When Yoon Min first arrived at Love Universe, she was mesmerized by the sparkling and wonderful nature of her new home. She was blessed to recieve a chance to serve the humans from taking their lives. She was happy to meet noble and admirable people in the afterlife who helped her to live here. And she was a bit perplexed but yet fortunately glad to encounter the mysterious senior guardian Seok Jin.

She had seen an attraction in his eyes, that he wanted her for himself. A pure fascination in his soul who drew herself to step towards him without thinking the cause or circumstance. And she did. She fell for his charms, smiles, gazes, touches, the sound of his voice and literally everything about him. She spotted a familiarity in those which was neglected, for she was blindly in search to touch his heart.

She knew undoubtedly Seoknin had something to do with her; whether you call it fate or luck.

Yoon Min stayed inside her chamber for a whole day. The sun set and rose in the magical sky. Then it set again and rose. And thus the sun continued its duty by rising in the early morning and bidding goodbye in the evening. One day turned into a week. Never did she step out of her chamber or called somebody for anything.

She locked herself in with the idea to think alone and peacefully. Eventually she had to come to a decision about what she should do with Seoknin, now that she had learned an unexpected truth.

But she didn't guess it would take her weeks to reach to a decision.

Beomgyu checked on her total 18 times a day. He was the only one allowed in her room so he provided her food, talked some words for her to come out of her room and not to ignore the fact she had to attend suicidal human's calls. But she never looked at him or heard him. She was slowly turning into plastic.

The residents discussed about her situation; some felt her situation while some chose to scoff and badmouth her for being dramatic. They were not aware of what she was going through inside the room.

She stared at the artistically curved ceiling with a blank face. Most of her time in the room was spent by her embracing her bed and pillows, clutching them to her chest. She slept and woke up, again went back to sleep. Rolling to another side, whenever she faced the open balcony where the sweet little hummingbirds chirped and waited on the branches for her to come out and meet them, a tear rolled down her eyes. The various scents of flowers and trees made her feel nostalgic about how freely she used to roam around in the universe. They even composed her to take a visit outside her room for once to feel the mighty sunlight and dance in the moonlight.

But the fear of coming across him never allowed her to even take a peak outside. What if she ends up face to face with him? Yes, she avoided him many times earlier due to small reasons but this time, escaping his present was essential. She couldn't see him, knowing he was the guardian who failed to save her when she was a human. She could've lived with her family if he managed to save her. But also, it wasn't his fault. She was as well in his shoes months ago, so she couldn't blame him for what happened.

But what about him and her sharing the same past?

The curiosity to get to know about her past increased thousand times, now that she knew he was also in her life. This wasn't the first time they met. They met way before back in Earth. And the slight thought about it gave her shivers and goosebumps.

When night fell, she sometimes found herself thinking about him. That amazing smile that could heal anyone's wound just by seeing him. The gentle, concerning words that escaped from his lips, the humble touches on her, the memories. Yoon Min put a hand on her dead heart and sobbed on her bed for him. She still longed for him even though she knew they couldn't be together anymore like before. She still wanted him to drop by her chamber and talk to her. She still wished he would come to see her at least once, but he never did.

There was a blank space in her heart that waited for him day after night to take her in his arms and explain about what happened. Maybe she was taking the wrong side of everything when there happened to be a part of something nice.

As she was enclosed in her own chamber with the intention to come to a rightful decision, all she did was to think about him and their little memories only. She was gone to emotionless, numb to the point she didn't feel any sort of feelings for the past few days. She was weak and broken helplessly. Just by the attack of a truth.

She hated herself. She hated and cursed herself so much; but she couldn't help doing it every moment.

She missed him...

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There was an unexpected knock on her door in a regular afternoon. Yoon Min raised her head after hours of soaking her pillows and glanced at the door. Quirking an eyebrow, she wondered who could it be. Beomgyu wasn't supposed to visit her at this hour.

Thinking it might be one of her friends who also tried many times to approach her, but she was the one who denied their helps. Without bothering, she buried her face back on the pillow and covered herself with the white sheet.

