.epilogue.

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"Hi. Its really nice to meet you. My name is Byun Baekhyun. I'm EXO-K's main vocalist. You must be Park Minji."

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In the morning, she had her phone read to her a EXO's Wikipedia page on the way to the SM Entertainment building, since she had left her house in a hurry. 

Hajin was in the passenger seat, her make-up kit sitting on her lap and she bounced it up and down nervously. Their boss had informed them that he had indeed gotten in touch with Heemi the previous night and that she would be there for the interview, Minji as always would only be her assistant. Minji was a bit disappointed, but she thought there would probably be other opportunities for her in the future. She would continue working hard until she could get solo assignments to cover. There was word going around that in the upcoming year, SM would launch a new girl group with five members. Minji thought that might be her chance to cover a group all on her own for the agency.

Minji and Hajin arrived early for the interview and were led to their dressing room by a member of the staff who said nothing to them. It was the one they would share with Heemi as well, who was not there yet. The staff member gestured them into the room and then scurried off to continue with their assignments. Minji called her co-worker on the phone to find out where she was and to see if she would make it to the interview. Otherwise, she wanted to start mentally preparing for her first interview in a while. Her co-worker informed her that she was running a bit late because of heavy traffic, but that she would be there in another thirty minutes. By that time, Minji already had gotten dressed and her make-up done. Minji was a bit surprised that Heemi was running so late when she herself hadn't run into the heavy morning traffic. It was like destiny was clearing the way for her, so that she would make it there quickly.

When the thirty minutes passed and Heemi still did not show up, a staff of SM Entertainment asked Minji if she was ready to start with the interview. The boys were running on a tight schedule, and if they waited any longer, they would not be able to meet with them. They had a music show performance in three hours and had to be there at least an hour in advance. Minji asked for the staff to give her five more minutes and called Heemi once more. 

"Are you almost here?" She asked her co-worker with a slight hint of irritation. She didn't like having to wait around because Heemi had priority to do the interview over her. Her boss had given her permission to do the interview in the event that Heemi could not make it. But Heemi swore she was on her way. She really wanted to do the interview. Minji wanted to give her a fair chance to get there. But time was running out and EXO only had a limited amount of time to meet with them. "Their staff said if we don't meet with them now, we will lose the interview."

Heemi cursed under her breath before she replied to Minji in a voice that almost sounded threatening. "Don't you dare do that interview without me. They are my assignment. You lost your chance. You're just an assistant now. Know your place."

Minji was taken aback by her words, since Heemi had always been nice to her since she came back to the agency. But now that there was the possibility that she would lose the interview opportunity to Minji, her true colors were showing. At the same time, she did always feel that even though Heemi was nice to her, there was an underlying tone of hostility in her voice. Minji just always ignored it and attributed it to stress.

"You know what?" Minji replied to her with a snap of bravery. "I have the boss' permission, and I won't let us lose that interview for your sake."

She hung up the phone and left Hajin the dressing room to wait for her. She would come find her again after the interview so that they could leave the SM building together. Outside in the hallway was the staff member, tapping their foot on the ground impatiently, and Minji nodded to them, informing them that her co-worker was running late, but that she would be taking over the interview for the day. The staff nodded in approval and walked quickly as he led her down the hall towards the set where they would be filming. The agency's film crew, as well as SM's filming staff were all there. They were already waiting to get started with their interview.

In the middle of the room were thirteen chairs--twelve all together, and one a little bit off to the side. She knew that one chair was for her and the others were for the group. Surrounding them were a bunch of lights so that the video would look well lit. But the members were nowhere to be found. Minji felt her heart drop, as she thought that maybe she had lost her opportunity to meet with the members of EXO and interview them.

Minji went to sit in her chair and turned it away from the doorway when she felt her cellphone vibrate in her pocket. She was getting nonstop calls, and texts from Heemi warning her not to do the interview or she would make sure she never did an interview with their agency again. She would rather lose the interview with them than let Minji have it. A member of the staff had gone off to get the members and she felt her heart drop once more when she heard a set of familiar footsteps enter the room.

She knew those footsteps. The footsteps of her husband. Her Eun. 

Even after weeks of not having heard his voice or his footsteps, she still knew it was him. Her ear was trained to tell his footsteps apart from anyone's.

Except in this life they belonged to a boy she didn't know, a boy that looked like her Eun, but did not have his same memories anymore. A boy she had met at the museum when she was looking at paintings of her past life in Goryeo. She didn't want to turn, out of fear that he might think she was probably stalking him or something, once he saw who it was. But then it had to be some coincidence again. He was probably a member of the staff at SM Entertainment and was assigned to work with EXO that day. It was highly unlikely that he would be one of the idols she would be interviewing that day. He had to be a member of the staff, she told herself rather nervously. 

