If you don’t love me, I will die.

It felt like quite a long time had passed.

Perhaps it could even be described as a long journey.

Edward and Ania.
They learned and felt many things in the visions they saw.

But even until the very last moment, they didn’t realize they were in a trial.

That’s how trials are originally.
You only realize you’re being tested in the final moments.

Why didn’t they realize it back then?

Though there’s no need to blame themselves.
Even kings of nations, great achievers, and enlightened sages can’t realize.

But Edward and Ania passed.

They removed the masks they wore and could finally face each other.

That’s really difficult.

Understanding.
Can we understand each other?
Perhaps they’ve been living under the illusion that they understood.

Anyway, they, at least, tried to understand each other.

The process was painful, and they often misunderstood and drifted apart, but love for each other always slept in their hearts.

Love.

We often forget that it is the key to love.

The digression ends here…

Anyway, Ania and Edward pass through the trials shown by the necklace and prove their love for each other.

After suffering for a long time, they rested for a long time.

Without thinking about anything,
Without worrying about anything.

After a very long time passed, they woke up.

“…..Where is this?”

When Edward blinked and got up, he was alone in a white space.

No, he wasn’t alone.

When he lowered his head and looked to the side, Ania Brontë was peacefully asleep beside him.

‘Ania!’

Edward was about to urgently call Ania’s name, but he stopped himself.
He didn’t want to wake her from her deep sleep.

Instead, he gently held her hand.

As warmth radiated, he finally realized Ania was truly by his side.

As time passed, he realized that Ania’s death had only been an event seen in the dream, but still, the fact that she was by his side was overwhelmingly comforting.

Edward resisted the urge to embrace Ania immediately and stayed by her side, holding her hand tightly.

Soon, Ania slowly opened her eyes too.

“Ania.”
“Edward.”

Ania, who slowly opened her eyes, immediately hugged Edward.

Edward hugged her tightly, never wanting to let her go again.

They didn’t let go of each other for a long time.
Their love became even more tender through the long trial they endured, like lotuses blooming in the mud.

Anya Yerchevich.

She watched the two who had finished their trial for a while.

To think fate tried to separate such tender souls.
Fate was truly merciless.

But they couldn’t let go of each other forever.
She knew they wouldn’t let go until the end of the world.

“Thank you.”

And thus, Anya spoke to them.

Finally, Edward and Ania’s gazes turned toward Ania.

“Is it all over?” Edward asked.

Anya nodded.

The trial has ended now.
Of course, who knows what other trials may come their way.

Life is always a series of trials, after all.

“Well… I guess there’s nothing to be worried about.”

But Anya smiled softly.

No matter what trials may come, their love will never falter.
Their love has become so strong that it didn’t break even after countless trials.

“Well then… this is the end.”

Anya looked back.

Amid the pure white world, a golden door appeared.

Passing through that door will bring everything to an end.
Although they didn’t know what lay behind that door, destiny was now on their side.

So, Anya pushed their backs without worry.

Watching the story end well was quite comforting.

“Go well.”

***

The golden door.

I held Ania’s hand and stood in front of it.

I was curious about what lay beyond, but I didn’t bother asking Ania.

I wasn’t afraid.

Whatever lay behind the door, as long as I held Ania’s hand, everything would be fine.

My anxious heart quieted in an instant.

Since when?
Since I fell in love with this woman, having her by my side made nothing in the world fearful.

No… there was no ‘since when.’

Looking back on the long journey we’ve been through, it’s been like that from the beginning.

Since I first met Ania Brontë, I had a gut feeling that I would love her; indeed, it turned out to be true.

Destiny.

Perhaps destiny truly existed between us.

And so, we might have had to love and hate each other as fate dictated.

But there was something more important than destiny.

My heart.
My desire to protect Ania Brontë.

“Let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

Slowly, our bodies passed through the golden door.

***

As we passed through the door, a golden space appeared.

A world of golden light where you couldn’t distinguish between the floor and the sky.
In that golden world, countless gears interlocked and floated through the air.

Destiny.

They were the destinies shown by Anya Yerchevich.

And amidst the spectacle of those gears, there was a man.
The man was sitting at a desk.

A desk made of dark brown wood.
A rather modern-looking chair and attire.

And… a laptop.

A laptop.
Why would such a thing be here?

As that thought crossed my mind, I realized.

“You are…”
“You’ve come.”

The man with glasses slowly stood up from his seat.

His eyes were piercing, but there was a faint smile on his lips.

“Welcome, Edward and Ania.”

I knew who that man was.
I had seen him once on the internet.

His profile had the book [If You Don’t Love Me, I Will Die] under it.

The author of that book.
Ha Soo-Jeong.

The man looked at us with warm eyes, then smiled slightly.

“There must be a lot you want to say.”

I was really curious.
I wanted to meet him.

Why on earth did you thrust me into this world?
What was the purpose behind it?

The world you created.
Why did you ruin this world where I exist so much?

“Shall we sit down and talk for a while?”

I held Ania’s hand and slowly approached the desk.

As we walked over, Ha Soo-Jeong sat back in his chair and tapped on his laptop again.

Suddenly, two chairs appeared on the opposite side of the desk.

“Magic?”

Ania murmured in astonishment, and Ha Soo-Jeong chuckled.

“It may seem that way. Sit down for now. I have so much to tell you both.”

As we sat down, a teapot and teacups appeared on the table.

Ha Soo-Jeong tilted the teapot and poured tea for us.

It was green tea from the northern regions, which Ania liked.

“Do you like this?”
“Yeah.”
“Of course you would. I set it up that way because I like it.”
“Set it up…?”
“Yeah, there’s something like that. I’ll explain it slowly. For now, just sip your tea slowly.”

Ania silently sipped her tea.

I didn’t drink.

Instead, I gazed at Ha Soo-Jeong.

“You are… Ha Soo-Jeong.”
“That’s right.”
“You’re the author of this novel.”
“That’s correct.”

Ha Soo-Jeong chuckled and took a sip of tea.
A subtle smile lingered on his lips.

“And the one who created this world.”
“What?”
“Edward, there’s no need to rush. I’ll explain everything slowly, so let’s enjoy this time now.”

That said, Ha Soo-Jeong looked at our faces for a long time.

He gently touched my and Ania’s hands, stood up, and slowly walked around us.

At times, he seemed joyful, at times contemplative.

He then returned to his seat.

“Sorry about that. I know you must be curious about what’s going on. I’m feeling a bit strange right now.”
“Strange?”
“I’m conversing with characters I created with my own hands. You can’t even imagine how that feels.”

After observing us, Ha Soo-Jeong seemed to feel like saying something. “Well… shall we start telling the story?” he murmured.

Then, he clicked the mouse a few times.

“To explain, first, I need to show you this.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ania and I looked up in astonishment.

It was something incredible.

“What is all this…?”

Something floating in the air.

It resembled a document window containing the contents of the novel he had written.
And written on it were the stories we had experienced, the ones we hadn’t, and perhaps the ones we might experience.

“First, let me introduce myself.”

Ha Soo-Jeong stood up and looked at Ania.

“My name is Ha Soo-Jeong. I am the creator of the world you are living in. And… I am the one who brought you both into existence.”