[Unedited]

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Author's POV

The spirit realm was dark, and the air thick with sorrow. Taehyung’s tortured wails echoed through the abyss as he stood by the edge of the river that separated the living from the dead. He was trapped in a nightmarish limbo—he could neither cross to the heavens nor descend into hell. His sins were too great, his remorse too absent. His only focus was on Hawoon, the woman whose soul he’d bound in life and whose peace he now shattered in death.

Watching him from a distance, Grim Reaper Dongwook’s gaze turned toward Hawoon who is sitting on the edge of the other side of the river, a spirit now freed from Taehyung’s grasp. She was once the mighty queen of the Kim Dynasty, whose legacy was both revered and cursed, yet the people of her land still whispered her name in their prayers, a flicker of hope from those she had protected.

Dongwook approached, his dark robes flowing like shadows around him. Hawoon looked up, relief softening her features as Dong wook spoke gently, “Jimin has already crossed the river, and his soul has moved on with a heavy price.”

Hawoon’s face softened with quiet joy. “Then he’s free,” she murmured, her voice laced with gratitude. “I am glad he did not wait for me… I would not want to be the cause of his suffering again.”

Dongwook nodded. “His love was strong, but he has found peace. And now, you must find yours.”

A silence lingered between them, heavy with unspoken memories and regrets. Hawoon’s face darkened slightly. “What is my judgment, The Shadow Of Underworld? What is the price for my sins?”

He met her gaze with solemnity. “Your sins, Your Highness, were born from pain and circumstance. But the people of your kingdom still pray for you, and those blessings are powerful. They can ease your path toward redemption. First, however, you must sever the dark bond that chains you to him.”

With a flick of his hand, Dong wook summoned a pair of ethereal knife, their edges gleaming with the power to cut soul-bonds. He handed them to Hawoon, who held them with trembling fingers. As she looked toward Taehyung’s spirit, twisted and corrupted by darkness, her heart hardened. His appearance had become grotesque, a reflection of his malice and sins.

Taehyung's eyes are begging for last forgiveness.... The last plea of not leaving him behind like this....

" P...leas.e", Taehyung mumbled with a very Last hope... A hope for reconcile with his love.....

She took a deep breath, then cut the shimmering, blood-red thread that bound her to him. The instant the bond was severed, Taehyung’s scream filled the air—a sound of pure agony as his form burned with the fury of hellfire, his sins consuming him in unending torment.

With a final glance of pity, Hawoon turned her back on him, stepping toward the river to begin her journey toward redemption. She did not look back, her only hope now for a peace she had never found in life.

As her figure disappeared into the mist, Taehyung’s rage grew uncontrollable. His voice, raw with fury, tore through the darkness as Dongwook appeared before him once more, calm and unyielding.

“Bring her back to me!” Taehyung snarled, his twisted form writhing. “You wretched servant, bring her back!”

With that he collapsed again in pain as the roots of spirit realm is holding her hands and feet keeping him in pace.... He wants to go to her.... He wants to be with her..... He did all of this just to be near her ... To get her shadow.. To get her comfort... To get her love..... But all he got was endless pain and betrayal.....

Taehyung: I.. love her... I ... really really love her... Why she doesn't love me back ?! Why?! Why??? Why??

Dong wook sighed at King's misery.... He feel pity for him.. The Mighty King of Korea, is kneeling, crying and begging to his beloved wife only with one request.. To love Him.... But unknown to him, The Word 'Love' was never on his destiny.....

Dongwoook: Kim Taehyung, The Mighty King of Great The Korean Kingdom, Do you Wish To atone for Your sins? You killed innocents, Hang people without any proper justice, Killed Your Own brothers for throne, You killed your wife, children , tortured innocent people and trapped her soul inside the palace hindering the balance between nature..... I repeat, Your Majesty, Do. You . Repent. On . Your . Actions? Do. You. Want. To. Atone. On. Your . Sins?"

Taehyung slowly looked at Dong wook eyes with nothing but deep hatred and filled with dark malice as he replied,“I. Don't . Want. To . Repent . Or. Atone. ”

Dongwook’s gaze was steady as he shook his head. “Even Hell does not want a soul as tainted as yours. You do not deserve the grace of rebirth, nor the absolution of repentance. Since you refuse to acknowledge your sins, your punishment is eternal.”

A dark power surged around Dongwook as he pronounced Taehyung’s fate. “From this moment forward, you are condemned to wander the world as a shadow—a tortured soul, bound to search endlessly for love, yet you will find none. You will be unseen, unheard, a remnant of what you once were. And when the soul of your love appears in a future life, it will bring your final end. You will be cast from existence by hand, never to return.”

Taehyung’s rage turned to despair as Dongwook’s words settled into his soul. The eternity of emptiness stretched before him, bleak and unending. His last vision was of Hawoon’s peaceful figure, fading into the distance, forever out of reach.

The finality of his fate settled upon him—a fate he could never escape, doomed to be a ghost, forever chasing the love he had lost.

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15 November, 2024
Muse National Museum, Seoul

The exhibit hall buzzed with voices as university students roamed among ancient artifacts, each piece illuminated under museum lights that cast subtle shadows over the darkened room. A 20 year old stood quietly before a large portrait, transfixed.The woman in the painting stared back with eyes full of pride, strength, and a hint of sorrow. Her regal garments whispered of a time long past, a dynasty that had faded from memory. The girl  felt as if a weight pressed down on her chest, an eerie familiarity stirring within her.

