Chapter 72: Reincarnation.

In a quick movement, Steven dashed out of the kitchen, leaving Dua in a confused state.

"She's Crystal," he said to Shane the moment he entered Shane's bedroom, pacing back and forth as his body trembled from the revelation he had just made.

"Who is Crystal?" Shane asked, puzzled.

"Dua... Dua is Crystal," Steven replied, his voice urgent.

"It can't be," Shane laughed, disbelief etched on his features. "Listen, I get that they both have identical looks, but they can’t be the same person. Reincarnation isn't real."

"Reincarnation is real, and Crystal just proved it," Steven argued, recounting the interaction he had with Dua in the kitchen.

After hearing it all, Shane let out a heavy sigh. "So what's next—break the curse?" he inquired, skeptical.

"I mean, if she's really Crystal reincarnated, then it's good news. We could finally be free from the curse," Shane insisted, though uncertainty clouded his thoughts.

But Steven couldn't muster a response.

"Hey," Shane called, trying to catch his brother's attention.

"I'm sorry," Steven finally said, his shoulders slumping.

"Sorry for what?" Shane asked, bewildered.

"We'll never be free from the curse because I can’t bring myself to hurt her. To break the curse, we need to take a life—and I can’t do that…” Steven trailed off, his voice barely a whisper.

"So we stay like this forever? Not aging or able to die?" Shane questioned, frustration creeping into his tone.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have dragged you into this." Steven looked defeated.

"It's a life for a life—her life for ours... I can’t do that," he continued, anguish etched on his face.

"So what if she’s Crystal’s reincarnation? She has no memory of her past life! And you love Crystal, not Dua," Shane retorted, trying to make sense of the situation.

"No... you’re wrong. I love Dua. Maybe not as fiercely as I loved Crystal, but I love her," Steven replied, his voice firm despite the turmoil within, shocking Shane by his final admission of his feelings for Dua.

"I won't harm her. I deserve the curse as punishment for my foolishness."

"Then do I also deserve to share in the curse because I stood up for my younger brother?" Shane spat.

"I'm sorry," were Steven's only words, his head lowered in defeat.

"You're unbelievable," Shane scoffed, storming out of the bedroom, leaving Steven crumpling to his knees as he felt the weight of everything pressing down on him.

In the kitchen, Dua couldn't shake the suddenness of Steven's exit after their earlier conversation. Sighing, she shrugged it off and focused on her cooking. As she plated the final dish, she heard footsteps behind her. Steven had returned, though she chose to ignore him.

After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat, trying to bridge the gap. "Need any help?" he asked, his tone tentative.

Dua froze, taken aback by his unexpected offer. "No, thank you," she replied curtly.

Frustration spilled over as Steven rubbed his temples, weariness etched across his face. "What did I do wrong this time?"

"Nothing," she shot back, her sarcasm evident.

"Dua," he pleaded softly, but she turned away, unwilling to engage. He stood there, an ocean of thoughts swirling in his mind, replaying their earlier conversation about the hairpin. "Crystal," he called silently like a prayer in his heart as he bore the weight of his emotions.

But Dua's irritation flared as she finally turned to him, her voice rising in frustration. "Hey! I told you, you've done nothing. Why do you keep calling me?"

To his surprise, she had responded to his silent call. "You heard me call you?" he asked, astonished.

"Didn't you call me?" Dua raised an eyebrow, confusion evident in her expression.

Without warning, Steven stepped closer and pulled her into a tight embrace, enveloping her in a mix of warmth and desperation. A wave of emotions crashed over him, igniting a flicker of hope in his heart. Her response to the name 'Crystal' only fueled his belief that she had returned to him.

Dua's instinct was to pull away from his grasp, but his hold tightened. "Just let me hold you for a moment," he whispered, vulnerability palpable in his voice.

"Why?" she questioned, her breath catching.

"Please..." His voice was barely above a whisper, steeped in longing.

Dua calmed, wrapping her hands around him in a tender embrace. She smiled, feeling him hug her with such raw emotion and vulnerability. Soon, she noticed warm drops landing on her shoulder; instinctively, she tried to pull away to look at him, but he held her tightly in place.

As she felt his tears, her heart wrenched with a pain that surged through her, causing her own tears to spill. “Do you want to talk about it?” she asked softly.

“It’s nothing... I’m just overwhelmed with happiness that you’re back. My thousand years of waiting for your return have finally paid off,” he replied, his voice thick with emotion.

Dua let out a light, amused laugh, shaking her head as she wiped her tears. “What nonsense are you spewing out? A thousand years? Really?”

Finally, Steven broke the hug, holding her gaze with an intensity that made her heart race. “You might think it’s nonsense, but you are my first love—Crystal, who died a thousand years ago,” he confessed, his eyes searching hers for understanding.

Dua tiptoed playfully, bringing her nose close to his lips, inhaling him. “You don’t smell drunk, so you shouldn’t be saying thrash,” she teased, a nervous smile tugging at her lips.

“It’s not thrash; it’s the truth,” he insisted, his tone grave.

“Okay, you’ve always wanted to know the truth about me. I’ll tell you now,” Steven said, a seriousness settling over him. “I’m a man who has lived for a thousand years, waiting for the reincarnation of my first love—who died because of my carelessness and foolishness. I’m cursed to remain here, unable to age or die, all because of one tragic mistake. The curse was set to end on the one-thousandth year of my torment, and as luck would have it, this year is that very milestone.”

Dua listened intently, her breath hitching as he continued, “Through my long life, I’ve gained extraordinary abilities to do supernatural things … and somehow, you turned out to be the person I’ve been waiting for.”

“Alright, that’s enough. Enough of this madness for one day,” she finally interjected, trying to lighten the mood, though unease stirred within her.

“Time to call everyone for breakfast,” she said, heading out of the kitchen.

But just before she reached the entrance, the lights suddenly went out, plunging her into darkness. An eerie silence enveloped the room, but within seconds, the lights flickered back to life. Dua's heart raced as a new sound pierced the stillness—the unmistakable rush of running water. She instinctively glanced toward the sink and gasped as she saw the tap gushing water, despite no one standing near it.

As her mind scrambled to make sense of the situation, she watched in disbelief as the dishes rose from their places on the rack, hovering ominously in midair. The stove ignited with a hiss, flames flickering to life with a mind of their own.

Panic seized Dua, her eyes wide with horror, and her body trembled uncontrollably. "Wh-What's going on?" she stammered, her voice barely a whisper, laced with both confusion and fear.

Steven's voice, smooth yet chilling, resonated from the shadows. "Me. I'm what is going on."