This is a mini chapter of Gong Yoo's arc.

***Flashback***

The fortune teller looked grim. “You are an ill-fated person.”

Yoo’s good mood decreased instantly. He tries to keep smiling but he ends up giving out a fake smile. “Are you sure you saw it right?”

The fortune teller stares at him, looking close to his eyes.

Yoo shakes it off and laughs. He pat the fellow soldiers shoulder. “I’ll see you in camp.”

As he was about to leave, the fortune lady spoke.

“In your eyes, there’s such bitter sadness.”

He took another step-

“I see, you have failed to find the one whose fate is as strong as yours.”

He froze.

The old lady looks down at the psychic board. “If you’re lucky enough to still be alive, you might find that fated one. The moment you stop closing yourself in, you will be able to reach the upmost happiness you were granted.”

She stops as her hand points to the characters on the page.

“However, if you keep standing in the same spot, things will never change,” She looks up at him, who now has turned to glance at her, “Love will be a fleeting moment. There will be ten folds the look in your eyes from now on. Bitter sadness, loneliness, guilt, devastated remorse. Hate, anger, cruelty, fear.

She breathes in deeply, “You will become what you hate the most. That is your fate.”

He turns slowly and puts his sword down on the table with a loud thud. Reaching for the pages in the booklet and board, he rips them apart and balls them in his fist. His eyes bloodshot darkly as he looks at her, face to face.

“Watch your tongue, Madam,” his lips twitch into a thin smile.

*Continue flashback*

“Brother, please, help me,” his sister cried as she was dragged to the stage.

Yoo fought off the soldiers but there were too many of them. He had entered the heart of Mongolia’s palace alone.

“Jin Hee!” he called after her. He tried to charge through but suddenly, a sword slash on his back.

He rolled on the ground as the soldiers circled around him, threatening to pierce their sword in him.

“Brother!” she called again but he couldn’t reach her. She sees him injured as tears swell up in her eyes.

Yoo stood up again and felt a hard thud on his head. He faltered, a drip of blood drips from his head to his temple. His vision blurred.

The rope was put over her head as she struggled but stop as she sees Yoo on the ground. She stare in horror as his bloodied face lay on the ground.

Suddenly the platform was removed and the rope hooked onto her neck, strangling her. Her legs kicked as she stares at her brother who managed to open his eyes as he sees what was happening to her.

No…

He struggled to get up, only to be beaten again. Weakly, he crawled to her with all his strength. But each movement made him bleed more.

She closed her eyes in attempt to reduce the pain and tries to remove the nook but couldn’t.

Not her too…

He tries to get up but a kick from a soldier, pushed him back. Yoo flew back on his back, aching wounds bled through. His world was spinning and blurred. He could hear chants echoing then the raspy voice grasping for air.

Then another chant. “The treacherous Concubine Gong has been executed!”

Tears stream down his temple as he tries to get up. Terror spread on his face as he sees her there. Jin Hee in her white clothes, strip of her title, hanged.

His lips quiver, his face pale.

No words came out of his mouth as fear had strike him.

The soldiers were ready to attack him but arrows struck all of them. Jong Kook and the group of soldiers comes through the gate, his troop. They fought through the soldiers, injuring many.

“You dare to assassinate a Goryeo lieutenant?!” Jong Kook roared. He sees the Concubine hanged. He stares at frozen, shocked Yoo.

“He entered the palace without permission and plans to help out a traitor,” one minister says.

“Treason?” Jong Kook snickers. “Since you have taken down the Mongolian King, you fear that his concubines will bear his seed and set on revenge?”

He glares at them. “Retrieve Lieutenant Yoo,” he orders his soldiers, “and the Concubine too.”

“You!” one of the Mongols shouted at him.

Jong Kook takes out his sword, pointing it at them. “These are my people. Goryeos are my people, under my responsibility from the King. If you refuse, you are disobeying the Goryeo ally.”

“If you take back the concubine’s body, then that proves that she was indeed a spy!”

Jong Kook glared at them and gestures his soldiers to the bloodied Yoo.

The ministers and soldiers could do nothing but stand in utter disgust. His soldiers went to Yoo and helped him up as he shutters in helplessness.

“Lieutenant Yoo,” Jong Kook calls him but his eyes were stuck on the hanging body. The other soldiers were after him.

My sister… Yoo, trembling in pain, slowly glances at the lifeless body swinging.

