That evening was like a Ninestar internal party, and the style of the party was similar to a wedding reception. The two brides, Faye Peraya and Yoko Apasra, happily changed into another set of formal attire, embracing each other for their first dance as the party began. Everyone was cheerful and humorous, going to the tables to offer toasts and blessings to the two brides. Faye and Yoko hadn't left their roles, and even Ninestar was so immersed that they couldn't break character.

Faye was so happy that she drank a lot of celebratory wine, and Nam, seeing this, had to play the role of a very enthusiastic groom's attendant, blocking drinks for her. The party lasted until late, and everyone was drunk. Within Ninestar, most people knew that Faye and Yoko truly loved each other, so everyone was happy for this event in their lives.

When the party ended, Faye and Yoko walked hand in hand back to their villa. Since both were tired from the whole day, after removing their makeup and showering, Faye simply held Yoko and fell asleep. Of course, not before many kisses. Faye also held Yoko's hand and told her the origin of the pair of rings she had prepared. They talked happily, forgetting all about the time, before finally falling asleep in each other's arms.

Not knowing how much time had passed, Faye woke up with a severe headache while it was still pitch black. Turning over, she still saw Yoko sleeping soundly beside her. Faye kissed Yoko's cheek, then took her phone and went out to the living room to get a drink of water. Looking at the clock, it was only 3 AM. Faye shook her head, puzzled as to why she had woken up at this hour.

Clang!!

Suddenly, a strange chime rang out. As soon as Faye heard that sound, she immediately felt dizzy, fell, and lost consciousness.

The next time she woke up, she found herself sitting upright on the living room sofa. The room was still dark, and the only light was the moonlight shining in from the balcony door.

Faye wanted to move, but suddenly realized she couldn't. A feeling of fear and chills spread throughout her body. Trying again, her arms and legs weren't tied, but she still couldn't move them, as if an invisible force prevented her limbs from obeying her commands.

"You will remain in that state for a while longer," a deep male voice echoed in the silent space.

At this moment, Faye noticed a figure sitting on the sofa opposite her. Because the space was very dark, or perhaps for some other reason, Faye couldn't clearly see the person's face. Hiding his face behind a mask and a black hooded sweatshirt, he was resting his chin on his hand, looking at Faye.

"Who are you?" Realizing she could still speak, Faye asked.

This was still the villa where Faye and Yoko were staying. So Yoko might still be asleep in the bedroom. The situation was unclear, and Faye didn't dare to make any sudden movements, afraid that Yoko might wake up and come out, putting her in danger.

"I am someone who has always been by your side," he replied in a low voice. A meaningless answer. And it seemed that what he wanted to do was just look at Faye.

Faye frowned.

Was this the person behind suspect Z? Why did he appear here, at this time?

"What do you want?" Faye tried to suppress her headache, her eyes carefully observing every feature and part of his body to remember. But no matter how hard she tried, everything seemed blurry and unclear. Faye felt dizzy, making it impossible for her to remember.

Leaning back and resting his back against the sofa, he tapped his fingers on the armrest, contemplating. The silent space was only filled with the sound of his tapping fingers.

Thump, thump, each tap was like an arrow piercing Faye's brain, causing her sharp pain.

"I want you to be your safe self as an actress, supermodel, and Miss Grand. Wasn't your heart empty? Just continue like that!" He spoke as if Faye was his possession and nothing more. And Faye's life had to be decided by him.

Faye felt so disgusted that she didn't want to answer. A madman appeared and forced her to do as he said? This had gone beyond the limits of a normal obsessive fan.

Assessing the situation around her, Faye didn't know what else to do but try to stay calm and continue talking to him.

"What my heart is like is none of your business."

"You want to have casual flings with that girl, I have no opinion. But if you want to be serious with her, I absolutely will not agree," he said sternly.

And the content of those words made Faye angry again.

Since when was whom she loved and whom she was with decided by strangers, by these mysterious criminals?

"That's my life!" Faye frowned, emphasizing each word. "What right do you have to control and interfere?"

"Faye, I'm only asking you one last time. Will you break up with that girl?" He stood up abruptly, shouting furiously.

"No, I will never give up Yoko!!" Faye also breathed heavily with anger, answering immediately without thinking.

The man stared intently at Faye, angrily stomping around the sofa, then, as if thinking of something, he sat down again.

"Whatever you need, I can give you. Why can't you just be free like you used to be? Give up that girl, Faye. I'm here to warn you one last time..." He continued tapping the armrest as he spoke. "...If you are still disobedient and don't listen, then don't blame me."

