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[The Goddess of Fate’s castle]

“The Great cursed them to love one another but can never attain happiness in the end, right?” Nyx continued, “What if they weren’t originally meant for one another? What if Sunggyu’s soulmate was someone else and not Woohyun, but because of this curse, their fate became entangled and forced to become lovers?”

Aether frowned. “But no one can mess with fate, not even The Great. Once it is altered, there will be destructive consequences. Such as–”

“Such as Jiyeon…” Nyx said, half in shock at the sudden realization. She could still recall how badly Sunggyu reacted to her death.

Clueless about this ‘Jiyeon’ person, Aether was about to ask when the door suddenly slammed open and came a raging Goddess of Death, Jieun.

“You’re telling me, because of this damn curse, my sister died?” Jieun shouted as she stomped in.

“You’re telling me,” Jieun took a deep breath, barely controlling her anger, “that their love was ruined all because of this curse?”

Standing before the Goddess of Fate, who was calm and collected, Jieun activated her power mode with fury.

“Jieun!” Nyx yelled. Together with Aether, they instinctively jumped in front of the Goddess of Fate. Jieun’s deadly power was well known even in Mirasolum. Although the Goddess of Fate was one of the strongest on Paradise and whose life could not be killed by any other god for she has no opposition, one couldn’t say for sure that Jieun with a power to kill more than just her opposition wouldn’t kill Eunji in the moment of anger.

“Step down, Goddess of Death!” Aether shouted as he watched her cautiously.

Seeing the two’s reaction, Jieun broke into a soft but crazed chuckle. “Are you going to tell me,” she glared at the Goddess of Fate, “that this power of mine is a result of the curse too!?” Jieun’s aura fired in every direction as her anger rose.

Nyx and Aether immediately put up a barrier to protect the Goddess of Fate. The Guidance Fairies had their fair share of power, however, theirs were no match to the Gods and Goddesses. Nonetheless, they had nothing to fear for they were immortal.

“Jieun!!” Nyx called out, hoping her voice was able to reach the said goddess.

“Nyx. Aether. Step asides.” Eunji commanded as she shattered the barrier the fairies put up and proceed to step forward, facing the furious Goddess of Death head on.

“You might be able to kill me,” Eunji said, looking at her firmly. “You can pierce me a thousand times worse than what you did to the successors back then. But it won’t change anything. The curse will go on.”

“You—”

“Did you think that you and your sister are the only victims?!” Eunji raised her voice sternly. “Your power, Jiyeon’s death, and all of those successors that you killed in the moment of madness, even Jongwan and Kibum… this curse hurt everyone!” Her voice was loud and clear.

“Until the day it has achieved its purpose, its rage is unstoppable!” Eunji emphasized once more. “And anyone who stepped in its way will face the consequences.”

“Just like all of us did…” her voice trailed off, as she remembered the sacrifices her dear friends made for their unfortunate successors. 

Taken aback by the sudden outburst from the Goddess of Fate, Jieun froze on the spot until her power eventually dissipated. Once her anger had cooled off, Jieun looked at Eunji in the eyes and asked with a shaking, desperate voice.

“Tell me one thing, was their love real?” She looked up with hope in her eyes. “My sister and Sunggyu oppa… at the very least, what they had was real right?”

“I…” Eunji hesitated.

“Please! Please, tell me that it was real. Please… I beg you,” Jieun begged for the answer she hoped to hear. She couldn’t accept it otherwise. The fact that what they had was all planned, that it was all a mere game of fate, that her sister’s, and perhaps her own, love for Sunggyu weren’t real. She just couldn’t.

“I can’t tell you what I don’t know,” Eunji answered calmly. “You may find the Goddess of Love and she will you the same thing. Fated lovers no longer exist the moment this curse was placed on them.”

“W-What…?” Jieun looked at her confused.

“In a person’s lifetime, everyone has a soulmate decided for them. However, some people never meet theirs for various reasons such as wrong birth timing, unexpected deaths, and so on. In Sunggyu’s and Woohyun’s case, however, there was no soulmate decided for them to begin with.”

“How could that be? Jiyeon and Sunggyu… they were madly in love!!”

