A/N: Here's what you've all been waiting for! The moment they finally remember each other! Enjoy! 

CW: slight homophobic language, but it's more so just how society was. 

Glossary of terms: 

Gyeonujiknyeo: the Korean retelling of the Chinese folktale "The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl"
Gyeonu: Cowherd
Jiknyeo: Weaver Girl
Haneunim: Celestial Emperor
Chirwolchilseok: the seventh day of the seventh month
Eunhasu: Silver River (another name for the Milky Way)
Ojakgyo: a bridge formed by crows

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They were on top of the hill that separated the palace and the village. All that illuminated the world around them was the bright moon and stars. This was one time when Mina was actually allowed to go out. So, they were lying next to each other with their hands intertwined and Mina watched as Chaeyoung traced the shape of the stars. Her bright brown eyes, that smile that always made Mina melt, her eyebrows creased in concentration. To her, she was the most beautiful thing in the world. 

“Is something wrong? You’re staring,” Chaeyoung said. 

“No, it’s just that you seem to be very interested in this,” Mina said. 

“Isn’t it beautiful?” 

Mina looked at her friend as she looked at the sky. “Yeah, it is.”   

“Do you know about the stars?” 

“What about them?” 

“The stories.” 

Mina did know some. Her father told her stories like that, but she wanted to hear one from her dear friend, so she lied, “No. Can you tell me about them?” 

Chaeyoung turned to face her. They were barely centimeters apart. If Mina had only leaned in just a little bit closer, it could’ve happened sooner than it did. She knew it was a terrible thought; to want to kiss her friend, but she knew she could no longer deny it. At sixteen, she didn’t fully understand what it meant to be in love, but if this was what love felt like, then she had fallen, fallen in love with her dear friend. 

“Gyeonujiknyeo, the story of two stars who were separated by the Eunhasu. It is said that on Chirwolchilseok, Gyeonu and Jiknyeo moved very close to each other. It’s the only day they’re allowed to meet. That’s where the legend originated.” 

Mina knew this story, it was one of the more well-known legends about the stars. She kept quiet about it though and listened intently to the story.  

“Jiknyeo was the granddaughter of the Haneunim and was known for her weaving skills and diligence. The Haneunim loved his granddaughter very much and arranged for her to be wed to the cowherd from the opposite side of the Eunhasu. Jiknyeo and Gyeonu, however, became lazy in the sweetness of their honeymoon, and this greatly angered the Haneunim, who separated them to live on opposite sides of the Eunhasu, allowing them to meet only once a year, on Chirwolchilseok. When the Eunhasu kept them from uniting even on Chirwolchilseok, the crows and magpies of the terrestrial world flew up to the sky and formed a bridge for them by lining up head-to-head. This bridge came to be called Ojakgyo and it is believed that each year, after Chirwolchilseok, all the crows and magpies fly back to earth with their heads turned bald from constructing the bridge. Rain on Chirwolchilseok is believed to be the reunited couple’s tears of joy, while rain on the following day is believed to be the parting couple’s tears of sorrow. It’s sad isn’t it, forced to be separated for the entire year except for one day?” 

“I can’t imagine living like that. It must be very difficult for Jiknyeo and Gyeonu.” 

“They say love has no boundaries, but that’s not true at all. Love is such a complicated emotion. I don’t really understand what it means. Have I fallen in love? I don’t know.” 

“I don’t know either.” 

Mina was relieved. Her friend voiced what she felt, the understanding she lacked. The only thing she felt confident about in this was the fact that the kind of relationship she had with Chaeyoung was more than simply just friends, even if that was the label she made. It felt different from her relationship with Sana. The comfortable silence that had formed between the pair was broken when Chaeyoung asked, “Have you ever kissed anyone?” 

Mina was taken aback by the sudden question, but responded, “No, have you?” 

“No, but I have wondered what it would be like.” 

Mina leaned closer, almost closing the distance. “I would like to know too.” 

“Are you sure? We don’t have to do this, Mina.” 

“Aren’t you the one that asked, Chaeyoung?” 

Chaeyoung suddenly closed the distance and placed a chaste kiss on Mina’s lips.

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Mina sat up in bed. A cold sweat ran down her face as the sun shone through her window. 

