Declan’s missing childhood friend was finally found. Driven to amnesia by trauma, she mistakenly believed Declan was her boyfriend. Declan went along with it. “You still have family and friends to keep you company,” he told me. “She only has me.” But he forgot. I had once told him very clearly: “I am a traveler from another world. If there ever comes a day when you don’t love me anymore…” “I will vanish from this reality.” He was my everything, too. Later, Declan happily married his childhood friend. While I was murdered by a serial killer, my body dumped at the bottom of a river. When my unrecognizable remains lay on Declan’s autopsy table… His normally steady hands trembled so violently, he couldn’t even hold the scalpel. 01 “Recent heavy thunderstorms will continue to batter the Seattle area. Residents, please exercise caution when traveling…” As the windshield wipers swept away the mist, I couldn’t help but think about the news. Several serial killings that had plunged the city into panic had all occurred during the rainy season. As a senior medical examiner, Declan’s life was a straight line between the autopsy room and the hospital. He was so busy he didn’t even have time to answer my calls. His text message was brief and to the point: “2:00 PM. Meet me at the courthouse for the divorce papers.” My fingers involuntarily tightened around the steering wheel. The System sighed in my mind. “Eight years of effort, ruined in an instant.” “Harper, don’t you feel it’s a pity?” I smiled bitterly. How could it not be a pity? Eight years. I was so used to Declan’s company. To me, he was a friend, my true love, and my family. I couldn’t deceive myself and just casually turn the page. I waited at the courthouse until the rain stopped, nearly two hours past our agreed time. Rubbing my numb legs, I dialed Declan’s number again. As always, no one answered. I turned the car around and headed to the Seattle Police Department. Declan rarely attended social gatherings, and I had never shown my face to his colleagues. When they first saw me, the officers looked grave, but upon hearing my purpose, they relaxed: “If you’re looking for Declan, he went to the hospital to stay with his fiancée.” “Her mental state is unstable. Whenever it rains, she acts up. Declan’s the only one who can calm her down.” The “fiancée” they spoke of was Audrey, Declan’s childhood friend who had been missing for years. She was the sole surviving victim of the serial killer’s five attacks. My breath condensed into white mist in the cold air, and my freezing, stiff hands felt a vibration. The caller ID on the phone screen showed Declan. “I waited for you at the courthouse for two hours.” As if he couldn’t hear the anger in my voice, his tone was flat: “Sorry, work held me up.” “Let’s reschedule. You go home first.” Sure enough, work again. That excuse could always block my overflowing grievances, leaving me with nowhere to vent. I sympathized with him, exhausted from autopsying remains, almost numbly facing death. But stepping back time after time, my sympathy became indulgence, allowing him to push my boundaries. “Declan, you’re hurting me.” A woman’s short cry of pain came through the phone. I couldn’t help but laugh coldly: “What, can corpses talk now?” Even through the phone, I could imagine his tightly furrowed brow: “Harper, stop being so sarcastic.” “Fine. Then come out.” My decisive words made Declan freeze. “I’m right in front of the precinct. Do you dare come out and see me?” A long silence fell over the receiver. As for the answer, we both knew it in our hearts. “Harper, she’s not like you.” Declan lowered his voice, accompanied by the sound of hurried footsteps. He was terrified of a single word falling into Audrey’s ears. “You still have family and friends.” “Audrey’s parents divorced, and her mom passed away two years ago.” “She was kidnapped when she was little, wandering out there for so long.” “Harper, she only has me left.” I heard the choke in his voice. I suddenly remembered that, despite being together for eight years, he had never shed a tear for me. But when he reunited with Audrey, he didn’t hesitate to pull his fingers from mine. He held her in his arms, crying his heart out. 02 “They said they couldn’t reach my parents.” “You’re the only one who came to see me. Are you my boyfriend?” Audrey, looking as frail as paper, leaned against his chest. Her eyes lightly swept over me standing by the bed. She rolled up her sleeve, revealing the carved scars on her arm. “Look, I still kept your name.” D. (Declan). Declan touched the scabbed marks, his lips trembling. That well-defined hand interlocked fingers with Audrey: “I am.” He was as devout as if taking a sacred vow. When