Yoo’s arm swung around Jogn Kook’s neck as he carried him to his feet. Though, his eyes only stared at the body hanging on the official post.

They exit the palace and got the outside gates. They are no longer in the palace and Mongolian borders.

Jin Hee…

Yoo pushes Jong Kook away and attempts to run back to the gate but Jong Kook stops him.

Held back against his will, Yoo could barely scream, only groaning inaudible sounds.

He had intended on getting her back from the palace to go back to Goryeo but…

I am truly alone now… I am afraid.

*Flashback to present*

Yoo empties the cup of wine in front of him. He reaches over to the empty bottle and slumps it back on the table.

“Another bottle please,” and the owner rushes to give him another bottle.

He pours himself another cup, gulping down every drop. It went on and on until he lie on the table, putting the bottle to his lips. His eyes glimmer with unshed tears as he gets and leave, struggling to walk.

He frowns as he realized he had not gone home but was standing in front of the Kim’s mansion. Shaking his head, he turned around, trying to walk carefully.

It was a while before he had finally reached home. He had gotten another bottle of wine, drinking and walking.

He finally stumbled at the gate of his own mansion. Holding onto the wall and anything for support, he made his way into the guest room.

Looking up, he couldn’t believe it. A glowy Ji Hyo sat by the table, embroidering a robe.

In this moment, he felt all his anger and loneliness melt away, layer by layer. The feeling of having someone wait for you, a family.

The wine bottle rattles by the door, catching her attention. Ji Hyo looks up at him, surprised.

“Lieutenant,” she calls him.

That’s right. Even if it was only a drunk illusion, even if she will disappear after tonight.

He steps forward, letting the wine bottle drop to the floor.

Can he be selfish, just for now?

As he reaches her with difficulty, she helps him stand up. He touches her head, patting it lightly.

Smiling sadly, “Sorry,” he couldn’t fight it as his unshed tears reappear, “You must have waited for a long time.”

As if like a dream, she smiles brightly in his eyes. “What’s this? Lieutenant,” she helps him sit but he stops her.

“Can’t you… speak informal to me?”

“Lieutenant,” she looked concern and turns to the side, as if looking at someone else. She looks back at him and her eyes cower pitifully.

He flicks her forehead, taking her by surprise. “Don’t look at me like that.”

Seeing her big eyes stare back at him made him smile. She smiles thinly as in resonance.

“Yoo-ssi, why did you drink so much?”

He breaks into a bigger smile, courageously bringing her into his arms, gently yet holding her firmly.

Resting his head on her head and shoulder, he breathes deeply, as if holding back the urge to jump in joy. It was everlasting, a moment of happiness for him. All the weight fell off his shoulders.

But then, he felt a trickling drop of guilt falling into his heart and spreading throughout his body.

He was selfish. As much as he liked Ji Hyo, he couldn’t just act carelessly. She was his cousin’s legal wife. If anyone saw this, they would think differently and she would be put in a vain position. Even if this is just an illusion, he should know where he stood.

Reluctantly, he loosens his arms, looking guilty. Parting from what seemed so real yet impossible.

“I’m sorry, forget tonight, pretend like nothing happened.”

He couldn’t look up at her and stands up swiftly, though in a much clearer state of mind. He was on his way out of the room. He pushed the drunk illusion out of his mind.

Looking up, he stops in shock, his eyes widen.

Why was Ji Hyo standing in front of him again? Was he not sober yet? Was he hallucinating from alcohol overdose? Or-

“Lieutenant Yoo, are you alright?” her voice rings in his ears. He notices the difference. Her voice…

“You… weren’t you-“ he turns his head and looks behind him.

He made a grave mistake.

There, Eun Hye sat by the table, in front of her was the embroidering robe.

Her face that flushed shyly had ashen and stares at him, as if she had been betrayed.

Conflicted, he felt the world spinning.

Did he hug Eun Hye, the woman he despised? Did Ji Hyo see that? Could she have seen everything? How long had Eun Hye been here? Ji Hyo too?

He was about to fall and Ji Hyo darts towards him, stopping him from falling on the floor. He holds his temple.

“Lieutenant, Lieutenant,” she calls him. He groans and tries to get support but fails to as he draws back into his drunk state.

The alcohol and liquor that he took earlier were all taking effect on him in one go now. Yoo fell unconscious as Ji Hyo holds up.

***