15 The Traitor

Xue Ya tugged at his sleeve, her grip almost painful.

Her diamond face contorted in fury. "Why did you go?"

Taehyung sat down, ignoring her. Inside his mind, it seemed like his last few brain cells were working on overdrive, red lights blaring out warning signals. He didn't know why he acted so...rude to the Gu Wen.

Something had gripped his body, forced a wave of emotions through him. Strange emotions came out of nowhere. Rage, sorrow, pain and a deep desire to punch the Gu Wen.

Was this the emotions of Jin Tai Heng?

Jin Tong patted Taehyung on the shoulder, trying to comfort him. He pointed at the food on the plates. Fussing over Taehyung like a mom, he picked up a pair of chopsticks and set down some of the food on Taehyung's plate.

He picked up Taehyung's hand and wrote 'eat' on his palm, and retreated back into the shadows.

Taehyung smiled warmly, and cast the thoughts of the Gu Wen into the back of his mind. If the Gu Wen truly was the person who sealed his memories, there must be a way to unseal them.

He didn't need the memories to find the members of his family. If needed, he'll just use what he currently has. These mysteries, these debts that Jin Tai Heng left behind has nothing to do with him.

His goal in the end was to find the member of his family who was stuck here. He was not obligated to help out his past reincarnation.

There was a time limit; their lives were at stake.

A twinge of pain throbbed through Taehyung's heart.

He missed them so much.

Beside, Xue Ya raged in a silent fury.

"There is a reason why immortals and spirits leave that distance from him!" she hissed.

Taehyung muttered, "He wasn't that bad."

Could he be Jimin? Could it be, that he finally found the first one? He glanced at Guan Gong's drunken figure in the distance. His behaviour was completely different, but that appearance...

An inkling of hope started to spread through his body. He wanted to rush up to him and shake Guan Gong, to ask him if he remembered a time where they were together as a family, and whether he remembered a time when they were happy. Whether he remembered a time when his name was Park Jimin.

Taehyung clenched his fist.

Thick determination spread throughout his voice. "Pass a note to Guan Gong's servants. Tell him I want to meet him tomorrow."

Xue Ya scoffed. "You'd be lucky if he was awake, Milord." Nevertheless, she turned around and went off.

The spirit who sat next to Taehyung winked at Taehyung and leaned closer, bringing forth another cloud of wine stench.

"Hey, I don't mind taking that pretty jewel off your hands," he whispered.

Upon seeing Taehyung's silence, the rest grew bolder.

Another spirit across the table. "I'd pay for a night.

The lady next to him slapped at his arm playfully. "What does that rock have that I don't? She's not even made of flesh."

Taehyung glared at all those who bad-mouthed Xue Ya. Unconsciously, he emitted a terrifying aura that made the other spirits nearby want to bow down from the pressure. The spirits trembled and a few quickly turned tail and ran.

The Emperor raised an eyebrow. He felt the fluctuation in power in the room.

"We would like to formally welcome back the presence of an existence unheard of in the past few hundred years," the Emperor began, looking in Taehyung's direction.

He did not have to speak up. Taehyung had excellent hearing in this body.

The Emperor stood up, and held out a glass.

"Rise, my noble subject! Let us share a bowl of tonight's liquor as celebration," he crowed, staring directly at Taehyung.

Taehyung rose, all eyes on him. He raised the glass and toasted to the Emperor.

Both downed the drink in one go.

The liquor burned as Taehyung gulped. Before, even when he was of age, he refrained from drinking normally. Being an idol meant serious business, and he had to be careful of his image. Sometimes, Taehyung envied those who had the freedom of anonymity.

"We would like to ask; where did you go?" the Emperor said.

Taehyung bowed his head with his hands in front.

"Replying to Your Majesty, this spirit wandered the earth and skies in hopes of finding someone."

Jin Tai Heng's reason for leaving definitely wasn't as simple as looking for someone. But Taehyung wasn't Jin Tai Heng, he was Kim Taehyung and he had a mission to do. That mission was to find the BTS member trapped in this world, find him and leave this world.

Screw playing this role! Screw solving these mysteries and all this drama!

He just wanted his family back.

"Finding someone? Well, now that you are back, have you found them?"

He didn't know how much time he had. Inwardly, he blamed himself for wasting so much time at the beginning.

How dare he live and while away the time whilst one of his family was in danger?

How could he have done that?

How could he have been so stupid?

Taehyung paused. "This spirit thinks that who they've been looking for may be much closer to home."

At the start, everything was like a drunken dream. Taehyung had been swept up with the tide of beautiful sceneries, of the idea of being in a fantasy world with power at his fingertips. The world dragged him along with its sweet words, giving him the memories and duty of helping the one who's body he took over.

It was all a trap in the end. A careful, seamless trap that slowly surrounded Taehyung, much like the nine-tailed fox. Seductive words and seductive worlds.

The Jade Emperor narrowed his eyes.

"We see that you've brought a criminal into our gathering."

The various conversations died down. People turned and whispered as they stared at Jin Tong.

"The Golden Boy."

"The traitor."

These words echoed around the room, resentment in various people's eyes.

Jin Tong stepped forward, his head bowed.

"Many years ago, we sent you away with your tongue cut off as punishment. Tell us now, why have you returned?" the Jade Emperor asked.

Taehyung stepped forward, wanting to protect Jin Tong who couldn't speak for himself. Jin Tong glared at him and motioned for him to sit down. Something within Taehyung flickered, and he sat down, staring at Jin Tong's unwavering back.

Jin Tong took out a red vial, the contents glowing, and swallowed it without a second of doubt.

Something about his aura changed. From a sweet stone spirit into a dominating figure. If Taehyung had to describe it, Jin Tong had the aura of a charismatic prince. That smirk on his face, the confidence that suddenly erupted.

But at the same time, Taehyung could still sense the kindness from the sweet Jin Tong. The same kindness that helped him when he was lost and saved him when he fell. The fierceness that protected him, the gentleness of his actions, they all reminded him of someone--

Then Jin Tong opened his mouth and spoke, and the whole hall fell into chaos.