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Don't go breaking my heart,

don't goIn' this broken world

After a massive welcome luncheon prepared by your Korean grandmother, you all sat in the lounge to relax. You couldn't wait for your Aunt Ines to reveal the results of her research into the curse.

Your father and grandmother appeared hopeful, but deep within you, negative emotions began to emerge.

Knowing deep down that it will be easy to let go of your soulmate because he is currently fighting the allure and you feel so sorry for him because he has no idea that you are fated to be together. The system initiated the kiss to simulate what it will be like to let go of your soulmate.

Being so invested in each other's embrace made you realize that the Oracle and the System mean business. The two entities will fight constantly to persuade you to make a decision that you are unable to make.

You realized that you were starting to care for him, and him being forced by the two entities against his will to fall for you didn't sit well with you. You can't see him suffer, yet none of your family will die in your generation. You can't afford to lose Sammy, but what if you try to touch one of your favorite cousins? You could feel your eyes well up with tears just thinking about it.

Perhaps you must leave Hamlin and return to online school, which you do not want for yourself. You don't want to give up on people after meeting so many of them and interacting with them daily. You enjoy spending time with your new best friends. Even go on special dates with Eunoo, one of the school's hottest guys.

Your grandmother prepared delicious pastries and tea for all of you to enjoy. You were ecstatic to be sitting next to your father. You miss him terribly.

You heard a hoot and knew it was Sammy's ride from the entertainment agency carpool, which dropped him off in front of the house.

He was overjoyed to see his father and he ran up to his Mexican aunt and dad and hugged them. The grown-ups were chatting softly as he ran up the stairs to change out of his dance clothes and take a refreshing shower. Your aunt took out a folder containing colorful photographs and newspaper clippings, and you're left wondering what it was all about.

"Well, let's talk about the reason for my untimely visit," your Aunt Ines smiled softly, her face suddenly radiant. " A few weeks ago, I came across an intriguing piece of news clippings and decided to investigate and conduct some initial research that could lead to a breakthrough."

You all gasped in surprise and sat up straighter.

"Did you find a cure?" your grandmother inquired flabbergasted, "Did you find a cure or a way out for Luna?"

You're there with bated breath, stunned to even breathe, "Aunt Ines...is it true?"

"Yes dear...but hopefully this time it's not a hoax," your aunt says. "But, after reading this particular article, I went to the National Museum of Anthropology and met a very friendly museum curator. Mr. Sanchez. I showed him the clippings, and he told me an interesting story about it."

She opens the folder and hands the photos to your family to study. It was images of a greenish stone figure and a disk...dubbed the disk of death and artifice, that is now on display at the Chapultepec Museum. It was part of the Theotibuacan collection.

You frowned as you handed the photos to your father to look at while your grandmother handed you another. The reddish image of a broken stone disk with a grinning skull, sightless eyes glaring malevolently, and a red protruding tongue surrounded by a halo resembling a catholic saint.

You all looked at your aunt, who smiled and said, "Those sculptures were lost to civilization to the Teotihuacan. I found out from the curator in Mexico, Mr. Sanchez is a friend of the family who worked at the National Museum for nearly 20 years. He claimed that the disk was excavated directly in front of the famous Sun Pyramid--"

"Are we talking about that third-largest Pyramid in the world?" your father squinted.

"Yes, the team of archeologists was so surprised that it made national news in the 1960s," your aunt nods, her eyes gleaming. "The disk, along with other artifacts, was relocated to the National Museum. As a result, the Archeologist concluded that the sculptures'halo' represented the "cycle of death and rebirth of the solar system."

Sammy walked in with a wide smile and sat next to your aunt. He was also shown the pictures, but he had no idea what they meant. Luna simply told him to pay attention.

You just squint at your beaming aunt, "So what does it mean, Aunty?"

"It means that the skull imagery is difficult to identify, but we believe it was used in human sacrifices and could be a representation of the Teotihuacan god of death, Michtlantecuhtli," your aunt explained softly.

