The rain fell softly and bittersweet over the rooftops of Seoul, like tears no one could see.

Eun-ha sat on the bench at the entrance of the school where her friend used to wait for her.

Joo-seon.

Even the name hurt to think about.

Three months earlier

Joo-seon was quietly sitting on the same bench as always, waiting for Eun-ha.

— "It's hard to believe I finally made a friend this semester. Or that I made a friend who understands me more than my own family."

— "The sun looks nice today... like an egg yolk," he said, looking up with half-closed eyes.

I wonder what's for lun—

His thoughts were interrupted by a sweet voice. It was Eun-ha.

— "Joo-seon! You're here!" she said cheerfully as she approached. "Your class ended early, right?"

— "W-well... yeah. Our teacher had an appointment," Joo-seon replied.

— "Well, I guess you got lucky then, huh?" she said, sitting down next to him on the bench.

He replied with a soft smile, and a comfortable silence settled between them. Then, he pulled an old, worn-out book from his backpack.

— "What are you reading?" Eun-ha asked.

— "Nothing," he answered, looking away.

— "Hmm... okay."

Suddenly, a voice in the distance called out:

— "Hey, Eun-ha! Come here!"

She looked at Joo-seon for a moment but eventually stood up and went to meet her friend.

— "Hey, Min-ha. How are you?"

— "I'm good. Did I interrupt something?"

— "No."

Min-ha fell silent for a few seconds, looking straight ahead as they walked. Then she said:

— "You hang out with that weird guy?"

— "He's cool," Eun-ha replied.

— "Maybe... silly?" Min-ha suggested.

— "Maybe."

— "Speaking of silly... did you see the book he was reading?"

— "Did you catch the title? I asked, but he wouldn’t tell me," Eun-ha said.

— "Not really. It just looked like a silly book... about cats."

— "About cats?"

— "See? I told you he was weird," Min-ha smiled.

— "Seems like I only make weird friends," Eun-ha replied with a laugh.

— "Hey!" Min-ha protested, laughing too.

The two spent the afternoon together until nightfall.

Eun-ha returned home after saying goodbye.

The sky was already covered in gray clouds. The street glistened, damp under the shy light of the streetlamps.

When she arrived, her mother was in the kitchen with her stepfather, laughing at something he was saying.

Eun-ha murmured a “I’m home” and went straight up to her room, her thoughts stuck on the conversation with Min-ha.

She knew Joo-seon was different.

But maybe that was exactly what she liked most about him.

The way he looked at the sky, as if he heard music.

The way he talked about small things like they were big.

And that book...

She wished she knew what was inside that book.

That same night

Joo-seon's room was dark, lit only by the soft glow of a desk lamp.

The slightly open window let in the muffled sound of the city.

He was sitting on the floor, a light blanket over his shoulders, as if seeking shelter from something greater than the cold.

In front of him lay the old book he guarded so carefully.

The leather cover was worn, marked by time and fingers.

But under that warm and lonely light, the title finally revealed itself, as if it had been waiting for that moment to be read.

“The Seven Lives of the Chosen” — he read softly, as if afraid to wake someone.

He ran his fingers over the faded golden letters. With a quiet sigh, he opened the first page.

Chapter 1: The Forgotten Bond

Not all who depart are meant to disappear.

There are souls marked from birth, destined to return... not as humans, but as guardians between worlds.

They are the ones who died with hearts too full.

Full of unspoken love, unhealed wounds, or broken promises.

Those who feel too much.

Those who love in silence.

Those who leave without being understood.

These are reborn in the bodies of cats.

Not all cats are lost humans...

But all lost humans are cats, wandering in silence, waiting to fulfill the mission they left behind.

Only one in seven is the Chosen One.

And only the Chosen One will die... at the hands of the one who pretends to protect him.

Joo-seon frowned. His heart tightened.

With each line, he felt stranger… more exposed.

As if those words had been written for him.

He slowly closed the book, his eyes fixed on the last sentence.

— “...the one who pretends to protect him.” — he whispered.

A chill ran down his spine.

A distant thunder broke the silence.

He looked toward the window.

The rain was falling again.

As if the sky already knew what was coming.

L I N A S T U D I O

The next morning, Eun‑ha walked slowly through the school hallways, still lost in thoughts about the conversation with Joo‑seon the night before. Something about that book had stirred something deep inside her.

Joo‑seon was waiting for her as usual, by the garden bench. But this time, he didn’t smile when he saw her. He held the book close to his chest, as if it were something precious he needed to protect.

— You really brought it… — she said with a small smile.

— I said I would, didn’t I? — he replied.

---

The memory of last night still lingered:

— “Hey Eun‑ha?

— Joo‑seon?

— It’s about my book. You have to see it.”

