"You were pampered a lot, It must have been so difficult in our world" Eun Seob said observing the comradeship between his doppelganger and King Arthur.

"Well, I had something much more valuable in your world" Lee Gon said looking at Tae Eul whose face now resembled a tomato. Na-ri suppressed her squeal, one thing was clear to her now, the King liked her Unnie. Maybe the Captain has a one sided crush going on.

Jo Yeong in the Palace study waits for the King and says upon on his arrival holding up a bullet proof vest, "You must wear this from now on."

"You are going to protect me anyway" the King replies disinterested.

"Still, you must wear this" Yeong says following the King.

"You know, he is not wrong" Shin Jae said remembering the various high profile people he dealt with before making as a detective in the violent divisions team. Everyone seemed to think they are invincible and this seems to be the same for the parallel world too.

Lee Gon frowned when he heard what Shin Jae said while Tae Eul turned to say the same he nodded his consent earnestly. Eun Ah smiled at the scene, gosh how many years has it been since she witnessed such a scene.

Looking over a few documents the King asks, "Will you feel better if I do?" sitting down on the chair. Grinning at the bodyguard he says, "Then you can wear two for me."

"Aigooo! You and your father are such a headache for my family" Wook replied looking at the Princess with a frown.

Eun Ah grinned toothily at him remembering the incident,

"Princess, you are not going out. Nope! Nada! None! No way!" Wook said glaring at the Princess. It has been one and half years since the monarchy of their world changed arms and the Princess in front of him was declared dead. Eun Ah glared at the stubborn Wook willing him to back down with her eyes but he was relentless when it came to her safety.

"Wook, no one would recognize me. I am thoroughly disguised and no one is exactly looking for a zombie princess."

"Maybe not! But they are suspecting of a rebel group in the capital for a long time and even if you get suspected a little, not only yours but all our lives would be over" Wook was not backing down this time and he knew just the weak point to make her renounce her decision of going out.

Eun Ah knew he knew that he had won the argument but even that handsome face was not something she wanted to see right now. Today was her family's day ,the day that was allotted in remembrance of her family, she just wanted to visit their graves? memorial? she doesn't even know what she was thinking anymore.

Wook smiled at her gently and said, "Do you wanna go to the reservoir?"

Faking a gasp Eun Ah replied, "OH MY! What am I seeing, Is the rules following role model breaking the most scared rule. What will happen when Aunt finds out?"

Although Eun Ah may not openly say it, she respects her Aunt for all she has done for the country and for her family. "You just need to wear a bullet proof vest as a precaution even though the reservoir is a safe place I scouted in my last mission" Wook said feeling elated at the happiness expressed at the princess's face holding up a bullet proof vest.

"No! You wear it, you are going to protect me anyway."

"I'll be scolded very severely if you do not follow my instructions and the chance to go out after a year and a half."

"If  we are sneaking out, who will scold you."

"My conscience" 'and my heart' Wook said to himself grinning at the Princess as she let out a squeal of laughter. It has been ages since he has heard the sound and he had every intention of making her happy as much as he could.

Eun Ah to tease further said to Wook on remembering the incident, "Maybe we are exactly like our fathers." Eun Ah will always remember the face Wook made when he heard what she said and use it as blackmail material for later or if they had a later. She sobered at that thought, she forgot that maybe this version of her would not have a future if the things are going to be redone. Shaking off the somber thoughts she paid the screen her full attention.

"I'm really going to get a warning if you don't listen."

"You're the captain. Who would give you a warning?" the King asks still looking over some papers.

"My sense of duty" Yeong replies which makes the King look up at him. They both stare at each other for a few moments until the King says, "You just made it really awkward."

Tae Eul hid her grin at that, the boys do really crack her up. She didn't know the King had a habit of needling everyone and not just her. It was certainly entertaining to see the bond between the King and his Captain. Lee Gon deserved at least one proper relationship in the world where he is always viewed as a monarch and not as a simple person.

Taking a huge breath the bodyguard replies, "We caught all the men who caused the scene at the competition. And we're looking for the White Rabbit with the clock you saw. I will check whether it is a rabbit or a clock once when we find it."

