《His Mischievous Time-Traveler: How To Capture A Celebrity Husband?》 Authors Note Author''s Note 1. Formal Disimer: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, ces, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author''s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemnce to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental. 2. Please respect everyone and enjoy the story. 3. Don''t forget to review/ratement/vote (._.) esp. If you like the novel. ****Full list of my novels******* Novels with Interconnected Worlds: 1. The Love That Remains (Completed) 2. His Mischievous Time-Traveler: How to capture a celebrity husband? (Completed) 3. His Devious Harbinger: How To Tame A Wicked God? (Completed) 4. Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles of Nakashima Wakana 5. When A Ghoul Falls In Love 6. Hunting for a Husband in a Vampire Apocalypse Standalone Novels: Her Wicked CEO: How To Seduce A Hikikomori Wife? Miss Chicken & Her Mister The Viinous Emperor is My Pet? Bad x Bad: My Dear Hana ******Other random information****** Instagram: Koch_Norah Goodreads: /norah_koch Chapter 1: You cant change the future Chapter 1: You can''t change the future He is handsome. The murderer. His eyes are vivid green. Like the color of fresh grass. His high cheekbones and dimples can make any girl fall on her knees. His expression is cold, full of hate and disgust. His tall figure is dominating. He is dressed in ck - a v-neck top, ck trousers, and ck leather boots. His white hair is nearly covering his eyes. I can only hear the sound of rain in the dark alley. He is holding a dull dagger, ready to push it against her skin. I wonder where did he manage to find such an antique piece. It must hurt if one gets stabbed by it. I stare at the woman who is looking back into his eyes fearlessly, not fighting back at all. She is wearing navy pants and a in white shirt. I notice a silver chain with a triangr shaped pendant. Her bare feet are bleeding. She must have run a lot. I let out a sigh. I am hiding behind the garbage box. How many times do you wake up in the middle of the night for a bathroom visit and end up walking to the future? I am getting wet in the rain and watching my future self die. This is not the first time when I walked to the future. Literally. However, this is the first when I walked into the scene where I am going to die. I wonder what should I do. Should I watch my future self die or interfere? They seem like they are stuck in eye-lock, talking through their eyes. The guy isn''t pondering whether he should kill her or not. There is no hesitation. She knows that she will die, but she isn''t trying to save herself. Nonchntly, she raises her right hand slightly in my direction, giving me a signal to not interfere. She knows that I am here. "Kang Si An." Her voice is barely a whisper, but I hear it. The corner of her lips tilts up into a warm smile. Wow! I think that I might have donated my brain somewhere. Is she trying to die with a smile or seduce him? The guy doesn''t answer her. There is not a single reaction. He doesn''t even blink. Like she will disappear if he blinks or says a word. He drives the dagger right in the gut. She doesn''t scream. I don''t know how she is holding back. I scream even when I get a paper cut. I cover my mouth. I have seen horrible things before. I have walked into simr scenes. I have been stuck in the future for a while. Being a time traveler is not fun. But, seeing yourself die like this is the first time. When he stabs her for the second time, she leans on his shoulder and bites her lips. She looks in my direction and shakes her head. She peeps at the wall once. I notice the movie poster with a release date. He stabs her again and let her fall to the ground. The rain is washing away her blood. He bends down his one knee and leans toward her. He touches her cheek with his finger. I hear a sarcastic chucklee out of her mouth. She dies with a smile on her face as if she has won a battle. I don''t know what I am feeling. I would be lying if I say that I don''t need therapy. He slowly stands up and turns around. He is still holding the dagger. I realize that the rain has stopped. He walks in my direction and stops near the garbage boxes. "Come out." Ie out of my hiding ce and face him like a fool. I can''t me my future self for being brainless. Here, I am facing my murderer in my pajamas. "You can''t change the future." I scream when he throws the dagger in my direction. I shield myself with my arms and take a step back. I stumble and fall back on my butt. I wait for the pain, but nothinges. When I open my eyes, I am back in my room, soaked from head to toe. A blunt dagger is lying near my feet. Chapter 2: I am not in your league Chapter 2: I am not in your league Kang Si An. Kang Si An. Kang Si An. "Hey!" Kang Si An. "Hello." Kang Si An. Kang Si An. "Are you okay?" Someone shakes me. I look at the boy who is staring at me with a baffled expression. In my right hand, I have a condom packet. In my left hand, I have a scanner. I look up at the white ceiling. It seems that I have nked out at my part-time job while thinking about my future murderer. "My murderer has green eyes," I mumble quietly. "He must be a foreigner." "What did you say?" The boy widens his eyes in shock. "M-m-murderer?" I hand him the condom packet and the bill. "Here, you go. Have a fun night." The boy pays me in a hurry and runs out of the store. He doesn''t believe me at all. I wouldn''t believe myself either if I was him. I hope that he wouldn''t say anything to anyone. I sit down on the chair and start to write down the details. Kang Si An. Tall. Green Eyes. White hair. A foreigner? His name is quite native though. Is he a half? I remember the movie poster. That movie will release after six months. So, I have less than six months to live. Kang Si An. My future self knows that person. Right now, I have no idea who that person is. It means that I will meet him before I die. I will know him enough that I would smile at him, huh? Ridiculous. Who smiles at their murderer? Would I really lose my ability to think clearly before I die? I bring out the dagger out of my bag. It''s been four days since I have seen myself die in the dark alley. I can''t forget it. I can''t sleep at night. Whenever I look at the dagger, I can''t help but imagine how much it must have hurt. If I can choose how I die, I will choose a painless one. Like falling asleep. I would rather take sleeping pills and die than let a foreigner butcher me to death. The rusty dagger is unsharpened. It has mysterious symbols on the hilt. I am guessing that the murderer must be from a cult or he has a huge grudge on me. Killing someone with a blunt rusty knife needs more effort. It also hurts a lot. I have checked it online. That guy also warned me. He must have known. How will I change the future if my murderer already knows that I would try to change the future? My only trump card is my ability to time-travel. I am doomed. "Excuse me?" I hide the dagger in my bag. It''s a guy wearing a face mask, a baseball cap, andrge dark sunsses. Just to be sure, I look at the time. 1:35 AM. I am not the only crazy person in this world. There are people like him who wear dark sunsses at night. "This." He hands me the soft drinks, choctes, sweet bread, and waffles. He is wearing ck loose trousers and a ck turtle neck top. I scan the items one by one, keeping an eye on the guy. He seems familiar. Where have I seen him before? "Can you make it fast?" He asks me with an irritated voice. That voice... I have heard it before. I pack his stuff and give him the bill. "Have we met before?" I take the money and ask. "Keep the change." He picks up the bag. "I am not in your league." "What?" I snort. "You think that I am flirting with you?" "No?" He leans toward me. Damn. He is tall. "What are you trying then? Just look at yourself." "Excuse me?" I cross my arms. "Look at yourself. You look like a psychopath murderer who kills part-timers at night when they don''t get their sugar intakes." "Interesting." Heughs lightly. "If I am a psychopath murderer, should you provoke me like this?" "That..." I scratch my chin. "I was just asking you whether I know you from somewhere or not. Your voice seemed familiar. Here." I put the change in his hand. "Please don''t visit again." He jerks my hand off, throwing the coins on the floor. "Don''t touch me." I stare at him. "Do you have haphephobia?" "What did you say?" He ms the counter. "I don''t know you. I don''t like strangers touching me." "Ah...Then, we can''t have a one night stand." I shake my head andugh. "Bye." "So, you were flirting with me." I can''t see it, but I am sure that he rolled his eyes at me. "You should look at your face in the mirror. Who would want to hook up with you?" "At least, I am not afraid of showing my face." I click my tongue. "Unlike certain someone." He taps his finger. I can sense that he is smiling. "You will regret it if I show you my face." "Is that so?" I challenge him. "Are you a celebrity or something? Well, even if you are, I won''t regret it." "You!" He takes a deep breath. He picks up the bag again and leaves the store. After he is gone, I sit down and restart my work on my future problems like getting murdered. "Kang Si An!" I say my murderer''s name out loud. "Kang Si An. It''s a name that I will never forget." Chapter 3: If you dont find him, he will find you Chapter 3: If you don''t find him, he will find you Kang Si An. It would be a lie if I am not obsessed with that name. "So, you are really going to die?" Cha Yoon Mi''s eyes be round. "Is that why you didn''te to the college for thest few days? I thought that you were going ces." I rest my head on the table. It''s hard not to be depressed. It''s been four days. I don''t know who my murderer is. I still have to go to my part-time jobs and meet people dressed like psychopaths. "I didn''t choose this life. This life chose me." I mutter under my breath. "If I were you, I would call myself lucky." She sips the juice. "Listen, you know your murderer. You know the time and ce. Then, shouldn''t you just run away from this country and make sure that it doesn''t happen? If you are not here when this happened, then it wouldn''t be a problem." "It''s a problem, Yoon Mi." I sigh. I feel like I have aged years in thest few days. "My murderer knows that I can travel through time. He also told me that I cannot change the future. What is meant to happen...always happen in one or another way. Besides, he is a foreigner. What if I go abroad and meet him there? I don''t have money to go abroad either." "So, if you run away, you might end up meeting your killer anyway." My best friend is taking this better than me. "How about we find your killer first and set a trap? We will tell the cops." "That might not work. If I do something like that, it might be the exact reason why he wants to kill me." "Like what happened in high school" She makes a face. "You reported Do Yoon because you saw him bully Sang Woo. When Do Yoon was warned, he thought that Sang Woo reported him. He nearly killed Sang Woo like you had seen him doing so. It''s a circle." I nod quietly. I was fourteen when it started. She was the first one to see me suddenly disappear for a moment. I traveled to a vast green field with no human in sight. I spent a few second there and reappeared on my spot. Both of us thought that it was a trick of the light. Weughed and went to our ssroom. Then, it happened again during lunch time. I found myself at G-bridge alone. It was night time. I spent a few hours there before I came back to my school. I was holding a pamphlet from the future. That was when I realized that strange things were happening to me. "I have to find the reason first." I stare at the dagger. "Why does he wants to kill me? Who is he exactly? How does he know about my ability?" "Maybe, you should find him in the dreams." She suggests me with a hopeful smile. Other than time-traveling, I can also walk into the dreams of people. Unlike time travel, I can control dream walking. "I don''t want to." I pick up my bag. "Let''s go to the lecture. We will bete." "Who cares about the lecture?" She pulls my arm to make me sit. "You are going to be killed. How can you care about lectures?" "I can''t ruin my present because of my future." She snorts when she hears my words. I also find them absurd. "Yoon Mi, what if I find him? How would I deal with it? I am scared of that guy." Both of us look at the murder weapon. "We should destroy this weapon," She tells me thoughtfully. "He can''t kill you if he doesn''t have this." "He can use a different weapon." "Aish!" She smacks the back of my head. "Kyu Ri, listen, if you don''t find him, he will find you. You will have an advantage if you find him first." "You are right." My grandmother has always warned me not to mess with time. If some things are set in order, they will still happen. If I try to change things, I might disappear like my eldest aunt. But, If I don''t, I will be killed. "Is his name really Kang Si An?" Yoon Mi is looking at her phone with an ashen face. "Yes, Kang Si An. He has green eyes...like the newborn leaves in the spring." His eyes are unforgettable. Perhaps, because of the hate and disgust that he felt for me. I never thought that anyone could hate me that much. "And the name of the movie that you saw in that movie poster?" Her eyes are glued to the screen. "Our tangled destiny." I look at my watch. 11:15 AM. I should go back home and sleep. I feel too depressed. What if he finds me at my home? I have a headache. "They are currently nning to shoot this movie." She gives me her phone with a nk stare. "This movie will be released after six months. Look at the male lead." "I am not interested in the movie that will be released after my death." The name of the movie isme. Our tangled destiny? I am sure that it''s a soapy romantic movie that will end up in tragedy. I hate tragedies. My life is already a tragedy. "Just look at the male lead." She narrows her eyes at me. "Look and tell me if it''s him." "My murderer can''t be a celeb-" I drop the phone. "So, it''s him." She sighs loudly. "You will be murdered by him. How many of his crazy fans would love to be in your shoes?" "..." I peek at the screen. A pair of familiar green eyes stare back at me. It''s him. Kang Si An. The only difference is that his hair is ck in the picture. "His mother is a foreigner." She takes the phone. "He is twenty years old only. He used to be in a band before it dismantled. Then, he became a model. Now, he is a famous movie star in B country. Kyu Ri, we are twenty-one, poor, and studying like donkeys. Next year, we will be hunting for jobs like our seniors. There are these people who can earn money with just a smile." I pull my hair in frustration. "I don''t understand. What did I do to him? We have never met." "Exactly!" She presses her palms together. "Now, we know our enemy. We must find out how you wronged him or how you are going to wrong him." "Argh!" I smack my head on the table. A celebrity will kill me. I only have six months to change my fate. Chapter 4: Are you a fan? Chapter 4: Are you a fan? I cross my arm, studying the profile of Kang Si An, the actor, model, and musician. I didn''t think that it would be just a web search to find my murderer''s profile online. He was born and raised in B country. His birth name is Kang Si An. His birthday is on February 10. His is blood type is B. His height is 183 cm. His favorite food is meat. His hobbies are hiking, swimming, and ying chess. He can y guitar, violin, piano, and flute. He can speak sixnguages. His favorite color is ck. This is insane. I can''t imagine why he would kill me. Our path should never cross. Why? Why? Why? *** Kang Si An frowns when he sees the rude girl smacking her head on the counter and mumbling inaudible words. He clutches the packets of candies in his arms and takes a step back. This girl is strange. He is clothed in ck from head to toe. He has made sure that he can''t be recognized by normal people. Kang Si An has a secret. A secret that nobody must find out. His secret is that he is addicted to sweet candies and choctes. For an actor and model, it is important to maintain the body. His assistant is strict about his diet. He cannot eat any sweets or choctes. It''s not helping him at all. He craves it more because of the restrictions. So, he hase up with a n. At night, he leaves his house like a thief and drives away from his locality to buy what he wants to eat. It''s cheating, but he works out every day to burn the calories anyway. Life is short. He doesn''t likeing here. But, this store is not far from his house. Not many stores are open at night. Because of his get up, people get suspicious easily. He is sure that she is suspicious too, but she hasn''t shown extreme reactions like others. "Hey." He taps the counter to attract her attention. She slowly lifts her head to look at him. Her brown hair is disheveled and a mess. She has dark circles darker than his clothes. Her skin is dry and pale. She looks like someone who is about to die of sickness. This time, she doesn''t show him much of reaction. She makes the bill and packs the candies and choctes quietly, sighing loudly and mumbling something. He decides to ignore her. Then, he sees his picture on her phone screen. He blinks in surprise. "Are you a fan?" "What?" She frowns deeply. "Fan of what?" He points at her phone. "His fan?" "Haha." She lets out a sarcastic lowugh. "Something like that." Perhaps, it''s her tone or the way sheughed. He is annoyed. He raises his brow and asks, "You don''t like him?" "He has a good face." She gives him a mocking smile. "But, he has a cruel heart." She must be an anti-fan. His mood is already soured. He dislikes anti-fans more than his obsessive fans. They always have something bad to speak about him. "You should watch your mouth. If you are a fan, you shouldn''t speak nonsense. Why does he have a cruel heart? He loves animals. Have you not heard about his humanitarian works?" "I am sure that he loves animals because he likes to butcher them to eat them." She picks up the phone and looks at the picture with strange emotions in her eyes. The corners of his lips twitch. He is wrong. This girl isn''t an anti-fan. She is a weirdo. "Don''t speak about him as if you know him personally." He doesn''t butcher animals. He even has a pet dog. Who the hell is she? Is she one of those people who write malicious messages about him online? "You are right." She looks at him thoughtfully. "Mr. Psychopath, what do you do when you want to know about someone?" "I am not a psychopath," He replies with a strained voice. The more he speaks with her, the more frustrated he bes. "You have to interact with that person to know more about him. You should observe that person and find out what type of things they dislike and like. If you can''t do that, then don''t make assumptions about them easily." She nods slowly. "You are right. I should find out more about him." "Reason why you are his anti-fan?" He is sure that she will do a web search about him and read more articles to know more about him. Then, she will be his fan and follow his social media ount. The online information about him isn''t bad, but it''s not theplete truth. Anyway, he has an attractive face. He is sure that she will be swooning over his picturester. "I am not an anti-fan." She chuckles. "I am definitely his fan." "..." Why did she badmouth him if she is a fan? "How will you find out more about him?" "I have ways, Mr. Psychopath." She hands him the bag. "Soon, I will find out everything about him." "Good luck." He rolls his eyes. People like her always believe that they can find out everything about him. Some of his hardcore fans might know some stuff. Is there truly anyone who knows himpletely? He doubts that. Anyway, this girl is an interesting person in a weird way. Chapter 5: If I dont exist, I cant be killed Chapter 5: If I don''t exist, I can''t be killed "Wait!" She calls out for him. "Mr. Psychopath, you didn''t take the freebies." "I don''t want it." He takes a nce at her. "You can keep it." "It''s a chocte box." She gives him a knowing smile. "I bet that you are running low on sugar. Take it." "It''s for my younger brother." He lies through his teeth. His younger brother hates eating sweets. However, Kang Si An isn''t someone who can say no to choctes. "My brother bes cranky when he can''t have them.." "Sure, I believe you," She tells him cheerfully. She doesn''t believe him at all. "I have it here." She bends down behind the counter to pick something up. "Hello?" Kang Si An grimaces when she doesn''t get up. He looks at the clock. It''s been two minutes. He looks over and finds out that there is no one behind the counter. "Strange." He looks around. "Is she allowed to leave the store like this?" *** The scent of lemons hit my nose. I am no longer in the store. I p my forehead. "Not again." "Little Kyu Ri." It''s my grandmother smiling at me. When you are a time-traveler, you have a few benefits like visiting your grandparents in the past. "Idiot child, you are back again." "It''s been a while, Grandmother." I sit down at the porch. "What year is it?" "Hyun Sik got marriedst week." She spreads the clothes on the rope. "How lucky I am!" I give her a look. "My parents are currently on honeymoon and making my older brother. Congratte them on my behalf." "I can''t do that," She tells me solemnly. "If I tell them that their daughter has been visiting from the future, you might cease to exist." "It wouldn''t be a bad idea." I can''t help but feel pessimistic. "If I don''t exist, I can''t be killed." Shees to my side and lightly ps my cheek. "What did I tell you?" "Never ever reveal the future," I tell her quietly. "Then, don''t do it." She runs her hand on my head. "Little Kyu Ri, learn to control your abilities." "I try." I have been trying since I was fourteen. In my current time, my grandmother is dead for more than twenty years. My grandmother had three children. My father and my second aunt are born normal. But, my eldest aunt, who has disappeared around decades ago, was someone like me. Nobody knows where she is. My grandmother suspects that she had been caught by the keepers because she used her abilities uwfully. These keepers or peacemakers are from a mysterious organization who likes to keep things in order. They are also born with special abilities. Guess what they hate the most? People like me who mess with time. When I told my father about the strange things that were happening to me, he was not surprised. My mother freaked out. The secret of my family was revealed to me. Nobody knows the exact reason. Some people from my family bloodline are born with special abilities. Yes, abilities. Some can travel through walls. Some can be invisible. Some of them can shapeshift into animals or birds. Some of them can do all of it. I am someone who is born with more than one ability. I can walk through dreams and spacetime. It''s no fun because I don''t have control over it. Because of my time-traveling ability, my parents are afraid that I would disappear like my aunt or other rtives who had the same ability. "Where is Grandfather?" I sit down on the porch. In my current time, my grandfather has Alzheimer. He can''t even remember his name. I can''t reveal about his disease in the past. It''s strictly prohibited to tell them about their future. "He went to the market." She gives me the lemon pickles to eat. "If he had known that you woulde today, he would have stayed at home." "I would have loved that." Pickles are delicious. My father has always talked about my grandmother''s cooking. He misses it badly. I can''t help butugh when I see her packing pickles for me. "Are these lunch boxes for me to take to the future?" "No, I am just going to put them here." She ces them close to me. "If someone wants to grab them before they disappear, they can. I will do it casually. Do you understand, Little Kyu Ri?" "I understand how you love to bend the rules." I grab on to lunch box. "Grandmother, could Aunt Yoo Ri control it?" My grandmother gives me a heavy nce. "Yes, she could. She loved to travel to different times. That''s why I am worried about you." *** "You!" Kang Si An screams when he sees her suddenly manifesting on the floor with a lunch box in herp. She seems startled to see him as well. "Are you a ghost? You just appeared there?" "What?" She stands up andughs. "It''s because you are wearing dark sunsses at night. You can''t see people." "No, I really saw you suddenly manifest there like an apparition." He takes off his sunsses. He notices that she is bare feet. "I saw..." "Can people suddenly disappear and reappear? It would break thews of physics if people can do that. Life is not a fantasy." She steps closer to him. "You look familiar." "What are you doing here? You were going to give me the free choctes." He blinks his eyes when he realizes his situation. He tries to change the topic. "We have run out of those." She looks at him apologetically. "Your eyes are green? Are you a foreigner?" "No, I am wearing lenses. That''s the current trend." He curses the girl mentally. His cover is nearly blown. It''s time to leave this ce. "I am leaving." He turns around and walks fast. He can''te back to this store. He shouldn''t have left his house like this. If ites out that he is walking around at night like a psychopath to buy candies, he will be aughing stock. "I know you." She yells after him. "You are Kang Si An." Chapter 6: I will kill you Chapter 6: I will kill you Suddenly, it''s eerily quiet in the store. I can hear my own heartbeat. My future murderer straightens his back and lets out a lowugh. He takes off his mask and sunsses. I take a step back, thinking about the things that I have said to him. I already said enough that could offend him. He wouldn''t kill me because of that, would he? If he is offended, I would rather have him sue me. I don''t want to die. I am only twenty-one years old. My life has just started. I will finish college this year. I want to experience the perks and lows of life. I want to enjoy the frustrating pain of job-hunting after college. I want to fall in love, get married, and have children who might have extraordinary problems like me. After I die, my parents will me themselves for letting me go to another city to study. My older brother will be depressed because he wouldn''t have his cute little sister anymore. My best friend will cry her eyes out and name her daughter after me. I don''t want any of that. I want to live. I should run. Run. Yes, Run. My feet aren''t listening to mymands. I am wreaked. My heart is beating too fast. It makes me nervous because I know that I am nervous and afraid. My vision is blurry. I can hear his loud steps and the sound of his breath. He ms his hand on the wall near my head and looks down at me. "Listen." His voice is low and hoarse. "I will kill you if you ever..." *** "Kang Si An, I didn''t know that you would start dressing like a psychopath and abduct women at night." Someone is yelling in a high-pitched voice. "How many times I have told you to take care of your addiction to choctes? You are twenty years old for god''s sake? What will we do now?" "It''s not my fault, Manager Jeong." Kang Si An reply, clearly annoyed and cantankerous like an old man. "I just wanted to buy some choctes. Suddenly, she screamed my name and passed out on the floor." "She just passed out?" The woman cackles. "You didn''t do anything? You want me to believe that." "I didn''t do anything extreme." Kang Si An''s voice bes lower, barely audible. "I might have threatened her a bit..." "You threatened her?" This is good. I keep pretending to sleep. "Yes, I wanted her to scare her a bit. If she told the media that she saw me at the store buying candies, it might be..." "YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE IT IF YOU WERE EVER WORRIED ABOUT THAT." "Manager Jeong, I didn''t even finish threatening her. She just passed out. I didn''t know what to do. So, I brought her here. The doctor said that she had a panic attack. She will be fine, but she hasn''t woke up." Panic attack? I see. I open my one eye slightly to peek at them. The woman is in herte thirties and pretty chic. She has dark hair and prating eyes. Her lips are getting paler as she speaks. She seems enraged, ready to tear him into pieces. "You even called the doctor before you called me." The woman gives him a half smile. I am d that I am not in his position. He looks like a small mouse in front of an angry cat. "I was worried. What if she was dead?" Kang Si An gathers up his courage and looks up at her. "What if she had a heart attack because she saw me? She is a fan, you know." "If she was dying, you should have called the cops and doctor at the store. Then, you should have left before they arrived. I would have handled everything." She points at the clock on the wall. "You called me now? Do you know your situation?" "I couldn''t leave her there...alone. She is a female." He bows down his head like a cute mouse. I am touched. My murderer doesn''t seem that bad. He could have left me there, but he couldn''t because he was worried about me. "I thought that I would talk to her about the matter and pay her to keep her mouth shut after she wakes up, but now..." What now? What happened? I want to know more. Keep talking. I don''t want money. All I want is that you wouldn''t kill me in the future. "Someone saw you abducting herst night. They have called the cops. They saw your face on the CCTV." She sits down and covers her face with her hands. "Why did you not cover your face? You even used your car. They must being here as we speak. The media...They can ruin stars like you in a second. I can''t...oh god..." I see. I have the advantage in this situation. "Only this girl can save you." I close my eyes before she turns to face me. "It depends on her statement." So, I have the advantage. "What should we do?" He asks in a grave voice. "Wake her up first." I sense someone getting close to me. Should I wake up now? No, she would know that I have been listening. "Argh!" Suddenly, a bucket full of cold water is sshed over my head. I sit up, lose my bnce, and fall on the floor. I cough loudly and wipe my face. I stare at her. "Who are you?" "You are awake now." Manager Jeong gives me a slow smile. "Nice to meet you. I am Jeong Ri Ra." Chapter 7: Kissing Pose Chapter 7: Kissing Pose "So, he didn''t abduct you," The cop A asks her skeptically. "You passed out because you were tired." Kang Si An has never been this nervous. He is an actor. So, he is capable of hiding it. Manager Jeong is doing better. She has been with him for years. She is the best manager in the entertainmentpany. She has brought them to the station before the cops could arrive at their house. She has already prepared an article about the situation. Kang Si An is made a hero who has helped a girlte at night,pletely twisting the situation. If things work out, it will give him a heroic image. She would release the article as soon as the situation is handled at the station. "Yes." The store girl smile at the cop. She has been taught what to say and what not to say. Manager Jeong has promised her money and Kang Si An''s autograph. The store girl has agreed ande to the station willingly. She has even apologized to Kang Si An for creating troubles. "But, here." Cop B points at theptop screen. "He looks like he is trying to threaten you." "He isn''t threatening me." She adds, "That''s not a threatening pose." Kang Si An doesn''t know how this store girl can act this calm. He is on the verge of break down. He is one step away from going to prison and ruining his entire career. "Oh, it''s not a threatening pose," Cop A mutters under his breath. He doesn''t believe her at all. "What kind of pose is it?" "That''s unnecessary," Manager Jeong tells them in a professional voice. "She told you that she wasn''t threatened or abducted. All misunderstandings are cleared now. Can we leave?" "No,I don''t believe your story." Cop A replies in the same tone. "Miss Kwon, what kind of pose is that?" "Ah...that..." The store girl looks down shyly. "That''s kissing pose. He was about to kiss me before...I passed out because of..." "What.are.you.saying?" Manager Jeong gives her an eye. "Kissing POSE?" Kang Si An stares at the store girl, baffled. This is not what they nned to say. Did she misunderstand? They have practiced it at their house. Why is she uttering nonsense now? Did she forget the lines? "We have been secretly dating. He decided to visit me at my part-time work." "What did you say?" Kang Si An grabs her hand below the table. "What are you saying?" "I know that you don''t want to reveal our rtionship to the world." She holds his hand with her both hands and looks at him with teary eyes. "But we shouldn''t lie to thew, Honey. Didn''t youe to see me because you were missing me? You evene yesterday despite your busy schedule. I know that you don''t want the world to know how you are addicted to me. You can''t stay without me. I know how much you miss the sweetness of our rtionship." Kang Si An and Manager Jeong can read between the lines. The store girl is threatening that she would reveal about his addiction to candies and choctes if they didn''t y along. Manager Jeong presses her lips in a line. This store girl has deceived them earlier. "Yes, they are secretly dating." Manager Jeong gives them a nod. "That''s why he visited her like that. When she passed out due to overwork, he brought her to his home. He called a doctor for her checkup. Here, this is the doctor''s phone number. You can call him and verify." Cop B takes the phone number. "If things are like this, it''s alright. You can go now." Kang Si An and Manager Jeong thanks the cops. The store girl smiles and gives the cops a slight bow. She follows Kang Si An and Manager Jeong out. Outside, the journalists are already lying in wait like a predator for their meat. "Is it true that you have assaulted a store girl?" A Journalist asks loudly. "It''s not true." Before Manager Jeong or Kang Si An could reply, the store girl grabs Kang Si An''s wrist. She yells in an emotional voice, "He didn''t assault me. He was worried about me. Don''t spread lies about him." Kang Si An realizes a major truth. His acting is nothingpares to this store girl. She haspletely taken control of the situation. They can do nothing now to rectify it. "What is your rtionship with him?" Another Journalist questions the store girl. She leans on Kang Si An and smiles up at him innocently. "Honey, shall we speak the truth?" "Honey?" The journalist sounds surprised. "You are married?" "No, they aren''t." Manager Jeong looks like she is going to pass out. "They are just friends." The store girl looks visibly disappointed. She bats her eyes at the journalist. Her voice is sad when she says, "Are we friends, honey?" The journalists have fire in their eyes. There, they have it. The scoop of the week. Kang Si An shakes his head. He nces at Manager Jeong who has deep lines forming on her forehead. He sighs and wraps his arm around the store girl. He doesn''t even know her name. The conniving girl puts her arm around his waist and sticks closer for the pictures. "She is my girlfriend." He leans down and kisses her cheek. Chapter 8: Would rather go to prison Chapter 8: Would rather go to prison His lips touch my cheek suddenly. A swarm of butterflies rises from my stomach and hammers my heart. It feels like my heart is ready to race out of my chest and disappear into the sunset. I am sure that I am one step away from passing out again. Right at that moment, our eyes meet. His beautiful green eyes are full of undisguised anger. With a flicker, it changes to adoration when he turns to the journalist. I almost p my hand. His acting skills are top-notch. "When did you meet?" Thedy journalist gives me a look-over. I realize that I am still wearing my work uniform. I am bare feet. I have forgotten my shoes at my grandmother''s house. I didn''t wash my hair or properlyb it. There must be dark circles under my eyes because I barely had good sleep ever since I saw myself die in the future. Even without the mirror, I can imagine how I look. Perhaps, I should not have gone through this. Dying might be a better option than letting the nation see me like this. It can''t be helped. What''s done is done. I have made a decision to grab the opportunity. My reasons are simple. I have to know my enemy. To know my enemy who has a nearly royal (celeb) status in the country, I must do whatever it takes to get close to him and find out why he would kill me in the future. Besides if the girlfriend of a celebrity is killed like that, the cops won''t let this go easily. The guy won''t be an idiot to do something like attempting murder, right? He seems like a kind person. He must have an extreme reason. I must find out and remove that reason. I will do everything in my power to change my fate. Just six months. If that day passes without any incident, I will live. "We will release the official articleter." Manager Jeong shows a professional smile to the journalist. Kang Si An doesn''t let go of me. He leads me to the car smoothly. As soon as the car door closes, Manager Jeong and Kang Si An give me a deathly stare. I swallow down and say, "I am a fan. It''s my dream to be close to him. Try to understand my feelings." "I am trying to understand," Manager Jeong says to me with a cold smile. She looks like she wants to chop me into pieces. I am not worried. It will be Kang Si An who will kill me. There are certain advantages to being a time-traveler. She adds, "It''s alright. Girlse and go in a star''s life. After a week, he will say that you are just his close friend. After two weeks, people will easily forget a character like you." "I know girls like you." Kang Si An chuckles sarcastically. "Gold-digger girls like you are like to grab on to the opportunity. Do you think that you can force me to date you? I will suddenly start having feelings for a creature who doesn''t even know how to dress. Even if you are the only woman in the world, I would not look at you." "Even for a fan, you have gone too far." Manager Jeong rests her head in her hand and closes her eyes. "If you are really a fan, you should know that you can ruin his career by doing something like that. Still, you went ahead and lied. Are you really his well-wisher?" I am not a fan. I am not a well-wisher either. But, they don''t know one thing. My skin is thicker than a rhinoceros. "You are right." I hold my chin and look at the smirking Kang Si An solemnly. "I have done wrong by lying. You can drop me here. I will go back to the journalists and tell them that he and I are not dating. I will tell them that I lied because I am a fan." "You will do that?" Kang Si An''s eyes shine with excitement. "Yes, I will do that." I smile at him. "I will also tell them the truth. How you came to the store dressed like a psychopath. How you like to buy sweets. How you threatened me. Now, I should go to the police station and correct my statement. I will tell how I was threatened to not tell the truth. That was not a kissing pose. That was a threatening pose." They both shut their mouths. I bat my eyes at Kang Si An. "Is prison better than dating me?" I am not personally interested in dating my murderer. His celebrity status doesn''t make it easy for me to know more about him. "I would rather go to prison." He gazes into my eyes. "I won''t let you ckmail me." Atta boy! I want to p him. Am I enthusiastic to date someone like you? Nope. I don''t want to die. If I must die, I would choose the way I die. Dying in the dark alley is not my choice even if you are handsome. "Six months." I have the upper hand here. "For the next six months, he must be my boyfriend. I want to spend the most time with him even if it means going to his workce with him. After six months, I will leave. I will forget everything that happened between him and me." I will know about his temperament ande up with solutions to my future problems. If I am close to him, I will make it to the news. There are fewer chances of getting killed that way. Right now, my head is not working. I can''t think of a better solution. If I get close to him, I might do something that might make him angry. He might kill me anyway. If I don''t get close to him and go back to my usual life, what is the guarantee that he won''t appear in my life again and kill me for an unknown reason? Life has a funny way of twisting things. I can''t take chances. If I get close to him, I will know the reason. That''s better, right? "Are you out of your mind?" Kang Si An pulls me by my cor. There is an evil gleam in his eyes. He is trying to challenge me. "You want to get close to me that much? Are you sure? You might end up dying if you do." "Can you stop threatening her?" Manager Jeong smacks the back of his head. He lets go of me and massages the back of his head. "You created this situation because of the way you speak." "Manager Jeong, she is crazy." Kang Si An grimaces at her. "She is trying to use this situation to stick to me like a pest." Manager Jeong scorns him and res at me. "Fine. We ept." Chapter 9: Who is Satan? Chapter 9: Who is Satan? "ept?" I don''t believe her. This woman is smart. She is already thinking of some way. I am sure that she will think of different ns to make me disappear. "Manager Jeong, are you sacrificing me to the satan?" Kang Si An bes white as paper. "I have to date this thing?" "Hey!" I crack my knuckles. "Who is Satan?" "Si An, it''s your fault." Manager Jeong grimaces at him. "Now, take responsibility for your wrong actions." Or your future wrong actions. The car stops at the red light. I see my hand disappearing. Again. Manager Jeong and Kang Si An are arguing. I kick the car door open. Before they can turn and look at me, I have already disappeared. I have to lie again when Ie back. *** Kang Si An suddenly hears a loud noise. In the corner of his eyes, he sees her glowing. When he turns around, the car door is open. There is no one on the seat. Manager Jeong cusses out loud and gets out of the car to look for the store girl. Kang Si An blinks his eyes several times. Did he really see someone disappear? That''s not possible. People can''t disappear out of thin air. She must have run away. It''s good if she has run away. "We have to find her." Manager Jeong throws her purse at him in frustration. "Don''t be relieved. If she decides to go to the cops, you are done." "We can just say that she is lying." He mutters under his breath. "Do you think that the cops would believe you? If you hadn''t picked her up and brought her to your home, it wouldn''t be a problem. You should have taken her to the hospital." Manager Jeong takes a deep breath. "Let''s find her first." Kang Si An frowns deeply. He can''t stop thinking about it. This store girl is weird. Before she manifested out of the air, then she disappeared into the air. Is she a magician? Something is wrong with his eyes. He should get them checked first. *** The sky is grey and it''s snowing. I don''t even have shoes. I start walking toward the station. I can sense people''s stares. I lower my head to cover my face with my hair. I don''t know how long I will spend here. Luckily, I still have my wallet in my pocket. I go into the store. I don''t n to die on the street because of the cold. The store girl looks at me strangely when I pay for the coat and the shoes. I guess I lookpletely out of ce. I leave the store and start walking toward the hotel. I should check into a hotel and wait it out. I stop in front of the newspaper stall. My picture is printed on the front page in the national paper. The date is 2x October 20xx. ''Actor Kang Si An refuses toe out of his house after the death of his fiancee.'' What is this? Who is the fiancee? ''Kwon Kyu Ri, a student from S University, was found murdered on x street. The murderer is yet to be found.'' ''Actor Kang Si An is grieving his pregnant fiancee''s death.'' Pregnant? No. Nope. This is so not me. I won''t get pregnant with his child. Not happening. Nope. I refuse to ept this. This is worse than being killed. Who is grieving whose death? He is the one who killed me. I throw away the newspaper in frustration. Argh! Kang Si An. I don''t understand any of this. If my future self was pregnant with your child, why did you stab my future self? Is it because she got pregnant with your child? That won''t happen anyway. Was it the wrong decision to bring up the condition to date? It seems like it is. I should change it. Knowing the enemy isn''t working. Running away might work. "Kwon Kyu Ri?" The man looks like he has seen a ghost. I don''t know him at all. This isn''t good. I should have brought a scarf to hide my face. I should run. I should lie. "Who?" I step back when hees toward me. I ask honestly, "Do you know me?" "You are not dead?" He grabs my arm. "I saw your corpse. You were dead." "No." I jerk his arm off. "I am not Kwon Kyu Ri." "Did you fake your death?" He screams at me, attracting the stares of people. "How can you do that to Si An?" "This is a misunderstanding." A ring of a crowd as formed around us. I cuss at this guy. I have not met him in the past yet. But, I will make sure that I beat the crap out of him when I meet him. "I am not Kwon Kyu Ri." "Is that so?" He looks at the wallet in my hand. I resist when he takes it away from my hand. When he is busy looking for my ID card, I dash away from him. "Kwon Kyu Ri," He yells my name. "Stop that woman. She is a thief." Argh! I run faster. He is chasing me, calling me a thief. Where did I meet this guy? I will stay steer clear of him when I meet him in my present time. "Kwon Kyu Ri, stop if you have left with an ounce of conscience." The weird guy is fast. "I will chase you to hell if I have to. You wronged my friend." "I didn''t wrong him." I have never been chased like this. "He wronged me." "If you are angry, you can talk it out with him." The guy is getting closer. "I understand that Si An is a difficult person. But, he really loves you. You are even having his child. Don''t do this to him. Your wedding is next month." No way. I am marrying him? What the -? How did this happen in thest six months? I am marrying my murderer. Now, it makes sense. Kang Si An must have wanted to kill me because he didn''t want to get married to me or have a child. He is only twenty. Even I don''t want to have a child at the age of twenty-one. I am a child myself. "Look out!" Chapter 10: What day is it today? Chapter 10: What day is it today? "It''s a minor concussion. But..." The elderly man hesitates to say the words. "I see." I recognize the voice. "You don''t look upset." The elderly man sounds worried. "I am relieved to see her again." My head is still throbbing. I find Kang Si An sitting across me, watching me with his green eyes. His hair is ck. Beside him, Manager Jeong is standing to his right. She is frowning at me. There is a trace of worry in her eyes. The elderly doctor smiles at me and asks, "Miss Kwon, how are you feeling now?" "That depends." I return his smile. "What day is it today?" He shares a look with Kang Si An. I can''t tell whether I am back in my present time or I am still in the future. Kang Si An looks the same except for his clothes. "Is it May or October?" I ask in a low voice. "October?" The elderly looks into my eyes. "Miss Kwon, you had a minor concussion. Do you have a problem remembering?" "Haha...No." I sit up. I have a bigger problem than that. None of your x-rays can help me. I have to get out of this ce before this guy kills me. He is watching me pensively like I would disappear if he takes his eyes off me. Well, that might be the case. It makes me nervous. What is he thinking? He must have known that I am from the past. "I wille backter to check up on you." The elderly doctor nods at Kang Si An. They are leaving me alone with this evil creature. "No...wait..." I jump on my feet. "I am not feeling well. It hurts a lot." "Where?" Kang Si An grabs my hand. "Where does it hurt?" I try to free my hand, but he doesn''t let go. "Let go." "She is fine," He tells the doctor. "She lies whenever she is in trouble." "That''s not true." I watch the doctor leave with Manager Jeong. "I am really hurt. I need to go to the hospital." They close the door, leaving me alone with him. Kang Si An holds my hands. I think about the ways in which he can kill me. He won''t do it here, right? He can''t kill me. I won''t die here. I have to go back and live for six months to get murderedter. He pulls me into a hug. "I have missed you." "What?" "Did you have to go this far?" He chokes on his words. "I thought that I lost you." "What?" I ask for the second time. Why is he pretending? "Kang Si An, don''t act with me." He hugs me, burying his face in my hair. The sound of his heartbeat is loud and clear. I realize that my heartbeat is irrationally fast too, synchronizing with his heartbeat. I don''t understand this. He is ying a game. "What are you ying?" I push him away. "Kang Si An, it''s you who have -" "Yes, it''s me." He looks at me with tears in his eyes. "It''s my fault. I should not have pushed you to tell me your secrets. I understand that you have your secrets. You left me and even faked your death to get away from me. Kwon Kyu Ri, you fooled the entire nation." What is he talking about? It''s going above my head. "Dong Min called me that you were found. When I reached that ce, I saw you like that..." His eyes wander on my body with deep fear in his eyes. He cups my face. "You are alright. You are in front of me. That''s all that matters." "Kang Si An, I don''t understand." I frown at him. "You want to kill me." "What are you saying?" He flicks my forehead and chuckles. "I know that I have said that a lot of times, but I never meant it. I can''t imagine hurting you. Kyuri Ah, it is you who keeps hurting me like this." "It doesn''t make sense." Nothing makes sense to me anymore. "Why are you are disappearing?" Kang Si An tries to grab on to my arm, but he hands pass through me. *** "I heard that you are her close friend." The store owner greets Kang Si An happily. Kwon Kyuri''s boyfriend is a star. His store is really famous now. His sales have gone up. How lucky he is! Kang Si An puts his hands in his pocket. At this moment, he wants to go back home and sleep. Thanks to certain someone, he couldn''t sleepst night. Now, he is looking for her here and there. He doesn''t even know her name. It''s not that he is interested to know her name. "Did shee here?" Manager Jeong asks the store owner. "She isn''t picking up her phone." "No." The store owner picks up the lunchboxes and a phone. "She forgot these here. Take this with you. She must have gone back to the dorm." "Oh." Manager Jeong shows her best smile. "Do you know where the dorm is?" The scent of lemon pickles. Kang Si An scrunches his nose. He hates pickles. He puts the lunch boxes in the car. Manager Jeong looks exhausted. She has been on a call to release an article. Nothing is in his hands. He decides to snoop inside the store girl''s phone. Maybe, he can find something that might help him. Chapter 11: I didnt make it crazy Chapter 11: I didn''t make it crazy Kang Si An scrolls through the pictures in her phone. There is no picture. Odd. There are five contact numbers on her phone - her father, her mother, Her brother No Yoon Mi, and food delivery store. "She''s a sad person." He pities her a bit. Then, he opens his phone to check his contact numbers. On his phone, there are three contacts - Manager Jeong, his mother, and his younger brother. "I don''t need people." Kang Si An mumbles to himself. Manager Jeong takes care of everything for him. She has taken care of everything since he debuted. He is abnormally dependent on her. But, that''s okay. "She is not at her dorm." Manager Jeonges inside the car, looking frustrated. This is the first time when he is seeing her exhausted and frustrated at the same time. Now, he knows how many store girl it takes to infuriate Manager Jeong. He looks out of the car window, mentally chastising himself. It''s been his fault actually. If he hadn''t gone there at night, this wouldn''t have happened. He should have called Manager Jeong first when the store girl passed out. "Isn''t that her?" Kang Si An narrows his eyes on the creature who is wearing a coat in summer. "Hey, store girl!" Kwon Kyuri halts on her track when she sees him. She blinks her half-moon shaped eyes, turns around, and walks in the opposite direction like she hasn''t seen them. "What the hell!" Kang Si Anes out of the car. He shouts like a mad man. "Stop right there." Kwon Kyuri starts running when she hears him yelling. Kang Si An starts running behind her. What is she ying now? Wham! She ms into the pole. *** My head hurts. Who decided that it was a good idea to put poles in the street? It''s a real obstruction when one is running away from someone. "You are awake." The elderly doctor smiles. "How are you feeling?" The same doctor? Did I go to the future? "Is it May or October?" "May?" The elderly doctor purses his lips with worries and uncertainty in his eyes. "Do you remember your name?" "Yes, I do." I take a breath of relief. My head starts hurting more when I realize that I am at Kang Si An''s apartment. I have woke up thrice in his apartment now. Once in the future. Twice in the present. If I still can''t recognize this ce, then I am a retard. The doctor leaves after a few words of advice. I ignore it. Manager Jeong and Kang Si An are watching me as if I owe them the I face him with a straight face, trying not to be unnerved by his prating gaze. He doesn''t blink. I don''t blink either. It is his loss though, considering my eyes are happy when they are ogling a guy with a handsome face. "Ahem!" Manager Jeong crosses her arms. "Why?" "Why?" I sigh. Why I am in this situation? "Why I am back here?" "Why did you run away?" Kang Si An asks me bitterly. "Thanks to you, my pictures of chasing my fake homeless girlfriend is roaming the inte." "You have a fake homeless girlfriend?" I am amazed that a celebrity would date someone like that. "Can I see her picture?" He shows me his phone. I can''t see anything on the screen except my face on the front camera. My hair is a disheveled mess. I have a thick bandage on my forehead. I wonder if it would leave a scar. Then, I recall that I didn''t see the scar on my future self when she was being murdered. No scar then. "What do you see?" He asks me gravely. "How could you go out like this when you have the desire to date me?" "I am in this state because of you." I clench my fists. I want to kill this guy right now. "You chased me. Why I am being chased? I didn''t kill anyone. It should be you." "Why should it be me?" He res at me. "I didn''t kill anyone either." "Right." I unclench my fists. "You didn''t kill anyone." You will kill me in the future. "What''s wrong with you?" Veins pop on his forehead. "Are you really my fan?" "No, I am not." I grin at him happily. "I don''t like you at all. I dislike looking at your face. It hurts my eyes." "You!" He stands up on his feet abruptly. "You brought me nothing but trouble. Ever since I met you, my life has gone crazy." "I didn''t make it crazy." I raise my palms up. "Don''t me me. I have got nothing to do with your actions." "Miss Kwon, it is because you said unnecessary things." Manager Jeong looks calm and serene. She sits across me with a smile that says - ''You don''t have the ability to y games with me, child''. "What did I say?" I show her the same smile - ''Bring it on.'' "You said that Kang Si An is your boyfriend. You have admitted it in front of the news reporters." She leans forward. "Because of you, Kang Si An had to admit it in public. I have already released the articles that he is dating you." "Retract those articles," I reply, keeping my tone emotionless. "I have no intention of dating him." "But...you..." She seems aggravated. She takes a deep breath. "Miss Kwon, do you want to ruin his career?" "Nope." I just want to stay away from him as far as possible. I don''t even want to know the reason why he would try to kill me. He probably wants to kill me because I got pregnant with his child somehow. I don''t know what kind of person my future self is. But, I can only rely on my present self. There is no way that I will ever get intimate with him. "Do you want to go to the cops to change your statement?" She widens her eyes. "Miss Kwon, we have agreed to go along with your terms. He will date you for the next six months. Are you not happy? Do you want something more?" "Manager, I don''t want to be close to this manipting creature," Kang Si An tells her. "Please send me to the cops." "I haven''t even started manipting you yet." I roll my eyes. "If I want to manipte you, I could have done it already. Do you know my special skills? I can easily make you..." I close my mouth. Why I am bragging about my special paranormal skills to my murderer? My only skills are time-travel and dream walk. "See?" Heughs mockingly. "This is your true nature." Chapter 12: Date who? Chapter 12: Date who? Manager Jeong looks angry, but I know that she is happy because I changed my mind. Kang Si An looks like he wants to kill me on the spot. At this moment, I can count more than a hundred reasons why he would kill me in the future. If I hang out with him more, he will have gazillions of reasons after six months. I have to disappear. How about I take a break from my college and go on a world tour? My bank bnce is low. I can take a loan from my brother. Maybe I should go to the military to serve my country. No, living in the same country is a bad choice. I should go somewhere he would nevere. How about I make an underground hiding ce? Should I go to the mountains? I need peace. Should I go to the monastery? Should I learn the martial art or hire bodyguards? What should I do? How do I outsmart time and fate itself? "Miss Kwon, I guess that you have changed your mind again." She appears too calm. "Can you tell me why?" "I won''t go to the cops." She can barely hide her excitement when she hears my words. "I don''t want to attract attention. I don''t want to see him again. Let''s just...part ways and never see each other again." "After everything that you did?" Kang Si An cracks his knuckles. "You want to run away?" "Miss Kwon, I understand your feelings." She rubs her hands. "But, we can''t trust you." "It''s your problem." I stand up, ready to leave this ce and n my disappearance. "Not mine." "Wait." Shees to my side. "We can trust you legally." I understand the meaning of her words. "Sure. Anything that makes you feel at ease." "What are you doing, Manager Jeong?" Kang Si An eyes her disapprovingly. He is an idiot, isn''t he? How could someone like him kill me? How could someone like me get murdered like him? The world is full of puzzles. "Come with me." She grabs his arm and drags him along with her. She closes the door behind them. *** "Manager Jeong?" Kang Si An doesn''t understand the reason behind her behavior. "Idiot." She flicks his forehead. "She changed her mind. Isn''t that good for you?" "Do you believe her?" He snorts. "She is fickle and manipting. She fooled us before going to the station. Shepletely changed at the station. Someone like her isn''t trustworthy." "She is not trustworthy." Manager Jeong agrees with his words. "But, the legal words are. We will make sure that she signs a document that will prove you innocent if she changes her mind again." "Will she sign?" He asks her with doubts. Manager Jeong''s phone rings. It''s from the director of the movie. She signals him to be quiet. "Director Lee?" Manager Jeong''s face bes pale. "There is more to the story...Yes, I understand that you are...but, it''s not...I understand that...Don''t worry...Yes, true love is rare...Do people believe that?... Yes, it is true." Kang Si An observes her changing expressions. He has a bad feeling about this. A very bad feeling. He has been keen on doing that movie. The female lead actress is pretty as a fairy. He has a crush on her. If they do a movie together, there is a chance to get closer. "Don''t worry, Director Lee. It is nothing. Kang Si An will understand." After a pause, she hangs up the phone and lets out a heavy sigh. "Did I lose that movie?" Kang Si An knows that Director Lee is a moody person. The director had someone else in his mind, but it was Manager Jeong who convinced him that Kang Si An is perfect for the role. ''Our Tangled Destiny'' is a historical romantic movie. In this, the male lead is a prince with a tragic history. One day, he meets a cross-dressingmoner. After a series of misadventures, they fall in love. It turns out that she is a spy. Nevertheless, it is a story that ends in tragedy. "No." She presses the phone against her chest. "Director Lee confirmed it. He is impressed by your love story. He thinks that he made the right decision by choosing you. He is even thinking of signing you for his next movie." "My love story?" He nearly chokes on his breath. "Manager Jeong, you are not talking about...?" "Yes, he thinks that you are dating amoner." *** "I am fine," I tell my mother for the 100th time. "It was a misunderstanding...Are you already in the dorm?... Father came too...? Why?... Okay, I understand...Oh, grandma gave me pickles. Yes, I will bring them. Just wait for me... Yes... No, I am not dating that person... The journalists are lying... Yes, I should have beaten him up when he kissed me on my cheek... Yes, I should have pped him... No, I can''t date him... I am not lying. Mother, don''t you think that your expectations are too high for someone like me? Can I date that creature? Can I date anyone? Me with my special gifts? I get it that you married father, but he is not like me... Ah, I don''t want to fool anyone... Mother, I have bigger problems. Okay, I will talk to you after Ie back." Kang Si An and Manager Jeong enter the room. Manager Jeong is holding a document. I feel happy. Finally, I can go back home after this. Then, I will run away to somewhere far away. "You can go after signing this." She puts down the document and the pen on the table. "Miss Kwon, do you really change your mind about dating him?" "I don''t want to force anyone." I sign the papers. "I don''t like him either." "I don''t like you either," Kang Si An mutters. I raise my brows. That''s good. We don''t have to see each other. If you don''t like me, don''te to kill me. "Perfect." Manager Jeong checks the paper. "You have signed the contract. ording to this, you will date him and be his fake girlfriend until the movie ''Our Tangled Destiny'' is released." "Yes, I would do that." I nod at her. Then, I realize that the words are wrong. "Date who? Signed what? Until when?" Chapter 13: Familiar with his touches? Chapter 13: Familiar with his touches? "You have to date me because the movie director thinks that our love story is simr to his movie''s story. Your fans also think that the movie is based on our love story. Now, everyone is looking forward to that tragic movie." I restate their reasons to understand clearly. "Until the movie is released, I have to act as your girlfriend. If I don''t, that director will kick you out of the movie." "You will be a fake contract girlfriend. In front of everyone, you have to act like a real girlfriend." Manager Jeong corrects me. "We will pay for your services." I nce at the papers in her hands. "I don''t want to do it." Manager Jeong smiles and writes down something on the paper. She pushes it toward me. I see the digits and the dor sign. "What is this?" "The money you have to pay for breaking the contract," She tells me merrily. "You created this mess, Miss Kwon. If you hadn''t done the things that you did, you wouldn''t be here. We could have resolved everything in a civil manner. If you don''t do this, Si An will lose the movie to someone else. Director Lee is quite gifted. It''s a privilege to work with him. Si An has worked hard a lot to get this role. You have to pay for his lost chance, don''t you?" My bank bnce is only three digits. Even if I sell my body organs in the ck market, I can''t pay him this much. "I can go to the cops and tell them that you threatened me to sign this." "I knew that you would say that." She pulls thest paper from the document. "You already signed the confession that it was you who tried to seduce Kang Si An in the store. Kang Si An has been in love with you. He would never try to harm you even if the worldes to an end." "So, I have signed something like that." That exins why nobody in the future would be suspicious of him for my murder. I have been ming my future self for low IQ. Of course, I am already in the process of bing my future self. What kind of fool signs something like this without reading? I am doomed. It''s my fault for my doomed future. ''The biggest conspirator is time itself,'' My father told me after he found out that I had the ability to travel through time. When he found out that I was a time-traveler like his eldest missing sister, he wasn''t surprised. He told me that he had an inkling that I would turn out like her. He warned me for a hundred times that I shouldn''t misuse my abilities. Interfering with the time have grave consequences. In the past, my ancestors paid a grave price for messing with times. My aunt disappeared when she was a high school student. It''s been nearly thirty years. She still hasn''te back. The time-travelers are pawns of the time itself. A time-traveler changing the future or going against the will of time is like an ant changing the flow of a giant river. Every new decision or action has unseen consequences. If I make a new chess move against time itself, the entire chess board changes and squares are rearranged. If that happens, I no longer have the upper advantage. The course of actions results in the same reactions. When I thought about getting close to him by taking advantage of the situation, I had the upper hand. I wanted to know the reason and take it away. Then, I was thrown in the future and found out some new information regarding Kang Si An and myself. I am back and I remade the decisions. This time, I don''t want to be anywhere near him. If I had still acted like I wanted to date him aftering back to the present, there wouldn''t have been a contract. Manager Jeong would have agreed happily after talking to the director. I wouldn''t be bound byw. I could escapeter. But, I didn''t know the new future. To y this game, I need to know all the chess pieces and their movements. I don''t want to be ughtered like a pig. I want to live. *** Kang Si An has been observing her ever since she has signed the documents. Even though he is in this mess, he is pleased to see her depressed expressions. Earlier, she told him that she was his fan. Then, she made a scene in front of the journalists and the cops. She told him that she had a special means to know about him. She nned all this. She faked the loss of consciousness. Then, she pushed him to dere that they were dating. Now, she wants to throw him in this mess and leave. She is a professional liar. She is a sly manipting opportunity grabber, but she has lost in her own game. He has a strong dislike for people like her. "You can''t touch me." After a long pause, she eyes him with a strange calmness. "In this fake rtionship." "Pfft." He looks at her from her head to the toes. Brown eyes. Messy brown hair. Skin with freckles on her nose. A few small pimples on her forehead. No sense of fashion. She doesn''t take care of her appearance. People like her are justzy. "You have some confidence." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. "I don''t care about what you think about my appearance. But, I don''t want to have any sort of physical touch with you. Unless it is an absolute necessity, I don''t want to hang out with you." "I should be the one saying this." Kang Si An looks at her with anger. "You are the one at fault." "Shut up." Manager Jeong narrows her eyes. "Both of you are at fault." "What did I do?" He frowns deeply. "My only fault is that I crave choctes when I am nervous. I was nervous before meeting Director Lee. Now, I am frustrated because of her." "I doubt that there is anyone in this room who is more frustrated than me," Kwon Kyuri replies without opening her eyes. She leans back, resting her elbows on his bed. "I don''t let you eat choctes because of your addiction," Manager Jeong tells him sternly. "And you, Miss Kwon. Touching is the absolute necessity to make people believe that you are dating. Si An can act that you are his girlfriend. I have a firm belief in his acting abilities. But, I don''t trust you or your abilities. First, you must make an effort to look presentable. Second, you must be familiar with his touches and control your expressions. You should not look like you are forcing yourself. Third, you and Si An have to meet Director Lee." "You are kidding me, right?" Kang Si An grabs his hair. "Why does he wants to meet her?" "Why do I have to be familiar with his touches?" Kwon Kyuri sits up quickly. "Look, it sounds perverted. I can''t be touched by this guy. That''s uneptable." "It''s written in the contract that you will hug, kiss, and do other necessary gestures to make it believable." Manager Jeong shakes her head. She feels like she is dealing with two kids here. Her BP is getting high whenever she looks at their faces. "That''s too much." Kwon Kyuri grimaces at her. "I am a traditional woman. I don''t like kissing or hugging before marriage." "Weren''t you suggesting one night stand that day in the store?" Kang Si An chuckles. "You aren''t fluent in sarcasm, are you?" She rolls her eyes. "Why are you okay with touching?" "If we have to be in a fake rtionship, we have to touch and pretend." He states the truth. "Else, nobody would believe us. Besides, I am not keen on touching you. However, the situation calls for it." "These two!" Manager Jeong rubs her forehead. If things go like this, nobody would ever believe that they are actually lovers. Director Lee is an experienced man. It will not be easy to fool him. What love? They look at each other like they want to shred each other to pieces. Chapter 14: Hold hands Chapter 14: Hold hands "Hold hands." She orders us coldly. We look at her with shock and disbelief. We yell at the same time. "No!" He and I have mutual repulsion and dislike. "You are meeting Director Lee tomorrow." She puts her one leg over the other and presses her palms together. "It''s my job to right the wrongs. Right now, Miss Kwon, you are not in a good position. For your fake girlfriend job, your body must be familiar with his. We will start with hand holding first." My body must be familiar with his body. I don''t want to think about such things, but I know that I will be pregnant with his child. I want to avoid that future more than being killed in cold blood. I won''t do it with my murderer. This fake girlfriend job is already testing my limits. "Don''t take this in the wrong way." She sighs loudly when she notices my blushing face. "To be honest, I don''t care whether you end up sleeping with him. As long as you don''t get pregnant, you will have no problem with me. You are young. He is young. Things are bound to happen between a man and a woman." "Manager Jeong, you are scaring me." Kang Si An wraps his arms around himself. "Me sleeping with her? You know that I have a certain standard when ites to a woman." This guy! "I also have standards," I shout at both of them. "I will never sleep with him. I would rather die." "Whether you like her or not, you have to pretend to be in a loving rtionship." Her tone is cool as if she is talking about the weather. "Miss Kwon, if you fail or give away that you aren''t his girlfriend, then you will end up in jail. Now, choose between holding hands or prison?" I know that this situation is the result of my actions. It was my idea to force him to be close to me. I wanted to dig a hole for him to fall, but I ended up falling in it. "Fine." I give in. I have to find a way to survive. "Only hand holding. No kissing." She ignores me and nces at Kang Si An. "Kang Si An." Manager Jeong''s voice low and threatening. "Do you want to act in that movie?" Kang Si An says nothing at first. He nces at my hand and then, at her. His swallows down the words when he notices her re and grabs my hands slowly. He looks away and mumbles, "I must make this sacrifice for my goals." Heavy. Not the weight of his hand. But, the weight of the sensation. I feel uneasy when I feel the warmth of his hand. This is the same hand that was holding the dagger while stabbing me in the stomach. My murderer. I want to chop his hand. He doesn''t meet my eyes. I look at Manager Jeong. I don''t understand what she will gain from this. We have to hold hands and sit together. I feel like I am back in kindergarten and I am currently being punished for not doing my homework. "Keep holding it for the rest of the day." She seems pleased with us. "Before tomorrowes, you and Si An should look like a pair of inseparable lovers." I feel like throwing up. Inseparable lovers? My foot! "I have to go back home." "Go then." She smiles at me wickedly. "Who is stopping you? All you have to do is keep hold his hand for the entire day." "No." Kang Si An shakes his head. "I don''t have that much tolerance." I take a deep breath. "I can''t take him with me. My parents areing." "That''s good." Manager Jeong nods. "Kang Si An, go with her and meet her parents." "Whoa!" I try to shake his hand off, but he doesn''t let go. "I can''t let him meet my parents." "Why?" Manager Jeong raises her brow. "Miss Kwon, you can never ever tell anyone about the contract. When you are dating him, you will be on the news even if it is fake. Your family will find out. The journalists will reach them too. They must answer them correctly. It''s better if he meets them now to make it believable. I don''t want anyplication in the future." My family...will never believe it. *** Kang Si An has never thought that he would be meeting her fake girlfriend''s parents. It''s not that he has never dated. Regardless, his longest rtionship has been five months. Even then, he never met his ex-girlfriend''s parents. Now, he has to meet his fake girlfriend''s parents. It hasn''t been a day since she became his contract girlfriend. Screw that! It has been only three days since he met her. Manager Jeong has her reasons to do what she is doing now, but Kang Si An doesn''t like her methods. First of all, he disapproves of this n. Secondly, she is acting like he is cancer to her. "I can''t take him to my family." She shakes her head. "I will exin it to them. I won''t tell them about the contract. Just let me go now. They are waiting for me." "I get it." Manager Jeong puts up her palm. "But, you have to hold the hand for the rest of the day. You must act familiar with each other by tomorrow. You must look at him like he is your lover. Do you get it?" "No." She tries to jerk off his hand, but he doesn''t let it go. He knows that Manager Jeong would throw daggers at him if he does. She keeps shaking. He keeps his eyes on the ceiling and firmly holds her hands. "I will treat him like a boyfriend, but ask him to let go of my hand first. What if I have to go to the bathroom? I can''t let him go with me." Kang Si An quickly lets go of her. "There is no way that I will go there with you." Chapter 15: Where did you find this funny man? Chapter 15: Where did you find this funny man? "Call me when you are done." Manager Jeong nces at their hands once. "Don''t forget. If you break it off, there will be no chocte for you ever." "That''s cruel." Right now, Kang Si An is craving choctes actually. Everything is stressing him out a lot. "Don''t get into trouble." Manager Jeong warns them and then, she gets into the car. "Why I am doing this?" Kwon Kyuri mumbles to herself while watching the car run away from them. Kang Si An sighs heavily. He is wearing a mask and sunsses to not attract attention. It''s not much helpful. Even if he hides his face, Kwon Kyuri is famous now as his girlfriend. "Let go of my hand now." She tries to shake his hand off, wildly. "Everyone is watching us." "I can''t let go." He nearly shouts at her. "Didn''t you hear her warning?" "For choctes?" She lifts her hand near his neck, barely resisting the urge to break his neck. Her face contorts with anger. "Kang Si An, she is not here now. She won''t find out." "She can tell." Kang Si An recalls the times when Manager Jeong could always find out when he lied. "That person is not human. She can tell by looking." "Kyuri?" Just their luck! A man, dressed in jeans and white shirt, appears in front of them. He res at her and says, "We have been waiting for hours. Where have you been?" "Elder brother, why did youe too?" *** Recently, I have had a feeling that I have spent all the luck of my life. I know that my parents are visiting me because of the call that the cops made to my house. But, I had no idea that my elder brother is here too. "Mother called me yesterday night. She told me that you have been kidnapped." His eyes move to our hands. I feel like digging a hole and burying myself. I am going to have a hard life from now on. "Why are you holding his hand?" My elder brother asks me with a straight face. "We are...doing...a type of college activity to spread friendship..." I wreak my brain toe up with a lie. Lying to my family especially him has never been easy. They can easily guess it. I can fool the entire world, but not them. "Nice to meet you. My name is Kang Si An." Kang Si An takes off his sunsses and mask. "I am her boyfriend." "..." You are not supposed to say that. "Boyfriend?" My elder brother takes a nce at me and then, he watches him carefully. "I saw the news. I know my sister. I can tell that your rtionship is fake." "That''s not true." Kang Si An leans closer to me. "I know that it is hard to believe." I whisper to him. "Do you want to die?" "Are you threatening me?" He whispers back. "I am trying to..." "This is my family." "I know. Why doesn''t he believe us?" "Because you are not good enough for her." We jump in surprise when we notice that my elder brother is standing close to us, listening to our whispers. He grabs our held hands and pulls them apart by force. "Kyuri is too much for you to handle. Someone like you can never be good enough for her." "Elder brother." I rub my forehead. "He is my boyfriend." "And the sun rises from the west." My brother doesn''t believe me at all. "Kyuri, how many times have you lied to me?" "Uh..." If I start counting, I am afraid that it will take the entire day. I don''t think that he wants to hear the number. "Don''t count." He smiles at me, but he is slightly mad. "Mother and father are waiting. Let''s go." He grabs my wrist and pulls toward him. Kang Si An pulls my other arm. I stumble and falls into his arms. He wraps his other arm around my shoulders. His voice is deep and loud when he says, "I love her. I understand that I am not good enough for her, but I will try my best to be better. I will never let go of her. If it takes the sun to rise from the west, then I will make the sun rise from the west." My heart skips beats. Not one or two. I am afraid that he can also feel my drumming loud heart. I would be lying if I say that I didn''t like it. His scent. His warmth against my back. His tone of voice. If I didn''t know about the contract between us or my murder by his hands, I would have believed him. I can''t see his eyes, but my brother lets go of my wrist. He sighs and asks me, "Where did you find this funny man?" "It''s a long story," I tell him quietly. My brother and father are born normally. But, they are highly intuitive and practically a walking lie detector. My mother and I could never lie to them. Even if I know the future, it''s better to not say anything at all than tell them a lie. And there is one more thing. My father and my brother are highly protective of me. "Hey." Kang Si An res at me. "Did you forget?" I wonder if he is talking about the contract. "Forget what?" My brother asks him with an expressionless face. "What did she forget?" "Pickles." I blink my eyes at Kang Si An. "We forgot grandma''s pickles. I left it at your home." "You forgot grandma''s pickles at his home?" My brother frowns deeply. "You were at his home?" Oh, that''s not the right thing to say. I try to prevent the fire from spending. I can''t lie. but, I can hide the truth. "Yes, she spent the night at my home." Kang Si An opens his mouth and throws petrol on the spreading fire that I am trying to extinguish before it can cause the chaos. "I went to pick her up from her part-time job." Chapter 16: Begging me to date him Chapter 16: Begging me to date him In the private room of the restaurant, my family is sitting on the opposite side, facing me and Kang Si An with straight faces. My mother, who is the most excited one to see Kang Si An''s face, winks at me to show support. I wink back at her. This doesn''t escape my father''s and brother''s eyes. "Since when?" My father asks me with a grave tone. "Two months," Kang Si An Answers him before I can. I want to kill this guy. "Since when have you been doing the part-time job?" My father ignores him. "Haven''t I told you that you can''t do it?" "I didn''t forget that," I reply with a whiny tone. I know that it will annoy him more. But, he also likes it when I act childish. "You say this because I am a girl. If I was a boy and your elder child, I would not have any restriction. I could go out at night and have fun like the elder brother." "Not again." My elder brother groans in frustration. "Don''t start that again. We are just worried about you. You know why!!!" "I didn''t take the night shift." I cross my fingers. "It was just because the night-shift employee took off because of his wife''s pregnancy. I was going to do it for only two days. The store-owner didn''t want me to do it, but he couldn''t find anyone else. So, I volunteered." "You are lying." My father sighs deeply. "Tell me about this boy. How did you meet him?" "We -" Kang Si An opens his mouth to speak. I pinch Kang Si An''s hand. He yells, "Ow! What are you doing?" "Let me answer him, honey," I tell him through the clenched teeth. Don''t overact, you stupid actor! "Father, we met a week ago. He fell for me at first sight. He was begging me to date him. So, I said yes." Fake boyfriend. I am not lying. Fake boyfriend is a boyfriend. Technically, we met a week ago...in the future. His manager is the one who got me to sign that stupid contract. Begging, it is. "Just like that?" My brother raises his brow. "Father, she is up to something again." "You are always suspicious." My mother chimes in to save me. "My child deserves happiness. She chose well. Look, he is handsome and serious about her." "Kyuri''s mother, if she had chosen because of her heart, I would have epted it." My father turns toward her. "She is lying. I am interested in knowing why." Why? If I start, it will be a big problem. I resort to myst option. *** Kang Si An looks at each family member. He has never thought that someone''s family would react like this. Usually, girls would like the idea of even holding his hand. Here, this girl''s family is treating him like a fake. It is a fake rtionship. If her family can''t believe it, what are the chances of the director believing? He has no chemistry with this girl. None. Manager Jeong could easily see it. That''s why she made them hold hands. This is a stupid idea. Should he take a risk and reveal everything to the director? What are the odds of everything turning right? There is an odd silence in the room. All eyes are focussed on the girl. He is wondering what''s going on. Are they talking with eyes? He is also in the room though. "Dad, I am doing what I need to do." Kwon Kyuri breaks the tense silence. "You have to trust me. This is the matter... regarding my future." Kang Si An narrows his eyes. Regarding her future? Does she want to use him to get something else? Temporary fame? Yes, that makes sense. All of her actions and words make sense to him now. Her father and brother sigh loudly. Her mother looks sad. Kang Si An can''t understand anything about this family. They look like they are deeply upset because he is her boyfriend. "..." This girl and her family are crushing his pride mercilessly. Is he not good looking and famous enough? "Can you give us a moment to talk?" Her father asks him solemnly. He purses his lips. He doesn''t trust this family, but he can''t say no either. "I will wait outside." Kang Si An walks out. The door is closed. He doesn''t give up. He glues his ear on the door and tries to listen to their conversation. *** "Speak." My fathermands me in a low voice. My brother shakes his head at me. My mother gives me a small nod. "You told me not to give you spoilers about the future." I grin at them. I don''t want them to worry about me. My father won''t take it easy since my aunt also disappeared a long time ago. If deathes, I will ept it. At least, I won''t disappear. They will have closure if I am unable to change my future. "I told you not to mess with the time." My father res at me. "I am not trying to." I scratch my head. "I can''t ignore it either. I sort of... ended up... in this." I would have never expected that Kang Si An woulde to me before I go to him. It feels like fate. I know that I am screwed up. "Since it is like this, we won''t interfere," My father tells me reluctantly. "You can''t create troubles, alright. You can''t end up like your aunt. Those timekeepers wille for you if you try to change this" It''s either them or getting stabbed in the gut. My choice is obvious. "I will be good, Dad," I promise him. I will be good and do my best to change my future. My brother gives me a look. That look. He knows. Anyway, I can''t fool every member of my family. "You are already old enough to know what is best for you." My father''s voice holds a deep grudge. He is still mad and afraid. There is little what he can do. He brings out a notebook from his jacket''s pocket. "I brought your aunt''s notebook to give it to you." "My aunt notebook?" I take a notebook. Purple cover with golden flowers with words in white: Laws of Time. "She left this to my mother before she disappeared. On the first page, she wrote a warning." He looks slightly pale. "I was nning to read this if you were really kidnapped." Eerie words. I look at the first page. Her handwriting is clear. I wonder what kind of person she was. "Only open it if you are in a big problem," My father says in a warning tone. "I don''t want you to disappear." I don''t want to disappear either. Chapter 17: Some words are better left unsaid Chapter 17: Some words are better left unsaid Kang Si An can''t hear a word. He curses the restaurant owner for making such private rooms. A restaurant should be open spaces where people could listen to others easily. Did this girl tell them about the contract? Manager Jeong will kill him if she does. The door suddenly opens. He falls forward straight into a hard chest. He looks up and finds her brother ring at him. "Um..." He doesn''t know what to say. Act casual. He steps back and shows the best photogenic smile. "Since you love her ''so much'', I hope that you ''do'' your best to protect her." Her brother steps closer to him. "I don''t care whether you are an actor or not, you better not hurt her. Else, I will find you and... " A dark smile. "Some words are better left unsaid." Kang Si An gulps. Her brother is scary. "I will do my best." Her brother pats his head. Hard. "Brother, are you a mafia boss?" Kyuri res at her brother. "Don''t scare him away. He is my first boyfriend." "He seems to have some guts." Her brother ps his shoulder, trying to wipe away invisible dust and feeling the bone. "I wonder how it feels like to crush bones." "Dad, brother is having another fit," Kyuriins to her father who is showing a dark grin to Kang Si An. "God, I don''t have anyone normal in my family." Kang Si An agrees. There is no one normal in this family. "I will do my best to take care of her." He is an actor. He can still pretend. "Your best might not be enough." Her brother smirks at him. "You have to be better if you want to stick to her." Damn! Is she the queen of this country? She doesn''t have looks or talents. He has gone out with famous actresses who are worshipped by the nation for their beauties. Compared to them, she is... barely anything. "It''s a long drive back." Kyuri beams at her father. "Ah! The pickles. Grandma wanted you to have them." "I have asked someone to bring them here." Kang Si An interjects. He doesn''t want to keep those pickles or take her parents to his home. "I dislike you less now," Her brother suddenly says. "That''s right." Kyuri ps her hands. "We should eat something tasty until we wait for the pickles." Kang Si An sighs. It''s barely been a day. He is already having lunch with his fake girlfriend''s parents. *** Phew! My parents and brother have left. But, the problem is not gone. Kang Si An is still sitting beside me and eating the slice of cake like a kid. The nation''s flower prince is eating like this. Who would think? Even celebrities are abnormal people. He is not more abnormal than me. I lean back and think about my future. The notebook in my hands feels heavy. For some reasons, I don''t have the courage to open it. The warning on the first page promises nothing good. [Knowledge of the futurees with a price. A temporary fortune might bring in a bigger misfortune. Proceed only if you are prepared to pay the price.] "I am done." I hear him say. He puts down the te and holds my hand. "Ease up. Until the clock strikes 12, we can''t let go of each other." His hand feels warm. The same hand that killed me. I feel more depressed now. "Do you always wear clothes like that?" He wrinkles his nose. "I will ask Manager Jeong to make you look right for the asion." I jerk off his hand and stand up. "Just send me the address. I will reach the ce on time. Don''t bother me." *** Kang Si An looks at the store girl. "We still have to hold hands." "Don''t even think about it." She crosses her arms. "I abhor your touch." She storms out of the room. He runs out to stop her. But, there is no one in the corridor. He looks to the left and the right. No sign of her. Strange! Did she disappear into thin air or she can walk fast? Weird girl! *** Not again. "Crap!" This is the third time already. Why is it happening so many times now? It''s freezing here. The ground is covered with snow. Where is this godforsaken ce? I check my pockets. I have my wallet, my aunt''s notebook, and my phone. As usual, my phone''s signal is gone. "Neigh!" I turn around and find countless horses running toward me. I rub my eyes and look at them again. The men riding the horses are dressed up in furry coats and... Are those swords in their hands? Am I dreaming? Shit. They areing toward me. What should I do? Where should I run and hide? It is an open valley. The hell! I want to go back to my time. More loud noises. More warriors with pointy swords on horses are running toward me from the other side My stomach feels heavy. Shit. This is either a battleground or a film suiting. Since I don''t see any camera and I am well aware of my luck, my stupid brain finds rationality and pumps up enough in adrenaline my body to run. I don''t go toward the raging warriors on either side of me. I run straight, leaving the space for their fun time. I don''t know whether they noticed me or not. I want to keep running until I can make it back in my time. Chapter 18: I will make it real Chapter 18: I will make it real She is gone. He tries calling her, but her phone is unreachable. He can''t go to her dormitory. Not knowing what to do, he calls Manager Jeong who scolds him for letting her go. Then, she calls him back saying that she will handle it. He goes back to his apartment and prepares for his meeting with the director. He rereads the script. He is startled when the doorbell rings suddenly. He opens the door and finds the store girl. She is wearing a ck knee-length dress that hugs her body at the right curves. Her hair is neatlybed and braided. He frowns when she smiles at him. "Why are you here?" He asks her slowly. She stands up on her toes and pecks his lips. "Why would a girlfriend visit her boyfriend at night?" He steps away and wipes his lips in disgust. "Are you bipr? Don''t just kiss me whenever you want. Our rtionship is fake." "I will make it real, Si An." She closes the door behind her. She stands close to him, looking at him with a sly look in her eyes. "What do you want to have for dinner? Me or ... ?" *** Oh my god! They are cutting humans like vegetables. I feel the urge to throw up. The scent of blood and screams feel too real. My legs feel weak, but I keep running. I stumble and fall on my face. I turn around to look. The battle is over. The white ground is soaked with blood. I feel sick. The soldiers are looking at me, but they don''t make any attempt to capture me. I look ahead. An armored man is standing in front of me. The sword is pointed at my throat. I am not dumb enough to make a move now. I just pray. Silently. To go back in my time. *** "Thanks for the food." She presses her palms together and bows her head. She picks up the chopsticks. He looks down at the meal, wondering if she mixed something in them. It looks delicious, but he doesn''t trust her. She starts eating without any hesitation. "Why are you here?" Kang Si An stares at her. "Are you ying hot and cold with me? I have zero interest in you." "Yum!" She licks her lips. "It was so worth it." "What was worth it?" Kang Si An is curious. She is trying to y him around. All of her actions are shady. Coming to his house and taking over his kitchen as if she owns it, she has some guts. Why can''t he kick her out? Whenever he tries to get close to her, she does a sneak attack. She would wink seductively or try to kiss him. Other time, she would tickle him. Tickles are his weaknesses, alright. He can''t go close to this tickle monster. Manager Jeong hung up after telling him to suffer. "The food will get cold." She points at his te with the chopstick. "It won''t taste good. I will make something sweet for youter. Do you want to drink a chocte shake or do you want to y in the bed?" "I abhor your touch," He tells her the exact words that she said to him in the afternoon. She just smiles and says nothing. Reluctantly, he picks up the chopsticks and digs in the meal. It''s delicious. He scowls at her and continues to eat. *** I can''t stop my body shake. I can''t tell whether I am shaking because of cold or fear. The edge of the sword touches the side of my neck. I wince when it pierces my skin. I am dead. My parents won''t even know about it. Please, god, I don''t want to die. Not like this. I don''t deserve to die like this. I open my mouth, but no word woulde out. He raises the sword. I close my eyes. There it is, my end. Dad, I am going to end up like my aunt. Please don''t cry for long. "Li Jun." I open my one eye to peek. The sword is frozen in the air. I turn my head to see what he is looking at. It''s another soldier on the back of the ck horse. The new soldier shakes his head slowly. Li Jun lowers the sword. Though I can''t see his eyes behind the mask, I can feel his bloodthirst. The new soldier climbs off the horse. I crawl backward when I see him walking toward me. Why the hell I am not back in time yet? I don''t stay anywhere for this long. What''s going on here? He bends down on one knee in front of me. I don''t have any weapon. My phone and wallet are gone. I am only holding my aunt''s notebook. I point the notebook at him as if it is a dagger. Foolish, yes! He removes the mask right away. His face is oval with a tiny scar on his cheekbone. His eyes are exotic and intense. His lips are a soft shade of pink. I hear a fewints from other soldiers who have just reached. I can''t understand thenguagepletely. Bits and pieces. I realize that it''s the ancientnguage of the C country. Shit! How far did I travel back this time? That''s why my father wanted me to learn thenguages. I should have listened to him. Now, I regret deeply for not working hard when he wanted me to learn some ancientnguages. I didn''t think that I would need it like this. Argh! "Calm down." She tells me in a low voice. I realize that she is speaking the fluentnguage of my country. "One mistake and you could die." "Aunt Yoori!" I exim. I have seen her pictures at home. I would never mistake it. This person is Kwon Yoori, my aunt who disappeared before I was born. She covers my mouth with her palm. I hear her yell in the foreignnguage. I only understand one word - Kill. Chapter 19: One mistake and you could die Chapter 19: One mistake and you could die The girl is frightened to the core. She can barely beg for mercy. Li Jun is ready to cut her down in half. The girl is at the wrong ce at the wrong time. "Li Jun." She calls out his name. He stops halfway and cocks his head as if asking why he should stop. He barely ever talks. She doesn''t me him. His past is full of blood and sorrows. She gets off the horse. She realizes that something is odd with the girl. Her hair is dyed brown. Her facial features are different. Her clothes are instant give away. She doesn''t belong to this time. Kwon Yoori has no idea whether this girl is a time-traveler or someone who has been thrown back in time. The girl is frightened. The girl crawls back when she sees her approaching. Kwon Yoori bends down on one knee and takes off her mask. "What is this new general doing?" "We should just kill the girl." "Not before we can spend some time with this pretty face." "The new general doesn''t know how things go around here." Kwon Yoori sighs and turns to the girl who is looking back at her with big round eyes. She doesn''t look like she understands any word they are speaking. Yoo Ri decides to speak in anothernguage to check something. "Calm down," She tells her in thenguage of her home country. It''s been a while since she used it. "One mistake and you could die." "Aunt Yoori!!!" She exims loudly. Kwon Yoori covers her mouth right away. Her facade can''t be broken. Who is this girl? When did she have a niece? Unless... "What is she speaking?" A soldier yells. "We should kill her." Kwon Yoori knows that there is no respect for her among them. The emperor has basically sent her here to die. She isn''t someone who will give up easily. "I will kill you if you approach her," She yells back at them fiercely. "I have chosen her to be my woman for this season. Do you want to challenge me?" The soldiers back away when they see the bloodthirsty look in her eyes. Luckily, the stupid girl is frozen. She is not uttering any other necessary word. She whispers to her, "Go along nicely. We will talkter." The girl gives her a stiff nod. It doesn''t go unnoticed by Li Jun and other soldiers. So, the famous third son of General Yu is interested in women too. Taking a foreign woman like this? Tch! Kwon Yoori ties her wrists and ankles. She throws the girl over the horse without any shred of kindness. The girl whimpers, but she doesn''t cry. Yoori climbs the horse and goes away to the camp. Li Jun stares at the fleeing figures darkly. *** "Aunt, where are we?" I ask her when we are alone in her quarter. The bed is hard and cold. She covers me with her coat. Then, she proceeds to cut away the rope. "Border," She tells me curtly. "Don''t call me aunt." "Ah!" I take a good look at her. She looks like a man in every way. Her face gives it away slightly, but her expression makes it for her. She looks at me intently, "Tell me everything." I finish telling her about her disappearance and how my father still hopes for her to return. She looks at me sadly and says, "I can''t go back." "Why?" I am puzzled. I don''t think that anyone would want to live in these crazy times where people hang out with swords. "I traveled too far back in time. So, I am burned out. I can''t go back until my ability is recharged." Her voice is quiet. "Why are you here?" "I don''t know why I am here." I give her a notebook. "You left this to grandma. Can this help?" Aunt Yoori looks at the notebook. "What is this?" "I don''t know. I haven''t read it." If she doesn''t recognize it, does it mean that she hasn''t given it to grandma yet? Did I do something wrong now? She opens the notebook and reads the first page. Then, she flips all the pages. "It''s nk." I flip the pages. It''s totally nk except for the cover and the first page. Damn! "Aunt Yoori, did you y a prank on grandma and everyone?" I re at her. *** Kwon Yoori scratches her head. There are times when you suffer for something you do in the future. She observes the notebook again. It''s her handwriting. It means that she will be able to go back, but she will also disappear again. Since she is burned out, she hasn''t been able to use her ability until her body is recharged. She doesn''t know when that will happen. She can use her secondary skills. She looks at the notebook carefully. There are traces of used time crystal. She scans the girl. The girl definitely has zero control over her ability. "Whose daughter are you?" She asks her solemnly. "My younger sister''s or my younger brother''s?" The girl smiles. "My father is your younger brother." "My brother only had one son." Kwon Yoori frowns deeply. "Were you born because I messed with the time?" "Eh?" Kyuri blinks her eyes. "Messed with time?" "That exins things. In the original timeline, my family dies in an ident when I was sixteen. I went back in my time and prevented it. There were other times when I did it for fun. In the second original timeline, my younger brother only had a son in the future. Well, seeing that you are a time-traveler, you must be the special pawn of time to fix my mistakes." She sighs. She has changed a lot more than just save her family. She tasted the power and started ying with history. The timekeepers were also after her. She tried to run away in the past to hide for a while. She didn''t realize that it was what time wanted her to do. She waspletely burned out when she arrived. In an unfamiliar country and unfamiliar time, she pretended to be a deaf and dumb man. Then, she managed to be a low servant at an Inn for food and shelter. She never tasted powerlessness. Back then, she couldn''t even use her secondary skills. Living was about survival. One day, her life changed. An exiled son of some powerful family was on his way back to his home. The boy was handsome. They talked for a while. He only had one servant. So, she took care of him. He was pleased. He asked her to follow him. She did. Apparently, her luck was worse than her circumstances. On the road, they were attacked by assassins sent by his own family. He gave his identity token to him to confuse the assassin and told her to run. Damn man! He was killed with his servant anyway. She was about to be killed when the fifth prince''s people saved her. Tch! Her identity was mistaken. However, the prince was handsome and kind. She felt so grateful that she willing let herself used as a pawn by that prince in whatever royal conspiracies. The emperor didn''t like it. That''s why she is here now. Chapter 20: Making erotic sounds with my aunt? Chapter 20: Making erotic sounds with my aunt? "I don''t understand." It feels like she is speaking gibberish. "I wasn''t supposed to be born? A special pawn? If we go by the original timeline, my brother was also not supposed to be born." She tears off a paper from the notebook and starts writing with a brush. "In the original timeline, everyone except me died in the ident. The only reason why I lived because I was time-traveling for fun." She draws the second line. "When I found out, I changed the future. A new timeline was created. where my family lived. In that timeline, your father only had one son. Then, I wanted to change more things because I knew that I could. I traveled to the future and the past many times. I might have changed history too. I attracted the attention of the timekeepers. You know about them, right? Special police for bad time-travelers? Anyway, I kept running from them. I traveled too far back in time." Themp is getting dimmer. I don''t know how to ept this information. "A time-traveler with perfect control and a time-traveler with no control?" She eyes me intently. "You were born to fix things. In a way, you are special. I am guessing that keepers will find a way to erase you when your job is done." I recall Kang Si An and the rusty knife. "I am in a situation." *** My aunt listens to me solemnly. "That person is a timekeeper who isn''t awake yet." She shakes her head at me. "Why would you try to get close to your future murderer? That''s the trick of time. He is the timekeeper chosen to deal with you. If you are close to him all the time, he will be awakened. Then, he can kill you easily." I rest my head in my hand. A special pawn of time? Rectifying my aunt''s mistakes? A timekeeper who will be my murderer? Damn! I have been digging my grave. "Timekeepers are the only one who knows how the original timeline was." She takes a bite of the meat. She is eating like a lost soldier in nowhere. "Soon, he will start having dreams. He will be able to see where you will end up when you travel in time. If things be worse, he will be your anchor. Timekeepers sort of lose sanity and be uncontroble. You were perfectly controlled by time." "Aunt, can I stay with you here?" I ask her with a tiny voice. "I don''t mind." She tilts her head and smile. "But, can you? You don''t know when you will be moved back to the future by time." She''s so right. She is burned out because she used her ability on her own. I, on the other hand, is tossed here for unknown reasons. If all of my time-travels had a purpose that I don''t know about, then this one also has one. My aunt must have changed something here that wasn''t supposed to happen. Why I am cleaning up after her poop? "By the way, I am pretending to be a general. Everyone thinks that I am a man. My name is Yu Chen. Currently, I am appointed at the border to deal with invaders and die. I have chosen you to be my temporary woman because I don''t know when you will go back in time." She starts undoing her clothes. "Pretend to be dumb and scared until you figured out thenguage. Stay here. Don''t talk to other soldiers... and... " She looks at me hesitantly. "Can you make lewd sounds at night like we are doing it? We have to make it believable." "Making erotic sounds with my aunt?" I chuckle at the thought. "Why not?" *** Loud erotic sounds emerge from the tent. The soldiers grin among themselves. So, General Yu is not asexual. Theyugh and joke about General Yu''s energy in bed. Inside the tent, "Oh my god!" Kyuri frowns at her aunt. "Your voice sounds womanly. You have to groan like a man." "Ha!" Yu Chen, Aka Kwon Yoori, scowls at her. "You are going to teach me how to be a man? Were you the one who fooled even the ruthless emperor of the foreign country?" "But, Aunt..." "Don''t call me aunt. I am your age." Yoori makes a face. "I am too young to be called aunt." "General Yu." Kyuri smiles at her. "I think that we have done it enough. Can I sleep now?" "What are you saying?" Yoori sits on the bed. "We have to make it all night. I want to dismiss any doubt regarding my masculinity. Tomorrow, you should act tired and... act like yourdy parts hurt." Kyuri gives her a tight-lipped smile. "General Yu, making noises and pretending to lose my virginity to my aunt? Isn''t it bit too much?" "Both of our lives depend on it." They continue their farce whole night. Chapter 21: My woman Chapter 21: My woman Loud noises wake me up from my dreams... or nightmares. I don''t have to pretend to be tired. She made me make weird noises all night until my throat hurt. I never thought that I would do things like this with my aunt. I find the robe and arge ck coat. I wonder what is going on outside. I change my clothes and walk out. Men are packing up. I understand only little of what they are saying. Some of them stare at me andugh. I re at them. Alright, I have to pretend that mydy bits hurt. So, I limp a little. I don''t know how to walk the shame. My aunt is nowhere to be seen. She told me to stay within her sight, but she is nowhere in sight. What should I do? "Ow!" I look up to see the ck-masked man. The same one who tried to kill me yesterday. Oh, shit! I step away. "I... " He steps closer. I step back. I realize that all eyes are on me, but nobody is trying to stop this person. I guess that only my aunt can stop him. Aunt, where are you? I am going to get killed at this rate. "Li Jun!" The voice brings back my breath. I look to my right. My aunt is standing there. Beside her, there is another man dressed in dark robes. He is holding a scroll. ''Li Jun'' steps away. My heart returns to a normal state. *** Why is this man interested in her niece? Yoori grits her teeth. This girl shouldn''t havee out. Does she not understand the gravity of the situation? That guy is called the master of death. The fifth prince sent him with her. He can never be good news. She is always feeling like death is following her around in the form of this man. "Li Jun!" He stops when he hears her call and steps away from the girl. Kyuri looks like her soul is about to fly away. The messenger is also surprised to see the girl. He looks at her questioningly. "My woman," Yoori straightforwardly tells him. The messenger raises his brow. She is irritated to see that look. When she shows no interest, it''s a problem. When she shows interest in women, it is a problem. What do you want from me, people? She crosses her arms. "I will report your progress to the fifth prince." The messenger reveals a tiny smile. "Be well, General Yu." She rubs her forehead. That sounds so ominous. Why does she have a very bad feeling that something really bad is going to happen to her? *** Aunt is here. My lifeline. But, I can''t move at all. This freak is standing a few steps away from me and staring me down. The fact that I can''t see his face makes me more scared. All the soldiers have removed their masks. Why is he still wearing it around? I look at my aunt. She is discussing something with her men. I make a quick decision. This is reckless and crazy. But, I have decided not to be a pawn of time. I have my own life. I will live on my terms and I will die on my terms. I straighten my back and walk toward him. He doesn''t move. Like a statue, he is still looking at me like I am an alien. I can feel my heartbeat. I am curious to see the face of the person who tried to kill me yesterday. Is he handsome like Kang Si An? I stop only two inches away from him. My nose is almost touching his chest. I am brave. I can look at death in the eye. I narrow my eyes at him and point upward. I lift my hand to touch his mask. Surprisingly, he doesn''t cut off my hands or stop me. Feeling braver, I take it off to see the face of this man. Kang Si An. I try to walk back, but he grasps my hand. Shit. *** Kwon Yoori looks up when she hears multiple gasps. She didn''t think that her niece would be someone who likes to seek death so much. What surprises her most is that Li Jun doesn''t stop her either. Why? Kyuri''s pale expression is the second shock to her. She looks like she knows Li Jun. What is their connection? *** Kang Si An. What the hell! I am not afraid if it is him. To follow me back in time, this guy has guts. He even tried to kill me yesterday. "You must have had fun, huh?" I growl at him. "You bastard actor! Are you pretending to be a warrior now?" He says nothing, but he doesn''t let go of my hand either. His eyes are dark instead of green. He has a tan on his skin. His hair is long and ck. I stand on my toes and look into his eyes. Is he wearing lenses? Suddenly, he grips my waist and presses me against his chest. His personality is a bit different. Is he acting and trying to fool me? "I know that it is you, Kang Si An. Stop pretending." I hear loud yells around me. Soldiers are screaming. My aunt is staring at us like we are dead. I don''t know what is going on, but... "Kang Si An, let go of me now." I try to free myself. "I get it that you are a timekeeper. Don''t you think that it is unfair to kill me just because...? What is my fault? I didn''t choose to be like this." He doesn''t let go of me. There is an unmistakable scent of blood on him. I am scared. Why did I decide to be brave? But, if I hadn''t, I would have never known. Chapter 22: You are the only woman here Chapter 22: You are the only woman here "Let go of her." Kwon Yoori grabs her niece''s shoulder. "How dare you touch my woman?" She doesn''t like speaking this way about another female. But, Kyuri is her niece. She wants to keep her alive as long as she can. She also has to act because she imed Kyuri as her woman yesterday. What kind of general would let his imed woman get bullied by another man? Wait, Kyuri is the one who went to get bullied. Aish! This girl is too troublesome. Thankfully, Li Jun let go of the girl. Kyuri frowns deeply and yells, "Height of pretense! Aunt, he is from my timeline. He is the timekeeper who will kill me in the future. Can you feed him to wolves?" Kwon Yoori res at her. "Hmph!" The girl takes the hint and storms off to the tent. Kwon Yoori feels like she is going to have a headache. Li Jun doesn''t wear his mask again. He blinks his eyes at her. "I can''t understand thenguage of the silent ones." She points her index finger at him. "Nobody is allowed to touch her. She can''t be harmed. Do you get it?" No reply. She doesn''t waste any more time. She takes long strides to the tent. Her niece is sitting on the bed with a grumpy face. "What is wrong with you, Kyuri?" She clenches her fists. "How could you do that to him?" "Aunt, he is from my timeline... His name is Kang Si An," Her niece tells her adamantly. "He is fooling you all." "Why can''t two people in two different time have the same face?" Kwon Yoori is surprised to see that her niece is this dumb. "Kang Si An can be this Li Jun''s reincarnation. They can have the same soul and the same body in a different timeline, but they aren''t the same. Li Jun would kill you without a second thought and he isn''t a timekeeper. You are lucky that he didn''t cut off your wrist for taking his mask away." *** Reincarnation? Shit. Why didn''t I think of that? They looked so simr that I thought... Argh! I hold my head. Why did I meet Kang Si An''s reincarnation back in time? I feel like I am being haunted by his soul. Damn! What did I do? I am lucky that Li Jun couldn''t understand what I said. "Let''s calm down." My aunt is taking long breaths. "I can make it work." "Make work what?" I ask her, worried. "The fifth prince is arriving here after a few days." My aunt wipes away the beads of sweat on her forehead. "You are the only woman here." "Um... you are also the woman." I point out. "Nobody knows that." She frowns at me. "Don''t say it again. Don''t talk at all. Pretend that you are stupid. The fifth prince is a cunning devil who is born after 100 devils were sacrificed. I am in this situation because of him. You must act like my woman and don''t ever fall for his charm. Don''t get seduced. Don''t attract Li Jun''s attention. Don''t create trouble for me." I lower my head. I don''t want to create trouble. I don''t want to leave her here either. "Aunt, can I help you leave this ce in any way?" There is a long silence. Sheys herself down on the bed, sad. "I will heal if I find a raw time crystal. Only timekeepers have them. They create special prisons for bad time-travelers like me using the processed time crystals. Getting the raw time crystals might help you gain control your abilities too. But, getting those crystals..." She sighs. Iy down beside her. There is only one bed and we are sharing it. If Kang Si An isn''t awakened, doesn''t it mean that I can find some way to get my hands on the time crystal using him? If I can get the time crystals, I can control my time traveling ability and heal my aunt too. I have to wait until I go back in my time. *** In thest few days, my aunt left the camp many times to take care of the invaders. She is cool. If I had my phone, I would have taken her pictures. Sometimes, she woulde back with wounds. It''s scary to see her covered in blood. She would let me treat her wounds. She would ask me about her family. Since she is another time-traveler like me, I can tell her everything. Li Jun''s eyes follow me everywhere. Since then, he didn''t wear his mask. He wouldn''te close to me, but he wouldn''t stop staring at me either. It feels like he can see through my soul. I am clearly afraid of him after hearing about his bloody past from aunt. His entire family has been executed by assassins sent by his uncle during a power struggle when he was only seven. The assassins didn''t kill him, but they killed everyone in front of him. Since then, he never talked. In the battleground, he is unstoppable. His nickname is Master Death. Comparing Li Jun and Kang Si An, Kang Si An is like a kitten in front of a tiger. They might have the same soul, but their personalities are too different. I try to imagine Li Jun eat hog the sweets as Kang Si An does. Iugh to myself, alone. I see Li Jun creasing his forehead. Can he guess that I amughing at him? Shit. Is he a telepath? "The fifth prince is here." I hear the announcement. Now, what do I do when I am facing a real prince? Chapter 23: Finally picked a bedmate Chapter 23: Finally picked a bedmate "So, this is the woman." The fifth prince, Wu Yixing, let out softughter. "My friend Yu Chen, you rejected all the women from the capital and picked up someone from a battleground." Kwon Yoori smiles politely at him, but her insides feel like they are rotting because of the anger buried inside her for a long time. Back in the capital, he would drag her to the flower house every day and make her watch things that she would never want to see as a woman. He would throw her inside a room with a woman. One time, he announced that he would gift rare jade to any woman who could take her virginity. Damn him! Why can''t she send him to hell herself? Thanks to him, the emperor thought that Yu family is trying to see power. Oh! She still can''t figure out the connection between the Yu family and the empress. She couldn''t care less. The Yu family hated her more because of this. Thanks to him, she was sent here. The emperor made it sound like he was rewarding her. Everyone in the capital knew that it was a punishment for getting too close to the fifth prince. The Yu family was happiest because of the oue. If she ever gets her abilities back, she would make this prince''s life hell. Then, she will take care of that emperor and the Yu family. Screw crazy court politics! Kwon Yoori will teach them what real power is. "What is your name, beautifuldy?" She hears him ask Kyuri who is looking at him with awe. Didn''t she warn her not to get seduced? *** A real prince. Wow! I have only seen people like this in drama. He has an enchanting smile. Such seductive eyes. He is even more handsome than Kang Si An. "What is your name, beautifuldy?" I feel a fluttering feeling in my belly. My aunt has helped me polish my understanding of theirnguage. It''s not perfect, but I can understand better now. "Kyuri." My face burns when I see his gaze on me. "What is your name?" He purses his lips and smiles. My aunt is looking at me like she wants to toss me to timekeepers. I feel intense eyes on my back. I don''t have to turn around to see who it is. "Wu Yixing," He replies to me with a kind-hearted smile. "Kyuri, your name sounds beautiful just like you do." I blink. I remember my aunt''s warning. If Li Jun is master death, this person is a master seducer. This person could kill me with a warm smile and I would feel happy about it. If Ipare him with Kang Si An and Li Jun, I would choose him. Dying happily, isn''t that good? "Here." He gives me a ss of wine. I take it without any question. It''s been a while since I drank and ate anything good. The food here tastes like crap. It''s basically roasted in the fire. I don''t know how my aunt has survived here. I will never refuse yummy wine after spending days like this. "Thanks...fifth prince." I give him a slight bow. I haven''t watched a historical drama much. I don''t know how to act here. I take a sip of the rich time. Oh, it''s so good! "This prince is happy that General Yu finally picked a bedmate." I resist the urge to spit out the wine. My auntughs nervously. The fifth prince alsoughs. The intense feeling on my back gets more intense. I take another sip. I need to be drunk to carry on this conversation. *** "Fifth prince, you must be tired from traveling." Kwon Yoori smiles stiffly at her archenemy. Go! Sleep! Just leave this ce and never return! You damned prince! "Not tired." Wu Yixing gulps down the wine. His new drinking friend giggles. There are only four peoplesting. "You are really a prince." Kwon Kyuri bbers drunkenly. "I have never seen a prince. Can I get your autograph?" "This prince likes you. How about you leave General Yu ande to me?" Wu Yixing leans toward Kyuri and grabs her hand. "Your hand is softer than General Yu''s hand." "Prince, you are out of my league." Kyuri hups. "You are so handsome and manly. You are also kind and cunning. How do you have a perfectly bnced mixture of all desirable traits? Am I already dead? Perhaps, this is a heaven in disguise?" Kwon Yoori looks at two drunkards. Will they remember it if she punches them both? She nces at Li Jun who hasn''t taken a single sip of the wine. His eyes are stuck on Kwon Kyuri. Yoori doesn''t feel good about this. "Kyuri, you are cute. This prince likes you a lot." Wu Yixing looks into her eyes. "Say, do you want to be my concubine?" "Nope!" Kyuri jerks off his hand. "My man must be only married to me. I refuse... I am absolutely against polygamy. There is only one man for one woman and one woman for one man. Prince, don''t you get tired of so many women around you? You should only marry the woman you love. Love is beautiful. It makes the world better." "This prince isn''t married yet." Wu Yixing sulks. "My first fiance died of sickness. My second fiance drowned. My third fiance was assassinated. My fourth fiance -" Kyuri covers his mouth. "I get it. You are unlucky." "Don''t call this prince unlucky." Wu Yixing kisses the back of her hand. "How about you be this prince''s wife? Nobody will take your position until you die." Kwon Yoori stands up to take her niece away. Before she could, Li Jun picks up the drunk Kyuri and leaves the tent. "Um... Wait!" She is about to chase after them, but the prince grabs her wrist. She looks down and finds his eyes clear. No sign of earlier drunkenness. She can''t hide her anger. "You were pretending!" The prince grins at her. "General Yu, we are finally alone. Let''s talk." "But... Kyuri... " She tries to free her hand from the prince''s grip. "She is safe with Li Jun." The prince pulls her down. "My friend, how have you been here?" Chapter 24: I can molest you every night Chapter 24: I can molest you every night "Oi!" She grabs his hair. "Kang Si An! You psychopath! Why are you kidnapping me, huh?" Li Jun is also wondering why, but he doesn''t know the answer. He takes her to his tent andys her down on the bed. She doesn''t let go of his hair. Impatiently, he grabs her fingers and separates them one by one. She pouts at him. "You are a bad man." He is something worse than a bad man. "Why do you keep trying to kill me?" She looks at him with grievances. "What did I do wrong?" Li Jun realizes that she must have said simr words to him after taking off his mask that day. He couldn''t understand her that day. It is his wrong. He shouldn''t have tried to kill her. He was afraid when he saw her on the battlefield. At first, he didn''t think that she was real. Then, he thought that she was an illusion sent by his enemies. If it wasn''t for General Yu, he would have killed this girl. He has dreamt of her before she appeared in his life. He still dreams of her. In his dreams, she is always speaking to him in anguage that he can''t understand. She calls him Kang Si An. She gets mad at him. She is always dressed in strange clothes in strange ces. Sometimes, she would kiss him orugh at him. There were dreams...when they... He blushes. Kyuri pinches his cheeks when she sees him blushing. "Why are you blushing, huh? You pervert!" He purses his lip. She is not harmful. She isn''t sent by enemies. She is not even from thisnd. General Yu is trying to protect this girl. Why? What is her connection with General Yu? What is her connection with him? Why does he dream about her? Kwon Kyuri dozes off before she can answer him. He stares at her for a long time. He can''t help it. He wants to know. He lowers his head and steals a kiss from those soft lips. It''s a lot better than his dreams. *** Warm. I snuggle closer to my aunt. She feels nice. After a long time, I had a good sleep. I wrap my arms around her waist. She isn''t kicking me out of the bed. I open my eyes with a wide smile and see Li Jun''s sleeping face. I close my eyes. It looks like I am still having a nightmare. I slowly let go of his waist and slide away from his body. I reopen my eyes and see him staring at me with his dark eyes. Memories of the drunken night pop up in my mind like inte scamming pages. I only remember being abducted by him. So, what happened after that? Our clothes look intact. I let out a breath of relief. "Why did you bring me here?" I frown at him. "Did you do anything funny to me when I passed out?" His face bes red. So, he did. "You!" Master Death, my foot! He is a pervert who touches an asleep woman. "What did you do to me?" He nces at my lips. His face bes redder. "Did you kiss me?" I narrow my eyes. He gives me a stiff nod. "Only kiss, right?" Another stiff nod. I feel better. It was only a kiss. He could have done a lot more. Wait, why I am happy that it was only a kiss? It is still wrong. "You are something." I crack my knuckles. "I don''t care if you drive your sword across my neck. How dare you kiss me, you pervert? To molest a drunk woman? Is there anyw in this country?" He sighs and takes my hand. "Don''t worry. I will marry you." I am startled when I hear his voice. Li Jun can talk? He touches my face with his palm and rubs my lower lip with his thumb. "Then, I can molest you every night." Sorry, what? My brain can''t catch up. "The fifth prince must have informed General Yu by now." He pushes me down on the bed. "Sleep. We will be returning to the capital soon." "Hold up!" I push him away. "What marriage? Who will marry you? I refuse." "You can''t refuse." "It''s useless to talk to a lunatic." I had doubts, but I am sure now. He doesn''t stop me when I run away to my aunt. I find her sitting across the prince with dark circles under her eyes. There is a scroll between them. Both are ying a staring game. I don''t have time for this. "General Yu, that lunatic is saying strange things." I grab her legs. "He told me that he is going to marry me. That is impossible, right?" She stares at me and says, "It''s not impossible. It''s the emperor''smand." Shit! "I can''t marry someone else." I can''t even call her aunt now. The prince is here. "Listen, General Yu. I love you a lot. We even spent nights together. How can I marry another man?" Okay, it makes me sick to say those things. However, these are desperate times. "I wish there was another way." My aunt looks more dead than me. I look at the prince who is smiling. "Fifth prince, I can''t marry Li Jun. If I marry him, I will die. Nobody will even find my corpse." "Then, you can be executed for not following the emperor''smand. After all, you are just a random woman found on the battleground. Isn''t General Yu going to discard letting you warm his bed after this season?" He tells me with his soft voice. "Usually, women like you are killed on sight. However, Li Jun fell for you at first sight. The emperor decided to make an exception for him. If Li Jun wants you, you must be his." "This is ridiculous. Why someone else is deciding my marriage?" I am a 21st-century woman. I don''t belong to this country. I don''t owe anyone. "Kyuri, keep your mouth shut." My aunt warns me. "Do you want to die that much?" "But..." Death''s at every door for me. She puts her finger on her lips. "Silence." Chapter 25: I want to become your home Chapter 25: I want to be your home I walk out in a fit of anger. I agree. This is not the 21st century. The emperor''s words are the freakingw. Arrange marriages aremon. Forced marriages are moremon. If my aunt hasn''t been there for me, I can''t imagine what would have happened to me. I should have pretended to be a man like her. I wonder how she lived. I ignore the nces and go to the edge of the camp. I sit down on the snow and make circles. I need to think. Marrying Li Jun is uneptable. I must run, but where? Someone covers my back with a coat. I look up and find Li Jun staring down at me. He sits beside me quietly. There is an odd silence between us. I have nothing to say. I don''t understand why he would even think of marrying me. Falling in love at first sight? Haha! Only fools would believe that. I want to go back to my time. *** "I know that you can change this." Yoori drops all formality with the fifth prince since they are alone. "That girl can''t marry Li Jun." Wu Yixing hides his temper to see her like that for another woman. "Why can''t she marry Li Jun? She should be d that she can marry someone like Li Jun." "I want her to be mine." Yoori''s voice is low and grave. She won''t let her brother''s only daughter marry someone like Li Jun. Besides, Kyuri will go back to her time. It can''t be stopped. Corner of his lips curls down. "You are protective of this girl. Why?" She''s a family member. Kwon Yoori might not know Kyuri well, but that girl is her niece. They are connected by blood. "I must protect her." "Why?" He raises his brow. "I met her family during exile. She ran away from to find me because she likes me." Yoori makes up some story. Real Yu Chen must have met people during his exile. "I promised that I will protect her." "I don''t like her." He frowns slightly. "That makes me want to crush her." "She''s just a girl." Yoori purses her lips. If something happens to Kyuri, she won''t be able to face her family in the afterlife. "I will do anything if you stop this marriage. I will be the one who will marry her." He leans closer to General Yu. "If you marry her, can that girl survive in the Yu household? You don''t remember the things that happened to you after you came back from exile. She is likely to get poisoned on her wedding night." Yoori gulps. That''s true that Kyuri isn''t smart enough to survive in the Yu household. She, as a man, can''t always protect her. Yu Chen''s stepmother will do everything to hurt Kyuri because she hates Yu Chen. Yu Chen''s father is not a nice person either. To be honest, she is alive because she is at the border. "Li Jun has no family. Nobody cares about him. That girl will live longer if she is married to him." He smiles when he sees her falling for his words. "Li Jun will also protect her. You have my words. Think hard." *** "Li Jun, you said that you fell for me at first sight." I scowl at him. "Then, why did you point a sword at me when you saw me first?" He says nothing. "If you like someone, you are not supposed to kill them unless you are a sociopath." He stares at me. "I want to love and marry a normal guy. I have dreams too." I make an ice ball. "I want to go back home." He tucks away the strand of hair behind my ear. "I want to be your home." I throw the ice ball at his face. "Stop saying weird things." He purses his lips and looks down, upset and embarrassed. He looks so cute. Is he really the master of death? He isn''t like Kang Si An. Then, Kang Si An also hugged me tightly and acted like he was in pain because of my supposed death. I don''t understand what is going on with these two men with the same soul. "Kyuri." My aunt calls me. "Come here. We need to talk." I give him a look before I go away. *** "Marry him." "What the...?" I am shocked. "Are you okay, Aunt? How can I marry someone like him?" She looks exhausted. "Kyuri, if I marry you, you will be dead before we reach the capital. The Yu family wouldn''t ept Yu Chen, who is the son of the former spy from an enemy country, to have a wife. You see, the Yu family nearly got executed because of that woman. If I pick a random woman I met on the battlefield as my wife or concubine, that will bring trouble." I start pacing in the room. "Aunt, are there no chances of finding time crystals in this period?" "You don''t think that I didn''t think of that?" My aunt lets out a deep sigh. "The timekeepers are secretive. If I go and seek them, I will end up dead. I don''t know where they are either." "I can do it." I look at her. "I can walk through dreams. If I enter the world of dreams, I might be able to find any information about the keeper or where they are keeping the time crystals. It will take a bit of time to search, but I can do it." My aunt looks down at the notebook. Thinking. I try to figure out my next step. I don''t want to marry that weirdo. By the way, why I am in this situation? Kang Si An made me his fake contract girlfriend. Li Jun wants to marry me. Li Jun tried to kill me. Kang Si An will try to kill me. This man is bad news. "You still have to marry him." She tells me quietly, "If you don''t, you will be executed. Marry him and then, we will both try to find the time crystals. Until we find a clue, you have to stay beside him. You have attracted the wrong attention, he can protect you in a way that I can''t. I need to keep you away from the Yu family. When you find any clue, you and I will run away together." But, what will I do till then? I hold my head. I am afraid of being molested every night by that guy. Chapter 26: I am not tempting you Chapter 26: I am not tempting you It''s been a few days. They are already on their way to the capital. Kyuri spends most of her time inside the carriage that the prince arranged for her. She barely talks to anyone except General Yu. At night, they halt at the inn. At midnight, she tries to sneak into her aunt''s room to talk. But, she is caught by Li Jun. He drags her back to her room despite her protest. He closes the door and crosses his arms. They stare at each other quietly until she can no longer hold it. "Oi, Li Jun!" She looks like a little ball of anger in front of him. "Even if we are getting married, you can''t molest me at night. It''s wrong to touch anyone without consent. If you touch me without my permission after we get married, I will kill you." He smiles mildly. "Does that mean that I can molest you before we get married?" "No." She crosses her arms in front of her like a shield. "You shouldn''t molest anyone. It is wrong." "It is also wrong to sneak into someone else''s room at midnight when you are engaged." The smile doesn''t leave his lips. "You can sneak into mine. I won''t stop you." She gasps. "This is the real you." "Yes." He climbs the bed. "I am tired. Let''s sleep." "Go to your room." She tries to kick him, but he grasps her foot. "Let go!" He let go of it. He chuckles to see her looking relieved. He locks her into his arms. "Sleep." "Let me go." Kyuri tries to break his hold, but she doesn''t have 1% of his physical strength. He holds her tighter. "We can''t do this before marriage." "I am not doing anything." He looks into her eyes. "If you keep moving, you will tempt me more. Then, nothing can stop me from molesting you." She freezes in his arms. "I am not tempting you." "Be good and sleep." He kisses her nose. "If you don''t close your eyes, next kiss will be on your lips." She closes her eyes in the next instant. He let out a lowugh and snuggles closer to her. He can feel her erratic breath and rising heartbeat. He sighs when he realizes that he has to wait until she is ready. *** How could I not feel anything when a hot man is sleeping next to me? He has fallen asleep easily. His breath is tickling my neck. He is holding me like a pillow. There is not even half cm of separation between us. I am still a woman. How can I sleep like this? I can''t. He isn''t Kang Si An who will kill me. He is Li Jun. Then, can I kiss him a bit? He is sort of cute. I never had a real boyfriend before. It''s hard to resist. I also have feelings. One peck won''t hurt, right? He also stole a kiss when I was asleep. Let''s say that I am taking back what I owe. I slowly lift my chin. I don''t want to wake him up. I move my face closer gradually. My heart is going haywire. His sleeping face looks beautiful. This is my chance. A jolt of electricity runs through my body when my lips touch his. I am not satisfied with just a peck. I lick his lower lip. Again. I close my eyes and start kissing him. I get a bit bolder and try to pry open his lips with my tongue. His lips part away. I slide my tongue in and explore his mouth. And then... His tongue finds mine. Startled, I pull back my tongue and close my mouth. His eyes are open. I am caught. Shit. *** "You did it to me." Her cheeks are beet red. "So, I took back what you owe me with interest." Her robes are loosened. She sounds flustered and angry at the same time. She is angry at him because he caught him. He should have pretended to be asleep longer. He shifts closer to her face. "Then, if I do it again, you will take back what you owe with interest again?" He didn''t think that her face could be redder. She clears her throat. "Look, if you do it again, I will chop off your lips." "Will you chop my lips with your lips?" He asks her teasingly. "Speak logically." She pauses for a moment. "Lips will be chopped by a knife." "I don''t mind if you do that." He finds her lips and kisses her. She tries to push him away. He kisses her harder. In a while, she stops struggling. He realizes that she is sweating profusely and breathing hard. He takes a nce at her. "What''s wrong?" "It''s finally happening." She shows him a toothy smile. "I am going back home." He widens his eyes when he sees her disappearing. He tries to grasp her tighter. He hears her soft chuckle and a victorious look in her eyes before there is nothing left of her. Chapter 27: I will do my best to keep you safe Chapter 27: I will do my best to keep you safe Not again! This doesn''t look like the 21st century at all. It looks like I am in a garden. Young girls are walking around in robes with boxes in their hands. The buildings look like historical sites. I have a bad feeling about this. "You, ve! What are you doing here?" A plump woman in in robes scowls at me. "The kitchen needs help." ve. I open my mouth to say that I am not a ve. But, she pulls me by my hair and drags me to the kitchen before I can utter a word. "You are new. So, I would let you go this time." She gives me a threatening look. "If I see you dilly-dally again, I will ask madam to sell you away." She strides away from me in anger, leaving me shocked by this whole exchange. Am I still in the primitive era? Is my aunt here? "You must be new." A young girl around 14es to my side. "What is your name?" I don''t know whether I should use my real name. "Bao Mi?" "You sound like you are not from here." She gives me a knife to cut the vegetables. "You are lucky. They sold a ve to a prostitution house when she was caughtzing around." What the hell! I barely escaped from a forced marriage and ended up bing a ve at some household. Time, what do you want from me? When can I go home? By the end of the day, I am tired. I have never worked this much in my entire life. I realize that people of the 21st century have it way easier than these people. We have the technology and they have ves. It gets dark. I decide to sneak out of this ce. I will dress up as a man and live like my aunt. I will probably make it back to my time some dayster. I have to survive until then. I crawl out of the servant quarter, making sure that I am out of the sight of the guards. The problem is that I don''t know where the exit is. I have to climb over the wall. It looks high. I don''t know what to do. "Assassins!!!" Someone screams. Wait, I am not an assassin. I am about to yell. My eyes bulge out when I see flying dark figures like in movies. Shit! Real assassins are here. At this rate, I am going to die here. I run in the opposite direction. I don''t know where I am going. I ignore the sound of swords cutting the flesh. "Ow!" I bump right into the plump woman. Just my luck. "Take third young master out of this ce." She shoves the young boy''s hand in my hand. "I am going to find the second young master." What! "Wait!" But, the plumpdy is gone. I look at the young kid. His face looks familiar. His cheeks are round and fluffy. I don''t know what to say. He is crying. I feel bad for him. I am afraid of dying too. "I will do my best to keep you safe." I tell him, "First, we must hide. Don''t make any sound." He gives me a stiff nod. That reminds me of Li Jun. I shrug my shoulder. The darkness is overwhelming. People are screaming and dying. I don''t let go of his hand. Somewhat, I am a little less afraid because there is someone who is relying on me. We run for a while. This ce has no end. So far, we have been lucky. I am sure that the assassins would look for this boy. We hide in the stable. That''s probably a bad ce to hide, but it''s better than running in the dark. A few minutes pass. I hear the sound of footsteps. "Don''t make a single noise," I whisper to him. "No matter what, don''te out. Promise me." *** He promises her and covers his mouth. The maid is sweating a lot. She must be scared. He is also scared. The assassin is killing the horses one by one. At this rate, they will be caught. Suddenly, the maid makes it for a run. The assassin in ck grabs her hair and tosses her on the ground. She yelps in pain. Li Jun wants to run to her side, but she gives him a look. "Don''t kill me, please," She begs to the man. The man ps her pale face, splitting her lips. Her body begins to be transparent. Sheughs suddenly and tells him with a chilling voice, "I havee out from the depth of hell to haunt you." The assassin is ashen to see her body disappearing. Afraid, he tries to stab her in the chest. She moves to her right. He misses his mark and stabs her shoulder instead. The knife and the body are nowhere in sight. The assassin runs away, screaming. Li Jun is breathing hard, unable to believe what he has just seen. The blood on the ground is as real as him. Chapter 28: Did she go back to hell? Chapter 28: Did she go back to hell? Her warmth is still not gone from the bed. Her scent has not faded. Li Jun touches the spot where she was lying a minute ago. He has seen something simr twenty years ago. For twenty years, he thought that the maid was a spirit who came to save him. Now, he knows who that was. They wore the same clothes. They had the same face. They even had the same way of talking. For twenty years, he kept that secret in his heart. When she reappeared in front of him, he couldn''t recognize her. The person from his dreams, the vengeful spirit who saved him, and the person who fearlessly took off his mask are the same. She said that she was going home. Did she go back to hell or that strange ce from his dreams? The bed is cold now. His heart is heavier. Will he ever hold her again? General Yu. The fifth prince told him about the connection between General Yu and Kyuri. General Yu will know about her home. *** "How about you go back to your room?" Kwon Yoori, AKA General Yu, can barely keep her eyes open. This spoiled prince refuses to go back to his room. He keeps talking about women. She is a woman. It makes her sick to hear perverted things about women. Wu Yixing pours more wine in her cup. "My friend, you shouldn''t hide your sorrow. I know that you are deeply saddened that you couldn''t keep your ''first'' woman to yourself." She wonders if the prince is drunk enough to not remember anything. Then, he has a high tolerance. She doesn''t. She is going to have a superbad hangover tomorrow. Riding a horse with a hangover? Argh! "Don''t be disheartened, my dearest friend." He grabs her hand. "I will introduce you to plenty of delicate flowers in the capital. After tasting that wildflower, you will ''appreciate'' the tamed ones from the capital." Her head is swaying right to left like a pendulum. If she hears more, her head will split in half. She is on the verge of smashing the wine bottle on his head. Just then, Li Jun storms into the room. She puts down the bottle. The prince will not die tonight. "Where is her home?" Li Jun unsheaths his sword and points at her. "Answer me honestly." "I must be too drunk." The prince rubs his eyes. "Li Jun is pointing a sword at Yu Chen." "Whose home?" Kwon Yoori''s hand moves to the hilt of the sword. She knows her skills. She won''tst long against Li Jun. "Kyuri''s home." Li Jun feels like there is no time. "Did she go back to hell?" Kwon Yoori blinks her eyes. "Li Jun, are you drunk?" "Answer me." "Li Jun, my friend," Wu Yixing''s eyes be clear. "Tell us what happened first." "Kyuri went home. I want to know where her home is." Went home? Kwon Yoori is confused. Where did Kyuri go? Unless... "I don''t know where her home is." Kwon Yoori smiles nervously. "I assure you that it is not hell." Li Jun is not satisfied. "I know that you know." "Yu Chen, you told me that you knew her family from your exile." Wu Yixing gets the gist of the situation. "Did you tell her to run away from the wedding?" Li Jun looks at her darkly. "Just tell me where her home is." "S-she..." Kwon Yoori has no idea what to say. "She is from a very very very far away ce. I met her during my travel. You noticed, right? She is a bit different from us." "If it''s far away, she can''t be far from the inn." Wu Yixing looks at her thoughtfully. "We should look for her." "No." Li Jun shakes his head. "She wille back." "How do you know that?" Kwon Yoori wonders what he knows. Li Jun has never spoken to her before. Now, he is arguing with her. What did her niece do to him? "She might nevere back. She didn''t want to marry you." Li Jun doesn''t answer her. He looks at the prince who is smiling at him. "How long are you going to hold back?" Li Jun walks out just the way he came in. Puzzled by his words, she looks at the prince who is lightly snoring on her bed. It looks like she has to sleep on the floor tonight. *** Kang Si An points the sword at the General. "Where is she?" The arrogant generalughs loudly. "She is gone. Forever from your life. You will never ever find her." Kang Si An''s eyes are red. He clenches his jaw and raises his sword to cut the man into half. "Li Jun..." His hand pauses in the air. He turns around his head. He looks at her with disbelief. It''s Kwon Kyuri walking toward him with a dagger in her shoulder. Her robe is drenched with blood. Did she steal the props? "Cut!" The scene is ruined. Kang Si An is ready to yell at her. Before he could, she falls into his arms. The scent of warm blood fills his nose. The dagger is... real. "Call the ambnce!" Kang Si An screams. Chapter 29: These forbidden desires for you Chapter 29: These forbidden desires for you I am still alive. I have been stabbed by an assassin. Yet, I didn''t die. I am also back in my time. Oh, the familiar scent of the hospital! I never thought that I would be this happy after smelling it. My shoulder hurts a lot. This pain is weed. But, I am d. I am back. Finally... What is this? "Li Jun? Kang Si An?" I poke his head. "Why are you holding my hand? Let go." He sits up suddenly and blinks his vivid green eyes. "Oh, you are awake." "What are you doing here?" I narrow my eyes on him. I wake up after facing death and I see him first. Just my luck! "You!" He points at me. "Who stabbed you? How did you... No, why did youe to the set? Were you trying props and then, fell on a dagger?" I realize one thing. There is a huge difference between Li Jun and Kang Si An. Li Jun would never say things like this. Though they have the same face, Li Jun is more handsome. It must be because he is always carrying a real sword and he would never say that I got stabbed because I fell on a dagger. "I don''t remember." It''s not like I can say that I was stabbed by an assassin when I time-traveled to the past. "My head hurts... Oh! It''s amnesia. Who are you?" Kang Si An clicks his tongue. "It''s toote to pretend that." "I don''t remember how I got stabbed," I tell him calmly. "How long has it been?" "Since when?" He is typing something on his phone. "Since... we met... No, since I signed the contract." I scratch my head. I never spent days in the future or the past. "Two weeks?" He frowns at me. "Your parents and brother are on their way. They will arrive within an hour." Two weeks. I spend less than two weeks in the past. It means that I will be traveling back in time. Kang Si An is also not surprised to see me. Then, I must have met him in thest two weeks. "Did we meet with the director?" I ask him hesitantly. He stares at me strangely. "Don''t dare to pretend that you forgot. Because of you... I... that was so embarrassing." "What did I do?" What did my future self do? "You were... " He covers his face. "I don''t want to remember." Is his face turning red? He looks like Li Jun now. "Kang Si An, I have a request." I sigh. Why I amparing him with Li Jun? Two bodies. Two different times. One soul. Screw it! I hate them both. "What do you want?" He balks, looking angry. This guy is having mood swings. "In case, I am not here when my parentse, tell them that I met my Aunt Yoori. She is alive and well. I am traveling around. I will do my best toe back home safe and sound." I wonder if I should call, but I can already feel iting. Did time send me back here to heal and prepare for what ising? I know that my future self will rece me in thest two weeks. This is not my correct time. Then, when is? "What?" He looks confused. "Where are you going? Until the next five months and two weeks, you can''t leave me to travel." This guy! "Kang Si An, look behind you." When he looks behind, I let myself go. *** Kwon Yoori looks down at her small bosoms sadly. She is sure that they are getting smaller because she binds them tightly every day. She doesn''t want to pretend to be a man anymore. However, the life of a woman is worse here. She binds her chest reluctantly and puts on the clothes. Today, she has to attend the ''old fashioned no fun royal party'' on the asion of the fat emperor''s birthday. She just hopes that she doesn''t meet any woman or any prince. She will be going back to the borders soon. She likes it better there than here. One can see a sword that ising to kill. But, she has to be always vignt here. She has to pretend that she is a 28 years old unmarried man when she is only a 20 something woman. Her cunning stepmothers are daily plotting to kill him. Yu Chen''s father keeps visiting his young concubines to make more children. He doesn''t care whether one or two of his children live or die. The royal party is as boring as it can get. She has to keep a permanent polite smile to deal with people. She doesn''t see the fifth prince around. Rxed because that creepy devil is nowhere in sight, she lets down her guard a bit. A few womene to flirt with her. For fun, she also flirts back. She is both proud and ashamed to see that her flirting words can make these girls blush so easily. She wants to date a man. A real man. Kwon Yoori currently doesn''t have that luxury. Tipsy after a few sses of royal wine, she walks to the garden to get some air. The moon is full tonight. One weekter, she will return and live her wayward dangerous life again. She is also trying to look for the time crystal. It''s been three years since she came to these barbaric times. After a few more years, she might be able to heal naturally and go back home. But, Kyuri said that she didn''t reappear after giving the notebook to her mother. The timekeepers will try to capture her again. "What are you thinking with such a serious face?" The voice snaps her out of her thoughts. She looks back. It''s the damned fifth prince. "The moon is beautiful tonight." He traces the scar on her cheek. "Are you thinking about that wildflower picked from the battlefield?" Why does he always talking about Kyuri like this? She stands up and walks backward, keeping distance between them. "Even if I am, it got nothing to do with you." "My friend Li Jun is depressed. You are depressed." He steps closer to her. She notices that he looks slightly drunk today. "You must be lonely." "Don''t suggest women." She feels tired already. He smiles and leans closer. She can smell the alcohol on his breath now. She is about to push him away when he grabs her hands and pulls her closer. She opens her mouth to yell. He ces his hand on her waist. His tastes traces of wine in her mouth. "Mmm... " Shocked beyond words, she finds the strength to push him away. "You drunkard! I am a man." "Yes, you are." He chuckles. "But, General Yu, I can''t help it. As a man, I have these forbidden desires for you. On this beautiful night, please be mine." Chapter 30: She is yours to kill or keep Chapter 30: She is yours to kill or keep I gape at my aunt and the fifth prince. They are kissing. Omg! A prince likes my aunt. Then, will he be my uncle? I can hear the wedding bells. "On this beautiful night, please be mine." The fifth prince steals another kiss from my aunt. My aunt''s face bes red. However, I can''t tell whether she is turning red because of embarrassment or anger. She fists her hand and tries to punch the fifth prince. He easily grabs her wrist. "Did you feel nothing when I kissed you?" He asks her with a heart-melting voice. "Should I kiss you until you start feeling it?" Aish! This is just like a historical romantic drama. The love between the two forbidden characters. Here, my aunt is a woman who is pretending to be a man. My future uncle is a man who likes my aunt who is pretending to be a man. Ah, wait! Does it make him gay? Then, it is not a piece of good news for my aunt. Something glittering and sharp passes by my cheek. I scream and jump out of my hiding ce behind the shrub. Someone grabs me by my cor before I can touch her. Because of my sudden movements, my wound is open again. I wince in pain. "Please go easy on me." The fifth prince gives me a knowing smile. "How long have you been hiding there?" "Since you started kissing... " I close my mouth. I can''t call her aunt. "My first love." "Kyuri..." My aunt stammers when she realizes that it is me. "Why are you back?" "I was missing you." Iugh at my situation. Would Ie back here on my choice? No way in hell. My aunt shakes her head. "I don''t understand." I don''t understand either, Aunt. The fifth prince raises his brow. His hair is loose. I can''t help but ask him with a grudge in my tone. "Did you try to kill me with your hairpin?" "If I wanted you dead, you would be dead." He lets go of my cor. "Oh, Li Jun is also here." *** It''s been three months since she went home. Ever since then, Li Jun has been hopefully waiting for her. She appeared twice in his life. There is always a third time. Though it''s a fool''s belief, he still hopes to see her again in his life. His dreams are still full of her. Last night, he had a strange dream. In his dream, Kyuri was bleeding a lot. She called his name before she copsed in his arms. He woke up screaming. Feeling uneasy, he doesn''t stay at the celebration for long. The moon is full tonight. He wonders how she is. Did she wake up? Was it just a dream? In his dream, the wound was strangely at the same ce where the assassin stabbed the maid. He couldn''t forget the inscription on the dagger. He feels restless as the time pass. He feels a strange urge to go toward the garden. He might end up interrupting something that he shouldn''t interrupt. He has seen the fifth prince following General Yu. Still, he cannot resist the pull toward that ce. He hears a scream. He runs toward the garden. He is relieved to see that the fifth prince is not hurt. General Yu looks pale. There, she is. Is this another dream? "Li Jun, she is back like you said that she would." The fifth prince chuckles. "Take her away before others notice her." "What?" Kyuri widens her eyes. "You knew that I woulde back? Are you a prophet?" He doesn''t answer her questions. There is a red patch bing bigger on her shoulder. He smells the blood. He res at the fifth prince darkly. "I didn''t hurt her." The fifth prince grins. "She is yours to kill or keep." She is wearing weird clothes again. He takes off his outer robe and covers herpletely. She needs treatment. She screams again when he picks her up. "Stay quiet." He grows at Kyuri. "Do you wish to die that much?" Like a little vulnerable bird, her heart is thumping. He rolls his eyes. She knows how to be afraid of him. "Wait!" General Yu stops him. "Where are you taking her?" The fifth prince pulls the general back. "Yu Chen, let him take her away before anyone notices her." General Yu closes her mouth and gives him a nod. If an unknown sneaky rat is found in the pce, the end is predictable. Li Jun rushes out in hurry with Kyuri wrapped in his outer robe. He throws her inside his carriage and takes her straight to his home. She doesn''t make a single sound when he ces her on his bed. Worried, he pulls the robe. Her eyes are closed. He realizes that she is sleeping with an open mouth. "..." How can someone sleep with a bleeding shoulder? He shakes his head. Can this person be a spirit from hell? He takes off her shirt. The bleeding is not high. He bandaged her wound. This is the exact ce where the maid was stabbed twenty years ago. Judging the freshness of the wound, it hasn''t been long since she was hurt. For him, twenty years have passed. For her, not even days have gone since that day. What is she? He changes her clothes quietly and destroys the old one. Nobody should know about her strangeness. He will keep her safe beside him. Chapter 31: Do you hold strong grudges? Chapter 31: Do you hold strong grudges? "It''s must be your habit to abduct women," I mutter unhappily. Last night, he suddenly threw his robe on me and picked me up. I felt like I was being abducted. Then, he threatened me. I was so scared because of his dangerous voice that... I sort of fell asleep when he was carrying me. Anyway, I am sure that this is his ce. "I only abducted you so far if you think that it was an abduction." He picks up the dumpling with his chopstick and takes it near my mouth. I stare at it. It smells delicious, but I don''t want to eat. If I eat it, he wins. He wants to lure me with food. Then, he wille up with new strategies. I cross my arms to build an invisible defense. "You are not asking me how I got hurt." "How did you get hurt?" The dumpling is still near my mouth. He isn''t moving it. I am not eating it. Let''s see how long he can keep it like this. "I fell on a dagger and got stabbed." I narrow my eyes at him. He sighs. "Who would believe such a stupid reason?" "Exactly, right." Iugh and eat the dumpling. Kang Si An, his reincarnation, would say the exact stupid reason. The world is really strange. "Someone said that to me. Say, am I an idiot? Would I fall on a dagger and get stabbed?" "No, an assassin probably stabbed you there." He puts another dumpling in my mouth. "You are energetic and happy. Let''s get married today." I cough wildly. He gives me a ss of water. Get married? What is the connection between assassin, energy, happiness, and marriage? He is not any less weird than Kang Si An. "Are you insane, Li Jun?" "We are 3 monthste." He wipes my mouth. "I told the emperor that you went back home to get your father''s blessing. Since you are back, we should get married as soon as possible. We will have a simple ceremony." "Wait!" I hold up my hand. "You saw me disappearing right in front of you like a ghost? You still want to marry me?" "Yes." His answer is short and concise. No exnation. He gives me a soft shy smile. "I can''t wait to see you in a wedding robe." That''s not... right. "I don''t want to get married. You know that I am not... a human. I am a demon from the depth of hell. I am here on vacation. You can''t marry a demon, Li Jun." "Since the emperor wants me to marry a demon, I will marry a demon." He caresses my cheek. "You are a beautiful demon. I have noint." I got no word to argue with this weirdo. "If I say no..." "You will be executed for not following the emperor''smand." His smile bes wider. "Then, you will be exorcised back to the depth of the hell. I don''t know which one will happen first. I wouldn''t like any of it to happen to you." "What if I disappear again before our wedding?" I cock my head and smirk. "You will return," He tells me confidently. "Or I will find you." This guy is more confident than me. Marrying someone like this is thest thing on my priority list. I don''t know how to ept the fact that Li Jun will kill me in his next life. Wait, is this karma? I will wrong him now and he will butcher me in his next life? "Li Jun, do you hold strong grudges?" I ask him carefully. He nods at me. I scratch my head toe up with solutions. "Li Jun, there are certainws in hell. You see, demons cannot marry humans. The ruler of hell prohibits it strictly. So, I will get in trouble if I marry you." "If you don''t marry me, you will get in trouble now." He chuckles deeply. "I will negotiate with the ruler of hell after I die. You marry me today." "..." This is not working out. He is too smart. *** Li Jun doesn''t leave until the women arrive. Theye at Kyuri like hounds who saw meat. Despite her strong protests, they prepare her for the wedding. The ceremony is simple. Only a few close people are attending. Li Jun doesn''t want people to notice her. She easily stands out with her expression and ent. General Yu keeps sighing when she sees her niece getting married. She can''t do anything to stop it. This Li Jun didn''t dy a single day. The not-so-blushing bride is taken to the chamber. Li Jun stays and drinks with the guests. He doesn''t say or answer much. The men try to tease him, but his stoic expressions kill their joy. "Don''t show that expression to your pretty bride." The fifth prince ps his back. "You know how to do it right?" General Yu purses her lips and stares at him uneasily. She doesn''t want to leave them alone. She can''t stop either. Will her niece be alright? "General Yu must be feeling lonely again." The fifth prince sps on to her risk. "I will keep herpany. Don''t make your bride wait for a long time." Before the poor general could protest, the fifth prince drags her away. The guests also leave since the royal people are gone. Li Jun walks back to the chamber. She is drinking wine directly from the bottle. She looks at him with slight anger in her eyes. "You aren''t allowed to molest me, understand?" Chapter 32: Can I touch them? Chapter 32: Can I touch them? Her cheeks are puffed up. She takes another sip. He wonders who left the wine bottle here. Hopefully, it wasn''t the fifth prince. The atmosphere is tense. She stares at him with her intoxicating eyes. He says nothing. He tries to grab the bottle from her hand. She doesn''t let it go. "Drunk on our wedding night." He leans closer to her. "What are you nning, my wife?" She steps back and gulps down the entire wine furiously. She ps her chest as if she has received courage from the almighty. "Hey, Li Jun! Do you think that I would be afraid of you? I am not like the woman of this era. If you take one step toward me, I will take the charge and take your manly honor away." "I am curious how you would do that." He takes a step toward her and waits. She bites her lower lip and steps back. "I will take off your clothes and force myself on you." "How will you force yourself on me?" He smiles at her, amused by her drunken reactions. Back of her legs hit the bed. She stumbles and falls on it. He leans toward her until she can feel his breath on her face. "Demonstrate." "I-I..." She blushes hard. Then, she looks angry. "You think that I can''t molest you?" "Yes, I think that you don''t have the courage." He challenges her. "Will you be my prey or will you turn me into your prey?" "See, I can do it." Her fingers struggle with his cumbersome clothes. She doesn''t notice that his fingers are also working on her clothes. "I can see that." He checks her wound. "I guess, tonight won''t be the night." She isn''t listening. She pokes his hard bare chest. "Man! Your abs! I love them. Can I touch them?" Does she need his permission? They are husband and wife. Also, she is already touching him. "Do you like what you see?" "A lot." She moves her cold fingers slowly over his skin. He lets out a gasp. At this rate, he will end up... He needs to wait until she is healed. "If you are this sexy, I don''t mind doing it with you." "..." He is speechless. He didn''t think that she would ever say things like this. "Kyuri, don''t test... " ''my self-control.'' The words are drowned in his throat when she suddenly kisses him on his chest. This woman has different ns. She peeks at him with her mischievous eyes. He eyes her bandaged wound again. Tonight, it will be difficult. Before she could kiss him again, he covers her mouth. He is afraid that she can''t handle him right now with a wound on her shoulder. "Lay down on the bed and sleep." Sheughs and climbs on the bed. "You are too tall. Come here." He wonders why did she say that. Does it hurt her neck to look up at him? Sighing, he follows hermands. Sheys down beside him. Her pale bosoms are peeking out of her inner robe. Heat flushes in each cell of his body. He looks away, concentrates on the intricate painting on the ceiling. But, the woman has no n to sleep. Her face is above his. She stares at him with so much desire in her eyes. At this rate, how he can resist? He will just taste her a little. It''s their wedding night. It''s unfair to keep his woman wait. However, he has been hesitating for too long. She is already gone. *** Kang Si An''s eyes snap open when he feels the weight on his body. Her face is directly above his. She is reaching closer to his face. He puts his palm on her face and shoves her back. "What are you doing?" His heart is beating rapidly. "Li Jun..." She whispers and tries to get closer. He smells the wine easily. Next, he notices her robe. He looks away instantly. Why is she testing him? "Li Jun." "Who is this Li Jun?" He looks at her again. He can''t help but see those peaks. Ashamed, he looks away again. This is an extreme test. "Woman, can you cover yourself?" "Li Jun, don''t grab my shoulder. It hurts." Sheins to him. He lets her go instantly. The robe slips from her shoulder, revealing the bandage. It''s been two days since she ran away from the hospital. Her parents told him that she went back home. Why is she here again? "Hey, you should not..." He stops when he sees her lying on the bed. He tries his best not to look and covers her body. "I guess my bed is yours tonight." A half-naked woman is on his bed. He has to sleep on the couch. God help him! *** Soft bed. Soft and nice smelling nket. I wake up with a smile on my lips. I am back home. 21st Century. But, this is not my room. That fact can''t make me unhappy. I am still wearing the traditional inner robe. Did Li Jun do it to me? I think hard. I can''t remember anything after I started drinking. I check my body. It doesn''t hurt anywhere other than my shoulder. Li Jun won''t do it to a drunk woman, right? He only kissed mest time. I try to have a good look of mydy bits. "What are you doing?" I freeze and stop the inspection of my body. Kang Si An is standing at the doorway and staring at me strangely while I am standing with my robe wide open for him to see my goods. We don''t say a single word for a good moment. Then, we turn around at the same time. "Did you do something to mest night?" I ask him loudly. "I don''t like touching a shameless and perverted woman," He tells me grudgingly. "Why do you keep showing up at my ce? Are you a stalker?" That''s a good question. I also want to know. I tie my robe and look at him. He still has his back toward me. "Turn around. I am covered up." He hesitates before turning around. He gives me a grave look. "Who is Li Jun?" Did I call him that when I was drunk? What do I say now? "Last night, you were throwing yourself at me and calling me Li Jun." He crosses his arms, looking grumpy. "As your fake boyfriend, I demand to know who this man is." Chapter 33: Cheating on you with you? Chapter 33: Cheating on you with you? Ever since he heard that name, it''s been gnawing on his chest. She looks uneasily at the floor. For thest two weeks, she has been following around. Teasing him and shamelessly offering herself to him, she already has this new lover now. "Who is Li Jun?" He yells at her, feeling angry at that this annoying creature who has been testing his patience since they met. "Are you cheating on me with him?" She widens her eyes. "Are you kidding me? I am cheating on you with you?" Cheating on him with him? "Hey, are you ying a tongue twister?" Kang Si An frowns. "Cheating on me with me? What does that even mean?" She equally looks confused. "What I mean to say is that... it is impossible to cheat on you. You are not my boyfriend." Kang Si An can''t believe what he is hearing. This girl is ying games with him. "I am your boyfriend... as per the contract." "F.A.K.E." She sneers at him. "As fake as your acting." "Hey, don''t pick on my acting." Kang Si An points his finger at her. "Even if our rtionship is fake, you are not allowed to date any other man until our contract is over." "Li Jun is so not like you." She wrinkles her nose in disgust. "He is a lot better than you are. He would never yell at me." Her words add fuel to the fire. "Kwon Kyuri!" He walks up to her. "Do you want to die? After nearly ruining my career, shamelessly flirting with me, shing your ugly body to me, and stalking me endlessly, you dare to call someone better than me. You are lucky that I am not reporting your crimes to the cops." "You aren''t reporting because you can''t report me." She smirks at him coyly. "You are bound to me by that contract as much as I am bound to you." He inhales sharply. "Just keep your distance away from me." She pokes his chest. "You are the one who keeps shifting closer to me. I can smell your bad breath." "Your morning breath is worse than mine." He steps away. He notices her flimsy robe. Where does she find clothes like this? He can almost see her erect peaks. He turns away and says, "Dress up. I have to go to the set. We will have breakfast there." "You go." She goes back to bed and stretches her bare legs. "I want to sleep more. Go away." "If you want to sleep, find that Li Jun''s bed." He snaps at the girl who has nearly shed herdy bits again. "Since you are here, you have to follow me." He finds a set of clothes and throws them at her before walking out. *** I follow him reluctantly. I hate Kang Si An the most. Li Jun is also bad. How could he be good if they both have the same soul? Evil is deeply rooted in both of them. Kang Si An got me into this silly contract. Li Jun was one step ahead. He captivated me with his sweetness and managed to marry me using that emperor. My head hurts. Contract girlfriend. Married woman. On top of that, this boy was scolding me in the morning because of Li Jun. How unfair my life is? Kang Si An keeps throwing menacing nces at me. He hasn''t forgotten about Li Jun. I don''t owe him anything. I wonder if I should take the train back home. My aunt did say that spending more time with Kang Si An means that he will wake up sooner. "I am leaving." I don''t enter the set. They are at mountains for suiting some fighting scenes. "It''s thest scene," He tells me impatiently. "I will take you back after this." "I am going back." I turn around. He grabs my wrist to stop me. "Do you have money?" He raises his brow. "I didn''t see any wallet or phone. You were only wearing that... anyway, if you leave like this, I will get worried. I can''t shake the feeling that you got hurt because of me." He is unexpectedly nice. Maybe, he is pretending to be nice. Why does he think that I got hurt because of him? I got hurt by that assassin when I was saving that child. It''s totally unrted to him. "Let''s go inside." He takes me along with him. He is a timekeeper. A natural enemy of time travelers. I have to find those time crystals. If I can gain control of my ability, I can change the future. I can also stop my frequent visits to the past. For that, I need to ess his mind. How do I get him to sleep? "Kyuri, you are here." A girl runs to me and grabs my hands. "I missed you so much." I look at Kang Si An. Who the hell is this? He gives me a shrug and walks away casually. Her expression changes in an instant. She lets go of my hands. "I told you to stop dating him. Why are you still here?" Oh! Did she? "I can''t stop dating him." I smile at her sweetly. "If you want him so much, try your best to steal him away from me." I don''t think that I would care if she takes him away from me. She can have him. I don''t like my future murderer. "You are quite confident, aren''t you?" She curls up her lips. "I am the nation''s princess. You are nothingpared to me. Do you think that he would look at you if I look at him?" Nation''s princess? Bleh! "Then, why aren''t you looking at him? Instead of wasting your eyes on me, go and look at him." She chuckles. "I want him toe to me first." "Then, you have to wait until I am gone." ording to the contract, I cannot date anyone else. He and I will be in a fake rtionship for the next six months. Then, he can''t date someone else either. Not publically. This girl wants to own him. "Miss Ki Mi Ran, try your best to steal him away from me." She stomps her feet and walks away. I have something that this nation''s princess can''t have. Though I don''t care if she seeds or not, I feel better because the nation''s princess is frustrated because of me at this moment. Chapter 34: Fine then, I will grant your wish Chapter 34: Fine then, I will grant your wish After thest shoot, Kang Si An looks around. He can''t see his fake girlfriend anywhere. Worried that she ran away again, he gets up to look for her. He saw her talking to Ki Mi Ran earlier. These two girls have be best friends. It''s unexpected to see someone like Ki Mi Ran to befriend Kwon Kyuri. Beautiful Ki Mi Ran has a pure heart, unlike that sly and cunning woman who wants to frustrate him to death. He wants to get closer to Ki Mi Ran, but he can''t because everyone knows that Kwon Kyuri is his girlfriend. "She threatened me." He is about to knock when he hears Ki Mi Ran''s voice. "She told me to try my best to steal him from her. Tell me, aren''t I the most beautiful girl in this country? If I want Kang Si An, I can have him anytime." "Yes, Mi Ran." The female''s voice belongs to the second female lead of the movie. "You are the most beautiful girl." "Then, why Kang Si An can''t see it? He should ditch that ugly duckling ande to me." Sound of ss breaking. "How daring of her to look down at me? Did you make sure to mix that powder in her drink?" "Yes, she took the drink from me today. I saw her drinking it." There is a pause. "I locked her in the storage room. That perverted cameraman would go there after finishing the shoot. We should wait 15 minutes more before we take everyone there." Kang Si An doesn''t wait to hear more. He runs to the storage room. He sees the cameraman opening the door. "Stop." The cameraman stops and frowns at him. "Is something wrong?" "The director is looking for you." He stands in front of the door. "Oh!" The cameraman frowns. "Mami Kim told me that there is someone here waiting for me." "That person is with the director." Kang Si An clenches his fist. "Please go. They have been waiting for a while." "Thank you for telling me." The cameraman leaves in a hurry. Kang Si An goes inside the storage room. In the corner, he sees a small figure clutching her hair. She lifts her head when she hears his footsteps. Her face is ming red. "Kyuri, it''s me." He approaches her slowly. "Do you feel sick?" She doesn''t answer him. "I will take you to the hospital." He touches her arm hesitantly. Her skin is hot to touch. "Come with me." She lunges on him suddenly and grabs his clothes. She reaches for his lips like a starving person and roughly kisses him before he can push her away. "Kyuri, bear with it. I will -" She can''t hear him or make sense of the words. Her body has been drugged by a strong aphrodisiac. Her mind is vague and incapable of rationality. She tries to kiss him again, but he locks her in his arms. "Don''t. We can''t. Just don''t." She looks up at him tearfully. "Pain." He grabs the back of the head to keep her still. "Where?" "It''s burning." Her lips tremble weakly. "Please, Li Jun." Kang Si An stares at her. Even in this state, she is calling him that. Last night, she also called him that. Feeling like a w is trying to tear his heart into pieces, he looks at her furiously. "Li Jun, I can''t bear it." "Saying that name while you are begging me, you have some courage, Kwon Kyuri." He grips her jaw. "Fine then, I will grant your wish." *** "She is fine." Doctor Yeom shows a strange smile. Kang Si An nces at her sleeping face. He nearly lost his self-control back then. This girl keeps testing him in unusual ways. "I am curious why you would bring her here when you could solve the problem in more interesting ways." Doctor Yeom chuckles. "Kang Si An, she is your girlfriend, right?" He scowls at him. "I don''t like my woman wanting me because of a drug." "Sure, I like your honorable ways." Heughs and leaves him alone with his girlfriend. Kang Si An res at the sleeping girl. After, his anger dissipates and he scrutinizes her face. He wonders why he can''t stay mad at this person. She is weird, stalkerish, and maniptive. She is either trying to tempt him or trying to kill him by making him so angry. It''s his fault that she got schemed by Mami Kim and Ki Mi Ran. He would teach them a lesson for touching his girlfriend. Fake girlfriend. Her eyelids flutter. She slowly opens her eyes. When her eyes meet his eyes, she makes a face. "Why do I see you whenever I am opening my eyes at the hospital?" She asks him, annoyed. "Why do I find you whenever you are stabbed or getting schemed by other women?" He replies in the same tone. "Tell me who this Li Jun is." She blinks her eyes and then, she looks away. "Did that second female lead of your movie mix something in my drink?" She is changing the topic. "It''s because you offended Ki Mi Ran. I get it that you are ying the role of my fake girlfriend. Do you have to challenge double personalities like her? If I didn''t find you in time, you would have been vited by an old geezer and shamed in front of the crew." Instead of being grateful, the girl says, "It was your fault that I got into that situation. Why don''t you just look at that female lead? She seems like your type. Go to your nation''s princess." She tries to shoo him away. He clicks his tongue. This girl doesn''t know how to thank him. "You should go to your Li Jun," He tells her bitterly. She gives him a nonchnt shrug and says, "I am most likely to go back to him. You don''t have to tell me." He stands up, mad. This shameless girl! "You can''t go back to him until our contract is over. There should be no other man." "Ha! Can you control where I can go or not?" She gives him a half-smile. "Kang Si An, you can''t stop me." Kang Si An has had enough. He suddenly bites her lips. She screams in pain. He lets her go instantly. "Next time you see Li Jun, I would like to know how you will exin to him about my mark on your lips." Chapter 35: Just wanted to stop the blood Chapter 35: Just wanted to stop the blood My lips are bleeding. "You monster." I seize him by his cor. "How dare you." He suddenly leans forward and sucks the cut on her lower lip gently. A weird feeling bursts into my belly. I want to push him away and p his face, but my body is not cooperating. His eyes are closed. His hands are on my waist. I should kick him between his legs and make him a eunuch. I should bite him back on the lips as revenge. There are so many things that I should do to him right now. He doesn''t have the scent of blood like Li Jun, but he feels the same at this moment. I don''t know what I am thinking. Why I amparing them? Whether they smell or feel the same, what does that got to do with me? Li Jun has killed people. Kang Si An will kill me. Both of them are dangerous. He ceases his actions and reveals his green eyes. He is close enough that I can see his dted pupils. He doesn''t move away from me. I should push him away now. Why aren''t my arms working? Am I paralyzed after being kissed by him like this? Is this some sort of timekeeper''s trick? "Your lips were bleeding... I am sorry... just wanted to stop the blood... " He coughs and turns away from me. His ears are turning pink. I put my hands on my chest. My heart is beating so fast that I am afraid it will break out of my body. The pleasant and yet unpleasant feeling from my belly is flooding through my blood. He peeks at me. "It doesn''t mean anything. Don''t look at me like that." It might not mean anything to you, but I am afraid that it is beginning to mean something to me. I do my best to pick up the pieces of my fallen brain. "Don''t do that again. If I am bleeding, you should call a doctor. Don''t forget that you were the one who made me bleed." Kang Si An looks away, guilty. "That''s because... don''t challenge me from now on. I don''t know who this Li Jun is, but you can''t see him until our contract is over. I don''t want to haveplications." If he only knew who this Li Jun is... "I am going back home." I don''t want to see him. I don''t want to feel ufortable like this. Kang Si An is bad for my life. "Wait." He blocks my way. "I will take you. Your shoulder''s wound isn''t healed yet." "It''s fine." I don''t look at him. It''s bing awkward between us. Where is my courage when I need it? "You don''t have the money to buy a ticket." He reminds me again. "Don''t be stubborn. Since you are my fake girlfriend, it''s only natural that I will take care of you. Manager Jeong will kill me if I am not sincere toward bearing my punishments and fixing my mistakes." "..." It hurts when I purse my lips together. This guy is calling me his mistake and punishment at the same time. I reluctantly follow him. I haven''t lost my self-respect or pride. I have a goal. I have to find those crystals and more information about those timekeepers. Kang Si An is the key. I have to get him to sleep. In the car, we don''t talk. He is wearing sunsses. I can''t read his eyes. I decide to look out of the window. I didn''t go back early this time. I don''t feel iting either. Am I finally back to my correct time or I am the temporary guest? The time that I have lost in the past is deducted from my present like a debt. Who do I owe this debt to? I didn''t choose this. I don''t want to wander in time. I want to be at home. Whether it''s past or the present, I want to find a ce in time. At this rate, I won''t have a life. *** She looks depressed. If she is feeling wronged, she should p him. She shouldn''t show that long face. She is probably mad at him for doing that to her. He feels more guilty. He doesn''t like seeing wounds on her body. Why did he lose his temper? Then, why did he kiss her again like that? Who kisses someone to stop the lip from bleeding? The reason sounds more ridiculous than his actions. He is sure that he has lost his ability to think objectively. But, who is this Li Jun? She called that name when she was drugged. She called that name when she was stabbed. He must be an important person. Is she in love with Li Jun? Uneptable. During the term of the contract, she can''t date or fall in love with anyone. "Hey!" She turns her head and looks at him with sad eyes. The words, that he wanted to say, are drowned in his throat. He wants to give her a hug and asks her what''s wrong. At the same time, he knows that it got something to do with him. "Don''t make that face." He pushes the break. "Listen, for thest fifteen days, you were flirting with me shamelessly. You stole kisses from me countless times. You tried to sleep with me on my bed. You told me that you wanted a serious rtionship with me. Now, you are saying that you like someone else." She shrugs her shoulders and leans on the window ss, looking more depressed. "I don''t like you, but we are already in a situation. If you get involved with someone else and the media get any clue, it will create more problems for me. I want to deal with this quietly until that damn contract is over." No answer. "Hey, Kwon Kyuri, speak something. Am I speaking to a wall?" He hears her sigh. "Kang Si An, I am tired of wandering. I might be your temporary punishment and mistake, but you are the final ending of my endless wandering. I don''t know how to change that." Chapter 36: You owe me your lips Chapter 36: You owe me your lips "Kang Si An, I am tired of wandering. I might be your temporary punishment and mistake, but you are the final ending of my endless wandering. I don''t know how to change that." I regret saying it instantly. I can''t see his eyes behind the dark sunsses or read his expression. When I met him for the first time in the future, he told me that I couldn''t change the future. I still have that dagger in my dorm room. I am afraid that his words are bing true. My future self was in love with him and she was carrying his child. They were nning to get married. Then, am I also going to fall for him? He looks ahead. "Are you roaming if you know that I am your final ending?" I am just a chess piece of time. Why do people like me exist? Why do people like you exist? What would I not pay for being a human and be free of whatever is happening? It would have been better if I had not known that you would kill me. That way, I wouldn''t see the deathing in each second of my life. Probably, I wouldn''t have mind falling in love with you. That way, I would have epted death as my future self did. The thing is the future is already changing. The clock is ticking. I am someone who wanders in time. These days, I always end up at a ce where you are. Whether it''s your previous reincarnation or you, I don''t want to give up my heart. "Kyuri, you and I... " He hesitates to say the word. "If you want, we can date for real." The temptation is great. Who would say no to someone like him? He is handsome and eye-catching. I like listening to his voice even when he and I are arguing. When I met him again in the future, I know how he was relieved at the same time that I was alive. I know how he tried to hold me to keep me in his arms. Was it that time? I must have been touched by his feelings. "No, I like Li Jun." I lean on the window. Well, Li Jun and I are already married. "What did you say?" He stops the car. "You just told me that I am your destination." "I like wandering to Li Jun," I mutter under my breath. *** He gapes at her, unable to understand her words for a minute. She likes wandering to Li Jun. What does that even mean? If he is her destination, then why is she wandering to another guy? "You are admitting that you are ying with both of us?" Kang Si An sps on her jaw and forces her to look at him. "You will y with that man and try to seduce me as well?" She raises her brow. "When did I try to seduce you? I don''t recall anything like that." "Do you have short term memory?" He grits his teeth. "You came to my apartment every night. You teased and tried to sleep with me on the same bed. You tried to kiss me multiple times." "I don''t take responsibility for my future self." She puffs her cheeks and res at me. "Besides, you kissed me too. You even bit my lips and sucked blood like a vampire. You are into kinky stuff, aren''t you?" Kang Si An closes his mouth. Yes, he acted weirdly back then. He regrets it deeply. Why did he do that? He just couldn''t resist. He has been acting weird ever since he met her. He wants to know where the hell these feelings areing from. Why her? He has tons of women who are a lot better than her. Then, why is it this girl who just rejected him now? "If you talk about that again, I will kiss you again." He threatens her. "You just want excuses to kiss me." She narrows her eyes. "Say, do you like me or something?" "Of course, not." He turns away from her. He won''t like her. What does he know about her anyway? She is a weird person. Her family is also weird. She also admitted that she likes someone else. "What is there to like about you? You kissed me without my permission. So, I kissed you. You owe me your lips." She crosses her arms and looks away. "Using my tactic back on my self, you hold grudges." "If I had held grudges, we wouldn''t be sitting in the same car." He restarts the car. "By the way, kissing is meaningless. Don''t think much about it." It''s just a fake contract. A real rtionship between them is impossible. "Kang Si An, I know that you like me." He sees her smirking in the mirror. "You also like kissing me. Don''t struggle with your feelings too much. Be happy that I rejected you. In future, if you suddenly feel like murdering me with an old rusty dagger, you only have to remember that an ordinary girl like me rejected the nation''s king of heart." He pushes the break for the second time. This girl! She doesn''t know any tact at all. "I don''t like you." He points at her and yells, "I will never like you. If you say one more word again, I will throw you out of the car and run over you." She chuckles. "The more you say that you don''t like me, the more I hear you say that you like me a lot. You still want to kiss me, right? Are you jealous of Li Jun?" "Get out of the car." Kang Si An growls. But, she makes no move. Her eyes shine when sheughs. He is tempted again to kiss her until she is breathless. If he does that, she will think that he likes her. He doesn''t like her smugness. Saying that she wants to wander to Li Jun and rejecting him when he generously told her that they could date, she has some guts. Furious, he drags her out of the car. She smiles at him. It only adds to the fire. He drives away, leaving her on the highway. "I won''t turn around." He elerates the car. "I won''t turn around," He mumbles to himself and looks at the side mirror. Her figure is still visible. She puts her hands in her pockets and walks to the side of the road. "I won''t turn around," He mutters as he turns around the car and reaches the spot where he left her. The girl is no longer on the road. Chapter 37: You can change the ending Chapter 37: You can change the ending "Is she ying with me?" He looks for her around. "Did someone give her a lift?" Worried, he calls her number. It''s unreachable. He wonders whether he should call her home. He sits inside the car and waits. Maybe, she wille out of her hiding ce. But, there is no hiding ce. In just seconds, she managed to get into another car and leave? He rubs his forehead. She has him wrapped around his finger. What does ''not taking responsibility for my future self'' even mean? It should be not taking responsibility for her past self. Does it mean that she won''t take any responsibility if she tries to seduce him again in the future as she did in the past? His head hurts when he tries to decipher the words. The more he thinks, the less it makes sense to him. Anyway, who is this Li Jun? He won''t let her wander to that guy. *** Awesome. The newspaper is in English. I am not far in the future in E country. Only ten years in the future from my present time. The city looks lively. The weather is not cold or hot. I only understand half of what I hear. For the umpteenth time, I deeply regret not listening to my father. I should have studied diligently and learned thenguages that he wanted me to learn. If I am correcting my aunt''s actions, then she should also be here. I should try to find her this time. I keep walking on the sidewalk. One of the positive sides of being a time-traveler is that you can travel to different countries for free. However, you can also end up hungry without a penny or any ID card in your pocket. I have never spent much time in the future except when I met Kang Si An back then. I have never spent much time in the past either except when I was with Li Jun. I wonder if it is rted to timekeeping ability. But, Li Jun is not a timekeeper. Nothing makes sense in my life anymore. I bump into someone. I apologize in the brokennguage. The man grumbles something. I can''t understand himpletely. I apologize again in English. He looks at his watch and walks away. Now, I wonder if I have changed something. The world is big. I don''t know how I am fixing my aunt''s mistakes or how many of my little actions changing someone else''s fate. Not knowing is also good. A figure on the opposite side of the road catches my eyes. Even after ten years, she still looks like someone in the early twenties. I follow her. She is walking fast. I don''t want her to see me. She goes inside an elite hotel. She talks to the receptionist in fluent English. The receptionist smiles and picks up the phone. I can''t hear them. She walks out of the hotel. I keep following her. She doesn''t go far. She walks into a closed alley and stops. She turns around and looks at me. "Don''te too close. Don''t touch me." She warns me when I get closer. "If you touch me, you and I will be one." "What does that even mean?" I feel frustrated for some reason. "Did Kang Si An kill me or not?" "If time-traveler from the future touches her past self, the past self is reced by the time-traveler from the future," She answers me in a quiet voice. "Whether Kang Si An will kill you or not, it depends on whether you can find the time crystal or not." She''s being cryptic. I hate it. "You should touch me. If you do that, you can take my ce and change the future. You might be able to find the time crystal earlier." She smiles at me sadly. "I can''t do that." "Why?" I don''t understand. I don''t mind disappearing. She and I are same. "If I touch you, I will lose my body. Your soul and mine will synchronize." She steps backward. "If I do that, I will lose my child." I take a deep breath. "You are pregnant. It means that Kang Si An hasn''t tried to kill you yet." She takes another step backward. "I don''t have much time. If you can find the time crystal, you can change the ending." I see her disappear right in front of my eyes. I wonder if she went to the past or the future. It doesn''t seem that she has much control. Then, she hasn''t found the time crystals yet. I look up at the sky. It''s getting dark. I have no money or ce to stay. I squat on the ground and run my fingers through my hair. Frustrated. How do I find the time crystal? "Kyuri?" "..." I am speechless. I can recognize this voice anywhere. The person is Kang Si An. He looks a bit older. He should be around 30 now. He looks a lot more like Li Jun physically. Was I tricked by my future self? I stand up awkwardly. The hotel. Receptionist. Bringing me to this alley. She screwed me up big time. "You are here." He looks at me with widened eyes. "Hi, Kang Si An... long time?" I wonder if it''s been a long time. "It''s been ten years." His eyes are full of pain. "Ever since you disappeared from my arms, I never saw you again. You are really a time-traveler." "..." "Your family told me." He touches my cheek. "I didn''t believe them, but I couldn''t find you anywhere. I waited for a long time for you toe and see me. Finally, you are here." Awkwarder. I didn''t expect Kang Si An to speak like this. His personality has changed. He is no longer twenty years old hot-headed guy who would argue with me at every chance. This Kang Si An is mature and solemn. "These clothes... " He scrutinizes my clothes and chuckles, "You disappeared on the highway that day." "You still remember?" I am surprised. For me, it might have been only a few hours. For him, it''s been a decade. "How could I forget?" He smiles at me. "I remember each moment that I spent with you." Chapter 38: Stay with me Chapter 38: Stay with me Kang Si An still finds it hard to believe that she is standing in front of him, alive and healthy. When the receptionist told him that the visitor''s name was Kwon Kyuri, he thought that it was a dream. He ran all the way to see her. "Everything?" She asks him, annoyed. "What did you say to me in the car?" He takes her hands. After ten years, his dead heart feels alive again. He has been waiting and living every day while hoping to see her one more time. When her family told him the truth, he made the connection why Kyuri seemed like a different person at different times. Why didn''t she tell him once? They fought so many times because she would suddenly disappear. He knows where she went she disappeared. "I asked you to date me, but you rejected me." "Your memory is good for useless things." She scolds him, "You should forget. It''s been a decade." This Kyuri isn''t in love with him yet. "Let me decide what I should remember or not." He can''t resist touching her hair. "It''s alreadyte. I guess that you don''t have any ce to live in the city. You can stay with me until you go back." "I can stay here." She tries to free her hands from him. "Don''t mind me. You should go back to the hotel." "Asking me to leave you in a dark alley," He looks at her gravely. "Kwon Kyuri, you don''t think highly of me as your fiance, do you?" She seems angrier when she hears his words. "Listen, I am not your fiance yet. We aren''t even in a rtionship." He stares at her. It''s been such a long time. She''s alive. He feels alive after seeing her. He doesn''t want to lose this chance to keep her with him. He hugs her. The calm and solemn exterior crumbles with the hot tears that fall on her cheek. His arms tighten around her as his body loses the strength to stand. He doesn''t want to lose her again. "Stay with me," He whispers to her in a trembling voice. He can''t lose her again. *** I feel his tears rolling down on my cheeks. I realize that he has been acting. There''s a shell around him that''s broken easily. I only had to refuse him once and he showed his vulnerable side to me. How long has he been like this? The pain in his voice is unmistakable. How long does it take someone to grow feelings for someone else? One day? One year? One moment? It takes only a moment to fall in love. It takes another moment to realize that we love someone. We can''t choose who we love, but we can choose our actions. The 20 years old Kang Si An. The 27 years old Li Jun. The 30 years old Kang Si An. Their bodies might change with time. They have one thing inmon. They make my heart flutter. Perhaps, it is because I know that I will fall for him in the future. I might be a fool. These feelings... I don''t know where theye from I am not in love with him yet because I choose not to let that momente. I am lying to myself. I am unable to stop my heart from being affected by him. Perhaps, it is really impossible to change the flow of time. After I finish doing everything that the entity of time wants me to change, Kang Si An will wake up as a timekeeper and finish his destiny. This Kang Si An doesn''t even know that it was he who killed me that night. "I wille with you," I tell him. Can I me him though? Kang Si An doesn''t have control over it either. In a way, he''s like me. Because I know my end is not here yet, I strangely feel safe with him. *** "Are you hungry?" Kang Si An asks her with a smile. She opens her mouth, but it is her stomach that growls loudly and answers him. She blushes and looks away. Kang Si An chuckles. Kyuri is the same. He doesn''t ask her anything anymore and orders her favorite meals. She eyes him curiously. Even if he is a decade older than her, her gaze makes him nervous. "Kang Si An, why are you here?" She asks him after he is done ordering. "Are you here for a shoot?" Kang Si An freezes. What should he tell her? After a moment of thoughts, he decides to not hide. "I am here because I found a clue about the timekeepers." Kang Si An reveals it to her. "Your family told me that your aunt disappeared because of timekeepers. I wanted to find them." "Are you doing this for a decade?" She gives him a sad smile. "What would have happened if you found them? Get revenge?" "Can I live in a world where your murderer might be living freely?" He can''t hide the anger in his tone. "You already knew that you were going to... Why didn''t you tell me once? Why did you hide about your ability from me? Did you love me once?" She doesn''t answer him words. Her silence is the answer to his questions. He forgot that this Kyuri is not in love with him yet. He hasn''t proposed to her yet. She didn''t spend those days with him. "Why would you not tell me?" She is still the same person who will make decisions to not tell him. "I wouldn''t want you to know because I wouldn''t want you to seek revenge on my behalf." Her voice is unwavering. "I would want you to move on with your life after my death. I wouldn''t tell you because I know that you can''t save me. You and I are just chess pieces of something a lot bigger than this world with no control over our fates. The timekeepers are doing their jobs. They don''t kill people just because they choose to. My murderer might not even know that he killed me." Kang Si An walks back and forth in the room. Her words make him furious. "If you knew that you were going to die, why did you agree to marry me? Why did you make me fall in love with you? If you think that I was not even worthy to know, why did youe close to me?" Chapter 39: I will be gentle like you want me to be Chapter 39: I will be ''gentle'' like you want me to be This person is also suffering. "I am trying to change my future." I sigh and look down at my feet. I can''t look at him. I can see the me and hurt in his eyes. I will hide too many things from him in the future. "Seeing and hearing you like this, I know now that my future can''t be changed. So, I guess I just wanted to be happy with you in my remaining days. Should I distance myself from you when I go back?" And punish you for killing me by leaving you to suffer like this even after my death. But, I am upset that you are like this. Someone knocks the door. The room service is here. The table is set. Kang Si An sits opposite me. "Don''t go back," He speaks in amanding voice. "If I could, I would choose not to go back." I decide to be shameless and pick up the spoon. I have to eat. Besides, I have never eaten at an elite foreign hotel. "The food smells good. Being the future fiance of a top-ranked actor is good." "If you go back, tell me everything." He res at me. "I will do anything to save you." "If you intend to help me, sleep with me," I smirk at him. If he sleeps, I can enter his dreams. If I am lucky, I can even find out the memories. I will know exactly what not to do. "Don''t tempt me," He tells me with a straight face. "I haven''t touched a woman for a decade. I would take this offer dly." "Who would believe that you didn''t sleep with anyone after I died?" I roll my eyes. "Kang Si An, you were infamous for dating numerous actresses and models before we met." He suddenly leans forward and kisses me. Startled, I shift away from him. What''s this? He starts unbuttoning his shirt. "After you were gone, there was no one else." Crap! I didn''t see thising. "Kang Si An, I don''t believe you at all. Because of you, I got drugged. That nation''s princess from that cursed movie hated me because I was your fake girlfriend. You want to say that no one tried to sleep with you in thest ten years?" He takes off his shirt and exposes his sculpted body. Thest decade has been good to him and added more to his fine body. The temperature of the room is swiftly high. I drink a ss of water. I am not immune to a handsome man like him. I protest when he brings me to bed. "Kang Si An, we can''t do it." "I always regretted not taking you when you were drugged that day." He shows me a mischievous smile. "If I had, things between us would have progressed faster. It''s not a problem now. Even if you don''t like me yet, you are still attracted to me. I should finish what I decided not to do that day like a fool." I push him away. "When I said sleep, I was asking you to just sleep with me. I don''t want to do those... things. Don''t be a beast. I don''t like you yet." "Just let me do those things." He kisses the back of my hand. "How long are you going to lie? Back then, I was an idiot to not understand. You were attracted to me from day one." This overconfident narcissist. I take back all the good words that I said about him. He grins and kisses me on my neck. His hands wander on my waist. I squirm under his touches. "KANG SI AN!" "Mmm?" He sounds amused and seductive at the same time. "This is my first time." I blurt out. "Be gentle with me." What I am saying! I should disappear at this moment. Oh, the time entity! Please send me away. I will die of embarrassment here. "Your first time?" He ceases his lewd actions. "When we slept for the first time, you didn''t seem inexperienced. You were even boasting about dating more people than I did." Damn you, my future self! I hate you. "Uh... maybe, I gained experience somewhere else." His expression is getting darker. "Ah!" He gives me a bright smile. "That Li Jun. Was it him?" This whole conversation is just wrong. "Honestly, I don''t know." "You don''t know." His smile doesn''t meet his eyes. "At that time, you were technically my fake girlfriend. You kept mentioning that Li Jun. You kept saying how good Li Jun was to you. You never told me who he was." 10 years cannot get rid of leftover karma and jealousy. "That... It might be him." I gulp when hees closer. "Kang Si An, about Li Jun, he is your previous reincarnation. I met him when I time-traveled to the past." He blinks at me with surprise. "My previous reincarnation? All this time, I was jealous of my previous reincarnation." I am feeling guilty now. Maybe, I shouldn''t have done what I did. "Haha!" Hisugh is scary. "You like wandering to Li Jun, huh? What did you do with him? I can''t believe that my previous reincarnation is the other man in our rtionship." This unbelievable guy! He is still ming me of cheating. "Hey Kang Si An, he isn''t the other guy. You are. Li Jun and I are married." Instant regret. His expression is darker. He gives me a stic smile. The temperature in the room drops. "Married?" "Don''t be mad." I shift back on the bed. "Actually, I was forced to marry him. You see, he asked the emperor for marriage between me and him. So... if I didn''t marry him, I would be executed." "You must have gained experiences from him and boasted to me how good he was in bed." He shifts closer again. "Tell me what you did with him." "Nothing... " He raises his brow. I can''t lie under that piercing gaze. "Okay, he and I kissed a few times. But, I came back to the present on the wedding night. So, nothing happened between me and him yet. Maybe, in the future, something might happen... you said that I was experienced... Shouldn''t you be happy that I was experienced?" The temperature further drops down. Did I say something wrong? Even the fake smile is gone from his face. "I see. I can''t let you go now. My previous reincarnation cannot have you before me." He pushes me down. "Don''t worry. I will be ''gentle'' like you want me to be." Chapter 40: I cant love anyone else Chapter 40: I can''t love anyone else He gazes at her. She squeezes her eyes shut, waiting for him to take action. Knowing that she has been with his previous reincarnation makes him both happy and sad. At least, his previous reincarnation always treated her good. In the past, he fought a lot against his true feelings for her. Because of that, she was always taking the first action. There was no one else who made him happier than she did. He knew that she loved him. When he started to notice her disappearances, he was always jealous that she was going back to Li Jun. Their rtionship became vague because he was always afraid that she loved someone else more than him. At that time, he hurt her a lot. It was also the reason why he intentionally impregnated her to trap her with him and then, he asked her to marry him because she was carrying his child. She was upset when she found out. He was a fool. He couldn''t understand what she was going through. He never tried hard enough to know either. There was one time when she cried a lot. She didn''t tell him the reason. After that, she didn''t disappear like before. She even started to live at his ce during thest few weeks. He realizes now. She knew that she was going to die. She only wanted to be with him as much as possible. It''s been ten years. Right now, she is lying beneath him. After ten years, he can feel her warmth again. It feels like a dream. Even now, she wants to be with him because she knows that she is going to die soon. She opens one eye and peeks at him when heys down beside her. She is too cute. He pulls her in his arms, pressing her softness against him. "Tell me everything that I don''t know." She looks a bit disappointed. "What do you want to know?" His nose is almost touching hers. Being like this is not bad. "Everything." She stares at him for a long moment. Then, she sighs and says, "I guess that I am not breaking any rule if I tell it to someone from the future. I will tell you then." "I am waiting." He slips his hand inside her shirt. She stiffens when he draws circles on her back. "I am keeping my words. I am being gentle with you." "Right." She puts her arm on his waist hesitantly. "My family must have told you already. It sorts of run in the family. I have cousins with different abilities. Out of all the abilities, time-traveling is seen as the worst. My aunt, who disappeared for decades, is stuck in the past. She messed up with time a lot. Sometimes, she did it for fun. At other times, she had good reasons. The timekeepers are people who try to stop the misuse. Changing the future has grave consequences. I am the result of her actions. Though she managed to save her family, her actions must have changed other things." "What did she change?" He asks her quietly. "I don''t know. Sometimes, I am afraid that my family will die. That hasn''t happened yet. I guess that they are safe." She puts her head on his chest, listening to his calming heartbeat. "I am being sent to the past a lot. It must be because of my aunt. It must be my job to fix the past. I don''t know what I am changing there. I know that I have to leave this world when my job is done." "It''s hard for you." He strokes her head. "If I find those timekeepers, can I make them stop your fate?" She kisses him on his nose. "Kang Si An, only time-travelers can change the past or the future. The timekeepers can only try to stop them from doing so if it is unwanted. Finding them now won''t help you. After I leave, you have to move on, ok? Find a good girl. Get married. Have a family. I am happy that you love me this much. But, I would never want you to live alone for the rest of your life. I am your past. You have to find your future." Kang Si An''s heart aches when he sees her clear smile. She''s asking him to find the future, but there has been no future since she was gone. If he had known that he loved her that much when she was alive instead of taking her for granted, he would have tried harder to know what was wrong with her. She hid things from him. He let her hide them. If he had known that those secrets would be the reasons for her death, he would have forced her to tell her. Like a crazy person, he was looking for the timekeepers'' organization. They seem to be always out of his grasps. He wanted to change the past. She is telling him the secrets now because the past is already written for him. "There will be no one else." His voice is cracking. "Kyuri, it will always be you. No one else can take your ce beside me. It''s been ten years, but I feel like it was only yesterday. I can''t love anyone else." Kang Si An looks into her eyes. Those dark brown eyes are quiet, but they seem to say a lot wordlessly. It feels like the time is frozen. This moment between them is a gift. The past and the future meet. He sees her let go of what was holding her back. He has never thought that he would see her falling in love with him like like this. He returns her tender kisses. He can''t hold back anymore. Chapter 41: My bad Chapter 41: My bad Their entangled bodies intensely burn with need. Kang Si An loses himself in her familiar scent. Whispering sweet nothings in her ears, he sees her blush more underneath him. He traces her curves with his hands. She gasps in pain when he shoves his pulsating member inside her cave. Her bust presses against his hard chest. He stops moving when he sees the tears. "Should we stop?" He asks her. She bites her lower lip and shakes her head. "Are you sure?" He is worried. This is the first time when he is sleeping with a virgin. Was he too hasty? She is too tight. He should have fingered her more. She inhales sharply. "Kang Si An, you are asking me this question when your penis is inside my vagina?" He chortles. "My bad." With another hard shove, the obstacle is cleared away. She cries out in pain. His hip slowly moves against hers. Their tongues are entwined, almost bing one. She digs her nails on her back when he fastens his pace. She shuts her eyes in bliss and moans as she wraps her legs around him. *** He embraces me and asks, "Was I gentle enough?" It''s toote to regret. Let''s me hormones. I was the one who made the move first. "Yes." He is drawing circles on my back with his finger. "Kyuri, don''t leave me alone." He whispers in my ear. "Do anything to live and be with me. When you go back, tell me honestly. I love you. I will ept and do anything to save you. Even if I have to give up my life, I will do it dly. Please. Trust me." I can''t tell him that it''s him. Either he will kill himself or he will live the rest of his life with guilt. "Tell me about you and your family." "My father left my mother when I was seven. My younger brother was born after he left. She raised me and my younger brother by herself. I had a good childhood. When I was in middle school, I joined the band. I dropped out of the band because I slept with the guitarist who turned out to be the girlfriend of another member." I frown at him. This guy! He was acting so jealous of Li Jun. He has been sleeping around at such a young age. "Seriously?" "I didn''t know." He looks at me apologetically. "I did a lot of mistakes when I was young." "Was that your first time?" I can''t resist asking. "Um... yes." He looks away nervously. "She wasn''t as pretty as you. It didn''t mean anything. I don''t even remember her name." "Models. Actresses. Guitarist." I smile at him. "How many were there before me?" He doesn''t meet my eyes. "Not many. I don''t remember the number. The past is the past. Besides, you also had a lover from hundreds of years ago. You even got married to him." So, we areparing. "Honey, I married your previous reincarnation. I doubt that the models, actresses, and your first-time guitarist were my reincarnations." "He is still another guy." He scowls at me. "Howe he got to marry you before I did?" I turn my back on him. "You have been with numerous women." He snuggles closer. "After I met you, it was only you while you were seeing someone else." "He looks like you. He even has your soul." I grumble to him. "Technically, you two are same." "I am still jealous." He lips brush on my shoulder. "Kyuri, tell me how to change the past." I turn around to face him. He still wants to know. "You can help me. There''s a way." "Really?" He smiles widely. "I will do anything. Say it." "My second ability is that I can walk into someone else''s dreams. Through the dreams, I can ess the mind for memories," I tell him my second secret. Traveling into someone''s dreams and mind is more dangerous than traveling in time. The risk is losing oneself or breaking the person''s mind. I once tried it on my brother and I was stuck inside his head for a week. My brother and I were unconscious for that entire period. God knows how freaked out my parents were. After that time, I didn''t try this again. Nobody likes to share their intimate memories and secrets with someone else. I wonder if he would deny it. I could walk into his dream forcibly, but it might cause harm to him. I don''t like the idea. He might hate me for invading his mind. I wonder if he thinks that I am a freak. "You need my memories to know the future." He closes his eyes. "You should run your fingers through my hair. I will fall asleep faster." "Kang Si An, are you okay with it?" I put my palm on his cheek. "If I make a mistake, you might never wake up. For me, you don''t have to do this. I will find another way." I don''t want to risk his future for mine. If I could, I would remove my memories from his mind. However, I don''t have that ability. "Kyuri." He doesn''t open his eyes. "Do it. Change the future. I don''t want to spend my life without you." This man will do anything for me. I don''t say anything. I don''t run my fingers through his hair. A part of me doesn''t want him to sleep. His breathing bes light. I realize that he has fallen asleep anyway. I am scared of entering his dream. To change his and my future, I need to know the future. I don''t know how much of it will help. I have to find the time crystal. I unwillingly touch his temple with my first finger and close my eyes. Falling into someone''s dream is faster than falling asleep. Chapter 42: Our hearts only want you Chapter 42: Our hearts only want you I find myself standing in an endless mustard field under the clear blue sky. Beautiful. He is dreaming of something like this. I walk through the field. I don''t know how long should I walk. I am afraid of going deeper into his dream. It doesn''t hurt to be cautious. I don''t want to harm him in any way. Someone tugs the sleeve of my robe. "You are finally here." I see a child. The same 7 years old boy whom I saved from the assassin in the past. He smiles at me fondly. Li Jun. "You took a long time." The child is gone. I turn back and see the 27 years old Li Jun. His hair is long and ck. He is holding a dagger. It is the same dagger that Kang Si An used to kill me when I saw him for the first time. What''s going on here? This is not a dream. "Do you have the courage to see the memories?" Li Jun disappears in front of me. I look to my right. It''s Kang Si An. His hair is white. He has his hands in his pockets. "Coming into the mind of a timekeeper, you have some guts." Is this a trap? "No, it isn''t." He smiles at me coldly. "You made the choice of entering his mind. This choice is the key to change the future." "Who are you?" I clench my hands. He pouts his lips and looks up. The sky turns dark. "Showing you is easier than telling you, traveler." *** Kwon Kyuri meets the 30 years old Kang Si An in the alley. Everything goes the way it did except for the fact that she didn''t find the courage to enter his mind after he falls asleep. She stares at him all night. At morning, she pretends that she has seen his memories. They spend the next day happily together. Kang Si An takes her to see the local attractions. They take a couple of pictures and eat out. They spend the days like newlyweds until she disappears after five days. She returns to the night before she was supposed to meet the director. "Why are you here?" He asks her slowly. She stands up on her toes and pecks his lips. "Why would a girlfriend visit her boyfriend at night?" "Are you bipr? Don''t just kiss me whenever you want. Our rtionship is fake." "I will make it real, Si An." She closes the door behind her. "What do you want to have for dinner? Me or ... ?" "Get out." He tries to close the door, but she puts her leg forward to block the door. "Kang Si An, it hurts." She cries. He stops pushing instantly. She winks and barges into his ce. "I am starving." Coming to his house and taking over his kitchen as if she owns it, she has some guts. Why can''t he kick her out? Whenever he tries to get close to her, she does a sneak attack. She would wink seductively or try to kiss him. Other time, she would tickle him. Tickles are his weaknesses, alright. He can''t go close to this tickle monster. *** "Thanks for the food." "Why are you here?" Kang Si An stares at her. "Are you ying hot and cold with me? I have zero interest in you." "Yum!" She licks her lips. "It was so worth it." "What was worth it?" "The food will get cold." She points at his te with the chopstick. "It won''t taste good. I will make something sweet for youter. Do you want to drink a chocte shake or do you want to y in the bed?" "I abhor your touch." The memory flicker. Kyuri, who is watching from the sidelines, feels the lie in his words. He doesn''t abhor her touch, but he doesn''t want to admit it yet. *** "I want to sleep here." She jumps into the bed. "No." Kang Si An rolls his eyes. "You are my fake girlfriend. You are not wee in my bed. Sleep on the couch." "Ha!" She begins unbuttoning her ck shirt. "I don''t want to waste any more time. Each second is valuable. Come to bed. I will be gentle." Kang Si An locks her in the bedroom and sleeps on the couch. At the morning, he wakes up to find her gone. How did she leave from a locked room? He looks at the open window. This crazy girl! *** Li Jun runs to her when he sees her figure standing in the middle of the road. She turns around, unaffected by the whispers and gasps of people around her, and she gives him a cordial smile. It''s been three years since she was gone. She doesn''t look a day older. He puts over his overcoat to cover her. "Wee back." "I am back." She leans on him. "Li Jun, I have missed you." *** "What''s this?" She paces around the room in anger. "I was gone for a few years and you got married again." "She''s just a concubine." He has been apologizing since she found out. After she disappeared on their wedding night, he told everyone that she went back home because her family was sick. He doesn''t know how it happened. The 13th daughter of the emperor asked for a boon when she impressed the emperor by her painting on the emperor''s birthday. She wished to marry him. She was sent here as a concubine. "Tch! All men are the same." She res at him. "You must be happy. She is young and pretty. She''s a real princess too. Her boobs are bigger than mine." "I tried to refuse the marriage. The emperor won''t listen to anyone." He sighs again. His wife''s temper is bad. "I didn''t want to die because I wanted to wait here for you. I haven''t seen her face once. I only belong to you." After bringing the princess to his home, he left to the battlefield to take care of the invaders with General Yu. He didn''t expect to find Kyuri at the city border when they were returning from the battle. Then, she always turns up in most unexpected ces. "Why not? You should visit her." She pouts. "I want to divorce you." He is happy that she is jealous. He is crestfallen because she is asking for a divorce. "I decline. You are my wife. You will die as my wife." "Unbelievable." She crosses her arms. "Let me tell you. I can''t be with you for the rest of your life. I am from the future. I go back and forth in time because I don''t have any control over my time-traveling ability. In the future, there is your reincarnation who is in love with me. He is someone who won''t marry someone else even after I am gone for a decade. I like him more now." Li Jun is half surprised to hear her. He knew that she is different. He is half happy to know that she isn''t a spirit from hell. "Then, in the future, you are also with me. I am d." "You are strangely epting." She blinks her eyes. "That guy acted so jealously when he found out. Are you two really same?" Li Jun embraces his wife. "Our hearts only want you." Chapter 43: Forgive me, wife Chapter 43: Forgive me, wife Passionate nights. Carefree days. It feels like dreams. Li Jun has never been this happy after his family was assassinated by his uncle because of the power y of court. Though his uncle was exterminated by him a long time ago before Kyuri appeared, he is still afraid that someone woulde and take away her from him. "So, it was you," She tells him. "That day, the boy... in the stable. I am d that you lived." "How did you find out?" He traces circles on her back. "General Yu told me once that your family... " She pauses and looks up. "It must have been hard growing up alone." "It''s not as hard as living my days without you here." He presses his palm against her back. He likes feeling her heartbeat with his palm. "I want to be selfish and keep you with me forever." "I wish that I could do that." She rolls on her back and looks at the ceiling. "Li Jun, there will be a time when I won''t be able to return to you anymore. You can''t stop living. If it is possible, try to find happiness with someone else. I won''t mind if it''s the princess." "If you don''t return, I know that I will be with you in my next life." He wraps his arms around her waist. "I will live and die