Hyomin’s pov

It’s been a while I am here. I wonder when will this all end? The tournament are around the corner now. Next week. Thinking about that, my urge to end all this became stronger. I want to leave this place and go back to my own time, soon or now if possibe.

I am not belongs to here.

A single tap on my back startled me a bit. I guess Jiyeon noticed that I am still not sleeping. I guess I move to much.

I turn around to face her and little did I know she was very close behind. Our face are now very close to each other. I can feel her breath on my face! It smell nice.

Ah no no this is not right. Too close! I try to back away but my whole body won’t listen. I just freeze there watching her eyes, her beautiful eyes. Does it always look beautiful, I wonder?

“Can’t sleep?” She ask.

I awkwardly nod to her, trying to hold my breath from time to time. Suddenly it feels like a sin to blow breath on her face. The heck.

“Then talk to me” She then said, sending suspicious alluring gaze. Why she did that? I am a bit weak though. I am ready to give in any moment to whatever she plot on me.

I feel lost looking at her whole facial features. Her eyes, her nose, her lips. She look so perfect that I think whoever that got her is so lucky. Hey, that’s me. I am her spouse. Alright, that’s funny.

I was so deep in my own thought when Jiyeon suddenly touched my lips, stopping my mind from conversing to itself. She traced her thumb along my lips sending a shiver to my whole body. 

Hey no, that’s not for touching. Do not touch. Do not. But damn, why it feel so good? Okay, keep touching it.

I am panicked when I feel myself closing the gaps of our lips. What am I doing?? Yes, we are husband and wife but but but...

No no back away. Please. RETREAT! HYOMIN JEBAL.

Our lips ended up touching each other. I shut my eyes real tight, heart beats like crazy, half enjoying, half regretting. This is not supposed to happened. Still, I am going to deepened it if not because of a shake on my shoulder.

Huh? Wait.

I quickly open my eyes. There are no Jiyeon in front of me. Just me, pursing my lips like a crazy person.

Am I dreaming? Daebak. Wanjang daebak.

A single tap on my back gave super shock to me to the point of me almost shouting. 

Deja vu!

I am not going to turn around. I am thankful it was just a dream. Let’s not turn around this time. It will be really awkward in between us if it really going to happened. No! Andwaeee~

“Bad dream? You are mumbling and moving a lot earlier” Jiyeon said on my back.

Me what?

I turn around quickly. “What did I say?”

Luckily our face are not that close like the one in my dream. Still, I back away a little, adding extra space in between us. In case.

“Not sure. It’s unclear” She said.

Now that I look at this Jiyeon, she looks normal. The one in my dream are a bit seductive though. Still, I feel insecure looking at her. For some reason, I afraid of getting too close now. Anything could happened.

“What a relief” I said, more to talking to myself.

“You are sweating” Jiyeon are about to touch my forehead but I quickly turned around, back facing her once again.

“I am fine. I am going back to sleep” I loudly fake a yawn to convinced her that I am really going back to sleep.

Oh gosh. I can feel my face redden. Just why am I getting that kind of dream? Did I secretly want to do this all this time?

But then thinking about it, why not though? Why am I getting very considerate to Jiyeon? I should have fun while I am here, right? We are married after all. Just some passionate kiss won’t hurt! Or even more than that. I will make her happy mwehehe.

Yes. I should just go bold and hold her like a man and show her what love can do.

An evil smile crept to my face as I think of all that.

But then, she is damn 16!

I feel like screaming thinking about how could I even fantasizing about doing all that stuff with Jiyeon. Like, come on! She is just an innocent girl.

I feel guilty that I start to wish my opponent next week kill me on the tournament, so I can leave this place before anything out of control happened in between Jiyeon and me.

Alright. That will be it.

But won’t it hurt?? I mean to get killed? Ugh!

Screw that. I am going to sleep for real and dream of something else. Turn out, I can’t sleep that whole night and overthink of everything.

That morning I leave our bed before Jiyeon even woke up. I jog around the house by myself.

“Hyomin!”

I stop running and search for the owner of the familiar voice.

“You are up early today” Jung hyung walk close to me.

Yes. I did hyung, I am avoiding my wife because of one random intimate dream. Oh gosh. I still feel awkward thinking about it.

“Yea. I just feel like to” That what I actually said.

Jiyeon show up on the open window, looking fresh. She must be just done with bath. The memory of last night dream come alive again on my mind.

“I am going to have breakfast with Jung hyung today” I loudly announce and quickly drag Jung Hyung leaving the scene.

Jung hyung then spend the whole time with me watching me eating my breakfast.

“What?” I asked.

“Nothing. I just feel grateful watching you” He said.

“Watch carefully. This might be our last meal together” I bluntly responded.

“Why are you saying that?” Jung hyung furrowed his brow, still watching me.

“I want a different sword for the tournament. Lend me yours” I said, avoiding to answer him.

