Chapter 6: dangerous games

First I will apologize for changing her personal secretary's name from Im-Sol to He-Ra

In the quiet chamber of cosmic secrets, the old woman wove her tale—a tapestry of fate and sacrifice. Min-Joon listened, his eyes tracing the lines etched into the air.

"I gave Ji-Hyun the chronokey," the old woman began, her voice like distant stardust. "She time-traveled to another universe, desperate to save her sister. But the threads of destiny are delicate—each tug has consequences."

Min-Joon's brow furrowed. "Ji-Hyun? Who is she?"

"Your past life wife," the old woman replied, her gaze piercing. "The reincarnation of Hye-Jin. Their souls entwined across time."

"Why?" Min-Joon's voice trembled. "Why give her the chronokey?"

"Because it's fate," the old woman intoned. "By choosing immortality, you both accepted a cosmic bargain. Consequences and punishment await. Now Ji-Hyun bears her own burden, and you…" She gestured to Min-Joon. "She is your penance."

"But who are you?" Min-Joon pressed.

"Who holds such power?" The old woman's smile held galaxies. "I know you'll seek to protect her. Yet one path leads to salvation, the other to oblivion. Choose wisely, for the threads of destiny fray, and the celestial clock ticks relentlessly."

And then, as if woven into the very fabric of existence, she vanished, leaving Min-Joon with unanswered questions and a promise to guide Ji-Hyun—a beacon in the cosmic storm. 

He promised to protect Ji-Hyun and he will bear the consequences.

————-

In the dimly lit Starlight Bar, Ji-Hyun moved like a shadow, her black attire blending seamlessly with the night. The air hummed with secrets, and the scent of desperation clung to the walls. She had a mission—a clandestine quest that led her to this murky underworld.

The manager's office beckoned, its door a portal to hidden truths. Ji-Hyun slipped inside, her heart pounding. The USB drive she carried held the key to unraveling the web of deceit spun by Kim-Song, the enigmatic bar owner. What secrets lay encrypted within its digital confines?

As she plugged the USB into the manager's computer, the screen flickered to life, revealing a labyrinth of files. But before she could extract the damning evidence, the security cameras caught her in their unblinking gaze. Panic surged through her veins. She had to escape.

And then, fate intervened. Min-Joon materialized—a figure from another time, his eyes ancient and knowing. He was no stranger to secrets, having traversed centuries. She bumped in Park-Min-Joon.Ji-Hyun pleaded for refuge

"hide me" she said 

"Why would I do that?" He replied 

She whispered plea desperate"please just hide me."

 Min-Joon hesitated, assessing her with a wry smile. "You never change," he murmured, shielding her from the approaching manager.

Their alibi—lovers reunited after eons—worked like a charm. The manager retreated after seeing them,leaving them in the dimly lit private room. Ji-Hyun's gratitude mingled with curiosity. She buried her face in his suit. Why had Min-Joon crossed universes?

"Why did you come to this universe?"she asked 

His answer "a lost love"

His answer stirred something within her, a longing she couldn't place. But why did she feel jealous ? She asked her self 

As they sat, the broken jade pendant slipped from Ji-Hyun's purse, revealing her lost USB. Its contents—a haunting video—shattered her resolve. revealing a dark truth: rape, drugs, and the criminal empire of the Kim brothers. Ji-Hyun's tears blurred the screen, but Min-Joon's touch wiped them away.

She looked at it for a long time then she turned and asked Min-Joon "do you have laptop with you?" 

"Yes" he answered 

She opened the video and what's inside it makes her cried. It's a video of her dead sister Seo Dan

"Sister I know that by the time you will watch this video I'm already dead,I'm sorry for making this decision but that's the best for me,I know that I'm selfish so I'm sorry."

 And the next video was the video of her sister being raped by Kim Song brother called Kim in-Ha and his 2 friends 

"sister I can't survive being a victim of rape I'm sorry. the next video will be the video of all the illegal things that Kim-Song and his brother are doing. They are involved in arm trading,human trafficking,and drugs trading. Sister now I'm a victim of rape and drugs,but I want you to save other people." 

When she clicked the next video it started scratching and she can't see anything. She didn't see the video of the Kim brothers crime.

I will help you take revenge," he vowed, his voice a promise etched in starlight. Together, they would unveil the sins hidden within the bar's walls, seeking justice for Seo Dan and countless others. In this shadowed haven, their fates entwined—a cosmic dance of vengeance and redemption. 

——————-

In the quietude of the living room, Ji-Hyun sat, her gaze lost in the intricate patterns of the wallpaper. The room held memories—faint echoes of laughter and whispered secrets.

And then, a presence enveloped her—a warmth from behind. Ji-Hyun turned, her breath catching. "Seo Dan?" she murmured, her heart fluttering like a fragile moth.

But the face that met her gaze wasn't Seo Dan's. It was Jae-I—the sister she thought lost to the cosmic winds. Jae-I's fingers pinched Ji-Hyun's cheeks, grounding her in the present. "Did you even forget your sister's name?" Jae-I teased. "I've returned from abroad today."

Ji-Hyun blinked, disoriented. Seo Dan was Jae-I in this universe? Her sister lived, breathing and vibrant. The walls of reality shifted, revealing a parallel existence where death hadn't claimed Seo Dan.

