The Corridors of Memory and the Mystery of the Missing Brooch
The students filed into the vast halls of the museum, the teacher's voice echoing with instructions for their report. Jo Ri desperately tried to escape the lingering ghost of De Lan and the memory of his breath against her skin. She immersed herself in her task, jotting down notes beneath every exhibit and sketching what she saw, documenting the fashion and finery of that bygone era.
She studied the regal robes and then moved on to the royal artifacts belongings of her aunt, the Queen, and other royals. Each piece told a life story: the year of production, the recipient, the materials used, and the names of the master craftsmen. Suddenly, Jo Ri froze. Before her lay her own crown the very jewelry she had worn on her wedding night.
But something was wrong. The brooch at the center of the crown was incomplete. She squinted, realization dawning on her: the missing piece was the ivory flower De Lan had pulled from the jewels just yesterday. A placard in front of the display read: "These jewels were previously stolen and recovered, though a portion was never found."
With a racing heart, Jo Ri opened her bag. There it was the brooch, but no ivory flower glowing with history. The piece behind the glass looked dull and lifeless compared to the one in her bag. She snapped the bag shut, feeling a cold shiver.
She desperately searched the records for her father's name, but found nothing. He had lived and died, unseen and unrecorded by history. A heavy sigh escaped her. Life was so cruel; history books only cared for the powerful, leaving the true stories buried beneath the dust of oblivion.
Lines of Fate and the Tears of History
Jo Ri dove into the images of past rulers, her heart aching for a glimpse of De Lan and the nature of his reign. She needed to know the truth: Would Mi Fa really be the Queen at his side? Would she herself be exiled, just as she had feared? Would he be the tyrant she remembered from the palace? Her future treatment of him depended on the answers hidden in these brittle pages.
Suddenly, she stopped. Her eyes fell upon the portrait of her aunt's husband, the current King. She read about his era, his noble crusade against ignorance, and the schools and healing houses he had established in every village. A genuine smile bloomed on her face he truly was a wise and great king. But then, her eyes drifted to the date of his death.
Her world tilted. The shock drained the warmth from her features. He was destined to die within two months of her marriage to the Crown Prince. Her heart hammered against her ribs. She remembered the devastation of losing her own father and the void it had left in her soul. A terrifying thought took root: If De Lan was here in this future, would his father die back in Joseon while he was helpless to stop it? Would she be the catalyst for the sorrow that was about to shatter De Lan's world?
Behind the Walls of Silence and the Question that Caught Her Off Guard
Jo Ri stared at the words and numbers for a long moment, trying to process the weight of the tragedy. She lifted her head, scanning the students for De Lan. He must never see this not like this. She decided then and there that if he were to know, it would be from her.
She found him standing with his friends, laughing as they looked at the royal costumes. She stepped forward and tugged at the edge of his t-shirt. De Lan looked down at her, his expression shifting from amusement to pure shock. The girl who had been avoiding him all day was now the one seeking him out.
When he remained silent, stunned by her sudden initiative, Jo Ri reached out, took his hand, and pulled him away. De Lan followed without a word of protest, as if entranced by her touch.
They slipped out of the crowded hall and into a quieter corridor that led to the next exhibit. When she finally stopped at the end of the hallway, he looked at her with a glint in his eyes and asked the question that caught her off guard:
- Did you miss me?
Secrets in the Hall of Isolation and Faint Confessions
Jo Ri pulled her hand away, looking up at him and realizing how tall he was compared to her. Her voice trembled as she asked:
- Can we go back to our world? I want to return to the past.
He furrowed his brows, confused.
- Why?
- I'm just asking.. before anyone discovers who we really are.
- And do you even know how to go back?
- No,
she replied, shaking her head.
In truth, she had no clue. But the burden of the secrets in her mind had become too heavy to bear. Tears began to stream down her face for no apparent reason. Without hesitation, De Lan moved his hand behind her head, his fingers tracing her hair, and pulled her toward him, guiding her head to rest against his chest. As she buried her face in him, seeking refuge from the world, he asked softly:
- Did those old costumes affect you that much?
She refused to answer. After a moment of silence, he continued, his hand still stroking her hair with unexpected gentleness:
- Do you miss your mother, Princess?
Jo Ri lifted her head slightly from his chest and replied in a low, raspy voice one entirely devoid of her usual defiance or rejection:
- I told you before... don't call me Princess.
The Truth of Tears and the Confrontation of Reality
Jo Ri buried her face against his shirt, hiding her tears as she struck his chest with soft, trembling blows. Her sobs broke through, the weight of the secret in her mind unable to manifest in words, only in raw, unfiltered grief. Sensing her pain, De Lan caught her hand and pressed it gently against his chest, his other arm wrapping around her shoulders to steady her.
- Don't be afraid,
He murmured.
I will find a way for us to return, no matter the cost. We must go back. I cannot bear being separated from those I love. In this world, everyone is so distant divided by age and time and I hate it.
She looked up at him, her eyes glassy and overflowing with tears, like a windowpane streaked with rain. She knew he wanted to return for Mi Fa he wanted to see his father while he was still alive, rather than stay here and face the crushing realization of his death.
- Jo Ri? Are you okay? Why are you crying?
The voice of Mi Fa shattered their bubble, dragging Jo Ri back to the harsh reality. She tried to pull away from De Lan, but he held her firmly in place. He looked at Mi Fa, his gaze stern and unwavering:
- She needs a moment with me. Please, leave us alone.
