Warning: Throughout the story, there are scenes containing Korean history and Korean tradition. It is clear that I am not Korean myself so there are certain parts of their history that might have been wrong. I just searched them in the internet so I am apologizing in advance for any false statement here. You can correct me, nonetheless.

And also there are scenes where I put the cast of The Return of Superman. Please do know that I'm currently watching the show so they're somehow included in the story (though only little glimpses). Thank you!

---

Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring!

Beep!

Kwon Jiyong! I am beyond outraged for your lack of good manners. Your father and I have been friends since high school while Hwayoung and you have been friends since childhood! I never expected you to break her heart and release a statement to the press about breaking off the engagement!

Beep!

Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring!

Beep!

Mr. Kwon Jiyong of Kwon Group of Companies, we are asking you for an interview at Sunday in the afternoon for Tribulation Newspaper. This is regarding the issue about your break up with your fiancée and long-time girlfriend Lee Hwayoung.

“Heh. Who told you she’s my only girlfriend?”

Beep!

Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring! Krrrring!

Beep!

Sir! The media is trying to break in the building, sir. We’re trying to hold them back. They keep on insisting for an official statement from you about Lee Hwayoung.  What happened?

Beep!

He felt like his head was being split open and his brain trying to get out of his system, but still Kwon Jiyong sat up from his bed. At first, he thought that there was an earthquake when his surroundings kept on moving—swirling, even—and then he quickly remembered what happened last night. He could still feel the cigarette in his mouth, his hand on somebody else’s hip, or maybe even, center and his mouth against somebody else’s lips, and maybe even, center. He can’t remember anything.  The alcohol was still in his stomach, waiting to be discharged out of his system and he could feel his chest burn from the different touches he got last night.

Hyung! Try her! She’s an expert! His mind flashed back to what happened last night, when Daesung pulled a girl to him.

Jiyong groaned and clutched his head, trying to heal his thoughts. He never really wanted to do that. He just wanted to have a celebration for finally having his freedom and yet, it had kind of gone overboard. At least, though, he didn’t lost his ity while he was unconscious. He turned and noticed his window, which was still open after his breakthrough into his room last night because he was sure his parents would be waiting by the living room for a chance to verbally berate him. Only his friends were considerate enough to understand what he’s going through.

Of course the world will go nuts with his break up with Lee Hwayoung, the princess of South Korea. She may not have a blood of royalty but Hwayoung could be considered as a princess for the influence she has in South Korea. Born as the heiress to a multi-group company and raised as an actress, Lee Hwayoung easily left a deep mark in South Korea. The old ladies praised her, the young ladies envied her, the young men wanted her and the old me wished they could have her. Lee Hwayoung is like a signature brand.

And of course, the public expects for her to marry the prince of South Korea, Kwon Jiyong himself because princes should only marry princesses. They only announced their relationship two years ago, which was arranged by their parents due to the public demand, and the whole South Korea literally went wild and cheered in unison. Before that, Jiyong doesn’t play with girls or even consider have multiple relationships at once  because that was well, wrong but once he was forced to date Lee Hwayoung, he did those things. Not as a past time but instead to force both of their parents to call off the relationship. She was his friend since childhood and he wanted her to stay as his childhood friend forever. So that’s why yesterday, when they were both stuck in a press conference after he announced two weeks ago that they are getting married, he decided to call off the engagement.

And besides, Hwayoung would have been happy too along with him. She has a boyfriend named Youngjae, which he had met several times.

I hate you. You hate me. Let’ cast off this stupid ring. I do not care what they will say. As long as that I hate Ji! (Barney Song tune)

Jiyong sighs, a smirk plastered up on his face. “Speaking of the devil.”

He answered the phone, putting it up on speaker phone to let it stay on his bedside table and waited for the other side to talk. There were a few cracking sounds, footsteps and a closing of the door before he heard Hwayoung curse.

Jiyong smirked. “The princess of South Korea shouldn’t say a curse as her greeting. Well, anyways, long time we’ll not see each other Hwayoung. How does it feel to be single anymore?”

“You’re a jerk!” She whisper-shouted and he could feel her spitting on his face.

Jiyong subconsciously rubbed his face and laughed. “You’re welcome, dude.”

Hwayoung sighed, exasperated and said, “Of course, thank you. With that, I could date normally. But Ji! Why am I the only one answering the media about the break up and why do I have to cry in front of my parents just to let them know that it’s not okay? I am—urgh!—in between this issue and more pressured than you are!”