When the knocking started to sound a bit persistent, she was angry enough to spit her anger whoever this person was. Literally everyone in the universe knew of her condition! She slid off her bed, gasping at her feet touching the floor after so many days. It felt different. She marched towards the door steadily and opened the door,

"Who the--"

She was abruptly cut off by the innocent face and arched eyebrows of concern of her best friend Beomgyu who stood there surprised. The next second, he wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug.

"Oh, thank God...I just heard your voice after so long!"

Yoon Min didn't hold him back yet. She was feeling uncomfortable by the hug honestly as she wasn't in the mood to melt in his touch or hear his worried words. She tried to push him away gently so that she doesn't seem rude. But he already got her point so he pulled away within some seconds.

She cleared her throat and managed to ask, "What are y-you doing here now, Beom?"

Her question somehow dropped his smile as he stayed quiet for some time. Scratching the back of his neck, he muttered slowly so that she didn't freak out,

"The Princess wants to see you...now."

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Yoon Min walked to the Princess's office with Beomgyu holding her hand to lead her as if she didn't know. She at first was startled by his skin contact but later, it felt good to feel his warmth and scent. He suggested to change her dress and appearance as she looked nothing but a miserable begger right now. But she shook off his offer and tried to get this over as soon as possible.

It felt unexpectedly good to see the walls again. The school, the department, the castle everything. She missed those views.

They arrived at the door sooner than she thought. Beomgyu with a look on her face knocked politely on the door. After that familiar female voice told them to come in, he opened the door wide for her to walk inside. And she did.

"I'll be waiting outside." Beomgyu showed her a faint smile before closing the doors behind her.

Yoon Min glanced upon the princess sitting behind her desk and the secretary gaping at her. Mostly because Baekhyun hadn't seen her for a whole week. Princess Aereum still looked the same gorgeous, strong woman with her diamond crown. It reminded her of the first time she met the princess.

With a bow, she walked further inside and stood still in front of her, facing the ground. She had a guess she was going to be scolded like a child. Well, she deserved to.

But Baekhyun had to interrupt first, "My goodness, Guardian Yoon Min! You all got us so worried. Look at you, so pale and weak..."

The princess threw him a silent glare so he sealed his lips tightly.

It was her time to speak.

"Guardian Song Yoon Min..." she called her name in a disappointed voice.

"I think we need to talk about your actions from the past week."

Yoon Min didn't reply as of now.

"I understand that you're going through a tough time because of the unforseen events. But that doesn't mean you will isolate yourself and suffer alone in your chamber. Most importantly, you absolutely cannot ignore your humans' calls! 9 humans in Earth didn't recieve help when they had their first thought to commit suicide. They are on the verge to take their own lives because of your negligence." she sounded strict yet worried.

The guardian pressed her lips in a straight line. She was quite guilty for leaving her responsibilities. What could she do; she wasn't in her straight mind.

Aereum sighed, looking away from her for a split second. Then she glanced at her again,

"How are you feeling?"

Surprising it was, for the princess to ask about someone's health.

Yoon Min had no words as an answer. How she was feeling....maybe words couldn't express it. She herself wasn't sure about her current tormenting emotions so how was she gonna take care of her duties?

She blurted out unexpectedly with an unreadable face,

"It's strange and oddly hurtful."

Her mind filled with his pictures; his ever so perfect features and astounding character. The memories of him smiling at her, talking to her, dancing with her, showing her the world of stars. How was it even possible; that a perfection like him existed in her life? How?

"All these time, he was there by my side; watching me, guiding me, making me see the wonders of the universe that I love." she paused, unable to form words. "Then why now; when I know there's a connection...I feel like crying and grieving instead of being happy." she finally met the princess's beautiful eyes. "I wasn't supposed to feel this way..."

Princess Aereum was silent for the time being. Her chest rose and fell steadily, but her face displayed the million worries for everything. She was the ruler of the universe. Every problem of each guardian was her problem. And it was a matter of sorrow that she herself had no knowledge how to sort it out.