he closed the hospital room door, I didn’t wait for Declan’s explanation. Instead, I waited for a knife that pierced my heart: “Harper, let’s get a divorce.” “Audrey doesn’t remember, but I do.” “I can’t let her be the other woman.” Then what about me? What were the eight years between us? The words clogged my throat, tears blurring my vision. Declan looked at my red eyes and frowned deeply: “Why are you acting so wronged?” “Audrey and I were from a blended family. I’ve always treated her like a sister.” “Right now, she’s a patient. She can’t handle any stress.” “When she’s fully recovered, I’ll naturally explain things clearly and remarry you.” He sighed: “We’re almost thirty, and you’re fighting with a sick girl for attention.” “Harper, can you be a little more mature?” My nails dug into my palms, and I lowered my voice: “Declan, do you remember the vows you made at our wedding?” “Family of Audrey, please come sign.” The doctor’s call drowned out my question. Declan pinched the bridge of his nose and whispered before leaving: “Harper, you really need to change this habit of bringing up the past.” The last shred of hope at the bottom of my heart shattered completely. At our wedding, I had made him swear: “In this life, I will only love Harper, and never betray her.” “Otherwise, I will disappear from this world, so you can never find me again.” Back then, he swore he wouldn’t lose his girl. In the end, he broke his promise. 03 My mind was a mess. Listening to the rain, I asked absentmindedly: “Declan, when are we getting divorced?” “What?” On the phone, Declan couldn’t hide the surprise in his tone. “We’re getting a divorce.” “You’ve finally thought it through?” His tone was complex, hard to say if it was a pleasant surprise or just shock. “I’ve thought it through. We’ll divorce, and then we’ll never see each other again.” “Stop making a scene.” The reprimand blurted out, before he softened his tone: “Harper, don’t make jokes with no boundaries.” Declan rarely used harsh words. Only when he was truly angry would he call me by my full name. In the past, I was terrified of him scolding me. Terrified he’d run away in anger, terrified that one day he really wouldn’t want me. “I’m not joking.” But I wasn’t afraid anymore. No one cherishes a shattered mirror. Those quiet words completely angered Declan. “We get divorced, and then what?” “Where can you go? Are you going to find the mother who was the ‘other woman,’ or the dad who hasn’t cared if you lived or died for eight years?” “Face reality. Who is going to accept a woman from a broken home…” Realizing his slip of the tongue, he abruptly went hoarse. I sneered, asking back word by word: “What right do you have to talk to me about family?” “You speak as if your dad cheating was glorious. Oh, I almost forgot.” Ignoring his sharp intake of breath, I drew out my tone: “You actually have an extra ‘sister’ who shared your hardships.” “Harper!” A muffled thud sounded through the receiver. Declan roared in a loss of composure, completely unlike his usual self. I laughed until tears came out. Eight years. We had already merged into each other’s flesh and blood. Breaking bones, connected by sinews. We both knew exactly where to stab so it hurt the most. This face-tearing argument was unilaterally ended by Declan: “The day after tomorrow, 9:00 AM sharp. I will wait for you at the courthouse.” Immediately, the receiver was left with only a busy tone. I panted heavily, curling my body into the car seat. The rain continued to fall, seemingly endless. My body lost the fever of intense emotion, leaving only a bone-deep chill. The temperature dropped. It was so cold. 04 The pendant in front of the car swayed. The hourglass it used to be was replaced by a pink bunny. I remembered, in the photo tucked in Declan’s wallet, Audrey was holding a similar plush toy. The bits and pieces of the past were gradually being replaced by others. In the end, he couldn’t even keep things the way they were. The car behind me honked frantically, making my ears ache. The System said timidly: “Harper, you’re driving the wrong way.” Snapping out of my daze, I realized tears had blurred my vision. The only person trapped in the past from beginning to end was me. “Harper, I only look at the future.” Declan’s words echoed in my ears. His gaze was always fixed forward. He was never satisfied, and he would never stop for me. Pulling over, I lay back in the seat and used up half a pack of tissues. Losing emotional control turned into a floodgate of tears; opening just a crack let the tears pour out. I felt as fragile as paper that could be punctured with a poke. The rain hit the glass. My finger traced a string of numbers on the window. “April 