happily, knowing that I will find you again." "You two are really the same." She sighs loudly. "Li Jun, let me tell you. Your next life will be better than this one. You will be a celebrity and you will be worshipped by numerous people. You will also be with numerous women before you meet me. I guess that you will make up for what youck in this life." He doesn''t miss the grudge in her tone. "My reincarnation is a bad person. How could he go to other women before meeting you?" He frowns. "He should be punished. You should abandon him and stay with me here." She looks at him sideways. "He didn''t bring in a concubine." He chuckles. "Forgive me, wife." *** Kang Si An looks around nervously. The girl is nowhere to be seen. Her number is unreachable as always. He has even contacted her family. She is really nowhere. The director will be here soon. He redials her number and turns around. "Whoa!" Kang Si An yells in surprise when he sees a straight-faced Kyuri in ancient clothes standing behind him. She doesn''t utter a single word and takes a seat beside him. Before he could ask anything, the director is already here with Ki Mi Ran. "Who is this?" Ki Mi Ran points at Kyuri. He looks at director Lee who is watching them intently. "This is my girlfriend, Kwon Kyuri." Kyuri smiles at them politely. "Nice to meet you. I heard that you are shooting a historical tragedy. I decided to wear this to show my support." "The movie is based on k country''s history." Ki Mi Ran snaps. "You are wearing something different." "Mi Ran, the movie is adapted from the movie based on c country''s historical tragedy." Director Lee takes a seat. "Miss Kwon, you look beautiful in that dress. You look like you have walked out of the past itself." "If only you knew." Kang Si An hears her mumble. He peers at her. Those clothes suit her. Her face doesn''t have any makeup. Her hair is tied in a casual ancient style. She looks pretty and different. "I was surprised that I heard about you. Kang Si An and your story are viral." Director Lee already likes the girl. "Are you interested in bing an actress? You are quite famous." She shakes her head. "Too troublesome. Kang Si An should remain as the actor. I just want to be his wife." Kang Si An coughs and puts down the ss of water. What did she just say? Director Leeughs. "So young." "You are in your early twenties." Ki Mi Ran speaks in a cheerful tone. "It''s too early to get married. You should think about Kang Si An''s career. He has just begun." Kyuri nods at her. "The future is unknown." Kang Si An scans her. She sounds sad for some reason. Is she acting now? She is overdoing it for god''s sake. The meeting ends without any more talk on marriage. He scolds her in the car. She doesn''t respond. Frustrated because of her silence, he drops her at her dorm. She doesn''t look back at him once. *** Shees back to his apartment. She cooks for him every day. She refuses to leave his ce. She would even help him practice his lines. At night, she would sleep on his bed. Sometimes, she would leave him without any word. He leaves for the shoot in another city, happy that she can''t follow him there. But, she reappears again. Stabbed on the shoulder. It bes his worst memory. He stays with her all night. After waking up, she runs away before her family arrives. Strangely, he is not med after he tells them her message. Three dayster, she reappears again in her room. She manages to get drugged by Ki Mi Ran. On the way back to the S city, they argue over Li Jun. She is gone again. He calls her friend, Yoon Mi. He is told that Kyuri is visiting her parents. Kang Si An wonders why she is always going to her parents'' home. Is she not serious about studies? Back at his home, he feels like seeing that annoying girl again. He calls her family who tells him that she is too busy to talk. She must be really angry for leaving her on the road. He texts her number. The message is undelivered because the number doesn''t exist. A week is gone. She reappears again. She resumes visiting him every day on her own. He doesn''t stop her this time. He is also busy with the shoot. Sometimes, she would disappear for weeks. Whenever shees back, she would tell him that she was visiting her parents because they miss her. *** "Finding the time crystals will help you?" Li Jun feeds her the meat. The living environment is not suitable for women, but Kyuri doesn''t want to go to the capital. General Yu has allowed her toe with them for the hunt for the sacred treasure that the emperor wanted. The fifth prince is also with them with a few other able soldiers. "It might," She replies in a low voice. "Don''t think much about it. I am fine like this." "I am not fine." He cocks his head. "Tell me about it." "It might be the sacred treasure that we are looking for." She scratches her head. "I am not sure. She told me that the description matches." She closes her mouth abruptly and looks at him nkly. "I know that General Yu is a woman," He tells her with a smile. "It was suspicious that she would be interested in this kind of task. Is she also from the future?" "Yes." She ps her forehead. "Does the prince also knows that she is a woman?" "Since the day he saved her," Li Jun tell her truthfully. "He sent me with General Yu to protect her from her enemies." "Aish!" She lets out an exasperated sigh. "I always found it strange that he would tease my aunt in such like that. So, he already knew. He won''t make a bad uncle." "The fifth prince has been interested in her for a long time." It''s Li Jun''s turn to sigh. "He is also fine in keeping their rtionship in this state. It''s hard to guess what he wants." "My aunt is regaining her abilities. He body has almost healed on its own," She scratches her chin. "Unlike me, she can travel anywhere in time as she wishes. It won''t be long now. He should make a move. Otherwise, she will slip away." "I will give him a warning." Chapter 44: Lets break up Chapter 44: Let''s break up She visits him less frequently. He is busy with the shoots. He doesn''t pay her much attention. She always seems lost in thoughts whenever she is with him. Sometimes, she would appear with cuts and bruises. She is alwaysing back in strange clothes. She must like wearing ancient clothes. Whenever Kang Si An calls her home, she is too busy to talk to him. He wonders why he keeps calling her whenever she is gone for several days or weeks. He is suspicious. Is she going to Li Jun? After the end of the third month of their contract, he decides to visit her home. Her mother is surprised to see him. Kang Si An guesses immediately. She isn''t at home. She has never been home all this time. After four days, she appears again. She is wearing a long overcoat that belongs to a man. She gives him a hug. He can smell the scent of blood and forest on her. "Where have you been?" He asks her, doing his best to hide his anger. "I went home." She stretches her arms. "How have you been, Kang Si An?" He wants to tell her that he knows. But, what''s his right? If she wants to see someone else, he can''t stop her using a contract. She''s a fake girlfriend. Right now, she is acting like one. "Let''s make this real." He steps closer to her. "I like you. You don''t have to wander to anyone else. Choose me." Before she can answer him, he pushes her against the wall. Her voice is quietened by his deep kiss. He''s done after three months of fighting his feelings. The scent of another man is still lingering on her body. He drags her to the bathroom and turns on the cold shower. She flinches when he takes off her clothes coercively. "You are my real girlfriend now." He washes her body in the bathtub. "Don''t see any other man. I won''t tolerate it." She looks at him withints. "Not the same." "What did you say?" He enters the bathtub. "Trying to seduce me for a long time and going to another man because I wouldn''t touch you? Kwon Kyuri, I will grant your wish today." Unlike thest time, Kang Si An doesn''t back out of his words. *** "I realize that I stay with you longer now." There are only five people who survived until now. General Yu is ahead of them with the fifth prince. They are arguing as they are climbing the hill. The fifth person, the fifth prince''s only living shadow guard, is following them from a respectable distance away. Li Jun grabs Kyuri''s hand to help her climb with him. During thest eight months of their arduous journey, she has disappeared and reappeared many times. She didn''t stay away for long these times. The prince doesn''t ask any question. General Yu also keeps quiet. The guard knows what not to say. She''s just a girl, but she rarelyins about the difficulties they face during the journey. She has lost weight too. General Yu is the same. Both women, from the same family, are strong. He doesn''t mind if she abandons his future reincarnation and stays with him. He wants to start a family with Kyuri after he goes back to the capital. If the sacred treasure can help her, he will ask her to stay with him forever. If she doesn''t choose him, he will still live his days with her memories. In his next life, he knows that he will meet her. *** "Why do you keep leaving without telling me?" Kang Si An throws the food on the ground. "You don''t even carry a phone. Where do you go to? Are you still seeing that man?" This time, she was gone for two weeks. She returns paler and thinner. He is afraid that the other man is doing something wrong to her. He tried to find about her in other ways, but there is no clue. "It will be over soon," She tells him with a tired voice. "We are close." "You are closer to him?" He clenches his jaw. "Why do you look unhappier every time youe back to me? You love him that much that you can''t see what''s he is doing to you." She doesn''t answer him. Instead, she begins to clean the floor. The pieces of porcin te cut her finger. He feels horrible to see her expressionless face. She won''t tell him. He has had enough of this. He tends to her wound. "When the contract is over, let''s break up." "Fine," She replies with a monotonous voice. He presses his lips together. It''s so easy for her to say that. She loves that man more than him. Then, all the times when he loved her were meaningless to her? Did she never believe him once? She''s choosing Li Jun over him. He won''t let her go away from him. *** "Is this it?" General Yu exims in happiness. She clears away the moss from the wall. "The symbol of timekeeper... Kyuri, we have reached." Kyuri sits down on the ground. "I thought that this mountain ended in heaven." "If we find the crystal, you should take it." Kwon Yoori whispers to her. "My ability wille back on its own in a few months. I can feel it. You should gain control and change your future." Li Jun and Wu Yixing are looking at the map. They can clearly hear the whispers between these two women because of their sharp hearing. Of course, women have no idea. Wu Yixing has already guessed that Kwon Yoori is from the future. He still has some months. After returning from this godforsaken ce, he is going to do a full attack on his woman. Li Jun is just happy that his wife will be able to solve her problem. "Master, I will go inside first." The shadow guard volunteers himself. "Please wait." "If it is dangerous,e back." Chapter 45: You will accept another man? Chapter 45: You will ept another man? "You are back again." Kang Si An can easily tell that she has been with that man. But, he doesn''t know how she always ends up at a ce where he is. This time, shees to see him at the studio. She looks like she hasn''t bathed for days. What does she do with that man? Hiking in the mountains? "I didn''t want toe back." She clicks her tongue. "We were so close." He res at her. "How close?" "I was supposed to wait until that man''s return." She leans back on the couch. Kang Si An notices that people are giving them a peculiar look. He asks for a day off from Director Lee. She has already fallen asleep. He drives her to his home. What did that mean? Waiting until that manes back? Did Li Jun leave her alone and then, she came back to him? She wakes up when he tries to take off her filthy clothes. She seems a bit irritated. "Sorry, I will go back to the dorm." She''s angry because of theirst fight. It''s been a few days. He notices that the wounds on her fingers are already healed. "Tell me." He blocks her way when she tries to leave. "Does he knows about me?" She looks up at him. "Yes, he does." "He is fine with it?" He widens his eyes. "He is," Her replies are monotonous. "Until the contract is over, bear with it. If things work out, I will go to him. If things don''t work out, I will still leave." "What?" He grabs her shoulders. "Don''t take my yesterday''s words seriously. If he''s fine with it, I am also fine with it. I will ept him as a part of your life." She stares at him. "You will ept another man?" "Yes." He doesn''t know why he is like this. He can''t bear with it that she would leave him. Each time she is gone, it feels like she doesn''t exist in this world. He has weird dreams of her. Strange dreams. Each time shees back, she seems more far away. He should have epted her proposal from day one. Then, she wouldn''t have wandered to Li Jun. "Okay." She turns around and walks in an unsteady manner. "I want to sleep for a bit." "Change clothes." He supports her by her waist. "What do you do when you are with him?" She sighs. "Treasure hunting." Heughs at her ridiculous words. "Are you traveling through fearsome forests and climbing huge mountains?" She finally smiles. "Yes." "I can see what he is trying to do. I want to tire you out in bed." He massages her shoulders. "What kind of man makes a woman go through experiences like this? Do you want to go hiking with me?" "Kang Si An, in this lifetime, I will never climb another mountain again." Her voice is light. He grins when he hears her words. It seems like the other man isn''t doing well. "Want to go to the beach?" She doesn''t reply to his question. She is sleeping again. He puts her on the bed and watches her for a long time. He doesn''t know when he falls asleep. *** "He is dead." Wu Yixing touches thest bead in his bracelet. Li Jun looks around. Kyuri is gone again. She mighte back in a few hours. Her new location seems to be a secret. What if she reappears inside the cave? "I will go inside." General Yu steps forward. "She needs the treasure to live. If she fails to get it, the timekeepers will get to her." "What do you mean?" Li Jun asks aggressively. "She won''t live long?" General Yu gives them a short exnation. She skips the part about Kang Si An being the timekeeper. Wu Yixing has gotten the gist of General Yu''s and Kwon Kyuri''s situation. "We can get rid of the timekeeper." "I can get rid of him in the future," General Yu says thoughtfully. "I am afraid that she won''t like it. Then, if I kill him, there will be another one. She has no control over her ability He might appear before her anytime and kill her. She might die in some distant future. How will I ever know when or where?" General Yu is right. She should not be living the life of a wanderer. She neverins, but he understands that she is suffering the most. "I will go inside," Li Jun nces at Wu Yixing. "Fifth prince, wait here with General Yu. If she reappears here, don''t let here inside." Kwon Yoori doesn''t ept. "Hey, Li Jun, do you have any idea what''s inside? Kyuri cares about you a lot. If something happens to you, I won''t be able to face my niece." "General Yu, do not worry." Li Jun smiles. "I will meet my wife again." If not in this lifetime, then there is the next. "Wu Yixing, will you let him go inside alone?" She scowls at the fifth prince. "I will never let this happen." "He will do what he needs to do to save his woman." Wu Yixing stands in front of her. "I will do what I need to to do to protect mine." He pricks the back of her neck with a needle. She falls in his arms. Wu Yixingys her down near the boulder. "Li Jun, I cannot let you go alone. I wille with you." Li Jun shakes his head. "You need to be here. If something happens to you, General Yu won''t survive a single day. Her fame is attracting the wrong attention. Let me do what I need to do." Wu Yixing nods at him. "You better not die." "I am called master death." Li Jun shows him a small smile. "Take care of your woman well. These Kwon women like to disappear all the time." Wu Yixing watches his childhood friend walk inside the cave. He just hopes that he can see him again. Chapter 46: If you die, I wont forgive you Chapter 46: If you die, I won''t forgive you Deep inside the cave, the poisonous purple moss is growing on the walls. The ground is wet. There is the scent of death inside the cave. Just a little ahead, he sees a familiar figure yawningzily. "Kyuri?" She turns around and looks at him. "Li Jun, are we inside the cave?" "Why are you inside?" He asks her anxiously. "You shouldn''t be here." "I didn''t choose toe here." She rubs her eye. "Where are General Yu and the fifth prince?" "They are outside." He looks behind. "Kyuri, you have to leave this ce. The cave is dangerous. The moss growing on the wall is poisonous. If you stay here for too long, you will get poisoned." She looks at him from the head to the toe. "Are you immortal? If you know that the cave is a bad ce, why are you here?" "You need the time crystal." She is small and thin. She doesn''t have enough strength to survive in the cave. "I will bring it out. Wait for me outside." She jerks his hands off. "Get out of here. I know when I will die. That''s why I can be brave. But you? Idiot, don''t just walk into death confidently. You aren''t god. Leave before I be your widow." His wife is a stubborn woman. She is worse when she is angry. "Kyuri." He tells her in a pleading voice, "Trust me. I will bring it." "Leave." She turns her back to him and walks ahead. He can''t leave her alone in this ce. He runs to her side. "Together." He holds her hand. He gives her a peck on her lips. "Or I will drag you outside with me." She closes her mouth. "If you die, I won''t forgive you." "I won''t die at a ce like this." He assures her. Li Jun feels like he is being watched. The cave is alive and listening. He pulls her closer to his side. "Kang Si An told me that he would ept you." Kyuri entwines her fingers with his. "He doesn''t know the whole story. I feel like a bad person." "You are already married to me." The statement is enough to tell her that she should choose him and let go of Kang Si An. "When we leave this ce, let''s go somewhere far away. I want to start a new life with you." The smell of death is getting stronger. ck vines grow on the wall in front of them. Li Jun hears the sound of breathing. There''s a low sarcasticugh. Whatever it is here, it''sughing at them. It''s waiting for them. He admires his wife''s courage who hasn''t screamed once. She has changed a lot since he met her. She chins up and says, "If we find the time crystal, we will start a new life." Another giggle. The vines move on its own to make the path for them. At the end of the path, they find a metal door. Kyuri purses her lips. The vines havepletely covered their escape routes. They are trapped. "Kyuri, we can''t turn back now." He guesses her thoughts. "If we resist, the vines will drag us inside." "Do you regreting here?" Her lips tremble. She holds back her tears. "It would have been better if we had never met." "Don''t say that." He cups her face. "Kyuri, I have a secret too. Do you want to hear it?" She nods adorably. "I dreamt about you before I met you on the battlefield." He tells her with a smile, "After you told me about Kang Si An, I am sure that my dreams were his memories. Because of those memories, I fell in love with you before I met you. This is the reason why I am not afraid. I will meet you again and I will fall in love with you again in my next life. Kang Si An might not remember this life of mine, but the love that he feels for youes from this life." She lowers her head. "Don''t say words like that." He rests his chin on her head. "I will never regret meeting you. If I hadn''t, I wouldn''t have known that I could ever love someone like this. I am d that you appeared in my life. I am thankful for your ability that brought you to me. You have been wandering to me, but Kang Si An is your final destination, isn''t?" "You came here prepared to die." She punches his chest. "Li Jun, if you die, I will die with you. Get it?" He just smiles and says nothing. He takes her hand and pushes the door. Bones crack under his boots when he steps inside. Kyuri gasps when she realizes that those are human bones. "It''s carnivorous." She points at the tall purple and ck nt in the middle of the room. "Damn it! We have to get out of here." "It''s fine." He doesn''t move from the spot despite her pleadings. The door closes behind them on their own. "It''s waiting for me." "What?" She yells at him. Li Jun lets go of her hand and moves toward the nt. The ck vines are growing from the bottom of the nt. The leaves are small and sharp as a de. She runs and blocks Li Jun''s path. "Don''t go close to it." Li Jun can feel its calling. "It''s waiting for me." "Li Jun!" She ps his face. "Snap out of it." He stares at her nkly. She pulls out his sword. "I will kill this thing before it eats you." He reaches for her. She jumps forward and stabs it with the sword. A loud inhumanugh echoes in the cave. The sword begins to disintegrate. She lets go and steps away, afraid. She takes one nce at Li Jun who is moving toward her. His eyes are nk. There is a content smile on his face. "Take me." She touches the nt. "Let him go. I am going to die anyway. I am also younger than him. My flesh is soft and juicy. You can bloom better flower with my flesh." It epts her and begins draining her energy. Li Jun walks forward and pulls her away. She falls on the bones. She screams, "Please don''t do it." She sees the blood tears drop from his eyes. "I am the chosen timekeeper to erase you from the world?" The vines envelop his body. His life source is drained right before her eyes. His bones drop to the pile of bones. She goes to his remains and touches his bones with shaking hands. It''s still warm. She looks up at the monster. "Why not take me?" ''Because of your existence, many lives have been changed. You have done exceptional work.'' She hears it in her mind. ''However, your reason for existence is gone. You are now an anomaly that is no longer needed. You must leave the world of the living when your timees. Someone else will be born and take your ce to right the wrong. Another timekeeper will be chosen to erase that anomaly when the timees. Don''t run. ept death as ites. Your next life will be rewarding." Kyuri thinks about the pregnant future self who met her in the alley. Why did she tell her that getting the time crystal could change her fate? All of her efforts has been leading to Li Jun''s death. Her body begins to be transparent. She keeps crying as she reappears in Kang Si An''s living room. He wakes up because of the sobbing noise. Now, she knows why shees back to him. He''s the timekeeper. She is no longer useful. Day of her death is already decided. She is supposed to live her remaining days with him to make the memories that Li Jun cherished in his life. Chapter 47: To scare me? Chapter 47: To scare me? Kang Si An finds her crying on the floor in the living room. "Kyuri, what''s wrong?" She sobs harder when she hears his voice. He is scared to see her like this. He scans her body. There are scratches over her faces and arms. A bad feelinges inside his heart. "Did someone hurt you?" She doesn''t answer his questions. She doesn''t stop crying either. He gives her a ss of water. What could cut her skin like this? Did that Li Jun do something to her? He opens his mouth to ask her, but he loses his courage when he sees her eyes full of grief. For the next few days, she would barely eat or sleep. She would burst into tears suddenly. She wouldn''t let him leave. He takes days off from the work to be with her. "Tell me what happened." He asks her patiently. "Did he do something to you?" She looks at him and says, "I can''t wander to him anymore." He is surprised to hear that. Did they fight? That man must have left her. "Are you crying because he left?" She wraps her arms around him. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Is it okay with you?" That''s what he wanted. Though she is miserable because of someone else, he also feels miserable to see her like this. A corner of his heart is happy when she said those words. "I won''t let you wander away anymore." "Mmm." She presses her ear against his chest and listens to his heartbeat. "You aren''t allowed to die before me and leave me alone in the world." "Alright, I will outlive you and bear the pain." He smiles at her. "You must live a long life. Else, I will punish you in the afterlife." "I will look forward to it," She tells him weakly. He tilts his head. Looking forward to their long lives together? Two monthster, she resumes living normally. She goes back to college after months. He is relieved to see her smiling andughing again after a long time. She introduces him to her best friend, Yoon Mi. On each weekend, they would go out together. They asionally visit the beach. She hates even hearing the word ''mountain''. Things change when she finds out that she is pregnant three weeks before the end of the contract. She asks nkly, "Why I am pregnant now?" Kang Si An looks at her with guilt. Though he purposely did it to keep her tied to him, he is still surprised to hear the news. "Do you not want it?" "It''s not the right time." She looks down at her feet. "I didn''t get pregnant when I was with Li Jun. It feels like a cruel joke." Still, she''s remembering that man. "Kyuri, let''s get married." He bends down on his knees and holds her hands. "After the movie is released..." He looks at her belly. "We can register our marriage tomorrow and have a wedding ceremony after the movie is released. What do you think?" She smiles at him sadly. "Let''s get married after the movie is released. There are only three weeks. Concentrate on the promotion. It''s an important time for you." He gives her a hug. She doesn''t seem happy. She has agreed to marry him. Will a part of her always belong to that man? A few dayster, she suddenly tells him, "Si An, my aunt told me that I could change things if I touch the person from the past. The opportunity was right in front of me. I wanted to do it. I don''t know whether I could change the past or not if I did that. I felt miserable and hopeless when I saw that person asking me to change the future. I should have taken that opportunity at that time. The price was too high. If I had taken that chance, I wouldn''t be able to live knowing what I gave up." Kang Si An hasn''t met her aunt yet. He doesn''t understand her words either. Then, she doesn''t want him to understand either. "Do you love me?" He asks her. "If you don''t, I won''t me you if you want to leave me." Her raw emotions in her eyes give him the answer. Corners of his lips curl up. "Then, you have to be with me for the rest of your life." *** We are standing in the same cave where Li Jun died. "Crossroads are the moments that can change the entire flow of time. If she had touched you that day in the alley, she would have lost the fetus and received a chance to change everything." The timekeeper tells me, "Because she didn''t choose to, she lived for a longer time. However, she made a blind bet on another crossroad. If you used your second ability and see the memories, you could change things." "Why did you show me all this?" I ask him. "Kang Si An is chosen to remove you from the world because of your connection with him." He puts his hands behind his back and sighs, "Because of his love for you, he and I cannot be one. He will never be able to erase you consciously. That''s a pain. He resists me a lot unconsciously. The current you have be a dangerous anomaly. You know when and where you will travel in time. You know what not to do and how to change the future. We can''t attract your aunt back to her correct time to remove her cleanly using you either. In the end, Kang Si An will also resist me more. What should I do?" I look at the monster nt. It''s bigger and thicker. The piles of bones are also bigger. I can''t distinguish Li Jun''s bones from the piles of bones. The flower is about to bloom. "My aunt would have arrived when she regained her ability to change my future. The purple notebook was a trap for her to go to her correct time. When she was back, the timekeepers would have caught her." I let out augh. "It was all to catch her before she created a bigger change. The time travelers can only be erased in their correct time to avoid more anomalies." "Correct!" He takes long strides toward the nt. "Do you know why I threw the keeper''s dagger to you when we first met?" "To scare me?" I know that it''s the wrong answer. I say that anyway. "I don''t know what he sees in you." He wrinkles his nose and shakes his head in disgust. "A dumb person like you cannot survive for long." Chapter 48: You are too kind Chapter 48: You are too kind The fleshy purple and pink petals begin to unfold, sending golden rays in all the directions. If one looks carefully, the glittering bead at the center of the flower is the source of the golden rays. It''s the time crystal. The timekeepers process them and use it to make prisons for time travelers. The time travelers can absorb the raw crystal to gain better control of their abilities. The timekeeper showed me the memories willingly because he was afraid that I would damage Kang Si An''s mind. If Kang Si An remembers Li Jun''s memories after waking up, the timekeeper will lose moremand over his body. Kang Si An might take drastic actions to stop him. "Kang Si An and I made a deal subconsciously. When I help you, I gain a little more control over him." His eyes are focused on the blossoming flower. "Because I decided to give you the dagger, I gained an hour. I used only twenty minutes in the original timeline to finish you on your decided day of death. After that time, he is cautious of me. What should I do? Your existence irks me." I gaze at him. "Are you helping me now, timekeeper?" "Since you are here, I can give you crucial clues directly. He can''t block me unconsciously." He smirks at me. "I already have forty minutes left from the original deal. I gained an hour more. I have 100 minutes now." "If you give me another clue," I warn him. "I will unleash all the memories including this conversation." He glowers at me when he hears my words. "Forcing someone to remember can do irrevocable harm. You are too kind to do that to your lover." That''s true. I won''t break Kang Si An''s mind. I don''t have the power to erase this existence inside Kang Si An''s mind either. "You don''t understand your situation, traveler." He simpers arrogantly. "You could go back in time and get the time bead or this time crystal. You could live a happy life with Li Jun... Oh, don''t look at me like this. This information is free. 100 minutes are more than enough for me. I will tell you why. Li Jun won''t have the happy memories of Kang Si An because the future is already changing. He won''t be in love with you. If Li Jun never feel any love for you, Kang Si An won''t feel any love for you either. No love and less resistance make things easier for me. In 100 minutes, I can kill you more than 1000 times." I gnash my teeth. This crazy thing! "Don''t think that I can''t get you if you hide in the past like your aunt, Traveler." He leans toward me. "I can find you anywhere at any time. It''s not just me. Now, your aunt and you would be on the hit list of all the timekeepers. Even in the past, they wille for you and her." I be quiet. My aunt is also a target because I can no longer be used to lure her into her correct time. I will warn her about the notebook nted by the keepers when I go back next time. "Do you want to live a life like this?" He looks at me sympathetically. "Always looking around to see who wille to get you, you will be tired and miserable. If you surrender when you return to your correct time, your aunt will get some years to live freely as a general. When her ability returns, she wille back to her home to deliver the notebook. Kang Si An will be free of my existence because my job will be done. It is a happy ending for everyone if you surrender yourself." "Asking me to surrender when I return to my time, you still want to avoid anomalies." I chuckle and shake my head. "Timekeeper, you and I are inside the mind of Kang Si An from the original timeline. You have already killed me in this timeline. Killing the same person twice in the same timeline will create a huge anomaly. Before I return and take the different action to change the original timeline, my day of death can''t change. My aunt and I are not in the keeper''s hit list until that happens. As long as Li Jun and Kang Si An have feelings for me, they will continue to resist you." His face turns sour. "You won''t follow the same timeline willingly." "Of course, not." I look around. The sky is clear blue again. We are back in the yellow mustard field. "I don''t know when the timekeepers and you wille for me if I change my actions. But, how do you know when I will take a different action? I can carry the keeper''s dagger with me all the time, but what if I never use it on that monster thing? I won''t get the bead. Future will follow as nned." Iugh at him when I see his ugly expression. He might look like Kang Si An, but he''s not him. "If I survive the 100 minutes until my decided day of death is over, I am guessing that you will fail as the keeper and you will be erased in my ce and Kang Si An will be a normal person?" He widens his eyes in shock. My guess is correct. "Crossroads can change the entire flow of time. In these 6 months, the first crossroad was the moment when my future self decided not to touch me. The second crossroad was the moment when I decided to enter Kang Si An''s mind. If I hadn''t, you wouldn''t show yourself to me. The third crossroad is the day of my death. Even time gives chances to travelers to change the fates." I touch the yellow flowers. This color suits Kang Si An. "If you cannot kill me in the next 6 months, you will be erased in my ce. So, you have 100 minutes in the next 6 months. Even if I am caught in the past, the keeper will keep me in the time prison for the time travelers until my correct time arrives. My aunt told me that. So, it all depends on these... it''s not even six months now. Fifteen days are already gone." "The moment you change your actions, I will get the opportunity." His eyes shine when he smiles at me creepily. "You are forgetting the most important part." I turn my back and start walking ahead of him. "My future self knew one thing. She told me that everything could change if I found the time crystal. She knew that she didn''t find it. Still, she used that single opportunity at the crossroad to give me a clue. If she hadn''t taken me to the alley and said that thing to me, I might not have entered Kang Si An''s mind and see those memories. She chose to die by your hands to hide the hints in Kang Si An''s mind. She didn''t give up back then, Timekeeper. She gave me an important lesson. The present is the most important time to change the future." I don''t look back at him. Ie out of Kang Si An''s mind without any hups. When I open my eyes, it''s 6 AM on the clock. Kang Si An is breathing soundlessly beside me. I smile and give him a kiss on his forehead. I will turn him into a normal person in the future. Chapter 49: I will find you Chapter 49: I will find you "Here." He gives me a passport and a ticket at the airport. "Kang Si An, you are so capable." I giggle when I see the name and information. My name and information are the same, but it''s still fake. In this timeline, I am dead. The present is the best time to take action. I still have five days until I go back to my correct time. That timekeeper is right. When I go back, I can''t be sure that all of my actions will follow the same path. In this timeline, the timekeeper can''t kill me. He won''t waste any of the 100 minutes here. When I woke up, I asked Kang Si An to help me go to the C country. He didn''t ask me many questions. He must have figured that I need to go there. "You are able to get this so fast. How much did you spend on this?" "Pay me back by not dying in the past." He tilts his head down. "By the way, why can''t Ie with you?" "Your face will attract attention." "I will wear a disguise." He looks at me with puppy eyes. "Take me with you." "Kang Si An, do you want me to change the future or not?" I ask him sternly. "You know the answer." He grumbles. "You told me to do anything to change it." I sigh and put down the fake documents. "I don''t know whether I will seed or not. If I seed, you might never meet me and the past might change. You might never fall in love with me again. Is it worth it if I have to lose you?" Kang Si An eyes me solemnly. "Don''t think about me. You and I are inevitable to happen." I grin at him. "You are so sure." He smiles at me. "Even if we don''t meet like the way we did, you are already in love with me. Can you leave me be?" He knows me so well. "Kang Si An, you know that I love you." "I know." He cups my face and kisses me. "Don''t abandon me after changing the past, alright? I won''t forgive you if you do that." I don''t want to leave this person. A small part of me wants to go back and do everything the way it happened. But, I can''t. I won''t let Li Jun die like that. I won''t leave Kang Si An alone to live alone like this. "I will find you," I promise him. "I will make you fall in love with me again." *** I arrive at the modern c country at next morning. In the next four days, I have to find that cave again. After another six hours of travel, I arrive at the goddamn mountains. It''s a famous tourist spot now. It makes my life both easy and hard. It took 8 months to travel through the forest and climb that mountain. Li Jun only had half of the map and we lost ways many times before we found the ce. Now, it takes less than 10 hours to get here from the airport. It''s already dark when I reach the station. I stay at the local inn for the night. I remember the map from Kang Si An''s memory andpare it with the modern map. I pinpoint the location of the cave to a certain area. Are four days enough to find it? It doesn''t hurt to try. At dawn, I leave the inn. I notice that there are a lot of foreigners. I stand in the queue to get on the elevator to the mountain top. Three days are not enough to climb this damned mountain on feet for someone like me. I reach the mountain peak. I separate from the crowd and follow the path. Though things have certainly changed in the years, some parts manage to stay the same. Maybe, they look the same. After a few hours, my confidence begins to fade. "Is it here, Sam?" I hide behind the tree when I hear the voice. "We have been traveling for days." Who is here to explore the godforsaken part of this mountain like me? I see two men in khaki clothes walking toward me. They haven''t seen me. "It should be here, Javed." Sam looks at the map and frowns. "All the keepers dreamt about the flowers. Why are we chosen to harvest it?" "Our luck is pretty bad." They don''t look happy about it. It seems like harvesting that crystal won''t be easy. My luck isn''t good either. The vines. The man-eater nt. The poisonous moss. What else is there inside? Anyway, that nt is dying today. "Did you hear that another anomaly is born?" Sam lights a cigarette. "The higher-ups are going crazy. I don''t know the details. That''s why they asked us to harvest this time crystal as soon as possible." "Is it a time-traveler again?" Javed curses loudly. "I guess the time-traveler hasn''t returned to the past yet. Otherwise, we wouldn''t be here." "I heard that two crossroads were taken care of. Thest one... " Sam sighs. "It''s a pain in the arse to redo everything each time the timeline is destroyed by a time-traveler. Why can''t we just kill them when they are born?" "They also have a role to y in time." Javed takes a smoke. "If we manage to harvest the time crystal flower before the timeline is destroyed, we will have one more time crystal flower to harvest in the new timeline." They haven''t realized that a time-traveler is following them. I wonder how Kang Si An is different from these keepers. These two men look like ordinary people. The sky turns orange. We finally reach the ce. The cave is blocked by a huge boulder. Sam sprinkles the white powder on the boulder. In the next 30 seconds, the boulder melts to nothing. They talk about how they are going to invest better when the timeline is destroyed. I shake my head. The keepers also take advantage of the time turn. I have been lucky so far. I walk inside the cave after five minutes. The moss on the wall is thicker. The familiar ominous feeling is strong. The keepers aren''t talking anymore. They are spraying something in the air as they walk into the depth of the cave. The moss is disintegrating on its own. The vines are shying away from the walls. Whatever they are spraying in the air, the maneater nt doesn''t like it. They try to push open the metal door. The golden rays areing out. The time crystal flower is shining regally. "Wasn''t the way too easy?" Sam asks nervously. "I feel like we are being watched." "It likes eating humans." Javed looks at the nt with disgust. "The preys are walking to the predator on their own feet. The way is easy." "If we die, we won''t even have a funeral." Sam steps away from the metal door. "Why are you afraid?" Javedughs. "The time-traveler will change the timeline. We will be alive again." "That doesn''t mean that I like being eaten by a nt." Sam looks at the silver dagger in his hand. "It''s a high ranked time crystal nt. I heard that it''s more than three millennia old. Thest harvest killed more than a dozen people." "A thousand years ago, they didn''t have the technology that we have now." Javed takes a deep breath. "Remember that we can''t harm it. We only need the time crystal flower." Chapter 50: I should die here Chapter 50: I should die here It''s over before it begins. Their bodies are torn apart by the vines. They didn''t even have the time to use the spray. The flesh is absorbed by the vines, leaving only the bones. I hear the sameughter. I take a deep breath. It knows that I am here. I walk into the room of bones. The vines are waggling in all the direction. The time crystal flower is a shimmering beauty. The flower is as big as a fat toddler. The time crystal nt is slightly tilted to the right because of the weight. I can''t see it, but I can feel its smugness. ''Youe as an anomaly.'' Ah! It won''t let me go this time. "Do you want to eat me this time?" ''You should have followed your destiny.'' I don''t make any movement toward the daggers lying on the pile of the bones. The time crystal nt is observing me. It will rip me apart before I make a move. I walk toward it fearlessly. "I am tired." I stand in front of it. The stem resembles human flesh more than a nt. "What''s the point of all this suffering? Rather than killed by someone I love, I should die here." ''Excellent decision.'' It smiles at me. ''I will take your entire essence. I will give your soul to my child. My child will grow powerful if it absorbs a time-traveler''s soul.'' The parent wants my flesh. The child needs my soul. I close my eyes and wraps my arms around it. I feel it sucking my flesh and my soul. I hear it squeal in happiness. It is already full after eating two humans. It is savoring the time while absorbing me. At the same time, I let my mind fall into its mind. As I thought, walking into dreams and minds are two different abilities. I used them both at the same time on my brother. So, I thought that they were the same. When I used it on Kang Si An, I didn''t enter his dream. I was led into his mind directly. The timekeeper knows about me more than I do. A human mind is different from a nt''s mind. This creature is thousands of years old, but its mind is smaller than I expected it to be. The ck space is full of hunger and evil intentions. I see fragments of memories of it absorbing human fleshes. It''s unaffected by the change in timeline. Instead, it grows more powerful when the travelers turn back time. It''s not the same for the child flower. It hates timekeepers because they always try to take its child. Whenever the time turned back, theye again to harvest the child in its infancy. If the flower absorbs the soul of a time-traveler, it will grow up as another time crystal nt. Taking the soul of an anomaly is even better. ''You! Why are you in my mind?'' It has noticed me. My body is only a few moments away from death. I don''t have much time. I begin to wreak havoc inside its mind. Its mind space starts to crumble like a paper. ''I wouldn''t hold any grudge if you had let him go and taken me instead.'' It takes less than a second to destroy its small and weak mind. It''s not dead physically yet. I return to my half-absorbed body. I still have little strength left. I pick up the dagger from the piles of bones and climb the nt to reach the flower. The child isn''t dead yet. I grab one of its petals and pull it toward me. I ignore it pitiful cries when I dig up the time crystal using the dagger. It turns ck and deteriorates into nothing when I take away the time crystal. I climb down the time crystal nt. It is still alive physically. If I turn back time, it will grow strong. How to kill this monster? It''s easier than I thought it would be. The keeper''s dagger digs into its flesh like a knife in the sand. It turns ck and crumbles like time crystal flower. The dagger also disappears with time crystal nt. There are only bones in the room. Li Jun''s bones are here too. In the timekeepers'' bags, I found many vials. I only recognize the white one that took care of the boulder. I find up the second dagger and put it inside the bag. I walk out of the room and look at the bones. I light up the lighter and burn the clothes of the dead that I found inside the cave room. I throw them on the bones. Even if I turn back time, the bones of the victims and this time crystal nt will be gone. Feeling better, I walk out of the cave and see the rising sun. I look at the time crystal on my palm. Pretty. Born of so many victims. Even Li Jun''s flesh and blood. I don''t like it that I have to use this bloody thing. But, I have to save Li Jun and change the time. I curl my fingers and rx my shoulders. The time crystal is throbbing like a heart in my fist. I feel it coursing into my mind. My body begins to heal on its own. I hear a shattering sound in the back of my mind. My abilities are also growing stronger. The remote control of my life is finally in my hand. The sun is at the apex by the time I finish. I take a deep breath. I thank Kyuri, Li Jun, and Kang Si An who belong to this timeline. I am the only one who will remain with these memories. I am going to destroy this timeline. I will destroy the entire loop. I will erase that timekeeper from Kang Si An''s body. Chapter 51: I am the messenger of God Chapter 51: I am the messenger of God She turns around. Her eyes be big when she sees me sitting on the bed. She is wearing the same blue pajama that I wore on the day I traveled to the day of my death and saw the timekeeper killing me. There is still some time before she travels to the future and begins this loop. "Who... what... are you me?" She stammers with disbelief. "Yes." I smile at her. "I have control now." "Really?" She jumps happily. "I am so happy. You are here to tell me this news?" I feel like I am paying a big price. I am erasing the younger me who is a different person. I wonder if my aunt also felt like this. Dying will bring more problems. I need to stop her before she begins thest six months to her death. "I am sorry." I smile at her sadly and hold her hand. Our soul synchronizes in an instant. My body disappears into the wind. I be her. The Kyuri from the past with the knowledge of the future and time crystal coursing through my veins. I hear a distant sound of cracking. I ignore the sound and change my clothes. I don''t have time. I take away the vials and dagger from the keeper''s bag and put it inside my bag. I throw it in the garbage bin. I pick up my wallet, ID, and my phone from the table. I put my bag on my back. Someone knocks on my door. "Kyuri?" It''s Yoon Mi, my best friend. It''s been a long time since I saw her. "Open the door." I close my eyes and think of the crossroad. The day of the assassination at Li Manor. The scent of flowers is in the air. I am already here with a thought. The same spot in the garden. The plumpdy is charging toward me. I wonder why I didn''t choose another time. It can''t be helped. She looks at me, baffled. "Where did they buy this ve from?" It''s astounding how I am mistaken for a ve twice at the same ce. "I am not a ve." I grab her wrist before she can seize me by my hair. "I am the messenger of God. Take me to your lord." She cackles. I guess it is hard to believe my words. "I need to see your lord. I have a message for him." "Lord Li doesn''t have time for chatans like you." The annoying plumpdy rolls her eyes. "If he sees you, you will be punished mercilessly. You should stop trying your luck here and leave immediately." This plumpdy is actually good in heart. "Aunty, that won''t happen. Let your lord decide whether I am a chatan or not." She sneers at me. "I will take you if you are so keen to die." I follow her through the garden. I see the glimpse of Li Jun''s siblings. I wonder where Li Jun is. I long to see him. We enter a courtyard. "Who is this?" Lord Li, father of Li Jun, does resemble him a bit. Li Jun is sitting beside him with a book. He must be Lord Li''s favorite son. "Kneel." The plumpdy whispers to me before she kneels. She says loudly, "Lord, she came to the manor and asked for you." I can''t look away from Li Jun. Last time, this boy had a gruesome memory of this day. I don''t want this to happen to him again. "I am a witch. I am here to give you a warning." The plumpdy peeks at me from the corner of her eyes. I should have told her that I was a witch instead of a messenger of God. Lord Li furrows his brows. His wife or concubine, whoever she is, exims in fear. Li Jun blinks at me with awe. I should have worn a colorful witchy costume. "Guards. Take this crazy woman away." He sends out amand. The guards suddenly drop from the ceiling around me and reach to grab me. I use the spray on their faces. It can repel the time crystal nt, but it''s not useful on humans. Anyway, they are surprised. I run to the other side of the room and grab the woman who looks like one of his concubines. "Listen to me first." I pull out the dagger and point at the woman. Everyone stops moving. "I am not here to harm anyone. I want to tell you that there is going to be an assassination attempt tonight on your family." Lord Liughs sarcastically. "Who would try to assassinate the Li family?" "Your brother." The woman is crying in an annoying voice. Li Jun is clearly afraid. I am not leaving a good memory for him to remember. "If you don''t believe me, you risk dying along with everyone in your house. If you believe me, you might survive and live. Not believing me might cost you a lot more than believing me and increase security. You should check for the spies and people who want to stab you in your back. You have to do it for your family. Take care of Li Jun well. He has a great destiny." I choose that exact time to travel away. I return to the stable at night. I don''t see Li Jun hiding behind the straws. The horses are fine too. Would hee here to hide if he didn''t meet me? It is not likely. I walk toward the main gate. I see a crowd. Lord Li is holding a de and looking down at the caught assassins. "The messenger of the god is here." The plumpdy screams when she sees me. "..." Seriously! Lord Li is surprised to see me again. I give him a nod and leave the Li Manor right away. It seems like the Li family will do well now. Chapter 52: Are you having any dream of me? Chapter 52: Are you having any dream of me? I am sitting on the branch of the tree eating the food that I stole from the kitchen in the Li Household. It''s been 3 years since the night of the assassination attempt. I have good reasons foring here next. Ten years old Li Jun won''t be strong enough to kill me if the timekeeper decides to use his body. If we fight one on one, I am likely to win physically. I also want to check if they are doing okay. My aunt is better at these things. I should ask her what to do. I don''t have to worry about her going back her correct time to deliver the notebook to my grandmother. She is still in danger. She told me that she appeared 3 years before I met her in the past. The problem is that I don''t know where she will appear exactly. If I go and meet my aunt before she traveled to the past, it might create problems. When she messed up, I was born to fix the mess she created. If I warn her before she travels to the past, I don''t know what will happen to me. Li Jun is the childhood friend of the fifth prince. The fifth prince will save my aunt. How much will change because I changed the past? Things will be different. I don''t know if she takes the ce of Yu Chen in this timeline. Maybe I should check on the Yu family. "Lady Witch." I look down and see Li Jun. He is cute and chubby, watching me with awe. I didn''t expect that I would run into him at this hiding ce. Kids aren''t supposed toe here. "Stay there." I point at him. "Don''te closer. I like eating the children''s hearts." There is a good reason why I am acting like an evil witch. I don''t want him toe closer to me. I don''t know when the timekeeper activates the minutes. He might be a kid, but I am afraid of dying. Let''s not forget the keeper''s dagger in my bag. "You are eating sweet potatoes" He looks at the food in my hand. "You stole it from the kitchen, didn''t you?" This boy! "Kid, I am eating this because I don''t want to eat your heart." He sits down on the ground. "I want one too." "Get it from the kitchen." I wonder if I should go to the battlefield. That doesn''t seem like a good idea. How do I find my aunt before she bes Yu Chen? "Give me." He chins up stubbornly. I throw the sweet potato at him. It hits his forehead and falls on hisp. Iugh loudly when I see him rubbing the bump on his head. "You are a bad witch," He yells in anger. "Yes, yes... I am bad." I bite into the sweet potato. "Is your father treating you well?" "He is strict with me," He tells me honestly. "You said that I am destined for great things. My father makes me study and learn martial arts all the time. I am also engaged to marry the sixth princess." "Not bad." I chuckle. "It looks like you attract princesses a lot." Li Jun''s life is not going to be same. He will marry princesses and have a lot of children. He is likely to get a lot of opportunities to change his life. I don''t have doubts about his talents. He will get the chance to shine this time. "Are you having any dream of me?" I ask him quietly. He shakes his head. The timekeeper was right. This time, he won''t fall in love with me. "It''s my birthday today." He speaks after a long silence. "Did youe to wish me?" I am surprised to hear that. Kang Si An and Li Jun have the same birthday. "Uh..." He looks at me with excitement. "Did you bring me a gift, Lady Witch?" I rummage through my bag. I don''t have anything that I can give to a child. The dagger and the vials are out of choice. Li Jun is looking at me with expectations. I look into the wallet. I find some paper cash and a coin. I throw the coin at him. He dodges this time. "What''s this?" He checks the coin. "You are stingy. This coin is not even gold." "It''s the coin of protection." I grin at him. "If you keep it with you, you will be protected from the evil spirit." He frowns at me. "It looks like an ordinary metal coin." I should have brought something good from my correct time. It''s already been three hours. If I go back now, the timekeeper will be there because I have changed an important step toward the original timeline. I didn''t go to the future and saw my future self die. "You can throw it away if you don''t like it." I shrug my shoulder. "By the way, are you friend with Wu Yixing?" "The fifth prince?" He pockets the coin. "He is sly and maniptive, but he and I are friends." Wu Yixing hasn''t met my aunt yet. "What about the Yu family? Are you a friend of their eldest son?" "The enemy spy''s son?" He wrinkles his nose. "Four years ago, he was sent to exile after his mother was executed. He can''t return to the capital for the next fourteen years." My aunt will rece Yu Chen after fourteen years. She will meet him in the inn on the road to the capital. I should meet her before she reces Yu Chen. If she bes Yu Chen, there is a high chance that she will be caught. "Lady Witch, where are you from?" Li Jun''s voice snaps me out of my thoughts. "I am from the depth of hell." I hang the bag on my back. "It''s time for me to go back." "Are we going to meet again?" He asks me hopefully. "We won''t." Probably. "I am going somewhere far away. Li Jun, you must live a long happy life, okay?" He lowers his head. "You cane back to meet me again anytime." Cute. "I wille to meet you on your 90th birthday. You have to live up to 90 if you want to meet me." He res at me. "Lady Witch, what if I die before I turn 90?" I wave my hand. "Then, you won''t meet me." I hear his faint voice following me as I leave Li Household. "I will wait for you then." Chapter 53: The keepers are watching you Chapter 53: The keepers are watching you I am standing in the middle of the road to the capital after 14 years. I don''t know the exact date and time when my aunt and Yu Chen will meet. It''s night. The weather is cold. I walk toward in the opposite direction to the capital. After walking for a few hours, I see the inn. It''ste, but the door is open. I don''t go inside. How do I find out? If Yu Chenes, he will pass by this inn. If it is my aunt, she will also pass by this inn. I sigh and go toward the stable behind the inn. I see a young boy tending to the guests'' horses. "Hey." Startled, he turns around and looks at me. He runs to me and says eagerly, "Guest, do you need a room?" I have no money. I doubt that modern cash from my country will work here. I don''t have any gold here. I should have stolen some from Li household before I came here. I just want to know the news regarding Yu Chen. "Well, I need- " I look down at the source of pain. The keeper''s dagger is deep inside the left side of my lower belly. The boy gives me a smile. "We have been waiting for you here." I spew out blood. He twists the dagger. "You destroyed the timeline. You gravely altered history." The boy smiles at me. "Master Li was right about youing here for your aunt." I scream when he pulls out the dagger. He is going for the second hit. I touch his forehead and enter his mind. Our bodies fall to the ground. I find myself at the bottom of the staircase. I look for the memories of Li Jun and the timekeepers. I see my aunt in his memories. She also works in the inn. He is observing her for the time being and waiting for me to appear. Yu Chen is supposed to arrive after a few days. They are sure that I woulde here anytime this year. Master Li is the timekeeper inside Li Jun. He has sent the letters to the timekeeper organization after I met him on his 10th birthday. Because of my conversation with Li Jun, he knows that I will try to find Yu Chen and my aunt. They won''t try to capture me and freeze me in the prison as they nned initially. They will kill me at sight anywhere in time because I have turned into a top-ranked anomaly the moment I absorbed the time crystal. I flick my fingers. The young boy''s mind crumbles like sand. If I let him go, he will kill me right away. The boy might look young, but he is not any better than that time crystal nt. My body has been stabbed once. I press my hand on the wound and pick up his dagger. My clothes are drenched with blood. *** Kwon Yoori cleans up the table. The guests are back in their rooms. It''s nearly the end of the year. The owner is already asleep. She goes out of the inn to stretch her arms and legs. Then, she recalls that the stable boy is still tending to the horses alone. She decides to check on him. She hears his scream. She runs toward the stable. She sees him lying on the floor with his mouth open. His eyes are rolled back. A few meters away from him, a girl is walking away. She widens her eyes when she sees the dagger. She would recognize it anywhere. "Keeper," She yells. "What did you do to this boy?" The girl turns around her head. Yoori realizes that something is different. The girl''s clothes and her bag don''t belong to this time. She is clutching the side of her belly. "Aunt Yoori..." The girl drops on the ground. "Help me." The girl is her family. Yoori rushes to her side. "Who did this to you?" "We have to leave." The girl looks at her painfully. "The keepers are watching you." "Don''t speak." Yoori checks the wound. The girl closes her eyes. She carries her inside the inn. She bandaged the wound first. Then, she changes the girl''s clothes. When the girl''s pulse bes stable, Yoori takes a breath of relief. She checks out the bag. There are two daggers and 9 vials. She recognizes them right away. She finds the wallet and the ID. Her name is Kwon Kyuri. She''s her younger brother''s daughter. Yoori is surprised to see this. Her brother didn''t have any daughter. A girl born because of her actions? Yoori holds the girl''s wrist and listens to her pulse again. Time crystal. This girl has taken the time crystal. Kwon Kyuri already knows her and where to find her. She doesn''t know this girl. It only means one thing. Kyuri is trying to change the future. *** The rays of sunlight pouring in through the window wake me up. I groan when I feel the pain in my lower stomach. Where I am? The room only consists of a bed. My bag is lying in the corner. All the items from my bag are arranged neatly on the floor. My clothes are washed and folded on the side. I sit up and lean against the wall. The door is pushed open. My auntes inside with a big bowl of water. There is a dirty piece of clothing on her shoulder. I raise my brow. "Niece, you are awake." She puts down the bowl of water on the ground. "I was going to wipe your body clean. You have slept for a day and night." "Do you know who I am?" I ask her. "I saw your ID." She nces at the wallet in the corner. She brings out the phone from her sleeve. "I went through your things to find out more about you. My brother looks old." "Aunt, we can''t stay here." I cut the chase. "That stable boy was a timekeeper. I went through his memories. He was sent here to observe you. They were waiting for me toe here. They n to kill me and capture you." She nods at me. "I guessed that much. Timekeepers hate travelers. They hate those who absorb the time crystal more. You will never burn out or have to wait for the recharge your ability. Time crystal strengthens all the abilities." "I didn''t know about that." I stare at her, tired. It still hurts where he stabbed me. I tell her the whole story. She listens to me without any change of expression. I like this about her. She is more experienced and wise. Chapter 54: Why cant I be your sister? Chapter 54: Why can''t I be your sister? After listening to her niece''s story, Kwon Yoori understands her dire situation. She appreciates that her niece came to warn her about the keepers. Staying at the inn is not safe. The stable boy is brain dead. The inn owner has sent words to the boy''s family. The timekeeper organization will find out soon. "Pretend to be my brother," She tells her niece. "We will leave tomorrow." To be honest, her niece is too pretty and feminine to act like a man. Yoori is afraid that her niece will attract men who like feminine men with her beauty. The other problem is that her niece has no idea about her pretty face. She is also wounded. Still, it''s better to pretend to be a man than a woman in this era. She already attracted Li Jun''s attention in the original timeline and ended up marrying him because of the emperor''s decree. If something happened once, it is likely to happen again. Li Jun''s soul is anchored to Kyuri. He will always find her. Yoori can''t let that happen again. Li Jun is a fearsome general who made great contributions to the empire from a young age. His first wife died during the childbirth. His only son is being raised by his concubine, the 13th princess. Though things are different, Yoori can''t help butpare the two timelines. The position of the first wife is still empty. Kyuri doesn''t know all this. What if that man decides to take her niece as his wife or another concubine? Kyuri won''t even live past her wedding night. The timekeeper inside Li Jun will kill her first. It''s her duty to save her niece. Else, she won''t be able to face her brother in the afterlife. Her niece risked everything toe here and warn her. As her aunt and her only family in this era, she will do her best to save her. Kyuri raises her brow. She doesn''t know what''s going inside her aunt''s mind. "Why can''t I be your sister?" "You and I can''t use the same room if you are my sister." Yoori points out. "I already told the inn owner that you are my brother who is here to visit me. I told them that you got wounded on your way here when some thieves attacked you for your money. You are lucky that he was asleep when I brought you inside. If I told them that you are my sister, they would have kept you in a different room. The inn owner is a cheap stake. He would have made me pay for the extra lodging. It''s also safe if you and I stay in the same room." "I see." Kyuri puckers her lips. "Aunt, we will both pretend to be men. Will you teach me martial arts?" "Yes, I want you to be able to take care of low ranked timekeepers like that stable boy." Yoori is d to hear that her niece is interested in martial arts. "I am going to train you on how to be a proper man in this era." *** "My name is Mo Qian. You are my younger brother, Mo Wei. I am eighteen. You are fifteen. We left the vige after the great flood. We lost our family in that flood. If someone asks, their names are Bai Feng and Fan Xiao. You look a bit different, but we have the same nose. We can pass as siblings." She helps me dress up as a man and tie my hair. "A lot of people died during the great flood around ten years ago. If someone doubts us, they have no means to investigate our past. Say the vige is in the northern part of the country. Pretend to be mute until your ent is fixed." My aunt tells me what to do and what absolutely not to do. She continues to tell me how it''s better if I keep a distance from both men and women. I can''t let out the secret that I am a female. I can''t help but feel that she''s acting like my father who strongly disliked the idea of dating before turning forty. They are simr in this way. "What should we do about the timekeepers?" "For now, we will run." She''s packing my stuff in the bag. She puts some clothes inside. My old clothes are already thrown away because of the blood. "Don''t travel to your correct time or another era. Here, you have me. We know our enemy. You are also familiar with this era. The timekeepers have the knowledge of the original timelines, but they don''t have the knowledge of the new future. They only remember the original timeline of their lives. Timekeepers aren''t invincible. We can outsmart them. Two time-travelers are better than one. You and I will try to find the solution together." Aunt and niece are together against the timekeepers. I let out augh. "Elder brother, I feel like you are a hero in a wuxia novel." "You are doing good, Xiao Wei." She gives me thumps up. "We are the heroines who are cross-dressing as heroes." Weugh together as we walk out of the room. I wait outside the inn. She goes to say goodbye to the innkeeper. I feel braver after talking to her. There is someone who knows what happened to me. As a time-traveler, she understands how I feel. My family loves me a lot, but they can''t understand how it felt. I couldn''t discuss the future or the past. Yoon Mi would listen to me. She also envied me for having this ability. But, nobody understood how lonely it was. Someone grips my arm. I look over my shoulder. His prating gaze meets mine. He is dressed entirely in ck. His ck hair is tied back. "Witch?" Chapter 55: Cant speak? Chapter 55: Can''t speak? Wu Yixing cocks his head and smiles slyly. "I am curious about why you areing with me." Li Jun ignores the question and resumes reading the poetry that Wu Qiuyue, the 13th princess gave to him before they left the capital. He can''t make the head or tail of the words. He is reading it because it would be tiresome if he can''t answer her questions when she asks him when they meet again. She gets upset easily. His son bes upset when she is upset. Two years ago, his first wife died. Wu Qiuyue takes care of his son alone after her sister''s death. Wu Yixing grabs the paper and throws it out of the window. Li Jun scowls at him. "Fifth prince." "I liked my sixth sister. She wouldn''t impose on you with poetries that you would never read if you were given a choice. She knew that you don''t have the intelligence to understand the words from the heart." Wu Yixing leans back. "But, you never loved my beautiful sister." Li Jun bes silent. He looks out of the window. Love. He cared about Wu Xiuying. He respected her a lot. But, love? He doesn''t know what it is. Sometimes, he wonders if he is capable of love. If she hadn''t asked him to take Wu Qiuyue as his concubine, he would have never brought her into his household. Wu Qiuyue is theplete opposite of Wu Xiuying. She is not satisfied with respect like Wu Xiuying. She wants to be loved. "I wonder what kind of woman can catch your heart, my friend." He hears Wu Yixing say. "It won''t be that witch, right?" Li Jun''s expression turns dark. "Don''t joke." "Then, you aren''t here because she seemed interested in Yu Chen and his exile?" The amusement in his tone is hard to miss. When Li Jun was young, he babbled to Wu Yixing about meeting the witch again on his 10th birthday. He was curious why the witch would be interested in Wu Yixing and Yu Chen. Li Jun regrets doing it to this day. "Yu Chen''s mother was the enemy''s spy. She got closer to the empress to gather information." He tells him quietly, "He might be used again." "The Yu family is nning to assassinate him before he reaches the capital." Wu Yixing yawns. "It''s better if he dies here or goes back to exile. His life won''t be good in the capital." As the carriage approaches the inn, the small figure dressed in a white robe bes clear. "Stop." "Are we stopping at this inn?" Wu Yixing raises his brow. Li Jun rushes out of the carriage. He takes long strides toward the figure in the male''s clothes and grabs her arm. "Witch?" Looking at that face, anyone can tell that she is a female in male''s clothes. His intuition is right. She is interested in Yu Chen. That''s why she is here. She doesn''t look a day older. "Why are you not saying anything?" He asks her with a deep voice. She purses her lips and kneels on the ground. Li Jun remembers the witch who proudly met his father and told him about the assassination attempt. She never kneeled in front of his father. Seeing her kneeling in front of him, he bes irritated. "Get up." Kwon Yoories out of the inn with a wide smile. Her eyes meet Wu Yixing''s first who gives her a smile. She notices Kyuri kneeling on the ground. The man dressed in ck looks as if he wants to kill her niece right away. "Lord, we are sorry." She also kneels beside Kyuri. "My brother is young. He can''t speak. Please forgive him." "Can''t speak?" Li Jun shows a dark smile. "Is that so?" Kyuri trembles beside her. She puts her hand on her niece back. She has no idea how her niece offended this man. "He lost her voice ever since the great flood. Some days ago, he got hurt when he was on his way to visit me. Lord, be kind to my brother. He is young and naive." "My friend, don''t be hard on them." Wu Yixing decides to join the y. "Boy, help your brother stand up." Yoori thanks both of them. She helps her niece stand up. Kyuri''s face is pale. She doesn''t look up at Li Jun. She hides behind her aunt. "Please forgive my brother. He is shy." Yoori bows to them. "We are already leaving. Please rest at the inn. The service is really good." Li Jun looks at the bag on Yoori''s shoulder. It''s the same bag that the witch carried when he met her twice in the past. He nces at Kyuri who doesn''t dare to look up. Though it doesn''t make sense how a woman doesn''t grow old after fourteen years, he knows that this person is the same one who warned his father about the assassination attempt and visited him on his 10th birthday. She is pretending to be a man and trying to fool him. Is it because of Yu Chen? "What is your name?" He asks Kyuri. She lowers her head more. "His name is Mo Wei." Yoori answers for her. "My name is Mo Qian." "Xiao Wei, you look pale. Don''t be scared." Wu Yixing suddenly takes Kyuri''s hand and presses the vein on her wrist. Kyuri lifts her head and widens her eyes in surprise. "You lost a lot of blood recently. I have a tonic that can help you." Yoori doesn''t have any idea about these men''s real identities. She sees an opportunity. Blood tonics are costly. There is no modern medicine to help her niece. "We don''t have money to buy it. If you give it to my brother, I will pay you back with my body." Wu Yixing raises his brow. "With your body?" "I know martial arts." Yoori presses her palms together. "I am also strong. I can be useful." Kyuri takes away her hand and grabs Yoori''s sleeve. She shakes her head violently. But, Yoori can''t understand what''s she''s trying to say. Her actions don''t escape Li Jun''s and Wu Yixing''s eyes. "We need people." Wu Yixing beams at Yoori. "I will give you the blood tonic and other medicines to help your younger brother. In return, apany us on our journey. We are going away from the capital for a while." Yoori is in heaven. Free travel. Free food. Also, free treatment for her niece. Her niece is unbelievably lucky. "Thanks for your kindness, my lord." Chapter 56: Xiao Wei, do you need my help? Chapter 56: Xiao Wei, do you need my help? "Xiao Wei." Wu Yixing, the sly fox, pats my back. "Come inside the carriage. I will give you the tonic. Your body will be good as new in the few days." "Xiao Wei, don''t worry. Sit with them. They are good people." Aunt Yoori grins. "I will sit outside with the driver." I shake her head frantically. She can''t understand what I am trying to say. If I go inside the carriage, I am going to be lying in my coffin soon. "Mo Qian, sit with us inside." Wu Yixing gives a kind smile to my aunt. Aunt, please don''t believe him. I already told you about him. "Xiao Wei is shy." Argh! She doesn''t know their faces. Li Jun keeps staring at me. I am afraid that he recognizes me. He called me a witch. Is our cover already blown? Should I leave this era? I can''t leave aunt like this. "Ah... that must be it." I hear her mumble. Does she really think that I am shy around new people? I am pretending to be fifteen. Not an actual fifteen years old kid. "Let''s go in, Xiao Wei. It''s rude to keep people waiting." Aunt, you don''t understand. I feel like crying, but tears of frustration won''te. She drags me inside the carriage. She takes a seat beside Wu Yixing naturally. I have no choice but to sit beside Li Jun. "Here, Xiao Wei, drink it." Wu Yixing gives me the tonic. "Kneeling didn''t do you good. Were you stabbed in the left side of your lower stomach?" Aunt Yoori blinks at him. "Lord, how do you know?" "She is favoring her left side." Wu Yixing takes her wrist. "Let me check your martial art." This creepy man! "What are you waiting for?" Li Jun asks me with a low voice. "Drink it." Is this poison? I stare at the tonic. I can''t even ask without blowing my cover more. If I speak, I am sure that he will recognize my voice and ent. Wu Yixing and my aunt are talking happily about martial arts. There is no one to help. "I didn''t ask you to kneel." Li Jun takes the tonic away from my hand. "Xiao Wei, you should not be rushing to be a man. Drinking a blood tonic doesn''t make you look weak." He believes Aunt Yoori then? I am relieved. But, not for long. He grasps my jaw and forces down the blood tonic down my throat. I have never drunk anything so bad in my life. He doesn''t remove the ss bottle from my lips until I drink it all. "Lord, what are you doing to my brother?" Aunt Yoori asks him anxiously. "Your kid brother is picky about medicine." I hear his answer. "Young stubborn kids need to be fed like this." I use my sleeve to wipe my mouth. Tch! I hate this guy. He is being petty. "That... " Aunt Yoori looks at me with pity. Wu Yixing brings out another bottle of medicine. "Xiao Wei, drink this. It will help you recover fast." I open my mouth to refuse, but Aunt Yoori shakes her head. "Lord, my brother will be fine. Don''t use your valuable resources on him." Li Jun smiles at her. "Howe? A young boy won''t grow up into a fine man if his body isn''t healed properly. Besides, you and Wu Yixing have a deal." Before he can take the medicine and shove it down in my throat again, I take the bottle from Wu Yixing and gives him a thankful bow. I open the bottle reluctantly. It smells so bad. Aunt, I am making a big sacrifice for you. This is worse than dying. Li Jun puts his finger on my chin and lifts my head to meet his eyes. "Xiao Wei, do you need my help?" "..." I shake my head and shift away from him. With a heavy heart, I sacrifice my taste buds and gulp down bitter medicine. *** Aunt Yoori has fallen asleep on her seat. Wu Yixing''s eyes are closed. t''s night, but the carriage doesn''t stop. I can''t sleep with Li Jun beside me. He looks like he is also asleep. Who knows when the timekeeper activates the minutes? I look at him carefully. I only see a sword on him. No keeper''s dagger. But, there are two in my bag. My bag is lying by my aunt''s feet. Damn! The timekeeper needs to use the dagger to kill a time-traveler. If he doesn''t use the dagger, the time-traveler will be reborn with the time-traveling ability because this abilityes from the soul instead of the body. A reborn time-traveler is as dangerous as the one who absorbs the time crystal. I stare at the man beside me. It is injustice how he can look so beautiful. Long eyshes. A high nose. Smooth skin. Broad shoulder. He looks just like the same Li Jun from the original timeline. I look away. This Li Jun doesn''t love me. He never dreamt of me. He must have already married the princesses. The one who really loved me. Kang Si An and Li Jun from the original timeline. They are really gone. I promised Kang Si An that I woulde and make him fall for me, but I feel hopeless. It will never be the same. I will be the only one with the memories. The price of turning back time is heavy, but I am happy that Li Jun is not living a lonely life this time. Chapter 57: Unfortunate prince? Chapter 57: Unfortunate prince? The witch is staring at him. He pretends to be asleep. She moves closer to the window. He peers at her. She lowers her head and wipes her wet face with her sleeves. Why is this witch upset? When he was seven, she caused such chaos in front of his father. She was fearless and proud. She threatened his mother with a dagger and told them about the assassination attempt. When he saw her fade into nothing, he thought that she was a ghost. He heard that she came back at night when the assassins were caught. He wanted to see her again. Once more. That wish was not fulfilled until his 10th birthday. She appeared on the tree, eating the sweet potatoes. The witch was pretty, brave, and crafty. That''s why Li Jun doesn''t think that she is afraid of him. She must be in trouble. How is Yu Chen and Mo Qian connected? "Xiao Wei, were you crying? Your eyes are red." Wu Yixing asks her. "Are you in pain?" Yoori wakes up and sees her niece puffy face. "Why are you crying?" Kyuri shakes her head. That seems to be her only action. Yoori doesn''t understand what she is trying to say. She realizes that her niece is bad at being mute. Now, her niece can''t stop pretending in front of these two men. "Lord, he is homesick. We lost our parents during the great flood. Due to the psychological pain, he lost the ability to speak. My brother can''t speak, but he misses our parents each time there is a full moon night." She points at the full moon in the sky. Kyuri rolls her eyes and puckers her lips in annoyance. Wu Yixing says sympathetically, "It must have been hard for you. I have another medicine for the mind. This medicine can heal the mindpletely. I am sure that your brother will be able to speak if she... I mean, he takes it." Wu Yixing brings out another green vial of medicine. Li Jun sighs and wonders how long these two women will keep up with the farce. Sometimes, he is scared of Wu Yixing''s cunning methods. He has also suffered at Wu Yixing''s hands. He looks at Kyuri with pity. How long can she pretend to be mute? "Lord, please... don''t be too kind." Yoori blurts out. "I mean, you are too kind. We can''t take advantage of you. My brother will be fine. Don''t waste invaluable medicines on a lowly person like him." Wu Yixing uncorks the vial and hands it to Kyuri. "I cannot see a young boy like him suffer like this even after 10 years of the great flood. You have impressed me, Mo Qian. You are a good older brother. I want to make your life easy." *** I have killed a time crystal nt monster. I have absorbed a time crystal. I have turned back time. But, I never thought that I would be suffering like this because of my aunt and Wu Yixing. I am tempted to disappear right now. The smell of medicine makes me want to puke. Forget about drinking. I can''t even bear to move it closer to my mouth. "It''s not going to harm him, right?" My aunt asks Wu Yixing doubtfully. Medicine to heal the mind? Are you really going to believe that crap? "It won''t harm anyone. Even I drink it every day to make my mind stronger." Wu Yixing pats her head. "Mo Qian, it makes the mind strong. It will help your brother." She turns toward me. "Xiao Wei, drink it. It won''t harm you." "..." I nce at Wu Yixing and Li Jun. Both of them are looking at me expectantly. I can''t get out of this without drinking it. I pinch my nose and pour the liquid in my throat. I don''t know about strengthening the mind. I am sure that I have lost my sense of taste. "Try to speak." Li Jun smirks at me. "Xiao Wei." I purse my lips tighter. I won''t give in. "The medicine didn''t work." Aunt Yoori looks at Wu Yixing. "My brother will be fine like this. Thank you for thinking about him." Wu Yixing looks for something in his sleeves. It''s a bottle of another green vial. "I have stronger medicine for the mind. I am sure that this will work." Another one. This snake won''t stop until I speak. I recall my aunt''s warnings when she was General Yu. I put my palm up. "I can speak now. I don''t need any more medicine." "My brother can speak." Aunt Yoori pretends to be surprised and happy. "Lord, you are like a god in my life." Li Jun chuckles. "Wu Yixing, your medicines worked finally." My aunt still doesn''t get it. "Lord, you have the same name as the unfortunate prince." "Unfortunate prince?" Wu Yixing asks her with an innocent smile. "The fifth prince. Everyone calls him the unfortunate prince because the women engaged to him keep dying. All the fathers of this empire are afraid of giving their daughters to him." She leans closer to him. "He is 24, but he has no wife or concubine. He spends his days either drunk or with women entertainers. His life is a waste. I heard that he is the most handsome among all the princes. Just having looks are not enough. His highest talent is seducing women with his looks." "Elder brother!" "What?" She looks at me, puzzled. "Xiao Wei, you should stay clear of men like him. I heard that he also likes pretty young boys like you." I rub my forehead. Forget timekeepers. Did my aunt lose her intelligence because I turned back time? How could she not take any hint? "You are a good brother." Wu Yixingughs. "Don''t worry. The misfortunate prince is not interested in young pretty boys like Xiao Wei. Mo Qian, he likes eating men like you who know martial arts and speak their minds without hesitation." My aunt looks visibly grossed out. "Lord, I will take that as a warning. I will make sure that he never sees me." We are doomed. Chapter 58: Our luck is the worst Chapter 58: Our luck is the worst They talk for the entire night. It helps Kyuri stay awake and alert. Kyuri keeps her eyes on Li Jun, Wu Yixing, and the bag. The carriage finally stops. Wu Yixing pulls the curtain of the window and looks out. "We have arrived," He says to Yoori. "Wait in the carriage. We will be right back." "We will wait for you." Yoori is somewhat happy. She is impressed by Wu Yixing''s kindness. In this era, who will ever spend priceless medicines on a stranger boy? Wu Yixing is a kind man. He''s also down to earth. He doesn''t look half bad either. Li Jun gives a nce to Kyuri. Her fingers are curled inward. She doesn''t meet his eyes. He smiles faintly and follows Wu Yixing out of the carriage. When Kyuri sees them enter the rural house, she tries to push open the carriage door. "Kyuri, what are you doing?" Yoori frowns at her. "It''s not bad to stay with Lord Wu. I am sure that he will give us jobs if we stay." "Aunt, we are halfway in our graves. Your lord Wu is the fifth prince. The other man is Li Jun." Yoori gapes at her. "Kyuri, you are joking. Our luck can''t be this bad." "Our luck is the worst." Kyuri picks up her bag. "We have to break the lock of this carriage. We don''t have much time. We have to leave before theye back." Even if the timekeepers weren''t after them, getting entangled with someone from the royal family is the worst. She even badmouthed him right in front of him. Yoori doesn''t have time to regret her actions. In a hurry, they jump out of the carriage. Kyuri groans in pain when she copses on the ground. Yoori helps her stand up. "We can''t stop here." The carriage driver looks at the cause of the loud noise. He sees the two young boys running away from the carriage. He rxes on his seat. They can''t run far. Master''s shadow guards are already following the boys. Li Jun looks around the empty house. "We arete." Wu Yixing utters wistfully. "Fate cannot be changed." "Shall we leave now?" Li Jun asks quietly. "We might be able to catch him on the road." Wu Yixing chuckles. "You are here for the witch only." Theye out of the empty rural house. Wu Yixing stares at the empty carriage. "They ran away." Li Jun climbs into the carriage. "We don''t have time." Wu Yixing touches one of the beads in his bracelet. "You heard him." *** We run through the forest. I can''t shake off the feeling that something is following us. It''s been too easy to run away. Six masked men in ck clothing drop from the sky and surround us. I recognize them from the memories of Li Jun. They are the mysterious masked shadow guards of Wu Yixing. I knew it. It was too easy to run away. "What the... " Aunt Yoori looks for a weapon and realizes that she doesn''t have one. Suddenly, she moves fast. In less than the blink of an eye, she has the keeper''s daggers in her hands. Her secondary abilities? "Let us go." She has a smile on her face. "If you don''t, you won''t have a good end." She reminds me of the time when she was General Yu. It''s not easy to live in this era. I can leave this ce anytime, but I can''t help shaking with fear when I surrounded by people who can kill me in less than a second. She is burned out and unable to travel in time, but she shows no fear or hesitation in her action. "Drop the weapon." A masked manes forward. "We don''t want to hurt you. Our master is waiting for you." "Did the keepers send you?" She nces at their weapons. "Do they hire assassins now?" I lean closer to her and whisper, "They are Wu Yixing''s men." "Tch!" At that instant, the masked man attacks her with his bare hands. She pushes me back and dodges the attack. I fall back on my arse. I yelp in pain. She throws the dagger at the man approaching me. It hits him right at his throat. I open my mouth in awe. She is amazing. She doesn''t pause for a second. Three masked men approach her with weapons this time. Two of them are moving toward me. I watch her vanish and appear as she slits the throats of two men. By the end, she is gasping for air. I realize that she can''t use her secondary abilities for long. She is breathing fast. She has overused her abilities in her burned-out state. Her body is slowing down. "Leave me." She stands up with the dagger. "Go. You can''t fight with them." Leaving her here like this? I reach for my bag and take out one of the vials from my bag and throw it on the maning toward me. ck mes cover his body. I reach for another vial. The fifth shadow stops before me. He clutches my wrist hard. I hear the sound of my bone cracking. The vial drops and cracks. The purple smoke rises out of the broken vial. I don''t think and run forward in time. The guard is not lucky. *** The cracking sound of the vial is loud. The moment slows down. Yoori sees that her niece is no longer standing there. She tries to use thest of her energy to go away from the rising purple smoke. The purple smoke is slowing spreading around. The purple smoke melts away the bag. Crack. Crack. Crack. All the ss vials are broken one by one. The purple smoke gradually bes white. 10 seconds are over. The time resumes its normal pace. The white smoke spreads like wildfire and eats away anything in its way. The fifth guard shrieks in pain as his skin begins to melt. The sixth guard is too slow to move away from the rapidly advancing smoke. It envelops his body in an instant. Yoori slows down the time again. 10 seconds. She doesn''t turn around to look. 1 moment could be the reason for her death. She keeps running with thest of her energy. In 30 seconds, the entire area is wiped out, leaving a deep cavity. There is nothing left. Chapter 59: Do you think that Mo Wei died? Chapter 59: Do you think that Mo Wei died? Wu Yixing peeks down at the dark cavity. He drops a stone and hears nothing. He can''t imagine what kind of force has done this here. The six highly trained shadow guards are killed by two women. Mo Qian''s martial level is not high. How did they even manage to make this hole here? A shadow guard materializes before them. "Master, we have found Mo Qian lying unconscious 30 meters away from this area." Li Jun creases his brows. "What about the other one?" The guard bows his head. "We have searched for the entire forest. There is no sign of her." Wu Yixing puts his hands behind his back. "Is she hurt?" "Mo Qian has some wounds." The guard tells him, "Her pulse is extremely weak. Her body is exhausted." "Take her to the residence." Wu Yixing turns to Li Jun. "Do you think that Mo Wei died?" Li Jun remembers the promise. She will visit him on his 90th birthday. "I don''t think so." "You are quite confident." Wu Yixing clicks his tongue. "It''s a pity that Yu Chen is dead. We have to find another way to drive out and crush the head of the snake." Li Jun stares at the darkness of the cavity. His mind is far away. That little witch. Is she alright? *** I plummet on the rocky ground and shriek in pain. It feels like veins of my feet are tearing apart. The wrist of my right hand is broken. I am afraid of checking my feet. I wasn''t fast enough to leave. The purple smoke hade in contact with my skin. I pull the edge of the robe and look at my feet. The tips of my toes arepletely purple. I writhe in pain as the cially cold poison spreading up in my legs, turning my veins purple. I realize that I am losing sense in my legs. I don''t have much time before I die. I try to leave this ce. I don''t want to die here. It doesn''t work. I can''t travel in time. I hear the elerated ticking sound of time crystal from my body. The searing heat from time crystal courses through my veins. My body twists and turns on the rocky ground. I feel the bone of my wrist mending on its own. The wound on my lower stomach is also healing. The rays of sunlight break the darkness in the sky. I hear the sound of ticking slowing down as the icy pain in my legs is fading. I close my eyes when the time crystal shuts down. *** Kwon Yoori realizes that she can''t move her body. Her body is paralyzed. Did that white smoke get to her? This must be some side effect of getting exposed to the white smoke. Where the hell is she? "You are awake." Wu Yixing''s face appears in front of her eyes. "My apologies. I had to poison your body to keep you unmoving. I am not sure if you can run away like your brother." She can''t even move her lips to curse him. Why did she think that this fox was kind and gentle? All of that was fake. This must be his revenge for badmouthing him. She will cuss at him more. He is worse than the rumors. She looks lively with such hatred in her eyes for him. His facees closer to hers. "Mo Qian, didn''t I tell you that I like men like you?" She has burned out her first ability to travel in time. It will take years before she can use it again. With her body paralyzed, slowing down the time for 10 seconds is useless. Her third ability can''t help either. If she could move, she would have smacked that grin off this pervert. "I don''t like dead fishes in bed. I have the antidote with me." He dangles the red vial in front of her eyes. "Do you want it, Mo Qian?" She res at him. She is etching to beat the crap out of him. "Nothinges free, Qian''er." He sits on the bed beside her and takes her hand. It''s soft and warm. "Your body will die in an hour. You have a choice now. Either you die or you ept me as your master. Blink twice if you choose to ept me as your master." She blinks twice. She has no intention of following him as her master. Let her get the antidote once. She will make him realize his mistakes. Wu Yixing smiles. Can he not see what she is thinking? He didn''t live this long by trusting people naively. He feeds her the antidote. The antidote is fast. She clenches her fist and goes for a punch. He easily catches her fist. "Mo Qian, you have no will to live because your brother died? You won''t live for long if you don''t get the second antidote." She stops moving. The corner of her lips twitch. Second antidote? "This antidote will keep you alive for a day." He lets go of her hand. "Then, you need the second one again. You won''t find it anywhere else. Only I can prepare the antidote because I prepared this poison." She can''t kill this man yet. Being someone''s ve is against her principles. "Wu Yixing, I would rather die than be your ve for the rest of my life." He smiles at her. "Don''t be quick to throw away your life. How about working for me until you finish my task? I will give you the permanent antidote, 1 million gold coins, and a new identity after you are done. Good enough to buy your skills?" She narrows her eyes. Her niece told her that Wu Yixing protected her when she was General Yu. Though this man is cunning and wicked, he has devoted his life to keep her safe from the Yu family and the royal family. In that life, he knew that she was a woman who pretended to be a man and reced Yu Chen. But, she isn''t General Yu. She doesn''t have any good feeling for this person. He might be a good person somewhere deep down in his heart, but she can''t overlook that he sent those shadow guards after her and Kyuri. He even poisoned her. Thest thing that she wants is to be entangled with someone from the royal family. She will trust him because Kyuri said some good words about him. "What''s the task?" Chapter 60: I will listen to my brides wish Chapter 60: I will listen to my bride''s wish My body feels good as new. Even the old scars are gone. I try to listen to the time crystal. It''s dead silent. The uneasiness doesn''t go away. I concentrate and try to time travel again. Nothing happens. My ability is gone? I go to the river and drink the water. The sun is at the top. I have no idea where I am. I can only tell one thing. I only traveled 10 hours in the future to this unknown location since the moment I escaped from the purple smoke. I am not afraid. I am sure that this is temporary. It has to be temporary. My aunt is burned out, but she will be able to use it in the future. With time crystal, this should not be happening to me. I can still feel the time crystal inside me. It''s not gone. It only stopped making any sound. It probably needs some time to recharge itself. By the way, why I am not wandering randomly in time? If time crystal was gone or dead, I should be how I was. I walk for a long time by the river. Usually, the viges aren''t situated far from the water source. I walk until I see the rays of sunlight again. I don''t feel tired or hungry. Now, I am afraid. A human being should feel tired after walking for a day and night. *** The capital is in the uproar. The fifth prince is getting married. Again. This time, the girl is the long lost daughter of a lower noble family. Feng Lingxin. At the Feng residence, Yoori is sitting in the room with a sullen face. Never in her dreams, she could guess that her task is to marry that damn sly snake. As soon as she agreed, he told her to pretend to be the long lost daughter of the Feng family. When she declined, he declined to give her the antidote. In the end, she had to agree. The Feng family knows that she is not Feng Lingxin. They are unusually fine with it. They don''t bother her ore to talk to her unless it is something important. The food is delivered to her room. There is always a silver needle next to the te. She isn''t allowed to leave the room until the wedding. She is sure that it''s that creepy prince''s work. There is a knock on the window. She frowns. His messengers? The wedding is freaking tomorrow. She is already having cold feet. She opens the window. Wu Yixing jumps inside the room. "You aren''t dead yet. It''s a good sign." "Why are you here?" She crosses her arms. "Leave." "Why can''t groom visits his bride?" He flicks her forehead. "I was missing you, Feng Lingxin." "Missing me?" Sheughs at him. "Fifth prince, I am a man. You keep forgetting that. If anyone finds out that you are marrying a man, we are both going to lose our heads. Literally." Wu Yixing smiles. This woman still thinks that he doesn''t know. He is fine with that. It''s more fun this way. "You are doing a good job." He pokes the bosoms on her chest with his finger. "Who will ever find out? By the way, what kind of material did you use? They feel as good as the real thing." He keeps poking them with his finger. bbergasted by his actions, she steps back and covers her chest. Her face bes livid and red. At this rate, she will be caught. "Wu Yixing, if you do this again, I will not take the antidote even if you give it to me. You can forget about our deal." "Don''t be mad." He sits on the bed. "Am I not handsome enough? You told me that I can seduce anyone with this face. I don''t mind men. Come to bed. Come,e." She walks backward to make more distance between them. "I don''t like men. I like women. After the wedding, I don''t want to share the same room with a perverted guy like you." She is pretending to be a man who is pretending to be a woman. One would hope that it wouldn''t be crazier than this, but it has. Her task is to get closer to the empress. The hell! That''s like walking into the den of the lion. "Alright, I will listen to my bride''s wish." Wu Yixing doesn''t push her. "My people are keeping a watch. I promise that nobody can harm you." Yoori bites her lower lip. Wu Yixing is already protecting her. But, she is in this situation because of him. It urs to her that the timekeepers can''te close to her either if his highly trained people are guarding her. This deal is not necessarily bad. He sees her calctive eyes. When she bites her lips, she is thinking about something hard. This girl is unusually simple aboutplicated things andplicated when ites to simple things. He gets up and says, "Sleep early tonight. I am looking forward to seeing you in the wedding dress." He leaves before she can retort. She closes the window. He must be excited because he is finally getting married. He is so desperate that he would fool his emperor father and marry a man. Though she isn''t a man, he doesn''t know that yet. It''s not a real marriage anyway. Chapter 61: I dont trust your perverted nature Chapter 61: I don''t trust your perverted nature Two days are gone. I have been walking continuously for a long time. The temporary situation feels more and more permanent. I don''t know whether to cry orugh. At this moment in my life, I don''t know whether I am a ghost or a living. Am I already dead? Am I a ghost who doesn''t know that she is dead? "I think that''s the mountain ghost." "He has been wandering around the forest for a long time." "The ghost of the man who is still looking for his lover." The whispers snap me out of my thoughts. The young boys hide behind the trees. I can easily spot them. If they can see me, I am most likely not dead. Also, ghosts can pass through hard objects and I can''t. I can still feel the chill of the forest. My senses are working well. Even better. I can hear them easily despite them hiding far away from me. When I take a step toward them, they scream in fear and run away. That''s the direction of the vige. *** The wedding ceremony ismenced without any hup. When she is finally alone, she takes off the heavy headdress that''s been giving her a headache for a while. She finds the sweets on the table. Happy. She picks up one. Before she can put it in her mouth, someone holds her wrist. She looks up and finds Wu Yixing. "They did a good job. You look beautiful. No one can tell that you are a man." He feels a tinge of regret. If he tries to taste the fruit, she will do something rash. "Why are you in this room?" She blinks at him in shock. He shouldn''t be here. He promised her that they would have different rooms. "On my wedding night, where else should I be?" He takes the sweet away and puts it back on the te. "Don''t eat anything without testing it for the poison. I don''t want you to die before you finish the task." She has been warned before. She couldn''t resist when she saw the sweets. "We can''t sleep in the same room." "Say, Mo Qian, why are you afraid?" He takes off his outer robe. "You are a man. I am a man. Why can''t two men sleep in the same room?" "You like men." I turn my back to him. The room feels hot for some reason. "I don''t trust your perverted nature." "I am d that you know me so well, Mo Qian." Heys down on the bed. "I am tired. I am going to sleep. You can sleep on the other side of the bed. I won''t do anything." No way in hell! She grabs a sheet and throws it on the floor. She is used to sleeping on the floor. The initial days in this era weren''t kind to her. Theyers of wedding dress are helpfully warm. Wu Yixing sees her lying on the opposite side of the room. He chuckles and climbs off the bed. He will never let his only wife sleep on the floor like this. Yoori shrieks when she is suddenly lifted in the air. "What are you doing?" "Taking you to the bed." Heys her down and throws the nket over her. "Wife, you can''t get sick. If you get sick, you won''t be able to finish the task soon. This is the reason why you can''t sleep on the floor. The bed is big enough for both of us." She shifts toward the edge of the bed. "Wu Yixing, you sleep on the floor." He shakes his head and enters inside the nket. "I am still a prince. I can''t sleep on the floor. Mo Qian, don''t be like this. It''s a long day tomorrow. Be good and sleep. Otherwise, I would eat you. You already smell heavenly." She covers her chest and sleeps near the edge of the bed. She doesn''t want to challenge this perverted prince. She finds it hard to sleep for a long time. When she hears his soft snores, she rxes her tensed shoulder and sleeps. Wu Yixing opens his one eye and peers at her. He smiles slyly and shifts closer. Her scent is nice. He wants to see until when can she resist. *** It''s confirmed that I am not dead yet. The vigers don''t treat me like a ghost. I told them a made-up story that I became separated from my family when I was traveling. They believed it easily. I found out that I was in a vige that''s two days away from the capital. I found out that the unfortunate prince got married finally. Wu Yixing didn''t get married in the original timeline. Who could be the woman? "It''s the long lost daughter of the Feng family." The chatty viger woman told me, "The Feng family found her not too long ago. She is already past her marriageable age. She should be around 19 already. They rushed her marriage to the fifth prince. How unlucky! She just found her family after a decade. She had to marry the unfortunate prince." My aunt is in her early twenties. She can easily pass for a 19 years old girl. In this era, girls get married at 15 or 16. 