"Oh my goodness!" exclaimed Luna. "So my great-great-grandfather might have disturbed the human sacrifices' burial site by entering the pyramid in the 1920s and awakening this oracle's power?"

You took a deep breath because this is massive but depressing.

"I'm afraid the risk of death is connected to human sacrifices around the construction of the Sun pyramids," your aunt pursed her lips tightly.Mr. Sanchez believes that the burial site was used for human sacrifices because of its presence and location. practice during building construction--"

"So, if I must ask a few questions," your grandmother inquired nervously, "Why, and what does it have to do with the family curse that has plagued my granddaughter her entire life?'

"These sacrifices appease the gods, ensuring both material prosperity and safety from the region's frequent earthquakes and volcano eruptions. Did you notice anything odd about the images?" With raised eyebrows,Aunt Ines asks all of you.

"The disk of this reddish thing is broken," Sammy nodded, looking at your aunt with a questioning gaze as all of you nodded in agreement.

"Yes, my great-grandfather--your great-great-grandfather--and his friends desecrate the same ruin that served as the burial site. According to the writings of the ancient journal of our ancestors. , they partied all night and were extremely intoxicated. He tripped and fell backward on one of the pillars with the disk on it. It is broken into pieces. He wrote in his diary/journal that he just took the broken stone and threw it into the nearby foliage, which is now a dense forest, for fun in his drunkenness and naivety . The broken pieces were discovered alongside other stone sculptures, such as the figure near the pillars, during the excavations. They discovered the remains"

"So, what happened to the other piece of the disk that is now in the National Museum?" asks your dad.

"This item was kept. During my research, I came across an article from almost 40 years that piques my interest. A descendant of one of your great-great grandfather's friends who went partying with them picked up the remaining piece near the broken pillar and thought it looked so scary and might be valuable one day and he just took it and kept it in his generations for years until this day," you gran smiled widely as she looked at your faces.As a result, the remaining piece was discovered on the ground near the pillar.

"So, are that family also cursed like ours?" you stammer, still stunned.

Your aunt Ines scoffed, "On the contrary...the González family is one of the richest families in Mexico, with a net worth of $1.7 billion.-" Say what? All of you looked shocked.

Your family experienced only death, destruction, and gloom, whereas that family experienced the best that life had to offer. Luxury, affluence, and super-wealth.

"Oh my goodness...they're filthy rich," Sammy exclaimed. You just scoff inwardly.

"They'd been getting lucky since the 1920s. He was spared because he cherished and protected the artifact for generations. So Mr. Sanchez is in contact with one of the family members, Mr. Virgil González, Ceo and current Patriarch of the family. The government even tried to force them to hand over the relic because it was deemed a national treasure. However, the family battled with the government and the Ministry of Arts for years. They lost a slew of lawsuits because the relic is legally owned by the González family, who can donate it or keep it as a family heirloom." Your Aunt appeared solemn.

Luna appears to be in the mood to cry "So the bloody curse fell on our Hernandez-family clan. Countless family members were lost due to unnatural circumstances, and the González walked free- why the injustice...why?" As your father embraced you tightly, you began to cry softly.

Everyone appeared depressed, and a sense of loss and sadness washed over the group as they sat in silence.

"I Reflecting on how unfair this situation is.I think...just it's a theory," your father says, suddenly thoughtful. "Because the Hernandez ancestor was the sole cause of the broken artifact, he regarded it as worthless and discarded it in his drunken naivety, whereas his friend regarded it as extremely valuable even though it was discovered in the ruins. The Oracle bestowed them with good fortune and luck, but our family's daughters were cursed as a result of our reckless ancestor, Jose Hernadez."