“Just because the other person is not your soulmate, doesn’t mean it wasn’t true love!” Eunji said. “While I can’t tell you if Jiyeon was Sunggyu’s soulmate, rest assure that their love was real while it exists. However, their love could have been manipulated.”

“What do you mean?”

“The curse is different every time. It acts as a story writer. In every single lifetime, it writes a different tragic story for the pair. Jiyeon might have been just a character in the story. Nonetheless, I would like to believe that their feelings were sincere, whether or not they were influenced by the curse.” Eunji concluded.

“Their love was sincere…” Jieun confirmed with certainty. A rush of relief hit her heart as she recalled the memories of them together. “I was with them the entire time. I refuse to believe that their feelings were not real.”

Eunji smiled, “Then you have found your answer. Now, why don’t you take a seat? You too, Aether and Nyx.”

Jieun nodded. “I apologised for my behaviour. I came here on an errand and overheard your conversation. I lost my mind in the heat of the moment and barged inside. I’m really sorry.” Jieun bowed deeply.

“Don’t worry about it. Take a seat. You’re making it uncomfortable for Aether and Nyx to sit,” Eunji tried to lighten the atmosphere with a joke. It was only then that Jieun sat down on the chair provided for her.

“Phew, what a commotion we just had! Your first wish is granted. What is your second wish?” The Goddess of Fate asked.

“Is there really no solution for them? Is it really hopeless?” Aether asked with concern. His silly Woohyun could not die over such a stupid curse. He found it hard to accept reality as such. Aether was willing to do any to save his big child from such horrible fate.

Nyx could only sigh. She knew Aether was trying to ask for an impossible mission. “Aether… please do not make it hard for her–”

“No, not exactly.” Eunji cut off Nyx’s words, “Although it is uncertain, I think we may be able to find a way.”

Nyx turned to look at the Goddess of Fate in surprised while Aether chirmed. “Really?! Tell us quickly!!”

“I mentioned that I had a chance to look into the past of those two when they were successors, right? If I remember correctly, then I suppose as long as those two do not confess to one another, they might be able to delay the curse.” Eunji said, “After all, in all of their previous lives, they died after confessing their love to one another.”

“So all we have to do is to keep them from confessing to one another?” Nyx was skeptical, “That sounds too good to be true if the solution is that simple.”

“I agree. Like I said, I myself am not sure if this is the solution.” Eunji nodded.

“Nonetheless, we have to try.” Jieun spoke up, “I can think of a way to do that, but I need your help. Please help me!”

Jieun stood up from her chair and bowed down low. Her eyes determined as she thought of her beloved God of Darkness.

[FLASHBACK – 15 years left until the Coronation Ceremony]

“JIYEON UNNIE!” Jieun shouted as soon as she opened her eyes. Staring at the familiar ceiling, she quickly realized she was in the Goddess of Death’s castle. Looking around frantically, she scurried off the bed when she didn’t see the person she was looking for. Ignoring the injuries all over her small body, Jieun rushed out of the room. However, just as she opened the door, she saw her trainer, Heejoo, the Goddess of Death.

“Jieun-ah! When did you wake up? How are you feeling?” Heejoo asked as she held onto Jieun, scanning every inch of her body. She sighed with relief seeing that her injuries were finally looking somewhat better.

“Let me go!” Jieun yelled as she struggled to free herself from Heejoo’s grab. However, the harder she struggled, the stronger Heejoo held onto her.

“Where are you going?! Your injuries are still not fully healed!” Heejoo scolded.

“I need to find Jiyeon unnie. I had a bad dream. I just want to make sure that she’s fine. Let me go!” Jieun continued to shout like a mad woman as she tried to escape Heejoo’s grasp. Heejoo’s eyes widened in shock for a split second before sadness took over at Jieun’s words.

“Jieun… listen to me,” with a calm and soft voice, Heejoo continued as she looked into Jieun's eyes, “Jiyeon died, remember? Last week, you… your power…” The goddess struggled to find the right words to relay the truth to her successor.

“J-Jiyeon died…?” Jieun asked in shock, her voice trembling as she slowly collapsed into her trainer's arms.

