영원히

OST: I.O.I- I love you, I remember you

Destined

Little Soondeok was watching her friends play around the garden as she sulked at the corner. She wasn't the type who liked to be with girls and hang out with them. She didn't like to dress up like a princess and fix her hair. What she liked to do was practice martial arts with her father all day.

"Soondeok! Come play with us!"

One of the girls shouted at her but she just shook her head gently. She remembered it clearly that her sister was just like this before, all girly and pretty, and she ended up being married to a royalty.

Soondeok promised to herself at her very young age that she wouldn't end up like her sister. Instead, she would be like her father, a mighty soldier who would fight for the country. She would be a girl with pride and honor, not just a pretty face.

She let out a tiny sigh as the breeze gently touched her face. She closed her eyes in content and waited for the cool air leave her skin. When she opened her eyes, a little flower was in front of her and someone was holding it.

Her little eyes widened and looked at her side. There was a little boy standing beside her, with a wide grin plastered on his face. He extended the flower closer to her face and she accepted it reluctantly.

In contrast to the boy's smile, Soondeok was frowning. Why would this boy give her a flower? She furrowed her eyebrows and looked at the flower intently.

With her frown, the grin from the boy's face disappeared and he pouted a little, "That's strange. All pretty girls like flowers. You would like it, right?"

Upon hearing what the boy said, Soondeok lifted her gaze from the flower and looked at the boy. The moment her eyes met his, her heart fluttered. Her cheeks felt warm and she couldn't help but to smile, even just a little.

"W-what's your name?"

The boy showed his toothy smile, "I'm 10th prince Eun. What about yours?"

"P-Park S-Soondeok..." Her voice almost came out as a whisper.

The moment the boy told her his name, her promise to herself seemed to vanish and it's most likely the start of a blossoming romance.

Soondeok had her first love.

"Happy Birthday to you, Wangja-nim..."

Soondeok had return from a war with her father just in time for the 10th Prince's birthday celebration. She had caught a bear and she planned to give it to him as a gift.

"W-what are you?!"

The 10th prince shouted at her while the others looked at them in worry.

Soondeok pushed the bear closer to him but he moved back away from her, like he was afraid. She tried again and her prince just moved farther.

"Why did you think that I'm going to accept that!!?"

Heartbroken with what Prince Eun reacted to her gift, she shoved the bear to his younger brother, Prince Jung, and stomped away from the celebration to mend her broken heart.

"Hera! Shift's over!"

Hera looked over her shoulders and smiled at her colleague who just informed her that her shift for the day was over.

"Thanks!" She smiled and took off her apron from her waist and prepared herself to go.

It's been a long time since she's been having some dreams about a prince named Eun. She's been trying to figure out who he was and why he's in her dreams. But to no avail, there's nothing.

She stepped out from the cafe and looked around. There's not much people during this hour since it was pretty late. She began walking before she pass out due to tiredness.

Her eyes were already closing and she couldn't see the way clearly. She bumped into someone and luckily she was caught just in time.

She tried to fight the sleepiness away and looked at the person who caught her. She couldn't make the right face and someone else appeared from her vision.

"W-Wangja...nim...?"

Hera opened her eyes and felt that she had a good sleep. Her bed was so soft that her body was relaxed the whole night. She got up and stretched her arms to shake the sleepiness away.

"You're awake already."

A man was staring at her and she felt uncomfortable immediately. She took the blanket and hugged it closer to her body for protection... just in case.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't do anything bad to you." The man laughed, creating small crescents that was painfully familiar for her. "I brought you to my house because you passed out on me last night."

Hera's cheeks reddened and she bowed in shame. "I'm sorry, I was so tired last night. Sorry for the trouble."

"No worries, I'm glad that I was the one who found you."

His low voice sent shivers to her spine. Everything about this man was really something that she knew before. She just didn't want to creep out the man who helped her.

The moment her eyes met his, automatically spoke on its own. "Wang Eun..."

The man in front of her paused and looked shocked with what she said. The expression he gave her was familiar from her memories, the ones that kept on appearing even if she's awake.

