"One wrong decision is all it takes to flip one's fate."

----

I always knew that my life had never been normal. I was fighting with a gangster along with my husband, who probably got shot while saving me. As much as I can recall, that sword attracted me like a firefly towards light.

The same sword that Hwang In Ha carried as her greatest possession.

I have no idea why or how I landed up here, maybe I'm dead and it's my soul wandering in this era but then again, why me? And the situation unfolding in front of my eyes, was truly, mind-boggling.

"Your highness, this can't be true!" The royal advisor, who was the father of the general, spoke up in his defence. His concerned voice brought me out of my trance.

"Your highness, I-" Haewon tried to speak in his defence but the queen's vexed voice rang through the courtroom, leaving everyone trembling in their boots.

"ENOUGH!" She yelled, her patience hanging by a loose thread as he walked towards the male.

Her sword already unsheathed, the eerie silence in the courtroom made the voice of metal colliding with the stairs as she carried it along with her, rang throughout. Her eyes held fury, betrayal, disbelief all in once, they moistened but she skillfully concealed her emotions pulling off a straight face.

"He committed treason, your highness! General Haewon should be hanged to death!" The court men proclaimed in unison but the queen ignored their remarks. She walked towards the man, her predator-like steps ignited by the rage building up inside her.

Haewon committed treason?

He loved the queen! Why would he do that?!

"No, your highness! This is not the truth!" The royal advisor once again pleaded but she didn't listen to him.

My breath hitched as she placed her sword on his neck, a little cut was already made by the sharp object, making blood seep out from his neck but he stood still, his eyes wandering for a chance.

"Why?" She questioned, glaring. Her eyes threw daggers at the male. He sweated profusely as she placed the sword on his neck but his expressions speaking otherwise, he didn't appear anxious.

"I did not commit treason, your highness. My family has been loyal to the crown for centuries, I would rather kill myself than to betray the throne." He clarified himself but she listened enough. All proofs were against him and there is no other way for the Prince of Shuhuan to personally come up here, if the matter was not serious.

He killed her father.

With a dismissive scoff, she continued, "It would have been better if you would have killed me when you had the chance. But you chose to murder the person I loved the most in my life, you accused my husband and even had the audacity to cover up for your sinful actions by playing the facade of the person closest to me. You are a taint to the throne, Jeon Haewon!" She gritted her teeth at the last statement, unable to believe what she saw but the truth rang out loud and she certainly, can't help but submit to it. The responsibilities of a ruler bestowed heavily upon her shoulders and even though this man is her closest friend, his betrayal was much larger than his friendship.

"What is the punishment for treason, advisor Jeon?" She finally looked into the direction of the elderly male who was breaking in sweats by now, trying his best to save his son but nothing was coming in his favour.

"I won't repeat the question." She ordered with an annoyed tone.

"The n-neck of the traitor should be sliced off in front of the court." The man spoke out stuttering and the queen once again glared at the traitor.

"Your highness, please give me–" Haewon tried to speak but nothing helped.

"THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENS TO TRAITORS!" With a final scream, she jabbed the male's throat and he fell on the floor with a thud, a pool of blood created across his body and everyone stood up from their positions, their eyes widened.

My hands clapped upon my mouth as I rushed towards his lifeless body, the scenes of Jungkook laying lifeless appeared in front of my eyes, this man looked like Jungkook...

He died.

She killed him.

"Jungkook!" I loud scream left from my throat as my transparent hand passed through his body, I couldn't even touch him.

The royal advisor rushed through me and bent on his knees mourning the loss of his son. He took out his family ring which must've been passed through generations and placed it in front of the queen's feet, lowering his head as tears flowed uncontrollably through his eyes.

"My family had always been loyal to the throne, your highness but today you committed a grave blunder by wrongfully killing the person who dedicated his entire life for you. I hereby announce that the Jeon family would no longer serve the throne." He sobbed and expressed his thoughts, soon his voice became threatening and he looked up straight into her blank eyes, which now held nothing but pain, extreme pain. The sword in her hand reddened by the blood of the general and the man who loved her. His blood sprinkled on her face which she cared less about, she just stood still blankly, a lone tear passed through her eyes which she quickly wiped off.

"Mark my words Hwang In Ha, someday you will crave for love, the same way my son did for yours!" He continued, raising his voice and the soldiers held him up by his arms.

"Mind your language, before I cut that filthy tongue off!" Wang Xiomin finally spoke up, revealing his existence and the world around me once again collided.

I was teleported to another dimension, once again.

----

Sometimes life makes us land up in inevitable situations where it becomes difficult to choose between the right or the wrong. It tests our patience and one wrong decision by us, not only affects us but the people dear to us too.

One wrong decision is all it takes.

That's why Hwang In Ha, the only queen that ever existed in the Joseon Dynasty, the queen of the eight kingdoms, the woman in front of whom the entire world bowed down... Was stripped off her crown and strangled down on her knees in the same courtroom where she once executed her most trusted friend.

Her hair was left open as her forehead seeped out blood, hands trembled due to pain and her eyes held the fire within them, the fire which could burn but her attempts to stand turned out to be futile because her body was giving up.

"Don't even try honey, this was the same poison your father was murdered with." Wang Xiomin revealed his true colours and my mouth flung open in aghast.

Wang Shaofeng, along with the other court men laughed along on his remark. So, Haewon was right, this man was the real traitor. Tears uncontrollably etched out of my eyes as I gazed at the terrible condition of my look-alike.

Each one of them was a traitor.

