CHAPTER 1 : When Life Gives You Lemons…

◊Goryeo Empire, 1034

It had been a fine, sunny and lovely weather when the Emperor’s party departed from the Gyeongbokgung palace that morning. The party, accompanied by the Emperor’s special troop unit, left with the Royal sedan chair with spirits soaring higher than clouds in the sky. Though this annual meeting with the ruling Chinese government foresees nothing but pointless drinking, dancing and laughter. Nothing will be discussed, nothing will be produced nor will anything progress. However if the Emperor were to have stopped himself from accomplishing a simple duty as to execute an annual visit, he is sure that heads will roll. They had travelled across mountains after mountains and passed though villages after villages for nearly 5 hours straight. Now, rain drizzles all over Goryeo. As expected, one’s journey to face the eager expressions of the Chinese government has never been something to look forward to nor harbors any bright outcomes especially when the said individual holds the position of ‘new toy’ in the eyes of the upper-hand party.

Despite the stress and stiffness of his subordinates, the Emperor, Hwang Myung, remains as his calm and stoic self in his sedan chair. Eyes closed while he eavesdrops on the conversation of two loud-mouthed soldiers.

“I can’t believe our ruler is being too docile! What happened to the legends? Isn’t Hwang Myung supposed to be a feared man of few words!?” The man hushes his comrade.

“It is quite unfortunate to be under this kind of man… I wanted a country with a ruler who would stand up for our rights…”

Hwang Myung clenches his fists. He wanted to jump out of his sedan chair and say that that is all false and untrue. He was a man who people once feared. He was a man of few words but now ‘Hwang Myung’ is nothing but an empty shell. A doll. No. But a puppet. It had been years since they became dependent towards China. They had no choice but to bow down to their wishes. Execute their orders and nod to their every whim. Who knows what will become of Goryeo if one stood up and retaliate? If he was able to do something, he would have done it ever since China men first stepped on Goryeo’s land.

“You two, over there! Stop slacking off. No work but all talk. All I heard is rubbish this and rubbish that. You better pull up your socks or we’re leaving you two here, understood?” General Nam Woohyun, who has been galloping his horse near the sedan chair, shouted in a stern voice, causing the two men to distance themselves and continue being on-guard.  Hwang Myung sighs in relief.

“Your Highness, please forgive my comrades for their unruly behavior. I will discipline them well once we return to Goryeo therefore please continue to have a comfortable journey to China,” Nam Woohyun speaks in a hushed tone.

Hwang Myung in deep breaths and nods, “Thank you, General Nam. Whatever will I do without your support?”

“You think too highly of your subordinates, Your Highness when in fact we are the ones who should be grateful for your presence. Indeed, you are Goryeo’s backbone,” Nam Woohyun smiles as he lowers his head humbly.

“Backbone is too strong a word to describe a man such as myself… but thank you for being considerate…”

“No, Your Highness, it is the least I could do.”

“Well? How is the weather? Any good?” Hwang Myung pulls away a curtain from the sedan chair’s left window and peers out. No. In fact, it is worse. The men have to brave through mud and puddles, grit their teeth when the wind slams into their faces and open their aching eyes to see the winding path of the mountains before them. How can any of this be fine?

“General Nam! It seems that the bridge overhead is broken! There are no other alternative routes from this point on! What should we do?”

“This is too much…” Hwang Myung briefly closes his eyes and massages the bridge of his nose. In the first place, it was unnecessary to even pay the Chinese government a visit. It was not even the regular day but they had to insist that Goryeo’s new emperor comes at the speed of light to be exploited of his energy for the sake of their entertainment.

“Your Highness, is everything alright?” General Nam asks.

“No. Turn back,” Hwang Myung says with determination filled his eyes to the brim.

“Your Highness? But---“

“Turn back! We will visit them next time. We have our rights to do so. Execute!”

Whatever the consequences are,  I want to believe that I am not just a porcelain antique any longer.