"I'm sorry, but my name's not Wang Eun. It's Byun Baekhyun." He went closer to her and extended an arm, "What about yours?"

"I'm 10th prince Eun. What about yours?"

Soondeok. "Hera. Ji... H-Hera."

Baekhyun was the one who took her hand and shook it lightly, "Nice to meet you, Hera. Now let's get you out of the bed so you could eat."

After having breakfast, Baekhyun lent her some clothes which was really nice. It didn't look too girly nor manly. Just right. He was kind enough to let her use his bathroom and even her to work.

"I've bothered you throughout the day, Baekhyun-ssi. I'm sorry."

Baekhyun stopped walking as they were already at the cafe. "I'm glad that I'm able to save you from danger last night, Hera. Drop the formality, you could call me oppa or just Baekhyun."

Hera bowed again and smiled at him. "Thank you, really."

"Anytime."

"So.. Hera, are you free this weekend?"

Baekhyun smiled as he ordered himself a cup if hot caramel macchiato. Hera was the one in charge of the cashier and she smiled as she took his order.

It's been days since Baekhyun saved her from sleeping in the middle of the streets. She literally bugged him for her payment and Baekhyun said he would think of it first.

Familiar feelings washed over her even though she had just met him days ago. She didn't know why but there's this certain fondness she couldn't wave off.

"I think so."

"Great!" Baekhyun clapped his hands before taking his order of warm coffee. "I just saw a nice restaurant to try out and I needed someone to accompany me. It's just that, it's you who came inside my mind first."

And I've been thinking about you all the time. "You just needed a companion so you wouldn't look lonely while you eat. I'm on but it's your treat." Hera chuckled as she handed him his change.

"Always."

Hera shifted to her seat uncomfortably as she looked around the place. It was an expensive restaurant and Baekhyun didn't even inform her.

"Relax, Hera. It's my treat remember?"

She pouted and nodded at him but she was still feeling out of place. The place was fitting for higher people, like royalty... a Prince.

"Wangja-nim..." she mumbled mindlessly as she stared at him. She didn't even know why she kept on blurting that word even though she knew his name. Like she had been calling him that in the past.

"Hm..?" Baekhyun gave into her calling and smiled. "Did you have something to order already?"

She felt like her heart stopped and waved her hand, "No. Just order for me."

Before he would be creeped out, she really needed to forget about that Prince.

After eating to their hearts content, Baekhyun led her to a store. A novelty store where everything was about fun.

"I needed something to buy here. Would you help me choose?"

She didn't answer him as she looked around and smiled while she grabbed a tiny bunny plushie.

"Wow, it really looked like the real thing!"

Soondeok smiled as she accepted the bunny towel that was made by her Prince.

"Looks like I have to show you my skills."

The 10th Prince was very skilled when it comes to making novelty goods. Characters that's made from towels, Paper Boats and many more were the prince's specialty. They even raced on who's going to finish first with the paper boats. Being the considerate wife, Soondeok would always let the prince win. Happy times as they were together before the king would catch them.

"What do you mean by prince..." Prince Eun started slowly, "I just wanted to open the largest novelty shop in Songak. That was my dream. I didn't even want to be king."

Soondeok smiled as she faced her husband, "You could still do that. You should open your shop when we reach Tamra. And then I would teach martial arts."

"Let's do that?"

Soondeok nodded happily.

"Hera?"

Hera dropped the plushie and looked at Baekhyun. "Y-Yes?"

Baekhyun's eyes were full of worry as he stared at her. "Y-You didn't answer me when I asked you awhile ago. Did you remember something or...?"

Hera just looked away and bit her lip. She couldn't tell Baekhyun that she remembered her past life with her husband, the prince that just looked like him. She wouldn't dare to scare him with her weird memories.

"I... I need some air."

Baekhyun looked at her disappearing figure and sighed as he picked up the bunny plushie she dropped to the ground.

They were just resting at the park when Baekhyun asked Hera something that she feared for. "Would you like to tell me about that Wang Eun you called me on the first day we met? Who was he? Your boyfriend?"