Secretary Baekhyun whispered something into her ear, more like he reminded her of something to tell the guardian in front of them. She sighed again and spoke afterwards,

"Senior Guardian Kim Seok Jin hasn't returned to the universe for the past week."

Yoon Min widened her eyes at the mention of his name.

"The last we saw him was the night everything happened. Since then, we have no information on his whereabouts. He isn't in the universe, that's for sure."

She felt the time being stopped as another burden of anxiety raced through her veins. He was gone? Maybe that explained why she never found him coming to see her all these time.

Both of them ran away with fear instead of facing the truth.

Princess Aereum caught the signs of her fragile condition and decided to move on with what she intended to tell her at first,

"Do you realize two guardians not attending their humans' calls and letting several people die? Do you realize how many rules you both broke without any bother? The whole universe is losing its strength!" she raised her voice. "Who knows Seok Jin will come back not as himself; but someone more dangerous? Like Ozul Vex?"

The guardian was shaken by the incoming chances of their faults.

"The past might repeat again. Ozul Vex, the demon also had set out of the universe long ago and returned as something else. I can give no guarantee that it won't happen to Senior Guardian Jin as well."

Aereum asked with desperation, "Both of you have to talk about it in order to not let the past repeat itself. I fear the universe once again will be at threat. And if you don--"

"Princess Aereum."

Yoon Min suddenly cut her off as she looked extremely out of her mind. Her eyes were singing tears, her lips were quivering, her cheeks were dry and her dead heart full with nothing. No emotions, no answer. But the guardian knew what should be done, for now everything else seemed impossible.

She looked at the princess with soft, pleading eyes and let out,

"Do you remember...that I still have that chance to get a wish of mine fulfilled?"

Aereum knew where this was going. She was very intelligent enough to detect people's next sentences. But she however let the guardian speak.

Yoon Min took a deep breath and without stuttering, she confidentially expressed,

"I want to know about my past. This time, I don't care about anything else. He knows so I have every right to know about our past too."

Secretary Baekhyun's jaw dropped in shock. He tried to mumbling a No to the princess but he knew she knew the best. Princess Aereum replied nothing at first.

Then she replied, "Guardian Yoon Min, knowing your past won't help you."

"Yes, it will." she voiced out. "There's a reason behind everything. I need to know why I get so messed up when I see him. I need to know what are these unexplainable feelings I have for him. I need to know what made us meet again."

She needed to know why he was the cause behind her heartache.

"Jin Seonbae knew me better than anyone. He acted clueless but I felt his gaze, voice, touch all too familiar for me not to think he was special. He cried the very first moment he met me in this universe, and he embraced me in his arms like no one did. He knew me all these time but I, was blind by his affection that I didn't feel the need to doubt him." tears threatened to spill out from her eyes. "I need to know what happened to him, to me; what happened to us..."

Yoon Min stepped more closer to the desk, now she was near to begging, "I know what I'm asking will break another rule. But I'm in a position where I cannot think of anything except of him. I have to learn why Fate chose us to be this way and what we have done as humans to suffer this."

Princess Aereum remained quiet.

"I don't know where he is. I don't have the courage to face him after knowing the truth. The worst is, I don't know what to feel! My insides are burning and freezing me at the same time, to the point I'm being numb to my own pain. In order to fix everything for the sake of Love Universe, you have to show me our past. You have to let me know so that I can gather up my thoughts and come to a decision!"

A tear finally made its way from her red eye as she breathed heavily.

"P-please...Princess Aereum...please, I beg you..."

She broke into another heart wrenching cry, facing the ground and covering her face with her palms. God, if only he was with her now...

All her centuries here in the universe, Princess Aereum never did anything that upset the ruler or had worse consequences behind her desicions. She thought every choice of hers through possible outcomes and immensely, as a result the universe was safe and in good condition, thanks to her.

However, for the first time she wondered if she should break a rule in order to fix the universe.

Truthfully, she didn't have any alternative ways or choices either. Making her see the past will bound to put the universe in a wild situation, but it could also help the guardian to take a sensible, wise decision whether to forgive the senior guardian or not.

And she trusted Yoon Min. For being smart and kind at the same time. For being the center of Seok Jin's life.