“Last week… I’ve been sleeping for a week?” Jieun looked at herself and the bed that she just left. There were signs of healing charms all over the bed. The successor only realized then that she was critically injured.

Slowly, bits by bits, the memories came rushing back in her head.

“I didn’t kill her! You did. The spears that you are using to attack me right now are what killed her. YOU KILLED HER!”

Haneul’s words burned in her mind as Jieun screamed, her fingers dug into her disheveled hair and face.

“NOOO! JIYEON UNNIE! NO! NO! NOOOO!!”

The dreams were real. Jiyeon really died. And she was the one who killed her.

Jieun breaths became short as she began to pull out her hair, scratching her face – hoping the physical pain would be able to mask the pain in her heart.

“Jieun! Please calm down! JIEUN!” Heejoo desperately tried to calm the hysterical Jieun down. Dragging her back to bed, Heejoo began to chant a sleeping spell, forcefully putting Jieun to sleep.

“Jiyeon… Jiyeon unnie…” Jieun mumbled as she slowly drifted into the darkness, her tears overflowed.

When Jieun opened her eyes once again the next day, she was greeted with the same ceiling and a worried Heejoo on her side, holding onto her hand dearly. With a hoarse voice, Jieun said in a nonchalant manner.

“I had a dream.”

“…Hmm.” Heejoo simply nodded as she tugged Jieun's hair behind her ears, caressing her face lovingly.

“Jiyeon unnie and I were playing in the field. Hand in hand, we were laughing as we ran. Then we had a picnic with Sunggyu oppa. Jiyeon unnie was sulking that he didn’t praise her food,” Jieun chuckled as she recalled Jiyeon’s sulky expression. However, the happy memories ended there as Jieun remembered her sister’s last moment. 

“T-Take care of yourself…” Jiyeon coughed hard, with her blood splattering all over both of them. “Tell Sunggyu oppa that I l-love him and… Ugh! A-and that I-I’m sorry that I have t-to go f-first…” Jiyeon’s voice trailed off.

“She was… she was…” Jieun’s voice faded as it was muffled with her cries.

Heejoo silently patted her gently on the head. She didn’t know what to say. She could only hope to ease her pain a little. After a while, Jieun finally calmed down. Wiping away her tears, she smiled weakly at Heejoo.

“Thank you unnie.”

“For what?”

“For being by my side,” Jieun said.

“Of course I would be by your side. Whose else would I side with?” Heejoo chuckled softly. 

“So what happened after I…?” Jieun asked cautiously.

Heejoo smiled sadly, “You don’t have to worried about that. For now, just focused on–”

“Did I kill them all?”

Heejoo froze.

“Those successors… did they all die too?”

“Jieun-ah… it’s not your fault.”

“They died by my weapon, how is that not my fault?” Jieun scoffed.

She closed her eyes as she recalled the faces of the successors she had confronted that day. They were fighting, but deep down in her heart, she never wanted to kill them. However, after seeing Jiyeon died, it was as if someone took control over her and she went on the rampage.

Suddenly, Jieun recalled of the most important person, the one that would be greatly affected by this situation.

“Heejoo unnie, what happened to Sunggyu oppa…?” Jieun asked.

“I thought you would ask sooner,” Heejoo smiled sympathetically, “that child… I think it’s better if you went and see him yourself.”

Jieun’s eyes widened as she immediately sat up and hurried out of the bed. However, Heejoo stopped her before she could.

“He hasn’t been in his right mind for the past week. Are you sure you want to see him?”

“Please let me go,” Jieun looked at Heejoo sternly. “I have to go and see him.”

“Even if you might get hurt?” Heejoo asked.

Jieun paused for a while before continuing with a grieving smile, “Well, I did murder Jiyeon unnie, right?”

Casting her eyes to the floor, Jieun mumbled. “Even if he hates me, it can’t be helped… This is the punishment I have to bear.”

Heejoo sighed. Letting go of Jieun’s hand, she handed her a few healing potions. “Here, take this with you. I think you will need this.”

Jieun thanked Heejoo with a smiled before rushing out of the door.