“Well I’m feeling the same thing.” Jiyong contradicted, rolling his eyes. “I’m near to being medium cooked in this pressure cooker.”

“You got wasted last night and I can tell from your voice that you’re still suffering from hangover.” She insisted. “And you tell me you’re pressured and stressed?”

“Expert and experienced drinkers like me don’t experience that anymore.” He contradicted. “And you could’ve drank last night if you would like because you’re in a celebratory mood as I am.”

Hwayoung screamed a curse and Jiyong could tell that she was in her closet, probably hiding from her own parents. “Then tell me,” She says after screaming. “What is the next plan?”

“Our parents don’t know the real reason so we should agree with something to cover up the issue with the media. What about we broke up the engagement because we realized we’re still not ready yet and that we don’t feel each other’s love anymore. No third party involved, okay? Just to make your Youngjae is safe. Remember, time.” Jiyong answered, sighing. “I’m going to make a statement through a letter. I could tell from the whispers downstairs that I’m going to be sent off somewhere far.”

“Maldives?” Hwayoung guessed.

Jiyong laughed. “That place is too beautiful to be my hell. I’m thinking of Mars or maybe Venus so that I could die instantly.”

Hwayoung didn’t respond for a moment. “Just be safe…and thank you for this—for everything.”

“Time.” He reminded before she ends up the call.

Hwayoung quietly responds, “Time.”

Jiyong could’ve gone back to sleep or started his official statement when his door suddenly flew open, revealing his father. He looked like he never got any sleep. There were dark circles around his eyes and his hair was dishevelled with small white circles on it, which he found out were snacks. He wore a tux together with a pair of blue flannel pyjamas while both of his hands held all of his phones.

Jiyong looked at the wall where the door slammed. It had cracked and the paint was absolutely damaged. He clicked his tongue and shook his head, “It will require a massive paint job.”

“Forget the paint job.” His father had said, calmly and it was as if Jiyong never did anything. “You’re going to your grandparents at Jeju Province.”

Jiyong raised an eyebrow at his father. “You’re not angry or something?”

His father sighed. “Your mother explained everything to me so I understood. Fathers who are strongly inclined to their work and money only apply to fictional fathers. If they were existent though, I can tell you son that I am not one of them.”

“But forcing—“ Jiyong tried to say.

“I’m sorry.” His father closed his eyes. “I thought you love Hwayoung. I shouldn’t have took over your romantic life.”

“Dad—“ Jiyong tried to say again.

“Get changed, Jiyong and pack clothes for six months or maybe more. You should stay away from the media until they forget about this issue. I’ll solve this myself with your uncle and Hwayoung.” His father said. “You’re so much more in danger than Hwayoung because you’re the one who called off the engagement. There are some from the public who hates you. You can be killed by sasaengs. You may not know.”

His father turned to the door and repeated, “Just go pack your things. We’ll be living after thirty minutes.”

Then he disappeared behind the door, leaving a stunned Jiyong behind.

---

It was the princess' one hundred day party and as glorious this event was, it was festive. Everyone was invited to the palace to pay homage to their beautiful princess. Every one tried their best to have something to offer and give to their lovable and charming princess since her birth is a miraculous thing to happen, for she was conceived when her mother was near to menopausal. They named her Sandara, after the sun, because she was the light in their present-day darkness. The princess was considered as the lucky charm of the town for after her birth came different good events in the town. First, they have befriended their long-time enemy town, and for the first time, their exportation of products reached its highest peak.

The meat vendor, who everyone knew as selfish, even had something because he butchered a few of his cattles and pigs to offer for this event. The magician, who always fools his co-townsmen, decided to stop his playful antics and let the children play with his animals for the time being. Some of them changed their ill ways just for the princess. She was really the pride and joy of the town.

Everyone was sharing, though unbelieving it may be, just for the princess of Tamna.
But even Christmas, a very joyous occasion, has its Grouch.

The whole town, including its protectors, the faeries, gathered inside the palace. Seated in front were the royal family, dressed in their expensive and elegant hanboks while their daughter, also dressed in her first hanbok was on a hammock, swaying soundlessly.

Four of the seven good faeries in the kingdom presented their gifts in a very interesting way, their wands producing different kinds of sparks and colors. Some would appear like lightning and some would appear like fireworks. They have given her the gift of wit, grace, dance and music respectively.

