**A/N**

Unless you have ultra good memory, i suggest you go read the last section of chapter twenty two again to refresh your memory on the two compasses. That is all. Hope you like this chapter and show me some love by subscribing, commenting and upvoting my story!!  This chapter might be a bit confusing for some, and if you have any questions, feel free to PM me or comment below :) Thank you!

--Moelolz

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I stared blankly at the limp body in front of me.

Before I could even comprehend why the bandit leader appeared in front of us, the bandit leader had suddenly fallen to the ground, unconscious…or dead.

It was so sudden that I almost felt like laughing.

Here was the bandit leader, all pumped up and appearing in front of us menacingly only to fall down lifelessly a second after he barely spoke anything.

Glancing over at the Exo M members, I was met with eyes equally confused as mine as they all denied being the one who caused the bandit leader to fall.

There was a few seconds of silence as no one said anything before Lay approached the bandit leader.

“Look,” Lay pointed to a small burnt mark on the bandit leader’s temple, “someone struck him here.”

“Who?” I turned around to look at the Exo M members, and I found myself staring at Xiumin suspiciously as Xiumin caught my look.

“Not me.” Xiumin raised both hands with a roll of his eyes, “Sheesh, just because I don’t like you doesn’t mean I’m the culprit for everything.”

I pressed my lips together and turned to the other members, who all just shook their heads in denial.

“Maybe he hit himself?” Luhan suggested.

“How about no.” Kris rolled his eyes.

“How about Chen ge?” Tao suddenly spoke up.

“Chen…?” My eyes widened at the familiar name, “What about him?”

“I don’t know, I just thought maybe Chen ge was the one who struck the bandit leader in the head. You know, with the burn mark and everything.”

“He has a point.” Lay nodded his head, “It’s time for Chen to appear anyway. There’s no need for him to hide anymore.”

“I think he can stay happily hidden forever,” Kris muttered, “We don’t need that playboy here to destroy everything.”

“Destroy everything? What would he destroy, Kris?” Xiumin gave Kris a confused look.

“You know, everything…” Kris trailed off vaguely before shooting me a quick look.

“Oh, you mean destroying your supposedly intimate “relationship” with Kim Soyoung?” Lay pointed out bluntly, “We get that you love her, duizhang, but there’s no need to be possessive. Plus, she has her Oh Sehun-“

“Ssh!” Tao clamped a hand over Lay’s mouth.

Lay shot Tao a glare as he pushed the latter’s hand away from his lips.

“Muurgh…”

Every one grew silent as the bandit leader stirred, and he opened one eye hazily as he tried to hoist himself up.

Zap.

The silence grew as the bandit leader fell down unconscious again, another burnt mark appearing on his forehead.

I let out an awed breath as Lay knelt down to study the burnt mark.

“Yup, definitely Chen.” Lay said with a resigned sigh, “Look, the burnt mark is even shaped like a heart.”

~~~

 Sehun’s POV

Past

Oh Sehun – age 9

“Yah, yah, YAH!”

The little girl with silky ebony hair and bright, sparkling eyes ran past me and towards the little boy who held her ribbon high in the air with glee.

“Catch me if you can!” The boy shouted back as he began running, nowhere near the image of the great emperor I had in mind.

I let out a small, shaky sigh as I leaned against the tree trunk, my eyes trailing after the little girl who pouted deeply, yet her eyes sparkling as she chased after the little boy.

“So they knew each other way back, huh?” I whispered to myself and glanced over at the solemn little boy standing sulkily at the side, glaring at the two children playing around with each other.

That sulky little boy, is none other than me.

A younger version of me who remained invisible and unapproachable to the other two children.

Kim Jongin and Kim Soyoung.

“So? Does coming back to the past help you understand better?”

I smiled over at my master who was standing beside me watching the past unfold.

“A little bit.” I answered her as I glanced down at the compass help in my hand, “But how did you get this?”

“You mean the Time compass?” My master let out a small smile, “It’s an old inheritance my ancestors passed down.”

“So you can really go back in time anytime you want with this compass?” I turned the compass around in my hand, “Even to the future?”

“The future isn’t something that is already written down, Sehun.” My master said as she watched the emperor and Soyoung play, “It’s something that alters with the decisions you make.”

“Then…” I trailed off, “Am I able to go back in time to change a decision I made wrong?”

“This isn’t a decision changing device, Sehun.” My master shook her head slightly, “It only allows you to view your past. Not change it.”

My disappointed expression must had been apparent for my master let out a small laugh and patted me on the head.

“Now, now.” My master hugged my lightly, “Even though you can’t change the past, you can change your future.”

I stared at my master as she let go of me.

“This is about Kim Soyoung, isn’t it?” My master tilted her head, “You regret not choosing to believe her over the rumours?”

I blinked.

“Not quite,” I let out a small smile, “That wasn’t the decision I wanted to change.”

“Then what?” For the first time since I’ve met my master, she looked confused.

“Master,” I averted the topic, “Can I borrow your compass for a little while more? I still want to go back to the past to confirm something.”

My master gave me a long stare before breaking into laughter.

“Alright, alright.” My master nodded her head, “But make sure to return it! We trolls get very scary when our borrowed belongings don’t come back to us. I won’t go easy on you just because you’re my ‘student’, alright?”

“Yes ma’am!” I saluted her.

There was a moment of comfortable silence as the two of us continued to watch Soyoung play around with the emperor, and I found my eyes softening as I stared blatantly at Soyoung.

“Aren’t you going to go already?” The master suddenly spoke, causing me to snap out of my daze, “Time won’t wait for you, you know.”

I gave the master a smile.

“Aye, ma’am.” I gave her another joking salute, and turning my back on her, I placed the compass on the floor.

But before I jumped into it, I paused and glanced back at her.

“By the way,” I tilted my head slightly, “I had never doubted Soyoung in the first place.”

 My master’s eyes widened in surprise for a split second before they creased into moon crescents.

“Of course, Sehun.” My master’s eyes were filled with warmth, “That’s my boy.”

~~~

Past

Oh Sehun – age 15

I stepped into the all too familiar market bustling with people as always.

There was people selling fruits and vegetables, and to one side, there was my favourite blacksmith polishing swords as he proudly arranged them on the table for people to see.

“Mother!”

I blinked as I heard my own voice speak, and turning around, I saw the fifteen year old me squeezing past the crowd to a woman standing behind a vegetable stand.

My mother.

I could almost feel tears swell up in my eyes as I thought sadly about what was to come next. I knew this memory was going to be a painful one, yet I still chose to re-watch it again.

Because I need to confirm something.

Something that had been bugging me at the back of my mind since the first time I met Kim Soyoung.

Biting my lips, I moved closer to my mother and still hid behind the stall next to my mother’s anyway even though no one could see me.

“Sehun, what’s wrong?” My mother glanced up