting your time; you are talking to Mr. There's a place and time for everything" Hyun-woo commented

Sang-ook looks at Hyun-woo then lands a kiss on Ji-yoo's cheeks, looks back at him, and raises both eyebrows

Hyun-woo just chuckled and then shook his head. Dr. Bang also giggles and lets out a tiny scream

Dr. Gil can't help but admire the couple "I'm so glad that the two of you started dating, you are like the sweet princess and prince charming of the workplace"

"Now now...no need to state the obvious" smiled Ji-yoo, she dug around her bag looking for her cell phone, after finding it, she took it out and called Seo-yeon

Seo-yeon answers her phone "Yeoboseyo"

Ji-yoo on the other line "Hey are you done with those papers?"

Seo-yeon lifts a couple of papers from the stack "No, there is still a lot, left"

"Hey Seo-yeon, live a little will you, as your senior I am telling come to this bar right now," Ji-yoo said to her junior

Seo-yeon sighing relief "Uhm okay, I'll finish these tomorrow"

Ji-yoo hangs up, noticing that Hyun-woo is grinning at her "Why are you grinning? No! you are not bullying this one, she has been my friend since med school!"

Hyun-woo then shakes his head "This is supposed to be for us only, she'll just feel out of place, you should send her home"

Sang-ook said, "Why do like giving juniors a hard time?"

Dr. Bang exasperated "Seo-yeon again? Ji-yoo why do you even like that wench?"

"I'm good to all my juniors okay, not just her" Ji-yoo shook her head as she drank champagne

11:15 PM, AMCS

Seo-yeon changes into her jeans and blue blouse and prepares to leave. She dropped off the finished patient charts at the Records department, and as she was walking through the hospital lobby, she heard a commotion coming from the entrance. She stopped at the back of a growing crowd that was watching a visibly drunk man trying to enter the premises. Curious Seo-yeon attempted to catch a glimpse of the person causing the commotion. However, before she could ascertain the man's identity, additional security arrived and escorted him out of the hospital premises.

Disappointed, Seo-yeon continued walking to the basement parking area. Arriving at her car, she threw all of her things in the back seat except for her phone. She groaned while taking off her shoes and sighed relief when she put on soft slippers. She got in her car and started to drive out of the parking lot. As Seo-yeon was getting out of the hospital it started to rain heavily.

Seo-yeon surprised by the sudden rain, can do nothing except sigh "Aish" turns the car wipers on and drives out of the hospital parking area and onto the road.

Fifteen to twenty minutes into driving Seo-yeon's phone rings and answers a call from Ji-yoo "Ah, Ye!...In 15 minutes...okay thanks"

She was about to put her phone down when she received another call, it was from a professor from the hospital.

Seo-yeon answers the call "Professor Ho, annyeonghaseyo. A patient? Now? In 20 minutes? Okay, professor, I'm on my way back now"

Hangs up, sighs deeply looks for a place to make a U-turn, and speeds up back to the hospital.

11:45 PM, An Empty Street, Heavy rain is still pouring. A young-looking man known as 1701, is a reaper who has lived for over one thousand five hundred years. His impressive height masks a youthful, child-like disposition. The pale complexion of his skin complements the black and indigo colors of his hanbok reaper attire. His small face features disheveled hair and two deeply set eyes that convey a lingering sense of loneliness resulting from his prolonged existence. He has a Greek nose and small lips that express his opinions openly. He sits atop a light post swinging his legs back and forth. Another man materializes from thin air wearing the same Hanbok design but in black and red colors.

1701 stands up, while on top of the light post and bows "Team leader, Reaper 129, thank you for coming sir"

129 acknowledges the bow "1701, how long have you been a reaper?" 129 serves as the direct supervisor of 1701. Although he is somewhat shorter than his subordinate, his muscular physique commands authority and respect. His long black hair is meticulously styled into a top knot, complementing his square-shaped face. Prominent eyebrows frame his large eyes, while a crooked nose is positioned centrally on his face. Stubble encircles his full lips.

1701 surprised by the question, points at himself "Me sir? 995 years...996 in 9 months"

129 nods then hit 1701 on the head "Then why do you keep on forgetting to file your paperwork? You have 200 years' worth of backlogs"

1701 then rubs his head "Ah Ye...I meant to do them during the last century, but you know a lot of wars...we got so busy, plus our uniforms are so uncomfortable makes it hard for me to move or even to write"

129 then looks at his clothes "Our uniforms? What's wrong with them? They are very comfortable. The Hanbok sets us apart from the uniforms of the other Continental Reaper branches. Are you not proud of your heritage?"