One of the last three faeries to present their gifts raised her hand and said, "May I present my gift please, Emperor Seungho, sir."

The emperor opened his hand and gestured to his daughter. "By all means, Kkoch. It is our pleasure."

Kkoch looked down at Princess Sandara and began waving her little wand in the air, her soft gaze still upon the princess. “I give her the gift of beauty and with it, peace will come forth to whoever she smiles upon and to whoever looks upon it. Her smiles will break all wars and mend all broken friendships.”

A veil of pink smoke escaped from Kkoch’s wand and then it twirled in the air, giving the dome of the palace glitters as it flew and lighting every dark corners with its light. It reached the hammock, twirled for the last time and touched the princess’ forehead, disappearing in it. The princess chuckled, melting her own parents’ hearts. Everyone clapped at the simple presentation and the King, with a smile on his face, said, “Thank you, Kkoch. That was indeed a very great gift.”

The pink fairy bowed, lifting the sides of her dress and after that, went to where her friends waited. Then, the green one stepped forward to present her gift. She lifted her wan in mid-air and waited for the King to give her the permission to present.

The King chuckled. “Of course, Dongmul.”

She waved her hand and green images of animals came out of its tip. They started running around the place, a townsmen’s cheek or playing with small children. Dongmul smiled sweetly and said, “My gift would be the gift of song.  May her words be the source of all happiness, peace and harmony in this world. And let her songs be a source of inspiration and of living.”

The animals started to run after the infant princess, their footsteps light and sound. The princess reached out her hand when they stopped near the hammock, amazed at the different kinds of animals crowding near her, and as her fingertips touched the green images, it surrounded her arm and went inside her after a few seconds of swirling.

Melinalssi raised her hand eagerly, unable to contain her excitement. The King, whose smile grew wider, let her give her present.

Melinalssi waved her hand and said, “I will give her—“

But before she could say her present, thunder boomed from the sky and the bright palace welcomed darkness. The townspeople started to hug each other as vile green smoke erupted from the floor. The smoke clustered near the hammock and it started to form a human figure about five feet four tall.

The King stood up in alarm but the Queen quickly made him stop. “It’s her, isn’t it?”

The King looked at her with alarm. “How did you?”

“I could tell from the look in your eyes.” She said, turning her attention again at the vile green smoke. “Could you sit down and lessen my worries?”

The King quickly sensed his wife’s growing concern, which have started ever since they were young. She was so scared of losing him especially that he’s—

The vile green of smoke turned out to be the eight fairy, the fairy the royal family have been avoiding all the time. The Queen didn’t gasp and wasn’t shocked at all to see Haeloun in front of her. The King took his seat once again and glared at Haeloun.

"It pains me deeply to not be invited to your daughter's hundredth day party, Emperor Seungho when in fact we have been friends since, let me think, five? It’s like we have shared nothing during those years."

The Queen’s grasp on the King’s hand tightened.

“But I’m such a good friend because I’m going to give your loving daughter a gift as a sign of our friendship. “ Haeloun said, raising her arms then her next words were loud, booming all around the palace. “The princess shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her.”

The Queen cuts her off. “That’s a very nice gift.”

Haeloun smiled at her and continued, “But, before the sun sets on her twenty-first birthday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die!”

The King shouted, “That’s not fair!”

Haeloun merely smiled. “Everything is fair in love and war.” Then she disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Before the King orders his men to kill Haeloun, Melinalssi said, “I-I will present her gift!”

The Queen brought her husband back down to his seat with force.

Melinalssi waved her hand and a simple thin veil of blue smoke appeared from it. She blew her lips and the smoke surrounded the princess. “A curse cannot be removed once given but I will uplift it. Instead of dying, the princess will sleep instead and only a first true love’s kiss of a prince will wake her up.”

There was awkward silence in the whole palace. No one clapped and the Queen fainted.

“Sir!”

The young man shook his head and immediately held it with both hands. He must’ve fell asleep along the way to his grandparents’ house, which his father had said he would be staying in for a couple of months for the news to die down. Though disoriented, Jiyong looked around and found out they were in a gasoline station, seemingly still far from his grandparents’ house. The driver was together with him, trying to keep his attention both on him and the gasoline.

“Are you fine, sir?” The driver asked, bending his head down to see him and there was a tinge of worry in both his voice and small smile.

