Chapter 4

Fear colonized his body. He managed to see that the body of where he was standing looked very dried up like they had long been dead.

The flesh on the person s face was completely gone and bits of what was left was like cold charcoal. Their eye sockets were completely devoid of orbs. As for the dentals, they were completely exposed to dry air. This person really appeared like a rotten corpse!?

SheJin just subconsciously backed away from the door and ran down the stairs.

His heart was beating unapologetically. Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes. Breathing was becoming a far-fetched goal and so was stability. The earth spun too fast and it was arbitrarily feeling as if he stood on quick sand. The partial hallucination of sinking also made it feel like his cerebrospinal fluid was solidifying. Saying that his throat was now paved by hot sand doesn't do enough justice to explain how dried up it was.

People have just died and he is the only living person around.They are going to call him a murderer. He could feel all sorts of things already pilling up, as he attempted digested the demise he is about to meet. SheJin covered his mouth and proceeded to slide his hands to his head . As his hands pressed on his head that felt like it was collapsing, his eyes closed to the pressure distribution...

" What are you doing?" ,a voice whispered behind him. The voice sounded unclear like they were speaking into a vase.

Shejin lowered his hands from his face and opened his eyes.

He blinked several times and blocked his eyes for the reason that it had become strangely bright.Not only that it was suddenly day time. His hands hung in the air as he kept wondering what on earth is going on.

Despite how reddened and teary his eyes had become , he managed to see he was somewhat standing on the outside of what appeared to be a U-shaped place..

He looked in all directions and he saw that the building he is standing in front of is made of tiles and the window are made of wooden frames and paper ..

He wrinkled his face and the woman standing next to him ,yanked his forearm.

He looked to the person and he saw that it was an elderly woman. She was wearing a deep green Jeogori with a black ribbon and a dark green puffy Chima. Her stealthy graying hair was tied into a long braid that was coiled once more around her head . The end of the braid was tied with a red ribbon

He was startled by the attire of this sweet looking old-woman.The motion of his eyes almost pushed his tears out of his eyes but they were unsuccessful.

"The tea isn't going to serve itself", the sweet-looking old woman remarked..Despite her motherly , homey aura and appearance, her now cleared voice, tone and manner of speech was most definitely cringe-worthy.

The way she spoke, it was quite obvious that she has a great reputation of condescending people.

" Do I have to repeat myself?", With that last sentence she pulled him into the U-shaped place..

Entering this fairly large building felt like walking into a museum. The reason being everything in here felt like it comes from centuries ago. There was a large, very long table in the middle with several chopping stations. The table was now hosting some trays of what seemed like bread.On one arm of the U-shaped house is where the cutlery is kept while the other arm has a long metal station ,which must be the stove..

There were about twelve females in this room and they had a slightly similar attire as the woman.However their Jeogori was a little longer than hers.

He looked at them moving up and down.

Some were placing teapots onto the trays , others were placing teacups and basins of sugar while others were carrying hot liquid from the stoves and pouring them into the teapots..

The elderly lady walked back to him and pridefully tapped SheJin on the shoulder. When he turned to her, she pointed to a tray of what must have been biscuits as this appears to be a breakfast.Come to think of it there were five of these kinds of trays, each with a different type of food

He stood frozen as he is really seriously not comprehending what is happening here. Where are the two bodies? The horse? The shed?

The elderly woman cursed complaining about SheJin s age and she walked to the tray and brought it back. Simultaneously she pulled his arms into receiving position. Immediately afterwards, she aggressively installed a tray onto his arms. Like puppets, promptly eight females each picked up a tray from the table.

The old woman walked to the double door that was on the other side of the table and she pushed it open. Her impatience showed in the way that she almost ripped off the door. Which is why SheJin turned to her

He took a step backwards and nearly dropped the tray!!!

She stood out of the way and SheJin could not believe what his eyes were showing him

The scene showed a criss-cross of pathways that were like Lang passages but instead had Hanok tiled roofs. There were so many of them and there were people who were making the best use of the

"What are you waiting for?",the old woman turned and scolded SheJin.

He can never give a reason why but he surprisingly walked around the table and followed the old woman s steps. Simultaneously the females carrying trays followed behind him..

While walking,he scanned the whole world around him. The awe in his eyes was extreme because nor was it possible that this was real neither was it possible that he could be where he thinks he is.

He observed as people who were wearing the same clothes as the females behind, walked with their heads bowed , heads carrying trays of folded towels and folded colorful cloth

Everyone was moving about in their own lives.

He probably didn't notice it but his mouth was hanging agape because this is a perfect replica of the grounds of a palace.

There were several buildings as they walked through the criss-cross of pathways. Many people were dressed uniquely in what history could describe as the attire of servants.From those dressed in pale green Jokki and white Baji all the way to those dressed in light blue long sleeve vest with a dark blue sleeveless Banbi and dark blue pants with black boots. The latter were carrying spears, clearly showing that they could be guards.

They walked for about five minutes and it is quite reasonable to believe they have passed nearly a hundred people and more than thirty five buildings..

