Lee Hongki was staring out the window of his apartment, watching the rushing people on the street. He has been doing this for the past five days, hoping that he’d find something amusing to forget the loneliness in his heart. He has to move on. There is no point in remembering the happy moments he spent with him when it only brings pain and sadness.

How ironic. If I’d be given a chance to bring him back I would.

Tears formed in his eyes, blurring his vision, and then they flowed to his cheek and downwards. He didn’t wipe them. What would be the point in doing that?

He once told him he would never cry. That he wasn’t worth a tear. How stupid. Now he’s crying like a baby. If only he could see him again, just to tell him that he loves him, just to say that he regret saying those painful words. But he knows he couldn’t. From the very start, Hongki knows that they are living on borrowed time, that what they had was something temporary, never permanent, and yet he didn’t take advantage of the time given to him. He took him for granted. And now he was gone, he will never return.

He looked out the window again, hating the people below for having a reason to live when he doesn’t. He was about to turn away from the view when something caught his eyes.

Jonghun!

He was among the crowd of people but he stood out. His face, long memorized by Hongki, is so unique that it is quite impossible for someone to just look like him. It has to be him.

Hongki turned his back from the window and immediately went to his door. He opened it and rushed along the corridor, not bothering to close it, not caring if someone enters his house and steal everything. Anyway, his everything is waiting for him below.

***

“Jonghun!” Hongki shouted with all his might. He long stopped caring about what people would think of him, he wouldn’t care now. He bumped at other people and they look him angrily.

“Hey, watch out, punk!”

He continued yelling Jonghun’s name but he wouldn’t look at him.

People looked at him, thinking he’s crazy.

“Jonghun! Please! I don’t want to lose you again! Not again! Jonghun! I am sorry! Please! Just look at me, just once… I just want to see your face again. Jonghun…”

Hongki stopped shouting. It is as if his energy was out of him.

“Jonghun…” he whispered. “Look at me…”

His vision becomes blurred. Everything seems to darken. And the man he’s calling Jonghun turned to look at him.

Hongki smiled.

“It is you…”

EIGHT MONTHS AGO

Hongki was busy writing a song in his desk while his teacher Miss Kim continued on droning about the Joseon Dynasty. He paid no attention to this class, he hates history anyway.

Hmm… I should write another song, maybe about heartbreak because many could relate to that… how does it feel anyway? Is it really painful or people tend to exaggerate?

“Mr. Lee Hongki!” Miss Kim called his name brusquely.

Hongki sit up straight.

“Yes, Miss Kim?” he inquired politely, smiling at the same time, hoping it would quell a bit of his teacher’s anger.

“If you won’t pay attention to me then I recommend you to just go outside and continue writing your songs there,” his teacher’s voice was calm but he can hear the threat beneath the soft voice.

She knows! Should I say that I am listening to her?

“I’d rather stay here ma’am and hear the lecture,” he finally said.

“Good,” she said. “Now let’s continue our lesson. Does anybody here recognize him?”

Miss Kim has a portrait of a man in her right hand, holding it up so the whole class would see. Hongki was not looking because he’s not interested but when he heard ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ from his female classmates, he reluctantly turned his attention to the photo.

There was nothing unusual about it, it is just an old picture of a young man, definitely from the Joseon dynasty since it is their topic today, except for the fact that the man looks incredibly handsome. His chinky eyes look fierce; it is as if the man was born to fight. He’s also wearing a nobleman’s clothes.

Maybe he’s a warrior.

The man’s nose is high, which, in Hongki’s opinion is the man’s best asset. His cheekbones were firm. Yes, the man is definitely handsome. Hongki’s interest was piqued.

“Nobody recognize him?” Miss Kim asked the class cheerfully because she got most of the class’ attention now.

Park Shin Hye, Hongki’s smart classmate raised her hand.

Miss Kim turned her attention to Shin Hye.

“Well, I’m not surprised,” she began. “Anyway, Shin Hye, can you tell the class who this man is?”

Hongki watched as Shin Hye exhaled, must be relieving some tension, and then started talking.

“His name is Song Jong Hun. He is the second child of the Joseon King Su Jong. His older brother replaced their father as king. But because King Heechul was weak, many tried to depose him with his brother Jong Hun. The king’s allies were worried so they accused Prince Jong Hun of treason. He was tried and was sentenced guilty, so he was hanged for that crime. It is unknown if the said prince really want to depose his brother but many people said that Prince Jong Hun was really close to his older brother so it is impossible for him to try and dethrone the king,” Shin Hye finished her long speech.

Miss Kim looks absolutely delighted. She had always admired people who love history.

“Thank you, Miss Park,” Miss Kim smiled at Shin Hye’s direction. “So you’ve heard about his story. Tragic, isn’t it?”

“Yes!” the female students chorused.

Hongki smiled silently. His classmates were suddenly interested in history because of a handsome man.

Teachers should use this as a strategy.

The class began to lively discuss the life of Song Jong Hun. Hongki didn’t pay attention. Anyway, Miss Kim has all the attention she needed.

***

Jidokhage neomu jidokhage

Neoreul saranghaenabwa

Sumdo mot shwiigo neoman channeunde

Dodaeche—

Hongki stopped singing the song he composed during his history class when he heard his name being called.

