Cursed | Yang Hongseok

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Flashback: China, 1020. (Hongseok's P.O.V)

I wasn't exactly sure what kind of sorcery it was that brought the two of us together, but ever since I saw that girl's beautiful face that day at the green market, I kept seeing her everywhere as if faith desperatly wanted us to meet.

Maybe that was the case.

Maybe that was what people called "finding a soulmate".

But on the other hand, maybe it was just a trap my heart got into way too easily, witout any possible way of escaping.

Whatever it was, I didn't mind. I just knew that I needed to see her again and again.

"You and I always seem to meet, no matter what we do." She smiled when she saw me at the village one day. This time, I was alone.

"Are you saying you're trying to avoid me?" I smirked ever so slightly.

"Of course not!" She giggled, and then offered me her gentle hand as a way of introducing herself. "My name is Xia."

Xia. That name kept repeating itself in my head as a song which lyrics I never wanted to forget. Because, it didn't sound like just any song, this one was different from anything I had ever been able to hear before. In my mind, her name sounded much more powerful, almost divine. To me, it sounded like an anthem.

"...Glow of the sunrise."

"Excuse me?" A somewhat confused expression appeared on her pretty face.

"That's what your name means in Chinese." I said. "Didn't you know?"

"Oh, I did. I just– you confused me, that's all." She said, her cheeks becoming visibly red. Her reaction made me smile a little. After all, that was a sign that she was probably interested in me as much as I was interested in her.

"My name is Hongseok." I finally said, which again caused a confused expression to appear on her face.

"Hongseok? That name sounds quite foreign." She stated curiously.

I didn't know how to respond at first, because I was afraid what her reaction would be if she found out who I was. But then again, something inside of me was telling me that she should know the truth.

"Maybe because it is." I said quietly.

"Are you saying that–" She wanted to finish her question, but got interrupted by me nodding my head, maybe even a bit too aggressively.

"Yes... I am not from here. I'm only a soldier." I managed to say.

"... Of the opposing army." She said, finishing my thought. "You know, you could get killed if someone found out your true identity."

"I believe you won't tell anyone... will you?" I smiled, trying to hide my anxiety. There sure was something unexplainably beautiful that I felt about this girl, but I didn't know if that meant I could trust her yet.

After a few silent seconds of anticipation, she finally spoke.

"Of course I won't." She said, and then added quietly. "After all, our own army is way too cruel. Someone needs to put them in their place."

"That's true." I said, still feeling as if my words were standing on thin ice. "Especially their commander."

It seemed like her whole body froze by the mention of that man, which made me somewhat curious.

"He– He's a good man." She stuttered.

"How would you know?" I asked, genuinely wanting to know the answer. "Besides, you don't sound so confident in your own words."

"... He's a good man." She repeated, sounding slightly more confident this time. "If anything, I'm the one who's bad."

"Is that so?" I lifted an eyebrow when I heard her statement. "Why do you think of yourself that way?"

Even if she had any self-doubts, they all seemed to disappear as soon as she heard my question, because a sudden smile appeared on her face as she was getting closer to me.

"Because, Hongseok, for the past couple of times we've talked, I couldn't help but think of doing something that I am by no means allowed to do."

"And what is–"

My question got interrupted by her lips that gently connected with mine. At that moment, it seemed as if the world has stopped only for the two of us. Out of everything nice I felt in my life, this was the feeling that stood out the most.

Is this what falling in love feels like?

Not so long after she took the matter in her own hands, Xia pulled away, looking rather embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have done that." She mumbled while her cheeks started getting visibly red.

I just stood there in shock, not being able to respond, but after just a second, I snapped back to reality.

"Don't apologize." I said, trying to keep calm. "No one saw us."

She just nodded.

"I won't do this again, I promise." She whispered.

"I don't remember telling you I disliked what you did." I told her seriously, which made her look straight into my eyes with confusion painted all over her face.

"I know, but... I don't think we can be together." She said, her voice shaking.

That response of hers made me think about the options that we currently had. Truth to be told, if she didn't want to be with me, there was nothing I could possibly do to change her mind.

"If that's what you want." I said indifferently, although on the inside I was feeling all kinds of emotions. Then, I turned around to leave. The faster I moved away from her who I wanted so much, the faster I would be able to forget her. Or at least so I thought.

"Wait!" I heard a voice behind me just seconds after I turned around. When I turned back, I saw Xia standing at the same place where she previously was. Only this time, her once scared eyes glowed with a strange kind of desire, making them look like the clear summer sky at night.

"I know this is wrong, and I hope heavens will forgive me, but... no one needs to know about us."

I couldn't believe my own ears. I never thought I'd come upon a girl so brave and confident in an era where women were nothing but men's property. Only in this case, it seemed more as if she was owning me, and for things to be even worse, I didn't mind it at all.

"I like that idea." I said, coming closer to her and embrasing her petite figure in a hug.

Only when I did this did I realise that the feeling of homesickness that I'd been feeling for days finally disappeared. And only then did I realise that, sometimes, "home" can be a person.

A/N: Sorry for being late with this update, I was kinda busy with school, but I hope I'll have more time from now on. I hope you like this chapter, and don't forget to vote! :)