"Crazy! Why do you have to do this?" Faye didn't care about the consequences and cursed at him.

But in return, he only smiled this time.

"I've kept you safe all this time, so do you think life is easy? Do you believe I will punish you..." He said, leaning forward and reaching out to grab Faye's neck to threaten her.

Suddenly, for some unknown reason, the whole house shook, the entire space felt like there was an earthquake, vibrating loudly.

He looked around at the ceiling in surprise, then suddenly, as if realizing something, his voice became frantic, no longer as calm as before:

"It's you... It's you, isn't it? Come out. I've been looking for you for so long..." He shouted crazily, "...Mali Khanthong, show yourself, you know who I am. Show yourself!!"

"Mali!!!! MALI... COME OUT!!! DON'T HIDE ANYMORE..."

Faye's head hurt so much, it was throbbing. Her heart also ached, sharp pains making her blood feel like it was boiling, and her whole body felt hot. Faye's hands also began to tremble, and her fingertips felt ice-cold.

My head hurts so much!!

Who was he talking to?

Faye didn't know what was happening, nor did she understand this situation. She only felt her head ache and spin as if someone was hitting her brain with a hammer, again and again. The last thing she saw was the mysterious man shouting crazily and the house shaking until it seemed to break apart. Then her vision went dark, and Faye fainted for the second time.

Again, not knowing how much time had passed, the next time Faye woke up, she vaguely saw that she was still sitting quietly on the sofa. But this time, she could move. Faye laboriously held her forehead, then her next action was to stagger to the bedroom, open the door, and find that Yoko was no longer in the room.

"Yoko?" Faye suppressed her headache and called out her name.

But the response was a voice that made Faye even more terrified than the man from before.

"She's safe. You sit back down on the chair; staying still will be better for your brain."

If the man had only scared Faye because he was too crazy, this voice made Faye feel like she had fallen into an ice pit, a feeling of unreal fear spreading throughout her body.

This voice... Why did this voice sound so much like her own?

Faye swayed and sat back down on the sofa, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Her eyes looked towards the darkness in front of her, searching.

From within that darkness, a girl was slowly walking out. She was very tall, wearing a black outfit with a leather jacket, platinum-rimmed glasses on her eyes, her long hair loose and swept back, and striking dark red lipstick.

Her face... was Faye Peraya's face.

The person standing in front of Faye was a girl who looked exactly like Faye, serious, cold, beautiful, and unrealistically enchanting.

Faye's hands trembled, her head throbbed, and her heart beat so fast she couldn't control it. This person, this person...

"You are... Mali Khanthong?" Faye murmured the name she least expected.

Mali slowly walked closer and pulled another sofa closer to sit directly opposite Faye, the distance very, very close. So close that Faye began to notice the differences between them. Mali's face had no smile, but rather a beauty of intellect, maturity, and lingering sadness. And Mali's eyes were pure black, while Faye's were dark brown.

Faye looked at Mali, and Mali similarly gazed at Faye. After a long moment of looking at each other's faces, Mali spoke with a gentle gaze.

"Don't be afraid, deep down you know who I am, and I won't hurt you," Mali said softly, a rare, beautiful smile playing on her lips.

"Where's Yoko?" Ignoring the inexplicable strangeness of the moment, Faye immediately thought of Yoko's safety first.

Mali Khanthong leaned back in her chair, arms crossed over her chest, nodding slightly.

"That little girl is really adorable..." Mali's eyes drooped slightly, her voice even but expressing an indescribable tenderness she was directing at Faye. "...She's very safe. After talking to me, you'll see her immediately."

"Who are you?" Faye finally asked the crucial question.

Who are you? Who are you that could drive that man away? Who are you that has a face exactly like mine? Clearly, Faye was an only child and had no other siblings.

Although she asked this, the answer deep in her heart was making Faye afraid and want to run away. That answer was like a submerged iceberg, gradually becoming so clear that it couldn't be ignored.

"I am you, aren't I?" Mali caressed Faye's face. Her fingers were slender and delicate, tracing from her eyes to the bridge of her high nose, to her cheekbones and lips.

The two of them were like two sides of a two-way mirror, reflecting each other, matching in every detail but belonging to two worlds and bringing two completely different flavors. Faye was charming, warm, happy, passionate, and cheerful. Mali was cold, lonely, and sorrowful. The gentle gaze Mali was radiating at this moment was a unique look that Mali reserved only for Faye.