Sitting on the bed, Heejoo watched Jieun running off anxiously. “I hope the boy doesn’t say anything harsh. Jieun has already suffered enough as it is…”

↭↭↭↭↭↭↭↭

Deep inside the castle of Darkness, Jongwan was seen staring out into the windows absentmindedly, sighing multiple times. 

“Jongwan-ssi!” A loud voice startled the poor man with a bonus push from the back. 

“AAHHH!” Jongwan screamed in shock, almost falling over the windows being the clumsy man that he was. 

“It’s Jieun. Where is Sunggyu oppa?” Jieun asked with an innocent expression.

“Oh my goodness, Jieun-ah. Can you not scare me like that? I almost fell over!” Jongwan took a deep breath to regain his sanity after he had stood back up properly. 

Impatient, Jieun asked again as she patted his back. “Sorry Jongwan-ssi, but I don’t have much time. Where is Sunggyu oppa?”

Jongwan looked at Jieun, worries shown in his eyes. “Jieun-ah,” he paused for a while, “I don’t think you should go see that boy right now…”

“Where is he?” Jieun stubbornly asked. Her voice was stern, but her eyes were shaking as she looked at Jongwan pleadingly. 

Jongwan stared at her. The girl was covered in injuries that seemed to just recover enough for her to move around. Yet the first thing she did was to check on Sunggyu. Seeing determination in her eyes, Jongwan conceded in defeat.

“Ever since he woke up, he has been staying at the Thana Garden.”

“Thank you!” Jieun smiled at Jongwan and in seconds, she was gone from sight.

Jongwan sighed once again as he recalled Sunggyu’s lifeless eyes when he first woke up after the incident.

“Maybe this is for the best,” he said despondently, as he resumed to stare blanking outside his windows.  

↭↭↭↭↭↭↭↭

When Jieun arrived at the Thana Garden, she was surprised at its gloomy atmosphere. It was her first time seeing such a depressing place in Paradise. However, she soon began to look around for Sunggyu. After hours battling with the maze-like tracks and its thick fog, Jieun, whose current condition was weak, was on the verge of collapsing when she finally found Sunggyu sitting by himself on top of the Banyan tree. Her heart ached when she saw him just sitting there, staring off into the air absentmindedly. His eyes were cold and lifeless as if he had already given up on living. For a split second, Jieun felt like running away. After all, she was the cause of his sorrow.

*No, Jieun! You can’t run away. You must face it. Even if he detests you to the core, you must face him. This is the consequence of your action. Face it!* Jieun reprimanded herself. Taking a deep breath, she slowly made her way to where Sunggyu was.

“Oppa,” she called gently, tapping his shoulder.

Sunggyu turned around, his eyes instantly widened in shock, as though he was seeing something that was not meant to be there. 

With a hard smile, Jieun asked. “How have you been–”

“JIYEON!”

Jieun’s words were cut off when Sunggyu suddenly jumped at her. With all of his strength, he held onto Jieun tight. Like a mad man, he repeatedly called out Jiyeon’s name.

“Jiyeon! Oh, Jiyeon-ah! Jiyeon!” His hands trembled as he held the girl close to his body.

Shocked, Jieun tried to push Sunggyu away. “Sunggyu oppa! What are you saying? I’m not–”

However, she was cut off again when Sunggyu violently pulled her back into his embrace.

“Jiyeon-ah... I had a bad nightmare. You died and disappeared into the sky from my arms. When I woke up, everyone was playing a bad joke on me, saying that you really did die. I searched everywhere for you for days. I thought– Never mind, it’s all good that you’re here now Jiyeon. Oh, Jiyeon-ah.” His voice was clearly shaking, as he wrapped his arms around Jieun tight. He feared that if he loosens his arms just a little, his precious Jiyeon might disappear forever like she did in his “nightmares”.

Speechless, Jieun stared at her hair. It was clearly black, not white-blonde like her sister. Only then did it hit Jieun that Sunggyu was blindly seeing her as her twin. 

*Is this what you want oppa?*

A drop of tear rolled down her cheek as she watched Sunggyu’s back quivered. His hands constantly patting her all over, as if to make sure she was real.

