Seoul University —— 2020

“Mark, are you sure you aren’t sick? Or is this a body-snatching thing?”

Mark shot a glare at Haeun as he placed the shopping bags on the kitchen counter. “I felt bad and did some grocery shopping, okay? Stop being annoying.”

Haeun peeked into the bags, “Well you got the wrong milk and these apples are way too bruised up but it’s a solid first effort. Thanks kid.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He grumbled but despite it, she could see the proud glint in his eyes. “You’re welcome.”

Haeun grinned and began unpacking the groceries when Mark’s phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and glanced at the screen before rushing to answer it.

“Hey, mo—huh? Oh, wait really? I mean, yeah. Yeah, that would be great. I can come back this weekend. S-Sure. Okay, see you then. Love you.” 

She watched as Mark hung up with a dazed look on his face, “Are your parents okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. Yeah, they’re great in fact.” He sounded stunned as he stared at her, “They said they’re moving back from Canada. They want me to come over and spend the weekend.”

Haeun’s eyes were wide. As nice as Mark’s parents were, they never spent a lot of time with him. They were always busy with work that sent them around the globe. The only time they were in Korea was for layovers.

And all of a sudden they were moving back and wanted to spend time with him?

“That’s good, right?” She asked, “You’ve been missing them.”

He was still bewildered, “Right but…this has never happened before. In our past lives, my parents were never present, they never made an effort like this to be with me. This is just another thing about this world that doesn’t line up with the rest of our past lives.”

“But they remember their past lives?” She asked

Mark nodded, “Yeah they mentioned you and how you’ve looked after me for all these lives.”

As if on cue, Haeun’s phone started to ring, her parents’ number flashing. She gave Mark a wide-eyed look before answering the call on speaker, “Mom?”

“Hi sweetie, I saw your calls, sorry we haven’t gotten around to calling you back. How are you doing?”

Haeun set her phone on the table, “I’m good, I’m good I just…I met Taeyong.”

“Oh, honey, we know.” Her mother said with a laugh, “When our memories came back we knew.”

Haeun sighed, “Mom, do you ever remember anything weird with Taeyong and I when we first ever met? Anything that stood out?”

“That’s why you called? Okay well, let me think. I remember when he helped you in the palace with the Nobleman after that, a few months later you introduced us to me and after a while, we approved of the relationship and that was that. You two spent a lot of time together and eventually when you were ready you two got married and you would stay at the palace and when Taeyong needed to travel with the Royals, you would stay with us. Other than that, I can’t really think of anything else.” Her mother explained.

Haeun rubbed her eyes, “What about dad? Does he remember anything?”

Her father came on the line, “About Taeyong? Not really. I knew him from when I delivered to the palace. He was always kind and polite and we’d talk about our lives but that’s it.”

Her shoulders slouched, “Right.”

“You didn’t tell us that you were romantically involved until months after you two got together, so we weren't really paying attention to anything between you two.” Her father said.

“Alright, thanks dad.” She mumbled.

“Why are you asking? Did something happen?” He asked. 

She chewed on her lip, “Have you ever heard of The Lover’s Curse?"

“The folktale? Sure.” He quipped. 

She perked up, “Did you ever believe it?”

Her father hummed, “Not really but the shamans in the village always treated those kinds of folktales like that seriously.”

She sat up, “Shamans?”

“Yeah, like the elders that used to live in the temples, they always talked about different folktales. Lots of important people would go to them for advice and townspeople would go to them to get their fortunes read. If you want to know more about all that stuff, you should find one of them.”

Joseon Dynasty —— 1889

Maybe Taeyong was a romantic and an idealist but he thought that after he and Haeun had confessed their love for each other and agreed to be together, that he’d be able to see her more often, that he would just be given more time to speak to her, to touch her, to at least lay eyes on her.

The universe seemed to be personally dedicated to making things difficult fo him.

After that wonderful night, he had seen Haeun off with a chaste kiss in the carriage that took her back home the following morning and was immediately drowned with his duties. Instead of being able to sneak off to see her in town or spend time with her when she came to drop of treats, he was stuck in the palace around the clock. 

