The private archive was colder than the rest of the building. Not just in temperature but in feeling too. The moment Yoon Ha-rin stepped inside, a chill ran down her spine, subtle but unmistakable. Her steps slowed.
"Why does it feel like this…" she whispered. The heavy door immediately closed with a quiet thud behind them. Jae-min spontaneously noticed her hesitation and the way her shoulders tensed.
He slightly drew closer. "Stay behind me." The words came, low, firm and instinctive.
Ha-rin blinked. "I'm fine."
"You weren't yesterday." He insisted. His tone didn't leave room for argument. Before she could respond, Seo Do-hyun's voice echoed lightly ahead.
"Careful, Director Kang." He warned. "You might make her nervous." Calm and composed, he watched them from the glass display, at the center of the room, where he stood. As if he had been waiting for centuries.
Jae-min's gaze hardened. "Let's get this over with."
Do-hyun smiled faintly. "Of course, we should." He gestured toward the display and inside it, rested a single object.
A delicate silver hairpin. Intricately carved with patterns that seemed almost too precise to be handmade. At the top, was also a crescent-shaped ornament curved gently. With a faint resemblance to the pendant Ha-rin wore. Her breath caught.
"No way, this can't be" she said, almost in a whisper as she stepped forward without realizing. Jae-min's hand caught her wrist immediately.
"Don't." His grip became firm and grounding. Ha-rin blinked, snapping slightly out of it.
"I just—"
"It's reacting," Do-hyun quietly said and both of them turned. His gaze was fixed, not on the artifact but on her. "See for yourself."
Jae-min's jaw tightened. "Explain."
Just then, Do-hyun stepped closer to the display and pressed a button at its base. The glass case slid open with a soft mechanical sound. The moment it did, the air became heavier and Ha-rin instantly felt it.
Her chest tightened and her heartbeat spiked. "Close it," Jae-min sharply said on realizing what was happening. But it was already too late. The hairpin softly glowed and became stronger in a split second.
Out of nowhere, a soft silver light pulsed from its surface. Her breath hitched, there and then. Soon, her vision blurred and her body moved forward without permission or control.
"Ha-rin !" That's all she heard.
Jae-min grabbed her arm but she didn't stop. Her gaze was locked on the artifact as if something inside her recognized it. She looked possessed.
Just then, her world shifted. Rain poured down violently over the palace grounds as the thunder roared in the distance. The courtyard was no longer calm but chaos. Fire burned along the edges of the walls and guards laid scattered and unresponsive.
Arin watched with heavy breath; her garment soaked in the rain. Her hand clutched tightly unto something. The hairpin, the same one. She realized. Her sleeve was stained with blood but she seems not to notice.
Her focus was rather far ahead. It was on him, The Crown Prince. "Take it," she said urgently, pressing the hairpin into his hand. Her voice shook but her eyes didn't.
"You must live." He frowned.
"What are you doing…"
"No matter what happens," she continued, her grip tightened around his hand, "don't come back for me."
His expression hardened. "I'm not leaving you."
"You have to!" Her voice broke. For the first time, fear overtook her. "They'll kill you…I mean it" She freaked out, tears trekked down cheeks.
Just then, a sudden movement behind her took her attention. It was so fast and much closer than she guessed. Her eyes widened. "Your Highness—!"
There and then, the vision snapped violently. Ha-rin gasped and her body gave out. This time around, she didn't fall. Jae-min instantly caught her, pulling her back against him. His arms wrapped around her tightly.
So tightly that his eyes told his hidden secret. He couldn't afford losing her again. "Ha-rin!" He called. Her breath was more uneven and shallow. Her fingers desperately clutched his sleeve.
"…Don't go…" The words unconsciously slipped out in a stammer. "…please… don't leave me again…" He froze, his grip tightened.
"…What did you see?" he demanded, his voice lower now. But she couldn't answer.
Across the room, Do-hyun silently watched on. Carefully plotting out his next plan. His expression didn't change but his eyes darkened.
"So, it really is you," he murmured. Jae-min shot him a sharp look.
"Shut it." He roared. Do-hyun slightly raised his hands, unbothered.
"I didn't do anything."
"You opened it."
"And you would have eventually," he replied calmly. A pause fell between them before Hyun continued again. "Now we know."
Jae-min's jaw tightened. "…Know what?"
His gaze spontaneously shifted back to Ha-rin. "That she's connected." He concluded. Silence fell, unavoidable and heavy. But then, Jae-min had had enough. He gently, yet hurriedly scoped her in his arms and rushed her out.
"Cancel any pending appointment for today if there is any" He called back at him as he rushed ahead. "I need to get her to the hospital." Do-Hyun just nodded with a sheepish, yet satisfactory grin. He pressed the button and the glass slid back into place.
Soon, they arrived at the hospital. Jae-min quickly got her admitted and treatment began. She was placed on an oxygen with lines running down her veins. The monitors actively beeped each second and her breath slowly steadied.
"Will she be okay?" He asked. The doctor just nodded with a smile.
"Yes, there's actually nothing to worry about." He spoke. "She's just sleeping now. She'll be out anytime soon." He explained. Jae-min sighed in relieve.
"The hairpin…" She said near whisper but audible enough as she struggled to sit up. Her fingers trembled. Both the doctor and Jae-min's attention drifted to her.
"Oh, you're awake." The doctor mumbled as he stepped closer. But Jae-min was already beside her. "Hey…are you alright?" He asked, helping her to lay back down. But Ha-rin didn't answer.
"You should stay put" He added, his gaze registered his worry.
Her mind was still spinning, as she studied her surroundings. She was yet to process what had happen and how she ended up there. That memory, it wasn't just a dream. It was real. It had happened before. She thought to herself.
"Hospital?" She finally asked after a brief second. "We were at the store room…how did I end up here." She finally asked after finding her voice. Before he could say anything, a nurse called from the entrance.
"You have a visit…" Her sister and Eun-seo rushed in before the nurse could finish. "Visitor." She managed to finish; a smile lined at the corners of her lips. Hae-rin had a sheepish grin as well.
"Thanks…" She managed a bow of appreciation to the nurse while the two went on ranting and cross checking on her as if they were the doctors.
"Hey… are you hurt anywhere?", "Did you hit your head?" They both went on, not noticing the two men beside her bed. She tried to tell them but failed.
"Wait…" Her sister exclaimed and the room fell silent. So still that the sound of a dropped pin could be heard. "You are pregnant?"
"What…? You already got pregnant for the CEO?"
"No…" She shouted, finally managing to get them to notice the two men. Their faces automatically went blank; a wash of embarrassment flashed to it.
"I'll go get her drugs" Jae-min said, a bit of chuckle glued to his face as he excused them with a bow which they responded to.
Hae-rin sheepishly feigned a smile as well but then surprised. That was her first time seeing such a broad smile on his face, she noticed. Just then, the thought of the dream pulled in.
"Why does it feel like I've already lost you once?" The question hung to her, fragile and dangerous. But deep down, she had no answer to it.
"Who is he?" Eun was the first to ask, drawing her attention.
"The CEO…I'm screwed now"
"Why didn't you tell us earlier on" They argued.
"I tried"
Just then, the doctor cleared his throat as he tried to get their attention which he did. "She'll be discharged in an hour. She just needed rest, that's all." They nodded with a thanks and the doctor took his leave.