Advance apology - This is really long. Thought about cutting it in half, but if I'm just going to post it all at once, I figured it didn't matter that much. As with all things Hoonbi spinoff related, enjoy this absurdity!

Serin suspected that something was wrong the minute her drink made her sleepy. She had gone with Hoon to visit Hoonbi and Soohyun on a whim that evening. Soohyun had given them all soju, but after one shot Serin realized it had been spiked with something.

“What’s in this?” she asked, slurring her words.

Hoonbi’s eyes went wide. “Soohyun, did you take that shot glass out of the sink?”

He nodded his head. “We had three clean one in the cabinet, so yeah, I had to pull one out of the sink. It looked clean so I just poured soju in.”

“Oh my god,” Hoonbi said. But that was the last thing Serin heard before passing out.

--

When she woke up, something felt off. She tried to piece together what she knew. She’d been unintentionally drugged by Soohyun and Hoonbi, and then she immediately passed out. It was safe to assume that whatever had happened to her was a magical experience. Hoonbi had likely been concocting a potion in the kitchen prior to their arrival, and so must have rushed to put everything away and not had time to clean up his utensils. Soohyun had grabbed a shot glass Hoonbi had been using to serve their drinks. Which meant that any one of them could have been affected by the potion, but luck had chosen her. She sighed. She was just going to have to let it run its course or hope that Hoonbi had an antidote to administer.

She then took a moment to take stock of her current physical situation. She was in bed. Someone was in bed next to her. However, this wasn’t her and Hoon’s bedroom, and it wasn’t the spare bedroom at Hoonbi and Soohyun’s apartment. She was trying to figure out where she was when the person beside her started moving. He groaned, and Serin froze. It definitely wasn’t Hoon.

“,” she whispered, mentally panicking over being in bed with someone other than her husband. What was going on? Who was this?

“Huh?” the guy asked groggily.

Serin looked over at him and realized she was in bed with Eli. “Why am I here? You have a wife,” she stated.

He cocked his head and looked at her, seeming confused. “Are you okay?” he asked. “You are my wife.”

Serin went silent, mind racing. Okay, so the potion had transported her to some alternate reality where she was married to Eli. What the hell?

“Haha,” she forced out. “Silly me.”

He wrapped an arm around her torso, and she went rigid. “Did you check on Gracie this morning?”

Serin pretended she knew what he was talking about. “Ah… no,” she said. “I just woke up.”

“Then I’ll go do it,” he volunteered. He promptly climbed out of bed. Serin looked up at him and realized he was in only his boxers. She turned her head away quickly. Alternate Universe her might like seeing Eli in his underwear, but she certainly didn’t. He pulled on shorts and a shirt and headed out of the room. She was trying to figure out who Gracie might be while she waited for him to come back. It could be a cat or a dog, but she knew the most likely scenario; it was probably a baby that had been given her deceased mother’s name as a gesture of remembrance. Belatedly, she realized that she also hoped it was a day that he had to work because she didn’t think she could pretend to be Eli’s wife all day.

Eli returned with a baby in his arms. She was drinking from a bottle and appeared to be nearly a year old. “Here you go, Gracie,” he said to the child. “We’re going to give you to Mommy.” It was then that Serin realized that Eli had only spoken in English this entire time. She allowed Eli to hand her the baby, and then she stared down at the child, not really sure what to do but feeling really unsettled because the kid looked like perfect blend of her and Eli.

She looked at the girl and then back at Eli, and she wanted to scream. This was too much and too real, and she just really wanted to go back home to Hoon and for everything to be normal again. Out of frustration, she started to cry. Eli immediately sat next to her and put an arm around her. “Oh no, Serin. What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned.

“Nothing,” she said bitterly. This version of Eli wasn’t going to understand. And it seemed like the version of her that was married to Eli had a relatively happy and stable life. She didn’t want to make him worry for nothing. She just had to hold out long enough for Hoonbi to administer an antidote or for the effects to wear off. That was all. She could do it. With strengthened resolve, she sniffed one last time and looked up. She told Eli, “Really, nothing was wrong. I was just overwhelmed when I started thinking about Gracie’s future.”

Eli laughed and rubbed her back. She cringed a bit at the familiar touching, but allowed it. This version of her would almost certainly have allowed it. “Don’t get too carried away. The future happens one step at a time. And Gracie hasn’t even started walking yet.”

Serin laughed at that comment. A genuine laugh. At least Eli was funny. “You’re working today?” she asked.

He nodded. “Unfortunately. But work means money, and that means our daughter can grow up with the best life possible.”

Serin nodded in agreement, though she was a bit perplexed about why she wasn’t also working, and then looked down at the girl once more. She was cute if she was honest. And even though she was a little unnerved by how much the child appeared to be the perfect blend of her and Eli, she would be happy to take care of her for the day. When Eli left, he wanted a goodbye kiss. Serin did so reluctantly, but she knew he’d be disappointed otherwise, and she wasn’t going to see him for the rest of the day. She would spend the whole day with Gracie, just killing time and trying to figure out a plan. Her time being Eli’s wife would hopefully be short, but she didn’t know that for a fact. She needed to decide on the best way to proceed.

Ultimately, she decided the best call would be to avoid him as much as possible. She took care of the baby as best as she could, but she spent pretty much the entire day listening to crying. She was not doing everything correctly, and so the child was letting her know about it. She cooked and cleaned and stressed over her situation. It ultimately left her exhausted. She put the baby in her crib and stayed until Gracie was sleeping. She then dragged herself to bed and immediately crashed. She was woken up nearly two hours later by crying, but she heard Eli’s voice. He said, “Don’t worry, Serin. I just got home, and I’ll take care of her.” Serin sighed in relief and immediately let herself fall back to sleep.

--

She didn’t remember Eli climbing in bed with her when she woke up in the morning. She smiled despite herself. At least Eli was more considerate than Hoon usually was. Not that Hoon was being intentionally inconsiderate. He just usually climbed into bed in a way that woke her up. She chalked it up to him being clumsy, but it was kind of nice to have spent a night with a guy who was careful to not wake her up. She blinked rapidly and shook away that train of thought. Nope. She was definitely not interested in Eli. Not happening. Of course, now she wondered what her day would hold.

He stretched out beside her as he woke up. She heard the mattress shift, and then she realized something she’d overlooked in the dimly lit room. This was not the same room as she’d fallen asleep in. An arm wrapped around her waist, and she didn’t need to look at his face to know who it was. She wasn’t in bed with Eli anymore. She could see the skinny arm, and she knew it was Kevin. She groaned. “Good morning, Serin,” Kevin said brightly. “It’s time to wake up.” He cuddled closer, and she went rigid in discomfort. Man, this was awkward.

“I’m up already,” she choked out.

“We’ve got to get ready to go to church,” Kevin said.

Of course, we do, Serin thought sarcastically.

“Do you want to shower first?” Kevin asked sincerely. “Or should I?”

“Uhhh… you go,” she said. “I’ll go after.”

“Okay,” he said and climbed out of bed. Serin was thankful that he was wearing pajamas. Not only that, but he was gathering a change of clothes to take into the bathroom with him. It seemed like Kevin wasn’t comfortable flaunting his body to even the woman he was supposedly married to. Serin cringed just thinking about it. “Ugh. Married to Kevin. What did I do to deserve this misfortune?” she whispered to herself after Kevin had left the room. “I swear, Hoonbi and Soohyun will never hear the end of it.” She had deduced that the potion that she’d accidentally consumed was either showing her dreams or transporting her to alternate realities where she was married to different U-KISS members. An odd thing for a potion to do, but it would probably be a hit with the fangirls. She figured that once she’d made it through everyone, she’d wake up, and life would go back to normal. “Ah well… on the bright side, at least my life isn’t in actual danger this time.” She shuddered thinking about her arctic adventure and the Transylvanian rescue mission. “Yeah, I’d definitely rather have to wake up in bed next to Kevin Woo.”

She sighed and got out of bed. She might as well try to figure out the layout of the house before Kevin got out of the shower. Then she wouldn’t look crazy when she didn’t know where the trashcan was. At least, there didn’t seem to be a baby this time around. Another bonus. Plus, she could spend a friendly day with Kevin. That would be easy enough.