The portrait spoke so many things but none of it can't describe that girl's feelings right now.... She looked Powerful but somewhere in the eyes, the flickering pain emits making the girl's heart churn.....

"Sa-yeon!" a voice called, snapping her out of her thoughts. She turned, blinking rapidly, to find her friend Ji-hyun approaching her with a curious look.

"You okay?" Ji-hyun asked, glancing from her friend to the portrait. "You looked like you were lost in a dream."

Sa-yeon shook her head.

"I… I don’t know why, but… this woman," she murmured, her gaze drifting back to the painting, "It’s like she’s… calling to me."

Ji-hyun raised an eyebrow. "You’re not saying you feel some kind of… connection, right?" she teased. "I mean, they say she was part of both the Kim and Park dynasties. Maybe you’re related to a lost queen."

Sa-yeon managed a small laugh, though the weight in her chest remained. "Don’t be ridiculous," she replied, half-smiling. "But there’s just… something. Like a memory I can’t quite remember."

Her friends tugged her along, laughing and chatting about the strange artifacts they passed.

Yet Sa-yeon kept glancing back over her shoulder, her heart racing as if she was leaving something important behind.

----

Later that evening, as Sa-yeon made her way home, her thoughts drifted back to the painting. She felt a sudden chill in the evening air. Just as she passed through a quiet alley, she sensed someone following her. She quickened her pace, but it was too late. A strong arm wrapped around her from behind, covering her mouth as she struggled, muffled screams filling the empty street.
Darkness enveloped her.

The next morning, Sa-yeon awoke in a cold sweat, gasping for air as she clutched her chest. She was in her room, the familiar surroundings calming her nerves. But the memory of last night clung to her like a shadow.Was it real? she wondered. Or was it just a dream?As she got up to start her day, Sa-yeon caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror—and froze. A dark, faint handprint marked her shoulder, as if someone—or something—had left its mark on her.

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Back at school, Sa-yeon’s day took another strange turn when her teacher introduced a new transfer student."Everyone, this is  Park Sunghoon . He’ll be joining us for the rest of the year."

Sa-yeon glanced up, only to meet a pair of intense, dark eyes watching her intently from the front of the room. Her heart pounded; something about him was both familiar and unsettling, like a dream that was edging too close to reality.

During break, Sunghoon approached her with a curious smile. "Sa-yeon, right?" he asked.She nodded cautiously, unable to shake the odd sensation that he knew more than he let on.

"It’s nice to finally meet you," Sunghoon said softly, his gaze never leaving her face.She swallowed, trying to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine.

"Do… do we know each other?" she stammered, her voice almost a whisper.

His smile grew, a knowing look in his eyes. "I think we’ve met… a long time ago."

Her head spun, but she managed to laugh nervously. "You’re making it sound like we’re in some kind of old romance novel."

"Maybe it’s more than a novel," Sunghoon replied, his tone was serious. "Maybe it’s a memory."

Sa-yeon’s laughter faded, replaced by an unsettling silence as she searched his face, trying to understand what he meant. But before she could ask, Sunghoon's attention shifted, his expression darkening.

"You should be careful, Sa-yeon," he murmured. "Old souls attract… shadows."

Sa-yeon’s throat tightened. "What are you talking about?"

He simply looked at her, a sad smile on his lips. "You’ll understand… when the time is right."

Sa-yeon looked at the disappearing figure of Sunghoon with a very conflicted mind.... She can't understand what is suddenly going on with her life... Strange things keeps happening since the day she visited the museum.....

---------

That night, she shared everything with her mother, from the strange dream to the eerie conversation with Sunghoon. She never hides anything from her mother..... hearing that, Her mother’s face paled.

"I hoped this day would never come," she whispered, her hands trembling as she reached for her daughter’s.

Sa-yeon looked at her, wide-eyed. "What are you talking about, Mom?"

Her mother took a deep breath, her voice unsteady. "When you were a child, we took you to a shaman. You used to wake up every night, crying about being trapped in a dark room with a monster. The shaman told us… that you were haunted by an ancient soul who had been bound to this world. We thought he had been freed after the ritual, but…"

"But what?" Sa-yeon’s voice was barely a whisper.Her mother’s gaze hardened. "But maybe he was never meant to leave you."

As the days passed, Sa-yeon felt a heaviness settling over her, a shadow that trailed her every move. She continued to avoid Sunghoon, yet every time she looked at him, a strange fear  flickered in her heart, as if she wanted to go far away from him.

-----

One day, as she passed him in the hallway, Sunghoon caught her arm, his face clouded with an emotion she couldn’t name.

"Sa-yeon," he said quietly, "sometimes the past doesn't stay buried."

"What… what do you mean?" she asked, feeling her heartbeat quicken.

He hesitated before whispering, "Do you remember the queen in the painting?"Sa-yeon nodded slowly.

"She was more than a queen," he murmured, his voice barely audible. "And her story… isn't finished."As he walked away, Sa-yeon felt the weight of his words settle into her bones.

It was as if the shadows of the past were reaching out, calling her to a destiny she didn’t understand—and couldn’t escape.

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TBC

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AUTHOR'S RANT:

HI!!! guys, My slothies!! It's been a very long time!!!

Did you miss me?! 

I missed you a lot!!

Sorry for being away!! My first year is so hectic that I almost cried 😭!!! It's unbearable!!!!

But I am back now for a while so, hope you will enjoy this new chapter!!!! Obviously, it's not the part of the plan!!! But it happened!!! So, enjoy!!!

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