My eyes were burning with exhaustion by the time Jimin and I arrived at his carriage, which was parked out the back of the palace. It felt like this had been the longest day in existence. So much had happened to me today that the stress of the day had finally gotten to me. The screaming orgasm that the dream had given me this morning and hiking for hours through the Costa Rican rainforest had both given me great amounts of pleasure. However, the delight from those experiences was now overshadowed. I had mysteriously been transported not once, but twice and was also now assigned to carry Park Jimin's baby.

As I made my way inside the flashy carriage, I found I had only two options available to me right now. I either could cry and wonder what I'd done to deserve this woeful fate, or I could sleep and hope that I'd wake up from this nightmare. It wasn't surprising that my confused, overwhelmed and anguished brain couldn't comprehend any alternate choices other than to cry or sleep; it had been through a lot in one day.

Being rocked in the horse and carriage surprised me with its relaxing nature. So, by the time we made our way down to the end of the long driveway of the Gyeongbokgung Palace, I was sound asleep. I dreamt of sloths, staircases, home, and my family. When I woke up with a gentle shake to my shoulder, I knew the next step of my plan to get home. I had to find another staircase and hope that it would send me back.

"Hey, wake up," I heard Jimin say in a soft, soothing tone. "Miss uh..."

"Nell," I said croakily. My voice sounded horrendous compared to his with how I was still entangled in my fatigue. "Elenor Bennett, but please call me Nell."

My gaze moved over to the blonde-haired man seated beside me. It was uncanny how he looked so much like the Jimin in my universe. It was the same face. The same crooked tooth the singer had before it was fixed. The same puffy lips that were now in Jimin's signature pout. However, it was his eyes that were the most different. Instead of the flirtatious cheekiness I often saw in them when he was on stage or interacting with ARMY, these ones had a softness that made me want to fall into them and never leave.

I knew it wasn't fair to judge this man based on the version of him I knew from my universe. That didn't mean it was easy to do because I couldn't stop seeing my ex-fiancé in a lot of the flirty looks the idol gave. My heart and brain were at war and this poor snowy-headed man was bearing the brunt of the blame for it.

"It's nice to meet you, Nell. I'm Park Jimin, your Seed Bearer for the next year."

So many questions flooded my thoughts and right as I was about to ask one, we unfortunately pulled up outside another very large structure. This one, however, looked more like those mega-mansions you see bought in America by wealthy celebrities who have more money than sense. It was so different to the other houses I'd seen in my time here. The white walls looked kind of stark and the blue-grey roof tiles didn't make the place feel more homely either. The only parts of this house that called to me were the manicured lawns and the intricately planted garden beds. The landscaping here consisted of different shades of green with hints of red and cream dotted throughout. I hoped somewhere on this plot of land was a vegetable garden, or at least an area with flowers where I could sit and relax.

"Welcome to my family's palace. I guess you can call it your new home while you're assigned to me," he said, looking at the place he called home. "I understand this must be unnerving or daunting for you, but please know you can come to me whenever you need. You aren't alone in this."

The palace looked so immaculate that I hated to think what my hair looked like under the bucket hat. To fit in with the pristineness better, I quickly fixed my hat as best as I could to hide my sweaty hair as the carriage came to a stop. One of the guards opened the door and I nodded in thanks as he assisted in helping me climb down the step. It was during this time that I noticed he, along with the other guards, were all wearing white traditional clothes.

Like the other times we had walked together, Jimin guided me with a hand placed on my back. We walked along the paved pathway from the carriage towards the long line of people who were waiting in the tiled entrance area. One by one, he introduced me to them. Maids, butlers, cooks, guards and gardeners all welcomed me with a smile. It seemed like every person who worked here was waiting to greet me.

Once the introductions were over, Jimin indicated that we should head inside and get ready to greet his family later in the afternoon. As he escorted me to the room I would stay in, he told me that he lived with his parents and two younger brothers. I learned that his older brother, Jeong-Hui, had moved out of the family's palace when he married the woman assigned to him.

I followed the blonde man upstairs, where we entered a wing that housed two doors off its hallway. "This is our wing," he said whilst opening the door to my left. "This will be your suite until you feel comfortable enough to move into mine. And if that never happens, I will not force you to stay with me in my bedroom."

I spun on my toes and looked at Jimin in shock. I had thought that I would be forced to stay in his bedroom with him so I could be at his beck and call whenever he felt horny. When Bang Si-Hyuk had said about procreation, I'd imagined that the only thing on Jimin's mind would be fucking a baby into me.

Jimin stepped closer to me, yet he still kept some personal space between us. "I want you to know that I'm not like other Seed Bearers, Nell." He murmured his words lowly while maintaining eye contact with me the whole time. "I'm not one of those men who will only come to their assigned woman for sex until she's pregnant. I hate the Seed Bearers who won't have anything to do with their assigned females after their job is done. I want you to know that I will wait until you feel comfortable enough with me before we do anything like that. I..."

