Y/N fell out of her memory and landed hard on her knees and palms in a pitch black world, she gasped, drawing breath like it was her first time breathing.
"Nayeon." Y/N murmured, clutching the skin over her heart, the organ no longer beating but not dead either.
How could she have forgotten? How could she have not recognised Nayeon immediately upon first meeting her? How could she not have known?
Nayeon once told Y/N that her name was similar, that there's a person that Nayeon knows that goes by the name Y/N also, but Nayeon shrugged it off, thinking that out of the 7.8 billion people in the world, it's impossible for them to be the same person.
"Y/N."
Y/N looked up, meeting dull brown eyes in the darkness. A figure stepped forward and held out a hand.
"It's been a while." Momo grinned.
Y/N blinked back tears, "Momo..."
Momo helped her up, "Come on. We don't have all day."
"But..."
Without another word, Momo led Y/N down a dark, endless path. It was as if they were walking along a bottomless pit with no light to guide them.
Five-hundred years ago, another reaper had led Y/N through the tunnel. Her face hadn't been scarred yet.
Y/N cast her eyes downward, "Am I dead?"
Momo was silent for a long time.
"Yeah," Momo answered quietly, "This tunnel is the crossing between the human world and the spiritual plane. Without a reaper, you'd have been lost in your memories forever."
Hesitating, Y/N went on to ask, "Did you know who I was from the beginning?"
Momo squeezed Y/N's hand, "You haven't changed much."
Tears burned behind Y/N's eyes, "Nayeon... Everything that happened to her was my fault," she whispered, "I wanted to stand next to her and help her. I thought it would be okay for me to do that." she stopped walking, letting her hand slip out of Momo's grip, "But I was the one who betrayed her. I forced her into this endless life."
Silence fell between them, until eventually, Momo spoke up, "So what?"
Y/N gaped at her, "What?"
Momo shrugged. "You're right. You betrayed her," she said, staring at Y/N, "So what? Just like that, you'll stop fighting for her? You'll just let her go?"
"From the beginning, we should never have met," Y/N insisted, "If I had known my place, she would never have been cursed to meet such a fate."she pulled back in dejection, "I don't have the right to save Nayeon."
To her shock and indignation, Momo scoffed, "Why? Because you were a bad person?"
Y/N's hands are clenched, "You don't get it."
Momo pursed her lips, "You're the one who doesn't get it, Y/N. Everything you've said so far goes against what you stood for five-hundred years ago. Don't you remember?"
Y/N paused, recalling the words. Her words.
Humans are like that. We make choices and we make mistakes, but we aren't born evil.
Please don't give up on us. Please give us a second chance.
Momo put a hand on her shoulder, "Joy wasn't the only reaper there that day," she said, "Me and the others are watching too. Sana has always loved humans, but we never understood why, until we saw you get down on your knees to beg for Nayeon's life."
Momo tilted her head, "You saved her, Y/N. Deep down, Nayeon knows."
Y/N's eyes stung once again and Momo smiled and went on to add, "Joy was so moved that she went and defected just to keep an eye on Mina to make sure that your efforts weren't wasted."
Y/N faltered, "But...why?"
Momo looked proud, "Because you're the most interesting human we've ever come across. You went above and beyond to convince us that if given the chance, humans have limitless potential to thrive, to grow, to love." she straightened and took up Y/N's hand, "Nobody's ever offered to take on another's punishment before." she said, and tugged Y/N along the path.
Y/N tried to match her pace, "Even so, what good does that do now?"
"Nayeon and the other souls in that cloak have only been reduced to their purest state," Momo informed her, "They're still alive. Joy is doing her best to protect them until Sana can convince the other Queens of Nayeon's innocence and that no rules in her contract have been broken."
A pinprick of light appeared in the distance, growing bigger as they drew closer.
Momo sighed and added, "Right now, they're divided - some agree with Sana, while others, like Mina, fear reform and want Nayeon gone. The only reason they're not interfering is because they're still unsure of who to side with."
Momo stopped and turned Y/N around, "If Mina gets her hands on that cloak, she'll make her argument and nobody will be able to oppose her."
Y/N felt overwhelmed, "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because Nayeon needs your help, Y/N," Momo simply answered, "And whether or not you deserve to save her, you're the only one who can."
Y/N clenched her jaw, knowing Momo was right.
Following her previous logic, Y/N never had the right to be Nayeon's savior. But from the beginning, she didn't save Nayeon because she expected her forgiveness.
Y/N just wanted Nayeon to stay alive.
"So," Momo said, letting her go, "What are you going to do?"
Y/N came to a decision, she raised her chin in defiance, "I'm going to win."
Momo grinned, and pointed her towards the growing brightness in the dark, "Go get them." she said, and pushed Y/N into the light.