The King smiling slightly walks up to the Yeong and leans forward making Yeong lean backwards, "Are you having fun, Captain Jo?"

At Seung Ah's piercing stare at him, Yeong shifted his legs and cleared his throat rather loudly. There was something in her gaze resembling something like sympathy? but why? This whole viewing is going to be the death of him trying to figure out everyone. Everyone seems to be hiding something or the other.

"Don't"

"Don't do what? the King asks smiling.

Eun Seob was puzzled at the scene that was playing in the screen and asked, "King Arthur, Do you perhaps like the guy?" indicating Yeong with a grimacing face. Except Tae Eul and Yeong everyone waited with bated breath to hear his answer but the King just smiled and leaned on the sofa to watch the screen like he didn't hear anything.

Everyone could hear Seung Ah mumbling something under her breath at the King's non response.

"Why do you want to catch the culprit yourself? Do you want to get a Brave Citizen Award?" Yeong asks as the King walks to the bookcases.

"Why would I catch the culprit? You should be catching the culprit as the Captain of the Royal Guards" the King replies searching for a book. Looking at the captain the King says, "I'm not catching anyone. I'm just trying to find the face that only I can recognize." The Mystery Man image is shown as the King thinks about it.

"You are still looking for him, do you think you have already found him?" Na-ri asked the King turning to him. The King just shrugged and said, "It must be someone close to the Lieutenant, upto that I have figured out somewhat but who exactly I don't know."

Na-ri nodded thoughtfully and looked deep in her thoughts. No wonder the future kids wanted them to watch what happens, it seems like no one is exactly that smart or foresighted perhaps! She recognized the moment she saw the shoulders and the King was true the mystery man is someone close to Tae Eul Unnie after all.

"Every time something like this happens, it feels like that person is there. When it happened 25 years ago, today as well" the King says lost in thought.

Yeong in a gentle voice replies to the King, "It's been 25 years. Your saviour must have aged a lot. Do you think you can recognize the face?"

"I'm not sure. We might have already met unknowingly. But why hasn't my saviour ever come to see me?"

"Don't worry, everything will work out eventually" Tae Eul said placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Because you've grown up well. You don't need anyone's help now."

They look at each other in understanding and the King smiles saying, "You're not mad at me anymore. My dear Yeongie. How about a glass of beer?"

Eun Seob smiled and said to himself, "So, this was the plan. It's a nice idea to get out of any trouble, talk about something serious and avoid getting punishment by successfully distracting them." He stored the information for later to use it as he glanced subtly at Na-ri sitting beside him.

"No, thank you" the Captain replies holding up the bullet proof vest once more.

Eun Ah grinned once more at the similarities between father and son.

"You can go home" the King says sighing.

Taking a book from the bookcase the King sits in his chair nursing a glass of beer turning to a particular page inside the book-Alice in Wonderland. Inside is the id card of Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul's looking old and worn. The King looks at it wistfully and says, "I am older than you now, Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul" looking at the date of birth printed at the back. He then looks at the date as it reads September 10, 2019.

Jeong Tae Eul face showed her surprise but she also knew that this man was becoming someone she could never forget and she wasn't sure she ever could.

Republic of Korea, Fall 2019

Jeong Tae Eul in colorful clothes is walking towards wearing her sunglasses towards a car.

Tae Eul-iee turned to look at the King for his reaction and he did not disappoint murmuring pretty under his breath looking at the screen transfixed. He always manages to bring out her inner feminine self no matter how much she hid it as she thought blushing.

She gets in the car after depositing her bag in the passenger seat and starts the car looking intently at the mirror. She hits a car while backing making a loud noise. A security guard and a delivery man also see the crash and exclaim, "Oh my! She totally crashed into it. I think that'll cost about 370,000 won."

"But you know how to drive flawlessly" The King asked out aloud in confusion while Yeong rolled his eyes. Sometimes the King really proved he was a nerd and not an officer of the state.

"She didn't have to hit it that hard, My goodness!" the security guard says reaching for the phone to call the owner of the damaged car.