She sighed, closing her eyes. She glanced at her secretary who was waiting for her orders. With a silent prayer for herself, she commanded him,

"Baekhyun-ssi, close the doors and do not knock or enter inside the office for five days."

With that, she stood up from her chair.

Yoon Min's face brightened up with her tears shimmering, not with happiness; but with sudden fear to see her past.

Baekhyun widened his eyes and tried to put some sense in her, "Princess, I do not think that'll be a wise idea. The other residents will throw a ruckus. They will also want to know their pasts as well!"

Aereum replied, "I know all the consequences, Baekhyun-ssi. But I have to take this chance before it's too late."

She looked at him, "You are excused."

The secretary wanted to stop her. He too couldn't figure out what was right or wrong; but letting a guardian see her past was unacceptable. But he had no words. He was supposed to do what he was ordered.

With a disappointing slight bow, he flashed a little smile at Yoon Min before letting himself out of the office, shutting the doors.

Yoon Min didn't know what the princess was doing. She heard noises, moving sounds behind her but she chose not to look behind her. Her hands began trembling in fear of the future; in her case the past.

The Princess came in front of her before instructing her, "Sit on that armchair, please."

She nodded and sat like she said. The sofa was comfy and soft, enough to wiggle on it and fall asleep.

Aereum stood in front of her with her piercing eyes gazing at her innocent ones,

"I shall hypnotize you."

Yoon Min gulped down her throat.

"You will be sleeping. It will feel different because you'll be travelling back to the past, in your human body years ago. You will feel every emotion you felt back then and encounter with every good, bad incident again."

She nodded hesitantly, her fingers tightening with each other.

The princess placed an ancient clock on the side table. Her chest took in a long breath as she glanced down at her,

"When I tell you, you close your eyes and relax. You will follow the sound of this clock and my voice together. Until at one point, you'll finally drift into another world. Do you understand?"

She nodded vigorously though she looked anxious.

Aereum nodded in reply and asked, "Are you ready?"

"Wait umm..."

Yoon Min's mouth opened and closed repeatedly to say something, but she was hesitant about it.

"W-what will happen to me?"

It was clear she was scared. The princess tried to calm her down with her soft voice, "You'll be alright and unharmed. You'll return back to the present when it's time. But with memories."

Yoon Min nodded again and finally said, "Okay, I'm ready."

She closed her eyes after inhaling a deep breath and leaned against the comfy chair. She tried to breath stably without panicking. Her hands found their ways to hold each other. She heard the princess saying randomly,

"Look for something positive in each day. Even if your life is filled with sad days, make sure to learn something from those days."

Yoon Min could already guess maybe the past she's about to visit won't be a happy fairytale of a children's book. Maybe her life had stories with tears, heartbreaks, pain, betrayals. But was there an ounce of happiness at least?

She suddenly felt a mysterious ticking sound from somewhere which gave thrilling shivers down her body. She gasped mentally, thinking the journey just started and the overwhelming excitement wasn't helping her to calm down.

"Breathe....relax....calm down...."

Yoon Min out of nowhere felt a little dizzy and sleep drowned her. The sound of the clock ticking somehow took her far-away; away from the universe. And it started to fade away.

"Follow your heart..."

That's the last she heard from someone as the time ran backwards, returning to the day everything began, to that moment fate displayed the encounter of two souls from nowhere in the most unexpected time, and the brand new emotions breeding inside her to make her alive.

And upon the countless twinkles of the stars and gossips of the galaxy, her heart pounded inside her chest after a millon days.

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I sincerely thank every reader (the few ones but support me regularly) for reading this far of this low-quality book.

I will not embarrass myself by saying the readers already had a hint of everything (I just did). You guys are so talented in this field. Many of you guessed, I guess it wasn't that hard to point the clues. Sorry, I'm a bad author.😅

Anyways, we shall be visiting our protagonists' past. It will take a while to return to the present, but I give you my word that I'll try my best to show a different side of the book.

That'll be all. Thank you for waiting for the updates. I am very grateful for everything.

Take care of yourselves!