4

Chae Soon.

I stare at Woohyun. He looks surprised hearing Ae Soo’s name. As I thought, he likes her. He then looks at me and held me. “Are you okay?” His appearance is the same as he was back then. Back when he burnt my room.

“She’s weak.. take her back.” Myungsoo stands but I can see that his chest is bleeding. It must be because of the impact when Woohyun pushed him earlier.

“Myungsoo... you’re bleeding..” he chuckles shaking his head.

“I’ll be fine. Go.”

“Let’s go.” I hear Woohyun’s voice and he carries me.

“But he’s-“

“He won’t die from that.”

****

I’m upset. I’m so upset that Woohyun just left him bleeding there! I stand hoping out of the bed then out of the room when I saw him about to go in. I scoffed.

“I believe you have not yet gained back your strength. Lie back there Chae Soon.”

“Who are you to order me around? You left Myungsoo in there! He’s bleeding! Take me back there I have to help him!”

“I can’t.”

Who am I kidding asking this guy? Of course he won’t help him! This heartless guy- I stop when I felt a hand on my wrist. He’s holding me back. “Let go.”

“And what? Let you go back there and have you killed? You cannot handle the strain in there! I can’t have my bride be killed!”

I scoffed. “Oh yeah, you’re worried because you have no substitute for me when I die in there.”

“Stop Chae Soon.”

“I was so stupid for thinking that maybe, just one bit you like me back to and I’m not just a temporary bride for you play.” Stop it Chae Soon. Stop those tears. You can’t be weak in front of him. “I’m just-“

Woohyun pulled me towards him and I then feel something soft on my lips. You know that feeling when you’re just frozen all of a sudden but it does not feel so bad? That’s what I’m feeling right now. He’s damn kissing me. He takes a step until my back meets the wall and I know someone can see us here right now but he just does not give a damn about that. He lowers my hand to my side but doesn’t let go of them. He releases me and I’m in blank. I look at him and he’s glaring at me.

“I told you to stop. Go back inside and rest.”

****

I stare at the sand timer. I’ve turned it thrice already and that means it’s been three hours since I haven’t gone out of this room. I have no idea how to deal with Woohyun after what have done to me earlier. I’ve thought that there may be two reasons why did that. One, he did that to shut me up and two, he likes me too although the later may have slight chances over the former.

“Chae Soon?”

“Oh my god!” I gasp in shock and fell on the bed.

“What are you doing?” I look up seeing Yuhwa looking down at me. Yeah, I’m such a fool.

“N..Nothing.”

“Has something happened between you and Igong? You two have been acting strange. He just fell in the pond when Sung Gyu called him then he just disappeared.”

I stand up. “He did? Where’d he go?” Yuhwa shrugs. I ran and headed to Woohyun’s quarters but he’s not there. I head to the the garden but it’s empty. “Woohyun.. where did you go?”

I stop to think where he might be and there’s only one place that comes into mind. The underworld.

_____________________________________________________

Woohyun.

I’ve been in the underworld three times in my entire existence. First when I tried to get Ae Soo out of here. Second is when I tried to save Chae Soon from dying and now. I can’t believe I’m here to see Myungsoo. I am trying my best to remain as calm as I am because the underworld is known for taking advantage of the weaknesses and it is said that once it senses yours, you’ll be trapped forever.

“What brings you here?” I turn seeing Myungsoo appear from the darkness. The curse that was given to him is still there and I can feel it. I know I am partly at fault that he ended that way. He was once my comrade after all.

“Chae Soon, she is thinking about that wound. I am here to make sure you are okay.”

He scoffs. “I wonder if you’re really here for Chae Soon’s sake or are you here to really end my existence.”

“I am not here to fight Myungsoo. I also wanted to ask you stay away from Chae Soon.”

“Why? Is she even yours? She’s a human! Oh wait, don’t tell me you feel something for her? You’re really stupid and heartless! Ae Soo’s part lingers in that human! Is that why you desire her?!”

“STOP!” I breathe out to calm myself because anger is engulfing me bit by bit and I cannot feel this way. I am afraid that this anger will lead to my weakness.

Myungsoo laughs and walks closer to me. “Stop acting tough. You have to go through what I got through when you deities first threw me here! Feel the pain Woohyun! You killed Ae Soo!”

No. This cannot happen. Image of Ae Soo appears on my head and it hurts. Suddenly everything hurts. It’s going back. Everything from fifteen years ago…

_____________________________________________________

Chae Soon.

I hop of the pegasus after calming myself down. I almost fell from the sky when I flew too fast! I look around and this is where Myungsoo resides. “Stay here okay? I’ll go get Woohyun and we need you to take us back alright?” I tied the rope of the pegasus to the boulder in front of me and left. My hand is shaking from nervousness from what may appear here but I have to get to Woohyun fast before he fights with Myungsoo again.