After gaining an understanding of the basic layout of the house, she made herself cereal for breakfast. Kevin was still in the shower after she’d finished eating. The members hadn’t been kidding when they said that Kevin took long showers, that was for sure. She was actually sitting around waiting for him when he walked out, fully dressed and ready to go.

Serin then realized that she didn’t know when the service was going to begin. Nor did she know what she might usually wear to church with Kevin. So she asked him, “Hey Kevin, do you think you could pick out an outfit for me today?”

He looked at her surprised. “I can. But why are you asking?”

“I’m worried I’ll take too long to get ready. It’ll be easier with something already picked out for me.”

“Don’t worry. We’ve got an hour until we need to leave.”

“Silly me,” Serin said, hoping that her laugh wasn’t too awkward.

“I’ll put something out on the bed for you, though.”

She was glad Kevin was such a good sport. Now she had both an outfit and a timeline, and he didn’t seem suspicious about anything. She thanked him, and headed into the bathroom to shower and get ready for her day.

When she’d finally finished showering and doing her usual morning routine, she walked into the bedroom to get dressed. Kevin had long since left the room. She glanced down at the outfit he’d set out for her. A pair of khaki dress slacks and a light blue frilly blouse. She easily found a pair of matching flats and finished getting ready. Kevin was cleaning dishes when she walked out of the bedroom, and she smiled because their life together seemed really quaint and pure. She’d never want to be with Kevin, but this did seem to be exactly what life with Kevin would be like. Sincere and charming.

The rest of the day went pretty much as Serin had assumed it would go. Church, lunch with his family, a bit of shopping in the afternoon for groceries for the rest of the week, and then returning home for a relaxing evening. Kevin talked about having to go back to practice the following day. Serin wasn’t exactly sure what she was doing with her life with Kevin, so she just encouraged him to keep talking about his future plans.

After a bit, he asked her what she wanted for dinner, and insisted on taking her out somewhere. She obliged. She hadn’t ever spent this long with Kevin before, but she didn’t mind it much. And it was much different than it had been when she’d been with Eli, and there had been a baby. It was definitely more relaxed and enjoyable.

They made their way to a hamburger joint at Kevin’s insistence. He thought Serin needed to try this place he’d recently discovered. After eating, she told him, “Ah, it’s so good. But I’m so full already.”

Kevin nodded. “I told you that you’d like it.”

“I never doubted you.”

He smiled happily and finished his own meal. They then returned home, and Serin readied herself for bed. She had had a good day with Kevin, but she was ready to move on. The sooner she finished each day, the sooner she’d, presumably, wake up back where she was supposed to be. Thinking on that, if the rest of the days followed the theme, she still had three more members to go. Kiseop, who wouldn’t be hard to deal with, Jun, which would feel wrong (is this what Eli’s wife felt like at first, she wondered idly), and Soohyun. Oh, dear God, Soohyun.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. There was no need to worry about it now. Whatever happened now was out of her control. It didn’t help her to worry about how she was going to handle Soohyun when that happened. With a deep breath and feeling Kevin settle into bed beside her, she forced herself to relax. Kevin put an arm around her waist and sighed. “Goodnight, Serin.”

“Yeah, goodnight,” she agreed. The room went silent after that, Kevin just holding her as she closed her eyes. It felt weird for him to be so close, but she wasn’t really bothered. She was tired, and it didn’t take long for her to fall asleep.

--

When she awoke the next morning, she immediately looked around for clues as to who she was in bed with this time. It was evident pretty quickly. She spotted a giant portrait on the wall of none other than Lee Kiseop and herself. It looked to be their wedding portrait. And it was huge. She pondered if she and Kiseop had fought about putting in there. Because she knew she’d have been absolutely opposed to having something so gaudy in her bedroom. But perhaps the version of her who had fallen for Kiseop was a little more okay with flashy. She was with Kiseop after all.

At least I know the layout of this place, she thought. Now that she knew where she was, she recognized Kiseop’s bedroom. She’d peered into it a time or two before while visiting with Hoon. This was his house, and she’d been here before. She wasn’t going to have to do any preemptive exploring to know where bathrooms and trashcans were.

She was lying on her back, wondering if she should get up and if she had to go to work today. Her day with Kevin had been a Sunday. And Eli before him had seemed to be a Saturday. And she’d been drugged on a Friday. If that pattern was holding, today should be Monday. Which meant Kiseop would have had practice, and she would have work. But how do you ask the man you’re supposedly married to if you’re supposed to go into work without sounding absolutely crazy. She then realized that she wouldn’t need to ask him. Even if it was an alternate reality, she still had brothers. And Jaehyun would definitely humor her shenanigans. Hyunsaeng would probably insist there was something wrong and try to take her to the doctor.

She sat up, ready to leave the bed to go find her phone. The movement of the bed had woken Kiseop because he groggily asked, “What are you doing up so early?”

“Ah,” she said, flustered, “I need to go get my phone. Do you remember where I left it?”

He furrowed his brow in concentration. “The kitchen, I think.”

“Thanks,” Serin told him. She stood up quickly and then realized that she was in a sheer black nightgown. She flushed. She didn’t wear anything this y for Hoon, even when she was trying to be y for him. “I’ll be back in a bit.” And I’ll find a change of clothes because sorry Kiseop, but nope, she thought.

She realized that there was a nightgown hanging on a hook on the door that led to an obviously very large walk-in closet. She pulled it on before stepping out of the room. She went downstairs to the kitchen, and found her phone on the counter. She noted how spotlessly clean everything was, as always. Kiseop kept all his stuff very neat. She located her brother’s number and called him. He answered, voice deep after having been woken up. “Yes, Serin noona?”

“Jaehyun,” she asked, “I can’t really explain myself, but I need to know if I have to go into work today.”

“Are you okay?” he asked. “Of course, you have to work today.”

“I’m… okay,” she expressed. “Just… I’ve had a rough weekend and needed to know if it was essential for me to be in at work.”

“Why would you call me for that? Papa and Seunghyun set the meeting for today. They’re the ones who would know if you really have to be there today.”

“Ah yeah. Of course. I’m sorry for bothering you. I’m feeling a bit better now, so I’ll be there. Thanks.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? You’re acting weird,” Jaehyun questioned.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just a bit of a sickness. I’ll be in today.”

Jaehyun seemingly accepted her explanation and said farewell. At least their relationship hadn’t changed, and she was obviously still working. “Well… guess I should get ready for work,” she mused.

She wandered back to the bedroom. Kiseop was up now, waiting for her to return. “You coming back to bed?” he asked.

“Ah, I can’t,” Serin explained. “I’ve got to get ready for work. There’s a big important meeting today, and I need to be prepared for it.” Not a lie. She definitely needed some preparation. She had no idea what the meeting was about.

“Ohhh, that’s right,” Kiseop stated. “You told me about that last week.”

“Yeah, it’s really important, and I need to be ready.”

“Do your best!” he said enthusiastically.

“I will try. I guess I should probably look my best too, huh?”

“Of course. Do you want me to pick something out for you again?”

She nodded. Kiseop knew clothes and would make her look good. Plus, she sort of assumed that Kiseop had a lot of say in her wardrobe and that he had helped shape her overall style. She couldn’t really imagine it any other way. Fashionista Kiseop almost certainly helped dress her regularly. “Pick something out for me. I’ll shower first.”

Kiseop nodded. “I’ll cook you breakfast, too!”

She agreed to this and headed to shower, which she did and then followed with her normal bathroom routine. She looked at her facial products and was astounded. She had never been one to have to worry excessively about money. Her father owned his company, and she was employed there. Money wasn’t much of a concern to her. But she generally lived somewhat modestly. No reason to blow all of the money on expensive possessions. Especially when she and Hoon were saving for the future, aspiring to someday open the sports complex he dreamed of. Her life with KIseop though was apparently another story. She dropped money as though it was nothing. She recognized her facial set as an extremely pricey one. She even noticed that she’d had minor plastic surgery too, fixing some of the unevenness of her eyebrows, changing her chin shape, and making the scar from her slide down the stairs as a child disappear. They were very subtle changes, and it was likely that only she could notice them, but she looked almost too perfect. It was strange to see.

When she’d finished applying make up for the day, she walked out and saw the outfit Kiseop had selected. Every piece was very expensive, designer clothing. She wouldn’t have picked this out for herself. Maybe the shoes, but it seemed Kiseop dressed her somewhat regularly judging by his quick reply to her vague request for help with clothing. So at least her style would match.

