A/N: Please play the song while reading💖

♈︎ ♉︎ ♊︎ ♋︎ ♌︎ ♍︎ ♎︎ ♏︎ ♐︎ ♑︎ ♒︎ ♓︎

My old secrets that I can tell you

buried deep in my heart

♈︎ ♉︎ ♊︎ ♋︎ ♌︎ ♍︎ ♎︎ ♏︎ ♐︎ ♑︎ ♒︎ ♓︎

The shock of seeing Arin again in this timeline was overwhelming. She had changed completely; her aura, beauty, and magical essence were now powerful. Arin was now one of the Daehos' "Four Seasons," a lineage of respect and renown.

Unbelievably, she had become a Jin—a guardian of the most dangerous, rarest relics. She was destined to be the future high priestess, a role of enormous influence and reverence. Being twice rejected by the most suitable dynasties was too hard to bear.

Arin stood before him as Jin Cha Yeon commanded every bit of his attention. He couldn't tear his eyes away from this version of her. She looked imposing, yet something delicate and innocent was beneath the surface. Nam-joon took a deep breath, remembering the first time they met and her untouched innocence—the innocence he'd taken from her. He silently wished she was somehow "aware" and knew they came from different times.

As he watched, his eyes stayed fixed on her as she summoned the strange, spectral creature—the sapsali, a dog spirit—and released it into the crowd. The atmosphere thickened with tension, and the crowd was frightened, which matched the rising dread he felt inside.

Namjoon shivered, stunned at the display of Arin's magical power.

The sapsali moved closer to where he stood with Jung-uk and Jung-uk's nervous maid, Muduek. Namjoon watched Arin's slow, deliberate movements as she guided the spirit dog through the frightened crowd, directing it to hunt down the spy.

Jung-uk subtly stepped before Muduek without noticing, shielding her from the spirit dog. To Namjoon's surprise, the dog leapt at a plain-looking man standing just behind Muduek. It turned out that this man was indeed the spy, sweating heavily as the surrounding mages attacked him, fighting him until he turned into stone.

Namjoon's face went pale as he witnessed this ordinary man transform into a cold, grey-black stone statue.

......

A few mages lingered outside the courtyard as people began heading home, remaining watchful and alert. Cha-yeon stood nearby with her female guards, joined by the Sogrim leader and senior officials. Namjoon and Yul moved to where they stood, hoping to catch her attention. He wanted to speak to her, but her face was stoic and severe as she stood among the Four Seasons dynasty, discussing the soul-shifter they had just uncovered.

For Namjoon, the atmosphere felt uncomfortably tense—almost like a bad high school reunion, especially now that he realized Cha-yeon was Jang-uk's former fiancée. She didn't seem aware of his presence, focused instead on Jung-uk, whom she addressed with cold, snide remarks. She was unimpressed by his arrival, but Jung-uk was usually unbothered.

Just then, the Sapsali reappeared, swooping over the black-tiled rooftops, apparently sensing another soul-shifter in their midst. Jung-uk took off toward the meeting hall, with several mages following him, chasing the invisible threat.

Namjoon and the rest hurried after them, arriving to find Jung-uk standing among the shattered remains of a green pot of the Sapsali. He had accidentally dropped it.

Cha-yeon was livid, shouting, "What were you thinking, destroying a sacred artefact?" She was beyond furious.

The Songrim leader looked sternly at Jung-uk, who was putting on his best innocent face. "Master Park, it was an accident. I was admiring the vase's beauty. I'd never seen anything like it, but my hand slipped when you suddenly came running in—" He threw Cha-Yeon a look of pure regret, but she only pressed her lips tightly, fury in her eyes.

"You fool, Jung-uk! Why did you even come back? Just another failed attempt to impress your twelve masters," she snapped, her eyes narrowed with irritation.

Master Park sighed, shaking his head, "Unfortunately, Jung-uk, punishment is inevitable. You've broken and destroyed the power of the Sapsali."

Namjoon, Yul, and Dang-gu couldn't hold back their snickers as Jung-uk bowed repeatedly, a hint of an innocent smirk aimed at Jin Cha-yeon.

Without a word to anyone, Cha-yeon abruptly turned on her heels and left Songrim, with her guards following her, radiating an air of cold arrogance.

Namjoon sighed—he'd missed the perfect chance to speak with her.

....
The next day

He heard from Dang-gu that Jung-uk had been punished. He was ordered to sit outside in the courtyard, unmoving and repenting. He was summoned to be silent and not speak a word.

Namjoon was in the library looking through the parchment of some of the Daehos dynasties. He saw 'Hobi' running in with a stoic expression. Namjoon lifted his eyes when he saw Mr Park conversing with the white head Hobi at the entrance.

The punishment for Jung-uk was a little severe. His energy gate was barely open, and in the past, he almost died from a severe cold. He wasn't powerful enough like the other mages, whose energy gates protected them from the elements.

Yoongi was not in today. He was summoned to the Palace on an errand of the Crown prince.

Namjoon felt slightly bored because Yul and some mages were on a mission. He decided to visit the market square on his own. Maybe he could visit Joo-wol, the lady of Chwisunru, whose invitation was still open.

He walked through the vast forest path to the square. His heart was thumping erractically as he reminisced about how he would go back to his own time. He can't stay in this historical period indefinitely.