Mumbling the spells under her breath, Jieun began to transform herself. Her beautiful black hair slowly turned into the same white-blonde shade as Jiyeon’s. She closed her teary eyes as she came to her resolution.

*Sunggyu oppa, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that I took Jiyeon unnie away from you. I’m sorry that I can’t bring her back. If me replacing her will soothe your pain even just a little…* Jiyeon thought as she continued to mumble spells under her breath. Not only her hair but even her outfits turned into ones that Jiyeon usually wore.

*If this is what you want, I will do whatever it takes to be her replacement.*

When Jieun opened her eyes again, even her violet eyes had turned golden. Wiping away her tears, Jieun pushed Sunggyu back. Then with the same smile and the same tone, she called his name gently.

“Sunggyu oppa!”

Sunggyu blinked. He then quickly let go of Jieun and looked at her new appearance carefully.

“You’re hurting me!” Jieun sulked the way Jiyeon usually did.

“A-Ah, sorry Jiyeon. I was just so scared that I…” Sunggyu responded, feeling guilty about what he had done.

Jieun chuckled in the same manner that her sister would, “It’s alright. Come on! Let’s go somewhere else.”

“Right, let’s go.” Sunggyu smiled for the first time as he was led away by his beloved “Jiyeon”.

Seeing Sunggyu being in such a deep self-denial and Jieun helping him to live in a false reality, both Heejoo and Jongwan couldn’t help but sigh at the situation.

Just like that, Jieun lived as her twin sister Jiyeon for 15 years.

↭↭↭↭↭↭↭↭

[The day before the Coronation Ceremony]

“Please, Heejoo unnie. Please do me a favour. Just one last request. I beg of you, please!” Jieun begged on her knees, as she held onto Heejoo, the Goddess of Death’s clothes. Her fingers digging into the fabric, determined not to let until she achieved her goal.

“No means no! Do you think the Coronation Ceremony is a joke? It’s the one and only day when you become the true Goddess of Death. Do you understand?!” Heejoo shouted angrily, “How dare you asked me to perform the ceremony in private simply because you are afraid of exposing your true form?”

During the Coronation Ceremony, as the successors transformed into their adult forms, regardless of what form they were currently in as successors, when the transformation was completed, what remained would be the true form of the successors as god or goddess. This meant, even if Jieun started the ceremony looking like Jiyeon, by the time her transformation was finished, for a split moment she would be revealed in her true form as the new Goddess of Death before she could transform herself again.

“Even if it only last a moment, Sunggyu oppa could still see me in my true form! I can’t let it–” Jieun argued, tugging onto Heejoo’s clothes as she persisted. 

“JIEUN!” Heejoo’s temper snapped. “I understand your feelings and why you are doing this, but did you forget who you are after pretending to be someone else for fifteen years? Fifteen years… you were dressing like Jiyeon, acting like her, behaving like her – even in your sleep, you were still worried about how you act. Jieun-ah, it was like I have lost you as well when you are clearly still living right in front of me.” Heejoo said with a calmer voice, as she Jieun’s cheek lovingly. Agony could be seen in her eyes as she stared at Jieun’s profile. Retracting her hands, Heejoo then proceeded to leave the room. She patted Jieun’s head as she stood up.

“I think you have done more than enough for Sunggyu. At least, in the Coronation Ceremony, I want to see you in your real form one last time. The proud and strong girl that I used to know.”

Feeling hopeless, Jieun cried as she watched Heejoo leaving. For the last fifteen years, she struggled to live as her twin. But the thought that all her efforts to protect Sunggyu might go to waste in just mere seconds scared her even more. Jieun continued to cry in anguish on the floor as she screamed and pleaded for help from above to protect her beloved. Little did she know, that very person had been listening outside the room the entire time.

“I hope you are satisfied now. Fifteen years… Isn’t it about time you set her free, Sunggyu-ssi?” Heejoo said as she saw him standing behind the doors. Her tone was far from gentle.

Glaring at the emotionless boy, she sneered. “I know you already knew the truth a long time ago.”

Heejoo paused as she listened to Jieun’s hysterical cries. Angrily, she continued.

