On his way to his quick trip to Babylon to get San his present from two thousand years ago, Wooyoung dropped by Yongguk's office to greet the man. Wooyoung had brought fresh coffee for him as variation to the same boring blend Yongguk always drank. When Yongguk wrapped his bony fingers around the cup to give it a first sip, he sighed in pleasure about the taste.

"Here for the Babylon adventure?"

Wooyoung nodded. He didn't bother to sit down, just resting his hips against Yongguk's table.

"Yes, I want to get him a pendant. I feel of all the things I could give him, that one would survive the years best. Who knows what trouble we have coming our way in the future." Not that Wooyoung wished that San would have to go through hard times once more after Wooyoung's lifetime ended, but he could never be so sure. Compared to the past, the future was unpredictable. As peaceful as it was presently, the people wishing for death and destruction would never disappear.

"A good choice. You are doing a remarkable job of collecting information, by the way. I feel we came a lot closer to the answer we seek, especially with San's help. I can't wait to meet him." Yongguk pushed his hand through his thick hair and leaned back. His spine cracked and Wooyoung grimaced.

"I can't wait for you to meet him, either. I've been busy preparing my home for him these past few days." Wooyoung's grin turned bashful and Yongguk's expression softened further.

"Meet him in London and then we will see about how we can piece your theories together. I also couldn't help but notice you look literally nothing like the Vitruvian Man." Yongguk glanced at his computer screen where he had pulled up the picture of the drawings in Leonardo's sketch book that got so popular. It even dated back to being finished in the same year as Wooyoung had visited there. Wooyoung had posed for only half of it, but they had discarded him as a model afterward to use someone else.

The perfect example of how Wooyoung couldn't change the flow of time. Ultimately, everything happened as it should.

"They didn't show me their versions. I wonder if they drew me weirdly from the beginning because that's how they saw me, or if the person actually changed."

Yongguk shrugged and chuckled at his screen once more. When he turned back to Wooyoung, his expression grew serious again.

"If you meet Suusaandar, remember to keep your distance. He doesn't know you yet."

"I will probably try to avoid him so it doesn't get peculiar, yes. The plan is to go in, find something pretty at the bazaar, and out."

Pleased by the idea, Yongguk gave him a thumbs up through his delicious sip.

"Then have fun. No need to report back to me. You wanted to go to London in two days, right? I will prepare accordingly. I have no other date behind that. You collected the theories, now we can focus on you meeting San and you can figure out the rest in our modern time." Satisfaction rumbled in Yongguk's deep voice.

"Got it. Then see you later," Wooyoung grinned before he hopped off. Yongguk yelled a 'thanks for the coffee' after him when Wooyoung skipped out of the door.

His trip to Babylon was short and simple. Seungyoun had left the same clothes as back then in his locker for Wooyoung. He would jump to a few years before he had originally visited to lower his chances of meeting anyone he knew.

Back in the sandy planes of Babylon, Wooyoung sighed with the memories it carried. When he had last been here, he had no idea about San and the role he would play in Wooyoung's life. He didn't know he would get to kiss and embrace the gorgeous concubine. If he told the Wooyoung of back then about the adventures he and San would have together, would he believe him? Probably not.

Wooyoung let the crowd carry him into the city once more. The blue walls were like a soothing childhood memory to him, bearing wonder and happiness. As Wooyoung trudged along the wall to avoid the middle of the bazaar where Berosus likely did his business already, he trailed his fingertips along the rough surface of the wall.

He barely even glanced at the guards. Last time, they had made him self-conscious about being alien, but this time, he accepted their presence with ease.

How old would Mingi be now? Thirteen, maybe? He probably still grew up in one of the many small huts bordering the bazaar and dreamed of becoming a palace historian. And Berosus, maybe he was still healthier. Although the weight of his job and his age must drag him down already.

Suusaandar was here already, too. Up there in the palace in his pretty garments, as he walked the noble halls and charmed everyone on his way.

When Wooyoung glanced at the dwelling, he saw no orange veils fluttering from a window in the distance. Still, he smiled before he concentrated on his task.

He explored the bazaar and passed every stand selling accessories once before he decided. He had seen a few pieces he had liked, but one stuck in his brain. As he approached the seller, the other man received him with a grin on his bearded face.

"Hello, friend! Something caught your eye?"

"Yes," Wooyoung smiled.

Babylonian jewellery was mostly thick and double pleated. Heavy golden chains that covered entire patches of skin, like those Suusaandar wore. They were pretty, but impractical for what Wooyoung planned.

This seller also offered singular pendants that could be strung into head pieces and self-made necklaces.

Wooyoung pointed out the crescent-shaped object he had eyed earlier. The simple shape pointed downward and Wooyoung was sure it was the symbol of one of the deities Mingi had introduced him to. The gold was modest, just bowed in the regular shape. Little golden pearls dotted all over it to create a pattern and gave it some asymmetry.

"That one, how much is it?"

The seller named his price, and Wooyoung happily handed over the money. He received the item on the hand, but he wrapped it securely in the soft leather pouch he had brought for this event after stepping away from the stand. Happy with his gift, Wooyoung once more circled around the outmost area and then disappeared between the houses to go right back home.

