Hancheng: There is a door between me and the future

Chapter 319 "No matter what, let's give each other a hug first!" (Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets)

In front of the tombstone.

Faced with Li Juli's reproachful question, Lin Xiuyuan did not explain, but simply reached out and pulled her into his arms.

He deflated the accusatory tone with a hug, and then lightly brushed it off with an almost rogue-like question: "Just tell me, aren't these two people you know?"

This rhetorical question was like a needle puncturing a balloon, defusing all of Lee Juri's prepared rebuttals.

Facts speak louder than words. The living Goo Hara and Sulli before our eyes, and that cold tombstone, are more powerful than any explanation.

However, as mature as she was, after digesting this shocking secret, a more fundamental question arose in her mind.

So after slightly pulling away from Lin Xiuyuan's embrace, she looked up at him and asked in a much more serious tone, "So Xiuyuan, why did you tell me this secret?"

This question also attracted the attention of Lin Yoona and the others nearby, who all turned to look at the two, clearly showing the same curiosity.

Then, they saw Lin Xiuyuan shrug indifferently, his tone carrying his unique, somewhat casual and willful nature.

"If I had to give a reason, there really isn't much of a reason. If you hadn't come to me these past few days, I probably wouldn't have told you about this. It's just that the timing was perfect, and you just happened to be there."

This answer made Yoona and Da Longzai exchange a knowing smile, both seeing confirmation in each other's eyes.

It was none other than Lin Xiuyuan, the one they knew well, who sometimes acted entirely on a whim.

So after receiving this explanation, which hardly counts as an explanation, Lee Juri wasn't very angry.

Because she knew very well just how shocking and incredible the secret she was facing was.

Therefore, Lin Xiuyuan's choice may be completely illogical.

Then her gaze slowly shifted from Lin Xiuyuan's face to the distraught Goo Hara and the sobbing Sulli.

Then he turned to Ham Eun-jung, who had a worried expression.

Finally, he glanced back at the RV on the hillside, at Kim Tae-yeon, who had just whispered words of comfort to him.

These vivid faces, intertwined with the regrets in their memories, and even the marks on the tombstones, create an incredibly complex picture.

After thinking for a long time, Lee Qri pursed her thin lips, about to say something more, but Goo Hara took action faster than her.

Suddenly, the other person slowly squatted down, extended slightly trembling fingers, and gently stroked the inscription of their name on the tombstone.

The icy touch made her fingertips recoil.

Immediately afterwards, Shirley, who was standing next to him, seemed to have her last line of defense touched by this action. She turned around abruptly and, like a fledgling bird seeking a safe haven, buried her head in Lin Xiuyuan's arms.

She buried her face deeply, her shoulders heaving violently from crying.

This sudden action startled Li Juli, who quickly released her grip on Lin Xiuyuan's hand and looked at Shirley helplessly as she vented her grief in his arms.

If she were only facing her own difficulties, Shirley might have been able to put on a brave face.

But when this sadness and guilt stemmed from the friendship of her closest friend, and even more so from the tragedy she might have indirectly caused, all the strength in her body was suddenly drained away.

And so, on the quiet hillside of the cemetery for 25 years, time flowed by in weeping and silence for several more minutes.

Finally, Goo Hara, who was squatting down, raised her head and looked directly at Lin Xiuyuan, bypassing the crying Sulli.

His voice was hoarse and calm, carrying an almost cruel coolness, "Um, Xiu Yuan, do you know how I died?"

Holding Shirley, Lin Xiuyuan did not shy away from the topic and said frankly, "The news says it was a suicide, but no one knows the specifics."

“Suicide…” Goo Hara repeated the two words softly, as if she were savoring the despair contained within them.

Then she looked at Shirley in Lin Xiuyuan's arms, "Where is Shirley?"

“Sherry also committed suicide.” Lin Xiuyuan gave a definite answer again, and then, before she could ask any more questions, he revealed the cruelest connection between them during that period: “You two were only a few days apart, first Sherry, then you. Everyone said that you committed suicide for Sherry.”

"A suicide pact..."

This answer made Goo Hara's gaze towards Sulli instantly more complex and indescribable.

Even now, standing before their own tombstone, they couldn't help but feel a mix of heartache, pity, and perhaps even a touch of indescribable tremor.

But she didn't dwell on that. Instead, she asked another crucial question, "So, when you asked me at the beach earlier if I would commit suicide, was it because of this?"

As she spoke, Goo Hara gently tapped the tombstone in front of her with her fingertip.