“I do not want Jieun to live her entire life pretending to be someone else as a goddess. Whether or not this is a mere petty revenge of yours, you need to stop now.”

Without so much of a glance, Heejoo then walked off and soon disappeared into the thin air, leaving Sunggyu standing by himself in front of the door. His eyes hollow and his smile cold, he thought about what she had said.

Heejoo was right. Sunggyu had already discovered the truth years ago. As much as Jieun tried to imitate Jiyeon’s behaviour, there were things she simply couldn’t do such as healing. As the matter of fact, Sunggyu already knew the moment they met at that time in the Thana Garden. At first, he refused to believe that Jiyeon was gone. Desperate, he wanted to deceive even himself just so that he could selfishly indulge in Jiyeon’s presence once more. Soon thereafter, it was done out of anger. He wanted to see Jieun suffer. Over a decade, Sunggyu would purposely plunge the knife into Jieun’s heart again and again and again with his malicious words masked under a false pretense of innocence. Yet seeing Jieun being close to the breaking point on multiple occasions did not help him to ease his raging pain. ‘An eye for an eye’ or what not, once the damage had been done, the scars would remain regardless. Forever. Sunggyu had learned this the hard way.

And at this very moment, behind these cold doors, the person whom he had put the blame on was on the verge of breaking down for his sake. It was then that Sunggyu recalled the moments they spent together for the last fifteen years. No matter what he did, no matter how much he had shredded her heart apart, she would always gather the pieces together and returned by his side with a smile as if nothing had happened. All these sacrifices she had made for and what did she receive in the end? What did he ever do for her in the end? When both of them were victims, who console Jieun when she was busy consoling him? Just who did she had to rely on?

Mumbling a spell, Sunggyu called forth a small dagger made from the darkness. Without hesitation, he plunged it into his own heart. While he couldn't kill himself, he wanted to remind himself of the pain he had put Jieun through all those years. Sunggyu’s beastly power gave himself no exception as blood began to trail down from the corner of his lips.

“I’m sorry.” He whispered before he turned around to leave, staggering from pain with every step he took. 

↭↭↭↭↭↭↭↭

[Coronation Ceremony Day]

On the day of the Coronation Ceremony, the Holy Garden was filled with chatter and laughter from hundreds of successors and their trainers. Some were smiling ear to ear while some were crying thinking about parting.

Sunggyu was simply sitting by himself in the corner waiting for Jongwan and Nyx to arrive. His face grim as he blankly stared into the distance, until a voice brought him back into reality.

“Hello there Sunggyu-ssi,” Nyx greeted him the moment she arrived at the Holy Garden.

“Phew! I’m not late, am I?” Jongwan said as he teleported right beside them.

“Not bad, you’re on time for once!” Nyx chuckled, to which Jongwan responded with an awkward smile.

“Are you excited for the Coronation Ceremony?” Nyx asked enthusiastically.

“Not really,” Sunggyu replied with a bored expression.

Nyx simply smiled. “I’m sure you are.”

The small Sunggyu shrugged then turned to Jongwan, the God of Darkness. “Are you scared of dying?”

The older chuckled at the sudden question. “You’re an excellent student who rarely ever asks me any questions; yet when you do, it’s always something that is hard to answer.” He ruffled the younger’s hair, messing it up entirely.

“Oh my! Jongwan-ssi! Please refrain from doing that today. The ceremony is about to begin,” Nyx reminded him as she proceeded to fix Sunggyu’s hair.

Jongwan chuckled again and looked at the curious Sunggyu waiting for his answer. The man crouched down to put himself on the same level as the small little child.

He smiled warmly. “Sunggyu-ah, I’ve lived 600 years already. Why would I want to live any longer?”

“So you’re not afraid of death?”

“Remember this clearly, Sunggyu. Death is not the end. Just like how the day will come after the night, everything will repeat all over again. After death, there is life. You will have another chance in your next life. A second chance.” Jongwan said with a caring tone, “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m quite excited actually, to be human again. I’ve always wondered what it is like to live like there is no tomorrow.” He flashed the boy the brightest smile ever.

“It is time. Please get into your position.” A voice could be heard giving instructions from above.