Moments later, he stepped from the hot sunny day of Babylon back into the institute with San's gift cradled in his bag.

He hurried home through the unfriendly winds of Prague in winter. Since Christmas was near, the city had already decorated the old houses with bright lights shaped like snowflakes and stars. A Christmas market happened at the town square, and children ran around bundled up in more clothes than their little bodies could carry. They looked like tiny Christmas elves.

Wooyoung got himself a meal on the way back home. As soon as he had taken off his jacket and kicked his wet boots into a corner, he filled the loneliness of his flat with the delicious scent of his food.

The TV played some nonsensical content he barely paid attention to as he ate. He craved ginger bread these days, but he wanted to wait until San was here to share it with him. He bet that in the holiday mood, the two of them would be extra romantic and he couldn't look forward to it more.

Wooyoung finished his food and haphazardly dumped his dishes in the sink to deal with them later. Only then he retrieved San's present from his bag. It was still cold from the air outside as he laid it down on the silky cloth he had ordered just for this.

Would a chain necklace fit better, or leather?

Deciding that a chain was more durable, Wooyoung used the golden necklace he had ordered. Glad that the colour he had remembered of Babylon's jewellery matched the pendant, he fiddled the two of them together.

Prettily, San's gift laid in front of Wooyoung. The pendant was as big as the flat of his palm, but it could be hidden underneath San's clothing easily.

Wooyoung marvelled at it for a while and imagined San wearing it. No wonder it fit Wooyoung's memories of Suusaandar best out of all his identities. Once they were real boyfriends, could he possibly get San to wearing those veils for him again? San could show off how well the necklace suited that outfit.

Daydreaming, Wooyoung wrapped up the gift with a ribbon. He tucked a little note into it as well. A modest piece of paper that he had written 'For you' onto and folded once.

Pleased with the result, Wooyoung left the present on the table so he could pick it up in two days when he would leave for London. In his dreams, he had already given San the pendant long ago in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the man showed it off on his pretty tanned skin.

-

Wooyoung felt the weight of the pendant in his bag as he marched from Yongguk's office to the preparation room. After telling Yongguk that he was off and receiving the man's advice to stay away from opium this time, Wooyoung speed-walked towards his next rendezvous with San. He couldn't wait to hand over his present finally and spend more time with him. How would San look this time? What would his name be? Would they get to fence together?

Seungyoun sat at the meeting table with his feet kicked up onto the table when Wooyoung barged in. His eyes flickered between the neatly folded outfit Seungyoun had prepared for him and the door as he considered just barging through in his jeans and hoodie.

"Good day, Mister Jung. By the hurried look in your eyes, may I take an afternoonified guess that you are quite urgent to reunify with your heart's sweet?"

Wooyoung rolled his eyes at him. He impatiently set his bag down and put the gift aside on the table before he ripped his hoodie over his head. The room was too cold for a simple shirt.

"Shut up. The higher society isn't your jam. Aren't you with the underdogs usually when you travel there?"

"Oh, pardon if my sermon was rather butter upon bacon to you. Would you rather I refer to you as a gal-sneaker?"

Wooyoung grinned with ruffled hair when his shirt messed it up.

"No gals. Just San."

"I hope you know to behave in this elevated society. If you go mafficking in the streets, then your reputation will drop faster than he can make it worth it." Seungyoun took his legs down and stood to help Wooyoung into his shirt. The white linen was airy and comfortable on his skin.

"It's not the first time I go there. I think my role is more esteemed than usual, but I will be fine. If San is a gorgeous gentleman, I will be too charmed to fool around."

"I hope that's true, for your sake."

Wooyoung's suit vest was black and hugged his torso tightly. It matched his black pants and the high boots he got. Seungyoun had even prepared a top hat for him and brushed Wooyoung's hair into an elegant wave.

Last came the suit jacket. It was asymmetrical, with the back longer than the front. Golden brocade accentuated Wooyoung in a relatively modest but expensive way. Since it was still early in the year, he got a black coat to go with it, too.

"I feel hot in this."

"Don't worry, London will be rainy as always," Seungyoun deadpanned. Before Wooyoung could hit him, he got an umbrella and a bag thrust at his chest. Ever so carefully, he packed his present for San. His heart jumped and sung at the anticipation of San's expression when he got it.

Seungyoun patted Wooyoung's vest after fastening a brooch to it. Then he beckoned him to leave.

"Remember to tell him about meeting him after the war! And test his fencing skill, I need to know how good he is."

When Wooyoung skipped off with a cheery grin, Seungyoun waved at him with a handkerchief like a dramatic lover who had just sent her darling off on the Titanic.

Wooyoung sped through decontamination and into the travel room. As he clicked the little cogs on the machine into place and snatched his remote, his excitement made him giddy.

This San would be an entirely new one. They were so close now and with the Romantic period in full bloom, San probably learned a thing or two about courting.

Excited for the last part of their journey when he could finally meet with San in his world, Wooyoung got ready and jumped through the door and back in time.