The past few days had seen Jimin and I exploring our relationship further. We were becoming more open with giving each other kisses and had even had a few long makeout sessions. We hadn't progressed further than kissing but I was okay with that. Until I knew that I could fully trust the man, I didn't want to start anything sexual with Jimin. I needed to keep that wall up to protect my heart—and life.

We had received word the day before yesterday that the Oracle would be coming to visit us today. He was going around to see each of the seven couples now that we had been together for three weeks. To say I was nervous was an understatement; I was shitting bricks that my secret would be exposed and that I was going to be sentenced to my doom shortly after.

Jimin had noticed a change in me. That man was too observant for his own good. While I loved that he could read me easily and could give me what I needed at the time—be it a hug, lots of kisses or some space to be by myself—I also hated it because I couldn't have a private freakout in moments like this.

My saving grace was that the dress I'd been instructed to wear was a stunning emerald green. During one of our dates, I had told Jimin that I didn't like to wear the colour purple. He apologised profusely for stocking my wardrobe with several items of the same colour. The previous females assigned to him all liked the colour, and he thought I would too. The next day, after coming back from a stroll through the gardens with my blonde man, I had come to find that every purple item had been removed from my wardrobe. They had been replaced with things in different shades of green and blue.

Thankfully, there had been no discussion of the slip of my tongue in the kitchen. I hoped that Jimin chalked my comment up to some of the weird sayings we had in Australia. More and more, my heart wanted to tell him everything. My dreams were filled with different scenarios of Jimin finding out the truth; some had good endings, while others resulted in my death in very creative ways. My brain though, won the argument by reminding me that my life was literally on the line if I did so.

I was putting the finishing touches onto my outfit for our lunch with the Oracle when a knock rang out at my door. Like he'd been doing over the past few days, Jimin entered a few seconds after he announced his presence. I liked that both of us were feeling more comfortable with each other. A few times, I had to stop myself from wondering what it would feel like to not have to have separate rooms.

"You look beautiful, Baby," he remarked as he came to stand behind me and wrapped me in his embrace. Jimin kissed the exposed skin I had on the back of my shoulder, chuckling as I shivered.

I melted into his embrace and savoured the few moments of peace while we were in the calm before the storm. When he asked if I was ready, I reluctantly nodded and wound my fingers between his as the two of us headed downstairs. Each step I took made the knot in my stomach grow; I couldn't help thinking that this was either the walk to my happiness... or doom.

Our timing was perfect because the Oracle's buggy was pulling up at the same time Jimin and I made it outside. It was strange to see Bang Si-Hyuk up close and personal like this again, and I had to remind myself not to address him as such. That would be a surefire way of being outed.

"Welcome to my home," Jimin said, bowing low in respect. I did the same and as I was returning to my standing position, he added, "It's an honour to have you here, Oracle."

I remained silent, allowing my Seed Bearer to speak for both of us. I didn't know what the right etiquette was when meeting such a person. I was too nervous to say anything anyway, and Jimin must've known by the way my hand was clutching his like it was a lifeline.

"It looks like you are both getting comfortable with each other," the Oracle mused, his eyes on our intertwined hands. "You don't need to be nervous, Elenor, today is about new friends catching up. Now, shall we head somewhere where we can talk without everyone listening?"

I relaxed hearing this. My pounding heart stopped feeling like it was trying to escape the prison of my ribs and instead began to beat at a more normal pace. "Please, call me Nell," I said quietly. I saw the Oracle nod as we set off towards the table laid out for us in the courtyard. It was a nice spring day. Jimin thought it would be nice to be surrounded by flowers, which would hopefully help to calm me down more.

Jimin and I sat next to each other at the small square table. The Oracle took the seat opposite me, which was to the right of the blonde man. I took the chance to look the guest over and saw little things that were slightly different to the Bang Si-Hyuk in my universe. This one had a slightly smaller belly, didn't wear glasses, and had thinning black hair on the top of his head. He exuded a calming and friendly aura, which set me at ease more. If he was going to expose me, I would have thought he would've done so by now.

The maids started to bring out numerous plates of light dishes for our lunch. They also brought the crystal cake holder that held my famous sponge cake, which was topped with whipped cream and berries fresh from the garden. As delicious as the food all looked, I didn't have an appetite, and the few bites I did manage to take tasted like cardboard in my mouth. I know others often said they'd prefer to die with a full stomach, yet I had always thought I'd rather be calm than full. I'd be the inmate who asked for a bowl of leafy greens to increase my dopamine—or a cake that was laden with cannabis.

"Nell, I can see you aren't going to calm down until after we've talked. How about I ask you both how things are going?" The Oracle placed his hands on the edge of the table and leaned forward.

Shaky laughter came from me as a wave of relief crashed through my body. I was both embarrassed and comforted by the Oracle knowing what I needed. If I thought Jimin could read my face well, the man sitting opposite me knew exactly what my soul wanted.

"It's going well. Jimin is very kind and welcoming," I said as I clutched my hands together tight. I felt warmth seep across my skin as Jimin's hand grabbed mine and rubbed my fingers to soothe the clenched muscles.

I listened to Jimin share his thoughts on our pairing to the Oracle. Each word helped to alleviate the heavy stone that was sitting in the pit of my stomach. The Seed Bearer spoke of us getting to know each other. He said we had a special date each day to help us open up to each other, and that we had progressed from being strangers to developing genuine feelings for each other.