“Yeah, what happened while I’m sleep?” Jiyong asked, fixing his sitting position and he winced when his bones at the back made a sound of snapping.

“You were crying out a loud disapproval, sir.” The driver said, grinning widely. “Is it Hwayoung?”

“Are you kidding me?” Jiyong grunted and frowned, “By the way, do you know something about a princess waiting for a kiss?”

“Kiss?” The driver repeated. “Ah. It’s an old Jeju-do tale. She’s called Sleeping Beauty, sir because she was a princess and was really beautiful, but she was put into an eternal slumber by a fairy and only the first true love’s kiss will break the curse. I grew up knowing that tale.”

Jiyong suddenly looked serious and he regarded the driver’s stories with attention. “But sir,” The driver suddenly laughed, making Jiyong knit his eyebrows in between. “It was just a folklore. It’s just a myth.”

Jiyong frowned. “But what if it’s true?”

The driver shrugged and placed the hose back to the dispenser. “Well, no one knows if she’s already awake and if she was already been kissed but I heard that the tower was heavily guarded and only a true prince in nature could enter. It contains mazes and several creatures to hold you down I think.”

The driver went back to his seat and started the car. Jiyong felt uncomfortable. He never believed in folklores because they were created by people who are just bored out of their mind and haven’t got anything to do. Besides, he have never heard and read about the Sleeping Beauty before, and its title is enough to make him not read it at all. But there was something in his dream that he couldn’t figure, as if he was being called by the King himself.

They sped up down the road and reached his grandparents’ villa in a matter of an hour. The driver turned to the porte-cochère, and stopped when they reached the front door.

“Do you want some time alone, sir?” The driver asked, unlocking the doors.

Jiyong flashed him a smile. “Yes, thanks.”

The driver opened his door and got down, closing the door behind him. Jiyong felt the driver bringing his things down from the trunk and from the passenger seat. From his view, Jiyong looked around the villa. Definitely, there were a lot of animals. Ducks had come across the front door and were walking down in a pile towards the other side. Galsaeg, his grandfather’s favourite horse, was behind the ducks, his rope and saddle dangling limply from his back. Jiyong imagined going back here but he never expected he’d be going back not in summer. He always pay a visit to his grandparents during the summer holidays and they’d teach him things you can only do in provinces, which Jiyong liked the most. But then, imagining this villa as his home for the next couple of months just proves that he’s still not ready to succumb into the country lifestyle.

His grandparents went out of their villa, holding each other closely as always and Jiyong started to feel like running away. Every time he’s pressured, he always feels like running. He’s a coward and have always been a coward. He never had a relationship because he was afraid of committing himself into something permanent. He accepted dating Hwayoung because he was afraid his parents won’t recognize him as their son anymore. Even when he told the media that he’s breaking off the engagement, he was a coward. Because instead of clearing out the issue, he was here, hiding in his grandparent’s butts. It was a curse. A curse he badly wants to take out off from his life.

Jiyong closed his eyes and counted in his head. One. Two. Three. He opened the door and stepped outside. He closed the door behind him, sighing heavily and inhaled the country breeze through his nostrils. It was cold and calming, like Jeju-do. The wind was sweeping his uncombed hair and it was even scraping his unwashed face. Jiyong badly wanted to take a bath, after all his father dragged him out of the house as soon as he was finished packing his clothes.

Even though he was a coward, he knew he could do this by himself. At least in the field he’s expert at, which is hiding, he could do something for himself. Jiyong grinned widely and said, “Hey, harabeoji and halmeoni.”

His grandparents smiled at him, and then his grandfather exclaimed happily, “Ji! It’s nice to see you again.”

“You must be tired from that long travel. Come inside and have some rest.” His grandmother continued.

Jiyong felt hesitant into accepting the offer but he was still tired from the getaway he had last night while the beer was still overpowering his own system. A good long rest for the rest of the afternoon sounds like water to people having hangovers.

He smiled sweetly at them. “Thank you.”

---

As the princess’ twenty-first birthday comes to a close, the townspeople started to become festive once again because they have burnt all the spinning wheels and spindles in the whole town and thus, they have no fear that their adored princess will prick her finger upon a spindle. It was as if the princess’ 100^th day again.  Everyone tried their best to have something to give to the princess as a gift.

“Sandara!” The meat vendor cried upon seeing the princess in her cloak and started hiding the meat he’s going to give her as a gift. The princess laughed and placed money on top of the wooden plank at the window of his shop.