Lin Xiuyuan nodded, then shook his head. "I'm not sure either. I just wanted to ask and also to make sure you remember this."

Goo Hara seemed to have thought of something, her eyes sharpening. "Is it about my old clique?"

This time, Lin Xiuyuan did not deny it, but nodded in agreement.

"Sherry..." Goo Hara's voice stopped abruptly as she spoke again, biting her lower lip so hard it almost bled.

His eyes were fixed on his own name on the tombstone, as if trying to see through the stone wall and understand all the truth and helplessness behind the "self" that was heading towards its end.

aside.

Hearing this, Lim Yoon-ah, Ham Eun-jung, Lee Qri, Dae Yong-jae, and others couldn't help but feel their eyes well up with tears.

The gloomy autumn of 19, and the heavy gloom that shrouded everyone's hearts at that time, seem to reappear before our eyes.

But when their gazes fell once again on Goo Hara and Sulli, who were standing alive in front of them.

Beneath the misty tears welling in her slightly red eyes, a faint, contented smile involuntarily appeared on her lips.

Regardless, they are still here, still breathing, still able to embrace.

The past may be heavy, but having the opportunity to face it can change the future.

Isn't this itself a beautiful thing that has shaken fate?

After squatting for a while, Goo Hara suddenly took a deep breath, supported herself with her hands on her knees, and stood up with some difficulty.

Looking down at his hands, he patted his dusty palms, his tone surprisingly calm, even carrying a hint of deliberate ease.

"Alright, we've seen enough. Let's go back first. If nothing unexpected happens, we probably shouldn't just appear outdoors in this time and space, right? It would be troublesome if we got photographed."

The overly calm and rational tone made Ham Eun-jung look at her in surprise, feeling that the tone was inexplicably familiar.

Then, she turned her gaze to Shirley, whose face was streaked with tears, who had just lifted herself from Lin Xiuyuan's arms.

The way they forcibly suppressed their emotions and used reason to guide their behavior after a huge shock is remarkably similar in their actions.

Fortunately, Lin Xiuyuan comforted him after hearing this, saying, "It's okay, there are very few surveillance cameras here, so it can be ignored."

The next second, Goo Hara replied in an almost indifferent tone, "It's because it's a cemetery, and they didn't install it to control costs, right?"

This statement is extremely realistic and cold.

It also carried a hint of worldly-wise mockery, leaving everyone present speechless and unsure how to respond.

Goo Hara's voice continued as she looked around, a bitter understanding on her face. "Although I don't know the specifics yet, judging from the current situation, my future looks pretty bleak." Silence fell once again as everyone spoke.

This straightforward conclusion is more powerful than any comfort or explanation.

But Goo Hara, who said those words, showed no despair on her face.

Instead, she took the initiative to reach out and hold Sherry's cold little hand tightly, squeezing it firmly, her voice softening, "It's okay, it's not your fault, Truth."

This was both a comfort to Shirley and a warning to myself.

Then Goo Hara turned to Lin Xiuyuan, took a deep breath, as if she wanted to take in all the air that had been filled with the scent of grass and dust over the past 25 years.

Then she opened her arms and looked at him with clear and firm eyes, "No matter what, let's give each other a hug first, Xiuyuan~ Thank you."

Looking at Goo Hara, who had experienced collapse and fear in a short period of time, and ultimately chose to face the cruel truth, and was even trying to comfort others.

Lin Xiuyuan's heart stirred slightly. He strolled forward, intending to give her a gentle, comforting hug.

However, the moment he got close, Goo Hara suddenly stretched out her arms and tightly hugged his waist.

It was like he had used up all his strength.

Then, just like Shirley before her, she buried her face deep into his clothes.

At first, it was just gentle and restrained breathing.

But soon, the breathing became heavier and faster, and the chest heaved violently.

The pent-up emotions finally burst forth in that tight embrace.

When Goo Hara used all her strength to hug Lin Xiuyuan back, burying her suppressed sobs in his clothes, Sulli, standing beside her, also raised her hand to wipe away the tears on her face and exchanged a glance with Lim Yoona.

Their eyes met, conveying a wealth of unspoken understanding.

Afterwards, Sulli gently took Yoona's hand, then looked at Ham Eunjung, Daeyongjae, and the others, silently conveying a message with her eyes.

Then the group nodded in tacit agreement, taking one last look at the couple embracing in front of the tombstone.

A tall, steady man gently stroked the back of the person in his arms, offering silent support.

She was petite and fragile, as if she wanted to wash away all the pent-up fear and sorrow through this crying.