1701 gestures with hands "Aniyo, aniyo, aniyo...I'm proud of our heritage, it's just that...maybe we can wear something trendy like a coat and tie, or a power suit! I mean we have internet, computers, gadgets, and stuff, maybe we can upgrade our looks as well".

"You want to dress up like a demon? You do know that they dress up like that so they can entice and exert their influences on weak-willed humans" 129 Looks at 1701 with a stern expression

1701 scratches his head and tries to reason with "Yeah...but they look like spies and they look cool"

129 gestures at 1701 to come nearer, the moment 1701 is near enough, he kicks him on the shin "Just do your job, you little punk!"

"Ow, ow ow...you shouldn't kick someone on the shin while on top of a light post or they might fall" 1701 expressed as he rubbed his shin

"Even if I throw you off from Mt. Hallasan, you won't die, you're a reaper!" 129 said and was about to smack 1701 again when he sensed something.

129's expression changed "They are here" pointing at the two cars arriving from opposite directions,

1701 nodded and the two jumped off the light post.

Seo-yeon dials Ji-yoo's number to inform her that she was called back to the hospital when her phone slipped from her hand and fell to the car floor. She tried to reach but the seatbelt prevented her from getting the phone. Slowing her car, she removed the seatbelt and stretched to get her phone.

The man was driving the opposite lane coming from AMCS "She already went home, I must have missed her" But he then noticed something, the wet road was making it difficult to control his car. The man panics and loses control, which skids and veers violently, the car sharply swerves to the opposite lane directly at Seo-yeon's car

Seo-yeon got the phone, sat straight, and was immediately blinded by the two headlights coming straight at her, she froze and was no longer able to avoid the collision.

The cars collided head-on with so much force, that Seo-yeon without her seatbelt on was thrown out through the windshield of her car, hitting a light post before landing on the pavement with a violent thud rolling for a couple of feet her mangled body sprawled on the pavement lifeless. The man's car hits the same light post that Seo-yeon hit, the impact knocks the lamp arm loose, with only a few cables holding it, and severely bent the pole. Seo-yeon's car flipped landing on top of the other car crushing the man to death. The rain then inexplicably stopped.

129 watched as the events unfolded "It is done, now collect the souls" he gestured to 1701 slightly bowed before he first moved towards the recently deceased Seo-yeon, waved his hand and a ball of light came out of her dead body. With a motion of his hand, he guided the ball of light toward his senior officer.

129 opened his left hand and the ball of light rested on his left palm, and with his right hand covered the ball of light. A few seconds later he received a notification, he pulled out his phone and read the notification "Seung-Seo-yeon, the Creator finds you worthy" With a wave of his hand, 129 opened a red portal like opening out of thin air, the reapers called these portals as rifts. As he was about to go through, he stopped and looked at 1701 "Will you need help with the next soul?"

1701 shook his head "I can manage the last one sir" he said as he bowed to his superior and 129 left, closing the rift behind him. 1701 started to strut towards the other victim waved his hand and a ball of light came out as well.

Before the ball of light could rest at his palm, the bent light post fell almost on top of the girl's body. The lamp exploded as it crashed onto the pavement and a high-tension wire landed on the accumulated rainwater and gave a loud cackle of electricity, sparks flew as it traveled the water toward the rain-soaked body of the girl. The sudden jolt of electricity made the heart within Seo-yeon's body contract and, for a brief moment, began to beat again.

1701 startled by what happened said to himself "Aigoo...that frightened me" As he reached out to the floating ball of light...a loud bang was heard then a rift formed from behind 1701. The ball of light that was within his grasp suddenly changed directions; it sped toward the rift that just formed. Slowly he turns to see where the ball of light went, he is in disbelief as he witnesses something no other reaper has seen before! the black rift.

1701 stood terrified, his eyes widened for as soon as the ball of light was swallowed by the black rift, it disappeared without any traces. "The soul! Where's the soul?" He kept looking around for the floating ball of light, when all of a sudden he leaped in fear when he felt that a hand grabbed his foot.

Looking down he witnesses Seo-yeon's mangled body convulse as it starts to heal and fix itself. Exposed and broken bones began to heal on their own, her blood slowly returning to the wounds, torn flesh miraculously mends, leaving no trace of the wounds not even a scar. Her lungs expanded trying to take in air and a strong heartbeat could be heard, then Seo-yeon's eyes opened as she gasped for air, frightening 1701 and making him stumble and fall. Seo-yeon started to look at her surroundings and her gaze landed on 1701.