SheJin is a naturally calm person who is extremely introverted because aside from his grandfather and occasionally AhMun, his girlfriend was the only person he felt bothered to talk to

There was a point when Shejin s grandfather believed that Shejin could be a little autistic because of his lack of a huge category of emotions. But that was far from the fact. SheJin is just good at hiding his anxiety and doesn't know how to express himself, nor does he find relief in doing so.

He would love to throw this tray away and just blast off running but that would be drawing attention and that can never be a good thing. Of course he is like this because he doesn't know where his tantrum could lead him to. He saw corpses so he doesn't want to end up like them nor does he want to be linked to them. It's best to play along and avoid the spotlight.

But then again that could have been a nightmare and this is just the really vivid not so bad nightmare.

But aren't dreams a series of images and events one has experienced before? If so, he has never seen anything like this nor has he met anyone before. If he is hallucinating he had to atleast see this he had seen before.

While he was trying to self-diagnose schizophrenia, he heard the steps of the woman halt..

He was so busy basking in the warm sun neural pathways in finding a logical explanation to all of this that he didn't even realize he had stepped into a building.

"This is your first day here. The three of you have to learn from others and make sure to remember everything they teach you", the woman spoke without turning her back. It's clear he words were aimed to SheJin, her head was turned in his direction.

With that last sentence , all the females dispersed from behind him and scattered around the palace.

SheJin raised his eyes and they were a little reddened like they were a few minutes ago. This is often the case when he overthinks.

He was is in a ballroom-like-space. There were about six low laying table with a soft cushion to serve as a chair. The tables were equally spaced from one another like they were measured. They formed a horseshoe bend respective to the throne. Two of the tables were directly facing the throne while the four ,were on the left and right, two on each side of the throne.The set-up was so clean and very fit to dine royalty.

This is most undeniably a dream.

He blinked once . The woman s gaze burned onto him as such he slowly walked over from next the throne to one of the tables nearby and started to place the food respectfully on the extremely divine cutlery.. Just then a sudden silence befell the room . SheJin raised to see what could be the cause of all of this.There was never talking of course but it just felt too grave-like

Dressed in an aquamarine blue Durumagi and a pure white Baji with black Kkotsin detailed with the embroidery of a rose branch , hair tied in a bun and concealed within an equally black hat with a crystal clear blue stones dangling from a thread for aesthetic appeal , the graceful heavens s creation walked softly to one of the table.

He gracefully lowered himself onto the cushion that accommodated the low laying table. As he bowed to everyone he kept his face hidden and never once raised his head wholely to look at the people in the room.

Of course he didn't arrive alone despite it seeming that way.One by one the audience of this morning cuisine kept arriving, one dressed more high standard than the last .What's there to expect? They are the royal family.

The older women sat opposite one another on the tables closest to the throne and simultaneously,they were followed by their children.

The maids continued to place the food in front of them but everyone knows that they can't not begin eating before the king arrives .

The two ladies were god-awfully beautiful and in their imperial gowns they seemed like they could float on snowflakes.

The son with almond- shaped eyes was sitting directly next to his mother and was dressed in crimson green attire from head to toe and was wearing the same black hat as the other two of his brothers.

The princess had her beautiful face completely exposed as the only form of make-up she had was white powder and some red lip dye.She wore a pink hanbok but it's obvious that it is made of material of high quality.

Despite all this beauty to admire, SheJin s eyes remained on the male that had occupied one of the seats directly facing the throne. He was with them yes but apparently it seemed like he was an island, living all alone

By virtue of where SheJin was standing, he was in from of everyone but his eyes were locked onto the man who wouldn't raise his head. Even as the maid poured the tea, the man only slightly raised his face but even then he could not see his face..There must something that SheJin feels is so intriguing, so fascinating, so enthralling..

Finally the king arrived and then the maids started to pour the tea for the other members of the royal family while the old-lady served tea to the king.The messenger of the heavens was dressed in a deep green Gwanbok and wore a different kind of hat that seemed ceremonial.Other than that he wore like his sons

Irregardless of whatever what was happening,SheJin s eyes were all as ever still focused on the man.

The maids backed away after pouring the tea.

" A new day , new beginnings",the king spoke.

Everyone had held their cups and they raised it towards the king.

They greeted him softly and a few seconds later they begun to have the morning meal.

"So MinHee how are your studies going?", he turned and questioned his beautiful daughter

SheJin looked at her and she seemed very graceful. She was so respectfully seated. Clearly the descendant of a heaven's sovereign. She was very poignant and flawless. Even as she answered her father, she resembled the feathers of a majestic white peacock

" What about you , YongSun?",he looked in the direction of the man.

"Very productive.Thank You for asking",

That is all he said. Those six words were the only thing he said. Just two phrases and it was enough to make SheJin feel like he was in a room with only the two of them.Nothing else just the two of them

YongSun elevated his face and SheJin felt his chest squeezing. He half blinked in dis-belief of witnessing such a scene

He looked so hard at YongSun that he didn't realize that he was staring.

YongSun shifted his eyes from his father and they fell on SheJin.

SheJin immediately lowered his eyes and YongSun retracted both his hand and head.

He looked at SheJin for less than three seconds yet SheJin felt like he had seen the whole universe flash before his eyes..

'Dream.Just a dream. ', he thought to himself.

He raised his eyes and he looked once to YongSun.