"Hello, this is the security office. You live in Unit 405, right? There's some bad news. Some woman just crashed her car into yours!"

"This always works" Shin Jae replied nodding at the screen indicating his team's efficiency proudly to Eun Seob.

Eun Ah was wondering what was happening, it's true she has not seen her mother drive a car many times in her life, her being a Queen and all but she was sure she wasn't this bad either.

Tae Eul panicking gets off her car worriedly saying, "Oh, no. What do I do? Oh my gosh what do I do?" She inspects the damage she did saying sorry again and again and gets on her car. She crashes once again before fleeing the scene.

"What? what's she doing? Oh gosh she's insane?" the security relays to the car owners who are enraged at Tae Eul as she didn't stop as they kept calling her. "It's illegal if you just leave. No, stop! Hey mam. Stop. Stop. You should come down. All right" the security still on the phone tells the owners.

"All are officers aren't you?" Yeong asked capturing everyone's attention. Eun Seob answered him, "Yes, they are always planning some kind of plan like this to catch the bad guys. You should see the discussion, you would think they were planning what to eat in their picnic not an undercover operation."

The watchman sitting there says, "He won't come down. Only delivery guys go up to his house. He hasn't come down for quite a while."

The delivering man smirking replies, "I'm telling you, he'll come down. Bad guys are more sensitive when it comes to others breaking the law. This is the most effective method."

Eun Ah finally realizing what they were talking about said, "Oh!." She has never seen her mother as a detective so it was new for her to see the Queen that way suddenly.

On a rooftop eating ice cream replying to his radio is Kang Shin Jae, "Kim Bok-man and two others have left the house."

The delivery man replies, "I'll block their escape route" with the security guard too replying his consent. This seems to be an undercover operation. The owners rush downstairs checking their car. "Oh! This is awful. The who crashed into my car. Where is she?" the man asked the undercover security guard.

Lee Gon wanted to behead that man, How dare he call a Queen such a vile name. If only he was here he thought clenching his fists.

Shin Jae from his spot on the rooftop is seen watching Tae Eul drive away while eating his ice cream. He then speaks into his radio, "Tae Eul, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. You know. I've done this many times. I'm not hurt. Don't worry" the jolly Tae Eul said to her radio.

"I mean, is your outfit really okay? Your top and bottom really don't match right now" Shin Jae said to his radio worried.

"I too wanted to ask that the same to you" Lee Gon started turning to the Lieutenant. Tae Eul will really kill him if he said the dress was too much for her. "It's just that I noticed that you preferred earth-tone clothes, so is all the undercover clothes the exact opposite of your taste ?." 

Tae Eul stared at him in wonder, in what school did he learn to speak like that making one feel this warm and uncomfortable, Ah! how irritating, how can he know exactly what was going on her mind. She huffed at him and turned to see the screen. Lee Gon got the impression that somehow he said the wrong thing.

Looking down at her outfit Tae Eul asks, "What's wrong with my outfit? It's all about being natural. It emphasizes the colors of these clothes. I'm dressed as a chic, professional city girl. I think I look great."

"You should've dressed up properly. Why only focus on the colors?"

Eun Ah suppressed her laughter, it looked like her sister inherited her tastes from their mother. She shook herself of the sadness that settled her at the thought of her sister, Min Ah. She will meet her soon, Eun Ah needs to believe that.

Tae Eul then applies the breaks suddenly stopping the car with a jerk. Sighing Shin Jae remarks, "She has such a filthy temper." Glancing up from the steering wheel Tae Eul reports, "Wait, there's weird smell, come down." She said taking off her sunglasses as she races back the way she came from.

Here the Detective Park Moon-sik disguised as the security guard is talking to the suspect, "So I'm saying, some woman just crashed her car into yours and just drove off..." he said pointing at the gate as Tae Eul in the car is zooming back in reverse surprising everyone.

"It's that car. The one driving backward like that. You drove off naturally, but why are you coming...Hey! Ma'm! What are you doing?"

"Not subtle at all" Wook said smiling, this was fun at last.

