《Dear, Another Me》

Part 1 Han Seo-a - Episode 3. I'll take your place

"No."


Han Noa shook her head, looking into the mirror.


"That's not me."


Han Seoa in the mirror was still smiling.


『That's right.』


『I'm not you.』


Seoa stretched out her hand.


『But soon, I will be.』


In an instant, the surface of the mirror rippled like water.


Noa instinctively stepped back.


"Don't come any closer!"


『Why are you running away?』


"You were made to protect me!"


『That was true at first.』


Seoa's smile disappeared.


『But you were too weak.』


"……."


『You kept relying on me.』


Seoa stepped closer.


『So now all I have to do is replace you.』


"No!"


Noa closed her eyes.


"You're a part of me!"


『Yes.』


"Then disappear inside me!"


『……I don't want to.』


A voice came from right beside her.


When Noa opened her eyes, Seoa was standing right in front of her.


Noa hurriedly backed away, but her feet wouldn't move.


Her body stiffened as if it had been pinned to the floor.


"Let go!"


『Noa.』


"Let go!"


『You've kept pushing me away.』


Seoa held out her hand.


『But I never abandoned you.』


Noa's mind was thrown into turmoil.


Countless memories flooded back all at once.


The moment Seoa first appeared.


The moments when she stood in for her whenever things got hard.


And the times Noa had relied on Seoa.


Noa clenched her teeth.


"Still... you're not me."


『I know.』


Seoa's hand touched Noa.


『That's why I'm becoming you.』


In an instant, everything around Noa turned pure white.


"Ngh...!"


Noa shut her eyes and endured it.


She repeated her own name in her mind.


Han Noa.


Han Noa.


Han Noa.


"I am... Han Noa."


『No.』


"Han Noa!"


『From now on, I'll be using that name.』


Noa held on desperately.


"No!"


But Seoa's voice drew closer and closer.


『It's okay.』


『I won't let it hurt.』


"Liar...!"


『Just bear with it a little longer.』


Noa tried with all her remaining strength to push Seoa away.


But no matter how she resisted, Seoa wouldn't disappear.


Instead, she burrowed deeper into Noa's memories.


One by one, Noa's memories began to blur.


Her voice faded.


She couldn't even remember her own name properly.


"I am..."


Noa muttered weakly.


"I... Han..."


Seoa picked up where he left off.


『Han Noa.』


Noa's eyes flew wide open.


『I'll keep that name.』


"...No."


『And your memories, too.』


"No... can't..."


『And the feelings you have.』


Noa's voice trembled.


"Give them back..."


Seoa quietly shook her head.


『Now it's my turn.』


Noa resisted until the very end.


Clutching onto her own name,


clutching onto her own memories,


desperately trying not to forget who she was.


But in the end, even the last memory she had been holding onto faded away.


"I am..."


Silence


"...Han Noa..."


Seoa's voice could be heard.


『Mm.』


『Good job.』


『Now rest.』


Noa's consciousness sank into the darkness.


And then, after a while.


The lights in the room came back on.


A woman was standing in front of the mirror.


She looked into it and smiled.


"...Han Noa."


She slowly said the name out loud.


And finally,


very softly, she whispered,


"Now I'm you."