The Sanctuary of Art and the Modern Tongue
Jo Ri stepped into another hall, finding herself in what felt like a sanctuary of art. The walls vibrated with paintings of unimaginable creativity, as if every corner whispered a hidden story. High tables and chairs were lined up in an orderly fashion, a layout entirely foreign to her. She hurriedly sat on the nearest stool, seeking refuge in silence, but her friend Sul Ma looked at her in confusion:
- Why are you sitting here? Go to your assigned seat over there!
With hesitant steps, Jo Ri moved, desperately trying to suppress her poised, royal gait that threatened to betray her. She settled into her spot and emptied the contents of her bag like an explorer discovering unknown treasures, touching the modern tools with cautious curiosity. She began to chat with her friends, her eyes keenly observing every gesture and intonation. She was absorbing their modern slang, trying to domesticate her heavy Joseon tongue to mimic their light, swift words as if she were mastering a new, magical language.
Magical Trinkets and the Inkless Pen
Her eyes fell upon her scattered belongings books printed in such perfect, ornate script that it seemed as if a master calligrapher had spent countless nights decorating them. She flipped through her notebooks and found her own handwriting; it mirrored her soul, yet held a modern flair she had never known. But most wondrous of all were those slender, "colorful wands" that everyone held with such effortless skill for writing and drawing. She touched them in disbelief, whispering to herself:
- Is this how they write here? Without the need for an inkwell and a brush, and without the fear of stray ink stains?
Then, in the corner of her bag, she discovered a small book the size of a palm, adorned with a vivid, beautifully rendered image of a cat, alongside tiny colorful stickers that radiated cheer. Jo Ri felt as if she held a miniature royal library in her hands, in a world where beauty was condensed into such simple, elegant tools.
Modern Spells and the Silent Box
Jo Ri pulled that "flat box" from her bag, gingerly feeling its cold surface with a mix of dread and caution; it was the same magical device from which her aunt's voice had resonated the day before. Before she could fathom its nature or how it worked, Sul Ma ambushed her with lethal curiosity:
- Aren't you going to show us the photos of your escape yesterday? Tell us, what happened between you and De Lan during those thrilling moments?
Jo Ri flipped the device in her hands its screen was pitch black and silent, unlike the flickering, glowing screens of the girls surrounding her. She let out a sigh of feigned regret, masking her confusion:
- It's, it's broken. It won't turn on. I think it was completely destroyed in the heat of the moment.
- Then we'll go out later and buy you a new (Mobile Phone)!
Her friend replied with boundless enthusiasm.
A (Mobile Phone) so that was its name! Jo Ri etched the word into her memory like a sorcerer memorizing a sacred spell, one that held the key to unlocking this bizarre world.
Numerical Spells and the Feline Feast
The teacher stepped into the hall, and a solemn silence fell, broken only by the soft breathing of the students. She was an elderly lady, yet her features were peculiar; her skin was unnaturally taut, as if an invisible hand had forcibly wiped away the wrinkles of time from her face. As the teacher began her lecture, Jo Ri felt a surge of confidence. Much of what was being said felt familiar to her heart she had drank deeply from her father's books in Joseon, absorbing sciences she thought had vanished. However, that confidence quickly withered before "Mathematics." The complex numbers appeared to her as cryptic spells with no key to decipher them. She swayed between a childlike fascination with the place and a wild hunger for learning, torn between two identities and two conflicting eras.
What she loved most about this school was the chime of the bells signaling the change of classes, flowing with a flexibility that allowed for a special mealtime. As soon as the bell rang, her friends slid their desks together until they were pressed against Jo Ri's. Everyone pulled colorful lunch boxes from their bags. Hesitantly, Jo Ri opened a pocket in her own bag to find that her mother had packed her a vibrant box as well. When she lifted the lid, her eyes widened in shock; there was rice meticulously shaped into a cute cat, surrounded by vegetables and grilled shrimp arranged with exquisite artistic flair.
A Goal in the Heart's Basket
The school day ended, and the girls surged toward the outdoor courtyard like birds released from golden cages. Her friends dashed toward a roaring court, while Jo Ri stood watching in a daze. In her world of Joseon, gazing at or following men was a breach of modesty; here, however, it seemed like an open celebration of beauty and strength. Sul Ma cried out, pointing eagerly:
- Jo Ri! Look at De Lan! He looks completely different, more handsome than ever before!