Your aunt Ines shook her head and said, "Each time, it was a little merciful to skip a generation. Your great-great-grandfather became entangled in the curse, which he passed down to his eldest daughter's lineage (your great-grandmother) Our mother escaped the curse, but it caught up with his daughter, your grandmother, and my dear sister Catalina. She had been plagued by bloody visions for years and began to see vivid visions during her 15th Quinceanera celebrations. She was unhappy until her 17th birthday when she met her soulmate. She was overjoyed to discover such passionate and deep love. She couldn't bear the thought of losing her soulmate. She and her soulmate both died. Her daughter, your mother, was skipped, but people died in her generation, including your mother, and you came along and the curse emerged and latched itself on you--I couldn't bear seeing you suffer like that, Luna. I've dedicated my life to finding a cure or a way around the curse so that you and your future soulmate can be saved..."

"That is so unfair. I can't enjoy my life knowing that the decisions I had to make could cost me my life "You broke down in tears.

Your father appeared saddened as he reflected on the loss of your mother, Sofia, which is still difficult to accept.

"I know, baby. The Oracles'curse is a curse that works against the System when it comes to love. There is a massive struggle between the two entities, and the System usually wins in all cases, but the Oracle exacted her revenge and killed the family in the cruelest way possible. "Your aunt looked regretful...but then a huge smile graced her face. "Mr. Sanchez intends to approach the González family about donating the artifact to the Museum. And we believe that if the two pieces are joined as one, they will be connected. The curse may be lifted."

"SO it means Lunas'visions will stop?" asked your grandmother.

"That is a dilemma that we are currently facing," Aunt Ines said, shaking her head. "Will the visions end? Lunas' visions began when she was a small child. Her grandmother received hers at the age of 15, while my grandmother received hers in her twenties. So I believe Luna is more powerful, and as she grows older, her visions will become more potent and terrifying. Do you know that in both cases, our ancestors saw their soulmates in the majority of their visions before meeting them? They rescued their soulmates from dangerous situations, which fueled the Oracles' tactics to compel them to choose the gift, which none did." She scoffs, her nose scrunched up in disgust.

You started to get shivers down your spine. It was exactly what was happening to you and Yeonjun. Saving him brought the awareness closer.

"So, what does that mean, "your dad wondered.

"The curse is becoming more persistent. Before Luna reaches the age of 17, the Oracle will ensure that she meets her soulmate and gains awareness. - Luna should make a wise decision, according to the Oracle. Be a powerful shaman for her generation, which all her ancestors rejected by choosing Love over the vengeful Oracle. Unless Luna chooses the Oracle, the system always triumphs over the Oracle for nearly five generations." Your aunt's face was filled with pity as she looked into your teary eyes. She knew you wouldn't be able to take it any longer.

Sammy frowned, looking more concerned than ever for his sister "So she must willingly reject the love of her life--her soulmate--for all of us in this generation to live. Not to be cursed with a gruesome death. If that is my fate, I'd rather jump in the Han River than be eaten alive by a shark in shallow waters- "He made a flicking motion with his tongue. He stretches his arms above his head.

"Don't be funny, Sammy" said Luna to her younger brother, "This is serious."

"So, what if the disk connects but the Oracle curse remains on Luna?" Your grandmother was concerned.

"Is it possible for Luna to accompany me back to Tijuana, Mexico? "She has a piercing stare for you.

Your father appears conflicted "Now? Luna is at school, Aunt Ines. She can't just get up and leave. She just moved to Hamlin a few days ago."

Look at your aunt.

"No now...it is important, Sung," your aunt says deadpan to your father. "Sofia would want their daughter to live a happy, fulfilled life free of the sword of this evil curse, which has already ruined the poor girl's life. Mr. Sanchez wants us to meet the Gonzalez family and explain our situation, then go to the museum and put the artifice together to appease the gods. We can leave on Sunday."

You appear stunned. You must return to Mexico.

"That sucks!" exclaimed Sammy.

"Samuel! Will you mind your language?" Your father scolded him. Sammy simply shrugged unbothered.

"Papa, it's her birthday next week. Will she return before her birthday?" Sammy inquired, his eyebrows raised. After your birthday, you will receive a soulmark.

