The Rift Between Memories

1701 was panicking and confused about what to do next. On all fours, he crawled towards Seo-yeon "Uh...uhm...don't worry the ERT are here, you'll be fine and everything will be alright." Seo-yeon passes out.

The emergency response team (ERT) arrives, ERT1 examines Seo-yeon and shouts "SHE IS BREATHING, GET HER TO AMCS QUCKLY"

Two other ERTs quickly approached, carefully putting on a neck brace and placing her on the stretcher, they brought her inside the ambulance, administered oxygen, and raced towards AMCS, with lights flashing and sirens blaring.

The ERT tried to approach the wreckage in an attempt to see if the man was still alive, but the two cars exploded, engulfing the wreckage and the corpse inside with a towering torrent of fire.

1701 was still kneeling on the pavement when his phone rang...trembling, he pulled his phone from his sleeves and answered stuttering "Yeoboseo? ...Its...it's a rift but black, the...the black rift...I think it's real" he was ordered to immediately return to the Department of Soul Transportation. Sitting upright on the pavement, catching his breath, he buried his face on both his knees while his hands were on his head. "Of all the reapers in the world...why does it have to be me?"

In Heaven, which looks like a massively infinite tall building. On the 7465th floor, The Department of Soul Transportation Korean Branch (DST) was located; the place has no time or date, the place looks like a regular office with desks, computers, and ringing phones, and every employee, male and female is wearing the traditional Korean hanbok.

1701 Enters the office and walks weakly towards the other end of the office...his legs are shaking, and his throat feels dry. People are looking at him shaking their heads in disbelief and disappointment. Upon reaching the door, 129 was there, clicked his tongue and opened the door to let 1701 in.

As soon as the door closed, people were startled by the loud shouting coming from inside the room

Branch Manager Reaper 01, the head of the Korean division of the DST starts shouting at 1701 "Idiot! Not only did you fail to collect the soul, but now it rests in somebody else's body, and on top of that it's a body that is supposed to be dead?" 01 serves as the manager of DST's Korean branch. He is of short height and has a pot belly that jiggles with each step he takes. His long black hair drapes over his shoulders. His face is quite large, featuring a bulbous nose. He has wide-set eyes that are accentuated by thick eyebrows, and his thick lips are largely concealed by a substantial beard.

1701 fidgeting with his fingers "Well...that is not entirely my fault sir, you see this broken light post fell and...."

01 infuriated with 1701 "SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP!!! SHUT UP!!!" 01 said as he stomped his foot on the floor, after regaining his composure he faced 1701 "Okay okay...let's all be calm. Tell me that at least you got the life records of the second soul"

"Yeah...about that...the black thingy...got it before I could perform the clasping ceremony," he said, then smiled nervously at his superior

01 holds his head with both hands "Omo, my head hurts, I'm feeling dizzy somebody get my chair...my chair go get it" he shouted to his secretary

908 (a female reaper) quickly gets the chair "Here you are sir"

01 calmly asks "So you are telling me...in the 200,000-year history of humanity, the first time a black rift appears we don't know who this soul is and whether this soul is pious or not? That's what you are telling me?"

1701 biting his lower lip "Uhm. You summed that up real good sir"

01 Approaches 1701 and then starts poking at his chest with his index and middle finger "You are going back down there, you are going to watch over this individual, you are going to manifest yourself to this person and teach her what she will need to know to adapt. She must not cause confusion and chaos amongst these humans. Importantly this is the first time we have a case involving a black rift, you will observe this person of any effects that black rift may have caused the soul. You will report your findings directly to me, do you understand?"

1701 Wincing and rubbing his chest "Yes sir"

"If you screw this up...I will personally and permanently reincarnate you into a mentally disabled worm with a limp!!! Well, what are you waiting for? NAGA!!!" 01 warns 1701

1701 Scampers out of the office, "Go to the librarian and ask for the advance manual" 01 instructs 1701

129 Approaches 01 "Sir is it wise to let him do this delicate task?"

01 Sighs "For now it is the best we can afford. We have a lot more pressing matters to attend to"

"The Black Rift?" 129 asks "Sir with all respect, all of us thought that the black rift is a myth!"

01 Paces "It is more than a myth; it is a lock placed by the Creator to protect the mortal plane from the demon realm"

"A lock?" 129 asks, wanting a clearer answer to his question

01 however was not ready to divulge the answer and just said "For now that is all you need to know, let's keep this under wraps, take your best reapers with you and return to that area, comb it, and the surroundings for any signs of demon activities and also, I want you to observe this girl if she has the potential to be a threat. Do it without 1701's knowledge. I will have to consult the other continental managers" 129 nods and leaves

01 Grinds his teeth and slams his fist on the table. "Of all the continental managers in the world, why does it have to be me? Omo! I'm getting dizzy again, could somebody get the BP machine"

1701 enters the archives, the doors creaked "Hello? Anybody here? Why is it so dark?" as he calls for the possible occupant of the library

A Very old man almost hunched, walks with a limp, thin, and pale body, balding with a long beard. Carrying a candle and appearing behind 1701 "What do you want?"

1701 Screams "AAAIIIIEEEEE"

"Some reaper you are, jumping at the sight of an old man" The Librarian scoffed and then slowly shuffles towards his desk. "So, what can I do for you?"

1701 raised his voice "You scared me old man" while he clutched his chest "Why are the lights off anyway?"

The librarian explains "Nobody comes here, no sense wasting electricity. Did you know how much we paid for electricity alone during the 1960s?"