“Jongwan-ssi, please step to this side,” Nyx said, and pointed to the spot opposite to Sunggyu. Shortly afterward, two lines were neatly formed: one of gods and one of successors.

“Nyx,” Jongwan motioned her to come closer and whispered in her ear, “please read this letter carefully when you’re alone and please, take care of Sunggyu for me.”

The God of Darkness secretly handed over a letter to Nyx, whom was surprised but acted along nonetheless. Little did she knew the secret hidden behind the letter.

“You have five minutes left. Say your last words to each other.” Nyx gave them a notice.

“Stay healthy okay? You’re finally growing up, Sunggyu-ah.”

Sunggyu nodded. “You take care too, Jongwan-ssi.”

“Hyung. You should be calling me hyung, not ssi,” Jongwan reminded, half sulking.

“Right. My apologies, Jongwan hyung.”

“Good boy,” Jongwan reached out his hand for a handshake to which Sunggyu complied. “It’s been a pleasure teaching you,” the elder said proudly, “you were a great successor– no, you’re the best!”

“One minute left,” the fairy kindly announced.

Jongwan nodded and turned back to Sunggyu. With a smile, he said. “Take care. Make sure to become the strongest god in Paradise alright?”

Sunggyu nodded. “I will.”

*And please avoid Woohyun at all cost if you can help it. Please be kind to Jieun. Please forget Jiyeon and move on. Please… just stay alive.*

Jongwan had so many things to say but his lips were sealed tight as he looked at his successor lovingly. His held onto Sunggyu’s hand tightly, feeling his warmth one last time before letting go it and stood up straight in their position.

“Let the Coronation Ceremony begin.”

The Great’s voice boomed throughout the Holy Palace, and the Guardian Fairies began to chant their spell in unison. Soon, the gods’ body began to perish, releasing silver particles in the process. Once the the gods were nowhere to be seen, those particles slowly found their way to the designated successor whom began to levitate in mid-air. The successors’ body began to transform as they absorb the silver particle. A bright light shone brightly throughout the room, and once faded, the group of children was now a group of young adults, full-fledge gods and goddesses.

“Congratulations on becoming a god, Sunggyu-ssi,” Nyx said as he landed back on the ground in his new form, a handsome young man in a plain black shirt and long black pants.

Sunggyu nodded at her. “Thank you.”

Look at his new body, Sunggyu smiled sadly as he imagined what Jiyeon would have looked like if she was still alive. He then summoned a full-length black cape to cover himself and left.

“What was that…? He didn’t even say goodbye. How cold,” Nyx said with a shaking head. She then pulled out the letter that Jongwan had given to her earlier.

“I wonder what is this all about…” she mumbled.

↭↭↭↭↭↭↭↭

At the Thana Garden, Sunggyu was seen sitting at his usual spot, staring off into the woods. Suddenly, his vision was covered with the appearance of a goddess in a white-gold dress. Looking up, Sunggyu saw a young woman with features similar to the twin. Her beauty radiated even brighter now that she had grown up. His heart felt a little warm as he saw a reflection of the young Jiyeon right next to the goddess.

“Oppa…” Jieun called out nervously. She had made sure to choose a spot far from Sunggyu’s but he didn’t come look for her after his transformation.

*Did he see me after all?*

“Jieun-ah.”

“Yes?” Jieun answered with a happy tone. However, when she recalled what she heard, her eyes widened.

“O-oppa… what did you j-just…” her voice was shaking as she looked at Sunggyu in shock.

Sunggyu smiled sadly, “Jieun-ah, I think you yourself knew that I have already discovered your little lie right?”

Jieun was at loss for words. She didn’t even realize it when Sunggyu got up and stood in front of her. He was a head taller than her now.

“Why didn’t you say anything when you knew?” Sunggyu asked, holding her hands gently.

Jieun casted her eyes away from Sunggyu’s eyes. Nervously, she bit onto her lips, not willing to answer.

*Because you needed someone to blame.* Jieun thought. *And because I need someone to remind me of my mistake.*

“Well… it doesn’t matter now.” Sunggyu said. Cupping her cheeks, he turned her face towards him. “Jieun-ah, I’m sorry for having to put you through this. You can stop now.”