13th.” That was the date Declan set for the divorce. It was also my birthday in this world. My family always said my birth was the beginning of their suffering, trapping two people who didn’t love each other in a marriage, torturing one another. My very first birthday was spent with Declan. He baked a cake for me himself, accidentally cutting his finger. My heart ached to death, but he just laughed: “Harper, don’t listen to your parents’ nonsense.” “You’ve never been anyone’s burden. On the contrary, for all the hardships I’ve suffered in my life, you are the optimal solution.” The cake tasted so sweet it melted into my soul. Since then, no cake ever surpassed that flavor. I searched for a long time before finding the dust-covered hourglass deep in the glove box. The fine sand was clumped with dirt, unable to keep flowing. It was broken, unable to be restored. I thought again of the ocean where I first met Declan. The early winter seawater was bone-chilling. On the empty beach, it was just Declan and me. One seeking death, one seeking life. When he walked straight into the sea and was swallowed by the waves in an instant… I rushed over without thinking and forcefully dragged him back to the shore. His eyes were red from choking. I reached out to drape a coat over him: “The winter seawater is too cold. Let’s wait until spring, okay?” At that time, his newly blended family, and the loss of his sister, had subjected him to severe harshness. He said I was the reason he lived to see the next spring. After that, he moved into my cramped rented apartment. I relied on my $4,000 monthly salary to support him through med school and grad school, all the way to becoming a top-tier medical examiner. He used to be my miracle. But even the most intense love ultimately loses to the passage of time. “System, help me detach from this world.” “I want to go home.” The car merged onto an unfamiliar road. I casually turned on the GPS. “Hello, I am your virtual sister. Welcome to this navigation experience.” My hands resting on the steering wheel stiffened. The childish voice I was used to hearing now had an eerie familiarity. It was as if I had just heard it. “Brother, there’s a traffic camera ahead. Please slow down and drive safely.” That “Brother” gave me goosebumps all over. I finally remembered who the voice belonged to. It was Audrey. This car was my adulthood gift to Declan. The very first day he test-drove it, he installed this voice pack. “Declan.” I mocked myself: “You really are deeply devoted to her.” Relying on the fact that Audrey and I had never met. He dared to blatantly record his lover’s voice as his daily navigation. Shameless. The System sighed softly. “The detachment process is very painful.” “Harper, are you absolutely sure you don’t want to hold on a little longer?” Her words carried indignation: “You stayed with him for eight years. You saved him when he was at his lowest.” “What right does he have not to change his mind?” “Love has no logic.” I turned off the sickly sweet “Brother.” The car fell into a long silence. A long time later, the System responded: “Okay.” “The detachment process is excruciating. I’ll bend the rules for you where I can.” “After all, I’ve been with you for nine years too.” The final murmur was barely audible. “Thank you.” Alone in a strange world for nine years, besides Declan, the System was my only family. Letting her choose my ending was the most fitting. “If possible, I want Declan to process my remains.” I want him to personally dissect my corpse. So that from then on, he can never hold a scalpel with peace of mind. 05 I parked at the entrance of the apartment complex, looking up at the thousands of lit windows, trying to find the one light that belonged to me. Usually, I’d stand on the balcony, watching the cars coming and going. I could always recognize Declan’s car at a glance, watching it slowly pull into the garage. Twenty minutes later, Declan would ring the doorbell on time, his suit carrying an un-dissipated smell of smoke. People need brief moments of solitude. So I never questioned his twenty-minute pauses. But now, the relationship between us had grown so delicate it could no longer be sustained by trust. I turned on the dashcam. Between the routine two-point commute, the only deviation was a jewelry store. Declan got out of the car, and when he returned, he had an exquisite shopping bag in his hand. The car sped away and parked outside an apartment building. Audrey, who had been waiting early, threw herself into his arms. Leaning against the hood of the car, Audrey stood on her tiptoes and kissed Declan’s lips. The ring worn on her finger sparkled brightly. Acid suddenly surged in my empty stomach. I rarely