"Hey! Damn it" the boys cries as the car stops from a inch of them. Tae Eul opens the car door stylishly and walks towards the damaged car as the men surrounding her curse at her.

Yeong eyes the King's clenched hands, well he now knows at least what one the group is thinking at last. He just wishes the King knows the risk he is taking by being infatuated with a woman literally not from their world.

One of them grabs her collar and stops her saying, "What a crazy . Hey, do you have a death wish?." It results in him getting a kick in the shin and pushed into the car trunk making it open by the force.

"Yes!!" Eun Ah fist pumps Wook grinning at the screen resisting the urge to say 'That's her mom.'

Tae Eul waits for it open as the beaten man yells, "Oh, it hurts. My back!" The trunk reveals a body concealed in it. Tae Eul says into her radio, "We found a body in the trunk. We're changing this from an illegal gambling website case to a murder case" looking at her captain. The accused man starts yelling at them saying, "No!No!I don't know that person! I really don't know! I didn't kill him!"

"Ah, that case still seems fishy to me" Tae Eul thinks seeing the screen frowning that something really doesn't add up in that murder.

The Captain nodding at the suspects words simply asks, "Now give me your wrists." As the man tries to escape but Tae Eul handcuffs him in a really stylish manner and knocks him out with a roundhouse kick. 

"You go girl!!" Seung Ah yells rather loudly receiving a loud agreement from Eun Ah and Na-ri making Tae Eul blush at their intensity and praise.

Lee Gon puffed out his chest in pride exchanging a grin with Eun Ah at the future Queen to-be.

The other two run away as the captain says to the radio on seeing them fleeing, "The two others are heading that way." They are blocked by the delivery man who is also a cop laughing manically. They both split and the cop goes after one of them while Kang Shin Jae goes after the one who is heading to the playground.

The man in the playground is caught by Shin Jae after a little fight while the other is chased by the cop in the delivery scooter. A van opens up in front the man who jumps into it to escape but it the cop's van. The captain tells the man to handcuff himself and they are all escorted away. "I really didn't kill that person! Let me go! Let go!"

Everyone laughs at the scene even Yeong, it was rather comical seeing the culprit jumping into the cop's vehicle voluntarily and the Captain's brazen remark to handcuff himself.

Now the team is at the scene standing by the squad's car. Getting off the phone Kang Shin Jae says, "The Forensic team is going to arrive in 20 minutes."

"Oh! Why can't they come faster" Tae Eul whines.

Eun Ah thought her mother looks the same when requests Chimaek[1] from their father, at least her mother didn't change completely after becoming the Queen of Korea because it seems like she led a very good life in her own world.

"You said it was just a plain illegal gambling website case. Are we going to have to work overtime again?" Detective Shim asks the captain.

Slumping on the car Tae Eul remarks, "I can't work overtime. I'm serious. I'm totally serious right now. I can't do it until we get a new member."

Detective Shim too exclaims his agreement shouting, "I can't do it either, Damn it. When are we getting a new recruit?"

"It always happens, why can't they give us a break" Tae Eul grumbled rather loudly to which Lee Gon rubbed her shoulders in comfort. It looks like it really was a sore subject to her.

"I want to hire one too. I think about it everyday. But I have no choice. Nobody wants to join the violent Crimes Division these days. You don't get promoted easily, you don't get paid well, you get hurt all the time, you get disciplined for everything....Would you apply it if it were you?" the Captain Park Moon-sik asks in a placating manner.

"Did he seriously ask that question to the detectives just now?" Wook said wincing on seeing the painful way Shin Jae was holding on to the couch.

All the three subordinated edge closer to the captain and say, "But we're doing this job."

"That's right!"

Changing the subject the captain asks Tae Eul, "But what's with your outfit today?"

"He is changing the subject" Eun Seob said exhaling lightly, sitting beside Shin Jae during the scene was rather frightening. 

"Yes, he did but I don't think it is safe yet" Na-ri said indicating the painful way Tae Eul was clutching the King's arm on hearing that question.

"Oh! Ouch!!"

"What? What about it?" Tae Eul asks checking down her outfit. "I'm a chic city girl. This is a natural style. But did you call me 'ma'am' a while ago?"

