XV.. Miracles

“Expectancy is the atmosphere for miracles.” ~Edwin Louis Cole

Modern Day Seoul, South Korea.

Inside the Library.

Hae Jin tried to land her steps softly as she walked on the floor.

She enjoyed the quiet inside the library but realized it also made her feel uncomfortable. 

Every single noise she made seemed amplified inside a library.

The lady behind the counter looked up and met her eyes and seeing her approach gave her a small smile.

She recognized Hae Jin from her multiple trips to the library these past weeks.

She had answered many of her questions about where to locate Goryeo history resources.

Hae Jin sat by a corner table with a window view. 

She had picked this spot the first day she had started her research and had seemed to gravitate to the same table every day.

Her notebook, backpack, phone, laptop and books spread on the table.

She had started coming to the library the day after her meeting at the coffeeshop. 

She knew now, that her answers would need to come from books and research.

Her laptop stood open, and she typed King Gwangjong into the search engine.

The first thing she would do every time she arrived at the library is browse through his life as a King. 

She had read about the reforms during his reign.

She read slowly once more,

When he ascended the throne at the age of 25, the Kingdom was unstable….his first law was the emancipation of slaves….

King Gwangjong rewarded those who contributed to the progress of Goryeo… he instituted the national service examination, to expel people from powerful clans from positions of inherited power….He created the Daebi-won “houses of mercy” providing free medicine to the poor….

He saw the association of church and state….

King Gwangjong founded temples and chose the Abbot at Heinsa Temple to promote buddhism…

As her eyes reached his later years and death, she stopped.

Despite having read this part more than once, she still felt confused and sad when she read it again.

She continued,

In 971 an earthquake occurred in Goryeo, the nobles and the people blamed the King……

As she read the last line, the memory of King Taejo and the rain ritual

came back to her.

It seemed some things had not changed for King Taejo’s son after he became King.

The people had blamed King Taejo for the lack of rain, and therefore the rain ritual had happened.

The information she had been searching for followed.

In July, (fifth month of the lunar calendar), 975 after 26 years of reign, he developed a serious disease and died a few days later.

No matter how many times she read that line, it still hurt her to read those words.

Had he died alone?

There were so many things she wanted to understand about his years as King.

The books could only give her some of the answers.

She continued reading.

His son Wang Ju, succeeded him.His reign lasted only 6 years.

Once more Hae Jin stopped.

She stayed quiet in her thoughts and looked out the window.

Queen Daemok’s son, had become Crown Prince and King.

Her gaze returned to a different book on her table that contained information about Goryeo eclipses.

Her hand held a pencil and traveled to her notes.

She underlined the title, Goryeo Era Eclipses

This last book she had used to seek answers about her time travel.

She did not know if she was onto answers, if it was just a suspicion, or if this was all wishful thinking on her part to research eclipses and their consequences hoping for answers.

She read the dates she had jotted down alongside her calculations.

Her pencil point traveled to the last date she had written.

 Goryeo Eclipses in 975.

 Total eclipse.

December.975.

 Right next to it she had written,

King Gwangjong’s death 

July.  975.

She continued underlining the month on the last date, and as she applied more pressure on the pencil, the point snapped.

The sound of it breaking made her stop again.

He had missed the eclipse by 5 months.

She looked out the window once more.

The eclipse had happened on the same year of King Gwangjong’s death, but it happened 5 months after the King’s death.

Her thoughts traveled then to her meeting at the coffee shop.

The encounters over the last days had started her on this road to finding answers about time travel.

As Hae Jin sat in the library she set her pencil down, and reached for one of the books next to her.

It was a book of poems.

She browsed thru it until she found the poem she was looking for by Wang Wei, called Zhognan Mountain Retreat and located the familiar lines,

When the water has run dry.

Sit and watch the rising cloud.

She closed the book, and held it in her hands, wrapping her arms around it, holding it close to her heart.

She no longer believed in coincidences.

She reached inside her purse and pulled out the handkerchief, wondering if she needed to wait for the rising cloud

Or pray the cloud would find her first.

Moments later she reached inside her purse and found the invitation and read it one more time.

Nabi Enterprises Christmas Party was scrolled in gold on a white invitation.  

