Episode - 2

20 Years From Now... ✦

Jung Yuna had been an orphan since the age of six.

Her father, a soldier, lost his life in the war. Her mother followed soon after, losing a brutal battle against cancer.

With no family left, Yuna was taken to an orphanage — a place that, despite its shadows, gifted her two of the brightest lights in her life.

There, she met her best friends — Jennie and Jisoo, girls a year older than her. They too carried scars of loss — witches by blood, orphaned by tragedy.

The three of them grew up side by side, like sisters woven together by fate.

They finished high school together, their bond unshaken. As time passed, Jennie and Rosé slowly found their roots again — learning magic and ancient traditions from the remnants of their families. Becoming Witches.

But Yuna chose a different path.

She opened a quaint little book and flower shop — a hidden haven that smelled of old pages, wild blooms, and forgotten dreams.

She had always loved ancient books, especially those woven with fantasy and lost legends.

Maybe… just maybe… she was searching for herself within those stories.

But no amount of flowers or forgotten tales could fill the void she carried.

It felt like a piece of her soul had been missing for as long as she could remember. She would often drift away, lost in thought, staring at nothing for hours.

Jennie and Jisoo noticed — they always did. So, when they turned 24, they found a way to bring more warmth into their little family.

Together, the three of them adopted two little boys — Jimin, age four, and Taehyung, age three.

The boys were clever, too beautiful for their age, and wise beyond their years.

They rarely needed scolding, but their mischievous streak — especially Taehyung's — reminded everyone of Jennie's rebellious teenage years.

---

By the time Yuna turned 26, and Jennie and Jisoo were 27, they decided to celebrate their birthdays together — like always they did in orphanage.

This year, they chose to visit an ancient town, hidden away and rich with forgotten stories.

Dressed in delicate hanfu, their flowing fabrics danced with the breeze as they explored like carefree teenagers.

Jimin and Taehyung, eager at first, opted for their own little adventure — a school trip that happened to fall on the same day.

The three women wandered narrow streets, laughing, clicking pictures, breathing in the crisp, ancient air.

Eventually, they arrived at a serene pond surrounded by wooden galleries, built centuries ago. The place was quiet, birds chirped faintly, and the greenery all around carried the scent of earth after rain.

They sat there for a while, the silence like a familiar song wrapping around them.

But as always, Yuna drifted into her thoughts.

Her heart had felt uneasy since yesterday.

Heavy.

Like something was about to change — irreversibly.

Jennie and Jisoo exchanged a look. Seeing Yuna like this wasn’t new, but it never failed to worry them.

She hadn’t eaten properly in a day, so they slipped away quietly to find food, leaving her lost in her world.

---

Yuna stood alone by the pond, her mind fogged, her heart racing without reason.

The rustling leaves, the chirping birds — it all faded.

Suddenly, a voice broke through the stillness — gentle, cautious, careful not to startle her.

“Excuse me… Miss… why are you standing here alone?”

Startled, she turned.

A man stood behind her, dressed in ancient attire, as though he'd stepped straight out of a forgotten legend.

Tall. Handsome. Composed.

But the moment his eyes met hers, his entire facade shattered.

Tears welled in his eyes. His lips trembled. His expression twisted with raw disbelief and unspeakable emotion.

He looked at her as though she were a ghost.

Or more precisely… the one he'd been waiting for… for lifetimes.

Yuna froze. Her heartbeat thundered in her chest. Her body moved before her mind could catch up.

Something unseen pulled her toward him — stronger than reason, deeper than memory.

Her feet moved — hesitant at first — then with urgency… until she ran straight into his arms.

The man caught her easily, his arms wrapping protectively around her waist and back, holding her close like a precious, fragile bloom.

They stumbled onto the soft grass, Yuna pressed against him, her face buried in the crook of his neck.

Unknowingly, tears streamed down her cheeks.

An overwhelming sense of longing, safety, and familiarity consumed her.

The man — Hoseok — held her tighter, his face buried in her hair.

The scent…

Exactly the same as he remembered.

It made him tremble.

Five hundred years of waiting.

Five hundred years of grief, suffering, and undying hope.

All of it… dissolved the moment he held her again.

They stayed like that — tangled in each other’s warmth — as though trying to calm a storm that had raged within them for centuries.

Eventually, Yuna pulled back, her teary eyes meeting his.

Realization dawned as she noticed their intimate position, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

But when she tried to retreat, his arms tightened.

“Don’t,” he whispered, his voice raw, laced with vulnerability. “Please… don’t.”

The pain in his words shattered what little resolve she had left.

So, she stayed.

---

Later, they sat by the gallery, the silence no longer heavy — but comforting.

“Umm… Yuna?” Hoseok finally broke the quiet, testing the name on his tongue — the name she had carried through lifetimes.

She tilted her head, confused. “Yeah? How do you know my name? I… didn’t tell you…”

A soft chuckle escaped him.

“Let’s just say… I know everything.”

Her frown deepened. “What do you mean? I’m so confused…”

Her lips pouted unconsciously — a small habit she’d never shaken off.

Hoseok’s eyes softened with amusement. He stood, extending his hand toward her.

“If you truly want answers…” his voice was gentle but firm, “You’ll have to come with me.”

Yuna hesitated for only a moment.

But deep down… something whispered… the questions that haunted her… the why’s that kept her awake…

They’d finally be answered.

Biting her lower lip, she placed her hand in his, never breaking eye contact.

The moment their hands touched, Hoseok’s breath hitched.

A perfect déjà vu.

The same moment.

The same expression.

Different time… different fate.

He helped her to her feet, his fingers lingering.

“Where are we going?” she asked softly.

“To where we left everything behind… where we promised to find each other again.”

His words were cryptic — heavy with meaning only he understood.

Yuna’s brows knitted in confusion, but before she could ask anything else, Hoseok began to chant softly.

The world around them shifted.

The rustling trees, the distant bird songs — everything vanished.

Tiny stars began to swirl around them. The air shimmered with unseen magic.

A brilliant white light engulfed them, forcing their eyes shut.

And then...

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...To know what happens next......

...Read the next chapter....

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...End of Chapter...

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...💖🪽🌌🌙💫🌸🤍🔮✨🌿...

...That's all for today ...

...Bye bye, Starling 👋!!...

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