She got dressed and walked downstairs. Kiseop insisted she eat the breakfast he’d prepared. She went and brushed her teeth before leaving and then wished Kiseop a good day. He took her hand and wished her luck, bringing her hand to his lips and kissing it, eyes twinkling as he held her gaze. She smiled, and he handed her the keys to what she assumed was her car.

She then headed for the garage. She spotted Kiseop’s yellow Porche instantly. All of the other cars were just as high end. It was a garage full of luxury cars. She looked down at the keys in her hand. “Goddammit,” she said as she recognized the logo. Hyunsaeng had always talked about owning one. She clicked the unlock, and the silver Ferrari lit up. “I guess I am really living luxuriously with Kiseop. Gotta keep up appearances.”

She climbed in her excessive sports car and turned over the engine. It hummed powerfully, and she adjusted herself and the mirrors. She felt really glamorous, and she proceeded on her way to work, a slight touch on the accelerator sending the car peeling out of the garage.

Her drive to work had been somewhat harrowing in the powerful vehicle she was not accustomed to, but she eventually made it. After looking over information regarding the meeting, she realized that it would be fairly easy for her. She knew these customers, and the deal they were trying to close was one that she’d actually just finished in her real life, so she was familiar with the matters at hand. Her day was busy, but preparing for and attending a meeting was something familiar in a world full of craziness, and when it was finally time to go home, she didn’t want to leave the comfort of what she knew. “Serin, go home,” Seunghyun came in and told her eventually. “Your husband doesn’t like you working too hard when you don’t need to.”

“He’s not my boss,” she retorted.

“I know that. However, I am,” Seunghyun expressed, “and I’m telling you to go home.”

She sighed. She wouldn’t fight her oldest brother. “Let me finish this email, and then I’ll leave.”

She wasn’t especially excited about spending any more of the day with Kiseop, so she decided to message him to see when he’d return home. He answered relatively quickly saying, “I’ll probably be somewhat late. Hoonie and I are going to the gym after practice tonight.”

It was the first time she’d heard Hoon mentioned in any of the alternate universes that she’d visited. “Is he doing alright?” she asked suddenly, desperate to know how Hoon was faring without her.

”Same as usual,” Kiseop replied, seemingly unsure. “Why are you asking questions about him?”

“I’m just curious. I haven’t seen him in a while,” Serin explained.

“You just saw him last night. You know how he’s doing.”

“Ah… yeah. Haha!”

“Are you feeling okay? You should go home and rest,” he responded. “I’ll try to cut things short at the gym and come home earlier if you aren’t feeling well.”

“Ah. I’m fine. Just the stress of the meeting must have caught up to me. It made me get a little forgetful. Haha!”

“Oh. Okay. Well, if you want to get a little stress relief, we can work on that song again tonight.”

It was then that Serin realized why she was married to Kiseop here. Kevin and Eli had seemed random to her. There was no obvious reason for her to have ended up with them. But Kiseop made sense. They both enjoyed composing quite a bit, and she could see how that may have drawn them together. Plus, Kiseop was very sweet, so it wasn’t exactly surprising. As logical as it was, Serin still wasn’t okay with it. It made sense. She’d have challenged him as a composer. It would have been pretty fun. She and Hoon did it to some degree, but Kiseop was decidedly more skilled at and more passionate about creating his own music. However, Kiseop wasn’t Hoon. And for Serin, that was the biggest issue. She missed Hoon so much. She looked down at her phone again. She needed to answer. “I don’t think I can tonight,” she finally typed. “I’m just really tired after today. I think I’ll just go home and go to bed.”

Kiseop agreed, though something about his message seemed to suggest that he was a little sad about it. Serin felt a pang of guilt, but not enough to change her mind. She was actually tired. And she wasn’t keen on spending much more time with him. She drove home and spent her evening quietly, cooking and cleaning before finally going to bed.

Kiseop woke her up much later. Not on purpose, but his weight shifting the bed disturbed her sleep. She groaned and rolled over. Kiseop had showered and smelled nice, but she didn’t want to get too close. He was not her husband, and she just wanted to face the next day. She was down to Soohyun and Jun, and regardless of which it turned out to be, it was going to take great mental fortitude, so she wanted to get as much sleep as she could. As Kiseop played with his phone as he settled in beside her, Serin drifted back into a peaceful slumber.

--

Serin groaned as she woke up. It was the fourth day. Yet again, she was in an unfamiliar bedroom. No… wait… this bedroom was actually familiar. She was in her father’s home, sleeping in her bedroom in her parent’s house. That was weird. Why was she here? That raised the question of who she was with. She only had two members left, Soohyun and Jun. She rolled onto her back to see who it was this time. His back was facing her, but she knew who it was regardless.

Freaking, Jun.

He was snoring quietly, curled in a ball next to her. His phone started ringing on the nightstand next to him, and he flung his hand out to turn off the alarm. He rolled over, snuggling against her side. He put an arm over her stomach and rested his head against her shoulder. “Ah yeobo, I don’t wanna,” he mumbled. He peaked out of one eye to gauge her reaction.

“Go to work, Jun,” Serin said plainly.

“I’m off today,” he groaned.

“Oh,” Serin replied, a bit surprised at that fact. “Why didn’t you turn your alarm off last night? Now we’re both up.” She had said it mostly to try to find an escape. She was quite uncomfortable having him touching her.

“Sorry, Serin,” he apologized sheepishly. “I forgot.”

“I need to go to the bathroom,” she told him then.

He removed his arm so she could get up. “Are you coming back? Or should I get up, too?” he asked.

“I’m probably just going to go ahead and get dressed for the day. Since I’m already awake.”

“Ah,” he agreed, sounding a bit disappointed. “Then I’ll get out of bed and get dressed. Today’s going to be kind of busy.”

Serin was a little confused by his statement, but she got up and headed to her attached bathroom. It had been a long time since she’d stayed here, but everything was still basically laid the same. And judging by the number of cosmetics and products in the bathroom, she and Jun seemed to live here together. “Appa is probably really happy about that,” she whispered to herself. She relieved herself and then stood up to wash her hands. Looking into the mirror, she realized that yet again, she’d had plastic surgery. Her nose and chin were slightly altered, and her scar was gone. She found that somewhat surprising. Yesterday, she had assumed her surgery had something to do with Kiseop, but apparently, that wasn’t the case. Maybe… it was further back. I used to want to have surgery to perfect my appearance but then… Oh my god! Josh! He talked me out of it when we were dating. That’s it. I bet I never dated him. Or at least, I broke up with him before that conversation happened.

As she gazed at her reflection, she, for the first time in a long time, felt thankful for her ex-fiancee. He’d been right about her not needing the surgery to feel beautiful or be successful. She also felt a little thankful because, despite how much he’d hurt her, it was his actions that ultimately led to her being with Hoon. After going through several days married to other people, she was feeling especially glad about that outcome. If nothing else, she was coming to realize that fate had played out correctly, and put her with the right person. She almost wished that she was on speaking terms with her ex because if she was, she’d have called to express her gratitude for making her fate play out properly as soon as she got out of this mess.

After several minutes of sorting her thoughts, she ventured back out to the bedroom. Jun was pulling on a shirt, and she averted her eyes, not wanting to look at his bare torso. He was so much younger and still very young, and it seemed somewhat wrong. It’s still less of an than Eli and his wife, she reminded herself. Still, she was curious about how they’d ended up together, especially now that she figured that Josh hadn’t played a part in this universe. What had drawn them together? And was Jun even a member of U-KISS? Eli, Kevin, and Kiseop had obviously met her as members of the group, but Jun was a different story. And yet again, she had to figure out if she was working. She was going to have a day full of uncovering mysteries.

Jun, now dressed, opened the door to the hallway and gestured for her to follow. Serin was still in pajamas, but as she was wearing shorts and a t-shirt, and she was living at home, she simply followed him out and headed toward the kitchen. She could smell the food cooking, and watered. Though she wasn’t fond of her sister-in-law, she couldn’t complain about her cooking. She walked down the stairs slightly behind Jun, rounded the corner to head for the kitchen, and then froze. Her jaw dropped, and she covered with her hand. Serin was in shock. Her mom stood in the kitchen cooking breakfast as though it were the most normal thing in the world. “Mama,” she breathed, fighting back the tears that threatened to escape.