Her gaze became fixed on him, as if bound by invisible threads. De Lan stood in the midst of the boys, weaving through them with breathtaking agility. He leaped into the air, driving the ball into a suspended basket as if he had mastered this game for centuries! His grace mesmerized her; the definition in his arms with every jump and the raw power of his physique made him look like a leopard taming the court with absolute dominance. At that moment, doubt crept into Jo Ri's heart. Was this the same arrogant De Lan who had treated her with such disdain? Was this the "scoundrel" she was forced to marry? In her eyes, he appeared to be the only living being in that crowded space.
Suddenly, the world spun, and his eyes locked onto hers. She felt as though an electric current had surged through her fragile frame. Her face flushed a deep crimson, and she averted her gaze, fleeing with quickened steps while her heart hammered a frantic rhythm of escape.
A Modern Lie and a Broken Vow
- Do you still love him?
Her friend asked slyly, her eyes glinting with curiosity. Jo Ri snapped back, trying to mask her obvious fluster:
- Love him? Have you lost your mind? I loathe him!
- How can that be? You two were like inseparable shadows!
- I found out that, he's cheating on me!
The words tumbled off her tongue before her mind could catch them. It was a modern lie used to escape the moment, yet deep down, she was swallowing the bitter dregs of truth. He had betrayed her yesterday with that woman, even if she had been the one to interrupt their private tryst. In the end, she was his wife, and he had trampled upon their sacred vow.
- Are you sure? After all the love you two shared?
Her friend asked, paralyzed by shock.
Jo Ri replied with a stinging bitterness that settled into her voice:
- He wounded me, and the scar left by betrayal never truly heals. I will not forgive him, not if the heavens themselves were to fall.
The Ember of Betrayal and Icy Dignity
Just as Jo Ri and her friends were about to leave, the unthinkable happened. A girl riding a metal beast on wheels a bicycle slammed into her at a frantic speed, sending them both crashing to the hard ground. Jo Ri pushed herself up, wincing in pain, only to find herself staring at Mi Fa. She was undeniably stunning; her long, wavy hair fell like a dark waterfall over her shoulders, brushing the earth. Her long legs peaked boldly from beneath her short skirt, dressed in the tight, daring fashion of this era. But the moment Mi Fa's eyes locked onto Jo Ri's, her anger vanished, replaced by a haunting terror as if she were looking at a ghost returned from the grave or a monster that had finally broken its chains.
Mi Fa tried to stand, but she stumbled and fell again. In that instant, De Lan arrived like a whirlwind, kneeling beside Jo Ri with a desperation that nearly shattered Jo Ri's heart. He reached for Jo Ri's hand first to pull her up, momentarily oblivious to his lover's presence. But the second he saw Mi Fa sprawled on the ground, he let go of Jo Ri's hand as if he had touched a searing ember as if touching his own wife was a "sin" he couldn't allow his beloved to witness.
- Mi Fa! You're here? Are you hurt?
De Lan asked, his voice dripping with agonizing concern.
Mi Fa stood with a calculated, delicate grace, her voice smooth and low:
- I'm fine, I just lost control of the bike, thank you. And you, Jo Ri, are you alright?
Jo Ri rose with an unyielding royal dignity, brushing the dust off her clothes with provocative slowness. She replied with an icy coldness that cut through the air:
- I am perfectly fine.
She swept out of the courtyard without giving De Lan so much as a single glance, leaving him drowning in his apologies to Mi Fa, while the fires of jealousy and wounded pride burned a path of destruction through her soul.
The Screen of Burning Memories
- Wait, Jo Ri! Why are you running like this? Was it the fall that hurt you, or was it the sight of De Lan rushing to someone else that tore your heart apart?
Jo Ri came to a sudden halt, her breath heaving from her chest like volcanic lava on the verge of eruption. She looked at her friend with a lost gaze and whispered in a hoarse voice:
- Please, Mi Ri, don't mention his name in front of me ever again. It's over. Everything between us is finally over.
Sul Ma patted her head with a tenderness that softened the sharp edge of her pain, saying in a confident tone:
- Don't be afraid. We are your friends, and we won't let you suffer alone. Come on, let's go and buy you a new phone! We'll start a fresh chapter, far away from him.