---

Now, there they were. The two headed to the library and sat in a secluded corner near the window.

Joo‑seon placed the book carefully between them. The cover was old and worn.

— This looks… strange. — she murmured.

— Yeah. But I couldn’t stop reading. — Joo‑seon answered, eyes fixed on the pages.

When Eun‑ha opened it, she saw handwritten words in almost faded ink.

— “When a soul is lost between life and death, it takes form in a feline…” — she read softly — It sounds like a legend...

She smiled, then stopped at a page with a date scribbled in the corner: September 17, 1997.

— That date! It’s the day my stepfather met my mother. — she murmured, smiling.

— Really? — Joo‑seon replied.

Before they could go on, a voice interrupted:

— A romantic reading for two?

A tall boy leaned against a nearby shelf. His light-brown hair was messy, his eyes feline and provocative. His shirt was half unbuttoned, giving off the vibe of someone born to cause trouble.

— Ji‑hwan… — Eun‑ha sighed, already familiar with the guy.

— Feeling jealous? — she replied without blinking.

— Wow, calm down, princess… I just came to find a book. — he said with a smirk — But if you need company, I can hold the candle.

Joo‑seon said nothing. He just looked aside and closed the book with a soft snap, like the contents mattered more than replying to a taunt.

After that brief exchange of jabs, Eun‑ha and Joo‑seon tried to continue reading, but Ji‑hwan’s presence loomed like a cloud.

— Just ignore him. He acts like that with everyone. — Eun‑ha murmured.

— Still... — Joo‑seon sighed, closing the book gently. — Can we read it another day?

She nodded, still curious but understanding. They gently tucked the book into his backpack and left the library together.

---

At lunch, Min‑ha joined the table where Eun‑ha was sitting. Ji‑hwan, seated not too far away, shot them a teasing glance.

— So, the mystical trio: a black cat, a little witch, and a… monk? — he laughed to himself before getting up and walking away.

— Did that guy just call me a monk?

— Someone should check that ego. — Min‑ha shrugged. — He’s too handsome to be humble.

— Unfortunately, he knows that too well. — Eun‑ha replied.

---

The afternoon descended gently over the school courtyard. Classes had ended, and students scattered in hurried groups, backpacks slung and laughter echoing.

— Finally free — Min‑ha sighed dramatically as she stretched. — If I hear one more thing about dynastic wars, I swear I’ll hibernate right in class.

— You were already asleep, Min‑ha — Eun‑ha laughed, gently pulling her friend’s arm.

Joo‑seon walked beside them, the book tightly held. He didn’t say a word, but his eyes felt alert, as if waiting for something to happen.

That’s when, crossing the small school garden, a black cat appeared in their path. Its fur shimmered in the sunlight, and its eyes locked on… Joo‑seon.

He froze. And so did the cat.

— Wow… — Eun‑ha murmured. — So cute.

— Cute? — Min‑ha crossed her arms. — Animals like that only show up when trouble’s on the way, Eun.

The cat didn’t move. Just its tail twitched, as if curious… or waiting.

Joo‑seon stared at the animal for a long moment. There was something off about its gaze. As if it recognized him.

— Have you seen this cat before? — Eun‑ha asked, stepping closer but still cautious.

— No — Joo‑seon whispered. — But it seems like it knows me.

Min‑ha snorted.

— There it is. Officially cursed, Joo‑seon.

The cat took a step forward… then another. It brushed past Joo‑seon’s legs, then darted into the bushes and disappeared.

— There it goes — Min‑ha said, lifting her arms. — Message delivered. Now it’s just a matter of time till you turn into a cat-vampire or something.

Eun‑ha chuckled quietly, glancing at Joo‑seon. He seemed lost in thought. His fingers lingered on the book cover, unconsciously stroking it.

— Are you okay?

— I’m fine… — he murmured. — Just thinking.

Min‑ha rolled her eyes.

— You’re always thinking. That’s the real problem.

Eun‑ha shrugged. Maybe it was true. But how could she turn her mind off after everything they had read?

The rest of the day passed slowly. The sky darkened without anyone noticing, and the world seemed to calm with the arrival of night.

---

Hours later, at home, Joo‑seon lay on his side, eyes fixed on the ceiling. The book remained on his desk, closed… yet it seemed to call to him.

When he finally fell asleep, reality vanished in an instant—and something new began to form.

Joo‑seon dreamed of an empty road. He was alone. Suddenly, a man cloaked in black appeared ahead. You couldn’t see his face. He moved slowly, inching closer, until he was right beside Joo‑seon’s ear.

— It’s almost time... — he whispered.

Joo‑seon tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn’t move. And then...

He kept getting closer, leaning toward Joo-seon’s ear.

— "It’s almost time..." — he whispered.