"Oh, my little sister," Ji-Hyun whispered. "Forgive my forgetfulness. Work consumed me."

"Ok but you know what?" Jae-I leaned in, her eyes dancing. "My boyfriend is at the door." She practically vibrated with excitement.

"Really?" Ji-Hyun's smile bloomed. "My little sister, all grown up." She playfully pinched Jae-I's cheek.

"Sister-in-law," a voice announced. Kim In-Ha stepped into the room—a young man with eyes that held secrets. 

His presence stirred something in Ji-Hyun, a recognition she couldn't place.

"Sister-in-law?" Jae-I's confusion mirrored Ji-Hyun's. "But—"

"Yes," Kim In-Ha said, his smile enigmatic. "She's dating my brother, Kim-Song. A delightful surprise, isn't it?"

"Yes." Ji-Hyun played her part, masking her shock. Kim In-Ha—the brother of the enigmatic Kim Song. A dangerous game, but she had to tread carefully.

As they sat, Jae-I's laughter filled the room.

"I know you guys are hungry, I will asked the maid to cook something for you." Ji-Hyun said

"I love you because you know I'm a foodie," she declared.

Ji-Hyun's smile remained—a fragile bridge between past and present. She never expected to see her sister again, nor did she anticipate the cosmic dance that fate had choreographed. 

——————-

In the dimly lit private room of the bar, Min-Joon awaited her arrival. His eyes held secrets—cosmic constellations reflected in their depths. When she stepped inside, he greeted her with a smile, as if they were old friends meeting in the folds of time.

"Let's get down to business," she said, her resolve unwavering. The chronokey lay before them—a portal to other realms. Min-Joon's key, black as the void, resonated with cosmic energy.

"Are you ready?" he asked, unlocking the key. In seconds, they traversed dimensions, and she found herself in her own universe—a fitting room within a bustling mall. Confusion and fear swirled within her.

"You are not ordinary," she said, studying him. 

As the Ji-Hyun gazes into Park Min-joon's eyes, she senses the weight of centuries—the eons etched into his features. His once-human existence now transcends mortality, and she dares to ask the question that lingers like stardust:

"Who are you, truly?"

His smile holds secrets—the echo of lost constellations."I am the keeper of memories," he whispers. 

"A wanderer between realms, seeking the echo of a love that spans lifetimes. I am both witness and participant—a cosmic anomaly."

She leans closer, drawn to the enigma before her. "And your purpose?"

"To find her—the reincarnation of my wife," he replies. "To touch her soul across time, to unravel the threads of fate. Immortality is my penance, and love my salvation."

In that quiet room, they exist—a mortal and an immortal—bound by longing and the celestial clock that ticks relentlessly. 

They donned face masks and caps, blending into the crowd. Their destination: the bar where Kim In-Ha lurked—the man who had scarred her sister's soul. 

Min-Joon's plan unfolded: lure In-Ha to the rooftop, disable the cameras.

But then, unexpectedly, he kissed her forehead—a cosmic benediction. "Take care," he murmured, and she stumbled, stunned by the intimacy.

"Go," he urged, waving his hand. She obeyed, heart racing.

On the rooftop, Min-Joon played his part. 

In-Ha, drunk and unsuspecting, followed him. Ji-Hyun remembered her sister's pain, the darkness inflicted upon her. Without hesitation, she pushed In-Ha from the edge, her rage a tempest.

Later, Kim-Song arrived, grief etched on his face. An anonymous call led him to Ji-Hyun's voice—a voice he thought silenced by death. She stood atop a nearby building, taunting him. "Looked at the building behind you, the rooftop." She said 

He turned around and looked up at her "Ji-Hyun? Are you not dead?" He said

She laughed through the phone "yes but now I will said no." She paused and continued "The game starts now," she declared. "Fear someone with nothing to lose."

————

At the police station, Kim-Song raged, blaming Ji-Hyun for his brother's death. "Are you crazy? Ji-Hyun was dead one week ago and your brother's dead is suicide caused by drugs and he was drunk before he committed suicide." One of the officers said

The cosmic dance of revenge and justice had begun. 

————-

**Park Min-joon's** cosmic existence grants him unique abilities and imposes certain limitations:

1. **Enhanced Perception:** His senses extend beyond human limits—keen vision, acute hearing, and heightened intuition. He perceives the world with cosmic clarity.

2. **Timelessness:** Min-joon exists beyond the constraints of time. Centuries pass, yet he remains unchanged, a silent witness to history's unfolding tapestry.

3. **Immortality:** Not in the traditional sense, but his lifespan spans eons. He bears the weight of memories, loves, and losses across lifetimes.

4. **Purpose and Longing:** His quest—to find the reincarnation of his wife—drives him. Yet, it's both salvation and penance, a cosmic paradox.

5. **Vulnerability:** Despite his abilities, he's not invincible. Emotions entangle him, and love—like a fragile star—can burn or illuminate.

6. **Cosmic Threads:** Fate weaves around him, binding him to others. He navigates choices, knowing each path leads to salvation or oblivion.

In this cosmic dance, Min-joon seeks answers, guided by love's constellations.