Chapter 04. Into His World

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Their bodies were so close to one another.  He felt her warmth against his skin.

There is something that pulls them apart; it was something that desperately wants them to be separated.

But her hands grabbed his. She held it tightly. She didn’t want to let go.

So is him.

They were both floating in mid-air and the force kept on pulling them away.

Both struggled. They struggled with their very strengths to be with each other.

Both hoped. They hope the love can conquer it.

He believes.

Then, everything broke loose.

The once dark surroundings were gone as an unknown very bright light blinded both of them.

She smiled and grasped his hands tightly.

He knew what to do.

Together, hand-in-hand, they entered the door of lightness.

The next thing he knew, he was lying full awake on the comfortable mattress, staring straight at the ceiling above, and listening to the hums of the little birds outside, as if they are greeting the young lord a good morning.

His heart pounded really fast in some unfathomable reasons. He was sweating a lot too. His pores were open, his hands were numb, and his legs felt so weak.

He struggled to get up. And when he did, he searched for a clean, white cloth to wipe the sweat on his forehead.

“Who is… she?” He muttered wearily and thought about his dream for a few seconds. He then went out of his room to go to the well to wash his face.

It was a wishful thinking.

But what he didn’t know is—

There is a girl on the right corner of his room, staring at him with beautiful, big brown orbs, and a smirk is playing on her dainty lips.

 

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Mi Sang bowed as she handed the books the young lord needs. “Please enjoy your day at the university, young lord.”

“Hm,” came the young lord’s short reply and grabbed the books from the servant’s hands.

He is avoiding her eyes.

And she didn’t know why.

Had she done something wrong? He didn’t even reprimand her when she used formality although they are alone in this newly-cleaned library of the Kim household.

She took care of his books and did her best to arrange them alphabetically despite her lack of knowledge to read very well.

Surely Mi Sang has set her eyes on him for years yet she has never encountered such situation before; a situation in which Jong In speaks with her in less than five words. No, that wasn’t even a word. It was more like a small movement of his throat that reproduced a little amount of sound. It was more like a small acknowledgement of her presence.

She knows full well that she is only a mere servant of his family. But she cannot just disregard the fact that they have been friends since they were little. She hopefully thinks that although he does not like her the way she likes him, he still thinks of her as his friend whom he can and will always trust.

While the young lord was getting ready to go to the university, Mi Sang decided to finally ask what is bothering his mind. She slowly opened , but no words came out. Awkwardly, she cleared and successfully got Jong In’s attention.

“Yes?” He said with one eyebrow raised.

Gathering her courage, Mi Sang asked, “W-What is wrong?”

Thirty seconds…

Forty seconds…

Fifty seconds…

And in the sixtieth second the young lord did not give any response, Mi Sang looked away and closed her eyes. She heaved a long sigh.

She realized.

She realized that the relationship between them is really just master-servant. Nothing more, nothing less.

She should not dwell herself in whatever the young lord’s problem is. She has no rights.

She is a commoner; he is a noble.

And it hurts.

It hurts.

Until the depths of her heart.

Mi Sang bowed before turning around slowly. Just then,

“Yes… what is wrong?” muttered Jong In.

The servant quickly turned back on her heels and looked at the young lord. When they locked eyes, Jong In stared at her with an unreadable expression. Tiredness is written all over his face. But he looks confused at the same time.

Then Mi Sang came with another guess, “D-Did the young lady cancelled the wedding?”

Jong In gave a small chuckle and replied, “No, silly you. We’re fine. We’re great. We’re doing well.” A small smile appeared on his handsome face. But seconds later, his facial expression changed. “It’s just…”

“Are you not certain of your feelings for her, young lord?” The servant asked. She secretly wished that the young lord hinted her tone of hope – her never-ending hope that he might like her.

“Not certain?” He repeated. “I– I don’t know!” He turned around, avoiding his friend’s gaze. “I don’t know what this is called. I have been dreaming constantly about this girl I have never even met before. We were like lovers. We are lovers in my dreams. Yet there is this something that… I don’t know! I-Is this what you call love? But she’s only in my dreams! Her face is not even familiar! We’ve never talked; we’ve never known each other. How am I supposed to stay calm about this? This is crazy! I am engaged but– Ugh!”

Jong In sat on one of the seats near him and buried his face in his hands.

Mi Sang listened to everything he just said. Silently.

Unbeknownst to the young lord, the loyal servant was hurt.

She is aware that this is jealousy she is feeling right now.

So Jong In is in love with the girl in his dreams?

“Young lord,” she quietly called. Said young lord looked up. “What if… what if this girl is your fated one? Those dreams are just signs, I assume.”

Jong In stared at her, letting all the words she said sink deeply into his mind.

 

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It bothered him all day.

From the time he rose up from the mattress until now that he has already finished attending his class in the university.

The professor’s words were like muted. The lessons did not reach his mind. He did not hear any of it. His brain was full of that girl.

What if Mi Sang is right? That the girl in his dreams is fated to him? Then when will he meet her?

