Chapter 1

I just purchased a new house. Well an old one, a very old home. This home was one of the very last homes left from the Joseon Dynasty. I took one look at it and sighed 

" Looks like it's time to start the restoration of this beautiful home". I said to myself. I was suppose to have help today but my best friend Jung Suk bailed on me. So I went by myself. I took a deep breath  "Hae Won you got this" I opened the big gates to the home I was met with an over grown jungle of trees and weeds taking over the front yard to the home. Luckily I had grabbed my machete before exiting the car. I began making myself a path to the front of the home. 

I finally made it to the front doors. As I walked up and slid the doors open I was met with a shock and awe and the now musty smell of the history that was in front of me . The inside of the home was as if it was a time capsule. Everything had layers and layers of dust. I began to explore the home disturbing all the dust and looking through everything I was enthralled but all the history that was there. As I was rummaging through a desk in the study fascinated  by everything I accidentally hit something. In that moment I heard sliding happening. Right below the desk a hole opened up. It was a secret hiding place. I took my flash light a shined it in the hole. In it there was a book. I picked it up. Once the book was out of the opening in the floor the hidden compartment closed back up looking like it had never been distrurbed. 

I turned the book in my hands looking at it. I blew the dust off it making myself cough there was no writing on it. Or at least not on the outside of it. I set the book on the desk and sat down not caring how dirty everything was in the moment. I was drawn to this book. I opened the book and noticed there was writing. The book was very well preserved. I began to read the first page in which there was only a name  "Yeong Woo" 

I felt that name was familiar to me and just as I was about to turn the page I heard rustling coming towards the house outside. I got up to investigate. 

"Hae Won!!! Where are you!" 

It was my best friend Jung Suk. 

" I'm in the study!"

Jung Suk found Hae Won.

" I thought you weren't able to come today?" I asked him 

" Yeah well that blind date was horrible. So I bailed."

I laughed at Jung Suk while shaking my head and we walked outside deciding to clear up the front yard. We worked all day and well into the night stopping only briefly for some food and to sleep. 

In the morning I woke with a startle. The dream I had been having was so vivid I thought I was really there. It was only four in the morning just barely enough sleep but I couldn't get myself to go back to sleep. I got up and went outside to start making a fire and begin to make myself and Jung Suk some food and coffee. I stepped outside of my tent that I  was using til the house was done to find Jung Suk was already awake. 

" You just wake up too or did you never go to sleep?" I asked.

" Never went to sleep it's so beautiful out here so I stayed up just looking at the stars. What are you doing up so early?"

" I had a weird dream. It was so vivid like I was really there." I told Jung Suk. Jung Suk looked at me " want to talk about it?"

" I don't even know how to explain it."

I noticed the longer I was awake the fuzzier the dream became. 

"Actually it a bit fuzzy now"

"Well wanna tell me what you remember?" 

"Jung Suk I remember this house I was here just not here, here like here in the past. I can see how it looked how it felt. It's like I lived here before." 

" Hmmm….. sounds interesting" Jung Suk chuckled. As he began to brew the coffee. He handed me a cup it looked different then what I had brought with me. 

" Couldn't find the cups you brought with but I did find the kitchen and found these. Don't worry I washed them very thoroughly." 

" I guess you could say we are drinking history, right" We laughed. 

We sat there enjoying the coffee and watched the sunrise. It was beautiful the oranges and reds and purples all blending together. It was nice and it had been a very long time since had such a nice morning and since I had such peace a quiet. 

" So Hae Won what made you buy this place. There is so much work to do on it I never would have guessed that you were the type to buy this kind of house. It so run down are you sure this is what you wanted?"

"Jung Suk you know I love to restore things. But this isn't just a restore. I was drawn to this place for a completely different reason and I have yet to figure that out."

Jung Suk just nodded his head in agreement. We finished the yard and Jung Suk got a phone call. " Hello, yes this is Jung Suk. Yes I'll be there right away.Jung Suk hung up the phone. "I'm sorry Hae Won I've gotta go my dad got lost. Apparently he decided to take a walk got lost and is at the police station. I got to go. 

" Go ahead Jung Suk I'll be fine here."

Jung Suk gave me a hug and headed to his car and drove off. I began work on the front room of the home. I was working and the sun was rising higher and higher. Before I knew it it was noon. I decided that it was time to break for lunch. I stepped outside and began setting up for lunch. I was beginning to start a fire when I noticed something in the corner of my eye in the front room. It was just real quick but I could have swore there was a man standing in the doorway. I shrugged it away as a trick or the light. I got the fire started and sat for a few mins watching it. I decided the flames were high enough and the fire burning hot enough to hang a pot of water over it to boil it. I had decided to make some soup as it was starting to begin to get a little chilly.

I decided that while waiting for the water to boil I would keep myself busy and go back to work in the front room again. It was coming together very nicely it was almost done I just had to wipe down the walls. I grabbed a bucket from my car and some wash cloths and borrowed a little bit of hot not yet boiling water for the pot I had on the fire and put in some soap and began wiping down the walls. when I had finished I went back out to check on my water it was at a boiling I grabbed my cup and poured a little in my cup for some tea and started put in some vegetables into the pot and some potatoes. I just made a simple soup wished it would've been Hot Pot instead but I had to work with what I got. I planned on doing some shopping later.

I finished up eating quickly and headed back into the house this time going into another room. It was the study once again. I slide open the side doors that opened to the front yard and let the light in. I turned around to a beautiful sight of the room. It looked like I had been just left behind abandoned as is. even though I knew I was centuries of dust and spider webs all over it, it was thin like it was only a years worth. I began moving things outside to air out and dust off carefully. I came across that book again and picked it up. I opened it again I seen writing in it as I did before it was the name "Yeong Woo"

" Who are you? What are you doing in my home?"

I heard come from behind me. I turned around book still in hand. In the doorway stood a man the same man whom I seen before. Shocked I dropped the book in my hands and began studdering. "I- I- I" and just as quickly as he appeared he disappeared.

I hurried out the door to see where he had gone where he could've gone. The man was nowhere in sight. I searched all throughout the house as well again nothing. Who was that man where did he come from and where did he go? I shrugged it off and went back to cleaning up and organizing I put everything into the front room as I was going to begin the restoration in the study and keep it as my study but at the same time my room. It was getting darks so I quickly brought everything in from outside and set up for the night. After that I added more wood to the fire and began to boil water once again. I didn't want much to eat tonight I just wanted to rest up and get a fresh new start in the morning. once I ate I grabbed my sleeping bag and stuff and put them in the floor of the study. I left the doors to the front yard open to bring in a little breeze during the night. I drifted to sleep quickly.

" Who are you what are you doing in my home?"

I heard that deep voice again from that man I had seen earlier. I open my eyes to the study lit up and set up the way it was before I cleaned it out and I seemed to be lying on a day bed. I sat up shocked but completely unaware there was a sword quickly put to my neck.

" Once again I will ask. who are you and what are you doing in my home?

"I looked at the man " Your home I just bought this home"

" Impossible! My name is Yeong Woo and this is my home."

Before I could answer I heard another voice calling me "Hae Won! Hae Won! where are you?" slowly the bright lights began to fade before my eyes and once again My eyes opened to Jung Suk standing in the doorway of the study. I quickly sat up once again and looked around the study was empty and everything was in the front room just like I had put it yesterday. What the hell was that? Was it a dream? Was it real? I got up to greet Jung Suk and as I stood I dropped the book from yesterday. I must have been so tired I didn't notice it when I fell asleep and I slept in top of it. What was this book? I didn't know but I intended to find out.