An Ode to Maehwa | kth

Chapter 13: The Reason

The person had darker hair, wore worn out traditional clothes and looked quite adapted to the environment, but his face was unmistakably Jimin, your friend, even if his face was charred like the small boy.

"Jimin!" you tried to get closer to him, when suddenly someone grabbed your arm.

"That's not your Jimin," the voice said.

You turned around to look at the person; he was wearing a black robe that covered his head to toe—he had 'suspicious' written all over him.

"Who are you?" you asked, not even hiding your guarded tone.

"I'm the most reliable fortune teller you would ever meet," he replied defiantly.

He was only building up his fishiness and you furrowed your eyebrows further.

"How do you know if he's not the one?" you asked, pointing at Jimin-like person in the distance. More like, do you even know who I'm talking about?

"Just listen to their conversation," he shrugged.

"Where have you been?" the Jimin lookalike squatted down to pat his younger brother's head, worry apparent in his voice.

"I got you our lunch!" the boy instead beamed happily, proudly holding out the pancakes.

"...Did you steal again?"

"...No, he gave them to me," the boy answered, fiddling with his hair, his eyes looking away.

The brother sighed. He knew very well of his younger brother's habit when he was lying.

"We promised we won't steal anymore last year, did you forget?"

Last year? How could Jimin be in this era from last year if you were in the museum with him just a month ago?

You looked back at the suspicious robed man in front of you.

"I was right, no?" he asked, but it was more like a statement.

You were about to back away from this unidentified man, eeriness building in you. Until you heard him say,

"I know you're from the future."

"How??"

The moment you heard those words, you couldn't help but grab the man's arms and inquire. You have been in this era for a month without a single clue, and there were many times you wanted to collapse and cry, helplessness engulfing you.

But this man in front of you had dropped a hint of your original life, and your heart stirred just like how the water surface rippled with a single drop of water.

You didn't care how suspicious he looked. You needed someone to explain the state you were in.

"I know that you came from the year 2020. That you came from the Kwandae historical museum," the man added the details indifferently.

"HOW??" your desperation was at its peak, and shook the man you were grabbing by his arms.

The man groaned and ripped your hands off him. He then took down his hood leisurely, revealing his face.

The man was probably a few years older than you, his expression on the cold face unreadable.

"Because I brought you here."

There was a long pause before you could finally ask, "what?"

"It is what it is," he said nonchalantly.

"How? Why? How do I go back??" you stepped closer to him desperately.

"Do you want to go back?" he looked down at you. You thought that was the dumbest question you've heard. It was like asking a hungry person 'do you want food?'.

"OF COURSE!!"

For the first time, on his bored face, a smile appeared. But it wasn't a friendly one, more of a bold and demanding one.

"Then let me work in the palace."

"Why?" you were puzzled.

"That shouldn't be your concern. You should be concerned about doing as I said, or you'll stay here forever."

His smile was plastered on his face, but his eyes weren't smiling at all.

"How do you know I work there?"

"I saw you on the Martial Arts Tournament day."

That day, you were wearing the palace maid's uniform and were sitting in the area prepared for the palace workers.

"But I'm just a maid," you replied weakly.

"I don't care. Do it, or you won't go back."

"But how?"

The man exhaled a sigh loudly, then said, "fine. I'll give you a tip."

He flicked his finger towards him, and you leaned in as he gestured.

A/N:

Any guess who this suspicious defiant man is? lol