got carsick, but at this moment, I felt the leather, tobacco, and faint perfume smells mixed together in the cabin were exceptionally sickening. A stabbing pain swept through my abdomen. I curled my body, biting my lips until they turned white. The pain of detaching from the world came more fiercely than imagined. The hair on my forehead was instantly soaked in sweat. The audio I hadn’t had time to turn off continued to play. “Brother, you’re mine.” Audrey bit Declan’s lip until it bled, her ambiguous tone unprecedentedly joyful. “We’re never going to be apart again.” My temples throbbed, the pain tangling my memories into a knot. The wound on Declan’s lip was very obvious. When I asked him about it, he paused his chopsticks, absently stroked it, and said: “Really? I didn’t even notice.” “I probably bit it because I was eating too fast.” Ambiguous panting, the wet sounds of kissing. Audrey, wrapped in Declan’s coat, was carried into the passenger seat. So dirty. I violently pushed the car door open, stumbled to the trash can, and threw up until only bitter bile remained. “Harper!” The System’s urgent call brought me back. After wiping the corner of my mouth with a tissue, I turned and went upstairs. The apartment was pitch black. I didn’t bother turning on the lights, fumbling my way to the sofa by memory. “System, wake me up in two hours.” Then, I closed my eyes and fell asleep. Even though my head hurt terribly, my memory kept replaying uncontrollably. Those frame-by-frame images slowed down in my mind, every word incredibly clear. In that dashcam footage, I heard Declan’s phone call. It was his best friend, joking frivolously: “Impressive, man. They say a man needs to meet two women in his life: one to cook and clean, and one to relieve his worries in bed.” “Who doesn’t want both a white rose and a red rose? Capturing both and keeping them docile, that’s true skill.” Declan narrowed his eyes slightly, exhaling smoke meaningfully: “Girls with flaws are the easiest to make fall in love, and the most fiercely loyal.” The friend laughed loudly, his tone exaggerated: “Flawed masterpieces. Brilliant calculation, man.” Flawed products. That was my family background. That was Audrey’s lost innocence. Even though they were completely unprovoked disasters, they became labels of shame, accompanying us for life. In that moment, I suddenly felt completely disillusioned. No matter how passionate the love, it becomes icy cold. The heartbreak wasn’t from being forced apart, but from realizing that underneath the skin, my former lover was completely unrecognizable. After the detachment system initiated, I developed a high fever after a long time. Fumbling through the empty medicine box, I belatedly remembered that since Audrey was found, Declan always kept medicine on him. Once the medicine at home ran out, he didn’t have the habit of restocking it. I had intended to go buy some medicine once my body felt a bit better. But I dragged it out for three days. In a blink of an eye, the date of my divorce with Declan arrived. Touching my burning forehead, I let out a resigned sigh. Declan was eager for a divorce, and I didn’t want to delay either. If I died before the divorce, I would have to be buried under the name of his beloved wife. How disgusting. I thought it would taint my road to the afterlife. In a terrible state, I couldn’t drive. I forced myself to hold on and wait by the side of the road. Kids were getting out of school, and the traffic was heavily congested. I waved numbly, trying to hail a cab parked by the road without shouting. But before a car arrived, my body gave out first. Dizziness blackened my vision, and my thoughts disconnected. When I opened my eyes again, the tip of my tongue tasted sweetness. A girl with twin pigtails held up a lollipop, her lively eyes full of concern: “Miss, are you feeling better?” “My mom went to get someone, don’t be afraid. When my mom faints usually, eating candy makes her better.” She probably misunderstood the reason for my fainting, treating it as hypoglycemia like her mother’s. The sweet taste filled my mouth, genuinely reducing the pain a bit. “I’m sorry… if only I had more permissions…” The System was so anxious its voice distorted, like a broken cassette player. I shook my head slightly, forcing a smile: “I’m fine, thank you.” “I don’t blame you.” I softly comforted it in my heart. The System’s tone remained full of self-blame, and the siren of an ambulance sounded nearby. A woman in a white dress supported my arm, her tone calm: “You suddenly fainted just now, and you bumped your head. It’s bleeding.” No wonder the back of my head throbbed with a dull ache… “How do you feel? Do you need me to go with