Jun reached the table and realized that she wasn’t following him anymore, and turned around to look at her. “Come sit down, Serin,” he said. He pulled out a chair for her. She shook her head to clear her thoughts a bit. Now this… this was crazy. Her mom was alive. How was her mom alive?

She sat down in the chair Jun had pulled out for her and simply stared at her mom. It was surreal. Her dad then walked into the kitchen, as well, and gave his wife a hug from behind. She turned her head and kissed him. It was sweet and just like how Serin remembered her parents being together. They adored each other. She felt the tears welling up again and squeezed her eyes closed tight in an attempt to keep them at bay. Jun reached out and touched her hand. “Are you okay?” he asked, obviously concerned.

She shook her head. “I think so.”

At her response to Jun’s question, her parents both turned to look at her. “How are you feeling, Serin?” her mom questioned.

“I think I’m getting a headache,” Serin admitted. It was true. Everything was so surreal, and it was making her feel light headed.

“I’ll go get you some medicine,” Jun offered. Before she could tell him not to, he’d stood up to go get the medication.

Serin sighed, and her mom walked over to sit down in Jun’s vacated chair. Serin stared at her intently. She was older than Serin remembered, but she had died 11 years ago. Of course, she’d have aged in that time. She was still beautiful though. She reached out to hold Serin’s hand. “The first couple of months are tough,” her mom said with a knowing smile.

Serin sent her a curious look, but then realized what her mom was saying. She was pregnant. Of course, she was pregnant. That’s why Jun had been so quick to run off to get her medicine. And why her parents had been so keen to know how she was feeling. She obviously was not very far along because she couldn’t see or feel it, but it was a little odd to think about how she was pregnant with Jun’s kid. Not as weird as when she had to take care of her and Eli’s kid, but still unnerving.

Her dad set a glass of water in front of her just as Jun returned with two painkillers. He handed them to her with a smile, and Grace stood up to return to cooking. Breakfast was almost ready, after all. Serin took the medicine, and thanked Jun. Her mom served them breakfast. The four ate, though Serin ate lightly, not wanting to upset her stomach now that she knew that she was apparently pregnant. She was happy to be eating her mom’s food again; it felt nostalgic. She also couldn’t help but stare at her, captivated by seeing her alive again after all these years.

Her dad spoke then, addressing her mom, “Grace, are you going with Serin and Junyoung to the appointment today?”

“Yes,” she agreed. “Since the appointment is in the morning, I was going to go along and then come in to work afterward.”

He chuckled. “Can’t wait to see your newest grandchild?”

“Of course! Plus it’s my only daughter’s first baby. I want to be there for her.”

Serin looked down. It was hard to sit and listen to her mom be so excited about being a grandma. She had never gotten the opportunity in Serin’s real life. She’d died before Seunghyun had gotten married, much less had his son. Speaking of Seunghyun, she wondered where he was. This world seemed the most drastically different from reality, so he may not even be married here. Though, as her dad had specified “newest grandchild”, she assumed one of her brothers already had a kid or two. “What time is the appointment?” Hyunsu asked Serin.

She felt a bit of panic because she had no idea. Jun answered for her when she hesitated. “It’s at 9 this morning,” he stated. “We’re going to go into the studio afterwards. Serin wanted to do some composing for us, and I was going to tag along since I already got permission to be off today.”

Her dad nodded. “Very good. Let me know how the appointment goes.”

“I will,” Serin said, only because she knew she had to. But she was composing, huh? With her mom still living, it made a lot of sense. She would have simply pursued her dream until completion if she hadn’t had the heartbreak of losing her mom make her rethink her priorities. She would have gone to music school as planned, and apparently, she had returned to Korea to compose music. Knowing what kind of music exactly she composed was going to have to wait until she arrived to the studio Jun had mentioned.

Idle chatter continued until they had finished breakfast, and Jun announced that they needed to get ready to go. He and Serin went back to their bedroom. “Want to shower together to save time?” he asked.

“Ahhh,” Serin started, shaking her head. “I’d rather not.”

“Okay,” he agreed. “I’ll wait until you’re finished.”

She nodded in agreement and quickly stepped into the shower. She rushed through her routine, showering quickly and getting her hair and makeup done fast afterward. She wrapped the towel around her and stepped out of the bathroom. Jun stood up from the bed, wearing only his boxers, and walked past her as he headed for the bathroom himself. She had tried not to look at him but had found it difficult as he had walked by. She found herself drawn to him in a way, and she shook her head to clear her thoughts. Nope nope nope nope. Jun was off limits. She was married. Must be the hormones from the baby giving her unnecessary feelings.

Serin opened up the closet to reveal a very normal wardrobe. It was all stuff like she’d normally wear, so she was glad that she could actually dress herself convincingly. Pulling on skinny jeans, a pair of heels, and a loose-fitting t-shirt, she headed downstairs without Jun. She didn’t want to look at him fresh out of the shower, plus she could spend more time with her mom.

She sat and chatted with her mother, asking subtle questions to help piece together some of how this alternate universe had happened. The accident that had killed her mom had still happened, but it hadn’t actually killed her in this universe. She had been hospitalized for a time and eventually healed. Serin had gone to Paris as planned, and graduated four years later. From there she had returned to Korea and started working as a music producer, and it was through that she had met Junyoung. She still didn’t know what style of music she was producing, nor did she know exactly how she’d ended up married to Jun, but she figured that would be able to find out from Jun later. Seunghyun and Hyunsaeng were both married here, and both had children and lived in their own homes. Hyunsaeng married with children was a very foreign concept to Serin, but as everything else here was so screwy, she simply accepted it.

Jun walked down the stairs, and the three headed off to Serin’s appointment. The doctor asked her questions that she answered as best as she could. She hadn’t gone through most of the pregnancy, only experiencing the last couple of hours, but she felt fine and told the doctor as such. He seemed pleased, had a technician perform a sonogram, and sent her on her way.

Jun and her mom were happily discussing the future as they returned from the appointment, but Serin didn’t really share their joy. This wasn’t her baby with the man she loved. And she was here today, but this wouldn’t be her reality when she woke up the next day. She would be in a new universe, living a new life. I’ll never get to see my mom again she thought sadly. She started tearing up at the thought and was glad that she was sitting in the backseat by herself so no one would notice.

After dropping her mom off at home, she and Jun headed to the studio. It was a small office in the heart of Seoul, but it was very nice and obviously where she spent a lot of time. There was a sound booth and mixing table and everything she could think she might need for recording music. Jun made himself comfortable at her computer, logging in and opening up a song. She was glad for it because she didn’t think she could have logged in otherwise. “I think the guys will like this one,” Jun told her after listening for a moment.

“Ah, yeah?” she asked. It was a pop song. Apparently, she had gone back to Korea to produce K-pop music. Probably not all that surprising considering its popularity.

“Definitely. I can picture Soohyun hitting a high note right here. And then a nice rap section, leading into the chorus.” So he was still a member of U-KISS. Interesting.

Serin listened to the song more thoughtfully then, closing her eyes to better hear their voices in her head. “A harmony here,” she said, humming the melody for him. Jun was right. This song was perfect for U-KISS.

“Want to have us come in to record sometime?” he asked.

Serin nodded, pretty sure that her alternate universe counterpart would have been okay with it. “Hey Jun, can I ask you something?” she queried.

“What is it, Serin?” he replied.

She hesitated as she tried to word her question. “Why… did you pick me? You could have been with so many other people who were closer to your age. Have you ever thought our to be weird?”

He thought about it briefly. “No. I never found it weird. Obviously. I married you, after all.” He chuckled.  “When I first met you, you were so sincere and passionate, and as a producer, you challenged me. You pushed me to do my best in a way no one else ever really had. And I’ve told you before that that’s when I developed a crush on you. Almost instantly.”

Serin nodded in understanding. “It must have taken a lot of guts to confess your feelings for me.”

“I had to muster up so much courage. But I’ve always been astounded by how easily you accepted my feelings. I was expecting to be shot down instantly, but you gave me a chance, and I’m always thankful for that.”

Serin nodded. “Yeah. I’m glad I made you happy.” It was an honest statement on behalf of her alternate universe self.