No, he's my husband. "Ah, just some random guy who kept on appearing in every fragments of my dreams and my memories. I didn't know him personally and..." Hera hesitated for a bit, "...he looked just like you."

She expected him to be already freaking out but he just let out a smile and looked up at the sky, "Maybe I was him during my past life, don't you think?"

"I.. I'm not sure." and that's the truth.

He sighed softly as the breeze blew gently, "Based from what you called him, he's from thousands of years ago. Maybe he was letting you know that he's still there for you."

Hera smiled, feeling the breeze on her skin. "Maybe... but he was just from the past. A past life of someone who had been haunting me."

Baekhyun cleared his throat and diverted the topic. "You know what, from the day that I saw you up to now... There's this something I've been feeling like we're close before. Like I knew you even before we met. That's why I wanted to give you something..."

Hera looked at him as he took out a paper bag and handed it to her. She opened the bag and saw the tiny plushie she noticed at the shop earlier.

"I didn't know what to give you so I was hinting that you should help me but you already had that bunny in your hands."

"T-Thank you..." She was completely speechless as her eyes were already tearing up. She couldn't deny her feelings for him anymore. Even if he's the Prince Eun she knew from the past or the Byun Baekhyun she knew now.

"C'mon, let's get you home safely." Baekhyun stood up and offered his hand.

She looked up to him and he was smiling at her genuinely. She slowly extended her hand and took his hand with hers.

Meet me at Namsan Tower. I have something to tell you.

That's what the text said. Hera was very excited to meet Baekhyun again. It's been weeks since they have seen each other and she was nervous because she would take this as an opportunity to tell him that he's really the one she's been seeing in her dreams as the Prince who lived in Goryeo. The prince she fell in love with, her husband.

She arrived at the place shortly and saw Baekhyun waiting for her with his hands inside his pockets. He must've been waiting for so long that he looked like he was really cold. She chuckled and called him as she walked nearer.

"Baekhyun!"

The man smiled at the moment his name was called. He waved his hand and she waved back with a big smile plastered on her beautiful face. He was about to walk to her when somebody went to his side and pointed a knife.

Hera saw this and she was stunned. She couldn't move her body and shout for help. Baekhyun was in danger. As she continued to look at the sight before her eyes, another fast flashback came in.

"You should go while you still can."

Soondeok told her husband as he countered the sword that was about to attack her. She was already injured because it was only the two of them versus a group of soldiers the king sent to kill them.

"Be quiet." Prince Eun panted as he stabilized his breathing. "I would be the one to protect you."

She just let him be as her wounds started to ache.

"Hyung-nim! Let us go! I promise you that if you let us go, we will never go back to Songak again! Think of the bond as we grow together!" Prince Eun pleaded his brother to let them go. He was holding her behind him as support.

King Jeongjong, or his brother Prince Yo, seemed unbothered by his brother's pleadings. As Eun continued to reason out, a soldier was aiming to stab him.

Soondeok, being a trained soldier, sensed the danger and pushed her husband to the ground and faced the soldier, ready to fight back. But she was a little late, the soldier stabbed her causing her to lose balance and fall down.

Prince Eun dropped his sword and crawled to his wife and cradled her in his hands as she drifted away from life, "My wife... Soondeok-ah.. It's going to be alright. Let's go together. It's okay.."

Catching a big breath, Hera remembered how she, Soondeok died. It was because she saved Prince Eun... and she's more than willing to save Baekhyun now. She gathered her strength and ran towards him.

Baekhyun tried to fight the man who had the knife but when the man was about to attack him, he was pushed down and saw Hera receiving the knife. The man grunted as he dropped the knife to the ground and ran away.

Hera was slowly drifting away just like Soondeok before. Baekhyun held her body close to him, "No, Hera. Not yet...it's going to be alright. I'm going to ask for help. Hold on.." His voice was already breaking down.

She smiled. Her eyes were slowly closing as she felt her strength leaving her body. She didn't have the chance to tell Baekhyun about her dreams, her past with him. It seemed like history is repeating itself. If ever Soondeok and Prince Eun were really meant for the future, they would have been from the start.