The invitation had arrived in the mail.

She had sent her response saying she would attend.

Pulling out the invitation to the party she had just left before coming to the library made her remember what had happened there.

She had arrived alone. 

Feeling more nervous than glad.

Despite the fancy white and gold decorations, the feel of the party was that of a corporate event.

The festive decorations, lights and the snow outside made the streets in Seoul seem like the sort of Christmas scenery she loved to see in post cards.

A true winter wonderland.

Despite the cold she would have preferred a walk outside to see the lights than standing by the buffet table with a drink in hand in a dress trying to appear casual and mingle.

She knew she was failing at both.

She knew what had her feeling nervous, it was the handkerchief and returning it that had made her show up today.

It was the questions that never left her head.

It was hoping that among these fractured conversations during these encounters she could find clues any clues to help her understand what was happening.

 She remembered the gallery and meeting him as she knelt crying after watching the exhibit.

He had walked quietly behind her.

A handkerchief had been extended to her then.

A familiar voice she hadn’t expected had said, “You seem to need this. “

She had stopped crying and looked up in shock to see his familiar face standing next to her, looking down at her with kind eyes.

An announcement at the door as the CEO for Nabi enterprises walked into the party was followed by applause, bringing her thoughts back to the party.

He stopped at the door for a moment and then spotted her as he walked slowly towards where she stood.

All eyes turned towards her.

She froze in place realizing he was about to reach her.

He stopped in front of her and greeted her warmly, “Welcome Ms. Hae Jin. 

Thank you for coming.”

Hae Jin had tried to prepare herself to meet him, and she had answered automatically, “Thank you for inviting me.”

She heard herself speak feeling disconnected from herself.

As if she watched this happening to someone else not her.

For a moment it was as if time stopped and she could almost feel the veil between her modern-day self and her Goryeo self-evaporating as memories of Goryeo came back.

“You’re looking very beautiful in red, the color suits you.” He said smiling.

 The compliment took her by surprise. Making him smile more.

“Thank you” she said.

“No tears today.” He added.

The mention of her crying at the gallery made her suddenly remember why she was here.

She pulled out the handkerchief saying, “I wanted to thank you for your help and return this to you and ask more about the exhibit and its origins. I was too emotional to really find out more about the artist, and the collection.” As she spoke she extended the handkerchief to him.

“Please keep it. I appreciate someone who appreciates good art. You looked so distraught.  I feel flattered that our collection moved you, and interests you so much. “

He then added, “Only a pure heart can truly appreciate how art imitates life. Christmas is a time for miracles.” He added winking at her and smiling again.

“We should schedule an appointment to meet and discuss the exhibit.  “As he said this Ji-Won who stood behind him greeted her with a nod.

“Thank you for joining us today. I look forward to meeting again.  “He said politely adding with a smile “Please enjoy the party.”

She said her goodbyes as she saw Nabin Enterprises CEO walk away to rejoin the rest of the party. Behind him walked Ji-Won.

There were so many things she still wanted to know and ask him. Her emotions stirred again as memories of their last meeting came back.

A part of her felt relief to see him here again. Alive and well.  

Especially now, she could confirm for the second time she had met King 

Wang Mu himself in the modern world.
 

An announcement over the library speakers said the library would be closing in 15 minutes making Hae Jin stop thinking about the Christmas party she had left earlier.

She had headed straight to the library after the party to keep herself from loosing her mind as questions she couldn’t answer would keep her from sleeping, and fill her every waking moment.

She slowly gathered her things, and prepared to go home.

It was Christmas Eve.

Outside she walked slowly on the sidewalk, as snow flurries continued to fall. 

Most people were celebrating or heading to parties to celebrate Christmas.

Pedestrians passed her by, and she could feel their excitement over the holiday.

Her feet left footprints in the snow.

Her heart felt tired and burdened.

A familiar pressure made her pound her chest lightly with her fist.

She continued walking.

The sudden quiet in the street made her look around.

A few shops remained opened.

She saw the pet store window she had been searching for and the light inside still on. 

She walked in following like a moth to the flame.

She entered the shop.

A bell on the door chimed as she opened it to enter. 

Christmas music played inside.