you?” Looking into her concerned eyes, guilt for causing trouble surged in my heart: “It’s okay, I can go to the hospital by myself.” “Thank you for calling 911.” The deed was done. Declining to go to the hospital would only make her worry. Holding my head, I felt pain all over my body. While being helped into the ambulance by the paramedics, I received a call from Declan. He usually preferred texting. He only called when his patience was worn thin. I lowered my eyes, looked at the caller ID, and hung up directly. “Fever. Hospitalized.” I tapped the phone screen and sent the address. “Come pay the medical bills.” Back then, I waited for him for two hours. Now, it was his turn. When Declan rushed to the hospital, exasperated, I was on an IV drip, flipping through a half-read book. He pushed the door hard. I slowly looked up: “Sorry, being sick held me up.” “Let’s reschedule. You go home first.” The flat tone without any inflection made him clench his fists. He naturally heard that I was repeating his past words. He looked at the needle piercing the vein in my hand, his face ugly: “Stalling for time by pretending to be sick… Harper, do you know about ‘the ugly imitating the beautiful’?” Declan frowned. His serious expression made me suddenly sneer. Perhaps his flawed acting hadn’t fooled me. But it had truly fooled himself. Otherwise, it’s hard to imagine how he could speak those words with such self-righteousness. “Harper!” My cold laugh triggered Declan into shouting. He paced agitatedly in front of my bed, his speech speeding up: “How many times do I have to explain this to you? We’ve been together for eight years. Is that not enough for you to trust me?” “Did you expect me to watch Audrey suffer and just stand by?” “Harper, when did you become so cold-blooded?” I closed the book in my hand. “From the moment I realized you didn’t love me anymore.” Declan suddenly fell silent. He examined my face and said softly: “You’ve lost a lot of weight.” The abrupt shift in topic left me not knowing how to answer. “I’ll go buy you some soup. Try to eat it all.” “Every time you get sick, you throw up terribly. It took me so long to nurse you to health. Stop torturing yourself.” He hadn’t been gentle with me in a long time. In a daze, it felt like we were back in the past. Back then, that boy’s heart and eyes were full of me, unable to mix in anyone else’s shadow. “Harper, whether you believe it or not, I only love you.” “Helping Audrey is because I owed her.” “She and I are just going through the motions. We’re going to get divorced.” “Don’t be mad, okay?” He hooked my finger, but I sighed: “Declan, take tomorrow off and pick me up. We’re getting a divorce.” He mistakenly thought I had compromised. His eyes lit up instantly, and he said softly: “Good girl, Harper.” But I was just tired. The longer my body dragged on, the weaker it got. I had to end this quickly. Ignoring the doctor’s repeated instructions, I chose to be discharged. This time, neither Declan nor I broke the appointment. He waited for me in the driver’s seat, and I chose the back seat. Declan glanced at me in surprise. I forced a smile: “I don’t feel well.” He didn’t press further. At the courthouse, we cleanly signed the divorce papers without dragging it out. So swift it left the staff speechless. Before leaving, a heavy rain began to fall from the sky. The System’s voice rang in my mind: “Harper, your death date is set for today.” “Perhaps, this will be the last time you see Declan.” “Do you want to deliver some final harsh words to the scumbag?” Her words dripped with dissatisfaction toward Declan, eagerly egging me on. I thought for a moment and asked: “Declan, it’s raining. Do you want to drive me home?” If he could maintain his last shred of decency. I would at least tell him personally that I am a traveler. I am going to die, and I will never come back. He was about to speak, but his phone abruptly rang. Even though he tried to hide it, I still saw the caller ID. It was Audrey. Her voice was sharp, laced with crying: “Brother, it’s going to rain. I… I’m so scared. Can you come accompany me?” She sniffled, whimpering: “Please don’t abandon me, okay?” Declan glanced at me. I instantly knew his unspoken answer. “Okay, wait for me.” After hanging up, Declan avoided my gaze. “Audrey gets severe PTSD when she’s lost in the rain.” “She’s not as strong as you. She needs someone to take care of her… Harper, take a cab back.” His tone was gentle, but unquestionable. “Okay.” Turning into the rain mist, I heard Declan say goodbye. I didn’t return his farewell. Because, we wouldn’t see each other again. This would be our final meeting. 