"I am your seven-year-old memory. More accurately, I am the personality that took on all the pain and suffering in your heart. I am what you have imprisoned for the past 23 years."

That answer completely blew away all of Faye Peraya's defenses, all her composure and steadfastness. That answer immediately brought her back to her original form, back to the pitiful seven-year-old girl who, because of too much loss, chose to forget a part of her soul. Chose to create another personality and lock that person away in the deepest part of her brain just so she wouldn't have to feel heartbroken and shattered anymore.

"Faye, you are truly cruel," Mali caressed Faye's face, looking deeply into her eyes and speaking very softly. The pure black eyes behind her glasses flashed with a hint of sorrow and reluctance.

From the moment she appeared until now, Mali had been very gentle with Faye, never changing. And in fact, from the moment the two of them appeared in this world, even when imprisoned in the deepest depths and only able to observe everything, Mali had always been like this, loving and comforting Faye.

But Faye was being tormented by a thousand thoughts and the truth. Although her memories still refused to return, the door remained closed, Mali's appearance made Faye's heart realize the emptiness within it had appeared. Tears flowed uncontrollably, falling like rain.

Mali sighed, reaching out to wipe away Faye's tears.

"It's been so long, and you're still such a crybaby."

"..." Faye really didn't know what to say at this moment, didn't know how to explain all of this. Didn't know how to talk normally with something she thought had disappeared long ago.

"You don't need to think too much. This is an unreal space. I am you, and you are me," Mali said slowly, as if reading Faye's thoughts.

Faye suddenly thought of a possibility.

"You... will you return?"

Mali shook her head, her gaze still fixed intently on Faye.

"I... really have to leave," Mali took Faye's hand.

"Leave where? You are a part of my personality. Even though I still can't remember what happened that year. But you are me, where are you going?" Feeling ice-cold all over, Faye said anxiously.

"Faye, we are no longer the seven-year-old girls we were back then, playing rock-paper-scissors to see who would be locked away. We have grown up. I have borne all the hurt, all the pain and loss for you..."

"No, no... you can't leave anymore. I can't have another person leave. I don't care what you are, just stay in the place you've been for so many years," Faye lowered her head, covering her eyes with both hands, her voice filled with pain.

I don't want to hear it, I don't want to hear anymore.

It can't be like this, even a part of her soul is choosing to leave? No way. Don't anyone leave, please don't disappear, please.

Although Faye still couldn't remember that past, she knew that Mali was telling the truth. Mali had truly borne so much sadness for her in this life. Mali had contained so many deep dark nights, just so she could smile and greet the dawn.

The pure black eyes behind Mali's glasses were red-rimmed. Although she didn't want this to happen, didn't want to appear and let Faye realize her existence. But she had to do it, she was compelled to. Because truly, there wasn't much time left. And Mali herself also wanted to leave.

"That seven-year-old past was a painful one. I will hold onto it and never let you remember..." Mali suppressed the sadness in her heart; after all, Mali had been too familiar with sadness for decades. "...The person who has always caused trouble for you until now, their main goal was to make you remember that past. In that past of yours, they existed."

Faye sensed that these would be the last words Mali would say to her. She didn't want to, she didn't want to hear anymore.

"This time they attacked your mind. I tried my best to make them leave. I also intervened to stop them before, but they didn't know I existed. This time I've shown myself, they definitely won't leave you alone. As long as this memory and personality are still here, they will always dig deeper and not let that memory sleep. Therefore, it's also time for me to leave and bury it forever..."

Tears streamed down Faye's face.

"Why is everyone leaving me?"

Mali walked over and sat next to Faye. Mali took Faye's hand and placed it on her own face. The moonlight clearly illuminated both their faces. Both were unrealistically beautiful, but they gave off different feelings. Even now, although both were showing sadness, Faye's was reluctance and unwillingness, while Mali's was liberation and acceptance.

"Your current world is full of joy, happiness, youth. Full of sunlight. You are surrounded by people who love you, you have her unconditional love, you have all the best things in life... As for me, I am you. I am the you of the past, a lonely and painful past. Faye, letting me leave is the most right thing to do. I have borne so many things for you, it's also time for me to go..."

Mali's sincere words were also the most heartbreaking.

That past was so painful, please let it sleep, can't you?

"Faye, you are me. You living that bright life is me living that life. You being happy is me being happy. You have the love of your life, my heart is also at peace..."