◊South Korea, Year 2013

The students cringe in their respective desks as the stern teacher walks from line to line with a cane in his right hand swaying from left to right while his beady eyes analyze his students with utmost concentration. Nobody dared to talk, whisper nor look out of the window where sunshine continuously pours in, birds serenade and leisure college students rest under tall shady trees with their noses buried in novels. Leisure. No. In Mr. Jang’s class, there is no such thing as leisure. Leisure is only for those who have no vision of their desired future, or so he states it so.

Mr. Jang smiles contentedly as the students show off their assignments on their tables. Complete with utter perfection. Just the way he likes it. However upon arriving at a certain desk at the right corner of the classroom, Mr. Jang’s eyes widen, his ears turn red and his grip tightens around the cane. The other students peek towards the unlucky victim and grimace. A skinny male student is sleeping soundly with his head on the desk and drooling over his assignment. 
“LEE SUNG JONG!”

The male student abruptly arises from his deep slumber and stretches with a satisfied expression plastered on his face. He notices his drool on his assignment and quickly wipe it clean till his eyes came in contact with a pair of leather shoes standing at the front of his desk. Oh my, those leather shoes…

Sung Jong slowly looks up and sees his beloved lecturer before him with his arms crossed on his chest, a cane in his right hand and a hard expression on. He gulps and smiles, “Uh, Lecturer Jang… I’m very sorry. I am actually very tired. Lately I have been busy with---“ Before he was able to complete his sentence, the angry lecturer whips his cane on Sung Jong’s desk and exhales loudly. “This is not your first, Lee-ssi. It’s been more than 10 times! In MY class! You drool on your assignments and snore as loud as any human being could possibly do. I believe that you would never learn your lesson. Therefore, consider this…” Mr. Jang snatches the file off Sung Jong’s desk and rips it into half, “… as fail!” The other students gasp in shock. “Other students should take this as warning. If I ever catch any of you do anything improper in my class or in my presence, you shall face consequences. Class dismissed!”

Sung Jong’s eyes widen in surprise as he collects the fallen ripped pieces of his assignment. Unable to comprehend his current situation, Sung Jong quickly races after the fuming lecturer, “Mr. Jang! Mr. Jang! Please! Give me another chance! I have to pass this semester! Please, I beg of you! I won’t have the money to repeat the whole semester for a second time. I’ll do anything to get back those failed points so please---”

“Stop what you are doing, Lee-ssi. You are making me uncomfortable. If you knew you are unable to cover the fees, why did you even sleep in my class? Reflect upon your mistakes and repeat the semester.” Mr. Jang continues his brisk-walk down the hall without a second glance in Sung Jong’s direction.

Sung Jong is drained out of ideas and he knows that there is no solution to this problem unless… “I’ll enter the competition!” Sung Jong finally screams. Mr. Jang stops in his tracks and turns his head to look at Lee Sung Jong. “Pardon me?”

“I’ll enter your competition. The one… The one called ‘Golden Threads of Time’. I’ll take up the challenge!”

“Oh yes? And why do you think that that will save your failed points when it has absolutely nothing to do with your class activities?”

“I… I have confidence that this is the direct equivalent to my assignment. The whole purpose of that assignment you gave us is to prove that we have improved in the skills you have thought us. This competition is all about that. I hope… I hope that you would give me this chance to prove myself!”

Sung Jong stares down at his sneakers as Mr. Jang scans his nervous student from head-to-toe. “Admirable drive you have there, Lee-ssi… I guess, I will give you this chance. But with the condition that you win as first. You will receive the total mark with no deduction or whatsoever. I hope you succeed in this endeavor. Till then.” 

◊

“AISH, LEE SUNG JONG! I already warned you a million of times to get naps before entering classes not during classes. You should have seen Mr. Jang’s facial expression when he spotted you dozing off at the back. No words could describe it. Say, are you still working part-time at Gangnam? That famous fashion studio? Hey! Pay attention to me when I’m talking to you, you pabo!” The female student, Hwayoung, grabs Lee Sung Jong by his jacket and shakes him, “I thought we promised to graduate together! And now look at what you have gotten yourself into! It’s poop! Poop! I repeat, POOP!”