Baekhyun had entered the room with a smile, oblivious to what would happen. Not knowing of the surprise life had in store for him.

He was the first one to arrive, out of all twelve EXO members. The other boys were spending a bit more time with make-up and wardrobe, since they had been told that the girl interviewing them was around their age and was very cute. 

Baekhyun had hurried out of the make-up room and rushed to the set. He wanted to be the first to be there and greet her. He was ready to use his charms on her. He also didn't want her to think he was vain or anything, if he spent a lot of time with make-up. When he entered the room, her back was turned to him and she seemed to be looking at something on her phone. She had a small frame and he wanted her to turn around so that he could see her face. She quickly stuffed her phone in her pocket when she heard his footsteps enter the room. He saw the way she flinched too, and it gave him the notion that maybe she had interviewed them before. But from looking at the back of her, he didn't think he had ever met her before.

With a smile on his face, he called out in a greeting to her. He also gave a small wave of his hand. "Hi. Its really nice to meet you. My name is Byun Baekhyun. I'm EXO-K's main vocalist." As he looked down at the note card handed to him by the staff, he finally said her name. "You must be Park Minji."

Right then, the mystery was solved for her. 

In the past life, he had been Wang Eun, tenth prince of Goryeo. In this life, his name was Byun Baekhyun. The name suited him somehow. She suddenly could not imagine him having any other name in that life, other than the name Eun. And his voice found a way to send a million butterflies fluttering in her stomach. For a moment, she didn't want to turn around. Then he would see the effect he had on her and he would not understand why that was. She couldn't help feeling that way, though. It was the same voice she knew and loved. The voice of her husband.

Minji turned in her chair slowly and she saw the way his eyes widened when they met hers. The smile on his face was wiped clean off, but not because he disliked her, but because he found that they had already seen each other before. She had been surprised as well. But this time because she saw the way he was dressed and automatically knew he was an idol. A member of the staff wouldn't have such flashy clothing, nor would he be wearing make-up. Her jaw dropped in surprise at the realization that in the present time, her husband was a member of EXO. His title as an idol certainly matched his title from back then. Being an idol was practically the equivalent of being royalty in Korea. It was strange how things seemed to work out. She could have met him in the present time first, but then her accident happened. Instead, she met that boy she loved so much, in a past life first.

But was he the same person here that he was in Goryeo?

Baekhyun was taken by surprise because never in a million years did he imagine that the girl he met at the museum would be the same one interviewing him that day. Perhaps she had been so surprised at the museum because she knew it was him. But then again, it all had to be some coincidence. 

Still, he certainly remembered the strange girl from the museum.

The one that matched in appearance to the one in the paintings. The one who had apparently been his wife in the past life.

They stood a few feet from each other, each of them frozen in place. The staff in the room watched them with curiosity and confusion. Neither of them knew why the two of them were staring at each other for so long. The other members still hadn't arrived, and it was only the two of them in the middle of the set.

Through his own surprise, Baekhyun got the words out. "Do we know each other...?" He asked her again, thinking that this time she would explain why she was so surprised to see him. 

There was so much recognition in her eyes, and he also found a sadness. Perhaps she remembered him from somewhere and he had been important to her. But he didn't want to pretend that he knew her when he didn't. He was internally conflicted because she seemed like a good person and he didn't want to hurt her feelings. Then again, he often received letters from fans that often told him that they felt like they knew him. Through his music and his interviews, they felt like they knew who he really was. Maybe she was a fan of his and he was just overthinking things. But the look in her eyes wasn't that of a fan who deeply admired her idol.

The look in her eyes was of a person who genuinely loved another person.

For her, it still sent a prick her in chest to see him, and know that he had no idea who she was. To not be able to find any recognition or love in his eyes.

Her eyes filled up with tears and only one sole drop rolled down her cheek. She said the name in  a voice barely above a whisper. But it was also just loud enough for him to hear her. "Eun..."

-

the end

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this story is now officially over. 

i really hope you all enjoyed this story. i hope you all laughed, cried, felt all kinds of emotions. thats what i wanted to convey. there will be a sequel. i will post it when i get back. im going to call somwehere and see if they can interview me today.

thank you all again for everything. it has been a wonderful ride. we will definitely be seeing eun and hak soon again, except with different names.

in the present time they are baekhyun and minji.

-clary