We searched online about the fountain but there wasn't much information there surprisingly.

 

The website did link us to a book. The four of us went to the library and searched for the mythological book.

 

I didn't know what to expect from researching about the fountain but since Bora suggested it, it was worth a try.

 

"What's the name of the book again?"

 

"Mysteries of Korea," I replied Bora without turning back to her.

 

Daehyun was opposite me, searching through the shelves of books. We searched till our hands were grey with dust.

 

"I'll ask the librarian," I went to the elderly man sitting at the desk behind an old school computer.

 

"Excuse me sir."

 

He looked up at me slowly and pushed his glasses up his nose bridge slightly, "Yes? May I help you young lady?"

 

"I'm looking for a book, mysteries of-"

 

"A book? What book?"

 

"Mysteries of-"

 

"Fiction or non fiction?"

 

I paused at that, not really knowing if it was fiction or not.

 

"Erm, non fiction."

 

He chuckled, "Are you sure about that?"

 

I didn't know how to answer that.

 

"Yes sir, but to be on the safe side, help us check for both fiction and non fiction," Daehyun stepped up from behind me.

 

The librarian nodded and typed on his computer. We waited and when he finally looked up at us, he was smiling.

 

"It's not a book you're looking for."

 

Daehyun and I were obviously puzzled.

 

"It's a scroll, it's stored way behind in the history section."

 

"Ah nae komawo," I bowed and pulled Daehyun with me to the history side of the library.

 

"A scroll?" Daehyun mumbled but I was too occupied with looking for the scroll to hear him.

 

I looked at the shelves and couldn't find anything, until Daehyun reached above me and took a scroll down from the second highest shelf.

 

He was so close to me, and I didn't even realize that we've been really close this whole time. My heart started its dance and Daehyun gazed into my eyes.

 

An arm above me, his face inches from mine, I was going crazy.

 

"Areum ah."

 

I closed my eyes, almost intoxicated by his sweet breath, "Nae."

 

He chuckled and pulled the scroll from above me, "Let's read it together."

 

I opened my eyes and Daehyun settled on the floor, already unrolling the scroll. I took a deep breath to steady myself and sat next to him.

 

"Wait."

 

I looked at him, "Waegeulae?"

 

"Whatever it says here on the scroll, won't affect our relationship right?"

 

"What relationship?"

 

"Erm, I mean, it won't affect us right?"

 

"Well, I don't know, Let's see what it says."

 

I pulled it open and it was a pretty painting of the fountain that is now all too familiar to the both of us. Words were written.

 

- Long ago, a secret was hidden in the Royal Palace. The Emperor married the love of his life and made her his Queen. Making her the country's Empress.

 

Though both of them loved one another with so much passion and with all their life, but they were not soul mates. According to the flow of the river through the country, the Emperor was never to have a soul mate, or in other words, was meant to remain alone his entire life.

 

The Empress couldn't accept the fact, and she couldn't accept that if the Emperor were to continue being with her, it will cause harm and terrible misfortune to befall the country.

 

However, instead of leaving the Emperor, she decided to become his soulmate. The Palace's advisor was a wise man, and he wanted to help the Emperor and Empress be real soul mates.

 

He asked that they travel to the highest of mountains and deepest of caves to seek the purest of bronze, silver and gold to pay them to the river and ask to become soul mates with the sincerest of hearts.

 

They did as told and after two hundred days of searching for the purest of each element, they went on their way back to the palace.

 

On their journey back, the Emperor fell incredibly ill and was so weak he was unable to continue walking.

 

The Empress stricken with fear and panic that she would lose her love, searched the forests for herbs that would heal the Emperor.

 

To no avail, she sat by his weakening body as he took his last breaths. By the slow, calm river they sat to allow him to pass peacefully.

 

As he mouthed his last "I love you" to her, the Empress, with tear stained cheeks and an aching heart, thought of something.

 

She gathered the bronze, silver and gold, held it in her hands and knelt by the river, "I desire to be this man's soulmate, but something I desire more, for him to continue living happily and healthily.

 

With the sincerest of hearts, even if it means that I have to leave him, please let him live."

 

The moment the Empress placed the elements in the river, the water lit up and the Emperor woke. He was well, he could walk, he could sit up right, but he could no longer remember his Empress.

 

The Emperor went back to his palace and ruled over, the country thrived. The Empress never went back.

 

The iconic Wishing Fountain of today has the river's water flowing through it and legend says that the river still possesses it's power. - 

 

 

We looked at one another as we finished reading, eyes intense.

 

"Daehyun ah, what did you wish at the fountain?"

 

He spoke quietly, "I wished I could regain my memories."

 

"I wished for that too, but instead I found you."

 

He smiled at that, "Areum ah, if you think about it, the story said bronze, silver and gold.

 

We only threw the bronze in so we found part of our memories back, which is one another."

 

I nodded, it seemed to make sense.

 

"Areum ah, oh Daehyun is here too," Bora popped out from behind the shelf.

 

"There you guys are, she was making so much noise we had to find you guys fast," YoungJae grumbled.

 

They probably registered the look on our faces and Bora hugged my arm, "Wae wae? Something happened?"

 

YoungJae punched Daehyun's shoulder lightly, "Ya inma, why are you two smiling?"

 

We looked at one another, "We're going to make a wish."