Joo-seon tried to speak, but his mouth wouldn’t open. Until he whispered again:

Only one among seven is the Chosen.

And only the Chosen will die... at the hands of the one who pretends to protect him.

At the hands of the one who pretends to protect him...

Joo-seon woke up in the morning, dazed. His heartbeat was fast. He was afraid of what might come.

---

Days passed, and Joo-seon kept having the same dream. It felt like something was about to happen.

He started avoiding sleep early. He would leave the lights on, distract himself with music, scroll through his phone, or pretend to study.

But sleep always won. And there he was again.

The school bell rang. Min-ha, Joo-seon, and Eun-ha were walking out of their first class of the morning.

— "Hey, Joo-seon!" — called Eun-ha, hurrying to walk beside him.

— "Hm?" — he murmured, distracted, his eyes a little lost.

— "You haven’t talked to me about your book in days. Did you bring it today?"

— "No. I didn’t." — he said, shoving his hands into his coat pockets.

— "Why not?" — asked Min-ha, walking right behind them.

— "I just... I think it’s safer this way." — Joo-seon replied vaguely.

Min-ha rolled her eyes. — "Do you really believe that book is dangerous? It’s just a book."

Joo-seon didn’t answer. But deep down, he wasn’t so sure anymore.

That afternoon, after saying goodbye to her friends, Eun-ha returned home. The sky was already turning orange, the sun sinking behind the city buildings.

As soon as she walked in, the soft smell of cooking rice filled her nose.

— "Mom?" — she called, dropping her backpack in the hallway.

Eun-ha’s mother appeared in the kitchen doorway, apron tied around her waist and a wooden spoon in hand.

— "You're home, sweetheart. How was school?"

— "Normal..." — she said, taking off her shoes. — "My stepdad... Kim Jae-hwan... isn’t home?"

— "Ah, he stayed late today." — her mother replied, returning to the pot. — "A new case at the station. Nothing serious. He said he might be home for dinner, but no promises."

Eun-ha nodded, biting the corner of her lip.

That night, Joo-seon came home early. He ate dinner in silence, exchanging only a few words with his mother.

She noticed his expression, the tired look in his eyes, but said nothing.

She assumed it was just school stress.

When he went up to his room, he sat at his desk and stared at the empty space where the book used to sit.

"I was right not to bring it back," he thought.

But the thought was fragile. A part of him felt he was only delaying the inevitable.

He spent the rest of the evening reviewing some notes, pretending to read, while his mind kept drifting back to that shadow and those words.

"Only one among seven is the Chosen..."

— "What the hell does that even mean?" — he whispered to himself.

He lay down, feeling exhausted. For the first time in days, he managed to fall asleep deeply.

---

The next morning, the house was quieter than usual.

Joo-seon’s mother opened his bedroom door to call him for breakfast.

And then she saw it.

The book.

That cursed book.

It was on his bed. Open.

As if it had just been read.

She froze for a moment, staring at the worn pages and the strange symbols scribbled in the corners.

— "This again?!" — she muttered, storming in and grabbing the book.

She went downstairs with heavy steps, anger growing in her chest.

Joo-seon heard the door slam and her voice calling:

— "Joo-seon! Come down now!"

He appeared in the living room, still sleepy.

— "What is it?"

— "This!" — she shouted, holding up the book. — "I thought you were done with this nonsense!"

— "I... I left the book in my locker at school..." — he said, confused. — "I swear I didn’t bring it home."

— "Are you kidding me? Then what is this?" — she pointed at the object in her hands. — "Did it magically appear here?"

He stayed silent. He didn’t know what to say.

— "Instead of studying, you’re reading about reincarnation, souls, witchcraft?! Your nightmares aren’t enough, now you’re filling your head with this?"

She crossed the room, holding the book.

And without hesitation, she threw it straight into the fireplace, where some embers still glowed softly.

The pages began to darken, curling with the heat.

Joo-seon took a step forward, panicking.

— "No! Mom, stop!"

— "Enough, Joo-seon! That’s enough! You need to study, not dive into these fantasies!"

He said nothing more.

He turned around and went up to his room, heart tight in his chest.

He slammed the door shut and threw himself onto the bed.

"I’ll never see that book again..."

He fell asleep with that thought, his eyes still damp with anger and confusion.

---

The next morning, soft sunlight began to filter into the room.

Joo-seon stretched, trying to shake off the sleep.

He got up slowly and went to the window, drawing the curtains open.

And that’s when he saw it.

On his bedside table.

The book.

The same one. With the same markings. The same folded pages.

Untouched.

No burn marks. No ashes. No explanation.

He stood still, staring at it as if he were seeing a ghost.

The silence in the room seemed to expand, swallowing him whole.

And then, in a whisper barely above a breath, he said:

— "The book. It's here."