To say there was tension in the palace would be an understatement. The topic of Jaehyun’s marriage had come up again but it was unlike anything that had ever taken place before. Instead of Jaehyun politely dodging the topic, there was yelling, screaming, fighting, doors slamming, and threats. Taeyong always knew this was going to happen one day. He knew that Jaehyun wouldn’t be able to ignore his parents and duties for much longer. 

His dreams of choosing his own bride were never really realistic despite his parents' promises and both he and Jaehyun knew that. Now Jaehyun would have no choice but to face the issue of his marriage head first. No longer could he cross his fingers and hope for things to go his way. There was no room for his own choices or his own emotions in the palace. But how he handled this situation and his future marriage would define the rest of his life. 

It was his chance to determine his own fate.

His parents were finally officially beginning the process of finding the Prince a bride. 

And unlike the promise they previously made, the choice wouldn't be left entirely up to the Prince. Infact, the King and Queen had already begun the courting process of many suitable women.

Taeyong found himself by the Prince’s side, not just protecting him but listening to his woes and sorrows. It wasn’t often that Jaehyun looked so pained and broken. He’d sit in his room for hours just staring out the window and when he had to appear with his parents, his face was void of any genuine emotion and only smiled when required. It was empty and soulless.

Though he never spoke the words, Taeyong knew that these were the rare moments Jaehyun resented being a Crown Prince. Where he wished he wasn't next in line for the throne.

Taeyong’s heart went to his lifelong friend, someone normally so happy and optimistic was now walking around the palace like a ghost. He could never imagine being put in the same position, especially now that Haeun had his love and he had hers. He’d be devastated if he was forced to give her up. 

After a long day, he had left the palace grounds with Young Ho and Doyoung to stop at a small pub to relieve the exhaustion of the day. It was the first time they got a break but it barely felt like something to celebrate.

“It just feels wrong being at the palace, now.” Doyoung mumbled as he took a seat, “Seeing the Prince that sad and his parents so angry, doesn't feel right. I can’t even breathe when I'm there.”

Young Ho frowned, “I feel so bad for him. He’s such a good son, he does whatever is expected of him without ever complaining. He doesn’t deserve to be punished like this. We all can pick whoever we want to be our brides, he should be able to do the same.”

“He is royalty, he has to live by a different set of rules.” Doyoung said glumly. 

Young Ho looked at Taeyong, “Did he say anything?”

“No, he’s just in his room. Quiet.” He murmured as the bar maiden set a jug of beer down on his table. 

He took a sip before leaning back. Young Ho shook his head, drinking his own, “What is he going to do?”

“I don’t know.” He said softly, “I know he’s upset but I think at the end of the day, he’s going to do what’s best for the Kingdom. He will marry whoever his parents think is fitting.”

“I thought he was going to be given a choice.”

Taeyong hummed, “His parents will just give him a list of potential Princesses and Nobel woman and he will probably just choose the one he likes best out of them. That's the choice he's being given.”

“That’s so sad.” Young Ho mumbled, “He deserves so much more. He wasn't even given a chance to go out and find a woman, the King and Queen always force him to stay in the palace.”

Doyoung sighed, “All he ever wanted was to be able to chose his bride on his own terms. Now he'll never get the oppurtunitiy to see if he could find a woman like that. He'll never know what falling in love is like.”

“Sometimes we can’t have all the things we want no matter how much we want them. We must sacrifice one thing we hold dear in order to have the other; the universe will never allow us to have both. For him, it’s either his freedom or his Crown and we all know he’s always had big aspirations for when he’d take the throne.” Taeyong explained. 

Young Ho frowned, “Why couldn’t he have sacrificed something else? Something not as important?”

“Then it wouldn’t be a sacrifice.” Taeyong murmured. 

The men fell into a contemplative silence, nursing their drinks, and their heavy thoughts when a voice at a neighboring table caught their attention. 

“Did you hear about the maiden that was taken by the Nobleman?”

Taeyong froze, his hand tight around his glass as he listened to the men seated behind him. Doyoung and Young Ho looked at their leader worriedly. 

“Yes! The 26-year-old, right? I admit, the Nobleman brutalizing her in the middle of the Townsquare was appalling, but at the same time, I couldn’t believe a woman that’s unwed at her age had the nerve to attack a Nobel. It’s no wonder no man would want her. A woman her age should be walking around with her head down hoping someone would find her suitable. Instead, she is disrespecting nobility and lacking the maturity and demurity of a proper wife. I am sure she will die an unwed spinster at this rate.”

