화랑 - a tale of curiosity [ON HOLD]

🌸chapter four🌸

After a couple more hours of drinking and talking, Ji-ae had to bid Soo Hoo goodbye. She stood and walked to the same room in which she left Sam in but what she saw was not Sam, it was Ah Ro. Ah Ro was lay on the floor - snoring - with her hands sprawled out beside her. Ji-ae looked around and saw that Sam had left a note on the side.

I got some sleep, but so did the storytelling girl, as you can probably see. You left to go find a drink, and didn't return, so I have left you there. Find your way back. - S.

"That little swine." Ji-ae muttered, scrunching up the note. She took one last look at Ah Ro, and then left the club.

She walked through the streets that now lacked life. The night time air was cold against her skin, but also slightly refreshing in a way. She looked up to the moon, smiling at the elegance it had when it shined, it was something that everyone took for granted. As she found her way further to the market, more people were present, stacking away their goods but what took her attention were the many frantic men. They were turning around every man they came close too and comparing their faces to a sketch in their hands. Ji-ae walked closer and a man who walked bedside her got pulled away to a man sat on his horse, overlooking the other men. She squinted her eyes as she passed the man and then she figured out why that man looked so familiar.

Ji-ae quickly turned her back on the man, and observed some other things but when she heard galloping she turned back around. The queen's henchman was riding off somewhere and the other men's searching came to a halt.

Ji-ae blew a piece of her loose hair out of the way, and released the breath that she didn't know she had been holding. She continued her walk to the Inn slowly, as the effect of the drinks came flying at her at full force. She became disorientated, struggling to remember where she was heading. Nonetheless; she followed the little intel she had left going on in her head and made her way down the dirt road.

After about an hour of trying to find her way to the Inn she collapses into a heap into the floor. She takes off her shoes and throws them far into the distance and then cries. She hits the ground in frustration but through her glassy vision she sees an all to familiar face in the direction she threw her shoes. Making sure she wasn't being fooled she wiped her eyes and the angel like figure still stood there, much like a porcelain doll. Ji-ae got to her feet and made sure she wasn't seeing hallucinations. She pinched herself in the arm and the figure only just chuckled at her childish action. Ji-ae made her way over to the figure where she sadly smiled as a tear rolled down her cheek.

"Mother?" She choked out, and her mother only smiled at her. "How--"

"I think you took your drinking to far, Ji-ae." Ji-yeon said sternly, making Ji-ae chortle as she reminisced the earleir moments. "I mean, a girl like you isn't suppose to throw her shoes around the place." Her mother laughed, making Ji-ae cry even more.

Ji-ae walked over and picked her shoes up. She stood back up and slowly turned to face the angel figure again. "Mother?"

"Yes, Ji-ae?"

"Thank you." Without another word, Ji-yeon instantly understood what her daughter meant and gave a simple nod. Ji-ae began hysterically crying and her Mother did nothing but watch in silence. "Why did you have to go? Why couldn't he killed me instead of you?" Ji-ae sniffled, wiping the tears welling at her bottom eyelids. "I miss you so much."

"Ji-ae. I have told you many of times. Life and death are predetermined, you weren't meant to die that night, and I wasn't supposed to live the next day. It was only fate." Her mother said, only speaking her wise words like she always did.

"Fate sucks." Ji-ae stated, looking off into the distance and taking a deep breath. She then looked back to the ghost of her mother. "I want my mother back. I want you here, by my side like we planned. Starting a new life in Silla."