Jieun’s eyes teared up, with a shaking voice she asked. “Are you sure?”

Sunggyu nodded, his face full of regret and sorrow.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry,” he said as he pulled her into a hug.

“This time I will protect you. I will be your support. So Jieun-ah,” Sunggyu patted her head comfortably, “this time, you can rely on me.”

Jieun cried as she slowly returned to her true form. She was no longer in a white dress and her majestic black hair and deep violet eyes were back. Unlike the innocent aura she was releasing earlier, Jieun now shined with confidence and power befitting of the Goddess of Death. For the first time in fifteen years, Jieun was able to be like herself.

Suddenly, something hit her and she quickly stepped back, breaking free from Sunggyu’s hug. Pulling out a ring off her ring finger, she handed it over to Sunggyu.

“I don’t think I should keep this any longer,” she said as she placed the ring back into Sunggyu’s hand.

This was the ring that Sunggyu used when he had asked her to be his fiancee. Following the traditions that the human used, he wanted them to be together forever and the ring was the proof of their love. However, now that the play was over and the curtain had closed. It was time that she returned the ring back to its original owner. It was never meant for her.

However, to her surprise, Sunggyu put it back on her finger.

“This has always been and will always be yours,” Sunggyu said as he slid it back on Jieun’s slender finger.

Jieun quickly retracted her hand and tried to take off the ring but failed as Sunggyu had put a temporary spell on it.

“Oppa!” Jieun shouted, “I’m not–” her voice faded when she realized that she was about to call out a taboo’s name.

Sunggyu smiled and continued in a gentle tone, “I told you right? This time you can rely on me. I will do anything that will make you happy. I remember how happy you look when you receive this ring. I will be your fiancé until the day you take off this ring.”

Speechless, Jieun stared at Sunggyu then the ring. She then proceeded to slap herself really hard out of blue, shocking Sunggyu.

“Jieun! What are you doing?” Sunggyu asked worriedly as he took a closer look to her cheek.

Jieun slapped herself again, this time on the other cheek. Sunggyu widened his eyes at her action and held on both of her hands just in case she was going to do it again.

“Jieun-ah, just what are you doing?”

“Oppa, I’m not dreaming, right? It hurts…” Jieun asked blankly with a shaking voice. She couldn’t believe it. How could something that she had already dreamt off became reality like this?

Sunggyu then laughed cheerfully for the first time in ages. He pulled her into his chest one more time and comforted the girl.

“Oh Jieun, you silly thing.”

That’s right.

Don’t forget you still have Sunggyu oppa.

So what if it is fated, so what if they are cursed.

I will not lose another loved one, not in this life, not Sunggyu oppa.

Even if I have to be the antagonist in this story, even if you hate me for this,

I will do whatever it takes if it means saving you.

Jieun will save you.

⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰⊱⊰

Well, that pretty much concluded all the past-related chapters. From here on it's full of Woogyu and... well, angst. We have reached the top of the rollercoaster now. Are you guys ready to for the ride? (Let's pray I don't end up crashing the whole thing) 

Tbh, I wasn't very satisfied with this chapter, but I can't think of any better way to write this. Did you guys feel Jieun's pain? Comment below if you did~ 

Now, for the moment of truth, the spoiler I'm giving away this time is NOT simply a preview of the next chapters like I previously did (congrats to those who have been chosen). Instead, it's the preview to TED's epilogue featuring Woohyun~ Tada! This is the reason why I was so late on updating. I was in the mood to write the epilogue first lol... Forgive me! (Hint: the content of this epilogue is related to what you have just read in the last chapter *wink wink*)

In order to be qualified and chosen, all you need to do is comment below, answering one or more of the questions below (the more the better of course~): 

1. Tell me your favorite scene(s) so far and why. 
2. Who is your favourite character and why? (PICK ONE!) 
3. Now that we are about to go down~ Tell me how you expect the story to end xD 

I'll be picking the best answers (as in the most detailed, thoughtful and/or simply those that get me excited/laughing like a child) and the winner(s) will get to see HALF of the epilogue (roughly page on word doc, yes that's only half of it lol) 

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