Jun stood up from her seat, and she sat down to work on a new song. Her feelings regarding seeing her mother again and being married to Jun and pregnant were very complicated, and so she wanted to write a song to sort out her emotions a bit. Jun sat nearby, writing lyrics for the song he’d just volunteered for U-KISS, messaging the members to tell them about the latest song. Serin could see on her schedule that she had plenty of upcoming recording sessions with many different groups, both girl and boy groups. Her schedule for today was clear, and she’d written a note about her doctor’s appointment in big letters with a smiley face. So, herself in this world was definitely excited about it.

At some point during the day, Jun left to get them lunch and brought it back, and after several hours, she decided to call it a day. Jun resolutely packed up, and he drove her home. Her mom was preparing dinner when they arrived, and the strangeness of seeing her mom alive still hadn’t dissipated. She sat quietly, watching Jun interact with her parents while idly wondering if Hoon would have gotten along with her mom as well as Jun seemed to. Dinner was served, conversation was had, and TV was watched, and before she knew it, it was time for bed. She hugged her mom goodnight, but she also realized that it was goodbye. Forever. This would likely be the last time she’d ever see her mom.

Eventually, she pulled away from her mother and walked to her bedroom. Jun was following close behind her. Each step she took towards her bedroom was one step closer to losing her mom again, and it weighed heavily on her heart. By the time she reached the bedroom, she could no longer fight back her tears. Jun closed the door, and immediately noticed she was crying. He wrapped her in a hug, not bothering to ask what was wrong. He didn’t care about the why, only that he was going to console her as best he could.

Serin missed Hoon terribly. But she was trying to figure out if she’d be willing to trade her happiness with Hoon to live out the life she always dreamed of. This world was the closest thing she’d ever experienced to an ideal life. Her mom was alive. Her parents were still happily married. She was composing. It was perfect. Her life was perfect. But to have it she’d have to give up Hoon, and that thought felt like a stab right in the heart. She started crying harder, upset and uncertain. Missing her mom and missing Hoon. Jun squeezed her tighter. “Shh,” he whispered. “It’s okay. Everything is okay, Serin.”

She sniffed, burying her face into his shirt. “It’s so difficult,” she cried.

“Let’s go to bed,” he said calmly. “You’ll feel better in the morning.”

Morning? She’d be with Soohyun in the morning. It renewed her tears. “I can’t do this anymore,” she whimpered.

“Yeobo,” Jun whispered, “what’s wrong?”

“Everything,” she admitted. “Everything is wrong.” She was done being strong. Done pretending. She wanted this to be over. She just wanted to go home.

Jun bent down and kissed her then, strongly and passionately. She was surprised, but in her moment of weakness, she didn’t have the mental strength to stop him. She allowed him to kiss her, allowed herself to melt into his grasp, and ultimately, she let him lead her to bed. He kissed her lips, kissed her neck, ran his hands under her shirt, as his body pressed her into the mattress. In her confusion and vulnerability, she allowed herself to lose herself in him. When he reached for the button of her pants, she snapped back to her senses. “Junnie, no,” she gasped as she pulled away from him. “I can’t.”

Jun blinked, looking at her in confusion. “Oh right. The baby,” he said, flushing in embarrassment. “Sorry about that. I got carried away.”

She was bright crimson. She scrambled out from underneath of him, heading for the bathroom. She splashed water on her face, clearing her thoughts, trying to forget the feeling of his lips on hers. Trying to forget that she actually, for a little bit, wanted him to keep going. She washed her face quickly, changing into the pajamas she’d left in the bathroom earlier that day. She slinked into bed, ashamed and feeling guilty. Jun went into the bathroom after her. She lied in bed berating herself, and when he returned she was still awake. He climbed in bed with her, and apologized yet again. He put an arm around her and immediately fell asleep. Serin continued to feel incredibly guilty and sad. In fact, she wasn’t aware of actually falling asleep. But eventually the world just faded to nothing, her mind clouding as her consciousness shifted to another life.

--

Serin felt like she’d been slammed into her consciousness when she woke up the next morning. Her head pounded, and she groaned, closing her eyes. This should be the last day. She peaked out at the world with one eye. She recognized this bedroom. This was… Hoonbi’s room. Hoonbi’s room? Was she done? Had Hoonbi found a way to pull her out of her nightmare?

She sat up, eagerly hoping that she was back in the real world. Realization struck then. No. This wasn’t her world. She was . She realized Hoonbi slept beside her, and he was also . Hoonbi? God damn it. She got out of bed and found her clothes laying on the floor. She moodily pulled on the shorts and tank top, and then stomped out to head for the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She seethed with rage. Not only was she not done, she now had an extra day of torment. After making out with Jun, she’d woken up next to Hoonbi. And this was all Hoonbi’s fault. He made the potion in the first place and forced her to live through this.

She relieved the pressure in her bladder, washed her hands, and after a few moments of glowering at her reflection in the mirror, she heard a knock on the door. “Serin, what’s up?” Hoonbi asked from outside.

“Don’t bother me,” she shot back at him. “I don’t want to talk to you right now.”

“What did I do to upset you?” he inquired from the other side of the door. “Is it about last night? Was it not good enough?”

“Hoonbi,” she seethed, “don’t bother me.”

She heard his audible sigh. “Well, I’m sorry for whatever I’ve done. I’ll let you be.”

She didn’t really want to hurt him, but she was frustrated. Her patience had been exhausted. He and Soohyun had done this to her, and so she lashed out at the source of her problems. Aware that this version of Hoonbi had not contributed to her plight, she did feel a little bad for how she was treating him. But not bad enough. She didn’t want to see his face or speak to him.

“Um… Serin,” he started timidly, “can you get out of the bathroom, please? I have to get ready for work.”

She frowned but did as he requested, glaring at him as she walked out of the bathroom. While he was showering, she called Hyunsaeng. “What do you want this early?” he grumbled, obviously grumpy with her.

“I’m spending the day with you,” she announced.

“What? Why?” he questioned.

“I can’t stand being with Hoonbi today,” she stated in a matter-of-fact way.

“Is something up?” he asked, concerned. “Do I need to say something to Hoonbi?”

“No, oppa. It’s not something up with him. He’s normal, I guess. It’s me. It’s really… complicated. You wouldn’t really understand, but I am not myself today.”

“Tell me,” Hyunsaeng insisted.

“I just feel like I’m from another world today,” she explained carefully. “And everything is wrong. I just need to get away from here and have some space to be me for a little bit.”

“Okay,” Hyunsaeng agreed. “You can come over.”

“Thank you,” she whispered.

She quickly changed and left, leaving Hoonbi a note on the kitchen table apologizing for being so angry at him and explaining that her last few days had been stressful and that she just needed to be away to sort herself out a bit. She told him she would be with Hyunsaeng and would probably be back the following morning. She knew that the her of this world was probably very happy with Hoonbi. But after having the pain of having to say goodbye to her mother again, the guilt of her inappropriate acts with Jun weighing heavy on her mind and the fact that Hoonbi was the one who’d concocted the potion that had caused all of this to happen, she just couldn’t handle being around him and pretending to be happy.

Hyunsaeng greeted her at the door of his apartment when she arrived and had her sit down to eat breakfast. He questioned her briefly about what was going on, but when she seemed reluctant to discuss things, he dropped the subject. “Are you going to work today?” he asked her eventually.

“Do I have to? I’d rather not, if that’s okay.”

“I don’t think Appa will mind. Especially if you aren’t feeling well,” Hyunsaeng expressed.

“Good,” Serin agreed. She continued, “You know, Hyunsaeng oppa, I had this extremely realistic dream that mama was still alive yesterday. You were married with kids. And I was pregnant, and she was so happy that I was going to be having a child. I’m kind of sad I’ll never get to tell her that.”

Hyunsaeng smiled wistfully. “She would have been so happy to be a grandmother,” he said. “But you had to have known it was a dream when I was married.”

“Yeah,” she agreed noncommittally. It had been very real. And it definitely hadn’t been a dream. In another universe, their mom still lived, Hyunsaeng was married, and she was going to live the rest of her life bearing that knowledge.