As he walked the forest path to the square, Namjoon's heart beat faster, thoughts swirling about his return to his own time. He couldn't stay here forever; he needed to find the relic to send him back. However, finding the real one was challenging since many mages and residents carried their spirit plaques to access Songrim. Yul even gave him one should he need to leave. But where could the authentic relic be hidden? Who would believe his incredible story? Everyone will ascribe his story to a world of reincarnation or past lives.

As he reached the edge of the pathway, the market's bustle greeted him, filling his senses with vibrant sights and sounds. He wished he had a camera to capture the perfect scene—no modern technology had come through the portal with him.

Namjoon strolled from stall to stall, delighting in the new experiences and sampling street food offered by friendly vendors. Then, he noticed three familiar guards shadowing the Jin heiress.

Namjoon's eyes widened at her beauty. Arin looked radiant in her colourful, richly adorned hanbok. She was inspecting pearl hair accessories, and when Cha-yeon turned, a few pieces accidentally tumbled off the table.

Seizing his chance, Namjoon rushed over, picking up the accessories and brushing them off before handing them to the surprised owner. She looked at him with awe, perhaps recognising his status and the dynasty he represented.

Cha-yeon turned, and her eyes lit up, "Oh my! Nam-joon, I saw you last night—I thought I was imagining things. How are you?" She smiled warmly.

Namjoon's heart raced at Cha-yeon's kind demeanor. Her personality was a striking contrast to her modern counterpart, who was bitter, downright unpleasant, and distant. He felt drawn to her; this version of Arin was stunning, powerful, and without resentment. Smiling brightly, Namjoon bowed respectfully, and she returned the gesture.

"Ar...erm, Cha-yeon, you look beautiful, like a cherry blossom in bloom," he said, his dimples flashing.

She looked shocked. "Nam-joon, why are you suddenly so friendly with me?" Folding her arms, she gave him a suspicious look.

Namjoon, flabbergasted, replied, "Why can't I be?"

She snorted, locking eyes with his puzzled expression. "Hmm... I heard you lost some of your memory, which might be a blessing. Last I checked, you couldn't stand me." She smirked.

Namjoon looked flabbergasted. "Why?"

Cha-yeon shook her head. "Because I agreed to an engagement with Jung-uk, but he called it off! That rascal humiliated me, and my family still expects me to marry into one of the dynasties." Clicking her tongue, she led him through the market, waving to the admiring traders.

Namjoon tilted his head, "But why would that make me angry with you?"

She sighed, biting into a meat skewer. "Angry? Namjoon, you were furious! You left Daeho for two years without a word from you and only just returned. I thought you had feelings for me... but the engagement was between you as the Seo heir or that 'bad boy' loser." She chuckled.

Namjoon stared at her, astonished by her confession. "So, why didn't you choose me?"

Cha-yeon grimaced. "Marry you? Nam-joon, I felt rejected because of you and Jung-uk. You were my first choice, but it's fine—we're best friends again." She laughed, playfully nudging his shoulder.

Namjoon was still flabbergasted. "Why would I turn down someone as charming and beautiful as you?"

She looked at him wide-eyed and said, "Nam-joon, I was sixteen! You saw me as a child. Most of my friends are betrothed to officials' sons; one is a concubine, and another is a queen consort for a distant prince. My affection was too much at that age. Now, with my sister gone, my family is even more protective. They expect me to take her place as the head priestess, but I don't want that."

Namjoon's expression softened. "I can't remember. But... what happened to her?"

Cha-yeon sighed, "She went on a trip with my father and someone from the palace. She fell into a lake and just... vanished. We never found her body. My mother is still heartbroken, clinging to the hope she'll come back someday, but at least I get some of her love." her eyes looked distant.

Namjoon felt her sorrow but watched as she quickly brushed it off. "Now, my family wants me to marry you or Yul from the Seo dynasty," she said before a sudden wide smile lit up her face as she changed the subject, "But what do you think of Dang-gu?"

Namjoon frowned, "Dang-gu, my friend?"

Cha-yeon blushed, "Er...Yes, he wants to court me, but my parents still push me toward Jung-uk."

Namjoon felt a pang of jealousy in his chest but dismissed it, "Arin" didn't exist here. "I don't remember much, but he seems... nice."

She smirked, playing with the trinkets in her hair, and Namjoon noticed the blush on her flawless skin. His heart tightened as he realized that Dang-gu and "Arin" might be falling for each other in this world.

He took a deep breath, then asked carefully, "Cha-yeon, do you ever feel like you don't belong in this world?"

Cha-yeon's eyes widened in surprise. "Funny you ask. Sometimes, I dream about strange places, clothes, and a way of life I've never seen. When I told my mother, she said it was part of my priestess powers, glimpses of the future. It's unsettling, though. The dreams came back a month ago."

Namjoon felt a strange relief, sensing that part of Arin knew the shift. Just then, he heard her gasp as someone approached.

Squinting, Namjoon recognized the figure—it was Dang-gu, running towards them with excitement. Namjoon glanced at Cha-yeon, noticing her shy, girlish smile as her confident demeanour softened.

His eyes widened as he watched them share a shy, awkward moment, but with slight redness on their cheeks.

.......

A/n: Nam-joon finally met 'Arin'.

Thank you so much for the wait. I hope you like this chapter. Please vote and comment a lot.

1. Do you think Cha-yeon will become more aware?

2. How can Namjoon help Arin to remember?

3. Do you think that Cha-yeon and Dang-gu will start a relationship?

4. Is Namjoons' jealousy justified?