“No, no, no,” Namjoo mumbled under her breath. Losing her balance, she stumbled backwards. Bumping into a woman exiting the bathhouse who shot her a shrewd look. Namjoo spun a half circle bewildered.

Her eyes landed once more on the extravaganza bathhouse. A large wooden building tacked together from strong maple barks of the highest quality. The walls high, the roofs tiled in dark gray slates. From somewhere in the beyond steam floated into the air with celebratory laughter.

Close to hyperventilating now Namjoo stepped further away from the building. She didn’t understand. Was this some kind of dream?

“Young Miss!” the man from earlier appeared through the front doors. Two wide doors that opened simultaneously. Today both doors were wide open for business. Namjoo could smell food cooking, a strange waft of what might be perfume, and a hint of steaming water and the heat from it.

Freaked out Namjoo couldn’t stay here. This wasn’t her home! This wasn’t Seoul! Where were the concrete roads? The traffic lights? The colorful cars that dominated the beautiful city she was born in? The skyscrapers that shot into the skyline, the high-rise buildings that consisted of local banks, businesses, and small restaurants secrets to those who visited?

Where were the big shopping centers? The districts consisting of restaurants varying from American to Japanese to Chinese and authentic foods?

Where was her city?!

Bombarded with a sense of panic Namjoo whirled around to run away from the man calling her Young Miss. An obnoxious title no one used specially for her in modern day.

Clumsily tripping over the foot of her weird flowery shoes Namjoo screamed. Both arms flailed outwards just as she met with the whinnying of a horse kicking its front legs into the air. The outburst of her cry turned into a menacing dolphin shriek when she looked up at what appeared like a monstrous dark animal about to trample her. The bright yellow sunlight shone on the animal half blinding her and also magnifying the huge monster.

Namjoo dropped into a clump on the pale dirt floor. Covering her head and tasting dirt.

The muster of voices surrounded her. The pain of hooves crushing her skull into smithereens had to yet occur. Slowly lifting her head Namjoo peered around at the crowd of people in front of her. Curiously stopping to watch the noise she had stirred. Namjoo took in their odd colored robes before gushing with embarrassment.

Hissing beneath her breath she pushed herself up. The horse that had almost trampled her to death was staring at her with a type of ridiculed expression. Namjoo made a face at the animal then noticed a large hand smoothing the mare’s silky coat soothingly. Surprised that it had an owner she lifted her eyes. Landing dead on Park Chanyeol.

Her boyfriend of three years even though they’d known each other for longer than that. Having meet at a poolside at some water park. At least in the 21^st century.

And he was supposed to be in some coma…

A confrontation at her house pool, she remembered as if it was yesterday, because she’d forgotten about their third-year anniversary. Putting it off for work. More focused on her father’s museum expansion and sending off the 12-men crew to Europe. Then Chanyeol had slipped into her 12-foot-deep pool. Instead of going after him she had waited seven minutes for the EMT to arrive, depriving him of oxygen that could have saved his life.

Comatose…

Was this some cruel joke?

Namjoo’s head throbbed. Had he somehow lured her into her own pool, trussed her up, and brought her to some Joseon folk village? Where was she? Andong Hahoe? Naganeupseong in Jeollanam-do?

Disregarding his silly costume and the long hair extensions, Namjoo raised her arm. Pointing a finger at him. Not humored by his act of revenge on her, “Hey, get off that horse.”

The closest man riding at the front with him gasped, shocked.

Ignoring him, Namjoo continued to stick her finger toward Chanyeol’s expressionless face, demanding, “I said get off!”

The same man, “How dare you?! Do you know who this man is? Get on your knees!”

“Young Miss! Young Miss!” Calling her with panic the man from earlier ran up to her. Clutching onto her arms fearfully. Whispering, “Please, don’t agitate them.”

Namjoo yanked away from the man. Snaring at him, “Don’t touch me!” Glaring at Chanyeol, “Ha-ha! Ok, I’m scared. You won! Now get off that damn horse!!!”

Twisting his head to the side Chanyeol whispered quietly to the man on his right, who’d been screaming at her. Attention on her, he demanded, “Get rid of her.”

“Yes, sir!” Two men called out in unison. Their heavy silver armors rattled as they climbed off their horses.

“If you’re still pissed…” Namjoo angrily started then hesitated when the men closed in on her with menace. She stepped back only to bump into the man who’d called her Young Miss. Hot eyes shot toward Chanyeol who was already moving away with his horse. Its hooves heavily thumping against the ground as it began passing her.

“Chanyeol! Get back here! Yeol!” she screeched dashing after him. Making it only two steps before the soldiers held her back.

“Young Miss! Please!” the man pleaded beside her.

Enraged, Namjoo continued screaming from the top of her lungs, “Get back here! You jerk! You lied to me!! Park Chanyeol!”

ꞜꞜꞜꞜꞜ

“!” Namjoo yelled furiously.

Chanyeol could not be in a coma.