Hyunsaeng left for work before long, leaving her at his apartment on her own. She didn’t do much besides mull over what she’d learned the last several days. The primary of those things being that she was very much in love with her husband and that she couldn’t wait to see him again. Now that she hadn’t seen him for 4 and a half days and had been forced to spend time in marriages with other people, she was getting desperate to see him. He hadn’t even shown up in any of her days with anyone else. She’d also learned that she had some kind of compatibility with Jun, which was weird, that Kiseop liked women wearing y lingerie to bed, that Kevin’s idea of a nice date involved going to eat cheeseburgers, and that Eli was definitely an attentive father. She had also realized the depths of the void caused by her mother’s absence. She hadn’t noticed it for a while as she and her brothers and father had all moved forward and were too busy building their lives for the future to cry about the past, but having a day with her had reminded Serin just how much she missed her mom.

As her thoughts continued to wander, she realized that she was most likely still going to have to deal with a day with Soohyun. She groaned internally. She was going to have to push him away as best as she could. She knew Soohyun pretty well. He was forward and erted and didn’t mind joking around. But as she was Hoon’s wife, he knew there were boundaries, and while he might toe them on occasion, he never crossed them. In a world where she was his wife, a lot of those boundaries would no longer be in place. It was going to present a unique challenge, and she worried about it in advance. She’d been worried about it since the moment she’d pieced together that she was living multiple lives married to different members. Aloud she told herself, “I’m just going to have to deal with the fact that I’m going to see his .”

At one point during the day, Hoonbi texted her. He’d messaged, “I saw the note you left this morning. I’m sorry for whatever I did to upset you. I hope you have a good day with your brother.”

Serin replied, “This doesn’t really have anything to do with you. And I’m sorry if you’re hurt or confused. Everything will be back to normal tomorrow. I promise.” She did feel bad for her behavior, and she wanted Hoonbi to feel assured. He and her alternate universe self could address what had happened once she was gone. She messaged Hoonbi a bit more, and the tone of his messages seemed to suggest he felt somewhat relieved.

Her day crawled along slowly. Hyunsaeng returned home in the evening, bringing their younger brother and dinner with him. The two of them helped keep her distracted, and so her evening moved much more quickly. “Are you going to go home tonight?” Hyunsaeng finally asked as the evening turned to night, and it was getting later.

“Ah… I don’t know. I’m more comfortable here.”

“Noona,” Jaehyun stated, “you should go home. Sleep in the living room if you need to be apart from Hoonbi, but he’ll be sad if you avoid him like this.”

She realized he was right. And at this point, it wouldn’t really hurt. She’d sorted out her feeling a lot during the day, and she knew that she could handle any potential interactions within the next few hours until her consciousness shifted yet again to another life. The last one, hopefully. She agreed with her younger brother and returned home. Hoonbi was already sleeping when she got there, so she simply brushed her teeth and curled up on the couch, willing herself to sleep before her consciousness was ripped from her body. It had hurt too much the last time she’d stayed awake for the world change.

-

She didn’t remember falling asleep, but she woke with a start. This was her old apartment. The one she’d lived in before marrying Hoon. Sleeping soundly next to her was Soohyun. She frowned, but also felt some relief knowing that she’d finally get this out of the way. Soohyun rolled from his back to facing away from her, and then his alarm went off. He silenced it, not really waking up, and falling back asleep again.

She looked over at him and realized that she was still extremely exhausted. She moved so that her back was facing him and curled up once more, keeping as much space between them as possible.

She wasn’t even aware that she’d dozed off until Soohyun was cuddling with her, arm wrapped around her waist and his chest against her back. She could feel something pressing against her , as well, but she didn’t want to think about it.

“Serin-ah,” he asked, voice deep and sensual, “will you take care of me this morning?”

She would have chuckled at his predictability if what he’d asked for wasn’t so disconcerting. “Not today,” she stated firmly. “I need to get up. I don’t have time.”

“Uh… you don’t need to get up,” he told her, sounding perplexed. “We’re both off today. We’re going to a wedding this afternoon. How could you forget?”

“Ah, that’s right,” she told him. “But still, I’d rather not.”

She didn’t see him, but something about how his arms loosened around her waist suggested that he seemed disappointed. “Why not?” he asked calmly. “Are you mad at me?”

“I… don’t think so. I just am not in the mood for it right now, okay?”

“I can get you in the mood,” he volunteered optimistically. Of course, Soohyun was not going to give up on any thread of hope. He was so predictable.

“No, Soohyun. Not today.”

“Okay, Serin,” he agreed gently. Soohyun removed his arms from her then, standing up to leave for the bathroom. He was, unsurprisingly , and Serin tried to avert her gaze so she didn’t look at his . Serin breathed a sigh of relief once he was in the bathroom, and she got out of bed, not wanting to be there when Soohyun got back. She didn’t need her previous conversation with him to continue.

She headed to the kitchen to make herself coffee. She felt like she needed the extra boost today. Soohyun joined her before long in only his boxer briefs. “Soohyun,” she asked, feeling a bit exasperated, “could you please put some clothes on?”

He gave her a puzzled look. “Why do I need clothes on? No one is here.”

“I would just prefer it that way,” she explained.

“You usually like when I’m not wearing anything. You’re acting unusual.”

She took a deep breath. “I’m feeling unusual,” she deadpanned.

“If you aren’t feeling well, you can skip out on the wedding this afternoon. I’m sure Amanda will understand.”

“My cousin?” Serin questioned incredulously.

“Yes, your cousin.”

“Why is she getting married here?” Serin probed further.

Soohyun eyed her suspiciously. “She’s marrying Hoon. What’s up with you? Why don’t you remember this stuff?”

“SHE’S MARRYING HOON!?” Serin exclaimed. “What the actual hell?”

Soohyun appeared taken aback by this. “You’re being really weird,” he stated. “Yes, your cousin is marrying Hoon. You knew that. You’re the reason they’re together. You were happy about it.”

“I can’t believe it,” Serin fumed as jealousy and confusion spread through her. “Amanda doesn’t belong with Hoon. They are fundamentally incompatible. Hoon would never be able to keep up with her voracious ual appetite. I know. He’s not that driven. Not even close to where she is. You’re a better match for her, Soohyun.”

“Serin,” he expressed, obviously hurt by her words, “please stop.”

She ignored him. “This is unbelievable. I’ve seen a lot of crazy this last week, but this takes the cake. It’s too much.”

Soohyun grabbed her hand, snapping her out of her rant. “Please tell me what going on?” he begged.

Serin glared over at him, ready to continue berating him, but when she saw the tears forming in his eyes, she realized that he was really hurting. Feeling guilty, she decided to do the one thing she’d managed to avoid doing during her entire adventure. She decided to tell him the truth. “Soohyun, this is probably going to sound crazy, but I’m not the person you’re married to. Somehow, I’m in her body, but I’m not her.”

He cocked his head, confused. “Then who are you?”

“I am Lee Serin. But like… a Lee Serin from a different universe. The Serin that you married… I’m inside of her, but I’m not her.”

“Wait… what? What are you talking about?” His eyes studied hers, searching for an indication that she was being dishonest.

“I’m being sincere with you. In the world I come from, I’m married to Hoon. He is my husband. The idea of Amanda marrying him is just so wrong to me because Hoon is mine,” Serin explained.

“That doesn’t really make me feel any better,” Soohyun admitted. “How do I know you’re telling the truth?”

“I suppose you can’t know I’m telling the truth. But I am being honest. This all started several days ago after you accidentally gave me a drink out of a cup that had remnants of a potion in it.”

“A potion?” he questioned.

“I’m aware this sounds crazy. Hoon and I went to visit you and Hoonbi. In my world, Hoonbi is something like a sorcerer. He collects magical items and creates potions and sells his wares for profit. You accidentally used a cup he’d mixed a potion in to give me a drink. Since then, I’ve been traveling through parallel universes, spending a day married to each U-KISS member. And well Hoonbi, too.”

Soohyun thought for a moment. “That story doesn’t sound believable at all,” he announced.

“I’m aware. I can answer your questions as best as I can. Just… get dressed first,” Serin stated.

Soohyun nodded in agreement, before leaving to throw on clothes and returning quickly. “So,” he started when he returned, “you said you’d answer my questions.”

“Yeah,” Serin agreed. “What do you want to know?”

“I guess you could start by giving me some details.”