Doyoung gulped when Taeyong’s hand started to tremble and his jaw tightened the way it would whenever he was scanning crowds for threats and find ones. 

“I agree. I heard that the Royal family did not punish her and there are rumours that the Nobleman was executed instead.”

“That ridiculous. There’s no way they’d execute him.”

“Unless she’s a concubine or mistress. People in town have seen her galavanting with a man and she was seen leaving the palace late at night too.”

“No wonder she isn’t married, she’s probably being bed by the entire court. Passing her around each night and now she gets special treatment from the Royals who wouldn't dare risk punishing her when she could expose the bedroom secrets of the entire nobility.”

“Taeyon—“

He slammed his glass down, the entire pub quieting down. He stood slowly and loosened the belts on his robe so that it hung loosely on his shoulder, his royal tattoo peeking out. He turned and stared down the table.

Their eyes widened at the seal and he glared, terrifying the men, “The Nobleman was executed for assaulting a woman, stealing from the King and damaging a business. My men and I tossed him in his cell and witnessed his beheading.” 

“I—“

“And that young maiden does not sleep around the palace, she is not a concubine or a mistress. She has more character in an inch of her hair than you men have in your entire body.”

“Wha—“

Taeyong gripped one of the men’s collar and dragged him up to his face so that he could seethe, “And if you ever talk about my woman like that ever again, I will make sure you feel the same fate as the Nobleman.”

He gulped while trembling, “Y-Yes, sir.”

Taeyong dropped the man down and turned to his men who were also standing as if ready to pounce. “Sit. I’m going to head out.”

“Are you sure? We’ll come with you.”

Taeyong dropped some coins on the table, “No, I will cover your tab, enjoy yourselves, you earned a break. I’ll see you back at the quarters.”

“Where will you be going?” Young Ho asked.

“I’m going to see Haeun. I must apologize for calling her ‘my woman.’”

Doyoung and Young Ho smiled and nodded. Taeyong turned and stepped out of the bar and into the streets. They were relatively empty except for a few drunk men shouting loudly at each other. He walked in the direction of Haeun’s house when he felt himself being watched. He turned and noticed an older woman standing and staring at him.

Curious, he moved towards her when he noticed that she was dressed in ancient robes, he immediately recognized her as a shaman that lived in the temple atop the hill. The Royals used to visit her whenever they wanted to ask their fortunes. She was known for traveling to different Kingdoms and offering her services.

He bowed respectfully, “Is something the matter, shaman?”

The woman’s gaze did not falter but her eyes flickering over his face quickly before she stared up at the sky. He followed her gaze but when there was nothing above other than the stars, he looked back at the woman to see her lips moving quickly as if in prayer. 

“Are you alright?” He asked again. 

After a moment, the woman turned to him touched the top of his head, her eyes dark and cold. 

“Prepare yourself. Make the right choice and you might find salvation and eternal happiness.”

Taeyong blinked back, alarmed at the darkness coating her face, "Pardon?"

"Because death hangs over you like a curse." 

-----

Haeun had finished washing her face and had changed into her sleeping robes before slipping under her blankets. 

She was exhausted, the store had been growing busier and busier with each passing day and it was like she didn’t have a chance to get off her feet. Hell, she didn’t have the chance to even slip away to see Taeyong. Whenever she had to deliver the cakes, she barely had time to pass the basket before turning and rushing back to the shop.

With everything that was happening, it saddened her that she wasn’t able to spend time with Taeyong. To kiss him and to watch him smile under the moonlight. Sighing, she closed her eyes, sleep heavy when she heard something hit her window. Frowning, she sat up before swinging her feet over her bed and creeping towards the window. Another little pebble hitting the glass had her peering out to see Taeyong staring up at her. 

Her heart leaped as she slid her window up and poked her head out, “Taeyong? What are you doing here?”

“Sorry to wake you, I wanted to see you. Can you come out?” He whisper-shouted. 

Haeun nodded and grabbed a robe before hurrying out to the door. She reached for the knob w