Haru tried to cover her yawn but the bags of groceries in her arms prevented her from doing so. Her mom dragged her through the market while complaining to her. “How can you be so tired?” “I couldn’t sleep since I was still doing my work for my professors. I don’t understand why we need to come this early. They don’t even close until 1 pm.” Haru complained as she followed her mom. Her mom stopped at the bread stall and an older lady greeted them. “How long has it been since you were in town?” “I’m surprised you still remember me. It’s been more than ten years after all.” Haru’s mom said. “How could I forget? Your daughter used to play with my daughter.” “How is your daughter?” “She went to the big city and she got married two years ago. She has a one year old baby boy.” The lady pulled out her phone and showed a video of the baby. The baby was crawling towards the phone and giggling. “He is so cute, not walking yet?” Haru’s mom asked. “He is walking but he likes crawling better.” She replied. Haru looked at the sweets behind the glass window. 

She wondered which she should get, she also wondered which would Junmyeon like. She hasn’t seen him for a day but she knew he was busier than her. She thought he would show up in no time. “Which one would you like honey?” The lady asked. Haru turned to look at them, “I would like three twisted donuts, one loaf of pizza bread, and a couple of the red bean filled donuts.” “Your daughter is beautiful, not married yet?” The lady asked Haru’s mom and she shook her head. “It’s hard for me to find a husband for my daughter, she’s finished with school and still working on her doctor career.” “Wow, your daughter is a doctor. I would like my daughter to be a doctor too but she owns a clothing store that makes enough money.” “I just want my daughter to get married so I can see some grandkids already.” “Mom.” Haru looked at her mom who turned to talk to the lady. “It’s so hard for this generation to get married these days.” Haru’s mom sighed as the lady tapped her arm, “I agree, only one of my three daughters is married while my other two are also focused on their careers too.” “I’ve been trying to set my daughter up but it doesn’t work out. Men want to start a family right away at that age but all she wants is to work.” Haru’s mom complained and the lady handed over their order. Haru took it from her mom as she continued to talk about Haru.

Haru took a few steps away from them and she saw a little old lady sitting on some steps who was eating bread and talking to herself. She approached her, “do you need help?” The old lady turned to her and pointed to her, “dragon’s bride. The dragon is coming to get his bride! We’re all going to die by the dragon!” The old lady threw her bread at Haru and then she got up and pushed Haru. “Go away, you're a curse to us!” Haru fell back onto her and her bags scattered around her. She looked up at the old lady who was screaming at her and pointed at her. Haru’s mom saw the scene before her and she ran towards Haru. She pulled Haru up and grabbed the bags of groceries. A lady who was a bit older than Haru came to the old woman. “Grandma, calm down. You can’t throw things and push people around.” Haru’s mom brushed the dirt off Haru's clothes. “Are you okay? What happened?” She asked Haru who shook her head. “I was trying to ask the grandma if she had someone to help her.” Haru’s mom looked at her and then back at the people in front of them.

Once the grandma calmed down, the lady came over to them. “Sorry about that, my grandma has dementia. She gets violent with anyone, even me.” Haru shook her head, “I should be one to apologize, I must have startled her.” The lady saw blood drip down Haru’s arm and saw that she had scraped her elbow. She took out a handkerchief in her bag and tied it around her wound. “Let me take you to the hospital.” “No, it’s just a small scratch. You should take care of your grandma.” Haru’s mom said. The lady took out a paper and pen from her bag. She wrote her number down and handed it to Haru. “Then we will get going.” The lady bowed to Haru and her mom, then left with her grandma. Haru’s mom turned back to her, “let’s go to the hospital and get it treated.” Haru nodded her head and held her mom’s hand. She couldn’t stop thinking about what that grandma was yelling at her. 