She slowly walked towards the back of the store.

A cage held what she was looking for, two white puppies she visited occasionally after her visits to the library.

It had comforted her to see them cuddling up against each other.

Sleeping next to each other for warmth, before she reached them, she saw a mother and daughter standing in front of them watching the puppies too.  

Behind the cage a large window pane overlooked a large Christmas tree with blinking lights in the outside plaza.

The little girl’s face could hardly contain her excitement as one of the puppies was pulled out of the cage and placed in her hands by an assistant.

The assistant brought a small blanket to wrap the puppy and provided instructions for feeding and caring for it.

As Hae Jin watched silently from a small distance, she smiled to see the little girl’s excitement.

“What will you name her?” Her mother asked.

The little girl stayed quiet thinking.

Then blurted out “Snowflake.”

Her mother added with a smile, “It’s like your new friend is a Christmas miracle.”

“Mom, what’s a miracle? “The little girl asked.

Her mother stayed silent for a moment considering, then answered, “It’s the moment your heart realizes magic has finally found you.”

Both mother and daughter had smiled at each other as the assistant had finished preparing a carrier for Snowflake to travel to her new home.

She heard the bell at the door chime again.

The store was quiet, empty of customers.

Hae Jin held in her hands the puppy left behind.

Snowflakes companion.

He was alone. 

The realization made her tears well up as she held his warm body in her hands.

Her tears continued to fall, and she tried to softly rub behind his ears.

She didn’t know if the motion with her fingers was her trying to console the puppy or if she was here expecting the puppy to console her.

The puppy seeing her tears started licking her nose. 

Its wet tongue took her by surprise.

She momentarily wished she had no rules in her apartment against pets.

She rubbed its warm fur against her cheek one last time considering its eyes.

“I’m sorry. I have to go” She said to him.

The Christmas lights on the tree outside continued blinking their light reflected into the store.

On and off.

After a long silence she prepared to return the puppy to its cage.

She reached up balancing the puppy in one hand towards the cage door.

The latch was stuck. 

Trying to balance the puppy and open the door was proving difficult, she tried looking around to spot the assistant.

She saw someone moving behind her, their image reflected on the window.

For a moment she stopped, then slightly rubbed her eyes with one hand.

Then she heard soft footsteps approaching and stop.

 A soft voice from behind her said,

“You never did listen. You never did stay in one place.”

Hearing that voice, she thought her heart would stop right there and then. 

The voice continued,   

“I told you to stay with me. I told you, you could not leave me without my permission.”

The familiarity of his voice and his words shifted her entire world.

She saw his reflection on the window pane in front of her. 

“The modern world suits you better than being a court lady.”He added with amusement and a smile.

Since waking up from her comma and recovering her memories the world she lived in every day was outlined in shades of grey.

Time slowed down for her as light and color streamed in with his every word.

The warmth of his voice was like rain to a desert.

Filling all the empty spaces.

She closed her eyes as her whole being stayed focused on the sound of his voice.

Afraid to move and break its spell on her.

As tears fell she didn’t even try to stop them. 

She feared her legs wouldn’t be able to hold her weight, as her body started visibly shaking.  

She couldn’t move.

She couldn’t turn.

 All she could do was hold her breath in expectation.

His warm embrace enveloped her slowly supporting her as he came up behind her wrapping his arms around her.

His hands reached for the latch to the cage and taking the puppy gently from her hands he returned it to its cage.

Her body remained in shock and frozen as her eyes opened traveling to her now empty hands.

“I missed you.” He whispered close to her ear as his chin came closer to her gently resting on her shoulder.

She looked up towards the Christmas tree and the window pane as modern versions of themselves now looked back at her locked in an embrace. 

She could see the trace of tears streaming down her cheeks. She could see his face, and his eyes looking at her. Both of their reflections on the window pane over imposed on the Christmas tree.

It’s lights now seemed brighter as if the entire world had filled up with hope.

A soft Christmas song continued playing inside the store.

She closed her eyes again feeling her hands in his.

His solid presence letting her heart slowly accept the magic unfolding.

“You will always be my person, Hae Jin. “He said in a soft voice for her ears alone,  "It is now our time for miracles. Merry Christmas.”