Chapter 46: The inevitable scene

"I wished to be the king..."

Min Yun's words kept replaying in my mind. Did he envy the king? Had he always wanted the throne? But they were best friends. I knew Min Yun—he would never betray the king for his own gain.

I wanted to ask him more, to understand his reason, but before I could, the soldiers began waking up. The moment passed, but the question still lingered, gnawing at me.

As we resumed our journey, silence stretched between us. No one spoke. The weight of Min Yun's words made the cave feel even darker, heavier. I had so many questions—Why does he want to be king? Does the king know? Why did he tell me this?

"Ugh!" I groaned in frustration. My voice echoed through the cave, breaking the silence.

Min Yun and the soldiers turned to me.

"Are you okay?" Min Yun asked, his gaze filled with concern.

I forced a small, embarrassed smile. "Yes. Sorry."

He smiled and nodded, then silence settled between us again. I let out a quiet sigh. As the days passed, this journey felt more and more tedious. Oh, Shibuya, why are you so far?

I had no idea how far we had traveled when Min Yun finally called for a break. The soldiers tied their horses to the rocks and began feeding them.

"Are you okay?" Min Yun asked again.

I sighed. "Yes..."

"You don't seem fine."

"Then why bother asking if you already know the answer?" I shot back, a little irritated.

Instead of responding, Min Yun grabbed my hand. "Come with me."

I didn't resist as he led me forward. Then, suddenly—

"Wow!" I gasped, my eyes widening in awe.

Before me was an underground lake, its crystal-clear waters shimmering under the faint glow of bioluminescent moss clinging to the cave walls. I hadn't expected to find such beauty hidden in this dark place.

"Do you want to swim?" Min Yun asked.

"Yes! Yes!" I answered without hesitation, momentarily forgetting my earlier frustration.

Stepping closer, I dipped my feet into the water. A shiver ran up my spine—it was cold but incredibly refreshing.

"I miss the beach," I murmured.

"Beach?" Min Yun echoed, his expression puzzled.

I turned to him, amused by his confusion. "Ah… in my world, we have beaches—vast stretches of sand and salty water."

He nodded, processing my words, then joined me, dipping his feet into the water.

"Do you like it?" he asked.

"Of course. I thought this journey was getting boring, but I was wrong."

Min Yun chuckled. "We'll encounter more beautiful places as we travel."

"I didn't expect that. We've been walking through the forest for days."

He simply smiled.

I sat on a rock, letting my feet stay submerged in the cool water. The tip of my dress was already wet, but I didn't mind.

"Ahhh... so relaxing," I sighed, closing my eyes.

Min Yun didn't respond, and I let the silence linger. It was peaceful.

Just as I was about to drift off in my thoughts, a splash of water hit me. My eyes flew open, and I turned to see Min Yun, his clothes already drenched.

"Hey, not fair!" I exclaimed, jumping into the water and splashing him back.

I didn't care about getting wet. The cool water against my skin felt refreshing.

Min Yun retaliated with more force, sending a huge wave of water in my direction. My hair was soaked now.

"Not fair!" I pouted, but I couldn't help laughing.

He laughed, too. "Sorry!"

"Hmph! You're stronger than me."

He grinned. "Alright, take your revenge." He stepped closer, tilting his head slightly and closing his eyes as if bracing for another splash.

I froze.

He was just inches away. One wrong move, and our lips would touch.

I swallowed hard and shook my head, pushing the thought away. What am I even thinking?

Guilt crept in, making me feel ridiculous for even considering it.

"Are you okay?" Min Yun asked again, startling me so much that I instinctively splashed water at him. Unfortunately, his mouth was open, and some water went inside, making him cough.

"I'm sorry!" I rushed to his side, gently patting his back. "I'm really sorry!"

He finally caught his breath and looked at me with amusement. "I thought you had a grudge against me."

"I was just shocked when you suddenly opened your eyes."

"You were staring at me. That's why I opened them."

I felt my face heat up, but I quickly turned away, trying to hide it. "I'm getting cold," I lied.

Min Yun raised an eyebrow. "Let me help you."

"Help me... get dressed?" I blurted out in shock.

"What?" He looked confused for a second before realization hit him.

I quickly shook my head. "I-I mean, never mind! I'll do it alone!"

Min Yun suddenly burst into laughter. "I wasn't offering to help you get dressed! I meant I'd help you get your things so you can change."

"Oh." I sighed in relief, feeling incredibly embarrassed.

We stepped out of the water, and he handed me my belongings. That's when I realized—there was no changing room here.

"I'll hold this sheet up to cover you while you change," Min Yun offered. "Would that be okay?"

I hesitated. "Are you sure?"

"Who else would help you? I doubt you'd be comfortable if one of my soldiers did this."

"Haha, you have a point."

He spread the sheet and closed his eyes, standing still as a barrier. I hesitated for a moment but reminded myself—I trusted Min Yun.

It took me about five minutes to change since my dress had so many layers. Unlike in my world, where a simple T-shirt and shorts would be much easier.

"Thank you," I said once I was done.

"You're welcome."

I turned to him. "What about you? Won't you change your clothes?"

"I can just change here," he said casually.

"Here?" My eyes widened.

"Yes, why?" Min Yun asked casually.

