The Hands of Time

Chapter 18: Taken Fate

The stone in her hands looked finished, unlike the one she accidentally brought with her, or accidentally brought her here, and Jimin looked up to Eun Woo, eyebrow raised. "This isn't mine."

"I know." He nodded and smiled weakly. "We're switching."

"Why?"

He sighed, going back to his seat and Jimin could see both Aeri and Ningning peeking up on them from their papers. "Because you're wounded and I think I should take the risk instead since I'm in better shape than you."

"You mean because you're a strong tall man and I'm just a tiny weak woman?"

Aeri dropped her hands on the table. "He's being nice, don't pick a fight with him."

"Right." Jimin looked back at her. "Should we continue our fight instead?"

"What's there more to fight about?" She dared her. "You're coming with us, alive or dead because I'm dragging you with me and Minjeong doesn't want you to stay here either."

Flinching inside, Jimin glared back at her. "Because you manipulated her."

"I didn't manipulate her, I just told her necessary things she could consider."

"She's right, Jimin." Ningning supported her coworker. "Before Aeri told her anything, she told me that she wouldn't let you stay either."

With her jaws clenched tightly, Jimin looked down and slumped in her seat. Defeated, but her mind was still working on a way to get out of this. She really was not going back and she wouldn't let anybody drag her back.

"We should focus on the road project." Aeri spoke up again, picking back the paper on the table. "I don't want a reason for the other kingdoms to attack them." She made a pointed look at Jimin. "This was your idea, come help me protect your girlfriend."

For now, Jimin was going to behave. Aeri had a point. Maybe this was the cause of those visions of her that Minjeong had. Jimin would end up going back home after all, leaving the woman here by herself but still trying to fix it. She had to do everything she could to secure not only her future, but Minjeong's too.

So she obliged. Scanning the maps on top of the table, searching for the best path to build a road.

While her group was working on the project, an excuse for the mysterious woman who refused to let The King know her identity to spend time with her own friends, The Royal Family had been busy declaring their victory all over the village. They even visited them directly and Minjeong was tagging along with them.

The woman was still upset at Jimin, although she knew that they didn't have much time left to spend together, she was distancing herself, preparing for the woman's departure that soon would happen.

Aeri had explained to her about how she had already tried to think of a way for her to go with them since The Princess brought it up. It immersed her to know how ready the woman was to leave her life behind to the unknown one. For Jimin.

It also made it harder for her to tell her that she had no solution to their problem.

Minjeong was defeated. She tried to hold it together in front of Aeri but the second she went home, she spent her days crying in her room. She knew that the stranger was right, Jimin did not belong here.

She felt like she didn't belong here either, she knew now that she belonged with Jimin. But what else could she do?

She had consulted Jimin in this, and of course, being the stubborn, in love woman, Jimin disagreed. She insisted on staying, ignoring the arguments Minjeong had even though she knew there was some truth in them. That frustrated Minjeong even more.