They arrived at the small clinic and they were greeted by a nurse at the front desk. “Welcome, how can we help you today?” “My daughter fell and scraped her elbow.” “Please come with me to room one.” The nurse stood up from her seat and Haru handed the bags over to her mom. She followed the nurse to the first room and took a seat. The nurse pulled out the metal tray with cotton swabs, pads, and antibacterial liquid. The nurse treated Haru’s wound and then wrapped it up. “Please make sure to not get it wet but if it does get wet, please come back so we can change the wrappings.” “Thank you.” Haru nodded to the nurse. “You can leave now.” The nurse was cleaning things up and Haru left the room to go back to her mom in the front. Her mom was on the phone when she got there. “She came out, we’re coming home now.” She hung up and put her phone away in her bag.

Haru grabbed some of the bags and her mom grabbed the rest. They left the clinic and headed home. Haru didn’t talk to her mom as they walked home. “I heard what that grandma said to you. Don’t think about it, she’s just crazy.” Haru nodded her head, “I know.” “That’s what happens to old people, I’ll probably be like that too from all the stress you’re giving me.” “I didn’t do anything.” Haru’s mom stopped walking and turned to look at Haru. “You should have gotten married after college but instead you choose to continue school. You should have had like two kids by now.” Haru let out a sigh, “I told you that I didn’t want to have kids this soon.” “You’re gonna hit 30 years old and it’s going to be harder for you to have kids at that age.” Haru looked at her mom, “why can’t I just stay with you until I’m old.” “No one will take care of you when your dad and I are gone.” “I know that but still, I want to live a little and do things I want to do before I get married. Can’t you promise that until I turn 30.” Haru’s mom looked at her and then she nodded. “Fine but once you’re 30 years old, you better get married and have children.” Haru wrapped her arms around her mom and kissed her on the cheek. 

She removed Haru from her and held Haru’s hand. “Let’s go home, they’re waiting for us.” Haru walked faster and dragged her mom behind her. What Haru didn’t see was that her mom’s other hand which was holding the groceries were shaking and what that old lady said made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She didn’t want to remember that nightmare she was living in when Haru had her accident. Her heart was beating fast and she began to feel numb almost. She looked at Haru as she turned and smiled. Her beautiful daughter who was yet to experience her life to the fullest was on the brink of disappearing in front of her eyes. “Mom, why are you walking so slow.” Haru came to a stop and her mom laughed at her. “I don’t have enough energy. It’s been a long morning.” Haru shook her head at her mom, “let’s sit over there at that bench and rest for a bit.” “No, we have to get home. They’re waiting for us to bring back breakfast.” HAru took a few bags from her mom and then held her hand again. “Let’s go home.” Haru led her mom again. Her mom looked at the dirt road ahead of them then something came to her thoughts that she had long hidden away.

“Your daughter was born to be sacrificed to the imugi so that he can descend to the heavens and become a real dragon. There is no way to change her fate as it has been set in the heavens before she was reborn on this earth.”

Suho looked at the colors of the hanboks and nothing caught his eyes. He didn’t know what color would look good on Haru. He didn’t know what color she liked and he didn’t want it to match his hanbok either because she might get the wrong idea. Suho paced back and forth in front of the hanboks when he saw a light pink color dress and he immediately grabbed it with his hands. There was a white top and he decided that she would look like a princess if she wore this hanbok. He put it on his desk and came back to choose the accessories. There were many hair pins but none to his liking. Pink was a hard color to pair with silver jewelry and he wondered if there would be enough time if he requested gold jewelry. The door opened and Suho turned around to see Ryu. He quickly threw the clothes over the jewelry and tried to play it off cool. “What are you doing?” Ryu asked. “Nothing.” “Why did one of the maids ask me for the keys to the treasury?” Ryu asked. “I just needed some things.” “The clothes explain it. What are you planning for the festival?” Ryu asked. “I just want to show her around before she leaves.” Suho admits. Ryu shook his head and took a seat by the pile of clothes on the now covered pile of papers that needed to be done by the end of the day.

Suho looked at the jewelry and picked out a silver ring with a silver hair pin that had pearls dangling. He turns to Ryu, “do you think…” “Don’t even ask me. You already know…” “I guess the ring is not matching. I’ll put it back, the simpler it is the better.” Suho said. Ryu felt a headache coming already, Suho had not done his work but spent his morning choosing things for the festival. “Can you at least do like a few