"Ah… I'll just wait over there," I said, quickly stepping away. Why is he talking like it's not a big deal?

"Your Highness!" one of the soldiers called.

"Let's eat."

"I'll wait for Min Yun," I replied.

"I'm here."

"Oh my gosh!" I screamed, jumping in surprise. He had appeared right behind me without a sound.

"Are you shocked?" he asked, amused.

"Of course! You just spoke behind me out of nowhere without even letting us know you were done changing!"

Min Yun chuckled. "I'm sorry."

I watched as he sat with his soldiers, and I couldn't help but notice—he had been laughing and smiling more often these past few days.

"I-Jun, come here. Let's eat," Min Yun called.

I nodded and joined them. After eating, we rested for the night. This time, I made sure not to fall asleep on Min Yun's lap.

(Fast-forward…)

We exited the cave safe and sound, continuing our journey through the forest. It had been seven days since we started, and I knew we had covered a great distance.

"Are we getting close to Shibuya Town?" I asked Min Yun.

"Yes."

I hope we find the answers in Shibuya. I hope we uncover the real mastermind behind everything.

I tightened my grip on my book. I trust my book. I hope everything ends well and that the king and Min Yun get their happy ending.

After a while, a quiet town came into view. The houses were scattered, and oddly, we didn't encounter many people.

"This is Shibuya Town," Min Yun said, answering the question in my mind.

"Is it always this quiet?"

"Yes. We seldom see people here."

"Why?"

"Some migrated to other towns. Living here is quite difficult since there aren't many job opportunities," Min Yun explained.

I nodded in understanding.

"Let's go this way." He pointed toward the path ahead.

As we walked, the silence of the town pressed down on me. Before this journey, I had imagined Shibuya as a lively, bustling place. But I was wrong.

"Huh?" I suddenly stopped, my eyes catching a glimpse of a familiar figure disappearing into a narrow alley.

I glanced at Min Yun and his soldiers, but they were too focused on walking to notice anything unusual.

Without calling out to them, I turned and followed the figure into the alley.

But when I reached the narrow passage, the person was gone. I looked around, scanning the other side, but saw no sign of him.

"Maybe I was just hallucinating," I murmured to myself.

I was about to turn back when, out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of the same figure walking further ahead. He didn't stop, didn't even glance in my direction—almost as if he hadn't noticed me.

Determined, I quickened my pace, breaking into a run. If I walked, I might lose him completely.

But he was fast. No matter how much I hurried, I couldn't catch up.

I was just about to shout his name when a firm grip caught my arm.

I gasped and turned sharply. "Min Yun?"

"You scared me," he said, his brows furrowed. "Where were you going?"

I hesitated, glancing once more in the direction where the familiar figure had disappeared.

"I was just… trying to find my way," I said, my voice trailing off.

"You're not familiar with Shibuya. Stay close to me," Min Yun said.

"Okay. I'm sorry."

Min Yun took my hand, and I glanced once more in the direction where the familiar figure had disappeared.

Was I really hallucinating? Was my mind playing tricks on me?

We returned to our original path. I walked in silence, Min Yun beside me.

But what if I wasn't imagining things? What if what I saw was real?

"Are you okay?" Min Yun asked, breaking the silence.

"Yes," I answered quickly.

"You look pale," he observed.

"Maybe I'm just hungry."

He nodded. "Let's go to the market to eat."

I nodded in agreement, and he signaled his soldiers to rest and have a meal as well.

As we entered the market, I noticed how few people were walking around—so few that it became obvious. Most of the stalls were empty, with only a handful of vendors selling their goods.

We found an old, rusty restaurant and sat down to order.

I chose a rice broth with chicken and ginger. The restaurant owner, who also doubled as the waiter, brought us tea while we waited.

I took a sip and sighed.

"Is something bothering you?" Min Yun asked.

I glanced at the soldiers, who were deep in conversation at another table.

"Nothing," I replied. I couldn't tell him yet—not until I was sure.

Min Yun studied me for a moment before saying, "I know you."

"I told you, I was just hungry."

Min Yun didn't respond. He simply watched me in silence. Feeling uneasy, I looked away, pretending to be busy.

A few moments later, our food arrived.

I focused on eating, realizing just how hungry I really was.

"Take it slowly," Min Yun said, handing me a glass of water.

"Thank you."

"If you're still hungry, we can order more," he added.

I nodded and continued eating.

By the time we finished, I had devoured three bowls of rice broth with chicken and ginger. Feeling full, we resumed walking.

"Are we still far?" I asked, not out of complaint, but curiosity about how much farther we needed to go.

"We're close," Min Yun reassured me.

Just then, a sharp pain shot through my chest.

"Ugh!" I gasped, clutching my chest as the pain intensified.

Min Yun kept walking ahead, unaware of what was happening to me. I wanted to call out to him, but my throat felt tight—I couldn't even open my mouth.

My knees buckled, and I collapsed to the ground, my body trembling from the pain.

What is happening to me?

Silent tears streamed down my face. I struggled to breathe, my vision blurring.

Then, a pair of shoes appeared in front of me.

For a brief moment, relief washed over me—I thought Min Yun had come back for me.

But as I forced myself to look up, my heart stopped.

It wasn't Min Yun.

It was him.

"Ji Han?" I whispered before everything faded into darkness.