“I’m going to have one half of the brisket please.” Sandara ordered, keeping her basket near to her. “And please cut them into two.”

The meat vendor placed his gift away from the princess’ sight and started taking her order. “What are you going with it, then?”

“Oh,” Sandara cried, excitedly. “I’m going to grill it and cook for myself for my birthday.”

He handed to her the brisket as she continued, “I wanted to cook something for myself since it’s my coming-of-age.”

The meat vendor laughed. “Then you’re going to drink with me tomorrow.”

Sandara laughed, placing the meat in her basket. “Why not tonight, right?” She waved at him. “Next time, Hwijae-sshi!”

One of the ladies, holding her laundry in a basin, said in awe, “Look at the princess. Lovely as always.”

“Yah, Hyejung. Where’s our daughter?” Her husband shouted, running up to her.

Hyejung’s eyes blinked and she answered, “Yah, Oppa. I left with her with you didn’t I?”

Tablo seized his head and said, “We were playing around then she suddenly dissa—“ His gaze went to the princess’ back and he suddenly relaxed. “Ah, I know where she is.”

“Sandara Eemo!”

“Haru!”

The princess hugged the child and kissed her cheek. “What are you doing?” She asked, breaking the hug.

Haru pointed to the direction of the pond and answered, “Haru was playing with the fishes.”

“Next time we’ll play with the fishes but today, Eemo’s going to prepare for her birthday.” Sandara smiled at the little girl, her grasp on her shoulders tight.

Haru kissed the princess’ cheek and meekly said, “Okay.”

Sandara smiled at the little girl and stood up, walking down the road again but now towards her house. Her basket was full of the food she’s going to cook for herself—she could even feel it bringing her arm down because it’s heavy. After a few blocks, the noise died down and she reached the bridge going towards the palace. Under the bridge, she could feel the sea creatures Haru had always loved moving and Sandara finds something from her bag. After she had found the little fish she had bought, she tossed it in the water. For a few seconds, the little fish was floating in the water but after that, it was eaten by a bigger fish, which name Sandara didn’t bother to know. Maybe it was Finny or Flapper. She wasn’t sure because there were a thousand of fishes guarding the palace, and Finny and Flapper were the only ones she can hang out with together with Haru. She walked until she reached the entrance.

Sandara knocked on the door and shouted, “Can I come in?”

The head of the palace guards shouted back, “Password?”

“Your !” She answered. “Just joking. It’s my 21^st birthday later!”

There was a moment of silence and Sandara was forced to say, “No spinning wheels or spindles.”

The doors opened, making that large gruntled sound and once it was opened up, Sandara walked inside. The chief glared at her and Sandara waved her hand at him dismissively, while saying,  “Oh come on, Kwon Jiyong. It’s my birthday later anyway.”

The doors closed behind them and the whole palace was once again illuminated by the wax candles around. Sandara began to walk towards her room and Jiyong followed her from behind.

“You don’t have to be so stifling about it.” Sandara said, smiling to herself. “You just can’t believe that after five years of chasing me down whenever I try to escape, you didn’t catch me this time.”

Jiyong ran up to her side and stiffly replied, “I am not stifled about it. Your father specifically told me to let you go this time. I am just worried.”

“Worried?” Sandara rolled her eyes. “Everyone’s just worried that if I prick my finger on a spindle, they’ll lose a ruler for forever.”

“Until a prince kisses you.” Jiyong supplemented. “If you don’t remember.”

“Yeah, and a guy who pretends to be nice kisses me off my feet. Is it going to be any worse? First I’m going to sleep possibly for eternity and then, someone who I barely know will kiss me to wake me up.” Sandara groaned. “And why does it have to be a prince?”

Jiyong shrugged. “To make it nice?”

Sandara started climbing up the stairs, towards her room and still, Jiyong followed her. She wasn’t entirely fond of him and the feeling was mutual for him. They never got along because Sandara doesn’t want to be protected 24/7 and Jiyong wants to protect her 24/7. It was his job and of course, she can’t blame him with that.

Sandara reached the end of the stairs and found the door to her room. “You want to eat with me?” She asked Jiyong, nodding her head towards the basket she was holding.

Jiyong knew what she wants, so she nodded. Sandara never had a friend except for maybe the little girl named Haru who was the royal advisor’s daughter and he could count as her friend, if only she doesn’t hate him. After all, he demands the reason of everyone who tries to talk to her and was the reason she didn’t have any friends.