“Jong In~” A chirpy, happy voice broke into his thoughts.

He turned around and bowed at the older young lord. “Good afternoon, young lord Chan Yeol.”

Chan Yeol grinned widely, “Good afternoon, Jo–” He stopped short, seeing Jong In’s facial expression. “What’s wrong?”

Now that he heard that question twice just this day, Jong In felt even weaker. He ignored Chan Yeol and walked ahead.

“Hey wait!” The taller young noble man jogged towards him. “You’re very pale. Do you have a problem?”

Jong In did not reply.

“Ah, is this about the officials’ meeting last week? Are you mad at my family at what my father said? I apologize.”

The young lord from the Kim clan smiled a little at him. “No, I will not plant such hatred towards your family.”

“Then will you tell me your problem?”

Jong In stared ahead. How will he respond to his query, he didn’t know! It will surely hurt the young lord if he says he’s been dreaming about this girl. Young lord Chan Yeol will definitely kill him in suspicion that he’s been cheating on her beloved little sister.

Who was she? Jong In thought sombrely. Why does she keep appearing in my dreams? Are those dreams foreshadowing something? What should I do?

Too lost in his thoughts, Jong In has failed to pay heed on the stallion that has gone wild. He looked up with bewilderment evident on his face; his mouth went slacked. He could only stare at the stallion that was going at him with full force, showing no signs of halting.

Far on the spot where he was standing, Chan Yeol was shouting at him to run or to step away. He was getting frustrated that Jong In never heard him. He wants to save the younger man but is also too afraid of what will happen if ever the stallion goes into him instead.

Is this… my end? Jong In shut his eyes and balled his fist.

‘Do you really wish to die so much?!’

That voice…

That voice!

She came back out of a sudden!

Jong In’s eye snapped wide open, only to find out that the stallion is running nearer at him in an incredible speed. He is so numb.

And then suddenly, he felt someone, more like something strongly push him. His eyes closed once again.

It was unbelievable.

For the second time in his life, he has escaped the hands of death!

He didn’t know how that happened. It was… It was…

“You imbecile young man!” Chan Yeol hit his head really hard.

Jong In opened his eyes and stared at his surroundings.

People were circling around him. Several things were scattered on the ground, obviously caused by the ill-tempered stallion.

“Does danger love you so much, huh, Kim Jong In?!” He heard Chan Yeol shout at him. “Yet you always manage to forsake death! It was unbelievable! How did you do that?! You– You flew!”

“I… flew?” Jong In repeated foolishly.

“Young lord, you are lucky. The Gods are with you!” An old woman commented, almost teary-eyed as she examined at Jong In.

“There are really miracles!” The other persons that were standing around him also concluded.

Chan Yeol could only heave a sigh in relief. “It was a mystery how you always attract bad luck. But what matters the most is that, my sister won’t have to cry all over your corpse. Come on, I’ll walk you home. In case another accident will happen, you jinx.”

The older nobleman helped him get up.

Jong In walked limply, despite the young lord Park helping him. He stared straight ahead with large eyes.

‘Do you really wish to die so much?!’ That voice echoed in his mind all over again.

 

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Jong In has gotten back home safely.

His mother did not fail to notice her son’s dirty clothes, dishevelled hair, weary expressions, and the tall guy he is with – young lord Chan Yeol.

The tall young man explained everything to Lady Sae Byuk and the lady almost fainted. Her son has encountered the God of Death once again.

After telling her that he was fine, Jong In went straight to his room and changed into cleaner clothes to take a nap. He was so tired, both physically and mentally. He need to rest.

 

 

Jong In’s eyes fluttered open. He felt a bead of his sweat fell down from his forehead down to his ear, just a few centimetres above his right ear.

He sat up and rubbed his knuckles on his eyes. He had to blink his eyes to get a clearer view of his room. His room was getting rather colder now.

“What–” A yawn. “time could it be now?”

“Hmm… It’s almost seven in the evening, young lord.” A female voice answered.

He nodded and mumbled, “I see.”

Suddenly, he realized something. This is his room. No one ever dared to enter this place besides his parents. And that was totally not his mother’s voice. It was someone’s; a voice whom he couldn’t recognize, yet it was so familiar.

“Who are you?!” Jong In looked around his room frantically.

To his bewilderment, a young girl clad in white and black hanbok was leaning on the wall on the right side of his room with her arms crossed on her chest. Her long, untied shiny ebony hair cascaded down her back. Her dress has some unique designs. The upper garment of her dress is white, and it was accentuated with a black lace on her chest. At the near end of the dress, the black colour of the skirt was almost fading, and so, it created a white and gray gradient. He had never seen a girl wear that kind of dress.

It looked beautiful on her; at the same time, it also looked eerie.

That face. He swore he had seen her before. Those dolorous eyes… They were so familiar.

His eyebrows were pressed together so hard, it hurts. He scanned his brain of a possible answer.

Then a light bulb appeared above.

She was that girl from his dreams!

The enigmatic girl smirked. “Congratulations, young lord Jong In. You got that right.”

 

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