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Hyomin’s pov

I am running out of time now. For some reasons, I wish all of this is just a dream and when I woke up, nothing here will resume.

Because I can’t imagine leaving Jiyeon behind being a widow because of me. Come on. Being widow at her age are just too tragic and sad.

I am not sure will Jiyeon be fine without me but I am sure I am not going to be fine without her. I don’t want to regret letting myself getting attach to her because that is the only good things that happened to me all the time when I was here.

But that attachment is the only thing that hold me back from leaving, which cost me my own life if I keep hesitating to leave for another day, hour, minute or second.

There is this other thing that is bothering me lately. Jiyeon’s gaze whenever she look at me. She has this look that tell me she know what is going around. I didn’t tell her about me running out of time but she seemed aware of it, like magic.

Well, all the times I am temporarily losing my senses to the surrounding, she was there. Maybe that’s how she know.

“Let’s have a walk outside this place” I said to Jiyeon that night.

It’s getting dark but I want to have a night walk with her. Jiyeon obediently preparing herself to go out with me. I can see her eyes showing hesitation because it’s already dark outside but she didn’t say anything.

I bring the sword with me. In case something bad happened while we are outside. Well, on every clan meeting, the management team always mentioned about the active night thieves that is kinda unstoppable. They move around like ninja, stealing.

I am aware of that danger but I am a warrior. Alright, not really but my sword is a warrior’s sword. There are warrior’s inner energy in there. I kinda believe this sword can even save the world. Well, just saying.

We both walk past a lot of nearby villagers that still actively roam around at night. Mostly the drinking place are active and some street stalls.

“This place is so lively at night. I am going to miss this place” I hold Jiyeon’s hand firmly, trying to tell her that I am going to miss her more.

I can see Jiyeon breath in extra air before she open . “I think that is a nice spot to watch the night sky” Jiyeon pointed to a hill not too far in front of us.

We are now quite far from other peoples. The slope looks like quite a climb to get on the top but it’s quite tempting for me to climb on it and get to the top.

“You are right” I said, struggling with my heavy breath after we both arrived on the top. The view is quite breath-taking. Stars filled the skies and moon shyly hiding behind the clouds.

We both then just silently sit watching the surrounding views. Once in a while I steal a glance at her. Can’t help admiring her beauty under the moonlight.

“I am going to leave soon” There, I said it.

“I know” As expected.

“You sure you are not shaman lady” My eyes start to brimmed with tears as I talk about leaving but teasing her is a must.

“I want to be one” Alright, that was shocking. I am married to a shaman-to-be.

“Are you for real?” The tears on the tip of my eyes seemed like going back into my eyes upon hearing that.

“Not really” Jiyeon show me a toothy smile, playfully blinking.

Alright, that was cute.

“Aren’t you sad?” I think me asking that is kinda stupid but my mouth sometimes is faster than my brain. Isn’t it good if she is not sad? I can be selfish sometimes, hoping that she at least as sad as me about the farewell.

“No”

Alright.

Tears, you guys can come out now.

I lose the words to say. My heart breaks into pieces. So, it’s only me all this time? Our love is one sided? Then what about all the things that we did? Out of nothing at all?

Wait. This is good though. At least, she won’t be sad after I leave her. Good for her.

“It’s not like what you think”

What?

Jiyeon then start to sobs.

Then what? And did she just read my mind?

Jiyeon cries harder like a kid and I don’t know why I feel like doing the same? Alright, let’s cries our heart out.

And I cried along.

I don’t know. We just sat there for half an hour and just crying. Thinking about how funny we might look like, I start to laugh. Jiyeon then start to laugh with me.

Alright, we look like crazy now.

“I’m not sad because we will meet again” Jiyeon then said.

I stop laughing like immediately right after I heard that. I look at her face, searching for the truth in it.

“You didn’t say that just to make me feel better?” I ask.

“No I didn’t. It’s true”

She didn’t seemed like made that up.

“Then why are you crying?”

“Because it’s going to took some time and I am going to miss you” Jiyeon’s voice start to crack again.

“How is that even possible? I am living far in future” Mixed of emotion start to build up inside me. I feel so devastated out of sudden.

“Then how do you think it is possible for you to come here in the first place?”

Wait.