Nodding the captain says, "Anyone would have called you that." She looks for support with her team but they all move away from her agreeing with the captain.

Eun Ah grinned on seeing her father suppress her mother's indignation with just his touch, maybe something's don't change that much.

Kingdom of Corea, 2019

The Royal stables is shown surrounded by guards. Lee Gon with a bucket of carrot is there, which drops to the ground when the King starts to run after the rabbit jacket wearing person. He signals his horse as he runs which he mounts before turning to the sub captain Seok Ho-pil to say, "Tell Captain Jo that I'm going to check whether it is a clock or a rabbit first."

Yeong remembered what happened after that, the King is sometimes just a person with so much curiousity. He could've at least taken a few guards with him.

 The guards relay the message to the Captain immediately while putting safety precautions in place for the the King's safe riding.

Elsewhere Lee Rim is seen mixing red paint in some factory.

"Oh! I don't even know him, but man do I hate seeing him" Wook said looking at the screen.

Republic of Korea, 2019

Tae Eul outside of a shop, calls her partner and says , "We got the identity of the body. Lee Sang-do, age 45, a hardware store owner. He was a member of Kim Bok-man's gambling website. He took money worth a whole building from that site. But he put the store up for sale and we can't get a hold of his wife. I'll head back after investigating here further."

The other partner on the phone seems to be Kang Shin Jae who is waiting to review the CCTV cameras as he finishes up the call with Tae Eul saying, "Okay, I'm getting the security footage. We'l discuss things at the station."

Lee Gon frowned deeply on noticing that both of them were partners.

Turning to the security guard he says, "I want to check the CCTV footage."

Kingdom of Corea, 2019

A CCTV camera is shown with a guard relaying the location of the King to the other guards.

"The VIP just passed Point 06. Over . We are at 04 point. Report at each point. Over."

Yeong is seen riding in a black horse following after the King by listening to his location.Lee Gon is riding in the bamboo forest when suddenly Maximus stops scaring the birds in the area.

Seung Ah got the feeling that the handsome captain was sometimes looking at her, maybe because she was the only one from the Kingdom who could maybe...understand his situation. She gave a tight lipped smile to him nodding lightly which made him look like a deer caught in the headlights.

"What is it? What's wrong, Maximus?" Lee Gon asks patting the horse in concern but straightens up once he hears a flute sound. He looks around the forest as breeze dances through the air with thunder and lightning following it. He looks on as the cracks are heard which reveals the stones pillars which contain the portal. Lee Gon looks at his whip and the cracking portal before he jumps through it with Maximus.

"If anyone sees something like it they would go away in opposite direction, and then there is our King Arthur" Eun Seob said to which Lee Gon loudly protested that everyone would do the same. He was outnumbered eight to one.

Republic of Korea,2019

In the factory, Lee Rim is seen holding a piece of red cloth when he knocks over a bowl which stops in mid air. He looks at it curiously. But as he touches it, it falls to the ground and crashes.

"Why?" that was the question that was on the tip of everyone's tongue but they didn't voice it because the next scene started almost immediately.

Here in Seoul traffic Tae Eul is waiting patiently in car for the traffic to clear up but gets startled upon seeing a different version of herself in the rear view mirror. With hand in mouth to hold back a scream she looks behind to the back seat, "What was that? Damn it. That startled me. That's so scary." Once again checking that there was no one there she talks to herself, "I guess I'm really getting old. How could I hallucinate like that? Gosh my heart hurts?"

Lee Gon frowned and looked at Eun Ah if she was also shocked but she seems to know what's going to happen so maybe this incident also has a significant meaning.

Something about doppelgangers and time, something like that, Oh what was that? Na-ri racked her brain for an answer she knew, but it didn't seem to come to her mind at the moment.

Then she sees a man on a white horse strutting along the road. "What the hell is that? What a weirdo?" Everyone on the vehicles are looking at the man in the horse in amazement. Taking out her speaker Tae Eul announces, "You, the man on the horse, stop right there. Excuse me, horse-rider. Park your horse on the side road to the right. Pack your horse right now."