He just couldn’t! Because! He was right here in front of her!

Namjoo huffed furiously. Back inside her room – not her room but this room she’d woken in. Spinning around in a circle, riled. Nothing made sense! This wasn’t right!

Namjoo was trying not to get overly frustrated, but that wasn’t working really well. Because of Chanyeol! Who dared to ignore her earlier! Pretend he didn’t recognize her? Oh, she’d show him her wrath later! And this! This room…this place she was in…

What the hell…

The confusion, the bewilderment of it all…Namjoo just wanted to go home. Be in her bed. Wait for her father to come home and go to work the next day. Be in her office where she belonged. Oversee the construction in their museum and the artifacts from the Roman era they were bringing home. A feat for her career that she based her entire life on. This was important because obtaining the rights for such valuables often took years of organization.

One of her first solo projects completed by herself! To prove to her father she was capable as could have been his son but she was born a girl instead. The disappointment that had weighed on her her entire life and this achievement was her proof!

Instead…where the hell was she?!

Massaging her temples, she continued mumbling, “Chanyeol…Park Chanyeol…Chanyeol…”

The door slid open quite loudly. Surprising her. Namjoo whirled around to see a woman in fancy wear stepping into the room. Sliding the door shut so fast it knocked into the threshold and bounced back an inch leaving it a crack open.

Eyes widening, Namjoo stared at the woman. The silk robe was brand new. Smooth as laminated paper. Patterned with soft hued flowers and a thick yellow belt knotted around her waist. Jewelry dangled off her headpiece, an absolute sign that she was well off and of high status. Probably owned this place.

The woman’s pretty caked up face seemed to growl at her unhappily. From the way she stood straight as a ruler in front of her reminded her of her father’s stance before he started a lecture that blew her ears off and lowered her morale. Namjoo didn’t know how to react.

Then those red lips moved. “You foolish girl!” Two steps forward and her slap stung like a .

Namjoo’s mouth gaped open. Touching her cheek, she turned to glare at the woman. No person in her entire life had raised a hand to her. Not even her father dared discipline her physically.

“!” Namjoo cursed. Another slap made her face swing to the side loosening several strands of her hair.

“Foolish!” the woman scolded. “For insulting the general to his face, you overstepped your boundary today.” Her eyes raged, her voice quivered and breathed steam that would burn her. “You will beg for his forgiveness and serve him during his stay. That is your duty and this is an order.”

“General?” Namjoo frowned, lost. “Hold on…and who are you to order me around! Do you know who I am!”

“Ladies!” her voice boomed.

Namjoo literally jumped when the door opened again and four servants appeared. Each dressed in simple outfits. Plain through and through. Their long black hair twined back into buns.

“Change her!” she demanded. Shooting her one hard stern glare, “If you try to revolt, tomorrow you will see the streets.”

Namjoo’s lower jaw shook. Pissed because she’d been slapped twice and the woman hadn’t given her the chance of day to clap back. Whoever that was strut out and slammed the door leaving her with the four women.

Namjoo’s eyes traveled from one to the other. Suddenly uncertain because she was outnumbered.

“Wh…what?” Namjoo asked. Moving a step back. Lifting her arm to point at them, “If you touch me, I’ll sue you! My father has a lawyer!” Bumping into the bed she grabbed the tiny rectangular pillow. Swinging it around, “I’m warning you!”

Somehow, they each luckily dodged the flying pillow. Their desperate expressions full of worry and concern for her.

“Young Miss, please,” one of them begged.

“I’m not Young Miss!” Namjoo shrieked collapsing onto the bed.

She didn’t make it.

Ten minutes of humiliation later Namjoo tossed the pillow at the closed door. Clutching her hands into fists and screeching through gritted teeth. Ganged up on and stripped. She was so pissed off!

Raging she went through the room that was not hers. Tearing the poster off the wall. Shoving the Chinese jars on the vanity to the floor. Listening to them shatter. Thumping her fists against the tabletop because she needed to vent.

Unable to grasp how a daughter of a businessman could be treated so pathetically! She wasn’t a simple woman. She was a woman bound to inherit her father’s entire estate along with a million dollars-worth company that would be hers in the future.

Instead she was being treated like a simpleton!

“What!” she belted out when the door opened. “Have you not had enough?!”

The four women had changed her from the white garment she’d been wearing previous. After layers and layers of adjustment they finally stopped fiddling with her clothes. Now she was in a rather pretty blue robe of quality material. Her hair fixated into a low bun with a jaded pin stabbed through it.

The outfit was what she would wear to prepare the bath for the general. Afterward she would serve him dinner. Literal word for literal word as explained to her during the ten minutes of humiliation.

“Please, lets not anger the madam,” one of them begged.

Namjoo rolled her eyes so hard she felt her brain turn.

“It’s time, Young Miss.”

Groaning Namjoo clenched her jaw. Stomping past the female servant Namjoo turned down the hallway.

“It’s this way…” the servant said.