"Papa, 'you look at your dad's disapproval face,' maybe it depends if the Gonzalez family believes our family-but if we succeed and the Oracle fails to give in and stay attached to our family, everything will be in vain."

Your aunt signed deeply," I'm afraid so, this is one of the most accurate theories we could come up with. The Oracle requires human sacrifices, and Luna will either lose her soulmate in a violent death or after the bond with her or someone close to Luna will die."

Then again, who doesn't? You decide to make.

Omg. Luna and Sammy exchanged fearful glances. Your grandma and papa have the same expression across the room.

"So, if I meet my soulmate, how will he not be aware of me?" you inhaled deeply. "When we lock eyes after my soulmark appears, he will recognize me even if we do not complete the bond."

Your father nods, more concerned than ever," Lunas's soulmate will go after her if he realizes she is his. He will be so taken with her that he will relentlessly pursue her. The system will drive them together."

Your grandmother vigorously shook her head, "He must never become aware that she is his. Hopefully, he is not attending her school. She will still be 17 years old, and he may have met her earlier and thought he was just liking her- the first awareness- she will have already seen him in her vision and received her soulmark much earlier than the rest of the population. When he meets her when he turns 18, he will be surprised to learn that he met his soulmate before she reached the legal age of meeting her mate, which is 18 years old."

You felt your heart constrict as you realized Yeonjun had already succumbed to the allure of the System. He is already aware, but because you are 16 and not yet of legal age to meet your soulmate, he will disregard it until he laid eyes on you after you received your mark much earlier than expected. You're toast, and you love him too much to bear the thought of losing him. He has a bright future ahead of him. Fame and fortune, as well as a glamorous celebrity lifestyle. You will, without a doubt, ruin his life.

Your grandmother appeared perplexed "What will we do then? It's impossible for him not to see her.'"

Aunt Ines smiled slightly but looked conflicted, "Well...I researched and found a very skilled Shaman..."

Sammy snorted, "Another witch doctor!"

"No, Samuel, our people, and culture are healers. She concocted a potent potion," your aunt grinned happily as all of you raised your eyebrows at her. A concoction.

"See, I told you they wanted Luna to turn into a witch!"

Sammy stated his point by looking around the room.

"Stop talking, Sam. This is a serious matter. We're dealing with my life. If I don't act, you'll all suffer and die." You fired back. Sammy simply shrugged again, his lips pouting.

Your aunt smiled at Sammy and said, "It's all right, Samuel. But it is a serious matter. Luna doesn't have much time left before she turns 17 years old. The portion resembles and tastes like cherry cough syrup. It is made from the extract of red-pink dragon fruit and two other secret ingredients."

Sammy mumbled inaudibly, "I bet it's human parts," but you faintly heard him and just gave him a stink eye.

You will go to any length to save everyone in your life.

"Carry on, Aunt Ines," you say, motioning to your aunt.

Aunt Ines grinned a little, "This potion can dull the senses if its consume like a medicine. When her soulmate meets her, he will be "blinded". On the day they meet, he will not be able to "see" her or "bond" with her through eye contact."

"So who has to consume it?" your father asked, puzzled.

"Luna, preferably before her 17th birthday..." you all looked at your aunt Ines in disbelief as she opened a bag next to her chair and rummaged inside until she found what she was looking for... she took out a glass jar and lifted it while all of you looked on with interest. Aunt Ines softly chuckled, "This potion cost me a fortune, and it better does the job," she said to herself.

Your father's brow furrows in disbelief. Will it work? "So how will it work?" he asks, pointing to the bottle containing a reddish substance in Aunt Ines' hands.

"Well, Luna must drink it...and get him to willingly kiss her," she says, her eyes glinting.

Oh my goodness! No!

a/n: Aunt Ines shed some light on the history of their ancestors responsible.

1. Any thoughts on the Oracles' curse on the Hernansdez-clan?

2. Do you think Yeonjun will forget about their encounter?

3. What do you think Luna might choose right now?

Thank you for all your support.