"I didn't really hear you, sorry" Lee Gon said receiving an amused smile from his Queen.

But Lee Gon looks around in puzzlement at the new world as the citizens also look at him in admiration for being handsome. As a result he doesn't hear Tae Eul's announcement.

Saying, "He is not listening at all" Tae Eul puts on a siren and drives through the traffic to get to him. A young woman suddenly stumbles on to her car making the Lieutenant press the brakes suddenly, the woman kind of looked to be in pain or having dizziness? Tae Eul couldn't see properly but some man came and escorted her away. She must have been drunk. Tae Eul tried to see the woman and man's faces but she couldn't. Shrugging off she turned her attention to the man on the horse once again. 

They are in the Gwanghwamun Square[2] as Lee Gon looks at the statue of General Lee and other one of King Sejong[3]. He keeps looking around and around not listening to the people around him speculating his presence on a horse.

Yeong and Seung Ah were fascinated by the parallel world that looked familiar yet different. No matter how many evidences they saw, believing in something like this brings out a feeling unlike anything else they could experience. That they are only a little part of fate's design.

He looks at the banner displaying Queen Yuna[4] the beginning of a legend. Then Jeong Tae Eul walks up to him saying, "Excuse me, sir! The man on the horse!"

He mutely looks at her remembering the id card he got from the mystery man, the same id card he hid in a book, the same face looking at him.

Eun Ah's eyes were glued to the screen, her parents were meeting for the first time. It was like a historical moment was taking place. She couldn't breath properly due to her excitement.

"You shouldn't disturb the traffic like this. Get down. Where did a civilian get a white horse like that?" She moves back as Lee Gon moves with the horse towards her. Looking at him she says at his dumbfounded face, "You've violated the road traffic law. And you'll be given a heavier penalty if that horse poops on the ground." He just stares at her.

"Doesn't he look like Prince charming?" Na-ri said giggling to which Eun Seob frowned at her while Tae Eul silently nodded her agreement. Seeing that Gon said, "I am no Prince charming, maybe King charming?" Everyone rolled their eyes at the King's unsubtle vanity.

"Why are you staring at me like that? Oh I see" searching for her id she wears to show that she is a police officer.

"I'm a police officer. Get down from there and show me your identification card." He hops off his horse and walks right up to her and looks at her id. She leans away from him a little as he keeps staring at the id card.

"Your Majesty! that will creep anyone out" Yeong said looking at his King like he was seeing him for the first time. It was taking the bodyguard a little time to adjust his perception that now his King like any other person is a fool in love.

"What the hell do you think you're doing right now?

Looking her in the eyes he replies, "I've finally met you, Lieutenant Jeong Tae Eul." She looks at him in confusion when he pulls her into a hug surprising her. They both couldn't believe this was happening for very different reasons.

"The perfect start for their story" Na-ri said grinning widely at the screen while Tae Eul on noticing that said, "Hey! Na-ri-ya it's not a drama and it is so not a starting of a story or anything."

Eun Ah spoke up to her mother on hearing her comment grinning, "Why not? I think this is was the start of everything. In fact it seems to be perfect." Lee Gon  smiled proudly at Eun Ah while Tae Eul tried to erase the thought that came to her mind. 

Those eyes of Eun Ah looked eerily familiar something like what she has been seeing in the mirror for the past 30 years. The truth is sometimes freaking scary.

 

 

 

[1] Chimaek - Beer and fried chicken, normally eaten in South Korea as an evening delicacy.

[2] Gwanghwamun square - Gwanghwamun Plaza is a public open space on Sejongno, Jongno-gu, Seoul, South Korea.

[3] King Sejong - Statue of King Sejong is located at the Sejongno, Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul, South Korea. It is dedicated to the 15th century Korean monarch, Sejong the Great, the fourth king of Joseon dynasty and one of Korea's most famous historical figures. The statue is considered one of Seoul's major landmarks.

[4] Queen Yuna - Yuna Kim, also credited in eastern name order as Kim Yuna or Kim Yeon-ah, is a retired South Korean competitive figure skater.