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Metanoia

Summary:

Metanoia ; - the journey of changing one's mind, heart, self or way of life.

A change of heart.

Hae Soo just want to find her way back to the love of her life, Wang So.

But fate certainly said otherwise.

Chapter Text

Opening her eyes, Ha-jin saw green. Canopies of tree and the land was a bit muddy. Was it dew?

She could hear the birds chipping, the sound of wildness.

Where was she?

Ha-jin recalled her desperation to end her life. Was it to end her life? She just wanted to go back, to Goryeo. To Wang So. To be with everyone she loved.

The moment her dear mother took her last breath, Ha-jin was lost. She has no one. No friend, no lover and no family. She was left alone, utterly. Was that how she made So felt?
Once she heard the news of the once in thousand year solar eclipse will occur that day, Ha-jin lost it. She was running towards the lake with tears running down her cheek.

Losing all her sense of mind, Ha-jin jumped into the lake. Deaf to the ruckus of people around her.
She remember her lungs constricted, her chest burn. But it worth it, isn’t it? If she didn’t end up in Goryeo, at least she died.

But she did.

She did end up in somewhere, somewhere unfamiliar it seems.

Oh well, whatever it is, she’ll do whatever it takes to survive. And find her So.

 

Walking down the unruly road, Hae Soo found herself in the middle of nowhere. It was obviously a forest with a road seem rarely traveled. She had been walking down the road for almost one hour, but she hadn’t met a single soul.

Soo was grateful, for whatever reason, the ‘real’ Hae Soo was wearing a clothes suitable for traveling, not the usual flowy hanbok. It will be a pain in her ass if she did. Oh, and she did find a decorative silver dagger around her ankle, a pouch of silver and a water bottle. Did the Hae clan were traveling somewhere?

Lost in her own thought, Hae Soo was surprised to see a group of men nearing her. Her fight or flight instinct was activated. She guessed all three of them might be bandits, with unruly hair and dirty clothes. She eyed them with weary eyes. On instinct, her hand reach out for the silver dagger that she had placed on her sleeves.

“What a beautiful agassi. I could see you’re from a rich household?” the man, whom she assume the leader took a step towards her. He was eyeing her pouch bag, but she could sense his the two others were eyeing her.

“I’ll give you the money. Just leave me alone!” her silver pouch was half full. Hae Soo was reaching for her pouch when the other bandit, with scars marring his face said.

“What a pretty agassi indeed. It a shame if we brothers didn’t have a taste first?” he leer menacingly towards her. Soo could feel cold sweat drenching her back. Why does she had such a bad luck?!

Thinking about her way out, Soo realized that she had been wearing a pendant all this while. Pulling it out, she could see that it was a jade pendant. This will do.

“I will give you all my silver and this pendant! It’s jade. It should worth a pouch or two. Just let me pass.” Gulping her saliva, she could see the leader was considering her bargain.
Not his two lackey it seems.

“Why have only the goods! This Agassi look like she come from a noble family. Leader, when will we encounter a fortune like this?!” the third bandit look like he could eat her right then and there. His smile was feral enough to make her heart thumping in fright.

Looking at the leader, Soo could see he was contemplating his lackey’s idea. This couldn’t be good.

Soo pull out her dagger and point it to the bandit. She swore to herself. She had lived in two lifetime but never once did she ever think about learning self-defense.

The air was tense. One word from the leader, all hell will break loose. He was eyeing her still.

“Take her!”

The two lackey were quick on their foot to catch her but Hae Soo was still Hae Soo. She will never get down without putting a fight. She was swinging the dagger without any particular direction and screaming bloody murder.

She could only pray someone heard her in this middle of nowhere.

The two lackey were trying hard to take a grip on her without slicing their arms out when they heard the sound of groaning.

Their leader was shot with an arrow straight to the heart.

Hae Soo eyes widen in fear. This could only mean two things. One, there are people who had heard her screaming for help. Or two, it was another bandit.
If it was the later, Soo swore she will slit her own throat right away!

With the two bandit reaching for their own sword, completely forgetting about her, Soo eyeing her surroundings. One part was a vast forest with numerous of trees, perfect for hiding. Another part was a hill. She swore, the arrow come somewhere from there.

“Coward! Show yourself!” the scarred bandit was also eyeing the hillside. The sword ready to slice whomever brave enough to show themselves. Hae Soo unconsciously gulping down her saliva.

“Argh!” both Hae Soo and the scarred bandit turn toward the sound.

It was the third bandit, slashed down completely. Behind him was a man clade in black with face half masked. On his hand was a shiny sword drenched in blood. He gave out cold murdering aura.

“You!” the scarred bandit lunge toward the man.

Oh god, Hae Soo thought. This bandit was clearly stupid.

With a flick of his hand, the man took the last bandit out. Soo could only stared wide eyed. It was only her then. Shakily, she point her silver dagger toward him. Silently praying that he was not another bandit.

“Stay back! If you wanted my money, take it all. Just leave me alone!” Soo cried in desperation.

She could the man chuckled in amusement. His hand reaching out to his face.

Pulling off his mask, his bare face was revealed to her.

“Aggasi, are you alright?” and he smiled.

Soo could only stared in shock.