Tears began welling in my eyes the more Jimin spoke. His words were soft and conveyed his feelings for me. Most of all, I could feel the love he was developing for me. It felt so good to be seen completely for the first time by a man. However, my brain reminded me that he was getting to know the good parts of me, not the elephant that was in the room whenever we were together.

"You both have had traumas in the past when it comes to people abusing your trust," said the Oracle. His words made me wonder how much he actually knew about me. "This pairing has the potential to bring you both what you seek if you let it."

"Jimin, I see there is no knife to cut the cake with. Would you be able to grab one for us please because I am dying to try this delectible dessert." Jimin nodded at the Oracle. He planted a quick kiss on my cheek as he got up and headed inside.

I stared at Bang Si-Hyuk, not knowing what to say. Thankfully, it seemed he didn't have the same problem I did. "Now that we are alone, I wanted to ask how you're settling in here."

I began to say the Parks had been very nice and had made me feel like part of the family after the hurdle of my first night.

"No, I mean how you're away from your home. How are you doing in this new... everything?"

I stared at the Oracle, hardly blinking. If he knew I was from another universe, how much more did he know? "To say it's different is an understatement," I replied, my tone conveyed the apprehension I felt for this topic. "I feel torn most of the time, between wanting to go home and staying here with Jimin. But I have no idea how I'd even get home. Or if it's even possible."

"You were brought here for a reason and until you learn what that is, you won't be able to go home," he said quietly. "No, I can't send you home, I don't have that power. I have been bestowed the vision to see what has been, what is to come and the now. What I can tell you is to not worry because everything will be okay. But you need to take the first step in finding your way home."

I had no idea what that cryptic message meant. Hadn't I been trying to find my way home from the moment I stepped down from the staircase in Daegu? I was told to find the Oracle by the fortune teller, which I did, and I was brought here to Jimin by said man. What else did I need to do?

I was thoroughly confused... and I hated it.

⋆⁺₊⋆ 💜 ⋆⁺₊⋆

The meeting with the Oracle could have gone a lot better. Right from the start, it felt like the Oracle sided with my Seed Bearer, while I was all by myself. I had been sweet, respectful and welcoming but that still didn't stop my Seed Bearer from broadcasting to the Oracle that I only cared about myself. How he could say such a thing baffled me. I had tried to get to know him many times, even though I knew it would be pointless since the man would never give me a single crumb of information about him. In the three weeks I'd been here, I still knew nothing about him.

To say my Seed Bearer was happy to hear me defend myself by putting the blame back onto him would be a total lie. His nostrils flared as his face grew redder with each allegation I gave of how he had been neglectful to me. I thought he was going to have smoke coming from his ears as I finished explaining how I had been trying... but he had not.

The Oracle, being the man of wisdom he was, said that he could see we were both responsible for our broken partnership. I didn't agree with that as I had been trying, whereas my Seed Bearer had not. I was grateful when the older man came out and placed more blame upon the man I was assigned to. I could see the Oracle's disappointment when he learned that the most intimate action between us was a couple of civil conversations. Also, how my Seed Bearer's hand had been placed on my lower back when we were out in the city one time.

"You two both need to make a more conscientious effort in building your bond together. If you want any shot at success, your relationship must have a good foundation. I can see that's the only way you'll accept her, right?" the Oracle asked my Seed Bearer.

I was pleased to hear that I wasn't the main cause of our problems. I sat there and listened as the Oracle gave the younger man suggestions on how to open up to me. The way I saw it, my Seed Bearer was lucky to be paired with me. There were so many worse prospects that he could have had—like the witch.

The Oracle asked to speak in private to the man I was assigned to, so I went for a walk in the gardens. I was hoping something like this would happen so I could speak to the person who was my eyes and ears. As I walked, I hooked my right arm behind my back in a way that looked natural; only one other person knew what that meant.

"It's good to see you," Kang Sung-Min said in hushed tones as he stood near me, admiring the flowers in the gardens around us. No one knew he was my mother's favourite cousin, with the two of them growing up like diblings. Neither was related by blood (much like the majority of people who lived in the city) but it didn't diminish their close relationship.

We were used to the drill by now. Sung-Min and I didn't do anything that would bring attention to either of us. We used my hand placements as our signals: my right hand behind my back meant I wanted to talk, while my left meant I couldn't.

"What news do you have for me?" I asked as I got straight to the point.

I listened as he gave me the run-down on the other five couples the Oracle had been to see so far. Three couples had grown very close. Each of the females had already had sex with their males but it was too early to know if their union was successful; however, that hadn't stopped the Oracle from being very happy with the trajectory of one couple. Another couple was like my Seed Bearer and me. From Sung-Min's description though, it sounded like that Seed Bearer was more open to his female than mine was to me.

What I was most horrified to learn was the news about the last couple the Oracle had seen. It seemed as if the witch had in fact put Jimin under her spell because they had grown very close. My hands shook with how much I clenched them.

The sound of footsteps on the path had Sung-Min scurrying away like a mouse from a cat. As I watched the middle-aged man's fat body hurriedly wobble as he ran, I knew I had another outcome to engineer. I had to save Park Jimin from that fat, wicked witch.

* Any further thoughts on who the villain is? I'd love to hear your theories!