“Chae Soon!” I turn to see where my name came from and saw Myungsoo appear.

“Myungsoo!” I ran to him. “Are you okay? Are your wounds fine now? Does it still hurt?”

“I..I can manage now.” I smile.

“That’s good! I was worried because we left you here. Oh right! Go with us! I’m sure you’ll love it where I’m staying right now. Let me just find Woohyun-“ he grabs my wrist stopping me then scoffs.

“I thought you’re here because you’re worried for me?”

“That is partly why I am here-“

“Partly huh?”

“Yeah, so wait here and I’ll get Woohyun. I’m sure he won’t mind-“ I gasp when he pulls me against him. Is he doing what I think he is doing? “M..Myungsoo?”

“I know you can’t stay here because this place will drain your strength. But if you become my bride it will be nothing. Become my true bride Chae Soon.”

Usually when somebody tell me something, I casually give my reply but this time, I can’t seem to give one. “W..Why?”

“Are you really asking me why? It’s obvious. I like you Chae Soon. You’re the only one who cares for me and this is the first time that someone got worried for me ever since I was thrown to the underworld.” When his hand reaches my cheeks chills run through my spine and my heart started beating fast. “I love you Chae Soon. Be my bride and leave Igong.”

Igong. Woohyun.. I have to leave Woohyun? “Wo..Woohyun?” I gasp seeing Woohyun from afar clouded with a black mist. “Oh my god! Woohyun!” I ran to him and tried to reach him but I can’t go pass through the mist. “Myungsoo! Help me! Woohyun’s-“

“DAMN IT STOP CARING ABOUT HIM!” I flinch at the sudden rise of Myunsoo’s voice. “Do you even know why he’s like that? It’s because his weakness! This place engulfs anyone who steps in it with a weakness and traps it forever.”

“F...Forever? But he’s a deity!”

He lets out a laugh. “Do you think he’s an exception? He also has a weakness! And it’s Ae Soo!”

That name again. I can’t take another more time hearing about that name. It’s always Ae Soo. I.. I can’t help but to be curious about her.. Ae Soo-

“Wha-“ I feel my body restricting my movement and it’s happening again. Back when Myungsoo took my blood. “I can’t-“

“Chae Soo? What’s happening?! Damn! Chae Soon hold on to me-“ I look at Myungsoo and he’s disappearing in the dark then suddenly I can’t see anything but pitch black. What’s happening?

“Ae Soo! Promise me you won’t take another step closer from that mirror again!”

What? Did I just hear someone say Ae Soo? I turn then suddenly I’m in my world again. I gasp. What is this?

“What is it about that mirror that everyone restricts me to go near it anyway?” A girl?

“That mirror is dangerous Ae Soo! It was said that the mirror leads to another realm and it will you in so don’t take a step closer on that understand?!”

“But Aunt-“ I gasp. This girl, she’s Ae Soo? And she’s a human too?

She turns and I tried to run to hide but she just walks pass through me. I gasp. Am I dead?! I watch Ae Soo as she walk pass through her desk I saw the calendar and it says 1870. That means she’s a lot older than me. I watch her as she opens the drawer and there’s the mirror that I have with me!

“She said all that but, it’s the only memento that Mom has. I can’t just let go of this.” She places the mirror on her desk and grabs the scissor and the paper resuming what she’s cutting. “Ah!” Blood drops from the scissor and it seems like she accidentally cut herself. I gasp as light appeared. It was exactly as how I got here in this world. When everything turned back to normal, we’re at the realm. Where Woohyun resides.

“Wha- Where am I?” Ae Soo scans her surroundings. She gasps realizing where she is and stands. “Did I really-“

“Who’s there?” That voice- “Who are you?”

My hand reaches my mouth in shock. The way they met each other is exactly the same as how I got here. My heart is starting to ache as I look at them. I don’t like where this is going. I’m getting the idea that I might see their story. How Woohyun fell in love with Ae Soo. Then what Myungsoo told me earlier came to me. This is my weakness. Knowing how much Woohyun loved Ae Soo.

_____________________________________________________

Myungsoo.

“Chae Soon! Keep it together!” This is the hundredth time I’ve called on her name but she’s not responding to me. If this keeps up, the underworld will engulf her. I look at Woohyun and the mist is still there. They are both being eaten by their weakness. I ball my fist into frustration.There must be something I can do for Chae Soon! Think Myungsoo- She’s!

“She’s Igong’s bride right now and she won’t be able to handle the miasma right now because she’s a human. But if I..”

I know Chae Soon won’t like this but it’s the only thing I can do to save her. She’s just a temporary bride to Igong so that means she’s..

“Chae Soon, I..” I reach over to Chae Soon and touched her cheek. I hold her against me and lean close. “I’m so sorry. But this is the only thing I can do to save you.”

My lips touched hers and I did it. I just made Chae Soon my bride.