Sandara opened the door to her room and entered with Jiyong following closely from behind. He closed the door behind him as Sandara walked towards her little kitchen. Jiyong made himself comfortable and sat on the chair near the fireplace. It was cozy and calming, and it felt illegal relaxing. He smelled fire and he immediately turned, finding Sandara lighting the bottom of the cauldron, stuffed with straws and sticks. She then walked towards him, holding a grill with beef brisket on top and once reaching him, placed the grill on top of the fire. She tended the flames, adding a couple of wood and sighed.

“I’m nervous, you know.” She whispered, taking the seat contradicting to him and looked directly at his eyes. “Of my birthday. What if I didn’t make it?”

Jiyong smiled at him. “I am here aren’t I?”

Sandara stood up, laughing. “Yeah. Because you smiled, it means nothing is impossible.”

Then she walked past him, rubbing his head.

After the meal, they started talking about things. How the meat vendor’s hair was thinning because of his twins. How the famous theatre actor’s hair was turning curly because of his triplets. How the martial arts instructor was a fool for his cute daughter. How the royal advisor was also a fool for his daughter. How the lighthouse’s guard, Baekhyun now dates the town’s nightingale. How the banished residents, Kris and Luhan were barely getting by through the secret help of the both of them. The town was changing every year but they know it will get better. It always get better.

Sandara started to blush and said, “I wanted to say something in case you know, I didn’t make it.”

Jiyong looked at her, raising a brow. “What is it?”

“Well,” She starts, fidgeting. “I have been feeling this since last year and I thought it was wrong but I consulted my mother and she said it was right.”

“You okay?” Jiyong asked, worriedly.

Sandara nodded and continued, “It’s just—“ She groaned, and looked at his eyes directly. “Whatever, I don’t care. I like you!”

“What?” Jiyong exclaimed.

Sandara groaned again and repeated, “I like you, okay?”

Jiyong blushed and looked at the other side. “Well, I like you too.”

“What?” Sandara exclaimed, turning red from embarrassment.

“What!” Jiyong looked at her, almost pouting.  “Is it not common for two people to have mutual feelings?”

“Then what do we do?” Sandara asked, almost stammering on her words.

Jiyong shrugged. “Do we kiss?”

“You can kiss me if ever I prick my finger.” She suggested.

“I’m not a prince!” Jiyong reminded her.

Sandara shouted back. “Then we kiss!”

Jiyong leaned forward, and Sandara closed her eyes, pucking her lips out. She could feel him coming closer every second, his breathing ragged and uneven. She could even feel it on her neck. Jiyong comes closer, his arms both on the either side of Sandara, caging her.

But before their lips could touch, the window flew open and they both jumped. In result, Jiyong kissed Sandara’s neck and the latter could only gasp at the sudden contact

The wind came in from outside and blew out the flame from the fireplace. Sandara trembled at the sudden drop of the temperature and Jiyong quickly stood up on his feet. He ran up to the window while Sandara tried lighting up the fireplace.

A flicker of vile green caught her eye and Sandara quickly forgot about what she was about to do, the matchstick between her fingers.

“No spinning wheels or spindles.”

“No spinning wheels or spindles.” Sandara repeated monotonously, her eyes wide.

“Sandara!” Jiyong shouted, but before he could follow her, the handles by the window caught his hands. “Sandara!” He shouted again.

The fireplace turned into a passageway and Sandara walked into it, in a trance. Jiyong watched as she walked away from him and all he could shout was, “I love you.”

Sandara reached the place where all the spinning wheels and spindles were burnt down except for one. Her wide eyes landed upon the good one, and she reached her arm to it, her index finger ready to be pricked.

“No spinning wheels or spindles.”  She said before she pricked her finger upon the spindle.

“Jiyong!” The King shouted upon going inside his daughter’s room, finding the chief of the palace guards bound against the window.

“Don’t mind me! Sandara was hypnotized and was walking towards the dungeon!” Jiyong shouted.

“What is she—Haeloun!” The King screamed and started down the stairs, towards the dungeon. But when he reached it, he found his daughter already sleeping—peacefully, that is.

The princess was laid on her bed at the topmost tower, protected by a maze with deadly creatures. Of course, the chief had reached the top without any trouble and was still in one piece with no sign of scratches and wounds when he opened the door to see the sleeping princess again.