"Hera-ah, just hold on..."

"Hera..."

"Hera.."

"My wife... Soondeok-ah.."

"I managed to bring this..." Prince Eun started as he looked for something to give his wife.

Soondeok waited as she played at the bunny towel her husband made. She put flower petals as the bunny's eyes.

Prince Eun held an incense pouch in front of her. She looked at him with bored eyes as she frowned, "Yeah, your first love would like that..."

"It's for you!" The prince shouted. He put the pouch into her lap and sulked. "Don't embarrass your husband. Yeonhwa told me what kind of girl was without an incense pouch."

Soondeok continued to stare at what her husband gave her and let out a sigh. Prince Eun noticed her dissapointment, "Did you not like it...? That's strange. All pretty girls like it."

She looked at her husband as she remembered their first meeting as kids. The prince seemed to be surprised at what he said, "I'm not saying you're pretty... it just that... these days you didn't look so bad.." He laughed as he continued. "I have eye issues..."

Soondeok was already tearing up and braved herself to kiss her husband. Prince Eun didn't move and she smiled at him, "I know what you mean. Even the flowers from a pumpkin was still a flower."

The prince blinked at her and cleared his throat. "I... I want two sons and two daughters. I wouldn't have it any other way!"

She was surprised with what he said, "Kissing would make me pregnant?" She touched her lips feeling a slight worry inside her.

The prince paused and looked at her lovingly without her knowledge as he whispered,

"It would have been nice to live like this from the start."

Hera opened her eyes as she tried to shift her body. She was aching all over and she was really tired. She looked around and she was inside a room, a hospital room to be exact.

The door opened and revealed Baekhyun. He looked tired as he smiled at her. He walked towards the bed and sat beside her.

"You're a crazy woman you know that?"

"I know." She chuckled lightly. "I'm really crazy because I've been having dreams of us, like we're together from the past."

Baekhyun paused and looked at her intensely. He held her hand and hugged her, "Silly, next time... Let me take the blow. You've been doing that ever since."

Hera pulled away from the hug and stared at him with wide eyes. "D-did you mean you knew...?"

He just shrugged and flicked her forehead lightly. "I'm the man here. I would be the one who should protect you."

"Okay." She nodded as she reached for his lips and kissed it lightly. "I would let you protect me in this lifetime."

Baekhyun smiled tenderly as he closed the distance again and captured her soft lips as they shared their new love together.

Prince Eun stared at his wife in so much pain. He didn't even had the chance to grieve because the king shot him with two arrows that brought both physical and emotional pains. Even if his fourth brother, Prince So, came to rescue him, he felt like it was too late to live. His reason to go on with life was long gone. He could still relive the last time he spent with his wife, all the promises and dreams they told each other to fulfill.

"Eun-ah!!" Prince So shouted as he dropped his sword to come to his brother's aid.

Prince Eun looked at his older brother and spoke with all the strength he had, "Do you remember back on my birthday? You told me you would give me anything. He manipulated me...."

Prince So couldn't bear to look at his brother dying in pain. Prince Eun continued as he looked at his deceased spouse, "That girl... I couldn't let her go alone."

As more tears poured down from Prince So's eyes, he was contemplating if he could give what his brother wanted.

"It's fine if you just..." Prince Eun was starting to lose his strength but managed to continue, "It's a gift only you could give me."

With his brother's last wish, Prince So was torn on keeping his promise or saving his brother. But when he saw the pleading look on Eun's eyes, like he was begging to join his wife, he got his sword and finally gave in to his brother's wish.

As Prince Eun dropped to the ground, slowly succumbing to death, he tried to reach for his wife's hand. Wanting to die with the both of them linked together, he slowly stretched his arm but he was a little too late, his breath came to an end.

Baekhyun stared at the sleeping figure beside him as he began her soft hair. Hera just fell asleep and he was thankful that nothing bad happened to her.

"I wouldn't let anyone or anything to break us apart , Hera-ah. It took me a lifetime to find you and I would never let go of you again. I'm going to protect you as Byun Baekhyun this time. I didn't get to say this before we died but I love you, my Soondeok."