He'd not only alleviated many of my concerns but had also piqued my interest in what he was going to say. I waited for Jimin to finish his train of thought; however, when that didn't happen, I asked, "You what?"

"I want us to be friends first." I only knew he had said anything because I saw his lips move. The words were whispered so quietly that only a mouse would have heard them.

A smile bloomed on my face at his request. In the hour or so that I had spent with Jimin, I had yet to see anything other than a shy man who was also kind, caring and thoughtful of others. My heart laid down its sword, conceding the war of the comparison between the two Jimins. Wanting to show him that I hoped for the same thing, I extended my hand out towards him.

"I'd like that also, Jimin." I couldn't help but match the happy smile that lit up his eyes. He told me that he would let me rest and would be back in a couple of hours to collect me so we could go meet his family.

୧‿︵‿๑︵‿୨💜୧‿︵‿୨💜୧‿︵๑‿︵‿୨

Feeling rested from a nap on the most comfortable bed, I explored my bedroom suite. The bedroom itself was minimalistic in its styling but that didn't mean it was plain and boring. The white and silver colour scheme made it one of the most beautiful and luxurious rooms I had ever been in. The walls were painted a soft white, which in certain light looked like it had a touch of grey in it. The bedding was a mixture of textures in shades of white and silver that all worked together to make a harmonious, relaxing space. It didn't hurt that the mattress was so soft when I'd napped on it. As I looked around, the art donning the walls captivated me. They were clearly made by someone with immense talent, and each brought out a different aspect of the colour scheme.

I walked to one of the two internal doors and opened it to find the walk-in closet sitting vacant, devoid of any clothes. Panic ran through me as I realised that I'd only come into this universe with the things that I had carried on my body. While I had my phone, tablet and both of their cables, they would do me little help with being able to wear anything suitable to meet Jimin's family.

With an exasperated sigh, I opened the other door, which I found was to a bathroom fit for royalty. Marble in soft greys and whites covered the floor and walls, which made the room seem much larger than its already spacious size. A long vanity with two sinks floated along half of the right side of the room, with two large mirrors placed above. I stood in awe of the largest shower I'd ever seen in my life. I swear I could fit my entire family in it and still have room to spare. But what called my name most was the large bathtub under the floor-to-ceiling window that looked out over a garden.

I was about to run myself a bath when sharp raps rang out from the door to my suite. I hurried over and opened the heavy, ornate door to see a maid standing in the hallway, a garment bag laid over her outstretched arms.

"Jimin-ssi said he thought you might have come with no clothes, so he organised a hanbok for you, Miss," the young woman said, entering my room. "Wash up and I'll be back in an hour to help you get ready." With a quick bow, she closed the door behind her.

My heart was touched by his kind and thoughtful gesture. But knowing that the clock was ticking fast, I didn't have time to think of the blonde man. I hurried back into the bathroom and grabbed a towel from one of the alcoves recessed into the wall. I turned on the faucets for the bath and made sure the water was not scolding but not cold either. From another built-in nook to the side of the tub, I smelled the different options of bath salts before pouring some in.

The sweet aroma of honeysuckle filled the air as I stripped off my clothes, throwing them into the hamper. I hoped that along with the hanbok, Jimin had organised some underwear for me. I didn't know if I felt comfortable with the thought of the man purchasing my unmentionables. We'd only just met.

I saw that the water level wasn't that high, but I didn't have time to wait for the bath to fill more. A content moan slipped from me as I made my way into the bath. I finally felt my muscles relaxing for the first time today, so I shut my brain off and savoured the warm, sweet-smelling haven I was in. I could worry about the conundrum I found myself in later.

꧁♥💜♥꧂

"You look very... You look pretty, Nell." Jimin seemed very awkward when he came to collect me. "Uh, should we go?"

"Uh, sure." Even I could hear the nervousness in my voice. While he might think I was unsure about meeting his family for the first time, it was actually because I was wearing a purple hanbok. As soon as I'd seen the stunning garment, my heart had plummeted. In this universe, hoped that the colour wasn't unlucky like it was in mine.

The dinner with his family did not go as expected; instead, I felt like I was in the middle of an inquisition. Jimin's mother, Park Mi-Kyung, seemed friendly enough, but I could tell her smile did not reach her eyes. His father though, I barely got anything from him other than a glare and sharp words. It felt so strange and foreign to me; never had a first-time meeting the parents gone so bad. My exes' parents had all loved me more than their own sons... judging how all my ex-lovers behaved towards the end of our relationships, I could see why.

Sitting at the table with Jimin's family, I'd never felt so unwanted or disrespected. And it was all because of my race and the colour of my hair. Shortly after I sat down, his father, Park Joon-Ho, demanded that Jimin go back to the Oracle; he wanted his son to request another female. The two other women sitting at the table, Jimin's mother and Park Da-Som, his sister-in-law, both scoffed at that suggestion. Although, I could see in their eyes that they kind of agreed with the patriarch.