“Is ‘my dear friend’ actually Guard Son?” she asked aloud to the empty bed-chamber. 

She got up and walked over to her drawer of letters, digging through it to find the only one addressed with her name. It took a while, but she eventually found it. 

Dear Mina, I feel bad not using your name too, but you’re right, it never felt right to use it in this context. Thank you for your response. You told me that I’ve probably heard all the things you mentioned, but to be honest, I’ve only heard the last part. I’m aware of the fact that I’m probably overthinking all of this, but I can’t help but do so. To address the rest, it is alright to cry, even if it wasn’t really a true loss, just one of my friends getting adopted. Surprisingly, you were actually right about the second point, one of my friends slit my throat with a knife. Don’t worry, I’m fine. The person was extremely sorry about it too. I guess they were jealous of the freedom I have. Like I have much anyway. Lastly, don’t forget that you’re brave too, so incredibly brave. Love, Chaeyoung. P.S. As per your request, I’ve been showing you my art. Check the back of this letter! 

She noticed that this letter was one of the few times her dear friend (Chaeyoung) closed it with the word, “love.” She flipped the letter over to reveal a drawing of them as kids standing by the well. It was well done for an eleven-year-old at the time. The scenery around them was captured perfectly and one could clearly identify the two people in the drawing if they knew their faces. The other person in the drawing was a spitting image of Guard Son, it was as if she had barely changed. Although, now she looked far more mature than in the drawing. 

No wonder she was different from the rest. It was right in front of me. I told myself so many times it wouldn't happen, yet it already did before I even knew it. 

She looked down at the ring she was wearing on her right hand. It was in preparation for the yearly winter ball the family puts on. She then left her chamber, the letter tightly gripped in her hand. She pushed the main entrance door open and faced the guard who was standing exactly where she had expected. 

“Good day, your highness,” Chaeyoung greeted. 

“Are you really ‘my dear friend?’” Mina asked, lifting up the letter.  

Chaeyoung's eyes widened at the mention of that nickname. 

Did I hear that right? I told myself a few days ago that she can’t be. But then again… 

“The girl by the well?” Chaeyoung ventured on a limb. 

“So it is you! Here, take this letter.” 

Chaeyoung was about to take it, but their rings clinked. They suddenly felt a strong headache and clutched their heads. The letter dropped to the floor. 

“What did you do?” Chaeyoung gritted out. 

“I don’t know,” Mina said in the same pained manner. 

They managed to keep their footing for a few minutes but ended up collapsing due to the pain.  

“I see you finally figured it out,” a disembodied voice that sounded like the king said. 

“Father?” Mina asked. 

“Your majesty?” Chaeyoung asked. 

“Ah, the king is not me. I’m simply taking a voice you would recognize.”  

“Then who are you?” Mina asked. 

“Just someone who saw it all. Those letters, the wishes you made, what was eventually lost to time. This is a trip through some of your memories.” 

“Huh? What do you mean? And how are we aware of the fact we’re in the same dream?” Chaeyoung asked. 

“This feels like a dream because it’s the best way to show you, just watch.” 

They were walking through the village and saw a younger version of themselves standing by the well. 

“Is that…” Mina asked. 

“Yes.” 

“Why are you just staring at the well?” thirteen-year-old her asked. 

“The well has always been something of interest for me. I want to make a wish but I don’t have any mun,” eleven-year-old Chaeyoung said. 

“And why does it interest you?” 

“Because of “The Legend of the Well.”” 

“You’ve read it too?” 

“It’s one of my favorite stories.” 

“Really?” 

“Yeah, there’s really not much to do at the orphanage, I spend a lot of time in the library, drawing and reading the books on the shelves.” 

Their current selves turned to each other. 

“Wait, you told me this from the moment I first talked to you?” Mina asked. 

“I guess so, being the oblivious child that I was. I don’t think I even knew your name,” Chaeyoung said. 

The disembodied voice silenced them. They tried to talk but it was like a magic force prevented them. They were forced to stand watching the younger versions of themselves. They were forced to rehash the memories that were lost. They did not want to see the bad ones, but it seems, for now, they were just watching the moment they first talked to ea