“I lost consciousness after having a drink out of a shot glass you handed to me. When I woke up on the first day, I was sleeping beside Eli. It was really confusing. I thought it was just a really life-like, crazy dream. But I realized that wasn’t the case when I was beside Kevin the next day and then Kiseop the day after that. Kevin made me go to church with him.” Soohyun chuckled. “And Kiseop had me driving a pricey sports car.”

“That sounds like them,” Soohyun admitted.

“Mmhmm. The day after that was Jun, and my mom was alive too, and it was really a tough and emotional day for me. If the me here is anything like me, you’ll understand how much my mom means to me.”

“I do understand,” Soohyun acknowledged.

“Afterwards, I was with Hoonbi, and now I’m here, with you. Each day has been a different person and a different scenario, and every situation has felt very real. I’m assuming this isn’t a dream.”

Soohyun nodded. “This is very much real. I’m alive, and I’m definitely married to you.” He flashed the ring on his finger. She looked down at the matching ring on her own.

“So if all of these situations have been equally as real, it’s safe to say that my consciousness has been moving around through the bodies of my alternate self in different universes.”

“That’s crazy. But it makes sense, I guess,” Soohyun contributed. “Your anger about Hoon definitely makes a lot more sense that way.”

“I haven’t seen him in five full days, and I never even said goodbye. I miss him terribly.”

Soohyun nodded his understanding. “I don’t know that I totally follow and believe your story, but it’s really the only thing that makes sense. In this world, you two broke up ages ago. You went out on a few dates with him, and when he introduced you to me, I was immediately smitten. I confessed my love. You turned me down at first, but eventually Hoon stepped out of the picture because he knew how strongly I felt. He didn’t want to upset me and cause trouble within the group. You felt bad about how things had turned out, so you introduced him to Amanda when she visited a few years ago. She hasn’t left since then.”

Serin shook her head, disbelieving. Where the timeline had changed suggested that this one had been altered due to a decision made by Soohyun. One related to him confessing his feelings. “I wonder if my Soohyun had feelings for me and just never said anything?” she pondered.

Soohyun pursed his lips. “It’s very possible. I mean, you’re exactly my ideal type, and I doubt that has changed much in the realm you’re from.”

She laughed awkwardly. “I don’t really want to think about that,” she expressed.

“You don’t have to,” Soohyun stated. “So do you know what’s happened to my Serin if you’re here instead right now?”

“I don’t know where she is. And I can’t tell you what she’s going to remember when she gets back. She should return once I fall asleep for the night. And then your life will return to normal.”

“I guess I can handle that for the day. If I make you uncomfortable in anyway, let me know. It’ll be easy to cross boundaries because you are essentially her in every way. And I know I said you could skip it, but I think you should really go to Hoon and Amanda’s wedding. They’ll both be pretty upset if you miss it. I know it’ll be weird for you, all things considered. And I’ll cover for you if you think you really can’t handle it. But it is kind of the right thing to do.”

Serin nodded in acceptance with his suggestion. “I think I can it up for the day. To make their alternate universe selves happy. Plus, all will be right again when I finally wake up in my own reality. I hope.”

Soohyun chuckled. “Okay so, I guess I should try to fill you in on information you ought to know. The wedding is at 3 p.m. today. Amanda really insisted on having it as American style as possible, so we’re going to be hanging out for a while.”

“Do I have something to wear?” Serin asked.

“I do believe it’s hanging in the closet. You picked it out about a month ago.”

Serin smiled. “Of course, I did.”

“You will forever be type A, I think,” Soohyun acknowledged. “Cool, calm, collected Lee Serin. Prepared for everything and always flawless.”

“You really think so?”

“Of course I think so. I mean, I think you’re super hot, but what I really love about you is your… well everything. Just the way that you are.”

“Well, I don’t feel really cool or collected right now. Mostly frustrated and angry.”

“See, but even now you’re being rational about everything. You have a plan and are staying focused on it to get through this. It’s admirable.”

Serin and Soohyun continued to talk for most of the morning, comparing differences in their worlds. With fascination, Serin absorbed what Soohyun told her about her alternate universe self. As it got later in the morning, Soohyun said, “I’ll go ahead and take a shower first and get dressed so you can have the bedroom to yourself while you get ready. Usually we’d just shower together, no big deal, but I know you’d be uncomfortable with that.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

She the TV and sat waiting for Soohyun to finish. It was going to be difficult to pretend to be happy while watching her cousin and her husband get married. But Hoon always told her she was a pretty good actress, so she was going to put those skills to the test today. It wasn’t like this was her reality after all. She just had to pretend convincingly enough even though the marriage was fundamentally flawed in her eyes.

Soohyun returned after a short period of time wearing dress pants, a white button up shirt, and a tie, as well as carrying a jacket draped over his arm. “Your turn,” he announced with a smile. “I also set the dress you picked out for you. Or well… the dress my Serin picked.”

“Thank you. I don’t think I’d have known which one to wear.”

Soohyun seemed pleased with her reaction, and she stood up to go get ready for what she assumed would be the second most trying day of her adventure in parallel universes. She showered, styled her hair, applied her makeup, and then went to get dressed. Her dress was a nice navy blue A-line dress with white accents and gold buttons down the front. Elegant and practical. She wouldn’t be uncomfortable in it. She found shoes that matched and accessorized with gold jewelry.

When she walked back out into the living area, Soohyun told her, “You look fantastic!”

“Thank you, Soohyun.”

And with that they headed out the door. It didn’t take them long to drive to the wedding venue. There were many people gathering. Hoon’s parents and brother. Amanda’s parents and her twin brother. All of the U-KISS members were trickling in, as well. The members all said hello to her cordially, but it was kind of eerie as the last time she’d seen any of them, they’d been married to her.

Hoon stood before those in attendance after a while, signaling that it was almost time. Serin felt her heart beat rapidly at the sight of him. He was so handsome in his tuxedo, standing there, watching expectantly. Serin remembered seeing a similar look on his face when they got married. It made her heart ache.

The processional began playing while Serin recollected her wedding day, and then Amanda was walking down the aisle, looking radiant and happy. Serin frowned, but when Soohyun put a hand on her shoulder, she relaxed a bit. If she imagined it were a dream, she’d get through it easier. And so she did. She didn’t watch the kiss after they’d been pronounced man and wife, and she spent the reception avoiding both of them. She’d managed to dodge direct discussion from nearly everyone, and after they’d finished dinner, Soohyun noticed that she seemed uncomfortable and offered going home. She took him up on it.

It was reasonably late when they returned. Soohyun offered to stay outside of the bedroom while she got changed. She expressed her appreciation for his thoughtfulness.

“It’s no problem,” he said.

“The you in my world wouldn’t do anything quite as noble. He’d want to ogle.”

Soohyun smiled sheepishly. “Well, I do like to ogle. But you aren’t… her. You’d be uncomfortable, and I don’t want to do that to you. You seem really shaken after everything.”

“I am really shaken. And I appreciate how much effort you’re putting into making me feel at ease. It’s made this day a lot easier on me.”

He nodded and gestured for her to go into the room. She changed and walked out, feeling self-conscious about not wearing a bra around him, but knowing that she’d sleep better with it off. She wandered into the kitchen while he headed to the bedroom to get ready to sleep. She was looking for a snack before bed, and found some dried edamame. Not her favorite, but it would do.

Soohyun then walked into the kitchen wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top. “Ah, you can sleep in the bedroom tonight. I’ll take the couch.”

Serin finished chewing and swallowed the edamame in . “That’s very kind of you. Soohyun, you’re the best,” she announced. She walked over and hugged him sincerely.

He laughed awkwardly. “I love you, Serin. I mean… my Serin. But I’m sure the Soohyun you know loves you, too. Just maybe differently.”

“Like a brother,” she agreed.

Soohyun smiled at her and backed away. “Well, I’ll take my place on the couch. Work continues in the morning so I ought to be rested. I hope you had a good time with me though.”

“You helped me get through this really trying experience extremely well, Soohyun. I’ll never forget how thoughtful you were.”

He chuckled. “Thanks. I appreciate that. Goodnight, Hoon’s Serin,” he told her. “I wish you a speedy return to your proper world.”

She smiled at him. “Goodnight, Serin’s Soohyun.” With that, she went to her bedroom, and quickly fell asleep.