"You... Bastard." She managed to speak but was instantly landed up with a harsh slap by her said 'husband'. He forcefully made her look into his eyes by clenching a fistful of her jet black hair, a painful whimper left from mouth as her eyes reddened with warm embers.

"Do you know how tough it was to convince your brothers to rebel against your father? And when the iron was hot, you being his faithful daughter executed all your brothers claiming the throne, that I worked so hard to achieve. Bitches like you don't even deserve the time period you served the throne." He mocked, smirking as once again slapped the woman.

"You actually thought we would serve a woman, your highness?" One of the court's men uttered, taunting the queen and the other's chuckled.

"Fucker... You deserve hell!" She screamed in her trembling voice, making his expressions stoic.

"Oh, the one who would go through hell should be you, honey." Xiomin chuckled darkly and his cousin, poured oil upon the woman.

No way! They're not doing what I'm thinking right?!

"Burn in hell, Queen." He mocked and with the flick of the matchstick the entire courtroom was burned into flames. The once majestic queen's blood-curling hollers shook the entire palace but not a single soul stood up.

They all left her that way.

Her agonising screams didn't melt their monstrous hearts even a bit. I ran towards her into the fire, trying to pull her out of it but nothing helped, my body was transparent and I could feel those burns on my body somehow, even though I'm a lost soul.

It pained a lot, I started scratching my skin but nothing was helping, I was crying helplessly just like the poor woman in front who was burnt alive, her hollers died down and I was certain she didn't survive but the pain inside me was increasing every second. I was screaming like a maniac and suddenly, as if a miracle had dawned upon...

I was finally teleported to the place I was in, when I lost my life.

I was once again standing on the clouds, the same majestic waterfall flew beautifully in front of me and the blue butterfly...

It was once again flying in front of me.

"W-why... I'm here?!" I scurried up all the courage I had inside me before a panic attack hit me.

"You're not dead, if that's what you're curious about." The butterfly replied in a monotonous tone.

"What were those flashbacks?! Why am I seeing them?" I questioned once again and this time something terrific happened- the butterfly transformed into a person.

Hwang In Ha.

"Y-you..." I stuttered unable to form any words.

She just smiled at me and caressed my cheek with her cold palm. I shivered under her touch, as she continued speaking, "You fought hard, Y/N. You're truly, brave. Do you know why your date of birth and death wasn't mentioned in the books of Almighty?" I shook my head in apprehension, still unable to configure her words and the circumstances I've landed up in.

"Because you're my reincarnation. Thank you for breaking my curse, Y/N. I can finally, rest in peace." She obliged with a sorrowful tinge in her tone, I touched her pale hands but felt nothing.

She wasn't alive.

"Does... Does it hurt?" I whispered, my mind still lingering at those horrific scenes but she chuckled and shook her head.

"It did at that time, now it doesn't." She portrayed an ever so soft smile and a muffled sob escaped from my mouth.

She was burnt alive.

I felt that pain in me.

"There are some people whom you must meet." She uttered in a soft tone and disappeared into bluish fragments before I could even say something to her.

"Wait!" I tried to touch those fragments but they disappeared into hundreds of blue butterflies flying around, leaving me on a standstill.

She disappeared.

I guess, finally reaching the abode of heaven.

"Y/N?" That was the voice that brought me back to reality, the voice I almost forgot, the voice I loved to listen as a kid.

"Dad..." I muttered and turned around only to witness mom-dad standing in front of me with a huge smile on their faces. My feet automatically made their way towards them as I ran like a little kid, the same way I used to wander about in our home back then.

"I missed you both!" I hugged them with all my strength, as if they would disappear if I leave them.

I'm aware that they've left me long ago but if, for once, I can hear their voices once again, I'm willing to take up this chance. A part of me died along with them– my childhood.

For once, I want to live it again, just for a moment.

I want to embrace my parents.

"What happened to my little princess? Is life tough?" Dad asked, lovingly patting my head and I cried even more. Mom joined in and held my hands, surprisingly, she still carried that warmth I've long forgotten.

My mom.

I smiled through tears as she wiped them off and mouthed soothing and encouraging words. "We're sorry for leaving you alone, we couldn't escape the inevitable."

I shook my head in disagreement, "It wasn't your fault."

"Remember Y/N, your skin isn't a paper, don't cut it..." She mouthed in a soft voice followed by dad.

"And your life isn't a movie, don't end it." They spoke out and smiled.

That was the last memory I could recall because in the flash of a moment, everything collapsed and my eyes shot open as I found myself in a hospital bed.

My eyes scanned everywhere as I tried to get up but I felt something on hand. Someone was sleeping whilst holding my hand and it didn't require a rocket science to recognise the person. My eyes welled up with tears and I nibbled my lips, as I softly called out for him.

He was here, breathing and alive.

"Jungkook..."

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POTATO'S NOTE:
Just a couple more chapters and ICDFTL will finally have its much awaited ending. I'm excited as well as sad about writing it. Out of all my books, this book will always remain the closest to my heart, not only because it took me three years to build, write, edit and complete the plot but also because those three years while writing this story brings up nostalgia in my head– memories both good and bad. Honestly, I'm breaking down while writing the last parts not because the book is coming to an end but because this book holds a special piece of my memories.

I created this universe where I'm entirely different and more of a happy person because of my writing, when in reality I'm the type of person who cries herself to sleep. Writing this story was initially an escape from my nightmares. I made so many great friends for life while writing this story, so many things changed but this story remained the same. This is why it's bittersweet for me. 🤧

Sorry for my useless rant, my last braincells were dying at 2 AM.