Faye looked at the face in front of her, identical to hers in every detail, and looking at her with the most affectionate eyes. This person was another personality of hers, her past, a part of her life and soul. Today, this person chose to leave to protect her, and because her happy life in the present no longer needed her existence. Faye was now strong enough to overcome everything, even strong enough to protect Yoko. Faye no longer needed a place to hide and dwell on sadness like before.

"I am strong enough to overcome everything, strong enough that even if they attack me, I won't fall, even if that memory reappears, I will be fine. I am strong enough now... so please don't leave, can't you? Just stay there..."

Usually, Mali would watch Faye whenever she gained consciousness, and if not, Mali would sleep peacefully. Right now, Mali caressed Faye's face. It had been a long time since they had faced each other like this, and unexpectedly, it would also be the last time.

Then, gently and with all her tenderness, Mali Khanthong Malisorn leaned forward and lightly kissed Faye Peraya Malisorn's lips.

"The two of us are one, and just one is enough," Mali stood up and snapped her fingers.

Faye unconsciously knew that this action would trigger the self-destruct mode of this space. Mali was truly about to disappear. She herself was being pressed down by an invisible force, unable to move, only able to sit and watch.

"Don't!! Don't leave, don't leave me behind..!!"

Faye cried out in pain, tears blurring her vision.

"Mali, don't leave me behind...!!"

Mali smiled, the brightest Mali smiled, the most radiant smile since stepping out of the darkness.

"Don't tell Yoko about me; she will worry and be heartbroken. I don't want to see Yoko heartbroken either. If it had been you locked away instead of me back then, maybe I would have loved Yoko too. Our destiny and hers will always be like that... As for the person with bad intentions towards you, they will never do anything life-threatening. But Faye, be careful; that person is very angry now."

Faye shook her head, refusing to accept the truth.

"If one day, that person pushes you to the brink, then tell them..." Mali leaned in and whispered in Faye's ear.

"Remember what I said, Faye." Then Mali snapped her fingers for the second time, and the space began to shake violently.

Faye's hands trembled uncontrollably.

"Don't, don't disappear, don't..." Faye was losing a loved one she never knew existed, but someone who had protected her unconditionally for so many years.

"Faye... Yoko will protect you in my place. I am you, and you are me. You being happy is me being happy... It's time for me to be free."

Mali snapped her fingers for the third time; this was the last time. Her entire body gradually dissolved like smoke, and the surrounding light was also fading.

"Don't leave me..."

"Goodbye... little sister."

Goodbye, my sister. Be happy!

Mali's beautiful face and deep black eyes were the last things to disappear from the space. Everything vanished, leaving only the darkness.

A cool breeze blew past, refreshing Faye Peraya opened her eyes and looked around.

Had she woken up?

That space was all an illusion, and it had all shattered.

Faye was kneeling on the beach of the resort, still wearing the same pajamas as last night, her body unharmed and without injury. But she didn't know how she had gotten here, and how much time had passed. She only saw the dawn gradually breaking on the horizon.

Faye's tears also began to fall like rain.

Her heart ached so much, so much. What had happened was not a dream.

Mali Khanthong... had truly disappeared.

"Faye!! Where did you go?" Yoko's worried voice rang out. From afar, she saw Faye kneeling on the beach. Yoko ran over in fear. This morning, when she woke up startled and didn't see Faye beside her, she had been searching ever since.

Yoko ran straight to her. As soon as she saw Faye's face, Yoko's heart skipped a beat. She knew something big had happened. She fearfully knelt right beside her, took Faye's hand, and wiped away her tears.

"Your hand is so cold..."

Why is she crying? What happened?

Seeing Yoko right beside her, feelings of grievance and sadness flooded Faye's soul. Embracing Yoko tightly, Faye cried, cried so much and uncontrollably.

"Huhu... Yoko... My heart hurts so much..."

My loved one has left me...

Faye didn't say anything more, but just sobbed and cried. Seeing Faye like this, Yoko was distressed because she didn't know why Faye was crying so much. Tears also fell from her eyes, but she didn't know what to do, only able to hold Faye in her arms and comfort her:

"I'm here, I'm here!" Yoko said with a pained voice. "And I'm by your side. I will always be by your side."

Held in Yoko's arms, Faye lowered her head and looked at her wrist, where two words had been written, she didn't know when. Faye realized that Mali had written those words on her hand. The writing was reversed, so the content could only be seen clearly when reflected in a mirror. Simple, stylized, but like a scar piercing Faye's heart.

Two words:

KHANTHONG