The ancient clock continued its slow rhythm.
Tick...
Tick...
Its sound echoed through every forgotten corner of Heaven.
Namjoon stood motionless before it.
"It really has awakened..."
Jin gently traced the old carvings surrounding the clock.
"Do you know what this means?"
Namjoon nodded.
"It means history has begun moving again."
Silence settled over the Hall of Records.
For a thousand years...
The clock had never moved.
Until today.
Meanwhile...
Deep inside the Crimson Palace...
Jimin couldn't take his eyes off the silver pendant resting in his palm.
Its light had faded.
Yet it still felt warm.
As if it carried the heartbeat of someone far away.
A soft knock came at his door.
"Come in."
The door slowly opened.
Taehyung stepped inside.
Jimin looked surprised.
"I didn't expect to see you in Hell again."
Taehyung smiled warmly.
"I came because I wanted to see how you were."
Jimin blinked.
"...Me?"
Taehyung laughed softly.
"Of course."
"You've had your whole world turned upside down."
For the first time since everything had happened...
Jimin smiled.
A real smile.
"Thank you."
Taehyung noticed the pendant.
"So..."
"You've received it."
Jimin looked down.
"You know about this?"
"I've heard stories."
"But I've never seen it before."
Taehyung carefully sat beside him.
"May I?"
Jimin handed him the pendant.
The moment Taehyung touched it...
Nothing happened.
He smiled.
"It really does belong only to you."
Jimin took it back.
"I keep seeing a silver tree."
"And children."
"But I can't remember their faces."
Taehyung became unusually quiet.
"The Silver Tree..."
"I've heard that name before."
Jimin looked at him hopefully.
"Where?"
Taehyung slowly shook his head.
"I don't remember."
"It feels like someone erased that memory."
The room became silent.
Neither of them noticed...
Someone was quietly standing outside the door.
Jungkook.
He had heard every word.
He gently closed his eyes.
"The Silver Tree..."
"So even that memory has begun returning."
He quietly walked away without disturbing them.
Far beyond the borders of Heaven...
Beyond Hell...
In the hidden ruins of Elysium...
A single leaf drifted from an enormous silver tree.
It was alive.
Still standing.
Despite the fall of an entire kingdom.
The leaf floated through the air before landing in the hands of a young woman dressed in white.
Her long silver hair danced in the wind.
She looked toward the distant sky.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"...He's waking up."
Behind her...
An old guardian bowed respectfully.
"Princess..."
"Should we tell the others?"
The young woman slowly closed her hand around the silver leaf.
"Not yet."
"He isn't ready to meet us."
The guardian nodded.
"As you wish."
Far away...
Jimin suddenly looked toward the window.
For a brief second...
He felt as though someone had spoken to him.
Not with words.
But with hope.
The night passed quietly over the Crimson Palace.
Jimin couldn't sleep.
The silver pendant rested on the table beside his bed, glowing faintly whenever he looked at it.
It almost felt...
Alive.
Unable to ignore his curiosity, he picked it up once more.
The crystal at its center pulsed gently.
Once.
Twice.
Then...
A tiny beam of silver light floated toward the window.
Jimin followed it.
The light drifted through the palace corridor before disappearing into the moonlit garden.
"...Where are you taking me?"
The light didn't answer.
It simply continued forward.
The palace garden was peaceful.
Crimson flowers swayed gently in the cool breeze while silver butterflies danced through the air.
Jimin stopped beneath an enormous tree.
Its trunk was black, but its leaves shimmered like silver stars.
The pendant suddenly became warm.
Then...
A voice echoed inside his heart.
"Not this tree..."
"The other one..."
Jimin looked around in confusion.
"What other tree?"
The voice disappeared.
Only silence remained.
Elsewhere...
Taehyung stood alone on one of the palace balconies.
The wind played with his dark hair as he stared toward the endless horizon.
Footsteps approached behind him.
"You always find the highest places."
Taehyung smiled before even turning around.
"I knew you'd come."
Jungkook stepped beside him.
For a while...
Neither of them spoke.
Finally, Taehyung laughed softly.
"You still disappear without warning."
Jungkook rubbed the back of his neck.
"...I'm trying to stop doing that."
Taehyung looked at him with a teasing smile.
"You'd better."
"I already lost my best friend once."
"I'm not planning to lose him again."
Jungkook's eyes softened.
"You won't."
The two shared a quiet smile beneath the crimson sky.
Neither needed long speeches.
Some friendships survived even a thousand years.
Inside Heaven...
Namjoon carefully closed another ancient book.
"There has to be one final record."
Jin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"We'll find it."
Namjoon sighed.
"I hope we're not already too late."
Jin smiled gently.
"As long as Jimin is alive..."
"There is still hope."
Their eyes met.
For just a moment...
The weight of the coming storm disappeared.