19 is consideredte. I just have a feeling that the prince''s wife is my aunt. Last time, she reced Yu Chen. This time, she reced Feng Lingxin. Fate is weird. There is only one way to find out. She is the only one who can tell me what''s going on with me. Chapter 62: Mo Qian, you really dont like men? Chapter 62: Mo Qian, you really don''t like men? Her sleeping face is certainly inviting. He leans down and kisses her cherry lips, causing her to wake up. She pushes him away and screams, "What are you doing?" "You are awake." Wu Yixing leans down again to steal another kiss. She slows down the time to avoid being caught and climbs off the bed to escape his clutches. She runs to the other side of the room. When the 10 seconds are over, Wu Yixing finds that his wife is not on the bed. "You are fast." He is surprised by her speed. It will be trouble in the future. "I am impressed." She grits her teeth. She wants to chop off his lips. "Wu Yixing, I told you that -" "Ah... you will be invited by the empress today." He bits his finger and smears the blood on the bed. "Mo Qian, be good and alert." She blushes when she sees the blood on the bed. The meaning is clear. She says stubbornly, "We are never sleeping on the same bed again." His eyes wander to her chest. Whether they will sleep on the same bed or not, he will decide it. "Mo Qian, I am curious what kind of material did you use. It''s not a real thing. Can I touch it?" What''s not real? They are as real as this world. She can''t say that. "If you touch it, you will ruin my disguise." He looks at her with understanding. "Is that so? We have to be careful. Mo Qian, you really don''t like men? Am I not good looking enough?" Narcissist bastard! She shakes her head furiously. "I like women and you are the ugliest man I have seen." Hearing that makes him smile more. He epts this challenge. "Get ready. We are going to visit the empress." *** In the pce, empress stares at the princess consort kneeling to her respectfully. Feng Lingxin''s background is ordinary. She doesn''t seem smart or useful. The emperor wasn''t happy with this marriage between a girl from a humble background and his son, but the unfortunate fates of Wu Yixing''s previous wives and Wu Yixing''s reputation forced him to agree. "Lovely." The empress smiles at Feng Lingxin kindly. There is no hint of the cruelty that she carries in her heart. Her tone is informal and motherly when she says, "Daughter inw,e and sit beside me." Yoori flinches when she hears that sugary tone. This pretentious woman! She isn''t a fool to trust anyone from the royal family. She''s a freaking time-traveler. Has she not seen enough? She walks to her shyly and hesitates before sitting beside her. The empress looks at her face. Ordinary. Compared to Wu Yixing''s previous engagements, this girl is nothing when ites to appearance. She recalls the previous empress, mother of Wu Yixing. Empress Yun was infamous for her beauty. That woman unted her beauty proudly and kept the emperor to herself. It''s been nearly two decades since she died. The emperor longs for the dead empress even now. Yoori acts nervous and timid. She''s afraid that the empress will see the look in her eyes. "You can visit me anytime." The empress likes the timid girl. This girl is simpleminded. She can be used against Wu Yixing. "I hope that you treat me like your mother." ''Treat you like my mother? You are not 1% of my real mother.'' Yoori misses her mother. She couldn''t even say goodbye before she left. There''s no way tomunicate with her mother. Her niece told her that the timekeepers are lying in wait for her to trap her in her correct time. Then, can she never see her mother ever again? The empress indirectly asks her about the wedding night. Yoori blushes like a new bride and says nothing. That''s enough to remove any suspicion. The empress looks at the cup of tea in Yoori''s hands. The girl is careless. When Yoories back, Wu Yixinges to see her at her room. "How did it go?" "She asked me to visit her anytime." Yoori feels tired after meeting the empress. It''s harder to pretend to be a fool than pretending to be a man. "Did she poison me already?" Wu Yixing checks her pulse. "Usual poison to take away the ability to have a child." "What the -" Wu Yixing has already given her the antidote in the morning. The poison won''t have any effect. But, still... It''s only been a day since she married him and she is already poisoned by her stepmother inw. "Say, I won''t lose my ability to have a child, right?" "That medicine shouldn''t affect men." Wu Yixing squints at her. "Why are you afraid?" She''s a woman. Someday, she wants to get married and have children. "You told me that the antidote will take care of any poison from the pce." He touches her belly. "Men don''t have wombs. That''s why I chose you for this role." She gawks at him. "If I was a woman, would I lose the ability to have children it even after drinking the antidote?" Wu Yixing feels happy to see her worried. How long will she keep pretending? "Have faith in me. My antidote can take care of the minor poisons like that." He assures her. "Even if you were a woman, it wouldn''t affect you. Don''t doubt my knowledge when ites to poisons." She stares at him. "When did you start learning about poisons?" He pinches her cheeks. "Don''t ask too many questions, Mo Qian. I won''t let you go if you know too much." She ps his hands. "Who wants to know more about you? Your skills in poisons should be good as you say." "Tsk!" He leans closer. "It''s a pity that you are a man. If you were a woman, I would have filled that womb with a child to prove that my antidotes are better than my poisons." How dangerous! She is d that she is pretending to be a man. She gets up abruptly. "I believe you. Don''t say more." Chapter 63: Your brother has been worried Chapter 63: Your brother has been worried Since morning, Li Jun has a strange urge to go to Wu Yixing''s house. He hasn''t seen his friend since the wedding. Marrying Mo Qian to deal with the empress? Li Jun is worried. He doesn''t trust Mo Qian even if she is rted to the witch. He finally gives in to thepulsion and leaves to visit his friend. He stops the carriage in front of the gate. On the opposite side of the road, a small figure is drawing circles on the ground. A figure he would recognize anywhere. He takes long strides in her direction. She lifts her head and widens her eyes. Under the nest of tousled hair, her face is ghastly pale. Isn''t she a witch? She looks like she is on the verge of death from starvation. She crawls backward with a haunting look in her eyes. "Why are you here?" He squats down in front of her. She squeezes her eyes shut when he touches her cheek with his palm. Her skin is cold as ice. "What happened to you?" "Nothing." She seems embarrassed. "I am looking for my brother, Mo Qian." "Where have you been all this time?" His expression darkens. This witch is in trouble. Who is doing this to her? She doesn''t answer his question. "I want to see my brother." "Come with me." She hesitates to follow him inside. The servants stare at the young boy and General Li, but they know better than asking questions. In the main room, she sits far from Li Jun. The servants ce the snacks and teas in front of them. Li Jun notices that she isn''t touching the food. "Eat." He glowers at her. "Do you intend to die of starvation?" "I am not hungry," She sighs and tells him. He squints at her. "Eat if you want to meet your brother." "Xiao Wei?" Wu Yixing enters the room. He is surprised to see Li Jun''s witch. "You are alive." "Yes." She smiles at him awkwardly. "Do you know about my brother?" "Your brother is here." He looks at his servant and gives him a nod. "Li Jun, where did you find her?" Wu Yixing asks Li Jun. "Outside your home." Li Jun doesn''t exin more. "I didn''t know whether I shoulde or not." Kyuri fidgets under Li Jun''s gaze. "You are a real prince." "Xiao Wei, you are wee toe here any time." Wu Yixing tells her with a kind voice, "You are unusually pale. Let me check." "No... I -" Kyuri tries to protest, but Wu Yixing is fast in his actions. Wu Yixing grasps her wrist and tries to listen to her pulse. To his surprise, he can''t hear anything. It''s as if a dead person is walking in the world of the living. He stares at her. She is looking at him with pursed lips. "Your pulse is weak. Have you not been eating well?" He smiles widely and pushes the tes of snacks in front of her. "A young boy shouldn''t be picky. From today, you will stay here with Mo Qian." She rxes her tensed shoulders. Wu Yixing can see that she has no intention of staying here. Yoori barges into the main room. She gasps when she sees Kyuri. She didn''t expect that her niece woulde back for her. Seeing that Kyuri is still wearing the same clothes, she guesses that she hasn''t left this era. "Xiao Wei!" "Elder brother?" Kyuri blinks at her with surprise. "You look nice." "Long story." Yoori notices Li Jun in the room. "Wu Yixing, I am taking my brother with me. You have a chat with your friend." She doesn''t wait for Wu Yixing to answer. She grabs Kyuri''s hand and leaves the main room straight away. "Your witch doesn''t have any pulse. Her heartbeat is gone," Wu Yixing tells Li Jun calmly. "Seems like she is poisoned or dead." Being a master of poisons, Wu Yixing knows that there are some poisons that can give this effect to a human body. Then, the girl is a witch. He is a bit clueless when ites to witches. Since she doesn''t have any bad intention and she is pretending to be human, he let her be. Wu Yixing notices Li Jun''s expression. He feels bad for the 13th princess. Li Jun is worried about a dead witch more than a living human. Li Jun looks at the untouched snacks. "Prepare the antidote for the poison in her body." "I need her blood for that." Wu Yixing is also interested in studying the poison in her body. "Let''s see her before she leaves." *** After hearing her story about how she ended up as Wu Yixing''s wife, I am not surprised. Like I and Li Jun are connected in a strange way, Wu Yixing and my aunt are connected by fate. In the original timeline, she became Yu Chen and helped Wu Yixing before she went to defend the borders. Now, she is Feng Lingxin, his wife who will help him deal with the empress. She has an important role to y in Wu Yixing''s life. I am sure that Wu Yixing already knows that she is a woman like he knew in the original timeline. I wonder if I should tell her. I decide not to. If I tell, things might be bad. I am not an anomaly. She isn''t an anomaly yet. Let it happen the way it should be. When she hears my story, my aunt exims in horror. "How could this happen?" "I don''t know either." I sigh, feeling hopeless. "Aunt, don''t take the damned time crystal if you ever get one. You might turn out like me." "You can''t use any of your ability?" She asks me to reconfirm. "Second or third one?" "None." I keep my voice neutral. She is already upset. "I don''t feel hungry or sleepy. I don''t feel tired. I wonder if I am already dead." "It must be because of that purple smoke. You were doing perfectly well before you were poisoned. It happened because of Wu Yixing." She curses Wu Yixing. "We will run away from this ce and find a solution to your problem. You will be normal again." "Aunt. You and I were never normal." I don''t want her to hate Wu Yixing because of me. I already approve of him as my uncle. He can protect my aunt from the timekeepers. When she was Yu Chen, I am sure that the timekeepers were also trying to get to her along with the Yu family. "You will stay here. I will look for the way. You need the daily antidote for your poison. I also think that it''s better if you don''t get involved with me. It''s not Wu Yixing''s fault that I became like this. It''s happening because I have decided to fight my fate." She doesn''t look convinced. There is a knock. The servant girl appears and informs us about Wu Yixing and Li Jun''s arrival. We go out of the bedroom and find them waiting for us. My aunt is infuriated when she sees him. I squeeze her hand and shake my head. "Xiao Wei, I think that you are poisoned." Wu Yixing throws the bomb without any warning. "I want to study the poison in your blood. I might be able to prepare the antidote." Chapter 64: You are a hostage Chapter 64: You are a hostage Yoori is surprised. She couldn''t imagine that Wu Yixing would offer to make the antidote for her niece. The cause for Kyuri''s condition is unknown, but that purple smoke is definitely one of the reasons. Did he already notice Kyuri''s condition? Her opinions regarding Wu Yixing begin to change. "The poison inside you is strange. I want to study it." Wu Yixing looks at Kyuri with excitement in his eyes. "I love studying new poisons." "..." And her opinions regarding Wu Yixing changes back to the way it was. This man is only interested in poison. He should have married poisons instead of her. Still, she is d that he wants to help Kyuri. "Xiao Wei." Yoori grabs her hands. "Give him a chance. Maybe, the antidote can help you. We won''t know until we try." "You can stay here with Mo Qian." Wu Yixing tries to convince the witch. "He will be restless if you leave. I will do everything in my power to find the cure of the poison inside your body." Yoori finds it strange that he isn''t asking me how Kyuri got poisoned or what happened to his guards. It urs to her now that he hadn''t asked her once what happened to in the forest. She furrows her brows. Wu Yixing reads her thoughts. His wife is slow, but not an idiot. "Xiao Wei, I am curious. What happened in the forest? How did you get poisoned? I didn''t ask your brother because he seemed extremely worried about you. " Li Jun is also waiting to hear the answer. Yoori bites her lips. How would her niece answer him? "We decided to leave after you went inside the house. We didn''t want to take advantage of your hospitality. When we were passing through the forest, we met a demon. Suddenly, six strange men in ck appeared in front of us. They fought with the demon. I don''t know what happened because we ran away from that ce." Kyuri''s face is extremely serious as she continues with the ridiculous story. She continues, "He found us again. My brother fought him bravely till the end. He couldn''t stop him from abducting me. He carried me and flew to hisir in the mountain. He fed me a strange liquid. After a few days, he told me that my body wasn''t right to be a demon. He was nning to kill me. I ran away when I got the chance. I fell into a river while I was running. When I woke up, I found myself near a vige." Li Jun and Wu Yixing don''t believe a single word of that story. The more they think, the more absurd it sounds. Li Jun remembers how she told him that she ate children''s heart and she came from the depth of hell. Back then, he believed her. This little witch knows how to make up stories. Yoori looks at them with fear. "It''s true. I didn''t say anything because I was afraid that nobody would believe me." Wu Yixing takes this chance to pat her head. "Mo Qian, you lived with such a heavy burden in your heart. It must have been traumatic for you." Yoori takes a deep breath. It looks like Wu Yixing believes her and Kyuri. The catastrophe is prevented. *** My aunt is rxed. Wu Yixing is patting her hair intimately. She hasn''t realized their proximity. She is already trapped by this man. Uncle, I support you. I already know that you are worthy of being with my aunt. I hope that my aunt tells him honestly about her identity when she falls in love with him. "Fifth prince, you can take my blood and research the poison." I grin when I see my aunt startled and move away from my uncle. "But, I can''t stay here. I will find a different ce." "Why?" She asks me with a loud voice. "Where will you go?" "I can''t stay here," I tell her with determination. It''s better if she doesn''t get involved with my problems. "You are Feng Lingxin now. I am not Feng Lingxin''s brother. It might raise suspicions if we are seen together. The capital is big. I will find a new ce to stay. I won''t be far. Don''t worry about me. I want to grow up and take responsibility for my life." She has already helped me a lot. I can''t drag her with me. "If that''s your decision, I will let you do what you want to do." She finally speaks with a defeated voice. "You also inherited the unyielding blood of our family." "You don''t have to go far." Li Jun finally speaks. "You wille with me." Okay. Where did thate from? I almost forgot that he was also in the room. I straightforwardly decline his offer. "Thanks a lot, but I will find another ce." "I am not asking." He looks at me indignantly. "Mo Qian is helping with an important mission. Until it''s over, you are a hostage." "Wu Yixing, this is not a part of our deal." Aunt Yoori yells, "He doesn''t need to be a hostage. I am also poisoned." "But, you don''t care much about your life. What if you don''t take the antidote to spite me? If your brother is involved, you will be serious." Wu Yixing smirks at her. "Living with Li Jun isn''t bad. He will take care of your brother well." "I am afraid that he will take care of my brother too well." Aunt Yoori''s words are drenched with sarcasm. "It''s better if he stays here." You can''t fight with fate. Li Jun is watching me gravely. He won''t let me go this time. But, I haven''t given up. I will find a way to escape. "I will go with him." Chapter 65: Are you a fool? Chapter 65: Are you a fool? "Ngh..." Kyuri winces in pain when Wu Yixing makes a small cut on her hand. No bloodes out. Wu Yixing keeps a straight face. The small cut heals itself in seconds. Is this poison or magic? She can feel pain though. "I guess it can''t be helped." She chuckles lightly, but her eyes can''t hide the fear. "I will take ayer of skin if it is alright with you?" Since blood cannot be taken, a small piece of flesh should do. "It will hurt." "No." Yoori can''t see more. "Xiao Wei isn''t your guinea pig." "It''s fine." Kyuri gives him a nod. "Take it. I also want to see how bad it is." "Do you have to take her flesh?" Li Jun grabs Wu Yixing''s hand when he tries to pull up the sleeve on her arm. "Take hair or nails." "That won''t help." Wu Yixing frowns at him. "I wouldn''t do this to Xiao Wei if there was another way." "If you aren''t fine with it, say no." Li Jun nces at the bold witch. "We will find another healer." "Another healer might report me as a demon. I might be burned alive." She shrugs her shoulder. "It''s strange that both of you are calm after seeing this. I trust Wu Yixing. Let him do what''s necessary." Three of them are surprised to hear the sincerity in her words. Each of them has a mixed feeling about this. Li Jun lets go of Wu Yixing''s hand. "Don''t take more than necessary." Wu Yixing wonders what his friend thinks him. Why would he take more than necessary? Shaking his head, he takes a slice of the skin from her arm. She bites her lips and makes no noise when he makes the cut. He puts down theyer of flesh with blood on the porcin te. The skin regrows on her arm. At the same time, the flesh on the porcin te bes ck and melts away in the air, leaving nothing. "It''s useless." She looks disappointed. "I appreciate that you tried." "I will take some strands of hair." He cuts away some hair before she can say anything. Just like the flesh, the strands of hair melt away in the air. It looks like it will be gone as soon as it is separated from her body. "Enough!" Li Jun scowls at Wu Yixing before he can make another suggestion. He res at Kyuri. "We are leaving." "My apologies." Wu Yixing can see that his friend has reached the limit of his patience. His wife is also going to kick him anytime. Why are they mad at him? "There is only one way left. We will... " Li Jun grabs her arm and drags her out of the ce before Wu Yixing could finish his words. *** "Are you a fool?" Li Jun grimaces at me in the carriage. "Treating your body without any care." Why does he care what I do? I feel angry. "It''s my body. I will do what I want." "You have no will to live." He unsheaths his sword. "Then, I should separate that head from that neck." He really doesn''t feel any love for me. The timekeeper wants to kill me. He wants to kill me. I have had enough. "Go ahead." The tip of the de is almost touching my throat. "You are surrendering to me now?" I stare at the timekeeper who has finally made his presence known. "If you could kill me, I would be dead by now." The tip of the sword sinks into my skin. "I don''t know whether to pity you or admire your extraordinary luck. You turned your body into the time prison. Wasn''t it better to die and reborn in a normal body?" Time prison? I don''t remember doing that. "How did I turn my body into time prison? I thought that only the timekeepers could make it." "Traveler, time crystal is also used to build a time prison." He tells me bitterly, "The extract of the time crystal nt is an important ingredient when time prisons are built. You must havee in contact with it." I recall the details. "Does it look like purple smoke?" "So, you dide in contact with it. The time crystal inside your body reacted to it." He puts away the sword. "I should have killed you back then. Because of Wu Yixing, I didn''t make a move. It''s a hassle to kill you in front of other people." He wants to kill me quietly. Like Kang Si An never figured out that it was his hand that held the dagger to kill me, he doesn''t want Li Jun to know either. That''s some difficult work. I feel bad for my timekeeper. "Will I remain like this forever?" I should try to get more information out of him. He is also using his minutes. It is better if he spends more. He looks at me with annoyance. "Time prison keeps a traveler in a frozen state until the correct time is reached. Usually, the traveler is in unconscious state inside the time prison. I have not heard of a case where the body of the traveler became the time prison. You are likely to remain like this until your correct time is reached." He adds, "No antidote can help you. When the time crystal starts ticking again, your time will start moving. Until then, you cannot be killed. I will see you when you correct time is reached. Keep wandering in this sorry state until then." "Wait..." He is gone before I can ask more questions. Tch! It''s barely five minutes. Li Jun rubs his eyes. "Did I fall asleep?" "Yes, you did." What can I say? Your alter ego came out and we had a chat. He went away because he couldn''t kill me. I can''t die until my correct time is reached. I am supposed to live like this for more than a thousand years? All I wanted was to change my fate. I didn''t ask for the near immortal life. Chapter 66: I am cursed to live like this Chapter 66: I am cursed to live like this Wu Yixing watches his wife pace around in their bedroom in anger. She stops and res at him. Then, she resumes her strolls around the room. She stops again and looks at him like she wants to bury him at the spot. She clenches her fists and crosses her arms. He is amused to see her like this. It''s only been 2 days since their wedding. He finds her expressions more interesting than poisons. "Mo Qian, those fake balls on your chest moves up and down like a real thing when you walk like this." Yoori stops on her feet and crosses her arms over her chest. Here, ites. "Wu Yixing, you pervert!" "Tell me what you used." Wu Yixing asks her with a serious face. "I will sell the idea to the men who want to dress up like women. We will make a lot of money." Her body is shaking in anger. She takes long strides toward him and tries to throw a punch on his face. Wu Yixing dodges easily. He grabs her arms and pushes her down on the bed. "Mo Qian, you look more beautiful when you are angry." He presses her beneath him. "I told you that I like men like you. I won''t be able to resist if you keep showing that expression to me." Wu Yixing sees her cheek turn rosy. His face moves closer and inhales his warm scent. "Creep!" She wiggles beneath him. "I am a man who likes women. I won''t be eaten by another man." "Fine." He grins at her. "I will not eat you yet. If you want a woman, I can take you to the flower houses. What type of woman do you like? It''s the least that I can do for you." Poor Yoori feels like her one leg is in the gutter and another leg is in poop. "I don''t like those ces. I want to do this with someone I love. You won''t understand." Love. He looks into her dark eyes. Love is the reason why his mother died. He moves away from her and yawns. "I want to sleep. It was a tiring day." Yoori is surprised that he let go of her this easily. "Why aren''t you going to your room?" "This is my room." Heys down on the bed and turns his back to her. "I will send you to your courtyard tomorrow. Sleep here for the time being." Strange. He is behaving himself. Not trusting him, Yoori keeps a distance from him on the bed. It doesn''t take her long to fall asleep. *** The witch grumbles to herself. Li Jun can''t understand hernguage. Is she casting a spell? She is cute when she is angry. "What''s your real name?" He asks her. "I know that it is not Mo Wei. You are the witch who warned my father about the assassination attempt." She finally looks at him. "You were good at acting. It''s no wonder that your reincarnation will be an actor in the future." "My reincarnation will be an actor?" He raises his brow. He finds that ridiculous. "You can see the future?" She turns her head away. "No." He lets it go. This witch and her secrets. "How did you get poisoned?" "It''s not poison. I am cursed to live like this." It gives him heartache to see such sorrow in her eyes. He doesn''t prod her more. The carriage stops in front of the main gate of the Li residence. It''s already dark. "The Li family owes you." He offers his hand to her. "Stay with us as long as you wish to. Think that it''s your home." She doesn''t take his outstretched hand and smiles yfully. "I won''t forget that I am a hostage." *** When Kwon Yoori wakes up, she finds Wu Yixing gone. She stares at the empty spot. It''s cold. He must have left early. Her niece would trust a man like him to cure the poison. Yoori realizes that she never asked her niece whether she also liked Wu Yixing in the original timeline. It doesn''t matter. Things are not happening the same way in this lifetime. Wu Yixing doesn''t know that she is a woman. That doesn''t bother him much though. He teases her endlessly. She looks down at her chest. He really thinks that they are fake. Tch! Idiot. He is a popr yboy of this era. Is it not simr to rich spoiled chaebol yboys of her time? Hasn''t he been with enough women to know what''s fake and what''s real? There is no way that she would like a man who poisoned her and can''t differentiate between real and fake assets of a woman. "Lady." A servant girl peeks in. She''s around 17. This girl has been following her around since Yoori came here. "Are you awake?" Yoori sighs. She is never getting used to having servants. "Xiao Luo,e inside. I am awake." Xiao Luo helps her clean her face. "Lady Feng, Master instructed us to show you the empty courtyards. You can choose any that you like." "I choose the one that''s most far from this one." "That... " Xiao Luo has been instructed to ept her words without any question. She hesitates before she says, "Youngdy, it takes more than an hour to walk to that courtyard." "That''s wonderful." Yoori wonders howrge this residence is. Nevertheless, she would like it if it''s far. That way, she won''t be seeing Wu Yixing much. "Take me there right away." Chapter 67: You were crying Chapter 67: You were crying The maid ces the two sets of clothes in front of me - male and female. Her face is lowered. So, I can''t see her expression. I can guess that she already knows that I am a female. Then, why did Li Jun give me the options? Last night, he asked me to follow this maid to a courtyard. Ironically, it''s closer to the same tree where I met him when he was 10. He has a good memory. Being a woman is not advantageous in these times. I don''t know what is my future. I am a freak now. I have a body that can''t die until my heart beats again. My prince is probably Kang Si An who will also kill me. Iugh as I pick up the male clothes. My life has turned into a tragic fairytale. At least, Li Jun is living well. Kang Si An will also live well. I get a long time to live too. It''s a win-win situation. I must see the best. Positive thinking! Even my blood group asks me to be positive. I can make that keeper use spend those 100 minutes or whatever left of them. I am a firm believer that all fairytales must have happy endings. Besides, I can spend time with Li Jun. The timekeeper won''t be a thorn in my love life now. I should only focus on the present. My mood is better now. "Young miss, please follow me." The maid smiles at me politely. She is in herte twenties. Her hair is nice and tidy. "Don''t call me that." I am never getting used to these times. "I am wearing male clothes. So, just call me Xiao Wei or Mo Wei." She furrows her brows slightly. "Master told me that you are an esteemed guest. You must be treated as a member of the Li family." I blink in surprise. How much that guy knows me to indirectly adopt me into the family like this? In the original timeline, I married Li Jun. I came to this house as his wife. There weren''t many people; just a few servants to kept this ce clean. Now, he''s not married to me. I am the witch who saved his and his family''s life. "Don''t treat me as one. I am just a temporary guest." I am an average girl from an average family from an era when everyone had equal rights. I can''t ever get used to this master-servant rtionship. "Mo Wei or don''t call me anything." "Mo Wei," She says the name awkwardly. "Please follow me. I will show you around the household. The maid is pleasant. She knows what to tell and what not to say. She shows me around the Li Household. Things are different from thest time. From what I heard, Li Jun has two brothers and 4 sisters. All the siblings are married. The brothers live as a joint family. She says more things that fly over my head. I guess that I don''t care because I won''t be staying here for long. I wonder how my aunt is faring. I want to go back to the 21st century. I miss eating ice creams the most. I want to die after eating ice creams. We keep walking. My head is buzzing because of the information. This ce is huge. I guess people don''t need to work out in this era. They get enough work out from walking. I finally see Li Jun. He''s practicing with his soldiers. My mood is better again. Seeing his manly body is better than eating ice cream. I want to kiss him so much. Before I can call out his name, a girl around 18 in green clothinges forward and wipes his sweat on the forehead. She has long hair reaching past her hips. Though she''s young, she has a curvaceous figure. She''s pretty. If she was born in the 21st century, she would make it to the A rank idols or actresses. She could be a maid. A little toddler waddles to them like a penguin. Li Jun takes the kid into his arm lovingly. This is simr to thest scene of a historical drama where the male lead and the female lead ends up happily with their kids. "That''s Madam of the house." "Oh." I feel a stab in my heart. I can''t name this feeling. It''s ugly and so sad. I realize what I have lost. It''s something that I can never get back. I didn''t know that I would ever feel like this. I don''t want to cry. Looking away doesn''t make me feel better. I turn around on my feet and walk away from the scene. *** He suddenly turns his face and looks at the back of the small fleeing figure. He pats his son''s head once before putting him down on the ground. Li Hua is nearly 3 years old. He likes his mother more than his father. He runs to Wu Qiuyue quickly and squeals in happiness. Wu Qiuyue gives him a warm hug. Her eyes glitter with happiness. She lifts her head to say something to Li Jun, "Husband, did you... Huh? Where did he go?" She frowns when she sees him running toward a young boy. Li Jun grabs the witch''s shoulder. "Where are you going?" Kyuri''s shoulders tremble weakly. She sniffles and cleans her face before she spins on her feet. She has a wide smile on her face. He notices that she''s wearing male clothes. So, she has made the decision to keep pretending to be a man. He can find an excuse to keep her with him all the time if she''s pretending to be a male. "I am going back to rest. I am tired from all the walking." He scans her face. He can tell easily. "You were crying." She looks away from him. Her lips tremble a bit. She''s trying hard not to cry. She strokes her stomach and speaks with a small voice, "I am starving. That''s why." He doesn''t believe her at all. Didn''t she say that she doesn''t feel hunger? But, maybe she is suddenly feeling hunger again. He looks at the maid he appointed to her. "Bai Lan." Bai Lan bows her head once and walks toward the kitchen. She''s smart and intuitive. Li Jun grasps Kyuri''s arm and drags her along with him. "Where are you taking me?" She yells at him. "You can''t just take me anywhere you want." "Hostages don''t have free will." Li Jun looks at her sharply. He doesn''t know why his mood is turning foul. "We will eat together." Kyuri purses her lips together. A little behind them, Wu Qiuyue is walking fast to catch up to Li Jun. Chapter 68: Husband, you havent introduced us Chapter 68: Husband, you haven''t introduced us Bai Lan and other servants have set up the table. There is Li Jun. There is his second wife. There is his son. There is me. Why I am here? I don''t fit this ''family mealtime'' equation at all. Though Bai Lan is cool andposed, the servants are looking at me with curiosity. His concubine is all smiles. I feel jolts in my body when I notice the look in her eyes. This princess doesn''t like that I am here. I don''t like her either. "Are we having an early lunch?" His second wife asks him. Early lunch? I don''t have a watch or anything. I can''t sleep. I kept my eyes close for the entire night and thought about the keeper''s problem. Maybe I thought too much and too deeply because the entire house was already awake when I opened my eyes. "I was hungry," Li Jun replies quietly. "Xiao Wei, why are you not eating?" "..." I am not really hungry. I sigh and pick up the chopsticks. I can get by without eating, but I should eat anyway. I have to look human. The food looks delicious. But, I can''t tell the taste. I notice that I am being stared at. I look at the husband, wife, and the kid. "What''s wrong?" I ask Li Jun. The wife sighs mildly and starts feeding the kid first. He''s young. He should be 2 or 3. He has Li Jun''s nose, ears, and forehead. He must have his mother''s eyes. He is a quiet child and attached to the second wife. In the original timeline that I destroyed, I got pregnant with Kang Si An''s child. I stop thinking and stuff my mouth. If I recall things that I could have, I would never have peace. Li Jun is happy. Kang Si An will be happy because I will make sure that he doesn''t fall in love with me. I will probably die right after my time starts running. "Husband, you haven''t introduced us." Wu Qiuyue''s voice is neither high nor low. It''s sharine sweet and flowing like moonlight when she''s talking to Li Jun. Her movements are elegant and feminine. I can''t find any w in her. The thirteenth princess who married Li Jun in both timelines is better than me in every aspect. She''s not a time-traveler. Her time is not identally frozen. She''s not from a future. Did I mention that she''s a freaking real princess? In this timeline, Li Jun married two princesses. Two! I ignore her and empty the bowl. The servant rushes toward me and fills it again. Hmph! I am sure that Kang Si An''s thing for princesses came from Li Jun. I should have nevere here. I am still your wife, hey! We got married once. God, give me the strength to not beat up my husband. Please make me blind. "Wu Qiuyue, his name is Mo Wei. He''s going to live with us from now on." Li Jun says to her nonchntly, "I will train him as my soldier. Take care of him." Cough! Cough! I choke on the food. Blockhead! She''s asking why I am here. Can''t you tell by her gaze? And who will live with who? Hey, mister! I can forgive you for being lovey-dovey with your second wife because you don''t know that you married me once. But, who are you to make decisions on my behalf? Aren''t people afraid of witches and demons in old times? Why does he insist on keeping one at his house? On top of everything, he''s asking ''her'' to take care of me. I get it. He''s not married to me. He has no idea. But, asking his second wife to take care of his first wife from the original time is just sick. His second wife nces at me. Her red lips curl up. "Little brother, eat slowly." Maybe my womanly intuition has finally decided to activate. I can just feel it. She hates me. Li Jun eyes me strangely. I look down at the bowl. I don''t know how many I have stuffed into my stomach. It''s probably enough. I put it down and thank the people who have given me food. as politely as I can before dashing out of the current most awkward ce on the earth. My luck isn''t that great. I run straight to my courtyard. I jump into the bed and hide inside the nket. I don''t want to get out of here. But, my peace is shortlived. Someone pulls the safety nket away from me. Li Jun is standing next to my bed. "Why are you here?" I keep my tone calm. "I am a woman, alright. Don''te into the bedroom as you please." It hasn''t even 24 hours since I came here. I might get the wrong idea and jump on you which might give you a wrong idea. Life is alreadyplicated. I am upset that you have other women in your life. The thirteenth princess is still married to you. You also have a child with another princess who is already dead. He has no qualms about sitting on a woman''s bed. I move away to keep distance between us. I won''t see him as my husband. I have turned back time. Our marriage is automatically annulled. "Because you are pretending to be a man, I cane and go as I please," He tells me coolly. "You have to pretend to be a soldier. I will personally train you. That''s an only excuse to keep you close to me. You are a hostage witch, after all." My treacherous heart is happy to hear that he wants me to stay close to him. I am curious about one thing though. "What if I had picked up the woman''s clothes? How would you keep me close to you then?" He stares hard at me. "Your looks are enough to get you the position of my second concubine." Chapter 69: So, you are disqualified Chapter 69: So, you are disqualified Her eyes be wide. She opens her little mouth and closes it. Then, she reopens her mouth to say something. A thousand emotions flicker through her eyes. Herplexion is better than yesterday. She has eaten 5 bowls of rice during the early lunch. Her near skeleton figure won''t be better after one meal. He intends to train her and feed her a lot. She finds her voice. "Why do you assume that you are good looking enough to be my husband?" Li Jun has never tried to go after any woman. His first marriage was pretty much decided by the emperor. Bringing Wu Qiuyue as a concubine was his first wife''s idea. However, he''s sure that most women would find his appearance eptable. This witch doesn''t have a good eye. "I will never take the position of a concubine," She tells him with a sorrowful voice. Though she''s clearly sad, she smiles at him. "A woman will never like sharing her man, even if she is born with the most generous heart in the world." Li Jun thinks of Wu Qiuyue and his first wife. Usually, daughters of many noble families would jump at the idea ofing to his household as concubines. There is only one woman - Wu Qiuyue. She often asks him to take concubines, just like her elder sister did once. She wouldn''t mind if he brings one. "I won''t be an ideal wife or an ideal concubine." She looks at him sharply. "A woman like me will only want one man. It goes without saying that his heart and soul must belong to me only. So, you are disqualified." The tone of her voice is keen and chilling. The hurt in her clears eyes is disturbing to him. He purses his lips together. They are just talking about her options. She''s not from this ce. So, it''s natural that she has different opinions. Unconsciously, he outstretches his arm to touch her cheek. Before his finger can touch her, she grins at him and says yfully, "My man won''t need a second or third woman when I am there. I will take care of all of his needs so well that he will never think about other women." He pulls back his hand. Truly a witch! A normal woman won''t shamelessly boast about her skills like that. "Don''t tempt me to check whether you are as good as you say." "I am not trying to tempt you." She rolls her eyes. "What''s so good about you? I haven''t forgotten that you were the boy who shamelessly asked for a birthday gift from me." He did something like that once, but her words aren''t enough to make him feel embarrassed. "You shamelessly scammed me by giving me a worthless coin as a gift. You also stole food." She chuckles. "If you keep the coin, one of your descendants might be able to buy candy in the future." "You say the coin is from the future?" She always has a mysterious aura around her. She isn''t the type to keep quiet about her secrets. If it was someone else, she would have been burned alive for being someone from the demon world. She trusts him deeply. "Not just the coin." She looks away with a distant look in her eyes. Li Jun makes a guess. "So, you aren''t from hell. You are just from the future." She just shrugs her shoulders. "I am still a cursed witch." "Cursed witch from the future?" He asks her again to confirm. This seems more usible than the story that she''s from hell. She climbs off the bed and stands in front of him with puffed up chest and a slight smile on her face. "Li Jun, you are curious about me a lot." Though she''s small and weakpared to him, she is daunting. When he saw her for the first time, she threatened to kill his mother while confronting his father. When he saw her for the second time, she was trying to scare him as a witch who ate human hearts. When he saw her for the third time, she acted like she didn''t know him. Li Jun realizes that she''s just a girl who acts on her impulse most of the time. There is a deep connection between them. Moreover, she knows him well. She knows how to pique his curiosity and tease him. He feels strange whenever she is around. Looking into those mischievous eyes that promise nothing good, he feels a strange spell sneaking through his heart. Even if the heart forgets, the soul remembers. Before he could realize what kind of flower is blooming from the seed that came out of nowhere, his thoughts get interrupted. "Traveler." The timekeeper looks at her with irritation. "Do you not learn your lesson? What kind of fool are you?" "What did I do this time?" Kyuri crosses her arms and steps back with the same expression. "I thought that you were stingy when ites to spending your minutes?" The timekeeper glowers at her. "Leave Li Jun." She raises her brow. "You seem fine yesterday. Why ask me to leave today?" "If he falls in love with you again, it will be a disaster." The timekeeper is tired. Things are tooplicated since she has turned her body into a time prison. If Li Jun has fallen for her once, he will fall for her again. But, the love that will start with Li Jun and end with Kang Si An will cause conflicts again. If things repeat again, he will forever be trapped with this man''s soul and this traveler. Chapter 70: he will suffer again Chapter 70: he will suffer again I didn''t think that he woulde out this fast. So, he gets annoyed whenever Li Jun or Kang Si An gets feelings for me. Then, I can use this opportunity to use all of his minutes. Does that mean that Li Jun catching feelings for me already? Is it because he already been in love with me once? But he''s married. No matter what I do, Wu Qiuyue is a part of his life. I know that she also loves him. If he catches feelings for me, I will be the other woman. I will not ept that title. "Traveler, your body is frozen. You won''t grow old and die like your aunt in this era." He seems to be in a worse mood than I am. "Is this a good idea to make this man fall in love with you? Did you forget how Kang Si An was living after you died? He couldn''t forget about you even after a decade of your death. Unconsciously, I was pitted under his painful feelings for years." This timekeeper wants me to consider Kang Si An, Li Jun, or him. I am confused. Is he saying that he also suffers with them? If you suffer with them so much, why can''t you let me go? "Don''t stay here." He grips my shoulders hard. He implores me desperately. "If this man catches feelings for you again, it will be difficult for Kang Si An and me. You can''t stay with Li Jun even if you love him. If he falls in love with you again and you leave him, he will suffer again." It''s hard for this keeper. How hard it must have been for Kang Si An? Why are we in this mess? This timekeeper is asking me not to awake feelings in Li Jun. What about me? Why can''t I stay with the man I love? Wu Qiuyue. His Son. Li Jun. The scenees back to my mind. He has asked me to be his second concubine. Even if I stay, I can''t have all of him. Sharing him with another woman... these feelings will turn into something ugly. If I stay, I can''t resist trying to turn his gaze at me. I am not even a human anymore. A woman, who can''t eat, sleep, or feel pain, will attract the attention of people. I look around 15 years old teen boy. If I wear female clothes, I can stay for 5-6 years more before people notice that nothing ever change about me. Can Li Jun stay with a creature like me? I am a freaking monster. The timekeeper is sighing. He is clearly more disturbed than I am. Being inside Li Jun''s soul, he knows him the best. He doesn''t want him to catch feelings. He probably pities his host. He knows my doom is fixed. It''s a fate that can''t be avoided. We are both selfish. I want to be loved anyway. He wants to kill me anyway. We aren''t even asking what Li Jun or Kang Si An wants. "If you leave, I will ask for a pardon for your aunt." His words catch my interest. "What that supposed to meant?" He gazes at me with mixed feelings. "It''s important that my host doesn''t catch feelings for you again and suffer after you die. Even if you die, I will stay inside him. I don''t like that. You are also not sure whether you can survive past the date of your death in the original timeline. The two of us can make a deal. Until it''s over and one of us is dead, you won''t contact him directly." So, he''s truly afraid of his host''s feelings. I guess that I make his job truly difficult. "Why would I do that? Kang Si An will fall in love with me. Li Jun will also fall in love with me. My chances of winning are more if they have feelings for me." He shakes his head. "If you die, Kang Si An is going to suffer a lot. Li Jun and you can''t stay together even if you outlive him. Don''t be a selfish human. Why do you want to destroy Li Jun''s life when he has a family?" Poking where it hurts... "Whose fault is it that he has a family?" "Yours!" He yells at me. "You destroyed the timeline and changed the past. It''s your fault that you are stuck inside that body. Because of your selfishness, other people will suffer for a long time." I don''t know who is suffering. But, I am in the most disadvantageous position. "If you behave, I will request for the pardon of your aunt. She can live here her without any worry if she promises to never change the past again. Even if she chooses to go back to her time when her powers return, we will let her off," The timekeeper tells me seriously. He adds, "As long as she doesn''t break any rule again, she will be able to live a normal life. If you say no, I will kill her with the dagger when I get the next chance. Without a doubt, killing the prince''s wife is a grave offense. I will destroy Li Jun''s life that you worked so hard to save." It will be Li Jun who will get punished if he kills my aunt who is Wu Yixing''s wife. I can''t warn Wu Yixing. Otherwise, he will get suspicious of Li Jun. My aunt can''t win against this timekeeper who can appear anytime anywhere. "This deal is not bad, Traveler." He looks at me sternly. "You care about your aunt and Li Jun. Both of their lives will be spared if you agree to this deal. Leave and nevere back to Li Jun''s life." I don''t know how many minutes have passed. "I will leave tonight." Chapter 71: it cant be forced Chapter 71: it can''t be forced The timekeeper closes his eyes as soon as he hears my answer. Li Jun''s body falls toward me. I wrap my arms around him before we drop on the bed together. I roll him on the bed and take a deep breath. This is the only quiet moment that I can have with him. I try to memorize his face. It seems like I will never be this close to him again. I want to be selfish and stay here. If he dies because of me again, can I live? I destroyed the past and the future to let him lie a happy life. Even it''s without me, he must live a happy life. "I am sorry." I rest my head on his chest. I hear his heart beating. "The timekeeper has given me a good deal. In this lifetime, you can''t be mine. I have to let you go. You already have a son and a wife. There''s no ce for me even if I stay." He is breathing while I am not. I can''t cry even if I want. My feelings are the only thing that makes me human. I kiss his lips for thest time. Someone gasps behind me. "What are you doing?" I move away from Li Jun when I hear the scream. Wu Qiuyue''s eyes are widened. Her face is whitened. "What are you doing?" "I-I..." I don''t know how to answer her. She bes red with rage and pushes me hard. My back it the wall. The impact doesn''t hurt me. I see the servants looking at me with disgust. I realize that I am dressed as a boy and I am caught kissing Li Jun who is a man. This won''t look good in the eye of these people. "How dare you taint him?" She ps my face continuously with tears in her eyes. "Stop." Li Jun grabs her wrist suddenly. "What are you doing?" "He made a grave mistake." Wu Qiuyue seems disgusted and hurt. She blinks out her tears. "He kissed you." Li Jun looks at me strangely. We stare at each other quietly. I don''t have anything to say or exin. I am a temporary person in his life. Today is thest day. "Wu Qiuyue, return to your courtyard." She doesn''t believe what she''s hearing. "What did you say?" "Go back." He stands between us. I can''t see Wu Qiuyue anymore. I understand the reason behind the hurt in her voice. "I need to talk to Xiao Wei alone." "What''s there to talk about?" Wu Qiuyue asks him stubbornly. "Do you also have strange and immoral feelings for him? Is that why you were sleeping on that bed with a man?" "Wu Qiuyue!" Li Jun shouts at her. "Have you lost your mind?" "I have." She''s quick to jump to conclusions. "After what I have seen, I have lost my mind." They are fighting like husband and wife too. I feel heavy, unable to get up from the spot. The servants are here too. If it gets out that Li Jun has feelings for a man, the rumors might do more damage to Li Jun. What more do I have to see and hear to realize that he is not mine anymore? "It was just a kiss. Can''t you calm down, woman?" Iugh at myself, though I want to cry. I put my elbows on my knees and look at her with a smirk on my face. "I fed something to him to make him lose consciousness. I was going to take advantage of him while he was asleep, but you came and ruined my ns." The room bes silent. All of them are looking at me as if I went insane. Perhaps, I have gone insane. I lick my lips. "I intended to use this opportunity to be his concubine." Shocked, she scans my body with her eyes. "You are a woman?" "A woman dressed as a man." I stand up and pats the dust off my body. It looks like I am unable to keep a secret for a long time. "My ns are foiled." "Mo Wei." Li Jun grabs my forearm. "What are you saying? I know that you didn''t do any of those." I pull away from him. "General Li, do you want me as your concubine?" "No, you can''t take her. You can bring in any woman, but not her. " Wu Qiuyue stares at us, devastated. "I will kill myself if you take her as your concubine." They say that a woman can sense from miles away if her husband''s heart is wavering. Wu Qiuyue''s intuition is sharp as a de. She can already sense it. I roll my eyes at Li Jun. "See? She''s not ideal either." *** The third Li household is in chaos. Wu Qiuyue is holding Li Hua close to her chest and crying. Li Hua is scared. He is also crying because his mother is upset. She has never asked anything from Li Jun. She had only one wish. She wanted his heart. Three years. He didn''t even look at her once the way he looked at that woman. He didn''t even look at her like that at her elder sister who died wishing to be loved by him. Who is Mo Wei? That woman has a strange grip on Li Jun''s heart. His gaze is different whenever he looks at Mo Wei. She can ept any woman, but not her. Li Jun doesn''t know how to calm her down. Wu Qiuyue is acting differently. She has usually been quite epting. She has always asked him to bring women as his concubines. Why she is so against this idea now? Why did he lose consciousness? He didn''t eat or drink anything there. This is the second time when it happened. Did she really do something to him? Wu Qiuyue wails, discarding her graceful manner. "Why aren''t you in love with me?" After a long silence, he says to her, "Wu Qiuyue, it can''t be forced." He doesn''t know what he feels for the witch. He can''t tell whether it''s love or noot. But, it is not what he feels for Wu Qiuyue or his first wife. She sobs harder. Li Jun sighs and walks out. He looks in the direction where Mo Wei is staying. It''s hasn''t been a day and she has turned his house upside down. Tensed and confused at the same time, he walks toward her courtyard to have a talk with her. Chapter 72: To find happiness in this lifetime Chapter 72: To find happiness in this lifetime Wu Yixing changes his clothes to simple ones. He hasn''t seen Yoori since morning. She has already moved to the furthest courtyard from his ce. He has expected her to take one far from his ce, but taking one that is nearly an hour walk away is too much. He wonders if she has forgotten about the antidote. He can give the antidote vial to the servant to take it to her. He will lose an excuse to see her then. He wonders what she is doing. How did she spend her day? Did she eat? Is she happy after moving away? He shouldn''t have given her the freedom to choose a courtyard by herself. He seems to have forgotten the reason why he acted distant to Yoorist night. After a long day at court, he only wants to see her for now. He is about to leave when a servantes and informs him that there is someone to visit his wife. He frowns deeply. It''s already dark. Who dares to visit his wife at night? It should be only him visiting her at nights. "It''s a boy around 15. His name is Mo Wei." He is surprised to hear that. The girl is already here without Li Jun. How did she escape the Li house? Li Jun won''t let her leave alone. That man is a bit strange when ites to his witch. Wu Qiuyue will give him hell if Li Jun falls for the witch. "Bring him in." After a few minutes, Kyuries into the sitting room. She takes a seat in front of him without a word. Wu Yixing notices that she has a dismal air around her. "Xiao Wei, is something wrong?" He asks her with a kind voice. "Did Li Jun treat you badly?" He''s sure that his friend won''t do anything crazy, but there is always a possibility that things won''t go as he expects them to. "I know that you know." Kyuri doesn''t look at him. Her eyes are fixed on her fingers tapping the floor. "What do I know?" Wu Yixing smiles, feigning ignorance. "We are females." She res at him. "You and Li Jun knew from the moment you met us. You wouldn''t be a fool to marry a man. You are too clever for that, Wu Yixing." He chuckles light. "Your ''brother'' hasn''t noticed that yet. Why didn''t you tell her?" "I am giving you an opportunity." She lets out a tired sigh. She''s exhausted emotionally. "Opportunity for what?" Wu Yixing is puzzled by her words. What kind of opportunity does she mean? Kyuri''s voice is cold and eerie. "To find happiness in this lifetime." He rubs his forehead. Is the witch making a prophecy? She made a simr prophecy about Li Jun once. "Mo Wei, I don''t understand. Can you tell me clearly?" "I have said enough. I have no intention of making a mess with time again." She runs her fingers through her hair. She looks like an otherworldly creature born out of the night. "Take me to her. I have something important to tell her." *** Before he can take a step inside, he sees Bai Lan running out of the courtyard with a fearful face. She is sweating heavily. He dark eyes narrow down at her as an uneasy feeling seizes his heart. "What''s wrong?" "I am sorry, Master, she asked me to get dinner for her." Bai Lan is trembling with fear under his gaze. "After I came back, I couldn''t find her anywhere. I wasing to inform you about her disappearance." She wouldn''t disappear on him again, would she? If she disappears this time, how long will she take to reappear in his life again? No, she''s cursed. She can''t leave him. He needs to find her before she escapes. *** Kwon Yoori has had a good day after a long time. She moved to the ''furthest'' courtyard. She''s sure that she won''t be crossing path with the prince randomly again. She slept for half a day. Then, she took a walk through the garden. She was worried sick about Kyuri. She contemted visiting the Li house a lot of times, but she wasn''t allowed to leave the vicinity. Not being able to do much, she practiced martial arts in her free time. She should be in her top-notch form. Who knows when she has to use it on the fifth prince? "Mydy, the prince is here with someone to see you," Xiao Luo tells her with a neutral face. It''s quitete. It''s strange that the prince will bring another boy at this time. "Huh?" Kwon Yoori wonders who coulde with the prince at this time. Is it Li Jun or Kyuri? Shees out of the inner chamber. She exims in happiness when she sees her niece. "You are here." "Brother." Kyuri gives her a hug. "I missed you." "I missed you too." Yoori hugs her niece back cheerfully. In a stranger era and a foreign country, her niece is her onlyrade and her family. Wu Yixing watches the girls with a grudge in his heart. He wants a hug too. Why can''t he also scream ''brother'' and hug his wife? Yoori notices the poison lover bug in the room. She drags Kyuri inside her inner chamber and ms the door. After some time, Xiao Luoes with the tea and finds the prince sitting alone. He is looking at the bedroom door with big sad watery eyes. It''s like a puppy has been abandoned by his master. She doesn''t know what to make of this situation. She pours down the tea for the prince and offers it to the prince quietly. The prince wipes his nonexistent tears and takes the tea. Heins to her, "Your madame is the type of woman who wouldn''t miss me even if I don''t show my face for days." "..." *** "You did what?" Furious, My aunt yells at me. "Why would you make such a deal for me?" "It''s not a bad deal." I don''t know why she is angry. "Aunt, I am freaking immortal until I reach my time. Until then, I can''t die or grow up. You can live a normal life. If you don''t mess up with time again, you won''t be hunted by the timekeepers." "But, it''s not fair." The corner of her lips curls down. She holds her head as if she''s getting a headache. "Everything is going wrong." My situation won''t change for a while. She has a chance to live a normal life. "Aunt, don''t mess up with time again. I am quite satisfied with how things have turned out. If you do something again, both of us will be caught and put into a time prison. If one of us can live a normal life, it''s not bad. Besides, I can''t stay here forever. You still have six years until your powerse back. Wu Yixing will protect you and give you a good life until then." I don''t know what kind of decision she will make when her powers return. Will she go back to her time or stay here? It''s up to Wu Yixing. "I didn''t appear before you left your time." She looks up at me with deep struggles in her eyes. "If I go back home and live there, I will mess up the timeline again. It might affect your existence." That''s true. The timekeeper probably knew it too. Aunt Yoori disappeared before I was born. In the original timeline, she went back to her correct time to give the purple notebook to grandmother. My grandmother gave that notebook to my father to pass it to me. When I came back to the past for the first time, I gave it to my aunt. It was a trap set by the timekeepers to force her to go to her correct timeline and capture her. This time, the timekeepers might not capture her. But, there is no telling how her presence would affect my existence. I was born to correct her mistakes. Still, there''s a chance that she might find happiness with Wu Yixing. "Aunt Yoori, this era isn''t bad." I pat her head to calm her down. "But, if you want to go back, don''t think about me. Maybe, things will turn out good." "Kyuri, I want to leave this ce ande with you." She hunches down her shoulders. She knows that she can''t leave with me without the antidote. "I will keep an eye on things here," I tell her to soothe her worried heart. "When you get the antidote, I wille to get you." Chapter 73: This is a natural physical reaction Chapter 73: This is a natural physical reaction "You are also here." Wu Yixing grins at his friend. It''s almost midnight. Visitors keeping. His wife and the witch haven''t finished their talk behind the closed door. His friend has barged directly into his wife''s courtyard. Nobody can me him for being upset. Li Jun is not in the mood to y with him. "Is she here?" "Yes." Wu Yixing sips the tea calmly. Xiao Luo feels the tension between the men. She stares at the door. Lady is taking too long. Will she get sleep this night? Li Jun is relieved to hear that the witch is here. Perhaps, she wanted to talk to Mo Qian about what happened at his house. She could have told him once. He would have brought her here with him. He has been worried sick about this cursed witch. Something isn''t right. He bes suspicious after a while. Xiao Luo pours more tea for both of them. He doesn''t drink. He loses his patience and walks to the door. He knocks it several times until Yoori opens it. She rubs her eyes. "Why are you here, General Li?" "You fell asleep?" Wu Yixing rushes to her. Did she forget about him? Li Jun ignores them and walks inside. He finds the room empty. Mo Wei has escaped again. "Where is she?" He asks Yoori. Yoori is stunned to hear him address her niece as a woman. He already knew? She nces at Wu Yixing. That poison master isn''t surprised either. "You both know that she''s a woman?" "Where is she?" Li Jun asks her with a clenched voice. Feeling like he lost something precious just after grasping it for barely a moment, he finds it difficult to breathe. "Just tell me where she is." "Li Jun." Wu Yixing warns him. Yoori''s eyes be calm. She realizes that her niece knew that they knew. There is another reason why she left. That reason is Li Jun. "She came to say goodbye." Li Jun leaves right away. She couldn''t have gone far. How far can she go on her two feet? Wu Yixing doesn''t chase his friend. He folds his arms and looks at Yoori. "Have you forgotten about your antidote?" She scowls at him darkly. "How long have you known that I am a woman?" "Since the moment I met you." He grins and steps inside the room. He''s a bit upset that his friend already revealed it to his wife. He nned to have more fun. He uncorks the vial and ces it on the table. "Drink if you don''t want to die." Yoori looks at him suspiciously before picking up the vial and emptying its content. She''s too angry to say anything to him. He knew! Still, he teased her mercilessly about her breasts. Wu Yixing smiles slyly when he sees her swallowing down her anger and throwing daggers at him with her eyes. Wife is so pretty when she is angry. After a long silence, she opens her mouth to say, "You must have a goodugh whenever I said that I was a man." "Yes." He admits it without a second thought. Wu Yixing is sure that he saw faint smokeing out her ears. "Leave before I kill you." Yoori clenches her fists and smiles. "Get out of this ce." "It''s toote." He quickly removes his outer robes. "My ce is too far from here." Yoori is never going to let him stay in her room. "Get out now." "This ce is also mine." He points at the bed. "This bed is big enough for both of us." "I am not sleeping with a man," She yells at him. She would be an insane person if she still let him stay with her. "You slept with me before." He wraps his arms around her warm body before she can run away. "By the way, do you still want to know?" "Want to know what?" She wriggles frantically to escape his clutches. What the hell is wrong with this pervert? No, what''s wrong with her niece? How could she leave her with this demon? "Whether my antidotes are better than poisons?" He breathes into her ear. He seems to understand now what Mo Wei meant by the opportunity to find happiness in this lifetime. Mo Wei has entrusted this woman to him. To her horror, she realizes that she can''t use her ability to slow time. Her body movements are extremely sluggish. "What did you do to me?" "I tweaked the antidote a little." He carries her in a princess style andys her down on the bed. "Your martial art is too strong. You seem to be quick on your feet. So, I decided to take matters into my hand." "@#$%!" Yoori throws every curse word she knew at him. What can she do? She''s the wife of a notorious poison master. She has supernatural powers to give her advantages against him. He has poisons to take care of those advantages. Wu Yixing admires her tongue. He wonders if she would taste as strong as her curse words. "Mo Qian, I want to test if Empress'' poison worked on your womb or not." He looks at her seriously. "I will inject my seeds and see if my antidote worked on you." He knows that the Empress'' poisons are nothingpared to his antidotes. However, he should still make sure. After all, she''s his responsibility now. The witch already gave her blessings. His face is so close that it is nearly touching her nose. Her ears turn hot and red when he ces his hand on the curve of her waist. "No, I am sure that your antidote works." "But..." He looks at him, unsure. How can he leave today''s golden opportunity? Mo Wei left his friend. This woman might also leave him. There was a warning in Mo Wei''s tone. This is a risk that he is willing to take to find happiness. "You think that I like men. I should tell you how much I like women. This misfortunate prince shall turn fortunate tonight." Yoori curses her niece for not telling her everything. "I was wrong. I didn''t mean a single word. It was the gossip that I heard. Please forgive me for my mistakes. " "Mo Qian..." His hand moves upward, sending electric jolts through her body. "Your body is burning hot. Your heartbeat is fast. Your face is red. You still say that you don''t want me?" Yoori''s throat turns dry. She is too embarrassed. The poison prince is a medical expert. "This is a natural physical reaction." His fingers brush against the nape. It''s easy to seduce his wife. He would have taken some time to go forward. But, Mo Wei''s words and her departure have affected him. This wife isn''t an average person either. If she didn''t need the antidote, she would have left already. "My body is also reacting naturally." He pulls her hand and ces it on his crotch. She trembles and blushes harder when she feels his little brother. This situation... she realizes that he has been waiting for her to realize that he knew. Nothing can stop him from eating her tonight. "Wait." She yells when he leans toward her to attack her lips. "The empress will try to kill me if I get pregnant." "Let her try." He presses her body beneath her, feeling the radiating heat from her skin. "As if she has the ability to touch my woman." "Wait." She moves up her arms slowly when he fumbles with her robes. "I want to do it with the man I love." He looks into her eyes darkly. His usual demeanor is gone. "Have you forgotten that we are married? Are you allowed to fall for any other man than me?" She gapes at him. "Not allowed to fall for any other man?" "You became my woman when you married me. You will die as my woman." He nods at her gravely. "Since both of our bodies are reacting naturally, we should also act naturally." "Wu Yixing!" She protests. "We shouldn''t act naturally!" "Stubborn," He grumbles impatiently. He kisses her intensely. She tries to resist his passion and struggles against his body. Little did she know that her actions are skin to adding fuel into the fire. By the end of the kiss, she is panting for air. She looks at him dazed eyes. "Showing me that kind of face just after a kiss, you still say that you don''t want me?" He grips her jaw and tells her sternly, "Woman, you aren''t allowed to show it to anyone else other than me. If you fall for someone else, I will poison that person." Knowing that she has fallen in the devil''s trap, she lets out a soft sigh. He isn''t going to let her go. There is no escape tonight. She might as well bow down to her fate. However, she''s not a woman who would ept everything. "Wu Yixing, if you do these kinds of things to any other woman, I am going to chop your dick and feed it to that woman myself." His heart leaps erratically. Instead of being offended, he is captivated by her threat. He epts her threat with a grin on his face and proceeds with the task of nting his seeds. Chapter 74: My little witch, I already accepted your request Chapter 74: My little witch, I already epted your request When Wu Qiuyue finds out that Mo Wei left her on her own, she was ted. When she heard that Li Jun has immobilized his army to look for her, she feels her heart shattering into pieces. At night, the capital is awake due to the chaos caused by General Li''s army. The fifth prince and his wife are also awake. Wu Yixing is too busy seeding the fertile ground. He couldn''t care less if the city gets drowned in the fire. Li Jun, after finding out that Mo Wei had left after saying goodbye Mo Qian, immobilizes his army to look for his second concubine dressed like a man and wandering the capital at night. Nobody knew about the existence of General Li''s second wife. Li Jun also never acted like this for a woman before. The emperor''s sleep is disturbed. Curious to see this woman who can steal Li Jun''s rationality, the emperor alsomands his people to look for a runaway concubine everywhere. The capital is turned upside down until Mo Wei is found in a cart on the road going out of the capital at dawn. *** "She''s here!" I open my eyes when I hear a shout. Someone grabs my arm and drags me out of the cart. There are numerous soldiers surrounding the cart. Before I can ask any question, my hands are being tied. "Hey!" I re at him. "What are you doing?" They don''t answer me. I try to fight. I kick them. I bite them. I do everything in my power to escape their clutches. Why don''t I have super strength? All freaking immortals have some superpowers. Instead, my superpowers are inactivated. What kind of justice is this? Someone ties my legs and wraps a cloth around my face. I can''t see anything. I scream at them. "You bastard! Are you soldiers? At least, tell my crime before taking me to prison." Nobody answers me. Someone shoves me into a carriage. I hear the sound of the door locking. The carriage is already running. What the hell! Am I being abducted during my escape? Why though? I think of a million reasons. Witch-hunting? Weren''t witches burned in old times? Wait, that was a different era. Timekeepers? That timekeeper must have used this opportunity to get rid of me. I roll on the floor of the carriage. I hit something hard. "$#!%! Why cover my face? I didn''t kill anyone." After a long time, the carriage finally stops. I hold my breath. What lies outside of this? The timekeeper''s den? I can''t think of any other enemy. Someone pulls me out. I hear gasps. The rope around my feet is untied by someone. I am pushed to walk ahead. I am not going down without a fight. That timekeeper is a big liar. He said that he would y the game fairly. I feel a chill running down my spine. The ck cloth covering my head is removed. I find myself sitting on my knees right in front of Li jun. The way he is looking at me reminds me of the first time I met him on the battlefield. He is watching me with the same cold emotionless eyes when he ced the sword against my throat. I know for sure that the timekeeper is not currently active. Is he offended because I left without saying goodbye? Was it because of the nonconsensual kiss? I wreck my brain and think about the times I have offended him. He''s a real freaking General after all. How did I forget that fact? I can''t die. He already knows that. Then, how he is going to kill me? Li Jun looks at the men beside me. "200shes for all the men who have touched her." "..." Not for me? Did I hear right? I follow his gaze and look behind me. The soldiers who brought me here are kneeling on the floor. Their bodies are stiff. I can''t see their expressions, but I can imagine it. "500shes for men who treated her roughly." "..." Some men shake once before going still again. "Leave." In less than a minute, two of us are alone in the room. I purse my lips. I didn''t expect that things would turn out like this. I underestimated his reactions and craziness. The previous Li Jun wouldn''t send soldiers to catch me. Then, he wasn''t a general and he probably couldn''t send people through time. Li Jun doesn''t untie my hands. He keeps staring at me with a hardened jaw. I notice the dark circles around his eyes. He is wearing the same clothes that he wore yesterday. I feel a little bit guilty. I bow my head a little. "I am sorry for leaving without saying goodbye." "That''s what you are sorry about?" His icy voice makes me shiver in fright. I thought that I couldn''t feel cold. I have been proven wrong. Gathering whatever left of my courage and pride, I meet his eyes. "I don''t remember doing anything wrong to you?" His thin lips curl up. My shoulders tense up when I see him walking toward me. I can''t feel pain, but that doesn''t mean that I can''t feel fear. This man seems so scary. He reminds me of Li Jun who used to wear a mask. He bends down on one knee and lifts my chin with his finger. "Do you know the punishment of a runaway concubine?" For a while, my brain can''t digest his words. Did that kiss really cause a problem in his rtionship with that princess? "That princess ran away?" He pinches my chin hard. "You ran away." "Excuse me?" I look at him with disbelief. "Li Jun, is your IQ that low? Didn''t you understand the situation? Your wife thought that you were gay. I said those things to save your reputation. When did I be your concubine?" His gaze turns colder. I think that only my body is immune to death temporarily. My soul wants to fly away. "All I know is that you took advantage of my body when I was asleep." His face inches closer to mine. "You conspired in a way that everyone saw what you did to me. You openly asked me whether I want you as my concubine. My little witch, I already epted your request. How dare you run away after doing whatever you wanted?" Chapter 75: abandon your wife and your child Chapter 75: abandon your wife and your child After getting cursed, she is almost a skeleton. Herplexion has a grayish tint, only visible under a certain light. The clothes are baggy on her. Her freezing body and otherworldly bearing may ward off other people. He is unfazed by the change. He Jun puts his arm around her tiny waist and pulls her closer. Their chests are pressing together. Her small frame is nearly covered by his body. When she tries to turn her head away, he holds her jaw and forces her to look at him. "Little Witch, tell me where did you find the courage to do whatever you want and run away." He is aware that he''s finding faults with her. He has no right to stop her from leaving. He wants to tie her to him by any means possible. This woman won''t ept a man who already has another woman in his life. She res at him and mutters, "Moron!" He furrows his brows. "What did you call me?" Nobody has ever called him an idiot before. "Is it okay for you to bring any woman to your household?" Three deep lines form on her forehead. "It was a peck on your lips. I didn''t ruin your chastity. If you are that disturbed because of a stolen kiss, just kiss me. Then, let me go." She closes her eyes and puckers up her lips, inviting him to take a taste. Li Jun stares at her nkly. He didn''t think that she would dly offer her lips. She''s always one step ahead of him. His heart beats rapidly when she opens her one eye mischievously. Her lips curl up seductively. He didn''t think that a woman could make him blush. He steps away, making a distance between them. He might give in to temptation right away. "I don''t only want that." He wants all of her. He wants to have her by his side. He wants to see her every day. He wants to know why he feels this way. Ever since he saw her, he had an itching feeling in his heart. For more than a decade, he didn''t understand why. He longed to see this witch again. He hoped that she would reappear. When he saw her in front of the inn, something within him burst open. It was a pleasant feeling. Seeing her again made him feel happy. Then, she was gone again. He still had a feeling that she would reappear. When he saw her drawing circles in front of Wu Yixing, he felt hurt. Why would he feel hurt for her? Who she is? She did save him and his family on that the night of the assassination. She left quite an impression on his 10th birthday. He still carries the coin that she gave him. But, he was pained when he saw her in that state. When she left this time, he felt like he would never see her again. He felt like he lost something invaluable. Sheughs derisively. There is hidden pain in her voice. "Li Jun, let me tell you this. If you want me as your woman, then abandon your wife and your child. I will stay with you then." He clenches his fists. His expression turns dark. He can''t change the past. He can''t abandon Wu Qiuyue or go back in time to stop his marriage with his dead wife. He loves his son, Li Hua. That fact can''t change either. He promised his dead wife that the position of the main wife would always belong to her and he would take care of Li Hua and Wu Qiuyue. Even if he didn''t make those promises, he couldn''t abandon Wu Qiuyue or Li Hua. Both of them are his responsibility. She smiles at him lightly. "If you can''t do that, why do you selfishly ask me to abandon my beliefs and be your woman." *** The timekeeper is afraid of Li Jun catching feelings for me. I have realized that I am also afraid of the same oue. In the original timeline, Li Jun used his achievements to get an emperor decree to marry a woman he met on a battleground. When we met, he was already in love with me because of Kang Si An''s memories. This Li Jun doesn''t know either what he feels for me. Maybe it''s curiosity. He can''t be in love with me yet. What reason is there for him to love me? People can''t just feel undying love for others after meeting a few times. My life is a bitter fairytale. I feel like a sick person for asking him to abandon Wu Qiuyue and his son. I did it to make him realize what he is asking from me. "I can''t abandon them," He answers me with a calm voice. I give him a nod. If he abandoned them, I wouldn''t like him anymore. "Release me." He stares down at me. "I can''t let you go either." Did the time-turn affect his IQ? Why can''t he understand me? I can''t stay. "You are the woman I have chosen for myself." He cups my face with hisrge and rough hands. "I promise that you will be the only woman who will share my bed and upy my heart from now on. You will stay with me for the rest of your life." Chapter 76: I have to leave Chapter 76: I have to leave If she leaves this time, she won''t appear again. His intuition has never been wrong. Just like the time when he left with Wu Yixing to see Yu Chen, he found her in front of the inn. Then, he had a strange urge to visit Wu Yixing and he found her under the tree. On his 10th birthday, he had the simr urging to go to that area where she was already there. Li Jun doesn''t know about the timekeeper inside him or his tangled fate with Kyuri. In his every lifetime, he will have the same urge to see her. As long as the timekeeper is inside him, he will be driven to find her again and again. The timekeeper didn''t think the host would fall in love with the traveler and those same feelings will be the greatest obstacle in his mission in the original timeline. Both Kang Si An and Li Jun loved this traveler in the original timeline. This time, he will do anything to prevent the same oue. Li Jun''s heart is already affected by the traveler. If these two don''t make more memories and the feelings don''t be intense again, Kang Si An will not be affected by the traveler easily since the traveler has already changed the future. He has no intention of being tortured by Li Jun''s or Kang Si An''s feelings again. "I have to leave." She whispers to him. The pain in her eyes nearly moves the timekeeper''s heart. He doesn''t want to use his minutes to speak to her. He can only watch and hear using Li Jun''s eyes and ears. He is even more determined to prevent Li Jun from meeting the traveler again in this lifetime. He has already made an arrangement. Li Jun looks into her eyes. His heart feels heavy to see the tears forming in her eyes. He doesn''t want to force her. But, something in his mind is whispering to him that he can''t afford to let her go at any cost. "I will give you everything. I won''t touch Wu Qiuyue. I won''t bring any woman. You will be the only one. I am not giving you a choice, woman." She blinks out her tears. She repeats the words. "I have to leave." He grips her shoulders hard in anger. She doesn''t wince in pain. His fingers instantly loosen. She won''t be able to leave. If she leaves again, he will look for her everywhere. "Master, Madame drank a poison." A servant cries outside the door. Because Li Jun has warned people not toe inside, the servant didn''t dare. "She''s in a critical state." Li Jun didn''t expect that Wu Qiuyue would go to that extent. "Go and see her," The woman in his arms says to him softly. "She''s a woman who is raising your only son." He has to go for that promise that he made to his dead wife. To Li Hua, Wu Qiuyue is a mother. If something happens to her, his son will suffer. "Mo Wei." He tells her sternly, "I wille back soon. Don''t move from this spot. The conversation is not over." She smiles at him brightly and shows him her wrists. "I will wait for you." He furrows his brows. He doesn''t want to leave. He has little choice. He walks away from her with an uneasy feeling. He halts at the door and turns around. She''s sitting quietly on the floor. He hears her sigh sadly once. Aplicated feeling rise in his heart. Reluctantly, Li Jun walks out of the room. He closes the door behind him. He tells the soldiers to keep watch. The woman can''t leave the vicinity. After giving some othermands, he takes long strides toward Wu Qiuyue''s courtyard. 5 minutester, a soldieres inside. "Miss Kwon." The soldier nces at the girl dressed in male clothes. Stunned, Kwon Kyuri looks at the soldier. "How do you know my name?" "Master Li made arrangement for your escape," The soldier tells her with a poker face. "Pleasee with me. We will help you leave the country." She smiles brilliantly with a tinge of sadness in her eyes. "Ah! I should have expected. After Li Jun tried to find me, he must have contacted the timekeepers." "We don''t have time." The timekeeper soldier has never helped a traveler escape before. He looks at the door uneasily. "If General Lies back, it will be difficult." "Sure. Sure." She stands up on her feet. "Can you untie my hands first?" *** "How is she?" Li Jun asks the physician. Wu Qiuyue''s figure is lying on the bed, unconscious. "If I was a littlete, she would have died," The physician answers him with a grave tone. "She took a strong poison. Where did she get hold of it?" He sighs. He would also like to know the answer. He turns to her maid. "Where is Hua''er?" "He''s asleep." The maid answers nervously. Li Jun doesn''t miss it. "Do you know how she got the poison?" The maid''s lips quiver. Under his deathly re, her knees be weak. She drops on her knees and shudders. "Master, please forgive me. It was Madam who sent me to buy poison. I didn''t know that she will do this." He takes a long nce at Wu Qiuyue. This woman would rather kill herself than let him bring in Mo Wei. Chapter 77: studying poisons and you Chapter 77: studying poisons and you Li Jun watches the vapor rising from the tea. That witch told him that she would be waiting for him, but she still left. The soldiers guarding the room where Li Jun left Mo Wei were found to be unconscious. It seems that someone released gas in the air and the soldiers were knocked out unconscious. Even after 24 hours, they didn''t regain consciousness. It seemed like they were simply asleep. Li Jun is suspicious of the whole thing. Though nobody was harmed, his soldiers were put to sleep. The witch had no power because of the curse. Someone helped her leave. He sent people to search for her again. The capital and the surrounding cities were thoroughly searched. This time, there was no news even after a week. Even her shadow wasn''t seen. The news that the 13th princess poisoned herself and the second concubine disappeared again spread like fire. The people gossiped and criticized him for being rash and unable to handle his women. He didn''t care. He would not even look at Wu Qiuyue. Wu Qiuyue is disconcerted by his behavior, but she is also that Mo Wei can''t be found. She''s sure that he will go back to his usual self after some time. Li Jun hasn''t been eating or sleeping well. The feeling that he wouldn''t see her again is bing stronger with each passing moment. Mo Wei came to his life like a tornado that left him after destroying his peace and world. His world can''t function the same way again. Nothing is the same anymore. He doesn''t even know her real name. She didn''t even leave any word or message. Was there nothing in her heart? Did she despise being his woman that much? Perhaps, he should have taken that offer when she asked him to kiss her inpensation for kissing him. *** At Wu Yixing''s mansion, Yoori is reading a letter. It''s from Kyuri. ''By the time you receive this letter, I will be on a ship to another country. Don''t worry about me. The timekeepers helped me escape. I won''t be able to visit you any time soon. If you find happiness, don''t look for me. Don''t try to change anything. My curse won''t break even if you try. I will take care of everything. I will be fine. You know that I can''t die. You must grasp the happiness thates your way. If you are not happy, I will meet you at the crossroad and take you away." Only Kyuri knows about the crossroads of their lives. Yoori lets out a defeated sigh. It seems like her niece is pretty sure that she will find happiness with Wu Yixing. If she doesn''t find it, Kyuri wille and steal her away from Wu Yixing. Her niece will be there for her. She ces the letter on the table. She gazes out with an absent mind. Wu Yixing is helping Li Jun to deal with the emperor''s temper. The emperor is mad after hearing that the 13th princess poisoned herself. Li Jun is also irrational. He keeps looking for Kyuri. Things are bingplicated. The empress is going to take this opportunity to strike Wu Yixing down. "What are you thinking?" She snaps out of her thoughts. Wu Yixing is sitting in front of her with a wide smile on his face. She purses her lips unhappily. He has time to see her now? "How are things with Li Jun and the emperor?" Wu Yixing''s face is devoid of any distress despite the worries in his mind. "Wu Qiuyue doesn''t hold an important ce in the emperor''s heart. The old emperor is being moody because of Li Jun''s actions. At most, Li Jun will be going to the borders to take care of the invaders for some time." He peers at the letter in her hand. He knows who the sender is. The copy of the content is already sent to Li Jun. Yoori folds the letter and ces it inside her sleeve. "The empress... can you tell me what you want me to do? I want to get the antidote soon." He furrows his brows slightly. "I want her to make a mistake." "Do you want to take the throne?" She asks him directly. He chuckles lightly. "Of course, not. I want to spend the rest of my life studying poisons and you." "Insane," Yoori mutters under her breath and looks away. She is peeved that he mentioned poisons too. But, they aren''t close enough for them to prioritize each other the most. She res at him. "What''s there to study me?" He smiles at her coyly. "Your body, your expressions, your heart, soul, the workings of your mind, the sounds that you make, the rhythm of your breaths..." H pauses for a moment and scratches his chin thoughtfully. "And the reasons why you seem captivating to me... you aren''t the prettiest woman in the empire. You are not too smart or skilled. Your background is shady. It''s strange why you upy most of my thoughts. I only cared about poisons before, but a human being has started to disrupt the chords of my heart. " Yoori tries her best to keep a poker face while her erratic heart is trying to leap out of her body. It will be difficult to not get mesmerized by this misfortunate prince. Chapter 78: Why is it not swelling? Chapter 78: Why is it not swelling? The sky is gray. It''s going to rain soon. The distance between me and Li Jun is erging. I don''t think that he will be able to find me. The timekeepers were quite skilled. They helped me leave the capital smoothly. They didn''t talk to me though. They didn''t speak much among themselves. It''s like there is an agreement among them that the traveler must not hear or know anything. They were following my anchored timekeeper''s instructions. After traveling for days, we reached the port. They helped me get on the ship. Before boarding the ship, I asked them to deliver the letter to my aunt because she would worry about me. They epted myst request. I have no money or clothes. The people on the ship are kind. They asked me some questions out of curiosity. I told them a soapy story about a boy that I saw on a drama once. Anyway, they believe me. It is not unusual for a boy to leave the country after his family is ughtered by a bad noble lord. I work in the kitchen to earn food. I have to pretend to be a human after all. Fake sleep. Eat. Keep it to myself as much as possible. I wish I could embrace Li Jun once before I left. I didn''t say goodbye. I didn''t send any letter to him. I have so much to say, but he wouldn''t understand a single word. I am the only one with the weight of memories. He can''t understand how I feel. But, this Li Jun isn''t mine. I have already lost my Li Jun when I turned back time. The man I met on the battlefield for the first time. The man who loved me without asking anything in return. He was mine and mine only. I can never forget the way he cherished me. I won''t regret ever for saving him. *** Yoori feels like she''s going to die. Her head is dizzy. The nausea is killing her. The empress bullies her whenever she goes to meet her. She makes her drink poisonous teas and chats with her as if nothing happened. She would insult her every time andpare her with princesses. The worst part of the deal is that Yoori can''t stab the two-faced woman. She has to pretend and listen to everything. At night, she gets bullied by the misfortunate prince. He is keenly interested in studying her body. Every nook and cranny of her body is explored, touched, and licked. He wouldn''t be satisfied with that only. "I am starting to worry that my antidotes are weak." He would pat her t tummy every night. "Why is it not swelling?" It hasn''t been a month. Why would it swell? Is it her fault that she''s not getting pregnant? She''s always too exhausted to reply. "I don''t want to go." She whines like a kindergartner who doesn''t want to go to school. "Xiao Luo, I would rather die." "Lady." Xiao Luo pities her. "You can''t deny the summon." "I know." She rolls on her stomach. "When will it be over?" A hand strokes her head gently. By now, she''s familiar with this feeling. "Wu Yixing." Xiao Luo quietly walks out. Master is here. Lady will be fine. "Qian''er." He rubs her head and smiles slightly. "Thank you for distracting the empress. I have gathered the evidence against her." She looks at him with curiosity. She knows the story now. The empress reced the previous empress who was Wu Yixing''s mother. Wu Yixing''s mother was the most beautiful woman in the empire. The emperor was deeply in love with her. He often neglected the other women in his harem. The current empress devised a n to destroy the previous empress. Yu Chen''s mother was the previous empress'' close friend. She often visited the previous empress. Yu Chen was Wu Yixing''s ymate. Nearly 2 decades ago, Yu Chen''s mother was used as a spy of the enemy country. The evidence was found at her home. She was executed and Yu Chen was exiled. The emperor was also suspicious of the previous empress. It broke that woman''s heart. She drank the poison right in front of Yu Chen and died. Back then, Wu Yixing was the crown prince. Later, the current empress'' son became the crown prince. The emperor couldn''t throw away Wu Yixing, but he didn''t care for him either. The current empress was still not content even after the empress died. She hated Wu Yixing and his mother. She wanted to make his life miserable. Wu Yixing did whatever he could to survive. He pretended to be a wasted prince who only drank and yed with women in the flower houses while fighting the empress in the shadows. Yoori has been curious about Wu Yixing, but she knows that he won''t say a word to her about her past. Their rtionship is not deep enough. She had to use her third ability on thest living previous empress'' servant she met a while back. When Yoori learned of the story, she understood his obsession with poisons and antidotes. That servant has no idea what she revealed to Yoori. Using her third ability has taken a toll on her already ''burned out'' body. Now, her time-traveling ability won''t return for a decade. Perhaps, she doesn''t want her time-traveling ability to return. She wants to know about this sly prince more. Wu Yixing doesn''t know that she knows. She will also pretend that she doesn''t know anything. Everyone has the right to keep a secret. "What evidence?" She asks him with a tired voice. "I found the real spy." Wu Yixing pulls her into his arm. "Spy?" She feigns ignorance. "Who is it?" Chapter 79: Help me recall it Chapter 79: Help me recall it "Someone from her family." Wu Yixing pinches her soft cheek. He wonders if he is somewhere in her heart now. Does she also long to see him when he isn''t there? "The empress has been distracted because of you and Li Jun. When she heard that he is going to the border, she made a mistake of contacting the spy to tell him about Li Jun. She wanted to manipte the emperor and make the third prince the emperor soon. I have caught the person. You don''t have to go see her today. I will reveal everything tomorrow." He observes her face. It''s slight pale. Recently, she has been sick a lot. She''s always tired. Should he feed her a vitality tonic? "That''s a relief." Yoori releases a breath of relief. She''s sure that she would have used her third ability on the empress to make her confess in public. But, the empress has a strong mind. She could get caught. The ability topel someone is simr to hypnotizing them. It takes a lot of energy. She already used it on one person to know Wu Yixing''s past. If she uses it on another one, she might end up going toa. Wu Yixing looks at her t belly and pats it gently. "It''s still t." Yoori scowls at him. "Your antidotes are useless." "Are they?" He lets out augh. "We will know within a year." "What do you mean?" She ps his hand hard. "What would happen in a year?" "You will start showing in a few months." He pinches her lips. Does it mean...? She looks down at her t belly. "Wu Yixing, the empress fed me poison." He eyes are filled in worry. "How can I get pregnant?" "Who delivers those poisons to her?" He removes the hairpin from her hair. "She''s been feeding you tonics since you met her. Isn''t she such a kindhearted woman?" Yoori gawks at him foolishly. He could tell her the truth. She has been anxious for so long while this prince has been fooling her. Damned health tonics! "But, my body already contains the poison that you fed me that day. You give me the antidote every night." She recalls unhappily. "What will happen to my baby if I am already poisoned?" She doesn''t now that the antidote that he gives her every day is actually a health tonic too. How will she react when she finds out that he already gave her the real antidote the day they made a deal? He smiles to himself, imagining her reaction. She won''t be pleased for sure. "Ah... that... I fed you the real antidote that day." He sees her staring at him nkly. "I have been giving you health potions since that night. I did tweak it to slower your movements because you are fast sometimes." At that moment, Yoori realizes that she has been fooled since the moment she met him. "You!" She rolls her sleeves and grabs the sword. "I will kill you today." Wu Yixing grabs her arm before she can strike him with the swords. "It''s not good for our child if you are agitated." "You dare to say those words!" She kicks him hard. "Lying to me, fooling me, marrying me, seducing me, impregnating me... you have no shame." He leans closer, looking smug. His hot breath sends a tingle down her nerves. "How did I seduce you? I can''t remember. Help me recall it." "Wu Yixing!" She yells his name, trying to push him away. Soon enough, the yells turn into moans. *** Wu Qiuyue bites her lips as the tears flow down on her pale cheeks. Li Jun won''t take a look at her no matter what she does. She is being treated like air. He is still looking for Mo Wei. "She left you on her own." She shouts at him bitterly, "Must you treat me this way?" He doesn''t answer her. He goes outside and finds the guards. "Go and get your punishment." The orders are clear. The madam must not step inside the master''s room She runs to him and grabs his forearm. Why are you punishing everyone because that woman ran away? Li Jun jerks her arm away. Due to his action, she falls on the cold floor. She squeezes eyes in pain. She is infuriated and hurt because of his harshness. "Why can''t you love me? I am better than her in every aspect." Under her heavy nce, she shrinks down. That look in his eyes. He is seeing nothing of her. "I don''t see it." He can''t see how she''s better than Mo Wei in every aspect. Wu Qiuyue can''t smile like her. She can''t speak like her. She can''t fill the emptiness of his heart like Mo Wei did. "Leave." He is too tired to deal with her. "If you don''t want to be thrown out of this house, then don''t cross your limits again." The threat is clear. Wu Qiuyue wipes the tears on her face and gracefully leaves his room. She didn''t expect him to threaten her like this. She wonders where that man disappear who treated her with respect and care. That woman changed him. Mo Wei turned her husband into this being who cares about nothing but her. Li Jun sits on the chair and looks at the copy of a letter. It''s been a little more than a month. The content of the letter that she sent to Mo Qian has been tranted with great effort. He can''t figure out who the timekeepers are. He can''t find her or the people who helped her escape. Mo Qian won''t reveal anything to him either. He can''t force her to speak. She''s Wu Yixing''s wife. He feels powerless. He wants to chase her to K country. He wants to abandon everything and leave. His duty to the nation. His son. His promises to his dead wife. He clutches the letter to his chest. He can''t do it. Crossroads. He doesn''t know the meaning. But, he knows that Mo Qian is not living an unhappy life with Wu Yixing. The light in themp flickers. He recalls the day he saw her sitting on the tree. His fingers curl around the coin that she gave him. He wants to see her again. Will she keep her promise and visit him on his 90th birthday? Chapter 80: Even if my heart forgets, my soul will remember you Chapter 80: Even if my heart forgets, my soul will remember you Years pass by like breezes. Things have changed drastically. 10 years ago, the empress was found hanging in her chamber after Wu Yixing revealed the truth. Her son was ostracized and removed from the position of the crown prince. The emperor asked Wu Yixing to retake the position of the crown prince. Wu Yixing rejected the emperor''s offer to live his peaceful life with his wife who was now pregnant. Li Junes back after the war. He visits Wu Yixing first. Wu Yixing wees his old friend with happiness. Wu Yixing''s ce is no longer the same. Her two daughters are born with special abilities like their mother. His 9 years old daughter can talk to nts while his 6 years old daughter can make it rain anytime she wants. Both are taught to hide their abilities by Yoori. Luckily, none of them have the ability of time-traveling. "Did she...?" Li Jun asks Yoori with a low voice. Yoori smiles at him. "She didn''te to see me." Over the years, Li Jun couldn''t forget that witch once. If he says that he doesn''t know the reason, he is only fooling himself. He''s breathing, but there is no life. He can see the sunlight, but there is no light in his eyes. The emptiness grows like a demon and whispers to him every day, ''It''s your fault. You shouldn''t have left her that day. You should have held her in your arms and tell her how much you need her to live.'' "Li Jun, I believe that she''s fine wherever she is," Yoori tells him with blind faith. "I believe in her abilities. She will do fine. I am sure that she wanted you to live happily. You should stop looking for her." The words are vain and ineffective. Li Jun leaves Wu Yixing''s house quietly. At night, Wu Yixing sits beside his wife. She is writing something in her diary. He can''t understand thenguage. His wife hasn''t revealed anything about her origin. Sometimes, he wonders if she will also disappear like Mo Wei. He wraps his arm around her waist. "Qian''er, will you tell me your real name?" Her hand pauses on the paper. She looks at him, frowning. "I didn''t tell you yet?" He looks at her with disbelief. "When did you tell me?" She scratches her head foolishly. "Did I do it in a dream?" He shakes his head at her. Sometimes, his wife acts like an idiot. "You never told me. I was going to use a truth potion on you." She scowls at him darkly. "I would use my third ability on you and find out your every indecent act that you did before our marriage." She never lets go of his past. He puts his palms together. He can''t offend this woman. "I apologize. If I had known that I was going to marry you, I would have never done it." Yoori takes a long nce at him with a stern face. Her temper simmers down when she sees him smiling at her like a little kid. She has spent 10 years with this man. He manages to melt her heart like this. Her time-traveling ability is also returning. If she wants, she can leave him. If she travels far in the future, she will be in the burned-out state again. Returning to him will be difficult. "If I had known that I was going to be your wife, I would have found you sooner," She chuckles lowly. Her niece knew that she would find happiness with Wu Yixing. "I will trust her to inform my mother about my decision." Wu Yixing raises his brow. "Where is my mother-inw?" "You really want to know?" She looks into his eyes. "I will tell you then." Yoori tells him everything. Her real name. The time-traveling. The mess that she created. Mo Wei''s real identity. The only thing that she doesn''t reveal is that Li Jun is a host of an anchored timekeeper. Wu Yixing listens to everything quietly. He has known that she is not an average woman. Their children aren''t average either. Wu Yixing believes that his wife is his fortune. "If you had not appeared in my life, I would have died as a misfortunate man." Wu Yixing kisses her softly. "Will you hate me if I say that I am happy because you had to leave your time and escape here?" He''s also happy that Kyuri gave him a hint before she left. Because of Kyuri and Li Jun, he met his wife. "You are the type who will be happy when others are misfortunate." She pretends to be angry at him. Wu Yixing moves away from the strands of her hair from her face. He looks into her sparkling eyes. "Yoori, did I ever mention that I love you?" Yooriughs. "I am sure that you said that to me in your dreams." Their two daughters return from the garden after a small fight. They see their parentsughing together. The daughters run to their parents toin about each other. Yoori and Wu Yixing look at their little treasures and share a smile, realizing that this moment is possibly one of the happiest moments of their lives. Wu Qiuyue has been looking forward to Li Jun''s return. She keeps waiting for him. After that night, she never entered his chamber again. She is always afraid that he meant his words. She would be thrown out. She will lose everything including whatever left of her pride. After Li Jun''s return, she hopes that he has changed. Nothing has changed. Li Jun never looks at her. He doesn''t talk to her. The rtionship between him and Li Hua also turn sour because of Li Jun''s treatment of Wu Qiuyue. The small thorn between father and son grows into a giant unbreakable wall. Wu Qiuyue bes depressed when she sees this. She has Li Hua, but Li Jun has no one. That man would never let here to his side. She suffers every day to see him in pain. She tries her best to mend the rtionship between Li Hua and Li Jun, but it never works. The mental anguish and pain take a toll on her body. At the age of 33, she dies with Li Hua crying beside her. Li Jun didn''te to see her onest time. Neither alive nor dead, Li Jun quietly lives his life. Sometimes, he gazes afar and hopes to see a certain familiar and yet unfamiliar figure. Perhaps, their paths would miraculously cross. Maybe, she would change her mind ande to him. He wonders if he should have said yes when she asked him to abandon everything for her. He wonders if she would ept if he was never married. There are only questions, but she''s not here to answer him. Will she keep her promise? Yearster, he is lying alone on the bed. He is too old and weak to get up. His son hasn''te to see him once. There is no one beside him. The destined child who has contributed greatly to the nation. The man who changed history. The war hero. All the titles and achievements are dust when one is lying on his deathbed. He hopefully looks at the door, hoping desperately that a figure will probably materialize in his blurry vision. "The day is over," He whispers as thest ray of sunlight is gone from the sky. "You didn''t keep your promise, Witch." He hears a shortugh. "The birthday boy is angry." The sameugh that he heard a long time ago. A memory that seems like a dream now. A distant memory from a life that he would have lived if she hadn''t changed the past. "Kyuri..." The long-forgotten familiar namees out of his lips. He remembers now who she is. She lights themp beside his bed. The soft light falls on her face. She looks the same. Before the time turn and after the time turn, Li Jun realizes that she has been the only woman that he has loved. "You remember me." She holds his hand and smiles. "Is it because you are going to leave me soon?" "You left me first." Li Jun doesn''t want to blink. He can''t tell whether this is a dream or a reality. The distance between his life and death is closing. If he blinks, she might disappear. "I will find you again." "I will wait for you." Sheys down beside him. She could hear the sound of his slowing heartbeat. "Liar." Li Jun chuckles hoarsely. "You didn''t wait for me that day." A traitorous tear escapes her eye. Li Jun ces his bony palm on her cheek. He kisses her onest time on her forehead. He tells her as his voice bes faint with each word, "I won''t say goodbye. I know that I will meet you again someday. Even if my heart forgets, my soul will remember you." There is a content smile frozen on his face. His eyes didn''t leave her face once. Kyuri presses her face to his chest and breaks into sobs. When the sunlight breaks into the sky, Li Jun is found on the bed alone with a warm smile on his lips as if he''s asleep and dreaming of something sweet and intangible. Chapter 81: Since you are here with me Chapter 81: Since you are here with me I stay until Li Jun''s funeral is over. I pretend to be the son of the soldier who served him once. There is no one who recognizes me here. Nobody questions my identity. I am going to take his ashes away with me. He couldn''t stay with me when he was alive. He can stay with me after his death. I don''t want to be alone. I can''t bear to leave him behind again. There is no Wu Qiuyue or the timekeeper. My aunt is dead. Li Jun is also dead. The timekeeper can''t threaten me anymore. In the dead of the night, I enter the building. The dim light of themp flicker near the altar. I sit in front of his portrait. The artist couldn''t capture his light in portrait. My Li Jun was not the sun. He was the gentle moonlight thatforted me even on his death bed. We were both selfish. I didn''t say goodbye to him when I left him. He didn''t say goodbye to me when he left me. The distance between is so far now. I can''t die and grab onto his soul. I wish I could die. At least in the afterlife, we could be together. "You areing with me," I pick up the urn and hold it to close to my heart. "I left you with your family for long enough. You must stay with me from now on." When I walk out of the building, I find some waiting for me. He was a toddler when I saw himst time. He is a man in histe 60s now. I notice that his fingers are curled around the cane tightly. "You are Mo Wei," He tells me with a low voice. "He made your paintings and my mother burned them. You were the reason behind their sorrow." The words are sharp. My legs tremble. I feel heavy. Too heavy to move. I want to sleep and dream about Li Jun, but I can''t even do that. I am not even allowed to sleep. "My mother went through hell every day. She wanted to be acknowledged by my father atleast once. That never happened. She died, wishing for him toe and see her once." He inhales sharply. "Before she died, she told me that she hated you for leaving him." I clutch the urn closer to my heart. I don''t have anything to say to him. I can only stand here and listen. "Now that I look at you, I finally understand why you didn''t stay with him. My father must have known it. His eyes always searched for you." He stares at me for a long time. "Take him. I am sure that he wouldn''t want to stay here either." I have also wanted to cross paths with him again. Li Hua turns his back on me and walks away. I leave with Li Jun. We travel for a long time. I tell him about my life after I left him. I tell him about the things that I have seen and the ces I have gone to. I worked as a servant in some ces. When I saved enough money, I moved around. I was stabbed once and my money was also stolen. I made some friends, but I always had to leave them. I watched them grow old from far away. I was nearly sold in the brothel once, but I managed to escape. I had some bad times, but I managed to live through it. I couldn''t stay anywhere for a long time. We leave for K country. I n to stay with him in the mountains. I want to live with him somewhere nobody bothers us. It will be just him and me. I want a home with him. "Since you are here with me, I am not afraid." Suddenly, people are screaming loudly. I hold the urn protectively when I see arge tsunami waveing toward us. I close my eyes as it swallows us all. I find myself sinking deeper into the sea. If I go to the bottom of the ocean, I won''t die. It will be dark, but Li Jun will be there with me. I am sure that I won''t be alone. His ashes spread out of the cracks of the urn. I feel his warm hands holding mine. Li Jun gazes at me with his smiling eyes. He is saying something to me. I can''t hear it. He wraps his arms around me. I rest my head on his shoulder and closes my eyes. The waves sway us for a long time. The water doesn''t feel cold. Li Jun''s body is warm. I find myself all alone on an ind. Li Jun left me again. I sit there, looking at the outstretched sea for a long time. He is probably holding a grudge on me for leaving me once. I have seen his death twice. If it''s not a grudge, then what is it? Iy down on the sand and stare into the horizon. The color of the sky changes every day. The day bes night. The night bes the day. The rainy days turn to summers. The brazen summers turn to winter. Then, the springes and teases me. The rain arrives again. I am tired of looking at the moon that changes every day. I don''t change at all. Even after Li Jun died, I am here. How many years do I have to wait for my death? In the original timeline, I epted death dly after Li Jun''s death. I saw the memory of his death and changed the past. Still, I had to see him die again. This time, even death abandoned me. Chapter 82: I came here looking for a treasure Chapter 82: I came here looking for a treasure "There is something here." Lu Yuan points at the spot. His eyes sparkle with excitement. "The ind from the map this one for sure. We will find a treasure if we dig here." Lu Weixue scowls at him. His mood is awful. They have been wandering in the sea for years because of a stupid map that his brother stole from an old drunk man who bbered about some treasure that he hid on an ind. The old man must beughing in his grave because of his brother''s foolishness. "This is thest ind." Lu Weixue swears and picks up the shovel. "We are going home after this." "We will be going home as rich men." Lu Yuan is full of energy. "Let''s do this brother for our bright future. After going back home, you can get married. No woman would mind marrying a rich man even if he is old." Lu Weixue curses him. "Shut your mouth if you don''t want me to leave you here." He is old and unmarried because he believed his foolish brother and decided to find a secret treasure left behind by an old man. The shovel hits something hard. Lu Weixue freezes when he hears a whimper. Lu Yuan stops shoveling right away. He stares at him with a ghastly face. What''s beneath the sand that can whimper in pain? The sound is quite human too. Lu Yuan asks with a low voice. "Did we disturb someone''s grave?" Dead can''t whimper. Lu Weixue digs with his hand until he finds a thin foot. The skin is cold to touch and there is barely any flesh. If it''s dead, then who whimpered in pain earlier? Was it the ghost of this body? His heart nearly leaps out of his chest when the pale toes twitch suddenly. "What was that?" Lu Yuan has also seen it. "That''s... Brother, I am leaving." "Yuan, wait." Lu Weixue calls out his name. Lu Yuan runs with his tail between his legs as if the dead body. He wouldn''t look back at his brother even once. "Aish!" Lu Weixue''s face turns sour. "What kind of brother is he?" He jumps when the pale toes in his hand twitch again. He doesn''t know where the rationality and calmnesse from. He keeps digging until he sees the face. The person opens her eyes slowly as if the person is waking up from a long dream. The body is so thin that he can count the bones on her ribcage. There is not a piece of clothing on her. He covers her with his coat. It''s such a disturbing sight. He steels his heart and asks her, "Did someone bury you alive?" "I buried myself alive," She replies to him coldly. "Why did you dig me out? You could have stopped when you saw that there was a person here." Stunned, Lu Weixue opens his mouth and then, he closes it. He doesn''t know how to answer her. Was she trying tomit suicide and he disturbed her ns? "Woman!" He looks at her with disbelief. "You could have just jumped into the sea. That''s a more sensible way tomit suicide. Why dig your grave and bury yourself?" She shrugs her shoulder with disinterest. "I can''t drown." "Oh, it must be because you can swim." He wrinkles his nose. The woman barely looks human. The skin is too pale. She''s one step away from death. "Are you done?" She snaps at him. Should he feel bad that he disturbed someone''s suicide attempt? He already feels wronged for looking for a treasure for thest ten years and ending up in this situation. He is 35, poor, and sitting beside a nearly dead woman who tried to bury herself on an isted ind. He grunts in frustration. There is nothing left. All the resources and his youth is wasted on looking for a treasure that never existed. "Can you leave now?" She throws the coat at his face. "Leave. I want to lie down here. Don''t stare at my body." Why did she throw away the coat if she doesn''t want him to stare? And which man will stare at that near skeleton body? The woman doesn''t give a fudge andys down in her grave, ignoring himpletely. She closes her eyes and wraps her bony arms around herself. He has never seen such a pitiable figure before. He wonders why she is like this. Did someone abandon her here? Did her husband or love betray her? What kind of pain can force a person to dig her own grave and bury herself? If he leaves her, she''s going to die for sure. "I came here looking for a treasure, but I found you." He tosses the coat at her again. "I am taking you with me." She doesn''t reply to him. He wonders if she has lost her consciousness. Is she already dead? He leans closer to her to check if she''s breathing. Suddenly, she opens her dark eyes and looks at him sharply. Startled, he jumps back away from her. "Go away." Her voice carries a hint of warning. "If you don''t want to get cursed, then you should leave." "I am already cursed." He spats the words out. What is the worse thing that can happen to him now? "Woman, I am not going back empty-handed. You are going with me." "Let me go now." She screams madly when he lifts her in his arms. She weighs less than a little child. Lu Weixue ignores her screams and carries her to the boat. He finds Lu Yuan waiting for him while biting his nails. His brother isn''t shameless enough to leave him behind. "Brother, what is that?" Lu Yuan points at the thing in his brother''s arms. "A woman." He throws her into the boat. She winces in pain and looks at him like a little wild angry kitten. Lu Weixue wants to ask her why she is trying tomit suicide with such life in her eyes. She tries to climb off the boat. He grabs her by the back of her neck and pulls her back in. She bites his hand. He nearly ps her in reflex. Annoying woman! "Lu Yuan." He res at his younger brother. "Start moving." Lu Yuan gets the necessary push to move. He peeks at the woman sped in his brother''s arms to keep her still. She looks pretty much alive. Never in his dreams, he would have imagined that they would end up digging an alive woman out instead of a treasure or a rock. That old man must have been a scammer. Chapter 83: Do I seem that kind of woman? Chapter 83: Do I seem that kind of woman? The woman doesn''t stop struggling for a moment. Despite being so thin, she''s wild and knows