[Author's Note]

I'm using a gender-neutral pronouns in addressing Yeong Won.  “Ne” is n+(he or she), “nem” is n+her+him, “nir” is n+him+her. (ne, nem, nir, nirs, nemself)

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            “Seo Joohyun…”

The old woman opens her eyes after hearing someone calling her name. There she sees a stranger standing next to the bed.

            “Seo Joohyun.” The stranger utters her name once more.

Ne’s tall with a lean but firm body frame. Ne has a distinct baritone voice contrast to nir feminine face. The long black hair with strands of silver is perfectly tied in a half ponytail. Is it a man or a woman?

            “Who are you?” she asks.

The stranger’s lips curve into a slight smile.

             “Are you here to take me to the other side?” the words came out dry and forced.

          “Why is that fellow so popular among you humans?” ne mutters as if ne hears this thing a lot.

            “Aren’t you Death?”

            “No, I’m not. I’m not Death or Grim Reaper as you human calls that one.”

            “How did you enter my house? This is trespassing. I will call the police so you better leave now!” the old woman tries to sound threatening.

            “Look at this woman! Are you that desperate to meet that fellow that you won’t accept any visitor aside from him?” Nir eyes are wide because of surprise. “To tell you the truth, that fellow you are looking for is a cold and boring being. When you try to talk to him, his mind seems to be up in the air somewhere….I am a hundred times better company than him you know!”

The old woman couldn’t process what this stranger is saying.

            “Anyways…I was just passing by earlier and I heard your dissatisfactions.”

She sits from lying down and ne continues.

            “So I’m here to give you an incredible rare chance that a human could get in his lifetime.” Ne leans down face to face with her and says. “Time.”

            “W-what is this person saying?!” she’s still confused on what she’s hearing.

The stranger heaves a sigh then sits on the bed facing her.

            “What are you doing? Is this how you behave towards your elders?! You insolent jerk!” she starting to feel the panic rising up her chest.

Ne chuckles.

            “Well I can’t blame you for thinking that way. I know I look youthful….” Ne says with confidence. “I have always been like this but believe me, I am waaaayyy older than you and that’s for sure.”

Nir gray eyes are so serene as they stare back at her. Something inside her feels that this stranger is harmless.

            “Who exactly are you?” she asks with a calmer tone.

Ne smiles.

            “Humans call me Kronos, Kairos, Timekeeper, and etc. But I like to address myself as Yeong Won.”

            “Y-yeong W..won?” She quickly scans nem. “Are you a man or a woman?” she’s still puzzled by this stranger’s gender.

            “Gender is only for Earthlings like you. Beings like me don’t have ‘em.”

            “Are you saying that you are an example of a mythical entity?”

Yeong Won looks up and sighs quickly.

            “This isn’t going to end…..” ne whispers to nemself before turning back to her. “Yup,enough introductions. Alright…let’s get back to business. I was just passing through and I hear your dissatisfaction in life. I thought I can give you another chance.”

            “Then are you God?”

            “Aishh…this old woman….You were not listening well, are you?” This old woman is testing nir patience. “I am not the Almighty. Don’t think that I could rescue you from death or what because that’s beyond my ability. I can only grant you another shot in life…temporarily.”

She only looks at nem.

            “I decided to give you three weeks to return to youth and retrieve what had been taken from you….your will.”

            “Is…it really…possible?” Of course she would like to be young again but she knows that returning to youth is absolutely impossible.

            “Apart from the Almighty God who can make impossible things possible, no one could ever do such thing except….me. I, the Spirit of Time is giving you a chance….A temporary return to youth before the Spirit of Death comes for your soul.”

She swallows after hearing the word Spirit of Death. 

            “I have no ability over which human will stay or go. It is beyond my gift….so definitely, you’ll still die because you are bound to.”

            “I know I should not hope for more….Probably, every person is scared to die and leave this world.” The old woman says. She still can’t decide whether to believe what Yeong Won is saying or not but she has nobody to talk these predicament with either.

           “Beings like me don’t have the capacity to shed tears but I know exactly what you feel. I’m aware of it….” Yeong Won appears to be a bit stiff when ne says it but this is nir way to comfort and sympathize with her.  Unlike humans, spirits like nem lacks in emotion. They aren’t given the emotion the same way as human’s since they don’t necessary need it but they can understand what those feelings are.

           “It’s natural. Every human is born and will die and you can’t do anything about it. But for now….You will start walking on the road back to your youth.”Ne doesn’t want to waste any second more so ne raises nir right hand and suddenly, water floats on top of nir palm.

It looks like a small fountain that floats in the air. The movement of the water is unexplainably beautiful and the sound it makes is gentle and relaxing to the ears.

            “This is the Fountain of Youth…” ne says.

‘Does it mean that the fountain of youth is real?’ Her mind says. She cannot believe that the legendary fountain that she only heard about is true and it is now right in front of her.

            “Yes, it is.” Yeong Won says as ne read what she was thinking. “No one could ever find it or lay their hands on it unless I show it to them under the same circumstance.” Ne clarifies.

With a snap of nir left fingers, a small vial appears. It is decorated with small jewels.

Yeong Won holds the vial near the fountain and the crystal clear water enters the vial on its own.

            “Here. Drink it.” Ne offers her the vial.

Her shaky hand reaches for the vial. Just holding it gives her a different feeling. And then she places the vial in front of her lips and drinks its content. It tastes very pure and refreshing with a hint of sweetness. She never tasted water like this.