Jin reached for Namjoon's hand.
Their fingers intertwined naturally.
No words were needed.
Sometimes love was simply standing beside someone, even when the future was uncertain.
Namjoon smiled.
"Thank you."
Meanwhile...
Deep within the forgotten ruins of Elysium...
The mysterious silver-haired princess slowly walked toward the great Silver Tree.
Thousands of glowing leaves surrounded her.
She gently placed one hand against the ancient trunk.
"My Prince..."
"...how much have you remembered?"
The Silver Tree answered.
One glowing leaf drifted into her hand.
Within it...
She saw Jimin standing beneath the black tree in Hell.
A gentle smile appeared on her face.
"You're getting closer."
"But the hardest memory..."
"...hasn't returned yet."
Suddenly...
The tree trembled.
Its silver light flickered.
The princess's smile faded.
"No..."
She looked toward the distant horizon.
"He found us."
Far away...
The mysterious figure with violet eyes stood atop a ruined tower.
Watching.
Waiting.
Smiling.
"The Silver Tree can no longer hide."
The Silver Tree trembled.
Its glowing leaves drifted through the forgotten kingdom like falling stars.
The silver-haired princess slowly stepped away from the ancient trunk.
Her gentle expression had disappeared.
"He found us..."
She whispered.
The old guardian immediately stood before her.
"My Princess, we must leave."
She slowly shook her head.
"No."
"If I leave..."
"There will be no one left to protect Elysium."
The guardian lowered his head.
"As you command."
Far beyond the ruins...
The mysterious figure with violet eyes stood upon a broken tower.
His black cloak fluttered in the wind.
He looked toward the glowing Silver Tree.
"So..."
"The last sanctuary still breathes."
A dark smile appeared on his face.
"It won't for much longer."
Meanwhile...
Inside the Crimson Palace...
Jimin suddenly stopped walking.
The silver pendant around his neck grew unbearably warm.
He pressed a hand against it.
"...Again?"
The crystal began shining brighter and brighter.
A soft whisper reached his ears.
"Come..."
"Follow me..."
Without realizing it...
Jimin began walking.
One corridor.
Then another.
The pendant guided every step.
Until he arrived before a pair of enormous black doors.
He had never seen them before.
Ancient symbols covered every inch of the entrance.
As Jimin reached toward the handle—
A firm hand caught his wrist.
"Don't."
Jimin turned.
Yoongi stood behind him.
His expression was unusually serious.
"What's behind this door?"
Yoongi looked at the ancient symbols.
"The Hall of Memories."
Jimin blinked.
"...Can I go inside?"
Yoongi remained silent for several seconds.
Finally...
"No."
"Why?"
"Because you're not ready."
Frustration flashed across Jimin's face.
"That's what everyone keeps saying!"
"When will I be ready?"
Yoongi looked directly into his eyes.
"The day you can face your past..."
"...without losing yourself."
Jimin lowered his head.
"...What if I never can?"
Yoongi stepped closer.
His voice became gentle.
"You won't face it alone."
For a brief moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Then Jimin gave a small nod.
"...Okay."
Yoongi smiled faintly.
"Thank you."
As they turned to leave—
The massive doors suddenly shook.
BOOM!
Both of them froze.
Another loud sound echoed from the other side.
BOOM!
The ancient symbols began glowing.
The pendant around Jimin's neck floated into the air.
Its light rushed toward the sealed doors.
The symbols disappeared one by one.
Yoongi's eyes widened.
"No..."
"It can't be..."
The final seal unlocked.
The doors slowly opened by themselves.
A brilliant silver light poured into the corridor.
Inside...
Thousands of floating memories drifted through the enormous hall like stars.
Laughter.
Voices.
Music.
Pieces of forgotten lives.
At the very center...
A single crystal floated above an ancient pedestal.
The moment Jimin looked at it—
A voice echoed throughout the hall.
Warm...
Loving...
And heartbreakingly familiar.
"Welcome home... my little prince."
Jimin's eyes filled with tears.
His knees weakened.
"...Mother...?"
The crystal glowed brilliantly.
But before another word could be spoken—
A wave of black smoke burst into the hall.
The floating memories shattered like glass.
A cold laugh echoed through the palace.
"Found you."
Every light in the Hall of Memories went dark.
Yoongi immediately stepped in front of Jimin, crimson flames surrounding him.
His voice thundered through the darkness.
"Show yourself!"
Silence.
Then...
Two glowing violet eyes appeared within the shadows.
The mysterious figure had finally entered the palace.
❖ Who is the mysterious figure with the violet eyes?
❖ Was the voice calling Jimin "my little prince" truly his mother?
❖ What memories were destroyed inside the Hall of Memories?
❖ Can Yoongi protect Jimin from the enemy who has finally appeared?
Write a comment ...