where to hit him to make him feel pain. It keeps every ounce of strength to keep her still in the boat. She shouts crazily and abuses him verbally without any mercy. When they reach the ship, she wouldn''t climb. Lastly, they tie her and lift her by a rope onto the ship. "Lu Weixue." The old captain of the shipughs when he sees the stinky woman. "You found a treasure indeed." She hisses at him with anger. "I am not a treasure, you morons." "Such a sharp tongue." The captain lets out a heartyugh. The other men join theughter. "A treasure indeed." "She has her uses." One of the men shouts. "It''s cold at night. She can warm our bed." The men stare at the bare legs visible beneath the coat. Her small body shrinks into the coat under the lecherous gazes. It''s been months. They haven''t touched a single woman. Men at sea will take anything with a hole. Lu Weixue shields her body from their eyes and looks at the captain gravely. "My brother and I paid you for the voyage. She belongs to me only. I hope that you remember these words." This is thest trip that Lu Yuan and Lu Weixue decided to take to find the treasure. Ten years are lost in the search for the treasure and they end up with a suicidal woman. Treasure or not, Lu Weixue is keeping her with him. "Hahaha! you got my word." The captain waves his hand at his men. "You should keep an eye on the woman. They will try to hold themselves back, but I can''t promise that they won''t try to do anything." Lu Weixue gets the meaning. He grabs her arm and drags her with to their cabin. It''s already small. Lu Yan and Lu Weixue are sharing it. The trip back to the port city will take another five days. She''s at risk until then. "You..." He points at her face. She narrows her dark eyes at him. She''s only wearing his coat. He doesn''t have anything for a woman. He finds a pair of his clothes and throws them at her. "First of all, clean yourself and wear these clothes." He walks outside and ms the door. Lu Yuan has been waiting for him outside. "Elder brother, what are we doing to do?" Lu Yuan asks him with a worried tone. "How are we going to manage everything?" Lu Weixue sighs. Lu Yuan was 15 when he found the map. Lu Weixue should have been rational and not give in to the temptation of finding easy money. One can''t change the past no matter what he does. "We will find some ways." Some time passes. He knocks the door. There is no sounding from the cabin. Lu Weixue loses his calm. What if she hangs herself in the cabin? Uneasy, he pushes the door. She is sitting on the bed with a deep mncholy in her eyes. He sighs when he sees his clothes on the floor. She didn''t even pick them up. "Lu Yuan." He turns to his brother. "Go. I need to have a talk with her." Lu Yuan peeks at the woman once before he leaves. He wonders why his brother is interested in that woman. Lu Weixue walks in and closes the door. He stands in front of her and crosses his arms. "Woman, are you interested in prostituting yourself to the men on the board?" She looks at him with disgust. "Do I seem that kind of woman?" "Then, why are you not wearing clothes?" He nces at her bare legs. "Women shouldn''t show her legs casually. You disyed yourplete body to me. I have no interest in bones, but that doesn''t mean that the other men won''t try something." She purses her lips indignantly. The childish temper of her makes him chuckle. He leans closer and scans her face. She moves her head back and res her nostrils, ready to punch him if he does anything indecent. Is this the face of a person who wants tomit suicide? Lu Weixue notices that she has pretty features. If he feeds her well, she will turn into a lovely woman. The corner of his lips curls up into a sly smile. "I am taking you back as my treasure. So, you must find a way to pay me back. If you want to do it by selling your body, I don''t mind." She ps him hard on his cheek. "I am not your treasure, you filthy man." He is surprised that she has that much strength despite being so skinny. He rubs his cheek. He probably deserves it. "From now on, do as I say. Otherwise, when the men are done with you, I will toss you to the sea to be the food of fishes." Her eyes show some fear. Then, it''s gone. She looks at him as if he lost his head. "Fishes won''t eat me." "..." Did she miss the part where he said that he would throw her to the fishes? "Get out," Shemands him with a low voice. Lu Weixue scowls at her. "Why?" She gnashes her teeth in anger. "Didn''t you want me to change?" He steps out of the cabin again and waits outside. After some time, he knocks the door. Nobody answers him. "I aming in." He hesitates before pushing the door. "It''s not like there is anything that I didn''t see." She is already dressed in his clothes. The clothes are naturally big for her small frame. There is still some sand in her hair. The sash around her waist is tied clumsily. He lets out a breath. She reminds him of a little kid who doesn''t know how to take care of herself. "You don''t even know how to wear clothes." He fixes her clothes, not realizing what he is doing. She glowers at him vivaciously and pushes him away. "Keep your hands off me." He realizes his mistake. She''s still a female. He seems to forget that fact whenever he''s around her. He scrutinizes her carefully. He can''t tell if she is from a good family or not. But, her attitude is quite strong. An average girl won''t have such a temper. In a few hours, she has bitten him, pped him, punched him, and insulted him without any shame. That''s not a bearing of a girl from her good family either. "Do you have a family who will pay me for saving you?" He asks her in a straightforward manner. Her grimaces at him. "No." Lu Weixue sighs tiredly. Did he get a piece of extra baggage instead of a treasure? She''s old enough to be married. He tries again. "Do you have a husband or a betrothed who is looking for your return?" She looks away from him. The pain and hopelessness return in her eyes. The same look that he saw when he found her. Frustrated, he runs his fingers through his hair. Either she has no one or she doesn''t want to tell him. She could have been exiled by her family to that ind. This is inconvenient. Will he get into a problem for saving her? Chapter 84: pay me with your body Chapter 84: pay me with your body He closes his eyes and sighs. He has been an idiot. Why did he pick up a strange woman like this? Why didn''t he consider the possibility that she might have been left to die on the ind because shemitted a heinous crime? She could be a murderess or an exiled woman. She could be a king killer. "Speak." Lu Weixue can''t take a risk. He has a younger brother. If this woman is going to bring him misfortune, then he will throw her in the sea right away. "Why were you there?" She sits down on the bed and leans toward the wall. She doesn''t meet his eyes. She has decided to ignore him to death. Angry beyond words, he grabs her wrist tightly. "Did youmit a crime?" She smiles at him mockingly. "Regretting it already?" The contempt in those dark eyes makes him feel shame. He scrutinizes her with his eyes. What can a woman like her do? Her bones can be broken easily if he grips her arm hard. She can''t even protect herself. She won''t tell him about herself if he threatens her with death. She''s afraid of being dishonored though. "If you don''t tell me the truth, I will let those men do whatever they want," He tells her quietly. As expected, she looks at him with fearfully again and then, it''s gone with a flicker. There is only hate and disgust. He doesn''t care. He just doesn''t want troubles in the future. He already has nothing left. "I didn''tmit any crime," She replies with the same quiet tone. He waits for her to say more. She doesn''t open her mouth again. She watches him solemnly. Under the soft light of themp, she seems like someone who came back after touching the door of the death. A part of him is afraid of this woman. Another part of him pities her. She''s just a weak woman. What can she do? What can a woman who tried to bury herself do? She is likely to kill herself again. At most, he will have a dead body to bury. "What''s your name?" He asks her. She shrugs her shoulders. "Must I tell you?" "I need to know your name in case you kill yourself," He taunts her. The unpleasant feeling is growing strong. He doesn''t like her at all. He should just sell her. "Do you want to be buried under a nameless grave?" He chuckles when he sees her lips twitch in anger. She curls her fingers. He moves away a bit, thinking that she might try to w his face again. "Mo Wei," She whispers after a long time. He raises his brow. "Where did youe from?" "Just throw me in the sea," She says to him bitterly. "I won''t do that." Heughs, trying to sound sinister. "You want to die. If I throw you into the sea, you will get what you want." Silence again. The woman just ignores him and closes her eyes. He lets go of her wrist. The red fingers marks on her pale skin the disappear right away. He frowns deeply and thinks nothing of it. It seems like he can''t push her too much to answer him. If she''s not a felon, then it''s fine. He leaves the cabin. He needs to think about what to do about her after they reach the city. *** I don''t know how long I spent under the sand. I didn''t lose consciousness. I didn''t sleep. I didn''t feel pain. I didn''t breathe. My skin was eaten by worms in the sand. It would reform again. The process was endless. I didn''t die. I kept my eyes closed and reyed mine and Li Jun''s memories. I hoped for a miracle. I wanted death to find me. I was found, but it wasn''t death. It was a man. I hated it when I opened my eyes. He forced me to leave with him. I didn''t want to leave the ce where Li Jun left me. I was hoping that it would be Kang Si An or the timekeeper instead of a stranger. Li Jun was really cruel. He should have left me to drown. I doubt that anyone could bring me up from the bottom of the sea. He could have stayed with me there. I don''t want to wander the world alone without him. So cruel. He even smiled when he left me. Was he happy to leave me alone in the world? I miss my parents and my annoying brother. They aren''t even born yet. People wish for a long life because they want to spend it with happiness. Without loved ones, is it worth living? I am alone and there is no one to hold my hand. The man who held it is no longer in the world. I don''t know how to live this life. When I left him, I still felt secure. He was alive somewhere in the world. Even if we couldn''t be together, he was in the same world as me. The hope that I could see him again kept me going. The door is suddenly opened. A manes inside with a tray. He ces it in front of me. There is a dried piece of bun and a ss of water. I have seen him earlier with that other cranky and rude man. "Your name is Mo Wei, right?" The man must be in his mid-twenties. Physically, I am 21. But I have lived a lot longer than him, though I don''t know how long I was buried there. I must be older than most people on this ship. "What''s the year?" I don''t need to eat. So, I won''t eat. It''s better if all the people are scared of me. If that happens, they will think less of me as a woman and more of me as a monster. The man replies nervously, "Year XXXX?" It''s been 300 years already. Time flies by when you are buried under the ground. The primitive manes back. He nces at the food and says, "You aren''t eating? Then, do you n to starve yourself to death? You shouldn''t work so hard. I told you that I won''t let you die easily. You have some uses." How many times I have been threatened to be raped by now? Nobody else other than Li Jun will ever touch this body. I am scared of this person. Reluctantly, I pick up the bun and eat it. There is no taste as if my tongue lost all the taste buds. I am just d that I didn''t lose other senses. He seems satisfied with my actions. There are only two beds in the cabin. He climbs on one and covers himself with a nket. His younger brother looks at the bed where I am sitting. "I will sleep on the floor," I tell him before he could say anything. "Lu Yuan." The horrible man speaks with his back to us. "Go and share someone else''s cabin." "Elder brother, don''t be bad to her." Lu Yuan runs out after saying those words. I stare hard at his back. The man doesn''t turn around. He doesn''t move for a long time. I can''t sleep with him in the same room. When I left Li Jun and wandered alone in the ancient K country, many bad things happened. The ancient world isn''t kind or much different from the modern world. A lone woman without a home or family meets many disasters. "If you don''t stop staring at me, I will misunderstand that you are willing to pay me with your body." There is only one thing in his dirty head. I lie down on the bed. It''s chilly at night. I gaze at the ceiling until I hear his snores. It''s the right time to make my escape. Chapter 85: Will you live that long enough? Chapter 85: Will you live that long enough? Most men on the ship are dozing quietly. Nobody has noticed the woman who walks silently as if she owns the darkness. The sharp wind ys with the strands of her hair. She looks down at the dark sea with her empty eyes. The moonlight isn''t enough to take away the darkness of the sea. "Are you in there?" She asks the wind with a cynical voice. "If I jump, will you reappear?" The dark sea doesn''t answer her back. The moonlight seems to be repelled by her loneliness. A pleasant smile appears her lips. "I am tired of waiting." A hand grabs the back of her cor and yanks her on the floor before she could jump. Lu Weixue glowers at her darkly. The woman is insane. She doesn''t understand the value of life at all. Ironically, he finds himself furious enough to want to kill her. The woman doesn''t cry. She looks up at him with her same empty eyes. "What do you want from me?" By then, a few men are awakened because of themotion. A manes forward. "What''s going on here?" "None of your business." He grabs the back of her neck and pulls her along with him. He shoves her inside the cabin roughly and closes the door. Mo Wei doesn''t make any sound. She silently watches him with a hint of annoyance. "You asked what I want from you." He walks closer to her. "Then, I will tell you." She isn''t intimated. "Speak." "I looked for that damned treasure for a long time. I ended up with you. So..." He res at her. "You are going to be my ve. Your life doesn''t belong to you from the moment I dug you out of the ground. Don''t even think about killing yourself." She bursts intoughter and shakes her head. "You are something." He doesn''t know what to do. The woman isughing, but the sound of herughter feels like a thousand swords are falling all over his body. "Mo Wei, I am telling you. Your life belongs to me. So..." "So, you want me to be your ve." She rolls her eyes. "You are just a man who wants me to pay you for your bad choices. You couldn''t find the treasure. Then, the woman would do. Is that the thought you got?" "Yes," He tells her without any shame, ignoring the taunt in her voice. She has no one. She doesn''t want to live. There is no one topensate him for saving her life. Then, she should give up to him. "You will pay me for the rest of your life." She smiles at him coldly. "Will you live that long enough?" That sounds like a threat. He wonders if she is nning to kill him. He doubts that she has the strength or means to do anything. "If you don''t behave, I will sell you after I reach the city." He is tempted to sell her. She''s useless to him anyway. If he gets some money, he can have a humble restart. There will somethinging out of this long and arduous journey. "Perhaps, that''s all that you can do." He hears her mumble before she lies down on the bed and covers herself with the nket from head to toe. He can''t sleep. His head is full of thoughts. What will he do after going back? He needs to find work. Luckily, he didn''t sell the house. That''s all they have left. Why did he believe in that map? Back then, he had a gut feeling that he would find something precious if he followed that map. Something precious? He nces at her. He can''t help but feel disappointed. She''s neither pretty nor strong. If he makes her work, he will be worried that she might die from exhaustion. He has a headache now. For the next few days, both brothers take turns in watching her. She doesn''t utter a word to either of them. She doesn''t answer any question orins. She doesn''t try to jump into the sea again. She eats whatever is given. Annoyed, he gives her rotten food. He hopes for her toin or throw a temper. But, she eats it without batting her eyes. Then, he ends up scolding her for a long time. She keeps ignoring him. On the fifth day, the ship reaches the port. "Come again." The jovial captain waves his hand. "I would love to take you anywhere you want to go." Lu Weixue scoffs at him. He grumbles himself and pulls the rope. The other end of the rope is tied around Mo Wei''s wrists. Her deathly re is fixed on his back. Lu Yuan sighs as his shoulders drop down in depression. What will happen to their lives now? "Lu Yuan, we will rebuild our lives again." Lu Weixue doesn''t want his younger brother to worry. "Those years aren''t wasted. We experienced many things. We had a lot of adventures. No amount of money can buy those days." Lu Yuan feels hopeful after listening to his words. They had a lot of adventures. They visited many ces. They had been to ces that were untouched by civilization. They might not have found treasures, but they got wonderful experiences. Mo Wei chuckles wryly. "That''s what losers say when they don''t get what they want." Lu Weixue already didn''t feel good. The woman''s satiricugh is disturbing to his mind. He halts on his feet and turns around. "If I sell you, do you know where you might end up?" She shuts her mouth right away. He is pleased when he sees that reaction. At least, she knows her circumstances. This woman isn''t afraid of death or working as a ve. She''s afraid of being sold and dishonored by other men. He recalls the look on her face when he asked her about her husband. Judging by the expression that she showed at that time, her husband is probably dead. He tries to guess how her husband must have died and she ended up on that ind. He doesn''t ask her. Why does it matter? The man is dead. The woman has no one. She probably tried to kill herself because her husband died. Some women are blinded by love even after their lovers die. If she''s that keen on throwing her life away, he would pick up that life and make use of it. Chapter 86: Were you always watching me? Chapter 86: Were you always watching me? The timekeeper observes the traveler using Lu Weixue''s senses. The girl looks better than the time when she was rescued. Honestly, he has been scared for thest 300 years. Li Jun''s soul didn''t leave her immediately after he died. After using hisst presence to save her when the disaster struck, he had to leave to reincarnate. The timekeeper would have never imagined that the traveler is so dumb. What happened to her is rather pitiable, but it was all her fault. If she didn''tmit those sins and interfered with the natural flow of time, she wouldn''t end up in this state. She wanted to live more. Due to the twist of fate, she is a near-immortal being. She left Li Jun because of him. She didn''te back to Li Jun because of the deal. She kept her words. But, why she is acting like Li Jun is truly dead? The body dies, but the soul is immortal. In thest 300 years, Li Jun has reincarnated as a bird, a fish, a tree, and several other creatures. In his every lifetime, he would unconsciously go toward the direction where she is buried. He couldn''t reach her once. Maybe, the gods didn''t want him to reach her in that state. They let her rest and mourn Li Jun''s death for 300 years. The woman isn''t still over that man''s death. Strange! He can''t understand this human being. She knows that Li Jun would be reborn again. Then, why does she suffer like this? Is she a masochist? Before Li Jun died in the second timeline, he wanted to be with the traveler most. Lu Weixue inherited that unfulfilled desire. Though it would have been better for the traveler remained buried in the sand, the timekeeper was suffering because of Li Jun''s heavy grief. It was he who tweaked the map to find the traveler first. Lu Weixue, who carries the soul of Li Jun, also unconsciously wanted this. Lu Weixue only carries the baggage of Li Jun. They might have the same soul, but they aren''t same people. However, Lu Weixue might start having feelings for this traveler again. The timekeeper will always try to stop that from happening. The leftover baggage is easier to handle than current feelings. Besides, if the traveler stays, she might end up seeing Lu Weixue''s death again. Who knows where she will bury herself next? She might bury herself with Lu Weixue''s body. The timekeeper has alreadybeled her as an insane person. Her hopeless eyes give him a chill. The timekeeper waits and watches them quietly. He checks the leftover minutes. There is enough left. Lu Weixue takes her to his house first. He criticizes her for being weak. His temper is bad ever since they got off the ship. First, he sends her to take a bath and wears clean clothes. He guards the door unless she tries to run again. Lu Yuan wonders why his brother is acting strange. He has never been this harsh toward a woman. Sensing Lu Yuan''s judgmental gaze, Lu Weixue sends him to buy some food ingredients in the market and send a message to his old friend. It''s not Lu Yuan''s fault that he can''t understand why his brother is like this. Lu Weixue can''t understand either. But, the timekeeper knows. When the traveler left Li Jun, it affected him tremendously. Unconsciously, Li Jun''s soul is aware of the timekeeper''s wishes and the real reason why she left him. The unconscious desire is making Lu Weixue guard her 24 hours a day. When shees out, Lu Weixue looks at her with satisfaction. Her body''s proportions are good. Her face is pretty. He has an urge to touch her inappropriately. He nearly ps himself for thinking like that toward a strange woman. He mes it on his stress. The timekeeper sighs in his soul. Of course, Lu Weixue will also inherit Li Jun''s desires. Lu Yuanes back with the ingredients. Lu Weixue is annoyed and ashamed for thinking about the woman. Not knowing why he wants to hug her a lot, he tells her to cook for him since she''s his ve. The woman doesn''t say a word and starts working. Her silence is irritating him more. "What kind of food did you make?" Lu Weixue can''t recognize a single one. But, the food smells nice. "Where are you from?" "Just eat," She snaps at him. She has no intention of telling him about her past. Lu Yuan watches their interactions and shakes his head. He''s too hungry to wait. He digs into the food right away. It''s different, but the taste is delicious. He gobbles down all the food on his te and asks for more. "Here." She puts more in his te. Big man eats a lot. Lu Weixue notices that the food won''t be enough for the woman. She''s already skinny. He reduces his portion and puts some on her te. "I don''t have much appetite." She sighs, mentally exhausted. She eats slowly for formality. Lu Weixue smiles unconsciously, watching her cool expression. How will she look if she smiles? At night, the brothers sleep in a different room. The traveler is locked inside a room. The timekeeper gets up and unlocks her. The traveler looks at him with her dark eyes, puzzled and a little afraid. He unties her hands first. "Leave," He utters the same word that he told her once. She understands it now. "So, this is Li Jun''s reincarnation." "I will do the same thing that I promised you once." The timekeeper is too tired to repeat the same threat. "Lu Weixue will die if you stay." "You will kill all of his reincarnations for me, huh?" The travelerughs at him mockingly. "It''s fine. I don''t have the intention to stay. You have captured my weakness. I don''t want to be the reason behind his death. I know that I will outlive him. I can''t bear to see him die again." That''s what she told him before she left. However... After long years are gone, she returns again. Lu Weixue''s is on his death bed. In this life, he never married. He never liked any woman. He doesn''t know why. He wonders where that strange woman went. The cruel woman didn''t even leave a message. Did shemit suicide? Did she live miserably? He looked for a long time, even hoping to find her corpse. Did she find happiness? Ironically, he is 95 years old. "You won''t die until I appear." He opens his eyes and finds the woman sitting beside him. She looks the same. She has the same voice. He can''t believe what he is seeing. "Mo Wei?" "Yes, it''s me. I am sorry that I amte." She strokes his head. "You have lived a good life. You helped a lot of people. You took care of your younger brother''s children after he died. You are dying without any regrets. I am envious, Lu Weixue." He smiles at her weakly. "Were you always watching me?" She doesn''t answer his question. "Go now. We both know that this is not an end. We will meet again." Lu Weixue trusts those words. His frail life leaves his body. This time, Kyuri doesn''t cry. She kisses his forehead. This is not goodbye. They meet again and she leaves him again. She always has toe back and see him on his death bed. Whenever she doesn''te to see him for onest time in each lifetime, his soul won''t leave his body whether he is ill or old. She''s forced toe and release his soul from his suffering moments. Chapter 87: You wont run away again? Chapter 87: You won''t run away again? Nearly after 1000 years since Li Jun died, Kyuri is sunbathing on the porch of her home in a small town. It''s been such a long time, but her body hasn''t changed one bit. Her eyes carry a wisdom that one gathers after countless experiences. After Lu Weixue died, she didn''t mourn or bury herself. Though her heart is never prepared to see Li Jun''s reincarnation die, she also looks forward to meeting his reincarnation again. Though their meeting is always short because she has to leave right away after meeting him, she keeps a watch on his reincarnations. She has lived her life as an invisible angel who protects and helps his reincarnations. On their death beds, she meets them again. It never ends in goodbye. In the years, she has wandered a lot. She has learned a lot. She even made friends. They were always like winds passing through a region in her lives. The only constant person was Li Jun''s soul who woulde to meet her again. "Traveler." The voice wakes her out of her thoughts. She looks to her side. It''s a little girl of around 9. She has long blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes. The girl is the daughter of her new neighbors. She likes to slip in through the garden. Kyuri has never talked to the girl despite the girl''s initiations. She has already booked tickets to move to another country. In fact, she is supposed to leave tomorrow. "Timekeeper." She stares at the girl with her cool eyes. The timekeeper didn''t appear again after that day until this moment. "Don''t worry. I am leaving tomorrow." "The next reincarnation is Kang Si An," The traveler tells her quietly. "Are you ready to die?" "You still have to wait until my time starts moving again." She punches her chest. The time crystal isn''t ticking. The heart isn''t beating. "You better find me before he does." She has been long prepared to die. She wants to say goodbye to Li Jun''s reincarnation and her family. She wants to find her ending. She is too tired to fight back. How long has she wandered alone? How many times has she seen him die? All she wants is to die before him now. "You won''t run away again?" The timekeeper frowns at her. "After your time starts running again, you could travel in time to escape me." "Where would I go?" Sheughs. "I have lived for more than a thousand years in the past? Then, where should I hide? What''s the point of living more? I can''t be with Li Jun. My love has died a long time ago. He tortured me again and again for leaving him that day. I shouldn''t have fallen in love with him. I am tired. I want this to end." Li Jun and his reincarnations would not have suffered if Li Jun didn''t love her and she didn''t love him back. "You still have some years. Don''t waste your time mourning him." The timekeeper leaves the time-traveler. A few yearster, she has to return to see the little girl who has grown into an olddy. Kyuri stays with her during thatdy''sst moments. After the funeral is over, she returns to her country. Aunt Yoori has already disappeared. Kyuri''s younger self has been visiting her grandmother. Her second aunt is already married Her father and mother lives somewhere else with her elder brother. One day, she meets her grandmother when she is alone at her house. Grandfather is at work. It''s a good time for a chat. "Kyuri?" Her grandmother is surprised to see her. "You are here again." Kyuri feels some warmth when her grandmother gives her a hug. Her grandmother flinches when she touches her cold skin. "Are you okay? Why is your body so cold?" "Grandmother, I came here to tell you about Aunt Yoori." Her grandmother bes still. It''s been a long time. There has been no news of Kwon Yoori. She is afraid that she has been caught by the timekeeper. "You can''t reveal it to anyone," Kyuri says to her solemnly. "It will create a problem for her and me if you do that." Her grandmother wraps her arms around herself and prepares herself mentally for the news. "Aunt Yoori lived a happy life. She found happiness with a prince named Wu Yixing. She had two daughters. Her eldest daughter had the same name as you." Kyuri sits beside her grandmother. "She probably wanted toe back, but she couldn''t abandon her family. I want to tell you that she lived a happy life and died without regrets at an old age." Her grandmother cries helplessly. For years, she didn''t hear anything about her daughter. Suddenly, she finds out that she is already dead. Nothing can take away this pain. The mother is alive, but the daughter had been dead for more than a thousand years. Kyuri tries to soothe her unconsble grandmother for hours. She looks at the clock. It''s time for her to leave. Her grandfather will be here soon. "Where are you going?" Her grandmother asks her when she sees her leaving through the door. "I have some things to do." Kyuri doesn''t want to tell her grandmother about her state. "I will leave after I am done." "You can control time now?" Her grandmother''s eyes widen in surprise. "Yes." Kyuri knows that it''s not a lie. She can control it. It''s just that she can''t use her ability in her current state. "Goodbye, Grandmother." Her grandmother frowns. Kyuri never says goodbye. Does it mean that she won''te to the past again? Then, it''s her decision. Traveling in time has consequences. She might attract the attention of the timekeeper like Yoori did. Kwon Kyuri walks away from her grandmother''s house. She has to live little more than two decades to see the timekeeper again. After living for more than a thousand years, living and waiting for a few more years are unexpectedly hard. Chapter 88: Kyuri, you are awake Chapter 88: Kyuri, you are awake I am standing in front of my dorm and looking at my watch. I am back at the beginning. Everything started from this moment. So many things have changed. Both of them are unaware of what lies in the future. At 1:40 PM, my past self will return from the future after absorbing the time crystal. At 1:43 PM, she will touch my past self who hasn''t met Kang Si An yet or seen the moment when the timekeeper killed me in the original timeline. At 1:50 PM, she will leave the present moment and go to the night of the assassination. At exactly 1:50 PM, my heart starts beating again. My prison is broken. The time crystal is ticking inside my body. From this moment on, I am also unaware of the future. My time has restarted. Suddenly, I am too physically to move. I sit down on the concrete as my vision starts to darken. I clutch my stomach My stomach is hurting because of tremendous hunger. I should have eaten a lot before I came here - or not. It''s not a bad idea to die before the timekeeper finds me. ''You promised.'' I hear someone''s voice in my mind. Is it Li Jun or Kang Si An? I am probably hallucinating. I can''t tell who it is. ''Don''t abandon me after changing the past, alright? I won''t forgive you if you do that.'' ''i will find you. I will make you fall in love with me again.'' An old memory surfaces in my mind, making me remember the promise that I made a long time ago - the moment I met 30 years old Kang Si An before I went to look for the time crystal and changed everything. I close my eyes. "Even after everything, you are asking me to find you?" I am sorry. I don''t want to find you. You better die without knowing that I ever existed. Your life shouldn''t be miserable because of me. At least, one of us should have a happy ending. Isn''t it unfair to ask me to find you after everything that happened? You didn''t have a choice. You always found me because we have a strange fate. But, you could have died without seeing me at thest moment. You have died in front of me so many times. You stuck around miserably until I was forced toe and see you so many times. Each time, I had to be the one to wait. I didn''t keep any promise so far. If I don''t keep one more, would I go to hell? I have been through hell. It can''t scare me anymore. It''s only fair that I also die. But, I am not cruel like you are. I will not stick around until you find me. I will say goodbye now. I won''t meet you, Kang Si An. I don''t have the strength anymore. "Kyuri." Someone is shaking body. "What happened to you?" I don''t remember what happened after that. After a long time, I can fall asleep. *** Someone''s holding my hand. I slowly open my eyes and see a familiar face. I know this person. "Mother." My mother widens her eyes in shock. Her eyes are swollen and red. She seems like she has aged a lot. "Kyuri, you are awake." I put my hand on my chest. My heart along with the time crystal is still beating. I am still alive. The scent of disinfectant fills my nose. This room is not my room. Why haven''t the timekeeper found me yet? He should have known where I have been. "Kyuri, do you recognize me?" My mother is saying something, but I am too confused to understand. My father enters the room. His appearance is haggard and disheveled. Behind him, I see my annoying brother who is looking at me with tears in his eyes. A doctor rushes to my side and asks me my name. "Kyuri" "Kyuri" I fall asleep again. *** Five months ago, Kwon Kyuri passed out in front of her dorm. Her friend, Yoon Mi, found her. Her physical state was really bad. She was extremely malnourished. It surprised Yoon Mi because Kyuri looked normal only half an hour ago. She was brought to the hospital. Her family was informed. They couldn''t understand how something like this could happen to her. They had a video call with her a few nights before. She looked normal in that call. How could she turn into this state in a few nights? She wasn''t the type to go on an extreme diet. Even if she did go on a diet, she wouldn''t go this far. That was not the only case. It seemed as if her body was extremely exhausted. The doctors had to do everything it took to keep her alive on machines. In thest four months, she showed no sign of waking up. A week before she woke up, Kang Si An got admitted to the same hospital because of a minor ident. He was in the VVIP room. He didn''t know this person. However, he came to see her at night in the hospital gown when her brother was out for a moment. That night, the timekeeper stared at the girl who had been giving him a headache for a long time. He had the dagger in his pocket. He knew that he couldn''t kill her now even if he wanted to. There were several cameras around. Killing her now would ruin Kang Si An''s life. Foolish woman! She ate thest meal with Lu Wuxie. After that time, she wouldn''t eat because she didn''t need to. Her body was alive because of the time crystal. When her time restarted again, her bodily function began again. The miserable and tortured body state couldn''t function at the bare minimum. Her soul was also extremely exhausted. It was a miracle that she was still alive. It''s also her good luck that her friend found her and sent her to the hospital right away. She''s also lucky to have a family who would do anything to save her. The girl would not wake up until her soul and body recovered from the exhaustion. The exhaustion that her soul received from living for more than a thousand years wouldn''t be cured in a few months. At this rate, she wouldn''t ever wake up. He didn''t have that much time. She needed to die by his hands before her day of her death in the original timeline. The timekeeper opened her mouth and put a seed shaped pill inside. This pill would help her recover faster. The timekeeper was also tired. He wanted to finish her soon. Chapter 89: This is your last kiss with me Chapter 89: This is yourst kiss with me "Kyuri, can you tell me your name?" The middle-aged doctor asks me slowly. My family is watching me while holding their breaths. "Kwon Kyuri," I reply calmly. It seems like I have been here for a long time. Surprisingly, I am still alive. Did the timekeeper not find me? My family and the doctor exhale at the same time. The doctor smiles at me and says, "How old are you?" A little more than a thousand years. "21." "Do you remember what you were doing before you passed out?" "I was standing in front of my dorm." The doctor looks relieved. My parents wipe their tears. My brother is silently crying at the door, hiding his face from me. I look at my arms. I am no longer pale and grayish like the dead. The time crystal is still inside me. My heart is beating. In thest thousand years, how many times have I checked? It''s a habit now. "What''s the date today?" I ask him with a low voice. Did the timekeeper forget about his mission and let me go? Is it possible? I don''t think so. We wouldn''t go through what we went through if he was that kind. The doctor tells me the date kindly. I realize that more than five months have passed. My day of death is only three weeks away. "..." Is this a coincidence or...? The doctor is saying something, but I don''t listen. Why I am still alive? Does he want to do it at the same spot on the same day? He won''t be that much of the perfectionist, right? Even after more than a thousand years, I can''t understand that timekeeper. Whatever! Death by stabbing doesn''t sound too bad at this time. How many times was I stabbed in the thousand years? Whenever people noticed something strange about me, they tried to kill me. Some wanted to catch me to find the recipe of immortality. There were times when they tried to burn me alive. I would have died countless times if I wasn''t immortal back then. I have seen too many things. Too many things have happened to me. "Kyuri, my pretty daughter." My mother hugs me. "Why did you do it? You should have taken care of your health. You are beautiful the way you are." "Idiot!" My brother flicks my forehead. "You are prettier than all the girls your age. You don''t need to lose weight. If you don''t eat proper meals four times a day, I would kill you." My father looks at me gravely. "If you ever do that again, I will disown you." "..." What do they think that I did? I can''t make sense of their words. It takes some time for me to understand. They think that I starved myself to get a figure like a model. "..." I get scolded for a crime that I didn''tmit. They feed me five times a day and continue to nag. I have missed my family. A few days before the day of my death, I leave the hospital. I spend two days at home. I keep waiting for the damn timekeeper, but he doesn''t appear once. I am scared. I like living with my family. I want to spend more time with them. Even after living for more than a thousand years, I want to live more. Nevertheless, I am happy. It''s probably because I have lived so much time alone that I understand the value of my family. On the day of my death, I eat lunch with my family. It''s one of my happiest moment. I leave at 3 PM. The city is a few hours drive away. I don''t leave any message or letter. I am a selfish person. I hate saying goodbyes. It''s already night. I go to the spot where I was murdered a long time ago in my past. It is my present moment now. The poster on the wall is familiar. It''s going to be released soon. I wish that I could see that movie, but I am too tired. I hear the sound of footsteps. It''s Kang Si An. No, he''s the timekeeper. Unlike before, there''s no coldness in his eyes. He''s carrying the keeper''s dagger in his hand. "I thought that you wouldn''te." He steps toward me. "You could run away. I gave you the chance." "You knew that I wouldn''t leave." I smile at him. "You know how I feel. You also suffered because of me. I was frozen for a long time. You had to keep watch on me in each of Li Jun''s reincarnation. Let''s end this now." He pushes me against the wall. "Traveler, you think that I would pity you?" "I don''t think so." I look into his green eyes. "Why didn''t youe and kill me?" "You were at the hospital. There were too many times. Then, you were always surrounded by your family at your home." The timekeeper res at me. "I will finish this tonight. I know that nothing would change the past now." I agree with his words. I don''t think that there is any version of me who can change the past now. I spent 5 months in aa. My past self will never see this scene. I didn''t meet Kang Si An or be his fake girlfriend. I have destroyed the original timeline. "You are getting your wish. I am surrendering to my death." I close my eyes and wait. *** The dagger in his hand feels heavy. The timekeeper lifts his hand to stab her. The time crystal is inside her soul. He can''t pity this woman. After she dies, she will go to hell for destroying the original timeline. The fire of hell will purify her soul before she is reborn again. Life and death are only two sides of a coin in his eyes. Kang Si An never met this girl. Like his previous reincarnations, he is also born with the burden of Li Jun''s wishes and desires. But, it is still nothing that the timekeeper can''t handle. If he could kill her once, killing her again is also nothing. So much have happened. It started at this moment. It is ending with this moment now. This girl must die. That''s her punishment. She''s an anomaly that this world doesn''t need. She chose this moment. There were 100 minutes that he gained from making a deal with Kang Si An in the original timeline. He spent and conversed for 95 minutes with her in thest thousand years. There are only 5 minutes left. "Traveler, open your eyes." She looks at him - not Kang Si An. The calm in her eyes reminds him of the moment when he gutted her with this same dagger in the original timeline. Even then, she was calm and smiling. But, she didn''t see him as the timekeeper back then. She called him Kang Si An and epted her death willingly. "Are you upset that you are spending thest five minutes with me?" He asks her. "I am not." She shakes her head. "I feel better that it''s not Li Jun or Kang Si An." This woman. She wouldn''t want her lover to get hurt even when she''s dying. "You are something." "I will take that as apliment." Sheughs a little. He smiles at her unconsciously. "Then, close your eyes. I will do it now." "Okay." She shuts her eyes close again, waiting for her death. The dagger falls to the ground. The timekeeper lifts her chin and kisses her. She opens her eyes right away. "It''s me who is kissing you." He stares into her eyes. "It''s not Kang Si An or Li Jun. Do you hear? It''s me. This is your first kiss with me." "I don''t understand." The woman widens her eyes dumbly, unable toprehend what he is saying. The timekeeper chuckles. It seems like he will fail his mission. For more than a thousand years and several lifetimes, he has been buried under Li Jun''s and Kang Si An''s feelings. He wonders when he fell for her. Is that why he wanted to keep a distance from Li Jun and his reincarnation? The''s the girl who bravely challenged him. She''s the one who paid gravely to save the man she loved. The timekeeper is upset that he isn''t the man she loved. He is only a special entity sent to live inside Kang Si An''s soul to take care of this special anomaly. Since he will fail this mission and gets removed from his soul, he will return to the ce where he came from. He won''t be able to see this roguish time-traveler ever again. He will say goodbye to her in the way he likes. "This is yourst kiss with me." The timekeeper leans down and kisses her again - tender and ardent, needy and giving, and conveying a thousand words without saying anything. His warm tear falls on her cheek. Thest five minutes are over. The timekeeper is gone. Chapter 90: Only the partner changed Chapter 90: Only the partner changed When Kang Si An opens his eyes, he finds himself kissing a stranger in a strange alley. He pulls himself right away and stares at her with disbelief. He doesn''t remember how he got here. He is sure that he was drinking beer while watching the promotions of his recent movie on the television. He must have fallen asleep at the couch. But, how did he end up here? To get into this position with a strange woman in a dark alley, he couldn''t be that drunk. He has never been this drunk ever. "Kang Si An." The girl also looks shocked. "Why... I don''t understand at all." It''s dark, but he can see her pale face clearly. She''s short and slim. She has dark long hair, a small oval face, and pink lips. She is pretty, but she''s not prettier than his girlfriend. He curses out loud. What if she goes ahead and says something to the tabloid news? If his manager and his girlfriend find out, he is dead. "I am not Kang Si An," He tells her with a leveled voice. He needs to lie to save his life. "I look like him. So, I fooled you. I was going to hook up with you, but I have lost interest. Bye." "You are Kang Si An." She stares down at the dagger near her foot. Kang Si An wonders if it belongs to her. She picks it up. The dagger is rusty and old. He steps back. What if she''s a crazy fan? "Alright, I am Kang Si An." He puts his palms up, feeling uneasy. She''s still carrying the dagger. Her expression is empty. He can''t guess what she is thinking. "Put down that dagger first and we can have a talk. Do you want an autograph? Do you want a selfie with me? Want my T-shirt?" The girl doesn''t put it down. Instead, she''s observing it with aplicated gaze. "That man... I don''t understand at all. Why would he kiss me like that?" Is she talking about him? Was it him who kissed her first? He can''t recall at all. The dagger in her hand is unnerving. He doesn''t want to die in a dark alley. There is no telling what a crazy female fan would do. "Look, I didn''t mean to kiss you. I was drunk. I don''t remember how I got here." He walks sideways slowly, not trying to startle her. "I already have a girlfriend" She looks at him, perplexed. "You have a girlfriend?" "Yes, I already proposed to her." Kang Si An babbles and walks like a crab toward the road to escape. "We might get married soon." He bites his tongue. Why did he tell her that? People do silly things when they are facing death. "So, you would get married whether I am there or not." She looks at him with disinterest. "Only the partner changed." What that supposed to mean? Did she fantasize about marrying him? Crap! Kang Si An wonders if this crazy fan would kill him now. His body freezes when he sees her walking toward her with the dagger in her hand. He''s dead. He''s dead. He''s definitely dead. He can''t even fight back. His stupid body is not obeying hismand. When she gets near, he squeezes his eyes shut in fear. She doesn''t stop walking. She passes right by him without another nce. He ces his hand on his chest and lets out a breath of relief. He''s not dead. The crazy fan has spared his life. Kang Si An doesn''t wait for her toe back and finish her job. He hails a taxi and returns to his apartment before he is noticed by the crowd. *** He already has a girlfriend. He is even going to marry her. So, if I didn''t meet him back then, he would still meet someone and fall for her. Is she already pregnant? In the original timeline, I got pregnant with his child and he proposed to get married after the movie release. Is not this the same for Li Jun? He married someone else after I changed the past. He also had a child with someone else. Love. It''s strange. I don''t know what to feel. I have lost too much. It seems like I am going to get hurt again if I chase Kang Si An. He''s too far away from me. I don''t want to make his life miserable like Li Jun''s life. Li Jun might have married the princesses because he was obligated to. It is not the same case with Kang Si An. He might really love that girl. Am I doomed again? I look at the dagger. The timekeeper and I have a special rtionship. The timekeeper spared my life and left Kang Si An''s body. Does it mean whatever connected me and his soul is broken? Kang Si An and I don''t have any connection anymore because he isn''t carrying the timekeeper in hm. That kiss though... it was a goodbye. "Thank you," I whisper to the dagger before throwing it in the river. "I will cherish this life and live." Chapter 91: You must have taken his autograph? Chapter 91: You must have taken his autograph? "Kyuri, where did you go?" My mother asks me hysterically when I return home. "I went to see a friend." I grin at her. "I am sorry for making you worry." "Silly girl." She shakes her head in anger. "Don''t wander on your own." "Yes, yes." I hug her lightly. "I won''t wander like this again." On the couch, my father clicks his tongue when he hears me. His mood is bad. I don''t have to take a guess why. I sit beside him and says, "Father, you aren''t mad at me, are you?." He ignores me. That''s a wrong question to ask. The silence between us be longer. My mother notices this and leaves us alone. She understands that he and I have to talk. My father nces at me steadily. "Tell me the truth, Kyuri. What happened to you?" I can''t hide much from his eyes. He knows me well. I think that it''s the right time to tell. I don''t get into details or the things that I suffered. I hide about Li Jun and Kang Si An. I hide the most information. My father listens to me quietly. "There was an ident. My body was frozen for a little more than a thousand years. So, when I appeared in front of the dorm back then..." My father is quiet, but the deep sorrow in his eyes is clear. I hear my mother''s sobs in another room. She must have been listening. I didn''t want to tell them, but I felt like they needed to know. It would never make sense that a fine and healthy woman turned into a woman on the verge of death due to malnourishment and exhaustion. They are my family. "You have suffered." He pats my head softly. "Why didn''t youe to see us earlier?" "I needed to be away until my time started running again," I let out a sigh. "My past self was still there. I couldn''t appear before she was gone." He has a lot of questions. Why didn''t I try to change the past? I don''t answer them. The past can change, but it changes for people who aren''t time-travelers. For time-traveler, only the present change. However, the memories can never leave the mind. Has my past really change? I am still the same person who was Kang Si An''s fake girlfriend and Li Jun''s wife once. We talk for a while. After dinner, I go to my room. I check the news on myptop. There is promotional news of Kang Si An''s movie ''Our Tangled Destiny''. Kang Si An is smiling and talking about the movie. Out of all the reincarnations, Li Jun and Kang Si An have different women by their sides. They also have the same appearance. In the original timeline, I was Li Jun''s first wife. He had to take Wu Qiuyue as his concubine because of the emperor''s wish. I was Kang Si An''s fake girlfriend turned real girlfriend and I also got pregnant with his child. After changing the past, Li Jun''s wife became someone else and he had a child with that woman. Wu Qiuyue was still his concubine. Kang Si An has a real girlfriend now. I am guessing that she won''t die. If Ipare how they will react differently when they see me holding a dagger in the alley, all the reactions are too different. Li Jun will probablye to my side and ask me to stab him if it makes me happy. Lu Weixue will run to me and twist my wrist. Once the dagger falls out my hand, he will scold me for trying to kill myself. Kang Si An will... well, I already know how he will react. He was there. I let out a sigh. I am not the type of person who steals another woman''s man. My life has turned into a mess. My heart is messier. *** At morning, my brother gives me aforting hug during breakfast. He must have heard everything from my mother. I roll my eyes and push him away. "This doesn''t suit you, brother." "You think, huh?" He furrows his brows. "I don''t know how to ept the fact that my little sister is older than me. So, you are an old prude inside that young body." I click my tongue in annoyance. He can find humor in every situation. "Don''t call me that." "Let me see." He runs his fingers through my scalp. "Is that white hair?" "Brother!" I kick him lightly on his leg. "I don''t have any white hair." "Ow!" He touches the ce where I kicked him. "You have gotten stronger." Did I? The time crystal is active again. So, my senses and strength have increased. I should control my strength. "By the way, did you meet the founder of the K country?" My brother asks me hopefully. "You must have taken his autograph?" "I didn''t go back that far." I chuckle. "I met many other great personalities. I will so you everythingter." My temporary immortality had perks. After leaving Lu Weixue, I didn''t try to bury myself again or avoid life. Bad things did happen to me, but there were also good things. Like... "So, we are rich?" My brother shouts in excitement, "I can''t believe that I am working at thepany that my sister owns." "Is that all you can say?" My father res at him. "Father, she''s rich." My brother points toward me. "Crazy rich! We don''t have to work for ten lifetimes." "Hello?" I lightly m the table. "Why would I share my wealth with you? You must earn your food. I will only share it with my father and mother." "Filial piety." My mother finds it amusing. "Kyuri, we don''t want your wealth. We only want you to live well from now on. You might have had a long life, but I don''t think that you lived for a single day." I purse my lips. All wealth and pleasures are nothing if one must do it alone, but yes, it''s better to be sad at a luxurious apartment than a street. "It wasn''t all that bad." I grin at them. "Mother, I must say that you cook the most delicious meals in the world." "My sweet little sister, buy me this car." My brother shows me a car''s picture on his phone. "I will do whatever you want me to do. I will even call you my elder sister." "You are a shameless brother." My father chides him. Someone rings the bell. I wonder who is it. My brother opens the door. I see a man in formal attire. With one nce, I can tell that it''s someone from the timekeeper''s organization. Chapter 92: You will even get a VVIP treatment in hell Chapter 92: You will even get a VVIP treatment in hell "Who are you?" My brother asks him. "My name is Thomas Park. I am from the timekeeper organization." The man is in histe-40s. His dark hair is gelled back. If it was the past me, I would have been scared the way my parents were. But, I am no longer the same. I have met these timekeepers quite times. My brother tries to m the door on his face, but Thomas Park blocks it with his foot. He speaks to my brother politely, "I need to discuss something with Miss Kwon." I realize that my father has a small gun in his hand, ready to attack. My mother is holding a metal bat. They stand in front of me to shield me from Thomas Park''s eyes. My family will do anything to keep me safe. If I had told them the truth, how would they have reacted? They would have gone to any length to save me from the timekeeper. The timekeeper''s organization would have wiped them outpletely. "You can''t take my sister away." My brother fists his hand, ready to attack him if he takes one step inside the house. "Didn''t our family suffer enough because of you timekeepers? She lived a life worse than death for more than a thousand years. You dare to show your face at our house. Leave or I will kill you. I will tell the world about the timekeepers and what you people do." Thomas Park is not affected by his threats. He is quite professional and cool-headed. I give him that. "Let hime inside." I walk past my parents and put my hand on his forearm. "Brother, don''t worry. He is here to talk." "But..." My brother looks at Thomas Park suspiciously. "Right, Thomas Park?" I ask the man. God knows how many dangerous chemicals he has inside his pockets. I haven''t forgotten why my body turned into the time prison in the first ce. "I promise that I mean you no harm if you cooperate with me." He pulls his foot back away from the door frame. "I only want to discuss your future with you." "Okay." I wave him toe inside. "I will do my best to cooperate." "Kyuri!" My brother stares at me. "Don''t cooperate with them." "It will be fine. Trust me." I hope that. "I am sure that they won''t do anything crazy." Yet. My brother moves away from the door. "Thank you for your faith in us, Miss Kwon." *** "They aren''t going to leave us alone, are they?" Thomas Park chuckles when he sees my parents and my brother ring at him from a distance. They agreed to let us talk on the condition that we must do it where they can watch us. We are sitting in the living room. My father''s gun is pointed at Thomas, ready to shoot if he does anything. "Get to the business," I say to him calmly. "We aren''t friends." He gives me a subtle nod. Time-travelers and timekeepers can''t be friends. Time-travelers are the reason behind timekeeper''s nightmares. "The anchor has decided to spare your life. We respect his decision. However, you are a dangerous anomaly." "Did he die?" I ask him solemnly. I would have never guessed that he would do something like that. "My timekeeper." "He returned to the ce he came from." The corners of his eyes wrinkle slightly. "We don''t know where that ce is, but it''s not in this world. I am sure that he can''t die. The anchors are immortal entities created to take care of the rogue time-travelers like you." I am relieved to hear that. I got attached to that special entity a bit. "What do you want from me?" "First, I am here to give you a message." He leans forward slightly, talking with a low voice for only me to hear. "You made the deal. She was pardoned. But, she was still a time-traveler who broke rules. She was given a choice. Either she could choose to die by the hand of a timekeeper just a moment before her actual death and reincarnate right after or she could sign the agreement that she would go to hell to pay for her crime and purify her soul to reincarnateter." He adds solemnly, "Your aunt offered to take your punishment, but it wasn''t allowed. She asked me to give this message. She told me that she would be reborn in your family. So, you should get married soon and prepare well." "..." Seriously, she... I don''t know what to feel about that information. I am not sure if I will get married. "Secondly, I am here to tell you that you can live however you want under the condition that you must never travel in time again or create big waves. You must live a quiet life. Otherwise, another special entity will be chosen to take care of you." Thomas Park''s tone is neutral. "You don''t get to choose because your soul has absorbed a time crystal. You are sentenced to spend is 2500 years in hell. You can choose to reduce your sentence in hell." I raise my brow. "Reduce my sentence in hell?" "If you give away 75% of your wealth to the timekeeper organization, it will be reduced by 75%." He shows me a toothy smile. "Miss Kwon, you are smart. You understand what I meant." This level of corruption is... "Why do you need money?" "Organization needs it because we need to manage a lot. Whenever a time-traveler makes a mess, we have to clear it up. We need resources and pay the timekeepers who are working for us. The special entities might not need money or food. But, we are humans." He exins to me seriously, "You have suffered considerably. If you pay us, we will send some gifts to the hell management to appease them and it will be taken care of. You will even get a VVIP treatment in hell." "..." VVIP treatment in hell... can anyone me me if I say that I am curious? Chapter 93: I will spend my time in hell Chapter 93: I will spend my time in hell "Miss Kwon, this is a limited time special offer just for you because you have endured a lot in your life." He urges me like the callers who offer loans. "You can still live a luxurious life if you just keep 1% of what you have." This is insanity. Just when I thought that nothing could surprise you, life... no, these timekeepers throw you a curveball. VVIP time in hell... Iugh at the thought. I agree with his words. If I keep 1% of what I have, I will give a good life. However... "I don''t want to give it away," I smirk at him. "I will spend my time in hell." "Miss. Kwon." He looks at me like I am a fool. "2500 years is a long time." 1000 years was also a long time. It''s little more than that. "Okay, 70% for 80% sentence reduction." He throws another deal. "We will include triple VIP treatment too." "What the hell is triple VIP treatment?" I ask with curiosity. "You will get to live the life of a duchess and travel anywhere you want in hell," He answers me seriously. This is too crazy. "You want my money? Then, give me a better deal." I am not an easy person. My money worth a lot more. It''s 100s of years of sweat. Okay, I didn''t really sweat... but the gist is the same. "Otherwise, I don''t mind spending 2500 years in hell if I can live a good life here." Thomas Park: "Fine, 75% for 90% reduction of the sentence inclusive of VVVVIP treatment. We can''t reduce it more than 90%." Me: "25% for 90%" Thomas Parker: " 60% for 90%" Me: "20% for 90%" Thomas Park: "50% for 90%." Me: "15% for 90%." Thomas Park: "40% for 90%." Me: "10%." Thomas Park barks at me, "25% and a treatment same level as the king. We can''t go lower than that." I smirk at him. "Deal." He is panting for air and looking at me with disbelief. "I can''t believe that I have agreed with 25%." "Neither me." I tap my chin. "We could go lower, I think. It''s okay. But, I feel like donating to you scoundrels." "Tch!" He brings out some papers and writes something on it. "There, our conversation is recorded. We will take away 25% of the shares of your wealth. When you die at the age of 91, you will spend 250 years of royal life in hell. Sign these with your blood after reading the content." He makes it sound like I will enjoy my life in hell. I reread the papers carefully. At least, these people aren''t trying to scam me on papers. I bite my finger and drop the blood. The paper absorbs it. Then, my name appears on the paper on its own. Nice. "We are done." He collects the paper. "It''s been an honor. Please don''t break the rules. I hope that we don''t have to see each other again." I chuckle at this reaction. I am also no keen on dealing with the timekeepers again. He and I say goodbye. After he is gone, my family asks me what it''s about. I tell them that I paid them a little to not bother us again. "If I had known, I would have offered all my money earlier." My father takes a sip from his coffee. "All they need is money." I don''t think that they would be attracted to what my father has. Let it be. I don''t want to think much. Spending less time in hell is always a good idea unless it''s better than heaven. "It''s okay. We still have more than enough." "I am just relieved that they would leave you alone." My mother sighs. "Money hungry bastards!" My brother didn''t like it at all. "How dare they take my little sister''s hard-earned money?" "Are you my brother who was asking for the car?" I roll my eyes. "You didn''t care about it back then." "I am your family member, your blood." He pinches my cheek. "Kyuri, don''t travel in time again. Live without making troubles, alright? We don''t want to lose you." I nod obediently. I don''t have any intention of traveling in time either. Chapter 94: the evil woman who will take back her man Chapter 94: the evil woman who will take back her man The movie premiere is about to begin. Yoon Mi looks around with widened eyes. The hall is filling up with people who belong to the starry sky. She has seen most people on her television only. She can''t keep her excitement and squeals. "Kyuri, look, Kang Si An is also here." I look at Kang Si An walking in the hall with Ki Mi Ran by his side. He smiles at Ki Mi Ran and pats her hand that''s folded around his forearm. The rumors that they are dating seems to be true. I didn''t want to believe when I heard of it. I could tell that he is looking at her like a man would look at his woman. I feel like someone is drowning me in cold water and stabbing me mercilessly with swords. "Looks like they are really dating." Yoon Mi voices out the thoughts that are acting like thorns in my mind. "They suit each other, don''t they?" I don''t answer her. Ki Mi Ran is a top grade actress. In the original timeline, Kang Si An had a little crush on her. That crush was gone after Ki Mi Ran fed me a drugged drink and almost got me raped by an old geezer. Kang Si An saved me at that time. There are billions of people in the world. Why would he choose a white lotus again? Li Jun had Wu Qiuyue. Now, it''s Ki Miran. Why is his choice in women so bad? Wait! His choice isn''t that bad. I am a lot better person than her. I hate seeing them together the most. He turned 21 recently. Are they going to get married this early? It''s not good. They should wait. It has be a habit to take care of all of Li Jun''s reincarnations secretly. That''s why I came here to see and confirm if it''s true. The news of marriage isn''t out yet. Even the rumors of dating aren''t confirmed. But, I can tell already. Ki Mi Ran is his secret girlfriend. I just hope that she''s not pregnant. It would be a disaster. How could he do this to other women? How many times do I have to see the same scene? Did Li Jun not learn a lesson once? Why does his soul not think about me at all? I am a woman too. I hate... absolutely hate it that his mouth have kissed someone else. The boring movie begins. I keep my eyes on Kang Si An and Ki Mi Ran. They are acting like teenagers who are dating in secret. They don''t want the people to know, but it''s so obvious. They keep leaning toward each other, whispering andughing in low voice. Their bodies are naturally talking to each other. Can I kill Kang Si An? I will give up the rest of my wealth to reduce my sentence in hell. Damn you! I curse you, Kang Si An. I hope that you be bald from this moment on. *** Kang Si An feels an intense hatred directed toward him. He gets spine-chilling goosebumps in his bodies. He turns around once to see who is the person, but he can''t see much in the dark. Ki Mi Ran nudges him. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing." He smiles at her. "Are you feeling okay?" "Yes." Ki Mi Ran recently found out that she''s pregnant with his child. It''s only 4 weeks old. It''s a crucial time in their careers. So, they are keeping quiet about it and moving slowly. Kang Si An has already proposed to her. She is still thinking about it. "Don''t push yourself." He strokes her hand. "If you feel sick, tell me. I will take you out of here." She gives him a tensed smile. She''s only 23. Getting married and having a baby at the peak of her career seems like a crazy idea. Kang Si An is really sweet and loving to her, but the sacrifice is too much. "Don''t we look good together on the screen?" The screen is showing the scenes where the prince holds the spy in his arms and tells her that he loves her. She knows that she can''t be with him and she has to leave. He is asking her why she can''t be with him. When she doesn''t answer him, he forces a kiss on her. Kyuri sees the scene with a poker face. The kiss looks real. Did they really do it on the set? Of all the careers, why did this man choose to be an actor? "It''s going to be hard," She leans back on the chair and mumbles to herself. Her eyes wander to Kang Si An and Ki Mi Ran again. "I can''t give him up. I am going to be the evil woman who will take back her man." Because of the timekeeper, she had to give up Li Jun once. She couldn''t be with Li Jun''s reincarnations either. Now, life has given her a chance to find happiness. In the original timeline, their story ended on the day she died. In this timeline, it will start from this day onward. Chapter 95: when a dog flirts with you Chapter 95: when a dog flirts with you "She looks familiar." Kang Si An squints his eyes when he sees the main female cast walks in. There has been ast minute change in the main female cast for his new drama. The girl is aplete rookie. Nobody heard about her before. She doesn''t belong to any entertainmentpany. It feels like he has seen her before. She greets the cast one by one. Many people are not happy with the change. They look at her with unsatisfaction. Even Kang Si An wonders how she managed to impress Director Lee. He isn''t someone who would take peopleing through connections. Unless the artist is not good, he won''t cast them. To work with Director Lee, he nearly had to make heaven and earth one. The movie ''Our Tangled Destiny'' was a sess. Director Lee signed a second work with him right away. The new drama has a simr storyline. The love story is set in J era. The main character is a female crossdresser who saves a young spoilt lord from bandits. "Hello, I am Kang Si An." He smiles at her cheerfully when shees to him. Whether he likes it or not, she will be his opposite cast. "Kwon Kyuri," She replies with a soft smile. She doesn''t show any hint of recognization in her eyes. "Please take care of me, Senior." She looks like a simple girl with a simple attitude. How did she manage to impress director Lee? Kang Si An can''t wait to see her skills. It must be impressive. *** He treats me neither as friend or enemy. He leaves after a few polite words. It was quite a headache to get to meet that director. I had to pull some strings, but the director was someone who wouldn''t take anyone if that person didn''t suit the role. I knew that I could impress him with my skills. He wants actresses who can act as if they came straight out of history. I have freaking lived in those times. Suddenly, someone grabs my hand. Out of reflex, I twist his arm and grab the back of his hair. "Ow! Junior, don''t kill me." I realize what I am doing. I let him go. Everyone is looking at us strangely. Kang Si An is also looking at us. The man turns around and blocks my view of Kang Si An. "Junior, you are quite feisty." This man''s name is Jae Kyung. He''s the second male lead in the drama. In terms of looks and poprity, he''s a match to Kang Si An. He bends his knees and looks into my eyes, "I like feisty." "..." So, he''s kind of a yboy. "I like your eyes the most." He lifts his hand to touch my hair. I dodge it. After everything that I went through, I hate sly men like him the most. His phoenix eyes narrow a bit. His lips curl up into a seductive smile. "You don''t act cute for your age." "Do you?" I re at him. What''s up with this guy? "I have been told that I am sexy." He leans closer to me. I resist the urge to p him. "You need to check on the level of your narcissism." "I like you more now." He chuckles darkly. "Usually, new girls want to win favors of their seniors. I saw that you have been staring at Si An since you came. Sorry to break down your hopes, but Kang Si An is out of your reach. You better ce your bets on me. I will help you." The subtle meaning in his voice is evident. I let out a sigh and close the distance between us. I cross my arms and looks straight into his eyes, hoping that he would take the hint. "Sorry to break down your delusions, but I am not trying to gain any favor here. You should offer it to someone who would care. Don''t act too friendly with me. I don''t want people to misunderstand." *** Kang Si An stares at the man and woman standing too close to each other. The people are whispering to each other, but the man and woman don''t seem to notice. The woman crosses her arms and looking at the man with a cold and prating gaze. There is an aura around her that naturally keep people at an arm-length except for Park Jae Kyung. Usually, he would ignore what his friend is doing. This time, it shouldn''t be any different. Park Jae Kyung is aplicated character. Kang Si An has heard of rumors. If she attracts his attention, she is likely to end up in his bed soon. If she manages to offend him, she is likely to have a very bad time. The girl is new. She hasn''t tasted the bitterness of the entertainment industry. He walks toward them to stop whatever is going on. "What will they misunderstand?" Jae Kyung finds her amusing. "I am flirting with you. What''s there to misunderstand in this?" Kyuri snorts. "This is how it feels when a dog flirts with you." Kang Si An can''t help but smile when he hears her say that. There are rare women who reject Jae Kyung''s advances tantly. "Jae Kyung, we are getting ready." Jae Kyung notices the change in Kyuri''s eyes before it''s gone as if it has been never there. There was nervousness, longing, and sadness. The smile on his face bes wider. This will be interesting. Chapter 96: We are really neighbors Chapter 96: We are really neighbors She looks like a young boy in male clothes. She has clear skin and an aloof look in her eyes. Holding a sword in her right hand, she movespletely with ease as if she has done this countless times. Rather than bending herself for the role, she is bending the role for herself. Somewhat, the director is satisfied with this oue. This suits her more. Kang Si An has been watching her perform from the sidelines. It seems like he has seen her somewhere. He wreaks his brain, but he can''t recall. He finds her so familiar. She turns her head to look at him right then. She smiles at him unconsciously. The alley girl! He gapes at her like an idiot. That girl is from that alley. She''s an actress? Kang Si An rubs the space between his brows. This isplicated. She seems quite normal. Did he misunderstand that day? She''s not a fan then. But, they were certainly kissing. It''s his fault for drinking too much. Argh! Why her? There are so many people in the world. Why is it her? "She''s natural." Jae Kyung says to him, "She is natural with the sword. She even speaks in an ancient way." He sighs. He is just embarrassed. He acted like a fool in that alley. Why did he think that she was a crazy fan? It''s too embarrassing to stand here. The first day ends without any trouble. Outside, Jae Kyung taps her shoulder. "Want to get a drink?" She ignores him and keeps walking. He runs after her. The girl has a strong attitude. She dislikes him even before he did anything to her. He is intrigued by her. "Kyuri, dinner is okay too." He stands in front of her. "What happens after dinner is your choice, of course." She cracks her knuckles. "Do you not understand the meaning of no? I don''t want to have dinner with you. I am never drinking with you." She tries to leave, but he grabs her forearm. "Can''t youe with me for courtesy?" Her lips twitch in anger. What courtesy? Why does she have to be courteous to him? "Park Jae Kyung." Kang Si An steps out of his car. He was about to leave when he saw Kyuriing out. He wanted to talk to her and apologize for the misunderstanding. He stopped because Jae Kyung was there. This idiotic Jae Kyung won''t leave any woman alone. Kang Si An walks to them. "Don''t bully the junior." Jae Kyung looks at him with irritation. "Kang Si An, why are you still here? Aren''t you going to see Ki Mi Ran?" She purses her lips indignantly. It seems like he is serious about Ki Mi Ran. "I need to discuss something with her." Kang Si An nces at her. She is a bit pale. Working all day has taken a toll. She isn''t used to it. "Come with me. I will drop you at your home." "Oi!" Jae Kyung yells, "Kang Si An, is your heart wavering already? I have taken im on this junior." She stops on her feet and turns around. "Who are you to take im on me? Did you do drugs? Stop saying nonsense. I only belong to one man. That man is definitely not you." Without looking back, she steps into Kang Si An''s car. Kang Si An is amazed by her answer while Jae Kyung is seething with anger. Kang Si An shrugs his shoulders and enters the car. Jae Kyung watches the car driving away from him. Kang Si An breaks the silence. "Miss Kwon, I am sorry for misunderstanding you that night." She gives him a nod. "It''s fine. The situation was vague and easy to be misunderstood." He wants to ask more questions. How did they meet? How did they end up kissing? He nces at the mirror and sees her quiet face. He decides against it. He won''t ask. Asking won''t change what happened. It was just a kiss anyway. Alcohol was the real reason. "You are performing well." He offers her some words of encouragement. "You look good in those clothes." She doesn''t reply for a long moment. He doesn''t know what else to say. The atmosphere in the car is turning awkward. "Is your girlfriend really Ki Mi Ran?" Her tone is casual as if she''s asking about the weather. "Ah... yes." It''s not entirely a secret that he and Ki Mi Ran are dating. "Are you getting married to her soon?" "We are engaged." He peeks at her. "The date hasn''t been decided." The date isn''t decided. Ki Mi Ran keeps dying. In a few months, she will start showing. He doesn''t mind if she wants to have a baby before the wedding. If that''s her decision, he will ept it dly. But, it''s better to get married before having their baby. "Miss Kwon, where is your home?" She tells him the directions before closing her eyes. He frowns when he realizes that the location is in his neighborhood. When they reach, he asks her where to go again. "Moon Sky Apartments." He is shocked. "That''s where I am staying. Which floor?" "29th." She doesn''t open her eyes. He is also staying on the 29th floor. Why didn''t he see her before? Is this a coincidence? He doesn''t misunderstand again. He stops the car in front of the apartment building. They get off the car and walks to the elevator wordlessly. He is still doubtful whether she really lives on the same floor or not. They get on the elevator. She presses the button before he does. They are alone. He doesn''t know why he feels like he is going to have a nervous breakdown. The girl steps out of the elevator when it reaches the 29th floor. They are really neighbor. She lives next door. "This..." Kang Si An releases a breath. He won''t think much of it. It''s just a coincidence. "We are really neighbors." She smiles at him. "So, we are. Take care of me from now on, Neighbor." He wonders why her smile tickles his heart strangely. "Si An." Ki Mi Ranes out of his house. "I was tired of waiting. I was about to leave. Why didn''t pick up your phone?" He brings out his phone and realizes that the ringtone is silent. That''s why he missed her 35 miss calls. "Sorry, Mi Ran. I had a shoot today. So, I put my phone on silent. When did youe?" "I came around 5." Ki Mi Ran nces at the girl beside him. Why is he bringing a girl with him? Is he cheating on her? "Miss Kwon is a co-artist in the drama I am shooting." Kang Si An understands the questioning look in Ki Mi Ran''s eyes. "She''s also my neighbor. She lives next door." He hopes that she doesn''t misunderstand something. Ki Mi Ran shows an angel-like smile. "I have never seen you before. You must be new." Or unpopr enough to be forgotten. "I am new." Kyuri returns the same smile. "I guess we will see each other around a lot." She punches the code and walks into her apartment, leaving Kang Si An and Ki Mi Ran in the corridor. Chapter 97: Please believe me once Chapter 97: Please believe me once "Si An..." Ki Mi Ran''s breathless whisper is loud in my ear. "Faster... please." I hear him groan before he fulfills his demands. I pour the wine in the ss. I need to drink. My senses are stronger because of the time crystal. My hearing and smelling power are also stronger. But, I don''t know why I still don''t have much physical power. If I had, I would like to tear the wall and kill them both. That would probably end wrongly for me. My family would also suffer. He doesn''t remember. He doesn''t know. Whatever supernatural connection we had, it''s gone with the timekeeper. So, it''s not his fault that he can''t recognize me. He will probably never remember me. I am desperate. Li Jun remembered his other life before he died. That is the reason behind the tiny hope in my chest. I want him to remember me even if it is impossible. We have promised each other so many times. I can''t... I don''t know what will happen in the future. It''s making me crazy. Hearing those sounds is torturous. The wine bottle is finished. I pick another one from the refrigerator. I want my brain to be numb. I can''t endure this with a sane mind. I don''t know how not to hate him for this. I don''t know how to leave either. He doesn''t know. He doesn''t know. He doesn''t know. I keep telling myself until I fell asleep. The doorbell wakes me up in the morning. I grunt because of the sharp pain in my head. The hangover. The person doesn''t stop ringing the doorbell. It''s too loud. I force myself to get out of the bed and open the door. "Ki Mi Ran." The first person I see in the morning is her. I don''t know how my day will go now. "Why are you here?" "Junior Kwon, Kang Si An already left for the suit. I was curious why haven''t you left." She smiles gently at me and steps inside like she owns the ce. Her voice is full of concerned when she notices my face. "You don''t look too good. How much did drinkst night? It''s not good for your skin." "Stop pretending," I tell her bitterly. "I already know what kind of person you are." She frowns. "ording to you, what kind of person I am?" "The kind of person who would drug someone else''s drink to ruin that person reputation." I have looked into her in my free time. She has used simr tricks to remove herpetition. However, nobody, including the victim, would ever doubt her because of her false personality. "So, stop being friendly to me. I already know how two-faced you are." "How do you know?" She bites her lips in anger and fists her hands. To show up like this at my door just after meeting mest night, she must be quite possessive of Kang Si An. I don''t know whether she loves him or not. "Does it matter how I know?" I cock my head. Her perfect face contorts into an ugly form. I wonder how the nation would react if they see her right now. She scrutinizes my face before she pulls her hair to the side, revealing the hickeys on her pale neck. "Did you cry?" Sheughs. "Don''t tell me that you could hear us from your apartment?" "Leave him." I cross my arm. "I can''t leave that man in the care of a woman like you." I have a bitter taste in my mouth. I can''t believe that I am ying the role of a woman who is asking the girlfriend to break up. I feel dirty. My phone is ringing. Ki Mi Ran says nothing and leaves. I don''t think that she''s that obedient. I take the call. I amte for the shoot. I get ready in 5 minutes and leave. When I reach there, I don''t see Kang Si An. A staff informs me that the shoot is canceled. Kang Si An left because of personal reasons. I am worried. Is he okay? I hail a taxi ande back to the apartment. He''s not at his apartment. Feeling like something is going wrong, I call his number. I can still remember it from my memories. His manager picks it up and tells me that Kang Si An is okay. I don''t feel good. I don''t know why. The ugly thoughts aren''t going away. I dislike the person that I am bing. I drink another bottle of wine to numb my brain. Will he ever remember me? It hasn''t been two days and I am already tired. I don''t know how much I drank. I end up sleeping on the floor. The sound of doorbell wakes me up again. Unsteady on my feet, I manage to go to the door and open it. It''s Kang Si An. "You are here." I burst into tears and take his hand. "Leave her. Be with me. She''s not the right person for you. I am the right person. Look at me carefully. Remember me." He pushes me away and closes the door behind him. His eyes are cold. So cold. I feel it piercing my heart. "I thought that I was wrong." His voice is dripping with a deep hatred. "I thought that you were not that kind of person." What is he saying? I can''t understand. Am I too drunk toprehend? "Why did you do that to Ki Mi Ran?" He grasps my hair hard. "Why?" The pain clears my head a bit. "I didn''t do anything to her." "You didn''t?" He ps my face. "She is in hospital. We lost our child. I saw the CCTV with my own eyes." CCTV? My lips are torn. A few drops of blood fall on the white floor. "What are you talking about? Speak what I can understand." "You don''t understand?" He raises his hand to p me again, but I catch his wrist. He hits me with his other hand and pushes me on the floor. I try to get out of his grip. He''s stronger and faster than me. I don''t want to fight him, but I am not taking this treatment either. "Ki Mi Ran wanted to befriend you. She came to see you and you insulted her. You asked her to leave me. You even beat her up when she told you that she couldn''t leave me. She told you to stop beating her because she was pregnant." His hot tears descend on me one by one. "I didn''t want to believe this. I don''t know why I didn''t want to believe that a woman like you would be this cruel to someone else. I checked the CCTV and saw Ki Mi Ran leaving your apartment while crying and holding her stomach. She went to the hospital alone. She didn''t call me because of you. How could you do this to her?" I can''t believe what he''s saying. Who is this person? Does he really have Li Jun''s soul? None of Li Jun''s reincarnation ever hit me like this. They have never physically hurt me like this. They never talked to me like this. "Kang Si An, I didn''t do it. She''s lying." "She''s lying and you are not?" He spats. "I know women like you. Obsessive women like you would go to any extent. They don''t know morality or humanity. What did my child do to you? Why can''t hee to the world? Because of you, Ki Mi Ran is hurt both physically and psychologically. My child is gone." "Kang Si An, please believe me," I beg him. "I didn''t do it. I would never do this to another human being. I did tell her to leave you, but I never raised a hand on her. I didn''t kick her. I didn''t even know that she was pregnant." Heughs at me, but his tears haven''t stopped. I feel like crying. I didn''t know that she was pregnant. I only thought that she was his girlfriend. There was a chance of pregnancy because it happened to me in the original timeline, but Ki Mi Ran was different. I was hoping that she wasn''t pregnant like I was. If it was like this, I could still bring him to my side. If there wasn''t a child involved, I could break up their rtionship before they got married. I realize how ugly that thought was. I have really reached the lowest moment of my life. "She won''t hold charges against you." I hear him say. "She''s that kind. She has already forgiven a disgusting creature like you. But, I can''t forgive you." "Kang Si An, I didn''t do it," I whisper in a low voice. "I swear, I didn''t do anything to her. Please believe me once." "You want me, right?" His expression turns sinister. I don''t recognize his man anymore. I feel the same fear that I felt when I saw myself being killed by this man once. "I will grant your wish." "No, don''t do it," I scream when he tears my clothes. "Kang Si An, I didn''t do it. You will regret this moment in the future. Please stop now. Please." Chapter 98: Thank you for showing me Chapter 98: Thank you for showing me He peers at the broken woman near his feet. She has stopped crying long ago. She isn''t even moving. Looking at her in this state is heart numbing. In a rage, he has done something that can''t ever be changed back. "If you want to press charges against me, do it." He speaks to her coldly, "I will dly go to the prison. I don''t regret doing this to you." He hears her chortle. She sits up and looks up at him with a dark smile. "Thank you for showing me what kind of man you are." "You have turned me into this." He clenches his fists. "If you hadn''t done..." "If I had been a little sane, I wouldn''t havee to keep my promise to you." She stares down at her hands with her empty eyes. "I promise you this. No matter what happens in the future, whether you die or live, whether you beg me on your knees, whether you cry for me toe back, whether you remember or not, I will never ever forgive you for doing this to me, Kang Si An. You won''t be able to see me ever again even in the afterlife." Kang Si An lets out augh. "Why would I want to see a person like you?" She doesn''t answer him. Kang Si An feels heavy in his chest. What has he done to a woman? When did he be this kind of man who would hurt a woman? It''s hard to look at her. She reminds him of his monstrous side. It''s difficult to breathe. He leaves her house quickly. After taking a shower, he decides to go to Ki Mi Ran. He nces at the closed door of her apartment. He wonders if he should check on her. He has hurt her. She hurt his Ki Mi Ran. Pained, he leaves the corridor. ''You will regret doing this to me.'' Yes, he is already regretting. He won''t ever tell her that. What happened to him back then? How would he fix it with Ki Mi Ran? She''s hurt because of him. He stands outside the ward with aplicated expression. "Mi Ran, you already had an abortion. Then, why did you lie to him?" He hears her friend asking her. "That girl was acting all high and mighty. I had to teach a lesson to her." Ki Mi Ran says, "If I told him that I wanted to abort the child, my image would have been ruined. Tell me, how could I marry him at this age? We are so young. This is an important time in our careers. Marrying him and having a child would destroy my life. He should have the decency to understand this right." "If you don''t want to marry him, you should break up with him." "Dating him is advantageous to my career. It''s only natural that he is by my side when all the women in the nation want him. I will dump him when he is no longer useful." Kang Si An could hear a pitiful voice in his head. ''Please believe me once. I beg you. Don''t do this to me. It hurts. Kang Si An, please.'' He clutches his chest, unable to breathe. He drops down on his knees. What has he done? That woman did nothing wrong. He doesn''t seem to have any strength to get up. He''s disgusted by himself. "Kang Si An?" Ki Mi Ran''s friend finds him kneeling in front of the door with a grim pale face. She''s frightened. Did he hear everything? She acts as if nothing happened. "Ki Mi Ran is inside. Did youe to see her?" "Yes." He stands up and walks into the ward. For the first time in his life, he notices how repulsive she is. He is even more repulsive than her. He was easily manipted by this girl and ended upmitting an unforgivable sin. "Ki Mi Ran." Ki Mi Ran looks at him with an aggrieved face. There is no w. Anyone who saw her would believe that she has been wronged excessively. If Kang Si An didn''t hear what he heard a little while ago, he would have blindly believed that she''s suffering. "Do you know what I did because of you?" He walks to her side. Then, can he me her? She might have manipted him, but it was his hands and body that wronged that woman. "Kang Si An." Ki Mi Ran feels nervous under his gaze. "What happened to you?" "If you didn''t want the child, you could have told me once. I would have epted your decision without anyints. If you didn''t want to get married, I would not have forced you." At this moment, he hates himself the most. "You knew that, right?" "I-I..." She shifts away from him, afraid that he might hurt her. "I didn''t know." "You didn''t?" Kang Si An bursts intoughter. His coldugh turns her blood cold. He coils his fingers around her neck. "Then, were you afraid to tell me because you expected me to do this?" He didn''t put pressure. She starts screaming in fear. Standing at the door, her friend starts shouting for help. He lets go of her. He deres with a somber voice, "Ki Mi Ran, you will pay for your crimes." She gulps down. She watches him leave with hurried steps. The doctors and the guards arrive. They check on her. But, there is nothing wrong with her. In the car, Kang Si An shakes in anger and agony. He is angry at herself. Kwon Kyuri''s voices keep repeating in his mind. She told him that she would never forgive him. He doesn''t know how to go to her and ask for forgiveness. He doesn''t deserve it. He has to see her. He will do everything to get her to forgive him. He left her in such a sorry state. He hurt her without any mercy. He starts the car and drives toward the apartment. If she asks him to kill himself, he will do it. Her empty eyes keep haunting him. He needs to get to her as soon as possible. Speeding, Kang Si An takes a wrong turn in a hurry and doesn''t see his deathing toward him. The truck ms against his car, turning into something unrecognizable. The blood seeps out of his broken body, spreading out on the concrete. His eyes flutter once before he whispers her name that was unfamiliar to him once. Chapter 99: Just let me see her Chapter 99: Just let me see her Kang Si An''s heart stops multiple times during the surgery. His body is brutally wounded. He has lost a lot of blood. It is a miracle that he is still alive. His consciousnesses and leaves his body. The news that actor Kang Si An got into a life-threatening ident is all over the country. The drama has been canceled. Kang Si An''s fans pray for him every day. His friends have visited. His mother and younger brother are here. Even Ki Mi Ran dared to visit him for publicity. He can''t move or speak because of the wounds on his bodies. He keeps looking for one person. She does not appear before his eyes for once. The touch of death has broken the seal on the memories stuffed inside his soul. He remembers everything - all the lifetimes and their promises before and after she turned back time. He even remembers all the things that the timekeeper had done to her. The memories flood through his brain. For days, he couldn''t think properly. It''s confusing at first. It bes clear to him eventually who Kyuri is to him. He killed her with these hands once. He hurt her again that night. As Li Jun, he might have died for her once. She changed everything to save him and give him a new life. Because of him, she suffered for more than a thousand years. What did he do to her? Nothing. He only gave her pain over and over again. The reason behind her suffering is him. It was him who told her to find him after changing the past. It was him who told her to make him fall for her. When she came to him, he did those horrible things to her. He told her once that his soul would remember even if his heart forgot. But, he couldn''t remember her when she came. She loved him so much. She watched over him for such a long time. She gave up everything of her for him. It''s toote to remember. She won''t forgive him. She already told him that she would never see him again. Even if he dies, she won''te to see him. When he can barely move his body, Kang Si An rips the IV from his hand and walks out in the hospital clothes. He takes a taxi to the apartment first. As he has expected, she isn''t there. The apartment has been sold already. He leaves the city right away. He remembers where her parents'' home is. It hurts to walk. The blood is leaking out of his bandages. It''s already dark when he reaches her home. He couldn''t care less. There is only one person who matters. He knocks the door of her house. Her brother raises his brow when he sees a half-dead man in the hospital clothes. The man is barely standing, shaking due to the chill in the air. "Who are you?" He wonders if he should call an ambnce. The man looks like he will die at their doorstep. "Kyuri." Kang Si An tries to push him away. "Where is she?" "Who are you?" He grabs his shoulder to stop him. Ever since Thomas Park''s visit, her brother has been cautious. His sister left two weeks ago to pursue a new career. When she returned, she kept crying in her room. They thought that she was disheartened because she couldn''t do well in the acting career. They tried to soothe her, but she wouldn''t stop crying. Looking at this man, he has a hunch. Her sister''s pain is not due to her failure. She isn''t the type who would cry over failing in her career. "Please let me see her." Kang Si An looks inside and sees her motheres out of the kitchen with a confused face. Her father is also there. But, Kyuri is not there. "I asked who are you." Her brother won''t pity anyone when ites to his sister''s welfare. "Tell me now." "I am..." Who is he to her? Li Jun? Kang Si An? He had so many names. However, it''s Kang Si An who hurt her the most. "Kang Si An... tell her that it''s me. Tell her that I remember..." "Stay here." Her brother res at him. "Father, see that he doesn''te inside the house. This man is highly suspicious." Her father wordlessly gets up and takes the position at the door. Kang Si An isn''t even invited inside the house. Whether he is bleeding or dying, he has to see her. Kyuri''s mother notices the blood dripping from his clothes. She gasps. "You are bleeding." Kyuri''s father grimaces at him. "Did you run away from the hospital?" Kang Si An reveals a pained smile. "I am fine. Just let me see her." Her mother purses her lips. How does her daughter know this man? The rtionship between this man and her daughter can''t be simple. Upstairs, her brother knocks her room. She opens it and looks at him. "I don''t want to see him." "He told me that he remembers." Her brother frowns a bit. The man did look desperate. "Who is he? What does he remember?" "He is someone I don''t want to see," She tells him coldly. "Tell him to recall myst promise that I made to him that night." She closes the door and walks to her bed. She can hear all the voices. She lies down on the bed and stares at the ceiling quietly. Her heart hurts. There is nothing left of her to give him. Her pride, her body, her love... he has taken everything at once and crushed it with his feet. She doesn''t feel like living or dying. That night, he damaged something inside her. It doesn''t matter anymore whether he remembers or not. She isn''t someone who will forgive. She will keep her words. He won''t ever see her again. "She won''t see you." Her brotheres running downstairs. "She told me to tell you that you should remember the promise she made to you that night." Kang Si An copses on the spot. His stitches are broken. He is suffocating, not because of the physical pain. The promise that she made that night... ''I promise you this. No matter what happens in the future, whether you die or live, whether you beg me on your knees, whether you cry for me toe back, whether you remember or not, I will never ever forgive you for doing this to me, Kang Si An. You won''t be able to see me ever again even in the afterlife.'' She won''t see him. Then, it''s better than he dies here. "Ki Hyun, call the ambnce." Kyuri''s father yells. "He is going to die." "No." He grips the door handle and stands up. "Don''t call anyone. I won''t leave until shees to see me. I will wait for her." He slowly walks outside and sits down on his knees in front of her house. The pain in his body is nothingpared to what he inflicted on her. He keeps his eyes on the window on the first floor of the house. The lights are on. The curtains are drawn. "Kyuri," He calls her name, wondering if she can hear. A dark silhouette appears behind the window. He can recognize it anywhere. "Kyuri, forgive me." Kyuri leans against the window, listening to his voice. She curses the time crystal to give her high hearing. She doesn''t want to hear or see. She doesn''t want to get hurt anymore. Chapter 100: please come back Chapter 100: pleasee back After some time, Kyuri''s father calls an ambnce anyway. Nobody likes a dead body in front of their house. The ambnce arrives and people try to drag Kang Si An inside, but he refuses with all his might. His knees are scraped. His face has turned deathly pale. His body is going numb. He keeps watching the window. The lights are turned off. He can''t see her silhouette anymore. "Kyuri." He mumbles her name. "Beat me. p me. Stab me. Hurt me. But, pleasee back. My life has no meaning without you. Please. I can''t live this life without you. It''s difficult to breathe when you are not by my side. Forgive me, Kyuri." The night turns to morning. People gather around him. The journalists get the news that the infamous actor Kang Si An is kneeling in front of someone''s house. Theye and record everything. He won''t move. No matter what happens, he won''t leave the spot. It starts raining. He can barely keep his eyes open. Some people bring food and water for him. He refuses to eat. Lastly, Kyuri''s family members call the cops. The cops try to remove the man, but he wouldn''t budge. Because he is an infamous actor, his actions have caught the attention of the nation. He doesn''t answer a single question. He won''t say anything. His eyes are locked on the window. They start to specte. There are many theories. Ki Mi Ran refuses toment on why he is kneeling in front of a stranger''s house. His familyes to convince him. Nothing can affect him. His family seeks Kyuri''s family, but they don''t know much either except for the fact that Kang Si An wants to meet Kwon Kyuri and Kwon Kyuri refuses to meet him. The people living in Kwon''s house can''t get out because of the media and crowd. Later, they find that Kwon Kyuri is no longer in her room. They find her letter saying that she is going somewhere far away and no one should look for her. "She left." Kwon Ki Hoon throws the letter at Kang Si An. "Are you happy now?" Kang Si An opens the letter. The words are simple and straight forward. There is no exnation. [I am leaving. Don''t look for me.] He has been holding himself for so long. He loses all his strength and passes out. The media can guess the situation now. Kang Si An was stalking this girl. She ran away from home. Multiple headlines appear on the paper. Ki Mi Ran takes this opportunity to be the victim. Kwon Kyuri bes the other woman in the public''s eyes. When he regains his consciousness, the world has changed. He can''t ept people dissing Kwon Kyuri''s name. It''s released to the public by an anonymous source that Ki Mi Ran and Kang Si An have broken a long time ago when she lied about having a miscarriage. She had an abortion in secret and fooled Kang Si An for a long time. That was enough. Ki Mi Ran''s gentle and virtuous image is ruined in front of the public with one simple revtion of the truth. She is ostracized by theizens for being a lying whore. Theizens are never forgiving. If Ki Mi Ran had kept quiet and stayed in the limit, Kang Si An probably wouldn''t have gone this far. At the hospital, Kang Si An runs his fingers over her handwriting. They have been looking for her. There is no news. Where she could have gone? He wants to rip his stitches out and bleed to death. Perhaps, she wille then. She has alwayse to see him when he was dying in the past. He has taken her love for granted and didn''t think about how she felt each time. The words from her promise reemerge in his mind. She won''te this time. "Kyuri... what should I do?" He holds his head. "I am sorry... Please punish me. Torture me... But, stay where I can see you. I can''t bear it. I want to see you again, Kyuri. I don''t even know if you are alive or dead." Does he have the right to? Did he listen to her begging that night? How many times did she beg him to stop? She asked him to believe her once. Kang Si An weeps miserably. The woman who has been with him for more than a thousand years is gone from his life. She won''te back to him. She won''t allow him to see her even in the afterlife. She knows how to hide. Despite her face bing famous because of Kang Si An''s actions, she isn''t found. ''I won''t be able to see her ever again.'' The thought kills him every day. He wakes up with the hope that she will reappear in his life. He sleeps with the wish that she would appear in his dreams. She''s cruel. Even in the dreams, she has forsaken him. Unbeknownst to him, his miserable way of living makes him more famous. The entire country knows that Kang Si An loves a woman named Kwon Kyuri and he is asking her to return to him. Some see him as a tortured lover. Others have different opinions. "Who is Kwon Kyuri? Why she is acting high and mighty?" "What did he do though? I am curious why she wouldn''t forgive him." "Look, how much he loves her. She should forgive him ande back." "Why isn''t he in love with me? I am 10 times prettier than her." "He has some strange tastes. The girl doesn''t even have a college degree." Bad or good, Kang Si An and Kwon Kyuri be popr. Kang Si An decides to use this poprity. He works harder in his roles. He doesn''t know where she is. But, he will ask for forgiveness every day. Until his death, he won''t let this story disappear. Maybe, if she hear it every day, she would change her mind ande back some day. Chapter 101: She hates me that much Chapter 101: She hates me that much Kwon Ki Hoon nearly ms the door as soon as he sees his face. Kang Si An puts his hand between the door and the frame. The sound of door hitting the flesh makes Kwon Ki hoon jump. He pulls the door away and sees the blood dripping from Kang Si An''s hand. Kwon Ki Hoon gives up and walks inside the house. This man has been here almost every day for more than two years. It''s useless to move away because the Kwon family is popr. This guy won''t let the story die. Each time it is gone, he would do something that all the people of the country are reminded that there is a girl named Kwon Kyuri who hasn''t been found yet. He would apologize to her in every interview and promotional event. He would post open letters to Kwon Kyuri on his social media. He would shamelessly say, "Come back and punish me for my crimes. I know that I don''t deserve forgiveness. I will do everything that you want. Don''t hide away from me, Kyuri, I can''t die without you. I can''t live without you. Why are you punishing yourself because of a low scum like me? You have toe back to your family. Your life is here. Kyuri,e back home." He would say all the reasons to ask her toe back. He won''t give up no matter what they do or say. Now, more people are wondering what he did. He would never answer their questions. Kang Si An is aware that Kyuri hasn''t broken off all contacts. Her family might not know where she is, but she contacts them one in a few months to tell them that she''s not dead. "She won''te back." Kwon Ki Hoon hisses at Kang Si An. "It''s all because of you." Kang Si An takes a seat opposite him. "If you only tell me her phone number." Kwon Ki Hoon scowls at him, nearly losing the restraint on his temper. He has promised his sister that he would not harm Kang Si An. "Do you think that we didn''t look for her using that method?" Kwon Ki Hoon ms the table. "She uses a private number. It was better if she wasn''t rich. It would have been easier to find her then." Kang Si An sighs. He feels hopeless. Why he is still alive? "If I kill myself, will shee back?" Her brother nces at his wounded hand. This man won''t even react to pain. He doesn''t know what happened between his sister and this man. He is 100% sure that Kang Si An is the reason why she won''te back. What did he do to his sister? She''s not this cruel or hardheaded. There must be a big reason. Neither Kang Si An or Kyuri would say. "I asked her that question." Kwon Ki Hoon puts his chin in his hand and looks at him with disinterest. "She told me that even your ghost isn''t allowed to find her. You can die or live. It got nothing to do with her. She will not being back to the country where you lived once." "She hates me that much." It urs to him. He has reincarnated in how many countries? If he makes a list, he will know where she is not present for sure. There must be other clues. "Did she say anything else?" "Hmm." Ki Hoon rubs his chin and squints hard at him. "What did you do to her? You know that I can''t get married if my only sister doesn''te." He can''t propose to his girlfriend because Kyuri isn''t here. How can he get married when his sister is wandering alone god knows where? His girlfriend wants to break up with him. "I will tell if she wants me to tell." Kang Si An hasmitted too many sins against her. "If shees back, she can do anything to me. I will surrender myself to her." "You must have done something bad." Ki Hoon cracks his knuckles, wanting to throttle this man right there. The only thing that is keeping him back is the promise that his sneaky sister forced him to make. Just then, Ki Hoon''s phone rings. It''s a call from an unknown number. He nces at Kang Si An once and wonders if he should pick up. Nobody knows when she will call again. Ki Hoon signals Kang Si An to stay quiet and puts the call on speaker. [Brother, I am checking in. I am still alive.] Kang Si holds his breath. Sound of her voice makes him feel alive. His long-dead heart is beating rapidly. His eyes fill with hot tears. He covers his mouth to not make a sound. "Kyuri, when will youe back? I can''t propose to your future sister inw without you." They hear her sigh. [I can''te. You should get married without me. Next time, I will send you - Mommy!] A small child''s voicees out of the call. Both men are startled. What? Kang Si An looks at the phone nkly. What was that? That was a toddler''s voice. Ki Hoon doesn''t know how to react. Who was that? [Little Hae, stay still. I am talking on the phone... Mommy, see... What do you want me to see? Oh, you brought me a seashell. Did you find it on the beach?] Hae... The girl who is like an ocean. Kang Si An blinks his eyes in a daze. The child squeals. [Jimmy gave...] The words aren''t clear. The child is probably learning to speak. Both men hear them talk with their breath held. [My little one is already popr with boys. I will make you a ne of seashells, ok? Be a good girl and sit here. I am talking to your uncle.] [Un..cle...?] [Do you want to talk to him?] [Yes, Mommy.] [Brother, you heard me? Meet Little Hae. She recently learned to walk. Ever since then, she''s never still... Little Hae, say hello to your uncle.] [Hello.] The child speaks in a serious tone. [Uncle.] [You did well.] Kyuri chuckles. Ki Hoon is hesitant to ask. He looks at Kang Si An who is too shocked to move or blink. He nces at the phone. "Did you adopt the girl?" [She''s my daughter. Blood and flesh. Don''t tell our parents yet.] "Who is the father?" [Um... I will introduce him to you properly next time.] "Why are you noting back?" [I am... - Mommy... Brother, wait for a second!... Mommy, candy... You have a sweet tooth just like your father. Your milk teeth aren''t even fully grown yet. Stop right there. You can''t touch that...] Sound of something falling, rustling, and crashing. They hear a deep husky voice. [Kyuri, don''t worry. She''s not hurt.] [Young Hwa, she''s notorious. It''s because you spoil her every day. She''s not even 2 years old and she can turn the house upside down... Look at that smirk! Little Hae, where are you running to?] Sound of childughter fading with distance. [I get so much exercise by just running after her.] Kyuri sounds exhausted. [Raising a child is so hard.] [You said that you would introduce me next time when I was sitting in right front of you... I am hurt.] It seems that she forgot to hang up the call. [Kyuri?] [Little Hae ran inside and talked suddenly. So, I had to tell my brother. I was unprepared.] [It''s okay. Don''t think hard. Want to go for an evening walk with me, my fairdy?] [Aish! Don''t call me that... Little Hae,e. Daddy and mommy are leaving without you... Mommy,ing!] There is quiet for a long time. Ki Hoon hangs up the call. Chapter 102: dont forgive me Chapter 102: don''t forgive me Kwon Ki Hoon takes at the man who seems to have gone through hell during the phone call. He doesn''t know the exact nature of this man''s rtionship with his sister. His sister has aplicated history. She slept for 5 months. When she woke up, she suddenly decided to pursue an acting career. Kwon Ki Hoon guesses that the reason must have been Kang Si An. He can''t guess what could have happened between Kang Si An and his sister. Kang Si An ispletely blocked out by his sister. He knows one thing that Kang Si An loves his sister. If his sister didn''t have any feeling, she wouldn''t have left. "Kang Si An." Kwon Ki Hoon leans forward and rests his elbows on his thighs. The shattered man looks at him with eyes full of sorrow. Kwon Hi Hoon pities him, but there is nothing he can do. "My sister is happy where she is. I think that you should stop now." She is happy with another man. She also has a child. Kang Si An nods to Kwon Ki Hoon. He understands. Kyuri has left himpletely. He stands up quietly and leaves the house. Kyuri has left him behind. He drives back to the apartment. Kyuri doesn''t love him anymore. It''s the same apartment. He sits down on the floor and starts drinking, thinking of the first time he met her. The girl who passed out after seeing him. The same girl who imed in front of the public that she was his girlfriend. Heughs along when he recalls how she used to flirt with him shamelessly. She woulde and use the house. "Kang Si An." "Kyuri, you are here." Smiling, he moves toward the kitchen. He''s too drunk to see clearly. He bumps into several things before he can reach there. The scene is familiar - a memory from the past that never happened in this timeline. Dressed in his shirt, she''s cooking something. She''s humming a song. "You are awake." She smiles at him. Her eyes are so bright when she sees him. He will drown in those eyes. He reaches to caress her cheek. The illusion breaks the moment the tips of his finger touches her. "No. No. Don''t go, please." It''s been such a long time since he saw her. "Stay here beside me, Kyuri." "Kang Si An." He hears herugh. "I am pretty, aren''t I?" "Yes, you are." He steps into the living room to find her. She''s standing there with an astonished face. She takes little cautious steps toward him. He can''t move. He realizes that they are wearing ancient clothes. She stands in front of him. There are fear and curiosity in her eyes. Her cheeks are slightly rosy due to the chill of the winter. She reaches him cautiously and takes off his mask. "Kang Si An?" He embraces her desperately, but there is only air. Kyuri is gone again. "Li Jun." Kyuri is wailing in the middle of the room. "Why did you have to die?" He rushes to her and holds her to his chest. "I am not dead. Kyuri, I am here." Ah. She''s gone again. He sees her drawing circles under the tree. She looks like she has walked out of the gate of the death. He strides toward her. She looks up at him with haunting eyes. "Kyuri, you have suffered so much." He pulls her in his arms. "I will find a way to -" The girl in male clothes dissipates into air as soon as he touches her. "I buried myself alive." She lifts her small head. Seeing her in that state makes him cry in agony There was a time when all she wanted was to die. The torture keeps repeating until... "Please believe me once." She begs me with a pained voice as he rips her clothes. "Kang Si An, please don''t do this to me." "Stop." He attempts to stop his hands from hurting her. "Stop. You monster. Stop right at this moment." Then, the silence descends in the air. It''s dark. There''s no Kyuri. No memories are reying over and over again. There is no one in the room except him. The bottle of alcohol is broken on the floor. He takes his phone and leaves the apartment. He can''t spend another moment here. It''s 3:15 AM on his watch. He walks on the street with unsteady feet. Drunk and hopeless, he tries to recall her smile that she showed to him. "Kang Si An." She entwines her fingers with his as they walk on the street. "You will outlive me this time. Don''t forget that you promised me." "Did I?" The woman beside him vanishes again from his side. He can''t tell anymore whether he isughing at himself or crying for her. He keeps walking. Why he is still sane? He climbs the stair one by one, murmuring her name with each step. He reaches the roof. The sky is dark. There is no visible star. There is no moon tonight. Everything has forsaken him. He sits on the edge with half of his body hanging in the air. He stares at her picture that he stole from her house. Having a child. Building happiness with her. Taking evening walks with her and their daughter. The way she would tease him. The way he would see her fret after their daughter. This is a future that never happened. It would never happen. She already belongs to someone else. Someone else has reced him. She''s happy without him. He deserves this all. He scrolls through his social media ount. He has been posting messages with her name every day since she left, hoping that she would see one. He won''t ask anymore. If she wants to punish him this way, he will ept it. He won''t ask her toe back anymore. They have never said goodbye in the past because they knew they would see each other. He can''t see her anymore. She won''t allow it. Even from the distance, he can''t look at her. He posts the final message. [Kyuri, don''t forgive me. I don''t deserve it. I know that you don''t love me anymore. You don''t want me to see you. This is your punishment for me. I will ept it all. Please live happily without me. I pray that all the wounds that I gave you be nothingpared to the happiness that you receive in the future. Goodbye.] The phone slips from his hand. He doesn''t know whether she will ever see this message or not. It''s fine if she doesn''t see it. She will find out in one or another way. He hums the same tune that she used to sing asionally. Closing his eyes, he imagines being with her. He reaches out to grab her hand. Falling through the air, he finds himself alone again. Chapter 103: I have to live Chapter 103: I have to live They say that death can find you anytime. But, there is also another saying in the wind. You can''t die unless it''s your time to die, even if you jump off the top of the building. That''s what happens to Kang Si An. In his drunken stupor, he didn''t notice that the cable got entangled with his left foot. He jumps from the building, falls through the air, hoping that death would free him through his suffering, only to find out that even death doesn''t want him. In the morning, people are shocked to see a man suspended in the middle of the air - one tug and he would fall. They click pictures and make videos. Someone is sane enough to call help. The man is unconscious in the air. It takes a lot of efforts to save that man. Theizens have been dissing him on his social media for leaving such a message. When they hear his attempt at suicide, the reactions are mixed. They don''t know whether to call him attention seeking fool or someone born with an extreme stroke of luck. Even if it was a fake suicide attempt, is there any person in the world who would live because his foot was barely tangled in a cable? It''s luck. Pure luck. His story bes popr again. Many people want to see who this woman is. How cruel she is to him? Why wouldn''t shee and forgive him? Kang Si An wakes up in the hospital. There is only emptiness in his eyes. He gazes out of the window, waiting for death to seek him. "How long are you going to live like that?" Manager Jeong clicks her tongue. She has invested so much in this boy. He is trying to die when he is at the peak of his career. He keeps taking risks, doing whatever he wants where he wants. "It''s just a woman. Get over her. Stop being clingy. Date someone. There are plenty of women who would still throw themselves at your feet. So..." "Clingy?" He looks at her. There is no anger in his eyes. If someone called him clingy before he remembered, he would have argued and fought with that person. The previous Kang Si An was never clingy. There is only that woman who can turn him this way. Their rtionship was older than a thousand years. She left him. He''s still hoping for a miracle. He will never be able to get over her. There is no meaning. He has lost the right to be by her side. Manager Jeong sighs. "Don''t attempt anything like that. Think about your family. How will they feel?" Mother married someonest year. Half brother is trying the acting career. Both are doing well. They don''t need him. He doesn''t need them. There is only one person. Kang Si An spends some days at the hospital. He returns to his home. He hasn''t changed his mind. He prepares the noose to hang himself. Unluckily, the noose breaks down. He stares at the ceiling andughs like a crazy man. The gods must have gone mad. Is he really not allowed to die? "Challenging me?" He won''t give up. He pours himself a drink and mixes it with poisons. He shakes the ss before gulping it down without any hesitation. As his body starts going numb, he lies down on the cold floor. "Kyuri..." "You won''te back. So, I am going away." "I am too weak to bear your punishment." "Please let me say goodbye." However, he wakes up again in the hospital. When he was dying in his apartment, his half-brother decided to check on him and found him poisoned. Kang Si An''s attempt fails. He doesn''t understand what''s going on. "How many times have youe to the hospital?" Manager Jeong shakes her head in disbelief. "Can you stop? Otherwise, I am sending you to a hospital for mentally insane people." "I won''t do it anymore," He tells her with his eyes closed. "I understand. I have to live." He has to keep his promise to her. He has to outlive her. "I hope that you keep your words." Manager Jeong lets out a breath of relief. "This is a new script based on your life. They want to make a movie about your story. They are asking you to y the main role." He doesn''t make any effort to take the script. "Tell them to make a bio of someone who got a Nobel prize." "Your story is interesting. Everyone wants to know why." She puts away the script. He won''t do it and it''s not fair to ask him either. "There are other scripts waiting for you. I will show them to you once you get out of here." Kang Si An rolls on his side and closes his eyes again, wishing to dream about her. Two dayster, he is seen walking alone in the garden. He seems to have aged in thest few days. There are dark circles around his eyes. He has lost too much weight. He takes slow steps, thinking about something. The child also likes candies. Does she have her eyes? She must look like Kyuri. It''s better if the girl looks like her mother more. He is relieved that she is happy where she is. With or without him, her happiness is more important. He stops when he sees an unkempt woman standing in front of her. She is wearing faded clothes. Her facial expression is ugly. It''s hard to believe that she has been called the nation princess once. It''s been more than two years since Ki Mi Ran disappeared from the entertainment industry. One can guess that she isn''t living a good life. "What do you want?" Kang Si An stares at her. "Because of that woman, you ruined me." She res at him. "If she was here, I would have done this to her. I have had enough. Kang Si An, you will pay what you did to me." Before Kang Si An could react, she stabs him. One of the patients in the garden scream. The guardes running and holds her back. Kang Si Any down in his blood as his vision begins to darken. Is he going to die this time? It would be better if he does die. Chapter 104: Mommy bad Chapter 104: Mommy bad [Half a year ago] I heard a saying once. The women are born three times in their lifetimes - the first time as a baby, the second time when they get married, and the third time when they have a child. After I left my family, I found out that I was pregnant. I almostughed at my situation. I wanted to break all ties with him, but he left a child in my womb. I loved that man for more than a thousand years and he did that to me. I didn''t want to remember that night ever. He was that kind of person. It shouldn''t be surprising. In the original timeline, Li Jun was nice to me. He did use his achievements to ask for an emperor decree to marry me. The second time, he wanted to force me to be his concubine. I don''t know what his reincarnations would do if I had stayed close to them. If I had stayed back in the city, what would have Kang Si An done? Even if he remembered, why should I care? I have done enough. I paid my life debt. I paid the price of loving him. What is he doing after remembering anyway? He is using all tactics for me to go back. That won''t happen ever. I will never let him find out about Little Hae. She''s the most precious treasure in my life. My little Hae has be the reason to look forward to every moment of my life. Her smile. Her little stammers. The way her eyes light up when she is happy. Herughter. I want to give her everything that she wants. She looks like Kang Si An. That''s one of the reasons why I am hiding her. Anyone who knew Kang Si An would notice the resemnce. Because of his stupid actions, my face is known all over the country. I will never have a peaceful life with my daughter. I don''t my family to know that Kang Si An is her father. Maybe, I am being stupid. But, I want to keep her away and protect her from the world until she''s ready to face reality. She''s not like me. She isn''t born with any special ability. It''s good for her. I smile when I see her taking cautious steps on the sand. She has learned to walk recently. She''s so adorable. "Little Hae, wait," I call her name when I see her running away from me. She suddenly collides against a pair of legs. Before she could fall on her butt, he grabs her by her shoulders. She raises her little head and looks up at him with awe. "Thank you." I am relieved that she''s not hurt. "I am sorry for this." "It''s okay." His voice is light and friendly. "She''s cute." "Da...dy" Little Hae gazes at him with her round green eyes. "Daddy." "..." I am too speechless to say anything. Just where did she learn that word? I am sure that I only taught her to say ''mommy''. The man is surprised. He beams at me happily. "I didn''t know that I had such an adorable daughter." "She''s not your daughter." I try my best to keep my voice even. Why is my daughter calling a random man her father? "Don''t misunderstand. I don''t know why she would get... such an idea." I try to pull her away from his leg, but she clutches on them harder. She screams on the top of her lungs. Her eyes are full of tears. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" What the... I am a bit inexperienced at motherhood. I don''t want to be harsh. I furrow my brows and try to uncurl her small fingers from his leg. She looks at me with grievances. "Mommy bad." "..." You betrayer. "Little Hae, don''t you want cotton candies?" I smile at her brightly. "We will get one if youe with me. I will get you two cotton candies." She has also inherited Kang Si An''s addiction to sweets. But, my little daughter won''t budge. "Want Daddy." "Little Hae." I am on the verge of losing my temper. If I have to use force, I will use force. "Don''t force her." The man ces his big hand on her head. He must have guessed what I was going to do. "I don''t mind. Where do you stay? I will walk you home." My little daughter is quite satisfied with the oue. Sheughs cheerfully when he carries her in his arms. She ces her head on his shoulder and sucks her thumb. Time to time, she would look in my direction. I am jealous of howfortable she is in a stranger''s arms. Do your mother''s arms not feelfortable to you? "Yeom Young Hwa." The man introduces himself. "I am here on a business trip." "Kwon Kyuri." I guess that I have to be friendly since my daughter is taking advantage of his body shamelessly. I don''t offer more information. He''s a stranger after all. "I wouldn''t mind if she is my real daughter," He winks at me. "You can say that she''s mine. I will not go for a paternity test." I stare at him. "If you want a daughter so much, make one with some woman. Don''t take what doesn''t belong to you." I reach for Little Hae. She cries again when I try to pull her away from him. She holds his neck tighter. I am running out of options here. He suddenly ces his hand on my head, just like he did it with Little Hae. His dark eyes twinkle with amusement. "You have quite a temper, Kyuri. I was only joking. Don''t doubt my intention. I wouldn''t only want the daughter if I want to have her." It urs to me that he might be flirting. I am not used to it. I re at him darkly. I don''t want a man like him around my daughter. "Mr. Yeom, can you handover my daughter?" "Take her if you can." He smirks at me. My daughter also smirks at me. "..." I don''t know what to do now. Chapter 105: I like how you terrorize us Chapter 105: I like how you terrorize us When you have kids, you can say goodbye to a peaceful sleep. "Mommy." She is sitting on my stomach. I force my eyes to open and look at the clock. 5:13 AM. Last night, she would not let him leave. I kicked him out when she was temporarily distracted by a piece of cake that I left in her room. I haven''t forgotten how she looked at me when she found out that I cheated her. I sang. I turned on the cartoons. I asked for her mercy. She kept crying until she fell asleep. Then, I could also sleep. I need to learn how to be a better mother. She pats my cheek. There is pure child-like expectation in her eyes. Her expression breaks my heart. "Mommy, Daddying?" I give her a hug. "Little Hae, I am your daddy and your mommy. I will do everything that a daddy does for her daughter. I will carry you on my back. I will teach you how to ride a bike. I will take you to school every day. When you get married, I will walk you to the altar. I will be the best father and mother to you. Give me a chance, my cotton candy." She probably doesn''t understand half of my words. She slumps her head with a sad expression. She climbs down the bed slowly and walks away. I follow her to the living room. Sheys down on the couch and stares at the ceiling as if the world has ended. I make her baby food first. She eats it with disinterest and doesn''t even nce at the pieces of choctes. She sighs like an old man who has lost everything. I wonder where did she receive this melodramatic streak from. If she wants a daddy so much, can a robot daddy work? Technology is quite advanced these days. I saw an ad of robot mommyst year. Maybe, there is a robot daddy avable. I have a slight headache. My daughter is a bit strange sometimes. Why is it difficult to understand a toddler? Someone rings the doorbell. I wonder who it is. I don''t get visitors usually. This location is a secret. I look at the screen and sees Yeom Young Hwa''s face. Why the hell he is here? "Kyuri, open up." He waves his hand with a wide grin on his face. "I am here to see my daughter." "..." "Daddy." My daughter''s sharp ears perk up. She climbs off the stool and runs to the door. She ms her hands on the door. "Daddy." "Little Hae." He must have heard her voice. "Daddy is here, but your mother is being rude. She won''t let mee and see you." "Daddy..." Little Hae looks at me with watery eyes. Her voice is cracking. She''s going to cry at any moment. Yeom Young Hwa uses the same tone like her. "Little Hae..." If I was the outsider, I would think that Young Hwa was really her father. It must be theck of sleep and my daughter''s depressed face. I open up the door and let hime inside. They hug each other the moment the door is opened. A bright smile appears on my daughter''s face. My heavy heart bes lighter. Yeom Young Hwa startsing frequently. He doesn''t live here. So, there are days that he can''te. She always upset when he can''te to see her. He would give her a video call every night when he''s not here. I feel like my daughter is being stolen away. I have looked into his identity. I wonder why this golden bachelor is interested in being my daughter''s father. Is it some weird hobby? I can''t wrap my head around the idea. I try to distract her. I find her some toddlers to befriend. I hope that she will forget Young Hwa. But, my daughter is stubborn. She will abandon everything that she''s doing and wait for his video call. Little Hae bes closer to him. Young Hwa is also attached to her. He begins to grow on me. It seems like a natural thing that Yeom Young Hwa bes her daddy. Six monthster, three of us are sitting together for dinner. If anyone sees us, they will think that we are a family of three - Father, Mother, and a cunning daughter. I press my palms together and say, "Thanks for the food." My daughter copies my action. "Thanks for the food." Young Hwa also does the same. "Thanks for the food." I look at him. It''s been six months. My daughter is going to be two years old in a few days. I am getting worried about this. How long does he n to pretend to be her father? He picks up the spoon and feeds her with a smile. "Little Hae, you are taller than the kids your age. You got my height." I sigh. He''s tall. He has broad shoulders, a firm body, and a foxy smile. His dark eyes remind me of the dawn after a long night. "Daddy, eat." Little Hae holds her green spoon and takes it toward his mouth. He opens his mouth and eats it like it''s the most delicious food in the world. That''s baby form though. "What about me?" I narrow my eyes on her. "Forgot that I am also -" Young Hwa chuckles and shoves the spoon in my mouth. "Little Hae loves her daddy more than she loves you. Right, Little Hae?" Both of themugh together. I look at him darkly. The baby form tastes weird. "If she starts loving you more than me, I am going to ban you froming here." "You are prettier when you are jealous." He pinches my Little Hae''s cheek softly. "Little Hae, ask your mommy to say yes. Then, all of us can stay together at my home." Little Hae looks at me expectedly. Before she could open her mouth, I stuff it with food. "If you say strange things again, I am banning you from seeing your father. It''s myst warning." She nods her head obediently. I rx my shoulders. I clean her face and put her in her room to y. I need to have a talk with Young Hwa. Ie back to the living room and find him sitting on the couch. There is no television in my house or a radio. I have two phones. I use one to call my family sometimes. The other one is for my trusted minions who are maintaining thepany in my ce. "I like how you terrorize us, father and daughter." He crosses his arms behind his head and rxes his body. "I think that Little Hae inherited this cuteness from you." "She got everything from me." I take a seat opposite him. "Young Hwa, you have pretended to be her father long enough. I think that you should stoping. Little Hae has grown up a bit. She will be able to understand now." She''s a kid. After a few months, she will start pre-school. She will be busy enough to forget Young Hwa. It should be done when she is still young. "I mean it when I said that we can be a whole family." He watches me seriously with his dark eyes. "How long are you going to hide here? You don''t have to be afraid of Kang Si An. He can''t do anything. I can protect you. Little Hae needs aplete family. I will be a lucky man if you and Little Hae be my family." It''s not surprising that he knows about me. If I can look into his information, such a powerful man can also look into me. I don''t know how much he knows about me though. It''s likely that he doesn''t know about my abilities and my 1000 years old history. Only my family, the timekeepers, and Kang Si An are aware of that. My involvement with Kang Si An is not exactly a secret. He must have guessed who Little Hae''s real father is. I appreciate that Young Hwa didn''t report me to him. I just didn''t expect that he would seriously ask us to be with him. "Young Hwa, I am not the right person for you." Chapter 106: Hes more handsome Chapter 106: He''s more handsome "Kyuri, how are you not right for me? I am the one who isckingpared to you. It''s me who needs you and Little Hae. Little Hae also loves me as her father. " Yeom Young Hwa takes my hand and pats it. "You don''t think that it''s best for Little Hae if we be a whole family? " I take my hand back. Little Hae is peeking at us curiously. Can she live without Young Hwa? Will she cry again if I ban him froming? What''s the best decision for her? All I want is for her to be happy. I want to give her everything that she needs and wants. I want to be everything for her, but she still needs someone like Young Hwa. I say to him, "I will think about it." A month is gone. Nothing has changed between us. I get caught while I am on the call with my brother, thanks to Little Hae. Young Hwa is also there. He asks me why I didn''t introduce him. I don''t know either. A part of me is reluctant to ept him as a part of my life, though I am slowly getting used to him. My daughter learns things fast. Ever since she saw me calling her uncle, she tries to make a call too. I have to hide the phones away from her. One day, her toddler friend Jimmyins about not having a television at our home. She asks me what television is. I wonder if I should get one. I didn''t have one before because I don''t want to see Kang Si An identally. I don''t have social media ounts. I don''t want to hear or see anything about him in case I waver. Kids like watching cartoons. That''s the only reason why I bring one to the house. *** The loud voice of the television breaks me out of my trance. Kang Si An''s movie is ying on the screen. daughter is looking at it with awe while holding the remote in her hands. Little Hae turns her chubby head toward me. She points at the screen. "Daddy?" "..." She suddenly presses her face on the screen and tries to hug the TV with her little arms. "Daddy" No. I take the remote from her hand and change the channel to cartoons. She starts crying and protesting. "Daddy! Daddy! Daddy!" I am horrified when I realize that she might be calling Young Hwa her daddy because he is handsome. Will she choose everyone as her father as long as they are handsome? "That''s not your daddy." I have a headache because of her shrill cries. "Why do you call all the handsome men your daddy? Can''t you think about your mother''s pride once? Because of you, I already have Young Hwa. How many dads do you want?" She pouts and runs away from me. She has a temper too. Just then, Young Hwa walks in. "Did mother and daughter fight again?" He picks her up in his arms. "Why is Little Hae troubling her mother?" She looks at him coyly and coils her little arms around his neck. "Daddy, I want daddy." Hearing that makes me realize that nothing is going right in my life. Yeom Young Hwa smiles at her gently. "I am here, Little Hae." "No, Daddy." She points at Kang Si An on the screen. "That daddy I also want, Daddy." "..." Young Hwa is also speechless. She needs to be educated on somethings. "Little Hae, a child has only one daddy and only one mother. That''s thew of society. Your mother is me." I don''t say more. Kang Si An is her real father. Maybe when she grows up, I will reveal the truth. I will tell her everything. She will probably understand me. "Little Hae." He rubs her head. "Am I not handsome enough for you?" She shakes her head and points at the screen again. "He''s more handsome." I turn off the TV. I pick it up and throw it out of my house right away. She''s a bit scared. I don''t hate seeing that expression on her face because of me. I need to cool down. I am not proud of what I did. I step out of the house for a moment. Little Hae is a kid. It''s my fault that she has turned out like this. I must have done something wrong. "Come inside." Young Hwa opens the door. "I have put her on the bed." I walk back into the house. I pace around the room. There are too many thoughts in my mind. Young Hwa puts his hands on my shoulder and forces me to stand still. "Calm down." I don''t know how to calm down. "Kids are like that." He makes me sit on the couch. "They are easily attracted to eye-catching things. We will work on her habit." He pauses for a moment. "I think that she needs a father figure in her life. She needs aplete family. Little Hae is different from other kids. I am not around her all the time. I think that my absence affects her." I wonder if it''s really because she doesn''t have a permanent father figure in her life. I should have understood that she''s different from other children. One can''t say how children get affected. For the first time since she is born, I realize that Young Hwa is right. My daughter needs aplete family unless I want her to seek her daddy in every handsome male she sees. She needs to have a father figure who is there for her. He puts his hand on the top of my head. I realize why Little Hae likes it when he does this to her. It has a calming effect. "You are right. She needs a father." I let out a sigh. "Marrying you because she needs a father is wrong." He doesn''t say anything. I turn to look at him. I find him staring at me. The atmosphere is suddenly ambiguous. What''s going inside his head? I purse my lips. "You need a woman who loves you wholeheartedly." His lips press against mine. It''s so sudden. I be still. He pulls away quickly. His eyes shine as he tucks away strands of my hair behind my ear. "Kyuri, I like you a lot. I want to build a home with you and Little Hae. I want to grow old with Little Hae and you. Give us a chance. We can get married and find love together with Little Hae." Give him a chance for Little Hae? I don''t know why I feel cold. I hope that I am not taking a wrong decision. "Let''s take a chance." For the sake of my daughter, I will give this man a chance. Chapter 107: Little Hae came to live with daddy Chapter 107: Little Hae came to live with daddy "People are still making bets." Manager Jeong releases a weak sigh when she looks at the tabloid news on her phone. In thest three years, Kang Si An had too many near-death experiences. He got into an ident. He nearly killed himself while sitting in front of Kwon Kyuri''s house just after his surgeries. He jumped from a building to kill himself. He poisoned himself. He got stabbed by his ex. Even she''s surprised that he''s still alive. Kang Si An has heard of it, but he couldn''t care less. He has stopped trying to use the poprity to send any messages. He hasn''t visited her home since then. He''s hoping that she''s doing fine. Living mechanically every day, he aches every moment to see her once more. She won''t forgive him. She just won''t. At least, she''s living a happy life. "I am relieved to see that you are moving on." Manager Jeong has been visiting him regrly. The kid is like her younger brother. "You are only 24. There is so much in the world to experience and see. You will find love again. I am sure of it." No, he won''t. It''s only been her. Ki Mi Ran, Wu Qiuyue, Wu Xiuying, and all the other women are nothingpared to her. Why did he forget her? Why did he make the same mistake that he made when he was Li Jun? Is it because he didn''t meet her? No, he slept with Ki Mi Ran even after meeting her in this lifetime. His stupid heart couldn''t recognize the woman his soul wanted to be with. He didn''t want to waver because Ki Mi Ran was already pregnant with his child. The child is gone. She is also gone. There is nothing left in his life. She came to him despite everything that he did. He hurt her. He failed her. In the previous lifetimes, she left him because of the timekeeper. He knew that she loved him back. In this lifetime, she left him on her will and she doesn''t love him back anymore. This is her punishment. It''s worse than anything that he experienced. He has to bear it. "I want to see her again," He mumbles to himself hopelessly. Maybe, the gods will pity him. Maybe, a miracle will ur. Maybe, she will forgive him. [Ladies and Gentlemen, wee to the S City Airpot.] "We are back home." Manager Jeong didn''t hear his mumbles. They had to stay in a foreign country for shooting some scenes for the new drama. "You already have work. Why did you sign so many dramas? Do you want to overwork yourself and me to death?" He looks out of the window. It''s dark outside. He looks out of the window. It''s dark outside. He''s busy when he is working. At night, he relies on alcohol to numb his aching soul. This city doesn''t feel like his home anymore. Three years ago, he lost his home *** "Little Hae, stand here," Her mommy tells her with a warning tone. "I need to get our luggage. Don''t move from this spot." Little Hae nods and watches her mother go toward the moving luggage. She looks around. There are not many people at this time of the night. Her sleepiness is gone when she sees her daddy''s face. She sprints toward him, squealing with glee. She stumbles on her foot and falls on her face. Her eyes fill with tears and she sniffles because of the pain. Her daddy notices her andes toward her. "Little girl." He has pretty green eyes. "Where are you hurt? Let me see." He helps her stand up and takes a look at the wounds on her knees. Her daddy bends his head and blows air on her wounds. "Kang Si An, we arete." Manager Jeong yawns. "Let the airport staff handles this." "It''s okay, Manager Jeong. We will help her find her parents." "Daddy, don''t go." Little Hae grabs him by his ears. "Stay." Rather, she loves his beautiful face. "Kang Si An, why is she calling you her daddy?" Manager Jeong is alert. "Don''t tell me... you have a secret daughter." "I think that her father looks like me." Kang Si An smiles at the girl. He doesn''t know why his heart feels an inexplicable joy when she calls him daddy. The girl has green eyes, just like him. If he ever had a daughter, she might have looked like her. "Love, what''s your name?" "Little Hae is also Kwon Hae." She tells him with excitement, "Mommy and Little Hae came to live with daddy." That name is... Is this a coincidence? Isn''t Kyuri''s daughter is also... "Little Hae!" That voice. When he looks up and sees her running toward him, he feels an electric jolt through his body. He widens his eyes, taking her image in. It''s been three years. She hasn''t changed one bit. She looks at him with shock. Her face turns pale. Her eyes fall on the little girl in front of him. Feeling like a dead maning back to life, he stares at the little girl tugging his ears. The girl has a wide grin on her face. He gasps when the realization hits him. Kyuri snatches her away before he could react. "Little Hae, didn''t I tell you that you have only one father? He is waiting for us." Without another word, she turns around to leave. He grabs her arm to stop her. "Kyuri." "Mister, I don''t like being touched by a stranger." She is holding Little Hae with both of her arms. It takes all of her efforts to keep the notorious wiggling girl still in her arms. She can''t push him right away. "Let go of me before I scream." Some people have noticed them. Manager Jeong realizes that the girl is Kwon Kyuri. She observes that the girl''s face in her arms has a 99% simrity to Kang Si An. No DNA test is needed. Kang Si An is also shocked. So, he must not have known about the child. Putting 2 and 2 together, she gets the situation. "Kyuri, is she my..." Kang Si An is breathless. He already knows the answer. "Why did you not tell me about her?" Kyuri blinks her eyes at him. "Stranger, I don''t know what you are talking about. Let go of my arm right now." She has had enough. She uses her one arm to support the little girl and jerks his hand off her. Before she could run away, Little Hae climbs up on her mother''s shoulder like a little monkey and jumps in Kang Si An''s direction. Chapter 108: On what rights, are you her father? Chapter 108: On what rights, are you her father? Kyuri screams in fear when Little Hae jumps suddenly. However, Kang Si An catches her in his arms. Little Haeughs loudly. Her pureugh melts his heart. She coils her arms around his neck and says, "Daddy, do it again." "Do what again?" Kyuri scowls at Little Hae. "I shouldnd you my shoulder and let you make a jump again. Little Hae, I ban you from eating candies for a week." Eating candies? He smiles at Little Hae. "You also love sweets?" Little Hae nods. "Little Hae also likes you." Kyuri sighs and tries to take the girl from Kang Si An, but he turns his backs on her. By then, people have noticed them. Kang Si An is recognized right away. Some people are also making a video. Manager Jeong purses her lips. If this gets out, it''s bad for them. "Kang Si An, stop right now," Kyuri loses her temper and yells at him. "Promise me that you won''t run away." He isn''t willing. He knows well that she will run away. Without exnation, he isn''t letting her go. Who knows where this woman will take away his daughter? He might never see his daughter again. Each time Kyuri tries toe in front of him to take the girl, he would turn around. Little Hae continues tough when she sees her mommy running around her daddy. The crowd is also enjoying the show. Manager Jeong decides to intervene even if it means losing her life. She wraps her arms around Kyuri''s belly and pulls her away from Kang Si An. "Kang Si An, I will kill you if you don''t return my daughter now," Kyuri screams at him and tries to break free. But, Manager Jeong is a ck belt. "She''s my daughter too." Kang Si An holds his daughter possessively. He gave up everything before. He thought that there was nothing left in his life. Seeing Kyuri again and finding out about his daughter has injected him with new hope. "On what rights, did you keep her a secret from me?" "What rights?" Kyuriughs like a madwoman. "On what rights, are you her father? Answer me, Kang Si An." "Kyuri, I know that I have done wrong." Kang Si An steps backward. "But, she''s still my daughter. She''s my only child. You want to hate me. Then, hate me. But, doing this is to me... you know how much I love you. You are the reason for my existence. I couldn''t live or sleep for thest three years. You were nning to keep me in dark till our death." He''s d that he didn''t die. He would have died without knowing. He has a child. A lovely child like her who calls him father. "She''s not your only child." Kyuri shows a bitter expression. "Little Hua was also your son. Ki Mi Ran''s unborn baby was also your child. I didn''t ask you to live miserably after I left. Love me? Don''t make meugh. I am easily receable in your life. Ki Mi Ran reced me. Little Hua''s mother reced me." Her piercing words stab him everywhere. He looks at her with hot tears in his eyes. She''s never receable. He can bet on his life and say that she was never receable. Kyuri didn''t stop screaming at him. She''s also crying. "You never loved me. It was just because of him. You were forced to feel for me to find me and make his job easier. When there was no need, someone else came to your life. You did the same things with them that you once did with me. How do you dare to say that you love me? It''s not love, Kang Si An. Wake up. I don''t care what you do. Give my Little Hae back. You will have many reasons to live again. It''s not the same for me." "It''s not like that, Kyuri." Kang Si An didn''t know that she thought things like this. "My feelings for you aren''t unreal. You are never receable. I am sorry for everything that I did before I remembered. Please forgive me once. You know that things weren''t in my control." "Even if I consider the fact that you didn''t remember, that doesn''t change anything." She lowers her head. "That night three years ago... if it wasn''t me, it would have been someone else. You would have done the same things to that woman. Then... Little Hae''s mother would have been someone else too." When Little Hae sees her mommy cry, she struggles in Kang Si An''s arms. He puts her down slowly, going numb because of Kyuri''s words. Little Hae runs to her mother and hugs her. "Mommy, don''t cry." That only makes her sob harder. Yeom Young Hwa has only heard thest past of Kyuri''s outburst. He takes long steps toward Kyuri and covers her with his coat. He picks up Little Hae in his arms and smiles at her mildly. "Little Hae made trouble again." "Daddy, Little Hae is sorry." She presses her face on her father''s shoulder. Kang Si An is jolted awake when he hears her call someone else her father. Yeom Young Hwa pulls Kyuri''s arm to make her stand up. He embraces her with his one arm and whispers to her, "Kyuri, I am sorry for beingte." Kang Si An can''s see Kyuri''s face hidden under the coat. He feels a sense of urgency. His daughter. His love. They will be gone. He rushes to them and grabs her wrist when Young Hwa is leading her away from the spot. "Kyuri, she''s my daughter." He speaks with desperation in his voice. "You... I only love you. With everyone else, my life was an illusion that I didn''t understand before I remembered. You are my rity. Don''t leave me." She clutches Young Hwa''s shirt and trembles once. Her resolve is wavering. Young Hwa pulls her hand away Kang Si An. He tells him calmly. "You should stop now. This is not the right ce to make a scene. You have already done enough. My fiancee and I will discuss the child custody with youter." Without another nce, Young Hwa takes away Kyuri and Little Hae with him. Kang Si An can only watch. Chapter 109: Trust me, I am a superwoman Chapter 109: Trust me, I am a superwoman Young Hwa brings her and Little Hae to his ce. Little Hae is already asleep. She can''t handle going to her house and face her family. They don''t know that she wasing. The real reason she decided toe back after 3 years was because of Yeom Young Hwa. She was going to introduce him to her family. Their rtionship is neither tonic nor like lovers. It hasn''t progressed to the state where he could stay with her in the same room. But, there is some progress. He puts Little Hae on the bed. The child''s face is peaceful now. A little while ago, the child was really distressed to see her mother''s crying. Kyuri is sitting on the bed. His coat is still covering her head. He gets a soaked cloth and wipes her face first. The woman looks at him with deep sadness in her eyes. Young Hwa smiles kindly and takes her both hands. "Kyuri, what happened three years ago?" He asks her quietly. She looks down at their hands, unable to say anything. "Kang Si An is her father." Young Hwa speaks to her softly, "If you don''t want him to see her, you need a solid reason." She remains silent. He sighs. He gets it. It''s not easy to forget a past love. It''s been him who wanted her. It was from the moment he saw her. The woman''s expressions were interesting. The child was also the reason. The same interest drove him to see the child and her mother again. Slowly, it grew to something more. He was eager to see them again. When he was here, he would only think about this woman and her daughter. He felt like they were his family. "I will talk to him." He hears her say, "He won''t bother us again. I will see him tomorrow." Seeing her pale face and the dark look in her eyes, he frowns at her slightly. "Kyuri, what are you going to do?" "Young Hwa." She ces her hand on his shoulder. "I told you that I will give us a chance. I mean it. After I am done talking to him, I will take you to my family. I will also meet your family. We will get married when you want." "I wille with you." He is afraid that something bad would happen to her. Kang Si An''s temper is not good. "You are my fiancee. I can''t let you see another man alone." Kyuri chuckles lowly. "Trust me, I am a superwoman. I will let you in my secrets one by one. Otherwise, you might run away because of the shock." Young Hwa lets out a sigh. A woman like her won''t like to be told what to do. "Okay, I will trust you. I already think that you are a superwoman." She smiles at him sadly. "Young Hwa, thank you for today." "Don''t thank me." He kisses the back of her hand. "I am sorry that you had to go through that alone." He pats her head until she falls asleep, watching both mother and daughter. Though Little Hae looks a lot like Kang Si An, Young Hwa observes that she has the same peaceful expression as her mother. *** "Don''t make trouble," Kyuri warns Little Hae who is sitting on Young Hwa''sp. Little Hae gives her a solemn nod, still affected by Kyuri''s outburst. She won''t make trouble. She doesn''t want to see her mother cry again. "Kyuri, Little Hae and I will have fun when you are gone." Young Hwa rubs Little Hae''s head, understanding what''s going inside his lovely daughter''s head. He doesn''t want her to change too much. Kids should enjoy childhood. That''s how memories are made. "She can make some trouble with me." "Tch! Don''t overdo it," Kyuri tells him. She kisses Little Hae''s forehead. Young Hwa also raises his head, looking at her expectedly. She hesitates before pecking his forehead. After waving at the father and daughter, she leaves the house. She doesn''t like saying goodbye even if it means that she is only going out for a while. In a cab on the road to Kang Si An''s apartment, she calls his number. He hasn''t changed his number yet. After three rings, he picks up. His voice is hoarse and sluggish. "Who is this?" "Me." Kyuri clenches and unclenches her fist. "We need to have a talk. Where are you?" "I am at my ce." Kang Si An''s voice bes louder. "I wille to see you. Where are you?" "Stay at your apartment. I aming there." Kyuri realizes how desperate she sounds. But, she''s tired. She won''t let him see Little Hae. She will do whatever it takes. She knows how stubborn and persistent he is. He''s the man who can even dy death because he wanted her toe and see him for onest time. Chapter 110: You are an irreplaceable part of me Chapter 110: You are an irreceable part of me Kang Si An bites his fingers. He''s nervous and restless. He has taken a quick bath,bed his hair, and worn clean clothes. He has done his best to clean the house in a short amount of time. He looks into his refrigerator. There are only frozen foods and bottles of beer. He curses madly. He should have brought something. What can he cook for her? He checks if he has some coffee. He should order food that Kyuri likes. He wonders if it will be delivered on time. He should order it anyway. In case, she decides to go out, where he should take her? He checks the list of restaurants. The doorbell rings. He jumps and drops his phone. He doesn''t look at the broken screen of his phone. He runs to the door and opens it. He is dazed when he sees her. She is wearing the same clothes that she wore yesterday. Her face is slightly pale. There is no smile on her face. He lifts his hand to reach out to her, but his hand stops midway. Her yesterday''s words echo in his head. "Aren''t you going to ask me toe inside?" She asks him coolly. "I am sorry." He steps aside to make way. When she enters the room, he closes the door. He wipes his sweaty hands. "Please, sit." When did they be so formal? His heart tightens at the thought. Things can never be the same again between them. It''s been broken by him. She doesn''t take a seat. He notices that her hands are shaking a bit. She''s afraid of him. "Kyuri, I..." He sits down on his knees in front of her. "I am sorry for what I did to you that night. If you want to punish me, please punish me in other ways. Send me to prison. Ask me to be a eunuch. Throw me to the wolves. But, don''t hide her away from me. Please stay where I can see you and her. If you love someone else, I won''t bother you. Just... stay where I can see you both." "I am bothered every time I see you." Her voice is monotonous. Her eyes are empty of any emotion. "How can I ept your request?" Kang Si An kowtows to her desperately. His forehead hits the concrete and starts bleeding. "I will do anything to get your forgiveness. Just don''t disappear again." Kyuri isn''t moved. She didn''t know where her coldness came from. She bends down on her one knee and ces her palm on the floor. He stops when his head hits her hand. He looks up at her helplessly, hoping and not hoping. Does she still care about him? "Kang Si An, I will free you from your misery." Kyuri smiles at him softly. He stares into her eyes. His heart dares to hope. Will she forgive him? She cleans the blood on his forehead with her sleeves. She caresses his face. Kang Si An watches her intently, daring to feel the love from her. Her smile turns soft as she smashes all of his hopes with her following words. "Both of us have had enough. A thousand years is more than enough. If you didn''t remember, you wouldn''t be going through this." He feels that something isn''t right. "Kyuri, you asked me what I would have done if it was another woman that night. I would have asked for her forgiveness. I would have asked her to punish me. If she wanted to kill me, I would have let her do so. What I did was a monstrous crime. What I did to you was even worse. But, you are an irreceable part of me. That fact will never change." Kyuri lets him hug her. Kang Si An feels as if she''s going further away. He doesn''t know what to do. Helpless, he hugs her tighter. Then, she speaks slowly to him, "I know that you won''t stoping after me whether I marry Young Hwa or go to another continent because you know about Little Hae now. Kang Si An, I want to be freed from you. When Little Hae grows up, I will tell her about you. But, you will never remember anything about us again" Kang Si An bes still when he realizes the meaning of her words. He didn''t think that she hated her that much. He tries to push her away, but it''s toote. "Don''t do that to me, Kyuri." Her consciousness falls into his mind. He does his best to resist, but she is way stronger. If she hadn''t been drunk that night, she could have stopped him from doing what he did. It would have been better if she wasn''t drunk. Who knew that a drunk state of her mind can block her abilities? It wasn''t the same before she absorbed the time crystal. In his mind, she sees countless memories of them together. His raw feelings try to push her out. She does her best not to kill him or turn her into a piece of vegetable when he is fighting against her violently. She flicks her fingers and puts all the memories in a ck box. She dumps it into the deep unconsciousness. His past lives. Their thousand years old love. Thest 3 years. Even the day he met her in this lifetime. Everything is gone. She is about to leave when she feels something holding her back. The voice whispers to her, "Even if mind forgets, the soul will remember." "You didn''t remember before." She stares into the presence. "You can try to break the curse that I put on you. I guess that you will get what you want. You will see me and Little Hae. You will never recognize us as Kang Si An while you will continue to suffer inside him. I told you that I was a witch from the depth of the hell. Wee to hell now." She pushes away the presence and leaves his mind. Kang Si An has lost his consciousness. His body slumps down on the floor. Kyuri puts him on the bed and covers him with a nket. She walks to the living room. Her foot hits the broken phone. She doesn''t pick it up. "Goodbye," She mumbles before she closes the door behind her. Chapter 111: Secret between daddy and Little Hae Chapter 111: Secret between daddy and Little Hae In the elevator, her feet lose her strength. She squats down on the floor, cold sweats rolling down on her forehead. She has done something horrible. She has used her abilities for wrong. She recalls how he struggled against her. She is sick and disgusted by herself, nearly throwing up. It''s for the best. They need to be freed from each other. She keeps telling herself, crying alone. She manages to walk out of the building. She doesn''t want to go back to Young Hwa and her daughter right now. She doesn''t want them to see her like this. She walks on the street until she reaches a park. She sits on the bench and gazes at the green grass that reminds her of Kang Si An''s eyes. "Kang Si An, we end up hurting each other without mercy. We bring out the worse in each other. That''s why we must part and live. Little Hae needs one of us to be a better person. I don''t want her to see the worse of us." She closes her eyes and tries to calm herself. Her phone is ringing, but she''s not picking it up. Sitting beside her, Kang Si An is gazing at her with sorrowful eyes. Indeed, they bring out the worse in each other. He''s hurting her always. Because of him, she''s at this state. "You did nothing wrong," He tells her. "You can never do anything wrong, Kyuri." She can''t hear him. His voice won''t reach her. She might be able to travel in time. She can get into other people''s minds and dreams. She can''t see lingering souls around her. Kyuri takes a deep long breath before she picks up Young Hwa''s call. She says with a heavy voice, "Young Hwa." [Is everything alright?] "Yes, yes, everything is fine." [It''s almost lunchtime. Little Hae misses you.] "I am on my way." Kang Si An follows her to Young Hwa''s house. He is surprised to see a big mansion. He didn''t know that Kyuri was already staying at another man''s house. Pained, he forced himself to go inside. His apartment is nothingpared to this mansion. There are not many servants or maids. Young Hwa must like to live a quiet life. Kyuri doesn''t show any sadness and pretends to be okay in front of Young Hwa and Little Hae. She hugs Little Hae joyfully and spins her around. Young Hwa smiles at her. The talk must have gone well. He wants to know what happened with Kang Si An. Seeing herughing with Little Hae, he decides that he will ask her some other time. Little Hae turns her head toward Kang Si An and blinks her round eyes at him. "Mommy, you brought daddy?" Kyuri doesn''t understand the meaning of her words. "Yes, daddy is already here. Let''s get ready. We will meet your grandfather with your daddy." Little Hae looks in the direction of Kang Si An. Why is this daddy here? Before she can ask anymore, her mother ushers her to the bathroom for a bath. Young Hwa is relieved. He goes to his room to get dressed. It''s a big day. Kang Si An realizes that she can see him. He wonders why. Little Hae can''t see other random ghosts wandering around. Is it because he is her father? He watches Kyuri ying with her in bathwater. Her smile is natural. The agony in her heart is well-hidden, but he can see it. She''s hurt because she did that to him. "Mommy, daddy is here." Little Hae looks at Kang Si An. Kyuri also looks in the direction where her daughter is looking. She sees nothing. Little Hae must be talking about Young Hwa being in the house. "Yes, he''s here. After mommy and daddy get married, all of us will stay together as you wanted. Are you happy, Little Hae?" Little Hae furrows her small brows. Kang Si An smiles and puts his finger on his lip. "Don''t tell. It''s a secret between daddy and Little Hae." She nods and chuckles delightfully. "Mommy, Little Hae is happy." Kyuri sighs. She feels exhausted. She said that she would try, but her heart is reluctant. She wraps the towel around her daughter and takes her outside. She sighs again before she opens her luggage. It''s winter right now. She dresses up her daughter warmly. "Little Hae, I have a lot to tell you when you grow up. Don''t be mad at me, okay?" "Little Hae loves mommy." Little Hae grins and looks at Kang Si An. She''s happy that her mommy brought her daddy to her. "Little Hae loves daddy." He reaches for her, but his hand passes through her head. She looks surprised, but she''s not afraid. He''s unable to touch or hug his only daughter when she''s so close. He smiles mournfully. "I love you too, Little Hae." "You love your daddy a lot." Kyuri kisses her daughter''s forehead. "Your mommy will do her best to build a happy home for you." Kang Si An looks at the mother of his child - the woman he has loved for more than a thousand years. He can only watch while she builds a happy home with Little Hae and an another man. There is no ce for him there. "Kyuri." He whispers her name close to her ear. "I am sorry." If he apologizes every day, she might take pity on him. Chapter 112: Daddy with green eyes Chapter 112: Daddy with green eyes Kyuri''s parents are shocked to suddenly find out about their granddaughter and a fiance. They take some time to collect themselves. They know that their daughter hasn''t been the same since she woke up. She has given them no choices, but ept all her decisions without any question. All other things are smoothened out by Little Hae. "Grandfather." Little Hae raises her arms. "Pick." Kyuri''s father is dazed. Little Hae''s cute face sways his old heart. He picks up his little granddaughter. She grins at him, showing her small white teeth. Her green eyes remind him of someone. He nces at Kyuri who only smiles at him. His daughter has suffered. At least, his daughter and granddaughter are home. "Little Hae, I am your uncle." Ki Hoon points at his face. "We talked on the phone once." Little Hae doesn''t remember their short interaction. But, she waggles her arms happily. "Uncle." "Yes, I knew that you wouldn''t forget me." Ki Hoon holds his nose high. "My niece is a genius." Kang Si An rolls his eyes. Why did that uncle doubt that his daughter is not a genius? She''s born with his looks and brains without a doubt. "Let me take a look at my granddaughter." Kyuri''s motheres closer to Little Hae. "She has Kyuri''s nose and ears." "Kyuri has my nose and ears," Kyuri''s father says proudly. Her mother res at him. "How does she has your nose? She has my nose. We already discussed it many times. Kyuri has my nose. Ki Hoon has your nose." "No, I think that Ki Hoon has your nose." Kyuri''s father argues back. Little Hae looks at them with surprise. From the side, Kang Si An mumbles, "Are your eyes on the back of your head? She has my nose." Young Hwa and Kyuri are forgotten. They lean their backs against the wall and look at everyone with a smile. Young Hwa: "Your family loves you a lot." Kyuri: "I am quite lucky in that regard." Young Hwa: "My family will also love you." She turns to look at him. "How are you so sure?" He''s 30 years old man with a tall and toned figure, broad shoulders, and amber eyes. He has a strong jaw, straight nose, and piercing gaze. Graduated from a prestigious university, a powerful conglomerate, he has neither warm nor cold personality in the world of business. People are usually cautious when they approach him. However, there is a warm and affectionate look in his eyes whenever he is gazing at a certain woman. He is the only son. His parents have been on frequent trips to enjoy their umpteenth honeymoons in their old days. They have been pestering him to get married since he turned 25. He''s been dying it. The reason has always been unclear. "You are easy to love." He winks at her. "You and Little Hae captured my heart in the speed of light. I am sure that my parents will also get spellbound to you and her." "You make me sound like I am an easy woman," She grumbles unhappily. "Anyone can fall for you effortlessly." He holds her hand. "Thank you for bringing me here." Kang Si An listens to their words. He nces at their hands. It agonizes him to watch. Can he exist every day seeing her belong to someone else? He doesn''t know. He can only exist one moment at a time. She''s with someone who wouldn''t hurt her as he hurt her once. "Son,e." Kyuri''s mother calls Yeom Young Hwa. "Why are you still standing there?" Yeom Young Hwa is touched by the way she called him. Kyuri walks along with him to her mother. Kang Si An looks at her back longingly. He has long lost the right to stand beside her. Kyuri''s family starts interrogating Yeom Young Hwa. He answers their questions well. Even Kwon Ki Hoon is satisfied with him as his brother inw. Little Hae climbs off her mother''sp and walks to Kang Si An sitting on the floor with despair in his eyes. "Daddy, why are you sad?" He raises his head and beams at her, hiding his pain deep inside him. "I am no longer sad since you are here." Yes, this is probably for the best. He can still be with his daughter and Kyuri. He can keep his memories and stay beside them. It will be painful, but he can be there for them. "Little Hae, what are you doing here alone?" Ki Hoon squats down in front of her. "Talking to..." She sees Kang Si An shaking his head. "Uncle, it''s a secret." "Secret?" Ki Hoonughs. His niece already has secrets when she''s not fully 3 years old yet. "You are a lot like your mother. You are going to give her the same hell that she gave us." "I didn''t give you any hell." Kyuri pulls his ear. "Why are you badmouthing me to my daughter?" "Hey, who is the older sibling here? Don''t pull my ear. It hurts." Ki Hoonins, but she doesn''t let go of him. Little Hae nces at Kang Si An and then, at her mother. Can nobody else see her daddy? Yeom Young Hwa leaves after dinner. Kyuri and Little Hae stay with her family. Young Hwa''s parents are not back from the trip. So, they have to wait a while. Kyuri also wants to spend some time with her family and her daughter together. "Daddy, Little Hae can''t touch." Little Hae tries to touch Kang Si An''s arm. Her small hands pass through him. Kang Si An is miserable. He can''t hold his flesh in his arms when she''s approaching him like this. Kyuri walks into the room at the same time. She sees Little Hae waving her hands in the air with a sad face. She can''t understand what''s going on. Little Hae seems to be talking to air sometimes. Suspicious, she grabs Little Hae''s wrist and concentrates. She can''t sense any ability. Then, why is her daughter acting strange? "Little Hae, are you hiding something from me?" She asks her daughter sternly. Little Hae looks at Kang Si An who shakes his head. "Daddy said that it''s a secret." "Young Hwa did?" She frowns at her. What kind of secret can he have with her daughter? Her daughter is acting strange. Little Hae shakes her head. "Other daddy." "Little Hae, don''t say that," Kang Si An tells her with a small voice. "I want to stay beside you. Your mother won''t let me stay if she finds out." "Huh?" Kyuri is bbergasted. What other daddy? As much as she knows, there is Kang Si An and Yeom Young Hwa. Did her daughter pick up the third daddy from somewhere? "Who is your other daddy?" Little Hae blinks at Kang Si An, wondering what to say. She wants him to stay beside her. She also doesn''t want to lie to her mother. Her little head is full of dilemma. "Little Hae?" Kyuri pulls her on herp. "Tell me. I am your mother. I won''t scold you You can tell me anything." "Daddy with green eyes." Little Hae runs away after revealing the secret. Chapter 113: Stay beside you as a soul Chapter 113: Stay beside you as a soul Kyuri looks around and sees nothing. There is an odd feeling in her heart. Why did her daughter speak about Kang Si An? He''s the only man with green eyes. Did hee to meet her without her knowledge? She is sure that she locked his memories. Kang Si An sighs. She will find out the truth now. She runs down the stairs. She doesn''t know what to do. After some thinking, she dials Kang Si An''s number first. His number cannot be connected. She rubs her forehead and thinks again. Did she fail? Little Hae won''t lie to her. She picks up her coat and leaves the house. She goes straight to Kang Si An''s ce. His house is locked. She looks around for a while, but she sees no one. His phone is unreachable and his house is locked. A bad feelinges to her heart. Is he nning to do something bad? Sneaking to see Little Hae behind her back? He must be trying to take her away from her. She wipes her sweaty hands on her clothes. Kang Si An could guess what''s going on inside her mind. He witnesses how low she thinks of him. He doesn''t me her. He''s the one to me. He broke her trust first. She gets down the apartment, worried. She wonders if she should call Yeom Young Hwa. But, she doesn''t want to overreact before verifying the facts. Kang Si An is many things, but he isn''t sneaky. He''s the type who would havee to see her directly after what happened between them unless he has changed. She recalls his manager phone number from the memories of the previous life. There have been a time when she lived with Kang Si An and became familiar with Manager Jeong. [Who?] "I need to talk to Kang Si An. Where is he?" [Who are you? How do you have my number?] Kyuri pauses for a moment. "Kwon Kyuri." [Oh.] There is a long silence. [You haven''t seen the news?] "What news?" Her heart bes still. [Kang Si An hasn''t woke up for more than a week. He''s currently at the hospital.] She drops the phone. The call is immediately disconnected. Kyuri ces her hand over her chest. There is a sharp pain in her heart. Kang Si An is in the hospital. It''s been more than a week. Isn''t it''s been more than a week since she used her abilities on him? Then, because of her... he is there. Did she break his mind and turn him into a living dead? Seeing her trembling and crying in a devastated state, Kang Si An tries to hold her. But, he can''t. No matter what he does, he''s nothing but air to her. He moves his head closer to her ear, "Kyuri, don''t me yourself. It was my choice." When she reaches the hospital, she sees him lying on the bed. He''s breathing on the machine. "What happened to him?" She asks the doctor injecting medication in his body. "Who are you?" The doctor looks at her strangely. Actor Kang Si An is famous. A lot of his fans try toe here. "I am his family," Kyuri tells her without hesitation. "He is the father of my child. Tell me what happened to him." Kang Si An is surprised to hear those words. He didn''t expect that she would ever say them. She still considers him as her family. She doesn''tpletely hate him. But... "Mr. Kang was found in this state at his home. It''s been more than a week. He hasn''t woken up. We are running tests to find the cause. We will inform you when we find out." The doctor tells her a few other things, but Kyuri isn''t listening. She knows it now. She''s the cause behind this state. The doctor realizes that she''s being ignored. She leaves the ward to check on other patients. Kyuri walks to Kang Si An''s body. He looks like he''s asleep. She ces her hand on his forehead and closes her eyes. Her consciousness sinks into him. She only finds darkness. There''s nothing. "I don''t get it." She looks at him with terror and grief. "How could you do this to me? You would rather stay like this than wake up with no memories of us. You are a foul man. You would use any means to make mee to you. Kang Si An, how low can you fall?" When she used her ability on his mind, his soul followed her out of his body. His soul wouldn''t stay inside a body that was incapable of remembering her. His soul followed her and stayed beside her all the time. He would rather stay like this for the rest of her and Little Hae''s lives than live a life with no memory of his love and his child. Kang Si An smiles at her with sadness. "I am that low. All I can say that I am sorry. But, I will rather stay in this state than wake up without any memory of us. I will stay beside you as a soul than live with no memory of us again." Kyuri ms her hands on Kang Si An''s chest. She bursts into tears, ming herself for his current state. She hasmitted a grave sin. She turned a human being into a living dead. "Don''t me yourself." Kang Si An keeps telling her. "You did nothing wrong. Why are you upset for scum like me? Kyuri, I don''t deserve those tears." She is unable to hear the words that Kang Si An''s soul has just told her. Chapter 114: One way to show you Chapter 114: One way to show you She doesn''t know how to enter the house and face my daughter. She hated Kang Si An. She didn''t want him to get close to Little Hae. She wanted him to forget because she also wanted to forget. She wanted to be freed from him. She nned to tell everything to Little Hae when she grew up. She might or might not have forgiven me. She could live with the fact that Kang Si An didn''t remember us. How does she live with the fact that she has turned him into such a state? How did this happen? She was sure that this wouldn''t happen to him. Why is his bodypletely empty of consciousness? Young Hwa has been watching her standing still in front of her house. He came here to tell her that his parents wanted to meet her. He didn''t expect to see her grief-stricken face. What happened to her? "Kyuri." She turns around and sees Young Hwa standing behind her. He asks with concern, "Did something happen?" "Young Hwa, I have done something horrible." Her voice is low and trembling. Her eyes are swollen and red, full of guilt. Feeling that something is wrong, he pulls her closer. She looks like she''s to crumble down at any moment. He looks at her house once before ushering her into his car. He drives away to the riverside. She needs to calm down. "Kyuri." He wipes her cheeks. "Tell me what happened." Something wasn''t right with her ever since she met Kang Si An. He wanted to ask her about the talk with Kang Si An, but there was never a good moment. She usually changed the topic whenever he tried to ask. So, he decided not to probe further. "I did something horrible, Young Hwa." Kyuri covers her face with her hands. "I have turned Kang Si An into a living dead. I was so confident that I could do it. I should not have acted like that. I should have looked for other ways. I misused my abilities." Young Hwa cannot understand, but Kang Si An can understand everything. He keeps telling that it''s not her fault. It is his decision. But, his voice cannot reach her. He doesn''t know how to tell her that it''s okay. She shouldn''t torture herself over like this. "Did you hurt him?" Young Hwa doesn''t want to believe that a woman like her can hurt another human. Kyuri nods her head slowly. She can''t look in his eyes. Young Hwa''s heart bes still. That''s the look of someone who hasmitted a crime. Kang Si An''s current condition is because of Kyuri. "Tell me everything. I will fix it." Young Hwa grasps her hand and promises her. "Nobody will touch you." Kang Si An yells at Kyuri, "Don''t tell him, Kyuri. It''s not your fault. Why are you making yourself a culprit?" Kyuri doesn''t know how to exin. It''s not something that she can tell anyone. Young Hwa sees her hesitating and squeezes her hand assuringly. "You told me that you would give me a chance. There should be no secret between us. Tell me, Kyuri. I will never hurt you in any way." She looks at him. Young Hwa''s words have moved her a bit. She did say that she would give him a chance. No rtionship can start from dishonesty. She needs to tell him everything for the sake of Little Hae. She can''t wrong another person. "Young Hwa, I will tell you." *** "Idiot." Kang Si An feels like banging his head on the ground after hearing Kyuri''s side. Though she didn''t reveal the intricate details of their rtionship or what happened between them three years ago, he could still see how he has hurt her over and over again. At that time, Kyuri says to Young Hwa, "I got a second chance at life because of the timekeeper''s decision. I got Little Hae. I never thought that I would need anyone else other than her to live. I was proven wrong by her when she chose you as her daddy." This story... Young Hwa can''t believe it. He thought that she hurt Kang Si An physically. But, what is this mental attack or memory removal ability? It sounds like a fantasy. He nces at her with a frown. It''s hard to believe, but she looks so serious. "Can you prove that you have those abilities?" Young Hwa asks her. "Travel in time?" She shakes her head. "I can''t do it. If I do it again, another special entity mighte and try to kill me. Once was more than enough." Young Hwa''s lips purse into a thin line. Honestly, he can''t believe it. He believes in science and logic. "Then, can you show me your other abilities?" He will give her the benefit of doubt. "Normally, I would do something to prove myself." Kyuri understands his thoughts. If her friend Yoon Mi hadn''t seen her disappearing and reappearing herself, she would have never believed that Kyuri was a time-traveler. It was the same with Kang Si An. In the original timeline, he didn''t know the truth until he saw her disappearing with his eyes. "But, I am scared. I have destroyed Kang Si An''s mind. What if I make the same mistake with you? I don''t want to reuse it ever again." Young Hwa sighs. This... he doesn''t know what to do or think. "You shouldn''t me yourself anyway. You didn''t hurt him intentionally." There is nothing to prove that she hurt Kang Si An even if her story is true. "And, you don''t want to use your extraordinary abilities ever again. So, don''t use it. Whether you suddenly turn into a real witch, I will ept everything about you." Kyuri smiles slowly. He doesn''t believe her. It''s alright. She would also do the same or maybe not. She''s slightly disappointed that he doesn''t believe her words. "There is one way to show you that I lived for a thousand years." Chapter 115: Dont ask me to prove that Chapter 115: Don''t ask me to prove that Kang Si An looks around the house full of things that she collected over more than a thousand years. From his every previous lifetime except for Li Jun''s, she has taken something from him. She did take Li Jun''s ashes, but they were lost in the sea. He had felt wronged when she left him in each lifetime. He understood that the timekeeper was the reason. Still, a part of him felt wronged by her. If she stayed, would it be that bad? At most, the timekeeper would get him killed. He would have been reborn again. He could be with her again. It must have been painful for her to watch him die. She kept a watch on him like a guardian angel. Whenever he was in trouble, she helped him from the shadows. She never made her presence known before the day of his death. To Young Hwa, the house looks more like a museum. He didn''t know that she was a collector. Showing him around the house, Kyuri points at her photographs taken in thest century. "I should be a grandma if I was born on the day when this photograph was taken?" Young Hwa squints his eyes. That''s Kyuri''s face. He looks at other paintings and photographs. A part of him says that all of these is edited. He doesn''t want to believe. He notices the signature on the portrait. His mother has bought a painting by this ancient prodigal artist at an auction. "He was also my teacher once," Kyuri tells him when she finds him observing the signature by the infamous artist from 16th century. "He tried to teach me art. He would often throw the colors on my face in frustration when I didn''t meet his mark of expectation. I called it quits after 10years and ran away with this portrait. I was afraid that it might show up in some museumter and create problems for me in this century." Young Hwa is speechless. Kang Si An shakes his head. She should have taken more paintings and sell them now. Maybe she doesn''t need to. If she sells half of the stuff in this house, she will be the richest woman in the world. However, Kyuri is satisfied with her life the way it is. Being too rich attract attention. She would leave this for Little Hae and her descendants. On the other hand, Young Hwa has no choice but to believe her. He has seen enough. "So, you aren''t immortal now?" "Yes, my body became normal three years ago." Kyuri lets out a sigh. "If someone shoots me, I will die. I hope that you don''t ask me to prove that." "I won''t." Young Hwa smiles at her. "I told you that I would ept everything about you." More than a thousand years of rtionship with another man''s reincarnations... He didn''t expect that he would ever fall for a woman with such aplicated background. It''s better if he doesn''t think more about it. "Really?" Kyuri asks him, mildly surprised. "Young Hwa, you still want to be with me after hearing everything?" After hearing everything, he knows how special she is. Maybe his heart recognized it the moment he saw her. "Kyuri, I don''t care about the past. Only the present moment and our future together matter to me. My parents want to meet you tomorrow. I can''t wait to see you as my wife and Little Hae as my daughter officially. Forget about everything that happened in the past and walk forward with me." She gives him a sad smile. Forget the past? It''s impossible for her. But, she''s not someone who wants to stay stuck in the past anymore. When she says nothing, Young Hwa is disturbed. It''s a lie if he says that he is not bothered about her and Kang Si An''s history. Young Hwa looks into her eyes and cups her face. "Don''t go to see him again." She doesn''t answer him. She has to find a way to fix Kang Si An. Otherwise, she won''t be able to live without guilt. Young Hwa takes her silence as something else. He won''t let go of this woman. He kisses her fiercely. Not a peck or a light kiss. He wants her to feel for him and remove Kang Si An from her heart. When she tries to push him away, he grabs her hands and kisses her deeper. When he stops, they both gasp for air once. "Young Hwa..." He reims her lips furiously. Forget everything about Kang Si An and love him. The 1000 years old history will turn to dust. Only the present matters. Little Hae and Kyuri belong to him. Kang Si An runs out of the house. He can''t watch that. Seeing her like that is hurting him. This is hell. He doesn''t want to see this ever again. Chapter 116: Thats even more disturbing Chapter 116: That''s even more disturbing "You are Kyuri." Young Hwa''s mother is pleased to see the graceful youngdy. Young Hwa told her about a lot. Though she has a child before marriage, Young Hwa''s parents can only ept because their son has finally decided to marry someone. "I heard a lot about you." "It''s nice meeting you." Kyuri feels slightly awkward. It''s her first time meeting future inws despite being married once. She has had a lot of experience, but this is the first. "I also heard about you from him." "I hope that he didn''t tell you that I was nagging him to get married." Young Hwa''s mother looks at Little Hae. "You are more adorable than he told me that you are." Little Hae blushes and hides behind her mother. Young Hwa''s mother finds her too cute. Young Hwa chuckles and nudges Little Hae in his mother''s direction. She looks up at her father once before going toward his mother. "I am your grandmother." Young Hwa''s mother carries her on herp. "From now on, call me grandma." "And, I am your grandpa." Young Hwa''s father looks a lot like Young Hwa, more like the older version of Young Hwa. He''s pretty easy going after his retirement. Since his son has epted the woman and her daughter, he will ept them too. His son isn''t getting any older. There''s clear love for Kyuri in his son''s eyes. The meeting between his parents and Kyuri goes well. Kang Si An is watching from afar, feeling emptier with each passing second. Little Hae looks at him and feels bad. She goes to him and asks, "Why are you sad, Daddy?" Everyone is startled. Why is she calling that wall her daddy? Young Hwaughs and says, "She likes to make jokes. She is an active kid." Everyoneughs except Kyuri. She walks to Little Hae and asks her with a low voice, "Who are you talking to?" "Daddy," Little Hae replies without blinking her eyes. "Which daddy?" "Daddy with green eyes." Kyuri is stumped. She looks at the wall. An understanding passes through her eyes. Kang Si An is a ghost. She spends the rest of the day with difficulty. Young Hwa notices her pale face. When he asks her what happened to her, she tells him that she''s just tired. "I will take you home." Young Hwa makes an excuse for Kyuri and they go back to her ce. "Everything is alright, Kyuri?" He asks her again before leaving. "Yes." That''s all she can say. How would she exin that the ghost of her ex is wandering around them? That''s worse than her abilities. After putting Little Hae to sleep with her mother, she goes to her room. She needs to be alone. There''s a way to interact with the ghosts. The problem is that it''s a little dangerous and she doesn''t like it at all. "Kang Si An," She mumbles, hoping that he could hear her and make things easy for her. "Don''t leave this room. I aming to talk to you." They say that dreams are the realm between the other world and the mortal world. Kyuri has always been able to go to dreams, but it''s easier to enter someone''s dream when she touches that person. If she does it on herself, it''s same as lucid dreaming. She can enter the dream realm and wander around in several dreams. The problem is that she might end up getting lost. Kang Si An doesn''t know that fact. However, he doesn''t make things hard for her. When she enters the dream realm, she finds him sitting next to her in her room. The dimensions are warped abnormally. She lets out a breath of relief when she sees him. He''s not dead - notpletely. "Are you punishing me?" She asks him with undisguised hate in her tone. "What''s the point of this?" He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Can''t you ignore me? I am nothing but air. I can''t interfere with your life." "Can''t interfere?" She looks at him with disbelief. "It''s a matter of my privacy." "Hey, I am not a pervert." He glowers at her. "I leave you alone during your private moment. I spend more with Little Hae." "That''s even more disturbing." She grabs his ear and twists it hard. "Go back to your body NOW." "I am not." He shouts in pain. "I am never going back. I would rather die than wake up with no memories of us." She lets go of him, getting a bad headache. It''s uneptable. She can''t let him around her. She would be always worried that he''s there and watching her. "Kang Si An, you will really die if you stay out of your body for too long." "I told you already. Death is eptable to me. A life with no memories of us is not." He frowns at her. "What''s the problem anyway? I can''t do anything. There are other ghosts too. You aren''t bothered about them." They aren''t freaking rted to her. She doesn''t know them. Who would ept an ex haunting them? "If I fix your mind and remove the seal in your memories, will you go back?" She asks him clenched jaw. "No, this is better." Kang Si An crosses his arms. "I can stay beside you and her. What more do I need?" "Moron, I will let you be with Little Hae. You can visit her and be her father. JUST GO BACK TO YOUR F--KING BODY!" Kyuri is losing her calm. She doubts that anyone can keep calm in this situation. She doesn''t want to know what he heard or seen. "Really?" He looks interested. "What else are you offering me?" "What?" She grimaces at him. "What else do you want?" Kang Si An decides to take advantage since she is too keen to send him back to his body. "She has to live me with on weekends and holidays." Kyuri nearly punches him. "Holidays? Weekends are more than enough." "Alright." He doesn''t push it. "When do we do this?" "Tomorrow." She tells him, "The moment you go back to the body, I will remove the seal." "Deal then." Kang Si An bows to her with a smile. "It''s been nice spending time with both of you, but living is better." She doesn''t answer him and stops her ability. She doesn''t want to see his face or attracts other ghosts. This selfish guy only knows how to make trouble for her. Next day, Kyuri leaves without eating breakfast. She has no idea whether Kang Si An is with her or not. It''s faith. Hopefully, he is with her. Otherwise, she would whip his arse when shees back. She means it. At the hospital, the doctor or the nurse doesn''t ask any question. They already know who she is because of herst visit. She waits until they leave. "Kang Si An, get in now." Kang Si An feels reluctant. Will she keep her words? Again, it''s faith. He decides to trust her. He doesn''t know what lies for him. As soon as he touches his body, he is sucked in. Kyuri presses her palm on his forehead and feels his mind returning. She is tempted to break her words. But who knows what he will do if she does that? This man has a way of infuriating her to death. She lets her mind sink into him. She finds the same presence, but she ignores it. She finds the box in the bottom of the sea and unlocks it easily. The memories flood out of the box and fill the sea of consciousness. Kyuries out of his mind. She''s feeling extremely tired. She doesn''t wait for him to wake up and leaves. When Kang Si An wakes up, he has all the memories in his mind. He releases a breath of relief. She kept her words. Chapter 117: Once we get married Chapter 117: Once we get married "Mommy, where''s my daddy?" Little Hae has seen the daddy with green eyes leave with her mother, but she''s alone. "He wille to see you soon." Kyuri takes her in her arms. "For you, I am going to make a littlepromise. I will try to forgive him. So, you can have both daddies." For this little demon, she will adjust. This little demon''s father is also a demon. She''s afraid sometimes what kind of tactics he mighte up with. It''s better to let him and this little demon have what he wants in return for some peace. Little Hae hugs her mother happily. "I love you, mommy." "What are you two talking about?" Young Hwa has arrived just now. "Did you forget about me?" Little Hae runs to her daddy and kisses his cheek. She watches the scene with a sigh. She needs to talk about this to him too. This life is more difficult than the time when she was immortal. They eat lunch with Kyuri''s mother and father. Young Hwa invites them for dinner with his parents. It seems that it''s time to talk about the wedding and other things. Things are moving so fast. Kyuri can''tin. It''s not so fast for Young Hwa or Little Hae. After lunch, they go on a drive with Little Hae. Young Hwa takes them to the amusement park. They watch Little Hae ride the merry go round. Seeing her happy makes them both content and delighted. "She has to go to school soon. It''s better if we get married before that." Young Hwa puts his arm around her shoulder and leans on her. "Once we get married, I will take care of everything." Kyuri sighs. "There''s something that you need to know." Something again? He''s afraid of hearing some new secret. "Did something happen...?" "Yes, Kang Si An... I have fixed him after making a deal with his ghost," Kyuri tells him everything while feeling like digging a hole and burying herself. Young Hwa hears everything with a half-open mouth. Kang Si An has been haunting them? What the hell! "So, he can''t haunt us now?" No one will be happy if they hear that their fiancee''s ex is haunting them. "Yeah, Little Hae can''t see him as a ghost. Everything is well." Kyuri rubs her forehead and wonders why this man hasn''t run for the hill. Young Hwa wonders if he can have normal rtionship problems. These are too much to ept sometimes. Looking at her face, he decides that everything is worth it. She''s the woman he fell for after a long time. He steals a kiss from her lips andughs when he sees her startled expression. "If the end is well, all is well." Young Hwa decides toe to the term with it. As long as this woman is with him, he doesn''t have anyint. "Our parents will meet tomorrow. We will announce the wedding soon at my parents'' wedding anniversary. I hope that you don''t mind." "No, it''s alright." She has been hoping for a small wedding. Let it be. "When is the party?" "Sunday." Young Hwa pecks the side of her forehead. He wonders when he can do more. "I wish that I could marry you in the next minute." "Don''t be so hasty." She blinks at him. She is letting down her guards little by little. Maybe it is possible to have feelings for him. She shifts closer to him, feeling his warmth. "Young Hwa, are you sure about marrying me?" "100%" Young Hwa grins at her. "Aren''t you?" "Yes, I am sure." She is sure that she''s sure. She''s trying to be sure. She''s sure that it''s possible to be sure. She decides to stop thinking and kisses him on his lips softly. It''s the first time that she kissed him on her ord. She pulls away instantly and looks in the other direction. "Ahem! Little Hae is almost done. Let''s have some ice cream." Little Haees running to them. "Mommy, Daddy, can Little Hae ride that again?" "After ice cream." She grabs Little Hae''s hand and walks toward the ice cream parlor. Young Hwa shakes his head andughs. The woman is shy even after having a child. There''s a certain someone who would say that Kyuri was be anything but shy. She would boldly kiss and then, she would kiss again until the certain someone gave in. That was something that happened in the past. The current Kyuri isn''t the same person. Regardless, there is some progress in Kyuri''s and Young Hwa''s rtionship today. The meeting between the families goes well. The wedding date is decided. Since the children don''t want to dy, they decide to hold the wedding ten days after the anniversary party. It will give some time to prepare. They allow them to register the marriage first if the children want. Kang Si An gets discharged after a few days. He has been missing Little Hae and Kyuri badly. Not seeing them is akin to not drinking water for days. He goes straight to her home first but he finds them gone. There''s no one there. He calls her number. She picks up at thest ring. [Kang Si An.] "Where are you?" Did you run away? You better not run away. You promised that you would let me see Little Hae. [If you want to see Little Hae,e to my parents'' house tomorrow.] The call is disconnected. He stares at the phone for a long time. So cold. He also wants to see her. At Young Hwa''s ce, she turns off the phone. Little Hae is sleeping in herp. Young Hwaes to them. "Hungry?" "No, I ate a lot during dinner earlier." Kyuri lies. She didn''t eat much because she was nervous. He leaves for a moment andes back with a te of donuts. "I am hungry though." He has seen how little she ate. "If you want some, you can have too." After thinking for a moment, she picks up donut quietly and eats it without resignation. "Say, do you want to register our marriage tomorrow?" He asks her. "That..." She hesitates and looks at him. Why is she hesitating? "Okay." He beams at her. After the marriage registration, there is no doubt left. Kang Si An won''t be a problem. He can''t wait to start his life with her and Little Hae. Chapter 118: A marriage is marriage if both of us remember it Chapter 118: A marriage is marriage if both of us remember it Next day, Kang Si An waits in front of her house since dawn, wondering when it is okay to go and knock the door. Is 7 too early? 8? 9? 10 should be fine? When he sees Young Hwa arriving around 9, he decides that''s the right time. "What are you doing here?" Young Hwa raises his brow when he sees him. "Here to see Little Hae." And Kyuri. Kang Si An asks him curtly, "Why are you here?" "Here to pick up Kyuri to go to the civil office and get married," Young Hwa replies in the same tone. Kang Si An is too shocked to retort back. Kyuri''s mother opens the door and sees two men. She''s stumped. What kind of situation is this?" "Son,e inside." She nces at Young Hwa. Young Hwa smiles and steps into the house. Kyuri''s mother looks at Kang Si An and asks, "Why are you here, Si An?" "Kyuri asked me toe," He replies with a soft voice. He has seen enough to know that Young Hwa is already epted as a family member. He is nothing to them except for Little Hae''s biological father. There''s no one''s to me other than himself for this. "Come then." Kyuri''s mother is cold. She''s afraid that Kang Si An might cause a problem between Young Hwa and Kyuri. She likes Young Hwa. He is right for her daughter in every way. Kang Si An... she doesn''t dislike him. But, her daughter ran away from home because of him. Kyuri and Little Hae have just finished with breakfast. When Little Hae sees Young Hwa, she runs to him and kisses him. Just then, Kang Si An enters. He has seen this scene many times. He is forced to ept this. He smiles at Little Hae. "Missed me?" "Daddy!" Little Hae goes to him. She doesn''t touch him. "Where were you?" "I went to be a real person." He hugs his daughter tightly. God knows how much he wanted to do this. He felt miserable back then, but he thought that it was the only way to stay beside her. Things have worked out well. He can look forward to days when he can hug her every day like this. "Daddy isn''t air anymore." Little Hae kisses him on the cheek. Young Hwa sighs when he sees this scene. He is jealous, alright! It would have been better if it was his genes rather than Kang Si An. "Not an air anymore." Kang Si An does his best not to let out tears. "I am real, Little Hae." God! He had a son a long time ago. Little Hua is already dead. Whenever he tried to get close to his son, he would go away further. He couldn''t give his son what he wanted. He couldn''t love Wu Qiuyue or lessen her misery. He didn''t like Wu Qiuyue. He let her do what she wanted to do as long as she didn''te to him and demanded to be treated as his woman. He couldn''t treat her as his woman. His heart has only belonged to Kyuri. This affected the rtionship between him and his son who grew up seeing the discord between him and Wu Qiuyue. His son hated him for not loving Wu Qiuyue. He couldn''t do anything about it. He can''t me anyone for what happened back then. God has given him a second chance to be a father again. Kyuri watches him intently from the distance. She turns away when he looks at her. She picks up the ss of water and drinks it. Young Hwa has noticed this little exchange. He walks to her and asks her with a smile, "Ready to get married?" "What?" Kyuri''s mother asks her, surprised. "Are you registering your marriage already? We gave you a blessing yesterday." "Mother inw, I apologize. We don''t want to dy anymore." Young Hwa is embarrassed. "Little Hae is growing up fast too. The wedding is after 10 days. So, it''s better if we register it now." "Let them do what they want." Kyuri''s father waves his hand. "They are young, hot-headed, and full of youth." Kyuri''s mother bursts intoughter. "Yes, yes, Go. Kyuri, don''t forget to take your seal and card." "Ah...okay." Kyuri feels an intense gaze on herself. She doesn''t have to check to see who it is. She runs upstairs to get her seal and other things. "Daddy, are you getting married to mommy?" Little Hae asks Young Hwa curiously. "Will we stay together after that?" "After ten days, we will all stay together," Young Hwa squats down and tells her. "We will have a big wedding on that day. Little Hae will wear a beautiful dress just like her mommy will. We will dance and eat a lot of food that Little Hae likes. Little Hae, you can wait until then like a good girl, right?" "Yes, Daddy." Little Hae is excited after hearing him. She turns to Kang Si An and asks, "When will you marry my mommy?" Young Hwa: "..." Kyuri''s Mother: "..." Kyuri''s Father: "..." Kyuri, climbing down the stairs: "..." Kang Si An is stunned, but he gathers his wits. "I already married your mother once before you were born. That was a long time ago." In the original timeline, he married Kyuri using the emperor decree. "That marriage was automatically annulled when I turned back time," Kyuri yells at him from the stairs. "Don''t say fake information to my daughter." Kang Si An rolls his eyes. "A marriage is marriage if both of us remember it." She grits her teeth. "Kang Si An, don''t y with fire." "Why are you getting married for second time when we didn''t get a divorce?" He stares at her. "Isn''t it illegal?" "Do you have a marriage certificate to prove that you were married to her?" Young Hwa may sound calm, but he is resisting the urge to beating this man and throw him out of the house. "A witness will do too." "There was one." Kang Si An res at him. "The timekeeper. He was there. I wish I could bring him back from wherever he went." Kyuri crosses her arms and clicks her tongue. "You would bring back that thing that killed me once to prove your selfish words." Kyuri''s parents don''t know what to say. "It''s not like that..." Kang Si An hates himself for saying those words. "I didn''t mean it that way. You want to get married. Then, get married. I won''t say anything." "You don''t have the right to say anything." She walks out of the house before he could reply. Young Hwa doesn''t look at him and follows her. He''s left with Little Hae alone. He has no right to say anything. He has lost all the rights. He can only watch and keep his mouth shut as someone else take away his heart. Even if it hurts, he can only watch and suffer alone. Kang Si An picks up his daughter in his arms. He still has some right to be with his daughter. "Little Hae, want to y the same game that we yed thest time?" "Yes." Chapter 119: Are you eloping with someone? Chapter 119: Are you eloping with someone? After seeing Kang Si An mention the marriage, she is fumed beyond words. "Let''s hurry to the civil office." He drives in silence to the civil office. Though Young Hwa can understand why she''s so motivated to get married, he wonders if it okay to marry like this. She''s still affected by Kang Si An. He brushes away the thoughts. Who wouldn''t be affected? That''s why they should get married as soon as possible. She will be fine once they get married. At the civil office, his cousin and his secretary have already arrived to be the witnesses. Kyuri and Young Hwa walk to the office with different thoughts. Kyuri is still seething because Kang Si An mentioned the damned marriage. He knew how much it meant for her. He still had the guts to say it. Young Hwa is wondering whether he should push the rtionship to pull Kyuri closer him after registering the marriage. What should he do to make her look at him only? At the civil office, Young Hwa''s cousin hugs him. "Brother, you called me so suddenly. You are really getting married? Are you eloping with someone?" "You have a wild imagination, Jae Kyung." He pretends to be angry. "My parents know. They will announce it at the anniversary party. We are having a wedding after ten days." "After Yeon Seo left, I thought that you would never get married." Park Jae Kyung hasn''t forgotten how his cousin acted when that merciless woman left five years ago. His cousin was lived his days like a dead man. He would only work and forget about eating or life. No woman could ever awaken the life in him. Jae Kyung thought that he would never look at someone else. "Don''t mention her name." Young Hwa snaps at him. He turns to Kyuri who has heard everything. "She''s someone from the past. Don''t worry about her." Kyuri understands. It''s not a surprise that a man like Young Hwa also has a past. Two wounded persons have met each other. She feels slightly better. She gives him a nod. "Her name is Kwon Kyuri," Young Hwa says to Jae Kyung and his secretary. "She''s going to be my wife." "Miss Kwon, it''s a delight to meet you," Young Hwa''s secretary greets her. It''s then Jae Kyung notices her. Kwon Kyuri. How could he forget this woman? Kang Si An didn''t let anyone forget her in thest three years. That day, she rejected him and followed Kang Si An. Recently, he heard that she has a daughter with Kang Si An. Looking at the age of that girl in the video, something must have happened between Kang Si and this woman. How funny! She rejected him, acting high and might and went straight to Kang Si An''s bed. "Park Jae Kyung." He outstretches his hand toward her with a smile. "I am his cousin." Kyuri has recognized him too. It''s hard to forget someone who is on TV a lot. She decides to put the past in the past and shakes that hand. Jae Kyung rubs his thumb slowly on her flesh in a way that makes her feel disgusted with him. She pulls her hand back right away. Jae Kyung turns to his cousin. "Cousin, you found yourself a pretty one. I am jealous." "Find one for yourself then." Young Hwa chuckles. "Stop being a yboy and choose a woman. Settle down." "Too young to settle down." Jae Kyung gives Kyuri a side-long nce. After three years, the woman has grown curvaceous at the right ces. He wonders if his cousin has already tasted this woman. Women like her are always looking for rich thighs to hold on. In the past, it was Kang Si An. Now, it''s his cousin. "Whatever." Young Hwa doesn''t want to argue. "I don''t want to stand here all day." They get into the office and gets the marriage certificates. Kyuri feels a pang of pain in her heart. Does this certificate mean that she is sessfully moving on? Young Hwa bigs his cousin goodbye and gives some instructions to the secretary before going back to the car with Kyuri. He is rather excited. He drives to take her spot with a great view of the H river. There are no one around them at this time of the day. "Kyuri, it''s the day one of our marriage." Is it? Kyuri frowns because she can''t feel the same excitement. "Isn''t it going to be the day after our wedding?" He pinches her cheeks. "I am so happy. You are officially my wife and Little Hae is my daughter. If I could, I would kidnap you to my house. 10 days are too much." She lets out augh when she sees him being so impatient. "It''s only for 10 days. A few hours are already deducted." "Yes, that''s the positive part." He looks into her eyes. "Kang Si An and Yeon Seon are people of our past. Let them stay there. From now on, it''s only about us." She smiles at him mildly. "It''s a day one of our marriage. Happy?" "Happy." His lips curl into a wide smile. "Kyuri, it''s time for our first kiss on our first day of marriage." "Young Hwa, you...Nnnn..." Before she could finish, heunches the kiss attacks as her husband. He has been holding back a lot. Since Kyuri has taken this step with him, there is no doubt anymore. His kisses feel different than how she felt with Li Jun. When she kissed him or Kang Si An, she felt like her body was an erupting volcano. Young Hwa''s kisses make her feel like she''s slowly learning to burn. The passion isn''t the same, but it''s not like nothing is there. She stopsparing the men and kicks away all the stupid thoughts in her head. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she meets his fervor. She has already taken the step. She will go to the end. Young Hwa feels the rush of heat in his blood when her tongue entwines with his with the same ardor. He slips his hand under the hem of her top and feels her uneasy tremble when he runs his hand over her bra. It''s been more than five years since he''s been with a woman. He fumbles with the hook of her bra for a bit before managing to get over the obstacle. She tenses her shoulder, pulling away from his face as his fingers caress her bosom. Fidgeting, she looks at him. "We are moving too fast." "How are we moving too fast?" Young Hwa is still kneading her mound with mirth in his eyes. Her reaction makes him want to take her right here in the car. "We are married." They are married. Kyuri purses her lips. She has known what she is getting into. She''s not a woman without experiences. Even if she only had memories of married life with Li Jun and being Kang Si An''s fiance, she has still slept with Kang Si An twice in real before and after the time-turn. The second time was not her choice. "We are in the car." The area has a nice view, but they are not exactly enjoying the view. "Just a little more." A lion would only want more after tasting some meat. "Kyuri, it''s hard for me to not to be greedy." They are man and woman in their prime. She is sort of used to his presence. The feelings have been slowly growing for her. It''s been slower than the time that seed takes to be a nt. It hasn''t flowered, but it''s growing. It''s not the same for Young Hwa. He is pretty much a giant tree with countless blossomed flowers. Either he slows down or she increases her pace if they want to make their rtionship work. Young Hwa doesn''t have any intention of slowing down anymore after hearing about her and Kang Si An. Kyuri has sensed that the things have changed a bit between them ever since she told the truth to him. It must be hard for Young Hwa to ept her history. Since she has decided to give this a chance, she will do it fully. Young Hwa takes her silence as her agreement and takes her lips again. He wouldn''t want their first time in the car, but nothing is stopping him for a little makeout before they return home. Chapter 120: Dont be nosy in other people business Chapter 120: Don''t be nosy in other people business Kyuri is embarrassed when she tries to fix her clothes. Young Hwa has been kissing her like a horny teenager who has found a female for the first time. Her hair is a disheveled mess. The clothes are creased. Young Hwa looks a lot better than her. Anyone who sees them will know what happened between them. "Wait." Young Hwa lifts up the back of her top when he sees her struggling to fix her bra in hurry. "I can do it," Kyuri almost yells at him in difort. He notices her difort and says, "Be still. We are married. Why being shy? I don''t mind doing this every day." She bites her lower lip and bes still. Why do men like to use that word a lot? Kang Si An throw it around randomly like it doesn''t mean anything. Young Hwa isn''t doing any better. Little Hae''s fathers are crazy. He does better when he can see the damn hooks. He takes a nce at her smooth back before pulling down the shirt to cover it. 10 days are too long. He fixes her long hair and the creases on her clothes. He would have liked it if he could take her home the way she looked especially if Kang Si An is still there. That man needs to know that this woman belongs to him now. He should not say any unnecessary thing to Kyuri. But Kyuri wouldn''t like it. Then, Little Hae and her parents are there. Young Hwa is a bit scared of that child''s unique questions and reactions. He can fix her clothes, but what to do about her red face and swollen lips? There are hickeys on her neck too. Did he do too much? "Let''s buy you a scarf." He feels like he is a young boy again who is trying to save his girlfriend''s honor. He sighs. Wife is not a wife yet. He has to hold back. "I am not going in there." Kyuri is sullen. She has seen what he had done to her in the mirror. "You buy it. My favorite color is purple." Young Hwa smiles at her. They are getting closer if she can get annoyed by him and throw a tantrum. She''s cute like that. He walks into the mall. Her favorite color is purple. His favorite color is purple too. He looks through thedies section for a scarf that would suit her. Since he''s here, he should buy some things for her and Little Hae. It''s the first day of their marriage. Should he buy matching dresses for both girls? Purple dresses would be nice. A store girles to him when she sees him wandering with a clueless expression. "Sir, may I help you?" "Yes, can you show those matching dresses that mother and daughter..." He halts his words when he sees the woman walking in his direction. The woman also sees him and stops. Their eyes remain locked for several minutes before she breaks it first. "Yeon Seo," He mumbles the name that he has sworn to never speak again. Moon Yeon Seo looks the same as if the time didn''t touch her. Ironically, she''s wearing a purple dress reaching her knees. She lifts her head slowly to meet the eyes of the man she has abandoned five years ago. She didn''t think that she would run into him like this after a few days of her return. His eyes turn cold. He ignores her and looks at the store girl with an unreadable face. His chilling voice scares the poor girl. "Get me a purple scarf of any design." The store girl runs to get the scarf. Yeon Seo doesn''t move from the spot. She peers at Young Hwa who has turned his back to her. The minutes feel like an eternity for Young Hwa when he feels her gaze on his back. Painful memories return in his mind as if someone has ripped open the stitches on an old wound. Even breathing the same air is difficult for him in the same space is difficult for him. They have been in a rtionship for a decade. She broke up suddenly and disappeared. He is about to turn around and ask her the reason when he hears Kyuri''s voice. "Young Hwa." She scurries toward him. "My mother called and asked me if I ran away on a honeymoon with you. We have been out for hours. Let''s go home first." Yeon Seo widens her eyes when she hears those words. Honeymoon? Right! Young Hwa feels relieved after seeing her. Yeon Seo is the past. Kyuri is his present. This is the woman who has reawakened his heart again. It doesn''t matter if Yeon Seo is back. Kyuri is the woman he married today. It''s their day one. He can''t ruin it because of a ghost from the past. "Sir, I brought the scarves." The girl returns with a number of purple scares of the highest quality. "Pack them all," He tells her coolly. "Why waste money?" Kyuri frowns at him and picks one randomly. "This one is good enough. I am never sending you for shopping after our wedding. You might end up buying everything because you can''t choose." Yeon Seo covers her mouth to stifle a cry. Both Kyuri and Young Hwa hear it. Kyuri looks at her with concern when she sees her crying silently. "Are you okay,dy?" Yeon Seo turns her back to them. Young Hwa takes the scarf from Kyuri''s hand and wraps it around her neck. "Don''t be nosy in other people business and gette. Little Hae is waiting." "We arete because of you." Kyuri peeks at the woman once before following Young Hwa. Something didn''t feel right. She''s sure that she saw that woman gazing at Young Hwa as if she knew him. The air also felt somewhat vague before she came. A woman from his past? She releases her breath. The present is the only thing that matters. Chapter 121: If the heart doesnt feel anything Chapter 121: If the heart doesn''t feel anything Kang Si An strokes Little Hae''s hair. Little Hae has fallen asleep in hisp after ying for hours. Kyuri is not back yet. He wonders what they are doing right now. He is envious of Young Hwa who can still stay beside her when he can''t. Heys down Little Hae on the bed and covers her. At least, he has Little Hae. He has a reason to look forward to the next day. He hates it that he can''t ever look back and think that Little Hae has been conceived out of love instead of his sin against Kyuri, the woman he loves. If it''s that difficult for him who is the perpetrator, how difficult it is for the woman who has been the victim? Even today, he lost his temper when it was him who was at fault. It would have been him by her side if he had been sane that night. Why did his heart feel betrayed when it''s him who betrayed her trust when he heard that she''s going to register her marriage? "I promise to be a better man from now on." He holds Little Hae''s small hand. "For you and your mother, I will strive to be a better father. If I can''t be the reason of happiness for your mother, I will not be the reason for her pain ever again." *** "Son, everything went right?" Kyuri''s mother asks them when they return. Their moods are slightly off. Kyuri is disturbed because she can see that Young Hwa is bothered by his encounter with that woman. Young Hwa has a lot in his mind. He doesn''t want to be affected, but he can''t help it. "We got the certificates." There is a slight regret in her voice. With each step, she has been tossing the past behind and moving on. However, it seems that Young Hwa is the one who could be dragged back. She should have probably a lot thought before registering the marriage. The things aren''t crazy yet. Maybe she should dy the wedding and let Young Hwa sort out whatever messing up his heart. "Why the long face?" Kyuri''s mother asks. "You youngsters! Are you showing these longs faces because I called you back? You still didn''t have a wedding. The wait makes it sweeter. Believe me." Kyuri shows her a wry smile. "Mother, I am also a mother. I am not that inexperienced." Her words attract his attention. Young Hwa looks at her and leans closer to whisper in her ear, "Who was being shy in the car earlier, Miss Experienced?" Kyuri''s face bes ming red again. She res at him, but she keeps her mouth shut. Kyuri''s mother coughs and looks away. "Have some shame. I am still here." "Where''s Father?" Kyuri asks, diverting the topic. "He went out to y cards with his old friends." Her mother sigh. "Little Hae is ying with Kang Si An in her room." "He hasn''t left yet." She looks at the clock. "Young Hwa, stay for dinner." "Thank you." Young Hwa didn''t intend to stay, but Kang Si An hasn''t left. Kyuri goes to Little Hae''s room. Young Hwa follows right behind. They find Kang Si An sleeping beside Little Hae. "We should wake him up." Young Hwa feels like someone is poking holes in his chest when he sees father and daughter asleep without care. He can''t go back and change this. "Leave him be." Kyuri closes the door. "I feel too tired to talk to him. We can''t stop him from seeing Little Hae. If he wants to be the father, let him be the father." "What about me then?" Young Hwa grumbles, giving her a pointy look. "You are also her father." Kyuri crosses her arms and eyes him. She guesses that it''s difficult not to be shaken by a past love. She has created a big scene at the airport. Compared to her, Young Hwa has been acting a lot better. "You are also my husband. So, you always have an advantage." "Can I take advantage of it now?" He presses her against the wall and smirks at her. "I don''t think that I can wait until the wedding." Kyuri turns her head to the right and says, "I think that we are rushing, Young Hwa. How about we have our wedding a littleter?" Astonished by her suggestion, he wonders what could be the reason. He can''t think of anything. Everything has been fine earlier. Then, why did she change her mind now? Is it because of Kang Si An? It''s better to ask than make guesses. "Why do you want to dy it?" She gazes at him. "Young Hwa, that woman was Yeon Seo, right?" He released her when he hears that name. This woman is highly intuitional. Nothing can be hidden from her. "What does that got to do with us?" "Everything." She straightens her back and decides to have a clear discussion. They seem to have forgotten that they are still standing outside Little Hae''s room. "If you are still affected after seeing her, maybe you need some time to sort out the feelings. Having a wedding is bigger than getting married on papers. Your parents haven''t announced it yet. I wanted to take a chance on us because of Little Hae. It doesn''t mean that I would force you to with me and her. I don''t want to start a marriage with the baggage of the past." Young Hwa shuts his eyes. He tries to quieten his mind. There are a lot of thoughts. He has a lot to say. Yes, seeing her made his brain go fuzzy a bit. But, he knows what he wants. "Kyuri." He opens his dark eyes. "You were also affected when you saw Kang Si An. You are still affected whenever hees in front of you." "I stopped loving Kang Si An a long time ago. He and I are different. We have a unique history, but it doesn''t matter anymore if the heart doesn''t feel anything." Instead of showing anger, her face is eerily calm. Kang Si An uprooted all the love from her heart by himself. She is slowly trying toe to the terms that he wants to be Little Hae''s father. Seeing him is difficult, but it''s not because she loved him once. It''s because she''s reminded how loving him for more than a thousand years only resulted in that night. That''s not the same with Yeon Seo and Young Hwa. Both of them might love each other still. "When I said that I would take a chance with you, I meant it. But, you aren''t the same. If the appearance of that woman can rage storm inside and bring back the love, are you sure that you want to be with me?" Chapter 122: Its lust at first sight Chapter 122: It''s lust at first sight Downstairs, Kyuri''s mother wonders what is going on up there. She frowns once. She can''t hear any noise. In the end, she lets the kids take care of their problems and decides to concentrate on the dinner. Ki Hoon will being soon from work. It looks like Kang Si An will be staying. Young Hwa shakes his head and smiles at her. "Have I told you that you think too much?" "Not yet." She raises her chin and looks at the light bulb. She might have said too much. She is embarrassed under his gaze. When ites to Young Hwa, she always feels like she has a disadvantage. "Finally, you are acting like a married woman" He grabs her chin and makes her meet his eyes. "If I tell you that I fell for you the moment I saw you, would you believe me?" "Love at first sight doesn''t exist," She replies firmly. "It''s lust at first sight." There''s only one kind of her in this world. Yeon Seo or any woman can''t match her. "We will go along with your version then. It''s lust at first sight. My heart reacted to you and signaled that I have a ton of lustful feelings for the woman I have just met. Is that okay?" Anger shes in her eyes, but she''s also blushing. Young Hwaughs and decides to be honest with her. "Do you know what I was nning on doing when Little Hae found me?" She pouts and asks, "What were you gonna do?" "I was thinking about drowning in the sea," He tells her with a smile and a tinge of sadness in his eyes. She gasps in shock. He covers her mouth before she can say a word. He continues, "I was tired. I didn''t think that I could live without Yeon Seo anymore. I was going to make a stupid decision. I didn''t think of my parents or my friends who care about me. I only cared about what I was going through. So, I was thinking of doing it after it got dark. Then, she came and called me Daddy. I was stunned, but I thought that I want to have a daughter whose eyes lit up like her when she called me Daddy." He will never forget that day. He received a second life. "Then, you came running toward us. I saw how the rays of sunlight from the setting sun yed with the light in your eyes. My heart skipped a beat. For the first time, I realized that I was capable of living again. You and your daughter became my light that day." Kyuri has forgotten to blink. "Yeon Seo might affect me. She was a part of my past. She was my first love. That must be the reason why she affects me so hard even after long years. However, she''s my past." He lets out a tired sigh. "She can never be you who came to my life like a paramedic in thest moment and electrocuted my heart awake. You, Kyuri, you are the one I love. Because of you and Little Hae, I am alive. Because of you and her, I still look forward to the next day of my life. All I can think of is how I want to make both of you smile every day." Her heart skips a beat for the first time after a long time. "After hearing your story, I couldn''t believe you. A part of me trusted reason. Another part of me didn''t want to ept that you have been in so much pain. Despite everything that happened to you, you still survived that darkness without anyone''s help and you are still standing strong. Do you know how much I admire you? You and Little Hae don''t need me. I need you both. I am sure that I want to be with you and her. I want to be part of your life." They stare at each other in silence after he finishes talking. He removes his palm and rubs away the mistiness from his eyes. He waits for her to say something. Kyuri ps her chest a few times to calm her rapidly beating heart. She''s touched. After Li Jun, she''s touched by words for the first time in the thousand years. She clears her throat. "Sorry for misunderstanding you." "Apology epted." He puts his hands in his pockets, looking smug. "Did your heart move a bit?" "Maybe." She doesn''t want to admit yet. She doesn''t meet his eyes. He chuckles. She can''t hide emotions right now. "Then, is it okay to pre-pone the wedding?" "It''s already 9 days after a few hours." She shakes her head slowly. "A rushed wedding won''t be good. It''s also Little Hae''s first time seeing a wedding... So..." "I understand, my wife." He lifts her in his arms. "It''s time to exercise husband privileges before my father inw and brother inwe back." "Young Hwa..." Kyuri tries to protest. "We are still at my parents'' home." "Keep your voice low." Young Hwa is already taking him to her bedroom. "Little Hae is sleeping." Kang Si An hears the voices be fainter as they move away from the door. He agrees with each word of Young Hwa. Kyuri is special. She''s the only one in this world who can still stand strong after what happened to her. He wishes that he had the power to change the past as Kyuri did. He would have made every wrong turn into right. It''s toote regret for the things he could control over and the things he couldn''t control. Chapter 123: Two beer cans can turn me into this Chapter 123: Two beer cans can turn me into this Kang Si An doesn''t stay for dinner. He goes to his apartment and lies down on the bed. He closes his eyes, not trying to feel anything. Next day, he calls Manager Jeong. Manager Jeong has been facing problems because of him. He owes a lot of people. He''s been living his life in any way he wanted. He promised to be a better person. He wants to be the person she can look up to. He will do his best to make amends with Kyuri. Kyuri doesn''t treat Kang Si An warm or cold whenever he visits Little Hae. Kyuri''s family also epts the situation. They don''t dislike Kang Si An, but they hope that things won''t turn moreplicated than it is. On a day before the anniversary party, Young Hwa''s parents meet with a small ident. However, his father gets a heart attack due to the shock of getting into the ident. He''s admitted to the hospital. The wedding anniversary party has to be canceled and the wedding has to be postponed. Young Hwa is distraught because of his father''s condition. She stands by his side and says, "Your father will get better. His mind is strong. His will is stronger. I know it." He looks at her and smiles tiredly. "You don''t know how much your words mean to me." She pats his forearm. "There are only good days ahead." Her words turn out to be true. His father''s condition gets better. *** "Mommy isn''t getting married." Little Haeins to Kang Si An. "Daddy is always busy too." Young Hwa has been busy taking care of his father. There''s also work. He couldn''t spend much time with Little Hae. Kyuri has been visiting the hospital regrly too. Young Hwa can''t handle everything alone. "Your grandfather is sick." He tells her with a soft voice, "After he gets better, they will get married." "Little Hae will wait." She sighs like an old man. "Hungry." "What do you want to eat?" He carries her downstairs. The child is always hungry these days. It''s good. She will grow faster this way. He wants to make something for her. He hopes that Kyuri''s mother will allow him to use the kitchen. She giggles and says, "Ice cream." "I am also craving it." Kang Si An chuckles. "Let''s get ice cream ande back before your mother finds out." Father and daughter sneak out of the house before Kyuri could catch them. *** Since Little Hae is young, Kyuri doesn''t let her stay with Kang Si An on weekends. Instead, she tells him to stay at her ce on the weekends. He cane and stay all day with Little Hae if he wants. When Little Hae gets older, she can stay over at his ce. Kang Si An doesn''tin. Anything is fine as long as he can spend time with his daughter. She wonders when did he be so easy to handle. Young Hwa''s parents decide the wedding date again. The wedding will happen after a week. Everyone is excited including Little Hae. Kyuri is little resigned, but she joins the excitement anyway. Kang Si An has noticed this, but he doesn''t say anything to her. Since it is her decision, he can''t say anything. Young Hwa is not a bad man. He will keep her happy. "It is working out for the best." She stares at the stars. "Young Hwa cares about me and Little Hae. He''s a good father. Little Hae loves him. I also..." It''s difficult to say the word when one is alone. "It''s not like there''s nothing." She sips the beer. "I am already married to him though." For Kyuri, the wedding has more meaning than signing the papers and getting the ''married''bel. It might not be same for other people. She recalls her first wedding. It was simple and yet, it held so much meaning. At that time, she liked Li Jun, but she didn''t intensely love him the way he loved her. It was so long ago. If... That ''if'' is dangerous. She can''t turn back time. She won''t lose Little Hae. She will never regret changing things, even if things didn''t work out between her and Li Jun in the end. Yet, on days like this when she''s drunk and staring at the stars, she wishes to be held the way Li Jun once held her. "It''s funny how you are alive and here." She whispers to the stars. "Yet, you are not here. Did you ever think that our love would end in tragedy? It was probably written for this end since the moment we met." The stars can''t answer her questions. One who can answer her isn''t there. "There are too many good memories of us." She wraps her arms around her knees and rests her head on her knees. "We did love once. I am not someone like you who keeps his every promise. I will stop hating you. I will move on. Kang Si An, this is thest time I will forgive you since you make my Little Hae happy. If you make more mistake again or hurt her even once, I will kill you myself." Kang Si An can''t hear those words. Feeling tipsy, she walks back to her room and drops on her bed. Next day, she wakes up with a bad headache. "I am so old." She looks into her reflection. There are dark circles around her eyes and a dried drool patch on her chin. She looks haggard. It''s hard to believe that she''s only 24. "Two beer cans can turn me into this." Little Hae is not on the bed. She goes out of the room to look for her daughter andes across face to face with Kang Si An. If it was previous her, she would have run back into her room and cried for showing this side. She''s not the same person. Showing this side doesn''t bother her. Not at all. Honestly. She hasn''t forgotten what she said to the starsst night, though she wishes to. "Why are you here?" He blinks at her with surprise, not knowing what to say. He didn''t even know that she was in the house. He came up to get Little Hae''s doll and ended up running into her. He is stunned to see her ghostly appearance. Did something happen to her? Should he ask? Will she get mad? "I am here to get something that Little Hae wanted." He points at the Little Hae''s room. Fearing that she might hate him for asking, he still asks her, "Are you okay?" Her hangover is getting worse. She waves her hand and goes back to her room. She''s not okay. Chapter 124: When I become old, gray, and wrinkly Chapter 124: When I be old, gray, and wrinkly Kang Si An stares at the closed door, wondering whether to knock and ask what''s wrong with her. Is it wedding blues? She doesn''t seem too happy about the wedding. She has been down recently. He can tell even if she hides it from the world. She acts around everyone, but he knows that something is bothering her. What could it be? Is it Young Hwa''s ex? He heard their conversation that day. Should he talk to Young Hwa? Kang Si An shakes his head. She is marrying Young Hwa after three days. Everything will go well after the wedding. Young Hwa is seriously in love with her. She''s also... He looks at the door with longing. How many steps does he need to take and knock on that door? If he asks her to give him a chance again, will there be a miracle? He turns around and gets Little Hae''s doll. Miracles are impossible for him. *** There are only 2 days left. Everything is going well. Kyuri''s and Young Hwa''s families are busy with the preparation. Nothing should go wrong at thest minute. "2 days." Young Hwa beams at her. "Then, we will live together." "We are already married." Sheughs. "Why are you so excited?" "Aren''t you?" His eyes twinkle in delight. "I won''t let you sleep for a second on our wedding night." She blushes and looks away. "All men only think about one thing." "And, women don''t?" He holds her waist. "You don''t think about it?" "No, we think about how to stay slim while eating a lot of food," She tells him with augh. Young Hwa chortles. "You don''t have to stay slim. You eat as much as you want. You will always be pretty." "That''s what they say before they get married," Kyuri announces dramatically. "After I am old, wrinkly, and gray, are you sure that you would say the same thing?" "I will." He nts a kiss on her forehead. "Don''t run away from me when I be old, gray, and wrinkly." "I will do my best," She tells him teasingly. Young Hwa finds this side of her cute. Little by little, he''s seeing more sides of her. It''s a beginning. *** At the evening, Young Hwa receives a call from Jae Kyung. He meets him at the bar. He''s surprised to receive an urgent call. "Why did you call me here?" Young Hwa asks him with furrowed brows. "Brother, you are getting married. I want to have the drinks with you while you are still a bachelor." Jae Kyung grins at him. "Don''t tell me that you won''t even drink with me now?" Young Hwa sighs and takes a seat beside him. "Why does my bachelor party only includes you?" "More people will arriveter." Jae Kyung looks at his phone. "Tell me how did you meet your beautiful wife." Young Hwa doesn''t think about it much. He starts telling him the story. Jae Kyung keeps pouring him drinks and listens to the story. *** Kyuri receives a text from Young Hwa. She frowns slightly after reading the text. This doesn''t sound like usual Young Hwa''s behavior. [Kyuri, can you pick me up? I am too drunk to drive. I am in room no. 1185 at B Hotel.] When she calls his number, nobody picks up. "Is he already asleep?" Perhaps, he had a little fun because of the wedding. Little Hae is out with Kang Si An. She tells her mother that she''s going out for a while. Kyuri hails a cab to the B hotel. She knocks the room, but nobody answers her. She turns the knob and steps inside. The lights are off. "Young Hwa?" The door is closed. Suddenly, the lights turn on. Jae Kyung is standing in front of her with a grin on his face. "Sister inw, you are here." Kyuri gets the situation. Jae Kyung must have found some way to send that text. Young Hwa probably doesn''t know anything about this. "Why are you here?" She eyes him darkly. "Where''s Young Hwa?" "He''s spending the night with Yeon Seo in the opposite room." Jae Kyung takes a step toward her, pealing the clothes on her body with his eyes. "You can see them for yourselfter. They will take time, I think." Kyuri narrows her eyes on him. "What do you want from me?" "I am just curious." He ces his hand on the curve of her waist. "What did Kang Si An and my cousin see in you? Are you that good?" She ps his face. "You know what this is for." Jae Kyung is astonished. When she walks away from him toward the door, his expression turns ugly. He grabs her by her hair and tosses her toward the bed. Her head hits the corner of the bed. She clutches her head. Blood trickles down on her face. "B*tch!" He snarls at her. "Why do you act all virtuous? I know what kind of woman you are. I heard everything from my cousin." She doesn''t know what Young Hwa told him. That''s the least worry now. Her head is throbbing with pain. She clenches her fist. She needs to get out of this ce. "If you stop now, you will live," Kyuri warns him. Heughs. It wouldn''t be fun if she doesn''t resist a little. Jae Kyung jumps on her, grabbing her shoulder. She moves her face away before he could kiss her lips. He runs his tongue over her ear, wetting it with his saliva. He grabs her wrist before it couldnd on his face whileughing maniacally. She hears the sound of her clothes tearing. That''s when she touches his temple with her other hand. "Ahhhhhhhhh!" Jae Kyung screams in pain once before falling over her. She pushes him away, looking at him with disgust. Even if he dies or live, she wouldn''t give a damn. She stands in front of the opposite room. Thanks to her high hearing, she could hear the faint erotic moansing from the room. She dials Young Hwa''s number and hears the faint familiar ringtone. She turns around on her heels and walks away. Chapter 125: Not a deep wound Chapter 125: Not a deep wound Aimlessly walking on the road in the night, she wonders who she should call. What should she do next? None of the problems that she faced in thest thousand years can help her with the problems that she''s facing today. Her mind is in chaos. She nces at the screen of her phone. She lets out a dryugh when she sees the name. The gods must beughing at her. Still, she''s not weak. If they want tough, let themugh. [Kyuri, I dropped Little Hae at home. I am leaving now.] Kang Si An reports each time beforeing to see Little Hae and leaving. "Okay." Kyuri stares down at the dark water. The wind is cool and soothing. Since he''s leaving now, she can go home. She''s about to hang up when Kang Si An''s voice urgent voicees out. [Where are you?] She doesn''t want to talk to him the most at this moment. But, she has decided to not treat him badly since he''s trying his best to be Little Hae''s father. [Where?] "I am already on my way." [Kyuri, can''t you stop being stubborn for a moment and just tell me where you are?] She sighs tiredly before she tells him the location. The call disconnects. She stares at the shimmering city lights on the other shore of the river. Because of the city lights, the stars can''t be seen in the sky. She thinks about the time when she could see beautiful stars in the sky in the past. She should take Little Hae to ces where they can see the stars again. Kang Si An arrives at the location. She has her back to him, staring at the sky with deep sadness in her eyes. When he gets closer to her, he notices that her clothes are disheveled and torn around her right shoulder. She has wounds on her forehead and arms. "Why are you standing here when you should be at the hospital?" He asks her with an agitated voice. "Not a deep wound." It''s nothingpared to the wounds on her heart. She doesn''t want to go to the hospital. She has been afraid of going back home and shows this face to Little Hae. "I don''t want to go to the hospital for a small cut." "You." Kang Si An is exasperated. Does this woman still think that she''s still immortal? She bled so much. Even her clothes have drops of the blood. He steps closer to her to look at her forehead''s wound. Damn! It looks deep. If it remains untreated, she will get an infection. "What happened to you? Who did this?" Is it Young Hwa? He wants to ask, but he can''t say the word. "I was almost r@ped." Kyuri looks at him calmly and tells him, "The other person is in a worse state." His hand freezes in the air. Kyuri sighs again when she sees the tortured expression. The remorse in his eyes is also making her hate herself. Sometimes, all she wants is to disappear. If there hasn''t been Little Hae in her life, what would she have done? She loved a man for more than a thousand years and it ended in a tragedy. She tried to love another man and it turned out to be a lie. "Drop me at home." She doesn''t wait for him to say anything and gets into the car. She wonders what should she tell her family at her home. Her family is there for her, but she''s used to being alone. She relied on Young Hwa in the past. When the wedding was canceled, she felt relieved. When she heard Young Hwa''s phone ringtoneing out of that room, a corner of her heart was relieved again. At that moment, she should have knocked on the door and walk inside. She is still Young Hwa''s wife in papers. She should have gone inside and seen for herself whether it''s really Young Hwa with the woman. If she loved him or felt something, she would have gone inside. When the car stops, she snaps out of her thoughts. They are standing in front of the hospital. "Why did you bring me here?" "Your wounds need to be treated." No matter what she says, the wound looks bad. It''s deep. She might have a concussion. She almost rolls her eyes. "I have had worse." She stares at him. "Isn''t it better if I die? It won''t be hard for you to win her full custody if I die. You can have Little Hae then." He closes his eyes when the words hit him again. She thinks that way about him. Would he ever be happy if she dies? He would never want to see her die. Seeing her die once was unbearable. Even now, he gets those nightmares. Though things have turned out like this after the time turn, at least she''s alive. "Kyuri, I would never want that. You know it." "I don''t know." She blinks slowly. "I thought that I knew you. But, I was proven wrong. You are worried about these little wounds that someone gave me today. Why were you not worried about me three years ago? Back then, you felt nothing at all. Do you know what I did after you left?" "Kyuri..." Kang Si An rests his head on the steering wheel. He has thought about it every day for thest three years. He has tried to punish himself. He tried to make his wrongs right, but nothing is working. Kyuri''s wounds have been ripped open because of everything that happened to her in thest few hours. She wouldn''t have been this harsh if he hadn''te to see her. She hates that he is there at this moment with her. It should have been anyone else. "Since you like to be tortured that much, I will tell you then." Chapter 126: Who is your friend? Chapter 126: Who is your friend? "That night, it hurt so much to move that I crawled. I washed my body, even though the wounds sting each time I felt the cold water on my skin. I cried, still hoping that you woulde back to see me. You would have the heart toe back. Maybe you would feel something despite the fact that you didn''t remember. If you hade back once..." She looks away when the tears fill her eyes. Kang Si An lowers his head. If he had listened to his heart once instead of losing to hate, this oue could have been prevented. The loss of the child made him crazy that day. Still, he shouldn''t have done that to her. When he came back, she was already gone. It was toote. "I came to see you because I thought that we could be finally together in this lifetime." She leans against the ss, gazing at nothing. "I was wrong too. I should have left when I saw you with Ki Mi Ran. I didn''t want to. I left you once to Wu Qiuyue. I left you in each of your reincarnations. This time, I wanted to be with you. After such a long time, I wanted to spend each moment together." It hurts to remember how she was. Her voice bes softer,ced with pain that she''s been trying to bury deep. She has been telling herself that she is over it. Young Hwa has broken her illusion brutally. Again, she can''t me anyone but herself. "Did you ever think about how I feel?" Does anyone? Even the gods do not pity her. "I am sorry," Kang Si An mumbles weakly. "It was painful to see you die each time." She recalls the moment when Li Jun died. "I thought that you were punishing me because I died once. It was difficult to see you suffer because of me. I hated myself for being a traveler. I hate how I was reced by someone else. I get it though. I married Li Jun and became your fiancee. After the time-turn, someone else reced me because I was a special anomaly. It must be that reason. The gods showed me how meaningless our love was." She was born because someone else made mistakes. She was destined to die at the hands of the man she loved. When she defied gods, they destroyed it. "It wasn''t meaningless," Kang Si An nces at her with red eyes. "I have loved you only. I will love you only. I know it. After remembering, I know what love is." Kyuri can''t believe those words. Love seems like a luxury that she can''t afford to have anymore. "I have forgiven you for everything that happened so far." She needs to forgive herself too. "I hope that you can forgive me for my mistakes." She needs to apologize to one more person. "You have never done anything wrong." Kang Si An tells her with a desperate voice, "Kyuri, don''t think like this. You are never receable. Our love has never been meaningless. Why don''t you believe me once?" So much have happened. They fought against the impossible. She''s alive at this moment. Why does she think that it was meaningless? "Does it matter what I think now?" She nces at him with a smile. "It''s broken anyway." Kang Si An gazes at her. Rather than physical pain, she''s suffering because of the wounds on her heart. She intends to suffer alone. Young Hwa couldn''t take it away. What happened to her today has hurt her tremendously. Before she came back, he could only wait, hoping that she''s doing well somewhere. After she came back, he realized that he couldn''t be there beside her. She chose Young Hwa, but she is still in pain. He pulls her in his embrace. She doesn''t move. Her vision is misty. He is warm, but this feels so cold to her. He wraps his arms firmly around her as if he is trying to keep her from disintegrating. While stroking her back, he tells her quietly, "Nothing is broken. I am here. I will always be." This hurts. Kyuri sniffles. It hurts more than anything that she has faced so far in life. "Even if we can''t be what we were once," Kang Si An puts his palm on the back of her head. "We are not enemies. We can start as friends. You are not alone, Kyuri. I will always be with you." Feeling like she''s home after a long time, she realizes how close they are. This embrace is so familiar that she fell into naturally. She blinks herself out of the daze. "Who is your friend?" She pushes him away. Her voice is stern. "Since we are here anyway, I will get a check-up." Without a second nce, she gets out of the car and walks toward the hospital. Kang Si An sighs and rushes after her. He puts his jacket around her body. She throws an irritated look at him. His jacket smells like him. "Just a friendly action." He puts his palms up and smiles at her. "No deeper meaning." She rolls her eyes. "We are not friends." "Since you have forgiven me, we are not enemies." He ces his hands on her shoulders and pushes her toward the hospital. "We are not strangers either. We know each other too well to be only acquaintances. Therefore, we are already friends." "..." She lets him push her with a grumpy face. This familiarity is surreal after everything that happened. She didn''t ask for any of this. For tonight, she will let this go. Chapter 127: Are you planning something? Chapter 127: Are you nning something? "What happened to you?" Ki Hoon is startled to see the bandage on his sister''s head. He came back after a business trip that he took in ce of his superior. There''s supposed to be a wedding on the day after tomorrow. His eyes focus on Kang Si An beside him. "Did you hurt her?" Kang Si An is surprised to hear the usation. Kyuri clears the situation before her brother beats up Kang Si An. "I fell. He helped me." "Are you sure that he didn''t push you?" Ki Hoon narrows his eyes on Kang Si An. Kang Si An sighs. His impression on her family is really bad. "Not him." She walks into the house. She wonders about Jae Kyung. She has never used her ability to hurt humans. Is he even alive now? Braindead like Kang Si An once was? having a good sleep? She glimpses at Kang Si An. She''s not bothered about hurting Jae Kyung as much as it bothered her when she hurt this man. She lets out a sigh. Was she lying to herself all this time? It was better if she never came back. Perhaps, it is better to remain as friends. "Little Hae fell asleep while waiting for you." She hears her mother say. "How did you get hurt? So much blood..." "I fell." She lies again. "I already ate. I am going to sleep." She needs a good wash too. She runs to her room, ignoring the stares of her ''friend''. "Don''t get your bandage wet." Kang Si An yells after her. After the agreement that they are friends, he can voice some of his thoughts. He''s sure that she hasn''t eaten. This girl will never drop her lying habit. Ki Hoon creases his brows. Something is different. Did something happen between this boy and his sister? He should ask directly. "Kang Si An, are you nning something?" He raises his brow. "What are you talking about?" "You and my sister... I was only gone for a few days. How did you get on the good terms with her?" He crosses his arms and interrogates Kang Si An. "Don''t even think about breaking up my sister and Young Hwa." Kang Si Ann shakes his head. In the past, he might have wished to do it. Now, he doesn''t wish for such things. "They are already married. Who can break them up?" "It''s good that you know." Ki Hoon ps his back andughs. "Have dinner before you go." He exhales sharply and nces at the stairs leading up. She probably wants to be alone at this moment. If he could, he would go and see her. But, he''s a ''friend''. He doesn''t want her to find a reason to push him away again. "I will stay another time." He tells Ki Hoon with a smile, "Kyuri should eat something. She lost a lot of blood. She needs to eat some medicines on a full stomach." The hint is enough. Knowing her family, he''s sure that they wouldn''t let her sleep without a meal. *** [A few hours earlier] While telling the story how met Kyuri and Little Hae, Young Hwa doesn''t notice Jae Kyung mixing something in his drink. Drunk and feeling strange, he can''t even walk properly. Jae Kyung takes his phone and texts Kyuri toe. He deletes the text after it is shown read. Young Hwa has no idea. Jae Kyung takes him to the room and ces him on the bed. His cousin''s brows are creased as he is burning in agony. Hees out of the room and waits for Yeon Seo. A few days ago, Yeon Seo contacted him to help her talk to Young Hwa. "Did he really agree to talk to me?" Yeon Seo finds it hard to believe that Young Hwa would agree to see her. After hearing about his wedding, she contemted whether she could let him go or not. Her heart couldn''t agree. If she could tell him the reason once, maybe he would forgive her. Maybe, there''s hope. "Of course, he''s inside." Jae Kyung grins at her. "Yeon Seo, I don''t have any doubt that my brother only loves you. Since you were not here, he is swayed by that woman who likes to seduce rich men. That woman also has a child with the other man. You are the only one who can save my brother." She furrows her brows. She has seen that woman in the mall. That woman is pretty, but she didn''t seem materialistic. When Young Hwa offered to buy all the scarves, that woman only picked one. That doesn''t sound like a woman who would marry someone for money. "She is good at fooling people," He tells her in a low voice. "She even tried to climb my bed three years ago before she seduced my fellow actor. You heard about Kang Si An, right? She''s that woman." Who doesn''t know about Kang Si An and his suicidal actions in thest three years? Recently, she heard that he had a child with the woman who disappeared three years ago. The poor man had no idea. The woman came back with a fiance too. Kang Si An was abandoned for a richer man. So, that fiance was none other than Young Hwa. She sighs. These women are scary. "Don''t let him wait too long." Jae Kyung signals her to go inside. "My brother missed you for a long time." Chapter 128: After the wedding Chapter 128: After the wedding "Oppa..." She takes cautious steps toward Young Hwa when she sees him lying on the bed with his back to her. "I am sorry about what I did five years ago. I know that you can''t forgive me. I wanted toe back and see you sooner, but I was afraid that you wouldn''t see me." Young Hwa''s body stirs once. His mind can''t register what she''s saying. He lets out a painful groan when he feels liquid fire running through his veins. He sits up and clutches his hair, trying to cling to his sanity desperately. He can''t understand what''s going on with him. Hearing his painful groan, she rushes to his side. "Oppa, are you okay?" Panting for air, he opens his burning eyes. Kyuri? Yeon Seo grabs his hand. His skin is burning. "You have a fever." It''s already bad enough. Her touch breaks all the control that he was barely keeping on himself. He pushes her down on the floor and kisses her. Yeon Seo is startled by the sudden onught. Something isn''t right with him. Then, she recalls Jae Kyung''s words. Young Hwa must have forgiven her already. Feeling happy, she kisses him back passionately. When Young Hwa wakes up, he is extremely thirsty. He sits for a moment while holding his throbbing head. Something moves beside him. He squints at the smooth back of the woman. He gets faint glimpses of what happenedst night. He doesn''t dislike this, but he wanted his first time with her when he wasn''t drunk. He smiles and reaches to give her a kiss on her back. His heart bes still when he notices those familiar small brown freckles on her back. Kyuri doesn''t have those. Yeon Seo. How did this happen? He''s sure that it was Kyuri who came to himst night. Yeon Seo turns around in her sleep, revealing her face. He is horrified to see her. How did he lose control and sleep with Yeon Seo? He remembers drinking with Jae Kyung. He has a high tolerance. He can never be drunk enough to mistake someone else as his woman. Did Jae Kyung do something? Did this woman n something with Jae Kyung? Clenching his teeth, he wears his clothes in rage. He can''t believe that he did this. How would he tell Kyuri? She will hate him. Things haven''t even properly begun between them and he has already ruined it. "Oppa?" Yeon Seo wakes up when she hears the sound of the door closing. Young Hwa isn''t beside her. *** In the car, Young Hwa sees Kyuri''s missed calls. He calls her back, but she doesn''t pick up. He has a bad feeling about this. He doesn''t know how to exin. The wedding is tomorrow. He made a mistake. He is sure that Jae Kyung mixed something in his drinks. The way he feltst night was just abnormal. He dials Jae Kyung''s number. After the third ring, a woman picks up the call. [Hello, are you Actor''s park brother?] His number is saved as brother on Jae Kyung''s phone. "I am his cousin. Can you give the phone to him?" [Actor Park was found unconscious in the hotel room by someone. He''s at the C Hospital.] He frowns. Did that scoundrel do drugs again? He turns the car toward C hospital. He will kill Jae Kyung first. At the hospital, doctors are clueless about Jae Kyung''s condition. There''s no trauma anywhere on his head. They can''t find any wound either. There''s no poison in his body either. "This condition..." The doctor reads his chart. "Didn''t Actor Kang Si An have the same condition same way?" He was also in charge of Kang Si An once. The other doctor disagrees. "I am not sure if it''s the same. There is zero brain activity. His heart rate is declining too." After Young Hwa arrives, he receives the same report. Jae Kyung seemed healthyst night. How could he get to this state without any wound or disease? He can''t help but think of Kyuri. Kang Si An had the same problem. He checks her call timings. If it happened to Jae Kyungst night... Nothing feels right. He has to see Kyuri first. Did Jae Kyung do something? Kyuri isn''t someone who would hurt anyone without a reason. He calls her again. He calls her home number. After a few rings, he hears her mother''s voice. "Mother, is Kyuri alright?" [Young Hwa, she''s better now.] "Better?" He runs toward his car. "What happened to her?" [She had a small ident yesterday. Someone pushed her on the road when she was walking home. She hit her head. Kang Si An took her to the hospital. We didn''t know anything until she came back. She is ying with Little Hae now. Do you want me to call her down?] "No, Mother. I aming." Why Kang Si An was with her? Young Hwa scowls deeply. She did call him. He couldn''t pick it up once. Jae Kyung. He should never wake up if he doesn''t want to die by his hands. On his way, he realizes his appearance. He is still wearing yesterday''s clothes. His hair is disheveled. Kyuri has sharp senses. He can''t let her see him like this. The wedding is the next day. He can''t let his one mistake ruin everything. After the wedding, he will reveal everything to her. Jae Kyung and Yeon Seo plotted against him. She would understand him. She''s sensible. He goes to his house first. He cleans himself well, feeling guilty. Kyuri is his wife. Yeon Seo is his past. Why did this happen? He dresses up in clean clothes. He checks his face before releasing his breath. He should tell her. He will tell her after the wedding. Once shees to his house with Little Hae, he will reveal everything. Chapter 129: Did my ladies miss me? Chapter 129: Did mydies miss me? "Mommy, when will daddye?" Little Hae asks her mother in her room. Kyuri doesn''t know who Little Hae wants to see. "Always ying with only daddy... what about me? Little Hae doesn''t love me more than she loves her daddy." "Mommy, Little Hae loves you." Little Hae is trying to makeplete a puzzle picture. A piece doesn''t seem to fit no matter how much she tries. "Little Hae loves Daddy more." ''Who do you love more?'' Kyuri wants to ask Little Hae. She also knows that she won''t be happy to hear either name. She mumbles, "Little Hae, I am sorry." Little Hae doesn''t hear her. She is upied with the puzzle. Annoyed, she puts away the puzzle piece that couldn''t fit and looks for the other one that could fit. Young Hwa opens the door and walks in. He grins at them. "Did mydies miss me?" Little Hae jumps on her feet. "Daddy is here." For some time, Young Hwa has been busy. At first, it was his father''s sickness. When things got better, there were some emergencies in business. He couldn''t spend much time with her. He swings Little Hae around and gives her a bear hug. Kyuri watches themugh. She walks out of the room, leaving them alone. Young Hwa notices her resigned expression. Afraid, he puts down Little Hae and tells her to y alone for a while. She nods at him. She also wants to finish the puzzle to see theplete picture. She runs back to finish it first. Young Hwa goes to her room. She is standing near the window with an unreadable face. He sits down on the bed and watches her back. He wonders if he should just tell her the truth. It''s hard to face her. Can he stand next to her tomorrow with this guilty heart? Maybe she can already sense it. The bandage around her head is another question. If she met Jae Kyung, then... "How did you get hurt?" "Cancel the wedding," She tells him with a monotonous voice. "I can''t marry you." His heart drops to his stomach. She knows. Jae Kyung must have said something. Then, it''s Jae Kyung who hurt her. "What did he do to you?" She turns around and looks at him. Under her prating gaze, he feels heavier. "Young Hwa, let''s stop." "You aren''t answering my question." Young Hwa raises his voice. "What did he do to you and why?" "He texted me using your phone. He called me to his room. He''s the one who did this and I am the reason why he''s at the hospital. He will not wake up." She has done the same thing to the time-crystal nt. That old thing didn''t leave. She has no doubt that Jae Kyung wouldn''t live either. She doesn''t know how to save him either. "How about you be honest with me? You are not meeting my gaze." He covers his face and lets out an exasperated sigh. "Jae Kyung did something to my drinks. I don''t know why Yeon Seo came to that room. I thought that she was you." She leans against the wall. She''s not angry or hurt. She did feel torrents of emotionsst night. After seeing Young Hwa, she''s calmer. That''s why she knows that it''s not working out. She''s been forcing herself to love him for the sake of Little Hae, thinking that love would happen eventually. She did rely on him. She also likes him. "Kyuri, don''t cancel the wedding." He walks to her side. "It was Jae Kyung''s plotting. He used Yeon Seo against me. Please believe me. I would never cheat on you." "I believe you. Still, I don''t want to go ahead with the wedding." She pulls away from him. "Young Hwa, I am not canceling it because what happened between you and Yeon Seo." Jae Kyung must have done something. She understands that much. "Why?" He stares at her with his creased forehead. "When I found out, I was relieved." She looks into his eyes. "As your wife, I should not be relieved that you slept with someone else. However, I am. I don''t feel jealous. I was unhappyst night, but it was not the pain that a woman suffers when she finds out that her husband was with someone else. I tried, but I am incapable of..." "Loving me." He finishes her words. He has been afraid of telling her. She didn''t feel anything about it. She''s right. She shouldn''t be calm after hearing about what happened. She should be angry or beating him up. "Then, do you love Kang Si An?" "I don''t," She replies with an unwavering voice. There''s not a moment of hesitation. Whatever it is between her and Kang Si An, it is only a lingering attachment. That''s it. "Then, I still have a chance." He is not giving up. He won''t let one night to ruin everything he has with Kyuri. "Let''s cancel the wedding. Come to my house with Little Hae. We have been caring about the formalities too much. You and I are already married. Maybe you cannot feel like a wife because you and I haven''t been living like one." "Young Hwa." Kyuri frowns at him. "I don''t think that we would work out." "We didn''t try enough." He holds her hands. "I apologize for what happenedst night. I will never do it with a sane mind. The woman I want to be with is you. A second chance for us... Kyuri. We will live together without anyone''s interference. Then, it will be clear whether we can work out or not." Chapter 130: Yes, I finished it Chapter 130: Yes, I finished it "Young Hwa, I don''t think that it''s a good idea." Kyuri shakes her head. Even if he was plotted against, he still slept with Yeon Seo. She can''t just start acting as his wife suddenly. It''s tooplicated for her to deal with. "I want to file the divorce. I will talk to Little Hae about us. If you want, you can see her anytime. But, continuing this is too hard for me." "You are only thinking about yourself." He can''t help but feel angry. "Little Hae is too young to understand this. Why won''t you try honestly once? It was working out before. We were good..." Before the catastrophe that happened yesterday. "Love doesn''t happen in one day for some people. It grows gradually with time. You already feel something for me. Can you deny that?" She''s silent, confused by his words. At this moment, she can''t figure out. Young Hwa pats her head. She''s always overthinking, keeping it all inside her and only telling the decisions. "We are already married. Does it hurt to try? Once something is gone, it''s gone. What can still be saved, can be saved if one tries." What''s broken is broken. It couldn''t be saved when it broke with Kang Si An. With Young Hwa, things have always been different. This mistake wasn''t his fault. Again, she bes weak while thinking about Little Hae. Her daughter might have Kang Si An now. Before, it was only Young Hwa who gave that child the love of the father. "I will never drink again." He swears. "I will never get plotted against by women. You will be the only one. I swear." If it was Kang Si An who made this type of mistake, she would have never forgiven him. Kyuri realizes how partial she has been. If you love someone more, you have higher expectations. If they betray or break your trust, the heartbreak is more painful. That''s how she knows that she doesn''t love Young Hwa. She has always known it. She started this for the sake of Little Hae. They are already married now. "One more time." He implores her. "Even if it doesn''t work out, we can remain married for Little Hae. I want to have a family with you and her. I love both of you. I can''t imagine living without both of you." At the same time, his phone rings. Her mind clears up. If things do not work out after they moved to his house, how will it affect her daughter? Then, living as a married couple even after things don''t work out... He says this today. Will he say the same tomorrow? She has been living for a long time. She knows one thing. Humans are fickle. There is nothing permanent in the world. When he finishes the call, his face is ashen. "What''s wrong?" She asks him with a low voice. "Jae Kyung is dead." He nces at her solemnly. "My aunt wants to investigate you." They have captured her entering and leaving the room in the video. She left the door open. That''s how someone else found him after 30 minutes. She doesn''t feel anything. Nothing like how she felt when Kang Si An was hurt by her. It bothers her a lot. "Let them investigate. It''s not like anyone can prove that I killed him. He''s not the first living I killed as self-defense." Her cold voice sends tremours in his body. A human is dead and she''s not batting her eyes. He has never seen Kyuri like this. When it was Kang Si An, she didn''t act this cold. Heposes himself and smiles at her stiffly. "I will talk to her. They can''t prove that you hurt him." It''s her who has the wounds, not the other way around. They found nothing in the medical tests. If she didn''t use her ability, she would have been... Young Hwa doesn''t want to think. He gives her an assuring look and leaves the house to talk to his aunt. He will arrange awyer just in case. Feeling sluggish, she lies down on the bed. The day keeps getting harder. She killed Jae Kyung. She has seen the look in Young Hwa''s eyes. For a second, he was scared of her. Perhaps, herck of empathy scared him more than the fact that she killed Jae Kyung. Nevertheless, Jae Kyung was his cousin. She goes to see Little Hae who couldn''t finish the puzzle yet. She picks up the piece that she has hidden from her before she left earlier and ces it on the part,pleting the picture of a sunset on the sea. "Mommy, you finished it." She ps merrily. "Yes, I finished it." Kyuri kisses her daughter''s forehead. What can be saved, can be saved. What can''t be saved, can''t be saved. Things with Young Hwa have reached its end. She might have been swayed by Young Hwa''s words, but Jae Kyung''s death has sealed the fate of their rtionship. She''s an anomaly. Young Hwa made her realize that. Chapter 131: Perhaps, you are not human Chapter 131: Perhaps, you are not human Love can''t be forced. Kyuri starts chopping the vegetables with a lot on her mind. Her mind is definitely not on the cooking. Yet, the knife moves smoothly as if the knife is a part of her body. Young Hwa was afraid of her when she said that Jae Kyung was not the first man she killed. She skins the chicken with a straight face. Her mother is watching from the distance. Why is her kitchen taken over by her daughter? Her daughter is not acting normally after the wedding was canceled again. This time, Young Hwa''s cousin died suddenly. It''s unlucky to go along with a wedding in these circumstances. Why do bad things keep happening to her daughter? It''s true that she killed people in thest thousand years. It was self-defense. She killed those guards that Wu Yixing sent after her and her aunt. She used her ability on the timekeeper boy she met at the stable. The chicken pieces be thinner and thinner, nearly transparent. Her mother wonders what kind of dish her daughter ns to make. Kyuri''s brother and father are watching cartoons with Little Hae, unaware of what is waiting for them at the dinner time. After work, it is Kang Si An''s habit toe and see his daughter once before he goes home. Little Hae isughing while watching the TV. He walks toward her, but Kyuri catches his attention. He wonders how she is. So, he turns his step toward her direction. He purses his lips when he sees what she has done to the poor chicken. When he looks at Kyuri''s mother questionably, she shakes her head. "Ahem." He clears his throat. Kyuri keeps mincing the meat with empty eyes. The vegetables aren''t any better. If all is mixed, one can''t tell what is what. He grabs her hand to stop her from turning things into powder. "What''s wrong with you?" She blinks, surprised to see him. She notices the mess. "Damn!" "Don''t worry. We will order something. It''s not thatte." He takes the knife away from her. "Wash your hands first." She res at him. "Why aren''t you afraid of me?" He furrows his brows, wondering what''s this about. "Who says that I am not afraid of you?" She lets out a breath. "That''s better. You are human after all." She washes her hand and walks past him. She goes to her mother and says, "I am sorry about the dinner. Please order something for tonight. I am going out on a walk." "Wait, where are you going? It''ste." Hearing her words, her father calls out for her. "Ki Hoon, go after her." "I will go." Kang Si An runs out before anyone can oppose. "Something is just not right." Ki Hoon squints in the direction of the door. "Uncle, what is not right?" Little Hae asks curiously. "Our dinner is ruined by your mother." He pinches her puffy cheeks. "Little Hae, shall we order pizza or something else?" "Strawberry cake," Little Hae replies in a beat. "Chocte donuts, coconut ice cream and..." The list goes on *** "What did you mean by that?" Kang Si An runs and stops in front of her. "What are you talking about?" She sighs. Why can''t she have a drink by herself? Why this man doesn''t leave her alone? She has given him an inch and he is taking a mile. How long can she bear with it before she snaps? "You are a human after all." He quotes her words. It sounded a bit strange when she said it. Her eyes were also sad at that time. If she called him weak, he wouldn''t mind. Calling him human while looking at him like that doesn''t sound... It reminded him of the time when she told him that she was cursed. It''s been a long time, but he would never forget the mncholy in her eyes. "It means what it means." She shrugs nonchntly. "How many people can kill someone with a touch? Can you do that? Even the timekeeper couldn''t do it. It''s not something a human should be able to do." He has heard about Jae Kyung''s sudden death. He didn''t connect his death with Kyuri until now. She did say yesterday that the other person was in a worse state. "What''s the big deal about it?" Kang Si An talks with a casual tone. "I have killed more people than you ever killed. I was called Master Death once. Then, I was general. There were other times when I -" "I know." She looks at him with a bored expression. "Don''t forget what I did to you. It''s fine if youe to see Little Hae. Don''t act friendly with me. If I am annoyed, I might do what I did to Jae Kyung." Huffing once in his direction, she walks ahead. She will numb her brain tonight. Honestly, she wants to go back to her home by seaside, away from both men. Life with Little Hae was good. There weren''t anyplication or pain. Watching the sunset every day with her daughter is one of her best memories. Good things don''tst long. "Kyuri." Kang Si An grabs her arm to stop her. "Lisen, when I said that I was afraid of you, I meant that I was afraid of you disappearing again. What do you mean anyway? You are human in every way. Okay, for some time, you were not human... when you were immortal. I wasn''t scared of you back then either." She pinches the flesh on his hand. He won''t let go until she listens to him. The girl keeps thinking about strange things. He can''t guess where these thoughtse inside her head. "You should be scared." She looks up at him. "I am an anomaly." "Why do you keep using that word for yourself?" He snaps at her suddenly. "Your heart is human, idiot. You are more human than anyone I have known. For your aunt and me, you even changed the entire flow of time. You kept getting hurt to protect people like me. You watched me and took care of me for a long time. For Little Hae, you epted someone like me again in your life. You have always been sacrificing yourself for other people in your life. You try to endure everything by yourself and protect the people you love. If you weren''t human, how could you love them in such a way?" He says it all in one breath. Seeing her silence, he adds, "Perhaps, you are not human. A human wouldn''t do that much for anyone." Chapter 132: A lot of things to be sorry for Chapter 132: A lot of things to be sorry for Kyuri is maintaining a poker face. Kang Si An can''t read any emotion on her face. Though the eyes can''t lie, he can''t see anything in those dark brown eyes either. Her guards are up. He is perturbed by the fact that he can''t read her like the way he is used to. "I heard you," She tells him in a neutral tone. "Go back home. Little Hae must be waiting for you." "I can''t leave you alone at night." He scowls at her. "You are a young woman. How can you walk out alone? Yesterday also, you should have called someone ore back straight home. Couldn''t you take a cab?" She''s getting a headache because of his non-stop nagging. "I am not that young. I am older than you, fool. Did you forget that I killed someone? Also, I can protect myself. Nothing can hurt me unless I am drunk." She was nning on getting drunk though. She''s a year older than Kang Si An on the certificates. But, she is way older if one considers... "I am older than you are. I have all of my memories. I lived up to 95 once. You didn''t grow when you were cursed. So, mentally, I am older than you are." He points at her. "Listen to this old man. You are a female. Don''t wander at night. Don''t drink ever again." "You don''t have the wisdom of someone that old." She crosses her arms. "And, who are you to order me? I am a married woman. Don''t act so friendly. This is my second warning." "Tch!" He clicks his tongue in annoyance, acting like an old man. "Married or not, you are still a woman. I can''t ignore if you go out and seek trouble. Do you know what kind of effects you have on men? You alwaysck self-awareness. When you were with General Yu, do you know how other soldiers talked about you? They nned oning on to you when your aunt wasn''t around. If I didn''t state my im on you, you would have been -" "What do you mean by iming me?" Kyuri is perplexed by his words. "I own myself. Nobody can im me, okay?" "What I mean is..." Kang Si An wants to tell her that she should be self-aware of herself. She''s quite pretty. Men are easily attracted to her. Walking alone at night is dangerous for an attractive woman like her. "Also, you were the strange one who fell for me because of dreams." She raises her chin. "First, you tried to kill me on the battlefield too. Then, you would stare at me wherever I go. It was so ufortable. When I took off your mask -" "Don''t start." Kang Si An rubs his forehead. She''s talking about his embarrassing days. He stared at her like a love fool back then. "I dreamt of you because of the time that you spent with me in this century. You were the one who came to my house every day and tried everything to seduce me." "That is because you seduced me as Li Jun first and then, you also slept with me when I met you in E Country and..." Kyuri counts all of his actions on her fingers. "Even getting an emperor''s decree to force me to marry you, what the hell was wrong with you? The second time, you dared to ask me to be your concubine. You should be d that I am not turning your head into a soup right now." He watches her poker face breaking into ranges of colorful expressions. His heart is erratic to see the fury in her eyes. Beautiful. "I wanted to be with you. I couldn''t break my promise to Li Hua''s mother. But, I wanted to you to stay with me. I shouldn''t have done that. I was an idiot. I am sorry for trying to force it upon you." "You have a lot of things to be sorry for." Kyuri turns away from him, flustered. It seems like she can''t drink and numb her brain tonight. Her brain is already going numb because of Kang Si An. "I am going back home." Kang Si An follows her silently. She still manages to make his heart go crazy like the first time. Chapter 133: That night was a mistake Chapter 133: That night was a mistake Young Hwa walks out of Jae Kyung''s parents'' house. He tried to talk to them. Jae Kyung''s mother wouldn''t back out. She doesn''t believe that her son could do any wrong. The investigators found Kyuri''s blood and fingerprints at the scene. To make matter worse, the same doctor who treated Kang Si An was in charge of Jae Kyung. The investigators caught Kyuri leaving Kang Si An''s apartment building the same day he was found unconscious by his manager. They are fully suspicious of Kyuri. He needs to talk to Kyuri. This is going to be bad. It depends on what Kang Si An''s statement now. "Oppa." He turns around and sees Yeon Seo standing behind him. Where did shee from? He frowns at her. She''s thest person he wants to see now. He has seen the recordings. Though he couldn''t hear it, Yeon Seo and Jae Kyung were seen having a conversation outside the room before she went in. If he had any doubt before, it was gone after seeing them together. Because of this woman, things are crumbling between him and Kyuri. If she hadn''t done what she did, Kyuri wouldn''t be like this. Everything was going well before Yeon Seo came back. "Oppa, wait." She steps in the space between him and the car door. "Why are you being like this to me?" He left yesterday without a word. She heard about Jae Kyung too. She tried to find him at his home, but he wouldn''t see her. Left with no choice, she followed him this morning to talk to him. "You ask why?" Young Hwa eyes her darkly. "Yeon Seo, I didn''t know that you were this scheming." "Scheming?" She looks at him with confusion. "Oppa, I don''t understand. I would never scheme against you. You were different that night and -" "Don''t even speak about it." He pushes her shoulder against the car. "Yeon Seo, how could you do it? You were not this kind of person. I could forgive you for breaking up with me over a text and leaving me. How do I forgive you for what you did that night? Because of you, everything is breaking apart in my life." "Oppa, what are you saying?" She has no idea what he is talking about. What did she do that night except for... "You kissed me. So, I thought that you forgave me and wanted me again..." Looking into Young Hwa''s eyes, she realizes that something wasn''t right about that night. Recalling Jae Kyung''s words and Young Hwa''s actions, she realizes the mistake. "Oppa, did you do it to me because you were drunk? If it was a drunk mistake, I don''t mind... I still love you." Young Hwa inhales sharply. Did this woman not know either? Did Jae Kyung y them all before he died? He has known Yeon Seo since they were ten. At the age of 15, they started their rtionship. When he was 25, she ended the rtionship with a text and left the country. As much as he knew her, she wouldn''t sumb so low to scheme and mix drugs in someone''s drink. "Why did you meet Jae Kyung that night?" He asks her suspiciously. The rage and suspicion on his face make her shudder. After hearing about the wedding, she couldn''t stop herself. She wanted to talk to him once and tell him everything. "I wanted to see you once," She tells him. "I met with Jae Kyung first. He said that he would help me. I told me toe to the hotel that night. He said that you agreed to see me once. That''s why I..." Young Hwa steps back and runs his fingers through his hair in frustration. Jae Kyung deserved what happened to him. If he was alive, he would have killed him by his hands. That man cannot be forgiven. "Oppa, what happened?" Yeon Seo looks at him, distressed. "Why are you like this to me now?" "You ask?" He barks at her in anger. "That night was a mistake. I am already married to Kyuri. Why did you stille to see me? Because of you, my marriage might break too." Yeon Seo didn''t know about the marriage registration. She only heard about the wedding. She pales in horror. "I didn''t know." "Why didn''t youe to see me directly?" He punches the car and yells, "If you wanted to say something, you should havee to me instead of Jae Kyung." "I tried to call your old number, but it wouldn''t connect. I didn''t know if you would see me. I was afraid that you hated me for what I did 5 years ago. I asked Jae Kyung because he is close to you." She babbles to him. "Oppa, I didn''t know. I am sorry. I shouldn''t have..." "I don''t want to hear anything. Don''t appear in my life again." He pushes her away. The person he wants to see is Kyuri. He can still save this rtionship with her. He needs to convince Kyuri to give them another chance. "Wait" Yeon Seo grabs his arm. "Don''t leave, Oppa. I got this chance after a long time. Please listen to me before you leave. I want to tell you to hear why I left you five years ago." "I don''t want to know." Young Hwa closes his eyes and sighs. "Yeon Seo, it''s in the past. I don''t care what is the reason." It''s painful to see her again. He doesn''t want to get swayed by her. "It was my father who forced me to do that." Yeon Seo cries to him desperately. "He was the one who sent that text. I know that you hate me, but I never broke up with you. It was my father who wanted me to stop seeing you." "Don''t lie." He grimaces at her. "I went to your house. You weren''t there." "He hid me at another ce." Her voice is weak. She trembles when she recalls the torture. "He hated you. He held a grudge ever since your father rejected the proposal for the mall. Hispany was suffering a loss. He asked me to convince you, but..." Something like this did happen 5 years ago. The proposal could only invite disaster. His father made the decision. "You didn''t say anything." His forehead creases deeply. "I didn''t want my father to use you for his gain." Yeon Seo leans on the car for support. "He wanted me to break up with you and marry someone else. When I said no, he locked me in the room and sent that text. I ran away once and tried to find you. But, I was caught by his people when I was on my way. I tried to do everything to send a message. For months, I didn''t see the sunlight. Finally, When I agreed that I would marry any man he chose for me, he took me to another country. The man I married was forced to marry me because of his family. Recently, we agreed to divorce quietly and separate. I wanted to find you after the divorce, but you were never in the country. You were always on business trips overseas." Young Hwa is still, unable to react. All of this happened because of a rejected proposal. "I called your old number a lot of time." Yeon Seo sniffles and rubs the tears away. She wraps her arms around him. "I didn''t know how to contact you. I wanted toe back sooner. I still love you. Please believe me. Oppa,e back to me." Chapter 134: Can you really say Chapter 134: Can you really say He knocks the door. The person he still wants to see is Kyuri. "Not home?" He sighs. Only her mother is at home. Little Hae went out with her grandfather. "Young Hwa, stay. She wille back soon," Her mother tells him. He should wait, but he feels restless. He goes to her room andys down on her bed, thinking. It''s hurting his head. He closes his eyes and takes long breaths to calm down, still thinking about Yeon Seo. He opens his eyes when he hears the sound of the door opening. Kyuri walks in. Seeing her clears away all the uncertainties in his mind. He smiles at her. "Wee home." She gives him a quiet nod. "I was going to call you aftering home. You are already here." She didn''t call him after he left yesterday. He wants to tell her about Jae Kyung''s mother, but he ends up asking her, "Wife, did you think about what I said yesterday?" "I did." Something about her eyes is disturbing him. She sits beside him. "I can''t agree. "Kyuri." His chest feels tight to hear those words. Her voice is unwavering, unlike his heart. "Why can''t you?" "It''s impossible to force love." She stares at him with a smile. "Do you still not understand the meaning? I am not least bothered about Yeon Seo and you. You are also trying hard to love me. Young Hwa, I thought a lot. That day, you wanted to find a reason to live. You made me and Little Hae your reason. Yeon Seo was gone and someone else needed to be there. We like each other, but we are still forcing ourselves to love each other. If it was not like that, would you feel pain when you saw Yeon Seo in the mall that day?" "I already told you. It was just..." Young Hwa tries to defend himself. There was nothing. "Can you really say for 100% that you don''t feel anything for Yeon Seo?" Hearing her question, Young Hwa bes quiet. If Yeon Seo had plotted with Jae Kyung, there was still a reason to hate that woman. If she had left him for selfish reasons, he could still forget everything. After a long silence, Kyuri sighs and looks up at the ceiling. "I am not 100% sure that I don''t feel anything for him." Young Hwa has known that. Just like a corner of his heart belonged to Yeon Seo, a corner of Kyuri''s heart would always belong to Kang Si An. That''s why... It was wrong from the beginning. "We have been lying to ourselves." She wraps her arms around her knees. "I realized that I was lying to myself because of you. You and I were both in pain. I thought that I could love you. There''s nothing to dislike about you. Little Hae also loves you. When you said that it was okay to be in a loveless marriage, I was thinking of epting it. But, Young Hwa, a man like you don''t deserve that. If you still have a chance at love, I want you to grab it. What can still be saved, can be saved. About you and Yeon Seo, the hope is not gone." Living for so long... she understands a few things. Seeing Yeon Seo the day they registered their marriage, Young Hwa and Yeon Seo spending the night together two days before the wedding, Jae Kyung''s death a day before the wedding... She gets it. She''s been told by whatever rules this world that Young Hwa and she do not belong with each other. She might have met Young Hwa that day to give him hope. That''s her role alone. It''s done. She has kept him safe until Yeon Seo''s return. Now, Young Hwa can build the happiness that he supposed to build with the woman he truly loves. Even if she''s not time-traveling and changing fates, her presence in the world is still being used. Young Hwa rests his forehead on her shoulder. "I will still be your ex-wife. Little Hae will be the daughter of your ex-wife. You can still be her dad." She pats his head. "Even if we didn''t get married, you will still be her dad." "You are already calling yourself my ex-wife." He smiles at her mournfully. "You have made up your mind to leave me." "I am still here," She says to him softly. "About Jae Kyung, I will resolve it. Don''t worry." "You won''t take my help either." He can feel her distancing herself from him. There''s nothing that can save it. He has no doubt that she can resolve the matter by herself. Kyuri doesn''t need anyone. She never has. "Will you go back to him then?" Kyuri shakes her head. She only epted the truth. It doesn''t mean that she would go back to him. She''s happy with Little Hae. "It can''t be saved. It was already broken long ago." Perhaps, it was broken from the start. Chapter 135: Life isnt a science fiction movie Chapter 135: Life isn''t a science fiction movie [A few hours earlier] Kyuri stares at the house with a frown. Thiswyer is supposed to be the best one in the country. The person who made the arrangement is also the one who is handling the businesses. She can''t make her presence known to them. She only told them on call that she needed awyer for the granddaughter of a friend. Mo Wei is supposed to be 75 years old. That person has seen her when Mo Wei was ''young''. It''s better to indirectly make contact with that person unless she wants to kill him with a heart attack. Thiswyer is also famous. She heard about her before she got involved with Kang Si An. She takes a deep breath. She wants to resolve Jae Kyung problem as soon as possible. She rings the doorbell and waits. A tall and slender man opens the door. He glimpses at her face coolly. "Miss Kwon, you are right on time." She looks at the watch. She''s five minuteste. She looks at him again. The man, who seems more like a boy, grins at her. "Come inside." "Father." A young boy around 3 years oldes running to the man. "Sister took my toy." "I did not." The girl is 5 years old. Kyuri notices that her features match the man. The young boy must look like the mother. "Father, that toy is mine. He won''t y with his toy. He always wants what I have." The man lets out an exasperated sigh. "Inha, you are the older sister. You must share the toys." Inha pouts. "I want to be a younger sister." "Being younger isn''t that fun." Kyuri squats down in front of the little girl and pinches that girl''s cheeks. "I am the younger one. I am speaking from the experience." Ha-Neul squints her eyes at the woman in front of her. "Aunty, you must have annoyed your elder sibling a lot." She huffs in anger and stomps toward her room. The boy follows right behind her to annoy his elder sister. "I am sorry about that." The manughs awkwardly. "She''s different from other children." "I understand. I also have a daughter." Kyuri smiles at him. "She''s around your son''s age." The man only smiles. He turns his head when he hears the familiar footsteps. A beautiful woman in her mid-thirtieses out of the room. She walks straight toward Kyuri. "Miss Kwon, please follow me. I charge for minutes. You are alreadyte. Don''t waste time with strange men." The man looks at Kyuri apologetically. Kyuri gives him a nod before following thewyer to the office. LawyerYoon sits down on the chair. Kyuri realizes that she''s slightly nervous under this woman''s prating gaze. She releases a breath before taking a seat in front of her. "You are quite famous, Miss Kwon." Yoon Miran stares at the woman in front of her. Though Yoon Miran doesn''t pay much attention to the entertainment news, Kwon Kyuri''s name kepting up due to the things that Kang Si An did. She didn''t think that the woman would evere to her. The connection between Kwon Kyuri and the owner of MWpany is also a surprise. The owner is never been seen in public. If the owner follows the tradition this time too, then the ownership will definitely go to this woman in front of her. "You too." Kyuri chuckles. "Who doesn''t know about you? You are the bestwyer in the country." Two years ago, Lawyer Yoon quit working at another firm and started to work as an independentwyer. Despite that, she''s quite in demand. "Tell me about yourself." Kyuri looks at the clock. "If I start, it will take all day. Though money is barely a problem, I don''t want to bore you. You must have basic information about me. So, I will start with my problem. I have killed a man when he tried to force himself on me." Yoon Miran smiles at her. She always likes straightforward ones who don''t waste her time. "How did you kill him?" "If I say that I have a special ability, will you believe me?" Kyuri leans forward. Her eyes shine wistfully. "I can travel in time. I can also destroy people''s mind. I can walk into dreams. Would you believe me?" "Life isn''t a science fiction movie." Yoon Miran cocks her head and watches the woman''s expression. "I will give you a chance to prove your strange words. If you can''t, please leave my office." Kyuri stands up and takes slow steps toward her. She ces her finger on Yoon Miran''s forehead. "I was right." She gazes at her solemnly. "One mind, two souls. Who is this man inside you? Kwak In-Sik? Strange. Where did I hear... " Yoon Miran ps the hand. She steps backwards, making arge distance between Kyuri and her. "You are..." Kyuri has sensed that something was wrong with the woman when she saw her. The second soul didn''t make any attempt to hide either. Embedded inside this woman''s mind, the second person is living in harmony. The frequencies of the soul match as if they are one. If Kyuri hasn''t been sure, she would have never revealed her ability to this woman. "You are not the first person to have two souls in one body." Kyuri takes a seat and says in azy manner, "I knew someone else who was simr to you." Kang Si An and the timekeeper. "Stop talking nonsense." Yoon Miranposes herself. "I don''t believe in -" "I came here to get my problem solved. I don''t have any interest in you or that person inside you." Kyuri smiles at her casually. "Let''s finish the talk about Jae Kyung. My daughter is waiting for me at home." Yoon Miran purses her lips, observing the woman in front of her. ''My dear, she won''t hurt us.'' In-Sik tells her, ''She is someone with secrets too.'' The voice inside her mind calms her down. Even if she can''t trust her judgment, she trusts In-Sik''s. "I have studied your case." Yoon Miran sits down again and speaks with a solemn voice, "Jae Kyung had been used of sexual misconducts in the past. The cause of his death is heart failure. Though there''s a motive that you might have killed Jae Kyung in self-defence or rage, they didn''t find any wound on his body. Tell me the details again. Don''t leave anything out." Kyuri reveals all the details including the text. She hasn''t deleted the text yet. Young Hwa was also a victim, though it is his decision whether he wants to speak up about it or not. "This is way easier now." Yoon Miran smiles after seeing the text. "I am sure that his past victims will also speak up after some persuasion." "Great." Kyuri looks at the clock. "I have taken extra time. Lawyer Yoon, I will pay for the extra minutes. There''s one thing that I want to tell you before I leave." Yoon Miran raises her brow. "What is it?" She stands up and tells her, "I don''t mean you any harm. I hope that we can be friends in the future." Yoon Miran curls her fingers inwardly when she hears those words. But, she doesn''t dislike this woman. There''s something about her frankness. Maybe it''s because Kwon Kyuri is not an ordinary person. "Ms Kwon, bring your daughter next time after this case is resolved. My kids will love a new friend." Chapter 136: Why do you wait for my wedding? Chapter 136: Why do you wait for my wedding? The next month pass in a flurry. The CCTV caught Jae Kyung mixing drugs in Young Hwa''s drinks. Yeon Seo and Young Hwa were called to the station. Young Hwa and Yeon Seo revealed everything that happened that night. Kang Si An is called. "She came to my house. We discussed Little Hae''s custody and some personal matters," He tells them solemnly. "Did she feed you anything or..." The prosecutor asks him. "No." Kang Si An shakes his head. "We talked for a while. Then, she left." "What did you do after she left?" "I watched the news for a while. Then, I went to take a nap." Kang Si An stares back at the detective. "I was feeling unwell recently because of overworking. " The prosecutor nods. Kang Si An''s condition back then could be the result of overworking. The same could be said about Jae Kyung. Jae Kyung''s recent schedule was busy. Lawyer Yoon has not only freed Kyuri of any suspicion, but she also changes the reveals of Jae Kyung''s past actions. The victimse forward. One thing leads to another and a big sex scandal is revealed, taking down powerful figures connected to the entertainment businesses. Kyuri is amazed by her work. "Lawyer Yoon is scary," She mutters and munches down the chips in front of the TV. "She''s quite thorough. I am d that I am her friend." "By the way, did you hurt Jae Kyung?" Her brother inquires. The family only found out about Jae Kyung when the summon letter to the prosecutor office came to their home. "Do you want to hear the answer, elder brother?" She stuffs her mouth with chips. "Even if I want to, you can''t answer now." He takes the packet from her hand. "Is there something else that I should know?" She swallows down and says, "Young Hwa and I got a divorce." Ki Hoon freezes after shouting. So much have happened. "When?" "Two weeks ago." She takes back the packet of chips. Things between Yeon Seo and Young Hwa are working well. Also, Yeon Seo is pregnant. He seemed quite happy. He even told Little Hae that she''s going to have a younger sibling soon. They will quickly get married next month. "Why?" Ki Hoon cannot understand his sister. Why does she never tell them anything? "Because I wanted to y cupid." Kyuri licks salt from her fingers. The chips are finished. "Thanks to me, two people have a happy ending." Ki Hoon holds his head in frustration. In thest three months, his sister came back with a child. She got married. She even got divorced. "Kyuri, why do you not think about me? I am old. My girlfriend will leave me if I don''t marry her within this year. I was nning to propose to her after your wedding." "Just propose to her." She res at him. "Why do you wait for my wedding?" It''s not happening anyway. "Because you are my younger sister. Your happiness is important to me." Ki Hoon sighs. "I don''t understand you anymore. You should have held on to Young Hwa. He was so good for you." "You should tie down your girlfriend before she meets her ex or a new guy." Kyuri chuckles. "Otherwise, you might end up alone for the rest of your life. At least, I have Little Hae." "Kyuri, don''t curse me. I also have Little Hae. She loves me a lot," Ki Hoon yells when she walks away from him. *** At the entrance of the school, Little Hae nervously looks up at her parents. It''s the first day of her school. Kyuri is almost in tears to see her in the cute school uniform. Her daughter was so small when she was born and now, she''s starting school. Kang Si An smiles at Little Hae. "Nervous?" "Daddy, Little Hae doesn''t want to go." Little Hae looks at him. "Little Hae wants to y with you." "Your friend is also starting school today," Kyuri tells her daughter. "You don''t want to see him?" "Hyun?" Little Hae''s ears perk up. Jae Hyun is Yoon Miran''s youngest son. They met and became friends easily. Ha-Neul was mesmerized by Little Hae''s cute face. She even asked her mother to exchange Jae Hyun with Little Hae. She would rather have a cute sister than an annoying younger brother. "He should be here already." Kyuri looks down at her watch. Just then, a car stops in front of them. Kim Taehoes out and opens the door for Jae Hyun and Ha-Neul. Ha-Neul runs to Little Hae first and gives her a hug. "Little Sister, we are going to the same school." The excitement is contagious. Little Hae''s expression bes better. Jae Hyun waddles behind his sister. He beams at Little Hae. "Hae, I brought candies...Here..." He takes off the wrapper and gives one to Little Hae. She shoves it inside her mouth. Delighted, Little Hae forgets about Kang Si An and gives a kiss to Jae Hyun''s cheek. Kang Si An is jealous. He can ept Young Hwa, but who is this boy? Why does his daughter already have a boyfriend? He looks at Kyuri questionably. Kyuri shrugs her shoulders. They are only kids. Kim Taehoughs and shakes his head when he notices Kang Si An''s jealousy. "You are a pretty uncle." Ha Neul suddenly walks to Kang Si An. "Come down. I want to give you a happy kiss." She gives one kiss to her father''s and brother''s cheeks every morning. Since she likes Little Hae a lot, she also likes Little Hae''s father who has the same green eyes. Kim Taeho''s expression turns sour when he hears her daughter say that. "Ha-Neul, you can''t kiss a strange man. I told you that you must scream and run away when you see strange men." "Strange man?" Kang Si An frowns at him. "What about my daughter kissing your son?" "They are kids. Besides, your daughter kissed my son and not the other way." Kim Taeho scowls back. "You are an adult. Do you want me to sue you for pedophilia?" "Are you insane?" Kang Si An can''t believe what he is hearing. "I don''t have such interests. I can also sue you for nder." "Then, you should reject when little girls ask you for a kiss," Kim Taeho tells him sternly. "I don''t trust the sanity of the man who jumps from the top of the building." "You!" Kang Si An has the urge to beat him up. Kyuri sighs. Why is Lawyer Yoon not here? How does she handle two crazy father? It would have been better if Young Hwa was here. He''s more sensible than these two foolish men. She walks to children. "Stand together and smile. I will take a picture." While Kang Si An and Kim Taeho are arguing, Kyuri clicks some pictures of three friends. "It''s a big day." She kisses Little Hae''s foreheads. "You will do well." Seeing that, Ha-Neul copies and kisses Jae Hyun''s forehead. "Little brother, don''t worry. Our school is a fun ce." "I am not worried. You and Hae are there," He mumbles and gives another candy to Little Hae. Kyuri smiles softly. Kang Si An scurries to his daughter when he notices walking away. He hugs her once and says, "Little Hae, don''t grow up too fast." It''s only been some time since he met her. She''s already going to school. "Daddy, Little Hae won''t grow up fast." Little Hae promises him, but Kang Si An knows that she will break the promises, just like her mother in the future. Little Hae sees Jae Hyun waiting for her near the ssroom. Jae Hyun opens up third candy and shows it to Little Hae. Seeing that, she sprints in Jae Hyun''s direction. "That boy!" Kang Si An can only curse in his heart. What is this feeling? His daughter is easily lured away by candies. Kim Taeho pats his back. "Want to grab drinks sometime?" Kang Si An nces at the man who was calling him a pedophile a while ago. "Why not?" Seeing this, Kyuri wonders whether she will ever understand men. Chapter 137: Better luck in convincing Chapter 137: Better luck in convincing Ever since Little Hae started going to school, I get bored easily. Laying down on my couch, I sigh. Life has changed so much in thest six months. Since I came back, things have been chaotic. Now, it''s peaceful. My brother finally gave up on me and married his girlfriend. They are currently on honeymoon. Young Hwa and Yeon Seo are also married. My best friend Yoon Mi also got married two months ago. Basically, people around me seem to be getting married. I don''t want to get married ''again''. Little Hae is more than enough. Sometimes, I can''t help but wonder what Kang Si An will do. I do hear rumours of him dating actresses, but I know enough to know how much is true. Kang Si Anes here every day to spend time with Little Hae. Apart from work and sleep at his apartment, he''s here all the time. Then, when does he get the time to date anyone? I have tried talking to my parents about moving to my own ce. It was declined right away. They want to live with Little Hae. It was okay if I live. Little Hae can''t go. It''s okay to kick daughter out, but granddaughter cannot leave. "Mommy!" Little Hae darts in my direction. Shortly behind her, Jae Hyun and Ha-Neul areing. I see that Kim Taeho isn''t here yet. "Little Hae." I smile at her. "How was school today?" "It was okay." She grins at me. "Mommy, can Hyune and live with us?" I sigh. "I don''t mind, but his parents won''t like it." This is an almost everyday conversation. "Aunty, Little Hae shoulde and live with us." Ha-Neul stares at me. "Just give her to me. I will take care of her. You can have Hyun." "I want to live with Hae," Jae Hyun mutters. He peers at Little Hae. Little Hae nces at him coyly. This exchange... Why do children grow up at exponential rate these days? "Ahem!" Kim Taeho is standing beside me. "Was I toote?" "No, it hasn''t been long." I smile at him politely. Kang Si An and Kim Taeho have be friends faster than Yoon Miran and I. Lawyer Yoon is a peculiar one. Being her friend means being able to visit her house with Little Hae and let the kids y while she keeps herself locked in her office. I end up bing the babysitter of three kids when Kim Taeho isn''t around. "Father, why can''t Hae live with us?" Ha-Neul coils her arm around her father''s leg. "I want a sister instead of a brother." He bes quiet and stares at Jae Hyun. Jae Hyun pecks Little Hae who returns it with a grin. Should I stop them? But they look so cute. So innocent. So pure. So ... "You have better luck in convincing Little Hae to be your younger sister inw in the future." I cough when I hear those words. What the... "Sister inw?" Ha Neul frowns a bit. She turns to her younger brother. "Jae Hyun to marry Little Hae?" "Don''t give them ideas," I tell Kim Taeho. "They aren''t even four yet." He rolls his eyes. "Kids grow up fast these days." "Little Hae, marry my younger brother.." Ha-Neul grabs my Hae''s hands. "Then, you cane to our house and live with us." Jae Hyun nods. "I will marry Hae when we be adults." Little Hae blinks at them. "But, I don''t want to leave mommy and daddy." Aww! My daughter is loyal to me. Jae Hyun smiles at her. "Then, everyone can live together." Ha-Neul nods approvingly. "All of us can live together." Kim Taeho sighs and says, "Miran doesn''t like crowdy ces." "..." I am starting to understand how Kang Si An feels. When wee back home, Kang Si An is already there. His work is highly irregr. Hees whenever he''s free. I would prefer if hees less frequently. "Daddy." Little Hae sits on hisp. "I made this for you." Kang Si An opens the card. I don''t know what''s written inside. Last week, she made one for me. She wrote why she loved her Mommy. I am guessing that this card is something simr. "Little Hae..." I hear his voice cracking. The guy is emotional again. When ites to Little Hae, he wouldn''t even think twice before shamelessly crying or acting out on his emotions. "I love you, Little Hae. You are the best daughter in the world." Of course, she is. I click my tongue and take snacks to the table. "Little Hae, go wash your hands first." "Yes, mommy." She climbs off hisp and goes to wash her hands. I stare at Kang Si An who is still looking at the card with teary eyes. "Will you stop?" Seeing him gives me a headache sometimes. "It''s hard to believe that you were a revered general once." "Receiving this is more valuable than receiving any honor from the emperor," He replies with a heavy tone. "I feel as if my life isplete." He''s changed. In thest six months, he has shown me how much he loves Little Hae. "Daddy." Little Haees back and takes her seat in hisp again. "I will marry Hyun and all of us will live together." "..." You didn''t need to tell him that. He opens his mouth. His eyes are widened in shock. His skin bes pale as the dead. "What did you say?" "Hyun will marry me, Daddy." She beams at him. "Then, Hyun can stay with us." "Kyuri, what is she saying?" Kang Si An looks at me, crestfallen. Not again. "She''s a child. Don''t take her words seriously." I get up, ready to run away. He''s going to nag me again for introducing a boy to his daughter. How would I have known that things would turn out like this? "These kids don''t even know what marriage is." "Little Hae, you absolutely can''t marry him." Kang Si An ignores me. "You aren''t allowed to date until you are 40. Boys are bad for your health." "Daddy, I like Hyun. He''s not bad," Little Hae tells him with a small voice. Seeing her sad, Kang Si An''s lips quiver uneasily. He blinks once. He can''t bear to see any unhappy expression on her face. "You can''t like him more than me." "I like Daddy the most." A big smile appears on her face. Content, Kang Si An finally reveals a dazzling smile. "I love Little Hae the most." My daughter is better at handling her father than I am. Chapter 138: You will always have me Chapter 138: You will always have me At Yoon Miran''s house, Kim Taeho prepares the meal for the kids while they change. Ha-Neul is excited by the idea of Little Haeing to her family as sister-inw. Jae Hyun doesn''t understand much, but he also wants to be with Little Hae. The siblings have set their hearts on Little Hae. He wonders why both of them like Little Hae so much. Yoon Miran is at the court, dealing with a new murder case. Her clients are never clean people. As always, she loves the challenge of fooling thew and saving the guilty ones. Some things haven''t changed about her. He likes her the way she is, but he hopes that she woulde out of the shock. Would she ever ept him? "Father, when can I marry Little Hae?" Jae Hyun stands up on the chair and asks. He is a little shorter than Ha-Neul. His eyes are just like his father''s, but he has inherited his mother''s features most. "Hmm." Kim Taeho feeds his son. "If you have parents'' approval, you can marry her at 18. Otherwise, you have to wait until you are 20." Jae Hyun looks at his father seriously. "Father, when will I turn 18?" "How are you sure that your mother and I would approve of your marriage?" Kim Taeho chuckles. He wonders how Yoon Miran will react this. She doesn''t show much expression. He was surprised that she would ept Kyuri as her friend. But seeing how she treats Kyuri, he is less surprised. He can''t say that they are exactly friends. He''s curious though What made Miran suddenly ept Kwon Kyuri in her silent space? Even the children like her and Little Hae. They have a strong dislike for Jung Kwang-soo and his sons. There''s mutual enmity between Jung Kwang-soo''s two sons and his children. They end up ripping each other''s hair out each time they meet. But the second child won''t stop following Ha-Neul. Ha-Neul really treats Little Hae differently. Is it because Little Hae is cute? Her smile can easily melt anyone''s frosty heart except for Miran. She''s barely affected by anyone. There''s something about that child. "Then, when will I turn 20?" Kim Taeho smiles at his son. "Do you like her that much?" Jae Hyun nods. "Yes, Father." Kim Taeho cleans his son''s mouth. "She is going to be a pretty one. So, you should work hard and excel in all the fields of life. Don''t be a picky eater. Grow up strong and smart. You should never hurt her in any way. You must always treat her kindly." Ha-Neul, who has been thinking hard, suddenly has an idea. "Father, my friend had a sleepover at her best friend''s home. Can we also go to Little Hae''s home?" "You are not allowed to go to other people''s ce," Kim Taeho reminds her. "Can shee here and stay?" Ha-Neul won''t give up. "Father, please." Jae Hyun climbs on the table and looks at Kim Taeho with watery eyes. Miran might not like it. "Climb off the table first." Jae Hyun obliges and goes back to his chair. "You see her every day at school." He narrows his eyes on his children. "Must you two also see her at home?" They nod their little heads. Kim Taeho: "I don''t think that her parents will agree." Ha-Neul: "We will convince them." Kim Taeho: "Your mother won''t agree either." Ha-Neul shuts her mouth. Jae Hyun: "I will cry." Kim Taeho: "That does not work on your mother, young man." Ha-Neul: "I will cry too." Kim Taeho: "...Give it a try." Miran returns from the court and finds her two children sitting on the chair inside her office. The strange man is not seen anywhere around. She finds it odd. ''My dear, they want something from you.'' She takes a seat and waits for one of them to speak up. "Mother, how was your day?" Ha-Neul grins at Miran. "I missed you a lot." Miran quietly stares back. Ha-Neul looks down. Jae Hyun is already hiding behind his sister. The silence is scaring the small ones. ''You have never been good with children.'' ''I don''t know what to say to them.'' ''Dear, call them to you first.'' "Come here." Miran''s voice is low. The kids are usually closer to Kim Taeho. When ites to their mother, there''s always a silent gap between them. Unlike adults, they are unable to understand or breakthrough this silence. Ha-Neul bravely walks toward her mother with Jae Hyun right behind her. She stops near the table. Her mother''s icy face is scary. "Come closer." They hesitantly get closer to her, as if going toward a fearsome stranger instead of their own mother. ''Ha-Neul, my day was good. How was your day?'' Miran lets out a sigh. "Ha-Neul, my day was good. How was your day?" "It was good." Ha-Neul tries to smile. Miran''s gaze is severe. Jae Hyun peeks at his mother. He can''t take this pressure and starts weeping with his mouth closed. His mother hates noises. ''Take him in your arms and pat him.'' Miran follows Yi Hwan''s instructions and takes him in her arms. When they were small, it was easy to be with them. Jae Hyun stiffens when she pats his back like a robot. Ha-Neul gulps down. Both children are thinking, ''Where is Father?'' Kim Taeho opens the door to the office, carrying a cup of coffee in his hand. He sees the awkward silence in the office. Jae Hyun bursts into crying after seeing his father. Ha-Neul''s lips are trembling. Miran has a nk expression. He puts the coffee cup in front of Miran and takes Jae Hyun in his arms. He pats him soothingly. He holds Ha-Neul''s hand and goes out of the office. She leans back in her hair. Jae Hyun''s crying hurts her brain. She sips the coffee quietly, pondering about everything. ''You will always have me.'' She nods. She will always have Kwak In-Sik by her side. Chapter 139: Took you long enough Chapter 139: Took you long enough The days are turning strange. Sometimes, it all feels too good to be true. There''s this prickling feeling that things will go crazy at any moment these days. I sigh and look out of the window. 