It was just a few drops but she feels like it quenched a long time thirst. She starts feeling strange. It’s like she’s getting stronger. Her eyesight is becoming clearer. She’s no longer feeling pain in any part of her. Then she looks at her hands….they are changing. Wrinkles and bulging veins are disappearing. She removes the stick that ties up her hair and a shiny wavy hair rolls down. It looks so soft and healthy just like what she had before. 

            “W…what is happening?” she utters.

Yeong Won passes her a hand mirror. She sees a face that she had never seen for a few decades now.

            “This is you forty nine years ago.” Ne says.

Slowly, she touches her face. She feels the soft and warm skin under her palm. She can’t believe what she’s seeing now.

            “H….how?” she utters while looking at her reflection.

She feels overwhelmed and amazed at the same time that she couldn’t say a thing.

Yeong Won puts nir hand on top of hers.

           “It will only be for twenty one days. Tomorrow, you’ll wake up and start your life as a student once more. I want you to make a good use of this chance and find happiness. Experience the things you never experienced before. Smile more, run as far as your feet can go, make your own decisions, make friends, and if you meet a possibility….fall in love again. Enjoy every minute of it and shed tears of happiness in the end.” Ne says.

            “Yeong Won…Th--” she couldn’t finish because ne cuts her off.

            “It’s too early for that. Remember, let go of your fears and live in the moment.”

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The next morning, Seo Joohyun wakes up in her eighteen year old body.

           “It seems that everything is real….” She says while staring at her full reflection on the full length mirror.

A sudden boisterous sound caught her attention. She goes near the bed because the mysterious sound is coming from that area. She finds a clock on the bedside table. What is the matter with this thing?—she thought.  She is sure that this annoying clock is not hers.

            “Why are you making an aggravating sound at this early time?!” she doesn’t know what’s wrong with the said clock. She tries shaking it here and there but it only keeps on producing the same sound so she throws it on the floor. The battery burst out of the alarm clock making it stop.

            “Aisshh…that irritating thing!” she rubs her ear while giving the poor alarm clock a distaste look.

She opens up the wooden wardrobe to change clothes and finds a high school uniform there.

            “Whose uniform is this?” she utters with furrowing eyebrows.

Out of curiosity, Seo Joohyun tries it on and stares at herself in front of the mirror. Her lips curve into a slight smile. She likes her powder blue colored uniform when she was a high school student but this one looks pretty too.  Her hand unconsciously goes inside the blazer and comes out with a folded paper. She reads it and learns that it is an admission slip for a girl named Seo Hyun. She tilts her head on the side and suddenly remembers that Yeong Won mentions about being a high school student.Her hand covers for she suddenly panics.

            “What shall I do?” she asks herself.

She looks around….Though unsure, she takes a bag from the wardrobe and put random things inside. After, she combs her hair with her fingers. She opens the drawer of the bedside table to get her eyeglass. Next to it is her black headband so she grabs it too then exits the room in a hurry.

She finally goes out of the gate after confirming that there is no one in the street. She walks quickly and avoids getting attention from people that she sees on the street thinking that they might recognize her.

Seo Joohyun finally reached the address written in the slip. CHEONG DE HIGH SCHOOL she reads. The school is just twenty minutes away from her house but she had never been here before.

            “Student!” A guard approaches her.  “Why are you still wandering there? You are already late!” he says.

            “Huh?” she says in a clueless tone.

The guard notices the paper in her hand.

            “So you are a new student? Ahh…you are late because you got lost, right?” he asks her.

She only stares at him.

            “Okay. I will not punish you since this is your first day here but remember that the school is strict regarding punctuality alright? Don’t be late again….Let’s get you to your classroom. Follow me.”

Is she really going to be a high school student again? That’s the only thing in her mind now. She’s still trying to catch up on what’s happening as she follows the guard inside the school. They pass by the wide school ground and take the stairs to the fourth floor. She observes the place…The walls are painted in white and pleasant shade of green. The windows and doors for each room are made of wood and glass. There are also shoe cabinets outside the rooms. The corridors are not as wide as her former school but the ambience is somehow comfortable. Seo Joohyun glances at each room they pass by. She sees male and female students inside indicating that this is a coed school.

The guard stops and turns to her.

            “This is it.” He says.

She reads III-2 on the sign attached to the wall. The guard knocks on the door and a middle age man comes out. He looks at them.

            “Mr. Ji, I found your student. She got lost.”

            “I was told that the new student will come today so I’ve been waiting since earlier.” He turns at him. “Thank you for guiding her here Gary sshi. I’ll take it from here.”

They bow slightly at the guard and then he leaves.

            “You probably had a hard time looking for the school. Tough time on your first day huh? I’m really expecting you. Seo Hyun, right?”

She nods her head lightly. The teacher gives her a consoling smile.

            “I’m Mr. Ji Suk Jin, the homeroom teacher of III-2. By the way, you are placed in this section because III-1 in which you were supposed to be in is already handling the maximum student numbers. I hope that’s fine with you.”

            “I’m fine with it Teacher Ji.” She responds in uneasy tone.

            “Anyway, the kids are sociable so I think you’d get along well with them.”

Mr. Ji leaves her outside for a moment before calling her in. Seo Joohyun feels a pit in her stomach because of anxiety. She entered and stood in the center. All of the kids are eyeing her.

            “Why don’t you introduce yourself to the class?” Mr. Ji says.

Keeping her eyes down, she speaks hesitantly.

            “G-good day. M…my name is Seo….Hyun.”