Sung Jong scratches his head with his pen and manages a weak smile, “You see, if I don’t do part-time jobs, who knows if I would ever be able to stand here in this hallway ever again? It’s important to me and I really want to succeed in this school. So, bear with me, okay?” He gives Hwayoung a nice grip on her shoulders, clenches a fist in front of her nose and returns back to jotting down notes from a poster.

“YAH! How in the world am I supposed to cope with my friend’s sleepiness which only results in catastrophe?” The female student stomps in her boots causing other students to look in their direction.

“You’re causing a ruckus, Hwayoungie. Why don’t you wait over at the café and I’ll come to see you there? I’ll be there in just a jiffy,” Sung Jong continues to write on his note pad without lifting his gaze off the colorful poster on the school’s notice board. “Fine!”

Sung Jong sighs in relief as he watches his female friend walks away with a pout on her pretty face and continues his task. He scribbles the last bit of the details and shoves his notepad into his backpack. He glances at his watch and decides to stay for 1 more minute to analyze the poster. It’s the competition’s poster. “Wow. Traditional clothes making. I wonder if I could survive this…” Sung Jong his head to his right and squints his eyes. There seems to be a subtle change somewhere… The male model on the poster moves his eyes, catches Sung Jong’s attention and manages a wink. Alerted, Sung Jong backs away from the poster, rubs his eyes and shakes his head. “Wow. It’s stress. Definitely stress!” Sung Jong quickly makes a run to the café.

◊

“WHAT!? Seriously? So it’s a traditional clothes making competition? I can’t believe this! That lecturer Jang clearly is the upper hand party. How are you going to win first place in that!” Hwayoung whines as she helps Sung Jong label the books he borrowed from the college’s library. After having lunch at the café, they walked over to the library for some research and winded up in a taxi to go to Gyeongbokgung palace.

“Well… I guess that a fashion designer should take up as many challenges as possible. Let’s just see this as a stepping stone!” Sung Jong giggles at Hwayoung’s reaction. She rolls her eyes in annoyance.

“Hah. I guess I wouldn’t have to worry about you. You are already recognized as one of the best students in the fashion field at Woolim School of Arts. You’ll get this through just fine…”

Sung Jong sighs and shakes his head, “I highly doubt that. I’m a minor in History and I have no idea what I should do. What fabric, pattern or design would be appropriate on a hanbok. Wait, or is it a dangui? A chima? Or a gwanbok? AGH! Which should I choose!?” Sung Jong ruffles his head in annoyance and ends up hurting his elbow.

His female friend laughs in amusement when the taxi driver suddenly announces, “Here we are, the Gyeongbokgung palace.”

Sung Jong quickly gathers up his books into his back pack and boards off the taxi.

“So? You’re going to go do some research now aren’t you?” Hwayoung pouts as Sung Jong pays the taxi driver.

“Yeah, probably. Hey, bring your own transport money next time, Hwayoungie! I can’t spend anymore than this…” Sung Jong sighs as he closes the taxi’s door.

“Whatever, you do what you like but remember to take care, alright!?” Hwayoung lowers down the window and waves at Sung Jong as the taxi starts to drive away. “Sure!” Sung Jong waves back. “Bye!”

As soon as the taxi was out of sight, Sung Jong turns around only to find himself pushed and nudged around by tourists and Koreans. Each and every one of them walk about with pamphlets and travel guide books in their hands. Of course. Who wouldn’t want a sight of Korea’s jewel? The well-known, beautiful and magnificent Gyeongbokgung palace. Sung Jong grimace in disbelief as he squeezes himself between sweaty, tall European tourists and towards the main entrance. He reaches the gate and pauses as a staff member asks for his entrance ticket. Sung Jong slips the thin paper out of his backpack and entered with a satisfied smile carved on his lips. Good thing I listened to Hwayoung’s advice. Internet shopping sure is awesome.