06 The rain wet my hair. I wiped the water mist off the screen. It was 5:09 PM. The dark sky made my senses lose track of time. By the side of the road where I had fainted earlier, I watched the traffic and unexpectedly heard a familiar child’s voice. “Miss, how much further? I’m late getting home, my mom will worry.” I am very sensitive to voices. I was certain I had heard her voice. Looking back, I saw the child who gave me candy earlier. The woman holding her hand was not the woman in white from before. In an instant, I decisively canceled the ride-share. “System.” No one answered in my mind. Fear made sweat bead on my palms. If what the System said was true, I was bound to die today, and Declan would personally autopsy my remains. Then, does this mean my death wasn’t an accident, but murder? “Five consecutive murders have occurred on rainy nights. The victims are mostly women and children. The killer’s methods are brutal…” I remembered the news broadcast on TV earlier. I also remembered the System’s worried warning: “Harper, the death during detachment will be very painful.” My body moved before my thoughts. I jogged to follow the girl’s back. The woman gripping her wrist tightly was thin and short, wearing a baggy hoodie, her lips pale. They turned into a sparsely populated alley, surrounded by unfinished buildings. My hand in my pocket dialed 911. I swallowed and flicked my earpiece: “Hello, I am at the North Alley of Sector A, Old Town Street…” The empty street echoed with footsteps, splashing rainwater. I froze in place. The footsteps kept sounding, neither rushed nor slow. I didn’t dare turn around. I sprinted forward and fiercely shoved the woman in the hoodie who was holding the child tightly: “Who are you? Dragging someone else’s kid around, do you even know her?” My series of loud shouts stunned the woman. Her lips parted, and her body trembled violently. I pushed the girl’s shoulder: “Go.” My voice was hoarse from nervousness. “Run straight ahead. Turn right, there’s a security booth. Have the guard take you to the police station.” She looked at me in shock. I shoved her forward without letting her argue: “What are you standing there for? Run!” The girl stumbled away, her small figure gradually disappearing at the end of my line of sight. “She ran away, so you can’t leave.” A low, deep voice sounded from behind, carrying an almost cruel smile. Even though I was prepared, I still couldn’t help but shudder. Turning back, the man’s face was hidden under a red raincoat. The smell of rust in the air was mixed with a faint scent of blood. When the wire tightened around my neck, the phone dropped during the struggle. The last number I dialed was my emergency contact. The phone rang twice before it was hung up. Suffocation blurred my vision. Using my last ounce of strength, I gripped the box cutter and stabbed deeply behind me. The next moment, I heard the killer’s muffled groan. “You will go to hell.” Along with that breathy whisper, I heard the sound of my neck breaking. The pain in that moment wasn’t as intense as I imagined. “Harper! Are you okay?” “I upgraded my permissions to detach you from your body in time.” “So you wouldn’t have to suffer for that scumbag.” Hearing the System’s voice again felt like a lifetime ago. My dim vision lit up again. I watched the man tear off my clothes. “Don’t look. I’ll broadcast the scumbag’s current situation for you.” The System briefly blocked my view, and then I saw Declan. He held an umbrella. Audrey was nestled in his chest, her shoulders shaking: “Brother, I’m so scared. He… he’s nearby. I know it too well…” “His footsteps, his breathing, the sound of him using a knife to cut flesh.” Audrey cried voicelessly. She wrapped her arms around Declan’s waist, trembling constantly. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here. No one will hurt you.” Declan held Audrey. His lips, just about to offer soft comfort, were abruptly blocked by Audrey. They kissed passionately, ignoring everyone else. Just two streets away, my remains were dragged into the trunk of a sedan, barely covered. “So disgusting.” The System was furious. I looked at Audrey’s hand gripping Declan’s back tightly, lost in thought: “System, if the Rainy Night Killer is a two-person operation—one lures, one strikes.” “How did Audrey, who has absolutely no advantage in size or strength, survive?” The System fell into an eerie silence. The woman colluding with the killer was obviously a first-timer. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have panicked and easily let the girl go. So, who was the “bait” that had previously deceived four girls into falling into the trap, yet consistently vanished from the police’s radar? Who exactly was it?
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