5:30 AM. Today is Sunday. It''s raining. Little Hae is still sleeping, but I have this bad habit of waking up early because of her. I can''t go back to sleep even if I want. Honestly, I couldn''t sleep well for thest few days. The bad feeling... I jump, sshing the mildly hot coffee on my trousers. I cover my mouth to hold back the scream. Damn! Who is here at this time of the day? The doorbell keeps ringing. This person will wake up the whole house. I run to the door and open it. Kang Si An. "Do you havemon sense?" I nearly yell at him. "5:30 AM... is this your house?" "Sorry, I couldn''t sleep." There are dark circles under his eyes. He nces at my trousers. "Did you burn yourself? Show me." Before he could touch my thigh, I grab his hand. "We don''t have that kind of rtionship where we can see each other''s thighs." "I have seen it all and..." He closes his mouth when the realization hits and looks away. "Sorry." If he hasn''t grown on me already, I would have sshed the hot coffee on his head. I am used to his words now. It doesn''t even feel awkward anymore. "You should apply ointment there." I hear him say. "I wasn''t burnt. The coffee wasn''t that hot and -" I turn around to look at him. The look in his eyes is different. Familiar. Kang Si An but not Kang Si An. With a flicker, it''s gone. Frozen at the spot, I mumble his name, "Keeper." He blinks. "What did you say?" "I am sure that I saw..." "Saw what?" He furrows his brows. "Is something here that I can''t see?" He looks around. I be silent. Was it a mistake? I am sure that I saw. My luck can''t be that bad, right? It''s odd that both of us didn''t have a good sleepst night. Maybe I am being overly sensitive. But being overly sensitive is better than being careless. "Did you have ckouts these days? Going where you don''t remember going?" "No, just trouble sleeping." He sits on the chair. I am sure that he only goes back to his apartment for sleep. If I ask him to just stay here, he would ept it in a heartbeat. That''s why I never ask him to stay. My parents do not ask either. I remake the coffee for him and me. He likes it sweeter. I know it from my memories. Li Jun liked savory dishes more. After putting the coffee cup in front of him, I sit in front of the window. I stare out of the window, thinking about what I saw earlier. I am sure that it was the timekeeper. I would never forget that gaze. I catch him staring at me again. I am sort of used to it. Again, that smile. That look in the eyes. "Timekeeper," I say it out aloud. "You are back!" "Traveler," Kang Si An chuckles lowly. "It took you long enough." I dash to the kitchen and grab the knife. I point at him. The timekeeper stands upnguidly and walks toward me with a sultry smile on his lips. I am sure that the moment is suddenly frozen. I can''t hear the sound of the rain. He takes slow and heavy steps toward me. "Traveler, you aren''t happy to see me again." The keeper speaks with Kang Si An''s voice, but the tone ispletely different. "I was wondering how long you will take." Who would be happy to see their murderer? He gave me a life, yes. But his return can never be a piece of good news. What if he changed his mind and came back to finish what he couldn''t finish thest time? "How long?" He must have been cautious if both Kang Si An and I couldn''t find out. "It''s been a few weeks." He tilts his head, looking at me intently. "You never learn, Traveler. I gave you a life to spend it happily with this idiot. But you went ahead and ruined it." "Hey, don''t me me." I swing the knife in his direction. "First, tell me why are you back." "Don''t act so brave." He walks closer and stops when the tip of the knife touches his chest. "You can never kill this man. Even if he ruins you inside out, you will never destroy him. This is one of the reasons why I came to this body." "You didn''t answer my question." I don''t remove the knife. "I came back because it was the Great Deity''s wish." He grabs the de. The blood trickles on the floor. I let go, shocked. He throws the knife away. "Traveler, you have two choices. Either you die or..." I cover my ear. "Not again." "Listen to me first." He pulls my hands away from my ears. "When did you be so paranoid?" "You are back to kill me again." I realize that I am hyperventting. "Calm down, Traveler." He makes a face. "You have a choice. If I wanted to kill you, you would be dead already." "Does Kang Si An not love me anymore?" I search his face. "How can you use this body when the 100 minutes are over?" He scowls at me. "You know that he loves you. You still give him difficulties." "Why are you not answering my questions? Are you going to kill me again? I didn''t time travel. I didn''t make a mess again. I have been a decent citizen of this country. I pay taxes on time. I am living a quiet life, not making any wave. I am content with -" I freeze when his lips touch mine. I feel stupid suddenly, unable to react or say. Who is my heart beating for? The body belongs to Kang Si An, but the kisser is Timekeeper. "It is still effective." He smirks at me. "Traveler, I like hearing the sound of your heartbeat." Chapter 140: Why do you care that I care? Chapter 140: Why do you care that I care? "Traveler?" She nkly looks at him. Her startled face is cute. He has been missing seeing it in his world. At first, he thought that he was only affected by Kang Si An''s strong feelings for this traveler. This traveler''s love for this man shook him. As a special entity, he''s not supposed to get moved by human emotions He doesn''t know when this cunning traveler managed to trap him. He couldn''t kill her in the end after seeing her suffer for so long. He couldn''t resist kissing her before leaving this body. It was another battle in another world after he left. He doesn''t regret it. He gave her a chance to live a life where she could be happy with the man she loved. But the great deity had another n for her. "Don''t kiss me." She pokes his chest stiffly. "I don''t want to be kissed against my wishes again." He curls his fingers around her finger. "Did you miss me?" He missed her a lot. "I didn''t." She moves away from him and slips his finger out of his grasp. She walks backward, keeping a safe distance between them. "Why are you back? Keeper, you don''t bring me the good news." He sighs. He might have harassed her a lot. But that was his job. "I am here because you made a mistake." He''s d that she did. That''s why he coulde back. From birth to death, he''s responsible for her and the problems that she causes. "What mistake?" She wrinkles her brows. "I didn''t make any mistake." "Are you sure?" He raises his brow. It''s funny how idiotic this traveler is. Despite everything that she had been through, she still manages to make mistakes. "I am not..." She looks away, seemingly unsure. "What did I do this time?" He chuckles. "You misused your powers on Park Jae Kyung." "Hey!" She looks at him indignantly. "What was I supposed to do? You must be okay if someone r@ped you. I am not. It was self-defense. SELF.DEFENSE. I want awyer." This is going to take some time. He sits on the chair. His hand is already healed. This time, they allowed him to use some powers because of the task. "Kwon Kyuri, was it self defense? Did you really fight the way a human female would in that situation? If you used it as ast option, I wouldn''t be here. You were arrogant. You used it on Kang Si An. We ignored it because of the special rtionship between you two. You fixed your mistake. That got you a point. You told about your powers to an unrted human. That got you a minus point. As a time-traveler and someone with powers, you can never ever reveal it to an ordinary human. When you used it on Park Jae Kyung, you wanted to kill him. It wasn''t self-defense. The intention is an important factor." She opens her mouth, but no wordse out. She can''t refute. "Young Hwa was family. I was married to him." She argues. "You were never meant to marry him. You were a means to keep him from killing himself until Yeon Seo could return to him." The keeper stares at her calmly. "In the original timeline, Yeon Seo and Young Hwa got married at 27. Then, you changed the time. A lot of lives were affected in a simr way. It is a big mess that we are still dealing with it." He lets out an exasperated sigh. That''s why time-travelers are hated by the higher-ups. "I don''t regret changing it. If I am given the chance, I will do it again." She crosses her arms in defense. "Keeper, what are my options?" She''s pretty direct. "I am d to see you like this." He smiles at her. She cringes. She will never get used to seeing her murderer smile at her. "After I let you live, I had to give an answer to the higher-ups. I told them a simple reason. If a special anomaly can create problems, she can also be used to solve problems. Since you were already used to fix your aunt''s mistakes, you could be used to solve the future messed up situations too. For thest three years, we were observing you. You were doing well. Especially, you managed to give hope to Young Hwa. Then, you made a mess again. They wanted to wipe your soul. There was someone who took pity on you. So, a decision has been passed regarding you." She blinks at him. What the hell? Who is deciding her life? "Hey, where''s this happening exactly? Can''t I go and defend myself?" He shakes his head. "If you don''t want to get wiped out of existence, you must do what we have nned." If she fails, he will also get wiped out along with Kang Si An. ording to the higher-ups, Kang Si An is also an anomaly. "I thought that you were going to kill me." Her voice is soft. She eases her shoulders. Being wiped out of existence is less scary than being killed by him? He will never understand this traveler. Is something wrong with her head? Then, she can''t be normal after living such a life. "Since you took the time crystal, your powers are sharp. Your abilities have be stronger. You can''t ever use the time-traveling ability unless you want to get wiped out instantly. Even identally, you should never use it." He warns her again before he continues. "You are allowed to use your other abilities. Since you love to unt, the higher-ups have decided to make use of it. If you are proven useful, they will let you live your happy life." She sighs. "I only unted it once." She doesn''t regret killing Park Jae Kyung. There''s one less trash in the world. He ignores her depressive sighing. "From now on, you will use your abilities to right the wrongs." "I am basically going to be an unpaid worker." She puts her face on the table. "If I don''t do a good job, I will be wiped out of existence. My life is so much fun. I love it." "Your love will get wiped out too." She sits up abruptly. "What? Kang Si An too? That can''t happen. If something happens to me, Little Hae must have someone." "Traveler." The keeper looks at her and smiles. "Why do you still care about him? Don''t you hate him for making that mistake?" She puts her face on the table again. "Why do you care that I care?" "You are my job." He has this urge to ce his hand on her head. But... she might jump out of the window if he does that. "I can''t help it." She doesn''t say more. He doesn''t ask more about it. "Let''s discuss your first task." Chapter 141: Arent you like In-Sik too? Chapter 141: Aren''t you like In-Sik too? At this moment in my life, I do not believe that anything is a coincidence. "Why Yoon Miran?" I feel too tired to yell. "Did I meet her because of her condition?" The keeper gives me a heavy nod. "She''s an urgent one." "Is she my responsibility because I turned back time?" Jae Kyung died. I met Yoon Miran. I found out that she''s keeping the soul of a psychopath inside her. Aftering across her, I did look into her out of curiosity because I wanted to know who Hong Kwak In-Sik was. The timekeeper sighs. "Yoon Miran was not supposed to have Kwak In-Sik''s soul inside her." So, it changed. It was around 5 years ago. Yoon Miran was treated like a national sinner for taking the case of a man who was suspected of a popr murder case. Later, it turned out that the murderer was not only someone else. He killed her parents, the people who were connected to the cases that she won, her friends, and her cousin. Kwak In-Sik was no other than a popr businessman Son Tae-Il. He switched his identity after an ident and lived as Kwak In-Sik. He even had a family. When they found out that he was the murderer, he went missing. But I know that he didn''t go missing. He''s living inside Yoon Miran. "I told her that I wouldn''t bother her. I know that it''s wrong, but Yoon Miran seems okay with another soul inside her." I feel uneasy just thinking about Kwak In-Sik. Does Kim Taeho know? "It looks like she loved that killer for real." "She might be okay. But we are not." The timekeeper frowns at me. "That''s an unholy union. It is certainly not love between them. We have to fix it before something bad happens." "Right." I massage my forehead. "Nothing bad happened since Kwak In-Sik died. What would happen now?" "Kim Taeho has to leave soon for mandatory military service." The timekeeper scowls at me. "Nothing bad happened because he was there. After he''s gone, there''s two future for Yoon Miran. The first one is that Yoon Miran will snap and she will take the same path that Kwak In-Sik did. Her first victims might be her children or Kwak In-Sik''s wife and his children. She might kill them all. The second one is that she will resist and kill herself. Kwak In-Sik is someone who enjoyed killing. It won''t be long that Yoon Miran will give into his desires if Kim Taeho leaves. Kwak In-Sik is wary of Kim Taeho because Kim Taeho is extremely cautious. Also, Yoon Miran has a soft corner for Kim Taeho. That''s preventing her frompletely giving into Kwak In-Sik. She doesn''t know that." That... I gulp. A psychopath is a psychopath even after he dies. Kim Taeho and his children are living with a bomb that can st anytime. I am scared. At least, the timekeeper is not a psychopath. He''s quite rational. "Kwak In-Sik also has an inkling that there''s a part of her heart that is still human." The timekeeper looks at his hand. It''spletely healed. This time, all of his powers are not locked. "He''s waiting for a time topletely merge with Yoon Miran. When that happens, Yoon Miran will be a demon in a human form. She will be something like Kwak In-Sik who loves feeling the warmth of blood." "You want me to take care of someone like that?" After knowing this, I want to stay as far as possible. I won''t let Little Hae go to Hyun''s house. It''s better if Little Hae keeps a distance from Hyun. "Yes." The timekeeper can almost read her mind by her expression. "You can''t keep Hae away from Jae Hyun. Those two are meant to be together. In this lifetime, Wu Yixing found your aunt a lot earlier." "Wu Yixing and my aunt?" I gape at him. "What does that got to do with my Little Hae?" "The other timekeeper must have told you." The timekeeper smiles at me. "Little Hae has your aunt''s soul. Jae Hyun has Wu Yixing''s soul. Will you not save your future son-inw?" My future son-inw is Wu Yixing. My daughter is my aunt. No, I can''t ept this. No... Little Hae is Little Hae. Even if she has my aunt''s soul, she''s not my aunt. She''s my flesh. She''s Little Hae. Kwon Hae. That''s her name. She''s not Kwon Yoori. "If you think like that, then Kang Si An is also not Li Jun. In each lifetime, he had a different body. Now, he might look like Li Jun. He even has memories of his previous lives, but Kang Si An is Kang Si An. He can never be Li Jun." I hear Keeper say to me. "Li Jun wasn''t Li Jun either after I turned back time." I sigh and stare at the distance. "Why my life is soplicated?" "You made this mess." The timekeeperughs. "There''s no time for regret. We are already here. We can only make things better." He''s watching me intently with Kang Si An''s green eyes. I find it unnerving. "Aren''t you like Kwak In-Sik too?" "Of course, not. I have the deity''s permission. I won''t kill the innocent. Don''t look at me that way. I didn''t kill the ''you'' now. You are living because of my decision. Let bygone be bygone. Do you see me using Kang Si An''s body to go on a killing spree? I don''t like feeling blood on my hand either." His voice is light, but my heart is not. Everything is right if there''s deity''s permission. It''s wrong if it isn''t. Who is this tyrannical great deity? "Tell me more." I have to do it anyway. "Little Hae won''t like it if Jae Hyun and Ha-Neul die." I don''t want innocent people to die. "Yoon Miran''s soul is suffering. She''s also an anomaly in this world. Keeping Kwak In-Sik''s soul inside her is something that should have never happened." The timekeeper''s voice turns heavy. "Take your time and think. I need to go now. My daily 100 minutes are over." "Daily what?" Chapter 142: Do you like the Keeper? Chapter 142: Do you like the Keeper? "Keeper?" Kang Si An looks at her. He feels a bit dizzy. She''s looking back at him with some concern. He looks at the hand. There''s blood, but he''s not in pain. He stares at her. "Kang Si An, is that you?" She asks slowly. Kang Si An doesn''t know what to say for a long moment. He has all the memories of the original timeline and the changed one. He also knows what the Keeper did to Kyuri before the time turn and afterwards. He even has the memories of the Keeper having the conversation with Kyuri about. He can tell that the Keeper isn''t here to kill Kwon Kyuri. He lets out an exasperated sigh. "Not again." How many people like having a special entity inside them? "I feel the same." Kyuri leans back. "If I fail, you will also get wiped out." "Keeper too." Kang Si An mentions, "Three of us will cease to exist." She gives him a grave look. "Him too? That''s why he''s here. He didn''t tell me though." "He doesn''t want to add more to your worries." Kang Si An doesn''t like the Keeper. The Keeper killed Kwon Kyuri in the original timeline. He made Kyuri leave Kang Si An in each lifetime. Kang Si An is aware of the Keeper''s feelings for her. Unlike before, Kang Si An is equally aware of the Keeper as the Keeper is aware of him. The kiss between the Keeper and Kyuri. She knows that Kang Si An loves her. She said that she cared about him. Another sigh escapes his lips. Same body. Two souls. They love the same woman. "Don''t kiss the keeper again." He can''t forget her face that she showed to the keeper when he kissed her a while ago. "Can you look into his memories?" Kyuri widens her eyes. "So you know what happened." "I don''t want to hide it. I have ess to his memories. It''s the same for him. Currently, he can use my body for 100 minutes per day." Kang Si An wants to ask. ''Do you like the Keeper?'' But he can''t bring himself to ask that. Caring about someone is different from loving. She doesn''t love him. Kyuri covers her face. "My life is soplicated." "I won''t say anything anymore about your personal matters with the Keeper," Kang Si An says to her in a quiet voice. Rather than jealous, he''s hurt. When Young Hwa was with her, he didn''t feel this hurt. When it''s the timekeeper, he can''t stop feeling like this. Timekeeper has been with her like him. They have never been just Si An and Kyuri. Timekeeper was always there. "That won''t happen again." Kyuri doesn''t think much about it. She was kissed by Si An''s lips. What''s new about it? For her, it''s pretty much the same if the kiss was unwanted. "About Yoon Miran..." "Before that, I want to suggest something." Kang Si An watches her seriously. "Don''t send Little Hae to visit Jae Hyun''s house until Kwak In-Sik is gone. I didn''t know about Kwak In-Sik before. If I had known, I wouldn''t send Little Hae to Yoon Miran''s home. Before the matter is resolved, we should make sure that Little Hae doesn''t get close to Jae Hyun. If things go wrong and we disappear, Little Hae should live with someone who can protect her" Even if Jae Hyun is Wu Yixing, he can''t let his daughter go anywhere close to danger. "My brother loves her. He will take care of her." Kyuri has thought of this. If things go wrong, her family will be there for Little Hae. She will make other arrangements, just in case. "I can''t think of anyone else." Kwon Ki Hoon is a good man. Kang Si An doesn''t have aint if it''s him. Since Little Hae is close to Ki Hoon, it will be easier for her if they disappear. "Does your hand hurt?" The question is a bitte, but she still asks. The blood is nearly dry on his hand. "The Keeper came back with a few tricks." He smiles and shakes his head. "It''s already healed." "That''s why he grabbed it that way." She frowns deeply. "Crazy man!" "Tell me about Yoon Miran." Kang Si An won''t let Kyuri get near that woman alone. "What kind of person is she?" "The kind you don''t want to mess with." Kyuri shudders at the thought. "I told her already that I won''t bother about Kwak In-Sik. Maybe that''s why she let me be her friend. We aren''t exactly friends in the normal sense. Little Hae is close to Jae Hyun and Ha Neul. That''s just all to it." Kang Si An had met up with Kim Taeho in their free times for drinks. Kim Taeho is easy to talk with. Both of them love someone who doesn''t love them back. In thest few months, they have gotten closer. "The states of their souls..." Kyuri recalls what she felt when she touched Yoon Miran''s hand. "The wavelength is the same. It''s like Kwak In-Sik is almost one with Yoon Miran. Separating them by force might be quite harmful to Yoon Miran. I might end up killing her. The best way would be... Kwak In-Sik cooperating and leaving Yoon Miran." "You can forget about that." Kang Si An doesn''t think that a psychopathic man like Kwak In-Sik would ever willingly leave Yoon Miran. "By force, how difficult is it?" "She''s not willing to let go of Kwak In-Sik. She has a strong personality too." Kyuri looks at him. "I can''t go into her mind directly when it is already overcrowded. She''s quite cautious too. I think that approaching them in the dream realm is the best idea. I will directly face Kwak In-Sik instead of facing him through Yoon Miran." "You don''t like the dream realm." Kang Si An notices her reluctance. "I don''t think that you should face Kwak In-Sik alone." "Whether I like it or not, I have to do it alone," Kyuri tells him softly. "I don''t want to leave Little Hae." "I don''t want to leave either." At times like this, Kang Si An feels the most useless. Kyuri can use her abilities, but he has no means to help her. "I want to be honest with Kim Taeho about everything. He should be aware." "I think the same. He''s the father. If things go wrong with Yoon Miran, she might die." Kyuri scratches her chin. "But I can''t tell him. The Keeper told me that I can''t tell my secrets to the unrted humans. Will he believe you if you speak to him?" "I will know only after talking to him." Kang Si An sighs. Would Kim Taeho believe him? Chapter 143: Twisted things? Chapter 143: Twisted things? After discussing with Kyuri, Kang Si An calls his manager to take a break for a few days. He wonders if he writes down a will (just in case). Since the Keeper is here, he''s sure that saving Yoon Miran cannot be a simple task. Unlike Kang Si An, Kyuri has already prepared things in case she dies. She did it after Little Hae was born. Since she''s a time-traveller, she can''t believe her fate. Even though the timekeeper told her that she would live up to 91, she knows that things are never permanent when ites to her. "Little Hae, do you love Hyun?" Kyuri has a new worry. Since Jae Hyun is Wu Yixing''s reincarnation, she can''t help but feel awkward. The prince who loved poisons more than humans is going to be her son-inw. "Yes, Mommy." Little Hae grins at her. "I am going to marry him when I grow up." "..." Kyuri curses the day when she suggested to Yoon Miran that their children should meet. She should have prevented Little Hae from meeting Jae Hyun. "I hope that he doesn''t love poisons this time." Kyuri sighs and massages her forehead. If Little Hae has her aunt''s soul, she can''t prevent the inevitable. But she feels weird. How is Kang Si An so calm about this? She wishes that she didn''t have a time-travel ban. Otherwise, she would have gone back and asked her aunt not to decide to be born as her daughter. Her aunt must have thought that it was funny. "Little Hae, you can''t do this to me again." She hugs her fluff ball of cuteness. "I love you, but you can''t think of twisted things, okay?" "Twisted things?" Little Hae is confused, but she hugs back her mother. "I won''t think about it." "Don''t marry Jae Hyun until you are 35," Kyuri adds. "Mommy, I can''t do that. I already promised him that I would marry him when I turn 18," Little Hae tells her straightforwardly. "Why do you make big promises to someone without asking me?" Kyuri res at her daughter. "You are nearly 4. I have only 14 years with you." "Mommy, Hyun told me that all of us will live together." Little Hae smiles brightly. "So cunning." Kyuri can see that Jae Hyun has bought her daughter. "Mommy, it''s 5 PM." She looks at the phone. "I want to call Hyun." Perplexed, Kyuri calls Jae Hyun''s father because her daughter won''t stop nagging her. Little Hae: "Hyun, I love you." Hyun: "Hae, I love you too." Little Hae: "Hyun, when will youe to my house to y?" Hyun: "My mother won''t let me. Youe here." Little Hae: "I will ask Mommy." Hyun: "Come quickly." Little Hae looks at her dumbfounded mother. "Mommy, can you take me to Hyun''s house?" She snaps out of the daze. "No way. You can''t go to that ce." Little Hae''s round eyes be misty. "Why?" Kyuri clutches her heart. "Your father said no. It''s not my fault. Don''t look at me like that." Let Kang Si An be the bad guy. Little Hae: "Hyun, my daddy is jealous of you. He won''t let mee." Hyun. "I will ask my Father to talk to your father." Little Hae: "I miss you." Hyun: "I miss you too." Kyuri feels like dying of embarrassment. Even she didn''t talk to Li Jun like this ever. She never called Kang Si An like this. This new generation is scaring her. Her daughter already has a boyfriend. It took her 21 years to like someone and that was also a disaster. She knows how Kang Si An feels. Sighing, Kyuri goes to the refrigerator to find food. *** 8 PM. "You are here." Kang Si An beams at Kim Taeho. "Is Yoon Miran alone with the children?" Kang Si An called Kim Taeho earlier toe to his ce. They can''t talk about Yoon Miran at the bar where they usually meet for drinks. Kang Si An likes Kim Taeho as a friend. He wants Kim Taeho to know and be prepared. Kim Taeho finds the question odd. "No, my mother is at our home." "Oh." Kang Si An realizes that Kim Taeho might have some idea. Living with Yoon Miran for so long, it''s nearly impossible to not notice since Kim Taeho was also involved with that murderer. "Come inside." His friend steps into the apartment. It''s cleaner than he expected. He takes a seat on the couch and waits. He can guess that Kang Si An called him to have an important talk. Kang Si An is tense and nervous. He takes a seat opposite of Kim Taeho. "What do you want to talk about?" Kim Taeho asks with a cool voice. "Err..." Kang Si An doesn''t know how to start. It''s not every day that he talks about a supernatural thing. If it wasn''t urgent, he wouldn''t discuss it this way. "When are you enlisting for two years of mandatory military service?" Kim Taeho has been dying it as long as he could. He''s going to be 28 soon. He doesn''t want his children to be alone with Yoon Miran. He''s been nning to ask his parents to live with Yoon Miran, but that''s a stretch. Yoon Miran can barely tolerate when his parents visit. She will never agree. "Next month." Kang Si An realizes that they really don''t have much time. "Do you believe in the supernatural?" Usually, Kim Taeho wouldugh at such questions. But Kang Si An is looking at him seriously. "I don''t." Kang Si An smiles at him awkwardly. "Not even ghosts?" "Aren''t they supernatural?" Kim Taeho raises his brow. "Did you call me here to discuss supernatural?" Kang Si An nods. He takes a deep breath. "Yoon Miran has Kwak In-Sik''s soul inside her." Kim Taeho bes pale when he hears that name. He didn''t expect that Kang Si An would ever say it. It''s been years since the name has been buried. Kwak In-Sik is missing and they are still looking for him. Most people have assumed him dead. Only Kim Taeho and Yoon Miran know for sure that he''s dead. "Is this a joke?" "I am not joking. My life depends on it." Kang Si An stares at Kim Taeho. "I know that Kwak In-Sik is dead. Yoon Miran has his soul inside her. When you leave for the military service, she might harm your children." "Kang Si An!" Kim Taeho looks at him with a chilling gaze. "Don''t. I think of you as my friend. If you speak nonsense, I will stop considering you as one." "You know that I am right." Kang Si An blocks his way. "Kyuri also knows it. She told Yoon Miran and that''s why they are friends. Kyuri is not an average person. I am not average either. Listen to our story. Then, I will take you to Kyuri." Kim Taeho''s face contorts in anger. He doesn''t want to listen to him for a single second more. "It''s for your children''s safety." Kang Si An looks straight at him. "If I am right, your children might be in danger. Can you take this chance?" Kim Taeho scowls at him, but he knows that he can''t take this chance. Yoon Miran has been strange since that night. He has often heard her talking to Kwak In-Sik. He thought that it was a mental illness - a delusion. That''s why he''s extremely cautious. But if Kang Si An is right for 1 %, then his children might be in danger. He can''t take that chance. He decides to hear him first. Chapter 144: You have one job Chapter 144: You have one job Around 11 PM, Kim Taeho and Kang Si An arrive at Kyuri''s ce. She''s already waiting for them in front of her house. She didn''t expect that Kang Si An would talk to Kim Taeho this soon. Kim Taeho has already asked his mother to stay with the children until hees back. He heard that Yoon Miran has locked herself inside the office for work. "So, you can read minds and travel in time." Kim Taeho eyes her. "Why would I believe your nonsense?" Kang Si An told him a bit about Kyuri, the timekeeper, and him. He didn''t divulge the past or the time-turn. "Yes." Kyuri is prepared. "I killed Jae Kyung. I already told it to Yoon Miran. When I met her, I found out that she has Kwak In-Sik''s soul inside her. They are nearly one, but she''s resisting unknowingly because of you. We have to save her as soon as possible. As for why you should believe me..." She walks to the tree and touches it. Last time, she didn''t think of this when Young Hwa asked her to show. She''s been thinking. nts have minds too. A poor tree will die, but it''s for the greater good. Kim Taeho sees the tree be dry in front of him. In less than a minute, the tree is dead. All the leaves are ck as the night. "Is that enough?" She asks, raising her brow. "What do you know about Kwak In-Sik?" Kim Taeho doesn''t show much on his face. A healthy tree can''t just die. His instincts are telling him that these two won''t be ying with him. He will listen more before he decides. "Actually, I only knew what I have heard in the news before I met Yoon Miran." Kyuri tells him honestly, "When I met her for the first time, I felt the second presence inside her. I told her that I had no interest in her secrets. But now, it''s about me and Kang Si An. I can''t let my daughter be both fatherless and motherless. Kwak In-Sik''s soul wasn''t supposed to live inside Yoon Miran. We have to remove it. She won''t have a normal life if that thing doesn''t leave her body." Kwak In-Sik inside Yoon Miran? Kim Taeho thinks about the time when he heard her talking to herself. She seemed pretty harmless. But it''s hard to believe that that a**hole''s soul is inside Yoon Miran. "I can''t do anything else to make you believe." Kyuri scowls at him. "We didn''t even need to tell you. With my ability, I could take care of Kwak In-Sik without your awareness. But Kang Si An and I thought that you needed to know. Yoon Miran would need you the most after we remove Kwak In-Sik. You don''t have much time either. In 1 month, you have to make sure that she''s sound-minded when you are gone. Even one second is valuable for you." "What if you fail?" Kim Taeho asks solemnly. "She and I will die. Yoon Miran might die or she might be one with Kwak In-Sik. We can''t tell what would happen. We know that she would merge with Kwak In-Sik after you are gone." Kang Si An puts his hands in his pockets. "Kim Taeho, I am a father too. Do you think that I would joke about this? If anything wrong goes, both of us will lose something precious. My Little Hae might lose her parents. You might lose Yoon Miran forever even if you take away the children from her." If what they are saying is the truth, they didn''t have to tell him everything. He scans their faces. They don''t seem like they are lying. Kim Taeho suddenly remembers something that his daughter used to call Yoon Miran her father when she was younger. It was before her second birthday. When he asked why she called Yoon Miran her father, she told him, ''Mother is Father. Father is Mother.'' He asked with a deep frown, ''Who I am, Ha-Neul?'' She gave him a toothy smile and said, ''You are also Father.'' He didn''t think much of it back then. "I will call you tomorrow." Kim Taeho turns around and leaves. "So hard-headed." Kyuri feels tired. "I want to have one good night sleep before the chaos breaks out." Kang Si An pinches her cheeks when she yawns. "It''ste. Go back inside." "Oi!" She smacks his hand away. "What are you doing?" "Ah..." He realizes his mistake. "But friends can do it. It''s not like I kissed you." "You are still hung on the Keeper''s action." She frowns at him. "He suddenly did it. Besides, it''s your body. Have I not tasted those lips yet?" Kang Si An looks away in embarrassment, though he can''t guess why he''s embarrassed. He realizes that they didn''t kiss normally in this lifetime. For Kyuri, it might be same. But he... when he kissed those lipsst time, it was not consensual from her side. "I am sorry," He says again, regretting. No matter what, he can''t change the past. He has to live with the weight of that night for the rest of his life and maybe, even the next. "What are you sorry about?" Kyuries closer to him. "If it''s about what happened 3 years ago, I have already forgiven you. You have also punished yourself enough. You are a good father to Little Hae. If you continue to stay as her ideal father, I will not hate you again." "Really?" But he can''t forgive himself. "Truly." She smiles at him kindly. "Past is past. A lot of horrible things have happened. You and I both have made mistakes. I don''t want those mistakes to define our present. Both of us must work hard to be better people for our daughter." Kang Si An watches her under the moonlight. For the thousand years, this face hasn''t changed once for him. She and Little Hae are the reasons for his living. He sleeps thinking about them and wakes up with their thoughts first. "Kyuri, between me and the timekeeper, who do you prefer more?" Kang Si An asks with a casual voice, not matching the seriousness of the words. "Huh?" She is surprised by that weird question. "If you had to choose one..." "Why do you say such strange things?" She shakes her head. "Of course, I would choose you. You still jealous about the kiss, aren''t you?" He purses his lips. How can he not be jealous? But he can''t voice out his thoughts. "If you like it, I don''t care. I will let the timekeeper use my body as long as he likes." Actually, he''s been thinking. The timekeeper can protect Kyuri better than he can. But he doesn''t want to stop meeting Little Hae and Kyuri either. "Oh, please don''t." Kyuri flicks his forehead. "Your body is yours. You are Little Hae''s father. What will happen when she calls you and the timekeeper picks up? You have one job. That is, you must be there as her father. She loves you more than she loves me. Do you get it?" "What about you?" He blurts out. She chuckles. "Obviously, I want what Little Hae wants. Kang Si An should be Kang Si An. The 100 minutes per day are more than enough for the timekeeper. He can probably dominate the world in those 100 minutes. Don''t underestimate him." He exhales. That''s true. Last time, the keeper had 100 minutes for more than 1000 years and he did cause big chaos in their lives. If he gives up all the rights of his body, there''s no telling what the Keeper might do. "I am sleepy." She yawns again. "Are you leaving or staying over?" He is surprised to hear that. "Can I stay over?" "You are basically living at my home." She grumbles and rolls her eyes. "Sleep at my brother''s room. It''s empty since he moved out." She turns around and walkszily toward the house. Kang Si An is still stumped. He can stay over. "Are youing or not? I will lock you out if you don''te," She yells before going inside the house. "I aming." He runs into her house in excitement, not daring to think anything deep about it. Chapter 145: They are his world Chapter 145: They are his world "Daddy!" Little Hae cries out when she sees her father in the morning. She runs to him. "You came early today." "I stayed in your uncle''s room." Si An picks her up in his arms and gives her a kiss on her cheek. She does the same to him. The two share a smile before he asks, "Little Hae, want to skip school today?" "I want to see Hyun." She shakes her head. "I can''t go to his house to y because you wouldn''t let me." "But you see him every day." He chuckles. "You told me that you won''t like him more than me." "I also see you every day, Daddy." Little Hae pouts. "She likes seeing Hyun more," Kyuri grumbles as shees out. Her hair is a tangled mess. By now, Kang Si An is used to see her like this. He wonders if she got up before him and fixed her appearance in the original timeline to avoid being seen like this by him. He grins to himself. He prefers it like this. "You are quite cool about it, Kang Si An." "Wu Yixing is a good guy." He climbs down the stairs. "Can we stop them if we oppose? epting it is the only way." Little Hae is clueless about Wu Yixing. She doesn''t think much about it. She only wants to go to school and see her friend, Hyun. "Right, Li Jun was close to Wu Yixing," Kyuri mutters with dissatisfaction. "Friend will advocate his friend." "General Yu also wants the same. Don''t be the evil mother who separates the pair." She hears himugh and say. She rolls her eyes and stretches her arms. She is still sleepy. Lazily, she prepares breakfast as Kang Si An takes Little Hae to get freshen up. Kyuri''s parentse down and watch them preparing Little Hae for school. It''s a familiar scene for them ever since Kyuri epted Kang Si An in their lives. Seeing how Kang Si An and Kyuri speak more with their eyes and bodies than mouths, they can''t help but smile. "They are in sync with each other." Kyuri''s mother says to Kyuri''s father, "They don''t even need to talk to each other." Kyuri packs the lunch box and puts it down on the table. Kang Si An is feeding the breakfast to Little Hae. "Go to sleep," Kang Si An tells her when he sees her yawning non-stop. "I will take Little Hae to school." "Mn." Kyuri kisses Little Hae''s head before saying, "Be good at school." "Okay, Mommy." Little Hae promises without a second thought. She''s always good. Kyuri walks back to her room and drops to her bed. It doesn''t take her seconds to fall deeper into sleep. "Si An, did you have breakfast?" Kyuri''s mother asks him. There was a time when she didn''t like Kang Si An because he''s the reason why Kyuri left. It''s not the same now. The family is pretty used to seeing Kang Si An. He''s pretty much integrated in their family. Kang Si An manages to make Little Hae finish the milk. "Yes, I did. Kyuri made breakfast for me and Little Hae." "She doesn''t make any for me." Kyuri''s father sighs. "My daughter likes pretty things more." Slightly blushing because of Kyuri''s father''s words, Kang Si An just smiles and says nothing. "I also like pretty things." Little Haements. "You wake upter than she does." Kyuri''s mother scowls at him. "She has to send Little Hae to school. You don''t help at all." "There''s already someone else to help. Where I am needed? You don''t wake up early either." Kyuri''s father turns on the television. "Si An, I saw yourtest drama. It wasn''t bad." "Thank you, Father." He takes Little Hae and her school bag. "I am leaving. It''s almost time for her school." Kang Si An rushes out with Little Hae and hurries to her school. "Sometimes, I wonder if Kang Si An is the mother and Kyuri is the father." Kyuri''s mother chuckles. In less than a year, their roles have switched." "The boy is sly." Kyuri''s fatherments and sighs. "Our daughter isn''t any less cunning." "I liked Young Hwa though." Kyuri''s mother puts down the food in front of them. "But seeing Kang Si An with Kyuri now, I feel as if there''s no one better than him. I see him moving around Little Hae and Kyuri as they are his sun. Young Hwa is also happy with Yeon Seo." Young Hwa visits them sometimes with Yeon Seo who is also expecting a child soon. The rtionship between them is harmonious and yet strange. "That''s because they are his world." Kyuri''s father changes the channel to the one where Kang Si An''s new drama is airing. "I want to see how long they are going to act like this." Kyuri''s mother sighs. They can only wait and see. Chapter 146: Hes my home Chapter 146: He''s my home Kang Si An returns after dropping Little Hae at the school. He goes to Kyuri''s room and knocks on the door. After 5 minutes of continuous knocking. she drags herself to the door and opens it. Before she can kill him for waking up, the Keeper speaks, "Traveler, is it time to sleep?" Kyuri doesn''t react at first. Then, she wrinkles her nose. "If it''s not, then when is it? After my existence is wiped out?" Sleep is her priority during these times. The keeper res at her. "When are you going to do it?" "Do what?" Kyuri closes her eyes. She doesn''t know why she''s so sleepy today. Perhaps, it''s better to sleep than stress over her problems. "Yoon Miran." Keeper sits on the bed beside her. He''s aware of the words that she said to Kang Si An. He has always known that this traveller will always choose Kang Si An no matter what. "Remember this is a test. If you fail, you won''t have a second chance." "None of us will." She rubs her eyes. "I am waiting for Kim Taeho''s call. I will do it after Yoon Miran falls asleep. I also need to be closer to her when I do it." Though she''s speaking casually, the timekeeper can tell that she''s afraid. She''s pretending to be brave. There''s a difference between being fearless and being brave. One can be brave only if they have fear in their heart. "I will apany you," Timekeeper tells her quietly after some time. "You won''t be alone." "Are you going to help me?" She asks enthusiastically. He chuckles lowly. "I cannot help you directly. It will be you who will take care of him." "You are just going to watch." She sighs. "Well, at least you will be there. I hate going to the dream realm. It''s full of crazy things." "Don''t worry. You will be invisible to those beings until you meet Kwak In-Sik." The timekeeper looks at her coolly. "This is akin to delicate surgery. Yoon Miran is fragile and Kwak In-Sik is strong. It''s already been years. They will struggle. You are going to use your abilities to save someone instead of killing them. So..." "I will do my best." She lies down on the bed and covers herself with the nket. The pressure is killing her. Saving someone is harder than killing them. The timekeeper nces at the bundle beside him. After some thoughts, a smirk appears on his lips. He lies down beside her and wraps his arms around the bundle, hugging her like she''s a teddy bear. "What are you doing?" Her face peeks out. "Don''t use Kang Si An''s body like this." "You told him that you don''t care if I kiss you since it''s his body." He intends to teach her a lesson for being a yer. "Traveler, you don''t mind if it''s me or him, hmm?" "I mind!" She pushes him away. "Keeper, what''s wrong with you? Should you waste your 100 minutes like this?" "Using it for these things isn''t a waste." He rolls over her, cupping her face. "Let''s kiss for the remaining 90 minutes. If you are interested, we can do more. You have already tasted his goods. It''s not a problem for you." "It''s a big problem." She covers his mouth before he could steal a kiss. "Keeper, why are you doing this?" "Why do you think?" He removes her hand and looks at her intently. "Traveler, how long are you going to pretend not to know? I have made my intentions pretty clear." She stares at him solemnly. "Are you serious?" "I have never been this serious." He stares back at her. She bes quiet. Those eyes belong to Kang Si An, but the way they are looking at her is so different. It''s mysterious, thrilling, and intense. She swallows her saliva. "I have fallen for you, Traveler. I don''t remember when or how. It already happened. I couldn''t bear to kill you. When you made a mistake, I was happy because I coulde back to you." The Keeper tells her honestly, even though he knows the oue. He is not a human and he doesn''t even have his own body. But he wants to tell her. Perhaps, it''s because of the conversation between Kang Si An and Kyuri. The man will give up his body to him if she chooses him. He wants to convince the traveller to choose him once. "Choose me. Kang Si An can spend 100 minutes every day with Little Hae. I will be a father to Little Hae. Traveller, I can protect you and keep you happy." If it was the past, Kyuri would have been moved. After being with Young Hwa, she has already learned her lessons. "Keeper, it''s not possible." That''s all she says. He smiles. He knew that it would turn out this way. As a special entity, he came across human feelings inside Kang Si An. When he went back to his world, he missed being inside this body that loved this woman so much. He''s been infected by Kang Si An''s love for Kwon Kyuri a long time ago. When he started seeing her through Kang Si An''s eyes, it was inevitable. "I thought that you didn''t love him anymore." "I like you, Keeper. You have been with me as long as Kang Si An was." Kyuri smiles at him softly. "But, I love this man. I can''t run away from what my heart wants. I was mad at him. I also hated him. There was a time when I became a twisted being for him. But it''s impossible for me to fill my heart with someone else even if it''s you. This man is so stubborn. He would rather live as a ghost than live with no memory of me and Little Hae. Could I hate him after that? I saw the regret and pain in his eyes for his mistakes. I have been no saint either. For my happiness, he would give me up and let me be with another man. I didn''t do the same when he was with Ki Mi Ran. I had to forgive him when I saw him changing every day for Little Hae and me. I can''t not love this man, Keeper. I can''t stop feeling what I feel. When he embraces me, I feel like I am home after wandering for so long. Keeper, he''s my home." She''s been ignoring it for a long time. She didn''t say anything to Kang Si An. If she hasn''t been facing the crisis or the keeper hasn''t faced her this way, she might not have ever said those words. It''s probably because she was a coward and selfish being. She has been afraid of telling those words to Kang Si An. So much has happened. She didn''t know how he would react. Confessing again after more than a thousand years is equally as hard as the first time. The Keeper closes his eyes with a slight smile on his face. The other man has also heard it. Finally, these two can have a moment before facing death again. The Keeper would always want this mischievous traveller and this stubborn host to find happiness. It takes a long moment to process everything that Kyuri said a while ago. Kyuri is already red when she realizes that it''s Kang Si An who is watching her. Hell! That Keeper plotted this. Chapter 147: The sooner it is, the better it is Chapter 147: The sooner it is, the better it is He blinks, unable to say a word. She purses her lips nervously, pressed under his weight. "Ahem!" She clears her throat first. "Can you move away first?" "No." He shakes his head. "Clear things with me first." "Clear what?" She res at him. "I said that to Keeper because he was -" "He can still hear you though." He chuckles. She coughs, uneasy. This is crap. "I prefer the previous arrangement. Why can you see his memories too?" "I very much prefer this. If I didn''t see it, I would have never known it." He moves his face closer to her. Their noses are almost touching, breaths entwined. Her blushing face and stubborn look in her eyes are tingling up his heart. It''s been a long time since he saw her like this. "Kwon Kyuri, do you want to be with me?" "Aren''t we already together?" She looks away from him. "You eat here. You take baths here. You even sleep here now. We are almost together 24 hours a day." "You know what I mean." He grabs her chin and makes her look at him. "If we survive, will you marry me again?" "When did I marry Kang Si An? I married Li Jun." She feels her face burning under his face. "Can''t you do anything properly, Kang Si An? You have starred in so many romantic ros. Howe you can''t even propose? I can forgive Li Jun because his era was different. But you are quite experienced, aren''t you?" "My apologies." Kang Si An''s eyes gleam with joy. "After we take care of Yoon Miran, I will do it properly. Will you say yes then?" "I will consult with Little Hae first." Kyuri knows that she can''t back away anymore. The milk has been spilt, thanks to the Keeper. "If she says yes, we will see." "She will say yes for sure." Kang Si An brushes his lips against her cheek teasingly. Kyuri feels a surge of heat flowing through her veins. She looks at him fiercely. "Don''t do that..." He nudges her nose with his. "I didn''t do anything yet." "You kissed my cheek." "You should be d that I am not attacking your lips right now." He lets out augh. He wants to hold himself back. There''s this situation with the keeper. "Hmph!" She scoffs. "As if I would let you attack me." Kang Si An didn''t think that this moment would ever be a reality. It still feels like a dream. He got a second chance to be with her. Despite everything, she still loves him. He tells her seriously, "Kyuri, I will never ever give you the reason to hate me again." She smiles at him with her eyes. "I believe you." Kang Si An''s phone rings. He can tell that it''s from Kim Taeho. He moves away from Kyuri and picks up the call. [When are you going forward with your ns?] "Tonight when Yoon Miran''s asleep," Kang Si An replies and wonders what happened to Kim Taeho. He sounds angry and hurt at the same time. [Meet me at 1 AM in front of my house.] The call is hung up. "What happened?" Kyuri sits up and asks. "1 AM tonight." He looks at Kyuri gravely. "It seems like something happened between him and her." "I see." She lets out a sigh. "The sooner it is, the better it is." "We still have some time." He holds her hand. It''s been ages since he held it. Not hiding his feelings anymore, he watches her with a content smile. "I want to spend the rest of the day with you and Little Hae." Kyuri understands the meaning. Since they don''t know whether they will exist tomorrow or not... "Kang Si An, sorry for being hard headed." She leans on him. "I should have..." "Don''t say it." He puts his finger over his lips. "You did the right thing. You and I needed time after what happened that day." "Even though it was..." She lifts her head and looks at him. "We have Little Hae because of that night." "I still regret it." He looks at her sadly. "It is not a good memory. I would have preferred if it happened differently." "I should have drugged your drink and slept with you." She smirks at him evilly. "Then, I would have been the bad guy. You would have hated me more." "Don''t say that." He flicks her forehead. "I would havee around eventually. You know it." "Like I did?" Sheughs. "I should have found you when you were a boy and made you fall for me." "You should have. I told you that time." He coils his arms around her shoulder. "But you were afraid of leaving me behind. I think that I would have done the same if I was you." "If we can go together, it''s not a bad thing." Kyuri closes her eyes. "I don''t want to leave Little Hae behind." Kang Si An squeezes her shoulder and whispers, "We won''t leave her behind." *** Kang Si An and Kyuri go to pick up Little Hae from school together. He meets Kim Taeho there. Little Hae and Jae Hyun are talking and looking sad. The three adults can''t help but roll their eyes. Even Ha-Neul is making a face. "Father, Little Hae likes Hyun more," Ha-Neulins to her father. "Isn''t that what you wanted?" He asks her with a serious expression. "But they are always together." Ha-Neul crosses her arms. "There''s no space for me." Kim Taeho sighs. He doesn''t know how to answer. "Elder sister, do you want candy?" Little Haees and gives candy to Ha-Neul. It''s sudden. But Ha-Neul''s anger leaves when she receives the candy. "Little Hae, why are you giving me candy?" "You are upset." She blinks her green eyes at her. "Elder sister is prettier when she smiles." Ha-Neul forgets her grievances and hugs Little Hae. "Father, help me adopt her. Please." "You can''t adopt her." Jae Hyun tells his sister calmly, "She''s going to be my wife." Kyuri presses her palms on her chest. "Why can I already foresee myself as a grandmother?" "Kim Taeho, we might be inws in the future," Kang Si An speaks tly, not happy one bit. Kim Taeho shakes his head in disbelief. "If things go wrong and we are not there for Little Hae anymore, take away the children and keep an eye on my Hae." Kang Si An turns to Kim Taeho. "You better be a good father-inw to my daughter in the future." Kim Taeho exhales sharply. "Little Hae is important to my children. I will always be good toward her." Chapter 148: You should get married before I do Chapter 148: You should get married before I do For the first time, both parents are ying with her. Little Hae is happy. She even forgets about calling Jae Hyun. Kyuri''s parents also notice this. They nod to each other. Things are finally progressing between Si An and Kyuri. Kyuri''s father grunts. "The youngsters were just being stubborn." "Aigoo!" Kyuri''s mother makes a face. "This is what they say... courting." "If that''s courting, then I might as well grow a second head." Kyuri''s father walks back to the living room. "These idiots do not know the meaning of romance." "Where do you think that she got it from?" Kyuri''s mother scowls at him. "Do you have a romantic gene in you? I am surprised how Ki Hoon managed to get married." "They got the looks." Kyuri''s father smirks at her. "Didn''t you fall for me because of my looks?" "My first andst mistake." Kyuri''s mother walks ahead of him. "I only saw the appearance and forgot to check the heart." "What''s wrong with my heart?" Kyuri''s father frowns at her. "Did you give me a flower in our 30 years of marriage?" She squints at him in anger. "I am sure that..." He tries to recall. "I gave you lilies once." "That was when my grandmother died. It was even before our marriage." Kyuri''s mother scoffs and walks away from him. "Why did I marry this man? I should have married the man my father chose for me." "I should have married my childhood friend," Kyuri''s father yells after her. "Why did I marry this woman?" *** Inside Little Hae''s room~ "Mommy, are grandpa and grandma fighting?" Little Hae asks with worry. "They are not." Kyuri chuckles. Though Kyuri''s parents don''t fight usually, they do be like this once in a year. "They are just ying, Little Hae." Little Hae doesn''t ask more. She concentrates on the puzzle again. She lovespletely puzzle pictures the most. "Is this okay?" Si An has never seen Kyuri parents argue like this. "It''s alright," Kyuri assures him. "They be like this once in a while. They always make up before sleep." "Can we also make this promise?" Kang Si An asks hesitantly. "We will always make up before we sleep." Kyuri meets his gaze. "I never keep promises though." Kang Si An''s lips curl up. He''s d that she can''t keep promises. "I will keep it. I will always make up with you before we go to sleep." "Even if I am at fault?" She raises her brow, eyeing him warily. "Even if you are at fault." Kang Si An doesn''t think that they will have reasons to be mad at each other. He has memories of Li Jun when they were married in the original timeline. Even if it was short, they were happy. "I have to think about my proposal." "Make it grand," Kyuri demands shamelessly. "You have been popr for failed suicide attempts. I want you to be popr for the marriage proposal. Do it in a way that the whole world knows it. Everyone should be aware that the nation''s romance prince is officially bing mine." She has never been like this toward Young Hwa. Toward Kang Si An, she doesn''t feel like it''s wrong. They both know that they might not see the sunrise tomorrow. "Noted." Kang Si An nods happily and grins. "Post a reason why you love me every day on social media," Kyuri tells him while looking up at the ceiling. She read his apologies on his social media after she came back. After reading those, she realized how much he had regretted it every day. "Surely." He has countless reasons. "Tell me more." "If Little Hae gives her approval, I want to have a western-style wedding." They had a traditional wedding once. "Little Hae already approves." Little Hae, who''s been listening to her parents while doing the puzzle, suddenly utters. "Little Hae wants a chocte wedding cake." Kyuri rolls her eyes. "You just want to eat the wedding cake." "You shouldn''t worry about that, Mommy." She looks at her parents. "You should get married before I do." "..." Both Kyuri and Si An are turned speechless. Did they just get taunted? After the jovial dinner, Si An and Kyuri lie down on the bed with Little Hae between them. They pat her to sleep. Little Hae falls into dreams while holding their hands. She looks at the clock. "It''s time." They kiss Little Hae''s cheeks and leave the house together. While driving, Kang Si An continues to ask her what she wants and how she wants him to court her. She also replies without any hesitation. "Do all the sweet things that you did to the girls in your dramas." She thinks harder. "The piggyback ride... did you ever give me one?" "I carried you in princess style, I think." Kang Si An bursts intoughter. "You should give me a piggyback ride." "You are too tall and heavy for me." Kyuri doesn''t mind giving him one, but the reality is harsh. "I am not physically strong. me the time-crystal." "Fine." He gives in. "It''s not like I can say no." "I want to date you before we get married. I want to know how it''s like to date a celebrity before I am hitched." "But we already dated once..." "Those were messy times. Can we consider that dating? I was your fake girlfriend." "Okay, Okay." Kang Si An can''t help but find it amusing. She has a lot of wishes. "How long do you want to date?" "At least a year." "A year is too long." "How is it long? It''s less than a thousand years." "Can''t we pretend as girlfriend and boyfriend after we get married?" Kyuri grins ear to ear. "If that''s the case, we don''t have to get married. We have been married for more than a thousand years. We already have a daughter. We can start pretending now." Kang Si An bites his tongue. She''s using his words against his. "But I married Li Jun." She winks at him slyly. "So, I don''t mind having a hot extramarital affair with you." "..." He can never win against her. Chapter 149: No, we are good Chapter 149: No, we are good "You arete." Kim Taeho looks at the watch. He''s been waiting for more than 20 minutes. "Little Hae sleptte." Kyuri lies. "Is she asleep?" "I gave her the sleeping pill like you told me." Kim Taeho doesn''t feel good about this. But Kyuri has texted him that giving sleeping pills to Yoon Miran is best. He has also dropped his children at his parents'' house. He doesn''t know what he''s doing either. He''s afraid. He knows Miran the best. But he saw something today that was too disturbing for him to handle. He can''t risk his children''s life. If things don''t go well, he will even try sending her to the mental hospital. But he knows deep in his heart. That will never be easy. Yoon Miran is too smart. She can easily prove that she''s not mentally sick. "Let''s go inside." Kim Taeho notices the change in Kang Si An''s voice. Even his gaze has changed. It''s something simr to what he saw when he confronted Yoon Miran. "Nobody should disturb Kyuri when she''s in the dream realm. I will also go with her. So, Kang Si An and you must keep a watch over her and Yoon Miran." The timekeeper? Kim Taeho purses his lips. He still finds it hard to believe. The Keeper and Kyuri follow Kim Taeho into the house. Yoon Miran has locked herself inside the bedroom before she went to sleep. "We can''t go inside." Kim Taeho eyes them warily. He has seen what she did to the tree. Letting her touch Yoon Miran is out of the question. "If you can exorcise him, do it from here." "I am not a priest." Kyuri clicks her tongue. "Don''t hurt...her." Kim Taeho wonders if he should just kick them out. Then, she can do it from anywhere. At least, he can watch them now. "I will do my best." She sits on the couch and takes a deep breath. Talk about pressure!!! She''s afraid of facing Kwak In-Sik more than facing Yoon Miran. She doesn''t know what to expect. She looks at Kim Taeho. "Um... does Kwak In-Sik have a strong personality?" "What do you think?" Kim Taeho frowns at her. "He murdered more than 40 people." "Oh." She gulps down. Definitely a strong personality. The Keeper holds her hand and says, "Don''t be afraid. Be confident." "I will be there," He adds. He knows how much she hates going to the dream realm. It''s not unusual. The dream realm is full of peculiar things. That''s he will be with her. He will ward off those things. Kyuri looks at the Keeper. His words are touching. She''s a little less afraid. Though he said that he won''t directly help her, having a special entity behind her back is better than nothing. She closes her eyes and finds the door in her mind. This time, it''s a bright blue door. She touches the golden knob. She used her abilities to hurt people so far. This time, she will use it to save someone. She turns the knob and walks into the dream realm. Kim Taeho looks at the man and the woman. Both of them are unconscious. Didn''t the timekeeper say that Kang Si An would wake up? Why is he guarding three people alone? *** The hell! Two Kang Si An. One is dressed in a simple traditional white robe. His hair is also white. She has seen this person before Without a doubt, he''s the Keeper. The second one is dressed in the same clothes that he wore when he left Kyuri''s house. He has ck hair and a smirk on his face. That''s her Kang Si An. "Excuse me!" Kyuri raises her arm. "What''s going on here?" Kang Si An: "Do you think that I would let youe here alone? I was prepared to follow him out." Timekeeper: "Tsk!" Kyuri: "But Kang Si An... you might get hurt." Kang Si An: "I can''t let youe here alone. We will face it together." The timekeeper watches them argue. This is the first time when three of them are facing each other like this. "I have a question though." Kang Si An eyes the keeper. "Why do you look like me even in this realm?" Kyuri realizes that Kang Si An is right. Why does the keeper look like Kang Si An? Are they soul twins? "If you see my real form, your souls would burst apart," The timekeeper tells them with a dull voice. "I have this appearance because you are my host right now. It keeps things simple." "This is..." Kang Si An feels awkward. "What''s your real name?" "If you hear my name, you won''t be able to hear anything again." The timekeeper warns. His mood is getting worse. "Do you want me to say it?" "No, we are good." Kyuri smiles at him. "Can you send this guy back?" "Kyuri, I won''t go." Kang Si An creases his forehead. "I can''t let you face a psychopath alone." "I don''t think that it''s a bad idea either." The timekeeper looks at Yoon Miran''s room. Theyout of the house is the same, but everything else is different. The walls are bleeding red. Surrounding Yoon Miran''s room, there''s a repelling dark miasma on the door. Kyuri notices that the miasma is getting thicker by the minute. "What''s that?" Kyuri takes a step back. Does she have to go near that? "Their darkness." The timekeeper sighs. "It''s worse than I thought. Then, they wouldn''t make it easy for you. I can''t follow you inside there. I can only guide you." Kang Si An holds Kyuri''s back. "I will go. You stay here." "What can you do even if you go there?" Timekeeper res at him. "Even if you can walk out of the body and ess the dream realm, you don''t have her abilities. Only she can separate them." "What happens after I separate them?" Kyuri asks the timekeeper. A loud cry interrupts the timekeeper. Chapter 150: Would you try merging your soul with mine? Chapter 150: Would you try merging your soul with mine? "What was that?" Kyuri moves closer to Kang Si An instinctively. That sound is scarier than dealing with a time-crystal nt monster''s scream. "See the miasma is born from Kwak In-Sik''s darkness and unholy near union with Yoon Miran." The Keeper furrows his brow a bit, not losing his calm demeanour. "It''s been metamorphosing into something monstrous. Something must have triggered Kwak In-Sik. He wants to mergepletely with Yoon Miran''s soul forcefully and control her body." The two humans be quiet, unable to digest what they are hearing. They turn their head together and look at the closed door. They can''t tell what''s on the other side. They don''t have enough brains to imagine the monster either. "Come on." Kang Si An pats Kyuri with a pale face. "It''s not worse than the time-crystal monster. Remember human bones? Haha... we literally walked on human bones to that thing. My body was even sucked dry. I didn''t feel a thing." "Why are you talking about that?" Kyuri scowls at him darkly. It''s not a good memory for her. "If things go wrong, even our bodies won''t exist." "Isn''t it the same?" Kang Si An creases his forehead. "If we are dead, does it matter what happens to our body?" Kyuri hasn''t died once and he has died numerous times. They both have different opinions regarding death. "You know that Yoon Miran''s soul is being eaten by Kwak In-Sik right now?" The keeper is not looking at them. He''s looking at the walls. The miasma is attracting dark creatures between the world of the living and the dead. He has to build a barrier around this house. "Remember saving Yoon Miran is the task. You must separate them. Go now. I have to handle things here." Kyuri and Kang Si An feel like they are being whooshed away. Both of them look at the Keeper''s back. "You are going to be okay, right?" "You are handling the worst, not me," Keeper tells them without looking back. "I will be working on a barrier. Remember to secure Yoon Miran first. He might kill her." "Good luck, Keeper," Kyuri says awkwardly before taking steps toward the door. When they get to the door, Kang Si An pushes her behind him. He signals her to be quiet. The door has no lock. He pushes it slowly. "HAHAHAHAHA~" The mad and cynicalughter sends goosebumps down their spines. "My dear Miran, be mine. Be mine. Mine only." "What a crazy thing!" Kyuri mumbles. "Even after death, he''s after her." "Aren''t I the same?" Kang Si An whispers. "I died so many times and yet, I wanted to be with you." "How are you the same? Would you try merging your soul with mine?" "You are likely to kill me before that." Kang Si An jokes. He doesn''t know how he can find this situation funny. Kyuri snickers. So, he''s not the only one who can find humour in this situation. They peek at the thing as silently as they could. In the corner, a pale and sickly form of what looks like a woman is sitting with her eyes closed. A ck wet shadowy thing is embracing that woman. Little by little, she''s being sucked into the dark creature. She''s not resisting. Rather, she can''t resist. There''s barely anything left of her. "I will distract the monster. You go and take Yoon Miran away." Kyuri whispers to Kang Si An. "I distract him and you take Yoon Miran away." How can he let her get close to that thing? It is literally sucking a soul. Kyuri shakes her head and jumps into the room. Being sneaky has never been her style. Even if she''s a bit sneaky, it won''t work now. There''s no time. "Hey, you!" Kwak In-Sik raises his head. He doesn''t look like Kwak In-Sik anymore -not the handsome man he once was. He has taken the form of his twisted heart - dark, psychotic, obsessive, sinister, and on the verge of bing a demon. Kyuri gulps and gives a sidelong nce at Kang Si An. ''Don''t y the hero and ruin it.'' Kang Si An halts. Kwak In-Sik hasn''t seen him yet. "Kwon Kyuri." Kwak In-Sik widens his red glowing eyes. "Kim Taeho SENT YOU!" She flinches when he roars at her. Then, her temper res up. "Kwak In-Sik, I am going to kill you today." "CAN YOU?" Kwak In-Sik growls at her. "I WILL TEAR APART YOUR SOUL." "DO YOUR BEST! DO YOU THINK THAT I DIDN''T FACE WORSE THINGS THAN YOU?" Kyuri also yells back. "COME AT ME. I CHALLENGE YOU. I WANT TO SEE HOW STRONG THE MAGNOLIA KILLER IS." She fists her hand. If she wins, she''s going to drink until she passes out. Kwak In-Sik lets go of Yoon Miran. He pats her head and says to her, "I will return soon, my dear. Wait for me." Yoon Miran doesn''t respond. She is in the state between life and death. Kyuri steps back when a 15 feet tall Kwak In-Sik walks toward her with a grin on his mouth. Kyuri flicks her hair, giving a signal to Kang Si An. He rushes to Yoon Miran and picks her up in his arms. Kwak In-Sik hears the noise and turns around to see Kang Si An carrying Yoon Miran out of the door. Kwak In-Sik strikes his back, tearing the skin. ck long scars appear on Si An''s body. He clenches his teeth and steps out of the room. Yoon Miran must live. Kyuri runs and kicks Kwak In-Sik''s leg. "Deal with me first, Mister Monster." Outside, the keeper has built the barrier around the house. The cage for Kwak In-Sik is ready. He sees Si An running out with Yoon Miran in his arms. Kang Si An is hurt and Yoon Miran is near death. He hears Kwak In-Sik''s bellowing inside the room. Kang Si An puts Yoon Miran near the Keeper. "Separated." Inside, Kyuri is wounded by Kwak In-Sik who is looking at her as if he would crunch her soul. Sheughs at the inhuman thing mockingly. "Sicko! People like you don''t even deserve hell." Kwak In-Sik is not in the mood to argue with her. His Miran has been taken away. Ordinary humans can never understand them. He has to finish this woman first. He raises his arm to hit Kyuri. She runs to the right and warps the space around her. Kwak In-Sik falls. Since he''s not inside a body, she can''t use her mind skills on him. To deal with him, she must warp the space around her. But she didn''t expect that Kwak In-Sik can also warp the dream realm using the darkness he gathered. She ms against the wall and falls back. Kwak In-Sik clenches his hand and pounds in her direction to crush her soul and mind. It''s too fast. Space is twisting around them. She closes her eyes and waits for the attack. It''s okay. Yoon Miran has been saved. Even if she dies, Kang Si An can be with Little Hae. But the pain didn''te. When she opens her eyes, Kang Si An''s body is shielding hers. "Kyuri, run." Kwak In-Sik raises his foot to crush both Kyuri and Si An together. She forms a wall around them, knowing that it won''t be able to hold Kwak In-Sik. She won''t give up without a fight. At the same time, the keeper walks into the room with a ck cube in his palm. It unravels itself like a blooming flower. Kwak In-Sik''s foot pauses in the air. He feels like he''s being sucked by a ck hole. He turns around and looks at the keeper. Chapter 151: We still exist in this world Chapter 151: We still exist in this world "Miran!" He screams once before beingpletely sucked into the cube in less than the split second. The cube pulsates on the Keeper''s pale palm like a living heart. The Keeper puts it inside his sleeve before walking to Kyuri and Si An. He touches the wall and it disintegrates into nothing. Kyuri is holding Kang Si An with her eyes closed. "It''s over." The Keeper smiles at them. "Yoon Miran is saved." *** Si An can barely move. Even if it''s the dream realm, it hurts like each bone has been broken. Kyuri lets him lean on her. "Who told you to y the hero?" "The hero is him." Kang Si An res at the Keeper. "If you had something like that, why didn''t you give it to us?" "Because it was Kyuri''s task to separate Hong Yi Hwan and Yoon Miran. I could interfere only after they were separated. Those were the rules." The Keeper is cleansing the miasma from the room - thest of Hong Yi Hwan. "Yoon Miran''s soul is weak, but she will live. I have already sent it back to her body." "Stupid rules." Kang Si An can''t even straighten his back. "Why does it hurt so much?" "Your soul is strong. Otherwise, you would have been dead by now." The Keeper crosses his arms and looks at them. "I am leaving for now. I will return when there''s a new task. Both of you should be prepared for that time." "Wait!" Kyuri jumps on her feet. "There will be more?" "I told you that Yoon Miran was the first one." The Keeper raises his brow. "Do you ever listen carefully? You don''t have good control in the dream realm either. You better train before Ie back. It might be more difficult next time." "I take that both of you will miss me." The Keeper chuckles when he sees their pale expressions. "Goodbye until then. I hope that both of you will appreciate life and peace until Ie back." The Keeper doesn''t let themin. He sends them back to their bodies. He sighs and mumbles to himself, "I will ask the higher up to give me a human life next time when she''s reborn again." Kang Si An might have won this time. But the Keeper will meet her in her next life as a human being. When Kang Si An opens his eyes, he finds himself next to Kyuri at Kim Taeho''s house. He checks on Kyuri who slowly opens her eyes. She''s tired after using her ability. The dream realm exhausts a lot of energy. "Are you feeling okay?" Kang Si An notices how pale she is. "Let''s go to the hospital." "I am fine. We need to check on Yoon Miran first." Kim Taeho is in Yoon Miran''s room. It seems that she''s awake too. Kyuri and Si An walk to her room. Yoon Miran is nkly looking at Kim Taeho, drained of colour. "Miran, Miran..." Kim Taeho calls her name, but she''s not responding. He looks at Kyuri with fear in his eyes. "She''s in shock. Hong Yi Hwan is gone. Her soul is weak, but she won''t die," Kyuri says after checking Miran''s body. "She needs you the most right now." Yoon Miran blinks at her after hearing Hong Yi Hwan''s name. A tear rolls down on. She is crying silently. She''s feeling light as if a huge boulder is gone. "Yoon Miran, I know that you think you loved Hong Yi Hwan and he loved you. But, you should carefully check if it was truly love." Kyuri believes that she doesn''t need to say more. Kim Taeho is there to teach Yoon Miran what love is. She grabs Kang Si An wrists and walks out of their house. It''s already morning. "We are still alive." Kyuri exhales tiredly. "We still exist in this world." "Little Hae still has us." Kang Si An looks up at the sky. "We should head home before she wakes up." "Si An, I want to drink Soju mixed with beer." Kyuri gets into the car with Kang Si An. "I want to drink until I pass out." "I want to do the same, but we have to head home. Little Hae will be scared if she doesn''t see us." Kang Si An''s body is hurting. Though he''s physically fine, he is feeling pangs of pain throughout his body as if someone has thrown him in the washing machine and washed him until his body turned gooey. "Being a parent is difficult." She drives toward her house. "Want to sneak out tonight after she sleeps?" "Sure." Kang Si An leans back and closes his eyes. "Let''s see who can drink more." If he''s been in his right mind, he would not have said that. Kyuri smiles. She won''t let him back out at all. ******************* Kyuri stares up in the sky dumbly. Each balloon is tied to a flower. The entire sky is full of colourful balloons. On each balloon, there''s a question. ''Will you marry me, Kyuri?'' The entire city can see the countless balloon floating in the sky. "It''s really harmful to the environment." 6 years old Hae shakes her head. "Daddy, this is crazy." "Wait for a moment." Kang Si An grins at this daughter. For the past year, he''s been proposing to Kyuri who is taking all the time to say yes. He doesn''t mind. She will say yes in the end. He was famous for failed attempts at suicides and brushes with death. Now, he tops the list of failed proposals by celebrities. After that day, they started dating like a normal couple, cherishing each day with Little Hae. A year ago, Kim Taeho came back from the military. Yoon Miran and Kim Taeho registered their marriage half a year ago. They are quite close to Kyuri and Si An. It goes without saying that their children are inseparable. Suddenly, it starts raining rose petals from the sky. Kyuriughs at the cheesy idea and says, "You make my head hurt." Chapter 152: Epilogue Chapter 152: Epilogue "Does your heart skips a beat?" Kang Si An asks, amused. He''s getting enlisted for the military. It will be two more years if she doesn''t say yes. "Mommy, just say yes." Little Hae frowns at her mother. "Don''t make daddy do more. I wake up every day thinking about what''s waiting for us." "Don''t you like being famous?" Kyuri winks at her. "For being the part of failed proposals?" Little Hae shakes her head. "If Daddy takes all the proposal methods, what will Hyun do?" "Aish! This girl." Kyuri res at Little Hae. "Always Hyun. My romance is more important. If I don''t marry your father, what will happen?" "Mommy, you have 11 years now." Little Hae turns her back to her and crosses her arms. "Si An, I want a cuter daughter this time," Kyuriins to Si An. "She shouldn''t betray her parents because of her boyfriend." "Huh?" Si An can''t believe what''s he''s hearing. For thest 3 years, she didn''t even let him kiss her on her lips, getting out of his clutches smoothly each time. "Let''s have a wedding." Kyuri shoots dagger what Little Hae''s back who huffs and walks back into the house. Inside the house, Little Hae grins and calls Hyun. "Hyun, she said yes finally. She''s going to have a wedding. I am so happy." [Really? I will tell father and mother. We wille to celebrate.] "Come quickly." Little Hae runs to her grandparents to tell the news. "Are you sure?" Kang Si An asks Kyuri seriously. "Your proposals have already made big news and there''s not enough time before you leave." Kyuri smiles at him. "There''s not enough time to prepare for a grand wedding." Kang Si An sighs. "How about having it after Ie back?" "Preparations are done." Kyuri chuckles. "I have it all done. It''s one day before you leave." "You!" He scowls at her. "You like to torture me." "You will have one night with me before you leave." She whispers into his ear, bursting intoughter when she sees him re at her. "Darn! Only one night." She kisses him on his lips suddenly. He''s surprised. He moves his face closer to taste her lips again, but she moves her head back. He hears herugh again. So cunning! "Can''t wait?" "I can wait." Kang Si An has been waiting for years. A few more days is nothing. "Then, you will be waiting for 2 years. You will miss me every day." "As if." Kyuri clicks her tongue. "You will also miss me and Little Hae." "Tch!" Kang Si An can''t refute her words. "I don''t want to go." "I don''t want you to go either." Kyuri wraps her arms around him, feeling peaceful and restless at the same time. "I should have said yes earlier." "Stop pretending." He holds her tightly. "You don''t regret it." Silence descends between them. He closes his eyes, leaning his head over hers. Being like this is okay too. "I am home, Si An." "Me too." It still feels like a dream that both of them are together after a long time. Before the Keeperes back and life is thrown in chaos again, they are appreciating each moment of life in their ways. They will continue to do so in the future. *** On a high wall, there are two ghosts sitting together under the bright moon. "It was a good life." There''s a mild smile on Kwon Kyuri''s life as she passes through the door with Kang Si An. In this lifetime, he did outlive her. But it was only by a day. "You didn''t get to suffer like me." She res at him. "A day of mourning? You were passed out for half of the day." "It''s not my fault." Kang Si An makes a face. "Even I didn''t expect to get a heart attack." "Tch!" She clicks her tongue. "I wanted you to suffer for years." "Haven''t I --" Kang Si An shuts his mouth when his wife glowers at him. In their long lives, it''s always been like that. She was the lord and he was the servant. It seems that nothing has changed after their deaths. "We even outlived our daughter." Their only daughter died around five years ago. Their son-inw died two years after their daughter''s death. Kang Hae and Jae Hyun got married as soon as Kang Hae turned adult. They had children and grandchildren. Thanks to them, Kang Si An and Kwon Kyuri have been able to see their great-grandchildren. Kim Taeho and Yoon Miran had a rocky rtionship after their marriage. But Kim Taeho was always patient with Yoon Miran. They found a stable ground eventually after Yoon Miran started topromise on a few things. Yoon Miran became a close friend of Kwon Kyuri, regardless of their age difference. Kim Taeho and Kang Si An were almost like brothers. Later, they became inws after Jae Hyun and Hae got married. Jae Hyun became a researcher while Hae pursued a career in acting like her father. Haneul, who grew up to be awyer like her mother, married the second son of Yoon Miran''s close friend who was also awyer. Yoon Miran died at the age of seventy after a long fight with Alzheimer. It was a difficult time for Kim Taeho, but Kim Taeho never left Yoon Miran''s side. Before Yoon Miran died, she was surrounded by her son, daughter, daughter-inw, her best friend, and everyone else who was important to her. She confessed to Kim Taeho for the first andst time that she loved him dearly. After Yoon Miran''s death, Kim Taeho was brokenpletely. His daughter, HaNeul, took care of Kim Taeho until his death at the age of sixty-five. He only outlived Yoon Miran by five years. Kang Si An and Kwon Kyuri had seen a lot. Even after their marriage, they had marriage problems that any other couple had. There were days when Kyuri wouldn''t talk to him for days. Kang Si An was always the first person to give in. However, their life together was peaceful after a long thousand years. Chapter 153: Epilogue 2 Chapter 153: Epilogue 2 "We are ghosts now." Kang Si An scratches his beard. "Should we haunt our great-grandchildren?" Kyuriughs. "Why should we waste time on them? Let''s travel as ghosts. Don''t you want to pass through walls?" "Damn it!" Kang Si An widens his eyes. "Why didn''t I think of that?" "Because you are dumb." Kyuri flicks his forehead. "You are so lucky that you have me." "Yes, yes, I am lucky." He hugs her tightly and rubs his cheek against hers. "I want you as my wife in every lifetime." "Let me go." She elbows him. "How many times have I told you to shave your beard?" "I forgot." Kang Si An puckers his lips. "Do I look ugly with beards?" She stares into his green eyes. His ghostly face is full of wrinkles. It reminds her of Li Jun. She wonders how she looks like to him. He has always seen her young in his previous lifetime. Now, she''s also old and wrinkly like him. Li Jun is Kang Si An. Kang Si An is Li Jun. But he had always whispered to her in the morning that she was the most beautiful creation that he had seen. Kyuri smiles. "You are ugly for sure." "Tsk!" Kang Si An ps his own cheek. "I should have gotten rid of the beard." "You don''t look too bad." Kyuri leans on his shoulder and entangles her fingers with his. "Do you think that Miran and Taeho also spent time together like this?" After having some thoughts, Kang Si An says, "If Miran waited for Kim Taeho, they might have taken thest walk together." She has a feeling that Miran did wait for Kim Taeho. Miran might not have said a lot when she was alive but her friend did love Kim Taeho. It was clear in Miran''s eyes. And Kim Taeho loved her back. They spent a lot of time in silence but their silence had a meaning. It was something that they shared deeply. It was different from the love between her and Kang Si An, but it was certainly love. "I want to be greedy and spend more time here with you." Kang Si An closes his eyes and smiles. "Like this, only two of us." "Let''s do this then." She rests her chin on his shoulder. "You and I We have never been together as ghosts. I want to spend a few years as a ghost with you." He looks at her seriously. "Should we have a ghostly honeymoon before we move on?" "Definitely," she smirks at him. "I want to learn how ghosts make love." "I am going to teach you, my wife." He wraps his arm around her waist. "Kwon Kyuri, my time-traveller, I love you with everything that I have or I will ever have. I promise that I will always choose you in our next lifetimes." "You seems to be sure." She gives him a peck on his lips. "What if you fall for someone else?" "No." He shakes his head. "You are engraved in my heart. I promise you that I will never ever fall for someone else. There''s no space for anyone else anyway." "I will see in our next lifetime." She looks at him sternly. "I let your mistakes slide for two times. If there''s a third strike, I will kill you with my own hands." "Please make it painful." Kang Si An tells her with a steady voice, "I should be severely punished if I choose to be with another woman foolishly when I clearly love you." Who knows about their next lives? Both of them won''t remember for sure. Maybe that''s good. A new life with an empty te. She wonders if they will meet again and fall in love. She gazes at her husband who is sure that they will meet again. Surely, their love is strong enough to draw them close to each other again without any keeper''s interference. *** "Because you are dumb." Kyuri flicks his forehead. "You are so lucky that you have me." "Yes, yes, I am lucky." He hugs her tightly and rubs his cheek against hers. "I want you as my wife in every lifetime." "Let me go." She elbows him. "How many times have I told you to shave your beard?" "I forgot." Kang Si An puckers his lips. "Do I look ugly with beards?" She stares into his green eyes. His ghostly face is full of wrinkles. It reminds her of Li Jun. She wonders how she looks like to him. He has always seen her young in his previous lifetime. Now, she''s also old and wrinkly like him. Li Jun is Kang Si An. Kang Si An is Li Jun. But he had always whispered to her in the morning that she was the most beautiful creation that he had seen. Kyuri smiles. "You are ugly for sure." "Tsk!" Kang Si An ps his own cheek. "I should have gotten rid of the beard." "You don''t look too bad." Kyuri leans on his shoulder and entangles her fingers with his. "Do you think that Miran and Taeho also spent time together like this?" After having some thoughts, Kang Si An says, "If Miran waited for Kim Taeho, they might have taken thest walk together." She has a feeling that Miran did wait for Kim Taeho. Miran might not have said a lot when she was alive but her friend did love Kim Taeho. It was clear in Miran''s eyes. And Kim Taeho loved her back. They spent a lot of time in silence but their silence had a meaning. It was something that they shared deeply. It was different from the love between her and Kang Si An, but it was certainly love. "I want to be greedy and spend more time here with you." Kang Si An closes his eyes and smiles. "Like this, only two of us." "Let''s do this then." She rests her chin on his shoulder. "You and I We have never been together as ghosts. I want to spend a few years as a ghost with you." He looks at her seriously. "Should we have a ghostly honeymoon before we move on?" "Definitely," she smirks at him. "I want to learn how ghosts make love." "I am going to teach you, my wife." He wraps his arm around her waist. "Kwon Kyuri, my time-traveller, I love you with everything that I have or I will ever have. I promise that I will always choose you in our next lifetimes." "You seems to be sure." She gives him a peck on his lips. "What if you fall for someone else?" "No." He shakes his head. "You are engraved in my heart. I promise you that I will never ever fall for someone else. There''s no space for anyone else anyway." "I will see in our next lifetime." She looks at him sternly. "I let your mistakes slide for two times. If there''s a third strike, I will kill you with my own hands." "Please make it painful." Kang Si An tells her with a steady voice, "I should be severely punished if I choose to be with another woman foolishly when I clearly love you." Who knows about their next lives? Both of them won''t remember for sure. Maybe that''s good. A new life with an empty te. She wonders if they will meet again and fall in love. She gazes at her husband who is sure that they will meet again. Surely, their love is strong enough to draw them close to each other again without any keeper''s interference. *** After travelling the world as ghosts, Kang Si An and Kwon Kyuri meet a reaper. In a beautiful country with a colourful history, they are surrounded by gothic architecture. There''s nock of ancient spirits and ghosts. They run away when they sense the man. The man is dressed in a ck formal suit. His hair isbed back. His pitch-ck eyes are narrow and cold. He ps his hands in front of him and smiles politely at Kang Si An and Kwon Kyuri. "It''s not safe to wander in the mortal realm." The man''s smile doesn''t meet his eyes. "It''s time for you to move on from this world." Kwon Kyuri and Kang Si An have learned a few tricks. Both of them look young in their ghostly forms. However, they decide not to fight the reaper. It''s true that they have to move on. There have been a few evil spirits bothering them a bit. "Okay, we will go with you." Si An holds Kyuri''s hand. Her safety is his priority. Adventure with a foolish attitude is deathly. "Where do we have to go?" A ck Mercedes arrives in front of them. The reaper gestures to them to take a seat in the car. Kyuri and Si An follow the man and sit in the car. In less than five minutes, they arrive in front of a bridge surrounded by mist. They get out of the car and look at the bridge. The river is kind of scary: dark, full of ghosts, and certainly unhygienic. "Is it the legendary bridge that" Si An looks at the reaper who gives him a nod. "You have to cross it." Reaper tells them, "Don''t look back. Keep going. You will find a door. Someone wille to help you." The reaper doesn''t leave until they climb the steps of the bridge. "Boring." Kwon Kyuri mutters, "I don''t know what I expected but this is too boring." "At least, we aren''t being chased by evil spirits." Kang Si An thinks about all the things that they had to do in their life. The keeper kepting and telling them to deal with strange things. It was both adventurous and fearful.The keeper made them work a lot. Sometimes, they were so close to death."Kwak In-Sik surpasses all the evil things that we met." Chapter 154: Epilogue 3.1: Purgatory Chapter 154: Epilogue 3.1: Purgatory "Certainly." Kyuri gets a shiver down her spine. "I don''t think that I could ever forget that thing." "To think that Yoon Miran was carrying it in her mind" Si An shudders. "The keeper told us that the thing was disposed of." "Where did they dispose of it?" Kyuri wonders. "No, I don''t think that I ever want to know." That''s true. Of all the evil spirits and anomalies that they dealt with, Hong Yi Hwan had given them a nightmare. Si An gazes at Kyuri. "Say, will we meet the keeper again?" "Who knows?" Kyuri puckers her lips. After working with the keeper for such a long time, she admits the keeper isn''t bad. "I won''t mind meeting him again." "Neither do I." Si An wrinkles his nose slightly. "He did have feelings for you. So I don''t like him." "I am alive because he had feelings for me." Kyuri peers at him. "He saved my life many times." "Also, he killed you once." Si An sighs. "Fine, I won''t hold it against him. He turned out to be a decent guyter." The mist shifts away. They reach the end of the bridge. As soon as they climb down the steps, they find themselves in a long white hall with countless souls. "Who would have thought that they deal with things like this?" Kyuri points at the tiny board hanging by the ceiling. "Purgatory, the waiting hall." "..." Si An purses his lips. This is not how he imagined the afterlife to be. The hall is filled with countless chairs. Most souls are seated, waiting. There''s a reaper with dark hair going to each of them and exining them the procedure. The woman, dressed in a simr ck suit that the other reapers wore, notices them. She heads toward them. "There, shees," Kyuri mumbles. "How can I help you?" The woman gives them a polite smile. "Well, I am Kwon Kyuri." That''s all Kwon Kyuri says to the woman. It''s rather awkward to talk to the reapers who are supposed to be scary creatures. "Kang Si An." Si An introduces himself. "My wife is supposed to get VVVIP treatment in hell. I am supposed to take a trip to heaven for helping the higher entities." "Oh." The woman widens her eyes. "You are I know both of you. Here." She hands them red tickets. "You would need this." Kang Si An''s ticket turns white when he takes it while Kyuri''s ticket ispletely ck. "Please take the doors." The woman points toward the doors on their left. "The white one leads to heaven. The ck one leads to hell. The grey door isn''t for you. Please go ahead. Someone will approach you after you arrive at your respective destinations." After that, the woman rushes away. "They seem busy." Kyuri looks at her ticket. There''s a VVVIPbel in golden letters. "Timekeepers kept their end of the deal. I wasn''t scammed." "Why can''t I go to hell with you?" Si An lets out a tired sigh. "Heaven doesn''t seem fun without you, Honey." "You need to go there." She drags him to the white door. "Talk to the higher-ups. Didn''t you want to ask why you became a vessel? The keeper never answered your questions." "I don''t know why but" Si An scowls at the white door. "I am sure that they will give me some crap." Kyuri nods. "That is likely so. You should find a way to not be the Keeper''s vessel in your next lifetime." "Right." He turns toward Kyuri. "I will make them send me to the world where you will be born." "Take birth before me." Kyuri stands on her toes and kisses him on his lips. "Wait for me, okay?" "I will." He cups her face and kisses her deeper. Even after a long life, the passion remains the same. He still doesn''t want to go. Releasing her, he scrutinizes her face to engrave it in the deepest pit of his memories. Even reincarnations shouldn''t make him forget that he belongs to this woman. Only this woman. "I, Kang Si An, Li Jun, and every other name that I will take in the future, make an oath that I will never ever love anyone else other than you, Kwon Kyuri. I will always find you first and I will make you fall for me." Sheughs. "I look forward to it." Kang Si An kisses her forehead. "Don''t hang out in hell for too long, okay?" "I will leave as soon as I can." She gives him a tight hug, rubbing her face on his chest. "Si An, I love you, okay? I love you a lot." "I love you too, my time-traveller." He holds the back of her head gently and rests his chin on her head. "I wish I could love you more. Even a lifetime isn''t enough to give you the love that you deserve, Kyuri." After more than a thousand years, they only had one lifetime where they could be together. They don''t say goodbye to each other because they know that they will meet again. Kang Si An opens the door and walks into heaven. He has a lot ofints. Kwon Kyuri walks to the ck door and turns the knob. "What?" She turns the knob again. "Why isn''t this opening?" Then, she finds the notice on the door. [HELL IS IN CONSTRUCTION] "What?" The corner of her lips twitch. "What does that mean?" How could hell be under construction? A woman dressed in a ck formal suit is going to each ghost and giving them a ticket. The woman has long blonde hair with rainbow highlights. As usual, her skin is chalky white and her eyes are stormy grey. The rainbow-haired woman points somewhere as she exins things to the ghosts. "If your tickets turn ck, take the grey door." The rainbow-headed woman tells the ghosts, "If your tickets turn white, take the white door. If your ticket is grey take the grey door." "Where do these doors go?" One of the ghosts asks with a frown on his face. " "The white one goes to heaven." The woman seems exhausted. "For each ghost, heaven will be different. After you have enjoyed the fruits of your good deeds, you can choose to reincarnate whenever you wish." The ghosts with white tickets smile. "If you have ck tickets, it means that you are supposed to go to hell." The woman continues, "Currently, hell is in construction. Because of that, the ck door won''t open. However, the grey one will take you to your next reincarnation. At the moment, we can''t offer you to pay for your sins in hell. Please ept our apologies." "Aish!" Kwon Kyuri, who has been observing the reaper and the ghost with a scowl on her face, exims loudly. The reaper notices her. Shees to Kwon Kyuri and asks, "How can I help you, Ma''am?" "What''s your name?" Kyuri narrows her eyes on her, feeling displeased. "I need to know who I am talking to." "You can call me Martha." Martha gives her a polite smile. "May I know your name?" "Kwon Kyuri." Kyuri smirks at her, "Say, have you never heard of me?" Chapter 155: Epilogue 3.2: Purgatory Chapter 155: Epilogue 3.2: Purgatory "Y-You!!!" Martha gasps. "The time-traveller!" "Yes, yes." Kyuri nods her head proudly. "Didn''t I make you guys overwork? I should have done more." Martha shakes her head. "Why do you look young? You are supposed to die at the age of 98." "Oh, I died at the age of ny-eight." Kyuri flips her hair. "But I lingered around as a ghost with Si An. We had ghost honeymoons." Martha creases her forehead and looks around. "Is your husband dead too? I can''t see him here." "He got the white ticket." Kyuri exhales. "Well, I did make him pay for his sins even after our marriage. We practised celibacy for a few years. He would always listen to me. When it was over, he attacked me every night." Martha is least interested in listening but she doesn''t say anything to stop the woman. "I sent him to the white door." Kyuri looks at the ck ticket with the VVVIP mark and sighs. "I was supposed to have fun in hell. What''s the point of giving so much wealth away if I can''t enjoy the VVVIP treatment in hell?" "I understand your grievances." Martha, who seems like she will have a meltdown at any moment, sps her hands together and bends down her waist. "But the situation is like this. We can''t let you go to hell since hell has stopped its services due to the reconstruction. Though it will take hundreds of years before you can enter hell, please wait here. I will make special arrangements for your stay." Kyuri wrinkles her nose. Her eyes turn dark. "You want me to wait here for near eternity while my husband spends his time in heaven. Do you not know what he did to me?" "Oh, about that" Martha scratches her hair. "You see, he''s a special vessel. Just like you have special privileges, he also has special privileges. Anyway, didn''t you say that you punished him for a long time?" "So what if I did?" Kyuri raises her brow. "I also suffered for a long time but I have to go to hell." "That''s because --" Martha rubs her hands nervously. "Alright." Kyuri raises her hand. "Don''t argue with this grandmother. Find out if he has already taken birth. He can be quite impatient." "Sure, Ma''am." Martha rushes away from Kyuri. Kyuri has noticed the ghost in a white dress standing little away from her. That ghost has been staring at her for a while. There''s something about that ghost. She seems different. And she''s shining brightly. Even Kyuri can feel a certain pull toward that ghost. She beckons the ghost toe to her. The ghost womanes to her. She seems a little nervous. When Kyuri gives her a signal to take a seat, the woman sits opposite her and smiles. "You are shining." Kyuri tilts her head slightly. "Introduce yourself." "I am Nakashima Wakana, a detective. I am twenty-five," Wakana answers her awkwardly. "Who are you?" "Kwon Kyuri, I was a time-traveller." Kyuri raises her chin and smiles at her. "Maybe I still am. After all, I am supposed to lose my abilities in hell." "Really?" Wakana widens her eyes, studying the woman in awe. "Did you turn back time?" "I did." Kyuri starts telling her about her adventures. "It started with a murder" **** Wakana listens to everything, enchanted by the storypletely. When Kyuri finishes the story, Wakana asks her, "But you seemed like you wanted him to get more punished." "I was just joking." Kyuri chuckles. "To be honest, I understood his rage toward me. He couldn''t remember the thousand years that we spent together. I always met him and then, I left him. His soul must have been angry, frustrated, and miserable. Though he loved me, he must have umted a lot of stress. Though it doesn''t justify what he did that day, I think that the pain of losing his child unleashed all the hatred that he had for me. But he regretted it all his life." "I don''t understand." Wakana furrows her brows, "You say that feelings turned to hatred. Then, how could you say that you still love each other after a thousand years?" "I used to think that I was the only one suffered in those thousand years." Kyuri''s gaze turns thoughtful. "I didn''t think about him. He had to die in each lifetime. When he was Li Jun, he had to marry other women because he couldn''t help it back then. His mind might have forgotten me, but his soul remembered me. So, it happened against his will. However, he was a medium to bnce historical events." "When he was Kang Si An, the same thing happened. He even had to lose a child again that was mine in the original timeline. So, he was grieving a lot. For nearly a thousand years, he didn''t have any happiness either. But he loved me. And I know that he did. Can''t we get mad at our loved ones? I was also mad at him though. For a long long time. Thanks to our daughter, I started to see him again. He wasn''tpletely Li Jun but he wasn''tpletely Kang Si An either. I realized that I love him. But I didn''t forgive him because I love him. I did it because he truly repented. For my happiness, he was willing to let me go." Wakana thinks about Choi Minho. That immortal also let her be with Sei, although he loved her. "There are many kinds of love." Kyuri has a warm smile on her lips. "I am a lucky one for sure. I know that the Keeper also loved me. He also let go of me -- not once but twice because he knew me better than I knew myself. My best friend, Hana, was able to find happiness with her husband and children. We became inwster. What a beautiful life it was!" A thousand years of bittersweet love. Wakana can''t help but envy the woman before her. Is there someone who would love her in such a selfless way? She exhales. Choi Minho. However, she isn''t like Kwon Kyuri who risked everything and turned back time. As much as she knows, it was Choi Minho who had gone to any length to protect her. "I don''t envy my husband who went to heaven. As much as I know him, I am sure that he''s trying to get out of that ce ande to me." Kwon Kyuri winks at her. "You look like you are thinking of someone." Wakana rubs her nose and tells her, "There''s an immortal human who is in love with me." "Immortal?" Kyuri ps her hands excitedly. "Is he good looking?" "He is." She gives her a soft nod. "It seems like you also have a story for me." Kyuri props her chin under her hand. "Why don''t you tell me?" After a moment of hesitation, Wakana reveals everything to Kyuri. "So, I got tricked by a ghost and died." "You are an idiot," Kyuri says to her in a beat. "I know." Wakana lowers her head, depressed. "Dying wasn''t my n. I wanted to be a cool detective." "I am not calling you an idiot because of that." Kyuri tsks. "You are clearly in love with him. Why are you still confused?" Huh? Wakana blinks her eyes. "How do you know that?" "How would I know that?" Kyuri twirls her finger around the strand of her hair. "Okay, first, you should tell me why do you think that you don''t love him." She thinks about it for a long time. Choi Minho, the immortal human, is too good for her. Also, she might not have loved him. What if all that she felt was his emotions? How much was true? Chapter 156: Epilogue 3.3: Purgatory Chapter 156: Epilogue 3.3: Purgatory "When I was alive, I could feel other people''s emotions. I don''t know why but I have full control over my abilities now. If I want to feel your emotions, I can choose whether I want to feel them or not." Wakana pauses for a moment to gather her thoughts. "I thought that I loved Sei when I met Minho, I realized that I would never go that far for Sei. That''s how I knew that my love for Sei was shallow. I mean, even you did everything that you could to change the past because you wanted to save Li Jun. I don''t think that I would do that for Sei." "I asked about Minho." Kyuri''s eyes curve into crescent moons. "Think hard. Why do you think that you don''t love him?" Wakana bites her lower lips, thinking about the reasons. After a long moment, she looks up at the ceiling, slowly blinking her eyes. "Well I could be feeling the same thing. Whenever I was with Sei, I felt intense emotions. Most of them belonged to Sei. When I am with Minho, I am always calm." "Isn''t that good?" Kwon Kyuri asks her quietly. "If he makes you feel calm, then it means that you trust him." "It''s good." Wakana runs her fingers through her hair. "But I think that he''s too good. He deserves someone who can love him more than he loves himself or me. I really want to see him find happiness. He''s an immortal. Doesn''t it mean that he should be with another immortal?" There is a fact: she is a mortal and he is immortal. She will always die before Choi Minho. How can she be with him? She doesn''t want him to go through what Kwon Kyuri had gone through in those thousand years. "It should be his choice whom he wants to be with." Kwon Kyuri cocks her head and smiles at her. "Say, do you truly not love him? When it was about Sei, you said that you wouldn''t go as far as Choi Minho went for you. When ites to Choi Minho, you want him to find happiness." "Yes." Wakana frowns, not understanding what Kwon Kyuri is trying to say. "It''s different but" "Think about your feelings when you saw him getting hurt due to the curse." Kwon Kyuri leans forward, resting her elbows on her thighs. "You say that you can control your gifts now. He''s not around you to affect you either. Tell me one thing. If you could see any person you wanted, who would you want to see right now?" After a moment of silence, Wakana tells her, "Choi Minho. I want to tell him that he shouldn''t be too sad." "That''s strange, isn''t?" Kwon Kyuriughs. "Even after death, you are here thinking about him. You are worried that he will be too sad. You think that he will be lonely. You know that your family will be alright but you aren''t sure about him. Why is that? It''s quite simple, isn''t it? Didn''t you consider his happiness before yours? You are unsure because his true feelings scare you. You are afraid to love again after what happened with Sei. You don''t have your body now. But you are still thinking about him. That says a lot." "But I am a ghost." Wakana looks down at her hands. "Does it matter whether I love him or not? I still don''t know if I do." "Maybe you need time." Kyuri rubs her head. "You have all the time now but knowing him, I wonder if he will let go of you easily. Since he''s immortal, he could be waiting for your reincarnation." "My reincarnation!" Wakana raises her head and widens her eyes. She truly doesn''t want the same thing to happen. "Can he find me? What if I am reborn in a different world?" "That would be sad." Kyuri pauses when she sees Marthaing in her direction. "Oh, she''s back with news." **** "He already took rebirth?" Kyuri exims. "Does time run differently in heaven?" Martha shakes her head. "He filed aint regarding the vition of the free will." "What?" Kyuri pretends to be surprised. She opens her eyes wide and covers her mouth. "What does that mean?" "Since he was a vessel of a higher being like a keeper, he was also used as a medium to bring back bnce." Martha massages her forehead. "That''s why he had to do some things that his soul didn''t agree to. That''s the vition of the free will since he couldn''t make his own decisions. But he already signed up for it before he became a vessel of the keeper. Back then he didn''t have any rtionship with you. So" "You mean before he was born as Li Jun, he signed up to be a ve of the higher will." Kyuri has a cunning smile on her face. "He''s an idiot, isn''t?" "It''s an honour to help the higher being." Martha turns her head toward Wakana. "Thisdy here was also chosen to serve the will of heaven. However, she died too soon and failed." Wasn''t that prophecy? Wakana shrugs. She was supposed to be a ghost, wasn''t she? "That''s interesting." Kyuri puts her one leg over the other, tilting her head slightly. "Where is he now?" "He said that he didn''t want to waste time in heaven." Martha looks at the file in her hands and sighs. "Since he wanted to be reborn in a world where you would go after your time in hell, he was sent there. It seems that he''s waiting for you in that world." Kyuri heaves a sigh. "That''s so sad. I have to wait here for hell''s reconstruction." Martha gives her a nod. "If you leave before you pass through hell, you will retain your abilities. Then, you will take rebirth with uncontroble fates. Along with time-travelling abilities, you will receive other abilities too. Actually, we can''t predict what will happen." Time-travellers are dangerous entities. They always cause big chaos. Martha inhales sharply. Thanks to thisdy, she had to work four times more. And that''s a lot of work for reapers. "I know." Kyuri smiles at Martha. "I will wait here." "I have made arrangements for your stay." Martha rxes her shoulders. "Please follow me." "If you don''t mind, can I stay here and talk to this youngdy for a while?" Kyuri gestures toward Wakana. "She has a talent like mine. I am telling her a few hacks." "It''s fine." Martha gives her an approving bow and then, she turns toward Wakana and gives her a red ticket. "Take it. You can''t stay here for long either." Wakana holds the ticket with a heavy heart. The red ticket turns grey. It means that she has to be reincarnated. She raises her chin and asks Martha, "Am I going to be reincarnated on Earth?" "No." Martha tells her solemnly, "We need you in a different world right now. Earth will manage without you for the time being. Besides, there''s still some time before the apocalypse starts." "Apocalypse?" Kyuri and Wakana shout together. "Yes." Martha frowns a bit. "Since the guardians are taking birth, it means that four horses of the apocalypse will also take birth soon." "Whoa!" Kyuri raises her hand. "That''s scary. When is it going to happen?" "We don''t know when or how it will happen." Martha taps her fingers on the file that she''s holding to. "It might happen in this century or the next. It might not happen. But there''s always a chance of it happening if one guardian is born." She looks at Wakana gravely. "Then again, the soul guardian was born and died too early. We can''t be sure if it would happen. I haven''t heard about other guardians." Chapter 157: Epilogue 3.4: Purgatory Chapter 157: Epilogue 3.4: Purgatory Somehow, it feels like it''s her fault that she died too early. Wakana bites her lower lip. Well, it''s her fault. What is happening in the world anyway? Martha walks away from them. She needs to attend to other ghosts. Kwon Kyuri narrows her eyes on Martha. Once the reaper is away, she turns to Wakana. "Did you hear that? Si An has already taken birth. He''s waiting for me." "I did hear that." Wakana gives her an awkward smile. "But you can''t leave." "Of course, I shouldn''t leave." Kwon Kyuri''s voice is low. She leans forward and whispers to Wakana, "But I have to leave. Do you think that I can wait here until hell is reconstructed? What would be of my Si An? What if he finds another woman?" Wakana knits her brows. "Didn''t he promise you that he won''t be interested in any other woman?" Kyuri rolls her eyes. "He won''t even remember that promise." "That''s true." Wakana wonders what Minho is doing. What would happen if she takes rebirth? She won''t remember Choi Minho or anyone else. "Then, what are you going to do?" "Knowing how stubborn he is" Kyuri giggles. "He''s certainly going to practice celibacy if he doesn''t meet me. I can''t let him suffer too much." Didn''t she say that she wants Kang Si An to suffer a lot? Now, she''s saying the opposite. Wakana can''t get a grip on this woman''s mind. Kwon Kyuri says one thing at one time and other things in the next instant. "If he''s already in the world I am supposed to be born in, then all I have to do is" Kyuri nces at the grey door and then, she looks down at the ck ticket with thebel VVVIP. "Keeper is going to hate me." She''s not thinking of doing that, right? Wakana follows her gaze. Beads of sweat form on her forehead. What would happen if Kwon Kyuri takes rebirth without purifying her soul in the hellfire? "But" Kwon Kyuri raises her head and stares at Wakana. "Martha is keeping a watch on me." Wakana looks around and finds Martha talking to the ghosts. The reaper keeps ncing at Kwon Kyuri. It''s clear that Martha doesn''t trust Kwon Kyuri. "My husband will be alone" Kyuri takes a deep breath. "He might get seduced by another woman. Who knows? Since I won''t be there anymore" "You should let him get seduced." Wakana blurts out, "Find someone else." "Argh!" Kyuri scowls at Wakana. "I know that he will keep his promise. Did you forget how he wouldn''t die before I went to see him?" "Then, why are you worried?" Wakana rolls her eyes. Isn''t she just showing off? "He will be alone without me." Kyuri''s eyes turn misty. "Imagine waiting for someone for near eternity It''s just a long wait. He will be all alone. I can''t let him suffer like that. Didn''t we already suffer enough?" Wakana licks her lips, thinking about Choi Minho. If he waits for her on earth while she''s on some strange, how would they ever meet? Will he be sad? He will move on, right? What if he doesn''t move on? Wouldn''t he be lonely? But She looks at Kwon Kyuri. The time-traveller sniffles while holding her head. Even now, this woman would risk being killed by the keeper because she doesn''t want to leave Kang Si An alone. What has she been doing for Choi Minho? Isn''t he alone without her? "Can''t you help me?" Kyuri''s voice is shaky. She blinks her eyes slowly at Wakana. "If you distract Martha, I can go through that door." Wakana eyes Martha hesitantly. "Please." Kyuri beseeches her, "If there everes a time when I can return this favour, I will return it for sure." Will she even remember the favour? Wakana sighs. "Fine." "Yay!" The sadness in Kyuri''s eyes disappears instantly. She wraps her arms around Wakana to give her a hug. "Believe in yourself more. If you look within, you will find the answers that you are looking for." But what are the questions? Wakana doesn''t ask. She sees Marthaing toward them. "Kyuri, you should get prepared to leave. She''sing here." "Yes." Kyuri whispers back, "Thank you, Wakana." "Please have a happy life." Wakana wishes her before she gets up and walks to Martha. "Is something wrong?" Martha gives a nce at Kwon Kyuri who smiles warmly at Martha when their gazes meet. Martha looks at Wakana. "Why aren''t you taking the gate?" "I have a few questions about my abilities." Wakana stands in front of Martha, blocking her view of Kwon Kyuri. This is one of the moments when she can take advantage of her height. "I heard that soul guardian have magic too." Martha exhales. "Yes, you do. But your channels are blocked by the gifts that you received from Choi Minjae. They are part of your soul now. Your soul magic hasn''t been activated either. Even if they get activated, you won''t be able to use magic in the traditional way." "Really?" Wakana is interested to hear more. "How do I activate my soul magic?" "Actually, I don''t know how you can activate your magic. I need to ask the higher depa--" Martha tilts her head to look at Kwon Kyuri. She finds the seat empty. Martha pushes Wakana aside and looks around for Kyuri. Kwon Kyuri, who has managed to sneak away, opens the grey door with an excited look in her eyes. "NO!" Martha screams, rushing toward Kwon Kyuri. Before she could grab Kyuri''s arm, Kyuri slips away and jumps into the next world. The light of that world engulfs Kyuri''s soul. There are loud shouts. Even the ghosts are startled. Taking that chance, Wakana runs toward the door that leads to the bridge. After talking to Kwon Kyuri, she has decided not to take rebirth. Besides, wasn''t there a prophecy? She''s supposed to meet Choi Minho on the hospital roof. She hasn''t figured out whether she loves him or not. She has no idea whether she''s the right person for him. But Kwon Kyuri would still choose Kang Si An. The time-traveller would risk everything to be with Kang Si An again. She wouldn''t leave Kang Si An alone in a strange world. Then, how could she leave Minho alone? He''s been following her since the age of ten. If he has moved on by now, she would be d. Nevertheless, she needs to check on him. Wakana opens the door to the bridge and flounces out of the purgatory hall. Chapter 158: Epilogue 4: Reincarnation Chapter 158: Epilogue 4: Reincarnation For a long time, there''s only silence. There''s nothing. She can''t feel anything for a long time. Slowly, her senses develop as her memories of the past start to slowly fade away. Thousand years are gone in the back of her mind. After some time, she is no longer Kwon Kyuri. As her consciousness develops, she is growing into someone else. Kwon Kyuri, the woman who has gone through a thousand years of trials for love, is the past life that she can no longer remember. In the womb, she is surrounded by a warm fluid. She reaches out and feels another presence. She feels her hand tugged. She doesn''t push her away. The presence isforting. After some time, she starts hearing voices. Her sister converses in anguage that only she can understand. She senses her mother''s griefs and her father''s anger. There are her siblings. They are arguing about something. Her father isn''t near them anymore. She feels the pain. It''s notfortable anymore. She and her sister cry for their father. Their voices are heard. "Ai." She hears her mother''s voice. "Cina." There are more voices. She doesn''t understand thempletely. But it''s noisy. The boy is crying. Her mother is against it. Want him. She doesn''t want to hear noisy crying anymore. So she suggests to Ai, her elder brother. He could hear her. Want him as a pet. Her twin sister is happy. She hears her twin sister utter in a melodic voice. Adopt him After many arguments, it seems that her mother has given in. The noises stop. She holds her sister''s hand, feeling happiness. *** Months pass by. They are too far away from their father. Her sister is also suffering. She cries a lot but her mother isn''t listening to her. Ai and Cina tell her to calm down. They try to entertain her. But she and her sister want to be near their father again. She feels her mother''s magic surrounding them. It calms them down a little but it''s not enough. After some time, they feel an oppressive force that seems to pull them apart from her mother. She and her sister hold on to each other tightly as the storm surrounds them. It''s sharp cold energy, gripping on their souls. Suddenly, they find themselves standing in front of their mother. She''s wounded. There''s blood on her head. Their mother looks like they will die at any moment. Everything turns dark for a moment. When the lightes back, they find themselves back in a familiar ce. It''s the same warm ce. They hold each other''s hands. They hear their mother talk to people. Though they know they are in a safe ce, they are burning. There''s not enough food. Not enough warmth. The womb is cold. Their bodies are turning dry. Their mother tries to make up for the nourishment but it''s never enough. After some time, their mother finds a way to give them some energy that is simr to their father''s. It''s barely anything but they feel a little better. One day, their mother gives them names. "Misumi and Misaki." They ept the names. *** The timees when their mother''s womb can''t contain them any longer. They hear their mother screams but it''s also painful for them. Her sister, Misumi, leaves first. Misaki also wants to follow her sister. After the tumultuous journey that nearly suffocates her, Misaki opens her eyes. The light is too blinding. Misaki cries loudly. The woman covers her mouth and whispers, "Shut up." That''s not her mother''s voice. The woman''s hands are cold. The woman wraps her with a cloth and covers her face. Misaki can''t cry because the woman''s hand is still on her mouth. They arrive in a colder ce. Misaki feels too cold. Her veins are turning dry. She tries to wail louder for her mother and father. Meanwhile, her mental maturity is growing. "What should we do with her, Lord?" The woman sounds frantic. "We should kill her, Lord." There''s another voice. "A demi-god." The man''s voice is chilling and dark. "Her father is the god of darkness. We can''t kill her." "Why?" "She''s a face of chaos." There''s a long silence. "Then, what should we do with her, Lord?" "She''s not a full god." "She''s a face of Chaos. We don''t know what her power is." What is chaos? Misaki''s ear perks up. "It seems to be dormant for now." Misaki bes quiet. She wants to hear what is going on. "You told me that her adopted brother is looking for her, Sosuri." "Yes, my lord." "Leave her at a ce where she can be found." There''s a pause. "Let her fate decide for her." Misaki doesn''t like that man. Another pair of arms hold her. She hears men grumbling about something. They move a lot before she isid down on the cold ground. By now, Misaki has figured out that she''s been kidnapped. "Is she going to be okay?" The voice is boyish. "Didn''t you hear, Gama?" The second voice clicks his tongue. "Let her fate decide." Misaki wonders what is her fate. The men walk away from her. Soon after they are gone, she is picked up by a foul-smelling creature. "Oh, what is this?" The creature removes the cloth from her face. Misaki blinks her eyes. The creature is green and it has big ck eyes. "You smell like many things." The creature''s long tongue licks her cheek. "Should I skin you?" Misaki screams as loud as she can. Where are her mother and father? Someone should help her. Annoyed, the creature pinches her skin. "Shut up." Misaki''s skin turns redder. She shrieks for help. Her loud cries echo through the dimensions. "So loud!" The toad-woman shoves a piece of cloth in Misaki''s mouth. "I should sell you as soon as possible. Cub''s meat should be delicious." After pinching, pping, and squeezing infant''s skin, the toad-woman takes the infant to her butcher shop. The cub should be sold for at least five gold. *** She''s hung upside down. Feeling the pain, Misaki screams loudly for help. At the time, she only feels dark rage toward the toad-woman. While the toad woman showcases her to the people, Misaki looks around to see if anyone can help her. Though she is an infant, her intelligence is higher than normal children. She''s a demi-god, daughter of the darkness. The toad-woman keeps pping her butt. "Ten gold! Look at this white meat. I am sure that you can make a nice purse out of it. Ten gold! Last price! I won''t ept bargaining." Though she can''t remember her past life anymore, she still has Kwon Kyuri''s soul. Even without memories and feelings of the past, her mind is growing faster. Misaki res at toad-woman. She wants to cook this toad in a pot. Suddenly, she''s snatched away from the woman. When she looks up, she sees a boy with red eyes and green hair. She knows this presence. It''s her adopted brother, Ai. While the ugly toad-woman is screaming, Misaki observes him quietly. Her elder brother is handsome. Her nts a kiss on her forehead. "Misa, you are safe now. Your brother is here." "Thief! Thief! Thief!" The toad woman howls. Her elder brother''s red eyes shine and his lips curl up into a dark smile. "You dare to hurt my sister?" Misaki smirks. Her brother is going to teach a lesson to the toad woman. Having noticed her smile, He looks down at her. "You want to see me fighting?" "Yes!" Misaki squeals. "Cook that toad-woman in a pot!" s! Her brother doesn''t understand her words. But he nods his head. Wooden branches clutch her to his chest safely as he teaches them a lesson. After he''s done with them, he looks at her with regrets in his eyes. "Mother would be angry if she finds out that I let you see that." Misaki thinks about her mother. She hasn''t seen her mother''s face. But who is Chaos? The man said that she''s a face of chaos. She wants to see Chaos. Is she her mother? She grins at her elder brother. "Let''s keep it a secret between us," Her brother exhales, exhausted. She giggles. "Need to look for our Mother." Her brother ces his hand on her head and runs his fingers through her soft ck hair. He frowns when he touches her horns. "What''s this?" After checking out her horns, he smiles at her. "Mother will be surprised. But they are cute." Misaki blinks her eyes. She agrees. He''s cute. "You are smart, aren''t you?" He gives a peck on her forehead. "And mischievous. I remember now. You were the one who wanted to make Cina your pet." Misaki responds with a peal of lightughter. She also wanted to turn him into a horse. "Let''s look for our Mother." Ai wraps his arms around her as he looks around. "Where could she be?" While he''s mumbling to himself, Misaki is thinking about Chaos. She also wants to meet her mother soon. *********** "Isn''t she a cute one?" Misaki opens her eyes, letting out a whimper with aint. She turns her head toward the woman with white hair. The woman''s eyes are arctic blue. So beautiful... "But her arrogance managed to get my attention," The woman chuckles. "Elder Sister, what do you exactly want?" Her brother asks the woman. Elder sister? This beautiful woman is her sister. The woman shakes her head and guffaws. "I am not Kresi anymore. I am definitely not your Elder Sister. If you call me that again, I will rip your tongue out." "My apologies." Her elder brother bows his head respectfully. "Goddess, I am curious what you want from this child." Goddess? Misaki blinks her eyes. It must be Chaos. "Are you Chaos?" She asks the woman innocently. "Am I one of your faces?" Chaos nce at her. A voice rings in her head. [Yes.] "Can''t you hold me?" Misaki mumbles. "Aren''t you my mother?" "..." Chaos gives her a silent nce. "Hold me." Misaki looks at her with misty eyes. "Mother." "What can I ever want from this little fledging?" Chaos turns her attention to Ai. She raises her brow. "I am not like Adira or Noras. I am fully aware of myself while they limit themselves to only one world. Then again, they will lose littlepassion that they have for the mortals if they don''t do that." Misaki is disheartened when there''s no response. She doesn''t understand half of the conversation. [I guess I am your mother. I was married to your father once.] Not paying any attention to the conversation between her brother and Chaos, Misaki''s eyes light up. "Hold me then." There''s no answer. The door slides open. A tall figurees in. Misaki peers at the man. That''s her father. "Father, hold me," Misaki exims. Her father doesn''t pay attention to her. He says to her brother, "You have done a good job." They talk among themselves, ignoring her. Misaki is getting a headache. Why do they argue so much? They shout at each other. There''s her father''s scream. All of a sudden, Chaos grabs her. The room changes. Misaki looks up at the white sky. "Since you want me to hold you," Chaos says to her as she walks toward the throne, "I am going to hold you for a long time." The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!