“You are getting stable with your sword now though”

That’s why I don’t want to use my own sword.

“Eyy yours look cooler” I said.

“Hyung, won’t there any sudden attack on me like before? You know the announcement of my marriage are next week” I added.

“Don’t worry about that”

“Why?”

“Just stay alive like this” Jung hyung tapped on my shoulder, leaving me eating my breakfast alone.

...

He killed the guys who try to kill me right on the spot. That’s why.

I guess this real Hyomin is a very lucky guy. Blessed with wealth, good friends and...

...beautiful wife.

I can’t stop thinking about her.

I avoid to went home by following Jung hyung the whole day.

“What are you doing?” I asked, looking at him viewing some documents.

“So you decide to help me now?” He responded.

I know it must be the clan business thingy. That’s why I never really want to know about it.

“I need to review all this over again, so it will be easier to guide you” He added.

“Am I good with it back then?” I asked.

“You are the best” Jung hyung shoot a smile to me, seemed proud.

Why I feel like he is the best one? During our clan gathering, he is always the most active and productive one. He should be the next leader. It’s not like I am going to stay here forever.

...

“Halmeoni, am I actually dreaming?”

Jung hyung turn out to be a bit busy, so I went to bother our shaman. At least she know who I am.

“You can think like that, young master”

“What will happened if I wake up?”

I know she don’t have any answer for me and still, I asked.

I return to my place that night very late. Jiyeon is already sleeping by the time I done washing and lay down.

Unlike last night, this night I face her, examining her whole face. She looks lonely. I suddenly feel guilty for avoiding her this whole day. Just because of that one dream.

As if she can sense me watching her, Jiyeon slowly open her eyes.

“You are back” She said, smiling.

I feel a bit startled and feeling tempted to avoid her again but thinking about her lonely look earlier, I just stay there.

“Yes” I think I appears awkward but screw that. Whatever.

“What are you doing this whole day?” I asked, chasing away the awkwardness.

That night, I just watched her talking about her day. She beamed with joy telling me about it. Such a precious cutie.

I must be affected with lack of sleep last night that I fall asleep while she is still talking. Right before I drifted to dreamland I can feel her soft hand touching my cheek. Half conscious, I reached for her hand on my cheek and held it. I know it’s not a dream when I heard her surprised squeak.

Cutie. She makes it sound like she is getting caught of secretly liking me. I swear I feel the need to smile.

...

The day of tournament finally arrived. A lot of peoples start to gather around. It was like a festival. It’s been quite a while I didn’t see any crowd like this.

I choose a bright outfit for today. Blue with pink shades. I am not really a fan of pink but I just want to remember my original gender. Plus I look sassy this way. I would like to have that kind of image from public. Hyomin, the sassy warrior.

Being handsome plus a warrior, I can’t help to noticed stares and gazes from random ladies around me. Sorry, I am not single.

A poorly drawn poster of me are being held close to the tournament place. Maybe drawn by Hangyul. I guess that’s how peoples around recognized me. A poster of my opponent are right next to me. He appears big on the poster.

I unknowingly gulping down my saliva, feeling discourage out of sudden.

The ceremony start with the official announcement of the successful alliance of the two clans plus my wedding. Once again, Jiyeon and me need to do the bowing ritual in front of the crowd.

Done with all the ceremony, it’s time for the fight.

I was about to hug Jiyeon before going but someone escorted me to leave for the tournament. For some reason, I afraid I can’t make it.

The fight are held in front of the big hall. Crowds gathered around the place to watch.

A big guy show up, walking to the centre, receiving loud cheers. I guess he is my opponent. He is big but still good looking. He looks around my age too.

Jung hyung tapped my shoulder, giving me his sword. “Here you go”

Ah yea, I ask him to lend me his sword. I am dead.

There is no turning back. I can do this. I have been practicing. I should at least die trying. Right?

I walk confidently to the centre, joining the big guy who show off his sword skills as his name is announced. On my way, I search for the face of Jiyeon on the crowd but to my disappointment, I can’t find her.

That moment I heard my name, I decide that everyone should at least remember how I show off my skills on the introduction.

I did the one handstand with the other hand holding the sword up high as if showing the warrior pride. I think I watched TV too much back then to be able to think of doing that.

I close my eyes, picturing my mom’s face, so I won’t be afraid to leave this place. Weirdly, on the same time, Jiyeon’s face show up on my mind.

I flipped to the back to stand on my own feet. I was so out of my mind, I am so nervous that I don’t know I shout “Park Jiyeon, SARANGHAMNIDA!” I decide to not having any regret of not saying it out loud today.

Thanks to this body, I landed perfectly on my two feet. I feel like a real warrior now. My action gained an extra loud cheers from the audience. Looks like my handstand and body flip are cooler than sword skills of my opponent.

The cue of starting sound can be heard on the whole place. My opponent start to run with his sword towards me, shouting like crazy.

I don’t know anymore.