“That’s because I am almost dying on the other side. You not going to hurt yourself right?”

I won’t let her for sure if that is what’s on her mind to make it possible.

“I don’t know” That is all Jiyeon said.

That respond is shockingly not good. I feel the need to get mad at her.

“Hey promise me you won’t hurt yourself” I raised my voice a bit, can’t help feeling anxious.

Jiyeon didn’t say anything. So I beg her. “Please”

I took her hand and entwining our pinky fingers together, trying to soften the atmosphere. “This is call pinky promise. The most sacred and serious style of promising”

“Doesn’t seems so to me” Jiyeon suddenly cut my words.

Aigoo..

Alright.

“Still. Promise me don’t hurt yourself” I said, looking into her eyes.

Jiyeon slowly nod her head and I put our thumb together.

“And what is that?” She ask.

“Sealing the promise” I start feeling like laughing. This is really childish.

“Sign here” I show her my palm.

“What?”

“Just wrote your name there”

“Why?”

“Just do it”

...

“You are quite stubborn” I said, noticing some new side of Jiyeon. What a waste if I am going back now. There must be a lot more that I don’t know about her.

We are both walking back to our place now and the way back are a lot darker then earlier. I guess the villagers start to return to their own home by now. Just several drinking places are still operating.

“Yes” Jiyeon just said that as a respond.

“Is there other way for us to meet in future?” I then ask. I really want both of us to meet again but not by harming ourselves.

“You know I am quite sure we going to meet again but I don’t have any idea how will that going to happen”

For some reason, I believe in what she said there.

“You did sound like a shaman” I said.

We both laugh to that.

“It’s like a gift from nature”

Huh?

“Never mind” Jiyeon then said that as she sense my confusion.

“Eyy you mean something like given talent?” Why is this women love to act so mysterious?

“Yes...” Jiyeon was about to say something but then she stop. We both looking at each other, both aware of changing vibe of surrounding.

A sound of movements can be heard around us. I listened more, in case it’s Jung hyung like last time.

“Hyung?” I decide to ask.

Sensing that it’s not, I start to pull out the sword from my back. On the next few seconds we are surrounded by a group of peoples wearing black.

I guess they are the so called ninja thieves.

As I fully detached the sword from the cover, I feel a very strong force entering my body on my hand that hold the sword. The pain spreading everywhere, making me fall on my knee.

I tried to fight the pain but it’s unbearable. This never happened before.

I can see the guys are approaching us, ready to attack.

“No” I weakly shout.

My hearing start to fade, adding to the amount of difficulties for me to even fight.

“Hyomin” I heard Jiyeon’s voice start to fade.

I didn’t realize she was struggling to separate the sword from me since earlier.

As she successfully did, I start to lose my sense of touch. I can’t feel anything.

I saw her slaying the group of guys fiercely. She move fast like a wind.

I don’t even know what position I did now watching her. I can’t feel myself but I feel something in me. The inner energy is still on me even I am now not in contact with the sword.

I saw Jiyeon running towards me. All the guys lies bleeding on the ground.

And then all went black.

...

When I woke up, I was sit facing Jiyeon.

I was going to say how glad I am that I still can see her but I can’t do it. I can’t move. I feel so much pain inside me that I believe I am going to die.

I saw the shaman gave her a bowl of decoction and she move close to me. She plead with her eyes for me to drink it. The shaman then move to my back.

I think I know what is going on.

“The inner energy won’t hold long” I heard the shaman voice faintly from my back.

I then realized the pain start to take away my consciousness once again.  I feel like the pain is leaving me. The inner energy seemed like holding my life. Realizing my situation, I saw Jiyeon forcefully make me drink the decoction on the bowl.

My vision start to get blurred by my own tears. How sad it is that I can’t even feel the tears running down my own cheeks.

Everything fade from my sight except for her. Tears heavily running down her cheeks but she smile to me.

Yes I am glad it’s you.

You sound like coming from heaven.

Are you choosing this game on purpose?

You are back.

Bad dream? You are mumbling and moving a lot earlier.

I made it. Do you want to try it?

You are so beautiful.

You are sleeping the whole time I did.

Let me look at your wound.

Did you get hurt?

Our memories replayed backward on my mind until the first time I met her and that is when I out.

...