"What? Anyway, the manager told me to get a copy of the advance manual from you" 1701 changes the topic

"The advance manual? You must be on a very important mission" The Librarian said mildly impressed and went to a nearby bookshelf

1701 leans on the desk and starts flipping through book pages "Yeah I know, not really, just something about a girl coming back to life and this thingy called a black rift"

The Librarian, surprised at what he heard, stops what he was doing "Did you say a black rift?"

1701 Curious about the librarian's response, he asks "Yes, do you know anything about it?"

The librarian shook his head and continued to look for something on a shelf "Well nothing much, I heard the creator placed it in the mortal realm to protect it from demons"

1701 just became more curious "How can a rift protect the mortal realm? It's just a gate!"

The librarian tries to give the easiest explanation "Well as you know, demons cannot exist in the mortal realm, they need to possess humans to temporarily exist there, but they can only inhabit a human body with a soul temporarily, a few days at best."

"Common...we all know that, tell me something I don't know," 1701 said, clearly losing interest in their conversation

The librarian smirks at 1701's impertinence "A demon taking possession of a soulless body with a beating heart, now that's a different story, it's like you opened your doors during a typhoon. The human body acts like a conduit to the demon realm, a demon taking possession of a human with a soul only has temporary and partial access to that conduit, but a living body without a soul? the demon has full access to their powers and abilities and they only grow stronger over time."

1701 asked again, now clearly bored "What does the black rift have to do with any of this?"

Librarian answered as vaguely as possible "The creator made it to act as a lock to the soulless living body, by pulling a soul right back into it, so a demon can't take possession of it"

1701 irritated with the vague answer, accidentally raised his voice "Wait. What? That does not even make a lick of sense"

Librarian only chuckles "Here is your manual now shoo, I need to take my nap. Turn off the lights on your way out"

1701 takes the small book and leaves, The librarian watches as the young reaper leaves, frowns, and whispers "Pray you that you would not need to know its true purpose"

1 AM January 22, 2024, AMCS Critical Care Unit Ji-yoo with Sang-ook and Hyun-woo, rushes to the critical care unit "Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God, this is all my fault. If I hadn't told her to go to that bar, she would not have been in an accident"

Hyun-woo trying to console her "It's not your fault, it was an accident, no one could have known it would have happened"

"I just wish she is not badly hurt," Sang-ook added "Besides the best trauma surgeon Dr. Cha is the one in charge of Seo-yeon's care, I'm sure there is nothing to worry about," Sang-ook said, assuring them

Upon reaching the critical area unit... they bowed to Professor Cha, who was just exiting the ICU "How is her condition, is it serious professor?" Ji-yoo asked

Dr. Cha was confused with the case "That's what I'm puzzled about, I don't know why I was even called, except for some bruises, she is fine, she's unconscious because of the shock but that's it, not even an abrasion on her. I already removed her ET tube she's just in a cannula now."

Sang-ook befuddled with what Dr. Cha said "Sir? She's fine? Was every test done on her to verify it?"

Ji-yoo breathes easily at the news "Oh my god she is safe" clutches her chest "Thank you so much, Prof. Cha"

Prof. Cha confidently replies "Well yes, every test was done and showed no conclusive evidence of internal injury. I'll be transferring her care to you Dr. Jeung"

Hyun-woo intercepts the charts "Can I take a look, sir?"

Prof. Cha graciously handed the charts over to Hyun-woo. "Let me know should her condition change." He leaves after handing over the charts and giving some additional instructions.

The three said in unison "gamsamhamnida" and bowed as Professor Cha left.

Sang-ook then asked, "Who should I call to inform that Seo-yeon is okay?"

Hyun-woo quickly replies "Nothing in her charts indicates a serious injury, we can send her home now" Continued to flip through the patient's chart

"What do you mean to send her home?" Ji-yoo looks at Hyun-woo with annoyance at what he said "She lives alone in Dobong-Gu. We can't send her home after a serious accident like this"

Hyun-woo then suggested, "We can call her landlady and tell her she is not coming home today." Ji-yoo and Sang-ook turn their head towards Hyun-woo who is laughing at his joke.

Sang-ook took a look at the charts, making sure all the necessary tests were done "I'll see if there are any other tests done on her. Ji-yoo can you see her billing records?"

"Okay, I'll fix her billing records." She said agreeing with the suggestion

Hyun-woo stops Ji-yoo from leaving "She can take care of that when she is set to go home, just go in and see her."

Ji-yoo puts on a medical gown and enters, sitting down beside the unconscious Seo-yeon. She gently massaged Seo-yeon's bruised arms and stroked her hair whispering "I'm sorry for forcing you to go to the bar, if you stayed in the hospital, you wouldn't been hurt."

Sang-ook arrives after a few minutes "All necessary tests were done and all showed good results. Ji-yoo, common we need to go, they can handle it from here, let Seo-yeon rest".

Ji-yoo nodded, and picked up her things, as they were leaving, Ji-yoo talked to the nurse in charge

"Please take care of her, kindly inform Dr. Jeung should there be any problems" she instructed the nurse

Sang-ook however suggested something else "I think it's better if you are the emergency contact since you're both in the same department"

Hyun-woo chimed in "Don't look at me"

Ji-yoo glared at Hyun-woo "Nobody asked you" Then she turns to the nurse, picked up the pen, and started to write her contact details "Okay...here is my number, call me if anything happens. I'm Dr. Hyeong Ji-yoo of the OB department" then the three left

Inside the mind of the unconscious Seo-yeon I'm Dr. Hyeong Ji-yoo, I'm Dr. Hyeong Ji-yoo, I'm Dr. Hyeong Ji-yoo, kept on echoing. Her low heart and respiratory rate began to rise, her fingers started to move. Rapid eye movement became visible. Finally, her eyes opened and she sat up as she gasped for air, clutching her forehead Seo-yeon spoke "Where am I?".