"Only if there is something physically wrong with the girl can Jimin ask for another one," his mother said, trying to protect me. The irony was not lost on me that Jimin actually had grounds to ask for a replacement because of this rule. Once again, the jealousy and resentment I'd been trying to get rid of for the past seven years since my hysterectomy reared their ugly heads again.

The irony was not lost on me that Jimin actually had grounds to ask for a replacement because of this rule. Once again, the jealousy and resentment I'd been trying to get rid of for the past seven years since my hysterectomy reared their ugly heads again. Not for the first time, I wished I was 'normal' and could do the one thing that a woman should be able to do—have babies. I knew that none of the six women assigned to the other Seed Bearers would be subjected to this same ridicule as me, so why was I always the one who got shat on by the universe?

The only people to make me feel instantly welcome were Jimin's three brothers. His elder brother Jeong-Hui, and two younger ones, Han-Wool and Jong-Soo, each reminded me a lot of my own two siblings. Their playful fighting and teasing of each other had me longing to be back with my family. I learned that I was 'Noona' to all the Park sons, which once again made Mr and Mrs Park unhappy. It was obvious that neither wanted an older woman to be assigned to their son. It was another nail in my coffin for them.

During my time with the Park family, as they talked amongst themselves, I noticed two things: all the men had the same colour hair, and there was never any mention of female babies. I had reluctantly toasted for tradition's sake to bring a healthy colourful-haired male into the world. I had to bite my tongue once again so I wouldn't let slip that no babies would be coming from my non-existent womb.

While we all ate, I found myself constructing a list in my head of things I needed to do. I hoped to find a library or a computer somewhere where I could do some research about this universe to better construct my cover story. I'd managed to think on the fly and deflect any questions about my home and heritage, but I knew that wouldn't work again. I hated to think what would happen to me if they found out where I'd actually come from. I'd probably be sentenced to life in prison—or death— because seeing how fucked up this universe seemed, I'd definitely be deemed a witch here.

However, one thing the Park family talked about around the table did catch my attention enough to pull me from my internal freaking out. As I listened, I learned about 250 years ago there was a bioengineered virus released in the Greater Kingdom of Korea. From what I could gather, it had a two-pronged outcome. The virus changed the hair colours of men who had royal blood flowing through their veins to show they were the only ones who could procreate. The males with black hair that I had seen everywhere, those men had not come from royal families and therefore were rendered sterile. I knew Jimin must have come from some sort of royal family since he called this place their palace. But I never would have imagined that he was a Seed Bearer because of that; I thought it was because he was part of BTS.

Hearing this helped me understand why so much emphasis was placed on the male population with hair that looked like it had been dyed. A thought passed through my head as I looked around at the five men and two young boys seated around the table. If I felt like I was chosen solely for breeding purposes, I wondered how they felt being objectified only for their sperm production. Did they feel like the prize studs Nana Betty and Grandpa Jack used to have on their dairy farm, the ones whose only purpose in life was to produce the best offspring?

꧁♥💜♥꧂

"Your family is...," I trailed off. I didn't know what to say to Jimin as we strolled along the green lawn. I didn't want to offend him by saying his father was racist while his mother was ageist. "The food was delicious, and your nephews looked like they really enjoyed it too based on how much food got on their faces."

Seeing the two young boys with platinum blonde hair had been the highlight of my night. Their puffy cheeks smothered in food were adorable.

I tried thinking of something else we could talk about, but nothing was coming to mind. It felt like I had been the one doing most of the heavy lifting with the conversation tonight. Jimin had barely said anything to me at dinner and I was worried I had done something to upset or offend him.

"Yeah, those love their food," he finally said. "Let's sit here."

Silence formed a bubble around us as we sat on the bench overlooking a pond with a large water fountain bubbling to one side. The sereneness of being here was the complete opposite of how I felt inside. It felt like someone had left the faucet on in my brain; all my thoughts were flowing like a stream searching for a river. I couldn't focus on just one.

"Who are you really, Nell? And how are you here in the Greater Kingdom of Korea?"

'Wow, he's not pussyfooting around the conversation anymore. I guess we're onto the heavy question portion of the evening now.'

Panic flowed through me as I considered what to say. How could I tell him that I climbed a set of stairs in one country and when I came down, I was in another in a completely different universe? Not even I would believe that. I melded the plots of different movies I had seen and formulated a cover story. I tried to keep as close to the truth as I started speaking, although I knew the words sounded vague.

"The last thing I remember before I came here was joking and having fun with my sister." The thought of Esther had tears welling in an instant. To calm myself, I focussed on the charm that lay around my neck. It was one half of a Yin and Yang symbol; my half was encrusted in emeralds with a single ruby, while my sister's half was the opposite. "We- we were on holidays together and then I was brought here. I don't know how I got here—or who brought me—but when I woke up, I was in Daegu. I met a lady who told me to speak to the Oracle in Seoul as he would know how I could go home. Except, when I came to Seoul to talk to him, I was assigned to you first."

"I'm so sorry, Nell," he said in a soft and comforting tone. "I'm sorry you were a victim of pirates."

'Yeah, pirates... Let's go with that.'