“Hong Ki-yah!”

He smiled before turning around to greet his girlfriend Kang Ji Young. They had been together for almost a year now. Hongki likes Ji Young’s bubbly character which made him court her. She reciprocated his feelings and now, they’re together.

But Hongki didn’t miss the sad note in her voice. His smile faded. He will punch the person who made his Ji Young sad.

When he finally faced her, the first thing that Hongki noticed was Ji Young’s eyes. There was sadness in them. Sadness that he had never seen before now pools in his love’s eyes. Yes, he’s definitely going to kill the cause of her agony.

“Ji Young…” he held his hands to her, waiting for her to hold it and run into his arms, instead she backed one step away from him. Hongki was hurt.

“Hongki… I don’t love you anymore. Let’s break up.”

This is one of the reasons why Hongki loves Ji Young. She’s very straightforward. He remembered the time when Ji Young said she loves him too. There were no repercussions, she said it directly.

“Lee Hongki, I love you. I want to be your girlfriend.”

Now she’s saying the exact opposite of those words.

“Ji Young…” he whispered, unable to say anything but her name. Hoping all of this is a joke.

“You heard me, Hongki… Let me go, please?”

Tears fell from Ji Young’s eyes. How could he say no to her? He promised her that he would give anything to her.

He found himself saying ‘yes’.

“Yes, Ji Young… I promised you didn’t I? That I will always do anything you want, anything you ask, anything you need. I’m letting you go.”

Ji Young smiled.

Despite the fact that he is hurting, Hongki smiled back. He would give anything just to see that smile.

“Kamsahamnida, Hongki-yah.”

***

Lee Jae Jin let out a sigh when he found his hyung lying on the floor. Bottles of alcoholic drinks are everywhere. He heard about the break up between him and Ji Young so he rushed to his place but he didn’t expect to see Hongki like this. People said that Hongki looked okay when Ji Young broke up with him. They said he even smiled at her. Well, his hyung certainly doesn’t look okay.

“Hyung…” Jae Jin softly slapped Hongki’s face, trying to wake him up. “Hyung…”

Hongki let out a groan and opened his eyes. He was surprised to see Jae Jin standing over him.

“Jae Jin? Why are you here?” he asked, confused as hell as to why his head is aching.

“I heard about the breakup so I went here to check on you. I was surprised to see you like this. First time drinking?” Jae Jin asked softly.

“Ye.”

“Hongki hyung, you shouldn’t drink alcohol. Look at you, you look like hell.” Jae Jin wrinkled his nose.

Hongki sit up but lay down again.

“Uh… head rush,” he complained.

“Hyung, you should move on. You know, forget about her,” Jae Jin saw Hongki stiffened at hearing Ji Young’s name. “She was very happy about your breakup, she treated all her friends. You should not waste your time with that kind of girl. You’ll find another person. Someone who will love you, really love you.”

Hongki tried to sit again and succeeded. He scratched his head and yawn.

“I feel so sleepy,” he saw Jae Jin smile. “What?” he asked the younger man.

“Nothing. Just happy you haven’t changed. ‘Night hyung,” with that, Jae Jin stood and went to the door. He glanced at Hongki and saw him mouth ‘good night’ then went outside.

Hongki went to his bedroom and lay on his bed. He looked at his room’s ceiling, his mind blank. Then he heard himself whisper.

“I wish I would meet the person who will love and whom I will love soon,” then he closed his eyes tears falling from them

***

JOSEON ERA

Jong Hun was writing a letter, a letter to his mother. His mother said that she had found evidence to free him from the accusations the people were throwing at him. They said that he plans to replace his brother as king. He never wanted to. He admires his brother and he knows he is capable of ruling the country and yet…

He stopped writing when he heard a voice.

Come… come my love…

“Who is in there?” Jong Hun looked around to see who was in this prison cell with him but saw no one so he picked up his quill and started writing again when he heard the voice again.

Are you my soul mate? Come with me. Please… I promise to love you…

“Are the guards trying to make a joke out of me?” he murmured, looking around the cell.

My love…

Jong Hun finally gave up writing the letter and stood from his chair. The moment he did, he felt like he is floating.

What is this?

He looked down at his feet and was surprised to see them gone.

“Help me!” he shouted. “Guards!”

Suddenly he felt weak. He collapsed on the floor of his cell, unconsciousness seeping through him.

Come…

That was the last thing the prince heard before totally losing his consciousness.

***

Hongki felt relief surge through him when his last subject professor dismissed them early. The whole time he was at the university, all he did was to ignore his classmates who were asking him about the breakup. He wanted to punch them in their faces just to make them shut their mouth.

While walking through his way home, Hongki thought about what Jae Jin said, that he will meet someone whom he will love and will really love him back.

Is that true? Hey, soul mate, are you there? Come to me soon, I want you here now…

Hongki stopped in his tracks when he bumped into something.

“I’m so sorry, I wasn’t looking…” his mouth fell open when he saw the man in front of him wearing a costume point a sword on his neck.

“Bring me back to my country, you damn wizard!”

***

A/N

This chapter wasn't edited, sorry for typos and wrong grammars! :)

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