Huffing, Namjoo swerved into the opposite direction. Following the woman down the long hallway. Passing rooms with no doors. Spotting women crouching down and scrubbing laundry against wooden boards. In another she spotted the large kitchen. A dim but busy room simultaneously filled with the sound of knives; women at the table chopping greens. Two charcoal stoves at the back currently being fired up. The smoke was thick, the heat intense. A lady in a white apron was kneeling on the ground sticking more wood into the furnace to increase the heat for what may be the soldiers’ dinner. Namjoo recognized the fresh fragrant of rice and chicken broth.

Namjoo nearly tripped when they stepped outside into the courtyard. Hissing underneath her breath because she’d been too occupied observing her surroundings. First spotting a cherry blossom tree in full blossom standing at the center of the courtyard. Growing beside a giant rock and a lay of grass. Its fresh pink leaves dancing on its way down to the pile littered beneath the thin branches.

Four main quarters stood around her. The lobby – from which she came from – where business was conducted and foods and drinks prepared. Two on the east and west side consisted of overnight rooms for guests. A double stone step at the front of each door. One of them the sole bathhouse. Between the west guest house and the central bathhouse stood a shed stocked with wood for basic uses. On the opposite side another building comprised of a stove to prepare warm water for the bath.

In the center of everything was the extremely wide courtyard and a manmade pond bordered with round stones in various sizes. Above her the pleasant sky opened up. It would start dimming now. Soon stars would light up and the moon would become a round globe floating on the water’s surface.

Namjoo was awed for the first time now that she was actually inside the bathhouse. Compared to when she stood outside the bathhouse was humongous.

“The general will be sleeping in the second room on the west side. Dinner will be served after his bath,” the female servant explained to her. “He will be using the bathhouse first. It is on the left and he requested for warm water. You must hurry before the hour of the rooster.”

“The what?” Namjoo frowned at the absurdity of what she just heard.

The servant just gave her a curt nod before scurrying away.

“Oh my God…” Namjoo mumbled aloud. “I’m so ed…so ed…”

Glancing around her she pointed at the buildings. Which one was the bathhouse again? Straight ahead?

Heaving a deep sigh that traveled so deeply into her guts, Namjoo shuffled ahead. Noticing the soil was damp from water when she neared.

“Hello?” she called out poking her head into the a shed. Hearing the squeaking noise of some sort. Using the source of light creeping in through the cracks in the wood Namjoo peered inside the shed. Recognizing the man from earlier.

“Young Miss!”

Rolling her eyeballs to the corner of her eyes, Namjoo sighed. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m filling the bath,” the man explained.

Turning back to him, Namjoo crossed her arms. Wasn’t that her job? Her eyes landed on the wooden basket beginning to overflow with the water he was pumping from a well. If there was a well there was a source of water.

Should she try swimming? After all, falling into the pool had sent her here, wherever here was.

“Is there a lake nearby?” Namjoo wondered.

“Of course! Behind the woods!” his eyes lit up. “It’s where we fish and get our water.”

“Old man Lee, what are you doing!” an elder woman screeched from a way behind her. “You shouldn’t be out there! Madam Cho is looking for you!”

“All right!” he called. Muttering, “It’s always so busy around here at this time. These women…” Speaking to her more gently, “I’ll drag this to the bathhouse. Tuck some wood from that pile under the building. It’s the furnace beneath the building. It’ll keep the water running hot, so you won’t get in trouble.”

Namjoo watched the round man several inches shorter than her, who could be her elder uncle lift up the heavy wooden bucket. He shot her a kind smile as he passed. After he left Namjoo tossed the heavy wood one piece at a time into the hole at the side of the building. Swearing when she got a splint in her finger.

Curious about the bathhouse Namjoo slid the solid brown door open. Revealing a giant bathtub of clear water. It could have been a mini-indoor swimming pool privately owned. Her lower jaw dropped. Walking inside near the edge Namjoo crouched down to stare into the water. Shocked that something like this was simply regarded as a bath.

From where she was, she could feel the warmth coming from the fire outdoors. Then the opening of the door made her peer over her shoulder up into an open robed Park Chanyeol.

In a gruff tone, he demanded, “What are you doing in here?!”

Namjoo’s arm swung out when she started tipping backward. Managing to snag the hem of his robe before they splashed into the water together.

***I am so iffy about this story ://// I have no confidence about it -.-

***for recap: Namjoo was a bad gf who focused more on work than on Chanyeol. She ignored all his phonecalls on their 3rd yr anniversary & she forgot about it. He confronted her in the morning by her house pool then, as noted, slipped and fell into the pool and ended up in a coma. Fast forward to some eerie night later after Namjoo refused to visit him in the hospital she goes out to the pool and slips into it and here she is

***So, I just decided to jump into it and develop it along the way. The background information isn't that important right now as the story flows

***Anyway time of the rooster means 5pm-7pm I got the reference here https://www.dramasrok.com/2017/02/people-time-joseon-period/