He walked towards her and kissed her on the forehead. “I know.” He said, tears coming out of his handsome eyes. “Only a prince.”

Jiyong kissed her again on the forehead and whispered in her ear. “But I know we’ll love each other again, someday.”

“Ji!”

The young man shook his head and trembled. He had fallen asleep in the bath and as a result, he was trembling. He was looking up at the white ceiling, his head rested against the wall.

There was a knock on the door. “Jiyong, are you okay?”

Jiyong shook his head, clearing his mind out and replied, “Yes, Gramps. Just fell asleep. I’ll be right out in a few seconds.”

“Okay.” His grandfather shouted back. “Don’t get any longer in there.”

He must’ve been inside for half an hour but he decide to keep it in himself instead. The young man looked down at his reflection and gasped, “He looks like me.”

---

Jiyong went down the stairs as fast as he could, taking two steps at a time. He was wearing his designer hoodie and ripped pants, ready to take a walk around the villa and possibly, clear his mind out. He found his grandparents having an argument by the kitchen.

“But it’s so very far.” His grandmother said. “You can’t go there.”

“Then who’s going to collect the water spinach?”  His grandfather complained.

“I’ll do it.” Jiyong volunteered, entering the kitchen. “I was just going out for a walk so maybe I could do it.”

His grandmother looked at him closely, narrowing her eyes. “Are you sure about that, son?”

Jiyong shrugged. “Of course. How hard could it get?”

His grandparents looked at each other.

---

“Argh!” Jiyong shouted at the top of his lungs, holding the basket closely to him. “Where’s the water spinach?”

Of course it would get hard because only then he realized he doesn’t know what it looks like. He though a water spinach is a spinach in a water and turns out, there weren’t spinaches in the lake. Giving up, Jiyong fetched his phone from his pocket to search for it but unfortunately, there was no signal.

With gritted teeth, he brought his phone back to his pocket and started walking again, farther. This time, he sun was already chasing him and Jiyong only sighed. At least for the long time he had been looking for water spinaches, he had thought about all the things he needed to think about. He’s Kwon Jiyong after all and he have decided he would be brave this time.

When the darkness came, he reached the farther part of the forest. “This is not anymore my grandparents’ land.” He noticed, looking around. It wasn’t tame and neat, unlike the other half of the forest.

Jiyong was about to come back when his eyes landed on a mossy tower at his right. His mind seemed to have a flashback and he remembered, that it was the same tower were the sleeping princess was kept.

He looked down at his watch and found out that it was only five in the afternoon. Shrugging, Jiyong walked towards the tower. “I’m going to end these dreams of mine once and for all.”

There was a door at the front, visible even amidst the amount of moss and vines surrounding the tower. The young man entered and started the stairs. The creatures, who he have seen in his dreams, were already dead. He can see rotten dragon skin and bones down on the floor. The traps can’t be activated anymore, because all of them have successfully caught one prince—which you can tell from the style of the clothes coming from different eras—that had stuck up in the traps, their skeletons greeting him instead. Goguryeo. Baekje. Silla. Gaya confederacy. Unified Silla. Balhae. Later Baekjae. Taebong. Goryeo. Joseon. He stopped when he reached the end of the stairs.

Jiyong reached out and opened the door, which was rusty from years of being closed. He could tell that the chief, who has the same name as his, was the only one who reached the end.

“He doesn’t even look like me.” Jiyong noticed. The chief’s nose was smaller and more girlish, and his eyes were double-lidded.

Upon pushing the door open, Jiyong noticed a bed at a distance, surrounded by vile green smoke and there was someone behind the pink mantel that was covering the perimeter of the bed. He went towards it, one step at a time and upon moving the mantel protecting the person behind it, he found the same princess in his dreams.

“Princess Sandara.” The words escaped his lips suddenly, and then he looked at the basket he was holding. Jiyong placed it down on the dusty floor and leaned forward.

Closing his eyes, he kissed the princess. I’m no prince. He told himself, mentally smiling.

After kissing the princess, who apparently didn’t wake up, Jiyong laughed. “Well, at least I get to kiss someone beautiful.”

He bent down to pick up his basket but a hand stopped him in midway. Quickly, Jiyong turned his head towards the sleeping princess, who apparently have woken up.

“Who art thou?”

---

Quotes 1 and 2: Sleeping Beauty (c) Disney