Sung Jong lets himself breathe in the beautiful scenery of the palace grounds when his eyes came in contact with his wrist watch, displaying that is already 5 o’clock. The Gyeongbokgung will close in 1 more hour and Lee Sung Jong has spent nearly 15 minutes on sightseeing instead of doing his research. “Ah, this is really bad… I should quickly get this done and over with!” Sung Jong starts his tour with the outer court, followed by the inner court, the pavilions, and bridges. He takes note of the designs, carvings, and rich colors of his surroundings with his notepad. When there are eye-catching patterns, he would take out his camera and snap photographs. After a long tiring walk around the palace grounds, Sung Jong decided to take a short rest under a shady tree while he reads the pamphlet he was given at the entrance. Slowly, fat droplets of water drips onto the surface of the pamphlet. “Eh?” The young man strains his neck upwards only to have his pretty face violently splattered with rainwater and cold wind. “It’s raining!?” Reflexively, Sung Jong grabs his backpack from the ground and races towards the roof of one of the buildings in the compound. He was finally safe from the rain but he was already soaked to the brim. Sung Jong rubs his palms together as he watches the other visitors run about in the rain with the pamphlet as protection from the water droplets. Then, he saw a father giving a piggyback ride to his young daughter. Sung Jong sighs. He may seem like a diva, a talkative stylist and a hyperactive young man, but in actual fact, he has never been like this from day 1. He led a tough life before he came to Seoul. If he hadn’t run away from home and persuaded his aunt to bring him to Seoul, he wouldn’t be able to be where he is now. He wouldn’t be able to pursue his dream career of becoming Seoul’s number 1 fashion designer. But, that is the past now, isn’t it?

 Sung Jong wipes his wet chin with the back of his hand and slowly leans himself onto the two-sided doors of the building behind him. Unexpectedly, the unlocked doors open, causing Sung Jong to fall on his back. “Ouch! Huh?” He sits up but is unable to see a thing due to the sudden burst of wind into his face. Sung Jong quickly scrambles to his feet and closes the two-sided doors. “Whew… Now, where in the world am I?” Sung Jong starts to take a closer look at the building he has welcomed himself into. In fact, it’s a hall constructed mainly of wood. It is beautifully decorated with sculptures depicting imaginary and real animals. The hall is lined with two rows of rank stones and a second level with what seems like a throne. Something clicks in Sung Jong’s mind as he search for his pamphlet and scans the map of the palace meticulously. “So this is the Geunjeongjeon!” Sung Jong hops in delight and continues to read, “… it is the Throne Hall, where the king granted audiences to his officials, presided over large official functions and met foreign envoys. Geunjeongjeon is the largest and most formal hall in Gyeongbokgung.” Sung Jong ends the sentence and looks again at the throne. “Wow, I sure do have luck…” The young man ensures that nobody is watching him and quickly makes a tour around the hall. He snaps pictures and even climbs up the throne to look at its beautifully carved sides. Realizing that his behavior is inappropriate, Sung Jong runs back down and bows as low as he could manage as an apology to the late king. “Ah, I guess this is sufficient enough…” he looks at his watch and sees that its already 6 o’clock’, The Gyeongbokgung is going to close in any minute.  

Sung Jong was about to leave when he saw a staircase to the second level of the Geunjeongjeon. He turns left and right. Runs to the staircase and walks up. “Just a little more sightseeing and I promise I will return to the main entrance as fast as lightning.” Sung Jong nods as he proceeds to tour around the second level’s rooms. As expected, they are just as beautiful as the level below. Just then, Sung Jong spots a gorgeous phoenix carving on one of the pillars. It is outstanding to the eye since it pops out with its bright fiery colors. Sung Jong walks over to it and snaps a photograph. However the appealing carving makes him want to touch it, so he runs a thumb over the phoenix. Surprisingly, it feels warm and… alive. “Wow…” Suddenly, there are bursts of lightning outside of the building. The wind becomes stronger and rain poured all over. “Ah, I better make a move!” Without watching where he steps, Sung Jong accidentally landed his feet on a faulty wooden floorboard. “WHAT!?” he could feel the wood crumbling beneath him and rupture into tiny pieces of dagger.

Setting him freefalling through the floor. 

Author's note : If you are confused, 'Hwang Myung' refers to 'Myungsoo'. This matter will be clarified in the next chapter ^^