--

Before Serin could open her eyes, she knew who she was with. His familiar scent put her at ease. His arm around her waist felt the same as always. But she knew she still wasn't back. It might have been Hoon, but this wasn't her universe. The most obvious difference being that she was definitely pregnant here, which she gathered from the slight rounding of her belly, the churning nausea, and another feeling she couldn't quite place. She tried to remain in bed, but eventually the nausea won out. She rushed to the bathroom, and after emptying her stomach, she sat on the floor in dismay, shaking.

Hoon walked in only seconds later, helping her stand up, and looking worried. "Are you feeling better now?" he asked, reaching for her toothbrush. He put toothpaste on it and then handed it to her.

After a moment of self-examination, Serin shook her head. "I'm still pretty nauseous," she decided. She started brushing her teeth to rid of the bile taste.

"I'm sorry for this," Hoon said sincerely. "I hate watching you get sick every morning because of our baby." Serin couldn't say anything with a toothbrush in , so she simply nodded her acknowledgement. He continued, "The last pregnancy wasn't this rough on you. Well... I mean, physically. You didn't get sick. But we both know how emotionally rough it was."

Serin was confused. The last pregnancy? What was he talking about? She wanted to ask him for details, so she finished brushing her teeth and rinsed . When she'd done so, Hoon handed her a bottle of water. She drank some and felt pleased with herself. She loved how thoughtful and considerate he was, and even though this version wasn't her version, he still remained himself. Hoon had most definitely been the right decision. After taking a few sips of water, her stomach started to settle a bit. She didn't want to reveal the truth unless she had to. She'd backed herself into a corner with Soohyun and been forced to tell him about her interdimensional travels, but she wanted to try better with Hoon. She wanted to know what he'd been talking about, so she stated. "I think all pregnancies are a bit emotional."

He nodded. "It's even harder when you've already lost one."

She breathed in sharply out of surprise. So that's what he'd been talking about. She'd miscarried. She recovered from her shock by agreeing with him. "Yeah," she said.

"Think you're okay to come back to bed?" he asked after a moment.

Serin nodded. "My stomach is less bothered right now. Guess I'll be skipping breakfast though. Don't want to chance it."

"You should eat something bland. You need some nutrients," Hoon stressed. "I'm worried. You've lost weight, and the baby needs you at your healthiest."

"I know," she agreed.

Hoon led her back to bed, hovering over her until she was lying down once more. He then walked around the bed to climb in with her. He had a hand on her waist, holding her close, and cuddling against her. "I love you," he whispered. "I'm so excited to be a dad. I can't wait to meet our precious little one."

Serin smiled, feeling at peace, and then she felt the world begin to spin. She gasped, and she could hear Hoon saying something to her, but it was distant and indistinguishable. Her head pounded, throbbing as she actually felt herself being pulled out of the body she was in. After a tearing sensation flooded her mind, everything went white.

--

She woke up feeling as though she'd been slammed into a wall. Hard. Repeatedly. "Nnnnnng," she moaned.

"Serin! Serin! Are you up? Are you okay?"

Her mind was fuzzy. She looked up at the person speaking to her through squinted eyes.

He leaned over her, taking her hand, and sighing in relief. "Thank God." Ah, she recognized him. Hoonie. Serin couldn't tell if she was back or not, but her head throbbed, and she groaned yet again.

"Hoonbi's potion knocked you out cold," Hoon explained. She was on her back in bed. Hoon seemed to be sitting beside her, and she couldn't really tell where she was. "He said you were traveling through different dimensions."

"So I'm really back where I belong?" she asked, feeling relieved despite the headache.

"Yeah," Hoon said. "And you shouldn't get back in. Or so he said."

Serin grumbled and tried to sit up. She felt weak when she did so, and everything went blurry. Hoon reached out to steady her, helping her sit up and lean against the backboard of the bed. "Easy there. Don't push yourself too hard. I was told you'd take a while to recover from the effects." She realized that they were back at their home. He must have brought her back when she'd passed out.

"Did Hoonbi tell you specifics?"

"Not all of the details but enough. Your consciousness was removed from your body and transported to various different dimensions where some version of you exists. But because dimensions are like a tree and branch out when different decisions are made, your circumstances were different in each dimension you entered," Hoon explained.

Serin nodded. "I essentially spent a day married to all of the U-KISS members. And also Hoonbi for good measure, I guess."

"All of us?"

"Yep. I was pulled back when I was on my day with you. Day 7."

"Woah! Was it really seven days?"

"Yeah. Why? How long was I unconscious?" she questioned.

"Only about 14 hours," Hoon clarified.

"How is that possible?"

Hoon shrugged. "You'd have to ask Hoonbi that. He knows more than I do."

She nodded her head in understanding. "It was really difficult," Serin stated. She felt the guilt and sadness well up again. "Eli and Kevin and Kiseop were okay. I managed. But then I was married to Jun. Hoonie, I was married to Jun. I was pregnant. With his baby. And and and..." she looked pleadingly into his eyes, tears starting to form because she couldn't keep her emotions in check now that she was safely home, "my mom was alive. And it was so overwhelming and sad when I had to leave, and then I kissed Jun. I feel so terrible."

Hoon hugged her, and then she started sobbing. He was her hair and letting her cry, her tears falling against his chest. "Serin, it's okay. You're okay. You're home."

"I know," she cried, "but I feel so guilty."

"Understandable," Hoon agreed, nodding. "But Serin, it's not your fault. You didn't choose to be married to any of them. Not you. You are my Serin. So you lived through the lives of some alternate versions of yourself, and it placed you in some difficult situations? You cracked under the pressure and kissed Jun."

"It was more than that," she whispered. "More intense. I didn't know how to feel."

"Did you not want to leave?" Hoon questioned.

She sniffled, her tears subsiding a bit. "I was torn. I wanted to come back to you so badly. But I also wanted to stay with my mom. I still don't know who I'd rather have in my life. You or her? I made out with Jun during a moment of weakness when I was getting really upset over the idea of having to choose between you and my mom."

Hoon sighed, tightening his grip on her. "So it's not really Jun that's my competition, huh?"

Serin nodded, hugging him tight. "I'm so sorry."

"So who would you choose? Me or your mom?" Hoon asked quietly.

"Please don't ask me that," she implored. "I don't think I can choose."

"Serin," Hoon began, "I think you'd still pick me."

"How can you be so sure?" she asked.

"Because you know what life without your mom is like. But you've never lost me. And you were relieved to be back. You want to be here with me. And I want you here so much. It was tough watching you sleep for hours and not knowing when you'd wake up."

"I... think you're right," she agreed. "Life with you feels the most correct. Even when Hoonbi sends us on crazy adventures."

Hoon laughed. "I really wish he'd stop doing that. It's kind of a pain."

Serin giggled and then wiped away the tear streams left on her face. "You know, as much as I was dreading my day with Soohyun, it wasn't so bad," she remarked.

"Not so bad? That sounds almost unbelievable."

"Well... I mean, he was at first. And propositioned things, but I eventually told him the truth about being from a different universe, and he was very accommodating. When we had to attend your wedding to my cousin, he really helped me maintain my sanity."

"Wait… I married Amanda?" Hoon asked, startled.

"Apparently, so. Some of the worlds were quite interesting. I can tell you more if you want."

"Not right now. I kind of want to sleep right now. I was so stressed out over you being gone that I couldn't really sleep."

Serin smiled, happy to be back and happy to be with Hoon and glad that he cared so much. "I can tell you about them some other time. But I want you to know that I also visited a world that was us. It was the last place I was right before I came back."

"So we're together in other universes too, huh?" Hoon mused, releasing her before standing up to take off his shirt and settle back into bed. She moved so that he could do so. "That's actually really comforting to know," he stated, putting an arm around her waist.

"In this parallel universe, I was married to you. We were going to have a baby."

"A baby, huh?," he mused. "Do you want that?"

She nodded. "I think having a baby with you would be nice."

Hoon kissed the back of her neck and squeezed her waist. "I'd like that, too," he admitted. "I'm just... too tired right now for that."

"It's okay. I am, too. We can work on it later."

"Okay," he agreed.

She flushed as Hoon continued to hold her as he fell asleep with the promise of trying to have a baby causing her feel lighthearted and content after all the stress she'd just endured.