Mi Fa departed the moment she heard his firm dismissal. Jo Ri stood frozen, struggling to process the interaction. Hadn't he promised Mi Fa back in the past that she was his everything? Had his heart truly shifted in this new world, or was he merely fighting to return to her?
She lifted her head shyly, catching him looking down at her with a warm, unfamiliar smile. The moment their eyes met, he averted his gaze, hiding his vulnerability behind a mask of wit:
- Do you realize your tears have soaked my shirt? I'm going to catch a cold because of you.
She tried to pull away, but for the second time, he held her fast. She struggled briefly, but he kept his hands firm on her head, keeping her close. When she finally stopped fighting and grew still in his embrace, he whispered, his voice thick with longing:
- Stay like this forever... obedient.
Internet Confessions and the Truth of Destiny
They left the corridor and sat in the museum's outer courtyard, watching the horizon with heavy hearts. Jo Ri felt the urge to warn him about his father, but the fear of shattering him held her back. She chose to focus on the immediate mystery:
- What is your plan to go back?
De Lan sighed, his gaze fixed on the distance.
- I don't know. I need to understand why we're here. What happened to our future selves? What did we do that day to end up in this world?
Jo Ri strained to remember.
- I remember we were fighting. Then, lightning struck, and the lights went out.
- Yes,
De Lan added, deep in thought.
I remember saying something right before the flash, but the words escape me.
Jo Ri searched her mind, but it was a blank void.
I was so angry... I said so many things, but I can't remember the words.
De Lan looked at her intently.
Do you think our hatred was the cause? Must we love each other to return?
She bowed her head, her cheeks flushing.
I don't think so.
- Why not?
He pressed.
- Maybe we were fighting so hard against it because destiny had already written that we belong to one another.
She looked up at him, breathless.
- How... how can you be so sure?
He hesitated, then gestured to his phone.
- I searched the internet yesterday. I looked up my reign. I found out... I was married to you. We had children, and our son became the ruler after me. That is why I believe this we were written in the stars to be together.
Entangled Fates and the Winds of Jealousy
Jo Ri was deep in thought, wondering if De Lan knew about his father's impending death. She almost asked, but stopped when she saw his expression grow troubled. He stood up, clearly wanting to say something important, but his friends suddenly swarmed them, teasing him about Jo Ri.
De Lan signaled for them to back off, but Bak-chul persisted:
- What are you doing with Jo Ri? Didn't you say you broke up?
- We're just talking,
De Lan replied coldly.
- And what about Mi Fa?
The name hit Jo Ri like a physical blow. Was he playing both sides? Or was she just a means to get back to his past life? She couldn't bear to hear his answer. She stood up and walked away in silence. As she passed Ha Ji, she caught a glimpse of his intense, angry gaze. She couldn't understand him; was there a hidden history between them that she didn't know about? He never spoke, and his association with De Lan made him untouchable.
Outside, De Lan turned on Bak-chul, his fury boiling over:
- Why bring up Mi Fa suddenly?
- She was asking for you! We thought you were with her!
- Is that a reason to make up a relationship where none exists?
- Didn't we ask you yesterday to come with us for basketball practice? You refused, and then we saw you with Mi Fa. It's only natural for us to assume you blew us off just to be with her!
De Lan felt the absurdity of their rumors tightening around him. Unable to explain himself, he snapped:
- I'm going home!
But before he could leave, Mi Fa stepped into the light, a cold smile on her lips:
- Now... we can finally talk, De Lan.
The Shock of "My Love" and the Sunset Encounter
Jo Ri reached their building but didn't go up to her apartment. Instead, she sat outside, waiting. She had decided she needed to tell De Lan about his father, no matter how much it hurt. Time dragged on, and as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the evening chill seeped into her bones. She wanted to call him, but realized she didn't have his number. She checked the phone of the 'real' Jo Ri, searching the contacts until her heart skipped a beat. His name was saved as: (My Love).
A bitter smile touched her lips. Did that title mean anything, or was the old Jo Ri simply delusional? Surely, he only needed her to reclaim his status as Crown Prince. A shiver ran through her, and realizing she would freeze if she stayed, she stood up to head inside.
Suddenly, she froze. De Lan was walking toward the building, and Mi Fa was right beside him. Jo Ri was rooted to the spot, paralyzed. Seeing her, De Lan quickened his pace, Mi Fa struggling to keep up. He reached Jo Ri and asked, his voice laced with frantic concern:
- Where have you been? Why did you leave without telling me?
She couldn't meet his eyes. Her gaze remained fixed on Mi Fa, who stood behind him with a smug look of victory. Jo Ri replied, her voice choked with emotion:
- Wouldn't it have been better if I just left you... to find your way with someone else?
De Lan's expression shifted instantly. His concern vanished, replaced by a dark, terrifying glint of suspicion. He gripped her wrist tightly, as if a chilling thought had just struck him:
- What is this? You vanish from the crowd on the trip, and here you are you haven't even changed your clothes! Don't tell me you haven't been upstairs this whole time? Or were you just wandering outside and only just arrived?
He squeezed her elbow hard enough to cause pain.
Where have you been?
Jo Ri met his gaze, her defiance flaring up.
- You are not responsible for me! Where I go and who I meet is my business. Let me live the way I want, with whoever I love and whoever loves me!
Those words burned him like acid. He dug his fingers into her arm, his fury peaking, but she remained silent despite the pain. He opened his mouth to retort, but was interrupted as two strange men approached them. One exhaled a cloud of cigarette smoke, his face weathered by years of sickness. He looked at De Lan with cold, professional eyes and asked:
- Are you De Lan Li?
- Yes... I am.
- Then you need to come with us to the police station.