Finally, he quietly turned around, taking as few slow steps as possible, and silently walked down the stone steps he had come from towards the RV at the bottom of the hillside.

This space, filled with both heaviness and relief, was left entirely to those behind them.

On the hillside, in the blink of an eye, only the sound of the wind rustling through the grass remained.

And Goo Hara's uncontrollable, intermittent yet cathartic sobs.

The two of them stood there embracing each other for a very, very long time.

As the group of people who had been standing by the RV at the foot of the hillside for a while began to look involuntarily at the two figures that seemed to be frozen in time, they couldn't help but glance at them again and again.

Kim Tae-yeon leaned against the car door, looking up at that spot, a hint of worry in her delicate brows. She broke the silence, saying, "You've been crying for so long..."

Standing next to her, Ham Eun-jung nodded. "Yeah, her eyes are definitely going to be swollen."

After a brief pause, she added, sharing a similar experience she had shared: "If you cried out loud, your vocal cords would probably go hoarse."

Jessica Jung stood to the side with her arms crossed, saying nothing, but looking up with a complicated expression, a rare hint of concern appearing in her usually cool eyes.

inside the car.

The others sat around Sulli and Lee Qri.

Although Shirley was still depressed, she had calmed down a lot compared to her previous breakdown. She was sipping water and trying to regulate her breathing.

Lee Juri, the "newcomer" who had just been caught up in a shocking secret, still looked dazed and shocked as she received whispered explanations from others.

Time, amidst worry and silence, quietly slipped away for quite some time.

Standing before the tombstone, Lin Xiuyuan could clearly feel the body in his arms weeping, which had gone from violent trembling to almost convulsive sobbing, as if it was struggling to catch its breath.

He finally spoke, uttering his first words since she hugged him.

His voice was deep and steady, carrying a strange, soothing power: "Can you still breathe?"

The person in his arms suddenly froze, as if reminded by those words.

He then took several deep, greedy breaths, trying to calm the dizziness caused by hyperventilation.

Then a hoarse, almost distorted voice, thick with nasal tone, came out in a muffled voice, "It's alright... I'm fine now."

After saying that, she seemed to have used up her last bit of strength and pushed away Lin Xiuyuan's embrace with some exhaustion.

The first thing that caught Lin Xiuyuan's eye was Goo Hara's disheveled yet strangely clear face.

Her once bright and lively eyes were now swollen like two fish bubbles, and her eye sockets and nose were completely red.

Fortunately, most of the idol's makeup is waterproof, which prevented her from turning into a complete mess. Her eyeliner was slightly smudged, but it added a touch of fragile realism.

Goo Hara lowered her head, her gaze falling on Lin Xiuyuan's shirt, which was soaked with tears and even felt sticky.

A hint of embarrassment and apology flashed across her face, and she said in a still hoarse voice, "I'm sorry, I'll buy you a new outfit later."

Lin Xiuyuan followed her gaze and looked down, then smiled indifferently, "It's okay, I'll be fine after washing."

Upon hearing this, Goo Hara nodded and didn't say anything more. She would just do what she wanted when the time came.

Thinking of this, she turned her head and looked down at the RV where everyone had gathered at the bottom of the hill. The sunlight was a bit dazzling, causing her to squint her swollen and sore eyes.

"Let's go~" Her voice was hoarse, but it carried a calm determination. "They've been waiting for us for a long time too."

After saying that, the two finally walked side by side, preparing to leave the tombstone that had borne so much shock and sorrow.

After taking only two steps, Goo Hara involuntarily stopped. She turned around and took one last deep look at the place that now held a completely different meaning in her life.

There was some lingering affection in his eyes, but more so a sense of relief, which ultimately turned into a resolute look.

She suddenly turned around and never looked back, resolutely following Lin Xiuyuan's steps down the hillside.

The sun was high in the sky, its golden rays shining down on the two of them without reservation. It was dazzling, yet also full of warmth.

The warm sunlight slowly lengthened their shadows behind them, the two shadows intertwining and overlapping on the bluestone path, and finally, as they stepped down the stone steps, they slowly merged into the open space below the mountain.

Not far away, the door of the RV was already open.

Led by Kim Tae-yeon, Jessica Jung, and Ham Eun-jung, everyone stood quietly outside the car, their eyes all fixed on the two returning.

No one spoke; their silent gazes formed a gentle yet solid barrier, welcoming Goo Hara's return.

　Typing on a phone really makes my fingers cramp up!!!
　　P.S.: Just got back from Hong Kong, 20,000 steps!!!
　　
　
(End of this chapter)